Red Over Blue: The 2004 Elections and American Politics / Edition 1

by James W. Ceaser, Andrew E. Busch

Overview

From moral values to weapons of mass destruction, from exit polls to Swift Boat Veterans, from red states to blue states, the 2004 Presidential election left an indelible mark on American politics. In Red over Blue: The 2004 Election and American Politics, James W. Ceaser and Andrew E. Busch go beyond headlines and soundbites to explore the events, outcomes, and effects of the most recent exercise in American democracy. Beginning with an analysis of George W. Bush's first term and continuing through the primaries, general election, and aftermath, the authors share their insight and analysis through a clear and engaging narrative. Ceaser & Busch also look beyond the Presidential contest to examine important house, senate and gubernatorial races, as well as controversial state initiatives that played an important role in the 2004 election season. Building on Ceaser & Busch's studies of the 1992, 1996, and 2000 elections, this volume is essential reading for courses in American Government, Campaigns and Elections, and Presidential Politics, as well as for any American interested in the real and lasting importance of the 2004 elections.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742534971
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	03/31/2005
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.28(w) x 8.94(h) x 0.67(d)

About the Author

James W. Ceaser is professor of politics at the University of Virginia. Andrew E. Busch is associate professor of government at Claremont McKenna College. Together, they have written The Perfect Tie: The True Story of the 2000 Election, Losing to Win: The 1996 Elections and American Politics, and Upside Down and Inside Out: The 1992 Elections and American Politics.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The New Face Of American Politics Chapter 2 The Bush Presidency Chapter 3 The Democratic Nomination Contest Chapter 4 The General Election Campaign Chapter 5 Congressional and State Elections Chapter 6 Electoral Reform and the Future of the Parties

Editorial Reviews

Red Over Blue is a fair, accurate, and insightful account of the 2004 election, and a worthy successor to the authors' previous books on 1996 and 2000. Ceaser and Busch are fast becoming the 'scholars of record' of presidential campaigns. An informative and thought-provoking book.--John C. Green, University of Akron

Focuses on the 2004 presidential campaign, from primaries to aftermath.-- "The Chronicle of Higher Education"

Highly recommended.-- "Choice Reviews"

Once again, Ceaser and Busch come through with a timely and clearly written analysis of the elections. To make sense of one of the U.S.'s most contentious campaigns, you need to read this book. I especially commend this volume to colleagues teaching American politics next Fall, when students will be grappling with the importance of Bush's reelection to the future of U.S. politics--Mark J. Rozell, George Mason University, author; The New Politics of the Old South: An Introduction to Southern Politics, Sixth Edition

This work, like its predecessors, is a crisp narrative that accessibly frames the major events and undercurrents of the 2004 primary and general elections in concepts drawn from the technical side of political science, such as realignment theory, base strategy vs. swing strategy, and partisan defection rates. The result, not quite scholarship and not quite journalism, is more substantian that Evan Thomas's Election 2004 and will be useful in both public and academic libraries.-- "Library Journal"

From the Publisher

Highly recommended.

Choice

Focuses on the 2004 presidential campaign, from primaries to aftermath.

The Chronicle of Higher Education

Highly recommended.

Choice Reviews

Red Over Blue is a fair, accurate, and insightful account of the 2004 election, and a worthy successor to the authors’ previous books on 1996 and 2000. Ceaser and Busch are fast becoming the 'scholars of record' of presidential campaigns. An informative and thought-provoking book.

John C. Green

Once again, Ceaser and Busch come through with a timely and clearly written analysis of the elections. To make sense of one of the U.S.'s most contentious campaigns, you need to read this book. I especially commend this volume to colleagues teaching American politics next Fall, when students will be grappling with the importance of Bush's reelection to the future of U.S. politicssss

Mark J. Rozell

Highly recommended.

CHOICE

Focuses on the 2004 presidential campaign, from primaries to aftermath.

Chronicle of Higher Education

In addition to their own scholarly books, Ceaser (politics, Univ. of Virginia) and Busch (government, Claremont McKenna Coll.) have now collaborated to recap and analyze four consecutive U.S. presidential elections. This look at the 2004 Bush-Kerry contest was preceded by The Perfect Tie: The True Story of the 2000 Elections; Losing To Win: The 1996 Elections and American Politics; and Upside Down and Inside Out: The 1992 Elections and American Politics. This work, like its predecessors, is a crisp narrative that accessibly frames the major events and undercurrents of the 2004 primary and general elections in concepts drawn from the technical side of political science, such as realignment theory, base strategy vs. swing strategy, and partisan defection rates. The authors are particularly interesting on how blogs challenged the role of traditional media, and they devote one chapter to congressional and state elections and another to the changing roles of parties and to possible electoral reforms. The result, not quite scholarship and not quite journalism, is more substantial than Evan Thomas's Election 2004 and will be useful in both public and academic libraries.-Robert F. Nardini, Chichester, NH Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal