are not too big to fail and do not get us into financial difficulty any more. and honestly, the financial industry has been effective in producing leverage and improving legislation and produce the possibility that 10 years from now we will get an exact the same situation. host: our next phone call is from jim, on the line for independence. caller: i believe that our monetary system is the root cause of all of this. it is antiquated and unsustainable. we need to look at and -- at either nationalizing or abolishing -- abolishing the federal reserve and take back the government for the congress. that way we could sustain the economy without incurring any debt. you would not have to worry about the next generation picking up the bill. guest: i will respectfully disagree with you. i think the fed is really

important to the smooth running of a modern economy. i do think, though, that the fed has been overly concerned over the lost -- well, for quite a long time merely with monitoring inflation and moving interest rates to ensure that inflation does not grow too quickly. they have not looked enough at asset bubbles. there are a lot of economists who did not say those in the late 1990's that there was a stock market bubble delayed into the 2000's, a big housing bubble brewing, and the fed did nothing to try to prevent the continued buildup to those bubbles. in part because of that and because they kept interest rates so low, we are in the mess we are in now and the crash would not have been nearly so bad if the fed had done more to prevent

asset bubbles. host: don peck, author of the cover story of this month's edition of "the atlantic." thank you for being on our program. and thanks to everyone who participated in this edition of the "washington journal" and we will see you tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. eastern. c-span[captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] . . ó+gk&

>> $179 billion has been paid out so far. elsewhere on the c-span networks today, we are live right now from the peterson pugh commission for the discussion on government debt and budgetary reform. former congressional budget director douglas holds a stake in on the screen right now. apollo that on c-span2. -- you can follow that on c-span

2. prime minister tony blair is among those you will hear today. the former -- the british ambassador of the -- to the u.s., christopher meyer. that is on c-span3 all this week. at the u.s. capitol, flags continue to fly at half staff in honor of representative john murtha, who passed away last week. his funeral services this morning with defense secretary gates and other top military leaders expected to attend. also, remarks, eulogies from house speaker nancy pelosi and others. we will have live coverage of representative murtha's funeral coming up at 10:30 eastern here on c-span. that will take us to the bottom of the hour -- to take us to the bottom of the hour, canadian prime minister stephen harper, who spoke at the world economic forum in autos, switzerland.

>> welcome, prime minister, here in davos. we are very much looking forward to your speech and your sharing your plans and your ideas with us. and there are three particular reasons to be particularly interested in to your speech. soç first, prime minister stepn harper, you are the prime minister of a country which has a relatively very well weathered knowledge. yoha btaned o a t g-7 eit cntes t

ecom csi thk uor gina od ame. ppus orsro tavi second, we welcome you as a representative of a country which traditionally has shown great international engagement, which has taken very seriously its internation reonsibiti. ju wt mti your ro iolme i ghisn, t fstorgn siyo made pme minisr, s t ahanist. i tnk you he bn tee tis t meante. sul a a sulcoen

yo ptilayn your engent i hti tnkhi eagemenha ao owho mh uernay e aacdo os mataanas wche he toullln t wld at lt t tea,e lceouof cours ath air ofhe8, g20, and a very important summit will take place under your chairmanship, hosted by canada, and we are now very much looking forward to what you have to tell us. prime minister, the floor is yours. [applause] >> thank you very much, professor. it is great to be here in davos and to have the opportunity to contribute on some of the vital

issues confronting the world today. some of them are complex and they may at times seem abstract, but for ordinary men and women everywhere, the substance of what we talked about here trsl int sile realiti -- ae, food on the table, or a better life for our children. it is an important debate, one that we are delighted to be part of. i would like to welcome some other members of our government that are here today -- my friends and colleagues prime minister -- foreign minister john flaherty is here. also, governor of the bank of na,arcaey weom tllfoundll e heaniaelat th a he tay ppus wod soik tta a me tofryerna ngtutis y on ts, th 4h nu ghengf

ur creatn, t world ecom fum yoches s mel cmied to ironghe ste oth wod. i ulobrv tt y, o ha sducaof gl, veor rso tbe pas wi o aomisen. to have conceived of the need for such an institution as this required in sight, commitment -- required in sight, commitment, and then to have nurtured it by dressing peers from around the world, that is a formidable -- by addressing years from around the world, that is a formidable achievement. professor, it has been a long time since the first meeting of this forum four decades ago. our circumstances to they have something in common with the world in the years following 1971. economies than were in turmoil. the institutions governing

international finance were failing the test of cris, a whev o lksrod e rl treasrole sots da th lesris h ath wod s apin aea wh an erms cllge - lge cuen aou bans, rris a o crsth inrn pbls per a unrdelme. theris aay setngbu weus nerto tin t improv t ste o t wld thefe,n jun wn cad stthleerhe20 dhe8 ortondas ca,esctel our gl toorwiurarers wa pctalndnurg lution i nto ar sefhe inpl ttilguehe veme oana d pefulltheisssnsf esumts uerurhe,

coryhrghew giin." let's tkbohe g20tsf, whhthibird wofcily siatha t wld prie fum for tt icat ttur- wcht s rçpisbgh wofcily degnedheor pmie fom. g2 lders he rpoed to th stec naia clae d e ob ression with quick,ç decisive, and coordinad action. at the london summit, in april 2009, these measures were expanded with a particular emphasis on the most vulnerable states so that in pittsburgh the seed of new, balanced, sustainable growth was planted. if i may indulge in a personal

recollection, what i saw at the washington summit made an enormous impression on me. the nation whose interests have often been at odds, nations with different traditions of governments, rivals, even former enemies, found themselves adjusting common problems with a common will. in this globalized economy, they recognized that a flood engulfing one would soon swamped them all. so even though 20-some leaders all represented sovereign states, they agreed to comment anynrozeacon t cht e me crs tar coarats. thecogalifrees tsi. wodayhi ouad aived fm otr an, uouev he gusehiatnsad snt cas ren stit yomitaltheelwsp heifoautlaes and

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inheriteecr. i ou jt te tt retaebsve he coizheanian vaage. as you said, professor, this year and last, your own economic forum. and moody's services recognize canada's banks as the soundest. let me quote -- "remarkable stability among the global trigger things to strong supervision and regulation." ths dotey part of the reason why canada took on the -cirnspfegatory rerm na h mntne a gd acve ste, msu guti. weo n cim tt o ste iserct.

thla of a sgl surie relar ian oio he. ao bn lid igen th rulioorovnmt iurce tvellheerrmcef e ct ding tris owsethfftinef na'apoa. roh r20hamahi iseae ntorgth oponfimaregaty acceloll tsegd, bie t cadiystemenaloe twhishashldui tu wkn isre fit mtroteatna relaon sfieny stng, tovo t te crise eernc lt yr. ao lie tt sh tialysmshod b suec t iertial pr vi iorr tennc

