AU in the News

Showcasing AU programs, professors, students and alumni in the news
Week of March 8 - 14 & March 15 - 21

Don't Stop Believe'n
For the first time ever, American University's men's basketball team is competing in the NCAA tournament after defeating Colgate University for the Patriot League Championship. The Eagles will face Tennessee in Birmingham, AL, on Friday, as the No. 15 seed. Coverage of the Eagles victory and their debut in the tournament was featured in more than 500 news outlets. The Eagles' road to the Big Dance, including a thrilling victory over Colgate in the Patriot League Championship game, was featured in USAToday, The Washington Post, and the Washington Times.

Spouse Support during Scandals
When former Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned following allegations of his role in a prostitution ring, his wife Silda Wall Spitzer stood by his side, an all-too-familiar scene in political scandal, reports abcnews.com. "Most times when this happens to the average woman, they'll leave the relationship," said Gemma Puglisi, a communications expert and associate professor at American University in Washington, D.C. "But with these high-profile cases, everything is at stake -- the job, the prestige -- and so it's almost the norm for the wife to stand there and say, 'Yes, he was wrong, but I forgive him.''' Puglisi said wives also make their decisions based on what they deem best for both the family and marriage. (3/11/08)

Internet Privacy
When Ashley Alexandra Dupre became infamous due to her alleged sexual encounters with New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, her personal information was immediately exposed via social Web sites such as MySpace and Facebook, proving the difficulty of protecting privacy in the midst of media scrutiny, reports the Associated Press. "A week ago, only [Dupre's] friends cared," said American University law professor Chris Simpson, whose expertise includes Internet and privacy law. "But once you put it up for the world to see, you can't control which fraction of the world will see it." This article appeared in more than 50 news outlets. (3/12/08)

Clinton Playing Catch-up
According to campaign aides, it has become crucial that Sen. Hillary Clinton secure the delegates for the state of Pennsylvania, reports the Post Chronicle. "I think Pennsylvania is a must-win for Clinton," said Brian Schaffner, a political science professor at American University. "It is a state where she should perform well, and it is a state that her campaign has singled out as one that they expect to win. Not to mention the fact that this race eventually comes down to delegates, and she cannot cut into [Obama’s] lead without winning Pennsylvania by at least several points." Even with a win in Pennsylvania, however, Schaffner argued on Good Morning America, that Sen. Clinton has a tough up-hill battle ahead of her. "You can never say never, but it's close to too late. Certainly if neither Michigan nor Florida revotes, it seems very unlikely that she could catch up in terms of pledged delegates."

The Influence of Film
Films often carry messages that reach audiences in massive numbers, but many question the influence films have on consumers, reports Time magazine. "For policymakers, the release of a movie becomes a focusing event, like a natural disaster," says Matthew Nisbet, professor of communications at American University, referencing Al Gore's 2006 project "An Inconvenient Truth," which grossed $24 million at the U.S. box office and was used in the curriculum of many teachers and professors. (3/17/08)

Do-Over for Michigan and Florida?
With the close call in the Democratic race for the White House, the question of repeating primaries in Michigan and Florida will settle the score, reports the Christian Broadcasting Network. 'In the end, it's going to be those 800 super-delegates who decide this race,' said Allan Lichtman, a political analyst with American University. (3/10/08)

Conflicts with Internet Protection
While Americans are pushing for better protection of their personal data online, many often forfeit those safeguards in order to obtain information via the Internet, reports NewsFactor Business Report. Kathryn Montgomery, a professor in the School of Communication and an online privacy advocate, said that consumers are often unaware of the lack of secure connections when using search engines. (3/12/08)

Iraq War no longer an issue?
According to Allan Lichtman, professor of history at American University, the war in Iraq is no longer dominant when it comes to the presidential campaign, now five years after the initial U.S.-led invasion. In its place, he told the Associated Press, is the nation's current economic crisis; though Iraq could become a top priority once again if there is an increase in the number of deaths in the conflict. This article appeared in more than 20 news outlets. (3/18/08)

Budget Discipline
In an opinion piece for Financial Times, Gordon Adams, a professor of international relations at American University, said that the U.S. is avoiding the development of a strategy to fix the nation's budget crisis and engage the world differently following the Iraq War, opting to debate over the costs of war and military expansion. "The candidates are tiptoeing around this debate for fear of being attacked as weak on defense," he said. "Once in office, they will pay the price of avoiding this debate, inheriting a swelling budget that lacks sufficient oversight and strategic foresight." (3/18/08)

Product Liability
A Senate bill designed to give the Consumer Product Safety Commission more power could increase the product liability exposures of U.S. businesses, some product liability experts warn. Strengthening the CPSC worries observers less than provisions that would require the governmental agency to establish an easily accessible database of consumer complaints and allegations of injuries, sickness, death or risk of the same related to consumer products, Financial Week reports. "The increased CPSC funding in the bill would not result in any additional basis for liability," said Andrew Popper, a professor at American University's Washington College of Law. "It provides the commission with critical funding and gives it some basis to go forward in a more positive way." (3/19/08)

The Southern Strategy
Sen. Hillary Clinton has defied the political pundits by staying competitive in the race for the Democratic nomination. American University professor Clarence Lusane argues in an Op-Ed for the News & Observer that she has done it with the help of “The Southern Strategy,” a political tactic which was used in the 60’s to tap into racial fears. “The Southern Strategy, with an anti-Muslim dimension added for flavor, has emerged as Clinton has completely lost African-American voters, an obvious key constituency that only a year ago was seen as locked up and put to bed,” said Lusane.

2009
Mar	6	13	20	27
Feb	6	13	20	27
Jan	4	9	16	23	30
2008
Dec	5	12	19
Nov	7	14	21
Oct	3	10	17	24	31
Sept	5	12	19	26
Aug	1	8	15	29
July	4	11	18	25
June	6	13	20	27
May	2	9	16	23
Apr	4	11	18	25
Mar	7	21	28
Feb	1	8	15	22	29
Jan	4	11	18	25
2007
Dec	7	14	21
Nov	2	9	16		30
Oct	5	12	19	26
Sept	7	14	21	28
Aug	3	10	17	24	31
July	31
June	30
Feb	2	9
Jan	5	12	19	26