size fits all border security program. they will approach it in a piecemeal fashion and they will go to individual sections of the border to make a determination of what kind of configuration technology, personnel, and it for structure are needed to address that. -- and infrastructure are needed to address that. there will be a push for more technology spending but not as much as it has been in the past. the new budget has about $500 million for additional technology and infrastructure. that kind of spending a most likely continue into the near future. there will most likely be a push for additional drones. the drones are the new sexy tool for border security right now. there's a push to get more unmanned vehicles flying along the border.

host: thanks for your time today one more day to go in our series and tomorrow we take a look at bio terrorism and bio preparedness. you want to see any of these other cities, feel free to go to our website c-span.org and access the video library. that is it for today's program and you will find another one coming your way tomorrow at 7:00. we will see you then. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011]

>> president obama had to the state department this morning for is what is being billed as a major policy speech on the middle east. we'll have that live at 11:40 a.m. eastern here on c-span. we will also up open up our phone lines for your reaction to his speech. later on, the focus shifts on capitol hill to intelligence with a hearing with a former director of the national intelligence. he will testify before the house and at home and community -- security commission live it 1:30 eastern. we will also have more on u.s. policy in the middle east in north africa with the senate armed services committee member john mccain. he will address the u.s. institute of peace at 6:00 p.m. eastern and we will have live here on c-span. the u.s. senate is in session today and lawmakers will consider the nomination of goodwin lew to be a judge for the circuit appeals.

you can watch the senate live on c-span 2. next up, a debate between candidates for a special election for new york's 26th congressional district in rochester wednesday evening. jane corwin square off against cathy hokol. this special election will be held next tuesday in new york to fill the vacancy of former republican congressman chris lee who resigned on february 9 after he was caught soliciting -- caught soliciting women on craigslist. this is one hour.

>> welcome. our panelists are joining me. we have our candidates seated in the order they appear on the ballot. first we have cathy hokol. corwin.e corps wh we invited a third candidate but he did not respond to our invitation. we did not invite the green party candidate because he did not qualify under our debate conclusion guidelines. we begin with our opening statements, the order which was determined by a coin toss and

miss corwin will go first. >> thank you for hosting this event. i sat in critical decided to run for congress because i look at the federal policies coming out of washington and that believe our government is taking the country in the wrong direction. i grew up loving the american dream by coming from a middle- class family and my parents did not have college degrees and we had no special privileges or talents. we work really hard and took some chances and have great people walking all -- working alongside his and we were able to be successful. i remembered the living -- a remembered delivering phone books with my friends. after going to college, i came back and worked in the family business. i call that our business customers in the rochester area. i helped the chief financial officer with finances and worked alongside the ceo in making operational decisions and joined the board of directors and helped with strategic decision

making. by the time we sold the business in 2004, we created about 700 jobs, 350 in the western new york avenue -- area alone and that is something i am proud of. we almost lost our house at one point because it was the collateral on the bank loan and the bank was threatening to pull ally. there were many times when we had trouble making payroll because the cash flow was tight. those other kinds of tough decisions that have to be made in a small business. i understand what it means to have tough times i want to create an environment where we can create jobs and

strengthen our economy and those of the policies i consider a priority and i look forward to talking about them. >> thank you. >> thank you very much. it is great of you to host this so our viewers have a real chance to see the candidates and the true difference is that lie between us. during the past two months, i have enjoyed traveling throughout the 26 congressional districts having taught some conversations with hundreds of people in the diner's and grocery stores and small businesses that dot the beautiful main streets along the canal and in rochester. it has been a great experience. i do a lot of listening in those conversations. what i hear from people is the concern that i share that we need to get the people back to work. to do that, we need to help our small businesses. we hear a lot about getting our debt under control and cutting spending in washington which i agree with. i also hear from these people very strongly loud and clear that they do not want the

government to end the medicare program as we know of that is there to protect our seniors when they most needed. this is a concern to the people i talk to and i tell everyone i talked to that i will go to washington and worked very hard to help our small businesses by cutting their tax burden so they can have the resources to grow and expand. i will work to cut spending but i will also ensure that the wealthiest people in this country pay their fair share just like the people on main street do. i have told them that i have made a commitment that i will take to my grave, that i will fight any plan that tries to decimate medicare. that is something that people in this district feel passionate about. i am so proud to receive the endorsement from the buffalo news, the post, and the democratic chronicle because they like my ideas and passion and my commitment to do what is like -- what is right i look forward to this debate >.

>> in the first round of questions, they will be directed to one of the candidates. there'll be a two-minute response. and one-minute rebuttal. that will go on to the next question. >> and a profile piece in the buffalo news, your mother says she is like a dog with a bone and she does not let go and she does not take no for an answer. she meant that in a favorable way. you are tenacious and you fight for what you believe in. indicate that a compromise might be difficult for you. many voters are frustrated by partisan politics and what often seems to be the inability to compromise on capitol hill. what examples can you offer to demonstrate you are willing to give up something in order to gain something else? >> you brought my mom into this.

my mother is right, i am very passionate. i fought for our people with a great deal of passion. the people i am talking to say they do not want us to go to washington and continue the partisan bickering which has created a gridlock or nothing gets done. you can tell by the support i have received that most of my supporters, many of them are republican business people to trust my judgment. i work with republican legislators. asked the republicans i worked with in the erie county legislation that supported my initiatives. my reputation and my record shows that i am willing to go to washington and roll up my sleeves and do what is right. i have no problem standing up to my own party when i disagree with them.

all you need to do is ask eliot spitzer and david paterson. i have shown my independence and willingness to fight for the residents. if there is an idea that comes out of washington and the comes to republicans, i am with them. the democrat has a better idea, i am with them. i'm excited about the opportunity and i have the temperament to work with both sides of the aisle. >> a one-minute rebuttal period. >> partisanship in washington is a problem and we have seen that in albany as well. the two years i have been in new york state assembly, i have worked hard to make sure i work across the aisles and try to come up with the best solutions to help the people in the community. i co-sponsored bills with assemblyman sam hoyt to increase the rubble proceeds though not for profits can raise money for themselves. i worked on another bill with him that would help a local

business to be able to expand their business and grow. those are the initiatives we need to work on together and that is what my track record in albany has been as well. as far as washington, i am an independent thinker. there are issues i don't agree with the republican party on. for example, china and the manipulation of their policies, i am a believer that we need to go out and make sure our trading partners are trading fairly and that is one way to do it. >> the next question? >> over the past week, much attention has been paid to a videotaped incident between your chief of staff and jack davis, another candidate in this campaign. some have called the end -- video a set up. did to authorize the actions of your chief of staff and have you considered firing him? >> i did not authorize that activity. he was acting after hours on his own time. he was acting as a volunteer on

behalf of the gop. i had no awareness of this year as i was preparing for the debate the night before or i was not aware of anything going on. the video speaks for itself for it is up to the people to decide how they feel about that. he is not acting as a member of the assembly or as my employee. i have no plan at this time. >> someone on my staff -- if someone on my staff had done that, they would have been fired. >> our next question? >> the 26 congressional district has long been a conservative republican-leaning district. some might argue that it is in part because the presence of a third-party candidate. if you win next week, how will you represent the interests of those who did not vote for you?

>> i have already done it as a county clerk. i am always fighting for the extra 20%. i will always work across the aisle. i am not partisan. i will make sure the individuals know what kind of independent thinker i am. i don't think many people know i have always had the conservative party endorsement whenever i run per office. this is something i subscribe to, keeping costs under control, keeping the debt load in washington but these people may be conservative but they are with me 100% on this issue of medicare. they don't support the idea of decimating a program that is a promise between our government and our citizens. the ryan plan would affect future seniors. i have talked to hundreds of people and there with me on the issues. >> there is another political

scare tactic on the part of a career politician. politifax.com said her clients about decimating medicare was given a rating of a liar, liar, pants on fire and that says it all as far as with that accusation is. as a member of the assembly, work very hard to represent all the people in my assembly district and of many democrats who supported me and my last two campaigns and i would do the same thing as a member of congress. >> our final question in this round. >> you bring up medicare. you have said you support a plan put forth by congressman paul ryan that would turn medicare from a guaranteed benefit into a voucher system that would cost future recipients more money. some polls indicate this is unpopular with some americans. would you consider withdrawing

your support of that plan and if not, what makes the paul ryan plan the best way to insure the medicare problem -- program remains solvent. >> we have to get the facts straight. the plan i support is not about to system. it creates medicare for anyone under the age of 55 and it would become like medicare part d or the government would pay the insurance premium directly to the insurance plan, not through the individual. there is no doubt are involved. as far as additional costs, that issue was addressed through medicare part d. i would be support of an opportunity to rollout and at the program bill at the federal level to address any additional costs that may be there. we need to understand we have a problem. according to president obama, if we don't do something about medicare now, the program will be bankrupt by the year 2024.

that is 13 years from now. we want medicare to be around for current and future generations, we need to make changes now. i am very supportive of a plan that would ensure that seniors currently get the benefits they currently enjoy or are expecting. >> i think the republicans in washington were surprised to know their plan is not a voucher program since the role as a voucher program. that is exactly what it is. plans to tell people that you no longer have that guaranteed insurance that you paid into sensor high-school job. we will replace it with a voucher. here is a thousand dollars and you are on your own with the insurance companies, good luck. that is exactly the program. we should stay with the facts. it is a voucher program and it ends medicare as we know it.

