so they were not kidnapped. we have never claimed they were. second, what was provided in this case through the efforts of the government of oman was bail. so that was not a ransom. as iran has indicated, there is still an ongoing legal process, both regarding sarah and also shane and josh. so i would differ with you on how you characterize that. >> does that mean bail was paid? are you finally acknowledging that it was? >> well, as to the specifics of the arrangement, again, i would defer to the omani government, but we are familiar with the details of the arrangement.

>> are you going to be involving the detonations at the international level with iran? -- are you going to be involving the united nations at the international level with what iran is doing? >> we continue to raise the case of two hikers, both through private and public stables. we are gratified that a number of countries around the world have diplomatic relations with iran, have pressed iran to resolve the case of these three hikers, as well as other americans with whom we have concerns. we will continue to press that case and we will continue to be grateful that other nations on our behalf are sending the same message to iran. >> did they give anything specific that gave you cause for hope for the release of the two others? >> it was a relatively brief

phone call. i think there was a pledge to continue to work as hard as we can for their release. >> is sarah still in oman? >> yes. she will return to the united states, but i will defer to the family on the timing. >> off the top of your head, is the u.s. still making any use of military bases and oman as in the past? >> i think we have military cooperation with oman, as we do with many countries, but i will defer the specifics to the pentagon. >> do you have any comment on the new japanese foreign minister? will the secretary have a bilateral meeting with him next week? >> we appreciated his many contributions to the u.s.-japan

alliance and his role as foreign minister and we look for to working with him in his new capacity as general secretary of the dpj, and we will continue to work closely with the government of japan and the foreign minister across a broad range of issues between our nations. i am confident there will be high level meetings with japan coming up next week, but i will defer it to announcements that others will make on specifics of the bilaterals. >> we were just told before you got up here you would be making the announcement. >> no, no, there are some meetings the secretary will have, some that the president will have. >> can you go through the secretary's meetings as they are scheduled? >> we are reluctant to do that. >> they went through sunday, monday.

>> let me finish my answer before you express your dissatisfaction with my answer. we have been through these before. we have a very lengthy list of meetings we would like to have. we are double tacking schedules -- we're double checking schedules. during the course of the week, there might be meetings that are scheduled at 10:00 a.m. that will happen at 3:00 in the afternoon. there are meetings because of logistics' that may be on the schedule for a formal state -- for a formal sit-down and may just be a pull-aside because of the movements about town of the secretary and others. that is why we are reluctant to say we currently have a meeting scheduled with his leader on monday at 11:00 in the morning, and quite honestly that may happen then, and not happen until later in the week. >> i am not looking for that level of specificity. she knows who she wants to see, right? who was confirmed that she is going to see?

i don't need a time or date. >> we will go through with you day-by-day what our expectations are on bilaterals. quite honestly, there are still blocks we are working. >> but she talked about a p-5 plus 1 meeting. she did not want to say it was at the principles level. it is there some case that moon will not show up? >> there is a meeting currently slated to involve the secretary and other secretaries. we anticipate a leader at the ministerial level, plus the directors. >> nato-russia, is there some suggestion he will not be there? >> no. >> ok, then the pakistan meeting. the secretary said she and the israeli will be there. >> the secretary will be meeting

on sunday to discuss pakistan flood relief, and i know that will include the secretary on our side plus the ambassador who will just be back from pakistan. monday, there will be a session on haiti recovery that the secretary will co-share, along with the prime minister. it will co-chaired, along with the prime minister and several presidents. >> thank you. >> hold on, we have others. >> the prime minister of kuwait is meeting with the vice- president today at the white house. that there is a separate meeting. it is possible we will just have a state department representative in that meeting,

but we will try to check that. >> [inaudible] >> do we think what? >> meeting with south korean officials. am i am not aware. he was back from the region late yesterday, but i am not aware of what his schedule is today. >> thank you. >> i have one tribute to give you. >> a general question, the indian delegation, most of the meetings are closed. in 2007, the indian american community is growing and they

travel to washington. what is happening, they are now your citizens. they're not getting called back and don't talk about this. >> we talked about this issue with india on a regular basis, and as we broaden our relationship, we are evaluating on our side whether our current posture on india meets the requirements of expanding relationships. likewise, india is doing the same thing in terms of its network of consulates in this country. this is an issue that we continue to have negotiations with with india. before we wrap up, i want to say that this is fred's last day.

here at the department of state. the marine corps has called him back to duty. and has taken him away from the state department to return to quantico. when is the first time that you set foot on quantico? >> monday, a thing. >> one was the first time? >> 44 years ago, next month. >> it is great to have a marine on your staff. there is no better officer to have, but i just want to pay tribute to fred for great work at the department of state, and our loss is the marine corps is gain once again. >> here here. [applause] >> thank you.

>> former republican vice presidential nominee sarah palin will be in iowa tonight with annual ronald reagan dinner in des moines. we will have live coverage starting at 8:00 eastern. she will be joined by iowa senator chuck grassley and a former iowa governor. "book tv" saturday night, bill clinton joins former british prime minister tony blair for a discussion of the years and office. tony blair has a new memoir, on c-span2. >> warren brown writes the weekly car column for the washington post. >> it is arguable, justifiable i think to say that we would not have a black middle class had we not had general motors and ford and chrysler. >> in 2008, he supported the government bailout of the

automobile industry. sunday, he will talk about his life and what is ahead for carmakers, on c-span. >> the c-span network, providing coverage of politics, public affairs, nonfiction books, and american history. it is all available on television, radio, online, and social media networking sites. find our content any time through the video library. we take c-span on the road with our digital bus and local content vehicle bring resources to your committee. washington your way. the c-span networks, now available in more than one half a million homes. it created by cable, provided as a public service. >> now a senate hearing on embryonic stem cell research. we hear about efforts to craft legislation in response to a recent court ruling banning federal funding for such research. tom harkin chairs the appropriations subcommittee on health and human services. this panel is 50 minutes.

[captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> good morning. the senate appropriations subcommittee on labor, health, human services, and education will come to order. this is the 21st hearing this subcommittee has held on human embryonic stem cells, starting back in december of 1998. one month after dr. jamie thompson of the university of wisconsin announced he had isolated them for the first time. i want to note for the record that it was senator specter who led the subcommittee at that time, lead the hearings beginning then, and on through the remainder of the 1990's and into the 2000's. when the gavel changed hands, i picked up from him and we have kept this effort going.

at that time, it was a bipartisan basis. i just want to acknowledge the great leadership role that senator specter has played in this whole effort. ed in this whole effort on embryonic stem cell research. it is a shame we have to revisit this issue. when president obama lifted the bush administration's restrictions on stem cell research one-and-a-half years ago, most of us thought the fight was over. at last we thought there was a new approach to scientific research in this country, one that was dictated not by politics or etiology, but the epochal science. -- ideology, but it's gonna science. -- but on signs. at last we thought we would begin to realize the embryonic stem cell research. we were all on track to do that. the institute of new guidelines

to ensure that this research would be conducted ethically and responsibly. the number of stem cells eligible for federal funded research rose from 21 to is granted -- its current total of 75. the scientific community has responded. embryonic stem cells have very special properties that no other cells can match an offer to people who are suffering. that is why so many scientists are excited to have access to the stem cell lines and see what they can learn from them. out of the blue, the preliminary injunction from the district judge. that action has placed a cloud of uncertainty over this entire

scientific field. thanks to a temporary stay by the d.c. circuit court, human embryonic stem cell research is, for the time being, progressing just as it was before the judge's ruling. how long that will last is anybody's guess. i can say this, we have come too far to give up now. if we don't win this battle in the courts, we have to take up in congress. this research must continue. the politicians and activist judges who oppose it need to respect the views of the overwhelming majority of american people who want this research to go forward. people across america have too many loved ones and friends who have died from parkinson's, from spinal cord injuries, and other diseases that might one day respond to treatment made possible by every on extensive research. i remember christopher reeve testifying before this

subcommittee several years ago. i wish we still have him around today. i remember a newspaper man from iowa who had als. i wish we had him around, too. as long as there is a reasonable chance that this research could help ease human suffering and save lives, i believe we have a moral responsibility to pursue it. the purpose of today's hearing is to examine the promise of stem cell research. we will look at the science. we will not really a great beat -- none of the witnesses are prepared to discuss the legal argument for or against the injunction. i ask members of the subcommittee to refrain from asking them questions that are not in this area of expertise. i say to our witnesses, if you receive such questions regarding legality or court decisions, you should not still required to answer them in any way.

we want to stick to the science, what is happening with all forms of stem cell research, what role at the embryonic stem cell research is planned and that whole area today. before we begin, i would like to turn to senator cochran. >> thank you very much. we appreciate you calling this hearing. trying to support the research that is so and portents and finding up chores for illnesses. but we for started looking into this area of stem cell research, my brother-in-law was dying of leukemia. he was one of the finest young men that are state had produced at that time and he had an outstanding future and was a wonderful person in every way. i am sure that is something that

i will always keep in mind and remember, his great loss. there are many others who might benefit from findings that are made through additional research and how to combat these terrible illnesses. i thank my colleague who is here today. he has been a leader in this area for some time. we commend him for his successes and his efforts. >> thank you, senator cochran. if you want to incorporate your statement and your opening questions, that would be fine, too. before we go to our panel, key allies as to make a brief opening statement -- he has asked to make a brief opening statement.

the stable be made part of the record in its entirety. >> thank you very much. i appreciate the opportunity to be back with you. as you know, i served on the subcommittee in the house that is the counterpart of the subcommittee and so it is wonderful to be here today. if i am doing something wrong on the microphone, maybe i will be the guinea pig and it will be ready for the rest of the panel. i appreciate the opportunity to appear on the subject of every on extensive research. as you know, i co-authored an amendment to the labor hhs appropriations act prohibiting the use of taxpayer funds of creating a human embryo for research. this so-called blank which has remained block of the land for a decade and a half. in my opinion, the body of

scientific evidence since 1995 has served only to strengthen the argument in favor. the basic premise for the provision has not changed. it is this. the destruction of human embryos for research purposes raises profound moral and ethical challenges. the federal government should not be involved in subsidizing this controversial life altering research with taxpayer dollars. there are limited federal funds available for health-related research. if him -- if human embryonic research is to be done at all, it should be paid for with non taxpayer funds. the chair mentioned dr. james thompson. he was the first and one of the scientists discovered the groundbreaking embryo-free way to produce genetically matched stem cells. it is known as induced stem

cells. they are adults cells that have been genetically reprogrammed to embryonic stem cells like state. this discovery has changed the debate on its embryonic stem cells. we are discussing the ethics, dr. thompson him sad -- himself said, if human embryonic stem cell research does not make u.s. least a little bit uncomfortable, you have not thought about it and not. recent polling proves that embryonic stem cell research makes many americans uncomfortable. according to a 2010 poll, 57% of americans opposed taxpayer funding of every on extensive research. the majority of americans support the current ban on using taxpayer dollars to fund research in which embryos are destroyed. the question is, if we can use adult stem cells, up reprogram

them to act like a periodic stem cells, and avoid the ethical challenges, why would we not take that approach? some people would have us think that prohibiting funding is stopping science it entirely. i disagree. private funds can be used for this research and are being used for this purpose. the distinction is whether or not the federal government should be subsidizing controversial, life altering research with taxpayer dollars. especially when the majority of americans oppose such a move. federal funding is scarce. we are simply unable to afford all the research we would like to do. i segment that we should use limited taxpayer dollars on already proven research demonstrated in the areas like adults stem cells. adult stencils are the ones that are treating people right now.

