I like this question and think it’s an important issue for the candidates to discuss.  As you indicate, there is a real scarcity of coverage of international issues in the mainstream US media.  I think this follows in part from a presumed disinterest of the US public about matters not explicitly related to this country, but it also follows from the institutional and economic structures of the US telecommunications industry.  As such, this issue could be addressed in large part by changes in telecommunications policy.  Read More »

CNN/Youtube Republican Debate Question: Abortion

We asked Alan Schroeder, Associate Professor of Journalism at Northeastern University, to respond to the overall phenomenon of the CNN-YouTube debates and the Ben Franklin students’ participation in submitting questions. Professor Schroeder is the author of “Presidential Debates: 40 years of High-Risk TV” and “Celebrity-in-Chief: How Show Business Took Over the White House.”

Generally speaking, these are good questions. I might make a couple of suggestions about the production of the videos: First, to the extent possible, I think it works better when questions are asked conversationally, and not read from scripts. Debates should be relaxed events, and just as the candidates must answer off the cuff, I think it’s a good idea for questioners not to seem overly prepared. Debates should not seem stilted — that applies to the candidates as well as the people asking questions. Read More »

CNN/Youtube Republican Debate Question: Functional Literacy

Barbara Warnick is Chair of the Department of Communication at the University of Pittsburgh.

Professor Warnick’s op-ed on the CNN-YouTube debates appeared in the July 29, 2007 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle.

This is a good question because the number of people in this country who are functionally illiterate is too high. The Republicans have mandated “No Child Left Behind” but have largely offloaded the cost of this program and its governance onto the states. Much money that could and should be spent on education is instead being channeled to the War in Iraq. No Child Left Behind is viewed by many as not very successful. So, this question puts the Republican respondents pretty much on the spot. I will be interested to hear their answer if the question is used. Read More »

Question about Agricultural Subsidies

Martin Medhurst is the Distinguished Professor of Rhetoric and Communication at Baylor University

The question is a good one only if one buys into the presuppositions which lie behind the question. For example, is it true that “globalization has led to resource inequality”? Was there not resource inequality long before there was globalization? Is globalization the only or the most important factor in resource inequality? And is inequality, per se, a bad thing? These are all presuppositions that need, themselves, to be debated, not assumed. The questioner refers to “unfair policies run by the developed world,” but this seems to be a blanket condemnation. Are all policies of the developed countries “unfair”? Or are we referring only to agricultural policies? Are all agricultural policies unfair, or only subsidies?

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George, Bush, Abstinence, Fidelity, Candidate, Question

Professor Matthew Hale is Assistant Professor in the Department of Public and Healthcare Administration at Seton Hall University

1) Great question
2) Say “President Bush” not just Bush. You might not like him but always respect the office.
3) In a similar vein, you might consider starting with some praise towards Bush for even noticing AIDS in Africa exists. Something like, “President Bush has been applauded for his administration’s efforts to fight AIDS in Africa.”
4) Transition to your question with a zinger like: “(However, Unfortunately, etc) according to the US Accountability Office (not sure you actually need to say the office) a large percentage (might want to get a specific percentage) has to be spent on Abstinence education.”
5) Then finish with the rest of your question.

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