a house homeland o security committee hearing on u.s. counterterrorism efforts.cent ann ryan joins us she's the author of the recently released book "the presidency in black and white: my up-close view of three presidents and race in america." we'll be talking about that book. i want to start withwe w the president's trip this weekend to selma. id thi what did this trips mean, not just to this president but the american presidency as a whole? you were there, you saw the president's speech. >> not only was i there, i got ai there, ride down to selma on air force presid one with the president. i was part of a group of five black journalists who

interviewed the president.jo we got one question each in the conference room.of t it was a lot of race questions, most of them were race sidency questions. but what it means to this nation and the presidency, john, race house plays and has played throughout ey hav the course of history and at the white house, and for each president they have dealt with issues of race. they deal with issues, war to in peace and anything in between. and in between that is race. so this president talked about the prior president who reauthorized the voting act. the republicans presidents. you had former president george w. bush on the stage with this president. race matters. this is a part of the fabric of the american history.tage issues of race. bloody sunday was definitely a e pres piece.blac because, and in my book "the presidency in black and white" i have a piece about selma, chapter 4.ba andy young ambassador andy young, went on the record and rsatio talked tons me about the g conversations that he was involved in in with dr. king and

lbj about pushing forward with the voting rights -- >> the congressman and the former ambassador? >> yes yes. and the former ambassador, aid, congressman, andy young, in the book, he said that lbj said thathave he did not have the power at the time to push for voting rights for it to pass. so what they did strategically, they said, wen okay. they went and went down to alabama at a time when you couldhave t not have three african-americanscaus on the street together because of an ordinance there. and they figured out a way. they met with amelia boy ton. and the rest is history. we talk about that in the book.s is but race has played throughout history. >> this is a topic you care so much about, one that you've covered for so long, over nearly 20 years at the white house now.ident, >> yes yes. s >> when you have one question with the president on this like stion? you did on air force one, what's your one question? >> well my one question was, as race is such an issue -- and in ok

the book and researching the book, for the book, i found thati found there were many people many of the leaders in this country found that there were three pillars in this country or and markers, racial markers. you have emancipation with proclamation with abraham lincoln. you have civil rights act and peopl voting rights act with lbj. many people say we're in a post-racial america. i asked president obama, would you consider us, once you leave, post-racial or post-obama? people are starting to talk about aipost-obama. he said to the fe, yes, and i'm paraphrasing what he said.ry, but he said, yes, my election was historic. but he does not equate his presidency to all the legalities that change the course of so discrimination that changed history in this nation. so he said, yes, my presidency within itself is historic. but he says what he's doing now closi is closing the gaps of where discrimination, you're finding it in wealth and housing all those, he's trying to close the gaps. based upon the historic

decisions or rulings or laws on that were made when it r comes to race. >> so does it surprise you with new polling coming out from cnn, say 4 in 10 americans say race relations in the united states have gotten worse under the black pr nation's first black president? >> it depends where you sit. i i mean, if you feel it immensely, you feel it and you're going to speak out about it. the president -- i asked the last question at the 2014 press conference and i asked about out th race. the state of blacke america. and he said in the aggregate, all america is doing better during his presidency. but it depends. if you are without a job, if youepends are hurting -- and that's one thing i find. if you are hurting financially, if there's at'hurt, you will speak out. that's when there's a disease-ease in this country. >> the book is "the presidency in black and white: my up-close view of three presidents and race in america." april ryan is our guest for about the next 45 minutes or so here on the "washington

journal." if you want to call in as t we talk about this topic phone s are numbers or the screen.on (202) democrats 202-748-8000.202) 748 republicans 202-748-8001. interests 202-748-8002. outside the united states, want to join the conversation about race in america 202-748-8003. april ryan in your book you ook, y rank theou three presidents that you have served at the white house for in the press corps in terms of their grades on some of these issues.th and the rankings might be a bit your b surprising. talk about who comes out the i best in your book. >> it all depends on which issue. overall, i gave president nt clinton a b-plus president barack obama a b-plus. and president george w. bush received a c-minus. and his c-minus -- i want to hitgave a that point. the only reason why he received a c-minus is because he had a faili failing grade of "f" in one of the categories.

and that failing trade was die, katrina. any time you have people who die -- people not one, two, three. people who die. then you have a people who felt disenfranchised, felt their country did not stand up for them or was there for them.till f that received aee failing grade. that issue alone. and we are still feeling the effects of katrina ten years this year after katrina. particularly for the new orleans community, the ninth ward. president clinton received a there w b-plus. yes, he could have done more there but there are things that he did and things that he didn't do. and president barack obama, it'sma is in interesting with his grade. i changed his grade while i was in the process, when i was in the galleys. and i changed his grade because at first, you see a big difference between first term barack obama and second term.m. particularly second term fourth quarter barack obama versus th qua first rtterm. this president had to navigate the waters successfully and strategically. because anything that he would have done to target

african-americans would have been viewed by some groups in a y some very negative light. and, you know, you cannot discount the stats and the fact that there are disproportionate numbers when it comes to roport african-americans inio this almost country. in almost every area.area so -- and i give -- i changed the grade because this -- right w, we now, we're in this area where ing ab this president is really coming out talking about race.eting he'sis trying -- he's targeting issues that have been a problem for decades in this country. speaking of the mistrust between minority communities and policing. he's trying to support police asking well as root out some of the evildoers. he's also talking about voting rights and things like this. so that's why i changed his erent grade. i boosted it up a little bit. because you see a different obama when it comes to race now. >> you brought up the issue of are we in a post-racial period?

