Unit 7

The Selling of the President

Election

election, choosing a candidate for office in an organization by the vote of those enfranchised to cast a ballot.

2008 election campaign

Nominee Barack Obama John McCain

Party Democratic Republican

Home state Illinois Arizona

Running mate Joe Biden Sarah Palin

Electoral vote 365 173

States carried 28 + DC + NE-02 22

Popular vote 69,456,897[1] 59,934,814[1]

Percentage 52.9%[1] 45.7%[1]

Democratic Party nomination

Barack Obama, U.S. Senator from Illinois

Hillary Clinton, U.S. Senator from New York

John Edwards, former U.S. Senator from North Carolina

Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico

Tom Vilsack, former Governor of Iowa

Dennis Kucinich, U.S. Representative from Ohio

Joe Biden, U.S. Senator from Delaware

Mike Gravel, former U.S. Senator from Alaska

Christopher Dodd, U.S. Senator from Connecticut

Evan Bayh, U.S. Senator from Indiana

Some candidates

Senator Barack Obama of Illinois

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York

Republican Party nomination

Fred Thompson, former U.S. Senator from Tennessee

Duncan Hunter, U.S. Representative from California

Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City

Alan Keyes, former U.S. Ambassador from Maryland

Sam Brownback, U.S. Senator from Kansas

Jim Gilmore, former Governor of Virginia

John McCain, U.S. Senator from Arizona

Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas

Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts

Ron Paul, U.S. Representative from Texas

Tom Tancredo, former U.S. Representative from Colorado

Tommy Thompson, former Governor of Wisconsin

Some candidates

Senator John McCain of Arizona

Former Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas

Barack Obama campaigns in Akron, Ohio on February 23, 2008

John McCain and Sarah Palin onstage with Todd Palin, Cindy McCain and Robert Duvall in Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 6, 2008

Barack Obama and John McCain, together on March 4, 2009, a month and a half after Obama's inauguration.

Expense summary

According to required campaign filings as reported by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), 148 candidates for all parties collectively raised $1,644,712,232 and spent $1,601,104,696 for the primary and general campaigns combined through November 24, 2008. The amounts raised and spent by the major candidates, according to the same source, were as follows:

Expense

Candidate (Party) Barack Obama (D) John McCain (R) Ralph Nader (I)

Amount raised $532,946,511 $379,006,485 $4,496,180

Amount spent $513,557,218 $346,666,422 $4,187,628

Votes 69,498,215 59,948,240 738,720

Average spent per vote $7.39 $5.78 $5.67

Excludes spending by independent expenditure concerns.Source: Federal Election Commission

2008 Presidential Election Pictures

Photo of senator Clinton holding a baby

2008 Presidential Election Pictures

Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (L) speaks at a rally while Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) looks on at the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC J

anuary 10, 2008. Kerry, the 2004 Democratic candidate endorsed Senator Obama for the White House.

Funny pictures

McCain sticking out his tongue at the end of the third presedential debate after walking off stage the wrong way

Funny pictures

Senator McTongue

Who are they?

TV debate

Richard Nixon

The 37th President of the United States (1969-1974). He visited China (1972) and established relations with U.S.S.R. When Congress recommended three articles of impeachment for Nixon’s involvement in the Watergate scandal, he resigned from office (August 9,1974)

Election campaign

John F. kennedy

The 35th president of the United States (1961-1963). He became the youngest presidency (1960). Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on Nov. 22, 1963.

John kennedy

Jimmy Carter

The 39th President of the United States, he is credited with establishing energy-conservation measures.

Gerald Ford

The 38th President of the United States (1974-1977),who was appointed Vice President on the resignation of Spiro Agnew(1973) and became President after Richard Nixon’s resignation over Watergate scandal.

Ronald Reagon

The 40th president of the United States (1981-1989). He was an actor turned politician.

American politician, a conservative Republic, he served as U.S. senator from Arizona (1953-1965 and 1969-1987) and ran unsuccessfully for President in 1964.

