atoll as spectacular if we had not -- oceans hall if we had not been entrepreneurialism about finding that support. we were to seek that kind of support. but we are conscious that we are an entity supported by the federal government. . .

we are looking for a person who is 18 player, --a team player. i don't think anyone out there should grow up the possibility that we may looking -- be looking. we do have some and we do have people who are retiring. we always need bright and talented people. the smithsonian this art, science, music and culture. >> how has the lavish spending of your predecessor affected your tenure so far? >> our meals are a lot more like hamburger and things like that.

it comes out in some ways better than when it went in. working with the administration of the smithsonian work hard to put in oversight and a checks and balance system. we have policies about how much you spend on some events. we have 25 new policies written into our car lines as to the way -- and guidelines as to the way we do business. some are logical, and should have been done a long time ago. the smithsonian was just behind the time in getting this done. it is a good thing that this was put in. we are working to make sure this

will work. the essence of it isn't in place. -- is in place. >> the national zoo came under criticism for the number of animal death. is there more that needs to be addressed? >> the national zoo is a great resource. the only federally supported zoo in our nation. we do work around the world. that is another place that we hope to open it up to the rest of the world to see the great work that is being done. i would call your attention to

look at the web cam. we just had the successful birth of --. they are amazingly cute. there is also a web cam for the newly arrived anteater. only a mother could love cyrano. but it is delightful. the animals are lovely when they are cute and great when they are mature but they are like us. they die. obviously, we don't want to be having any of those problems. we have worked hard to update

our buildings. we are putting in millions of dollars of up grades. we are working hard to make sure all the proper measures are taken. you have to go through every so often and accreditation process. the zoo pass their requirements this year with flying colors. we have still not done everything we could do as judged by ourselves. we know that some animals with -- will expire.

>> before i ask the last questions i have a couple of announcements. let me remind our members of our future speakers. on july 8th, admiral mike mullen will discuss recent developments in u.s. national security and priorities going forward. on july 10th, the founder and counsel for the southern poverty law center will join us and on july 21st, gail mcgovern, president and ceo of the american red cross will address a luncheon. let me present our guest with these traditional mugs. as a our last question will you tell us about the suit in these months blessing. -- sudanese blessing.

>> it was a wonderful experience. we arrived when the folk festival was in full swing. lots of fun. each year a country is featured. it is a wonderful country between india and pakistan. it has the life of people. they brought over a number of months. monks who have never left the monastery, the first time on an airplane. when they came here it was a delightful contrast. the nasa people had their moon

boots. the nassau folks had robots roaming around on the mall. these folks had never seen a robot before. they thought it was a real thing. they created a temple on the mall and considered it a holy site. jim and i were delighted to be invited into a small group that were recognized, and we were blessed. >> i would like to thank you for coming today. i would like to think the national press club staff members for organizing today's launch. and if think you to see the staff for the research.

our events are available for download. members may purchase transcripts and videotapes by calling the number on your screen. or you can e-mail us as well. for more information, visit our website. thank you all and we are adjourned. [applause]

these places remind me of modern cathedrals. >> princeton, class of '83 would

like to see changes to the higher education system. >> present philosophy should be on the web. i think these concentrated islands of power and wealth should be opened up to the larger society, not kept separate. >> lost in the meritocracy, the under education of an overachiever. tonight at 8 on c-span. you can also listen on xmsatellite board, the c-span podcast. this week on prime minister's question, prime minister gordon brown discusses government spending and job loss. also, the unrest by iran following its presidential election. tonight at 9 eastern on c-span.

>> now a session on president obama's upcoming trip to russia, the g-eight. the president will address the situation in iran during that cheek-8 meeting and praised ghana as a presidential election during a visit to that country. this is just about an hour. these people of the best in business. >> good morning.

as long as we keep our expectations low, we are less likely to be disappointed. while all have been paid -- an advocate to try to improve the russian u.s. relationship, there is a flaw in the logic. we have a new leader, who is president obama, who is ready to adjust some policies from the previous administration. in moscow, we do not have a new leader. we essentially have the same leadership that we had before. to take that further, i don't think we should have any illusions about where decision authority lies in russia today.

mr. obama has to operate under the assumption on any issue important you to him, the russian archer is vladimir putin. it doesn't mean that this is a waste of time. any position taken by the deathe russian president is also vladimir putin. the president should harbor no illusions that the united states or he in particular can take measures in moscow to empower the russian president.

i think this has to do the optics of the meeting. the most important trip will be his discussions with vladimir putin. he is the most important and powerful figure in russia. i see that he has a one hour meeting with putin, then he is leaving to go meet with mr. gorbachev. i would blow off the thing with mr. gorbachev and spent more time with mr. putin.

