Election Coverage

WXXI was proud to be the only station in Rochester to bring you complete coverage of the Democratic Convention in August and the Republican Convention in September. In the run-up to the 2008 presidential election, PBS’ and WXXI’s trusted news brands and personalities will provide in-depth information and insight into the issues and candidates. This month tune in for debates and forums for President, Vice President, Congress, and the New York State Senate, as well as some political specials.

Election Coverage 2008 features the following programs:

10/2 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 and AM1370/ PBS presents Vice Presidential Debate
Gwen Ifill, of PBS’ The NewsHour and Washington Week, moderates the vice presidential debate between the Democratic and Republican nominees live from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, with analysis from The NewsHour team anchored by Jim Lehrer with David Brooks and Mark Shields follows.

10/7 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 and AM1370/ PBS presents Presidential Debate 2
The second presidential debate between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama features undecided voters posing questions to the candidates. Tom Brokaw moderates the debate, live from Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee with analysis from The NewsHour team anchored by Jim Lehrer with David Brooks and Mark Shields follows.

10/9 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 and WXXI-AM 1370/HD91.5-2 / A 26th Congressional District Debate
WXXI’s Voice of the Voter initiative is sponsoring this live, 60-minute debate being simulcast on WXXI in Rochester and WNED in Buffalo. Citizens from both cities, along with media panelists, will question candidates.

10/15 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 and AM1370/ PBS presents Presidential Debate 3
The third presidential debate between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama focuses on foreign policy. Bob Schieffer moderates the debate, live from Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York, with analysis from The NewsHour team anchored by Jim Lehrer with David Brooks and Mark Shields follows.

10/17 at 8:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 / Need to Know: Voice of the Voter presents 55th NYS Senate District Debate
WXXI’s Voice of the Voter initiative is planning to present pre-recorded citizen questions to candidates in the 55th State Senate District during a special edition of Need to Know. Details subject to change.

10/18 at 6:30 p.m. WXXI-AM 1370/HD91.5-2 / Need to Know: Voice of the Voter presents 55th NYS Senate District Debate
WXXI’s Voice of the Voter initiative is planning to present pre-recorded citizen questions to candidates in the 55th State Senate District during a special edition of Need to Know. Details subject to change.

10/19 and 10/26 at 12:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 /Candidate Free Airtime
For the past decade WXXI has been giving political candidates in selected local races free airtime to talk directly to their constituents. Each candidate is allowed two minutes to deliver his or her unedited message, which is then aired on WXXI-TV, WXXI-AM and WRUR-FM. These messages may also be heard at <http://wxxi.org/election/cfat.html> .

10/20 – 11/2 between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., and 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on AM1370 and WRUR-FM88.5 / Candidate Free Airtime
See above at 10/19 for details.

10/22 at 8 p.m. WXXI-TV 21 and WXXI-AM 1370/HD91.5-2 / A 25th Congressional District Debate
WXXI’s Voice of the Voter initiative is sponsoring this live, 60-minute debate being simulcast on WXXI in Rochester and WCNY in Syracuse. Citizens from both cities, along with media panelists, will question candidates.

10/23 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 / The GOP’s Last Stand: The Possible Power Shift in the NYS Senate
WXXI’s Julie Philipp reports on how economic and education issues might affect the balance of power in Albany in this special program being produced by WXXI, WNET, WMHT, and WCNY. The program will examine a number of other election issues including property taxes and population shift.

10/24 at 8:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV 21 / Need to Know: Voice of the Voter presents 56th NYS Senate District Debate
WXXI’s Voice of the Voter initiative is planning to present pre-recorded citizen questions to candidates in the 55th State Senate District during a special edition of Need to Know. Details subject to change.

10/25 at 6:30 p.m. WXXI-AM 1370/HD91.5-2 / Need to Know: Voice of the Voter presents 56th NYS Senate District Debate
WXXI’s Voice of the Voter initiative is planning to present pre-recorded citizen questions to candidates in the 55th State Senate District during a special edition of Need to Know. Details subject to change.

Keep up-to-date with our Election Tools

Local Election Coverage | National Election Coverage

 

Pictured: Moderator John Donvan.
Photo Credit: ABC

Intelligence Squared U.S.: Universal Health Coverage Should Be the Federal Government's Responsibility

Saturday, October 4 at 3 p.m.

