Persuading the Public

Anne C. Pluta is associate professor of political science at Rowan University.

Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Going Elite: George Washington to John Q. Adams, 1789-1828 2. Going Partisan: Andrew Jackson to Abraham Lincoln, 1829-1865 3. Going Regional: Andrew Johnson to Benjamin Harrison, 1866-1893 4. Going Almost National: Grover Cleveland to Woodrow Wilson, 1894-1921 5. Going National: Warren G. Harding to George H. W. Bush, 1922-1992 6. Going Targeted: William Clinton to Donald J. Trump, 1993-2021 Conclusion Appendix: Data for Inaugural Addresses and Annual Messages Notes References Index

"This book is a major scholarly achievement, combining a new and impressively comprehensive database with an innovative theoretical framework. It significantly advances knowledge and understanding of the presidential practice of 'going public,' and is now an essential resource in the field."-Mel Laracey, professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, author of Presidents and the People: The Partisan Story of Going Public (2002) and Informing a Nation: The Newspaper Presidency of Thomas Jefferson (2021) "Deeply historical and richly textured, Persuading the Public offers a well-written and provocative account of presidential communication from Washington to Trump. A valuable contribution to conversations about presidential rhetoric, the rhetorical presidency, and the institutional environments that constrain and incentivize both, this book will interest political scientists, scholars of rhetoric and presidential communication, and all those interested in presidents and presidential history."-Mary E. Stuckey, Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Communication Arts & Sciences, Pennsylvania State University "With Persuading the Public, Anne Pluta has produced an impressive piece of scholarship. She covers a lot of ground, delivering a nuanced and thoughtful understanding of the impact newspapers, radio, TV, YouTube, and other social media, have had throughout presidential history. In this multimethod, crisply written, and engaging volume, she provides a comprehensive overview of the presidency as an institution, presidents as individuals, and how they fit in and shaped various periods of the evolution of presidential communication. This book will find a home in classrooms and on the research shelves of scholars of American politics, the presidency, American political development, and political communication."-Daniel E. Ponder, L. E. Meador Professor of Political Science, Drury University "Pluta offers a rigorous, data-driven approach to the study of presidential rhetoric in US history. She brings nuance and a fresh lens to a long-standing debate. This book challenges our understanding of the topic and is an essential read for presidential scholars."-Julia R. Azari, professor of political science, Marquette University, and author of Delivering the People's Message: The Changing Politics of the Presidential Mandate