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The names Woodward and Bernstein are associated with among the most iconic political reporting in history. One half of the duo, who won a Pullitzer Prize for their reporting on Watergate, Carl Bernstein, will be the Opening Speaker at the 2017 Maine Credit Union League's Legislative Forum. The Forum takes place on Wednesday, November 8, from 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., at the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport.
"When we were fortunate enough to book Carl over a year ago, we had no idea of knowing what the current state of politics in Washington would be. Some veteran political observers have made comparisons between the environment in Washington today to that of the 1970s, especially in the relationship between Congress and the President and the media. To have an opportunity to hear from one of the legendary names who covered Watergate and has been around Washington for decades share his perspective and thoughts should be an extraordinary experience for this year's Forum attendees," stated Tucker Cole, Chair of the League's Political Involvement Committee, which helps to coordinate the Forum.
Few journalists in America’s history have had the impact on their era and their craft as Carl Bernstein. For forty years, from All the President’s Men to A Woman-In-Charge: The Life of Hillary Clinton, Bernstein’s books, reporting, and commentary have revealed the inner-workings of government, politics, and the hidden stories of Washington and its leaders.
In the early 1970s, Bernstein and Bob Woodward broke the Watergate story for The Washington Post, leading to the resignation of President Richard Nixon and setting the standard for modern investigative reporting, for which they and The Post were awarded the Pulitzer Prize.
Since then, Bernstein has continued to build on the theme he and Woodward first explored in the Nixon years–the use and abuse of power: political, media, financial, cultural and spiritual power. Renowned as a prose stylist, he has also written a classic biography of Pope John Paul II, served as the founding editor of the first major political website, and been a rock critic.
The author of five best-selling books, Bernstein is currently at work on several multi-media projects: a dramatic TV series about the United States Congress; a feature film with director Steven Soderbergh; and a memoir about growing up at a Washington newspaper during the Kennedy era (The Evening Star, where he went to work at age 16). He also appears regularly on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, is a contributing editor of Vanity Fair magazine, and has been an on-air political analyst for CNN.
In addition to Bernstein, who will present two sessions, there will be two other outstanding sessions at the Forum including a panel of past legislative leaders sharing their thoughts on the role of leaders in the Legislature, and a special Forum edition of The Maine Event, Maine's premier political TV show co-hosted by former Speaker of the House, Hannah Pingree, and State Senator Roger Katz, and airing on Maine Public Television.
Registration for the 2017 Legislative Forum is now open. Click here to register; email Susan Erlandson; or call Member Services at 800.442.6715.