October 8, 2009
The San Jose Mercury-News quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about a recent poll showing that California Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Campbell is running neck and neck with billionaire Meg Whitman. "It's really interesting that Campbell is so close with no money and not much name recognition," Jeffe said. "But it's also clear that the campaign really hasn't begun to catch the broad attention of Californians."
October 5, 2009
The Los Angeles Times noted that Pasadena Police Chief Bernard Melekian, who is a doctoral of policy, planning, and development student at SPPD, will retire from his post to head the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program in Washington, D.C. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder made the announcement Oct. 5 during a national police leaders meeting in Denver, according to the story.
October 2, 2009
Variety quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe in an article on the fundraising efforts of Gavin Newsom and Jerry Brown, who are seen as the gubernatorial frontrunners for the California Democratic Party. "We are talking about California," Jeffe said, referring to the use of filmmaker Roman Polanski's case in the governor's race. "I think it is going to be a minor issue for anyone who is running. The people who are going to be totally up in arms aren't going to vote for a Democrat, anyway."
September 29, 2009
The Fresno Bee quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, a Republican challenger for Sen. Barbara Boxer's U.S. Senate seat. Fiorina didn't attend the Republican convention in Indian Wells this past weekend, citing ongoing cancer treatments. The story included speculation that Fiorina, considered a moderate Republican, didn't attend because she wanted to avoid conservative Republicans. "Whatever the reason [Fiorina] didn't go, I think she was better off not being there," Jeffe said. "The Republican convention was certainly not the most friendly crowd for Fiorina."
September 28, 2009
The Chronicle of Higher Education featured SPPD Adjunct Associate Professor Michael Kodama and his work in transportation planning. Kodama was recently named executive director of the Orangeline Development Authority, charged with planning a high-speed rail system that will link 14 cities through Southern California. The story highlighted Kodama's transportation planning class, in which he requires his students to travel an assigned route on a commuter train and write an essay about the experience. Kodama also requires his students to develop their own public transit projects, which they discuss with transportation professionals and present to the class. Board members viewed Kodama's teaching background as a plus when they chose him to direct the project, said the development authority's chairman. "I've been involved with a lot of different transportation projects and they all find their ways back into the classroom," Kodama said. "Teaching is enjoyable and rewarding -- and I get to see where some of the students end up. I still run into quite a few of them."
September 24, 2009
Dana Goldman, a widely respected expert in health economics, has been named director of the new Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC, according to an announcement from USC Executive Vice President and Provost C. L. Max Nikias. Goldman most recently served as director of the RAND Corp.'s Health Economics, Finance and Organization Division.
September 23, 2009
The Sacramento Bee quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe on how gubernatorial candidates are responding to the problem of prison overcrowding in California. With voters reminded of the alleged crimes of parolee Phillip Garrido in the Jaycee Lee Dugard case, the tendency for candidates is to tack right for fear being labeled soft on crime, Jeffe said. "The candidates are only worried about the fallout," Jeffe said. "All candidates are somewhat boxed in on the center-right when it comes to public safety."
September 23, 2009
A major new research center focused on health policy and economics has been established at USC, Executive Vice President and Provost C. L. Max Nikias announced. The center is funded by a $1.2 million operating gift from health care industry leader Leonard D. Schaeffer and his wife, Pamela. The Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics is a collaboration between the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development and the USC School of Pharmacy.
September 16, 2009
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development hosted members of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce this summer in the first stop of the Texas delegation's three-day Los Angeles tour aimed at exchanging information with local civic leaders and experts.
September 16, 2009
Erroll Southers MPA '98 has been nominated by the Obama administration to run the Transportation Security Administration. Southers is an adjunct professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, and he also serves as associate director of the USC Homeland Security Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events.
September 15, 2009
NBC News Los Angeles affiliate KNBC-TV interviewed SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe in a story about former President Bill Clinton endorsing San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom for governor of California. "It does mean something, because the buzz has been that Newsom hasn't gotten traction, and he needed to get some traction," Jeffe said. "Bill Clinton will give Newsom media attention. He will allow Newsom to raise some money. Newsom hasn't been very good at that. But I'm not sure, as one pollster put it today, it upends the Democratic gubernatorial primary." The Los Angeles Wave also covered the story.
