and spencer. apart from being according to them the most beautiful children on the earth, they were otherwise unremarkable infants in a room full of squalorring infants. the distinction was two short years ago those two infants were snowflakes. what we call them today. they were frozen embryos. they were of the cache that we are told by medical ethicists today and by political leaders, are discardable. i mean to tell you, men and women, i looked in caroline's eyes and stroked spencer's hair. there was nothing discardable about them. [applause] ronald reagan said it best in his famous tome, a small book let, the only book ronald reagan

ever wrote before he left office, 1984, in abortion and the conscience of a nation and he said, i would believe he would speak of the stem cell research today in the same way, irrespective what his namesake says. that you can not diminish the value of any kind of human life without diminishing the value of all human life. and that the sanctity of human life and this debate over stem cell research is fundamentally at the center of this political debate, make no mistake about it. next week on capitol hill i will be privileged to be part of a team that brings to the floor another bill that i think is at the very center of our national life, and very heartbeat of your work in christian coalition, and that is, we will bring the marriage protection act to the

floor of the house of representatives. and we will pass it in this congress. [applause] and i must tell you that there are those who would trivialize this debate, and to be perfectly candid, i believe this issue is of such enormous social and cultural consequence that it is regrettable that it takes place in the midst of a national election year. but men and women, history has selected this time, not the conservatives, and let me make this point clear. while i may disagree with the lifestyle choices of americans most offended by the federal marriage amendment, and while i may pray for them, people who would know me know me to be a

live and let live person. i try to love my neighbor whether i agree with them or not. but i do know that i'm south of highway 40 in indiana, the difference between attacking and defending and men and women, marriage and those of us that stand for traditional marriage are attacking no one. we are defending an institution upon which the vitality of our families and our society depend. there is a difference. between attacking and defending. [applause] and marriage matters. i, i know i'm preaching to the choir here, men and women but i think basics matters talk to neighbors and friends and maybe millions of people looking in today, marriage matters i believe for four basic reasons. number one, wasn't our idea.

marriage was ordained by god. and instituted in the law. it is the glue of the american family and it is the safest harbor to raise children. marriage matters for these reasons and we must take the case to the american people over and above politics, that whatever the outcome in the election cycle, we must stand with those who stand with marriage, period. [applause] i emphasize, i emphasize one point in particular, and that is what another hoosier from the same area i serve, a man that i have privilege calling a friend, vice president dan quayle, who stood for family and stood for marriage as the country song says, he was pro-family, he was pro-family before pro-family was cool.

but we all remember the race in 1992 when dan quayle had the audacity to stand in the midst of a national debate and say that two-parent families mattered, for children. and i will never forget the headline of "the atlantic monthly magazine, helpfully published a month after the bush-quail team lost. it simply read, dan quayle was right, and he still is. two-parent traditional marriage is the safest harbor for raising children. he said it in 1992. it has been proven again and again and again by sociologists and secular sources in the intervening dozen years or more. one such example is provided by maggie gallagher and joshua baker in a recent survey produced by the institute for marriage and public policy

listen to this quote from 12 leading family scholars who summarized all the recent research literature on marriage. they concluded: marriage is more than a private emotional relationship. it is also a social good. not every person can or should marry. not every child raised outside of marriage is damaged as a result but communities where good enough marriages are common, have better outcomes statistically for children, women and men than do communities suffering from high rates of divorce, unmarried child bearing or conflict or violent marriages. men and women we stand with marriage, more than almost any issue of our time, marriage matters to the vitality of this, the freest and strongest and most powerful nation on the earth. [applause]

those are the stakes. and now the choice. the choice on these issues nearest to the heart of the american family could not be clearer in this election. the choice between president george w. bush who against a withering assault of criticism was willing to step into the roosevelt room and hold his head high and say he would support a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union between a man and a woman was an act of moral courage as compared to the democratic nominee, who says he supports marriage but offers a litany of excuses and asterisks that make his position and the position of the democratic party meaningless. there's one candidate in this race who is prepared to lead with moral courage to defend marriage and that is george w. bush. [applause]

and let me say it plainly. there is only one pro-life party in the united states of america. and this pro-life president, not only talked the talk but walked the walk when he signed a ban of partial-birth abortion ending a moral nightmare in the united states of america. [applause] with the support of republican congress. partial-birth abortion is over. the choice could not be clearer. so now it is your turn. we get called leaders out here, but as a friend of mine who was involved in the hungarian revolution against the russians in the middle of last century, said. bill: mike, you know what the definition after leader is? it is a coward that gets pushed

to the front of the parade. some of us have been pushed to the front of the parade but you're the leaders. you're the people who will go out from today either encouraged and invigorated or not. and i want to challenge you with three thoughts and i close. first i challenge you to pray. men and will, i'm not talking about the way they do in the end zone at an nfl football game. far be it from me i should sin against the lord by failing to pray for you. the bible says it is ambition to say i'm a man of prayer. that the effective and fervent prayer after righteous man avail much. i remember first day i saw the president on the september 11th this. i spent the day on the grounds of capitol. i walked up to him and as

brother in christ, i took him by the hand and said, i want you to know i'm praying for you. i said, thanks, i'm honored. i took his hand a little tighter, he thought i was just saying it. i want you to know i'm praying for you every day on my knees by name. and he put his hand on my shoulder, he looked at me, he said keep it up, mike, it matters. men, women, don't leave here today without understanding that consecration precedes conquest. to get on our knees, to pray through this election. to pray through these challenges. that god would himself, no authority is established without, would intervene to make clear to this good nation the clear choice we face on controlling moral issues of our time. >> on april 16th, 2007, virginia tech became the site of what "the washington post" called, the deadliest shooting

in u.s. history. a lone gunman killed 32 students, faculty and staff and injured dozens more. choe sung we, was a virginia tech student who later took his own life. governor tim kaine and his wife flew back from asia, to attend a memorial convocation one day after the shooting. >> what an amazing community this is. mr. president and mrs. bush, to all part of this virginia tech community in this room and on this campus worldwide, today it is a very bitter and sad day and yet my wife ann and i are very privileged to be here and there is nowhere else in the world we would rather be than with you at this moment. as charlie mentioned, ann and i had left on sunday morning from richmond to go on a two-week trade mission to asia. one of the events is actually an

event in india to spotlight a wonderful program of virginia tech. we had been in tokyo in the hotel for about five years whether we were awakened with at about 1:00 in the morning to report the horrible tragedy on this campus. we were stunned. our first thought was we need to get home. we need to be in blacksburg with this community that we care so much about. we had experience up in the middle of the night and not being able to get home for about 10 hours. we did what people all across the world have been doing, we sat there first in our hotel room, and in coffee shop and airport waiting louping with the television on, watching to get news what was happening on this campus and how the campus was handling it. it was different.

if was different being half way across world being on this campus and what you student were showing to the world. even in the midst of the darkest day in the history of this campus, what you showed the world yesterday, you students, was an amazing thing, again and again and again. in all these various news outlets students were called for to offer their thoughts. what they thought about the this campus and how they were dealing with the tragedy and questions were deep and troubling. what students came back to wearing virginia tech sweatshirts, wearing virginia tech caps and incredible community spirit on this campus and how before it was about who was to blame or could have been done different, it was about how we take care of each other on this wonderful, wonderful community. how proud we were in the midst

of a sad day, to see how well you represented yourselves and this university to a worldwide community. there are deep emotions called for by a tragedy as significant as this. grieving and sadness by the boatload. ann and i unashamedly shed tears about this and virtually all of you have as well. that is the thing you should be doing. you should be grieving. there are resources here and others on this campus to help you as you find need for consolation. that is so important. a second reaction that is a natural reaction is anger, anger at the gunman, anger at the circumstance. what could have been done different. could something have happened? that's natural well. one of the most powerful stories in the human history of stories is that great story central to judaism, islam, christianity, the story of jobe from the old

testament, afflicted with all kinds of tragedies in his family and health. and he was angry. he was angry at his circumstances. he was angry at his creator. he argued with god. he didn't lose his faith. it is okay to argue. it is okay to be angry. those emotions are natural as well. finally the emotions of the family members most affected, beyond grief. losing a son. losing a daughter, a brother, a sister, losing a close friend t can go beyond grief it isolation and feeling despair. those haunting words that were uttered on a hill on calvary, my god, my god, why has thou forescene me? despair is a natural emotion at time like this. they're all natural. they're all appropriate. but let me ask one thing of you,

this community. as you wrestle with your sadness, as you wrestle with your own feelings of anger or confusion, as you wrestle with despair and people with who lost family members close to you, do not lose hold of that makes virginia tech a special place. do not lose hold of that. you need it as a university because you always had it. you need to maintain it. we do not need the spirit of community to be a i can have tim of yesterday. no, you need that. you as a community, unified together. there was so much you can do for these family members, to help bear them up, to help them deal with their grief. if you are unified, there is an incalcuable amount you can do to help the family members and friends deal with the loss. we need in virginia that spirit of community that you have here.

