Senator Claire McCaskill spoke to students and others from the Cardozo community in a lively and informative discussion that focused on how to bridge the political divide now facing the country.
Interviewed by Dean Melanie Leslie, the senator spoke on topics ranging from the role of women members of Congress, from both sides of the aisle, to keep the government moving forward, to the political battle over the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, which is coming to a head this week. The senator discussed her career as a prosecutor breaking down barriers in a male-dominated field, and the lessons it taught her for her long career in politics. She took questions from the audience on topics including immigration, NAFTA and the investigations into Russian interference with the U.S. Presidential election.
In her analysis of her own party Sen. McCaskill said it was important for “us to listen and learn” from voters who spoke in the presidential election. She advised students to avoid trying to please everyone, but to also learn to seek compromise. The senator warned against the polarization that afflicts the politics of our time, allowing people to retreat into their own camps, saying there are “engines of misinformation — on the left and on the right” that are dangerous to our democracy. Asked by one audience member what law students can do to influence the political landscape she said, “I see a lot of people who have stopped talking to people they disagree with. That’s not going to get us anywhere.” She added, “when you start a conversation with someone whose political choices don’t make sense to you, don’t start it with...why in the world did you vote for…”
