David Gergen is known to many
viewers of this program as a
long time Friday night
commentator on the newshour.
But he is perhaps best known for
his role serving as an advisor
to four American presidents,
Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton.
I spoke with David earlier this
week about his new book, "Hearts
touched with fire: How great
leaders are made."
Welcome to the newshour and
congratulations on the book.
There is a lot to ask about.
Your advice for young people.
I want to get to the headline,
which is telling older people
essentially to get out of the
way.
You say it is time for people
driving the bus to return the
keys.
David: I believe that.
First of all, thank you, it
feels like coming home being
with you like this.
I think it is very clear now
that the generation, the world
War II generation, did a
terrific job and we always look
back at them as the role model,
the gold standard.
They gave the baton to the baby
boom generation.
And frankly, as there are many
good people who are baby boomers
, fine public servants, but as a
whole, the generation has been a
disappointment.
By contrast to the World War II
generation, which left behind in
America that was the strongest
since the days of ancient Rome,
culturally, militarily,
economically.
Contrast that with the legacy of
the baby boomers -- crisis on
crisis we haven't solved.
Actions we haven't taken.
There is a real growing sense
now that the path we are on is
unsustainable and we have to get
back to being strong like the
World War II generation.
Judy: What would that mean for
the two men who are the most
powerful in our country right
now, president Biden and former
president Donald Trump, who is
by all accounts likely to
challenge him?
David: I think is much as we
don't like to talk about age,
age is an issue if those are the
nominees.
We would have a bite and and
trunk, one of them would win and
the winner would become the
president with what is the
hardest job in the world, with
health that is unreliable and a
vulnerability out there and
potential weaknesses.
I think it is inappropriate, I
think people like Biden and
trump ought to both step back
and open the door to younger
people from the next generations
to serve as president.
We just cannot take the risks
involved, especially on health.
Judy: And we should say,
president Biden is 79 in former
president trump is 75.
If they did step aside, there
will be a free-for-all.
David: There would be.
Judy: You could be -- there are
any number of scenarios but you
could be looking at a match
between Florida governor Ron
Desantis and say, Elizabeth
Warren of Massachusetts.
David: It may sound unfair that
they should step back but I
think for the good of the
country it is needed and it
would be healthy if we had
different candidates with
different perspectives.
We should welcome diversity in
politics.
I don't think we ought to be
afraid of it, I think we ought
to see it as something
appropriate in a democracy, when
this is -- the office of the
presidency is the most complex
and yet the most powerful, and
it requires a keen sense of
judgment.
I just turned 80 and I can tell
you, you lose a step.
You are not as sharp, you're
more forgetful, you're not quite
sure where you are going.
That is too old to be in the
presidency.
Judy: Let's apply this to
congress.
Nancy Pelosi is 80 years old.
But she shows no signs of
slowing down, in fact she is
given credit right now for
holding her party together in
ways that members of congress
say few others could do that.
Would it be better for her to
step aside even if you did not
know who could take over?
David: Remember a couple of
years ago, she said she was
gonna step down.
She wasn't afraid of it.
She has been a little less
obvious sense than about what
her intentions are.
But both she and senator
Mcconnell, also 80 years old, I
think it is important to people
not be clinging to power but yet
try to nourish and improve and
help the younger generations.
We have some splendid people in
those younger generations.
Judy: Even if it leaves chaos?
David: I don't think it leaves
chaos, I think it is an orderly
transition to the next
generation.
Judy: As you look around the
country today, who do you see as
potentially promise?
David: There are two streams I
see, one is made up of veterans
coming back from Iraq and
Afghanistan, and I've been
involved in efforts to persuade
them to run on both sides of the
aisle and that is beginning to
take hold in congress.
Some will be vulnerable in the
midterm election because they do
come from purple districts.
We have to see what happens did
but I think overall, they
impressed me so much.
They are like the World War II
generation and I am a big fan of
some of them.
They are not all terrific.
A lot of millennials are seen as
arrogant and difficult.
They act as if they are
entitled.
But there is another stream I
want to mention, less notice,
and that is people of color, who
I think are coming together,
especially black women, they
have taken the moral high ground
with the #metoo movement and
black lives matter.
I don't agree with the politics,
they are to the left of me, but
I celebrate that they are in
their arena and working for
change.
Judy: Last question, how many of
these baby boomers and even a
silent generation like president
Biden, you expect will take your
advice?
David: I'm sure there will be
resistance.
Judy: The book is hearts touched
with fire: How great leaders are
made.
Thank you.
David: Thank you.