Conference on Lobbying Reform in the U.S. and E.U.
On March 17, 2014 CCPS will host on an all-day conference on lobbying reform in the U.S. and E.U.
Questions?
-
Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies
(202) 885-3491
ccps@american.edu
The Republicans’ Latino Problem and How it Can Be Fixed
Join the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies and the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies for a morning conference tackling this timely and important issue, illuminating the challenges the Republican Party faces with trying to obtain the Latino vote and improve their relationship with Latino voters.
Time: March 7 from 10am-1:00pm
Location: SIS Abramson Family Founders Room
Learn More
Pete Souza/The White House
Obama's icy relationship with Congress: Can it ever thaw?
Listen Professor James Thurber comment in this report by The Christian Science Monitor’s Francine Kiefer.
The Nation
Where Have All the Lobbyists Gone?
Prof. James Thurber share his knowledge of the lobbying industry in this article featured in The Nation.
Celebrating Women's History Month
Join WPI and CCPS as we discuss partisanship and polarization in the U.S. Congress and whether more women can help solve these problems. Sean Theriault will sign copies of his new book, The Gingrich Senators: The Roots of Partisan Warfare in Congress. Panel discussion with former Congresswomen Barbara Kennelly and Nancy Johnson will follow.
Date and Time:
Thursday, March 27th
Book Signing at 11:15 AM
Lunch and Panel Discussion at 12 PM
Location:
SIS Founders Room
American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016
European Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute- Brussels, Belgium June 22-June 27, 2014
Interested in attending this year’s EPAAI? Join us for an information and Q and A session on any of the following dates:
Monday February 24th from 5pm- 5:30
Thursday March 6th from 5pm- 5:30
Tuesday March 18th from 5pm- 5:30
All information sessions will take place in the CCPS office, Ward 109.
Intern while at EPAAI
Applications for paid internships with the European Parliament Liaison Office with US Congress are due February 6th!
Contact Jean-Luc Robert, European Parliament Liaison Office with US Congress, for more information: jean-luc.robert@europarl.europa.eu
Dee Dee Myers with CCPS Students
Dee Dee Myers Visits CCPS Institutes
Former Whitehouse Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers spoke to students of the Campaign Management Institute and Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute in January.
2013 Gill Family Foundation Scholarship
CCPS is pleased to announce Andrew Brannegan as the recipient of the 2013 Gill Family Foundation Scholarship.
Andrew’s dissertation is titled: "Understanding Parental Involvement and its Influence on Student Outcomes in the Context of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001."
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 emphasized the need for greater parental participation in the education process by expanding public school choice and by requiring parental involvement in Title I school activities. This research will examine the implications of increasing parental involvement in schools, by analyzing: (1) how each parent’s level of education influences the likelihood of being aware of and participating in public school choice; (2) how different types of parental involvement and school outreach influence student test scores and behavioral outcomes; and (3) how changes in household dynamics influence a parent’s likelihood of participating in school activities. These questions are answered using a variety of quantitative methods and using data from the National Household Education Survey of 2007 and the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999.
MSNBC’s Chris Matthews interviews President Barack Obama in the Greenberg Theatre for an episode of “Hardball.”
President Obama Visits AU
Chris Matthews interviewed President Obama at American University on Thursday, December 5. Learn More
2013 Hatfield Scholar Award Presented to Professor James A. Thurber
Professor James A. Thurber is the recipient of the 2013 Hatfield Scholar Award. The award is given by Portland State University faculty in recognition of an exceptional scholar whose career best exemplifies the Hatfield commitment to public interest and public service.
The JFK Assassination Anniversary: Public Perceptions And Political Realities- The Diane Rehm Show
Listen to panelists James Thurber, Robert Dallek; presidential historian, Larry Sabato; founder and director, University of Virginia Center for Politics, and Bill Minutaglio; professor of journalism at the University of Texas, Austin discuss the JFK assassination on the eve of the 50th anniversary.
Remembering Richard Smolka
Richard G. Smolka, a professor emeritus at American University and one of the world’s leading experts on elections, voting and the electoral process, died at his home in Mesa, Arizona, on Nov. 5. He was 81.
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Smolka taught in the School of Public Affairs at American for 31 years before his retirement. He created Election Administration Reports, a bi-weekly newsletter on election law and administration for election officials, in 1971 and served as its editor for more than 40 years. It became an industry standard and developed a worldwide readership among those in the business of running elections.
Senior Fellow Bob Musil featured in the Huffington Post
Read Dr. Musil’s column and learn about his new book, Rachel Carson and Her Sisters: Extraordinary Women Who Have Shaped America's Environment.
