JOHN J. PITNEY, JR.

Government Department, Claremont McKenna College

850 Columbia Avenue

Claremont, California  91711-6420

909/607-4224 (office); 909/621-8419 (fax)

E-mail:  jpitney@cmc.edu  WWW:  http://www.cmc.edu/pages/faculty/JPitney

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jpitney

Career

• 1986-present    Claremont McKenna College, Department of Government. Roy P. Crocker Professor of American Politics (2005-present); professor (2001-present); associate professor (1994-2001); assistant professor (1986-1994; on leave 1989-91).  

• 1989-1991       Research Department, Republican National Committee. Acting director (1990‑1991); deputy director (1989‑1990), during leave from  Claremont McKenna College.  Responsible for policy statements and briefings.

• 1984-1986       US House Republican Research Committee.  Senior domestic policy analyst.  Responsible for background papers and public statements on a variety of domestic and economic issues.

• 1983-1984       American Political Science Association. Congressional Fellow.  Second-half assignment:  Representative Dick Cheney (WY). Prepared briefing material for House Republican Policy Committee, chaired by Rep. Cheney.  First-half assignment: Senator Alfonse D'Amato (NY). Served as legislative assistant for environmental issues.

• 1978‑1980       New York State Senator John R. Dunne. Legislative assistant (1979‑1980); Legislative Fellow (1978‑1979).  Conducted research on insurance regulation and public authorities; managed procedure for the State Senate Corporations Committee.

  Education 

• Yale University.  Department of Political Science. Ph.D. (1985); M. Phil. (1981); M.A. (1978). Fields:  American politics, public policy, and political psychology.  Dissertation: “Hazardous Politics:  Toxic Waste and American Government.”  Advisor:  Theodore Marmor. 

• Union College, Schenectady, New York. B.A. in political science (1977; co-valedictorian). 

Scholarly Writing

Work in Progress

•  “Autism,” chapter in Issues and Controversies in Science and Politics, edited by Brent Steel (Washington; CQ Press, 2014).

• Book on autism policy and politics.  Tentative completion of draft: summer 2014.

• Book on private anti-piracy navies, with John-Clark Levin.  (Lexington Books, in press)  Note: the project is John-Clark’s initiative.

Books

• The Politics of Autism: Navigating the Contested Spectrum (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield: 2015, forthcoming).
• Private Anti-Piracy Navies How Warships for Hire are Changing Maritime Security (Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books, 2013).  With John-Clark Levin. Note: the project is John-Clark’s initiative.
• After Hope and Change: The 2012 Elections and American Politics (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 2013).  With James W. Ceaser and Andrew E. Busch.

• American Government: Deliberation, Democracy and Citizenship, 2d ed.  (Boston: Wadsworth, 2011).  With Joseph M. Bessette. 

• Epic Journey: The 2008 Elections and American Politics (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 2009).  With James W. Ceaser and Andrew E. Busch.

• The Art of Political Warfare (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2000).

• Congress' Permanent Minority? Republicans in the US House (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 1994). With William F. Connelly, Jr.

Book Chapters

• “Autism,” chapter in Issues and Controversies in Science and Politics, edited by Brent Steel (Washington; CQ Press, 2014).

• “The Iron Law of Emulation,” chapter in Interest Groups Unleashed, a reader on the impact of Citizens United, edited by Paul Herrnson, Clyde Wilcox, and Christopher Deering (Washington: CQ Press, 2012).

• "Asymmetric Warfare:  Supporters and Opponents of President Obama,” chapter in Transforming America: Barack Obama in the White House, edited by Steven Schier.(Rowman and Littlefield, 2011).

• “Organ Transplants,” in Governing America: Major Policies and Decisions of Federal, State, And Local Government, edited by Paul J. Quirk and William Cunion (New York: Facts On File, 2011).

• "California: The Great Exception," in Pendulum Swing, edited by Larry J. Sabato (New York: Longman, 2011).

• “Resolved, the Senate Should Represent People, not States – Con,” in Debating Reform, edited by Richard J. Ellis and Michael Nelson (Washington: CQ Press, 2011).

• “The Culminating Point: Democrats versus Republicans in the Bush Years,” in Ambition and Division:  Legacies of the George W. Bush Presidency, edited by Steven E. Schier (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2009).

• “Political Warfare During Wartime,” in High Risk and Big Ambition:  The Presidency of George W. Bush, edited by Steven E. Schier (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2004)  Originally presented as a paper at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, August 30, 2003. 

• “Nixon, California and American Politics, chapter in The California Republic: Institutions, Statesmanship, and Policies, edited by Brian Janiskee and Ken Masugi (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 2004).  Reprint from Nexus:  A Journal of Opinion (Chapman University School of Law) 6 (Spring 2001).  Originally presented as a paper at a conference on “Democracy in California,” Salvatori Center and Claremont Institute, Claremont, California, October 27, 2000.

• “Bipartisanship,” “Contempt of Congress," “Delegation of Legislative Power,” in The Encyclopedia of the American Presidency, edited by Michael Genovese (New York: Facts on File, 2004).

• "Intellectual Challenges Facing the Republican Party,” in The Politics of Ideas, 2d ed., edited by John White and John C. Green (Albany:  SUNY Press, 2001). 

• Clinton and the Republican Party,” in The Postmodern Presidency: Bill Clinton's Legacy in U.S. Politics, edited by Steven Schier (Pittsburgh:  University of Pittsburgh Press, 2000).

