University of Virginia Center for Politics
Encyclopedia
The University of Virginia Center for Politics was founded in 1998 by professor and political analyst Larry J. Sabato to put into practice his belief that "Politics is a good thing!" The Center for Politics is a nonpartisan
organization based in Charlottesville, Virginia
, which seeks to increase civic knowledge and involvement among all citizens. The Center for Politics is part of the University of Virginia
and draws its funding from a variety of public and private sources. It has its own dedicated staff and building, operating out of historic Montesano, on property once owned by U.S. Senator Thomas S. Martin
.
The Center for Politics's main focus is civic education and engagement, exemplified by its flagship program, the Youth Leadership Initiative. The Youth Leadership Initiative provides a free technology-based curriculum of civics
materials to K-12 schools across the country and around the world, and conducts the largest all-student mock election
in the nation each November.
The Center for Politics also publishes Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball
, a source of comprehensive election analysis which has been recognized as providing the most accurate electoral predictions in the country on its website and through a free weekly e-mail.
Additionally, the Center for Politics organizes conferences and programs, publishes books and reports, and supports and promotes college student civic education through internships, voter registration
drives, and on-campus speakers.
." By improving the political process and citizens' interaction with it, the Center for Politics strives to improve the functioning of government itself. In addition, the mission includes three goals:
which is now the annual American Democracy Conference.
The Youth Leadership Initiative (which provides civic education resources and tools for grades K-12
) launched in 1999, as did the National Symposium Series, and the Crystal Ball's election predictions debuted in 2002.
In 2008, the Center for Politics moved into its new home at Montesano, an early 20th century Georgian Revival house on land previously owned by Thomas Staples Martin, US Senator from Virginia
. In 2009, the Center for Politics launched its newest program, Global Perspectives on Democracy, a program designed to foster dialogue between citizens in established and emerging democracies around the world, and conduct workshops on civic action plans.
teachers and students in public and private schools in all 50 states and Defense Department schools internationally.
The program emphasizes hands-on participation so that students can directly experience the electoral and legislative procedures of American government. The components of the Youth Leadership Initiative include detailed lesson plan
s, an online mock election
, an online policy-making simulation which engages students in the law-making process nationwide, and a political campaign-simulating computer game.
In 2008, Diane Trim of Inside the School, a website for secondary educators, ranked the Youth Leadership Initiative's mock election
highly, giving it more stars than the other two educational mock election programs reviewed and praising the Youth Leadership Initiative program for its comprehensiveness and ease of use.
The Youth Leadership Initiative began as a response to a perception of increasing political apathy
among citizens and a decline in the number of schools incorporating civics lessons into their curricula. It started in Virginia public schools, but is now nationwide.
Current partners include:
, founded by Center for Politics Director Larry Sabato, is a free, nonpartisan
weekly online newsletter and comprehensive website that analyzes the current American political scene and predicts electoral outcomes for U.S House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, governors
, and U.S. president races
. Since it was first launched in September 2002, the Crystal Ball has garnered a reputation for fair analysis and accurate predictions and is frequently cited by journalists and other political watchers.
Over its lifetime, Sabato's Crystal Ball has a 98% accuracy rate in predicting U.S. House races, 98% accuracy rate in predicting U.S. Senate races (including 100% accuracy each of the past two election cycles), and 94% accuracy rate in predicting gubernatorial races. It also has featured commentary from renowned political scientists and journalists, including Alan Abramowitz
of Emory University
, James E. Campbell
from the University at Buffalo, Dahlia Lithwick
who writes for Newsweek
and Slate
, Thomas E. Mann
from the Brookings Institute, and Barbara A. Perry
from Sweet Briar College
.
conference to analyze the outcome of the year’s campaigns
and elections, discuss its impact on upcoming races and campaigns, and assess the overall state of American democracy. Previous conferences have included such speakers as journalists Dahlia Lithwick
, Susan Page
, and Rich Lowry
, strategists Ed Rollins
and Kiki McLean, and public officials Rep. Tom Davis
, Rep. Artur Davis
, U.S. Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger
, and Sen. Mark Warner
.
