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Schmuhl looks at 'possibilities, perils' of U.S. presidency on September 22
September 20, 2004 | |||||
KOKOMO, Ind.ÑOn Wednesday, September 22, Indiana University Kokomo welcomes University of Notre Dame Professor of American Studies Robert Schmuhl, Ph.D., to speak on the political history of U.S. presidents. The presentation runs from 7Ð9 p.m. in Room 130 of Kelley Student Center. It is free and open to the public.
The lecture is part of the "Building Character. Building Communities." series of American Democracy Project activities being offered at IU Kokomo this fall, to encourage civic engagement by undergraduates. For the complete schedule, visit http://www.iuk.edu/adp. Schmuhl calls his talk "The Splendid Misery of the U.S. Presidency," borrowing Thomas Jefferson's description of his time as chief executive as "a splendid misery." "From the earliest days of the American Republic, presidents have faced perils endangering their power," Schmuhl said. "Some White House occupants have deftly managed crises, while others have left office weakened or broken by problems they faced. In his talk, Schmuhl will looks at the "perils and possibilities" of the presidency, and at how the office has changed since the eighteenth century, adding to the difficulty of governing. He will suggest the legitimate expectations that citizens can have of their presidents, and the qualities needed for effective national leadership. Chairman of the Department of American Studies at Notre Dame from 1991 until 2000, Schmuhl has covered American communications, political culture, and contemporary national affairs in his teaching and research. He also directs the university's John W. Gallivan Program in Journalism, Ethics and Democracy. Schmuhl is the author or editor of nine books, including Statecraft and Stagecraft: American Political Life in the Age of Personality (1990 and 1992), Demanding Democracy (1994), Thomas Jefferson: America's Philosopher-King) (1996), and Wounded Titans: American Presidents and the Perils of Power (1996). His edited volume, The Responsibilities of Journalism, has been published in four foreign editions since appearing in 1984. His most recent book, Indecent Liberties was selected by the Chicago Tribune as one of 40 noteworthy nonfiction titles for 2000. In 1996, Schmuhl was named a participant in the U.S. Department of Education's "Democracy at Risk" project. He is currently a member of the Institutions of Democracy Commission on the Press, established in 2003 by the Annenberg Foundation Trust. A frequent contributor to popular publications, Schmuhl's columns, features, and reviews have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Philadelphia Inquirer, USA TODAY, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Sports Illustrated, Commonweal, American Journalism Review, The Quill and many other newspapers and magazines. He has appeared on CBS, CNN, PBS, NPR, the Voice of America, the BBC, Sky News and several other television and radio programs in the United States and abroad. Weekday guests to campus who do not have an IU Kokomo parking pass are asked to park in the lower level of the parking garage, located on the south end of campus. Parking is free.
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