February 5, 2003
Political pundits James Carville and Mary Matalin and national security expert Gen. Barry McCaffrey will be the featured speakers for the 2003 IMPACT Symposium at Vanderbilt University.
Accustomed to standing at opposite ends of the political stage, Democratic consultant Carville and Matalin, most recently Vice President Dick Cheney’s top adviser, will stand center stage in a debate discussing the divided state of America following the November 2002 election cycles and the political scandals that ushered in the 21st century. The husband-and-wife team will speak on Monday, Feb. 17, at 8 p.m. in Vanderbilt’s Langford Auditorium.
Currently an expert commentator for NBC News on the War on Terrorism and other U.S. military activity, McCaffrey will speak on Sunday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m. in Langford Auditorium. He will explore strategies for dealing with the terrorist organizations that now threaten the U.S.
Tickets for both events are free to Vanderbilt students, faculty and staff and $5 to the general public. Tickets may be purchased through TicketMaster.
On Tuesday, Feb. 18, Vanderbilt professors will participate in a roundtable discussion of topics addressed by the IMPACT speakers and other political issues. The event will take place at 8 p.m. in Room 126 of Wilson Hall on the Vanderbilt campus and is free and open to the public.
Known for his colorful personality, Carville is one of the Democratic Party’s most outspoken members. He served as chief strategist for Bill Clinton’s election to the presidency in 1992, and was the focus of The War Room, an Academy Award-nominated film recalling the ’92 Clinton campaign. Following Clinton’s victory, Carville began to focus on foreign consulting. He currently serves as co-host of the CNN program Crossfire.
Regarded for her straightforward, no-nonsense approach, Matalin rose to prominence as President George Bush’s campaign manager in 1992. In 1993, she founded and co-hosted the CNBC program Equal Time and is a former host of CNN’s Crossfire. Matalin most recently served in the George W. Bush administration as Vice President Dick Cheney’s top public relations strategist, as well as an adviser to President Bush. Matalin left the White House in December 2002, but remains an informal political adviser as President Bush prepares for re-election.
Together, Carville and Matalin authored the best-selling political campaign book All’s Fair: Love, War and Running for President. They reside in Virginia with their two daughters.
Gen. Barry McCaffrey is the Olin Distinguished Professor of National Security Studies at the United States Military Academy. During his military career, he served overseas for 13 years, including four combat tours. He commanded the 24th Infantry Division during the Gulf War, and at his retirement from active duty, was the most highly decorated and youngest four-star general in the United States Army. McCaffrey is also the former director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. He now serves as president of his own Alexandria, Va.-based consulting firm and is NBC News’ chief analyst on national security and terrorism.
The Carville-Matalin debate, McCaffrey’s lecture and the political roundtable are part of this year’s student-sponsored IMPACT Symposium. IMPACT has enjoyed a tradition of presenting speakers on topics of national interest. Previous speakers have included the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George Bush and Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf.
Media contact: Kara Furlong, 615-322-NEWS, kara.c.furlong@vanderbilt.edu