local governments. >> both of new -- to bring back money from state and local governments. the discussion becomes, are they going to write legislative changes in order to change the definition of disasters and have a more rational way to understand disasters and their impact? >> i think he is sort of saying a more rational and reasonable fema can answer those questions. i think people worry if you do not have a particular individual you trust. how do you write laws so the flexibility is not only apparent but mandated? >> you responded in one of your questions talking about the state allow local posts he has

brought on board with him to the agency. has five of the perception in new orleans and capitol hill -- has that health the perception in new orleans and capitol hill? >> he brought people thiin. i think the problem is of the personal. he brought in good people. they were not necessarily a local, but they were handed to resolve the crisis triggered threats he had an interesting answer to your question about family perth -- to resolve the crisis. >> he had an interesting answer to your question about vulnerable citizens. what do you say in response to that. >> fema is unfairly considered a answer to everything, and he has to explain they are not the first responders. when i tried to figure out how to read it when he tried to figure out about being

personally responsible, -- when he tried to figure out about being person responsible, there was the situation where the flood waters came up and he had a way out. everyone knew that, and he was trying to figure out how everyone knew it. he was a phrase that will help people have as cellphone, know where you're going to go in an emergency, have a place out of town to go in an emergency. part of that as a way of communicating. >> chris covers homeland security issues, and jonathan with "the new orleans times." thank you, gentleman, for joining us. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] >> coming of, a tea party rally with remarks from former alaska gov. sara paililin.

and then president obama. after that, david martin, and later, on one minister's questions, gordon brown answers questions concerning dozen british air with -- concerning the british airways strike and the economy. but the party rally was held saturday in nevada, the home town of senate majority leader harry reid. it is the first of four rallies being held across the country by tea party activists. sarah palin is one of the speakers. >> she loves her family, her god, and her country, and she is determined together we will like a searchlight. thus her forever, a governor sera -- bless her forever,

gov. sarah palin. [applause] [applause] >> thank you so much. thank you so much.

should i hold it? thank you so much, nevada. it is so good to be here. thank you so much. [applause] if you love your freedom, think about that very good all of those who have served in the past or are serving presently, raise your hands. god bless you, and god bless the united states military. it is nice and warm and sunny. my husband, todd, is here. i was going to have thought if i could borrow his sunglasses very and i would have to take -- i was going to ask if i could

borrow his sunglasses. i would have to take these out, but i realize i would not able to see the teleprompter. time to take it old school. time to use a poor man's version of the teleprompter. it is so good to be here for the showdown at serge loyd. so proud to be with all of you who are so proud to be americans. god bless you. there is no better place to kick off then harry reid hometown. so glad to be here. harry is going to come home. he is going to explain what he has been of two in washington, and harry is going to hold campaign rallies and tried to

explain away the big government takeover of health care and student loans and try to explain the bailout for banks and insurance companies and auto makers, and he is going to try to sell you on the leftist plans for a national energy tax and more spending and more blows to our budget and more steps towards insolvency, so i hope when he does come back home, i hope he will open up the floor to questions, so you can start asking him and shedding a little light on harry reid. ask him a thing or two about when those early voting began and who else is running for a seat, because it is out here in our cities and small towns of this great nation where we know we have got big problems to solve, and we know harry reid and his buddies in washington,

the obama, pelosi, reid gang, we know they have got if the wrong way. they are going about if the wrong way. it is like common sense conservatives in d.c. -- it is becoming an endangered species to find the common sense. it is like the old bumper sticker that says common government -- that says, "government -- if you think it is bad, wait until you see our solutions." or the numbers bigger you may see on the next subaru -- the bumper sticker you may see on the next subaru of, the obama sticker, that you can say, how is 5 working out for you? i do not have anything against subaru.

they certainly proved that last week that they are on the wrong track. it is easy to understand so many americans are shaking our heads and saying, what is going on in our country, what is going on in d.c.? washington has broken faith with the people they are supposed to be serving. that is why we are sending a message to washington. it is loud, and it is clear, and in these upcoming elections, we are saying that the three government, big debt, spending spree is over. you are fired. what we are doing, we're rolling up our sleeves and getting down to business and getting back to common sense, conservative principles that make our country the greatest country on earth, and we are not going to sit down and shut up. thank you for standing up.

