PROFNET EXPERT ALERTS: State of the Union Address

Jan. 19, 2011

Following are experts who can discuss various aspects of President Obama's State of the Union address on Jan. 25. Regarding the current state of the nation, the experts discuss their expectations of the president's speech in terms of the economy, education, international relations, government and politics, political rhetoric and behavior, and health. You may also find additional experts who can speak on this topic by visiting our "2011 State of the Union Address" forum on our social networking site, ProfNet Connect: http://bit.ly/sotuexperts

ECONOMY:

**1. Werner F.M. De Bondt, professor of finance, and chair and director of Richard H. Driehaus Center for Behavioral Finance at DePaul University, is an expert on behavioral finance, including investor psychology, psychology of financial markets and financial decision-making, uncertainty and risk, and how the stock market reacts to dramatic news or events. He can discuss global financial markets; financial regulation; recession; and consumer, business and investor confidence. De Bondt: [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-8394 News Contact: Deborah Snow Humiston, [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-8508

**2. Ali M. Fatemi, professor and chairman of finance at the College of Commerce at DePaul University, can discuss the economy, financial markets reform and energy policy. Fatemi: [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-5183 News Contact: Deborah Snow Humiston, [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-8508

**3. Eric Garris, founder of Antiwar.com: "President Obama needs to address one of the most important problems facing our future: the costs of empire. As he lays the groundwork for increasing U.S. intervention around the world -- ostensibly to fight terrorism -- that fight is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. More U.S. military intervention means the creation of new terrorists and the focused targeting of U.S. interests. This spiral will only require further interventions and future expenditures which will drain the U.S. Treasury, resulting in more debt and tougher economic conditions. President Obama would be wise to pull back in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, and get serious about cutting Pentagon costs. The current attempt to cut 'Pentagon waste' will hardly address the problem." Garris is located in San Francisco. News Contact: Wendy Roxas, [email protected] Phone: +1-510-217-8665 Website: http://www.antiwar.com

**4. Frank Gunter, associate professor of economics at Lehigh University: "Substantial tax simplification will be difficult, but provides an opportunity for changes that will immediately benefit most Americans without requiring that either party walk a political plank. The current complexity of paying taxes in the United States imposes a real burden on taxpayers much greater than the actual revenue collected by Uncle Sam." News Contact: Sally Gilotti, [email protected] Phone: +1-610-758-3224

**5. Tom Hyclak, professor of economics at Lehigh University: "President Obama's deal with Republican leaders to extend the Bush-era tax cuts and long-term unemployment benefits was necessary to prevent an ill-timed decrease in total spendable household income. This will allow consumer spending to continue to rise at a modest pace. Families are still reducing debt and rebuilding wealth, thus limiting the growth from pent-up demand for cars and other durable goods that helped pull us out of previous recessions. How can policy help? The multiple headwinds against private spending argue for a new round of federal infrastructure spending on things such as renewing the air-traffic control system, hardening port security, and improving the transportation network to offset sluggish growth in private-sector demand and help shift the economy to a faster growth trajectory." News Contact: Sally Gilotti, [email protected] Phone: +1-610-758-3224

**6. Robert Ricketts, Ph.D., holds the Frank M. Burke Chair in Taxation in the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University: "We need sensible tax reform. Sensible, in my view, means that the reforms meet at least the following two criteria: 1) adequacy (raises revenues sufficient to cover spending) and 2) efficiency (the system encourages key behavior on the part of taxpayers). With the exception of a brief period at the end of the 1990s, the first requirement has not been satisfied for the past 30 years, but the failures have been growing in magnitude. This must be corrected. With regard to the second requirement, the tax system is a powerful motivator. Reforms to the corporate tax system should be crafted in such a way that they encourage a return to domestic production and investment, rather than an across-the-board reduction in the corporate tax rate. Reforms to the individual tax system should be designed to discourage certain types of consumption (in particular energy), so that a particularly efficient reform at the moment might include shifting some of the burden of the income tax to gas taxes. Equity is also an important issue, and Congress should at least consider raising or eliminating the earnings ceiling on the payroll tax, which would allow the tax rate to be reduced substantially. In other words, tax reform needs to focus on the entire system, rather than simply on the individual income tax." Ricketts: [email protected] Phone: +1-806-742-3180 Website: http://experts.ttu.edu/browse/profile/45

