Interview with Tom Byrne, Delaware Public Media

Elected Officials of America: Underdog Stories

On January 31, 2018, I sat down with Tom Byrne of Delaware Public Media. Tom was kind enough to let me rebroadcast this as an EOA episode. Tom's write-up about it can be viewed here and says:

"In a political climate that has become increasingly fractured and divisive, politicians at times seem more like partisan caricatures rather public servants.But a former State Senate candidate here in the First State is trying to get beyond the rhetoric to learn more about people holding political office around the country, telling their stories rather than delving into their positions on policy.

Last fall, James Spadola, an Iraq War vet and former Newark policeman, launched Elected Officials of America with the goal of interviewing lawmakers, largely unheralded ones, in all 50 states about why they pursued politics and the adversity many overcame to reach office.

In this week’s Enlighten Me, we sat down with Spadola to chat about his podcast."

Time stamps of questions:

0:47 - What was the inspiration for starting this podcast?

2:20 - Does the country need a more grassroots approach to politics?

3:40 - Why have you focused on more local level politicians?

4:40 - How come you focus on the person’s story and not policy?

6:40 - What are some of the consistent themes you’ve heard?

8:50 - How far along are you in the process?

9:60 - What is the reaction you get when reaching out to officials who don’t you?

11:20 - How has this podcast influenced you about running for office again?