Erika Kirk, Karoline Leavitt talk Trump stories, politics & more at TPUSA event

[0:02] Hello. This is a great turnout. Hello, GW. So we were talking backstage for a little bit. [0:16] You don't look pregnant. I feel it, girl. Nine months pregnant today. Thank you. Yeah. Wow. Yes. [0:24] So let's hope that I don't have to go to GW Hospital tonight. Right. I hope so, too. [0:30] We were reminiscing backstage of how when I was pregnant, I was like 190 some pounds. [0:36] And Charlie kept bringing me, he'd be like, you want a hot fudge sundae tonight, don't you? And I [0:42] was like, I actually do. He's like, I'll come back. I'll go get one. And he just kept bringing [0:47] all these different treats. Every night he'd come home from work. And that's how I was very fat and [0:52] happy when I was pregnant. And you look amazing. That's what husbands are for during pregnancy. [0:57] And there has been no shortage of ice cream in our house either. So we're going for it. [1:01] Through it all. So share with us how you met. [1:06] Charlie. I love hearing these stories of how people get their favorite memory or how they [1:12] met him or what what they carry with them of Charlie. Yeah. So I was first introduced to [1:18] Charlie, as you know, during my congressional campaign in 2022. I ran for Congress up in New [1:25] Hampshire, which is my home state. We have some granite staters. Hi, guys. The first in the nation [1:31] primary state. That's how I was introduced to politics. I came to D.C. I worked in President [1:36] Trump's office. I worked in the House of Representatives. I worked in the House of [1:37] Representatives. I worked in the House of Representatives. I worked in the White House in [1:37] the first term, started as an intern. And then unfortunately, Joe Biden was installed as [1:43] president of the United States. So I had to choose a different job. And I went over to Capitol Hill [1:50] and I was a communications director for former congressman or congresswoman, soon to be former [1:54] Elise Stefanik. And she actually really encouraged and inspired me to run for office. So I said, [2:00] heck, yeah, let's do it. And I launched my congressional campaign. And Charlie Kirk and [2:05] Turning Point USA were. [2:07] The only organization in the political world that supported me. The entire establishment in the city [2:14] were with my opponent in the primary. But I think Charlie loved that I was a young person who was [2:20] stepping up to the plate. And he and Tyler reached out, flew me out to Arizona, met them at the [2:26] headquarters. And then they said, we're on board fully. And they truly were throughout the entire [2:31] primary. We met at the investor retreat in Arizona. They introduced me to all of the [2:37] MAGA Patriot donors who contributed to my campaign. And I'll never forget it because [2:41] Charlie gave me his word that he would support me. And he did all the way through, [2:46] not just through that congressional run in the primary. And then in the general election, [2:50] when I did lose to the Democrat candidate. But God closed that door, but opened another, [2:56] which led me now to the White House podium. And Charlie was one of the first people [3:00] the night that President Trump appointed me to this role that I'm in to congratulate me [3:04] and say how proud he was. So I'll never forget that. [3:07] So I'll never forget that. [3:07] So I'll never forget that. [3:07] And he's amazing. [3:08] You that are students want to run for office one day. [3:17] Can I raise of hands? [3:19] Some hands. Don't be shy. We need more. [3:22] Yes. So my question is for these individuals and even others too, what is the process of that? [3:31] Like, do you find an application? Do you, what was the stepping stone for you for all of that? [3:37] I just want bare bone basics starting from day one and onward. [3:41] Yeah. It's not an easy process. [3:43] It's building a campaign is like building a business. [3:46] You really have to start from the ground up. [3:48] I was grateful to have worked for a congresswoman who was able to give me some guidance and sort of point me in the right direction. [3:55] But you have to hire staff. [3:57] You have to really depend on volunteers and really the very first campaign event that I did in New Hampshire. [4:04] My dad brought me to it. [4:06] He was my driver and my body man and my campaign manager that day. [4:10] And we just showed up to a local Republican campaign. [4:12] And I walked in and said, hey, I'm Caroline Leavitt. [4:14] I was born and raised here. [4:16] I worked in the Trump White House. [4:18] I'm back home. [4:20] I want to run for Congress. [4:22] And everybody looked at me like I was crazy. [4:24] But one event led to the next. [4:26] And that's what running for office really is. [4:28] That's what public service really is. [4:30] It's gritty, hard work. [4:32] Our campaign team knocked on more than 70,000 doors in that race, just in the primary alone. [4:38] All across New Hampshire, all across the district, just earning $1 million