iPhone app iPad app Android phone app Android tablet app More

Featuring fresh takes and real-time analysis from HuffPost's signature lineup of contributors
GET UPDATES FROM Arianna Huffington
 

Of Back Rooms and Classrooms

Posted: 08/24/2012 8:11 am

In this week's issue of Huffington, just in time for the Republican convention in Tampa, Jon Ward chronicles Mitt Romney's selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate.

Jon Ward began reporting on the Romney campaign long before Romney took the stage to announce Paul Ryan in front of the battleship USS Wisconsin -- an event, he writes, that included an "elaborately arranged secret meeting" and "was executed without a hiccup." Here, through interviews with some of Romney's top advisers -- including Matt Rhoades, Romney's 37-year-old campaign manager who posits that a Romney presidency might look something like the James K. Polk years -- Jon Ward explores what Romney's campaigning style might tell us about his governing style.

He also places Romney's choice of Paul Ryan against the backdrop of America's fiscal realities: the national debt is approaching $16 trillion; nearly 50 million Americans over 64 rely on Medicare for their health care, at a time when the baby boomer generation is just entering the program; and 10,000 Americans will enroll every day for the next 20 years.

As the Republican National Convention presents Mitt Romney to the country, and the world, Jon Ward captures the campaign's bravado. As Rhoades, the campaign manager, puts it: "We're going to win. And Mitt's going to fix the mess."

Far from the back rooms where political decisions are made, Saki Knafo tells the story of a girl named Noor, whose parents came to America from what is now South Sudan, and her teacher Ms. Sabrina. The setting is North Carolina, and Saki's reporting takes us deep inside the debate over pre-kindergarten: a world of political battles, constant threats of budget cuts, and -- often lost in the shuffle -- the first critical educational and social experiences of a young child's life.

By putting flesh and blood on the research -- including one study showing that more funding for pre-kindergarten has been linked to higher-than-average math and reading scores -- Saki Knafo's reporting puts the spotlight on a critical period in a child's life. "Until recently," he writes, "the mind of the young child was as obscure as a distant galaxy."

Jon Ward's story takes us inside the campaign of Mitt Romney, a man whose entire life seems to have been preparation for this moment; Saki Knafo's takes us inside the world of little Noor, taking her tentative steps into a world of someone else's making.

This post originally appeared in our weekly iPad magazine, Huffington, in the iTunes App store.

 
 
 
FOLLOW POLITICS
In this week's issue of Huffington, just in time for the Republican convention in Tampa, Jon Ward chronicles Mitt Romney's selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate. Jon Ward began reporting on the ...
In this week's issue of Huffington, just in time for the Republican convention in Tampa, Jon Ward chronicles Mitt Romney's selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate. Jon Ward began reporting on the ...
 
 
  • Comments
  • 32
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Favorites
Bloggers
Recency  | 
Popularity
12:21 PM on 08/27/2012
Preschool does not offer the first critical educational and social experiences in a child's life. They have been having their most important ones for three or four years by the time that happens.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
jwmellott
07:41 AM on 08/25/2012
http://wonkette.com/481885/what-is-al-franken-famous-for-today-hint-it-is-rape-jokes

Meanwhile, Obama/Biden plan several campaign stops with Al Franken.
photo
HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Lawyer13
retired Lawyer, General and Psychiatric Nurse, wit
04:29 AM on 08/25/2012
A view from across the pond : That is exactly the PROBLEM, Romney does everything behind closed doors, he will NEVER tell the Great American Voters the real TRUTH of his plans and Policies, in fact he has said as much openly. I know one thing he is not to be trusted to run a bath, let alone the USA and be leader of the Free World.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
photo
02:12 AM on 08/25/2012
Of back rooms and better lies. Republicans are convenient goblins, Democrats put bombs before six year olds.

All true. Please correct my lies.
03:50 PM on 08/25/2012
"Democrats put bombs before six year olds."

So diffuse, in so many ways and obvious contexts that it is not true... that it can be a lie if you wish. I doubt if-when we get to your revelation it will be found "true." But it does, cut to the chase after a fashion, though.

Google considered the phrase, as a search query, chaotic. If you keep chewing your tail, eventually you're going to reach something with some meat. Republicans are making goblins... they could almost be accused of having a factory somewhere. Hard not to be found convenient when you're so good at something. Marketing and production, in any case, don't know about sells just yet.

But, you're (at some point, doubtless) going to share a great truth that one won't find in the GOP version of screwed? I don't think so. And buried in your view is an answer from an authority in some far off (right wing in your version) place, of truth and "rightness." That has no counterpart in modus on the left.

So yes, you lied.

For myriad reasons, but mainly for partisanship.
HUFFPOST PUNDIT
realitytrumpsbull
Two 'alves of coconut!
12:44 AM on 08/25/2012
Yep, we're all gonna starve...so quoth the newspaper, anyway.
researcher
researcher
05:59 PM on 08/24/2012
Americans vote their pocket books and americans have a short memory; after the bush jr years of massive destruction of the american economy.

Romney can win this if he does three things. promise jobs for all, guns for all, and promise to get tough on iran which is code for bomb iran. americans know that wars big wars = jobs.

Also hinting at bombing iran in every stump speech will win him FL a key state.

