WEBVTT - Getting Real with Gwen Walz 0:00:03.440 --> 0:00:06.640 Hi everyone, I'm Kitty Kuric, and this is next question. 0:00:10.360 --> 0:00:14.200 Gwen Walls is about as wholesome as you can get, 0:00:14.680 --> 0:00:18.400 and their romance really is straight out of Friday Night Lights. 0:00:19.000 --> 0:00:22.759 So here she is talking about her experiences on the 0:00:22.800 --> 0:00:26.720 campaign trail and as a wife and mother. So take 0:00:26.760 --> 0:00:29.600 a listen. I think you'll really learn a lot about 0:00:29.600 --> 0:00:32.440 her and I'm going to try my hardest to get 0:00:32.479 --> 0:00:38.680 her great grandmother's ginger snap recipe. Stay tuned. First of all, 0:00:38.800 --> 0:00:41.279 it is so nice to meet you. I'm assuming it's 0:00:41.320 --> 0:00:45.559 okay if I call you Gwen. Please call me Gwen, yes, please, Well, 0:00:45.600 --> 0:00:48.760 thank you for talking to us on this Saturday morning. 0:00:49.400 --> 0:00:53.200 And I imagine the last few months for you, Gwen, 0:00:53.479 --> 0:00:58.000 have brought new meaning to the word whirlwind. How would 0:00:58.000 --> 0:01:00.200 you describe what you've been going through through? 0:01:01.320 --> 0:01:04.360 Well, let me say again, thank you for having me, 0:01:04.560 --> 0:01:09.160 And maybe the last few months can be kind. 0:01:09.000 --> 0:01:11.520 Of crystallized in this. 0:01:11.400 --> 0:01:17.720 Moment, because I never imagined I would be on a 0:01:17.760 --> 0:01:19.880 podcast or an interview or any sort of thing with 0:01:19.959 --> 0:01:24.600 Katie Curic. So that's kind of what it's like. You know, 0:01:24.840 --> 0:01:29.440 it was it was a fast process, and you know, 0:01:29.800 --> 0:01:33.160 we were we were busy with our lives being governor 0:01:33.160 --> 0:01:37.120 and first lady in Minnesota and our kids, and you know, 0:01:37.240 --> 0:01:42.200 I would have been door knocking and uh calling and 0:01:42.680 --> 0:01:46.280 working on elections in Minnesota and also governors races. And 0:01:46.360 --> 0:01:49.360 so when we got this call, we say it was 0:01:49.360 --> 0:01:52.559 a it was a different call, but I wasn't even home, 0:01:52.920 --> 0:01:55.760 and so I was speaking of all the superintendents in 0:01:55.800 --> 0:01:57.800 Minnesota getting ready for the start of school. 0:01:58.440 --> 0:02:01.240 And we said, you. 0:02:01.200 --> 0:02:02.640 Know, my mom has to sink when you have to 0:02:02.640 --> 0:02:04.880 do the work that's in front of you. And so 0:02:05.240 --> 0:02:07.680 when that became the work in front of us, we 0:02:07.760 --> 0:02:10.840 shifted into gear. But I you know, I'm telling you 0:02:10.919 --> 0:02:14.639 the truth on this. It is it is a new 0:02:14.680 --> 0:02:19.160 experience and fantastic in so many ways, like that I'm 0:02:19.200 --> 0:02:23.320 in Michigan right now and getting to see these amazing 0:02:23.400 --> 0:02:26.440 places and meet people across the country, which is all 0:02:26.520 --> 0:02:31.320 very exciting and learning and listening. But it you know, 0:02:31.440 --> 0:02:34.160 there are challenges that come with it too, like some 0:02:34.160 --> 0:02:36.919 people say not very nice things or things that aren't true. 0:02:36.960 --> 0:02:41.000 And I'm traveling a lot more and it's, you know, Gus, 0:02:41.040 --> 0:02:43.920 the senior year, so I have to balance like the 0:02:44.040 --> 0:02:49.560 homecoming stuff with the political stuff and figuring that out 0:02:49.639 --> 0:02:54.680 is what every mom in America is doing. It's just 0:02:54.800 --> 0:02:56.480 maybe on a bit of a different scale. But I 0:02:56.480 --> 0:03:00.280 also have a great staff and great friends and a 0:03:00.360 --> 0:03:05.000 fantastic family of three sisters, and they are all super helpful. 