a year. [4:40] And that's what we're doing. [4:42] And we're doing it one vote at a time. [4:44] You have to be gritty and just put together a team. [4:46] And I was grateful to have a lot of support from everyday patriots in New Hampshire who joined the fight with us. [4:52] And then support from people like Charlie at the national level that really helped amplify the campaign. [4:57] And it sort of just snowballed into this amazing experience, which, again, didn't fully work out. [5:02] I'm obviously not a member of Congress now. [5:04] But I think this job is, frankly, a lot more fun. [5:07] I totally agree. [5:13] So what was the process like to be the White House president? [5:16] What was the process like to be the White House press secretary? [5:18] Because I remember when Charlie was in Palm Beach when they were all putting together the admin, he loved it because it was as if his moment to be a football coach, of just quarterbacking, who's going to go where in the admin. [5:32] So what was the process like for you? [5:34] Did you have people calling you? [5:36] Did you have people throwing your name into the mix? [5:38] And then did you just wake up one day and see a news article about it? [5:42] What was the process? [5:44] So there really wasn't a process. [5:46] I mean, I worked as the national press secretary on the president's campaign. [5:50] And I fell into that role after the loss of my congressional race. [5:54] So that's a piece of advice I would give to the young people here. [5:58] When a door closes, don't worry, because a new one is opening, and it's going to lead you to exactly where you need to be. [6:04] So just take advantage of every opportunity in the moment and know that God has a plan, and he's going to forge your steps ahead and get you to where you want to go. [6:14] Thank you. [6:16] It's just the truth. [6:19] And so I was running for Congress, lost the race, got a call from a friend who was working for President Trump's campaign that he had just launched in November 2022. [6:31] And said, hey, you know, the super PAC for President Trump, MAGA Inc., is looking for a spokeswoman. [6:35] Do you want to come join? [6:37] And I said, heck, yeah. [6:39] So I joined the super PAC as his spokeswoman. [6:41] And then months later, when the campaign really started to rev up, Susie Wiles called and offered me the job as the spokeswoman. [6:45] And I said, heck, yeah. [6:47] And then months later, when the campaign really started to rev up, Susie Wiles called and offered me the job as the spokeswoman. [6:49] And I said, heck, yeah. [6:51] So I served with the campaign spokesperson, which I took willingly and wholeheartedly. [6:53] She's my boss to this day, and she is amazing. [6:55] And so I served with the president throughout the whole campaign, all of the trials, literally and figuratively speaking. [7:01] The trials in courtrooms and rallies all around the country. [7:03] And then he won the election, as you know well, Erica, and your husband played a huge role in that. [7:05] And so after we won and we knew we were going to the White House, I thought, hm, this is a great opportunity. [7:07] And it was. [7:09] It was. [7:13] And so after we won and we knew we were going to the White House. [7:15] I thought, hm. [7:17] I hope I'll get a job. I don't know if I will. You know, the president made a couple of funny [7:22] comments to me on the campaign. Like, if we win, you're coming with me, right? And I said, [7:26] of course I will, sir. And then about a week after the election, we were on the phone about [7:31] something, the president and me just chit-chatting. And it was the most anticlimactic thing ever. He [7:36] goes, oh, by the way, you know, you're going to be the White House press secretary, right? And I [7:39] said, oh, okay. And he said, so about that other thing, what do you think about that? What should [7:44] we do? What should we say? And that was it. That's how I got the job. So there was no pop-in [7:49] circumstance. It just, he just said it and here we are. True Donald Trump fashion. [7:55] What do you feel is the best thing about working for the Trump administration and the White House [8:06] currently? There's so many things I love about this job. For me, being working with the press, [8:15] as we like to call it, the fake news media. And they really are the fake news media. [8:20] I see some cameras back there. I don't know if we welcomed anyone from the fake news. I'd be happy [8:26] to take their questions if we did. But for me, the best part of the job is working for a president [8:36] who is so transparent. Like what you guys hear from President Trump and see from him on social [8:43] media and on TV is exactly what we hear and see from him behind the scenes. Let me just assure you. [8:49] He's very real. He is very real. He keeps it real. You saw it yesterday. [8:54] Yesterday on full display. Like what you see is what you get. He is so authentic, [9:00] which for me as his spokesperson makes my job easy because when I walk in there and I