The West Wing way in
How one of this blogger’s favourite TV shows may help with revision
Obama’s first weekly address
On YouTube
Race relations revision
Race relations in the US Politics is probably the most interesting topic as far as my current crop of students are concerned. What better time to consider whether pursuit of the American Dream is a realistic proposition for African Americans than now. The inauguration of the first ever black President suggests that equality is possible, but a couple of the YouTube clips I use when considering the issue of race in America here suggest that race remains the main dividing line issue in the USA.
read more...»President heads up
A heads up for Saturday’s Independent which comes with a free DVD of the original Frost v Nixon interview. This coincides with the release of the Ron Howard film ‘Frost/Nixon’ which is due for general release on Friday. I managed to catch it when in the US recently and it really is superb - a Politics class night out to the cinema?
Also in today’s paper, with Bush’s departure and Obama’s inauguration just days away, is the start of a seven part series on the lives of the presidents. Another reason to go out and get a copy. If you want to access the info online, the web link is here.
US presure groups: revolving door
I have been doing some legwork for a forthcoming article for first past the post on campaign finance in the USA. Browsing the Open Secrets site I have been fascinated by their feature on the revolving door.
As the site states:
"Although the influence powerhouses that line Washington's K Street are just a few miles from the U.S. Capitol building, the most direct path between the two doesn't necessarily involve public transportation. Instead, it's through a door—a revolving door that shuffles former federal employees into jobs as lobbyists, consultants and strategists just as the door pulls former hired guns into government careers. While members of the executive branch, Congress and senior congressional staffers spin in and out of the private and public sectors, so too does privilege, power, access and, of course, money."
On the site you can track movement between congressional and executive offices and lobbying firms. The scale and degree of activity is quite staggering.
This is an excellent site for consolidating knowledge on this much discussed, but often misunderstood phenomenon. Note for instance, that lobby firms seek to attract those with agency/executive experience as well as congressional staffers, not just ex-congressmen.>
John Adams
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I wonder if you have been watching this TV miniseries on Channel 4. The next show is on Saturday 10 January at 5.15 pm.
It really is quite excellent and essential viewing for students of American Politics
read more...»Death of New Labour
To help key students keep up to date with current affairs (and be successful in tutor2u’s Question Time!), the BBC website hosts a whole range of clips from its political programming.
Here for instance is a short clip from the programme that can be used in lessons on political parties. Personally I think its important that I keep persevering with this topic even though my students have told me today (yet again) that they are unlikely to answer a question on it in the exam. This is one of the most exciting times in years to be studying politics given the current economic backdrop.
See the clip here 
Where now for the Republicans?
There was an excellent documentary at the weekend on the possibly declining influence of the religious right. You can access for the next 29 days on Channel 4’s catch up site
I can’t find any way to download it permanently, so if there are any technophiles out there who know how…!
I have also included the first part here from YouTube
read more...»JFK and Thatcher
It may have escaped your attention that Saturday was not only the 45th anniversary of JFK’s assassination, but also the 18th anniversary resignation of Mrs Thatcher as PM.
Perhaps an opportune time to consider the importance of each historic figure.
There is almost unlimited information out there on the web on both, but my contribution is the link to a clip of Oliver Stone’s film on JFK’s shooting. I think it is some of the best politics on film. 
Single transferable vote
I bet these three words had readers salivating at the prospect of what was to come. Probably not. I once made the mistake of admitting that I liked electoral systems as a topic. My colleague showed no mercy.
Anyway, on my travels through electoral reform websites I have come across some computer generated graphical explanations. Useful teaching aids.
Great introductory article on the Chief of Staff
It is unlikely that news that Rahm Emanuel has been chosen as Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff has escaped the attention of blog readers.
read more...»Schott’s presidential almanac
How many presidents were over 6ft tall? Which have had their faces on bank notes?
Find out via this jpg file, which would make a handy wall display:
Obama speech in full
I can’t seem to find the victory speech by Obama in Grant Park in full on YouTube, but this is the link to the BBC version:
US elections: the electoral college
As I write this it is 4 days and 17 hours until polling opens. This is just enough time for readers new to American Politics to get their head round the way US voters elect their President.
read more...»Race for the White House: changing electoral landscape
I have written an article for first past the post on the factors which may determine the outcome of the presidential election, and it should be out shortly. Meanwhile I would draw your attention to details of an article which popped up in my email inbox this morning from the New York Times. It covers news that the economy has had a huge impact on the contest. It starts:
“The turmoil on Wall Street and the weakening economy are changing the contours of the presidential campaign map, giving new force to Senator Barack Obama’s ambitious strategy to make incursions into Republican territory, while leading Senator John McCain to scale back his efforts to capture Democratic states.”
The article also contains some great links to multimedia maps: a useful teaching resource if you are covering voting behaviour.
Read the rest here
Presidential debates: round one
What the papers said about the first contest between McCain and Obama
read more...»US politics documentary heads up
Sunday 9.00 pm BBC4 is showing ‘How to Be a Good President: Time Shift’. The blurb from their website states:
‘In a whistle-stop tour through the history of the US presidency, journalist and author Jonathan Freedland asks what qualities make a great president and what we can learn from the likes of Theodore Roosevelt, JFK or even Richard Nixon about what it takes to make a mark in the White House.
Freedland is helped by distinguished contributors including James Naughtie, Shirley Williams, Douglas Hurd, Simon Hoggart and Bonnie Greer, who give frank assessments of some of America’s greatest presidents.’
A hat tip to Jack Barnes on this one.
A clip from the BBC of Nixon campaigning in 1972
Brown video
I have come across another very useful video on Brown’s year.
read more...»Stimulus package
Another video from the barely political gang
read more...»Using Google Earth as a teaching aid in Politics lessons
The revelation that protestors who climbed to the top of the House of Commons used Google Earth to plan their protest has got me thinking. Could you use Google Earth to help in the teaching of politics?
read more...»