**7. David Walker, former U.S. Comptroller General and current CEO of the Comeback America Initiative, can give pre- and post-State of the Union commentary on fiscal and economic issues. Some topics he can discuss include: if the government can increase spending to restore the economy/create jobs *and* reduce the deficit, entitlement reform, why PAYGO alone is insufficient, military spending cuts, if the president will follow the suggestions of his Fiscal Commission, and increasing the debt ceiling. Walker has made a career discussing fiscal responsibility issues, having served for both Republican and Democratic administrations. His new company, the Comeback America Initiative, will actually be launching post-State of the Union, conducting a grassroots and "Inside the Beltway" campaign to support specific solutions to decrease the federal deficit. Walker has offices in New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Connecticut. News Contact: Brittany Fraser, [email protected] Phone: +1-212-896-1251

EDUCATION:

**1. Ronald Chennault, associate professor of education at DePaul University, can discuss Obama's education platform, including his position on the No Child Left Behind Act, performance pay and school choice. Chennault: [email protected] Phone: +1-773-325-4691 News Contact: Deborah Snow Humiston, [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-8508

**2. Benjamin Corb, director of public affairs of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, can weigh in on a variety of science/technology/education issues, including STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education, biomedical research funding (all things R&D and federal-agency related), American competitiveness in science/technology, and the stem-cell debate. Corb: [email protected] Phone: +1-301-634-7111

**3. James R. Gomes, the inaugural director of Clark University's Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise in Worcester, Mass., was the president and CEO of the Environmental League of Massachusetts from 1993 to 2007, where he founded or co-founded several key initiatives, including the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance and the Massachusetts Environmental Collaborative: "Education may be one of the few issues on which the two parties can find some genuine common ground in the year ahead. No one wants the U.S. to fall further behind the rest of the world in the skills of its emerging workforce. And both the White House and congressional Republicans have indicated their support for more accountability for public education." Earlier in his career, Gomes served as Massachusetts undersecretary of Environmental Affairs; executive assistant to Sen. John Kerry; a Massachusetts assistant attorney general; and as an attorney at the Boston firm of Hale and Dorr. In 2006, he co-chaired Gov. Deval Patrick's transition working group on energy and the environment. He is currently the chairman of the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, the state's public environmental philanthropy. An expert on public policy and its implementation, Gomes has taught at Williams College and Tufts University, and held a research appointment at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. He received his B.A. in political science from Trinity College, a master's degree in public policy from Harvard's Kennedy School, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. News Contact: Angela Bazydlo, [email protected] Phone: +1-508-793-7635

**4. Peggy Johnson, associate dean for teacher education in Texas Tech University's College of Education, is available as an expert on education topics related to the State of the Union. She spent many years teaching in international schools in South America (Uruguay and Chile) and Europe (Italy, Romania and Spain): "We often talk about education in the United States as if it is 'one thing.' However, the education children receive varies greatly from school to school. There are American children who are receiving a world-class education and there are too many who are not. We need, simply, to do a better job at educating more children to a higher standard." Johnson holds a B.A. in history from Adelphi University; an M.L.S. in library science from the University of Alabama; post-baccalaureate certification and an M.Ed. in reading from Virginia Tech; and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Florida. She joined the faculty of Texas Tech in 1992, and served as chair of curriculum and instruction for four years. Johnson has focused both her teaching and research interests on the teaching of language arts and writing. She has conducted research on literacy in classroom settings and has published articles about the connection between self-efficacy and writing performance. She is also interested in the professional development of teachers and the ways they make classroom decisions. Johnson: [email protected] Phone: +1-806-742-1998, ext. 437

**5. Dr. Matthew Lynch, assistant professor of education at Widener University in Chester, Pa., is a former middle- and high-school teacher who can talk about education reform. Lynch has focused the second stage of his career in higher education researching topics related to educational equality, pedagogy and school reform, particularly in the area of the urban learning environment. Among his most notable work is the book, "Closing the Racial Academic Achievement Gap" (2006), a comprehensive look at causes of the achievement gap and solutions for achieving true educational equality in the United States. He is currently authoring "It's Time for Change: School Reform for the Next Decade," which examines the problems plaguing the U.S. public school system. In this text, he devises a 12-step plan to fix our schools, with steps ranging from a greater investment in early childhood education to an overhaul of our system for assessing academic achievement. Lynch: [email protected] Phone: +1-610-499-4285