we are standing up and speaking up and fighting for solutions. we are taking our country back and starting right here in nevada. thank you for being here. [applause] when we talk about fighting for our country, let's clear the air right now on what it is we are talking about. we are not inciting violence. do not get sucked up into the mainstream media's lies about conservative america's standing up for freedom as inciting violence. violence is not the answer. it is a bunch of bunk with the

media is trying to teach you. do not let them diverts you from the debate. media, you guys giving up an issue like that, making it sound like a crowd like this of patriotic americans is inciting violence. it is not true, and we have for some fair and balanced reporting coming from you. -- we ask for some fair and balanced reporting coming from you. when we talk about fighting for our country, we are talking about our votes. our vote is our arms syria. by the way, it is within our own borders and homeland where we should feel so safe and not condone any kind of violence. it is within the homeland we should feel safe, and that makes me want to say, and the zwolle tile times when we are a nation at war, -- in these volatile

i'ltimes when we are a nation at war, we need a commander in chief, not a professor lecturing us at the lectern. job number one is to get our economy roaring back to life. obama, pelosi, reaid and their friends in congress -- they think we can tax and borrow our way and spend our way out of the problem. it was on track to quadruple our deficit. they proposed a 3.8 mind boggling -- 3.8 trillion dollar federal budget, and they just passed that, and they just pass that european-style health care scheme called obama care. >> boo! >> something is not quite right when fidel castro comes out and

says he likes obama care, but we do not like obama care. they keep borrowing and proposing big new programs with giant pricetags to dig us further into debt and stick our kids with the film, and that makes us more beholden to a region with the bill, and that makes us more be rolled into other countries. i do not know about you, but that takes me off, because i care about our children and children's future. harry reid served on the state's gaming commission, and what he is doing now is gambling our future, and somebody needs to tell him, this is not a crap shoot. a lot of this is crap though. somebody has got to tell harry reid -- a lot of us have been telling washington we do not like their plans. we have told the man pulls and

process and special elections, but they did not get -- told them in polls and special elections, but they do not get it. they keep telling us, especially the tea party americans, we would like the programs if only we would understand -- we were smart enough to understand them. we get it very we understand plenty, and we have a word for them three of we still do not like -- have a word for them. we still do not like it. we are not having to work for government. government is to work for us. [applause] we do not need a bunch of police in washington making decisions for us. -- elites in washington making decisions for us. we're smart enough to make decisions for ourselves, but left in washington -- they do not see it that way. what we have here is a

difference in opinion, but that is ok, because that is nothing but good old-fashioned the election cannot fix. the liberals in washington had better start listening to the american people instead of lecturing us, and i have the privilege of travelling around the country in this last year and meeting the good men and women who actually run this country, the small-business owners, those who grow our food and fight our wars and teach our children and run our factories, and all whole lot of those who still cling to their guns and religion. when i talked to these good americans, i am not worried about our future. i am optimistic, because if you know where to look, there are signs of real hope across this country, everyday americans

working so hard to get as back on track, and patriots who are standing up and speaking out, and neighbors helping one another get through these tough times, and entrepreneurs and small businesses who are working hard to grow our economy one job, one paycheck, one american dream at a time, in spite of what government is doing to our small businesses. they are still trying to rebuild, and a lot of common- sense conservative candidates are putting it all on the line in 2010 in order to put our country on the right track, and there are even some hopeful signs in washington, where there are still some common-sense conservative leaders who know we cannot spend our way out of these problems -- leaders who are not afraid to make tough choices, because they believe in what ronald reagan said, that there are no easy answers, but there are simple answers.

we just need the courage to do what we know is morally right. [applause] in the spirit, i applaud those in congress who stood firm against obama care until the very end. they understand to get our country back on track, our economy rolling again, we need to cut spending, not simply solve the spending spree we have been on. what kind of clause 5 spending spree led by barack obama -- quasi spending spree led by barack obama -- what do they think that is going to look like after they jacket up and say, we are going to cut it right there. we need to cut spending. we need to cut taxes so our families can keep more of what they earn and our mom and pops can invest more in their

businesses. if our small businesses could keep more of what we earn, what we produce, we can reinvest, we can hire more people, and that is how our economy can give back to life. we need to cut the corporate tax and simplify the tax code, and we need to get competition into health care and tackle our debt and long-term deficit, and we need to jump-start energy projects. what a ridiculous position america is in the relying on foreign countries to provide energy for us when we have the resources right here under foot. let's pave the way for proven conventional research development and nuclear power and clean coal technology and offshore drilling instead of paying hundreds and hundreds of billions of your u.s. dollar is

going to foreign regimes -- some of these foreign regimes that do not like america and cut off supply. al qaeda targeting of arab oil recently. just think what that would do for our economy as we become even more beholden to these blood vial, dangerous regime, because -- volatile odangerous regimes because we could not use our own god-given resources here in the united states of america. there is an inherent link between energy and prosperity, between energy and security, and between energy and freedom. we do need to drill here, and drill now. [applause] >> drill baby, drill. >> those are the kinds of common-sense conservative

solutions americans support, and if the liberals do not have the good sense to listen to the american people, we are going to find some new leaders who will. because there is a growing movement sweeping this country, and you are if. this is it. this is beautiful. this is a groundswell of americans who do not like the cab and tax, socialized medicine, foreign policy agenda of those running washington today. tea party americans, some of you are registered republicans. some are what we used to call reagan democrats, and some of euan are like someone -- some of you are like so many of my own friends and families and my own husband, and just independent, just as true blue blooded americans, working hard, standing up for what is right,

concerned about the path we are on theory of we know that our country has some pretty big -- pass we are on. we know our country has pretty big challenges, but we are so hopeful about america's future, because we know this is the greatest country on earth and our best days are yet to come. [applause] we believe god has shed his grace on thee. this is a very blessed country. let's not take god out of our country. we believe, as lincoln did, this nation is the last best hope of earth, and we still believe america is exceptional, but we know what makes her a exceptional is not her politicians. it is her people, and it is the founding principles they hold dear.

