Teacher's note: This story aired Oct. 6, one day before the attacks in Israel took place. The discussion centers around former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's ouster from that position.
SUMMARY
New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Ruth Marcus join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including the fallout of Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ouster and how it's reshaping the Republican Party.
For a transcript of this story, click here.
News wrap alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM UP:
- Who are the individuals mentioned as likely new speakers of the House?
- What are some of the recent controversial statements made by former President Trump?
- How has the political landscape changed since the days of the "young guns"?
- When did the shift in the Republican Party's leadership begin?
- Why are some voters still supporting the Republican Party in polls despite the ongoing chaos inside their party?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
David Brooks and Ruth Marcus discussed the difficulty of striking a balance between addressing controversial statements and not giving them undue attention. How should journalists and opinion writers navigate this challenge?
Media literacy: How can the media contribute to a more informed and constructive political discourse?
Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What story would you want to find out more about? Where would you go to learn more?
FOR MORE
What students can do: Discuss with a friend, neighbor or classmate — how would you describe the current state of the Republican Party? How important is it to solve the internal problems if you are a Republican? What about if you are a Democrat?
Check out this brain pop lesson about political parties.
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