CCPS in the Media Archive

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, talked to China's Voice of America on January 14 about dual-edged ethics and morality of lobbying, and the need for lobbying regulation. The article is available here in Chinese.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, spoke with AFP on October 26 about the rising likelihood of a Republican takeover of the Senate and the political consequences of that change.

Distinguished Professor James Thurber spoke to the Associated Press on January 17 about the necessity of Congressional Republicans and Democrats to repair their public images. More than 85 outlets republished this story, including the Washington Post and San Francisco Chronicle.

Distinguished Professor James Thurber spoke to Al Jazeera America online on January 28 about whether the State of the Union impacts policy.

James Thurber, distinguished professor of government, is quoted in a February 2 LA Times story on President Obama's use of "soft power" after the State of the Union.

James Thurber, distinguished professor of government, was interviewed by USA Today on February 8 about Congressman Tom Petri’s conflict of interest in supporting contracts for a company in which he holds stock shares.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, was quoted in the article, "Where Have All the Lobbyists Gone?" in the March 10-17 edition of The Nation.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, was quoted in an article on presidential influence in Congress, "Obama's Icy Relationship with Congress: Can It Ever Thaw?," in the Christian Science Monitor on February 24.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, was interviewed by NPR on March 2 about the political theater associated with presidential budget proposals.

On March 23, the Washington Post wrote about a conference on U.S. and EU lobbying reform organized by James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, was quoted in a Stamford Advocate article on March 22 about the heavy influence of lobbyists in large Connecticut industries.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, was quoted in Bloomberg News on April 11 regarding the economic opportunities companies are taking in response to the Ukrainian crisis.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, spoke with the Los Angeles Times on May 17 about President Obama's narrow approach to campaigning for Democrats in 2014.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, spoke to Bloomberg News on May 22 about Elon Musk's aggressive advocacy style for his company SpaceX in Washington.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, told Business Week on May 29 that Elon Musk should use caution as he confronts the military regarding SpaceX's continued expansion.

James Thurber, director of the Center of Congressional and Presidential Studies, told NPR reporter Frank James in a June 6 article that the Obama administration's communications strategy surrounding the release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has led to a political firestorm.

James Thurber, director of the Center of Congressional and Presidential Studies, appeared on Associated Press TV twice on June 19 to explain the President Obama's foreign policy woes along with the administration's lack of options following the ongoing Iraqi crisis.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, was quoted in the Christian Science Monitor on June 19 regarding the changes in Republican House leadership and the role of the party whip.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, spoke with a Gannett Company affiliate on June 14 about the lobbying industry's growth and the need to fix legal loopholes for lobbyists.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, explained President Obama’s evidence-based approach to making decisions in an Associated Press article on the White House’s handling of Ebola.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, provided a wealth of in-depth post-election analysis, including interviews with CNN, the Washington PostC-SPANPoliticoMarketplace, the Baltimore Sun and numerous affiliates of the Sinclair Broadcast Group.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, told Bloomberg News on November 12 that some Republicans taking charge of committees in Congress may work well with Democratic counterparts.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, joined a panel on the PBS Newshour on January 8 to discuss divided government and whether President Obama and the Republican Congress can govern together.

On January 9, C-SPAN covered presentations from the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies' (CCPS) biannual Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute (PAAI). James Thurber, director of CCPS, Neil Kerwin, president of American University, and Joseph Sandler, former general counsel of the Democratic National Committee, all spoke at PAAI.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke with the Tampa Bay Times on January 15 about the politics behind U.S. Representative Rich Nugent's heavy criticism of John Boehner.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, talked with The Washington Post on January 20 about President Obama's legacy and the policies that he will push during the last two years of his presidency.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke with the Associated Press for a pair of syndicated articles. The first article analyzed President Obama's active politics since the devastating defeat in November's elections; the second investigated the president's veto threats.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to the Epoch Times on January 30 about immigration and Jeb Bush’s 2016 presidential run.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, spoke to the Wall Street Journal about Hillary Clinton’s role at the Clinton Foundation and whether foreign donations to the Foundation present liabilities for presidential run.

James Thurber, director of the Center of Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to the New York Times about President Obama’s veto of the Keystone XL pipeline bill, saying that this is a period where President Obama will use his veto to “protect his past record.”

