The 2000 lecture series focused on The U.S. Presidency, with speakers that included Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura; former White House chief of staff John Sununu; ABC News White House and Capitol Hill correspondent Sam Donaldson; former U.S. Education Secretary and Governor of Tennessee Lamar Alexander; former New York congresswoman and first major-party female vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro; CNN "Crossfire" host Bill Press; and CBS News White House correspondent Bill Plante.