humility gets caught the attention. >> host: humble yourself, love your enemies. i can't think of a better message to end on so we will end up there. thank you so much. america's expiration date. .. >>.

>> talk about police brutality and profiling. >> april. >> next question mr. president. [laughter] >> mr. president i need to find out from you.

>> april ryan how did a self-described working-class black girl from baltimore get to ask for us presidents questions i get called out by every one of them. >> this is your life and 23 years later and i was out there working and they recognized my work and said we may have a position open and i said okay i thought it was for the dc bureau chief i did not know was for the white house. i even got folded washington and anchored on the weekends but never in my wildest dreams would i imagine i would be

questioning for american presidents and they call me by name. e.t i did the work. i started local. >> being baltimore. >> i love baltimore city. it was about 36 miles away south and so let's try this. i thought i would be there may be only stay two or three years and i have been here 23. i just started out being a reporter and i realized coming in washington power was having a president call your name and the peep telling me a present needed to call me by name like cothe late thelma brown the widow of brown she said they need to call you by name and

my cousin who is married to formerma congressman ed town i did not understand the concept with that i did after it started to happen to be a reporter c that the president will call on by name and it makes a difference. people take note of you and i was covering bill clinton a couple of times before 9/11 when we could walk around the white house and run into a president. i will never forget one time he was walking around eating pretzels walking through the hallway saw me and came into the press area and gave salutations i said mr. president and one of your newest reporters and he called me by name i will never forget the press secretary said why

youpr so on the heart of the issue of me calling you by name? is that because that's my name the first time he didn't he did not call my name but then it changed and then it was a press conference. >> january 101997 he walked into the white house and you recounted the presidency in black and white you are ready to leave after three days. >> yes. [laughter] it's a very different animal. it breeds. and there is a heartbeat to it. it is a whole different scenario it is hurry up and wait. it is a push for information. more than a desire but the

need to get information out and push it out to the public whether the americans to the highest office in the land where everything comes through war and peace and everything in between. it's a different beat who hurry and wait for that one person you feed on every word they say. i have never seen anything like it and never willit again. the hill is a different beat running around looking for all types of congressional leaders or senators or congresspeople but at the white house it's that one person but one thing i will say it has been daunting and overwhelming. i was green but i will say

that i had to view the president in the white house in this historic place it was the most interesting place i had ever been but january 13 was actually my start date and that wasas the day i said okay. we are in here everything is ready to go. >> do you have an office at the white house? >> if that's what you call it. in my first book people could not believe it is like a small phone booth. many young people don't understand what a phone booth is so that's what it looks london but it's the

size of a phone booth may be two of them put together a claustrophobic's need not apply that's what i call home in 1600 pennsylvania avenue and that is my office space believe it or not people fight for that. >> back to the president you write my appearance of the briefing room was a red flag for some. >> yes. in 1997 the issue was right about one - - of race was on the table but in talking to bill clinton interviewing for the book it's always been on the table but the problem is it doesn't always get asked about by the these reporters talk about china or russia and the cerebral policies and issues and when you have issues of race, a lot of times

it does not lead until it bleeds. so i found in the white house race is dealt with at a crescendo moment that was trey von martin or something like that but i was always asking issues of race beyond the crescendo moment and people would look at me know i don't have an agenda i was covering stories of a portion of america the high negative in every current one - - category underreported and underserved. that's how i came to the white house people than they realized some of these questions i were asking was real it isn't conjecture it is real. it's interesting now looking back 23 years later my dear

friend from msnbc said able right and made our race issue popular it's unfortunate that's the case black america and brown america why should there bea, questions especially the highest numbers of every category. >> america urban ready networks the oldest radio network that has been in the white house over 40 years. we primarily serve urban america with news and information we are a heritage network meeting with black media and undergoing change like everyone else so when i

say mainstream media has a cold they are on life support so to see mainstream newspapers we are trying to find our way as well and it's hard for us because we have an mdience tried and true to realize that when others don't ask we will. >>host: december 2nd, 2009 during the obama administration. you write about this in your book, here is an exchange he had with then press secretary. >> in the white house she came out with maybe call the belle of the ball to overshadow the first lady. >> it's getting around washington and democratic and republican circles

high-ranking. >> that's another issue. are you done speaking? >> i have not heard any of that criticism. the president and the first lady and the entire white house staff are grateful for the job she has done and she has done a terrific and wonderful job to pull off a lot a big and important events at the white house spirit did the hul president invite her? did she by herself? the social secretary puts the name on the list. >> april. calm down. this happens to my son and he does the same thing.