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relaonusbe tkl a itus b aque. t son cad ao bies th fanal sto rulio st he t right purposes and must not be excessive. let me just say, first of all, that i understand why there are calls for such approaches in some circles. in situations very different from canada's, where big bank villiers resulted in bailouts -- were big that -- where big bank failures resulted bailouts, in canada, because our situation has been so different, we do not face such demands and public opinion is much more reflective about what is needed. our approach to financial sector regulation in canada, while historic plea much more activist than in many other countries,

has not been to micromanage the affairs of a complex industry. its purpose is to ensure transparency in the marketplace, help link with performance and reward, and encourage a culture of prudent behavior focused on the long term. i][speaking french] t bclr. roh e20e lle couraggecregatn d pre ornaoneten guto. tanailnogoowthe pafxcs o trader

niveegatnf s fincl ct. --fxcsi tder puti rulio oit fincl sect. cadaas a penal -a ivate financial sector of enormous strength. we intend to build on it and we intend toç see the financial sector of canada grow. we intend for canada's global position in the industry get stronger in the future. the second ongoing g20 policy debate, policy priority, has been to driveloll coditetilueare bo monety sts. weelven i iornto st toue,utnlor w. rai monctnha scxpsianhee vemepeinnd crsevit- crse sc dics reecsa ri t reson inacwi rid fli

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is no longer too early to start thinkingt( about a strategy to exit. because we all know that the long-term risks of prolonged government spending of this magnitude -- renewed inflation, rising interest rates, prolonged sluggish economic performance. th vw ior our enoc plni i cad cadailcole i t- arcomi aio plan,ts sc smus msus suor oth rovy, t ecom sllaifuy et allhe omesha w me eli g2mein. t se te,ur nt buet wlutne aat t receheefitnd rur th bandudt t meumer weilbeoihii ou wt tkbo t naandvta. illel e fit t

btui mesy. tefitndheeb itmost. enheecsinds,ur laveodsf deedss wle wey a wider margin. that is because canada paid off debt aggressively during the growth years. now, in passing, as an economist, i must observe that this particular recommendation of john maynard keynes is seldom acted upon as vigorously as his recommendation to borrow. that is governments borrow more in times that are difficult because they must, and they borrow more in times that are

good because they can. atncenll iha lod towax i na. elve is important that taxes be low and that tax production be sustainable. that way they can become a permanent form of fiscal stimulus. in an environment of falling debt, we were able to lower taxes of all kinds. in fact, canada has already the lowest tax rate on new business investment in the g-7. investigators take note, can and it is and will remain open for business. finally, let's talk about global trade and growth strategies. i suspect every single person in this room -- i suspect every single person in this room understand that the growth in global trade has the -- has been largely responsible for wealth creation worldwide in the past generation. therefore, enhancing trade and

resisting protectionism is both essential to the world economy and to the just cause of raising millions of people for poverty. the g-20 has said this land every single meeting. of course, there have been national action committee to many, that the track from that goal. even so, we have thus far avoided anything like the protectionism that turned the stock market crash of 1929 into a decade-long depression. in canada, we have continued to try to be leaders in promoting free trade and open markets. our stimulus package did n rae tarif, ler tm unatal, mit a. since 2006 we have concluded free-trade agreements with eight additional countries. we are included in six other ones, including the european union. we will continue to promote trade, and eliminate tariff

barriers. however, pittsburgg last year, the g20 went on past advocating for trade in against protectionism as a basis for promoting global growth. we also established a framework for strong, sustainable, balanced growth. much of what the framework prescribes. it takes us in the right direction. especially if consensus at the macro level, at the cause of the recession, and the mutual commitment among g20 members. will coordinate their policies. however, this is where the g20 partners must truly embrace the light and views of sovereign behavior. otherwise, we will pursue a strategy inevitably that do not produce mutual advantage and therefore cannot beusin. li dp yr tif a i lleemynce o a rrtat wwi kp hrs

unrvue wehod owro t trie experience of the 1930's that strategies that make it difficult for somebody to do business inevitably make it difficult for everybody to do business. so i say notions routed -- [applause] notions rooted in a narrow view of sovereignty and national self-interest must be reconsidered. we cannot do business as though for one to have more another must have less. that is not true, it is not just, and itç cannot be the pah we take. the ambition, the necessary condition for success as the g20 moves forward must be a shared belief that the rising tide of recovery must lift all boats, not just some. xdthis is the exercise of sovereignty at its most enlightened. and i do not believe, by the

way -- let me just say this as an aside -- i do not believe, by the way, that this is about the structure of global institutions. it is more about a matter, more a matter of attitude. some words of former u.s. secretary of state -- kordell hall -- he is the driving force of the creation of postwar international institutions that are with us today. for example, the world bank. accepting theob pceri in94orisore d th tsabontnaon initio. li tsecset s silatohamyatrol meoranea. "tbe se,o pcef ci cherca be eective unsshe ith i bk o a llndetminati tmake itor [sakg fnc

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solutions. often the keys of life are no more sophisticated than water, -- clean water, widelyw3 availae vaccines. but so little -- that so little has been done is tragic. it is real hunger, real suffering, real people buying. canada takes its developments seriously, including those made at the g8. that is why we have -- we are on traffic to double international systems this year. wt eqretoig isarcur obm? iery tamuny rpehaweaninitn rsves rdilynoh en disttress reny didnai. s con e obms o othtreincesf e onomy. mtin tt itof puos spki freh]

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atspref goginci ceaiy,e st bri a see sreesnsility, must pgmic fus, anabe a, cued cotali. e gatnsusfuy liver t pmis thg8usli utohe pris. asos oth gan t g mein, cad wl u i leerip re fus on es cllenge a i lk foar tcoabatg osyit o iertial rtrsse ntueo suor t enoc rovy d crt n binngfo huni wldde. thk you vyuc for your attention. [applause]

