Politics

Breaking the News: A Journalist's Perspective

Anna Tolette — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:50:53 +0000

Breaking the News: A Journalist's Perspective Anna Tolette Tue, 11/12/2024 - 13:50

Cynthia Barnes

In 2022, Allison Sandza (Jour’09) became the executive producer for the CBS News Streaming Network’s coverage for Washington, D.C. She has also served as a senior producer for Meet the Press, the longest-running show in television history, after stints at PBS and CNN. Born and raised in the capital city, Sandza is committed to reaching an audience that increasingly turns to digital devices for their news.

What led you to journalism?

I grew up in a news household: My parents met in a newsroom before my mom became a lawyer. I grew up with framed newspapers on the walls. So, to say politics and news is in my blood is probably an understatement. It is what I was meant to do.

How do you see streaming platforms evolving for political news coverage, especially in this election cycle?

We are the live and breaking news arm of CBS News. We rush toward the stories, and in this news cycle — especially this political news cycle — it’s just faster than ever.

How did your time at CU and in Boulder affect what you’re doing now and what’s happened in your career?

In my last semester at CU, I took what ended up being my all-time favorite class: a media ethics course. I still think about that class. Every day, every single day, I think, “Is this fair? Is this sourced enough?”

We try to make sure that we are explaining the context and analysis of the whole picture, all while it’s happening in real time. I learned those nuts and bolts in journalism school at CU.

How do you balance breaking timely political coverage with the desire for, as you said, more nuanced, in-depth reporting on complex issues?

Every day, it’s a conversation and an internal struggle. I do think CBS News is unique in that it’s a place that’s known for taking a beat, for taking context into account with every story. It’s the home of 60 Minutes. It’s the home of in-depth reporting and analysis. So I think we’re very careful — we admit in real time when we still don’t know something. That is really the only way to operate. And I think it’s authentic, which audiences now crave.

Any final thoughts?

It’s a privilege to be able to cover this election, to be able to really write this first draft of history. That’s such a journalism cliché, but I think it’s a cliché for a reason.

Editor’s note: This interview was conducted prior to the November 5 election.

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Photo by Hugo Ross/ CBS

In 2022, Allison Sandza (Jour’09) became the executive producer for the CBS News Streaming Network's coverage for Washington, D.C. Here's why she's committed to reaching an audience that increasingly turns to digital devices for their news.

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Fall 2024

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Filming the Frontlines: Jordan Campbell’s Journey Into Ukraine

Anna Tolette — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:44:53 +0000

Filming the Frontlines: Jordan Campbell’s Journey Into Ukraine Anna Tolette Tue, 11/12/2024 - 13:44

Audrea Lin

Journalist, photographer and filmmaker Jordan Campbell (Comm’91) is no stranger to the harshness of international conflict. He has reported from South Sudan, Libya and Iraq for publications like National Geographic and Men's Journal. He also founded Ramro Global, a film production company that documents the work of global health and humanitarian initiatives.

But his latest project, an upcoming documentary titled Ukraine Under Fire, is a personal labor — the origins and experiences of which are unlike anything he’s ever undertaken.

International storytelling

After graduating from CU, Campbell started working with outdoor company Marmot as a communications director. Always one to seek out new and interesting perspectives, he befriended a few of the company’s international representatives, becoming close to his Ukrainian colleagues Iryna Karagan and Pavlo Vasianoych.

Over the course of the next decade, Campbell found himself drawn to bigger stories, fueled by his university training in storytelling, geopolitics and political science. His career segued into global journalism and film.

Still, he remained friends with Karagan and Vasianoych. And when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, he quickly reached out to Karagan. Concerned, he asked if she would flee. Karagan’s answer was resolved: Not only was she staying put, she was staying “to defend our country.”

Her determination highlighted what Campbell saw as “the most incredible injustice, a David and Goliath story — of resistance, resilience and the quest for freedom, democracy and European integration.”

Documenting conflict

A month later, Campbell crossed the Polish border heading to Kiev, his camera in tow and post-apocalyptic sirens blaring. “It was a ghost town,” he remembered. In areas near Bucha that Ukrainian soldiers had just liberated from Russia, he saw evidence of violence alongside the burnt remains of tanks, buildings and cars.

He returned again that summer and embedded at a military hospital in Pokrovsk, a grisly scene of battered and injured soldiers. “It was a life-changing event,” he said. Campbell decided that the footage he shot would become part of a film, Ukraine Under Fire, that documents Russia’s invasion and Ukraine’s resilience, and includes Karagan and Vasianoych as subjects.

