In "America in Search of Itself," White recalls the 1956 election, his first to cover as a reporter. He describes what he calls the Old Country of the Fifties and early Sixties and explains both the social and governmental changes that brought the country to a fateful decision in 1980. White analyzes a few key states and their impact on national politics, the shift of voting patterns of demographic groups during the decades leading up to 1980. He notes the impact that television made on politics by the time of the Reagan-Carter showdown. The author tracks Jimmy Carter's rise to power and notes the disagreements that he had with the Democratic Congress of that era that led to gridlock and helped lead to Edward Kennedy's primary challenge in 1980. He notes the tactical errors of the Carter administration in both domestic and foreign affairs which led to widespread malaise. Near the end of Carter's term, our standing in the world had diminished precipitately and inflation had reached intolerable levels. The traditional Democratic coalition had eroded, and he highlights the effects this erosion has on parties' primaries and the general election. He covers the Reagan landslide and the results from the 1980 census. "America in Search of Itself" is a look back at the elections of 1956 and 1980 and the monumental changes that occurred in America in the interim.
Dimensions: 150 x 229
Author: Theodore H. White
ISBN: 9780060390075
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 465