Today I went to a round-table discussion held at and co-sponsored by the Aspen Institute, a Washington based think tank that prides itself in encouraging critical thinking on stimulating issues. The second co-sponsor was the Bipartisan Policy Center, which I am growing to like more and more.
These two neutral centers brought together a panel of speakers which included a pair of former Senators, Republican Bob Bennett (Utah) and Democrat John Warner (Va.), 2010 Senate candidate and former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Greyson and NPR Correspondent Cokie Roberts. The two hour discussion was intriguing from the jump, with Mickey Edwards, Director of the Aspen Institute, moderating a stimulating conversation on invigorating the younger voting audience, the integrity of the electoral process, and who is to blame for the current hostile rhetoric and partisanship that is happening in Congress. I was completely hooked on what the speakers had to say. They quoted Aristotle off the tops of their heads, like his words were as easily memorable as a advertisement jingle.
As I sat in the front row, observing the speakers (whose seating was more of a square-table than round-table arrangement), I fell under their spell of wisdom and knowledge. It made me giddy. Inspired.
They tackled issues and debates that have plagued Washington this season, but they did so in a respectful, logical, reason-based manner. They were aspiring to create good conversation, instead of ambitiously biting each other with clipped, pre-rehearsed remarks.
“[We need to] think in terms of what’s the goal,” Edwards said. “The ability to compromise, to sit down with people who don’t start out where you are and find a way to talk to each other, to listen to each other, to be civil, and to have the kind of civil society Aristotle wanted us to have.”
After the discussion, I went and spoke to Cokie Roberts. She is my new heroin. She was smart and classy, bright, quick, and encouraging. Although she is the senior political analyst for NPR and is a political advisor for ABC, she was not rushed or dismissive when I told her I was a student and admired her. Instead, she told me how encouraged she was to see young people showing an interest in policy.
This is a stark difference to the stony politicians and egotistical reporters that I usually meet here on the Hill.
After today's discussion, I am more excited than ever to be back at school, broadening my education to increase my awareness. Scoot over Barack, Aristotle is in the house!
L-R: Cokie Roberts, Mickey Edwards, Jack Markell
More to come!
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