current seniors are affected because it eliminates the planned touche start shrinking the doughnut hole. even currency is are afraid of this program and that is what schering them. that is not made. that is the plan out of washington and they don't like it. >> the questions will go to both of you from this point on. you will each have 90 seconds to respond or be a 45-second for both ofiod you. let's really dig into the specifics of medicare. what exactly would you do to keep medicare solvent? >> i would insure that the benefit for people 55 and older stay as they are, to ensure that under the age of 55 that insurance prints are paid directly by the government to

the insurance plan on behalf of the individual. the individual would choose the plan and it would be mandated in terms of the minimum number of services. i would still lead doughnut hole with an aspect type program which would guarantee. we have to take action now. my opponent is advocating to do nothing. if we do nothing, the plan goes bankrupt in 13 years. someone 55 years old today will turn 68 and will have no benefits. if we don't do something now. raising taxes will not cover it. we cannot raise enough taxes to fix the problem with medicare. we need to take other action. i am supporting a plan. i have yet to hear from any other plants, from any other opponents and isn't that a career politician thing to do? just ignore the fact that we are facing a major crisis if we don't take action. >> you have 90 seconds. >> it is a traditional technique

out of washington to scare everybody to justify what you're trying to do. you are trying to balance our budget on the backs of seniors so you can continue tax breaks for multi millionaires and billionaires in this country and to help the corporate loopholes that allow big oil to get away with what they do at a time when we have the highest gas prices in our country and all companies had record profits. i understand the need to cut the deficit. i support that 100%. the problem is no one addressing -- is addressing this in washington. the republican-controlled congress is trying to control this. why are our health costs so high in this country? i have some solid ideas. we don't have much time. there are new ideas and a panel put in place and i spoke to some represented the secoatives in

buffalo this morning. in my judgment, if the house representative was not bought up by the pharmaceuticals, we would have a quicker way to get drugs to the market and leverage our buying power. you can take the 48 million beneficiaries we have and get cheaper pharmaceuticals. that was an option that was on the books and republicans rejected it. there's a cost of getting medicare under control without schering medicare's. -- without scaring seniors. + >> my opponent was a part of of the obama health care law which included a 500 billion cut -- $500 billion cut to medicare. we are hearing contradicting opinions here. i am opposed to the obama health-care laws. i believe they do nothing to address the real problem of health care and that is the excessive costs. i am supportive of programs such as having insurance plans compete across state lines.

tort reform is something people don't talk a lot about by a bank is important to reduce the cost for health care. >> what my opponent is ignoring is the fact that the paul ryan budget includes the same medicare cost savings in reimbursements to hospitals and insurance companies that the health-care plan that obama past did. it is very disingenuous to say that you support the paul ryan budget 100% which includes the same cuts in medicare. you cannot have it both ways. >> we will turn things over to the panel now beginning with a question. >> parents and other community members in cities like buffalo and rochester are becoming increasingly frustrated over the fact that students are failing to graduate. the nation's education system is

not working for many families. what would you do to speed the pace of reform and what reform would you favor? >> there are many reforms and the rhee or authorization of the secondary a apart -- education act will allow us to evaluate the no child left behind provisions that have been in force for a few years. when you talk to teachers and administrators, i'm not sure we solve the problems we need to. we need to support our parents and understand that. the head start programs are important because many parents, one of them is working and they don't have the resources at home anymore. i oppose any cuts in the federal budget to a head start programs that our kids need a special in the cities to give them a leg up. then have the same opportunities as kids in other areas. even beyond elementary and

secondary education, i opposed the paul riot budget plan that would cut pell grants. that is something i feel strongly about. is important for us to have our kids be able to get a college education and support are middle-class families who are having trouble making tuition payments. cutting pell grants when we want to encourage the work force of the future to get an education is the wrong set of priorities. >> i agree that the note child left behind act is not clear as far as how successful it was. one area where i am supportive of president obama is his efforts to introduce competition in schools like charter schools in inner cities. we have had some tremendous success and i would support any initiatives that would help encourage that. that is important gives parents the opportunity to have more active involvement in their children's education. i keep hearing how my opponent wants to cut spending every step

of the way. but she says not here, not here, not here. we have a $14.30 trillion debt. that is $14,000 per person living in this country today. we need to invest in education but we have to invest in a in a smart way. i think charter schools and introducing competition in schools is a great way to go. >> i understand the need to get spending under control and i want to have everything on the table. entitlement reforms, defense spending and something the republicans in washington don't think is right but everyone in this district does is that it requires millionaires and billionaires in this country to pay their fair share. when times are tough, we all have to share. to think that our kids and our

middle-class families and our small businesses have to bear the brunt of this and our seniors in particular, to turn this medicare into a voucher program because times are tough, i think that is wrong. the wealthiest in this country should step up and pay their share share. a look at our defense spending priorities, a to foreign countries and other areas. i'm serious about spending -- cutting our spending. >> as far as tax increases, my opponent's plan for tax increases would put taxes on small businesses. as a small-business owner, i understand what that impact will be. that is why we are in a jobless recovery because the policy coming out of this the ministration is against small businesses and prevent them from being able to create jobs. we need to keep more of that money in the pockets of our small businesses so they can invest in themselves and new workers. that is very important. i am in favor of supplying the tax code and streamlining it so

we make sure there are loop -- there are no loopholes for big corporations. we need to be bringing more of the problems of our large corporations back home from overseas. >> my question is about gas prices. in the buffalo/rochester area, the average price for gas right now is about $4.50. what, if anything, should the federal government do about the price of gas? >> the problem we have is we don't have a comprehensive energy policy. we depend too much on foreign oil. what i propose is that we do more drilling domestically in the gulf coast, north dakota, alaska. i think we can also look at drilling for natural gas. we keep hearing about the marcellus shale in new york state. in my district, i have a vertical gas wells where i have farmers and property owners.

it can work of the regulations have to be in place to make sure it is done safely. i would support any initiatives that would allow for the doc to make it safe and i think we can do that. >> energy costs are too high in this country and i disagree with the philosophy of the paul ryan budget. it continues the huge tax giveaways to big oil at a time of record profits for them and the highest gas prices for us. i agreed on the issue of getting our independence from foreign oil under control. this goes back to 1970 or so. people of this is the last time we would be holden to another country. we did not learn the lessons that i hope we have learned of them now. i'm supportive of looking for domestic forces but to continue

tax giveaways to big companies is the wrong way a rigid set of priorities. people agree with me on >> >> in addition to the drilling, we should look at reducing the subsidies on oil. we should eliminate them. we all slept make sure we have been there for the small oil companies. increasing the competition in the industry will help to control prices. i'm also supportive of renewable energies but i believe the renewable energies need to be researched and developed in the private sector or in partnership with universities. it is important and that the consumers pick the winners and losers. i believe we should be eliminating the subsidies to oil companies. >> it is part of>> it is part on budget. but i oppose the ryan budget

plan. they continue the surveys none of us support. >> there has been a lot of talk about medicare. a number of proposals are on the long-term solvency. >> the long-term sustainability was in question. the approach i followed was a bipartisan approach. sen. moynahan got with tip o'neil to come together with a solution. it comes down to high unemployment. fewer people are buying into the program. we need to get more people back to work. we can help to support small

business so those employees pay more into the system. unemployment is too high. we hav e had 11.6% unemployment. the rest is near eight. i have a close sense of the pulse going on. i see the businesses hurting. a lot of these problems take care of themselves. >> the reality is that this is not enough. going back to the facts, the people running the program said if we don't make changes to social security, the fund will be bankrupt. we need to address social

security. we have to make sure we are not privatizing the funds and that there is means testing. so those are wealthy don't get checks and those who are ill will get them. i am focusing on medicare and medicaid. until we solve the problem, we cna't stop this. i have not heard plans from the other side. let's come up with a real solution. people who really need this. >> that is cnsistant. the progrma we've paid into, you are going to pull the rug out

from people. we make a promise, when you reach a certain age, you can count on this. we have to be the responsible ones. stop the big taxpayers and stop trying to do this on the backs of our citizens. >> you have 25 seconds. >> if we kick the can down the road and avoid making proposals, we will never have a solution. this is why i was in the goverment anyway. it just doesn't make sense. we look at the problem and we

have the statistics to show what we're facing. i am introducing the plan. let's talk about this and come up with a solution. all but i hear is that we cannot do this but i have yet to hear another proposal. >> all the candidates -- >> it goes to miss corwin. >> all the candidats have said, we need to create jobs, and the that heard this so often this is cliche. give me one thing that you can do to create jobs. what would this look like? >> i would start with public hearings. if you look at the epa and fda,

you see the regulations coming out of those agencies interferes with small businesses. look at those regulations and that makes a big difference. we can't raise taxes on small business. we need to go back so it makes sense to people, so they know what they are up against. >> our universities are a great catalyst for jobs. i was in rochester, making a tour of the optics facility. because of the assistance they've recieved, the ryan budget decimates. they are able to be incubated to create jobs. 21 new businesses came from

these initiatives. those jobs could be gone with the ryan budget. the proper role of government as to provide a helping hand at the university, where they can create jobs. i want to keep those institutions healthy. since 1986 -- there has been a major overhaul of the tax code. we have to make certain that this is a level playing field. compared to how much the large corporations will pay. >> there is more government and that is what i keep hearing. my opponent is supportive of more government. she increased spending by 51%, increasing taxes 45%.

the argument on the other side is more government and more spending. what happens to having partnerships with the university of rochester to make these projects happen. i think in the government grant process, the university will be very successful zero cannot forget that the private sector knows how to create jobs. >> you have the chance to vote for a 10% spending cut and you were one of a couple of republicans to support this. 10% show the commitment to cut costs. you were going to washington to cut expenses but when you have the chance to do something meaningful, use of with the majority of republicans that

would not support the efforts to cut spending in the government. you have to look at the record. >> what will you do to reduce the nation's deficit and bring down government spending? >> this is a great question. i have said, is also willing to put everything on the table including entitlement reform, getting underlying health care under control. the secretary has proposed $178 billion in cuts. we need to get tougher in those alliances. i will also look at , this is something my opponents will not do, raise taxes on the friends who are the wealthiest people in the country. i think it is only fair during

these high deficits, that we look at everything. and not keep pushing the burden on the seniors and families, and everyone else did away with the continuations of tax cuts, which led to the problems right now. bill clinton had a surplus when he left office, and we have gotten into trouble with excessive spending. we have to look at both sides of the ledger. >> president and have a republican congress. my opponent says everything is on the table. i wonder if she will cut the entitlement programs. i am looking to the proposal that will preserve the entitlement programs. we will make certain that this

will be around for future generations. not just cuts to entitlement. we should look at defense spending. we have heard about the $600 hammers. we want to make certain that we have the means and the support that we need to be successful in their endeavors, but we cannot be said about spending. as far as raising taxes, my friend, who i am protecting, this is a local gas station owner. this is a business or $500,000. these are the businesses would need to be supporting. we cannot continue to raise taxes because we not have a revenue problem. we have a spending problem.