**6. Barbara Radner, associate professor and director of the Center for Urban Education at DePaul University's School for New Learning, can discuss the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act, having served on state committees charged with implementing the program. She can also discuss the challenges the new president faces to make school reform work, based on her work with 80 Chicago public schools and the recent 180-degree change in Chicago's education direction with the replacement of Ron Huberman by Terry Mazany as head of ChicagoPublic Schools. Radner: [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-5155 News Contact: Deborah Snow Humiston, [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-8508

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

**1. John T. Connor, Jr., portfolio manager of Third Millennium Russia Fund (TMRFX) and author of best-selling "Out of the Red: Investment and Capitalism in Russia" can discuss Russian relations, specifically economic and investment considerations: "President Obama would do well to say: 'The reset in our relations with Russia appears to be working as they attempt to modernize their economy with foreign capital investment, and we look forward  to working with them more closely on major challenges, such as the growing threat of the spread of nuclear weapons to Iran.'" Connor is located in Lake Wales, Fla., and can speak Russian. Connor: [email protected] Phone: +1-863-676-6301 BlackBerry: +1-508-292-8004 News Contact: Irving Straus, [email protected] Phone: +1-212-570-2572

**2. L. Sue Hulett is the Richard P. and Sophia D. Henke Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. She can discuss international relations and U.S. foreign policy: "The U.S. is a single superpower in a chaotic multipolar world, forced to choose between interventionism and isolationism; we must fight back against terrorist attacks." Hulett's scholarly work includes entries on foreign policy and international relations for the International Encyclopedia of Political Science (Congressional Quarterly, 2008). She was chair of campus presentations and author of media op-eds on foreign-policy topics such as "Just War" and the war on terror, and her additional areas of research and expertise include religion and politics, and religion on campus. Hulett's bio: http://tinyurl.com/4r86ysm  Hulett: [email protected] Phone: +1-309-343-0218

**3. James McCormick is professor and chair of political science at Iowa State University, author of the book "American Foreign Policy and Process," and co-editor of "The Domestic Sources of American Foreign Policy: Insights and Evidence" (fourth edition): "The Obama administration came to office promising foreign policy change, but the degree of change so far has been limited. In outlining a liberal internationalist foreign policy approach, the Obama administration has surely achieved change from the approach followed by the Bush administration. In seeking to implement that approach -- whether evaluated through the changes in the substance of American policy or through the achievements that it has had -- the Obama administration has had much less success. In this sense, continuity in several foreign policy arenas remains more prevalent than change during the first two years of the Obama administration, and the political landscape for the next two years looks equally challenging for the administration. With the shift to Republican control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the lessening of Democratic control in the U.S. Senate after the 2010 congressional elections, and with the increasingly threatening international environment, the administration will likely find it difficult to continue its liberal internationalist agenda. In this sense, foreign policy change may be in the air for the Obama administration, but perhaps not in the way that it had originally intended." This analysis draws from McCormick's larger assessment of the Obama administration that will appear in a book later this year. McCormick: [email protected] Phone: +1-515-294-8682 News Contact: Mike Ferlazzo, [email protected] Phone: +1-515-294-8986

**4. Robert Rabil is an assistant professor and director of graduate studies in the department of political science in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic University. His areas of expertise include national and international security, U.S. foreign policy, U.S.-Arab and U.S.-Muslim relations, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and politics and economies of the Arab world (Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan and Israel). Rabil: [email protected] Phone: +1-561-297-3215 News Contact: Lisa Metcalf, [email protected] Phone: +1-561-297-3022

**5. Renat Shaykhutdinov is an assistant professor of political science in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic University. His teaching and research interests include comparative and international politics, ethnic conflict, research methods, power-sharing arrangements, decentralization, and the politics of the former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe. Shaykhutdinov is a native of the eastern European city of Kazan located in the Middle Volga Region and is fluent in Tatar, Russian and Turkish. Shaykhutdinov: [email protected] Phone: +1-561-297-3775 News Contact: Lisa Metcalf, [email protected] Phone: +1-561-297-3022

