Welcome to the bully pulpit from the University of Southern California Center for the Political Future.

Our podcast brings together America's top politicians, journalists, academics, and strategists from across the political spectrum for discussions on hot button issues where we

respect each other and respect the truth. We hope you enjoy these conversations.

Welcome to those of you are here and to everyone who's with us on Zoom. At the Center for the

Political Future, we're proud to co-sponsor this event with the Wrigley Institute.

And I'm honored to welcome Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska who's up for re-election this year

and who has on more than one occasion taken independent stands that transcend partisan lines.

Our aim is to have a candid conversation. We

have about 45 minutes. So, Senator, here's the first question. To most Americans, the U.S.

Senate looks profoundly dysfunctional. I remember a time when a Ted Kennedy and an Orrin Hatch

could work together to ensure health care for 8 million poor kids in America.

Beyond infrastructure, is that kind of cooperation possible today?

Well, first, thank you for the opportunity to be here as part of this dial.

You're asking a question that a lot of Americans are asking,

which is how dysfunctional is our government?

Because some of the things that you see don't look very promising out there. And I would think

for many young people, particularly disheartening. So I am here to give a small glimmer of hope

that all is not lost. I have been in Senate now for almost 20 years,

so I feel like I've got a bit of an historical perspective here, and it has changed. I served

with Ted Kennedy, and I served with Orrin Hatch, and I saw the good things that two men of goodwill and good faith

with very diametrically different views on things could come together because they knew

that common cause needed to be had.

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