about islam but partly in essence about race, i would say. but the other problem that you face when you create a republic, and i must say, al baradei has been clear, he doesn't think quick elects are a good idea, he doesn't think there's a way to have a free and fair election in anything less than a year. he's no dummy, he understands what would happen. but if you look at the french examples and the american examples in the 18th semplingry, creating a new republic was a difficult thing. you have different groups come to the floor. everybody is united against but being in favor of disht things afterwards. then you have the question of how do we deal with oppositional politics when your traditional politics is one where no opposition has been possible. you have robespierre chopping

off the heads of his allies, much less his enemy. we fought this brutal, gastly civil war, 85 years later to work out some of the problems. so the idea that republics easily transition -- a system like this easily transitions into a republic is a mythology we have about america. but i often think, i mean, for instance when we look at africa, why are african states that became states in the 1960's having so many problems? where was america 50 years after 1787? right? it's not like everything was all wonderful and they were all united. they were pretty divided about slavery. and they were about to start slaughtering each other over it. yes, the modern world moves faster, i'll go along with that. but some of these problems are very significant problems. what's the idea of a loyal opposition? as you may know in the united states there were the alien and

sedition acts. think about the dual between hamilton and bureau. these guys can't figure out how to deal with political opposition one to the other so the secretary of the treasury and the vice president go out and shoot a duel and one of them kills the other one. there's politics for you. at least it was personal. so i don't think we should gain say at all the difficulty of what these people will be proposing to do, not just in egypt but in large framework everywhere. it has been an easy thing to do. -- it has not been an easy thing to do. >> my question is, since you already have written it, do you have any plans to put it on the internet? >> are we talking about the -- [inaudible] papers? >> we have to consider this, but we will. >> we can put it on the central website. >> stay tuned to the center's website and there will be information.

>> i didn't think mine was worth it. but thank you. [laughter] >> well, if there's no more questions i'd like to -- oh, there is one more question. >> i just have one about the kind of optics of the movement. from our perspective, it's so focused on tahrir square and you're not seeing other parts of the country, maybe because of media coverage there, but -- [inaudible] why is that and are there things going in the central movement that are outside of cairo? that matter? >> i can say a couple words, but it's really somebody who is obsessively trying to follow this. one thing, "the financial times" seems to be reporting far outside of cairo than

anybody else. that just points again -- and the egyptian daily and another is reporting far more widely than just tahrir square and telling slightly different stories. the story that i think is really going to emerge as one of the most important ones is in the city of suez which i simply don't know much about. the details. but that has been the site of some of the fiercest confrontations and the most steadfast sort of resolve on the part of the movement. would you all add anything? is there, for instance, a difference between urban and rural manifestations? in egypt? >> ok, fine, i'll talk. no, i mean, if you are glued to television sets and if you look at jazeera, arabia and other tv

stations, you'll see that first of all the uprisings are ewe big which to us throughout egypt. especially in larger centers because this is where, even if you're not -- if you don't reside in a -- in that center, like you actually go to the center and this is where you congregate. so you'll have -- you'll hear about suez, you'll hear about everything, alexandria, you'll -- i think you're looking at the wrong person. hi. so you'll see it everywhere. that's the answer. it's everywhere. the symbolism of tahrir square, i think, is what captures people's attention and this is where, you know, the calculus of people with cameras and so on, this is where it leads them. so i don't -- i wouldn't

mistake what we see being focused on on television sets, even on al jazeera, because they overemphasize tahrir square. i wouldn't mistake that for just an urban phenomenon. i'll add a shameless plug and that is if you, i mean, there's a notorious magazine that addressed these issues at length, like in more than 15 or 18 articles and actually it's gotten so many hits that the website crashed a few times. it's called -- [inaudible] and i'm part of this and i don't necessarily -- didn't necessarily write on this issue but you'll find dozens of great pieces from the ground as well that this. jadalyala. >> just reflecting on the question, one of the things that struck me is the protests

are taking place at sites where the anonymity of the participants can be highest. this is really important in the first few days when there was much at stake. and a lot to be lost. in other words, going to tahrir -- no one lives in tahrir scare. tahrir square is a place you try to get out of as soon as possible. and the fact that people would go and spend the night there is quite astonishing. but it's precisely, especially in the beginning, that it was a place where could you go where you might not be known and this was important to know, as people are identifying themselves, as james pointed out, and that's actually i think remarkable, it's a sign of how confident they've become , although the price won't go away. in other words there may be serious repercussions but that may have something to do with why people are going to alexandria or going to tahrir

in cairo. >> one thing i would suggest is european media have a lot of different stuff than american media. so if you look at the french press, for example, they've had much better coverage of provincial cities. i haven't had a chance, i was meant to do in this morning, actually, to look at some of the italian press because they probably have a decent amount of stuff ona, just guessing. and some -- alexandria, just guessing. and some of the things to come up in the spanish press or french press, we were talking last month, muhammad xi in morocco secretly flew to paris to have talks with sarkozy about how to keep himself in power and spanish newspapers report that some of the troops in the western sahara have been removed and brought into ra bmbs at and casablanca. i haven't seen a word of that on any of the coverage of anybody. maybe it's false, who knows? but it is interesting, if you

can read those languages, you can get access to information that's not part of the discussion here. >> well, thank you very much for your attention. and thank you all for your participation. >> nice meeting you. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> a couple of updated notes on egypt. vice president biden said today the demands of the egyptian opposition can be met through, quote, meaningful negotiations, with president mubarak's government. he said that in his comments with egypt vice president. we will show you the white house briefing in just a moment. also today, eric cantor, the

majority leader, said in a news conference, he hopes the street protests taking place in cairo and elsewhere will lead a to a democratic society that respects human rights. he said the primary goal of u.s. policy in egypt should be to, quote, stop the spread of radical islam. majority leader eric cantor. well, the house is coming back in about an hour and 20 minutes, at 6:30 eastern. one vote on schedule and that is on several re-- renewing several provisions for the u.s.a. patriot act. we'll have live house coverage of course here for you at 6:30 eastern. >> on television, on radio and online. c-span, bringing public affairs to you. created by cable, it's washington your way. >> white house press secretary robert gibbs said today, called the recent comments by egyptian

vice president unhelpful. he was referring to a recent interview with abc news. mr. gibbs, who leaves his post on friday, also called for an end to reporter arrests and violence. he spoke with reporters today at the white house briefing room for about an hour and five minutes. we're having some technical difficulty bringing you the white house briefing from earlier today. we'll get that as soon as we can. we did mention vice president biden had a phone conversation with his counterpart in egypt, omar suleiman and he said that in that, according to a white house statement, that the vice president biden said that demands of the egyptian opposition can be met through meaningful negotiations. with the government of president hosni mubarak. that contradicts the position of many protesters who say, no

real progress can happen unless mubarak resigns. in other foreign policy news today, the -- on pakistan, leaders of the u.s. house republican leaders today called for an end to pakistan foreign aid, two top members of the house armed services committee say u.s. aid to pakistan is in jeopardy if the country fails to release an american embassy employee who shot and killed two pakistanis. republican congressman mckeon of california and john klein of florida said today they met with pakistani officials during their trip there and made clear that there would be repercussions if the americans were not released. that is a report today from the associated press. earlier today at the hudson institute in washington, they held one of many discussions about the unrest, the political unrest in egypt. one of the guest, one of the panelists in that discussion was the former defense policy

chief in the bush administration who criticized the obama administration in their response to the crisis in egypt. here's some of what he had to say today. >> now, officials interested in developing a strategy would have to start by clarifying some points, i believe, about democracy promotion or the promotion of liberal democratic ideas. and u.s. national security policy. and i'll offer a few thoughts that they might want to consider. one, the u.s. has practical interests in the spread of democratic institutions and the development of democratic institutions. the contrary view, the so-called realist view, which tends to equate authortarianism with stability, is being refuted in the streets of

tunisia and cairo now and i think that's one of the important lessons to see. the view that tends to departmentry cate the importance -- the practical importance of democracy is not a view, according to polls, that has much resonance with the american people. but it's important for the american people to understand that in their key national security institutions within the government the state department and the c.i.a., the so-called realist view is the predominant view and there tends to be a general downplaying of the importance of the practical importance of democracy promotion to the united states. now, promoting democracy has obvious moral and i would say less obvious practical benefits

. it can help create a more peaceful and stable world and just to illustrate the point, compare europe today to europe at the start of the 20th century. and you can begin to see the benefit, the practical benefits of successful democracy promotion. it can also help diminish the ideological appeal of islamism. democracy is not a cure-all for that problem but it can be important. the second point i would make is that democracy promotion is not a simple matter of overthrowing authortarian regimes and quickly organizing elections. i think that all of my colleagues on the panel here have issued very important and intelligent warnings, cautions, about simplistic approaches to democracy promotion. the term democracy, as paul

marshall and others have mentioned, is shorthand for a set of liberal democratic concepts add -- concepts, attitudes and institutions. concepts such as individual rights, limb the government and rule of law -- limited government and rule of law. attitudes such as compromise, respect for contrary views and institutions such as multiple power centers, independent judiciaries, as was just mentioned, property rights. and so when we talk about promoting democracy, many people think that all we're talking about is rushing to organize elections and i think it's extremely important, that's part of the problem with using this kind of shorthand, it's extremely important to understand that sensible people who are talking about promoting democracy are talking about promoting these concepts, attitude and institutions.

