The MeidasTouch Podcast
Episode: Governor Shapiro Discusses Leadership and New Book
Date: February 17, 2026
Host: MeidasTouch Network (Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas)
Guest: Governor Josh Shapiro (PA Governor and author)
Episode Overview
This episode features Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro in a wide-ranging interview touching on his new book, "Where We Keep the Light: Stories from a Life of Service." The conversation explores themes of leadership, empathy, standing up to abuse and corruption, balancing family with public service, and reflections on recent political crises. With their signature mix of news analysis and candid brotherly banter, the Meiselas brothers guide Shapiro through discussions about his career as Attorney General, his approach to governance, and the personal toll of public service.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Setting the Scene: Trump, Corruption, and Leadership
- The episode begins with the latest political news: Donald Trump’s approval ratings hitting new lows, controversy over the Epstein files, and accusations that the Trump administration is hiding the extent of documents related to the scandal. (02:49–08:00)
- Transition to leadership contrasts, introducing Governor Shapiro as a model of accountable public service.
2. Attorney General Tenure and Standing Up for Victims
- Shapiro's Reflection: Discusses his time as Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, focusing on the importance of confronting the powerful to protect victims—specifically, his work prosecuting predator priests and other abusers.
- Quote: “For years... victims went to the authorities and tried to get the authorities to believe them... and then it's up to the attorney general... to listen to their stories, to stand for victims and to fight for them.” — Governor Josh Shapiro (12:24)
- Notably contrasts his approach with failures in the Trump administration to protect victims and enforce the rule of law.
- Quote: “What I continue to see out of the Trump administration are a group of people that are there trying to protect the president... and a whole bunch of other powerful people who were abusing young women and abusing the power that they had in life.” — Shapiro (12:54)
3. Confronting Trump’s Agenda and Election Integrity
- Detailed account of combating Trump’s legal efforts to overturn Pennsylvania’s 2020 election results—Shapiro prevailed in every single court challenge.
- Quote: “Donald Trump and his enablers sued me in Pennsylvania 43 different times to try and throw out the votes of legal, eligible voters here... He went 0 and 43, I went 43 and O. And we had a free and fair, safe and secure election.” — Shapiro (16:30)
- Highlights dangers of conspiracy theorists and legal misconduct:
- Quote: “Now, the same conspiracy theorists that were sort of on the outside looking in—well, now, they're on the inside... That's dangerous.” — Shapiro (18:07)
- Recaps the legal consequences for misconduct (e.g., Rudy Giuliani losing his law license for lying in court).
4. Real Policy Negotiations vs. Trump “BS”
- Shapiro recounts a tense healthcare standoff in Pittsburgh, where he mediated between two rival healthcare systems to prevent hundreds of thousands from losing care.
- Quote: “I brought those two healthcare giants together and did real negotiations—not the BS that Donald Trump does every single day. And we preserved healthcare access for hundreds of thousands of people in Western Pennsylvania.” — Shapiro (20:31)
- Reinforces the difference between meaningful, hard-fought policy solutions and performative or fraudulent leadership.
5. The Human Toll: Balancing Family, Service, and Risk
- Candidly discusses struggles in maintaining work-life balance as a public servant, addressing how political life threatens family safety, including a harrowing assassination attempt.
- Quote: “...when that person broke in the governor's residence and tried to kill me and tried to burn my family and I to death while we slept… I’ve had to struggle... that doing this thing I love... put my children's lives at risk.” — Shapiro (23:35)
- Emphasizes universality of work-life balance struggles, offering comfort and candor to listeners.
6. Empathy as Leadership
- Shapiro lauds empathy as integral to American character and effective public service, explicitly distancing himself from the “empathy is weakness” rhetoric common among Trump, Musk, and others.
- Quote: “We are an empathetic people. We are a sympathetic people. We are a people that look out for their neighbors... That’s really what motivated me to write the book.” — Shapiro (25:47)
- The book is described as a testimony to the goodness and resilience found among citizens, as opposed to the cruelty and chaos depicted in national news.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
| Timestamp (MM:SS) | Speaker | Quote | |:--|:--|:--| | 12:24 | Gov. Josh Shapiro | “For years... victims went to the authorities and tried to get the authorities to believe them... and then it's up to the attorney general... to listen to their stories, to stand for victims and to fight for them.” | | 16:30 | Gov. Josh Shapiro | “Donald Trump and his enablers sued me in Pennsylvania 43 different times to try and throw out the votes of legal, eligible voters here... He went 0 and 43, I went 43 and O. And we had a free and fair, safe and secure election.” | | 20:31 | Gov. Josh Shapiro | “I brought those two healthcare giants together and did real negotiations—not the BS that Donald Trump does every single day. And we preserved healthcare access for hundreds of thousands of people...” | | 23:35 | Gov. Josh Shapiro | “...when that person broke in the governor's residence and tried to kill me and tried to burn my family and I to death while we slept… I’ve had to struggle... that doing this thing I love... put my children's lives at risk.” | | 25:47 | Gov. Josh Shapiro | “We are an empathetic people. We are a sympathetic people. We are a people that look out for their neighbors... That’s really what motivated me to write the book.” |
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Trump Scandals & Approval Ratings: 02:49–08:00
- Intro to Gov. Shapiro & Focus on Leadership: 10:30–12:19
- Prosecuting Predator Priests & Protecting Victims: 12:19–15:16
- Defending Democracy in PA & Trump Lawsuits: 15:28–18:40
- Healthcare Mediation Story: 19:43–21:41
- Work-Life Balance and Assassination Attempt: 21:41–25:08
- The Power of Empathy in Public Service: 25:08–26:47
- Closing & Book Plug: 26:47–27:22
Episode Tone and Language
The discussion is personal, earnest, and at times raw—Shapiro is direct and modest about his accomplishments but firm and passionate about the stakes for democracy, decency, and public service. The Meiselas brothers stoke candid reflections while inserting their trademark humor and righteous frustration at ongoing corruption and attacks on democracy.
Closing Thoughts
This episode is both a stirring defense of principled leadership—rooted in Shapiro’s actions as Attorney General and Governor—and a revealing look at the personal sacrifices such public service entails. Shapiro’s emphasis on empathy, service, and accountability stands as a counterpoint to contemporary political cynicism, making his book—and this conversation—a timely guide to responsible leadership.
Book Plug:
"Where We Keep the Light: Stories from a Life of Service," by Governor Josh Shapiro (26:47)