that to market. what is interesting is it is a kind of public private sector partnership but could not have happened without the government playing a critical role. with all of the basic research, all of the advances of science and technology that we use, boast of that basic research is supported by the government and a good theory and reason why that is the case. the fact is you cannot have the advances in technology if you do not have advances of science. >> host: innovation and therefore the growth. >> host: it has to rest on a foundation of government. >> guest: what i found so disturbing was the constant bashing of the government. the government does not do

everything perfectly and any of us look at what happened with the bush administration has to agree often hits things very bad but it is also the case the private sector often does not get things perfectly. no democratic government probably has ever wasted money outside of four on the scale of our private sector in this crisis and we should remember that. private sectors failed governments fail we need a system of checks and balances as part of the democratic process. but the system of checks and balances may be getting undermined. that goes back to rose about 100 years ago that if we allow some economic forces to get too large, they will shape not only the economy

but also the politics. that antitrust law that he advocated successfully was not so much motivated by economic distortions that was an important aspect but by how they could affect the political process. as we look at what is happening in the last year and happened in the years before the crisis, we have to reexamine exactly the same question and. >> host: your book lays out the case for the role of government and what it should do going forward. thank you for your time and this discussion. >> guest: and thank you. . .

in the wind of scott brown and taking back people seat as he put it. [applause] incredibly, incredibly important. so, we're having a lot of fun and it is a good space to be in right now. just as this is a good space to be in. i have the incredible honor of visiting the reagan ranch and to

be amongst the things of his life he nancy's legs together and it's just wonderful, it's just a great energy that i get from that and they do not. and so, now should be a book to come and share some of that in the context of his legacy and certainly what it means for us going forward to me is a real honor. i really appreciate the young american foundation inviting me here to be a part of this. anders writes, we spent a lot of times in the years working with the various groups that come into washington or a visitor from the kanshi in such profoundly important work. i was struck by nothing fancy about a plaque on the wall that basically said the young america's foundation is committed to encouraging young

americans understand are and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise and traditional values. and that is such a powerful statement. and it is part of the underlying thinking, if you will, but i try to capture in the book right "right now." a lot of washingtons are hyped up about this book right now and i don't understand why. it speaks to some to court things we believe that conservatives and those republicans in it speaks to them in the context of reagan, most importantly the context of how we regain the trust of the faith of the american people. what you haven't figured out right now aren't too happy with us. and have had good reason not to be. but that's part of the past and that's part of i think also the process and recovery.

and so i took on the idea of the 12 steps because they think it was an important part to get to recovery. so that's kind of the background and look into little bit more about the beef for me do i want to thank wendy mccaw for sponsorship of this series for 2010. what a wonderful gift to the community and to america to have the voices that have come through here and to have shared ratio and a broken bread with you. get out there so people can really see and hear what conservatism is in the 21st century and some of the things that we face the challenges and the opportunities. so wendy, i know she's not here, but it did want to thank you publicly for her support of the series in her work with the foundation. certainly two members of the presidents club and the rawhide circle, i won't even go there. i had to think about that because i'm from the east coast. so rawhide means something completely different.

[laughter] usually it's what you have after your mother is done spanking new. [laughter] i didn't understand, but it works. certainly to ron robinson, the president of the young american foundation and to andrew who was a great guide this morning and helping for me to get there and to see. it was rainy and sorry to hear what it was just perfect. a [laughter] it was just perfect. i can offense about that president reagan was speaking to me and just letting you know that the cloudy days may be a part of what you do, but the sun does come out. and when it does, you better be prepared for it. and that is a lot of in my experience in public life, dealing with the clouds and the noise and the floods and all the crazy stuff that goes on, but

knowing that the sun will come out and things will get better. i was always struck at the quote, may you live in interesting times. [laughter] and it don't get much more interesting than what i've seen over the past year. and a friend of mine pointed out that that was actually a curse. and i could see how that could be the case. but the reality of today's is that living in interesting times enables us and empowers us to do some interesting things. and allows us to go beyond our comfort zone and go beyond the things we think we know. to explore new avenues for new opportunities. so, for this afternoon, what i want to do is kind of set the tone, since we're living in interesting times, i thought it would be important to set the tone a little bit differently with a quote from frederick douglass, who once noted, by gore in conflict that i might hereafter exalt and victory.