you talk about in your book the expectations that were placed on president obama right after he k an was d elected. i went back and found a shelby steele column from the "l.a. times." november 5th 2008. talking about the expectations right after president obama's election. i just want to read you a piece of this to get your sense of the expectations here. for the first time in human history a largely white nation has elected a black man to be its paramount leader. does this victory mean america is officially beyond racism? doesn't it imply a post-racial america? shouldn't those of us, white and black, who did not vote for mr. obama take pride in what his ho victory says about his culture even as we mourn our political loss? how could a decent person not hope for all of these possibilities or not give america credit for electing its first black president? talking about the expectations then and now. wo >> ird like the word "hope" in that article.t even the expectations then were -- he couldn't even rise up to the at he level of expectation hesa set for

himself. it was almost like he was the savior. people viewed him, particularly the african-american community he did something no one else did. he was almost viewed as a ' savior. but he's not.man. he's human. i mean tim we were at a time when we were in a recession we were really starting to fall into recession. gas prices were climbing up to $4 a gallon.es were we were also at a time when we were seeing war. the pain of war. war. financially and physically. the death toll was rising.ve and he was i talking about change. hope that you can believe in.e and he really made people believe ithis. he said, i'm pulling you out of war. aim going to fix these problems. but, you know, you never know what happens. you can't predict. and there is no handbook for that office, for the oval office. so anything can come and happen. but i don't think he could have reached his expectation, the level of expectation he set.uman so he's human. all of them are human. and i believe they do -- they go into the job doing the best that

they know how to do. and i believe that they want to ry. really help the country. but it's how they view it. >> your book might be considered something of a handbook for presidents in how they deal with issues of race -- >> i don't know about a handbook. >> why did you write the book? >> why did i write the book? i have a friend who really, really encouraged me. he's in the media as well.nto th he said to me, when i first got this job -- and i fell into the and do w job. he said, look you cannot sit here and see what you see, do what you do hear what you hear and not write about it. he said, you have to journal. i was journalling. ith journaled and journaled and o young journaled. then we compiled the book during the clinton years and it wasn't time. i was too young, too fresh. during the bush years we had a bite. but the person who was working that w with us, giving us the contracts, got fired. so that was a no then. but my agent and i, diane nine,

we looked at one another. during the obama years we said, it's time. and it sure was. and roman and littlefield said book h let's do this. and the book has totally changed from its inception to now. and i'm very thankful for diane nine and roman and little field for making this, for birthing diane an this 17-year-old baby into the world. it took 17 years to write. and i'm very proud of this. and the crazy thing about this book that i love, in washington,s you know we say, sources say. sources say. but in this book you've got admi presidents on the record.have pre you have president barack obama on thed. record. you have bill clinton former president bill clinton on the e record. former first lady laura bush on bunch the record. i could name a whole bunch of people. former head of the equal opportunity commission.ghts. head of the equal opportunity commission. excuse me commission of civil rights i'm sorry. the head of the commission of ple. civil rights mary frances barry.

a whole host of people. >> including some of the press staffers that -- >> yes. >> -- you went back and forth with over your time. the book is "the presidency in black and white." fubt if you want to talk about that the issues of race and how presidents have dealt with race. selma, the anniversary this weekend. we're talking with april ryan onaller in "washington journal." b fleetwood in baltimore, maryland, to talk to you, line er: for democrats. fleetwood, good morning. >> caller: good morning. >> good morning fleetwood. >> caller: good morning. th this is just a statement more than it's anything else. i got out and i voted for president barack obama. i mean you know i did consider the fact that he was black but i voted him to do a job. and he's done exactly what i wanted him to do. e he's tried to stay away from these wars. i'm a vietnam veteran. i'm sick of hearing about wars and the trains of war. but i also am a taxpaying citizen. i worked all my life and i'm i did retired now. i didn't take one food stamp.

i haven't been on welfare and all that other crap. but i voted -- i pay taxes, and i expect my congressmen and my senators to represent me. i did not see a republican congressman or senator -- i might be wrong it's not saying -- but i did not see them down there at that march, which ar was important to me. you know, at 66 years old i know what i went through for civil rights and voting rights. and i expected them to represent me. if they didn't show up to are th represent me whoey are they representing? >> you were down there at selma gu can you talk to some of those issues? i >> i d did see republicans and repub democrats. it was heavier with thede democratic side than it was the is ve republican side. but i believe it'shi very political at this point. you have republicans and democrats that note the history saying, yes, this was wrong. bloody sunday was terrible. it was worse than terrible. it was an atrocity.

