Political Communication Final

Be able to discuss the role comedy shows played in this year's election (including examples) and the "controversy" surrounding this issue (from Jones readings).

Playful means of interrogating the political realities, use fun to mask seriousness, sometimes can construe what is truth and what is not, Trump & SNL controversy, media rigged election, HRC on between two ferns

How do the media, both local and national, cover the campaign from the stump?

Trump's stump speeches get more coverage because it's more freestyled than rehearsed. Clinton's stump speeches don't gain a lot of attention because they are dry, policy ridden and boring but Trump's delivery enough gets him coverage.

What role did social media play in the 2016 campaign?

Twitter with Trump able to interact directly with voters Fact checking during debates Clintons staff running social media Snapchat filters

polling/public opinion

Walter Lippman began public opinion research in 1992, George Gallup in 1932

Which aspects of the candidates' campaign strategies were most and least successful?

Good slogan for trump, fear rhetoric, buzz words, social media usage Clinton e-mails and FBI investigation, untrustworthy, weak slogan, weak message, not advocating for change, positive surrogate effort, advertisements

What are the positive and negative aspects of online campaign communication? For example, does it increase voter engagement? Does it make people more (or less) informed? Does it promote cynicism?

Positive: increase political discussion, organizing, fundraising, further info on candidates Negative: not able to control content

Do debates still matter in presidential campaigns? Why or why not?

Yes. Very symbolic and gives the public a chance to hear more policy stances normally

Fear

using fear to get a certain outcome

Backfire

using words or actions against a candidate and can be used against them

What is the expectations gap theory/thesis? How does it relate to political image-making?

A gap exists between what the public expects of its presidents and what they can actually accomplish. It relates because it can lead to image is everything presidency to create illusions and images of leadership

According to Trent et al, how have conventions changed over the years and what are the four functions of modern conventions?

Changes: introduction of television, development of primaries, emergence of campaign specialists, gavel to gavel analysis on cable news Four functions: reaffirming and legitimize the electoral process, legitimize party nominee, demonstrate party unity, introduce the candidate's campaign themes

According to Hollywood, what are the qualities of the ideal president?

Motivational, professional, heroic, admiral, all-knowing, invested

Battlegrounds

Significant number of electoral votes where they can swing between other parties

agenda-setting

ability for media to influence topics on public agenda

Be able to discuss the highlights and key moments of the 2016 debates, including media coverage of the debates.

"keep us in suspense" "bad hombres" when they go low, we go high

What role do consultants, special interest groups, and pundits play in modern politics?

"political consultants can provide candidates with virtually any service necessary in the conduct of a campaign, including help in targeting voters, establishing a precinct organization, setting up and utilizing phone banks, polling the electorate, preparing and utilizing direct mail, preparing and using radio and television commercials, writing and preparing to deliver a speech, preparing for a debate, mounting a fund-raising campaign, and establishing and utilizing an Internet website" special interest groups: fund candidates campaign and are centered around specific ideologies and policies pundits: 'experts' in their field and called to give an opinion on a matter related

QUESTION TO THINK OF: How have movies and television shows about politics impacted the way that people view politicians? Do these movies/shows help or hurt political engagement? Do they increase our knowledge of politics or our cynicism regarding it?

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What are the five functions of debates (discussed in class)?

1. add prudence to campaigns by allowing for a clash of ideas and creating a national conversation of ideas/issues (raise awareness of major issues and where each candidate stands) 2. reduce campaign bombast 'must answer questions directed to them' can't rely on stump speeches. Business-like structure of debates help keep candidates on track 3. bring focus to a campaign 4. ensure self-involvement. Must talk about themselves and not just attack opponent and reflect on what they would do as president 5. establish a common meeting place, appeal to national audience and attempt to be less partisan

Know the seven principles of campaign communication:

