Overheard at the Bush Center
52 episodes - English - Latest episode: 26 days ago - ★★★★★ - 6 ratingsOverheard at the George W. Bush Presidential Center brings you the latest conversations about the world’s most pressing challenges. Join Bush Center experts as they talk to leading policy makers, business leaders, and people on the front lines of change about issues like immigration, economic opportunity, education, democracy and the importance of free societies.
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Episodes
Protecting Religious Liberties
April 19, 2024 01:27 - 30 minutes - 25.3 MBWhile foundational to the beliefs of our nation, religious freedom is still denied to many around the globe. This conversation dives into the global significance of this liberty and its domestic importance for our pluralistic society. Panelists: Rushan Abbas, Founder and Executive Director, Campaign for Uyghurs David French, Opinion Columnist, The New York Times Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director, ADL Chris Walsh, Director, Global Policy, George W. Bush Institute (Moderator)...
Challenges Facing a World Transformed -- Keynote Conversation with William J. Burns
April 19, 2024 00:53 - 40 minutes - 32.5 MBWilliam J. Burns, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, was the keynote speaker at the Bush Center’s 2024 Forum on Leadership. Burns was joined by David J. Kramer, Executive Director of the Bush Institute, for a conversation on how the CIA assesses challenges facing the United States from Russia and China to the Middle East. Related: 2024 Forum on Leadership
Human Rights and the New Global Order
April 19, 2024 00:32 - 43 minutes - 35.5 MBAmerica's role in the world leads to competition and clashes with Russia and China, including when it comes to promoting values of human dignity and personal freedoms. Top minds on this issue will discuss how human rights and democracy factor into the great power competition. With an introductory testimonial by Seohyun Lee, North Korean Human Rights Advocate. Panelists: Mark Green, President, Director, and CEO, The Wilson Center William Inboden, Professor and Director, Alexander Hamilt...
Voices of Freedom
April 18, 2024 23:06 - 50 minutes - 41 MBWhen freedom is under attack, oppressed people’s most powerful tool is often their voice and the voices of others. Global activists Pashtana Durrani, Joseph Kim, and Alice Zhuravel, joined Bush Institute’s Director of Global Policy, Natalie Gonella-Platts, for a panel discussion at the 2024 Forum on Leadership on how they are pushing back against authoritarian threats and speaking truth to power. Related: 2024 Forum on Leadership
Forum on Leadership 2024 -- Indra Nooyi in conversation with Ken Hersh
April 18, 2024 21:51 - 34 minutes - 28.3 MBIndra Nooyi is the former Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, where she led a push toward sustainable growth emphasizing more nutritious products, a smaller environmental footprint, and empowerment for employees and communities served. She has been recognized for her achievements by both the governments of the United States and India and has been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. She’s a role model for women and immigrants and the author ...
Entertaining at the White House
March 19, 2024 22:00 - 1 hour - 50.5 MBAs part the Engage at the Bush Center series presented by Nexpoint, a panel of former White House Social Secretaries shared insights and behind-the-scenes stories about entertaining at the White House. Moderated by Anita McBride, the panel featured Jeremy Bernard, former White House Social Secretary to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama; Gahl Hodges Burt, former White House Social Secretary to President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan; and Amy Zantzinger, former W...
The State of American Democracy
February 09, 2024 19:46 - 58 minutes - 46.8 MBIn the Winter 2024 edition of The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas from the Bush Institute, our contributors look at the current condition of American democracy. This virtual conversation will focus on how the United States has reached this point. Guests Jane Dailey of the University of Chicago and Ryan Streeter of the Civitas Institute joined The Catalyst Editor-in-Chief, Jonathan Tepperman, for an Engage at the Bush Center, presented by NexPoint virtual discussion on this moment in American hi...