Recently in the U.S. it seems as if partisan rancor has replaced reasoned debate; mainstream media has become contentious and ideological; and discussions of important issues are being dominated by emotion rather than by facts and analysis. The debate series Intelligence Squared U.S. (IQ2US) attempts to change this trend and raise the level of public discourse on the key issues of our day. Intelligence Squared U.S.: Universal Health Coverage Should Be the Federal Government's Responsibility airs Saturday, October 4 at 3 p.m. on AM 1370 and WXXI-FM HD 91.5-2.

The U.S. healthcare system is unsustainable, and with the upcoming presidential election, healthcare reform is one of the nation's top domestic concerns.

In the opening debate of the Intelligence US Fall '08 series, debaters on both sides seek to increase coverage and lower spiraling costs, but through vastly different methods:

• more government control through mandates, regulation, and eventually, a single-payer system; or
• reliance on free markets and individual choice.

In the debate, Universal Health Coverage Should Be the Federal Government's Responsibility, arguing for the motion are Art Kellermann, Paul Krugman, and Michael Rachlis. Arguing against the motion are Michael F. Cannon, Sally C. Pipes, and John Stossel. The Moderator for the evening is John Donvan, a correspondent for ABC News Nightline.

Modeled on the British program Intelligence Squared, IQ2US is an Oxford-style debate that is provocative, intellectually rich, humorous, and dramatic. For each debate a motion is proposed. Then, three panelists argue for the motion and three argue against it, with a moderator controlling the proceedings. After the formal arguments, the debate is thrown open to the floor for questions, triggering a lively interchange among the speakers and audience members. Each side attempts to persuade the audience to vote their way. This adversarial context is electric, adding drama and excitement to the proceedings. The live audience will vote on the motion both before and after hearing the arguments, so there is a clear measure of how far people have actually been swayed. Those votes are tallied during the evening and announced at the end with a clear side winning.

For more information, visit www.intelligencesquaredus.org.

 

 

American RadioWorks: What Killed Sergeant Gray?

Saturday, October 11 at 3 p.m.

American RadioWorks investigates the mysterious death of an Iraq War veteran and uncovers new allegations of detainee abuse. This powerful documentary follows members of a U.S. Army unit and their struggle to come to terms with what they did, and didn't do, in Iraq. American RadioWorks: What Killed Sergeant Gray? airs Saturday, October 11 at 3 p.m. on AM 1370 and WXXI-FM HD 91.5-2.

For more information visit, americanradioworks.publicradio.org

American RadioWorks: After the Projects (Part of The Real Face of Poverty)

Saturday, October 18 at 3 p.m.

Around the country, public housing projects are crashing down. Once, the projects were a symbol of hope. FDR wanted them to be places for workers and immigrants, people he called “the deserving poor.” Starting in the '70s, neglect turned public housing projects into ghettos of concentrated poverty and violent crime. Now, in the next public housing "experiment," Chicago is replacing the projects and moving residents to mixed-income neighborhoods. But there won’t be room for everyone. And a new home may not mean an escape from poverty. American Radio Works: After the Projects (Part of The Real Face of Poverty) airs Saturday, October 18 at 3 p.m. on AM 1370 and WXXI-FM HD 91.5-2.

For more information visit, americanradioworks.publicradio.org

 

American Radio Works: Campaign '68

Saturday, October 25 at 3 p.m.

The dramatic 1968 presidential election was a watershed in American politics. For half a century, the Democratic Party had dominated the political landscape. But in 1968, it crumbled. Richard Nixon was elected president and a new era of Republican conservatism was born. Some say 2008 may be the end of that era. American Radio Works: Campaign '68, airing Saturday, October 25 at 3 p.m. on AM 1370 and WXXI-FM HD 91.5-2, will reveal to contemporary listeners the remarkable resonances between these two landmark political years, and how the events and consequences of 1968 help us better understand the 2008 race.

For more information visit, americanradioworks.publicradio.org

 

The Capitol Steps: Politics Takes a Holiday

Friday, October 31 at 1 p.m. and repeats Friday, October 31 at 10 p.m.

TUNE IN your radio for the four yearly editions of the Capitol Steps' "Politics Takes a Holiday" on April Fool's Day, July Fourth, Halloween and New Year's Eve.

The Capitol Steps began as a group of Senate staffers who set out to satirize the very people and places that employed them.

In the years that followed, many of the Steps ignored the conventional wisdom ("Don't quit your day job!"), and although not all of the current members of the Steps are former Capitol Hill staffers, taken together the performers have worked in a total of eighteen Congressional offices and represent 62 years of collective House and Senate staff experience.

Fro more information visit, www.capsteps.com

 

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