Posted June 29, 2016

Temple experts can discuss 2016 elections, candidates and issues

Reporters who need experts to talk about this year’s presidential and congressional races have many options at Temple University.

A pile of red, white and blue buttons.
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Temple University experts are ready to talk about a wide range of topics related to the 2016 election season.  

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Ashwin Verghese at 215-204-7739, 717-676-8584 or ashwin@temple.edu. Photos are available upon request.

Click on a topic to find the experts.
Advertising
African American voters
Asia
Benghazi
Black Lives Matter

Border wall
Campaign finance
Clinton campaign
Clinton’s emails
Congress
Criminal justice
Debates

Economic inequality
The economy 
The environment
Fashion

Foreign policy
Gender
Guns
Healthcare
Immigration
Latino voters
McGinty campaign 

Media
Muslim immigration ban
Pennsylvania

Protests
Race
Sanders campaign
Supreme Court
Terrorism

Toomey campaign
Trade
Trump campaign
Voters
White voters

ADVERTISING
Common search terms: campaign commercials, political ads, political ad buys, political advertising, political messaging

Abbe Depretis, assistant professor of instruction in strategic communication, School of Media and Communication

  • She can discuss: political advertising, persuasion
  • You should know: Depretis teaches courses on persuasion tactics and strategies, argumentation, political culture, public advocacy and social movements. She wrote her dissertation on the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the trial of the lead protesters.

Michael G. Hagen, associate professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: advertisements, advertising budgets, messaging
  • You should know: Hagen ran a polling program at Rutgers University.

Robin Kolodny, professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: advertising and media
  • Quote: “Trump spent the least amount of money for the Republican nomination yet had the most success. Clearly free media has great value, probably a lot more than paid media. What will this mean for how the general election campaigns are conducted in 2016?”
  • You should know: Kolodny wrote an op-ed titled “Trump campaign shows why all Americans need a liberal arts education.”

Heather LaMarre, associate professor of strategic communication, School of Media and Communication

  • She can discuss: attitude formation and behavior changes related to social media and entertainment, corporate political activity, political advertising, political communication strategies, public opinion gathering
  • You should know: LaMarre had a cameo on The Colbert Report after Keith Olbermann interviewed her about a study she ran related to message processing and satire.

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AFRICAN AMERICAN VOTERS
Common search terms: African American vote, black vote, black voters, racial politics

Nyron Crawford, assistant professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: ethnic and racial politics; urban politics
  • You should know: Crawford teaches a course on identity politics. Before joining Temple, he was an affiliate of the Racial Democracy, Crime and Justice Network.

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ASIA
Common search terms: American interests in Asia, Asia foreign policy, candidates on Asia, China expansion, pivot to Asia

Robert J. Mason, professor of geography and urban studies, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: U.S. relations with East Asia, particularly Japan and China
  • Quote: “The upcoming election has critical implications for local, national and global environmentalism. We must be fully prepared to engage globally if we are to meaningfully confront climate change and other pressing global environmental challenges. My work on environmental policy and planning in East Asia speaks to the global side of the ‘think globally, act locally’ axiom.”

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BENGHAZI
Common search terms: American response to terrorism, Benghazi attack, Benghazi bombing, Hillary Clinton Benghazi, Libya terrorism

Richard H. Immerman, professor of history, Edward J. Buthusiem family distinguished faculty fellow in history, Marvin Wachman director of the Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: foreign relations, intelligence, national security
  • You should know: Immerman was an assistant deputy director of national intelligence in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from 2007 to 2009. He is also the Francis W. DeSerio chair in strategic intelligence at the U.S. Army War College.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER
Common search terms: black justice, civil rights, Ferguson, justice for black youth, Michael Brown, multiracial left

Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve, assistant professor of criminal justice, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: Black Lives Matter, criminal justice reform, racism, racist political language
  • Quote: “Prior to and during the Obama era, some claimed that Americans were in a ‘post-racial era’―while racism existed, it was expressed in subtle, coded ways. The rise of the Trump candidacy shows that the era of racial niceties is over. A cultural shift occurred. Once again, racism is unapologetically overt, violent and leveraged for political gain.”
  • You should know: Van Cleve was heavily quoted in the media after the trial of the Chicago Police Department officer who shot Laquan McDonald. She is the author of Crook County: Racism and Injustice in America’s Criminal Courts.

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BORDER WALL
Common search terms: 2016 election Mexico wall, border wall economic impact, Mexico border wall, Mexican reaction to Trump, Trump and Mexico

James Bachmeier, assistant professor of sociology, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: legal and citizenship status of immigrants, Mexican immigration, mobility and educational attainment of Mexican immigrants
  • Quote: “Most of the criticism of Donald Trump's proposed wall has, legitimately, focused on the exorbitant cost of building and maintaining the wall and the damage it would do to our relationship with Mexico. But its effectiveness in stopping unauthorized migration should also be questioned. As far as we know, 40 to 50 percent of unauthorized migrants enter the U.S. legally on a temporary visa and then become undocumented by overstaying that visa, and this form of unauthorized migration would be unaffected by the construction of a wall.”
  • You should know: Bachmeier is a non-resident fellow at the Migration Policy Institute.

