Chapter 32 Quiz
Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following best describes a campaign "research book"?
a) A legally required disclosure document filed with the FEC b) A comprehensive documented compilation of opposition research, organized by vulnerability category, used internally and for press placement c) A book-length policy document outlining the candidate's platform d) A collection of positive testimonials about the candidate for surrogate use
2. Which type of public record is most useful for documenting a candidate's financial relationships with specific industries?
a) Court records and litigation history b) FEC campaign finance filings and state campaign finance disclosures c) Property records and real estate transactions d) Social media archives and deleted posts
3. The term "oppo dump" refers to:
a) The internal filing system for opposition research documents b) The practice of releasing all opposition research at once to overwhelm the opponent c) The strategic timed placement of opposition research with journalists to generate news stories d) The transfer of opposition research from party committees to campaigns
4. Which of the following best illustrates the "context collapse" problem in opposition research?
a) A campaign releasing opposition research too early, before voters are paying attention b) A 2011 casual social media post being deployed in 2026 as a formal policy position c) Opposition research that contradicts the campaign's own candidate's record d) A research finding that turns out to be inaccurate
5. What was the core innovation of the 1992 Clinton campaign's "war room" model?
a) The first systematic use of computers in campaign research b) A centralized, 24-hour operation for monitoring and rapidly responding to opponent attacks c) The invention of opposition tracking, in which staffers followed the opponent to public events d) The use of television advertising to preemptively attack opponent vulnerabilities
6. According to the chapter, why do campaigns sometimes choose NOT to respond to an opponent's attack?
a) Campaigns are prohibited from responding to attacks that are factually accurate b) Responding can amplify a low-profile attack, baiting opponents, or may be less effective than the original attack c) FEC regulations require a waiting period before campaigns can respond to political attacks d) Campaigns can only respond through press conferences, which take too long to organize
7. Which of the following opposition research practices is described as "clearly inappropriate" in the chapter's ethical framework?
a) Compiling a candidate's public voting record with accurate context b) Reviewing FEC filings to document financial relationships c) Conducting social media audits of the opponent's public accounts d) Fabricating or altering documents to increase a research finding's apparent significance
8. What does the chapter mean when it says opposition research is most effective when it "fits the frame"?
a) Research findings are most effective when they can be formatted as visual graphics b) Voters more readily absorb research findings that confirm existing impressions of a candidate c) Opposition research must be placed in news outlets with the widest readership d) Research findings should always be released in the final two weeks of a campaign
Short Answer
9. Explain why a candidate with a long public record (such as an incumbent with multiple terms) faces different opposition research dynamics than a first-time candidate with limited public history.
10. What is the difference between Chris Yuen's "full context test" and Jake Rourke's "true and documented" standard as internal ethics frameworks for opposition research? Which do you consider more consistent with democratic accountability, and why?
11. Describe the function of a surrogate network in rapid response operations. Why does a campaign need to opposition-research its own surrogates before deploying them?
Case Analysis
12. Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
A Senate campaign's research team discovers that the opponent, as a city council member twelve years ago, voted to approve a zoning variance for a real estate development. Records show that the opponent and the developer had mutual acquaintances through a social club. No evidence of payment or formal lobbying exists. The development was approved unanimously by the full council. The campaign plans to release this as a story about "pay-to-play corruption."
a) Is the characterization "pay-to-play corruption" warranted by the documented facts? Explain.
b) What additional information would a journalist need to accurately assess whether there was genuine corruption?
c) Apply the "full context test": does this research pass? Why or why not?
d) The campaign's research director argues: "Even if we can't prove corruption, raising the question is legitimate because voters deserve to scrutinize the candidate's relationships." Evaluate this argument.
e) What would responsible placement of this research look like, compared to irresponsible placement?