{"product_id":"scandal-brandon-rottinghaus-9780231218825","title":"Scandal: Why Politicians Survive Controversy in a Partisan Era","description":"\u003cp\u003eOnce, it was thought, a scandal was the kiss of death for a political career. Today, however, surviving scandal seems to be the norm. Donald Trump has weathered--and even perhaps benefited from--controversies that would have been unimaginable for virtually any other candidate. Prominent figures in both parties have won elections and remained in office despite credible allegations of wrongdoing. Do scandals still matter? When and why do voters punish politicians or give them a free pass? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eCharting the changes from Watergate to the present, this book is a rigorous and compelling investigation of the politics of scandals. Bringing together wide-ranging survey data, innovative experiment design, and historical analysis, Brandon Rottinghaus demonstrates how political polarization, affective partisanship, fading trust in media, and the spread of misinformation have diminished the resonance of controversies. Although scandals still fell many politicians, there is a clear trend over time for fewer voters to be swayed by them. In a polarized world, scandals take only a modest toll on politicians' approval ratings, survival in office, ambitions, and legacies. In many cases, partisans accept--or even embrace--misbehavior from members of their own party and revel in scandals affecting the opposing party. Challenging conventional wisdom with extensive data, this book illuminates the declining significance of scandals and the consequences for democratic accountability.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Brandon Rottinghaus\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0231218826\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780231218825\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Columbia University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 11\/25\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 208\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback","brand":"Brandon Rottinghaus","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46962487525631,"sku":"9780231218825","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_450401ba-643f-484b-9a2c-2482c7a8bef6.jpg?v=1750651595","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/scandal-brandon-rottinghaus-9780231218825","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}