Page Two of Book Review of Gender and Political Communication in America
In Chapter 9, Editor Janis Edwards offers an interesting examination of the senate campaign films that often go unmentioned. The films are of two women who are largely thought of as transitional political figures: Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Dole. She attempts to uncover how these women “traversed the wife-candidate double bind” that confronts women in politics. She notes how Hillary Clinton’s campaign film contrasted wildly with her rhetoric, as did Hillary Clinton’s Internet presidential announcement speech of 2007.
Teresa Bergman took up a topic that could easily go unnoticed: a documentary film about the 1972 presidential race of Shirley Chisholm. That Barack Obama credited Chisholm for paving the way for his presidential success, should make race and gender scholars consider her important 1972 presidential race. Bergman correctly notes that Chisholm’s presidential effort is rarely referenced in US media. The documentary film by Shola Lynch is important to consider and Bergman argues that in a documentary that focused on Chisholm’s campaign, Chisholm ’72: Unbought and Unbossed, Lynch “activates a metonym that has little to do with understanding the actual candidate.”
Lisa Burns extends her excellent work by offering a thorough look at the press framing of first ladies political activism by noting that although the first lady’s role is often symbolic, it is so unusual and full of contradictions that it warrants examination. Since the office of first lady is granted through marriage, Burns notes, it is automatically gendered. In Chapter 12, respected communication scholar Erika Falk also extends her previous work by examining gender bias and maintenance in the press coverage of Hillary Clinton’s announcement to seek the presidency in 2008. She notes the dearth of press coverage for women candidates both from the beginning of their presidential efforts in 1872 to today.
Editor Edwards furthers her investigation of political cartoons by making “an examination of twenty years worth of masculinity as an interpretive frame” in editorial cartoons. Optimistically she notes that as more women enter presidential politics it could lead to a more neutralized gender depiction in cartoons.
In Chapter 14 'Gendered Bodies', Jimmie Manning and Cady Short Thompson take on the topic of gendered political bodies and note that asking provocative questions of how gender and sex inform political interpretations is key. Among other aspects of gender and sex they consider why Hillary Clinton’s New Hampshire tear up ultimately proved politically advantageous for her. This chapter suggests that this is a rich area of future research for rhetorical scholars. Finally, an epistolary epilogue by Mary Kahl and Edwards offers readers the most timely analysis of Sarah Palin’s vice presidential campaign.
As you can easily tell from this review, this is a dense, carefully constructed volume of useful essays will stimulate, educate and inform about many areas that consider the impact of race and gender. It will become a valuable book in your collection.
©2009 Nichola D. Gutgold
