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PUBLISHED ON: November 8, 2007
PUBLISHED IN: Personalities, Democrats, Candidates

Correspondents Dig Into Democratic Candidates, Shed Light On Policies

Samantha Fields and Jeremy Willinger Democratic Candidate Editors

As the 2008 Democratic Candidates make their play for the White House, the Scoop08 Democratic Candidate Staff will bring readers compelling stories — ones often overlooked by the mainstream media and ideas that frame these candidates in a unique light. Most importantly, we will address the platforms, policies and personalities of each candidate that students — and all voters — need to know.

Through in-depth feature stories and analyses, our team of correspondents will join contributors and readers in asking the critical questions that will help us understand this historic election. The answers, we hope, will offer insight into every aspect of Democratic Party politics and into the nominee whom primary voters elect.

Here's what's to expect from some of our Democratic Candidate correspondents over the next several weeks... (If you want to become a Democratic Candidate correspondent or contribute to the section, simply click here and tell us why.)

The Legacy of Dodd's Dad

By Aaron Bray
Presidential candidate Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) had a strong dose of justice growing up; his father, a prosecutor at the Nuremburg Trials in the aftermath of WWII, who represented - to the United States and to the world - justice triumphing in the face of unspeakable horror.

What lessons has Dodd learned from his father? Does his recently published book reveal anything about his presidential ambitions and value system? What does this mean for his campaign? This article traces Dodd's parental lineage to his campaign and to how he would face future international challenges looming ahead.

Hip-Hop Barack: He Can't Stop Won't Stop

By Emilie Yam
Obama has been the super-star candidate even before he officially entered the 2008 campaign, but his relationship with the black community is less than perfect. What about the hip-hop community? Does Obama, a relatively young black man, have the potential to spark an interest in the election within this underrepresented community that will translate into votes?

Journalist Jeff Chang, who interviewed Obama for a Vibe cover story, and various hip-hop artists weigh in on what exactly Obama's campaign means for the hip-hop community and also analyze possible deal-breakers in this precarious relationship.

Al Gore's Celebrity Connection

By Thomas Garry

Nobel Prize winner, Academy Award winner, friend of DiCaprio, Spielberg and a slew of other celebrities (not to mention Vice President): Al Gore is a man with powerful friends and impressive honors. How does his closeness with Hollywood frame the public's perception of a "new Gore?"

Examining Gore's early encounter with future stardom, beginning with his first college roommate, actor Tommy Lee Jones, this feature describes the celebrity impact on both Gore's political life and on potential voters. Does star power equal votes?

Hillary Clinton's Senior Thesis

By Isaac Arnsdorf
This article examines the words and ideas of Clinton at 21 years in her college thesis on Saul Alinsky, a 1930s populist neighborhood organizer in Chicago. Where better to see firsthand the foundations of her political beliefs?

Even from the paper's dedication, readers get a sense of Clinton's feminist and independent streaks, and the carefully selected language foreshadows her title of the "brainiest Senator." How far has she strayed from her college-era political ideologies and values? How has her thinking evolved?

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