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May 16, 2006
ANDOVER — The Progressive Mind, a political talk-radio show, which airs Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Phillips Academy’s WPAA Radio Network, will broadcast its final two shows this month, bringing to an end a broadcasting season during which it has spotlighted twelve political candidates rarely featured in the mainstream press. Eleven are congressional candidates from around the country, and one is the first declared 2008 Democratic presidential candidate.
The interviews are all part of The Progressive Mind’s ongoing “Campaign Forum” series. Once this season ends, the series will pick up again in September and will continue through the 2006 November elections.
The series and the show are the brainchild of Alexander B. Heffner ’08, the founder and host of The Progressive Mind. Over the course of the past four trimesters, Heffner has used his program to review and analyze national political affairs. During the course of the “Campaign Forum” series, he has conducted interviews with candidates from such states as California, Florida, Iowa, New York, Minnesota, and Texas. To familiarize his listeners with each candidate’s particular bid for office, he reads a biographical sketch of each one before jumping into a Q&A session.
According to Heffner, “These leading candidates offer fresh views on the nation’s most crucial issues at a consequential moment in our history. I love the fact that my listeners have heard from veterans, professors, coaches, engineers, musicians, and physicians, all of whom are running to serve in the United States Congress. This is the essence of Jeffersonian democracy: assembling a diverse contingent of everyday citizens, who offer a profound commitment to the public well-being and expertise in particular fields. That’s what’s lacking in Washington DC presently.”
Heffner probes into his guests’ views on what he labels the “critical issues” facing the nation such as the Iraq war, Middle East tensions, terrorism and national security, economic reform, environmental and energy policy, and government corruption.
This Wednesday, May 17, Heffner will air his interview with Rick Bolaños, a candidate for the Texas 23rd Congressional District, and the following week he will air his interview with John Courage, a candidate for the Texas 21st Congressional District.
Heffner’s first guest in the “Campaign Forum” series was Eric Massa, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis and a candidate for the New York 29th Congressional District. During the interview, Massa discussed the impact his military career has had upon his commitment to public service. He also described the mission of the “Band of Brothers” — a group of seventy-three veterans now running as Democrats for Congressional seats. “We look at a complete lack of a strategy in Iraq and at economic policies that are abandoning middle class families,” Massa said. “I, and other fighting Democrats and the entire Democratic Party, are very, very concerned that this nation has taken a significant lurch to the far right.”
For Operation Enduring Freedom veteran and high school teacher Tim Walz, a candidate for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District, entering the political contest was a result of accumulating concerns that he shares with members of his community about the present congressional leadership.
In response to an inquiry about the status of armor for U.S. soldiers in Iraq, Walz referred to his communications with soldiers whom he led in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. “Why did it take public outrage three years to get the point that soldiers were still buying their protective armor on the internet?” Walz, said, adding, “While defense spending is going up, defense spending is not synonymous with taking care of people and veterans.”
Rick Bolaños, the candidate from Texas whose interview with Heffner will be aired this Wednesday, is a graduate of New Mexico Highlands University and Marquette University Law School. He is also is one of four brothers who served with distinction in the Vietnam War. Recently, Texas Governor Rick Perry signed a bill honoring the Bolaños brothers’ courageous service in defense of their country.
Contrasting his campaigning style to that of his opponent, Bolaños says, “I’m a grassroots organization campaigner. I’ve not taken one cent from any of the large donors or the land developers or insurance companies. If you look at my FCC report, you’ll see that we have trouble putting together funds only because I refuse absolutely to take money from all of the special interest groups.”
In addition to congressional candidates, Heffner also interviewed the first declared 2008 Democratic Presidential candidate, former U.S. Senator Mike Gravel. Senator Gravel, who represented Alaska from 1969 to 1981, served in the U.S. Army and as an adjutant in the Communications Intelligence Services as well as a Special Agent in the Counter Intelligence Corps. The Senator received a B.S. in Economics at Columbia University, New York.
In response to a question about why he declared his candidacy so early, the Senator stated: “Well, I am the author of legislation called the National Initiative and we’ve been working on this through the Democracy Foundation. This legislation would bring the people into the operation of government as lawmakers. There are only two venues from which we can improve our system of government, one is the government and the other is the people…I feel, and I think that many Americans feel, that the government is the problem today. We need to go to the people to correct the situation. And the only way we can do that is by making the people lawmakers.”
Sharing his overall impression from his interviews, Heffner said, “These congressional hopefuls are serious contenders, and the majority of them are leading against their Republican opponents. As a general principle, all of these candidates are most concerned with the apparent incompetence of the Bush Administration. They want a healthy debate in Congress, not a rubber stamp completely unwilling to question the decisions of the executive branch. Their message is philosophical, not political.”
The following is a complete list of political candidates interviewed by Heffner on his show during the past year:
2008 Presidential Candidates:
Mike Gravel, first declared 2008 Democratic presidential candidate, former U.S. Senator, Alaska, and Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives
www.gravel08.com
Tom Vilsack, outgoing Iowa Governor and chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council
www.tomvilsack08.com
2006 Congressional Candidates:
Francine Busby, California 50th Congressional District, a school board member, a community activist, and an adjunct Professor of Women’s Studies at California State University, San Marcos
www.busbyforcongress.com
Dave Loebsack, Iowa 2nd Congressional District, a Political Science Professor at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa since 1982
www.loebsackforcongress.org
Dave Bruderly, Florida 6th Congressional District, a former U.S. Naval officer and an environmental engineer
www.bruderly.com
Tim Walz, Minnesota 1st Congressional District, an Operation Enduring Freedom veteran and a high school geography teacher
www.timwalz.org
Ben Shuldiner, New York 19th Congressional District, the founder of the High School for Public Service in Brooklyn, NY and youngest principal in New York State
www.ben2006.com
John Hall, New York 19th Congressional District, a renowned musician and an environmental activist
www.johnhallforcongress.com
Bob Johnson, New York 23rd Congressional District, a medical doctor (surgeon) and a public health activist
www.johnsonforcongress.org
Dan Maffei, New York 25th Congressional District, a former Press Secretary to Senator Bill Bradley (NJ) and a former aide to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (NY) and Congressman Charles Rangel (NY)
www.maffeiforcongress.com
Eric Massa, New York 29th Congressional District, a former U.S. Naval officer and a former aide to Four-Star General and former Democratic presidential candidate Wesley K. Clark
www.massaforcongress.com
Rick Bolaños, Texas 23rd Congressional District, a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran and a longtime educator and football coach
www.rickbolanosfortexas.com
Hank Johnson, Georgia 5th Congressional District, DeKalb County Commissioner and former law partner with Johnson & Johnson Law Group LLC
www.hankforcongress.com
Linda Stender, New Jersey 7th Congressional District, New Jersey State Assemblywoman (Deputy Speaker)
www.lindastenderforcongress.com
Victoria Wulsin, Ohio 2nd Congressional District, Cincinnati’s city epidemiologist and public health expert
www.wulsinforcongress.com
John Courage, Texas 21st Congressional District, a former U.S. Air Force officer and San Antonio Teachers’ Council Board Member
www.courageforcongress.org
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