>> on wednesdiona institutes of health director nominee willr qstions at his confirmation hearing he as a professor at stanford university eressed his oppositi the cocoa19 lockdown. from theateealth committee watch live at 10:00 a.m. eastern on c-span three comments he spent an hour free mobile app or online at c-span.org. >> here is what i had tonight on c-span2 in just a moment we will begin the preview president trump's address to a joint session of congress expected to begin around 9:00 p.m. eastern. we'll follow the president's remarks with life congressional reaction. ♪ >> good evening and welcome to c-span's coverage of the joint address to congress. it's an evening view of the capitol here in washington the

site of president trump's address to a joint session of congress in about an hour. this is his fifth overall and the first of his second term about 43 days in. his address comes as lawmakers are working to cut government spending, come up with a federal budget deliver on president trump's goals of $2 trillion in savings. it comes after uncertainty o on u.s. ukraine policy the beginning of a potential tariff war. here is alive look at the white house for the press will be departing shortly for the 16 block drive to the capitol down pennsylvania avenue but white house press secretary carolina lovett gave a preview of the speech earlier today calling it a renewal of the american dream. we willav talk more about the message of tonight's address and the guests the president is bringing with him but the two journalists who will be with us in studio tonight. back onno capitol hill, arrivals for tonight's address already underway more than 500 elected

lawmakers and their guests make their way to the house chamber. we'll soon see senators gathered to make their way over to the house and the arrival of cabinet secretary, and many statuary hall dozens of journalists are positioned to cover the evening c-span is live coverage throughout the evening on all of our networks and platforms. joining us from capitol hill is dave clark with a punishable news. all day long there's a lot of press conferences with free speech positioning by both parties. >> there certainly were part of the white house in previous its message is going to deliver tonight democrats are giving a little taste of how they are going to counter program the event. what we will hear tonight is twofold. he isth going to try to explain what he has done during the

first six weeks of his administration which is been a bit of a whirlwind he's going to try to put together these executive orders that he has put out and tell a story about those. he's going to look forward and say what else he wants to do. going to make a push for more border security funding froman congress. he is going to talk about likely is a trade or wars or the tariffs he's ratcheting up on some of our allies and adversaries. when it comes to summing up what he's done so far is going to make sense of the executive orders. he's going to talk about his effort to shrink the government through doge and elon musk parties going to touch on the culture war issues whether the orders he's put on ship transgender people are ending dei programs in the government. meanwhile democrats are going to talk about some the same themes but with a different tact. they will be highlighting all the services that americans might not be getting at the

government dismantles the way the president is trying to do that. they'll be focusing on the possible budget cuts like programsud like medicaid that republicans are considering. there's going to be a lot of talk tonight. a lot of jousting over what the agenda had should be. but how would you describe the mood up there? >> is a republicans is pretty jubilant they have both chambers of congress and president trump of the white house their writing pretty high there's nerves on some of them on the various moves president trump has made it put some of the defense talks they're not very happy with the way things are going in ukraine but we'll see how much the president talks about that tonight. but, overall republicans are in a very good spot despite little nerves here or there. his speech tonight is going to be talking to those republicans but moree importantly is base of voters. going to try to rile them up and sell a message to them he's not going to try to do a lot of

converting tonight he will be speaking to the faithful. >> mr. clark march 14 is right around the corner at the end of government funding. can you giveco us a status updae on the budget talks? >> and warnings about a shutdown. talking about passing what's known as a clean continuing resolution. essentially just extending current funding through the end of the fiscal year which is at the end of september. but that can be difficult they have a very tight majority in the house. democrats are in no mood to help republicans outy here. one big question will be can republicans pass the continuing resolution if they can't will they sway anyny democrats to voe for that resolution? if so what do they have to give them to get their votes? >> dave clark a punch bowl news we appreciate you spending a few

minutes with us. where are you going to be during the speech? >> up in the gallery. >> if youh? have the transcriptf it yet? snow if not from the transcript of it yet as of my coming over here we had noty seen the excerpts yet for there has been a tight hold on it so far for. >> thank you for joining us from capitol hill. here in our studio jasmine wright is a reporter with notice news of the united states. jason is the editor-in-chief of rollll call. very quickly what are you looking for tonight? >> really interested in the approachch that trump takes from the get-go. as dave alluded to the expectation from a lot ofo, peoe is that he's going to be speaking to his base. he feels he has a mandate or this is what he and his allies tell people is that he has a mandate. there is no advantage to them looking like they need to reach out to the democrats or even to wavering republicans.

