THE ECLIPSE OF EQUALITY: Arguing America on Meet the Press - Tapa dura

"[T]his is a solid resource for those interested in political science, conflict analysis, and resolution as communication. . . . Recommended." -- R. A. Logan * Choice * "The strength of the book is the author's use of quotations from the more than thirty-five hundred episodes of Meet the Press, beginning with a radio broadcast in 1945 and televised by NBC starting in 1947 . . . Quoting Meet the Press broadcasts in a careful, evenhanded way, Simmons demonstrates that the show is indeed a wonderful historical archive . . . In an engaging and innovative way, Simmons shows how the current debate over economic inequality has developed. The passion and energy in his writing make The Eclipse of Equality interesting throughout. It is a provocative challenge to those on both sides of our political divide." -- Paul Moses * Commonweal * "Simmons brilliantly distills 70 years of conversations on Meet the Press into an engaging account of America's post-war political trajectory. With conservatives championing individual freedom and liberals promoting group rights, economic equality has largely disappeared from our national conversation. The Eclipse of Equality breaks new ground by uncovering the rhetorical roots of our present political malaise." -- Howard Kimeldorf * University of Michigan *

To understand American politics, it is essential to understand our disparate political tendencies as they have played out in public debate. Uncovering how and why certain arguments have been persuasive over the last decades-as set forth on Meet the Press, the longest running political roundtable-Simmons chronicles the defining political debates of the 20th century.