An excerpt from the Betty Sutton Transcript:

Betty Sutton: Well, I think that Sherrod Brown has done much good for the 13th District, and I think that I can build upon the work that he has done for seniors and others throughout his service. I think that what my approach to government is always going to be, and that is to do what is productive, what is constructive. If there are times when I think it is constructive and productive to move somebody in whatever way they need to be moved, I would do that. That’s the way that I operate, but I think that Sherrod Brown has given great service to the 13th District.

Tim Ferris: What constructive things do you think you could do in the 13th District that haven’t been done hitherto?

Betty Sutton: Well again, I think that the battle goes on. I think that it is not a matter of a complete end result. It’s an ever-waging war. It’s an ever-waging war to keep people working. It’s an ever-waging war to make sure that people have jobs that pay family-sustaining benefits.

Tim Ferris: And with whom are we at war, our own government?

Betty Sutton: No. I think we’re at war with conditions that don’t work for people, problems that need to be fixed, challenges that need to be overcome. Maybe the use of the word “war� is a bit strong, but I think it’s a fight. I think you have to fight to create the kind of community that you want to have, and I don’t think that necessarily one person does it. I think we do it together. I think leadership matters. I think collaboration matters. You know, sometimes people talk about leadership styles, and the reality of it is this: I was in a State Legislature, for the majority of the time, I was in the minority. So your goals don’t change, but the way that you operate might change, because you want to do as much as you can, given the circumstances that you’re in.

Many times you try to build consensus. You educate people. You educate people. You have to inform in order to lead. You have to educate in order to lead people to a better place, and so you try to build consensus, where you can, of like-minded people, but if you can’t, there are times when you have to charge ahead, and what you find is that when you charge ahead, and if you are correct, and you take that step, people will be with you. In fact, they will probably be there claiming it as their idea, which is ok too, or it will push somebody else’s idea.

I think the point is, you can’t just sit idle, and I don’t think that’s what our current Congressman has done (he’s been very active on many things), but it’s also not the way I will be. Somebody once asked me why I beat my head against the wall in the Legislature in terms of trying so hard to always get things done, even when I was in the minority, and the reality of that is “because I showed up, and because it’s my job, and because that’s why people elected me.� And so what doesn’t change necessarily tomorrow by the pushing, the dissent of today is the majority of tomorrow. So, there have to be people out there pushing the edge, if necessary.