Political Scandals and Policy Creation

This study focuses on political scandal and its effect on public policy creation. Using evidence from the Watergate, Iran Contra, Whitewater and Monica Lewinksy scandal, this study investigates the combined factors of political scandal, media and public opinion. This study hypothesizes a positive relationship between these combined factors and policy creation. In order to test the hypothesized relationship minor scandals were used for comparison throughout the study. Also content analysis, LexisNexis, and publications such as Congressional Quarterly were also used to gather the necessary research. The research shows that four out of the three major scandals researched supported the hypothesized relationship. Therefore this study supports the hypothesized relationship, and suggests that political scandals, under certain circumstances, do aid in the creation of policy.

Name thesis:degree_name

MA

Level thesis:degree_level

Immediate Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Graduate Center for Social and Public Policy

Year dc:date.available

2004

Author dc:creator

• Peterson, Keely

Contributors dc:contributor

• Pat Dunham
• Charles F. Hanna

• approval rating
• content analysis
• media attention
• public opinion

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/1040

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dsc.duq.edu:etd-2056