1. providing information that affects perception and may ultimately persuade 2. contemporary candidates need media in part because voters have certain expectations 3. media professionals have a lot of power in determining which news events, candidates and issues get covered. Candidates tailor their communication based on what generates the most, and best coverage 4. candidates are not always able to control the media 5. mass media influence is important to our knowledge and appreciate of the electoral process 6. changes in media and technology have changed the way candidates campaign 7. the power of the media has contributed to the many changes in the electoral process

What are pseudo-events and what role do they play in image construction? Be able to offer examples from the 2016 Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

A spectacle created for the sole purpose of creating an image. It is not spontaneous, planned for the sole purpose of being reported, reality of situation is ambiguous and intended to be self-fulfilling prophecy. Conventions are not longer instrumental in decision making, but symbolic Ex: acceptance speech, surrogate speakers, donations

What is the difference between incumbent and challenger communicative styles?

Challenger: attack the record (public awareness to problems, taking offensive position, calling for a change, optimism for future, speaking traditional values) Incumbent: symbolic trappings of office, legitimacy of office, competency of office, charisma and office, combo of symbolic and pragmatic strategies

Be able to discuss the different avenues of mediated communication available to politicians and the level of control they have over each situation.

Electronic media, print media, personal contact Target voters or demographics

Be able to discuss the ongoing debate over the effectiveness of negative advertising and types of negative ads (fear, backfire, implicative, etc.).

Evaluations of opponents, motivates people to vote

Which battleground states and voting blocs ended up being the most important in the 2016 election?

Florida, pennslyvania, ohio, Nevada, south Carolina, Michigan, minorities and white vote

What role have the media played in political image construction over the years, especially in the 2016 presidential campaign?

Focus on ethical failings or personality rather than policy

Know the strategies employed by the candidates in the final 48 hours of the 2016 campaign.

Get out the vote tactics, phone banks, door to door, ad targeting in swing states, rallies, surrogate effort

Why were the majority of polls so far off base when it came to predicting the outcome of the 2016 election?

Hidden white vote, inaccurate polling data, cell phones

Know the historical evolution of presidential debates. Be able to give examples from the debates over the years (video clips viewed in class).

Lincoln-Douglass debates 1858 'real debates rather than join speeches/press conferences' great debates 1960 b/w JFK and Nixon

Know the importance of "get out the vote" (GOTV) efforts and how they are tied to stump campaigning.

Motivate and activate supporters to go to the polls and vote Target 10% of voters needed for victory Touching the voter and use of social media

Battleground states

OH, PA, NC, FL, NV, IA, NH, MI, AZ

What role has the Internet, particularly social media, played in political campaigns? Be able to describe the different views discussed in the readings. Be able to offer examples from the candidates' websites and social media accounts reviewed in class.

Obama was the first social media president had web specialists, campaign staff 10x more equipped for online, received small, individual donations Involves, informs, connects and mobilizes voters Trump's tweets, HRC list style posts, etc

phases of political ads (ID, argument, attack, visionary)

Phase 1: brings ID spots (ads that are biographical and intended to introduce or identify the candidate - provide a snese of the candidate in surfacing or primary stages of campaign Phase 2: argument spots (ads that ID the cadndiates causes, ideas, concerns - what do they stand for?) Phase 3: attack spots (ads that are direct and personal attacks meant to reduce the credibility of the opposing candidate - create doubt, stir fear, exploit anxiety or motivate ridicule) Phase 4: visionary spots (ads that are used as the campaign draws to a close to provide reflective/thoughtful/dignified view of candidate - create the impression that candidate has leadership ability and vision

Why have polls and poll analysts like Nate Silver (and his fivethirtyeight.com website) become so influential? What are some of the flaws of polling?

Polls: gauge how effective a candidates campaign strategy is, ad targeting and demographics

Be familiar with the various pre- and post-debate strategies used by campaigns.

Pre: lowering public expectations, determine the target audience, devising and rehearsing answers During: relating issues to an overall theme, developing an image Post: surrogate effort, using ads to underscore debate themes, using audience members to project a positive view

Be able to define the "image-is-everything presidency" and know what role image making has played over the years in political campaigns.

