You Might Be Right

Our schools have faced unprecedented challenges from the pandemic and teacher shortages to debates over curriculum and student mental health. In this final episode of Season Six, Governors Bredesen and Haslam are joined by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Louisiana State Superintendent of Education John White, and fmr. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to delve into the role of state and federal governments in education and discuss reforms needed to improve student outcomes. 

In our Constitution, the framers established three independent branches of government, creating checks and balances to keep any one branch from becoming too powerful. Governors Bredesen and Haslam are joined by Harvard professor Cass Sunstein and Vanderbilt professor David Lewis to explore the history and interaction between the branches and whether the Framers' vision holds up in current practice. 

As global dynamics shift, are foreign alliances essential to U.S. safety and prosperity – or is an America First approach more effective? Governors Bredesen and Haslam talk with former Ambassador Rahm Emanuel and historian Michael Kimmage about the pros and cons of foreign alliances and the new international order. 

The power of the President to pardon convicted criminals is enshrined in the Constitution, but many experts have criticized the recent use of pardons and calls for reform have grown louder.  Governors Bredesen and Haslam are joined by Mike Nelson, professor of political science at Rhodes College and Steve Vladeck, professor of law at Georgetown University (and returning YMBR guest), to discuss this power, what the Framers of the Constitution intended, and how it could be reformed.

Presidents from both parties have tried to make government leaner – with mixed results. Governors Bredesen and Haslam are joined by Elaine Kamarck of the Brookings Institution and Jim Capretta of AEI to discuss what a smaller, more efficient government might look like – and if it's realistic. Drawing on their own experiences in the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, the guests discuss the real drivers of federal spending and whether efforts like the Department of Government Efficiency could make a difference. 

To kick off a new season of You Might Be Right, Heather Long, opinion columnist for The Washington Post, and James Lake, associate professor of economics at the University of Tennessee, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss trade policy and the impact of tariffs. 

Following an unprecedented presidential campaign, Andy Busch, Associate Director of the Institute of American Civics at the Baker School, and Lindsay Chervinsky, a presidential historian and executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to debrief the election. What have we learned and what can history tell us about what might be next?  

Steve Vladeck, law professor at Georgetown and CNN Supreme Court analyst, and John McGinnis, law professor at Northwestern, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the impact of polarization and declining public trust on the Supreme Court. Is the Supreme Court as partisan as Americans think it is? Are reforms needed to help rebuild trust? 

While constitutional issues are at the heart of many of our disagreements, it may also be the solution to our increasing political polarization. Yuval Levin, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of a new book “American Covenant”, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to explore how the Constitution can guide us to disagree constructively and resolve problems. 

Anthony Foxx, Secretary of Transportation in the Obama Administration and Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education in the Bush Administration, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam for a wide-ranging conversation, reflecting on experiences navigating divisions then and the changes they see today. They also share lessons learned while in office, from navigating relationships with the White House and Congress to memorable encounters with Dick Cheney and Grover Norquist. This episode was recorded live at Davidson College in September 2024.

Brothers, professors, and authors Hyrum Lewis and Verlan Lewis join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss their new book “The Myth of Left and Right”, and its premise that the “left” and “right” are social groups united by tribal loyalty rather than consistent philosophies.  Could a more multidimensional view of politics improve our civic discourse? This episode was recorded live at the Chattanooga Rotary Club in August 2024. 

Are Americans as divided as we think we are? To kick off Season Five, Rachel Kleinfeld, Rachel Kleinfeld, an international relations scholar and senior fellow in the Democracy, Conflict and Governance program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss what the research says about the roots and repercussions of polarization in American politics.

Two years and over 200,000 downloads later, "You Might Be Righ"t has inspired listeners nationwide. To mark this milestone, we invited our most avid listeners to ask Governors Bredesen and Haslam questions about the podcast, their time in office, and current hot topics. 

Nearly a year after the first You Might Be Right episode on AI, Michael Kratsios, former U.S. Chief Technology Officer, joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam to revisit this rapidly evolving topic. They discuss recent AI developments, its societal impact, and America's role in global tech leadership. 

Frank Fahrenkopf, co-chairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates, joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the history of televised presidential debates, his reaction to two major party campaigns agreeing to debates this year without the Commission's involvement, and the future of these essential civic events. 

Two Governors from adjacent states and opposing parties, Utah's Spencer Cox (R) and Colorado's Jared Polis (D), join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to share their “Disagree Better” initiative. They affirm the need to "disagree without hating each other" and explore practical ways to disagree better in everyday life. 

Historian Allen Guelzo of Princeton University and political scientist Daniel Ziblatt of Harvard join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to delve into our presidential election process, its history, and arguments for (and against) reform.

Natalie Allison, national political reporter for Politico, and Dan Balz, Chief Correspondent for The Washington Post, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to examine the evolving role of traditional media in a modern presidential campaign. 

Dan DiSalvo, a political scientist and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and Bill Galston, a senior fellow at Brookings and Wall Street Journal columnist, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss our two-party system and if a third-party candidate for president can be successful.

Galen Druke, host and producer of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast and Jonah Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief of The Dispatch and host of The Remnant podcast, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to explore the modern presidential primary system – how it evolved, how it works, how it has changed politics, and if it ultimately reflects the will of the people.

To kick off Season Four, former Tennessee Governors Phil Bredesen and Bill Haslam reveal why they chose to be part of their respective political parties and how they are squaring their own values with America's evolving political landscape. Their conversation was moderated by Marianne Wanamaker, Dean of the Baker School. Season Four of "You Might Be Right" will focus on election-related topics, including partisan primaries, the two-party system and the role of third parties, and the electoral college vs. popular vote. 

In this bonus episode, former Tennessee Governors Phil Bredesen and Bill Haslam share their own perspectives on immigration, modeling the type of civil debate that “You Might Be Right” seeks to foster. From controlling the border to dealing with illegal immigrants already in the country, work visas, and humanitarian borders, the hosts discuss one of the most divisive – and nuanced – challenges facing the country today.

As we approach the 2024 election, 2016 presidential candidate and fmr. HP CEO Carly Fiorina joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam for a wide-ranging discussion about democratic engagement, running for office, and her advice for business leaders.

Recorded live at the Baker School in October 2023, economist Melissa Kearney, author of "The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind," and Brookings Sr. Fellow Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the challenges facing America's youth.

Recorded live at Launch Tennessee's 3686 Festival, founders Sarah Bellos of Stony Creek Colors and Brad Smith of Russell Street Ventures join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to explore the interaction between entrepreneurship and public policy.

Legal analyst Sarah Isgur and fmr. college admissions official Marie Bigham join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the Supreme Court ruling banning race-conscious admission policies in higher education, responses to the ruling, and what's next.

Dr. Sarah Kreps, a political scientist and director of the Cornell Tech Policy Institute, and Bruce Schneier, a technologist and Harvard Kennedy School lecturer, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to dig into the good, the bad, and the unknown about how AI will impact democracy.

Two Secretaries of State, Brad Raffensperger (R) of Georgia and Jocelyn Benson (D) of Michigan, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam for a conversation about their efforts to safeguard elections and combat misinformation.

Longtime CNN and PBS anchor Judy Woodruff and fmr. Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the role the media plays in our democracy and the future of local news.

Harvard University professor, author, Washington Post columnist, and democracy scholar Danielle Allen joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam to share her vision for shoring up democracy. Allen discusses her work on civics education as the founding director of the Democratic Knowledge Project, specific proposals for a democracy “renovation” such as increasing the size of the U.S. House of Representatives, and how AI might help – or harm – those efforts. 

Presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky, New America Foundation senior fellow Lee Drutman, and fmr. WSJ Washington Editor Jerry Seib join Governors Bredesen and Haslam live at George Washington's Mount Vernon to explore the merits and drawbacks of term limits for public officials. 

Robert Pondiscio, American Enterprise Institute sr. fellow, and Dr. Carol Johnson-Dean, fmr. school superintendent in Memphis, Boston, and Minneapolis, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam live at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis to assess the evidence on education reform and explore solutions to persistent achievement gaps.

