Giving pause to Ned Lamont
Katie Connolly
Issue date: 2/21/07 Section: Features
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In August 2006, a little known businessman-turned-politician upstaged three-term Senator Joseph Lieberman in Connecticut's Democratic Senate primary. Although Ned Lamont didn't win in the general election, his bold campaign and tough anti-war stance earned him headlines nationwide. This semester Lamont is a fellow at the Institute of Politics.
"After a bruising campaign this seemed like a fabulous opportunity to regroup," says Lamont. "I want to recharge my batteries. Step back from the day to day."
Lamont is animated and warm while speaking of his fondness for campus life and the diversity of people who wander KSG's corridors.
"I'll tell you a story about what really sold me [on coming to the IOP]. I came here to visit in December last year. I met with a few people and someone said to me 'you wanna meet Abizaid?' General Abizaid was speaking at an event. Of course I said yes!" he exclaims. "I got to speak with General Abizaid at a reception. I'd been quoting him for 12 months."
This semester, Lamont is leading a study group entitled "Crashing the Gate" which explores how "new media and old interest groups are changing politics."
He hopes to impart some of the lessons he learned during his recent campaign.
"In politics they give you a lot of false choices - you can cut and run or you can stay the course; are you for free market health care or socialized medicine? I want to bring in folks from both sides of these debates and see how different they really are," he says.
"I want to have someone from a charter school and someone from a teachers union talk about education. I think you'll find that both of these people love kids and want a good education system. I think that's a pretty good place to start a conversation."
He began his career as a journalist for the Black River Tribune, a small regional paper in Vermont. But humble professional beginnings don't mask his impressive pedigree. Lamont was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy, Harvard College and Yale School of Management. His great grandfather, millionaire Thomas Lamont, is the namesake of a familiar institution that his donations helped found - Harvard's Lamont Library. Thomas Lamont also worked with Woodrow Wilson's administration negotiating the Treaty of Versailles, and Ned's father Ted helped administer the Marshall Plan.
"After a bruising campaign this seemed like a fabulous opportunity to regroup," says Lamont. "I want to recharge my batteries. Step back from the day to day."
Lamont is animated and warm while speaking of his fondness for campus life and the diversity of people who wander KSG's corridors.
"I'll tell you a story about what really sold me [on coming to the IOP]. I came here to visit in December last year. I met with a few people and someone said to me 'you wanna meet Abizaid?' General Abizaid was speaking at an event. Of course I said yes!" he exclaims. "I got to speak with General Abizaid at a reception. I'd been quoting him for 12 months."
This semester, Lamont is leading a study group entitled "Crashing the Gate" which explores how "new media and old interest groups are changing politics."
He hopes to impart some of the lessons he learned during his recent campaign.
"In politics they give you a lot of false choices - you can cut and run or you can stay the course; are you for free market health care or socialized medicine? I want to bring in folks from both sides of these debates and see how different they really are," he says.
"I want to have someone from a charter school and someone from a teachers union talk about education. I think you'll find that both of these people love kids and want a good education system. I think that's a pretty good place to start a conversation."
He began his career as a journalist for the Black River Tribune, a small regional paper in Vermont. But humble professional beginnings don't mask his impressive pedigree. Lamont was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy, Harvard College and Yale School of Management. His great grandfather, millionaire Thomas Lamont, is the namesake of a familiar institution that his donations helped found - Harvard's Lamont Library. Thomas Lamont also worked with Woodrow Wilson's administration negotiating the Treaty of Versailles, and Ned's father Ted helped administer the Marshall Plan.
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