prevail. i think the other alternative question to ask is what is mitt romney wins. there's a republican house and republican senate. will the democrats have meeting with whoever the democratic version of frank luns is and make a similar decision? i think not. and i think democracy don't have quite the appetite for pay back. but i'm sure a lot of dpliks -- democracies will be wishing they did if there is the outcome in november. how it plays out across washington and whether people will be issuered at all and realize that, you know, we don't want the prosperity we've known, the future we've known to really be squanders simply because knob can make a decision. it may be when it gets to that

point, of the democracy will respond. i'd like to think that's the case. it's close as i can get to optimism. >> thank you for this. you've been wonderful, thanks. [applause] . . representative hastert recounted his years as a civics teacher,

football coach and member of the u.s. house of representatives. he also discussed how he handled the daily responsibilities of the house immediately after the september 11 terrorist attacks. watch an encore presentation of this interview now on booktv. c-span: denny hastert, author of, "speaker," what's the granby roll? >> guest: the granby roll is a move in wrestling that you can score from the bottom. not many people do it. and it's good in wrestling, it's probably good in politics, too. if you can score when you're on the bottom and keep winning, that's what it's all about. c-span: where does the name granby come from? >> guest: granby high school in norfolk, virginia. they were the instigator -- coach by the name of bill martin was -- instigated it and taught it. and it kind of passed through the east coast. i picked it up in the midwest, and it was one of our trademarks. c-span: when was the last time you were in a high school classroom, teaching? >> guest: probably was about a year or two ago. i try to go back to my district and talk in a classroom from time to time.

actually, teaching as a teacher, the last time i did it was 1981 c-span: and what were you teaching? >> guest: i was teaching economics, history, government. i taught a business course over the years. i taught a speech course. and in a small high school you did everything. i even drove the school bus from time to time. c-span: where's this picture from, the one on top? >> guest: yorkville high school c-span: how old were you there? >> guest: i was probably 24 years old. c-span: i'm going to jump way ahead and show you a clip, and i'll have you -- first, it's a clip of bob livingston on the floor. just so when people are watching it, they'll know. where were you in the chamber at that time? >> guest: i was sitting in the back row of the chamber, right near the door where folks come in off the elevator. that's where -- i was chief deputy whip. that's usually where i sat, and i kind of knew where everybody was on the house floor. that was kind of my position. c-span: what was the timeframe? >> guest: well, the timeframe was december 19. it was a saturday.

we were back because of the impeachment of bill clinton. it was a house vote on the floor. i remember getting up that morning and thinking to myself -- you know, i taught history for years, and we went through the impeachment of andrew johnson, and it changed presidential history for years. and i'm thinking, what's going to happen after we get done with this vote today? how's history going to change? little did i know that -- what would happen... c-span: so when bob livingston began to talk, you did not know what was going to happen? >> guest: well, we knew that bob had some problems, but we didn't know what was going to happen. c-span: let's watch the tape, and then we'll ask you about it. [video clip - december 19, 1998] rep. bob livingston, house speaker nominee: to the president, i would say, sir, you have done great damage to this nation over this past year. and while your defenders are contending that further impeachment proceedings would only protract and exacerbate the damage to this country, i say that you have the power to terminate that damage and heal the wounds that you have created.

you, sir, may resign your post. [boos] unidentified male: the house will be in order. livingston: and -- and... [boos] unidentified male: the house will be in order. livingston: and i can only challenge you in such fashion if i am willing to heed my own words. to my colleagues, my friends, and most especially, my wife and family, i have hurt you all deeply and i beg your forgiveness. i was prepared to lead our narrow majority as speaker, and i believe i had it in me to do a fine job. but i cannot do that job or be the kind of leader that i would