treatment had been so effective that many doctors have turned to adult stem cell transplants as a standard lifesaving therapy while hundreds of thousands of people, people suffering from dozens of diseases and conditions, including cancer, juvenile diabetes, parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, leukemia, spinal cord injuries, are turning to adult stem cells. an estimated 500 -- 50,000 adult stem cells transplants are occurring annually worldwide. using some cells from bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, and other tissues. research with adult stem cells has produced therapies for more than 70 afflictions and inserted promising results. advances in this field are happening every day. tremont ago, researchers reported they had restored vision to people whose eyes were

damaged from chemicals. doctors took a stand cells from the patient's healthy eye and multiplied them in a lab to transplant to be damaged by. -- damaged eye. spinal cord injury patients have also been promising. at age 16, she was paralyzed on the neck down in a car accident. doctors treated her with a spinal cord injuries using her own nasal adult stem cells. as a result of the surgery and extensive physical therapy, she has regained feeling and movement in her lower body and she continues to make progress. research is another promising field. these are producing unprecedented opportunities in madison, toxicology, and drug discoveries all of the world. hospitals are developing from

individuals with very diseases. a clinic and ontario, canada, has already created over 130 lines for 11 diseases. this clinic is also working on making lines to address diseases such as autism, schizophrenia. if there are additional funds, congress should invest in this type of a ground-breaking research. supporters of the embryonic research would like to ignore such accomplishments. they would suggest that providing federal taxpayer dollars on its embryonic stem cell research is the only means of getting results. however the accomplishment among adults -- it proves otherwise. i am proud to say that for a decade and a half, this amendment has protected life. this debate involves profound

ethical, and moral questions. this is a matter of conscience for me, but more importantly, it is a matter of conscience for millions of americans who are deeply troubled by the idea that there taxpayer dollars may be used to destroy another human life. when there are other proven techniques available. i want to thank you very much for your time and i appreciate the opportunity to testify. >> senator weicker, thank you very much for your statement. i know of your long-term interest in this area. we thank you for your appearance before the committee. i know you have a lot of important things and you are a busy person, so we thank you for being here. you are excused if you would like unless you have something

else to say. thank you very much. we will call our first panel. that will be dr. francis collins. dr. collins is no stranger to all of us here and to the subcommittee. dr. collins was sworn in last year as the 16th director of the national institute of health. noted for her discovery of disease and outstanding leadership for the heat -- human genome project. shoot -- he received his m.d. from the university of north carolina at chapel hill. last august, he was confirmed

unanimously by the united states senate to be our 16th director of the national institute of help. dr. collins, welcome back. your statement will be entered part of the record in its entirety. i have the clock set at 10 minutes. please take deadliest of that amount of time. -- please take at least that amount of time. give us your thoughts and your views on where we are with every on its debt -- stem cell research and the whole area of stem cell research and what the status is right now. >> thank you. good morning. q -- i will make an abbreviated version of what is in a written statement. thank you for the opportunity to describe some of the exciting science. i have some visual aids that will convey some of these

points. you should have hard copies of those visuals in front of you. it is an honor to be pure before you today to discuss the topic. i would like to think this subcommittee for its steadfast mission.of the nih's applying the knowledge to fight illness, reduced its ability, and extend help a life. i want to thank you for your leadership in advancing the embryonic stem cell research straight from your very first hearing, this subcommittee has provided a forum for discussing the great promise of this research and has an able to nih to invest in this promising research. there is a cloud hanging over this field today. the preliminary injunction issued on august 23 has created deep uncertainty in the field

of research. some of our nation's most promising researchers are now asking, should i even bother to submit my new ideas? young . . fields given the legal uncertainty. let's keep the focus of this discussion where it belongs. the real reason for distressed about the current legal uncertainty is the patients have to put hope on hold. . . ies of foremost in our thoughts. patients are what is at the heart of the mission. they are the ones who stand to benefit the most or to lose the most by the stem cell policies that we are discussing today. i am not a lawyer. i speak to you today as a doctor

and a scientist. i appreciated the chairman's exhortations. i want to take to it -- a few minutes to outline the promise of this research. research that could be hobbled prominently on less stable federal funding can be a short over the long term. let's go through this. there are three different times of human stem cells. all of them are interesting and important for it is important to describe the properties of each. let's begin with human embryonic stem cells. i will begin with a brief overview of the remarkable properties of these cells and then describe how they can be used to understandable lecturer -- molecular base and

development of disease, and do -- -- to screen for a new therapeutic. human embryonic stem cells have unique characteristics. these cells are called potent. a word which means they have the potential to become nearly every one of the different types of cells and the human body. second, the cells ourself renewing. they are able to multiplied and lent less numbers in the lab over many years and to be shared with researchers around the world. before i go on to describe the potential applications, let me emphasize that as scientists, we are interested in other types of stem cells. each have different properties. let me speak for a moment about adult stem cells. these are found in various organs and tissues throughout the body. these cells have been steady for more than 50 years and have saved many lives.

because they do not divide indefinitely and produce only a limited repertoire of cell types, they are called multi potent. that limitation makes them less than ideal for some types of research. let me be clear. we are strongly committed to research using adult stem cells because there may be other clinical applications for which they are useful that we do not know about. we have been spending considerably more on adult stem cell research then on human embryonic stem cell research. a new and third category of stem cells are the so-called induced party potent -- pluripotent. this type of stem cells was only

first produced in 2007 when scientists used a virus to insert molecular instructions into the dna of skin shells -- skin cells that turned back to the cells developmental clock. these new cells possess many properties of human embryonic stem cells. they continue to divide indefinitely and they have the potential to give rise to all the cells in the human body. these cells have the added potential clinical benefits of avoiding rejection. they can be derived directly from the patient. but let's be clear. did they are not well understood yet. there is growing evidence for subtle differences between the cells. whether this will matter for clinical application is not yet clear. virtually all investigators working in the field agree that ongoing comparisons are

critically important. human embryonic cells remain the gold standard for potency. to prohibit work on human embryonic stem cells will cause damage to the new exciting research. i want to turn to the first of three key uses of human embryonic stem cells. there -- their value and understanding the molecular pathway is in development of disease is the first of the three. for example, what the genes are expressed in human embryonic stem cells and house that programming altered as these cells move down path ways to become muscle cells or brain cells? how does that go awry in the presence of the disease mutation? one of the very best when those we have now into a human development is trudy's human embryonic stem cells.

scientists are using these cells to study diseases, such as fragile x syndrome, rett syndrome, and huntington's disease. a second area and the one that has generated the most public excitement is regenerative tissue. they could be used as a cell therapy to replace the damaged tissue. for somebody with parkinson's disease or diabetes. one of the most exciting and most advanced possible therapeutic applications of human embryo lacks some shells is for patients to have been paralyzed by catastrophic spinal cord injuries.

researchers at the university of california and several other universities are pursuing the possibility that the stem cells can be directed to generate spinal cord cells for transplantation. this summer, they began a phase 1 clinical trial of its technique for converting human embryonic stem cells into a type of narrow cell -- neurocell. i will show you a computer animation that will show you what this looks like. we will now zeroed in on some r axons.and and thei ax that is the site that provides the insulation that allows a signal to pass.

the spinal cord is injured, the signals cannot go through. this has been documented in animals. it should allow a repair of what is otherwise a block signal. the potential of this approach has repeatedly demonstrated in animal tests, some of which are pretty dramatic. no one is sure whether this will work in humans. even if it does, it will take years of additional research and testing before a standardized there be to be developed. if anyone looking at this opportunity would say, the potential here is truly amazing. a third area of opportunity for human embryonic stem cells and one that has not received as much attention is the potential

to catalyze advances in therapeutics. by using these cells as a tool to search for a new -- we desperately need new drugs for a disease called als. you've had a witness on this very topic speaking about that was along for with us. this is a disease that progresses rapidly. this is lou gehrig's disease. characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord, which normally provides a connection between the brain and the muscles of the body. ideally, we would like to find something that stabilizes at these neurons. but how? suppose you could test a library of hundreds of thousands of candidate drug compounds known that some are in their there might be one that would be valuable encouraging motor neurons to survive. that would be a very attractive

approach. can we actually do that? i am showing you a video of robots who are doing drugs screenings. this is in a facility in gaithersburg, maryland. this is done in a miniaturized format spirits -- formats. it can save months or years of time. this is not a pipe dream. it is a reality. it is carrying the same kind of experience in harvard fork -- right now. the possibility that stem cell research might one day enable us to identify their before the disease that claimed the life of so many gives you some hope that this new application may provide answers that we desperately need. in conclusion, mr. chairman, i would like to emphasize that

research provide enormous, but untack promise for medicine. this field has been pressed into a precarious state. if this research is halted, the greatest loss will be suffered by the millions of americans with conditions that might be helped. such people include those suffering from heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, a vision problems, spinal cord injuries. many messages i have received from patients since the issue of the preliminary injunction reflect these deep concerns. let me just read you part of one such message written to me by the mother of two boys to have juvenile diabetes and she suffers from early onset parkinsons' disease. here is what she says. i held my breath would hope that my sons would benefit from the earliest and some research. i watched as american scientist fell further behind on the

global scene. into a dozen nine, i had such hope that once again our medical schools and universities would begin to attract the best and brightest young minds to work in this exciting area. she finishes with this. this week's news was devastating. i had no idea how strongly i would be affected by it. your message of support for the research gives me hope, hope that there will be changed, hope that we will see effective treatment in our lifetime for these devastating diseases. when someone is seriously ill or has a loved one who is facing a life-threatening disease, it is often hope that sustains them, provides the strength and determination to prevail. moving forward responsibly with all types of stem some research gives us and them a good reason for hope, hope that is not found -- hope that is found in a rigorous science. please help us do our part to

turn that hoping to reality. thank you, mr. chairman for your strong support of stem cell research. i would be happy to answer any questions. . .

>> there are many advances in the science over that timetable and many other stem cell lines being derived during that timetable since 2001 were not available to scientists who had great interest in studying them. in particular, to be able to have available embryonic stem cells that have specific genetic mutations in them would be a great advance in terms of the ability to study certain diseases, such as fragile x, for instance, for huntington's disease and such were not in the collection of 21 lines. furthermore, those 21 lins were non-diverse in terms of their origins. nearly all of them coming from individuals of northern european backgrounds. and if you were thinking about the possibility of ute lidsing

these therapeutically for spinal cord injury, that could greatly limit the ability to use them for people of different backgrounds. so there's enormous enthusiasm and intense interest on the part of the scientific community to have this panel broadened and the obama executive order in match, 2009, made that possible under carefully described conditions, to maintain the most ethical standards in terms of how such lines would have to have been derived in order to qualify for federal funding. and n.i.h. now has on its registry 75 lines that have met those standards and more to come. >> very good. and in the senator's opening statement, he said the following -- "people suffering from dozens of diseases and conditions including cancer, juvenile diabetes, park inson's, multiple sclerosis, leukemia, spinal cord injuries and regeneration, among many others, are turning to stem cell treatments for help."

it's been my understanding that while adult stem cells are used routinely to treat blood diseases, this is not the case for any other type of disease. could you please enlighten us on that aspect? >> sure. although stem cell research has been studied for more than 50 years and certainly has been primarily utilized clinically for bone marrow transplantation, where it has been of great value. we are, as you saw from the graph, spending almost $400 million a year on non-embryonic stem cell research looking for different applications where adult stem cells could also be of benefit. and the senator's opening statement mentioned some areas of potential interest. but they are far from being what you would call standardized care yet. they're experimental. i think one of the unfortunate aspects of the discussion about human embryonic stem cells is

that it has somehow implied that scientists are opposed to research on adult stem cells. not at all. speaking for myself and others who will be here today, we celebrate all of the ways that every kind of stem cell can be utilized for effective research. but shouldn't we be pursuing the most exciting options and parallel and not assuming that we know one of them is going to be better than the other. because right now we have absolutely no reasons to say that. and most would assume that depending on the politic, adult stem cells may be better in one instance. embryonic stem cells may be better in another. we'll never know. >> so it's not just two different camps, it's a blending of all of this. >> absolutely. dr. daly would probably tell you he's made major advances in both those fields, and he'd be right. >> lastly, we sometimes hear opponents say federal funding isn't needed, there's other potential sourceness the private sector. how would you respond to that? >> well, of course, that was an argument that basically

prevailed before there was any allow yans for federal funding for human embryonic stem cells and led to some states taking action. but most of the really critical observations that need to be made in terms of understanding the potential of human embryonic stem cells are unlikely to happen without the kind of federal support in our best universities and medical centers around the country. that is where the talent often lies for doing those really fundamental explorations of the nature of those cells. to assume that private-sector investment, although it's critical in terms of the steps is going to be sufficient, is to not understand the many steps that we need to pursue now in order to fully flesh out the potential of this approach to treating a long list of conditions. >> thank you very much, dr. collins. my time is up. i do have a couple of follow-up questions, but i'll wait my turn. i'll turn to the senator for his -- >> dr. collins, we were talking

specifically today about the options for federal support for research, and specifically, using embryonic stem cell therapy. what, in your judgment, would happen if we didn't approve federal funding, or if for some reason the sources in the federal government to support this kind of research dried up for whatever reason, action of congress, or heaven forbid, running out of money? >> if federal funds were terminated for the support of human embryonic stem cell research, that would be an absolutely devastating outcome. you would see large numbers of scientists who have already developed a lot of momentum in this field becoming extremely disillusioned. you would see many of them potentially moving into other areas or moving overseas.