and not just looking at the one institution that gets, you know, first and foremost attention by most people which is elections. now, free and fair elections are an element of democracy, but in the absence of the other elements, they're not only insufficient to create democracy, they can produce antidemocratic results. democracy is not only about process, but also principles. and so it's not hypocrisy for supporters of democracy to oppose the use of democratic processes to give power to people who reject democratic principles. nazis, communists and islamists have all in various places and at various times used democratic means to pursue power, even though they reject liberal democracy in principle. and this is one of the great challenges for liberal democracies. they have to -- they have to

understand that not every element of liberal democracy is a good thing to rush forward with in societies where the use, for example, of quick elections can produce results that are deeply philosophically hostile to the principles of liberal democracy. now the third point i would make is, as important as democracy promotion is for u.s. national security policy, it doesn't always trump every other policy consideration. officials with broad responsibilities are continually forced to make tradeoffs among important interests. now, what that means is that serious policymaking in this area requires arguing against

the so-called realist view that democracy promotion is essentially irrelevant to american interests and also fighting against the purists who argue that anything that is -- that seems to be at odds with the immediate promotion of democracy and the rushing toward elections is a violation of principle. fourth, an intelligent sustained effort to promote democratic institutions should heed the philosopher burke's warnings against trying to impose abstract ideas on foreign cultures. democracy is not a single -- single thing. and someone did a very good job of explaining from the point of

view of an egyptian who cares about liberal democracy and would like to promote it, is entirely in favor of it, but is properly skeptical about how fast one can move on this track in a country like egypt. he understands that democracy won't look the same in every country. and americans need to understand that. not every country is ready for all the main liberal democratic institutions right away. and some institutions that would be deemed undemocratic in one country may be the key to successful liberal self-government in another. for example, to create and secure democracy, germany after world war ii banned the nazi and communist parties. now, that kind of sweeping ban of political parties would not fly in the united states, but it was deemed important and

beneficial and democratic in germany. and so i think for people who do see the practical benefit of democracy promotion for the united states, it's important that they develop a sophisticated understanding of the complexities here and the fact that, as i said, democracy is not going to look the same and it's not going to have all the same institutions in every country. but that's not an argument for dismissing either the moral or the practical benefits to the united states of trying to encourage the development of liberal democratic institutions. now, u.s. policymakers are now being forced to consider what are key interests are -- what our key interests are in egypt. and i think the list is fairly obvious to most everybody.

i won't spend a whole lot of time on. it. we have an interest in regional piece. we have an -- peace. we have an interest in the trade and prosperity for the region. in counterterrorism, in countering the spread of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the area. and that's of course a reference to regional state to state relations, vis-a-vis iran, for example, and we have an interest in making sure that we don't wind up at the end of this political upheaval, for example, with an egyptian government that depends it wants to pursue its own nuclear program. and we have this very strong interest in political reform in egypt and in the broader arab and muslim world. the united states, as i said, has a large stake in this and

our strategic interest is to promote the kinds of liberal democratic concepts and institutions that i just mentioned but to do so with caution and common sense and without illusions of the type that sam warned against, about overnight transformations in the attitudes and principles of millions of people. a key here is being clear-eyed about the muslim brotherhood. which is a philosophical enemy of liberal democratic ideas. and i think that paul marshall has done a very good job in his brief presentation in warning about the nature of the muslim brotherhood and i think that lee smith's remarks and paul's should be taken to heart by everybody in the u.s. government foreign policy

establishment as they view the muslim brotherhood. again, as i said, the realist view that predominates in the u.s. government and tends to departmentry cate the ideas or ideology in world affairs, that's a big mistake in dealing with the muslim brotherhood you're not just talking about a set of practical interests, you're dealing with a group that has -- that's formed on the basis of an ideology and lives to serve that ideology. and as practical and flexible and nimble as they've shown themselves to be in many respects, i think it would be a serious mistake to ignore the essential ideological nature of the organization and to just assume that they can easily become a responsible political

actors in a democratic egypt. company now, the reason there's so much focus on the muslim brotherhood is that they are one of the two main institutions that are right now maneuvering for influence and power in whatever the next stage of egyptian political development is going to be. america's job is to do what it can to help manage or influence the political transition in egypt, but it's important to observe that in all events our influence is limited in this kind of an affair and it's especially limited given that we entered into all of this turmoil as the united states

government, with no strategy. and i think that the fact that we did not over the last two years have an administration that was reaching out to multiple players in egypt and cultivating people and institutions and ideas that could have helped us with better information, better intelligence, better contacts, more influence, has put us in a position where the united states government now is largely a bistandard rather than a significant player in developments in egypt. but in any event, we should be trying, within our limited means, to exercise some influence and that influence, if we have a truly strategic view that takes into account these considerations about

promoting liberal democratic institutions and recognizing who the muslim brotherhood is, should be -- those -- whatever influence we have should be directed toward minimizing the kind of political power that the muslim brotherhood would like to establish for itself in egypt. and i would just say that overall my message is a message of trying to approach this problem with balance and to recognize that when the administration has been doing in recent days has been crisis management rather than the implementation of a strategy. and it would be helpful if they had a strategy. it makes the crisis management in many ways easier and more likely to advance the u.s. national interests.

thank you. >> we will show you all of that event later tonight following our house coverage. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> live house coverage for you in about an hour. meanwhile, at 7:00 the tea party express is holding a town hall meeting, speakers include republican senators rand paul, mike lee and oren hatch. michele bachmann. that's live at 7:00 p.m. eastern on our companion network, c-span 2. and to take us up to the u.s. house, press secretary robert gibbs today called recent comments by egyptian vice president suleiman unhelpful, in a recent interview with abc news. it's an hour and five minutes and we'll show you what we can until the house comes in at

6:30 eastern. >> did we miss any news? right. with you do that as a senior cbs official? >> it will be after when you put the transcript out. >> let me -- do i have one quick scheduling announcement. tomorrow afternoon at 12:30 the president will host speaker boehner, majority leader cantor, and majority whip mccarthy for lunch here at the white house. i don't know that they've set up that many plates, but i know the president's looking forward to a productive lunch. >> we'd love to go. >> i will share that with the

president. yes, ma'am. >> on that meeting, is there anything on the agenda that you can tell us about? >> i think that the president looks forward to discussing all issues foreign and domestic. obviously without a doubt i think there will be heavy discussion on the economy and on spending and i think the president will have a chance to talk to -- with them many of the things he outlined in state of the union and i have no doubt that they have their cares and concerns as well. >> will he be giving them any guidance on what's going to be in the budget? >> no, we will save that for them and for you for monday. >> a few questions on egypt. is the president concerned that if mubarak zeps down ahead of september that that could undermine reforms in egypt or prevent the chance of a free and fair election? >> i'm sorry, if he steps down

-- >> if he steps down earlier than -- >> look, who leads egypt and who leads egypt when is a determination that can only be made by the egyptians. what we've talked about throughout this process and what i talked about extensively yesterday was not about personalities but about a genuine and real process that leads us to those free and fair elections. a process that takes place without delay and produces immediate and irreversible results. progress for the people in egypt. i think there's a series of things that they have to do along the way. the dialogue has to be real, in order to produce that real change. i think first and foremost, as we've talked about throughout this, the government has got to

stop arresting protesters and journalists, harassment, beatings, detentions of reporters, of activists, of those involved in civil society. we would call on all of those prisoners, as we have, to be released immediately. we believe that there has to be a process, that in this process the results of free and fair elections, that the emergency law be lifted as we've talked about many times. that specific constitutional changes are made and that we take concrete steps as i've said to free and fair elections. i will also add this. i think the rhetoric that we see coming out now, that simply says that somehow what you see

on tv has been drummed up by foreigners is at great odds with what we know is actually happening on the ground. so i think that the process of who leads egypt will be determined by egyptians. but what we need to see now is continued progress by the egyptian government to make these important real changes to demonstrate progress for the people. >> [inaudible] the chances of those changes being able to be enacted would be lessened if mubarak resigned ahead of september. >> look, i want to be clear, i speak for the president of the united states of america. we are not here to determine who leads egypt and when they lead egypt. that is a problem that only egyptians can solve. as i said yesterday, there's no doubt this is not going to be

an easy road. there will be bumps along the way. but it is important that the process that the government undergoes through negotiations with those that seek the representation that they deserve, that it be done in a way that's broadly inclusive. we're not here to determine who leads egypt. we are, and i think the president was quite, quite clear, the people of egypt are not going back. they've moved forward and they're going to continue to move forward and they're going to need to see progress from their government. >> has vice president biden spoken to vice president suleiman today? >> let me get a full readout. do i believe they have -- i don't know when they spoke preceasely -- precisely. i will try to determine that. one of the messages that vice

president biden and a whole host of government officials have delivered at all levels of the egyptian government are many of the things that i outlined. stop the beatings and harassments and detentions. the release of those that have been held or detained. the release of political prisoners. lifting the emergency law, concrete constitutional changes that need to take place and concrete steps that move us toward that free and fair election. as i said most of all, i think the notion somehow that what we're seeing is drummed up by foreigners -- there's absolutely no evidence that that's the case. >> egyptian vice president suleiman has said that there is a timetable for a peaceful detour of power. he said today that this process is on the right path. is the president satisfied that the process is on the right path or does he want to see something more tangible? >> i think less important is what we think and more important is what the people of

egypt think. there are certainly reports that those that are out protesting today exceed what we've seen in the past several days. i think that is as good an answer for the vice president of egypt, from about the progress that the people in egypt see and feel. it has to be tangible, it has to be real, it has to be immediate and irreversible. yesterday i think the vice president, vice president suleiman made some particularly unhelpful comments about egypt not being ready for democracy, about not seeing a lift of the emergency law, and i don't -- i don't think that in any way squares with what those seeking greater opportunity and freedom think is a timetable for progress. again, i think that's going to be determined by -- that's going to be determined by the egyptian people.

whether or not the government is taking those concrete steps can't be ash traited by us. we can't do play by play on each and every step that they take. that's going to be determined by the reaction in cairo and throughout egypt by the people. >> you certainly have a stake in that process going smoothly. >> we have a stake in stability in egypt, in regional stability . i think that's been a cornerstone of what we've seen over the past three decades. as i said here on friday and i think as you heard the president say, the threat of instability, and you see this again today with the swelling crowds, the threat of instability is in not making that progress in not letting the people in egypt see that the steps that are being taken along that process are real,

it's something that they can feel and it's something that will end in -- will end in free and fair elections based on a discussion that is had with a broad range of egyptian society. >> one other thing briefly. on the proposal for the state to state, are you concerned that critics may recall this -- the -- [inaudible] proposed in the budget. are you concerned that critics may call this a bailout for the states? >> no, in fact, in many ways it prevents in the future from having exactly to do that. obviously some states have experienced even greater economic downturns than we have on average at a national level. it's put pressure on the unemployment insurance funds.