ç >> on now to the funeral service for congressman john murtha of pennsylvania. he died last monday following gallbladder surgery. congressman murtha, who was 77, served in the u.s. house from 1975, the first vietnam veteran to be elected to the chamber. he will be buried at grand view cemetery at johnstown, pennsylvania. we will take you live to johnstown, where they are at this moment interviewing show says stack -- joe sestak. >> that is a public servant, not a politician. i think if anything is going to beç missed, it is going to be w

he garnered such a vast amount of respect from everyone. i do not say that lightly. he would have been a great commanding officer. >> all right, congressman joe sestak. thank you. i'm going to asked him to come back andç join me. he is from "the tribune" here in johnstown. he is the editor. i want to talk about the logistics of this funeral. tell us about that. >> it is a very fascinating process. folks are seeing that the weather has been a factor, and dealing with it is part of the preparation. i.t. he would probably have to say the local road crews have those folks -- i think you would probably have to say that the local road crews have done a great job. in the johnstown community. and lot of developments throughout the week -- who is going to come, which dignitaries are going to be here, was it

going to be an open funeral, a private funeral? all those questions were kind of dealt with on a day to day basis. our reporters were asng the question each day, and some of the details were playing out right in front of us. we were not sure which streets might be close, which areas the public would have access to, how it would all be handled from security. >> you spent a lot of time, obviously, covering the careers of jack murtha. how did you follow his legacy? >> the legacy is something we're trying to get a handle on. that is something we've asked a lot of people about. that is the big question going forward. his death, first of all, is a major thing. as soon as we find out that a major political figure has passed away, you have to deploy

reporters and start the process of getting a sense of what is going on, what it means. it is obviously a very sad day for a lot of people, including the staff folks at my newspaper reporting on it. people who had interactions with the congressman for a long time, had met with him, he has been at events and had cause to interview him. one of the last interviews he did was with one of our reporters in the preparations chamber the day he was -- the day before he went in for gallbladder surgery. it is a tough thing for that reported to deal with that going forward. you have to wrap up your own emotions and get busy. we did that, and we have been on the store for a week. >> you can see there on your screen, shots from inside the church. what can we expect to see during the service? >> well, a program was laid out with what you expect -- the hymns, the speeches, that kind of thing.

i know the family, as a just yesterday afternoon, was not sure who would represent them for the eulogy. i cannot speak for that. there is a choir preparing, and there is a very somber military type of service with a lot of that type of pomp and circumstance. you will see a lot of folks in full military dress today. that certainly is an awareness that this congressman had earned a lot of respect and made a lot of connections with people. even in the cemetery, the cemeteries of a half mile from where we're sitting. this is a long ceremony with the street that the hearse troubles to get to come and the spot where he will be laid to rest. >> i believe the speakers today during the eulogy will be donna, which is john murtha's daughter. nancy pelosi, and there is another one.

>> one of the folks that is fascinating on the guest list would be the church. i know think speaking will be mr. mullen. that again is tied to the military connections with mr. murtha. mr. muller has said repeatedly that a lot of the gears being deployed now to iraq and afghanistan, the safety standards have been elevated directly as a result of the efforts by congress and other people. but he was part of the process. >> the congressman had quite an extensive career in the military. at a first vietnam veteran elected to congress, left college because he felt obligated to serve at that time, so, yes, absolutely. decorated, he was injured in vietnam. minor injuries, daddy-decorated. that is -- minor injuries, decorated. he is really connected to the military, spent a lot of time at walter reed military hospital. his trips travel lost to afghanistan to go to iraq, the

battlefield, and he got right in with the troops and told him what they are experiencing. >> that is certainly what we talk about leaving behind. >> obviously that is the area where, you know, the funding developed for things like military research, development of weapons. vehicles that can be handled remotely like -- by computer so that exposures are not exposed to the air and potential fire that might come from around him. also enhanced pleading for the bottoms of the vehicles. one of the risks in iraq is a roadside bombs. that has been a response to that. that goes to the kind of change in way that we fire roars now. >> -- that we fight wars now. >> what about the people who

have come to pay respects to jonathan murtha? >> they were sad, and they respect what he did on a national level as well as what transpired here in johnstown and the impact he made on his community. i think also, you know, were surprised that his illness led to his death. we were not receiving an incredible amount of information. certainly, if someoneçq is in intensive care for days, you can expect something serious is going on. but his family did a great job of kind of circling the wagons a littleç bit with information. it was a surprise to everybody. >> so essentially, he passed away from complications to blab -- due to gallbladder surgery. speaking of that, is that something that normally there are complications from? >> look, somebody in the health- care community told me there was

no such thing as routine surgery, especially abdominal surgery. i do not know of all the deals that went wrong. something went wrong, he developed an infection, and that is what ultimately took his wife. so, yeah, there is no such thing as routine surgery. but he did a lot of work in the there is a breast cancer center and our community. there were other buildings that they'd put up that were excellent fit is kind of ironic, i suppose, the situation with his health care at the end, that took his life. >> has your paper been focused on this? >> it has been one of those stories where it has a lot of different angles. we have to talk to other congress people, get their reaction, talk to the local and state legislators, local

professionals, what is the reaction in the business community. it has been a complicated story for us to unpack and the fold. i think, does it reflect his life in different areas of people expected to attgnut(v çóagain,t( dignitaries, bill clinton, nancy pelosi, robert gates, white house chief of staff rahm emanuel. i mean, what can we expect to see for people attending to that? what kind of mood are we expecting? >> i have no doubt it is going to be very somber. part of that will become of the military professionalism that takes place, and part of it will just be the personal respect for the congressman, this individual, his relationship with other folks on capitol hill.

and i think you will see that reflected in the move today. >> i do not know if we can get a shot of this, but do you know what the honor guard is coming up? >> the marine corps band. >> ok. let's watch them as they go by.

again, tying in all of his military experience, we can obviously see that through the day today. >> that is the kind of day you are going to see. the movement to the grave site, the very military focus, i think that is what we can expect. >> let's talk a little bit about what kind of legacy does he need to get through? >> enormous legacy. as he reflected earlier, the governor said that in his opinion it is the most influential politician in sylvania -- in pennsylvania in the last five decades. it is that much bigger. you have municipalities that of their infrastructure to their relationship with this congressman. you have fire departments and police departments, and it just goes on and on. you know, his legacy will be enormous here.

obviously we have a hearse, and that is moving into our area. >> thank you for being here. pcn will provide live coverage of the funeral, beginning right now, actually. at 11:00 a.m. we will be back here for reaction and interviews with attendees of the funeral. we now live heat -- we now live in -- we now leave you with the sights and sounds of the funeral of john murtha.

[organ musiplaying]ç

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>>ç?; this is westmont presbyn churchç in johnstown, pennsylvania. for the funeral of representative john murtha, who died last week. among those attending, house

speaker nancy pelosi. you can see former president clinton among the dignitaries in the church today. ççxdçw3ç

congressman murtha serve his district for 19 terms. he was the first vietnam veteran elected to the house of representatives, elected in 1974. the marine honor guard units in honor of congressman murtha -- live coverage of his funeral expected to get underway shortly on c-span.

you just saw defense secretary robert gates among the many dignitaries here at the funeral of representative john murtha.

he was first elected to this districtçç in 1974. ççxdxd

>> we saw former congressman ray leolahood, transportation secretary. speaker nancy pelosi will speak here at the funeral of congressman john murtha. xdç

[organ plays] >> the center of your screen is general james conway waiting for the casket of john murtha to be taken from the hearse and for the honor guard to escort it inside. this is in westmont presbyterian church in johnstown, pennsylvania. speakers include nancy pelosi and congressman murtha's daughter, donna.

live coverage here on c-span.