Day-After Analysis of State Election Results
Ed O'Keefe ; Congressional reporter, The Washington Post.
John Harwood; Chief Washington correspondent, CNBC; reporter, The New York Times.
Liz Sidoti; National political editor, AP.
Photo by Jeff Watts
The Impact of the Government Shutdown and Sequestration on the Poor
Miss our event? Watch the video!
CCPS Forum featuring:
Marge Clark
Chief lobbyist for Network: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby (Nuns on the Bus)
Amelia Kegan
Senior Policy Analyst, Bread for the World
Scott Lilly
Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress
Moderated by Professor James A. Thurber; University Distinguished Professor of Government and Founder and Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies.
CCPS Forum- October 3rd- What’s Wrong With Congress And What Can Be Done About It?
Norm Ornstein- Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute
Thomas E. Mann- Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
Moderated by Professor James A. Thurber, Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies and Distinguished University Professor.
www.npr.org
Here’s Something Congress Can Agree On: Helium
Listen to James A. Thurber interviewed on NPR about the government shutdown.
http://www.infrastructureusa.org
The Shifting Suburbs: Changes in the Nation’s Political Fulcrum
Watch C-SPAN coverage of this joint CCPS-WIPAR conference.
Professor James Thurber on NPR
Listen to Prof. Thurber’s comments on Syria in an interview with NPR’s David Welna
CCPS Fellow Walter Oleszek honored by the National Capital Area Political Science Association
Congratulations to CCPS Fellow Walter Oleszek, the 2013 recipient of the Walter Beach Pi Sigma Alpha Award.
Learn more about Prof. Walter Oleszek
Read this recent Roll Call article about Walter
CBS Sunday Morning- Behind the Closed Doors of Washington Lobbyists
Watch James Thurber discuss lobbying on CBS Sunday Morning.
Partisan Rancor In The Senate And The Future Of The Filibuster- The Diane Rehm Show
Listen to James A. Thurber discuss the politics of Senate rule changes on WAMU’s The Diane Rehm Show.
Students invited to lecture at the European Commission
This year’s European Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute class was invited to a recent meeting of the European Commission.
2013 Bryce Harlow Foundation Ethics and Lobbying Essay Winner
The Center congratulates Lindsey Mears, winner of the 2013 Bryce Harlow Foundation Ethics and Lobbying Essay Winner.
Lindsey Mears is a recent graduate of the MA program in Political Communication at American University. She took part in the Ethics in Lobbying Workshop to enhance her understanding of both the perception and legislation of lobbying activity. Lindsey works at an advocacy nonprofit and hopes to continue working in issue advocacy.
Read Lindsey’s award winning paper and past winners.
CCPS Forum: The Politics of Climate Change
June 19th
8:00am-10:30am
The Knight Studio
3rd Floor, The Newseum
Commemorations Dot 2013 Calendar
Read Prof. Thurber’s comments in a recent USA Today article about upcoming JFK commemorations.
Professor Thurber to Address CED’s Spring Policy Conference
Professor Thurber is participating in the Committee for Economic Development’s Spring Policy Conference in Washington.
Has President Obama Changed the Way Washington Works?
Read Prof. Thurber’s article on Blackpast.org, an online reference guide to African American history compiled by Prof. Quintard Taylor of the University of Washington, Seattle
Photo by Jeff Watts
President Obama’s Lobbyist Problem
Read Professor Thurber’s blog post for The Bryce Harlow Foundation.
Learn more about the Foundation
More News from Patchwork Nation
Read the latest news from CCPS Fellow and Patchwork Nation’s Dante Chinni, including his most recent article in the Wall Street Journal.
The GOP's Gay Marraige Challenge
Campaign Management Institute Assistant Director Andy MacCracken on C-SPAN
Andy MacCracken appeared on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal to discuss his organization’s efforts to engage young voters on a national level about a variety of issues including the national debt, fiscal responsibility, college affordability and youth voter turnout.?
Eva-Marie Kiefer joins CCPS as a Scholar in Residence
Ms. Kiefer is a PhD student at the Heidelberg Center for American Studies in Germany. Her dissertation examines the mechanisms explaining Congressional behavior during crisis in conflicts with non-state actors.
Jeffrey Crouch, assistant professor of American politics
Recent News CCPS Fellow Jeffrey Crouch
Preossor Crouch was featured in the New York Times Sunday Dialogue: Using the Power to Pardon.
