Cambridge Alumni in the north-east of England

The Northumbrian Cambridge Association has brought together alumni living in the North East of England for almost 90 years.

We meet in most months for walks, talks, concerts, films, freshers and festive events, an annual dinner, and an AGM. For more information, look at our What We Do page (link above), or get in touch with a Committee Member (Who to Contact, link above).

The Cambridge Lecture in 2018, Stalin's Playlist, was given after the AGM by Professor Marina Frolova-Walker (Professor of Music History at Cambridge, and Fellow and Director of Music at Clare College), and was very well received. Our 2019 Cambridge Lecture,The Kennedys and the Gores, will be given by Professor Tony Badger, Professor of American History at Northumbria University and Emeritus Paul Mellon Professor of American History at the University of Cambridge.

We always welcome new members (the subscription is £10 a year). For information about joining, or attending a forthcoming event, please contact us using our How to Join page (link above).

Remaining events for 2019 are below (alternatively, you can view the 2019 events calendar as a one page document) :

AGM & Annual Lecture

The Kennedys and the Gores
Professor Tony Badger

In a country that prides itself on its egalitarianism and its democracy, it is perhaps surprising that family dynasties are so prominent in its national politics - the Kennedys, the Bushes, the Clintons.

Albert Gore Sr was a prominent senator in the 1950s and 1960s. His son was in due course elected to the Senate as well, then to the vice-presidency, and finally was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for the presidency in 2000. Gore Sr was elected to the Senate at the same time as JFK and their families were friends. Their close political friendship survived Gore wrecking JFK's chances of winning the vice-presidential party nomination in 1956. Gore's remorseless opposition to the Kennedy tax cut also led to the President describing him as a son of a bitch. Gore and Bobby Kennedy were allied both on social spending programmes and the Vietnam War. When RFK was assassinated, Gore hoped that Ted Kennedy would run for the presidency in 1968. At great political cost he supported Ted Kennedy's drive to oppose Nixon's southern nominations to the Supreme Court. Gore's son and Ted Kennedy served in the Senate together and both had presidential ambitions.

In the 1980s both had different visions of how the national Democrats could win. Those differences continued into the Clinton presidency and the 2000 election. The lecture examines these friendships and tensions over fifty years to illustrate the changing nature and fortunes of the Democratic Party.

Booking Form will be available in July 2019

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