WHO: American University experts WHAT: The Inauguration and President Obama’s Second Term.WHEN: January 8 - ongoingWHERE: In–studio, on campus, via telephone
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 8, 2013) President Obama’s second inauguration will be different because he will take the constitutionally mandated oath of office in a private ceremony on Sunday, January 20, and the public swearing-in will take place on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 21, due to Inauguration Day falling on a Sunday. What does the Constitution actually require on Inauguration Day? How many times has the oath been taken in a private ceremony? What goes into Inauguration Day? How are second inaugurations different than first inaugurations? What is happening behind the scenes at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue? How do second presidential terms compare to those of the first and what can be expected from President Obama’s second term domestically and on the foreign fronts?
Presidential HistoriansAllan Lichtman, distinguished professor of history, is an expert on the presidency, American political history, presidential campaigns, voting behavior, and public opinion. Lichtman, renowned for his "13 Keys" system, predicted in 2010 that President Obama would win a second term in 2012. Lichtman is also a co-author of the forthcoming book from Harvard University Press FDR and the Jews.
Anita McBride, executive in residence, most recently served as chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush. However she’s served in three presidential administrations: Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. McBride runs the First Ladies’ programs at American University and is a fellow in American University’s Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies. McBride is active in women’s issues both in the United States and around the world including in the Middle East.Political and Policy Experts
Domestic Policy
James Thurber is the director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies. Thurber is an expert on campaigns and elections, presidential-congressional relations, and author of Obama in Office (2011).
Jennifer Lawless, director of the Women and Politics Institute, is a nationally recognized expert on women's involvement in politics and women’s issues. Her latest book is Becoming a Candidate: Political Ambition and the Decision to Run for Office (2012).
Connie Morella, ambassador in residence, represented Maryland’s 8th district in Congress from 1987 to 2003. Morella later served as U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris from 2003 to 2007. In Congress, Morella was a well-known moderate who successfully initiated legislation addressing domestic violence and child support, programs for the elderly, environmental protection, health care reform, and human rights issues. In addition to teaching at American University, Ambassador Morella is the president of the United States Association of Former Members of Congress.
Patrick Griffin is the academic director of the Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute and served as legislative affairs director in the Clinton administration. Griffin also has served in various roles in the U.S. Senate including as a staff member on the Senate Democratic Policy Committee and the Senate Budget Committee.
Richard Benedetto is a journalism professor who served as a White House correspondent and columnist for USA Today and political columnist for Gannett News Service. Benedetto wrote several commentaries during the 2012 election cycle which appeared in national print and online outlets.
Tax PolicyDavid Kautter, is managing director of the Kogod Tax Center and executive in residence in the Department of Accounting and Taxation. Previously, Kautter served as Ernst & Young's Director of National Tax, the chief operating executive for the firm's national tax practices. Kautter has written extensively on tax law, policy and compliance issues, authoring articles in major journals including the Journal of Accountancy and the Tax Advisor. Kautter has been quoted in Wall Street Journal articles concerning the changes to the tax code following the fiscal cliff crisis.
Don Williamson, teaches a number of subjects related to taxation, is director of the Masters of Science in Taxation degree program, and serves as executive director of the Kogod Tax Center. He has published over 50 articles in professional and academic journals and was recognized by the Bureau of National Affairs as its outstanding author for 2007. Williamson was recently a featured on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal where he discussed how recent tax increases would affect the average American in 2013.
Foreign PolicyJordan Tama specializes in the U.S. foreign policy making process, presidential-congressional relations, intelligence reform, counter-terrorism policy, and blue-ribbon commissions. Tama has served as an intelligence and counterterrorism policy advisor to Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, a senior staff member on the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in the U.S. House of Representatives, and as a speechwriter for former U.S. Representative Lee Hamilton.
Stephen Tankel, assistant professor at American University and a non-resident scholar in the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, focuses on terrorism, insurgency, the evolution of violent non-state actors, and political and military affairs in South Asia. He is frequently asked to brief government officials, analysts, and practitioners on issues relating to jihadist violence and on security issues related to South Asia.
Speech and Media Experts
Robert Lehrman, public communication professor, is a former speechwriter and staff member for Vice President Al Gore.
Leonard Steinhorn, public communication professor, is an expert in American politics, culture and media, strategic communication, the presidency, and recent American history. He often serves as a political analyst for Fox 5 News in Washington, D.C.
Dotty Lynch, public communication professor, serves as a political consultant for CBS News doing on-air radio analysis and was a member of the CBS News Election Decision Desk. Lynch worked the 2012 election from New York as an exit poll consultant for CBS News.
Jane Hall, journalism professor, specializes in media and politics, particularly in issues of special interest to young people. She appears regularly on CNN’s Reliable Sources.
American University is a leader in global education, enrolling a diverse student body from throughout the United States and nearly 140 countries. Located in Washington, D.C., the university provides opportunities for academic excellence, public service, and internships in the nation’s capital and around the world.
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