Due to a series of unfortunate events, I was not able to attend the concluding lecture at the Global Futures summit conducted by the Jefferson Educational Society last night.

E. J. Dionne

Washington Post and syndicated columnist E.J. Dionne was the speaker on the topic “How Will American Politics Change in the Future?” I wanted the chance to hear Dionne as he came under fire from the right during last year’s campaign, being portrayed as an Obama-apologist.

The Erie Times-News’ David Bruce did make it to the lecture and in his report in Saturday’s paper, he quoted Dionne as making a comparison between the election of President Obama and that of Ronald Reagan some 28 years earlier.

Bruce wrote:

“In each case, the country was ready to move in a new direction,” said Dionne, the featured and final speaker of the inaugural Global Futures Summit at Congregation Brith Shalom, 3207 State St. “In 1980, Reagan stole optimism from the Democratic Party. … You could say he promised ‘Change you can believe in.’”

From the report I’m not sure how much Dionne talked about the political landscape for the future, other than giving warnings to both Democrats and Republicans for the 2010 mid-term elections regarding energizing their bases.

It had to be a little disappointing to the event organizers that only 170 people came out to see a name that appears on TV, radio and the newspapers daily. Perhaps for next year they should shoot for another Post standard-bearer: George Will.