“Walker’s is [what] prepared me for college.”
NPR Correspondent Mara Liasson Speaks at Walker's
Date:
12/09/10 In another of Walker's Centennial Chapel Series, students and faculty enjoyed a highly charged presentation by NPR and Fox News correspondent Mara Liasson. She has extensive experience covering the political beat in Washington, DC, including presidential election, and served as White House correspondent during the Clinton years.
Her presentation she shared optimistm about the very real possibility that there will be a woman President in the not-so-distant future; her disappointment in political partisanship and the dispiriting, uncivil tone of political discourse; and that she is hopeful that the recommendations of the Deficit Commission will be reviewed carefully and by adopted by Congress as a way to alleviate our economic dependence on China.
Liasson challenged Walker’s girls to be problem solvers, to engage in political activities, and to learn to navigate the bewildering amount of information on the internet. On this latter issue, Liasson mentioned a recent series of items on the internet that claimed that President Obama’s recent trip to India cost American taxpayers $200 million per day. She also mentioned that 25% of Americans believe that Obama is a Muslim. Both are outrageous, erroneous accounts, according to Liasson, but many people do not take the time to corroborate their accuracy.
Thoughtful questions from the audience followed her presentation, and included:
--How do journalists model the power of words and the appropriate use of vocabulary?
--What is your opinion of the recent public disclosure of diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks ?
--How can citizens help solve the economic problems of the country?
--What is your comment about the recent events in Korea?
--Do you think a third party could help the political impasse in Washington?
--How do we teach people to be civil in their political discussions?
Liasson ended by recommending that students use www.whitehouse.gov and other appropriate websites to help sort out the issues and controversies of the day.
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Walker's Centennial
– Alicia, ‘01
