the right thing and you deserve for that to be recognized and rewarded." how soon will that pledge be honored? >> i am determined that we will honor that pledge. this is important. i know how angry people in northern ireland are when they hear british politicians say, "of course, nobody lost any savings in the crash." people did lose money, including in northern ireland, and they are right to be upset and angry. a working group is trying to go through those issues and to find an answer. my right honorable friend the northern ireland secretary is involved in that, and the chancellor is engaged in the issue. it is not easy, but we are determined to find a solution so that we can give satisfaction to people who lost money in northern ireland and who currently feel that they have been let down. the british house of commons has been recessed. we will show you speeches by the prime minister and conservative party leader david cameron, deputy prime minister nick claig and the prime minister that will be elected next weekend. you can find links to the house

of commons and the prime minister's website at c- span.org. >> coming up on the road to the white house, a conversation with governor tim pawlenty on his possible 2012 presidential bid. after that, sarah palin's speech at a republican dinner in iowa. the, president obama's at black congressional caucus dinner in washington. >> next, a conversation with jim pawlenty. he talks about growing up in st. paul was the youngest of five children. losing his mother at the age of 16 in his entry into local and state politics, his eight years as minnesota's governor and his possible 2012 presidential bid. this is 40 minutes.

>> there have probably been many defining moments. one is the support of we have given to the men and women in a number united states military. our national guard has played a larger and larger role. that has required minnesota's to stand up. we lead the nation beyond the yellow ribbon. for minnesota, i am a pretty liberal. that is a big deal. i am right about that. >> the president said that next year, that is a transitional day. do you disagree with that? >> first of all, i applaud the president for making the

decision to put more troops in afghanistan. i wish said he would not have taken five months to make that decision. once you make that arbitrary date, it begins to put questions into the minds of our allies from the highest level and pakistan. all the way to an individual who might be a trans letter. when you send a message, people start to hedge their bets in ways that are not helpful to the united states. >> but if the general says that we can do this, the military thinks that we can do this. certainly, you want to pay heed to the members of the military. embers of the military and the leadership, for sure.

there is no question about that. i know that president obama and others are starting to back off on that date as a hard deadline for beginning to dramatically reduce troops. they are talking about perhaps it will be a small reducon and they will see what goes on from there in terms of conditions on the ground. even they have backed off that day as a hard day. that is some progress, in my mind. what can we win afghanistan could mark >> we definitely can win in afgnistan. there is a long way to go in iraq, but with the right tactics, leadership, and tragic, we see a good future for iraq. that same hope can be in afghanistanf we follow the direction complete the mission. general petraeus said he thinks he can stall the insurgency's progress or stop it relatively quickly, and thebegan to turn it back our way.

will take a little time. our country and our people will require patients to get this done successfully. >> but long-term, if the goal is to -- if you push them to -- that will go to another country or another part of the world. >> i have been to iraq five times and three times to afghanistan. i think we have a long-term war agnst terror that is going to show up in different places and different times around the globe. we will have to get after it in different ways to stay vigilant and protect the security and protect the united states of america. what you see in afghanistan is a very troubling and challenging situation. we need to see that through to a successful conclusion. if read right in -- a rise in other places, -- if threats arise in other places, certain allegiances will have to be

formed to confront any terroristic threat that presents a national security interest. >> you have called herself a wartime governor. what does that mean? >> i was a governor during a time of war. that is atypical for governors in minnesota and other states in the nation. has a part-time in energy -- it has required energy in the military. at other times in history, governors have not had tt at least to the same degree we have seen in the last eight years. >> why is tim pawlenty or republican? >> i want to make sure people understand that govement has a role, but a limid role. what more can government do that is not currently doing? that is a wrong definition of progress. there are so many other ways to encourage good progress in the

private sector, civic organizations, through families, three individuals, inventors, and innovation. so much that is outde of government. all government has certain responsibilities, we cannot continue to have growth in government that is irresponsible and reckless and does not understand or respect limits our boundaries. the country has been on a path toward government growth and spending growth that is not only reckless financially but also corrosive in terms of understanding the proper boundaries between government and the private sector and private economy. >> or their agencies or departments on the federal level that you would reduce or eliminate? >> in minnesota, we use priority age budget -- priority based budget, and i am proud of my record of cutting spending. minnesota had an average two-

year increase of spending of 21% over 40 years. absolutely unsustainable and irresponsible. we cut that down to about 1.7% average spending growth during my time as governor. for the first time in history of my state, we have cut spending in real terms. one of the techniques we have used is priority based budgeting. we make a list of the things that government can and should do, but the most and -- put the most important things on top. in our case it was a military and veterans' families. higher education got cut, social services got cut, some state subsidized health care programs got cut, and much more. you have to be willing to set priorities and make tough decisions. i have a record of doing that in minnesota. >> when republicans had the

