Developments in American politics

President George W. Bush gained re-election in 2004 with a clear, if narrow, victory that appeared to vindicate his personal handling of the presidency and to give him a mandate to pursue his conservative agenda. Within a year the prospects for the remaining years of the Bush presidency seemed much less promising, as the war in Iraq, natural disasters, and political problems served to undermine the president's political capital. Covering a wide range of key contemporary institutional, policy, and political issues, Developments in American Politics 5 examines the record and prospects of the Bush administration - highlighting the complex interweaving of long-, medium-, and short-term factors that structure contemporary American politics. Written by a team of leading international scholars and tightly edited to provide an accessible and coherent student text, Developments in American Politics 5 is an entirely new book designed to continue the tradition of authoritative, up-to-date, and informed analysis set by its predecessors. It will prove invaluable to all serious observers of American politics. Book jacket.