Date: May 05, 2008

Paul Begala and Frank Luntz to Speak at Hofstra

"The Evolving Role of the Poll and Public Opinion in Election Politics"

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY –Political analyst and CNN commentator Paul Begala and Frank Luntz, the most-quoted pollster in America, will discuss the roll of political polls and the shaping of public opinion in the 2008 presidential election at a joint appearance at Hofstra University on Monday, May 5, 2008 at 3 p.m. in the Monroe Lecture Center Theater, California Avenue, South Campus. The lecture is sponsored by The President’s Educate ’08 Event Series.

As a political strategist or pundit, Paul Begala has been at the center of every election cycle of the last 20 years. Mr. Begala is reported to have been the first person to predict the Democratic takeover of the House in 2006. As a senior strategist to the campaign of Pennsylvania Democrat Bob Casey, he helped unseat the third-ranking Republican in the U.S. Senate, allowing the Democrats to take control of that chamber as well. Mr. Begala served as counselor to President Clinton in the White House, where he helped define and defend that administration’s agenda. Along with James Carville, he was a senior strategist for the Clinton-Gore presidential campaign in 1992. He is the author of several New York Times best-selling books including Is Our Children Learning? The Case against George W. Bush. He also co-authored two books with Mr. Carville, including, Take It Back: Our Party, Our Country, Our Future.

Dr. Frank Luntz has been named by TIME magazine as one of “50 of America’s most promising leaders aged 40 and under.” The Boston Globe has called him the “hottest pollster” in America. Mr. Lutz is also winner of the coveted Washington Post “Crystal Ball” award for being the most accurate pundit in 1992 and was named one of the four “Top Research Minds” by Business Week. He has written, supervised and conducted more than a thousand surveys and focus groups for corporate and public affairs clients in 11 countries since forming The Luntz Research Companies in 1992.  In January 2007, Dr. Luntz released his first book, Words that Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear, which details how the words we choose can change the course of business, politics, or life.

Admission to the event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. Please register online at www.hofstra.edu/educate08 or call 516-463-6818.

This event is part of Hofstra’s Educate ’08 initiative, an unprecedented educational effort that engages not only students and faculty, but also the public in a yearlong series of conferences, events and lectures. Our unique programs, such as the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, the Center for Civic Engagement, the National Center for Suburban Studies, and the Hofstra Cultural Center, are important partners in this series.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 145 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. With a student-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, our professors teach small classes averaging 22 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis. Hofstra offers a faculty whose highest priority is teaching excellence, cutting edge technology, extensive library resources, internships and special educational programs that appeal to their interests and abilities.  The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.