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January 10, 2008

Former Clinton and Bush staffers speak at 四色AV April 3

The next Presidential Lyceum, scheduled for Thursday, April 3 at 7 p.m. in Brown Auditorium, will feature James Carville and Mary Matalin as they share their political expertise, honed from working with both the Clinton and Bush presidential administrations.

About the Lyceum Series:

The Lyceum Series, which began in 2003 under the direction of 四色AV President James E. Cofer, promotes intellectual exchange among 四色AV faculty, staff, students, and the community.

The upcoming presentation by Carville, the chief campaign strategist for Clinton/Gore in 1992, and Matalin, former Assistant to President Bush and Counselor to Vice-President Cheney, will resonate with anyone, regardless of political affiliation, said John Sutherlin, assistant professor of political science and Lyceum Series committee member. 鈥淢ary Matalin and James Carville are the most significant political consultants and commentators in the past six decades. What they have accomplished transformed elections not only in the U.S., but also in Russia, Eastern Europe and Israel. Regardless of one's political affiliation, Matalin and Carville will offer a challenge to conventional campaign thinking."

Students will greatly benefit from the political duo, said 四色AV accounting major Micah Pulliam, also a Lyceum Series committee member. 鈥淎pril will be the height of the presidential election and campaigning. For students, this will be a great time to hear the Washington political insights into the election in November 2008. With Mary Matalin representing the Republican side and James Carville, having orchestrated the Clinton election during the last Democratic presidency鈥攚e should have fun hearing the Carville/Matalin banter, and at the same time, learn the differing sides to the important campaign issues.鈥�

Schedule:

About Carville:
The man who devised the most dramatic political victories of our generation, 鈥淐aptured in action in The War Room,鈥� the compelling, Academy Award-nominated documentary about President Bill Clinton鈥檚 presidential campaign, Carville knows precisely how to craft a winning strategy. A fixture on CNN鈥檚 groundbreaking 鈥淐谤辞蝉蝉蹿颈谤别鈥� for many years, Carville analyzes the day鈥檚 political headlines, including a close-up look at the 2008 presidential campaigns and candidates.

His latest book, 鈥淭ake it Back,鈥� is a handbook for taking back Congress, the White House and the country. In 鈥淏uck Up, Suck Up and Come Back When You Foul Up,鈥� Carville offers enlightening behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the campaign trail. He is also author of 鈥淪tickin鈥�: The Case for Loyalty; All鈥檚 Fair,鈥� written with his wife and favorite debate partner, Mary Matalin, and the upcoming 鈥淭he Lost Generation鈥� (Summer 2008). Carville鈥檚 become a pop culture icon, co-producing the movie remake of 鈥淎ll The King's Men鈥� and spoofing his own well-recognized persona on television and in such films as 鈥淥ld School.鈥�

Carville and wife Mary Matalin first wrote 鈥淎ll鈥檚 Fair: Love, War, and Running for President,鈥� which spent eight weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. Carville鈥檚 other books have included 鈥淲e鈥檙e Right, They鈥檙e Wrong: A Handbook for Spirited Progressives鈥�; 鈥淎nd the Horse He Rode In On: The People vs. Kenneth Starr鈥�; 鈥淪tickin鈥欌��; 鈥淏uck Up, Suck Up鈥nd Come Back When You Foul Up鈥�; 鈥淗ad Enough? A Handbook for Fighting Back鈥�; his children鈥檚 book, 鈥淟u and the Swamp Ghost鈥�; and 2006鈥檚 鈥淭ake it Back.鈥� Carville also co-produced the remake of the 1949 Oscar award-winning movie 鈥淎ll The King鈥檚 Men鈥� with a cast that included such acting luminaries as Sean Penn, Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law, Patricia Clarkson, Kate Winslet, and James Gandolfini.

About Mary Matalin:
Mary Matalin, former assistant to President George W. Bush and counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney, was the first White House official to hold that double title. In 1992, President Bush named her the deputy campaign manager for political operations. As deputy campaign manager, she was responsible for the overview and organization of all 50 state operations. As the on-board planner who traveled with President Bush throughout the 1992 campaign, she emerged as the vocal, and occasionally controversial, defender of the president and his policies.

Before joining the Bush/Cheney White House, Matalin hosted CNN鈥檚 critically acclaimed debate show, 鈥淐谤辞蝉蝉蹿颈谤别.鈥� Matalin is the former founding co-host of the Washington-based political weeknight talk show, 鈥淓qual Time,鈥� which premiered in May 1993 on CNBC. She served as co-host until shortly after the 1996 national political conventions. Her political astuteness and antics contributed to the show鈥檚 being called 鈥渢he best talk show on television鈥� by Knight Ridder News Service. Matalin鈥檚 humor, straightforward discussion, and ability to discuss the hottest political issues in Washington helped to make the show one of the most talked about programs in the network鈥檚 history.

Matalin has made frequent television appearances as a political commentator, and has written for various periodicals including Newsweek and The Los Angeles Times. She also co-authored the best-selling political campaign book 鈥淎ll鈥檚 Fair: Love, War and Running for President鈥� with her husband, James Carville, who was the chief campaign strategist for Clinton/Gore in 1992. Her most recent book, 鈥淟etters to My Daughters鈥� (April 2004), was named a Book of the Month Club selection and made The New York Times and The Washington Post best-seller lists. 鈥淟etters to My Daughters鈥� was also selected for a condensed version by Reader's Digest.

Matalin took her sharp wit and free-spirited political repartee to the airwaves during her own three-hour afternoon radio program on the CBS Talk Radio Network. 鈥淭he Mary Matalin Show鈥� highlighted current events and featured distinguished guests and listener calls. Talkers magazine listed Matalin as one of The 100 Most Important Talk Show Hosts in America in 1996, 1997, and 1998. In addition, 鈥淭alk Daily鈥� recognized 鈥淭he Mary Matalin Show鈥� with its Great Web Site Award. Matalin recently appeared, with Carville, on HBO鈥檚 critically acclaimed series 鈥淜-厂迟谤别别迟,鈥� about the world of powerful political consultants. She now runs Threshold, a new conservative publishing imprint at Simon & Schuster.

Mary and her husband reside in Virginia with their daughters, Matalin 鈥淢atty鈥� Carville and Emerson 鈥淓mma鈥� Carville.

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