Purdum, McCurry to deliver Seline Lecture on April 25

Two distinguished veterans of politics who worked at the highest levels will share their insights at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Todd Purdum, who covered the Clinton White House for The New York Times, will face off with Mike McCurry, who served as press secretary for President Clinton. Their free public talk, “Navigating the Nexus: Journalism, Public Relations and American Politics,” will be at 12:30 p.m. April 25 in the Nebraska Union’s Swanson Auditorium and will be livestreamed here. After their remarks, they will take questions.

The talk is part of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications’ Seline Memorial Lecture Series. The series, which began in 1992, engages journalism innovators and thought leaders to discuss, explore and debate challenges facing the industry. Purdum and McCurry were invited by Shari Veil, Jane T. Olson Dean of the college.

In nearly 25 years at the Times, Purdum went from copy boy to White House correspondent and Los Angeles bureau chief. He later was a staff writer for Vanity Fair, Politico and The Atlantic. He is the author of three books, most recently “Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway Revolution.” He has taught at the University of Southern California and is working on a biography of Desi Arnaz.

Before joining the White House, McCurry served as press secretary for Sens. Harrison Williams and Daniel Patrick Moynihan, as well as presidential candidates John Glenn, Bruce Babbitt and Bob Kerrey. He was communications director for the Democratic National Committee from 1988 to 1990, and then joined Public Strategies Washington as a consultant. He is also a former co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates, and he taught at the Wesley Theological Seminary for eight years before retiring in 2023.

In announcing this year’s Seline Lecture, Veil cited the college’s mission, which includes the “ethical pursuit of truth to uphold democracy.”

“This will provide our students with an incredible opportunity to view politics from distinct perspectives,” she said. “This collaboration exemplifies crucial dialogue between the fields of journalism and political public relations, and highlights the need for transparency, integrity and mutual understanding in today’s complex media landscape.”

The lecture series was established in honor of S. Allen and Kathleen D. Seline, who were dedicated to helping future generations of Nebraskans.