0:03:06.000 --> 0:03:09.799 I'm sure your schedule, Gwinn has been absolutely bonkers. I mean, 0:03:09.880 --> 0:03:14.040 all the candidates are in full gear as we are 0:03:14.080 --> 0:03:17.960 in the home stretch of this election. What kinds of 0:03:18.000 --> 0:03:21.840 things are you hearing out on the campaign trail, because 0:03:21.880 --> 0:03:24.720 I know you've been going to blue areas and to 0:03:24.880 --> 0:03:28.720 red areas. Are you noticing a big difference in people's 0:03:28.800 --> 0:03:31.800 concerns and those two different parts of the country. 0:03:32.600 --> 0:03:35.000 Well, I think you know. 0:03:35.040 --> 0:03:39.520 I'm a teacher and a school administrator and director, and 0:03:39.600 --> 0:03:48.320 so the power of listening is survival those in those environments, 0:03:48.680 --> 0:03:52.120 and it is too out on the trail, and it's 0:03:52.160 --> 0:03:55.120 a privilege for people to tell you their stories and 0:03:55.160 --> 0:04:02.120 tell you their concerns. And interestingly, we all have very 0:04:02.160 --> 0:04:05.880 similar concerns and there are people who might approach those 0:04:05.920 --> 0:04:10.800 concerns differently. But where Tim and I taught and lived 0:04:10.920 --> 0:04:13.520 for twenty two years in man Cato in the first 0:04:13.560 --> 0:04:17.360 Congressional District, that was a district that was really more 0:04:17.400 --> 0:04:22.839 Republican than Democrat, and Tim won that race six times. 0:04:23.240 --> 0:04:27.880 I say, we won that race six times. And we're 0:04:28.000 --> 0:04:30.800 used to working with and being around people who might 0:04:30.960 --> 0:04:34.240 not see every single issue exactly the way that you 0:04:34.320 --> 0:04:37.240 see it. But finding a way forward is important. So 0:04:37.480 --> 0:04:40.919 the conversations I'm getting to have and getting to listen 0:04:40.960 --> 0:04:44.359 to and participate in are what's the way forward here. 0:04:44.880 --> 0:04:48.799 I mean, there are some people who protest who aren't 0:04:48.800 --> 0:04:53.960 really ready to listen, but I find that occurring less 0:04:54.080 --> 0:04:56.360 than people who might just have a different perspective. And 0:04:56.440 --> 0:04:59.360 let's face it, in this election, it's the most important 0:04:59.360 --> 0:05:02.320 election of our lifetime. I know we say that maybe easily, 0:05:02.440 --> 0:05:05.040 but I think everyone would agree with that right now. 0:05:06.080 --> 0:05:08.640 And where I start is I ask people to tell 0:05:08.640 --> 0:05:10.599 me a little bit about their story. 0:05:10.640 --> 0:05:11.200 And I like that. 0:05:11.240 --> 0:05:14.200 As an English teacher, I think stories are most important, 0:05:14.400 --> 0:05:16.360 and I try to share a bit of my stories 0:05:16.400 --> 0:05:19.000 in my remarks that I'm giving or when I'm answering 0:05:19.040 --> 0:05:22.600 a question, because I think in our stories we identify 0:05:22.640 --> 0:05:25.839 what we value. And what I still see across this 0:05:25.960 --> 0:05:31.040 country is that we value the same things we value democracy, 0:05:31.480 --> 0:05:37.800 we value reproductive freedom. We value children in schools and 0:05:38.000 --> 0:05:42.440 food and housing and how we get there. We may 0:05:42.480 --> 0:05:45.839 not see it the same way, but that's the dialogue 0:05:45.920 --> 0:05:48.640 we have to get back to. So I encourage people 0:05:48.640 --> 0:05:52.120 when they're door knocking or phone calling or campaigning to 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:55.440 tell their stories, and let's work on finding some of 0:05:55.480 --> 0:05:57.080 those commonalities. 0:05:58.160 --> 0:06:00.920 You know. And I'm again. 