authors. she has done this for a couple years. they have all been covered by book tv. booktv.org. type in april ryan. you will see a lot of these conversations she has had around the washington area. the presidency and black-and-white, "at mama's knee" and "under fire." thank you for spending two hours on book tv. >> thank you for having me. i so appreciate you. this is april ryan's life. >> if you missed any of her life, it re- airs right now. >> next, it is book tv's monthly in-depth program with author and white house correspondent april ryan. she has the author of "the presidency in black and white," "at mama's knee" and "under fire". reporting from the front lines

of the trump white house. >> mr. president, for many years civil rights leaders have called for white house help or police brutality and police profiling. >> april. [inaudible] >> april, go ahead. >> thank you, mr. president. last question. [inaudible] >> yes. this is going to be a bad question, but that's okay. go ahead. >> mr. president, i need to find out from you, you said something -- >> april ryan, how did a self-described working-class black girl from baltimore get to ask for u.s. presidents questions and get called out by

every one of them. how did you get there? >> this is your life almost. this young green april with bill clinton and now 23 years later, it makes you wonder. how did i get there? i was doing a lot of work. i was filling my seat. i waswo out there working and radio network recognized my work. they said, look, we may have a position open. i said, okay. i thought it was for d.c. bureau chief. i never thought it was for the white house. mind you, i had done local governance. i had even dabbled in washington. i anchored on the weekends. never in my wildest dreams what i imagine that i would be questioning for american presidents, and they call me by name, well, at least three -- [laughter] >> -- but i did the work.

i started out local. >> local being baltimore. >> local being my home. i love. baltimore city. i came about 36 miles away, south, and said, okay. let's try this. i did not want to stay when i first got here. i thought i'd stay for two or three years. i've been here for 23. i started out being a reporter. i realized coming in what power was. washington power was having a president call your name. the people who kept telling me that i needed to have a president call me by name, the first president i covered, bill clinton, where the people like the late elma brown, you need to get him to call you by name. oh my goodness. my cousin, married to former congressman and i did not understand the concept.

after a while and after it started happening, i understood the concept of being a reporter who the president will call on by name. it made a difference. you know, people will take note of you. i cornered bill clinton a couple of times. thisle was before 9/11. a time we were able to walk around the white house had run into a president more so than we do now. i never forget one time he was walking around with a soft sourdough pretzel. just walking through the hallways. he came he. he talked, everyone gave salutations. i said i am one of your newest reporters. call on me, call on me by name. i will never forget then press secretary telling me, why are you so hard on the issue of calling you by your name? ie said when he calls on me, cl on me by name. the first time he did not call

me by name. the second time he did. a press conference. >> january 10, 1997, you walked into the white house and you recount in the presidency in black and white that you are ready to leave after about three daysd . >> it is a very, very different animal. when i say animal, it reads. there is a heart beat to it. it is a whole different scenario there. it is a hurry up and wait. it is a push for information. it is more than a desire. it is a need to get information to push information out to the public. be it american or be it the world. the highest office in the land,

where everything comes through, war and peace and everything in between.tw it is a different type. you hurry and wait. you wait for that one person. you feed on every word that they say. i have never seen anything like it and never ever will again. this bill is a different beat. running around looking for all types of congressional leaders, senators or congress people. at the white house, that principal, that one person and filtering out from there. most importantly, that one person. one thing, it was daunting. it was overwhelming. i was green. one thing that i will say is that the president, i had to view him and white house.

this wonderful historic place and city hall. for me to be able to take it in chunks. it was the most interesting place that i had ever been. january 13 was actually my start date. we had been talking about january 13 being thehe day thati said, okay. , are in here. everything was ready to go. we started moving. >> do you have an office at the white house? >> if that is what you call it. [laughter] in my first book, people could not believe it. it is a small phone booth. many of the young people don't understand what a phone booth is. we have to liken it what it looks. london. the red phone booths. the size of a phone booth. maybe to put together. claustrophobic's need not apply. that is where i call home.

it is prime office space, believe it or not. people fight for that little room. >> back to "the presidency in black and white." you write about my appearance in the briefing room was a red flag for some folk. what do you mean? >> yes.m >> what do you mean? >> back in 1997. they were not above the polls and the newspaper. in talking to bill clinton and all the presidents i interviewed for this book, race has always been on the table. the problem is, it does not always get asked about by these reporters. talking about china, talking about russia, talking about so many policies and issues and when you have issues of race, and a lot of times it does not bleed until it leads. i found that in the white house, race was always dealt with at a

crescendo moment. a trayvon martin or something like that. i was always asking issues of race beyond the crescendo moment is she militant? is she with an agenda? no. i was covering stories about a portion of america where the highest number is negative in almost every category. underserved and underreported. that is how i came into the white house. when they realized that, you know, some of these questions i was asking are real, this is not myth, this is not conjecture. this is real. it is so interesting now looking back 23 years later. my dear friend from msnbc, she said april ryan has made a race issue. it is unfortunate, you know,

that that is the case. black america, around america is part of america. especially as they have the highest numbers of negative in almost 30 categories. >> what is a you are and. >> american urban radio networks. we are the oldest radio network in the white house. we primarily serve north america with news and information. we are a heritage network. black media. black media is undergoing changes like everyone else. i say, when a mainstream media has a call we are on life support. you see main stream stream newspapers folding because of

the internet. it is harder for us. they will go to the mainstream media before they come to us. we have an audience that is tried-and-true and realizes that when othersth will not tell our story or ask about it, we will. >> it was december 2, 2009 during the obama administration. >> i have to go back. >> you write about this in your books. here is an exchange you had with then press secretary. >> oh, yes. >> what is your concern in the white house that she came out being some may have called her at the bell of the ball overshadowing the first lady. >> i've never heard that. >> it is around washington. democratic circles as well as republican circles. >> that is not a station i live in life. are you done speaking? i have not heard any of that

criticism. i have not read any of that criticism. the president, the first lady, entire white house staff are grateful for the job that she does and think she has done a terrific and wonderful job pulling off a lot of big and important events here at the white house. >> was she a guest, did the president invite her? >> jonathan. >> did she invite herself or did the president ask her? her name was on the list and social secretaries are the ones. >> april, calm down. just take a deep breath for one second. this happens with a my son. he does the same thing. >> i am being serious. >> i'm giving you a serious answer. was she at the dinner? yes. she was the social secretary. i am going to get back to topics

like 98,000 men and women in afghanistan. >> april ryan, visibly uncomfortable watching that. [laughter] most definitely. those moments, and i guess i will see a lot of those moments that make me cringe, this is my life with peter flynn. it does make me cringe. that was an ugly moment. i will say this to you. let's set the scene about that moment. we had the first black president become president. history was made. there were also, at that time, a number of death threats on this president. we all remember the story, and if we don't, let's bring our viewers and listeners up to speed on this. the state dinner with india, he had had death threats as well.

an assassination attempt had just happened on him. we were talking about the state dinner. the first state dinner, i believe. the social secretary at the time had not followed protocol that was followed prior to other administrations. mind you i had been in the white house to administrations prior prto this. i had even been an invited guest. at this time, presidents were not inviting the press to come in for state dinners. yeknew the protocol. what had happened, the layer of protocol had been to move where the press office would be there and the secret service would be there to watch. in the meantime, as the protocol had been changed, there was a reality show going on at the same time. housewives of washington, d.c. i believe salah -- they were on

the show and they thought it was cute for the reality show to crash the state dinner. not only did they crash the state dinner, but they got close to the president, the vice president. there were pictures of it. my concern o was not the tv sho. it was not the theatrics of it. my concern, as a reporter, i am hearing from sources who are very close to the situation, sources outside of this white house that are close to the situation. from other administrations think this should have never happened because of the historic nature of this president and the death threats. what robert gibbs was trying to do was show his loyalty to the then press secretary who then left. the terms of that, you can take

it for whatever you want, but, it was not pleasant, from the way i understand it. robert gibbs was trying to be loyal to her at the time. let's fast-forward. about a year or two later after i wrote my first book, mind you, that was 10. we never really got over that at that time. i saw him at a major tv network in the green room. he read word for word. he apologized to me. robert gibbs told me himself, he said, april, i had to make you look crazy to support her. i said, but your social secretary said you did not do her any favors. she is still angry with me. i saw her once in new jersey. new jersey is a hotbed for me, i

guess. i said robert gibbs was trying to be loyal to you. she said he was not being loyal to me. you were not being loyal to her. she said, let me tell you something. she rolled under the bus and stayed there. the protocol was not followed. she was a social secretary that told me different than the other hecial secretary beingrs a partf the event. she was not watching the event. she had her own table and her own guest. the issue was the breach of security, the compromising of two men that are historic figures that had death threats. that is h the whole issue. robert was trying to be loyal to then social secretary who is still in that circle, but, ultimately, that circle was thoken. she left. let them talk about that. the issue was about historic

nature of this president, the first black president getting death threats. people off the streets being able to come in and get right there to him.. that is all that was. i have talked to mitch rogers. she gave me her account of the event. it was ugly, but, you know, at the end of the day, i have even met ethan. he apologized. it was ugly. because of that and because robert gibbs told me, i understood what the game was ans how the game is played. even though that was ugly, it showed me, without me knowing what was to come, the gameboard. >> when he said, april, calm down. what was your immediate thoughts