like to be under current circumstances. so i must set the example that i hope president clinton will follow. i will not stand for speaker of the house on january 6. but rather, i shall remain as a back-bencher in this congress that i so dearly love for approximately six months into the 106th congress, whereupon i shall vacate my seat and ask my governor to call a special election to take my place. [end video clip] c-span: what was going through your head? >> guest: well, we were kind of stunned about the -- halfway -- after he had made his announcement, there was a page that came up, or one of our floor -- it wasn't a page, one of our floor people came up, tapped me on the shoulder -- i was in the back row -- and said, the speaker wants to talk to you. he's on the phone in the cloakroom. c-span: who was speaker? >> guest: it newt gingrich. and i went to the phone, newt says, you just heard what happened. you're the only guy that can pull this conference together

and lead it. and i was kind of dumbstruck at that point. then people started to come up to me and said, you're going to be the next speaker. and for somebody who hadn't planned on, you know, being a speaker of the house and just doing his work, as i (unintelligible) a back-bencher, that was really an astounding situation. c-span: you said you called your wife at some point. >> guest: right. i had called jean after people said, you know, you're going to be the speaker. and i said, i -- give me a couple minutes to think about this. i need to talk to my wife. bill paxon, who is a good friend of mine, anticipated i was going to say that. he called my wife first and said, you know, denny's going to have to do this and -- you know -- so i called her. i thought jean would say -- you know, she doesn't live in washington. we didn't keep our home in washington. she didn't necessarily want to get involved in everything. she was teaching school at the time. and i would think -- i had thought that she'd say, well, you know, just for our life, we

can't really -- can't do this. and so i called. it was the first day of christmas vacation, and i was anticipating -- you know, she was home. it's was the first day home. it was a saturday morning. and i called her up and said, what are you doing? and i thought she -- well, i'm baking cookies or fixing the tree or doing something like that. and she said, well, i'm watching tv. and i said, well, you know what's going on here. and she said yes, i know. i said, well, what do you think? they want me to be speaker. said, well, you have to do what you think's right. and so i thought about it and contemplated and prayed a little bit and decided to do it. c-span: i wrote down two things that jean is quoted as saying why your book, or you say about her. you say she didn't like politicians at one point, and then later you said, not thrilled with your current job, which is speaker. >> guest: well, she -- she wasn't thrilled when i became speaker. it was just a lot more intense. you know, i had been home -- i work my district every weekend.

i didn't have the national responsibilities that i have today. i didn't have to campaign all over the country, you know, almost every week. and i was home. i was home on a thursday night or a friday morning, and we worked the weekend. and we also -- you know, i had at least a day or a day-and-a-half off at home. and for me, going back to the district and getting my feet on the ground, being with real people, going to the hardware store or the grocery store, is a good way for me to unwind. and i needed to be back home. so i wasn't sure what this job had entailed and how we'd handle it. c-span: in your book, you discuss the differences between you and newt gingrich. i have a question for you. when you retire some day, what will you do? will you stay in washington, will you go back home? >> guest: well, i don't live in washington now, so i really doubt that i'd stay in washington. i've thought about that a lot. and i guess that when i'm ready to retire, i'm going to have to face up to it.

but you know, i think there's opportunities out there. there's a lot of things that you maybe would like to do. you know, there's some ambassadorships maybe i would like to do. and i have a great interest in japan. i got some interest in europe. but you know, that's down the road. i have never set my, you know, flag that way that i want to do

these people have run. they've been successful, and now they're moving on to other careers. we have to fill those open seats. so in a sense, it's something that we have to constantly keep up with. c-span: i was struck when i read your book that so many of the characters in your book aren't there anymore. and i just wrote them all down as i was reading about it. bob livingston, newt gingrich. dick armey, bill paxon, steve largent, saxby chambliss, john sununu, lindsey graham, tom coburn, susan molinari, john kasich, bill zellef, and i know i've missed some. >> guest: right. c-span: almost -- other than tom delay and a couple of others, the team that you started out with are gone. >> guest: well, you know, that happens in congress today. people used to say, well, you know, you go to congress, those people are there forever.