Prof.Jeffrey Crouch, author of The Presidential Pardon Power (University Press of Kansas, 2009), was one of two political scientists invited to join a dozen legal scholars and practitioners at St. Thomas School of Law's spring symposium, "Sentence Commutations and the Executive Pardon Power." Crouch presented a paper entitled "The President's Power to Commute: Is It Still Relevant?" The symposium was held on April 20, 2012 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Former Maryland governor Robert Ehrlich delivered the keynote address. Here is a link: http://ir.stthomas.edu/ustlj/symposia.html
Crouch was also invited to speak at Clemson University, where he gave a talk on April 27, 2012 entitled "The Presidential Pardon Power: The Basics." His recently published work includes a chapter, "William Jefferson Clinton," in Chronology of the American Presidency, edited by Matthew Manweller, and a chapter entitled "Redistricting: The Shift Towards South and West Continues" in Campaigns on the Cutting Edge, 2nd Ed., edited by AU's own Richard J. Semiatin.
Watch Professor Crouch’s latest CPAN interview and read his comments in the New York Times.
Read Professor Crouch's latest interview in the Boston Globe.
Learn more about Jeffrey Crouch
Crouch quoted on Obama pardons
Read Professor Jeffrey Crouch’s comments on President Obama’s recent pardons in The Washington Post.
5 Things to Watch for in State of the Union Speech
Several AU faculty, including CCPS Director James Thurber, discuss areas that President Obama should be focusing on in his 2013 State of the Union address.
Lunch meeting to discuss current political events in Egypt
Lunch meeting to discuss current political events in Egypt with Director James A. Thurber and Claudia Thurber with Ambassador Maher El-Adawy and Shams El-Adawy from Cairo, Egypt with Adel El-Adawy SPA MA student and graduate of the Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute and the European Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute. Adel has been writing a widely read blog about current Egyptian politics for the last two years.
Experts Surveyed on Congress’ Performance Give The Institution a “C” for 2012
Read the latest from the Center on Congress at Indiana University.
Congress: The Causes and Consequences of Partisanship Deadlock
Read the latest book chapter from the Center on Congressional deadlock
Jaiqi Liang and Jeff Gill
Gill Family Foundation Scholarship Winner 2012
The Gill Family Foundation Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce its December 2012 winner: Jiaqi Liang.
Jiaqi Liang is a Ph.D. candidate in Department of Public Administration & Policy. Her research interests include administrative politics, policy implementation, program evaluation, environmental policy and politics, performance management, diversity and representation, comparative public administration and policy. Her dissertation theoretically conceptualizes race/ethnicity-based environmental injustice in the framework of social construction of target populations, and empirically examines its impact on the bureaucratic distribution of environmental benefits and burdens by enforcing environmental programs inequitably. Prior to the doctoral program at AU, Liang received a MPA with a concentration in public policy at University of Missouri-Columbia. Her dissertation is titled: Unmasking Covert Injustice: Minorities, Social Constructionism, and Environmental Enforcement in the United States.
Compromise in Congress to Avert the Fiscal Cliff- The Diane Rehm Show
Listen to James A. Thurber as he joins guests Norm Ornstein and Alice Rivlin to discuss the state of Congress and compromise.
James A. Thurber appears on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal
Professor James Thurber discusses the Electoral College on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal.
Read Prof. Thurber’s comments in the latest edition of American Magazine
Peter G. Peterson
The Man Behind the Fiscal Cliff
Prof. James A. Thurber comments in Peter Overby’s NPR story on the man who brought attention to the fiscal cliff.
Also read James A. Thurber's comments in a recent story by NPR's Frank James on campaign finance.
Forget Creativity: Can Lobbying Be Taught?
Learn about lobbying schools and Prof. Thurber’s views on lobbying education in this piece in The Washington Post.
Book Talk with Former Rep. Mickey Edwards-
James A. Thurber and Rep. Mickey Edwards held a spirited discussion on his book titled "The Parties vs. the People: How to Turn Republicans and Democrats into Americans”
Professor James Thurber Discusses Election Outcomes on the Diane Rehm Show
Hear Professor Thurber, Andrew Kohut; director of the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press and Michelle Bernard; founder and president of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics and Public Policy as they analyze the results.
Presidential Poll: Aging ‘Emptying Nest’ counties look crucial in the Midwest, Give Edge to Obama
As the 2012 presidential race heads for the home stretch, a new poll analysis by American University and Patchwork Nation suggests that a popular/electoral vote split is a very real possibility – with key aging Midwestern counties giving the president an edge in the race to 270 electoral votes. The findings come from an examination of the latest Pew Research Center presidential poll using the Patchwork Nation demographic/geographic breakdown of U.S. counties
Recent Publications from Professor James Thurber
Agony, Angst, and the Failure of the Supercommittee
What’s Wrong with Congress and What Should Be Done About It?
