nearly 70,000 new private-sector jobs have been created in new jersey. what we are doing is creating a sense of optimism in our state. for the first time in 10 years, a majority of the new jersey residents believed the state is back on the right track. [applause] to give you a different perspective, on election day 2009, the percentage of new jersey residents who said the state was on the right track was 19%. today that number is 53%. [applause] do not tell me that people in this country are not ready to hear the truth. we cut spending in every department of state government. we reduced overall spending in my first budget by over 9%, not off projections of growth, off of spending from the year before.

we cut education. we cut military affairs. we cut benefits for veterans. we cut everything. and folks told me it was the third rail of politics. i decided to go after something else -- entitlement for new jersey. pensions and health benefits are at government employees. this is when they told me we would have a real problem. we put forth common-sense reform. we forced them to pay more into their pensions. they had to actually paper health benefits. when i became governor, public employees in new jersey were not required to pay anything for their health benefits. we said the retirement age had to be raised. we said early retirement had to have a greater penalty if you're going to take it. we said there should be no cost

of living adjustment to your pension until your fund is solvent. they said this is core to be impossible to do, but we did it. we read to the public and tell them why it is so important. we told them the pension fund would go broke in 2018. we told them our health benefit fund was $67 billion underfunded. it was. what happened? we actually convinced democrats. that separate the that i told you about who have the fun equip on the way in an early on, he deserves great credit. he sponsored the bill. only one-third of its own caucuses were willing to vote for it. he passed the bill in the state senate. the speaker of the assembly -- [applause] -- a democratic woman, she

posted the bill in her house with only 13 of her 47 democratic colleagues willing to vote yes. why? because we lead. because we took the risk of first. because we told the truth. when you see these numbers in new jersey, and i tell you all of the things that we have done, do not tell me the american people are not ready to hear the truth. they know government is out of control. they know our debt and deficit are out of control. most of them are so confused. they do not have to like it. but they know in their heart they have to accept it. the only thing the american people care more about than today is tomorrow. tomorrow is about our children

and our grandchildren. today is just about us. let's be clear -- we identified problems, we proposed specific means to fix them, we educated the public on the direct consequences of inaction, and then we compromised on a bipartisan basis to get results. bottom line, we took action. we did it with solid principles and with strong leadership. this is the only way you can accomplish these things is through the executive taking the risk and encouraging everyone else to come along with us when they know it is the right thing to do. where are we today? we are not dealing with multibillion-dollar budget deficits anymore. a year, and was able to post a budget with the first income- tax cut far new jersey in over 15 years. [applause]

a 10% across-the-board tax cut that would give new jersey residents over $9 billion in relief over the next decade. here is the amazing thing -- you expect democrats to fight me on it. but instead, the majority of democrats are saying yes. they just argue with me about the best way to do it. that proves strong principled leadership can change the discussion in a state, our country, and even change the mind-set in a place like new jersey. when you have democrats agreeing with me that a time to cut taxes after a decade of raising them, then it is official. we have turned upside down. in new jersey, we have done this because we put our states interests ahead of partisan interests. we made friends with our democratic colleagues who are willing to do these things in a

common-sense way. that is why our reforms of pension benefits will save $132 billion from taxpayers over the next 30 years. also, secure those penchant for the people who are counting on them. our police officers, firefighters, teachers are counting on them for their financial future. and, all of it teaches us that leadership matters and accounts. these accomplishments set a tone for the state. look at the republican governors in in many other states. when there is a problem, you fix it. that is a job you have been sent to do. you cannot wait for someone else to do it. when you do your job, you have to tell your citizens the truth about the deficit, the difficulty in solutions.