but at the same time there's a fight about voting rights. so how do you move forward and we authorize it? so i believe that because there is not a coming together on that, they did not want to -- this is my personal opinion -- send the message that they were in support of it by being down s there. so it is -- it's a sad day when politics really rules and instead of coming together and dealing with an issue in history that really is profound, that really changed the lives will , and change the country and change the lives of so many."was >> a column in today'shi "washington post" by e.j. dionne about this, specifically the voting rights issue where now selma, king's agenda remains unfulfilled, i point that out tot viewers if they want to read about that. there was the photo that was used in that picture in color xter i there on ours screens for our viewers.ca dexter silver spring, maryland, line for democrats dexter, good

morning. >> caller: i'm calling from acklash maryland. andblac i think it's just a backlash against blacks in general.ted. since obama's been elected. h i voted for him twice. and i was hopeful that america would rise up and get past this racism in c this country. for me it has gotten worse. ever since he was elected. and i don't blame him for it i think it's just the backlash against blacks in general. >> thank you, dexter. there is a segment of america that did not want this president as president. but there's a segment of america that may not have wanted him, not because of the color of his skin, but because they did not want his agenda. . but then you do have that segment. i hear it.s list i hear you know -- i was listening, driving in, to a radio program.r and a major gospel singer was h it. talking about how she her daughter has to deal with it

with some of the girls.irls, th she hears the girls talking about the racial component at their school.ople t and i've heard many things.walks i've heard a lot of people tell me, just in my walk through life, on their jobs, that they ral work in a multi-cultural say, environment. and people say, i don'tli like that obama. and they think they assume because you're black you instinctively or immediately voted for him.that is and that's not always the case.rican but you can be an african-american and support this president but don't always says. agree with everything he says. you can be a republican who supports a republican president there and you don'tha necessarily agree with everything he says. but there has been a little bit of a backlash because of -- i'm not going to say a little bit. there has been a backlash in this country by certain sects or sectors that didn't like the fact that this president is here. and some of it a lot of it's from race. >> for viewers who are unfamiliar describe what

american urban radio networks and what you see your role as in you covering the white house for the past several decades. >> my role as a journalist is just that, objective. an objective journalist who tries to were i in all sides, not just two sides of the story. all sides. and i'm not an activist journalist. j i ask questions on every issue. but primarily focusing in on minority and urban america for urban radio america networks. we are a minority-opened, the oldest and only minority-owned that h radio network that has radio programming, news programs, radio stations, things of that nature. really, we are, basically, a o minority-owned company who basically puts out news pertaining to and programming pertaining to urban and minority ame america, particularly black america. we have over 300 some odd very

stations across the country. we are very aware of our we ar heritage and who we are. as a company and what we stand host: for in this country. >> and talk about your experiences at the white house, specifically you take a lot of pride in the fact that you started in the sixth row in that briefing room that our viewers see as they watch the briefing. r >> i've worked hard to move up. gu >> have movedes up to the third row. what does that mean? >> that means -- the further ely yo back you are the less likely you're going to get called on. if and if you're coming in on a daily basis, if you're there if you've got a booth, if you're are r really there andea in the pool, traveling with the president in town and out of town doing things. you are not really seen in that all t back row but you're putting in all the work.i so i was there and i'm thankful to steve sculley, c pan when he was president, he began the move for me. he moved me from the sixth row t to the fourth row on the end. and then karen bow han moved me up smack dab in the middle,

former president of the white house correspondents i' association. and i've been there. t and i've been there for 18 vvied years. and it'supy sad that the room is divvied up with a hierarchy. the radio is -- i call radio the bastard child of white house reporting. but it's tv it's wires, then you have the newspapers then you have magazines, then you go down to the lowly group of radio. so there are a lot of radio folks now on the second and t third row. and i'm proud to be one of that you ar number. >> do you take it personally when you don't get called on? >> oh yes. it's ego, some. but -- you have a question but it's about your work.questi you have a question that may not be the same question that everyone else has. and, you know, they can be asking about isis or benghazi or the e-mails or netanyahu. i want to hear about that.t, i'm going to do that. but you're not going to ask about the nigerian girls

necessarily. you're not going to ask about the new labor stats that affect minorities. who did proportionate the number still is. they're going to ask that. i'm going to cover that but hose q they're not going to ask a lot of my questions. >> airborne ranger on our twitter page weighs in on this conversation. modern presidents have handled race on a business as usual basis, maintaining status quo. in a word poorly. every one is what airborne ranger writes.our gu we're talking with april ryan, author of "the presidency in black and white." part of the pool there at the white house, the press corps that covers the president every day. your questions and comments. ronda's waiting in reynoldsburg ohio, line for democrats, good morning. ron dashes ronda, are you with sinus jim's waiting as well on our line for independents in chicago. jim?li good morning to you. we'll hold off on calls for just

