ICYMI: On CNN, Gov. Shapiro Calls on Pennsylvanians to Continue Founders’ Work | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA - This morning on CNN's State of the Union with Dana Bash, Governor Josh Shapirospoke about our founding fathers' fear of an executive who had amassed too much power, the importance of telling the full story of our shared history, and why he remains optimistic about our future. Governor Shapiro spoke about where we are as a country and the work that remains while speaking to the history that exists at Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the President's House in Philadelphia.

As President Trump has politicized America250 celebrations in an attempt to make them about himself, the Governor has reminded Pennsylvanians that Independence Day is not about any one individual, but about celebrating American freedom, democracy, and everything that makes our country great.

Throughout this week, Governor Shapiro also highlighted how the United States has survived for so long because of extraordinary Americans - and Pennsylvanians - who put country before themselves, fighting to carry forward the work of our founders and protect our fundamental freedoms.

The Governor attended a wide range of events commemorating this historic milestone, from a ceremonial session of Congress in Congress Hall to the Liberty Medal ceremony at the National Constitution Center to parades and celebrations across the Commonwealth.

Watch Governor Shapiro's full interview with Dana Bash on CNN here and see below for key excerpts.

ON THE DANGERS OF AN EXECUTIVE WHO HAS TOO MUCH POWER [starts at 2:22]:

"Things are hard now, I think, because of the excesses and the corruption and the chaos of the executive - something that our founders in this room debated, deliberated over. They were worried about creating a government where a king could form again, where one individual would amass so much power that you'd have tyranny all over again. I fear that we are finding our way back to that. I think unfortunately you have some profoundly and pathetically weak individuals in Congress who could learn a few lessons from the strong foundation that the founders set for us here in this room."

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING OUR FULL HISTORY [starts at 10:28]

"You're here at a time of real controversy, right? You'll notice that there's kind of these brackets here, right? And you sort of wonder what's going on? Why would they leave this here? It's because the Trump administration came in and ordered that some of the images here that were depicting slavery be torn down. We went to court and we won, and we're in the process of litigating and getting these put back up.

"They're trying to rewrite it in a way that they think is suitable to their own narrative. There's not one individual narrative that a president gets about our history. There is our history, and any president should want to make sure that that full history is shared, that the American people are able to draw their own conclusions from it. The American people are smart, they're able to draw their conclusions, and I believe that when you give them access to that full history, that that's empowering, especially at this moment, at 250 years, where we take stock in this great American experiment. We understand where we came from, and we're going to have a better path forward."

ON HOW THE GOVERNOR'S FAITH INSPIRES HIS SERVICE [starts at 9:27]:

"First, I think Pennsylvania is the ultimate swing state, and America can learn a lot from what happens here in Pennsylvania, politically and otherwise. What I have found in my years of service in government is that the public wants you to be who you are, be authentic, let them know what motivates you to serve and why you do this work.

"My faith teaches me that no one's required to complete the task, but neither are we free to refrain from it. Very similar to what Ben Franklin preached about citizen participation in our Commonwealth, in our country, in perfecting our union. I think that that is uniquely American. This idea that we all have a responsibility to get off the sidelines, get in the game, and do our part. That's what my faith teaches me. That's how my family raised me. That is who I am, and I'm not going to apologize for it."

ON WHY GOVERNOR SHAPIRO IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OUR FUTURE [starts at 0:50]:

"It's extraordinary. Right here in this relatively small room in the city of Philadelphia, all of those different interests came together and found their way through it, to declare our independence from a king, and then to set up the guardrails.

"And one of my favorite stories in this room is Franklin, who was known to sit on an aisle, we believe in this chair. He was fixated on George Washington, who was sitting up in that chair, and what is on the top edge of that chair, you can see half of a sun. He was fixated the whole time on trying to determine whether or not the sun was rising or the sun was setting. And at the end of the Constitutional Convention, he rose to his feet and announced to the founders of our nation that he believed it was a rising sun and that bright days were ahead.

"That gives me chills every time I see that chair to know that Franklin left this room with all of the challenges, even after speaking about how the Constitution was imperfect, he still thought it was a rising sun. He still had optimism in this new nation. It's an optimism I share today."

Watch Governor Shapiro's interview with Dana Bash on CNN here.