The occupant of the White House is described as the leader of the free world and the most influential politician on the planet. Both the policies and the politics of the U.S. Presidency reach far beyond America’s shores. This has never been truer than now, with President Donald Trump threatening to weaken democratic institutions, disrupt long-term trading relationships and roll back social and environmental policies that matter to the world.
To discuss how past and current White House residents have affected policy and politics in the United States and Canada, on April 4, 2018, the Max Bell School of Public Policy proudly welcomed: Â
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Jackie Calmes, White House editor for the Los Angeles Times Washington Bureau
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Andrew Cohen, author of Two Days in June: John F. Kennedy and the 48 Hours that Made History
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Lyndsay Duncombe, producer and reporter for CBC’s Washington bureau
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John Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life
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David Shribman, Pullitzer prize winning journalist and executive editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
This sold out event was expertly moderated by David Shribman — who will also be joining the Max Bell School of Public Policy as a Visiting Fellow for the 2019-20 academic year — and featured a lively and informative discussion on: the rise of false news, how Donald Trump compares to past presidents, changing communications trends in the White House, and policymaking in the Trump age.
Chris Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School Public Policy gave the welcoming remarks and introduced the speakers. “An important part of the mandate of the Max Bell school is to have public outreach and to spread the message that public policy matters and the public policy is difficult. We like to say that public good public policy doesn't just happen it actually requires a little bit of work, in fact quite a lot of work,” said Ragan.
Watch the event recap videos below:
How Trump Compares to Past Presidents
Speakers Andrew Cohen, David Shribman, John Farrell, and Jackie Calmes comparing the current President of the United States to his predecessors.
Trump's Impact on Policymaking
The panelists discussing Trump’s impulsive policy making and how it has changed the Presidency moving forward.
The Rise of Fake News
The panelists providing an overview of how the rise of fake news has impacted the political climate in the United States.
How to Talk Trump
The panelists analzying the ways in which Trump has changed how the President of the United States communicates with the public.