>> he was making it personal. he was waving me off. you saw his hands. this is real. do not wave me off. this is a real situation. my thought was let's go down this line of questioning. answer the question. he made it personal because he did not want to breach that loyalty. at that moment, i was angry. i will never forget. i was not angry until after it happened. when you are in the midst of it as a reporter, you are still trying to get the answer to the question. at the end of the press conference, press briefing, excuse me, everyone left. i sat in that seat and i stayed in that seat. bill burton came out and said april wants to see us. i said for what. i was very upset. i sat there for a minute. i'm not going up there.

for what? he acted like a fool with me. i had some real questions that read needed real answers. he said i made a mockery of the process. i insulted the first lady. i said how did i insult the first lady? he was bringing everything. at the end of the day, you know, we agreed to disagree. he wanted an apology, but he never apologized to me until after he left the white house. until after he saw this in the book and told me what was the deal. i knew what the deal was, but until he told me what the deal was, it was confirmed. i heard from him and rogers and others. at the end of the day, it was an ugly moment but it taught me something. it showed me the game. the game of politics.

>> one of the chapters in your most recent book "under fire" ir entitled incoming story. have you become the story in some cases? so much so. i do not like being the story. i am the journalist that is still wide-eyed about helping people. i am the journalist that looks at politics and looks at humanity. it is about people. who are still hurting. who are in need of help. now, instead of me relying that, it is now i am the story. i have written books that talk about people. intertwine my story and it. if you read my books, the first two, it is mostly about others. ii don't want to talk about me. what does it say in the background? the unfortunate thing is, with

the climate, and i guess because i am that kid from baltimore who has tried to overcome odds because in from baltimore, and i think about my pastor, pastor walter scott thomas, elijah cummings pastor, he said, you know, they have an automatic word. failure. an automatic. it is about survival in baltimore. i am trying. i survived and i am here. i am trying not to be the story. now i am trying to survive in washington. trying to survive in life. because of the twists and turns that i've taken recently, i am now the story. you know what, being the story sometimes i think has saved my life. if i don't tell that story,

people will believe the negative and false narrative. you have to tell so people can see the truth. >> if you read your books, tell me if you think i am mistaken, but if you read your books in order, beginning with "the presidency in black and white," "at mama's knee" and then "under fire," your personal opinion is. coming out more and more in your booksbo. >> right. we talked about the presidency and baltimore. we talk about the issue of reparation. repairing a wrong. it was like the beginning of my time in washington and still 23 years later we are hearing presidential candidates talk about it. the second book, being a mother. having it hit home in your

backyard. you are watching the news. i will never forget my youngest daughter, grace, when isis was rampant. mommy, are they here? i would say, no, baby. they are fine. when the freddie great issue happen, i had to talk to them about that. i have asked president and i've have dealt with it about these issues. the last book, freedom of the press. what i have gone through to make sure that you understand that narrative, that life that is been placed on me. i am not that person that you hear from. >> we will go through all of those. >> i know we are. >> welcome to book tv and "in depth" with author and white

house correspondent april ryan. we will be taking your calls, getting your views. several ways for you to get through. first of all, on the phone lines if you live in the east and central time zones and have a question or comment, 202, 748-7201. you can also text a message. 202-748-8903. if you're going to text, make t sure you get that number correct. we also have some social media sites. facebook, twitter. you can also make a comment on. we will get to as many of those as possible. april ryan has been at the white house as a white house correspondent long time. the only black female with a permanent path at the white house. covering black issues. the author of three books.

beginning with "the presidency in black and white" which came out in 2015, followed by "at mama's knee" and then "under fire" came out in 2017. mostly about her time in the trump administration. covering the trump administration. we will talk about all three of those. april ryan again being coming part of a story but unintentionally. let's go to october 6, 2003. show just a little bit of video. [laughter] okay. >> the president has kindly agreed to take a couple of questions and so a five. we will start with the american side an alternate back and forth >> april, you are not in his press corps. you are not in his press corps. >> this is subversion. [laughter] >> what was thatt about? >> the worst thing you could do is be on c-span.

you have tape on everything. you backed up what i said and there. i talk about that. that was the most awkward moment. first of all, george w bush, i believe i had a decent work relationship with him. also, personally. i was able to talk to him about matters of race. because we had enough of a working relationship, i stood out like a sore thumb on the other side of the african press corps. that was a press conference. >> did you put yourself there on purpose? >> no. i did not. his press office did in hopes i would get called on. they made a mistake. i will never forget. did you really? it was just off. they made a mistake. the president noticed it. he noticed there mistake.

even the american press corps was likeam what's going on. i remember mark smith looking at me like what are you doing. they put me over here.e yes, the last known slave in my familyy , five generations removed, i have no problem being considered african. but i am african-american. i was in the african pressfr corps. there was a question, ultimately , he could not help himselff.. president george w. bush could not help himself at the time. >> what is it like to be called out by the president at a press conference like that? >> you have to go with it. do you make a scene? your people did this. or you just go with it and tried to make light of it and move on. you are trying to fade in the background. how do you fade in the background when you stick out like a sore thumb.

the president of the united states recognizes the african-american reporter is in the african press corps. what do you do? do i stand up there? you try to figure out your battle. pick your battles and learn how to fight another day. if i make a scene in any room, i am thrown out. i cannot ask the questions necessary. >> has it been different covering this president as the other three that you have covered? >> what did you think? yes, of course. you can see it. you've got tape of it. yes. most definitely. has it been different? he has a different type of president. he has a different person. he is not the traditional president. he is not. in any way shape or form. he has a ruthless businessman that has become president of the united states. he does not like questions that

challenge him. or questions that may not put him in a good light. as you have seen, i asked press secretary obama or whomever the question is on the table. or the issue is on the table. whether it is good bad or indifferent did this president has taken it to heart and has been very upset with me and called me out and called me names publicly. .... t .... gibbs. in public. behind the scenes. i've had talks with many press had talks with many press secretaries from josh earnest are a flasher. to dana perino, quietly, there is always some kind of retaliation. if they are not happy with questions, but this is beyond.

