National political pundits William Kristol and Mark Shields will discuss the “State of the Union, Mid-Term” in a free public program Oct. 5 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
National political pundits William Kristol and Mark Shields will discuss the “State of the Union, Mid-Term” in a free public program Oct. 5 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Kristol and Shields will assess the Obama administration, Congress and national politics a month before the mid-term elections. The discussion, at 7 p.m. in Memorial Hall on Cameron Avenue, will be moderated by Hodding Carter III, University Professor of Leadership and Public Policy. Parking is available in commercial lots on Rosemary Street.
Shields and Kristol come to UNC as Frey Foundation Distinguished Visiting Professors in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Kristol has been named “the hottest pundit in town” by Washingtonian magazine. He is founder and editor of the Washington-based political magazine The Weekly Standard. He regularly appears as a political commentator on “FOX News Sunday” and the FOX News Channel. He co-wrote The New York Times bestseller, “The War Over Iraq: America’s Mission and Sadam’s Tyranny” (2003).
Previously a political operative, Kristol helped shape the strategy that produced the GOP’s 1994 Congressional victories. He was chief of staff to Vice President Dan Quayle during the presidency of George H.W. Bush and to Secretary of Education William Bennett under President Ronald Reagan.
Shields was called “a walking almanac of American politics” by The Washington Post and “the wittiest political analyst around” by The Wall Street Journal. He has provided weekly political analysis on national campaigns for PBS’ “NewsHour” since 1988, and he was a moderator and panelist on CNN’s “Capital Gang” for 17 years. He is a regular panelist on “Inside Washington,” the weekly public affairs show seen on ABC and PBS. He began writing his now syndicated column as an editorial writer at The Washington Post in 1979.
Shields began his career in politics. He worked on Robert Kennedy’s presidential campaign and held leadership positions in three other presidential races.
Carter joined the UNC faculty in 2006 after stepping down as president of the Knight Foundation. As State Department spokesperson for President Jimmy Carter, he was the public face of the Iran hostage crisis for the administration. In the 1980s, Carter won four Emmy Awards and the Edward R. Murrow Award for his public affairs television documentaries. He has appeared on numerous public affairs television shows.
The Frey Foundation Professorship was established in 1989 to bring to campus distinguished leaders from government, public policy and the arts. Alumnus David Frey chairs the foundation established by his parents, the late Edward J. and Frances Frey of Grand Rapids, Mich.
Photos:
Kristol: http://uncnews.unc.edu/images/stories/news/government/2010/kristol_william_promopic.jpg
Shields: http://uncnews.unc.edu/images/stories/news/government/2010/shields_mark_promopic.jpg
College of Arts and Sciences contact: Dee Reid, (919) 843-6339, deereid@unc.edu
News Services contact: L.J. Toler, (919) 962-8589, laura_toler@unc.edu