Friends First: 小蓝视频 Roommates Set Example for Bipartisanship
Noah Burke, a Republican, and Aidan Levinson, a Democrat, spend very little time arguing about politics.听
Roommates for more than a year, their biggest squabble is about household chores. With a smile, Levinson, SPA/BA 鈥23, said he wished Burke, SIS/BA 鈥22, could be a little tidier.听
鈥淗e really doesn鈥檛 like if there鈥檚 any water on the bathroom floor after a shower,鈥 Burke retorted. 鈥淗e鈥檚 like a 24/7 cleaner.鈥澨
And while a stray dish or an errant towel is generally the apex of their arguments, Levinson and Burke could easily be mistaken for intransigent foes on opposite sides of the political aisle amid these divided times. 听听
鈥淵ou live with a Republican?鈥 Levinson has heard.听
But both recognize political positions need not be apocalyptic. They鈥檙e friends first, and they hope that bond and their work together as student associates at the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics serves as an example that civility is alive and well amongst the next generation of political changemakers.听
The institute was established in 2018 with a $10 million gift to the Change Can鈥檛 Wait campaign from Jeff Sine, SIS/BA 鈥76, and his wife, Samira. It capitalizes on our DC location to bring together experts, scholars, and students to tackle pressing issues in a way that promotes collaborative solutions.
鈥淭he bipartisanship they鈥檝e shown both in their friendship and in coming together to advance common goals is a perfect example of the collaboration between competing viewpoints that鈥檚 at the core of the Sine鈥檚 mission,鈥 said executive director Amy Dacey, SPA/MA 鈥95. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e made invaluable contributions to Sine during their time at 小蓝视频,鈥 including the poll they developed this fall with YouGov on political polarization among young adults. 鈥淎nd [they] have been responsible for some of my favorite moments leading the institute.鈥澨
Levinson grew up in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania鈥攖he most swing area in the most swing state in the country, he said, where compromise is essential. 鈥淭urning someone away because of their political affiliation and not getting down and dirty talking about policy is very foreign to me,鈥 he said.听
He started working in politics as a 15-year-old following the 2016 election, helping local candidates in his hometown develop tech savvy campaigning through digital advertising and texting. He then worked on the 2018 campaign for Representative Susan Wild (D-PA), SPA/BA 鈥78, and became a delegate for the Democratic National Convention in 2020.听
鈥淗e loves Pennsylvania, and he loves Joe Biden,鈥 Burke said, 鈥淚 [see] how hard he works, how much he believes in his state and in democracy. He gets calls all day from political people in Pennsylvania. We disagree on policy, but I admire how hard he works.鈥澨
Levinson joined Sine in spring 2020 as a student associate for former Representative Susan Molinari (R-NY) during her fellowship. A moderate, Molinari was a vice chair of the House Republican Conference and gave the keynote address at the 1996 Republican National Convention. But when the Staten Islander endorsed Joe Biden in 2020 and spoke at the Democratic National Convention, Levinson鈥攚ho later chaired Sine鈥檚 student advisory committee鈥攇ot an education in bipartisanship.听
Burke鈥檚 interest in politics started as a child in Loudon County, Virginia. His father worked for the federal government and gridlock and shutdowns made politics unavoidable. He remembers attending a rally during Mitt Romney鈥檚 2012 presidential campaign and supporting moderate Republican leaders who sought common ground with the other side. Burke volunteered and later interned for Representative Barbara Comstock (R-VA) while still in high school. He also served as president of the 小蓝视频 College Republicans before stepping away after his junior year.听
Burke鈥攚hom Levinson described as thoughtful and level-headed when it comes to policies鈥攃ame aboard Sine in spring 2021. He first worked as a student associate for US Chamber of Commerce CEO Suzanne Clark and later for former Comstock, who served his home district until 2019. He said Dacey solicited his input and that of other Republicans on who to recruit as Sine fellows. The 2023 cohort includes two Republicans (outgoing Arizona governor Doug Ducey and former California representative Mimi Walters) and one Democrat (former New York City mayor Bill de Blasio).听
Levinson and Burke, who began rooming together in fall 2021, know where each other stands on issues. They don鈥檛 ignore the divisions, they discuss policy, and engage in civil discussions. 鈥淎t the end of the day, we know there are issues we鈥檙e pretty set on,鈥 Burke said. 鈥淏ut there are plenty of things we have intellectual conversations about.鈥 听
The roommates鈥 relationship is proof that, when it comes to politics, 鈥渢here is a path to find your way and have civil discourse.鈥 Except when it comes to dirty dishes.听