•  “The House Republicans:  Lessons for Political Science,” New Majority or Old Minority? The Impact of Republicans on Congress  (Lanham, Maryland:  Rowman and Littlefield, 1999), edited by Nicol C. Rae and Colton C. Campbell.  With William F. Connelly, Jr.  Originally presented as a paper at “The Impact of the New Majority:  Republican Control of Congress,” Florida International University, Miami, January 31, 1998

•  “Fascism in Gabriel over the White House” and “Anti-Fascism in Citizen Kane,” in Reelpolitik : Political Ideologies in 30s and 40s Films, edited by Beverly Merrill Kelley (Westport, Connecticut:  Praeger, 1998).  Originally presented as papers at the annual meeting of the Speech Communication Association, San Diego, November 23, 1996.

•  “`Permanent Minority' No More:  House Republicans in 1994,” in Midterm:  The Elections of 1994 in Context, edited by Philip A. Klinkner (Boulder, Colorado:  Westview Press, 1996).  With William F. Connelly, Jr. 

• “From Ward Heelers to Public Relations Experts:  The Parties' Response to Mass Politics,” in Broken Contract?  Changing Relationships Between Citizens and Their Government in the United States, edited by Stephen C. Craig (Boulder, Colorado:  Westview Press, 1996). With Paul S. Herrnson and Kelly Patterson. 

• “Ideas and the President's Party,” research note in The Politics of Ideas, edited by John White and John C. Green (Lanham, Maryland:  Rowman and Littlefield, 1995). 

• “The Speaker:  A Republican Perspective,” in The Speaker:  Leadership in the US House of Representatives, edited by Ronald M. Peters, Jr.  (Washington: CQ Press, 1994).  With William F. Connelly, Jr.

•  “FHP Health Care PAC,” in Risky Business:  PAC Decisionmaking and Strategy in 1992, edited by Robert Biersack, Paul S. Herrnson and Clyde Wilcox (Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 1994).  Originally presented as a paper at the University of Maryland, April 30, 1993. 

• “A Congress Restored,” in Rethinking Political Reform, edited by Ruy Teixeira (Washington:  Progressive Foundation, 1994).

•  “Republican Elites Under Reagan and Bush,” in A Conservative Revolution?  The Thatcher‑Reagan Years in Perspective, edited by Andrew Adonis and Timothy Hames (Manchester, UK:  Manchester University Press, 1994).

•  “Republican Alternatives to the Great Society,” in Politics, Professionalism and Power, edited by John C. Green (Lanham, Maryland:  University Press of America, 1994).  Originally presented as a paper at the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, Akron, Ohio, September 13, 1991.  

• “Conservatism,” in Encyclopedia of the American Presidency, volume I, edited by Leonard W. Levy and Louis Fisher (New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1994). 

• “Frames, Wedges, Magnets and Silver Bullets:  Republican Strategies,” in American Political Parties and Constitutional Politics, edited by Peter W. Schramm and Bradford P. Wilson (Lanham, Maryland:  Rowman and Littlefield, 1993).  Originally presented as a paper at the John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs, Ashland, Ohio, November 10, 1990.

•  “What If There Were Three Major Parties?” in What If the American Political System Were Different?  edited by Herbert M. Levine (Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe, 1992).

•  “What If There Were No Welfare State?” in What If the American Political System Were Different?  edited by Herbert M. Levine (Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe, 1992). 

• Biographical sketches of Joseph Cannon, Everett Dirksen and thirteen other national party leaders in: Political Parties and Elections in the United States, edited by L. Sandy Maisel (New York: Garland, 1991).

•  “The Many Faces of Incumbency,” in The New Federalist Papers, edited by J. Jackson Barlow, Dennis J. Mahoney and John G. West, Jr. (Lanham, Maryland:  University Press of America, 1988).

 Articles 

• “Class Connections: Congressional Classes and the Republicans of 1994,” The Forum 12 (October 2014). With Nichol C. Rae.

• “The Politics of Constraint:  House Republicans in Retrospect and Prospect,” The Forum 6 (2008), Issue 3, article 2, at http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol6/iss3/art2/

• "The Coming Ascent of Congress," Policy Review 100 (April-May 2000).

•  “President Clinton's 1993 Inaugural Address,” Presidential Studies Quarterly 27 (Winter 1997).

•  “The Future of the House Republicans,” Political Science Quarterly 109 (Fall 1994).  With William F. Connelly, Jr.  Originally presented as a paper at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, New York City, September 2, 1994. 

•  “Using Electronic Spreadsheets in Undergraduate Political Science Courses,” Teaching Political Science, Fall 1988.

• “Covering Congress,” Polity 27 (Spring 1985).  With Charles M. Tidmarch.

•  “Leaders and Rules in the New York State Senate,” Legislative Studies Quarterly 7 (November 1982).

 Short Essays

• “The Midterm:  What Political Science Should Ask Now,” The Forum 4 (2006), No. 3, article 2, at http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol4/iss3/art2/

• “The Backseat Boys,” with William F. Connelly, Jr. (a retrospective analysis of our Congressional Fellowship experiences), in APSA Legislative Studies Section Newsletter, Extension of Remarks 27, January 2004.  

• Biography of Lee Atwater, American National Biography Online, April-May 2001. 

• "War on the Floor,” APSA Legislative Studies Section Newsletter Extension of Remarks, 24  (January 2001).

• "The House GOP's Civil War," PS: Political Science and Politics 30 (December 1997). With William F. Connelly, Jr.