The Art of Disagreeing Better
January 26, 2024 18:56 - 53 minutes - 43.2 MBAt a recent Engage at the Bush Center event presented by NexPoint, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat, had a highly entertaining conversation on the art of disagreeing better. This lively conversation was held in collaboration with KERA and the National Governors Association's Disagree Better Initiative and moderated by KERA THINK's Krys Boyd. Related: Engage at the Bush Center: 'The Art of Disagreeing Better' 5 takeaways on how to disag...
How China and Russia Facilitate North Korea’s Human Rights Abuses
October 12, 2023 21:44 - 57 minutes - 46.8 MBThe George W. Bush Institute, in collaboration with Liberty in North Korea, recently hosted 14 North Korean refugees and recipients of the Lindsay Lloyd North Korea Freedom Scholarship for a workshop to further develop their leadership and advocacy skills. At the workshop, the Bush Institute’s Executive Director David J. Kramer, Senior Fellow Victor Cha, and the Bradford M. Freeman Managing Director of Global Policy Igor Khrestin joined moderator and Director of Freedom and Democracy Chris W...
How governments around the world have solved supposedly impossible problems
October 11, 2023 05:00 - 53 minutes - 43.6 MBIn an Engage at the Bush Center webinar presented by Nexpoint Jonathan Tepperman, Senior Fellow and Editor-in-Chief of The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas from the Bush Institute, discusses the latest issue of The Catalyst: 'The Fix'. Tepperman was joined by Anne Wicks, the Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education and Opportunity at the George W. Bush Institute and Albert Torres, Associate of Freedom and Democracy at the George W. Bush Institute. They discussed how specific governments and ...
How COVID and Ukraine Have Changed Beijing’s Strategy
June 20, 2023 15:03 - 58 minutes - 46.8 MBAs part of the Engage at the Bush Center series presented by Nexpoint, Jonathan Tepperman, Editor-in-Chief of The Catalyst, moderated a webinar and Q&A session featuring Bush Institute’s Victor Cha and the Stimson’s Center’s Yun Sun. The discussion focused on topics addressed in the latest edition of The Catalyst such as China’s new geopolitical position, the country’s global influence, and U.S.-China relations. Related: The Catalyst: 'Broken China?' How COVID and Ukraine Have Changed B...
Man vs. the Machine
April 21, 2023 14:38 - 41 minutes - 34 MBArtificial intelligence is spreading throughout the economic, political, and geopolitical spheres with growing public concerns about its ramifications. In this Studio 43 panel discussion for the 2023 Forum on Leadership, Dave Copps, CEO and Co-Founder of Worlds Inc.; John Donovan, CEO of Qudit Investments; and Cullum Clark, Director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, explored the co-evolution of humans and machines. Related: 2023 Forum on Leadership
Beyond Face to Face: The New Reality of Human Connection
April 21, 2023 00:56 - 40 minutes - 33.3 MBMandy Ginsberg, former CEO of Match Group and Director of ThredUp and Uber Technologies; and Nikki Krishnamurthy, Chief People Officer at Uber Technologies, examined the long-term impacts technology has had on human connections in this Studio 43 session for the 2023 Forum on Leadership. Eva Chiang, Managing Director of Leadership and Programming at the Bush Institute moderated the conversation. Related: 2023 Forum on Leadership
Is the American Dream At Risk?
