2017 SPRING | President Trump: The First 100 Days

Dole Fellows Henry “C.J.” Jackson and Johanna Maska

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Fresh off a dramatic election season, KU alums Henry “C.J.” Jackson and Johanna Maska will examine and interpret the first 100 days of the Trump administration as they happen. Jackson and Maska will welcome a who’s-who of Washington insiders and reporters to explore a complex season in U.S. politics.

A Nation in Transition
3/1/2017

White House and presidential campaign veteran Johanna Maska and veteran political journalist C.J. Jackson will focus on presidential transitions and explore what’s unique about the new Trump White House. The pair will examine how Washington D.C. changes with a new administration, how new presidents build relationships (or don’t), and how they adjust to the trappings of their office. Both KU alums, Maska and Jackson will also discuss their careers and personal transitions as they moved to Washington D.C. in 2009, sharing experiences while balancing professional obligations—and sometimes national security guidance.

The New “Race”
3/15/2017

Former Deputy Social Secretary and State Department official Samantha Tubman traveled at President Barack Obama’s side throughout the 2008 campaign, working on his presidential transition before taking on key roles in the White House and State Department. She joins Dole Fellow C.J. Jackson to discuss the rapid transformation from a campaign to governing. Jackson and Tubman will explore the new “race” to enact policy, the challenges of a presidential transition, and Tubman’s path as a young person engaging with politics to the White House and beyond.

Entering the White House
3/29/2017

With guest Greg Jenkins – Founder, North Bay Strategies; Deputy Assistant to George W. Bush

Two former White House aides—one from each major party—break down what a presidential transition looks like from the inside. As a former deputy assistant to President George W. Bush, Greg Jenkins traveled the world helping to craft and hone a president’s message. Dole fellow Johanna Maska, who held a similar role for President Obama, will lead a discussion on the demands of working in the White House as the beginning of a new administration.

Meet the Press
4/5/2017

NPR White House correspondent Scott Horsley, Republican communications strategist Tim Miller and Dole fellow Johanna Maska will look at the relationship between politics, government and the press. They will focus on what’s unique in Trump’s emerging relationship with the press and what challenges any administration’s press corps would face. This discussion will focus on the important role of the media, the obligations of those in political communications and how history is made and recorded.

Inside the Situation Room and the Importance of Presidential Language
4/19/2017

Former White House deputy director of speechwriting and lead National Security Council speechwriter Terry Szuplat joins Dole fellow C.J. Jackson to talk about how presidents form a national security message. Szuplat will discuss what it is like to be in the Situation Room in a crisis and how presidents craft their messages for an international audience. Szuplat will also analyze the Trump administration’s approach to international relations and talk about the issues that have already emerged.

At Home and Abroad: the Global Presidency
4/26/2017

Former National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden joins Dole fellow C.J. Jackson to discuss how presidents manage an international audience. Hayden, who has worked across national security positions in government, will examine how the Trump administration approaches diplomacy, how the presidential transition affects international relationships and more.

The Loyal Opposition
5/3/2017

The final discussion group of the semester will focus on the party out of power, looking at how the minority party has reacted to big political changes. What tactics do minority parties use to stay relevant, or effect change? How do they develop their relationships with a new president–or how don’t they? How do new presidents work with (or not work with) the opposition party? Former Director of State Campaigns and Political Engagement for Hillary Clinton and KU graduate Marlon Marshall joins Dole fellows C.J. Jackson and Johanna Maska to talk about how the “out” party adjusts to a new president and what they do to stay relevant.