GOVERNMENT/POLITICS

**1. Robert Alexander, Ph.D., is associate professor of political science at Ohio Northern University: "The tragedy in Tucson has opened a window for renewed political discourse, absent partisan rhetoric. While hopeful, it is unlikely we will see much change when it comes to political vitriol -- this is especially true with health care repeal hanging in the air. President Obama has proven to be a talented and powerful public speaker prior to and during his presidency. The State of the Union address gives him the opportunity to continue the theme of greater bipartisanship he began delineating at the end of the last Congress. Look for Obama to discuss his successes and instances where Democrats and Republicans have been able to work together. Obama will discuss indicators suggesting America is moving in the right direction, but will also urge folks to not move back from what progress has occurred. He will also likely warn those who seek to undo health care reform that they will be standing in the way of progress and contributing to higher deficits in the future." Alexander: [email protected]</a> Phone: +1-419-772-2093 Website: http://www2.onu.edu/~r-alexander

**2. Saladin Ambar, professor of political science at Lehigh University: "The president will undoubtedly address the state of the economy (the new unemployment rate), the commitments to Iraq and Afghanistan (not as significant a part of his speech), hopes for revisiting the DREAM Act (immigration), and also quite possibly propose tax reform. He is likely to defend his health care reform act. Will he take up the controversial subject of gun control in light of the shootings last Saturday? Maybe. He certainly will mention the ongoing need for civility and update us on the status of Gabrielle Giffords, whose husband will no doubt be at his side." News Contact: Sally Gilotti, [email protected] Phone: +1-610-758-3224

**3. Tom De Luca is a professor of political science at Fordham University and author of the upcoming "Change We Can Count On: Political Equality Now in the USA!" He will be watching for the president to connect emotionally with the public, to take back the momentum from the Republicans, and to be willing to risk re-election if that is what it takes to achieve his vision. News Contact: Syd Steinhardt, [email protected] Phone: +1-212-636-6534

**4. Marshall Derosa is a professor in the department of political science in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic University. He specializes in American constitutional law and policymaking, international law, law and American society, and the judicial process. Derosa: [email protected] Phone: +1-954-236-1131 News Contact: Lisa Metcalf, [email protected] Phone: +1-561-297-3022

**5. Dr. Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha, associate professor of political science at the University of North Texas, researches the American presidency and its relationship with the news media, the public, Congress and the bureaucracy. He is author of "The President's Speeches: Beyond 'Going Public,'" which explores the impact of the president's signals on the adoption and implementation of public policy. Eshbaugh-Soha, who is located in Denton, Texas, has published research in the American Journal of Political Science, Political Research Quarterly, Presidential Studies Quarterly, Policy Studies Journal, and Congress and the Presidency, and has contributed chapters to "Politics in the American States" and "Public Opinion and Polling around the World": "In this year's State of the Union speech, President Obama will use the recent assassination attempt on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords as an introduction to putting aside partisan differences and working together to improve the lives of the American people. I think that there will be a theme of bipartisanship on issues from the economy to the deficit and tax reform, while the president also includes the standard laundry list of proposals that will make some, but not all, attendees happy. There will be a mix of outreach for compromise (likely recounting the successes of the lame-duck session of Congress) but he will stand strong on core issues that are unlikely to make their way through Congress. The Republican response should be fairly predictable as well -- referencing the election and highlighting what Republicans see as the message of that election and that President Obama needs to move more toward them on policy to satisfy the wishes of the American people." Eshbaugh-Soha: [email protected] Phone: +1-940-565-2329

**6. Arthur "Jerry" Kremer, chairman of Empire Government Strategies, a political consulting firm: "After six years of being the party of 'no,' Congressional Republicans will have the opportunity to tell the world what they really stand for. Do they have a plan to reduce taxes, and how will they pay for it? How will they create more jobs by 2012? Will they spend the next two years laboring to make President Obama a one-term president? Can they pass anything other than one-house philosophical rantings to satisfy their base? Why are they better than the guys they threw out? Two years go by quickly and if all Boehner, Cantor and company have to offer is tea party slogans they will be toast in 2012 and not the toast of 2012." Kremer is a 23-year veteran of the New York State Assembly and was the only Long Island legislator to head the Ways and Means Committee. He is located in Manhattan. Kremer: [email protected] Phone: +1-516-663-6688