0:06:00.800 --> 0:06:02.960 Going to be very real, I'm not going to find 0:06:03.360 --> 0:06:09.480 commonalities with what I feel is bullying by some of 0:06:09.520 --> 0:06:11.800 the things mister Trump says and does, and mister Vance 0:06:11.839 --> 0:06:17.240 says and does. I'm not talking about I'm not talking 0:06:17.400 --> 0:06:21.200 about that kind of behavior. I'm talking about real, legitimate 0:06:21.520 --> 0:06:27.159 conversation and storytelling, even with passionate passionate fire that we 0:06:27.279 --> 0:06:28.760 might have, but not bullying. 0:06:28.839 --> 0:06:29.799 Nope. 0:06:30.040 --> 0:06:33.839 Let me ask you quickly about meeting your husband. I 0:06:33.920 --> 0:06:37.440 know you were both school teachers. You were teaching English, 0:06:37.480 --> 0:06:39.919 he was a coach and a social studies teacher. This 0:06:40.120 --> 0:06:44.680 was an alliance Nebraska. Tell me about your impressions of 0:06:44.800 --> 0:06:48.520 him when you all first met, Well, when he was. 0:06:48.480 --> 0:06:51.120 First in alliance, he started the middle school and I 0:06:51.120 --> 0:06:54.160 was at the high school, so I didn't know at 0:06:54.200 --> 0:06:58.120 that very at the very at that very moment, But 0:06:59.000 --> 0:07:01.440 I knew who he was because we were both in 0:07:01.560 --> 0:07:03.320 the in the gym and there was an upper gym 0:07:03.360 --> 0:07:05.800 in a lower gym, and he was helping with a 0:07:05.800 --> 0:07:08.760 basketball program, and at that point I was coaching the 0:07:08.839 --> 0:07:11.920 cheerleaders and so I was in the upper gym and 0:07:11.920 --> 0:07:13.680 he was in the lower gym. So you know, I 0:07:13.680 --> 0:07:15.880 would see him on occasion, but I like had things 0:07:15.880 --> 0:07:17.600 to do because I was doing the speech and debate 0:07:17.680 --> 0:07:21.760 stuff too, and teaching English and the church choir and 0:07:21.840 --> 0:07:22.960 teaching piano lessons. 0:07:23.080 --> 0:07:24.440 Wow, and you were busy. 0:07:24.880 --> 0:07:27.560 I know, I know, but you know, when you're twenty two, 0:07:27.680 --> 0:07:30.320 twenty three, twenty four, like you can do all those things. 0:07:30.640 --> 0:07:33.640 And I was trying to pay my student loans off also, 0:07:34.240 --> 0:07:36.720 so I was taking advantage of all those things. So 0:07:37.280 --> 0:07:40.160 I wasn't sure. But my sister came out and stayed 0:07:40.160 --> 0:07:43.560 with me during January term and she saw him teach 0:07:44.440 --> 0:07:48.120 and she said to me, Gwenn, do you know Tim Walls? 0:07:48.120 --> 0:07:49.840 And I said, I think I know who he is. 0:07:49.920 --> 0:07:53.680 I think he's you know that guy, and blah blah blah, 0:07:53.680 --> 0:07:56.760 And she said, I saw him teach, and I'm going 0:07:56.800 --> 0:07:59.880 to tell you he's the best teacher I've ever seen. 0:08:00.000 --> 0:08:05.360 And I was like, wow, really, and she's like, yeah, 0:08:05.640 --> 0:08:06.679 I would. 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:09.680 I think you should meet him. She even made some 0:08:09.920 --> 0:08:12.160 like predictions. And then it was a little while later 0:08:12.240 --> 0:08:16.679 but that we met. But we actually then when he came. 0:08:16.520 --> 0:08:17.320 To high school. 0:08:17.600 --> 0:08:19.520 Because we were school a school that was short on 0:08:19.560 --> 0:08:22.440 space and short on money, they took the choir room, 0:08:22.520 --> 0:08:24.640 the old choir room, and they put a divider right 0:08:24.680 --> 0:08:28.239 down the middle. And this divider was not a fit divider. 0:08:28.360 --> 0:08:30.400 But he taught on one side and I taught on 0:08:30.440 --> 0:08:34.320 the other. And so that that was a way to 0:08:34.320 --> 0:08:37.840 get to know one another. And yeah, and and so 0:08:37.960 --> 0:08:38.360 we did. 0:08:38.679 --> 0:08:42.199 And you know, he asked to marry you. I understand, 0:08:42.240 --> 0:08:45.240 Gwen on your first date. Is that true? Well, he said, 0:08:45.280 --> 0:08:46.240 I'm going to marry you. 0:08:46.320 --> 0:08:48.760 Because he asked if he could kiss me good night 0:08:48.840 --> 0:08:52.120 and I said no, that I don't ever kiss on 0:08:52.200 --> 0:08:55.040 a first aid. English teachers have policies and you know, 0:08:55.520 --> 0:08:57.320 I don't have to think about these things. And he 0:08:57.640 --> 0:09:00.800 like looked at me and in a way like aren't 0:09:00.800 --> 0:09:03.479 you in your mid twenties and this is your policy? 