This interview was held on June 12, 2020 via text, every answer is printed here as given by the Speaker with edits indicated in brackets. The Speaker was asked 8 questions in the order printed below.

About the Speaker:

Pluribus is the current Speaker of the House. He previously served in various positions including Secretary of State, Secretary of Transportation and White House Chief of Staff. Pluribus is a Democrat from Indiana.

Mr. Speaker, you are up for re-election tomorrow and have received numerous endorsements from people across party lines, do you feel confident going in?

Pluribus: Indeed I do, I of course don’t want to jinx it. I have been working hard to be as fair as possible to all members of all parties on the floor of the House. I feel I can safely say Democrats will keep the House of Representatives.

Looking back on your first term, what would you say most surprised you about being Speaker of the House?

P: What I would say most surprised me was how constant you have to be with bills. I try and be as organized as possible with a separate server I have dedicated to just storing notes, [b]ill’s to be put up that day, and more. And at first, it was very difficult to grasp the full scope of the office.

You have had a long career in politics, were there any skills you learned in connection to other positions that benefited you as Speaker?

P: That’s a good question, I would say my time as White House Chief of Staff. When I had to schedule meetings with the President and someone else and organize briefs and such in a timely manner and evaluate what is [a] priority and [isn’t]. With Speaker, I have to evaluate what bills should go up sooner than others.

Contrary to several positions such as Secretary and Chief of Staff, the Speakership is outside of the administration. How would you compare your experiences with Presidents you served under and President Bo?

P: Well I have certainly had the pleasure of serving with several great Presidents and I always made sure I worked to the best of my ability for them. Under the [B]o Presidency, even though I endorsed his opponent in the general and have not been vocally supportive of him from time to time, I made it clear to him I wasn’t [there] to be his enemy. And I feel we both have mutual respect for each other.

What are your expectations regarding President-elect Wilson’s upcoming term and what do you predict your working relationship will entail if you win re-election?

P: That’s a good question, I served under President Wilson in his first term as Secretary of State in his last days, and he has served as my Speaker Pro Tempore for a month and he has been nothing but a hard worker. I have hopes for this administration and wish it all the best and I think we will differ on some issues of course and have our tough spots but we will ultimately do what is best for the nation.

That’s a very optimistic world view. What are your thoughts on this election cycle and what do you hope the July elections will be like?

P: I think this cycle definitely had [its] marks, and in July I will not be seeking reelection to the House.

Do you intend to leave political office completely or occupy some other role on Virtual Congress?

P: I hope to try and [continue] my public service for a little bit longer, and if things don’t work out I will continue to serve.

Looking back, what are your favorite moments as a member of Virtual Congress?

P: Oh my, hrm. I would have to say becoming SecState, the April Election Night, and becoming Speaker. I have greatly enjoyed my time on VC and hope to make new friends and memories.

Is there anything else you want to say before the end of the interview?

P: I just want to thank everyone who has supported me in my journey in VC and who has been a good friend to me and other people, and to those who have put countless work to ensure VC can thrive and be a place of community and thoughtful discussion on politics. And for just being good neighbors 🙂