>> february 16th 2017,. >> we are going to do a lot of work on the inner cities have great people lined up to help with the inner cities.in >> are you going to include the cbc mr. president in your conversations with the urban agenda, your inner-city agenda will you include the congressional black jumblatt caucus cosmic. >> i will do you want to set up the meeting question mike. >> noted in our. >> are they friends of yours. >> i know some of them. >> go set up a meeting i would love to meet with the black great i think that's a count of the congressional lack congress that's great. i actually thought i had a meeting with congressman cummings, and he was all excited, and then he said oh, i can't move it might be bad for me politically i can't have that meeting. >> host: april ryan you talk about that incident and "under fire". >> guest: i certainly do.

i want to hit the congressman cummings piece first. the congressman cummings piece, late congressman and elisha cummings and i were good friends. we hail from the same place, baltimore, the city love. and congressman cummings called me right away, right after inauguration saying hey, president trump wants to meet with me. have you met him at the inauguration luncheon on the hill. he said he wanted to talk about prescription drug prices. newproblem is, this administration cannot figure out how to make it happen. there's a lot of twists and turns and bumps and bruises along the way. he was not hiding. they just didn't know how to make it happen properly. so right after that, they figured it out. they talked about prescription

drugpr prices and i went into the meetingng with late congressman cummings of the time. he details conversations of the meeting there's even a misquote from the president about something congressman cummings said. now, getting back to friends of mine, for full disclosure, and this may have been the misinterpretation of thehe president, i am related to a former congressman, congressman ed townsend new york. congressman townes and i, it's so crazy, he is my cousin on my mother side. i would call him to confirm things. he would say how did you get that? boy are good at that. he was shocked, i was not calling him for information, i would just gives them periodically to confirm information. as you always have to confirm your sources. and so people may have told

him, and actually i met the president, then donald trump, through ed townes. at a clinton fundraiser -- mike it was not a clinton fundraiser is a fundraiser for my cousin. i'd never been to fundraiser by him being my cousin i said hey, i'd like to see what happens of these fundraisers. and i never contributed, i never contribute to any politician. to this day no one knows if i'm a democrat, republican or independent. i was there donald trump. he did not find me one bit interesting so he tried to move on. i try to hold a conversation he moved on. he was monopolized bill clint's time so much so that the guests at the fundraiser were very upset. because they wanted to talk tohe bill clinton. when had pictures with bill clinton. that may be where he's getting that from. but also had a certain person in his ear at the time,

berating me, giving a false narrative about me. a very good friend of his of the time, who is now left the building, if you will say. and just a few weeks prior to that there is a big altercation with that person between the oval office and the press office. the press office build out into the hallway, near the oval office, and it was just ugly. so when he said that, i felt that was more of a continuation of that. i didn't look at it as a racial slight at the time. i looked at more sinister than it was a racial slight of the time. i do see the rasul generational slide but there's so much that goes into all of this. >> was hear from some of our collars and will continue to go through your book. bernie and howard beach new york you are first up with april ryan. go ahead. >> caller: thank you,. >> guest: good afternoon.

>> caller: i follow presidential news conferences or press conferences, i am 78. so i have seen quite a few. >> guest: guess you have. >> caller: what i find very interesting as very often in fact most of the time, the president has the conference on the lawn of the white house as he is in transit. sometimes the helicopter is behind and spinning its rotors. and i find it extremely difficult, a, to hear the question, maybe the questions that the reporters asked. and it would be really helpful if there is some mechanism for that question to be made clearer. spee went alright bernie thank you very much is hear from april ryan. >> guest: i love bernie's question thank you for that i am praying the president is watching this. you never know he might be.

[laughter] but it is exasperating, if it's exasperating he is worse for us. we are trying to get the sound as the helicopter is motoring and powered up to take him, whisk him off to i andrews air force base. it is awful, we have to move. >> came moves around, just friday or thursday missing my days, when had the press conference in the briefing room, we said mr. president, please come back. it was people raising their hands, people were being called on, you could hear. he was standing still and it was a civilized back-and-forth. >> host: you got called onto. >> guest: he can typically ignore me, he kept looking at me and pointing to other people but i'm smack dab in the middle, you cannot miss me. he saw me, and i'm glad he did because i have questions like

anyone else. good, bad, or indifferent. so we are with you and i pray we will start having press conferences on a regular -- in the building, not outside. not only that, press conferences and press briefings in the briefing room with the press secretary. it has been over 300 and someth odd days that we have not had a press secretary give us a press briefing. there is toos much on the table for us not too be asking questions of the press secretary about what is going on in this white house and around the world.us what this president and this white house is doing or saying. thank you. >> host: from the presidency in black-and-white under white,ll your colleague mike -- mccurry is the man credited with helping them press briefings daily. he has since regretted his decision due to too much posturing for the cameras on both side.

>> guest: he change that because he sent a letter and he said many press secretaries feel there needs to be up briefing from the press secretary. number one, as i said, the stakes are so high. just a few weeks ago there was a potential war with iran. we are dealing with issues with a north korea. we've got an agreement with the taliban now, we've got coronavirus. there is so much and we are not having a press briefing daily? if we hear from the president daily, that's one thing. but with the briefing fielding questions but if we are not hearingqu from the press secretary there's a silence. it's not for us, it's about the american people. if the american people are not given the information, they have no clue as to what's going on. it's bigger than just a tweet. i tweakeded it does say what your field the moment. it's not an explanation. then you don't have the press asking her challenging or this is what's happening historically.

you need the press there to ask questions, to flush issues out. it's not in my opinion for me, i'm speaking from me, this is not a grudge match, this is about humanity, and about giving people information that they need. and we are seeing this back-and-forth right now just coronavirus alone. thisis is life and death. everything comes to the white house from war, peace, and everything in-between. life-and-death is is written and spoken in that building. >> host: 's call is in michael in new york. go ahead michael. >> caller: yes, hello, i'm going to say something that is hopefully not mean-spirited because i'm not a mean guy. but april, from the unfortunate incident that happened in ferguson was that a black gentleman got killed by a police. her and many other black journalists, democrats, were saying how this was happening

because of race is a menace started this whole thing. >> guest: i said it started racism word i say that? >> caller: you and other ones. >> guest: do you have video that i said that or were you think i said that. i would love for you to send that to me let me say this before you go further. i have said, and i will say this to anyone, from the time blacks have been brought to this nation, over 400 years ago, there have been policing issues with the black community. from slavery on through today and it is not changed. if you want to say it's racism, fine. but there are issues between the community and police. and the issue is the black community supports good policing, they want to weed out the bad policing. if that is racism, i'm sorry. >> host: and in your third book, "under fire", you say that people have called you a

quote unquote race bader. >> guest: they call me a kind of stuff and it's not true. >> host: john in new york at. >> caller: i wouldld like to appreciate the fact that she talked to ms. ryan bubb it's because the point out thei journalistic clown and fraud she is. >> guest: why am i a fraud and a clown? >> caller: be because if i could continue ms. ryan no less an important media analyst than joe concho of the hill, and hee is one of the very few, pointed out that when you asked a question that was irrelevant to the 21st century about slavery. about whether the white house was still in flavor of savory or against savory, not reparations, i can see that being an issue especially now, but you asked that question and he pointed out that you only do this to attract

attention to yourself. >> guest: okay so that is his opinion. listen to me for one second that is what his opinion is and that's reporter of the commentators opinion. i get it. let's put it in context. the only reason why i asked about that issue of slavery is because the then, chief of staff brought up the issue of -- there is a question about if we would deal with the compromise about slavery and the compromise as a related to the civil war. the civil war was basically fought over slavery. if there is a compromise done, that compromise basically would have kept a certain states able to keep slaves. so that's the only reason i brought it up. then you had administration officials, including the president,t, who didn't say anything or supported general kelly. that's the only reason i brought that up because it's

still an issue. you have the cbc and people on capitol hill who are dealing with the issue of reparations, trying to come up with answers. that issue is still a hotbed issue. i am not looking for attention. theyi problem is, certain parts of america do not want to deal with issues thatpr some people are still trying to keel over. the issue ofs race touches everything. the issue of slavery is still a stain on this nation. do you realize there is a disparity in the numbers of negative in this community that we have not healed from? slavery is still very evident. there is a wealth gap in this nation between black and white. how did many whites in the nation receive their wealth? through slavery. it is a painful, painful reminder of our history. it's a scar. that is one thing i am not going to apologize for asking. does this administration

support the issue of slavery? because the compromise general kelly was talking about would have allowed certain states to keep slaves. so if i just want attention, that's their opinion. but it's a real issue. 'sif you don't want to leave me, don't believe me. why don't you go to your book, and look. i am not talking conjecture, people don't want to deal with the issue of slavery because of the pain, or they don't s want to give out money. a lot of peoplee don't want a deal with the brace because they don't deal with the truth. of the pain ofe the past. that is still evident today through that. i'm sorry you feel i am a clown and a fraud, because i is a black woman, and trying to navigate out of the pain of the past. and we are steel dealing with it. thank you for your question but i don't accept your personal attacks. thank you. >> host: from "under fire", for me it was not a surprise that donald trump immediately followed barack obama's

