Who is Walter Issacson? What is the Aspen Instutite?

[SammyBlue]

And why is Republican KY Sec of State Trey Grayson talking about it on his website?

http://sos.ky.gov/secdesk/mediacenter/coverage/article39.htm

[mike_c]

1. it's on his website because he's one of the Fellows....

Look here: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/

[democracyindanger]

2. Aspen is a leadership conference

attended by politicos from both sides. Walter Issacson is the former head of CNN, who most infamously went to Capitol Hill soon after he got the job in the late 90s/early 2000s to ask Republicans how to better "balance" CNN.

In other words, he's a mealy mouthed hack.

[Skip Intro]

3. what are "timeless values" - the institute's message:

The mission of the Aspen Institute is to foster enlightened leadership and open-minded dialogue. Through seminars, policy programs, conferences and leadership development initiatives, the Institute and its international partners seek to promote nonpartisan inquiry and an appreciation for timeless values.

http://www.aspeninstitute.org/site/c.huLWJeMRKpH/b.493947/k.7AC3/About_the_Aspen_Institute.htm
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[MrMonk]

4. Aspen seems to piss off the right people

http://www.aim.org/media_monitor/4463_0_2_0_C/

http://www.crossroad.to/text/articles/Aspen.htm

http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/human1.htm


Other sources say:

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Aspen_Institute

http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/aspeninst.html

http://www.aspeninstitute.org/

[liam_laddie]

5. Isaacson's an establishment PLUS type...

CV - received a BA in history and literature from Harvard, MA in philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He began his career in journalism at the Sunday Times of London and then the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He joined Time Magazine in 1978 and served as a political correspondent, national editor and editor of new media before becoming the magazine's 14th managing editor in 1996. Was or is at CNN. Author of "Benjamin Franklin: An American Life" (2003) and of "Kissinger: A Biography" (1992). On the Board of UAL Corp., Reader's Digest Association, Tulane University, The National Constitution Center, and chairman of the board of Teach for America. Sounds awfully conservative to my ears...

[SammyBlue]

6. This is for a candidate. I need to know.

Is the Aspen Institute conservative? Their website makes them seem non-committal.

[Marie26]

7. The Aspens turn in clusters...

Remember? Libby's love letter to Judy Miller talked about "the aspens". When Fitzgerald asked Miller about that, she said that Libby was referring to the 2003 "Aspen Institute" conference - after that conference, Miller traveled up to Cheney's ranch to meet Libby & Cheney. I always suspected some other "Aspens" went as well. The "Aspen Institute" is basically a collection of media & political big shots who meet periodically to discuss current events. There seems to be a globalist tilt to the thing, but not necessarily right-wing. Most of the biggest "celebrity journalists" have participated. The Kentucky SOS is talking about it because he was named an Aspen-Rodell Fellow.