William J. Kole

Kathryn interviews Author William J. Kole.On Meet the Press, Donald Trump said he supports competency tests for older politicians. Earlier, Mitt Romney announced he will not seek reelection in 2024, and Mitch McConnell froze up publicly for a second time. But despite recent calls for term limits and age limits in leadership, Americans should get used to aging politicians for better or worse, according to acclaimed journalist William J. Kole. There are consequences of older leadership, It risks prioritizing seniors' issues and concerns over those of younger citizens. Kole explains there are also racial considerations to having older leaders. The troubling truth is that extreme longevity tends to be overwhelmingly white, a product of the "weathering theory", the idea that the health of African Americans begins to deteriorate in early adulthood as a physical consequence of socio-economic disadvantages. He recently retired as New England editor for The Associated Press, is an award-winning former foreign correspondent who's reported from North America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.Kathryn also interviews Author Antonia Deignan. Antonia ("Tuni") Deignan spent most of her life using a whole host of coping mechanisms to avoid facing the trauma of her childhood, a sexually abusive father and a mother who seemed helpless to stop him. But when a bike accident rendered her immobile and dependent on narcotics at age of fifty-five, she finally sat down to unwind and understand the circus of her life; a journey that led her to a place of understanding, peace, and even joy. She tells the emotional story of how she grappled with her relationship with her parents, the aftermath of her rape, an eating disorder, drug and alcohol excesses, and shame as she came of age and began to build a life. In order to not lose her inner innocence, in order to protect herself, in order to believe in love, she began early on to create imaginary worlds into which she could escape—to use dreams to transport her away from her fears. She is a mother, a dancer and a writer. Her work has been published in print magazines and online.