5Q: Lincoln D. Chafee

 / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
/ PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

1What about your experience would make you a good president?

This is my strong suit. None of the other candidates, Republican or Democrat, has been a mayor, governor and U.S. senator. I know government at the local, state and federal levels. And on top of that I have my Foreign Relations Committee experience. I chaired both the Western Hemisphere and Middle East subcommittees and traveled to Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Israel and Ukraine to name a few. That’s a good resume.

2With many calling you a ‘longshot’ candidate, how can you change this perception?

I will continue to communicate to the voters over the coming months about my proven record of decision-making, high ethical standards and fresh ideas. … The chaos in the Middle East could have been avoided if more leaders voted as I did on the Iraq war. I did my homework and obviously made the right vote. I consistently exhibit good judgment under pressure. Elections are about choices and right now the race is between four of us for the Democratic nomination.

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3Looking at your political journey from being a Republican to an independent to a Democrat, where is your base? 

That’s a broad base right there. In this era of partisan gridlock in Washington, my experience of working in different political parties will be of great value.

4How do you think people outside Rhode Island will perceive your tenure as governor?

Facts are stubborn things and in the final analysis I led Rhode Island out of the Great Recession. It wasn’t easy considering that I had a business community that plopped the 38 Studios disaster in my lap, the speaker of the House was a criminal and The Providence Journal unleashed a deluge of banal editorials. Over the course of my budgets, Rhode Island had one of the best drops in unemployment in the country. I shored up the finances of our distressed communities and public higher education. I had one of the best rollouts of the Affordable Care Act, I expanded immigrant rights, passed marriage equality, raised the minimum wage and added unprecedented open spaces. … And don’t forget reduced wait times at the DMV. I carefully and steadily navigated the ship of state through stormy seas into calmer waters.

5Do you feel like you need to get Rhode Islanders excited about your bid for presidency?

I think that will happen as the race continues. •

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