Jan C. Ting, professor of law, Beasley School of Law

  • He can discuss: Trump’s immigration policies and immigration law
  • Quote: “We have a simple binary choice to make: Do we accept everyone who wants to take a shot at the American dream, as we did for the first century of the republic? Or, alternatively, do we have to enforce a numerical limit on immigration knowing that will require turning away would-be immigrants who resemble our own ancestors? Too many Americans are unable to make that simple choice.”
  • You should know: Ting was on the ballot in Pennsylvania to be a Trump delegate. He was a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Delaware in 2006; an assistant commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service from 1990 to 1993; and a Harvard Law School classmate of former presidential candidate Mitt Romney. He has written op-eds on Donald Trump’s immigration plan and proposed ban on Muslim immigration.

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CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Common search terms: campaign finance, campaign reform, electoral donations, election funding, McCain-Feingold

Robin Kolodny, professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

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CLINTON CAMPAIGN
Common search terms: Democratic candidate, Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton candidacy, Hillary politics, Hillary White House

Alexandra Guisinger, assistant professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: Hillary Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state and foreign policy

Richard H. Immerman, professor of history, Edward J. Buthusiem family distinguished faculty fellow in history, Marvin Wachman director of the Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: Clinton and foreign policy
  • Quote: “In terms of both the Democratic platform and her public pronouncements, Clinton could have been confronted with the need to walk a very fine line in order to appease the Sanders forces. But Trump’s bellicosity, inconsistency, inexperience and lack of command of the issues will allow her to focus on his shortcomings and portray herself not only as an essential alternative but also as an expert whose positions fall well within the mainstream.”
  • You should know: Immerman was an assistant deputy director of national intelligence in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from 2007 to 2009. He is also the Francis W. DeSerio chair in strategic intelligence at the U.S. Army War College.

Judith A. Levine, associate professor of sociology, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: gender and the election, trust and distrust in the government
  • Quote: “Clinton is the only one talking about the work and family policies that women care about and that would make their and their children's lives more secure. When you couple that with the fact that a higher proportion of women vote and that Clinton’s groundbreaking candidacy is likely to inspire even greater turnout among women, it becomes clear that the gender gap is going to play an important role in this election.”

Sandra L. Suárez, professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: Clinton and gender, economic policy
  • Quote: “There are a number of ways in which this presidential campaign will be interesting to follow. First, this is the first time in the history of a country that gave women the right to vote almost 100 years ago that a woman will be the presidential candidate of one of the two major parties. Second, depending on the race, district and/or state, the support of the Latino vote may turn out to be critically important. Third, economic inequality has become a concern of some in the business community, and the success of the Sanders campaign has ensured that it will be a campaign issue.”
  • You should know: Suárez is fluent in Spanish.  

Douglas Webber, assistant professor of economics, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: Clinton’s higher education policy
  • Quote: “In terms of the impact on economic inequality, there couldn't be a bigger contrast between the Trump and Clinton economic platforms. Virtually every set of policies from Secretary Clinton, from higher education to tax policy, shares a common thread of reducing inequality. Many of Mr. Trump's proposals are likely to do the opposite.”
  • You should know: Webber wrote an op-ed for The Chronicle of Higher Education on Clinton’s proposal for tuition reform. He also testified before the U.S. Senate in 2015 on the issue of student debt.

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CLINTON’S EMAILS
Common search terms: healthcare, health policy, Medicare, Obamacare, U.S. healthcare issues

Nyron Crawford, assistant professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: scandals, corruption and public opinion; how people react to misconduct
  • Quote: “Political scandals are hard to wish away—just ask the presumptive presidential nominees of the Republican and Democratic parties. Hillary Clinton faces inquiries into whether she violated the law by using a private server to send sensitive emails during her tenure at the U.S. State Department, while Donald Trump defends himself against a lawsuit for his role in Trump University. How might these scandals affect our ethical judgments in 2016?”

Richard H. Immerman, professor of history, Edward J. Buthusiem family distinguished faculty fellow in history, Marvin Wachman director of the Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: foreign relations, national security, intelligence
  • You should know: Immerman was an assistant deputy director of national intelligence in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from 2007 to 2009. He is also the Francis W. DeSerio chair in strategic intelligence at the U.S. Army War College.

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CONGRESS
Common search terms: 2016 legislative elections, congressional affairs, legislative affairs, House of Representatives elections, Senate elections

Michael G. Hagen, associate professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: Toomey’s re-election campaign
  • You should know: Hagen ran a polling program at Rutgers University.

