A Question of Respect: Bringing Us Together in a Deeply Divided Nation

Celinda Lake, a Democrat, and Ed Goeas, a Republican, have been crossing party lines for more than three decades to produce the Battleground Poll that takes a bipartisan look at America and its politics. Now they have co-authored a book that draws on what they have learned to describe how America has reached its current, deeply fractured political condition and, more importantly, how the country might move beyond it. These two leading political practitioners will be at the Dole Institute to discuss their work, including their central argument that the only way to escape the current polarization is through mutual respect.

Jerry Seib has been a journalist with The Wall Street Journal for almost 45 years. He served as the Journal’s Executive Washington Editor and wrote the weekly “Capital Journal” column for 29 years. He also reported from the Middle East for the Journal in the mid-1980s, covered the White House, has moderated three presidential debates, and interviewed every president since Ronald Reagan.

Celinda Lake was one of two main pollsters for the Biden campaign, is the only Democratic pollster to play a major role in defeating two incumbent presidents, and is a prominent pollster and political strategist for progressives. Celinda currently serves as President of Lake Research Partners. Lake’s polling and strategic advice has helped candidates such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to groundbreaking wins. Lake co-authored the book What Women Really Want with Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway.

Ed Goeas was President and C.E.O. of The Tarrance Group for thirty-five years, one of the most respected and successful Republican survey research and strategy teams in American politics today. Widely recognized as one of the country’s leading political strategists, Goeas is an often-sought-after consultant and strategist. In Fall 2018, Ed served as a Fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service focusing on “Civility in Politics.” In April Goeas was inducted into the American Association of Political Consultants “Hall of Fame.”

To purchase a copy of “A Question of Respect: Bringing Us Together in a Deeply Divided Nation,” please click this link.

For those who purchase the book in advance, there will be an opportunity for Ed Goeas and Celinda Lake to sign the book after the program.