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The Oath with Chuck Rosenberg

Leon Panetta: Worthy Fights

The Oath with Chuck Rosenberg

MSNBC

Chuck Rosenberg, News, Biden, News Commentary, Government, Politics

4.8 β€’ 15.8K Ratings

πŸ—“οΈ 3 June 2020

⏱️ 78 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Leon Panetta is one of the most distinguished and most accomplished public servants in American history. Leon was born and raised in Monterey, California, the place where his father – an Italian immigrant and the youngest of 13 children – ultimately settled. Carmelo Panetta could not have dreamed that his son, Leon, would serve eight terms in the Congress of the United States, as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, as the White House Chief of Staff, as the Director of the CIA, and as the Secretary of Defense. It has been a remarkable career and a remarkable life for Leon Panetta – a kind, humble, thoughtful, intelligent, and considerate man. I had the chance to interview Leon in his office at the Panetta Institute, on the campus of Cal State University – Monterey Bay – with his dog Bubba and his dog-in-law Copper, by his side. Leon shares with host Chuck Rosenberg reflections on his extraordinary and distinguished career in public service. He is also the author of the book, Worthy Fights. If you have thoughtful feedback on this episode or others, please email us at [email protected].

Transcript

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0:00.0

I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

0:11.0

But I will bear true faith and allegiance to the sea that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and that I will will inflate the lead discharge.

0:21.0

The duties of the office on which I am about to enter.

0:24.0

So help me God, so help me God.

0:27.0

So help me God.

0:30.0

Welcome to the oath and for many of you welcome back. I'm Chuck Rosenberg and I am honored to be your host for another compelling conversation with a fascinating guest from the world of public service.

0:41.0

This is our season three premiere and I am very pleased to share a conversation with Leon Panetta, one of the most distinguished and most accomplished public servants in American history.

0:52.0

Leon was raised in Monterey, California.

0:55.0

The place where his father, Carmelo, the youngest of 13 children all born in Italy ultimately settled.

1:02.0

Carmelo Panetta could not have dreamed he could not have imagined that his son Leon would serve eight terms in the United States House of Representatives as the director of the Office of Management and Budget, as the White House Chief of Staff, as the director of the CIA, and as the Secretary of Defense.

1:20.0

It has been a remarkable career and a remarkable life for Leon Panetta, a humble, thoughtful, intelligent and kind man.

1:27.0

I had the opportunity to interview Leon in his office at the Panetta Institute on the campus of Cal State University Monterey Bay with his dog Bubba and his dog in law copper by his side.

1:41.0

Leon Panetta, welcome to the oath.

1:43.0

Good to be with you.

1:44.0

And thank you for having me to your office on the campus of Cal State University Monterey Bay.

1:48.0

It's a campus that is located on what was the old four-doored military reservation.

1:55.0

When I was in Congress, we fought the process on closing four-doored for about two rounds and lost on the third round.

2:05.0

They closed four-doored, which was about 25% of the local economy, so you can imagine it was a pretty good blow.

2:13.0

And the community came together and we decided that a campus would be a good reuse of the base, and we were able to get California State University.

2:23.0

The chancellor, a guy named Barry MUNIS, was very helpful and we located the campus here, and now it's a thriving campus.

2:30.0

And I guess I've always said it's the ultimate conversion of swords in the ploughshars.

2:36.0

But I want to go back even further than the creation of this wonderful campus, because in your book you write about your father, coming to the United States from his native Italy on a ship called the Providence,

...

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