The Election Game and How to Win It

In the 1960s and 70s, political consultant Joe Napolitan, worked for famous leaders including John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, Milton Shapp and Mike Gravel.

In this fascinating memoir, Napolitan takes a look how candidate win. He highlights the use of mass media, foreseeing the power of television in successful political campaigns. "The issues don't mean a hell of a lot," he observes. Napolitan makes clear that the idea of "selling" candidates is a misnomer. Instead, he says those who win elections have personalities that make for "instant involvement" with viewers and listeners.

Though it's not a handbook, Napolitan says The Election Game and How to Win It will be used as such by candidates, managers and pollsters, as well as political historians. Drawing on his personal experience, Napolitan provides an insightful and engaging look into successful campaigns.

Drawing on his years working for John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Hubert Humphrey and others, political manager Joe Napolitan takes a fascinating look back at mass media in the 1960s and 70s in this informal memoir. He concludes that candidates' success in elections has less to do with issues and more about how they present themselves on television.
Joseph Napolitan (March 6, 1929 - December 2, 2013) was an American political consultant, who worked as a general consultant on over 100 political campaigns in the United States, and many others throughout the world. Napolitan served on the 1960 Kennedy for President campaign, was Director of Media for the 1968 Hubert Humphrey campaign and received the French Legion of Honour in 2005. He died on December 2, 2013 at the age of 84. Napolitan was credited with coining the term political consultant to describe political professionals who are hired out to provide advice to different political campaigns, often at the same time. Napolitan was the founder and first president of the American Association of Political Consultants. He co-founded the International Association of Political Consultants with Frenchman Michel Bongrand.Napolitan was also CEO of Napolitan & Associates in Springfield, Massachusetts.