sometimes these speeches can be conciliatory or let's talk about how great things are. trump is going to step on the gas he is going to come out aggressive picnics jasmine wright same>> question too. >> i am looking at his tone, his tone his tone. i was talking to a source family with speech preparation is notn going to be flowery language is going to be impassioned of issomething he is deeply involvd ine that he has been editing up until the last moment. and i think the shift you've seen and the white house and since last week after the zelenskyy meeting really feud yelling match in the oval office of him doubling without his administration doublingg down on the idea that they are projecting american strength. i am looking to see if the child reflects that we have seen over the last four days which is a doubling down of this projection

they areou making. >> will be back with jasmine and jason in just a minute. her cohost this evening, i regret it. >> hate peter, as you return but lawmakers on the president get to invite guests in the house chamber for this address to congress, topping the list is a name that many people have heard repeatedly over the first 40 days of this administration and that is elon musk. reports for bloomberg news putting on x today speaker mike johnson wanted musk to be on the house floor tonight made inquiries about his access as a not official government officer or employeeis. but they're telling johnson musk willer be seated in fact in the gallery above the floor with the firstt lady. in the box with the first lady will be around 11 guests at purdue have the president introduce each of them in his speech tonight. here is an idea of the people

and the themes they reflect and why they were invited to sit with the first lady tonight. aslo we set elon musk, the prest expected to highlight the work of the department of government efficiency, trench a. allison and lauren phillips that mother and sister of laken riley. the 22-year-old gusset university nursing student who was murdered by undocumented immigrants. alexis that will be a theme with those in guests and others. patent eight volleyball player who allegedly had a concussion while playing against a transgender competitor. januaryin littlejohn anti- transgender parents right activist those are some of the names on the folks that will be in the box tonight. with the first lady. as for democrats tonight, this

is abc's headline. some democrats are planning to skip the joint address to congress. the list seems to be growing as the day goes on aoc, senator chris murphy, senator patty murphy,, martin heinrich and others all planning to skip tonight's joint address. and then there is this reporting from paxinos earlier today the democrats are split on how to respond to those democrats are going to be in the chamber. some members may walk out of the chamber when they hear something they do not agree with. you may see props like assigns or noisemakers that democrats have in the chamber with them tonight. someto have talked about a pockt constitution they may waive. you will also seat members wearing ties and scarves with the colors of ukraine's flag.

female members of the congressional black caucus is talked about wearing a black to mark a somber mood. that democratic women's caucus, and they are to wear pink and defiant. what does that look like? take a look at this from x earlier today this is representative norman torres putting a picture of her other members of the women's democratic caucus wearing pink plate that is what they will be wearing in the chamber. she said it is because we are powerful, passionate and p owed. pink is not just a color it's a symbol of protest, a symbol of women's power and persistence. the truth is women cannot afford trump.en there is also this reporting hill the house of freedom caucus sent a warning statement ahead of trump's speech writing to formally center any government any disrupt the address tonight. connolly of virginia democrat responded to that from that freedom caucus, that warning

with just this picture. this is a marjorie taylor green yelling at president biden during his state of the union address last year. >> you have been covering these types of speeches and states of the unit for a long time. hence they're always been a bit unruly or has it gotten-has an arc change question. >> has been a market change since trump's first term carried over into the biting years. we can expect at least something that will be kind of dramatic. i feell like they have always been moments where we can point too. there is a joint address president barack obama delivered his tongue but healthcare and wilson the succulent republican yelled out you lie. that was obviously a moment that lives in history. that was kind of the exception to a lot of the rules.

it is been amped up a little in the last 10 years. >> i would w argue some the best moments of the joint addresses what some people say can run far too long they start on the east coast a little bit late. sometimes people believe there may be a little too monotone. some of the more lively moments happen to these interruptions through a president like joe biden last year kind of goingo back and forth with the republicans who submit several various things for those moments livened up some think that at times can be a bit stale or dry and can feel it's getting into 90 minutes or 100 minutes is going on too long. >> 's speech are brought up joe biden was just a year ago. >> what was interesting about that moment was, there were some discussions about his age.

