republic"] glo . glory, glory hallelujah his truth is marching on ♪

♪

[singing "america the beautiful"]

[applause]

[unintelligible] ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the arrival of the official party. the superintendent of arlington national cemetery, the

commanding general of the united states army military district washington, mr. roger denzel, and the hon. eric shinseki, secretary of veterans affairs. ladies and gentlemen the vice president of the united states. ♪

[applause] ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the procession of our nation's colors and those of our veterans services organizations. the procession is lead today by a member of the legion of valor wh earned the distinguished service cross all serving in afghanistan. as the colors are posted, the united states marine band will play the national march. please place your hand or real heart or render a salute as we posed the colors. -- please place your hand over

ur heart or render a salute as we post the colors. ♪

♪ ♪

>> order arms. >> please remain standing for the prayer for all veterans delivered by the department of veterans affairs chaplain services. >> let us pray. holy god, as we return to arlington to honor america's veterans, we seek your blessing upon hour ceremony and the hundreds of veterans day ceremonies being held at this moment all across our nation and

the world. today we pause from the rush of everyday living to remember the sacrifice and service of america's veterans. how very blessed we are to live in a nation that is free and made strong by generations of service members and their families who believed in and were willing to die for american values. these veterans are your gift to our nation. there get to the world is freedom. we honor them today knowing that those who served still carry the weapons of war in their minds, bodies, and spirits. their families, all the prow of their service, still suffered loss that can never be replaced. veterans that have returned from the battlefield face unexpected challenges upon returning home. help them to take their skills and build a new and meaningful

life in the cities and rural communities all across our land. as we gather here, may your presence bring healing and comfort to our nation's veterans and their families. as we honor our veterans, also bless our sons and daughters as they continue to answer the call of duty to defend the cause of freedom at home and around the world. here our prayers we pray, amen. >> now on would like to invite major kirk lee. he received the navy cross while serving as a marine corps company commander during the korean war. he will lead the "pledge of allegiance."

>> i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> please be seated. it is now my distinct privilege to introduce the leaders of the national veterans service organizations that comprise the veteran's day national committee. the committee was formed by presidential order in 1954 to hold this annual observance in honor of america's veterans and to encourage and support veterans day observances to help the nation. please hold your applause until we have introduced all special

guests. if you are able, please stand what i call your name. roger dimsdale, clifford wade, arthur cooper, national president of the retired enlisted association, the congressional medal of honor society, wallace tyson, norbert ryan, national president military officers association of america, the national commander of polish speaking american veterans, william mcswayne, albert gonzales, american gi forum, the national commander of jewish war veterans of the

united states, the national commander of american ex- prisoners of war. catholic war veterans of the united states, the national treasure vietnam veterans of america, richard eubank, commander in chief of veterans of the foreign wars of the united states, the national president of the langdon veterans association, the national commander of the army navy union of the united states, the national commander of the noncommissioned officers association, the national vice commander of the american legion, the national commander of the military order of the purple heart of the united states of america, pearl harbor

survivors association, fleet reserve association, the national commandant of the marine corps league, michael mccoy, the national president of the military chaplains association, the national president of paralyzed veterans of america, the associate members of the committee are located in the boxes to my left. please hold your applause until the end. the national president of american gold star mothers, the national president of goldstar wives of america, the president of blue star mothers of america, director of governor elections -- governor relations for the air force, the national commander of the navy seabee veterans of america, the

chairman of the board for hospitalized veterans, the president of humanitarian services for the american red cross, the president of the national association of state directors of veterans affairs, the president of the national association of state veterans homes, richard jones, legislative director for the national association of uniformed services, the president of japanese american veterans association, the chair of the board for veterans at went, wounded warrior project, the national president of women's army corps veterans association. ladies and gentlemen, please join me in recognizing our veterans national leadership with your applause. [applause]

founded in 1890, the legion of valor of the usa is an organization of veterans who were recipients of our nation's highest decoration for valor, the medal of honor. piecing it -- the navy cross and air force cross. the legion of valor is represented today by the national commander, retired army colonel roger dimsdale to receive the distinguished service cross for actions in 1968 in vietnam. it is my pleasure to introduce the host of this year's national veterans day observance, roger dimsdale. [applause]

thank you. mr. vice president, distinguished guests, federal -- fellow veterans, welcome to the 2010 observance of veterans day at arlington. this day, november 11, is just one of 365 days that the people of our country should remember our veterans. on behalf of the 700 members of the legion of valor, i am honored to be part of this observance and included in the program that you received when he walked into the amphitheater this morning is a brief description of the legion of valor. we are the nation's oldest veterans' service organization, founded in 89 a, as the medal of honor legion. we have tried to demonstrate our commitment to our country and to the ideals for which it stands. as one of the sller veteran service organizations, our

outreach programs are limited. we have an active program to recognize bravery in non-combat situations. a recent example was the award of the legion of valor silver cross to the members of the fort hood military police who captured the alleged gunman who shot and killed 13 members of the fort hood community. in addition to the silver cross for bravery, we have an active program to recognize achievement and -- recognize achievement in the rotc. it is strongly coordinated with rotc departments. our small membership, however, does not preclude our active support for promoting veterans affairs. members participated in numerous and -- numerous organizations and communities. a particular concern we have is the challenge of returning veterans in retaining -- in

obtaining employment. we hope to enhance employment opportunities that they can be successful. we are proud of these efforts and continue to seek ways in which we can actively contribute. our membership is unique. it is not determined by wealth, education, or birthright. we share only one bond. that bond is having received one of the nation's two highest award for bravery against a hostile enemy. most of these qualities have also received the purple heart in connection with their stature. many have been awarded posthumously. on this day, we especially want to remember them for their ultimate sacrifice for our country. for all the hair roots of our members, we are quietly content to provide a service to our

country and to the veterans who have sacrificed so much to maintain our freedom. this is the legion of valor. we are extremely proud to have the opportunity to hosted a party service. thank you very much for attending. it is now my privilege to introduce to you the hon. eric shinseki of the department of veterans affairs. [applause] >> good morning, everyone. vice president biden, metal r -- a medal of honor recipients, minority leader banner and other members of congress, secretary gates, secretary mccue, secretary donnelly, the joint chiefs of staff are here, would like to acknowledge them -- general and mrs. casey, general schwartz, general and mrs. amos, and become a lot of

the coast guard is here as well. rogerdimsdale -- to roger dimsdale, our thanks for a wonderful ceremony, not the least of which is the great weather you produced. to those of us who were here a year ago, what a difference a year makes. all of the other representatives of our veterans services organizations, we count on your support, your insight, and your leadership. thank you so much for being part of our support network at veterans affairs. fellow veterans, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. for over 90 years now americans have set aside this day and this hour to honor the men and women who have served our country in peace and in war while wearing the uniform of the united states of america.

it is a day of remembrance, a day of thanks, a day of prayers, and a day of promises. promises that the sacrifices of those who have served and are still serving will not be forgotten. promises that returning warriors will not bear their wounds alone. that their families will receive help in facing uncertain futures and that the survivors of those who do not return will be embraced and cared for by a grateful nation. to keep these promises, the congress has established the department of veterans affairs. 30% of the va work force are veterans themselves -- selfless americans dedicated to meeting the needs of our nation's veterans each day.

veterans do not strive alo. the good people at the va and the american people themselves are needed to address the complex challenges facing veterans who have given so much, especially now, during difficult economic times. last year, president obama and the congress provided va the largest single year budget increase in over 30 years. the president's 2011 budget request would increase of the v- 82010 funding by another 10%. 2010 funding by another 10%. the va has used these resources to address some longstanding critical issues with bipartisan

support from congress, beginning with the new gi bill. today, 384,000 veterans and their family members are enrolled in this college program. when you include the other education proams, that number goes up over 660,000. awarding service connection for three new diseases for vietnam veterans to work -- who were exposed to agent orange. granting service connection for all combat veterans suffering from a verifiable post-traumatic stress disorder. finally, granting service connection for new diseases associated with gulf war illness. we will continue our efforts on behalf of veterans on every front, increasing their

access to health care, eliminating the disability claims backlog that frustrates all of us, and ending veteran homelessness in the next five years. with the leadership of the president, continued support of the congress, we will provide quality care and timely benefits to those who have sacrificed the most on behalf of our nation. our special guest today coli shares the president's commitment to america's veterans. -- fully shares the president's commitment to america's veterans. he has seen h, go off to war -- his own son go off to war. ladies and gentlemen, i am honored personally and professionally, to present to a patriot in his own right, the vice president of the united states of america, joe biden. [applause]

>> thank you very much. shinseki, thank you for your service in uniform and out of uniform. thank you for your hospitality. roger, you spoke well. roger and i were kidding one another. he said, my speech is in big print. i said, so is mine. if we are from the same generation. do all of the veterans' organizations, some of them i had the honor to represent this morning in the white house, thank you. thank you for your service, your vision, in your constant voice on behalf of america. jim, thank you for being the

master of ceremonies today. our new superintendent, thank you very much for your hospitality and the great service that you rendered to this nation. it is good to have you here today. speaker -- soon-to-be speaker of the house john boehner, it is good to have you here today. congratulations. [applause] let me say at the outset, i stood here in may to observe memorial day. i think i was talking with secretary gates when i said, this is one of the truly great honors bestowed on me as vice- president of the united states, to be able to return here to this amphitheater on veterans day. this slight november chill today contrasts with the 91 degree heat we experienced on that sultry day in may. it should remind us that the

heat we endured in may is nothing compared to the heat our veterans endured in world war ii paddling across sunbaked islands in the pacific, for some days going without water. nothing compared to the generation of americans who waited through the rice paddies in the deltas of vietnam. nothing can compare to the heat i experienced when i visited our troops in fallujah this summer. i saw a thermometer on a nearby wall that read 115 degrees. these kids do it every single day. the chill in the air today is nothing compared to what our young men fought through in the north korea mountains when it

down by enemy fire on frozen ground 60 years ago. nothing compared to the snow and the cold that hampered our forces 66 years ago. nothing compared to what the 86th brigade, that team or the 101st airborne division experienced in the mountains of afghanistan. i have seen it firsthand. i was with general david rodriguez when a snowfall forced our helicopter to land between two jagged peaks 9,000 feet above sea level. we landed where the mountain division had just earlier that month climbed to engage al- qaeda. it absolutely blew me away to think of what these kids

continue to do, and they are not kids, what these men and women continue tdo. ladies and gentlemen, these are fears the warriors engaged and engaging a fierce anime on hostile terrain. -- fierce enemy on hostile terrain. a soldier is the most holy of all humans because he is the most tested. a soldier must coldly learn to put himself in the way of losing his own life without going mad. if you can bring yourself to face, not shadows, but real death, described and recognizable, and then you need never be afraid again. i look out at all of you who

have served our nation, and all of you who have stood by the side and waited as they served, and i see the most tested among us, the most tested of all americans. i also see the most honorable men and women, as citizens who have never feared the future and are determined to build a better future today. collectively, these people have served and sacrificed for us. they are the heart and soul, the very spine of this nation. as a nation, we pause today to thank the more than 23 million surviving veterans who have so bravely and faithfully protected our freedoms. you gave and they gave.