>> my opponent has a television ad that says that if so trying to cut entitlements. the local affiliate and the dependent back checkable said that this was a flat-out lie. if everyone has been paying attention, benno i am the one person who will not touch medicare. and it was my desire to have reform to get the underlying cost of health care, this is -- my opponent has been called out on this. i disapprove the democrats' plan in washington, which would have the tax cuts expire for people making $200,000 because of my concerns about small business. >> to get back to the accusation, this is not

necessarily mean that this is true. we can look at the cause of the problem being the obama health care law, but price waterhouse has just said that it is expected that the national average increase in health care costs will be 8.5%. largely due to the obama health care law. this is only increasing the cost. we need to protect the seniors now and for future generations. >> the next question will come from jim. >> you just brought up health care. this is a major concern for many families. those with insurance, and businesses that struggle often with the cost of providing coverage for the employees.

a reform measure was put into law last year. many of you have said that this should be repealed. my question is, should we keep the current health-care law, should we change this and did so, should we repeal this? and how we address these issues? >> the obama health care law is a disaster for small business. i have heard the concerns about the cost of health care. this did not address the increasing cost. the problem is that health care is too expensive and this is what people do not have this. i am advocating for a full repeal of the health care law. selling insurance plans, and

going back to that -- when they capped the non-economic malpractice awards -- that had something else happened. doctors were moving back into the state. this would go along with the help these problems. talking to the small business owners, in order to avoid having to address the health care issue, that will hire temporary workers so they can avoid putting more workers into the exchanges. and this will nationalize health care. this is what i propose that would repeal this law, and then we can make certain that we pass this law so that adult children and stay on the plan.

>> i agree that this did not get the health care costs under control and much more needs to be done. i am happy that this was fixed. unlike my opponent, this supports the right and plan, the son not prepared to say that somebody with a pre-existing condition should no longer have felt insurance. that protection was limited in the rye and budget. the economy is tough right now. i want those kids to be able to have the knowledge that there will be covered until age 26. this is important to me. and health-care law had tax credits for those who did provide insurance.

fix this and we should move on. i am not willing to throw this out the window. >> 50% of businesses would qualify for these tax credits. as far as the pre-existing conditions, we should be providing the coverage for them. if we really tackled the problem we would be able to deal with the pre-existing conditions as well. the problem is that this cut $500 million. it is generous to say that we are supporting medicare when we support this plan. >> they kept the cost of $500 billion. this is washington political doublespeak. check the article in the wall street journal.

this shows how the budget actually said they are saving money but they continued those cuts with the real bust -- reimbursement under the program. you cannot run away from this. >> do that states has reached the $14.30 trillion debt ceiling. would you vote to raise this? >> only with spending cuts. >> i would want to include some kind of spending cut, a spending limit that would make this a percentage of the gdp, going forward. we would have to be talking about trillions of dollars. we have to see some measure that shows we have spending under control. >> i agree, we have to be

reasonable. we have an extension until early august. now this is the time for people under -- in washington to get this under control. i did not want to see the country almost brought to the verge of shutdown. i supported the compromise plan, with $38.50 billion in -- billion in cuts, and that the democrats and republicans need to get their act together. >> i also support this cut, but this was about 1% in spending. this is just not going to get us going in the right direction. we will be coming up against the debt ceiling on a weekly basis compared to what we are going through now. >> >> i would like both of you

to define what you see as the role in government. as an extra dollar mean that you support more government? can you define what you believe is the role for government? >> i believe in the private sector and their ability to create jobs. i also think that they are more effective at delivery services. but the federal government should be working on are those things that be taking care of at the federal level. we need to have a safety net but we have to make certain that we're not bankrupting the future of our children. lead to work with people from all over the country to work with solutions that make sense

for the entire country, keeping in mind what makes the most sense for people in this congressional district. looking at the issues that matter most the people in this district, and going to washington to advocate on their behalf. >> what you are hearing is a difference between myself and my opponent. when a promise to our people that when they get to a certain age, they will have health coverage through medicare. this is exactly why we had to start medicare in the first place. the seniors will orders for the people in poverty in this country. the country finally said that we are good people and do not do this. we should not break that contract. i believe we should also educate our children. i want the federal government to make certain that our kids have a chance at a good education.

i have not heard a word about law enforcement and how important that this is to protect our interests. i think that we need to look out for the people -- this is the constitution. of course, the private sector creates jobs, guaranteed. the government has a bigger role than simply a defense. >> the best government is the government closest to the people. the educational system is administered by the states. i think the role of the federal government is to offer a larger plan but this should be decided at the state and local level.

we absolutely need a safety net. i am working so hard to protect the safety net. i want to make certain that the seniors have the benefits they are counting on. this is why i am trying to protect medicare. >> my opponent just said that health care costs went up 8%. the seniors of tomorrow are going to be left out because this program does not account for any escalation. this is what you will deal with in the next few years. the husband gets taken care of for a program he came into. the 54 year-old wife does not have this. we should not be having age warfare in this country. we made a promise the people

that we will take care of them. i am not here to throw the program out the window. >> what is your opinion on the repeal of don't ask, don't tell, and the decision of the administration not to enforce the defense of marriage act? >> i support them on both counts. >> i was unhappy with his decision to do this. at the chief executive, he has to uphold law of the land. when he decides not to do this, he is more of the chief justice the chief executive. and as far as don't ask, don't tell, in my opinion, this is the military leadership that this is the appropriate policy, and that would support what they support.

>> i support the position of the president on both of them. >> we will now go to jim. >> this district has portions of seven counties. assuming that jobs and taxes are important to everyone, what are the three most important local issues in the 26 district. >> we have to make certain that we allow for -- university of rochester, there is tremendous research going on there. we should help the private sector commercialize that research. this is a great area that i would be able to get involved in and certainly, as far as agricultural issues are

concerned, we wanted to make certain that agriculture -- we are allowing this to be successful. i'd be working very hard on the farm bill, to make certain that the policies created through this are beneficial to the district. and does so supportive of the initiatives like the peace bridge, that will expand economic opportunities. this is an important to bring over new business and help with having products to sell to others. >> thank you very much. >> agriculture is important, though i was concerned about, the rhine budget eliminates $30 billion worth of subsidies. this will be difficult for the farmers. i am hoping that i could have a place on the agricultural committee so i could continue to

look out for small business compared to the large business dominating out west. if you look at any reports of the infrastructure, the quality of the roads in the business, this is a way to make certain that we have the resources allocated to make certain that the roads are safe and we are there to transport the goods and services across the highways. and there is an issue -- a farmer came up to me and give me a plastic bag -- >> absolutely. going back to the agricultural issues, the former representative of the seat, i would continue this effort so i would have the ability to reach out and communicate with members of the agricultural community,

and they could give me directions about what policies they are looking for, this would be terrific. the dairy farmers are talking about a solution to the current program, and this would be much less costly and give them the benefits that they need to be successful. i would look forward to working with this community. >> this would be a real catalyst for the -- for the industry. >> we should try to make this quarter -- give them a chance to showcase innovative ideas for research. i want to make certain i am ordering with the right people. this can be a replacement for

the old reliance on manufacturing, because of the trade agreements -- these have left us with a lot of empty buildings. we have to give ourselves a chance for a new industry. >> this will end the question around, and now we're going to go into closing statements. we have about a minute and a half. you will go first. >> this has been terrific. we have a clear choice among these candidates. i believe in cutting wasteful spending and i have a track record for doing this. my opponent increased spending. my opponent is intending to raise taxes on small business. this will -- this will do nothing but stop small business.

people want jobs. raising taxes on small business is going to kill us. i think it is very important that we get the private sectors, partner in more with the university of rochester to make certain that we commercialize all of the resources coming out of this system. this was such a major employer in the area. we want for them to bring their overseas operations and to the united states and invest in the people here. we have a tremendous work force and we want to encourage investment here. i think we can do this if we get the policies in the right order. i come from the private sector. i lived the american dream and i am running for congress to preserve the american dream. that is what

>> thank you very much. your closing statement >. >> i want to say thank you to the panelists come into jane. i want people to see the crystal clear differences that lie between us. it is all about priorities. my priorities are for looking out the middle class, the small businesses, our families, you know i am looking out for our seniors. people across this district are worried. they do not want to lose the guaranteed health insurance they have been promised from our government their entire lives. i feel very passionate about that. i think that when times are tough, let's cut the deficit and spending. i am not prepared to throw seniors under the bus and bake them bear the brunt of our success while letting the wealthiest people in this country not pay their fair share of taxes. we continue to allow corporations to ship jobs

overseas and get off with corporate loopholes and tax breaks that are not available to the mom and pop businesses on main street. i am so proud to even have the gyms to run in this race. i am a passionate person. i'm a fighter. if given honor of people spoke, i will look out for them each and every day. thank you. >> this concludes the voice of the voter debate. thank you both so much recording as. our participating candidates kathy hocul, and jane corwin. jim raney, jill carie, and 13 wham tv in rochester. i am julie the lip reminding you the special election is next tuesday, may 24. from the w. excite i studios and rochester, good night. studios ine wxii

rochester, good night. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> you have been watching the debate between the candidates for the 26 district. at the 2012 campaign season heats up, we have all of your election coverage online at c- span.org. that is that c-span.org. online today "book to bv" repors

talk about international spies. that will be live on-line at noon. president obama shortly will address the situation in the middle east and north africa and what is being billed as a major policy speech. he will be at the state department about 40 minutes or so. we will take you there live at 11:40. to take as they're coming here is a portion of today's " washington journal." will be at from the c-span website is this preview of the speech. obama to address shifting mideast policy. in light of the arab spring pro- democracy movement and the killing of osama bin laden, president obama will provide an update --

again, that is from the c-span website, just a preview. from "the financial times" is this preview of the speech.

