Blog #10 -- Civic Engagement

Last Blog -- Hurrah!

I hope this will be a fun one. Write a blog post that encourages citizens to DO something for your candidate (vote, work a phone bank, volunteer, give money, etc.) Essentially you are writing an ad for your candidate and campaign. Tell people why they should do the thing you want them to do for this particular candidate/campaign. I would include persuasive messages from your candidate him/herself and enthusiasm. Humor is welcome, if that's the route you want to take. Basically, what is it about your particular candidate that people will care about and want to rally behind? Then use those things to get volunteers/voters/donors/etc.

Your blog posts should be approx. 500 words. They should include links, images, multimedia, etc. when appropriate (which is probably always -- what better way to keep your audience interested?) More information is provided in an assignment sheet on Blackboard.

Blog #9 -- Press Coverage

Conduct a Google search of the most recent news about your "candidate." What sorts of stories are being written about your "candidate" right now (or most recently)? What types of media outlets are covering your "candidate" the most?

From what you can tell, who is generating the news -- your "candidate" and his/her people or the media? Why do you think that? Do you think the media is writing about your candidate in a way that will set them up well for a 2016 presidential campaign? Why or why not? What kinds of coverage should your candidate be seeking moving into the 2016 election season?

Your blog posts should be approx. 500 words. They should include links, images, multimedia, etc. when appropriate (which is probably always -- what better way to keep your audience interested?) More information is provided in an assignment sheet on Blackboard.

Blog #8 -- Media Bias

Find two media stories written or delivered on television about your "candidate" -- one from what you would consider a "liberal" media outlet and one from what you would consider a "conservative" outlet. 

What are the major differences in how your candidate is portrayed, if there are any? Based on the research you've done about your "candidate" so far, what seems accurate? What seems generous? What seems unfair? If a person were to see only one of these stories, what would they know and what would be concealed about this "candidate"?

Your blog posts should be approx. 500 words. They should include links, images, multimedia, etc. when appropriate (which is probably always -- what better way to keep your audience interested?) More information is provided in an assignment sheet on Blackboard.

Blog #7 -- Media, Pop Culture and Politics

For this week, try to find a representation of your candidate from outside the campaign, preferably one that is opinion-based. This could include your candidate as a character in a Saturday Night Live sketch, an opinion piece (be it on television or written by a newspaper columnist) about your candidate or a satrirical webpage.

How does this artifact describe your candidate? What does it say about your candidate? How does this artifact push back against the image the candidate seems to be wanting to create for him/herself (see your own blog #2 post.) Do you think this artifact effectively shapes/changes the image the candidate is trying to project?  

Your blog posts should be approx. 500 words. They should include links, images, multimedia, etc. when appropriate (which is probably always -- what better way to keep your audience interested?) More information is provided in an assignment sheet on Blackboard.

Blog #6 -- Advertising Strategies

Find some advertising done by your candidate in some other campaign. Try to find at least 3-5 (you can use more) television or online ads (preferably from only one campaign, whatever year/office that might be.)

What strategies do you see present in these ads? (You can pick them apart ad by ad, or look at the group of ads as one advertising campaign, your choice.) Are they attack ads or candidate-positive? Image ads or issue ads? Any incumbent or challenger strategies present? Gender strategies or differences? Give some analysis for why you think the strategies that you have identified were chosen.

Blog Question #5 -- Polling

Polls have been coming out predicting the candidates for the 2016 presidential election for awhile now. Try to find some polls that include your candidate. Based on your candidate's inclusion (or exclusion) from these polls, what story do they tell? Is your candidate a front-runner, or does s/he have a mountain to climb? More importantly, what can we really learn from polls nearly two years before the election? Use your knowledge of polling (based on your reading ... and maybe a little research!) to write about your informed opinions on this topic.

Blog Question #4 -- Political Language

Try to find a piece of political "writing" that was written/delivered by your candidate (e.g. a personal statement from his/her website, a section of a debate from a previous election, a speech, etc.) Link to your source material so we can all see/read it. Then analyze the political language. Which functions of political language are being fulfilled? How? Is it successful or not? Which functions of political language are not present? Why? Try to "read between the lines." What is the candidate saying? What is the candidate not saying?