Experts available to media for presidential debate analysis

America

As Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump take to the stage Monday evening in the first presidential candidate debate, Penn State political science and security experts will be watching along with the rest of the general public, and they’ll be availably immediately afterward to give their analysis to media. Debate topics include “America’s direction,” “achieving prosperity” and “securing America.”

Penn State experts are available to comment on the debate:

Dennis Jett, professor of international affairs

Dennis Jett

Dennis Jett

Jett can speak to the topic of securing America. He is a former American ambassador who joined the School of International Affairs after a career in the U.S. Foreign Service that spanned twenty-eight years and three continents. His experience and expertise focus on international relations, foreign aid administration, and American foreign policy. Contact: dcj10@psu.edu.

 

Anne McKenna, visiting assistant professor of law

Anne McKenna

Anne McKenna

McKenna is available to talk about key cyber, social media, electronic privacy and email issues in the Presidential Election. She is a nationally recognized trial attorney and author in cyber, privacy, electronic surveillance and cellular law. She can discuss the use of social media in the election by both parties, the influence of hacking in this election and the broader implications of online privacy and security. Contact: atm19@psu.edu.

 

Robert Speel, associate professor of political science

Robert Speel

Robert Speel

Speel can speak generally about the debate and historical moments in past presidential debates. He recently wrote an article about the five key debate moments that altered the course of a presidential race.

His teaching and research interests include elections and voting behavior, state and urban politics, Congress and the Presidency, and public policy. He is the author of “Changing Patterns of Voting in the Northern United States,” about the creation of the regional divide of Red States and Blue States in the United States. Contact: rws15@psu.edu.

 

Nichola Gutgold, professor of communication arts and sciences

Nichola Gutgold

Nichola Gutgold

Gutgold is an expert on women in politics. She can speak about past female political candidates and barriers women face today. She is the author of “Madam President: Five Women Who Paved the Way.” Contact: ngutgold@psu.edu.

 

 

Christopher Beem, manager of the Penn State McCourtney Institute for Democracy

Christopher Beem

Christopher Beem

Beem can speak generally about American politics, the state of democracy and the political debate. He is the author of “Democratic Humility” and four other books. Contact: cxb518@psu.edu.

 

 

 

For more information or direct phone numbers for the experts, please contact News and Media Relations at 814-865-7517 or hrobbins@psu.edu.

How Trump isn’t the first to use ‘Les Miserables’ music as a political rallying cry

Donald Trump speaks at a December 2015 campaign stop at Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Photo Credit: Matt A.J./Flickr

Donald Trump speaks at a December 2015 campaign stop at Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Photo Credit: Matt A.J./Flickr

Kathryn Grossman, Penn State professor of French, was quoted in a Los Angeles Times article about Donald Trump’s use of music from the popular broadway show “Les Misérables” at a campaign stop in Florida. An excerpt of this story featuring Grossman is below:

“Political campaigns have appropriated ‘Les Misérables’ because of the musical’s popularity and its depiction of a political and social revolt led by the common man, according to Kathryn Grossman, a professor of French at Penn State University and co-editor of the book  ‘Les Misérables and Its Afterlives.’

“ ‘It’s probably the best known musical around. If you want something that is about society, that has a social justice theme, it would be “Les Miz,” ’ she said.

“But Trump supporters appear to be taking its themes out of context, she added, because Hugo ‘had a big left-wing message. He always gave speeches on behalf on the rights of children and women and of men to work.’ ”

Read more at latimes.com.

Donald Trump’s real goal for 2016: Trying to beat Fox News

Donald Trump speaks at a December 2015 campaign stop at Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Photo Credit: Matt A.J./Flickr

Donald Trump speaks at a December 2015 campaign stop at Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Photo Credit: Matt A.J./Flickr

Sophia A. McClennen, Penn State professor of Comparative Literature and International Affairs, has penned a piece on Salon.com. Here is an excerpt of the piece:

Sophia A. McClennen

Sophia A. McClennen

“The conspiracy theory of the week is the idea that Donald Trump didn’t run to become president; he ran to become the head of the next conservative media empire. As the New Yorker reports, the Trump campaign has been joined in the last weeks by both Steve Bannon of Breitbart and Roger Ailes, the disgraced head of Fox News, fueling speculations that Trump’s real goal is to build a new conservative news media network.

“The notion makes sense: How else to explain why Trump refuses to broaden his base of support and continues to stoke his core of racist, right-wing extremist fans? How else to explain why Trump has refused to reach out to the Republican establishment and build a larger political network? And how else to explain the dynamic duo of conservative media villains — Bannon and Ailes — playing a role in Trump’s campaign?

“If the thought of a Trump presidency worries you, the thought of a Trump news network should scare the hell out of you.”

Read more at Salon.com.

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