2022 SPRING | Giants of the Senate

This semester’s seven-part Discussion Group series, “Giants of the Senate,” will be led by author and political consultant Robert Blaemire.

The series will discuss former Democratic and Republican Senators, their accomplishments, and their challenges. Featuring former campaign staffers and notable politicos as his guests, Blaemire will lead conversations about times when the Senate and Congress worked together and when many bipartisan acts were passed.

Dole Fellow Robert Blaemire

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The Dole Discussion Groups are made possible by a grant from Newman’s Own Foundation and are presented in partnership with the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University and the Frank Church Institute at Boise State University.

The U.S. Senate Then and Now: A Historical Perspective
Feb. 16, 2022

With guest Don Ritchie, former Historian of the Senate

Howard Baker of Tennessee – Senate leader, White House Chief of Staff, Ambassador to Japan
Feb. 23, 2022

With guest Tom Griscom, staff of Senator Howard Baker

Birch Bayh and Frank Church: Two Democratic Giants of the Senate in the ‘60s and ‘70s
Mar. 2, 2022

With guest Peter Fenn, staff of Sen. Frank Church

How Bipartisanship in the Senate Changed America
Mar. 9, 2022

With guest Sheila Burke, staff of Senator Bob Dole

Luke Albee on Patrick Leahy: Nearly Half a Century as a Senator
Mar. 23, 2022

With guest Luke Albee, staff of Senator Patrick Leahy

A Biographer’s Perspective
Apr. 6, 2022

With guest John Shaw, Director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute and biographer of Senator Richard Lugar.

Nancy Landon Kassebaum: Making Kansans Proud
Apr. 20, 2022

With guest Nancy Kassebaum, Senator