we're bold enough to call our not a state but a commonwealth. a state is a dotted line. a state is a political subdivision. commonwealth has a meaning. the meaning is what we have, that god given and man-made resources we have we hold in common as a community. you at virginia tech can be that community and demonstrate that community for news a way that will benefit the entire virginia. and finally i would say to you from having that vantage point of hearing about this on the other side of the world, it's not just you that need to maintain the spirit. the world needs you to because the world was watching you yesterday and in the darkest moment in the history of this university, the world saw you and saw you respond in a way that built community. i was reminded in the airport as we got ready to board to come back, i've seen this story

before. i have turned on the television and seen the bad news of a shooting or a weather emergency or a famine. i've seen these stories. there will be more stories. but there was something in the story yesterday that was different and it was you, your spirit of even in a dark day of optimism and community and hope and wanting to be together and you taught something good yesterday even in a dark day to people all around the world and the world needs that example before it. i pledge to do all i can, president seger and the community and to be with you in the coming days. to be alongside of you in difficult times as we sort through to try to work with families and friends. you have a remarkable community here. just look around and see this. and see thousands of students next door. this is a remarkable place. do not let hold of that sense of community which is so powerful

in this room. >> more now from tim kaine as we look at events from the past featuring the 2016 vice-presidential candidates on c-span. in early 2007 then governor kaine became one of the first politicians to endorse barack obama for president. here he is introducing the illinois senator at a 2008 rally in alexandria, virginia, just before the state's primary. mr. obama went on to win the race with 64% of the vote. >> this sun believable. are you ready to win in two days? [cheers and applause] this story is as inspiring as "remember the titans," coach boon. [cheering] i'm so glad to be, i'm so glad to be with so many friends. i thank christina for that great enthusiasm we all share. we were just in the overflow

room and the overflow of the overflow room. we are gathered here because we're part of a national movement to change this country and put in a president we can be proud of! [cheering] yes we can. >> yes we can! >> yes we can. >> yes, we can! yes, we can! yes we can! yes we can! >> as christina mentioned i'm one of the national cochairs of the campaign. i endorsed senator obama one year ago yesterday. [cheering] can see a couple of things in him. i can see when i got to know him campaigning for governor, excellence of character, judgement and vision. i think americans will want excellence in 2008 after two administrations in a row of mediocrity. we want excellence!

[cheering] i can see that the senator was a unifier at a time when we're so divided and we need a unified nation. the senator is a person of strong values and beliefs who nevertheless is always reaching out to bring others to the table and include others. we need a unifier. that is who senator barack obama is. that is what our nation needs. [cheering] when christina was speaking it made me think back, i spent a year 20 five years ago in honduras working with missionaries and we used to have a couple of phrases that come to mind. listo. it's a word if you know spanish you know it means ready, it really means more than that, a conscience and intellect that is formed and courage ready to put

you out there doing what you need to do. senator obama. [speaking spanish] [cheering] another phrase we used to use was -- [speaking spanish] walking with the people. barack obama -- [speaking spanish] [cheering] [speaking spanish] [cheering] [speaking spanish] [cheering] [speaking spanish] [cheering] [speaking spanish]

[cheering] [speaking spanish] translation of all that he is a great guy claim. he is a great guy! he is a great guy! [cheering] and so, and so i endorsed him for those reasons but i endorsed him for one other reason. that's why we're here. we're not doing this for our health. we're doing it to win! we want somebody who can win and barack obama can win. [cheering] barack obama can win. we are, we are barely one month into a primary season and barack obama has won states all over this country. [cheering] he has won red states and blue states, northern states, southern states, eastern states, western states, midwestern

states. [cheering] he's won in states that were urban, that were rural, that were suburban, that only democrats can participate in, that independents could participate in, all over this nation from alabama to alaska and everywhere in between! we've got a candidate who can win, who can win. [cheering] and you saw last night, aren't we in a great mood today after yesterday? [cheering] a blue state, washington, a red state, nebraska, a purple state, louisiana, all overwhelmingly for barack obama. [cheering] and on tuesday, and on tuesday we can be part of a big momentum story to propel him forward to the next week with wisconsin and

why, to propel him forward with ohio, texas, rhode island, vermont, if we get on board, if we deliver a big win tuesday, there will be unstoppable momentum to this campaign. will you do it? will you do it? [cheering] all right. >> yes we can!. yes we can! yes we can! yes we can! yes we can! >> c-span special look back at the vice-presidential candidates continues now with mike pence speaking shortly after the 2008 presidential election. in addition to losing the presidency that year, republicans also lost seats in both houses of congress. then congressman pence join ad panel to discuss the future of the republican party, and the proper role of the minority in congress. it was hosted by the republican governors association.

>> mike, can you tell us how you see the role of the minority in congress in addressing the new president when he takes office, president-elect obama and bigger majorities in the house and senate? >> gladly, ed. thank you to the rga for this very humbling invitation. i kind of looked at the panel and was kind of thinking, you know, kind of like introducing obi-wan ken nobody by and han solo and r2-d2 will be on the panel. i was talking about me. [laughter] two governors up here other than mitch daniels that i must respect to america in this stage and address the governors gathered here including a person i think was finest, most

dignified, most courageous candidate for vice president of the united states in my lifetime [applause] i would say, ed, we have to state the obvious and i'm very moved by governor perry's comments and governor palin's comments, excuse me, that there is a difference between the republican party at the state level and the leadership represented around this table then at the federal level. i mean the lessons that were forgotten at the federal level were put into practice in increasing measure in places like mississippi. in places like indiana. places like texas. and so, i take to heart the difference there. so when i speak about where i think the republican party is i

speak where the republican party in washington, d.c. in washington, d.c. is. the republican party at the federal level is in the wilderness. the author mark halperin wrote several years ago there is way out of the willed derers in and the way out of the wilderness is the truth. recognizing it, stating it, defending it, and living by it. i believe that the truth is at the federal level, in 2006 and in 2008, we did not lose our governing majority. we lost our way the american people didn't walk away from the contract with america, they decided we did. somewhere in my judgment and eight years in congress we lost our willingness to fight for those principles of fiscal discipline, limited government and reform. to find our way back we need to recognize that, be open with the american people about it and be humble about it. i think we need to return our

party as governor palin and governor perry just said is and others said in remarks before, i think we need to return our party to the principles that minted what i believe in my heart is still the governing majority of the united states of america. on election day we're told in exit polls that 22% of americans identified themselves as liberals. i didn't do great in math in the fourth grade. i don't think that is a majority. the truth is that the governing majority in america is still centered around people that are looking for leadership that will defend our nation, defend our treasury, and defend our values with everything they have got. and if the republican party at the national level will do what so many governors around the country have done, i believe we'll see, not only our political fortunes spring back but we'll see resurgence of those ideals practiced at the federal level. one other point, ed, i call

myself a jack kemp republican. i dye my hair to look more like jack kemp. i believe the great tradition of the republican party is the quality of opportunity. that we'll celebrate a special moment in january, regardless of our politics. a few short weeks of buy centennial of abraham lincoln's birth, we'll see the first black president in the united states of america. i think at certain core level it should be special for republicans. it was, our founder of our party signed the emancipation proclamation. it was teddy roosevelt who endured scorn by inviting a african-american leader into the white house. of course jack kemp did so much to build the relationship of our party to the minority community. i think we need to take the, our message of a strong defense of opportunity for all and of traditional moral values,