The Dynamics and Dysfunction of the Congressional Budget Process: From Inception to Deadlock
Panel James A. Thurber, Evan Thomas, Jim Newton, Michael Birkner, and Executive Director Carl Reddell
Eisenhower Scholars Examine Ike’s Role with the Media
Did Ike like the media? Or did he consider them a necessary nuisance? Did he use their reach and credibility to telegraph messages to other world leaders?
An expert panel, moderated by James A. Thurber, included Evan Thomas, whose book "Ike's Bluff" was recently released, Eisenhower biographer Jim Newton and Michael Birkner of Gettysburg College.
The Romney Post-Debate Bounce – What’s clear and what’s uncertain: A Patchwork Nation Analysis of the latest Pew Research Center Poll
By most every account, Republican nominee Mitt Romney shook up the presidential race last week with a strong showing in the first presidential debate. By early last week, polls from Gallup to Pew seemed to indicate the race had changed.
The question is how much. To help answer that question Patchwork Nation broke down the data inside the most recent Pew Research Center poll using its 12 types of counties to get a sense of where the Romney surge is most visible. Repeating a method of analysis we have used on previous Pew polls.
The breakdown, released here in conjunction with American University, shows a big surge in the exurbs for Romney (counties called Boom Towns) and some growth of support in the big cities (counties called the Industrial Metropolis). President Obama, meanwhile, still appears to hold the lead in the crucial suburban counties (counties called the Monied Burbs) and to hold great strength in the counties that are a heavy with college students (counties called Campus and Careers).
Independents and Swing Voters: Who are they, and will they decide the election?
Miss our lively forum on swing voters in September?
Lobbying Remarks in Deutsche Welle
Read Prof. Thurber’s remarks on lobbying in the financial industry in a recent story in Deutsche Welle.
What’s Wrong with Congress and What Should Be Done About It?
Read Prof. Thurber’s recent article on Congressional dysfunction.
November 8: CCPS Post Election Forum
Panelists Included:
- Candice Nelson, Department Chair of Government (SPA) and Director of the Campaign Management Institute.
- Jennifer Lawless, Associate Professor of Government (SPA) and Director of the Women & Politics Institute.
- Leonard Steinhorn, Director of the Public Communication Division (SOC).
- Dotty Lynch, Executive in Residence (SOC) and CBS News political consultant.
- Eric Hershberg, Professor of Government (SPA) and Director of the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies.
Moderated by Professor James A. Thurber, Director, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies and Distinguished University Professor.
A Complicated Path to Victory
*Please Note: These results are from BEFORE Pew’s Monday 10/8 poll release*
With a month to go until Election Day, a new breakdown of poll numbers show President Barack Obama has built important leads in key communities where he needs to win big in November. Perhaps even more important, Obama has opened up leads in important swing counties and in some counties that usually tend to lean toward the GOP.
The analysis, done by examining Pew Research Center polling data through the Patchwork Nation demographic/geographic breakdown of counties in partnership with American University, suggests a complicated path to victory for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in the closing weeks of the campaign.
The Dynamics and Dysfunction of the Congressional Budget Process: From Inception to Deadlock.
Read Prof. James A. Thurber’s latest article on the Congressional Budget Process.
Agony, Angst, and the Failure of the Supercommittee
Read Professor Thurber’s latest publication, “Agony, Angst, and the Failure of the Supercommittee," published in Extensions, a journal of the Carl Albert Congressional and Research Studies Center at The University of Oklahoma.
Diane Rehm (Photo courtesy of WAMU)
How The Electoral College Works
Listen to James A. Thurber and Jeffrey Rosen on The Diane Rehm Show.
Table Talk Lunch Series
Miss the CCPS and the Kay Spiritual Life Center Table Talk Lunch Series session on the role of Superpacs?
2012 Gill Family Foundation Scholarship- Applications Due November 16th
The Gill Family Foundation Scholarship is awarded to an SPA PhD student in support a dissertation using quantitative methods.
The selection committee includes: Professor James Thurber, Dept. of Government; Professor Laura Langbein, Dept. of Public Administration and Policy; Professor Robert Jernigan, Dept. of Math and Statistics; Professor Jennifer Lawless, Dept. of Government, and Professor Jan Leighley, Dept. of Government
Election and Beyond
Listen to James Thurber’s comments about the campaign featured on German Public Radio, read about separating fact from fiction in Politifact, as well as the tough road ahead for Obama.
It’s the Electoral College, Stupid.
Read about the latest Electoral College debate and learn what James Thurber has to say about it.
