Final answer:
The best sentence describing the cultural context of the passage is that it outlines the history of presidential political ads, emphasizing the considerable evolution from written media to the powerful roles of television, cable, and the Internet in shaping political campaigns.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sentence that best describes the cultural context of the passage is that the author is explaining the history of presidential political ads. The passages detail the evolution of political communication from the early days of the Constitution, through Roosevelt's fireside chats, to the influence of television beginning with Eisenhower's campaigns. This trend continues with the impact of cable and Internet on political advertising strategies and the way they target specific demographics. The text points out that political communication, especially presidential television strategies from the 1960s to the 1990s, during the so-called 'Golden Age of Presidential Television,' gave presidents a strong command of the media. It also emphasizes the shifting media landscape, including the declining viewership of the president's State of the Union address and the increasing role of talk show hosts and political pundits in filling the information gap.