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:07.880 And I'm you know, safety first, So yeah, it was, 0:09:08.920 --> 0:09:11.480 it was my policy. So he looked at me, like really, 0:09:11.679 --> 0:09:16.199 and then he said, well, all right then, because I'm 0:09:16.200 --> 0:09:16.840 going to marry you. 0:09:17.360 --> 0:09:21.800 Now get out of my car. So fun, Yeah, isn't it? 0:09:21.840 --> 0:09:23.880 I mean? And I like looked at him, and then 0:09:23.920 --> 0:09:27.240 he didn't call me for three days. Oh wow, I 0:09:27.320 --> 0:09:30.720 hate that. But I finally did and you did get married. 0:09:31.280 --> 0:09:35.000 Yeah, and we did and yeah, and you know, sharing 0:09:35.000 --> 0:09:36.920 that classroom with him, and what I saw from is 0:09:36.960 --> 0:09:40.800 coaching too, is I knew that we shared a vision 0:09:41.600 --> 0:09:44.040 of how we saw school and how we saw education, 0:09:45.240 --> 0:09:48.160 and we both chose that career, like we both come 0:09:48.200 --> 0:09:52.800 from families of educators, but we both chose that career 0:09:52.880 --> 0:09:57.480 because we love it right, and we believe in education, 0:09:58.120 --> 0:10:01.760 and we thought it was how we contributed most to 0:10:01.880 --> 0:10:06.040 the future. And I still say, the most fun days 0:10:06.040 --> 0:10:08.800 are days you're in schools, and the most hopeful days 0:10:08.800 --> 0:10:12.360 are days you're in schools because you get to be 0:10:12.440 --> 0:10:15.640 with those kids and here here those students and those 0:10:15.760 --> 0:10:17.320 voices and that vision. 0:10:18.559 --> 0:10:21.520 You know, and like, it's not easy. It is not easy. 0:10:21.559 --> 0:10:24.760 I was high school English, eleventh and twelfth grade, and 0:10:24.840 --> 0:10:27.959 you learn very quickly, like there is you are not cool. 0:10:29.000 --> 0:10:31.480 But what was your favorite book? 0:10:31.520 --> 0:10:36.360 To teach Gwen, Oh, so I can. 0:10:36.400 --> 0:10:41.920 I it's a play yeah, sure, our Town that's playing 0:10:41.960 --> 0:10:44.480 here in New York on Broadway right now. 0:10:44.840 --> 0:10:49.320 I know, you know, because it keeps coming back. I 0:10:49.400 --> 0:10:50.400 love that play too. 0:10:51.080 --> 0:10:55.000 It's it's amazing, right because when you think about it, 0:10:55.280 --> 0:10:58.080 and there's a there's a line near the end of 0:10:58.120 --> 0:11:02.760 the play that you know, they talk about like cups 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:07.160 of coffee and and and how the usual things in 0:11:07.240 --> 0:11:12.559 life are really really special, right, and how you don't 0:11:12.559 --> 0:11:16.480 recognize how beautiful they are during your life. And I 0:11:16.559 --> 0:11:20.880 think that's such an important message and lesson, you know, 0:11:20.960 --> 0:11:24.400 because everyone thinks they want to have this spectacular, you know, 0:11:24.679 --> 0:11:27.120 kind of life, even with social media stuff and everything, 0:11:27.200 --> 0:11:31.040 and really it's like saying hi to your neighbor and 0:11:31.440 --> 0:11:33.679 planting new flowers in the garden and having a cup 0:11:33.720 --> 0:11:37.280 of coffee and getting to meet new people, And you know, 0:11:37.520 --> 0:11:40.480 aren't those the most wonderful things in all of our lives? 