now i've always liked that. and i liked it i think primarily because of the roman catholic african-american conservative from washington d.c. -- [laughter] my whole life has been conflict. last night so i get that part of it. i really do. but today, in this hour, what conflicts us is not the ups and downs of elections. or rather the very nature of conservatism in this post-reagan era. what conflicts us is the vision of the conservative movement, its radical nature of the unique challenges and opportunities that come from both conflict and victory. and you've seen that played out in small measure over the last few years, certainly the elections of 06 and 08 and even as recently as own night in virginia, new jersey and now massachusetts. but no great thing is ever been

achieved without overcoming obstacles. and no quality is more indispensable to that process is the ability to press on through adversity. in other words, to persevere. some of these are interesting times, where we have to confront conflict in order to obtain the eerie. we must persevere. we must find a way to make all of its fate and all of the work. now, the first thing i noticed about perseverance is that it comes more easily to the optimist. as a young man, i was struck by ronald reagan's unwavering not the midst of an sense of hope. for me, that sense of our best days lie before us was captured in the phrase, morning in america. now that was 1984. but i think by now a lot of people feel and have come to believe that it's more like lunchtime in america or even

dinner. in other words, our best days are behind us, the sun is setting, the day is done. as a young african-american male growing up the nation's capital, such optimism moved me to understand the power of perseverance. the power of perseverance. and to be able to put into focus that we are often patched and indeed moved to action, not by the great figures of history, but by those whose names are not written in the history books, the names that don't appear on your nightly news, but the names of individuals who live in our neighborhoods, in our communities, indeed live in our own homes. such is the life of me though. now maybelle is one of many faces in america who struggle to raise a family, believed she could provide for her kids more than she herself had received.

she was one of those many faces who believed in writing the history of this country, not in its history books, but instead on the hearts and consciousness of the individual, of the community. so that the promise of this great nation would become its truth. she grew up the daughter of sharecroppers, how to quit school when she was in fifth grade to work in the cotton fields of south carolina. she married a man who abused her both mentally and physically and he himself would die at the age of 36 from alcoholism. if she would go on to work in a laundromat for the next 45 years of her life in the most she ever made was $3.83 an hour. now despite the hardships that come from limited resources and certainly limited opportunity, maybelle had an extraordinary sense of the possible. she did what it took to

stimulate the economy of her household. she did what it took to make sure that despite all the hardship, things that needed to be done, raising the kids, providing for the family got done. she made certain, as she put it, that it would be she and not the government who would raise her kids. it would be she and not the government who would provide for her family. and she did a pretty good job because today her daughter is a very successful pediatrician and her son steals before u.s. the chairman of the republican national committee. [applause] the power, the power of the maybelle is a power that we all witnessed every single day. and it is why what we fear the

most right now, stripping away that power from maybelle, the power she feels that she has two raised their kids the way she wants, provide for her family the way she wants. stripping away from her is why the fight right now in this country for freedom, opportunity, the very things that this organization are trying to impress upon young people to appreciate and understand about free markets and free enterprise and the value of the law and community matters. maybelle's life embodies perseverance are the struggles and challenges other time would hold opportunity for her children. and while her story, like so many of ours, contain many hardships, she also found a way to turn her hopes for her children into action. her desire that tomorrow will be better for us than for her meant more than anything else.

