David Gergen drew on his experience as White House adviser to four presidents to discuss the roles and responsibilities of politicians and journalists at a Sept. 14 Capitol Hill event for GW alumni.
Sponsored by GW’s Luther Rice Society, the function launched the society’s Political Alliance and its Entertainment and Media Alliance, groups created to connect GW alumni with influential members in their profession and encourage philanthropic support of the University.
The event was held in the Russell Senate Office Building’s newly christened Kennedy Caucus Room and hosted by Sen. Mark Warner, B.A. ’77, who welcomed the audience and discussed his experiences as a student at GW and an intern on Capitol Hill. “The reason I’m up here talking to you as a senator is because of the experiences I had at The George Washington University,” Warner said. “I was exposed to a whole host of folks that made my interest in politics turn into a passion.”
In remarks, President Steven Knapp stressed GW’s commitment to public service, citing Michelle Obama’s pledge to speak at Commencement if the University community contributes 100,000 hours of service and the success of GW’s first Freshman Day of Service. “It’s a symbol of how the University is deeply and strongly engaged with public life, public service, with politics, with media, with everything that it means to be at the heart of a vital national capital,” said Dr. Knapp.
CNN senior correspondent Dana Bash, B.A. ’93, credited her GW professors with helping her secure key internships. “My career at CNN started while I was at GW,” said Bash, who as a student intern at CNN worked for Frank Sesno, now the director of GW’s School of Media and Public Affairs and the emcee of the event. Bash said she now hoped to give back to the university that was “so central” to her life.
The evening was headlined by Gergen, who urged alumni to help counter the increasing polarization of Americans. “There’s a growing unwillingness to listen to each other, a sense of ‘if you’re not like me, there’s something wrong with you and you’re un-American,’” said Gergen. “I can’t remember a time when we’ve been so bitterly divided, and I think this threatens democracy.”
He stressed that both politicians and the media have a key role in keeping democratic ideals alive. Gergen, whose son attended GW, said the University has a unique claim to being the vision of the nation’s founding father and challenged the audience to work to restore civility and tolerance. “If you at The George Washington University can come to grips with that, it will be a huge contribution and it will help to fulfill George Washington’s dream,” said Gergen.