Lake of the Woods Democratic Club

Stephen J. Farnsworth, professor of political science and international affairs and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, will speak on the topic of his latest book, “Presidential Communication and Character,” at the Lake of the Woods Community Center on Sunday, April 28.

The event is sponsored by the Lake of the Woods Democratic Club, and is open to all without regard to political affiliation. The program will begin at 1 p.m. in Marion Pronk Hall at the LOW Community Center.

Farnsworth’s book traces the evolution of White House news management during America’s changing media environment over the past two decades. Comparing and contrasting the communication strategies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, it demonstrates the difficulty that all presidents have in controlling their messages despite a seemingly endless array of new media outlets and the great advantages of the office. 

Dr. Farnsworth is a recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and is the author of five books and many articles in scholarly and popular publications.

One of the few political scientists who focus on Virginia politics, Dr. Farnsworth’s research has direct policy implications for both politicians and the news media. He handles hundreds of media contacts a year on local, state and international matters, and appears in or on such outlets as C-SPAN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, National Public Radio and PBS News Hour.

He holds a Ph.D. degree and a master’s degree from Georgetown University and bachelor’s degrees from both the University of Missouri and Dartmouth College.

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Pete Brown, a member of the Lake of the Woods Association’s Board of Directors, visited the club at its March 13 meeting to talk about the association’s $10 million budget.

Brown said that a priority of board members is to keep the annual assessment as low as possible. Toward that end, he said, the board managed to pare next year’s assessment increase down to $52, down from an initial estimate of about $130.

Brown said the board’s priority for the coming year is successful completion of the Clubhouse Area Recreation Project, which is expected to open this summer.

Brown is a retired executive of radio and television stations who was elected to the seven-member governing body of the association in 2018.

Dr. Cecil Snead, superintendent of Orange County Public Schools, will be the speaker at the club’s February 13 meeting.