April 20, 2023 23:00 - 59 minutes - 47.7 MBFormer U.S. Senator Rob Portman and Nick Eberstadt, the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute joined Anne Wicks, the Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education and Opportunity at the Bush Institute, at the 2023 Forum on Leadership to discuss where job opportunities, readiness to work, and regional strength connect in a post- COVID America. Related: 2023 Forum on Leadership
The Future of American Capitalism
April 20, 2023 22:22 - 47 minutes - 38.3 MBWhat is the future of American capitalism? Bill Haslam, former Governor of Tennessee and the Sammons Enterprises Fellow at the Bush Institute; Larry Summers, the Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus at Harvard University and former U.S. Treasury Secretary; McKesson Corporation’s CEO Brian Tyler, and Mary Moore Hamrick, the Don Evans Family Managing Director of Domestic Policy at the Bush Center, explored what’s next for our economy. Related 2023 Forum on Leadership
A Conversation with Governor Glenn Youngkin
April 20, 2023 22:13 - 44 minutes - 35.6 MBAt the 2023 Forum on Leadership, Bush Center President and CEO Ken Hersh sat down for the keynote conversation with the 74th Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin. They discussed governing in a purple state, the health of America's democratic spirit, and how we can unite the American people. Related: 2023 Forum on Leadership
PEPFAR at 20: A Conversation with Bill Gates
February 24, 2023 23:53 - 23 minutes - 19.6 MBBill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, joined David J. Kramer, Executive Director of the Bush Institute, to discuss how PEPFAR’s successful program model can inform U.S. engagement in global health and development more broadly. Related: PEPFAR at 20 event Read: A report series on lessons learned from PEPFAR’s success Read: Building on PEPFAR’s success: Is a win for U.S. foreign policy Read: Foreign aid successes: MCC and PEPFAR as models for engagement
PEPFAR at 20: A Conversation with President Bush, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, and Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete
February 24, 2023 23:22 - 43 minutes - 35.5 MBPresident George W. Bush joined 66th U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice and Former President of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete for a conversation during PEPFAR at 20, an event marking 20 years of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) hosted by the George W. Bush Institute. The trio discussed the inception of PEPFAR, its enormous impact, and how the program is a win for both partner countries and for U.S. foreign policy. Related: Pe...
The Intersection of Sports and Human Rights
November 21, 2022 22:30 - 16 minutes - 13.4 MBThe Bush Institute, in partnership with Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy, hosted a conference on The Struggle for Freedom. The event gathered activists, experts, and leaders who assessed threats to freedom and offered recommendations for the cause of liberty. They also examined the global struggle for freedom, pushing back against the authoritarian threat and how the U.S. can help support democracy and human rights abroad.
How the United States Can Help Support Democracy and Human Rights
November 21, 2022 20:00 - 47 minutes - 38.2 MBThe Bush Institute, in partnership with Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy, hosted a conference on The Struggle for Freedom. The event gathered activists, experts, and leaders who assessed threats to freedom and offered recommendations for the cause of liberty. They also examined the global struggle for freedom, pushing back against the authoritarian threat and how the U.S. can help support democracy and human rights abroad.
Emerging Technology and the Future of Freedom
November 21, 2022 08:00 - 44 minutes - 36 MBThe Bush Institute, in partnership with Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy, hosted a conference on The Struggle for Freedom. The event gathered activists, experts, and leaders who assessed threats to freedom and offered recommendations for the cause of liberty. They also examined the global struggle for freedom, pushing back against the authoritarian threat and how the U.S. can help support democracy and human rights abroad.
Pushing Back Against Authoritarian Threats
November 21, 2022 06:00 - 48 minutes - 39.4 MBThe Bush Institute, in partnership with Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy, hosted a conference on The Struggle for Freedom. The event gathered activists, experts, and leaders who assessed threats to freedom and offered recommendations for the cause of liberty. They also examined the global struggle for freedom, pushing back against the authoritarian threat and how the U.S. can help support democracy and human rights abroad.
The Global Struggle For Freedom
November 18, 2022 21:15 - 47 minutes - 38.5 MBThe Bush Institute, in partnership with Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy, hosted a conference on The Struggle for Freedom. The event gathered activists, experts, and leaders who assessed threats to freedom and offered recommendations for the cause of liberty. They also examined the global struggle for freedom, pushing back against the authoritarian threat and how the U.S. can help support democracy and human rights abroad.
A Commitment to Freedom and Democracy
November 18, 2022 06:00 - 30 minutes - 24.7 MBOn November 16, President Bush and David J. Kramer, Executive Director of the Bush Institute, sat down at The Struggle for Freedom conference hosted by the Bush Institute in partnership with Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy. They discussed the importance of U.S. support for democracy and freedom around the world, especially in places like Ukraine.
