American Presidential Candidate Spouses

Description

The book offers a comprehensive analysis of public opinion toward presidential candidate spouses over the course of three decades, drawing on multiple theoretical frameworks including the concept of “new traditionalism” and a plethora of empirical data to explore why some spouses engender greater support than others—and what these reactions reveal about the American public and the gendered nature of the American presidency. Recognizing that presidential candidate spouses are important but understudied political actors, this book provides extensive analysis of public evaluations of Bill Clinton and Melania Trump during the 2016 presidential election as well as the presidential candidate spouses in the 1992 and 2012 elections and places public reaction to these individuals in historical context. The book considers important trends in U.S. elections including party polarization from the distinctive vantage points of candidate spouses and explores the symbolic importance of historic firsts including the first African American candidate spouse and the first male candidate spouse. No other work provides a systematic exploration of public opinion towards candidate spouses as distinct political entities across the modern political era. Front Matter ....Pages i-xv An Introduction to American Presidential Candidate Spouses (Laurel Elder, Brian Frederick, Barbara Burrell)....Pages 1-20 Understanding Public Opinion Toward Presidential Candidate Spouses (Laurel Elder, Brian Frederick, Barbara Burrell)....Pages 21-49 Hillary Clinton Versus Barbara Bush: Tradition Meets Change in the 1992 Presidential Campaign (Laurel Elder, Brian Frederick, Barbara Burrell)....Pages 51-77 Historic Firsts: Public Opinion Toward Michelle Obama and Ann Romney in the 2012 Presidential Election (Laurel Elder, Brian Frederick, Barbara Burrell)....Pages 79-106 Breaking with the Past: Public Opinion Toward Melania Trump and Bill Clinton in the 2016 Election (Laurel Elder, Brian Frederick, Barbara Burrell)....Pages 107-134 The Future of Public Opinion and Presidential Candidate Spouses (Laurel Elder, Brian Frederick, Barbara Burrell)....Pages 135-154 Back Matter ....Pages 155-158