Throughout the contest for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, politicians and voters alike worried that the outcome might depend on the preferences of unelected superdelegates. This book shows that for several decades, unelected insiders in both major parties effectively selected candidates long before citizens reached the ballot box.
The book presents a comprehensive theory on how individuals gather political information from mass media and shape their political preferences. Zaller utilizes specific examples to explore public opinion dynamics across various topics, including domestic and foreign policy, government trust, racial equality, and presidential approval. It also delves into voting behavior in U.S. elections and investigates intriguing aspects of public opinion, such as random fluctuations in political attitudes and the impact of subtle changes in survey question wording.
Just reading these documents brings this great composer to life in a most exciting and vivid way. I love this book! -Yo-Yo Ma