Looking to the Future: Bold Ideas from Bold Leaders
October 05, 2022 21:00 - 57 minutes - 46.3 MBThe Bush Center welcomed Dr. Deborah Birx, the former U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and former White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator and former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos as part of our Engage at the Bush Center series, presented by NexPoint. The conversation focused on advancing health care, education, and lessons learned from the pandemic. The panel also discussed the role of public-private partnerships and the positive change they can make in our communities.
Author Bill Browder on Russia
September 23, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 50.1 MBAuthor and Russian corruption fighter Bill Browder joined the Bush Center for a special NexPoint Lecture edition of Engage at the Bush Center. In this conversation, he discussed his harrowing story exposing President Vladimir Putin’s corruption; the real situation on the ground in Russia; as well as the latest developments of the conflict in Ukraine.
Creating Opportunity in Education
June 30, 2022 22:00 - 59 minutes - 47.9 MBRecent eighth grade graduates will be entering the workforce in 2030. Is your state preparing them appropriately? Governor Bill Haslam, the Sammons Enterprises Fellow at the Bush Institute, and Anne Wicks, the Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education and Opportunity at the Bush Institute, discuss how we can support our kids and create opportunities for them.
Fatherhood and Community: A Conversation with Troy Aikman
June 10, 2022 05:00 - 58 minutes - 46.7 MBTroy Aikman, the Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame quarterback and NFL broadcaster, joined the Bush Center for an Engage at the Bush Center event, presented by NexPoint. Aikman reflected on what matters most to him: fatherhood and community. ABC Dallas' main sports anchor, Joe Trahan, led this special conversation, which also included some football talk and discussion of Aikman's recent move to ESPN.
Advancing Democracy at Home and Abroad
May 20, 2022 19:00 - 53 minutes - 43.4 MBOn May 18, the Bush Institute and four partner organizations hosted Elections – A More Perfect Union. Dr. Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State and the Tad and Dianne Taube Director of the Hoover Institution; and Natan Sharansky, Honorary Member of the Board of Governors of The Jewish Agency for Israel, discuss the experience of elections in other countries and how America’s commitment to the peaceful transfer of power play in inspiring and advancing democracy abroad.
Restoring Trust in Our Elections
May 20, 2022 18:00 - 45 minutes - 37 MBOn May 18, the Bush Institute and four partner organizations hosted Elections – A More Perfect Union. In this panel discussion, experts share how the integrity of elections is being protected in various states and conveying the threats currently facing election administration and workers. Panelists include: Maggie Oliver, New Mexico Secretary of State; Joanna Lydgate, Founder and CEO of States United Democracy Center; and Bill Gates, Chairman of Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
The Story of Our Elections
May 20, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBIn this episode, experts and analyst discuss the role of elections in a democratic society, how they have evolved over time, and how important it is to safeguard elections against challenges of the day. Featured guests include: Ken Hersh, George W. Bush Center President and CEO; Jon Meacham, Co-chair of the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy; Yuval Levin, Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at American Enterprise Institute; and Rachel Kleinfeld, Senior ...
Opening the Door of Opportunity
April 22, 2022 21:47 - 45 minutes - 36.3 MBKenneth Hersh, President and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center shares opening remarks at the 2022 Forum on Leadership, highlighting leadership domestic and abroad. Anne Wicks, the Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education and Opportunity at the Bush Center joins Mitch Daniels, President of Purdue University, to discuss the changes need to be made to ensure opportunity for all students and How institutions, including higher education, can better serve the public.
Leadership in Afghanistan -- Dr. Sakena Yacoobi
April 22, 2022 14:00 - 33 minutes - 27.1 MBDr. Sakena Yacoobi received the 2022 George W. Bush Institute Citation for her decades of work empowering women and providing leadership and education to her fellow citizens in Afghanistan. In this conversation at the 2022 Forum on Leadership, she shares how her efforts to cultivate love and respect across the deep divisions made throughout history gives hope to generations of women and children.
