I probably won’t be able to make this one, and if I did I’m not sure I could keep down my lunch while listening to a lecture on “Values and Politics” from Ralph Reed — the guy who orchestrated the campaign painting Max Cleland — of all people! — as anti-American…but if I did, what should I ask him?
Ralph Reed, who chaired the Georgia Republican Party in 2002, has worked on seven presidential campaigns, and served as chairman of the Southeast Region for Bush-Cheney 04, will lecture on Values and Politics in America as part of the Universitys Presidents Lecture Series on Thursday, November 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the School of Business Administrations Storer Auditorium.Thursday, November 10 6:30 p.m. Storer Auditorium. Open to the UM Community.
Actually, if I had the chance, the event I’d like to crash is this one:
Media Advisory for Thursday, November 10, 2005
The University of Miami invites members of the media to a lecture and interview opportunity with Ralph reed at 5:30 P.M.
Update: Oooh, Reed is apparently deeply involved in the Abramoff Indian Gambling Scandal. What a good choice of a person to have to lecture students on “Values and Politics”.
2nd Update: You don’t suppose we are paying him, do you?
OK, a lecture I can kind of see. Free and open discourse and all. But how does UM justify providing an “interview opportunity” with RR? How is the academic environment enhanced by directly lending the institution to his political purposes?
Actually that’s pretty standard – the idea with any speaker is to give the media a chance to talk to the guy in the hopes of increasing the chances they will do a story, on the theory that any story will mention the University and that makes it look like a happening place, potentially pleasing alumni, parents, donors and students.
Plus, given the timing some newspapers and esp TV will have deadlines to meet…
So, nothing offensive about media availability. It’s the implicit endorsement that is the problem. (And if we paid him, oh my…)
He was at the University of Central Florida in September to debate Nadine Strosser on the topic of Politics and Religion. They were quizzed [briefly] by four UCF political science students, and all that anyone took away from the night was that Ralph Reed is as slimy in person as he is on TV, but man can he tie a windsor knot.
http://www.cas.ucf.edu/news/2005-LFI-Fall.php