Daily Skiff

Bob Schieffer will ask panelists at the fourth annual Schieffer Symposium today to answer the question, "Is campaign '08 about the right stuff?"

Schieffer, moderator of CBS' "Face the Nation" and a TCU graduate, will moderate the discussion between Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today and chairman of the Freedom Forum; Andrea Mitchell, chief foreign affairs and lead political correspondent for NBC News and regular panelist on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews"; Robert Novak, syndicated columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and commentator for Fox News and Bloomberg News; and Roger Mudd, former correspondent for CBS News and NBC News.

"I think up until recently, the media has done a good job of covering the campaign because of the debates," Schieffer said.

Because Democrats do not have a nominee yet, the media is not focusing on their issues, Schieffer said. After a nominee is chosen, he said he thinks the focus will get back to the issues.

With experienced reporters on the panel, there will be a several different opinions represented, Schieffer said.

"It will be interesting to see if the panelists agree with me," he said. "Some of them have been around for a while."

Tommy Thomason, director of the Schieffer School of Journalism, said people get most of their information from the news and said the panel represents some of the best-known and most qualified people to discuss the issues the country is facing in the 2008 campaign. They not only understand the media but also the campaign, Thomason said.

Students are looking forward to the symposium, also.

"The current political environment is both fascinating and exciting, and discussing the 2008 campaign is important because facilitating interest and driving excitement for the campaign is a tremendously important role of the media," said Dylan Taylor-Smith, senior advertising/public relations major.

The symposium will be held in Ed Landreth Auditorium. Tickets are $15 for the public and free to TCU students with an ID.

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