Between visits, Campbell spoke up about what he had seen. At the U.S. Senate Building, he presented before an audience of global politicians during the Parliamentary Intelligence Security Forum, speaking about Russia’s use of cluster bombs on civilian targets and what he believed was evidence of war crimes and genocide.

“What he’s doing by humanizing the conflict encourages people to take an interest and support the cause of the Ukrainian people,” said Dan Martinez, a retired Foreign Service Officer and Ramro Global advisory board member who facilitated Campbell’s participation.

Despite the inherent risks, Campbell continued to return to Ukraine, mitigating the dangers by following a few simple rules: “Make the best decisions you can possibly make, given where you are and who you're with,” and, “Pick the people you're going to be with very carefully.”

One such person he shadowed was Peter Fouché, a South African combat medic. During a frigid morning in early 2023, the two men patrolled a quiet hamlet near the front line, peering up at the sky for incoming drones. Fouché, burly and hardened, a Rambo-like figure cradling an AK-47, emerged from the broken shell of a little stone house. Then, he broke into tears.

“The West will be remembered for what they have done or have not done in this war,” Fouché said, staring directly into Campbell’s lens.

Capturing reality

The summer of 2023 was Campbell’s fifth visit to Ukraine — one he now describes as “disastrous.” He was with Fouché at the time, and their nerves were shot from exhaustion, PTSD and a relentless, soggy heat. He didn’t know it, but it would be the last time he’d see his friend.

As Campbell made plans to return, to embed with Fouché and his Ukrainian colleague Tatyana Millard, he learned that the two were killed near the frontlines. The duo were evacuating injured soldiers from the combat zone “like a superhero team,” Campbell said.

“That’s Peter’s essence right there,” Campbell remarked weeks after Fouché’s death, while reflecting on the footage he captured of the heroic medic and his piercing statement about the West’s role in the war. “That's the power of documentary film. It's that close.”

Campbell’s documentary, Ukraine Under Fire, is set to release in December 2024.

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Photos courtesy Oleg Avilov

In 2022, journalist, photographer and filmmaker Jordan Campbell (Comm’91) headed to Ukraine to report on the war. Now, he’s sharing his experiences in his documentary, Ukraine Under Fire.

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CNBC Anchor and CU Alum Carl Quintanilla Says Boulder Deserves National Attention

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 18:31:06 +0000

CNBC Anchor and CU Alum Carl Quintanilla Says Boulder Deserves National Attention Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 04/10/2024 - 12:31

Carl Quintanilla (PolSci’93) knows the news. Currently co-anchor of CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” and “Money Movers,” Quintanilla has journalistic experience that spans 24 years of award-winning broadcast and print reporting — starting with a political science degree at CU Boulder.

During his tenure as a newscaster, Quintanilla has covered everything from the Olympic Games to presidential elections to Hurricane Katrina and has earned numerous accolades in his field, including a national Emmy Award and broadcast’s highest honor, a Peabody Award.

As he heads to campus this week to speak at CU’s Conference on World Affairs, Carl told us about his storied career as a journalist, his lasting memories from CU Boulder and why CNBC is featuring Denver and Boulder in their new special, “Cities of Success."

How did you get to where you are today?

I went into college already knowing I wanted to be in journalism. It was never a question to me what I was going to do. I was very focused. During my school career, I was a DJ at Colorado Public Radio, and I interned at local papers. Those were all hugely helpful experiences.

I started working for the Wall Street Journal after graduation in 1993. The economy was on fire, there was a peace dividend, Clinton was president. Companies were hiring en masse and the Wall Street Journal was taking lots of chances on young kids.

I spent six years at the Wall Street Journal, and then slowly cable television became ascendant. They started putting cameras in our bureau. I had never really considered broadcast, but it was clearly where the industry was going. So I went to CNBC and NBC News in 1999. It’s been almost a quarter century. It’s gone by so fast.

How did CU Boulder play a role in bolstering your dream of being a journalist?

I can’t overstate how much CU Boulder was an important dynamic in my growth. When it came to academics, they really delivered the mail. The professors were engaged and attentive. They really wanted us to learn. CU taught me how to think critically. It’s one of the many things from CU Boulder that I still carry with me.

What memories stand out from your time in Boulder?

My freshman year, I was in Williams Village, which is its own kind of community. I remember our study groups would always go to Perkins for pie and coffee. There was a very, very special kind of home life among people who were in “Will Vill.”

I also marched in the marching band for a couple of years. I remember playing my alto sax on Folsom Field for hours, going to every game. That kind of cadence was a joy — being at the stadium every Saturday morning, playing as loud as I could when they scored a touchdown. Things like that are my most vivid memories of CU Boulder.

