Notre Dame Washington D.C. Symposium on National and Global Affairs

Every other year, Ed and I fly to Washington D.C. to attend Notre Dame University's symposium on government affairs. (Ed is an alum.) This year, less than 100 days into President Trump's inauguration, we attended briefings by politicians and officials on both sides of the aisle about what was going on in Washington: Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY and Senate Minority Leader); Lindsey Graham (R-SC); Marco Rubio (R-FL); Joe Donnelly (D-IN); and David Perdue (R-GA).  Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI.) was interviewed by Bob Costa, National Political Reporter, The Washington Post. We also heard from General H.R. McMaster, National Security Advisor; Gary Cohn, Chairman of the National Economic Council; and Donald F. McGahn II, White House Counsel.

We heard views from the press in a panel discussion moderated by Mark Shields (PBS News Hour), which included Gerald Seib, Executive Washington Editor, The Wall Street Journal; Alexis Simendinger, White House Correspondent, Realclearpolitics; and Karen Tumulty, The Washington Post.

We were treated to a presentation from highly articulate and entertaining former Ambassador from Mexico Arturo Sarukhan. Of course, someone asked him about the wall.

Chuck Schumer and Paul Ryan were both speakers at this symposium two years ago and proved even more interesting this year. On a personal note, Schumer related how he grew up not too far from where I did in Brooklyn and managed to get himself out of going to a very good college--Brooklyn College--my alma mater, by snagging a basketball scholarship at Harvard. If I were only taller :-)

Briefings were held in wonderful Washington D.C. historic buildings: the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, The Library of Congress, and the Decatur House--all beautifully preserved.

While we were there, Ed and I also visited the new and fascinating African American Museum. We learned how slavery was established in Africa, as well as how every U.S. state at the time (not only those in the South) was dependent on slavery to support its economy :-(  We also visited the Newseum, a museum dedicated to journalism, and saw the special exhibit about how music, particularly rock 'n roll in the '60s, influenced journalism which, in turn, influenced politics.

All in all, we wish we didn't have to wait two more years to attend such a varied and interesting program and place. Who knows what Washington will be like then?