talk and you said -- you stipin other words could call shots on the discussion about me. why are you having a discussion about me with ryan where he's going to call shots? >> called reporting. all right. >> i don't let people call the shots as times of my reporting when i do it. >> i think that let me just check one thing i want to -- emphasize here. but what were you trying to find out about and calling people who clearly don't like me to get a wide ranging conversation which can dictate terms of me? >> so am i -- >> what was the topic? >> many is here's the question is the work -- >>why reporting on my work? >> highly controversial so what else would i do? >> afterwards airs on booktv every saturday at 10 p.m. and sunday at 9 p.m. eastern. you can watch all previous

afterwards programs on our website, booktv.org. >> we have barbara pearce book a new book forthcoming calls sisters first -- why that title? [laughter] >> why that title? well because the above all we are sisters cursed and it was a play on -- obviously being first daughters but we have been so lucky in our life to have it which meant that we have a partner in everything that we were doing so whether it was kind of the ordinary experience growing up in texas everything was more fun. because there was someone with us to mac it more magical and then, of course, as being first daughter we have somebody else that was also going to the same experiences with our parents that understood what life was like and so -- so i guess above everything we feel like we're sisters first and then we're daughters and, you know, question all play roles in if life. but we started off entering world together as sisters.

>> makes me want to cry. >> your sister used the word ordinary. was your life ordinary? >> it was. so funny people will come up to both of us, all of the time and say that, you know, you're so normal. on tv, and it's sort of a strange thing to hear. because you know, we've want to think of ourselves as a conceptional but we are normal. we grew up our grandparents and we write a little bit about -- all of what made us who we are. but our grandparents on my mom's side who don't have sports maims after them who haven't been on c-span interviewed by people like you who names are only because we reare pete them. my grandpa was a home builder and one of those two both of us who i'm named after my mom's mom and harold welch were just as much part of our lives as george and barbara bush and you know it this cornerstone in texas just

part of our lives as washington, d.c. so i think question of this sort of juxtaposition and life that i don't think people realized and i also think we have been through things on the outside that people have -- witnessed. but then there's also personal joys and struggles that we're going to share in this book that i think will surprise people . >> from your upcoming book for years right up until the day when we walk into a room or restaurant, or almost any public space together we invariably hear e oh look it's the bush twins sometimes followed by an eye roll and then the place will fall unconformably quiet oh those bush twins. when did you understand that you had lost public narrative? >> it's a good question with, i mean, i really think when we were 18, with so one my dad became president and running for president we were entering college and until then, he had a point living in texas.

we went to a big public high school austin high that is like every other, you know, almost made for tv public high school there's like cheerleaders and jocks, marching band and that whole vibe. and then when we were 18 and our dad started running for president all of a sudden i think -- we became more aware that other o people had narratives of us that may or may not be truth but a truth in a stereotype in a narrative. but after he was president and that was a time when there wasn't actually welcomely for us a lot of social media. >> hall u lieu ya. we couldn't own our narrative because we didn't want to. if and many ways we wanted to be college kids we wanted to experience the world and wanted to fobs focus on not more than how did people perceive us really. >> i think also you know what is interesting is that -- anybody can relate when you're

work colleagues somehow you get characterized one way or the other so we've had ans interesting time writing this book because so many times people say it you're the loud one. but really if people knew us barbara is far more independent and really outgoing and she mute commutes as a job she's -- has the most amazing confidence and it shines those that know her see it but then you kind of wonder i think everybody can wonder this like do you fall under other stereotypes appeal or do you kind of play into that more because that's what people think of you, and it's been really fun for us to explore that and seen people we love dearly grandfather, mother, and father stereotype in certain ways and some of those stereotypes are, of course, true and some it's easier to simplify people and easier to call them one word opposed to this really -- to who they really are. i think we see this with cable news and no observance to c-span2 we with love you. but we see it with the way that

we kind of simplify public figures and -- really people are complicated. and we're complicated and we've been characterized as one way and i think it's time to share our story and tell who we really are. >> one of the stories seen steering white house is for your father you went to u.t. you went to yale and you did it on purpose so you wouldn't be together. was that true? >> personally i thought i couldn't get into yale. [laughter] so let's be honest. as i kind of got into yale maybe -- gets a narrative there. we're very different. and i think thank goodness and as a mother now i'm such in awe of this. we wrnght too paired barbara missed one or two problems on her s.a.t. and i missed more than that. and we were always celebrated for who we were. i loved to write, i loved to perform, and my parent applauded

that and never made me feel like i was lesser because thank god i would need some serious therapy. >> you are nuts. but i do think us going into different schools i wanted to leave texas i was curious to go to other place, and meet people and i didn't know a single person at yale so it was fun for me that challenge of walking in and thinking what had am i made of and can i meet people. but the beauty we with got double the friends because i could become friends with all of the her or friends from university of texas and she was close with my friends from yale so also a real kind of blessing in it too. >> true or false, mom i was kidnapped -- yep you wrote about it. >> yeah. so there were all of these stereois too that we were secret service ditchers in college years. that my friend is not true. but as a -- first grader at the elementary -- i did fake any own kidnapping.

