The Center for the Political Future is a non-partisan center housed in the University of Southern California's Dornsife College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The center was established in order to combat uncivil political discourse and promote bipartisan, fact-based dialogue on national issues. [1] [2] The Center for the Political Future hosts conferences, [3] offers a Fellows program, [4] hosts an ongoing dialogue series called Political Conversations as well as other speaker events, [3] and provides a neutral ground for political discourse in "off-the-record policy workshops" with top experts from relevant disciplines, among other programs. [5]
Through its dialogue series, conferences, fellows program, and workshops, the center has expressed that some of its goals are to "understand and contextualize causes of the political divide" in the United States, "work toward a common fact base," "renew civil discourse to find common ground," and assess the possible "domestic and global implications of different policy approaches" through civil discourse between experts across the ideological spectrum. [5]
The center's director is Robert Shrum and its co-director is Mike Murphy. Shrum is a longtime Democratic strategist and speechwriter for politicians, including Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and John Kerry. Murphy is a veteran Republican campaign strategist and has worked for candidates Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jeb Bush, John McCain, and Mitt Romney. [6] [7] The center's Executive Director is Kamy Akhavan, former CEO of ProCon.org. [8]
The Center for the Political Future brings political professionals together from both sides of the aisle and models bipartisan discussions for students and the national political stage. [9] [10] [11]
The center's stated mission is to “combine rigorous intellectual inquiry, teaching, and practical politics to advance civil dialogue that transcends partisan divisions and explores solutions to our most pressing national and global challenges.” [12]
The Center for the Political Future outlines several objectives, including:
In 1978, before it was called the Center for the Political Future, USC founded the USC Institute of Politics and Government. A little more than a decade later, in 1987, it was renamed the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics after the late California state politician, Jesse M. Unruh. [13] In 2018, long-time political strategists and friends Robert Shrum (D) and Mike Murphy (R) expanded the Unruh Institute of Politics by creating the Center for the Political Future.
The center has several departments and initiatives that further its mission: the Unruh Institute of Politics, [14] the USC Dornsife Poll, [15] programming through their Political Conversations series as well as other speaker events, [16] a Fellows Program, [17] and large-scale conferences. [18]
The Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics, named after long-time California politician Jesse M. Unruh, is a component of the Center for the Political Future. Its focus is on engaging students at USC in politics and public service. It achieves this goal by providing students with internships and practical experiences in politics.
Student programs include immersive professional experiences at the Iowa Caucuses, in California state politics in Sacramento, a leadership conference for LA-based high school women, and related coursework in these areas. The Center also provides scholarships to make these experiences more accessible to students. [19]
The Unruh Institute has two affiliated student groups, VoteSC, and USC Political Union. Both organizations promote student engagement in voting and politics. [20] [21] [22]
The USC Dornsife poll is maintained by USC’s Center for Economic and Social Research and conducted in partnership with the Center for the Political Future. The purpose of the probability-based online panel is to track respondents changing attitudes and preferences for political candidates over time. [23] [24] [25]
The Center for the Political Future hosts a conversation series called Political Conversations. The Center brings in guests from the world of politics, journalism, and other related fields to expose students to practitioners in journalism, politics, and public policy. The Center also hosts other speakers for book talks and professional development events. [16]
Past guests include:
The Center for the Political Future conducts several annual conferences. The two main conferences hosted by the center are the Warschaw Conference on Practical Politics and the Climate Forward Conference. [41] The conference themes range from climate change and political tribalism to immigration and elections. [42] [43] [44]
Featured speakers have included:
Besides speaker events and conferences, the Center also hosts debates, both between USC groups and California candidates for public office. On January 22, 2024, the Center hosted the first debate between California senate candidates. [51] On March 22, 2022, the Center for the Political Future partnered with Fox11 and the Los Angeles Times to sponsor the Los Angeles Mayoral debate, held at USC's Bovard Auditorium. [52] The Center also hosts a debate every semester between the Trojan Democrats and the USC College Republicans. [53]
The Center for the Political Future hosts visiting Fellows each semester to lead study groups pertaining to politics, public policy, and journalism.