>> i am.ou one - - being serious. yes she was at the dinner she was at the dinner. >> i'm going to get back to the topics of men and women in afghanistan. >>host: you are visibly uncomfortable. >> those moments and i will see a lot of those that make me cringe because this iss my life. it does make me cringe because that was an ugly moment but i will say this. let's set the scene about that moment the first black president becomes president history was made but at that time you all remember the story the state dinner and the

assassination attempt had just happened talking about the state dinner and it was the first state dinner i believe in the social secretary at the time did not follow protocol from other administrations mind you i have been in the white house to administrations prior to this i had even been a guest and invited guest at this time presidents were inviting the press to come in so i knew the protocol. so when the call had been moved the press office would be there and secret service would be there but in the

meantime the protocol have beenen changed there was a reality show going on at the same time housewives of washington dc 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 it but they got close to the president of the vice emanuel sond rahm my concern wasn't the tv show or the theatrics my concern as a reporter i am hearing from sources were very close to the situation outside of this white house to say this never should have happened because of the death threats.

so what robert gates was trying to do was to show hisisth loyalty to the press secretary desiree rogers who ultimately left the terms of that leaving you can take it however you want but it was not pleasant the way i understand it. and robert gibbs was trying to be loyal to her at thed rt time. now fast-forward about one or two years later after i wrote the first book that was tents we never got over that at the time. and he apologized to me he said april, i had to make you look crazy. i said but the social

secretary said you to do in her any favors and she's still arguing with me. i saw her once in new jersey. that was a hotbed and she said he was not being loyal to me and i said desiree said you are not being loyal to her he said let me tell you something. she rolled up under the bus and stayed there. the protocol was not followed. she was the social secretary was totally different being a part of the event she wasn't watching it she had her own table with her own guest. the issue was the breach of security and compromising of two men who are historic figures who had death threats. that is the whole issue.

robert was trying to be loyal to then social secretary but that was broken but it was the historic nature so that's all that was. since and i have received an apology from robert gibbs that i spoke to ms. rogers she gave me her account of the event. it was ugly but at the end of the day he apologized it was ugly because robert gibbs told me how the game is played it showed me of what was to come.

>>host: when he said april calm down, what was your immediate thought? >> he was making it personal. that this is a real situation

so yes i'm five generations removed from the last american slave and i have no problem being considered african but i am african-american and with the african press corps so there was a question ultimately w he couldn't help himself president george w. bush could not help himself. >>host: wasn't like to be called out at the one - - by the president quick. >> you have to go with it if

you makeke a scene the president knows your people did this just move on you are trying to fade into the background how do you do that with a white president notices the african-american reporter from us press corps is in the african press corps. do i stand up and say no? you have to pick your battles and learn how to fight another day if i make a scene in the room i'm thrown up in canada asked the questions one - - thrown out and cannot ask the question. >> is this different president? of course. you can see it. that has been different he is a different type of president. he's a different type ofen person he is not a traditional president in any way or shape

or form.ot he is a ruthless businessman who became president of the unitede states. he doesn't like questions that challenge him or that do not put him in a good light. i ask press secretary of obama or whoever the question is on the table whether good or bad or indifferent and the president has taken it to heart and is very upset and call me names publicly. i have never had that happen before. i have been chastised by robert gibbs. in public and behind the scenes i have had talks from josh earnest to ari fleischer with other press secretaries and dana perino quietly if

they are not happy with a question that this is beyond the pale. >>host: february 16, 2017. >> so we will do a lot of work on the inner cities i have great people lined up. >> will you include the cdc in yourur conversations with your inner cities are you going to include the congressional black caucus? >> you want to set up the meeting?ar >> set up the meeting. set up the meeting i would love to meet with a black ulcaucus i think that's great the congressional black caucus. i think that's great. i actually thought i had a meeting with congressman cummings he was alli i excited and then he said i can't move it might be bad for me

politically. >>host: you talk about that incident and under fire. >> i sure do. i will hit the congressman cummings piece first. that piece of elijah cummings and i were very good friends. we hail from the same place in baltimore and congressman cummings called me right away right after inauguration to say president trump wants to meet with me. he met with him at thes inauguration marches and said they want to talk about prescription drug i prices. the problem is the new administration could not figure out how to make it happen there were twists and turns and bumps and bruises. he wasn't hiding they just

didn't know how to make it happen. so right after that they figured it out and talked about prescription drug prices and i ha go into details of the conversation of the meeting there is even a list from the president from what congressman cummings said now going back for full disclosure, this may have been a misinterpretation of the president i'm related to former congressman townes from new york he is my cousin on my mother side. i would call him to confirm things and he was a how did you get that? he was shocked i was not hicalling him for information i

would just call to confirm information as you have to confirm your sources. so people may have told him but actually i met president then donald trump through ed towns in trump tower many years ago i clinton fundraiser actually a fundraiser for my cousin ed towns i had never been to a fundraiser and he was my cousin i said i would like to see what happens at these fundraisers. ii never contributed to any politician so that nobody knows if i am a democrat or republican or independent he did find me interesting i tried to hold a conversation but he moved on it was bill clinton at the time. he monopolize clinton's time so much so much that the guest at the fundraiser were upset because they wanted to talk to bill clinton.

and take pictures with them so maybe that's where he gets that from but also there was a person berating me giving a false narrative a very good the time who at has now left the building. and just a few weeks prior to that there was a big altercation with that person andeen the oval office the press office it spilled out into the hallway and the oval office it was ugly so when he saidd that i felt it was a continuation of that i didn't look at it as racial slight more than sinister but there is so much that goes into all of this. >>.

