Thomas E.Mann is a senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, where he holds the W. Averell Harriman Chair. He is a frequent media commentator on American politics. Gary R. Orren is professor of public policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and coauthor of The Electronic Commonwealth: The Impact of New Media Technologies on Democratic Politics (1988).

"Like partners in a bad marriage, the news culture and the research culture don't always understand each other. This book is a major step toward reconciliation." —William Schneider, Cable News Network|"An instructive volume on a phenomenon of growing importance. Like it or not, the polls are part of our political life. This helps our understanding of what they can do for us —and to us." —David S. Broder, The Washington Post|"The best set of essays available on the impact of the mass communications media on American Politics and government." —Austin Ranney, University of California, Berkeley

Thomas E.Mann is a senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, where he holds the W. Averell Harriman Chair. He is a frequent media commentator on American politics. Gary R. Orren is professor of public policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and coauthor of The Electronic Commonwealth: The Impact of New Media Technologies on Democratic Politics (1988).

"Like partners in a bad marriage, the news culture and the research culture don't always understand each other. This book is a major step toward reconciliation." —William Schneider, Cable News Network|"An instructive volume on a phenomenon of growing importance. Like it or not, the polls are part of our political life. This helps our understanding of what they can do for us —and to us." —David S. Broder, The Washington Post|"The best set of essays available on the impact of the mass communications media on American Politics and government." —Austin Ranney, University of California, Berkeley

Thomas E.Mann is a senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, where he holds the W. Averell Harriman Chair. He is a frequent media commentator on American politics. Gary R. Orren is professor of public policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and coauthor of The Electronic Commonwealth: The Impact of New Media Technologies on Democratic Politics (1988).

"Like partners in a bad marriage, the news culture and the research culture don't always understand each other. This book is a major step toward reconciliation." —William Schneider, Cable News Network|"An instructive volume on a phenomenon of growing importance. Like it or not, the polls are part of our political life. This helps our understanding of what they can do for us —and to us." —David S. Broder, The Washington Post|"The best set of essays available on the impact of the mass communications media on American Politics and government." —Austin Ranney, University of California, Berkeley