white house and congress, george w. bush wasanded a budget surplus. do you find fault with both parties? >> is fair to say the country as a whole has been spending -- deficit spending has been accumulating for a long time. congress has to take responsibility. it is also fair to say that obama and this congress, this democrat-controlled congress, have made it exponentially worse. and president bush left office, the deficit in hi last year in office was less than half a trillion dollars. the next year, president obama essentially triple the deficit in one year. he has put the pedal to the metal and mated exponentially worse. >> some say you can cut long-

term spending but you cannot cut the debt without increasing taxes. >> if you look at the structural obligations of the country long term, a lot of it is in the form of entlement programs. that includes medicaid, medicare, and social security. are reforming them and making them more efficient, you can affect the spending picture in the medium and long term for the country. i don't believe the u.s. can or should raise taxes. i think our country is officially taxed. we don't hava tax problem, we have a spending problem. >> was forced to be bush wrong in fighting two wars and not paying for it -- was george w. bush wrong? >> president bush has said that is what we had the deficit. >> that is part of the reason we had the deficits, but it does not explain the bulk of the deficit. one example, there was a report the other vets said both wars

from the date of inception have not yet cost one trillion dollars. the total long-term structural obligations of the united states federal government, at least 70 trillion dollars. many experts believe it is closer to $100 trillion. to look at that and say the war's costs the bulk of the problem really is not looking a the full picture picks are there any circumstances in which you would raise taxes? >> no, i am somebody who wants to stop the growth of government and reduce it. if you continue to have the escape hatch for all the pressure of the interest groups, all the bureaucracy and public employees and unions and entitlement programs, all the spending that takes place, if e escape hatch is simply to raise taxes to keep it going, i am notnterested in that. i want to cap the amount of revenues coming into government.

i want to start moving many of these other activities out of government. >> there are about 1200 bridges in this state that are structurally deficient and need to be repaired. heavy pay f that? >> during my time as governor, we have put more money into roads and bridges than any of our comparable time in the history of the state of minnesota. we have been very aggressive about deployingoney into that system. the minneapolis bridge collapse was decided by the national transportation safety board to have fallen because of a desi flaw from the golden era of -- it was related to a design flaw from the 1960's.

democrats in my legislature passed a gas tax increase. i vetoed it, and they overrode my veto. that isn't use the money into the road and bridge system. we have to create other ways to do it. if people want to use an existing line that was for car pools that hardly anybody is, you know can pull in there, have an electronic device read your in that lane, and it sends you a ll. it just pulls it out your account electronically. for little extra money, you can go in a congestion free lane to and from the most popular places in minnesota. the private sector has said they would be willing to build some infrastructure to have that kind of electronic tolling. thosare some of the public- private partnerships emerging to address those issues. >> how would you fix the health care problem in this country?

why have you been so critical of what the president signed into law this past march crash, >> we know what works and what does not work. creating a one-size-fits-all bureaucracy, using public employees and standardized, reaucratic approach is, and use that to solve our problem. essentially what president obama has done with health care, he is creating the illusion that it is going to be free. we know that the main problem facing the health care delivery system in this country is that its costs need to be better contained and health-care needs to be more affordable. what president obama just did is create more access to health care, but he did not fix the system. he has created more access to a broken system and introduce new things that will make it even worse. i think the way to reform health care is to tell individuals that

to the extent we can afford it, we would be financial assistance if you are in need, but you are going to be in charge. you'll have good information and will make choices in the marketplace. we will financially incentivize you to make wise choices in the marketplace, and then you will be able to realize the fancial benefits of that. minnesota has the highest rate of usage of help savings accounts in the country. they work, people use them wisely. another example, we said to our state employees, you can go anywhere you want for your health care. if you choose to go someplace more expensive, then you will pay more. they have migrated to more efficient and equally high quality places, and the increases in the program have been close to 043 of the last five years.

it is almost unheard of in the health-care marketplace. >> if they elect republicans for the house and senate this year, what are they buying? >> people have figured out a number of things. the most important issue facing the country for most people is the economy and their jobs. the sense that government spendi is out of control, insulated from the concerns and realities of everyday americans. what republicans can deliver is an understanding that the small business leaders, inventors, the innovators andreamers and designers in the private sector will grow the economy and help us get out of this mess we are in. the message is to encourage them, not discourage them. it will give them confidence, and republicans can deliver that dramatically better than democrats.