say, [9:07] sir, this story is coming out truth. What do you want me to say? He just lays it on the table. [9:14] There's no guessing. There's no questioning. There's no spin. It's just, it is what it is [9:19] with him. And so as his spokeswoman, I'm very grateful for that because I saw my predecessor in [9:26] this role, um, have a bit of a hard time, I think. And it's, I think it's because she wasn't able to [9:32] communicate with her boss in a very open and transparent way. And so the president's accessibility [9:37] and transparency, not just to me and the rest of the West wing staff, but to you, the American [9:43] people into the news media is so refreshing and everything he says is exactly how he feels. [9:50] There's no guessing. And he's honest and authentic about how he believes. And it [9:56] makes my job, um, much easier. And that's one of the things I love most about the job. Also, [10:01] we have never know what you're going to get when you walk into the White House these days, [10:06] every day is an adventure for sure. Is there anything that keeps you up at night [10:10] with this job? I'm sure that my boss is up all night and probably going to call at any hour. [10:16] Um, he sleeps very, very little, very little, like maybe four hours a night. It's crazy. [10:23] I'm a third his age and I can't keep up. I tell him that all the time. [10:27] Um, but I think probably what keeps me up at night is I have a tendency not to sleep as well [10:34] in this job because there's just so much going on all the time, breaking news. You never know [10:38] what you're going to get when you wake up, whether it's the middle of the night or first thing in the [10:43] morning. And I have all of the fake news media apps on my phone, the New York times, the wall [10:48] street journal, Washington post, and I'll make the mistake of being awake at 3am and reading [10:54] through some of the stories. And then I just, my brain, [10:57] my adrenaline's going and my team knows. If you ask anyone who works for me, I see my assistant [11:05] in the front row. She's smirking because they'll wake up to the group chat. And I send texts [11:10] between the hours of like two and 4am every night. And I'm like, we need to call this reporter in the [11:15] morning. This is not true. We need to correct this, put this statement in this story. So [11:19] it's just constant. It's a 24 seven news cycle we live in. And you know, we're on the front lines [11:25] of that at the white house every day. [11:27] Do you feel that's the most challenging aspect of your job is just trying to keep up with the [11:31] news cycle for sure. It's never ending. You know, after this event, I'll go look at my phone and [11:38] probably have 40 texts, 10 missed calls, all on different topics that I'll have to go sort through [11:45] and figure out and call secretary Rubio or call secretary Hegseth and try to get to the bottom [11:51] of what's about to be reported and make sure that it's factual. So it's a never ending, [11:57] um, [11:57] process and challenge that we have with the media today. And it's just the digital age that we live [12:02] in. It's just, it's the way that it is. Is there anything that you feel needs to be either better [12:11] explained or cause here's the thing is that we are not in all of the meetings. We're not in all [12:18] of the briefing sessions. We, we don't really fully see as the average American, what is going [12:25] on behind the scenes and closed doors. So we only hear what the media is saying. And we don't really [12:28] hear what the media tells us. Is there anything that students or just average American citizen [12:36] should look at differently or pay attention to differently or even shift their perspective on [12:44] something a little bit more differently? Well, you said something, Erica, that's really important, [12:49] which is everyday Americans. You do depend on the news sources that you read to give you the [12:56] information that you need to make. [12:57] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. [12:58] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. [12:59] It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a thing for from what I hear from the public and in the [13:02] news. It's important to make decisions in your life, economic news, you know, political news. [13:05] Obviously it informs the electorate. It informs how people vote. And we have, unfortunately an [13:08] overwhelmingly bias and liberal media in this country. If you look at, I love the media busters [13:17] organization. They do surveys week to week about the coverage on the cable channels in this country [13:23] and how they're approaching their stories and their coverage of President Trump. They are all [13:28] critical. [13:28] and it is always in the 90s 90 or more negative against the president and our policies and you [13:37] have to imagine the vast majority of the country is consuming that it's and the president says it [13:41] all the time it's miraculous that he won nearly 80 million votes in the last