The 2009 American Democracy Conference was held on December 3 at the Newseum
in Washington, DC and is co-sponsored by POLITICO
. Keynote speakers were Virginia Governor Tim Kaine
, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
, and Texas Senator John Cornyn
, Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
. Panelists included journalists Mike Allen and Susan Page
; congressman Roy Blunt
; and strategists Paul Begala
, Alex Castellanos
, and Leslie Sanchez
.
, Virginia’s official policy to resist the integration of its public schools, with a conference at the Virginia State Capitol
in Richmond, Virginia
, featuring panels with students who were unable to attend school, as well as keynote speaker Douglas Wilder
, the first African-American governor in US history.
There have been eight documentaries produced in conjunction with the conference:
The convention featured panel discussions on the U.S. Constitution, moderated by Bob Schieffer
of CBS
Face the Nation
. The keynote speaker of the Convention was Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito
, and it also featured remarks by former Vice Presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro
and former Senator Bob Dole
.
In conjunction with the Convention and the publication of Larry J. Sabato's A More Perfect Constitution
, the Center for Politics produced a documentary, "Questioning the Constitution". The film features interviews with Professor Larry J. Sabato, former Senate Majority Leader Robert J. Dole, NAACP Chairman Julian Bond
, Republican National Committee
Chairman Michael Steele and ACLU President Nadine Strossen
.Questioning the Constitution won an Award of Excellence from the International Academy of Visual Arts.
. The Dynamic Dominion and Virginia in the Vanguard by Frank Atkinson
were published in partnership with the Center for Politics. The Center for Politics has also published the Political Challenges Series on a wide array of topical issues. Volumes in this series include Health Care Half Truths by Dr. Arthur Garson Jr. and Carolyn Engelhard, Freedom is Not Enough: Black Voters, Black Candidates, and American Presidential Politics by Ronald Walters, and Attack the Messenger by Craig Crawford
.
The Center for Politics also publishes reports, such as "Virginia Votes" which is a compendium of election results for the state of Virginia. In 2004, it published a report on civic education, "Politics: The Missing Link of Responsible Civic Education," which seeks to explain the reason for a decline of civic engagement among young people and also provide solutions to the problem.
Institute of Politics. It focuses on three priorities:
As part of the Campaign, the Center for Politics organizes an annual Voter Registration Coalition to register students to vote. The Center for Politics also grants Awards for Civic Excellence, stipends available to undergraduates at the University of Virginia
to support internships in the field of politics. The Center for Politics also offers internships to University of Virginia students and select undergraduate students from other institutions, as part of the focus on career development
.
to learn about American democracy and two Center for Politics staff members going to Sri Lanka
to teach civics lessons and learn about the challenges in Sri Lanka.
." Recently, the series has brought then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to the University of Virginia and hosted several discussions on "taboo
subjects" like the roles played by race, religion and gender in political campaigns. Other participants in the Series include former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis
, former New Hampshire Governor and White House Chief of Staff
John Sununu
, Democratic Party
strategist Donna Brazile
, former Connecticut
Governor Lowell Weicker, and journalist Bob Woodward
.
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
organization based in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, which seeks to increase civic knowledge and involvement among all citizens. The Center for Politics is part of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
and draws its funding from a variety of public and private sources. It has its own dedicated staff and building, operating out of historic Montesano, on property once owned by U.S. Senator Thomas S. Martin
Thomas S. Martin
Thomas Staples Martin was an American lawyer and Democratic Party politician from Charlottesville, Virginia. He represented Virginia in the United States Senate for nearly twenty-five years....
.
The Center for Politics's main focus is civic education and engagement, exemplified by its flagship program, the Youth Leadership Initiative. The Youth Leadership Initiative provides a free technology-based curriculum of civics
Civics
Civics is the study of rights and duties of citizenship. In other words, it is the study of government with attention to the role of citizens ― as opposed to external factors ― in the operation and oversight of government....
materials to K-12 schools across the country and around the world, and conducts the largest all-student mock election
Mock election
A mock election is an election organized for educational or transformative purposes.- Mock election for educational purposes :...
in the nation each November.
