TIM PRATT

James Carville and Mary Matalin come from vastly different backgrounds.

He’s a Democratic political strategist who grew up in Louisiana. She’s a Republican from Illinois.

Yet, despite their vastly different political views, the couple has been happily married since 1993. At a talk Tuesday night in Mississippi State University’s Bettersworth Auditorium, as part of the College of Business’s third annual Leadership Summit, both touched on the difficulties facing the U.S., but also on the strategies they’ve used to manage their home life despite opposing political views and campaigns.

Matalin was an assistant to former President George W. Bush and served as a counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney, while Carville was former President Bill Clinton’s campaign manager.

On the couple’s ability to discuss politics at home, Matalin said she and Carville decided against it “a long time ago.”

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TIM PRATT

STARKVILLE — Political commentators James Carville and Mary Matalin, the husband-and-wife duo known for sitting on opposite sides of the political aisle, are set to speak today at Mississippi State University as part of the College of Business’s third annual Leadership Summit.

The talk is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in Bettersworth Auditorium in Lee Hall. A limited number of free tickets are available for students, faculty and staff, while tickets also are on sale to the public for $20.

The Leadership Summit, which began this morning, also will feature Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc.; Kenneth “Hap” Klopp, founder of The North Face; Ali Velshi, CNN’s senior business correspondent; and Roy Ruby, who has worked at Mississippi State University for more than 40 years and served as interim president until Mark Keenum was hired to fill the spot last fall.

“We are really excited because of the diversity of the backgrounds of the people coming in to speak,” MSU Dean of Business Lynne Richardson said Monday. “We think it will provide some thought-provoking messages to the folks in the audience.”

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DISPATCH STAFF REPORT

The Kappa Signma fraternity at Mississippi State University was placed on probation through May 15, 2010, for violating campus alcohol rules, the university said today.

The action comes after an investigation into a Sept. 18 party at the fraternity house.

“The university chapter has admitted to violating university alcohol policies,” MSU said in a release. “It may face future sanctions from the social organization’s national office, which will not make a formal decision until October.”

“The chapter has admitted its responsibility for violating Mississippi State University’s Code of Student Conduct, and it will face the penalties,” said Bill Kibler, vice president for student affairs.

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TIM PRATT

STARKVILLE — The streets of the Cotton District will be abuzz this weekend as the 10th annual Bulldog Bash kicks off with food, fun and live music.

But the event also will give those in attendance the chance to give back to the community.

Festival patrons will be encouraged to take out their cell phones before headliner Third Eye Blind takes the stage at 10:30 p.m. for a text message campaign to benefit the United Way of North Central Mississippi. People can text message the letters “NCMISS” to the number 864833, which spells “united,” and donate $5 to the United Way.

Roughly $1,300 already has been raised for the United Way through the cell-phone campaign, which has taken place all this week, Mississippi State University Student Association President Blake Jeter said Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s a quick, easy, innovative way to give money to the United Way,” Jeter said. “Hopefully we can raise a couple thousand dollars.”

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