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke with U.S. News and World Report on January 23 about the hidden agendas and values that can be found by looking closer at the veto threats issued by President Obama.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke with PolitiFact for a pair of articles fact-checking Speaker of the House John Boehner. The first article analyzed the Speaker's comments on immigration, while the second focused on his case against Obamacare.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, provided analysis for the Washington Post on March 23 for an article detailing the successes and failures of President Obama's promise to curb the influence of lobbyists.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, appeared on the Diane Rehm Show on April 16 to discuss the first hundred days of the majority Republican Congress.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, was quoted in an article for Bloomberg on April 12, concerning the continued Republican effort to put pressure on Hillary Clinton during her presidential candidacy.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, was quoted in an article for the LA Times on May 4 that addresses the trend of former presidents to continue to advance certain causes after their presidency ends.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to the New York Times on May 12 about President Obama’s decision to allow drilling for oil in the Arctic.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to Bloomberg about a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s low-income project that was marred by charges of bribery and money laundering.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, was quoted in an article for U.S. News on May 27 which assessed the progress of the new GOP majority Congress thus far.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, was quoted in a Newsweek article on May 28 that looked at each presidential candidate and assessed their chances of winning.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, appeared on "Washington Journal" to discuss proposals in Congress to cut some presidential perks if their yearly post-presidential income exceeds a specific threshold. 

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke with the Associated Press on June 24 about America's extended presidential campaign season, and the complexities behind raising political money.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to NPR on September 15 about the benefits for the presidential candidates who do not poll in the top 10 to attend the earlier debate.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to International Business Times on September 25 about John Boehner's resignation and how it may lead to more partisan politics within the House of Representatives.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, was quoted in an article for U.S. News on September 28 regarding the issues the new House Speaker will face following John Boehner's resignation.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to The Center for Public Integrity on September 29 about wireless phone companies' lobbying efforts and how this affects public policy. TIME Magazine also ran the story.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to the New York Times on October 7 about why the House Speaker job is not as desirable as it once was.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to Fox News 11 in a syndicated broadcast on October 7 regarding the trouble the Republican caucus is having in choosing a new House Speaker.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to Yahoo News on October 10 about Congress's inability to find a middle ground.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to Fox News Latino (Article in Spanish) on November 3 about Bernie Sanders' description of himself as a socialist and how it affects his campaign chances.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to Roll Call on November 5 which looked at John Boehner's future plans after stepping down as Speaker of the House.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to Roll Call on November 10 about Ted Cruz's record as a senator.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, appeared on The Diane Rehm Show on November 11 to discuss the last Republican Debate and the impact such debates have on voters.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, was quoted in an article for the Chicago Tribune on November 30 regarding the information provided on lobbyist disclosure reports. 

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to Slate and The Center for Public Integrity for an article that was jointly published on December 17 about efforts by foreign nations with bad human rights records to improve their public relations by trying to hire companies to lobby on their behalf in Washington.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, and Jennifer Lawless, director of the Women & Politics Institute, spoke to MacLean's on December 31 about how different candidates will fare with voters in the upcoming primaries and the 2016 presidential election.

James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, spoke to the Los Angeles Times on July 8 about the challenges the president faces when confronted by domestic and international issues.

2012 Archive

Assessing President Obama
Watch Prof. Thurber's latest interview with Television of Spain.
March 17, 2012

American Bar Association Task Force on Lobbying
The ABA Task Force on Lobbying, of which Prof. Thurber is a member, was recently mentioned in the New York Times and USA Today .
Jan. 27, 2012

It Pays to be President
CNN explores the financial benefits of being President, with an interview featuring Prof. James A. Thurber.
Jan. 27, 2012

State of the Union
Read Prof. Thurber's most recent comments on President Obama's address: Analysis on The Diane Rehm Show and Bloomberg Interview
Jan. 23, 2012

2011 Archive

Prof. James A. Thurber featured on The Diane Rehm Show
Prof. Thurber was featured on NPR's The Diane Rehm show to discuss the ten years since 9/11 and how the county has changed since the attacks. Other guests included David Wessel, economics editor of the Wall Street Journal and Laura Murphy, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. Listen to the program.
Sept. 08, 2011

Money Talks
Prof. James Thurber recently spoke with reporter Michael Beckel from The Center for Responsive Politics. Read the interview, titled "Money Talks."
July 2011

Latest appearance on The Diane Rehm show
Prof. Thurber appeared on NPR's The Diane Rehm show to discuss President Obama's first two years in office. Ron Elving of NPR and Susan Page of USA Today were also featured on the program. Listen to the show.
April 21, 2011