0:11:40.559 --> 0:11:43.400 And do we take time to recognize how very beautiful 0:11:43.440 --> 0:11:43.880 they are? 0:11:44.440 --> 0:11:47.880 And I think that's such a challenge for all of us. 0:11:47.960 --> 0:11:51.199 And that was a fun thing to talk about with students, 0:11:51.320 --> 0:11:54.360 and I actually would start my class with that because 0:11:54.360 --> 0:11:55.880 I wanted all the voices in the. 0:11:55.880 --> 0:11:59.320 Room, you know, or to have a chance to have 0:11:59.360 --> 0:12:02.120 the voices. And so I like that I can talk about. 0:12:01.880 --> 0:12:05.120 American literature for a long time because one of the 0:12:05.160 --> 0:12:08.200 things that I really emphasized was when I started teaching 0:12:08.240 --> 0:12:10.520 that were just a lot of old white men in 0:12:10.559 --> 0:12:13.680 the curriculum. And one of the things I was able 0:12:13.720 --> 0:12:16.640 to do throughout my entire career was to bring actually 0:12:16.640 --> 0:12:19.600 what American literature is, you know, beginning with Native voices 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:25.760 and you know, Frederick Douglas and women and modern writers 0:12:27.000 --> 0:12:30.680 and all of that, and so that was really exciting, 0:12:30.720 --> 0:12:33.240 and you got to talk about challenges in our country 0:12:33.400 --> 0:12:38.600 and equity and why weren't these pieces in a textbook 0:12:38.640 --> 0:12:41.600 and what might we learn from them? So anyway, I know, 0:12:42.120 --> 0:12:44.600 I'm supposed to be winning the race here, Cannity. 0:12:44.760 --> 0:12:46.800 That's okay. I love talking about this too. 0:12:46.840 --> 0:12:49.640 And apparently in the latest production of Our Town on 0:12:49.720 --> 0:12:53.480 Broadway they pump in the Smell of Bacon, which sounds 0:12:53.520 --> 0:12:56.800 really fun and I'm really anxious to see it because 0:12:56.840 --> 0:13:00.160 I love that play too. It always makes me cry 0:13:00.679 --> 0:13:04.280 and I just it's such a moving play. Thornton Wilder 0:13:04.480 --> 0:13:07.800 and just love it. But anyway, let's get back to politics, 0:13:08.080 --> 0:13:11.959 so we talk about literature. You know, it's interesting how 0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:15.800 you say, throughout your career you've really made an effort 0:13:16.040 --> 0:13:20.360 to make the curriculum more inclusive and more representative. I 0:13:20.400 --> 0:13:25.400 think that's something that many Americans seem, for whatever reason, 0:13:25.559 --> 0:13:29.559 to be rejecting right now, this idea of more inclusion 0:13:29.720 --> 0:13:34.280 representation kind of under the guise of being woke. And 0:13:34.360 --> 0:13:41.120 I'm curious if you've encountered that and how you express 0:13:41.679 --> 0:13:46.160 your views that help people understand why these things have 0:13:46.240 --> 0:13:49.760 been important to you and maybe important to the country. 0:13:51.000 --> 0:13:55.240 You know, there's no reason to have fear, but sometimes 0:13:55.400 --> 0:13:59.760 we just we just do when we don't know the future. 0:14:00.000 --> 0:14:03.760 Different is not wrong. Different is just different. 0:14:04.559 --> 0:14:10.360 And so I would always say to my students at 0:14:10.360 --> 0:14:12.160 the beginning of the year, some people said, you have 0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:16.000 to earn my respect, right, And I never approached it 0:14:16.080 --> 0:14:19.160 like that. I always said, you have my respect, and 0:14:19.200 --> 0:14:22.640 I hope I have yours, and let's just work on 0:14:22.760 --> 0:14:24.040 keeping it that way. 0:14:24.200 --> 0:14:26.080 And I think. 0:14:25.840 --> 0:14:30.120 That when you have that base of respect, then the 0:14:30.280 --> 0:14:35.040 reason that you talk about including other voices saying American 0:14:35.120 --> 0:14:38.440 literature is because they're part of the story, right, They're 0:14:38.520 --> 0:14:43.080 part of our story in our history. And you know, facts, 0:14:43.240 --> 0:14:47.840 facts are facts, and we can talk about those in 0:14:47.920 --> 0:14:52.880 lots of different contexts, and we can talk about those 0:14:52.920 --> 0:14:55.360 and in our own stories and what that means. 