Experts in the News | Miller Center

Trump drops infrastructure talks over Pelosi ‘cover-up’ comment

Miller Center Senior Fellow Saikrishna Prakash is interviewed.

Saikrishna Prakash

Episode 180: Sex Strike, David McCullough, and Doris Day

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss a proposed “sex strike,” historian David McCullough’s new book, and the life and legacy of Doris Day.

Nicole Hemmer

The Bill Press Show - May 21, 2019

Author of the 12:30 Report for The Hill, Cate Martel; @CateMartel. Fellow at UVA's Miller Center & Former US Deputy Secretary of Labor, Chris Lu (FRIEND OF BILL); @ChrisLu44

Chris Lu

Anti-feminist women have a long history in the United States

On social media, opponents of these laws circulated composite images of the all-male coalitions who passed them, underscoring the absence of women legislators. But while their point about representation is important, that focus on the men behind the bills obscures the role of women like Governor Kay Ivey, who signed Alabama's abortion bill into law just a few days ago. These women are a vital part of this story, a reminder that anti-women laws are less a product of male politicians, and more a function of patriarchal politics.

Nicole Hemmer

Nos. 44 and 45 broke the mold. What does that mean for the future of the presidency?

“If you look at what people historically have considered to be acceptable characteristics of their presidents, in terms of social characteristics — white, male, married, Christians, neither too young nor too old — those categories have all been shattered,” said Michael Nelson, a political scientist who teaches at Rhodes College. “Not that we’ve elected a woman, but a woman has made it to the finals. The same might be true of sexual orientation.”

Michael Nelson

Nos. 44 and 45 broke the mold. What does that mean for the future of the presidency?

Cues from party leaders count for less, as candidates build their own followings. Sid Milkis, a political scientist at the University of Virginia, argued that, for all their differences, Trump and Obama share something more than nontraditional résumés. “They see or saw themselves as heads of a movement. They didn’t just envision themselves as presidential candidates,” he said. “And secondly, both kept their distance — and you could say weakened — the official party organization.”

Sid Milkis