we have to face reality of what is going on in moscow. mr. putin has developed a sense that he can do whatever he wants to do wit. it is also clear that mr. putin has a chip on his shoulder about the size of the rock of gibraltar. mr. putin believes that for now, russia has the upper hand with the united states and that the u.s. needs to make all the fundamental concessions. this combination of feeling all powerful and over confident will not make for a very easy time in moscow. there are three things i would start with and what mr. obama is

to convey to putin. there are possibilities of russian preparation for war. this cannot happen. lester's conflict was out mess in georgia. -- last year's conflict was a mess in georgia. the georgian president said there was no justification for responding to any russian provocation and also to be clear about what are the consequences if russia were to invade your again. iran, i think mr. obama needs to be very clear in briefing mr. putin on the plan to engage iran in the edges of the u.s.. a come to jesus moment, so to speak. it is likely to come upon us in the next year.

this will be the decision point for moscow, a threat -- a -- typically to play both sides against the mill. in afghanistan, a high priority for the obama staff -- to about administration. there is likely to be an agreement on the transfer of materials to russian territory. the russian position is not military base raises serious questions about hamas gussies the question. moscow may very well prefer to maintain their hedge mondayic position in central asia rather than see our success in afghanistan.

afghanistan is a vital national security interest where lives of u.s. soldiers are at stake and obama's got to make it clear that any ambiguity about moscow's support on this is not going to be taken likely -- lightly. finally there are a lot of finally there are a lot of questions about mosco i was in st. petersburg out week ago and two days later, putin blew off negotiations, i think raises these questions from all parties within his own government, which was caught off guard by the decision to enter into the arrangements with coptics on -- thanks very much. >> on the tradition of a think tank, i want to focus my

comments on the second day maybe after the time when president obama meets with putin. this involved in organizing what is a parallel summit that will happen on the second day. it will begin on the first day out we think senior representatives will be on the second day. this is a different kind of meeting. we have 75 russian american experts coming together. they have been coming together with russians and we have colleagues from be affordable housing field, the civil rights field and trying to close guantanamo and detention. we have not infectious disease specialists. we have working journalists

coming together with russian journalists talking about the media. typically over the last 20 years the united states society has approached government -- russia as a problem to be fixed. we started with humanitarian assistance and went to economic assistance. over time, the assistance has been an effective, and welcome to. it has not created the kind of space that we hope our colleagues would enjoy. this is a different kind of model. we are doing it in part because we did not want to see this summer only be about arms control. some of the statement you have seen coming from the obama

administration that they are aware of this. on the second day, we are expecting that the president will meet with different parts of civil society during the summit. it is also in response to some small, incremental changes that we have seen in russia over the last several weeks. president medvedev did his first interview with the newspaper where four of the journalists have been killed in the last couple of years. the interview itself is not remarkable, but the fact that the interview -- the present reconstituted his presidential council on human rights, populated by genuine -- genuine human rights activist. they met and convened a couple of times, it was welcomed by the

human rights community. engaging colleagues in moscow and the region, people who experience a tremendous amount of -- their view is if there is not change we will find out soon enough. we are glad to have colleagues coming to this. the idea is to move from assistant to a more peer to peer type of engagement. rhetoric in russia matters and the sense that you can think back 10 years ago this month, prime minister putin was the head of the -- appeared he gave an interview in which he talked

to -- about the problem with assistance is that it means that they are in the employ of foreign intelligence. after that statement, a series of informal organizations were investigated. senior kremlin officials have made statements over the years that resulted in lights going on all over russia and investigations occurring. change in rhetoric matters and the russian conflict. we will be looking to see if there is action that follows. we will see what these big experiments bring. >> we will take questions on the moscow summit now. then we will bring in our other colleagues and talk about the g- eight. there are some of yours that have been passed out to you,

including a book about what will happen with policy following the bush years. if you are in front of a microphone, you can identify yourself than it would be helpful. francine? >> obama will be giving a speech at this economics university. what do you think -- how would that be -- how much of it will be allowed to be broadcast? how much will reach russians? what do you think you can do in terms of changing russian opinion about the united states? it is negative right now. >> i have not heard whether or not the request is in. >> it will be televised at a cable network.

it is a very modest concession. >> this is an important speech, and he has to do a lot of different things. the opinion of the u.s. is quite negative. there is a difference between how people view americans and the bush in ministration policy. i think the kind of message that the president delivered to the u.s. to international audiences, he has been in the business of repairing the damage that has been done over the last eight

years in how people view the united states. this is an administration that is much more interested in talking to critics, and that they are working specifically on changing policies that the bush administration adopted. the kind of message that is appealing in europe, we don't know how it will play in russia. when you are admitting -- if the president does this come i don't know whether or not this speech is being written now. if you are speaking now who we are in our journey, and the last couple of years have not been very good. that tendency for russia's -- russians is not to admit any weakness. we don't know whether or not that will be seen as welcome or

not. there is some disagreement among colleagues. i don't think russians know very much about him, to be honest. him talking about his personal