sanctity of life and sanctity of marriage, to every community in america and not be shy about that. lastly i had to pull a little winston churchill, i know you would approve, ed. winston churchill described the duty before us. he quoted the late lord sals bury had written in 19th century in aftermath of defeat. duty of every englishman in every political party to accept defeat cordially, to secure the success or neutralize the evil of principles they have been forced to succumb. churchill add the in his own words. it is no wish to we be unfaithful to wholesome tradition. republicans need to return to what states never forgot, strong defense, limited government, sanctity of life, sanctity of marriage. and we need to be willing after appropriate period of recognizing a transition in history, with need to be willing

to fight at every level for what we believe in. thank you. >> thank you, congressman. >> just two years after the 2008 presidential election, republicans won back the majority in the house of representatives. mike pence spoke shortly after the 2010 midterms at an event hosted by the federal it society in washington and he focused on the role of president. a reminder c-span will have is live coverage of the vice-presidential candidates debate on tuesday, october 4th, starting at 7:30 p.m. eastern. >> the presidency is the most visible thread that runs through the tapestry of the american government. more often than not for good or for ill it sets the tone for the other branches and it spurs the expectations of the people. its powers are vast and consequential. its requirements from the outset and by definition, impossible for mortals to fulfill without

humility, and insistent attention to its purposes asset forth in the constitution of the united states. isn't it amazing given the great and momentous nature of office of those who seek it, seldom pause to consider what they're seeking? rather, unconstrained by reflection or principle, there is a mad rush towards something that once its powers are seized, the new president can wield it as an instrument which to transform the nation and people according to his highest aspirations. but other than in a crisis of a house divided, the president sy is neither fit nor intended to be such an instrument. it is made that, the country sustains a wound, and cries out justly and indignantly and what the country says, the theme of this address, what it says impelled by its long history, but what it says quite naturally

and rightly, what it may well have said on november the 2nd, is that we as a people are not to be ruled and not to be commanded. [applause] it says that the president should never forget this. that he is not risen above us but is merely one of us chosen by ballot, dismissed after his term, tasked not to transform and work his will upon us but to bear the weight of decision and to carry out faithfully the design laid down in the constitution and impassioned by the declaration of independence. the presidency must adhere to its definition as expressed in the constitution and the conduct defined over time and tradition. while the powers of the office have enlarged along with those of legislature and judiciary the framework of government was intended to restrict abuses

common to classical empires and the regal states of the 18th century. without proper adherence to the role contemplated in the constitution for the presidency the checks and balances in the constitutional plan become weakened. this is most obvious in recent years when the three branches of government have been subject to the teutel landing of tutelage of a single party. presidents often forgotten they are intended to restrain the congress at times and the congress is independent of their desires and thus fused in some kind of unholy unity, the political class has raged forward in an expansion of power and prerogatives mistakenly assuming to exercise power is by default to do good. even the simplest among us knows this is not so. power is an instrument of fatal consequence. it is confined no more readily than quiksilver and it escapes

good intentions as easily as air flows through mesh. therefore those entrusted with it must educate themselves in self-restraint. a republic, if you can keep it, is about limitation and for good reason. because we are mortal and our actions are imperfect. the tragedy of presidential decision is that even with the best of choice some, perhaps many, will be left behind and some, perhaps, many, may die. because of this a true statesman lives in what churchhill called the continuous stress of soul. he may give to paul but only because he robs peter and that's why you must always be wary after president who seems to float upon his own greatness. for all greatness is tempered by mortality and every soul is equal.

it is a tragedy indeed that the new generations taking office attribute failures in governance to insufficient power and invariably seek more of it. in the judiciary this is seldom been better expressed by justice thurgood marshall's dick up it, you quote, do what you think is right and let the law catch up, close quote. in the congress it presents itself in massive legislation, acts and codes thousands of pages long and so monsterously overcomely kateed that know humidity being could read through them in a lifetime, not much understand them and people feel like they're no longer beinged about, they feel like being told. our nation finds itself too offf then of late in the position of a dog whose duty it is not to ask why because the why is too elevated for his nature. just simply obey.

but america is not a dog. and does not require a, "because i said so" jurisprudence, so which it is commanded to let up, that legislators knit laws so complexity that they're heavier than chains. or a president who acts like, speaks like and is received as a king. [applause] the presidency has run off the rails. it begs a new clarity, a new discipline, a new president. [applause] the president is not our teacher, our tutor, our guide or our ruler. he does not command us. we command him. we serve another him nor his vision. it is not his job or his

prerogative to redefine custom, law and beliefs, to appropriate industries, to seize the country as it were by the shoulders or by the throat as if to impose by the force of theatrical charisma his justice on 300 million people. it is neither his job nor his prerogative to shift the power of decision away from the people to him and to the acolytes of his choosing. is my characterization of unprecedented presumption incorrect? i defer to the judgment of the people which they will make in their own eyes and their ears. but listen to the exact words of president obama ace transition team. who said at the point of his election, quote, it's important that president-elect obama is prepared to really take power and begin to rule day one. or more recently, from the words of the latest presidential

appointment to avoid confirmation by the senate, the new head of the financial consumer bureau wrote, quote, president obama understands the importance of leveling the playing field. take power, rule, leveling. though it is now this has never been and should never again be the model of the presidency or the character of the american president. [applause] no one can say this too strongly. no one can say it enough until it is remedied. we are not subjects. we are citizens. [applause] we fought wars so we don't even have to treat kings like kings. and if i may remind you, we won

that one. [applause] the powers of the presidency are extraordinary and necessarily great and great presidents treat them sparingly. no finer, more moving or profound understanding of the nature of the presidency and command of humility placed upon it has ever been expressed in my judgment than by president coolidge. he, like lincoln, lost a child while he was president, a son of 16. the day i became president coolidge wrote, he had just started to work in a tobacco field when one of his fellow laborers, said to him, you know, if my father was president i would not be working in a tobacco field. to which young calvin al parentally replied, if my father were your father, you would. [laughter] his affection for the boy was obvious.

and his admiration. while in the white house president coolidge's son contracted blood poisoning from an incident on the south lawn. coolidge wrote words that resonate with any parent in the room. he wrote, what might have happened to him under other circumstances we do not know, but if i had not been president, and then he continued, in his suffering he was asking me to make him well, and i could not, and when he went, the power and the glory of the presidency went with him. a sensibility like this, and not power, is the source of presidential dignity. and it must be restored.

it depends entirely upon character, self-discipline, and an understanding of the fundamental principles that underline not only the republic, but life itself. it communicates the president feels the gravity of his office and is willing to sacrifice himself. that his eye is not upon his own prospects but upon the storm of history through which it is his responsibility to navigate with the specific powers accorded to him and the limitations placed upon them, not merely by man but by god. in the capitol rotunda are heroic paintings of the signing of the declaration, the victory at saratoga, the victory at yorktown and something seldom seen in history. a painting that depict as general, the leader of an armed rebellion.

resigning his commission and surrendering his army to a new democracy. upon hearing from benjamin west that george washington having won the war and been urged by some to use the army to make himself king would instead return to his farm, george iii said, if he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world. he did. and he was. [applause] to aspire to such virtue and self-restraint would in a sense be difficult but in another sense it should be easy. difficult because it would be demanding an ideal, and easy because it is just the right thing to do and the rewards are immediate and self-evident. a president who slights the constitution is it like a rider

who hates his horse. he will be thrown. [laughter] and the nation along with him. the president solemnly swears to preserve, protect and defend the constitution. he does not solemnly swear to ignore, overlook, supplement or reinterpret it. [laughter] other than in a crisis of morality, decency and existence, like the civil war, if he should want to hurry along the constitution to fit his own notions or designs he should do so by amendment rather than adjustment. for if he joins the powers of his office to his own willful interpretation, we step away from a government of laws, toward a government of men. the president should regard the constitution and the declaration like an obsessed lover. they should be on his mind all the time. the prism through which the light of all questions of governance pass.

