Wichita State News: Political Science

Grad profile: On-the-ground experience sets WSU apart

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:52:00 CST

A small filler ad seeking a copy editor for Wichita State's student newspaper, the Sunflower, was all it took to change the direction of Nicole Stockdale's career.

Stockdale, who spent three semesters as a journalism major at the University of Kansas, had recently transferred back to her hometown to instead pursue a degree in elementary education at WSU.

Looking to earn some extra cash, she applied for the Sunflower job.

"That one little ad was all it took for me to be lured back into journalism," she said.

It has clearly paid off.

Stockdale is now assistant editorial page editor for the Dallas Morning News, where she also is one of three managers of the paper's editorial department; editor of the Sunday "Points" commentary/analysis section; and a member of the editorial board.

In early March, she won one of the Dallas Morning News Journalists of the Year prizes – Line Editor of the Year. (Her husband, Corbett Smith, won the paper's Sports Writer of the Year award.)

Preparing for a career

Stockdale, who graduated in 2000 with a double major in communication and political science, said there were four experiences that turned out to be "career-makers" for her.

Through the political science department's Washington Internship Program, she spent a semester in Washington, D.C., but it was up to her to land her own internship.

She found a job that combined her two majors: a communication and political intern for a political action committee.

Another valuable experience came in 1998, when Stockdale was required by her political science professor, Mel Kahn, to volunteer for a campaign. The volunteer job led to a paid job as the Wichita coordinator for the insurance commissioner's re-election campaign.

That insurance commissioner: Current U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius.

Over at the Sunflower, that small copy editing job turned into a chance for Stockdale to get her feet wet in writing, editing, planning, ethics and management (both of time and people) -- all areas she deals with every day in her current position.

"And it helped kindle a love of news and storytelling that makes me still appreciate -- and enjoy -- the work I do every day," she said.

Stockdale's first journalism job came in the form of a two-week copy editing internship over one winter break at The Wichita Eagle. Her professor, the late Les Anderson, helped her get the internship. But it was her experience at the Sunflower, where she had quickly become editor, that gave her just enough clout to make it to The Eagle.

"Had I not worked at the Sunflower, I probably wouldn't have been qualified even for that two-week gig," she said. "But those 10 days on the copy desk were eye-opening -- and helped me meet and prove myself to the right people."

That was all it took, and before even graduating, Stockdale had been offered a full-time copy editing job at The Eagle.

She stayed there until 2003, when she became a copy editor and headline writer on the night news copy desk at the Dallas Morning News. She has risen the ranks at the paper since.

"These experiences, when rolled into one big ball of a resume, made me ideally suited for work in an editorial department -- the journalism, the politics, the deadlines, the excitement," Stockdale said. "It's like I was preparing for this job the whole time -- a job that, in 2000, I didn't even know existed."

On-the-ground experience

There's never a dull moment these days for Stockdale, between raising two small girls and wearing "a lot of hats" at the Dallas Morning News.

As editorial board member, she's in a unique position to help shape the institutional position of the newspaper. She also has many chances for community engagement, helping plan and attend events such as community forums and author Q&As that the paper sponsors for the public.

And along with all those duties, she sometimes goes back to her writing days by blogging, tweeting and writing the occasional column or editorial.

Stockdale – who in 2010 won the WSU Elliott School of Communication's "One to Watch" award – credits much of her career to the opportunities afforded to her at Wichita State.

"Universities are known as places that can teach the theoretical. And I certainly had to bury my nose in books while I was at WSU; that was an important part of the educational experience I don't want to discount," she said. "But what set WSU apart was how much on-the-ground experience was available to the students who were interested in taking it. WSU makes the most of its urban setting and really gets students out into the workforce."

'Second-term curse' next challenge for President Obama

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:00:00 CST

This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast. See the transcript below:

You're listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU on the Web at wichita.edu.

With the presidential election in his rearview mirror, President Obama can look forward to a second term. But winning the presidency was just one obstacle he had to overcome. Now the president faces what historians and commentators call the "second-term curse." Wichita State University political scientist Ken Ciboski explains why many presidents struggle in their second term.

Ken Ciboski

Ciboski: "First-term presidents usually have something major they want to push or an agenda with the Congress, and so they blow most everything that they have in mind in their first term. Second-term presidents don't have so much to do in that regard, although there may be some minor accomplishments."

More often than not, second terms are less successful than first terms. Franklin Delano Roosevelt lost his hold on Congress with his 1937 plan to pack the Supreme Court. Ronald Reagan faced the 1986 Iran-contra scandal. Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998. Richard Nixon resigned to avoid that fate in 1974. As Ciboski points out, significant accomplishments by second-term presidents are few and far between.

Ciboski: "You know, actually second-term presidents don't do well on the domestic agenda side of things. They maybe have some foreign policy accomplishments. They might get an arms agreement or perhaps as President Eisenhower did in his second term -- he went to Little Rock with troops, kept a high school open and desegregated it -- things like that, just some kind of minor accomplishments."

It also seems that second-term presidents believe they have a mandate, as Ciboski explains.