•  “The Study of a Fickle Political Universe,” Chronicle of Higher Education, December 15, 1995.

•  “What Scholars Don't Know About Term Limits,” Chronicle of Higher Education, April 28, 1995.

•  “The Dearth of Scholarship on Republicans,” Chronicle of Higher Education, September 7, 1994.  With William F. Connelly, Jr. 

• “The Mixed Blessings of Graduate School,” PS:  Political Science and Politics 23 (September 1990).

•  “Bile Barrel Politics: Siting Unwanted Facilities,” Journal of Policy Analysis and Management  3 (Spring 1984).

 Book Reviews 

• Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein, It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided with the New Politics of Extremism;  Robert Draper, Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the US House of Representatives, in The Forum 10 (July 2012).

• Seth E. Masket, No Middle Ground: How Informal Party Organizations Control Nominations and Polarize Legislatures, in The Forum 7 (2009), No. 4, Article 12, at http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol7/iss4/art12/

• Andrew Wroe, The Republican Party and Immigration Politics: From Proposition 187 to George W. Bush, in Political Science Quarterly 124 (Summer 2009): 373-373.

• Sean J. Savage, JFK, LBJ, and the Democratic Party in Review of Politics 68 (Spring 2006).

• Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson, Off Center: The Republican Revolution and the Erosion of American Democracy.  In The Forum 3 (2006), No. 4, Article 8, at  http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol3/iss4/art8. Also a rejoinder to their reply in The Forum 4 (2006), No. 1, Article 9, at http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol4/iss1/art9.

• George Lakoff, Don’t Think of an Elephant!  In The Forum 3 (2005), No. 3, Article 8, at
  http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol3/iss3/art8

• Peter J. Wallison, Ronald Reagan: The Power of Conviction and the Success of His Presidency; Peter Schweizer, Reagan’s War: The Epic Story of His Forty Year Struggle and Final Triumph Over Communism; in Political Science Quarterly 118 (Fall 2003).

• What Motivates Bureaucrats? by Marissa Martino Golden, in H-Pol@h-net.msu.edu (August, 2001)

•  Sidney Milkis, Political Parties and Constitutional Government, in Presidential Studies Quarterly 30 (June 2000).

•  V. Lance Tarrance, Jr. and Walter DeVries, Checked and Balanced:  How Ticket-Splitters are Shaping the New Balance of Power in American Politics, in Political Science Quarterly 114 (Fall 1999). 

• Mary C. Brennan, Turning Right in the Sixties:  The Conservative Capture of the GOP, in Political Science Quarterly 111 (Summer 1996). 

• Philip A. Klinkner, The Losing Parties, in American Political Science Review 89 (June 1995).

•  Irene Rubin, The Politics of Public Budgeting; and Charles Stewart, Budget Reform Politics; in American Political Science Review 84 (December 1990).

•  Stanley Bach and Steven Smith, Managing Uncertainty in the House of Representatives, in Corruption and Reform 4 (1989).

Conference Papers

• “The Politics of Autism,” American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, August 30, 2014.

•  “Autism Politics:  A Research Agenda,” Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April 22-25, 2010.

• “Political Science and the Art of Political Warfare,” American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, August 29, 1997. 

• “Understanding Newt Gingrich,” American Political Science Association, San Francisco, August 29, 1996.

•  “Republican Policymaking After Bush,” Western Political Science Association, Albuquerque, March 12, 1994.

•  “House Republican Responses to Permanent Minority Status,” Southern Political Science Association, Atlanta, November 7, 1992.  With William F. Connelly, Jr. 

• “Republican Factionalism in the House of Representatives,” American Political Science Association, Chicago, September 5, 1992. With William F. Connelly, Jr. 

• “The House Republicans' Electoral Base,” Western Political Science Association, San Francisco, March 19, 1992.

•  “Madison v. Clausewitz:  Structural Barriers to the Nationalization of House Elections,” Western Political Science Association, Seattle, March 22, 1991.

•  “Republican Party Leadership in the US House,” American Political Science Association, San Francisco, September 1, 1990.

• “Comparing the National Party Platforms of 1960 and 1988,” Western Political Science Association, Salt Lake City, March 31, 1989. 

• “The War on the Floor:  Partisan Conflict in the US House of Representatives,” American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, September 1, 1988. 

• “The Conservative Opportunity Society,” Western Political Science Association, San Francisco, March 12, 1988.

Articles in Newspapers, Magazines and Web Sites

• “Kevin McCarthy Changes Nothing,” Politico, June 19, 2014.
• “How The Godfather Explains House GOP Leadership Politics,” Politico, June 13, 2014.
• “Reading the Tea (Party) Leaves of GOP Senate Primaries,” Christian Science Monitor, March 3, 2014.
• “McAuliffe and Christie Victories Can't Be Read As a Sign of Things to Come,” Christian Science Monitor, November 6, 2013.
• “To Help John Boehner Herd Cats, Bring Back Earmarks (And Other Ways To Fix Congress),” Christian Science Monitor, October 17, 2013.
• “Why Obama's Old Bag of Tricks Won't Persuade Congress, Americans On Syria,” Christian Science Monitor, September 9, 2013.
• “Speaker Boehner Up at Bat with Immigration Reform,” Christian Science Monitor, July 8, 2013.

• “Is Washington Too `Broken' to Handle Big Problems Such as Immigration Reform?” Christian Science Monitor, May 22, 2013.