How is it being back on campus for the Conference of World Affairs?

I love being back on campus. There’s something very visceral about being back at Old Main or Macky or the UMC. The campus has changed quite a bit, but it’s still the same at heart. The atmosphere of the campus and the town are just so amazing. It’s just fun to go back and soak it all up again.

What’s your favorite thing about what you do?

I’m a news junkie at heart. I always joke with my wife that on my days off, I still get up at the same time and read the same stories. So I do like being paid to read and be informed and process as much about this crazy world as I can.

Being an anchor is different from being a reporter — a reporter has a beat, and there’s pressure to break news. The thing about being an anchor is you’re really almost a curator, trying to pick the best stories and organize them in a linear fashion for someone who’s watching, along with the help of your producers and your editorial staff. I think that there is real reward in helping someone who is maybe just waking up get their news diet and just process daily life.

Are there any career highlights that stand out for you?

A lot of my work that has been most recognized was probably during Hurricane Katrina. I was with the Today Show and NBC Nightly News. I remember when we realized it was going to be a much bigger story than the weather, with societal impacts and cultural impacts. Reporting on that story was hugely rewarding.

Tell me about “Cities of Success” — and why you’re excited to include Denver and Boulder on the list?

It’s truly all in the name. CNBC judged a host of cities on a variety of qualities and selected a few standout areas to feature. The pairing of strength between Denver and Boulder just really stood out.

On a personal level, I have the benefit of seeing the Mountain West from a prior era. Industry was very concentrated when I lived here — it was telecom, energy and aerospace, period. When I go back now, I see life sciences and biotech and quantum computing. These cities have an amazing, self-sustaining workforce. That is really the reason companies are moving here. It’s not just because of the lifestyle or the sunshine anymore. It’s because that’s where other successful businesses are and other smart people are. I am just really proud of Colorado. It’s an amazing thing to see.

You can watch CNBC’s one-hour primetime special “Cities of Success: Denver & Boulder,” on Thursday, April 11 at 8 p.m. MT.

Interview condensed and edited.

Photos courtesy Carl Quintanilla

Find out why CNBC anchor Carl Quintanilla is proud to feature his hometown metropolis in the network’s “Cities of Success,” and how CU Boulder shaped his career as a journalist.

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Feedback: Summer 2023

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Feedback: Summer 2023 Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/10/2023 - 00:00

How Did Everything Get So Political?

Good to see an article addressing the nature of our current political divide [“How Did Everything Get So Political?” Spring 2023] It would be great to make this a series where the rise of marooned independent voters and the influence of media as a profiteer are also explored, for example. I have a feeling it’s crucial to the repair, maintenance and advancement of society.

John W. Comerford (Film, Psych’90)
Petaluma, California

I usually looked forward to reading about the “on or about” campus news. But the latest edition speaks to the reality of how things have become so politicized. The current edition is nothing more than left-wing propaganda and disinformation. CU’s always been far left of center, but this edition exemplifies the extremist lefts’ war on truth, and desire for censorship and subjugation.

Edward Haugland (EurSt’84)
Fort Belvoir, Virginia

I am terribly disappointed. I am a very loyal CU alum, and always been a big fan of this magazine. I do not believe that an issue focused on current politics is an appropriate realm of exploration on the part of CU. Our society is deeply divided on most of these topics, and I feel it is downright arrogant for this university — which is accomplished in so many other areas — to step up and assert its global views.

Colleen McAllister (Engl’64)
Greenwood Village, Colorado

Thank you for the great work showcasing CU for us alumni. That said, I wanted to reach out about the cover chosen for your most current issue.

While the article is discussing how to integrate political perspectives and de-polarize, your cover seems to infer the opposite. This I found disappointing. As an unaffiliated voter, the artwork depicts some fairly radical perspectives and frankly, instigated a lot of difficult conversations in my house with my children after I had them get the mail. While the cover art is usually a beautiful depiction of the Boulder we know and love, this seemed to miss the mark.

Kristen Lanier (Comm’05; MEdu’11)
Littleton, Colorado

The First Amendment

Just wanted to say that I loved and appreciated the article on the First Amendment and to ask you to please do more — Second Amendment next!

Judith Craig Buczek (Zool’66; MD’70)
Camano Island, Washington

Reflecting on The Sink

I was born in 1947, and grew up in Boulder and lived at 10th and Pennsylvania for most of my youth. I spent many an afternoon on The Hill and had many friends who worked at “Herbie’s Deli.” I went away to college, but when I was back in town, that was where we all met up. Boulder is totally different, and not necessarily for the better, but it’s nice to know that something truly Boulder has survived the times.