most importantly, you would see that hope for the treatment of many diseases that we currently lack effective ways to intervene being dashed. i don't want to overstate here the potential for human embryonic stem cell research to solve all those problems, because we just don't know, and we have to be careful that our hope doesn't turn into hype. and i think people here will be careful about that. but, you know, if you were in 19r50 and somebody said, you know, those iron lungs are working pretty well, maybe we don't need to do anything more about polio, what a terrible mistake that would have been. so we have some science now that is working in some areas, but we have this new potential to have something that is game-changing. to have that cut off at the knees would be a defense stating blow. let me -- devastating blow. let me say, we have not introduced -- we have to

compare those side by side every step of the way right now, because we don't understand the subtle differences between them and what that might mean. and if we give up doing that comparison to the gold standard for potency, we may damage the potential for i.p.s. cells as they are begin together gather momentum. >> i appreciate very much you being here today. i think your testimony has helped us understand in a real way, a practical way, what the consequences are in a breakdown of federal support for this research. thank you very much. >> thank you, senator. >> thank you for your generous comments and for scheduling this early hearing to take up the important subject of embryonic stem cell research.

i look forward to debating with senator wicker the issues which he has raised more appropriately on the senate floor than in this hearing, i think, and i would ask unanimous consent at a commentary by bob schieffer on "60 minutes" included in the record where there is a comparison between those who oppose stem cell research with those who challenge the use of galileo's telescope because they believe their doctrines and tradition have already told them what was necessary to be seen. the decision by the district court in the district of columbus has had a very -- columbia has had a very serious impact on the research, and may the record show that i will ask dr. collins specifically about that, but in our informal discussion he said that while

they have been able to proceed with the eggs penned ture of federal funds with a circuit stay -- expenditure of federal funds with a circuit stay that, the researchers are very, very concerned about their ability to move forward. and we have a stay which has been issued until next monday, september 20, and we do not know what will happen after that, and that is why i moved very promptly, as soon as we were in session on monday of this week. we went into session at 2:30, and before 3:00 i had the floor to introduce legislation to overturn the court decision, because congress has the authority to make this determination. it's not a constitutional issue. it's a matter of statutory interpretation. and the evidence is overwhelming about the importance of embryonic stem cell research to deal with the maladies of the world and that

there are 400,000 frozen, which will be lost. and we are not dealing with human life. if it would be turned into human life, no one would suggest using them for medical research. and the legal battles are very, very uncertain as to what will happen in the circuit court, whether the state will be maintained or whether the supreme court might issue a stay. there have been surprising studies issued by the supreme court in the past several months. there was an arizona campaign finance law which provided for public funding where the court of appeals for the ninth circuit upheld the law, overruling the district court, and the supreme court of the united states, without even a petition for sore show rear

granted a stay dr serb year, granted a stay. really unheard of. we had a trial in process before chief judge walker in san francisco on the issue of gay marriage, and the supreme court intervened to stop televising on closed-circuit television. so the legislature, the congress, had better get busy and had better act on this subject so we do not await court action. we do not put pressure on knowing what may or may not happen. i have a couple of questions for you, dr. collins. the first question relates to the impact of the judicial decision. and i have gotten information

that more than $500 million has been expended on embryonic stem cell research -- well, actually, three questions. question number one is, what has the impact been on the scientists now using n.i.h. funding for embryonic stem cell research in terms of the uncertainty of the future? number two, what results have been taken in a positive sense, which i know are very good for the more than $500 million already expended? and what has been the consequence of the $10 million in the stimulus package where you informally told me that it has created the tremendous excitement and a new wave of enthusiasm by researchers who had been discouraged by the failure of congress to keep the pace, which we have moved from

$12 billion to $30 billion, but failure to keep the pace in funding since 2003? >> senator, thank you for the question. and let me first say how appreciative i am personally and everyone at n.i.h. is for the strong leadership you have shown over these years in your advocacy for the value of medical research, and especially because we're talking about it today for stem cell research, that has been much appreciated, and your articulation of the importance has always been right on target, as it just was here in your opening statement. we are all grateful indeed for the way that you have shown that leadership. and you, together with our chairman, have played such a significant role in n.i.h. being at this exciting place that we are right now in terms of medical research opportunities that frankly, i didn't dream we would be at 10 years ago. but we also are here with this cloud over the enterprise in this very specific area of embryonic stem cell research.

when the judge issued that preliminary injunction we were stunned and basically after interpretations by the department of justice took steps that we felt we had to with intramural researchers, who are working with federal funds at that very time, doing embryonic stem cell research, we had to ask them to stop. with extramural grantees, if they had already received a grant and were spending down the dollars that they had already been allocated, they could continue, but they would need to come back for a renewal on an annual basis. and we basically said within a year there will be no more funds because those annual renewals cannot be adhered to. and frankly, we had a bunch of new grants and renewals right in front of us -- about 244 grants, adding up to about $200 million -- that were immediately put on hold, not to mention a whole other set of grants that were ready for peer review that we had to stick on the shelf because we felt that

the judge's order prevented us from acting on them. fortunately and to our great relief, although temporary relief it apparently is, the stay on that particular injunction last week allowed us to catch up and to go back to doing what we had been doing along, and we are working vigorously to be sure that we are doing the right thing here in terms of supporting the research that we always had intended to. but there is this cloud of uncertainty that hangs over the situation because of not a clear path forward. and i think as you will hear from others at this hearing, that is creating great anxiety, particularly among other young scientists, who wonder, do i have a career path here or is this something i better not get involved in because it's too uncertain? so the impact so far has been quite significant and is uncertain going forward. we are, as i tried to show in the graph in the opening statement, spending in the

neighborhood of $188 million -- sorry, $138 million on non-embryonic -- i'm sorry, on embryonic and other types of non-adult -- let me try that again. we are spending $138 million on human embryonic stem cell research and all of that was put into jeopardy. and that's an estimate for fy-10. in terms of your question about the era dollars that have flowed to n.i.h., that has been an enormous infusion of energy and capability and excitement in a community that had been frankly struggling after five years of flat budgets. and many innovative ideas gogolaking for support. that infusion -- going lacking for support. that infusion energized a whole host of projects. one of my jobs is to read a lot of the grants that came in and it is some of the most exciting science that you can imagine,

and we have used it specifically to encourage people to put forward out-of-the-box ideas that otherwise might not have seemed worth trying in a tough budget. this is breakthroughs in cancer, heart disease, diabetes, autism, things that really have changed the whole landscape because of this opportunity to empower the community in ways that they had not previously been able to do. and i want to thank you for your remarkable leadership in making that possible. of course, we have another anxiety there that the two years of the recovery act are coming to a close, and the momentum that was started is now somewhat in question -- >> if you would just talk about the advances generally, but specifically on stem cells with the $500 million expended. tell about the big results there. >> mr. chairman, before dr. collins answers that, a vote's been called and i want to go to the floor. so i want to say really quickly -- >> i understand, if i can deal

with this really quickly. >> doctor, your testimony is compelling, and i really appreciate it. it clarified a lot face-off me. i want to thank senator harkin for his leadership but i want to thank senator specter, too, and we'll continue to carry your spirit forward on this critical issue. i just wanted to say thank you very much. we do have a vote and i want to make sure we get to the rest of the panel, so thank you. >> thank you. >> well, just focus for a moment, if you would, on the $500 million already expended on embryonic stem cell research and what tremendous advances have been made there. >> so that's a long list. it has given us the opportunity at the basic level to begin to understand what it is that takes this cell with all of this potential and triggers it to become a neuron or a muscle cell or a pancreatic beta cell that makes insulin.

those signals, that elaborate pathway of development, are now being sorted out by researchers with very powerful technology, some of them coming from the genome project. in terms of specific applications, you have heard of the application to spinal cord injury, which is now in its phase one clinical trial. that's the first one, which has actually made it through that. that was a lot of f.d.a. review, believe me. but there are also applications which are looking very promising for eye diseases and for type one diabetes, where human embryonic stem cells have been differentiated and then been used in an animal model to show clear benefit and rigorous science, setting the stage, then, for human clinical trials in the not too distant future. on top of all that, human embryonic stem cells are being used to do drug screening. because if you're looking for a drug that might help somebody with a muscle disease, you'd really like to test and see, does that work in human muscle cells? we now have the ability to make

human muscle cells because you can take human embryonic muscle cells and tweak them to do that, and then test hundreds of thousands of compounds and find out what's there to stabilize this disease and make it better able to survive. a huge opportunity in drug screening, which is happening both in the private sector and in academia. all of those things add up to that roughly $500 and some million dollars, but we think we're just scratching the surface. >> thank you, dr. collins. that's powerful. >> thanks, senator harkin. dr. collins and others, there's two votes. we have about six or seven minutes left in this vote. so i'll recess the panel. we'll go vote on one and then we'll vote on the next one. so it will be probably 15 minutes before we get back here. so i'd like to see if anybody needs to use the facilities or something. we'll be back in 15 minutes. what i'd like to ask -- dr. collins, i hate to impose on you, but we're just -- there's a lot of things we need to cover.

i'd like to ask you'd stay. while we're gone i'd ask the guards to put the nameplates of the second panel up there. but i do have follow-up questions for you, dr. collins, when we come back. >> no guards needed. i'm happy to stay. >> thank you, dr. collins. we'll be right back. >> for me or anyone else who is considering public service, the

question is if you have a vision for the direction the country should have to get specific ideas that could implement that decision. >> outgoing gov. tim pawlenty on a potential one. that is sunday on c-span very >> bill conjoins tony blair in a discussion on the years in office. that is on c-span2. vehicles areontent traveling the country as a look of some of the most closely contested house races. ♪ ♪

>> how are you folks tonight? nice to me to. are you from erie? i cover butler. >> does anybody want a good symbol? here we go. -- does anybody want aid tootsie roll? >> i am running for congress. good to see you all. erie county is the main area. butler county is involved. the candidates in this race of the incumbent who is a democrat. she won two years

her opponent is a former car dealer who came out of a pretty crowded field in the primary is -- primaries. because of the city's voter registration, it is about a 2.5 to one democrat to republican. as to start moving further south, it becomes fairly conservative. what is interesting in this race is that will kelly be able to give to support in this area that he needs. a lot of people think that you have to have lots of support in the area to be able to do that. he has already put a lot of resources into erie.

he has a lot of people that are heavily involved in this campaign. they are very cognizant of the fact that they need a lot of areas support and they are already working towards that. mike kelly has attacked his opponent about being locked up with sarah palin. that is something that he has left onto. -- latched onto. i think health care is one to be important. especially with some of the changes that we have talked about in washington. there are a lot of people out of work and there is a lot of concern about how the economy is cooling to go. will probably break down to jobs, the economy and health care. the democrats are being attacked for their policies and programs by the republicans.

i think that she will hit on her record in washington. she has been in touch with the constituents, something that others are not doing her if she makes the point to come back here and have a constituent office where she is in the office to talk to people about their concerns she returns to the district a lot. . she has been busy in washington. she has been involved in some of the language to get the stimulus through and not using federal money for abortion. she has shown that she is willing to be involved and try to pass legislation and work with the rest of congress. i think that what mr. kelly is a form to do is to come at it in an opposite way. he will say this she has not

been the rep that if she said she would be -- the rep resentative that she said she would be. it will be interesting to see the dynamics. i believe he already has $1.5 million in the bank. this is similar to two years ago when republicans saw this as a viable seed. the democrats see that. of money spentt on this. how much money does tell in need to win? will he be able to raise that kind of money in this area? what has made this so competitive is the climate in washington which has flip-flop

to the democrats being fought but the attack. i think that this district, been fairly conservative, like us said, when you start moving towards the southern port of the district, us like i said, when you start moving towards the southern part of the the -- like i said, when you start moving towards the southern part of the district, you tend to get a lot of conservative people that may have a problem with the stimulus and the health care changes that are being talked about. that might help mi e kelly. the incumbent has a lot of money. i think that some of that anti- democrat sentiment is what is making the race close. it will be interesting to see them hit on the issues. it is known to be interesting to

see how it plays out. local content vehicles are traveling the country, visiting congressional districts as a look at some of the most closely contested house races. for more reformation, go to c- span.org/lcv. >> we are expecting to take you live to the iowa republican party annual ronald reagan dinner. sarah -- sarah palin is the key there. meanwhile, we will go to remarks by christy o'donnell who recently won the republican primary for senate in delaware. she spoke at a summit held by the council earlier today.

