Time: 5pm-9pm

Location: Porter’s Dining Saloon, 1207 19th St NW, Washington, DC 20036

Hosted by GWU’s Graduate School of Political Management (www.gspm.gwu.edu)

Well here is your chance to put your money where your mouth is.

IPDI and GW’s Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) are having a contest
to see who can predict the Electoral College number and spread
correctly. Everyone who guesses the prediction correctly will have a chance to win dinner at Charlie Palmer with Politico’s James Kotecki.

To play:

Go to GSPM’s Facebook page.

Become a fan.

Click on “Predict November.”

Make your prediction.

Paste it back onto the GSPM wall.

The Race in the States

A reception and panel discussion about campaigns and public opinion in the battleground states.

How will our evolving, modern-day electoral map affect elections this year? Will voter registration efforts change the game? Which voters will most likely vote — and have the biggest effect on the election? What role do pollsters and bloggers play in monitoring (and possibly moving) public opinion this campaign season? How does humor persuade? A panel of bloggers, organizers, pollsters, and analysts discuss these questions and their predictions for Election Day 2008.

When: Wednesday, October 22nd 2008 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: The National Press Club

529 14th St, NW

Washington, DC 20045

13th Floor, The Morrow, White, and Lisagor Rooms

Map: National Press Club

Metro: Metro Center (Red, Blue, and Orange Lines)

Registration requested. Register online.

Panelists:

Anna Greenberg, Senior Vice President of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner

Maren Hesla, EMILY’s List, director of the WOMEN VOTE! program

Dr. Michael McDonald, Associate Professor of Government and Politics in the Department of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution

James Pindell, Managing editor of Politicker.com and their sixteen state political news sites as well as the Pindell Report.

Phillip Stutts, President of Phillip Stutts & Company, LLC, a political and corporate consulting firm.

Rob Tornoe, Editorial cartoonist for Politicker.com, a national network of state-specific politics websites owned by the The Observer Media Group, which also publishes the New York Observer.

Moderators:

Matt Lewis, Conservative writer and commentator featured in Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN.

Margie Omero, President of Momentum Analysis, LLC, a Democratic public opinion research firm based in Washington, DC.

Part pep-rally, part substantive policy discussion, the summit highlighted some of the luminaries of the conservative movement. On Friday night at the Ronald Reagan Tribute Dinner, George Will
Dinesh D’Souza, U.S. Senator James Inhofe (OK), Edwin Meese III, and Dr. James C. Miller III spoke.

No matter your political persuasion, you can see this was a power packed night of political discourse. Each man gave a succinct analysis of the current situation in America and how Ronald Reagan would approach the current political challenges.

The crowd on Friday night ate up every word from the speakers and maintained their enthusiasm the entire dinner.

This type of gathering brought together conservatives of all stripes. Values voters, fair tax conservatives, environmental conservatives all gathered to exchange ideas and try to advance their collective cause. These type of conferences attract a diverse group of bloggers and traditional media.

Conferences like the Defending the American Dream Summit may be the future of political gatherings. Small targeted groups of people interested in a certain political persuasion, not necessarily a political party.

Overall it was a well attended and informative conference no matter your politics. Though the Republican Party is struggling nationally, conservative groups like Americans For Prosperity are trying to keep the Conservative American Dream alive.

Tuesday, October 14

Noon

National Press Club

529 14th St NW, 13th Floor

Washington, DC

Please RSVP at

www.mobilefuture.org/elections

With more and more elected officials using text messaging to speak directly to voters and an increasing challenge for pollsters to reach the growing community of voters who have cut the cord, this Mobile Future forum will explore the significant role that mobile technologies play in the 2008 election.

One of the leading pollsters in the U.S., Peter Hart, Chairman of Peter D. Hart Research Associates, will give an update on the 2008 landscape and discuss how analysts collecting data for the 2008 elections are factoring in consumers who rely solely on their wireless phones.

The forum also includes a panel discussion moderated by Mobile Future Chairman Jonathan Spalter with representatives from some of the leading organizations and companies using these technologies today.

Panelists include:

Jed Alpert, CEO of Mobile Commons

Michelle Mayorga, Rock the Vote, Mobile Programs

Casey O’Shea, DCCC National Field Director

Katie Harbath, Former Deputy eCampaign Director, Giuliani for President

Mobile Future is a broad-based coalition of businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals interested in and dedicated to advocating for an environment in which innovations in wireless technology and services are enabled and encouraged. Our mission is to educate the public and key decision makers on innovations in the wireless industry that have transformed the way Americans work and play and to advocate continued investment in wireless technologies.

