Maxwell School News and Commentary

Grant Reeher, professor of political science and director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute, says that while too crowded a field leads to a lack of meaningful conversation, restricting the debate stage too extensively is also not ideal because it creates "a self-fulfilling prophecy" in which dark horse candidates never get the chance to emerge.

“He is deeply dug in on this,” said Grant Reeher, professor of political science, about President Trump's immigration policy. “There are things that candidates and office-holders are particularly known for and they stake their identities on. He is clearly one of them, on this issue.”

Brian Taylor, professor and chair of political science, believes the situation between Russia and Ukraine will not change significantly with Zelensky’s election.

William C. Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs says, "the underlying tenor of the investigation was on the Russian activities themselves. Fundamentally, it was a counterintelligence investigation about Russian meddling in the election." 

On presidential candidate John Delaney's suggestion that if elected, he would debate Congress four times a year, Professor Grant Reeher opines: "I can see that this is an effort to change the political culture by requiring direct engagement, but the participants have to agree to take the exercise at face value, in front of TV cameras, and the political disincentives against doing that right now are strong."

 "When you put out things that people can get behind, you also put out things that people can criticize," says Grant Reeher, professor of political science and director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute, about Senator Warren's campaign strategy to release detailed policy positions early on in the primary cycle.

Grant Reeher, professor of political science, describes Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch's confirmation as “a normal accomplishment; and I think he [President Trump] needs a couple of those at this point, given everything else.” 

Professor Emeritus William Banks was interviewed on Bloomberg Radio's program "Bloomberg Law" about the Senate investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election.