friedman. this episode is titled "who protects the worker." then at 8:00 p.m. eastern on lectures in history, texas women's university history professor talks about the experiment to control the american west from the 1800's to the civil war. at 9:30 p.m. eastern on the presidency, the former polish president gives after speech marking the anniversary of ronald reagan's birth. the former presidency's legacy and his support of poland in the solidarity movement. also at 10:30 p.m. eastern on historic campaign speeches, first a 2008 campaign speech by democratic presidential candidate hillary clinton at a rally in california state university. it's followed by a 2016 super tuesday speech by republican presidential candidate and florida senator marco rubio in miami. exploring the american story, watch american history tv saturdays on c-span2, and found a full schedule on your program

guide, or watch online any time at cspan.org/history. >> c-span, your unfiltered view of government. we're funded by these television companies and more, including cox. >> this is extremely rare. friends don't have to be. when you're connected, you're not alone. cox supports c-span as a public service, along with these other television providers, giving you a front row seat to democracy. h frank l bain, he has a communication strategist joining us a day after the michigan presidential primary. he is -- is the wolverine state expected to be competitive in

2024. did we lose -- did we learn anything new? guest: yes we did. shakespeare said everything that is old is new and everything new is old. we will have a fascinating election campaign and i am concerned about the tone and demeanor and how we relate to each other. listening to c-span often in the mornings, and it is a little bit quieter in the mornings and the evenings. but three things that stand out to me. number one, there is no hesitation or doubt whatsoever that it is going to be joe biden versus donald trump. any thoughts of someone coming in late is not going to happen. second, there is discontent on both sides. that nikki haley, the governor south carolina does not have a chance of taking the nomination

and she is still getting a sizable boat -- vote and on the democrat side the fact that 100,000 people voted uncommitted as a way to discuss -- to show their displeasure with this biden is significant. the typical unclear vote is 25,000. third, i really do think that we are going to set yet another record for turnout in 2024 as america's -- americans want to have their voices heard. host: who should be more concerned, joe biden or donald trump looking at nikki haley's almost 300,000 votes even though he won over -- by over 40%. caller: they both -- guest: they both should be. union households are you -- are losing republicans and that is

important in a state like michigan. latino and hispanic voters are doing the same and it is possible that a republican could get 45 or 50% of the latino vote. on the democratic side, suburban voters and particularly women, particularly upper-middle-class do not like donald trump and they are moving towards the democrats and joe biden. we have the shifting going on that is very significant and happening in all of the swing states. and frankly, it is giving viewers an idea of just how few votes will determine the election. there are only nine states that are truly up for grabs, and only about 5% is shifting back and forth. when you combine those two we are about to spend aliens of dollars in negative advertising for only 2% of americans. and frankly, i am concerned

about the consequences. host: in advertising how much will that be age versus indictments and abortion versus border. are those of the messages that viewers should be repaired to hit on? guest: if i was taking notes but i am focused on the viewers. you just summarized it. you just summarized it in a way that they cannot do on cable news. you said in four seconds what takes them two minutes to say -- to save. host: you started by saying that it is something you are concerned about and c-span viewers know that you are thin polling people for a long time. what is different in the division that you were talking about? guest: i will go into it if you have the slides to show viewers. host: sure. guest: we asked the question and i believe this is been the best

question we have asked and maybe my career. i asked the american people do you feel invested in your country and its future? two thirds said yes, which is not a great number. one third really does not care what really happens to america and to the people around them. host: as you are explaining this and showing your slides, explain where they should be looking on the slide. you know them. do you consider yourself invested in america, 66% yes. democrats at 71% and republicans at 71%. explain why that is? guest: no partisanship. if you are republican or democrat you are invested in your country. the people least likely to be invested are independents who have chosen to stay outside of the political process and outside the partisanship and in some cases because they reject

republicans and democrats and in other cases they simply do not care. it is the bottom seven numbers that leumi away. and i literally, and i mean this and i saw the results come back and i started pacing when i had to write the analysis. 31% of americans and fewer among republicans believe that their country is invested in them in their future. and that is a complete rejection of the political process. a belief that the people in washington are not listening and do not care, a sense of denial and betrayal, and it completely freaks me out to be honest. memes are going to be created, he is freaked out. host: what would you say to the