>> everybody knows that a bumblebee cannot fly, and everybody knows that except the bumblebee. everybody knew that christine o'donnell had no chance to defeat mike castle for the republican senate primary, but last week, bumble bees flew. if you would like to meet her, let's bring her on. ladies and gentlemen, please welcome christine o'donnell. ♪ [applause] don't stop believing ♪ >> thank you.

thank you very much. where are my fellow bumblebee s and delaware? you're doing an awesome job. it is such a delight to be a run so many lifelong friends and have the honor to have the opportunity to talk about the things that are weighing so heavily on and hearts. i want to start by asking you to think back to about 1.5 years ago when our leaders just of office. think about how you felt. remember the despondency? the anxiety? even the seizure for the future of our country. thus even the fear for the future of our country -- even the figure for the future of our country?

ending the opportunities program. that was the one thin thread of hope that would give children an escape from the failing government schools here in washington d.c.. how was that for progress towards. -- how was that for pro-choice? millions of working americans lost their jobs and lost their savings. they started talking about obama-care and the bailouts. one industry after another. the forces in iraq and afghanistan saw confusion everywhere with chatter about withdrawal dates. looming supreme court vacancies, do you remember that? i know that i do.

they were curling up in the fetal position. how things have changed. [laughter] [applause] >> during those dark days when common sense patriot americans were looking for a silver lining, the stumbled upon the constitution. -- they stumbled upon the constitution. a funny thing happened on our way to the sidelines. we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by americans who have rediscovered the most fundamental value of all, liberty. these americans were finding answers to the problems that threaten our future.

our friends and neighbors began to join us at rallies and beneath the fly, waving the homemade signs. -- beneath the flag, waving the homemade signs. they said that there were more robust and there are of them. -- more of us than there are of them. [applause] and so, there are. because this is america. the ruling class may try, but they will never have the last word on the liberty. there is something about our dna that insists on selling-insists on shelling that you are not the boss of me. -- insists on shelton that you are not the boss of me. thomas jefferson said the same thing. he was perhaps a little more eloquent. he said that the issue today is it has beenat ha

throughout history. the verdict is in. the small the league do not get us. the call was going nuts the is -- because wind knots windthey call us wingnuts. we call false "we the people." [applause] we do not always agree. we do not always endorsed the same candidates. we are allowed. we are passionate. we are rowdy. it reminds me of a book where a little girl asked about a lion that represents the other end she said, "is he safe?"

he was answered that, "of course he isn't safe, but he's good. that is what happened in -- is what is happening today. it is a love affair with liberty. it is not tame, but boy it sure is good. [applause] will they attack us? yes. will the destroy our records? undoubtedly. will they harass us and then call and try to intimidate us? they will. there is nothing safe about. but is it worth it?

is freedom with it? [applause] it.america worth o rights, ie inalienable white say yes, yes, 1000 times yes. some have accused us of being an agent crowd of home schoolers. [laughter] they are trying to marginalize us. [applause] they are trying to marginalize us and put us in a box. they say we are trying to take over this party or that campaign. they do not get it. you're not trying to take back our country, we are our country. [applause]

we have always been in charge. this is america. you do not have to assert authority when everyone is on good behavior. is when the wheels fall off of the grownups have to step in and step up and that is what is happening in america. the grown-ups have taken away the keys. [applause] if i do say so, we have an awfully patient. we took the incremental assault on our freedoms, our values, our free enterprise, our economic ability ago on way too long. we watched the pinnacles of big government weasel their way into every part of our lives. those in washington think that they should decide what kind of libel and we use and what kind of torula the flesh and what kind of four-wheel-drive.

across the river -- what kind of toilet we flushed, and what kind of car and drive. they want to tell small business and what kind of jobs to make, what kind of food we can buy or sell. they even want unelected panels of bureaucrats to decide who gets what lifesaving medical care and who is just too old or too expensive to be worth saving. they will buy your teenage daughter and abortion, but they will not let her by a shugrue soda in a school vending machine. -- a sugary soda in a school vending machine. [applause] every child born today in america already owes over $200,000, his or her piece of the national debt. this is not good parenting.

what kind of mom or dad gives the bill to kids to pay it tomorrow? did your mom or dad do that to you? what's my did not. -- mine did not. i am one of six kids -- >> we now to live too high a world where the republican party's ronald reagan did bernard -- dinner is being held in an des moines. sarah palin is in iowa to raise money for the gop candidates. other speakers include governors and former governors. this is live on c-span. >> i have the great pleasure of introducing to you several of

our state legislators. if they will stand up and be recognized. let's give a great hand to these people. [applause] i also have the opportunity to recognize some of our statewide candidates that are one and four office. our secretary of agriculture is in delaware at a conference. i do not know what they are going over, but this is a chance to meet with our fellow republicans. let's give a shout out for the secretary of agriculture. [applause] of course, who is not excited about this young lady and her campaign?

you have not seen this man yet, our secretary of state can that. .- candidate you got to witness the comedy stylings of david jameson. [applause] we also have the opportunity to recognize our representatives in the first district. [applause] our second district, -- [inaudible] . here in the third district, -- [inaudible] thank you for coming. i appreciate it.

[applause] chuck grassley work in the senate. he has the longest consecutive voting record of any senator, 6000 stray. republicans named him the hardest working member of congress. i know this, because he is my husband. grassley and ick approved this message. >> our united states senator, chuck grassley. [applause] >> thank-you.

thank you. thank you. can i make one thing clear for barbara and me to you, that we work for you. you do not work for us. [applause] we also would like to have you understand that we know that the office of u.s. senator is a public trust. my town meetings have felt a common theme throughout this year. some words keep cropping up all the time. i am scared is what my constituents are saying.

they are also saying that they do not like what is happening to america. you know what they are reacting to? they are reacting to the fact that pelosi and reed are digging us into a fiscal hole and they do not like that. they know that a bank of america is not good for the world as well as for us. -- a bankrupt the america- bankrupt america is not good for the world as well as for us. we are born to take the shovel away from reed and pelosi. i believe in the principles that made america great. it also made america generally. i went to congress to join the

fight for principles. reed and pelosi want to remake america in their image. it is a battle between the american people on one hand in the reed and pelosi disciples on the other hand. of those are pretty good odds for us this year. i say what i mean and i mean what i say. my mission is to stop the job killing agenda. do more for american families and less for washington d.c.. take bold action safeguarding the american dream and bringing accountability to government. [applause]

americans once and americans deserve the real regional constitution, a strong military, lower taxes, jobs in private enterprise, border security, no apologizing for america. . .

to those communities fighting to stay alive. to those families open for a better education for their kids, exchanges coming. -- change is coming. we did it before. we can do it again. >> please welcome the next governor of the great state of iowa. >> thank you very much. thank you. god bless you, iowa politics.

i am coming back. i am going to lead this whole ticket to victory this fall. this is a great turnout. this is a great turnout. i want to thank all of you for being here. i wanted things sarah palin for the drawings that a great -- for drawing such a great crowd. i want to if they senator grassley and are candidates. -- i want to thank senator grassley and our candidates, because we have set a strong ticket of this year. i had a great job at the university. i watch what was going in state

government. we always had honest, open, transparent, responsible government. we have not had that recently. i watched what happened with the department of economic development. you see the department of aging and then you have the liquor commissions. they are violating the law terms of open bidding and purchasing things that are not authorized. it goes on and on and on. we have the racing and gaming commission. now we have the dc i best

dating this -- investigating this paper plate scandal. it keeps going on. this is starting to sound like illinois. [laughter] this is iowa. we want to restore clean government. [applause] i went are out of work. they are bragging about the big bonding plan. when they pass that bill, the unemployment rate was only 5.3%. it is now 6.8%. we are going to be saddled with debt for the next 23 years. we are going to have to pay back money that would have gone to infrastructure. it is going to be paid back.

we cannot afford any more of this debt financed spending. instead, we need to restore pay as you go fiscal responsibility. when need to put the focus back on jobs and economic development in revitalizing state. we need to make iowa competitive. [applause] i have set some goals. 200,000 more jobs in our steaste in the next five-years. reducing the size and cost of government by at least 15% and restoring our leadership position in education, and making us number one in america and again in terms of quality education for our children. [applause]

i cannot do this alone. i need your help. we have the strongest team of republicans running for the state offices. our dynamic candidate for lieutenant governor, i think i have met my match in a work ethic. secretary of state and outstanding manager. our candidate for state treasurer. our outstanding secretary of agriculture. we need an attorney general that is on the side of the taxpayers. we need them to join s in

challenging obamacare. we have a great ticket. let's leave the whole republican team, including the legislature, to victory. thank you very much. [applause] >> and do not ever know if i communicated what i saw. they were stronger than zero elections . i hope we have reminded people that man is not free unless

[unintelligible] [inaudible] >> we as americans have morality now as we have in the past to do what we need to be done to preserve this freedom. >> and american socialists norman thomas said the american people would never vote for socialism. he said under the name of liberalism, they will adopt everything. >> whether we believe in our capacity to self-government or abandon the american revolution, our plan our lives better for as the week implanted for ourselves. >-- for us a better than we can

plan it for ourselves. >> god bless you. god bless the united states of america. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, matt straong. -- strong. >> one of the remarkable attributes of ronald reagan is that he had an unshakable belief in america and the greatness of the american people. i probably like everyone else in this room was raised with the belief that everyone of us are only limited by the talents bestowed upon us by our creator. today is the day to talk about

one of those gifts, the gift of government so limited in the scope that it allows its citizens to realize their god- given potential is a uniquely american ideal. [applause] it is precisely that ideal that is under attack in the white house. i need not remind everybody about that white house. it was i was in 2008 that helped propel barack obama into the white house. how the hawkeye state has changed. changing america start to a changing iowa in 2010. it means putting -- [applause] givin. our people in the offices.

it does not stop there. they need some help in taking the speaker's gavel from the liberal grip of an anti pelosi. -- liberal critic of nancy pelosi. let's send our people to congress. there is no question that our nation faces tremendous challenges. the opportunity for us to step up and provide principal conservative leadership to our state has never been greater. the great news is is we have got some help. we have some with us that no such a face america at this critical juncture. we have someone here tonight who, like ronald reagan, believes in the american experiment and our country deserves a country as great as themselves. folks, on behalf of the six and

a thousand i when republicans and millions of americans ready to take our country back -- 600,000 i/o when republicans and millions of americans ready to take our country back, please welcome sarah palin. [cheers and applause] welcome. welcome. >> thank you so much, iowa. i am so honored to be here. thank you. i love, thank you. -- iowa, thank you. it is great to be in the hawkeye state. it is national pow mia day today, too. do you love your freedom?

are you proud to be an american? [cheers] if you love your freedom, it may fac then we face a challenge. if you have ever served our country, i would like you to stand up. we want to salute you. thank you, veterans. [cheers and applause] we do thank you. we honor you. i wanted to get out today and this beautiful state and enjoy this gorgeous weather. i put on the running shoes . i looked for my hawkeye's t- shirt and my cyclones cap. tood said, "you may want to just

run downstairs in the hotel on a treadmill." the treadmill is like being in a box. i'm going to go out there and see the view. lastly, i was hunting. it was 16 degrees. i want to get outside and see iowa. todd said should run on the treadmills. he said, i guarantee if any one spot to in 10 itennis shoes -- f any one spot seal in tennis shoes, the headline will be "palin and in iowa and decides to run." i know i will appreciate his

good work as governor. i am grateful for his efforts as chairman of the commission for special education and excellence. i appreciate the leadership. our country can become a more welcoming place for these special children to home we can learn so much from. i am convinced we can learn more from these kids then they can ever learn from us. i hope my son is big enough and strong enough to get to shake our next governors hand. [applause] he was at a town hall meeting when he got a call that i support him. in no baby darn deal. -- no big darn deal.

a lady says, does that mean that you will endorse her? he told the crowd, we need to stay focused on this election and not the next one. i always tried that, too. he is right. we cannot wait until 2012 to give our country back on the right track. we need to start now by electing strong leaders you are not afraid to shake it up, to rein in the federal government. it is time to take our country back. how do we do this? many leaders to respect the peepeople like chuck grassley.