The Center for Politics also publishes Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball
Sabato's Crystal Ball
Sabato’s Crystal Ball is a free, nonpartisan weekly online newsletter and comprehensive website in the United States that analyzes the current American political scene and predicts electoral outcomes for U.S House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, governors, and U.S. president races...
, a source of comprehensive election analysis which has been recognized as providing the most accurate electoral predictions in the country on its website and through a free weekly e-mail.
Additionally, the Center for Politics organizes conferences and programs, publishes books and reports, and supports and promotes college student civic education through internships, voter registration
Voter registration
Voter registration is the requirement in some democracies for citizens and residents to check in with some central registry specifically for the purpose of being allowed to vote in elections. An effort to get people to register is known as a voter registration drive.-Centralized/compulsory vs...
drives, and on-campus speakers.
Mission
The Center for Politics was founded to "promote the value of politics and the importance of civic engagementCivic engagement
Civic engagement or civic participation has been defined as "Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern."-Forms:...
." By improving the political process and citizens' interaction with it, the Center for Politics strives to improve the functioning of government itself. In addition, the mission includes three goals:
- Encourage citizens to actively participate in the political process and government
- Evaluate and promote the best practices in civic education for students of all ages
- Educate citizens through the Center for Politics' comprehensive research, programs, and publications
History
The Center for Politics was founded in 1998 by Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics and noted political analyst Larry Sabato, who is known as "the most quoted professor in all the land." Its first programs that year were the Virginia Governors' Conference, which evolved into the Virginia Political History Project, and a post-election conferenceAcademic conference
An academic conference or symposium is a conference for researchers to present and discuss their work. Together with academic or scientific journals, conferences provide an important channel for exchange of information between researchers.-Overview:Conferences are usually composed of various...
which is now the annual American Democracy Conference.
The Youth Leadership Initiative (which provides civic education resources and tools for grades K-12
K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
) launched in 1999, as did the National Symposium Series, and the Crystal Ball's election predictions debuted in 2002.
In 2008, the Center for Politics moved into its new home at Montesano, an early 20th century Georgian Revival house on land previously owned by Thomas Staples Martin, US Senator from Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. In 2009, the Center for Politics launched its newest program, Global Perspectives on Democracy, a program designed to foster dialogue between citizens in established and emerging democracies around the world, and conduct workshops on civic action plans.
Youth Leadership Initiative
The Youth Leadership Initiative provides free, technology-based civic education materials to K-12K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
teachers and students in public and private schools in all 50 states and Defense Department schools internationally.
The program emphasizes hands-on participation so that students can directly experience the electoral and legislative procedures of American government. The components of the Youth Leadership Initiative include detailed lesson plan
Lesson plan
A lesson plan is a teacher's detailed description of the course of instruction for one class. A daily lesson plan is developed by a teacher to guide class instruction. Details will vary depending on the preference of the teacher, subject being covered, and the need and/or curiosity of children...
s, an online mock election
Mock election
A mock election is an election organized for educational or transformative purposes.- Mock election for educational purposes :...
, an online policy-making simulation which engages students in the law-making process nationwide, and a political campaign-simulating computer game.
In 2008, Diane Trim of Inside the School, a website for secondary educators, ranked the Youth Leadership Initiative's mock election
Mock election
A mock election is an election organized for educational or transformative purposes.- Mock election for educational purposes :...
highly, giving it more stars than the other two educational mock election programs reviewed and praising the Youth Leadership Initiative program for its comprehensiveness and ease of use.
The Youth Leadership Initiative began as a response to a perception of increasing political apathy
Political apathy
Political apathy is the indifference on the part of citizen of any country as regards their attitude towards political activities; for example: elections, public opinons, civic responsibilities, etc. A broader way of referring to political apathy in a country is to consider its political culture...
among citizens and a decline in the number of schools incorporating civics lessons into their curricula. It started in Virginia public schools, but is now nationwide.
