… While many once-embarrassed politicians have run again successfully, let’s not forget all of the Gary Harts out there, with big scandals dooming them forever to the political exile of lobbying and “spending more time with family.” What’s the bounce-back rate on politicians involved in big scandals? Naturally, it appears to […] Read more »
Twitter row has changed UK perception of the brand
Every so often the messenger becomes the story. Sometimes this is a person and sometimes a medium. In the past week Twitter, the social media platform, often used for reporting news became the news as campaigners and MPs were subjected to abuse and rape threats, while anger erupted over Twitter’s […] Read more »
The scandal attention cycle
… George Washington University political scientist Danny Hayes has described how the “issue attention cycle” results in a surge in news coverage of a new issue like gun control followed by a fairly rapid decline, which received increased attention after the Sandy Hook massacre but ultimately trailed off, following a […] Read more »
Anthony Weiner: Do voters care about his sexual photo scandal?
New revelations about Anthony Weiner’s dangerous adventures in online sex messaging have emerged, causing all hell to break loose in the New York City mayoral race – and on the internet, too. … For all the journalist-led snark on social media, is there actually any likelihood that the negative media […] Read more »
Anthony Weiner support slumps as poll finds New Yorkers favour exit from race
No one knows where the line for unacceptable behavior on the part of a New York City politician is drawn, but apparently there is one – and Anthony Weiner managed to cross it. A majority of New York voters think Anthony Weiner should drop out of the mayoral race, according […] Read more »
Politicians Are Slowed by Scandal, but Many Still Win the Race
… Political scientists have found that politicians mired in scandal are indeed in worse shape than their colleagues, but that is a relative measurement. A study of post-Watergate Congressional scandals by Scott J. Basinger of the University of Houston found that while scandal-tarred incumbents were far more likely to retire […] Read more »