science from sanford that allows this to put this into a rigorous, clear framework for his students. he is a highly affective teacher and has been named by the students in the baton school as their commencement speaker and he has been nominated for his awards for his many classes and many have gotten rave reviews from the students. it isn't just his ability to lead a class or give a great lecture. it is his deep welli willingnes engage one-on-one in the students and mentoring the students. very much what jefferson tried

to create when he founded the university of virginia. jerry is also a prolific writer. he has written in virtually every genre. he has written a novel and many others. as dean of the baton school it is gratifying to introduced an honored member of our faculty, an author and an observer of the washington scene. [ applause ] >> good afternoon. and thanks for joining us. so what drove the creation of

this very corky book? and what insights might you gain by reading it? i will try to shed lights on thes questions and i look forward to your questions at the conclusion. i want to thank harry harding and friend from the university of virginia. this fine school has grown from three employees to 250 students and one of the best public policy schools at what i believe is one of the best great public universities. thank you for bringing a recovering politician to the university. this university is blessed with remarkable minds who helped me

improve the book. i want to thank a national story teller, john casey and good friend and reader ben converse. thank you so much for saving me from a few embarrassments. i am very grateful for my time here at the university of virginia. i want to try to accomplish four things in my opening comments. i want to share a few ideas about the craft of writing. we live in a world of instant tweets and unedited blogs. so why would someone write a book and why would we read them? and why would a public policy professor write such a candid

m m m m memoior. i would like to entertain you and read you a few passages from the book to give you flavor on how i share the story. i would try shed the light on the approach i took blending letters home to family on the west coast to a more sober explanation of the politics from nixon to obama. i will try to explain the architecture of the book. and third i want to push back on the conventional wisdom that washington has broken. you will hear a heart felt flee to engage in civic affairs. if i have any agenda tonight it is this: to try to exalt the nobility of public service. enough of the shotgun attacks on every citizen that tries to

serve government. enough of the whining from folks that don't follow the news and don't vote. as i said in an opt-ed, a number of these scribblings are available on the website ben crest put together it is dismatchmemoiors.com. as i said before the government is us. fellow citizens. taxpayers and voters. here at the school, we have a strong representation of legislators to come in and engage directly with students. nearly a dozen over the last year. they are accessible. engage the government. we can make it work better and be a positive force in our

citizen's lives. this book concedes politics are broken but there is no better time to get involved. it will call you to public service and written by an, i confess, an incurable opt opttimistt. i know the millennials will and can save us. forth and finally i am eager to answer your questions and talk about politics and the challenge of writing. this is my marco rubio moment where i need water. now, a word on why this book. why would a political science professor write a book like

this. the best book i read about washington is about a staff guy. written by harry mcfearson who came to washington to do well. his writing is so earnest and he writes so well. he tells the story of the rise of linden johnson. with each chapter of the book, as he progresses, you see in the voice that he is getting a little wiser, he is getting smarter and getting prepared for the twist of the knife. and it is in this getting emotional intelligence, this perspective i sought to replicate in my own writing.

i tipped my hat to him in the title. his book was entitled "a political education" and it is nod to him i worked it into my title. his book is a gem and i commend it to you. this is stuff that happened before i showed up. i needed to know how won and lost the battles. i saw them through his eyes. the eyes of any many. it is his readers who see what life looked like to that small town public school by who showed up in oz. i had the fist feeling in 1975 and that excitement lasted for decades. let me describe how much excitement i had and how the

people i interacted with shook my thinking. page six for those of you re reading along. it was the people who drew me in. the people in pursuit of power fascinated me. their passion and principles and endless testing of character they experienced. the politicians who popilate official washington come from countries and cities and hick town and the 4-h leaders and the rebles and critics and they share a common sense of mission. all here to have an impact on the national affairs and eager to leave a mark on the desire to be present and all hope to leave evidence of their work. their failures and triumphs are

human. they are drawn to washington, as i was, by the beckoning arena. some come to do combat over policy, many want to save the world and others stay to make money. some acquire issues and adopt causes as an end to a means. plotomeic fever is what they call it. their story end badly. always. the individuals and institutions they serve suffer as well. others seek power to advance their chosen cause and each share the illusion that washington for a time is the center of the universe thch. we feel called to washington to engage. it is an irresistable call to public service.

one fuelled by equal parts of ego and alterism. the book is a personal point of vi view. and as my kids point out it is awkwa awkwardly personal at times. how do you build a coalition? how do you scout the opposition? how stuff gets done. now, a word about the book. i am a history club junky. m these books are written for three reasons. one is therapy. people have to get it out. the second, you mean not be surprised, revenge. payback. and the third is to enlighten

and share thoughts. you will be shocked the latter was my motivation. to tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may. the book try toes demystify the intermaki intermakings and deal making in washington. it isn't a chronlogical autobiography. it does it by focusing on a handful of characters readers will know. ...

there were mind numbingly slow quorum calls and filibusters and i started making notes about what was going on about the characters and personalities, notes that are scrawled on sheets of yellow legal pads, notes that became letters that i bumbled often bulging white envelopes in the days before e-mail with stamps attached to them. years later my mom produce some of these from her library in kona. these letters have been written with the exuberance and idealism of youth, they chronicle the strange rituals of politicians back east as we californians call them. some of the sum of the state address were routinely filed by my irrepressibly literary mom