Opinion: Why we love the personalities in politics

People are feeling hopeless and wondering, “How can we ever get to a place where collaboration, bipartisanship, and trust can be reestablished?” In an era where online comments have replaced in-person communication, it seems like a near-impossible task. The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and the reactions from all angles point us in one direction, to which former First Lady Melania Trump said best this weekend: “When the time comes to look beyond the left and the right, beyond the red and the blue, we all come from families with the passion to fight for a better life together…” 

In the aftermath of this shocking and deadly event, we must take a step back and reflect on the state of our political discourse. We certainly can agree that the vitriol and division that characterize much of today’s political environment are unsustainable. Not only does it threaten the very fabric of our democracy, but these frictions leave people disappointed, discouraged and distressed.

I’ve spent the last decade working at the intersection of politics, government and media and formed my own company out of necessity to address this growing political divide. By providing a platform where leaders can share their personal stories and connect with the public on a human level, I aim to build bridges across opposing viewpoints. I facilitate candid, on-camera, conversations that are designed to highlight the personalities behind the policies - revealing common threads - both across the aisle, and between the public and private sectors. This approach creates deeper interpersonal relationships, humanizes our leaders and allows for their communities to get to know them as people.

What began as a passion project, has turned into my mission, and it's more evident than ever before that this is what our country is missing. In conversations with leaders from both sides of the aisle, I have had countless bonding moments and experienced the uniquely human feeling of camaraderie. When we strip away the titles and labels, we find that our leaders, like each of us, are driven by more than just the desire to improve their communities and leave a positive legacy. They have families, friends, and personal stories that shape their perspectives and inform their decision making. 

In today’s climate, where political discourse is often reduced to sound bites and social media skirmishes, it is more important than ever to reconnect as humans. The assassination attempt on former President Trump is a stark reminder of the dangers of allowing our political divisions to overshadow our shared humanity. 

We all have the capacity, despite our many differences, to create an environment where the areas in which we disagree come second to our shared values. I am committed to this mission, providing a necessary platform to remind us all that behind every political personality is a human being with whom we might share much more than we ever realized. In the words of Melania Trump, “...we are all humans… politics is only one vehicle that can uplift our communities…”