President can control his image and present a positive one Enhance voter perception of them Campaign activities designed to illustrate the candidate possess certain qualities

define political communication and explain the role political communication plays in American democracy

Role of communication in the political process

What are some of the strategies used by convention speakers? Be able to offer examples from the 2016 RNC and DNC.

Strategies: simplifies partisan statements, lamenting the present while celebrating the future, stressin the crucial nature of the election, call for unity, using biography, using bio to go negative ex:Role of determine what qualities voters believe are ideal and illustrate them to posses these qualities Appearing 'presidential' for Clinton Above political fray for Trump Develop theme / party message: MAGA, Stronger Together Party Unity with Bernie Attack on Trump (they go high, we go low) Using bio for negative (Clinton) Trump children humanize him

Know how the relationship between comedy and politics has evolved over the years, and be able to offer examples.

Young people get their news from political late night comedy, make candidates appear more real, make issues relevant and inform general public. Softball questions because unusual event

Stump campaigning

a controlled explanation of their campaign, the candidate to highlight the important factors of their campaign, which is important in any race for elected office, but it also allows the candidate to control the image as well as the message that they attempt to portray to the public

Voting blocs

a group of voters that are strongly motivated by a specific common concern or group of concerns to the point that such concerns tend to dominate their voting patterns and vote together during elections

According to the Jones reading, why do candidates appear on news/talk shows? What purpose do these appearances serve?

appear more human, realistic, conversational style

Talking head

candidate talking directly to audience

Know Jones' arguments regarding the impact of comedy shows on campaigns, both positive and negative. Be able to discuss how shows like The Daily Show, Saturday Night Live, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Key & Peele, The Colbert Report, and the late night talk shows illustrate the issues outlined in the readings.

comedy shows are not limited by professional constraints - can say more Some claims are fake, but because of their authority to make them are painted as real Common sense truth spectacle (ex: Daily show is fake, but does not mean information is untrue, uses fake news platform to offer discussions that are informative and critical)

Late night talk shows

comedy, entertainment purposes

political economy

corporate infrastructure / influence on both politics and media

Assault

directly attacking candidates character, actions, motivations

the horse race

focuses on polling data to analyze who's ahead

Meet the Press type shows

government officials, news makers of the day, political junkies

political bias

identifying with one political ideology over another

Neutral reporter

informational statements are made and voter is invited to make a judgment

Comparative

issues on both sides

two-step flow

media effects are limited and mediated by other factors. People who read or listen to substaintial amount of media overage were more likely to be interested. "opinion leaders" highly regarded, informed & transmit mass media information to individuals who don't pay attention

framing

narrative device to shape story, related to agenda setting, takes issues and puts them in a field of meaning

Syndicated talk show

one of two commentators hold a discussion with a guest, creating a context in which opinions are freely forthcoming, women, general public

Implicative

operate with innuendo without acting directly

Person on the street

personal witness, unscripted opinions

Journalist roundtable type shows

political talk based on political leanings, informed listeners

early propaganda studies

post WWI newspapers and posters → messages injected in hypodermic needle effect and assimilated feelings & attitudes who were influence when individuals received same message (powerful & direct)

Surrogates

proved record of competence, relationship to candidate or audience, garner support and raise money, do the dirty work Ex: ANN Romney @ 2008, 2012 RNC, first woman surrogate on her own Michelle Obama - critizing Trump without saying his name

celebrity coverage

reporting professional and personal lives; more gossip

hegemony/semiotics

studying ideological messages, sensitive to race, ethnicity, gender, etc.

agenda setting

the press' ability to control which news is released and focused on

Be able to discuss the role such shows have played in recent years, including the 2016 campaign.

way of getting out political information, getting to know the candidate, make them seem more personal or likable

Demographics in 2016 election

white voters without a college degree, minorities, youth, women

gatekeeping

who controls the news / determining flow of information to the public

audience studies

why/how people use media & understanding how to target demographics