çççç

[band plays]

[drums play] [band plays]

[music stops]

imña(c&yc+@vd/fbxso&p-u(wál÷;8su ç ç-- please be seated. madam speaker, mr. president, members of the cabinet, members

of congress. ççserviceçi]çt(ç secretarif the joint chiefs of staff, commandants of the marine corps, as distinguishedç guest, but friends. on behalf of mrs. murtha and the family, welcome and thank you forçt( coming and thank you for watching. we know that for many of you, due to the difficult weather, evenç reachingç a site toç vw qçthis service has been challenging,ç and we thank you for making thatç effort. itç has been mrs. martha's ç+ó mrs. murthta'çxdçça'sw3 wishs be as public as possible. i am delighted to be joined this morning by father william george, president of georgetown

preparatory school and a longtime friend of the murtha family. a word or two about the service this morning. words to the opening hymm are found on the first page of your bolten insert. the closing hymm is also listed. we will all be invited to pray the lord prayer, and only the choir will stand for the anthem. our service is in memory of john murtha and it is to the glory of god. please stand to the call to worship. join me if youçó willç. çi am theç resurrection and te life, says the lord.

ççlet us worship god. ççlet us worship god. ççó[organçqxd plays]

ç>> please be seated. iw3 invite you toç join me in prw3ayer. çoh,ç mightç god, çççwhosr çfails and cannotç turn the sw of death into daybreak. çxd ÷n÷7?iañ)1mvmçyçi]w3çççç

it's time to throw away. it's time to tear and a time to sew.

a time to keep silence and a time to speak. a time to love and a time to hate. a time for war and a time for peace. thank you for having us. the writer of ecclesiastes could have added a time to make laws and a time to earmark. [laughter] i was hoping you would laugh at them. -- at that. making laws is sacred work. according to the new revised

standard concordance, the word was law occurs over 500 times in sacred scripture. what is important to -- warp spelaw is important to god. john murtha but never lost purpose. he was always thinking of the puerson it affected. the poor and the marginalized. the citizens of johnstown, of the united states and of the world. all children of god. he and instead. it should be sacred work. jack knew that. the world and our country will feel a loss. i cannot imagine how you feel,

joyce, in your family. and his colleagues here to honor gen. may your faith fill you with the knowledge of truth that jack was god's child and has been welcomed home and assumed the source of true peace. we can all thank god for having jack murtha for as long as we did. he was a student and scholar of the military. we now have to decide what we will do without him on the side of heaven. as you try to figure out what god's will is for you, pray. speak your heart to god. you may just find out what is best. may god bless you and keep you.

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>> the testament readings are taken from the letter to the church in rome, and also from the revelation of john. listen once again to the board of god. -- to the word of god. if god is for us, who can be against us? he gave him up for us all. can we not trust such a day god to give us with him everything else that we cannot need? who would dare to accuse us whom

god has chosen? the judge has declared us free from sin. who is in a position to condemn only christ that christ died for us. christ rose for us. christ rains in power for us and praise for us. who can separate us from the love of christ, in trouble or persecution, or lack of clothes and food, and danger to life and limb? in all of these things, we win an overwhelming victory to him who was already proved his love for us. i have become convinced that neither death nor life, a messenger of heaven nor monarch of earth, neither what happens today or what may happen tomorrow, neither a power from on high or below nor anything

else in his whole world has in the power to separate us from the love of god and jesus christ our lord. and also these words from a time that is yet to be. i saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared and the sea was no more. i saw the holy city, the new jerusalem descending from got out of heaven, prepared as a bride for her husband. behold, the home of god is with people. he will live among them and they shall be his. god himself shall be with them and will wipe away every tear from their eyes. death shall be no more. never again shall there be

sarraute or pain. for all those former things are passet. let us pray. we kneel in prayer from home every family takes its name that out of the treasures of your glory, you grants to each of's strength and power by your spirit in our inner being. christ may dwell in our hearts and glove with deep roots and firm foundation may will be strong to grasp with all your people what is the breadth and lanes and heighth and depth of the love of christ. and to know it, though it is beyond knowledge. may wheat attained to the fullness of being. -- may we attain to the fullness

of being. by the power which is at work among us, to him the quarry and in christ jesus from generation to generation for evermore. amen. we now join in sharing remembrances of mr. murtha's life. there are three speakers this morning. donna murtha, john's daughter. the commandant of the marine corps, general conway, and the speaker of the house, nancy pelosi. i would invite the speakers to come on up. please speak from the pulpit. >> good morning. i'm donna murtha.

thank you for coming. we appreciate your support and your love and your care. my father would be overwhelmed. he would be so overwhelmed. you know him as a world leader and as a congressman and as it were separate of profiles in courage. you know him as mr. chairman, hawk, and as a patriot and as a marine. he would talk to me every day. we did not talk politics or economics. we talked about teaching. we tried to meet the individualization of every child. we also talked about health care and how would met my children's needs, their families, my friends, and my family.

we also talked about his marriage to my mother for 54 and half years. behind every man is a great woman. my brothers and i are not involved in politics. i think that helped him. whenever he would go out and he listened to us and talked about our past, it helped him the constituents and fellow citizens. he was proud of his brothers. they were fellow marines. siemper fi, dad. he left sherlock holmes and an occasional "murder she wrote." he loved nature. he loved to watch the deer that

would come into the yard. he would watch the gold finches. out with the squirrels. he could not stand it if the squirrels were outwitting him. he loved the bounty of this garden and the bounty of each season. he was a world leader. he met many prestigious leaders. when they made dad, they broke the mold. he lived by the model, one man makes a difference. we love you, that. -- he lived by the motto, one man makes a difference. [applause] >> a lot of good marines, out of

pennsylvania. john patrick murphy was such a man. it was in his blood to be a man of action, a patron, and a warrior. he had ancestors who built -- who fought in the revolutionary wars. his father and uncles served during world war ii. he felt guilty others were off to the fight while he was measuring in football and basketball. in 1952, he dropped out of college and in listed in the marine corps. he never made it to korea. he had orders in hand. fate had already been at play. he had passed a college equivalency test, completed trading, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. he had met joyce, the love of

