UVa, Sabato to host political conference

A panel of party insiders, reporters and pundits will gather next week at the University of Virginia to discuss the 2008 presidential, senatorial and congressional elections.

The 10th annual American Democracy Conference is sponsored by UVa’s Center for Politics and will take place Nov. 21 at Alumni Hall, 211 Emmet St.

Hosted by UVa politics professor Larry J. Sabato, the conference will feature U.S. Sen.-elect Mark R. Warner, D-Alexandria; GOP strategist Ed Rollins; Democratic strategist Joe Trippi; U.S. Rep. Thomas M Davis III, R-Springfield; Jonathan Martin of Politico.com; Rich Lowry of National Review; Susan Page of USA Today; Terry McAuliffe, former Democratic National Committee chairman and possible 2009 candidate for Virginia governor; Christian Ferry, deputy campaign manager of John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign; Dahlia Lithwick of Slate.com; and many others.

Sabato will offer welcoming remarks at 9 a.m. and the first panel begins at 10 a.m. The conference will wrap up by 4 p.m.

The conference is free and open to the public, but registration is required and may be completed at http://www.centerforpolitics.com.