a second till we get them back. i want to continue talking about your experiences in the press corps. and what you've asked for from presidents. the questions that you give.y. specifically on the issue of an you apology for slavery. lot a it's something that you talked apart lot about in your book and something that was a big part of bill clinton's presidency and a specific trip to africa. can you talk about that? >> yes, former president bill clinton, he really -- i want to thank him. he really -- i was in harlem in is off his office last year. we did a great interview.we s we spent ame long time talking. and when he was president, john, he said to me he said you q know, you're going to get me in trouble with your questions. a lot of times theyon don't know what to expect when i ask a question. so i think that's a lotomet of the reason sometimes they don't call on me. but he told me that. so it made me feel good. i kind of took that -- took that word from him to let me know, this is how it's going to be. but when it comes to the slavery

apology, i asked the president that because he was the president who was considered the first black president and then he had this historic trip to t had africa. and thenth -- >> we're showing our viewers some photos from that trip specifically at the -- >> the door of no return i'm getting goose bumps looking at the door. i've been in that door three . times for three presidents.retu it's amazing'm ge it's the last look for africans who leave that country to be enslaved, to come wherever they go around the world.d but he at that time also, he race i embarked on this very bold ng to initiative, the race initiative trying to bridge the racial divide get people talking about race. as he knew that the nation was browning. and we were changing as a , our ma nation. as who weing were. out our makeup was not going to be what we started out as, it was changing. so he wantedd people to understand that it was a hard issue, not necessarily legislative, but a hard issue sta and ifrt legislation needed to

come, maybe so. he wanted to talk about that. but when you start talking about that race there's that one ck-whi dynamic, the black/white dynamic, that's always out in wi front. and how can you t talk about that without dealing with the root ofs how the problem?avery, t and that's how the apology for kept slavery, the question kept emanating in the press they t conferences, in the briefings. and they tabled it.t he thought about it but they tabled it.were f and many -- thereac were factions within that white house.re for, some were for, some were against. and then he even said -- we had inner. a soul food dinner with him -- whe >> one that your aunt cooked for him. >> my aunt. you read the book, yes, john. my aunt pearl. she cooked. and he said you know, one of the problems is that black people could not come together on this issue. and that was an amazing statement to me. >> why? >> because -- to hear an american president say that he's getting all these different

comments from people within the black community, instead of coming together in unison -- it ge the could have changed the course of history. we could have ha cd an apology, o's so things could have changed i lot don't know. but it's something that i've canno heard as a child that a lot of an pre times we just could not come together on issues. and to hear an american people president say that. you had black people within his white house in the administration saying yes, some saying no, then you had the white people in the administration, some saying, hm,happen i don't think so. i was told many times it was not going to happen. i mean, they had written language that was so strong and then pulled back on it when it go was t time to go to talk about the issue of slavery. when he was at gory island, whenf he gave that beautiful speech in senegal. so that's kind of why the big issue of an apology for slavery was there during bill clinton.

george w. bush, will you apologize for slavery? no, i will not apologize for slavery because africans participated in the slave trade. americans did the same.ica sh he felt because so many people participated, america shouldn't apologize. i mean, why not apologize for what happened? what this nation allowed to an happen? >>iden can this president do it? should this president do it? >> can this president do it?. i doubt it. i doubt if he will. i think it would be -- i really doubt if he would.k it wou but if he wanted to i'm sure he could. but i think -- i think it would send a bigger message if there were to be a president who is not necessarily african-american to do something like that's andmo i think -- any president could do it. a i think it's more so about a president, not necessarily the color. but there are different resident underlying issues fund this president were to do that. >> let's try jim again in chicago, illinois. line for independents. jim, good morning, you're on

with april ryan. >> caller: good morning april. >> good morning, jim. hica >> caller: i'm from chicago and go i've been following barack obamasinc ever since 1995. him a and i never voted for him as a state senator or a u.s. state senator because, number one, he y di was reallyd not that active in l the black community. and he really didn't -- did eems l little or nothing for the black community. as president it seeps he cares more about illegals and gays than minorities that live in chicago or other parts of the country. i'm very, very disappointed with hop him. i was hoping that he would do something great for the black community. even though i didun not vote for him. but unfortunately i think a lot of people are very disappointed with him. >> hm. i cou well i can understand. that's, again, the level of expectation. this president will go down in history as the rights president for the lgbt community, commu definitely. and jim make at good point.make the level of expectation i thinkectati is what he's going to.

