1st Edition
Celebrity in Chief A History of the Presidents and the Culture of Stardom, With a New Epilogue on Hillary and “The Donald”
Introduction: The Rise of the Concept of Stardom and the Culture of Celebrity
1. Forerunners of the Modern Celebrity Presidents: Washington to Cleveland
2. Theodore Roosevelt: The Strenuous Life
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt: Public Advocate
4. John F. Kennedy: Glitter and Cool
5. Ronald Reagan: The Role of the Century
6. Bill Clinton: Pop Icon
7. Barack Obama: Making History and Taking New Paths
8. Second Billing: From Truman to the Bushes
9. First Ladies: Partners in Celebrity
10. Presidents and Television: Primal Forces
11. Presidents and the News Media: Tug of War
12. Presidents and the Movies: Cinema Stars
13. Presidents and Reading: Gravitas Alert
14. Presidents and Sports: Links to Everyday America
15. Presidents and Music: Sweet and Sour Notes
16. Presidents as Trend Setters and Trend Spotters: Food, Fashion, Pets, and More
17. Callow vs. Consequential Celebrity: All Stardom is Not Equal
Epilogue: The Rise of The Donald and Hillary: Riding Celebrity to New Highs and Lows
Selected Readings
Biography
Kenneth T. Walsh is the chief White House correspondent for U.S. News and World Report. He is the author of the daily blog "Ken Walsh’s Washington" for usnews.com, and "The Presidency," a weekly column for usnews.com. He has covered the presidency since 1986 and is one of the longest-serving White House correspondents in history. Walsh is the former president of the White House Correspondents’ Association and has served as an adjunct professor of communication at American University in Washington, DC. He is the author of seven books, including Prisoners of the White House and Family of Freedom, published by Routledge.
Ken Walsh brings his keen eye to one of the defining aspects of the modern presidency. In this entertaining and informative book, Walsh provides a fascinating look at the ways in which celebrity culture has shaped presidential politics in recent decades. The book is sure to contribute to debates about the future of the White House and the health of American democracy.
Julian E. Zelizer, Author of The Fierce Urgency of Now: Lyndon Johnson, Congress, and the Battle for the Great Society