>> ms. ryan. good afternoon. i follow the presidential press conferences i have seen quite a few so 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 him spinning theme rotors. i find it extremely difficult a, to hear the question that the reporter asks. it would be helpful if there was a mechanism for the question to be made clearer. >>host: thank you very much. >> i love his question.

i'm praying that the president is watching. you never now. it is exasperating for you, we try to get the sound as the helicopter is motoring and powered up to go to andrews air force base. it is awful. he moves around and just friday when he had that press conference in the briefing roo room, we said mr. president please come back. it was saying, people raising their hand and he called on that he was standing still. it was a civilized backfo and forth. he cannotre ignore me at the conference i thought it was

funny he kept looking at me and calling on other people youis cannot miss me. he saw me. i'm glad he did because i had questions like anyone else good bad or indifferent. so i pray we will start having press conferences on the regular as in the building not outside. not only a that it's over 300 some odd days we don't have a press secretary giving a briefing there's too much on the table for us not to be usasking questions about what is going on in this white house and what the white house is doing ord saying. >>. >> mercury is a man credited opening the white house

briefing and has since regretted his decision due to so much posturing for the cameras on both sides. >> he has change that now he sent ae letter. and with those press briefings number one just a few weeks ago and with the tele band and coronavirus and so much and not having a pre- one - - a press briefing and is not just american people are not given the information they have no clue.

and then you don't have the press asking and then to ask questions to flush issues out. this is not a grudge match. it is about humanity and giving people information that they need and back and forth right now just on coronavirus alone it is life-and-death. everything comes to the white house war and peace and everything in between. everything is spoken in that building. >>host: the next call w w from michael in new a york. >>caller:ca hello. i will say something it's not mean-spirited but the k,fortunate incident and

ferguson april and many other black journalist and democrats were saying this happened because of racism. >> i said that? when did i say that's be 14 you and others. >> you have a video? i would love for you to send that. go ahead. let me say this before you go further i said this to anyone at the time blacks have been brought to this nation almost 400 years ago there have been policing issues with the black community from slavery on. it has not changed. now if you want to say it's racism that is fine but there are issues between the community and police but good

policing of that is racism and that the third book under fire they call me a race spader that's not tru true. >>caller: hi. i would like to say i appreciate the opportunity because i would like to point out with that in valuable access that she enjoys. >> why am i a fraud? >>caller: if i could continue. no less and important media analyst from the hill who was one of the very's few played it out when you ask the question irrelevant to the 21st century about slavery if the

white house was in favor or against of slavery not reparations i could see that be an issueue now. but you asked that question pointed out that you only do this to attract attention to yourself. >> that is the commentator's opinion so put it in context the only reason why i ask about that issue of slavery is because the chief of staff brought up the issue and there is a question there was a compromise of slavery and it was fought over slavery and then to keep slaves.

and then senior administration officials the only reason i brought that up because it is still an issue. but you have the cbc in those on capitol hill dealing with the issue of reparations trying to come up that is still a hotbed issue are not looking for attention but america does not want to deal with issues that america is still trying to heal over. the issue of race is everythinghe the issue of slavery. and those that we did not heal from. there is a wealth gap in the nation and those through slavery and a handful reminder

about history and that is one thing i will not apologize for does the administration support the issue of slavery because general kelly was talking about so for attention? that is their opinion but it is a real issue if you don't want to believe me the don't believe me but go to your historyou book people don't want to deal with the issue of slavery because of the pain a lot of people don't want to deal with race because they are afraid to deal with the truth of the pain of the pastlo and it is evident today because of that. because i as a black woman am trying to navigate out of the pain of the past.

but i do not appreciate your personal attacks. it fire, for me it was not a surprise donald trump immediately followed barack obama as president. >> it wasn't. there is a part of the nation they feel they have not received their just you and don't want certain people to get it. i'm not saying it's about race but there is another part of the nation that never wanted him there. i will never forget a conversation that i had with susan rice when he was as a former national security advisor. and the conversation she said we still have people here and

that the coup by jan moment had happened. and then elected president at the white house. and thenou to see them come to the whitee house and then singing and chanting. but then people turn the corner. and not to be post obama that it looks like this. and then people on capitol hill to do everything they can to get them out of there. and politics were built on birth status. the tea party blew up when

barack obama became president. so when you see this we saw what happened in the sixties, the march in washington, and then a little bit of a law. and the browning of america why would we not be surprise donald trump is present right after the first black president. >>host: after presidents bush and clinton and obama do you thank you had personal relationships with private interviews with each of those three and have you had that with president trump? >> i have had interviews with all of them. i see president clinton quite a bit. i haven't seen president obama.ge and george w. bush sends me messages through people every now and then.

but this president i'm looking for an interview i would love to interview him he should interview me because i am a white house correspondent and number two because he is the president of all america and there are certain questions of all america wants. and i sat down with george w. bush and with bill clinton and all of them have said i am not an anybody's corner i don't have a personal relationship with this president. that's for sure. >>host: new york you are on book tv. >>caller: it is ronnie from

chappaqua. it's so good to see one c-span. i have been watching those press conferences following your work and have read your books so to think about what has been your greatest challenge as a journalist what is happening to the first eramendment and was the greatest challenge moving forward? >> thank you for that. the greatest challenge is the ground we have lost and those press conferences they used to be because in this press secretary in the next president of watching what this administration is doing are getting away with. i and the american public i'm surprised they haven't jumped up and been very upset because it's not about us.