Robin Kolodny, professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: congress, political elitism and the electorate
  • Quote: “Though the Democrats need 30 seats to take control of the House, they need only five to take control of the U.S. Senate. Since we know that presidential campaigns motivate voters to turn out, will Republicans have a harder time getting their voters to the polls? And if they do, what will that mean for down-ballot races?”
  • You should know: Kolodny wrote an op-ed titled “Trump campaign shows why all Americans need a liberal arts education.”

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Common search terms: convict reentry, criminal justice issues, criminal justice reform, election policy on crime, justice system, recidivism politics

Marissa Bluestine, legal director of the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, Beasley School of Law

  • She can discuss: criminal justice reform, mass incarceration, capital punishment
  • Quote: “Too often our criminal justice system gets it wrong. Those convicted of crimes they did not commit have limited options to restore their lives. Because Congress greatly reduced the availability of relief to any innocent person in prison with the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act adoptions, justice is too often unattainable.”
  • You should know: Bluestine appears in this video on Making a Murderer and the psychology of false confessions.

Jules Epstein, professor of law and director of advocacy programs, Beasley School of Law

  • He can discuss: criminal justice reform, the death penalty, sentencing laws, privacy and police searches, civil rights
  • Quote: “While criminal justice issues are primarily addressed at the state level, federal government leadership―in research, funding and tone―can contribute greatly to change and guide policy and practice. Perhaps more importantly, as the U.S. Supreme Court continues to grapple with the death penalty, sentencing laws and privacy laws implicated in searches by police, the selection of the next Supreme Court justice can and will have an outsized impact on those issues.”
  • You should know: Epstein is a former partner and current counsel of Kairys, Rudovsky, Messing and Feinberg, a civil rights firm.    

Frank Farley, L.H. Carnell professor of psychological studies in education, College of Education

  • He can discuss: violent crime
  • You should know: Farley is president of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict and Violence and chair of the upcoming National Violence Summit. He is former president of the American Psychological Association and former president of the Society for Media Psychology.

Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve, assistant professor of criminal justice, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: Black Lives Matter, criminal justice reform, racism, racist political language
  • Quote: “Prior to and during the Obama era, some claimed that Americans were in a ‘post-racial era’―while racism existed, it was expressed in subtle, coded ways. The rise of the Trump candidacy shows that the era of racial niceties is over. A cultural shift occurred. Once again, racism is unapologetically overt, violent and leveraged for political gain.”
  • You should know: Van Cleve was heavily quoted in the media after the trial of the Chicago Police Department officer who shot Laquan McDonald. She is the author of Crook County: Racism and Injustice in America’s Criminal Courts.

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DEBATES
Common search terms: 2016 presidential debate, debate moderator, debate policy, election debates, political debate, presidential debates

Kevin Arceneaux, professor of political science; faculty affiliate with the Institute for Public Affairs, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: voters who watch the debates
  • Quote: “The 2016 presidential election will go down as either an enormous anomaly or an inflection point in American electoral history.”

Michael G. Hagen, associate professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: whether debates change voting behavior
  • You should know: Hagen ran a polling program at Rutgers University.

Bruce Hardy, assistant professor of strategic communication, School of Media and Communication

R. Lance Holbert, professor and chair of strategic communication, School of Media and Communication

  • He can discuss: the debates, the impact of the debates
  • You should know: Holbert is teaching a universitywide course on the 2016 election this fall.

Heather LaMarre, associate professor of strategic communication, School of Media and Communication

  • She can discuss: the effect of the debates on public attitudes and opinions, political persuasion
  • You should know: LaMarre had a cameo on The Colbert Report after Keith Olbermann interviewed her about a study she ran related to message processing and satire.

Karen M. Turner, associate professor of journalism, School of Media and Communication

  • She can discuss: Clinton’s and Trump’s debate styles, gender and the debates, style versus substance in the debates
  • You should know: Turner was Ed Rendell’s first press secretary when he was mayor of Philadelphia. She’s a founding member and the current director of Temple’s Academic Center on Research in Diversity (ACCORD). In addition to her experience as a radio journalist and talk show host, she has a law degree.

ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
Common search terms: political economy, U.S. economic inequality, U.S. income gap, Wall Street, wealth gap

Joseph M. Schwartz, professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: inequality, labor, social movements, socialism in the U.S.
  • Quote: “Bernie Sanders’ performance―as well as the Trump phenomenon―can only be understood as part of a global rejection of bipartisan austerity policies. Whether and how the Clinton campaign can win the loyalty of Sanders’s base may determine whether Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton is the next president of the United States.”
  • You should know: Schwartz is vice chair of the Democratic Socialists of America. He has spoken about Sanders to MSNBC, the BBC and The Wall Street Journal.