that is a little bit from "the financial times" this morning, there preview of the president's

middle east dress that will happen at 11:40 a.m. this morning. let's start with brenda from texas on our democrats' line. what would you like to hear from the present? caller: good morning, peter. i have nothing but total confidence in this president. i leave it totally up to him. i just have never been so proud to be american before. i just have nothing else to say but that, peter. i am just tickled pink. host: in and day out, virginia. andrew, another democrat. caller: i would like to see our president say is going to close the syrian embassy. this is a country which he has renewed diplomatic relations with and since then they have been shooting women d children in the street. they have been shooting the dead bodies to make sure they are dead. they have been driving people out of their country and they have been running away to lebanon and turkey and and were that they could find.

i would like to see the president take a stand instead of waiting until the arabs do everything themselves. why can't we support democracy and a free nation? why cannot we stand with them for their fight for democracy? host: the lead in "the new york times" --

ourext caller covent -- is deborah from houston. caller: thank you for c-span. i wanted to follow up what the other caller said -- i am also proud american. never more proud as i am now with president obama representing america. as far as him talking about the middle east, i would like him to reiterate the is going to keep america safe and we will have strong defense. but also in our travels, that we will have safe travel, including greyhound bus and amtrak and continued air travel but that all middle eastern will be treated with dignity. i would also like to remind america that the election should not give us too much diversion at we are all americans. and after that, a lot of was

good i reached out to every person who was different for my views and said tonight we are american and i would like to continue in the spirit and not be caught up in partisan politics while al qaeda is plotting the next block. line,on the democrats' leonard from ohio. caller: thank you, c-span. how are you all today? host: good. caller: our president has been doing wonderful but you always have your conflicts in any job trying to get things done right. but i think it is time that our present std strongly on the foreign policy of getting out of their government problems, political problems. i understand they want -- we need to bring these boys home

from there and let it go. and i thank you for your time out there. host: the numbers are a little bit difrent this morning. rose is a republican from louisiana. caller: what i would like for the president not to do is apologize for ameri and i would like for him to stand with israel. thank you very much. host: from "the wall street journal" this morning, this article.

that is in "the wall street journal" this morning. in "the washington times" is this article. what do you want to hear from president obama when he gives his middle east address at 11:40 a.m. this morning? crystal river, florida. it's hot on the independent line. what do you want to hear?

caller: like the last article saying he wants to be stricter with israel because israel is really one of the big problems over there. syria needs to beixed as well. thank you. host: the next call is brandon, florida. linda, democrat. caller: i and a first-time caller. -- i'm a first-time caller. i would like to hear the president talk about the energy issue. i believe the energy issue is what is basically driving a lot of this unrest in reference to food and water scarcities in the middle east. all around the whole globe. i would like to hear him say something in reference to that, take a firm stance on energy, the environment, and really what is at stake for the global humanity in reference to the energy issue. and i would like to also hear him sayomething about tunisia and people being gunned down in

the street and to say something in reference to the israeli policy that america has. host: that was linden -- linda and brandon, florida. last nig at the white house there was a press briefing and here is a transcript of the press briefing. it was done by "senior administration officials." here is just a little bit of how they previewed the speech. a senior administration official as identified in this press briefing.

that is a little bit of a preview from a senior administration official last night at the white house. amherst, massachusetts. normal on the independent line. what would you like to hear from the president regarding the middle east? caller: what i would like to see the president bring up, what i would like to see him do is stop the double standard. coming down on syria and yet men and bahrain are doing much worse. in bahrain, 56% of the people are slaves from india. that is what the u.s. fleet is

defending, this slavery regime. not only that, 85% of the people who are not slaves are shiite muslims who have no rights, a protest of for the rights. shoong them, torturing them with tear gas. and the doctors who treat these people are then being persecuted and prosecuted. i would like to see t obama administration end of this double standard. host: dallas. denise on the democrats' line. caller: good morning. i wanted to make sure that -- i want to let the president know i am proud of him and i will be voting for him again. hello? ok, thank you, peter. could you please set up a democratic only line like you always do republicans when we are taught about republican party -- when we talk about the republican party?

host: thanks for the suggestion. charlotte, north carolina. alice on the independent line is no longer there. we will move on to darrell on the democrats' line. caller: how are you doing this morning? i would like to see my president stand up to israel. i would like to see my president tell israel to stop the illegal settlements or we should discontinue foreign aid which we should be -- doing anyway. we have been funneling for 50 years. when are they going to get up and have their own economy? i am sick and tired of giving israel $3 billion a year and we have people unemployed in this country. host: can i ask you a question? it has been previewed the president will forgive $1 billion in loans to egypt and offer another billion dollars in aid. what do you think about that? caller: i think the same thing. it is crazy. we are broke in this country.

what is happening with israel is just atrocious. how they can come in this country and dictate our foreign policy because they own all of our congressmen and senators, i think it is crazy. we need to stand up to israel and what they're doing in palestine is genocide. host: robert a. democrat in philadelphia. caller: item only -- i am only 19 years old. and the times we are today we are in a serious national debt. besides social security, medicaid, and medicare -- a lot going to defense. i would like to hear obama give an effective plan but also efficient plan as well. i feel in terms of extra missions -- further going into debt. i want to feel secure but i don't want to feel our money is being wasted going on these missions to "police the world."

host: what you steading? caller: i am studying political science and penn state. host: what do you want to do with that degree? caller: i plan on going into congress myself but that is further down the road. just trying to work my way up and interning at city council. host: annolis on the republican lin tim, you are on the air. caller: regarding the president's speech, he has provided this funding but i want to know what we get for this funding for egypt. it seems the president is a horrendous negotiator. he took the missiles out of poland and got nothing in return. we are now giving funding to egypt. i do not understand what we will possibly get in return. it seems to me that he is enjoying this bit of an uptick

an upswing in popularity because of the osama bin laden thing, but in terms of his ability to be able to promote democracy in the middle east, promote american initiatives, he has been awful at it, absolutely awful. i am amazed at the callers this morning. number one, i did not know if it is your fault or not, but practically 10-1 democrat and independent to republican, and number two, they seem to be fawning over our president that a middle east and foreign policy. our president's foreign-policy -- and one other thing i would like to talk about is this arab spring. i am not sure this arab spring is really something that is positive. is it truly promoting democracy or are we promoting the muslim brotherhood? the interests of the people in these arab countries, is it

really going to be pushed through or is it another group seizing control in this sort of a coup. that information is not getting out and i am very concerned about our present and possible leadership. host: this is from bill who tweets in -- this is from "the wall street journal" this morning.

if you want to call in and voice your opinion on what you think the u.s.'s middle east policy should be, we are previewing president obama's middle east speech at 11:40 a.m. eastern time which will be live on c- span. our numbers --

alice in charlotte. ller: i have four points i will make quick and succinctly. mber one, i would like to hear mr. obama say he is firing dennis ross and replacing him with charles freeman, replacing him. clinton with hillary -- leverit. i would like to see him close the holocaust museum in washington until israel stops killing peaceful protesters, palestinians. i would like him to the rest benjamin netanyahu when he enters american airspace for the murder of rachel corey, a peaceful activist in israel. host: those of your fear -- four points.

thank you for calling in. john, another independent. caller: it has been a long time since i called in. america has got to stop watching the regular media and start going to -- hello? it is about the president. one other thing i found out by watching free-speech see me, democracy now, was that remember this last week when the guy came in -- from the ara emirates. this guy who owns black water and just moved in with them and they are setting up a small army to quell all of these prison camps they have over there, where they make the people work for almost nothing.

this guy moved to the united arab emirates because we don't have where the united states can arrest him. these guys are going to build an army there -- what do you call, the guys who work for money? host: we are going to leave it there. we appreciate you calling in. i think he was talking about the black water founder. in other news this morning, this is from "the hill" newspaper.

that is from "the hill" this morning. this is from politico. robo -- rogue tweet --

when a sure we show the screen grab at the top of the page. that is from political this rning. this is from "the washington post."

here is what the cover of the book looks like. again, this is an "the washington post" this morning. back to your calls on the middle east and u.s. policy. alabama. when is a democrat. caller: good morning. i am going to wait and hear -- listen to the president's speech when he comes on. it will be 10:40 a.m. my time because i am on central time. i think the president will speak to the young people in the different middle east countries because they have a lot at stake with what they are going through right now. some of the know evidence that came out of the bin laden the different things.

we do not know why he is making the speech day. he knows more than we did. i think it is very, very important what is going on in libya, what is happening in syria. we have also seen where the breakdown came between the palestinians and israelis. i believe he needs to come out right now and speak on the middle east because it is very, very important. does in fact the u.s. also. we need to waiand listen and see what he has to say this morning. host: that was gwen in birmingham, alabama. mark, a republican from minnesota. caller: it seems to me our president is a little bit late, as usual, on this stuff. i agree with the earlier caller on syria.

over 1000 dead and the secretary of state is saying that bashar al-assad is a reformer it does not make sense to me. host: that said, what would you -- caller: i would like the u.s. policy to stand for the people. in 2009 he did not stand with the green revolution in iran. he missed the boat on tunisia, egypt, through mubarak and the bus and in libya we still have no coherent strategy. i would like to see him support rael. he has never liked netanyahu. it is chaotic. there is no cohesion. there is nothing that makes sense.

host: let's leave it there. by the way, prime minister netanyahu will be in washington next week and will be delivering an address to congress which, of course, wl be live on c-span. monty1041 tweets in -- from abc news -- iran could play a role in al qaeda post bin laden. osama bin laden placed in new focus in what role in iran but may play an al qaeda's feature as intelligence officials analyze reports.

that is just a little bit from abc news aicle. this will be a live hearing on c-span.org. congress continues to look int mobile privacy.

hearing will be live at c- span.org, is this is an interest that interest you. politico reports that activists heckled eric cantor. that is from politico. back to your calls on the middle east on middle -- and u.s. policy. hi, gary.

