The political pundits

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About the Series / Robert E. Denton, Jr

Foreword / Robert E. Denton, Jr. Introduction: From Delphi to Democracy, the Sources of Punditry. Towers of Babel. From Babel to Punditry. The Heritage of Pundits' Authority. From Itinerant Instructor to Media Pundit. The Fifth Estate: Punditry on Punditry?

pt. I. Traditions of Political Punditry. 1. The Priestly Caste: Speaking of, with, and for Political Elites. The Priestly Muse. From Priestly Sound Ideas to Priestly Sound Bites. Conclusion: Prophets with and without Honor. 2. The Bardic Tradition in Political Punditry: Speaking of, to, and for the Populace. The Humorous and Comic Muse in Bardic Punditry. Bardic Gossip and Politics in Print and on Radio. Bardic Punditry in Contemporary Politics. Conclusion: The Magic of the Bardic Song. 3. Sages and Oracles: The Pundits of the Larger View. The Sagacious Muse in Politics. The Oracular Sage: A Pundit for all Seasons. Conclusion: Back to the Future Via a Return to Delphi

pt. II. Current Trends in Political Punditry. 4. The Technician as Pundit: Campaign and Policy Experts. The Punditry of Technique. Campaign Technicians. Policy Technicians. Conclusion: The Centrist Dragon of La Technique of Punditry. 5. The Chattering Pundits: Talk TV and Radio. Visible and Invisible Pundits: Talk Shows on TV. "Everyman, Dial 1-800-PUNDITS": Talk Radio. Conclusion: "Then You Shouldn't Talk?" 6. The Critical Eye: Mediating the Realities of Mediated Politics. Roles and Types of Media Critics. Is the Political Picture Moral? The Critic as Constable. Is the Political Picture Art? The Critic as Artist. Is the Political Picture Fulfilling? The Critic as Cultural Psychologist. Is the Political Picture Representative? The Critic as Social Scientist. Conclusion: Orders of Mediated Politics. 7. Conclusion: Democracy or Punditocracy? The Death or Triumph of Punditry? Is Laughter the Best Medicine? Pricking the Bubble of the Pundit's Pride