And it wont hurt if he blames the blacks and the illegals for america's downfall.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
photo
02:14 AM on 08/25/2012
researchers look at both ends of the equation, you don't.
02:46 PM on 08/24/2012
This is clear (Ryan) has signed the BILL Akin is talking about, Women can't do with there Body what they want with out Congress telling them First.Ryan hides behind close doors passing Bill, and others take the blame.
photo
HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Lawyer13
retired Lawyer, General and Psychiatric Nurse, wit
04:30 AM on 08/25/2012
"Dixon Ro" Make that two fans for a spot on comment. F & F
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Allene Stucki
02:09 PM on 08/24/2012
Arianna should tell us all about that study that purports to show increased math and reading scores for Headstart students. The audit performed by the government showed zero effects for math and reading scores beyond the first year following Headstart. That study basically described Headstart as a "jobs program for the inner cities".
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
photo
02:17 AM on 08/25/2012
Ryan and Romney have a jobs program for your local mutual fund. That study basically described capitalism on Capitol Hill as friends with benefits.

Is that a problem?
photo
yukonsam
This space reserved for self-referential irony.
01:27 PM on 08/24/2012
"Romney's 37-year-old campaign manager who posits that a Romney presidency might look something like the James K. Polk years"

Slaves, dirt roads, poverty, epidemics, illiteracy, no public services and open warfare with Mexico?
02:56 PM on 08/24/2012
And no healthcare, low life expectancy, and you became a burdon on your already poor family when you grew too old to work.
photo
HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Lawyer13
retired Lawyer, General and Psychiatric Nurse, wit
04:32 AM on 08/25/2012
"mowmeister" Aon't that the TRUTH. F & F
photo
othel
I believe I don't believe
03:02 PM on 08/24/2012
.....and NO taxes for the very rich.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Bocababs
12:21 PM on 08/24/2012
Boy oh boy....Obama is now losing in the Swing States. This national unemployment number is what is doing it, and I am starting to have a bad feeling about all of this. The Economy will drag down a message no mater how good your message is. No one is listening. They are too busy looking for jobs that don't exist.
05:12 PM on 08/24/2012
I've never understood the idea that if things are bad, something different is better even if it looks worse.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Bocababs
08:10 AM on 08/27/2012
No Incumbent has ever won with unemployment numbers this high. This would be a modern day miracle if Obama pulls this off in November.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Bocababs
10:06 AM on 08/28/2012
Low Information Voters. Just look at Florida, and how diverse it is. The state could very well go totally Republican this Fall with the election results.
AIRSCRIBE
Voter, writer, photographer
12:18 PM on 08/24/2012
Marriage of convenience built on hypocrisy...and dedicated to destroying women's healthcare control, marriage rights and freedom from religion...
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
11:45 AM on 08/24/2012
A $16 trillion in debt is enough to put me, my children, grandchildren and several succeeding generations in tax servitude forever. Hopefully there will be more funding for Pre-K students so that they can excel in the future and learn about fiscal responsibility at a young age. That way, our country and its citizens can have a brighter future.
03:43 PM on 08/24/2012
Who owns the lion's share of the $16T debt? IOW, who do we owe the $ to?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Porter
Sanity beats craziness every time
10:30 AM on 08/24/2012
How is Mitt (Willard) going to "fix the mess" when he has absolutely no new ideas and his pal Ryan's ideas are the old Republican ones of taking from the poor to give to the rich?

And in the process, destroying the New Deal and Great Society legislation that brought us Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, food stamps, environmental controls, and sensible regulations to protect Americans from predatory corporations?
photo
Iamrebelriser
iamrebelriser
02:07 PM on 08/24/2012
Along with Republicans wanting to control women, their other strong motive is to cut the government available finances so badly that there will be nothing left to help anyone who is not included in the wealthy class. The Democrats were making these charges against the Bush Administration, and that is what Romny and Ryan want to continue.
08:06 PM on 08/24/2012
I wish you were correct as it would make the world a much simpler place to live. However I am afraid you are wrong. Republicans do not want to control women. Like the rest os maledom we are still trying to figure out what makes them tick. Fortunately my wife and kids put up with me.
Anybody with any kind of a political mind knows that the "safety net" programs are not going away. Ryan and Romney are not that crazy. However, they do have to be redesigned in a manner to make them sustainable for all. It has already pencilled out that if you tax the "rich" at 100 percent that will still not support the programs in place now. That blows the democrat program out of the water which is the same old tired tax the rich. It is just a canard for the gullible like the people in 2009 that lined up in Chicago for that ObamaMoney. That was a rumor that got out of control. What will happen when Social Security is paid with rubber checks?
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Swampy Marsh
Your micro-bio is empty
09:40 AM on 08/24/2012
There have been conflicting reports as to the academic effectiveness of 4K. Some states have seen their scores go up, and others have seen their scores go down.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
bilbetwade
12:56 PM on 08/24/2012
I don't know what the change has caused in the scores, but I do remember a couple of years ago when my state, Texas, was surpassed by Mexico in the percentage of students graduating from high school. That's a real goal for you other states to meet. See if you can fall below a third world country in stats like that.
07:47 AM on 08/25/2012
Mexico is busy teaching their students English so they can cross that border and take the few jobs we have at a lower salary. Meanwhile, we are learning spanish so we can demand that one know both languages in order to get a job. Almost forgot that is already happening!