0:14:55.520 --> 0:14:58.760 And when you speak to values like values of. 0:14:58.720 --> 0:15:04.120 Freedom, or values democracy right, or values like making your 0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:07.240 own choice about your own body, most people do not 0:15:07.960 --> 0:15:12.600 disagree on values and and so that's always the way 0:15:12.960 --> 0:15:16.280 that I've approached it. There have been, you know, people 0:15:16.280 --> 0:15:22.000 who disagree, and I respect their ability to disagree, but 0:15:22.440 --> 0:15:27.040 we have to think about being more inclusive or we're 0:15:27.080 --> 0:15:28.280 not going to close gaps. 0:15:28.360 --> 0:15:28.920 And we are not. 0:15:29.520 --> 0:15:32.000 You know, we are working toward a more perfect union here, 0:15:32.560 --> 0:15:34.800 and there's a lot of work to be done, and 0:15:34.880 --> 0:15:37.680 we need all voices in that. You can't have a 0:15:37.720 --> 0:15:41.520 more perfect union if if you only tell part of 0:15:41.520 --> 0:15:44.520 the story. 0:15:54.040 --> 0:15:56.160 If you want to get smarter every morning with a 0:15:56.200 --> 0:15:59.440 breakdown of the news and fascinating takes on health and 0:15:59.480 --> 0:16:02.880 wellness and pop culture, sign up for our daily newsletter, 0:16:02.960 --> 0:16:17.800 Wake Up Call by going to Katiecuric dot com. Gwen, 0:16:17.920 --> 0:16:22.440 I was curious about what you're hearing on the subject 0:16:22.440 --> 0:16:26.320 of reproductive freedom. You mentioned it earlier that has become 0:16:26.360 --> 0:16:30.240 a central issue in this race. And you have been 0:16:30.360 --> 0:16:35.440 very open along with your husband about your infertility journey, 0:16:35.640 --> 0:16:38.000 and I know it's something that you kept very private 0:16:38.560 --> 0:16:41.520 for a number of years. How hard has that been 0:16:41.600 --> 0:16:44.920 to talk about and why did you feel it was 0:16:45.000 --> 0:16:48.680 important to be open about your own experiences? 0:16:49.320 --> 0:16:51.320 Thanks? Thanks for that question. 0:16:52.680 --> 0:16:57.760 It is very hard to talk about it. It's we 0:16:57.840 --> 0:17:01.680 have been in the political light for you know, a 0:17:01.720 --> 0:17:04.879 long time now, and even as teachers, you're kind of 0:17:04.880 --> 0:17:10.199 public figures. But I'm a private person and so that 0:17:10.320 --> 0:17:12.840 felt really private to me and Tim and I didn't 0:17:12.840 --> 0:17:16.480 share that for you know, almost eighteen years and longer 0:17:16.520 --> 0:17:19.399 if you count, you know, if you count our journey 0:17:19.760 --> 0:17:22.959 to have hope, And we didn't talk about it because 0:17:23.000 --> 0:17:26.560 it was a painful and private process that we went 0:17:26.600 --> 0:17:30.000 through and kind of sharing it at that time made 0:17:30.000 --> 0:17:34.359 it more painful, or we thought it would, and so 0:17:35.160 --> 0:17:38.360 we didn't and that was just part of you know, what, 0:17:39.119 --> 0:17:43.120 who we were, and that felt like enough. But then 0:17:43.119 --> 0:17:47.159 when the Alabama Supreme Court decision came down, we said, no, 0:17:47.840 --> 0:17:52.879 we have a responsibility in our current leadership positions to 0:17:52.880 --> 0:17:57.640 talk about this because we cannot possibly have people denied 0:17:58.040 --> 0:18:02.840 the right to make their own choices about their own families, 0:18:03.920 --> 0:18:07.719 to have someone else like Donald Trump or Jadvance determine if, 0:18:07.800 --> 0:18:10.760 when or how they're going to have a family, and like, no, 0:18:11.480 --> 0:18:13.560 we have to we have to tell our story. And 0:18:13.600 --> 0:18:18.000 Tim felt exactly the same