Spin Control Assignment

Name: ____________________ Spin Control Directions: For each of the following scenarios, you will have to complete two tasks from opposing viewpoints. As a member of the media, you will have to write 1 to 2 questions that attack the campaign that is dealing with the crisis. Then you will have act as the campaign itself that is dealing with the crisis and write 1 to 2 statements or redirecting questions that spin the scenario to make the campaign appear in a better light. Here are the scenarios: Scenario #1: It is January and the results of the Iowa Caucus have just come in. You have been ahead in the polls for your Party since you began your campaign nearly a year ago, despite this fact, you just finished 2nd in the Caucus. This being the first primary/caucus it came as a huge surprise to both you and your supporters. Your campaign could immediately lose momentum. The Media: ________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ The Campaign: _____________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ Scenario # 2: Your opponent has issued numerous negative campaign ads in regards to you being “soft” on the War in Iraq. It did not help this morning when CNN released a “breaking” story that there is evidence that you dodged the draft for the Vietnam War (the accusations are true). The Media: ________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _____

The Campaign: _____________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ Scenario #3: Your campaign is gaining a lot of momentum. This is surprising as you are from a small state and have had little name recognition. News breaks that your former mistress is holding a press conference where she will tell the truth about an affair the two of you had 10 years ago. The Media: ________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ The Campaign: _____________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ Scenario #4: Your choice for Vice-President is being reviewed, and it is revealed that his wife has a history of mental-illness. He has had this hidden from the press for the many years he served as governor of his home state. The Media: ________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _____

The Campaign: _____________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _____