The Head & The Heart

As an advisor to Presidents, and as a journalist and teacher, David Gergen has enriched the civic health of our nation. From the U.S. Navy to the West Wing, he as committed virtually his entire life to serving our country. In today’s episode, David shares his perspective on public service, and the importance of character, moral purpose, and truth telling. It’s an honor to share this very special conversation with a giant of civic life and public service. 

David Gergen is a professor of public service and founding director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. In addition, he serves as a senior political analyst for CNN. In the past, he has served as a White House adviser to four U.S. presidents of both parties: Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton. He wrote about those experiences in his New York Times best-seller, Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton (Simon & Schuster, 2001).

In the 1980s, he began a career in journalism. Starting with the MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour in 1984, he has been a regular commentator on public affairs for some 30 years. Twice he has been a member of election coverage teams that won Peabody awards, and he has contributed to two Emmy award-winning political analysis teams. In the late 1980s, he was chief editor of U.S. News & World Report.

Over the years, he has been active on many non-profit boards, serving in the past on the boards of both Yale and Duke Universities. Among his current boards are Teach for America, The Mission Continues, The Trilateral Commission, and Elon University’s School of Law. 

David's work as director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Kennedy School has enabled him to work closely with a rising generation of younger leaders, especially social entrepreneurs, military veterans and Young Global Leaders chosen by the World Economic Forum. Through the generosity of outside donors, the Center helps to provide scholarships to over 100 students a year, preparing them to serve as leaders for the common good. The Center also promotes scholarship at the frontiers of leadership studies.

A native of North Carolina, David is a member of the D.C. Bar, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a member of the U.S. executive committee for the Trilateral Commission. He is an honors graduate of Yale and the Harvard Law School. He has been awarded 27 honorary degrees.

Why do people believe liars? How do authoritarians enthrall a nation? Historian and Author Ruth Ben-Ghiat joins the Head and the Heart to discuss her book Strongmen: Mussolini To The Present. In this episode she offers her fascinating analysis of fascism and highlights the modern authoritarian leaders who exhibit these all too familiar tendencies. Ed & Perry examine the through line of corruption, violence, and toxic masculinity that are often characteristic of past and present authoritarian political leaders, and they attempt to find an answer as to why these men are often popular and beloved by their followers.

Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a historian who writes about authoritarianism, democracy, and propaganda. She is Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University, the recipient of Guggenheim, Fulbright, and other fellowships, and Advisor to Protect Democracy. She is an MSNBC opinion columnist, a regular contributor to CNN and The Washington Post, and provides live commentary on CNN, MSNBC, and other networks.

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The Franklin Project’s Co-Executive Directors, Erin Dobson and Greg Jenkins join Perry and Ed to talk about their mission to promote civic engagement and education. The Franklin Project was founded to elevate the voices of reason and civility - regardless of party affiliation - to improve the health and durability of our democracy. Their aim is to empower everyday people to become defenders of our Republic against those who place self-interest and the acquisition of power ahead of the public’s trust. The focal point of their work is helping people find ways to engage in good faith conversation about the governance of our country, and honest disagreements over issues. It’s about giving a damn about democracy, and really thinking about how we individually can best show up for it. Please enjoy this conversation and visit The Franklin Project at: franklinproject.us 

In this episode, Pulitzer Prize winning, New York Times bestselling author, Carol Leonnig discusses her new book: “Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service,” in which she pulls back the curtain on the history, inner workings, and culture of the US Secret Service. For the last decade Carol has been reporting on the Secret Service for the Washington Post. In “Zero Fail” she has written the definitive account of the scandals and shortcomings that have plagued the government agency tasked with protecting our democracy and continuity of government. Her descriptions of the relationship each presidential administration has had with the Secret Service represents a broad swath of American history that has gone largely unexamined. In story after story she vividly describes the heroics and stumbles of an agency constantly strapped for resources and often undermined by politics and a toxic work culture. Written with the cooperation of current and former Secret Service agents, her book is part tribute and part public warning about one of our country’s most essential agencies.

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