Expert to Discuss the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election

How does the convention process work? What are party platforms and are they meaningful? What are the laws, regulations and guidelines for making political contributions? What is the relationship of funding to election outcomes?

On April 24 at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT), view a video webcast as expert James Thurber discusses these questions and more.

James A. Thurber is distinguished professor of government and director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University in Washington. He was the principal investigator under a seven-year grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts to the Campaign Management Institute to study campaign conduct.

To view this webcast, go to www.cpcwebcast.com/state and log in.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

Scholar to Discuss the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

(Ask America webchat April 30 with Dr. Allida Black) (265)

On December 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Thus, 2008 is the declaration's 60th anniversary year.

On April 30, at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT), join scholar Allida Black to discuss the importance and relevance of the declaration and the leading role played by Eleanor Roosevelt in its creation.

Dr. Allida Black is a research professor of history and international affairs at The George Washington University. She is the editor of the university's Eleanor Roosevelt papers and the director of its project to preserve, teach and apply Eleanor Roosevelt's writings and discussions of human rights and democratic politics. She has received the university's Millennium Medal, as well as the 2001 Person of Vision Award from the Arlington County, Virginia, Commission on the Status of Women and the James A. Jordan Award for Outstanding Dedication and Excellence in Teaching from Penn State University, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

If you would like to participate in this webchat, please sign up on the Ask America webchat registration page ( http://webchat.state.gov/?tid=unsecure.login&language=english ). Please tell us your preferred screen name; use of full names is not required.

If you have participated in one of our previous webchats, use the same e-mail.

We accept questions and comments in advance of, and at any time during, the program. You may also e-mail ( mailto:usinfowebchat@state.gov ) questions without registering.

The transcript of this webchat will be available on Ask America's webchat page (http://www.america.gov/multimedia/askamerica.html#yates_17_jan_2008 ), where information about upcoming webchats is also available.

Source: U.S. Department of State

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com