and again, he had to navigate the waters strategically. and for this first term to get irst t the second term. because if he had focused in so much on race, if he had really targeted in on race a lot, i d ha don't think he would have gottent thin the second term. i don't think that -- i don't think that anything that p he for in would have done would havest passed. i mean for instance look at all the ground swell that came up after he started talking about skip gates early on in his administration, beer summit. they stopped that fast. that happened by mistake once.t' then they squashed it. second term, it'sho all or nothing now. he's movingsp forward. >> how do you respond to jim who writes on twitter, why do you refuse to believe that it's his policies and not his skin color in the majority who voted s poli against him did so because of his agenda and not race. >> i like that question. okay, well i find it interesting that you have a

president who -- the economy is re the getting better. and i'm not saying this is a supporter or someone who is not su supporting him. i just find it interesting, looking at the racial dynamic as well as looking at the policies he pol of other presidents. we're climbing out of recession. osama bin laden was killed. we still have terror but osama bin laden is gone. sti the economy is better. i mean you know, people are wanting health care. he did something that no other hat no president was o able to do. joe biden did get it right when he said this is a big hm deal. you may not like his policies but he has been a president who has moved and done things that no other president has done. so i think you see his hue more so than you see the policies, for some people. and that's the unfortunate thing. >> wake forest, north carolina. james is on -- another james -- e the line for republicans. >> before we go to james i want to let you know that i'm not t

saying this in support of him orjust against him. i'm just saying just looking at it from a historical standpoint,es and looking at it -- some of his policies are not the best but he's president of the united states. >> james, you're up. >> caller: yes. good morning, miss ryan. i think maybe you dopr likees the president but it's not about liking or disliking the person. it's his policies.anyw but anyway.alling a a million things i could say all of a sudden. but what i called about was, you mentioned grading bush on his situation towards black folks in america. and -- >>er no, i said katrina.hat' katrina, katrina katrina. >> caller: right, right. that's where i was going. you brought up katrina, because of katrina. what did he have to do with that? the governor told him to stand down. told him to stand down. he was on tv five days before

the hurricane saying, look, this is a cat 5, folks get out. it's not good. and then yaum blamed him for blowing up dikes and this. and one last thing. you were there in sell mark correct? >> yes. >> caller: the fabulous picture of obama and all his -- all his supporters and the folks in selma. bush was in that picture too, was he not? >> yes, he was. yes, he was. most definitely. not only was president bush in t that picture, he was on the stage. president obama even gave credit to president bush for reauthorizing the voting rights act. now, let me go back. i want to -- i thank you for this call, i really do.i e presid i actually personally -- i liked each one of the presidents. clinton, bush, and obama.am a j okay?ou as people. i'm a journalist, okay? i have to work with -- it's about relationships in washington.his. and i want to talk about this.presiden in the bush chapter i talk

about how president bush was nots. the person who many people imagi believed he was. he was not a racist by any stretch of the imagination. actually, i think kanye west got it totally wrong. it and i do believe that this president was caught up in the tics o politics off the republican party. states' rights issues. when it came to katrina. now, he is the head of the republican party.lican he is the leader of this country. now, katrina was going on. brownie went down there and did re and an abysmal job. he did -- the job was horrible. and what he thought was going on was not going on. people were left homeless, people were left to die on rooftops. any time that kind of thing in happens, that is horrible. in this country, now, this president at the time, george w. bush, he felt wit. he kept going back and going back. so did the first lady. i traveled with them on the first year anniversary. i traveled with the former firsth the lady at the timefi down to mississippi to see those who were displaced out of new orleans. we went to churches where they wer

were housed.one so so that is one piece of it. he has done so much.nt who but a lot of people -- for one, he is the president who is known to have done more for africa than any other president. but i believe, and i say it in this this book.use the because the african-american e repu community did not vote for him his party, the republican party and those in the administration kind of just called the black , community a loss.doing. so they did not promote what he was doing.did th now, there were some things that he did, a lot of people didn't agree with particularly. condy rice, the then national security adviser, when he did the a.m. may does brief on the llin university ofg fo michigan calling for no preferential treatment indmissi admissions. so there is a mixed bag.who but i do believe that george w. g up bush is a president who got hunge up in the politics of the ty. republican party. i see george w. bush in a different light than other people saw him. so iny gi this book i really give

him a lot of credit. so i would like for you to get d the the book and read the bush host: chapter and then come back and olks u talk to me about that. >> for folks to understand the grading system that we're that y talking about, some of the areas that you grade on when you're coming up with your overall grade, administration, diversity, apology, reparations for slavery domestic outreach for bush that included katrina international outreach where you gave george w. bush an "a," hiv/aids in africa was the topic there. then jobs and unemployment, specifically how it affects minority communities. you can see that and understand the breakdown of the grades at a you the end of the book "the presidency in black and white." chris is waiting, the line for independents, you're on with april ryan. >> caller: good morning, folks. can you hear me? >> good morning, chris. >> go ahead. >> caller: excellent. long-time listener, first-time caller.

to get the cliches out of the way. profe yes.ss i guess i'd like to start by commenting on professor skip gates' book. are you familiar with it? >> let's talk about his book, go ahead.t: >> caller: okay. remember he did the sunday morning talk show circuit, did the colbert report, did "the daily show." and one of his signature lines t was about presidential poet laureate -- oh, what -- what's her name? >> poet laureate? >> chris, got a lot of callers, what's your question? >> caller: maya angelou. >> the late maya angelou yes. >> caller: yes, excellent, excellent, we're all familiar with her. he said that -- remember his ngelou book was based genetics and race.

