Prof. Bruce Stinebrickner Makes a DePauw Connection on the Campaign Trail in Iowa

February 8, 2016

In a column for Greencastle's Banner-Graphic, Bruce Stinebrickner, professor of political science at DePauw University, shares his observations after interacting with presidential candidates in Iowa before last week's caucus.  In the piece, he describes an encounter with former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin in an elevator. (photo, l-r: Sen. Harkin and Prof. Stinebrickner)

Dr. Stinebrickner introduced himself to Harkin. "When he replied, 'Oh, I know DePauw,' I reflexively began to spell out 'DePauw,' figuring that he was confusing Greencastle's DePauw with that other place in Chicago. But he pushed my clarification attempt aside with a gracious smile and a wave of his hand, saying 'Oh, I know DePauw. I have a good friend who used to teach journalism there.' A light bulb went on in my head, and I replied that 'Ken Bode is a good friend of mine, too.' With that, Harkin and I got off the elevator and spent a pleasant few minutes catching each other up on what we knew of the Bode family's doings, discussing the impressive Iowa Judicial Branch Building in which we were standing, and posing for a photo that his aide obligingly took. And we marveled at the 'small world' element of two old friends of Ken and Margo Bode making their acquaintance in a chance encounter in a Des Moines elevator."

You'll find the complete text at the newspaper's website.

Professor Stinebrickner joined the DePauw faculty in 1987.  Ken Bode, a former NBC and CNN reporter, was at DePauw from 1989 to 1997, leading the Center for Contemporary Media and overseeing the creation of the Media Fellows Program. Bode returned to the University in 2003 as Eugene S. Pulliam Distinguished Visiting Professor of Journalism at DePauw University, retiring from that post in June 2008.

Source: Greencastle Banner-Graphic

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