Former Senate Leader Daschle to Give Ford Lecture Oct. 18 at UK
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 29, 2016) — Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle will deliver the seconde annual Wendell Ford Public Policy Lecture at the University of Kentucky on Tuesday, Oct. 18.
In an address titled "The 2016 Federal Elections: Crisis Point in a Dysfunctional Political System," Daschle will comment on anticipated effects of the current federal elections on partisan gridlock, the lost art of compromise and his proposals for improving the political climate. The presentation will begin at 4 p.m. in the new Kincaid Auditorium of the Gatton College of Business and Economics.
Following the presentation, Al Cross, former political reporter for the Louisville Courier-Journal and director of UK’s Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, will moderate a conversation with Sen. Daschle, joined by Steve Voss, associate professor in UK’s Department of Political Science, and Mike Duncan, former chair of the Republican National Committee.
The event is sponsored by UK’s Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, UK and co-sponsors the UK Libraries’ Wendell H. Ford Public Policy Research Center, Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship, Council of State Governments, UK College of Communication and Information, and Gatton College.
Daschle currently serves as chair of the board of directors of the Center for American Progress and remains actively engaged in major public policy debates.
Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota in 1978, the Democrat served there for eight years. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986 and was chosen as Senate Democratic leader in 1994. Daschle was one of the longest serving Senate Democratic leaders in history and the only one to serve twice as both majority and minority leader.
A graduate of South Dakota State University, Daschle served for three years as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force Strategic Command before becoming an aide to South Dakota Sen. James Abourezk.
The lecture is named in honor of Wendell Ford, who served as governor of Kentucky before being elected to four consecutive terms in the U.S. Senate. After his retirement from public office, Ford served as a Distinguished Fellow at the Martin School.
Last year’s initial Ford Lecture featured Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former editor of Newsweek magazine Jon Meacham as he helped to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
“The Ford Lecture is fast becoming a signature event for the Martin School and for the University of Kentucky,” said Ron Zimmer, who became director of the school on July 1. “I am confident that this will be an important, informative and stimulating program for UK students, faculty, staff and members of the greater Kentucky community.”
The 2016 Wendell Ford Public Policy Lecture and panel discussion, expected to last 90 minutes, will be open to all, free of charge. The program will be introduced by Eugenia Toma, longtime Martin School professor and Wendell H. Ford Endowed Chair, together with UK Provost Tim Tracy. The new Kincaid Auditorium in the Gatton College has seating for 500 and people planning to attend are encouraged to arrive at least 15 minutes early.
UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, visit uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue
MEDIA CONTACT: Carl Nathe, 859-257-3200; carl.nathe@uky.edu