• “Benefits Even with the Politics,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, May 9, 2013.

• "Why the 90 Percent Lost on Gun Background Checks," Christian Science Monitor, April 18, 2013.

• “Think You Know the Reagan and Bush Era? Think Again,” Christian Science Monitor, April 1, 2013.

• "California's Balanced Budget? Hold the Applause." Christian Science Monitor, February 6, 2013.

• "Inauguration 2013: Will President Obama's Second Term Resemble Reagan's?" Christian Science Monitor, January 21, 2013.

• “`Fiscal Cliff’ Or Not, Tax Reform Is Easier Said Than Done,” Christian Science Monitor, December 10, 2012.

• “How President Obama Can Win Over Congress,” Christian Science Monitor, November 9, 2012.

• "No Mandate for Either Mitt Romney or President Obama," Christian Science Monitor, November 1, 2012.

• “Note to Tweeting #Romney, #Obama Campaigns and #Journalists: Chill,” Christian Science   Monitor, September 28, 2012.

• “How the GOP Convention Could Help – and Harm – Mitt Romney,” Christian Science Monitor, August 28, 2012.

• “Can Paul Ryan Educate Voters About Medicare Reform?” Christian Science Monitor, August 20, 2012.

• "Who Will Be Romney's Running Mate?" Fox and Hounds Daily, June 26, 2012.

• “What Obama and Romney Aren’t Talking About: America's Class Divide,” Christian Science Monitor, June 13, 2012.

• “Top Two Blues,” City Journal California, June 8, 2012.

• “An `Interview’ With a K Street Master of Campaign Clichés,” Christian Science Monitor, April 25, 2012.

• "Will Obama's Re-Election Pitch Work?" CNN.com, March 20, 2012.

• Review of Democracy Despite Itself, Washington Post, March 9, 2012.

• “After Super Tuesday:  How Damaged is Mitt Romney to Run Against Obama,” Christian Science Monitor, March 7, 2012.

• "Ex Gobernador Sigue Siendo El Favorito,” La Tercera, Chile, March 7, 2012.

• “Two Cheers for Super PACs,” Christian Science Monitor, February 14, 2012.

• “The Most Important Election of a Lifetime?” Christian Science Monitor, January 30, 2012.

• “Why Gingrich Would Lose in a Debate with Obama,” Washington Post, January 27, 2012 (online), January 29, 2012 (print).

• “Un Final Aun Incierto,” La Tercera, Chile, January 4, 2012.

• “When Character Counts in Choosing a President,” Christian Science Monitor, January 3, 2012.

• “Five Myths about Newt Gingrich, Washington Post, November 22, 2011 (online); November 27, 2011 (print).

• “Will Voters Kick Out All Incumbents in 2012?” Christian Science Monitor, October 24, 2011.

• “Simply Not a Talking Point,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, October 12, 2011.

• “Blurry Lines,” City Journal California, June 14, 2011.

• “Don’t Do It,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, May 12, 2011.

• “Becoming a Living Donor,” Live and Give (Kidnay Advocacy Network), Spring/Summer 2011.

• “Voters Won’t Blame the White House,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, April 6, 2011.

• “It’s Easier to Blame Congress,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, February 23, 2011.

• "The Reagan Years:  Not as Civil as We Think," Britannica Blog, February 3, 2011.

• “No Splitting the Difference,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, December 9, 2010.

• "Pelosi in the Wilderness,” National Review Online, November 19, 2010.

• “Unions, Secular Whites Part of GOP’s California Problem,” Orange County Register, November 7, 2010.

• “California: Brown’s Dilemma with the Budget,” San Diego Union-Tribune, November 7, 2010.

• "Anger's Staying Power," New York Times Room for Debate blog, October 24, 2010.

• “In Search of Enemies, National Review Corner, October 11, 2010.

• "Improved Speeches Won't Work," New York Times Room for Debate blog, September 28, 2010.

• “The GOP and the Temptation of Hubris,” Wall Street Journal, August 23, 2010.

•  “Unintended Consequences," New York Times Room for Debate blog, August 17, 2010.

• “Less Potent than Past Scandals,” Room for Debate (New York Times blog), July 29, 2010.

• “Don’t Expect Change,” Room for Debate (New York Times blog), June 9, 2010.

• “American Woman” (review of Palin autobiography), Claremont Review of Books, Spring 2010.

• “The Nader Problem,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, April 30, 2010.

• “Honest, Mr. President, Abe Never Said It,” NPR.org, March 25, 2010.

• “1994 and 2010,” National Review Online, March 12, 2010.

• "Friction Creates Light as Well as Heat,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, February 12, 2010.

• “As a Candidate, Barack Obama Set Expectations That He Could Not Meet as President,” San Bernardino County Sun, January 16, 2010.

• “Parties Should Disagree,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, October 13.

• “Holding All the Cards and Still Losing,” National Review Online, August 25.

• “Virtual Town Halls,” National Review Online, August 11, 2009.

• "Of Little Consquence,” New York Times Room for Debate blog, August 6, 2009.

• "Curtains for the GOP?" National Review Online, July 8, 2009.

• “Beyond Specter, Republicans Have a Steep Hill to Climb,” Christian Science Monitor, April 29, 2009.

• "Transformer – Or Not,” National Review Online, April 29, 2009.

• "The Next Enemy," National Review Online, March 31, 2009.

• "Steele's Challenge," National Review Online, February 3, 2009.