so now that's a double negative so what will go forward to see the evolution of things changing but we will still continue to do our job but we are not in the transparent mode and then as this relates to my biggest challenge i have threat to my life because i ask questions and people believe the narrative.

some people just recognize i have a t-shirt and it's been washed again i have been there 23 years my biggest challenges to protect myself and those concerning me, my family. and also to beat down that narrative and those and that's my biggest challenge i will continue to do what i do in too many people who know that if i was lying to pull up what i'm talking about. so they find it hard to believe we are in a racial climate right now.

we are not seeing lynchings but we are bullied in 195019 sixties and then voting without the full protections there is so much on the table people find it hard to swallow. and i just don't understand why. >>host: the supporters of president trump would say he is more available to you than any other president every day going to the helicopters or wherever but he has been accessible. >> he is accessible but he picks and chooses who he wants to be accessible to. outside is quick and fast.

and then asking the questions. you can always leave and pick and choose who you want is not about who is friendly but the questions of all america. the truth is transparency and information. >> san diego go ahead barbara. >>caller. >> i been a long time observer but this is my first time. i was moved by ms. ryan that the press has made this president suchsc a scapegoat of

hatred and to be so irresponsible and the way they speak to him. >> i always call him mr. president. i do not just respect i respect the office of the president. >>caller: i see was full of hatred you were on the view. it was really hateful and you give this president a worldview that he is a clown and he is a moron. and i watch bob costas with him and he asked. >>host: we got the point thank you. >> i will tell you something.

itl me crazy or stupid but is what it is. i respect him as president of the united states. even as he is called me a loser and they wanted to take my credentials. mr. president, he is the president of the united states no matter the electoral college or the population, he is a president of united states. but when it comes to the personal i will deal with that outside but inside and when you ask me a question i have been there 22 years i know stwhat people do or have done and what policies look like and those that have done that and many of the supporters who believe i am a hater they don't realize some of the best

forces are republicans in the inner circle. not a week or but whistleblowers. people talk about things that are in the room when it happens i hear just from democrats i talk to people that were there. and i've talked to a lot of people so when i say something that many reporters will do that is why they challenge him sometimes way they do is because bcf flower something is not right or to ask questions. you can never say i called him a name i raise my hand. mr. president because he is a president of the united states. you still call him mr. president. yes so why would you even say

mr. president? because he is president of the united states. thank you for your call. >>host: talk about the red flag with the presidency in black and white you've been a red flag for people. do you think it's because you are a black woman that sometimes it is put on your such as barbara's opinion? >> the assumption is because i'm black and woman and democrat and i love barack obama and i hate the president. that's not the truth. we have not gotten to the place where we can look at each other without labels or tags. i have friends who are high-ranking republicans who have gotten to the mat for me

because they know me and my heart. so i do believe there is an automatic assumption because people have blind trust. >> as a member of the specialty media. >> defined that. >>host: i will let you explain that. >> that means you are outside of the realm of abc, cbs, nbc i do radio which is the bass of media and we focused on urban areas but that is specialty media. >>host: you write big shot reporters can get downright petulant about losing a turn asking a president question but only when it affects them

directly. is that intimidating dealing with cbs orr nbc? >> i been there 23 years they know who i am. i am part of the press corps. there is a new crop of people who have come in. . . . .

straight down the middle but there were some comments critiquing that report and they were just some twitter comments. it is very straight down the middle. >> guest: that's what you will find in the report. in my reporting i will tell you what someoneto else says. people want to call me a racist. if you askca me a question as an analyst, i'm going to tell you. my job as a white house correspondent is to do the job to give you the story. the report with doctor san sanjy

gupta. it is deadlier than the flu if you look at. i want to get as much information as possible to the american public. i was there when we had speed 11 and other diseases. diseases. its important american public knows and i try to give them facts without my opinion. >> host: >> guest: to this day i miss her and my dad passed away lego. she exposed me to the world and she and my father, the reason

why i survived as i say in 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 and she worked on college campus and exposed me to the world and everyone and said i can be and do anything i want to be as long as they work hard and get a good education and she told me i always knew in washington but i never figured she would be in the white house. >> host: did she visit you at the white house? >> guest: we have a couple pictures of the parties.

>> host: you write about her in mothers race black-and-white and we are going to show a video a woman this is april 2015. you can go ahead and tell us what is going on here. i did an interview that she chose not to go on the record. some people view that as corporalat punishment. i grew up around around that sk used to have piano lessons there. ret there's something and ate about a mother. she didn't have to see the whole face as she picked out a little boy and she said not you, no you

won't. she tried to kee keep her alive. i couldn't get into the interview because i wasn't allowed but her story is everyone's story. i'm a divorced mother and 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 to get out and others are still climbing. i will never forget that day i was leaving the white house and i think it to baptist church fights broke out. people were calling me at the white house needs to come home. my children were about 13 miles up the road at their little

boarding school that they attend and all i could think about is getting home to them and listening to what was going on i felt like the world was coming to an end. and then i saw that story. from where i come from she was saving that waste life and he's still on the straight and narr narrow. he kept going but that's love and when you are a black or brown mother, in the depths of despair he will do anything for your child and that is survival.

