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Photo Credit: Les Todd
“We have to be open to the possibility that we don’t have a monopoly on truth.”
With that simple statement, U.S. Representative Ro Khanna captured the essence of his visit to Duke University, an evening devoted to curiosity, respect, and the search for shared purpose in a divided time.
Khanna, who represents California’s 17th District (Silicon Valley), joined Frank Bruni, the Eugene C. Patterson Professor of the Practice of Journalism and Public Policy, for a wide-ranging conversation titled “Crisis is a Time for Renewal: A Conversation with Rep. Ro Khanna.” The event, held on Nov. 10 at Penn Pavilion, invited the Duke community to consider how America might move past its fractious political moment and bridge the divides between rival camps.
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The talk was part of Bruni’s Independent Thinkers series, which features public figures who defy reductive political labels. The series is a key component of Provost Alec Gallimore’s Initiative on Pluralism, Free Inquiry & Belonging, which promotes constructive dialogue, open-mindedness, and intellectual humility as remedies for polarization.
Khanna’s blend of progressive ideals, economic pragmatism, and willingness to engage with people across the ideological spectrum made him an ideal guest. Speaking to a packed audience, he shared stories from his life, reflections on democracy, and an unshakable optimism about America’s potential.
We need to restore the idea that being American means helping build the next chapter of the country. That’s what active citizenship looks like.
Congressman Ro Khanna, 17th District of California
An Optimist’s Vision for America
Khanna described himself as a “progressive capitalist,” believing deeply in both opportunity and fairness. He defined his politics as “between Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders,” rooted in economic justice but pragmatic about how to achieve it.
“America is still the greatest country in the world,” Khanna said, reflecting on his parents’ immigrant story and his own path from a middle-class childhood in Pennsylvania to representing the innovation capital of the world. “My parents didn’t talk much about rights. They talked about responsibilities. They said, ‘You won the lottery, you were born in America. Go work hard and contribute.’”
That sense of duty, he said, is what drives his belief in civic renewal. Khanna called for policies that expand access to education, health care, and good jobs, but he framed those goals within a larger moral purpose. “We need to restore the idea that being American means helping build the next chapter of the country,” he said. “That’s what active citizenship looks like.”
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Building Economic Opportunity Everywhere
Although Khanna represents one of the nation’s wealthiest districts, he emphasized his commitment to rebuilding communities left behind by economic change. He has spent years traveling to towns across Appalachia and the industrial Midwest, listening to people in places that have lost manufacturing jobs and faith in government.
“You can’t have a nation with islands of prosperity and seas of economic despair,” he said. “We need a roadmap for economic renewal in every community.”
Khanna’s concept of “economic patriotism” is grounded in that vision, one that invites collaboration between innovation hubs like Silicon Valley and struggling regions elsewhere. He argued that economic renewal should be a shared national project rather than a partisan issue. “It’s in everyone’s interest,” he said, “that every part of this country can thrive.”
The congressman outlined ideas for a “Marshall Plan for America,” which would invest in trade schools, regional technology hubs, and renewable energy projects. He linked that agenda to a deeper goal of national unity. “If we want to lead the 21st century, we have to rebuild trust by making sure prosperity reaches every corner of this country.”
Active citizenship isn’t about shouting the loudest. It’s about showing up, listening, and doing the work.
Congressman Ro Khanna, 17th District of California
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Free Speech, Empathy, and the Art of Listening
A major theme of the evening was civil discourse, the idea that citizens must be willing to listen, debate, and learn from one another. Bruni asked Khanna how he manages to engage with such a wide range of media outlets, from progressive podcasts to conservative talk shows.
Khanna said he goes on those programs not to “score points” but to foster understanding. “Even if someone disagrees with me, I want them to say, ‘I see where he’s coming from.’ That’s a start,” he said.
He emphasized that genuine dialogue requires humility. “Engagement isn’t just about trying to persuade someone. It’s about testing your own ideas,” he said. “If we approach people thinking we have all the answers, we miss the chance to learn.”
Khanna also spoke about the importance of empathy, especially at a time when empathy is sometimes dismissed as weakness. “That’s not the tradition of Lincoln, FDR, King, or Obama,” he said. “This is a deeply kind country. We just have to remind ourselves of that.”
He challenged the audience to take that spirit into their own lives. “What we’re trying to do in this country, to build a cohesive, multiracial democracy, has almost never been done in history,” he said. “It starts with serious, respectful, honest conversation across difference.”
Technology, Responsibility, and the Future
As a representative from Silicon Valley, Khanna frequently turns his attention to the intersection of technology and ethics. He warned that unregulated algorithms and artificial intelligence pose risks to both democracy and economic stability.
“These companies should be responsible for the technology they create,” he said. “We need smart, thoughtful leadership so that the American people, not just tech billionaires, decide the terms of the technology revolution.”
Khanna called for stronger oversight of artificial intelligence, protections for children online, and investment in new clean-energy technologies to power data infrastructure. His message to students was clear: the future of innovation must be guided by values.
“Technology should serve humanity,” he said. “We have the chance to make sure the next revolution is inclusive, sustainable, and democratic.”
Humility, Humor, and Hope
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Khanna’s remarks were filled with both gravity and humor. At one point, he joked about the “doomerism” of modern political discourse, “When you’re on a plane and there’s turbulence, you don’t want your pilot to say, ‘We’re going to crash.’ You want them to say, ‘We’re going to land on the other side.’ That’s how leaders should talk about our democracy.”
The audience laughed, but the analogy struck a deeper chord. Khanna’s optimism, tempered by realism, was the through line of the conversation. He reminded listeners that progress is possible if they reject cynicism and embrace civic responsibility.
“It’s easy to be negative about our politics,” he said. “But look at the progress we’ve made: an Indian American representing Silicon Valley, an African American president, women nominated for the presidency, and a Muslim American mayor of New York. Only in America.”
A Call to Engage
Khanna closed by urging students to take their education and privilege as a call to serve. “Democracy isn’t something we inherit,” he said. “It’s something we have to build, together, every day.”
He described politics as an act of faith, faith in the country’s capacity for self-correction, faith in people’s decency, and faith that listening across divides can yield better ideas. “Active citizenship,” he said, “isn’t about shouting the loudest. It’s about showing up, listening, and doing the work.