Political Commentators in the United States in the 20th Century: A Bio-Critical Sourcebook 9780274953493

Devoid of technical jargon, this bio-critical sourcebook is a unique accounting of the careers of significant political commentators of the 20th century, including print and broadcast journalists, scholars, and political consultants. It offers insights into the rise and demise of political commentary, and future possibilities for an informed citizenry.

In 40 separate bio-critiques covering 42 of the 20th century’s most significant political commentators, this book traces the evolution of technical political commentary through four phases: the didactic phase of commentary via the newspaper columnist, 1914-1928; the interpretive phase associated with broadcast commentary during the golden age of radio, 1929-1948; the entertainment phase of the TV era, 1949-1980; and the opinionated phase ushered in by the diversification and proliferation of targeted communications media in the final two decades of the century. The volume describes in detail the achievements and failures of each communicator’s career in contributing to the rise and demise of political commentary across the four phases of development.