September 13, 2009
The Riverside Press-Enterprise quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe in a story about Inland Empire political candidates eschewing the word "change" in their campaigns, fearing voter burnout after President Obama's campaign. "Bottom line, he won, so it made the slogan appealing," Jeffe said. But as Obama's popularity numbers continue to slip and his policies come under increased fire, the risk of backlash for candidates attaching themselves to the slogan is higher, Jeffe said, especially in conservative areas of Riverside and San Bernardino counties
September 9, 2009
Richard Callahan, associate dean and director of leadership programs at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, has been appointed to a newly formed advisory board for the California Environmental Protection Agency's Department of Toxic Substances Control.
August 30, 2009
The Los Angeles Times quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe in a story on the relative voter appeal of young candidates and older, more experienced ones. "When voters perceive change as too much risk, they pull back, unless they are so fed up they don't care," Jeffe said.
August 24, 2009
The Columbus Dispatch quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the White House indicating that it would accept a health care bill without a public option. This has infuriated liberal Democrats who supported Barack Obama's campaign in 2008, the story stated. "These guys on the left invested an awful lot in Barack Obama, and I think they feel as if they own a piece of him," Jeffe said. "He's not delivering from their perspective."
August 20, 2009
La Opinion quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe in an article about questions that have surfaced over Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's recent travel to Iceland and South Africa.
August 12, 2009
The Los Angeles Wave reported that SPPD Clinical Professor Leonard Mitchell has been appointed to the newly formed 26th District Workforce Development Task Force. The task force is devoted to creating at least 10,000 new jobs in the district by the end of 2011. Mitchell heads the USC Center for Economic Development, the story noted.
August 10, 2009
The Daily Breeze reported that the Obama administration plans to appoint SPPD Adjunct Professor Erroll Southers as head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In the position, Southers, MPA '98, would oversee a workforce of 50,000 airport screeners. Southers is a former FBI agent and previously served as deputy director of the California Department of Homeland Security, the story noted.
August 7, 2009
The USC State Capital Center welcomed more than 20 senior legislative staff from across the nation for an eight-day leadership and management training program. The goal is to help professionals develop and enhance critical skills such as effective communication, team building, negotiation and conflict resolution. Rich Callahan, associate dean at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, is co-director of the Legislative Staff Management Institute program.
August 7, 2009
The Orange County Register quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about a proposed ballot measure that would call a California constitutional convention. Given the starting estimate of $60 million to cover convention costs, voters may balk at approving the convention, even though that would be a small part of the state's $84 billion general fund budget, Jeffe said.
August 3, 2009
In his new role as assistant secretary for policy development and research at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, USC's Raphael Bostic will face a huge task: helping policymakers come up with ways to bring stability back to the nation's housing market. Bostic, a professor at the School of Policy, Planning, and Development, was sworn into his new government position on July 16.
July 22, 2009
The Los Angeles Times quoted Professor Harry Pachon about the community support role of the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles. The consulate has long served as a bridge between the U.S. and Mexico, but has become increasingly active in recent years, Pachon said. "It reflects the recognition by Mexico that a significant portion of its people are living in the United States. This is one of a series of steps helping the Mexican consulate be a relevant factor in the community."
July 15, 2009
The L.A. Metro Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration honored the USC City/County Management Fellowship program and its chair, William Kelly MPA '74, with the 2009 ASPA Chapter President's Award, which celebrates significant contributions to public service and developing future leaders. The program is an innovative collaboration between the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, alumni executives and the California International City/County Management Association.
July 14, 2009
NBC Nightly News interviewed SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the California budget crisis. "[T]he eighth largest economy in the world is unable to borrow, is unable to pay its bills, and that will have an impact not only on the state economy, but on the national economy and on the global economy," Jeffe said.
July 9, 2009
Congressional Quarterly quoted Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch about Sen. Barbara Boxer, who has adopted a conciliatory approach in order to push a climate change initiative. "She cannot do it alone," Jeffe said. "Rightly or wrongly - and there may be some sexism in this - Boxer doesn't always radiate the image of a team player. To be an iconic figure of the left and to be perceived as not being flexible enough to be a team player is not a good thing."
July 7, 2009
The Orange County Register noted that SPPD Adjunct Associate Professor Michael Kodama has been named executive director of the project to develop a maglev train system for Southern California. Planners envision an elevated, 110-mile train line between Irvine and Palmdale, with overall costs estimated in the $12 billion range, the story stated.