when i travel across the country, when i am here today, i see the patriotism and decency and dedication of everyday americans like you, and i know the dream of washington and lincoln and reagan lives on. in our potential for greatness. in new lies the promise of the more perfect union we are destined to become. we have a lot of work, and our first step is to restore balance and common sense, and our first test will be at the balance -- the ballot box in november. we are going to get there, friends. we are going to get there because our vision in america is anchored in time tested truth, that the government that governs least governs best, that the constitution provides a path to

a more perfect union. it is the constitution, and that only limited government can provide the opportunities for prosperity for all of us equally, and that freedom is a god-given right, and freedom is worth fighting for, and that america of's finest armed men and women in uniform, they are a force for good throughout the world, and that is nothing to apologize for. if we stick to our principles, we are going to be just fine. when i talk about -- it is not a time to retreat. it is a time to reload -- what i am talking about -- media, try to get this right, ok? that is not inciting violence.

what that is doing is trying to inspire people to get involved in their local elections and their upcoming federal election thelma reject elections. it is not inciting violence. it is telling people, do not let anyone tell you to sit down and shut up. you stand up and stand tall, and we're just going to be fine. america is going to be just fine. keep up the good work. stand up and speak out. let's get it together, of tea party america. let's take back our country. god bless you all. god bless america, and see you in boston. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, sarah

palin. we love her. we thank her. thank you so much for being here. sarah, sarah, sarah! thank you so much for coming. sarah palin, who is as beautiful and intelligent and prepared as any man i have ever seen. >> sarah palin, ladies and gentlemen, one more time. the vice president who should have been.

ladies and gentlemen, from louisville, kentucky, traveling on the tea party express. >> thank you. we have something mightier than the sword. we have our votes. we can repeal the bill if we go to the polls and voted the candidates that will stand for what we want, and if they do not listen to the people, we are going to just vote them out. ♪ start it again, ryan, and crank it up. ♪ >> vote them out. in 2010, they are gone ♪ ♪ they have been told loud and clear their judgment day is here ♪ ♪ bove the amount -- vote them

out ♪ ♪ they may have gotten in, but their turn is about to end ♪ ♪ vote them out in 2010 ♪ they cannot ignore the people when they vote ♪ ♪ vote them out in 2010 ♪ bove the amount in 2010 -- vote them out in 2010 ♪ ♪ the countdown has begun ♪ their judgment they will come ♪ ♪ we are going to vote them out in 2010 ♪

♪ just vote them out let me hear you! ♪ just vote amouthem out ♪ thank you, people. i want you all to know i have worn my ruby red slippers today because i am going to click my heels and sen harry reid backbone -- send harry reid back home. >> i would like to remind everybody we have got a bunch of booths with vendors. we have got c.d.s, journals -- i believe there is even "going rogue." another big round for sarah palin.

how about it? right now we are going to perform a song we had the pleasure of performing on the mike huckabee show. it is a song about health care. >> i have an analogy on our health care system. because i own my dog, i am a government-controlled health care for my dog, and when my dog gets sick, i get to see it -- i get to decide what kind of medical treatment i get, because i am their government, and i might decide if they are an old dog, maybe my money should not be invested in them. maybe my money should be invested in the underdog, and my old dog will not get the care it needs. i do not want the health care bill to stand. i want to repeal the bill. the you remember that song called "ymca"?

>> this song is called "big fat no." .

♪ >♪ big -- fat -- no ♪ ♪

universal health care is a big -- fat -- no repeal of universal health care before it's too late the universal health care bill has got to go universal health care is a big -- fat -- no ♪ >> thank you, ladies and gentlemen. we would like your support at our booth over here. thank you for having us. >> i & to go -- i am from san diego, and we are here to

introduce someone from san diego known nationwide. where are all the people from san diego here today? we have people here from every county in nevada, and we have people here from every state in the union, saying goodbye to obamacare. we heard there is $1.2 trillion in that bill than they're worth last week. we're going to stop all this nonsense people like the man from san diego, who became the radio mayor of san diego, and now he is radio mayor of the united states. >> thank you, thank you.

