About
On June 8, 2007, the Miller Center of Public Affairs announced the implementation of its National Discussion and Debate Series (NDDS). As part of the Center's mission to research, reflect, and report on issues of national importance to the country's governance, Miller Center Director Gerald L. Baliles created this program to encourage a vigorous, well-informed discussion on the national stage about the major issues of our time. "Too often, the idea of 'debate' in this country is overtaken by sound bites and squabbles rather than a reasoned, informed exchange of ideas," said Baliles. "This series is an extension of the Miller Center's mission to examine important issues, and through it we aim to contribute to the national conversation with a genuine, thoughtful give-and-take that will both inform people and provoke dialogue."
The intent of this series is to examine America's role in the world, its responsibilities to its citizens, and how it fulfills the principles upon which it was founded. Since the Miller Center's founding in 1975, it has worked to fulfill Thomas Jefferson's public service mission by serving as a national meeting place for engaged citizens, scholars, students, media representatives, and government officials to address issues of national importance.
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Season Two: Priorities for a New President
On February 21, 2009, the Miller Center launches Season Two of the National Discussion and Debate Series. Over the past six months, the nation watched as Barack Obama and John McCain laid out competing visions for how to address the most important challenges facing our nation. While the presidential contest has been resolved, the debates over these issues remain. As President-elect Obama prepares for his first year in office, the Miller Center and its production partner, MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, have identified four debate topics of importance to the new administration – America's infrastructure priorities, the Iranian nuclear threat, affirmative action, and the use of carbon-based energy. It is our sincere hope that at the dawn of this new presidency, this Series will inject thoughtful and civil discourse into the public square, and facilitate a deeper level of engagement in issues of importance to our nation's future.
Beginning this February, members of the public will be able to delve more deeply into the National Discussion and Debate Series' Season 2 topics through participation in study groups. Please contact Paul Martin at or 434.924.6059 for more information.
Infrastructure continue reading →
Discussion: Government at all levels must work together to create a comprehensive infrastructure policy in concert with national energy, environmental, and economic priorities.
Date: February 21, 2009
Location: JW Marriott, Washington, DC
Moderator: Robert MacNeil, former co-anchor of the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour
White Paper: Paul Posner, former Director of Federal Budget & Intergovernmental Relations at the Government Accountability Office; professor and director of the Master's in Public Administration program, George Mason University
Discussants:
- Edward G. Rendell, Governor of Pennsylvania; co-chair, Building America's Future
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California; co-chair, Building America's Future
- JayEtta Hecker, former Director of Physical Infrastructure, Government Accountability Office
- Douglas Foy, former Secretary of Commonwealth Development, Massachusetts; former Executive Director, Conservation Law Foundation
Iran continue reading →
Resolved: America cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran and must go to any lengths to prevent it.
Date: March 25, 2009
Location: Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, Washington, DC
Moderator: Margaret Warner, Senior Correspondent, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
White Paper: John M. Owen, IV, Associate Professor of Politics, University of Virginia
Debaters:
- Pro: Elliott Abrams, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations; Former Deputy National Security Advisor for Global Democracy Strategy (2005–09)
- Pro: Joshua Muravchik, Visiting Scholar, John Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
- Con: Martin Indyk, Director, Saban Center for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution; Amb. to Israel (1995–97, 2000–01); Asst. Sec. of State for Near East Affairs (1997–2000)
- Con: Karim Sadjadpour, Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Affirmative Action continue reading →
Resolved: "Affirmative Action should focus on class and wealth rather than race and ethnicity"
Date: April 16, 2009
Location: Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Moderator: Ray Suarez, Senior Correspondent, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
White Paper: Douglas N. Harris, Assistant Professor of Educational Policy Studies, University of Wisconsin
Debaters:
- Pro: Dalton Conley, Chair, Department of Sociology, New York University
- Pro: John McWhorter, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research
- Con: Julian Bond, Chairman, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
- Con: Lee Bollinger, President, Columbia University
Energy continue reading →
Resolved: "The United States must end its dependency on carbon-based fuels"
Date: May 14, 2009
Location: Newcomb Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Moderator: Jim Angle, Chief Washington Correspondent, Fox News Channel
White Paper: Jonathan Z. Cannon, Professor of Environmental Law and Director of the Environmental and Land Use Law Program, University of Virginia Law School
Debaters:
- Pro: John Podesta, President, Center for American Progress; former White House Chief of Staff (1998–2001)
- Pro: James Woolsey, Venture Partner, VantagePoint Venture Partners; former Director of Central Intelligence (1993–95)
- Con: Christine Todd Whitman, Co-chair of CASEnergy Coalition; former EPA Administrator (2001–03); former Governor of New Jersey (1994–2001)
- Con: Karen Harbert, President and CEO, Institute for 21st Century Energy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