the term limit -- you know, the term limit issue and all those things that we talked about -- you know, the average -- i don't know what exactly the average term of a congressman, but it used to be for a long time. today, it's probably eight years or ten years is the average time that a person stays here. and they cycle off and do something else. a lot of those folks that you mentioned are either in the senate or headed for the senate so i mean, they step up and do other things. saxby chambliss and lindsey graham, and coburn's running for the senate, and others. so you know, there's other careers, too. c-span: tom coburn did this show once, and it was -- i think i can say without exaggerating, it was a -- the book was a real criticism of the house in this town. did you read the book? >> guest: i read excerpts from the book. c-span: if you were going to criticize your own institution over there, after you've now been there for -- how many years? >> guest: this is my 18th year that i've been in the congress. c-span: what would you tell those kids out there in civics class? >> guest: well, you know, i

always said -- you know, i taught government for 16 years. and when i first went to the illinois general assembly, i said, you know, the real difference here is the difference between theory and practice, that this place is a people business. it's how you treat people. it's how you deal with people is really how you get things done, not necessarily if you're a great orator or if you're a great attorney or, you know, a great writer. it's how you can relate to people, bring them together and move them in a direction to get real legislation or real things accomplished. and i would say that probably the most -- the biggest hindrance in that today -- that, you know, this -- the congress was partisan when i came. i saw the huge difference in partisanship between the house of representatives and the illinois legislature that i was in. the illinois legislature -- we were on the floor together, hours and hours and hours every day, and to go through the

process. and we weren't in as long, so things were compressed. here you went across the aisle, you talked to people, you shared a joke with somebody or a story with somebody from time to time and there was a collegiality there, even across the aisle. you know, one of the things in congress -- everybody goes back to their little own office and they watch a lot of the proceedings on tv. you come to the floor and vote. the people that you do get to know across the aisle might be people that you serve on a committee with or from time to time or have the opportunity to travel with. but there isn't this really cross-cultivization -- you know, cross-pollinization, in a sense, that you don't really get to spend time with people. i have some friends on the other side of the aisle, but they're people that i've known for a long, long time and people that i respect. but you know, so the incivility that people talk about in the congress comes from two things. first, not spending a lot of time with people. you don't -- you know, you're off on your own thing. you're in your office. you have constituents.

you have, you know, your whole agenda, that your staff is driving you, that you're busy all the time. and you don't take enough time to deal with people on the floor. the second part of that is when i first came to congress, there were democrats over -- had a plurality of over 100, i think. it was a huge plurality. and you know, i remember stories about their discipline within their caucus at that time. if somebody didn't vote with the party or, you know, didn't go with tip o'neill or didn't go with jim wright, they might have lost their parking place or their locks were changed in their office or they lost their telephone or -- you know, things like that, little subtle differences and disciplines that they had, saying that, you know, that's a time past, that's a generation past. and probably, they could get away with that. we can't get away with that. i mean, we have such a tight margin that -- you know, sometimes when i first started, it was a 5-vote margin. today we're close to a 10-vote margin.

depends on who's here and who's sick. but you have to deal with your own party all the time and keep people on board. you know, they call me a speaker, but i really -- they ought to call me the listener because i spend so much time listening to people's problems, trying to work through those problems, trying to make change possible for these people. and you have to pull your -- we're so closely divided that you have to pull your team together all the time to get something done. and you just don't reach across the aisle -- it's impossible --

every inspectship i think, he was somewhat disappointed when livingston stepped down really

didn't get nod to be speaker, i think that is a personal disappointment we would all have he was next guy in line, but happened that way one of the things that speaker, anybody if you have you have half votes in conference you can get, elected to a party position, a conference leadership position in order to get elected to speaker you have to have every one almost every one of the people to get elected that is what happened to newt in the first place we had a 10 or 12 people maybe 18 that within the going to vote for speaker on the floor, and you can't get elected speaker, doesn't happen. i think that was the realization, that dick had to face up to we worked together, very, very closely, and dick was good ally a good friend, i was disappointed when he did op-ed he helped us put together, the first medicare pill that we passed the second medicaid bill