we need him in the senate. he has a special place in my heart. he is the only guy i know who loves to twitter as much as i do. today is a 773 bay. it is a 38th anniversary of this 39 per day. and did very ninth birthday. -- it is the 38th anniversary of this 39th birthday. the government is supposed to work for the american people and not the other way around. he stood strong again the mandates of obamacare. he is promising to repeal and replace his team with common sense reforms. they are holding the line on

federal spending. they are out there doing this for us. it is here in our state bellini to help -- in our state that we need to help, too. we need strong leaders. we need public servants that respects our constitution, who will protect state rights, and to know the 10th amendment. that is why i'm supporting the lieutenant governor. you are good people, iowa. we have some great concerts is ever putting it all on the line. they are fighting for what is right. a lot of them thought the primary battles. contested primaries are good.

it is good for the system and great for voters. competition is good. healthy competition breeds success. in excess warowrk dear. -- it makes us work harder. tousing is near. republicans will put their ideas and their experience on the line. it is time to unite. if the goal is to take away the gavel from pelosi and harry reid and to stop the obama agenda and make government respect the will of the people, then it is time to unite. congratulations to the primary voters and victors. unsuccessful gop campaigns and dissuaded political pundits

remember that attitudes are contagious. make sure your attitudes are worth catching. unsuccessful campaigns are all been of the shape after the recent primary battle. i lost the gains, races, reputations. you lose some, you win some.

it is for the sake of our country and america's future, reload with character and shrewd and efforts to restore what is right about america and what will work for america. we need elected leaders to do that. let us unite. i do not know how the machine works. i do not know "de" are that organize. -- "they" are that organize. i think some of those experts or the ones who were wrong in massachusetts and new jersey and delaware and alaska and kentucky. [applause] i do not know who organizes this.

if i workinere king or a coach,i would say everyone has constructed roles in this. the needs are great headache into these midterm elections. the cause is so great. it is the great awakening of america and we need truth in america. how do we get out there? practical ways. we have to raise funds. we have to knock on doors. we have to hold them accountable when they are making things up and telling untruths. we have to do this together.

by and the biggest proponent of freedom of the press in this country. our young men and women are willing to die for our right to have free press. that is why i am shocked about this mediation. i am adamant they tell the truth. how dare anyone in this respect our troops by allowing the president to speak without a corresponding call to truth. ofin this strange, unaccountable day of everyone getting to claim they are a journalist. you have to ask yourself, who are they really? they use anonymous sources. they use it to cowardly attack

someone and their record. remember that they are cowards. usually, they are in a self preservation mode striving for power. they are gutless. the sources used to erode the support a common sense conservatives -- you do not

steal from others. you certainly not still from the next generation by incurring said in debt. those are extreme positions. it has been made abundantly clear that those who hold these common sense and mainstream physicians who are attacked, dissected fault shots do not come from the far left. that is what i will admit to learning in the last couple of years. those in the liberal media use

the unsubstantiated hits. is not fair to our country or the electorate. it is not fair to our democracy. it is not fair to our troops will and to sacrifice all for your freedom, journalists. ok? [applause] annie le gonnif i were in that e hierarchy of leadership in the gop to rally the troops, do you know what i would say? we have 46 days to go. demint you are also, go south. gw we need to raise funds. rush, go deep, go anywhere. beck, hannity, we need everyone in there.

i'm glad to be in trouble for missing names. i will stop. the thing come to iowa -- you can come to iowa. karl rove will think these are the normal hard-working americans that are saying enough is enough. >> we want to give back to those sites interested i -- this time tested truths. everyone can help the. this is it. we cannot blow it. we cannot wait for the political favor.

it did the voters to will stop these leftist policies. it is not good for america. it is the patriots to will restore america. our candidates are offering bold and smart alternatives. and let people think the gop is as a party of no.

i find it interesting critique. it is yet another government stimulus. we see auditors have intimated that they are in l.a. their jobs created with your stimulus -- there were jobs trade with your stimulus money. and i am the idiot. it is the only plane in our platform is "no." president obama was in milwaukee. . .

he wants a tax write-off for business investments like trusts and equipment. good idea i particularly like those ideas when they were part of the mccain-palin platform

back in 2008. [cheers and applause] but, folks, the democrat's tax policy is so flawed. raising taxes in a time of economic woe will fail america. by january 1, when we are slammed with the largest tax increase in u.s. history, corporate growth warns us that you will see 80% of the taxes paid by the small business sector rise. small business is the backbone of our economy. that is who obama characterizes as the rich. they will get slammed. that means these mom-and-pop will have to lay off workers. it means that families will lose health insurance, losing homes. how many will go on welfare? they will have to rely on government. this is a vicious cycle and it

makes you wonder. ask yourself. to think these failed policies are purposeful or do you think the president and his handlers are so naive and inexperienced and maybe have never run a business before? [cheers and applause] this is another taxpayer funded bailout. this time it is for congress itself. instead, let small business owners keep more what they earn so they can reinvest in their business and expand and hire people instead of letting politicians take more from year and spend it on more government growth. cutting taxes, it works. meir's do it. leveling the playing field to allow competition works. governors do it.

the free market works, inviting competition. so fed, let the private sector sore and america will soar again. so have we just been the party of no, gop? the truth is, if you love your country and you love your liberty and our constitution and you prize individual strong work ethic and a pioneering spirit, then you probably do not find much common ground with in this administration. they think the answer to every problem is another federal program. and they think we can revisit our economy by cashing in clunkers and weatherizing windows and loosening light bulbs. and by supporting foreign countries natural resource development instead of our own. we do not our own resourced

development for domestic supplies here in america. they think that america's future should be dictated from the top down, not the bottom up. they think that there is nothing exceptional about the american people. they have faith in the government when we have faith in the people. we believe what ronald reagan believed, that government is not the solution. too often, government is a problem. [applause] we believe, as ronald reagan believed, that government must work with us, not over us. it must stand by our side, not ride on our back. and we believe that the world as a safer place when we stand up to our enemies and stand up for our allies. these days, the president's approach to foreign policy seems

to be, as one european official put it, enemy-centric. the president rights friendly letters to iran's leaders and picks a fight over housing policy with israel. he reset relations with russia, but canceled missile defense plans with our nato allies. he eased sanctions on cuba, but failed to move toward on trade agreements with colombia and south korea. and he cannot muster spending time or meaningful support for iranians risking their lives by opposing ahmadinejad, but he found the time to send a report to the un claiming our country's alleged human-rights violations. there is a disturbing pattern here of reaching out to sworn enemies while sliding our proven friends. folks, that is not foreign policy. that is just foolish.

how long can that go on? [cheers and applause] as we just saw recently, our president refuses to admit that the surge in iraq was a success. he is more concerned with the politics, with withdrawals than with the pursuit of victory. and while the threats to our security grow, he is shrinking the budget for defense against those threats. the obama administration's foreign policy is a far cry from ronald reagan days. president reagan nurtured our allies. he confronted our adversaries. he had clarity and vision and purpose. he knew that an evil empire deserved to be left on the ash heap of history and he had the courage to say so. he called it as he saw it.

i remember, for me, just a young girl, the four words that he spoke as i shared that grave concern with our country -- for our country and the world's safety, wondering, how are we going to be safe? how can we and our allies be secure against an evil world? reagan said it and solidified his commitment he said, "we win, they lose." [cheers and applause] few leaders have the clarity and the courage and the conviction to define an era. but ronald reagan inspired us to greatness. he saw and he spoke to the hearts of america. he looked down at soaring inflation and skyrocketing unemployment and a cold war.

he did not see despair, though. he saw the dawn of a new day. because reagan understood the exceptional nature of america. he knew that what makes her exceptional is not her politicians. it is for people. and the founding principles that they hold dear those things, our principles and our people. they have enabled us to weather tough times before and they will see this through the challenges that we face today. president reagan said his revolution was really just a return to those principles that he called the great rediscovery of our values and our common sense. i think if he were here with us today, i think you would agree that we are due for a little discovery. it is time for renewal, restoration of honor, and those time tested troops. it may take some renegade,

going road to get us there. it may take folks shaking it up to get there. [applause] remember, iowa, it was those types of folks who were the founders of our nation, the freedom fighters, those who wrote that constitution that we are celebrating tonight. it means that being perhaps that party of no, saying no, when we have to see policies that demean our values, we have to repudiate. patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it. [applause]

lely, there has not been a much coming out of washington -- lately, there has not been much coming out of washington. but we can hold it accountable and have great faith in our country and. based on what i have seen over the past year, there is more than enough reason to have faith in america. times may be tough, but there are signs of hope all of a place if you just know where to look. in places like the morning and davenport and delaware, americans are working hard to get our country back on track. neighbors are helping neighbors and family members are scaling back and we prioritizing, making sacrifices. thomas paine eustace say -- thomas paine used to say, if there'd be trouble, let it be in

my day that my children might have peace. he talked about the need to make some sacrifices and reprioritize today so our children and our grandchildren have the opportunities that we all had. and we will make sure that the nation is strengthened and prosperous and remains the most voluntarily generous nation on earth if we reprioritize and make sacrifices today. against tough odds, entrepreneurs today and small business owners, they are growing the economy one job, one night shift, one american dream at a time. across the country, every day americans are standing up and they are speaking out and they are getting involved. they are going to town hall meetings and they are writing

their of eds and running for office and attending the key parties and they have a vision for the future, one that feliz conservative principles, common sense, constitutionally-based principles. and when i see their dedication and decency and patriotism, i am not worried about our future. i am confident and i am hopeful because this is our movement. this is our moment. this is our morning in america. americans have never been sunshine patriots. we are not summer soldiers. since our founding, we have known that it is a struggle and we must sacrifice for the great american experience. we have endured the dark days, secure in the knowledge that our cause is great and noble and true. and we have always emerged stronger and more prosperous because of our founding principles and the spirits of

our people -- and again, that is why we do not need to fundamentally transform america. we need to restore america. [cheers and] applause -- [cheers and applause] so between now and november, we will stand up and speak out when washington has it wrong. we will fight for our values and fight for our constitution. we will elect leaders who have the courage to do what we know what is morally right. candidates, may be underdogs, underfunded, heretofore unknown, they will be made known because they are patriots who are willing to buck the system and doing this for the right reason, not for personal powers, struggles, and titles more money or anything else. they are in this for the right reason. with a then, we will get back to

the time tested truth that made this country great, that believed that the government that governs least governs best, and that the constitution provides the most perfect path toward a more perfect union. and that only limited government can provide the prosperity and the opportunities for all and that freedom is not free, but a god-given right and is worth fighting for. [applause] and that every innocent life has purpose, has destiny, every innocent life deserves to be in that circle of protection and respect. [applause] and that our men and women in uniform, they are america's finest. they are a force for growth in this world and that is nothing to apologize for. [applause]

those are the principles upon which our nation was founded. those are the principles that the republican party has fought for for more than 150 years. now let's get back to them. those are the principles that will usher in a new day in america. iowa, it starts here. it starts tonight. let's get it back. god bless iowa. god bless the united states of america. thank you. [applause] thank you, guys. ♪

♪ ♪

>> that wraps up the iowa republican fundraising dinner in des moines. also, at about 9:00 p.m. eastern, in a few minutes, we plan to bring your remarks from alaska senator early summer kautsky. she is hosting a live conference where she will her intention to run for reelection as a write-in candidate.