Lyndon B. Johnson, 1964, Vice-President and Chairman of the National Space Council . Fatherly image

Andrew Johnson

The 17th president of the United States (1865-1869). Elected Vice president (1864), he succeeded the assassinated Abraham Lincoln as President in 1864.

George McGovern,

the Democratic nominee for president in 1972, currently is the U.S. representative to the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization, where he is helping to develop a plan to address the food needs of 500 million people -- half the world's underfed -- by 2015. He was elected to the U.S. House in 1956. In the Senate, he led the expansion of the food stamp program.

George McGovern

Senator George McGovern won the 1972 Democratic nomination for president.

Associate Press building

AP , largest news-gathering organization in the world. With reporters and photographers working in more than 200 bureaus around the world, AP is one of the chief sources of news for the world’s press. It provides news stories, photographs, graphic, and broadcast services to more than 1700 newspapers and about 6000 radio and television stations in the United States.

1972,2,22

Dwight Eisenhower

American general and the 34th president ( 1953-1961). As supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force(1943-1945)he launched the invasion of Normandy (June 6 1944) and oversaw the final defeat of Germany (1945).

Franklin Roosevelt

The 32nd president ( 1933-1945), Governor of New York (1929-1932), he ran for President with the promise of a New Deal for the American people. His administration was marked by relief programs, measures to increase employment and assist industrial and agricultural recovery from the Depression, and World War II. He was the only U.S. President to be reelected three times.

Franklin Roosevelt in wheelchair

Franklin Roosevelt with Ruthie Bie and Fala at Hilltop Cottage in Hyde Park, 1941.

Franklin Roosevelt declares war.

Franklin Roosevelt asks Congress to declare war on Japan, December 8, 1941.

Roosevelt signing the declaration of war against Japan, December 8, 1941.

President Fanklin D. Roosevelt signing the declaration of war against Japan, December 8, 1941.

John Wayne, actor, patriot, man of honor

"It was because of what John Wayne said about what we are and what we can be that his great and deep love of America can be returned in full measure".... Jimmy Carter

Background information

1. PR: public relations 2. IQ: an abbreviation of Intelligence

Quotient. A General Intelligence Quotient Score (IQ score) is a statistically derived number which indicates relative and comparative abilities that can be used to obtain academic skills and knowledge.

The Associated Press: 美联社 Watergate: some republicans broke into t

he Democratic Party’s National Committee offices in this building but were discovered and arrested. This political scandal led to Nixon’s resignation in 1974. the word Watergate has become synonymous with corruption and scandal.

Watergate hotel

Watergate and press

Watergate scandal

水门事件 (Watergate Affair) 指美国共和党政府在１９７２年总统竞选运动中的非法活动暴露后的政治丑闻。

水门是华盛顿的一座综合大厦。１９７２年６月１７日有５个人因闯入大厦内的民主党全国总部被捕。随后的调查表明，尼克松政府为破坏选举的进程采取了一系列的行动，闯入水门只是其中之一。结果导致政府的几个官员锒铛入狱以及美国历史上破天荒第一遭出现的总统辞职。

1972 年 6 月 17 日， 5 名共和党员在华盛顿水门大厦民主党全国总部办公室进行窃听活动，被警方当场逮捕。审讯结果证明他们是为共和党争取总统连任委员会工作的。为不影响连任，当时美国总统尼克松施加压力下令掩盖事实。 11 月 7 日，尼克松在大选中获胜实现连任。

    1973 年 3 月，一名被告为了免于被判长期监禁，供认了有人施加压力，自己在审讯中作了伪证。迫于压力，尼克松不得不宣布同意司法部进行调查。调查结果向全国公布后，舆论一片哗然。尼克松总统 8 月 8 日宣布辞职，成为美国历史上第一个被迫辞职的总统。

Deep throat

２００５年５月３１日，美国联邦调查局前副局长马克 · 费尔特承认自己就是“水门事件”中那个曾被称为“深喉”的人，曾向美国《华盛顿邮报》记者提供尼克松总统“水门事件”的关键线索。１９７２年，美国《华盛顿邮报》记者鲍勃 · 伍德沃德和卡尔 · 伯恩斯依据内线“深喉”的消息，捅开“水门事件”的内幕，导致当时的美国总统尼克松辞职下台。两名记者一直拒绝透露当时线人的身份，但是总编辑西蒙斯引用了当时一部知名色情电影《深喉》的片名，作为告密者的化名。

Analysis

This text can be divided into three parts.