we will be more aggressive when it comes to national defense and security issues than the democrats might be. i think you have a party that is more reform-minded when it comes to government bureaucracies and programs. ec republicans like me talking about performance pay for teachers rather than seniority pay. we are not want to have a system where public employees with the cadillac pensions that nobody else gets, and the taxpayers have to pay for them. we are going to start reforming that. we are born to slow down or reduce government spending because we cannot keep asking the hard working people to pay the bill for a fat government. >> did president bush leaves -- [beep] legacy for the republican party? >> he had a strong sense of what the government needed. when 9/11 occurred, a good portion of his bogus an understanding had to be on

homeland security, on the war in iraq and afghanistan. his legacy is going to be in part that he kept this nation say. en he saw the beginnings of a war on terror,e confronteit directly. he called it by name and confronted it boldly. he did everything he could to keep this country say. that is a lesson we need to keep front and cenr as the coming decades and fold. we are not going to be out of this issue of the war on terror or terrorist groups. we will have to stay on it. he set the tone and tempo for that, and i think that is a very positive legacy for hi >> even some republicans say afghanistan should he been the focus, not iraq initially. >> afghanistan was the base of training operations in development of the terrorist attacks on our country. going after them was absolutely the right thing to do.

we know that the situation in iraq, according to the best intelligence that was available and in accordance with what many other world leaders thought, that saddam hussein, an unstable leader, we believe he possessed weapons of mass destruction. the president had to make a difficult call. if he did nothing, and saddam actually had one and use that, it would have been a cataclysmic lead bad decision. so president bush erred on the side of trying to protect the country and reduce those capabilities. a very difficult decision, but given the information he had in front of him and that other world leaders had, they concurred that it was the right thing to do. >> what is the midterm election about? >> it is about getting this country back on track. a majority of the country feels it is off track. they feel president obama 8 and

switched them in the last campaign. he sounded like a pragmatic leader. when he became president, he has been leading the nation in a very misguided passion. the swing voters are saying that is not what they bargained for. i think that is the bait and switch. he campaigned in his rhetoric as someone who would be more centristr pragmatic than he has turned out to be. he has turned out to be a very partisan president so far. his record before he became president, his background, his beliefs really pointed to this direction in the first place. that is what we try to warn the country when we were urging john mccain's election. the country is going to try to

rebound in a more positive direction. the big issues are the economy, jobs, and government spending. >> what do you think of the president? >> i don't agree with his policies, but he is a pleasant person. he loves his family. he is a very gifted presenter an orator. he just has different beliefs and a different world view than i do. >> republican leaders have said repeatedly that their job is to say no to the president' agenda. can you as president or governor get anything done when the minority party continues to block whatever if you want to put forth? >> it was president obama who stood in iowa in 2008 and promised the nation that he was going to do health care reform on a bipartisan basis, that he would bring republicans and and democrats together. that is nearly verbatim what he said. he became president, he could

have advanced health care reform by embracing republicans and some of their ideas and fulfill that promise, but instead he has rammed down the throat of the country one of the most partisan, misguided pieces of legislation in the modern history of the country. the republicans are understandably frustrated with that. they are not saying no to everything. most republicans support his search in afghanistan. republicans like msupport some of his education initiatives, where he is saying we will move schools to look performance model rather than a seniori model. we will hold teachers more accountable. the could of been a bipartisan solution in health care reform and reform of financial institutions. but in each case, he had to choose between further embracing harry reid and nancy peli are bringing in republicans, he

embraced nancy pelosi and harry reid, to the detriment of his presidency and to the detriment of the nation. >> you have been testing the waters f possible 2012 bid. what is the temperature? >> i have focused on trying to help candidates who are running in 2010. the speeches and activities i am doing are geared towards helping those candidates. i have often set i have left open the dooto what might do after that. i will make a decision early in 2011 about 2012. the country clearly has left the door back open to republican ideas and thoughts. that does not mean we have them automatically. we have to make sure we convinced the swing voters that we have the right idea, we have the right values. there is a sense what some republicans, the last time they

were in the majority in congress, that did not live up to what they said there were going to do, they fell short of those goals. we have to reconnect to those values and principles. >> if you run, what you want to be president? >> i have not decided, but if anyone runs for president, it is because the country is insignificant trouble. the person has to have a vision for the future diction of that country. they have to have specific ideas and goals to fulfill that mission, and hopefully they have a track record of experience that can demonstrate they cannot only talk about it, but deliver. . will what issues may be front and center.

