Is the love affair over? Top American and European media experts, political consultants, and scholars gathered at Villa Sassetti to reflect on the first year of the Obama administration and to analyze where the Obama administration stands in relation to the very high expectations that greeted his election on both sides of the Atlantic. The verdict was decidedly mixed, but all panelists agreed that the initial euphoria felt by many Americans and Europeans has waned and the picture of a more complicated Obama and less decisive changes in American foreign and domestic policy has come into focus.
Program
8:30 a.m. Registration
9:00 Welcome Ellyn Toscano, Executive Director, New York University in Florence
9:05 Panel 1: The Year in Review Moderator: Robert Shrum, New York University Alex Castellanos, Political media consultant, top media adviser to Bush-Cheney ’04 and to Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign in ’08 Stephanie Cutter, Institute of Politics, Harvard University, former advisor to President Barack Obama Stan Greenberg, Democratic pollster and political strategist, advisor to campaigns of Clinton, Gore, and Kerry, co-founder of Democracy Corps
11:00 Morning coffee break
11:15 Panel 2: A New Era in International Relations?: The Challenge of Afghanistan Moderator: Ellyn Toscano, New York University Sergio Fabbrini, Professor of Political Science, specialist in transatlantic relations, University of Trento Stan Greenberg, Democratic pollster and political strategist, advisor to campaigns of Clinton, Gore, and Kerry, co-founder of Democracy Corps Robert Shrum, Senior Fellow, NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
1:15 p.m. Lunch
2:15 Panel 3: The Media Assess the Administration Moderator: Chris Hanretty, European University Institute Giuliano Da Empoli, Journalist, political advisor, Deputy Mayor for Culture, the City of Florence Adam Nagourney, Chief political correspondent, The New York Times Leo Sisti, Journalist, L’Espresso
4:15 Afternoon coffee break
4:30 Concluding Round Table: What Should Obama Do Next? Moderator: Marylouise Oates, Author and activist All Participants
