The co-authors talked about their bipartisan book, Applebee’s America: How Successful Political, Business, and Religious Leaders Connect with the New American Community, published by Simon and Schuster. They described twenty-first century America’s heightened sense of community, using interviews with middle class residents who eat at Applebee’s restaurants. They said they are attempting to help leaders understand current trends in order to better serve their constituents. After their presentations, the co-authors responded to audience members' questions.

Douglas Sosnik was senior advisor for policy and strategy to President Bill Clinton. Matthew Dowd is founding partner of Vianovo, a corporate brand and positioning firm. He is also an adviser to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger and Michigan gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos. Ron Fournier is a former national political writer at the Associated Press.