[applause] those of you a single year end to those of you assembled that similarity -- those of you assembled here, and those of you assembled at similar ceremonies across the nation, you gave in service lemma and sometimes life, of the filling york -- limb and sometimes life, fulfilling your service to this nation. you call on all of us to recognize, to respect, to honor and to care for those who risked their lives so that we can live ours. over the past decade, our military has embarked on a longer time of sustained combat then in all of american history i.

more than two million service members have deployed to iraq and afghanistan, more than half of some have returned to civilian life with the honored title of veteran. of those men and women, the very best of this nation, over 40,000 have been wounded, 18,000 wounded, unable to return to duty, andover 5700 -- and over 5700 have made the ultimate sacrifice, including general kelly's son, who returned home today. only 1% of this nation is fighting these wars. as my wife jill says at every

gathering she holds with military families, 100% of america owes them a thank you. 100% of the nation can and must do something to acknowledge what they have done for us and continue to do at this very moment for us. in august, our combat mission came to an end in iraq. the mission has been shifted from combat. it is now to advise, assist, train and equip iraq's security forces. there is still great danger in this mission, but it is a mission that moves us closer to the day at the end of next year when our american soldiers returned to america able to

leave iraq in the hands of the iraqis. in afghanistan as i speak, our soldiers are making measurable progress. the overarching goal is to disrupt, dismantle and ultimately defeat al-qaeda in afghanistan and pakistan. this mission also comes at great cost of lives and limbs, but not in a loss of spirit or courage. i, like many of you here, make a habit, on a regular basis, of a visiting our hospitals. i was recently at a hospital, and the nurses were taking me around to veterans who were severely wounded. we walked into a young officer's

room. he was there with his wife. he had lost one leg at the hip and the other just below the knee. his left hand was mangled. he was asleep. i said, please, to the doctor or nurse, please, do not disturb him. the attending physician said no, he knows you are here. if we do not awaken him, he will be angry. he will be really offended. so they will kim, and i walk been -- so they woke him, and i walked in. he reached above his bed, pulled himself up, and said sir, i apologize. it was my intention to be able to stand and salute you when you came in. no self pity. no "why me?"

just service to this country. like hundreds of these young men and women that i have met with, do you know what i most often get asked when i turn to their spouse, mother, sister, father? do you know what i most often get asked, and i am not exaggerating? in almost every case, they say, mr. vice president, can you help me get back to my unit? can you help me get back to my unit? [applause] folks, they are sending us a message, but they are also sending our enemies a message. the messages that our resolve in the face of the new threats we now confront will never ever waver, because we have so many,

so many, so many brave young men and women of this generation who are willing to serve. as the president said, our spirit is strong and it cannot be broken. you cannot outlast us and we will defeat you. ladies and gentlemen, our veterans strength must be matched by our nation's support. our soldiers today are fighting different wars abandon their fathers and grandfathers fought. -- than their fathers and grandfathers fought. they are suffering a different wounds, but their obligation remains the same, to train and equip those who go into harm's way and to give them every bit of care that they deserve when

they come home. it is not just obligation. it is the only truly, a sacred obligation we have as the government. we have many obligations. but that is the only genuinely sacred obligation that we have. that is why, as general shinseki pointed out, we are making such historic investment in such a bipartisan way, in health, education and economic opportunity for our returning veterans. the veteran affairs office itself has many of the resources now to build a 21st century response for those now returning, even while discretionary spending in the budget has given the va one of the biggest budget increases they have had in 30 years, and

additional $16 billion, for a total of $140 billion, and they deserve every single penny of it. [applause] as the general said, for the first time the country has shifted the burden. no longer will a soldier, sailor or marine have to prove he needs help. it will be the burden of the government to prove the does not deserve help, a fundamental shift. for the first time in history, we will train and compensate relatives to give help and care to wounded loved ones. [applause] as the general pointed out, the new gi bill is helping almost 400,000 veterans, and for the first time, their family members are able to earn a college degree because, as the poet john milton wrote, at they also serve

who only stand and wait. our obligations are to the families as well. long after the wars are over in the welcome home parade are finished and the memorials are built, and the streets a renamed, our obligation will endure. only because all of you sitting to my left and i absolutely confident that that obligation will endure, because you will remind to the american people long after, long after these wars are over. there are over 16,000 young men and women who will require extensive medical care for the rest of their lives, and their life expectancy is over 35 years. ladies and gentlemen, it is an obligation that the president and die and soon-to-be speaker are fully committed to the filling -- president and i and

soon-to-be speaker are fully committed to fulfilling. on behalf of a graful nation, i thank all of our troops, and all of you who are here today, for sacrificing so much for our country. may god bless you all and may god bless america. and most important, may god protect our troops. thank you. [applause] >> please rise and join the u.s. marine band in singing god bless america. ♪ >> bob bless america, -- god

bless america, land that i love. stand beside her and guide her through the night with the light from above. from the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam, god bless america, my home sweet home. god bless america, my home sweet home. ♪ [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, please

remain standing as we retire the callers -- retire the colors. ♪

[captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010]

[applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, this concludes the 2010 national veterans day observance at arlington national cemetery. please be seated for the departure of the vice-president of the united states. thank you for coming to honor all the reserve -- all who served.

♪

>> coming up next, more veterans day observances on c-span. there was a ceremony at the vietnam veterans memorial, which is next. then it will be followed by the second world war memorial and then the first world war moyle -- world war memorial. on "washington journal" tomorrow morning, they will discuss the g-20 summit. the national transportation safety board chairman will also speak. this program is live beginning at 7:00 eastern on c-span. as the country marks veteran's day, learn more about the holiday and the men and women who served for a history, and

veterans day commemorations throughout the years. it is all free on your computer at any time. now the ceremony at the vietnam veterans memorial at the national mall. ken salazar is one of the speakers. this is just over one hour. >> please

>> at this time, we would like you to stand and remain standing until the color guard is done with their presentation. [singing "star spangled

banner"]

pplause] >> give him a great hand for that. here to lead us in the pledge of allegiance is a veteran of the 1965 [unintelligible] he was appointed an -- an official we've never. he will lay a brief here today. -- wreath bearer and will lay a wreath here today. >> i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic to rigid stance one nation under god with liberty and justice for

all. a man. -- amen.

>> god bless america and africa troops on the battlefield today, and all of the veterans and all of those veterans that to die. god bless america. >> thanks very much. you may be seated at this time. an army lieutenant colonel and chaplain for the military district of washington will lead us in prayer at this time. >> please join me in prayer. gracious god in whom we live, move, and have our being, we recognize that freedom is not the substance of but rather the context for lives lived abundantly and excellently. we give thanks for the freedom that we end this nation enjoyed. but because of the business of our lives, we are prone to take it for granted.

today we pause to acknowledge that freedom is not free. we are gathered in places all over on this veterans day, in cemeteries, on monuments, battlefields, and here at this wall. we gathered to remember with the deep gratitude to those who had given their last full measure of devotion in armed conflict to the preservation of our liberty. remember especially those who served so bravely into sap officially in a faraway land called vietnam's -- so graciously and efficiently in a faraway land called vietnam'. give strength and an abiding measure of your presence to those that are a way that they may serve courageously. let us be good stewards of the freedom that has been gained and preserved for us. amen.

>> thank you. for nearly 30 years, the veterans memorial fund has been proud to work hand in hand with the national park service to make sure that this side, one of the most visited places in washington, continues to offer a very healing and a positive experience during their visit. . the vietnam veterans memorial, which will be built across the street. this will work in synergy with the memorial itself to teach visitors about the values of individuals who served in all of america's wars, particularly the vietnam war. we will have the photographs of the casualties in there, and we are now part of a nationwide program -- we have about 12,000, almost 14,000 photographs now of

the casualties from vietnam. come to our website, buildthecenter.org and find out how to submit a photograph. this will be a moving tribute to our veterans. we have enjoyed working with the national park service to make this a reality. in the meantime, we are working on a significant maintenance for our projects right here at the vietnam veterans memorial. in july, we completed a six week restoration of the three servicemen statue over there. it cost a lot of money to do that. we had to get the best people available to restore it to get it to look as good as it did when it was new. i want to thank each and every one of you, because we had to get the money from the people, diners, and many of you out there kate -- donors, and many

of you out there gave money to help with that. two years ago, this was literally the worst grass on the national mall. i have never seen anything as bad as that. we got to work on it. we pay some contractors. begot the stragglers -- we got to the sprinklers working again. it cost us a lot of money, and again, you will help us raise that. it is greatly appreciated. it is a great honor to work with the national park service to take care of the vietnam veterans memorial. they are always here. we gave this memorial to the national park service in 1984 and secretary kenneth salazar was actually going to speak with us today but he got called away on urgent government business. but here to represent the park service is maria burkes, acting superintendent of the national mall memorial parks.

she has really done almost everything in her career, including running ellis island and the statue of liberty, of very large, complicated moving parts with outside parts and organizations, and the taxpayers are very lucky to have people like her. at this time, maria, we would like to have you say a few words. [applause] >> cut afternoon, everyone. distinguished guests, distinguished speakers, distinguished veterans, ladies and gentlemen, i am here representing secretary salazar. he very much wanted to be here today. not being able to come at the last minute was a real disappointment to him. but it has been a real gift to me. i remember vividly the first

time i saw this memorial, and i remembered walking down the wall, looking at the names, thinking about the stories behind those names, the meaning of the fact that they were on the wall. it was transformative for me, and that experience stuck with me until this day. i am delighted to be here with you today, and i would like to recognize those to build the memorial so that we would all have a place to come. and i would like to recognize the national park service so that all -- the work so that all have a place to come and remember. there are 58,000 two hundred 67 names of the servicemen and women who died in vietnam and those who remain missing in action from the vietnam war. it is a very special place where

everyone can come together to remember and honor those who served and those who are still serving today. the memorial actually consists of four parts, for those of you have not visited the other three parts, there is the wall behind us here, there is the three servicemen statute, the in memory plaque, and very specially today, the vietnam women's memorial. each of these elements is different. it'll the special significance. each is a touchstone for many people -- each has a special significance, and each is a touchstone for many people here today. we are probablyiased, but we do think that national parks are wonderful places to seek solace and inspiration. many of our parts hold important monuments and memorials that recognize and pay tribute to american veterans, so visiting them can give us all a way to

recognize those who served and continue to serve our great nation, and remind all americans of the heritage that we hold in common. for that reason, the national park service is waiving fees today at national parks in honor of our veteran servicemen and service women, and we hope that you will come and see us. i know from the shout out that jan did that there are many veterans in the audience today, some from vietnam, some who serve or are currently serving in other conflicts around the globe. as an american, thank you for your selfless service to our country. i stand here in admiration of your sacrifices and your courage. thank you, and may god bless america. [applause] >> well, we always have a lot of very interesting people here, but we have a veteran of world

war i -- world war ii, if you could stand up. he was in world war ii and in vietnam with the u.s. chaplain service. if you ever get an opportunity to come to washington to visit the shiloh baptist church, you can hear him say a few words. we also have veterans from the valley here. could you stand up for a minute? [applause] that was a big battle in which the north vietnamese wanted to test our military system and our military's ability to respond to their tactics. it was quite a mess.