presidency. >> guest: it wasn't. there's a part of this nation that still feels they haven't received their just due. and they don't want certain people to get it. and up saying it's about race, but then there is another part of this nation, who never wanted him there. i will neverra forget a conversation that i had, and get a set, susan rice. before barack obama when he was president elect. susan and i have known each other for over 20 years she is a former national security adviser, and former ambassador part i will never forget a conversation on the phone i had with her when she was president elect. we still have people here in this nation who don't want to

see him become president. i said really? because i thought the kumbaya moment had happened. i was there the night he was elected president at the white house. when everybody was in grant park i saw the spontaneous crowds come to the white house and just explode with the young people from all the colleges around. they were singing and chanting in the bushes were still because it's all the lights on they were singing non- non- non- non- hey hey hey bush goodbye. people felt they turned a corner this had their post- racial. no, we are now post- obama what is that look like? it looks like this. the problem is you had people on capitol hill, mitch mcconnell, he's gonna do every thing he can to get him out of there. you hadhe rush limbaugh say he hopes he fails. why? why? was president, his politics werere built on and people gravitated to it. you had the tea party really rose up when barack obama became president. so when you see this, we saw what happened in the 60s, we saw the overcoming saw the

march on washington, we saw the civil rights act, was how the voting rights act and we had a little bit of a low. with there were still issues and today, the way they are fighting over voting and over the browning of america, why wouldn't we be surprised that donald trump be president right after the first black president. >> host: presidents bush, clinton, obama, do you thinkon you had personal relationships are private interviews which each of those three and have you had that with presidentrv trump? >> guest: i have had interviews with all of them. i see president quit clinton quite a bit. i haven't seen president obama. and george w. bush he sends me messages through people every now and again. and i have had interviews excepted after accept george w. bush. and the first ladies have been very kind to me.

this president i've wanted to interview him and i think he should interview me. one i am a white house correspondent. two, because he is the president of all america and there are certain questions that there's a section of america once answered. and i set george w. bush, on several occasions i sat down with bill clinton. all of them have said that i am fair, but tough. i am not in order. there. president recognize each other, that's for sure but i don't have a personal relationship with him. steve went ronnie is a new yorker on the high april throated it's so to see you on c-span. you know i have been watching the press conferences when they used to happen, and following your work and have read your books, i would like

for you to answer, to think about what has been your greatest challenge as a journalist considering what's happening to the first amendment and freedom of the press. and what is the greatest challenge moving forward? >> caller: thank you ronnie for that, the greatest challenge moving forward is the ground that we've lost, i don't believe are going to get back. meaning i don't think we are going to have press conferences the way they used to because the next press secretary and president are watching with this and doing scene with her getting away with. and the american public, i'm surprised the american public is not jumped up and then very upset. it's not just asking all these questions to be dependent on tv network. well the press secretary that

said that, sarah huckabee sanders, she is now a pundit on fox news. so that's kind of a double negative now. anyway the bottom line is i just believe that what's going wrward, i believe we are seeing the evolution of things changing. and i don't know where it'son going to land as it relates to the press. we are still going to do her job, talk to sources, but you may not be in the transparent mode of seeing the press briefing on television. even if we have what i don't have the going to air a lot of them. because sometimes their briefings in the briefing room and theye are not being televised. now as it relates to my biggest challenge, my biggest challenge is the threats or my life because i ask questions. and have people who feel they believe a narrative, i'm clown and a farce. some of these people just recognize i was there. peter has been showing up at a t-shirt that i've worn a

couple times and it i have not going anywhere. i've been here for 23 years. my biggest challenge is to protect myself and those concerning me, my family. and also to beat down thatfa negative narrative, and beat down those who think that i am a liar. because i am not. that's my biggest challenge. i'm going to continue to do what i do because i've got too many people who rely on me. and toomey people know when i say something it's the truth. if i was lying, you wouldn't be able to pull up the videos in the pictures of them, everything i'm talking about. people don't want to believe i just want to go back to that other color, they just don't believe issues of race. they find it hard to believe you're still in a racial climate right now.ci we are in a hot racial climate right now. you're not seeing lynchings right now, but we are being bullied. that is like 19591960s we

are concerned about the right to vote now. we had the voting rights amendment and now we are voting without the full protection of the voting rights act. there's so much on the table that people find it hard to swallow. and when i reported, they get upset about it. i just don't understand why. i don't understand why. >> host: my guess is that supporters of president trump would say hey he's more available to you guys than any other president, every day. going to the helicopters or wherever. that he has been accessible to you. he has been accessible but he picks and chooses who we want to be acceptable to. when you are outside you can leave fast. versus being inside and asking the questions of those who are there. not being able to leave as easily. you can always leave, you can always pick and choose what you want. it's not always about who's

friendly to you, it's about the questions of all of america. it's about all america it's about the truth, it's about transparency, it's about information for the american public. >> host: barbara is in san diego, barbara go ahead with your question for april ryan. >> caller: hi, i have been a longtime observer of c-span call in show, and this is my first time i was moved by mr. ryan and i feel that the press has made this president such a scapegoat of hatred. and they are so irresponsible in the way they speak to him.

>> guest: i call him mr. president. you will always see me call him mr. president. i respect the office of the president. >> caller: i see you for 11 hatred. i see you on the video in that group is really hateful. you give this president a world blue that he is a clown, he is an idiot he is a moron, i watch bob costas with him in singapore and he asked the most idiotic questions. thank you thank you bye-bye think we've got the point. >> guest: i'm going to tell you something. call me crazy or stupid but, it is what it is. i respect him as president of the united states. even has he has called me a

loser, and they want to take my credentials. mr. president, he is the president of the united states. no matter the electoral college or the population. he is the president of united states. i am going to respect him. but when it comes to the personal, i will deal with thatm outside. but what comes inside, and when you asked me a question. i've been there for 23 years. i know what people do or have done. i know what policies look. like. i talk to sources who have been there and donedo that. the problem is many of these supporters who believe that i am a hater of president trump, they don't realize that some of my best sources are republicans in the inner circle. not leaders but whistleblowers. people who talk to me about things when they are in the room when it happened.

so i am not just hearing from democrats. i know my history and i talked to people who were in the room when it andeo where it happened. i talked to a lot of people. so what i come up and say something which many reporters will do, they will research it. that's why they challenge him sometimes the way they do. it's not because we hate him, it is because we see a flaw in something, or something is not right. or it's told the wrong way. so we ask questions. i don't call him nays, you can never set called him a name when i raise my hand mr. president, because he is the president of the united states. theree are people who speak to me and say you call it mr. president i say yes because i respect the office. and i've democrats to say why would you even say mr. president. because he is the president of the united states. thank you barbara for your

call. >> host: let's go back to the red flag you talked about in your book presidency in black and white that you've been a red flag for people. do you think it is because you are a black woman that sometimes this is put on use such as barbara's opinion? >> caller: th >> guest: the assumption is because i'm black and i'm a woman, i'm'm a democrat i love barack obama. and i just hate the presidency, none of this is true okay? we haven't gotten to the place where we can look each other and say without labels and tags. i have friends who are republicans, high ranking republicans. they would be surprised who has gone to the mat for me if these people think i'm a democrat or republican or whatever. because they know me and they know my heart. so i do believe there is an automatic assumption.

i do believe because the president said so, some people have blind trust and believe it. but doesn't know his ministry. >> host: is a member of the specialty media is your call,. >> guest: explained specialty media so people understand. you and i will you explain. >> guest: it means when you're outside the realm of abc, cb s, nbc, i happen to the radio which is the child of media. in radio we focus on urban america. that's where the media's concern. >> host: you write the big shot reporters can get downright petulant about losing a turn asking the president a question. but only when it affects them directly. can they get intimidating dealing with cbs, abc, nbc et cetera. >> guest: know because i've been there 23 years.

there is a new crop of people that have come in. thisth press corps so different, you now haveu conservative media, liberal media, mainstream media, black media. when i started, no one knew anyone's policies. we just ask questions. now those who are in favor of those are against i'm so sick of it. just would cut down the middle like walter cronkite did and just the truth nothing but the truth. so he wants the truth about everything but particularly as it goes to minorities in america. >> host: i listen to your question on coronavirus the u.s. the president but i listen to your report on twitter. >> guest: did you like it? >> host: i have no opinions about anything as youou know. it was straight down the middle but there were comments critiquing that report.

