Obama vs. McCain
May 16, 2008
An analyst and a onetime McCain insider weigh the last chances for a Clinton victory, and look ahead to an Obama-McCain face-off.
Stories in Message Management
Saturday Night Live and the Election Cycle
May 9, 2008
The veteran comedy show has always taken aim at presidents and presidential wannabes. But in the 2008 race, campaign satire began to bleed into the campaign itself, so that Saturday night’s sketch became Monday morning’s talking point. USC communication professor Joe Saltzman looks at the intersection of politics and comedy, and young voters for whom news and infotainment are beginning to blur.
Michelle vs. Bill
May 2, 2008
If you were a presidential candidate, you’d be better off with Michelle Obama than Bill Clinton at your side, according to USC marriage and family therapist Julie Albright.
Infidelity and the Political Wife
May 2, 2008
Stand by your man, for the good of the office? Sociologist Karen Sternheimer probes
the role of political wives, from Spitzer to Clinton.
A Religious Uniter
April 25, 2008
Of the three candidates, Obama has the best chance of bridging the gap between America’s liberal and evangelical Christians, says Paul Lichterman.
Free Trade: Blowing Campaign Smoke
April 25, 2008
Responding to nervous U.S. workers and unions, candidates have talked tough on foreign trade. But what will a Clinton, Obama or McCain presidency really mean for NAFTA and other free trade agreements? According to USC’s Abraham Lowenthal, the outlook is rosier than campaign trail bluster suggests.
Eye on the Pennsylvania Primaries
April 18, 2008
Clinton may be favored to win in the Keystone State, but the margin of victory could determine whether her campaign ends, USC professors say. If the outcome is close, Obama will frame the result as expected. But his statements about the bitterness of working-class voters might prove damaging in the states that follow.
An Olympic Question
April 18, 2008
All three candidates advocate boycotting the opening ceremony in Beijing. Once in office, the president’s tune on China will change, says a USC prof.
Playing the Gender Card
March 7, 2008
Inspiring voters with the historical potential of a woman president — what Hillary Clinton stands to gain from embracing her femaleness.
The Great Debaters
February 29, 2008
How do Obama and Clinton stack up in the wordplay arena, and how will the top Democrat fare in future face-offs with John McCain? Thomas Hollihan of the USC Annenberg School analyzes the candidates’ oratorical styles and offers advice on massaging their message.
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