dean phillips basically come in and say somebody needs to have a conversation joe biden should no longer be president. there was some questions whether or not he could do with that type of speech, that type of format. job i is not known to be the best or raider out of all the presidents there were questions whether not he could do that. he got waive rave reviews because of the way he was able to taketh the incoming republics becausebl of the way he was able to goin back have the levity of bantere basically saying i'm telling the truth i'm curious to see how trump does today. he is not one to shy away from banter i think he likes the back and forth not necessary at the confrontation but they give and take of arguing with somebody who may be does not see that viewpoint or slapping someone down. i'm curious to see how devoted trump is to the text versus

being in the moment in the intimate's headaches. >> credit notice.org you will see jasmine right she has the lead story hereti is trump's fit joint address won't be anything like the last time. is that what you meant when you talked about tone? because i went back and watch the 2017 address to congress that was his first time in office someone told me at the time is part of the white house they were really intent on it being trump's reintroduction to america they knew him as the apprentice donald trump they knew him as the campaign or donald trump. they did not know him as president. go back and listen to that speech, his tone is really different than what you will hear tonight. it was softer, it was more you know far it was trying to show the american people that he can be presidential so both republicans and democrats let's

put away the trivial fights and work together in his agenda. if you go back and look at his first term only legislatively his taxax cuts he wanted to be much different uc donald trump who is not going to take a lot of crab from people. he is the presidentho of a couny where his party has the house, that senate part you could argue he has a more favorable supreme court with some of the things he wants to get done. he is really going to come in there i believe i'm put the marker down and say this is my priority for this is my country. give me what i once if you do not get on board you will get left. >> is important to note this a congress, the majority have been elected since trump was elected. this is what they know. this is the world, this is the tone, this is the way they see things.

some of the folks who want a more sedate morning approach to this, they are gone. they are retired. he has a shape not just the republican party by the democrat party because democrats have been in the opposition authority and majority. it's always in relation to trump. even when he was out of office he still dominated the conversation even through joe biden's for years. >> just to pick up on what jasmine was saying. the first term addresses you agree could be different. >> sheep saw the tone shift and is addresses you solve this conciliatory i'm going to run the country. i'm going to reach out or going to get a lot of stuff done and cut taxes. in this last estate of the head nancy pelosi ripping up her copy of the speech behind him and he

did not shake her hand. i think we are going to see it more like the last speech that we are the first speech even though there are no democrats behind him. >> this address and a little bit under an hour for it coming up in the next 10 or 15 minutes or so you will see the president and mrs. trump depart the white house. he will see the lights come up in the house chamber. you see them milling about they willig go to that as soon as tht is available. you will see the supreme court producing the joint chiefs. you will see the diplomatic corps. all coming in, the president's cabinet as well. all coming into the chamber that's all going to be live on c-spanid and on c-span2. so watch it there as well. or on our online platform. this is called a joint session. is that different than the state of the union? is it technically different or

just in tone? >> it gets technically differen? they have two different titles. pomp and circumstance as it might initially see it amped up but it's the state of the unit next s year the effect is the same. it is a president's first month oror so five weeks in office laying out what they've already done what they will be doing and we know trump has come into office of basically being in exile and west palm. some that make up the white house of the most trusted advisors spent four years in somebody's right aligned think tanks figuring out what trumps a platform should be, should he ,once he gets back into office. so they're kind of moving on that. what you saw for the first five weeks and his administration was executive power him issuing over 75 executive orders.

him basically pushing a limit to those executive orders. an ioc trump try to turn onto the legislative power. making it very clear what he wantsr, trump to do in office as aswe especially joint address of congress. laying out how they want the first you don't all there is for that. the speech biden gave last year to these it generally make a difference? lexi certainlyst can. with that biden and i would organ 2017 trump set the c table for what he would eventually get with the tax cuts at first year. you depending on what he wants to emphasize that can be

something we signal to the basic got you, or keeping our word. ivc focus groups that come out that her independence and democrats are saying he did say he was going to do this. whether it's tariffs or what have you. thus the thing, reaffirming in the eyes of the white house could be good. we don't have them in time for legislation. the timesim when the party controls the white house and both chambers of congress are prettyng fleeting. there's a few months to do it. and they are in the mid terms and usually they lose one of the chambers. so they know they are on the clock and they want to hit the ground running and this is the first chance to speak directly to the american people after the election picklist check back in with peter. >> the formers beaker ripping up the speech of president trump during his first term in this last address to congress at state of the union.

it reminds you of cnn catching up of the former speaker nancy pelosi she recalled tearing up present donald trump speech in 2020 after state of the union address. but she told him quote hopefully he won't live so much this time it was a manifesto of lies as i said at the time. there is a quote from the former ahead of us tonight speech by president trump the first of his second term. you were talking about do these speeches make a difference? will they impact poll numbers? let's take a look at where the polls stand right now for the president. t his favorability numbers and these are being tracked but you go up and the economist sce the beginning of the second administration. you can see at the end of nuary he was a hp water plus to the first week of february he is even. and then his favorability, on

