Past Lectures
Celebrated Speakers Since 1997
To see a timeline of past speakers, click here.
2019: Checks and Balances — Will our Democracy Survive?
- “The Mueller Investigation, the Law and the Presidency” Monday, February 25, featuring James Clapper, Mara Liasson and Chuck Rosenberg (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “The Role of the Press and the Congress” Monday, March 25, featuring Chris Christie, Mark McKinnon and Mark Shields (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “The Role of Nationalism, Globalism and Patriotism” Monday, April 15, featuring R. Nicholas Burns, John Kelly and William McRaven (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “What Was the Hope of Our Forefathers? Has it Worked?” Monday, May 27, featuring Douglas Brinkley and Annette Gordon-Reed (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2018: Is the American Dream Alive and Well?
- “The Economy and the American Dream — Impact of Debt, Growth, Immigration and Tax Cuts” Monday, February 26, featuring Kelly Ayotte and Chris Dodd (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Global Crisis and the American Dream — America First or America as a World Leader?” Monday, March 26, featuring Michael McFaul, Michéle Flournoy and George Will (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “The American Presidency and the American Dream — The Role of Leadership” Monday, April 30, featuring Carl Bernstein, Bob Woodward and Reince Priebus (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Technology and the American Dream — Impact of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Cyber” Monday, May 28, featuring Keith Alexander and Renée James (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2017: The Trump Presidency and the Future of America
- “The Affordable Care Act — Repeal, Replace or Gridlock?” Monday, March 6, featuring Bobby Jindal and Chris Jennings (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “The Economy — Trade, Jobs, Taxes and Immigration” Monday April 3, featuring Carly Fiorina and Robert Reich (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Our Democracy — Parties, Politics and Governing” Monday, May 29, featuring Donna Brazile, David Gergen and Bill Kristol (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “The World — Terrorism Russia, China, Populism and Cyber” Monday, June 5, featuring Condoleezza Rice and Ash Carter (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2016: An America in Renaissance or Decline? The Challenges Facing a New President
- “War, Terrorism and Other Global Threats” featuring Mike Rogers, Wendy Sherman and General Ray Odierno (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Jobs, Debt and Taxes” featuring Mitch Daniels, Austan Goolsbee and Ron Insana (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Gridlock, Partisanship and Executive Action” featuring Mark Shields, Chris Mathews, Gloria Borger and J.C. Watts (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Changing Society, Technology and Media” featuring Ted Koppel, Howard Kurtz and Judy Woodruff (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2015: The Test of Leadership — Critical Issues That Can Divide or Unite America
- “Energy” featuring Carol Browner, Steven Chu, Joe Manchin and T. Boone Pickens (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Race Relations” featuring Ben Jealous, Ray Kelly and Ken Salazar (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Economy” featuring Michael Boskin, Robert Reich, Christina Romer and Alan Simpson (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Cyber” featuring Keith Alexander, Renée James and Mike Mullen (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2014: Learning the Lessons of History
- “War and Peace — 100 Years Since World War I” featuring Nicholas Burns, Michèle Flournoy and James Stavridis (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Role of Government — Depressions, Wars, Equality and Poverty” featuring Barney Frank and Alan Simpson (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Security Versus Freedom — Sedition to Internment to Surveillance” featuring Barton Gellman, Michael Morell and Robert Mueller (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “How Presidents Make Decisions — Leadership, Crisis, Politics and Trust” featuring David Axelrod, Erskine Bowles, Andrew Card, Jr. and Kenneth Duberstein (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Immigration: Compromise or Conflict?” featuring Tom Ridge, Doris Meissner, Howard Berman and Simón Salinas (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “The Budget Blame Game,” featuring James Carville and William Kristol (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Gun Control: The Second Amendment — Are There Limits?” featuring Sarah Brady, Asa Hutchinson and James Johnson (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Middle East Turmoil: Chaos or Reform?” featuring Ehud Barak, Richard Lugar and Joe Lieberman (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2012: Revolutions of the 21st Century: Changing Our Way of Life
- “U.S. Foreign Policy and the Middle East”
featuring Dennis Ross and Fran Townsend (Frank Sesno, Moderator) 
“The Economy”
featuring Robert Reich and Alan Simpson (Ron Insana, Moderator)- “The Presidency”
featuring Michael Beschloss and Douglas Brinkley (Judy Woodruff, Moderator) - “The Internet”
featuring Vinton Cerf, Arianna Huffington and Larry Magid (Frank Sesno, Moderator)
2011: Protecting the American Dream for Our Children
- “Is There a Fair Way to Reduce the Federal Deficit?”
featuring Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson (Ron Insana, Moderator) - “How Can Public Education Succeed for Our Children?”
featuring Jack O’Connell, Charles Reed and Antonio Villaraigosa (Gloria Borger, Moderator) 
“How Does America Lead in a Competitive World?”
featuring Chris Dodd, Stephen Hadley and Jim Jones (Gloria Borger, Moderator)- “Can Civility Be Returned in Governing Our Nation?” featuring Evan Bayh and John Warner (Judy Woodruff, Moderator)
2010: The Second Decade 2010-2020: What’s Next for America?