• "Here Are Your Assignments," National Review Online, November 12, 2008.

• “Strange Scenario,” National Review Online, November 3, 2008.

• “Two Words for Team McCain,” National Review Online, October 27, 2008.

• “The Things They Thought and Did Not Say,” National Review Online, October 16, 2008.

• “Phrase Not Found: Debate Omissions,” National Review Online, October 14, 2008.

• “Debate Like It’s 1996,” National Review Online, October 8, 2008.

• “Comeback Reagan,” National Review Online, October 3, 2008.

• “Saturday-Morning Quarterbacking,” National Review Online, September 27, 2008.

• “The Alinsky Ticket: McCain-Palin 2008,” National Review Online, September 16, 2008.

• Go Ahead and Laugh:  How Palin Matters,” National Review Online, September 1 2008.

• “La Apuesta Republicana,” La Tercera, Chile, August 30, 2008.

• “La experiencia y las ideas,” La Tercera, Chile, August 22, 2008.

• “A Savage Attack,” National Review Online, July 24, 2008.

• “The Obama Code,” National Review Online, June 23, 2008.

• “Capitol Connection,” National Review Online, June 4, 2008.

• “Red Bull Primary,” National Review Online, May 27, 2008.

• “House Republicans in the Red,” National Review Online, May 21, 2008.

• “Not a Hugger” (review essay), Claremont Review of Books, Spring, 2008.

• "The Perfect Defeat?" National Review Online, April 10, 2008.

• “Political Weather Report,” National Review Online, March 5, 2008.

• “Public-Finance Dilemma,” National Review Online, February 20, 2008.

• “Roots of Rancor,” National Review Online, February 15, 2008.

• “Where the Candidates Have No Control,” San Diego Union-Tribune, February 10.

• “Super Tuesday Super State,” National Review Online, February 4, 2008.

• “California's Choices,” San Diego Union-Tribune, January 27, 2008.

• “Las Debilidades Salen A La Luz,” La Tercera, Chile, January 22, 2008.

• “Caution: Small ‘N,’” National Review Online, January 20, 2008.

• “Now, Electability,” National Review Online, January 16, 2008.

• “La `Obama-Fatiga’ Y El ‘Cambio’ De Hillary,” La Tercera, Chile, January 9, 2008.

• "St. Barack, Not,” National Review Online, January 7, 2008

• "Fuerte Revés Para Hillary,” La Tercera, Chile, January 5, 2008.

• “A Vast Right-Wing of Gratitude,” National Review Online, January 2, 2008.

• “The Weak Huck,” National Review Online, December 21, 2007.

• "Rudy Giuliani," San Diego Union-Tribune, December 9.

• “Watching With the Clintons,” National Review Online, October 22, 2007.

• Brief review of The End of Government … As We Know It, by Elaine Kamarck, Claremont Review of Books, Fall 2007.

• “California GOP's War With Itself,” Los Angeles Times, September 28, 2007.

• “Will the Dems Go to War?” National Review Online, September 5, 2007.

• “Campaign Chaos,” National Review Online, August 27, 2007.

• “Sacramento’s Boomerang Reforms,” Los Angeles Times, August 26, 2007.

• “Hillary’s Academy,” National Review Online, July 30, 2007.

• “Sinking Senator,” National Review Online, July 11, 2007.

• “`Sopranos,’ Government and Immigration,” Orange County Register, June 22, 2007.

• "The House of Pelosi," National Review Online, May 29, 2007.

• "An Enemy of Convenience," Wall Street Journal, May 26, 2007.

• "Perfect Storm Brews in California," Politico, May 1, 2007.

• “There’s a Bear in the Woods,” National Review Online, March 20, 2007

• "George W. Obama,” National Review Online, February 27, 2007.

• “How Conservatives Shot Small Government in the Foot” (review essay), The Politico, February 26, 2007.

• “Democrats’ Haste Creating Waste,” Orange County Register, January 23, 2007.

• “Way Ahead,” San Diego Union-Tribune, October 29, 2006.

• “Do You Believe in GOP Magic?” National Review Online, October 16, 2006.

• "Republicans: Divided, as Usual," Roll Call, June 27, 2006.

• “Unpretty Poison” (review), National Review Online, June 20, 2006.

• “How Angelides Can Win: Thinking Outside the Box,” Capitol Weekly, June 15, 2006.

• "California 50:  A Break in the GOP's Clouds? National Review Online, June 7, 2006.

• "Black.White.Like.Me," National Review Online, March 9, 2006.

• "The Silence of the Cats" (review), Reason, March 2006.

• "California's Day After," National Review Online, November 9, 2005.

• "Stuck in the Middle With You," CMC homepage, November 3, 2004.

• “The Race Card,” National Review Online, October 18, 2004.

• “The Missing Minus,” National Review Online, October 14, 2004.

• “No Jed Bartlet,” National Review Online, October 9, 2004.

• "Very Well, He Contradicts Himself," National Review Online, October 1, 2004.

• A Controversial Confession," San Francisco Chronicle, September 27, 2004.

• “The Man Who Called Out Evil,” National Review Online, June 8, 2004.

• Lincoln, Douglas, and Kerry," National Review Online, March 15, 2004.

• “Governor’s Star Power Will Meet Hard Reality,” Los Angeles Times, March 10, 2004.

• "The California Primary: Too Late, Too Weird, Too Big, Too Lopsided,” San Diego Union-Tribune, February 29.