>> we have an exciting afternoon, beginning with our very first speaker who was elected to the u.s. house of representatives in 1990 and later served as a senator for 12 years where he became one of the most successful government reformers in our history. he was a member of the famous gang of seven that exposed the house banking and how post office scandals. he championed the successful fight to pass the born alive and fund protection act. and the unborn victims of violence that. is the author of the best selling book "it takes a family." he is a contributor for fox news channel and a columnist with "to the enquirer." of all of his accomplishments,

he cherishes his role as husband and father. he and his wife for parents of seven children. from pennsylvania, please welcome senator rick santorum. >> thank you. [applause] thank you very much. i was up at 4 am this morning. so this is the end of my day. but it is great to be here. it is great to be at the voters summit. i'll set to thank the folks at the family research council. -- i always have to thank the folks at the family research council. [applause] they are a first-class operation in every sense of the word,

both public policy and political action. the bottom line is we support conservative candidates. we support candidates who not only have the best chance to win, but has the best chance to govern the way america wants to be governed. [applause] in thinking about what i was going to say when i came here, i have to tell you that i kept hearing all of these experts on television, these wise men, talking about how we have to keep our message focused on economic issues. they're putting together this package of bills and ideas and make sure that it is disciplined because this is the most important thing. it is a very important thing. but the idea, the concept that the values that the moral issues, the very basic moral issues of our country are not

part of an integrated set of issues that keep this country free and safe and prospering is a very dangerous idea. we can go out and fly on one wing, so we can fly on just the way we talk about taxes and spending and government -- look, what are those issues as to their hearts? the issues of taxes and spending and big government and huge debt, what is at the core of those issues is the issue of freedom. the government is taking your freedom away. government is taking the freedom away to takearn what you want to point what is necessary to our society if we want to be free? one of our founders had it

right. john adams said our constitution is made for a moral and religious people who is wholly inadequate to the governance of any other. we can only be free as long as we are virtuous and we can only be virtuous man as long as there are vibrant faiths in the public square. [applause] i gave a speech in houston texas last week. it was the 50th anniversary of a speech given by john f. kennedy. john f. kennedy gave a speech that was necessary to give at the time as the first catholic to have a serious chance of winning the presidency. there were lots of things going on across america that were discriminatory and wrong and he had to go up and address the proper role that state would play, that the pope would not dictate to him what he was supposed to do. he did that and he did more. he did a lot more.

he said, "i believe in america with a separation of church and state is absolute." that never was and never will be the standard in america. maybe in france, but not in america. [applause] what is the impact on that? it is to drive you, the people of faith, out of the public square, discredit you, say it is ok if you want to believe what you want to believe, but you have no right to bring your values into the public square and argue for moral laws. no, no, no, we cannot legislate morality, which is a joke. every piece of legislation has moral consequences. every single one. [applause] yes, we are engaged in a great battle. one of the reasons is that every

speaker has to do that they travel around this country and the crowds are big and enthusiastic. uc the voter turnout in the states and the record turnouts. what has happened? people understand that something really big is going on. it is not just economics. it is not just economics. the very basis of our civilization is at a turning point. you see, america is a grand experiment. up until america, no government had crafted their country with the idea that god had given every individual rights that the government must respect. that was a revolutionary concept, that the sovereign

served the people, not that the people served the emperor or the king. do you understand how significant it was that our founders said that it is god of abraham, isaac and jacob has bestowed on every person and natural rights and the government has to respect them? that every person must be free to pursue their dreams? what are the consequences of that? i will give you one, but there are so many. what do you think the average life expectancy was during the time of the revolution? 35-40 years of age. what was it 2000 years before that? 35-40 years of age. the world, for 2000 years under

a system where sovereigns were given the privilege of ruling over people, humans, mankind it did not advance. in 200 years, after we said no, we respect the life and the dignity of every human person, because god says that they have rights. [applause] as a result of that, life expectancy has doubled in two hundred years. technology has exploded. why? because we let loose the human spirit. it was the first time in the history of the world that a group of people formed a government that believed in you. we will let you rise to the highest heights. we will paul society up.

and by the way you are allowed to fall to the lowest depths. we tolerated failure. why? because it is your own life. when you learn more, from your successes or from your failures? we understand that america built its character because we allow people to rise and we do not redistribute their wealth. we allow it to be so that everyone will do better. and we changed the world. some say, it just happened to be at that time in the world would have changed everywhere. oh really? let's look at the muslim world of the last two hundred years. great technological innovations, weren't there? let's look at other parts of the

world where there wasn't freedom. where there wasn't the belief in you. at the heart of america is an understanding of god-given natural rights and a limited government that makes the success story of america possible. what people are afraid of today, why people are out in the street and devoting in great numbers is because they see that the american dream is important. we now have people in washington who believe it is the government that this those rights, not god. the government can take from some and give to others. the government gives you the right to kill another child. the government can force a doctor and hospital to provide the care for you at whatever cost it is. the american people are anxious

because they see what has made america the greatest country in the history of the world at the breaking point. this could be a very ominous time. i happen to believe that this is a very blessed time. i feel incredibly blessed to be here when america needs us. [applause] lots of generations of americans will get up every day, go to work, go to school, get the kids off to school, play golf, do what ever is. and you know what? the next day, america will be free, safe and prosperous. we do not happen to live in one of those times. we happen to live in a very different time in america. we happen to live in a time in america when you do not have to

put a uniform on to defend freedom. but you have to put your civic have gone and you have to engage in what is going on in this country politically. you have to understand that this is not just economics, but at the root of the success of america, is the understanding of the human person. this understanding, as i said before -- the size and scope of government is directly related -- directly related to the virtue of the people. go into any neighborhood where there is a lack of virtue. what will you find? two things. you will find no families. in a mother's and father's together in marriage, and you will find -- no mothers and fathers together in marriage, and you will find government everywhere, police and social services. why? because when it faced and virtue

fell, government takes over. -- face -- faith and virtue fail, government takes over. [applause] when people tell us to put the values in the back of the bus, remember, we can have no good economic freedom with the people of good faith. limited government can only occur in a society where there are strong families, churches and virtue. [applause] do not let them put you in the back of the bus. your issues are important and they need to be heard. yes, they may be more controversial in this day and age, but we need public officials who are willing to stand up and tell the whole story.

americans understand. we just do not tell the story. that is why i am here tonight. to encourage you to go out and do something heroic. a gentleman by the name of christopher lasch said, "every day we get up and resell ourselves lives so that we can live -- and we tell ourselves lies so that we can live." a lie we tell ourselves in america is that we can just go ahead and live our lives and we will continue to be free, safe and prosperous. our founders understood this. they understood the riding the freedoms into our constitution was the easy part.

the hard part was keeping america free over time. that is the duty of all of you. that is the duty of right now. this election, 2010, is the most important election of our lifetime, not because dramatic changes are going to happen if republicans and conservatives take control of the house and the senate. there will not be dramatic changes. this is something very important to understand. as leaders -- you are here because your leaders. to set the expectations properly for those you are leading across america. barack obama will still be president november 3rd, 2010, and he will not be for repealing obama-care. he will not be for reducing taxes. he will not be for cutting spending. there should be no popping of champagne corks on november 2nd, in respect of the size of the victory.

it is simply one step. just like 2006 when the democrats took control of the house and the senate was a step. it was 2008, when they took the presidency and a super majority in the senate that allow them to do big things. you want to do big things in america? there are three times in american history where really big things happen. really big, that changed government. the new deal. the great society. and the last two years under obama-care. what was the common denominator? liberal presidents, a majority in the house of liberals, but the exclusive thing, a filibuster-proof majority in the senate.

if you want to see what the tea party once in the senate, you have to get as many candidates as you can in the senate. i would add the delaware would be a good place to spend some time. then do not take your hat off. stay focused. 2012. if we want to restore limited, constitutional government. if we want to continue to have a country that is free, safe, virtuous and prosperous, where people of faith are welcome to the public square, is the next two elections that will make all the difference. do not get down on republicans and conservatives because they were not able to do big things in 2011 and 2012. they will not have the votes. we have to be focused. we have to be smart. are you up for doing this? [applause]

i will close with something that i think is just a little perspective. i am asking you to do great things. this is a critical time in american history. i always like to talk about the greatest generation of americans, those who served our country bravely during the war years. what made them the greatest generation? were they different from you? better than us? more virtuous, moral, courageous? know. what made them the greatest? they were confronted at a time when america needed them and they stepped up and met the challenge. [applause] let me remind you that the

greatest generation of americans did not rush to the challenge. the greatest generation of america, on june 14th when france fell and europe was covered with stalinist, when stalin and hitler were together and tierney ruled, america did nothing. the greatest generation did nothing. pleaded over the radio for america to come and join them, pleaded as bombs were dropping and london was being leveled. americans did nothing. when a ship of jews came to this country, about the atrocities that were occurring on the continent of europe, we send them back. the greatest generation of americans. i say that to you because it

took pearl harbor to grab the american spirit. it took something horrific. once you wake americans, once you start them up, there is no limit to what we can do, but it is hard to get stirred up. we tend to think things will work out. things will get along. my big concern is that yes, we are stirred up. we are stirred up now. but now is not enough. we have to be longer-term. we have to win this time and win big, and we have to keep going. we have to keep going. between now and 2012. [applause]

thank you. i know i am talking to the choir. you are here. sometimes the choir has to go out and sing solos. i am asking everyone for the future, not for your grandchildren. i wish i was just worried about your grandchildren, but for your future, your children's future, sing loudly and proudly. sing courageously. sing strongly for the greatness of america. god bless you. [applause] ♪ >> we will leave this conference to -- and we are awaiting alaska senate 37 rakowski -- alaska senator lisa murkowski.

she is expected to announce her candidacy as a write-in candidate. she lost her bid for the republican seat to jo miller last month. earlier tonight, sarah palin was speaking at a republican dinner in iowa. she was asked about the candidacy and said that she thought it would be ultimately futile. you can watch her full remarks online at c-span.org. again, we are waiting for a live news conference from lisa murkowski. that will be from anchorage, alaska, and we will bring that to you when it begins. meanwhile, we will bring you remarks by dale peterson. he was another speaker at the conference earlier today in washington.

>> if you like politicians to say it like it is, you are going to love our next guest. he became a youtube sensation with this ad. take a look. >> i have been a farmer, a businessman, a marine during vietnam. listen up. alabama agricultural commissioner is one of the most powerful positions in alabama, responsible for $5 million. you know why you did not know that? because it is run by criminals who do not care about your money. they don't give a rip about alabama. alabama unemployment is at an all-time high. what are my opponents doing about it? stealing and yard signs in the middle of the night. bragging about receiving illegal

money on facebook. and why? we are republicans. we should be better than that. i am dale peterson. give me the nomination, and let's show alabama we mean business. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage, and dale peterson. [applause] >> let's just say, i am dale peterson, and i give a rip about america. you do not know what an honor it is to be here and then honored to be representing the people of alabama, because those are some of the greatest people you will meet in your life, let me tell

you. a friend of mine in texas it told me something. he said, i have been watching this all day. when is anybody going to get down to the hard facts? the last guy was talking about chicken. i have been thinking about lame ducks. how many people in this room and out there in tv land can raise your hand and say i trust the government? that is what i thought. when you get right down to it, we have a guy in their new is president of the united states to does not like america. we have a president of the united states to do is doing all he can to bring down america.

i am a guy who has never been a fan of politicians. they make mice can crawl. even though i was not successful in -- they make my skin crawl. even though i was not successful in my race and alabama, that does not mean that i was not successful on the road. my wife and i have been traveling all over helping republican candidates to get elected. and they are going to get elected, let me tell you. but this time around, i do not want anybody to be sitting back and saying, you know, this is going to be a clean sweep. this is what i am afraid of. especially in alabama. we have an idiot democrat who is now the commissioner of agriculture, and he would be a

disgrace if obama party got in there. we are going around the country. we are going around the state. i am doing more traveling then i was doing while i was running. we really need to get out the vote. i work with the tea party in alabama. the rainy day patriots. we put together a video just recently to get out of the. that is what it is all about. i would like now to show you a draft of that. this is a preview. it will not be posted on facebook until early monday morning. if the guys will play that, we will see what it takes to get up the boat. ok. -- get out the vote. a bit.

i am del peterson. i have been a farmer, a businessman, a cop, a marine, so listen up. people are trampling our constitution and destroying our economy. we have to start winning elections, taking back the house and senate, and electing conservative governors. it is time to hit the left with the strong right. our country is broke. democrats have the country in a tailspin and they do not give a rip about america. what comes after a trillion anyway? in this business, it is not money that counts. it is votes. ocelot's of of those. that is our currency. -- lots but of -- lots of votes. that is our currency. it is time to back our trucks up

to the voting booth. let's registered conservative of voters by going door-to-door. let's get the young people involved, go to senior centers, fairs, churches. e-mail registration forms to like-minded people in your circles. if we all do a little, it will add up, and it will spread like wildfire. air, land and sea. it is time to get going. [applause] you know, again, this is about america. this is the absolutely most crucial -- kind of like rick santorum said earlier -- this is the most crucial election in the history of america. we have to get to the polls and

we have to put a stop on this. we cannot stop it, because like he said, we still have barry in there. until we get rid of barry, or barack -- i have not seen his little feet on his birth certificate so i do not know what he is. we might have seen today, or tomorrow, the next president of the united states at this convention. i issue the challenge to them. it dale peter was running for president, i understand the meaning of illegal, ok? if i tell you i was going to close the borders, you can bet your 50 on it.

we have a thing called the health care bill that destroys america. what this boils down to is what my old granddad used to do way back when is the same thing he used to do with that old sears and roebuck catalog before we had indoor plumbing, all right? [laughter] i issue a challenge to those guys. let's make this order. i really appreciate you guys having me here today. i really appreciate you being here and i really appreciate you guys standing up for good, conservative republicans. remember the tea party. they do not have candidates. they support good, conservative republican candidates. that is what they do. the pundits are trying to absolutely blow that out of proportion. what it boils down to is that it

is real crucial, real crucial. so, let you know, i tell you, it almost makes me cry to think about where our country has come to from where we started ipsa -- from where we start it. we have a constitution that include god and family, and that is why we are the greatest country on earth, and that is why they're trying to tear it down. we have an administration today -- i may have arrows or bullets shot at me -- we have a guy that hates america. i am just going to go ahead and say it. let's take care of that. we have the tea party panel

coming up. the responsibility or the blame you might say for me being here volstead on the shoulders of the next guy we're going -- falls dead on the shoulders of the next guy we are going to introduce. i have taken too much time, but i am passionate about our country and i am passionate about the people in this country, our kids and our grandkids. anything i can do for anybody at any time, you pick up the phone and you call me. i do not know what is making me do this, but i am doing it. thank you, god. i really appreciate you.

