This piece belongs to Fox News Digital’s investigative project Campus Radicals. Access the complete project here.
A Harvard University panel, promoted as a discourse on uniting the bipartisan gap, exclusively featured members from the political left. This included two former Democratic elected officials and the leader of a prominent group recognized for its support of left-leaning initiatives.
The participants in the Oct. 9 panel, entitled “Across the Divide: Organizing to Build Bridges in Partisan Times,” included Joe Kennedy, a former Democratic representative; Mitch Landrieu, a former Democratic Mayor of New Orleans and Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana; and Derrick Johnson, the President of the NAACP. Alison King, previously a reporter for NBC Boston, served as the event’s moderator.
“Upon hearing the initial question about the political divide, my perspective shifts somewhat, as we’re no longer dealing with a political divide but rather a national crisis in our democracy,” Johnson stated in his introductory comments.
He then referenced common Democratic arguments regarding the ongoing government shutdown.
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“Regarding the current government shutdown, allow me to express my opinion,” he continued. “It’s rooted in two fundamental objectives: to further reduce or dismantle the Affordable Care Act and/or to divert attention from the Epstein files. Therefore, I contend that the issue transcends a mere political divide and constitutes a national crisis for our democracy.”
Landrieu, who co-chaired Kamala Harris’ unsuccessful 2024 presidential bid and the 2024 Democratic National Convention, began by boasting about “removing four Confederate monuments in New Orleans.”
Landrieu also held the position of senior advisor in the Biden administration, tasked with overseeing the execution of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
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He explained that his organization, E Pluribus Unum, dedicates its efforts to fostering dialogue across the political spectrum to educate individuals about diversity and facilitate discussions on race.
Subsequently, he transitioned to advocating for DEI initiatives and, without provocation, criticized Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
“Someone like Pete Hegseth lacks the necessary qualifications. Do you understand my point? He’s a DEI appointment,” he asserted, eliciting applause from the audience before proceeding with additional left-wing talking points.
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“In my view, diversity constitutes the nation’s greatest asset, our superpower,” Landrieu declared. “The concept of indivisibility signifies our close interconnectedness, ensuring our invincibility when united. Historically, the United States of America has remained undefeated when emerging as one from many.”
Kennedy established The Groundwork Project, an organization that, according to him, has enjoyed a “strong partnership” with the NAACP “from its inception.”
“In the struggle to protect American democracy, grassroots community organizers represent our most effective resource,” as stated on the organization’s website. It further asserts that “anti-democracy” factions in the Deep South, Appalachia, and the Plains have been organizing “largely unchallenged for generations.”
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“Presently, these investments are yielding results, as anti-democracy elements leverage the substantial civic influence they’ve amassed in these regions to jeopardize bodily autonomy, public education, voting rights, climate action, and democratic freedom for everyone,” the site elaborates.
Kennedy also voiced criticism of President Donald Trump during his contributions to the panel.
“Donald Trump is conveying a narrative of America,” Kennedy observed. “And it resonates sufficiently with a considerable segment of the population, shaping a particular portrayal of America. A singular depiction of America. This perspective diverges from my own understanding of America’s narrative.”
He lamented that Democrats are compelled to defend the “status quo” against Trump while concurrently safeguarding Democracy.
“One of the strategic maneuvers Donald Trump executed in recent years involved transforming the Democratic Party, traditionally associated with challenging power centers within corporate America or the centralization of political influence in specific channels, with the aim of dispersing it, empowering all, and expanding inclusivity,” he explained. “He inverted this dynamic, unexpectedly positioning the Democrats as defenders of the World Trade Organization, the rule of law, and the status quo. Defending democracy at a time when people expressed, ‘I’m struggling to make ends meet.'”
“The pertinent question now is, ‘How will the Democratic Party define itself amidst this administration, simultaneously an establishment by virtue of holding the House, the Senate, and the presidency – thus wielding power – and dismantling the very structures of those institutions?'”
A spokesperson for the Harvard Kennedy School communicated to Fox News Digital that the institution hosts a diverse array of political figures spanning both sides of the political spectrum.
“To cultivate proficient public leaders, our students must develop the capacity to engage across disagreements and partisan divides. Consequently, we intentionally invite voices from across the political spectrum to our campus,” the statement conveyed. “Harvard Kennedy School takes pride in being one of the few institutions in America where students can interact with politicians from both ends of the political spectrum, such as Nancy Mace and Pramila Jayapal, campaign managers from both presidential campaigns, or senior advisors to President Biden and President Trump – frequently on the same day or even within the same hour.”
“The objective of this event was for leaders to address the importance of bridging our political divide, a crucial objective irrespective of the speakers’ political affiliations,” the statement continued. “While a specific event of this nature may present viewpoints that individuals on any side may perceive as unbalanced, there is invariably another event — and another speaker — offering a contrasting perspective.”
The school highlighted its recent hosting of prominent conservatives, including Jared Kushner, Kellyanne Conway, Chris Lacivita, Ambassador Nikki Haley, Vice President Mike Pence, Scott Jennings, Kevin McCarthy, Governor Eric Holcomb, Senator Pat Toomey, Senator Rick Scott, Governor Asa Hutchinson, Ambassador John Bolton, and numerous others.
It specifically referenced Pence’s appeal for politicians to “disagree respectfully.”
“Since the establishment of the Institute of Politics, our mission has been to engage with the left, right, and center of the American political spectrum — and we remain steadfastly committed to this mission today.”