>> guest: what did it say? >> host: there were some twitter comment on the feed it was very straight down the middle. >> guest: and that's in my reporting, you're not going to hear while i think thele president should -- in my reporting i will give what he said and i m will tell you what somebody else's said. if i don't solid, i try to give all sides of the story. people want to call me a racist, but if they watch me, for instance on cnn if you ask your question as as an analyst i'm going to tell you. my job as a white house correspondent is to do the job to give you all sides of the story. you even heard the report with doctor sanja goop death, if you heard that as well. he was on but the flutes nothing but the flu. but the coronavirus could be deadly or it actually is deadlier if you look at the fluid fit spreads the way they think it could.

so i want to give as much information as possible to the american public. i was there when we had a boli and we havee certain other diseases. it's important that the public knows and i try to give them facts without my opinion. >> host: who was vivian gowen be to my mommy, my late mother. she is such a, i miss her to this day. my dad passed a little while ago, robert. they are in heaven now. >> host: what was your mom's role in your life? >> guest: she was my everything. she exposed me to the world. she and my father are the reason why i survived. as i say and baltimore, there is an automatic failure. you're not supposed to get

out. i got out because of them. they gave me all they had. my dad never attended college. my mother received her bachelor's degree when i was in 11th or 12th grade. she worked on a college campus but she exposed me to the world and everyone. she always said i can be and do anything i want to be, as long as i work hard to get a good education. she told me, i always knew you'd be in washington, but i never figured you'd be at the white house. >> host: did she ever come down to visio the white house? >> guest: yes she did we got a couple of pictures at the christmas party and it events we used to have at the white house. >> host: you write about her in "at mama's knee". mothers in". race in black and white another mother you talk about were going to show some video when you talk about this. but a woman's named toya

graham. this is from april 2015 and this is just be real, see you go ahead and tells what's going on here, who this woman is. >> guest: that book was actually written for this woman. the unfortunate thing, becauseun of her life and after the story got out people were taking advantage of her. i didn't interview with her but she chose not to go on the record. some people view that is corporal punishment. in exactly where she's going around that mall i used too grow up around that mall i used to have piano lessons on the side streets. there is something innate about a mother, she doesn't have to see the whole phase, she picked out that little boy and she said not you. no you won't. she tried to keep her children live. i can't get into the interview

because i wasn't allowed to. her story is everyone's story. i'm a divorced mother you try to protect your children. especially when you cannot pull up from the depths of hurt and pain. some of us have been afforded an opportunity get out. others are still climbing. i will never forget that day, i was leaving the white house it was the day of freddie gray's funeral role not far from diamond mall. i think it was new shallow church fight broke out in people were calling at the white house you need to come home, you need to come home. my children for about 13 miles up the road at their school, their boarding school they attend. and all i could think about them.tting home to i got on the road, listening

to what was going on on the radio. i thought it was armageddon and the world was coming to an end. i got them. home. and then i saw that story and i understood. my heart broke. i understood, people look at is corporal punishment, from where i come from she was saving that boy's life and he is still on the straight and narrow. when she was a hairdresser. [laughter] she got up and went got her baby. she got up from the hairdresser she went looking for him. all she saw was his eyes and his pants and use chinos him. you see the level of respect she had for him he kept going, that's love. when you are black mother or brown mother, any mother, was into depths of despair, you will do anything for your child. that was survival it wasn't corporal punishment it was survival. >> host: in your book "at knee", quote sony black

mothers had a network and work together to strategize for the children's future. >> guest: it takes a village. my late mother used to always tell me that's why we have bridal showers and baby showers, because when you don't have enough money, we all come together. iey make sure you make it. there are so many children who were raised by aunties or grandparents. it takes a village. you conspired to make each one because you never know, that child could be the next the next what? the next barack obama, michele obama, the next bill clinton. the next donald john trump, the next george w. bush, the next part luther king. could be the next muhammad ali.

who knows? could be the next charles drew, if you don't know who that is look at up in google him. could be the next. could be the next. see you and what is the writing process like for you? >> guest: it is hell on wheels. the first book took me 17 years. i'm glad it took 17 years. the subsequent books were six months each. and they almost killed me. i pulled myself away from everything. when you write, you lose yourself in your book. and i've got children. so being ayo mommy, taking them to school and writing. the process this phone i put word on my phone so i could -- you can be in the plane, train, automobile is your typing and you convert it over. when you think about something you write a sentence you are always thinking of it. i am consumed by it. i needed a break. [laughter] three books in five years is a

lot. >> host: betsy with michigan good afternoon. >> caller: hi there how are you today? i have seen you on many c-span program with your books and i have always admired your strength andi perseverance. and today you said something that made me call, you use the phrase disease of spirits. your talk about being concerned with issues that cause people disease of spirit. i thought to myself, i think thatlf that probably describes very well who you are. and i admire that, and i wanted to say it online television so people who don't have any idea who you are, might get a glimpse. wanted to say thank you and i will hear your response even if is just thank you.

>> guest: thank you betsy that touched my heart, thank you so much. humanity is really big for me. twenty-three years and you cannot sit in that unique perch, reporting on the world, and not see people. this is about people, it's not about politics or policy anymore it's for people. people like sabrina fulton, the mother of trave on martin. people like. guttenberg who lost his daughter at parkland. just people. i think what we have forgotten, no matter who we are, what side of the equation we are on, democrat, republican, independent, we are people nonetheless. and i think we have forgotten that we are people. that we are people who are still forming a moreop perfect union.

and i've watched people feel hopeless when they don't power. they have and that power goes back to that blueprint from the 50s and 60s, people don't realize they have power and they have forgotten about we the people. we are still forming a more perfect union. we are going through growing pains. i watch people, i report on people who are trying to figure the way out and call on the highest office in the land for help. i see a lot of dis- ease. and i am now -- policy is policy it's about people on i report prayer a lot of times we are reactionary but betsy thank you, thank you so much. >> host: 's a viewer to recommend one of your books to betsy, which one would>> it be? >> guest: okay, given her comment about heart, "at mama's knee". if you want to know about people trying to figure this

out and in the white house i would do the first book, presidency and black and white. but if you want to know my struggle, to try to survive and efforts with freedom of the press, which i do believe in and i believe in the fourth state, i would recommend "under fire". >> host: lee is in new orleans. >> guest: highly that's my daughter's favorite place. >> caller: that's a good thing. tell her to visit us whenever she can. >> guest: we are coming back soon. >> caller: you are doing a fantastic job. keep on doing what you're doing. and what you've got to really understand is there are a lot of people in this country, probably over 50% better still fighting the civil war. t >> guest: you're speaking to the other collar from earlier. >> caller: it. [laughter] , i know a lot of them, what i

wanted to say was a couple of questions. at the time barack obama was president, i heard several times that there is anywhere from two to $3 trillion of investment money sitting offshore, waiting to be spent which wasn't spent. and as far as putting it into the economy. secondly, what you got to understand is that trump basically takes the victory all of race and hatred and a lot of different things, and he is going through all parts of the country, listening to talk radio, and that's basically what he uses to gin up his supporters. and he knows this. what i'm asking is, how could

possibly way as normal americans, do things to keep from falling into that category? steve went alright late thank you,th sir. >> guest: lee thank you for the question. when it comes to trump, when it comes to president trump and the material, the people i charge everyone with this, use critical thinking. i don't care who you support, but use critical thinking. we are at a time when facts are not always the truth now. [laughter] i implore people to use critical thinking. when it comes to the economy, let's talk about the economy. when barack obama came into the white house, we were in a recession. i will never forget before barack obama came into the whitera house, i asked george w. bush if we were in a recession. and i remember it was in the rose garden, and i talked to

congressman james clyburn at the time and i asked about recession. george bush was saying no it's not a recession. we were tumbling into recession at the time. we were in a full-blown recession with barack obama. i deployment numbers are very hi, they cut the numbers. also black and unappointed was cut in half at the time. he created a situation, a good situation for this president to go into. now, i don't know about the money that was offshore. but whatever he did, worked to help stimulate the economy. he helped the auto industry, he plugged money in there and here. but what i'm going to tell you is that this president, he owns this economy now. but, he did not have what barack obama walked into. barack obama walked into a full-blown recession. some people were saying we are

going into a depression. the bottom line is this president owns this economy now, but there is a problem. we see thehe stock market look unfavorable for a while. this president has the coronavirus, and that's going to make an impact with the economy and particularly globally as many countries have been unstable financially. so we've got to wait and see the impact now. as it relates tose the economy, it's a wait and see. we have an extra added strain of the coronavirus, but barack obama did help this president with a great economy for him to sustain. >> host: this is a text message we received. hello april, thank you c-span for featuring april. are you receiving more threats? can you share regional with this? how do you feel about tom enjoying hise retirement? and that's from angelina and mobile,er alabama.

