Chuck Todd Interview (audio)

SMPA Director Frank Sesno's November "Conversation Series" continues at 7:30 tonight with NBC News Chief White House Correspondent and Political Director Chuck Todd. Sesno and Todd will discuss the chances of President Obama and the Republican candidates in the 2012 election, as well as the 24-hour media coverage around it. The Jack Morton Auditoriun will open its doors at 7:00 pm. The event is sold out, but all unoccupied seats will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis to early comers who join the standby line. The event is free and open to the public.

Todd gave WRGW News' Jorge Gadala-Maria a live, on-air preview of tonight's event earlier this afternoon. Listen and download below.

 Chuck Todd on the GOP Primaries and 2012 Election - Nov 28th, 2011 by WRGW News

http://www.mediafire.com/?z0f30ypj0pqmsf6

J Street U and Students for Justice in Palestine Talk about the Future of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

GW students are following the developments in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. On Thursday night two students groups dedicated to discussing the conflict presented two very different solutions to how the conflict should end.

J Street U, a new student organization on campus advocating for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Paletinian conflict, co-hosted an event with Students for Justice in Palestine in the Marvin Center to explore possible solutions to the conflict.

Both student groups had three of their members represent their organization. The evening was moderated by Jeff Richards, a GW student majoring in Middle Eastern Affairs. The evening began with Richards asking for people in the audience to gather in groups of three or four people, preferably with people they didn't know, and talk about why they had come to the event. 

Following the small group conversations, Richards revealed the purpose of the evening was to talk about the two-state solution that J Street U is advocating versus the one-state solution SJP is in favor of. 

Group founder Rory Silver read J Street U's opening statement. In it he said a two-state solution would return the borders of Israel to 1967 lines and would include land swaps and the sharing of Jerusalem. Silver also said that J Street's stance was that you could still support Israel overall while being critical of it at the same time.

In Rosshandler's opening statement for SJP, he spoke of a one-state solution where Palestinians and Israelis lived together in the same state under the same laws with no discrimination, "religious hierarchies" or "illegal occupations" of Palestinian communities.

From the beginning tensions in the room were high. After Silver described the event as a "discussion" in J Street's opening statement, Akkad, in his first remarks of the night for SJP, said that he disagreed with Silver's characterization that the evening was a discussion but that he believed it was a "debate." He explained this was how the event had been "presented to SJP." As Akkad said this, Silver could be seen slightly shaking his head. Silver later said that on the Facebook event page the night was described as a "discussion."

Both sides said that their solution would be the best one for sustaining a long-term peace in the conflict and agreed that the one- and-a-half state set-up currently in place was not acceptable. SJP, however, felt that the two-state solution was very similar to the current situation. They argued throughout the more than two hour event that the two-state solution was supported by Jews as "a last ditch effort to preserve Zionism."

SJP also argued that a two-state solution would hurt Palestine because of the geographic separation of the two Palestinian territories in a two-state solution: the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. They used the unsuccessful separation of Pakistan from India into West Pakistan and East Pakistan (which later became Bangladesh) as an example.

Meanwhile, J Street U argued that a one-state solution would not work because of the built-in tensions between the two groups. They used the tensions in Belgium, a county where Dutch and Flemish people have had many conflicts over the years as an example of how a one-state solution would not be successful.

Tensions reached their peak during the Q & A session. Instead of questions, however, supporters from both sides began to comment on and question the validity of points made during the evening by the other side. Several times Richards reminded both sides to ask fair questions and to "keep it friendly" but both sides had a difficult time following this request.

Despite the tension, both organizations later commented that they hoped this was only the first of many events they would co-sponsor together to discuss solutions to the conflict.

GW School of Business Partners with DC Public Schools

The George Washington University's School of Business has partnered with local District public schools as part of a new mentor program between business students, local business professionals and students from Anacostia High School. 

Labeled the 2+2 Mentor Program, it will bring together high school students in the 10th through 12th grade and mentors to develop ideas and minds to help make an impact on their communities.

Liesl Riddle, the associate dean for MBA programs, said the plan was to focus on an area in the city challenged by unemployment.

"Dean Guthrie, Mayor Vincent Gray and the D.C. Economic Partnership have been working closely to identify ways to stimulate job growth in the District, with a particular emphasis on Ward 8," Riddle said.  "We are piloting our 2+2 mentor program concept with Anacostia this year. We are hoping to extend this model to other high schools in the District in the future."

