Smith, a campaign strategist who came from out of state to lead Lieberman's team, will teach the political science seminar "Modern Political Campaigns." Following the August loss, Lieberman fired his campaign staff, replacing Smith with Sherry Brown, who had run some of his previous campaigns. Smith, whose wife is Susan Hyde, an assistant professor of political science, is now senior vice president at a New York political and communications consulting firm.
Following Smith's departure from the campaign, rumors circulated among students that Smith had decided not to teach the class. The rumors started after some students noticed he was not listed as the course's instructor on the University's Online Course Information Web site, though he was listed in the print edition of the Blue Book. But political science professor David Cameron, the department's director of undergraduate studies, said the omission of Smith's name from OCI is due to bureaucracy: His name cannot be listed until his appointment becomes official, and his appointment will not begin until the spring semester.
Other students, mostly Democrats, questioned the value of a campaign strategy class taught by someone whose choice of strategy ultimately proved unsuccessful.
"It's kind of like if after David fought Goliath, Goliath went on to teach a class about how to use a slingshot," said Brendan Gants '08, president of the Yale College Democrats, who have endorsed Lamont.
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