Institute of Politics announces fall fellows

A distinguished group of campaign organizers, lawmakers, and top national journalists will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the Kennedy School of Government (KSG) this semester, serving as fall 2001 fellows at the Institute of Politics (IOP).

Newsweek reporter Matt Bai, Democratic Party fundraiser Joe Cari, Republican Party consultant Mike Murphy, former White House counsel Beth Nolan, and Indian political leader Jayanthi Natarajan will serve in-residence for the fall semester. Italian economist Mario Draghi, MSNBC “Hardball” host Chris Matthews, and former Sen. George McGovern (D-SD) will serve as visiting fellows.

Resident fellows will lead weekly discussion groups, meet with students, work with faculty, and attend classes of their choice throughout the semester. Visiting fellows come to IOP for a short stay – from a few days to a few weeks – with a focus on student interaction throughout Harvard University.

The fellows in residence

Matt Bai is a national correspondent for Newsweek magazine. His political work includes coverage of the 2000 presidential campaign, including Bill Bradley’s presidential bid and the chaos of the Reform Party. Bai has also written extensively about the gun-control debate, the firearms industry, and the Columbine High School shootings. In writing stories from every part of the country, he has focused on America’s urban – rural divide and in maverick politicians like Jesse Ventura and John McCain. Before coming to Newsweek, Bai was a metro reporter for the Boston Globe, where he covered breaking news and law enforcement.

Joe Cari has held several senior positions in presidential campaigns. He served as national finance chairman for the 2000 campaign and is a current member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Cari also serves on the Credentials Committee of the DNC. He has served as national finance chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and as general counsel to the Rules Committee and member of the Fairness Commission of the DNC.

Mike Murphy is one of the Republican Party’s most successful political consultants. Murphy has been called a “media master” by Fortune Magazine, the GOP’s “hottest media consultant” by Newsweek, and the leader of a “new breed” of campaign consultants by Congressional Quarterly. He has advised Republican candidates from the local to presidential level, and has handled strategy and media for more than 20 successful senatorial and gubernatorial campaigns for clients including Govs. Jeb Bush and John Engler, and Sen. Jeff Sessions, among others. In 1999 and 2000, Murphy served as the lead strategist for Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign.

Jayanthi Natarajan served as a member of India’s parliament from 1986 to 2001, and as party leader for the Tamil Maanila Congress from 1997 to 2001. She was on the committee of defense, and the committee on women’s empowerment, and served as the minister of state for civil aviation, coal, and parliamentary affairs. Natarajan has concentrated much of her public life on the issues of women’s equality and human rights. She has campaigned across India for the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill and led several delegations to international conferences on women’s issues. Natarajan is an attorney, who practices law in her state high court and India’s supreme court.

Beth Nolan served in the White House as counsel to the president from 1999 to 2001. At that post she was responsible for overseeing all legal matters for the president and White House staff, including congressional, criminal, and civil investigations and litigation; judicial selection and ethics; and other constitutional, statutory, and regulatory matters affecting the president and the federal government. As deputy assistant attorney general at the Department of Justice, Nolan advised on the interpretation and constitutionality of federal laws, separation of powers, and ethics in government.

The visiting fellows

Mario Draghi has been director – general of the Italian Treasury, a member of the Economic and Financial Committee of the European Economic Community, and a member of the G-7 deputies since 1991. In 2000, Draghi became chairman of the Economic and Financial Committee of the European Union. From 1984 to 1990, he served as executive director of the World Bank and affiliates in Washington, D.C. Draghi will be at the IOP through November.

Chris Matthews is the host of MSNBC’s “Hardball” – a current events talk show. He is also a nationally syndicated columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and the author of two political books. Matthews covered the opening of the Berlin Wall in Germany; the first all-races election in South Africa; and the peace referendum in Northern Ireland. Before entering the world of journalism, Matthews served as a White House aide and speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter and as a senior aide to House Speaker Thomas P. O’Neill Jr. (D-Mass.). He was at the Institute of Politics Oct. 23-25.

George McGovern served as U.S. ambassador to the UN World Food Program from 1998 to 2001. Before that, he was the president of the Middle East Policy Council – an educational organization founded in 1981 to promote better understanding of the realities and issues of the Middle East. McGovern served in the U.S. House of Representatives (D-S.D.) from 1956 until 1960, when he was appointed the first director of the U.S. Food for Peace Program and special assistant to President Kennedy. In 1962, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, and served three terms. McGovern was the Democratic nominee for president in 1972, and was appointed by Presidents Ford and Carter as delegate to the UN. He will be at the Institute of Politics Nov. 12-14.