treat them like adults. [applause] in a difficult time that america is in, this is the only way to govern. when we still to do this, we pay the price of the country many times over. the domestic crisis is obvious. growth slows, high levels of unemployment persists, we make ourselves even more vulnerable to the unpredictable behavior of rightfully skittish markets or the political decisions of our lenders. there is also foreign policy. to begin with, we diminish our ability to influence the behavior of others. there is no better way to persuade others to become more democratic and more market oriented, to show that our democracy in our markets work better than any other system. we need to care about this because we believe that democracy is the best protector of human dignity, liberty,

freedom. we know this because history shows that mature democraci9es -- democracies will not revolt. as exports are the best creators of high-paying jobs and imports increased consumer choice. [applause] we have to care because all around the world come in the middle east and asia and africa and latin america, people are debating their own economic future is right now. they're looking for inspiration. right now. we have a stake in the outcome of their debates. middle east, that could become a largely democratic in half peace, it will be middle east that accepts israel and becomes a dependable source of energy for the entire world. there is no better way to reinforce the likelihood that

others in the world will opt for more open societies and market- based economies that demonstrate that our own system is working well. at one time, our greatness was a reflection of our country's innovations, determination, ingenuity, and the strength of our democratic institutions. when there was a crisis in the world, america came together to help our allies. when there is a crisis at home, we put aside parochialism and with a greater public interest first. in our system, we dated for strong leadership -- we did it by strong leadership. now, our own political conduct has failed to live up to this tradition of exceptionalism. today, our role and our ability to affect change has been diminished. because of our own problems. and our own inability and unwillingness to effectively

deal with it. i understand that succeeding at home, setting an example, that is not enough. it is a start. the united states will only be able to sustain a leadership position of around the world if the resources are there in our society to produce a society that others want to emulate. without the authority that comes from -- earned american exceptionalism. we cannot do good for other countries or continue to be a beacon of hope. they believe in their heart this is the best way to govern a people. [applause]

i plead guilty to being an optimist. i believe in what this country of citizens can accomplish if they understand what is being asked of them. and how we will all ultimately benefit if the challenge is met. i believe is possible to have leadership that understands what is happening in new jersey is not just because our ideas are right, and by the way they are, i tell my staff all the time after we have had a big victory -- i gathered them together in my office and i tell them all the time, remember, the first reason and the most important reason we won is because we are right. there is no substitute for that. [applause] but, there is something else that is a human business, especially in this town, we have

forgotten that. in new jersey, day after day, i spent time sitting with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, convincing them of the goodness of my spirit and my intentions and letting them know that i do not believe that compromise is a dirty word. the way i see it is -- there is always a boulevard between compromising your principles and getting things you want. you have to be willing to say no to things better at fundamental odds with your principles. never compromise your principles. you need to understand, especially in a place like new jersey and washington where there is divided government, you will not get everything you want. sometimes, that boulevard is more narrow and sometimes is more broad. it is always there. the job of a leader is to find your way onto that boulevard without driving into the ditch

of compromising your principles. it can be done. leaders have an obligation to make those tough choices. in new jersey, this is what we are trying to do. we are hopefully setting example for the rest of the country. believe me, if people can do this in new jersey, we can do it anywhere. i do not want to hear excuses from anybody. we have 700,000 more democrats than republicans. we had an elected -- we had another elected a republican in 12 years before me. we're coming up on our 40th anniversary of electing a republican to the u.s. senate. 1972 was the last time new jersey said the republicans -- sent republicans to the senate. i do now to hear any other state crying that their state is so hard, we cannot do this. kempton new jersey, man, and be

a republican. and, you will not hard. -- you will no hard. it can be done. that is where my optimism comes from. it is not about having everyone agree with you. i can guarantee you, the people in new jersey do not agree with everything i do and they do not always agree with the way i say it. but, they know i am telling the truth as i see it. i am not looking to be loved. i think politicians get themselves in trouble when they are looking to be loved. i get plenty of love at home. [laughter] i'm not bragging, i just do. [applause] i have a great wife and cotchery children. -- four greet children. i am not looking for people to love me because that is when deficits get run-up. when you are looking for love in this upcoming it is because you

