"Welcome to the Age of Obama: The Historic Campaign and the Presidency to Come"

Barack Obama’s presidency has triggered tremendous excitement, but the man remains something of an enigma. Will Obama turn to the left or lead from the center? Can he (or anyone) succeed in such daunting circumstances? What is his vision of America, and will Americans accept it? This lecture will look at the 2008 presidential campaign and the start of Obama’s presidency in order to consider and appreciate how his actions and intentions fit into historical context.

A native of Queens, New York, Gil Troy is a Professor of History at McGill and a Visiting Scholar at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. He is the author of several books, including "Morning in America: How Ronald Reagan Invented the 1980s" and "Hillary Rodham Clinton: Polarizing First Lady". He comments frequently about the American presidency on television and radio, and has published articles in the "Wall Street Journal", "New York Times", "Washington Post", "Boston Globe" and "USA Weekend".

Marc Weinstein, McGill’s Vice-Principal (Development and Alumni Relations), will also be in attendance, and Barnes & Noble will be selling Professor Troy’s latest book, Leading from the Center: Why Moderates Make the Best Presidents at the event.

Note: You must pay in advance to reserve your place.