>> alaska senator lisa murkowski is expected to announce our intention to run as a write-in a candidate. she would based jo miller and scott mcadams in a general election. earlier tonight, sarah palin was speaking at a republican dinner in iowa. she was asked about the right in candidacy. she said she thought it would be ultimately futile. you can watch her pull remarks at the i would dinner online at c-span.org. we will also be read-sharing that at about 6:30 a.m. eastern tomorrow -- re-airing that at about 6:30 a.m. tomorrow on c- span. we will return to the council

on family values where we will hear from gary bauer. he -- he remains one of america's strongest the spokesmen for pro-life, pro-family values. he has served as the vice president of focus on the family. in 2000, he ran for president of the united states. he now leads a nonprofit educational organization he founded after the 2000 presidential campaign, which is also one of the great sponsors of the values of voter summit. i would like you do not just

welcome him as he comes to speak, but also thank him for his great service to our country and our cause. please welcome gary bauer. [applause] >> thank you. thank you very much. very nice of you. i appreciate that. ronald reagan told me that if i ever speak to an audience and i get a standing ovation, i should sit down immediately because there is no where to go down after it -- because there is nowhere to go but down after that. i am glad to be here for another year of the values of voters summit. i am always honored to be here. this year it really seems to me to be a more significant event than ever. i am up here and you cannot see the whole audience. i am looking out at this audience.

as i was walking out here, the first thing that came to my mind as i saw you all was that you are at barack obama's and nancy pelosi's and harry reid's worst nightmare. [applause] in the last 18 months -- i have been in washington along time. you all know that. when i first came here. i have seen all kinds of demonstrations. it is always the left. they are always demanding a new benefit, demanding that you pay for something. in the last 18 months, there has been wave after wave of demonstrations in this city, and it is not the left. it is you, middle america, pouring into this city. it is happening because this country is in shock about what is being done to our nation.

faugh i run into people all the time. they cannot believe that. we have watched left-wing politicians in this city pass legislation that they did not even bother to read let alone read the constitution that they did their oath of office on. [applause] maybe i am not perfect in political analysis, but my sense is that the country is sick and tired of being lectured by liberal elites telling us what we need to drink, what we need to eat, what we need to drive, what we need to say, what we need to believe. they are tired of it. [applause] of massive debt being put on the backs of our

children, children not even born yet. they are tired of the constitution being treated like it is toilet paper, of trying to redefine marriage, of taxpayers being forced to pay for abortion. the country is watching as houses are lost, dreams crushed, and they are watching while the president of the united states, the man who said he was going to bring us together, it tries to set one class against another in the broadest class warfare. he ought to be ashamed of himself. [applause] i had a reporter come in the other day, why is everybody so angry? what is everyone so upset about?

what is all the turmoil? i said to this gentleman, in the last two weeks, leading up to last weekend, the anniversary of the attack on 9/11. if you did not do anything as a reporter but pay attention to those last two weeks, you would know all you need to know about why there is so much anxiety and anger and around the country. you all remember that day. i bet every one of you here can tell me exactly where you word -- where you were the morning. i was about 70 yards away from the pentagon. it was an unbelievable day. an act of war. in the days that followed that attack we had all kinds of people tell us what the cause of the attack was. some said it was because of poverty in the middle east. others said it was because of

social injustice, or was because of foreign policy mistakes by the united states and by israel. none of those things had anything to do with 9/11. none of those things had anything to do with anything we have seen since 911. here is what caused 9/11. 98% of the american people believe this. almost none of the elite believe it, or if they believe that they are not willing to say it. the attackers on 9/11 were not created by proxy. they were created by radical as long. -- radical islam. [applause] when they got on those planes,

they thought they were getting ready to do something that would please allah. if they were not muslim to jihadists, they would not have been on the plane. because the elites are so confused about this, the jihadists believe they're going to win. they look at us and believe we are fat and lazy, that our civilization is in decline. i believe they are wrong. i think young men and women in uniform in afghanistan and iraq are proving them wrong every day. [applause] but my friends, and i understand

why this enemy is so confused. because when they look at america, in fact, when most of the world looks of america, they do not see a shining city upon the help, the wonderful biblical phrase the founders used to describe our country, the phrase that ronald reagan used over and over again in every political speech. when the world looks of america, all too often they see a moral swamp, a culture promoting sex and violence. no wonder our enemies think they can defeat us. our founders knew that only a virtuous people could remain free. have we not seen the truth of that when you look at wall street or the halls of government or in our schools or even in our own families? if we do not have the americans that no reliable standards of right and wrong, there is no amount of government that can solve the problems facing the country.

the central idea of america is in the second paragraph of the declaration of independence. senator santorum referred to a number of times. i know you know that paragraph, but have to tell you, ladies and gentlemen, the elites of this country reject the heart of that paragraph, and that is the paragraph that defines america. you cannot teach american kids about america without teaching them that paragraph. you know the words, "we hold these truths..." you see, the allegis are in shock right there. troops? -- e. lee you see, the elites are in shock right there. truth?

they believe in moral relativism. what is true for you may not be true for somebody else. we hold these truths to be self- evident, endowed by the creator by the president, not by someone else. and by the way folks, not buy allah. [applause] endowed by the creator and, as inalienable right. that means that they cannot be surrendered. among these rights, the right to life -- the founders knew that without that right the other allies -- the other rights or

sort of beside the point. life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. that is why we are a shining city upon a hill. but i am understand why americans might be feeling that way today. a shining city on the hill? in the obama recession the american people are lucky if they can turn the lights on in their house let alone of the shining city on the hill. in the two weeks opposed -- two weeks leading up to the anniversary of 9/11, we have to listen to the white house make it clear to us that they were more interested in seeing a

mosque built at ground zero than they were in describing and explaining to the american people the nature of the danger that we face. [applause] what is the danger? let me remind you what the central reality of our age is. and it is going to be the central reality of our age probably for the rest of our lifetimes. there are evil men who worship death, who are doing everything they can -- in-line >> we aren't leaving the last few minutes of this conference to bring you live coverage from alaska. lisa murkowski is going to announce an intention to run as

a write-in candidate. last month, she lost the republican candidacy tutti party candidate joe miller. this -- to tea party candidate joe miller. this is live coverage on c-span. >> run, lisa, run! [chanting run lisa, run]

>> i think she heard you. [applause] welcome home, senator. [applause]

hi, senator. can i talk to you about something? you have several friends here tonight who would like to have a conversation with you. [applause] we are going to see how good we can be about the news hour starting right on the button. before the senator comes up to tell you what she is going to do for alaska, we have some people we have invited to offer some words of encouragement for lisa. at this time, i would like to introduce our emcee for this evening, from one a 1.3 qaeda d.o.t. -- from 101.3 kgot, stu.

>> do not look now, but i think if you look outside in anchorage, the fog is about to left. -- to lift. [applause] is an honor to be here. i have been in alaska for 20 years now. we had one senate seat we lost due to a lying lawyer. not going to let it happen again. first i would like to call to the podium a schoolteacher and registered democrat who is responsible for developing the write-in facebook page and now has 2000 fans.

[applause] >> good evening, everyone. i love alaska. my name is stephanie. most of you have no idea who i am. i am not famous. i am just an average alaskan trying to do the right thing. [applause] in august, i voted in the primaries with the party i am affiliated with. that night, i watched as the votes were counted and the numbers came in. the next morning, i began to worry. after the worry came shock. after the shot came anger. i was mad. i was real mad. [applause]

i was mad at the outcome of the republican primary, and i was glad there was nothing i could have done to vote for the person i supported. because, you see, although i am a registered democrat, i prefer to vote for the person who i believe is the best candidate. [applause] after that day in august, i was upset in the choices i was left with for senator. i felt trapped, and honestly i did not feel like voting for anyone in november. then a friend of mine said, well i am writing in lisa anyway. she said it, so i thought, we need to do this. we need to spread the word and led an alaskan snow that this is an option for -- and let that this is an option for us.

and what better way than to spread doriden through facebook? -- to spread the word than through facebook? i passed the word to my friends and they passed the word and so on. i started that page three weeks ago and now we have around two thousand fans. [applause] the outpouring of support from alaskans allover the stay was incredible. people were upset at what our options were for the senate race. but we were not going to stand idly by. we were going to do something about it. in addition to the right in, people took it upon themselves to look up the right and policy. we are serious about this.

i am not affiliated with the campaign in any way. i made this page because i think this is what is right for the state of alaska. [applause] i have never again won the was big into politics. i have always -- i have never been one who was big into politics. i have always been loaded -- i have always voted, but i have never stood up the way i am now. we have to make this happen. [applause] >> thank you. now i would like to introduce to you a military wife who ise

husband is currently deployed. please welcome kavi. -- katie. >> i am a military spouse, but i was brought up here by my dad was in the air force. i got here in 1996, and i knew the day i arrived that alaska was my home forever. i love it here. senator murkowski has done so much for the military. just this week, as she secured over $3 million in funds for bases across alaska. she was responsible for getting f-22 is up here along with a new set of f-22 is that are coming soon.

[applause] i think her on behalf of all of the military families -- thank her on behalf of all of the military families. above being a military spouse, and above being the girl do helped to start the facebook page, i take pride in being an alaskan. there is a lot of talk about common sense politics lately. i do not look at things as republican, democrat, christian or muslim. i look at things logically. we have the senior senator whose stepson committees that are important to alaskans like the appropriations committee -- who sits on committees that are important to alaskans like the appropriations committee, the indian affairs committee, and

the energy and national -- natural resources committee which is kind of our business here. she is a person who has listened to her constituents. she has delivered. she has been on committees that are important to us. to me, common-sense says let us keep the person who is doing a good job for alaskans in the senate. i think that is common sense. i do not know. i plan on writing her name and on november 2nd. thank you. [applause] >> i noticed people already trying to join space-bar via their telephone. make sure you do that if you -- already trying to join the facebook page via the telephone. make sure you do that if you

have not. i like to introduce our senior senator. it fun to yell like heck for something positive? i am really thrilled to be here for lisa. paul disclosure, i am connected to the family through my wonderful daughter in law and the sun. liza does not always listen to us -- full disclosure, i am connected to the family through my wonderful daughter-in law and

son. lisa does not always listen to us, but this time i think she will. how really fortunate that we had people in there that had one primary thing that was really important. family, yes, but it was the state of alaska that they wanted to serve. i am proud of the fact the lisa and her family have come together, and the decision will be made, i hope, the lisa will be running as a write-in candidate. there was a lot of effort by

people in this room. we all like to win. it is going to take a lot of people doing a lot of good work, but we have always had respect and loyalty from a lease that in her service to alaska. i stand here to ask you to -- from lisa and her service to alaska. i stand here to ask you to join me, republicans, democrats, independents, and are there any other kind? there must be. we all need to work together, and we can win this race. i think there are real possibilities out there. lisa, please agreed to begin and successfully complete this campaign with all of us. we will help you. let's help continue the service

that les has given. [applause] >> powerful words spoken by a true alaskan leader. now we are going to introduce to you the president of the national educational association alaska, an organization representing 13,000 teachers and employees. she has taught in alaska since 1980. she says she can help everyone lisa and murkowski. >> good evening. it is a privilege to be here

tonight. senator, we hope you will make a decision to impact alaskas future. in june, our members decided overwhelmingly to support the senator, and our support has not wavered one bit. our members know how hard she has worked. we know she is the best choice for alaska as children. we know she understands the problems with no child left behind. we know we must send her back to washington to advocate for equality public education across the country. and our members know the value of having our senior senator there fighting for education in alaska. we employ heart -- we employer

turnout tuesday in the race and fight for what is best for -- we to stay iner now the race and fight for what is best for alaska. we can help you fill in the bubble and write her name. >> right alaskas future and her history. this next gentleman is from the anchorage police department. [applause] >> the first thing i would like to do is start off by thanking lisa for coming by last week to recognize two police officers who were killed in the line of duty. [applause]

i am up there with my brothers from the fire department. i represent over 500 employees at the anchorage police department. we stuck with a lease that during the primary and we plan to continue -- with lisa during the primary and we plan to continue that support. this is not going to be easy. everyone has to make a personal commitment to talk to your friends, family and neighbors to put some commitment behind us. . .