and he said that she was in fact, 85% caucasian. >> okay. >> chris, do you have a question? we lost chris. we'll go to sam, alexandra, virginia. line for independents.or good morning. . >> caller: good morning. >> good morning.orni >> caller: you know, april,ng i'm sitting here and i'm listening, you know, to all these people. first of all, i'm a 70-year-old black man who spent 25 years of his life in the service. from 1963 to 1988.88. >> thank you for your service. >> caller: when i hear this ionshi question about race and bring relationships in this country it brings to mind my service in vietnam, 1964 to 1965. and guys like me you know, born in north carolina, raised up in

brooklyn. when i joined the military in 1963, you know i was off you know, to do the country's back all bidding. i wore the flag of this country on my back all over the world. two distinct times or periods of time when i was asked, why does u.s. a black man fight in the u.s. military? one time 1968, the other time was in 1988, when i was stationed in germany. when that germanwh asked me that cause my heart stopped.ze because it made me realize. a lot of people realize that your service, particularly as a ar black orou a brown person is not really, you know, accepted. when i look at pictures of that bridge, it brings to mind my uncles, my cousins, who fought in world war ii and world war i.

they weren't treated very well. >> i got your point. i got his point.poin what you're sayingt. is you go to fight for this country, you come back, there's still discrepancies and disparities ts t and you still don't have all they corr rights that you feel that you should have, am i correct?ec: >> the caller hung up go ahead. >> and i've heard that from so many people. you fight for the country the country that you love, you're very patriotic. come back, you still have problems getting a home because of your race.declined or getting -- being declined credit. or having -- can't find a job.-- the you know or you're underemployed. there are issues in this country that still need to be fixed.i thin i think that's what the president talked about.hy that's one of the reasons why george w. bush was there, because he sees there are still we' issues' we, our o ur ecountry, we have got to and l open ouroo eyes and really look at the facts. and look at it really accurately. and not get upset -- the issue of race is something that we are so scared to touch because we'red

put hypersensitive about it on every side. and if we can come down and put the facts on the table and just thin talk and have a civil discussion, i think, you know, things would bear out out differently than they have over the years. >> peg writes on twitter racism was hidden and whispered about until our first black president then it boiled up to the surface and became apparent.an anthony's waiting in flint michigan. line for democrats.ll. anthony, good morning. >> caller: wow thanks for taking my call. >> good morning. >> caller: i was wondering if she noted that when the drumbeat for -- u netanyahu or whatever came up, and they applauded. get this guy was going to get money for a war. now, all of these things that are important to americans like in flint right now, we've got a real big water problem. and these people want to come here towi straighten that out.uded the but they applaud the drumbeat of war. i'min wondering if those lenses marin

she's looking through, and i'm a former marine, are rose colored. because i thought that use i everything that happened in louisiana was atrocity. >> i believe i did say that ho things that happened in new orleans, they were an atrocity.et fro >> the sentiment we get from callers is the amount of money that goes overseas as opposed to gues money spent on community-building here in america. >> yeah.re aarea there's still areas in thiss cou country that are really -- that he w you'dou be surprised. you would think it was in another country. but there are pockets of pockets poverty, pockets of hurt, in this country. and that's one of the problems.ynamic that's where the racial dynamic -- i mean, i don't understand. we're just blocks from the hill. i don't understand how -- i'm with along with the caller, how things can not be seen or dealt with, other prons come to the surface and you still have hurt.are you still have schoolhouses that are crumbling.

kids using outdated books. you have water systems that are ystems not right. you have homes that are not fit no to live in. i mean yout mes have roads in communities that are a mess. hav you have communities that are not protected from different elements. there aree is issues that bear out -- issues of race that bear ustrat out inio everything. and i understand the caller's frustration. that is one of the reasons why i wrote t wrote this book. race is in everything. and the unfortunate thing is t that those kind ofalki issues that this gentleman was talking about, they don't make above the fold on the "new york times" or "washington post" every day. they don't make the a-block or ev b-block of the nightly news. and that's why we are here -- >> the first question at a press conference? >> exactly exactly. that is you wait a couple of questions and that's when the race that i question may come up or something on issues of race. that's one of the reasons i wrote the book. people said, why would you ask this president questions about race? why not? anything comes to the president, from water, peace and everything in between.

race is that in between. people think the issues of race like this caller, don't matter. that's why this book is here. bill clinton in my interview with him, he said, race does matter. race does factor in the white house. but when you hear it in that the w briefing room, you don't get -- not it doesn't reflect that.race d so race does play a part. and that daily white house mix with the senior advisers on different issues we just don't hear about it. >> let's head out to missouri. randy on our line for democrats. good morning. >> caller: goodca morning, april and john. i've got a compliment and a couple of questions.lly wa my compliment, i really want to thank you for bringing up issues that's related to people of color while you were in that white house press briefing. whi it's not the only thing that you've pursued. who d but you're probably the only one that does keep it in the forefront, especially when people are watching the white house press conference. >> thank you. >> caller: that said. now, you know, when i hear this, these polls about during the racism

