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		</script><br> <img width="347" height="283" class="FloatLeft" alt="Pizza PolPROMO1" src="/site/files/oldnewsfiles/Pizza%20PolPROMO1.jpg">On Monday, September 22nd, students and faculty gathered in the student lounge to eat pizza and discuss the 2008 Election, focusing on the foreign policy positions of presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain. Professors <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/KellyJPatrick.aspx">Patrick Kelly</a> and <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/StraussAndrewL.aspx">Andrew Strauss</a> led the discussion, and the student audience actively participated with thoughtful comments and questions.<br><br>The discussion ranged over a variety of foreign policy topics, touching on how to define success in Iraq, the positive and negative consequences of efforts to bring democracy to the Middle East, and the rising power of Iran in the Middle East. Professor Kelly noted, “It was inevitable that once we went into Iraq, Iran would increase in power. Professor Strauss noted that Iran is achieving regional ascendancy in part because Saddam Hussein’s regime no longer serves as a check on Iranian power, saying, “Having Iran and Iraq juxtaposed against each other might have actually been in the best interests of the United States.”<br><br>The conversation also touched on general approaches to foreign policy such as multilateralism, unilateralism, and isolationism, which led to a consideration of the basic views of the two candidates regarding foreign policy. A discussion of McCain’s idea for a “League of Democracy” touched off a debate about whether or not democratic countries should be trying to push their values on others. The event offered everyone a great opportunity to express their opinions and learn more about the stances of each candidate.<br><br><div style="margin: 5px; float: right; width: 440px;"><object width="437" height="370" id="viddler_fbe4dac9" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"><param value="http://www.viddler.com/player/fbe4dac9/" name="movie">
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<embed width="437" height="370" name="viddler_fbe4dac9" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.viddler.com/player/fbe4dac9/"></embed></object></div>The next Pizza and Politics discussion will be on Tuesday, September 30th at noon in the student lounge off of Main Street. Professors <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/HaymanRobertL.aspx">Robert Hayman</a> and <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/ReganPaulL.aspx">Paul Regan</a> will lead a discussion about the Vice Presidency.<br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pizza and Politics Series:</span><br><ul>
<li>Sept. 22, 4pm: FOREIGN POLICY with Professors <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/StraussAndrewL.aspx">Strauss</a> and <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/KellyJPatrick.aspx">P. Kelly</a>. </li>
<li>Sept. 30, 12 noon: the VICE PRESIDENCY with Professors <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/HaymanRobertL.aspx">Hayman</a> and <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/ReganPaulL.aspx">Regan</a>. </li>
<li>Oct. 6, 4 pm: the SUPREME COURT, with Professor <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/LipkinRobertJustin.aspx">Lipkin</a>. </li>
<li>Oct. 14, 12 noon: HEALTH CARE POLICY, with Professors <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/GoldbergSusanL.aspx">S. Goldberg</a> and <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/FichterAndrewJ.aspx">Fichter</a>. </li>
<li>Oct 20, 4 pm: ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY POLICY, with Professor <a href="/Academics/Faculty/ProfilesDe/MayJamesR.aspx">May</a>.</li>
</ul>