we know that in politics, is a long time. the there will be other events and developments. for example, people did not realize that the gulf war as bill -- the gulf oil spill would affect the 2012 elections. anyone who is considering public service, the real question is if you have a positive vision for the direction that the country should head. you have to have a demonstrated set of experiences to show you can handle and get it done. >> let me put one hypothetical on the quest of -- on the table. how would to structure your white house? what lessons do you take from your eight years as president of -- as governor of minnesota. >> whether you are going to be president or leader of another organization, and helps to have run a complex organization.

that is why i think governors are well-suited to have other positions. in terms of the white house, the white house is the place that se the tone, sets a direction for the federal government, and you have the power of being able to reach the country in a way that no other individual can. i believe you have responsibility for casting a positive vision for the future, and i thinkhe white house can be structured to be the epicenter of that vision. >> who is tim pawlenty? where did you grow up, and how did that shape your life? >> who we are depends on where we come from. i grew up in the largest meat- packing town.

it was a blue-collar town. my dad was a truck driver. my mom was a homemaker. my mom died when i was 16. my dad lost his job, and we had a modest financial circumstances, but it was a great place to grow up. we have a lot of challenges but also a lot of joya and a lot of love in our family. i learned if there are people who pull alongside, it will help you. hard work matters a lot. >> your mom was 16 when she was diagnosed with cancer. what goes through that moment in your live. -- walk us through that moment in your life. >> my mom was a loving parent, and she was diagnosed with

ovarian cancer. somebody came from a family where my brothers and sisters were not able to complete college. i realized early on education was something really important. i really poured myself into t remainder of my high school years common and i studied in college -- of my gh school years, and i studied in college. i learned a number of things, but one was the family really matters. when y lose a mom or dad, that can be a big challenge, but challenges are going to come. the challenge is how are you going to respond to it. it gave me the call to dive into education and work as hard as i could. i am going to have to pick up

the pace and the commitment to make sure it works. >> what was your dad like? >> my dad was a stereotype. my mom was older men, and my dad was all polish. my dad was a fun-loving guy, and he was a truck driver, and he got promoted to a dispatcher, which we thought was a great thing for a family, and he got promoted, but he loves life, and he was a very committed father, and people enjoyed him. our house was a social gathering place for the neighborhood. >> were there individuals, teachers, friends, neighbors who shaved who you are? >> our neighborhood was one where the kids played in the driveways and the parents kind of looked out for the group, not just individual children, so

many of my neighbors played a series of apparent role in a lot of ways, but throughout my life, i remember the produ manager at the grocery store. my mom had just died. my brother worked at the grocery store, and he said, i know your family is going to some challenges. i can help by offering your brother a job, so i got there early, and he worked me hard. it was a good job. it helped me get through college, but there was a person who saw someone in need and said, is there something i can do to help? a tremendous lesson not only reaching out, but also a, i learned when you show up in time, you are respectful.

>> word the you go for ideas? region where do you go for ideas? >> conferences, reading, informal discussions with people icing are thoughtful and innovative, and i tried to do that not just with politicians, but i loved to draw out what have you learn? what have you done, i met a social worker. she worked in social work for 40 years and had seen it all. after 40 years, if you had to pick one thing you learned, what is that? >> she said to stop giving them everything.

we have to call them to more accountability because we are fostering a culture of dependency of a level that is corrosive. that ian example of coming across somebody immersed in an issue. trying to get them to share that with you is the golden nugget. >> you went to high school here in minnesota? >> i did. >> when did you get the bugs? >> i got into college republicanism. i was going to be a dentist. inganic chemistry i got us -- in organic chemistry i got a b,

so i went to a guidance counselor. he said what do you like? i said i like politics. he said you should go into public service. i started to get involved as a volunteer. >> when did you work for the first time? >> there was a city council race, and a friend of mine had been the mayor. ere was a lot of controversy about development issues and some of the disputes,o i got involved with him, and he encouraged me to run for city council. >> politicians often say we want to wk together, and it is often a toxic environment in washington. how do you fix that? >> if you look back of the history of our country, to say

it is tic now but was not in the past, if you go back to some fistfights, the founding fathers. there is a little bit of revisionism on the notion there was a time when everybody got along. there is always going to be some tension. that capital was built for people of different walks of life, different backgrounds, different perspectives, to come together and hash it out. sometimes through discussion and sometimes through a tough battle, so that is some of what i think is inevitable. here is some vague wh strong values, but look at his style. -- here is somebody with strong values, but look at his style. he did disagree with you, but some people liked it.