The program will allow GW business students to apply their knowledge as co-mentors while also receiving guidance from a local business leader.

"Our innovative MBA students and alumni inspired us to initiate this program," Ridde said.  "Our MBA program focus on the positive ways business can impact society attracts a special kind of student, one who likes to give back to the community, utilizing business knowledge and skills to make a difference."

Riddle also mentioned that the business students benefit from the emotional and intellectual satisfaction of seeing how their business knowledge and skills translate into making a difference in a young person's life.

"All mentors who were selected are passionate people seeking to commit themselves to a valuable volunteer program," Riddle said.

Riddle also said that after the pilot, the business school hopes to extend the model to other District high schools in the future. The plan is to pilot the program for at least three years to give it a chance to grow.

Not Your Stereotypical Speakers featured at Hunger and Homelessness Event

Jackie Grimball has a masters degree from GW. Donald Whitehead is a published author and Emmy winner. But both are homeless.

Grimball and Whitehead were the featured speakers Tuesday at a GW College Democrats and Amnesty International co-sponsored event called, "Faces of Homelessness Panel," just one of the events and activities the University hosted in recognition of National Hunger and Homelessness Week.

According to the organizer of the event, College Democrat Community Service Director Dietra Backup, Whitehead and Grimball's stories were emblematic of a growing problem in America.

"The main point of tonight was to dispel misconceptions," Backup said, "that homeless people aren't stupid and lazy. That's something we [students at GW], being very fortunate, don't always realize."

Grimball and Whitehead spent the evening telling their life stories, including how they ended up homeless.

After a divorce, Grimball was left with three children and not a lot of money. She decided to go back to school at GW for her master's in special education.

She had never worked before in her life, but after receiving her master's she ended up working in a DC school district advocating for students with disabilities and juevenile delinquents who were in trouble with the law. Grimball's talent for advocacy led her to take a job with a private law firm while still working for the school district. Grimball began to charge steep prices for her services. Business at the law firm was going so well that she quit her job in the school district, a decision she later realized was a big mistake.

Shortly thereafter, the law firm began to see less cases and decided to pay her less as a result. Grimball suddenly wasn't able to pay her rent and was kicked out of her apartment. She lived an anxiety-filled ten days on the streets, sleeping on a park bench, before finding another job at a home for the mentally ill, where she was the only caretaker employed but not paid the amount she had been promised. She decided to leave the poor working conditions in April 2010, but that meant she was once again homeless.

She finally found the courage to tell her now adult children her predicament. However, she did not receive the help and support from them she expected. They were "ashamed" that their mother had become homeless and upset she was hurting the "family's name," she said.

At this point, Grimball decided to go to a shelter, despite her past reluctance. From that day in April 2010 until the present day she has been living at the Open Door Emergency Shelter for Women in DC. At the shelter, Grimball has met many different women from all different backgrounds.

"It has been enlightening and it's been wonderful, as weird as that sounds," Grimball commented.

Grimball said she has found the love and support at the shelter that she did not receive from her children, adding that it built up her character.

Grimball quickly discovered that telling potential employers that she was homeless was not a good job strategy. This past summer, she found a job as a DC-appointed advocate for the mentally ill. She said she's glad to be back in the court room, but still cannot afford to rent or own a home and remains at the shelter.

Donald Whitehead grew up a straight-A student in Cincinnati, Ohio. Throughout his early education, and then at the University of Cincinnati, Whitehead continued to be kicked out of school due to an addiction illness. His addiction then led to him living under bridges. Whitehead learned about homeless shelters and soup kitchens from a couple of other homeless men.

The worst part about being homeless is that "no one would look you in the eye or say your name," Whitehead said. "It becomes very lonely when no one calls your name."

Whitehead's life turned around after he was named the outreach coordinator at the Cincinnati shelter where he was staying. From there, he became the director of the Cincinnati Coalition of the Homeless, and later the national chapter, before his current position working for a non-profit program in Orlando that works with homeless Veterans.

Whitehead also wrote a book based on his life story called "Most Unlikely to Succeed," and received a regional Emmy for his performance in the Showtime movie "Open The Sky."

Despite his success, Whitehead never forgot about the tough times he once had.

Whitehead demonstrated a penchant for theatrics. He started his speech wearing a black winter coat which was unzipped revealing a yellow plaid shirt and blue jeans. He wore dark black sun glasses and some black rags around his neck, accenting his long black hair. At the beginning of his presentation he only introduced himself as "Donald" and spoke in a very quiet voice that made the audience lean forward in their seats to hear him.

