YOUR TASK:

• Watch the video clip from the third presidential debate in 2012.
• Do you think watching a presidential debate is an effective way to learn about the
candidates and they’re perspectives on important issues? Or is really just a
personality showcase?
Enquiry Question: How do presidential
candidates gain support?
 Learning Outcomes
• To explain the significance of televised presidential
debates
• To explain the ways in which the media can be used
by presidential candidates
 Thinking Analytically
• What role do debates play in a presidential election?
• Does their unscripted format reveal something meaningful
about a candidate’s character?
• Or do debates focus too much on personality and not
enough on the issues?
 How can debates help or
hinder candidates?
YOUR TASK:
• Watch the video clip “Hits (and misses) of US Presidential Debates”.
• How did the appearance and comfort level of John F. Kennedy and
Richard Nixon differ during the first televised debate? How may this
have influenced the outcome of the 1960 election?
• What did Ronald Reagan do during a debate to address concerns
about his age? Why do you think people (even his opponent!) liked
what he did?
• How did people react to the impression that John McCain wasn’t
respectful of Barack Obama during one of their 2008 debates?
• The narrator of the video states that debates are more about
personality and character than policies and ideas. Do you agree or
disagree? Use evidence from the video to support your answer.
 History of Presidential Debates
YOUR TASK:
• Draw a timeline starting
from 1960 until 2016.
• Watch the video clip.
• Add examples and explain
how they show that
presidential debates are
significant or not significant.
Use two colours for each.
• Now add some notes from
other examples from your
textbook.
• Add notes and evidence to
support or criticize
presidential debates.
How significant are presidential debates?
YOUR TASK:
• You will be given two opinion pieces.
• In pairs, read one of the articles and
summarise:
• What is the author’s main argument in this
piece?
• Why does the author argue that presidential
debates are or are not important?
• What would it take to change the authors
perspective on the nature of presidential
debates? What kinds of things would make
the author change their mind regarding their
opinion?
• Feedback to your partner to share the
summary of your article.
PRO
OPINION: Presidential Debates
and Their Effects: Research
Roundup
http://journalistsresource.org/
studies/politics/elections/presi
dential-debates-effects-
research-roundup
CON
OPINION: Do Presidential
Debates Usually Matter?
Political Scientists Say No.
https://www.washingtonpost.c
om/news/wonk/wp/2012/10/
03/what-political-scientists-
know-about-debates/
Watch the highlights of the 2016 Presidential Debates.
Reflection:
• What do presidential
debates allow voters
to learn; what
impact would voters
not seeing debates
have on modern
elections?
• Are debates effective
in changing the
minds of people who
view them?
• What changes to the
debate system or
format could make
them more
effective?
• In what ways are
modern debates
similar or different
from the historical
debates we have
discussed?
 How significant are presidential debates for
election campaigns and outcomes? (15 marks)
 How significant are presidential
debates for election campaigns and
outcomes? (15 marks)
Presidential debates offer the candidates a national platform, and the audience an opportunity
to see how they perform under pressure. The dynamic of the debates will depend to some
extent on whether an incumbent is running; the incumbent’s record will be the focus of a lot of
the debate if he is.
Significant moments which arguably have had an impact on the election campaign and
outcome include:
• 1960 - the first Nixon-Kennedy debate
• 1976 - Ford’s claim that ‘There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe’
• 1980 - Reagan comment ‘There you go again’
• 2000 – Gore’s attempt to crowd Bush Even when there is no defining moment, as in 2008,
the debates help establish the personas of the candidates.
However: these effects are difficult to quantify and, even when the margin of victory is very
small, the role of the debate is itself a matter of debate;
• Romney’s ‘victory’ in the first 2012 debate was thought at the time to have been very
significant, and certainly had the effect of raising GOP morale, but seems to have had little
impact on the final result.
• Similarly, in 2016 Clinton was said to have won all three presidential debates, but ultimately
lost the election
 Learning Outcomes
• To explain the significance of televised presidential
debates
• To explain the ways in which the media can be used
by presidential candidates
 The Role of the Media in Elections
• The term “media” has several meanings. Politically, it generally
refers to means of communication other than direct speech or
bodily gestures. Television, radio, and the Internet are the best
examples of media. Nearly every technological advance in
media—the telegraph, radio, telephone, television, the Internet,
and social media—has changed the way that Americans
experience conventions.
• Changes in media have helped influence the form and function
of conventions, which in turn influences how the media treats
the conventions. This reciprocal relationship is shown by the
media’s involvement in the 1968 Democratic Convention, which
led to reform in the nomination process and a corresponding
shift in media coverage of politics.
• Television is responsible for modern presidential debates. Since
1976, major candidates have consistently participated in multiple
televised debates for both the Presidential and Vice-Presidential
candidates.
 The Role of the Media
• Watch the video.
• So today we're going to look at the rather thorny issue of the
media and its role in politics.
• Whether you're talking about older forms of media like
newspapers and radio or newer forms like television and the
Internet, all media serves the same purpose - to provide
information to the public.
• So we're going to discuss their strengths and weaknesses and
examine how both content creators and consumers play a role
in the information that is told.
• It could be argued that because the media only relays
information it isn't actually important to the American political
system, but when you look more closely at what and how this
information affects voters as well as their elected officials, we
can more clearly see its importance as a political institution.
 Thinking about the media…
• What are your sources of
information on the presidential
candidates, their platforms and
policies?
• How do you evaluate your sources
of information?
• Is the source reliable and
unbiased?
• How do you know?
• Imagine this election was taking YOUR TASK:
place in 1916 instead of 2016, • Use the Media and Technology
how would the sources of hand-out to identify
information be the same? technological developments
and their impact on the media’s
• How would sources of information role in the political process.
be different? • Complete the table on your
worksheet.
Reflection:
• Which advance had
the greatest impact
on the political
process? Why?
• How would you
characterize the role
of the media in the
political process?
• Have advances in
communication
technology improved
the political process?
• Do voters have
access to more
reliable and relevant
information?
• Should the role of the
media in the political
process change?
• Why? How?
 Political Campaign Advertising

Top Ten Political Ads of 2016

Watch the video clip.
The 10 Most Notable Ads from the 2016 Election
Watch the video clip.
 How are
memes
changing
politics?
Watch the
video clip.

Six Ways
Social Media
Influences
Elections
Watch the
video clip.
http://potus2016.org/social-media-
election-2016/2016-social-media-
election/
JULY 2015
 How significant is the role of
social media in presidential
elections?
How much impact does social
media have on the outcome of
an election?
https://public.tableau.com/en-us/s/blog/2016/10/election-2016-
analyzing-media-coverage-candidates-twitter
 How significant is the role of the media for
election campaigns and outcomes? (15 marks)
 How significant is the role of the media
for election campaigns and outcomes?
(15 marks)
Indicative Content – You decide!
Arguments and evidence to suggest the role of the media is significant on the outcome of
elections:
•

Arguments and evidence to suggest the role of the media is not significant on the outcome of
elections:
•

•
 Learning Outcomes
• To explain the significance of televised presidential
debates
• To explain the ways in which the media can be used
by presidential candidates
 Homework
Application Task:
To what extent did the 2016 presidential
election prove that campaign finance
regulations are effective? (45)
Preparation Task:
The Electoral College (Bennett p91-97)
Stretch & Challenge Task
Article: Social Media in the 2016 Election