bill will not bring in enough new people to offset the higher costs to them of covering preexisting conditions and the new standards and regulations they'll have to meet. so they already are critical that not enough people are covered. the governor said the administration was claiming that everybody will be covered. that's not the case. the congressional budget office has said there will be millions of people living in the united states who won't be covered. some will be people not here legally. but if already we're having the insurance companies say that we're not going to expand the pool large enough to share the cost, and if you take away the individual mandate, that will make it that much worse. >> let's turn to 2010 politics and parse a little of what the governor said. he was critical of the positioning of his own party members here in washington on the med care debate we just went through. and talks about the experience from the a governor's experience. what does that mean for candidates who are running for federal office and their appeal

in this upcoming election cycle? >> i was struck by what he said on social security. when he talks about we shouldn't be paying for warren buffet's retirement and what knot. what he is talking about is means testing of social security. we shouldn't pay out full social security benefits to people at the top of the income scale. that's a fundamental altering or reinvention of what social security has been in this country for generations. it's an appealing idea because it lowers the cost but it's a big change. and when he talks about playing the granny card in politics, you know, you get -- any time anybody proposes any change to anything like this you get politicians on both sides saying you're going to hurt grandma. it's very tricky. i was surprised to see him advocating because it's a real loser to offer any kind of changes. >> the party seems to have a challenge positioning themselves versus the tea party or with the tea party on issues of debt and spending. you mentioned the number of

races coming up in indiana. how interesting will they be for the positioning of the party? >> that's a good question, because indiana has been a belle weather on presidential nights because it's a first state for returns to come in so on election night it's often looked at. we have an early primary so what one thing -- one race that will be interesting to see as a potential trend setter is the republican primary for the open senate seat, senator bye announced right before the deadline this year that he was not going to seek reelection. and there were several republicans already in the race and then the national republican party coalsed around former senator dan coats. and there's a lot of tension in the state among republicans whether this is a washington establishment candidate who is not the kind of person, candidate that voters are looking for right now. and some of the others, more of the anti establishment, more in line with the tea party

sentiments. so it will be interesting to see. if senator cothse does not win the primary, i think that will be a definite indicator of the kinds of trends we'll see this year. >> the governor said ask me in a year about my presidential ambitions. you've heard a lot of governors speak. does he speak just like a governor or presidential candidate? >> he was absolutely speaking as a presidential candidate. he definitely left the door open. i don't expect the to be running. but no presidential candidates wants to get ahead of the mid-term cycle. so right now we have the 2010 mid-term elections. nobody wants to be seen as focusing on themselves when the whole party is running a tough race across the country. they don't like to be seen as presidential candidates. but they have to go early because they have to raise a lot of money. that's an enormous amount that they need to spend to raise the money. so the pressure is on to come

out of the gate early. >> you have the tactical leaving the door open. from an issues positioning standpoint did you hear someone speaking as a goove nor or national spokesperson? >> the reason he has gotten attention, a lot of people mentioned him, is because he's tried different things in indiana so he's seen as -- his motto is you've got to try some things. and some things have worked and some things haven't worked as well. so i think in terms of somebody who is, as he said, what the party needs to focus on right now is coming up with ideas and what they're going to run on. he is trying to do that in indiana and trying to think at the state level. but i do think, as aimen brought up, it will be difficult if he is emphasizing a complete restructuring on social security and medicare, that's a difficult thing. >> do the republican governors as a whole have an influence on the voice of the national party? ar absolutely. and 2012 is going to be a

governor's cycle. last time we saw a lot of senators running. there's so much anti-washington rhetoric now so it's up to the governors to take the leadership. >> thanks to both of you for being here this week. have a good easter weekend. >> tomorrow on washington journal, clark kent irvin, former inspector general, talks about airline security, the no

fly list, and other issues. maryland representative donna edwards discusses politics and her role in the dcc and g.o.p. house members considered vulnerable in 2010. also, william minism, president of the homes and services for the ages talks about how it impacts needs for long-term care. >> this weekend, john dean is our guest, the former white house counsel to president nixon and author of ten books, takes your phone calls, e-mails, and tweets. today live at noon eastern. >> first lady michelle obama has donated her inaugural gown to the smith sonian museum

here. the tradition of putting first lady's clothing on display dates back to 1914. the collection includes at least one item from every history. this is about 25 minutes. >> please welcome our guests.