the president's proposal does two things that are most important. it prevents increases in the federal tax that goes to the unemployment insurance fund. and that's tremendously important, given where we are economically. but it prevents -- and it prevents future state bailouts because in the future states are going to have to rationalize what they offer and how they pay for it. we are giving help to some states who have happen to borrow and not been able yet to pay back which would legally result in an increase in the federal share that has gotten through tax -- a tax on businesses. which we don't think makes any sense right now. so let's, in states that are overdrawn on this, ensure that

we don't place an extra burden on them. let's give them some time in an economic downturn to have what they need to effectively meet the needs of those that are unemployed and give them an understanding that in the future, as i said, they're going to have to rationalize what is offered and how they come up with the funds to pay for what is ultimately offered. >> the protesters, according to reporters on the ground, the protesters in egypt feel the need to keep protesting because they feel even if the drips and drabs of reform announcements keep coming from the egyptian government, they fear that if they stop protesting, opposition leaders will be targeted and the egyptian government will clamp down. does the administration agree with that? >> that's not for me to -- as i

said a minute ago, i don't think there's a lot of utility in our play by play of this. i think that the people that are expressing their desire for greater opportunity and freedom are going to continue to express that desire until the government takes the very concrete steps that i outlined a minute ago to address those concerns. and if they don't, then those protests will, i assume, continue. again, i do think it is important and i said this at the very beginning, we have said this quite frankly throughout, the concerns that the people of egypt have came out -- the company, will not and should not be addressed -- cannot, will not and should not be addressed by violence. it shouldn't be addressed

through beatings and detentions and the like and i think the pressure is only going to be lessened and the demands for greater freedom met through a concrete process. >> but the demonstrations, even though you're not dictating what egypt needs to do, the government has offered guidance and suggestions as to what the obama administration thinks would work well and what needs to happen, although you're not dictating anything? and one of those things, one of those suggestions that have been, you said from the podium, that transformation process, transition process cannot start in september. others in the administration have said that they have concerns about anything being rushed because you can't just go to a democracy in 60 days and also fear that the muslim brotherhood would arrive in the background. if we're saying two months is too soon and september is too

far, what exactly kind of timeline would the administration like? what's the understanding? what kind of suggestions are you making? >> i think -- i think we should understand a few things first. i guess i would reject the notion of there just being two answers to this, right? in the sense that i think you have seen and heard the government of egypt as well as those seeking greater recognition and freedom. they've all acknowledged that there are some real and genuine constitutional changes that need to be made before we can have free and fair elections. right? so right now in order to qualify for the ballot you go through a process of getting those in parliament elections that we criticized to basically sign up and bless your candidacy. well, you can understand that those that are seeking greater freedom might not think that's the best way to get to free and

fair elections. so, i think the notion that you either -- that what you had which was september or immediately in terms of all of these changes, i don't think that's necessarily the case. i think -- >> that's what i'm saying. what are you -- i'm asking, what are you -- >> there has to be a dynamic process to meet and address many of the concerns and the grievances, to set up a system where the world will watch an election that we all agree is free and fair. what timeline that takes i think is not for us to determine. but unless or until those that are seeking to have their grievances addressed, until they believe that that's actually happening, the pressure's going to continue. that's why we've continued to advocate for a genuine process of negotiations to see this

through. >> lastly, president mubarak says that he told the president that he didn't think he understood, that president obama doesn't understand, egyptian culture. did mubarak say that and what did president obama say back? >> i wouldn't read out what the specifics of the call. i think obviously the president and the administration have respect for whap egypt has accomplished over three decades. i think what is clear is what the president said, has said over the past few days, the people of egypt have moved and they're not going back to what it was. >> as you track the progress on

the ground in egypt, what can you look at today that's different from yesterday? >> i do not want to be the -- just as i'm not going to be the arbitor of what freedom of speech is in egypt, i don't think it makes sense for us to be the arbiter of whether today meant good progress or whether today was enough progress. i think the world, quite frankly, understands what needs to happen. we've innumerated some ideas, many of which i just said, that would demonstrate to the egyptian people that a process that is serious, immediate and irreversible is under way. and that's a process that must continue. we've got a long road to go to get to free and fair elections. >> the president yesterday talked about progress --

>> what the president alluded to and what many have alluded to is the fact that there is the beginning of a process to do that. the process to do that is just part of it. now we've got to see -- now we've got to see -- we've got to see some -- and you heard vice president biden say over the weekend in his readout that we need to understand what the arc of this is and we need to see, as the egyptian people do, most importantly need to see progress along that arc. >> has the president gone to the intelligence community and sort of pressured them to take a look at some other hot spots her happens to see if what happened in egypt could be at risk of breaking out in other countries? >> without getting into the specifics on intelligence, obviously the intelligence community provides daily update on what it sees happening in countries both in the middle east and throughout the world. >> has the president applied

more pressure now to say, hey, i need you to go and take a look at this in much more focused way? >> the preface of your question is that somehow that hasn't already happened. >> you said earlier that it's not about personality but then you specifically talked about suleiman and that he made some unhealthy comments. if you've got a personality in there who is not helping and may be hurting the process, it is about personality, isn't it? >> i think people have unnecessarily looked at what some people have said to believe that we've determined who should be the next leader of egypt and when that leadership change should happen. that's not for us to determine. the vice president is, i should say vice president suleiman, is -- has been tasked with the process of including opposition groups, those in civil society, who have not been represented

in government, along this -- the institute -- to institute a series of negotiations along this process to end in free and fair elections. that's a process we support. that certainly has to happen. but the notion that we somehow laid hands on a particular person diop lead israel or lead egypt is just not the case. >> i'm not saying that you laid hands but you could voice your opinion. >> well, look, i was pretty clear yesterday on what i don't think anybody in the world thinks represents progress. the process, though, chip, can't -- we cannot determine every actor in that process, the time skwline of every action in that process. >> you can't determine it but

you can have opinions and say, we prefer you not be there. >> i'm not going to be the play by play announcer and neither is this administration for what represents progress in egypt. chip, we're just not -- the people in egypt are not looking for anybody in this country to tell them what constitutes the meaning of those freedoms. why would we think we can do that? why would we think we can determine who should be in charge of -- that's -- that is only something that can be determined by those that are in egypt and those that are taking part in that process. i do think, chip, that the world will know, and we will see it through the eyes of those who desire greater representation, we'll know if progress is being made at pace in which the egyptian people believe it should be happening. and that's i think what we're all watching. >> i think you're right. the egyptian people and even the protesters understand -- >> go ahead.

>> you're right that the egyptian people and the protesters -- [inaudible] [laughter] >> yes, i realize this. >> he's not a play by play. [laughter] >> right. somebody can update the video. i'm not a play by play commentator. [laughter] it would be a good gig, let me tell you. >> the protesters say they understand the united states is not in a position to determine what happens here, but on the other hand they are so deeply frustrated that the president says the right things about human rights and universal rights and freedom of speech and everything else and then they don't understand how he can then not demand that mubarak and suleiman get out of there since they're the people who have implemented this oppressive system for so long. >> but then i guess the question would be, i guess

you'd have to question, well, then, would you have us determine who that next person is? would you have us determine what this council looks like that does this? would you have us determine what that council can debate? matches the definitions of freedom of access and freedom of speech and freedom of assembly? you know, that is not a task or a series of tasks that i think many in egypt want us to do. and i don't think -- i don't

each day is going to be met by a process that is dictated by somebody else. it has to be a process that involves directly the egyptian people. and, again, we will see based on what happens with those that continue to protest whether the pace of what we understand -- we all understand needs to happen, what the government of egypt is acknowledge -- has acknowledged needs to happen, we all understand that if the pacing meets the demand. >> and real quickly, lunch tomorrow, is that going to be a regular thing? a weekly thing? >> i don't think it's a weekly thing. i know we had senator mcconnell in late last week. i think the president, as you heard him say at the beginning of the lame duck session, that we needed to do better to reach out and have those discussions and i think this is certainly part of that. >> and just the four of them in the room sfr the three republicans -- >> that's how i understand it. and ann, of course. go ahead. >> robert, is the president comfortable if mubarak stays through september? >> i don't know how many times i can say two things. we're not going to be the play by play commentators and that's not for us to determine.

>> at one point last week you said the transition needs to start yesterday. and the impression we all got was that mubarak needed to go. so now we're just trying to get a sense of whether -- >> i think we've been very, very clear and very, very consistent that we're not going to pick those leaders. we are not going to -- as i said, we're not going to define the membership in this process. the transition, the transition -- remember the transition where we will see throughout this process happened many, many times on the road to free and fair elections and quite frankly there's a lot to do in that process. the fact that that transition has to start, as the president said, now, and as we've repeated since, it's because many of the things that i outlined are going to require

those discussions and those negotiations. so it is -- again, it's not up for us to determine the personalities and who's going to lead and when they're going to lead and when they're not going to lead. that's the job of the people of egypt and that's the tough work that's involved in a democracy. >> last crack at it. does the white house believe the protests will stop? that the protests will stop as long as mubarak is there? >> i think that you'll continue to see those exercise their great desire to be recognized and to enjoy the freedoms and opportunities that they wish to. i think will you continue to see that unless or until the process of an orderly transition that is broad-based begins to show immediate and

irreversible change. i think that's what the egyptian people want and i think that's what the world is waiting for. >> quick follow-up based on the o'reilly interview. he said that he did not raise taxes. a taxpayer group says in effect he did raise it on a couple of things, also cut taxes. i'm wondering, do you guys disagree with that assess snment >> i've not seen what the group has said. i would note that i think the congressional budget office released figures yesterday that show that for the third consecutive year the american people are paying less in taxes than they did during the previous administration. >> sp it fair to say that our policy toward egypt is forever changed? >> well, we -- let me give you a broad answer to this. i think obviously we want to see the continued robust