As the presentation went on, though, Whitehead's voice became increasingly louder as he told the part where his life improved at a shelter in Cincinnati. He took off his jacket to reveal the plaid shirt. Later, as he began to tell the audience that he had been the director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, he took off his jeans and plaid shirt to reveal that he was wearing a suit, followed by removing the sunglasses, rags and wig, revealing his true bald self. Whitehead told the audience that besides his affinity for acting, he "dressed-up" like a stereotypical homeless person to show how he looked when he was homeless and that anybody, even those who are smart, can become homeless.

GW Professor Wins Prestigious Research Prize

GW Political Communications Professor Robert Entman

Once again, GW faculty are leading the University's push into a new generation of research. This past week, Professor Robert Entman received the the Alexander von Humbolt Research Award for his research and contributions to the field of political communication. Professor Entman, who serves as the Shapiro Professor of Media and Public Affairs and as a professor of international affairs at the Elliot School, is the first recipient of the prize in his field and now holds the distinction of being the world's first political communications scholar.

“I am delighted to be the first Humboldt Award recipient recognized for contributions to political communication scholarship,” said Dr. Entman. “I appreciate this acknowledgment of the media’s fundamental role in shaping politics and democracy.

The award is given to a researcher for “discoveries that have a serious impact on their profession,” according to the Humbolt Award website. Given the vast application of the award across a variety of fields, Professor Entman’s honor is very distinguished. He will spend the next year at the Free University of Berlin researching the effects of the media on social inequality in Europe, and how it consequently contrasts with that of the United States.

“Inequality hasn’t been on the agenda” he said regarding U.S politics and media coverage. Professor Entman went on to state that the decline of workers unions and the rise of globalization are two possible factors for the disparity in inequality in the Untied States as opposed to those of Europe.

Professor Entman began his career in media research while writing for his student newspaper at Duke University, where he received his B.A. in political science. He stated that this experience allowed him to see the large affect that media had on politics, leading him to develop interest in what is now the field of political communication.

For those who are prospectively looking to devote their lives to research as he did, Professor Entman gave this advice: One must be “fascinated by the human purpose” and “making the world better.”

Students Pitch Business Ideas in an Elevator

A bright idea, two thousand dollars and an elevator. These are the integral parts that made up the fourth annual Pitch George Competition this Saturday. The competition was open to all graduate, undergraduate and even high school students.

The competitors started the primary portion of the competition by pitching their business idea to a room filled with judges and fellow competitors. They had to support their idea with market statistics and demonstrate a legitimate demand or use for their product or service. After they had finished, the competitors received some constructive criticism from the judges.

The event also served as a networking luncheon, giving competitors the chance to exchange business cards with the judges and fellow contestants.

The final round featured five contestants pitching their plans in an elevator which included a three-minute pitch in an elevator.

Prizes for the top three places were awarded in each age division. College students received $2,000 for first place, $1,500 for second and $1,000 for third. High school winners received $750, $500 and $250 respectively.

In addition, all of the finalists received prizes such as legal assistance setting up their businesses.

Pitch George is just the first major competition of the year. In January GW will hold their Business Plan competition with more than $50,000 in prizes up for grabs. For more information on the competition or if you're interested in entrepreneurship visit GW's Office of Entrepreneurship.

Breaking: White House Shooting Suspect Arrested

A suspect in Friday's White House shooting is now in police custody.

Police arrested Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, 21, this afternoon in connection to the shooting. Two bullets struck the White House, one cracking a window in the Obama family living quarters, the Secret Service said Tuesday.

President Obama was traveling to a summit in Hawaii at the time. No injuries have been reported.

The Secret Service discovered an assault rifle registered to Ortega-Henandez on Friday, minutes after hearing shots fired near the White House. ABC7/TBD reports that Ortega's family in Idaho Falls, Idaho reported him missing on Oct. 31. He has an arrest record in three states, according to U.S. Park Police.

-Joseph Rabinowitz

GW Soccer Reaches A-10 Championship

For the first time since 1992, GW’s Varsity Men’s Soccer team will play in the Atlantic-Ten Conference Championship. Last Sunday saw the team continue its undefeated home record, securing a 1-0 victory over Duquesne. The finals of the A-10 Conference, to be held this weekend, will be the last shot for Coach George Lidster, who is retiring after 24 years the University, to win a championship.