>> guest: i miss tom joyner. how do i feel about the retirement? i grew up with tom and he afforded me the opportunity to use my voice on his show. i will forever be thankful. i believe there's still room for tom joyner. i love rickey smiley and steve harvey, but i still believe there will always be rooms for tom joyner and there will always be room. but was it a question? >> they took it down can you share recent threat with us? >> guest: for security purposes, i do not like going into it. they come, and i will say this they, social media, they come. they come via mail, wherever they come. but the bottom line is a lot of times when people give it

death threats, they are trying to scare you. but you just never know. and you have to be vigilant. and it is unfortunate that me, as a member of the press in this country, of the united states of america, and 2020 has to have death threats or has death threats and has have a bodyguard to make sure i'm okay and my interests are okay. thank you for asking and that's as far as i am going to go. thank you for acting thank you for my safety and security. >> host: bringing that up, there is an incident in new jersey recently, we will show you some b roll maybe you could tell so is happening. >> guest: i sure will. >> host: and it's coming up what happened here? >> guest: new jersey i believe it was in august in newew jersey.

so it made news. what i will say is that there was a negative narrative created about what happened, and i had not said anything at the behest of my attorney. >> host: what we sing right here? it's not on my screen, what you're seeing is the young lady in the sequence is an organizer. >> host: you're doing a speaking engagement? >> guest: i was in the ballroom when this happened. g d you see the event organizer and my then bodyguard doing something i did not recommend. at issue is -- no reporter should ever have death threats. no reporter should ever have to have a bodyguard.

the situation had escalated. i was on the stage. we were asking what to what because everybody wants to know who's there. what's going on question wreck me getting death threats, they wanted to know what was going on. so i'm on stage and then i guess they were working something out, i don't know. my then bodyguard comes to me and says ms. ryan, please stop talking. because i had not said anything about the incident, the negative narrative was created that i ordered a hit. i am not that person. so it was ugly and unfortunate. my then bodyguard is fired. he has since apologized to me for the incident. what i will say is, there were no charges. i have me at the scene, i have neverub been suspended, neither has my bodyguard. so all of this -- a lot of

this was negative stories and negative smear of me, it is not true. but i handled it with my security guard. >> host: susan in redding california. >> caller: thank you for taking my call i appreciate it. speaking of journalism, i think you have such a wonderful spirit i thank you for making for doing what you do it's very honorable job i guess i have two quick questions how -- what you think has brought this on with the journalism that we have failed to see the? one other quick question you

bring up slavery and i wanted ask about economic slavery. we keep hearing the economy in this country so great but i feel like the media is not talking about -- how can the economy be so great if people are getting minimum wage slave wages, it comes right out of the 80s. people are holding three jobs to make ends meet. >> host: right thank you ma'am. >> guest: she asked me one question about journalism and why it's perceived negative and also on contact slavery. economic slavery, there's still a large portion of americans that are underemployed meeting they have to have two or three jobs are however many jobs to make a salary. and there'sha still poverty the economic slavery is real, you still -- women now as a head of a household in a lot of

instances in a lot of communities where rising numbers or head of a householder feeling the brunt of that. if we are running the household. the problem is we are not seeing the numbers going intoio education, and going -- getting the kinds of jobs that each community particularly calls for. that is what issue. at the same time there still a wealth gap. that's economic slavery. the wealth gap, it wouldn't come to the black community versus the white community is saying over the black unemployment rate is so great. black economies great. no it's not. they're still a wealth of gap's are still great disparity between blacks and cowhites with income it's going tome take centuries for blacks to make up the loss. not only that with women versus men. how does that happen? policy. i talked to the kellogg

foundation they are talking about one thing that will spur a change. i talked to them last week. they said tax incentives. i said how could a 3300-dollar tax incentive help someone put a child in daycare when daycare for two months is maybe $3300. he said ultimately it trickles down. they did thee math. but the issue is there needs to be, in my opinion after working on the stimulus and some kind of ways to get people into fields that are producing -- get them educated for fields producing financially to help change the situation. but you are always going to have people the fault to the gaps. bo's gathering? so journalism, john mccain talks about this before he died. the issue of free press.

when the press is suppressed. this leads to disinformation. he also says that leads into a dictatorship. the question is why is this such a hatred for the press right now? i don't want to have my opinion, but i will tell you is yes, the press can make mistakes. we are human. yes, the press can also clean it up. sbut it also believe that some people don't realize is the line between fact and opinion. and i think people don't realize they may be listening to opinion versus fact intake that as the news. but there is also this component that we need to see. we have a president who does not trust or like the press. because he feels their negative story. a large following that believe him. and when you have that following, and when the press

goes to rally, and there are people who want to do things and say things to the press, it does not make it easy for us. and now i am hearing the press has peoplean around them to help support them. i cannot go to a rally. i can't go to a trump rally, i just cannot. i have to be careful where i go for my safety because of a negative narrative, a false narrative, fake news about me. fake, fake news about me. but i encourage people once again to go back to the issue of critical thinking. i would encourage you to find the reporters that you trust, and the jubilee then that gives you straight news, not opinions. and then build other pieces in behind the news and build other pieces in. find the news and then build the other pieces in. because we are at a time where

information is critical and we are not getting the necessary information. we are getting a lot of opinion that we are not getting the critical information. >> host: text for you. because there are so many different types ofic media now, compared to when you started in the business, how much of a problem has washington media pool become in trying to doo your job and doing it professionally? if you could also define what the pool is and the expanse ofdi the different types of media. >> guest: when i started, i have been in the business over 30te years. when i started, 30 years ago, we had -- i was in school when we started 30 years ago. and i was hearing the term information superhighway. unlike what in the world, what is that. my late teacher doctor windle

and maddox are telling me you know the information superhighway is coming on mike what highway is this? information of the superhighways the internet. to the internet has a blessing and a curse for media. and what it has done, it has challengedno us to now get in that platform, if you are ready or if you have to also be visual, but you can be on the internet as well as audio and pictures. andth with that, the pool when i started 23 years ago was basically wire, tv, print, magazine then radio, but now it has been expanded to blogger and commentator emily talk about the pool, we talk about a small group of people who one representative from each of these wire, tv, newspaper, magazine, radio,

blog, commentators, and i leave enough commentators are really but some of those people are going and i believe our commentators. so the small group of people who go in the oval office, the soosevelt room or the cabinet room, or wherever the president is traveling, to represent thehe organization that are looking for information. they feed us the information because we can't get in all of this places. so it wasin changed. we still try to keep it fact only when we give these pool reports. and some people want to add color and commentary we are very critical,ry we need the facts. we are still a group that's looking for facts for the most part the traditional group of people and organizations that i know they are still looking for facts. and not looking for roi think he's greater i hate him. they're looking for facts to disseminate to the people. it has changed, and i think it's going to continue to change. it's going to be an evolution i don't think were finished

yet. >> host: begot served on the pool the past? so i was the pool couple weeks ago. i'm every 11 days it's every 11 to 12 days for other media it's larger because that more people in the pool. >> host: and your responsibility customer. >> be sound give you color to what's what, what's happening in the room, who's in the room,. >> host: do enjoy? be to know it has become a big chore. and i have never said this publicly, it is become a big chore because i don't want too be in there. and be talked down to. that's all. i don't like those moments, they make me cringe. i don't like them. and that's the thing people want to believe that oh, i live for that, no i don't. i really don't. but i want to tell you what happens if it happens. >> host: another text message for april ryan which book to

