Four years ago, Sen. Joe Biden tapped Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, the rival who had leveled the toughest criticism against him in the 2020 Democratic primary. Admirably, Biden, let bygones be bygones.
It was an act of a personal humility resembling his decision to not seek a second term and reminiscent of Sen. John McCain correcting baseless conspiracies at the expense of his own presidential campaign in 2008.
We know today Harris spoke with Biden about her imminent choice, but we don’t know if his counsel will be heeded. We should hope so. There is an unmistakable lesson from him to emulate: Pick the person who will carry the torch of decency and galvanize an empathetic patriotism we’re desperately seeking as a country.
For the past three years, I’ve traveled across the country visiting with elected officials — governors and senators — over meals and recreation activities and got to my 50th state. In conceiving this “Breaking Bread” series, which can be viewed on Bloomberg and PBS, I wanted to know if we could eat our way back to a happier democracy. Specifically, can we incentivize values of consensus instead of being exploited in a cycle of vitriol?
One of the founders of the American public media system, my grandfather, Richard D. Heffner, used the expression “breaking bread” often. These days, I can’t stop thinking about his 1953 lunch with President Harry Truman and Bess Truman over lemonade and sandwiches right after his presidency. Stunning by today’s standards, Truman made himself available to Americans on his porch in Independence, Mo. Despite making one of the most momentous and controversial decisions in American and human history (dropping the atom bomb), it was a time when ideologically diverse Americans could have civil conversations.
Inspired by peaceful exchanges like this, I believe in the power of food to heal, legislate, and achieve a new Golden Rule in politics: Intellectual honesty. To me, that’s best summed up by a Lincoln quote that my grandfather used to cite: “When new views become true views, I’ll adopt them.”
Back to the Veepstakes: I’ve had first-hand experiences with four of the prospective VP nominees: Mark Kelly, Tim Walz, Pete Buttigieg and Roy Cooper (who now has removed himself from consideration).
Most journalists are cynical about the nature of political power and politicians. I am so much the opposite that I recently put my life in the hands of the vice presidential candidates. The Navy pilot-turned-astronaut-turned-U.S. senator Kelly said he had wanted to fly with a journalist over the desert for a while but it never worked out — something about potential liability or faintheartedness.
I myself am a strange candidate; for several years after 9/11, I stopped flying, only then to conquer that fear and make it to all 50 states. It was probably 115 degrees. We’re on the tarmac, and Kelly starts going through a paper checklist. I was already a bit nervous, so this made me more so! Then as we’re gliding up, he radios “We’re feeling heavy.” I later learned that’s exactly what a pilot, novice or veteran, is supposed to do.
Years ago, then a rural social studies teacher, football coach, and unknown congressional candidate, Tim Walz accepted my invitation to join a high school radio show (based in a faraway Massachusetts suburb and called in from an Arby’s campaign stop outside of Mankato). I’ll never forget the care that he showed me and our civic life.
I’ve interviewed all four of the National Governors Associations “Disagree Better” campaign ambassadors, Jared Polis, Spencer Cox, Michelle Lujan Grisham, and Mark Gordon.
While nobly aspirational, they all know that disagreeing better won’t preserve the Republic or save the Union. Like singing the national anthem or pledging allegiance doesn’t necessarily drive the will to counter polarization or do good.
With “Breaking Bread,” my vision all along was an “Amazing Race,” like the CBS reality adventure series, to advance our national morale. Waking up every morning with the vibrant Nunns and Lugars, Bakers and Mitchells, McCains and Bidens, and fixing big problems.
Harris has many dedicated choices from across the American heartland. She should take a page from Biden and choose the profile in decency, someone who sees politics as a fight for a bighearted civil society — and can finish the job of rescuing the soul of America. It’s a subjective assessment but one that she’ll feel in her bones, just as I did with Kelly and Walz.
Heffner is host of “The Open Mind” on PBS.
