Pulp Politics » (2nd Edition)

The 30-second political advertising spots considered by some to be despoilers of democracy can also be seen as evocative and powerful means through which the stories of American politics are told and understood. Often it is the fabric of popular culture, not the imperatives of informed consent, that drives viewer response to campaign commericals.

1 Communicating Culture: Audiovisuals in Campaign Advertising 11

2 Political Advertising and Political Thinking 31

3 The Attack on Attack Politics: Why "Negative" Advertising Is Good for Democracy 61

4 The Ad Patrol: Campaign Advertising and Ad Watch Journalism 89

5 Visual Political Communication in Campaign 2000 111

6 Terror TV: Political Advertising during the Bush Years 125

7 Conclusion: Reason, Passion and Democracy in the Digital Age 155

References 175

Index 191