[laughter] >> who was -- twinkle? >> i'm twinkle my secret service code name. >> since you were young are. >> since i don't know what our code that's a good question. i don't know if we had code names when my grandpa was president we only had had secret service for a short period. and -- we should investigate that. but twinkle was my name when my dad became president. barbara was turquoise it was based off of our eyes i had a twinkle that has to do with mischief and barbara has beautiful turquoise eyes, and yeah. as a first grader i had a wild imagination. >> she did. it made life fun. but implicated. my story is all you see in movies. bald man -- upbeat and candy -- the puppy would have one step too far.

>> what was lara bush's reaction? >> my mom is unbelievably calm. >> i was busted here's the thing she can shut us down with one look -- never even needs to raise her voice. she is so calm and -- but she was not happy. let's be honest. she also i can't help but think found is hilarious, maybe not we'll have like that after you have to tell the secret servicemen ewe, in fact, not been kidnapped. >> i fake my own kidnapping you say stories are inaccurate but there was a long term story about you -- tollbooth, with yale, cars. >> that did, in fact, happen but unintentional. >> you have to write about that. not that good of a story. >> by the way, this is how -- how the world was back then. i don't know this story. >> i was with friends fromyale we're going to a prowrestling federation event in new york.

>> i don't know why. >> here by the way got a book. so we can relive the story. >> and i was in a car that had the toll pass so we went through secret service and did not -- we have to write about this. one week of writing -- you have to include this. so we lost them. but then someone wrote about it and -- >> a little bit more than national inquire. but i remember the story. >> been reading national inquire. >> you've been reading national inquire -- [laughter] >> so that did happen but it was an a accidental. >> i'm tired of being the onlied bad twin. >> believe me there's plenty of stories in the book. >> margaritas often will that be in the book?

>> sure will. but you know with what's really funny is that when we whereby our precious for example, my dad's dad and he's unbelievable stories of him and things he said to me that have moved me to tears and makes me want to cry right now. that's -- easy to write. because it meant so much to me. writing about margary not that it wasn't easy to write, i mean, it's not like i feel guilt about it or defensive about it. it happened. it's just that it wasn't this crazy memory that meant so much later although i will say -- that our parents always said when they told us they were going to run or he was going to run for president it was teenagers would do. we cried -- ♪and then he said we want -- no i want you to have a normal like this isn't going to change. and that was sort of naive on all of our parts but to have a normal, you know, college experience. that's what i want for you. you can have it.

so you know when we with got in trouble everybody i think, thinks that there's based on tv and sort of store why toips that there was a thin room that tried to spin sp it or you know my parents were furious, and i'm sure they were disappointed i know they were disaupon thed but more than that, they were also i think -- sad they promised a normalcy that wasn't delivered upon. looking back on it i'm so happy that i had parents that allowed us to make that mistake. imagine if we remember perfect life would be horribly boring. and i don't know if i would be -- i don't know if we could do it. too much pressure to be o the political daughters that never made a mistake that never were able to stick their tongue out, for example. let their hair down. but also as a mom i just can't now with two little girls -- i'm so thankful my parents aloud us to o explore our own path and make mistake and be these humans and -- about you know also to learn

about empathy and caring and the big world and how much if we care i can bring light to it 50*eu789 not sure if i can be a good mom and told to be this one particular thing -- that wasn't ourselves, i could be a mother of my own girls. not understanding, you know, that it's okay to mess up. >> speaking of mothers you write that lara bush was the family closet hippy. >> she was. she was she loves music, she loves reggae, loves it so growing up we have it playing. and we have a number of experiences with our mom going to hear great music starting in first grade called simon was on tour for graceland so my mom took us with her but in first grade we were this tall so set on concert seats, and, i mean, i will never forget it. and then a number of other memories i was thinking about

when i was nine -- you could get a care one care package and people would ask parents and ask them to send a video a big idea to have a cd player at time and getting new kids on the block in the mail and my mom isn't me bob dylan live at con which i love. >> it made her love it. she wanted us to have good music and wouldn't say this and acts like she wasn't controlling but i think deep inside that little wanted us to have good music taste. >> which we do. >> she loves merson so much that i was as a child convinced she was going to leave my dad for morrison. not that they ever crossed paths once. but that was my theme song. >> brown-eyed girl -- >> what are you doing today? >> i am working per for the "today" show and it is fun and very ironic because we hid from