that we did 106th, 107th was he were one of the leaders helping put it together criticized i said if you are going to do that owe me a heads-up before you -- i think, i wrote on memo on phone, i said, it is not your enemy you you have to worry about it is your friends that stab you in the back he they all have access to the floor even though they are not there any moring the go to gym, go to dining room, did they come back, after you had these personal -- >> you had a good conversation. >> you suggest in here that there are times when -- you know, you break that bond, i think you told a story about dick gep heaart the chaplin wha is the story. >> he became speaker -- the

story is trust in this place that only thing only comity to sell your word bond trust that people have in you, if people lose that trust,then, you the is very difficult to getting anything done, it i is almost impossible to be a a leader my situation when i first became speaker i knew that you newt had a good a difficult time he spent a lot of his time before he was in leadership, bringing down jim wright that was legacy that he inherited, had. so democrats just didn't like him i figured when i became speaker tried to reach across the aisle in acceptance speech i said i am willing to go halfway in some cases more than halfway you have go halfway, too. and i was willing to reach across, and work as a matter of fact, when challenge lya chapel

situation fout. rd decided to retire as chaplin, i broke on trajectidition speak made that decision did it. >> german ford chaplin how many years. >> four, retired. >> what ulterior. >> first year speaker. >> probably 2000. >> 2000. >> and came to me said i would like to retire, i said i would hate to see you go but, give me sometime. so instead of making a -- putting out a search committee making that a decision i who do it an a bipartisan basis so we had seven or eight or 9 members on each side, went out did a search i think had a 52 candidates, some number like that, i said, give me three -- candidates would youed without

prejudice don't rank them i will take it to leadership, to dime ahm ahm ahmdeb hea ahmwe will make that decision tom went through it was there, kept talking, said how do you go? >> and, 52 people how you winnowing this thing down, and i remember, father -- father george from georgetown university one of the leading candidates all of a sudden out of nowhere, out was this kind of under cutting thing we can't have a lobbyist this guy is a lobbyist he won't be couldn't be good chaplin, boy there is deeds going on here somebody -- and so -- the recommendations came down, and one of the recommendations a fellow swedish

cousin of mince to north park college in illinois one of my council, is on the board of north park you know, it is a good candidate he thought. another was -- chuck wright, who worked with the he pennsylvania legislature and was a presbyterian ministers did a lot of things with practice and prayer groups. and a bipartisan basis, as a matter of fact tony -- from ohio tony hall, was his nominee and democrat put him forward good credentials, o'brian worked for marquette university the people program studeexchange program i turned my staffers actual went

to his program, bryan was scheduled -- one of miefr people at a one time, we -- decided, to take all that when, when tom good me the list had it ranked one, two, three i said i won't this is without prejudice give me three names i glais back to him gave me same three names back, and, so, we went through the process, and interesting because the follow-up from the -- swedish don't remember his name a good is it true from my point of view was not outstandingtime o'brien i think one of the next guys we had in our conversation, interview with him, he said something he said i've been a scholar a worked with these kids worked around congress good deal of my life

said i would like to do this job be a chaplin i said continue writing, and kind of a red flag, went off in my mind i said, i don't know if somebody being a chaplin working with, personal conflict people have doing all the things you have to do with people's emotional situations around here, if i want somebody -- putting us down writing this thing, and that was a negative to me. and then, chuck wroit came in, a lot of our members were pushing him tony hall with those pushing him because he worked with the pro broeakfast he wanting to wok with families bring people together he wanted to do almost like, a parish, minister he was the only guy that emphasized that in my mind i thought he was the best choice, i talked to

