On 2 October, the White House announced that President Trump and the First Lady, Melania, had both tested positive for Covid 19, and were self-isolating in the presidential residence. Mr Trump therefore has to interrupt his campaign for re-election and the remaining presidential TV debates are put in doubt. Mr Trump announced the news in … Continue reading “Campaign Interrupted”
This article explains how the U.S. President is elected and focuses on the 2020 candidates, quickly exploring their careers as well as mapping out the electoral system and looking at the changes brought about this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s an easy B1, usable in older classes in collège as well as lycée. … Continue reading “How to Elect a President”
It’s already been an unusual election year in the U.S.A., with the later Democratic primaries cancelled because of Covid and delayed party conventions held online. As the virus continues to progress in the U.S.A., what are the possible consequences for the election? The parties are continuing as near to normal as they can. The focus, … Continue reading “U.S. Elections: the Year of the Unknowns”
The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on 18 September means the political balance of the court is likely to swing right. Justice Ginsburg was a pioneering lawyer and judge who was at the forefront of battles for gender equality and women’s rights. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was one of three women out of … Continue reading “Goodbye RBG”
As the race to the White House is about to resume after the pandemic , Jon Stewart’s latest movie — released on 1 July in France — takes you behind the scenes to help you decipher a political campaign. Setting the movie in Wisconsin, and using (wry) humour, Stewart wants people to realise politics is … Continue reading “Irresistible: U.S. Politics on Film”
Jon Stewart honed the art of satire on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. Now he’s left the presenting to Trevor Noah, he has turned his satire on the U.S. political system and its finances in a new film, Irresistible. It stars Steve Carrell as a political strategist for the Democratic Party who persuades an ex-Marine … Continue reading “The “Irresistible” Election Machine”
On 8 April Bernie Sanders suspended his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, effectively opening to road to Joe Biden to become the party’s official candidate for the White House in November’s election. The two men were the surviving candidates in the primary campaign, but Mr Sanders’ delegate numbers were looking weak before the disruption … Continue reading “Bye-bye Bernie”
From a diverse field of almost thirty candidates, the campaign to find the Democratic candidate to oppose Donald Trump in November’s election has narrowed to a choice between frontrunners representing the left and the right of the party. The 2016 Democratic primary season started with just three candidates, including two rather atypical frontrunners: Hillary Clinton, … Continue reading “Getting Closer to the White House”
On 18 December, President Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives, only the third president in U.S. history to be rebuked in this way. The second stage of impeachment, before the Senate, is unlikely to succeed, but it will run into the beginning of primary season for the November presidential election. The impeachment … Continue reading “Impeached”
A young Latina woman from the Bronx, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shatters our traditional vision of Congressional Representatives. This article explores her life, both private and public, from the Bronx to Washington, D.C. after the recent midterm elections: how can “one of us” sit in Congress at barely 29 and champion the average working class person’s rights? … Continue reading “The New Face of Congress”