though we have sometimes gradually, sometimes radically moved away from this, we can move back to it. and who better than the president to restore this wholesome devotion. now, where is at home the president must be cautious, dutiful and referential, abroad his character must change. were he to ask for a primer to how to act in other states, which no holder of the office has needed up to this point and were that primer to be written about it american people in 1776 or in 2010, you can be confident it would be contain at least the following instructions. first, you do not bow to kings. [applause]

outside of our borders the president of the united states bows to no man. when in foreign lands you do not criticize your own country. [applause] you do not argue the case against the united states but rather the case for it. [applause] you do not apologize to the enemies of the united states of america. [applause] now, should you be confused, let me help. a country, people, or region that harbors, shelters, supports or encourages or cheers attacks upon our country, are enemies of the united states of america and you do not apologize to them. [applause] closely related to this and perhaps the least ambiguous of

the president's complex responsibilities is his duty as commander-in-chief. in this regard there is a very simple rule, unknown to some presidents regardless of party, if, and it's the biggest if any president can face, for it will follow not just him but hundreds of thousands or millions of others not just for the rest of their lives but in cost of blood and souls beyond life itself, if, and it's an if that requires long and deep thought, tremendously hard labor at determining the truth of things. lifetime of education, the knowledge of a general, the wisdom of a statesman, and the heart of an infantryman, if. after careful deliberation,

intense stress of soul, and the deepest prayer, if then you go to war, then having gone to war, by god you go to war to win. [applause] you do not castaway american lives, for those of the innocent non-combatant upon a theory, a gambit or a notion. and if the politics of your own election or your own party intrude upon your decision for even an instant, there are no words for this. more commonplace but hardly less important are other expectations of the president in this regard. he must not stint on the equipment and provisioning of our armed forces. if hers, it must not be on the side of scarcity but on the side of surplus. he must be the guardian of his

troops, taking every step to avoid the loss of even a single american life. the american soldier is as precious as the closest of your kin. because he is your kin. and for his sake the president must in effect say to the congress and to the people, i am the commander-in-chief. it is my sacred duty to defend the united states of america and to give your soldiers what they need to complete their mission and come home safe. [applause] in fulfilling this duty if the president waivers he will have detrade his office for this is not policy, it is probity. and it is not an expedient artifact of imagination. it is written on the blood-soaked ground of saratoga, yorktown, antietem, guadalcanal,

iraq and afghanistan and 1000 other places in our history in lessons repeated over and over again. >> you're watching a special program on the careers of the vice-presidential candidates as seen through the c-span video archive. tim kaine served as chairman of the democratic national committee from 2009 to 2011. our next segment shows chairman kaine reflecting on midterm elections which democrats lost their majority in the house. >> this is the first meeting that we've had since the midterms as an entire dnc. i just want to start there, we have to acknowledge it was a tough night, it was a very tough night. it didn't go the way we want it. wave elections usually push both houses the other way. that didn't happen, thank goodness. we won some very close late-breaking races statewide

races that came our way and we lost seats and it was more than seats. i thought about what congressman cleaver said the other day in the executive committee, if you were there, we're not about numbers. we're about people. so you can talk about numbers but what i think about the midterms i think about people. i think about really good public servants that i know and i imagine you think about an awful lot of great public servants who you knew not returned to state legislative bodies, governor bodies or to the senate and house. most of them, most of them didn't return not because they weren't doing the right thing, they did the right thing. when people do the right thing, in a political climate where it is tough to do the right thing, make tough decisions, make unpopular choices because they need to move the nation forward, obviously we want to see those people rewarded. we don't want to see people do the right thing not get rewarded but in the, you know, mystery and complexity of life we see this in politics and elsewhere,

sometimes if you do the right thing there can be a backlash. "the empire strikes back," as they say, and we lost a number of good people who did the right thing who are either not back or i think also, i can't help but thinking of even people who are back like a speaker who did a magnificent job in two years, speaker nancy pelosi. [applause] who is still there, still fighting for us as our democratic leader in the house but not in the same position. so there are lesson learned. look, there were some challenges in the midterms and there are also some bright spots. the challenges were independent voters who supported president pretty significantly in 2008 did not support democratic candidates nationally. there were changes state to state, district to district but independent voters moved pretty significantly in two years. that is something we, the white house and all we've got to work on. our young voters who don't have a great history of midterm turnout but who had amazing

surge in 2008, we actually saw young voters do better in 2010 than a normal midterm but we hoped it would be better still and we didn't get to where we wanted to with young voters. with women voters. the democratic party has had a spectacular tradition of winning women voters by pretty healthy margin. we still won women voters in the midterms but the margin was narrower. there are some challenges that we have to grapple with, and we are digging through the data, working with our candidates and having discussions at dnc, with the president and with our con expressional leadership for the next two years. there were a couple of bright spots. i think that, you know, you got to mention them because i think there are some thanks involved. turnout of some of the democratic core constituencies was actually really, really good. african-american voters nationally really turned out very, very well because they understood what was at stake in terms of partners who would work with or partners who would fight against the president.

a piece of data i found remarkable in this score. i will use this as an example, but there are others. wisconsin voting. we had a horrible election night in wisconsin. we lost the governor's race. we lost a spectacular senator, senator feingold, members of congress. in 2010 it was a tough, tough night. 2006 in wisconsin we had a great night. we won a senate seat, herb kohl. we won governor's race governor doyle and congressional seats. in most democratic jurisdiction in wisconsin biggest place we put up big democratic margins in city of milwaukee. the voting turnout in city of milwaukee was 15% liar than in 2006. democrats voted very well in that city and cities all across the country. we have to acknowledge that. latino vote was strong. it actually was a critical margin in key races in colorado and nevada and california and aapi voting in washington and

oregon was -- any late-breaking race, you followed this, i sure did i was looking for salve for the wounds after election night, after legislation night, the colorado senate race, oregon governor's race, washington senate race and illinois governor ace race, around connecticut governor's race, minnesota governor's race all switched. in those races "field poll" ticks matters. some of the close races we were winning there was good field activity going on because of state parties because of organizing for america volunteers. i said there were bright spots. you can't sugarcoat it it was a tough night and, after that night i just remembered a wonderful line that i always remember after anything tough because it tells you, okay, it's tough. progress isn't always complete straight line. two steps forward, one step talk. william faulkner, they may have kilt us but they ain't whooped

us. they may have kilt us but they ain't whipped us. if you need proof of the proposition, bill daly, pundits after the midterms, democrats back on their heels, the other guys were offense and defense, we ended up with a president and a congress at the end of that lame-duck session got more good work done than 9/11 responders bill, what a spectacular, spectacular thing that the other guys tried to block but we made it happen. [applause] the s.t.a.r.t. treaty, the compromise that would extend unemployment benefits and adjust payroll taxes for folks. look there was a pill in there a lot of folks didn't want to swallow with respect to the tax cuts on wealthiest. president said we'll come back and we'll talk about that one again right in the heart of a presidential election when everybody is paying attention and when we have an opportunity to have it affect an election one way or the other. in those achievements in the lame duck you played a big role, you played a big role, one i

didn't mention, the one i didn't repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." that one was like -- [applause] that one, went through some twists and turns. i know folks were so frustrated t was up, it was down. it was part of the defense authorization. couldn't happen. the republicans blocked it pre-election, even middle of december it looked tough but, you all weighed in wonderful ways, from the dnc in late december. we put out the call, can you help us with petitions we can deliver to key senators offices to get them on board. basically 72 hours we had nearly 3/4 of a million petitions we could deliver to members of congress. we have to say great activism by so many wonderful activists and american public saying we want you to do this and the american military saying we want you to do this. you weighed in end of your accomplishments made "don't ask, don't tell" and others happen.