way, and so we did 0:18:18.040 --> 0:18:22.960 almost immediately tell it once that decision came down, and 0:18:23.200 --> 0:18:26.719 I decided that on the campaign trail it would be 0:18:26.840 --> 0:18:29.520 something that we would talk about because if you do 0:18:29.600 --> 0:18:33.800 not have freedom over your own body, whatever you might 0:18:34.480 --> 0:18:39.919 believe about abortion or anything, if you do not have 0:18:39.960 --> 0:18:42.359 the right to make decisions about your own body, what 0:18:42.480 --> 0:18:47.760 other freedoms do you really have? I feel it's so foundational, 0:18:47.880 --> 0:18:52.520 so fundamental, and I feel like it's part of an agenda. 0:18:52.640 --> 0:18:55.160 You know, Donald Trump has said some things like he's 0:18:55.240 --> 0:18:59.000 going to be the protector of women. No, thank you 0:18:59.080 --> 0:19:03.080 very much, Donald Trump. I'm not interested in that, and 0:19:03.160 --> 0:19:06.560 I don't think many women are. And that is a 0:19:07.160 --> 0:19:13.240 paternalistic sort of degrading idea to me, and that files 0:19:13.320 --> 0:19:17.320 right along with the attitude about reproductive freedom. And we 0:19:17.359 --> 0:19:20.479 are facing a national abortion band here, and we are 0:19:21.720 --> 0:19:28.159 facing real consequences here if we do not vote. I 0:19:28.600 --> 0:19:32.399 feel like it's for freedom and equality for women. And 0:19:32.480 --> 0:19:36.200 I wonder in my generation, like, have I done enough? 0:19:36.280 --> 0:19:38.480 So I wasn't going to make that mistake again. I'm 0:19:38.520 --> 0:19:42.640 doing everything I can right now, and I'm fighting for 0:19:42.680 --> 0:19:48.240 my daughter and for her friends and for people we 0:19:48.320 --> 0:19:51.199 don't even know because it's that important. But I'm not 0:19:51.240 --> 0:19:54.360 going to have the legacy in my generation be that 0:19:54.440 --> 0:19:58.200 we lost the rights for women to have autonomy over 0:19:58.240 --> 0:19:58.879 our own body. 0:20:00.119 --> 0:20:04.040 Kinds of things are you hearing from voters out on 0:20:04.119 --> 0:20:07.040 the trail when this subject comes up? 0:20:07.960 --> 0:20:09.919 I tell Katie, it is amazing. 0:20:10.080 --> 0:20:13.600 Every time I tell this story, which is a lot, 0:20:13.760 --> 0:20:16.600 sometimes three and four times a day, depending on how 0:20:16.600 --> 0:20:20.639 many events or the particular events, there are women and 0:20:20.800 --> 0:20:24.679 men who come to the ropeline or wait for me 0:20:24.920 --> 0:20:29.280 afterwards and tell me their stories or their journey or 0:20:29.359 --> 0:20:31.760 the journey of someone in their family or someone that 0:20:31.800 --> 0:20:37.280 they know. And these are painful and horrific stories. And 0:20:37.400 --> 0:20:40.480 I have to tell you, I'm angry that people have 0:20:40.560 --> 0:20:46.760 to tell their stories that clearly it's hard for them 0:20:46.800 --> 0:20:49.080 to tell, or even as I said, hard for me 0:20:49.160 --> 0:20:51.040 to tell, but we have to tell them, and they 0:20:51.080 --> 0:20:54.800 feel they have to tell them. I am so grateful 0:20:55.320 --> 0:20:59.480 for people sharing their stories and sharing that with me. 0:21:00.280 --> 0:21:03.879 But it's heartbreaking. It is heartbreaking that we are having 0:21:03.920 --> 0:21:08.200 this conversation or having to have this conversation right now. 0:21:08.560 --> 0:21:10.359 But I'm also grateful. 0:21:10.040 --> 0:21:13.960 For the generosity of people who are willing to share 0:21:14.000 --> 0:21:17.560 this and are clearly fighting for it and are clearly 0:21:17.720 --> 0:21:22.720 engaged in this election because of this issue in what 0:21:22.760 --> 0:21:27.879 it means and if there's such a stark contrast between 0:21:27.960 --> 0:21:33.080 Kamal and Tim Right who trust women, and Jade Vance 0:21:33.119 --> 0:21:37.040 and Donald Trump, who clearly do not. And if there's 0:21:37.080 --> 0:21:40.200 one single thing for women and I think for men 0:21:40.480 --> 0:21:44.120 who are smart to vote on, it's this issue. 