Thaine Gilliland
Steamboat Springs, Colorado

I enjoyed the article about 100 years of The Sink. A feedback letter in that issue implied that The Sink served cinnamon rolls and peanut butter. I don’t believe, however, that The Sink made them. I was at CU Boulder from 1954–59 and worked in 1955 as a server at Owens Cafe, which was a corner place a block from The Sink. The morning specialty at Owens was toasted cinnamon rolls with peanut butter, and they sold a ton of them.

Incidentally, I went from Owens to being a waiter at a new fine dining restaurant on Arapahoe Ave., the Lamp Post. It was the first place in Boulder with a full liquor license, and big tips allowed me to stay in school and graduate.

Dave Oxley (Econ’60)
De Pere, Wisconsin

I spent a lot of time at The Sink during my years at CU. I particularly loved the fries! I took my parents once when they visited … My mother was not impressed with the artwork, and my dad's comment (as an engineer and contractor) about the overheard pipes was that they were a fire marshall's worst nightmare!

Susan McKee (IntlRel’69)
Santa Fe, New Mexico

I worked as a short order cook at Herbie’s Deli, circa 1978. One of my favorite memories was our neighbor to the south, Nicky. He had a witchcraft shop, and most days, he would call his order into the restaurant. We would get the order with the header “Nicky,” and when it was done and ready for pickup, we would bang on the stainless steel behind the grill (which was the wall between our spaces) as a signal that he could come over and pick his order up. He would pay on the spot, and he never had to shut down his store in order to get lunch.

Martin Agather (Econ’80)
St. Louis Park, Minnesota

Baseball and Softball

Now that Deion Sanders is football coach, I look forward to having baseball and softball started again at CU. We need them to take advantage of all the revenue both these sports now generate. Shame on Colorado for not having baseball all these years. I am looking forward to getting these programs started soon.

Jack Price (PE’66)
Camas, Washington

Aging Buffalo

As an aging buffalo, rheumy-eyed and slow afoot, every new wind gust threatens and menaces.

Impossible to fend off, fatally unwilling to take a knee and submit, the inevitable, this time and this time only, presents itself, a courtier proffering a tasteful tankard.

Thank you, Coloradan, for trueing the time ‘twixt then and now.

Drew Clearie (Psych’72)
Sarasota, Florida

The Columbia Astronauts

In your spring issue you pictured the crew of the orbiter Columbia of STS-107 [THEN, pages 65–66]. I realize that one of the crew was a CU alum, and it was nice to honor her on this anniversary. There were six others on that mission, and I don’t think it would have been too hard to at least include their names. Dave Brown (right, rear with pilot’s wings) was a dear friend of mine and my flight surgeon when we deployed together on the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in 1984.

Norm Walker (MechEngr’78)
San Diego, California

[Editor’s Note: It was an oversight on our part to not recognize the rest of the Columbia crew in our story. In addition to Kalpana Chawla (MAeroEngr’86; PhD’88; HonDocSci’03), we wish to also recognize David Brown, Rick Husband, Laurel Clark, Michael Anderson, William “Willie” McCool and Ilan Ramon, who died 20 years ago. We regret the error.]

Remembering Bill Deno, Campus Architect

I’m sad to announce William “Bill” R. Deno (Arch’72, MA’73), CU Boulder campus architect emeritus, died Feb. 20, 2023. He was 94 years old. Bill was generous beyond measure and a decent human being who fell in love with CU Boulder and never let go.

Bill was given the title of Boulder campus architect in 1991. He managed the complete renovation of Old Main in 1984 and was responsible for the ADA updates to all buildings on the main Boulder campus during the 1990s. Bill brought back to life the importance of CU’s Master Plan and wrote two books about architect Charles Klauder’s vision, Body & Soul, Architectural Style at the University of Colorado at Boulder (1994) and Body & Soul: A Partnership of Architecture and Academics at the �鶹��Ƶ Centennial Update (2018), both of which I passionately designed for him. In 2020, Bill created the Deno Trust Endowment to fund tree replacement and development on CU Boulder’s main campus. I will miss him dearly.

Elizabeth Johnston
Rosedale, Kansas

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Photos courtesy CU Boulder, The Sink, illustration by Ward Sutton

Readers sound off on the spring issue.

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CU in D.C. Program

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

CU in D.C. Program Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/06/2023 - 00:00

Cheyenne Smith

In the spring of 2022, Morgan Chudd (PolSci’23) spent a semester studying in Washington, D.C., with the CU in D.C. program. While interning with the governmental relations firm Potomac Advocates as a research analyst, she also gleaned lifelong professional experience.