1.Part I is the thesis of the author

2.Part II is the discussion of the impact of television on American presidential election

3.Part III is the conclusion drawn by the author

Part I paragraph 1

The author’s thesis: presidential election has been determined largely by heavy spot buying on electronic media.

The following question may be asked:

1. Why does the campaign strategist say “I can elect any person to office if he has $ 60,000, an IQ of at least 120, and can keep his mouth shut?

Because he believes that advertising and public relations plays a decisive role in the presidential election.

Generate: cause ( sth. Esp. an emotion or situation )to arise or come about

The Employment Minister said the reforms would generate new jobs.

John is recalling the excitement generated by the visit to the pyramids in Egypt.

Quote: repeat what is said or written by someone Heavy teaching loads are often quoted as a bad influence on research.

The premier was quoted as saying that he would resist all attempts to disintegrated his nation.

Heavy teaching loads are often quoted as a bad influence on research.

Words and expressions

Campaign: a series of actions intended to achieve a particular result relating to politics or business, or a social improvement campaign for/against

a campaign for equal rights launch/mount a campaign (=plan, organize, and

begin a campaign) Police have launched a campaign to crack down on drug dealers.

a series of battles, attacks etc intended to achieve a particular result in a war

Information specialists’ ability to arouse positive public interest or notice has mainly decided the presidential election.

总统的选举在很大程度上取决于信息专家制造良好的公众效应的能力。

Publicize (verb.)

to give information about something to the public, so that they know about it

television's failure to publicize the unemployment issue well/widely/highly publicized (=receiving a lot of attention) His visit was highly publicized.

Publicity (noun)

the attention that someone or something gets from newspapers, television etc

Standards in education have received much publicity over the last few years. bad/good/unwelcome etc publicity It's important to gain good publicity for the school. The adverse publicity had damaged sales.

the business of making sure that people know about a new product, film etc or what a particular famous person is doing

The Government has launched a publicity campaign

the publicity department 宣传部

free publicity 免费宣传

publicity on TV 电视上的广告

newspaper publicity 新闻广告

a publicity agent 广告代理人

avoid [shun] publicity 避免惹人注意

give publicity to sth. (=give sth. publicity) 宣扬某事 , 公布某事

in the full blaze of publicity 在众目睽睽之下

in the publicity of the street 在街道上大家都看得见的情况下

seek publicity 求名 ; 出风头

slide publicity 幻灯广告

Spot/close-up

▶TV/RADIO ◀ a short period of time when someone can speak or perform on radio or television

He was given a 30-second spot just after the news. a guest spot on the Tonight Show

Close-up : a photograph or part of a film in which the camera seems to have been very close to the picture it took

close-up of a close-up of her face in close-up Much of the movie is shot in close up.

Supplant: to take the place of a person or thing so that they are no longer used, no longer in a position of power etc (replace)

Barker was soon supplanted as party leader.

The word processor has largely supplanted electric typewriters.

Trams in London have been supplanted by buses. 伦敦的电车已经由公共汽车取代了。

In recent years, the publicity has been replaced by the large amount of TV or radio programs which are bought with much money.

近些年，这些公众效应已被重金购买的大量媒体宣传所取代。

Part II paragraph 2-11

Questions to be considered: :1. What is the most influential medium in an

election campaign and why? Does it work in all elections?

2. How does the author start his argumentation?3. What is the function of the two questions in

Paragraph 4? （ rhetorical question）4. Why does the author mention the four presidents

in Paragraph 5?

