By focusing on the central theme of how presidential candidates emerge and how the voters perceive and evaluate them, Choosing the Chief presents a clear and complete picture of how the constitutional frameworks, electoral laws, party systems, social structures, and pivotal historical developments have converged to produce distinctive patterns of presidential politics in both France and the United States. "Pierce provides a very sound investigation of a topic that until now has escaped adequate scholarly attention: the French and American presidential selection processes. He presents a well-organized and thorough empirical assessment of the patterns and differences in the ways chief exectives win office in the two nations. . . . The book contains excellent comparative analysis of the processes throughout . . . ." --Choice "[T]his a book from which both Americanists and comparativists have much to learn." --Journal of Politics ". . . an exciting effort at genuine comparative analysis." --Frank L. Wilson, Purdue University ". . . a significant contribution to the general study of comparative politics and more specifically to our understanding of comparative electoral behavior and participation." --Thomas D. Lancaster, Emory University Roy Pierce is Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Michigan.