Contact: Beth Slater
The Aspen Institute
Tel. 970-544-7914
Beth.Slater@aspeninstitute.org
Aspen, CO, January 14, 2011–– The Aspen Institute Fireside Chat Series will feature former US Congressman Mickey Edwards, director of the Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership, in conversation with Arts and Ideas Series director Ken Adelman on Saturday, January 15 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Aspen Meadows Restaurant. Tickets are available at www.aspeninstitute.org/aspenevents. As a full-capacity audience is expected for this program, early ticket purchasing is encouraged. Doors will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the event, and tickets will be on sale at the door.
Ten days before President Obama’s State of the Union address to the nation, Edwards will share his views on what’s working in Washington and what’s not. He’ll reflect on how a Republican-led House of Representatives might work with the current Administration. Edwards served as a member of Congress from Oklahoma for 16 years (1977-1992). A member of the House Republican leadership during his tenure, he served on the powerful Budget and Appropriations committees.
“Mickey brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the national conversation,” noted Cristal Logan, Community Outreach Director. “We are thrilled to feature him in a community event, where he can offer his expert insights on the ways of Congress and the current tenor in Washington. He’ll also share his thoughts on the recent shooting tragedy in Tucson as his good friend, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, was a member of the inaugural class of the Rodel Fellowship program,” added Logan.
Author of the highly-praised book Reclaiming Conservatism (Oxford University Press), Mickey has been a lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School and at George Washington University. He has chaired task forces for the Constitution Project, the Brookings Institution, and the Council on Foreign Relations.
The Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership program seeks to enhance our democracy by identifying and bringing together the nation’s most promising young political leaders to explore, through study and conversation, the underlying values and principles of western democracy, the relationship between individuals and their community, and the responsibilities of public leadership; to support and inspire political leaders committed to sustaining the vision of a political system based on thoughtful and civil bipartisan dialogue; and to help America’s brightest young leaders achieve their fullest potential in public service.
The Aspen Institute mission is twofold: to foster values-based leadership, encouraging individuals to reflect on the ideals and ideas that define a good society, and to provide a neutral and balanced venue for discussing and acting on critical issues. The Aspen Institute does this primarily in four ways: seminars, young-leader fellowships around the globe, policy programs, and public conferences and events. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also has an international network of partners.
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