[applause] >> good morning, everyone. welcome. i would like to extend a special welcome to the first lady of the united states, michelle obama, to smitssoneion secretary wayne cluff, to designer jason wue, to all of our board members of the national museum of american history and our chairman john rogers, all of our special guests who are here of. students from huntington high school. welcome to all of you. and thank you, all of you, for the great support you provide to this museum. mrs. obama is, it is an honor

to have you and your guests here to join with the museum in a tradition that is now almost a century old. that is the presentation of the first lady's inaugural ball gown to the smith sonian institution and into our national collection. the national museum of american history has a unique mission. we have the mandate to tell the whole story of america through our collections, our research, our exhibitions, our educational programs, our web sites. this museum, which is the largest and most popular history museum in the country, offers the unique opportunity to visitors to discover the american dream and to understand what it means to be an american. we are assembled here in flag hall, which serves as the museum's public square. it is the place where we can connect our visitors with information and ideas and with each other. and it is also the place where

we sponsor a number of important programs, naturalization ceremonies take place here. we have hands-on learning activities, living history programs, musical performances, and special events like this one. inspirational moments happen here. such as the spontaneous performance of the boys choir of kenya when they were here and sang the stars spangled banner without any of us knowing they were here during the inauguration week of president obama. at this museum and throughout the smith soneyan we are in the forever business. americans trust us with their family heir looms and prized possessions. even the stars spangled banner, the flag that inspired our national anthem, belonged to a baltimore family for almost a century before it was given to the smithsonian. and now, we're very grateful that administration obama is entrusting us with this

wonderful gown, the gown she wore at the inaugural balls last year. i'm sure that this dress has many memories for you. and now it will become part of our country's collective memory, for it goes into one of our best known and popular exhibitions and collections at the smith sonian institution. and it will become part of the personal memory for millions of visitors who come here every year. over the years, our first ladies' collection has evolved in response to the changing role of women in american society and also the changing role of the first lady. and i'm pleased to announce that, thanks to a generous gift from the eliz bitsdz carol lynn lux foundation, the museum will be adding a new gallery to the first ladies' exhibition, a gallery called a first ladies' debut. this will open to the public tomorrow. it will feature 11 gouns from

mameie eisenhower to michelle obama, and it really offers a 50-year review of first ladies fashion at the smithsonian. not only do we have a world-class collection at the sitsdzsonian, but we have a world-class staff here and i want to thank them all who put together this exhibit and contribute so much to the success of this museum. [applause] for the past two years, we have enjoyed the inspired leadership of wane cluff, the 12th secretary of the institution. he has made the understanding of the american experience a core theme in our new strategic plan. it gives me great pleasure to introduce dr. wayne cluff. [applause]

>> thank you. good morning and welcome to this great museum. this very special occasion for us. a special thanks to all the board members of this museum who helped support its role and to john rogers, the chair, for generous do nation of his time, talent, and resources over the years. the first ladies' collection is one of the most enduring and popular exhibitions at the smithsonian institution, and today we celebrate the newest addition to the exhibition. as you can see, it's stunning. on behalf of the smithsonian, i would like to thank mrs. obama for highlighting the significance of this presentation. and we thank jason wue for his beautiful design that we will add to our collection. as brent said, flag hall is this museum's and america's

public square. it is our public square on the national mall. where history is made and celebrated. and more than a million people were on the national mall, of course, for the inauguration of president obama. who can really ever forget that moment? at the smithsonian, of course we're dedicated to making sure nobody forgets it. and we had nearly 750,000 of those individuals in these museums during that time. as you can see from this beautifully restored portion of this building, we present some of america's greatest treasures, including the stars spangled banner. we tell the story of all americans to all other americans and those who come from other countries. the first ladies' collection is a display of the creations of talented designers such as jason wue. it is also the story of the challenges our nations first ladies face. fortunately, in times of war and peace, our nation has been

