Date: Feb 17, 2010

Hofstra and Vanity Fair Magazine Sponsor Panel on the Image of the Presidency Through History

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY - A panel of national political and communications experts will examine the image of the presidency from George Washington to Barack Obama, and how well those images reflect the real character of the men who have occupied the Oval Office. The panel discussion, "Creating Images of the American Presidency: From Campaigns to the White House" will be Tuesday, April 6, 2010 from 12:45 p.m. to 2:10 p.m. at Monroe Lecture Center Theater, South Campus. This event, originally planned for February, was rescheduled due to inclement weather.

The panel includes Hofstra University experts Edward J. Rollins, Republican strategist and senior presidential fellow at the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency and Lisa Merrill, professor of speech communication, rhetoric and performance studies.

Also featured on the panel are Vanity Fair National Editor Todd S. Purdum, and illustrator Mark Summers, both key contributors to Vanity Fair's Presidential Profiles: Defining Portraits, Deeds and Misdeeds of 43 Notable Americans - And What One Really Thought About Their Predecessor. The book, released earlier this month, is a collection of original illustrations by Summers and revealing profiles by Purdum and other Vanity Fair contributors about the American presidents.

Kalikow Center Director Meena Bose will moderate the discussion, which is co-sponsored by Hofstra Cultural Center and the Kalikow Center. A book signing of Vanity Fair's Presidential Profiles, will immediately follow the discussion, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The book, published by Harry N. Abrams, is on sale at Hofstra University Bookstore in the David S. Mack Student Center, and will be available for purchase at the panel discussion.

The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. For more information, or to register, contact Hofstra Cultural Center at 516-463-5669 or go to hofstra.edu/vanityfair. Limit two seats per registrant.

The panelists:

Edward J. Rollins has managed political campaigns for candidates and initiatives in this country and around the world. Mr. Rollins managed President Ronald Reagan's 49 state landslide reelection campaign in 1984. Mr. Rollins has had major managerial roles in eight other  residential campaigns including most recently serving as National Chairman of  the Huckabee for President Campaign in 2008. He has served in the administrations of four United States Presidents  (Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Bush; 41) including serving two tours of duty at the highest level of the White House as Assistant to the President. He was also President Reagan's  Deputy Chief of Staff in the second term. Besides being a senior presidential fellow at the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, Rollins is a Senior Political analyst for CNN news.

Todd Purdum is an award-winning journalist who joined Vanity Fair magazine as a national editor in 2006. Before that, he had spent 23 years at the New York Times, where he was a Washington correspondent, a White House and diplomatic correspondent, Los Angeles bureau chief, as well as a metropolitan reporter and City Hall bureau chief. He contributed the forward for the new book, Vanity Fair's Presidential Profiles.

Mark Summers is a Canadian illustrator best known for his illustrations of literary figures that are used in corporate branding by Barnes & Noble. he has done illustrations for magazines such as Time and Atlantic Monthly, and has won three gold meals from the Society of Illustrators. He produced all the illustrations for the new book, Vanity Fair's Presidential Profiles.

Lisa Merrill is a professor of Speech Comunication, Rhetoric & Performance Studies at Hofstra University, who teaches courses in performance studies, gender and intercultural communication, women's studies, nonverbal communication, rhetoric, public address, and communication theory. Dr. Merrill's ongoing research is in the fields of performance studies, American studies, Victorian studies, and women's studies, and she has published widely on gender, communication and performance.

Meena Bose, professor of political science, is director of the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency. She is the author or co-editor of several books, including Shaping and Signaling Presidential Policy: The National Security Decision Making of Eisenhower and Kennedy. Her current research focuses on the changing role of the United Nations in American foreign policy. Dr. Bose teaches courses on the American Presidency, American Foreign Policy, and American Politics. She taught for six years at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where she also served as Director of American Politics.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 150 undergraduate and more than 160 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business; engineering; communication; education, health and human services;  and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. The University also provides excellent facilities with state-of-the-art technology, extensive library resources and internship programs that match students' interests and abilities with appropriate companies and organizations.  The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.
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Related Link: hofstra.edu/vanityfair