>> host: in your book, so many black mothers have to come speier and network and work together and strategize for their children's future. >> guest: it takes a village. my mother used to tell me that's why we have the vital showers and baby showers because when you don't have enough money, we all come together and make sure. you come speier to make each one. to be the next barack obama, michelle obama, the next bill clinton, the next donald trump.

could be the next charles drew. don't know who that is, google him. could be the next. >> host: what is the writing process like for you? >> guest: hell on wheels. i'm glad it took 17 years and the subsequent books were six monthshs each. i pulled myself away from everything. and i've got children. writing the process i put the words on my phone so you can be on the plane or train and converting it.

you are always thinking of it and i am consumed by it. i needed a break. >> host: dead sea from allen's in michigan, good afternoon. >> caller: how are you today? i have seen you on many c-span programs with your books and i've always admired your strength and perseverance. today you said something you used the phrase that ease of -espirit and i thought to myseli think that probably describes very well you are and i admire that and wanted to say it on television for people who don't have any idea who you are might get a glimpse.

thank you. >> guest: that touched my heart. thank you so much. humanity is big for me. you cannot sit on the perch reporting on the world and not see people. people like sabrina fulton, the mother of trayvon martin. i think what we have forgotten, no matter who we are or what the site of the equation, democrats, republicans, independents, and i think that we have forgotten thatn we are people still formg

a more perfect union. i've watched people feel hopeless when they realize they don't have power and that power again goes back to the blueprint from the 50s and 60s. i watched people and report on people who are trying to figure a way out and call on the highest office in the land for help. policy is policy but it's about people and i report. >> host: if you were to recommend one of your books, which one would it be? >> guest: given her comments

about heart, that moment is me. if you want to know about people trying to figure this out but be the first but if you want to know my struggles, try to survive and efforts with freedom of the press which i do believe in it i believe in the fourth estate would recommend under fire. >> host: lee is in new orleans. >> guest: hello, lee. >> caller: yes, you are doing a fantastic job. keep on doing what you're doing and what you've got to understand is there's a lot of people in this country probably over 50% still fighting the civil war.

what i wanted to say is a couple of questions. at the time barack obama was president, i heard several times there was anywhere from two to $3 trillion it wasn't being spent as far as putting an end to the economy. second, what you want to understand is trump basically takes the vitriol 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

generate his supporters and he knows this. he's asking how can possibly we as americans do things to keep from falling into that category. >> guest: when it comes to president trump and the vitriol, i charge everyone with this vr at a time when facts are not always the truth now. when it comes to the economy when barack obama came into the white house, we were in a

recession i asked george w. bush if we were in recession and i've been her in the rose garden i talked to james clyburn at the time and george bush said it's not a recession we were in a full-blown recession with barack obama. he created a good situation for thetu president to go into. i don't know about the monies that were offshore but whatever he did worked to help stimulate the economy. he helped the auto industry and a lot of money in the her here e but i'm going to tell you is this president, he owns the economy now, but he did not have

with barack obama walked into. he walked into a full-blown recession so the bottom line is he owns the economy now, but there is a problem. we've seen the stock market look unfavorable for a while. st've got to wait to see the impact now that this is a wait and see now we've got an extra added strain coronavirus dot barack obama did help this economy. >> host: this is a text message we received. thank you c-span for featuring april. are you receiving more threats

and how do you feel about the retirement and that is from mobile alabama. >> guest: i grew up on tom joyner. i believe there is still room for tom joyner. what was the other question? >> host: they took it down. >> host: can you share a recent one with us? less? >> guest: for security purposes, i do not like going in to it. they come to social media.

when people get death threats, they are trying to scare you. you just never know and you have to be vigilant. it is. unfortunate that me as a member of the press in this country in the united states of america in 2020 have death threats and have to have a how a bodyguard to make sure that i'm okay. thank you for asking and that is as far as i'm going to go. >> host: bringing that up, there was an incident in new jersey recently we are going to show and maybe you can tell us what is happening.

