Page 122 - Historical Dictionary of Political Communication in the United States

KNOX
JAMES
POLK,
A great many other talented humorists have written political satire on 111
an
occasional basis but in the main have been more oriented toward social satire.
The list includes Mark Twain, C. B. Lewis, Kin Hubbard, George Ade, Don
Marquis, James Thurber, Robert Benchley, and Dave Barry.
SOURCES: Dictionary of Literary Biography, vol. 11: American Humorists, 1800-1950,
1982. Norris Yates, The American Humorist: Conscience of the Twentieth Century, 1964.
Sam G. Riley

POLITICAL TECHNIQUES. See Backlash; Black Power; Concession
Speech; Debates; Demonstration; Diplomacy; Disinformation; Leak; Politicali-
zation; Rhetoric.

POLITICALIZATION is the process by which social issues become political
issues. Generally, this is done by political communication strategists and poli-
ticians who find a social issue, such as abortion, and take possession of it,
denying that it is anything other than political. They bring it up for discussion
during an election or other key times in the political process. Lobbyists, special
interest groups, and the mass media aides greatly control the politicalization of
an issue. Lobbyist and special interest groups are the ones that bring the issue
to the politicians for consideration and debate in political decision making. The
mass media, however, have the greatest control because the success of politi-
calization of an issue depends on wide distribution or diffusion of the issue in
society. The degree to which the mass media discuss or ignore an issue influ-
ences public opinion on the issue.
SOURCE: Erik Bamouw, ed., International Encyclopedia of Communications, 1989.
Jacqueline Nash Gifford

POLITICALLY ACTIVE ORGANIZATIONS. See American Association of
Retired Persons; American Civil Liberties Union; American Federation of La-
bor-Congress of Industrial Organizations; Black Panthers; Christian Coalition;
Congressional Black Caucus; John Birch Society; Ku Klux Klan; League of
Women Voters; Moral Majority; National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People; National Organization for Women.

POLK, JAMES KNOX (1795-1849), 11th president of the United States, was
a leading Jacksonian who narrowly defeated Henry Clay in the election of 1844.
The rise of the penny press in the 1830s had oriented newspapers more toward
mass politics, making charisma more important than ever. Polk wanted his own
administration organ and replaced Francis Blair of the Globe with Thomas Rit-
chie, editor of the Richmond Enquirer. The Globe was renamed the Union. The
Senate attempted to banish the Union editor and reporters because the paper
criticized Congress for failing to support the administration during the Mexican