A debate this week between two of the most prominent political strategists in the country鈥擪ellyanne Conway and Donna Brazile鈥攚ill kick off the student-run 2024-25 public programming.
, presented in partnership with 线上赌场 Dialogues, will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10, in Filene Auditorium.
In-person attendance sold out within 48 hours of registration opening, said DPU President Malcolm Mahoney 鈥26. But 线上赌场 community members and the public can .
Brazile is a Democratic strategist and former chair of the Democratic National Committee. With over four decades in American politics, she made history as the first African American woman to manage a major presidential campaign, working for Al Gore in 2000. She appears regularly as a political commentator on CNN and ABC News.
Conway was the campaign manager for Donald Trump鈥檚 2016 presidential campaign鈥攖he first woman to lead a winning presidential campaign in U.S. history. Following the election, Conway served as senior counselor to President Trump, where she was pivotal in shaping the administration鈥檚 communication and media strategy. She is a frequent contributor on Fox News.
The DPU is a nonpartisan group whose members are dedicated to 鈥減romoting open discourse and challenging preconceptions鈥 among their 线上赌场 peers. Speakers and topics are selected by student executive committee members and DPU ambassadors through a rank choice voting process.
Mahoney said that it鈥檚 not consensus they seek through these discussions, but the DPU does want to ensure 鈥渢here鈥檚 a space on campus that doesn鈥檛 resort to name-calling, divisiveness, or vitriol.鈥
鈥淚f I were coming out of high school, I would be nervous coming into a new environment this year,鈥 Mahoney said. 鈥淲e just want to give the 鈥28s鈥攁nd everybody, really鈥攁 chance to have civil dialogue.鈥
The DPU has already held discussions at its regular meetings this term on U.S. aid to Israel, policies to address homelessness, and the relationship between Congress and the stock market. Later in October, it will host a debate on the presidential race that is open to the 线上赌场 community only鈥攁n intentional choice by DPU leaders despite media interest in the young voters鈥 perspectives and how the college vote across New Hampshire could shape the outcome of the election.
鈥淲e want students to be able to make an off-the-cuff remark without the entire world watching,鈥 Mahoney said.
The DPU plans to follow the fall term programming with another public debate on Jan. 16 featuring Union Theological Seminary philosophy professor Cornel West, who is running for president as an independent, and Princeton legal scholar Robert P. George, in a debate on political philosophy contrasting capitalism and socialism.
On Feb. 26, the DPU will host political commentator, author, and former White House aide Keith Boykin 鈥87 and Ian Rowe, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and co-founder of Vertex Partnership Academies, to debate the merits of programming related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Forums sponsored by the DPU last year covered such topics as the Israel-Hamas war and gun laws, and the group鈥檚 success in hosting respectful dialogue on contentious topics has from groups such as the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