caller: if possible i would like to hear obama emphasize something to do with the main type of economic format that we are going to depend on to start bringing in new jobs and new revenues and new growth to our economy. he had mentioned that there was going to be some new formats and all i have heard from newscasters is the emphasis on budgeting -- making a budget plan or something. i would like to know what the new framework is. host: the next call on u.s. middle east policy and looking at the president's speech that will be later this morning is terry, a republican in cedar springs, michigan. you are on the air caller: thank you. the thing i want mr. obama to remember as a christian is what god says about israel and how he

warned anybody that takes a stand against her, he will curse but he will bless those who bless her. thank you. host: in other news, from "the wall street journal" reporting this morning. japan slide into recession. that is from "the wall street journal." this article is from "usa today."

we will talk with tom davis, former congressman and former head of the national republican congressional committee when he is here. we will talk about the issue of medicare and politics. back to your calls on the middle east. democrat in washington, d.c. caller: i think that as long as they don't spend another trillion dollars on an unnecessary more, that is one thing we need to do -- or not do. i like the way the president handles lot of the issues.

he does not just jump ery little thing that happens over there. we can't police the world. and i think that letting other countries like europe and a lot of the arab nations, let them handle their own affairs, is what we need to do. but i do think he should clearly define our position. you for calling in. this tweet. now, from "the washington times" is our story. in the "inside the ring" column --

that is all in "inside the ring" column in "the washington post." buford, georgia. sherry on the republican 9. >> good morning. i just wanted to make a couple of quick points. i think america should stand with israel. ihink as a judeo-christian country and we are getting on the wrong side and i think people should read the bible. we should remember the holocaust and remember how the whole world stood by as an entire race was toward extinction. i say no to a muslim caliphate and socialist one-world aren't policies of this administration. i think we are americans and we need to wake up and stand up and stand with our friends. thank you. host: sherry on the republican line. talking about the president that a middle east speech which he will deliver add 11:40 a.m. eastern time this morning at the state department. it will be live on c-span.

from "the washington post," remarks by cornell west sparked debate.

this is cornell west talking about the president. and georgia, nick, democrat. what would you like to hear from the president was more caller: hey, listen, i appciate c- span. first of all let's talk about our in. people are rlly not putti this thing together. in bahrain you had a little but a revolution, and obama needs to address why he has not been on the side of the pele there. if you look at what happened, we trained the bahraini army, was she demonstrators. what they do, after the doctors tried to treat them, ty are put under arrest or kidnapped. i kid you not. if you look in the internet under bahraini doctors in prison that is what you find.

i think that is a horrible thing. president obama needs to address that. i know we have the gulf fifth fleet in bahrain, but that is just not a good policy toet that happen and for hillary clinton not to say anything about it. they are prosecuting doctors for helping people shot in demonstrations. if you get behind the new egyptian leadership, not just -- that much different as mubarak. power in the same hands. still shooting demonstrators. he needs to talk to them and say if you are going to have democracy you have to let the peopleule. you cannot just say there is an arab spring and not get into the real substance because the people there are still poor, still oppressed. i did not think seriously -- and i will close with this -- to be honest, i do not think president obama wanted democracy in the

middle east. because it all the people mistreats rule, they would not be with america of the time and not be with iael all the time and we would have to pay a lot more for oil. we do not want these people we e on the streets to have power. and president obama does not either and neither does hillary clinton. host: from "the new york times" --

ross is just a little bit from "the n york times" article about the fed meeting in april. you are on the air. caller: three quick points about israel. i am an american jew and most of the jews i know are not for israel just willy-nilly making sediment everywhere because the people who think that the bible says you should and by israel, by then making settlements you and up with an apartheid status instead of the two-state solution, which jews like myself seem to be for because then it would be a destrtion of israel if they do not do that. the second point i wt to make is -- even in syria, or even in the palestine they have this show about, has to do with the

blood libel, the not see -- nazis showed it, about taking musl blood and putting it into the matzah the host: tie this into what you like to see the president say today? caller: unfortunately when discussions are held today about the status of palestinian refugees, the largest number of jewish refugees forced out of arab countries are ignored and few people even think of them as refugees because of like the arab world, it is not always successful. host:: what would you like >> we are live now and the state department in washington. president obama shortly will

make a speech, what is billed as a major policy address about u.s. policy in the middle east and north africa. the president is expected to be introduced by secretary of state hillary clinton. this one of many events in the next few days concerning middle east policy. benjamin netanyahu is due in washington tomorrow. he will meet with president obama at the white house. the president will speak on sunday to the annual apec meeting and the prime minister will speak -- the president will speak to congress next tuesday, and we will have live coverage. we are waiting for president obama, who was scheduled to start speaking about 10 minutes ago. running a little bit late today. the president this week and will depart for a middle east trip, which will address -- will depart for a european trip, which will address some middle east policy. he will address the issue of the arab spring and overall economic aid to middle east countries, expected to come up

in those discussions as well. waiting to hear from the president. live coverage from the state department here on c-span. >> this is the state department waiting to hear from president obama on the middle east and north africa, expected to get under way shortly.

the president will declare that the u.s. is firmly in support of democracy in the arab world, and he said that officials at the white house estate touted the obama address as beginning to turn the page to a more positive and hopeful future for u.s. policy in the region. a number of dignitaries in the room, including the chairman of the joint chiefs, admiral michael mullen, and the chairman of the senate foreign relations committee, senator kerry, is also in attendance it. in the senate, they are debating a nomination of the ninth circuit judge. procedural vote coming up this afternoon at 2:00 eastern, and you can follow the debate and vote on our companion network, c-span2. while we wait for the president to come out, we will give you a preview of the debate ahead and vote. joining us is david ingram, capitol hill reporter at "the legal times" and "the national

law journal." why is this nomination considered controversial? >> good one -- goodwin liu is a relatively young law professor -- he is 40 -- and he is someone who democrats say has an american story. he is the son of immigrants and went to some of the best schools in the country. he was a rhodes scholar before going on to a clerk at the supreme court, which is not something many lawyers get to do. he is considered controversial because republicans think that he would be among the most liberal judges on the court if he were confirmed, and he might be a future supreme court nominee himself for a democratic president down the line. the stakes are pretty high for his nomination. >> when he was first nominated, how far did his nomination get? did it make it to the senate floor last time?

>> it did, but it did not get a boat, so he was first nominated back in february of 2010. he has been waiting a little longer than a year, which is a long time for most nominees. he went through the judiciary committee several times. that committee is controlled by democrats, of course, but he never came up for a vote on the senate floor last year. democrats were busy with health care legislation, among other priorities. they almost brought his nomination up at the end of the year and at the last minute did not. >> you mentioned that his republican opponents say they think he would be among the most liberal judges appointed. how would his supporters respond to that charge? >> they think that he is within the mainstream, that some of his writings have -- for example, pointed at the benefits of school vouchers, which is not an

issue that is dear to the heart of most liberals. they say that he -- they point to the testimony at his confirmation hearing when he talked about following the law and putting aside some of his academic writings that republicans have seized on. part of the issue, too, is not just his academic writings, but his advocacy work. he was on the board of the american constitution society, which is sort of a networking group for liberal lawyers. he was chairman of that board. that put him in a position to be sort of a spokesman for the legal wing of the democratic party. >> take a look ahead to what may come up in the senate. why did harry reid consider bringing it up again, a procedural vote in the senate? and it did not move through, did not get a vote the last time through. he has been waiting since

february 10. is there any indication that he may get approved this time around? >> there was a vote two weeks ago on another judge, who republicans also want to filibuster. that judge was a district court judge in rhode island who made it through. he survived a filibuster. there is some thinking that the votes are there for goodwin liu to survive this test. he needs 60 votes. everyone says it is going to be close. that there are some republicans who will not filibuster him, even if they do not support his nomination. the question is -- are there enough of those republicans who, while they might not support goodwin liu, will not vote to block him in the way that some democrats blocked the nominees of george w. bush? >> david ingram, who writes for "the legal times" and "the national law journal."

thank you for that update. that debate is under way on goodwin liu in the u.s. senate. you can follow all senate coverage on c-span2. this is the state department. we are waiting on president obama for a speech on u.s. policy, being billed as a major political speech. reports of a twig from -- tweeet from chuck todd from nbc saying that the president has not left the white house yet. could be a little bit longer. politico writes that the president will call for the years to bolster the burgeoning democracy movement in the middle east and north africa by sending more economic aid to the countries at the forefront of the so-called arab spring. he writes that officials said president obama plans to forgive up to $1 million in debt that egypt owes to the u.s. to provide cash flow relief to the

new egyptian government. we will hear more from the president, obviously, when it gets under way. we understand it is possible the secretary of state hillary clinton will introduce the president to get things under way. it was supposed to start about 15 minutes ago at 11:40. we are staying here live at the state department on c-span. well, it does look like it will be a few more minutes until we see president obama and hear from the president, so we will turn our attention to campaign 2012 and some political discussion from this morning's "washington journal." we will have the president's comments once they get under way. host: former republican

congressman and chairman of the national republican congressional committee tom davis. if you were running the nrcc today, would you think of the medicare plan that paul ryan has put out would be a liability for republicans? guest: i think it will be fine but a lot of people think it over -- if it goes and answered, you are in trouble. it does not apply to people over 55, their benefits are guaranteed. long term the do nothing approach jeopardize is it for everybody. the difficulty is when you get attacked -- either side, democrats have the same problem last -- is you tend to grow up in a ball and not defend it. it is further complicated in this new your special election by the fact you have a third- party candidate taking votes away from them. but at the end of the day, the deficit is the issue of our time. it may not be front and center for most people -- but this is

the next bubble that is going to burst if we do not do something. host: have the republicans in your view effectively answered to democrats? guest: no, they are running for cover. that is the difficulty. look, the ryan plan may not be the perfect plan for anybody but at least he is addressing the issue. everybody else is putting their head in the sand. this is the fastest growing program in government, growing 7% a year. we have a federal government borrowing 41 cents on the dollar. that is just unsustainable. you've got to look at all of these programs and i think everybody is going to have to take a haircut. host: who will win the new york special? guest: it is complicated because it is a three-way race. i will tell you one thing -- it is close. host: they picked up the massa seat. guest: but we lost two other specials. it did not portend anything for the next november.

