Presidential Debate Events Archive

The University of Miami is planning a wide variety of lectures, exhibits, seminars, films, and classes related to the presidential debate.

Listed below are events that have taken place so far. Visit our Image Gallery page to see more photos.

The Aging Society: Ethical and Policy Challenges
Robert Binstock, professor of aging, health, and society at Case Western Reserve University
October 29, 2004
Robert Binstock is former president of the Gerontological Society of America and served as director of a White House Task Force on Older Americans. He also has chaired and been a member of a number of advisory panels to federal, state, and local governments and foundations. Call 305-355-9080 or e-mail spurcell@med.miami.edu. The lecture is part of the University-wide Center on Aging's Distinguished Lecture Series.

Courting Justice
David Boles
October 28, 2004
The School of Law and Books & Books presented one of the greatest legal minds in America, David Boies, the attorney who took on Major League Baseball, Microsoft and finally George W. Bush's presidential campaign. His memoir mixes memory with guiding principles, fascinating exchanges and dead-on character studies, 11th hour strategies and penetrating analysis. His mixture of grace-under-pressure and pressure relentlessly applied reveals how Boies became one of the icons of the legal system. Beyond his stories, Boies also offers a view of the law that is fresh and original. He uses what he encounters in the simplest of life experiences (like buying lights for his sons' rooms) in preparing for cases that will take on giants of industry. What he takes away from each of these cases becomes part of a larger understanding of the courtroom and the role economics has on many legal questions. For those practicing, his memoir offers a bracing insight into their profession; for those who watch and can only follow the cases in the media, it is revelatory and puts these giant cases into a perspective beyond the large settlements and headlines.

Politics of the Environment Lecture Series
Various Dates and locations
The University of Miami's Center for Ecosystem Science & Policy will convene a series of lectures on environmental policy surrounding the presidential debate. Politics of the Environment will bring to campus a distinguished group of current and former federal environmental policy-makers to discuss environmental policy issues from drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to protecting the health of our coral reef ecosystems. Guests will speak directly with voters on each candidate's environmental policies, their current record for protecting the environment, and future issues affecting the environment. For more information, visit the Center for Ecosystem Science & Policy Web site or call 305-284-8259. This lecture series is free and open to the public.

• October 7: Carol Browner, former EPA administrator, current principal of the Albright Group LLC and environmental advisor to the Kerry campaign
• October 14: David Hayes, former deputy secretary for the Department of the Interior, global chair of the environment at Latham & Watkins LLP, and current environmental policy advisor to the Kerry campaign
• October 21: J. Allison DeFoor II, General Counsel of Tidewater Consulting, Inc., of Tallahassee and is Counsel to Hershoff, Lupino & Mulick in the Florida Keys and was most recently the Everglades Policy Coordinator for Governor Jeb Bush
• October 28: Boyden Gray, partner at WIlmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr, LLP, in Washington, D.C., served as Counsel to President George H.W. Bush for four years, and was one of the principal architects of the 1991 Clean Air Act Amendments and 1997 FDA reform.

UM Mock Elections
October 26, 2004
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
University Center Breezway and Rock
Open to the UM Community Only
Council for Democracy, the UM College Republicans, and the UM Young Democrats invites all members of the university campus to show their support for their favorite presidential candidate. Vote for Bush, Kerry, Nader, or write in your own candidate. Results will be published in the Miami Hurricane and The Miami Herald. For more information, visit www.CouncilforDemocracy.org.

Polls and Predictions
John Zogby
October 21, 2004
A lecture and question and answer session with renowned pollster John Zogby. Presented as part of the Paul Peck Presidential Series organized by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and the School of Communication, and co-sponsored by the University of Miami student organization Council for Democracy.

Debate Watch Parties
October 5, 8, and 13, 2004
8:30 p.m.
The Rathskeller
Open to the UM Community Only
As part of its new "Pitchers and Politics" series, Council for Democracy will be hosting watch parties for the second and third U.S. presidential debates between President Bush and Senator Kerry, and the vice presidential debate between Vice President Dick Cheney and Senator Edwards. A free raffle for full meals and drinks at the Rathskeller will be held. For more information, please visit www.CouncilforDemocracy.org.

Election Law, Voting Rights and the 2004 Election
Panelists include: Deborah Goldberg, director, Brennan Center for Democracy, NYU Law School; Daniel Tokaji, professor, Ohio State University Law School; Kim Brace, director, Election Data Services, Washington D.C.; Martha Mahoney professor of law, University of Miami; Doug Chapin, director, electionline.org; Lida Rodriguez-Taseff, director, Miami-Dade Election Reform Coalition; Mitchell Berger, Florida counsel to the Gore-Lieberman Campaign in 2000.
October 22, 2004
The University of Miami School of Law and the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy presented this panel of leading national experts discussing legal and policy issues in the upcoming election. For more information, call 305-284-8259.

The People Speak: American Power and Global Security
Moderator: Chris Bury, correspondent, ABC News "Nightline"
Panelists: Reverend Bob Edgar, general secretary, National Council of Churches USA and former U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania; Bill McCollum, former U.S. Representative from Florida; James Zogby, president, Arab American Institute
October 18, 2004
The People Speak: A Discussion of America's Role in the World is a national discussion series on foreign policy issues taking place across the country between September 13 and October 19. The Miami event was one of 24 panels featuring nationally recognized foreign policy experts, elected officials, and academics. The purpose is to give audiences across America access to the type of foreign policy event normally exclusive to Washington, D.C. or New York City, to engage audiences not normally drawn to foreign affairs, and to allow audiences to interact with experts on important global issues being raised in the current presidential election cycle. For more information about The People Speak visit www.ThePeopleSpeak.org. Coordinated by the United Nations Foundation.

Oceans in Trouble: What Our President Can Do to Rescue Our Oceans
Panelists: Peter Benchley, author of Jaws and noted oceans advocate; David Festa, oceans program director, Environmental Defense; Beth Babcock, scientist, UM's Pew Institute for Ocean Science; Bernard Oxman, professor, UM School of Law
Moderator: Jeff Burnside, reporter and producer of Ecowatch, Miami NBC affiliate WTVJ
October 13, 2004
The University of Miami's Pew Institute for Ocean Science in collaboration with Environmental Defense hosted a town hall meeting on the future of our oceans. A distinguished panel of ocean experts addressed policies and practices affecting the ocean, shared their perspectives and field questions on the need for more effective ocean policies. Guests spoke directly with panelists on the future of our oceans and find out what America's next President could do to reverse the world's growing oceans crisis. For more information, visit the UM's Pew Institute for Ocean Science Web site at www.pewoceanscience.org or call 305-421- 4163.

Why Care, Why Vote: What's at Stake for Health in Election 2004
Moderators: Donna E. Shalala, president, University of Miami, and Sanjay Gupta, M.D., CNN medical correspondent
Panelists: Diane Rowland, executive vice president of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and executive director of the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured; Judy Feder, professor and dean of the Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University; and Bruce Vladeck, professor of health policy and geriatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Institute for Medicare Practice, and senior vice president for policy of Mount Sinai-NYU Health.
October 13, 2004
The School of Medicine, in conjunction with the Kaiser Family Foundation, presented this forum on health care issues and the presidential election. The panel discussion was designed to engage the medical community in the presidential debate process and encourage voting in the November election. All first- and second-year medical students were invited to participate in the program, which was simulcasted in Rosenstiel Medical Sciences Building Auditoria.

Tintypes
Through October 9, 2004
A tuneful, high-spirited brew of popular songs from 1890 to 1917, performed by characters of the period including the outrageous President Teddy Roosevelt. The play Featured lovable old melodies such as "In My Merry Oldsmobile," "A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight," "Hello, Ma Baby," and "You're A Grand Old Flag," Tintypes is a spirited and patriotic salute to America.

Intelligence Matters
October 4, 2004
A two-term Florida governor and three-term U.S. Senator, Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) is best known for his ten years of service on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence-including eighteen months as chairman in 2001-2002. He discussed his new book Intelligence Matters, and his views on the intelligence community’s failures prior to 9/11. As a result of his Senate work, Graham is convinced the 9/11 attacks could have been avoided. The event was moderated by The Miami Herald Executive Editor Tom Fiedler.

Declare Yourself
September 29 through October 1, 2004
History was be made as a rare, original copy of the Declaration of Independence went on display at the Whitten University Center. This free viewing of the Declaration was presented by "Declare Yourself," a national non-profit, nonpartisan, young voter registration campaign founded by famed television producer Norman Lear. This original copy, one of only 25, is known as a Dunlap broadside because it was produced by Philadelphia printer John Dunlap. Purchased by Lear, it has been on the road throughout the country, serving as tool to motivate young people to register to vote.

Presidential Photography Exhibit
Through October 1, 2004
The School of Communication Visual Communication Program organized a photographic exhibition in coordination with the presidential debate. The exhibition was a joint effort with the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Through the archives of the Pictures of the Year International (POYi) held at the University of Missouri, a selection of presidential images from the Roosevelt administration through the George W. Bush administration were selected and appropriately designed into a freestanding exhibition. This exhibition will also travel to Washington University and Arizona State University, the two other presidential debate sites.

Screening of Trouble in Paradise
Panelist: Laurel Greenberg, producer and director; Howard Simon, executive director of the ACLU of Florida; Donald Marvin Jones, professor, School of Law; Milton Collins, deputy supervisor of elections, Miami-Dade County; Muslima Lewis, president-elect, Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association.
October 1, 2004
The Society for Peace and Justice of the School of Law sponsored multiple screenings of Trouble in Paradise, a documentary film detailing Florida's election controversies of 2000 and 2002. The screenings were be followed by a panel discussion of the film and the future of Florida elections.

The View from the White House
Speaker: Bill Plante, CBS News correspondent
October 1, 2004
Bill Plante discussed his work covering the President and the election campaign for CBS News. Plante has covered the White House since President Ronald Reagan. His talk offered the perspective of a highly experienced network news
correspondent. Presented as part of the Paul Peck Presidential Series organized by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and the School of Communication, and co-sponsored by the University of Miami student group Council for Democracy.

Debate Watch Party
September 30, 2004
The Watch Party will provided students, faculty, and staff with a unique opportunity to take part in the Presidential Debate. The Rathskeller Plaza was turned into a grand block party, showcasing the live debate at the UM Convocation Center.

Climb aboard the C-SPAN School Bus
September 30, 2004
Guests took a free tour of the award-winning C-SPAN School Bus, a 45-foot mobile television production studio and demonstration center. They learned about C-SPAN's coverage of the 2004 presidential debate and its overall coverage of the upcoming election.

MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews
Thursday, September 30, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 2 a.m..
Everything you need to follow the presidential race is on Hardball: The Horserace. Chris Matthews takes politics to a whole new level, with the latest polls, analysis of the latest campaign ads, and what it means in the Battle for the White House. The show will broadcast live on MSNBC. Students are asked to attend. There will be give-aways for students.

Covering the Campaign
Moderator: Darcie Lunsford, vice president of the South Florida chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists
Panelists: Susan Candiotti, CNN national correspondent; Jeff Burnside, political reporter, Miami NBC affiliate WTVJ; Paul Blythe, state editor Palm Beach Post
Harris Meyer, law editor, Daily Business Review; and Judy Miller, managing editor, The Miami Herald.
September 30, 2004
A a panel presented by the Society of Professional Journalists discussed the presidential campaign from the journalists' point of view. The discussion, which was followed by a question and answer session with students, focused on the differences in covering the election this year from previous years.

CrossFire and CNN Live
Thursday, September 30
Bob Novak and Tucker Carlson on the Right battled with James Carville and Paul Begala on the Left. Broadcasted in front of a live audience and featuring daily political guests, Crossfire examines the political and social issues impacting the United States. Crossfire is the longest running political debate show focusing on daily news events.

Smackdown Your Vote!
September 29, 2004
WWE and the University presented this forum where critical issues facing Americans under 30 -- and solutions proposed by the presidential candidates -- were discussed. WWE Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield and WWE Superstar and New York Times best-selling author Mick Foley squared off for the first-ever "Smackdown Your Vote!" Youth Debate to discuss how the presidential candidates have responded to the issues important to 18-to 30-year-old Americans. Joining in the frey was Congressmen Kendrick Meek and Mario Diaz-Balart, Florida State Senator Dave Aronberg, and Florida State Representative David Rivera, and UM students Alex Acosta and Tiffany Yelder. ABC News Correspondent Jake Tapper moderated the event which was broadcast by ABC News NOW.

MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews
September 29, 2004
Everything you need to follow the presidential race is on Hardball: The Horserace. Chris Matthews takes politics to a whole new level, with the latest polls, analysis of the latest campaign ads, and what it means in the Battle for the White House. The show will broadcast live on MSNBC. Students are asked to attend. There will be give-aways for students.

Newsweek Newsmakers Forum
Road to the White House: Why Florida Always Matters in Presidential Politics
Moderator: Michael Putney, political reporter for ABC Network Affiliate WPLG-TV, a Post-Newsweek-owned station
Panelists: Eleanor Clift, contributing editor, Newsweek; Arian Campo-Flores, Miami bureau chief, Newsweek; Professor Martha Mahoney, UM School of Law; Matthew Dowd, chief Strategist Bush-Cheney 2004; Ann Lewis, national chair of the Women's Vote Center, Democratic National Committee.
September 29, 2004
Journalists from Newsweek, along with newsmakers, including UM School of Law professor Martha Mahoney, who sits on the Miami-Dade County Election Reform Coalition, a watchdog group created after the September 2002 primary election, discussed the decisive role Florida has played in presidential races over the years.

CrossFire and CNN Live
September 29, 2004
Bob Novak and Tucker Carlson on the Right battle with James Carville and Paul Begala on the Left. Broadcasted in front of a live audience and featuring daily political guests, Crossfire examines the political and social issues impacting the United States. Crossfire is the longest running political debate show focusing on daily news events.

How Will They Govern?
Moderator: TBA
Panelists: Thomas E. Mann, senior fellow in Governance Studies and the W. Averell Harriman Chair at The Brookings Institution; and Norman J Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research and director of the Transition to Governing Project
September 29, 2004
The University of Miami, in collaboration with The Miami Herald, hosted Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein along with a distinguished panel of journalists, who discussed the candidates, their campaign and Decision 2004. This panel was part of the Presidential Lecture Series, an ongoing initiative that brings to campus experts, exhibits, and events in celebration of democracy and diversity. These renowned political scholars also discussed their views on specific approaches to governing by the 2004 presidential candidates. Sponsored by The Miami Herald and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The Latino Vote: A Game Plan for Victory?
September 29, 2004
What will it take to win the Latino vote in the upcoming election? And can the Latino vote deliver keys states to a candidate? By all accounts, Latinos are poised to play a critical role in November, especially in swing states like Florida and New Mexico. Some have predicted that more than a million new Latino voters will go to the polls—but their votes may still be up for grabs. Join Jorge Ramos, Univision anchor and author of The Latin Wave; Raul Yzaguirre, president and CEO of National Council of La Raza; Joe Garcia, senior advisor to the New Democratic Network and former director of the Cuban American National Foundation; and others for a lively debate.

Screening of Trouble in Paradise
Panelist: Laurel Greenberg, producer and director; Brad Brown, president, Miami-Dade NAACP; Donald Marvin Jones, professor, School of Law; Milton Collins, deputy supervisor of elections, Miami-Dade County; Courtney Strickland, ACLU of Florida Voting Rights Project.
September 29, 2004
The Society for Peace and Justice of the School of Law is sponsoring multiple screenings of Trouble in Paradise, a documentary film detailing Florida's election controversies of 2000 and 2002. The screenings was followed by a panel discussion of the film and the future of Florida elections.

The Latino Factor
Panelists: Gus Garcia, noted community leader and social activist who recently served as delegate to the 2004 Democratic Convention held in Boston, and Ana Carbonell, chief of staff for Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart.
September 28, 2004
The Cosford Cinema - Memorial Building
A showcase of two prominent Latino political figures held a discussion on the so-called "Latino Factor:" the emergence of our community as a politically important voting block, and its effect on modern American politics. Co-sponsored by the Council for Democracy and the UM School of Communication.

UM vs. The British Debate All Stars
September 28, 2004
Rathskeller
A town hall debate on the resolution, "This house would put an end to presidential debates." The UM debate team opposed the motion. The debate followed a less formal town hall format where audience participation was encouraged. Hosted by WWE Superstar Chris Nowinski.

A Personal Conversation with Ralph Nader
September 28, 2004
Bill Cosford Cinema
Council for Democracy and the School of Communication are hosting a campus visit by independent U.S. presidential candidate Ralph Nader. Mr. Nader will first discuss the major points of his campaign platform and then answer audience questions. Refreshments will be served. For more information, visit www.CouncilforDemocracy.org.

UM vs. The British Debate All Stars
September 27, 2004
Storer Auditorium, School of Business Administration
A parliamentary-style debate on the proposition, "This house believes that political advertising distorts democracy in the United States." The UM debate team favored the motion. There was audience Q & A following the debate, which followed a formal organizational structure.

The Presidential Debate Film Series
Mondays in September
Bill Cosford Cinema
An all-star lineup of outstanding films and documentaries relating to the presidency were assembled for the Presidential Debate Film Series. For more information, visit the School of Communication's Web site or call 305-284-6902.

• September 6: Frank Capra's State of the Union, starring Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn
• September 13: The Best Man, starring Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson.
• September 20: The Academy Award-nominated documentary The War Room, a behind-the-scenes look at Bill Clinton's presidential campaign.
• September 27: Mike Nichols' Primary Colors, starring John Travolta and Emma Thompson.
  
  

Music in the White House
Elise K. Kirk
September 22, 2004
Elise K. Kirk presented the musical interests of various presidents and their families, from George Washington to the present, and the performers who have entertained them in the White House. Kirk is a member of the Board of Directors of the White House Historical Association and served on the planning committee for the bicentennial of the White House in 1992. Presented by the Stamps Family Distinguished Visitors Series.

A Human Approach to World Peace
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
September 20 - 22, 2004
The University of Miami was honored to have the Dalai Lama visit the Coral Gables campus in his last U.S. appearance for 2004. His Holiness lead a series of teachings on Buddhist spiritual practices on Monday and Tuesday, September 20 and 21. The teachings, which include "Teachings on the Instructions on the Garland of Views," were held at the Convocation Center. His Holiness addressed the University community on Wednesday, September 22. The topic, A Human Approach to World Peace, was specially selected by the Dalai Lama for the occasion.

White House Photographers Panel
Moderator: Marc Pachter, director of the National Portrait Gallery
Panelists: Diana Walker, Sharon Farmer, and Christopher Morris
September 21, 2004
Presented as part of the Paul Peck Presidential Series organized by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and the School of Communication, and co-sponsored by the University of Miami student organization Council for Democracy, this panel of award-winning photographers has captured on film many of America's most unforgettable moments. They recounted their most memorable assignments and discussed political history as seen through the lens of a camera.

American Opera In A New Light
Elise K. Kirk
September 20, 2004
Elise K. Kirk a musicologist widely recognized for her research in the fields of the performing arts and American cultural history, examined the important political, social and cultural influences that have shaped American opera into one of the nation' s most vital and exciting art forms. Presented by the Stamps Family Distinguished Visitors Series.

Student Proxy Debate
September 16, 2004
Council for Democracy, the UM College Republicans, and the UM Young Democrats hosted a "proxy debate" in which student leaders served as stand-ins for the U.S. presidential candidates. Scott Wacholtz, president of the College Republicans and Miami Hurricane opinion columnist responded for President George W. Bush. Luke Kosar, president of the Young Democrats and the student responsible for Senator John Kerry's recent campus visit, responded for the Senator. Both student leaders discussed issues presented by audience members. For more information, visit www.CouncilforDemocracy.org.

9/11 and the Presidential Election
Moderator: U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Panelists: Ambassador Thomas Pickering; Jack Watson, Jr., President Jimmy Carter's chief of staff; and William J. Fox, Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. Treasury.
September 16, 2004
Presented as part of the Paul Peck Presidential Series organized by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and the School of Communication, and co-sponsored by the University of Miami student organization Council for Democracy.

It's Debatable: The Political Cartoon Art of Chan Lowe and Jim Morin
August 21 – October 17, 2004
Lecture and reception: August 27, 2004
Two of South Florida's most lauded political cartoonists are featured in an exhibition focusing on the 2004 presidential election and issues of national concern. Chan Lowe is the editorial cartoonist for the Sun-Sentinel. Pulitzer Prize winner Jim Morin is the political cartoonist for The Miami Herald and is syndicated internationally by King Features. Morin signed copies his new book, Bushed! An Illustrated History of What Passionate Conservatives Have Done to America and the World, after the lecture and reception on August 27.

All's Fair: Love, War, and Politics
James Carville and Mary Matalin
August 25, 2004
America's favorite odd couple discussed their experiences advising some of the most powerful people on the planet. Carville is a Democratic strategist and former senior political advisor to President Bill Clinton. Matalin is a Republican strategist and most recently served as an assistant to the president and counselor to the vice president under the current Bush Administration. A presentation of the Jane S. Roberts Lecture Series.

Miami-Dade County Mayoral Candidate Ethics Forum
August 12, 2004
The Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust, in collaboration with its Ethics Coalition partners and the League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade County, hosted a mayoral forum solely devoted to the issues of ethics and accountability reform. This Ethics Forum offered voters a chance to hear the thoughts and recommendations of mayoral candidates on restoring accountability and integrity in government. Kenneth Goodman, co-director of the University of Miami Ethics Programs, moderated the forum.

Planning and the Public Voice: Charrettes, Democracy and the Growth Management Process
Moderator: Gregory Bush, professor and director of the Institute for Public History
Panelists George Burgess, Miami-Dade County manager; Maria Anderson, City of Coral Gables commissioner; Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, dean of UM School of Architecture; and Beth Dunlop, architecture writer for The Miami Herald.
May 24, 2004
In preparation for its role as host of the first Presidential debate this fall, the University presents "Democracy in Miami: A Work in Progress," the spring 2004 Community Forum Series that explores locally oriented issues of national importance. This was the fourth forum in this series, and examined how our community balances supply and demand with quality of life and environmental issues as population growth pushes development in Miami-Dade County south and west to the edge of the Everglades and real estate prices soar. The Community Forum Series is sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, the Institute for Public History, the League of Women Voters, and the Urban Environment League.

In An Uncertain World
Robert E. Rubin
May 10, 2004
Robert Rubin, U.S. Treasury Secretary from 1995 to 1999, discussed his new book In An Uncertain World: Tough Choices From Wall Street to Washington. From his early years in the storied arbitrage department of Goldman Sachs to his current position as chairman of the executive committee of Citigroup, Rubin has been a major figure at the center of the American financial system. Rubin was interviewed by The Miami Herald Executive Editor Tom Fiedler. The event was a presentation of the President’s Lecture Series.
Read the transcript
View the one-hour interview with RealOne Player
(Courtesy Greg Bush, professor, Department of History)

A remarkable American voice
Maya Angelou
April 27, 2004
In a stirring lecture that moved many of the more than 3,000 graduates, faculty, staff, and visitors in attendance, author-poet Maya Angelou brought her distinctive style and grace to UM's Convocation Center on April 27, 2004 as the graduate convocation guest speaker for the class of 2004.

Using her now-deceased uncle Willy-a poor, black, disabled man-as an example of someone who greatly influenced the lives of others, Angelou told UM students that they, too, could be "rainbows in the clouds" of people and have a significant impact on their lives. She told anecdotes, interspersed with her singing and poetry, and urged students to read the works of noted African-American poets, such as Langston Hughes and Paul Lawrence Dunbar, whose works she recited during her lecture. Angelou, author of 12 best-selling books, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, holds a lifetime position as the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University. Her lecture also was a part of the Presidential Debate Lecture Series.

Senator John Kerry Visits the Coral Gables campus
April 18, 2004
Senator John Kerry brought his presidential campaign to approximately 3,000 students, faculty, staff, and friends at a packed rally on the Coral Gables campus. Kerry, the probable Democratic party nominee, came to campus at the invitation of the College Democrats, a UM student organization. This was the first visit to UM by a presidential candidate this election year.

America in a Different Mirror: Re-Visioning Our History
Ronald Takaki
April 14, 2004
Ronald Takaki, professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of
California, Berkeley, for over thirty years and an internationally recognized scholar, has been a lightning rod in controversies over affirmative action and multiculturalism. In his lecture, Takaki challenged the master narrative of American history.

Getting Beyond Getting Along: Facing Diversity in Miami-Dade's Ethical Traditions
Moderator: Gregory Bush, professor and director of the Institute for Public History
Panelists: Ken Goodman, co-director of UM's Ethics Program; Leoni Hermantin, from the Haitian American Foundation; Bill Teck, a local publisher; and Cheryl Little from the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Organization
April 12, 2004
In preparation for its role as host of the first Presidential debate this fall, the University presented "Democracy in Miami: A Work in Progress," the spring 2004 Community Forum Series that explored locally oriented issues of national importance. This was the first forum in this series. The Community Forum Series was sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, the Institute for Public History, the League of Women Voters, and the Urban Environment League. For more information on this event, read the news release.

