Product Description

This exciting new book by political scholar and commentator Larry J. Sabato helps students, voters, citizens understand the issues and actions that mattered most in the 2006 midterm elections and previews the 2008 presidential race.

 

The Sixth Year Itch contains original chapters by Sabato, one of the most recognizable experts and commentators on elections in the U.S., as well as contributed chapters by prominent journalists and scholars who are on the political frontlines.  Each essay offers trenchant commentary and unique insights into the campaigns, the issues, and the strategies of parties and candidates, preparing students to be informed participants in the next election.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #835322 in Books
• Published on: 2007-04-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 528 pages

Review
'Suceeds in what it sets out to accomplish: to provide a detailed and entertaining synthesis as to why the 2006 midterm elections took the form that they did. I would wholeheartedly recommend this text to anyone.' Simon Hill, Liverpool John Moores University

About the Author

Larry J. Sabato is the Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia, and the Director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.  His over 20 books include Divided States of America: The Slash and Burn Politics of the 2004 Presidential Election, Get in the Booth: A Citizen's Guide to the 2006 Midterm Elections, and the best-selling American politics text, American Government: Continuity and Change.

 

In addition to Larry Sabato, the following contributors will be featured:

Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report

Stu Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report

Chuck Todd, editor in chief of National Journal’s The Hotline

David Wasserman, House editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball

Michael Toner, former Federal Elections Commission Chairman

Melissa Laurenza, FEC Counsel.

Claude Marx, a political columnist for the Eagle-Tribune.

Michael Cornfield, Director of Research at the Democracy Online Project, which is funded by the Pew Charitable Trust, and a professor at George Washington University.

Matt Stearns, a Washington Correspondent for McClatchy Newspapers, writing predominantly for the Kansas City Star.

Gwen Florio, reported on Montana’s U.S. Senate race as the Capitol bureau chief for the Great Falls Tribune and a correspondent for USA Today

Lawrence Jacobs, the Mondale Chair of the Department of Political Science and the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota.

Joanne Miller, an assistant professor of Political Science at the University of Minnesota.

Peter Woolley, a professor of Comparative Politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Jonathan Riskind, Washington Bureau Chief for the Columbus Dispatch.

Bruce Larson, a political science professor at Gettysburg College.

Maureen Moakley, associate professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island.

Michael Nelson, professor of political science at Rhodes College.

Jeff Schapiro, a columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

David Postman, chief political reporter for the Seattle Times.

David Lightman, Washington bureau chief for the Hartford Courant.

Bruce Cain, Director of the Institute of Governmental Studies and Robson Professor of Political Science at the University of California at Berkeley.

Susan MacManus, distinguished professor of Government and International Affairs at the University of South Florida

Paul Green, Arthur Rubloff Professor of Policy Studies at Roosevelt University

Patrick Healy, the New York political correspondent for the New York Times during the 2006 elections.

Joe Hallet, senior editor at the Columbus Dispatch.

G. Terry Madonna, Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin and Marshall College.

Jeff Tuttle, writes about politics for the Bangor Daily News.

Charles Bullock, professor of political science at the University of Georgia

Michael Carey, formerly editorial page editor of the Anchorage Daily News

William Lunch, professor of political science at Oregon State University and a political analyst for Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Michael W. Traugott, research professor at the Center for Political Studies at the University of Michigan.

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Customer Reviews

Prescient and Non-partisan
I'm using the "Sixth Year Itch" with an AP high school government class because it serves as a marker for the sea-change away from the conservative coalition tha G.W. Bush held together for five years. The book contains an interesting variety of writers, and as usual Sabato prefers insight over ideology.

"A Well Written and Informative Book"
Overall, this is a well-written and informative book that is interesting
to read. However, I noticed at least three mistakes in the book. On page
121, the map of the United States has two mistakes on it. Colorado and
Kansas should be colored on this map as they each had a Democratic gain of
one House seat in the 2006 election. On page 131 there is this sentence:
"Following the 2006 House elections, Democrats now hold edges in 27 states' delegations, Republicans hold edges in 21, and two states' delegations are tied." The first and last part of this sentence is incorrect. The correct statement would be: "Following the 2006 House elections, Democrats now hold edges in 26 states' delegations, Republicans
hold edges in 21 and three states' delegations are tied." The three state
delegations that are tied are Arizona, Kansas, and Mississippi. On page 357, it says that Governor Wilson of California handily defeated Democratic incumbent Kathleen Brown in the 1994 election. The last part
of this sentence is incorrect. Kathleen Brown was NOT the incumbent governor in that election, Governor Wilson was. Kathleen Brown was the
incumbent state treasurer. This book, like so many other political books
that I have purchased, appears to have not had an accurate proofreading
before it was published to check the facts to make sure that everything
is accurate.