Ciboski: "Presidents who get elected for a second term often think they have a mandate, and they feel that the people voted for them, maybe even more overwhelmingly than they did the first time, then they have a mandate. And people vote for a candidate for president for a lot of different reasons, so it may not be for the reason that the president thinks. And so they don't often have success even when they think they have a mandate."

Ciboski says it's hard to say whether President Obama will fall victim to the so-called second-term curse, particularly with so many new advisers and appointments.

Ciboski: "Yes, in a second term, say, for example President Obama, he's going to lose many of his key advisers and Cabinet post people. And the question is, who will replace them? I mean, these people have memory. They have experience. They went through the rigors of the first term, so it's going to be difficult to replace them with people who have a memory and can advise the president properly on what he should or should not do."

Ciboski said Obama had some significant success, but spent a lot of political capital during his first term.

Ciboski: "President Obama during his first term, for example, his universal medical health care program. He said, 'Let's get that passed, no excuses, get it done.' So that was a big thing for the first term. And that's when presidents really kind of use up their political capital, which I think he did with most members of the Congress, especially the Republican side. So, now he goes into a second term, and he may get something like maybe gun control, or something along those lines, but that remains to be seen. But on the domestic side they usually don't do very well."

In reality, Ciboski says a president usually has to get most of what he wants to accomplish in the first two years of his first term.

Ciboski: "Presidents usually have to get most of what they want done in their first term, and especially in the first two years because oftentimes they'll bring their own party in with them in the Congress. And when that mid-term election comes along, as was the case with President Obama, it can change its political makeup when the Republicans took control of the House, and the Democrats didn't have nearly such a margin as they had before in the Senate."

Some pundits say second-term presidents are lame ducks, facing would-be successors in the opposition and in their own party. In addition, many things are outside the control of a second-term president. For example, President Obama has to work with a deeply partisan Congress and that could make accomplishments few and far between.

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.

Battleground states to determine presidential election

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:00:00 CST

This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast. See the transcript below:

You're listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU on the Web at wichita.edu.

The presidential debates are history, but there's still plenty of campaigning to do as President Obama and Mitt Romney sprint to Election Day. Many political pundits believe President Obama has a good chance of being re-elected, but the presidential election will ultimately be determined by several too-close-to-call battleground states, according to Wichita State University political scientist Mel Kahn.

Kahn: "In order to win, Romney absolutely has to win two of the three big electoral states that are in play, namely Florida, Virginia and Ohio. And it would even be better for him if he could win all three because of the advantage that Obama has."

Kahn says Obama has one clear advantage heading into Election Day.

Kahn: "Since Obama can start out banking on the huge numbers of electoral votes in California, which amount to 55, and New York 29, that gives him 84 electoral votes right out of the gate."

Kahn says it's possible that a candidate could win the popular vote in the upcoming election and lose the electoral vote.

Kahn: "It is not inconceivable that the winner of the popular vote could lose the electoral vote, as occurred with Gore in the year 2000."

So why does the United States use an electoral college to determine the presidential election? Kahn explains.

Kahn: "Originally there was real consternation about how we should elect our president. There were about 35 different plans that were offered. And the founders were also concerned about our federalism of representing states as entities unto themselves."

According to Kahn, a presidential election based on popular vote would be problematic.

Kahn: "Basically, particularly when we have otherwise close appearing elections, we could have long litigation where each candidate would be trying to up its votes, and there always are errors, both intentional and unintentional."

Kansas is expected to once again vote for the Republican ticket, but Kahn says Kansans should still get out and vote on Election Day.

Kahn: "There are other important races. In fact, what occurs at the state level has more impact on our everyday lives. Also, too, as far as the presidential race goes, Kansas did go Democratic in 1964, and so it is not just automatic that we'll always have a Republican vote out of Kansas."

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.

A new direction for Kansas politics and policies

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 09:40:00 CST

This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast. See the transcript below:

You're listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU on the Web at wichita.edu.

Reporters from Reuters, The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal descended on Kansas in August to cover a political contest they viewed to be of national significance, that is, a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party in the reddest of red states.

Ed Flentje

Barring some surprises in the November elections, Kansas politics will again be led by Republicans. That's hardly news, but the direction of the Republican Party is significantly different, according to Wichita State University political analyst Ed Flentje.

Flentje: "The primary elections indicate a new direction in Kansas politics and in Kansas policy. Moderates in the Kansas Senate contested for 21 races out of 40, and they lost 15 of them."

According to Flentje, the recent Kansas primary had more hotly contested races than usual.

Flentje: "The Kansas primary elections, particularly the Republican primary elections, were the most hotly contested in the history of the state. A good bit of money flowed in to candidate campaigns. Outside groups were active in the campaign. And even with all the outside funding, turnout was fairly low."

Although Republican candidates will be heavily favored in the general election in Kansas, Flentje says there could be some competitive races.

Flentje: "Of course, the primary elections are one conclusion, but 31 of the 40 (Senate) seats will be contested by Democrats in the general election. And the outcome there is yet to be determined. Moderate Republicans, Independents, may defeat some of the Republican victors."