armey kind of thought that wright was the right choice as well. then you i talked to tried to get dick to come in and meet with us, so we he could finals this is campaigning trying to run for speaker of the house at that time. so it was an election year, and so finally i got him on the phone, i said well let's make a decision over the phone. three candidates, donthe fellow swede irk. >> the -- did he ak bring own wright i said dick and i liked it like write he said lied -- he would say my choys i said let me get back to my people i will call you back a couple was later called me back said my people think we ought to go with, dick,

made a decision on the spot always went back to counsel or to his folks, people he talked to. and he says they like o'brien, catholic priest and i said well three to -- two to one split on this is thing, i said, dick and i want to go with wright, well, i am not going to oppose you on it see signed a letter named wright to chaplin, and started to come back, mike spoke, my deputy chief of staff came back to me and said, i was just -- catholic i you was asked last sunday, the -- the priest came down to me after or some -- dedication church it was something he said it seems to me, we just had a -- a meeting with bipartisansh bishops bishop of peoria played forcible in high scho

football in high school the armey anticatholic. >> i said what are you talking about he said that is what is happening for calls bishops meeting this anticatholic thing started billed up you had you a couple people dmokt minority unhappy with choice decided should be would make good political fodder drive a wedge into coming election here we are all of a sudden a religious thing never, i tried to be open about it, and it was really, a pretty nasty period, in experience, i had to go through you first year i was speaker, and finally, got to the point that looked like wright couldn't step in really serve people, as a chaplin, i decided i just had to go, i wasn't going to accept o'brien, somebody wanted to come

in politically write about lives my comprehensiexpression what ho do up acceptable to me i went to cardinal george in chicago a friend of mine, said look i got a a problem give me three candidac candidates he did i viewed of them in chicago kind of you quietly came down, and then, the vicar of the diocese in chicago impressed me very well, i will never forget that day we brought him in i interviewed him passed a resolution made him chaplin went down to press conference my office off the floor, of course all were there, because that is big issue, and, they first question said aren't you walk into aing lion's den what do you think about this is, looked down said my name is daniel that was the end of it that was the end

of it but it was a nasty time, and you know, geb hart in my opinion could have helped that, taken some leadership he he knew what the process was he knew why we made those decisions but let this political thing fester i don't think it was good for the house for the people's ability to get together. >> by the way, you i was noticing that you say if the book i am left -- moving that worries me you say in the book that means something. >> i think, every time unified to sit on the bench what i was playing football, or coaching, that is language -- >> what does it mean doest it mean, does -- are you tenser. >> non. >> we have videotape i want you to look at it, your doing something in this videotape this is from your reagan speech you right about in the book you don't like let's rollt it see if you foe what i am talking about.

>> my privilege to be here tonight, for honest, true american hero, someone i personally lock look up to -- >> can you tell what i am talking. >> no. >> you say don't you like to reach -- >> why were you reading one there. >> pretty positive important occasion, i think everybody had prepared remarks. pretty formal. actually remarks were printed, and for the -- for everybody distribution i think i am better off off the to which my head, of course you have to know about the copy the subject. i hate to the get tied down to text not comfortable with it some people can do it well, but sometimes i can do that too. but i think that speech probably tinder out all right. but -- >> did you ever write your speeches before you got to be speaker? >> you i -- never had to give

that many speeches before i was speaker but in legislature, i always said when i first ran for legislature i had two speeches, five minute pep talk, 40 mipt lecture i always knew material if i wanted to motivate people i know what i had to do did you it whole life, but, giving -- speeches or different zbhiem why did you wry this book. >> you know, i thought two things i wanted to do first of all, i felt, that i had gone through extraordinary experiences, since i became speaker came in, in height of impeachment a lot of bitterness house of representatives, people didn't trust government, within the sure about bill clinton, then, right after you i bake speaker, i remember i got called in the white house, and there were going to invade kosovo next thing that happened, we were in this is a campaign and after through war kosovo in this is

