Note: We will speak with Maine Public's political reporter Kevin Miller at the beginning of the show for a brief news update about the government shutdown that officially began today.
James Blaine was one of the most prominent and influential politicians to come from Maine. He was editor of the Kennebec Journal in 1854, then went on to hold powerful national roles, including Speaker of the House in the U.S. Congress, U.S. Senator and Secretary of State for the nation. We learn about his reputation as an orator, his political career and his ties to Maine.
Panelists:
Earle Shettleworth, Maine state historian; author of the book The Blaine House
Bob Mitchell, author of a new book The Partisans: James G. Blaine, Roscoe Conkling, and the Politics of Rivalry and Revenge in the Gilded Age; former news service editor for The Washington Post