she made sure her kids and the value of hard work both in school and in the work pace. she made sure that we could think for ourselves. she made sure we had a good education. she made sure we knew right from wrong. she had our behind the church on sunday and in the classroom on monday morning. she understood the value of america and the future of her kids. through the remarkable extent will of her life, my mother was the first person who taught me about fiscal discipline, the value of the dollar, budgeting and most importantly how thoughtful investment when coupled with hard work, can provide empowerment and opportunity. now, board notes by those individuals in the united states congress can't figure out what the sharecroppers started with a fifth-grade education figured out long time ago, how to create wealth within a family, how to create wealth within a

community. and while her bank account may not have made her rich, she was rich and purpose is every day she found a way to turn her hopes into action. maybelle was never discouraged by the trials of the moment because she knew that they would pass and because she was in it for the long haul, she was going to work it out. and that is the power of perseverance. i remember as a young boy at 17, in 1976, first time i get to both at november, i turned 18 and not over, get to vote in november. so back in september, august, and trying to decide, do i want to be a republican or democrat. and my mom is a democrat. she is a roosevelt democrat. alright, my dad is a democrat. and so she raised me to appreciate that i have in mind, that i could go out and learn and decide for myself what i wanted to be. and she pressed me hard on that.

don't be a democrat just because i am. don't feel lockstep into a mindset or way of thinking just because others are. so she still didn't need a sense of independence, so you wonder why a good and so much trouble in this job, blatant maybelle. [laughter] that independence allowed me to go and discover a man named ronald reagan. and it was his voice i heard matt campana sounded so much like the way my mother raised me. when he talked about an america that would be better, when he talked about opportunities, when he talked about the power that comes from individuals, not from government. so i go to my mother and i say hey mom, i decided to be a republican. while -- the idea of going out and doing that was great. the actual doing of it however was the home of the conversation. which began something like lord

of the beat, why would you want to do that? [laughter] so even to this day there still moments where i think she's trying to recover from that and get me back. as she understands and still understands why i did what i did because of how she raised me and what she passed on. that legacy. and i really appreciate that legacy more than anything else. there was a great moment in 2006, when i was running for the united states senate, election night and sitting on the edge of the bed with my wife and watching the returns. and it's on elections and starts out great and the first precinct come in and your 52, 48 and you're like yeah. the rest of the precinct come in and you say well, that's a little bit different. i'm watching all the hard work go in the election slip through my fingers for the united states senate. and i'm frustrated and angry.

and my wife is sitting next to me very quietly and very patiently taking all this and am listening to me. and through subtle ramp, once it's very clear not going to be the next united states senator from maryland, i turned to her and say what do i do now? and you know, spouses have this way of putting things in perspective for you and they're very supportive. and she turned to me and looked at me and says well, i think you better get a job. [laughter] that's it? [laughter] and then she got up and laughed. and there i sat, lost an election, better get a job. but what i took out of that moment was something that my mother had taught them that i had learned in listening to reagan. and that my wife brought home to me in a very real way.

persevere, this too shall pass. get through it, don't be overwhelmed by it, don't let it break you down where you can't get up. and as i reflected on this book, now i wrote this book actually before the 2008 election really got underway. and because of publications through to blaze, it turned out in god works in mysterious ways that i could then updated to capture some of the realities of 2009 election. but the core of the book really focused on this idea of a party that had been beat down, a party that had lost its way, a party that had fallen away from conservative principles that have defined for generations but now is faced with an opportunity to move forward, to pick itself up, to not be overwhelmed by the circumstances. ronald reagan understood the importance of connecting to the maybelle's of america, through

things that inspired policies that restore the strength, pride and prosperity of this nation, did the unthinkable, he helped america embrace conservatism in the core beliefs of the conservative movement he made it cool to be a conservative. and that opportunity afforded to him, enabled him to then change the course of this nation, to put it on a pathway in which a depreciated prosperity and opportunity, where a depreciated our role in the world and our fight for freedom. not just here but abroad. but since then, america has changed in our movement has changed, too. but what we believe has not. what we believe has not. in the words of austin powers, we now have an opportunity to get our mojo back.

