Book Launch: Senator William H. Frist: A Heart to Serve.
October 21, 2009
Smart Global Health Commissioner and former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist spoke at CSIS on Thursday October 15th to launch his new book, A Heart to Serve. The book recounts the Senator’s time as a heart surgeon, U.S. Senate Majority Leader, and philanthropist in order to inspire people to make a difference in the world. “The message of the book,” Frist said, “is that all of us can dig deep in ourselves and shape our passions to help others.”
Steve Morrison, director of the CSIS Global Health Policy Center, asked the former Tennessee Senator questions on a wide range of topics covered in the book. Senator Frist called for accountability on policies adopted by decision-makers in Washington; too often, he argued, long-term outcomes are ignored. “It’s more of a 2 year town than a 20 year town,” he said.
Senator Frist primarily argued for the involvement of everyday people in public policymaking. As the first physician in the Senate in 68 years, he espoused the ideal of the citizen legislator, who takes office out of a sense of service to the broader community. “I believe in Washington, and I believe in our government, and it is the best of the best,” he said. “But to make it even better, we need to bring in real people with real experiences.”
Flickr Slideshow - Event Audio - Interview Series Podcast
Watch the full video of the event below:
Special thanks to Seth Gannon for authoring this blog.