**7. Dr. Angela Ledford, associate professor of political science at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y.: "Given the tragic shooting in Arizona, which has also been a site of pointed anti-government rhetoric and aggressive anti-immigrant policy proposals, I anticipate that President Obama will address what responsible and effective government can and should do in accordance with democratic values, such as fairness and inclusivity." News Contact: Benjamin Marvin, [email protected], Phone: +1-518-454-5102

**8. Paul Levinson is a professor of communication and media studies at Fordham University, nationally renowned popular culture critic and author of "New New Media" (Allyn & Bacon, 2009). He will be blogging throughout the evening at PaulLevinson.Blogspot.com, and will be available for post-State of the Union address analysis and commentary until 2 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Jan. 26. He can discuss how the president can use the address to counter the Republicans' success in the 2010 midterm elections. News Contact: Syd Steinhardt, [email protected] Phone: +1-212-636-6534

**9. Dr. James M. Ludes is the executive director of the American Security Project (ASP), a think tank in Washington, D.C. He can discuss issues related to national security policy, defense, Congress and public diplomacy. ASP was founded in 2006 to educate the public on a broad range of national security issues and the value of a principled approach to security. From November 2008 to February 2009, Ludes was a member of President-elect Obama's transition team. During this time he participated in the Agency Review Team working inside the Department of Defense (DOD) to identify critical issues that would need to be tackled by the new administration. In January, he took on the additional responsibility of running the confirmation team for DOD nominees selected for the roles of Deputy Secretary of Defense; Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; Comptroller; and General Counsel. From 2002 to 2006, Ludes was legislative assistant to Sen. John Kerry for defense and foreign policy. During that time, he also coordinated defense policy issues for Senator Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign -- assisting in the development of policies on military end-strength, force structure, and improved benefits for military families and veterans. Ludes is located in Washington, D.C. For more information, please see his bio: http://tinyurl.com/4vtdhcm  News Contact: Amber Allen, [email protected] Phone: +1-202-347-3115

**10. Antonio Morales-Pita, assistant professor of international studies and adjunct professor of economics at DePaul University, can discuss the economy; tax reform; immigration; education; health reform; and international political and economic issues, such as relations between the U.S. and China, India, Brazil and the European Union. He is fluent in Spanish. Morales-Pita: [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-5613 News Contact: Deborah Snow Humiston, [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-8508

**11. Costas Panagopoulos is an assistant professor of political science at Fordham University, director of the Master's Program in Elections and Campaign Management, and director of the Center for Electoral Politics and Democracy. He can discuss campaigns, elections and campaign finance, and he can also evaluate the importance of the State of the Union address for Obama's presidency and for his re-election. News Contact: Syd Steinhardt, [email protected] Phone: +1-212-636-6534

**12. Jordan Sekulow, director of policy at the American Center for Law & Justice, and a blogger for the Washington Post's "On Faith" blog: "In November, Americans voted for an indefinite hold on the Obama agenda. The people have spoken. Republicans (and some Democrats) who ran against the president's policies won. Unfortunately, President Obama refuses to fully accept the new political reality on Capitol Hill. Americans are ready to get back to business. Hard-hitting, honest and clear rhetoric ignited a new conservative grassroots movement throughout the country that led to the new Republican majority in the House. We want our Republican representatives to be vocal critics of the Obama agenda for the next two years. Republicans were sent to Washington to stop the government takeover of health care and rein in federal spending. The electorate will continue to move right so long as Republicans demand major compromises in regards to any new policies. At the same time, conservatives expect Republicans to refuse to approve any spending that leads to the implementation of Obamacare. For at least the next two years, the Republican House can stop Obamacare. Americans voted for a more constitutional Congress, a smaller government and a shield from the Obama agenda. If Republicans stay the course, they will ride another wave of victory in 2012." Sekulow is located in Washington, D.C. News Contact: Katie Han, [email protected] Phone: +1-212-584-4278

**13. Wayne Steger, professor of political science at DePaul University, can speak about public policymaking, the budgetary process and politics, tax reform, the impact of political rhetoric, party behavior and evaluating presidential success in Congress. Steger: [email protected] Phone: +1-773-325-4240 News Contact: Deborah Snow Humiston, [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-8508