partnership that we've had, the stability in the region and around the world that that partnership has brought. i think egypt has forever changed. i think that what the president said -- >> [inaudible] >> well, i think, look, i don't want to get into hypotheticals about what things look like in a year or five years. but i think there's no doubt that what the president said, that egypt is not going backward, i think what we've seen transpire over the past 10 days has been nothing short of remarkable. i don't think that anybody -- you know, we have, other administrations, have called for the type of change that you're seeing now. it's happened in a very, very short period of time but it is -- when you look at the size and scope of the announcements that have been made, it's

astonishing. >> i guess -- when does our policy change toward yemen and jordan when there's a groundswell like egypt? >> no, let's be clear. this was the case when the president -- when the president talked to the president of egypt several weeks ago about what was happening in the middle east, he reiterated that our calls for the government of egypt to institute the type of reforms that we had long thought needed -- >> we're now actively -- after there were protests, we as a u.s. government actively got involved in trying to push them -- >> no, no, no. >> we didn't send the ambassador? we're not sending an abam does -- an ambassador to the king of jordan. >> you're generalizing toward the entire middle east. let's go backward just a tad. we have in saudi arabia and in yemen and in many of the

countries that you discussed talked to them as our administration and as previous administrations have about greater access to freedom, greater ac skess to freedom of speech, assembly, all of those things. our position on bringing democracy to the middle east and bringing greater freedoms to those people didn't -- wasn't developed as a result of what happened in tunisia or what we've seen in egypt. the ambassador went for -- with a specific message and a specific conversation and to report back. that was an instance that, based on the fact that we were seeing rapid change, but the broad notion of what we want to see happen in countries in the middle east and throughout the world is shaped by the values with which we started our country. >> but what happened in egypt spurred your administration -- the administration to get more active in the situation in egypt is that now going to forever change or is the

administration planning to get more active in yemen? more active in jordan? or is this just -- you wait for a groundswell? >> again, i think you're generalizing broadly. obviously we have a team that monitors and works through a whole host of bilateral relationships. because many of the countries that you just mentioned, we had very important relationships with. and look, as events dictate, we will respond to them. i just don't want to generalize across countries. . >> as we have spoken about our universal values, it is important not to generalize across platform of countries that may be in different stages in their own political

development. >> earlier, you sent out a position on you want congress to re-enact -- to continue the powers that you have in the accord. how do you assure supporters of yours that didn't like the president's decision who voted for changes in the law and assure them they aren't being abused. >> well, there are fisa courts to do that. and this was a debate that happened in 2005 and 2006 and even in 2008 -- look some of them wanted to do away with fisa warrants and the court system -- and as the president said, it is important that we have a mechanism that watches the watchers. that is in this instance, an

important aspect of what the judicial branch does. >> at some point, do you allow some sort of scrutiny on this outside of -- >> again, the role in government to do that is through a very specialized set of developed courts in order to ensure that what is done meets -- meets the law. >> you want no changes in the law? >> obviously, this is -- there are important activities that need to be re-authorized. and that's what our focus is. the president requested, requested an absentee ballot. i do not know if that has been filled out, but i can put that on the list. >> on the unemployment insurance proposal, are you concerned this is going to be read as an

increased tax on business when the administration is working hard to mend its relationship with the business community? no. this policy, if enacted, would prevent further federal tax increases -- would help states make up for the shortfalls they have and give them time, as i said, to rationalize what they offer and how they pay for it. in other words, you have in 2011 and 2012 and parts of 2013, the ability to make the type of structural changes that a state would need to make in order to ensure that, again, what they offer and how they pay for it, that that's met up so we can do this responsibly. >> do you think the states are going to take up the opportunity to increase the tax? >> i think what we think has to

happen in those outyears is that you cannot -- you cannot continue to offer something at a state level, right, that is not ultimately supported by the base with which you are funding it, right? those are the discussions that are happening -- that have happened for many years at the state level and happening now at the federal level in terms of getting our fiscal house in order. whether it happens at the federal or state level, we have to make tough decisions about ensuring that we can pay for what we are offering. >> one other issue, in terms of the announcement from the vice president about the rail investment, how would you pay for that? >> that will be in the budget on monday. >> back in 1979, president

carter was criticized for allowing the shah to come here for medical treatment. if it came to the point where mubarak had to flee -- >> i hate getting into that hypothetical at this point. >> your comments on the c.b.o. report, didn't it say that americans are paying so much less in taxes but tax receipts are down. would you like to clarify. >> i pointed to the report. >> is it accurate to say that the administration has extended its expectation timetable for change in egypt? >> i think it is accurate to say that vice president biden, in discussions with vice president of egypt and discussions we had government-to-government, we want to understand that they have a timetable to make change,

yes. >> what would you say to someone in egypt, especially people on the streets who told reporters that they think the pressure from the united states from change is easing up? >> i hope they listen to what we have said. i think -- i don't think i have eased up in any way. i don't think -- i don't think what we've said, i don't think what the president has said in any way eased up on what we need to see. i said the transition should begin yesterday when i was asked the day after the president spoke and the day after president mubarak spoke. and i think, again, you are going to continue to see pressure within the people of egypt unless or until the process makes those types of changes. so i think that we have enumerated the universal values

that we believe everyone should have and i think we have been clear in making sure that the government of egypt understands that they have to take those concrete steps. >> where do things stand on the aid review? >> no different than when i mentioned a couple of fridays ago is that we will monitor the actions in response to what is happening in cairo and make determinations as to whether that would affect our aid and we continue to monitor that. >> on the unemployment insurance and aid to states, is that the primary way that the administration sees the federal government aiding states with their fiscal situation? >> this is a particular situation, because as was

mentioned in a previous question, if states are borrowing off of a u.i. account, not able to pay that back, then the law says that the rate has to increase at a federal share on businesses. we don't think that makes sense right now. we think that we ought to make sure that that doesn't happen, that states have a chance to rationalize what they offer and that in the meantime, we're helping other states that might fall into things that you see in michigan and south carolina and indiana. >> what can we expect other proposals in the budget that would go toward helping them? >> i shouldn't preview the budget. >> does this administration consider the fiscal situation that states are facing to be in the crisis category? >> i think without getting into a specific word or series of words, obviously, i think at

each stage or each year that we have been in office, you have seen tremendous shortfalls. obviously, there are a number of states that are experiencing particularly acute shortfalls and that has an impact on the economy. >> on the lunch tomorrow, talk about the thinking having just house republicans as opposed to house democrat and republican leadership. >> the president will have an opportunity to visit. as i said, i think it was friday that senator mcconnell is here to have lunch with the president. i think over the course over the next many weeks, you'll see folks in here to see the president and the administration as we move forward. >> is there a sense he can get more done if it is just republicans as opposed to the

republican and democratic clash that having both parties there? >> what the president said back in november or december, late last year that he needed to do a better job reaching out and i think, you know, hearing what their concerns are and quite frankly, understanding that the house republicans now play the important role of governing half of the legislative branch. they are involved in the responsibility of governing and i think an exchange of ideas on the issues we face are important. >> and on a different issue, since this is your last week, is there any advice you would like to share with your successor? >> no. we have had many private conversations about that. >> one domestic and one international.

israel been threatend by any governments. would the u.s. come to israel's aid? >> i think regardless of the situation facing any government in the region, our friendship and our friendship, partnership and our alliance were israel is unchanged. >> on the "washington post" story about the wealthy taking up arms, very interesting story, what does that say about the level of confidence about the american people? >> i read a lot this morning, but i don't know that i read that. >> will you look at that one. >> vice president of egypt, i want to be clear about this, does the administration see his remarks and say we have to do something about this? >> i said that i thought what he said yesterday was unacceptable in this process.

again, as i talked about yesterday, there is a counterpart-to-counterpart relationship between the two vice presidents as a continued channel to discuss the process and the pathway to a fair and free election. >> in that process, one of the criticisms of it is that it hasn't been inclusive. has that point been made to egypt? >> it has. and both privately and publicly. again, unless and until there is a broad base of those that are not currently represented in government and unless and until those are involved in this process, i think you're going to see the reaction that you see from the people of egypt. >> if i may, there have been reports that the three-way meetings, americans, pakistani and afghan foreign ministers is

now in some question because of the continued detention of the u.s. diplomat in pakistan, is that true? >> state has better details on that. >> as you wind down here, have you given any advice to your successor on press policy, on access and do you have any regrets about -- >> do i have any regrets? >> do you have thoughts about things that went on in the last two years that wish have gone better? >> i don't want to answer for you all or anybody in the country, but if you do a job for a specific amount of time and say i wouldn't have done anything differently, you wouldn't have -- are read my transcript home every night. and if there is a time in which i read that transcript and i thought, wow, perfect, i did it all just right -- that may

happen on thursday night. we don't brief that day. [laughter] >> but the notion that you don't look back and think you would have done something differently, look, i will focus on it. i will say, i think -- and i'm going to go back to ari because i avoided this and you repeated his question almost veer bait i am and i swallowed the hook, look, i think you have to have -- we discussed in pretty broad detail and in great depths the situation that's transpiring thousands of miles away. this is -- when things like that happen, it's more than just --

this is more than just a conversation that is happening between this side of the room and this side of the room. it's happening and people are watching it, not just throughout this country, but throughout this world. and your questions and my answers are being translated in languages that are spoken in in the events far away. i think it demonstrates the importance of a strong freedom of the press, a sharing of information. i think the reason that -- i think the reason we can speak about the universal values that we hold so dear and we can speak about it halfway across the world is because it's something that we think is so tremendously important. >> have you given advice to your successor? >> that is ari's expression.