July 5, 2009
The New York Times highlighted SPPD alum Hilda Solis and her unique road to becoming Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor. After overcoming many obstacles, Solis, MPA '81, a former four-term congresswoman, has become the first Hispanic woman to serve as a cabinet member, the story noted.
June 24, 2009
Richard DeBeikes Jr., president of the diversified real estate corporation DeBeikes Investment Co., has been elected to a five-year term on the USC Board of Trustees. DeBeikes, a 1978 graduate of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, is also outgoing president of the USC Alumni Association Board of Governors, having served for 2008-09.
June 19, 2009
Variety quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about Attorney General Jerry Brown's chances in the California gubernatorial race. "If you asked me four or five months ago, I would say it is a slam-dunk for Jerry Brown," Jeffe said. "I don't believe that anymore. When I talk to my graduate students, if they know anything at all about Jerry Brown, it is 'Gov. Moonbeam.'" CBS Radio San Francisco affiliate KCBS-AM also interviewed Jeffe on the subject.
June 8, 2009
A group of 150 USC alumni and prominent Trojans gathered at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., on May 21 to hear a panel of experts assess the early accomplishments of the Obama administration and offer their prognosis for its future.
May 27, 2009
Four USC students - including three from the School of Policy, Planning, and Development - have won the Clinton-Orfalea Fellowships. The fellows will head to New York in August to lend their talents to the William J. Clinton Foundation, which addresses issues of global climate change, HIV and AIDS in the developing world as well as childhood obesity, and economic opportunity and development.
May 19, 2009
La Opinion quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about California's perennial budget woes. It's become apparent that the state has been ungovernable for a while now, Jeffe said. "When was the last time we had an effective governor?" she asked.
May 18, 2009
Congressional Quarterly quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi facing fire for her handling of the CIA harsh interrogation technique authorizations. Even though, barring any new disclosures, Pelosi is likely to surmount her difficulty, that doesn't mean she has been at her best, Jeffe said. By seeming to change her story and by parsing words, Pelosi hasn't handled the situation well, Jeffe added.
May 17, 2009
The Los Angeles Times quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the close race for the congressional seat in the San Gabriel Valley. "[Gil] Cedillo has got to mobilize his base," Jeffe said. Rival Judy Chu needs to show voters she has support among Latinos, Jeffe added.
May 12, 2009
The Los Angeles Times quoted Professor Harry Pachon about the hotly contested congressional election taking place in the San Gabriel Valley. The top candidates are a Latino man and an Asian woman, the story noted. "Ethnicity is a factor," Pachon said. "But it's not the only factor." Pachon is president of the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute at USC, the story noted.
April 25, 2009
The National Journal quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the California gubernatorial race. "Whoever becomes governor [in 2010] is going to be faced with an absolute mess," Jeffe said.
April 24, 2009
The Los Angeles Times quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about California's gubernatorial race. "It takes a lot of luck and money and intelligence and timing, and heaven knows what else," Jeffe said.
April 24, 2009
The National Journal quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about Judy Chu's campaign to represent California's 32nd Congressional district. If Chu wins the election, local observers say she will be the first Asian American to represent the Southland in Congress. "It will be a breakthrough for Asians in a district in which they are true minority," Jeffe said.
April 20, 2009
Morris News Service quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the "tea party" protests last week against President Obama's spending and tax plans. Polls indicate that most Americans don't agree with the protests, the story noted. "The public seems willing to go along with Obama's programs as long as they don't seem too permanent," Jeffe said.
March 24, 2009
As the Obama administration prepares to disperse economic stimulus money for infrastructure, a timely new book sheds light on special districts -- the "shadow governments" that will be responsible for spending a large portion of these funds. In her book, Paying the Toll, Louise Nelson Dyble, associate director for research at the Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, documented how the bridge district grew from well-intentioned public corporation with bipartisan support to notorious organization rife with corruption.
March 23, 2009
The Los Angeles Times reported that Raphael Bostic has been tapped by President Barack Obama to be assistant secretary for policy development and research in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Bostic has served as a professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development and as director of the master of real estate development degree program, the story noted. He is an expert on housing, mortgage markets, discrimination, market forecasting, urban economics and real estate regulations. "We are pleased that the administration has reached out to tap a member of our highly respected real estate and urban economics faculty and delighted to tell you that Dr. Bostic has assured us of his return to campus following his two-year post at HUD," a USC statement noted.
