Ever since Joe McGinniss' 1968 The Selling of the President about the packaging of Richard Nixon, the candidate-as-product has been a recurring campaign-coverage theme. Candidates are launched, positioned, and advertised like products.

Ever since Joe McGinniss’ 1968 “The Selling of the President” about the packaging of Richard Nixon, the candidate-as-product has been a recurring theme in presidential campaign coverage. Candidates are “launched,” “positioned,” and “advertised” like products. With the current obsession with product “branding,” candidates are now also looking ...