president obama election racism has grown or exposed.hing let me suggest something. especially to white call there'sblamin call in with this other ignorance. blaming president obama for y expose exposing their racism.they b the election of president obama truly exposed their own racism and they blame him for it. and that's like a bank robber blaming a bank for having money one ro for him tobb rob. >> do you think there can be those who disagree strictly on the policies of this president? or do you think race always -- >> caller: they can have that. but if you listen carefully, you'll hear it. here, let me make my point.out that when people are talking on about president obama's inability to work with congressfactorin especially republican congress i i don't see how you can say that without factoring in what gurati

transpired on january 20th 2009 on the inauguration night of this newly elected president. where these 15 u.s. congressional people got together and plotted to destroy him. the onset of the worst financial crisis. thus you're destroying america. >> april ryan, i want you to pick up on that, particularly this president's relationship with congress. >> that's interesting. many people saying he has ting inability to work with congress.ork well, i remember being in the and a briefing room and asking g -- i questions of this president when democrats were screaming he room a won't talk to usnd he's meeting with republicans and he won't tell us. where is this coming from?s are and i remember the president has gone golfing with john boehner.he has t so, i mean you know he has worked -- he has tried to work take with the republicans. i mean, there is a natural give and take. there's a follow back and forth wn. in this town. but there's an extra. there's a little extra piece in these last six years. and this president -- you know, he's got his faults, definitely.

but he's got his positives. and i believe that he has tried to work with congress. i mean to the fact that the h democrats were very angry with him at one point feeling that ause t he was giving in to them. and then at the same time that he was meeting with them more so. so there's thiss th crazy dance in ars. washington. i think it's gotten a little crazier over the last six years. and i do believe that again, race is a factor. >> let's head back to michigan. westland, michigan. marty's waiting, line for republicans. marty, good morning. >> caller: so thank you so much for taking my call. well, first -- i want to say, you know the health care bill was passed with no republican support. and ramped throughee the congress. and i've seen clinton work with ing the republicans passing health care reform, getting things on whe done. hillary clinton getting th e same opposition when she pushed health care. and it's just insane. i would say the attitude of the congress is o a reflection of

leadership. there's no leadership. and let me say we say the ion pe economy's getting better. there's 92 million people out of work. 60 million people with no insurance.119 tr $61 trillion of state debt. $119 trillion of unfunded debt n that my daughter's next ten daughters will be paying for, ten generations of my kids. $8 trillion -- $4 trillion of debt under bill clinton -- >> no, i -- >> caller: barack obama, now -- >> let april ryan jump in here. >> let me say something.i'm i think the debt was wiped out during the clinton years if i'm correct. i remember wearing a button -- ing ou not wearing a button but the clinton folks were sending out buttons, "zero debt." a black button with white "zero debt." feder >> deficit versus debt here?gues >> deficit yes. federal deficit was zero. clinton years, the modern era . the clinton years were the best e

i guess economically. and then we went down in the bush years with the wars. d now we are dealing with the repercussions of decisions made g from years ago. t and i guess this president is nce he trying t'o pull us out.nt i mean, it's a dance that he's got to do. any president, whoever is the president, would be president, an it could have been mitt romney, it could have been john mccain they would still have to deal ng us with the same issues of trying to do the dance of getting us out of the economy. so we have to think it's not all just one president. you have to think back, go back the years, see what's led up to why we are here. and yes, there's some things e that are policy. yes, health care. health care was made during thisministra administration. it wasn't made during theot m bush ush years or during the clinton years. health care reform is here now. so that's on him. that's his legacy piece. but the other issues, financially in the economy, that goes back. so whatever he does now now it's on him. but he was dealing with the first couple of years, dealing with the residue from another c

president. >>ing trying to get in one more call, lawrence in bronx new york, line for republicans.rning. lawrence, good morning. >> caller: yes, yes. good morning. two things i'd like to say.y >> go ahead. >> caller: i am very disappointed as a republican.appointe i'm very disappointed with the republicans yesterday.t show why they didn't show up at selma. and they keep talking about oh the middle class and poor people. and i'd like to know from you if you think, and don't be afraid to talk -- >> don't be afraid to talk, okay. >> caller: if you think that if many republicans in there are still thinking this man -- what his name -- are still thinking

like the jim crow era. they act like it. i am very shamed to be a republican today.inute. >> lawrence, let's let april ryan take that in the last minute. >> wow, it's gone so fast. i will say this. the republican party is tryi definitely trying to correctng therying to errors of their -- the last few years. they're trying to be more to do di inclusive. at least they're reaching outin tooing me and trying to go out and do different things. you've got -- i heard rand paul is going to poe weebowie state. you've got the republican party trying to reach out because they realize that this is a nation that includes so many different people. not just white lu nmales. so i say this to you. if you're very disappointed as a republican, i say to democrats if you're disappointed as a or democrat you reach out to your leaders and tell them that. make it known.o spea and we'll see what happens with the reaction. but you have got to speak up to your party leaders.t care you've got to speak up -- i don't care if you're democrat, kn

republican, what have you. you have to speak and up let them knowup your dismay or your support. that's let them know your dismay or your support. that's the only way that things will change. and aut >> april ryan, author of the book "the presidency in black black &white". we appreciate you stopping by "the washington journal." >> i love it and i thank you for having me, john.

