Mr. Murphy’s CATV Interview

“I woke up one morning…. and I [thought about] how so much of what the president is doing is a bad representation for our kids…. And you turn on the news and there’s something upsetting and people shouting at each other. I thought not only does this make me unhappy but I even think it’s impacting my physical health. And so I began telling my kids and everyone I bumped into that I’m running for president.”

This is precisely how Mr. William T. Murphy decided to start his campaign for president of the United States of America. On the 21st of January, the Broadside reporters conducted an interview at the CATV station in White River Junction to interview Mr. Murphy on this profound political undertaking.

As Murphy has been working as a social studies teacher here at Hanover High since 1961, we asked him if his extensive background as an educator has shaped his campaign. He believes that, because “throughout [his] career [he’s] been talking about history and government,” he has a very solid understanding of the workings of political institutions and administrations. Mr. Murphy’s philosophies as a teacher have also carried on to his campaign for the presidency: in our interview, he emphasized how important it is that his “students stand for something,” just as he is doing in running for president.

Although Mr. Murphy is currently running on the Republican ballot, we learned that many of his policies and beliefs align with those of Democrats, from supporting universal health care, public education, and alternative energy, to emphasizing “One World Wide,” rather than “America First.”

In response to this perception, Mr. Murphy told us that he grew up in a family of Republicans, so “it was expected of him to become one.” When he “came to the Upper Valley in ‘61, the majority of Hanover was actually Republican,” so he “never bothered to change [his] registration.” Why he has now decided to run as a Republican rather than an independent is a different story: he claims it is Trump that he has his concerns with, so, “by being a Republican, [he] get[s] first shot at him.”

In fact, Murphy steadfastly opposes Trump. He told us, “Trump represents all that I teach against in terms of ‘character counts’… He’s not honest, he’s a bully, he’s a philanderer. He is a person to upset every friend we have.” On the contrary, Mr. Murphy stresses compassion in his campaign and says that fostering connections and caring for one another is one of his most essential principles in running for president and in life.

Mr. Murphy also discussed with us how crucial it is for those within Congress to compromise. On the topic of healthcare, Murphy says, “Bernie’s got a good idea. Elizabeth’s got a good idea. They’re both senators. Sit down in the senate and work out your differences and come up with a plan!” In his response to the question of implementing more renewable energy, Murphy, similarly, voiced how we ultimately cannot get anything done if Congress doesn’t work together.

When asked about his view on immigration, Mr. Murphy echoed a familiar sentiment, declaring “instead of building walls—no walls, bridges—if we use that money to help make the conditions better in the country from where [the immigrants] came, I think everybody would be happier.” And that seems to be Murphy’s prevailing position in the pursuit of a seat in the Oval Office: if we work together, across party lines, across country borders, from the rich to the poor, we will live in a better, more peaceful world. Everyone does better when everyone does better.

Watch the full interview here