Pushing for a bipartisan approach

Pushing for a bipartisan approach

OU to host political leaders Jan. 7

By Andy Rieger
Transcript Managing Editor






A bipartisan group of a dozen or more influential Democrats and Republicans will meet on the University of Oklahoma campus Jan. 7 in an attempt to encourage the major presidential candidates to refocus the campaign debate from one of partisan squabbling to national unity.

Participants were invited by OU President David L. Boren, a former U.S. Senator and Oklahoma Governor, and former Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia. Guests include former members of Congress, Cabinet secretaries and respected political consultants.

"Our political system is, at the least, badly bent and many are concluding that it is broken at a time where America must lead boldly at home and abroad," according to the invitation letter signed by Boren and Nunn. "Partisan polarization is preventing us from uniting to meet the challenges that we must face if we are to prevent further erosion of America's power of leadership and example."

"The next president of the United States will be faced with what has been described as a "gathering storm" both at home and abroad. Serious near term challenges include the lack of a national strategy to deal with our fiscal challenges, our educational challenges, our energy challenges, our environmental challenges, as well as the dangerous turbulence triggered by the current financial crisis," the letter states.

Former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a potential independent candidate for president, is among the invitees. However, Boren said the meeting was not an attempt to bring attention to a potential Bloomberg candidacy.

"Bloomberg is just an invitee," Boren said Sunday afternoon. "It's not a Bloomberg for president meeting."

The billionaire Bloomberg, a one-time Democrat who switched to the GOP to run for mayor of New York City and now is an independent, continues to attract attention with his travels and speeches but denies he is running for president.

Other invited guests besides Nunn are former Senators Bob Graham, Alan Dixon William S. Cohen, Charles Robb and presidential candidate and Senator Gary Hart. Top Republicans invited include Sen. Chuck Hagel, former GOP chairman Bill Brock, former senator John Danforth and former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman. Edward Perkins, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and an OU faculty member, will also participate.

Other guests staying in Norman are Susan Eisenhower, a political consultant and granddaughter of former president Dwight D. Eisenhower and David Abshire, president of the Center for the Study of the Presidency.

Many of the invited participants served with Boren during the OU president's time in the U.S. Senate. He has worked with many of them in a bipartisan way. At OU, Boren has spoken out often about the gridlock which has gripped the national's Capitol.

"I look at this as an attempt at public service," he said.

The meeting, to be held at Boyd House with a panel discussion and press conference at Holmberg Hall, is purposely being announced before the Iowa caucuses this week.

"We wanted to be able to announce it before the caucuses to avoid any implication we were reacting to what happens in Iowa," Boren said.

"I am a firm believer in the two-party system but if the candidates don't refocus and pledge to create a unity government, then I'd like to see a cabinet made up of half Democrats and half Republicans," Boren said.

The group has been circulating a draft statement. In Norman, they will meet informally on the evening of Jan. 6 and then formally most of the morning of Jan. 7.

An 11 a.m. press conference and panel discussion is planned. Boren said the panel discussion will be open to the public and faculty, staff and students will be notified through e-mail.