anyway, at this time, i am pleased to introduce to you one of the great military leaders and modern history, a general who served with great distinction in vietnam. he is a graduate of the u.s. military academy at west point. he won more than a few purpleheart. he was very seriously wounded, has a distinguished service cross and every medal you could possibly imagine. he was a very active combat leader, a four-star general. he is an msnbc commentator, chairman of the advisory board for the education center at the viet nam veterans memorial, an expert on mexico and many of the nation and world problems.

he also serves as an adjunct professor at the military academy at west point. he shares our advisory board at the education center. he helps to develop exhibits across the street for this facility. we are very happy to have been spearheading the project with us along with the national park service, antiand we thank him for his leadership. he is going to say a few words. [applause] >> thank you very much to you, peter holt, colin powell and others to have come together to try to build this education center across the street.

we have 25 million. the momentum is gathering. we are going to link 58,000 of our fellow soldiers, mares, airmen and sailors. when their birthday comes up, we are going to memorialize them at the education center. the next two years will be very crucial. go on line and give us a hand. let me also take one second to say how proud i am. i was privileged to serve in vietnam in the b company, second cabaret -- second calvary. can i ask them all to stand up? thank you for your service. [applause] my purpose is to -- privilege is to introduce but

[unintelligible] many of the items left at the wall reflect the service of australian soldiers and airmen. vice marshal now works at the australian embassy here. yes worked at the airport since 1977. his distinguished career includes director of the middle east operations center. he directed combat operations over both iraq and afghanistan. he took up his appointment then as head of the australian defence staff here in washington, as the defense attache at the embassy. he is a member of the order of australia. he has been awarded a

conspicuous service prong, given for his exceptional service to the royal australian air force throughout his career. at the end of the day, australians and americans have fought together in every conflict since world war i. there and tremendous allies. they have shed their blood with us in iraq and afghanistan. thank you for helping me welcome the vice marshal. [applause] >> and australian cannot resist responding. thank you very much for that kind introduction. to all of our vietnam veterans and veterans of all wars, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great honor to be up here to talk about australia's contribution over the years. i was quite amused to see how many people had actually come

across an australian in vietnam. i think the question most asked was, and who has fought alongside australians in vietnam? i should also asked, who has partied with the australians in vietnam? [laughter] i am it surprised you survived. they have just finished their remembrance day back in australia, and i can assure you that there are probably a couple of hangovers occurring right now. they do remember just as fondly the french ships that were made in vietnam. on a bit mart -- the friendships that were made in vietnam. on a bit more serious note, we call a remembrance day for a reason.

we first elected to call it armistice day, then amendments day -- then remembrance day. australia in world war i was hit very hard by casualties. about 10% of our population was killed or injured. 3% were killed. that is an incredible decimation of our population that occurred after world war i. if you are wondering why australians are so strong about remembrance, that is where it all began. if the same ratio was applied to the u.s. today, four 0.5 million young males would have been killed. it is something we do not take pride in, but we do acknowledge, and we do say that it is the reason we must keep remembering on remembrance day. the and none is a long way away from the u.s. for australia, it is in our

backyard. while it appears to be a war at a distance from the u.s., in australia, we were actually fighting for democracy in southeast asia in our region. for us, the war has great meaning that goes well beyond statistics. thank you to all of the vietnam veterans for making democracy the rule of the day in our part of the world. we thank you. [applause] as the general pointed out, we had 60 calcined auster -- 60,000 australians fighting with the u.s. forces there. many were with the united states air force or sailing off the coast, giving naval gunfire support. it was a very big deal to us.

unfortunately, more than 500 did not come back. the remembrance of those people is part of the reason that it is very important that australia be involved in the vietnam veterans memorial fund and the education center that is being planned. there are a whole bunch of stories out there about veterans that need to be told, about bravery, selflessness, the people they left behind, what they became, and they came home to. australia is keen to keep those memories alive. our recently elected government has answered the call and we are intending to donate $3 million to the education center here in the united states. [applause] what we would like is that when the australian veterans come across here, that they can stand side by side again with the

veterans from the u.s. and see their pictures of their killed alongside those of the u.s.. ladies and gentlemen, thank you again for allowing an australian along way from, to come up and say a few words. thank you in particular to our veterans. thank you. [applause] >> thank you. we appreciate the inspiring words. not long after the memorial was built, australian veterans began coming here from australia. some of them left boomerangs, hats, and things like that. these are the sorts of things we can display in the education center across the street when we build dit. that is an extremely generous contribution and greatly appreciated. at this time i would like to

introduce a fellow vietnam veteran, diane carlson evans, whose vision, hard work and determination brought about of the vietnam women's memorial behind you. ladies and gentlemen, diane evans. [applause] >> thank you. may, since air vice marshall kim osley is here, 19 australian nurses came here in 1993 to stand beside their american sisters who served in vietnam. they were so appreciated and so welcomed, and we went to the australian embassy, and the warrant, love, care and concern that was there because we, the a

number nurses, cared for the australians. i was stationed at 36 evacuation hospital on the south china sea, and i do not in the australians realized that there would be so many injured and wounded, the overflow. so we got these australian soldiers into our hospital, and one word out of their mouth and we knew where they were from. i do not care how sick they were, how wounded, or how much morphine they had, they had a sense of humor and they wanted a cold beer. [laughter] and they wanted everyone of us american nurses to go down to the beach and party with them when they got out of the hospital. [laughter] [applause] go australia. they were wonderful young men, and i attended the 1994

dedication of their vietnam memorial, which is really powerful, profound, and beautiful. i found the name barbara black, their only nurse who died as a result of the water, her name is on the wall at their memorial, at in -- who died as a result of her name is on the wall at their memorial, etched in the bronze. we try to remember each of these generations, wartime and peacetime, and comprehend their achievements and appreciate the enormity of their contributions to our country. the vietnam generation leaves a memorial as a testament to the

american spirit. this memorial galvanized the nation to honor those momentous sacrifices, hours of hard ship, days of courage and years of service, of men and women no different than the millions before them or after them, or today. the vietnam women's memorial leaves its legacy on women's veteran stories now being written into american consciousness. these stories shine a light on the names etched here, and on the thousands of those who survived. they provide a glimpse into the historical experience all too often eclipsed from american memories. "i care for each as though my brother, no time to cry, must attend to another and another.

time has passed and i still recall your courage, your struggle and your fault. rest in peace, now war is done, how brief in life like the setting sun. " today, i am honored to introduce one of the veterans that the vietnam women's memorial represents, a woman who joined the army as a student nurse in 1969 and his brother's life -- whose brother's life was as brief as the setting sun. been killed in vietnam in 1966. three years later, she received her orders to study nursing at walter reed army medical center. graduating in 1973, at which time she was commissioned into

the army nurse corps, she went on to serve for 23 years. currently an employee of the health care accreditation organization, she is dedicated to the quality care and safety of patients, just as she had been in her career as an army nurse. today she lives in montana and works for the joint commission as a nurse a surveyor. please welcome a lieutenant colonel connie schulz. [applause] >> general,

there is one group of people i need to recognize. my brother was a member of the 173 airborne brigade. they are having their reunion. i would like all of the 173 to please rise so we can recognize them. where are you? [laughter] [applause] i want to thank diane for giving me this opportunity as soon as i get my notes back. >> you might have to wing it. >> to share this very significant tribute to our veterans. march 16, 1966, changed my life forever. it was on that day my family was notified of the death of my brother, kenneth, who was a

member of the 173 airborne. he was killed in action and subsequently awarded the silver star for her wisdom. it has been just over three weeks that he had said goodbye to us. he was off to war. he left for work just days after the burial of a young marine friend, who eventually became my brother-in-law. it was my husband's brother, as he gave his life for his country. on march 16, 1966, my mother became a gold star mother with max's death. at 91, which had been to be here today, one more time, to honor her son. she sends her blessings but did not feel she was up to the trip. i wish to dedicate this moment in time to her. as unprepared for this day, i found myself reflecting on macs

and banned. their lives, and how they're deaths -- their deaths impacted my life and my decision to serve in the military. as a high-school student, i was determined to serve. my dream was to be a nurse. why not be a nurse in the army, or the military? on september 9, 1969, i made that commitment to serve as i am listed in the army as a select the to attend an army nursing program, the walter reed army institute of nursing. my role model at that time became the army nurses who had served in vietnam and now were teaching me how to become one of them. i graduated from nursing school in june of 1973, at which time i was commissioned in the army nurse corps. it was too late. i never got the chance to serve in that war, four in january of 1973, the cease-fire agreement

was signed. as a student at walter reed army medical center, and as an army nurse at subsequent tours, i did serve those who had been to war, witnessing the heart, emotionally and physically, seen on those veterans who returned home. as an army nurse, i have dedicated my career to the model to preserve the fighting strength. a career as an army nurse was spent training for war, but most importantly, working to keep the fighting strength helped the. -- healthy. alongside those nurses who had served in vietnam, i cared for those who not only were serving, but those who had served in war, and those who serve in support of those who went to war. being a veteran is not only about dying for our country, or serving in a war-porn -- war-

torn land. it is not where we serve, but how. there will always be measures of time significant to military events that we celebrate as veterans. the vietnam war, the cold war, the gulf war, iraq and afghanistan. the vietnam era is very significant to the vietnam women's memorial, for it honors all the women who served their country during the vietnam war. i stand here today representing the a non-para -- the vietnam era veterans, and most importantly a female vietnam era veteran. i was one of 265,000 women who served during the is no more. i stand here to honor all of the 1.8 million women who have served their country, and those

that continue to serve. women comprise approximately 20% of today's military, active-duty and reserve, and will eventually join the roles of u.s. military veterans. -- it is different than when i joined the army. roles and responsibilities have opened up to embrace the capabilities of women who serve. the vietnam women's memorial is an example of the significance of monuments and memorials that we see today. it is there not only to honor and remember, but also to educate our future generations, and continue to be an inspiration to many women serving today. the vietnam memorial, which the vietnam women's memorial is a part, speaks not only for the dead, but also for the living, and all of those who served during the turbulent times.

