Re: How do you contribute?

Description: Shaheen has blazed the path for young women in politics.

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