5. Why does the author say “since the 1960 presidential debates we have elected people, not platforms”?

6. What is the difference between print information and television information?

7. What is the main idea of Paragraph 8?8. What is the author’s opinion on the power

of television?

empirical

based on scientific testing or practical experience, not on ideas

Opposite: theoretical, hypothetical empirical evidence

+analysis, approach, basis, data, evidence, fact, investigation, observation, question, reality, research, study, support, test, work

Clinch: to finally agree on something or get something after trying very hard

clinch a match/championship/victory etcThe two companies clinched the deal quic

kly. 两家公司很快地成交了。

The offer of more money clinched it for her. She agree to undertake the job as the assistant to the managing director.

"由于薪酬增加而达成协议 ,她同意承担总经理助手的工作。 "

clinch itinformal if an event, situation, process etc

clinches it, it makes someone finally decide to do something that they were already thinking of doing

We'd talked about moving, and the burglary clinched it for us.

[intransitive] if two people clinch, they hold each other's arms tightly, especially when they are fighting

N. a situation in which two people who love each other hold each other tightly

Similarly the 1976…

Probably based on the same reason, JC beat GF in the 1976 debates with very close number of votes, and Ronald Reagon won the 1980 debates.

Exposure: the publicizing of information or an event

Their sporting reputation has suffered enormously from Henry’s exposure.

Versus: against

Brazil versus Argentina is turning out to be a surprisingly well-matched competition.

swing▶MOVE FROM A FIXED POINT◀ [intransitive and transitive] to make regular movements

forwards and backwards or from one side to another while hanging from a particular point, or to make something do this

Let your arms swing as you walk. a sign swinging in the wind He was swinging his bag back and forth . She swung her legs from side to side .

▶CHANGE OPINIONS/EMOTIONS◀ emotions or opinions swing, or if something swings

them, they change quickly to the opposite of what they were

swing from something to something His mood could swing from joy to despair. Do campaign gifts swing votes ?

The boy swung on the rope tied to a tree. 这个男孩坐在一根拴在树上的绳子上荡秋千

The soldiers came swinging down the street. 士兵们摇摇摆摆地沿着街道走来。

She swung from happiness to tears. 她转喜为悲。

have full swing 自由行动 , 不受拘束 ; 放荡不羁 ; 为所欲为

What one loses on the swings one gains on the roundabouts. [谚 ]失之东隅 , 收之桑榆。

According to the AP , Ford’s TV programs during the 1976 campaign could probably change the decision of more than 100,000 voters a day during the last few months of the campaign.

dictateto say words for someone else to write do

wn dictate a letter/memo to somebody to tell someone exactly what they must do

or how they must behavedictate to The media cannot be allowed t

o dictate to the government.to control or influence sth. determineThe laws of physics dictate that what goes

up must come down.The massive publicity dictated a response

from the city government.

Be at home: feel comfortable and at ease in a place or situation

He appeared pleased to see us, so we soon felt quite at home.

Stage: organize and participate in At the end of this year, the government staged a

huge military parade. The workers have staged a number of strikes in

protest at the republic’s declaration of independence.

stage a play/stage a strike stage a tit -for -tat struggle against ... 同 ... 进行针锋相对的斗争

stage a comeback [ 美 ]卷土重来 ; 再度走红 ; 复辟 ; (花 )重开

put sb. on the stage

stage effect stage direction 剧本中的演出说明

stage directora stage hog [ 美 ]爱到舞台正面去表现自已的演员

Coverage

when a subject or event is reported on television or radio, or in newspapers, esp. how much time and space is giving to reporting it

media/press etc coverage live coverage of the match (=the match is broadcast at the same time that it is happening)

Too much coverage is given to entertainment rather than political issue

incumbency

the state of holding an official position, especially in politics, or the time when someone holds an official position

Frankly, this is where the power of the incumbency is strong.