Sandra L. Suárez, professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: business and public policy, Wall Street regulation, the global financial crisis of 2008, executive compensation, American and comparative political economy and public policy
  • Quote: “Economic inequality has become a concern of some in the business community, and the success of the Sanders campaign has ensured that it will be a campaign issue. It will be interesting to see if the voters are able to give the winner of the presidential contest a strong mandate regarding this issue and related policies such as the federal minimum wage, the regulation of executive compensation and tax reform.”
  • You should know: Suárez is fluent in Spanish.  

Douglas Webber, assistant professor of economics, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: labor economics, unemployment, inequality, the gender pay gap, minimum wage, higher education policy
  • Quote: “In terms of the impact on economic inequality, there couldn't be a bigger contrast between the Trump and Clinton economic platforms. Virtually every set of policies from Secretary Clinton, from higher education to tax policy, shares a common thread of reducing inequality. Many of Mr. Trump's proposals are likely to do the opposite.”
  • You should know: Webber wrote an op-ed for The Chronicle of Higher Education on Clinton’s proposal for tuition reform. He also testified before the U.S. Senate in 2015 on the issue of student debt.

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THE ECONOMY
Common search terms: economic impact, election unemployment, minimum-wage issues, political economy, U.S. economic issues

Sandra L. Suárez, professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: business and public policy, Wall Street regulation, the global financial crisis of 2008, executive compensation, American and comparative political economy and public policy
  • Quote: “Economic inequality has become a concern of some in the business community, and the success of the Sanders campaign has ensured that it will be a campaign issue. It will be interesting to see if the voters are able to give the winner of the presidential contest a strong mandate regarding this issue and related policies such as the federal minimum wage, the regulation of executive compensation and tax reform.”
  • You should know: Suárez is fluent in Spanish.  

Douglas Webber, assistant professor of economics, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: labor economics, unemployment, inequality, the gender pay gap, minimum wage, higher education policy
  • Quote: “In terms of the impact on economic inequality, there couldn't be a bigger contrast between the Trump and Clinton economic platforms. Virtually every set of policies from Secretary Clinton, from higher education to tax policy, shares a common thread of reducing inequality. Many of Mr. Trump's proposals are likely to do the opposite.”
  • You should know: Webber wrote an op-ed for The Chronicle of Higher Education on Clinton’s proposal for tuition reform. He also testified before the U.S. Senate in 2015 on the issue of student debt.

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THE ENVIRONMENT
Common search terms: climate change issues, environmental impact, environmental protection

Robert J. Mason, professor of geography and urban studies, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: environmental issues
  • Quote: “The upcoming election has critical implications for local, national and global environmentalism. We must be fully prepared to engage globally if we are to meaningfully confront climate change and other pressing global environmental challenges. My work on environmental policy and planning in East Asia speaks to the global side of the ‘Think globally, act locally’ axiom.”

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FASHION
Common search terms: candidate clothing, political fashion statements, political fashion trends

Donnalyn Pompper, professor of strategic communication, School of Media and Communication

  • She can discuss: how the media talk about Hillary Clinton’s fashion
  • You should know: Pompper helped Philly.com answer the question: “How do you talk to your kids about Hillary Clinton?”

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FOREIGN POLICY
Common search terms: foreign affairs, foreign policy issues, interstate relations, U.S. foreign policy, world politics

Alexandra Guisinger, assistant professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: international political economy, foreign economic policy, public opinion and foreign policy
  • Quote: “Like Ross Perot before them, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are attempting to mobilize protectionist sentiment. In doing so, these candidates have exposed the gap between American public opinion on trade and U.S. policy.”

Richard H. Immerman, professor of history, Edward J. Buthusiem family distinguished faculty fellow in history, Marvin Wachman director of the Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: foreign relations, national security, intelligence
  • Quote: “In terms of both the Democratic platform and her public pronouncements, Clinton could have been confronted with the need to walk a very fine line in order to appease the Sanders forces. But Trump’s bellicosity, inconsistency, inexperience and lack of command of the issues will allow her to focus on his shortcomings and portray herself not only as an essential alternative but also as an expert whose positions fall well within the mainstream.”
  • You should know: Immerman was an assistant deputy director of national intelligence in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from 2007 to 2009. He is also the Francis W. DeSerio chair in strategic intelligence at the U.S. Army War College.

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GENDER
Common search terms: gender bias, gender equality, gender gap, gender politics, women in politics

Judith Levine, associate professor of sociology, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: gender and the election, women’s labor market experiences, poverty, trust and distrust in the government
  • Quote: “Clinton is the only one talking about the work-and-family policies that women care about and that would make their and their children's lives more secure. When you couple that with the fact that a higher proportion of women vote and that Clinton’s groundbreaking candidacy is likely to inspire even greater turnout among women, it becomes clear that the gender gap is going to play an important role in this election”

Donnalyn Pompper, professor of strategic communication, School of Media and Communication

  • She can discuss: gender representation in the media
  • You should know: Pompper helped Philly.com answer the question: “How do you talk to your kids about Hillary Clinton?”

