ABSTRACT
A good political image-builder does whatever is necessary in order to "sell" the client to the public, to get the client elected, and increasingly to keep the client in office once sworn in. Whit Ayres Without question Donald Trump presents political consultants with numerous dilemmas, especially for Republican consultants charged with helping to elect Republican candidates to other federal offices. The American Association of Political Consultants, developed the Code of Ethics, requires all members to sign it annually, and expects all members to live and work by the standards it sets. It is important to note that the code not only requires the political consultants themselves to comply with the listed guidelines, but the ninth pledge also holds political consultants accountable if their candidates do not comply with the rules laid out in the code. The ethical dilemmas outlined in this chapter mostly consist of acquiring, analyzing, and presenting information derived from empirical data.