• “Preemptive Politics,” Newsday, January 25, 2004.

• “For Our Next Governor, No Pain Means No Gain,” Los Angeles Times, Orange County ed., November 16, 2003.

• High Stakes, Slow Change,” San Diego Union-Tribune, October 5, 2003.

• “Dean and the Fundamentalists,” National Review Online, September 22, 2003.

• “Accidental Genius” (review), Reason, October 2003.

• “Angry Local Voters Could Be Key to Defeating Davis,” Los Angeles Times, Orange County ed., September 7, 2003.

• “Crushing One’s Enemies” (review), Claremont Review of Books, Fall 2003.

• “Political Warfare,” San Diego Union-Tribune, August 17, 2003.

• "Worst Punishment for Davis? Just Let Him Stay in Office," Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., May 25, 2003.

• "The President and the Professors," Claremont Review of Books, Spring 2003.

• "Reel Life Blurs Reality in OC," Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., January 19, 2003.

• "Gone With the Vote" (review), Reason, February 2003.

• “Democrats Might Need to Look South,” Los Angeles Times, December 2, 2002.

• “Ready for Next Actor-Governor?” Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., November 10.

• “Election 2002: An After-Action Review,” San Diego Union-Tribune, November 10.

• “The Crises of October,” National Review Online, October 22.

• Brief review of I'll Be Short, by Robert Reich, Claremont Review of Books, Fall 2002.

• "Take LA, Please -- Life is Better in OC," Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., August 18, 2002.

• “Hello, Mr. Chips:  Gore’s Old News,” National Review Online, July 10, 2002.

• “Governor’s Race Trip Back in Time,” Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., June 9, 2002.

• “New Criticism” (review) Reason, July, 2002.

• “Popular Democracy?  The Virtues and the Vices of the Initiative Process” (review essay), The Weekly Standard, March 4, 2002.

• “Of Professors and Ploughmen,” National Review Online, February 16-17, 2002.

• “A Bad Case for Big Government,” (review essay) Claremont Review of Books, Winter 2002.

• "Dick Gephardt's Beautiful Mind," Reason Online, February 6, 2002.

• "There's No Future in Bad Forecasts," Los Angeles Times, Orange County ed., January 6, 2002.

• "A Collegiate Christmas," National Review Online, December 22-28, 2001.

• "Khaki Socialism," Reason Online, December 13, 2001.

• “God, War, Thanksgiving,” National Review Online, November 21, 2001.

• "Why No One Sings the Blues in O.C., " Los Angeles Times, Orange County ed., October 28, 2001.

• “Bush’s Warriors,” Orange County Register, September 30, 2001.

• "Grand Gramm," National Review Online, September 5, 2001.

• “The Left Hand of God,” National Review Online, August 27, 2001.

• “Could Blackouts Put Gray Out?” Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, August 19. 2001.

• “Chad All Over” (review essay), Reason, August/September, 2001.

• "Avoiding Waterloo," National Review Online, June 18, 2001.

• "State's Predicament: Follow the Electors," Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., June 10, 2001.

• “Getting Right with Bobby” (review essay), Reason, April.

• "Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, State Democrats," Los Angeles Times, Orange Co. ed., April 1, 2001.

• "Fighting on Ice," Orange County Register, March 23, 2001.

• “Reagan in Winter,” National Review Online, February 6, 2001.

• "McCain's Mandate?" National Review Online, January 30, 2001.

• “State's Growing Population Will Drive Agenda,” Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, January 7, 2001.

• “Not Quite Over,” National Review Online, December 14, 2000.

• "The Red Badge of Spinmeistering," Los Angeles Times, December 7, 2000.

• "Politics - War By Other Means," Christian Science Monitor, November 21, 2000.

• "Sun Tzu in the Sunshine State," National Review Online, November 17, 2000.

• “Democrats Control the State’s Political Gyroscope,” Orange County Register,  November 12, 2000.

• “What Al and W. Need to Know About O.C.,” Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, October 29, 2000.

• “Sen. Moynihan, Wet and Dry” (review essay), Reason, November 2000.

• "A Convention Bounce for the State?" Doubtful," Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, August 20, 2000.

• “Conventional Strategy,” San Diego Union-Tribune, August 6, 2000.

• “Campaign Trail Leads Back to Yorba Linda,” Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, July 9, 2000.

• “GOP’s Bad News Isn’t Terrible – And That’s Good,” Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, April 30, 2000.

• "Rush to Vote," San Diego Union-Tribune, April 16, 2000.

• "Election 2000:  What's At Stake?" (contributor) The American Spectator, February 2000.

• “The Governor v. the Senator in California,” Los Angeles Times, Orange ed. January 30, 2000.

• "Ways to Be Wrong" (review essay), Reason, October 1999.

• "All Too Shallow" (review essay), Reason, July 1999.

• "That '70s Candidate," Reason, June 1999.

• "Meet in L.A.? So What's to Go Wrong?" Los Angeles Times, March 15, 1999.

• "Tongue of Newt: The Political Power of Language," Reason, February 1999.

• "Yesterday's Tomorrows" (contributor), Reason, December 1998.

• "Leadership Riff: Jazzy Vision, Steady Beat," Los Angeles Times, November 11, 1998. With William Connelly.

• "Revolutionary History" (review essay), Reason, October 1998.

• "Clinton the Movie Mogul," Los Angeles Times, September 28, 1998.

• "A Trite Margin of Victory," Atlanta Constitution, August 11, 1998.