for my husband and i, our military service is in a sense a memorial. joining the service in memory of our brothers, who did give the ultimate sacrifice during the vietnam war. our memories of them, and our conviction to serve our country, honorably carried a strew our military service. i stand here today to honor all who have served and continue to serve as we again are involved in a war bigger than the fee and no more. during my travels this past year, we have had the honor to see medical care of the veterans first hand through vat -- through visits to veterans' hospitals, army, navy, and air force hospitals. i have had the honor to visit with and shake the hands of those who have served in some capacity. it never fails to bring a tear or a lump in my throat as i see

the pride of these veterans to say to me we were just doing our job. the all carry on our daily lives, rarely hesitated to consider what it means to be a veteran. it is an honorable title that we rry each and every day. it is a title to be celebrated, and a role that begs us to embrace all the new veterans. today is a day of celebration of the veteran, a day to recognize and be recognized. for those of you in attendance today that are not veterans, please take a moment to reflect on what veterans mean to you. never missed a chance to think a veteran. i will ask you to please stand

and except my salute for your service to our nation. would you please stand? thank you, good luck, and godspeed. [applause] >> thank you for those inspiring words. greatly appreciated. we also have noted that we have some people here on active duty. so we would like for them to waive so we can point them out to everyone. people from the department of defense. [applause] we also have some military veterans from iraq and afghanistan, if you could stand up here. [applause] you are always welcome here. i am very much -- it is the iraq and afghanistan veterans group, from time to time, and ultimately when the time is right for their memorial, i will

be one of their advisers, i am sure. i want to thank the many people who are part of today -- organizations, sons and daughters, the american legion, disabled american veterans, winners of the purple heart, paralyzed veterans. vfw, the non-veterans of america, joining us, as well as the museum -- vietnam veterans of america, and joining us, as well as the museum, items that have been left at the memorial. three times as many items have been left at the memorial as there are names at the memorial. it is a sociological phenomenon. this'll be part of the educational center across the street. we also want to thank the members of our corporate counsel.

there is a new member of our board of directors who is joining us today, as well as our board members including george mayo and john woods. welcome to the students of the eagle academy of egg harbor township who are here with us today. where are you all? high-school? middle school? thank you for coming. we want to thank the restaurant advisory board for the horizon corporation. they have passed -- we want to thank the advisory board for the verizon corporation. they have passed up flags.

karen o'brien is a great singer and a wonderful entertainment -- wonderful entertainer who was able to carve some time out of her busy schedule. she is going to sing for us. [applause] >> ♪ oh beautiful for spacious skies for amber waves of grain for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain america, america god shed his grace on thee

good withthey brotherhood from sea to shining sea ♪ ♪ oh beautiful for patient dreams that sees beyond the years thine alabaster cities gleam undimmed by human fears america, america god shed his grace on thee

and crown thy good with brotherood from sea to shining sea ♪ sing with me. ♪ oh beautiful for spacious skies for amber waves of grain for purple mountains' majesty above the fruited plain america, america god shed his grace on thee

withrown they good brotherhood from sea to shining sea ♪ [applause] >> that was quite impressive, i must say. peter holt was going to be here to introduce our next speaker. he is a very dynamic vietnam

veteran. but he could not make it. he got tied up in business. instead of peter, we are going to have the chairman of the board of the vietnam veterans memorial, from the board of directors. he is going to do the direction. jan served with the navy in vietnam and now passes a law in washington, d.c. they are not on the endangered list. washington attorneys are all over the place. he is one of the better ones. [applause] >> thank you. michael heisley was born in washington and grew up in alexandria, just across the river. he got a bachelor's degree from georgetown university, where he subsequently served on the board of directors at regent's for

seven years. in 1979, he founded a company based in chicago. he owns and operates approximately 40 businesses worldwide within a diverse set ups industries. he serves as chief executive officer of several of the company's subsidiaries. he also is the majority owner of the nba memphis grizzlies. heerves on the board of directors of his family foundation, which has pledged $2.50 million to the education center at the wall. [applause] he has been deeply touched by the vietnam war. he and his wife agnes have also devoted thei personal time and resources to honoring the

members of the veterans community. we are grateful to have him with us today. [applause] >> thank you. this is a very special day. it gives me a chance to do something i have wanted to do for many, many years, and that is to think the veterans personally for everything you have done for me, my family, my friends, and everyone i know. you have kept a safe, you have kept us free, and you have kept as with the benefits we get from this wonderful country. today is a very special day set aside to honor a very special group of people. only a small percentage of our nation's citizens served in the armed forces. they protect the freedoms that

we all enjoy. on this day, we turn our attention to the selfless individuals in saying thank you. it takes an exceptional kind of person to serve in the armed forces. as a service member, you must put your own needs second to those of your country. you must display courage and honor in situations fraught with danger. you must stand as an example of what is best in the united states for people around the world. and you must always do what is right, even when also what is right is very, very dangerous. not everyone is cut out for this life, but we all benefit from the efforts of those extraordinary individuals who willingly put on the uniform of the united states army, navy, air force, marines, and coast guard. to all of them, past and

present, i send out my heartfelt thanks. i cannot think about american service members without thinking of my good friend rocky versace. we were boys together growing up near alexandria, virginia. although our lives to of diverse paths, we remained very close through the years. we met when we could and wrote when we were apart. rocky went to west point and then served in korea and two terms of duty in vietnam. on the last night of his leave before his second term in vietnam, he dined with me and my wife in our small home in alexandria, virginia. at dinner, we talked about the future, our hopes and dreams.

he told us that after the tour was over he was planning to leave the service. he wanted to become a priest and stay in vietnam to work at an orphanage that he had helped build and support while he was in that war-torn country. he deeply felt and loved the children of vietnam, and he wanted to assist them. and i gave him my solemn promise to help him in that job and in that dream. but i never saw him again. months later, we learned on the tv news that rocky had been wounded and captured. over the next several years, agnes and i prayed for his release. occasionally, we heard vague reports that the vietcong were marching him from village to village for propaganda purposes, but our worst fears were realed when we learned he had been executed on september 26, 1965.

i think i always knew it would and the way for rocky. when we learned of his captor, i told my wife, "i fear we will never see rocky again." rocky has a spirit that does not compromise. he will not bend, nor will he break. there will just have to kill him. later, we heard stories from the man he had been with in captivity, about rocky and his courage, his optimism and his -- the inability of the vietcong to break him. he was the commanding officer, or the ranking officer. and he was the man that was subject to a lot of the torture and mistreatment to try to break him in front of his men.

the last time he was put into solitary confinement, finally put in this bamboo cage slightly bigger than himself and left away from his man, never to see him again. when the were walking out, being moved to another location, coming through the trees were the sounds of a man singing "god bless america." that example served as an inspiration to those men in captivity with him. i mourn my friend to this day. i also celebrate all the things about him that made him special. his belief in god was strong. his love of america and his commitment to west point's code of duty, honor, and country give him the strength to face the horrors of captor with bravery and colorado. today, when i think about all the best of our men and women in

uniform, i think of rocky. i think of how willingly he put aside his own needs to serve his country. i think of his loyalty to others, his courage, his integrity. and i think of his dedication to duty, and his deep sense of honor. i know that these volumes are replicated in the veterans and the servicemen around the globe, and i am proud of every single one of you. today, you may have heard about the education center being built across the street, nearhe lincoln memorial, to honor all the -- all those who serve and tell the stories of those who did not come back from vietnam. we can learn so much from the stories of these extraordinary people. in addition to the tens of bravery and owner, we can learn about the person is behind the uniform. my friend rocky was an army

captain, a prisoner of war, a medal of honor recipient. but he was more than that. he was a boyhood frid. he was a gentle soul who love children. he was a big brother who helped raise his siblings. seeing his name on the granite wall behind me or reading his medal of honor citation leaves me with pride for my friends achievement, but there is more to the story. in the educational center, we can give visitors a chance and a glimpse of the promise that went unfulfilled in the lives of all those individuals who did not come home from the war. today, as a lookout on the crowd and see so many of you who served in iraq and afghanistan, the gulf war and vietnam, in correa and world war -- in korea and world war ii.

in every generation, there have been those who put on the uniform, served their country, and came home to make america a better place. it is a huge debt to repay. to our men and women in uniform, please know that today and every day we are aware of what you do for our country. we know that there are personal costs. we know that the blessings we enjoy are safeguarded by your unselfish and tireless efforts. and we may say to you think you. thank you. thank you. [applause] >> i want to point out that the person he was talking about was also a graduate of the u.s. military academy, and we have

some distinguished at the -- some distinguished graduates with us here today, including general mike conrad. general conrad brought with us -- to us, rather, the color borne andm the 82nd air boar the first cavalry division. let us give a big hand to the color guard. [applause] one of our closest advisers, bill murty, is here today, the ceo of a major corporation. at this time, we will begin wreath laying. while the wreaths are placed at the wall, a bagpiper chris jackson will perform "amazing grace." the name of his father in what

is in grave on panel 25 -- is engraved on panel 25e of the wall. once these are placed at the memorial, we will be able to listen to "taps." [bagpipe playing "amazing grace"] >> department of the interior. national park service. vietnam veterans' memorial fund. it nom women's memorial foundation. the american gold star mothers are coming down, followed by the

gold star wives of america. sons and daughters in touch as well are starting to walk right now. they are followed by on the other side the 82nd airborne division. take a look at some of these wreaths if you can see them. they are neat. the first cavalry division is the yellow. that is the patch on their uniform. the american legion is here. amvets as well. disabled american veterans. military order of the purple heart. they have everything that looks like a purple heart. paralyzed veterans of america. vfw of the united states. veterans of foreign wars have given us a million dollars for the education center at the vietnam veterans memorial. the vietnam veterans of america

are here. we will get it done eventually. we also have the fourth infantry division. searchlights. the caisson veterans are here today, lining up. it is a beautiful photograph. what i will do after the ceremony -- i will get these guys to stand in place for you who would like to take a photograph. it is a nice sort of thing to take home. the 199 flight infantry brigade is here. i was with them when wounded many many years ago. military veterans motorcycle club is here. we want to thank them and harley-davidson for these are the guys who flyoff from arizona to be with uds

once a yer. they are moving forward. the 27th infantry wolfhounds are moving into position as we speak. the ninth infantry division is here. whenever miss an opportunity like this to have a great read. these have been placed at the memorial. please, stand for the playing of 'taps.'

