2009: The Challenges Facing the New Administration

The 2009 Panetta Institue Lecture Series explored the many challenges facing the Obama administration as it took office and prepared for its first year. The twelfth annual series gathered experts to discuss possibilities for healthcare reform, the economy and the recession, partisanship in government and the War on Terror?

Speakers and dates for the series were as follows:

Monday, March 30, 2009

• “Can Healthcare Reform Finally Happen?” featuring Tom Daschle, former U.S. Senate majority leader and Michael Leavitt, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services; moderated by Judy Woodruff, Emmy Award winning senior correspondent for PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

Monday, April 13, 2009

• “Can the Economy Recover From This Recession?” featuring Jim Nussle, former director of the Office of Management and Budget and former member of Congress and Alice Rivlin, former director of the Office of Management and Budget and former vice chair of the Federal Reserve; moderated by Judy Woodruff, Emmy Award winning senior correspondent for PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

Monday, May 4, 2009

• “Can the Partisan Divide Ever End?” featuring David Plouffe, former campaign manager for President Barack Obama and Karl Rove, former deputy chief of staff an senior advisor to President George W. Bush: moderated by Frank Sesno, Emmy Award winning former political analyst for CNN.

Monday, June 8, 2009

• “Can America Win the War On Terror?” featuring General John P. Abizaid, USA (Ret.), commander of the U.S. Central Command (2003-2007), and David Ignatius, author and columnist for The Washington Post; moderated by Frank Sesno, Emmy Award winning former political analyst for CNN.