A Growing Economy is a Changing Economy
April 22, 2022 13:45 - 46 minutes - 37.6 MBSustained and robust economic growth in the United States will require bold and innovative solutions. In a candid conversation at the 2022 Forum on Leadership with Secretary Elaine Chao, 24th United States Secretary of Labor, and Gary Cohn, IBM Vice President, they discuss what it will take from public and private sector leaders to put all Americans on the path to opportunity.
Courage and Compassion -- America's Leadership in Global Health
April 22, 2022 13:00 - 43 minutes - 35.1 MBIn the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, what are the lessons learned to address public health challenges? Amid vaccine diplomacy efforts abroad, why is American leadership so critical to address these challenges around the world? In this Forum on Leadership conversation, Dr. Deborah Birx, Senior Fellow at the Bush Institute and former White House coronavirus response coordinator, and Harbinger Health CEO Dr. Stephen Hahn address these questions and more.
A Nation Called to Great Responsibilities - Gen. James Mattis
April 22, 2022 05:00 - 52 minutes - 42.1 MBAt the 2022 Forum on Leadership, Bush Center President and CEO Ken Hersh sat down for the keynote conversation with General James Mattis, 26th United States Secretary of Defense. He discussed how vital America’s voice is in advancing freedom and prosperity at home and around the world.
The Future of American Cities
March 11, 2022 16:38 - 59 minutes - 48.4 MBAmericans are reevaluating their priorities when it comes to where and how they live. The pandemic has spurred a mass migration of people over the past two years, with some cities experiencing vast population increases and others steep declines. But there is a recipe for success: For cities to be prosperous and have vibrant, opportunity-rich economies, they must build a highly educated workforce; provide a strong sense of community; maintain a welcoming approach to newcomers, including immig...
The Power of Laughter in Leadership
March 11, 2022 00:31 - 1 hour - 51.1 MBEngage at the Bush Center, Presented by NexPoint Effective leadership begins with making connections, and humor is a way to build rapport, ease into uncomfortable conversations, and help to bring joy during difficult times. It’s no coincidence that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has emerged as an inspirational leader to his people, began his career as a comedian. In our own democracy, humor remains vital as a tool of both diplomacy and leadership. It’s also a way to hold our ...
The Path Towards the American Dream
February 15, 2022 22:00 - 53 minutes - 43.1 MBIn a shift in American culture and values, we asked ‘What does the American Dream look like today? Can it still be realized?’ Cullum Clark, sat down with Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith; Jorge Lima, who is the senior vice president of policy at Americans for Prosperity and leads immigration efforts at the nonprofit, Stand Together; and Dionne Gumbs, CEO and Founder of GenEQTY, to discuss the path to faster, more inclusive growth and opportunity. Related: The Catalyst: A Journal o...
Perspectives from the Border -- Dee Margo, Former Mayor of El Paso
September 01, 2021 12:23 - 24 minutes - 20.4 MBIn an interview on immigration insights with Bush Institute Executive Director Holly Kuzmich, former Mayor of El Paso Dee Margo discusses frontline perspectives from the U.S.-Mexico border and what a secure border looks like. Related Read the transcript The Bush Institute's work on immigration
Is the Last Frontier Also the Last Great Market?
August 25, 2021 13:20 - 35 minutes - 29.3 MBRecorded at the 2019 Forum on Leadership What was born out of a race between governments to explore the frontier of space has shifted to a competition between private companies. As the frontier continues to change, what is a realistic expectation for the future of space? With both corporations and governments now in this arena, each with different goals and ambitions, how is the future of the new space race going to safely benefit the world? Featuring Ariane Cornell Head of Astronaut Stra...