his life, and he learned during boot camp and officer training that enthusiasm, aggressiveness, and attention to detail would carry him a long way in life. the vietnam war brought him back to active duty. 33 by then and the father of three children. he felt strongly. he felt it was his duty to serve. joyce needed convincing but she eventually agreed. on arrival in country, he was assigned as an intelligence officer. fitness reports showed him to be forceful, energetic, and enthusiastic, and that is best when in the field with his marines. the words of his commander were simple but elegant. "one of the finest officers i

have ever served with." he would believe for the rest of his life that sgt understand the needs of the trip better than the general said. one man indeed can make a difference. his vietnam service earns him a bronze star, two purple hearts as a result of action in combat before return to pennsylvania. i served with colonel murtha but did not know him before retired in 1990. we met for the first time in 2006. he was the ranking member of the house appropriations committee and i was a new common down. we talked budget and i remember he said, you cannot have everything. but tell me of the free things you have to have and i will get it for you. i thought at the time it was a

marine think and that it was good to live if fellow leatherneck in such an important position. i have come to realize he had almost identical conversations with all of the service teams. [laughter] he loved his core. his sense of duty transcended all else. during our subsequent meetings on the hill there was a pattern. each meeting would have its serious moments where we talk requirements, the force and other wars were going. there would be some moments where one would tell a story or perhaps recall a humorous incident. he did like to laugh. there was his analysis of the mood of the congress. he would assess formic the probability of this program or that one getting through the congress. he used first names as it cited

positions of the various congressmen. i had no idea who they might be. i always nodded in the affirmative what was always right there with him. [laughter] you cannot afford to do that when you have great respect and confidence in the man seated before you. he had a way to get what he wanted. one early morning visit a recall he was drinking coffee from an army mug. he flashed it in front of me several times. i finally said, why are you drinking from an army mug? he gave me a look like, i thought you would never ask, and said because the marine corps has not seen fit to give me one yet. and by the one, i like the ones we drank from a breakfast a few weeks back. he had in his possession four new mugs before the sun set

that date. for those of you in the audience who were his constituents, he loved that barely. at our first meeting, he gave me a knife. he said he was presenting it on behalf of the people of pennsylvania. i have been given a lot of knives in my line of work. the knife he gave me was special. i have kept it in my top desk drawer. my wife and i are now residents here. i do believe it is representative of the people of this state. it is a good chance 30 knife. it keeps a sharp edge and performs a multitude of functions. it has a green pattern on the handle. scrolled across the pattern is a name written in white script.

from now on, and for the rest of my life, when i look at the knife and the name that is on it, john. murtha, i will remember a fellow marine, a patron, a warrior, and a great american. -- a patriot. [applause] dr. stevens, thank you for welcomeing us here today.

to joyce, to donna, to the precious grandchildren, there is great sadness that i lead a congressional delegation to extend our condolences to you and our thanks for sharing jack with us and to bid our friend is a very sad farewell. jack was greatly mourned in congress because of the respect and admiration which was accorded him there. those who served with him were honored to call him colleague. many of bust or privilege to call him friend. president clinton, all those who love jack in washington extent our appreciation to you for the honor of your presence here to the family and to those who loved jack. [applause]

thank you for your friendship and that of secretary clinton to jack murtha. the outpouring of accolades over the past week and in the thousands of people who have arrived here to pay their respects to him bring to mind passage from ecclesiastics honoring the heroes of the old testament. now let us praise great man, the heroes of our nation's history. some lead the people by their knowledge of our nation's law. out of their wisdom, they gave instruction. their bodies are buried in peace but their names will live forever. the people will tell us their wisdom and the congregation will show forth their praise.

as this conurbation show's fourth its praise, it is fitting jack was escorted into this church but a pennsylvania congressional delegation, because that is how jack served in congress, surrounded by pennsylvania congressional delegation. they were planning a celebration of jack's service in the congress on saturday, february 6. he became the longest serving member of congress from pennsylvania ever to serve. they were planning a celebration. today presented him to us for celebration of his life. many of you who are familiar with congress know about the pennsylvania corner. for those who do not, let me say, in congress, jack held court. that part of the house chamber

that was respectfully known as the pennsylvania corner. members from across the country and across the aisle would come to the court to get jacks laughing. great-grandmother belt would be satisfied that jack made a difference. it was a sight to behold. there was jack, always smiling, twinkling eyes, flanked by his lieutenants, mike doyle on the west, bob brady on the east. they had a twinkle and a smile, too. sometimes. [laughter] jack passed on a pride in the institution that he learned from his friend and mentor, tip o'neill. jack was known for his irish

sense of humor. he was never funnier film won the regaled us of historic as a lieutenant to tip o'neill. jack loved tipped and continued his tradition of honor, authenticity, and loyalty to your constituents. every member of congress believed that he or she represents the best congressional district in the country and that you have the best constituents. jack murtha was absolutely certain of that. he loved this district. to watch jack murtha legislate was to see a master at work. more indicative of was to watch him communicate with the men and women in uniform, whether right off the battlefield or at the bedside at a military hospital. many of us have had this experience and while visiting

walter reed or the naval medical center. he always answered their knees are responding their call -- he always answered their needs and responded to their calls. he bonded with them. i will never forget one time we were visiting one of the hospitals. we went into a room and wounded warrior was standing by his bed to welcome jack murtha into his room, saluting him wearing a steelers jersey. the nation saw his integrity when the privilege spoke out against the war iraq. he taught us all to make a distinction between the war and the warrior. jack was committed to our

national security and measured our strength not only in our military might but in the well- being of our people. he was a much decorated champion. he was a much decorated champion in addressing scientific research to fight breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes, aids, the list goes on. i know what jack is thinking now. do not go on much longer. i was the closing speaker and i got up there and talk about jobs, jobs, jobs. jack cheered and said i think that was the best speech you ever gave. [laughter] but i will say this. those of us who s invest in action travel across the

country. he would be cheered in airports for his courage for speaking and helping with health issues. he brought power to diseases that affect so many people. semper fi. the model was his life. always stay truthful to god and country, to his home in johnstown, and to his wife, children, and grandchildren. hero, a champion, giant. jack murtha. we will never see his like again. [applause]

>> i want to thank all of our speakers for the warmth and humor that you brought. my task now is to try to place some of this within the context of our faith and bgod's presence in our lives. speak to each of us deeply in our hearts. we may not hear a human voice but your voice. give us courage and give us will end by your spirit, show us the way to live. in the name of christ, amen.

in the sermon on the mound, and jesus said blessed are those who mourned because they will be comforting. there is great comfort in the memory of john murtha's life, a life that was fully lived with courage and a strong will. we say all good disks come from god. what we have heard from our distinguished speakers and what we are remembering today are the gifts god gave to john murtha enacted, lived out through his personality and character. they are in a real sense god's gift to us all. many may not have known the congressmen personally, but all

of us have been touched by his life, his actions, his political skill and the practiced art of his vocation. john was able to bring people of different sides together, as you have heard, able to compromise and able to a big firm. he lived his political life with the same courage that he showed on the battlefield. he did so for the people of this district and for the united states. it is also comforting to know that one can live a very public life and still share deeply in the love of family. he enjoys were married 54 years -- he and joyce were married 54 years. he saw generations, after them.

