Candidates and Campaigns: Analyzing the 2012 Presidential Field
OVERVIEW: Who will run for president in 2012? What strengths and weaknesses do potential candidates
bring? How are the Republican and Democratic Parties likely to approach their presidential campaigns? In
this project, you will consider the field and the political climate and then create a class Wiki profiling the
most prominent potential presidential candidates. You will then take your analysis further by creating
campaign strategies for the specific candidate you have been assigned.
INTRODUCTION:
Read your assigned article: “G.O.P.’s 2012 Strategy Puts Focus On Timing” or “Obama Launches Reelection Facing New Political Challenges” and answer the assigned questions.
Questions for “G.O.P’s…”
1. According to the post, in what ways is the next presidential race comparable with the 1996 race? In what
ways will this race be different?
2. What are the two main strategies that Republicans are using to level the playing field in the campaign
against President Obama? Do you think that these two strategies will work? Why or why not?
3. Why are Republicans slowing down their potential candidates’ entry into the race? What are the benefits
of this approach? What are the drawbacks?
4. Why are Republicans slowing down the anointment of a nominee? What are the benefits of this
approach? What are the drawbacks?
5. If you were a campaign strategist for the Democratic Party, what would you do to counter these
Republican strategies? Why?
Questions for “Obama Launches…”
1. What types of messages about his candidacy is President Obama sending his supporters at the kickoff of
his re-election campaign? Why?
2. What are some good signs for President Obama at this early stage in the campaign?
3. If you were President Obama, what would you be concerned about?
4. What decisions did President Obama make during his presidency that might help or hurt him now that
he is running for re-election?
5. If you were a campaign strategist for a Republican candidate, what would you do to counter Mr.
Obama’s approach to his re-election campaign?
WIKISPACE ACTIVITY:
Once you have read your assigned article and answered the questions your group will create a Wiki using a
resource like pbWorks or WikiSpaces, among others. The class Wiki will be a resource for young people to
learn more about who is running for president. Each group will contribute a profile of one of the potential 2012
Republican presidential candidates or President Obama. Each profile must include the following:
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Name
Photograph
Current governmental or other position or activities
Political party
Home state
A brief biography
His or her positions on five key issues
Overall philosophy of government and placement on the political spectrum
Base(s) of support and source(s) of opposition
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Recent quotations from the candidate from a speech or an interview, and quotations about them from a
politician or commentator who disagrees with their take on the issues
Three little-known or interesting facts about the candidate
A video of the candidate giving a speech or doing an interview
Links to the candidate’s Web site, Facebook page and Twitter account, as applicable, and some recent
online activity
Links to at least three recent New York Times and other articles about the candidate
Three or more questions that students would like to ask this candidate
Available information about current polling with respect to this candidate
Analysis by political observers about the candidate’s chances to win the White House in 2012
To create your profile you will need to research your candidate using but not limited to the coverage found in
The Time, which includes his or her Times Topics page, Politics section profile, mentions on the politics blogs,
The Caucus and FiveThirtyEight, as well as his or her official Web site, Facebook page and Twitter account, as
applicable. Other useful resources include the Web sites OnTheIssues, Politico’s 2010 Live and
RealClearPolitics.
CANDIDATE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY:
Now that you have completed your profile you will need to create a campaign strategy for your candidate. To
create your strategy, follow the steps below:
Complete your the Party Polling that has recent New York Times/CBS political poll questions, which ask for
your personal opinions on the Republican and Democratic Parties. Then compare your answers with those of
the national Poll answers, by discussing the answers to the following questions:
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On which questions do most Americans agree?
Why might Americans generally be in agreement on these questions?
On which questions is the country particularly divided?
Why might Americans be particularly divided on these questions?
On which issues do Americans generally trust Democrats?
On which issues do Americans generally trust Republicans?
Are students’ surprised by the poll’s results? Why or why not?
You are now ready to become a political strategist for your candidate. You will need to work together to come
up with a 10-point plan that will be pitched to a panel of local campaigners.
You will need to gather more information from the sources below and analyze the party’s strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) using the SWOT Analysis: 2010 Midterm Elections handout.
Some Additional Resources:
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“The Voters: Men Are Fuming, Women Despairing” - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/us/politics/21poll.html
“Obama Aides Weigh Bid to Tie the G.O.P. to the Tea Party” - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/us/politics/20dems.html
“Beware of Anger, Take Advantage of Anxiety”- http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/weekinreview/19steinhauer.html
“Enlist, but Avoid Speeches on the Constitution” - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/weekinreview/19zernike.html
“Assessing the G.O.P. and the Tea Party” - http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/assessing-the-g-o-p-and-the-tea-party/
“Can the Tea Party Win in November?” - http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/09/15/can-the-tea-party-win-in-november
Politics section - http://www.nytimes.com/pages/politics/index.html
The Caucus - http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/
FiveThirtyEight - http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/
Room for Debate - http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/topics/politics
Once you have collected information on their party’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats from the
provided sources, create a 10-point plan detailing specific strategies and actions for your candidate. Each of the
10 points should include a brief explanation of why you believe this strategy would benefit candidates from
their party, with appropriate citations or links.
Once the plans are completed we will hold large party “conventions” in which the committees share their 10point plans with the group. After discussion, each convention should caucus and vote to decide which points
should be adopted for the final 10-point plan that will be pitched to the visiting panel of campaigners for each
political part, Republican and Democrat.
Resource List:
CANDIDATES
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Potential Republican Candidates – http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/candidates
President Obama - http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/o/barack_obama/index.html
Obama Opens 2012 Campaign, With Eye on Money and Independent Voters http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/us/politics/05obama.html
U.S. News: At Least 17 Republicans in 2012 Presidential Election Field - http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washingtonwhispers/2010/09/10/at-least-17-Republicans-in-2012-presidential-election-field
Washington Post: 2012 GOP Presidential Candidates Confront a Changing Landscape http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2012-gop-presidential-candidates-confront-a-changinglandscape/2011/04/02/AFHIXCQC_story.html
ABC News: Republican Presidential Contenders for 2012 - http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/2012-Republican-presidentialcandidates-abc-news-guidebook/story?id=12164311
CANDIDATE PLATFORMS
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Political Points Podcast: Surveying Discontent - http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/political-points-podcastsurveying-discontent/
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Senate Race Ratings - http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/senate
House Race Ratings - http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/house
Around the Web
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Project Vote Smart - http://www.votesmart.org/
Democratic National Committee - http://www.democrats.org/
Republican National Committee - http://www.gop.com/
DUE DATES:
Friday May 27th – Profile posted and presented in class
Friday June 3rd – Candidate Platforms and Convention
Candidate Sign-Ups
Candidate
Period 2
1. President Obama 1 Lilibeth
2 Griselda
2. Michele Bachman 1 Alyssa
2 Courtney
1 Yazmin
3. Mitch Daniels
2Adelina
1
4. Newt Gingrich
2
5. Mike Huckabee 1 April
2 Karina
6. John Huntsman 1
2
1 Mel
7. Sarah Palin
2 Roxy
1 Amanda
8. Ron Paul
2 Alysha
1
9. Tim Pawlenty
2
10. Mitt Romney 1 N8
2 Drew
11. Rick Santorium 1
2
12. Donald Trump 1 Malia
2 Joe
Period 6
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