The Spirit of Liberty -- President George W. Bush
July 16, 2021 13:18 - 21 minutes - 23.1 MBIn 2017, President George W. Bush delivered a powerful speech at the Bush Institute's Spirit of Liberty event in New York. He discussed the importance of the United States' role in the world, and stressed that we should not become an isolationist, nationalist, or protectionist Nation. With an introduction by U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Ramon Padilla Munguia. Related The Spirit of Liberty Freedom and Democracy at the George W. Bush Institute About Sergeant First Class Ramon Padilla Mu...
The Land of Opportunity -- Hamdi Ulukaya, CEO of Chobani
July 14, 2021 18:47 - 40 minutes - 33 MBAt the 2021 Forum on Leadership, Bush Center CEO Ken Hersh sat down for the keynote conversation Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and CEO of Chobani. He shared his inspiring story, including the experiences that brought him to America and eventually led him to create Chobani. He also discusses life in the United States -- and why this is the land of opportunity. Related Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants 2021 Forum on Leadership
Understanding the Impact of Invisible Wounds -- President Bush and Prince Harry
July 02, 2021 16:36 - 32 minutes - 33 MBThe George W. Bush Institute conducted an international symposium at the Invictus Games 2016 to discuss solutions to help returning servicemen and women overcome their invisible wounds and improve outcomes for their transition back to civilian life. Prince Harry joined President Bush for a conversation about the importance of reducing the barriers to care and the role of sport in recovery. President Bush also served as the Honorary Chairman for Invictus Games Orlando 2016. Related: Watch...
Immigration Insights -- Sec. Carlos Gutierrez
July 02, 2021 16:12 - 16 minutes - 13.6 MBHolly Kuzmich, George W. Bush Institute Executive Director, sat down with Carlos Gutierrez, former Secretary of Commerce, to discuss the impact immigrants have on the United States. Related Bush Institute work on immigration
Understanding the Border: A Conversation on Life, Culture, and Commerce
June 21, 2021 13:45 - 56 minutes - 46.2 MBIn a companion event to the Bush Center’s special exhibit on immigration and President Bush’s new book, Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants, a panel of experts examine the incredible biodiversity, agricultural strength, and beauty of our southern border. The conversation tackles how to thoughtfully secure and manage a diverse border region, and how to protect and preserve the land itself. Texas Tribune CEO and Co-Founder Evan Smith leads the discussion with former U.S. Congr...
Immigration and Border Security -- Sec. Michael Chertoff
June 21, 2021 13:02 - 11 minutes - 13.5 MBMichael Chertoff, former Secretary of Homeland Security and Co-founder and Executive Chairman of the Chertoff Group, discusses the U.S.-Mexico border and what it will take to address immigration reform that also tackles border security. Related Read a transcript of this conversation Learn more about the Bush Institute's work on immigration
A Vision for the Future -- Jeff Bezos and Ken Hersh
May 12, 2021 12:46 - 51 minutes - 41.8 MBRecorded April 20, 2018 at Moody Coliseum at SMU In 2018, Amazon Chairman and CEO Jeff Bezos sat down with Ken Hersh at the Bush Center’s first annual Forum on Leadership. They discussed his approach to entrepreneurship and his vision for Amazon in the early days, how he led his company to be the one of the largest retailers in the world, and his vision for the next frontier – space. Related 2018 Forum on Leadership
Education Leadership in 2021 -- Sec. Spellings and President Bush
May 12, 2021 12:29 - 26 minutes - 21.6 MBRecorded December 9, 2020 In December at ExcelinEd’s EdPalooza, President Bush shared his insights on leadership in education, how to ignite change, and on the post-pandemic road ahead for education in America with former Secretary of Education and Texas 2036 CEO Margaret Spellings. Related About the Bush Institute Education Reform Initiative
Immigration Insights -- Dr. Condoleezza Rice
May 12, 2021 10:35 - 15 minutes - 13.3 MBFormer Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice joined Holly Kuzmich, Executive Director of the Bush Institute, to discuss immigration -- "America's secret weapon." Related Immigration policy at the George W. Bush Institute Dr. Rice at the 2021 Bush Center Forum on Leadership, introduced by President Bush