Distinguished Speakers announced

On Sept. 26, John Edwards will debate Karl Rove on the Alumni Arena stage, despite Edwards being synonymous with a 2006 affair exposed this summer.

Along with the donkey-elephant duo, the 22nd annual Distinguished Speakers Series (DSS) will feature a cast of current politicians, authors and funnymen.

Edwards, former Democratic presidential candidate, and Rove, a Republican political strategist, will fact off one month before Election Day.

"I think that it is a perfect event for a very interesting election year. It will bring some interesting election year discussion and informative debate subjects into focus, and students should be excited about this event," said Student Association President Peter Grollitsch.

UB has provided a stage for numerous politicians such as former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and former President George Bush in recent years.

Edwards has recently been in the news for admitting to an extramarital affair. He was Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's running mate in 2004 and campaigned for his own ticket in the 2008 election. In his platform, he intended to construct a universal health care plan, eliminate poverty over a 30-year period and withdraw all troops from Iraq.

Karl Rove, President George W. Bush's chief strategist, has been called the brainchild behind his presidency. By the September debate at UB, Rove will have resigned as the White House deputy chief of staff, according to Rove's public announcement in early August. In an exclusive interview with the Wall Street Journal, he predicted a Republican win and an improved Iraq with the continued station of U.S. military troops.

Following the political lecture, Khaled Hosseini, bestselling author of The Kite Runner, will speak to students in Alumni Arena on Oct. 16. He has been named one of the top artists and entertainers in Time Magazine's TIME 100, which praised him for changing the world with his writing. His 2003 debut novel told a tale of friendship, family and heartbreak against the backdrop of a historical account of Afghanistan and its people.

"I'll go to see Khaled Hosseini. I read his book, The Kite Runner. It would be interesting," said Amanda Figueroa, a freshman psychology major.

In November, the UB community will hear from author, comedian and talk show host Jon Stewart whom they named their top choice for a Distinguished Speaker.

"We are obviously very excited that we got Stewart to come this year. He has consistently been the top student choice and luckily all the pieces fell into place this year for him to fit into the DSS line-up," Grollitsch said.

Time Magazine named Stewart one of the world's 100 most influential people of 2008. As host of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he broadcasts the latest news and gossip through spoofs and hoaxes amidst real news footage, reaching a nightly audience of over 1.45 million people, according to Nielson Television Ratings.

Donna Brazile, chair of the Democratic National Committee's Voting Rights Institute, is set to speak on Feb. 12 as part of the 33rd annual Martin Luther King Commemorative Event. She is a Democratic political strategist who gained fame the first African-American to lead a major presidential campaign as Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign manager.

Another author to speak in the series is Newsweek columnist and bestselling author Anna Quindlen. She will appear in the Center for the Arts on March 4.

Bill Nye the Science Guy, known for his fun, humorous science experiments and explanations on Bill Nye The Science Guy, will end the series with a big bang on April 22. He has won 22 Emmy Awards and seven personal Emmy Awards for work on his eponymous television show.

"I'm excited to see Bill Nye the Science Guy. I used to watch him when I was younger. I hope it'll be entertaining and hands-on," said Imani Chatman, a freshman finance major.

A full schedule can be found at www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu.