The Presidential Ideas Festival: Democracy in Dialogue convened elected leaders, scholars, policymakers, business and media leaders, and students to drive a thoughtful discussion on the state of democracy in the United States and abroad. Through the lens of the American presidency, the Presidential Ideas Festival examined some of the most pressing challenges facing democracy around the world and gleaned lessons from and for the American context. Each day was anchored by a series of morning and afternoon keynote conversations on our main stage in Old Cabell Hall on the Lawn at the University of Virginia. Over lunch, we offered a series of working lunch sessions, designed to dig more deeply into a problem or questions raised in the keynotes.

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

9:30 a.m.— 12:00 p.m. Keynote conversations
Location: Old Cabell Hall

Kickoff and welcome with UVA President Jim Ryan

Newer world order: Internationalism and American security

In partnership with American Evolution and the College of Arts and Sciences

Madeleine Albright, former secretary of state, Bill Clinton
Stephen Hadley, former national security advisor, George W. Bush
John Dickerson, correspondent, CBS 60 Minutes (moderator)

Great powers, the global economy, and America’s changing role

David Goode Symposium 2019

John Negroponte, former ambassador to the United Nations, George W. Bush
Bob Rubin, former secretary of the treasury, Bill Clinton
Ann Compton, former White House correspondent, ABC News (moderator)

 

12:30 – 1:45 p.m. Lunch Sessions
Location: Newcomb Hall

Participants choose one session.

A. Executive power and the U.S. Constitution [Ballroom]

Jennifer Lawless, Commonwealth Professor of Politics, UVA
Barbara Perry, Gerald L. Baliles Chair, Miller Center
Saikrishna Prakash, senior fellow, Miller Center, James Monroe Distinguished Professor of Law and Paul G. Mahoney Research Professor of Law, UVA
Russell Riley, White Burkett Miller Center Professor of Ethics and Institutions, Miller Center
Mike Nelson, professor of political science, Rhodes College (moderator)

B. 21st century challenges: climate, immigration, and terror [South Meeting Room]

Rosa Brooks, professor of law, Georgetown Law
Deborah Lawrence, professor of Environmental Sciences, UVA
Todd Sechser, senior fellow, Miller Center; Pamela Feinour Edmonds and Franklin S. Edmonds Jr. Discovery Professor of Politics, UVA
David Leblang, senior fellow, Miller Center; Ambassador Henry J. Taylor and Mrs. Marion R. Taylor Endowed Professor of Politics, UVA (moderator)

C. China as a presidential challenge [Kaleidoscope Room]

Slade Gorton, former United States Senator, Washington
Harry Harding, university professor and professor of public policy, Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy; senior fellow, Miller Center
Syaru Shirley Lin, adjunct professor of politics, UVA
Brantly Womack, C.K. Yen Chair and Professor, Miller Center
Will Dobson, chief international editor, NPR International Desk (moderator)

D. Dialogue and difference: Nurturing a modern civility in American politics [Theater]

In partnership with the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership

Jean Becker, former chief of staff, George H. W. Bush
Stephanie Streett, executive director, the Clinton Foundation
Thomas Walls, executive director, Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership (moderator)

E. Politics is easy. Comedy is hard: Stories told (and lessons learned) from inside the White House comedy war room [Commonwealth Room]

Mark Katz, former speechwriter, President Bill Clinton; Soundbite Institute
Tim Cunningham, assistant professor, UVA School of Nursing and drama department

 

2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Keynote conversations
Location: Old Cabell Hall

The buck stops here: Leadership at the highest level

Sponsored by the Miller Center Governing Council

Andy Card, former chief of staff, George W. Bush
Denis McDonough, former chief of staff, Barack Obama
Mack McLarty, former chief of staff, Bill Clinton
Ann Compton, former White House correspondent, ABC News (moderator)
Barbara Perry, Gerald L. Baliles Professor, Miller Center (moderator)

Climbing the ladder: Social mobility in the United States

Kathleen Sebelius, former secretary of health and human services, Barack Obama
John Bridgeland, former director, White House Domestic Policy Council, George W. Bush
Chris Lu, former deputy secretary of labor, Barack Obama; senior fellow, Miller Center
Larry Terry, director, Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at UVA (moderator)

 

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Keynote conversations
Location: Old Cabell Hall

Crystal Ball live: Politics, big ideas, and election 2020

In partnership with the Center for Politics

Jamelle Bouie, opinion columnist, New York Times
Chris Matthews, host, Hardball with Chris Matthews
Karl Rove, senior advisor, George W. Bush
Amy Walter, national editor, The Cook Political Report
Larry Sabato, director, Center for Politics, UVA (moderator)

The presidency and the press in a digital age

Don Baer, former White House director of communications, Bill Clinton
Dan Bartlett, former counselor to the president, George W. Bush
Ayesha Rascoe, White House correspondent, NPR
Nicole Hemmer, assistant professor presidential studies, Miller Center (moderator)

 

12:30 – 1:45 p.m. Lunch Sessions
Location: Newcomb Hall

Participants choose one session.

