Presidential politics in spotlight at Wheelhouse Talks kickoff

As the nation approaches a hotly contested presidential election, are politics in America broken past the point of being fixed, or can the polar opposite ends of the political spectrum come together to find common ground? That's the question Gleaves Whitney, director of Grand Valley's Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies will address at a presentation on October 7.

Whitney will discuss a rapidly evolving (or devolving) political environment at the kickoff of the center's annual Wheelhouse Talks series, which focuses on highlighting the leadership perspectives of community leaders in politics, public, nonprofit, and business fields.

The presentation will analyze if there is any way that the dramatically different ideals of modern American society described by Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders can be merged. Whitney will also discuss if the alt-right, progressive, and socialist movements can work together with enough good will to find a principled common ground or if the U.S. will find itself at a political impasse after Election Day.

Wheelhouse Talk, Gleaves Whitney

Election 2016 and Beyond: What is to be done?

October 7, 4 p.m.

Charles W. Loosemore Auditorium, DeVos Center

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit HauensteinCenter.org.