national primary, 192

National Public Radio (NPR)See also All Things ConsideredCorporation for Public Broadcasting, and Morning Edition, 102, 109, 121, 127–129

NewsHour, The, 106, 127, 129

nonpartisan elections, 24, 34, 112, 156, 162, 166–167, 169, 325

Obama, Barack, 2, 18, 32, 56, 68–70, 78–80, 82–83, 96, 136, 142, 145, 191, 198, 214, 232, 234–235, 249, 253–255, 260, 262, 293, 295, 297, 299, 305, 305

campaign finances, 13, 68–70, 142, 191, 232, 249, 253–255, 262

one person, one vote, 48, 52

partisan press, 129, 325

Patterson, Thomas, 30, 49, 188, 193, 263, 263

Pluralism, 40–43, 293

policy-based partisan voting, 296–297

political action committees (PACs), 252–253

political discourse

improving, 137–138, 140, 142–143, 148, 199, 199, 214–219, 297, 314–315, 320, 331

nature of, today, 78–85, 104–106, 112, 117–118, 129, 214–218, 288, 290, 314

television and, 302–310, 312

political inequality, 46, 322, 327, 330

campaign financing, 59–77, 224, 230, 244

political inequality (continued)

due to lack of competition, 54–59

election administration, 51–53

electoral college, 49, 101, 184–187

presidential nominating process, 49–50, 188–193

representation in the senate, 51, 101, 183–184

votingSee alsoone person, one vote, 46–54, 100

political parties

activities, 64, 199, 219–220, 233–237

candidate recruitment and support, 235–236

differences, 205–214, 299–300

fund raising, 222–232

importance, 196–200

organizational structure, 219–223

platforms, 41, 77, 85, 87, 202, 206–213, 220, 294, 296–297, 309

third parties, 144, 200–205, 294, 297

two-party system, 200–205

volunteers, 235

voter mobilizationSee alsopolitical discourse, 64–65

political party national conventions

funding, 65, 96, 247, 263–264

media coverage of, 135–137, 142–143, 301, 319, 329

nomination process and, 50, 180, 188–189s, 193

roles, 188–189, 220

political party polarization, 65, 98–99, 299