election it shows that [13:48] people like you many of the people in this room with those MAGA hats on you see through [13:52] the fake news and you you really search for the truth and I see that firsthand every day [13:58] the process that the fake news goes through to write stories it's really just such a low level [14:04] of journalistic integrity I mean they will find anyone and call them a source familiar with the [14:11] White House and then they'll just write what that person said like it's the truth like it's actually [14:15] happening in our meetings like it's actually being said behind closed doors and I read [14:20] so many stories every day that are just completely baseless things that were allegedly said that [14:27] never were said [14:28] and sometimes they don't even come to the White House for comment that's the craziest part and [14:33] that's my biggest pet peeve it's like mine too you're writing this story with all these sources [14:39] that you claim know what they're talking about and you didn't even check with the people who [14:43] are actually there who will dispute it or at least give you the accurate information [14:47] and we deal with this our team at the White House receives about 200 to 300 [14:52] press inquiries a day from outlets across the country and the world and every single one that [14:59] has a bias perspective that we have to sort through and run down the facts and you can imagine [15:05] it's a very arduous process so again a piece of advice do not believe everything you read if you [15:10] showed up willingly to this event tonight you probably already don't which is why you're a [15:15] supporter of Turning Point and all the great work that Charlie did and Erica continues to do because [15:19] you want truth in our media landscape today and we need more of it and how do you navigate knowing [15:26] what's true and what's not because what I've been noticing is that [15:29] a lot of these especially independent journalists they pedestal their sources above the actual [15:38] individual or organization that they're talking about how can students be able to delineate what [15:46] is true what is not is there a filter that you run news through yourself where you're like pause [15:53] let's really think about this and break it down there unfortunately isn't just an easy solution [16:00] to know what's factual and what's true the best advice I could give is to take everything you [16:05] read with a grain of salt nothing you really see don't take it as gospel until you look at other [16:12] places you know just because one influencer says something online based on one source doesn't mean [16:17] it's real uh it's in that it's true of you know the legacy outlets in this country the New York [16:25] Times Washington Post read I read it all I mean that's how I start my day every day [16:30] I read the Washington Post the New York Times the Wall Street Journal front to back it pains me but [16:36] I need to know what they're saying right because that really drives the news cycle of the day that [16:41] we have to combat but then also on you know online engagement and what's happening on X and in other [16:46] places in the digital world is important to understand because oftentimes as you know what [16:53] starts on X as a rumor then becomes a legacy media narrative so you have to kind of get ahead of [16:58] those things before they really spiral out of your head and you have to kind of get ahead of those [17:00] things before they really spiral into something that's just a complete fallacy so my advice would [17:06] be to encourage everyone this in this room to try to be the most well-read person in every [17:10] room that you're in that was a piece of advice one of my predecessors dana perino gave to me [17:15] before I took this job she said you always want to be the most well-read person in the room and [17:20] I try to be every day but Donald Trump always is that man does not miss a story let me tell [17:25] you he's always reading the papers and watching the tv he doesn't miss anything anyone says in the [17:29] he does it and consumes it all and it's a lot and you know you guys are busy right your students [17:34] you're you're working you're in school you want to have fun you want to live lives you can't consume [17:39] every piece of news but before you get really hot and bothered about something or maybe angry or [17:45] even really encouraged by something check other sources and then use your best judgment to sort [17:50] of balance what the truth is and unfortunately that's just the way it has to be done and when [17:55] you have that heavy intake of the press and you're reading all the stories like you said [18:01] as a christian how do you guard your heart and mind when you read all of these from all walks [18:07] of life all different media types how do you guard your mind and your heart from letting it penetrate [18:13] and just really upset you or throw your whole day or just mess with even the internal narrative that [18:19] you guys have in the admin