Senior Yoni Berhanu scored Sunday’s crucial goal, a 25-yard free kick in the 72^nd minute that earned Coach Lidster his 200^th win. Yoni has scored 3 out of 4 goals in GW’s last few matches, adding to his impressive record within the A-10 [10 goals and 23 points] and his overall career record [19 goals and 52 points] that places him just outside the programs overall top-10.

Berhanu and Coach Lidster have both received recognition within the Atlantic-10 Conference, securing both the 2011 Atlantic-10 Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year and Midfielder of the Week award this season. This is the third-such award for Berhanu, who in 2008, was named the conference’s Rookie of the Year.

The defeat against Duquesne marked a considerable turnaround for GW men’s soccer; the team began the soccer pre-season ranked 13 out of 14, but is now ranked the number two seed at this weekend’s championship. Seniors Berhanu, Mike Burke, Brice Carr and Jake Davis had a similar experience their freshman year, having to win one of the last games in order to qualify for the A-10s and hope to bring home the championship title in their final year.

A link to a free live video streaming of Friday's match can be found at GWsports.com. Weather permitting all five matches will also be streamed through the A-10's online home.

--Alida Wuenscher

Fraternities Crack Down on Hazing and Underage Drinking, Hope to Change Nature of Greek Life on Campus

Some of the University's Greek life organizations have started taking measures to protect pledges and the school community from the perils of hazing and underage drinking. The Greek letter associations' move toward more stringent anti-hazing and anti-underage-drinking policies comes one year after hazing and underage drinking allegations were leveled against four of the school's most recognized fraternities and sororities.

Last November, four Greek chapters came under fire after being accused of violating the University's no-hazing and no-underage-drinking policies. These chapters included fraternities Pi Kappa Alpha (also known as "Pike") and Sigma Phi Epsilon, along with sororities Delta Gamma and Kappa Kappa Gamma.

Other Greek letter organizations expressed their thoughts on the issue and also hope that the allegations leveled at the chapters serve as a learning experience. 

"At the end of the day, unfortunate situations can happen to anyone and have greater consequences," regarded Sigma Chi Public Relations Chairman Cody Scott. "I believe that going forward, fraternities and sororities alike will be working to strengthen their institutions promoting the safety and well-being of all their members."

According to the Center for Student Engagement's website, hazing is defined as "any action taken or situation created, intentionally, with or without consent, whether on or off campus, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule."

Additionally, any student who takes part in hazing activities faces conviction on a misdemeanor, and may also be subject to a fine of $1,000 or six months in prison.

The allegations leveled at the University's chapters proved alarming given the growing influence of Greek Life on campus. As of 2011, 25% of the University's students are Greek-affiliated, a figure that is growing steadily as the appeal of these organizations increases among the student body.

Occupy DC Movement Grows (video)

Created by Joseph Rabinowitz and Jen Wolfe

GW Students Become Involved in Occupy DC Movements

Ever slept in Freedom Plaza?

Miles Milliken has. The GW Sophomore majoring in Environmental Studies has slept in the plaza, located at 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, more than once over the past couple of months.

He has become involved in a movement that goes by several names, an offshoot of the Occupy Movement that calls itself "October 2011," the month its participants began to "occupy" Freedom Plaza. The other most common name for the movement is "Stop the Machine: Create a New World."

Milliken was there from the beginning of the occupation of Freedom Plaza, when the movement was originally given a four day permit to set up camp. Besides sleeping outside in the plaza at night a couple of times in either a tent or under a tarp, Milliken helped in the movement's food tent where he prepared pots of soup and coffee to keep more than 200 protestors warm.

Lara Logan Talks Foreign Correspondence, War, Journalism on Kalb Report

Lara Logan (center) joined The Kalb Report at the National Press Club.

While other kids were at the beach, she worked at the newspaper. Such was the upbringing of CBS News' Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Lara Logan during the year's final edition of the Kalb Report last night.

Logan, a correspondent for 60 Minutes from South Africa, spoke of how the injustices of apartheid instilled within her values to stand up against what she believed was wrong.  As an embedded journalist, Logan has spent years with soldiers in areas ravaged by war and would gladly trade the comforts of a hot bed for covering a story that puts a fire in her.

"War coverage asks more of you," Logan said.  "The story is bigger than you.  I didn't do it because I'd become famous, I did it because I wanted to."