March 16, 2009
The Sacramento Bee quoted Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about contenders lining up for California's attorney general race. San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris has an advantage as the only female candidate in the field, Jeffe said. Harris also is helped by her identification with the Obama brand and ability to tap into Obama's organizing and fundraising networks, Jeffe explained.
March 6, 2009
National Public Radio interviewed SPPD Senior fellow Richard Little about President Obama's infrastructure stimulus plan, which designates tens of billions of dollars for so-called "shovel-ready projects." Little, director of the USC Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy, discussed the impact of those projects on the nation's economic crisis and decaying infrastructure. "Essentially, it's projects that can be gotten underway within 120 days, meaning they are out to bid and ready to proceed," Little said. "The emphasis is on getting people to work and spending money," he added.
February 27, 2009
During a recent discussion held at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) shared personal lessons and political insights from her book, Dream in Color: How the Sanchez Sisters Are Making History in Congress (Grand Central Publishing, 2008).
February 19, 2009
The Oregonian quoted Professor Richard Green about President Barack Obama's mortgage restructuring initiative. "It's a clever plan," Green said. "It might actually help the housing market bottom," he added. Green is director and chair of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.
February 19, 2009
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development and the USC Annenberg School for Communication hosted the inaugural Dennis F. and Brooks Holt Professorship Lecture in Communication and Public Policy on Feb. 11. The Holt Professorship, a joint undertaking between the two schools, focuses on the role of communication in the policymaking process of a democratic society and market-based economy.
February 15, 2009
The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe and Dan Schnur, director of the Unruh Institute of Politics at USC College, about California's gubernatorial race. Senator Dianne Feinstein's name has come up as a possible contender, the story stated. "She's still thinking about it, but I don't see it happening, because she's got herself an incredibly powerful position right now," Jeffe said. "It seems likely we've spent more than a decade now waiting for Dianne Feinstein to decide whether to run for governor," Schnur said.
February 12, 2009
The Riverside Press-Enterprise quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about how Americans view corrupt politicians. "It depends on the office," Jeffe said. "Each case tends to be different," she explained. "It depends on the political environment of the time and the political culture of the state or district."
February 9, 2009
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development and the World Bank signed an agreement designed to merge scholarly research and specific program initiatives to address sustainable development in the East Asia and Pacific Region. The signing ceremony took place during a conference in Washington, D.C., focusing on challenges facing megacities in the developing world.
February 4, 2009
La Opinion quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the politics of being mayor in Los Angeles. It's better for a mayor to have more friends than enemies, Jeffe said.
February 4, 2009
Faculty and students at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development took part in a leadership training conference to help local government officials find solutions for public problems afflicting cities nationwide.
January 27, 2009
Agence France-Presse quoted Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger embracing progressive environmental policy. "At this point in time, the only legacy that he can hope for is the area of the environmental reform," Jeffe said. "The budget problem will override everything. But he can attempt to use this issue to grab the attention and change the subject for a little while. He's got nothing left, quite frankly."
January 26, 2009
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development marked its 80th anniversary by hosting a special colloquium Jan. 16 at the Davidson Conference Center. During the conference, Dean Jack H. Knott noted that SPPD remains dedicated to advancing academic theory and making a vital impact in the world.
January 23, 2009
La Opinion quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the inauguration of President Barack Obama. In his address, Obama did not try to sugarcoat the problems facing the country, Jeffe said. It was similar to the speech FDR gave when he took power amidst the Great Depression, she added.
January 20, 2009
La Opinion quoted Professor Harry Pachon about the future of the Republican Party. The party will have to reach out to Latinos if it hopes to build its electoral base, Pachon said. There are two reasons for the high number of potential Latino voters: the naturalization of immigrants and a new generation of young Latinos who have reached voting age, he explained. Pachon is president of the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute.
January 20, 2009
La Opinion quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about former President George W. Bush's role in tarnishing America's image in the world. Bush's policies generated the ill will abroad, Jeffe said.
December 22, 2008
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development signed a formal agreement to participate in Fellows/USA, the Peace Corps' graduate fellowship program. This agreement will enable former volunteers to pursue a graduate education in public administration, public policy, urban planning, health administration and real estate development.
January 6, 2009
McClatchy Newspapers quoted Assistant Professor Elizabeth Currid in a story about Barack Obama's personal style. The historic nature of Obama's presidency, his iconic status in youth culture, and the viral marketing of the president-elect as the personification of cool have helped ensure that he will have a lasting impact on the world of fashion, Currid said.
