WASHINGTON — Long-time political commentators Mike Murphy and Paul Begala have been scheduled to speak at the 21st annual National Ethanol Conference (NEC) Feb. 15–17, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans. Murphy and Begala will engage in a point-counterpoint luncheon discussion about the 2016 election. Murphy is a political analyst for NBC News and a contributing editor for Time. Murphy has handled strategy and advertising for more than 26 successful gubernatorial and senatorial campaigns, and has been called a "media master" by Fortune magazine, the GOP's "hottest media consultant" by Newsweek, and a leader of a "new breed" of campaign consultants by Congressional Quarterly. Begala served as a chief strategist for the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign. He is a political analyst and commentator for CNN, and is part of a team at CNN that has won both an Emmy and a Peabody Award. During the 2012 presidential campaign, Begala was a senior adviser for the pro-Obama super PAC, making him one of the few people to play a critical role in electing two different presidents. "We're excited to have these two political heavyweights at this year's NEC," said RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen. "Given their in-depth knowledge of politics and policy, they'll provide conference attendees with intimate and insightful commentary on both presidential and congressional elections. As they come from opposite sides of the political spectrum, the discussion promises to be lively as well." The NEC is the most widely attended executive level conference for the ethanol industry. For up-to-date details on the NEC, visit: www.NationalEthanolConference.com.