“The things I learned in D.C. will stick with me for the rest of my life,” said Chudd. “This was not my first experience in the workforce, but it was different from anything I had experienced. Aside from my internship, the history in the city was enough to keep me busy for four months.”

In 2010, CU Boulder’s political science department started the CU in D.C. summer program, offering students leadership and career opportunities in Washington, D.C. By 2013, the program was offering semester-long programming.

The program, which originated in the College of Arts and Sciences, is now facilitated out of the Office of Undergraduate Education and available to students campus-wide. Since its inception, close to 400 students have participated in the internship program and have returned with a robust professional network — and sometimes job offers.

In spring 2022, CU Boulder partnered with The Washington Center (TWC) to operate the on-site component of the program. The partnership allows students to access TWC’s network of internship partners in the areas of government, nonprofit, media, business, education, law, sciences and the arts.

Key highlights of the CU in D.C. program are internship opportunities with members of the Colorado congressional delegation and connecting with Forever Buffs in the area.

Dale Farrand (AeroEngr’93), leader of the Forever Buffs D.C. alumni chapter, oversees the CU in D.C. Mentorship Program, which connects current students with Buff mentors in the D.C. area. Students shadow their mentors in the workplace and work closely with them on goal-setting, networking and resume development.

Dylan Yachyshen (Econ, IntlAf’21) lives and works in D.C. He has mentored three CU in D.C. students who were interested in his fields of foreign affairs and national security.

“I’ve been able to help and mentor current students looking to pursue careers in similar fields and give them advice about D.C., which — as I know from personal experience — can be hard to find sometimes,” Yachyshen said.

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Illustration by The iSpot/Michael Glenwood Gibbs

Since 2010, nearly 400 students have participated in the program.

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From the Chancellor: The University’s Role in Democracy

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

From the Chancellor: The University’s Role in Democracy Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/06/2023 - 00:00

Philip DiStefano

As today’s political climate turns increasingly divisive, we tend to hear a common refrain — a pining for “simpler times” when politics felt less contentious.

It’s debatable if those times ever existed. One stance is that the “civility” of this bygone era that we pine for too often came at the expense of free speech, justice and equity for those who held less power. And yet it’s certain modern politics are in deeply troubled waters.

When political disputes arise, I recall what a faculty member told me early in my career: a university should be a “house of conflict,” where a wide swath of perspectives are discussed and debated in search of greater understanding. Embracing the idea that conflict is inevitable, even healthy, clarifies our purpose as a university and the role we play within a democratic society.

In my State of the Campus address last fall, I said that CU Boulder must rededicate itself to supporting and sustaining democracy every day. Each of us has a responsibility and a role to play by supporting free speech and thoughtful discourse, conducting research that informs policy and serves the public good, and enabling and encouraging participation in the democratic process, to prepare students to become leaders in our state, country and world.

By doing these things, we can inspire a generation of Forever Buffs who value principled leadership, demand integrity and embrace compromise across political divides. And we can model for all of society what it means to hold fast to democratic principles even in the face of intolerance, gridlock and animosity.

So how do we get there?

There’s no singular answer, but I believe every action we take as a university must include these attributes:

The university must commit to open communication that intentionally focuses on equity, justice and the inclusion of diverse voices.

We need more organizations that foster reasoned discourse and bring new voices and broad perspectives to conversations about social issues.

It’s also important to differentiate between spirited public debate and the self-interested confrontation that degrades democracy. Valuable arguments persuade rather than stifle.

We also must encourage all — particularly students — to participate in democratic processes.

I’m proud that CU Boulder participates in the All In Campus Democracy Challenge, which encourages campuses to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement.

Supporting democracy is a tall order, and we won’t get it right every time. But it’s important that we make that effort.

Philip P. DiStefano is the 11th chancellor of CU Boulder. He is the Quigg and Virginia S. Newton Endowed Chair in Leadership, overseeing CU Boulder’s leadership programs.

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Photo by Patrick Campbell

The university's role in democracy.

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Breaking Down the First Amendment

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Breaking Down the First Amendment Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/06/2023 - 00:00

The American people created the Constitution, which has been in operation since March 1789, because they wanted individual protections from the government. In June 1789, U.S. House of Representatives member James Madison drafted a list of amendments to the Constitution. The House approved 17 of the amendments, and the Senate 12. In October 1789, President George Washington sent the amendments to the states for approval. Two years later, on Dec. 15, 1791, three-fourths of the states ratified 10 of the amendments, which became known as the Bill of Rights. The first of these amendments protected individual opinions, ideas and communication.