Senate Candidate Congressman Peter Deutsch Meets with UM Students
April 8, 2004
Congressman Peter Deutsch, who represents the 20th district of Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives, held an informal discussion with UM students, faculty, and staff.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas Meeting with UM Students
April 5, 2004
The student organization Council for Democracy hosted Alex Penelas, mayor of Miami-Dade County, for a "personal conversation" with the UM student body, faculty, and staff.

Up From Cynicism: Politics, Campaign Finance, and Civic Activism in Miami-Dade County
Moderator: Gregory Bush, professor and director of the Institute for Public History
Panelists: Miami-Dade Commissioner Katy Sorensen; Thomasina Williams, Esq.; Ric Katz, political consultant; and Robert Sechen, chief counsel of the Republican State Party.
March 29, 2004
In preparation for its role as host of the first Presidential debate this fall, the University presented "Democracy in Miami: A Work in Progress," the spring 2004 Community Forum Series that explored locally oriented issues of national importance. This was the first forum in this series. The Community Forum Series was sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, the Institute for Public History, the League of Women Voters, and the Urban Environment League.For more information on this event, read the news release.

The Alchemy of Race and Rights
Patricia J. Williams
March 25, 2004
Patricia J. Williams is a professor of law at Columbia University School of Law. Her book, The Alchemy of Race and Rights, was named one of the "feminist classics of the last 20 years" by Ms. Magazine. A presentation of the President's Lecture Series. For more information on this event, read the news release.

The Great Republican-Democrat Debate
March 11, 2004
The Council for Democracy presented an audience-led debate between student Republicans and Democrats. Like-minded students had the chance to team up against students of opposing views. The event was a great opportunity for students to express themselves, vent frustrations, and teach others a few things about the issues. Students chose the topic, argued the sides, and even voted on a winning position.

The Impact of Hispanic Voters on the Presidential Election
Moderator: Alvaro Fernandez, Florida Director, Southwest Voter Registration Project
Panelists: Joe Garcia, Executive Director of the Cuban American National Foundation; Sergio Bendixen, President, Bendixen & Associates; Ernesto Londoño, Reporter Al Diaz of the Dallas Morning News; Dario Moreno, Professor, Florida International University, and Political Analyst
March 11, 2004
A distinguished panel of experts shared their unique insights regarding the impact of Hispanic voters on the 2004 presidential election.

What the Presidential Candidates Need to Know about 21st Century Native Americans
Rennard Strickland
March 9, 2004
Rennard Strickland is the Phillip H. Knight Professor at the University of Oregon School of Law. A legal historian of Osage and Cherokee heritage, Strickland pioneered the introduction of Indian law into university curricula around the country. A former chairman of the Association of American Law Schools, he has published more than 25 books on Indian law topics. For more information on this event, read the news release.

Dumb and Dumber? The Challenge of Local News and Public Education
Moderator: Gregory Bush, professor and director of the Institute for Public History
Panelists: Walter Secada, Ph.D., from the School of Education; Merrett Stierheim, Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools; Michael Putney, Channel 10 reporter and columnist for The Miami Herald; and Tony Doris, reporter with the Palm Beach Post.
March 1, 2004
In preparation for its role as host of the first Presidential debate this fall, the University presented "Democracy in Miami: A Work in Progress," the spring 2004 Community Forum Series that explored locally oriented issues of national importance. This was the first forum in this series. The Community Forum Series was sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, the Institute for Public History, the League of Women Voters, and the Urban Environment League. For more information on this event, read the news release.

President Shalala announces UM's selection as the first 2004 Presidential Debate site at a student-organized Get Out the Vote rally.

Setting the Stage
November 6, 2003
The presidential debate at the University of Miami on September 30 continues a long history of televised debates. Such debates have been a part of presidential campaigns since 1960, when Richard M. Nixon faced-off against a younger, healthier-looking John F. Kennedy. It was the first time the world had witnessed the power of a public contest on conversation as well as complexion.

Since 1988 the debates have been produced by the Commission on Presidential Debates, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that selected the University of Miami from 14 finalists across the country that were under consideration to host one of four debates.

"Hosting the debate is particularly exciting for our students, who will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness history being made on their own campus," says UM President Donna E. Shalala. "We are working closely with the Commission on Presidential Debates to ensure that this is an enlightening and memorable experience for everyone."

The presidential debate at the University of Miami is generously underwritten by a gift from the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.