The Red and Black

Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: News

Media Credit: JOSH D. WEISS Paul Begala, an advisor for Bill Clinton and a regular on CNN's "The Situation Room," speaks Monday night at the Chapel. [Click to enlarge]

Political consultant Paul Begala expressed optimism about college students' opportunity to shape American politics. The CNN commentator, adviser to former President Bill Clinton and Carl E. Sanders Political Leadership Scholar, spoke Monday night at the Chapel.

By injecting humorous lines, Begala kept the audience laughing throughout much of his hour-long speech.

Speaking to students, Begala said the 2008 presidential election "is not only interesting and fun ... it's also going to be consequential."

He said young people need to get involved in politics, because many of the issues politicians are discussing affect students throughout their lives.

Begala discussed the 2008 presidential election in depth. While he is a Democrat, he complimented candidates from both parties and called the group "the most talented field I've ever seen."

While campaigning, Begala said both major political parties make mistakes. He cited Democrats' fault as assuming intellectual superiority, and Republicans' error is claiming moral superiority.

Begala said he made a "huge mistake" by writing the book "Is our children learning" during the 2000 campaign, because it set low expectations for Bush. He said Republicans are making the same mistake with Sen. Hillary Clinton by calling her a witch and mocking her laugh.

"The Right is setting the bar for Hillary so low, that all she has to do is show up at the debates and not be riding a broom."

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