A. Echoes of the past: Insights from the secret White House tapes [South Meeting Room]

Ken Hughes, research specialist, Miller Center
Kent Germany, associate professor of history, University of South Carolina and nonresident research fellow, Miller Center
Guian McKee, associate professor, Miller Center
Marc Selverstone, associate professor, chair, Presidential Recordings Program, Miller Center
Nicole Hemmer, assistant professor presidential studies, Miller Center (moderator)

B. Social media and political warfare [Commonwealth]

Eric Edelman, senior fellow, Miller Center
Laura Rosenberger, director of Alliance for Securing Democracy
Michael Shure, senior national correspondent and anchor, i24NEWS
Aynne Kokas, assistant professor of media studies, UVA (moderator)

C. Who am I, Who are We, Who defines our History: Why this matters in educating for democracy and social justice [Ballroom]

In partnership with the Global Pathfinders Summit and the Curry School of Education

Derrick Alridge, professor of educational history, Curry School
Catherine Bradshaw, professor, associate dean for research and faculty development, Curry School
Nancy Deutsch, professor, Curry School
Johari Harris, post-doctoral fellow, Curry School
Stephanie van Hover, professor, Curry School

*Runs until 2:00 p.m.

D. Religion and democracy [Kaleidoscope Room]

In partnership with UVA’s Democracy Initiative Religion, Race, and Democracy Lab

Jamelle Bouie, opinion columnist, New York Times
Kathleen Flake, professor of religious studies, UVA
Sylvester Johnson, professor and director of the Center for Humanities, Virginia Tech
Jalane Schmidt, associate professor of religious studies, UVA
Nichole Flores, assistant professor of religious studies, UVA (moderator)

2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Keynote conversation
Location: Old Cabell Hall

Teachable moments: Education and the spread of democracy

In partnership with the Global Pathfinders Summit and the Curry School of Education

Yoni Appelbaum, senior editor for politics at The Atlantic
Kristina Johnson, chancellor, SUNY; undersecretary of energy, Barack Obama
Derek Mitchell, president, National Democratic Institute
Dan Twining, president, International Republican Institute
Margot Rogers, special advisor to the president for strategic initiatives, UVA; former chief of staff, Secretary Arne Duncan (moderator)

3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Keynote conversation
Location: Old Cabell Hall

E pluribus unum? Race, religion, and American identity

Larycia Hawkins, general faculty, Departments of Politics, UVA; faculty fellow, Department of Religious Studies, UVA
Ibram Kendi, professor, American University
Jason Johnson, professor, Morgan State University
David Saperstein, former U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom
Sidney Milkis, White Burkett Miller Professor of Politics, Miller Center (moderator)

 

Thursday, May 23, 2019

9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Keynote conversations
Location: Old Cabell Hall

Above the glass ceiling: Women in leadership

Margaret Brennan, moderator, CBS News’ Face the Nation
Jennifer Lawless, Commonwealth Professor of Politics UVA
Anita McBride, former chief of staff, Laura Bush
Barbara Perry, Gerald L. Baliles Professor, Miller Center (moderator)

Why democracy?

William C. Battle Symposium

Risa Goluboff, Dean of UVA School of Law
Susan Rice, former national security advisor, Barack Obama
Peter Wehner, former director, White House Office of Strategic Initiatives, George W. Bush
Melody Barnes, co-director of Democracy Initiative, Miller Center; former director, domestic policy council, Barack Obama (moderator)

 

11:30 – 12:30 p.m. Lunch Sessions
Location: Newcomb Hall

Participants choose one session.

A. Commerce, security, and the new global (dis)order [South Meeting Room]

Yiorgos Allayannis, Paul Tudor Jones II Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business, UVA
Dale Copeland, senior fellow, Miller Center, professor of politics, UVA
John Owen, senior fellow, Miller Center; Ambassador Henry J. and Mrs. Marion R. Taylor Professor of Politics, UVA
Amanda Sloat, Robert Bosch senior fellow, Brookings Institution

B. Translating presidential ideas into words: Speechwriters in the White House [Commonwealth]

John McConnell, former speechwriter, George W. Bush
Sarada Peri, former speechwriter, Barack Obama
Jeff Shesol, former speechwriter, Bill Clinton
Kyle O’Connor, former speechwriter, Barack Obama (moderator)

C. Is the Constitution really for us, by us? [Ballroom]

Co-sponsored by James Madison’s Montpelier

Kristen Cavallo, CEO, The Martin Agency
Levar Stoney, mayor, City of Richmond
Kat Imhoff, president and CEO, The Montpelier Foundation (moderator)

D. Defending democracy: Social movements and ‘people power’ [Kaleidoscope Room]

Srdja Popovic, Center for Applied Nonviolent Actions and Strategies
Stephen Mull, vice provost for global affairs, UVA (moderator)

2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Keynote conversation
Location: Old Cabell Hall

Rethinking the American Presidency

In honor of Mortimer Caplin

John Dickerson, correspondent, CBS 60 Minutes
Max Stier, president, Partnership for Public Service
Mona Sutphen, former White House deputy chief of staff, Barack Obama 
Robert Bruner, senior fellow, Miller Center; distinguished professor of business administration, UVA (moderator)

Closing Keynote: President Bill Clinton