medicare will help the democrats with their base vote, but at the end of the day of the democrat wins it she will be well under 50% with a tea party and republican candidate taking up the ball. this is a republican district. this is jack kemp's district. host: is corwin a strong candidate? guest: an excellent candidate. the problem is the candidates lost control. you have outside groups running ads. what the parties and candidates spend is dwarfed by that. medicare is front and center and it is a question of getting information out. host: if you were running nrcc, would you be spending money up there? guest: they are spending money. i think they will spend a few hundred thousand dollars but you have to put on the ground. by getting your base vote out at this point, some of information across the airwaves, just adding a little bit more mike beebe value added. host: reid set to force a vote

on gop medicare plan. set to vote next week on paul line that a budget but is this a smart political move? guest: it looks good today, but you've got to look ahead in politics. it is not where you are today. wayne gretzky used to say he was great because he skated where the puck was going to be and not where it was. reid and the democrats are skating where the puck is and that is trying to scare seniors. it has traditionally worked for both parties. but the debt issue is so overwhelming something is going to have to be done about medicare. what ever you. rtyan's plan, at least republic -- whatever you think about ryan's plan at least a republican a year from now, do not think medicare will go unscathed. host: tom davis served as congressman from 11th district of virginia, republican

congressman. he was chairman of the national republican good rational committee from 1998 until 2002. he is here to talk about the 2012 elections and republicans at this point. 202 is the area code -- please allow 30 days between calls and you can cspanj is our twitter handle. politically right now the debt ceiling debate that is going on, who does a favor, in your view? guest: what it is, is is an opportunity for both parties to come together and make tough decisions. nobody wins on a debt ceiling vote. this will be politically poisonous. this is like tarp.

i saw one pundit described as park on steroids. i voted for tarp in the congress. you did not have much of an alternative -- not doing it could have caught the economic meltdown. but because we back it and became law you did not have a meltdown so you are second guessed by a lot of people. i got out and defended the vote and did not have problems doing it. this is more poisonous. polling shows people do not want to raise the debt ceiling. host: if you were chair of nrcc today, where what resources be? republicans went from 178 seats to 240 in the 2010 midterms and democrats went from 257 to 192. are the republicans going to hold congress, and you you -- in your view? where would be spent resources? guest: we have seen in three straight nationalize elections anything can happen. all but seven house members will be running in different

districts because of redistricting. host: than all but seven? guest: and they are the seven who are at large. you have to remember the key battle is over redistricting, shaping member districts, trying to make members who are maybe a little weaker have tougher districts and tried to strengthen their districts. there will be pluses and minuses. republicans control more seats at the redistricting table than in any time since 1920. and they have the lead so you have to take -- say, advantage republicans, at this point the. secondly, president obama is still on the white house and usually a voter animosity goes toward the party in the white house. they have to have another nationalized elections under those circumstances to be the to win and a national election that works in their favor. trying to think what would bring about a fourth straight nationalize the election? voter discontent. republicans would have to nominate somebody who is really radioactive.

it is possible -- i will not given to names, but it is possible republicans could nominate somebody of the goldwater strike -- and for the record, i was for goldwater and thought he was great. but 62% of americans didn't. it is important for republicans to nominate somebody who will be competitive on main street. not doing that could cost the house. host: would jon huntsman be in the main street christmas guest: i tell you why, because he would appeal to the swing voters and the middle of the road. i think he holds the base because i think against president obama you are going to hold the base. the animosity is there, and to the age where the administration -- their policies, the attacks on any republican candidate would help drive the bay's home. but there is a swing element in this electorate that one heavily democratic in 2006 and in 2008 -- it came back to the republicans in 2010, not because they like us but -- but because we were the alternatives in the

efforts to balance the budget. huntsman -- you look at his persona, he has a sweet spot in that set of voters. not a set of voters, however, who will be nominated but they are the kind who can give you elected. host: from this story -- can a republican moderates abide about -- about jon huntsman. guest: i think so but it has to be the right circumstances. there's a lot of folks out there who are not given choices they want in elections. if you take a look of the polarizing factors in american politics today -- number one, the parties are ideologically sorted. if you are a conservative today you are a republican. when you were growing up there were conservative democrats and liberal republicans. now the most -- most liberal republican in the senate is more conservative than the most conservative democrat in the senate. ideological sort thing which means primary process dominated

by more conservative democrat -- members. secondly, a very polarizing media -- c-span accepted. but if you watch fox and msnbc they are different planets talking to different constituents, opinion makers within the different parties. you saw, glenn beck was able to assemble 100,000 people on the mall. republican leaders did not do that. they are speaking to an electorate and giving them information and political leaders lost the ability to do that. the same with the left with rachel madow and some of the spokespeople on msnbc. the third factor and almost as important is the fact with campaign finance reform coupled with the citizens united decision, the money has moved away from the political parties. that is what campaign finance did. but out there on the wings. moveon.orgs, club for growth, if you look at the special election in new york more money is spent by interest groups and parties

and candidates combined. that is in the future and that is a polarizing factor. parties are a centering force for american politics. but interest groups are not. we are where we are -- this will be a good test. but huntsman as the pedigree, i think he could raise the money and it will be an interesting test. host: what do you think of your old speaker newt gingrich's ron? guest: off to a rough start. we love them -- those who work with them. toe to toe in a debate nobody is better. if you get him in a room with people and talk about issues of the day he has a sweet spot. we will see if he can recover. he starts out with more negatives than a lot of republicans. if you look at the head-to-head polling, huntsman is kind of the blanks late because he is not as well known. gingrich has engrain feelings about him and significant negatives. they could be overcome but he is off to a tough start.

host: if you do name names, who are the two most endangered congressman at this point? guest: you do not want to name names. you can take a look at the districts that obama performed very well in the. if you have a high number of minorities in a presidential year turnout, that district is going to change its behavior patterns and be more difficult. let's look until redistricting is done and that will give you a better feel. the last congress, it would not have been hard. joseph won a great race. he won because his opponent was indicted and convicted. we do not have that circumstance. in theory, -- >host: have you had a chance to

meet with reince priebus? guest: i have not. the money is now with outside groups. a lot of these other groups are putting more money into this. host: this week for you can see this conversation any time online at c-span.org. we will go to the state department now. president obama is about to deliver what is being built a major policy speech. it is expected to get underway momentarily live here in washington. >> ladies and gentlemen,

secretary of state hillary rodham clinton. [applause] >> thank you, all. welcome to the state department. i am delighted to be here to welcome the president as well as their colleagues from the diplomatic corps. senator kerry and senior officials from across our government and especially the young foreign service and still -- and civil servants. mr. president, you have charged us with approaching a brand new approach for american foreign policy, a new blueprint for how we did better values, project your leadership, and strengthen our partnership. and we have seen that, in a changing world, america's

leadership is more essential than ever. we often must go in new and innovative ways. so these officers and so will citizens, the men and women of the u.s. state department and u.s. a id work everyday for real results, results on the ground in every country in the world. that is why the work the what we have done to provide them with the tools and resources they need to perform their mission is so important and it is why we need to keep making the case for those resources. alongside our colleagues in the defense department, america's diplomats and development experts at the state department and usaid are on the front lines of protecting america's security, advancing america's interest, and projecting america's values. as a wave of change continues to

sweep across the middle east and north of africa, they are carrying a diplomacy and development far beyond the embassy walls, engaging with citizens in the streets and through social networks as they seek to move from protest to politics. with ngo's and businesses working to create new economic opportunities and a transitional leaders trying to build genuine democracy in, they represent the best of america. i am so proud to have them as our face to the world. mr. president, it is fitting that you've chosen to come here to the state department to speak about the dramatic changes we have witnessed around the world this year. on the back wall of this historic benjamin franklin room is a portrait -- is a portrait of the leader of tunis given as a gift in 1865 by the people of two new junk as a symbol of -- but the people of

tunisia as a symbol of our friendship. courageous citizens from across the region have given the world another gift, a new opening to work together for democracy and dignity, for peace and opportunity. these are the values that made america a great nation. but they do not belong to us alone. it is in our best interest that more people in more places claim them as our own. this moment belongs to the people of the middle east and north africa. they have seized control of their destinies and will make decisions. for america, this is a moment that calls out for a clear vision, from principals, and the sophisticated understanding of the indispensable role our country can and must play in the

world. those have been the hallmarks of president obama's leadership from his first day in office. it is with great confidence and faith in our future that i welcome the president of the united states barack obama. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. [applause] thank every much. thank you. please have a seat. thank you very much. i want to begin by thanking hillary clinton who has traveled so much these last six months that she is approaching a new landmark -- 1 million frequent flyer miles. [laughter] i count on hillary every single day and i believe that she will go down as one of the finest

secretaries of state in our nation's history. the state department is a fitting venue to mark a new chapter in american policy. for six months, we have witnessed an extraordinary change taking place in the middle east and north africa. square by square, town by town, country by country, the people have risen up to demand their basic human rights. two leaders have stepped aside. more may follow. and although these countries may be a great distance from our shores, we know that our own future is bound to this region by economics and security, by history and by faith. today, i want to talk about this

change, the forces that are driving it, and how we can respond in a way that advances our values and strengthens our security. after years of war in iraq, we have ended their combat mission there. in afghanistan, we have broken the taliban's momentum. this july, we will begin to bring our troops, and continuing transition to afghan lead. after years of war against al qaeda and its affiliates, we have built al qaeda a huge blow by killing its leader osama bin laden. he was no mortar. he was a mass murderer -- use no martyr.

