I talked to Brendan Doherty, a professor of political science at the United States Naval Academy and author of the books, “The Rise of the President’s Permanent Campaign” and “Fundraiser in Chief: Presidents and the Politics of Campaign Cash,” about why early presidents stayed off the trail and how this became the permanent campaign. Our conversation, conducted by email, is below:WOLF: Why didn’t early presidents personally campaign? DOHERTY: In the early decades of the republic, presidential candidates adhered to the norm that they should not actively campaign for office. DOHERTY: While early presidential candidates didn’t actively campaign, their supporters got the word out on their behalf. DOHERTY: Modern presidents campaign for themselves and for their fellow party members throughout their term in office.

Source: CNN May 11, 2024 08:02 UTC