Studies of Communication in the 2012 Presidential Campaign. Edited by Robert E. Denton, Jr. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2014. 239 pages.

Studies of Communication in the 2012 Presidential Campaign. Edited by Robert E. Denton, Jr. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2014. 239 pages. How significant was the March 23, 2015, announcement by Senator Ted Cruz that he was running for president of the United States--making him the first candidate to formally enter the 2016 campaign? Judith S. Trent, writing in Robert E. Denton Jr.'s Studies of Communication in the 2012 Presidential Campaign, offers some perspective: "Beginning in 1972, and with no exceptions thereafter, presidential hopefuls who have gone on to become viable candidates for the nomination of their parties are those who surfaced earlier than their competition" (p. 4). This intriguing insight, which would no doubt please Cruz's advisors, is one of many in Denton's latest edited volume. In it, Trent, Denton, and fourteen other scholars scrutinize "a wide range of communication elements and themes" (p. ix) in the 2012 presidential campaign. The volume offers a diverse number of ways to consider the "role and function of communication" (p. ix) within the various contexts of a political campaign. Even though the book limits itself to the two major political parties (in the process, virtually ignoring the marginalized voices of third-party and independent candidates), its areas of focus are plentiful, including the surfacing phase; Mitt Romney's nomination; candidate personae; first ladies as campaigners and presidential advisors; the nomination acceptance speeches of Romney and of Barack Obama; undecided voters; the role of race, music, and social media; and Obama's second inaugural address. Trent's Chapter 1 explores the functions of candidate surfacing (establishing first impressions, introducing the candidate's administrative style, and articulating the themes and issues the candidate hopes will resonate with voters) in relation to the 2012 candidates. Henry C. Kenski and Kate M. Kenski examine the 2012 Republican Party nomination of Romney in Chapter 2, providing a solid overview of the political environment, the impact of Republican nomination rule changes and fundraising, media coverage, and the ability to maintain a strong positive message. In Chapter 3, Dennis D. Cali examines the candidates' personae, beginning with a discussion of personal attributes, manifestations, functions, and challenges. Of particular note in this chapter is the critical framework that Cali offers for assessing candidate persona. Chapter 4 turns the focus to the male candidates' wives and their roles during the campaign. Here, Theodore F. Sheckels discusses the evolving role and expectations of first ladies, tracing campaigning first ladies from the nineteenth century to 2004 and, finally, considering the ways in which Michelle Obama adheres to the traditional norms of first ladies in campaigns, namely, to target specific voting groups or to be "used to say things the candidate cannot" (p. 76). Melody J. Lehn, in Chapter 5, continues by examining the backlash that Hilary Rosen received when she criticized Ann Romney for having "never worked a day in her life" (p. 96). These chapters challenge readers to look at the evolving roles of first ladies who are campaigners and mothers and who also have pre-White House careers and advanced degrees. Although it would make for an interesting study, the roles of male spouses--the husbands of Hillary Clinton and Michele Bachman--remain unexplored here. …