MinnPost has a lengthy story on how Demcrats and Republicans are transitioning into "get-out-the-vote" mode with the election mere days away, and they quote Steven Schier, the Dorothy H. and Edward C. Congdon Professor of Political Science. "The last four days of a campaign are the most important four days of any election,'' he said. "… Races get tighter. People think one more time, and sometimes that means they change their minds. As the election gets closer, the eyes of a lot of voters get brighter. For the first time, they really start thinking about how they'll vote.'' Jeff Blodgett '83, the state director of Obama for President, is also featured.

The Saturday, Oct. 25 edition of the Star Tribune carried a feature on Carleton's intramural quidditch league entitled "Quidditch for Muggles." "It is a blast," said Tyler BoddySpargo, a freshman from Friendship, Wis., in the article "When I first heard about it, I thought it was going to be amazing. And playing it is even more awesome than I expected. They made it work without the magic, absolutely."

In the Oct. 17 edition of the Star Tribune, reporter Jeff Shelman examined how colleges and universities in Minnesota are dealing with the recent economic downturn, especially those institutions in the midst of a campaign. Carleton President Robert A. Oden Jr. is quoted in the article. Part of the spirit of a campaign is the optimism ... to set an ambitious goal, and because people believe in Carleton we're going to reach it. That kind of optimism and can-do is harder right now," he said. "You're doing that with one hand, but, with the other hand, you realize things are shaky right now. Our endowment is down a fair amount. We don't have any problem right now meeting the payroll, but, if things continue, it could get a lot tougher."

Kirbyjon Caldwell '75 is profiled in the latest edition of Newsweek about his endorsement and relationship with presidential candidate Barack Obama. The article examines Caldwell's relationship with Bush and his current ties with Obama.

Ben Jacoff '07 is featured in a recent Denver Post column about his involvement with the upcoming election and his efforts to get people registered. Jacoff will also depart for a 27-month stint in the Peace Corps in December. He hopes to work in sub-Saharan Africa, preferably as an educator, writes columnist William Porter . "It's not the most lucrative of enterprises, but the Peace Corps is what you make of it," Jacoff said. "It's a tremendous opportunity to serve."

Carleton director of energy Rob Lamppa was quoted in a Star Tribune article on what Minnesota colleges and universities are doing in the way of sustainability. The article mentions the College's efforts to educate and log how much energy different appliances use in students' residences. "Many of them didn't realize how much their hair dryers and flat irons used," Lamppa said. He also noted that half of most dorms' energy use comes from appliances.

Carleton's top grade on the College Sustainability Report Card, released by the Sustainable Endowment Institute, was covered by the Star Tribune in its south metro school briefs.

Jenny Wahl, Carleton professor of economics and a member of the Star Tribune's board of economists, is featured on the front page of the newspaper's Sunday business section on the proposed governmental bailout of Wall Street. "At first I thought Henry Paulson was channeling Chicken Little, but now I think he's really Foxy Loxy. The sky is falling, all this horrible stuff is going to happen," Wahl said. "It doesn't prove to me just by saying so that it necessarily would have happened."

Khant Khant Kyaw '11 is featured in a recent Northfield News story aboyut her efforts to raise money for a humanitarian trip to Burma this past summer. Kyaw and fellow students of the Doh Burma Community student group raised more than $2,000 for Kyaw's trip, where she used the funds for relief supplies. She will give an informal presentation about her experiences in Burma at 7 p.m. on Sept. 30 in Room 104 at the Language and Dining Center.

Laura Goering, Carleton professor of Russian, recently released Whistling Wings, a children's book about a tundra swan named Marcel. The book, which is about Marcel's reluctance to migrate 1,000 miles and how other animals try to help him survive. The release was covered by both the Northfield News and the Star Tribune, and Goering will be available to sign the book during an appearance at downtown Northfield's River City Books on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 12 noon.

Jay Rubenstein '89 was profiled in an Associated Press story leading up to the announcements of the MacArthur Fellowship Award announcement. Rubenstein earned one of the "genius" awards a year ago, a $500,000 grant that allows the recipient to focus on his or her work for five years and use the money in any way they see fit. The 2008 award winners are to be announced, and the story tells of Rubenstein's beginnings, first as a Carleton history major, then as a struggling college teacher with a fascination with a Benedictine monk named Guibert of Nogent, and finally into his currnet position as a well-known historian at the University of Tennessee. The story was carried in more than 60 newspapers and media outlets across the country, including Washington Post, USA Today, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Los Angeles Times, Seattle Times, San Jose Mercury News, and many others.

Steven Schier, the Dorothy H. and Edward C. Congdon Professor of Political Science, is quoted in the Sept. 11 edition of the Christian Science Monitor in an article surveying the impact of Alaska governor Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate on the Republican ticket for President. “Obama had it right when she was first announced: Just leave her alone,” says Steven Schier, who does not believe the “lipstick on a pig” comment was targeted at Palin. “The more they beat her up, the more they lionize her,” he says. “The tactics are all wrong. In fact, they’re making Palin steadily more popular.”