A discussion with Rafael Rubio about technology and the 2008 Spanish General Election

Join IPDI and author, consultant, and visiting professor Rafael Rubio for a discussion about the 2008 General Election in Spain. How did the campaigns use technology to persuade and mobilize voters? What trends in online politics exist across geographical boundaries? How do electoral uses of the technology differ between Spain and the United States? This discussion is strictly limited to people who RSVP to julie@ipdi.org in order to encourage as much discussion as possible with the author.

Wednesday, October 15

4:00 - 5:30pm

GSPM Library

GWU’s Media and Public Affairs Building

805 21st Street, NW

Washington, DC 20052

RSVP REQUIRED to julie@ipdi.org

About Rafael Rubio

Rafael Rubio (PhD, Law) is a Senior Lecturer of Constitutional Law at the Universidad Complutense of Madrid, where he leads a research group on civil society, new technologies and democracy. At Universidad Carlos III, Universidad Pontificia de Comillas, Universidad de Navarra and the Instituto Universitario Ortega y Gasset, he teaches classes on politics, new media and grassroots politics in post graduate programs in Political Studies and Communications. He has lectured in various universities in Guatemala, Cuba, Colombia and México.

He is the editor of a blog about politics and new technology (ethepeople.blogspot.com), contributing editor of Politicsonline and is a frequent contributor to the online newspaper libertad digital (www.libertaddigital.com), and the Popular TV news. He is the author of several books and has published work in several anthologies. As a political consultant, (www.dogcomunicacion.com) he specializes in the application of Internet to elections and in immigrant voting. He is also a consultant for the Madrid Region Immigrant Department and has participated in several political electoral campaigns in Spain.

He has worked as a Visiting Scholar at both Georgetown and Harvard University and currently he works as a visiting scholar at George Washington University. His areas of research include new forms of political participation and the Internet in democracy, especially in participatory processes (such as elections and strengthening civil society). He has published more than twenty articles on these subjects.

Currently he serves as the President of Asociación Española Cuba en Transición (www.cubaentransicion.com) and has worked for various charitable projects with the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Theresa of Calcuta) in Spain, Cambodia, Cuba, Ethiopía, Portugal, Poland, Guatemala and México. Currently he serves as the webmaster of colaboradores.org, a community webpage for volunteering and is working in a new social network for volunteers, helprevolution.

About the IPDI Ideas Series book discussions

The Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet (IPDI) is part of the Graduate School of Political Management at The George Washington University. Our mission is to promote the use of the Internet and new communication technologies in politics to enhance democratic values, encourage citizen participation and improve governance, at home and abroad; in short, to “democratize democracy.”

IPDI presents a series of regular, discussion-based events that explore technology policy and emerging issues in the technology and political spheres. Previous events in the IPDI Ideas Series looked at broadband policy and discussions about new research. Each event is designed to provide an forum for conversations about the ways in which technology affects politics – and vice versa – that are accessible both online and offline. This includes brown bag lunch conversations with authors, bloggers, and journalists about major themes in the politics and technology space.

POLITY & PRAGMATICS

September 2008

Each month, GW’s Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) surveys the members of its Polity and Pragmatics panel for their opinions about major issues and trends in politicking, policy, communications, and public relations.

The September 2008 Polity & Pragmatics survey tackles the role party conventions play in the American political process – now and in the future.

Have conventions outlived their usefulness?

Yes 33.3%

No 61.1%

Not yet, but they will in the future 5.6%

“Yes. Power is more diversified. It’s no longer just in the hands of a few party brokers.”

Nancy Bocskor, The Nancy Bocskor Company and Professor, Graduate School of Political Management

“Not yet, but they will in the future. All issues are basically decided before the delegates get there. Technology is now able to permit the delegates to transact any business that needs to be done without the expense of a convention. The event is a PR plus for the candidates so until that can be replaced it will stay.”

Tony Coelho, Former Congressman and Former Co-Chairman, Council on American Politics.

“No. The purpose of the national conventions has evolved with the times and will continue to do so. They have become over the past thirty years infomercials for the parties featuring celebrities, music, a few speeches, and lots of color. The rise of the Internet will make the Conventions relevant in ways we don’t yet imagine. But they will not go away.”

