Distinguished Speakers

A reverse chronological list of the McConnell Center's Distinguished Speakers, 1993 to present.
Pictures of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, Sec. of State Colin Powell, U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, President George W. Bush, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Since 1993, more than 50 distinguished guests, including U.S. presidents, cabinet members, supreme court justices, and congressional and international leaders, have delivered talks at the University of Louisville as part of the McConnell Center's Distinguished Speaker Series.

The following guests (listed in reverse chronological order) are part of the the McConnell Center's Distinguished Speaker Series:

  1. US Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Sept. 26, 2022: photos
  2. US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), April 11, 2022: photos
  3. US Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Sept. 12, 2021: photos
  4. U.S. Representative John Yarmuth (D-KY, 3rd), Jan. 27, 2021: video
  5. US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, Dec. 2, 2019: story, photos, short video
  6. Australian Ambassador to the US Joe Hockey, Oct. 22, 2019
  7. US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Oct. 4, 2019: story, photos
  8. US Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), April 1, 2019: video, story, photos
  9. Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, Nov. 16, 2018: video, story
  10. CIA Director Gina Haspel, Sept. 24, 2018: video, photos, story
  11. US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Feb. 12, 2018: video, photos, story
  12. US Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, Sept. 21, 2017
  13. US Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), Oct. 21, 2016: video,photos,story
  14. US Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), Nov. 16, 2015: video,  photos, story
  15. US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, Jan. 12, 2015: video, photos, story
  16. US Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), March 17, 2014: video, photos, story
  17. US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), March 25, 2013: video, story
  18. Nobel Peace Prize Winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Sept. 24, 2012: video, photos, story
  19. CIA Director David H. Petraeus, Sept. 10, 2012: video, photos, story
  20. US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, March 1, 2012: video, photos, story 
  21. US Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), Oct. 31, 2011: video, photos, story
  22. US Vice President Joe Biden (D-DE), Feb. 11, 2011: video, photos, story
  23. US Senator Scott Brown (R-MA), Nov. 8, 2010: video, photos, story
  24. former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam, April 12, 2010: photos, story
  25. US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, April 9, 2010: video, photos, story
  26. US Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Nov. 11, 2009: video, photos, story
  27. US Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao, Nov. 11, 2009
  28. US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, April 18, 2009: video, photos, story
  29. US Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jan. 10, 2009
  30. Pulitzer Prize Winner for History Doris Kearns Goodwin, Feb. 11, 2008
  31. US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Oct. 15, 2007: photos
  32. US President George W. Bush (R-TX), March 2, 2007: photos
  33. Second Lady of the US Lynne Cheney, Sept. 18, 2006: video
  34. US Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), April 3, 2006: video, photos
  35. US Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), Sept. 19, 2005: video, photos
  36. US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Feb. 28, 2005: photos
  37. US Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Nov. 8, 2004: video, photos
  38. US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, March 8, 2004
  39. former US Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, Oct. 17, 2003: photos
  40. US Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Sept. 22, 2003: story
  41. US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), March 3, 2003: photos
  42. US Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX), Sept. 9, 2002: photos
  43. US Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Jan. 28, 2002
  44. US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Nov. 19, 2001: video, photos, story
  45. Pulitzer Prize Winner for Commentary George F. Will, April 9, 2001; video
  46. Prime Minister of Belize Said W. Musa, Feb. 12, 2001
  47. US Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Nov. 13, 2000
  48. British Ambassador to the US Christopher Meyer, KCMG, Oct. 30, 2000
  49. US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Sept. 11, 2000
  50. US Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), April 17, 2000: video
  51. former US Secretary of Defense William J. Perry, Jan. 31, 2000
  52. People's Republic of China Ambassador to the US Li Zhaoxing, Nov. 22, 1999
  53. US Representative Anne Northup(R-KY, 3rd), Sept. 13, 1999
  54. former US Secretary of State James Baker, Oct. 26, 1998
  55. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Oct. 27, 1997
  56. Baron of Edmonton Thomas Edward Graham, Opposition Chief Whip of the House of Lords (Parliament of the United Kingdom), Sept. 19, 1996
  57. US Senator William Bradley (D-NJ), Feb. 12, 1996
  58. Arab Republic of Egypt Ambassador to the US Ahmed Maher El Sayed, Nov. 13, 1995
  59. US Deputy Secretary of State Nelson Strobridge Talbott, March 20, 1995
  60. Israeli Ambassador to the US Itamar Rabinovich, April 25, 1994
  61. former US Ambassador to Paraguay and El Salvador Robert White, March 24, 1994
  62. former US Secretary of State George Shultz, Oct. 5, 1993: video