Transcript: I think it is, “How can I make a difference? What else can I do to make this a better place? What else can I do to make a difference for the people around me?” If each of us just did . . . It’s like the bumper sticker that talks about doing good for the next person.

Recorded on: 6/13/07

Question: What should we be doing that we’re not?

Transcript: Well I think if each of us were just able to make a difference in our immediate circumstances, that that would help. I think collectively we need some changes from our leaders in order to address some of the big challenges that we face. And we have been more successful at different times in this country’s history then I think we are right now.

Question: When have we been more successful?

Transcript: Well I think we saw during Kennedy’s brief time in office, he was able to work to sign the first disarmament treaty, and I think that was productive. I think we’ve seen some other changes over the years that have been very hopeful. I think President Carter’s stand on human rights was very positive. I think Ronald Reagan’s standing up to the Soviet Union. So we saw the fall of Communism was very positive. So I think we can look at particular times in the history of the world. At the end of World War II and the Marshall Plan when this country, along with some others, was able to support our enemies, those countries – Germany, Japan – who had been our enemies and helping them to rebuild. And we need that kind of feeling as we go forward. You know one of the things that we all are affected by today is globalization, and the fact that the world is so interconnected and it’s so apparent. And we haven’t yet seen our leaders respond to that in a way that I think is going to be important.

Recorded on: 6/13/07

Question: Are you generally optimistic or pessimistic about the way the world is headed?

Transcript: Oh I’m optimistic. I wouldn’t be involved in politics if I weren’t optimistic about the ability of the human race to address the problems that we face and move forward.

Question: What gives you a sense of optimism?

Transcript: Well one thing is watching my grandchildren. Some of these students that I’ve had the opportunity to work with during my time at Harvard, and see how committed they are and how much they want to make a difference in the world.

Recorded on: 6/13/07

Question: When you read the newspaper or watch the news, what issues stand out for you?

Transcript: Well certainly global warming is one of those things. If we hope to have a world where we can still inhabit it in the same way in the next century, then we need to begin to address that issue; not just today, but probably 20 years ago. Poverty is one of the other huge factors in what happens to people, and nuclear weapons, I think we need to hopefully disarm our nuclear weapons. And I hope . . . There was a time when I thought I would actually see that happening my lifetime. I’m becoming more discouraged about that today.

Question: How can people be inspired to care about big issues?

Transcript: It’s hard to make somebody care about nuclear disarmament if they don’t know where their next meal is coming from. So I think looking at what we can do about economic disparities with people so that people have an opportunity to think about protecting the environment for example, and looking at awareness, looking at addressing those economic disparities, and then from that hopefully awareness. And then technological development. I think much of our hope for the future lies in technological developments that will help us, whether that’s feed the world’s population or address environmental mediation. I think that’s a place where hopefully we will see some of the changes that we need to make sure we have a bright future.

Question: What are the positive aspects of globalization?

Transcript: I think the interconnectedness of the world. And hopefully at some point in time that means that we will see a benefit – an economic benefit – from the fact that we’re interconnected. We have lost jobs in this country because of trade, but we’ve also gained jobs because of trade. And so hopefully that would be a long-term benefit that will reach a point where everybody can benefit from that; recognizing that we’ve got to help each other if we’re going to be successful in the future; that what happens when there’s a tsunami in Southeast Asia, that it doesn’t just affect the people in Southeast Asia – that we’re also affected by that – and so making sure that we can help when that happens. Looking at the effects of global warming, for example. When we cut down the jungles in South America, it doesn’t just affect Brazil. It affects people all over the world.

Question: What are the downsides?

Transcript: Well some of those that have been outlined and some of the things that I just talked about. Now the fact that we’ve lost jobs in this country has been . . . has created a terrible upheaval in many communities, and for many people who have lost their jobs and may never have an opportunity to have another job that pays like their job in the auto industry paid. That’s been a negative of globalization that’s had a real impact on individuals. So we can talk about it as a big picture issue; but when it comes down to those families who are affected, they are affected in a very real way. And we have to figure out how to address those kinds of impacts.

