Common Core State Standard
SL.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: An essay of a current news event is provided for discussion to encourage participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the article. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event within the news, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support. FOR THE WEEK OF NOV. 04, 2024 Presidential election results may take a while to confirm, which 'should not breed mistrust'Share two facts from any presidential campaign coverage.
Read about a local or state race where you live. Name than two main candidates and the office.
Find news about a ballot proposal or question. What's at stake?
Get ready for a long election night — or nights. Don't expect to know the winner right away from Tuesday's presidential contest between Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, and former President Donald Trump, a Republican. For the second straight presidential election, there probably will be no clear winner immediately and early returns could give a false impression. Several reasons explain this likelihood:
"A slower count has nothing to do with accuracy or legitimacy of the process," says Joyce Vance, a former federal prosecutor who's now a Substack blogger and MSNBC commentator. "A slow count means a careful, accurate count. . . . Getting it right is more important than getting it fast." She posted last week that "many 'results' on Election Night are media projections based on exit polling. That type of educated prediction is much more difficult when significant numbers of people vote by mail." Another prominent expert, election lawyer Benjamin Ginsberg, wrote last week in The New York Times: "Delays themselves are not evidence of a conspiracy. They should not breed mistrust." He's a political analyst for MSNBC and a former attorney for Republican campaigns. In 2020, the race between Joseph Biden and Trump was called for the Democrat on following Saturday -- four days after polls shut. Seven decisive states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — remained uncalled the next morning. (The same states are seen as pivotal again.) The nation watched results trickle in slowly for three days before more states were called. Even after all counting, the result could be challenged by lawsuits and court battles, as Trump tried in 2020. The ex-president, who faces federal criminal charges over his efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat, doesn't pledged to accept this year's results. He accuses the opposing party, without evidence, of undercutting election fairness and claims the only way he can lose is if Democrats cheat. Republican lawyers and activist groups, along with the Republican National Committee, are prepared to challenge how results are officially certified by Congress in the weeks before that happens on Jan. 6, 2025. "This could be the most consequential month in modern American history," writes New York Times columnist Bret Stephens.State official says: "Candidates don’t get to decide who wins elections, voters do. . . . Officials will be working to transmit results as quickly and efficiently as possible." -- Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic secretary of state in Michigan Columnist says: "The scenario that worries me most is a really narrow victory by one side or the other, which leads to multiple recounts in one or more states, along with weeks of legal uncertainty. At that point, we're staring into the abyss." – Bret Stephens, The New York Times Media's role: "The media plays a significant role in either mitigating or exacerbating tensions around elections. . . . This means not only getting the facts right but also considering how headlines and stories can influence public perception and behavior." – Tina Barton, Committee for Safe and Secure Elections, a bipartisan group Front Page Talking Points is written by
Alan Stamm for NIEonline.com, Copyright 2024
Front Page Talking Points Archive►Presidential election results may take a while to confirm, which 'should not breed mistrust' ►UN environmental event focuses on protecting the world's diversity of animals and plants ►Fierce hurricanes last week and last month show how warmer seas can affect us, scientists say ►'Code red time:' Israel reacts forcefully in Lebanon and Gaza, stirring fear of wider war ►'All pain, no gain:' School homework is focus of new attention on a longtime practice ►Sweeping overhaul of Instagram aims at making it safer for users under 18 ►Another intense wildfire season in California is linked to climate change, experts say ►U.S. presidential rivals Harris and Trump debate in Pennsylvania on Tuesday |