ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book aims to shed light on these interactions by exploring how the presidency works to frame high-profile, contentious public-policy issues today, even as political foes and a daunting news landscape complicate those efforts. It argues that despite the fragmented political and communications context of the early 21st century, the president retains substantial advantages in framing major controversial issues for the media and the public. The book demonstrates the impact of presidential communication choices, by exploring the factors that help make presidential frames more or less likely to gain hold in the news. It explores key cases of the Barack Obama Administration's efforts to frame health-care reform, vying with its political opponents in endeavoring to ensure its messages carried the day in media settings old and new.