Flentje says the governor's tax plan is the most controversial aspect of Kansas politics right now.

Flentje: "The most controversial element in these races is the governor's tax plan, which was fiercely debated, and essentially has eliminated the state income tax for certain categories of persons and businesses. And whether that will miraculously succeed or not is yet to be decided.

"The most significant changes will probably be in public finance. Gov. Brownback and some of the interest groups supporting him want to eliminate the state income tax. That would likely require a shift of public obligations to being financed by sales and property taxes."

According to Flentje, a lot is at stake with the governor's tax policy.

Flentje: "If Gov. Brownback's tax miracle succeeds, he will likely be a hero and those who support him will as well. If it does not, the impact will be felt in public schools, social services and a variety of areas that may come back to change direction again."

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.

Faculty/staff news update: May 2012

Wed, 9 May 2012 16:32:00 CST

Academe welcomes news from WSU faculty and staff about research, teaching and service activities. This column recognizes grants, honors, awards, presentations and publications, new appointments, new faculty, sabbaticals, retirements and deaths of our current and former colleagues.

Dinorah Azpuru, associate professor, political science, was invited to participate in the Quality of Peace project, based at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame. The project is associated with a grant from the National Science Foundation.

Dan Close

Dan Close, associate professor, Elliott School of Communication, adviser, The Sunflower, Wichita State's student newspaper, returned from the recent Kansas Associated Collegiate Press annual conference in Salina with more than 30 individual awards and a silver medal in the overall newspaper category. Sunflower editor Austin Colbert was named KACP journalist of the year. Kassidee Lank, Ragini Venkatasubban, Candice Tullis, Robert Hite and Colbert won first-place individual awards, while the staff as a whole brought home first-place finishes for interior page design, single ad design and special section.

Lynne Davis, Ann and Dennis Ross Faculty of Distinction Endowed Professorship of Organ, has been awarded one of France's most distinguished titles, that of "Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by French Minister of Culture and Communications Frederic Mitterand. Davis discusses the award during a KMUW 89.1 interview at http://www.wichita.edu/j/?1584.

Kimberly Engber, assistant professor of English, received the John R. Barrier Distinguished Teaching Award from the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It will be awarded during the May 2012 Commencement ceremony.

Suzanne R. Hawley, professor and chair, public health sciences, was named chairperson of public health in fall 2011. She earned her master's in public health/biostatistics, and her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Loma Linda University in Novato, Calif., in 1999 and 2002 respectively. She previously served as associate professor and MPH director for the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita. Her expertise lies in workforce and leadership development, mental health and underserved populations.

Jeffrey Jarman, associate director and director of debate, Elliott School of Communication, coached WSU seniors Brian Box and Matt Munday in the most successful season for WSU Debate since 1968. The duo competed against the nation's top 78 two-person teams at the National Debate Tournament March 29-April 2 at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. The WSU team made it to the Elite 8 before losing to Gonzaga. Read more about the team's success at http://www.wichita.edu/j/?1585.

Mel Kahn, professor, political science, was re-elected to the Kansas Democratic State Committee. He and Ken Ciboski, associate professor of political science, were invited panelists for a fall 2011 forum on the Tea Party at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum.

Gayla Lohfink, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, recently published "Confronting the bully via children's literature" in Kansas Journal of Reading and "Facilitating pre-service teachers' cultural responsiveness through multicultural literature" in the Journal of Multiculturalism in Education.

Nancy McKellar, associate professor, counseling, educational and school psychology, co-authored "Supporting students in foster care" in Principal Leadership.

Nancy McKellar and Susan Unruh, assistant professor, counseling, educational and school psychology, made recent research presentations: "School psychologists' job satisfaction and challenge in RTI and traditional model schools" and "Branching out: School psychologists' patterns of interactions and perceived sphere of influence in RTI and traditional model schools" at the American Psychological Association Convention, Washington, D.C. They also presented "Impact of RTI on work of the multidisciplinary teams" and "RTI and the identification of SLD by practitioners" at the National Association of School Psychologists Annual Convention, Philadelphia, Pa.

Michael Rogers, chair, professor and research director, Center for Physical Activity and Aging, along with Nicole Rogers, assistant professor, director, aging studies, public health sciences, published "Exercise recommendations for older adults: An update" in the latest issue of the Journal of Active Aging.

Carolyn Shaw, associate professor and chair, political science, secured a Catalytic Workshop Grant from the International Studies Association for a workshop, "Think Globally, Teach Locally? Active Teaching and Learning in Cross-National Perspective." Participants from four countries will collaborate on a future book project.

Betty Smith-Campbell, professor, nursing, has been named chairperson of the School of Nursing. She earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Michigan, her master's degree in community health nursing from the University of Kansas School of Nursing in Kansas City, Kan., and her Ph.D. in nursing with emphasis on human science-human caring from the University of Colorado School of Nursing in Denver. Her career has spanned more than 30 years and includes teaching and/or administrative work at the KU School of Nursing, Saint Mary College in Leavenworth, Kan., and the KU Gerontology Center in Kansas City, Kan.