in alaska, it is about federal spending th

. >> let me introduce you the democrat. he is a co-chair of the alaska federation of natives. senator? >> both have been on the endangered species list a couple of times. >> i am not here by myself. i appreciate that. there are three of us. i feel safe. i'm not here because i like republican.

for lisa murkowski is the only thing we need for lascar right now. it is very important for us. the alaska federation of natives asked lisa murkowski to run pra. the alaskan native community will be there for her along with you. the theme is the same. we owe her so much. we are going to be there to do our share to get her elected. i am not going to be here to waste my time and have fun. i want to be here to win. that is what we are going to do. we are going to win for th.

there is a lot of time or they have a division between them. this cannot be one of those signs fotimes. we need to get behind her as a native population and a non- native population. we are going to do that. i wanted to have someone follow me from the native community that was a better speaker then i was. it did not take me very long to look to find someone who could speak to you on these issues.

alaskans are known for making history nevad. as i said, i had the opportunity over many years to look at politics. i know that is where each of guesses of that moment. we had opportunities to work with senator murkowski, to watch your, to disagree with her from time to time.

we respected each and every second. we must bring her back to the united states senate. [cheers] you have seen here on the podium a cross-section of alaskans that you would never see in what you consider a write-in campaign. a cross-section of all that makes alaska strong and good, all that made a last bid the kind of place that has been said they can come in 1996. you love the place so much they eat and never leave. you could dispassionately and passionately look at least a

murkowski in say, "let's make history." [cheers] it is my honor to introduce to you lisa murkowski.

>> thank you. thank you. >> i love you, lisa. >> i love you. i am so of all humbled and honored to stand before you today. you make my heart full again. i thank you. i never knew stephanie and katie until just now. and the support from so many,

the cross-section of people. it is phenomenal. it is incredible. this is alaska. we come together. [applause] we come together prepare. we embrace each other because of who we are and what we contribute to our community, to our state. this is what makes alaska grades, not our party label -- great, not our party label. there is one person of standing on the stage tonight that i still wish -- i still wish to ted stevens was here tonight. [applause]

ted was a man who devoted his entire life, his whole life to alaska. he never, ever gave up on it. he fought for us every day. he sets the standard for public servants. for eight years now, that is the standard that i have set to achieve. he said, lisa, you are the best partner i could ever have in the united states senate.

and he -- [applause] before his tragic accident, it took him from an alaskan that he loves so much, he wrote a statement that said, "she is a fighter who stand up for what is right. i trust your commitment to do what is best for alaska's." today, my friends, my campaign for alaska is future begins. -- alaska's future begins. [cheers]

i get the message. i hear a loud and clear. i announced today that i will be a bright in candidate in november for the united states senate seat that i now holds -- a write-in candidate in november for the united states senate seat that i now hold. [cheers and applause] thank you. i thank you for this support. i will tell you that when those votes came in on the 24th of august, when they were counted, there was nobody that was more disappointed than i was. since then, things have happened. events have transpired.

there has been an outpouring of support from alaskans all over the state from all political persuasions. when i sit down at the restaurant and sa wager saysites run and i will quit. this is the outpouring of support stock that i have received from individuals stopping me in the airports to the diners. it has been almost overwhelming.

i looked into my heart and i said, where is my heart? my heart is alaska u. can not leave you. i cannot stop will we have

started, white tent in so many others have built or do what ted -- what ted and so many others have built. please, give us that choice. they told me we cannot accept the extremist views of joe miller. [applause] we cannot expense deal with his i. they told me, we do not have a choice.

we do not have a choice. we feel disenfranchise prokofie november 2, you have a choice. if you stand by me, i will stand by you. i will stand by alaska. joining me. thank you. we have to hold back a second.

we cannot fool ourselves of this and be an easy task. it'll be tough. berglund to come act is further they will be in our face. -- they are going to come at us. they will be in our face. have we ever shied away from things that are tough? no. have we ever shirt from our responsibility? no. we are going to give alaskans and option. we know that the mechanisms tallis this is impossible. you cannot do it. alaskans cannot figure out -- can figure out how to spell

murkowski. there are an awful lot of naysayers out there. owlish reminded by a friend of mine. he said there is no word for a "impossible" in the aleut language. we are going to think like our aleuts. nothing is impossible. you all know that i went back to washington a couple of days ago, the land of- naybobism. these-groups like a tea party express independent groups.

they tell me this cannot be done, that this is a futile effort. well, perhaps if one time they met one republican leader who will not quit on alaska. i want to remind everyone when this discussion -- you have a process. it is our constitution that

allows for common guarantees, the right to vote for the person of your choice. i want to give the that choice and option. my opponent of one to point out to you that prior to the august 24 primary i stated i was going to accept the outcome of the primary. i will tell you right now. i regret that statement. i regret that i made that statement. it was made before i became aware of the last minute mudslinging and name-calling and lies that came from mr. miller and his staff. that is unacceptable. this is where i am. i have this choice of living with the regret in making ill- timed statement are living with the regret -- mr. miller and

his extreme views are not in alaska is best interest. [applause] i will be the first one to admit to you that in the primary campaign, we talk about ourselves and me a lot. we did not educate alaskans about the extremists use burdvi. and he swung, i did not swing back. the gloves are off.

we are such a diverse state. you have to have somebody in washington who will fight for all of our causes, whether you are a republican or a democrat or whether you are a libertarian or independent or none of the above. we have to be fighting for all of alaskans interest. i need to be fighting for in eight is in those to build our state protectiv -- i need to beg for our state and those to build our state, higher fighters and our policemen and our energy

people. that is to we represent. we do not just represent just those of like us. that is not what alaska is about b. we need alaskans to observe a fighter in the united states senate to will always stand up for alaska, who understands our and have the experience, respect, and sonority to accomplish that b. i am that senator. we are going to work on the

numbers. 11.9 and 3.4 that is the percentage of registered alaskan voters that voted for joe miller and scott mcadams respectively. that is less than 15% of the alaskan and electorate. tens of thousands of you who did not voted during the primaries, i ask you to join us. join us for the good of our state. your vote has never been more important. you are going to have to work just a little bit harder to make it count. we have got to do this together. this is not boiling to be easy. this is not going tv easy. you have to learn how to spell my name. we will be teaching you how to spell it over the next 45 days. there will be a test.

it is just one question. you can figure it out. you can figure it out. this is a statement. you have to fill it in. this is a statement that we must make for alaskans. together we can do what they say can not be done. that alaska is not fair game for outside extremists. we are smarter than that. we are sharper than that. we will not be that. to accomplish our new goals, we have a lot of work to do. it stars today. it starts with all of us. we put together a new team and approach. some of these alaskans are with us today. i am pleased to introduce our to cochairs -- two co-chairs. come on up here. [applause]

mary has been a wonderful privilegpublic servant. i would also like to bring up a byron who has agreed to co- chaired. w in[chanting "win, lisa, win"] \ we can do it. we can do it. you make me so proud, so proud

to be an alaskan. >> you make me proud. >> i am here to tell you on november 2, we will all be remembering these words from our dear friend, ted stevens, "to hell with politics, let's do what is right for alaska." [cheers and applause] >> lisamurkowski.com. the headquarters are here in town. you can talk to her. you can wish her good luck.

he can tell where how badly he wanted her to do this. let senger out with "win lisa win. -- let senger out with "?win lisa win" >> [chanting "win lisa, win."[ . .

they could have used this money to pay the bills, pay the mortgage, or send their kids to college. when michele and i work for starting a family, we had to navigate these financial -- decisions. whether it was buying a first home, paying all our college loans, are putting a lot of debt on the credit cards. we were better off than a lot of families, but we still found ourselves confused or found ourselves in tough situations. we have a pretty good idea. we have a good idea of how this can be difficult and sometimes confusing for the average consumer. that is partly why even when i was still in the senate, i took a great interest in the work of the woman standing next to me. i had known elizabeth warren for

a long time. she is a native of oklahoma. she is a janitor's daughter. she is one of the country's fiercest advocates for the middle class. she has seen financial struggle and foreclosures up at her own family. long before this crisis hit, she had written eloquently and forcefully about the growing financial crisis on working families. we need to put in place stronger consumer protections. she came up with an idea for a new independent agency that would have one simple overriding mission -- standing up for consumers and middle-class families. thanks to her efforts as well as the dedication and persistence of the person to my right, secretary of the treasury geithner, as well as leaders of the congress like chris dodd and barney frank, that agency will soon become a reality.

the consumer financial protection bureau will empower all americans with a clear and concise -- with the clear and concise information they need to make the best financial decisions for them and their families. never again will people be confused or misled by barely understandable fine print on agreements for credit cards, mortgages, or a student loans. the bureau will crack down on unscrupulous practices. it will reinforce the new credit card law that we passed and ensure that folks are not unwittingly caught by overdraft fees. it will give students who take out college loans clear information and make sure that lenders do not drain the system. it will ensure that every american will be given a free

credit score if they are denied a loan. basically, the consumer financial protection bureau will be a watchdog for the american people. it will be charged with enforcing the toughest financial protections in history. getting this agency all of the ground will be an enormously important task. it is a task that cannot wait. that task is something that i have asked elizabeth to take on. secretary gunnar and i both agree -- secretary geithner and i both agree that she is the best person for this job. she was the architect behind the idea of a consumer watchdog. it only makes sense that she should be the architect working with secretary of the treasury gardner with setting up the agency. she will help oversee all aspects of the bureau's creation.

she will have direct access to me and to secretary geithner. she will oversee a staff at the treasury department that has already begun to work on this task. she will also play a pivotal role in helping the determine who the best choice is for director of the bureau. given the importance of these economic issues, i also want elizabeth to have a role as a white house adviser as well as an adviser to secretary geithner. she understands what i strongly believe, that a strong growing economy begins with a strong and thriving middle-class. that means every american has to get a fair shake in their financial dealings. for years, financial companies have been able to spend millions of dollars on their own watchdogs, lobbyist to watch out for their interests and fight for their priorities. that is their right. but from now on, consumers will also have a powerful watchdog --

a tough, independent watchdog whose job is to stand up for their financial interest and for their families' future. i am proud that we get this done. i am equally proud that elizabeth warren will be helping to make her original vision a reality. we are extremely proud of you, elizabeth. good luck. >> thank you. thank you, mr. president. >> why not submit our to confirmation? >> if you had the constitutional authority to make this appointment -- do you have the constitutional authority to make this appointment?

>> welcome to the white house. >> it is arguable and justifiable to have an argument to say that we would not have the black middle class if we had not had general motors, ford, or chrysler. >> in 2008, he supported the bailout of the automobile industry. on sunday night he would talk about his life and what is ahead for automobile makers. >> now, but been a dick xvi -- pope benedict xvi. he will speak to members of parliament. this is about 50 minutes.

[church bells ringing]

[applause] [lon>> long live the pope!

[trumpet fanfare] 01♪

>> it is my honor to introduce his holiness, pope benedict xvi to westminster hall. it is the first time that a pope has visited this place, a fact

that alone invest today with deep historical significance. it is a measure of the distance we have come and of the dialogue which we have created over the past few decades. it is an event that in years gone by would have seemed both inconceivable can occur and seemed wholly natural. this is the old structure of its kind in europe and the home of many memories. it is inevitably associated with trials and condemnation, as was the fate of sir thomas more, in one of my 156 predecessors and speakers of the house of commons. commons.