Andrew McGill

Click here for the full video page and educator materials. ROBERT SLAYTON (AUTHOR, “EMPIRE STATESMAN: THE RISE AND REDEMPTION OF AL SMITH”): Chaos. Total, unmitigated chaos. The 1924 Democratic convention is the longest in the history of the United States. People were fighting constantly, screaming, so they were really debating what America was. CONVENTIONAL WISDOMA […]

Click here for the full video page and educator materials. STAN HAYNES (AUTHOR, “THE FIRST AMERICAN POLITICAL CONVENTIONS”): Third-party movements in American history have been likened to wildfires on the prairie. They have intense heat, but they burn out very quickly. The Anti-Mason Party was not on the political scene very long, but they did […]

Click here for the full video page and educator materials. RICK PERLSTEIN (AUTHOR, “BEFORE THE STORM: BARRY GOLDWATER AND THE UNMAKING OF THE AMERICAN CONSENSUS”): They’re desperately trying to keep the people in the galleries quiet because this looks like this is going off the rails. This is like the conservative Woodstock. CONVENTIONAL WISDOMTHE OUTSIDER […]

Click here for the full video page and educator materials. CRAIG SHIRLEY (AUTHOR, “REAGAN’S REVOLUTION: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE CAMPAIGN THAT STARTED IT ALL”): If you were a Reagan person, then Ford was the enemy. And if you were a Ford person, then Reagan was the enemy. Nobody was unsure in 1976. CONVENTIONAL WISDOMTHE […]

Click here for the full video page and educator materials. ARCHIVAL (NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION, 2011):MARK BLOCK: We need you to get involved, because together we can do this – we can take this country back. MARK BLOCK: Have you ever tried to autograph a cigarette? IMAGE MAKERS: POLITICAL ADS THAT SHAPED THE […]

Click here for the full video page and educator materials. MATT H. MAYES: We purposely chose lower quality cameras to feel like anyone could have made this video. MIKE GRAVEL: I wasn’t aware that they were using second-class equipment. That would’ve maybe affected my attitude. IMAGE MAKERS: POLITICAL ADS THAT SHAPED THE BATTLE FOR THE […]

Click here for the full video page and educator materials. ARCHIVAL (WILLIE HORTON AD, 1988):NARRATOR: Despite a life sentence, Horton receive 10 weekend passes from prison. FLOYD BROWN: It’s like a baseball player. A lot of times, you’re going to do an ad and you strike out. Nobody even cares about it. It’s rare that […]

Click here for the full video page and educator materials. ARCHIVAL (PROUDER, BETTER, STRONGER AD, 1984):NARRATOR: It’s morning again in America. DOUG WATTS: The doors flew open at the end of the room and in walks the president. And he looked at everybody and he said, “I hear you’re selling soap and I thought you’d […]

Click here for the full video page and educator materials. ARCHIVAL (3 A.M. AD, 2008):NARRATOR: It’s 3 A.M. and your children are safe and asleep. But there’s a phone in the White House, and it’s ringing. JOSH GOTTHEIMER: I saw Mark scratching away on his pad. I remember saying to him,“What are you working on?” […]

Click here for the full video page and educator materials. ARCHIVAL (DAISY AD, 1964):NARRATOR: Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Zero. MONIQUE LUIZ: There were actually people that thought I blew up in that ad. Back then, they didn’t realize it was just camera, and that’s how it was shot. IMAGE MAKERS: POLITICAL ADS […]