Lawrence Whitman, professor, industrial and manufacturing engineering, has joined the College of Engineering's Dean's Office as associate dean for undergraduate education, and Karen Reynolds has been named director of recruiting and retention, as of April 29.

2012 Distinguished Service Awards
The President's Distinguished Service Awards and the unclassified professionals' Wayne Carlisle Distinguished Service Award were presented during the Shocker Pride Celebration Wednesday, April 25. Here is a list of 2012 Shocker Pride honorees; their biographical information is available at http://www.wichita.edu/j/?1582.

President's Distinguished Service Awards
Barbara Chaparro, associate professor, Department of Psychology
Lloyd Harp, university detective, University Police Department
Patricia Hayes, membership services coordinator, KMUW 89.1
Helen Hundley, assistant professor, Department of History
Maria Martino, biology technical specialist, Department of Biology
J. Logan Stork, senior administrative assistant, TRIO Talent Search Project Discovery
Johnnie Thompson, associate professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Carrie Wyatt, senior administrative specialist, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Wayne Carlisle Distinguished Service Award
John Jacobs, manager of student records systems, University Computing and Telecommunications

2012 Faculty Awards
Wichita State faculty members were honored during the 2012 Faculty Awards on Friday, May 4. Christine Downey-Schmidt with the Kansas Board of Regents gave remarks and helped present the awards. The honorees chosen are recognized for setting the gold standard for teaching, research and creative activities at WSU. Here is a list of 2012 Faculty Award honorees; their biographical information is available at http://www.wichita.edu/j/?1583.

Excellence in Teaching
Doris Burgert, instructor, educational psychology, College of Education
Preethika Kumar, assistant professor, electrical engineering and computer science, College of Engineering

Leadership in the Advancement of Teaching
Carolyn Shaw, associate professor and chair, political science, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Academy for Effective Teaching
Elizabeth Behrman, professor, mathematics, statistics and physics, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Natalie Grant, assistant professor and Bachelor of Social Work program director, School of Social Work, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Excellence in Creative Activity
Julie Bees, professor, School of Music, College of Fine Arts
Mark Laycock, associate professor, director of Orchestras, Ann Walenta Endowed Faculty Professorship of Distinction, School of Music, College of Fine Arts

Excellence in Research
Mark Schneegurt, associate professor, biological sciences, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Young Faculty Scholar
Royce W. Smith, associate professor, art history and theory, School of Art and Design, College of Fine Arts

IN MEMORIAM
Roland "Joe" Banks (aka "Mr. B"), 78, retired athletics equipment manager, died April 5 in Wichita. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife, Lydia; daughter, Carla; son, Ronald; brother, Maurice; niece, Cheryl; and a host of cousins, friends and loved ones. Memorial contributions may be made to Roland Banks Memorial Fund at WSU, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0002. Read more in The Wichita Eagle's feature obituary at http://www.wichita.edu/j/?1573.

Phillip A. Bowers, 56, assistant director, TRIO Disability Support Services, died May 10 in Wichita. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his father, John Milton Dopps Bowers. He is survived by his mother, Lillian Bowers; brothers, James, Paul, Ben and Michael Bowers; sisters, Jackie Farney, Cecily Holliday, Patti Miskimon, Sarah Krehbiel, Priscilla Frank, Phyllis Long, Lois Hallberg and Julie Beck; and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to the Phillip Bowers Memorial/Education Fund, c/o WSU Foundation, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0002.

Bill Caldwell, 49, former instructor, jazz, died March 26 in Wichita. He is survived by his wife of nine years, Kimberly; his father; sisters; nieces and nephew; in-laws and an extended family of friends. Services have been held. A memorial has been established at Grace Presbyterian Church in Wichita. Read more in The Wichita Eagle's feature obituary at http://www.wichita.edu/j/?1575.

Clarke H. Garnsey, 99, former chair, art history, died Saturday, March 10, at home in El Paso, Texas. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Bushniell and Sibyl Van Pelt Garnsey Jr.; siblings, Charles B. Garnsey III, Georgia V.P. Rose and Sibyl W. Gore; first wife, Jean S. Shoemaker; and second wife, Helen T. Blanchard. He is survived by stepdaughters Mary B. Davidson and Barbara B. Hohenberg; and nieces and nephew Gail Garnsey-Banay, Georgia (Van) Holtgrewe, Mary R. Mas, Wilhelmina R. Pascual and Henry E. Rose Jr.; and their children and grandchildren.

William Henry Harrison "Tippy" Dye, 97, retired former athletic director, died April 11 in Grass Valley, Calif. Services have been held. He is survived by daughter Penny Carnegie; son William HH Type Dye III; a son-in-law; four granddaughters and four great-grandsons. He was buried in Pomeroy, Ohio, next to his wife of 64 years, Mary, who died in 2001. Read more in the Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star's feature obituary at http://www.wichita.edu/j/?1574.