i was invited out to a retirement party. i did not know you're coming. someone said that there was a point of the united states senator retired out here. what a good idea for party. i did not realize i would be out in this beautiful american desert. this is terrific. is there a doctor in the house? we know the doctor right over there. there is a doctor, good. god bless. i came out to this retirement party because it was what i was really looking forward to. you people in the bhatt have a mission for this entire country -- retire here read. -- retired harry reid. i know it is not going to be easy. the only easy day was yester

day. tomorrow is going to be a lot tougher, and all the tomorrows until november when we the people take back our government. this is a ruling elite that is determined to rule without the consent of the governed, and i am sorry, i was in civics class and i paid attention and they are not supposed to do that. i've got a little poem that comes from an old song. you might be familiar with it. i'm just going to say at because i cannot sing it. but it has the same force of words even when you hear it said. say along with me. my country, tis of thee sweet land of liberty of the i se i sing

land mine -- land where my fathers died land of the pilgrims' pride. from every mountainside, let freedom ring let freedom ring! thank you. >> ladies and gentleman, a conservative activists extraordinary. we have a lady who lost a wallet, so if you find one, we have a bunch of honest americans here on like the liberals. you won't steal it. another announcement we would like to make, howard -- go ahead. >> we will announce our next speaker. >> before we did that, we want to say one thing. we are collecting e-mail

addresses and we are not selling it to anybody. this is so we can contact you. there will be people going to the crowd. we have 2000 so far, but there are 40,000 of you out there. so just sign up piece of blue paper, we super appreciated, folks. >> people wonder what one person can do. this organization was started with one person, and one person put the death knell to acorn look at what one or two people did to acorn. they did the work of media, they did the work of investigating and exposing something that investigative journalist used to do. wellcome hannah giles, who posed

as a prostitute in the acorn scandal. [applause] >> i love you guys so much, you have no idea. a famous revolutionary, martin luther, said that peace is possible, truth at all costs. ladies and german we are being deceived by our leaders and washington. they're taking our nation down our road -- down a road. true, false? amen. listen, i am dedicating my life to making sure that they are kept in check, to bringing down corruption, and i hope more people will join me. keep up the fight and keep going. i love all of your support. i'm going out across the nation,

so keep but up. good will always prevail. [applause] and i think andrew breitbart is coming up next, so give a warm welcome to the man that made this all happen. [applause] [cheers and applause] >> i don't know why i did that. thank you for coming. and out what to be here to take some lessons from the mainstream media. i've got a guy here that is going to tell us that we're spending our children's future and it is not sustainable. i am the one here to tell you

that the mainstream media has one thing in its mind right now , and they have the exact same objective as nancy pelosi. and that is to marginalize this group, this movement. and that started last saturday. we spent 14 months -- they spent 14 months pushing the health care bill. that a lot focus on that one issue. that is all that they cared about. they spent the entire time bribing people. they sent the seiu to beat people up at town hall rally. that is all that they cared about. andy stein at the seiu said that he got this guy elected and he is going to send people to beat people up. they even called the n-word against one of our activists.

how dare they, when there are charges filed in st. louis? that is exactly the type of chicago but the tactics that these people try to avoid. i predicted it, my friends. they need to marginalize this massive, growing juggernaut. and so what they did is that they staged an awesome symbolic act and a guy the congressional -- the congressional black caucus to walk through that crowd, hoping to blame bad crowd, good americans, hoping they would stupidly and viciously attacked them on the basis of race. that is outrageous. that is an attempt to brand this could group of people -- is good that group of people who hold our founding fathers in this

nation sacred. they've walked through the crowd, when they walk through with their cameras up in the air as an act of provocation, they were not sending that to their friend saying that they went to a tea party. when they did not get that moment, they still accused you of doing it. they said that the n-word was said 15 times as they walk through. if you look at the video, you don't see them turn their head once. the mainstream media ran with it and they went to the republican party and they apologized for you. so if you think that this movement is a pro-republican movement, the republican movement is apologizing for an act that did not happen. and so i set out this week to disprove that notion, and i am

not the richest guy in the world, i'm a middle-class media mogul, i have to move money from one account to the other to pay my bills. but i am willing to defend this group of people, this patriotic group of people, and i know you and you are not racist and you would not use the n-word. it is outrageous. so i offered $10,000 of my own money to say, congressman lewis, your sacred voice come might you accused of something. i will donate $10,000 to the united negro college fund if you show one single act, with all those thousands of cameras, with all the mainstream media there. yester day coming you know what?

i thought maybe $10,000 is an end of so i added an extra -- $20,000. shalom, nevada! these people are all -- maligning america. they are using a lansky -- alinksy tactics, they are spitting in our faces, they are calling us the n-word, and i am here for harry reid has described the united states of america in racist terms, i come here to say, you are the races, harry reid. i am not a racist.

and while i've got you come let me just make about this. the mainstream media goes along with the desire to cast aspersions on hold by saying one nonexistent group of people used to the n-word. bill clinton himself with the ted kennedy and said i want to go but for my wife and not barack obama because -- because this guy would be serving as a copy of years ago. that is racist, my friends. the democratic party is racist and that is why i left it in 1996. [cheers and applause] i thought i would add another zero. so i'm here to announce to the people who accuse me of every slanderous name on the books,

