When Barack Obama was re-elected president in November 2012, his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, took the blame for being alternately too moderate or too conservative. Critics from both within and outside of his party claimed his vast wealth made him unappealing to voters and that his robotic persona meant he just could not connect. How, then, did he win the nomination? What happened during the twelve-month build-up to Romney being named the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party that helped define him as both a man and a candidate? Furthermore, how did media coverage frame his competitors and the race itself, a contest characterized by its rollercoaster nature? Last Man Standing examines mainstream media coverage of the 2012 Republican primary season to identify and examine the frames used to make sense of the candidates and the race. Through an exhaustive analysis of candidate-related coverage from six major media outlets (The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post for newspapers; CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC for cable news networks), Coombs weaves her examination of media frames into a compelling narrative reconstruction of the 2012 primary season. This book features: ·Exhaustive analysis of mainstream media coverage over a twelve-month period ·Smart, insightful exploration of media frames ·Chronological structure, which allows for analysis to address how frames shift with candidate’s fortunes

"This brief book is a case study of the media framing of a unique, at times bizarre, presidential primary campaign. Coombs presents in part a chronological narrative of media coverage of the blow-by-blow multicandidate marathon. The clear strength and main objective of the book is Coombs's focus on media framing of the candidates, issues, factions, interest groups, and election outcomes. She emphasizes that her focus is on the media rather than the Republicans. Particularly noteworthy is her examination of the coverage of 'Tea Party' activists, 'establishment' operatives, traditional Republicans, and 'conservative' groups. Throughout the campaign, the media established and focused its attention on controversy, gaffs, and consistent personal attacks. These squabbles consistently trumped media coverage of issues. Coombs's findings are based on a content analysis of 6,615 articles and transcripts of 'mainstream media' coverage of the Republican presidential candidate debates and primaries. These were the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post plus transcripts from three cable news networks--CNN, Fox Network, and MSNBC. This will make a nice addition to all libraries. It is well written overall and not burdened by academic jargon. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels." - CHOICE