The Politics of Employment
Prof. Thurber talks with NPR’s Frank James about what the latest jobs report means for the election.
2012 Bryce Harlow Foundation Ethics and Lobbying Essay Winner
The Center congratulates Evan Kost, winner of the 2012 Bryce Harlow Foundation Ethics and Lobbying Essay Winner.
Evan Kost currently works as a Development Associate at America Votes, the leading coordinating entity for the advocacy work and electoral activities of over 300 progressive organizations at the state and national level. Prior to joining AV, he earned his Master’s Degree in Applied Politics at American University’s School of Public Affairs. During his time at American, he specifically focused on campaign finance and public policy, culminating in a final study concerning 501(c)(4) regulation . He also worked in the same field at both the campaign- and consulting-level, where he assisted the fundraising efforts of several state and federal races. Prior to moving to Washington D.C., Evan received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and English from Bucknell University.
2012 European Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute
Prof. Thurber led students to Brussels for the annual European Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute. Participants met with politicians, lobbyists, and other high profile stake holders while in the region.
Learn more information about European Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute.
Professor Patrick Griffin, Representative Henry Waxman, and CCPS Director James A. Thurber
Clean Air Policy Summit
Professors James A. Thurber and Patrick Griffin hosted Rep. Henry Waxman (D- CA) and a panel of experts for a policy summit on the politics of clean air. The event, cosponsored with National Journal, was held on June 6th and took place at the Newseum.
U.S. Elections and the Two Party System
Lean about the State Department’s efforts in educating the world in our election system, which includes Prof. Thurber’s expertise on the topic.
CMI Students Take Home Pollie Award
The American Association of Political Scientists awarded a ‘Gold: Best Campaign Strategy’ Pollie Award in the student category to Aaron Alberico, Noah Benjamin, Barton Thompson, Josh Roll, and Garret Bonosky.
The group, all of whom participated in CMI's Targeting and Direct Mail weekend workshop, was recognized for their dedication and exemplary work in the 2011/2012 Political campaign season. The team of five created a thorough campaign strategy book for the Tim Kaine for U.S. Senate campaign.
International Lobbying Reform
Prof. James Thurber and Natko Vlahovic, Secretary General of the Croatian Association of Lobbyists and Founder of Vlahovic Group, met in Washington recently to discuss their international lobbying reform efforts with the German Marshall Fund.
Dr. James A Thurber, Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Dr. Stephen Wayne, and Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah
World Forum on Governance
Professor Thurber just returned from the first annual World Forum on Governance, Prague, Czech Republic. US Ambassador Norm Eisen spoke, as well as Norm Ornstein (AEI), and co-organizer Tom Mann (Brookings Institution). The theme of the conference was "Political Governance and Corporate Governance: Innovating to Fight Corruption and Increase Accountability". Professor Thurber led a special session on lobbying reform at the conference.
Conference at the American University of Sharjah
Prof. James Thurber recently took part in a conference examining the impact of the Obama administration, which took place at the American University of Sharjah, UAE. View the agenda.
Keynote Address
CCPS Director James A. Thurber gave a keynote address at Clemson University in September.
The speech was titled “Assessing President Obama and the 112th Congress.”
James Thurber with Philip Davies, the head of the American collection at the British Library in London
Reforming Congress: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Professor James Thurber and Rep. Mickey Edwards joined Daniel Schuman of the Sunlight Foundation in a discussion of the history of efforts to reform Congress and what can be done to help it fulfill its constitutional responsibilities. Watch the Video
Kennedy Center Celebrates the 50th anniversary of JFK's inauguration
Prof. James Thurber was featured on a panel at the Kennedy Center with actor Stacy Keach, star of the award winning play Frost/Nixon. The two spoke at an event as part of the Kennedy Center’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy’s inauguration. Learn more
30 Years of Winning Strategy
Now in its thirtieth year, the Campaign Management Institute has become an internationally recognized dynamic curriculum drawing students from across the globe to learn and practice the art and science of campaigning.
Featured Faculty
Anita McBride, Executive-in-Residence, has a long and distinguished career in American politics and government. Most recently, she served as Assistant to President George W. Bush and Chief of Staff to First Lady Laura Bush.
The E-PAAI Experience
Stephen Calabria, a 2009 participant in the European Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute, documented the groups experiences in Brussels and produced a video.
Ethically-Challenged D.C.?
James Thurber discusses lobbying, earmarks, and ethics in the capital city on the Kojo Nnamdi Show.
Conference Committees
Prof. Thurber's editorial in The Hill on April 26, 2010: Bring Back the Conference Committees