January 6, 2009
Reuters quoted Richard Little about how President-elect Obama's proposed stimulus funds may be channeled into "shovel-ready" infrastructure projects. "We must save the patient first, then think about long-term strategy," Little said. "If the objective is to create jobs, we should focus on projects that are ready to go." Little is director of the USC Keston Institute for Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy, the story noted.
January 1, 2009
La Opinion quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about President Barack Obama's Iraq policy. Obama will take concrete steps to accelerate the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, Jeffe said.
November 30, 2008
The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about how Barack Obama's election affects Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's legacy. Obama's election "really saves Arnold's legacy," Jeffe said. "He can now focus on the environmental issues that are so dear to him and he'll have a much better chance of a positive response from the feds," she explained. "He's got a buddy in the White House who's not about to tell California to drop dead if they want to tighten their own standards."
November 20, 2008
The Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, a new student organization at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, hosted its inaugural event -- a panel discussion at Lewis Hall addressing key issues currently facing the Asian American community.
November 5, 2008
Agence France-Presse quoted SPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about John McCain's role in the Senate following his loss to Barack Obama. "I think that's the role he must play -- to be a bridge between Obama and the Republicans on the Hill," Jeffe said. "It's clearly the kind of role that McCain feels comfortable in. He built his reputation on working across the aisle and that is what he has to do again. It makes infinite sense for him to attempt to work in partnership with Obama."
November 12, 2008
The Congressional Quarterly quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about Rep. Henry Waxman. Waxman is reportedly trying to unseat veteran House Energy and Commerce Chairman John D. Dingell, in part by appealing to freshman legislators whose campaigns received contributions by the California congressman. "The last time this strategy was used by Henry, it worked," Jeffe said. "That tells me he has a good chance."
October 30, 2008
The Los Angeles Times quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe about the surge in Barack Obama ads hitting the airwaves. Obama has been outspending John McCain on ads because of a large fundraising advantage, the story stated. "If you have the money, you spend it," Jeffe said.
October 29, 2008
During an Oct. 21 panel hosted by the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry said that the goal of downtown's revitalization effort is to restore "the excitement of an earlier time." The changing downtown landscape was the focus of the panel discussion, which took place inside City Hall. The event was part of the SPPD Dean's Speaker Series.
October 24, 2008
The Los Angeles Times quoted Assistant Professor Elizabeth Currid about Barack Obama's and John McCain's positions on arts funding. McCain's near silence on the issue shows indifference toward the arts, Currid said. "No one says they don't support the arts. But they say it implicitly," she added. Obama's proposals to bolster the arts with federal money and programs show that he has put his left foot forward to support the arts, Currid said.
October 14, 2008
The Los Angeles Times quoted SPPD Associate Professor Gary Painter about Barack Obama's plan to create a federal agency charged with helping states that are caught in the credit crunch. "It's really a small cost for the Treasury, but it could have really important benefits to keep the local governments running," Painter said.
October 13, 2008
The Orange County Register quoted SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe regarding a news article about an anti-Obama Web site. "By writing a story about it, you're giving them the press they seek and are sending people there that wouldn't otherwise go," Jeffe said.
October 9, 2008
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe was quoted in the Orange County Register about a Web site aimed at "swift-boating" Barack Obama. "I don't think this particular Web site is effective," Jeffe said. "But you can't be sure it won't have some effect."
September 29, 2008
SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe was quoted in Australia's Canberra Times about Sarah Palin and how her foreign policy inexperience is unlikely to sow doubt among the conservative Republican base. "The party base doesn't care about foreign policy, so it should not be too much of a concern," Jeffe said. "But the media love affair [with Palin] is over," she added.
September 27, 2008
SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe was quoted in the Columbus Dispatch about the first presidential debate. "Obama did well enough," Jeffe said. "He showed he knew what he was talking about. I do believe the debate was more helpful to Obama in establishing himself on an even playing field on the issue of foreign policy," she added.
September 11, 2008
SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe was quoted in a USA Today story about Barack Obama's controversial "lipstick on a pig" comment, which John McCain's campaign has called sexist. "Lipstick on a pig" is the cousin of another old chestnut, the one about making a "silk purse out of a sow's ear," Jeffe said. "It means taking something that you can't change - that's a negative - and putting the best spin on it," Jeffe said. "It has nothing to do with sexism."
