Overview
No Holding Back tells the story of John Anderson's 1980 presidential campaign. Anderson gave up a safe seat in the House of Representatives, a position in the Republican leadership, and a likely nomination for a Senate seat to run what every expert considered a hopeless race for the GOP presidential nomination. Anderson did so because he was disturbed by many of the same trends in American politics that still exist today: the proliferation of special interests, gridlock on Capitol Hill, and the unwillingness of his fellow politicians to speak honestly about the critical issues facing the nation. More than anything, Anderson wanted to make a statement about how candidates ought to run for office: by rejecting quick-fix solutions, being candid on where one stood on matters of policy, and not sugarcoating the problems that faced voters. Anderson ran as a kind of anti-candidate. He had a unique campaigning style and offered proposals that differed greatly from the standard Republican viewpoint. People found him refreshingly direct and different. As interest turned to the campaign, he attracted widespread media attention. He performed beyond expectations in the first round of primaries and soon switched to an independent candidacy. By June, he was running at 26% in a three-way race against Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Against the backdrop of runaway inflation, the Iranian hostage situation, a debilitating energy crisis, and a discredited incumbent president, pollsters found him winning unprecedented support. But during the summer, troubled by ballot access problems, financial issues, institutional obstacles, and management difficulties, Anderson's polling totals began to fall. Once it became clear that he would not win, his support collapsed and he limped to a 7% finish. This final result has greatly undermined the importance of this campaign. It has influenced numerous future candidates and changed the way many politicians would run for office. His was the first candidacy to expose how
Full Product Details
Author: Jim Mason
Publisher: University Press of America
Imprint: University Press of America
Dimensions:
Width: 18.10cm
, Height: 3.40cm
, Length: 25.60cm
Weight: 1.207kg
ISBN: 9780761852261
ISBN 10: 0761852263
Pages: 614
Publication Date: 22 September 2011
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Out of Print
Availability: In Print
Limited stock is available. It will be ordered for you and shipped pending supplier's limited stock.
Reviews
Mason lovingly chronicles John B. Anderson's 1980 presidential campaign. After failing to win the Republican nomination, Anderson won 7 percent of the vote as an independent candidate against Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Using secondary sources and over 60 interviews, Mason painstakingly recounts the history of the campaign....The 50-page epilogue concludes that the campaign had a significant legacy as some candidates since the Anderson campaign have run as anti-candidates, different from typical politicians.... Readers seeking a detailed description of the Anderson campaign will find this book valuable. Summing Up: Recommended. Research collections. * CHOICE * Mason lovingly chronicles John B. Anderson's 1980 presidential campaign. After failing to win the Republican nomination, Anderson won 7 percent of the vote as an independent candidate against Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Using secondary sources and over 60 interviews, Mason painstakingly recounts the history of the campaign...The 50-page epilogue concludes that the campaign had a significant legacy as some candidates since the Anderson campaign have run as anti-candidates, different from typical politicians... Readers seeking a detailed description of the Anderson campaign will find this book valuable. Summing Up: Recommended. Research collections. CHOICE
Mason lovingly chronicles John B. Anderson's 1980 presidential campaign. After failing to win the Republican nomination, Anderson won 7 percent of the vote as an independent candidate against Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Using secondary sources and over 60 interviews, Mason painstakingly recounts the history of the campaign...The 50-page epilogue concludes that the campaign had a significant legacy as some candidates since the Anderson campaign have run as anti-candidates, different from typical politicians... Readers seeking a detailed description of the Anderson campaign will find this book valuable. Summing Up: Recommended. Research collections. CHOICE
Author Information
Jim Mason majored in political science at the University of Pennsylvania. He has worked at George Washington University, the University of Rhode Island, and St. Mary's College of Maryland. He grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, and splits his time between New York City and Becket, Massachusetts.
