Description
Book SynopsisThis book examines the media relations strategies first ladies and their teams have used throughout history to manage press and public interest in their private lives, to promote causes close to their hearts, and to shape their public image. These essays also highlight the important role media relations plays in political communication.
Trade ReviewNotable first lady scholar Lisa M. Burns is back with an impressive collection of essays from leading scholars in Media Relations and the Modern First Lady: From Jacqueline Kennedy to Melania Trump. As the roles of women have changed in society since the 1960s, and media has changed too, the complexity and pace with which the media reports on our first ladies is notable. Why do first lady media relations matter? This book demonstrates the importance of astute media relations and how each woman must navigate her unique time in the spousal spotlight while the whole world is watching. -- Nichola D. Gutgold, Penn State University
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Why Do First Lady Media Relations Matter? Lisa M. Burns Chapter 1: History of First Lady Media Relations from Martha Washington to Mamie Eisenhower Maurine H. Beasley Chapter 2: Jacqueline Kennedy and the Challenge of Establishing Modern First Lady Media Relations Elizabeth J. Natalle Chapter 3: Lady Bird Johnson and the Press: “She Understood the Language of the Trade” Nancy Keegan Smith and Diana Bartelli Carlin Chapter 4: Strength of a Tender Heart: Pat Nixon’s Media Relations Linda B. Hobgood Chapter 5: “For all the questions you didn’t ask—I’m grateful”: The Media Relations of Betty Ford Myra G. Gutin Chapter 6: Rosalynn Carter, Mary Finch Hoyt, and the Media: The Rise of the Steel Magnolia Pamela G. Bourland-Davis, Jenni M. Simon, and Abby M. Brooks Chapter 7: The Boss’s Wife: Exploring Nancy Reagan’s Complicated Role as Homemaker, Protector, and Advocate Joshua M. Bentley and Russell Mack Chapter 8: First Lady Barbara Bush and Press Secretary Anna Perez: Lessons from an Effective Media Relations Partnership Molly Wertheimer Chapter 9: Soldiering On: Lisa Caputo, Marsha Berry, and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Media Relations Anne F. Mattina Chapter 10: Speaking From the “Velvet Pulpit”: The Media Relations of Laura Bush Erika Cornelius Smith Chapter 11: Michelle Obama and the Effective Use of Strategic Communication: The Art of Mastering Messaging across Multiple Media Platforms Shaniece B. Bickham Chapter 12: Melania Trump’s Bullied Pulpit: Media Relations for an Embattled First Lady Tammy R. Vigil Conclusion: The Dynamic Nature of First Lady Media Relations Alison Novak