This attitude is long-standing and transcends party lines, having more to do with incumbency than partisanship.

platform

a stage for people to stand on when they are making a speech, performing etc

the main ideas and aims of a political party, especially the ones that they state just before an election (plank)

a strong women's rights platform a chance for someone to express their opinions,

especially their political opinions platform for The conference provides a platform

for people on the left wing of the party.

charisma

a natural ability to attract and interest other people and make them admire you

He lacks charisma.Some say his lack of charisma will keep

him from becoming president.Rice had a powerful and original vision,

and the charisma to instill that vision in others.

condense

to make something that is spoken or written shorter, by not giving as much detail or using fewer words to give the same information

condense something into something This whole chapter could be condensed into a

few paragraphs. to make a liquid thicker by removing some of the

water condensed soup/milk a type of thick sweet milk sold in cans

Spectacular (adj. n. )

Adj. very impressivea mountainous area with spectacular

scenery a spectacular successvery sudden, unexpected, or extremeThe news caused a spectacular fall in the

stock market.N. an event or performance that is very

large and impressivea television spectacular

testament

be a testament to something proving or showing very clearly that something

exists or is true Old Testament: the first part of the Christian

Bible containing ancient Hebrew writings about the time before the birth of Christ

New Testament: the part of the Bible which describes the life of Jesus Christ and what he taught, and the life of the first Christians

orientation

1. the type of activity or subject that a person or organization seems most interested in and gives most attention to

orientation towards/to 2. the political opinions or religious beliefs that s

omeone has political/religious ~ 3. sexual orientation the fact that sb. is heterosexual or homosexual Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientati

on is still far too widespread.

4. a period of time during which people are trained and prepared for a new job or course of study

This is orientation week for all the new students.

5. the angle or position of an object, or the direction in which it is facing

bog

bog somebody/something ↔ down phrasal verb 1. if a process or plan becomes bogged down, it

is delayed so that no progress is made Talks to settle the pay dispute have become

bogged down. bog somebody/something ↔ down in Don't let yourself get bogged down in minor

details. 2. if something gets bogged down, it becomes

stuck in soft ground and is unable to move The car got bogged down in the mud. Bog roll: toilet paper

denounce

1. to express strong disapproval of someone or something, especially in public

Darwin's theories about evolution were denounced by many people.

2. to give information to the police or other authority about someone's illegal political activities

denounce somebody to somebody She denounced him to the secret police.

detrimental

causing harm or damage ( damaging )detrimental toSmoking is detrimental to your health.the detrimental effect of pollution on the

environment

hyperbole

a way of describing something by saying it is much bigger, smaller, worse etc than it actually is ( exaggeration )

It was not hyperbole to call it the worst storm in twenty years.

hyperbolic adjective

imagery

the use of words or pictures to describe ideas or actions in poems, books, films etc

imagery of, visual imagery the imagery of love Their dreams commonly involved complex storie

s with visual imagery . Empirical work will be carried out to develop and

standardise a new research technique using visual imagery to probe beliefs about pain.

transcript

1. a written or printed copy of a speech, conversation etc transcript of

A transcript of the tapes was presented in court.

2 American English an official college document that shows a list of a student's classes and the results they received

profuse

1. produced or existing in large quantitiesHe made profuse apologies . Profuse

sweating is one of the symptoms of heat exhaustion.

2. profusely adverb The wound was bleeding profusely.

3. n. a very large amount of somethingprofusion of / in profusion

Part III paragraph 12

The concluding part. The following question could be asked:

1. What does the author mean by “today’s burning issue is tomorrow’s historical footnote”?

He intends to put across the idea that the important issue being talked about now in presidential elections will be of little significance in future, so it is far more important to know what kind of person we are choosing to be our president.

…become aware of what kind of person we are choosing as our new president

Structural Analysis

In recent years that publicity has been supplanted by heavy spot buying on electronic media.( para. 1)

The most talked-about medium in American politics is television. (para. 2)

Television affords us that opportunity in a way no other medium can. (para.12)

Rhetorical Features

Positive examples: Kennedy, Nixon, Carter, Reagan the purpose is to show the effectiveness of television in

getting more publicity for presidential candidates. Negative examples: Adlai Stevenson, Hubert Humphrey, Richard Nixon the purpose is to prove the importance of the candidates’

public image on TV.