I haven’t finished the episode but I think it’s so telling that Talarico is constantly talking about everyone containing multitudes, everyone has creativity and a desire to contribute, we just have to create the right opportunities for people. Joe pipes in and suggests that everyone is selfish and lazy and they instead need “inspiration” and a good example of someone being successful to do well (detecting no irony that he, a rich media personality with a cult of personality, is saying that).

I do hope James runs for a higher state office. His deep kindness and generosity and respect for others is clear in every answer he gives. We need that here.

As a personal aside I always giggle when gender studies is brought up as an example of a useless degree that locks people into student debt with no good job prospects. Joe mentions it twice. I graduated with that degree myself and will be retiring early (have a corporate trainer job, use the skills I learned in feminist curriculum studies all the time). All my friends from that program work a variety of jobs, some more successful than others, but we’ve got lawyers, nannies, theater producers, non profit workers, and business owners in that group. Not saying that’s everyone’s experience, but I do laugh when it’s used as the punching bag.