Bernice B. Ray-Hutcherson, 87, assistant professor emeritus of social work, died May 3 in Wichita. A celebration of her life was held May 11 at Calvary Baptist Church in Wichita. She was preceded in death by her husband, Hubert William Hutcherson and granddaughter LaSheri Cox. She is survived by daughters Karla M. Hutcherson and Pam D. White; grandsons James Arbertha II, Briston White and Brison White; and six great-grandchildren.

Marjorie Lee "M.L." Taylor, 88, former director of the Center for Urban Studies, died April 2. Services have been held. She is preceded in death by grandson, Kyle Taylor, and her parents, James Leonard and Lena Johnson. She is survived by her sons, James Christopher Taylor (Kay) of Ft. Collins, Colo., David Bryan Taylor (Georgia) of Lafayette, Calif., and Kent Matthew Taylor (Julie) of Haysville, Kan.; five grandsons; one granddaughter; and four great-grandchildren. A memorial has been established with Victory in the Valley, 3755 E. Douglas, Wichita, KS 67218.

Dan Glickman to speak at WSU event

Fri, 2 Mar 2012 11:11:00 CST

Former Congressman Dan Glickman will be the speaker at the 2nd Luzzati Lecture Series, hosted by Wichita State University's Political Science Department and the Elliott School of Communication.

The event is at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 12, at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex, 29th Street and Oliver. It is free and open to the public.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for the event, being held in Room 180. Enter on the east side of the building at either Door N or Door D.

Glickman, a senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C., and a native Wichitan, will speak on the topic "Is Bipartisanship Possible in the Current Environment?"

For more information, go to http://www.wichita.edu/j/?1471.

Teacher 'abroadens' her horizons

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:17:00 CST

When former Puebloan Carolyn (Rowley) Shaw decided to apply for the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship, her plan was to go to Poland to teach political science courses.

Today, Shaw, and her family are living in Lublin, Poland, where she is teaching at Marie Curie Sklodowski University as a Fulbright Scholar.

Shaw is among 800 teachers and professionals who travel abroad as part of the U.S. State Department sponsored Fulbright Scholar program, teaching in international exchange programs offered in 150 countries worldwide.

Read full story.

Fulbright Award given to Wichita State associate professor

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 10:36:00 CST

Carolyn Shaw, associate professor of political science at Wichita State University, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to lecture at Marie Curie Sklodowskiej University in Lublin, Poland, during the 2010-2011 academic year.

Shaw will be teaching Post-Conflict Peacebuilding and International Relations Theory.

Shaw is one of about 1,100 U.S. faculty and professionals who will travel abroad through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

With this goal as a starting point, the Fulbright Program has provided almost 300,000 participants — chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.

"The selection of Fulbright Scholars is very competitive, and I'm really pleased to be among the small group of scholars selected to participate in the program this year," Shaw said.

PODCAST: Political winds favor GOP in midterm elections

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 11:00:00 CST

This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast. See the transcript below:

You're listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU — the home of Thinkers, Doers, Movers and Shockers — on the Web at wichita.edu.

The Nov. 2 midterm elections will likely bring change and, if political prognosticators are right, that means good news for the Republican Party. Wichita State University political scientist Mel Kahn says the struggling economy makes it difficult for the party in power.

Kahn: "The difficult challenge is you have to defend whatever is going wrong in the economy, whether it's of your doing or not, and that's the dilemma that the Democrats have."

A lot has happened in the two years since the hope and optimism fueled by President Obama's run to the presidency and Democratic control in Washington. Now, voters are anxious about the economy, worried about jobs and paychecks. And many complain about soaring federal debt. Political pundits expect voters to punish the Democrats on Election Day, and Kahn agrees that the Democrats' control is on the brink.

Kahn: "Actually, it's highly unlikely that the Republicans can fail to win the House. The only real question is, will the margin be sufficient enough to get a majority and take control? And I believe the indicators are that they will receive a sufficient majority."

The Senate may remain in control of the Democrats, but it's not a sure thing, as Kahn explains.

Kahn: "Well, for the Democratic Legislature, the best bet is to be able to retain the Senate and stop a lot of legislation from being passed by a Republican majority in both chambers. And I would say right now, I would estimate that the Republicans have about a 40 percent chance of capturing the Senate, depending on how certain key races turn out."

One of the key races to watch in November is the Senate race in Nevada.

Kahn: "A big problem for the Democrats is holding on to the (Senate) seat in Nevada. And both candidates are very flawed. And I would say that in the case of (Harry) Reid, his main hope is that enough of the anti-Reid people will vote for the none-of-the-above alternative on the ballot, and thus take votes away from his opponent, (Sharron) Angle.

As strange as it sounds, Kahn says President Obama probably wouldn't object to an election outcome that moves control of the House and Senate from the Democrats to the Republicans.

Kahn: "I think Obama, like Clinton before him, will not say it publicly, but would probably relish the idea of having both the House and the Senate go Republican, so that in 2012 he could be running against the Republicans rather than against his own record."

As far as Kansas goes, most of the major races appear to favor the Republicans, although Kahn says there's good competition in at least a couple of cases.

Kahn: "The most competitive races I think are the congressional ones in the Third District and the Fourth. In both cases the Republicans are favored to win, but they're still quite competitive."