Professor Thurber recently featured on NPR's Marketplace
Professor Thurber was interviewed by NPR's David Gura on the relationships between US and other governments, in light of Middle East protests.
March 3, 2011

Prof. James Thurber featured on C-SPAN's Washington Journal
Prof. James Thurber was featured on C-SPAN's Washington Journal, hosted by Peter Slen. Watch Video
Feb. 21, 2011

Obama, GOP moving in different directions on jobs
CCPS Director James Thurber shared his expertise with AP reporter Tom Raum on the political climate in Washington with regards to jobs and the deficit.
Feb. 10, 2011

Professor Thurber on The Diane Rehm Show
Professor James Thurber was featured on NPR's The Diane Rehm Show, to comment on the State of the Union address.
Jan. 26, 2011

Professor Thurber on The Diane Rehm Show
Professor James Thurber was featured on NPR's The Diane Rehm Show, along with guests David Brooks and E.J. Dionne. Listen to the show
Jan. 3, 2011

2010 Archive

Dr. Patrick Griffin featured in National Journal
Dr. Patrick Griffin, associate director of Public Policy at CCPS, was interviewed by National Journal. Read More on National Journal
Nov. 29, 2010

The Issue of Earmarks
Professor James Thurber spoke with Alaska Public Radio's Libby Casey on the impact of earmarks and earmark reform. Listen to the segments: Part One, Part Two.
Nov. 26, 2010

Prof. Thurber Interviewed for The Chronicle of Higher Education
Why Politicians Embellish Their Academic Credentials
The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 2010

Prof. Thurber's Editorial on Conference Committee
Bring Back the Conference Committees
The Hill, April 26, 2010

Prof. Thurber on the Diane Rehm Show
What Americans Think of Congress
WAMU 88.5 Feb. 15, 2010

Prof. Thurber discusses the future of Health Care Reform
Top drug lobbyist resigns, clouds health reform
Reuters Feb. 12, 2010

Prof. Thurber discusses the New York Senate Race
Attempting a Great Leap Sideways
New York Times Jan. 20, 2010

2009 Archive

Prof. Thurber discusses the 2008 election, lobbying reform, and political advertising
Ukraine is America - 1800
Ukrainian Week Oct. 30, 2009
Note: This article is in Ukrainian, and the page does not have an English translation. We recommend using Google's

Prof. Thurber on the Economy and Upcoming Elections
Analysis: Obama has Mixed Message on Recovery
Associated Press Oct. 30, 2009

Prof. Thurber on the Democrats' prospects in the 2010 midterm elections
House Republicans Look to Overcome 'Party of No'
Time Magazine, Oct. 29, 2009

Prof. Thurber interviewed about AARP and health care reform
AARP Shares Position on Health Reform
American Public Media's Marketplace, Oct. 27, 2009

Prof. Thurber on White House relations with top military commanders
Is Obama Tough Enough?
National Journal, Oct. 17, 2009

Prof. Thurber on unregistered lobbyists engaging in lobbying activity
Obama vs. the Lobbyists
Mother Jones, Sept. 15, 2009
Crossposted on TomDispatch, and Huffington Post

Prof. Thurber on the role of lobbyists in the health care reform debate
Baucus Makes Last Health-Care Bid After Obama Address
Bloomberg, Sept. 14, 2009

Prof. Thurber discusses the number of active lobbyists in DC.
FACTBOX-How many lobbyists are there in Washington?
Reuters, Sept. 13, 2009

Prof. Thurber interviewed on President Obama's handling of the economy
Obama's Policy Hurdles Rise After Six Months of Record Spending
Bloomberg News, July 21, 2009

Prof. Thurber quoted by Philadelphia Inquirer on Supreme Court nomination
Prof Thurber was quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer regarding the projected number of votes that Judge Sonya Sotomayor will receive in the confirmation vote in the Senate later this year.
GOP used hearing to air its beliefs
July 17, 2009

Prof. Thurber interviewed on Ukrainian Television about revisions to Ukrainian constitution
July 2009

Prof. Thurber interviewed about health care reform
Prof. Thurber was interviewed by Al Jazeera English Television about President Obama's health care reform proposals.
June 12, 2009.

Prof. Thurber's appearances on CSPAN and NPR: 1989-present
Prof. Thurber has appeared on CSPAN and NPR hundreds of times on a variety of topics. Access the list with links.