The Crown Center for Middle East Studies and a new student organization have extended invitations to Presidential hopefuls to speak on campus perhaps by the close of this semester, Senior Vice President for Communication Lorna Miles said.The Crown Center invited Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and 2000 democratic presidential nominee Al Gore, among others, to speak about America's role in the Middle East, Miles said. Topics could range from the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to the war in Iraq and other issues facing the Middle East.

"My sense is most of the speakers are individuals who would really welcome the opportunity to come to campus," Miles said, but she declined to comment on whether any campaigns have responded to the University's invitation.

"We're hoping to get something to happen by the end of this semester," she said, adding that the event's logistics are still unclear.

Shai Feldman, the Crown Center's director, didn't return requests for comment Monday, and Miles declined to comment on funding sources or estimate the event's cost to the University.

Miles did acknowledge that the cost would be significantly lower than the cost to bring former President Jimmy Carter last January-nearly $100,000.

U nlike the organizing for Carter's visit, Miles said that "The lead time on this is a little more flexible."

Democratic presidential hopefuls received a follow-up invitation from the newly created Democratic Presidential Planning Committee, chaired by Jamie Ansorge '09, the campaign coordinator of Democracy for America, and David Emer '09, vice president of the Brandeis Democrats. Their invitations didn't request that the candidates speak specifically on Middle East-related topics.

Ansorge and Emer declined to say to extent to which campaigns have expressed interest in coming, though Emer said, "There are positive developments." They also don't know potential costs yet.

Ansorge said he and about 20 other activist students are discussing the program currently, and he received positive feedback from University President Jehuda Reinharz, who offered to work with the students on the event, but said the University should only take a non-partisan vote and also invite Republican candidates.

For those Democratic candidates who already received Crown Center invitations, the DPPC sent letters explaining they are aware of the Crown Center invitation and wanted to let them know that students were also supportive of their visit.

In addition to follow-up letters sent to Clinton and Obama, the DPPC sent follow-ups to Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del. and Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C.

The DPPC also sent invitations to candidates Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, Gov. Bill Richardson D-N.M. and Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn.

Ansorge emphasized that a canidate's appereance would mean a great deal to the campus. "We're willing to work for candidates [who come,]" Ansorge said. "To go up to New Hampshire, to do what we did in 2004 for Kerry. That's what students offer."

Should one of the politicians who received invitations from both organizations agree to speak, students and Miles said they were confident the details of the event would be worked out so that everyone could be satisfied with the speech.

"I think that all those issues can be resolved," Emer said.

The DPPC, a collaborative effort between the Democrats and DFA, is neither recognized nor chartered by the Student Union.