the media. i literally ran from dave and i don't use the word my dad is one man campaign to end the word literally when meela four-year-old said eric told me not to do literally he said that. i was like what did you just say. that will be furious because you know how literally has become a word with like like, throw it in -- but this is true. i literally ran, springted in the opposite direction from david gregory on the steps of the white house when i went for a run around the mall. you know, we spent all of these years trying to hide from the media. and now i work for them which is so ironic but also really awesome buzz it shows that life is unexpected. and it can take these crazy turns and that you're so ridged on what yowpght your life to be then you never can experience kind of the beauty of grow and changing and i think it also shows you that --

you can't judge people and people that have become savannah is one of my very best friends she's here too with a children's book princesses that wear pants comes the in the fall my next door neighbor, an one of my best friends and i think i thought of her as somebody that different than who she is and that i think, you know, it goes to live with what we're trying to talk about ourselves. that people are actually more complicated than we usually think. >> this is not the first book you've coauthored. >> that's true. i've also written two children books two childrens books with my mom. who is a very vivacious editor she's a little more complicated to work with a diva. >> thank you. [laughter] >> don't tell her i said that. >> i will -- you won't either. >> why hype on the media? >> why did i? >> i don't know that i've hid from the media. >> maybe -- because i said i did. >> see, you mean when we were younger. well, i think, i mean, i'm a

very private person. even writing this book was a leap for e me. so proud of her things i learned about her and we wrote in silo and i read her part and i was blown away. >> thank you. i think we -- again were many college and we remember young so idea of additional attention on us was uncomfortable and i think, i mean, it is ironic jen is on tv mow but when we were younger we are life many college and post college was about i'm going to school our friends figuring out what we want to do and difference we wanted to make in the world and starting our career and so much of that is personal and to me what was then very private so i would say i probably i guess would still hide from the media because we're doing this -- and she's coming don't --

she'll be -- on tour together. >> yes. book comes out in october. october 24th. barbara bush what are you doing these days? >> i run an organization called global health corps. which focuses on amazing young leaders who are currently involving and solve the world most trusting health care issues throughout rest of their lifeves and our lives so way to wake up every day knows there's almost 1,000 amazing young people l passionate about serving others to make sure they can live a healthy and dignified life. >> global health core. >> global health core doing awesome work. >> final question is there a sorority or fraternity among white house kids, i mean, have you ever talk to the johnson girls or women i should say or the nixon women? >> yeah. we have. we definitely have, and you know, definitely with chelsea and malia and sasha we felt unbelievely protective of them

and almost people i think thought it was odd how protective we were. but it isn't. you know we saw ourselves in them. we saw our little selves in them when our grandpa became president and when they left the white house same age we were when our dad became president being a teenager with your dad as a president isn't always that easy but it is also incredibly rewarding and we have had -- we've had -- kind of been pin pals with them and we've heard back from them. we've pen open letters to them but we've heard become in a private way and iewm just so proud to be part of this group and especially women, but there's men too. but most recent women were parts of a group of really awesome women who have each other's backs that's the whole point of this book and we're part of a group that's like us. sisters first. >> sisters first can mean -- you're part of the clan. we're not going to leave men outs but sisters first can mean more than just blood sister. >> given your experience what do

you think is going to bear in trump's mind as he gets ready to move -- >> i hope what's going through barron's mind he's in elementary school it's -- that is school and trends and playing sports doing whatever hobbies -- that interested in because he deserves to be a kid. and he's a kid. and we should treat him like that give him the respect that all of us -- didn't always have. but by mostly did. and i think -- children of the president should be offlimits period. and you can say what you want about his father who chose to run. but he didn't make that decision. he was -- elementary school. so when people attack children, a president who don't, you know, aren't political who don't have a say, it makes us mad. sisters and brothers first. [laughter] >> here's the cover of the book it is called sisters first, stories from our wild and wonderful life. >> do you know what that comes

from in stories from our wild and wonderful life mary oliver poem. >> first day at the end it says tell me what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life. >> i didn't read about that in national inquire so i don't know -- >> poetry. national inquire -- well sometimes they do in the cross words just kidding. >> i don't read national inquire. thank you. >> the book is out in october. thanks for being here. thanks so much. that was fun we had a blast. booktv it on twitter and facebook and we want to hear from you, tweet us twitter.com/booktv. or post a comment on our facebook page. facebook.com/booktv. good morning, welcome to the heritage foundation and our douglas and sarah auditorium thank