campaign had hanging chad campaign for a while people -- said well, you are going to be the next the temporary president, constitutionally and hung up couldn't make a decision, who is going to be this the president went before the supreme court, that got dragged out. beyond january 20th, by -- i was president -- of the i couldn't temporarily until revolved, american history right after that, we were sent september 11, 2001, nine weeks, i remember in my office almost every night working together bringing, people together were, bipartisan basis trying to make sure that writing the patriot act to make sure we could pursue terrorists airlines to fly -- ability to do

that, make sure that new york was put back together to make sure that our homeland, security was he is better, that was an incredible time in itself then we had the war in afghanistan, we had the war in iraq. and brings us right up to next election, but this was a incredible six years, and i thought -- he it is better to write this this down, or to get this thing down while you are memory is fairly clear with it, and i tried to do that, second thing, i felt that actually two other things i felt. all my life i have had somebody kind of help me out, from time to time, bob michael was great guy kind of took be under his wing when i first came to congress mentored me in a sense i had a football coach in high school kind of made me roifl could do some things i never thought i could do before, throughout my life i had people tom ewing i first came to

legislature helped me out, i helped him come back to congress, and just good friendships and people who really helped you. and i think that is important, and i tried to do that in my own career, bring people along make sure that -- they have an opportunity, even the most junior members to see opportunity to move forward. and second thing, in that respect, you know, i come from a pretty -- humble background i guess would you say. we were tough luck in small business changed businesses, we always a worked hard, and i never got a paycheck until i was 18 years old. and you always made good you worked hard you did everything you had to do, partly you had you spaibls famihad spoibrespon family working together i never

went to -- school -- a lot of mess on to do things 25 years ago somebody told me i would teach school coach 25 years ago would i be in congress late lone speaker of the house would i have laughed said no that is could i have a crazy idea, you know ordinary people do have the opportunity to do extraordinary things if given the opportunity i think that is something that we can't forget about this country. >> did i read in here that your -- original motivation to leave being a teacher per se was you needed money to put kids in college. >> well, i was looking for a little bit better economic help, from the school district, besides that the or whatever else, and it was kind of story that i always talk about. i went to the superintendent, and said i am you know, coaching working part time department chairman teaching three or four topics, subjects, and i need a little help.

>> how much were you making then. >> i was making probably 19,000 dollars a year. >> what year would have been. >> probably 1980, 79 i went to him the talked to have him about it, he said what is your do you have a masters degree i said sure history philosophy. >> he shook his head said that is not going to do any good you can't do anything with that, and he said tell you what you go back to summer school pick up 6 or 7 hours supervision opening as junior high principal, i didn't want to be an assistant principal in junior hi, assistant principal in junior hi you said you get better in being principal was a good friend of mine in high school i used to go down there, 7 or 8 chairs sitting in office, full of kids that were kicked out of study hall, in english class couldn't behave on bus you had to do you agree with this is every day i decided, teacher, dealing with

teacher's problems real problems help along, i said i don't want to do that next 20 years, and there is was an opening in the legislature i said i am going to run for legislature, i did, everybody made fun wrestling coach running for -- forelegislature -- but i won, and spent six years there had six great years in the legislature, it was republican lowered on revenue republican leader on appropriations, rewrote public utility act telephone being a in six years great opportunity people helped pleep there when when i ran for congress state district parts of three congressional districts, two of those congressman redesigned after nomination george bringen john, had terminal cancer stepped down nomination i thought if i going reason i for congress better be now was not sure if i was ready in 86, ran for congress, and won

came here in 87. 1994, you know i was on both transparence committ transportation energy and commerce competent all these things, then we the leadership, in 1994, that election, 95, i became chief deputy whip four years later speaker, i said loif comes full circle in my office wrestling coach never thought would i have an office with a chandler beautiful view down mall in the national capitol outside of my office at least 7 or 8 chairs i got people i had to talk with every day, tried to solve problems, and people coming to my office all the time so i am kind of the principal of this place. >> you are 51st person to be speaker of the house. >> yes. >> the republicans one point had a 6 year or three term limit on