the president continued with a strong sit of the union and compelling and tremendously moving presentation to a grieving nation in the aftermath of the horrific shooting in tucson. things can look dark one day. how quickly they can turn. there is lesson, they can look good one day and turn as well. we'll go through a lot of cycles and a lot of ups and downs. the challenges we face in november have not deterred us. they have not slowed us down. they have not made us trim our sales. they have energized us and gotten up and battling with a great president to do good work. if i tell you there is one thing that the election has done it enabled us to paint in pretty stark contrast the choice that is before the country. and you heard secretary solis do it better than anybody. i'm not going to be able to top her but the president has said look, the choices are simple. we'll win the future. we're going to win. we're oop mists. we're optimistic, we're hopeful. the other guys will be doom and gloomers.

they have been the doom and gloomers and naysayers. we're winners in this country and we're winners in it party and we'll be about the future looking forward tackling new challenges rather than going backwards and fighting about the battles of the past. as the president said we'll focus every day on the economy and make it stronger by outbuilding and outinnovating and outeducating the rest of the world. on the economy, on the economy, i get into these discussions and richmond where i live as i travel around, i'm sure you do too. you talk to people about the economy. . .

when jobs had fallen off a cliff. we lost 750,000 jobs, more than that in january 2009 when he was inaugurated. the worst monthly stat we have seen in decades. we have now grown the private sector economy as secretary solís said 12 months ago. the other guys, we were losing jobs on on democratic and we are gaining jobs. [applause] >> if you put a dollar on the stock market, the day that

george bush was inaugurated in 2001, what was it worth when he left office? seventy-eight cents. eight years decline by 22%. if you put a dollar in the stock market in the dow the day barack obama is was inaugurated is a dollar 50. that's what democrats do, we grow the economy, we protect people's pensions and their savings. [applause] >> on the other side, what we have, we are winning the future. we are climbing out of the ditch that they made. we are battling for green energy and battling for inclusion, what the other side is doing is the party of the past. they said if they got power, they would focus on jobs. that's what they said they would focus on. let me tell you what they have been focusing on. if you look at republican governors all over the country what you see is massive education cuts, i was in texas last week, wisconsin, and illinois, a week before and i go

to all democratic and republican states and one thing i see that republicans are massive cuts to education. how are we going to outinnovate, and how to outeducate and continue to grow if we are cutting the talent expansion which is public education. we can't do it. we don't -- can't do it. [applause] that's certainly not a projob strategy and yet one they are pursuing. other strategy in the house, there's basically an effort to focus on issues and take away the rights of women. you saw last week the house voted to completely defund planned parenthood, cervical screenings, protecting women's choices, what does that have to do with jobs? going after women, what does that have to do with jobs? you see secretary solís trying

to refine what forcible rape means, another bill that house republicans pushed before they realized, hey, this is stupid, but they all had their names on the bill and we are not going to let any of those sponsors forget what they were trying to do to american women. [cheers and applause] >> you heard -- you heard the secretary talk about wisconsin and the other states. i was in madison a couple weeks back. let me just put it first if it was a company. let's set state government aside. if it was a company, what ceo do we admire who comes into a company and as the ceo wages a public war. there are ceos that do that. no ceo's we admire that do that

because ceo's we admire know as the secretary said, it's about partnership. way you do is you work together to find progress, you don't come in and wage war employees. trying to make public employee it is boogie man and go after them, these are the people that teach our kids, care for parents and grandparents in nursing homes, these are the people that are trying to keep streets safe or provide fire protection and the notion that we are going to go after them and make them evil and make them the boogie man even when they are willing to engage in the shared sacrifice that public employees engage in every day show what is the other side is about and paints that contrast. and i will say one final thing on the contrast. you know, the first thing the republicans did when they came in, it wasn't about jobs, they wanted to repeal health care. they wanted to take away from 7 million small businesses that tax credit that small businesses are get to go help them afford health care. they were going to make it more

expensive to be a small business. they wanted to do it. i can't resist because i heard somebody say this and it just suddenly, you know, does somebody else find it odd that the way they really go after this is, they call it obamacare. obamacare, care is a bad word, care is a negative, we are against care, we are going to fight against care, i'm glad obamacares, i'm glad obamacares, i'm glad democrats care. i'm glad democrats care. [cheers and applause] >> i'm glad democrats care because, look, look, if it's not democrats who is going to care? if it's not democrats who care

about small businesses who can't afford health care, who is going to care? if it's not democrat caring about cost of college and who is going to care? we do care and that's one of the greatest things of being a democrat and we should be very proud in being president. >> in march of 2011 tea party activists rallied in government demanding government shutdown then congressman mike pence spoke at that rally, voicing support for the activists. this segment is part of a special presence on the careers of the vice presidential candidates. you can watch the entire event at our website c-span.org. >> i'm mike pence. i'm from indiana, the tea party to patriots, americans, welcome back to your nation's capitol. [cheers and applause]

>> with the deficit this year of $1.65 trillion and aationnal debt of $14 trillion and defiant liberal majority in the senate it's time to pick a fight. [cheers and applause] >> they said it's time to end the borrowing and the spending and the bailout and it's time to end the congress of nancy pelosi once and for all. and you did it. and you did it. [cheers and applause] >> house republicans have gone to work. we have cut our budgets, we repealed obamacare, locked stock barrel on the floor of house of representatives and we voted to

cut spending, prestimulus, defunding obamacare and ending all public funding for planned parenthood of america. [cheers and applause] >> but house republicans have run head long into harry reid. harry reid took to the floor of the senate and said that our modest down payment on fiscal discipline was reckless, irresponsible, mean-spirited, he even defended federal funding for the cowboy poetry institute in nevada. [shouting] >> the truth is they just don't get it. they don't understand the party is over for liberals in washington, d.c. [cheers and applause] >> the american people are demanding that we change the

fiscal direction of our national government, but i have to tell you, i learned a long time ago things don't change here in washington, d.c. until they have to. we've got to say to harry reid and liberals in the senate, this far and no farther, we have to borrow a line from another and it stops here. [cheers and applause] >> now, and if liberals in the senate would rather play political games and shut down the government instead of making a small down payment on fiscal discipline and reform, i say shut it down. [cheers and applause] >> nobody wants to government shut down but if we don't take a stand we are going to shut down the future of our children and grandchildren.

make no mistake about it, this is a defining moment for the new majority in congress. not the $61 billion in cut is anything to ride home about. it's just a down payment, maybe just earnest money on restoring fiscal discipline and it's start and it'll be a first step, first win for taxpayer that is could set the stage for larger victories on battling against the debt ceiling increase without fundamental reform, battling for a budget long-term vision for fiscal discipline and setting our nation back on the pathway toward constitutional limited government. you know, sometimes even small tens boldly taken can change history like it did on christmas night 1776, a harsh storm in the

delaware valley, public support for the war was waning and the troops were demoralized. he would pick a fight in the dead of night. take it directly to the enemy. so they boarded the boats, they crossed the great river and they won the day. now, by historical standards washington's crossing was a small event. on that night 2400 americans fought 1500 and battle lasted a couple of hours, by contrast 115,000 men fought a terrible battle and continued for a day, battle of the bulge went on for more than a month. while the victory in trenton was not a great battle, it was a battle of great consequence. history records that it was a defining moment in our still

young nation, that small victory by the continental army showed that victory was within our reach and americans were still willing to fight. it rekindled the fire of independents and set the stage for larger victories that followed. now, today our struggle is not against implaquable enemy and we will not hear compare military contest with political debates but the principle is the same. by picking a fight and winning this one small step towards fiscal discipline in washington, d.c., the american people will see that victory over deficits and debt is within our reach. we can fight and win and we can restore limited government at the national level and so we must fight.