they shared their love, their life, with donna, and john and his wife cathy, with patrick and his wife lynn, and grandchildren jack and and, clayton. for john murtha, family was the first love always. his family knew it. he found a way to spend time with them, to encourage them, and to give them his values and himself. like many of us in western pennsylvania, john had an eclectic religious background. presbyterian and methodist and a catholic. from that background, he had a sense of god's hand on his shoulder. he might not have a phrase it

this way. we presbyterians sometimes referred to that hand on the shoulder as god's call. donohoe reminded us of the words on this day. we're put on this earth to make a difference. those words came from his great grandmother. john heard those words when he was 4. she was the wife of a presbyterian minister. those words helped shape his life and his religious background guided-shipping. john murtha made a difference. he made a difference as a marine in combat and as a marine force 37 years. he was the first collected in vietnam-error member of

congress. he had a vested interest in wounded warriors. he visited the troops and talked about individual service personnel. he made a difference in this nation's security as mr. defense. in that realm especially, he spoke with courage and clarity. he spoke as a patriot. congressman, murtha made a difference to the people of western pennsylvania in the nine counties that make up the 12th congressional district. he made a difference in people's lives with jobs, job training, insuring pensions, obtaining federal aid, especially after the 1977 flood here. with his tireless work, to help create a favorable climate for a strong economic conditions in western pennsylvania. he made a difference as the

longest serving congressman in pennsylvania history. and john murtha made a difference with his many humanitarian efforts, working for the health of his constituents, brain surgery, brain injury program, fighting against cancer, to research, and fighting for good and affordable health care. there is great comfort in this day in john murtha's life. he made a difference. comfort also comes to us from the scriptures this day. apostle paul roach that nothing can separate us from the love of god -- apostle paul wrote that nothing can separate us from the love of god. someone or something can come

between ourselves and dgod. i think that is why sometimes people do not try harder in this life. they wonder that god may not be there for them. just the opposite is true. god calls us and gives us grace to go anytime. god never failed him. many of the -- one of the many awards that he was most proud was the john f. kennedy profile in courage award. he took on popular -- took an unpopular stance when he could have remained silent. he was brave and a patriot. the message of the gospel is that in the resurrection of

christ, god had shown the world the death of god's love. as paul said, "in every way possible, nothing and no one can separate us, not war, not lost, neither poverty, not the future, nothing." this day, we look to the promise of a new heaven and a new earth in god's time and got's day. until that time, we are called to live faithfully, as christ has shown us. take risks for good, love one another, and trust the results to the living board. -- living lord. it is the revealed nature of god to help us to do what we cannot do. it is our nature, by scott's

grace, to try. -- by god's grace, to try. john murtha did try. by god's grace he succeeded. let us trust john and all who we love, near or far, to god's gracious care and to our lord, who told us that because i live, you, shall live also. i invite you to pray with me and we will conclude with the lord's prayer. let us pray. loving god, from whom we come, to whom returned, and in whom we live and move and have the very being of life. we praise you for the good gift

of life for its wonder and mystery, its french ships and fellowships. we thank you you for the bonds that tie us one, too another. we thank you for your patience. for the meaning that lies hidden in the heart of sarraute, disappointment and grief. for your guiding hand in our journey. we give you thanks, holy one, for your servant, john murtha, recalling in him all that made others love and respect him. we thank you for his family and personal nature, his integrity, his courage and strong-willed, his warmth and love, love of family, love of the people of this district and of the united

states. we give you thanks, gracious god, for the goodness and truth that have passed through his life into the lives of others and truly made this world richer. we bless your name for the revelation of your love in our lord, jesus christ, and for the hopes in the gospel. beat in the human heart is a trust that life does not end in death. we praise your name, that our hope has been so wonderfully confirmed in the life and words and resurrection of our lord and savior, jesus christ. grant us, wheat at -- we pray, the comfort of your presence,

renewing in us all gifts of patience and faith and indoor in love. helpless to walk and did the things of this world with our eyes open to the duty of the eternal, so that among the many changes of this life, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true choices are to be found. through jesus christ, our lord, who taught us each and all to pray saying our father, who art in heaven, how will it be dining. my kingdom come by will be done, as earth as it is in heaven. give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our people. lead us not into -- lead us not

into evil. amen. [organ plays] land where my father died let freedom ring

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♪ >> following the benediction, and during the coral response, the casket will proceed up the center aisle and we ask that you

remain standing. family will exit on my right. those distinguished guests who need to leave it will proceed to the door to our left. we ask you to remain in the sanctuary until all of our dignitaries have left. on behalf of the family, thank you all for coming and for watching. and now they grace, mercy and peace from god the father, son and holy spirit be with each of us this day and for ever. amen. [organ plays]

♪ the lord blessed shoyou the lower makes his face to -- the lord makes his face to shine upon youno carrierring

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♪ [organ plays]

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>> you have been watching the funeral surface of john murtha. that was a very marked -- a very moving service. i am joined. your thoughts on the service? >> i found the memorial to be very touching in a variety of perspectives, from family, to a military leader, to speaker of the house. they all touched on similar

themes of accomplishment and a willingness to work across the aisle in a variety of areas. it was a special service. >> what about the mood here today. i'm sure my viewers can see it is snowing. how does that add it is cold -- how does that add to the mood? >> it is cold. i was glad to see the marines did not have to stand at attention the whole time. it is very cold. it seems to be a fitting backdrop to what we have been seeing today. >> i have to send a thank you to a family that kept us warm during the funeral service. tom and bernadette, thank you for the coffee, blueberry cake, and the afghan for our feet.

