LEWISTON — The Great Falls Forum lecture series will present Charles J. Micoleau, senior attorney with the Portland law firm of Curtis Thaxter, speaking on “Where Has the Middle Ground Gone in the Partisan Politics of Today.” The program will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16, in Callahan Hall at the Lewiston Public Library.

In 1970, Micoleau joined the staff of U.S. Sen. Edmund S. Muskie in Washington, D.C., serving in various positions both in election campaigns and legislative affairs. By 1972, he had become Muskie’s chief of staff and served in that capacity during the senator’s campaign for the presidency that year.

In his Great Falls Forum talk, Micoleau will look at this year’s midterm elections, drawing lessons from Muskie’s 1972 presidential campaign and especially the sharp contrast in the styles between President Nixon and Muskie in the final days of the 1970 congressional election campaigns.

The presentation is being done in partnership with the Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library at Bates College, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this fall. Since its founding, the archives has played a vital role in preserving and promoting Muskie’s legacy of civic engagement and public service.

Admission is free to the event, which is the first Great Falls Forum program of the 2010-2011 season. Attendees are invited to bring brown bag lunches or may take advantage of the forum’s partnership with Guthries cafe and request a sandwich or salad to be delivered to the library in advance of the talk. Orders may be placed by calling Guthries at 376-3344. The menu is available at www.guthriesplace.com. Bottled water will be available on-site at the library.

The Lewiston Public Library is located downtown at 200 Lisbon St., at the corner of Pine Street. More information on Thursday’s lecture or other upcoming events in the Great Falls Forum series is available by contacting the library at 513-3135 or www.lplonline.org.