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Conversations with Bill Kristol

Arthur Brooks on the American Enterprise Institute and Think Tanks Today

Conversations with Bill Kristol

Conversations with Bill Kristol

Government, News, Politics, Society & Culture

4.71.7K Ratings

🗓️ 26 October 2015

⏱️ 67 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this conversation, Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute, offers an inside account of the work of AEI and reflects on the changing role of think tanks today. He also recounts his own intellectual path which took him from a career as a professional French horn player to the academy and now to the presidency of AEI. Finally, Kristol and Brooks discuss how to challenge the intellectual complacency on college campuses and consider the state of conservative ideas and politics in America today.

Transcript

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0:00.0

And the Hi, I'm Bill Crystal.

0:15.0

My guest today is Arthur Brooks, the President of the American Enterprise Institute,

0:21.0

the best think tank in Washington.

0:23.0

Or the world, depending on your point of view.

0:24.6

Good point.

0:25.6

I agree with that.

0:26.6

I agree with that.

0:27.6

Let's talk about that.

0:28.6

What does the American Enterprise Institute?

0:31.6

What does it mean to be president of a think tank

0:32.7

what do you do every day what does the think tank do every day? I ask myself that question

0:36.1

a lot of time sitting on planes and it's actually changed a lot oh by the way thank you

0:41.8

for having me on this terrific series.

0:43.4

I know that the audience is expanding. The best commentary about the intellectual firmament

0:50.4

of the right that's actually on the web today. So congratulations.

0:53.0

Oh, thank you.

0:54.6

You know, running a think tank has changed a lot

0:56.6

and certainly over the past few decades,

0:58.7

but even since I've taken over seven years ago

1:00.6

as president of AEEI, when in the 70s and 80s, when think tanks were in their heyday,

1:05.4

there was a time of effectively building something

1:08.4

and letting people come to it.

...

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