California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa were among the many national leaders who promoted bi-partisan politics at Ceasefire! Bridging the Political Divide, the inaugural conference of USC Annenberg's newly established Center on Communication Leadership.
Other speakers included Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, chair of the National Governors Association, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, former Congressman Harold Ford, Jr., former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta, former governor Gray Davis, former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan, philanthropists Lauren Bon and Sherry Lansing, producer Kevin Wall, political strategist Matthew Dowd, Governor Schwarzenegger's chief of staff Susan Kennedy, and journalists Margaret Carlson, Jay Carney, Michael Kinsley, Lawrence O'Donnell, Juan Williams and Judy Woodruff.
Dean Geoffrey Cowan, director of the Center on Communication Leadership, opened the conference with a short introduction on why politics' partisan atmosphere needs revamping.
"Ideological differences are essential," Cowan said. "But when those differences turn into vicious name calling, it makes it almost impossible to govern."
Said Governor Schwarzenegger: "All of our most deeply held dreams and aspirations require us to build on our common bonds rather than keep resorting to the tired battle cries of partisan politics that divides and demoralizes us. We need new methods of breaking through the political gridlock to make progress on issues that people care deeply about, issues like health care, climate change, immigration, border security, education, the economy, public safety, and the list goes on and on and on."
Mayor Bloomberg made international news following the conference when he announced he would drop his Republican Party affiliation, fueling speculation he would make an independent bid for the presidency in 2008.
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Wallis Annenberg's speech
Mayor Bloomberg's speech
Gov. Schwarzenegger's speech
Mayor Villaraigosa's speech