viewers who say well americans throughout history have not felt that their country is invested in them. how different do you think those numbers are, that concerns you from 20 years ago, 60 years ago? guest: i believe that it is at an all-time high. this country did a vaccine that saved millions of lives. this country invested in education and roads, bridges and highways. some investments republicans like and some investments democrats liked. every day this country asks of us are tax scholars -- dollars and gives us back hopefully and i believe how people feel that they are not getting their money's worth and they do not you like the government is efficient, effective, and accountable. but overall when i visit the lincoln memorial and ic the jefferson memorial and the

washington monument and i think of how much this country has accomplished and truthfully it has nothing to do with government. it has to do to this commitment to the flag, the statue of liberty and the star string -- star-spangled banner, i teach at west point now. and these young men and women are the best that america has to offer -- to offer. and i believe that our country is invested in them and they may not do it well, as i said they might not do it efficiently. but when the public says i do not believe it anymore and i do not accept it anymore, we are less likely to trust the media than ever before or politicians than ever before. we are least likely to have faith in the future than ever before, when i see these, it makes me concerned about the future and let us do the other two slides later in the interview to give people a

reason to keep watching and keep engaging. host: let me invite the viewers to call in with frank no and he is with us for another half hour or so. republicans. 202-748-8001. democrats, 202-748-8000. independents, 202-748-8002. we will get to other two slides let us hear from bob out of nashville, tennessee. independent line to start. go ahead, bob. caller: i am calling to ask if he has some assigned to the terrorist center relative to the uncommitted vote. now, how close do you think it is that israel will be held accountable for the terrorist, there part in the terror in the middle east, particularly directed to the people in the west bank, and the siege in

gaza? it seems like congress is beholden to this idea that it is unconditional and israel is all good is when the opposite has been the truth. do you think accountability is coming? thank you? guest: i want to get to as many questions as possible. one of the things i teach my students and staff that you can ask the question incredibly powerfully and do not have to re-ask. frankly, it is a mess. the middle east and what happened on october 7 is a crime against humanity. what is happening in gaza right now is horrific. we all see that. the question i ask is there a light at the end of the tunnel? is there way that these two could live together side-by-side, maybe not loving each other but at least

accepting each other. the work that i try to do, this is not who i was 10 years ago. i was on the show as far back as money five years ago. i am trying to find the common ground, the threads that allow people to just accept each other and respect each other and ask -- and respects the right to live. on october 7 that did not happen. the level of crime and inhumanity, and what is happening in gaza today. i do not look away from it, we have to see it. buildings destroyed and families ruined. what must be done to prevent that, and you are correct, caller. we have to do a better job at prevention. trying to hold people accountable now is good for them. it is essential. but seeking to prevent this from happening again, allowing

israelis to live in peace and not invading and desecrating and committing the most unspeakable crimes has to happen so that we do not have a gaza, so we do not have a lebanon. by the way, just do not look at gaza. consider what is happening in lebanon, the hezbollah are firing missiles almost every night and killing israelis up north, and we will have the same situation if we do not do something about it. that is the purpose of politics and diplomacy. see a problem and to address it before it becomes a crisis. host: louisville, kentucky. this is benny. democrat, good morning. caller: thank you for taking my call. i will take you off speakerphone. it is a pleasure to talk to you. i appreciate you taking my call. my question is that you had mentioned earlier the stands

about republicans and democrats and feeling that america is invested in them. but that number for republicans was substantially higher, almost double. i do feel like we are getting a lot of whining and you know, america does not care and they have given all the money to the immigrants. and i think that republicans in congress they painted this picture that the government is not working. so, i guess, are they feeding the fire, or how do you see it, that was my question. guest: good for you. i want to hold both sides accountable. and everything that i do. but your question is a good one. and the answer has to be yes. are they seeking to find a solution to the border or are

they playing politics. and that border crisis is a problem. frankly, it was not a problem under donald trump and a nightmare under joe biden. i will say that. i will also say that the members of congress had the opportunity to pass legislation to address it and they have chosen not to do it. and that is a problem for republicans. we need to sit them down at the same time. the problem was not nearly bad under trump and worse hunter biden but republicans are not solving it. if you could bring up that slide, it was page 77, the pie chart because to the caller's point. we feel more desired -- more divided now. 80% of americans feel porid than ever before. if you look in the corner i broke it down by age.