he was a mass murderer who had a message of hate with violence against men, women, and children, thinking it was the only path to change. he rejected democracy and individual rights for muslims in favor of a violent extremism. he focused on what he could destroy, not what he could build. osama bin laden and his murderous vision, before his death, al qaeda was losing its struggle for relevance as the overwhelming majority people saw that the slaughter of innocents did not answer their cries for a better life. by the time we found osama bin laden, al qaeda's agenda had been seen by the majority of the region as a dead-end and the people of the middle east and north africa had taken their

future into their own hands. but the story of determination began six months ago in tunisia. on december 17, a young vendor was devastated when a police officer confiscated his cart. this was not unique. it was the same kind of humiliation that takes place every day in many parts of the world, the endless tyranny of garments that to deny their citizens dignity. only this time, something different happened. after local officials refused to hear his complex, this young man who had never been active in politics, he went to the headquarters of the head government, doused himself in fuel and lit himself on fire. there are times in the course of history when the actions of ordinary citizens spark movement for change because they speak to

a longing for freedom that has been building up for years. in america, think of the defiance of the patriots in boston who refused to pay taxes to a king or the dignity of rosa parks as she sat courageously in her seat. so it was in tunisia. -- thatdor's at the vendor's @ touched the frustration of others. they refused to go home, day after day, week after week, until a dictator of more than two decades finally left power. the story of this revolution and the ones that followed should not have come as a surprise. the nations of the middle east and north devore, won their independence long ago. but, in too many places, the

people did not. in too many countries, power has been concentrated in the hands of a few. in too many countries, a citizen, like that young vendor, had nowhere to tune, no honest judiciary to hear his case, no independent media to give him a voice, no credible political party to represent his views, no free and fair election where he could choose his leader. and this lack of self determination, the chance to make your life what you will, has applied to the region's economy as well. yes, some nations are blessed with wealth and oil and gas and that has led to pockets of prosperity. but in a global economy based on knowledge, based on innovation, no development strategy can be based solely upon what comes out of the ground. nor can people reach their

potential when you cannot start a business without taking a bribe. in the face of these challenges, too many leaders in the region tried to direct people's grievances elsewhere. the west was blamed as the source of all bills a half century after the end of colonialism. antagonism toward israel became the only acceptable outlet for political expression. divisions of tribe and religious sect were manipulated as a means for holding onto power or taking it away from somebody else. but the events of the past six months show was that strategy's of repression and strategies upper version will not work anymore. satellite television provided a window into the wider world, a

world of astonishing progress in places like india, indonesia, and brazil. cell phones and social networks allow people to connect and organize like never before. so a new generation has emerged and their voices tell us that change cannot be denied. in cairo, we heard the voice of a young mother who said, "it is like i can finally breathe fresh air for the first time." we heard students who chanted "the night must come to an end." in benghazi, we heard an engineer say that the feeling is a word you cannot explain. in damascus, a young man said, "after the first killing, the first shot, you feel dignity."

those shouts of human dignity are being heard across the region. and through the moral force of nonviolence, the people of the region have achieved more change in six months that terrorists have accomplished in decades. of course, a change of this magnitude does not come easily. in our day and engage, a time of 24-hour news cycles and everyday communication, people expect the changes in the region to be accomplished in a matter of weeks. it will be years before this story reaches its end. along the way, there will be good days and there will be bad days. in some places, change will be swift. in others, radical. as we have already seen, calls for change may give way in some cases for fierce contests of power.

the question before us is what role america will play as the story unfolds. for decades, the united states has pursued a set of port interest in the region. countering terrorism and started -- and stopping the spread of nuclear weapons, securing the free flow of commerce, and securing the security of freedom, establishing israel's security, and continuing the pursuit of peace. the pursuit of america's interests are not hostile to people's hopes. they are essential to them. we believe that no one benefits from a nuclear arms race in the region or from brutal attacks. we believe that everywhere people will see their economies crippled by a cutoff of energy supplies. as we did in the gulf war, we will not tolerate aggression across borders and we will keep

our commitments to friends and partners. we must acknowledge that a strategy based solely upon the neera pursuit of these interest will not fill an empty stomach or allow someone to speak their mind. moreover, failure to speak to the broader aspirations of ordinary people will only feeds the suspicion that the united states pursues our interests at their expense. given that this mistrust runs both ways, americans have been feared by hostage-taking and terrorist attacks. it threatens a deepening spiral of division between the nine states and the arab world. that is why, two years ago in cairo, i began to broaden our

engagement based upon mutual interest and mutual respect. i believed then and i believe now that we have a stake natalie instability of the region, but in the determination of individuals. the status quo is not sustainable. societies held together by fear and repression may offer the illusion of stability for a time. but they are built upon full ones that will eventually tear asunder. so we face an historic opportunity. we have the chance to show that america values the dignity of the street vendor in tunisia more than the raw power of the dictator. there must be no doubt that the united states of america welcomes change that advances self-determination and opportunity.

yes, there will be perils that accompany this moment the promise. but after decades of accepting the world as it is in the region, we have a chance to pursue the world as it should be. of course, as we do, we must proceed with a sense of humility. it is not america that put people into the streets in tunis or cairo. it was the people themselves who launched these movements and it is people themselves that must ultimately determine their outcome. not every country will follow our particular form of representative democracy. there will be times when our short-term interest do not align perfectly with our long-term vision for the region. but we can and we will speak out for a set of core principles,

principles that have art -- have guided our response of the past six months. the united states opposes the use of violence or repression against the people of the region. [applause] the united states supports a set of universal rights and these rights include free speech, the freedom of peaceful assembly, the freedom of religion, equality for men and women under the rule law, and the right to choose your own leaders, whether you live in baghdad or damascus or sana or to run. we support political reform in north africa that can meet the legitimate aspirations of ordinary people throughout the region. our support for these principles is not a secondary interest.

today, i want to make it clear that it is a top priority that must be translated in a -- translated into concrete actions and supported by all the diplomatic, economic, and strategic tools at our disposal. let me be specific. first, it will be the policy of the united states to promote reform across the region and to support transitions to democracy. that effort begins in egypt and tunisia where the stakes are high. tunisia, with this vanguard of a democratic wave and egypt as a longstanding border and the arab world's largest nation. both missions can set a strong example through free and fair elections, accountable and effective institutions and

responsible leadership. but our support must also extend to nations where transitions have yet to take place. i'm fortunate, in too many countries, calls for change have thus far been answered by violence. the most extreme example is libya where moamar gaddafi launched a war against his own people, hunting them down like rats. when the united states and joined the international coalition to intervene, we cannot prevent every injustice perpetrated against its people. we have learned from experience how costly and difficult it is to try to oppose regime change by force, no matter how well intentioned it may be. but in libya, we saw the prospect of imminent

disaster. we heard the libyans people call for help. had we not acted with allies and regional coalition members, thousands would have been killed. the message was clear -- keep power by killing as many people as it takes. now time is working against gaddafi. he does not have control over his country. the opposition has organized a legitimate interim council. when gaddafi leaves or is forced from power, decades of provocation will come to an end and the transition to democratic libya can proceed. while libya has face violence on the greatest skill, it is not the only place where leaders have turned to repletion to remain -- 2 root -- to repression to remain in power.

the united states has condemned these actions and, working with the international community, we have stepped up our sanctions, including those announced issue it on president assad and those around him. the syrian people have shown courage in demanding transition to democracy. president passat now has a choice. he can lead to that transition or get out of the way. the syrian government must stop shooting demonstrators and allow peaceful protest. they must release political prisoners and stop and just arrests. they must allow human rights monitors to have access to their cities and start a serious dialogue to advance a democratic transition. otherwise, president assad and his regime will continue to be challenged from within and isolated abroad.

so far, syria has followed its iranian allies, seeking assistance from tehran in the tactics of repression. this speaks to the hypocrisy of the iranian regime which says it stands for the rights of protesters abroad, yet represses its own people at home. let's remember that the first people a protest in the region were in the streets of tehran for the government realized women and men and three innocent people into jail. we still hear the chants echo from the rooftops of tehran. the image of a young woman dying in the street is still seared in our memory. we will continue to insist that the iranian people deserve their universal rights. any government that does not

smother aspirations. our opposition to iran's intolerance and repressive measures and its illicit nuclear program and its support of terror is well known. but, if america is to be credible, we must acknowledge that at times our friends in the region have not all acted for consistent change -- with change that is consistent with the principles i have outlined today. that is true in yemen where president salah needs to follow through on his commitment to transfer power. that is true in bahrain. bahrain is a longstanding border and we committed to its security. we recognize that iran has tried to take advantage of the turmoil there and the bahraini

government has a legitimate interest in the rule of law. nevertheless, we have insisted both publicly and privately that mass arrests and perforce are at odds with universal rights of bahrain citizens and such steps will not make legitimate calls for reform go away. the only way forward is for the government and opposition to engage in a dialogue. you can have -- you cannot have real dialogue when parts of the opposition are in jail. [applause] the government must create the conditions for dialogue and the opposition must participate to force a just future for all -- bahrainis.

the lessons show us that it's not lead to conflict. a multi-ethnic and multi- sectarian democracy. the iraqi people have rejected the perils of political violence in favor of a democratic process. even as they have taken full responsibility for their own security. of course, like all new democracies, they will face setbacks. but iraq is poised to play a key role in the region if it continues its peaceful progress. as they do, we will be proud to stand with them. in the months ahead, america must use all of our influence to encourage reform in the region. even as we acknowledge that each country is different, we need to speak honestly about the principles that we believe in

with friend and foe alike. our message is simple. if you take the risks that reform entails, you have the full support of the united states. we must also build on our efforts to broaden our engagement beyond deletes so that we -- beyond elites so that we reach the people in the street, particularly young people. we'll continue to make good on the commitments i made in cairo, to build on to open doors and make exchanges to education, foster cooperation in science and technology, and combat disease. across the region, we intend to provide assistance to civil society, including those that may not be officially sanctioned and to speak uncomfortable truths. we will use the technology to connect with and listen to the voices of the people.

the fact is that real reform does not come at the ballot box alone. through our efforts, we must support those basic rights to speak your mind and access information. we will support open access to the internet and the right of journalists to be heard, whether it is a big news organization or a loanable logger -- or a lone blogger. the ledger summary of the runs will ultimately depend on active and informed citizens. even if what this said it does not square with our world views, this is important. let me be clear. america respects the right of all peaceful and law-abiding voices to be heard, even if we disagree with them.

