ABSTRACT
From the turn of the century to the present day, three themes have dominated successive campaign years: politics as conflict, politics as conscience, and politics as conciliation. That sequence runs its course over a twelve-year period and then starts over again. To say that "the nation" shares a dominant concern in an election passes over some heavily populated variations. Particularly since television has brought national politics within arm's length of nearly every American, the great majority probably have at least some experience of the quadrennial passing parade. As the histories to follow make clear, journalism's role in Presidential politics has been significant, sometimes perhaps even decisive, at least since the turn of the century. Nowadays when a man sets out to be President, his first plan is a media strategy. His first major expenditure is likely to go for hiring a top-flight, high-priced professional media manager.
