{"product_id":"the-first-modern-campaign-9780742547995","title":"The First Modern Campaign","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe presidential campaign that pitted Richard M. Nixon against John F. Kennedy was the most significant political campaign since World War II. With Eisenhower''s tenure at an end, American society broke with the culture of the war years. This social shift was reflected in and provoked by new trends in American political life and political campaigning, all of which made 1960 a landmark year in American politics.In this engaging book, Gary A. Donaldson tells the story of Kennedy versus Nixon with a sharp eye for the salient political developments and a keen sense of the drama of an election that was unlike any other the nation had experienced. The election of 1960 was also an orchestrated political drama, organized as a sweeping campaign from coast to coast and staged for a national television audience. This made it the first modern campaign in which the television media changed the dynamics of presidential politics and in which photographs, charisma, and direct appeals to voters counted\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDonaldson . . . gathers everything about that pivotal election season in a fast-paced, comprehensive tale. . . . [He] is particularly good at analyzing the divisions within the two major parties, especially those of the Republicans, and in assessing the role of religion in the campaign. One comes away with a heightened appreciation of Nixon's clarity of understanding, Kennedy's distinctive energy and the origins of the right's grievances, which eventually led to its takeover of the Republican Party. * Publishers Weekly *\u003cbr\u003eThe book is a pleasant read that weaves interesting anecdotes and insights to provide a lively account of party politics in the 1950s and the campaign and election of 1960. . . . Recommended. * CHOICE *\u003cbr\u003eDonaldson's brevity and thematic unity make this book an excellent choice for undergraduates. . . . Donaldson's ability to tell a good story combines nicely with a thorough survey of scholarly works and manuscript collections. * Journal of American History *\u003cbr\u003eIn this lively and informative book Gary A. Donaldson provides readers with a number of important insights into American politics. * Journal of Southern History *\u003cbr\u003eThe First Modern Campaign promises to be a more evenhanded treatment of the candidates, and it delivers on this promise. Donaldson has done extensive archival research and brings his revealing findings to bear at numerous points in his narrative. The strength of the book is in its fast-paced yet thorough account of the Kennedy-Nixon combat. Donaldson does an equally good job sketching the political background for the 1960 election and describing the pivotal events of the campaign. * The Historian *\u003cbr\u003eGary A. Donaldson has crafted a brisk, well-researched account of the dramatic confrontation between John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon in the 1960 presidential election. Readers will find this engaging narrative a compelling introduction to the race for the White House that shaped American politics for many decades. -- Lewis L. Gould, author of Grand Old Party: A History of the Republicans\u003cbr\u003eTheodore H. White's  The Making of the President 1960  established the popular genre of insider campaign narratives and remains the most famous book of all campaign books. Prospective readers of The First Modern Campaign  will want to know what is different and new about this new account of the 1960 election. Gary A. Donaldson tackles his Theodore White problem in a preface and makes an important claim: for all of its virtues, White's version of the 1960 election was marred by his romanticized portrait of John F. Kennedy.  The First Modern Campaign  promises to be a more evenhanded treatment of the candidates, and it delivers on this promise. * The Historian *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChapter 1: The \"Modern Republicanism\" of Eisenhower and the GOP Split in the Fifties Chapter 2: The Democrats Endure the Eisenhower Years Chapter 3: Kennedy and the Liberals Chapter 4: The Democrats Slug It Out in the Primary Season Chapter 5: Waiting for Nixon Chapter 6: The Conventions Chapter 7: Campaign One Chapter 8: The Great Debates Chapter 9: Campaign Two Chapter 10: Epilogue and Analysis","brand":"Rowman \u0026 Littlefield Publishers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51037611393367,"sku":"9780742547995","price":90.9,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780742547995.jpg?v=1750936492","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-first-modern-campaign-9780742547995","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}