through prayer um in faith it's the only way to just [18:26] cover yourself in prayer and and in faith and you know faith gives you such perspective that even [18:34] the worst story or the worst news cycle is just a moment and it's passing this too shall pass [18:42] um and you know i think seen videos we my team and i always pray before every briefing that's [18:48] a crucial step in our process as a team to prepare before we go out into the briefing [18:54] room into the lion's den and go up against you know [18:58] journalists who obviously are are trying to trip me up that's the nature of their questioning [19:03] um and some of them not some of them not all of them some of them are are good people and i think [19:08] really want honest factual answers not all um but it's through prayer and just faith that [19:16] there's something so much bigger than what we're doing in this moment and on this day but it's very [19:20] easy um to feel drowned by it all because it's you know it's heavy stuff we're dealing with uh [19:27] in it [19:27] it's policies that are impacting our country and the world and so there are days that are [19:32] harder than others but i think without faith you couldn't do it and when i last saw you [19:39] i was so excited to hear because on the way out you had shared with me that your team specifically [19:45] started a bible study are there other i mean that to me makes my heart so happy to know that that [19:52] is happening within the white house are there other groups within the admin that after charlie [19:58] everything happened on 9 10 where are there other groups within the admin that also have started [20:03] their own little bible study groups members of the cabinet members of the cabinet have started bible [20:09] studies one of the most beautiful moments i've witnessed in this job was prior to the cameras [20:16] coming in to a cabinet meeting in the cabinet room um the president always sort of has private [20:22] conversation with the cabinet and checks in and asks them how's everyone doing is there anything [20:27] you need from me [20:28] and it's sort of that private moment before the cameras roll in you guys have seen these [20:32] advertised three hour long cabinet meetings that we hold about once or twice a month [20:38] but they do have that private talk and there was a day in which secretary turner prompted a prayer [20:47] over the president and over the rest of the cabinet and i had the honor of just standing in [20:51] the corner of the room for when the president wanted the media to come in and witness that [20:56] moment with the president of the united states [20:58] the vice president of the United States and the entire cabinet with their heads bowed in that [21:03] beautiful cabinet room praying together and I took a video of it on my phone and I will save it [21:09] forever because it was the most powerful people in our country and the most powerful man in the [21:16] world humbling themselves and just praying over each other for protection and safety and continued [21:22] wisdom and that was one of the best moments I've witnessed but we have started a bible study [21:27] it's predominantly it is all women men are welcome too if they want Robert I see you over [21:32] there he's my colleague he can come if he wants uh the white house male staff are welcome but it's [21:37] been all ladies thus far and it's been wonderful Tuesday morning 7 45 in the Roosevelt room [21:43] and a colleague of mine Dr. Heidi Overton she's a big mind in the Maha movement she's incredibly [21:49] brilliant and she leads the study and it's all young women that are working in the west wing [21:55] and just need that moment of [21:56] you know [21:57] prayer before we get started with our very busy days I love that so including that what is so far [22:05] your favorite memory in this role that's a hard question I know there's so many you can name a [22:13] few you don't have to name just one you know I think the best memories I've had thus far are [22:19] those with my family with my husband and our baby Nico who's going to be two this summer and all of [22:26] the holidays the white house is such a [22:29] special and beautiful place Christmas time at the white house it's decked out with trees and lights [22:35] and just beauty those Christmas parties are such a joy the easter egg roll is a fun event it's coming [22:41] up on Monday my son last year was a little baby now he'll be toddling around on the cell phone on [22:47] on Monday and I have the pleasure of reading to the children so you know those moments where I'm [22:53] able to bring my family in and just enjoy how special of a place the white house is [22:59] that will go down as my favorite those will be the memories I remember forever I love that [23:04] transferring now to college when you were a college student what was something that you held [23:13] conviction wise that allowed you to be courageous and bold on campus being a conservative that you [23:21] can share with our students speech um when I was