>> i believe it was august adventures he. what i will say is that it was a negative narrative created about what happened and i haven't said anything at the behest of my attorney. what you see as an organizer. i was in the ballroom when this happened. you see the event organizered ad my bodyguard doing something that i did not recommend. the issue is no reporter should

ever have death threats or a bodyguard. the situation escalated. i was on the stage asking what's what because everyone wants to know what's fair. you want to make sure what is going on. so i'm on a stage and i guess that they were working some mouth. my bodyguard come to me and says please stop talking so because i haven't said anything about the incident, the narrative was created i am not that person. it was ugly and unfortunate. nice and bodyguard was hired and he has since apologized to me for the incident. what i will say is there were no

charges at the scene. i've never been subpoenaed. a lot of this was negative stories and it's not true but i handled it with my security guard. >> caller: you have such a wonderful career. thank you for doing what you do because we need journalists in this country and it's a very honorable job. is it trump that we've failed to

see the importance of journali journalism. we keep hearing that the economy of the country if you like the media isn't talking about, how can the economy be so great if people are getting minimum wage and come right out of the 80s to make ends meet. >> guest: it can be economic slavery. okay so there's a large portion of america that's underemployed meaning they have to have two or three jobs and there is still poverty in this nation and the

economic slavery is real. the problem is we are not seeing the numbers going into education and getting the kind of jobs that they called for. that is one issue. but at the same time there is still economic slavery. the wealth gap we come to the communities the economy is great, no it's not there is still a wealth gap and great disparity between black-and-white with income and its going to take centuries to make up for lost.

not only that but with women versus men. so, how does that happen? policy. they say tax incentives. how could a t $3,300 tax incente helped someone put a child in daycare when daycare for two months is maybe. they say it ultimately trickles down. they did the math. but the issue is there needs to be in my opinion after working on some kind of stimulus and also ways to get people into the fields that are producing financially to help change situations but they will always have people that fall through theu gaps.

john mccain talked about this before he died, the issue of free press that leads to disinformation and he also says that we into a dictatorship. the question is why is this a hatred for the press right now. i don't want to give my opinion of what i will tell you is the press can make mistakes. we are human. the press can also clea clean ip but i also believe some people don't realize there's a line between fact and opinion. there is also components that we need to see. we have a president doesn't trust the press because he fuels

the negative story and he has a large following that the leaves had. when you have the following and when the press goes to a rally and there are people that want to do things in savings to the prospect doesn't make it easy to us and now i'm hearing because i can't go to a rally. i would love to cover it trump rally but i can't do it. i just cannot. i have to be careful where i go because of a negative false-negative. i encourage people once again going back to the issue of critical thinking and find those you trust and that gives you straight news, not opinion and then build the other pieces in.

find a new and build the other pieces because we are at the time informationon is critical d they are not getting the necessary information. we are getting a lot of opinion but not that critical information. a >> host: because there are so many different typesg of media how much of a problem as washington media become in trying to do your job and doing it professionally if you can also define what it is and the different types. when i started 30 years ago, we had -- i was in school when we started over 30 years ago and i was hearing the term information

superhighway. the information superhighway has been a blessing and a curse and what has this done, it has challenged us to get into the platform if you are ready and to the visuals that you can be on the internet as well as audio and pictures. with the, when i started 23 years ago it is basically tv, print magazine, then radio. then expanded to blogger and commentator and what we talked about, it's a small groupta of

people with a representative with each of these. the roosevelt room and cabinet room and wherever the president is traveling to represent the organizations that are looking for information so it has changed and we try to keep it fact only. some people want to add color and commentary and they are very critical we are stil still the p is looking for facts for the most part the traditional grou groups.

we are looking for facts for the people, so its chain should and i think it is going to continue to change. >> guest: have you served in the past?n' >> guest: yes i was in the pool a couple of weeks ago. for the radio with every 11 or 12 days and other they have more people in the pools. >> guest: it's who is in the room and what's happening in the room. >> guest: it's become a big chore and i've never said this publicly but i don't want to be in there and be glared at or talked down to. that's all. i don't like those moments. they make me cringe. i don't like them. people want to believe i left for that, no i don't but i will

u ll you what happens if it happens. >> enguest: another text message what do you recommend for black women to a stand the board? >> guest: i need to write a book about that. that goes into the economics of it all. we have been out of the room and not at the table for so long and now it's time to know the game ourselves. i know the game now i know when to pick my fights and when to stay out. i think of the first black woman that ran for president. if you don't have a seat at the table, bring a phone and a chair. she was before kamala.

have a seat so you can bring and that maybe another book. >> host: are you working on a fourth one right now? >> guest: yes. >> host: doesn't flow from these three? >> guest: yes and no. i need something that is mindless because i'm burned out. i've got ptsd from all of this and i'm serious about that. always have to look over your shoulder. i've had to move to keep safe and keep my children safe and people don't want to believe this but that's the truth. my neighbors will tell you they are on edge also sometimes. i need things that are mindless. i am working with a friend on something.

no one has that unique perch by half anthat i have and the uniqe situations that i have. if i write something that's got to be something that will give people an understanding and it's going to be there for history because i won't let someone write my narrative. >> host: if you can't get through onre the phone line and want to make a comment we have several social media sites we will scroll through the addresses as we hear from k. in california. i'm a news junkie andnd i could use not i woke up this morning and thought what is april ryan up to this morning. [laughter] >> host: have you really want her to that? >> guest: i swear. i didn't realize you asked that question yesterday on the press

conference. i was wondering how are the challenges with racism and sexism and misogyny changed as a career as a black female white house press correspondent or have they changed? >> guest: i appreciate you and i'm around, and there. right now not as much as i was and that is a blessing right now for me because i can breathe, but i'm still around. i am contracted. they have been great through all of this process and they've been with me i don't want to get into details but they've been with me all the way. and i so appreciate them.

