Tag Teaming the Press: How Bill and Hillary Clinton Work Together to Handle the Media

by James E. Mueller

Overview

Tag Teaming the Press, James Mueller's lively account of the evolution of the press relations of Bill and Hillary Clinton, begins with the couple's earliest student political activism in the sixties and continues through Hillary's run for the White House in 2008. Based largely on interviews with the journalists who covered them, the book explains how the most powerful political couple in America learned to handle the media-an indispensable skill for the twenty-first century politician. Mueller shows that the Clintons honed that skill through years of interacting with journalists_as campaign workers, as candidates, and as candidates' spouses. He also makes clear that it is the latter category that makes the Clintons unique among American political couples. At various times in their more than 30 years in politics, Bill and Hillary have fulfilled a number of roles for each other in dealing with reporters, including lightning rod, bad cop, good cop, and schmoozer. Mueller examines each of these roles and discusses how the Clintons played them-sometimes winning, sometimes losing, but always well worth watching. Written in an engaging style but based on thorough research, Tag Teaming the Press is a valuable resource for students of media and politics and an informative read for anyone who cares about American democracy and the role the press plays in it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742555488
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	06/27/2008
Series:	Communication, Media, and Politics
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

James E. Mueller is associate professor of journalism at the University of North Texas.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Tag Teaming the Press
Chapter 2 We to They
Chapter 3 He Wants to Please
Chapter 4 She Wants to Control
Chapter 5 Azalea Pink Rage and the Book of Accounts
Chapter 6 Tag Team: Enter the Secret Weapon
Chapter 7 Tag Team: Enter the Rock Star Surrogate
Chapter 8 Knee-Jerk Liberal Press or Republican Noise Machine?
Chapter 9 How Could You Prepare for Washington?
Chapter 10 Get Used to It

Editorial Reviews

As a former Arkansas TV journalist who quite often was the target of the Clinton wrath, I found Tag Teaming the Press a thoroughly enlightening report of what it was like when Bill and Hillary were in their 'formative' stages as far as their attitudes toward the media and the First Amendment are concerned. Temper and patience, anger and schmoozing—it's all here to see, warts and all.

Mel Hanks

A lively and revealing account of the odd dance between the media and the First Family of politics and press relations. With fascinating anecdotes and sharp insight, James E. Mueller pulls back the curtain on Bill and Hillary Clinton's mastery of media relations. Read Tag Teaming the Press and you'll understand—this is how the Clintons do it.

Wayne Slater