$100,000 now. $100,000, just one. if you're not willing me to share the proof that does not exist, john lewis, you take a polygraph, my friend, give you the $100,000. this is the plight of our lives. these people understood that starting on monday after the passing of the bill, but you're the juggernaut, that you would be heading toward november and they decided to play hardball tactics. well we have to play right back at them, guys. and if we have to get -- sarah p aaline was just here. you need to learn how to handle the media from sarah palin. this is all you have to know

about the mainstream media, and hannah and james are the same thing. whether you are sarah palin just running for vice president, when the mainstream media decides they are going to destroy you, and they start to go after family and start to call your racist, and a fire bomb your church, what did she do? she kept walking toward the fire. keep walking toward the fire. you have a right to cause, the american cause, and for all of you people who like what hannah and james dead, and did not like what you saw on the acorn tapes, there are more tapes, my friends. what toward the fire. to all of you people on the left that try to destroy is, if you

have made as bigger. for those who tried to destroy sarah palin, you made her bigger. continued walking toward the fire and this movement is going to be so big, they will not know what hit them. i come here from hollywood to tell you that there are thousands of people in hollywood who experience the same tactics of intimidation, you cannot go to work, actors, directors, writers, singers -- they cannot state that they believe what you believe or else they will find themselves unemployed on monday. they experienced the radical left walking into the door of hollywood for years ago and they are telling me to tell you, don't make any bargains with these people because they will shut you out. this movement must grow. what my friends comes here this

-- he is a singer-songwriter, and a brazen individual to come here. he will be fingerprinted and profiled in the probably will not have a job. his name is john david and this is "american heart." [applause] ♪

>> we got some sound. how was everybody doing out there? [cheers and applause] no one individual has done more to give people platform then and the breitbart. and no group has given us a bigger reason to fight and you guys, so it is an honor to be here today. a song called "american heart," and i know that there is a lot of competition between tea party groups, but i heard that you guys were the most patriotic. [cheers and applause] ♪ they say our reputation needs

a new coat of paint and humility but i say i liked the bruises because the melody will mean the same if we don't have the strength to say and i will be made to feel shamashamed that i'm american made i've got an american heart i've got an american face golan, raise the flag i've got stars in my eyes

i'm in love with her and i will apologize -- i will not apologize they say that we need changing and that the founding father seemed to get wrong i say i still believe it the greatest innovator and liberator freedom knows so take a look inside cause i think you've changed already

u.n. and lost your pride -- you went and lost your pride , american made i've got american parts i've got an american face and an american heart go on, raise the flag i've got stars in my eyes i'm in love with her and i won't apologize dresser rupp so you don't recognize her car she'll be there if you wake up in the night because a mother can always find her child

even when that child don't know he's lost american made i've got american parts i've got american tface and an american heart go on, raise the flag cause i've got stars in my eyes i'm in love with her and i won't apologize ♪ i'm in love with her and i want to apologize -- and i won't apologize i'm in love with her

and i won't apologize ♪ god bless you, guys. [cheers and applause] >> thank you, john david. hello, america! thank you for coming to harry reid's retirement party. let's let terry know that it is time to follow that searchlight on home. i am so proud to be an american and stand shoulder to shoulder with all of you. i was in washington d.c. last week when they pass that atrocity of a health care bill. there were over 2000 people there. we had more than 50,000 people that showed out in three days. i want you all to wave to the media out there so that -- so

that they know that we are all here. hello, media, we are here. you guys, thank you for coming out to this historic event. today is the first off on a 98- day tour, 44 stops across the country, we're going back to washington, d.c. keep up the good work, keep fighting, and it is such a great day to be here and be an american. say it with me -- usa! usa! usa! [chanting "usa!"]

i want to welcome my friend, a great pope former who is going to perform "back on track." >> thank you, searchlight. how many have come to an event like this for the first time? that is what i like to say. [unintelligible] are you ready to fight for our morals and values and principles in this country? let me hear you. let's get it back on track. ♪ here we go, put them together. ♪ america, wake up, you're off track

come on, people, get back on track , on, people, get our country back we've got to be heard were spreading the word ♪ ♪ our hearts are on fire for the love of this land now was the time to stand tall restore america to what our forefathers saw come on, people, get back on track we've got to be heard united we stand, spreading the word ♪ it's time to take our country back.

one nation under god, are you ready? let's go. let sit -- let me hear you. ♪ let harry here yare you! there you go. ♪ ♪ we are proud to be american 2010, we're going to see ♪ come on, people, get back on

track come on, people, get our country back , on, people, we've got to be heard united we stand, spreading the word ♪ thank you very much. out of love to meet all of you. we are over at the booth, we've got books on the tea party express. anything that you can help, donate to us. we're going across the country to carry your message. good to be with you. we appreciate that. thank you.

