The Strategerist

We all seek happiness, but few of us know the science behind it. Author, Harvard professor, and philosopher of happiness Arthur Brooks is changing that through his insights, teachings, and best-selling books on how we can all build happy lives.

He joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Anne Wicks to discuss why happiness is a direction, not a destination; how healthy regret can be productive; why love is so important in our lives; and how to put happiness into practice.

Hear more from Arthur on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

2024 marks 20 years since the Millennium Challenge Corporation was signed into law by President George W. Bush. Since its inception, MCC has partnered with and invested in countries around the world that are committed to democracy and economic freedom.

CEO of MCC Alice Albright joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Hannah Johnson to discuss the immense impact MCC has made over the past two decades.

Hear more from Alice on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

When Heather Morris sat down with Holocaust survivor Lale Sokolov, she didn’t know what to expect. As she listened to his story, she knew that the world needed to hear his experiences of love and hope set in the midst of one of humankind’s worst moments.

Heather traveled to Dallas for the sixth Laura Bush Book Club edition of Engage at the Bush Center, presented by NexPoint and supported by H-E-B. Before the event, she joined host Andrew Kaufmann to discuss her novel The Tattooist of Auschwitz, the importance of remembering the lives lost in the Holocaust and the stories of those who did survive, and the lessons she learned from Lale Sokolov.

Heather takes us through her journey of getting to know Lale — and reminds us why we can’t waste a moment in capturing the stories from generations before us.

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Laura Bush Book Club with "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" author Heather Morris

Anita McBride, who served as chief of staff to Mrs. Laura Bush during her time as first lady, and Gahl Hodges Burt, who served as social secretary for President and Mrs. Reagan, recently visited Dallas for an Engage at the Bush Center event presented by Nexpoint.

They joined host Andrew Kaufmann beforehand to discuss the responsibilities of their roles, their memories working in the Reagan and Bush administrations, and the significance and importance of White House events.

Hear more from Anita and Gahl on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

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A Conversation with White House Social Secretaries

Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America's History-Making Women

Thomas Jefferson made a lasting impact on our country as the third president of the United States and the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. He recently visited Texas and joined host Andrew Kaufmann, the Bush Institute’s Jason Galui, and students from Walnut Grove High School to discuss the birth of our nation, the lessons we can learn from our Founding Fathers, and his thoughts on the future of the United States.

Later in the conversation, Kurt Smith, who portrays Jefferson as a nation builder at Colonial Williamsburg, discusses his experiences researching and embodying such an iconic historical figure.

Hear more from President Jefferson and Mr. Smith on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

When Steve Ballmer retired from Microsoft after a long and storied career, he realized that he didn’t know exactly how and where U.S. tax dollars got spent. And it wasn’t as easy to find as he had hoped. So he set out to solve the problem — and founded USA Facts, which consolidates available data and makes it accessible to citizens.

He joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Chris Walsh to discuss why having that data easily accessible is so important to our democracy.

Hear more from Steve about USA Facts, pluralism, and even the Mavericks-Clippers playoff match-up on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

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USA Facts

David French is a writer and columnist for The New York Times – informed by a career that began as a litigator, turned to the Army as a JAG officer and then Bronze Star awardee after volunteering to deploy to Iraq as part of the Surge, and finally to journalism. 

He joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Chris Walsh at the 2024 Forum on Leadership to discuss the “exhausted majority” of Americans today who are tired of toxic polarization, the sometimes dangerous reactions he’s received from his writing, and why instilling a sense of purpose in citizens is essential.

Hear more from David on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

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• Forum on Leadership 2024: Protecting Religious Liberties

Former White House Social Secretaries from multiple administrations recently traveled to Dallas for a special Engage at the Bush Center, presented by NexPoint event.

Amy Zantzinger, social secretary for President and Mrs. Bush, and Jeremy Bernard, social secretary for President and Mrs. Obama, joined host Andrew Kaufmann beforehand to discuss the responsibilities of their job, their favorite White House events, and the lessons they learned in this important role.

Hear more from Amy and Jeremy on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

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• A Conversation with White House Social Secretaries

Chuck Salter is the president and CEO of the News Literacy Project, an organization that’s on a mission to create better informed, more engaged, and more empowered individuals — and ultimately a stronger democracy.

He joined host Andrew Kaufmann and the Bush Institute’s Bill McKenzie to discuss the organization’s work to help students become news literate, what makes him optimistic about the future, and how news consumers can determine fact from opinion as disinformation is on the rise.

Hear more from Chuck on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

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• How to teach news literacy in polarizing times
• Election 2024: Be informed, not misled
• News Literacy Project's Checkology

Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation and former senior advisor to President Barack Obama, joined Executive Director of the George W. Bush Institute David J. Kramer and host Andrew Kaufmann to discuss the collaboration between the Bush Center, the Obama Foundation, and 11 other presidential centers to affirm the principles of democracy.

Hear more about the progress of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, the importance of principled leadership, and how to stay optimistic when the news of the day always seems tough on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

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Presidential Centers Affirm That 'Democracy Holds Us Together'