♪ ♪ ["taps" playing] well, you can remain sitted if you like and millaround until

the honorguard has moved from the walkway. a lot of you with cellphones like to take a big shot. there is a nice picture. you can send it home. the conditions are perfect. that convluces -- conclude today's ceremony. thank you for coming. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010]

speaker from the u.s. army material commander. -- ia some serious loans. ladies and gentlemen, let's give a warm welcome to kimberly b.

it is my pleasure to be your mistress of ceremonies today i'm here to honor all the veterans who had served in the armed forces of the united states of america, especially those who fought in world war two to keep our nation free and set an example for all the generations to come. if you please join me by standing to welcome the official party for today's commemoration. first, the commander of the night it states army and the first woman four-star general. next, led the united states army retired in cirman of the

friends of the national world war ii memorial. mr. john jarvis. we would also like to recognize john and the maritime administrator. mcveigh will be presenting a brief -- wreath. please remain standing for the

presentation of the colors.

-- [playing "the star spangled baer."]

>> let's all pray together. the nation in did the board to

end all wars. the women who served, who worked alongside the combat forces, members of the greatest generation. we thank them for the servi they gave to our nation. they worked countless hours with members of our armed services. they too favor upon us who are gathered here this day. may contue to bless all of our veterans. we ask them pray in your holy name, amen.

>> please, be seated. >> good morning. this monument commemorates those the ceification in the great is armed conflict the world has ever known. it represents a rescinds not as the doll demonstrate it, but a generation that was borne by the heart of the great depression. they were handed their respsibility to indoor more.

many of them were women. women veterans of world war two, we are honored to have you with us. the served with bravery, character, who did this sometimes on glamorous had an absolutely crucial work to keep the war effort going. the national parks is privileged to host this event in your honor. it is fitting that the keynote speaker is the first four-star general in the military. the director of the center is another in a long line of accomplished military women, and inspiration to others and a

testament to those in the armed forces. and the chairman of the international world war two memorial, the only cosponsor of today's event and worked with the national park service to ensure that this memorial and these services are held as both intended. and the defining events of the twentieth century. use the have traveled here today to honor us with your presence, not just the women veterans of world war two, but the women that punched in, did without, and went unrecognized and caied the load on the home

front until the contest was settled. we are gathered here today to regnize all of you, and especially those women that made thultimate sacrifice. let usause for a moment of silence to remember them. thank you, welcome, and may god bless all of us. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, we will hear remarks from the chairman of the board of the national world war two memorial. youe just can't thank enough to be with us on this

very special day. you are the ideal person for our keynote speaker. a special welcome to all of our distinguished guests. we have so many guests that come to help. ladies and gentlemen, especially our honored guest today, the world war two veterans and especially the women who served in world war two. [applause] >> today, we remember all veterans in all of our wars and

also, we want to remember those o are serving in active duty today. and the heroes that came to see the memorial, some of them for thvery first time. you make this very special by flying in this morning and being with us. [applause] we also have another special group of heroes with us. we have women that served in world war two that live in the armed services retirement, here in washington. we think that group for being here with us this morning as well. [applause] think you'll for coming and taking part in this various federal --ery special veterans

day ceremony. as we all knowall across america, people are gathering to pay tribute to our veterans and the men and women that are serving in our armed forces today. we pause to remember and honor the contributions of all veterans who have always answered our nation's call to duty. we should remember every day the gift of our veterans, the gift that they gave us. and that is a strong, free, and beautiful america that we are privileged to call home. and we owe them a debt that we can never repay. on this veterans day, at this very special place, we have choseno remember the women who served in world war two. women have always played a

critical in securing our independence and defending our freedom. women have served our nation in peace and war since the war of independence and the beginning of this nation. they are among our nation's greatest heroes. women volunteered in large numbers to serve in the armed forces, and that was not easy in those days. and they volunteered to serve on the home front, in the factories, the defense plants. they piloted aircraft, and especially, they kept the home fires burn here at home. and they burned brightly as they ran the homes, the farms, the business, took care of the children who took care -- our speaker today has built her career on the legacy of those

great heroes who we honor at the ceremony. as you already heard, the general and as our nation's first four-star female general. her career has been built nothing but very tough and demanding jobs, one after the other. her current assiment is one of the most challenging command jobs that we have in the army, is challenging and peacetime, and is even more so in wartime. i have served in that mmand. i am extremely proud of her and all of her accomplishments. she symbolizes to we honor today, the great women that served our nation and especially in world war two. it is a privile to serve on

the board. this is a nonprofit organization that works very closely d very proudly th the nation's park service, and also with the military district of washington to plan the events like this one to assist in sharing the sacre memorial with our world war two veterans enhance your families. we also want to are this with all america to and want to make sure that we remember the lessons in the history of the great war. most of the founders of this organization are former members of the american battle monuments commission. they served on the memorial site in design selection committee. and they literally put their heart and soul in making this memorial a reality for the world war two veterans, and they fought extremely hard to put it on this piece of sacred ground. behind me, 4048 gold stars on

the freedom wall. each one of these stars represents 100 fallen u.s. service members. those who never returned home to their families. to the gold star mothers, the goldstar father, the goldstar spouses, the goldstar children, and the goldstar families that no better than most of the pce of freedom. america's greatest heroes are resting under the head stunts at arlington national cemetery, and other cemetery is located near battlefields all around the world and l across this nation, this world war two memorial enshrines the memory of all who serve in that war.

these gold stars remind us that they gave all of their tomorrows for our freedom. and we should remember that freedom comes at a very high price, and will never be free. the greatest generation who fought the most destructive war in history. approximately 60 million people lost their lives all over the world.

mostly those that were overrun by the war. millions were murdered in concentration camps, death camps, and prisoner of war camps. the greatest generation overcame great odds. there was no certainty that we would win that war. and they not only save this nation, but this generation literally save the world. as we reflect on their sacrifice, let us remember the unity that this monument represents, and the spirit of america that shone so brightly in a dark world on the days of world war two. this memorial will help us ensure that that spirit continues to burn brightly, lighting the path for our children and our grandchildren. they will be the leaders of the land of the free and the home of the brave. god bless all of our world war two veterans, all of our terans, and all of our service members today and their families. god bless america, and thank you so much for helping us remember, honor, and thank our veterans. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, we are

very grateful to have with us some members of the united states air force brass quintet that will perform a musical salute to our veterans. ♪

[applause] ladies and gentlemen, is my pleasure to introduce the director for center of women veterans, the department of veterans affairs. [applause] >> i want to introduce the

general. she is first and foremost a crowd of soldiers that has served our nation th great distinction for 35 years. she is currently the commanding general of the u.s. army materiel command, one of the largest commands and the army. with more than 70,000 soldiers impacting 49 states and 144 countries around the world. since her first assignment in 1976, as a platoon leader, she has commanded at every level.

during the persian gulf war, she was the division parachute officer. later, she was the first woman to command a battalion in the eighty second airborne division. as commander in distribution command, from 2002-2004, she guided the largest deployment of the u.s. forces since world war two in support of operation iraqi freedom. she is the first woman in the u.s. military to achieve the rank of a four-star general. ladies and gentlemen, i would like to introduce our speaker for today.

[applause] >> midmorning. what an honor it is for me to be here with you today. i am so grateful that we live in a country that takes time to pause and reflect and pay tribute to our veterans. because it is our veterans that have always given us and continue to give us the gift of freedom. how while veterans day is only formally recognized once a year, we must never forget how blessed we are to live in freedom every single day. now for me. this place, this day holds a very personameeting at --

meaning for me. it brings to life a story about a soldier. isolde that is very special to me. this soldier graduated from west point in 1943. not long after his graduation, this young soldier found himself on the battlefield of europe, serving with the fourteenth armored division, leading an equally young group of soldiers fighting along the french and german border. in january of 1945, the soldier was severely wounded. the tank he was in the glow of. he was so seriously injured that he almost lost a leg. but like many of you, is a true fighter on the battlefield and off. fortunately, he recovered.

he was awarded the purple heart, and he continued to serve. in 1951, the soldier commanded the third battalion regiment during the korean war. he was awarded t distinguished service cross for valor and another purpleheart. and he continued to serve. in 1971, that same soldier commanded the mechanized brigade in vietnam. like some of you, he is a proud war veteran. there is no one more proud of him than me. the soier was my father. [applause] and i am even prouder to report that he is 91 years old. [applause] right after the ceremony, i am flying down see him in florida.

i can'think of a better way to spend a veterans day with all of you and then with my very own world war two that. i want to thank the friends of the national world war two immoral to make -- for making this ceremony possible. i want to thank all of the distinguished military and civilianuests here, including some manrepresentatives from the great veterans association. thank you for being here and thank you for sharing this very special veterans day. some of our most distinguished guests have come a long way. thank you for giving our

veterans the opportunity to come from around the country to see their memorial. [applause] this is an inspiring memorial, and it is a tribute to 60 million americans who wore the uniform during the second world war. it is so a reminder of the triumph of the arican spirit. because of what the american group bid for all of us, your children, your grandchildren, they now call you the greatest generation, a title you have well learn and one he will hold forever. like iaid a moment ago, today's ceremony and veterans day recognition is very special. they are from the first commanding general of the u.s. women's army corpsand they

read, women that stepped up were measured as citizens of the nation, not asomen. this was the people's war and everyone was in it. on this special day, we are here to remind ourselves that half of the greatest generation where women. and more than 350,000 of them seed in uniform during the second world war. they served as marines. they served at home and around the globe. if you are one of these proud women, wearing our nation's uniform during world war two, stand or wave your hand so we can say thank and recognize you. [applause] thank you all for your svice to our country.

today, we also want to recoize all the people that served in many other ways, every bit as vital to the nation's victory. including the thousands of women that took government jobs, the 3.5 million women that volunteered for the american red cross, the tens of thousands of women that volunteered with the uso, and the 19 million american when -- when that went to work in industries. -- american women that went to work in industries. and when to recognize the millions of more that raised

chilen and kept families together during shortages, and some very tough times. women like my own mom. i know she is here in spirit. she was with my dad every step of the way. she might not have carried a rifle, but she carried a very heavy sack filled with responsibilities that came with being head othe household while the loved ones were overseas. if you were one of those women that were there supporting our nation at war, stand and raise your hands so we can say thanks and recognize you as well. [applause]

eleanor roosevelt once said, he must do those things you think you cannot do, and we're surrounded by women that truly did the things that so many thought they could not do. they helped us put the brake in the greatesteneration. this memorial is as much theirs as it is anyone's, and they couldn't be prouder to honor the mall on this great veterans day. today, i say god bless all of our veterans, god bless our women veterans, and never forget our deployed men and lemon. pray for their success in their safe return. have a wonderful american day. [applause] >> i invite you to rise for the presentation to honor all of the veterans. it will just take a moment to let themet into position.

