Political heavy hitters make stop at Concordia

• James Carville

Former Bill Clinton campaign advisor.
• Mary Matalin

Republican Strategist

Talk about it

Close to 1,000 people took a break from Halloween festivities to listen to two of the nation’s premiere political pundits tonight. It wasn't a Halloween costume, the real James Carville and Mary Matalin of CNN fame spoke at the Knutson Center today. Many may not know the two polar opposites on the political spectrum have been happily married for 18 years.

Matalin, the popular republican strategist, and Carville, the actor, talk-show host and former Bill Clinton Campaign advisor left their marriage at home tonight to trade some friendly political blows for the Concordia faithful. Matalin said the debate landscape is like one she's never seen before, and isn't helping any of the candidates. Carville said the GOP is reeling because it can't decide on a favorite. Ultimately though, both agreed the decline of the middle class will be the biggest issue facing presidential candidates in 2012.

Mary Matalin – Republican Strategist: “There kid's can't afford to school, everybody has to work two jobs. So that's more than the economy, and where did we get to this place, because we got here pretty darn fast.”

James Carville – Democratic Political Pundit: “We can try to do a lot of immediate short term things, but if we don't think of a way and don't have a strategy, we're not going be the United States anymore. And I think it's really a valid question to say, are you really this country without a middle class?”

Both said they've never seen a political landscape quite like the one we have today. As for the 2012 election, they say it's still anybody's game.

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