>> heidi, are you out there? we are at the searchlight of that here in nevada, because of the hard work of somebody who has been working with us. she has been there from the beginning, heidi harris! >> i am not a politician so i will be brief. isn't it great to be here? i know it is a cheesy but it is true. this is the wind of change. that is exactly right. it's blowing back the other way.

you notice they are trying to change the subject? they think we are stupid and have short memories, but in november, they will all fall down. we have to stay focused until november. one real quick thing -- i was on msnbc last night and they asked me, did you have to tell your listeners not to be violent at this event? i said, there have been no violent events at tea party events all over the country. right? so tell the truth, some of you are packing. ok, most of you were packing. enough of that, we're good. this is the safest place to be in america today, the tea party. i had a guy call my show yesterday and he said, listen, you know republicans are afraid

of, they are afraid of this obamacare will work. [unintelligible] since i am not from here, i want to make sure that harry can recognize me. just so harry knows that he can smell me coming. i had i call the show other day, he said, we are tired of insurance companies making all the decisions for us. i said, who was born to make the decision for you -- insurance companies, they don't have our best interest at heart. i said, who then? he said, government. i said, do you really think government has your best interest at heart. he said, guess.

so that is what we're dealing with. that is what we have to correct and try to get through to those people. we have to stay focused until november. we're so glad that you are here. you see all this press coverage -- they thought that only a couple of dozen people would show up. i like to introduce one of my favorite people on the world becomes on my station kdwn. jerry doyle. >> heidi, my favorite broad -- caster. look at the change -- the wind of change, it is blowing right

through searchlight, nevada. the home of harry reid. harry reid tells the story about how when he was a child, he learned to swim in a whorehouse swimming pool. he learned his lesson well as a child because today he is a lifeguard on duty in the biggest for house swimming pool in america, the united states congress. put that on the news. i know you had been here awhile and got uncomfortable, but when we leave today, let's leave this place of little nicer than the way we found it. on like what this government is attempting to do to the next generation. when i look at the comments that were made by some people in search lied about us coming to the area, but thought it was

rude for us to come to their neighborhood. let me tell you what is rude. crude is bankrupting the nation. rude is undermining our sovereignty. rude is taking away the right of self-determination. crude is having harry reid say a war is lost when we have men and women serving this country. that is rude. and now we're in tough economic times. you would think it would concentrate on that. but they think we want health care reform. if we fix health care, they say, it will fix our problem. what about the other 5/6? the way they figure their map, it supposedly away that word, node by the lies that are coming out of this administration.

we are awake and we have a responsibility for foundational fix in this country. everyone of us has the responsibility every day to be informed, to get involved, and we have to be the macivegyvers f our communities. we have got to do it every day. we have to be vigilant. i know that in this economy, a lot of people who live in nevada and other parts are brown are in tough times, with jobs and with their homes. i read report yester day that we expect have 12 million more homes foreclosed upon in the next three years. and when you get that foreclosure notice, they are telling you to get out of your house. come november, we are going to be sending political foreclosure notices to members of congress that is time to get out of the people's house.

stay vigilant. thank you. >> c-span -- our public affairs content is available on television, radio, and on line. you can also connect with us on twitter, facebook, and youtube. and sign up for scheduled alert e-mails add c-span.org. >> president obama made a surprise visit to afghanistan, his first visit to that country since becoming president three he met with president karzai and announced pretty also spoke to some of the troops at bagram air force base. this last about 20 minutes. ♪ ["hail to the chief cause "playin

["hail to the cheap" playing] [applause] [cheers and applause] [cheers and applause] guest>> how was it going, bagra?

[applause] it turns out that the american people, they let me use this plane called air force one. and so i thought i would come over and say hello. [cheers and applause] couple of people want to thank, in addition to sergeant major eric johnson for the outstanding introduction and his great service. i want to thank major general mike scaparrotti. thank you for your great work as commanding general. i want to thank ms. dawn liberi, the senior civilian representative for regional command east, for her outstanding work. and brigadier general steven kwast, commander -- [applause] commander, for under 50 tough air expeditionary wing -- 455

air expeditionary wing. thank you all iraq standing service. give them a big round of applause. [applause] thank you for the unbelievable welcome. i know this was on a little bit of short notice. >> no worries. >> you say no worries. [laughter] it is great to be here and bagram, and it is great to see all the services. we have or force, we got army -- we've got air force, we got army, we got navy in, we've got some marines in the house. and we've got a lot of civilians here, too, who are making an outstanding contribution to this effort, and i am honored to be joined by america's outstanding civilian military leadership team here in afghanistan, ambassador karl-beari i. eikenb,

who is doing outstanding work, and the commander of our 43- nation coalition, general stan mcchrystal. that two of them have paired up to do an extraordinarily difficult task, but they are doing it extraordinarily well and we are proud of them. please give your outstanding team a big round of applause. they have got my full confidence and my full support. [applause] we're also joined by troops from some of our coalition partners, because this is not simply an american mission or even just a nato mission. al qaeda and their extremist allies are a threat to the people afghanistan and a threat to the people of america, but they are also a threat to people all around the world, and that is why we're so proud to have our coalition partners with us. thank you very much for the great work that you do. we salute you and we honor you for all the sacrifices that you