Question: What should we stop doing?

Transcript: Well we can all stop using so much energy. That would certainly be a benefit in terms of global warming. If we could all stop smoking that would be a huge health benefit. So I think there are a whole lot of things on that list. It’s just a question of what are you willing to do?

Question: What are we doing right?

Transcript: Well we are working harder I think today to address environmental issues than we have for most of my lifetime. We are working harder to address disease. We are working harder to try and address the inequities in this country certainly, but we haven’t gone as far was we need to yet.

Question: How can we get nuclear states to disarm?

Transcript: Well I think it’s funding for some of it. Now we made some real progress for a period in the ‘90s with dismantling the nuclear weapons in the former Soviet Union and in the U.S. Unfortunately we’ve stop doing that.

Recorded on: 6/13/07

Question: What forces have shaped humanity most?

Transcript: Well certainly I think religious forces have had a huge impact and continue to, whether it’s a particular religion or a prophet or whatever. Certainly we wouldn’t be here in the United States if our forefathers hadn’t been concerned about religious persecution in Europe at the time the Pilgrims came over to Plymouth Rock. We wouldn’t see the same divisions if we hadn’t had the crusades. And that’s been something that’s influenced us through the centuries.

Question: Do you think humankind has an overarching purpose or direction?

Transcript: I do. I believe that is to make things better; to try and make the world a better place for the people who live here. Zach

Recorded on: 6/13/07

Question: Do you have a personal philosophy?

Transcript: Well I think it’s probably what we learned in kindergarten, what I learned in Sunday school. We should all try and live a good life, try and make a difference for other people. Be kind to other people. You know I can remember my father and I debating during the ‘60s when he and I disagreed politically about what was going on in this country, and his saying to me, you know, “I’ve tried to be good and helpful to the people who I come in contact with in my day-to-day job. I haven’t tried to solve the world’s problems, but I have tried to make a difference for those people who I came in contact with.” And I think that’s a great philosophy.

Question: Do you have a political philosophy?

Transcript: Well I believe in democracy. I believe in this country of ours and believe that democracy works. I think one of the lessons is that it doesn’t always work the way we want it to; that our elected leaders don’t always do exactly what we want, and the country doesn’t always move in the direction that we want. But the great thing about the democracy that we’re in is that when enough people get concerned enough about an issue, the country does respond, and the political leaders do respond.

Question: Who are some leaders that really “get it”?

Transcript: Oh I think there are a lot of those people. Nicholas Kristof was just the class A speaker at the Kennedy School. And one of the things that . . . Looking at his work on the genocide in Darfur, and the way he’s been able to keep that issue in the forefront I think has been amazing. I think looking at some of the people . . . Michael J. Fox, whose work on trying to get people to consider stem cell research, is somebody who I very much admire who I think has made a huge difference. There are . . . Jim Comer whose work on education is really . . . would fundamentally change the way we educate people in this country. I think there are all kinds of people to look to for inspiration.

Question: Do religion and faith inform your worldview?

Transcript: I think it’s important to have a faith that guides you. It affects my values. It affects what I think is important to do with my life. How I hope to make a difference long term is guided by the Judeo-Christian ethic, the belief that we should abide by the Ten Commandments, that we should try and make a difference in the world.

Question: What do you make of the surge of religious fundamentalism?

Transcript: You know I think that’s unfortunate. I don’t think – whether you believe in God or whether you believe in Allah – that a supreme being would approve of the kinds of fanaticism that we’ve seen, whether it’s been Christian fanaticism, or Muslim fanaticism, or Jewish fanaticism. I think it’s all part of the same thing, that it’s not good for humanity.

Question: What is your highest virtue?

Transcript: I think honesty and integrity certainly are at the top of that list, because if you can’t be honest about what you’re doing, and I can’t believe that when you tell me something that you’re actually gonna do it, it’s hard for me to believe that you will then be able to do good things or that I can trust in what you’re doing.

Question: What is the measure of a good life?