[cheers and applause] >> republicans must show that we are worthy of this moment equal to the crisis, willing to stop turn and squarely face the mountain range of debt that threatens our children's future and squarely faces all of those who defend the status quo. if harry reid wants to fight, let's give it to him. [cheers and applause] >> democrats in the senate may think they have the advantage but let me assure you, it only seems that way. a minority in the senate plus the american people equals a majority. [cheers and applause] >> and know this, know this men and women, whenever you take a stand for freedom, for future generations, for traditional values, you do not fight alone.

he who still is waters, he who cleared the ice flows on the delaware will make away for america for he is not done with america yet. let's go pick a fight. [cheers and applause] >> tim kaine won his race for u.s. senate in 2012 defeating former virginia senator and governor george alan, from the c-span archive a portion of that debate featuring gregory as the moderator. >> thank you, david, it's great to be back with the chamber of commerce, reminds me of a similar event seven years ago. at that event we talked about transportation and right outside this building there wasn't a rail being built or highways on the belt being built i was happy to work with you as time as governor. we talked about education as time as governor, we put in

place the largest bond package and now significant construction at mason and community colleges and expanded prekindergarten. we talked mostly at the chamber about economic development and in my time as governor, we landed companies, hilton, volkswagen of north america, announced they were coming to the neighborhood. we also want as best state of business in four years as governor. i'm proud of accomplishments, i'm proud that we did them together virginia, richmond, state and local and public, private. i'm glad that we did them in the midst of the worst recession and the midst of a global collapse. we have to fix congress to end gridlock. tbrid lock that's blocking to important goals. we have to grow an economy and to do it we leveled the playing

field for small businesses and invest in infrastructure projects and we win the talent race that will enable to outeducate and out innovate alternative energies of tomorrow . we have to fix the budget and we will talk, i hope, a good bit today about the short-term sequester challenge. the most important thing we have to do is put results over rhetoric, but partnership over partisanship and put substance over sound bites, our ideas are not the problem, it's our willingness to work the problem and if i have the honor to serve as senator i will govern in the past as i have been. >> thank you, governor, governor alan. >> good to be with so many navy base and friends of the fair fax chambers and i remember all of the accomplishments we've had whether it's convincing businesses to locate and create jobs here in fairfax, investing

in schools and colleges and working with leaders in both parties to secure funding for key projects like rail. i also want to think my friend tim kaine. we both love virginia and have worked really hard to make it better. and at the time when so many people in our country feel that our country is on the wrong track and politics are so petty, i hope we can have a positive conversation here today that will inspire people to the ideas and the opportunities that'll build a better future. susan and i have talked to tens of thousands of virginians, they still believe in the american dream and want to restore its promise, they want to make sure they have access and their children have access to quality and affordable education so the young people can pursue their dreams. they want to unleash the enormous economic potential of our plentiful resources. they want to reinvigorate the

entrepreneurial spirit of our country with projob policies so that job creators have the confidence and certainty to hire again. they want us to work together for real solutions. what they don't want, though, are politicians endangering hundreds of thousands of jobs here in northern virginia. virginia technology and defense jobs and using them as ponds to demand higher taxes, higher taxes for a budget deal. now, these are tough times but out of adversity, we can create a more confident, caring and prosperous america. and that's the positive agenda i look forward toward discussing today and the test is, which approach is best for job-creating virginia businesses. >> governors, thanks to both of you. i want to begin by talking about the role of government in virginia and the country. this is a high-profile senate race for the nation. certainly very important for the common wealth and it's also occurring in the shadow of the

presidential debate. so i would like to ask you about the 47% that we heard something about this week. governor romney in some remarks that were taped had a fundraiser earlier this year talked about how there's 47% of the country that does not pay federal income tax. he said that they believe they are victims who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them who believe they are entitled to health care, housing, you name it. governor kaine, there's over a million virginians who fall into the category of not paying a federal income tax, part of that 47%, what would you do about that? do you think that should change and what do you think more generally about whether too many virginians, too many americans by extension are too dependent on government for basic needs in their life? >> david, i heard those statements, you can say something off the cuff that you

regret but i disagree with the sentiments expressed by romney. the notion that they need to have people take personal responsibility is condescending and divisive, the last thing we need to do at this moment is divide people one against each other. this nation is divided enough. we ought to be pulling people together. i think as we talk about these long-term issues of the country's fiscal policy, we have to have sacrifice, everybody has to be in the game if we are going to fix our budget issues and we have an excellent opportunity to start right now because we've got on issue on the table right now that's immediate that is going to call upon congress and the president and that is how do we deal with the year-end budget cuts. rather than divide virginians and americans and i have a simple and specific idea about how we can come together. we will let the bush tax expire as planned for people making more than $500,000, we will fix

medicare so we can negotiate to get better prices on prescription drugs, we will let the tax subsidies to the big five oil companies expire. if we do that, we then have to find by year-end about $235 billion in savings over ten years. we can do that in the short-term . >> do you believe that everyone in virginia should pay something in federal income tax? >> well, everyone pays taxes. the statistics that have come out -- >> federal income tax. >> i would be open to proposal, but i do insist many of the 47% that romney was going after pay higher income percent than he does. >> the leader of the republican party as the nominee of your party for the presidency, again he believes that that 47% believe that they are victims. do you share that vision of

america and what would you do as senator, alan, about the 47%? >> the best indicator of what somebody will do in the future and the past. my view is a job, if somebody has a job, they are taking care of themselves and providing for their families. as governor i worked with the democrat majority in the legislature, we cut taxes, made virginia much more business friendly and over 300,000 new jobs created in the private sector. one of the other great successes we had while governor was welfare reform. we we wanted to promote the work ethic and we we wanted to lift people out of poverty towards independence and have the dignity of a job. i remember hearing in fairfax where nova was hiring folks but also a competition between dominoes pizza and pizza hut on who can hire most folks. a woman said something to the

fact that el w what kind of job is? the mother stood up with her blue dominoes outfit saying i think it's good for my daughter to see her mother working, that's the dignity of work. that's what we should be aspiring to, make sure everyone has the opportunity to compete and succeed. i want to people keep more of what they eastern. we need to have the policies that don't increase taxes on people but decrease them and tim has a different point of view and that is one where he was trying to raise taxes on people earning as -- >> all right. we will get to that in just a moment. i want to get back to my question. it was very specific what the standard bearer of the republican said, 47% of americans are too dependent on government and see themselves as victims. i ask you, do you share that vision of america? and what specifically would you

do to deal with this 47%? >> as i stated in the beginning, david, the best social program is a job, how do you provide more opportunities -- >> you think nearly half of the country see themselves as victims because -- >> i see people -- i look positively at the people. >> are you -- would you disagree with governor romney's on this point? >> i have my point of view. people still believe in the american dream and our responsibility as leaders as public servants to make sure this is a country that everyone has the equal opportunity to compete and succeed and pursue their dreams, and so the way i look at it and i will expand on it later in our debate, i suppose, but the point is i think that you look at the records, who has created more opportunities, i mention welfare reform, those are folks who were down and out and temporarily needed help. we want to help those who were

able body and folks disabled want to work. that's the natural, one of the great attributes and characteristics of all americans and they don't look at themselves as victims. they want a government that reflects their values and gives them the opportunity to aspirations and be role model to have a better opportunity. >> take a moment for rebuttal here. >> i don't think the question of whether romney's statements whether you agree or disagree with them it's hard. i think it's very straightforward. they were divisive comments and we are a state that's seen over our history too much divisive politics. one of the things i'm proud about about this common wealth is i really see in the last generation a tremendous effort to turn our back on divisive politics in the past. my wife is with me. her dad as a republican governor in 1970 turn the states back on segregation and integrated the public schools because he said it was passed time for virginia

to have merit and this generation of virginians has rejected the kind of division that was contained in that speech. it might have been off the cuff or a gaffe, but the sentiments is one that virginians do not agree with and i'm very thankful that they don't -- >> governor, go ahead, i'm sorry. >> now, we can come together. let's prove we can come together and not be divisive and let's come together in a specific way on the most important issue of the day, resolving the short-term physical call challenge that can create problems for our virginia jobs. >> tonight on c-span we are taking a look at key moments in the careers of the vice presidential candidates. mike pence and tim kaine debate each other tuesday october 4th. our live coverage starts at 7:30 p.m. eastern. it focuses on the economic impact of across the board

spending cuts known as the sequestered which were enacted as part of 2011 budget deal. >> thank you, madame president. it is hand an honor to be standing here, i'm honored to be speak where hundreds have spoken before and thousands after me. a normal first speech for a senator is usually a proactive forward-looking speech. we are not in normal times. it usually happens much later after a senator has been around for a number of months. we are not in normal times. the normal first speech for a senator is often in connection with the introduction of a piece of legislation we are not in normal times. i'm speaking a lit -- a little bit earlier but i'm speaking in particularly because we are not

