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| Chapter 7: Political Parties and Elections |
| Video Exercises |
| Watch the videos below and answer the questions that follow. |
1. Third-party candidates play an important role in the electoral process, even if the widespread financial and popular support of the two major parties rarely provide opportunities for a third-party victory in elections. Some voters view third-party candidates as “spoilers” in close races between Republicans and Democrats, while others see them as an essential part of a functioning pluralist democracy.
Al Gore on Third Party Candidates
Current TV
November 10, 2008How important are third-party candidates to you? Have you ever voted for a third-party candidate? Why or why not? |
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| 2. Small Media Extra Large is a creative content and digital video production company that creates video for web, mobile devices, television, and more. They have garnered attention and praise for their videos featuring politically-themed content.
Watch the video below and answer the questions that follow. I'm a Democrat, I'm a Republican - Better
Small Media Extra Large
2006Does this video effectively characterize the differences between Republicans and Democrats? Why or why not? What are some other differences between the two major parties? |
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| 3. Issue ads during a presidential campaign are an important and effective way for candidates to explain their positions on key policy issues. During the 2008 election, the economy emerged as a key issue for voters and candidates alike.
Watch the two videos below and answer the questions that follow. Plan for Change
Obama/Biden 2008Fight
McCain/Palin 2008In what ways did Barack Obama and John McCain address economic issues in the above two videos? How are their proposed solutions similar? How are their proposed solutions different? |
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4. Attack ads are used by candidates to contrast themselves with their opponents and cast doubt, in the minds of voters, on the policies, legislative records, or personal character of their opponents.
Watch the two videos below and answer the questions that follow. Celeb
McCain/Palin 2008Embrace
Obama/Biden 2008Which of the two videos above did you find more persuasive or compelling? Why? In general, do you think attack ads are an effective means of winning support from pros-pective voters? Why or why not? |
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| 5. Political satire is an important part of any presidential campaign season, as it often reflects the personalities and policies of the candidates while not seeking to carry an agenda or directly influence the outcome of the election.
Watch the two videos below and answer the questions that follow. Obama Runs Constructive Criticism Ad Against McCain
The Onion News NetworkGiven that attacks ads and negative rhetoric are commonplace in political campaigns, why is this ad humorous? What do you think it suggests about the tone of the attack ads that aired during the 2008 presidential election? |
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5b. VP Debate Open: Palin / Biden
Saturday Night Live
NBC
First aired October 4, 2008What commentary do you think the above video is making about presidential and vice-presidential debates? Do you feel that debates during an election year are an effective way for voters to learn about the positions of candidates? Why or why not? |
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