Senator, students in this UVA class are preparing to play leading policy making roles in the decades ahead. And I want to ask you how might the public policy agenda be altered and how might it grow in, say, the year 2030. How might technology and some of the challenges of the future alter the issues that they will be managing for our nation in the years ahead. >> So, what we're talking about this in 2014, so I'm looking forward to 16 years to answer that question. i, i, issues that will be even bigger on our radar screen, the whole area of climate is going to continue to be a very significant one. I mean even just using one example on climate. We haven't ever had to really have an Arctic Policy. Because there weren't sea lions in the Arctic. But now there are. And so the nations that ring the Arctic, Russia, Canada, the United States and others. Suddenly, the, the Arctic, as a policy area, as a national security area, is going to become an important one. When it hasn't necessarily been one that's that has attracted a lot of attention in the past. And climate will affect so many things humanitarian efforts and, and our own strategies for the resilience of communities. Like Hampton roads that are at, at sea level, so that is going to continue to be a bigger and bigger challenge. I would say another issue is the role of I, the role of non-state actors. So whether it's you know, a terrorist organization like Al Qaeda, or on the good side NGO's. Like Mercy Corp that do you know, humanitarian relief around the world. The role of non-state actors as a force in sort of the, what's happening internationally I think will grow larger and larger. And one of the great things that the United States has been part of is building international institutions. You know, first Woodrow Wilson's idea for the never completely functioning League of Nations. But even when the League of Nations was collapsing, FDR said, well, we gotta have something to replace it. And it was a peculiarly United States driven mission that created the United Nations. And now, international institutions like Oxfam and others, they will have an increasing role. On on, on all aspects of the economy and security nationally. And so public policy will not just be done through elected positions, will not just be done through positions in government. So often be done through international organizations that are, you know, working hopefully for good around the world. >> You set me up for something I want to explore. Which gets very much to the heart of what our founding donor was all about, Frank Batten. He had a very strong belief that civic leadership would come not just from government officials and assistant secretaries. And legislative assistants and senators, but also from the private sector. And as you said, from NGOs as well. Given your extraordinary experience at local, state, and federal government level, how do we get the balance right. On, on which types of problems invite government solutions, sometimes big government solutions as a Versus issue that might really invite public private cooperation. Or might really be a problem for the private sector itself to handle? >> That's a good question. And and, and I knew Frank Batten quite well. And was a huge admirer of his. And when he gave the gift to, to begin this program, I was thrilled. Because I knew it would, it would offer wonderful benefits for generations of young people, and then to the broader society. I think the role of government of business, of individual philanthropists, of, of NGOs. You know, it, it's a complex one. I think what government can maybe best do is try to define problems that need solution. But then look for where are the best solutions and sometimes the best solutions are within government. Sometimes they're completely outside government. Sometimes they're hybrids. So you know, it some, some of the best programs we do are a little bit of a hybrid that involve government activities. Sometimes government funding, sometimes government personnel and expertise. But then they also take the best advantage of private sector expertise as well. I think you know, what we ought to be doing as government more is steering not rowing. You know we should set direction. But then try to call forth you know, the best effort and innovation to try to achieve the directions we've set. And often that, that effort and the innovation will come outside the government space and, and we ought to be open to that. >> Super. I want to ask you a question about the, about public service. When I was a kid growing up John Kennedy was a revered hero in my household because of his call to public service. And I would just note of late, that with suspicion of government, and with parties dedicated to attacking government solutions. I think there's also a suspicion that public service might not be, perhaps, as, as noble a calling. >> Right. >> As others viewed it in the past. And I know from your personal experience, growing up having studied your bio. And, and what a role public service played as a calling to you very early in life. Can you take us back to your thought process when you were these students' age. When you were trying to figure what your career path was. And, and when did the idea that you might have a role to play in the community as a public servant. Rather than as a, an entrepreneur or businessman, when did, when did that idea first, first get in your head? >> well, eh, I, I wish I was en, as engaged when I was in college as Batten students are, I mean I. I was active in many things. But I wasn't really thinking to my kind of role in the broader world and certainly not public services it would be defined. But I, I would say when I was in Law School at Harvard and then I started to really think what do I want to do with my life? And I realized I really didn't know. And I kind of felt like if I didn't know. Then, I would just probably go the normal direction. And the normal direction when I was in law school, for people I was in law school with was kind of going into, big law firms in one of the major cities. You know, Wall Street, or Chicago or some place. And that's a perfectly good way to, you know, have a good life if that's what you're interested in, but I knew that wasn't me. But I didn't really know what I wanted to do. So rather than drift a direction that I felt was not the right direction for me, I took a year off. And I worked with Jesuit missionaries in Honduras that I had connected with through my Catholic high school. And really came in contact with sort of my life mentors, these Jesuit missionaries who were working with the poorest of the poor. You know, building hospitals and churches and schools. Ministering to people in a very difficult time politically and in tough economic circumstances. And I just decided, in that year, that I wanted to come back and finish law school. And then use my talents, such as they were, to try to help other people. Very humble goal. Just, I want to help other people. And, and I did that for a long time as a civil rights lawyer in Richmond and not thinking I'm going to be in elected office. So my first ten years out of law school, I practiced civil rights law in Richmond, but I got mad at my city council one day. I used to go to city council meetings with a local soup kitchen if they had a need to do a zoning issue or something like that. And I would see, sort of the best and worst of government. You know, the, the problem solving at the local level that makes people's communities and, work better. But also dysfunction at a local level where, often, in, in my city at that time, it was about racial division. You know, white council members and African-American council members on a controversial issue would kinds go into their corner. And would vote different ways. And that's what Jerry got me in. kind of going to the city council meetings, feeling a desire to be of service, having a civil rights background. And seeing in my community a particular ability to be a bridge builder. And, and I got into my first race 20 years ago, in 1994, to be a bridge builder, and, and that as of Lieutenant Governor and Governor. You know, you're trying to build bridges in different ways. The different regions of the state have such different needs. And you're trying to have us really operate like a commonwealth rather than a collective of different communities that are cut off from each other. And now in the Senate you know, the, the, the partisanship and the gridlock. Where it's often more about well, if you win I lose. If the president wins, Congress loses. If the House wins the Senate loses. If Republicans win, Democrats lose. People will define the job almost as a zero sum game where anybody else's success is my failure. And, and I'm trying to, in my own way, not only just tackle issues of substance, that I care about, but also trying to be a bridge builder. So I feel like that's what got me into politics in 1994 and I'm, I'm still trying to do that.