in normal times and the abnormality of the times has a huge effect on the common wealth that i'm proud to represent. in the summer of 2011 congress passed a bill that we are now talking about, the bill dealing with the se west ration cuts of the federal government. and there's no precedent that i am aware in congressional history for what's about to happen in 48 hours. congress designed a set of punishing nonstrategic ugly cuts design today hurt the economy and hurt individuals, so those who voted for the package in the summer of 2011 did not want sequester cuts to occur and believed that we would find through compromise and alternative and those who voted against the package in the summer of 2011, largely voted

against it because they did not want cuts to occur and so the abnormalities is this, never has congress designed a punishment that would hurt the lives of regular individuals that would hurt the economy, it was designed with that knowledge fully, all hoped it would not happen and yet we are within 48 hours of allowing it to happen. and the effect that is this sequester will have on the country and the effects that it will have on my common wealth are so significant and severe that i do feel compel today speak a little earlier than i otherwise might have. and i would add that i think the effects on this institution and credibility of the institution are equally severe. what i want to do in this speech is basically do a couple of things. i want to talk about the effect of sequester cut ifs they happened on regular people. i just returned from a tour

around my state and i'm just going to share some stories. i want to talk with some data about short-term impacts of these cuts on the broader economy. third, i want to talk about some long-term impacts and some impact that is were not necessarily thinking of right now but that should cause us significant concern. fourth, there's a way to avoid this and i want to talk about how we can avoid allowing the self-inflicted wound to occur and finally i want to talk about the fact that there's an upside in this moment for us. this is not just about avoiding negatives, avoiding harming people, it's not just about avoiding negatives. i think there's an upside for us if we do this right. so let me begin with my tour around virginia. i'm now a brand-new member of the armed services committee and i sit in a wonderful seat

following a john warner who was there for 30 years and jim webb who was there before me. i know replacement for either of those individuals, but i've got big shoes to fill, and so i decide today take a tour around my state last week and visit the various touch points in the common wealth where we interact with our military and our national security. you know, the map of virginia is a map of the military risk ri of this country, yorktown where the revolutionary war ended. the pentagon where we were attacked on 9/11, we are the most connected state to the military of any one in eight virginians is a veteran, not one in eight adults, one in eight virginians. dod civilians, dod contractors, by the time you add those up and families, military families, we are probably talking about one and three virginians, and so i went to the places where virginians work every day as

ship repairs and active duty on naval bases as dod civilians working as nurses and army hospitals, as young officer candidates training in rotc programs. at va hospitals, i went around the state. let me tell you what i heard, a few miles from her the community hospital, one of the preeminent institutions that treats wounded warriors, a wounded warrior in active service being treated there, wife sitting right next to him, we talked and she ventured this, let's talk about the dod you feel can you feelian employees. my husband's nurses are all dod civilians and while the sequester protects active duty, it doesn't protect the civilians. what is it going to mean to my husband's medical treatment when he comes back being wounded if the nurses and health professionals are are

furloughed. he was a wounded warrior as a reservist waiting to go back to the civilian workforce into a job with the federal agency that does national security. what's that going to mean to me, is there a hiring freeze, pay freeze? there wounded worry your was worried about economic future. at the shipyard, what a good news story. we americans, we virginians, we manufacture the largest items that are manufactured on the planet earth, nuclear aircraft carriers in that shipyard and what a wonderful american example of engenuity that is. people are asking about

stability and whether the ship that is we put out and we put people on will be truly ready to do the work that we do. i have 450 employees, the way the navy plans to deal with sequestration is dramatically reduce maintenance in the third and fourth quarters of the year. i'm going to issue warning notices. i don't see how i can run this business without them, but i don't have the business to keep them in the sequestration cuts go through. the va core services are under sequester and compete with private-sector hospitals and they say that's getting tougher and tougher to do. they do research about traunl attic brain injury and that research money is not protected

from sequester and so this research that will help us treat our wounded warriors better, that's in jeopardy if the sequester goes through. it's not just military, cuts in head-start. i talked to teachers who were facing significant cuts in program on at-risk kids. the number of at-risk children in classrooms is growing and growing and the number of children total in classrooms is growing and growing. and then monday a number of us were at dulles airport talking about the experience of the americans by millions and million who is travel every day, longer lines and potentially higher prices. this is what virginians were telling me about the likely consequences that they were going to see in their lives. what they said is go up and find the solution.

i went to a bluegrass concert saturday afternoon and i was wearing a blue jeans and taking an hour to listen to a set of music and i sat next to a guy who appeared to be 80 ear -- year's old and navy veteran and he leaned over to me and he said, now, i know you're here for music. >> that's right, i'm here for music, all i'm going to say is this, there's not a single thing you're going to do plus or minus or not do that will affect my quality of life. i'm fine but i'm telling you for the good of the country, you ought to go up and figure out a way to get people to work together and find some deal. and so that's what my citizens were saying to me on this trip, just in the last two weeks at every stop, find a deal, work together u and know one person. not a single person said protect my job, protect my program,

protect my priority by making the cuts in other areas worse. not one person said that. they were asking for a balanced approach where they would be paying, where there would be a balance of cuts but also revenues and we would try to tackle this. >> our special look back at the vice presidential candidates continues with mike pence delivering the indiana state address in 2014. he became governor in 2013 after ten years in the u.s. house of representatives. a reminder, you can watch this event in its entirety on our website c-span.org. >> i think moments like this should be about the future but it's also important that we see how far we have come in the last year together. now, last year i told you at this podium that we would make job creation job one. , that we would live within our means that we would improve our schools and cut taxes, and

thanks to the hard-working people of this state and all of you in this room, we did just what we said we were going to do. we balanced budgets, created jobs, we cut red tape and improved our schools and roads and we paid down state debt. hell, i even put the state plane up for sale. if you know anybody who is looking for a good deal on a beechcraft, give me a call. that's a record of accomplishment of which we can all be proud. [cheers and applause] >> the result, indiana has

become a national leader in job growth. last year hoosiers created more than 47,500 new private sector jobs and we maintained our triple a credit rating, one of the few states in the union to do that. [cheers and applause] >> and in november, one out of eight jobs created in the united states of america was created by businesses right here in indiana. that is an extraordinary accomplishment for our people. [applause] >> unemployment was 8.6% when i stood here last week and while it's still too high today, at 7.3% unemployment in indiana now is at a 5-year low and since 2009, indiana has the fifth, fastest private sector job growth in the united states of

america. indiana is on the move because of the people of indiana. [applause] >> and let me say most encouraging to this dad, indiana's fourth and eighth graders recently showed the second best improvement in america in math and reading scores and fourth great reading proficiency is at an all-time high. that's an accomplishment we can all be proud of. [applause] >> so we have made progress in jobs in schools, but with still too many hoosiers without of work and state lagging behind and too many people in jushed performing schools, i believe that we must retain relentless, bold and ambitious to keep our state moving forward. that's why last month i traveled throughout the state from fort

wayne to our state capital and outlined my agenda for 2014 and in the time i want to share highlights with you tonight. first, we all recognize that low taxes are essential to attracting the kind of investment that will create good-paying jobs. even with our recent progress, i believe that one significant impediment to business investment remains, it's called the business personal property tax. this tax is specially damaging because it's harder for hoosier businesses to grow but ultimately taxes investments that they make in equipment. let me say, taxing equipment and technology in a state that leads the nation in making and creating things just doesn't make sense. it looks like our neighboring states have figured it out. ohio and illinois don't have a business personal property tax

and michigan lawmakers just voted to phase those out. let's find a responsible way to phase out the business personal property tax. one word of caution, as we work through this process, let's make sure we do it in a way that protects our local governments and doesn't shift the burden of this business tax on to the backs of hard-working hoosiers. [applause] >> i appreciate both the house and senate are looking at property tax and other ways to ensure that indiana has the best tax climate possible. facing out the property tax will spur new investment by businesses large and small,

businesses like advance manufacturing start-up in anderson, indiana launched by marines veteran who is proud to support our troops or businesses in jacksonville, started back in 1964 by don and roberta perkins and software for colleges and industry. today employs 143 hoosiers and named indiana outstanding business of the year. these are success stories that we can see more of in indiana with the right tax reform. since i mentioned both of them, why don't you join me in welcoming those two great indiana business stories, nate richardson and paul perkins who are with us tonight. thanks for making indiana the state that works. [applause]

