Politics
Students on the Trail
To be at the center of a movement, to work in constant collaboration with a community of people who believe in one goal, with one election in mind—it is this larger purpose of the campaign that drives these students.
Outside the Two-Party System
Last Monday night, students across campus watched Bob Schieffer question Barack Obama and Mitt Romney on their respective foreign policy agendas.
Conversations: Barney Frank
Congressman Barney Frank ’61-’62 has represented Massachusetts’ Fourth Congressional District for more than 30 years. Last fall, he announced that he would not be running for re-election. Frank spoke with FM last week about Massachusetts’ U.S. Senate race, where Congress is headed, and what’s at stake on Nov. 6.
Conversations: Charles J. Ogletree
Law School professor Charles J. Ogletree first befriended President Barack Obama while he was a student at Harvard Law School in the late eighties. Ogletree spoke with FM last week about the president’s time at Harvard, the impending election, and Harvard’s place in the presidency.
Harvard Medical School Hosts Senator Thomas A. Daschle
No matter who wins the upcoming presidential election, change is coming to the U.S. health care system, according to former U.S. Senator Thomas A. Daschle.
The Springfield Republican Endorses Elizabeth Warren
With Election Day just a week away, the Springfield Republican just became the last of Massachusetts's major dailies to weigh in on the state's U.S. Senate race. The paper, which serves much of central and western Massachusetts, joined the Boston Globe and The Harvard Crimson in endorsing Harvard Law School professor Elizabeth Warren.
James E. Doyle
In this mini-series, Flyby profiles one of the seven fall 2012 IOP Fellows each week. This week: James E. Doyle After four decades away, Harvard Law School graduate and former Governor of Wisconsin James E. Doyle has returned to Cambridge as an IOP fellow, noting that many aspects of the Harvard Square atmosphere have changed.
Vote Today in The Crimson's Presidential Poll!
The Crimson has taken presidential election polls since at least 1884, when James Blaine beat out Grover Cleveland by just 20 votes among Harvard men. Harvard picked Alfred Landon and Wendell Wilkie over FDR in the 1936 and 1940 polls. At Harvard, Dewey really did defeat Truman, by a margin of more than 2:1. Now it's your turn to be a part of history.
Republicans for Gay Rights
Christian Berle, campaign manager to Richard R. Tisei of Massachusetts, speaks about Tisei's sexuality and how it effects his candidacy in the Republican party. Tisei is running for the US House of Representatives in the 2012 election.
Trouncing Torture and Terrorism
Ben Emmerson QC, UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, describes the obstacles he currently faces to his mandate from the United Nations, which is to assess human rights conditions through investigation and reporting. He spoke about counter-terrorism strategies, the accountability of US government officials in the cases of targeted killing, torture, rendition, and secret detention, as well as the stances taken on these issues by the candidates in the upcoming US Presidential Election.
The Latino Voter
Nina Perales, Director of Litigation for MALDEF, examines the current status of voting rights through her own casework on Thursday at the Harvard Law School. Her discussion included many facets of voting rights, including redistricting, identification requirements, and the protection of minority voting rights.
Supporters Travel Out of State To Aid Obama
Brian J. Mendel ’15 knocked on the front door, and, after waiting a few moments, jammed a Vote Obama flyer into the door’s handle, other pamphlets already crammed there.
Harvard Democrats Face Choice: Massachusetts or New Hampshire
A razor thin lead for President Barack Obama in New Hampshire and a Massachusetts Senate race that is too close to call have Harvard College politicos racing to Nov. 6, forced to decide where to invest their diminishing time and resources.
Christie Travels To MA to Back Brown
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie became the latest out-of-state politician to lend a hand in the hard-fought Massachusetts U.S. Senate race on Wednesday, when he endorsed U.S. Senator Scott Brown at a rally in Watertown.
FM Writes the EU’s Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech
Thanks again, Nobel committee. Oh, and if you could be a doll and wire the prize money directly to Spain, that’d be great.
Flyby's Third (and Final!) Presidential Debate Recap
Last night, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney sat down for a third and final presidential debate before election day. Although the close proximity of the candidates and moderator Bob Schieffer didn't quite produce the verbal fireworks we saw between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan when they were seated in the same format two weeks ago, we did hear quite a lot from both sides of the table (literally). Fortunately, Flyby stayed alert and on BS-patrol. For one last time, we're back to help you sort through some of the evening's more memorable moments.
Focus on Foreign Policy As Election Nears
Voters cite global affairs, defense, Iran, and terrorism, as crucial factors that will influence their decision on election day, according to a nonpartisan poll conducted by Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs released on Friday.
Panelists Compare Cuban Missile Crisis to Present-Day Conflict With Iran
Harvard professors drew on lessons from the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, comparing that controversy with the current Iranian nuclear armament program in a panel discussion at the Institute of Politics Friday.
Obamania—On the Way Out?
In this series, Flyby asks Harvard students to weigh in on topics worth polling. The Harvard Institute of Politics recently surveyed young voters and found that supporters of President Barack H. Obama are less enthusiastic about the president this election than they were four years ago. Only 55 percent of Obama supporters polled by the IOP said they "definitely" planned to vote next month. Are these statistics true on the Harvard campus? Flyby walked around the Yard and asked Harvard students if their enthusiasm for Obama has waned.
Nina J. Easton
"Presidential coverage used to be very serious endeavor," said self-described pundit Nina Easton from behind her desk at the Kennedy School's Institute of Politics. "There still are pockets of that attitude, especially among old school vets, but the culture is to get [the news] out there fast."
Brown and Warren Face Off With Campaign Ads
Whether or not you watch a lot of TV, you've most likely seen the ads for the Scott Brown-Elizabeth Warren Senate race that appear before practically every YouTube video. If you tune out whenever one of these ads pops up, here's Flyby's recap of the best lines from these ads, presented in debate format for your reading pleasure.
Former CEO of Freddie Mac Seeks Balanced Discourse
While most people think of only financial disaster when hearing the names Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Harvard students heard ...