September 5, 2008
SPPD Adjunct Professor Dora Kingsley was interviewed on New York affiliate WNYC-FM about Sarah Palin. "I'm so pleased with the nomination of Gov. Palin and the opportunities that Sen. Clinton has afforded women in the process of making public policy and decision-making, and that's why I'm excited to be a Republican this year," she said. Kingsley is a delegate at the Republic National Convention in St. Paul, the story noted.
August 27, 2008
SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe was quoted by the San Diego Union-Tribune about Hillary Clinton's address at the Democratic convention last night. It was one of the best speeches Clinton has ever given, Jeffe said. "She really knocked it out of the ballpark," Jeffe added.
August 27, 2008
SPPD Senior Fellow Sherry Bebitch Jeffe was quoted in a Congressional Quarterly article about Barack Obama's need to win over Hillary Clinton supporters. The Democratic nominee faces a big challenge in attracting Clinton's "most rock-solid base: the 'Hillary women, '" Jeffe said. "They are not moving over to Obama, and probably won't even if Hillary goes all out," Jeffe added.
August 7, 2008
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe was quoted in the Rocky Mountain News about high demand for tickets to Barack Obama's nomination speech at the Democratic National Convention. The historic nature of the convention and the enthusiasm of Obama supporters will generate a huge demand for tickets, but there will be little downside from would-be attendees who get shut out, said Jeffe, senior fellow at SPPD. "People at this point in time are used to being locked out of concerts and sporting events. It happens. I really don't see people rising up in anger over not getting a ticket to the speech," she said.
July 8, 2008
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, senior fellow at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, was quoted in a New York Sun article about John McCain's campaign organization. Observers speculate that McCain may bring in Michael Murphy, a strategist in his 2000 presidential bid, to work on the campaign's message. However, this might be an awkward fit with Steve Schmidt, an operative from President Bush's 2004 campaign, who took over McCain's day-to-day operations last week. "I don't see a co-campaign manager dynamic working out," Jeffe said. "If Murphy comes in only to do the media, if they cut that piece off and that's his, that's one thing, but I don't think it's helpful to have two people calling the shots," she added.
July 6, 2008
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, senior fellow at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, was quoted in a Columbus Dispatch article on how presidential candidates benefit from military experience. Military experience "does help a candidate make the case that his expertise goes beyond the boundaries of the United States," Jeffe said.
June 5, 2008
Harry Pachon was interviewed on "CNN Newsroom" about Robert F. Kennedy's legacy. "The national focus on the Hispanic community is something that was new," Pachon said. "He reached out and you felt that there was really a coalition that could be made of black, Latino and white working class of, you know, voters. We all have something in common. It was very powerful at that time." Pachon is president of the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute at USC, the story noted.
June 1, 2008
William Fulton wrote an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times about developer Robert Maguire III's legacy in downtown Los Angeles. "The next time you're descending the stairs between McCormick & Schmick's and Starbucks in U.S. Bank Tower and gazing at the expanded Central Library, think of Robert Maguire," Fulton wrote. "His office building will probably go condo sooner than later, but the Bunker Hill Steps and the Central Library will forever be monuments to his deal-making genius. Even though he's now in his 70s, Maguire will probably be back in some form. After all, wily developers have at least nine lives -- and they usually go bankrupt between each one."
May 29, 2008
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development was quoted in the San Francisco Sentinel about widows of politicians who succeed their husbands. "When I was in college, it was said that the only way for a woman to get to Congress was wait for her husband to die," Jeffe said.
April 10, 2008
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe was quoted in a recent Politico news story about whether John McCain can win in California. "McCain is going to have a hard time in the state no matter whom he faces," said Jeffe, a senior fellow at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development. "This is a state that hates President Bush, and I don't see how John McCain will be able to totally disassociate himself from the president," she said. "This is a blue state. I just don't see the arithmetic working for McCain."
If anyone needs to get in touch with USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development graduate student Laura Peralta this summer, they can reach her at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, D.C. Peralta, who is working toward her master of public administration degree, has earned the prestigious distinction of being one of 100 nationwide students selected to intern in the White House under President Barack Obama.
The USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development signed a memorandum of understanding with the South Korean government to provide graduate education and training for selected officials from Korea's Ministry of Public Administration and Security.
Raphael Bostic, a professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, and Elizabeth Garrett, USC's vice president for academic planning and budget and a professor at the USC Gould School of Law, have been asked to join President Obama's administration in Washington, D.C.
February 24, 2009
February 20, 2009