Transcript: Oh I think it is to be able to do something productive; to be able to have people who love me who I love; to have a supportive family; to be able to watch my children grow up and grandchildren; and to feel like I have made a difference in all of that.

Recorded on: 6/13/07

Transcript: You know I think seeing the difference that I can make. So whether . . . As governor it was being able to go to a new kindergarten that was being built because of work that I had helped lead, and seeing the excitement on the faces of those five year olds as they went into that public kindergarten. It’s working with the students here at the Kennedy School and at Harvard and seeing how idealistic, and energetic, and optimistic they are about their futures; and thinking the world is in good hands because we’ve got those future leaders who are committed to making a difference.

Question: To whom do you look for inspiration?

Transcript: Well I think there are a lot of them. One person that I always talk things through with is my husband. If I could go to somebody to talk to them about a difficult problem, I think my first choice would be Abraham Lincoln. I think for Lincoln to have been able to believe strongly enough in keeping the union whole; to be able to see so many of his constituents die in that process must have been so hard, that I think his knowledge and his values would be something I would really love to hear him talk about. It’s been wonderful to read some of Doris Kearns-Goodwin . . . her recent book “A Team of Rivals” which talked about Lincoln and how he dealt with people, and how he was able to keep things together through what was just an awful time for this country.

Question: What advice would Lincoln give politicians today?

Transcript: You know based on looking at what he did with his Cabinet, I think he might say to people, “Forget about those differences and think about bringing the best people in to help solve problems.” And certainly that’s what he did, and I think we would be better off for that.

Recorded on: 6/13/07

Question: What Impact Does Your Work Have On The World?

Transcript: Well today I think it’s very important to engage this next generation in the political process, because our democracy really depends on people participating. And if we can get them excited and involved in politics and government, and public service, then that’s going to be critical to the future of the country.

Question: What impact have you had on politics?

Transcript: Well one of the things that I think I have done is to be a role model for women in politics. I was the 14th woman elected governor in this country, and what I hear from young women in particular is that they recognize because there have been women who have gotten elected to office, that they have options today that they might not have realized they had 20 or 30 years ago. And so I think that’s very important. I think it’s important for us to have women participating in the political process, because we have different life experiences. We have different perspectives on things. They’re not better or worse then men’s, but they’re different. And when women are at the table, the conversation changes. Whether it’s in a boardroom, at a community meeting, or in a legislature. And that’s important.

Question: What needs to change for women to advance further?

Transcript: You know I think what really changes voters’ view of women is getting women to run for office. When voters are as comfortable with women candidates – whether it’s for governor, or it’s for president, or it’s for the legislature or Congress – then they’re going to be more inclined to make judgments about who they support based on the candidates’ positions on the issues rather than their gender. And I think that will be healthy for everybody.

Question: What is the biggest challenge politics faces?

Transcript: I think one of the biggest challenges today in America is the partisan divide that we have in this country. And I think that’s not good for the future of the country, and it’s not good in terms of solving problems. And it’s not good in recognizing that we are one county and we need to figure out how to work together to resolve the challenges that we face. You know this country was built on compromise. It was built on people being able to give up a little something in their own interest for the interest of the whole. And we’ve gotta be able to continue to do that. We’ve gotta stop being so partisan and start being able to work together.

I hope that the voters will demand it. That people will want solutions to the challenges that we face in this country. And that they will demand that people work together to solve the problems that we face.

Question: What do you have left to achieve in politics?

Transcript: Well hopefully I will have an opportunity to serve in a policy making position again in the future. And if not, I hope to continue to be involved in some way.

Question: What would like to accomplish outside of politics?

Transcript: You know I think watching my family; having a chance to see my grandchildren live healthy and happy lives; see them grow up in communities and have the same advantages that I had for a world where they can still enjoy the outdoors, hopefully where we can address global warming; a world where they can get a good education, where they can have job opportunities for the future. I think outside of my work, that’s what I’m most concerned about.

Recorded on: 6/13/07

Question: Beyond a simple title, how would you describe what you do for a living?

