Election 2012: What's At Stake

"Election 2012: What's At Stake," a PBS Election 2012 special, presents viewers with an up-to-the-minute review of this year’s top campaign issues and considers how the outcome of the election could impact voters’ lives. The program is presented by WNET and produced by NEED TO KNOW executive producer Marc Rosenwasser.

Courtesy of Robert Severi

Courtesy of PBS

Courtesy of Robert Severi

KPBS Election Coverage

Anchored by PBS NEWSHOUR correspondent Hari Sreenivasan, "What's At Stake" leads viewers through four major issues at the center of this year’s campaigns: jobs and tax policy, entitlements and debt, healthcare, and foreign policy.

PBS’ news and public affairs programs contribute to the special, with field pieces from top journalists, including NEED TO KNOW’s Maria Hinojosa and PBS NEWSHOUR’s Jeffrey Brown, Ray Suarez, Margaret Warner and Judy Woodruff.

In her role as WASHINGTON WEEK’s managing editor and moderator, Gwen Ifill contributes a segment on how the presidency transforms the person who holds the office, while FRONTLINE provides a segment by the producers of “The Choice” focusing on a transformational moment in the life of each of the candidates.

In addition, PBS NEWSHOUR political editor Christina Bellantoni joins Sreenivasan to discuss critical congressional races across the country.

Beyond the major campaign topics, "What's At Stake" looks at several issues that have remained under the radar during the presidential campaign season, including future appointments to the Supreme Court, gun control, and climate change, among others. NEED TO KNOW’s Jeff Greenfield explores whether it’s possible to predict a president’s effectiveness.

“What's At Stake draws on the expertise of PBS’ news and public affairs programs to give viewers deeper and more meaningful information on the eve of the election,” says PBS senior vice president and chief TV programming executive John F. Wilson. “The result is an important, in-depth special that gives viewers valuable information they can use as they make their voting decisions.”

For more information on other PBS Election 2012 programming including PBS NEWSHOUR, WASHINGTON WEEK, FRONTLINE, NEED TO KNOW and election specials, visit pbs.org/election2012 and follow #pbsElection on Twitter.