[laughter] to be relevant in this century, in this hour, and this time, to debate in the big idea from the small ideas, to fight for those principles again in a way that empowers the maybelle's of the world because they know there is someone standing there helping them provide for the next generation. thirdly, marshall one said we need to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. but every once in a while, it's nice to have someone bend down and help you. and that was what reagan understood. so while we aspire the principles of freedom and independence once in a while scratching a someone is going to be there to help you, lift you up, not do it for you, but to show you how, to give you the

tools. in the times we live in right now, what is the cry from the american people? don't do it for us, give us the tools and that is to it for ourselves. so whether it's health care, whether it's job creation, whatever it happens to be, the cry that we hear across the land is we can do this on our own. individually, we are strong. together we are stronger. but in all of that is not government's job or role to kind of shake that outcome and to create that pathway. i think conservatives now have an opportunity to reaffirm to the american people the core belief that government should be limited so that it never becomes powerful enough to infringe on the rights of the individual, that those taxes that we pay, those little pesky things that come out of your paycheck, that they be kept low though individuals might keep more of their hard-earned money.

business regulations should encourage entrepreneurs to take the risks necessary for innovation and developing growth as opposed to using those regulations to be businesses into submission. some just talk about change, folks. but what we believe in what we know about the resilience of the american people that will underscore the real change this nation needs is that it is the individual that will stand america up. it is the individual that will help america prosper. it is the individual that will keep us strong. our work is not done. but in some respects, in many respects, our work begins anew, not in the sense of starting over but starting with different perspective on a 21st century focus on how to make the hopes of tomorrow a reality today. now you have heard the mantra, hope is on the way, keep hope

alive, hope you have a nice day. last night but there comes a part where hope doesn't get it done. there comes a point where action is the core of what must happen. and that action is what worries people. is that government action or individual action? and that is the debate that this nation faces right now. and whether you see the results in massachusetts or virginia and new jersey as an example of the american people answering the question, there are many more opportunities for that question to get answered over the next few years. not in partisan terms, but can truly american terms, what is this great nation all about? what is its strength and where does it come from? and it's one of the guests are ronald reagan, i believe, left

us when he described this nation the way he did, as the shining city on the hill. because one of the aspects of that is that the light that emanates from that hill is a powerful light. and the question is, where does the light come from? it shines not because of government, but because of her people, that light emanates from that hill from its people. the difference between prosperity and poverty is not government, its people. the difference between ownership and control by government is people, not government. and ronald reagan i think understood and put that in its precise context as he possibly could. so like reagan, when i was 17

and today i put my faith in people, not government. his spirit reminds us that the promise of america is the promise of endless possibilities. and it was that spirit picture me in, too. the party that i now chair. it is that spirit that recognizes individuals as the catalyst, the action point, not government, but i think what future fight over the role in the control of government would be about. the optimism in the hope that emanates from such possibilities i think enables us to persevere and empowers us not to give up on ourselves and certainly not on this great country. next year our nation will celebrate the centennial of president reagan's birth between now and then, we have an opportunity to reignite his vision of america, to remind ourselves of the nation that it

is morning again in america. a morning brighter possibilities , the morning of the day representing the rest of her life, as men and women and of the nation. but president reagan said it better than i ever could when he said, we've got to quit talking to each other and about each other and go out to communicate to the world that we may be fewer in numbers than we have ever been, but we carry the message they are waiting for. this is your time. this is our moment to carry the message america is waiting for her. to be the light of this great nation once again. to lift up this begin, this grand, wacky, wonderful experiment we call the united states and do it in a way in which reagan would be proud.