• "Capitalist Tool Time," Reason, July 1998.

• "Bad Show" (review essay), Reason, July 1998.

• “The Truth Is Out There: X-Files, C-SPAN Link Finally Revealed,” Roll Call, June 25, 1998.

• "The Seven Deadly Sins of Politics," Reason, April 1998.

• "One for the Gipper" (review of Reagan biography), Reason, February,

• "All Things Dull and Ugly" (review essay), Reason, December 1997.

• "Not Ready for Campaign Time," Reason, December 1997.

• "A Thin Line Between Love and Hate" (review essay), Reason, August/September

• "The Crime Whose Name He Cannot Speak," Washington Times, June 6, 1997.

• "The Colors of Socialism," Reason, June 1997.

• "Alexis de America," Christian Science Monitor, May 22, 1997.

• "`Odd Man Out' Dems Recall Frustrated GOP Minority Under Reagan," Roll Call, May 12, 1997. With William Connelly.

• "Fusion Energy: The Case for Multiparty Candidates," Reason, April 1997.

• "The Many Faces of Newt Gingrich," Reason, February 1997.

• "Power Puff" (Review of Powertown), Reason, January 1997.

• Why Dole Campaign Appears to be Going Nowhere," San Diego Union-Tribune, Oct. 13, 1996.

• "The Adventures of `But-man,'" (review of Bill Clinton book), Reason, November, 1996.

• "Perot's Familiar Misquotations," Weekly Standard, September 16, 1996.

• "As the Great Tocqueville Never Said..." Los Angeles Times, September 15, 1996.

• "Can Washington Change?" Reason, August/September, 1996.

• "Candidates Have Thin Skins," Reuters, August 22, 1996.

• "Will Dole Go for the Gold in California?" San Diego Union-Tribune, August 18, 1996.

• "Dole Must Fight for California," Reuters, July 17, 1996.

• "Dumb and Dumber" (review of Politics for Dummies), Reason, July 1996.

• "Don't Vote for Me," Reason, June 1996.

• "Dole Could Be Hurt By His Abortion Stance," Reuters, June 13, 1996.

• "Why Affirmative Action is Forgotten Issue," Reuters, May 29, 1996.

• "`Nowhere Man' for President," Los Angeles Times, March 15, 1996.

• "Tangled Web," Reason, April 1996.

• "HTTP://Dems.Lynch.Newt," The Weekly Standard, January 29, 1996.

Lectures, Panels, and Roundtables

• Instructor, Seminar on Congress, the Constitution, and Contemporary Politics, Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier, April 10-12, 2015.

• Chair, panel on presidential persuasion, pork barrel and public opinion, American Political Science Association, Chicago, August 31, 2014.

• Panelist, roundtable on religious and secular institutions, Christians in Political Science, American Political Science Association, Chicago, August 29, 2014.

• Panelist, roundtable on post-2012 conservatism, American Political Science Association, Chicago, August 31, 2013.

• Chair, panel on 2012 election, American Political Science Association, Chicago, August 29, 2013.

• Panelist, roundtable on prospects for the 2012 election, American Political Science Association, Seattle, September 3, 2011.

• Chair, panel on autism politics and policy, American Political Science Association, Seattle, September 1, 2011.

• Lecture on classroom technology, Long Beach City College, March 16, 2011.

• Panelist, roundtable President Obama, University of California, Berkeley, March 14, 2011.

• Panelist, roundtable on midterm election, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, September 3, 2010.

• Discussant, panel on classroom simulations, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, September 2, 2010.     

• Panelist, roundtable on conservatism, Asian American Journalists Association, Los Angeles, August 6, 2010.

• Lecture on classroom technology, annual conference of the Texas Community College Teachers Association, Houston, March 5, 2010.

• Discussant, panel on William F. Buckley, Jr., annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Toronto, September 6, 2009.

• Lecture on classroom technology, Cengage Learning presentation, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Toronto, September 3, 2009.

• Discussant, panel on parties and presidents, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Boston, August 30, 2008.

• Chair, panel on representation and political elites, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Chicago, August 31, 2007.

• Discussant, panel on 2008 election, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, August 31, 2007.

• Discussant, panel on Bush legacy, annual meeting of the Western Political Science Association, Las Vegas, March 9, 2007.

• Panelist, with Newt Gingrich, “Revisiting the Republican Revolution: 10 Years of Republican Rule,” Furman University, October 12.

• Chair and discussant, panel on partisan brand names, American Political Science Association, Washington, DC September 3, 2005.

• Panelist, conference on the polarization of American politics, Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University, December 4, 2004.

• Chair, panel on theory and practice of presidential elections, American Political Science Association, Chicago, September 4, 2004.

• Chair, panel on congressional committee research, American Political Science Association, Philadelphia, August 30, 2003.

• Chair and discussant, panel on Congress and ideology, American Political Science Association, Boston, August 31, 2002.

• Discussant, panel on term limits, American Political Science Association, San Francisco, September 2, 2001.

• Discussant, panel on race, ethnicity and diversity in the 2000 elections, Western Political Science Association, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 16, 2001.

• Chair and discussant, panel on the pedagogy of citizenship, American Political Science Association, Washington, DC September 2, 2000.

• Chair, panel on the Christian right, annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, September 2, 2000.