Current partners include:
- American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar AssociationThe American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
- National Association of Secretaries of StateNational Association of Secretaries of StateThe National Association of Secretaries of State , founded in 1904, is the oldest non-partisan professional organization of public officials in the United States, composed of the Secretaries of State of U.S. states and territories. Currently, all secretaries of state, including Washington D.C.,...
(NASS) - World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) - Public AgendaPublic agendaPublic Agenda is a New York City-based non-profit organization engaged in non-partisan research projects in subjects ranging from education to government leadership. The organization was founded by social scientist Daniel Yankelovich and former Secretary of State Cyrus Vance...
- League of Women VotersLeague of Women VotersThe League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
- Close Up FoundationClose Up FoundationThe Close Up Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization in the United States. Founded in 1971 Close Up offers high school students an in-depth view of the democratic process, by interactive participation.-Participation:...
Sabato’s Crystal Ball
Sabato's Crystal BallSabato's Crystal Ball
Sabato’s Crystal Ball is a free, nonpartisan weekly online newsletter and comprehensive website in the United States that analyzes the current American political scene and predicts electoral outcomes for U.S House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, governors, and U.S. president races...
, founded by Center for Politics Director Larry Sabato, is a free, nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
weekly online newsletter and comprehensive website that analyzes the current American political scene and predicts electoral outcomes for U.S House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, governors
Governor (United States)
In the United States, the title governor refers to the chief executive of each state or insular territory, not directly subordinate to the federal authorities, but the political and ceremonial head of the state.-Role and powers:...
, and U.S. president races
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. Since it was first launched in September 2002, the Crystal Ball has garnered a reputation for fair analysis and accurate predictions and is frequently cited by journalists and other political watchers.
Over its lifetime, Sabato's Crystal Ball has a 98% accuracy rate in predicting U.S. House races, 98% accuracy rate in predicting U.S. Senate races (including 100% accuracy each of the past two election cycles), and 94% accuracy rate in predicting gubernatorial races. It also has featured commentary from renowned political scientists and journalists, including Alan Abramowitz
Alan Abramowitz
Alan I. Abramowitz is an American political scientist and author, known for his research and writings on American politics, elections, and political parties in political science....
of Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
, James E. Campbell
James E. Campbell
James Edwin Campbell was a Democratic politician from Ohio. He served as the 38th Governor of Ohio.Campbell was born in Middletown, Ohio where he attended the public schools and then Miami University. He served in the Union Army as a member of the Mississippi River Squadron during the Civil War...
from the University at Buffalo, Dahlia Lithwick
Dahlia Lithwick
-External links:*...
who writes for Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
and Slate
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
, Thomas E. Mann
Thomas E. Mann
Thomas E. Mann is a political scientist, author, and pundit who works at the Brookings Institution. He primarily studies and speaks on elections in the United States, especially campaign finance reform...
from the Brookings Institute, and Barbara A. Perry
Barbara A. Perry
Dr. Barbara A. Perry, a U.S. Supreme Court and presidency expert, as well as a biographer of the Kennedys, is a Senior Fellow at the University of Virginia's Miller Center and is the former Carter Glass Professor of Government and founding director of the Center for Civic Renewal at Sweet Briar...
from Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar College is a liberal arts women's college in Sweet Briar, Virginia, about north of Lynchburg, Virginia. The school's Latin motto translates as: "She who has earned the rose may bear it."...
.
American Democracy Conference
The Center for Politics hosts an annual post-Election DayElection Day (United States)
Election Day in the United States is the day set by law for the general elections of public officials. It occurs on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The earliest possible date is November 2 and the latest possible date is November 8...
conference to analyze the outcome of the year’s campaigns
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
and elections, discuss its impact on upcoming races and campaigns, and assess the overall state of American democracy. Previous conferences have included such speakers as journalists Dahlia Lithwick
Dahlia Lithwick
-External links:*...
, Susan Page
Susan Page
Susan Page is an American journalist and the current Washington Bureau Chief for USA Today. She has won several awards for her work, including the Merriman Smith Memorial Award, the Aldo Beckman Memorial Award, the Gerald R...
, and Rich Lowry
Rich Lowry
Richard A. Lowry is the editor of National Review, a conservative American news magazine, and a syndicated columnist.-Career:...