certainly we all know that you would expect no less of us. if we are true to his legacy. and true to what he left behind for us to do today. so right now is our moment. right now is an opportunity for us to be something better, different, but very familiar. and that is the test. are you ready to pass that test? are you ready to do what is necessary to hold that light up once again and show america and show the world its morning. thank you. [applause] thank you very much. [applause] and i guess we have some q. and

a. the fun part of the program. >> my name is luis and i just wanted to unite for coming to visit us. my hope is that we don't celebrate reagan's great leap, but we celebrate the heart of the man because it was that humble heart that shoveled manure, clean toilets and did not see himself as president of the united states. and we just won a huge election and we won it because our people, myself, saw and eric at democratic dirty, the reason why we have an arrogant democratic party is because we have an arrogant republican party. so i would love to see how that is going to change with our

party. >> so it died. [laughter] but i believe it has. and you know, the nation of some folks of washington that the way i started to answer that question will be news because of those who don't want that change. there's some who would like to wallow in the mud of past accomplishments for what they believe our past accomplishments and what is oftentimes lost is the purpose of phrase before, the will of the people, but it is a real thing. anything that now expressed very, very loudly in three elections. and my sense of it is that in large measure, many, many

republicans and conservatives out there are working towards the same goal, looking back in understanding past mistakes, but not dwelling on them and not beating ourselves up to the point where you can't move forward, but understanding that in order to move forward you have to at least technology and except the rule that she may have played in some of the things that were now confronted. and the commitments that the american people are looking for and i'm sure your selves as well is, okay a record to get the same old same old or is this going to be different. show us how, tell us how. and that is a very unique opportunity and not too many political parties or candidates really get a chance to do that. to go back to the american people and laid bare how they have missteps in the past and have a better sense now of what is expected of leadership. that contract with america in 1994 meant something to people

and it still means something today. and when they saw this whole cell march away from those principles outlined, those idea that were laid out in that document, people took it personally. it would be as if your own kid started to reject the very things you raise them to believe and sort of try to help them understand and made the commitment to them and send to you that this is part of our family. so that sense of rejection was very strong and still as for a lot of folks. my hope and certainly the work that, you know, i try to engage in the leadership of the country astray to understand that let's move forward with a different breed respect it about how we reengage with the american people and restore that faith, that trust and our leadership. and i like what i'm seeing so

far. and certainly in massachusetts, new jersey and virginia. and there's an even better opportunities that lie ahead. so hold on to that faith, don't let go of it. they keep everyone honest. because again, you don't get second chances often in politics and i think the american people are giving us an enormous second chance to reengage them and stand yet again on those foundational responsible that have were doing that and it's a good thing. yes, sir? >> mr. steele, would like to thank you for visiting a spirit by name is robert olson item from an hour and a half of the coast. what the result of the recent elections both in november and this week, i am more optimistic than i have been since probably 2004 election. and so are many people who think as i do.

were so optimistic, but i'm concerned that we have become overconfident and complacent. there are too many people that are already declaring the next congress after the november election as ours. so i guess my question is, what can we all do, both u.s. the leader of our party and this is the rank and file to make sure that we maintain our edge intel led overconfident lead to something that we don't want to see come to. >> that's a good question. as you probably read, i got traveled because maybelle racing to be to be a very pragmatic i am a very honest, i tend to tell people exactly what i think, which i've learned in the shot people don't necessarily want to do. nor do they want to hear it. but of course that doesn't stop me, so that someone else's problem, not my necessarily. i really believe that this

november we will do incredibly well, given the candidates that were beginning to see a merge into her already leading in races around the country. how that ultimately ends, i don't know yet. they're still races for individual candidates haven't decided, we don't have a declared candidate at all. so there are still a lot of factors there and that's been my only point is i agree with you. i don't want to put the cart before the horse and make declarations that i can't back up. now someone told me, while you are the party chairman. you should be the cheerleader. and i went, no, don't look good in a skirt or the white parents and no, my job as party chairman is to be the leader and to be honest and to be thoughtful and to be deliberate and to lay out a strategy that will achieve the goals that people want, winning

elections and hoping the party regained with the american people. you can't just wipe away what happened in 06 and 08. i mean, that wasn't a repudiation of just normal course. it was an outright rejection by the american people. i know first-hand. i was a candidate in 2006 so i know that firsthand. so you don't just get up because people are upset with the democrats and obama and say well, they're going to love us. now, if you been listening to the american people they're going to tell you very clear, a pox on both your houses. if you do not understand what this is about. [applause] if you do not understand her frustration and our anger and if we don't understand that frustration, that anger and if we don't understand what this is about for them, we are doomed to