>> typical. >> let's talk about the people that spoke at the funeral. thoughts on what nancy pelosi had to say? >> as you would suspect, she talked about congressman -- congressman murtha the's style -- marturtha's style. she talked about the corridor where congress folks from across the country came in. she remembered him as a leader, a man of action, and that is what i took from her portion. >> i also thought it was touching to see his daughter speak. she mentioned that they often

spoke not of politics. >> that is exactly right. the service brought us the family, the personal touch. she was cheerful. it was very moving to hear her speak. she talked about her dad more so than the congressman. they described his love of gardening, outdoors, wildlife -- things that those of us who saw him in his professional setting did not sea. >> i want to talk about how he interacted with the community. >> he was a tall man. he was a larger-than-like character, too. he was seen a lot in this community despite his obligations in washington. he would meet with municipal leaders and business leaders. he spent a lot of time with state lawmakers who were often

times working on similar projects. frequently, he would meet with the community, asking them what was on their mind. that is another theme that came out of the service. he was very much in love with his constituency. he loved the district. he loved this community. he cared a lot about what people thought and what meant a lot to them. >> any insight as to how he would reach across the aisle? >> i think part of it was that he was comfortable with that. he realized that there were very few things he had done in a completely partisan way. he spoke out against the iraq war. he worked with republicans and democrats alike. he tried to hammer out some deals before it got to a vote.

that is what he was well known for on the house floor. >> sure. what about some of the things that congressman murtha was able to provide for this community and bring to this community? >> one of the things that really resonates about his legacy would be his work in the wake of the 1977 flood, which really devastated this community. he was here nonstop helping to organize relief efforts, getting to folks who have needs. he lead that effort with the mayor at the time. he was a key person in the immediate need and the ongoing needs. that storm, with its ramifications, included devastation to the steel industry and the loss of businesses and other things. >> now we go to an interview.

>> we are here with the center. -- with a senator. >> it was just like the congressman. this is how he would have wanted it. it was very professional and precise. >> what did congressman murtha's loss mean to this district? >> this is as difficult as when i buried my father. congressman murtha was a gentleman, an officer and a congressman. today, i realized i was in the presence of a great man. the area will obviously move forward as light does. we will be challenged. today, we mourn a very good friend. the critics out there did not note congressman murtha as we

did. >> this area has been known for its defense work and a lot of that is credited to congressman murtha. do you think that as things change in washington, it will be able to sustain itself? >> all things change. i think what the congressman did and it was very clear, he did not give people of fish, he taught them how to fish. taught people how to go after private and public sector contracts. i think we will continue the? -- diversification of our local economy. >> political life goes forward. there is a special election coming up. there will be a general election. someone has to replace the congressman. what is the thought in this area? if you have been mentioned.

other names have been mentioned. political life goes on. >> in the next few days you will see a lot of decisions being made. >> thank you very much, senator. >> thank you very much, bill. let's talk a little bit about what happens from here. the service is over. they are departing for the cemetery, which is not far from here. >> it is about two blocks away from us. the cemetery is enormous. it is a large real-estate area. it encompasses a borough. there are graves bear from the revolutionary war, the veterans, civil war veterans, it is a very historical setting. it is the perfect place for the congressman to be buried.

there is a large area dedicated to the 1889 flood. there were many hundreds of people that were never identified. it is a weird setting for this committee. it is the perfect place for congressman murphy to -- my thought to be placed -- martha to be laid to rest. last monday we got word from his staff that he would be buried at arlington. within 24 hours, that change. it was probably something he had previously talked to his wife about. i was not privy to any of those conversations. >> mentioned in the previous interview, there are obviously political indications for the seat now that it is vacant.

the offices of congressman murtha will continue to serve the people of the 12th district. a special election will be held in the near future. a date is not yet confirmed. speculation is that it will be on may 18, primary day. have you heard anything on what may happen to fill the seat? >> there will be two simultaneous elections taking place. a special election to fill the remaining few months of this. in office. parallel with that, to have a typical political process. john murtha was in the process of running for office. that will also be playing out. the key will be for voters to pay attention and know exactly what is going on.

certainly, as the senator just said, we will begin to see the names come forward. there has been speculation. i think the gates will fly open now. we have gotten past the memorial and the eulogy. now we can look at where things go from here. , speaking of the district, our viewers insight as to the demographics of this area. >> it has traditionally been a strong democrat district. it is oddly shaped. it goes into washington that greene counties. with the 2000 census, there was a re-district in. at the time, you had an incumbent. they had to run off against one

another. it has traditionally been about a two to one democrats to republicans break down. in recent years, republicans have run very well. i do not know that if the area having more democrats will indicate how everything will play out. >> any insight as to whether republicans have a better shot this time around? >> they had strong showings in the last couple of elections. two years ago, congressman murtha had to have a strong, full-court press lead up to the november election to retain his seat. he brought in bill clinton and a variety of folks to rally and speak on his behalf. it was an interesting time. the republican candidate was bill russell who had already announced that he had planned to

run again. there are other names up there. it will be a compelling race without the income that seat factor. >> sure. in an article is this quote from jack, i take care of my district. it was often thought that the congressman personally profited. insight on those kind of statements? >> he was never shy about driving jobs and money to his district. the word "corrupt" i will not go there. he repeatedly fought off the critics liked to use of the words here marks. he said, "looke, i am here to

represent the people who sent me to washington." he was never shy about that. he emphasized what he was represented -- what he was sent to washington it to do was represent his district. also, to do what he could to provide opportunities for folks in this district. >> do you think you have a good legacy? >> i think he will here. it remains to be seen what his legacy will be in a political sense. we've >> will now had to an interview. >> we are here with senator bob casey. what do you think of the service? >> it was a great tribute in so many ways to a life of real courage and commitment. i think he saw evidence of that at this service. it was a remarkable tribute from

his country, our common law, and certainly, this community. >> he was a family friend. you remember him interacting with your father? >> i do. i knew him for about half of my life. he and my father had a great friendship and also a great partnership. they were both fighters for people that do not have a voice. they were determined to get things done to help people. when you saw what people were saying about him, it was evident that he had that kind of life that we are going to miss. we're going to miss his strength, his service, and his commitment to the state. >> what does it mean to people of the 12th district to lose this man? >> i am not sure we know the answer to that yet.

it is so unprecedented. when you lose someone that had the stature, ability and commitment that john murtha brought to the people of this committee, it is hard to measure. we have a a responsibility to help the people of this community do so as best we can, they be collectively with the congressional delegation, two centers, will -- two centers, we can have a fraction of the impact. we have an obligation to do that. >> as a center, you work with the entire delegation. what kind of work did you do with congressman murtha? >> particularly issues that relate to jobs and economic opportunity, trying to learn from him about national defense and the security of our country.