favorability numbers shown there. you canan show the favorables start to drop mid-february in the last week of february on a favorable numr 47% -- 50% first favorable. ke a look at 5:30 eight and their average ofresident trump's approva rating. 48% approve, 47% disapprove. on favorables according to the average by 48-point to percent and is favorable is that 46.5%. when you break this down by agenda items the white house is keen to point you to a harvard/harris poll that was do recently. this is what they found support 81%% supporting that. 76% of the time the harris poll

was taken. they approve of the cost-cutting forts. 76% closing the u.s./mexico border. 69% think they support banning trans athletes from girls spos onlybout 39% in support of renaming the gulf of america, the gulf of mexico to the gul of america. reuters had are recent poll he weshared with you ahead of tonight's addressll by the president. when they asked about the wrong track. 44% said unemployment and jobs 53% said for the national economy on the wrong track and 64% on the cost of living, peter? >> this senate is getting ready to come over to the house. live picture of the u.s. senate lindsey graham there on your screen and talking with a round

up all in a couple of other members this is the democratic side of the aisle now. there is a rand paul down there on the far right. looks like peter or welch, the gray-haired gentleman with the glasses talking. a couple of vendors there is josh hawley in the far left corner from missouri. capito, the woman in the picture. how much time you spend on capitol hill with these members? john thune there on the top. >> a real alick to president trump who was responsible for getting a lot of the cabinet members counseling them, walking with them to the offices. i do not spend that much time on the hill. i go there day today it's a quick way to get quotes. i think what is really

interesting to your point is how much the makeup of both the senate and the house has changed over the last eight years. how much it's donald trump's party. you look at that group obviously elizabeth warren is not included in this comment about how many people who are real advocates wasn't trump's first term in a lot of ways it was not just democrats who were objecting to it trump wanted to do an office but his own party. they found him a little unserious. they did not seem to like him very much. and so that is completely different. these are people who like trump, liked what he was doing and ultimately no that the american public that voted for trump is with trump and not necessarily with them. >> jason often the senators line up in a d in an art together and walk over but not sure they're

going to do at this time. they very well may. but 53 -- 47 and as jasmine was saying, they support president trump the republicans. he has had a good run on his presidential cabin he's got everyone through, only one cabinet position is still to be filled that his labor to be voted on. but besides the matt gaetz thing he has had a pretty good run. for. >> yes it does bring too mind te cliché about democrats and republicans that republish at the fall and light republicans have definitely fallen in line. mark wayne mullin is really, it's almost like he is playing the type that guy is a martial artist and it likes to be known as a tough guy. and he has been one of the big enforcers for the trump administration in a way he's actually still working with his colleagues. you actuallyin do not hear a lot of negative things.

he is in john thune's kitchen cabinet he does not have a formal leadership position but he is someone who has a lot of respect in very short period of time in the senate. this is definitely, i see we are looking at the senate floor right nowow and joni ernst, shet question whether pete hegseth was the right person to run the defense department and just got sort of overwhelmed by reaction to trump's allies both inside the building and outside of it and quickly got in line. x outside the white house or some activity that looks like the trumps will be coming out to the limousine shortly. obviously we will bring you that in at this president speaks to the press will he is there we will certainly listen in on thas part there is one more location which a shiite live from statuary hall brightness is were all of the reporters gather where everyone will march

through as they get ready to come into the house chamber. we expect the house lights to come on very shortly and for speaker mike johnson to call the house to order. that is due to start at any point here. jason dick, have you ever spent in statuary hall during a state of the union or joint address? >> both on the floor and there is a little catwalk that is above. >> we have a camera up there too. >> it is eight catwalk with the birdseye view started to mix metaphors there. [laughter] but it t is a really great spot for this a lot of camaraderie in the press. >> there is the view. >> it's a lot of fun i been in both situations and gallery during the speeches. i think being in statuary hall is one of my favorite spots. he said he spent most your time

at the white house. you have access and a booth? >> we do not have a booth we are due organization. but we are part and we do parks the white house correspondents association. and i spend a lot of time at the white house. i was just there on the south lawn friday trump left for mar-a-lago he left palm beach hotel location club right after the blowup with zelenskyy. it is quite a privilege to be able to walk the white house grounds. particularly at a time like this you just do not know it's happening. peter: how often does a president stop and talk with you on the south lawn? >> i have done foror departures it's only been a couple of weeks. there's only been at one time i've been out there he did not stop talking.

he is chatty. he likes to talk and give his point of view. i find it to actually be so helpful that he is talking so often. i think one difference between the by demonstration this administration she had tois talk to a lot of people around him biting to get biden's point of view. but with trump will give it to you straight away it's typically the mostit unfiltered version is the most straight away version of what he's thinking at the moment. you are saying them prop the doors open, there he goes the first lady. quick selfless and for a minute. that's the beast about to drive away. no stopping. what i have heard from folks around him, he is taking this seriously but he's really been involved with the framing of it.

