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Faculty, alumni panel dissect Election 2008

Alumni Association hosts traveling lecture series in Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth.

Faculty, alumni panel dissect Election 2008

Alumni Association hosts traveling lecture series in Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth.

Hundreds of millions of dollars in contributions. New media from the Internet to cell phone to cable channels. Fundraising innovations. “Horse race” reporting. Welcome to the longest presidential campaign in history. It will be first time since 1961 – and only the third time ever — a sitting senator will take the oath of office in January. And it will be the first time since 1928 that no incumbent president or vice president is in the race.

The historic and unpredictable 2008 election has made for interesting conversation. In March and April, the Alumni Association hosted a traveling lecture series in Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth called “Constructing a Presidential Campaign.” More than 300 attended the panel discussions that featured political science professors Jim Riddlesperger, Joanne Green and Adam Schiffer, journalism professor Tommy Thomason and The Dallas Morning News government editor Ryan Rusak ’98.

By the numbers

March 12
Date of first primary during 1968 election

January 8
Date of first primary during 2008 election

13
States that held primaries during 1968 election

37
States that held primaries during 2008 election

70
Percent of Americans who get their news from television

90
Percent of campaign contributions that came from individuals

157 million
Dollars spent by Hillary Clinton campaign in March

183 million
Dollars spent by Barack Obama campaign in March

65 million
Dollars spent by John McCain campaign in March