“The five freedoms protected by the First Amendment are fundamental to modern democracy,” said political science professor Steven Vanderheiden, director of CU Boulder’s Keller Center, which focuses on the First Amendment. “They protect the right of members of the public to meaningfully participate in processes of self-governance and provide a vital check on state power.”

The First Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The five freedoms the First Amendment guarantees:

Religion

Speech

Press

Assembly

Petition

The First Amendment Applies to:

Federal Government

State Government

Local Government

1789

Drafted by James Madison

1791

Ratified as part of the Bill of Rights

Famous court cases related to First Amendment:

Schenk vs. US (1919)

A free speech case that involved wartime criticism of the draft, and which gave us the "clear and present danger" test (Ex: An individual can’t yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater)

Engel vs. Vitale (1962)

Found the reading of a nondenominational prayer in a public school to be an unconstitutional establishment of religion

Brandenburg vs. Ohio (1969)

Gave us the incitement test (Ex: Speech can only be restricted if an individual is likely and imminently planning to carry out something unlawful)

The New York Times vs. US (1971)

Involved the publication of the Pentagon Papers by the media without government censorship

Wisconsin vs. Yoder (1972)

Exempted Amish children from mandatory school attendance on free exercise grounds

LeRoy Keller Center for the Study of the First Amendment:

Endowed in 1993 by LeRoy “Lee” Keller (Econ’29), who worked in journalism for more than four decades
Housed within CU Boulder’s political science department
Supports teaching, research and community outreach on First Amendment rights and liberties
Informs the public about First Amendment rights and current threats to them
Current director is political science professor Steven Vanderheiden

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Icon art by The NounProject, banner image credit Adam Szuscik

Learn about the five freedoms that protect democracy.

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Editor's Note Spring 2023

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Editor's Note Spring 2023 Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/06/2023 - 00:00

Maria Kuntz

Politics in the United States have become increasingly partisan recently — and divides are deepening. How did we arrive in this moment, and what does the future hold? In this issue, CU experts from law, political science, environmental studies, and women and gender studies shed light on the trajectory of three issues that have become highly politicized.

We’re also featuring alumni who are changing the world by studying space junk and the shrinking free space in Earth’s orbit and who have launched trending companies like Crocs — those ubiquitous clogs making a comeback across campus and the country. Plus, we’re celebrating Boulder history, from early 20th-century dance cards to its bike-enthusiast culture and the 100-year anniversary of The Sink.

As we head into spring, check out the story on rare birds migrating through campus — maybe you’ll see them on their return trip!

And don’t forget to save the date for the next Coloradan Conversations, an on-campus and virtual event on April 18 at 6 p.m. MT where you can join CU experts and Forever Buffs to discuss how public issues become political.

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Photo courtesy Maria Kuntz

This issue's focus on politics.

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Redefining Loyalty in Politics

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Redefining Loyalty in Politics Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/06/2023 - 00:00

Kelsey Yandura

Colorado state senator Kevin Priola (Acct, Fin’96) joined the Republican party at age 17. He was active in College Republicans during his time on campus and was elected to the Colorado state house from the 30th district in the 2008 election. In 2016, he was elected to the state senate, 25th district.

In August of 2022, Priola made a decision that sent shock waves through his party: He switched parties, registering as a Democrat. Here, Priola talks about his journey through politics, his experience at CU Boulder and how he changed parties amid a highly politicized point in U.S. history.

What influenced you to join the Republican Party as a teenager?

My family was from a small business background, and I really admired Ronald Reagan. In my opinion, he was a calming presence for the country. I knew back then that not everybody loved him, but in general, I felt like he brought the best out of people in the country and made us proud to be Americans.

How did your time at CU shape the way you moved through your career?

Being a Ralphie Handler probably had more of an influence on me than anything. It gave me experience with the press and being in the spotlight. It gave me a quiet sense of confidence. There’s nothing like handling a 1,300-pound animal in front of 85,000 people.

Is there an ethos that grounds your decision-making in your career?

I try to honestly put myself in the shoes of the average Colorado voter. I try to remember tens of thousands of conversations I’ve had knocking on doors and talking to people through the summers. What do they think is fair? What do they think is right?

What is different about today’s parties compared to when you entered politics?

The extremes of both parties are a little more extreme than they were 20 years ago. The reasonable voices are often shouted down and pushed out. I understand enough about politics to know that this happens through time: Parties move, and the political pendulum swings back and forth. I never thought I would see a political realignment in my lifetime, but I honestly think we’re going through one right now.

You switched to the Democratic Party in 2022. Can you talk about what shaped that decision and what the process was like?

It was years in the making. I just kept seeing the Republican party become more and more extreme. They were embracing things and talking about things that I didn’t recognize anymore. I felt like I was tacitly approving of it by being associated with it.

