UT launching podcast with former governors Bredesen, Haslam

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The University of Tennessee Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy announced Monday the launch of a new podcast featuring two former Tennessee governors aimed at crossing party lines and inspiring conversation.

You Might Be Right will be hosted by former governors Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, and Bill Haslam, a Republican. The podcast got its name from late Sen. Howard Baker, known for his ability to cross party lines, saying “the other fellow might be right.”

“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.”

The eight-episode season, which premiers Sept. 14, will feature conversations with Al Gore, Paul Ryan, Nancy-Ann DeParle, Erskine Bowles, Lamar Alexander, and others. New episodes will be released weekly.

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