the promotion of a drug actually starts 7-10 years. while it's illegal for a company to market a drug before it's approved by the fda, it's not illegal to market a disease. so drug companies have, sometimes, invented diseases or exaggerated the importance of certain conditions and then blanketed medical journals and medical meetings and other venues with these messages that are meant to prepare the minds

ofically missions to accept a particular drug or accept a plar condition. >> sunday night at 8:00 eastern and pacific on cspan's q&a. friends from the press, good morning.

on this day, a year ago the mh-370 flight went missing. a year has passed. a plane has not been located, but the search effort will continue. today musz be a tough day for the next of kin of those on board mh-370. our hearts are with you. >> translator:

>> mr. minister you once said that 2014 was the year of harvest and all-around progress in china's diplomacy. can you elaborate on that and what we can expect from china's diplomacy in 2015. what are the key words we need to watch.

indeed 2014 was a year of harvest for china's diplomacy. under the leadership of the cdc central committee successfully hosted the apeck meeting in beijing and left a deep imprint of our own on the history. we took an active part and played china's role in international and regional affairs, we made energetic efforts to expand external operation and initiative and the 21st century maritime winning

support from a lot of countries. by the epd of last year, we have established a number of regional organizations and bassically established a global network of partnerships so one can say that china's circle of friends and partners has widened and will continue to expand.

in 2015, we will continue to forge ahead while steadfastly safeguarding our national interests, we'll work to expand the interests that we have incumbent with other countries in the world. the keywords in china's diplomacy in 2015 will be one focus and two main themes.

our key focus in 2015 will be making all around progress. we will further the policy communication with other countries, expand the convergence of our shared interests and explore effective avenues of win-win cooperation.

we are confident that the initiative will win even more support and deliver even more early harvests so as to cat liez the revitalization of the duration continent as a whole.

in 2015, we will do a lot under the two themes of peace and development. we will work with international community to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of the world's antifascist war. to draw lessons from history and make china strive for peace. the 17th anniversary of the founding of the united nations this year will be a good opportunity for us to take an active part in the u.n.'s development summit and

international cooperation on climate change. we will play a constructive role for the sbless of the developing countries. thank you.

in recent years, more and more chinese citizens made outbound visits and we see a good example of that in the just-passed chinese new year. what will the chinese foreign ministry do to facilitate the outbound visits of chinese citizens and protect their legitimate rise in interests overseas.

this is a very good question and i think many journalists may be interested in knowing the answer. last year for the first time, chinese citizens made more than 100 million visits abroad. making them the largest floating population in the world. there were also more than 20,000 chinese enterprises who established presence abroad and millions of our compatriots are working and living in different parts of the world. so the task and responsibility

of protecting their rights is 4e6 heavier than ever. we're always concerned with the safety and well-being of every one of our compatriots and we will do everything in our power to protect and assist them.

last year, the chinese foreign ministry's global core center for consular protection set up the 1-2-3-0-8 hotline. the hotline is a 24/7, all time zone congressman of communication between overseas chinese nationals and their loved ones back in china. no matter which part of the world you're in you can dial this number and get assistance. in the half year since the

hotline, we have received over 30,000 phone calls. and many of our compatriots say this hotline is very reassuring for them because they can feel that their motherland is always by our side. we hope more of our come pay trots can know about this hotline and make good use of it. when in trouble please call 1-2-3-0-8.

in 2014, we also made important progress in visa facilitation. we signed visa exception or simplification greemts with another 24 countries equal to the total of the previous four years. nowadays, chinese citizens can visit countries without a visa or obtaining visa upon arrival. you may remember the reciprocal

announced by china and the united states last year. it means that if a chinese or american person has a visa, then, for up to five or even ten years, he or she can travel easily between the two shores of the pacific ocean with just a passport and an air ticket. let me tell you that china and canada have reached agreement with a validity period of up to 10 years. that agreement will go into effect tomorrow.

the effort to protect and assist overseas chinese is always a work in progress. it's never a mission accomplished. where ever there is a chinese conflict, consulate must stand up and cover that place. we must continue to work hard to improve the value of chinese passports so that our compatriots can more drektly feel the dignity of being a chinese and will find it easier to travel abroad. we hope more and more of our country men can go abroad at any time they wish.

and that they can have smooth, safe and a worry-free troubles. some people have compared china that's belt and road initiative to the marshal plan.

and they say that china is making economic bond with neighboring countries to secure geopolitical military and naval interests. what is your comment.

china's road initiative is both much older and much younger than the marshal plan. comparing one to the other would be like comparing apples and oranges. the belt road initiative is embodying the initiative of the anyone shebt road which has a history of 2,00 years and was used by the peoples of many countries for friendly exchange and commerce. we must reknew e new that period and bring it up to date. the belt and road initiative is younger. it is a product of inclusive cooperation. not at all of geopolitics. and must not be viewed with the out dated mentality.

with the initiative, we will