**14. David N. Strange is an adjunct professor at the Texas Tech UniversitySchool of Law and teaches immigration law, advanced immigration law and directed-research courses. Strange's background in immigration law includes pro-bono service in the Immigration Clinic at the University of Houston Law Center, service as an immigration law extern with a U.S. congressman, service on the congressman's immigration staff, practicing before the immigration courts throughout Texas, and representation of clients in the U.S. and at various U.S. consulates abroad. He also served as an English instructor at the Instituto Biblico Nacional de Venezuela in Carvajal, Venezuela, and is fluent in Spanish. Strange is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and is Board Certified in immigration and nationality law by the TexasBoard of Legal Specialization. He is also a member of the American Anthropological Association: "Our immigration laws do not work because there are holes in the laws themselves. There has been much talk of a physical wall along the border and even a 'virtual fence,' but neither of these will solve the problem until the laws themselves are addressed. First and foremost, our laws should be a 'virtual fence.' That 'virtual fence of existing law' is presently grossly flawed. Our laws should also provide open doors where warranted; this, too, should be addressed. Finally, to 'fix' our system, we need to understand how the system now works. Rule of law should prevail, but rule of law only works when the human condition is considered." Strange is located in Amarillo, Texas. Strange: [email protected] Phone: +1-806-372-5700

**15. TJ Walker is the founder of the communications website TJWalker.com Interactive, the "Inside Communications" columnist at Forbes.com, and a regular commentator for the Reuters Insider Network. "TJ Walker's Secret to Foolproof Presentations" was a No. 1 USA Today best-seller, and a Wall Street Journal and Business Week best-seller. As CEO of Media Training Worldwide, Walker has trained thousands of presidents, prime ministers, senators, members of Parliament, CEOs, Nobel Peace Prize winners, professional athletes and Miss Universes. He can discuss his predictions of what Obama will say in the State of the Union address: "Obama will use his bully pulpit to put a focus on his agenda for the next year. My predictions include: 1) Obama will stress bipartisanship and his willingness to work with the new Republican House leadership. 2) The president will continue to talk about the economy and new initiatives for stimulating the economy. 3) Finally, the president will gingerly discuss the Tucson, Ariz., shootings and how our culture rises above violence. Obama always does well in big speaking moments like these. He is a master of the teleprompter, and he looks and sounds presidential. He will be subtlety reminding people that when he speaks, he does so with authority and without promiscuous tears the way John Boehner does." Walker is located in New York City. News Contact: Mark Goldman, [email protected] Phone: +1-516-639-0988

**16. James Wolfinger, associate professor of history and education at DePaul University, and a political and urban historian of 20th century America, can assess President Obama's presidency and the nation's economy. Wolfinger has written extensively about race, politics and labor in 20th century America. He is currently working on a history of black Chicago titled, "Building the Black Metropolis," and is author of the book, "Philadelphia Divided: Race and Politics in the City of Brotherly Love." He can bring a historical perspective to journalistic discussions of race and politics. Wolfinger: [email protected] Phone: +1-773-325-4290 News Contact: Deborah Snow Humiston, [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-8508

POLITICAL RHETORIC/BEHAVIOR

**1. Andrew Civettini is assistant professor of political science at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. His research focuses on the emotional dimension of political communication and political behavior -- in particular, the way that emotions of hope and anxiety affect political attitudes and political involvements. He is also working on a study of the genetic bases of political behavior. Civettini: [email protected], Phone: +1-309-341-7380 Website: http://www.knox.edu/Academics/Faculty/Civettini-Andrew.html

**2. Jeffrey Cohen is a professor of political science at Fordham University, presidential scholar and author of "The Presidency in the Era of 24-Hour News" (Princeton University Press, 2008). He can discuss how changes in the news media since the era of the three networks have altered the way that presidents communicate with the public and garner popular support. News Contact: Syd Steinhardt, [email protected] Phone: +1-212-636-6534

**3. Dukhong Kim is an assistant professor in the department of political science in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic University. He specializes in American politics, specifically public opinion, political behavior, racial politics, political psychology and the presidency. Kim: [email protected] Phone: +1-561-297-3216 News Contact: Lisa Metcalf, [email protected] Phone: +1-561-297-3022

