PAST EVENTS
Defending Democracy: John Avlon, Philip Bobbitt, Ian Kahn, Garry Kasparov, and Bret Stephens
The Common Good was proud to present a very important discussion with Garry Kasparov, Russian dissident and world chess champion, Bret Stephens, New York Times columnist, John Avlon, author of Washington’s Farewell and CNN anchor, Philip Bobbitt, constitutional law expert at Columbia University, and Ian Khan, who plays George Washington on AMC’s Turn.
The Common Good was proud to present a very important discussion with Garry Kasparov, Russian dissident and world chess champion, Bret Stephens, New York Times columnist, John Avlon, author of Washington’s Farewell and CNN anchor, Philip Bobbitt, constitutional law expert at Columbia University, and Ian Khan, who plays George Washington on AMC’s Turn. In our nation and across the globe, democracy is at risk. Leaders from left to right are increasingly alarmed as the central values and norms of liberal democracy are undermined or under outright attack. The US struggles with poisonous division and institutional sclerosis, far right parties are gaining traction in Europe, and Vladimir Putin tightens his authoritarian grip on Russia while subverting democracy abroad. These extraordinary thinkers will explore how we can defend and reinvigorate the best of our democratic values and culture, as the risks to democracy intensify across our nation.
LISTEN:
watch:
John Avlon is an author, columnist and commentator. He is a senior political analyst and fill-in anchor at CNN, appearing on New Day every morning. From 2013 to 2018, he was the editor-in-chief and managing director of The Daily Beast.He is the author of the books Independent Nation, Wingnuts, and Washington’s Farewell as well as co-editor of the acclaimed Deadline Artists journalism anthologies. Avlon served as chief speechwriter to New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and won the National Society of Newspaper Columnists award for best online column in 2012.
Philip C. Bobbitt is the Herbert Wechsler Professor of Federal Jurisprudence and director for the Center for National Security at Columbia Law School. He is one of the nation’s leading constitutional theorists. Bobbitt’s interests include not only constitutional law but also international security and the history of strategy. He has served as law clerk to the Honorable Henry J. Friendly; associate counsel to the president; the counselor on international law at the State Department; legal counsel to the Senate Iran-Contra Committee; and senior director for Critical Infrastructure and senior director for strategic planning at the National Security Council.
Ian Kahn recently starred as General George Washington in AMC’s critically acclaimed series Turn: Washington’s Spies, which recently completed its fourth and final season. Prior to landing the roe of the nation’s first president, Kahn appeared in numerous high-profile television series, including Sex and the City, Suits, Law & Order, Castle, The Unusuals and Shameless. Kahn has been speaking about his experience playing General Washington and how there is a direct connection to today, and our current political challenges, in venues around the country.
Garry Kasparov, one of the world’s greatest chess champions in history, fled Russia in 2013 after Putin’s crackdown on Kasparov’s and others’ reform efforts. Garry Kasparov joined The Common Good to discuss Russia and the dangers Vladimir Putin and his regime pose to the world. Kasparov serves as chairman of the Human Rights Foundation, and has authored numerous works on the Putin regime and artificial intelligence.
Bret Stephens is an op-ed columnist and associate editor for the New York Times. He previously worked for the Wall Street Journal, where he served concurrently as foreign-affairs columnist, deputy editorial page editor and member of the editorial board. Prior to that he was editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, a position he assumed in 2002 at the age of 28. Mr. Stephens has degrees from the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics, as well as three honorary doctorates.
Interested in Attending Future Events?
The Common Good Forum & American Spirit Awards 2018
What a phenomenal and inspiring day! Our experts led thought-provoking discussions on the most significant ideas and issues in the news today. Our awardees were moving and uplifting. While many of our speakers warned us of the challenges ahead, our awardees reminded us of the best of the American spirit.
What a phenomenal and inspiring day! Our experts led thought-provoking discussions on the most significant ideas and issues in the news today. Our awardees were moving and uplifting. While many of our speakers warned us of the challenges ahead, our awardees reminded us of the best of the American spirit.
“That was a very special day…Brilliant and interesting speakers, a wide variety of topics, an intimate setting—it was all so thoughtful and enjoyable, I wanted to thank you and to congratulate you.”
Michael R. Bloomberg presented Parkland student activist David Hogg with The Changemaker Scholarship for Citizen Activism with a quip from Mayor Bloomberg about the 17 year old senior: “When we were backstage he asked me what should I do and I said, well, start out by finishing high school.”
“David is a courageous and inspiring young man…Most of us can’t begin to imagine what David and his classmates went through but they refuse to become another statistic.”
“This battle will not take days or years, it will take lifetimes. And the only way we are going to get through it is not as partisans but as Americans.
”
Joanna Coles, Chief Content Officer at Hearst Magazines, honored Fareed Zakaria, CNN anchor, author, and columnist, with the American Spirit Award for Thought Leadership.
“I’ve presented many awards in my life and I have to say it’s so much fun to present an award where the candidate actually deserves it.”
There was also a very moving special tribute to Robert F. Kennedy, and the American Spirit Award for Citizen Activism was given to Kerry Kennedy by Alec Baldwin.
“Daddy believed in the power of one, and, everywhere he travelled, he made a point of meeting with local activists, community organizers and student groups, because he understood how few will have the greatness to bend history itself. Instead, as you just heard, he believed all of us have a role in sending forth tiny ripples of hope. That is what citizen activism is all about.”
Conversation on domestic and foreign issues were sparked and explained by an array of guests who are experts on an array of topics from International Peace to Strategic Studies.
“I call Iran both the arsonist and the fire brigade in today’s Middle East because on one hand they fuel radicalism …At the same time, they’ve actually fought against radicalism.”
“Every country has its own Mafia. In Russia, the Mafia has its own country.”
“The real challenge for the Chinese government is…the basic bargain they have made with the Chinese people that as long as people continue to get more prosperous that they will not be political demanding, that they will accept the authoritarian control…in return for prosperity.”
“For the common good, it is terribly important we take this [drug abuse] epidemic on in a wise way with the right resources. This is a winnable win. We can do this.”
We were extremely proud and grateful to all of our outstanding participants: Antony Blinken, former Deputy Secretary of State; Congressman Mike Rogers, former Chair of the House Intel Committee; Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney; former Congressman David Jolly; Dr. Yascha Mounk, leading expert on the crisis in liberal democracy; Dr. Stephen Roach, economist at Yale University; Dr. Charles Armstrong, The Korea Foundation Professor of Korean Studies at Columbia University; John Della Volpe, Director of Polling at Harvard Kennedy School; Ambassador Jan Kickert, Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations; Susan Del Percio, Republican strategist and political commentator; Bill Schneider, leading political analyst and author; Mike Espy, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture; Ana Cabrera, anchor, CNN Newsroom; John Harwood, CNBC Chief Washington correspondent; Paula R. Stern, founder of Stern Group Inc.; Admiral (Ret.) James Winnefeld; Garry Kasparov, world champion chess player; Karim Sadjadpour, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; and Dr. Kori Schake, Deputy Director-General of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Interested in attending future events?
The Common Good has been hosting events since 2006 that cover important issues of today, highlighting speakers who have worked to bolster our democracy and can provide great insight on the issues that matter.