when he talks to reporters yesterday he did not want to get into the details when he was asked about the ukraine, i'll get to that in my speech. he does not really want to talk about what he's going to say. i really think he wanted to be a surprise. that has followed from his staff. look at him looking at the press through the window. i think that is really followed through the staff too. they say there are going to be surprises in the speech. by the time i sat down i did not have eightin transcript. >> the press pool has not been given a transcript yet. back into the senate there is tim scott and shall eat more capitol per the senators are lining up. it will take them all of two and a half minutes to get from that location over too statuary hall which is just outside.

we will see them come right through here will see the president's cabinet as well. the supreme court by the joint chiefs we expect the lights to go on in the house a very shortly we see that members as we go live to that. jason dick, i'm not sure how to ask this question. how would you describe the relationship between mike johnson and president trump? and mike johnson and the 218 republican leaders? cookson is a good question. just on a very simple level mike johnson is there to help implement the president's agenda and he has made no bones about that. how he gets that does account for some of the interesting relationship he has with his members. he has had to negotiate of small minority there have been two

vacancies to florida members matt gaetz and michael waltz will not get those replaced until april. he has his lieutenants like a lot of speakers do. but, the thing is the republican party and the democratic party for that matter are more homogenous in their beliefs that they have been at almost any partom very much vote together even if there are some defectors here. >> is that easier to do that in the opposition? >> is certainly easier to do in the opposition it's i would argue it gets easier when you have a marginally johnson has rightnd now. went pete hegseth was confirmed heat loss three republicans and nobody wanted to be the fourth republican who sink the nomination. there is a lot of pressure when margins are close to quitting seat vice president vance is joining the senate to walk over. >> i do think it becomes, there

there's some very starkat choic. you mention when you're talking with mr. clark earlier they have a funding deadline in a few days, and a little over a week. at the democrats do not play ball in the house that puts a lot of pressure do they want to be the person who's going to be the blame for a government shutdown? dynamics will differ in the senate because they do have the filibuster on appropriation bills the march 14 a budget resolution process the tax cuts will be a different process will get to that in a few months seems like eons. but you never want to be the one person who gets singled out as the person who sunk thed president's agenda and the minority it can say we are not the majority you have to do it on your own. >> one senator is not present in

the senate chamber the democrat of michigan. she's giving the response tonight from michigan. what can you tell us about freshmanin senator? >> it is a big job for her. i comes with a big spotlight. i saw she posted a photo earlier today black-and-white as she is preparing for her speech. ibu think that should this go well, she is in a good position to be at least one of the people who are leading the democrat party at a time in the democrat party is lacking a real singular leader. i think one ofde the reasons ara couple of reasons they chose is because she won a state in which kamala harris didn't during the same timeframe by several points. it is because she is from the midwest to she appeals to

american voters in a way they think the democratic message was lacking this election. she is somebody who comes from a national security she can talk about that. from a first-hand point of view people believe she is more down to earth. thefi other really interesting thing is she was among some of e democrats to pretty early question the vitality of joe biden. question whether or not that should be a party leader whether or not he should be on a ticket on the way other folks didn't. i think she has a big platform today. and, time will only tell whether or not she delivers or people will like her message. buthe certainly, this is an area for democrats in which they do not have a real leader. peter: we just saw that chamber the senate leaving the chamber now this is live in the

statutory hall. as you can see it did not take long for the senate to make their way overpaid jd vance leading the charge of senators. cooks also to piggyback a little bit of what jasmine was saying about senator slotkin. she is first like 2018 as his national security democratic moms with people like abigail who've left congress. >> form assistant defense secretary. >> yes also former cia analyst. another former cia officer. >> mikey cheryl who is also running for governor of new jersey. all national secured backgrounds all moms. they are green candidates they were part of the big wave when the democrats reclaim the majority in 2018. i think what democratic operatives are looking for is more of the same.

if they can tap into that imagery and their expertise. >> it looks like angus and king the gentleman with the mustache right behind him as rand paul walking in with the senator from washington state. maggie hassan from new hampshire. it doesn't look like they are doing the d and the r thing like they had that in the past. >> i would love to see some of these dynamics we get down to the last w bit. it's almost like being picked, last. [laughter] for basketball game. [laughter] some people are naturally very compatible and sometimes you get stuck with somebody who you cannot imagine ever having 20 take a photo with. [laughter] you're going please don't film it we just saw katy bri