News release, March 2, 1999, effective immediately.

Note: This event occurred in 1999. Please see our news release index for current events.

Hargis, Turpen to Bring Flashpoint Politics to Ardmore

Everyone who thought recent presidential impeachment proceedings provided a circus atmo-sphere for partisan politics hasn't heard anything yet — not until they hear the rapid-fire volleys ex-changed between rival political party analysts Burns Hargis (Republican) and Mike Turpen (Democrat), co-hosts of Flashpoint, a weekly Sunday morning talk show on KFOR Television in Oklahoma City and KTUL TV in Tulsa.

The two show hosts will bring their special brand of conflicting, insightful, and oftentimes heated analysis of current political issues in the state to Ardmore as the third presentation in the Profiles and Perspectives program, sponsored by The Noble Foundation in Ardmore.

Hargis and Turpen will present a free public program at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 18, in the Goddard Center in their Flashpoint format, followed by an informal reception at 8:15 p.m. Both are free to the public.

"Burns and Mike don't pull any punches when it comes to discussing politics, current events or even their favorite football teams," said Joe Lobell, Communications Department manager at the Noble Foundation. "They seldom agree on anything, but they have a certain rapport that informs and especially entertains the audience."

Earlier in the day, the dynamic duo of political pundits will present two programs to area studentsat the Goddard Center.

Despite vocal differences on most matters, both men are former unsuccessful gubernatorial candidates — Hargis as a Republican in 1990, and Turpen running on the Democratic ticket in 1986. Both also are practicing attorneys in Oklahoma City, are family men, and have held gubernatorial-appointed posts on the state level.

Hargis is vice chairman of Bank of Oklahoma, NA, and is the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber vice chairman for economic development. As gubernatorial appointments, he has served as vice chair-man of the Oklahoma State Election Board (1975-80) and chairman of the Oklahoma Commission for Human Services (1987). In 1986, he was appointed chairman of the Mayor's Economic Development Committee for Oklahoma City. He currently serves on the Great Expectations Foundation and Oklahoma Lawyers for Children.

Turpen was Muskogee County District Attorney (1977-82), and state Attorney General (1983-87). He is a member of several bar associations, as well as Oklahoma District Attorneys Association, National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA), the Oklahoma Academy of State Goals, and Rotary Club. He received the Donald Santarelli Award for developing several bills which collectively became the Victim's Bill of Rights in Oklahoma. He has published articles in legal journals and was appointed in 1978 as commissioner of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

"This is the third installment in our Profiles and Perspectives series, and it's the first that focuses on current events," Lobell said. "We plan to provide a mix of programs of interest to both students and the general public. Next month we will focus on a researcher who has developed a method of ‘engineering' medications in common foods, such as bananas. And this fall we plan to feature an artist who works in both painting and bronze sculpture."

During 1998, the program's initial year, the Foundation sponsored Profiles and Perspectives visits by Donna Shirley, former manager of NASA's Mars exploration program; and Dr. John Fagan, with the University of Oklahoma's College of Electrical Engineering, who brought two electric-powered vehicles to Ardmore for demonstrations.

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(FYI — The Noble Foundation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization headquartered in Ardmore, Okla. The Foundation conducts agricultural and plant biology research; provides grants to numerous other charitable and educational organizations; and assists farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative programs.)