Not just politics as usual

Some political junkies' stomachs might turn if they heard that Ari Fleischer, James Carville, Bob Woodward and Alan Greenspan have something in common. But all four are among the star-studded guests who have addressed Al Hunt's Communications 498 class this semester. Hunt, a political columnist for The Wall Street Journal, is not the average professor. Calling him an academic makes him chuckle. In fact, this spring is the first time that Hunt has ever taught a full-semester class. "I started out this with great trepidation," Hunt says. "I was scared, scared." Hunt, a former Washington bureau chief for the Journal, appears regularly on CNN, as a panelist on Evans, Novak, Hunt and Shields and The Capital Gang. Hunt has childhood memories of Penn -- watching the Quakers dominate Franklin Field, while his father taught at the School of Medicine once a week. Hunt does not even pretend to be an academic. "I haven't done copious research, I am not going to cite, 'Here's this study and that study.'" But his real-life experiences are speak for themselves. The unique lens through which Hunt has navigated the relationship between politics and the media, since the 1970s, serves as a framework for his class. "I knew a little bit about the business... and, by the business, I mean journalism, politics and public policy and I knew a lot of people that were interesting," Hunt says. Hunt invites distinguished representatives from inside the Beltway to illustrate how the post-Watergate, post-Vietnam media interacts with politics and politicians. Half the classes are taught by Hunt himself, while guest lecturers help him guide the conversation during the other half. And students adore Hunt. Many say they feel "privileged" to be taught by the man. "At the beginning, he wanted us to call him 'Al,' but we were all nervous about it and continued to call him 'Professor Hunt.' It's as though he's grown into the title," College senior Allison Hersh said. Hersh added that when students call his Washington office, "His assistant knows all of us." But perhaps the most valuable contribution Hunt has made comes from his editing expertise. "We had an assignment to write an op-ed. He sat down with everyone," Hersh said. In one-on-one sessions, Hunt helped students figure out where they might have the most success at getting published. Investigative journalist Bob Woodward lectured last week as Hunt's grand finale speaker.