Archie Bunker for President

Delving into the intersection of television entertainment and American politics during the 1970s, focusing on the sitcom All in the Family, this book explores how political campaigns, social movements, and legislators leveraged the shows popularity for their own agendas. From Archie Bunkers reactionary bigotry, to Edith Bunkers symbolic role in the Equal Rights Amendment campaign, and the shows creator and producer Norman Lears defiance against government censorship, Oscar Winberg uncovers the profound impact of television on political strategies and institutions.Oscar Winbergs capacious research, including in Norman Lears private archive, shows how All in the Family set the stage for todays spectacle politics. It also reveals how politicians, from Richard Nixon to Hillary Rodham Clinton, skillfully utilized entertainment television to connect with audiences, demonstrating the evolution of personality politics that culminated in the political rise of Donald Trump. With a keen focus on the transformative power of television entertainment, this multifaceted history expands the discussion on the interconnected roles of media and politics, offering a new exploration into how one television show produced a profound cultural shift in American politics.