Against the backdrop of a highly polarized climate, a group of HKS students recently launched the Bipartisan Caucus to bridge political divides. In this Q&A, one of its founders, Nick Obletz MPP/MBA 2028—with input from his fellow co-founders Aldara Falcó MPP 2027 and Joe Calvi MPP 2027—discusses the group’s creation, the positive response from classmates, and their vision for strengthening dialogue across ideological lines.
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What inspired you to form the Bipartisan Caucus, and why is it important?
If there was a singular moment when we knew we wanted to move beyond informal conversations to create a more formal forum for open dialogue, it was the assassination of Charlie Kirk, which occurred about two weeks after we arrived at HKS. That moment—which exemplified the rising level of political violence—prompted us to look for a way to engage across differences, challenge our own views, and show that listening is fundamental to good leadership.
As current or former officers in the U.S. Navy, Joe Calvi MPP 2027 and I are used to putting aside differences to focus on completing the task at hand. We met each other early at HKS, had some fun back and forth on the many issues we disagree about, and decided we wanted to create a formal environment to share these conversations.
Aldara Falcó MPP 2027 comes from a different background. Having spent the last few years travelling the world working on education innovation, she arrived at the same idea that there’s value in difference.
A lot of us came to HKS wanting something deeper than what many of us have observed in the political landscape: echo chambers, confirmation biases, divisiveness, and outrage. We were looking for real conversations, not ones that confirm what we already believe. These are the conversations that will help us navigate differences in society.
What gaps does this group fill in the student community?
Formal coursework teaches certain skills and builds policy-specific expertise, but we have found that some of our greatest learning has come from conversations outside the classroom—especially with those who view the world differently than us. After arriving at HKS, we saw there was a Democratic Caucus and a Republican Caucus but nothing that explicitly bridged the partisan gap. We anticipate lots of collaboration with these groups and others around the Harvard community.
What are the group’s goals and plans for programming this academic year?
Our goals are centered around:
- Providing an additional and deliberate forum for having difficult conversations on a variety of issues.
- Holding events with practitioners from politics, academia, and the private sector who focus on effective tactics for bipartisanship.
- Producing content or reports that detail some of the findings from our conversations and events.
We are still in the early stages and look forward to holding school-wide events in the spring semester.
“We believe real leadership is about accepting differences and finding common ground—without sacrificing one’s values.”
How has the student body responded to the group? Is there interest from others in joining?
The initial response has been overwhelmingly positive. Dozens of people have come up to us saying they want out of their echo chambers and engage with folks who hold different perspectives. The challenge will begin when students are faced with an opinion that runs contrary to closely-held views.
The goal isn’t to have our members believe politics are black-and-white, good-versus-evil; it’s about building leaders who understand how to communicate with those who hold different beliefs. We believe real leadership is about accepting differences and finding common ground—without sacrificing one’s values. That’s what the Bipartisan Caucus is about—training that muscle in a place built for dialogue. If we can’t do it here at Harvard, can we really expect different behavior in the future?
In your view, why is bipartisanship important?
No two people agree or disagree on absolutely everything. We tend to believe that we make progress when people can have difficult conversations that end with a handshake and a smile—the opposite of what happens at many Thanksgiving dinner tables around the U.S. That’s why another goal of ours is to move from amicable disagreement to finding solutions that parties can agree on.
In an increasingly polarized world, what role do you think institutions like HKS and groups like yours can play in bridging divides?
We’re grateful for the school’s support in helping us build the Bipartisan Caucus. We believe that institutions of higher learning can and should be part of positive change, but to do so, they must take active steps to counter the narrative of one-sided thinking.
HKS and the Institute of Politics (IOP) do an excellent job of hosting events with speakers from across the political spectrum, but we believe there is more ground to cover.
And while open dialogue is encouraged in the classroom, some students are not willing to reveal their beliefs on tough topics in fear of being judged or ostracized. That’s not beneficial for anyone. The Bipartisan Caucus aims to fill those gaps by inviting speakers and giving students of all backgrounds and beliefs a forum to discuss challenging topics without fear of reprisal.
Banner image from iStock. Portrait provided by Nick Obletz MPP/MBA 2028.