>> could afternoon. thank you for joining us today. i in your master ceremony for today. we hope you enjoyed the music of the coast guard band. it is based in connecticut and traveled throughout the united states and overseas. aday's tribute will be

preceded by the secretary of homeland security, and janet apalitnano.n >> our official party will participate in a ceremony in honor of our veterans. it to be followed by a moment of silent. veterans are authorized to do the hand salute. those not in uniform but covered jar remove their hats and place it over their heart spread them -- over their heart.

.

[playing "holy, holy, holy."]

>> at this time, will our guests please rise and remain standing for the playing of "taps."

[band plays "the star spangled banner"]

>> right shoulder arms. colors arms. colors halt. >> present arms.

>> colors, present arms. [trumpet playing "taps"]

>> right shoulder arms. >> right face. forward march. >> please be seated. ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor to present our

speaker. >> thank you. madam secretary, admiral papp, distinguished officers, ladies and gentlemen, in 1918 on the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month, we will join to celebrate. after four years of war, an armistice was signed. the war to end all wars was over. congress they did this day as a filler will holiday -- as a federal holiday 20 years after the war ended. as we all know, the war to end all wars and did not. introduced by president and veteran dwight d. eisenhower in 1954, veterans day eventually replaced armistice day as a day of remembrance in 1978. veterans day is a time to honor and not just heroes, but all of the men and women who served

selfishly even before our nation began. when asked by his grandson if he was a hero in the war, major richard winters replied, "no." it is this hubble example that illustrates how important it is that we observe -- it is this humble example that illustrates how important it is that we observed the referenced -- observe veterans day. this month, remember the 14th exceptional shipmates that we honor for our new fast-response cutters. billy-ray flores only one year out of boot camp, save the lives

of ship makes after eight collision when he opened the life jacket locker and stayed behind to help the wounded. when the vessel capsized, he was trapped aboard and lost his own wife. someone else volunteered to wade through heavily mined waters to guide ships and troops onto normandy beach during the d-day invasion. someone else get a light for 40 years to guide mariners to safety. richard etherege led 18 to a hurricane to rescue crew members from eight wrecked schooner. these are just a few of our coast guard heroes. those who served before us and the standing the watch today.

these shipmates accepted the challenges and responsibilities that come with the call to serve. as we watch our families safely in our homes at night, let's remember those who served and those who still serves. let's remember the pride that -- remember the price that many have paid for our liberty and our freedom. these are debts that can never be fully repaid. instead of mourning or being somber, to date we rejoice and celebrate our veterans. it is the spirit of celebration i would like to echo in the words of general patton. >> it would be foolish and wrong to mourn those who died. we should thank god that such people have lived." [applause]

now it is my distinct honor and pleasure to introduce admiral j. papp of the united states coastguard. admiral papp is a 1975 graduate of the coast guard academy. he holds a master of arts in national security strategic studies at the united states war college and a master of science in management. admiral pat have surged six coastguard cutters, four of which he commanded. he is our 13th gold ancient mariner. for those who may not know, the gold ancient mariner is an honorary position held by an officer with over 10 years duty.ated see tha

ladies and gentlemen, please welcome admiral papp. [applause] >> master chief 11 and i seem to be in a competition. he likes to point out the engine things whenever he can. secretary napolitano, thank you for being here with us this morning. distinguished guest, thank you as well. it is always a pleasure to see you. device, died of the coast guard and it shipmates, thank you for being here. i thank in particular the chiefs for rallying people to come out here. we have done this for many years. when you have a couple of bad weather years, the crowd diminishes a little bit. it is gratifying to see the turnout this year of all the

senior leaders and senior enlisted leaders. more importantly, some of the kids in the crowd as well. we all have a duty here today. all of us share in this obligation to practice the manners of our profession. these matters are not recorded anywhere in any book or any document or any publication. these matters are observed, they are taught, they are experienced, and they are felt in the heart. by practicing them, we prepare another generation to take part in them as well. a nation or even a service can be judged on how well it honors its veterans. we just attended the, the master chief and i, a service to honor all of our veterans who have served throughout the years. the vice president had a chance

to thank all of us and all of those in the past. as the commandant of the coast guard, i will take time to date to recognize our coast guard veterans in particular, because sometimes our coast guard people are forgotten. as we all know, we play a large part in our national security. as the commandant of the coast guard, i want to express my sincere appreciation for your presence here today. we are particularly grateful to have the attendance of secretary napolitano. i know how busy all of your schedules or when you walk -- we work in washington, on a day off, the last thing you want to think about is driving into washington. i am also are predicted that are ceremony honored guard is here to add to the excellence of the ceremony. i am also proud to have our coast guard and here as well. the coast guard band will do a

consort for us tomorrow night. we are looking forward to that, but i was struck by the theme of their concert which is "heroes in our midst." i read a couple -- i read the speech a couple of years ago with that same title. after the dedication of the world war ii monument, i started reading an obituary of those who served during world war ii. many times there were people, perhaps well known for other things they have done in their lives, but we did not realize that these ordinary people were heroes in our midst. one of those names i will talk about today is james flurry. more about that in a moment. on this veterans day, i would like to recognize some of our past heroes who gave the full measure of devotion defending our freedoms. all the coast guard memorial behind me are the names of

crewmen aboard the cutter seneca and tampa who were lost during world war roman one. on december 16, 1918, in a gallon to endeavor to bring a torpedoed merchant vessel into port, a detail of 15 coast guard members who were aboard the coast guard cutter seneca were lost of gibraltar. just 10 days later on september 26, 1918, the uss tampa was sought while performing a ocean export duty by an enemy submarine. she went down with every man on board -- 115 coast guard members and 16 passengers. 131 souls lost forever. the camp but was the greatest combat related loss of life suffered by a u.s. naval forces in world war ii -- were a war

room and one. the senior naval officer on duty in great britain received the following letter. "there warships' request made to express their deep report -- regret at the loss of the uss tampa. it has been employed in the waters as an ocean escort. they lost only two ships to enemy action. the commanders of the convoys that recognize the ability with which the cat but carry out its duties appreciate the good work done by the uss tampa. it may be some consolation to the bereft and their warship would like this to be conveyed to those concerns. several days later, two bodies washed ashore. the authorities were able to identify one of the bodies. it turned out to be seamen james

flurry. the other was never identified. but these coast guard members were buried with full military honors in a small church in wales. his family later brought his body home and had him buried in long island, new york. the unidentified coast guard men still rests in the churchyard. on may 23, 1928, the, died dedicated this coast guard war memorial and remarked, "the officers and men of the coast guard is memory we are honoring today new the standards and pride of our small service and to uphold the traditions and standards, they made the greatest of earth the sacrifices. ou will find james flurry's

name etched on the stalled behind me. the legacy of these coast guard men had been carried on with the same commitment and the same sacrifice. our service is to under 20 years old. we have performed callous maritime missions. many of these fees are so dramatic that they beat any fictional see story you could tell. they all have a common theme -- the willingness of someone to take great personal risk to protect others. that is what coast guard meant do. we protect people on the sea. we protect against threats on the sea. and we protect the sea itself. we ensure the safety and security and stewardship of our nation's waters. our present day hardworking coast guard men and women who comprise of crews and units to perform are challenging missions are true heroes in our midst.

their service is characterized by entering humility. if you ask them if they thought of themselves as heroes, invariably they would say, no, i was just doing my job. there are heroes out there and they are here today. they are those ordinary men and women who do extraordinary things. their names are not famous, but their virtues are. teamwork, selflessness, courage, honor, respect, and devotion to duty. they are not larger than life, but they risk their own lives so that others might live. the step forward to answer the call when others fall back. look into any coastguard station, in the hangar deck, where 80 cutter and you will find them -- the courageous men and women of the united states coast guard. when you need them the most, they will get their utmost to

protect you from the sea, to protect you against threats from b.c., and to protect the sea itself. on this veterans day we honor all of those who have worn the uniform of our country, we honor our profession by recognizing all of those who have served past and present. this is our chosen profession. this is our way. this is what we do. we are privileged to be members of a very unique service. for this reason, when ever i have been asked about what we are or what we do, i always reply with pride, "we are coast ."ardsmen i salute you and i thank you from the bottom of my heart for your service past and present. [applause]

>> now i had the distinct pleasure and great honor of introducing someone who has provided great support for the united states coastguard and our heroes, our service secretary, the hon. janet napolitano. she has visited coastguard cutters in the arabian gulf. she has visited coast guard men and women responding to the deepwater horizon spill. most recently, she went to see how we maintain a stewed navigation. her devotion to duty it ensures that our coast guard men and women at the support and resources to fulfill our mission. it is my honor to introduce the secretary of the department of all lan security, but as we prefer to call her, the secretary of the united states coast guard, the hon. janet napolitano. [applause]

>> thank you admiral papp for that introduction and thank you to everyone who is here today. it is so fitting that we are gathered here at this memorial because we now celebrate veterans day, the day when the fight in world war one ended. the administration for the armistice that was breached on december 11 began the -- that was reached on december 11 began the process of american service members coming home. when they came home their service to our country did not end. it's simply took on different things. the spirit of service that our veterans possess provides an important example to everyone. our country's and veterans continue to serve and strengthen our country long after they leave active duty. this has never been more truth

than today. honor those day, we who gave their lives, including the members of the coast guard who perished in the line of duty since the last veterans day. our thoughts and our prayers remain with their families and loved ones. our gratitude for their sacrifice will never fade. yet we also take time to recognize help veterans enhanced every facet of our nation. today the time to recognize that we are stronger as a country not only because of what they have given, but also because of what they continue to give. nowhere is this more true than the department of homeland security. we are fortunate to have more veterans continuing their service to america with less than almost any other organization in the country. i am privilege to be the service secretary for the 42,000

active duty men and women serving in the united states coastguard, but i am also honored to lead a dedicated civilian work force that includes over 48,000 veterans, more than 25% of our total personnel. it is no accident that we can count 70 veterans among our dhs calling. we seek out veterans because we know that their service, their talents, their experience is key to sell many of our missions and are perfectly suited to our main mission of securing our nation from the many threats that we face. as i speak, veteranare rkin to guard against terrorism, to protect our cyber networks, to help secure our borders, to help enforce our immigration laws, and to help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters of any kind.

being america's best a brightest, they are constantly improving the way that our department does all of these things. one of my top priorities as secretary has been to make sure we are doing everything possible to leverage the unique values of the department. one of the ways we do this is by actively recruiting veterans for jobs across dhs. i set a goal last year of having more than 50,000 veterans at our department. we will reach this goal in 2012. we also work to ensure that veterans have opportunities to busy -- to do business with the department of all land security. -- department of homeland security. in what is one of the highest honors i have had is the one to

preside over the granting of citizenship to active-duty members of the military who are already serving our country even though they are not yet citizens. last year we naturalized more than 11,000 members of our military, and the most in 55 years. these are young men and women who are serving in iraq and afghanistan on active duty post all over the world who had agreed to serve pending their citizenship. today they are citizens. so today we express our unwavering gratitude not only to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, but also to those heroes in our midst to have continued to serve as examples of honor, service, and of selflessness long after their time in the military is completed. those are the memories and that is the service we honor today.

thank you very much. [applause] >> with our guests please rise? commander stephen smith will now offer the benediction. >> i invite you to join me in a word of prayer. lord our god, we get thanks to you for this great land of our birth with all of its liberties and its many blessings. today we especially give thanks for those who have served her, sacrificing their lives in the midst of this country's hour of need. our fallen comrades, their families and friends -- to them will be forever indebted.

blessed as only you can do that they know our deep appreciation and make it always be true. may we never forget the sacrifices and may we fight to keep men free and we always strive to keep alive be pursued of liberty -- the pursuit of liberty. in your holy name we pray, amen. >> thank you.