i'm not going to share that advice. i'm going to let that counsel remain private, but jay and i have talked a lot about the importance of this job and i don't mean that as a personal thing. this will long outlive in a country like this, it will long outlive the personality of myself, just as it long outlives the personalities before me and will long outlive who comes next. >> have you written your notes? >> i'm not going to share that. >> based on what you are saying here today, there was a story in the "new york times" a few days ago that the united states was involved in discussions with the egyptians to have mubarak turn

over power immediately? >> i'm not going to get into discussions between our governments. >> you have been pretty clear that the united states is not going to tell mubarak when to leave. have discussions like that taken place? >> i'm not going to get into the details of every conversation that is had with our government and other foreign governments. but i want to be clear that these are decisions that can and can only be made by the egyptians. >> the united states has not tried to remove mubarak from power right away? >> i'm not going to answer the same question. you're not accepting the answer. >> talk about what the egyptian people want and we do know there have been a lot of passionate people out intake rir square, but how do we know what the

egypt and -- egyptian people want? >> we aren't checking off on what the process has to be. >> egyptian people want -- and they may want, but how do we know what they want? >> i think the reason, you can ask me questions about why the egyptian people don't think they have greater freedoms because those freedoms are enumerated in many of the stories that i read around -- from different outlets from around this room. it's written on signs in tahrir square. but again, -- >> doesn't mean that the majority of the people would support that. >> you are enumerating far better than i could why it is not for us to arbitrate.

if someone holds a sign on the washington mall, it may not constitute the majority of opinion in this country but probably constitutes the majority of the opinion that that person holds. and guess what? this is a great and exciting country that allows anyone to walk out on the mall with a sign that expresses their view point. but -- what you are saying is the exact reason why our government isn't going to determine the definition of individual or group freedoms in a country like egypt. we can talk about the universal values of free speech, of freedom of assembly, freedom to communicate across the internet or social networking, but it is not up to and should not be up to our government or some entity in our government to determine what the scope of freedom of speech looks like in egypt.

that is for the precise reason that we give the answer it is up to the egyptians. it is not just simply saying that phrase over and over again. >> you are insisting on them doing certain things and i heard you say it many times. >> keith, i think you should get any newspaper or turn on any television settle inside of this building and i think you'll see -- do i know every person's concern in egypt? i will go out on this limb and say, i do not. but i don't think you have to have -- you could pull up your rabbit ears and know what they are concerned about in cairo because it is all in tv. >> was it just the two presidents? >> just the two of them. >> what did they discuss? >> what will be discussed in the lunch tomorrow.

>> has the president had any democratic leaders at the white house in the last week? >> none that i'm aware of. but i will check. >> on the issue of the meeting and finding common ground and civility, how long is this administration going to have civility and find common ground as as we are walking into the presidential campaign? >> the presidential campaign is a long way away. and there are important things that have to happen in congress and around the country to meet the concerns and meet the problems that we face, the challenges that we have that they are required we take action on well in advance of the calendar of a presidential election. that's what happens in this

town. again, i think the clear message from the american people in the election was that they don't need that. they don't want that. they are looking for two parties to be able to sit down and have those conversations and work out answers to those problems. i think it will -- it's what's required. it's not what may happen. >> i asked you last week about the president's involvement in rahm emanuel. >> i'll see if i have an update on that and find if the president and first lady have voted. >> you made a decision to leave. from day one, you have enjoyed that podium. >> as i have said 100 times or 10,000 times, if you didn't enjoy some element of this, you would do it for about three days and turn in your pass and hope

no one ever found you again. the truth is, if you don't have some enjoyment in -- >> did you enjoy it? >> i assume you do, too. some of you have contracts that require you to -- look, again, i think -- look, first of all, i don't want to turn this into the fond fair well, the least favorite topic which is me. i think if you would have someone in this job that didn't enjoy doing this job, it is one of the most challenging jobs i think that is had in all of this government. for the precise reason that we are up here talking about a subject that can influence what happens 10 miles and 10,000 miles away. but if you didn't have some enjoyment in doing this job, like i said, it would compound

how -- you couldn't do it long. >> there is some skepticism about the president's call for corporate tax reform because he hasn't produced key specifics as to what the rate should be, what the treatment of foreign taxes should be, what is the difference between the preference and loophole in his opinion. how long do we have to wait for the specifics? >> i think it's important to understand this is not going to be -- we put out a plan and say hey, this is our plan, take this or leave this. you know, i think the president started a series of discussions about this with business leaders at the blair house. conversations with secretary geithner have continued to happen. this is not a process that is not going to take a matter of days or weeks but months, if not years. so i think this is a long

process that will involve stake holders at all levels with both political parties weighing in on their ideas about how we meet the goal of reforming the way corporate taxes are done, lowering that wait but keeping it deficit neutral. >> going back to egypt, you have praised the egyptian army. many of the current and previous leaders, three of the men in the charge of the transition in egypt, do you trust they will lead the transition to a fair and free election? >> two things, one, i think we have rightly given some praise to the actions that haven't been

taken, that many fear might be taken with an army deployed and hundreds of thousands, if not millions of protestors. i think it's important also that we have -- we talk about today and we have talked about this previously about continued restraint and adherence to nonviolence and assurance that anything involving harassment or beating or detention is ended immediately. so, we will continue to watch, as i have said throughout this, the process of their reaction. secondly, again, i think the determination about the progress that's being made toward free and fair elections will be determined by those in egypt. >> going to the second question which is the british foreign

minister said today it is time for the u.s. administration to take a bold step in israeli palestinian peace process considering what is happening in the middle east. will the president be doing that? >> i think the president and this administration has been from day one actively involved in seeking a lasting peace between israel and the palestinians. and we understand and we know that our lack of involvement by this country is not likely to produce the outcome that the world hopes for with peace, only through active engagement and involvement can that happen. we have -- and we will continue to do that, but just like in this instance, we cannot construct or force on those two entities, something that they're

unwilling to take steps to do themselves. >> you started off by calling the arrest of journalists to stop. and military police are involved. do you still think the egyptian military showed restraint? >> i would refer you to what i said a second ago, the restraint that we saw in tahrir has been important without getting into who may or may not be involved. the government of egypt has a strict responsibility to its citizens to ensure their safety and security, to ensure that they are able to exercise their right to protest in a peaceful way. and that goes for foreign journalists who are there to cover that story. i watched yesterday a couple of interviews with two journalists

from fox, the pictures were hard to watch. the aftereffects of several days later of whomever that was, beating, detaining, harassing those reporters and that has to stop regardless of who is either in charge of or involved in that. >> can you tell us quickly why the president's meeting with mcconnell wasn't on the public schedule? >> i have to check. >> talk on the hill about re-opening up the individual mandate in health care legislation. how firm is the president and the administration to that and at one point in time, he was not supportive of it. >> the president had to make a

conscious decision about how to ensure that the legislation would prevent the problem that we've seen with free riders, in other words people who think they are never going to get sick but get hit by a bus and show up in the emergency room and we have to pay for it. the protections that we will have as part of this law that are derived from ensuring that it's not just a certain segment of the population is covered, but that everybody has coverage, is an important foundation in this law. the president supports it. we have gone to court to -- we have gone to court to maintain it. and as the president has said, we will work with those who want to see improvement.

[captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> we take you live to the u.s. house as they come in for one vote on extending provisions of the u.s.a. patriot act. reform and terrorism prevention act of 2004 relating to access to business records. individual terrorists as agents of foreign powers, and roving wiretaps until december 8, 2011. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill. members will record their votes by electronic device. this will be a 15-minute vote.

in the congressional record and that the chair of the budget committee -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman will suspend. the gentleman will suspend. the house is not in order. mr. dreier: it's not that important, we've just got to get it on the record here. the speaker pro tempore: the house is not in order. members will take their conversations off the house floor.

the house is not in order. will members take their conversations off the floor please. the house is not in order. the house is not in order. will members please take their personal conversations off the house floor. the gentleman from california. mr. dreier: thank you, madam speaker. i appreciate it. i'll try again. i ask unanimous consent that the chair of each committee be

permitted to submit their respective committee rules for publication in the congressional record and that the chair of the budget committee be permitted to submit material related to the budget process into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, so ordered. the gentleman from california. mr. dreier: madam speaker, i send to the desk pro-- two privileged reports for filing under the rule. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title.

the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title. the clerk: report to accompany house resolution 72, resolution directing certain standing committees to inventory and review existing, pending and proposed regulations and ordered from agencies of the federal government particularly with respect to their effect on jobs and economic growth. report to accompany house resolution 73, resolution providing for consideration of the resolution house resolution 72 directing certain standing committees to inventory and review exist, pending and proposed regulations from agencies of the federal government particularly with respect to their effect on jobs and economic growth. the speaker pro tempore: referred to the house calendar

and ordered printed. under house resolution 22c, the chair announces the following members of the house for appointment to the commission of security and cooperation in europe. the clerk: mr. smith of new jersey, chairman, mr. pence of -- mr. aderholt. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the ronald reagan centennial act and the chair anouns the speaker's appointment of the following member of the house to the ronald reagan centennial commission.

