UT’s Baker Center Launches Podcast with former Governors Bredesen and Haslam

The Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee announced the launch of You Might be Right, a new podcast series hosted by former Tennessee governors Phil Bredesen and Bill Haslam.

Click here to listen to the trailer for You Might be Right.

Deriving its name from Senator Howard Baker’s famous quote that “the other fellow might be right,” and drawing inspiration from his ability to cross party lines, listen, and learn, the series aims to facilitate civil conversations on tough topics.

The late Senator Baker (’49), sometimes referred to as “The Great Conciliator,” grew up in Huntsville, Tennessee, and served as a US senator, senate majority leader, White House chief of staff, and US ambassador to Japan. Founded in 2003, the Baker Center seeks to foster a living tribute to the legacy of Baker by conducting research, informing policy, and convening critical conversations.

“Howard Baker was a Tennessee hero and my friend and mentor. I was lucky enough to work for him many years ago, and his advice in the face of disagreement — ‘always keep in mind that the other side might be right’ — has stuck with me ever since,” Haslam said. “It has never been more important for us to have thoughtful conversations focused on actually solving problems instead of just scoring points.”

“I always appreciated Howard Baker’s expertise and insight,” Bredesen said. “We shared a particular interest in energy and environmental policy, and his bipartisan work on that issue and so many others is badly missing from politics today. I hope that these conversations can help spark a renewed interest in the civility and principled leadership that Senator Baker modeled throughout his remarkable career.”

In the first episode, set to be released on Wednesday, September 14, the governors discuss gun violence with Arne Duncan, former US secretary of education and founder of Chicago CRED, a nonprofit focused on reducing gun violence, and David French, senior editor of The Dispatch. 

The eight-episode season will feature conversations with Al Gore, Paul Ryan, Nancy-Ann DeParle (’78), Erskine Bowles, Lamar Alexander, and other expert guests on a variety of topics including climate change, affordable housing, and the national debt.

New episodes will drop every week and will be available wherever you listen to podcasts, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher. Follow and subscribe to the show to automatically receive new episodes as they are released.

“We’re excited to share You Might be Right and cannot thank the governors and university leadership enough for their support and willingness to take this on,” said Marianne Wanamaker, executive director of the Baker Center.  “I encourage anyone to tune in, whether you are interested in politics, policy, or just want to learn a little bit more about a certain topic. It is our hope at the Baker Center that while a listener may not change their mind after an episode, they come away with new appreciation for civil discourse and the effort to find common ground.”

Funding from the Boyd Fund for Leadership and Civil Discourse supports the podcast. For more information about the Baker Center and You Might be Right, visit YouMightbeRight.org and follow along on Twitter at @UTBakerCenter, @BillHaslam, and @PhilBredesen.