NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Former Tennessee Gov. and U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said politicians should not downplay what happened on January 6, 2021, when protesters stormed the Capitol to stop certification of Joe Biden's election.
Alexander came on Inside Politics to discuss his best-selling book, The Education of a Senator: From JFK to Trump.
The lifelong Republican talked about the division and anger in today's politics and urged people to run for office.
"The surest way to change the course of the country is to be elected to public office or work for someone who has," Alexander said.
Alexander supported President Trump during his time in the Senate but sharply criticized him for what happened on Jan. 6, just 3 days after Alexander retired.
"The most important thing for a President to do in the end is to accept the result of the election, transfer the power peacefully and keep our country on a stable basis," Alexander said.
In his book, he called Trump's actions surrounding January 6 an impeachable offense. He said he was shocked by the damage protesters did to the Capitol.
Alexander did not support impeaching Trump during his first impeachment trial, saying it was an overreach.
But he argued there is no basis for Trump to keep saying Joe Biden's 2020 election victory was rigged.
"There have been 60 court cases, none of them successful, alleging that the election was wrong," Alexander said. "There's no evidence the election was fraudulent."
Alexander was first elected governor after putting on a plaid shirt and walking across the state in 1979, an idea that came from his wife, who was unimpressed with his past campaigns.
"She thought I was a really dull candidate. So we got to talking, and long and short was she said, 'Do the things you like to do. You like to walk, you like music, you like to meet people.' So that ended up with a walk across the state," Alexander said.
He was a Republican elected when Democrats held a super-majority in Tennessee. Now things have flipped. But Alexander said two-party debate and compromise can lead to sharper solutions.
"I disagreed with President Obama's liberalism and Trump's behavior. But I figured, look, the people elected them. They elected me. They expect us to respect each others' office and work together when we can," Alexander said.
Alexander also discussed his friendship with Tennessee author Alex Haley.
Haley's book Roots, about slavery, was recently banned in some Tennessee schools.
Alexander said that was wrong.
"We need to get over this business of canceling out part of history. We need to teach it all. Confederate generals, union soldiers, denial of civil rights, winning civil rights. I mean, we're a work in progress," Alexander said.
Alexander also served as president of the University of Tennessee, U.S. Secretary of Education and ran for president of the United States twice.
The full, unedited interview can be seen on Inside Politics which airs Friday at 7pm on NewsChannel 5 Plus.
It is also a podcast. Just enter Inside Politics Nashville, wherever you get your podcasts and start listening.
