"Following the "Mail Hawks
Alternative Measures of Public Opinion on Vietnam in the Johnson White House
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6370671 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Brandon Rottinghaus (0000-0001-6603-3321, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2007 |
| Volume | 71 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 367-391 |
| Publication date | 2007-08-11 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Public Opinion Quarterly (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0033-362X • E-ISSN: 1537-5331 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1093/poq/nfm029 |
| OpenAlex | W2110712150 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 8 |
| References cited | 18 |
Scholars argue that public opinion grew in importance during the Vietnam conflict, yet most find President Johnson was not responsive to public opinion during the War. We amplify these theories by demonstrating the practical value of public opinion mail sent to the White House on Vietnam, reshaping theories about the constraining role of public opinion in foreign policy. We find that the White House mail, but not opinion polling, favoring escalation of the War had a significant and positive impact on President Johnson's policy rhetoric. From these and similar findings, we conclude that the Johnson Administration followed core “hawkish” political allies (those individuals desiring a rapid escalation and quick end to the war) rather than those approving of a withdrawal, suggesting mail-gauged opinion from electoral partners (and core political allies more broadly) has value in foreign policy making
Foreign policy · Political science · Politics · Public opinion · Rhetoric · Value (mathematics · Vietnam War · White (mutation · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Policy Transfer and Learning · Political Influence and Corporate Strategies · Law · Public Administration
Who Lost Vietnam? Soldiers, Civilians, and U.S. Military Strategy
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Public Opinion and American Democracy
Staying the Course
Responsiveness to the Public Opinion Expressed in Letters to Political Leaders
An economic theory of democracy
Measuring Constituency Opinion in the U. S. House
Are Voters Better Represented
The Rise of Presidential Polling
What Do Congressmen Hear
Voting Via the Senate Mailbag-Part II
Participation, Policy Preferences, and the War in Vietnam
Mass Political Letter Writing in America
Inequality and Democratic Responsiveness
Political Communication on the Japanese Peace Settlement
Voting Via the Senate Mailbag
FDR and the White House Mail
A Theory of Presidents' Public Agenda Setting
The Sources of Public Opinion for American Foreign Policy Officials
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The Two Faces of Public Opinion
Dear FDR
| Unique citing works | 8 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,44 |
| Citation span | 2008 - 2025 (18) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 8 |