FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT
Susan Medler
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FAX 816.268.8299
susan.medler@nara.gov

Truman Library Forum with NPR's Scott Simon and Ted Sorensen
to Examine the Media and the Presidency and Ask, "Who's Playing Politics?"

INDEPENDENCE, MO-As the historic 2008 campaign heats up, the Truman Library will present the second annual Howard & Virginia Bennett Forum on the Presidency. Moderator Scott Simon, host of NPR's Weekend Edition, and political experts Ted Sorensen, Costas Panagopoulos, and Timothy Naftali will explore the timely topic of The Media and the Presidency: Playing Politics. This program is open to the public and takes place Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. at Unity Temple on the Plaza, 707 W. 47th St., Kansas City, Mo.

General admission tickets for The Media and the Presidency: Playing Politics are on sale now for $15 through Central Ticket Office. Truman Library Institute members may purchase tickets for $10. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, as last year's Bennett Forum on the Presidency sold out in advance of the program date. To purchase tickets, call Central Ticket Office at (816) 235-6222 or visit www.TrumanLibrary.org.

The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum is one of 12 presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. The Truman Library is supported, in part, by its nonprofit partner, the Harry S. Truman Library Institute, dedicated to preserving and sharing the legacy of America's 33rd President through innovative outreach, hands-on history labs, world-class exhibitions, and public forums. Together we can contribute to a better tomorrow by helping adults and students alike better understand our democracy, the American presidency, and each person's power to make a difference.

Brief Biographies
Scott Simon | Moderator
Award-winning broadcast journalist, author, and host of NPR's Weekend Edition, Scott Simon brings a wealth of experience to his role as moderator of the 2008 Bennett Forum on the Presidency. His numerous awards include a George Foster Peabody Award and the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, and he has appeared as an essayist and commentator on NBC's Weekend Today and NOW with Bill Moyers. His writing has appeared in The New York Times', The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, and Gourmet Magazine.

Ted Sorensen | Panelist
Ted Sorensen is best known for his close association with President Kennedy. He played an important role in organizing the presidential campaign of 1960 and later served as JFK's Special Counsel and speechwriter. Since 1966, Sorensen has practiced international law and currently is of counsel at the prominent U.S. law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. His most recent book is Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History.

Costas Panagopoulos | Panelist
Costas Panagopoulos is assistant professor of history and director of the Center for Electoral Politics and Democracy at Fordham University. He is contributing editor to Campaigns & Elections magazine and senior editor of the Journal of Political Marketing. A leading expert on campaigns, he has provided analysis for numerous news outlets, including The New York Times, CNN, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News.

Timothy Naftali | Panelist
Timothy Naftali is the director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Before joining the National Archives, Naftali taught history at several universities, including the University of Virginia, where he also served as director of the Presidential Recordings Program at the Miller Center of Public Affairs. He has written for Slate.com, The Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, and other publications. His most recent book, George H. W. Bush, was released in December 2007 and is part of The American Presidents Series.

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