make the mistakes and to repeat those mistakes and that is not something i want us to do. so i'm very excited. i'm working very hard to go out and get good candidates. i have this enormous sense of the opportunity ahead of us. and everyday, work to achieve the goals in state after state after state of winning the election, bringing principled conservative leadership to the front of the rim and leading with that, not running away from that, but leading with that and trusting the american people will like what they see and what they hear. so far we are three and zero. so i think that pragmatic approach works, you know, a smart approach works. doing what is necessary on the ground to lay the groundwork for this candidates to run, to help them take their message directly to the people and not have it filtered through the national media or the local media love a whole separate agenda. that's part of my responsibility

is that i try to uphold every day. and so do forgive me if i'm not out here doing the wrong rock every single moment. i don't think that's what you want. i think what she wanted someone who's looking down the road and see where the real opportunities are, going towards those opportunities and business opportunities so that we get the win. and if we come out where we've got more at the end of the day then we started on the that's good. but the reality of it is the art and a very different ball game than we were two years ago, four years ago. and there's a lot of hard work to be done and i'm committed to getting it done. because listen, i want the majority, but when we get at when asked to keep it, i don't want us to lose it again. yes, sir. there we go. yes, sir. >> by name is frank around the oak here to thank you for coming again. i almost feel like i asked for the mic to sing because you pretty much answers some of the biggest concern i had.

i think what happened in massachusetts needs to register with the republicans because they didn't win that, the independence of massachusetts won it. i am from massachusetts originally and i know what drives that state and it certainly isn't a republican policies. i think it was a wonderful thing that happened and i think that you put your finger on something. the people in this country have said they're not happy with either the democrats were the republicans and if the republicans behave like they've done in the past, the recent election will have meant nothing. i was reading "the wall street journal" a few days ago and there was an article in there that talk about how the american people were disgusted with those parties. i think in fact what they're disgusted with his politics. and i think the message i got out of that wall street journal

said that the republican party has an opportunity to rally around a central theme, and that is term limits and getting those people in washington that are professional politicians, not interested in what happens to us, but what happens to them, the power, the greek and the bipartisanship that doesn't exist anymore. partisan nonsense where 100% of the party goes in one direction and another party goes in the other direction. something is wrong with that philosophically. and he was the leader of the republican party has got to hammer that home so that the people that are burning under your banner and i happen to be a republican by default, came here from massachusetts and couldn't find a democrat. all i found was socialism and communist. [laughter]

[applause] but i sincerely hope that the message got across from that election in massachusetts. thank you. >> thank you. [applause] fair number of points i could start with on that one. now, i think you're a fluid way. i think that "the wall street journal" point is a good one that we do have an opportunity here like any thing that we've seen and it's not just about term limits. it's about a whole lot of things, starting with okay i'm a what do you believe you're going to fight for? starting with, what are you going to do? how is what you believe you're going to fight for, what you believe you're going to do is different from what they are to what they believe needs to be done. and that is for us a real unique spot to be in.

again, i go back to my earlier point, you don't get second chances in this game too often. and the american people are looking at us and say okay, here's a second chance, show me something different, show me something that i haven't seen before or that i don't expect because what i've seen up till now is not what i want from republican leadership. and i go back to my point that my opportunity as chairman is to galvanize within the core of the party, grassroots activists, men and women, who believe correctly as i do and what this fight is about and why what we can do as republicans, as part of a broader conservative movement in the country can do and must deal. 40% of the american people are now self identified as conservative. that's a big number in the age

of obama. that is significant. particularly when you go back and look at the results of the whole-wheat reelection. he would not have thought they would identify themselves as conservative. but what happened? they begin to see policies unfold, physicians at gitmo, decisions on health care, decisions on how to do with the economy, jobs. and they realize they think i'm a little more conservative than i thought i was because i don't want any of that. so now we have a chance to come in and fill in the blanks, based on principles that are foundational, the fact that we believe free market should be free so that wealth can be created not appear for government to hear the grass roots so it can be invested and spent and saved by individuals within the community. so that, you know, drew can go build the business and higher

