A Lively Evening of Political Discussion

Trump and Clinton

Camarillo, Calif., Sept. 21, 2016 — The public is invited to CSU Channel Islands (CI) for what promises to be a lively evening of political discussion four days before the first presidential debate.

Join Professor of Political Science Sean Kelly, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science Mary McThomas, Ph.D., and Political Science Lecturer Timothy Allison, Esq., at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22 for the opening reception of the “Your Vote is Urgently Needed” exhibit. The reception and exhibit will be held in the Exhibition Hall of the John Spoor Broome Library on the CI campus.

The exhibit will consist of campaign memorabilia from elections past to help put this election in context.

“This is the most unusual presidential election in my lifetime,” said Kelly, who has written several books on U.S. politics and is the member of a national political think tank. “Donald Trump’s candidacy is a challenge to conventional wisdom in political science.”

The public discussion will be amidst a display of campaign buttons, invitations and other election trappings from Hubert Humphrey, Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, and closer to home, State Senators Robert Lagomarsino and Jack O’Connell, among other artifacts from CI’s archives.

This is one in a series of public exhibits designed by the outreach librarian duo of Laura Worden and Kaela Casey.

“We’re hoping people make the connection between our historical artifacts on exhibit and the current election cycle,” said Matt Cook, Head of Unique Collections and Scholarly Communication at CI. “Certainly, we can imagine what it must have been like during a Nixon candidacy as we have all seen historical footage. But what is interesting is that Nixon faced many of the same issues we see today, such as troops on foreign soil.”

"Understanding the legacy of U.S. elections will help us contextualize what’s happening now," Cook added.

Aside from discussions about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump versus Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, the panel of political science experts will field questions about ballot initiatives such as legalized marijuana and other state initiatives dealing with drugs, sex and guns.

Kelly said panelists hope to cover local and state elections and to discuss the role of immigration in this election and elections past.

“We also hope to illustrate how campaigns work in terms of voter turnout, voter decision-making, money in elections and so forth,” Kelly said. “We may also plunge into some speculation about post-election politics, what we can expect after the election and into next year.

The event will be framed with red, white and blue bunting, and a patriotic treat.

“We will have red, white and blue Jelly Bellies,” said University Archivist Evelyn Taylor. “Ronald Reagan’s favorite dessert.”

Photo courtesy CNN.com

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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands
(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.

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