Date: Aug 20, 2012

Hofstra Announces Debate 2012: Pride, Politics and Policy Event Series

Robert Gibbs, Karl Rove, Cornel West and Jeb Bush Among Those to Speak on Campus This Fall

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY --   Hofstra University, host of the second 2012 presidential debate, will bring a slate of top political strategists, activists, scholars and journalists to campus this fall, including former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and civil rights activist Cornel West as part of an election-themed event series designed to engage and inform the campus community about politics and presidential history.

The series, called Debate 2012: Pride, Politics and Policy, is an interdisciplinary effort that involves virtually every academic discipline and organization on campus in a semester-long schedule of conferences, lectures, performances, exhibitions and classes inspired by the University being chosen to host the presidential debate on Oct. 16, 2012. Information on all Debate 2012 events can be found at hofstra.edu/debate. All events are free and open to the public, unless specifically noted otherwise. Prior registration may be required for some events. Go to www.hofstra.edu/debate2012 and click on the tab titled “Register for Signature Events”.

 “Hosting the presidential debate is an extraordinary opportunity for our students and the entire campus and surrounding community, which is why we sought the privilege of doing this for a second time in 2012,” said Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz. “Our goal is to make sure this experience touches as many students as possible – whether it’s by attendance at a lecture, panel discussion, or other program, watching news organizations from around the world broadcast from our campus, or volunteering for the debate itself."

“We are especially proud that this year, we’ve created activities – both here on campus and in area schools – that will involve hundreds of middle and high school students and, we hope, inspire them to become active participants in our democratic process,” President Rabinowitz said.

Debate 2012: Pride, Politics and Policy includes the following Signature Event Series of speakers: (all speakers will be at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus, unless otherwise noted):

• Sept. 12, 2012 -- Christina Romer, former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors for President Barack Obama. 11:15 a.m. – 1 p.m.

• Sept. 19, 2012 – Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush:  “America’s Promise in Uncertain Times” 11:15 a.m.- 1 p.m.

• Oct. 3, 2012 – Scholar, activist and author Cornel West. “Making Abolishing Poverty a Priority in the    Presidential Election”.  7 p.m.

• Oct. 8, 2012 – Scholar and historian Douglas Brinkley. Helen Fortunoff Theater, Monroe Lecture Center, South Campus. 7 p.m.

• Oct. 10, 2012 – Chris Matthews, journalist and host of MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews”. “A Political Insider’s View of Washington”, 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

• October 11, 2012 – Former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, 5 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.

• October 15, 2012 -  Former Sen. Alan K. Simpson and former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles, co-chairmen of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. “America’s Debt and Deficit Crisis: Issues and Solutions”, 6-7:30 p.m.

Debate 2012: Pride, Politics and Policy builds on Hofstra’s unique academic strengths and vibrant academic programs in political science, journalism, mass media, business, medicine and law, as well as the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, the interdisciplinary, the National Center for Suburban Studies and the Center for Civic Engagement, which is sponsoring a series of events called Expressions of Democracy 2012, that includes a dance competition and art exhibit for middle and high school students, and live performances by University students and professional actors of pivotal historic events.

The events also include a “Spot Watch” series analyzing 2012 campaign ads,  a Hofstra Museum exhibit of political cartoonists and several theatrical productions with political and election themes such as Farragut North, Mr. President and Urinetown: The Musical.

Hofstra’s Center for Civic Engagement’s annual Day of Dialogue on Oct. 10, 2012 will include a keynote address that evening from Van Jones, an environmental activist and former Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House on Environmental Quality.

The University’s Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency will sponsor two panel discussions featuring senior presidential fellows Howard B. Dean III and Edward J. Rollins, including a pre-election session called “Why Do Presidential Debates Matter?” on Oct. 2, 2012 and a post-election analysis on Nov. 29, 2012.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution of higher education where more than 11,000 full and part-time students choose from undergraduate and graduate offerings in liberal arts and sciences, business, engineering, communication, education, health sciences and human services, honors studies, the Maurice A. Deane School of Law and the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine.

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