KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The airwaves of internet radio are filled with all kinds of podcasts. This week, two new voices joined them — former Tennessee governors Phil Bredesen (D) and Bill Haslam (R).
They are the hosts of a new podcast from the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennessee. It's called "You Might be Right" and features both former governors talking about contemporary issues. The first episode was released Wednesday with much of the discussion focused on gun violence.
The episode starts with a question — "How can we protect more Americans from gun violence while respecting the millions of Americans for whom gun ownership is a fundamental, American right?"
Bill Haslam immediately started talking about frustration surrounding politics right now.
"People are frustrated and exhausted about politics today, and the discouraging thing for me, and I think for you too, is people have given up that we can actually solve real problems," Haslam starts out in the podcast.
"You have people who think that civility is a sign of weakness or something. I think it's just the opposite," Bredesen responded. "I think the most powerful and the most effective kind of people are the ones who can be civil."
They then went on to discuss the history of Senator Baker, who is known for having said "the other fellow might be right" — inspiring the name of the podcast.
In the podcast, the former governors discuss gun violence with Arne Duncan, a former U.S. secretary of education and the founder of a nonprofit focusing on reducing gun violence. They also speak with David French, the senior editor of The Dispatch.
The first season is expected to span eight episodes and will include discussions with Al Gore, Paul Ryan and Lamar Alexander. They will focus on topics like climate change, housing and national debt.
You Might be Right is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
Haslam and Bredesen are also members of UT's Institute of American Civics, a new department offering degree programs focused on the U.S. government and located in the Baker Center.