, strategists Ed Rollins
Ed Rollins
Edward John "Ed" Rollins is a Republican campaign consultant and advisor who has worked on several high-profile political campaigns in the United States. In 1983-84, he was National Campaign Director for the Reagan-Bush '84 campaign, winning 49 of 50 states...
and Kiki McLean, and public officials Rep. Tom Davis
Thomas M. Davis
Thomas Milburn "Tom" Davis III was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Virginia's 11th congressional district in Northern Virginia. Davis was considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by five-term incumbent and fellow Republican John...
, Rep. Artur Davis
Artur Davis
Artur Genestre Davis is a former member of the United States House of Representatives for , serving from 2003 to 2011 when he was succeeded by Terri Sewell, also a member of the Democratic Party....
, U.S. Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger
Lawrence Eagleburger
Lawrence Sidney Eagleburger was an American statesman and former career diplomat, who served briefly as the United States Secretary of State under President George H. W. Bush. Previously, he had served in lesser capacities under Presidents Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H....
, and Sen. Mark Warner
Mark Warner
Mark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of...
.
The 2009 American Democracy Conference was held on December 3 at the Newseum
Newseum
The Newseum is an interactive museum of news and journalism located at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. The seven-level, museum features 15 theaters and 14 galleries. The Newseum's Berlin Wall Gallery includes the largest display of sections of the Berlin Wall outside of Germany...
in Washington, DC and is co-sponsored by POLITICO
The Politico
The Politico is an American political journalism organization based in Arlington, Virginia, that distributes its content via television, the Internet, newspaper, and radio. Its coverage of Washington, D.C., includes the U.S. Congress, lobbying, media and the Presidency...
. Keynote speakers were Virginia Governor Tim Kaine
Tim Kaine
Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011...
, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
, and Texas Senator John Cornyn
John Cornyn
John Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress....
, Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
National Republican Senatorial Committee
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is the Republican Hill committee for the United States Senate, working to elect Republicans to that body. The NRSC was founded in 1916 as the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee...
. Panelists included journalists Mike Allen and Susan Page
Susan Page
Susan Page is an American journalist and the current Washington Bureau Chief for USA Today. She has won several awards for her work, including the Merriman Smith Memorial Award, the Aldo Beckman Memorial Award, the Gerald R...
; congressman Roy Blunt
Roy Blunt
Roy D. Blunt is the junior United States Senator from Missouri. He is a member of the Republican Party. His Senate seat was previously held by Republican Kit Bond, until his retirement....
; and strategists Paul Begala
Paul Begala
Paul Edward Begala is an American political consultant and political commentator. He was an adviser to President Bill Clinton. Begala was a chief strategist for the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign, which carried 33 states and made Clinton the first Democrat to win the White House in sixteen years...
, Alex Castellanos
Alex Castellanos
Alejandro "Alex" Castellanos is a U.S. Republican Party political media consultant who specializes in television advertising, and was a top media adviser to Bush Cheney '04 as well as Mitt Romney's presidential campaign....
, and Leslie Sanchez
Leslie Sanchez
Leslie Sanchez is a prominent American author, political pundit affiliated with the Republican Party, and founder/CEO of Impacto Group LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based market research and consulting firm.-Early life:...
.
Virginia Political History Conference
The Virginia Political History Conference focuses on the history of politics, policy, and political leadership in the Center for Politics’s home state of Virginia. The Virginia Political History Conference includes an annual summer conference, a documentary on the same subject, and accompanying research materials. The most recent conference focused on the 50th anniversary of the official end of Massive ResistanceMassive resistance
Massive resistance was a policy declared by U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. on February 24, 1956, to unite other white politicians and leaders in Virginia in a campaign of new state laws and policies to prevent public school desegregation after the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision...