Do you have an answer for how citizens can effectively participate in democracy?

There are thousands of ways to participate — vote, help candidates raise money, participate in town halls, write letters, lobby your city council. I think democratic institutions are like muscles: They need to be used, or they atrophy and get weak. My hope is that people start voting and engaging more in the process.

Do you have anything to say to the people who voted for you in 2020?

I think they voted for me for my values and my perspective, not necessarily because there was an R or a D behind my name. And I’m going to stay true to those values.

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Illustration by Tim O'Brien

A Republican from the age of 17, Colorado state senator Kevin Priola shocked his party when he switched to the Democratic party.

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How Did Everything Get So Political?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

How Did Everything Get So Political? Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/06/2023 - 00:00

Tori Peglar

Why do some issues become politicized? CU experts explain why and how voting rights, climate change and abortion became rallying cries for political parties.

Amid hills lined with grape vineyards and peach orchards, Doug Spencer, a CU Boulder associate law professor, found himself sitting in a room in Palisade, Colorado, meeting with locals about how to address the growing polarization in politics. The energy changed in the room when people realized that shifting conversations to localized issues like water rights rather than culture war issues could create more common ground.

But it’s not as simple as it sounds.

“Every issue can be branded by a political group like a corporation brands their product,” Spencer said.

It’s easy to see how with a hefty marketing budget and consistent messaging, any issue can become packaged with a red or blue ribbon to become a political product. But how exactly does something seemingly apolitical become a wedge that pits political parties against each other?

In a nutshell, the answer lies largely in three factors: if an issue helps reinforce a political party’s identity; what decisions the Supreme Court makes; and how much private money, particularly in the form of lobbying, enters the picture.

Issues As Rallying Cry for Voters

Sometimes, the road from a general-interest issue to political rallying cry is relatively straightforward. The issue just happens to be in the right place at the right time for a political party to swoop down, pick it up and run with it.

Climate change was merely an environmental issue in the 1970s and 1980s when oil and gas executives acknowledged carbon dioxide’s effects on Earth’s climate. And as late as 1989, Democrats, Independents and Republicans were equally “worried” about climate change, according to a poll cited by environmental studies assistant professor Matt Burgess.

So, why did climate change become politicized? Scholars, pundits and politicians often point to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, when 150 nations pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. signed it, but the Republican-controlled Senate refused to ratify it, arguing it would harm the economy. Fiscally conservative Republicans felt the protocol put too much of the financial burden on developed countries like the United States without asking developing countries to do the same, and arguably, they may have been right. And as Burgess points out, signing it seemed to go against Republican rallying cries around corporate deregulation and free-market capitalism.

Like the Republicans in Congress, conservative Libertarian Americans questioned why corporations and the public should pay a high price to slow climate change, especially since it was impacting so few Americans. In the 1980s and 1990s, there was more at stake economically to move from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Today, renewable energy is often the cheapest form of power. But it wasn’t in the 1980s and 1990s.

“Twenty years ago, the downsides of climate change were seen as far off and the economic pain was seen as real and imminent,” said Burgess. “Now both of these things have changed.”

Conversely, Democrats — spearheaded by Vice President Al Gore — saw climate change as a moral issue that needed regulation, regardless of its cost or that its impacts weren’t immediately felt. Flashforward to 2019 when that moral take on climate change took center stage in the Green New Deal in which progressive Democrats sought to bring greenhouse gasses to net-zero and address economic inequality and racial injustice.

Like climate change, abortion also got swept up into partisan politics.

When Roe v. Wade passed in 1973, it gave women the right to an abortion — but it wasn’t immediately a partisan issue. In fact, the Supreme Court was majority Republican-nominated, and five of the six Republican appointees voted to legalize abortion.

“In Roe v. Wade, the court was divided more on legal types of things,” said CU Boulder law professor Jennifer Hendricks. “It wasn’t until after Roe v. Wade that there was a synergy in the Republican party with their vision of politicizing abortion as an issue.”

That synergy took center stage at the 1980 Republican Convention in Detroit, as Republicans campaigned on “preserving traditional family values” and called for stronger families and a constitutional amendment to protect the lives of unborn children. Some scholars assert that the religious right’s rising power, plus the mass exodus of conservative Southerners from the Democratic party, moved abortion to the center of the Republican family values platform.

By 1992, the Republican Convention platform called for the “appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity of innocent human life.” It has since guided a decadeslong openly public Republican strategy of appointing pro-life judges at all levels.

Yet there’s another force contributing to turning certain issues partisan — the Supreme Court.