very rarely would you see ronald reagan yelling. he was strong but respectful. there is a strong lesson. you and i might disagree about whether we should be friends. >> can you do this in this environment? >> it may be a little harder than in the past because of the polarizingffect of the media d the fusion of entertainment and politics in a way that it has almost become an industry, but i think it starts with a leader making sure he or she's is trying to be civil are decent, even if they have strong views. >> you talked about sam's club republican vs. country club republicans. explain that. >> it is simple. i talked about my brothers and

sisters, and they have all had blue collar jobs. >> are the republicans? >> they are now. there is a stereotype by some others, but all republicans are a fluent, and i think being able to connect with sam's club republicans, people who do not have a lot of money, but they want good value, they want to know as they look at their leaders, are you looking out for my interestin? how am i going to get my kids through college? however my going to be sure the school is going to be a quality school? it is just read and other basic

issues. -- just bread and butter basic issues. they say, i have experienced what you are experiencing. let me tell you what i learned. they say, do you want your taxes increase? no, we do not want our taxes. do you think we should demand more accountability for school results? >> we are for that, but health care? do you think the feds should be in charge of its? do not mess with my guns. we like to hunt and fish.

we can square that. >> how did we meet your wife? >> we met in law school. she is beautiful and strong d smart, and we had a chance to get acquainted, and the rest is history. i convince her to move back to minnesota and i guess we did. we have gone through the experiences raising children. give we are not done yet. >> what do ty think about their dad in politics? >> we try not to use them as

props. we do not want them to get shoved aside. we try to make sure we focus on them. i thinkt would be fine with me. >> what does faith and religion mean to you? >> it is a part of who we are as a family. our face life is a big part of our daily it -- our faith is a big part of our existence. >> it has been your faith that has got you through? >> there are different challenges that are going to tocome.

inevitably, everyone is going to face a family challenge. everyone is going to get some challenges. i think to have a strong faith, it helps you prepare. you have to know where your health comes from and no where to lean on in the strong times in life. it is a source of great comfort and brings us a lot of deeper meaning in our life. >> to you pray a lot? >> we try to pray every day. we tried to pray at meals. we expressed thanks for the beautiful day and the meal and our appreciation for it. i like a lot of different things.

there is no hand-held camera. in the days of youtube, but it has gone to the point that we are deterred from doing that. we have the rhythm of outdoor. >> thank you for your time. >> thank you. >> lindsey graham is the keynote speaker at a forum on terrorism hosted by the american enterprise institute. live coverage at 12:30 p.m. eastern on c-span. congress returns this week with several items on the legislative agenda. the senate start work on the

2011 defense authorization bill. the first procedural vote is scheduled for tuesday. the measure provides over $700 billion for defense programs, and there is language that repeals the don't ask, don't tell. the should take up most of the week. you can follow live senate coverage on c-span2. the house cavils in on wednesday to debate throughout the day. final action on a small business build that the senate approved last week. it includes a $30 billion lending fund to help community banks make loans to small businesses. all the house live on c-span. former 2008 republican vice- presidential nominee sarah palin spoke at the iowa republican

party's annual ronald reagan dinner in des moines. this is 40 minutes. >> it is great to be in the hawkeye state, and have the constitution day to you all. -- happy constitution day to you all. do you love your freedom? if you could stand up, we are going to honor year.

[applause] we thank you, and we honor you. i put on my hawkeye t-shirt and my cap. i am showing love to the home team. i am lacing up the shoes. todd says, you may want to run downstairs on a treadmill, and i said, that is like being in a box. i want to go see the view and the heartland. i have been carol go hunting. it is about 16 degrees. -- caribou hunting.

it is about 16 degrees. i said, why would i want to stay in doors bowman -- to stay indoors? todd said, the headline was going to be, sarah palin in iowa decides to run. [applause] it is so great to be with patriots today. i know iowa appreciates his good work as governor, and i am grateful for his efforts as chairman for the commission, for excellence, for special education. i am convinced we can learn more

from these kids than they are ever going to learn from us. jerry was out region was at a town hall meeting. -- jerry was at a town hall meeting. he said, we need to stay focused on this election, not the next one. he is right.

we need to start by electing strong figures who are not afraid to rein in the federal government. how'd we do this? we need him back in the united states senate he is the only guy who loves to twitter as much as i do. it is the 38th anniversary of his 39th birthday.

he has been strong against the mother of all unfunded mandates -- obamacare. he is promising to repeal and replace the scheme with common- sense reform. they're holding the line and -- on spending. they are out there doing this for us, so it is here in the state. we need strong, principled leaders. public servants who respect our constitution, who know the 10th

amendment. gethat is why i am supporting them. you are good people, iowa. we have some common sense conservatives who are putting it on the line, fighting for what is right, and a lot of them fought some tough primary battles. that is geared. -- good. it is good for the system and great for workers. healthy competition breeds success -- breathes success. the time for primary debate is over. it is time for unity. the time for choosing is near.

