WEEK SHEET
Week 5: 10/24
Announcements:
1. Remember to think about your practicing democracy assignment which will be due by Nov. 7 th.
Reading:
Text: Read Chpt. 9 in ADR
Lecture on Party Systems
Lecture the History of Our Parties
To Do:
1. Analyzing Political Ads (50 points)
Go to the following Obama and McCain websites where you can find all the ads each candidate has aired throughout
the campaign. Survey through a number of ads (at least 5 or 6 from each candidate) and chose two ads from each
candidate to analyze. For each ad you chose, give me the name of the and outline the techniques that are used to
sway voters. (Analysis of each ad, should be about 300 words.)
Consider the following:
 Carefully assess the narrative of the ad: Is it mostly about the candidate or his opponent (a positive or negative
ad). Did the ad seem try to educate or simply create emotion? Did the ad focus on policy (what the candidate
would do) or character (who the candidate is)? What kinds of words are used: are there examples of “glittering
generalities” (vague promises that sound good to anyone but carry little substance) or the use of “loaded” words
(those that carry an emotional punch)? Does the ad rely on “sound bites” (short pithy phrases) or does it aim at
substance?
 What sounds, colors, or images are used to create an emotional pitch.
 What kind of voter does the ad seem directed to? (party loyalists (to get them revved up), the undecided, or
some particular ideological demographic. (Remember most ads are shown to only a limited media market.)
 To what extent does the ad seem representative or different from the other ads you viewed from this candidate.
Obama Ads: http://origin.barackobama.com/tv/advertisements/
McCain Ads: http://www.johnmccain.com/tvads/
(You can do a Spanish language ads as long as you can translate it.)
2. Race and the Election (25 points)
1. Read the following CNN article about how race may be entering into the election.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/08/campbell.brown.that.one/index.htmlThis will give you some sense of
how the mainstream media is treating the issue. Next read the following two articles on the Bradley effect:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-fauntroy-phd/obama-and-the-bradley-eff_b_120286.html and
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/408/can-you-trust-what-polls-say-about-obamas-electoral-prospects. In about 300 – 400
words, explain what is meant by the Bradley effect and the evidence that it exists. What does the PEW research
suggest is the likelihood of race effecting the 2008 presidential election and how does this jive with your own
intuitions?
3. Race and the Election Part 2 (25 points)
Read Barak Obama's speech on race found at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88478467.
Give your assessment of the speech and summarize what Obama sees as the sources of both black and white anger.
Also explain how Obama perceives both of these angers affecting politics in the past and what he thinks both groups
need to do to move beyond this. (If you want to see the Wright tape he is referring to, go to You Tube.) (300-400
words)
To Think About:
1. Explain why the U.S. has a two party system considering both its historical origins as well as ways our system maintains the
two party monopoly.
2. Explain the role played by third parties in our two-party system.
(over)
3. Describe the relative advantages and disadvantages of a two party system versus a multiparty system. Consider this in
terms of both elections and government operation.
4. In what ways and to what extent did political realignment took place between 1960 and 1980? Consider deviations
and reinstatements as well as realignment.
5. In what ways and to what extent has political realignment taken place between 1980 and the present. Consider
deviations and reinstatements as well as realignment.
6. Analyze the election of 2008 in terms of how candidates from two major parties are trying to maintain or change their
parties traditional coalitions.