>> colors halt. preset arms. right shoulder arms.

♪

>> ladies and gentlemen, this concludes our ceremony. thank you for taking part. we would like to thank the executive director of the army national cemetery program and the superintendent of arlington national cemetery for their assistance with today's ceremony. we would also like to thank the coast guard band. [applause] and the coast guard honor guard. [applause] please feel free to join us for refreshments under the tent. once again, thank you for your attendance.

>> coming up on c-span, and analysis for this year's race for governor. then "washington journal" live with your phone calls. then the alliance for health reform. >> booktv this weekend, george w. bush on his memoir "decision points." that is a live from miami sunday at 4:00 p.m. eastern on c-span2. >> it would have sent a signal to everybody saying they are smart investors who think this

thing will crash and burn. you could not see that the way you can see it in the stock market. because of the way these estimates were, we were basically not inventing the wheel but betting on the casino version of a mortgage. >> she wrote about enron in "the smartest guys in the ram." sunday night at 8:00 eastern on c-span's "q &a." >> republicans picked up a net gain of five governorships in this year's elections. officials from the republican and democratic governors' association discussed those results on thursday in a forum in washington, d.c. you also hear analysis of the races from the washington post.

this is 90 minutes. day. i guess let's all remember that it's veterans day. made my commute fantastic this morning. easy rows. thanks very much all of you for coming. it's great to see you here. obviously, illustrativ of what we're talking about. pretty fascinating collection. i am craig pattee. i know some of you. i run the state and local part is, dutko worldwide and i'm particularly passionate. i don't know if that's the right word were talking about government and politics, the passionate about state and local work in a particular governors. i'm guessing you are too or you wouldn't be here rightow unless somebody told you you had to be. but hopefully that's not the

case. it's been so interesting the past six months has been the site of governors races i got started in 1993 when i got kicked out of the bush white house and feels very similarto the way it felt for the past six months. not necessary a democratic or repuican thing, but just a resurgence in the power of governors vis-à-vis you not only in the states, but also here in d.c. and again, if you're here, chances are that your bread and butter. that's what you'll do. for all very interested in the role that governors play in the states play in terms of impacting federal policy and national policy and the implementation of the policy. and for me, what was really interesting in this election was you had some of the individual races which will talk about in a minute and yes, some of the broader political trends. what does this mean about obama's administration pluck,

pluck, pluck. to me the most interesting thing is this resurgence in federalism. the past five to 10 years, governors have been playing third string, but they are definitely back. we have a real active crop of new governors that are going to be very good, both for the national governors association as well as the rga in the tga and on their own. and we have a whole slew of federal policy that are coming back up again, whether it be rother it be rasterization, no child left behind for transportation funding. you know, exactly how health care reform. that all shakes down to the states now. so it's a very exciting time to see a large group of governors coming in. it will be interestingto see how the new speaker appaches and handles his relationship with governors. i think governors have felt way on the back bench, regardless of

what you think about nancy pelosi. even for the next 10 years. what was so great about 1994 is not a speaker and a president and a senate majority leader at that time, bob dole, running for president, all paying attention to governors and that's what he saw such a great partnership. so i'm really excited about it. so the purpose of today is to talk to those governors races in sort of what happened and why. we've got sort of two discussions. remaking the shorter the way down in the past because everybody has got worn out last year. the first panel for going to be talking about the races themsees. and we're very lucky to have the senior folks for te rga here to talk goes through. and i were going to do some q&a and, probably take a quick five minute i opaque and then chris

cillizza will be here later this morning starting at 10:30 to look at some of the political and media aspects of the races. and will be done by 12:00, i promise. i had some other notes, but they're kind of moot now. there is the sole state and legislative aspect to it as well, which maybe we will talk about another day. here were 16 states that had control within the state legislators. i'm not a lot, especially going into a redistricting year. but there's a whole another conversation to have about that. in any case, let me turn it over to the first panel and get it started. we really enjoyed doing this with the rga and vga. most of you are probably involved in the rga and you prably know that they are two of the most effective organizatis in the country and certainly in washington d.c. both in terms of providing opportunities to interact with governors and staff, but

providing realunny to those governors and staff as well, going well beyond the dollars they raise for the races. the reason that certain nations are so effective is because they very well run. make eric and nathan daschle run for organizations and they would love to get together. nick had to hop ona plane to go out and get ready for the upcoming rga conference, which i'm sure we'll see many of you. phil cox, political director with the rga, who is here t talk about the races. horse nathan daschle from the democratic governors association. and we've asked josh kraushaar to come and moderate the panel. josh is a former reporter for politico and now a columnist with national journal.com called against the grain and executive editor of the hot lane. i'd like to turn it over to these folks and the format really is up to the three of you. josh, i guess it's mostly up to

you, but you can let it be organic and you know, let's have a half-hour 40 minute discussion and then i would love it if you could help stimulate some q&a from folks, sort of see where it goes. thanks. >> thank you, craig for the introduction and i'm very excited to be here talking about the governors races in the statewide landscape, especiall now that it's a week out of the holidaycome about from time to to digest the results and get some sleep and the partisan bickering and look towards the governing aspect. and to do that i'm really pleased to be joined by two of the sharpest operatives in washington who i've known for quite a while. [inaudible] [laughter] >> nathan daschle, chairman of the democratic governors association --

[inaudible] and republican governors association political drt, phil who has been ere. they've been as many of you know as they connect to director that manages all the dga policy, finance, political efforts, you name it and under name his leadership at dga has played a pivotal role in helping the democratic gubernatorial candidates across the country and the dga really has become a force in national democratic politics especially over these last few years. so, before joining the rga service as a campaign richard burr current virginia governor donald andy engineered one the gubernatorial victories of the election cycle. and he's been the campaign manager and consultant to over all the way down to the state

legislator and also served as mcdonnell transition direct care. one of the reasons i'm very excited about moderating this panel is nathan and fell for together aggressively on the political bttlefield, but this is true for the rga and dga as far as all the political committees that get along with each other outside the office. i've been a part of many panels and it's not always the case. sometimes you have to really play moderator and kind of separate two sides. a very partisan operation at times. i'm impressed with both the work of nathan and nick they can play aggressively in the political battlefield and getogether for drinks and work together and there's not a lot of acrimony, so that's a real testimony to

the work these guys do you know, there's couple big teams but the governors get lost at times but the senate race of the national attention, but the governors races are among the most important and consequential concepts that we saw this november. and i think will have the most lasting impact on the political scheme in the last few years. and the republicans picked up the key presidential backgrounds with pennsylvania, oio, florida, you know, vis-à-vis the races where the presidential race in 2012 andhen i'll have an iteresting impact on h these play out over the next few years. president obama is preparing for his fall election. there's a lot of very, very top democrat and they're going to have to figure out how to move

forward in thisay. so i went to kind of delve into how the governors races, how they are affected and affect the presential races in two years. another big theme tt came out of the governors races redistricting. try not, is notnecessarily the most thing when it comes to politics, but when you look at the house race map and the state legislative races for years and years to come, these are one of the most consequential governors races because the governor can do the bold work. if you have a democratic governor i a state with republican legislature, they can make it much for a bipartisan effort and vice versa. a lot of these big states, a lot of states where we seem governors and parties which is, they are going to be a lot of lasting impact and i want to go into that as well. there's also a lot of a lot of proven others, fresh faces, 24, 25, couple dozen. you've got folks that haven't been around before with familiar faces like california jge

jerry brown and morgan john kitzhaber and a genuine tea party governor paulo page. you've got a guy who was around washington d.c. in congress they ran for presidentin 2005. there's a lot of colorful characters and i want to go into some of the more interesting storylines also from 2010. but first i want to take a really big picture look of the night on election night. and kind of close to similar questions. governors gained five governorships you win some, like son. he said five saves will do better than a lot of the exctations for democrats heading into election. so i want to -- nathan, are you satisfied and how do you think it does for the upcoming governor's races? >> well, thanks. first let me thank dutko for

this. they also want to thank all of you for coming. as craig said, normally they give this world races and i used to seem some people interested in governors res. when i want and i assumed i was in the wrong room and almost turned around while checkout. it's great to see so many people here because it's just sad, the governors races that have already taken place are going to be the most significant in our political landscape for thne decades comes to talking about what they mean is very important and very useul. and also, i want to say to josh's point, to committees have a long history of mutual respect and sincere. and i do respect a great deal of work the rga did over the past cycle. at a phenomenal cycle and you saw the statiscs come the money they raised. fill himself ran probably the best campaign of the two years. so really it is an horo have both of them.