recommend for black women who understand the game board? >> guest: any to write a book about that. and that goes into the economics of it all. the game board. we have been out of the room and not at the table for so long, and now in 2020, it's time for us to have a seat at the table and watch how they play the game and figure it out and know how to play the games ourselves. >> guest: i know the game now i know when to pick my fights i know when to get in and went to stay out. i think of shelly chisholm the first black woman to run for the president xi said if you don't have a seat at the table bring a folding chair. now, she was before, she was before carol moseley. but when you have that seat of the table, learn the game so you canom come back and teach others. that may be another book. that may be another book. >> host: are you working on

the fourth right now? >> guest: yes. >> host: doesn't flow from these three? yes and no i need something that is mindless because it is so -- i am burned out i have ptsd from all of this and i'm serious about that. you always have to look over your shoulder, i've had to move to keep faith and keep my children safe.re people don't want to believe this, but it is the truth. my neighbor will tell you they are on edge too sometimes. i need something i need things that are mindless. i am writing about, i'm working with the dear friend on something, but it's alwayss that other book -- everybody's gonna write a book about trump. but mine will always be different. because no one has thatdy unique. that i had and the unique situations that i have. if i write something it has got to be something that is

going to be -- give people an understanding. it's going to be there for history for people to see. i am not going to let someone soon undermined if you want to get thrown the phone ... social medias sites we will scroll through those addresses as we hear from kay in california. >> caller: april i appreciate you i really do. i am a a political news junkie and i woke up this morning and i kid you not i wanted were able ryan was up to. [laughter] so i've been doing a couple of things, i've been around. see when you really wondered that? >> ice aware i didn't realize u.s. that question yesterday in the press conference because i couldn't see it. >> guest: is friday. >> caller: april i wasas

wondering how are the challenges with racism, sexism and misogyny change for you personally during your career as a black female white house press corps correspondent or how they change? >> guest: thank you kay look tiaround i'm on cnn i'm there. i'm around. >> host: how often are you on cnn? >> guest: not as much as i was and that's a blessing for me right now. i am still around and i'm still reporting. and i love cnn. >> host: are you employed? >> guest: oh yes i'm contracted i am on cnn and the american radio network. they have been with me i don't want to get into detail, but they have been with me all the way. i just so appreciate them. now, as it relates to sexism, racism misogyny all the isms in his business, washington is

a white male dominatedgt town. i am a black woman venom asking about issues that a lot of people don't talk about. it's tough. but you know what, i have been here long enough and i know who to ask a question to help me with somebody or he know will help me. and i know who won't. and after a while you feel the vibes. you know the rhythm of the town. and i know the rhythms of this town even the new crop of people who come, i still know the rhythm. and i know where to go, were not to go. who to go with, who not to go with. and there is still definite isms all over the place. you just have to know who works for you -- you have to know yourself, because if you ondon't know yourself in this business, you will definitely

curl up in a corner involve up and cry. but if you know who you are and you know how to get it, and you know the game and the table, you can play. and the mother where the like me or not, i'm a player and i'm gonna play. i play for keeps and i'm gonna win. arlington texas is arnoldn go-ahead. >> caller: thank you c-span for taking my call and hello april how are you doing. >> guest: i am arnold how are you doing. >> caller: i am an amateur author and i have a book coming out this summer and i i specifically mention you by name as well as allison dunnigan. that's why appreciate the call from michigan there before me. who said people don't know who you w are. the job that you have is a difficult job. just want to let you know there are a lot of american people, especially the african-american community who love and respect what you do.

>> guest: thank you so much that touched my heart. right at harry mick alton, the late glenn ifill, there are so many others who pave the way. for me at the whitete house. and they encountered racism -- harry was over 70 years ago and their tongue but no you can't come to the press conference if you step one of our shoes there will be a riot. come on. >> host: he was the first african-american white house correspondent? yes? but the problem is, he never had his crass attempt press credential he received it posthumously. i was on the board at that time, so the struggles that they -- the challenges they had, they don't fall short on

me. i take it with a badge of honor to be in that sacred space. i believe the white house is a sacred space. and i believe voting is sacred. i respect it. and i respect the part in history that i play because i am in history c-span is rolling all the tapes for my novice times until now, i am a part of history and i respect that. i take it seriously. people -- they don't offend me when they call me a clown fraud, more power to you. but this fraud and clout as a part of history. i have been asking questions for the underserved community. >> host: this we have a more piece of video we want to show from generally 122018. [background noises] mr. president will you

respond? [inaudible] mr. president. [inaudible] >> host: what's going on? that one still brings tears to my eyes. we heard a voice at the end say mr. president are you a racist that was me. i asked him three times i believe. >> guest: that has been how many years and i still haven't come to terms with that question. >> host: over to know. >> guest: and i still haven't come to terms of the question i don't regret asking but the reason i haven't come to terms with that question is because in 2020, right now, and in 2018, the matter who the president is, we have advanced supposedly as a community. and i don't think any reporter should have to ask that question of a sitting u.s.

president. dane, rather said to me, the great dan rather, he said oh boy, when he heard that question he said oh boy that was a good question but i knew she was going to get it. but let's talk about the lead up to the day that that happened. that was the king holiday .weekend. and if it weren't for doctor king i would not be in the white house. the work for doctor king, peter you and i would not be sitting here right now. and that is sacred to me. and before that we were hearing as a whole nation, allegedly coming from the mouth of the president versus norway, before that we had charlottesville, and intertwined in that, we had this conversation from the chief of staff on issues of a

compromise about slavery. and then also, fredricka wilson was up in there to. congressman fredricka wilson the day that johnson was killed in africa. and she was charged with eavesdropping when the master sergeant put the call and for everyone to hear she happened to be in the car. they drug her name to the mud. in the background, all of my sources, black leaders, quote unquote black leaders, democrats, he's a racist, he's a racist, and you had hispanic and black leaders, very upset about the whole nation. and that was my pool day. and i had not been determined to ask that question until it came out of my mouth. and i was fighting with

myself. doctor king meets the world to me. this is a historic moment because he was allotting money for the king center and that area. in designated certain areas and i said oh my god, tore me up so much so. i left the white house and i fell into the arms of a cbs cameraman, my family is close to his family. and i fell into his arms and sobbed on pennsylvania avenue. i could not believe it. i reached out to martin luther king the third and said i'm sorry and he saidor for what? i'll say if you notice on the back of "under fire" he wrote a blurb for the book. it still weighs on me, but i'm

sure it weighed on him because he didn't answer there. but three days later he did. and because that question made a lot of news. but months later, asked if he was a white nationalist pigs he kept on libyan and nationalist. the only reason why i asked those questions was because the atmosphere and the words begged the question. and it still bothers me today, because words matter. and it means something to me so do i regret asking? no does it bother me still yes because if someone wants to play this back and change my words no i don't regret asking the questions. it wasn't me able to say mr. president are you a racist, it was the atmosphere,

what was said, things that ledt up to that. so you. >> host: text message why do democrats not look at all of the miserable cities that have been held in democratic majority for 50 years as does for baltimore that has the worst problems, shoots, rice, cream asked cetera. two there's one there's an automatic assumption that i am a democrat. exactly what is saga about earlier. her baltimore. if we are america we are everyone city. baltimore, chicago cleveland baltimore is everywhere baltimore is every urban city it could be rural america. i'm so glad that person texted that. her baltimore. yes i grew up in baltimore and i've a love for baltimore only break this down.

when any american or any city is hurting whitey appoint figures like there instead of pointing finger saying let's help i don't understand the disconnect when katrina happened george w. bush was screaming states rights and then brown went in and messed up but there are still efforts to help not point fingers look at those people sitting on the rooftop. t katrina went into the obama administration and the obama administration had two cities they put in special protective iba don't know they had special efforts for them detroit and new orleans they would try to help the cities then they ultimately worked up to the point where they didn't have to keep them in special status. why point fingers at a city that's hurting? i don't know about the corruption whatever, maybe there was corruption. but instead of pointing fingers, if you are leading

rtpeople this is where i hurt. i know people, like victor black on cnn. to see him cry that hurt me. when there from the same neighborhood or community that has automatic failure, why don't you help? why don't you help? why don't you help? that's all there is to it. it's humanity, not politics, so i hope i answered your question, her baltimore is our baltimore. her hours lumberton north carolina is everyone's north carolina. her detroit is everyone'ss detroit. we've got to stop saying i you you you, it's a week. see mecca next call for april ryan here book tv is norm in washington today get the name of your city right?