, Virginia’s official policy to resist the integration of its public schools, with a conference at the Virginia State Capitol
Virginia State Capitol
The Virginia State Capitol is the seat of state government in the Commonwealth of Virginia, located in Richmond, the third capital of Virginia. It houses the oldest legislative body in the United States, the Virginia General Assembly...
in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, featuring panels with students who were unable to attend school, as well as keynote speaker Douglas Wilder
Douglas Wilder
Lawrence Douglas "Doug" Wilder is an American politician, the first African American to be elected as governor of Virginia, and the second to serve as governor of a U.S. state. Wilder served as the 66th Governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1994. When earlier elected as Lieutenant Governor, he was...
, the first African-American governor in US history.
There have been eight documentaries produced in conjunction with the conference:
- No Higher Honor: Charles S. Robb
- No Higher Honor: John N. DaltonJohn N. DaltonJohn Nichols Dalton was the 63rd Governor of the U.S. state of Virginia from 1978 to 1982. Born in Emporia, Virginia, Dalton also served in both houses of the General Assembly and as Lieutenant Governor. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and the...
- No Higher Honor: Mills E. Godwin
- No Higher Honor: Linwood Holton
- No Higher Honor: Gerald L. BalilesGerald L. BalilesGerald L. Baliles was the 65th Governor of Virginia and is the director of the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia...
- WilderDouglas WilderLawrence Douglas "Doug" Wilder is an American politician, the first African American to be elected as governor of Virginia, and the second to serve as governor of a U.S. state. Wilder served as the 66th Governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1994. When earlier elected as Lieutenant Governor, he was...
: An American First - Sarge ReynoldsJ. Sargeant ReynoldsJulian Sargeant Reynolds of Richmond, Virginia was a teacher, businessman, and politician. He served in both the House and Senate of the Virginia General Assembly and served as Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the first Republican to serve in that position since Reconstruction...
: A Documentary - Locked Out: The Fall of Massive ResistanceMassive resistanceMassive resistance was a policy declared by U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. on February 24, 1956, to unite other white politicians and leaders in Virginia in a campaign of new state laws and policies to prevent public school desegregation after the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision...
National Constitutional Convention
On October 17, 2007, the Center for Politics hosted a National Constitutional Convention in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The convention featured panel discussions on the U.S. Constitution, moderated by Bob Schieffer
Bob Schieffer
Bob Lloyd Schieffer is an American television journalist who has been with CBS News since 1969, serving 23 years as anchor on the Saturday edition of CBS Evening News from 1973 to 1996; chief Washington correspondent since 1982, moderator of the Sunday public affairs show Face the Nation since...
of CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
Face the Nation
Face the Nation
Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer is an American Sunday-morning political interview show which premiered on the CBS television network on November 7, 1954. It is one of the longest-running news programs in the history of television...
. The keynote speaker of the Convention was Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito
Samuel Alito
Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr. is an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He was nominated by President George W. Bush and has served on the court since January 31, 2006....
, and it also featured remarks by former Vice Presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro
Geraldine Ferraro
Geraldine Anne Ferraro was an American attorney, a Democratic Party politician, and a member of the United States House of Representatives. She was the first female Vice Presidential candidate representing a major American political party....
and former Senator Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
.
In conjunction with the Convention and the publication of Larry J. Sabato's A More Perfect Constitution
A More Perfect Constitution
A More Perfect Constitution is a non-fiction book by American political scientist Larry J. Sabato, published in 2007. In it, Sabato calls for a new constitutional convention to update the United States Constitution....
, the Center for Politics produced a documentary, "Questioning the Constitution". The film features interviews with Professor Larry J. Sabato, former Senate Majority Leader Robert J. Dole, NAACP Chairman Julian Bond
Julian Bond
Horace Julian Bond , known as Julian Bond, is an American social activist and leader in the American civil rights movement, politician, professor, and writer. While a student at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, during the early 1960s, he helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating...
, Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
Chairman Michael Steele and ACLU President Nadine Strossen
Nadine Strossen
Nadine Strossen was president of the American Civil Liberties Union from February 1991 to October 2008. She was the first woman and the youngest person to ever lead the ACLU. A professor at New York Law School, Professor Strossen sits on the Council on Foreign Relations...
.Questioning the Constitution won an Award of Excellence from the International Academy of Visual Arts.
