Lobbying as Relationship Management

Unfortunately, the tone of press reports concerning lobbying is often negative. Academics, for example, can portray lobbying as some sort of pernicious force in society. Consider the following from Demirdjian (2008): “Certain lobby organizations have wielded so much power through unethical procedures that they have held Congress and the White House hostage. Presidents are elected to office and presidents are toppled by the lobbying machine” (p. 1).