And Kahn is impressed with both of the major candidates in the Fourth District race.

Kahn: "From the point of an interested citizen, it's a real treat to see two candidates of the caliber of Goyle and Pompeo in the Fourth District. Both of them are highly intelligent, articulate campaigners, both graduates of Harvard Law School, and you can see the difference between them, and the voters have a real choice."

Voter turnout will have a lot to say about the outcome in Kansas and nationwide, and Kahn says all signs point toward gains by the Republicans.

Kahn: "The independents who went very heavily for the Democrats in the last election give every indication of going for the Republicans. In addition to that, the Republican Party, largely energized by the Tea Party people, look like they're going to do a better job of turning out their base than the Democrats will in turning out theirs. And so, for that reason, I think they have a decisive advantage."

History shows it's common for a new president's party to lose seats in Congress in his first midterm election. In the past century, only Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934 and George W. Bush in 2002 saw their parties' ranks in Congress expand in their first midterm elections. Of course, no one knows for sure how this year's elections will turn out, but Democrats are bracing for bad news.

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.

WSU senior Zach Ketteman running for Kansas Legislature

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 10:55:00 CST

Wichita State senior Zach Ketteman is hoping to shock the Kansas House of Representatives on Nov. 2. Ketteman, a double major in political science and print journalism, is running as a Democrat against Republican incumbent Pete Degraaf in the 81st District.

"I'm going to go up there to fight for lower taxes, to fight to protect public education," said Ketteman. "I'm going to vote for what's best for my district."

The 81st District encompasses parts of Sedgwick and Sumner counties, including Clearwater, Mulvane, Belle Plaine, some of Haysville and McConnell Air Force Base.

Ketteman, a native of Belle Plaine, decided to make a difference and campaign for change in the district of his hometown.

"I spend a lot of time in Belle Plaine and really care about the community," said Ketteman. "I wasn't necessarily the happiest with my representative, so I decided to run."

As a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity, a full-time student at WSU and now his own campaign manager, Ketteman has learned some subtle lessons about managing his time.

"What I've learned is that sleep is more and more optional as you go through college," said Ketteman. "It's been a little difficult, but it's something I've adjusted to decently."

Lacking the budget of his opponent, Ketteman has had to rely on spreading his campaign person by person, house by house.

"It's really been a lot of door-to-door work. There's no hidden secret and that was something I learned quick," said Ketteman. "People really appreciate someone going door-to-door talking to them about their issues and problems with the state."

If elected, Ketteman hopes to protect public education, something he's passionate about, while creating jobs and revenue for the 81st District.

His responses from the community, in addition to his goals for office, have been equally well received.

"It's been unbelievably positive," said Ketteman. "It seems more and more every day when I talk to people my response is better and better. People are more and more excited about me, my campaign and my views on issues."

Ketteman is optimistic about his chances in November and about the changes he could make in Topeka.

"By the time I'm in there and by the time I'm done, I hope that when people ask what the best state in the country is to live in that everyone will know it's Kansas," said Ketteman.

"That's really the goal, to make Kansas as best as it can be, and I don't think there's any reason why Kansas can't be the best."

Win or lose, Ketteman plans to use the lessons he's learned to help him prepare for the future.

"I'm not looking ahead for higher offices. I'm just going to go where everything leads me," said Ketteman. "If that means I'm representing Kansas at a higher level that would be great, but if it doesn't, and this is it, then that's fine too."

"I'm just trying to make the state as good as it can be."

State elections will be held Tuesday, Nov. 2. For more information on Zach Ketteman or his campaign for the 81st District of the Kansas House of Representatives, call (316) 992-1074 or zachfor81@gmail.com.

PODCAST: Newspapers still matter in election campaigns

Fri, 8 Oct 2010 10:15:00 CST

This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at

http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast

. See the transcript below:

You're listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU — the home of Thinkers, Doers, Movers and Shockers — on the Web at wichita.edu.

It seems that every month layoffs in newsrooms of some large paper are reportedly taking place in the United States. But newspapers still play an important role of informing the public during election campaigns, according to Les Anderson, a print journalism professor at Wichita State University and a former newspaper editor.

Anderson: "Newspapers, I believe, play an important function in elections because I consider newspapers credible. I think that people will tell you that newspaper readers are voters, and I think that's important, not only for the candidates, it's important also for readers."

Walter Cronkite, the former CBS News anchor, stated a couple of decades ago that his news show only skimmed the headlines, and for the public to get a more complete view of the world they needed to read their morning newspaper. Anderson says newspapers still play a vital role in informing the electorate.

Anderson: "Newspapers play a vital role, I think, in informing the electorate, people who are not only registered voters who've made up their minds, but undecided voters. And there's a variety of ways they reach these people. It's through stories. It's through Q and A's. It's through candidate forum type discussions, and also letters to the editor and advertising."
According to Anderson, it's difficult at times determining what is really news during election campaigns.

Anderson: "I think one of the biggest problems or biggest challenges newspapers face is determining what is really news, what's worthy of news coverage. And not everything that a candidate thinks is news is really newsworthy in a lot of cases."
Although what's fair or not fair in newspaper coverage of political candidates is in the eye of the beholder, newspapers do the best they can to remain unbiased, says Anderson.