Douglas Webber, assistant professor of economics, College of Liberal Arts

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GUNS
Common search terms: gun background checks, gun control, firearms policy, Second Amendment debate, violence prevention

Scott P. Charles, trauma outreach coordinator, co-director of Cradle to Grave, Temple University Hospital

  • He can discuss: gun control and anti-violence initiatives
  • Quote: “Mass shootings like Orlando and Newtown attract worldwide media attention, but cities like Philadelphia and Chicago experience gun violence every single day with little to no outrage. Gun reform is needed but we have to be smart about it to really enact measures that will make a difference. We need universal background checks to make sure guns aren’t falling into the wrong hands, and we need better ways to make sure gun owners keep track of and secure their guns at all times.”
  • You should know: Charles co-directs the Cradle to Grave violence prevention program at Temple University Hospital. The program gives middle-school and high-school students a behind-the-scenes look at the toll violence takes. It aims to de-glamorize violence and stop the stream of youth entering emergency rooms.

Amy J. Goldberg, chair and professor of surgery, surgeon-in-chief, co-director of Cradle to Grave, Temple University Hospital

  • She can discuss: gun control and anti-violence initiatives; firsthand experience treating victims of gun violence
  • Quote: “It’s disheartening that our country’s leaders aren’t doing more to keep firearms out of the hands of those who would use them to inflict harm and devastation on people’s sons, daughters, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers.”
  • You should know: Goldberg co-directs the Cradle to Grave violence prevention program at Temple University Hospital. The program gives middle-school and high-school students a behind-the-scenes look at the toll violence takes. It aims to de-glamorize violence and stop the stream of youth entering emergency rooms.

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HEALTHCARE
Common search terms: healthcare, health policy, Medicare, Obamacare, U.S. healthcare issues

Susan Freeman, vice dean of healthcare systems, chief medical officer of Temple University Health System, president and CEO of Temple’s Center for Population Health

  • She can discuss: the effect of the Affordable Care Act on urban health and population health; value-based healthcare

Larry R. Kaiser, president and CEO of Temple University Health System, dean of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine and senior executive vice president for health affairs

  • He can discuss: the Affordable Care Act and healthcare market dynamics
  • You should know: Kaiser’s understanding of healthcare―comprehensive, nuanced and incisive―puts him in demand. He was the only health system CEO in Pennsylvania named to Gov. Tom Wolf’s Committee on Health Transition and was invited to the White House for President Barack Obama’s Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network kickoff.

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IMMIGRATION
Common search terms: illegal immigration, Mexican wall, migrant policy, minority voting, U.S. immigration policy

James Bachmeier, assistant professor of sociology, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: legal and citizenship status of immigrants, Mexican immigration, mobility and educational attainment of Mexican immigrants
  • Quote: “Most of the criticism of Trump's proposed wall has, legitimately, focused on the exorbitant cost of building and maintaining the wall and the damage it would do to our relationship with Mexico. But its effectiveness in stopping unauthorized migration should also be questioned. As far as we know, 40 to 50 percent of unauthorized migrants enter the U.S. legally on a temporary visa and then become undocumented by overstaying that visa, and this form of unauthorized migration would be unaffected by the construction of a wall.”
  • You should know: Bachmeier is a non-resident fellow at the Migration Policy Institute.

Peter J. Spiro, Charles R. Weiner chair in international law, Beasley School of Law

  • He can discuss: immigration
  • Quote: "Immigration is clearly an important issue―perhaps the most important issue―on voters' minds this election season. How Hillary Clinton navigates the human and security aspects of immigration will be among the most interesting elements of the general election, especially as Donald Trump continues to hammer away on his highly controversial restrictionist positions."
  • You should know: A nationally recognized authority on citizenship and immigration issues, Spiro is the author of two books on the subject, most recently At Home in Two Countries: The Past and Future of Dual Citizenship.

Jan C. Ting, professor of law, Beasley School of Law

  • He can discuss: Trump’s immigration policies; Trump’s proposed ban on Muslim immigration
  • Quote: “We have a simple binary choice to make: Do we accept everyone who wants to take a shot at the American dream, as we did for the first century of the republic? Or, alternatively, do we have to enforce a numerical limit on immigration knowing that will require turning away would-be immigrants who resemble our own ancestors? Too many Americans are unable to make that simple choice.”
  • You should know: Ting was on the ballot in Pennsylvania to be a Trump delegate. He was a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Delaware in 2006; an assistant commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service from 1990 to 1993; and a Harvard Law School classmate of former presidential candidate Mitt Romney. He has written op-eds on Donald Trump’s immigration plan and proposed ban on Muslim immigration.

