1. Media Coverage of Clinton
Lewinsky on Barbara Walters
Kalb (journalist and academic):
Criticizes Press Coverage of Clinton – What was wrong with it?

2. Rush to judgment of presidents; echoes Sabato
(Blurring of lines between journalists/politicians)
Sourcing

3. Justification of media coverage of Clinton scandal(s)
Isikoff (journalist)
Rationale for covering the Paula Jones/Monica Lewinsky scandal?
Shogan: history of “ethical quandaries” before he became President
Christopher Hitchens video

4. THEORIZING PRESIDENTIAL SCANDALS- why and how they are covered (or not covered)

6. Entman, Scandal and Silence
Four dimensions of presidential scandals:
Social cost
Realm of transgression
Magnitude of publicity
Political impact
Different view of media coverage of scandals than Sabato – media is often SILENT, don’t pursue potential scandals or cover them in sustained fashion
Like Farnsworth/Lichter: presidents respond to, manage scandals, influence the way they are framed and their staying power

7. For presidential action to become and be sustained as a presidential SCANDAL
1. Behavior must be defined as problem that threatens proper operation of society
2. Misdeed must be clearly attributed to the individual president, not others
3. Misconduct must be condemned from legitimate actors other than journalists
4. Remedy must be demanded or debated

8. Why do some scandals die or not gain traction?
JOURNALISTIC NORMS/PRACTICES
*Process over substance
*Simplicity over complexity
*Visually illustrated information
*Popularity over unpopularity/likeable politicians over unlikeable ones
*Stereotype-confirming novelty over incongruous reality
* Pressure-relief versus pushing on to expose truth

9. 3 Cases of Presidential “Draft Dodging”
Quayle 1988
Clinton 1992
George Bush Jr. 2000

13. WHY WERE THE 3 COVERED DIFFERENTLY/UNEVENLY
WHY WERE THE 3 COVERED DIFFERENTLY/UNEVENLY? Why did Quayle and Clinton get more coverage, and harsher coverage, than Bush for not going to fight in Vietnam?