Anderson: "Newspapers are inundated during political campaigns by letters to the editor. And a lot of newspapers have gotten to the point where they either select a representative sample of letters about a certain candidate or by a certain candidate's campaign folks. And, you know, the idea is to be fair and balanced, even on the editorial pages."

The bottom line is that for all the criticism, newspapers are still seen as credible.

Anderson: "I think it comes down to the fact that newspapers are reliable. Newspapers are credible, and I think newspapers are where people go to find that information that they decide in particular undecided voters in elections."

And newspaper coverage of political campaigns benefits the public in several ways, according to Anderson.

Anderson: "Not every candidate would agree probably, but newspaper coverage is important in political races. I think it makes elections more vibrant. It makes politics more vibrant and lively, and I think you end up with not only better input, but better candidates, more candidates and more accountability to the public."

Whether it has positive or negative effects, exposure to the news media does influence public awareness of elections. And although newspapers are losing readership to the Web, they still play an integral part of a citizen's daily life.

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.

PODCAST: Parkinson a bold, focused governor

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 08:00:00 CST

This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast. See the transcript below:

You're listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU — the home of Thinkers, Doers, Movers and Shockers — on the web at wichita.edu.

Ed Flentje

Few Kansans could name the current lieutenant governor or any former lieutenant governor. Ed Flentje, a professor in the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs at Wichita State University, said that former Lt. Gov. Shelby Smith of Wichita occasionally quipped that the job's primary duty was to ascend to the Capitol dome, look north and sound an alarm for any approaching glaciers. However, Flentje says that Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson may break the mold in this regard.

Flentje: "The job of lieutenant governor is somewhat of an enigma. Some governor's have effectively used the position; others have not. But in most cases, folks cannot identify the name of a lieutenant governor."

Nevertheless, Flentje says Gov. Parkinson will be remembered for his bold leadership.

Flentje: "Mark Parkinson is the first Lieutenant Governor to serve as governor for more than a few weeks. And he has broken the mold in that regard, and will be remembered for his short, but very bold governorship."

A budget crisis prevented Gov. Parkinson from any kind of honeymoon, as Flentje explains.

Flentje: "As governor, Parkinson immediately faced over $400 million drop in state revenues and took on the task of reducing state spending in line with available revenues. And then, faced another almost $200 million drop, and recommended a sales tax to stave off further cuts in state spending."

If anything, Flentje says the manner in which Parkinson addressed the budget likely paved the way for the Legislature to approve a tax increase.

Flentje: "The budget cuts likely softened resistance to the proposed sales tax. And the fact that it was a simple, understandable three-year temporary one-cent sales tax, made it understandable, and other proposals fell by the wayside."

But Flentje says Parkinson's leadership goes far beyond his handling of the state's budget.

Flentje: "Parkinson has also shown extraordinary leadership in renewable energy. He negotiated a settlement over the western Kansas coal plant almost immediately, and has also put into, under way, actions that are expanding generating capacity for wind energy, transmission lines and jobs."

And announcing early on that he wouldn't run for reelection didn't seem to hinder Parkinson's ability to lead.

Flentje: "Parkinson, immediately on assuming the governorship, said that he would not run for election as governor. And whether this contributed to his ability to take bold, focused action would be speculation, but it certainly freed him from political constraints and appears to have emboldened his leadership."

Flentje says whatever the case, Parkinson drew upon a special mix of personal resources, skills, judgment and vision to demonstrate state leadership. While not all Kansans agree with his results, Flentje said Parkinson has given Kansas a short but bold and focused governorship, and will be leaving the state in better stead than he found it.

Parkinson recently announced that starting in January 2011, he will become president and CEO of the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living.

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.

Political debate to be held at Wichita State

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:00:00 CST

The Wichita State University Luzzati Lectureship Series through the Political Science Department is sponsoring a debate between 4th Congressional District candidates Raj Goyle (D) and Mike Pompeo (R) at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, at the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex, 5015 E. 29th Street N.

The event is free and open to the public.

The Political Science Club and WSU Student Government Association also are sponsors for the event and assisting with the debate.

PODCAST: Social media becoming popular with political candidates

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:00:00 CST

This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at

http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast

. See the transcript below:

You're listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU — the home of Thinkers, Doers, Movers and Shockers — on the web at wichita.edu.

Lou Heldman

The tools and tactics of political campaigns have undergone many changes in the past 60 years. With the advent of the Internet and social media, candidates have found new ways to battle for the hearts and minds of voters. Lou Heldman, a communications strategist at Wichita State University and former publisher of The Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com, is among those observing the impact of social media on political campaigns.

Heldman: "Social media is playing an increasing role in political campaigns. The leading example was the Obama campaign in 2008, where he rallied a tremendous amount of support and raised tens of millions of dollars using social media."

The importance of social media isn't lost on candidates running for office in Kansas, as Heldman explains.