Transcript: Well I would describe myself as a politician. That certainly has been my experience for the last 30 years. And even now I’m currently the Director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard; I still view my work as political. It’s got a little different direction to it now because our mission is to engage young people in politics and public service. And so what I’m really trying to do these days is to inspire young people about the importance of getting involved in politics, and about giving back. We’re carrying on the Kennedy legacy of trying to engage this young generation in giving back to the country and the world through public service.

Question: What are you working on right now?

Transcript: Well right now as Director of the Institute of Politics, one of the things we’re trying to do is to let people know – particularly the candidates running for president – that young voters are going to turn out in ‘08. We’ve been surveying young voters since 2000, and what we’ve seen is a real change in their participation and interest in the electoral process. So for 30 years after 1972 when 18 year-olds got the right to vote, we saw the number of young people turning out to vote went steadily down. Well that began to reverse itself in 2004 where we saw, primarily because of the Iraq War, a real change and a dramatic increase – eleven percentage points higher turnout among young voters in 2004 over 2000. So we had a million more people under 30 who voted in 2004 than over 65. That’s something that’s unheard of in politics. And we think it’s important to let people know that; that young people are interested in the political process. And if you’re a candidate running for office, if you talk to them about their concerns, then they’re going to come out and vote.

Question: What sparked your interest in politics?

Transcript: My family always had discussions about current events around the kitchen table in the evening. My father was not an activist in politics, but he certainly always voted. He followed what happened. He was an avid reader and watched current events, and I think I got my first interest in that way. But I also have this theory that some people are born with artistic ability, and some people have music ability, and some people get a political gene, and I think I was born with a political gene. And then growing up in the ‘60s, going to college during that time when there was so much going on in this country, you couldn’t help but be active politically.

You know I view politics as a way to change the world, to make a difference for people. And that’s been my interest in getting involved in politics. And having had the opportunity to serve as governor and see very directly the difference that public policy can make for people was very rewarding, and still is. I view politics as the way to make a change.

Question:Can leadership be taught?

Transcript: You know I think often . . . I think it’s a combination of things, and I think here at the Kennedy School of Government there’s been a debate about can you teach leadership. And I think yes, in fact you can. You can teach the kinds of things that you need to do as a leader. Circumstances often produce leaders as well. We used to say that a crisis is not just a challenge, it’s also an opportunity. It allows you to respond positively in a way that makes a difference, solves the problem. Or you get overwhelmed by it. If you’re a leader, you can step up and you can solve the problem. Or at least respond to it in a way that takes definitive action.

Recorded on: 6/13/07

Question: Where are you from and how has that shaped you?

Transcript: My name is Jeanne Saheen. Originally I’m from Missouri. I was born in St. Charles, Missouri. Grew up in southern Missouri in the boot heel, and went to high school and college in Pennsylvania. My family moved east and I sort of worked my way northeast. Then when up to the coast of Maine after I got out of college and met my husband who is from New Hampshire. So I’ve spent the last almost 40 years in New Hampshire.

You know I think one of the things that moving around a lot as a child did was it gave me a greater appreciation for the differences among people, and a greater tolerance for the fact that everybody isn’t the same; that not only do we look different, but we have different perspectives, and different backgrounds, and different values, and that it’s important to be tolerant of that.

Question: Who was your greatest influence when you were young?

Transcript: Well I think certainly my parents were a great influence, and my grandfather was also a big influence. My grandfather was this outsized figure who still rode horses into his ‘60s and had a farm where he had cattle. He drove a pickup truck that had horns on the front of it, and when he blew the horn in the truck in mooed. And he always wore a stringed tie and a cowboy hat. So he was quite a character and someone who I looked up to.

I think he always had me tag along with him, and so I think he took an interest in me. I was very much a tomboy growing up and very interested in horses, and cows, and the farm and what was going on. And I think he found that interesting. And I thought people in the community also looked up to him. His nickname was “Boss”, and I would always find that very interesting when we would go into the bank or a store, that it was clear that people listened to what he had to say.

Recorded on: 6/13/07