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Democracy in the U.S.:
Highlights/Classic Moments

OVERVIEW
For the four years of a president's term in office, he is in the political spotlight. That spotlight is magnified by the power of the media, especially television, to bring a president's actions and words to a national and international audience. (This same holds true for leading presidential candidates.) Some would say the media excessively scrutinize the president's missteps and alternatively glorify his triumphs, perhaps playing to the audience. By reviewing some of these "classic" moments in various presidencies, students will be able to explore the presidents' actions and the role the media played in each.
VIDEO CLIPS>>
Watch clips showing presidents and politicians delivering speeches and answering questions. 1. Why are these moments considered to be historically significant? 2. Who are the different audiences being addressed? Did the speaker change his tone or his specific words on account of his audience? 3. In these moments was the subject practicing good leadership? 4. Using these speeches, can you determine anything about the speaker's overall ability to govern? his legislative practices? his personality? his personal life? 5. Were any of these moments responsible for creating or contributing to a legacy?
APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Can you think of any other "classic moments" in presidential or political history? Also, think about how presidents and politicians have been remembered in the absence of a camera. Use C-SPAN's on-line video as well as C-SPAN in the Classroom's look at historical roles of the president through letters to explore.

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Curriculum Advisory Team

Road to the White House
C-SPAN's weekly look at the candidates, issues and events that shape the 2004 Presidential race.

2004 Vote
Information about presidential and congressional candidates running in the 2004 election.

3 Branches of Government
Learn about the legislative, judicial and executive branches of the U.S. government.

Vocabulary & Definitions
Check back for more terms as the campaign progresses.

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Review standard-based topics with
C-SPAN in the Classroom's 2004 Vote web resources.

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