PDAA panel on populism, L-R: David Smith, Claude Porsella, and Peter DeTheir (A. Kotok)
The growing strength of populist movements across the globe alarms many observers in the media. Their election victories in Europe and the US shocked mainstream parties and their allies. PDAA’s November 13 PDAA luncheon program heard from outstanding European correspondents about the political landscape in their respective countries and their view of Washington’s current political standoff. The conversation was moderated by our very own Claude Porsella.
David Smith is The Guardian’s Washington DC bureau chief.
David has been Washington correspondent of The Guardian since November 2015, reporting on the White House, Supreme Court and US presidential election. He attended numerous Donald Trump campaign rallies and presidential press conferences and the Trump victory party in New York on election night. He was previously Africa correspondent based in Johannesburg, and covered the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, and the death of Nelson Mandela, as well as elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe. A graduate of the University of Leeds, David was based in the UK for the Daily Express and The Observer and reported on conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, NPR and broadcasters in Australia, Austria, Canada, Ireland and the UK.
Peter DeThier is Washington Correspondent for many German language media houses, including SüdwestPresse, Finanz und Wirtschaft, and ZEIT Online among others.
Peter writes on US Presidential politics, European-American relations, foreign and national security policy, trade and economic policy, Federal Reserve policy, among other issues of interest to European readers. He was Economics Editor at the German daily “DIE WELT” and for over 20 years has been the Washington based political and economic correspondent for leading European print and online media. He recently published a book in German on the occasion of what would have been President John F. Kennedy’s 100th birthday. He has a Master’s Degree from the Vienna University of Economics and Business in Vienna, Austria.
The program was moderated by PDAA board member, Claude Porsella. Claude was VOA French Service Chief and is now a contributor to Radio France Internationale (RFI) and Moroccan radio station Medi 1.
He has observed the Washington scene for 50 years, explaining to foreign audiences American politics and the American way of life. He has reported all the big stories of the last five decades, from the assassination of MLK and Robert Kennedy, the first landing on the moon to 9/11, and the election of the first African-American President. He has covered 13 presidential elections from Richard Nixon to Donald Trump.
This PDAA program took place Monday, November 13 at 12 noon, at DACOR-Bacon House, 1801 F Street NW in Washington, DC.
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