- “Our Economy: How Can Recession Become Recovery?”
featuring Harvey Pitt and Robert Reich (Ron Insana, Moderator) - “Our Foreign Policy: Who Will Lead the World?”
featuring James Rubin and Frances Townsend (Aaron Brown, Moderator) - “Our Politics: Does Bipartisanship Have a Future?”
featuring Jeb Bush and James Carville (Mara Liasson, Moderator) - “Our Environment: Can We Save the Planet That Sustains Us?” featuring Al Gore (Frank Sesno, Moderator)
2009: The Challenges Facing the New Administration
- “Can Healthcare Reform Finally Happen?”
featuring Tom Daschle and Michael Leavitt (Judy Woodruff, Moderator) - “Can the Economy Recover From This Recession?”
featuring Jim Nussle and Alice Rivlin (Judy Woodruff, Moderator) - “Can the Partisan Divide Ever End?”
featuring David Plouffe and Karl Rove (Frank Sesno, Moderator) - “Can America Win the War On Terror?”
featuring General John P. Abizaid, USA (Ret.) and David Ignatius (Frank Sesno, Moderator)
2008: Global Issues Facing the Next President and the Nation.
- “Economic Challenges at Home and Abroad”
featuring Alan Blinder and David Walker (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “The Role of the Military and Intelligence in National Security”
featuring General Peter Pace, General Barry McCaffrey and John Arquilla (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
“The Clash of Politics and Leadership”
featuring Tucker Carlson, Bill Press and Bill Richardson (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Diplomacy, Preemption or Isolation – What Role for America?”
featuring Andrew Card and Richard Holbrooke (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2007: The Race for the Presidency
- “Money, Charisma or Ability?”
featuring George Pataki, Tom Vilsack and Gloria Borger (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “The Role of the Press in Choosing a Candidate”
featuring Dan Rather and Bob Woodward (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Picking Winners from Losers”
featuring James Carville and Bill O’Reilly (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Issues Facing the Next President”
featuring Chuck Hagel and Bob Graham (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2006: The Future of Democracy in the 21st Century
- “Can Democracy Survive in Iraq?”
featuring John Murtha, Slade Gorton and Richard Haass (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “How Do People in a Democracy Get Their Information?”
featuring Pat Buchanan and Paul Begala (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “The Relationship Between our Economy and our Democracy”
featuring William Kristol and Robert Reich (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “How to Balance National Security and Freedom in our Democracy”
featuring Tom Daschle and Jack Danforth (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2005: Defining Issues of the 21st Century
- “The Demographic Explosion-The Challenges of Health and Retirement Security”
featuring Donna Shalala and Tommy Thompson (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Democracy and the Media-Choosing Sides or Reporting the News?”
featuring Ann Compton and Judy Woodruff (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “America’s Role in the World-To Lead, Follow or Do It Alone?”
featuring Sandy Berger and Robert Gates (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Economic Policy–Borrow and Spend, Tax and Spend or Punt?”
featuring Bill Bradley and Alan Simpson (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2004: The Challenges of Leadership in the 21st Century
- “Leadership In California During the 21st Century”
featuring Arnold Schwarznegger (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Women and Leadership in the 21st Century”
featuring Hillary Rodham Clinton (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Domestic Leadership in the 21st Century”
featuring Richard Gephardt and Tony Snow (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “World Leadership in the 21st Century”
featuring George Mitchell and Fred Thompson (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2003: Governing in Crisis — The Role of the Presidency, the Congress and the People
“The Challenges of Presidential Leadership”
featuring William Jefferson Clinton (Leon Panetta, Moderator)- “The Role of the Presidency in Governing During Crisis”
featuring Doris Kearns Goodwin and David Gergen (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Politics and the People During Crisis”
featuring James Carville and Mary Matalin (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “The Role of the Congress in Governing During Crisis”
featuring Newt Gingrich and Tom Foley (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “The Responsibility of the Press in Times of Crisis”
featuring Al Hunt and Mark Shields (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2002: Terrorism: Challenges and Impact on American Life
- “Responding to the Attack-Terror, Rescue and Relief”
featuring Rudolph Giuliani and Richard Grasso (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Tracking the Terrorists-Balancing Our Nation’s Security and Freedom”
featuring Lee Hamilton, Barry McCaffrey and William Sessions (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Covering the War-The Search for Truth and the Threat to Journalists”
featuring Gloria Borger and Bernard Shaw (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - Governing in Crisis-The Role of War, Money and Politics”
featuring Norman Ornstein and Cokie Roberts (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Fighting Terrorism-Diplomacy, Defense and Deficits”
featuring Warren Rudman and William Safire (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
2001: People and Policy in the America of the 21st Century
“Challenges of Foreign Policy”
featuring Madeleine Albright (Leon Panetta, Moderator)- “Elections, Politics and Governing”
featuring James Carville and Bill O’Reilly (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “The Generations-Past, Present and Future”
featuring Tom Brokaw and Clint Eastwood (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Let the Games Continue”
featuring Mark Russell (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
- “Third Party Candidates”
featuring Jesse Ventura (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Running for the Presidency”
featuring Lamar Alexander and Geraldine Ferraro (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Covering the Candidates”
featuring Bill Plante and Sam Donaldson (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “The Presidential Race”
featuring Bill Press and John Sununu (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
“Media and Politics”
featuring David Broder and Alan Simpson (Leon Panetta, Moderator)- “Communication and Entertainment”
featuring Jack Valenti and Michael McCurry (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “Business Education and Society”
featuring Mark Andreessen, Joyce Brothers and Larry Irving (Leon Panetta, Moderator)
1998: Governing our Democracy into the 21st Century
- “The Court”
featuring Antonin Scalia and Abner Mikva (Leon Panetta, Moderator) - “The Cabinet”
featuring Henry Cisneros and Jack Kemp (Cokie Roberts, Moderator) - “The Congress”
featuring Richard Gephardt and John Kasich (Bob Schieffer, Moderator)
1997: Governing our Democracy into the 21st Century
- “The Presidency”
featuring James Baker III and Leon Panetta (Tim Russert, Moderator)