0:21:44.400 --> 0:21:47.760 I'm curious how you feel about this gender gap that 0:21:47.840 --> 0:21:51.159 has submerged during the course of this election, with women 0:21:51.680 --> 0:21:59.080 overwhelmingly supporting the Harris Walls ticket, but men actually overwhelmingly 0:21:59.240 --> 0:22:04.719 or sertainly by a pretty significant margin, supporting Donald Trump 0:22:05.119 --> 0:22:08.480 and jd Vance. What do you make of that? Because 0:22:08.560 --> 0:22:10.800 I think most people would see your husband as a 0:22:10.800 --> 0:22:13.919 as a guy's guy. Oh not that he not that 0:22:14.000 --> 0:22:18.680 he doesn't support women, But how do you explain this 0:22:18.840 --> 0:22:19.720 big divide? 0:22:20.840 --> 0:22:21.040 Right? 0:22:21.080 --> 0:22:25.520 It's it's it's worth thinking about and worth talking about. 0:22:25.520 --> 0:22:27.879 But I will tell you we are not giving up 0:22:27.920 --> 0:22:34.520 on anyone. And so I see this divide as lessening. 0:22:35.400 --> 0:22:39.720 I'm not I'm not a Polster, or at least this moment, 0:22:39.760 --> 0:22:44.040 I'm not a polster. So so I know we see 0:22:44.040 --> 0:22:47.560 some things that that may say differently, and maybe when 0:22:47.560 --> 0:22:50.160 this race is over, maybe it will still look that way. 0:22:50.520 --> 0:22:51.840 But I still think there. 0:22:51.720 --> 0:22:55.120 Is time, and I think we cannot we cannot give 0:22:55.240 --> 0:22:59.120 up on making this issue relevant, or any issue really, 0:22:59.160 --> 0:23:06.120 but specifically reproductive freedom relevant to young men and all men, 0:23:07.080 --> 0:23:11.399 and telling our stories and sharing those values. We aren't 0:23:11.400 --> 0:23:15.239 giving up on that, and I think we just have 0:23:15.320 --> 0:23:19.240 to continue to do that. I also think that fear 0:23:19.400 --> 0:23:24.840 is a short term motivator, and there are ads and 0:23:25.960 --> 0:23:29.800 things out there about about the fear right, the fear 0:23:29.840 --> 0:23:34.240 factor that are appealing directly toward men. 0:23:34.760 --> 0:23:38.720 But the democracy is not like a pie, you. 0:23:38.680 --> 0:23:40.800 Know, where there are just so many slices and only 0:23:40.840 --> 0:23:43.920 a few people get a slice of the pie. That's 0:23:43.960 --> 0:23:46.919 not democracy. There is enough for everyone, and there is 0:23:46.960 --> 0:23:51.159 a place for everyone in this democracy. And so that 0:23:51.520 --> 0:23:55.160 motivator of fear, that discussion around what you know might 0:23:55.440 --> 0:23:56.200 what you might. 0:23:56.080 --> 0:23:57.440 Lose or or. 0:23:58.920 --> 0:24:04.199 Whatever, what ever is that appeals to that sense. We 0:24:04.320 --> 0:24:07.200 have to have better and more conversations. And I would 0:24:07.320 --> 0:24:11.920 encourage every woman who's listening to this to find three people, 0:24:12.359 --> 0:24:15.840 maybe even three men, and tell your story and talk 0:24:15.880 --> 0:24:20.000 about your values. And I bet you we are going 0:24:20.080 --> 0:24:24.440 to see those smart men come right along, right along 0:24:24.480 --> 0:24:28.400 with us. You can be a man's man and still 0:24:28.920 --> 0:24:32.760 understand what we are fighting for here and the freedom 0:24:32.800 --> 0:24:36.160 we're fighting for and a hopeful vision, a hopeful vision, 0:24:36.560 --> 0:24:38.000 and Katie, we're not going back. 0:24:38.680 --> 0:24:42.520 Glenn, I'm curious what role you think sexism might be 0:24:42.560 --> 0:24:46.679 playing in this campaign. There's been a lot written about 0:24:46.800 --> 0:24:51.359 Kamala Harris Downplane, sort of her gender or her race. 0:24:51.440 --> 0:24:53.560