EPISODE · Dec 18, 2025 · 31 MIN
An Education in American Governing: Clarence Edwards on Policy, Politics, and Public Service
from We Are The Government · host Dipka Hesse
In this second episode of We Are The Government, host Dipka Hesse sits down with Clarence Edwards, a D.C. insider who served as a political appointee in the Clinton administration before he joined the U.S. Energy Department years later as a career civil servant. Clarence’s experience, knowledge and unshakeable nature powered his ascent into his current role as Executive Director of the U.S. office of E3G, an international think tank that operates at the intersection of environmental issues, geopolitics and international economics.Clarence is optimistic with a uniquely bipartisan posture as he reflects on how his early political work, international interests, and unexpected opportunities led him into public service—and how those experiences continue to shape his perspective on policymaking.Clarence shares stories from his time as a special assistant at the U.S. Information Agency and the U.S. State Department during the Clinton administration when the White House was shrinking the federal workforce through a plan called Reinventing Government.Clarence returned to the federal government years later as a career civil servant at the Department of Energy.With three decades in Washington, Clarence shares insight into the appropriations process, its evolution, the inner workings of federal budgeting and the relationship between political appointees and career civil servants.Clarence speaks to the value of staying nonpartisan and why he remains cautiously optimistic about America’s democratic future despite the current climate of political polarity on steroids.This podcast is produced as a time capsule for America's 250th anniversary, preserving the stories and contributions of those who have helped build our Republic.Host: Dipka Hesse X: @DBHesseLinkedIn: linkedin.com/dipkabhambhaniYouTube: @theenergyodyssey Thank you to our great team who helped make this inaugural episode possible. A special thanks to David Padrusch and Mathew John for their support, without which this wouldn’t be possible.Executive Producer: Richard Taliaferro ([email protected])Graphic Artist: David Zerba ([email protected])
What this episode covers
In this second episode of We Are The Government, host Dipka Hesse sits down with Clarence Edwards, a D.C. insider who served as a political appointee in the Clinton administration before he joined the U.S. Energy Department years later as a career civil servant. Clarence’s experience, knowledge and unshakeable nature powered his ascent into his current role as Executive Director of the U.S. office of E3G, an international think tank that operates at the intersection of environmental issues, geopolitics and international economics.Clarence is optimistic with a uniquely bipartisan posture as he reflects on how his early political work, international interests, and unexpected opportunities led him into public service—and how those experiences continue to shape his perspective on policymaking.Clarence shares stories from his time as a special assistant at the U.S. Information Agency and the U.S. State Department during the Clinton administration when the White House was shrinking the federal workforce through a plan called Reinventing Government.Clarence returned to the federal government years later as a career civil servant at the Department of Energy.With three decades in Washington, Clarence shares insight into the appropriations process, its evolution, the inner workings of federal budgeting and the relationship between political appointees and career civil servants.Clarence speaks to the value of staying nonpartisan and why he remains cautiously optimistic about America’s democratic future despite the current climate of political polarity on steroids.This podcast is produced as a time capsule for America's 250th anniversary, preserving the stories and contributions of those who have helped build our Republic.Host: Dipka Hesse X: @DBHesseLinkedIn: linkedin.com/dipkabhambhaniYouTube: @theenergyodyssey Thank you to our great team who helped make this inaugural episode possible. A special thanks to David Padrusch and Mathew John for their support, without which this wouldn’t be possible.Executive Producer: Richard Taliaferro ([email protected])Graphic Artist: David Zerba ([email protected])
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An Education in American Governing: Clarence Edwards on Policy, Politics, and Public Service
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