they'll talk about the question at hand. the question just asked as i was satisfied with that gain on the republican sidof five governorships. the answer to that is yes. we've spent much of this year braci for much greater republican views. ponents predicted we were going to get anihilated. people were saying that his eight, nine, 10. there was one statistic that within my head every single night went to sleep, which was that according to the university of minnesota, smart politics bob almond democrats werepoised than at any point in 90 years. site by then i hadt that, going to spend tis? [laughter] maybe i can tell people we had a record-breaking year at dga. fortunately -- [laughter] fortunately, we did nohave that outcome. i think phil will admit this

point, has said publicly they were expecting it to be in the 30's when all was said anddone. we kept them 25. the reason that's a victory for us is we enter the worst political environment since 1994. we were up to spend, outmanned, outgunned by the two to five -- 2.5 to one ratio by the rj -- rga. historical average was 5.5 governorships. the fact this environment we re so that we could keep them to honor historic avrage, i think is a victory for us. and so, we ended up feeling very good about the fact that we're still in the 20th. but in the twenties i mean 20. [laughter] it sounds better if you say in twenties. and you know, we were able to flip side states from republican leadership to democratic leadership. the reason i think that is significant is the only place in the country were democrats made

significant inroads in changing seas from republican to democrat on the state level and will probably get into whether that's true. but being able to flip side states the republican leadership to democratic leadership in this climate not only as a victory in itself, that says something that i think is sti a lectre at worth it to democrat electorate. it is looking for commonsense leadership and still wants change and right now when i said the last election as things in a differen government. before the election you talked about the big four states, california, new york, texas. all four of them. how disappointed, excited? >> everyone knows that as vermont and hawaii go -- [inaudible] [laughter] no, we clearly wanted to win

florida. we've spent $6 million in florida. does a very, very impornt race to us. we came within 50,000 votes. think we did everything we could peer the climate and environment just wasn't right then. that one was less of a surprise because ted troup had been chilling in the polls for the entire year. he did come up strong at the end, but wasn't enough to win. so obviously i'm disappointed n both of tose, but those losses would've made it a whole lot worse had we not then better in new england states are not putting out one important states like minnesota and oregon and of course california as well. thought to ask another corollary to that question. look in all the exit polls, all the surveys before the election. i mean, this is looking like a republican white house. he got every key demographic, republicans for the first time, women inhe exit polls, white voters like 20, 25 points.

this is one of the most lopsided elections in quite some time. the fact that you didn't quite win some of the big states, california, the 30 seats -- haley barbour set 30 seats. was that disappointing or we are expeing some of the candidates not been strong and get that historic number? >> before i avoid answering your question, let me thank the folks at dutko. so many of you been so helpful us over many, many years, especily the western virginia and the cycle, so appreciate you having us. nathan, congratulations on completing your cycle as executive director. i can tell those of you to watch that stuff in d.c. beating the same committee is tremendously difficult challenging thing to do.

it just doesn't happen these days and you conduct yourself if i had a great professionalism for actually five and a half years. we look forward to many good things to come. i couldn't be more excited with the results of the election. i mean, we set out at rga really to have an impact on the key presidential battleground states. going into the election, we held two of 10 ey battleground states, walking out was that nine of 10. we invested over $50 million in those races. we were able to raise over 100 million -- than of $100 million this year as nathan mentioned. so i think the story for us is really looking at those presidential battleground state, looking particularly at the midwest, you know, you look at

wisconsin, michigan, ohio, pennsylvania. you know, these are states that world democratic-controlled states, democratic governors with keyresidential battlegroundtates in 2012. and you know, they'll now have republican governors since many good candidates. we talk about some of our governor? , folks like scott walker, rick snyder and tom corbett. i think we've got some really exciting people, john k-6 who has got more energythan my 4-year-old niece. it's a lot of fun to watch, john, go to work. so look, i think getting the neck in a five, sometimes we'll give it a six because of florida, nthan. and 29 is great. and i think we need to take a step back. this was a truly historic eltion cycle.

and even what degree i think that governors races really to drive a lot of what happens down ticket. and the fact we were able to deploy $100 million for students taking spend $14 million for example in new england i think helped her candidates throughout down ticket. and we picked up by the levites of 13 right now stands 13 congressional seats in new england. we made gains on the congressional side and picked up almost 20 seats in the midwest. so you know, we suffered rue himelfarb 610 to eight and i had to sit on the postelection and they work fine. you look at it and you know for a lot of times the national pundits are saying the republican parties is now a regional party. you know, the south and the midwest. well, i think democrats really have that problem now. but got some bastions of support on the coast and in new england,

but they've got a real problem in the midwest and we made gains places that i think that they just weren't expecting. craig had mentioned something that's critically important, which is state legislative races in the state houses. there were 19 state houses that slipped from democrat to republican. nineteen. talk about an impact on the districting. in 680 seats that went, state legislative seats to at least a minimum of 680 that republicans gained across the country. i think that's going to have a lasting impact over the next decade. so you know, look, we're very pleased with where we are. i can remember growing up playing hockey new england that we were losing the other team scoreboard. and you know, that's 29 races is something that we're very pleased with and particularly

where they are think is going to have a huge impact on redistricting and also 2012 in the presidential cycle. >> i want toalk about some of the names of some of the people that were elected governorships, that the concept that pass for the presidency, the current president excluded, bumost of them come from governorships and we're already seing it in new jersey chris christie being mentioned and touted as a possible 2012 competitor in 2016. but you're going to be seeing a lot of these first-time governors being mentioned as national contenders for the presidential in 2012 and beyond. i want to go to both nathan and phil. who arthe rising stars in this freshman classof governors? >> the rising stars would have to be some fresh faces, jerry brown -- [laughter] neil abercrombie -- [laughter]

i would say i think that john hickenlooper from colorado will be a star right off the bat. he is a really interesting person. he breaks the political mold. he's scially liberal, fiscally conservative for most of america is quite frankly. he want any part of the country that democrats have not traditionally done well in. in the last decade from really started to taper off. and most importantly, he's an interesting and fun person to be around. he's real. ke so many governors, he's a real person and it's got interesting ideas. what is funny about him is that he ran an ad that showed hm on a horse. and it was kind of a parody ad saying if you run for governor of colorado, all your consultants tell you that you have to be right in a horse. and he's the mayor of denver.

he's not a cowboy. funny thing about yet is the total six months ago, you know, i'm thinking about this at. and it's me in a horse. and you know, he basically drawn up the whole thing himself. but that's the kind of guy he is. he's very creative. [inaudible] >> that's a retake of the one he did in my own race. the shower ad is excellent for those of you who haven't seen it. but i would say -- [inaudible] >> that may have been one of the most memorable ads, john hickenlooper, not exactly the most charismatic candidate, but these into that and he puts on his hidden jumps jumps in the shower. >> was at a pivotal point of getting his identity out there? >> yeah, it was. the key point is he was fully clothed. >> alice's first ad in this

race. and you know, i think it was an important ad because it wasn't negative. it was funny i don't want to do a negative vibe vibe. i want a positive campaign. he identified himself as somewhat optimistic. i think about how bad voters still respond better to optimism. not the campaign tactic, negative works. but if you can find a way to have an optimistic message, voters will respond to a better and that's why i think hickenlooper was able to set himself apart soberly on this race. i would say dan lloyd, connecticut will be a rising star. d of course andrew cuomo, everyone knows who he is. he's got a grt resume. i can't speak to this, but doherty has been taken on some bigger roles. i agree with your premise but on both sides that will be about his leadership coming out of this. i want to quickly follow up on

colorado because of such a key battleground state. immigration is a major issue that democrats were very successful in many cases i think. how do you look at that as kind of a bulwark for democrats starting in 2012. >> yeah, that's very, very competitive territory. no party has ownership of that part of the country. we've proven we can n there. we still have the governor in montana. we do have a governor of colorado. we had a governor in new mexico and arizona in recent years. we can win in that part of the country. it obviously takes a certain brand of democratic leadership that i think still exists in person or party, but yeah, that's an important part of the country. i think president obama can win that in 2012. and i hink having people like john hckenlooper, brian schweitzer will make that happen. >> great question and i could

probably talk and answer the question. we have so many new governors first of all. governor donnell was talking this week. he said not one of the senior governors, which is kind of crazy to think about. this was really an historic election for the rga. when you look at the fact we elect the first woman hispanic governor of state and susanna martinez, india american woman and mickey hayley, for women governors, hispanic and brains sandoval in a key state like nevada, really important election for us, for our party going forward well into the future. i think we're going to have a lot of emerging stars. i look at our current crop of folks that haven't bee inaugurated yet and eight think obviously about governor barbour

as someone who is a possible candidate for president in 2012. he's been not only an exceptional governor and the state of mississippi, but he's got a great strategic mind and i think you'd be obviously a powerful force in any republican nomination for president. you know, you got folks like goveor general who has done an incredible job, especially in the wake of the cold spell, oil spill inhe louisiana. he's got folks like chris christie and bob donnell who have had just incredibly good first years, you know, balancing budgets by cutting spending, not raising taxes. chris christie has taken on the unions and is really turn this state around a new jersey. so i think we've got a lot of potential candidates. i think most of the candidates for 12 already out there. you got governor fulani, governor barbour wang, former

governor romney running. but i think you're going to have a number of potential vice presidential that will be interesting on our side. you're goingo look at a susanna martinez or a brains sandoval because they're both from swing states. they both have great stories to tell and i think the list is long. i mean, we could probably go on and on, but it's great. i think the other thing that's interesting is for rga at least, this incoming group of goverrs is pretty tight knit. they talk to one another a lot. so you're going to see a high degree, i think, of policy cross-pollination. and i'll governors across the country are doing with the same set of issues right now, which how do you balance budgets and a terrible economy? and you know, they're looking at folks like jindall and barbour

and mcdonnell and fulani who have done these tings over the years. and also i should mention rick perry who by the way we were doing the back of the envelope sort of assessment of governor perry. he said $285 million in negative advertising spent against him over the course of his career. 285 billion was in incredible amount. the state that dga thought they had a shot at and invested some money in. >> had i known that 285 number, would probably would have not -- [laughter] >> you know, governor. it's been an incredible leader in taxes and somebody who's going to be very prominent i think on the national scene as well going forward. >> phil, i'm struck that you mentioned a lot of these up and comers in the gubernatorial class, but surely talking -- i remember governor's class where we were already about potential

candidates on a presidential ticket. you really think after being in office for two, three years they could be seriously considered? >> you? >> you look at chris christie and what he's accomplished. look at his national profile. look at some of the things mcdonnell has been able to do. it's have to be in for a year, but i do think that our current crop of presidential candidates ar probably -- i thin they're all white males. correct me if i'm wrong. i think we're going to be looking for some diversity on the ticket. and i think we've got that and our current crop of governor select. >> do you believe chris christie? >> yeah, i take governor christie's word that i don't think he's going to run. 2016 is another story. >> i was going to say, i think that it's very possible all the candidates he mentions will be possible 2012 candidates were

maybe 2016, but sometime in the near future. and the reason i think it is something about makes a governor so ompelling, but compelling in this environment. our trust -- are used to users of powerpoint and we talked about how bad the problems are right now and then how will public trust in government is. and that creates a real problem, particularly for folks in d.c. you have to think about washington d.c. because our problems are increasing, but her faith in government to fix them is decreasing. but think what that is created as the faith in government is probably at an all-time low. that's why i think we're getting so many people identified independents, not democrats or republicans. democrats are slightly different breed in the sense they are closer to people, most importantly utside of washington d.c. they think for a lot of people, type of leadership we've seen is more like what you want to get the federal level to the leadership in congress. you know,