Scandal : why politicians survive controversy in a partisan era / Brandon Rottinghaus.
| Author/creator | Rottinghaus, Brandon, 1977- author. |
| Format | Book |
| Publication | New York : Columbia University Press, [2026] |
| Description | x, 213 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm |
| Subjects |
| Portion of title | Why politicians survive controversy in a partisan era |
| Contents | Introduction : the death of scandal? -- Studying scandal : empirical evidence since Watergate -- Weathering the storm : how to survive a scandal -- How polarization minimizes scandals -- Everything is a scandal these days -- The effects of scandals on political legacies -- Conclusion : why scandals are good (and why we need them) |
| Abstract | "Once, it was thought, a scandal was the kiss of death for a political career. Today, however, surviving scandal seems to be the norm. Donald Trump has weathered-and even perhaps benefited from-controversies that would have been unimaginable for virtually any other candidate. Prominent figures in both parties have won elections and remained in office despite credible allegations of wrongdoing. Do scandals still matter? When and why do voters punish politicians or give them a free pass? Charting the changes from Watergate to the present, this book is a rigorous and compelling investigation of the politics of scandals. Bringing together wide-ranging survey data, innovative experiment design, and historical analysis, Brandon Rottinghaus demonstrates how political polarization, affective partisanship, fading trust in media, and the spread of misinformation have diminished the resonance of controversies. Although scandals still fell many politicians, there is a clear trend over time for fewer voters to be swayed by them. In a polarized world, scandals take only a modest toll on politicians' approval ratings, survival in office, ambitions, and legacies. In many cases, partisans accept-or even embrace-misbehavior from members of their own party and revel in scandals affecting the opposing party. Challenging conventional wisdom with extensive data, this book illuminates the declining significance of scandals and the consequences for democratic accountability"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Issued in other form | Online version http://id.loc.gov/entities/relationships/onlineversion Rottinghaus, Brandon Scandal New York : Columbia University Press, 2026 9780231562447 |
| Issued in other form | ebook version : 9780231562447 |
| LCCN | 2025023799 |
| ISBN | 9780231218825 |
| ISBN | 9780231218818 hardcover |
| ISBN | 0231218818 hardcover |
| ISBN | 0231218826 paperback |
| ISBN | electronic book |