Interview with Governor Bob Ferguson:
Megan Dutra:
I am here with Governor Bob Ferguson of Washington State. Thank you for joining us today. Just a couple of points governor Ferguson is a former Attorney General, as well as a county council member, so he is very well known amongst the public service arena. So, thank you for joining us today.
Gov. Ferguson:
Thank you. Really looking forward to it. Thank you.
Megan Dutra:
The first question that I have is what inspired you to be a part of public service? I know you’re the son of a public-school teacher and Boeing employee. I know that probably runs deep within your family, but I’m interested to hear how you decided to create a career and job and life in public service.
Gov. Ferguson:
You put your finger on a part of it. I’m from a large family. I’m one of seven kids, six boys, one long suffering sister in my family of seven. My mom, when we were growing up, obviously raised us with our dad, but also was a special education schoolteacher. So, at the dinner table, she would often talk about her work, and that always made an impression on me when I was a young kid. That her, being willing to raise seven kids with my dad, but also do that kind of service I thought was deeply meaningful.
That combined with my parents were both, neither ran for office, but they were engaged politically. So, it was not unusual, for example, in our home candidates for office would come to the home. Somebody running for state legislature or for mayor would be at the home and the parents of all my friends would crowd in the living room. You know that scene, right? Where a candidate’s there and there’s questions. While I was too young to really understand exactly what was going on, I felt it seemed important, right? That these were people engaging what was going on in the world. It was clearly important to my parents.
I think the best thing my parents did really, for me in many respects, was they really valued political work specifically, and thought politics was a noble thing and a good thing in being engaged in your community. So, their involvement, I’m sure, had some impact on me and exposing me to politics, but also seeing that it’s the type of thing one can do that makes a difference in the community.
Megan Dutra:
That actually leads perfectly into my next question! There are people that might be considering running for public’s office or engaging in public service, and right now that might be a little discouraging. I know it’s hard to also have a family while you’re doing this. What advice or tips would you give someone who is considering joining public service on what next steps they should do or things that they should consider before jumping in?
Gov. Ferguson:
I have lots of thoughts on the subject, but just a few I’ll share. Number one, I’ve been in politics for 20 years, in terms of being an elected official. I’ve been engaged politically before that, but been in elected office for 20 years, which feels like a long time now. First, I love it. I really feel if one wants to be engaged in meaningful work, on really interesting issues, and working with fascinating people to try to solve problems. For me, I just find politics to be the best place for that. I really do. Now, look, it obviously does have challenges right now. There’s no two ways around that. I think that’s all the more reason we need good people to go into politics. That those challenges are what makes it even more important today than maybe it was 20 years ago when I started.
Like any job, it can be a challenge with your family, but all jobs are that way. I’ve got a brother who spends close to half the year working in Alaska. He works in the fishing industry. He’s away from his family for a long time, it’s hard work. Lots of jobs have challenges with the family.
What I find in politics is, my team knows I don’t miss my daughter’s softball games, ever, that’s on the calendar. I do that. I take lots of meetings. I’ve spoken to vice presidents, senators, governors in between innings at my daughter’s softball games. I’m there watching her, but I just work my work around that. One can balance those things I think, in politics, just like in any profession.
The last thing I would say is, I get asked a lot, how do I get into politics? What I would just say is, you find what you’re most passionate about. Maybe that’s a candidate running for office that really inspires you. Maybe it’s a specific issue that you really care about that resonates with you. Channel that and get involved in that, and I think that leads you down a path, at least it did for me, it leads you down a path, I think, of finding your way into politics if that’s something you really want. And I just find that you going the opposite way…don’t try to chart it out. I just don’t think that’s the way. Find your interest, follow that interest, a candidate in issue, and focus on that. I find that things tend to work out.
Megan Dutra:
That’s great. So, this series is called Democracy is a Verb. We know that democracy is a noun. It’s not a verb. But we think at the Bush Institute that it is an action. Democracy is an action that relies on our citizens to be engaged. So, going off of your last answer, what are other ways, maybe not necessarily running for political office, but other ways that our citizens can be engaged in a democracy, whether that’s at the community level or the national level?
Gov. Ferguson:
Often when I give speeches, I talk about this. I often say that being a citizen is not a passive endeavor. You’ve got to be active in the future of our country and the future of our democracy in order to preserve and enhance it as we go forward. What I often say is, everybody’s at a different station in life. I happen to be a governor. So, I happen to have a certain role with our democracy that I’m very thankful every day that I have.
