Full name: O.O.P.S.: Observing Our Politicians Stumble: The Worst Candidate Gaffes and Recoveries in Presidential Campaigns

Author: Stephen Frantzich Year: 2012 Rank: Rating: Original Rating: Pop Rating: Genres/categories: Politics, Humor Purchase/reserch links: Goodreads LibraryThing Amazon ISBNs: 9781440803130 1440803137

Combining humor and wisdom, this timely volume examines how presidential campaigns can and often have become undone by an unguarded comment, an unintentional misrepresentation, or an unwise initiative. Democratic theory mandates that candidates be judged on the basis of policy initiatives and professional capabilities. In reality, gaffes on the campaign trail too often replace substance as the criteria used to assess qualifications, especially in an era when a smart phone video clip can go viral in a matter of minutes. At times gaffes do represent character flaws or reveal significant personal shortcomings. As many a modern presidential candidate has discovered, an innocent slip of the tongue can quickly become a fatal mistake.