at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire I realized [23:33] I was a college student and I was a college student and I was a college student and I was a college [23:34] student I was one of the very few conservatives in my classes very quickly and it would have been [23:40] really easy as you all know in this room if you're part of your turning point chapter here on GW to [23:45] just shut up and be silent and you know not share how you really feel because as a conservative on a [23:51] college campus today in America you will be the ideological minority it's just a fact but we're [23:57] changing that I think we're changing that in a big way thanks to Charlie and everything that you [24:01] guys are doing um but you have to [24:04] just speak freely and have the courage to to be bold and I wrote some editorials in the school [24:13] newspaper that my liberal professors probably didn't like very much um but it allowed me to [24:19] really for the first time I think in my life know that like my voice mattered because after writing [24:25] those newspaper articles there were more students that were coming up to me saying I agree with you [24:30] I'm just afraid to say it I agree with you I see some people shaking their heads who have had [24:34] similar experiences [24:35] courage is contagious and not enough people have it and if if you have it you'll inspire others [24:42] to be courageous and to speak their mind and to speak freely or maybe even change their mind that's [24:47] the whole purpose of this organization and so I think just the courage to speak freely and be bold [24:53] and your conviction is just tremendously important and that's what turning point is all about and what [24:58] about those students that feel afraid to share their convictions or even have courage going up [25:05] against professors and they're not going to be able to do that because they're not going to be [25:06] teachers or professors and they're not going to be able to teach their children the way [25:08] they think they'll teach other teachers the way that they'll be they are going to be aday your [25:10] gonna change that you're gonna make sure that you're not appreciating their experiences or [25:13] your current position in the classroom and I have talked to some professors that they know will [25:18] grade them differently you know Charlie used to get to ask the question all the time should I [25:21] change my paper that I'm writing so that my professor gives me a better grade or should [25:26] I just stick to what I know in my heart to be right and just write that out even though I get a [25:32] lesser grade for it you just have to do it just do it one grade versus standing up for what you know [25:35] to be true and righteous will lead you forward if you get a lesser grade they're you no, not going [25:36] to make it easier for you when you're younger than you are at this point because there is some [25:37] to so many greater paths better friends real friendships better job opportunities it will [25:46] expand doors that you didn't even know existed when you choose to stand up for what you believe [25:52] rather than just silencing yourself because you want one good grade on one paper you know you have [25:58] no idea what God will do in your life until you really start to be bold and courageous and open [26:03] those doors and he'll continue to open them for you after graduation how did you know you wanted [26:08] to get into the political landscape and and how did you go about that route well I actually applied [26:16] to be a White House intern and if is anyone in here a White House intern or want to be a White [26:21] House intern we just opened the application whitehouse.gov intern go apply it's a great [26:29] experience someone's nodding their head over there go for it I'll get your name [26:34] after [26:34] we'll put in a good recommendation um no it's it was an amazing experience and I just applied [26:40] you know I didn't have any political connections you know my parents are small business owners up [26:46] in New Hampshire zero political experience but my college was political just for being in New [26:53] Hampshire the first in the nation primary state and all of you who go here have that advantage [26:57] you are at George Washington University you are in the heart of our nation's capital you are exactly [27:04] where you are you are in the heart of our nation's capital you are exactly where you are [27:04] you need to be if politics is what you want to do so God bless you all and congratulations for being [27:10] here because you're already a step ahead of many of your peers at your age who might want to be [27:15] involved in politics just by the nature of being in this city and up so close and personal you [27:19] can walk to the White House tonight and be there in five minutes you can walk to Capitol Hill might [27:24] take a little longer but you can get there soon too and you have this firsthand experience to [27:29] history which I didn't have I grew up in New Hampshire and