Gov. Mikie Sherrill Runs New Jersey Like a Busy Mom
4/27/202652 min
Governor Mikie Sherill's best leadership lessons came from the Navy—and her kids. As a mom of four, the retired Navy helicopter pilot and former Congresswoman doesn’t have time to waste, and with less than 100 days under her belt as New Jersey's governor, she’s showing Democrats a refreshing governing approach: move quickly and fix things. She believes in the American ideal of kids doing a bit better than their parents but is not looking to replicate the pre-Trump era that held “a great deal of inertia.” Instead, she wants to chart a new path for effective government that’s fast and reliable. She joins Nicolle for a conversation on the quiet benefits of being underestimated, how states are looking to expand their powers, and why Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “is a debacle.” Governor Sherrill also advises on what battles to choose with Trump: “I'm looking at fights that are systemic and problematic... I'm not looking at problems of a patio off the White House that a good bulldozer can deal with in a week.”
And a note to listeners: Tickets are now available for a live taping of "The Best People" with iconic documentarian Ken Burns at the 92Y in New York City. It’s happening on Tuesday, May 12th. You can learn more here: https://stage.92ny.org/event/ken-burns-and-nicolle-wallace
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 00:00
[upbeat music] As President Trump continues implementing his ambitious agenda, follow along with the MS Now Newsletter, Project 47. You'll get weekly updates sent straight to your inbox with expert analysis on the administration's latest actions and how they're affecting the American people.
Nicolle Wallace· Host0:17
The American people are basically telling the president that they are not okay with any of this.
Speaker 00:21
Sign up for the Project 47 newsletter at ms.now/project47.
Mikie Sherrill· Guest0:27
You know, even if we wanted to, there, there's just no getting back to the pre-Trump era. Now- Right ... I personally wouldn't want to because I think there was a great deal of inertia there, which is what people I think were responding to when they elected him.
Nicolle Wallace· Host0:43
Twice.
Mikie Sherrill· Guest0:44
[laughs] However... You- Right? So it's not that that was this Shangri-La.
Nicolle Wallace· Host0:48
Right.
Mikie Sherrill· Guest0:49
You know, cans were being kicked down the road that we're addressing now, but at the same time, we have to chart a different path forward because I think I was listening to somebody the other day who said he's really good at identifying the problems. He's really bad at creating any solutions, so I mean, just makes everything worse.
Nicolle Wallace· Host1:05
[upbeat music] In an era that all too often feels defined these days by grift and scandal, and the tearing down of expertise, and basic lack of respect for public service and public servants, our guest this week proves there is indeed another way. She has spent her entire life serving our country, first as a Navy helicopter pilot, then as a federal prosecutor, a member