the clerk: mr. schock of illinois. the speaker pro tempore: the chair lays before the house the following personal requests. the clerk: leaves of absence requested for mr. crawford of arkansas for today and mr. hanna of new york for today. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the requests are granted. the chair will entertain requests for one-minutes. for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania rise? >> madam speaker, i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. thompson: it was an honor to have president obama visit the commonwealth and highlight the research being done at penn

stalte on energy efficiency. i was hopeful the president would touch on the importance of domestic energy production, especially oil, coal and natural gas just as each is critical to any credible nrnl plan. unfortunately, i remain convinced that america lacks a comprehensive plan to end our reliance on foreign ail. in too many instance, this administration has undermined america's path to a comprehensive plan. this administration has imposed a moratorium on drilling in the gulf, placed huge portions of the continental shelf off limbs to oil pruck. these actions will not help cease america's dangerous reliance on foreign oil. our nation needs a low-cost energy supply for economic growth and curt. i hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me in that effort. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. will members in the aisle please take their personal conversations off the floor so we may hear the one-minutes of

our colleagues. for what purpose does the gentleman from indiana rise? the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. burton as a followup to what was said by my colleague from pennsylvania, we know about problems in the middle east. there's a real problem in egypt, there's problems in the gulf states, problems in other parts of the middle east and we get at least 30% of our energy from that area. we also yet about 20% of our energy from venezuela and the president down there, mr. chavez is no friends of hours -- of ours. if we don't move toward energy independence and there's a real problem in the middle east, we've got problems here in this country. can you imagine what would happen if we had 30% of our energy cut off because there was a blockage of the suez canal or the straits of hormuz in the persian gull snf we must move toward energy independence and the president is blocking us from getting permits to drill in the gulf, we can't drill in anwr, can't drill off

the continental shelf, can't use coal shale -- oil shale to produce oil. we have enough means to be energy independent but the president will not move. we're not going to solve the problem with windmills and solar energy, we have to solve it with energy we have before us right now. it's in our national security and economic security we ought to do this. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from michigan rise? >> to address the house for one minute and revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mrs. miller: during the super bowl, chrysler aired an add about the chrysler 200 that touched the hearts of america with the enduring spirits of detroit, michigan. the resems of a city and region that made some mistake bus is also home to some of our nation's greatest innovators,

our best work force, skilled craftsmen, the redemocrats of an energy -- industry that made some mistake bus is the back bone of american manufacturing. epitomized by the workers at chrysler's sterling plant that was slated to close. the workers fought and sacrificed and made the business case that they were the right ones to build the chrysler 200 features in the ad. in detroit, we build things. that's what we do. we do it better than anybody else in the world. we still have a long way to go but the detroit region is coming back and our story of eredemption is distinctly american. mr. speaker, to all americans who are looking to buy a new car and who are considering imports, i have a simple message -- if you want the best, you should buy it. imported from detroit. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back.

for what reason does the gentlewoman from north carolina rise? ms. foxx: permission to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. foxx: i don't often talk about sports on the noor of the house but sometimes a player, team or coach's actions are so exemplary they must be recognized. such is is the case with wake forest university baseball coach tom walter this week, coach walter, in an act of profound personal sacrifice, doe thated one of his kidneys to kevin jordan a freshman player on his team. kevin jordan suffered with failing kidneys and a donation was his only hope far normal life. before he even had a chance to swing his bat for wake forest, his coach stepped up and changed his life by offering one of his own kidneys. this is not your everyday take one for the team story. rather, this is the story of a man of great character and generosity taking initiative to improve the life of a promising

young man like kevin junior dan. i want to wish both kevin and coach walter a speedy recovery from their transplant surgeries and hope to see them soon on the ball diamond winning gapes for wake forest. coach walter's example is more than inspirational, it's the very image of a life lived well of course putting others first, his family, his players, his friends and his community could not ask for a better man to call their own. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does fellow delegate from minnesota rise? >> ask consent to address the house for one minute, revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from minnesota has one minute. mr. paulsen: thank you, mr. speaker. i plan on introducing legislation, the patients' freedom to choose act. this legislation will repeal two provisions of the new health care law that limit a patient's choice and how to use their consumer-directed health care plans. because beginning in 2013

contributions to flexible spending accounts will be limited by a new federal cap of $2,500. the new health care law will also prohibit individuals from using their health care savings accounts and their flexible spending accounts to purchase over-the-counter medication without a prediction from their doctor. mr. speaker, 10 million americans now are enrolled in h.s.a.'s and over 35 million people have f.s.a.'s, while 85% of all large employers offer them as a benefit to their employees. this ladies and gentlemenslation is needed because these two provisions in the health care law will punish families of a cost of over 5ds billion. instead of limiting options as is happening under this new health care law, we should be empowering patients by giving them increased access to affordable, quality care. and yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from texas seek to be recognized? ms. jackson lee: address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the

gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. jackson lee: mr. speaker, i have a sense of humor and i believe in the first amendment. and i truly believe that many americans had a great time either participating at the super bowl or maybe fellowshipping with family members. it's a great opportunity to share information and to inspire. that's why i'm so disappointed with the pepsi advertisement that showed a demeaning role for african-american women in an ad that showed a can being thrown and being utilized to hit someone else and that individual fell to the ground. in this month of african-american history where we're trying to celebrate what is good and great, it certainly seems ridiculous that pepsi would utilize this kind of humor. it was not humorous, it was demeaning. an african-american woman throwing something at an african-american male and winding up hitting a caucasian woman. i think we can come together in a much better way and talk about good nutrition.

but frankly i consider this insulting and so did many other women of all colors. it would be great to have a lot more women in ads at the super bowl, great more women involved. but it also would be great to have a sense of balance that will respect individuals for who they are and how they contribute. great women like the honorable barbara jordan and the honorable shirleyy chiss am. i think even though they probably had a great sense of humor, they find this very offensive. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania rise? the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today in order to share the feedback that i received from my constituents during my past week in the district. at a town hall meeting on thursday night, i asked those in attendance to raise their hand if they felt they had a better life than their parents. nearly every one raised their hand.

but when i asked if they believed that their grandchildren could look forward to a more promising future, not one person raised their hand. not one person. mr. barletta: that's simply unacceptable. while this house has taken positive steps to address the out-of-control spending habits of this government, my constituents strongly feel that the best way to create a brighter future for our children and grandchildren is to cut spending and government waste and allow our economy to have the freedom to grow and create jobs. i thank everyone who has shared their thoughts and opinions with me over the past week and month and i look forward to continuing our constructive dialogue. thank you, mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek to be recognized? >> ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today in

commemorating president ronald reagan's centennial. president reagan served as an inspiration for an entire generation of us to get involved in politics and i first had the honor of meeting ronald reagan as a young student in california. and in fact this meeting led to my getting active in youth for reagan. and he had a powerful message of economic freedom and limited government, yet it was his ability to translate powerful messages like this into real reforms that set him apart from past leaders. mr. royce: at the heart of all reagan's policies, from supply side economics to promoting democracy overseas, was the importance of the individual, not the collective. it was the importance of freedom, not statism. and this great legacy is what we celebrate today. and i remember following the carter administration our economy was in a state of economic malaise. high unemployment, high inflation. in fact, that legacy led to the

creation of the concept of the misery index. inflation plus unemployment. and that reached an all-time high. but through the enactment of a program, reagan was able to cut that number in half, end that era of stagnation and lead us into prosperity. thank you, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: are there any further requests for one-minutes? seeing none, under under -- under the speaker's announced policy of january 5, 2011, the gentleman from california, mr. dreier, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. mr. dreier: thank you very much, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. dreier: mr. speaker, thank you very much. i've taken this time out this evening so that my colleagues and i might have the opportunity to talk about what took place the day before yesterday and the century that led up to it.

i'm referring, as my friend from fullerton, mr. royce, just did, to the 100th anniversary of the birth of ronald wilson reagan. we know that ronald reagan is an individual who has provided inspiration to democrats and republicans alike. and there is a reason for that. the reason is that while not everyone agreed with ronald reagan's policies, he was an individual who was able to provide encouragement, he was an individual who was able to provide inspiration and i think most important, mr. speaker, he was an individual who was able to provide hope to so many people all over this country as well as across the globe. mrs. reagan did an interview this past week leading up to february 6 in which she was asked the question, what do you

most want your husband to be remembered for? and what she said was that she wanted him to be remembered for the fact that he instilled a sense of optimism for the american people. that great sense of optimism which was not polly anna like because he was very clearly realistic, direct and had a great strength of character, an unwavering commitment to his principles, but at the same time he was always able to encourage people to have hope for the future. in fact, one of the great things that the ronald reagan foundation has done, as we all know, mr. speaker, and we see it on a regular basis right down this hallway into the great rotunda of the capitol and it is there due in large part to the now distinguished chair of the committee on administration, mr. lungren,

who worked on this statue and i was honored that he consulted me on a few occasions as he was working on it, but the thing that is to me the most important part of the statue is inscribed at the base. and unfortunately it has to be on the back so you have to go through a little effort to see it, mr. speaker, but at the base of that statue it has three of the great statements that ronald reagan was known for. what were they? they were of course, america's best days are yet to come, our proudest moments are yet to be, our most glorious achievements are just ahead. if that doesn't instull optimism and encouragement -- instill optimism and encouragement i don't know what does. but those three stramentes, mr. speaker, i believe define ronald reagan. he obviously was someone who enjoyed having a good time.

in fact, nancy said on sunday at the party that her husband always enjoyed celebrating his birthday and he would have loved the party that took place. and for those who may not have been there or seen it, you should know that the celebration continues. it actually began at the end of last year, i was privileged to give an address up at the library in which i was talking about the challenges that exist today and the way that ronald reagan dealt with many of the similar problems that we face today and then on new year's day the rose parade featured a float marking the 100th anniversary of ronald reagan's birth and then again this past weekend, on february 5 and 6, there was great activities that took place at the library and i should say the weekend before there was a wonderful

opportunity for us to have the members of congress who were elected in 1980, with ronald reagan, three decades ago, to convene for a class reunion, the ronald reagan foundation helped us put together that, and at the same time the heritage foundation hosted its meeting which included many of the newly elected members of congress. and it was basically a 2 1/2-day gathering and several members have told me that the opportunity to have members of that 97th class, the class of 1980, who came in with ronald reagan, shared their experiences with the newly elected members, 87 strong, the largest turnover in 3/4 of a century, we were able to share those experiences and members have said that it was probably the highlight of that 2 1/2-day

gathering that we had at the ronald reagan library. i also have to say, mr. speaker, that just yesterday we saw the opening of the new ronald reagan museum and that museum is an amazing facility. now, remember the air force won the aircraft that ronald reagan flew, claw -- including marine one are both there at the library, and this museum, which has been renovated over the past year or so, was reopened. i said at one of the gatherings that anyone who had the opportunity to know ronald reagan, work with ronald reagan , would have had clearly at least one occasion as they went to the library to have a wonderful memory come back to the forefront. and even new experiences. in fact, i had a very moving experience when i went through the museum and saw something that i had not seen before.