money to his son when he gets done for the academic year and give them something to do in the summertime, you know. that's what this is about. and if we lose that momentum that's been generated by the likes of a bob mcdonald and division of anna chris christie new jersey. we won new jersey, for goodness sakes. and then you're going to sling shot up to. now be honest, i don't even have to go back a year. i can go back a month and i bet you 90% of the people in this room would not have predicted tuesday's outcome. and we would say it's massachusetts, what to expect. he's trying, god bless him. [laughter] but you had a candidate to didn't give up because he believed something and he brought that something, those beliefs to the table and a shared with the people of massachusetts and is said to them, what they're doing now has

not been good for you. and what i'm willing to do is to things. one, at count, to be accountable as a leader when i go to washington. and two, i'm going to washington and i'm taking you with me. very different conversation with the people of massachusetts than the ones they've heard before. that is our moment. we are the party that is not afraid to account any more. we want to be held accountable in our leadership. and when we delete we want you with us because we have our faith in you the people, not the institutions of government. and i think that's a very powerful argument to make. and it's one i think getting back to this gentleman's question will allow us to achieve the goal of taking control of the congress this year. if the people have the faith in us that when we get it will do the right thing with it.

yes, sir. right here. >> chairman steele, thank you for being here with us today. i'm chris garcia at pepperdine university. on that same line of communicating with us americans and getting them to understand what our principles are, i think that most people here would agree that the republican party historically has a problem community ideas to the people to the american people. i've come him up with the idea of creating with something simple call the three hours. our four republican goes perfectly. number one, and you respect everybody no matter what their race, religion, creed. we believe in traditional values and that goes along those lines. number two, you are responsible for those actions that includes responsibility, free market, not relying on the government. and the third would-be report. if you produce to be rewarded in that the american dream and that's what we all agree has made america strong.

what do you have as far as the idea to pitch to the american people, some kind of a simple even market strategy that's going to say hey listen, this is what made america strong, the republican party, the part of the american people. >> well, look in that camera because you just did. [applause] you just did. [applause] what we have to realize, folks, is that i've got a title, all right. this is the juice right here. this is a break here. what are you sitting down for? stand up, man. i had done. don't sit down until the chairman says it down. [laughter] now my point is -- my point is that we look around and really to someone else, you know, who's in leadership to lead. and the one lesson i learned in

the course that i've been on since i was a young man and certainly the time that i spent on monasteries and augustinian to reflect on later said, i've concluded very simply, this is how i lead. i'm always prepared to leave but i'm never afraid to follow. and a true leader is someone who's never afraid to follow someone else's idea, someone else is leadership. what happens is people see that and say wow, he's given or she is giving leadership control to someone else and is following. and that's very powerful. that's something that reagan did so well. when he recognized in others their ability to lead in this moment. he didn't have all the answers and he never pretended to have all the answers. quite frankly i don't think he wanted to know the answer is because then that leads to something else, something else not very good.

he trusted others and their ideas. for the fact that you set up is the first step in leadership here at the fact that you've laid out some ideas is the second step of leadership. and the third step is your ability not to convey to everyone else the validity and importance of what it is you are trying to do by your nature, by your use, by your experience, all those things come into play and empower them to trust you because you're willing to step up and step out and say hey, i've got some ideas. so why i like the ideas, the question then becomes to take what you talked about and put it out in the way so others can follow on college campuses, in your community, amongst her friends. that's where the opportunity lies. a lot of folks with a gun republicans in go well, could you come over on saturday and and stands a decent doorknocking for us. that is important work that has got to get done.

