In the last Hot Topics event of the fall semester, Professors Dan Cassino, Roger Koppl and Bruce Peabody and undergraduate political science major Eloy Delgado discussed the outcome of the 2008 presidential election and the effects it may have on the world in the years to come.

The main focus of the discussion was how the Republican Party, which has been in prominence for the past eight years, no longer has the majority in Congress or in the White House. The panel also discussed the switch of many Republicans to the Democratic ticket. Cassino described those who switched as one-time “Bush Democrats,” who Cassino suggested voted for the Democratic Party not based on Barack Obama’s platform, but based on the performance of George W. Bush while in office. The unfavorable performance ratings Bush has received lately have perhaps proven that young voters who identify with the Democratic Party only do so because they associate Bush (and his poor performance ratings in office) with the Republican Party, according to Cassino.

The focus of discussion was also that Obama will be the first black president of the United States. The milestone for America was said to be favorably viewed internationally, according to the panel. For the latter part of the discussion, the panel talked about Obama’s platforms on education, national security and the economy.

MARIA DISPENZIERE
Staff Writer

The presidential election, although deemed both extremely historical and extremely controversial, has often times been overlooked as a race between a white man and a racially mixed man. However, at the most recent FDU Hot Topics seminar, titled “Election 2008: Our Students Speak Out!,” students were given the opportunity to analyze and view the presidential election not from a racial standpoint, but from an ideological standpoint.

Held in the Hartman Lounge and moderated by Professor Peter Woolley, the small room contained a heated debate between Samantha Horwich for Sen. John McCain, Kristin Fulton for President-elect Barack Obama, and Jacob Zychick on the need for a third Party. The three student volunteers took the sides of their respective candidates and broke down and analyzed each candidate’s platforms. The student representatives also analyzed how each party was convincing the voters that its point of view was the correct view.

Horwich, talking about McCain, presented to the audience a rather blunt and basic representation fo the goals of the McCain administration if he was elected into office. The main focus of the McCain presentation was the emphasis on military strength, in both Iraq and in other foreign policy. According to the McCain’s platform, the military should remain in Iraq until a stable, reliable government is put into place. She also noted that the emphasis on military strength should not only be exercised in present-day Iraq, but should also be emphasized throughout all aspects of foreign policy. McCain believes that military power should be the force that drives countries into creating peaceful relationships with one another, and unless that military strength is emphasized in the creation of such relationships, then no country can possibly take the United States seriously. According to Horwich, the underlying goal of the Republican Party is obviously to gain control of the major houses of government and directed the United States down a less liberal path. It is up to the Republican Party to uphold the meaning of the constitution. Other points touched upon by Horwich included abortion and education. The Republican Party under McCain is pro-life.

Fulton, representing Obama, had extremely different, yet equally credible, takes on certain topics. Fulton sxpressed how Obama feels that the United States needs to pull out of Iraq as soon as possible, and should not maintain an aggressive foreign policy. Safety does not always result from an aggressive military style foreign policy structure, and Fulton suggested that a more “soft, subtle” approach could be more effective in obtaining foreign relationships. Obama feels that there is no longer a need for conservatives in government because conservatives do not understand the American people but rather their “inner circle,” said Fulton. In a final note, Fulton spoke of the topic “No Child Left Behind,” saying that “[it] sucked. All the children were left behind.”

Finally,Zychick, representing the third party candidate Bob Barr, only felt the need to say few words. He made a point by stating that the United States spends more money annually on the military than all other countries combined. He added that nothing the past administrations have done worked, and people are looking for peaceful solutions to America’s problems. According to Zychnick, nowhere in the Constitution does it state such factions such as liberal and conservative, and the United States is not simply comprised of Liberals and Conservatives. The final note Zychick left us with was that the federal government should have absolutely no right to tell anyone what to do with his body, and the topics of abortion and even the abuse of illegal substances such as marijuana should not even be questioned by the federal government, the liberals, or the conservatives.

MARIA DISPENZIERE
Staff Writer

Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Student Government Association and Becton College presented the first “Hot Topics” of the Fall 2008 series on Tuesday, Sept. 28. The main topic for the panel discussion was sexism in the media, focusing on the election year.

Approximately 40 faculty, staff and students attended the 7 p.m. discussion in Hartman Lounge. The panel included Jennifer Lehr, associate professor of communication studies and chair of the department of communication studies; Kathleen Haspel, assistant professor of communication studies; David Bernstein, Air America programmer and teacher; FDU student Thiago Viana; and Elizabeth Mitchell, former executive editor of George and features editor of Spin. The discussion was moderated by Krista Jenkins, assistant professor of political science.

Mitchell started the discussion by showing a broadcast video made by the Women’s Media Center, entitled “Sexism sells - but we’re not buying it.” The clips within the broadcast demonstrated just how often sexist remarks are made by the media.

Many of the sexist comments pointed out were made toward Sen. Hillary Clinton and Gov. Sarah Palin. Often, Clinton was criticized as “reminding men of their first wives,” therefore, not winning over the male vote. Although sexist comments are often made, Mitchell pointed out that, “In the important manner of voter preference, women are doing quite well.”

Mitchell also focused on the positive outcomes of the sexist remarks made. “One positive is that sexist remarks get broadcasted after they’re made,” she said.

Shows like “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report” joke about the sexism in the media, which brings publicity and awareness to the matter, according to Mitchell.

Following Mitchell, Lehr said, “Women are often times interchangeable.” Now that Clinton is no longer in the running, the media often assume that her followers will automatically become followers of Palin, just because she too is a woman.

Lehr pointed out how the media tend to “focus on the wrong things” and overlook the important political issues.

Bernstein, next to speak, agreed with the clips shown and the discussion presented. “I’m embarrassed to be in an industry where people think that [sexism] is OK,” he said.
Although Bernstein is an advocate for more females on the radio, he noted that the radio is generally 90 percent lopsided toward a male audience. “Therefore, you are going to say what the core audience wants,” he said.

Bernstein believes that in order to avoid sexism interfering with voting, people must “be aware of where you are getting your information.” He added, “Young adults tend to mostly get their information from shows like ‘The Daily Show.’ They need to know what’s available to them in order to make an appropriate decision.”

KAYLA HASTRUP
News Editor