in 46 days, republicans will put their ideas and experience on the line, and they will let the voters decide. it is time to unite. if the goal is to take the gamble -- gavel from policy and read and make the government respects the wisdom of the people, then it is time to unite, and congratulations to the primary victories. unsuccessful gop campaigns and political pundits, remember that attitudes are contagious, so make sure yours are worth it. unsuccessful campaigns and experts are all bent out of shape after some recent battles.

did you ever lose a game going -- growing up? i have lost. you lose some, you win some when faced with setbacks, i know growing up, of my folks would say to rebuild character. my dad was along the lines of, do not retreat, just to reload. for the sake of our country, for america's future, through patriots, reload with character and truth and helpful efforts to restore what is right about america and what will work for america. we need elected leaders to do that, so let us unite.

primary voters have spoken. i do not know how the machine works. i do not know who they are. i think some of those experts were the ones who were wrong in massachusetts and virginia and delaware and alaska and kentucky. i do not know who organizes the efforts needed to put partisanship aside when it gets to doing what is right for the american people. if i were a coach writing a play book, i would say, everybody has constructive roles in this. the needs are great because the

cause is so great. the cause is the great awakening of america and the need for truth in america. how do we get out there. practical ways. we have to raise funds. we have to hold the press accountable when you know they are making things up and telling untruths. we have to do this together. i am the biggest proponent of freedom of the press in this country. our young men and women are willing to fight for those constitutional rights including the right to have free press. it is why i am hot on this lamestream media.

how dare anyone disrespect true -- truth sacrifice without a corresponding responsibility to truce. -- truth. in this unaccountable day of anyone being able to claim they are a journalist, you have to ask yourself, who are they? when they use anonymous sources to cowardly attack someone, remember they are coward. the journalists perpetuating the problem are gutless.

we have got to call it like we see it, are things will never change. i have a confession. it has been made abundantly clear the sources used to erode common-sense conservative candidates and their supporters, including a proud of tea party american, those who do not hold extreme conditions who are wanting america to understand these times, that we need to get back to living within your means or that every able-bodied american can work, and that you do not incur such

debts. those are not extreme conditions. it has been made abundantly clear that those destructive shots do not just come from the far left. it is not fair to our troops willing to sacrifice all for your freedom.

if i were in that loop, a hierarchy of leadership, to rally the troops, the you know what i would say? i would say we have 46 days to go. we need you to raise funds. you have to go east. people are listening. beck, michelle, laura, we need everybody working together. i am going to get in trouble for missing some names. you can come to iowa. they will see the light and realize these are hard-working americans who say enough is enough. we want to get back to the time- tested truth that is right for

america. [applause] we will not wait as we desire the severe -- the sincere efforts, knowing that everyone can help. this is our time. we cannot blow it, but we will not wait for the political playbook to be handed to us from on high to tell us what to do. it is the patriots who will turn this around. it is the voters who will stop the leftist policies. it is the voters who will stop the fundamental transformation of america that is not good for america. it is the patriots who will

restore america. [applause] our candidates are offering bolden smart alternative to the obama/polo scene -- obama- pelosi politics. this has not stopped the left from telling voters the gop is the party of no, that it has no new ideas. i find it interesting that a critique coming from the guys whose answer to the summary is yet another government stimulus. we see california auditors having to and if they are in allied air -- in los angeles with your stimulus money, $2.2

million for every job saved or created their, and i am the idiot. the left teams are doing we have no new ideas, the only platform is no. -- the left keeps arguing we have no new ideas and the only platform is no. president obama said, i did not want to be disagreeable, but i think he is wrong. there are things we cannot agree on. he said, republicans would disagree if i said the sky is blue. not true. the sky is he would say we would disagree if he said fish lived in the sea. when unemployment rose, he said there are better days ahead, and i agree. there are better days ahead.

november 2 is shaping up to be a great day for america. pfalthat is not all we can agre. the president finally announced we will get the economy going again. he wants business equipment light trucks -- he wants business equipment light trucks. good idea. they were part of the mccain platform in 2008. gethe democrat's tax policy is o flawed -- raising taxes in a time of economic woe will sail america. we are slammed with the largest tax increase in u.s. history.

they warn us that you are going to see 80% of taxes paid by small business sectors rise. nearly 1 million businesses are hit. that is who obama characterizes as the rich. that means mom and pop will have to lay off workers. it means families will lose health insurance, losing homes. more families are having to rely on government, be more beholden to the federal government, and this is a vicious cycle. you think these failed policies are purposeful? see you think our president is so naive he has not run a business before?

