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Article: Political Scandals
- Article from:
- Dictionary of American History
- Author:
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POLITICAL SCANDALS
POLITICAL SCANDALS.
Scandals are events committed by particular individuals that create public concern, indignation, and outrage. While misbehavior by movie stars or rock stars produces little public outcry, political leaders are a different matter. Historical context complicates the situation. Public norms change. What is happening in the nation can influence the impact of a political scandal and its consequences. Since scandal means a damaged reputation or even imprisonment in extreme cases, public officials suppress or manipulate information given to the media and employ spokespeople who try to spin the issue out of existence. But cable television news programs ...