went to school there but a colleague [27:34] of mine at school she was a White House intern under President Obama and I remember her talking [27:41] about it in class and I thought that sounds really cool like I want to be a White House intern so I [27:45] just went online and applied and God blessed me with that opportunity which then led to so many [27:51] doors opening after that working in the White House full-time running for Congress and then [27:56] of course all the political opportunities since and now this job today and little did I know when [28:01] I hit send on that application that I was even going to be accepted [28:04] into the White House and I never thought it would lead me to this job so take the risk and just [28:10] apply apply for jobs you don't think you are qualified for or will get even if you have no [28:15] political connections it does not matter you can get there with hard work and with putting yourself [28:22] forward that's what it takes that first step to just say I want to do this I'm going to try you [28:28] have to try or else you'll never see if you can succeed and as you are in this role how [28:35] do you juggle family career face face altogether what what is your road map for that I don't know if [28:44] there is a road map everyday know being a mother [28:50] is the best job in the world [28:53] I love my job as White House [28:54] Press secretary but nothing [28:56] compares to the job of [28:56] being a mom as you know and I have become a mother [29:02] of one and now I show her [29:03] reparations and I see people [29:05] for something that is good in my us. [29:06] soon too in the midst of the craziness of my career and it's a lot of prioritization you learn [29:15] very quickly when you have a family that your family you know and in my case my husband and my [29:21] son come above anything else in life that's just what happens aside from God of course God your [29:28] husband your children your family your friends and work and I try to prioritize my life in that order [29:35] and it just means that when I'm at work I try to be as present as I can and as best as I can and [29:40] when I get home for our bedtime routine with my son every night which I prioritize making it home [29:45] for that that I'm as present as I can be as his mother and soaking up every waking second that [29:51] I'm not at the office with him and with my husband and just balancing that act it's a tricky one [29:57] and there are days that are longer and days that are better but ultimately it's just about that [30:03] balance and that list of priorities and that balance and that list of priorities and that [30:05] you have to make in order to make it work in a support system as you know it takes a village [30:10] I have an amazing mother who's here I have amazing husband and friends and family who are always [30:16] willing to help and that really I'm grateful for that and I know not everyone has that [30:20] but it really is helpful with this job and being a mom but I would tell all the women in the audience [30:27] tonight you can do both you absolutely can you may not want to and that's okay too but you can [30:35] you can do both it just takes again prioritizing your time and leaning on those around you having [30:44] a great partner a great husband to bear your children with and to just take a day-by-day [30:52] Charlie and dad mode was one of my favorite Charlie and dad mode and vacation mode were two [30:58] of like my favorite versions among all the other versions that I was obsessed with still am but he [31:04] time with the kids he there'd be even times where he was in a meeting and he'd look at his at his [31:09] phone and be like I gotta go I got and he'd come straight home and he would read our daughter she [31:14] would she'd go into the bookshelf and pick out the book for him to read and it was always some [31:19] form of a curious George book but it's amazing because he she would ask him to read the same [31:25] story five times and he it wasn't like oh again he was always so good about yeah of course honey [31:32] we can read it again and again but I'm glad my kid's not the only one who asked five times the [31:38] same same story but it you you have a point where bedtime is so important and Charlie even knew [31:45] even with honoring the Sabbath and and that intentional quality time with your family is [31:51] so priceless and to prioritize that is something that really was able to take him to the next level [31:58] um which is which is really special and it fuels you to be better [32:02] at reading you and you read the story a lot more it's incredibly rewarding I mean I I think I'm [32:02] at your job when you are able to take that time and be fully present like I find Monday mornings [32:09] I'm the most chipper and ready to go in the office where most people are like you know dragging their [32:15] butts exhausted I'm like full of life because I had that weekend family time with my baby and my [32:23] husband that's so important it fuels you and that's why I tell