Norm Ornstein
The Architect
Structured and legacy-driven; builds the systems and institutions that last.
Norm Ornstein is a prominent political scientist known for his deep understanding of the American political system and its institutions. This interview reveals his commitment to fostering effective governance and addressing the challenges within the political framework, showcasing his role as a thoughtful architect of democratic processes.
“So after I taught at Catholic University, I taught in Italy for a year before coming back. And my very best friend from graduate school had been teaching at the University of Oregon. I managed to get him a job teaching in my department.”
“So it was mostly in some ways just an accident of where I lived. We moved to Toronto and in Toronto they had this program in elementary school where if you were proficient at the things that mattered at that stage, math and reading, they would move you up if you weren't. They might hold you back.”
“But let's face it, this is also a problem of the Federal Election Commission in which Mitch McConnell has made sure that three Republicans on a six-member commission.”
“And they called because they wanted to have commentators and analysts, and so I began to do some television, and then I began to do more on what was then right at the beginning the McNeill report, and then the McNeill-Lahre report that became the news hour. And I ended up as the most frequent guest in the first 30 years on that show.”
The Axe Files with David Axelrod — Ep. 209 - Norm Ornstein
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