The arc of our history is toward more equality being expanded to more and more people." — Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney is a businessman, lawyer, and U.S. senator from Utah since 2019. He served as governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007, and was the Republican Party's nominee for president in the 2012 election, losing to Barack Obama.
“The elixir of freedom” is the metaphor Romney uses to express his American optimism, connecting it to examples such as economic competition, the rule of law, and our education system.
Directions
Watch this A Democracy Minute video by Life Stories without taking any notes and reflect on one or two key points that stood out to you (for more background on Romney, click here). Then watch it again and write down your response to the following question:
Do you share Romney’s optimism? What gives you optimism about America?
You can make your response as short as the quote above or feel free to expand more. Discuss your excerpt with a partner or together as a class noting the commonalities and differences in students' responses.
Share your response under Life Stories' Instagram post and tag @NewsHourExtra, so we can see it, too!
Check out the following list of topics and accompanying learning resources released each Thursday leading up to the presidential election:
Life Stories is a nonprofit media organization that creates documentary films and educational resources about people whose lives inspire meaningful change. This interview is also featured in the documentary series, "The Thread."
Additional resources
In recent years, Romney has shared his thoughts about the changes within the Republican party he once led under President Donald Trump. See this interview with journalist McKay Coppins, who wrote the 2023 book, "Romney: A Reckoning," about his decades-long political career.
Do you share Romney’s optimism? What gives you optimism about America?
Fill out this form to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources.