On embedded journalism, Logan discussed the rules embedded journalists abide by given the amount of judgment calls reporters must make and the bond of trust they develop over time.  She said she never encountered a story that was more important than her integrity.

"Your job is to be a true journalist, not be vilified for giving your opinion when asked," Logan said.


Earlier this year in February, Logan was sexually assaulted in Cairo during the fall of former President Hosni Mubarak.  In spite of the experience, she still continues to report, but with a new fear that not many journalists have spoken up about.

"You carry the idea of 'It's not gonna be me' and then one day it is.  I hadn't thought of that before," Logan said.  "I went back because journalists are anarchists.  We don't like to be told what to do."


Logan spoke of giving a voice to the unheard stories in order to give them a place in history.  This is part of what has motivated her to remain embedded in war zones for long periods and not be a "parachute in, parachute out" reporter.


She gave parting advice to aspiring journalists in the audience trying to break into the field in light of advancements with social media and quick access to news.

"One thing that's endured is people's demand to know the truth," Logan said.  "Believe in the truth, find your niche and don't expect someone to do it for you."

Metro's Upcoming Military Open House Offers Employment for Veterans

As the economy struggles onward, many Americans are still unemployed. By the end of the year, more people will attempt to join the workforce. Along with the high school and college graduates, there will also be an influx of returning veterans. The impending departure of all American military forces from Iraq by the end of this year will leave those who choose not to remain with the military jobless.

The Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority, better known as Metro, will be hosting the second annual Military Open House. The event is scheduled for this upcoming Monday, November 14 in an effort aimed at helping retired, former and transitioning military service members find employment and gradually re-adjust to civilian life.


On October 21, President Obama announced that after nearly nine years of war in Iraq, all but 160 of the approximately 40,000 soldiers will return home by the end of next month. The few who remain will provide security for the American embassy in Baghdad.

According to the United States Department of Labor the unemployment rate dropped last month to a six-month low of nine percent. Since April, the DOL announced that an average of 90,000 jobs have been added per month. Even so, many Americans are having trouble finding steady employment.

Metro has announced it is looking for hundreds of new employees to fill current and upcoming vacancies within the agency in a massive hiring effort known as “Metro Forward." The positions include:

• Civil engineers
• Mechanical engineers
• Electrical engineers
• Architects
• Construction inspectors
• Construction project managers

Metro is also looking to fill open operations positions including:

• Police officers
• Bus operators
• Information technology workers
• Signal/Communications employees
• Electrical technicians
• Fare technology workers
• Bus mechanics
• Rail car maintenance employees

The open house will be located in the lower lobby of Metro’s headquarters on 600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington D.C. All veterans interested in attending should register by Thursday, November 10 at wmata.com/military. Special assistance will be provided for disabled veterans.

GW Overrun with Western Business Clad Middle Schoolers

This Saturday was the sixteenth annual Greater Washington Conference on International Affairs, or GWCIA. GWCIA brings middle school students from throughout the Mid-Atlantic and beyond together for an educational debate about major international issues.

GWCIA is designed to provide a valuable educational experience for participants. Debate is conducted in a professional manner and atmosphere according to parliamentary procedure. Delegates interact with their peers while they gain valuable experience debating current world issues. The conference, held at GW, emphasizes diplomacy and negotiation as a means for solving conflict.

GW students staff the event. As members of the International Affairs society, the staff is equipped with experience and knowledge of international relations and Model United Nations.

“I thought the conference was really well organized. I had a lot of fun, this was my first time staffing a Model UN conference,” said Grace Aucella, a GW freshman who worked the conference as a crisis staffer for the African Union committee.

This years conference highlighted a variety of topics, both historical and contemporary, covering diverse sets of interest and regions of the world.

"It was a good experience, since I usually compete in Model UN, it was good to get a new perspective of how a conference is run. I really enjoyed working with the middle school students because it is nice that they are so interested in international affairs at such a young age,” said Avani Singh, another freshman staffer.

GW Unveils New Emergency Alert System

Two suspects were arrested on campus after a deadly Halloween last Tuesday morning. Concerned students spread the word to their friends, but the University's emergency communication system failed to let students know about the shootings around DC, the suspects' proximity to campus or the suspects' arrest on 24th and New Hampshire. The first official word from GW came hours later, via a tweet, and later an email explaining, “GWPD was notified of armed suspects on the I Street mall area. Both suspects have been caught by MPD.”