over 90% of people over age 65, the typical viewers of this program feel like the divisions are the worst that they have ever been. remember, they lived through the rise of the 1960's, the protests of the vietnam war in the early 1970's, the oil embargoes and the reagan and carter campaigns of 1980. they have lived through all of these divisions and they specifically say it is worse right now. my message to all the callers and to the washington politicians watching me right now is that up until now they have been able to play it anyway they want because we are a strong and healthy democracy. at this moment in 2024, we are so divided that if we continue to act the way we have acted over the last few years, it is possible. i never would have said this,

but it is possible that we could lose the democracy right now. we are so angry with the other side that we do not seek to listen and to learn, and the data from the national governor's association poll. c-span covered it last saturday. it is governors from both sides. it is callers from both sides and it is me as a former political consultant. we have to take responsibility and we cannot make the situation any worse. right now we are on that line. and if we get any worse, the west point cadets when you run into them in the airport, explained to them how you are deborah. thus jeopardizing the future of the democracy and you cannot do that. we have to stop. host: the presentation to the governors and the slides point to the portions of the country

being pulled apart, what are the portions bringing them together. guest: clearly it is here at west point and education itself. i will give you two specific solutions. number one is education. the more that we know and the more knowledgeable we are the less likely we will be angry because the more likely we will understand and appreciate the other side, point number one. point number two, the communication that elected officials deliver should be, and this is something called the dignity index. so it was created by tim shriver and unite movement. we should reject communication that demonizes the other side. it is perfectly acceptable to disagree. in fact, there is nothing wrong with this agreement. we should embrace it. but how we disagree, do we

simply think that you are wrong which is fine or do i think that you are evil which is not. we have to find a way to fix the education system and change the discourse at those two solutions to make a meaningful and measurable difference to the future of this country. host: from one frank in new york to another frank in new york. this is the republican line, good morning. caller: frank, this is frank from new york. i have been listening to your responses and they have been interesting and intelligent. i was an elected official for 20 years and never lost an election. always had both sides support, democrat, republican and conservative. what i think is not being said, quite frankly. i am 81 years old. i have never seen that the legacy media in all forms, and i know we like to claim that it

simply came from the internet. all forms of media, magazines, radio and tv. it is incredible how they have deliberately divided our community. so, you can gain by dividing because then you can nip you late and get the 51 north 52%. they do not care if they are getting the other 20%. as long as they can get over 50%. dividing perpetuates the elites, the people who gain the most. that is why they do not need the regular people, that is why trump is successful because he is saying it is all about the elites, the intelligentsia so to speak from the old european word we used to use. host: got your point. guest: that is a fair point. that is one of the things that i

do when i present to "the new york times" or on cnn when i have the top -- the chance to talk to the "financial times." all of them have to say, the number one attribute that people think is missing by far is truth. not left-wing or right-wing truth, but truth, not joe biden or donald trump's truth but the truth. i think we'll have to see a role. this -- what cp is what c-span did was they give democrats and republicans and independents a line. the problem is that that causes us to polarize. when we hear the democratic line republicans think i will not believe it. when we hear the republican line democrats to not out. i am glad that people listen for the entire show. i am glad that they hear both

sides. but even that little effort to inform the listener of the perspective of the caller, that in itself polarizes. i have been on this passionate pursuit of the truth. a willingness to say to former president donald trump you do not have to talk that way, a willingness to say to current -- i am sorry. current president joe biden, the american do -- the american people do think you are too old. the willingness is to speak truth to power to save our democracy. we do so not out of revenge or meanness, but out of the truth. we have to tell the truth. i appreciate the caller's respective. ohio, william. republican. caller: good morning. i wanted to say something about the border thing. a few years ago when president trump was in office