blessed with many gifted determined women, such as dolly madison, elnor roosevelt, nancy reagan, hillary clinton, laura bush, and michelle obama. these students with us today are our future designers, poets, scientists, politician,s athletes and explorers. it's the job of our generation to pass on the values and beliefs which make this country great to the next one. the smithsonian, with more than 137 million items in its collections, is ideally position ds to do that. and our commitment is that we will. take the one example that we celebrate today, clothing. in our collections, we have amealia air hart's flag jacket, sally ride's space shoot, sealia ruses shoes, billy

jean's ten yiss, and we hope this will be a journey of discovery, art, politics and culture, indeed, wrr your curiosity takes you. we are here to initiate, to engage, and continue the dialogue. and we do so thanks to the generous support from our friends in the administration on capitol hill and here in this room. we take our duty to the american people seriously. at the reopening of this museum in november of 2008, historian david mccol luck, also a member of the board of this museum said, never has an understanding of our story as a people of who we are and how we came to be the way we are and what we stand for been of such importance as right now. thank you very much. [applause]

>> thank you mr. secretary. jason wue's story embodies the american experience. born in tie wan, he was nine when his family moved to vancouver, where he learned to sue and draft patterns. after spend -- sew and draft patterns. he enrolled in the school of design in new york city. in 2006, at the age of 23, jason debutted his first collection. just three years later, all eyes were on michelle obama in this beautiful jason wue design. it has been said that for one evening the inaugural ball gown is the most important dress in the country. mr. wue, i think that many here will agree with me that, by adding this dress to the national collections of the smithsonian, it will be remembered for many, many years

to come. please welcome jason wue. plus applause [applause] . >> first of all, thank you for such a wonderful introduction. i would like to thank the smithsonian for inviting me to be here today. i would especially like to thank mrs. obama for this incredible opportunity. to say that she has changed my life is truly an understatement. there's no doubt that designing the first ladies' inaugural gown has been the single greatest personal and professional accomplishment in my life so far. what an honor. i could never have imagined that, as a 26-year-old thai wan born immigrant who came to the united states with a dream of becoming a fashion designer that i would one day be standing here today. i've learned first-hand that america is truly a land of opportunity. over the past year and a half, many people have asked me what

it felt like when i first learned the first lady had chosen to wear my gown to the inauguration. frankly, i had no idea my design was being seriously considered until i along with the rest of the world saw mrs. obama step out on television. imagine my surprise. not only to see history in the making but to be actually a part of this incredible moment. many people also ask me about inspiration for the gown. what was going through my mind. what was the meaning behind the design. the truth is i was simply inspired by the moment. i was inspired by mrs. obama's poise, her grace, and her intelligence. i was inspired by the overwhelming optimism she and president obama represents. i was inspired by the fact that i was able to come to the united states to realize my dreams. i cannot think of anywhere elsewhere this kind of opportunity could exist.

finally, the question most people have asked me is what would i say to mrs. obama if i were to meet her in person one day. that's the easiest question of all and one i'm very honored to be answering in front of all of you today. mrs. obama, thank you. thank you from the bottom of my heart for your incredible support. thank you for having the courage and the vision to choose a gown made by a young designer who didn't fit the traditional mold. thank you for reminding us all that, in this country, nothing is impossible. most of all, thank you for allowing my story to be a small part of this incredible moment in american history. thank you. [applause]

>> beautiful words. we thank the first lady for coming today and for her previous support of the design museum's national awards where she graciously hosted a luncheon for us. as the first lady, you know she is active on a number of issues, supporting milingtry families, helping working women balance career and family, encouraging national service, promoting the arts and arts education, and fostering healthy eating and healthy living for children and families across our nation. in a speech last year, the first lady said the arts are not just a nice thing to have or to do if there's free time, or if one can afford it. rather, paintings and poetry, music and fashion, design and

dialogue, they all define who we are as a people and provide an account of our history for the next generation. ladies and gentlemen, the first lady. [applause] >> thank you, everyone. thank you so much. well, clearly it's a pleasure and an hontor be here with all of you today. let me begin by thanking the secretary for that generous introduction. i want to thank him and his wife ann for their dedication to the mission of the smithsonian. and i want to thank our host from the national museum of the american history, dr. brent glass and john rogers. thank you for making these museums such wonderful places for people of all ages to learn and to explore. and i have to also do my part

