Forum on Government speakers announced

Flagler College announced to local Historic City News reports that PBS “NewsHour” editor David Chalian will be the first speaker of the 2010-2011 Flagler College Forum on Government and Public Policy.

Chalian will speak September 23rd at 7:00 p.m., in the Flagler College Auditorium. His topic will be “Vote 2010: Barack Obama’s Midterm Exam.”

Chalian, formerly a political director at ABC News, joined PBS “NewsHour” as political editor in July 2010. He directs the NewsHour’s political coverage and manages editorial content from the NewsHour’s congressional, White House and Supreme Court beats. He also serves as an on-camera political analyst and appears in regular political webcasts on the Online NewsHour (newshour.pbs.org).

Chalian was a member of the ABC News political for seven years and served as political director for three. Chalian also co-anchored “TopLine,” the daily political webcast produced as a joint venture between ABC News and the Washington Post.

During the 2008 presidential election, Chalian guided the editorial direction for ABC News from the primary season debates through the election. Throughout the cycle, he co-anchored “Politics Live,” a daily political program, with ABC News veteran Sam Donaldson on ABC News Now.

Chalian received an Emmy Award nomination as part of the team that produced Sarah Palin’s first television interview as the GOP vice presidential nominee.

Other speakers for the 2010-2011 season include:

* Oct. 7 – Rick Dunham, Washington Bureau Chief, Hearst Newspapers
* Nov. 4 – Julie Mason, White House Correspondent, Washington Examiner
* Jan. 13 – David Broder, Columnist, The Washington Post
* Feb. 17 – Kathy Kiely, Congress and Politics Correspondent, USA Today
* March 24 – Jim Toedtman, Editor, AARP Bulletin

For more than 30 years, the Flagler College Forum on Government and Public Policy has invited nationally recognized journalists and commentators to St. Augustine to discuss issues of importance in regional, state and federal government.

All forums take place in the Flagler College Auditorium, 14 Granada St., at 7 p.m. Forums are free and open to the public, but seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign language interpreters are provided.