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LATINO VOTERS
Common search terms: Central American affairs, Latino vote, U.S. ethnic vote, U.S. Hispanic voters, voto Hispano

Sandra L. Suárez, professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: Latino voters
  • Quote: “Depending on the race, district and/or state, the support of the Latino vote may turn out to be critically important this year.”
  • You should know: Suárez is fluent in Spanish.  

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MCGINTY CAMPAIGN
Common search terms: Katie McGinty for senate, Katie McGinty Hillary Clinton, Katie McGinty Pat Toomey, Katie McGinty Pennsylvania

Michael G. Hagen, associate professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: McGinty-Toomey United States Senate race
  • You should know: Hagen ran a polling program at Rutgers University.

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MEDIA
Common search terms: election coverage, media and elections, media voter influence, role of media in election, Trump revokes media credentials

Geoffrey Baym, professor of media studies and production, School of Media and Communication

  • He can discuss: media coverage of the presidential campaigns, merging of news and entertainment in political coverage, use of parody and satire as forms of activism, commentary and information
  • Quote: “There used to be separate and distinct ways of talking about the world. Now things are interwoven. Entertainment is as valid as anything else to get at the truth.”
  • You should know: Baym wrote an acclaimed book on political satire, From Cronkite to Colbert: The Evolution of Broadcast News.

David Boardman, dean of the School of Media and Communication

  • He can discuss: media coverage of the election
  • You should know: Boardman is the former editor in chief of The Seattle Times. He is chair of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

Frank Farley, L.H. Carnell professor of psychological studies in education, College of Education

  • He can discuss: election burnout/fatigue, media coverage of the election, talking to children about the election
  • You should know: Farley is former president of the Society for Media Psychology and former president of the American Psychological Association. He is current president of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict and Violence and chair of the upcoming National Violence Summit.

R. Lance Holbert, professor and chair of strategic communication, School of Media and Communication

  • He can discuss: influence of the media; political communication
  • You should know: Holbert will teach a universitywide course on the 2016 election this fall.

Robin Kolodny, professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: media and advertising
  • Quote: “Trump spent the least amount of money for the Republican nomination, yet had the most success. Clearly free media has great value, probably a lot more than paid media. What will this mean for how general election campaigns are conducted in 2016?”
  • You should know: Kolodny wrote an op-ed titled “Trump campaign shows why all Americans need a liberal arts education.”

Logan Molyneux, assistant professor of journalism, School of Media and Communication

  • He can discuss: journalists’ use of social media
  • Quote: "These days, Twitter is a mix of voices competing for attention, and oftentimes citizen voices on social media are drowned out by media and political operatives. Interestingly though, all the chatter on Twitter doesn't predict the election winner very well.”

David Schuff, associate professor of management information systems, Fox School of Business

  • He can discuss: social media’s influence and role in elections and in shaping perceptions of candidates
  • You should know: Schuff was part of the team that developed the TEMPO (Translating the Effectiveness of Media into Performance) index, which measured the impact of media exposure on political campaigns and was featured in Politico. He’s currently analyzing how Twitter was used among insurgent primary candidates.

Karen M. Turner, associate professor of journalism, School of Media and Communication

  • She can discuss: crowdsourcing related to election day coverage, media coverage of the presidential election with a focus on race and diversity
  • Quote: “Weapons of mass destruction! That’s what I think when reflecting on the lack of media scrutiny given initially to Donald Trump and, to a lesser extent, Bernie Sanders. Trump was great for the ratings, so his reality show was welcomed everywhere. Many journalists didn’t offend Trump because they didn’t want to lose access.”
  • You should know: Turner was Ed Rendell’s first press secretary when he was mayor of Philadelphia. She’s a founding member and the current director of Temple’s Academic Center on Research in Diversity (ACCORD). In addition to her experience as a radio journalist and talk show host, she has a law degree.

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MUSLIM IMMIGRATION BAN
Common search terms: anti-Muslim politics, Trump and Muslims, U.S. Muslim vote

Jan C. Ting, professor of law, Beasley School of Law

  • He can discuss: Trump’s immigration policies, Trump’s proposed ban on Muslim immigration, immigration law
  • Quote: “We have a simple binary choice to make: Do we accept everyone who wants to take a shot at the American dream, as we did for the first century of the republic? Or, alternatively, do we have to enforce a numerical limit on immigration knowing that will require turning away would-be immigrants who resemble our own ancestors? Too many Americans are unable to make that simple choice.”
  • You should know: Ting was on the ballot in Pennsylvania to be a Trump delegate. He was a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Delaware in 2006; an assistant commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service from 1990 to 1993; and a Harvard Law School classmate of former presidential candidate Mitt Romney. He has written op-eds on Donald Trump’s immigration plan and proposed ban on Muslim immigration.

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PENNSYLVANIA
Common search terms: PA elections, PA state government, Pennsylvania election, Pennsylvania politics, Pennsylvania polling

Michael G. Hagen, associate professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: McGinty-Toomey United States Senate race
  • You should know: Hagen ran a polling program at Rutgers University.