Supremely Transformational

Yet there’s another force contributing to turning certain issues partisan — the Supreme Court.

Take 2013, for example, which was packed with milestones. Apple released the iPhone 5s with touch ID, Lance Armstrong admitted on Oprah to doping during his Tour de France wins, and the Boston Marathon bombing shook the country. That same year, the Supreme Court struck down a key provision in the Voting Rights Act that previously required states with a history of racial voter discrimination like Mississippi and Texas to get approval from the federal government before making any changes to voting procedures. Both associate law professor Douglas Spencer and women and gender studies associate professor Celeste Montoya point to this ruling, known as Shelby County v. Holder, as a major turning point for partisan battles related to voter rights.

“Part of the justification from Justice Roberts was we don’t need this anymore because we’ve moved beyond this,” Montoya said. “The very next day states were able to establish laws that restricted voting rights. The shift from voting rights to voting privilege is pretty significant and has opened the door to the notion there are right voters and wrong voters.”

Within 24 hours, Republican-dominated Texas, Mississippi and Alabama implemented strict photo ID laws. By 2016, the ACLU was challenging 15 states that passed voting restrictions before the 2016 presidential election. The ACLU notes that red states tend to pass restrictive voting laws while blue states tend to pass expansive voting laws.

“Democrats say everyone should vote, and Republicans say that Democrats are only saying that because it will help them,” Spencer said. “It starts to move the conversation away from the root of democracy and democratic ideals.”

Dark Money

In the years since, it’s spurred a frenzy of private spending to influence election outcomes.

The rise of special-interest groups — that fund politicians and research — is also steering issues toward the partisan divide. In 2010, the Supreme Court, through its Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling, allowed corporations and individuals to give anonymous, unlimited donations to political campaigns. This decision reversed 100 years of federal restrictions on corporate, nonprofit and labor union funding.

In the years since, it’s spurred a frenzy of private spending to influence election outcomes. In 2010, oil and gas companies donated approximately $35 million to U.S. congressional candidates. By 2018, this number ballooned to more than $84 million, according to a study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Private money also funds thought leaders. In the case of climate change, billionaire industrialists and brothers Charles and David Koch gave more than $145 million to climate-change-denying think tanks and advocacy groups between 1997 and 2018.

“There’s the special-interests angle, where the fossil fuel industry supported misinformation about and denial of climate change,” Burgess said, noting it’s well-documented in books like Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming.

At present, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Vermont are suing five large oil and gas companies for their alleged role in delaying climate policy and increasing the climate impacts, risks and costs incurred by state governments.

Glimmers of Hope

The good news? Not all issues stay political. Spencer sees the rise in ranked-choice voting as a way to reduce acrimony in politics. With ranked-choice voting, you rank candidates in order of your preference. If someone receives 50% plus one of the votes, they win the election. If no one has the majority vote, the person with the fewest votes is eliminated, and the results are retabulated. This repeats until someone wins a majority.

Ranked-choice voting has been used in Maine and Alaska for statewide elections, and in cities like Fort Collins, Colorado, and Evanston, Illinois. U.S. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski won her 2022 election in Alaska via ranked choice voting, as did Alaska House Democrat Mary Peltola.

“It’s been shown to be more fair in terms of racial and partisan representation, and you don’t need districts to have ranked-choice voting,” Spencer said. “Big changes like this will be necessary to reset our politics.”

And curiously, Republicans and Democrats are finding common ground on climate change, at least at the state level. Last year, Burgess and researcher Renae Marshall looked at nearly 1,000 decarbonization bills that passed and failed at the state level between 2015 and 2020. Republican-controlled governments passed almost one-third of decarbonization bills.

“The boom of renewables is creating economic opportunity,” Burgess said. “If you look at the 10 congressional districts with the most planned and operational renewable energy capacity, nine of them are represented by Republicans in Congress.”

Why the Republican support? Market forces, combined with government research and development subsidies, have made renewable energy often cheaper than fossil fuels, Burgess said. Plus, more Americans are experiencing the effects of climate change firsthand, including devastating floods, intense heat waves and year-round wildfires.

So, why didn’t any Republicans vote for the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the first comprehensive climate legislation to pass in U.S. history, committing $360 billion to fight climate change? Burgess noted that Republicans supported similar policy elements at the state level. But it also included health care and tax provisions, which proved to be thorns in Republicans’ sides.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if one of Biden’s legacies is that he brought the Democrats to the center and passed climate change policy Republicans won’t want to get rid of and that they passed in their state legislatures,” Burgess said.

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Illustrations by Ward Sutton

CU experts explain why and how voting rights, climate change and abortion became rallying calls for political parties.

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