This week, in honor of the late Gore Vidal, we bring a 2008 interview we did at his Hollywood Hills home where he reflected on the state of politics and education.

Then on the Scholars’ Circle, with one of the most negative presidential campaigns upon us, and with the Swiftboat Veterans and Willie Horton ads in our rearview mirror, we talk with three top political communication scholars about “going negative,” and what it might mean, especially in this post-Citizens United world.

• Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Univ. of Penn. – Dir. Annenberg Public Policy Center, Flackcheck.org & FactCheck.org . Author: Packaging the Presidency.
• Michael Franz, Bowdoin College – Prof. Government Studies & Legal Studies. Author: Interest Groups in American Campaigns.
• John Geer, Vanderbilt Univ. – Prof. / Chair of Political Science. Author: From Tea Leaves to Opinion Polls.

Visit our store [ lists books written by each on the panel ]

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