Civil discourse
Governor Ned Lamont '72 and Governor Chris Sununu speak at evening assembly
Rancor and disrespect often define political discourse in America today, but two politicians from opposite sides of the aisle showed Exeter that acrimony needn’t be the rule.
Governor Ned Lamont ’72 of Connecticut, a Democrat, and Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, a Republican, took the Assembly Hall stage for an hourlong dialogue devoid of pique. The collegial discussion was co-hosted by the Academy’s Republican and Democratic clubs. Club co-heads Leo Braham ’24, Beverly Oleka ’25, Carter Otis ’24 and Natalie Welling ’24 took turns posing questions to the governors before a crowded hall.
The governors shared messages that mirror the Harkness learning principle of listening to understand, not simply to respond. Sununu asked the audience, “When you come to discussions, whether it’s like this or whether you’re going to have an argument on politics over family dinner or you’re just talking amongst friends, are you coming to have a discussion with a preconceived notion to get your own convictions validated? Or are you coming to the discussion to say, ‘Gee, this person might disagree with me. I wonder why. I wonder what the basis is.’ What’s the background? What’s the history with this individual and this issue that has gotten them from A to B to C that might be completely different from where you are?"
