Legendary reporter Bob Woodward of the Washington Post and two of the nation's best-known political pundits - Paul Begala and Mary Matalin - are headlining the fourth annual Northern Kentucky University Alumni Lecture Series.

This year's lecture, "The President, the Press and the People," is set for Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. in Regents Hall. Tickets are $30 for the general public, $25 for NKU alumni, faculty and staff and $5 for students and are available from the Office of Alumni Affairs, 859-572-5370.

Woodward, an assistant managing editor of the Post, is best known for breaking the Watergate scandal with fellow reporter Carl Bernstein. He has written nine best-selling books.

Matalin is a Republican consultant and strategist who served as an assistant to President Bush and a counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney. Her husband, Democratic political consultant James Carville, appeared at last year's NKU lecture series.

Begala was a top adviser to President Clinton and currently co-hosts Crossfire on CNN.

Democrat honors

Six dedicated Democrats will be honored Thursday during an appreciation dinner at the Southgate Civic Center.

The Campbell County Men's Democratic Club will honor the Democrats "for their years of public service to the citizens of Campbell County," according to a release from the club. Those slated to be recognized are Roland Vories, Henrietta Groh, Charity Turner, Rose Beiting, Bob Tieman and Gerald Losey.

'Unity rally' planned

Former University of Kentucky basketball coach Joe B. Hall, who has been barnstorming the state for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ben Chandler, is scheduled to appear at an Oct. 7 "unity rally" sponsored by the Boone County Democratic Party.

The rally will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Florence Lion's Club, 29 LaCresta Drive in Florence. Cost is $3 and participants are asked to bring a covered dish, said party chairman Howard Tankersley.

For more information contact Tankersley at (859) 647-1983 or by e-mail at howardtankersley@fuse.net.

Last month, Hall, who led UK to the 1978 national championship, drew a big crowd for a similar rally staged by Kenton County Democrats in Latonia.

To submit an item to Political Notes, contact Patrick Crowley by fax, (859) 578-5565, e-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com or mail in care of the Kentucky Enquirer, 226 Grandview Drive, Fort Mitchell, Ky., 41017.