Greg Lebel, Director, GW Semester in Washington Politics Program

Is the trend of conventions outliving their usefulness a good thing or a bad thing?[1]

Good 60%

Bad 40%

“Good. Like other ‘good in their times’ but now obsolete items – typewriters for example — conventions should be replaced by new forms of electronic communication and interaction. Computers are far better than typewriters and today’s e-technology is much better than conventions. Witness how Obama plans to announce his VP selection.”

W. Dennis Thomas, Sr. Vice President, International Paper, Inc. and Member, Council on American Politics

“Bad. The conventions ought to be an opportunity for citizens to interact with other citizens from around the country to discuss politics.”

Julius W. Hobson, Senior Policy Advisor, Powell Goldstein LLP and Professor, Graduate School of Political Management

“Good. Let the campaigns talk to the voters in the increasingly targeted, deliberate, and innovative ways they do best. Prime time speeches to the faithful (in the arena/round) AND to the few and far between who may be watching is so 1960s. Be done with it, already.”

Shayna Englin, Principal, Englin Consulting, LLC and Professor, Graduate School of Political Management

Will there be a national primary in the next ten years?

Yes 12.5%

No 87.5%

“No, for several reasons: 1) The states guard their moment in the spotlight too jealously. 2) There are too many state and local officials involved in running elections who would lose jobs to national coordinators if that occurred. More likely we will see regional primaries (e.g., South, Northeast, etc.), organized on a state-by-state basis, but held on the same day. This would reduce the number of primaries, eliminate the ridiculously long and expensive campaigns we run now, and allow the candidates to consolidate their forces where they are strongest.”

Elliot Roseman, Vice President, ICF International and Professor, Graduate School of Political Management

“Yes, And I think it will be online.”

Nancy Bocskor, The Nancy Bocskor Company and Professor, Graduate School of Political Management

“No. The inter-state differences are as profound as the intra-state differences. The parties raise money, provide educational forums on how best to run for office, gather and store essential information for micro-targeting, and supply warm bodies to help organize - all useful functions. As someone smarter than I once said: ‘The two U.S. national parties are like two bottles with the same label - and both empty.’ Only the idealogues have been fooled by thinking either party has a role to play in advancing their ideas.”

Edward A. Grefe, Professor, Graduate School of Political Management

How much money will be necessary to win the party’s nomination in 2012?

$500 million to $750 million 40%

$750 million to $999 million 20%

$1 billion to $1.49 billion 26.7%

$1.5 billion to $2 billion 6.7%

More than $2 billion 6.7%

Is there an alternative to public financing?

Yes 68.8%

No 31.3%

“Yes. The status quo! The country is $10 trillion in debt – hard to put funding elections ahead of other national priorities.”

Laurence F. Lane, VP of Government Relations, Genesis HealthCare and Member, Council on American Politics

“Yes. Private financing.”

Robert Dove, Professor, George Washington University

“No. Only through a level playing field will candidates of sincere leadership abilities be willing to step forward. Currently those who are most qualified to lead opt out of the system since effective leadership requires balance and our presidential election process is the furthest thing from it!”

Kathleen Schafer, Principal, Leadership Connection and Professor, Graduate School of Political Management

“Yes. Continuing to raise money through private sources. Better disclosure and fewer abstruse restrictions would vastly improve the system.”

Rick White, Principal, The Woodbay Group and Member, Council on American Politics

“Maybe. I don’t believe that the American public can be sold on public financing at this point in time. The alternative is sunshine. Lots and lots of sunshine. Political contributions of any amount must be a matter of public record in a timely, complete, and accessible manner. This must include contributions to any independent group that seeks to affect the outcome of an election (a phrase that must be very specifically and carefully defined. It seems to me that with the right to free speech comes the responsibility to claim one’s voice. Anonymous infusions of cash into election messages do not meet that standard. Technological advances make speed, accuracy, and accessibility attainable goals. However, lack of political will continues to be the stumbling block to achieving this level of accountability.”

Greg Lebel, Director, GW Semester in Washington Politics Program

“Yes. The Obama model. Republicans will master it by 2012.”

Bill Black, Co-Chair, Fleishman Hillard Global Public Affairs Practice and Professor, Graduate School of Political Management

___________________________

The Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM, www.gspm.gwu.edu) seeks to make politics better by educating its students and professionals in the tools, principles and values of participatory democracy, preparing them for careers as ethical and effective advocates and leaders at the international, national and local levels. Its Polity & Pragmatics survey panel consists of faculty and members of its Council on American Politics.

