State of the Union

Last night President Obama gave his sixth annual State of the Union Speech. How was the speech interpreted and then reported? The Washington Post showcases headlines from 23 different newspapers which offer a glimpse into different reactions from organizations with various political positions. To read about Obama's "ambitious agenda," check out The New York Times. Following #SOTU on Twitter will give you a range of perspectives from news organizations to average people. Sometimes what is omitted can be just as important as what is said, so head over to CNN for an update about what was missing from Obama's speech.

Joel Benenson, Lead Pollster

Image courtesy of Ralph Alswang Photographer

Today during assembly the students in both the middle and upper schools were fortunate to hear from President Obama’s Lead Pollster, Joel Benenson. To learn more about Joel Benenson, check out the New York Times article from when he first began working with President Obama or look at his consulting firm, Benenson Strategy Group. If you are interested in seeing more polls, check out Real Clear Politics which has current polls in addition to polls from the 2012 election. Benenson is often quoted in the news speaking about the democratic political strategy that comes from polling. To read some of his recent quotes, try a Google news search with his name.

What Issues Are Important to You?

The debates have come and gone and we are in the final weeks of the election.  Are you still not sure which candidate you support?  Check out The Washington Post, which details a wide-ranging list of issues important to many people. 

What is most important to you?  Stop by the library to vote on what you think is the most critical issue that the candidates should be talking about.  The last day to cast your vote is November 1st and we will announce the results of the issues most essential to the school the following week.

Obama, Romney and the Issues

Do you want a closer look into some of the issues debated by the two presidential candidates?  The New York Times directly examines what each candidate said on Tuesday in relation to several issues including energy, taxes, foreign policy, Pell Grants and immigration. 

Moderator Candy Crowley was not the only one fact checking the debate.  The Week Magazine culls several sources in order to check whether the candidates were telling the full truth. 

Missed the debate completely?  You can still watch it online or get a transcript at NBC News.

Domestic Affairs Presidential Debate

Last night, the first presidential debate was held on the topic of domestic affairs.  CBS News has video coverage of the debate in its entirety.  Did you think something one of the candidates said last night didn’t sound truthful?  The New York Times was live fact-checking statements made by the two candidates during the debate and NPR has also tried to clarify some one-sided claims.  Next Thursday, 10/11, the vice presidential candidates will debate and there will be two more presidential debates on 10/16 (Town Hall) and 10/22 (Foreign Policy.)

Romney v. Obama - The Speeches

With the presidential election coming up, both parties have recently held their national conventions. It’s important to take information directly from the source, so instead of reading one newspaper’s take on the speeches, form your own opinion based on the facts. Watch the two candidates deliver their speeches at their respective conventions and then decide what you think.

Obama Supports Same-Sex Marriage

President Obama backs same-sex marriage in an interview with ABC news.  Watch the interview here and read about it in several major news sources including The New York Times, CNN, Slate, and the Wall Street Journal. How does the public feel about this?  The Week magazine is covering tweets surrounding this issue.

Do You Have Online Rights?

With various tracking policies and constantly changing privacy policies by a wide array of companies, it can be difficult to make sure your privacy is protected online.  Last week, the Obama Administration released the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights, a set of standards written to guard against privacy exploitation.  Will these guidelines become law?  Read more about it on Wired’s Threat Level: Privacy, Crime, and Security Online blog or on the Forbes technology site.

Obama and the American Jobs Act

Yesterday, President Obama gave a speech to Congress presenting the American Jobs Act.  Watch the video or read the transcript.

Trump Trumped: How Obama Turned a Presidential Prospect Into a Punchline | The Nation

Trump Trumped: How Obama Turned a Presidential Prospect Into a Punchline | The Nation

This source tends to lean (unabashedly) VERY far to the left, but its good to see someone speak in plain language about how crazy some of the rhetoric has become leading up to the 2012 race.

It has been frightening to watch the way that mainstream media gives credence to theories such as Mr. Trump's in the form of major network interviews on the topic.

There are topics on which people can have legitimate disagreements and in such cases, both positions should be given equal consideration. There are also times when a point of view is just plain nutty. It requires courage to resist the urge to treat such points of view as legitimate - especially when they are voiced by very powerful and wealthy people.

Here is a video of the speech at the Correspondent’s Dinner.