Jimmie D. Trent

The Ideal Candidate A Study of the Desired Attributes of the Public and the Media Across Two Presidential Campaigns

The view of image as a transaction between what a candidate does and the evaluative response that voters have to it creates at least three critical questions as yet unanswered in the literature of political communication. First, although the power of the media to affect the success or failure of political campaigns and candidates has been demonstrated by researchers and is popularly believed, do the views of individual media members regarding the qualities necessary for presidential candidates differ significantly from those of the electorate? Second, although voters share many beliefs about the personal qualities that presidential candidates ought to possess, do these attributes vary from presidential election to election? Finally, although voter assessment of a candidates image is a major determinant of voter behavior and voters have a mental picture of an ideal candidate that they use to evaluate actual candidates, do the evaluative dimensions differ by party affiliation? The answers to these questions were determined from the results of a survey of 236 professional journalists covering and 444 voting citizens attending presidential rallies in New Hampshire in 1988 and 1992.

Image, Media Bias, and Voter Characteristics: The Ideal Candidate from 1988-2000

The view of image as a transaction between what candidates say and do and the way in which voters compare that behavior to their beliefs of what candidates should be or do stimulates three critical questions important to political communication. First, although the power of the media to affect the outcome of political campaigns and candidates is believed by citizens and has been documented by researchers, do the views of individual members of the media regarding the ideal qualities required of presidential candidates differ significantly from those of the voters? Second, do the criteria of the “ideal presidential candidate” vary across elections? And finally, do the evaluative dimensions of idealness differ by party affiliation, age, or gender? The answers to these and related questions were determined from a survey of 562 journalists covering, and 1,246 citizens attending, political rallies in New Hampshire during the presidential primaries of 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000.

The ideal candidate revisited A study of the desired attributes of the public and the media across three presidential campaigns

The view of image as a transaction between all that a candidate says and does and the way in which voters compare that behavior to their personal vision of what a candidate should be inspires at least three questions important to campaign communication. First, although the ability or power of the media to affect the success or failure of political campaigns and candidates is popularly believed and has been documented by researchers, do the views of individual members of the media regarding the ideal qualities required of president candidates differ significantly from those of voters? Second, do the characteristics or criteria of the “ideal candidate” ascribed by the media and/or the electorate vary from election to election? And finally, do the evaluative dimensions of “idealness” differ by party affiliation, age, or gender? The answers to these questions were determined from the results of a survey of 388 professional journalists covering and 734 citizens attending rallies in New Hampshire during the presidential primaries of 1988, 1992, and 1996.

The Idealized Presidential Candidate A Vision Over Time

Image as a transaction between what candidates say and do and the way voters compare that behavior with their personal vision of what candidates should be or do stimulates at least three critical questions important to political communication. First, although the ability or power of the media to affect the success or failure of candidates and campaigns is believed by many citizens and documented by research, do views of individual members of the media regarding ideal qualities presidential candidates should possess differ significantly from those of voters? Second, do characteristics or attributes of the “ideal” presidential candidate, as affixed by the media and the electorate, vary from election to election? Finally, do the evaluative dimensions of “idealness” differ in relationship to gender, age, or party affiliation? Answers are determined from results of a survey of journalists covering and citizens attending political rallies in New Hampshire during the 1988 to 2004 presidential primaries.

Public Relations Education: An Opportunity for Speech Communication.

Public relations can and should be a career alternative available to the speech communication graduate. This article encourages the development of public relations programs through the expansion, modification, and unification of courses now taught within speech communication departments and suggests a curriculum for implementing the program.

The Rhetoric of the Challenger: George Stanley McGovern.

The authors examine the traditional expectations of a political challenger and Senator McGoverns failure to fulfill those expectations.

Cracked and Shattered Ceilings: Gender, Race, Religion, Age, and the Ideal Candidate

Image as a transaction between what candidates say and do and the way voters compare that behavior with their personal vision of what candidates should be or do stimulates at least four critical questions important to political communication. First, what qualities or attributes do voters believe are important for a presidential candidate to possess—what are the dimensions of the “ideal” presidential candidate? Second, do these views change with time and with candidates, or are they fairly consistent across elections? Third, were the unique candidate demographics (religion, race, gender, and age) apparent in the 2008 New Hampshire primary important to voters? Finally, do the evaluative dimensions of “idealness” differ in relationship to the gender, age, or party affiliation of those who attend political rallies? Answers are determined from results of a survey of citizens attending political rallies in New Hampshire during the 1988 through 2008 presidential primaries.

Central states communication association: History since 1981 and 50 years of communication studies

This essay presents an overview of events affecting the Central States Communication Association since 7987 and an examination of the development of Communication Studies in its first 49 volumes. The Associations decline in the early 7980s and its revival through efforts of its officers, members, and the then Speech Communication Association are traced. The Central States Speech Journal and the developments that resulted in changing its name to Communication Studies are discussed in ten volume segments. A total of 7 254 articles were published in the first 49 volumes. Early volumes contained many non‐research articles. Later volumes emphasized public address or other critical research. Interpersonal Communication was the focus more often than any other subject or research type in the 1990s.