one of my closest family friends lost -- his father passed away just before he was born. in fact, four months before he was born. he was an only son and obviously never knew his father. and as i walked through the reagan museum, i was struck because i saw on the wall the discharge papers that were signed by captain ronald reagan. and when i saw them i took out my telephone and called my friend and said, did you know that ronald reagan had signed your firefighter -- father's discharge papers? he said, no, he didn't know it. and was needless to say very emotional, having just learned that at that moment as i went in. well, this man is going to, on march 20, mark his 50th birthday and his name is john

clark gabble. his father was the legendary actor clark gabble who had had his discharge papers signed by captain ronald reagan. and as you look at the good and the bad, which are outlined in this museum, including the very tragic day in march of 1981 when an assassination attempt was launched against president reagan, to lots of exciting and fun times that took place during that period of time. and of course we all know ronald reagan's legendary, legendary sense of humor. one of the stories that i'm happy that my friend from huntington beach whom i met when he was working for ronald reagan, shortly after we came to washington together in the early 1980's, he liked to, my friend mr. rohrabacher, likes to take credit for many of president reagan's funny lines. and, you know, there's a raging debate that he and i have on

that on a regular basis. but one story that i know ronald reagan enjoyed but did not in fact get from dana rohrabacher backer, i should say for the record, mr. speaker -- rohrabacher, i should say for the record, mr. speaker, when we were dealing with one of the most challenging economic times that the united states of america has gone through, it was the early 1980's, and i was invited on a saturday afternoon to a small party in los angeles, there were about 20 people gathered and the people gathered were commiserating over the fact that we had at that point an unemployment rate that was well into double digits, we had an inflation rate that was sky high, an interest -- and interest rates were in excess of 15%. and so naturally everyone was focused on this. president reagan stood up after lunch and said that the other day somebody asked me how i was doing he said, i've never been

better. needless to say, everyone at this lunch looked around like, how in the world could he say that? he said, the reason i say that is because i'm remind thoffed huge caravan of farm animals being driven through a countryside, there's a terrible accident, animals strewn all over the highway. and the sheriff came roaring up. and he looked to the side of the road and saw a horse with two broken legs, frothing at the mouth, the sheriff pulled out his gun, put it to the horse's head and put it out of his misery. then he saw a dog, same thing, the dog was shaking like there was tomorrow, put the dog out of his misery. then he saw the driver of one of the vehicle the driver had at least one leg broken, badly bloodied and banged up and the sheriff looked at the driver and said, how are you feeling? and the driver responded by

saying, i've never been better. that, in fact, mr. speaker, demonstrated that great sense of optimism and hope that was always there for ronald reagan. now his policies are something that are desperately needed today and i'm so happy to see that as we have now won what would be like a reagan-like majority here in the house that working together in a bipartisan way, which was a message that former secretary of treasury, former chief of staff, former secretary of state james baker provided sunday morning at the reagan library, working together in a bipartisan way to deal with our nation's problems and the problems that we're dealing with around the globe is a very important thing and that's why as we look at the economic challenges it seems to me that following what i'd like to describe as the kennedy-reagan economic model would be a great prescription for us to create jobs and get our economy back

on track. it seems to me, mr. speaker, that as we look at where it is that we're going, making sure that we have tax rates that encourage job creation, economic growth are important. that's due to the fact that japan has just reduced its top rate on job creators, the united states of america today has the highest tax rate on job creators of any country in the world. we have the highest tax rate of any country in the world when it comes to those businesses that are trying to create jobs. we continue to hear and decry the flight of jobs outside the united states to other parts of the world. people get into so many other issues. we need to look at our policies that encourage the flight of those jobs outside of the country and i will tell you that if ronald reagan were president of the united states, i have no doubt he would be championing the notion of reducing that top corporate tax rate and i have to say, mr. speaker, that i was very

gratified. right behind me, just 10 days ago, president obama stood here and advocated a reduction of that top rate on those job creators and we know that he has recently, president obama, read lou cannon's book on ronald reagan and understands how successful ronald reagan was. now i have lots of things i want to say but i'm privileged to be joined by four great californians who are here right now so i think the most appropriate thing for me to do would be to go by both age and seniority and so i think that my friend dan lungren, who has been an inspiration to me as ronald reagan was has joined us and i mentioned him earlier, he's the distinguished chair of the committee on administration, something that we were never ail to do during the reagan years that being have the majority and i know that ronald reagan would be

very proud to see his friend dan lundwren in the position that he is today and mr. speaker, i'd like to yield to my friend. mr. lunfwren: i thank the gentleman from california for taking this time and yielding this time to me. i note to others as we come about this, you and i and the other gentleman from california were privileged to be in that crowd on sunday where we celebrated ronald reagan's 100th birthday. mr. lungren: i was reminded the last time i spoke to him was on his 80th birthday, when i was calling from -- i was calling him from my office in sacramento, he was his usual open, affable individual who had an expression of concern for the person he was speaking with and who didn't take himself too seriously but obviously took the job he had very, very seriously. one of the insights into

president reagan, i think, is seen in a film done about ronald reagan's life that i saw recently and at the end of the film, close to the end of the film they had an interview with the secret serviceman who continued to be with ronald reagan until the very end this secret serviceman was distinguished by the fact that he was a fellow equestrian. he rode with ronald reagan. it was the last time ronald reagan rode a horse he went out riding with him and when he came back, he went to mrs. reagan and said, the president didn't have a very good day on the horse today. and that was a nice way of saying maybe it's time that he not risk injury by horse riding. everybody knew that ronald reagan loved to ride horses. probably his third greatest passion. his passion for his wife, his passion for this country, then his passion for riding horses. mrs. reagan told the secret

serviceman, i can't tell him, you've got to tell him. it was very uncomfortable. the agent went up to the president and said very, very quietly, mr. president, we didn't have a good day riding today. and ronald reagan sensed exactly what he was going to say and instead of protesting, he made every effort to put the secret service agent at ease, knowing it was a difficult thing for him. you have to understand that. he was being told that something that he loved almost as much as anything else in his life, his avocation, his -- some people play golf, ronald reagan rode horses. he was being told he could no longer do that. instead of thinking about hymn and the pain it was beginning to cause him and the lack of opportunity to enjoy himself, his first concern was for the person who was delivering that message to him and he wanted to put him at ease. that gives you a bit of an undering of the character of the man who thought about what

he was doing for others rather than what they were doing for him, or, to put it this way, he thought more about what gratitude he had for what people were doing for him, rather than accepting praise for what he was doing in that circumstance. i remember the last great speech i remember that ronald reagan gave, 1992 republican convention in houston, and some of you may remember it, you've seen film of it if you weren't there, he wore a suit, or sport coat and a shirt that if we wore it, we'd be told you don't wear those sorts of things when you're appearing in a political event. it was sort of a maroon or almost maroon to brown jacket and i remember the shirt had a white collar and it had stripes that were the same color as the coat. when he started to speak, and i was watching closely because my

son, who at that time was in college, i'd gotten a -- had gotten a pass to the floor of the convention. i said, i want you to see the master speak. using that in quotation marks. this may be the last speech he ever gives. when ronald reagan got up, he looked every bit his age. in fact, he looked a little bit tired. as he started to speak, some young people in front of him began chanting his name and cheering him. at first, he couldn't hear very well and then he realized what they were saying and you saw that ronald reagan grin begin. and you saw him start to speak. at the end of his speech, i guarantee you, he looked -- he was 20 years younger than when he started that speech. and he gave that vie brancy to the entire assembled crowd there in that convention hall. and i was so happy that i had my son there to be able to see this remarkable man give this remarkable performance at the

end of his career. but when you think about that, sometimes you think maybe we just think about him as the communicator. as we know in the final address he made to the nation from the oval office, he said, some people say i'm a great communicator. it's not that i'm a great communicator, it's that i was able to communicate great things that came from this country. that remained with me. i thought ronald reagan spent his whole life reading, thinking, thinking about this nation, thinking about the principles that made this neigh great. when i met with him with other members of congress or alen, you had this idea that he had developed this philosophical or political schematic. if you were speaking to him about a subject, he would put that schematic over that discussion. if it fit within those principles he'd developed over a lifetime, he would pacecally allow you to go do it. he would basically give you a

charge. and he would be behind you. may not tell you the details, but he would be with you. if you didn't, if you had something that was outside that philosophical-political schematic he'd developed over a lifetime, he would in some way yently tell you, no, i don't think we're going to do that. you knew he wasn't going to be with you on it but he was fairly -- he was again thinking a little bit about you and the reaction you would receive when he would tell you no. one of the most difficult things i ever had to do was tell him no on the phone. he was calling on a vote, i can't recall what the subject buzz -- mr. dreier: i can tell you exactly what the vote was, it was the 1982 tax equity and fiscal responsibility act. mr. lungren: it may have been. he called me personally to talk about that. i had the hardest time saying no to him. and i did. and the remarkable thing about

it was, he didn't pressure me anymore, he didn't make me feel bad, he didn't say, you'll hear from us, or you'll want something in your district, all he said was, i understand, i'm sorry i couldn't convince you. and i got off that phone, i knew -- i thought i was right in the division i'd made but i felt badly that i had to tell him no. i think that was it. one of the highlights of my first 10 years in congress was going to may alma mater, university of notre dame, on air force one with ronald reagan, he was going to unveil the stamp commemorating the 100th birthday of knute rockney, or as he said canute rock nee because that's what knute rockney's widow told him was the correct pronunciation. it was standing room only they didn't have room for all the students, the overflow crows

was in another room with a television. and there were four of us graduates of the university of notre dame who were members of congress at the time, and dick lang, secretary of agriculture, he was a notre dame grad, he said, i want to introduce you to the new four horsemen of notre dame, and he introduced us each by name. that's one of the highlights of my life. at some point, i'll make copies and give it to my children and grandchildren. but he loved the fact that people remembered him for that role and for the spirit that he had there. i'm proud of the fact that after his recovery from that assassination attempt, the first public major address he made away from the capitol was at the university of notre dame. ronald reagan was a hero to many of us. he was an inspiration to many of us.

