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Political Attack Ads and Lincoln’s 1864 Campaign

What would the 1864 presidential campaign have looked like if Abe Lincoln and Gen. George B. McClellan had used today’s deceptive campaign techniques and video attack ads? Lincoln was reelected 150 years ago on Nov. 8, and his campaign against McClellan has been reimagined by the political literacy website FlackCheck.org through a video timeline of ads that use humor, parody, and contemporary deceptive approaches.

Civics Renewal Network launches on Constitution Day

Constitution Day, Wednesday, Sept. 17, and the 225th anniversary of the drafting of the Bill of Rights will be celebrated by events spanning the nation, including naturalization ceremonies at iconic sites, students taking the “Preamble Challenge,” a panel in Washington examining the role of civics in American life, and the start-up of an online resource for civics education. The daylong commemoration will launch the Civics Renewal Network, a collaboration among 26 groups, including the Annenberg Public Policy Center.

The Colbert Report

Stephen Colbert’s Civics Lesson: Or, How a TV Humorist Taught America About Campaign Finance

Viewers of “The Colbert Report” who watched faux-conservative TV host Stephen Colbert set up a super PAC and 501(c)(4) organization during the last presidential election cycle proved to be better informed about campaign financing and the role of money in politics than viewers of other news channels and shows, according to a new study by researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center.

Annenberg Classroom documentaries win CINE Golden Eagle awards

Annenberg Classroom’s documentaries “The Right to Remain Silent: Miranda v. Arizona” and “Search and Seizure: Mapp v. Ohio” have received the CINE Golden Eagle Award. The 25-minute film “The Right to Remain Silent” details the U.S. Supreme Court case of Miranda v. Arizona, the landmark decision that ensured the right to consult an attorney and

Abraham Lincoln

Could Lincoln Be Reelected Today?

Could Lincoln be reelected today? What sort of attack ads might he encounter? What deceptive ads, false claims, and out-of-context quotations might the Illinois Republican face from the likes of Democratic nominee Gen. George B. McClellan and third-party Super PACs? Using a variety of political-campaign techniques, along with parody and humor, FlackCheck.org has reconceived the bruising 1864 campaign in a video timeline.