| Semester | Fellow | Notability | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Cameron Trimble | Former White House Director of Digital Engagement; founder of Hip-Politics | [54] [55] [56] [57] |
| Spring | Anthony Rendon | Former Speaker of the California State Assembly; served multiple terms as a California Assemblymember | [58] [59] |
| Spring | Jessica Millan Patterson | Former Chair of the California Republican Party; first woman, Latina, and millennial to lead the party in the state | [60] [61] |
| Spring | Jonathan Martin | Senior political correspondent and analyst at Politico | [62] [63] |
| Spring | Betsy Fischer Martin | Executive Director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University; Emmy award winning journalist | [64] [65] |
| Spring | Ed Goeas | Founder and President/CEO of the Tarrance Group | [66] < [67] |
| Fall | Helen Torres | CEO of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) | [68] [69] |
| Fall | David Simas | Former President of the Obama Foundation; senior executive at Emerson Collective | [70] [71] |
| Fall | April Ryan | White House Correspondent and political journalist | [72] [73] |
| Fall | Frank Lavin | Former U.S. Ambassador to Singapore and Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade of United States of America | [74] [75] |
| Fall | Jim DeBoo | Former Chief of Staff to California Governor Gavin Newsom; founder of DeBoo Strategic Affairs. | [76] [77] [78] |
| Semester | Fellow | Notability | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Shannon Watts | Founder Emerita of Moms Demand Action, a leading U.S. gun violence prevention organization; author | [79] [80] [81] |
| Spring | Michael Tubbs | Former Mayor of Stockton, California; Special Advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom on Economic Mobility & Opportunity | [82] [83] [84] |
| Spring | Tim Miller | Political strategist, writer, and media commentator | [85] [86] |
| Spring | Ron Galperin | Former Los Angeles City Controller | [87] [88] |
| Spring | Douglas Brinkley | Historian and professor of history at Rice University | [89] [90] |
| Fall | Carissa Smith | Former Senior Advisor in the White House Office of Public Engagement | [91] [92] [93] |
| Fall | Lea Endres | Co-founder and CEO of NationBuilder | [94] [95] [96] |
| Fall | Mike Bonin | Former member of the Los Angeles City Council (11th District) | [97] [98] [99] |
| Fall | Jeff Blattner | Former Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice | [100] [101] |
| Semester | Fellow | Notability | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Hank Plante | Veteran television reporter and columnist; Emmy- and Peabody-award winner; longtime political correspondent for KPIX-TV in San Francisco | [102] [103] [104] |
| Spring | John McConnell | Political communications consultant; former White House speechwriter and aide | [105] [106] [107] [108] |
| Spring | Martha Escutia | Former California State Senator and Assembly Member; served as Vice President for Government Relations at the University of Southern California | [109] [110] [111] |
| Spring | Bill Carrick | Democratic political consultant and strategist; longtime advisor to Dick Gephardt and California leaders including Eric Garcetti | [112] [113] [114] |
| Spring | Michael D. Bishop | Former U.S. Representative from Michigan; served on House Judiciary, Ways and Means, and Higher Education committees | [115] [116] |
| Fall | Betty Yee | Former California State Controller (2015–2023); also served on the California State Board of Equalization | [117] [118] [119] |
| Fall | Mike Schmuhl | Former Chair of the Indiana Democratic Party; campaign manager for Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 presidential campaign | [120] [121] [122] |
| Fall | Reince Priebus | Former White House Chief of Staff and longtime Republican strategist; also Chairman of the Republican National Committee | [123] [124] |
| Fall | Arnon Mishkin | Political analyst and pollster; Director of the Fox News Election Decision Desk | [125] [126] [127] |
| Fall | Addisu Demissie | Founding Principal of 50+1 Strategies, political strategist; served as campaign manager for Cory Booker’s 2013 U.S. Senate race and senior advisor for Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign | [128] [129] |
| Semester | Fellow | Notability | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Ralph Neas | Former Executive Director of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights | [130] [131] |