as it relates to racism, sexism in this business, washington is a dominated town by white men. i'm a black woman that i'm asking about issues people don't want to talk about. it's tough but i've been here long enough and i know who to ask and who will hopefully and who won't. after a while you feel the vibe. i know the rhythm of the town even the new people that have come i still know the rhythm. t there is still definite you have

to know who works for you. you have to know who runs the business or you will ball up and cry. you >> host: arnold is in texas. >> guest: i'm fine. >> caller: and g i'm good. i am an amateur author and i have a book coming out this summer and i specifically mentioned you by name people said they don't know who you are and the jobs you have is the

typical job i want to let you know there are a lot of american people especially the african community. >> guest: you are right, the late gwen eifel so many have paved the way for me at the white house and they encountered racism. if you step on one of our shoes there will bep a riot. >> host: this is the first african-american white house correspondent. he received posthumously at the 100th anniversary for the white house correspondents association. on the board at h the time and e

struggles and the challenges that they had they don't fall short. i take it with a badge of honor to be in that space. and i believe that voting is sacred, and i've suspected and respects the part in history because c-span is rolling off the tapes and i am a part of history and respect that and i take it seriously.

[inaudible conversations] >> host: what was going on? >> guest: that still brings tears to my eyes. >> host: we heard a voice at the end say mr. president, are you racist? >> guest: that was me. i said it three times i believe. i still haven't come to terms with that question. i don't regret asking it of the reason i haven't come to terms with it is because in 2020 right now and 2018 no matter who the

president is, supposedly as a community i don't think any reporter should never have to ask that question of a sitting u.s. president. han rather said to me when he heard that question he said that was a good question but i knew she was going to get it. but let's talk about the day that happened. that was the holiday weekend and if it were not for doctor king i wouldn't be in that white house. you and i wouldn't be sitting here right now and that is sacred to me. we were hearing as a whole nation and before that they have

charlottesville. we had this conversation from the chief of staff on issues of the compromise and also the congresswoman and david johnson was killed and she was charged with eavesdropping when the master sergeant put the phone calwith the phonecall in for evd happened to be in the call and drug her name through the mud. in the background all my sources, black leaders, white leaders, democrats, he's a racist, he's a racist. you had hispanic and black leaders very upset as a whole nation.

i haven't determined to ask that question until it came out of my mouth and i was fighting with myself. doctor king means the world to g and this is a historic mome moment. it were me up so much i left the white house and fell into the arms of the cameras. my family is very close to his family i fell into his arms and sobbed on the consulting avenue. i couldn't believe it. rtreached up to martin luther king the third &-and-sign sorry. he said with what and if you

notice on the back of under fire he wrote for the buck and it still weighs on me but i'm sure it weighs on him because he didn't answer there for three days later that he did. that question made a lot of news but months later asked argue a white nationalist. the only reason i ask those questions is the atmosphere and the words beg the question. and it still bothers me today because it matters and do i regret asking, no. no. is it any still, yes. i don't regret asking the

question. it wasn't me saying you are a racist. what was said, things that leadd up to that. >> host: text message why do not democrats look at all of the cities that have been held in the democratic majority for 50 years as does her baltimore that have the worst problems, schools, crime, race, etc.. >> guest: exactly what i was talking about earlier. her baltimore. if we a are america, we are everyone's city. baltimore, chicago, cleveland, baltimore is new orleans, baltimore is every urban city and they can even be rural america so i am so glad that

that person texted back, her baltimore. i grew up and have a love for her baltimore so let me break this down. when any american or any city is hurting why do you point and say there's a problem, let's hope. i don't understand the disconnect. george w. bush was screaming that there were still efforts to help and not point fingers. katrina linger into the obama administration and the obama administration had to cities they put out they had special efforts for them. detroit andpe new orleans. they were trying to help the city but then they ultimately worked up they didn't have to keep them in the special staff.

while a point fingers at a city that is hurting. i don't know about the corruption maybe there was corruption but instead of pointing fingers if you are leading people that is part of america. this is what i heard. to see him cry, that hurts me and when you are from the same neighborhood with the same community that has automatic failure, why don't you help. and that is all it's doing. i hope they answered your question. her baltimore is our baltimore. it's everyone's north carolina. her detroit is everyone's detroit.t. >> host: next call is norman.

did i get that right? [inaudible] >> guest: >> caller: yes. i love this part. it's called god's country by the way. it's the san francisco, the northwesthe. i was going to ask a question abouthe questionabout why in yoe is so much nationalism and authoritarianism sweeping not just here but i thought more about religion, let's get your take on that. there is a contrast in russia they are really being abused and

here in this country you have right-wing evangelicals who are some of the supporters despite the track record is going to get your take on thatan religion and politics. >> host: thank you for calling calling. it's about nationalism and politics. >> guest: let me talk about religion and nationalism. my books do with race and i i've talked to a lot of people to include governor doug wilder the errst black governor in the state of virginia. a very wise man. democrat. i have republicans in my book, too. but i'm going to go there and

start from that point. he says, and i'm going to give a synopsis for synopsys. when it happens to be funny if it is when race comes into play and when people feel they are not getting their fair shake, they get upset. when we feel disenfranchised and we are not touched by politics and there are still people to this day that feel that way even during the bush years, people feel left out. they get there back up against t the wall and lash out. it's a simple answer to a complex issue. but racism is ignorant and the pushback from the truth.