Polity & Pragmatics takes its title from the Greek terms for city and citizenship. This ancient legacy of political participation, coupled with the GSPM’s pragmatic approach to politics and emphasis on effective communication reflect on GSPM’s values as a graduate institution and the panel members’ experiences in and visions for politics in the United States.

The Graduate School of Political Management

The George Washington University

805 21^st Street, NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20052

(202) 994-6000 • www.gspm.gwu.edu • gspminfo@gwu.edu

Details:

Battleground Poll Results

August 20, 2008, 9:30-11 a.m.

National Press Club, Lisagor Room

529 14th St., NW, 13th Floor

Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, and Brian Nienaber, vice president of the Tarrance Group, will share their analyses of this public opinion poll. Ron Faucheaux, associate professorial lecturer at GW’s Graduate School of Political Management, will serve as moderator.

RSVP: Please R.S.V.P. to David Leeds at (202) 994-6467. This event is open to media. On site media check in begins at 8:30 a.m. To participate one-way via teleconference, please call (800) 331-7072 and dial 322237 when prompted. A copy of both firms’ presentation will be posted at http://www.gwu.edu/~newsctr/battleground.cfm.

More information online.

Details:

FTW or FTL? The best of the best (and worst of the worst) online tactics of the Democratic Presidential Candidates — and how you can use them to be politically active

Hosted by the OUTBURST! Forum

Sunday, August 24 Panel - 5:30 - 7:00 pm

Reception - 7:00 – 9:00 pm Sturm Hall, University of Denver, 2000 E Asbury Avenue, Denver, CO 80210 Google Map

Which Democratic candidates (and their supporters) made the most of multimedia and social tools during the election season?

What were your favorite political web videos and how successful were they at moving poll numbers and donations?

Join the GSPM and IPDI for an interactive, light-hearted OUTBURST! Forum event that allows the audience to vote on their favorite web tactics – and allows the pundits to discuss how useful those web tactics actually were at achieving campaign goals.

The panel will be part of the OUTBURST! Forum, a multi-city interactive lecture series and forum that will address some of the most pressing political and public policy topics and issues impacting youth voters (ages 18-24); its primary demographic. For more information and to look at additional OUTBURST! Forum events, visit www.outbursttour.com.

Meet the panelists: Julie Barko Germany (moderator) serves as the director of the Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet at and the interim director of marketing for the Graduate School of Political Management. She is an alumna of the GSPM.

Lee Brenner is Executive Producer of Political Programming and Director of IMPACT (Public Affairs) at MySpace.

Charles Ellison serves as Senior Advisor to the Center for African American Policy at the University of Denver (CAAP-DU) and is a CAAP Senior Fellow in Public Policy and Chief Editor of the center’s popular flagship website Blackpolicy.org.

Ian Koski joined Blue State Digital in February 2008 after three years as the founder and creative director of On Deck Communication Studio, where he crafted communications strategy and developed web sites for a variety of Democratic campaigns and causes. He is an alumnus of the GSPM.

Mike Disharoon is a consultant with Blackrock Associates, a leader in online marketing for progressive candidate and issue campaigns. He is an alumnus of the GSPM.

Wondering how your Internet speed compares to other people in your town? State? Or the rest of the country?

Well, a new report published by speedmatters.org, a project of the Communication Workers of America, can answer that question for you. The second annual report, shows that the United States has a long way to go to catch up with the rest of the world when it comes to Internet download speeds.

The average U.S. Internet speed was 2.3 megabits per second (mbps), an increase of only 0.4 mbps from last year’s average speed. In comparison, Japan’s average speed is estimated at 63 mbps. Our fastest state - Rhode Island with a 6.8 mbps average - is still slower than the average speed in Canada (7.6 mbps).

CWA President Larry Cohen explains why America’s lagging speeds represent a major concern for our place in the global economy:

“This isn’t about how fast someone can download a full-length movie. Speed matters to our economy and our ability to remain competitive in a global marketplace. Rural development, telemedicine and distance learning all rely on truly high-speed, universal networks.”

This report is more evidence for the necessity of a national broadband policy. The fact that the United States is ranked 15th in Internet connection speeds despite being the country that invented the Internet is unforgivable.