>> but we have to do more than improve our tax code to get this economy moving again because roads mean jobs, we need to release $400 million for the next era of highway expansion and put hoosiers back to work keeping us as the cross roads of america. [applause] >> because indiana is agriculture, we need a permanent fix to the soil productivity factor and because indiana regional cities are vital to state's economic development, we need to encourage public and private investment to improve the quality of life in our cities. that's the indiana way to a growing future. in the city and on the farm. and that way also means standing up to washington, d.c. from time to time.

now, most hoosiers didn't like washington intruding on our health care long before it came a reality. now more people than ever know why we were right to stand up on the affordable care act. there's been a lot of talk about medicaid, the sad truth that traditional medicaid is not just broke, it's broken. research show that is the program actually doesn't lead to better health outcomes and in some cases, believe it or not, it actually hurt it is very people that's supposed to help. one analysis found two-thirds of children on medicaid who need today see a specialist actually couldn't in that program. traditionally medicaid is not a system that we need to expand. it's a system that we need to change. [applause] i believe the healthy indiana

plan is a good place to start. healthy indiana plan is a consumer-driven plan that moves people from emergency rooms to primary care and encourages low-income hoosiers to take more ownership of own healthcare dediscussions. let me be clear on this point, we will continue to work in good faith with federal officials to expand access to the healthy indiana plan in our state. but i will oppose, i will oppose any expansion of our health insurance system that condemns vulnerable hoosiers to sub standard health care or threatens the physical health of our state. [applause] >> of course, the most important aspect is all about our kids, it's about our schools. we can't succeed in the classroom, we won't succeed in the marketplace.

the great news is to all those gathers here and hoosiers looking on, indiana schools are succeeding, this year more than 500 public schools improved a full letter grade or more, nearly 20,000 choice scholarships in use, indiana has the fastest-growing school choice program in the country. and with strong bipartisan support from both chambers last year, we are busy all over this state work to go make career and vocational education a priority in every high school in indiana again. [applause] >> we have made progress in our schools and working together we have accomplished a lot. on career education we are expanding education and expanding career education. while anyone who wants to go to college regardless of where they

start in life, ought to be encouraged to go. we all know there's a lot of good jobs in indiana that don't require a college degree. these new partnerships through our regional works counsels will make sure that our schools work for all of our kids regardless of where they start in life and regardless of where they want to start in life. i'm proposing legislation that will provide in-depth assessment of our our career and technical education dollars are spent. let's make sure that adults who have a high school degree get skills they need to get back and get the high-wage, high-demand jobs that are available in indiana today. [applause] >> you know, hoosiers have high expectations when it comes to our schools. that's why indiana decided to take time off of educational standards. when it comes to setting

standards for our schools, let me be clear, indiana's standards will be uncommonly high and they will be written by hoosiers, for hoosiers and be among the best in the nation. [applause] >> that progress that i just described earlier is a testament to our kids, to our parents, to our teachers, to our administrators and it's a testament to the indiana state board of education. join me in thanking every member of the indiana state board of education and superintendent linda ritz who are here with us tonight, we appreciate your service for the people of indiana.

[applause] >> you know, i've always said that there's nothing that can't be fixed by giving parents more choices and teachers more freedom to teach. to continue to give participants more choices, i believe we can start in the area of early childhood development because every child deserves to start school ready to learn. i believe the time has come for a voluntary prek program to help indiana's disadvantaged kids. [applause] >> now, i will always believe

the best prek program is a prosperous family, able to provide the kind of enrichment in a home that every child needs and deserves, but the reality is that's just not the case for too many indiana children. now, it's important that this program be voluntary. it's important that this program be available in the form of a voucher as well. i want parents to be able to choose to send their child to a church-base program, private program or a public prek program that they think will best meet their needs. i urge all of you in this session of general assembly, let's come together, let's work across party lines on behalf of our children and their future, let's open the doors of opportunity to low-income families for quality prek education in indiana this year. [applause] >> another way to give parents

more choices is to expand the availability of public charter schools. even though they are charter schools, charters with several disadvantages, we need to level the playing field and allow charter schools to manage budgets with the same as public schools, at the same time in the interest of greater choices for families, we should make sure that unused or underutilized public school buildings can be put to use by charter and other schools that need them. choice matters, but at the end of the day, every hoosier knows a good teacher makes all the difference. [applause] >> you know, we can all think of a teacher who changed our lives, someone who is on our mind right now, someone who saw more in us than we saw in ourselves. i think it's sister rachel.

i think of mrs. fisher and others who touched my life, but too often we don't invest enough on our teachers and allow them to lead as reformers. after all, they've dedicated their lives to education. now, i believe we should do more to unleash their creativity and expertise. that's why i believe we need a teacher innovation fund to help teachers who are willing to find new ways to teach our kids. innovative teachers like steve perkins, got him named the 2014 teacher of the year. mr. perkins and his family are here with us tonight. [applause]

>> with all the talk about parental choice, i believe teachers deserve more choices too. i think that any public school teacher who feels called to serve in allow-performing school should have some of their compensation protected if they're willing to make that move. let's let our teachers follow their hearts and go where they think they can make the most difference. now, on the subject of marriage, i know we are in the midst of a debate whether indiana should join some 30 other states that have been trying to definition of marriage in our state constitution. each of us has our own perspective on this matter, from my part, i believe in traditional marriage and i've long held the view that the people rather than unelected judges should decide matters of such great consequence in our society. now reasonable people can differ and there are good people on both sides of this debate, so let me say from my heart, no

one, no one on either side of this debate deserves to be disparaged or maligned because of who they are or what they believe. [applause] >> let's protect the rights of hoosier employers to hire who they want and provide them with the benefits that they deserve and let's resolve this issue this year once and for all. [applause] >> after that's over let's come together to support the hoosier family. one day to do that is helping with family budget. did you know tax deductions for dependents in indiana has not increased since 1978 even though

the cost of living increaseed six to four times. let's also -- [laughter] [applause] >> let's also remember that families come together in many different ways like the family of karen, karen is a single mom who felt called to become a parent by adoption. she adopted her two kids nevin and dustin after many years in foster care. she's changing those kids lives, she's always quick to say, they're changing mind. would you join me in welcoming a great indiana family to the people's house tonight. you're an inspiration. [applause]

>> adoption is a beautiful way and we can support families like karen by improving adoption in indiana. we could support every parent who is willing to lovingly adopt a child into their home. we should make it our aim to do nothing less to make indiana the most proadoptive state in the united states of america. [applause] >> more now from mike pence's time as indiana governor. in march of 2015 the indianapolis ran a page fix this now, a reference to a state law making it easier for businesses

and individuals to discriminate against people because of their gender, responding to widespread criticism, governor pence called on the state legislature to add language protecting lgbt rights. here he is addressing the issue to reporters. >> thank you all for coming. it's been a tough week here in the hoosier state, but we are going to move forward because as governor i have the great privilege of serving the greatest people on earth, the people of indiana. let me say first and foremost, i was proud to sound the religious freedom restoration act last week. i believe religious liberty as president clinton said when he signed the federal law in 1993, i believe religious liberty is our first freedom and it is vital to millions of americans who cherish faith as i and my family do.

but it's also vital to the framework of freedom in our nation, and this legislation was designed to ensure the vitality of religious liberty in the hoosier state. i believe hoosiers are entitled to same protections that have been in place for the federal courts for the last 20 plus years and the law in 30 other states, but clearly, clearly there's been misunderstanding and confusion and mischaracterization of this law and i come before you today to say how we are going to address that. ..