Hardball Summary

The congressional cloakroom is a great advantage to any politician using the method of retail politics. For example, Lyndon Johnson wasted no time in discovering the leaders and the followers of the cloakroom, and quickly became associated with the leader (Richard Russel) of the “inner circle” of Congress. Becoming recognized among these important political figures made Johnson’s retail speeches much easier by swaying

Matthews relates a myriad of examples of how some of today's most successful politicians rose to the top. The successful politicians are those who learned how to play hardball. They learnt that there were other people besides themselves on the playing field and that when you throw ball in the game of politics, someone is going to be on the other side to catch it and throw it back, and you must be ready for it. This is perhaps most evident in the section of the book called ''Enemies,'' where Matthews describes "the rule of power: Keep your enemies in front of you,'' as President Reagan did by appointing James A. Baker his first White

9. Reciprocity in Patronage- Plunkitt talks about him being on top and doing favors for the republicans, and when they

The first theme of this book is Plunkitt’s use of patronage. He openly discusses quid pro quo: he gives people jobs, opportunities, and welfare services in exchange for their political allegiance. For example, he talks about giving young men opportunities to play in the baseball club or sing in the glee club. In exchange, they vote the way he tells them to. Plunkitt also supports his voters in other

Mayhew examines the congressmen activity in Washington that is useful to engage in for the purpose of reelection. The first activity is advertising, defined by making a conscious effort to disseminate one’s name in a positive light among constituents to gain a favorable view. They emphasize personal qualities such as:

Hardball by Chris Matthews is an interpretation of what many know as “hard-politics”. The book describes the skill of playing the game in Washington and how to be successful at it. The book is a guide that teaches a series of maxims that would be in favor of politicians to learn in order to be successful. The different tactics provided in the book hold a lot of knowledge that would make the life of anyone following these strategies much easier when trying to get ahead in life. Matthews describes a countless number of examples of successful politicians that rose to the top. Those politicians are the ones who learned how to play hardball in Washington.

Remembering “All Politics is Local” is absolutely vital for surviving in politics as it is pleases voters. This maxim means exactly what it says and that the game of politics must be played locally to succeed on a larger scale. People care most about what is affecting the things closest to them and by catering to the needs of those who can vote for you, you will get those people to vote for you. It’s even possible to win elections just by being local because people will assume you know the district better and can better serve their needs. That’s exactly what worked for New Jersey Congressman Eddie Patten when he “ran an ad in a local newspaper. It was nothing fancy, just the Manhattan telephone directory with his primary opponent’s name and

Business tycoons would do things from bribing politicians to bribing immigrants to influence an election in their favor. In document D, artist Joseph Keppler paints an amusing picture of the Senate in Washington. However, what catches the eye of observers is the extremely large "money-bag" shaped men who stand looking down upon the senators. On each man is an industry followed by the word "trust. " One might also notice the sign stating how the senate is for the monopolists, and finally, along with that, the door that says "people's entrance" is closed.

Throughout the course of American politics, superstar senators have risen from the frameworks of capitol buildings on federal, state, and local levels. Some were ruthlessly manipulative in their desire to achieve success, choosing to push their own agenda for the sake of a spot in history. Others served a more earnest cause, putting their country before their party. From the founding fathers to post World War II America, senators of the extremely partisan kind worked in Washington, these men certainly were not the last of the “cut throat” politicians, their actions setting a precedent for future men and women in their partisan agenda. However, noble men who worked endlessly for the prosperity, safety, and unity of America are often swept

Sometimes this takes the form of wooing legislators, including legislators of another political party or ideological persuasion. When polarization and partisanship make such wooing hard if not impossible, that same ambition is likely to take the form of aiding the election of candidates who can be counted on to support one's

From the rousing introduction, Christopher Matthews’ Hardball is presented as a godsend to aspiring politicians, businessmen, and frankly, everyone alike. Adopting a pompously self-assured tone, Matthews divulges his reasoning about sharing his wisdom collected from his own experience and other major players of “Hardball.” However after finishing the book, his audacity could be forgiven by the enjoyable nature of his work, the information that it provides, and the uncanny resemblance to Benjamin Franklin’s writing style. In the first section of Matthew’s self-proclaimed “classic” and political manifesto, he presents the world of politics (Hardball) through a series of informative—if not redundant—phrases, historical examples, and his own experience

In an era where strong partisan divisiveness continues to paralyze Congress, The Challenge of Congressional Representation offers a well-formulated, insightful study of the intricate relationship between Congress and their home constituencies. It invokes nostalgia for a time before the Tea Party insurgency and the dreadful Citizens United decision – a time when Congress members put “country before party”, by listening to the people they represent rather than their echo chamber and the unlimited fiscal influences of Political Action Committees. To be sure, author Richard F. Fenno presents this noble exploration as a follow up piece to his earlier study, Home Style, and maintains focus on the micro-analysis of Congress members and their relationships with their constituents (p. 1). Indeed, The Challenge of Congressional Representation seeks to fill the chasm of Congress ' personal narratives within their home constituencies through the innovative approach of personal observation and storytelling. However, the author’s transitions between first and third person can be dizzying at times. Nevertheless, the book is enjoyable and presents the reader with a captivating cast of characters and an inside glimpse of the painstaking process of casework while juggling family, hectic travel schedules, and legislative duties.

From the rousing introduction, Chris Mathews' Hardball presents itself as a godsend to young aspiring politicians, businessmen, and frankly, everyone alike. Pompously self-assured, Mathews discusses his reasoning to sharing his wisdom collected from his own experience and other major players in "Hardball". However after finishing the book, his audacity could be forgiven by the enjoyable nature of his work, the information it provides, and the uncanny resemblance to Benjamin Franklin's writing style. In the first section of Mathews' self-proclaimed "classic" and political manifesto, he presents the world of politics through a series of informative--if not redundant--phrases, historical examples, and his own experience in Washington.

Chris Matthew’s Hardball consists of four different parts containing different themes and policies on how the political world is run. All four parts: Alliances, Enemies, Deals, and Reputations contain personal anecdotes, historical context of Presidents’ careers, and rules Matthew’s has formed throughout political experience. The beginning of each chapter starts off with a quote that foreshadows the subject of each chapter. Although Matthews does establish important rules to follow as a politician, I disagree with some of his points even though I am a democrat like him.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington showed a lot of different themes . Either bad or good . In this paper I will discuss the most crucial one. theme is that politics are slimy.