and sometimes we profoundly disagree with them. we look forward to working with all the lumber is genuine and inclusive democracy. what we will oppose is an attempt by any group to restrict the rights of others and to hold power through coercion and not consent. democracy depends not only on elections, but also on strong and accountable institutions and the respect for the rights of minorities. such tolerance is particularly important when it comes to religion. in tahrir square, we heard people of all faiths chant "we are one." we will see that all faiths are respected and that bridges are built among them.

in a region that was the birthplace of three world religions, intolerance can lead only to suffering and stagnation. for this season of change to succeed, caustic christians must have the right to worship freely in cairo just as portia must never have their mosque destroyed in -- just as portisha must never have their mosque destroyed in bahrain. history shows that country's are more prosperous and more peaceful when women are empowered. that is why we will continue to insist that universal rights apply to women as well as men by focusing assistance on child and maternal health, by helping women to teach or starting a business, by standing up for the rights of women to have their voices heard and to run for office. the region will never reach its

full potential when more than half of its population is prevented from achieving their full potential. [applause] even as we promote human rights in the region, our efforts cannot stop there. the second with that we must support positive change in the region is to improve economic the for nations that are transitioning to democracy. politics alone has not put protesters into the streets. the tipping point for some many people is a more constant concern of putting food on the table and providing for a family. too many people in the region with up with few expectations other than making it through the day, perhaps opening -- perhaps

hoping their luck will change. throughout the region, many people have a solid education, but closed economies leave them unable to find a job. entrepreneurs are brimming with ideas, but corruption leave them unable to profit from those ideas. the greatest untapped resource in the middle east and north never got our the talent of its people. in the recent process, we see that on display as people harness technology to move the world. it is no coincidence that one of the leaders of tahrir square was an executive for google. that energy needs to be channeled coming country after country, to solidify the accomplishments of the streets. just as democratic revolutions can be triggered by a lack of individual opportunity, successful democratic transitions depend upon an

expansion of growth and broadbased prosperity. so drawing from what we have learned around the world, we think it is important to focus on trade, not just aid. on investment, not just assistance. the goal must be a model in which protectionism his way to openness, the reins of commerce pass from the few to the many and the economy generates jobs for the young. of america supports -- america's support for democracy will be based on ensuring financial stability, promoting reform, and integrating competitive markets with each other and the global economy. we will start with tunisia and egypt. first, we have asked the world bank and the international monetary fund to present a plan for next week's summit on what needs to be done to stabilize the economies of tunisia and

egypt. together, we must help them recover from the disruptions of the diplomatic -- of the democratic upheaval and support the government's that will be elected later this year. we are urging other countries to help egypt and tunisia meet its near-term financial needs. second, we do not want a democratic egypt to be settled by the debts of its past. so we will really did democratic egypt of up to -- we will relieve democratic egypt of up to $1 billion of debt. we will help egypt gain access to markets by supporting $1 billion in borrowing to create its infrastructure and jobs. we will help newly developed governments recover assets that were stolen. third, we are working with congress to create enterprise

funds to invest in tunisia and egypt. they will be modeled in funds that transition in eastern europe after the fall of the berlin wall. opec will soon launch a two billion dollars facility to support private investment in the region. we will work with the allies to refocus the european bank for reconstruction and development that will provide the same support for democratic transition and economic modernization in the middle east and north africa as it has in europe. fourth, the united states will launch a comprehensive trade and investment precious initiative in the middle east and north africa. if you take out oil exports, this entire region of over 400 million people exports roughly the same amount as switzerland. we will work with the eu to support trade within the region, build on existing agreements to

promote integration with u.s. and european markets, and open the door for those countries to adopt high standards of reform and trade liberalization to construct a regional trade arrangement. just as eu membership serves as an incentive for reform in europe, division -- prosperity also requires tearing down walls that stand in the way progress. the corruption of elites who steal from their people, the red tape that stops an idea from becoming a business, the patronage that distributes wealth based on bribe or sect -- we will help governments by working with parliamentarians who are working reforms and

activists who used technology to increase transparency and hold government accountable. politics and human rights, economic reform. let me conclude by talking about another cornerstone of our approach to the region. that relates to the pursued a piece. -- the pursuit of peace. for israelis, they have lived with the fear that their children could be blown up on a bus by rockets fired at their homes as well as the pain of knowing that other children in the region have been taught to hate them. for palestinians, it has meant suffering the humiliation of occupation and never living in a

nation of their own. moreover, this conflict has come with larger costs to the middle east as it impedes partnerships that could bring greater security and prosperity and impairment to ordinary people. for over two years, my administration has worked with the parties and the international community to end this conflict, building on decades of work by previous administrations. yet expectations have gone unmet. israeli settlement activity continues, palestinians have walked away from talks, and the world looks at a conflict that has branded on and on and sees nothing but stalemates. indeed, there are those who argue that, with all the change and uncertainty in the region, it is simply not possible to move forward now.

i disagree. at a time when the people of the middle east and north of the are casting off the burdens of the past, the drive for a lasting peace that end the conflict and resolve all claims is more urgent than ever. that is certainly true for the two parties involved. for the palestinians, efforts to delegitimize israel will end in failure. somebody -- symbolic actions to isolate israel will not create an independent state. palestinian leaders will not achieve peace or prosperity if hamas insists on a path of terror and rejection. and palestinians will never realize their independence by denying the rights of israel to exist. as for israel, our friendship is

rooted deeply in a shared history and shared values. our commitment to israel's security is unshakable and we will stand against attempts to single it out for criticism in international forums. precisely because of our friendship, it is important that we tell the truth. the status quo is unsustainable and israel, too, must act boldly to a dance a lasting peace. the fact -- to advance a lasting peace. technology will make it harder for israel to defend itself. a region undergoing profound change will lead to populism, in which millions of people, not just one or two leaders, must believe peace is possible.

the international community is tired of an endless process that never produces an outcome. the dream of a jewish and democratic state cannot be fulfilled with permanent occupation. ultimately, is up to the israelis and palestinians to take action. no peace can be imposed upon them, not by the united states and not by anybody else. but analysts the leg will not make the problem go away. -- but analysts delay -- but endless delay will not make the problem go away. a lasting peace will involve two states -- israel as listed for the jewish people and palestine for the state of the palestinian

people. while the course of the conflict must be negotiated, the basis of those negotiations is clear. a viable palestine and secure israel. the united states believes that negotiations should result in two states with permanent palestinian borders with israel, jordan, and egypt, and permanent israeli borders with palestine. we believe that the borders of israel and palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed slots so that its secured and recognized borders are recognized for both states. the palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves and reach their full potential in a sovereign and contiguous state.

as for security, every state has the right to self-defense and israel must be able to defend itself, by itself, against any threat. provisions must also be robust enough to prevent a resurgence of terrorism, to stop the infiltration of weapons, and to provide effective border security. the fall and safe withdrawal of israeli military forces should be coordinated with the assumption of palestinian security responsibility in a sovereign, non-militarized state. from the duration of -- and the duration of this transition should be agreed and security arrangements must be demonstrated. these principles provide a foundation for negotiations. palestinians should know the territorial outlines of their state. israelis should know that their

basic security concerns will be met. i am aware that these steps alone will not resolve the conflict because two wrenching and emotional issues will remain -- the future of jerusalem and the fate of palestinian refugees. but moving forward now on the basis of territory and security provides a foundation to resolve those two issues in a way that is just and fair and respects the rights and aspirations of both israelis and palestinians. let me say this. recognizing that negotiations need to begin with the issues of territory security does not mean that it will be easy to come back to the table. in particular, the recent announcements of announcement by fata and hamas raises

legitimate questions by israel. in the weeks and months to come, palestinian leaders will have to provide a credible answer to questions. meanwhile, the united states, our quartet partners, and the air estates will need to continue every effort to get beyond the current impasse. i recognize how hard this will be. suspicion and hostility has been passed on for generations and, at times, it has hardened. but i am convinced that the majority of israelis and palestinians would rather look to the future then be trapped in the past. we see that spirit in the israeli father whose son was killed by a hamas, who started

an organization to help bring together israelis and palestinians who have lost loved ones. he said, "i realize that the only hope for progress was to recognize the face of the conflict." we see it in the actions of a palestinian who lost three daughters to israeli shells in gaza. "i have the right to feel angry," said. "so many people were expecting me to hate. why is it to them as i shall not hate. the result," he said, "for tomorrow -- let us hope," he said, "for tomorrow." a choice between hate and hope, between the shackles of the past and the promise of the future.

it is a choice that must be made by leaders and by the people. and it is a choice that will define the future of the region that serve as the cradle of civilization and the crucible of strife. for all the challenges that lie ahead, we see many reasons to be hopeful. in egypt, we see it in the efforts of young people who led protests. in syria, we see it in the courage of people who braved bullets while chanting "peaceful." in benghazi, we see people celebrate in the courthouse square work people have not known freedom at all. those things that we take for granted are being claimed by those -- are being claimed by

those without with joy. for the american people, the scenes of of people in the region may be unsettling, but the forces driving it are not unfamiliar. our nation was founded through a rebellion against an empire. how are people fought a painful civil war that extended freedom and dignity to those who were enslaved. and i would not be standing here today unless past generations turned to the moral force of non-violence as a way to perfect our union -- organizing, marching, protesting peacefully together to make real those words that declared our nation -- "we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are critical."

those words must guide our response to the change that is transforming the middle east and north africa. words that tell us that repression will fail and that tyrants will fall and that every man and woman is endowed with certain inalienable rights. it will not be easy. there is no straight line to progress. s adship always accompanie season of hope. america was founded on the belief that people should govern themselves and now we can not hesitate to stand squarely on the side of those who are reaching for their rights, knowing that their success will bring about a world that is more peaceful, more stable, and more just. thank you very much, everybody. [applause]