But whatever one station is, there are multiple ways to engage in that. And some of those are obvious, but obviously important. Voting. Not enough people vote. Engaging in peaceful protest on issues you care about, getting out there and doing that, is extremely important. I think that leads to lots of change. Ultimately, I think engaging at the local level on whatever that issue is that you care about. If you’ve got kids in school, engaging with the local school board and finding out what’s going on there and engaging on that. Being involved in supporting local journalism, which is extremely important. Our founding fathers stressed how important and independent and thriving press was to our democracy. There are lots of ways to support that increases and enhances our democracy. So wherever one is in life I think there are ways to engage.
The last thing I just will say is that whatever you do in engaging in democracy as a verb, do that in a civil way. I just think that is extremely important. That’s why partly I’m here today, President Bush, I think, signified that in his life and in public service as well. So, I think that is extremely important wherever you engage, do that in a civil, constructive way. I think that is what we all can do to preserve and enhance our democracy.
Megan Dutra:
Okay, great. Thank you so much for joining us. We appreciate it.
Gov. Ferguson:
Thank you.
Interview with Governor DeWine:
Megan Dutra:
We have Governor DeWine from Ohio joining us. Just a little bit about Governor DeWine, he has served on pretty much every different level of government at this point. He has served as congress member, senator, lieutenant governor, and governor now. So, he has a lot of experience in public service, and we’re very happy to have him here today. Governor DeWine, can you tell us what inspired you to join and create a career and life in public service?
Gov. DeWine:
I was always interested as a kid in politics, and in government. In fact, my future wife, Fran, and I in high school had a small group of Goldwater supporters, 1964. I really got involved by chance. I thought I was going to be a social studies teacher but then decided to go to law school. I got out of law school and my first job was as an assistant county prosecutor, and I got really excited about the job. In Ohio we elect our county prosecutors by each county. So, then I ran for county prosecutor and was elected. That kind of started it and went from there to the state senate, and then from there to Congress and on. That’s how I got started.
Megan Dutra:
It’s a long, great career, dedicated to Ohio.
Gov. DeWine:
It’s been interesting, and I think starting at the local level gives you a real perspective. I recommend that for everyone. If you had a choice to be at the local level as a county commissioner, a sheriff, a prosecutor, something, because it’s at the local level that we really deliver the services. It might be federal money, or it might be state money. But where you really deal with citizens is that at that local level.
Megan Dutra:
That’s a great transition to my next question, which is if there are people that are listening or watching that are interested in joining public service or running for office, but they don’t quite know where to start or where they want to turn, what are some tips that you would give them, or advice, as someone that’s thinking about public service and maybe starting out?
Gov. DeWine:
I’ve had a lot of young people work for me in college, and a little bit later but still pretty young. The advice I always give them is, if you’re interested in politics, interested in running for office yourself, or maybe working as a staff member, at least start off with getting some foundation in something else, [because] it might not work. You might lose once in a while, like I have. And if that happens, what are you going to do? Find something, and it can be anything. I served with in the U.S. Senate with Bill Ferres, who’s a heart transplant surgeon. I served with teachers, I served with lawyers, I served with people of all kinds of backgrounds. So it doesn’t really matter, I don’t think, but have some profession, some background when you enter politics.
The other thing, if people say, “how do I get, actually get started? How do I get my foot in the door?” The easiest way is to volunteer. Campaigns are always looking for free labor. They’re always looking for somebody who’s smart and wants to work. I found that campaigns are the most merit driven thing that we have. You’re in there to win, you’ve got a set period of time, it’s going to end on a certain day. So, if someone comes in and they’re willing to do work, and they’re good, boy, you just keep giving ’em more and more. It’s really a great opportunity. Campaigns are, I think, a great opportunity to get started.
Megan Dutra:
That’s great advice. So, the series that we’re doing right now is called Democracy is a Verb. We know that democracy is a noun. It is not a verb, we understand that. But at the Bush Institute, we believe that, in order to have a healthy democracy, it requires engaged citizenry. What is some advice, or some examples of ways that people can still get involved in their community to where they’re sustaining our democracy and being a part of their community.
Gov. DeWine:
First of all, everyone has an opportunity to get involved in some way. They may not see politics as a career but running for school board. So very important. Township trustee. Mayor of a small village. Wherever you live, there’s an opportunity for you to run for some local office that will have a real impact. If you don’t want to run, I certainly understand that, but there’s other ways to get involved. You can help someone who’s running for office.
I think people underestimate the kind of the political capital that they have. They don’t have to be a politician. They don’t have to devote their career to this, but just raising their hand and saying, “Hey, I think this is wrong. We need to change this. This is what we need to do.” Multiple opportunities that are out there.
Megan Dutra:
That’s great. Thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate it.
Gov. DeWine:
Thank you.
