- Born:
- March 6, 1929, Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
- Died:
- December 2, 2013, Agawam, Massachusetts (aged 84)
Joseph Napolitan
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Who was Joseph Napolitan?
Joseph Napolitan (1929-2013) was an American political consultant and a pioneer in the field, credited with coining the term political consultant. After serving in the U.S. Army and working for a Springfield newspaper, he opened a public relations office and began his political consulting career, managing successful campaigns for local and national candidates.
Napolitan worked on presidential campaigns for John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson and is known for Hubert Humphreyâs 1968 presidential election campaign. He consulted on over 100 U.S. political campaigns and at least 20 international campaigns, advising leaders such as French President ValĂ©ry Giscard dâEstaing.
Napolitan cofounded the International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC) in 1968 and the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) in 1969 to organize the field and set standards. He authored The Election Game and How to Win It (1972) and was honored as one of the "100 most influential PR people of the 20th century" by PRWeek magazine in 1999.
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What does a political consultant do?
Joseph Napolitan (1929-2013) was an American political consultant. He is largely credited with coining the term political consultant. He managed campaigns from local mayoral elections to presidential campaigns, such as those of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He also worked on at least 20 campaigns on five continents, and consulted for heads of state, including French President ValĂ©ry Giscard dâEstaing.
Napolitan promoted the field of political consulting and cofounded the International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC) in 1968. The next year, he founded the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC).
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How did Joseph Napolitan help politicians with their campaigns?
Joseph Napolitan was a pioneer in the field of political consulting, credited with coining the term. His work involved managing political campaigns, from local mayoral elections to presidential campaigns for candidates such as John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
Napolitan is best known for orchestrating Hubert Humphreyâs rise in the polls near the 1968 presidential election and managing Milton Schapp's campaign for Pennsylvania Governor in 1966, one of the first television-intensive campaigns. Beyond domestic campaigns, Napolitan consulted on at least 20 campaigns across five continents, advising heads of state such as French President ValĂ©ry Giscard dâEstaing.
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Why is Joseph Napolitan considered important in American political consulting?
Joseph Napolitan (1929-2013) was an American political consultant who is considered important for being a pioneer in the field. He is largely credited with coining the term political consultant.
Napolitan worked on the presidential campaigns of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson and is best known for orchestrating Hubert Humphreyâs rise in the polls near the end of the 1968 presidential election. He managed the 1966 campaign of Pennsylvania Governor Milton Schapp, one of the first television-intensive campaigns. In 1968, Napolitan cofounded the International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC), and in 1969, he founded the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC).
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What innovations did Napolitan introduce to political campaigns?
Joseph Napolitan is credited with coining the term "political consultant" and for promoting the field anchor text. In 1966, Napolitan managed Milton Schapp's campaign for Pennsylvania Governor, one of the first television-intensive campaigns. Napolitan cofounded the International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC) in 1968 and the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) in 1969 to organize the field and set professional standards.
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How has Joseph Napolitan influenced political consulting around the world?
Joseph Napolitan was an American political consultant who is credited with coining the term "political consultant." He promoted the field of political consulting by cofounding the International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC) in 1968 and the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) in 1969. These organizations aimed to organize the field and set professional standards, becoming the two primary organizations for political consultants in the world.
Napolitan worked on over 100 political campaigns in the United States, from local to national elections. He also worked on at least 20 campaigns across five continents, consulting for heads of state such as French President ValĂ©ry Giscard dâEstaing and Costa Ricaâs Ăscar Arias SĂĄnchez.
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Joseph Napolitan (born March 6, 1929, Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.âdied December 2, 2013, Agawam, Massachusetts) was an American political consultant noted for being a pioneer in his field. He is largely credited with coining the term political consultant.
After graduating from high school, Napolitan enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Guam during World War II. He later returned to his hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts, and attended American International College, where he majored in English literature. After graduating, he worked for a Springfield newspaper for 10 years, first covering sports and then as a political reporter. In 1956 Napolitan resigned from the newspaper and opened a public relations office. His political consulting career began shortly thereafter, when he agreed to manage a campaign for a dark horse candidate in the local mayoral election; his candidate scored a decisive win over the incumbent.
Napolitan went on to work on the presidential campaigns of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson but is perhaps best known for orchestrating Hubert Humphreyâs dramatic rise in the polls near the end of the 1968 presidential election. Napolitan also managed the 1966 campaign of Pennsylvania Governor Milton Schapp, one of the first television-intensive campaigns. Napolitan worked on more than 100 political campaigns in the United States, from mayoral and gubernatorial elections to races for the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. In addition to his work on domestic campaigns, Napolitan worked on at least 20 campaigns on five continents. He acted as a consultant to several heads of state, including French President VĂĄlery Giscard dâEstaing, several Venezuelan presidents, and Costa Ricaâs Ăscar Arias SĂĄnchez.
Napolitan actively promoted the field of political consulting. In 1968 he cofounded the International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC); the next year, he founded the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC). Both organizations were created with the goals of organizing the field and setting professional standards, and they became the two primary organizations for political consultants in the world. Napolitan was the author of many publications, most notably the highly acclaimed The Election Game and How to Win It (1972), as well as numerous articles about politics, including â100 Things I Have Learned in Thirty Years as a Political Consultantâ (1986).
Napolitan received numerous honours during his life, including being one of the first two AAPC members inducted into that organizationâs Hall of Fame. In 1999 he was selected by PRWeek magazine as one of the â100 most influential PR people of the 20th century.â In 2005 he was awarded the French Legion of Honour.