Political odd couple coming to WCU

Desperate for a quirky, last-minute Valentine’s Day gift? How about tickets to see one of America’s most happily mismatched couples?

Mary Matalin (left) and James Carville will present
Mary Matalin (left) and James Carville will present 'All’s Fair: Love, War, and Politics' on Friday, March 11, at West Chester University.

A married couple with divergent White House experience – James Carville and Mary Matalin – will bring their unique views of America to West Chester University, presenting “All’s Fair: Love, War, and Politics” on Friday, March 11, at 8 p.m. in Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall in Philips Memorial Building.

James “The Ragin’ Cajun” Carville built his reputation for leading overlooked campaigns to victory in Pennsylvania, beginning in 1986, with successes that included Robert Casey and Richard Thornburgh, and in the South with Wallace Wilkinson, Zell Miller, then with Bill Clinton in the 1992 presidential election, according to a WCU press release.

In 1991, Carville and his consulting partner Paul Begala rose to national attention, leading appointed incumbent Pennsylvania Senator Harris Wofford back from a 40-point poll deficit over White House hand-picked candidate Dick Thornburgh. It was during Wofford’s campaign that the “it’s the economy, stupid” strategy used by Bill Clinton in 1992 was first implemented, the release said.

Matalin, one of the country’s most popular conservative voices, served under President Ronald Reagan, made her mark as President George H.W. Bush’s campaign director, was assistant to President George W. Bush, and was assistant and counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney, making her the first White House official to hold that double title.

Following George H.W. Bush’s 1988 presidential campaign, she was appointed chief of staff to then-Republican National Committee Chair Lee Atwater, whose declining health and eventual death essentially put her in charge of the RNC for nearly a year, the release said.

Together, Carville and Matalin have written two books: Love & War: 20 Years, Three Presidents, Two Daughters and One Louisiana Home and All’s Fair: Love, War, and Running for President. Matalin also penned Letters to My Daughters, advice for her own daughters, which made both The New York Times and the Washington Post best-seller lists. Carville co-authored with fellow Democratic strategist Stan Greenberg the New York Times bestseller It’s the Middle Class, Stupid!

Currently, Carville has turned to global politics, focusing on campaigns around the world. He is a columnist for The Hill newspaper, which publishes daily when Congress is in session, and serves as a professor of practice at Tulane University in New Orleans, the release said.

Matalin hosted the “Mary Matalin Show” on CBS Talk Radio Network and is now a commentator on the nationally syndicated radio program “Both Sides Now.” She has appeared frequently on “Meet the Press,” co-founded CNBC’s political talk show “Equal Time,” and hosted CNN’s “Crossfire.” She is a regular guest commentator on ABC, CNN, MSNBC and FOX News.

In addition, she serves on the boards of numerous institutions across the country, including Tulane University’s President’s Council, The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, the Water Institute of the Gulf and the Louisiana Nature Conservancy. Matalin recently accepted an appointment as a visiting distinguished lecturer in political science at Loyola University in New Orleans, according to the release.

Carville’s and Matalin’s visit is part of the university’s President’s Speaker Series, which brings to campus nationally known personalities from fields including science, athletics, politics and journalism. Guests deliver an address followed by pre-arranged questions asked by University President Greg Weisenstein.

For tickets, which are $25 for orchestra and $20 for balcony seating, visit https://wcupa.ticketleap.com/james-carville--mary-matalin/dates/Mar-11-2016_at_0800PM#/ or the box office in Sykes Student Union, ground floor, or call 610-436-2266.

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