Dagnes (political science, Shippensburg U.) provides some fresh perspective on the rather old notion that American politics isn't working and can't work in today's news media environment. The author notes that technology and the financial demands of American media have shifted its focus away from real news to entertainment, and from facts to opinion. The result, she says, is that politicians try to fit into the narrow environment of the current news media formats, an approach that causes both extreme political discourse and dumbed down commentary on important issues. The book combines insider interviews with statistics, anecdotes, and analysis. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)