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Popular Politics and the Clinton/Lewinsky Affair: The Implications for Leadership
Author(s) -
Owen Diana
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
political psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.419
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1467-9221
pISSN - 0162-895X
DOI - 10.1111/0162-895x.00182
Subject(s) - politics , impeachment , presidential system , entertainment , political science , media studies , cynicism , news media , presidential election , gossip , politics of the united states , law , sociology
The Clinton/Lewinsky scandal unfolded in an era of “new media” politics that presented fresh and often unanticipated challenges for presidential leadership. New media actors, such as call‐in talk radio and TV hosts, tabloid journalists, and Internet gossip columnists, played a significant role in scandal politics. They influenced the framework within which stories were reported and perceived by the public. New media channels, in particular, framed the events leading up to the presidential impeachment in terms of dramatic, prime time–style entertainment. This entertainment news frame allowed citizens to compartmentalize their perceptions of President Clinton as a leader versus a private individual involved in a sex scandal. Media Politics can explain, at least in part, President Clinton's strong job performance evaluations in the midst of one of the most publicized political scandals of the century.