**4. Kevin Lanning is an associate professor of psychology at Florida Atlantic University's Wilkes Honors College. He has published a number of papers on political psychology, including an analysis of the social psychology of the 2004 presidential election, and is the editor of the just-published volume "Democracy and Disenfranchisement" (Wiley-Blackwell, 2008). Lanning: [email protected] Phone: +1-561-799-8652 News Contact: Lisa Metcalf, [email protected] Phone: +1-561-297-3022

**5. Dr. James E. Mueller, associate professor of journalism at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, researches political rhetoric. He is the author of "Towel Snapping the Press: Bush's Journey from Locker-Room Antics to Message Control," which compares George W. Bush's press relations to those of other presidents, and "Tag Teaming the Press: How Bill and Hillary Clinton Work Together to Handle the Media," which traces the Clintons' press relations through Bill's terms as Arkansas governor and U.S. president, and Hillary's run for the White House. Mueller calls this year's State of the Union speech one of the most important of President Obama's term in office because it will indicate how he will govern and campaign over the next two years: "A lot of attention has been focused on who the Republicans will nominate to run against Obama, but the 2012 election will be more about Obama's record than his opponent. So it will be interesting to see how bipartisan Obama is in this speech. Will he criticize Republicans for trying to undo health care reform, or will he suggest a compromise? Will his tone be conciliatory or confrontational? Finally, will he say something positive about the Supreme Court? His last State of the Union was marred by controversy over his criticism of the court and the reaction of some justices to his comments." Mueller: [email protected] Phone: +1-940-368-3528

**6. John Murphy is a professor of communication at the University of Illinois. He studies presidential rhetoric, and has written extensively about the speeches and rhetoric of John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, among others of the last half century. Murphy also has an article under review on the campaign rhetoric of Barack Obama. He can focus on the speech as a speech, on the history of State of the Union addresses, and on the rhetorical strategies the president uses in the speech. Murphy: [email protected] Phone: +1-217-333-1593 News Contact: Craig Chamberlain, [email protected] Phone: +1-217-333-2894

**7. Bruce Newman, professor of marketing at DePaul University, can discuss communication and marketing issues tied to the speech: "Obama is in a classic 'repositioning' posture, where he realizes he needs to alter his message and image in response to the recent electoral shift that took place in the midterm elections. Obama's recent choice of Bill Daley as his chief of staff signals the same kind of movement toward the center as he responds to the tea party movement and the need to court the business community if he intends to get re-elected in 2012." Newman was a communication adviser to the senior staff of the Clinton White House in 1995 and 1996, is the author of several books on the subject, including "The Marketing of the President," and is editor of the Journal of Political Marketing. Newman: [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-5186 News Contact: Deborah Snow Humiston, [email protected] Phone: +1-312-362-8508

**8. Kevin Wagner is an assistant professor in the department of political science in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic University. He is an attorney with a doctorate in American politics with an emphasis on U.S. institutions such as the presidency. Wagner also has expertise in the field of political behavior, including public opinion, campaigning and elections. Wagner: [email protected] Phone: +1-561-297-3218 News Contact: Lisa Metcalf, [email protected] Phone: +1-561-297-3022

HEALTH:

**1. Katy Beh Neas, vice president of government relations at Easter Seals: "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides critical access to appropriate and high-quality health care services essential for people with disabilities to live, learn, work and play in their communities. One of the most important provisions in the ACA is the policy under which insurance companies can no longer refuse to cover children with disabilities and other preexisting conditions. For children served by Easter Seals and their families, this provision can transform a family. Prior to the law, families would lose coverage of their child with cerebral palsy, epilepsy or another condition. The only way that the family could get the services their child needed was to pay out-of-pocket. For many families, they had no choice but to take out a second mortgage, declare bankruptcy, or have their child go without the services he or she needs to be healthy and strong. The goal of the health care reform law is to assure that all people have access to quality, affordable health care and long-term services and supports that meet their individual needs. It is through these types of changes to the health care system that we can hope to enable all Americans, including people with disabilities and chronic conditions to be healthy and functional, and live as independently as possible and participate in their communities." She is located in Washington, D.C. News Contact: Kristen Barnfield, [email protected] Phone: +1-312-551-7147 Website: http://www.easterseals.com

