Kevin Roberts

Kevin, I know you're not an anti-Semite.

You've expanded the work of anti-Semitism at Heritage.

And he said, you're a Roman Catholic.

I know your faith well enough to know you couldn't be.

He said, but this is something that you need to address head on.

And so it's sort of like the conversation with my retired OBGYN friend and donor that this Jewish friend, up until this very moment as we sit here,

has been a great guide in setting up conversations for me and for us at Heritage to have.

The reason those have gone well in spite of not just the news cycle, but what seems to be an agenda that goes well beyond the video controversy, is because people know the record at Heritage.

I think it's safe to say, if you think about my colleagues who work on the scourge of anti-Semitism, there's no organization, at least of our size and scope, that isn't a single issue organization that's done more to expand work against anti-Semitism.

And so that's really carried the day.

And as we sit here with this recent flap and news cycle having concluded, people realize, oh, I know heritage.

I'd say people know me and the work I've done, especially as a Catholic leader against anti-Semitism.

But the most important thing is I know their aspirational policy vision for the future, and we want to be part of that.

Let's get to work because, remember, we might just have six or eight or nine more months to get good policy.

I thought that the script of the video was, in a couple of cases, was ineloquent.

And I talked about that then, so I don't have to repeat them.

But the point is, I thought, from my Jewish friend's point of view, that while he could excuse it, that maybe other people who didn't know me... I get that, but I'm trying to... Your Heritage Foundation, you guys, your main cornerstone is freedom of speech, right?

No, it was mixing personal friendship with institutional friendship.

And it sort of goes back to one of your earlier questions about being a nonprofit leader.

Heritage is not my business.