Heldman: "In Kansas, all of the leading candidates for U.S. Senate and for the Fourth District congressional seat are making extensive use of social media. Virtually every candidate has a Facebook account, a Twitter account and an account on YouTube."

Heldman says one reason that political candidates like websites is because it allows them to control the message.

Heldman: "Candidates love Web-based channels because they can control the message. They can put out their schedules, fundraising appeals, press statements. All of the things that used to have to go through traditional media, they're now distributing directly through the Web."

There are a number of reasons why political candidates like Web-based media.

Heldman: "Quick response time and low cost are advantages of Web-based media. There's none of the waiting for weeks for a television commercial to be scripted and shot. Instead, candidates can be on YouTube within minutes, using a low-cost video rig and their YouTube channel."

But using social media in political campaigns isn't without some challenges, according to Heldman.

Heldman: "One disadvantage of using the web versus traditional advertising channels is that you're mostly reaching people who have agreed to follow you or friend you or like you, and not reaching the large number of undecided voters that you can reach with a spot on American Idol or other popular show."

And fake sites can also be a problem for candidates.

"One disadvantage of social media is that it's very easy to create fake sites. One of the candidates who's in the Fourth District congressional race has more fake activity on Twitter than real activity, because people opposed to him have set up fake sites using his name."

As important as social media has become, it's a long way from being the most effective way for candidates to get their message out, according to Heldman.

Heldman: "For all the popularity of social media, broadcast advertising and direct mail, the old standbys of political campaigns are still far and away the dominant form of communication by candidates. Before the Fourth District congressional race is done, more than a million dollars will be spent on TV advertising, and that's just the primary."

Thanks, in part, to social media, no longer is campaigning done at specific places and times, but from anywhere and at anytime. The result of this new form of media in politics has already been felt, however it has yet to fully be applied. About one-third of Americans still do not use the Internet, and many of those who do are not members of these social media sites. Suffice it to say, the use of social media in political campaigns will continue to grow in significance in the years to come.

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.

Kansas primary election more interesting than usual

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:01:27 CST

This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast. See the transcript below:

You're listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU — the home of Thinkers, Doers, Movers and Shockers — on the web at wichita.edu.

History shows that few people vote in primary elections. However, this year's

Aug. 3 Kansas primary election may be more interesting than usual. Wichita State University political scientist Ken Ciboski says once Sen. Brownback decided to run for governor, the dominoes started to fall.

Ciboski: "Sen. Brownback's decision to leave the Senate and run for governor of Kansas I think sent a rippling effect throughout the state and, therefore, you had people who were interested in running for his seat. And it so happened that we had two House members from Kansas who are running for that seat, and they're very competitive. And that leaves other vacancies, too."

So why would two incumbent House Republicans give up their seats to run for the Senate? Ciboski explains.

Ciboski: "Well, there are several things. One is, for example, if you get to be a senator, you only have to run every six years. If you're a House member you run every two years, and so you're continually having your eye on that next election, and that's one reason. Secondly, there are only 100 senators. If you're one of a 100 instead of one of 435 in the House, you may have more influence and get more done."

Ciboski says open seats generate more competition.

Ciboski: "Well, what we have is competition within the party. I mean, that's what we have here with primaries. There's no party identification per se to distinguish one candidate from another. They're all the same party, but it's very competitive, and there will be followers of each of the candidates, and those followers want to make certain that they get out to the polls on Election Day. So, competitiveness brings out an electorate in the primary more so than it would have if they didn't have competition."

The fact that a senator is running for governor makes this primary season a little unusual as well.

Ciboski: "Of course, I've always thought about this a lot from the standpoint of Sen. Brownback's stepping down and running for governor in Kansas. As we know, he ran for the presidency. And a lot of people have this idea, whether it's true or not, that if you have executive experience, you're better qualified to be a president or presidential candidate. So I think, in spite of whatever discussion is going on, Sam Brownback still has the idea that he wants to run for president and that, quite possibly, he could pull off the nomination of the Republican Party."

According to Ciboski, Kansas has at least two House seats that are competitive at the primary level.

Ciboski: "Okay, we have two districts, two United States House Districts in Kansas which are really competitive in the primary season here, that being the First District with the Jerry Moran seat, and Fourth District, which is Todd Tiahrt's seat. And we have a full primary list of candidates running."

Although history shows that most voters find other things to do with their time than vote in primary elections, Ciboski says the various races may spark more interest than usual this time around.

Ciboski: "Primary election turnout is usually much lower than the general election turnout. The voters are different in the general election. They are more moderate and mainstream and so on. The primary election draws the people who are intentionally interested in the party, but also intentionally interested in a particular candidate, and the more competitive a primary is, which we are witnessing here in the First and the Fourth District, the more likely we are to see a higher turnout. Of course, a lot is going to depend on whether it's going to be hot, or whether it's raining or what the weather is going to be like, so we'll wait and see."

Many voters don't' seem to realize that the primary election is the most important phase. This is when each vote counts the most, because it gives people the ability to decide who the best candidate is. Unfortunately, many people skip the primary election and only vote in the general election, many of them complaining that their party's candidate is not the one they would have chosen.

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.