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Sept. 27 at the Ohio History Center
Bridging the Divide

Negative ads. Robo calls. Finger pointing. Divisive politics... How did it come to this? Is this what Ohioans get for living in a key battleground state?

An Exploration of Bipartisanship
The Ohio Historical Society is partnering with No Labels, a Washington-based movement seeking bipartisan political reforms, to host Bridging the Divide: An Adult Conversation About Ohio Politics, for a Change, a forum that aspires to be everything the negative TV ads are not. Join us on Thursday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. at the Ohio History Center at I-71 & 17th Avenue in Columbus for an adult conversation about Ohio, its rich political history and an exploration of bipartisanship in an era of sharp divisions.

Free Public Forum
"With Ohio once again in the spotlight of an important presidential race, we are hosting a panel discussion focusing on stories from Ohioans with firsthand knowledge of Ohio's political history that should be timely and of great interest to Ohioans," says Todd Kleismit, the society's director of community and government relations. "We think that this free public forum is an excellent way to highlight Ohio's history as a bellwether state and to relate that to the current political climate."

Moderated by WOSU's Ann Fisher
Ann Fisher of WOSU's "All Sides With Ann Fisher" will moderate the discussion with a panel of leading experts experienced in Ohio's political scene, including former Ohio governor Bob Taft; state Senator Charleta Tavares; Tom Suddes, member of the Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial board; Columbus-based political consultant Gene Pierce; and Jonathan Miller, No Labels co-founder and former treasurer for the State of Kentucky. Cosponsored by No Labels, the forum is open to the public and there is no charge for admission. Those attending will have an opportunity to cast unofficial ballots for president during the forum. A reception will follow.

The Ohio History Center is at I-71 & 17th Avenue in Columbus. For more information call 800.686.6124 or e-mail tkleismit@ohiohistory.org.