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PROTESTS
Common search terms: election protests, political activism, political demonstrations, political protest, protest politics, 

Abbe Depretis, assistant professor of instruction in strategic communication, School of Media and Communication

  • She can discuss: political advertising and persuasion; protests
  • You should know: Depretis wrote her dissertation on the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the trial of the lead protesters. She teaches courses on persuasion tactics and strategies, argumentation, political culture, public advocacy and social movements.

Jason Del Gandio, assistant professor of instruction in strategic communication, School of Media and Communication

Ralph Young, professor of history, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: protests and dissent
  • Quote: “Protest is part of a long line of American history. The nation was founded on protest, and dissenters have spoken out throughout our history in order to push the United States in the direction they think is right. There is hardly any characteristic of Americans more patriotic than expressing dissent.”
  • You should know: Young runs a weekly discussion forum, the “Dissent in America Teach-ins,” that deals with the historical background of controversial contemporary issues.

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RACE
Common search terms: African American politics, Latino vote, minority politics, race inequality, U.S. racial politics

Nyron Crawford, assistant professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: African American voters; ethnic and racial politics
  • You should know: Crawford teaches a course on identity politics. Before joining Temple, he was a fellow of the Racial Democracy, Crime and Justice Network.

Donnalyn Pompper, professor of strategic communication, School of Media and Communication

  • She can discuss: representation of race in the media
  • You should know: Pompper helped Philly.com answer the question: “How do you talk to your kids about Hillary Clinton?”

Sandra L. Suárez, professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: Latino voters
  • Quote: “Depending on the race, district and/or state, the support of the Latino vote may turn out to be critically important this year.”
  • You should know: Suárez is fluent in Spanish.  

Karen M. Turner, associate professor of journalism, School of Media and Communication

  • She can discuss: media coverage of the presidential election with a focus on race and diversity
  • Quote: “Weapons of mass destruction! That’s what I think when reflecting on the lack of media scrutiny given initially to Donald Trump and, to a lesser extent, Bernie Sanders. Trump was great for the ratings, so his reality show was welcomed everywhere. Many journalists didn’t offend Trump because they didn’t want to lose access.”
  • You should know: Turner was Ed Rendell’s first press secretary when he was mayor of Philadelphia. She’s a founding member and the current director of Temple’s Academic Center on Research in Diversity (ACCORD). In addition to her experience as a radio journalist and talk show host, she has a law degree.

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Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve, assistant professor of criminal justice, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: Black Lives Matter, criminal justice reform, racism, racist political language
  • Quote: “Prior to and during the Obama era, some claimed that Americans were in a ‘post-racial era’―while racism existed, it was expressed in subtle, coded ways. The rise of the Trump candidacy shows that that the era of racial niceties is over. A cultural shift occurred. Once again, racism is unapologetically overt, violent and leveraged for political gain.”
  • You should know: Van Cleve was heavily quoted in the media after the trial of the Chicago Police Department officer who shot Laquan McDonald. She is the author of Crook County: Racism and Injustice in America’s Criminal Courts.

Matt Wray, associate professor of sociology, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: white voters; stigmatizing and stereotyping of poor rural whites
  • Quote: “The larger conservative movement has been stoking a sense of white grievance for a couple of decades now. That movement has done much to instill a sense of victimhood in whites, and the result is a populist anger and fervor that we have not seen since the early 20th century. The face of today’s identity politics is white.”
  • You should know: Wray has written a book about the term “white trash.”  

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SANDERS CAMPAIGN
Common search terms: Bernie Sanders 2016, socialist policy

Joseph M. Schwartz, professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: the Sanders campaign, labor, social movements, socialism in the U.S.
  • Quote: “Bernie Sanders’s 12 million votes in the Democratic primary is the best showing by a democratic socialist in presidential politics since Eugene V. Debs in 1912. Sanders’s performance―as well as the Trump phenomenon―can only be understood as part of a global rejection of bipartisan austerity policies. Whether and how the Clinton campaign can win the loyalty of Sanders’s base may determine whether Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton is the next president of the United States.”
  • You should know: Schwartz is vice chair of the Democratic Socialists of America. He has spoken about Sanders to MSNBC, the BBC and The Wall Street Journal.

Ryan J. Vander Wielen, associate professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: the future of Sanders voters; party loyalty
  • Quote: “Both parties have been sent a decidedly anti-establishment message from the voting public in this election. What comes of this remains to be seen. Will people vote for the more ideologically congruent candidate―with Sanders supporters moving over to Clinton and Republicans supporting Trump―or do these tensions boil over? We'll learn a lot about voters’ priorities from this election.”
  • You should know: Vander Wielen was on the ballot in New Jersey to be a Sanders delegate.

