Veteran journalists Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff anchor complete live coverage of the 2012 Democratic National Political Convention, from the opening gavel to its official close. Between speeches and events on the convention floor, Ifill and Woodruff interview political newsmakers and solicit analysis and perspective from PBS NewsHour regulars Shields and Brooks, presidential historians and others.
Judy's Notebook
Vote 2012 Map Center
Explore the PBS NewsHour Election 2012 Interactive Map Center. The map features an electoral college calculator which includes historical data going back to the 1964 election.
Individualism Or Community?
Much of the political fight boils down to a tug of war between two traditional American values, writes Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne: Individualism and a sense of community. He explores the topic in his latest book, "Our Divided Political Heart," and with Judy Woodruff. Watch the interview.
Who's Winning The Social-Media Race?
Pew Research Center's Project For Excellence in Journalism released a report that found the Obama campaign posts on social media platforms four times more than the Romney campaign. Judy Woodruff talks to the Daily Download's Lauren Ashburn and Howard Kurtz, who say more engagement doesn't guarantee a two-way conversation. Watch the interview
Mickey Edwards: Be Americans First To End Gridlock
Mickey Edwards, former Republican congressman, rails against political division in Washington in his new book, "The Parties Versus the People." Edwards talks to Judy Woodruff about his suggestions to reform party hostility and create "one congress serving one country." Watch the interview
How Would Ryan Budget Change Medicaid?
With the campaigns arguing over who can "protect" Medicare, NewsHour's partners at Kaiser Health News answer questions on how Ryan's proposed budget would change the health-care program.
Congress, The Election - And The Fiscal Cliff
Should Congress fail to pass a balanced budget by the end of 2012, America could face serious repercussions. Judy Woodruff talks to the Congressional Budget Office's former director Alice Rivlin and Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget's Maya MacGuineas about why budget reform talks need to shift to policy, not politics. Watch the interview
Republican Convention
PBS Convention Coverage: A NewsHour Special Report: Republican Convention airs Monday - Thursday, August 27 - 30, 2012 at 5 p.m. on KPBS TV.
The coverage will be interspersed with analysis, interviews and commentary, including:
• Shields & Brooks - Political analysis from NewsHour regulars syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks.
• Reports from the Convention Floor – Senior Correspondents Jeffrey Brown and Ray Suarez will have live dispatches from the convention floors throughout the evening broadcasts. Brown will be on site at the Republican convention in Tampa, Florida and Suarez will be at the Democratic convention in Charlotte, N.C.
• Political Analysis - of the Rothenberg Political Report and NewsHour Political Editor Christina Bellantoni offer perspective and analysis on key developments at the conventions.
• Historians – Presidential historians Richard Norton Smith and Michael Beschloss will provide historical context of the candidates’ acceptance speeches on the final night of each convention.
• By the Numbers – Andy Kohut, President of the Pew Research Center, explores data to provide insight on what motivates each party's activists and how voters identify with the parties; he’ll drill down into the demographic shifts in the country that have changed the parties and voters’ identification with them.
• Listen to Me – The PBS NewsHour showcases the voices of American voters through its year-long “Listen to Me” project asking their concerns and top issues driving them to the polls.
• The Daily Buzz – Political Editor Christina Bellantoni reports on how the politics of the conventions are being viewed online and what’s buzzing on Twitter before the convention each day.
• Making Sen$e – Paul Solman examines the economies of Tampa and Charlotte.
• Spanish Language – PBS NewsHour convention broadcast coverage will include SAP (Secondary Audio Program) in Spanish.
The livestream coverage will include:
• The Political Checklist – Each morning, Political Editor Christina Bellantoni will debrief co-anchors Judy Woodruff and Gwen Ifill about the nightly convention agenda as well as their take on political news and events.
• Noon Update - Each day at noon, Hari Sreenivasan will host a live update on convention events of the day, including official business, delegate meetings, activities outside the hall – such as demonstrations and protests.
• Live Web Cams – Cameras stationed throughout various venues will offer viewers a peek inside the convention hall and surrounding areas throughout the day and into the evening.
• The Doubleheader – Mark Shields and David Brooks join Hari Sreenivasan for a daily online discussion about the sport of politics - and the politics of sport.
• Roaming Reporter – Hari Sreenivasan will roam the convention site, the delegation hotels and locales around Tampa and Charlotte seeking out and interviewing delegates, party leaders and voters.
• Breakfast Panel Discussion – Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff will host a panel discussion at each convention with the young leaders of the 21st century.
• Spanish translation – One of the multiple livestream channels will extend the NewsHour’s broadcast coverage to new audiences by providing simultaneous Spanish audio translation of all broadcast coverage.
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Watch Swing States Weigh in on Presidential Race on PBS. See more from PBS NewsHour.
Watch Politically Torn Between Individualism and Community on PBS. See more from PBS NewsHour.
Watch Mickey Edwards Urges Congress, Be 'an American First' on PBS. See more from PBS NewsHour.
Watch To Fix Budget Deficit Congress 'Punts' or Jumps 'Off Cliff' on PBS. See more from PBS NewsHour.
