Donna Brasile: 'Why I am excited to join Fox News'

I am excited by the opportunity to share my perspective and views with the Fox News audience and to help shape the dialogue at this important juncture in our history. More importantly, I’m eager to learn from the experience.

The 2020 presidential election is a consequential moment in American democracy. Everything we believe in as Americans will be examined and, in essence, ratified by our votes. But it concerns me, as it does the majority of good Americans, that our national debate has become hostile and disrespectful. We no longer simply agree to disagree. Too often we demonize the intentions of others. Our lines of communication are frayed, if not broken.

In order for us to best decide as a people how to better protect and preserve our way of life, we need to first be able to hear what others are saying without the filter of bias and contempt. Not until we once again become practiced at treating those of differing views with civility and respect can we begin to join together to solve the myriad of problems our country must overcome.

I fully admit that in my previous lives as a campaign staffer, presidential campaign manager and Democrat Party official, my own lack of civility in the heat of battle has been on full display. And it wasn’t pretty. I should have been wise enough and humble enough to have listened to my mother, Jean, who so often would tell me, the third of nine children, to shut up and allow my siblings to speak, and to listen - really listen - to what they had to say. She knew I wasn’t listening so much as I was pausing before launching again into an argument. My mother tried to teach us Brazile kids a lesson we all need to heed as citizens: Listen more, talk less. Be civil to one another. Find common ground. Contempt is hatred towards others. These are the lessons and the attitude I will bring to Fox News.