Primary Decision

WILLIAM L. BENOIT is Professor of Communication at the University of Missouri. Benoit has published extensively in political communication, including The Clinton Scandals and the Politics of Image Restoration, with Joseph R. Blaney (Praeger, 2001).P. M. PIER is a lecturer at Wartburg College In addition to Campaign '96: A Functional Analysis of Acclaiming, Attaching, and Defending, with William L. Benoit and Joseph R. Blaney (Praeger, 1998), she has published in various scholarly journals.LeANN M. BRAZEAL is with the Department of Communication at the University of Missouri./e She has published in Argumentation and Advocacy.JOHN P. McHALE is with the Department of Communication at the University of Missouri./e He has published in Communication Quarterly and Critical Studies in Media Communication.ANDREW KLYUKOVSKI is Assistant Professor at Truman State University./e He has published in Critical Studies in Media Communication.DAVID AIRNE is with the Department of Communication at the University of Missouri./e He has published in Critical Studies in Media Communication.

• Preface Introduction Method and Procedures: Analyzing Acclaims, Attacks, and Defenses Early Primary Debates: 1948, 1960, 1968, 1972, 1980 Republican Primary Debates: "I Paid for This Microphone!" 1984 Democratic Primary Debates: Morning Again in America 1988 Primary Debates: What After Reagan? 1992: Who Will Challenge the Leader of Desert Storm? 2000: Who Will Be the First President of the New Millennium? Conclusions Appendix: List of Primary Debates Appendix: Sample Acclaims and Attacks on Forms of Policy and of Character References Index