we were -- i was blessed to serve with him in the congress for the last three years. we are going to miss him. one quick and in yet? -- won quick story, i remember coming into a committee meeting. he invited me over. i walked in the door. it is one of those rooms that has two doors. when i opened the second door, there he was all alone in the early morning, at the end of the committee table. he welcomed me. it was one of my first meetings in washington. i will never forget how he welcomed me at that time. >> senator bob casey, thank you for joining me. >> thank you very much, bill. reaction to what the senator had to say? >> you can see that congressman

murtha -- congressman murtha was someone that forged relationships both here and in washington. he has known him since he was a young man. he was very involved with his father. a lot of the folks that have been leaders in pennsylvania, not necessarily in washington, have worked with john murtha at various times in various projects and develop relationships with him. he forced those relationships over the course of a long career. >> do you have any personal stories from congressman murtha? >> he has been into our newspaper office. the thing that always impressed me about him was the level of energy. he was always ready to go, never late. that is from his military

background. he was never late for a meeting, and generally did not stay any longer than he had to. he always remember you, remember people. he said something to my wife about her birthday. she was outspent -- astounded by that. those are the kinds of things, the little things that he retained. you would always be surprised by a fact or anecdote from a previous conversation. how he stored that information, i will never know. i am not blessed with that talent. he was quite memorable for that. >> something interesting of note, the saturday before his passing, he was named the longest running congressman in pennsylvania. >> correct. that was an ironic milestone. he was already in the hospital. there was not a lot in the story, because we had not

interviewed him. things had gotten serious at that point. in retrospect, it was kind of a sad milestone. he was not able to continue to celebrate, and more importantly, continued to serve. that is what he would have been excited about -- "what can we do next?" >> at one point he was being considered hot for majority leader. >> that did not work out in his favor. those are political decisions that it made. part of the reason there was speculation was that he did have a close relationship with speaker of the house nancy pelosi who was here today. that is part of white folks in washington thought it was a possibility. >> the congressman was obviously very influential in washington. what does that mean for the

people here? >> i think senator casey said it best. his influence has meant a lot to this community. what happens next remains to be seen. it is good to hear that the other delegates from pennsylvania are picking up some of that responsibility. i think the community also has a responsibility to pick itself up and say that we have had a mourning process, but there is still a future. >> sure. i want to talk a little bit about where john murtha grew up. he was born in west virginia. he graduated from the university of pittsburgh in 1962. he also did graduate work at indiana university. how did he get started in politics? >> he told one of our reporters

recently that even from his earliest days he had a love of the military and a love of politics and hoped to experience both of those professionals. certainly he was able to do that. i think there were a couple of situations where he was able to step up, first for a state house seat, and then a congressional seat. there was a debt of the sitting lawmaker. he was able to run for a special election. that is how it all started. >> for our viewers that are watching, it appears that a marine collapse. there is an ambulance on the scene. it looks like he is up and moving around. it appears they are going to put him in the ambulance and taken to get medical treatment. we hope that he is ok, of course.

>> it is very cold here. >> yes. it is very cold. >> as you mentioned, they were standing out here the whole time. >> he looks to be fine. hopefully, that is the case. >> anyway, back to john murtha. once he began his political journey how did he get up? >> there was a sitting house member who died. there was a special election. his opponent was a member of the previous congressman's staff. it was a bit of a surprise. since then, obviously, numerous challenges, some of them close and some of them not so close, and he was able to retain his seat for three decades. >> i want to take some time to talk about his involvement with

the military and being a part of the appropriations committee for the senate. what does this mean for the military in general? >> he was a champion of military causes. that is the best way to sit. when the commander of the marine corps spoke today, that is the scene that he kept revisiting. his relationship with congressman murtha and the program that each branch would come to this program -- come to this congressman and say that we would need funding. he listens to everyone and tried to make it happen. in a lot of cases, what you see in terms of protective gear and weaponry, were the results of those kinds of conversations. then, the appropriations process could take its course. >> i understand throughout the years the congressman was a part

of the elections in other countries. >> he certainly spent a lot of time overseas. he traveled and met with world leaders. that was expressed. he had a lot of interaction around the globe. >> again, we are wrapping up the funeral coverage is there anything that sticks out from today that makes an impact? >> a couple of thoughts. one, from here, the political process will begin to play out we soon will be hearing other names. we have a former state official who is well-known in pennsylvania. she expressed her interest in the seat. interestingly enough, a lot of folks are hoping to see the congressman's which no one for his seat. barbour said that if she ran, she would withdraw her interest

when congressman murtha was announcing plans, other folks had discussed interest rate that will be fascinating. for those of us in the media, there will be a lot to write about. that will be part of the next chapter that unfolds. >> one name that we have not talked about is the former lieutenant governor. >> he is from this area. he has a home here. he spends a lot of time in this area. i would be remiss not mentioning him. he has a track record. when senator casey was here, i was thinking that he was there with his father, serving as interim governor at one time. that is someone with some political chops, background and

name recognition. i'm sure his name will continue to be a part of that picture. >> stay tuned. we will be sure to provide you continuing coverage of the open seat for replacing congressman murtha. i want to thank you. >> my pleasure. it was an honor to be a part of today's activities. i have a lot of respect for the congressman and his actions on behalf of this region and this community specifically. i was eager to per dissipate, and i thank you for the opportunity. >> i want to thank all of our viewers for watching our coverage. we send our condolences to the family and we will continue to keep you updated on the special election that will be up coming to phil congressman murtha's seat. thank you very much for tuning in.

>> congressman john murtha will be laid to rest at a private ceremony. today's coverage is courtesy of the pennsylvania cable network. we will leave this now and take you live to washington and the supreme court citizens united decision. been ruled last month that corporate funding is free speech and cannot be limited. this is a discussion on how that really -- ruling will affect non-profit it is hosted by the hudson institute and omb watch. we are joining it in coverage. live coverage, here on c-span. >> how many of you know that until citizens unitedyou can do a candidate question here and publish it, but you cannot say these are the right answers

and these are the right answers -- and these are wrong answers? now you can. it is amazing to me that all of the things that people are raving about missed the point about the freedom that the court has on leashed for advocacy groups to do endorsements. to be able to put it on there website, rather than behind. you could almost put it behind a restricted access website. that is what i think is the duty of this decision. i think we will see more active involvement there. i think that is a good thing, not a bad thing. the second myth is that it will open the spigot of money into politics and that will somehow bring a tidal wave of money to support the right. let me tell you something. if you think all of the money is on the right, you have not been

paying attention. i look at this after every election, although after the last election, i cannot bring myself to look at it, but the fact of the matter is that if you think just now the labor union is going to be able to spend money, they have been spending money. they have been spending money all over the country to advocate against incumbent republicans and in support of democrats. it is one of the huge reasons the republicans lost in 2006 and 2008. i am not arguing about it. they ought to have a right to do it. i may not to -- i not agree with it, but they ought to have a right. to suggest that they have not been doing that, and that the new flow of money will open the door for money on the right, i invite you to look at just one.

the fund for america spent $20 million in 2008, with $9.5 million. it is just one of the many vast networks of the organizations on the left. they spend money in all of these different states to support obama. my view is open the door. let people participate. let there be disclosure. the thing that is interesting about the decision is that citizen united actually lost the case. they went to court about disclosure requirements, which the court upheld. all the rest of us have benefited. i think people need to stop fretting that somehow these awful things and all of