Barbara Boxer Considers Starting Political Action Committee

She might be winding down her time in office, but U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer isn’t done working. Tuesday her fourth book, A Memoir and Motivational To Me, hit bookstores. Boxer sat down for her first television interview about The Art of Tough with CBS Local 2’s Brooke Beare.

“This is ’92 when I won my race,” says Senator Barbara Boxer (D, Calif.), pointing at a glossy photo. The Art of Tough is peppered with cameos, quotes and stories that can only come from someone with more than 40 years in public office.

Barbara Boxer at the Rancho Mirage Writer’s Festival

“I’ve gotten 1,000 initiatives through, either by executive order, because I’ve asked the president to do it,” Boxer quickly corrects herself, “Presidents, because I’ve served under five…”

Boxer also has photos chronicling her long relationship with iconic figures like Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro.

“Is there someone who you don’t work with anymore that you miss the most,” Brooke Beare asked.

“Well, Ted Kennedy, because he was the master. And I write a lot about him, what he taught me,” Boxer replied.

Boxer lives in the Coachella Valley part time, and gave CBS Local 2’s Brooke Beare her first television interview about her fourth book, A Memoir.

“I’ve always loved to sing, and I’ve always loved to write lyrics to popular songs. I have them spread out throughout the book, and it’s fun, because when I write these songs, it’s a way to kind of vent my frustration and use a sense of humor about everything, even if it’s difficult,” Boxer explained.

She says part of the ‘Art of Tough’ is knowing how to deal with bullies.

“The first thing they want to do is shut you up. And make you feel insecure. And stop you. And In my case, it was right-wing talk show hosts, other candidates, or even elementary school punks,” said Boxer. “I took my number two pencil right out of my pencil case, and stabbed him in the arm. Oh my God, I was so stunned, and so was he,” she recalls in a story she tells in detail in the book.

But Boxer says her style of dealing with disputes has evolved over the years.

“I learned, and from my mother, and from that experience, you don’t act from anger. You’ve got to figure out a way to win without turning to violence, or language that will turn people off forevermore. It’s not easy.”

For anyone questioning her credentials, Boxer lists her ‘Top 50 legislative accomplishments.”

“In terms of non legislative accomplishments, I think just trying to be a role model for women and girls. “Look, if I can do it, you can do it… I was an ordinary kid, growing up in a lower middle class family in New York. We never owned our own home. My mother never graduated from high school. My father worked hard to go to school at night, and then went to law school at night. And here I am in the United States Senate.”

When asked if local readers will find anything about Boxer’s Coachella Valley home in the book, she replied, “One of my best friends in the valley when I moved here ten years ago became Paula Kozlen.”

Kozlen, a philanthropist and businesswoman passed away in September.

“Paula was just a one of a kind, and her life story– she didn’t ever brag about her life story. But her life story was amazing,” recalls Boxer. “Every one of us has an amazing story to tell, how we became who we are, how we overcame those obstacles how we got up from those setbacks, and that’s what my book is about, and that’s why Paula is an important part of the book, and why I dedicate my book to her.”

“So it sounds like you might have more material for another book after this?, asks Brooke Beare.

Boxer, (laughing) said, “Well, every time something happens to me, like what happened in Nevada (on May 9), when I was getting shouted down and cursed out, I think, ‘Too bad the book is coming out and I can’t tell the story… Who knows if there are more books in my future, but it did take three years to write this, people, so it wasn’t easy, and I don’t know how soon I’ll get down to another one.”