Notre Dame Professor of Political Science Darren Davis Ph.D. is a nationally recognized scholar in public opinion, elections and voting behavior, political psychology, research methods and statistics, and racial politics.

His research has been published in the most prestigious journals in political science, such as The American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Public Opinion Quarterly, Political Research Quarterly, Social Science Quarterly, and Political Behavior. He also has served on the editorial boards of the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Public Opinion Quarterly, and Political Research Quarterly.

Here Prof. Davis takes a moment to answer five questions posed by ND Today:

NDT: Your recent book, Negative Liberty: Public Opinion and the Terrorist Attacks on America, examines the tradeoffs between civil liberties and national security. How do you see this delicate balance playing out in the upcoming presidential election when national security is a major concern for millions of Americans?

DD: While the threat of terrorism continues to be a major concern among American citizens, the conflict between protecting civil liberties and providing for security from terrorism has not been an issue in the presidential primaries. The paucity of debate on this issue is not surprising because there is considerable within-party agreement on terrorism and civil liberties.

Every candidate should understand that in protecting an open and free society, in which individual citizens take for granted both their freedom and security, conflict over civil liberties is inevitable. Unlike other political issues, like immigration, health care, and the economy, the tradeoff between protecting civil liberties and the protection of American citizens from terrorism is not easily divided along a partisan dimension. The tradeoff between civil liberties and national security will be a contested issue in the general election, but the contention will probably be more of a matter of degree than principle.

The two remaining Democratic party candidates, Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton, and the likely Republican Party nominee, Senator John McCain, seem to be in essential agreement on issues concerning torture, restoration of the Geneva Conventions, and the rights of enemy combatants held at Guantanamo Bay. While Democrats usually are more protective of individual liberty than Republicans, and Senator McCain has already declared his opposition to torture and Guantanamo Bay, these issues are not likely to be highly contested.

However, a more serious and principled debate on the tradeoff between civil liberties and security is likely to involve the National Security Agency’s (NSA) warrantless eavesdropping program. On a recent vote in the Senate to reauthorize this program, Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton voted against authorization and Senator McCain supported it.

NDT: Who is your favorite American political figure of all time and why? 

DD: I cannot say if I have an all-time favorite political figure, but the person with whom I am most intrigued is Congresswoman Barbara Lee from California. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, when Congress was asked to authorize the president the use of military force against the terrorists, she was the only member of Congress to vote against it. She withstood the blinding patriotism and the emotional need to lash-out indiscriminately in favor of a deliberative strategy based on accurate information. At the time, this was an extremely unpopular position to take--she was accused of being un-American, unpatriotic, and she received death threats that required police protection.

NDT: In which direction do you see the trend of “partisan politics” in the United States moving in the next decade? Do you think Americans will continue to harden in their core ideological beliefs, or will there be a cooperative effort for compromise?

DD: Unless there is a president who can inspire individual citizens and members of Congress to relax their knee-jerk reactions, political polarization will deepen. Many of the issues facing the country are complex and traditionally divisive issues. Issues, such as immigration, the economy, health care, security issues, education, and environment, elicit traditional partisan reactions. American society is already polarized, uncooperative, and set for battle. It will take a special person to get people to relax.

NDT: In your opinion, does the character of a politician directly influence his or her ability to lead? Why do you think the media—and by extension, the general public—dedicate so much ink and airtime to the private lives of politicians?

DD: Many people would say this is not relevant, but the private lives of politicians, and by extension their character, is important information for me. I understand that politicians, just like normal, everyday citizens, construct different fronts and attempt to project a certain image and style in public. However, how they conduct their personal lives and what they do away from the scrutiny of the public speak volumes about their belief system. Practicing in private what one preaches in public reveals the strength of commitment to certain values. Because a person’s true self is more evident in private when no one is looking, politicians’ private lives receive a great deal of attention.

NDT: If you were a presidential candidate in the 2008 election, whom would you select as your running mate and why?

DD: Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico would be my choice for vice president. In addition to experience as a member of the House of Representatives, energy secretary, and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Governor Richardson’s role as a governor of a border state, position on Iraq, and expertise on energy and the environmental issues are extremely important qualities. Governor Richardson seems to have the necessary expertise to solve many of the pressing issues facing American society. By many accounts, he seems to be a fair and contemplative person who can bring people together. He is also Catholic.