This title provides a revealing look at how today's bureaucrats are finding their public voice in the era of 24-hour media. Once somewhat anonymous, our bureaucratic leaders are increasingly having to govern under the scrutiny of a 24-hour news cycle, hyperpartisan political oversight, and a restless populace that is increasingly distrustful of the people who govern them. This book reveals how today's civil servants are speaking out as they join elected politicians on the public stage and jockey for advantage in the persuasion game of modern governance. It draws on in-depth interviews and compelling case studies from the U.S, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand to describe how senior bureaucrats are drawn into political debates they could once avoid. Faced with a political climate where polarization and media spin are at an all-time high, these modern mandarins negotiate blame games and manage contradictory expectations in the glare of an unforgiving spotlight.