young women you can and you [32:29] should do both because actually being a mom and and having a family and having a job it gives you [32:35] the greatest perspective because you can have the hardest worst most stressful day at your job but [32:40] when you go home to a beautiful baby and children who are just happy to see you no matter what [32:46] it is the most refreshing beautiful thing and it gives you the best perspective on life [32:52] like nothing else matters except for that who cares what the daily beast wrote today you know [32:58] like who who cares [32:59] what the headlines are like I have an amazing son who just wants to be loved and play trucks [33:04] and read the same dino book five times in a row and that really gives you the perspective you need [33:09] I think to be successful in your career and it helps you um to be a better not only a better [33:16] mother but also better at your job too no totally there will be people that are like did you see [33:20] what they're saying about you on x I'm like no I quite frankly I don't have time and actually [33:26] quite frankly I really do not care I am actually really busy [33:29] right now playing magnetiles and that is way more changing diapers yes than hearing the endless [33:35] onslaught that really is just noise noise is there anything that you can leave with our students [33:44] an idea a strategy a life goal anything that you want to share with them to take with them [33:52] as they go about their day and the rest of the school year school year is almost over so even [33:56] for the seniors is there anything I mean remember when you graduated college was there anything that [34:00] you held on to in your life that you want to share with them in your life that you want to share with [34:01] them in your heart of like now I get to go start my career or do you go to graduate school like is [34:06] there anything you want to share with them before they yeah people always ask me like what what [34:11] advice can you give me you know young people and I'm going to give you a piece of advice that is [34:17] not novel you've definitely heard it before it's very simplistic work hard I know it sounds [34:25] so lame and you're probably like wow she couldn't have thought of something better for us but [34:29] nothing [34:32] beats hard work there is no substitute for it and be that person that stays at the office later than [34:39] your boss every single day be that person that shows up first to work or to your internship [34:45] you know be that person that so noticeably works their butt off at every single thing that they do [34:51] that you can't go unnoticed in whatever opportunity you're in whether that's [34:55] school academia graduate school whether any of you go on to serve in our military [35:02] people will oh thank you god bless you thank you for your service people who people notice the [35:09] hustlers and now as a boss you know with a staff you notice those who work hard and hustle and you [35:16] notice those who don't and so you never want to be that person you want to be that person who shows [35:22] up relentlessly every day with a positive attitude willing to work hard and that's going to help get [35:27] you to wherever you want to go there's just no substitute for it I agree Charlie used to say [35:32] work harder be better and he would even give advice saying if they can't hire you because [35:39] they don't have the funds to do so tell them that you'll work for free and show them your work ethics [35:47] show them that you're bought in for the mission and if you do that properly you will have a [35:52] position that's right for for that company for that organization for that campaign absolutely [35:58] one of my first real jobs I guess you could say was [36:02] WMUR channel 9 news ABC affiliate in Manchester New Hampshire and I was a freshman in college [36:09] and there's one television station in New Hampshire by the way they're like the big deal up there and [36:15] I wanted I thought I wanted to be a broadcast journalist at that time how the tables have [36:20] turned and so I called up the news director Alicia is her name and I said I want to work [36:28] she's like who are you I said I'm a student at St. A's down the street I want to work here I just [36:33] want to be in a newsroom and see if this is what I want to do for my career I will literally sweep [36:37] your floors and when I said that she said I'm not hiring but I'll hire you and so I started [36:43] Saturday night shifts from like 5 p.m to 11 30 which as a college student that's a rough time [36:51] okay to be working in a newsroom as you know 5 p.m on a Saturday night not ideal but I took the job [36:57] and then it led me to so many other opportunities in college so yes Charlie was right about that [37:03] I love that and I've been there for a long time because I was told all the time that the [37:09] challenges that we face are not going to be solved I've been told advice but it will never cease to [37:14] exist because it's just true and it's real