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SUPREME COURT
Common search terms: court electoral politics, judicial politics, Supreme Court politics

Jules Epstein, professor of law and director of advocacy programs, Beasley School of Law

  • He can discuss: the selection of the next Supreme Court justice; the court’s impact on criminal justice issues
  • Quote: “As the U.S. Supreme Court continues to grapple with the death penalty, sentencing laws and privacy concerns implicated in searches by police, the selection of the next Supreme Court justice can and will have an outsized impact on those issues.”
  • You should know: Epstein is a former partner and current counsel of Kairys, Rudovsky, Messing and Feinberg LLP, a civil rights firm.    

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TERRORISM
Common search terms: sponsored terrorism, terrorism news, U.S. terrorism, violent extremism

Frank Farley, L.H. Carnell professor of psychological studies in education, College of Education

  • He can discuss: crime, crowd behavior, political psychology, terrorism, violence, voter behavior
  • You should know: Farley is president of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict and Violence and chair of the upcoming National Violence Summit. He is former president of the American Psychological Association and former president of the Society for Media Psychology.

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TOOMEY CAMPAIGN
Common search terms: Pat Toomey reelection, Toomey economy, Toomey fiscal responsibility, Toomey Senate 2016, Toomey unemployment

Michael G. Hagen, associate professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: Toomey’s re-election campaign
  • You should know: Hagen ran a polling program at Rutgers University.

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TRADE
Common search terms: international trade, protectionism, TPP, Trans-Pacific Partnership, unfair trade policy, U.S. trade policy

Alexandra Guisinger, assistant professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • She can discuss: trade policy, Americans’ opinions of trade, international political economy, foreign economic policy, public opinion and foreign policy
  • Quote: “Not since Ross Perot and the North American Free Trade Agreement debates has trade policy received so much attention throughout the primary cycle. Like Ross Perot before them, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are attempting to mobilize protectionist sentiment. In doing so, they’ve exposed the gap between U.S. policy and American public opinion on trade.”

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TRUMP CAMPAIGN
Common search terms: Donald Trump candidate, Donald Trump nominee, Donald Trump president, Republican candidate 2016, Trump politics

Michael Hagen, associate professor of political science, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: Trump’s campaign; Trump in historical context
  • You should know: Hagen ran a polling program at Rutgers University.

Jan C. Ting, professor of law, Beasley School of Law

  • He can discuss: Trump’s campaign, Trump’s immigration policies, Trump’s proposed ban on Muslim immigration
  • You should know: Ting was on the ballot in Pennsylvania to be a Trump delegate. He was a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Delaware in 2006; an assistant commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service from 1990 to 1993; and a Harvard Law School classmate of former presidential candidate Mitt Romney. He has written op-eds on Donald Trump’s immigration plan and proposed ban on Muslim immigration.

Karen M. Turner, associate professor of journalism, School of Media and Communication

  • She can discuss: media coverage of the presidential election with a focus on race and diversity
  • Quote: “Weapons of mass destruction! That’s what I think when reflecting on the lack of media scrutiny given initially to Donald Trump and, to a lesser extent, Bernie Sanders. Trump was great for the ratings, so his reality show was welcomed everywhere. Many journalists didn’t offend Trump because they didn’t want to lose access.”
  • You should know: Turner was Ed Rendell’s first press secretary when he was mayor of Philadelphia. She’s a founding member and the current director of Temple’s Academic Center on Research in Diversity (ACCORD). In addition to her experience as a radio journalist and talk show host, she has a law degree.

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VOTERS
Common search terms: political participation, U.S. election public opinion, U.S. voter behavior,  voting preferences

Kevin Arceneaux, professor of political science; faculty affiliate with the Institute for Public Affairs, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: voting behavior, political psychology, public opinion, how people form political opinions, partisan polarization, the effects of exposure to media, the effects of human psychology on politics
  • Quote: “The 2016 presidential election will go down as either an enormous anomaly or an inflection point in American electoral history. I expect that people’s racial identities and aversion to risk will be key to understanding shifts in voting behavior.”

Frank Farley, L.H. Carnell professor of psychological studies in education, College of Education

  • He can discuss: crowd behavior, election burnout/fatigue, political psychology, voter behavior
  • You should know: Farley is former president of the American Psychological Association and former president of the Society for Media Psychology. He is the current president of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict and Violence and chair of the upcoming National Violence Summit.

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WHITE VOTERS
Common search terms: conservative vote, populism, U.S. white voters, voter participation, voting racial bias

Matt Wray, associate professor of sociology, College of Liberal Arts

  • He can discuss: white voters; stigmatizing and stereotyping of poor rural whites
  • Quote: “The larger conservative movement has been stoking a sense of white grievance for a couple of decades now. That movement has done much to instill a sense of victimhood in whites, and the result is a populist anger and fervor that we have not seen since the early 20th century. The face of today’s identity politics is white.”
  • You should know: Wray has written a book about the term “white trash.”  

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