make, and you are a true friend of the united states of america. i very much. -- thank you very much. [applause] we also salute the members of the afghan national army who are fighting alongside all of you. they are risking their lives to protect their country. and as i told president karzai today, the united states is a partner but our intent is to make sure that the afghans have the capacity to provide for their own security. that is core to our mission, and we're proud of the work that they are doing and the continued increased capacity that we're seeing out of afghan national security forces. so thank you very much for the great work you are doing to take responsibility for security here in your own country. and to the afghan people, i want to say that i am honored to be a guest in your country. now the afghans have suffered for decades -- decades of war.

but we are here to help afghans forge a hard-one piece by realizing the extraordinary potential of the afghan people. afghanistan sons and daughters, from the soldiers and the police to the farmers and the young students. we want to build a lasting partnership founded upon mutual interests and mutual respect, and i'm looking forward to returning to afghanistan many times in the years to come. now i know for most of you, you did not get a lot of notice that i was coming. but i wanted to understand, there is no visit that i considered more important than this visit i am making right now, because i have no greater honor than serving as your commander-in-chief. and it is a privilege to look out and see the extraordinary efforts of america's sons and daughters here in afghanistan. so my main job here today is to say thank you on behalf of the

entire american people. [cheers and applause] you are part of the finest military in the history of the world, and we are proud of you. and so i want you to know that everybody back home is proud of you. everybody back home is grateful. and everybody understands the sacrifices that you have made and your families have made to keep america safe and to keep america secure in this vital mission. and i know it is not easy. you are far away from home. you miss your kids. you miss your spouses, your family, your friends. some of you, this is your second or your third or your fourth tour of duty. i will tell you right now the same thing that i said at west

point last december. if i thought for a minute that america's vital interests were not served, were not at stake here in afghanistan, i would order all of you home right away. so i want you to know, i want every american serving in afghanistan, military and civilian, to know, whether you are working the flight line here at bagram or patrolling a village down in helmand, whether you are standing watch at a for operating base or training our afghan partners or working with the afghan government, your services are absolutely necessary, absolutely essential to america safety and security. those folks back home are relying on you. we did not choose this war. this was not an act of america

wanting to expand its influence, of us wanting to meddle in somebody else's business. we were attacked viciously on 9/11. thousands of our fellow countrymen and women were killed. and this is the region where the perpetrators of that crime, al qaeda, still base their leadership. plots against our homeland, plots against our allies, plots against the afghan and pakistani people are taking place as we speak right here. and if this region slides backwards, if the taliban retakes this country and al qaeda can operate with impunity, then more american lives will be at stake. the afghan people will lose their chance at progress and prosperity. and the world will be significantly less secure.

and ong as i am your commander-in-chief, i am not going to let that happen. that is why you are here. i have made a promise to all of you who serve. i will never send you into harm's way unless it is absolutely necessary. i anguish in thinking about the sacrifices that so many of you make. that is why i promise i will never send you out unless it is necessary. but that is only part of the promise, because the other part of the promise is that when it is absolutely necessary, and you will be backed up by a clear mission and the right strategy, and you'll have the support to finish the job, to get the job done. and i am confident all of you are going to get the job done right here in afghanistan. i am confident of that. [applause]

that is why i ordered more troops and civilians here into afghanistan shortly after taking office. that is why we took a hard look and forged a new strategy and committed more resources in december. that is why we pushed our friends and allies and partners to pony up more resources themselves, more commitments of aid, and additional forces and trainers. our broad mission is clear -- we are going to disrupt and dismantle, defeat and destroy al qaeda and its extremist allies. that is our mission. and to accomplish that goal, our objectives here in afghanistan are also clear -- we're going to deny al qaeda safe haven. we're going to reverse the taliban's momentum. we're going to strengthen the capacity of afghan security forces and the afghan government said that they can begin taking responsibility and gain

confidence of the afghan people. and our strategy includes a military effort that takes the fight to the taliban while creating the conditions for greater security and a transition to the afghans -- but also a civilian effort that improves the daily lives of the afghan people, and combats corruption, and a partnership with pakistan and its people because we cannot uproot extremists and advance security and opportunity unless we succeed on both sides of the border. most of you understand that. many of the troops that i ordered to afghanistan have begun to arrive, and more are on the way. and we will continue to work with congress to make sure that you've got the equipment that you need, particularly as we complete our drawdown in iraq. we're providing more helicopters, we are providing more intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities, more special operations forces, more armored vehicles that can

save lives. and here in afghanistan you have gone on the offensive. and the american people back home are noticing. we have seen a huge increase in support stateside, because people understand the kind of sacrifices that you guys are making, and the clarity of mission that you are bringing to bear. and together with our coalition and afghan partners, our troops have pushed the taliban out of their stronghold in march. we of change the way we -- in marja. we have changed the way that we operate and interact with the afghan people. we see afghans reclaiming their communities and we see new partnerships that will help them build their room future and increase their security. and across the border, pakistan is mounting major offensives. we have seen violent extremists pushed out of their sanctuaries. we have struck major blows against al qaeda leadership as well as the taliban's.

