ABSTRACT
American political lore is filled with tales of decisions made by small clusters of cigar-chomping politicos ensconced in smoke-filled hotel rooms. Illusion is still very much a part of democratic politics, of course, but today it comes less from blue smoke than from mirrors. Focus groups like those used by both the Bush and Dukakis campaigns are among the most widely used tools of strategic communication. One of the most important things a political operative needs to know is which themes resonate with the public to the advantage or disadvantage of his or her client. A principal objective of any political consultant is to control the media and public images of his or her client. That is what Teeter, Atwater, and company did for George Bush, and it is what Democratic consultants attempted to do for Michael Dukakis. During campaign periods, strategic control of the media almost always means grabbing more and better attention.
