No place for amateurs : how political consultants are reshaping American democracy / Dennis W. Johnson.

List of Tables -- Preface -- Introduction: Canvassing the Political Landscape -- Pt. 1. Professional Campaigning: New Realities, New Challenges -- 1. Celebrity Consultants and Professionally Driven Campaigns -- 2. Running for Office: Not for the Faint of Heart -- 3. Case Study: Challenging an Incumbent U.S. Senator: The Realities of a Tough, Hard-Fought, Professional Campaign -- Pt. 2. Weapons of Modern Campaigning -- 4. Political Research: Digging Up the Dirt -- 5. Testing Public Opinion -- 6. The Media, Old and New -- 7. Targeting Voters -- 8. The Money Chase -- Pt. 3. Wider Reach of Political Consulting -- 9. Ballot Issues, Local Elections, and Consultants -- 10. Citizens, Voters, and Democratic Choice -- App. A. Citizens' Internet Resource Guide -- App. B. Leading Political Consulting Firms -- Notes -- Index.