Policy Advisor Al From Headlines CAPC Event

The Department of Government and Politics and the Center for American Politics and Citizenship (CAPC) were pleased to welcome guest speaker Al From, former policy adviser to President Bill Clinton and founder of the Democratic Leadership Council, at a special event in McKeldin Library on April 9. The discussion was moderated by Professor Irwin Morris, chair of the department (pictured at left).

The event was standing-room only as students, faculty and staff gathered to hear Mr. From discuss his role in the revitalization of the Democratic Party in the 1990s after significant losses in the 1980s, including his successful efforts to help President Clinton win office for two consecutive terms. Mr. From also told stories found in his new book, The New Democrats and the Return to Power (Macmillan, 2013), and his thoughts on why Democrats were successful in the last presidential election, and the party’s future.

While Mr. From noted that the current political climate is divisive and unproductive, he urged students to take heart and pursue their political ideals and ideas. After his remarks, Mr. From fielded questions from the audience.

Mr. From is a member of CAPC’s Advisory Board, which governs CAPC by broad policies and objectives, formulated and agreed upon by the director and staff. These include assigning priorities and ensuring the organization's capacity to carry out programs by continually reviewing its work and assisting in all stages of development including building an endowment for academic chairs, fellowship programs, a Center library and other programs.

CAPC addresses major issues of governance today and trains future leaders to grapple with the pressing issues of tomorrow. CAPC provides research, education and outreach to promote an informed and engaged public and more effective and responsive government. CAPC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research institution within the Department of Government and Politics of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the University of Maryland. For more information, visit www.capc.umd.edu.

Published on Thu, Apr 24, 2014 - 10:16AM