• Lecture tour in Japan: lecture on American political parties (Doshisha University, Kyoto),  May 26, 2000; symposium on presidential election (Doshisha University, Kyoto), May 27, 2000;                                                                                                                                                                        lecture on presidential election (sponsored by US consulate in Sapporo), May 30, 2000; panel on presidential election (sponsored by US consulate in Osaka), May 31, 2000.

• Lecturer on legislative-executive relations, Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC, April 7, 2000.

• Discussant, panel on partisan realignment and regionalism, Western Political Science Association,” San Jose, March 25, 2000.

• Chair, panel on incumbency effect in congressional elections, American Political Science Association, Atlanta, September 5, 1999.

• Discussant, panel on opposition and minor parties,  American Political Science Association, Atlanta, September 4, 1999.

• Chair and discussant, panel on political leadership and the media, Western Political Science Association, Seattle, March 25, 1999.

• Panelist, colloquium on political movies, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California, March 15, 1999.

• Lecturer, C-SPAN seminar for professors, Washington, DC, January 7-8, 1999.

• Discussant, panel on party change, American Political Science Association, Boston, September 4, 1998.

• Discussant, panel on campaign finance, Western Political Science Association, Los Angeles, March 20, 1998.

• Chair, panel on parties and social cleavages, Western Political Science Association, Los Angeles, March 19, 1998.

• Panelist, roundtable on the 105th Congress and 1998 elections, Center for Economic and Policy Education, St. Vincent College, Latrobe, Pennsylvania,  March 4. 1998.

• Chair, roundtable on campaign finance reform, American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, August 30, 1997.

• Chair, panel on Congress and Presidency in the 1990s, Western Political Science Association, Tucson, Arizona, March 14, 1997.

• Lecturer, C-SPAN seminar for professors, Washington, DC, January 6-7, 1997.

• Panelist, roundtable on the 1996 election, Pacific Research Institute, San Francisco, October 17, 1996.

• Panelist, colloquium on the 1996 election, University of California at Irvine, October 11, 1996.

• Chair, roundtable on future of the Republican Party, American Political Science Association, San Francisco, August 30, 1996.

• Lecturer, C-SPAN advanced workshop for professors (Tocqueville program), Washington, DC, July 31-August 2, 1996.

• Panelist, roundtable on Republican Congress, Western Political Science Association, San Francisco, March 15, 1996.

• Chair and discussant, panel on party activists and ideology, Western Political Science Association, San Francisco, March 14, 1996.

• Panelist, roundtable on 104th Congress, Southern Political Science Association, Tampa, November 4, 1995.

• Chair, panel on 1996 election, American Political Science Association, Chicago, September 2, 1995.

• Discussant, panel on congressional legislation, Western Political Science Association, Portland, Oregon, March 17, 1995.

• Panelist, roundtable on 1994 elections and Congress, Western Political Science Association, Portland, Oregon, March 17, 1995.

• Chair, panel on Republican Party in California, California Studies Conference, Sacramento, February 2, 1995.

• Speaker, Oklahoma City University Mid-Year Institute, January 5, 1995.

• Participant, C-SPAN Advanced Workshop for Professors, Washington, DC, June 13-14, 1994. Coauthored educational materials for reenactment of Lincoln-Douglas debates.

• Chair, panel discussion of the “New Paradigm,” American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, September 4, 1993.

• Participant, C-SPAN Seminar for Professors, Washington, DC, August 2-3, 1993.

• Panelist, discussion of policy internships, Western Political Science Association, Pasadena, March 18, 1993.

• Panelist, discussion on teaching presidential elections, American Political Science Association, Chicago, September 4, 1992.

• Chair, panel discussion of budget politics, American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, August 31, 1991.

• Panelist, discussion on party organizations, Political Parties and Organizations Workshop, American Political Science Association, Washington, DC, August 28, 1991.

• Chair, panel discussion of congressional realignment, American Political Science Association, San Francisco, August 31, 1990.

• Lecturer, Brookings Institution Conference for Federal Executives, Williamsburg, Virginia, April 23, 1990.

• Panelist, discussion of political scientists in presidential campaigns, American Political Science Association, Atlanta, September 1, 1989.

• Participant, Sloan Foundation workshop on elections and social choice theory, Union College, Schenectady, New York, July 31‑August 5, 1988.

• Chair, panel discussion of national party platforms, American Political Science Association, Chicago, September 1987. 

Professional Affiliations

• American Political Science Association

• National Association of Scholars

• Christians in Political Science

Grants and Awards

• The Presidential Award, Claremont McKenna College, 2013.

• Named one of 300 best professors in the United States, Princeton Review, April 3, 2012.

• Glenn R. Huntoon Teaching Award, Claremont McKenna College, 1995, 2000, 2004.

• Honorary membership, Claremont McKenna College Alumni Association, May 18, 2001.

• Excellence in Education Award, Saratoga Central Catholic High School, June 13, 2000.

• Commencement speaker, Saratoga Central Catholic High School, June 10, 2000.

• Claremont McKenna College grant for research on Republican intellectual history, 1995.

• Convocation speaker, Claremont McKenna College, September 3, 1992.

• Gould Humanities Center, summer grant for research on the "New Paradigm," 1992.

• Richard M. Shure Award for excellence in teaching, Claremont McKenna College, 1988.

• Gould Humanities Study Center, summer grant for research on party platforms, 1988.

• American Political Science Association for research on minority party in US House, 1987.

• National Science Foundation Fellowship and Danforth Foundation Fellowship, 1977.

• Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Sigma Alpha, Union College, 1976.

Updated 28 April 2015.

Return to homepage