"Claiming the Mantle"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how in his book, "Claiming the Mantle: How Presidential Nominations Are Won and Lost Before the Votes Are Cast", Butler argues that the process by which presidents are elected in the United States has never been truly on the up-and-up, but rather has always been controlled by behind-the-scenes actors with various agendas that have historically been the true key players in American presidential nominations and elections. The paper looks at how Butler argues that outcome is coordinated long before the actual events take place and that the extent to which these deep-rooted political structures and processes have influenced the course of the nation's history might come as a surprise to even the most politically informed and sophisticated American citizen today.

Outline:
Introduction
Review and Analysis.
Summary and Key Points of "Claiming the Mantle"
Analysis and Critique of Author's Methodology
Discussion of the Author's Conclusions
Important Implications of Author's Conclusions.

From the Paper:

"Money may not buy happiness, but it does help get a president elected and Butler emphasizes the importance of money to aspiring presidential candidates throughout his analysis. There are other forces at play, of course, the author advises, but by and large these all relates to coordinating candidate and political contributions to their maximum advantage. In this regard, the author emphasizes, "Without money and organization, a presidential candidate has no hope of winning the nomination" (Butler, 2004, p. 71). "Following the money" has always been a useful ways of finding out who benefits from what when there are some nebulous forces at work, and the presidential nomination process is no exception. There have been a number of new rules introduced over the years that have affected how and when these political contributions can be made and used, certainly, but the bottom line impact for most presidential candidates has remained the same. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Butler, R. L. (2004). Claiming the mantle: How presidential nominations are won and lost before the votes are cast. Cambridge, MA: Westview Press.

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