you don't have to believe me but look at the statistics. the statistics don't lie if you look at the correct organizati organization. that's what i believe and why we still have that because if there are groups of people that feel they've been left out and other people say we've been left out you need to look at us and that is very simple for complex issue now goingng to the issue of religion it is so interesting now. i've seen ministers get very upset with people who espouse religion and religiosity and say they know they call on this guy that is the love of everyone thabutif they are espousing thes

that are happening and supporting the ugly issues. there's a big problem in this country right now if religion and politics. love thy neighbor as thyself is not necessarily the bedrock that a lot of the ministers are standing on and i don't want to call out name, but i've talked to many ministers and they are upset with many that they used to work with under this administration and i don't want to call out names but there is a big problem at the end of the day we have to judge ourselves. after 23 years and i'm only speaking for myself but it's about humanity in my opinion and

some people walk over for the proximitgo for theproximity to r cabinet person or even for mon money. >> host: in your book you talk about being raised in b the church. >> guest: i call on the name of jesus christ and my relationship isch very personal, but it's so coincidental. some of my best friends are preachers. i'm always around ministers. >> host: what kind of work did d for data to? >> guest: my dad was a self-made man. he was a man that didn't have a college education and went into tthe military and the army. army. he left end.

my mom and was a bus driver for a while and said i don't want to do this. he said i want to own my own business. he had a trucking company and then he and my brother workedro together and he was a man who came home every night and paid the bills and make sure we were okay. he would go out in the cold like many americans view. i remember seeing his hand chopped from the cold and my mother would always go to sears and roebuck and by his winter jacket and i remember her, his hands were chopped from the weather and he was a great provider and when he died, he had dementia but before he died he was concerned about the death

threats i had and he asked what is the fbi saying. and i hope that my angels are watching over me protecting me now that my dad was a tough man, very outspoken and i have her heart and his strength. my brother is late -- laid-back but another and i and my dad's child, i am short and my brother was tall. my brother has a good heart. all we have is each other now. i would do anything for him and our parents legacy. i'm proud of him and want so much for him. >> host: margaret and

fayetteville arkansas were on the tv with april ryan. >> guest: l-lima of arkansas. >> caller: hello, april. i want you to know that i had my ear your gracious manner with your critics. i think that you are exactly right when you tell us to study our history into c-span has had some great historian. a lot of black historians like annette gordon reed. a lot of us have been taught a storybook version of history and we would enjoy and benefit by

going deeper into history and c-span does help d with the. >> host: let's hear from rico. >> caller: i have a question about news coverage but i want to go over your event in new jersey when the reporter got thrown out he said the comment you made after is when i speak there is no news coverage. he said someone else was recording the event. now the question i have is what is your opinion of networks that interpret the president while he's speaking or a news conference and they say we will let you know if he says something important.

>> host: we have two issues on the table. >> guest: i am not going to go any further. i spoke on cnn and i spoke here. everything i said before and today i've already addressed that. there was a great interview by brian. he went in and asked the questions. go back and you will see what i said about that. i am not goingha any further. i gave you something today and i'm not going to relitigate the issue. at the advice of my attorneys i addressed thatat issue before ad gratefully we have the internet you can pull it up on and when it comes to people saying we will cover it if there is something important, i guess why

they say that because what it's like right now you are in the midst of the virus and got the results from the primaries. you have to pickry and choose. it's unfortunate we can't always do a split screen but you have to pick and choose if it's a rally where he's talking, the same thing, you don't want to be redundant. that's what the news is, something new, something to advance the story. i get that. so i'm not going to try to be in the newsroom were the newspersons head to figure out why they are saying this. but in my opinion, if it advances the story, i will cover it. i listen to a lot of tapes of the rallies and if they say the same thing, i'm not going to say the same thing over and over again.

i don't think that it's meant to be critical or mean but if you want to watch it i'm sure c-span is covering it. but the issue is we have to pick and choose so much on the table you can't have the continuous coverage of nancy pelosi or mitch mcconnell or donald trump. you've got to pick and choose when the story advances and when pthere is something new. >> host: every time we have an offer on in depth we ask him or her what he or she is reading. and april is reading two books. conversations on black and un ambassador susan rice new book that's been covered on booktv, tough love. >> guest: both of them having to be my friends. and i'm just so proud of him for

his book. he did something like i did. iit's hard as a news person to put yourself out there. he interviewed some knee-jerk people and got their take and it was interesting to hear some of the take i'm not going to tell you everything. i want you to buy his books. i'i am not giving any spoiler alerts. i've known her for 20 some years and there are some stories that i didn't know. ..

>>. >> the book is america's expiration date to say based on the