William S. Cohen

On September 22, the Perspective Project was honored to welcome its first guest speaker, former U.S. senator from Maine and secretary of defense William S. Cohen. In a thoughtful conversation moderated by Waynflete students Owen Anderson ‘21 and Sam Yankee ‘21, Secretary Cohen dove into the issues of partisan politics, national security, and the role of the federal government in emergency response efforts. He lamented current partisan divides while recounting how he decided not to run for reelection to the Senate in 1997 because of increased polarization in that institution. Secretary Cohen, a lifelong Republican, continued to show how he has endeavored to serve his country by serving as secretary of defense under President Bill Clinton, a Democrat. 

He called upon the audience to put “people above parties and politics,” and to strive to create meaningful change in the world by remaining true to one’s values. A frequent and vocal critic of President Donald Trump, Secretary Cohen has been known to break party lines on many occasions. When asked about August endorsements of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and Republican senatorial candidate Susan Collins, Secretary Cohen explained that politics has never been about red or blue to him. It has been about supporting and leading Americans with integrity, honor, and pragmatism. He described how Senator Collins, who worked for him for many years, best represented the values and interests of the people of Maine, while former Vice President Biden stands with integrity for a civil and productive American discourse, a sharp contrast with the Republican Party’s own incumbent, President Trump. Secretary Cohen called for “more critical lovers and loving critics,” a necessary step to healing national divides and reaching a brighter future. 

When asked what it means to be a Republican, Secretary Cohen responded that it means to want smaller government, a freer economy, and respect for states’ rights. This was especially important to him as he believed that legislators represent “different states, different interests, [and] different philosophies”. He commented that he has always wanted to “work with people who have good ideas,” regardless of their party affiliation. 

In response to the Trump administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary Cohen deplored the departure from science and the advice of career civil servants. He recounted how, as secretary of defense, he and then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Hugh Shelton assuaged military reservations about a newly mandated anthrax vaccine by receiving the vaccine themselves in public. Secretary Cohen called for more of this type of leadership among the top echelons of our political system. He lauded Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, with whom he worked as secretary of defense. To effect an efficient and timely response to emergencies, Secretary Cohen said that a unified federal response is necessary. He continued that while states are most able to respond to the needs of their own people, national threats require national responses with all the resources of the federal government. Reacting to nationwide resistance to mask mandates, Secretary Cohen recalled the old adage, “my right to swing my fist stops where your jaw begins”.

Throughout the conversation, Secretary Cohen described how he has lived his life by his “four R’s,” of “respect, relationships, rules, and reputation.” He urged the audience to remember that one must “never compromise integrity, because you can never earn enough money to earn back your reputation.” Despite his many criticisms of current policy and partisan vitriol, Secretary Cohen remained optimistic about the United States. “This is the greatest country on the planet,” he said, and we can do many great things if we do them together.