Book Review - Influence from Abroad: Foreign Voices, the Media, and U.S. Public Opinion, by Danny Hayes and Matt Guardino

This book is essential reading for scholars of U.S. foreign policy and public opinion. It presents compelling and extensive evidence in support of the claim that foreign leaders had significant influence on the U.S. publics opinions about the impending Iraq war in early 2003. Specifically, they increased Democrats opposition to the war. Since this runs contrary to the common assumptions that domestic elites command greater credibility among the public, and that U.S. mainstream news media give preference to domestic elites, Danny Hayes and Matt Guardino make a significant contribution that expands our understanding of the contours of U.S. political communication processes regarding foreign policy.