The next day, GW Executive Vice President and Treasurer Lou Katz sent out a message explaining that technical issues delayed the notification system. He also announced that a new system would be implemented to improve communication and notifications on campus. GW activated the new system Friday, incorporating GW’s Banner System, which already has students' email and phone numbers, and serves as the basis for sending communication and notifications in case of an emergency.

In a phone interview with WRGW,  Senior Associate Vice President for Safety and Security Darrell Darnell told WRGW that with the new alert system, students should look for texts and emails whenever a credible threat is identified on campus. Once an alert is sent out, students are to follow instructions and stay calm, he said. Responding to the delay in notification last Tuesday, Darnell cited server problems at Division of IT that prevented the alert from being sent. He stressed that while the new system cannot be 100 percent foolproof, thanks to multiple ways of sending out notifications, alerts will be sent out as quickly as possible.

Darnell recommends students follow a motto of, "If they see something, say something," and call UPD or 911. Students can keep up to date with campus advisories by going to http://campusadvisories.gwu.edu/ and information about being prepared for an emergency can be found at http://www.gwu.edu/safety.

Students are invited to a Safety and Security Forum at the Jack Morton Auditorium this Thursday at 6:30 pm, where Mr. Darnell and other GW security personnel will be on hand to answer questions and listen to feedback. The forum will be broadcast live via webcast; further details will be released this afternoon.

On a related note, this Wednesday at 2 pm there will be a nationwide emergency alert system test. Throughout the country, and even in other countries, FEMA, in coordination with the FCC and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be issuing a 30-second emergency broadcast through all radio and television channels as a first test of a nationwide emergency system.

Youngest Congressman Shares His Story

Aaron Schock is the youngest serving Congressman.

Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL) spoke to a group on GW students Tuesday at a College Republicans and Young America's Foundation cosponsored event. Schock, 30, told the Marvin Center crowd about his journey to becoming the youngest serving U.S. Congressmen.

"It's great to be back on a college campus," Schock said. "Most of the days I get to spend with people that are three times my age, so it's kind of fun to come back to a place, where people kind of look my age."

He then launched into a brief version of his impressive rise to Congress. Schock got off to an ambitious start at an incredibly young age working by forming his own company, working with DOS formatting software and doing database management, at a book store chain. The impressive part was, Schock was only in the fifth grade.

Many other impressive accomplishments followed, including working a ticket-brokering job that would net him nearly $18,000 annually when he reached seventh grade, and began investing the money that he earned with an online trading account. He was relatively successful until the tech bubble burst and his portfolio bottomed out. 

Schock got his first taste of politics when he attempted to graduate a year early from high school and was held back by the school board. Schock earned all of his high school credits by the end of his junior year and attempted to go off to college a year early. Shock said the school board prevented his early departure because of the state money the district would receive for his school attendance. 

When he realized it was about the money, Schock said he showed up at the next school board meeting with a personal check for $8,400 written out to the school system, the exact amount of the school's state aid. The board turned him down and forced Schock to take gym for his senior year for a single credit hour.

He wanted to change the rules. Schock decided to jump in the race against the previously unopposed Peoria school board president. He managed to collect the necessary number of petition signatures, but the school board member hired an attorney and challenged his petition. Some of the signees simply wrote ditto marks and not a full signature, and the court decided this invalidated Schock's petition. 

Determined to win, Schock still ran as a write-in candidate. He defeated the incumbent president, and three years later, Schock became the youngest Illinois school board president at the age of 23.

He later followed up his early election victory by successfully running for a position in the Illinois House of Representatives in 2005. He served for four years, quickly moving up the ranks in the Democratic state legislature. 

Schock joined Congress in 2009 at the age of 28. Two years later, he was reelected with nearly 70% of the votes.

GW to host GOP Foreign Policy Debate

WRGW has been given a tip on Tuesday night by a GOP candidate campaign representative that the George Washington University has in fact been chosen to host a GOP debate on foreign policy.

More details will be released tomorrow.

Stay tuned to WRGW News for more info.

UPDATE on Shooting Near Campus

GW's official Twitter has announced: "At approximately 11:15 PM, GWPD was notified of armed suspects in the I Street Mall area. Both suspects have been caught by MPD."

Reports continue that dorms and streets are blocked off.

No GW Alert or campus-wide Crime Alert has been issued.

WRGW has obtained some raw footage and pictures from the scene. (used with permission by Anna Hoover)

Please stay safe out there as there have been at least 6 shot tonight in DC.