peter i'm giving you in a it's obviously in india named spokane, seattle, tacoma is rural indian nays. >> guest: native american nays. it's called god's country by the way. >> guest: we've been to seattle to very, very expensive but very beautiful. >> caller: at san francisco northwest. you guys i was going to ask a question about why in your opinion in the 21st century so much nationalism and authoritarianism sweeping the goldenen globe? not just here, but i thought more about religion and i just want to get your take on it there's real contrast in russia vladimir pertinence are being abused over there, and here in this country you've got these right wing evangelicals who are some of trumps staunchest supporters,

despite the fact what he says and does, is track record does not put him in a christian way. i was going to get your take on religion and politics spew it all right norm thank you so much for calling in b-2 it was a first question let me talk about nationalism. my book, all of my books deal with race. and o i have talked to a lot of people to include governor doug wilder, the first black governor of virginia, very wise man. democrat, but very wise man. i have republicans in my book their republicans in there too. but doug wilder, for this point i'm going toto go there and i'm going to start from that point. he says when people's money happens to be funny, that's when race comes into play.

when people feel they are not getting their fair shake, they get upset and they say wait a minute i don't want this to happen and that's my get our backs up against the wall. and i'm going to take it a little further. when we feel disenfranchised we feel we are not touched by politics we still have people that feel this way even during the obama even during the bush lears, every president, you are not going to build a touch everyone but people feel left out, they get their backs up against a wall. and they lash out. it's a very simple answer to a very complex issue. but racism is ignorant my sink ignorance and not knowing and not understanding and a pushback from the truth. you don't have to believe me, just google it if you want and look at the statistics. the statistics don't lie. the man unchecked math doesn't't

lie. if you look at the correct organization that's what i believe. i believe that's why we still have that. there are groups of people who feel they have been left out. there are other people getting him when other people are saying we'veoo been left out they say no you need to look it up. it's very simple for complex issue. now to go to the issue of religion, it's so interesting now, and i i have seen ministers get very upset with people who espouse religion and there's a word we use a lot of my family, and say they call on this god that's the love of everyone and hope but yet they are espousing the things that are happening and supporting the ugly issues. there is a big problem in this

country right now with religion and politics. love thy neighbor as thyself is not necessarily what these ministers are standing on. i don't want to call out nays but i talked to many ministers and they are very upset with certain ministers that used to work with. who are now under this administration, i don't want to call it nays but there is a big problem here at the end of the day we have to judge ourselves. and look at is it about i'm doing this for power or them joining this for helping my neighbor is not a get about politics it's about humanity. it's not -- after 23 years this should be perched i'm only speaking for myself but it's about humanity in my opinion some people walk over humanity for the proximity to the president or a cabinet person or even for money. i hope i answered your

question, thank you from seattle thank you. i can't say it. >> host: in your book at mama's knees you talked about being raised in the church and your own faith. >> guest: i call on the name of jesus christ and my relationship to god is very personal. but it's so coincidental, one of my best friends is a preacher i'm always around ministers. >> host: what kind of work did your dad do? >> my dad was a self-made man. i'll even know if he self-made because we stand on the shoulders of greatness of settlement he will who knocked down doors for us. he was a man who did not have a college education, he went into the military, he was in the army. he married my mom he is a bus driver for a little while and he said no i don't to do this. i want to own my own business.

he ended up owning his own trucking company that worked in the port of baltimore and he and my brother work together. that's what fed us. he was a man who came home every night and he paid the bills and made sure we were okay. he would go out in the cold, like many americans do, i remember seeing his hands chapped from the cold and my mother would always go to sears and roebuck weise have a sears and roebuck catalog, and by his winter jacket and i remember her putting the salves on his hands because there's a chap from the weather. he was a great provider. and he died and when he died he had dementia. but he was salient enough at some point before he died he was concerned about the death threats i had a so what did the f say whether the fbi say? and i hope they are my angels watching over me protecting me now.

that my dad was a tough man he was very outspoken. i think i get my courage from him. my mother was a giver i'm i have her heart and i have his strength. and yeah. >> host: and your brother? my brother is very laid-back like my mother. he is very tall and he's my mother's child i am my dad's child i look like my dad, i'm short, my brothers tall. my brother has a good heart. he's a giver and loves hard. all we have is each other now. and our kids at each other. i would do anything for him. we are our parents legacy. i am proud of him, and i want to so much for him. >> host: margaret from fayetteville, arkansas you are a book tv with april ryan. >> guest: i love arkansas. >> caller: hi april i want you

to know that i really admire your gracious i manner. dealing with your critics. i think you are exactly right when you try to solve our history and there is c-span's had some great historians on a lot of black historians. like annette gordon reed, and now painter, and gerald horne from the university of houston, i believe. and a lot of us americans have been been taught to read through comic book storybook version of history and we would enjoy and we would benefit by going deeper into history. and c-span does help with that. she went alright margaret we are gonna let you go at that

point. we appreciate you calling in. let's hear from rico who is calling in west bloomfield michigan. back hi i've got a question on news coverage but i just want to go over about your events in new jersey. when the reporter got thrown out, he said, you made after was when i speak, there is no news coverage. and he said someone else was recorded in the event. now the question i have is, what is your opinion of networks thathe interrupt the president while he is speaking or in a news conference and they say we will let you know if he says something important. >> guest: one all right rico thank you we have two issues on the table. >> guest: rico i am not gonna go any further i spoke on cnn and i just spoke here, and

everything i've said before and today, i have already addressed that. and i was interviewed by brian stetler, is a great interview, he went and asked those questions, go back to that interview and you will see what i n said about that. and i'm not going any further, i gave you something today and i'm not going to relitigate this issue. there is no litigation actually but i'm not going back into it at the advice of my attorneys, but you have everything that i said before and i address that issue before with brian stetler gratefully we have internet you can pull the interview up. and when it comes to people saying both covered if there's something important, while i get why they say that, because what if you are right now, you are in the midst of the coronavirus and you got the

results from the primaries, you have to pick and choose. it's unfortunate, we can't always do a split screen, but you've got to pick and choose. if it's a rally where he is talking and saying things, fine. you don't to be redundant you wanted to get something new something to advance the story. so i get that. i'm not going to try to be in the newsroom or the news person's head, or the newsroom to figure out why they are saying this. in my opinion, if it's new, if advance of the story i will cover it. i listen to a lot of tape of rallies. if they say the same things, i'm not gonna say the same thing over again. vivid something new added, i will give it to you. so i get why they said that in it's not meant to be critical or mean, what it suggests -- if you and a watch it i'm sure

c-span is covering it. but the issue is we have to ndck and choose. there's so much on the table you cannot continue to have continuous coverage of nancy pelosi, continuous covering of mitch mcconnell of donald trump. you've got to pick and choose when theru story is mentioned when it something new. >> host: every time we have an author on in-depth we ask him or her what he or she is reading. in april ryan, is reading two books currently. conversations in black, on power politics and leadership with several prominent authors, and un ambassador susan rice's newew book, which has been covered on book tv. tough love. >> guest: on both those happened to be my friends. and ed i'm just so proud of him for his book. he did something like i did, it's hard as a news person to put yourself out there. so he interviewed some major

people andnd got their takes on different things. it was interesting to really hear some of the takes. i am not going to tell you everything, i want you to go by his book. and on susan rice, i'm not giving any spoiler alerts i'm going to let you read, but i love the fact that there's 20 some odd years and their stories i didn't know. read those books. : : the presidency in black-and-white at thank you for spending two hours having me. thank you, i so appreciate you and this is a ã

>> c-span, your unfiltered view of government created by cable in 1979 and brought to you today by your television provider. [applause] thank you, hello to many friends in the audience. thanks to dalton conway for making the trip down here to be with us tonight. "human diversity" is a big book and we don't have much time. my focus is to give you an overview of the main finding in 12 minutes and professor conway's job, dalton's job if i may, is to put the conversation in any direction he wants and we will take it from there in the discussion. i wanted to write "human diversity" for many reasons but at the center