| Spring | Amy Turk | CEO of the Downtown Women’s Center | [132] [133] [134] [135] |
| Fall | Elan Carr | Former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor & Combat Anti-Semitism; prosecutor, military officer, diplomat; former CEO of the Israeli American Council | [136] [137] [138] |
| Fall | Noelia Rodriguez | Press Secretary and Deputy Mayor under Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan; directed communications for First Lady Laura Bush | [139] [140] [141] [142] |
| Fall | Jessica Lall | Managing Director of CBRE in Downtown Los Angeles; former President & CEO of Central City Association; candidate for 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election | [143] [144] |
| Fall | Maria Salinas | President & CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce (largest business association in LA County) | [145] [146] |
| Semester | Fellow | Notability | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Barbara Comstock | Former U.S. Representative from Virginia’s 10th congressional district (2015–2019); Senior Advisor at Baker Donelson on public policy and government affairs | [147] [148] |
| Spring | Shaniqua McClendon | Vice President of Political Strategy at Crooked Media | [149] [150] [151] [152] |
| Fall | Nichol Whiteman | CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation | [153] [154] |
| Fall | Gloria Molina | First Chicana elected to the California State Assembly; longtime Los Angeles County Supervisor | [155] [156] |
| Semester | Fellow | Notability | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Ben Rhodes | Former Deputy National Security Advisor under Barack Obama; co-host of Pod Save the World; author of The World As It Is | [157] [158] |
| Spring | David Hill | Director of Hill Research Consultants | [159] [160] [161] |
| Spring | Jeff Greenfield | Television journalist and political analyst | [162] [163] |
| Fall | Barbara Boxer | Former U.S. Senator from California; chaired key Senate committees including Environment and Public Works | [164] [165] [166] |
| Fall | John Chiang | Former State Treasurer (2015-2019), former State Controller | [167] [168] [169] |
| Fall | Mimi Walters | Former United States House of Representatives for California’s 45th district; served in state legislature and local government; committee member for House Energy & Commerce | [170] [171] |
| Semester | Fellow | Notability | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Douglas Schoen | Founding partner of Penn, Schoen & Berland | [172] [173] [174] |
| Spring | Symone D. Sanders | Former national press secretary for Bernie Sanders (2016), senior adviser to Joe Biden's 2020 campaign and later chief spokesperson/senior advisor for Vice President Kamala Harris; MSNBC host and co-anchor | [175] [176] |
| Spring | Mike Madrid | Principal at Grassroots Lab; co-founder of The Lincoln Project | [177] [178] |
| Fall | Patrick Griffin | Founding Partner and CEO of Merrimack Potomac + Charles (MP+C) | [179] [180] [181] |
| Fall | Adam Nagourney | Los Angeles bureau chief and national political reporter for The New York Times | [182] [183] |
| Fall | Ann Klenk | Longtime Senior Producer / Co-Executive Producer on Hardball with Chris Matthews (MSNBC) | [184] [185] [186] |
| Fall | Ron Christie | Founder & CEO of Christie Strategies LLC; former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush | [187] [188] |
| Semester | Fellow | Notability | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Dan Schwerin | Collaborator on Hard Choices and What Happened , speechwriter for Hillary Clinton, founder of Evergreen Strategy Group | [189] [190] [191] |
| Spring | Gentry Collins | Co-founder of Bright Future Iowa, CEO of American Free Enterprise, Former RNC National Political Director, Former Executive Director for the Republican Party of Iowa | [192] [193] [194] |
| Semester | Fellow | Notability | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 and Spring 2024 | Jane Coaston | Political journalist and CNN contributor; former host of 'The Argument' podcast for The New York Times | [195] [196] |
| Spring 2023 and Fall 2022 | Ira Reiner | Los Angeles County District Attorney (1984–1992); also served as LA City Attorney and Controller | [197] [198] |
| Spring 2022 and Spring 2021 | Todd S. Purdum | Former staff writer for The Atlantic (California Correspondent), senior writer at Politico , contributing editor at Vanity Fair , and longtime correspondent for The New York Times | [199] [200] |