they are hunkered down. they're worried about their own safety. it is harder for them to move, train, plot, an attack, and all of that makes america safer. and we're going to keep them on the run because that is what is going to be required in order to assure that our families back home have the security that they need. that is the work that you are doing. so thanks to you, there has been progress these last several months. but we know that they're going to be some difficult days ahead. there are going to be set back. we face a determined enemy. but we also know this -- the united states of america does not quit once it starts on something. [applause] you do not quit, the american armed services does not quit, we keep at it, we persevere, and together with our partners we will prevail. i am absolutely confident of that. [applause] and i also want you to know that

as you are doing your duty here, we're going to do right by you back home we're going to help take care of your families, and that is why the first lady michelle obama visited with military families and make sure that their needs are met. that is why she stays after me once she gets home when i'm at the white house. and we're going to make sure that we are keeping to improve your pay and your benefits, but also things like child-care and support that ensure that you have got a little bit of security knowing your family is being looked after back home. and we will be there for you when you come home. that is why we are improving care for our wounded warriors, especially those with ptsd and traumatic brain injuries. we're moving forward with the post-9/11 gi bill so that you and your families can pursue your dreams. and we've made the biggest increases in the va budget in 30

years, because we're going to keep our sacred trust with all those who serve. you have been there for us, tour after tour, year after year, at a time when too many american institutions have let us down, when too many institutions have put short-term gain in front of a commitment to duty and a commitment to what is right. you have met your responsibilities, you have done your duty -- not just when it is easy. but when it is hard. that is why you have inspired your fellow americans. that is why you inspire me. that is why you have your -- you have earned your place next to the very greatest of american generations. and all of you represent the virtues and the values that america so desperately needs right now -- sacrifice and selflessness, honor and decency.

that is what i see here today. that is what you represent. i have seen your sense of purpose and your willingness to step forward and serve at a time of danger. i've seen it from the merger reap -- from the marines i met at camp lejeune to the cadets at west point, from the midshipmen at annapolis to the troops i have met in iraq, and at bases across america and here in afghanistan. i have seen your courage and your heroism and the story of a young sergeant first class named jared monti who gave his life here in afghanistan to save his fellow soldiers and -- soldiers and his parents. i was proud to present with our nation's highest military decoration, the medal of honor. i've seen your tenacity. [applause]

i have seen your tenacity and determination in our wounded warriors at landstuhl and walter reed, americans fighting to stand again and to walk again and to get back with you, get back with their units. incredible dedication, incredible focus, incredible pride. and i have been humbled by your sacrifice and the solemn homecoming of flag-draped coffins at dover, to the headstones in section 60 at arlington where the fallen from this war rest in peace alongside the fellow heroes of america story. so here in afghanistan each one of you is part of an unbroken line of american service members who have sacrificed for over two centuries.

you are protecting your fellow citizens from danger. you are serving alongside old allies and friends. you are bringing hope and opportunity to a people who have known a lot of pain and a lot of suffering. and i know that sometimes when you're watching tv, polyptych back home may look a little messy, and people are yelling -- yelling and hollering, and democrats this and republicans that. i want you to understand this -- there is no daylight when it comes to support of all of you. there is no daylight when it comes to supporting our troops. that brings us together. we are all incredibly proud. we all honor what you do. and all of you show all of america what is possible when people come together, not based on color or creed, not based on

faith or station, but based on a commitment to serve together, to bleed together, and to succeed together as one people, as americans. make no mistake -- this fight matters to us. it matters to us, it matters to our allies, it matters to the afghan people. al qaeda and the violent extremists who you are fighting against want but -- want to destroy. but all of you want to build -- and that is something essential about america. they got no respect for human life. you see dignity in every human being. that is part of what we value as americans. they want to drive races and regions and religions apart. you want to bring people together and see the world move forward together. they offer fear, in other words, and you offer hope. and that is why it is so important that you know that the entire country stands behind you. that is why you put on that uniform, because in this

uncertain world, the united states of america will always stand up for the security of nations and the dignity of human beings. that is who we are. that is what we do much has happened to our country and to the world since 9/11. but i'm confident that so long as brave men and women like you -- americans who are willing to serve selflessly half a world away on behalf of their fellow citizens and the dreams of people they have never met -- so long as there are folks like you, then i am confident that our nation will endure, and hope will overcome fear. and i am confident that better days lie ahead. so thank you very much, everybody. god bless you, god bless the united states armed forces, and god bless the united states of america. [cheers and applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national