In modern mass societies much political deliberation is mediated by pr
ofessional communicators, who may fail to represent the values of ordi
nary citizens. This analysis of the 1993 withdrawal of Zoe Baird as no
minee for U. S. attorney general suggests, however that when this occu
rs, direct popular intervention through alternative media sometimes re
shapes political discourse and policy-making. Relying heavily on offic
ial sources (and perhaps misled by communicators' own class positions)
, most mainstream media supported Baird and predicted her confirmation
, even after the revelation that she had hired illegal aliens and fail
ed to pay their Social Security taxes. Only, an outpouring of public o
utrage, expressed in calls to radio talk shows and senators' offices,
and confirmed by national opinion surveys, turned the tide against the
nominee. In this paper, we discuss the conditions under which such up
risings occur.