in recognizing our very special guests, the students and the teachers from huntington high school who made the trip all the way from new york to be here. you all please stand so we can see you. [applause] now, there's a special reason i invited these students here. they sent me this book of beautifully designed inaugural gowns of their own creations and i had so much fun looking through the designs. you all are a very talented and beautiful and handsome group of people. and i'm so pleased to be able to share this special day with you. you make us proud. and thank you for the gift. and finally, i also want to thank all the board members, the staff, the supporters of these museums, all of you for the work you do every day and

for being here and sharing this moment with me as well. so here we are. it's the dress. and turf say, to be honest, i am very honored to be and humbled. but i'm also a little embarrassed by all the fuss being made over my dress. like many of you, i'm not used to people wanting to put things i've worn on display, so all of this is a little odd, so frig me. but at the same time, i truly recognize the significance of this day. this gown and all of the items that we'll see in this wonderful exhibit help us connect with a moment in history in a very real way. when we look at the gown that jackie kennedy wore 50 years ago or the one that mary todd lincoln wore more than 100 years before that, it takes us beyond the history books and

photographs and helps us understand that history is really made by real live people. the detail of each gown. the fabric, the cut, the color tells us something much more about each single first lady. it's visual reminder that we each come from such different backgrounds, from different generations, and from different walks of life. each gown places us right in the moment and makes us wonder about the intimate details of that evening, like how does she feel in the dress? did her feet hurt in those shoes? how many times did her husband step on that train? but, more importantly, these gouns and this exhibit uniquely define a moment in our american history. when i look at my gown, which i in fact have not seen since the day that i took it off, memories of that moment truly come rushing back.

i remember that it was freezing cold in washington. i know we all remember that. yet, despite the frigid temperatures, hundreds of thousands of people flooded the mall. nothing was going to stop them from being part of history. that day was so hectic for us. and i remember the inaugural parade and how the president and i stood and we waved until every last band walked by. then we only had less than an hour, ladies, if you can believe that, all of my friends left us in the stands, by the way. see you. good luck. yeah, thanks. we have to get ready for the ball. my dear, so do i. at the time, i wasn't really focused on what i was wearing that evening. i was really just trying to stay warm. but i'll never forget the moment that i slipped on this beautiful gown. i remember how just lushes i

felt. as the president and i were announced on to the stage for the first of many dances. and i'll cherish that moment for the rest of my life. and now that the crowds are gone and the mall is silent, and our family is settled into our new home, the white house, this gown is one of the most tangible things i have left to remember that day. and that's why it will always hold a special place in my heart. and today, when i look at the dress, i remember all of the incredible people that we met along our journey and on that day. and how warmly welcomed they received us. i remember the joy on the faces of so many young people who devoted so much time to getting us to that point. i remember the wonderful letters we received from folks who were there and others who watched the event from home. people who told us about how much that day meant for them and their families.

letters from ocket jen aryans who told us how they never thought they'd live to see the day. i remember all of the men and women who worked so hard and so long to make sure that every single detail was just perfect. and i remember the time we shared with the americans from every corner of this nation. and one of the people who made that day possible is the creator of this beautiful gown, jason wu. a young man who, not so long ago, was just an aspiring designer like many of you students here. when jason was just five years old growing up in taiwan, his parents would take him to the bridle shop so he could stetch. he started making clothes for dolls when he was just 16. and after studying under the best designers, he opened his own shop four years ago.

and you can see this gown is a masterpiece. it is simple, it's elegant, and it comes from this brilliant young mind, someone who is living the american dream. the countless hours that you can see that he spent sowing this piece made my night even more special. and now i am proud that millions of visitors will be able to see just how talented this young man is. thank you, jason. thank you for your vision and for your hard work. because at the end of the day, today is about much more than this gown. it's also about how, with enough focus, and with enough determination, someone in this room could be the next jason wu. someone in this room could be the next barack obama. it's about how the american story is written by real people, not just names on a page. and it's about how something