© 2024 Iowa Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Sestak Wants To 'Convene The World,' Band Allies

John Pemble
/
IPR
Retired Navy Admiral and former Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Sestak speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Saturday, Aug. 10

Retired Navy Admiral and former Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Sestak says there is "nothing we can do by ourselves." He is prioritizing convening the world and banding allies together, and is running to "restore leadership."
The Democratic presidential candidate who entered the race in late June addressed fairgoers at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Saturday. Sestak said there is nothing the nation can do alone. He spoke of the proposed Green New Deal, which is focused on addressing climate change.  He said 85 percent of the greenhouse emissions come from outside of the U.S.

"We must convene the world," Sestak said.

The nation, he said, needs someone that values working together with other nations.

"This nation needs in a time of great change, from climate change, as well as an illiberal world order, to have someone that values our allies together," Sestak said. "And someone who understands as commander in chief that when faced with a decision of whether to use our military he or she will understand that you best know how it will end before you even think that you should begin."

Sestak touted health care reform and eventually removing the health care industry as it is today. He spoke of his own experience with the U.S. health care system, fighting an appeal so his daughter could get an epxneisve drug to treat her brain cancer.

"We got denied initially, the one drug that might save her. $300,000 by the health industry. We got and won an appeal. But I understand the goal," Sestak said. "But how we treat people in trying to care for them, the 255 million on a private health care plan like me, we must keep that in mind."

Sestak ended his speech saying we can’t "meet the defining challenges of our time without a united America." He said a leader is someone who everyone believes will always be accountable to them, putting people above party, special interests and self.

Katie Peikes was a reporter for Iowa Public Radio from 2018 to 2023. She joined IPR as its first-ever Western Iowa reporter, and then served as the agricultural reporter.