but he was a real man he had his weaknesses as well as his strengths. he had his shortcomings. he would be the first one to admit it. but above all, he was that person who told us as republicans that we should approach the future not only with confidence, not only with hope, but with a sense of joy. an idea that this country is the greatest country in the history of the world and gives us the greatest opportunity to succeed, and he always felt a sense of gratitude that he was here, that he was born here, that he was allowed to raise himself up and he thought that ought to be the opportunity given to everybody. when he came into a room, there was just a feeling there that was not there at any other time.

it's hard for some of us to realize he's been gone for, what, six years now? >> 6 1/2 years. mr. lungren: and that he'd be 100 years old today. all i can say is, we're not looking backward, we're trying to take the essence of the man, his commitment to the fountation of this country hurricanes openness and optimism and utilize that at a time when we desperate hi need it. i never thought he looked at a person and thought, you're african-american, you're caucasian, you're hispanic, you're asian, he looked at you and he said, you're an american. and therefore i'm going to expect the best out of you, and this country is beginning to give you the opportunity to be the very, very best. so i thank you for this time and this weekend was wonderful, not only for us to reflect in our memories, but also to bring the ronald reagan we knew, we know, to the present people of

america, particularly those young people who were not born when he was president of the united states, and let them have a sense of what it was that commanded this country, that led this country, that inspired this country. so i thank the gentleman very, very much. mr. dreier: i thank my friend for his very thoughtful comments and let me say before yielding to which ever of my colleagues gets to their feet, i'll yield to them next, but, mr. speaker, i think that when one thinks of some of the great, great reagan stories that are legendary, you can't help but recall that he had joy in sharing those stories with people. and i guess that had to have been his irish blood that was flowing, that brought that out. but all of those stories did provide so much encouragement. one of his great, one of his great lines to me, and my friend just referred to it, was when he would look to

americans, regardless of what their background was, and say, you're an american, and i am reminded of his famous line that he said, you know, if you emigrate to france, you don't become a frenchman. if you emigrate to china, you don't become chinese. the united states of america is the only country in the world where if you emigrate to the united states of america, you become an american. which again underscores what a melting pot the united states of america is and out of many, one. that is what has made us at greas -- made us as great as we are. mr. speaker, i'm happy to recognize now the famous, legendary speech writer of ronald reagan. we first met when -- in the decade of the 1980's, we joined with democrats and republicans in both houses of congress to play a role in liberating the

people of afghanistan from the soviet union's horrendous control. i'm sure he'll seize this opportunity to get into that and i'd like now to yield to my friend from huntington beach, mr. rohrabacher. mr. rohrabacher: thank you very much, david. just to expand a little bit on the last point you made, when we were writing for ronald reagan wie insist that we don't -- he would insist that we don't talk about people as being -- he wouldn't say irish americans or mexican americans or german americans, he'd always insist that we say americans of irish dissent -- descent, americans of german descent, americans together, up front. so that's a little bit of wisdom, just that little expression showed the wisdom of that man. and it was my honor to join with my two colleagues at the

100th celebration and dan and dave and i, we have a special place in our lives for this man, ronald reagan. and i think that that birthday and that gathering that we had at the reagan library is one of the most memorable times that i'll have. and i'm just so grateful that i was able to share that with you. i think the reagan library is doing a terrific job and they will then be able to carry on what we're talking about tonight so that younger people, people 100 years from now, will get a good picture of this man who saved america and saved the world -- world from tyranny. also the young america's foundation is doing a great job of restoring the reagan ranch where reagan spent so much of his time and got his inspiration and they're having great educational activities up there. i of course met ronald reagan so many years ago, when i volunteered as a youth organizer for his first campaign for governor. and i was in youth for reagan. i was the l.a. county high

school chairman of youth for reagan. although i was a freshman at a junior college at the time. and there had been so much infighting going on, the republicans almost enjoyed fighting themselves as much as they do fighting democrats and everybody else, but it was true back then as well. there was so much infighting going on they were going to eliminate youth for reagan. and i got wind of this and i had hundreds of kids out walking precincts. i thought, this would be horrible for them. so i decided i had to talk to ronald reagan personally about this. and i found out what his address was, at 2:00 in the morning i hiked up this long driveway up to his house, they didn't have a guard, here's the guy, candidate for governor and nobody is there guarding the gate, and so i camped out on his back lawn and the next morning about 6:30, 7:00, nancy sticks her head out, what are you doing?

who are you? i had a little sign that said, mr. reagan, please speak to me. and i told her i was in youth for reagan and i just needed two minutes, just two minutes with him. 120 seconds. and she said, listen, if he comes out here and spend 20 minutes with you, he's going to miss his breakfast be late for the rest of the day. if you leave right now the, leave right now, i'll get you an appointment with a campaign manager. well, that's the best i was going to get. so i was walking real slow down that long driveway dragging my sleeping bag and behind me, wait a minute, wait a minute. and there was ronald reagan chasing after me, with shaving cream on his face. his shirt's wide open. if you can spend the night in my back lawn, i can certainly spend a few moments with you now. what's the problem, young man? and, you know, he never let me down. i knew him for 40 years after that, he never let me down.

he was the same, care -- same caring, wonderful person. and as my life went along and i was active in his campaigning, i was with him for eight months from the morning he got up until the time he went to bed during the 1976 campaign, so i knew everything that was going on in his life. i never heard him say the f word, i never heard him say as the door slammed behind after someone who had been saying bad things about him, i never heard him say that s.o.b. or anything like that. ronald reagan was a wonderful -- he was centered, he was confident in himself and he didn't feel threatened by people who disliked him. his way of doing things was always, be very strong for the things you believe, very principle, be a strong advocate, but be very nice to people. be very nice to people. even if they're on the other side of the table. arguing another case. well, i actually -- mr. dreier: if i could reclaim my time and interject one little story as we have our discussion here.

i'm reminded that one of his domestic policy advisors, professor roger porter from harvard, had told me that he remembers sitting in the oval office with president reagan and a group came in and began just maligning and ripping him up one side and down the other and the president just sat there patiently and obviously he was on the opposite side of where they were and they left and professor porter looks at him and he said, gosh, he said, why in the world, mr. president, would you not respond to those people? i mean, they were so horrible to you? and president reagan looked to him and said, well, you know, i can't control how other people act, i can only control how i act. and that was his response to that kind of -- that kind of attack. mr. rohrabacher: that kindness in his personality was what dictated how he would act. i went on after that, i was a

freshman in college when he was running in 1966. by the time his administration was over i was a journalist. i was actually a reporter in los angeles, i had graduated from college, and anyway i was someone who was well known as going to the heart of the matter and asking the toughest questions that all -- at all the press conferences and he was now governor, finishing up his last couple of years as governor of the state. and i remember a press conference that i covered with ronald reagan, dan lungren would appreciate this, because it was his commission on crime and he was going to make this big announcement as to what his commission on crime was recommending. and i got up and of course wanted to ask the toughest question and the question was, governor, you suggested and many times have suggested in your speeches that you're a christian and this is an important value to you. you base many of your judgments on your faith.

how you can justify in christian theology that you're taking someone, as the commission is suggesting, that we expand the use of the death penalty and that we take someone who is not at that moment a threat to another human being and is in custody and take that person's life? isn't that contradictory to your christian beliefs? and reagan, you could see that he really took it so seriously and he just said, i prayed about that so many times. i cannot tell you how much thought and prayer has gone into that very issue. and i saw -- and i sought religious help from various spiritual leaders and i came to the conclusion, well, day narks i came to the conclusion -- well, dana, i came to the conclusion that if you're killing someone for vengeance, that is not consistent with what jesus christ has taught us. but if you realize you're taking that life to save the

life of another, because other murders will be deterred from killing -- murderers will be deterred from killing other victims, that's totally consistent. my view of ronald reagan and my admiration for that man went right through the roof. well, what happened then, evan younger who is attorney general of the state, grabs the microphone and says, morality and religion have nothing to do with this. the people voted for the death penalty and they're going to get it. yeah. my opinion of reagan was that high and i would just note evan younger ran for governor and lost. well, this was the type of ronald reagan that i got to know, very principled person. in 1976, a year after that press conference, he ran for president and i was about the only republican that he could find in the press corps to hire as assistant press secretary. and i traveled with him through 1976 and 1980 and then went to

the white house with him after that and let me just note that when ronald reagan went to the white house, it's again been described so many times that our country was in such jeopardy. freedom was in retreat, the soviet union was in the asent, -- rise, many of us felt that our country would lose the cold war and that the world would be dominated by this marxist totalitarian ideology and of course our economy was near collapse and heading toward disaster. ronald reagan, when he was a young person, was lifeguard. he saved 77 lives. that was such a part of his self-image, of being someone who was going to save the day. and i saw that it worked, and the tough decisions, and by the way, let me just note, i disagree with jim baker. i did not see the

bipartisanship that jim baker talked about. maybe he did, but when i worked in the white house with ronald reagan, because i went with him there after he won the 1980 campaign, and i was one of his five principle speech writers for seven years, all i noticed is that stand right over there, the democrats over and over again from this body and from the senate would do everything they could to defile and to make it sound like ronald reagan was a war mongerer because he wanted to make sure that the soviets were not encouraged to go on further and expand their weapons by us freezing them into a position of superiority. well, -- mr. dreier: if i could reclaim my time, i'd say to my friend, obviously that kind of partisan debate takes place regularly but what secretary baker was talking about was first the issue of social security, where president reagan did work with tip o'neill to try and bring about an effort to save social security in 1986.

president reagan worked on the 1986 tax reform act. it's true, i mean, in fact, i thank my friend for raising this issue because this sense that somehow everyone at the end of the day loved each other during that period in the 1980's is a mischaracterization of the way it existed. but president reagan, as secretary baker pointed out, did at the end of the day when it came to those important issues of economic growth, dealing with social security, and even on the issue of foreign policy, in dealing with both afghanistan and central america, while not all democrats joined, there were more than a few who with his encouragement did this. remember, were it not for bipartisan support, these policies would not have been implemented because we had 192 republicans in the house of representatives and were in fact in the minority. mr. rohrabacher: i would suggest that sometimes i have to admit, even some of the people who were most guilty of not being bipartisan have