what i'm saying to you is you don't have to ask for permission to lead anymore. you are part of right now. so folks and they say you are the future, no you're not. you're the right now because if we don't recognize right now what you can do with your leadership, we are going to booze. we're not going to regain the strength we had in the past to lead. because it's your generation that's making a difference in this time. and if you don't believe me, how'd you get a barack obama as president. he struck a chord and he inspired a generation of young folks to get engaged with the first time in a long time. now what's happening? the kool-aid is wearing off. [laughter] and they're waking up and saying wait a minute, unemployment among twentysomethings is that hurting%. i can't get a job, the prospects of pain for a college education is dimming. all these realities are beginning to hit home. they've never seen double digit

inflation, employment, gas plants, never seen the future we now have passed. and they're about to confront that. and it will be someone like you who will help guide them through it. and that's what i want you to know, that you're already empowered. your ideas come in the fact that you're able to capsulized to three rs, wait your generation to appreciate what this grand old party is about will enable you to help us make this the grand new party, a party that embraces not just this past and the legacy of the great men and women, like a reagan, but its future and individuals like you. >> that's very encouraging. thank you. [applause] >> thank you. albright. this gentleman here, excuse me. this gentleman here has put his hand up three times, so can we help a brother out. >> thank you. i have a very simple question. the view from the rnc on

california and are good senator boxer, time for her to go. >> a man. let me just say that without revealing a lot of strategies here, as i know our friends are watching. california is going to be very important to us this year. and we are very excited about the prospects both of the gubernatorial and senatorial bubble. were excited about the prospects of the congressional level, legislative will he. while folks have been focusing on allngn about the republican party and who's not anyone who is picking a fight. we have been very quietly and very methodically tilting layers and layers of support now works, grassroots organizations and opportunities to be competitive

in a lot of races they don't expect us to be competitive in. much as turn california, but across this country. and i've turn on to toll the political operations and all the other adjunct departments within the rnc that they're going to be races where everyone is going to stretch their head and say why argue over here and this race? you're not going to win this race. because of some point we have to plant a flag of the party and say that we want to compete here even though we know are going to get our clocks cleaned. were going to lose this race but we're going to compete here because the people need us to. it's about time we do that. [applause] test case, new york, upstate new york. while everyone was focused on new york 23, all rights, and losing their minds about what happened in new york 23 and they should because that was the biggest cluster you know what i've ever seen. it was crazy.

should not have happened, should not have been. but, while folks were focused on new york 23 congressional district, guess what we did? we want to county executive races. now you may say to yourself, big deal. will the counties are as big as some states in population. and what it meant was whether with westchester county, where barack obama won with 60% of the vote last year, republican out of the county this year. because we won the election. so the point is when you go and engage, when you're prepared to compete, when you're prepared to go after the ground, you may not get it right now. you may not get at the next time, but there will come a point where you will. and so whether it's california or new york, where he happens to be, where we've not been competitive before, our goal now is to be competitive, to get good and it's to run, to support

those candidates and make the investment is necessary to win. however one as i said before would not have advise anyone to invest in massachusetts. they wouldn't have advised to invest in new jersey. because while republicans just don't win there. at some point you have to stop believing the old 19 and stop doing it the old way. and take the risks necessary to compete. and i'm the chairman who is prepared to do that. and i get beat up for us sometimes, but that's fine. through the racks in the stones that mean. meanwhile i'm letting my guys and gals go ahead and win. hit me again, go win, keep going hit me again, keep going. that is the goal here. that's the goal here is to put ourselves of the party in a position where we can be competitive and we will be very competitive in california this year, trust me. [applause] well, i thank you all

very much. and i thank you so much. this has been a lot of fun. i've enjoyed being here. i've enjoyed being in the spirit of reagan has certainly been at the reagan library last week and to be here at the ranch this weekend to be here with all of you does my heart good. and it is so nice to know that so many people still give it to him about this great country and are willing to fight for it every day. i'm just honored to be one of the little soldiers has been picked out a chosen to go down another path to make sure that we can win. thank you so much and god bless you and god bless america. hot [applause]

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