Economist and Arnold Ventures' incoming Exec. Vice President of Criminal Justice Policy, Jennifer Doleac, and Ja'Ron Smith, Partner with Dentons Global Advisors and fmr. Deputy Asst. to the President for Domestic Policy, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to explore strategies to reduce and deter crime.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Jon Meacham and Robert Woodson, civil rights activist and Founder and President of the Woodson Center, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the controversy over teaching United States history. 

In Season 2, hosts and former Tennessee Governors Bill Haslam and Phil Bredesen hit the road, recording live episodes from the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, and from Mount Vernon outside of Washington D.C. Taking on topics including term limits, teaching history, crime, the media, and education disparities, the Governors and their guests demonstrate that thoughtful civil discourse is possible.

Dr. Arthur Brooks joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam to offer practical strategies for navigating disagreements in everyday life. Recorded live at the Baker Center, Brooks, a renowned author, Harvard professor, and happiness expert, notes that no one is ever insulted into agreement and discusses how we can disagree better.

FedEx Founder/Executive Chairman Frederick Smith and Texas Tech economics professor Tim Fitzgerald join Governors Bredesen and Haslam for a conversation about how the US can balance global trade and competing national priorities. Smith contends that automation has had a greater impact on US manufacturing than offshoring personnel. Fitzgerald suggests that while it is valuable to have sufficient production capacity at home for national defense, geographic diversification of production is also a benefit.

Former Tennessee Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the filibuster for a special episode, recorded live at the Baker Center in Knoxville in September 2022. Use of the filibuster, a rule that prevents key nominations and legislation from advancing without the support of 60 senators, is a long-standing practice of the United States Senate and Senators Corker and Alexander discuss how the filibuster works in practice, what they would change, and why it matters.

Senior Obama official Nancy-Ann DeParle and Vanderbilt professor Larry Van Horn join Governors Bredesen and Haslam for a lookback on the decade after the passage of the Affordable Care Act and offer perspectives on lowering costs and improving outcomes. DeParle, one of the primary architects of the ACA, recounts how the law came together and regrets that the legislation did not receive bipartisan support. Van Horn, a longtime critic of the measure, laments passage of the ACA as a “lost opportunity” and says it did little to address healthcare costs.

Erskine Bowles, former White House Chief of Staff, and Laurie Goodman, an Institute fellow and founder of the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the affordable housing crisis. Goodman walks the Governors through a range of zoning and financing policy considerations, while Bowles discusses his work to develop naturally occurring affordable housing – known as NOAHs – in his hometown of Charlotte and how their unique model could be replicated in other cities. 

Former US House Speaker Paul Ryan and Professor Barry Eichengreen join Governors Bredesen and Haslam for an informative conversation about our $31 Trillion national debt. Ryan, now a guest lecturer at Notre Dame and Visiting Fellow with the American Enterprise Institute, says our debt burden is a serious risk, both to our currency and ability to provide for future needs. UC Berkeley's Eichengreen suggests that some debt is “good” and may be a necessity in times of war or pandemics.

Nina Rees, President & CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, and Kaya Henderson, CEO of Reconstruction US, co-host of Crooked Media's “Pod Save the People”, and former Chancellor of DC Public Schools, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss improving student outcomes and the role of public charter schools. 

Former Vice President Al Gore, Founder & Chairman of the Climate Reality Project, recounts the bipartisan history of environmental legislation including Howard Baker's decisive support for the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. TVA's Jeff Lyash, President & CEO of the nation's largest public utility, discusses the future of energy in light of climate change and the need to reduce carbon emissions, including the use of new and existing nuclear power plants. 

From red flag laws to gun idolatry and the impact of the new bipartisan gun bill, Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education, and David French, Senior Editor of The Dispatch, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss ways to address gun violence. Duncan, founder of Chicago CRED, discusses his nonprofit's work to reduce gun violence in his hometown. French, a constitutional lawyer and conservative commentator, shares his views on the “deep responsibility” he has as a gun owner and how he came to support red flag laws.

Introducing “You Might Be Right,” a new podcast from the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee that seeks to facilitate civil conversations about tough topics like gun violence, climate change and the national debt.