Media Framing and the 2016 Presidential Election

This first clip certainly frames itself in discussion of the horse race. It points out that Sen. Sanders needs 65% of the remaining delegates in order to win the nomination. The clip shows his polling and the anchor is quoted saying, “No poll in the upcoming states shows Sanders winning by enough of a margin.”

While the clip also talks about Sen. Sanders policies on immigration, that policy talk is framed around whether or not the guest, Rep. Raul Grijalva, believes that Sanders’ policies and campaign events in recent days can help him win on ‘Western Tuesday’ in the states of Arizona, Utah and Idaho (Dem).

This clip focuses on conflict between Sanders and Secy. Clinton ahead of ‘Western Tuesday’. This clip features a Clinton supporter/delegate, Arizona Vice Mayor Karin Uhlich. The crux of the Clinton campaigns criticism comes from a vote Sanders cast in 2007 for an immigration bill drafted by the late Ted Kennedy.

This article discusses Trump’s ‘complex relationship with Israel’.

In the article it is said that Trump’s rhetoric concerning Muslims has been a point of criticism among Israeli’s political class. The Likud party (which Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs to) “… condemned Trump for denigrating the country’s large minority of Muslim citizens after he called for an indefinite ban on Muslims entering the United States.”

The article also recounts when Trump was booed at a Republican Jewish Coalition forum for refusing to, “… say whether he considered Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel.”

This last clip asks, “Who Is John Kasich”. In the clip it is said that Kasich is not a, “… run-of-the-mill Republican.” The video notes that he is a fan of The Grateful Dead and that he was the youngest person ever elected to the Ohio senate (at the age of 26). 

Kasich hosts Kennesaw State University town hall

By JONATHAN ORRILLO, THOMAS HARTWELL, JUSTIN NADYBAL, ADAM MAELAND

KENNESAW, Ga. – Republican presidential candidate John Kasich visited Kennesaw State, Tuesday, drawing more than 400 onlookers.

Kasich gave a short speech on his campaign platform before opening the floor to questions from the audience. Comments ranged from policy issues to questions of Kasich’s lack of aggression on the campaign trail.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich answers an audience member's question at Tuesday's KSU town hall meeting.

Photo by Thomas Hartwell

“I want to know how you’re going to stick it to Trump [and the others],” said one audience member.

Since stepping on KSU’s campus, Kasich made his message to audience members clear: Everyone has a purpose in life, and it is their job to find and fulfill it. When Kasich entered the Carmichael Student Center, he began by telling students that change starts with them.

Presidential hopeful John Kasich speaks to audience members of all ages at Tuesday's KSU town hall. Photo by Thomas Hartwell

“You are unique, and you are special and you have a purpose,” he said.

Kasich also spoke bluntly about issues like the economy, workforce and student debt, tailoring issues to the millennial-dominated crowd.

“We made a promise to these millennials that, if you go to college, you’ll get a good job, and somehow that promise has been broken,” he said.

While it might be expected that students would be upset by this and statements like it, many responded positively.

“He gave us a dose of reality rather than you know trying to build or hope up,” said University of Georgia student Brett Smith. “It is easy to offer free college, but I think he realizes that’s not feasible.”

The town hall left some students at KSU feeling that the presidential candidate was approachable and willing to talk with them one-on-one, taking questions and pictures with them after the meeting.

 “[It’s great] seeing someone in person and exactly hearing what they have to say, not just seeing them on TV,” said KSU student Alyx Fotiades. “I am a stronger supporter.”

Kasich has been gaining momentum in the republican race because of his experience and demeanor. Supporters view Kasich as a man that is an honest candidate and not an entertainer.

“He sees the glass as half full,” said Kasich supporter Tom Prior. “Almost all the other candidates see the glass as half empty.”

Kasich continued his campaign trail legacy, telling audience members he would continue to run a “friendly” campaign for votes, not entertainment.

John Kasich listens to student questions and comments at Tuesday's KSU town hall. Photo by Thomas Hartwell

“I am not going to go out there and do something to just grab attention,” he said. “Either you walk into a room and frighten people and make promises you can’t deliver on, or you walk into a room and say it’s going to be fine, we have path to fix this. Now that might not be as sexy, but that’s life.

Even with his positive demeanor, Kasich has stirred up controversy on the campaign trail. One day prior to the KSU town hall, Kasich stated that in 1978 he won the statehouse because women “left their kitchens to go vote.” Regardless of his statement, a significant amount of women attended and showed their support at the town hall.

“I think it was 75 or 80 percent of the women at that time did not work,” said Kasich supporter Angie Coleman. “The meeting that he was having they were called coffee house meetings. Instead of town halls they were small meetings where they were literally meeting in kitchens. It was not sexist, and anyone who thinks that about Kasich is silly.”

Kasich plans to continue his town hall meeting visits to Tennessee, Vermont, Massachusetts and Michigan in the coming weeks

What I've Learned

Gov. John Kasich at Kennesaw State University on Feb. 23

Oftentimes there exists within us preconceived notions. I had my own about what it meant for a candidate or their campaign to be positive or negative. One of the things I learned about research was that it can change those notions. In fact, to decide positivity or negativity, I had to quantify and quality those traits based on candidate’s website. I also learned that sometimes your source material is guaranteed to be permanent, and so you have to catch it while you can.

A screenshot of Gov. O'Malley's presidential campaign website

Another research lesson I learned is that it is important to pre-plan. It’s important to have more than just a notion of what you’re going to research, whether you’re collecting data off of a website, or conducting interviews, you want to have a thorough plan. Part of having a thorough plan is committing to meet in person with the people you are working with to work out and talk about what the group wants to do and how they want to do it in detail.

A little last minute practice and equipment-check

On the reporting side, things were interesting as well. I learned that you have to remember to get people’s emails when you email them, no matter who they are or what the situation is. It helps to validate and verify the source later on. The other lesson I’m still learning is that you just have to be able to approach people and try to talk to them. Some of them are going to say they don’t want to talk to you. They might not think you’re credentials are valid enough, or they just might not want their name in print or on the internet. But when you get that no, you just have to keep on going and go along to the next person and get the interviews you need.

And that's what I've learned the last 8 weeks in this course!