UI in the National Political News

March 2008

Peterson book is reviewed (St. Catharine's Standard, March 29)
"Strange Bedfellows: How Late-Night Comedy Turns Democracy Into a Joke" by University of Iowa American studies faculty member RUSSELL L. PETERSON is reviewed. The St. Catharine's Standard is published in Canada. A variety of reviews of Peterson's book continue to appear internationally. Link to article

Gronbeck comments on t-shirts (AzCentral/Columbia News Service, March 28)
Does the volume of t-shirts and other political merchandise predict the outcome of elections? "We're using our bodies and extensions of our bodies to create a political identity of who we are," said BRUCE GRONBECK, a professor of communication studies at the University of Iowa. "You hope it becomes psychological confirmation that you picked right, that you backed the winning horse, and you have the t-shirt to prove it." Link to article

McCormally studies voting machines (Statesman, March 23)
Eight years after glitches marred the 2000 presidential elections, Americans are still struggling over voting machine technology amid growing concerns about the reliability of electronic systems. About 80 per cent of Americans use systems where votes are cast or tabulated by computer including 38 percent who used so-called direct recording electronic voting machines, according to a study by JOHN MCCORMALLY of the University of Iowa. The Statesman is published in India. This story is appearing internationally. Link to article

Gronbeck comments on 'HillPublicans' (Mail & Guardian, March 24)
Some pundits are calling them the HillPublicans. They are hardcore Republicans who are going against their previous political beliefs and voting for Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton to disrupt the party's nomination process, a strategy pushed by Rush Limbaugh. "With Hillary Clinton there are just so many possible targets. I am sure that Republicans would be licking their lips at the thought of having her in their sights again," said BRUCE GRONBECK, a political scientist at the University of Iowa. The Mail & Guardian originates in Zimbabwe. Link to article

Rove lecture at UI noted (San Antonio Express-News, March 16)
A commentary article stated, "Getting $40,000 for a speaking gig does not guarantee you a friendly reception. Ask Karl Rove, the erstwhile 'architect' of the Bush administration. He got interrupted repeatedly during a recent appearance at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, CNN reported. 'You have a chance to ask your questions later and make your stupid statements,' he told the crowd, according to the cable news network. 'Let me make mine.'" Link to article

Peterson book is reviewed (Chortle, March 16)
Professor RUSSELL PETERSON, a former stand-up comedian, said the monologues of late-night talk show hosts such as David Letterman or Jay Leno trivialize the importance of American politicians. In his new book, "Strange Bedfellows: How Late-Night Comedy Turns Democracy Into a Joke," he said, "The jokes play into the public perception of politics -- that every candidate in every party is, has been, and always will be the same: corrupt, inadequate or self-interested." Chortle originates in the UK.
Link to article

Peterson critiques political humor (NetIndia123, March 16)
Stand-up comedians have always targeted politicians to generate good humor in their shows. However, University of Iowa professor RUSSELL PETERSON, a former stand-up comedian and political cartoonist, has insisted that such potshots at politicians might cause more damage than one might imagine. Link to article

Peterson book cited (Kansas City Star, March 15)
A politics columnist writes, "Listen up, Leno, Letterman and Conan. University of Iowa prof RUSSELL PETERSON suggests in a new book that all the digs about John Edwards' $400 haircut and Clinton's near-tears episode do more damage than you think." The columnist cites a passage from Peterson's book: "The jokes play into the public perception ... every candidate in every party is, has been and always will be the same: corrupt, inadequate or self-interested." Link to article

Berg compares Iowa Electronic Markets, polls (Financial Times, March 11)
A recent study by the University of Iowa shows that it Iowa Electronic Markets are more accurate than polls in predicting the outcome of elections. JOYCE BERG, the director of the IEM, said the market was more accurate for several reasons. First, it uses real money. Investors open accounts of between $5 and $500 and trade contracts based on which candidate or party they think will win a presidential election. Berg said IEM investors are also self-selected: they join the market voluntarily and tend to be people who are interested in politics and thus well informed. "Polls tend to be a static, one-time prediction," she said. "The market is a dynamic system that can respond instantaneously to the arrival of new information and asks traders to forecast how everyone will vote in the actual upcoming election, not just how they, the individual, will vote." Link to article

Redlawsk discusses Democratic race (Christian Science Monitor, March 11)
Despite the hotter rhetoric from both camps this month, the highly competitive race for the Democratic nomination remains civil as campaigns go, some analysts say. In 2004, crossfire between then-US Rep. Richard Gephardt and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean was far fiercer -- and helped their rivals, Senator Kerry and then-Sen. John Edwards, finish first and second in the Iowa caucuses, says DAVID REDLAWSK, a political scientist at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. The recent exchanges are a necessary if belated effort by the candidates to win over an electorate seemingly unable to settle on a front-runner, says Dr. Redlawsk. "One of the real challenges Democratic voters are having this time is that distinctions have not been drawn very clearly at all," he says. "We've had relatively little 'compare and contrast,' and I think in the end voters are left with less information than they would otherwise have. "Now we're at the point," he adds, "where even the Obama campaign recognizes they have to make distinctions." Link to article

Iowa Electronic Markets traders still favor Obama (Reuters, March 11)
Traders on the IOWA ELECTRONIC MARKETS, operated by the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, continue to put their money on Barack Obama winning the Democratic Party's nomination for president. This story also appeared on the Web sites of numerous news organizations. Link to article

Obama campaign quotes Daily Iowan (ABC, March 10)
Senior National Correspondent Jake Tapper, who called the UNIVERSITY OF
IOWA's Daily Iowan newspaper "Barack Obama's favorite newspaper," cites its coverage of the weekend lecture on campus by Karl Rove. "Six different community coalitions formed 'The Karl Rove Welcoming Committee' asked cops to arrest Rove for treason, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, the paper reports." Link to article

Iowa Electronic Markets still predicts Obama nomination (Fortune.com, March 4)
A story about futures predictions markets notes that on the IOWA ELECTRONIC MARKETS, operated by the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, Hillary Clinton has a roughly 18 percent chance of winning the nomination versus Obama's 79 percent chance. Link to article

Tolbert: Democratic hostility helps McCain (WDTN-TV, March 3)
Despite aggression early in Ohio's Democratic president debate, Barack Obama ended last Tuesday's night debate with high praise for opponent Hillary Rodham Clinton. University of Iowa professor CAROLINE TOLBERT says if Obama and Clinton knock each other down too far en route to the nomination, it only ends up helping McCain. WDTN is based in Dayton, Ohio. Link to article

UI in the National News Archives