the speakership, 8 term limit. >> 8. >> you still have it. >> no. as a matter of fact on you know, unhis ve unsolicited by me removed it. >> speaker how many the terms >> three. >> six years there have been a bunch in the past had six years including joe canon i believe, i think joe was there possibly 8 years you got a book on joe canon. >> right. >> who gave it to you? >> -- he former staff. john byner's former staffer ignite me now at white house gave me two books one on joe canon other find of anthology of all the speakers the first pook irstarted going through looking at speakers, preceded me didn't have last couple speakers in it all the speakers that preceded me kind of worked up lader started out lower party, official and became maybe, a i

shouldn't conference leader a conference leader up to dep whip, majority leader speaker in late 60s, 70s maybe 80s by time got to be speaker lived two years and died. boy this doesn't have much future this job, but if you go through the history it is interestinging to see it. >> want to show you a clip, i will have you explain afterwards kind of speaks for itself, but here have is bill. >> [no audio] spoo what are you

watching. >> this is after -- bill thomas and chair the ranking member of -- ways and means got into -- confli conflict, said altercation in his room, and they -- dmaments left occupied the library further irtaitritated mr. thoma they didn't come and escort him out it was an altercation that was about ready to happen, and

it came to a situation attention on house floor bill thomas a guy i think is a brilliant legislator, very smart one, probably one hadn't smartest guys, along with bill, newt gingrich ever worked with, huge sometimes monthed decoration gets in the way of accomplishing things very humbling time for bill, but, we got it worked out. >> did he change at all after that. >> it worked out, bill is -- when he amazes me. >> when you were back as a teacher, i must have he -- i want you to explain it, about you used to have kids read two books the jungle, and john steinbeck's grapes of wrath i thought interesting a

conservative republican is ought to have kids read those two books there are other books, too -- those two books i happen to think are important, because i wanted, kids to understand if you are teaching history, need to understand what culture was like challenges were like people could upset most kids, that time, still -- just up to that point in chicago, stockyards most farm kids took catholic into chicago for a lot of the kids i first started teaching chicago might go into stockyards, go to chicago -- and they couldn't relate to immigration all these people coming in so this was a good book, to read about struggle how things changed why society basically changes, conflict and teach about change, dpraips of wrath the same thing, dust storms in oklahoma people who had to emigrate, people who were

living on, a shoe strong trying to strive to get by problems a setting for history, and you could you explain better explain why presidents got elected, why what issues are, and so he i liked to use literature as a background for teaching history i thought it was great knew compared driving a bus a school bus, to running, the congress. >> i said, driving a school bus -- we have a small school 350 kids, really needed to drive a school bus take your teams by yourself once in a while so if you did that, smelley day or bad day you had that call 5:30 in the marooning driver didn't show up wou -- that call driving kids with kids on it like being speaker 69 house first of all, you had to keep a huge machine institution going straight down the road, you had to make sure, all the -- charges you had behind you,

based themselves at the same time you had to look up huge mirror, watch your back. and i think there is similarities. >> speaker has what individual powers you talk a little bit about the ability to appoint chairman of you have in other votes than the rest explain is that is in a what we do as steering committee, every year, appoints chairman, and appoints other people to certain functions in the house, but that is important, and who chairs is some -- sometimes chaiman shaips a function of seniority the oldest guy standing who had most seniority ended up being chairman, we tried to look at that a little different who can best, energize carry out our policies and get things done, and so we have looked at chairman and we do a screening process, the -- steering committee appoints people to committees. so that is a have you he

