The Candidate by Samuel Popkin - Book Report/Review Example

A Book Review Written by Samuel Popkin and published by the Oxford Press, in the year 2012, The Candidate: What it takes to Win - and Hold - the White House probably stands out as one of the most incisive publications in the analysis of American electoral politics. Popkin does not only speak about American elections, but he goes deeply into analyzing how the race to White House is initiated, how the campaigns are funded, who calls the shots in which states, and the interrelationship between party politics and different states’ alignment to political parties. Considering the background of the author, it is worth acknowledging that his knowledge of American, European and international politics makes him one of the leading authorities on electoral politics. He served in Bill Clinton’s campaigns and Gore’s campaigns, and has also served different political parties in Europe and Canada. Evidently, he has sufficient knowledge of presidential campaigns, how they are designed and run. Hence, Popkin uses this knowledge to outline the relevant factors on presidential elections. Although it is not quite clear, he tries to predict the possibilities that candidates can plan elections in a way that they have to win. In outlining landmark case studies, he considered President Bush’s controversial re-election, Al-Gore’s case in the lost election, and Hillary Clinton’s case of a predictably successful but lost nomination. Thus in critics, he questions the reasons why history does not teach politicians, and why political mistakes that cost massive loses are repeated in every election. Popkins relays his work in ten chapters divided into five distinctive parts. In the introductory part, he handles chapters one and two where he discusses (1-2). In the subsequent chapters that is, the campaign juggling and the planning chaos. In the first chapter Popkins explains what a candidate faces from the first time he announces his candidature, what men and women sitting around saloon will be talking about. The candidate will have to persuade doubtful voters how good he understands their lives and ready to take the country to new heights. Popkins considered the typical days of three candidates that is, Jimmy carter in 1976, George H.W. Bush in 1991 and Al Gore in 1999.Jimmy Carter explains that the more fruitful you are in politics the more attention you must take with what you do. In the second chapter planning for chaos, Popkins explains how the candidates will have to prepare concerning the uprising issues and the competitors, the responses required for advanced planning with respect to the opposition tactics and the media. Thus the candidates will have to plan for chaos, this is vital for them to win. Generally in this two chapters Popkins highlights how Jimmy Carter ,George H.W.Bush and Al Gore who were part of a noble family demonstrating the qualities and morals of a true leader ,creating communal individuality ,developing a visualization for the future and at last has to strategize for the future ( pg 9-53). The third and fourth chapter that is, challengers: the search for an experienced virgin and the challenger who could not lose: Hillary Clinton in 2008.Popkins highlighted the voters’ upsets amongst the minor of the two evils harmonizing, Ronald Reagan’s upset dark side in contrast to President Carter’s failings. And in the search for an experienced virgin George W. Bush began his campaign with postulation that Forbes would aid him in that search, Popkins highlighted how these candidates once had associates with the grass root, less knowledgeable, gorgeous and had credentials to win primary popularity but with the involvement of the media and competition for presidency the contenders have to influence the search for an experienced virgin. He also highlighted how Guliani overwhelmed his own declarations of aptitude by being the search of an experienced virgin. The challenger who could not lose, highlights the contest between a famous and influential business woman, Hillary Clinton and the scarcely known African – American candidate. This chapter explains how courage, familiarity, supporters, and money influences politics since no one can defeat if he is not able to bend to the policies and stay on sequence (pg, 57-86).Thus generally Popkins classifies campaigns into The Challenger demanding to boot out the other party’s contender, somebody who resolve to dialogue about conveying revolution and not undertaking political affairs as normal. Considering the third part, chapter five and six. That is the Incumbents and the unbeatable incumbent.Popkins explains how the Incumbents had to prepare for the re-election taking into consideration the challenges and threats on their side .The Incumbents had to deal with the same issues they dealt with as challengers, repositioning and choosing their right enemies. The chapter highlights how Carter had to criticize Reagan and defends himself which reflected his lack of readiness for his new debate role as the incumbent, whereas challengers offer hope and change making the incumbent with no alternative. The unbeatable incumbent was George W. Bush who after arriving from Japan faced growing cultural and fiscal divisions within his party and this time round he had to take into consideration the influences of Reagan .Thus had to change his tactics from his normal campaigns of only talking about his strengths and Reagan’s weakness if and only winning was necessary (pg 133-163). Showing that people did not have in mind the ideal president hence what they wanted depended on what they disliked or liked about the incumbent which gave advantage to the challengers. It takes the incumbent months to advance a reliable defense. Thus the Incumbent who necessitates currently guard his record nevertheless also place out a visualization for a another term if he needs to be re-elected; and the Successor, the Vice President who marches a partisan tough situation, successively in his personal right but demanding not to get his superior the President’s front out of joint (pg 133-163). Comparatively Popkins talked about challenger’s political movement can speedily amend and familiarize to unstable conditions, an incumbent’s crusade acts more similar to a battleship, steering gradually and producing very huge waves. In the fourth category that is, chapter seven and eight: Successor and the successor with peace and prosperity. The vice president talking about the consideration of the political tough situations in his beliefs though not to get to the presidents joints. Franklin Delano Roosevelt requiring from John Nance Garner to be his running mate since Garner was linked and respected by his constituents. The successor thus will have to guard the current issues in the party without interference with the president and this seen to no one accusing Eisenhower of being military unstable. Popkins highlights how the successor had the toughest time amongst all the candidates by trying to figure out the dissimilarities between the factors that got them at hand, and then emerging a controllable campaign plan, thus they had to play right the cards putting into consideration all the campaign strategies and trying to apply different strategies as in their last campaign.Popkins highlights the three campaigns with the challenger contributing a new start, incumbent contributing understanding and the successor with the toughest side of the campaign to deliver stability ( pg, 191-212). In the fifth category that is, the ninth and tenth chapters: The teams that work and “Is this any way to pick a president”.Popkins highlights how useful the team that works aids the candidate in similar way though the mix that works will depends on the candidates abilities. Showing how well the team that works finalizes the candidate inclusive of the chief of staff, a peer and an impartial navigator and also an intermediary amongst specialists. From page 256 Reagan is described as a politician who was cooler to work with since he had a high understanding on how to work with crews taking into consideration and analyzing everyone’s work .The team that works thus aids in offering an enhanced political lifecycle. In page 245, George W Bush chooses to run for the presidency but only for the Newsweek crew to acquire about the guidance of taking someone in the campaign list which was not a good planned team. Which explains to why the former senator Fred Thompson never became the republican nominee in 2008 but because teamwork matters a lot he did not make it. Considering chapter ten Popkins reveals that in 1984 after the conquest by Ronald Reagan, Walter Mondale went to George McGovern enquiring him by what method it acquired to overcome his 1972 thrashing by Richard Nixon (pg 237-261). Popkins offers a valuable agenda to evaluate how the campaigns are going in 2012 and also notes that numerous things occur throughout campaigns speedily thus all of the above might be altered by upcoming occasions. Presidential contenders reach at the dais in three manifestations: “Challengers” try to oust the conflicting party’s boss, “incumbents” contend for additional terms and “successors” demands to uphold their party’s authority. Candidates who are determined for the White House regularly follow winning exertions, nonetheless might find healthier direction if they examine trailing races and comprehend which kind of movement challenger, incumbent or successor should accept. Work cited Popkin. The Candidate. Oxford Univ. Press, 2012. ISBN 978-0-19932521-4 Read More