Former White House advisor addresses national issues in talk at Kavli Theater
By Cary Ginell soundthink@aol.com

David Gergen

At the beginning of his address last week at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza's Fred Kavli Theater, veteran political commentator David Gergen told the audience that he would only spend "30 to 40 minutes" hearing himself talk, preferring to answer questions from the audience. By the time he completed his comments, however, twice that much time had gone by, a fact that caused the selfdeprecating journalist to laugh at his own verbosity.

A prominent and respected television commentator for the past 30 years, Gergen is used to presenting opinions in sound bytes. It is no surprise that he appears to thoroughly enjoy the addresses he gives, where he gets to expound in detail on his views and opinions on politics and issues both domestic and international.

Gergen, 65, is generally considered a conservative, however, his detached objectivity has earned him respect from liberals as well. In addition to serving as an adviser to Presidents Nixon, Ford and Reagan, Gergen also served as a counselor and adviser to President Bill Clinton. Today, he is editor-at-large for U.S. News & World Report and as a regular television commentator.

Forsaking the lectern, Gergen preferred standing beside it at the edge of the stage, addressing the audience directly and not using any written notes. Although he began his Nov. 6 talk with a few perfunctory jokes, the tone was mostly grave as he alluded to dire problems that will be faced by the next president.

Gergen spent the first part of his address soberly discussing the increasingly volatile political atmosphere in the Middle East, especially regarding Pakistan and Iran, saying that America's next president will be elected at a "strategic inflection point" in the nation's history, in which the president will be facing a tougher agenda than any president since Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Turning to the upcoming presidential campaign, Gergen admitted to having a "passion for the horse race," and discussed the relative merits of the major candidates. Gergen feels that Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton is the odds-on favorite to win her party's nomination, depending upon which Hillary shows up: the "old Hillary," characterized by strident petulance, rigid idealism, and an argumentative nature, or the "new Hillary," typified by a more personable, diplomatic, and humored approach since her election to the Senate from New York.

Gergen showed a grudging respect for Clinton, wittily pointing out that "me and Mrs. Clinton disagree over six out of every four issues." Although Gergen is ready to concede that the Republican nomination will go to former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, he said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was "an excellent executive" and could gain momentum with victories in the Iowa caucuses and early state primaries.

Regardless of who wins the election, Gergen said the next president needs to be a consensus builder, citing Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy as two presidents whose cabinets were composed of people from opposing parties. Of the presidents he has worked for, Gergen surprised the audience by saying that the nation needed a leader like Richard Nixon to confront the problems in the Middle East, one who wields "a scepter in one hand and a switchblade in the other."

He explained that Nixon was cunning and savvy but a little unbalanced, which would give the leaders of aggressive nations pause before further antagonizing the U.S.

Gergen also cited Ronald Reagan as a positive influence on American life, not necessarily because of his political acumen, but owing to his contagious optimism.

Despite his well-perceived conservatism, Gergen admitted favoring certain issues that are traditionally championed by Democrats. He is pro-choice, recognizes that America's healthcare system is "in meltdown," and that the effects of global warming can no longer be denied. Regarding the latter, Gergen said it was critical that China and India, countries with large populations that are also noted to be environmentally abusive, be pressured to sign the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

Despite his bleak forecast for the future, Gergen said that the nation has one major source of hope: The current generation of Americans in their early 20s is committed to social change.

The Distinguished Speaker Series will next feature an address by Sarah Ferguson, the duchess of York, on Jan. 21. For details on the series, see www .speakersla.com.