Publications
The Center for Politics has been involved in a number of publications, from full-length books to academic reports. Center for Politics Director Larry J. Sabato has written over a dozen books, most notably Feeding Frenzy, Year of Obama, and A More Perfect ConstitutionA More Perfect Constitution
A More Perfect Constitution is a non-fiction book by American political scientist Larry J. Sabato, published in 2007. In it, Sabato calls for a new constitutional convention to update the United States Constitution....
. The Dynamic Dominion and Virginia in the Vanguard by Frank Atkinson
Frank Atkinson
Franklyn Rhem Atkinson is a former professional American football defensive lineman who played in the National Football League and the American Football League . He played college football at Stanford University, where he was a defensive tackle...
were published in partnership with the Center for Politics. The Center for Politics has also published the Political Challenges Series on a wide array of topical issues. Volumes in this series include Health Care Half Truths by Dr. Arthur Garson Jr. and Carolyn Engelhard, Freedom is Not Enough: Black Voters, Black Candidates, and American Presidential Politics by Ronald Walters, and Attack the Messenger by Craig Crawford
Craig Crawford
Craig Crawford is a writer and television political commentator based in Washington, D.C., a columnist for Congressional Quarterly, and the author of Listen Up Mr...
.
The Center for Politics also publishes reports, such as "Virginia Votes" which is a compendium of election results for the state of Virginia. In 2004, it published a report on civic education, "Politics: The Missing Link of Responsible Civic Education," which seeks to explain the reason for a decline of civic engagement among young people and also provide solutions to the problem.
National Campaign for Political and Civic Engagement
The Center for Politics is one of 20 colleges and universities participating in the National Campaign for Political and Civic Engagement. The Campaign began in 2003 as an initiative of the Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
Institute of Politics. It focuses on three priorities:
- A Relationship with Electoral Politics
- A Focus on Career DevelopmentCareer developmentIn organizational development , the study of career development looks at:*how individuals manage their careers within and between organizations and,...
- A Foundation in Civic Education
As part of the Campaign, the Center for Politics organizes an annual Voter Registration Coalition to register students to vote. The Center for Politics also grants Awards for Civic Excellence, stipends available to undergraduates at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
to support internships in the field of politics. The Center for Politics also offers internships to University of Virginia students and select undergraduate students from other institutions, as part of the focus on career development
Career development
In organizational development , the study of career development looks at:*how individuals manage their careers within and between organizations and,...
.
Global Perspectives on Democracy
Launched in March 2009, Global Perspectives on Democracy is a new program that seeks to help educate and empower young leaders and representatives of marginalized minority groups in established and emerging democracies to identify and implement effective tools and strategies for civic action and advocacy through peaceful and productive means. The first initiative undertaken as part of Global Perspectives on Democracy was a two-way exchange program, with Sri Lankan citizens visiting the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to learn about American democracy and two Center for Politics staff members going to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
to teach civics lessons and learn about the challenges in Sri Lanka.
National Symposium Series
Begun in 1999, this series of discussions explores "topical issues in American politicsAmerican politics
American politics is an area of study within the academic discipline of political science. It is primarily, but not exclusively, studied by researchers in the United States...
." Recently, the series has brought then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to the University of Virginia and hosted several discussions on "taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
subjects" like the roles played by race, religion and gender in political campaigns. Other participants in the Series include former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
, former New Hampshire Governor and White House Chief of Staff
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
John Sununu
John Sununu
John Sununu is the name of two U.S. politicians:* John H. Sununu, Governor of New Hampshire and White House Chief of Staff for George H. W. Bush * John E. Sununu, his son, U.S. Congressman and U.S. Senator...
, Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
strategist Donna Brazile
Donna Brazile
Donna Brazile is an American author, professor, and political analyst affiliated with the Democratic Party. She was the first African American to direct a major presidential campaign, for Al Gore in 2000...
, former Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
Governor Lowell Weicker, and journalist Bob Woodward
Bob Woodward
Robert Upshur Woodward is an American investigative journalist and non-fiction author. He has worked for The Washington Post since 1971 as a reporter, and is currently an associate editor of the Post....
.