**2. Tim Huerta is the director of the Center for Healthcare Innovation, Education and Research (CHIER) in the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University. He also is an assistant professor in health organization management. Huerta is currently working directly with Covenant Health System on both its electronic health record (EHR) implementation and its quality-improvement program. This collaboration enables him to work with health care organizations in addressing the "value proposition" -- the development of outcome measures that link quality of care with organizational efficiency. Through CHIER, he has created relationships with institutional partners to move research to practice and to engage in effective knowledge translation with the goal of moving the region towards greater efficiency and, by extension, increased value for every health care dollar spent: "The U.S. government has become one of the largest insurers in the country -- however, the financial savings that are expected to be derived from a number of the infrastructure investments created under the stimulus funds require a shift in productivity in the U.S. hospital system. The most visible investment in U.S. health care has come in the form of support for electronic health records. However, those efforts have been focused on billing and not patient care. While this is an incremental step in the right direction, how we move forward and the policies that are enacted will come to explain why U.S. health care has either given us less expensive, higher-quality care, or not." Huerta: [email protected] Phone: +1-806-742-1236

**3. Bob Lorsch, CEO of MMRGlobal Inc. (OTCBB: MMRF), a health care IT company specializing in electronic medical records (EMRs) that has partnerships with Chartis (part of AIG) and Kodak: "With the new Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, one of the first issues will be the repeal of the health care reform bill. One of the mandates under health care reform is that all Americans must have online access to their medical records by 2014. Under the 2009 federal stimulus package, the U.S. government will spend as much as $27.4 billion between 2011 and 2021 to encourage health professionals and hospitals to make their health records electronic. With the potential for repeal of all or parts of the health care reform legislation, doctors who counted on this stimulus funding as part of health care reform to implement a transition to EMRs are now uncertain if that funding will be provided." Lorsch can discuss how the health care IT industry is tied to some of the legislation currently up for debate. MMRGlobal provides its own stimulus program for doctors/hospitals implementing an EMR system to ensure they are being reimbursed for some of the costs associated with EMR implementation. He is located in Los Angeles. News Contact: Renae Placinski, [email protected] Phone: +1-847-945-4505 Website: http://www.mmrglobal.com

**4. Paul Miller is executive director of ProtectSeniors.org, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit fighting for the health benefit protection of 14.3 million retirees from 392 different companies; 45 labor union locals; 98 municipal, state and federal retiree groups; and 16 associations: "America's retirees learned there was no room for them on the health care reform bus last year and now with tens of millions of agitated baby boomers just reaching retirement age, they are demanding changes to protect the earned retiree benefits that were not included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." Miller can discuss topics including how health care reform has not addressed the issue of earned retiree health care benefits of some 14.3 million Americans guaranteed supplemental employer health benefits in retirement. Failure to include these protections in the law will throw millions of additional retirees without health insurance into the already-overburdened government health system. He will be available in-person in Washington, D.C., or via phone, to provide comment before and after the president's State of the Union speech and the Republican response. News Contacts: Stu Miller, [email protected] and Victoria Carman, [email protected] Phone: +1-212-685-4600  

**5. Louanne Trebing, president of the Texas Association of Health Underwriters (TAHU), a professional organization comprised of more than 1,600 independent health insurance agents and lobbyists who are strong consumer advocates and lobbyists, can provide information geared toward consumers and health insurance agents on health care reform and the status of health insurance for 2011. Trebing is available for interviews. News Contact: Laura Day, [email protected] Phone: +1-859-291-4302 ext. 103 Website: http://www.tahu.org

**6. Ron Wince, CEO and president of Guidon Performance Solutions, a management consulting firm that helps businesses streamline systems and processes, works with clients in health care. He can discuss what the State of the Union means for the future of health care in the U.S., as well as its impact on quality of care and costs for consumers. Additionally, he can highlight what organizations can do to prepare themselves for the implementation of the reform to maintain efficiency and limit costs. Wince is located in Phoenix but works with clients across the U.S. News Contact: Lora Johnson, [email protected] Phone: +1-212-752-8338

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/PRNewswire – Jan. 19, 2011/

SOURCE ProfNet