Kevin Roberts

So, we...

have this one voice policy.

It had become sort of moribund when I and my leadership arrived in late 2021, for whatever reason, I don't know.

But we were charged by the board, revitalize the one voice policy.

And the way, interestingly, although it doesn't quite meet the eye initially, the way you do that is to actually increase the debate internally.

Our rules are it's got to be collegial, it's got to be professional, can't be personal.

And the way you amplify that is to have competing voices come in and do public events.

We're not saying that having someone who disagrees with us on tax policy or education policy

is somehow going to now change our own policy, but we're saying we're confident enough in our own research, our own position, that of course we want to have public debates.

The big issue example I want to offer is our changing policy on China.

Heritage led the way.

on most Americans' beliefs, certainly mine, that America was going to prevail on China because our free market and American values were going to turn China into us.

And when I got to Heritage, by the time I got to Heritage, I was convinced by none other than Donald Trump that that was wrong, that China had been taking advantage of us, that American policy had been too weak.

The prevailing mindset, not just of heritage, but of the conservative movement under George W. Bush's presidency.

We can baptize them into our way of thinking.

Exactly.

And the thing is, that was well-intentioned.

And so I get to Heritage, and I had the same misguided thought, right?

So this is not Kevin saying, man, I've been right for 25 years, listen to me.

I get to Heritage and I say, guys, we have to change our policy.