powerful thing to be able to do i have more votes than everybody else, but, you know, -- cumulatively everybody else had more votes teamwork people elected to the steering committee, then, leadership on steering committee we he tried to put best people in place, to get the job done. >> what did jean think of your zbloub. >> as a matter of fact jean is retightered from teaching very supportive my district changed she -- she goes knows all about it, i will just politics, do you the golf outings she goes out to all the districts, you i run from very far we were as you beneficiary to mississippi river she will do that v.p. of republican organization my home county one of the smallest counties in the state, they have two -- 20 -- 00 some woman this

that organization viable thing she is garden club so i don't think she sis ever ready to come back to washington we don't live in washington we live in illinois. >> what city do you live. >> a town called plano illinois 60 miles west of chicago. >> how would are three boys. >> i have two boys one is 26, i believe the other is 29. >> just two children. >> two children. >> what do they do. >> one is going on final year of law school north western this year -- finally i hope gets a job. >> and, my other son, works here in government consummiting company, in washington. >> josh. >> josh. >> government can he -- >> well, like to be called government. >> what kind of lobbyist. >> i think general things, i keep arm a's length we don't talk about what he does, he doesn't come to my office on government so i really don't follow what he does. >> do you worry at all he uses

your title. >> i don't think -- josh, we have an uns not do that. >> if you had to go back in that classroom day on a permanent basis and teach civics and government what would you tell them, about this job, this congress the way it works, that you didn't know before? >> well, i -- you know, i actually taught the -- legislature just time demands became so greet you can bring a much more human view into congress, with practical, and i would emphasize rather than you know, the -- mechanics of how a bill becomes a law, and you know, everything the that chairman to supreme court talk about real things how real people get things done in this is place how dynamics work, again, i think those are object lessons anybody that has a desire, to do something, and discipline do something gets something done that has always been kind of my mantra when i was coaching in politics i think

that is something that i would talk about all the time. >> the relationship of money every change -- relationship to the congress? >> all the money that is needed comes from the businesses and a lobbyists all that? and you know go back to the whole discussion mccain feingold, obviously a lot of things have happened that they didn't anticipate? >> you i opposed mccain-feingold -- what they call soft money, as opposed to hard money hard money calm from individuals, and pieces at that time, 1,000 dollars or less soft money came from corporations, didn't go to candidates but went to parties, and so, what mccain my opinion gold did was eliminate soft money to parties i feel that parties are tradition in this is country because if you wanted to help somebody run for state representative or state senate, or somebody in a city council or county board you could you do

that, you would cork work and help those people, today with lines twern mccain feingold, it is almost impossible to campaign for some body that is in the in national office you can't campaign for a president to have you try to meld two campaigns it is so difficult so almost taking the party, out of the ability to decide who is going to billed party organizations going to state or county, and, so what it has moved it to these soft money organizations that are not really called soft money organizations, 527. so a guy like george soros, for instance, billions and billions of dollars, can come in stick 10 or 20 million dollars, nobody knows where that money comes from, foreign sources no track a different type of soft money i just think it is wrong. i think it outing to be repealed, i think there are two things you needed to do in

campaign finance reform always said that number one, people are worried about money and the process. then there has to be a transparency if you get five dollar check or 100 dollar check or 1,000 dollar check from somebody it ought to go up who that money comes from period. so there is a transparency people see you can do that with internet today 20 minutes could have that on internet, second thing i think most money out to come from a person's district, at least the majority of that money, so people who are like you have a -- a say in how the this candidate comes about, and not somebody from outside interest groups. >> will you move for that yourself. >> absolutely. >> in next term. >> i want to assess how election goes i want to watch this thing go through you one election i am prepared to do that. >> any interest in beeth tip

o'neil's record longest serving speaker. >> i think record not els in in this is business set to be broken i just hope that in my tenure i can do a good job while i am there, when i can't be effective any more, it is time step down do something else. >> where would was this picture taken. >> i don't know. >> this is the book denny hastert speaker of the house of representatives. thank you very much. >> thanks.