Speakers

Al Franken

A former Saturday Night Live star, Franken has turned into a best selling author as well. In 2003, Franken served as a Fellow with Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government at the Shorentstein Center on Press, Politics, and Public Policy. Franken is also heavily involved in supporting the nation’s troops by often times going on USO tours. As of July 2009, Franken is a senator-elect from Minnesota.

Tony Benn

Acknowledged to be one of the greatest living British Parliamentarians, Tony Benn has fought many battles in his long life but his neverending fight has always been in the advance of Socialism and Democracy. A powerful, intelligent and astute speaker, Benn has fought the corners of the people of Iraq , Isreali whistleblower Mordecai Vanunu and many others in his illustrious career. His career has spanned positions in the Labour Party and Labour Governments of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert, an American comedian and satirist, is best known as a correspondent on The Daily Show and as the host of The Colbert Report, which is a humorous take on conservative political talks shows like The O’Reilly Factor. Colbert recently received a good deal of notoriety for his delivery at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner where he delivered a twenty-minute speech satirizing the Bush administration.

Rachel Maddow

Rachel Maddow is an American radio personality, television host, and liberal political commentator. She hosts “The Rachel Maddow Show” which appears on Air America Radio and MSNBC. She was the first openly gay American to win a Rhodes Scholarship which she then used to earn a doctorate in politics from Oxford. She’s been described as “a liberal in the purest, almost mineral sense of the word.”

Bill Maher

In 1993, Bill Maher created a television show worth watching with Politically Incorrect, bringing together journalists, politicians, and entertainers to debate some of the most topical and controversial subject matter. Also having authored countless editorials and hosting several HBO specials, Maher remains one of the most recognizable figures in American media.

Ralph Nader

Serving as a consumer advocate, lawyer, and author, Nader has kept the public interest as the priority in his lifetime of work, founding such organizations as The Public Interest Research Group, Center for Study of Responsive Law, and the Project for Corporate Responsibility. During the 2000 election, Nader ran for president as the Green Party nominee.

Keith Olbermann

Keith Olbermann is the host of MSNBC’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann.” Before being known for his feud with Bill O’Reilly and staunch criticisms of the Bush Administration, Olbermann was a host on ESPN’s Sportscenter and then Fox Sports Net’s The Keith Olbermann Evening News. He’s especially noted in the sports world for his encyclopedic knowledge of baseball history.

Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart is an American comedian best known as the host of The Daily Show. Taking over as the anchor of the show in 1999, Stewart has become the “most trusted name in fake news.” His contributions to attracting youth and laypeople the political arena, however, are not to be taken for granted. He has also written several books, including America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction.

Mark Thomas

Unfairly labelled as “Britain’s Michael Moore”, There is much more to Mark Thomas than meets the eye. Using witty and clever stand up comedy and eye raising stunts, Mark has highlighted the plight of the Kurds across the Middle East, the Arms Trade and the Sweat Shop Industry in the Far East.