Newsmakers

September 2008

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

10:00 AM  National Health Care (NPC Newsmaker)

Description: "A Prescription for National Health Care Reform"

With the election of a new President and a new administration only a few months away, healthcare is as hotly debated as ever. Why does America continue to struggle with its healthcare system? When we spend twice as much of our GDP as other countries on our healthcare system, why don't we achieve better health outcomes? What are the problems and -- much more important -- what can be done about it?
David B. Snow Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Medco Health Solutions, one of the country's largest health care companies, unveils a dramatic and pragmatic blueprint for righting America's faltering health care system. This plan for a healthier America defines and aligns the essential roles of the public and private sectors --addressing technological, clinical and legal/regulatory reforms necessary to ensure a sustainable system that extends affordable access, while improving quality care. From fixing Medicare to trimming America's collective waistline, Snow is prepared to make tough choices and tackle controversial issues -- challenging patients, physicians, payors and politicians to become actively engaged and accountable for improving both clinical and financial outcomes.
A question and answer session will follow Snow's remarks.
Moderator: Eelco H. Dykstra, M.D., NPC Member, Professor of International Emergency Management, the George Washington University (202-248-4101; edykstra@gwu.edu)
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Contact: MEDCO: c/o Jean C. Gould; Director, Corporate & Government Affairs, Coyne Public Relations - Tel. 973-939-8140; JGould@coynepr.com

Sponsored by:Newsmakers Committee

Location: Zenger Room

3:00 PM  Prime Minister of France (NPC Newsmaker)

Description: The Former Prime Minister of France EDOUARD BALLADUR, will discuss "A UNION OF THE WEST BETWEEN EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES"

Mr. Balladur was the 14th Prime Minister of the Fifth Republic of France under President Francois Mitterand from March 29, 1993 to May 10, 1995. He is said to be close to current French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who was his budget minister and spokesman. His "Union of the West" notion is based on the theory that the U.S. and Europe risk being overtaken soon by the rest of the world and that to hold on to their place and value system, they should form an "organic alliance".

Contacts:
National Press Club: PETER HICKMAN
301/530-1210 (H&O/T&F), 202/662-7540 (NPC), pjhickman@hotmail.com
Prime Minister Balladur: TIZIANA STELLA (Streit Council)
202/986-2433 (TEL), 571/232-7369 (CELL), tizistella@aol.com

Sponsored by:Newsmakers Committee

Location: Lisagor Room

Monday, September 15, 2008

10:00 AM  Mortgage and Credit Crises? (NPC Newsmaker)

Description: "Did Wall Street Cause the Mortgage and Credit Crises?"

Paul Muolo, Executive Editor of "National Mortgage News," and co-author of the book, Chain of Blame: How Wall Street Caused the Mortgage and Credit Crises, will chronicle what went wrong in the subprime lending market and the major players that contributed to it.

With housing prices in a tailspin, a continuing credit crunch and looming bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on the horizon, who is to blame? Highly acclaimed financial reporter Paul Muolo will make the case that Wall Street's established investment banks are largely responsible for the chain of events leading to millions of housing foreclosures in the United States. Although there is no single individual or entity to blame for the implosion of the housing and credit markets, Muolo argues that actions taken by the world's largest investment bankers, credit rating agencies, underwriters, lenders, investors and homeowners helped to precipitate the current subprime fiasco.

Muolo will discuss several revelations in the book he co-authored with Mathew Padilla, a business reporter for "The Orange County Register" and Pulitzer Prize nominee for his work on the subprime mortgage crises in California. Among the most startling findings are: Wall Street firms, including Merrill Lynch and Bear Stearns, used "sweat shop" contract underwriting firms to review billions of dollars worth of mortgages from 2004 to 2007. Some workers interviewed by Muolo and Padilla said they were required to review one loan an hour or else they would never be called back for a job. Muolo also will explain why it could take a full decade before the U.S. housing market recovers.
        

CONTACT: National Press Club: Paula Cruickshank (202) 498-6856 paula.cruickshank@wolterskluwer.com

Sponsored by:Newsmakers Committee

Location: Lisagor Room

7:00 PM  Beat-To-Book Panel (NPC Forum)

Description: Ready to turn the page on your beat reporting and write a book? Join established authors for magazines, newspapers, and other mediums at a beat-to-book panel on MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 at 7 p.m. in the Zenger Room. Panelists will talk about how they turned their reporting beat into a book, as well as offer tips for how aspiring authors can research and sell their own work (and how to get over that first hurdle, the book proposal). Don't miss this chance to learn about becoming an author from a journalist's perspective. Panelists include: Marc Sandalow, author of "Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi's Life, Times and Rise to Power", Sharon Weinberger, author of "A Nuclear Family Vacation", Eric Roston, author of "The Carbon Age", Alicia Shepard, author of "Woodward and Bernstein: Life in the Shadow of Watergate." Please RSVP to Christine Dell'Amore: rueparadis@gmail.com.

Sponsored by:Young Members Committee

Location: Zenger Room

7:00 PM  Media on Journalism (NPC Forum)

Description: With people turning to new media - blogs, YouTube and social networking sites - in this presidential campaign, are they signaling a change in how people get their news about the politics?

The impact of this new media on journalism will be examined in a forum on Sept. 15 at the National Press Club co-sponsored by the West Virginia University's P.I Reed School of Journalism.

The Bloggers, the Campaign and the Future of Journalism will start at 7 p.m. in the Club's Holeman Lounge.

Appearing on the panel will be:

* Michael Tomasky, editor of GuardianAmerica.com, the U.S.-based Web site of The Guardian newspaper of London. It covers American politics and culture;
* Ana Marie Cox, who founded the influential political blog, Wonkette, and is the Washington editor of Time.com where she coordinates political coverage and hosts the Web site's political blog, Swampland.
* Ross Douthat, senior editor at the Atlantic Monthly, blogger for TheAtlantic.com, and co-author, with Reihan Salam, of "Grand New Party: How the Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream; and
* Tom Rosenstiel, former media critic for the Los Angeles Times who is now director, Project for Excellence in Journalism, which tracks trends in the news media.

Sponsored by:National Press Club & West Virginia University

Location: Holeman Lounge