pa the solution instead of tax hikes -- it is another taxpayer- funded bailout. instead, let small business owners keep more of what they earn so they can reinvest and expand and hire people instead of letting politicians take more from you and spend it on more government growth. cutting taxes works. mayors do it. leveling the playing field to allow competition works. governors do it. the free market works. let the private sector soar, and america will soar again. have we been just the party of no? the truth is if you love the country, and you love the constitution, and you prize individual, strong work ethic

and our pioneering spirit, you have probably not done much to find common ground with in this administration. they think the answer is another federal program. they think we can rebuild the economy by weatherizing windows and listening light bulbs. -- loosening levels. regardless of those standards or some standards when it comes to environmental safety, yet not allow our own resource development or domestic supplies. they think america's future should be dictated from the top down. they think there is nothing exceptional about the american people. they have faith in big government when we have faced in

the people. -- faith in the people. too often, government is the problem. [applause] we believe as ronald reagan believes that government must work with us, not over a spirited in must stand by our side, not ride -- not over us. weit must stand at our side, not ride our back. the approach to policy seems to be enemy-centric. the president writes friendly letters end with a fight over housing policy with israel. he reset relations with russia but canceled missile defense plans with nato allies. he has ease sanctions on cuba

but failed to move forward on trade agreement with columbia and south korean, and he cannot muster meaningful support for iranians risking their lives by opposing ahmadinejad, but he found a time to send a report claiming our country's alleged human rights violations. there is a disturbing pattern here of reaching out to sworn enemies while sliding our friends. that is not for policy but just foolish, and how long can that go on? [applause] as we just saw recently, our president still refuses to admit the surge was a success. it seems he is more concerned with the politics of withdrawal

than the pursuit of victory, and while the threats of our security grow, he is shrinking the budget for defense against those threats. the obama 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 deserves to be left on the ash heap of history, and he had the courage to say so. i remember the four words he spoke. as i share the grave concern with our country, wondering how are we going to be safe, that curiosity as to how can we be secure against an evil world?

dragon solidified. he said, we win, -- reagan solidified its. he said, we win, they lose. few leaders have the clarity or conviction to define an era, but ronald reagan inspired us to greatness. he saw and spoke to the hearts of america. he looked out at soaring inflation and skyrocketing unemployment and the cold war. he did not see despair. a dead he knew it is the people and the found it -- he knew it is the people and the founding

fathers. they have enabled us to weather tough times before, and they will see us through the challenges we face today. president reagan said his revolution was really just a return to those principles he called the great rediscovery of our values and common sense. i think if he was here with us today, he would agree that we are doomed. it may take some renegade going rovgue to get there. [applause] it was those types of folks who were the founders of our nation.

those who wrote that constitution we are celebrating tonight. it means we have to say no when we have policies that violate our values. i think a little refuting is good now and then. it is like mark twain used to say. patriotism is serving your -- supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it. [applause] lately there has not been much coming out of washington that deserves our support, but we can still be critical of our government and hold it accountable and still have great faith in our country, and based on what i am seeing, there is more than enough reason to have

faith in america. times may be tough, but there are signs of hope all over the place if you just know where to look. in places like des moines and davenport, americans are working hard to get our country back on track, and families are read prioritizing. they are making some sacrifices. one of our founders, he is to talk about, if there be trouble, let it be that the children may have peace. what he is talking about is the need to prioritize so our children and grandchildren have the opportunities we all had, and we will make sure the nation is strengthened and prosperous and remains the most voluntar

ily generous nation on earth. there is more than enough reason to have faith in americans who believe that, and against tough odds, entrepreneurs today and small-business owners are growing the economy and one night shift, one american dream at a time. across the country every day americans are speaking out, and they are getting involved. they are running for office and attending tea parties, and they have a vision for the future that values conservative principles cough -- conservative principles, and when i see their patriotism, i am not worried about the future. again i am confident and

hopeful, because this is our movement americans have never been sunshine patriots. we are not summer soldiers. we have known it is the struggle, and we must sacrifice for the great american experiment. we will endure in the knowledge that our cause is noble and true. we have always emerge stronger and more prosperous because of our founding principles. that is why we do not need to fundamentally transform america. we need to restore america. toug[applause] between now and november, we are going to stand up and speak up when washington got it wrong.

we are going to fight for our constitution. we are going to elect leaders who have the courage to do what is morally right. candidates are going to be made known because these are patriots and willing to buck the system to take it back, doing this for the right reasons, not for personal power struggles, titles, and money. they are in this for the right reasons. they are going to get back to the time-tested truth that made this country great but believe that the country that governs least governs best and the constitution provides the most perfect path to a more perfect union and that only limited government can provide the prosperity and opportunities for all and that freedom is not free, but freedom is a god- given right worth fighting for.

that every innocent life has purpose, every innocent lives deserve to be in that circle of protection and respect. [applause] and that our men and women in uniform are america's finest. they are a force for good in this world, and that is nothing to apologize for those are the principles upon which our nation is founded. those are the principles the republican for non -- republican party has fought for. those are the principles that will usher in an new day.

it starts tonight. let's get it back. god bless iowa. god bless the united states of america thank you. [applause] ♪ [country music plays]

♪ >> i know you can make a big difference in america. >> thanks for being here. goo>> what do you think about hm running as a write-in? ♪ >> thanks, everybody.

