U.S. PRESIDENCY EXPERT WILL SPEAK HERE TONIGHT

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Dr. George C. Edwards, III, considered a prominent scholar on the U.S. presidency, will speak at Southeast Missouri State University tonight.

One of Edwards' primary areas of study is on public opinion polls and job approval ratings of presidents. His topic will be "Bush, Reagan and the Public.

Edwards, who holds an endowed faculty position at Texas A&M University, has authored several books and articles and has lectured extensively across the United States and Europe.

He will speak at 7:30 p.m. in the Johnson Hall Room 200. The program is open to the public and following his remarks, Edwards will answer questions.

Dr. Russell Renka, a professor of political science at Southeast, stressed that Edwards "is one of the leading scholars on the subject of the presidency." He noted that in 1989, Edwards published a book entitled "At the Margins," which is considered one of the most important books on the presidency.

Edwards and Alec Gallup also co-published a book on the relationship between public approval polls for presidents and their conduct in the office.

Renka said Edwards will discuss factors why President Bush has received better ratings than President Reagan did, and what impact Bush's recent approval ratings following the gulf war will have on his ability to get more support from Congress and dealing with domestic issues.

"In his presentation, Dr. Edwards will address some of the obvious and some of the subtle aspects that lies behind a president's approval rating," explained Renka.

Edwards' appearance is being sponsored by the University Department of Political Science and HarperCollins Publishers.