>> she certainly have the right to do that. i ended up running outside the box. happy birthday. >> thank you so much.

>> do not tell your mother. >> i thought you were handing me a teacher this time. >> i want to get back to io was soon. i want to get back to delaware soon. thanks for letting me do that. >> we love you, sarah. >> i came from nebraska. >> thank you for being here.

>> do you know julia's mean? >> yes. -- julius mead. >> yes, i used to babysit his kids. how do you know him? >> we met him. you were in washington, d.c., and he said i saw her just two weeks ago. i think we need to rein in the federal government. >> do you feel empowered after all this? >> there is a platform at a

national level. >> you want to get in here? >> i have got to make it work. >> i have got it. >> thank you for that. >> 1, 2, 3, smile. >> thank you.

[captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] >> monday on c-span, lindsey graham is the keynote speaker at a formal on terrorism hosted by the american enterprise institute. live coverage starts at 12:30 p.m. eastern on c-span. now president obama's speech saturday night at the congressional black caucus foundation's annual dinner. he says the republican gains

would undercut their progress in congress. this is 25 minutes. >> hello, cbc! [applause] well, it is wonderful to be back with all of you. i want to acknowledge, first of all, chair of the cbc, barbara lee, for the outstanding work that she has done this year. [applause] somebody who not only is a passionate defender of our domestic agenda, but also somebody who knows more about our foreign policy than just

about anybody on the hill, the chair of the cbc foundation, donald payne. thank you. [applause] our alc conference co-chairs, elijah cummings and diane watson -- thank you. [applause] dr. elsie scott, president and ceo of the cbc foundation, thank you for your outstanding work. we've got a couple of very special guests here today. i want to give a shout out to my friend, somebody who all of us rely on for his wisdom, his steadiness -- the house majority whip, jim clyburn. [applause] a couple of folks who are working tirelessly in my cabinet -- the attorney general of the united states, eric

holder, is in the house. [applause] the woman who is charged with implementing health care reform -- hhs secretary kathleen sebelius is here. [applause] our united states trade representative, ambassador ron kirk is here. [applause] and obviously it is a great honor to have been able to speak backstage to this year's phoenix award honorees, judith jamison, harry belafonte, sheila oliver, and simeon booker. thank you for everything that you've done for america. [applause] i know you've spent a good deal of time during cbc weekend

talking about a whole range of issues, and talking about what the future holds not just for the african american community, but for the united states of america. i've been spending some time thinking about that, too. [laughter] and at this time of great challenge, one source of inspiration is the story behind the founding of the congressional black caucus. i want us to all take a moment and remember what was happening 40 years ago when 13 black members of congress decided to come together and form this caucus. it was 1969. more than a decade had passed since the supreme court decided brown versus board of education.

it had been years since selma and montgomery, since dr. king had told america of his dream -- all of it culminating in the passage of the civil rights act and the voting rights act. the founders of this caucus could look back and feel pride in the progress that had been made. they could feel confident that america was finally moving in the right direction. but they knew they couldn't afford to rest on their laurels. they couldn't be complacent. there were still too many inequalities to be eliminated. too many injustices to be overturned. too many wrongs to be righted. that's why the cbc was formed -- to right wrongs; to be the

conscience of the congress. and at the very first cbc dinner, the great actor and activist, ossie davis, told the audience america was at a crossroad. and although his speech was magnificent and eloquent, he boiled his message down to a nice little phrase when it came to how america would move forward. he said, "it's not the man, it's the plan." it's not the man, it's the plan. that was true 40 years ago. it is true today. [applause] we all understood that during my campaign.

this wasn't just about electing a black president. this was about a plan to rescue our economy, and rebuild it on a new foundation. [applause] statistics just came out this week. from 2001 to 2009, the income of middle-class families in this country went down 5 percent. think about that. people's incomes during that period, when the economy was growing, went down 5 percent. that's what our agenda was about -- making sure that we were changing that pattern. it was about giving every hardworking american a chance hardworking american a chance to