cannot say no to anything because someone, somewhere will not love you. that is why leaders make an uncomfortable decision, because they think that they will not be loved. my mother taught me something a long time ago. she said to me, christopher, if you have a to is between being loved and be respected, always take be respected. if you are truly respected, true love can come up love without respect is leading. she is talking about women. [laughter] but, i do think that this applies equally to politics. if you get people to respect you and make them understand that you are willing to say no, but you are willing to listen, but stand hard on principles

that you have articulated to the public in the campaign and have been elected on and the principles he believed in, but you are also willing to compromise when those principles are violated. respect welcome. in new jersey, i think respect is coming for us because even those who do not agree with me know that when i looked them in the eye and tell them i will do something, i will do it. regardless of the perceived political costs. if i tell them no, they know that no means no. new york magazine did a profile on me recently. always a risky thing for a republican. the headline of the story was "the answer is no." my staff blue this up -- blew this up and take it to their dorsa when the lobbyists would come to see them and they close the door, they say turnaround,

that is from the boss. the answer is no. [applause] being consistent is about leading by example. it is about not putting your finger in the wind to figure out which way the wind is blowing. it is about standing for the things that we believe in. which is that liberty and freedom and human spirit are the most powerful things in the world. and, being willing to stand up to those who give you the easy answers -- they come from those who believe government is the answer to every solution. we need to be strong enough and

tough enough to do what needs to be done and just tell it like it is. there is no need for varnish, everybody. we do not have electric to put it on. we need to say it directly to the american people. they need to hear it. they are ready. they are ready to hear it. if we meet that challenge, like i know we can, we will allow the u.s. to once again export hope and liberty and freedom of around the world, not just by saying it, but by letting its. -- living it. i want to thank the members of the cato institute for setting an example for why liberty and freedom are so important to the future greatness of america. i left all that is exciting in new jersey to come here, as i

told you, because i believe in what you believe in. please, never forget, never forget, it will not come without a fight. if you're willing to stand up and fight with me, i am willing to stand and fight with you for those principles that we believe in and hold dear and have built this country. we need to get fighting hard to even harder than we are now. because the stakes are too great to do anything less. so, we continue to fight the good fight in new jersey. we hope that it will inspire more people to fight all around the world. then, when we talk about american exceptionalism, we can really feel it. because we have it. we have not just had it as a part of our past, we are acting to make it a bedrock of our future. thank you very much.

[applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> the libertarian party selects its nominee today. c-span will have live coverage from the red rock resort beginning -- beginning and noon with the presidential selection process. uighur speeches and then delegates will vote for their party's nominees. we will have live coverage today of several campaign events with president obama and first lady michelle obama. they starred in columbus, ohio for the first of two obama for america campaign rallies. watch that event live at 1255 eastern on c-span out toward -- c-span.org. the second will be live at 4:35 p.m. where they will be on the campus of virginia commonwealth university. spend the weekend in oklahoma city with "book tv" and "american history tv." this includes the mustard

political book. the oklahoma university president on his letter to america. a rare books from galileo, copernicus, and others. sunday at 5:00 p.m. eastern, oklahoma history on "american history tv." toor the bombing memorial with a designer. a look into african-american life in 1920's oklahoma and native american artifacts. once a month, c-span's local vehicles explore the history of literary lights of cities across america. this weekend, from oklahoma city on c-span2 and 3. >> this morning on "washington journal" we look at the jobs numbers with frederick joutz. we added 150,000 jobs in april,

less than forecasted. the rock the boat president discussed the impact of the youth vote and the directing young people are leaning. the co-founder of the international civil rights center joins us on the current state of civil rights in the u.s. >> leon panetta appealed to u.s. troops to refrain from his conduct, saying incidents show a lack of judgment, professionalism, and leadership. his remarks came in response to the release of photos depicting troops posing with body parts and urinating on corpses. during his appearance at fort benning in georgia, secretary panetta praised the soldiers and said the strategic partnership agreement signed by president obama and afghan president karzai this week makes clear that the u.s. will finish the job right in afghanistan. [applause]

>> good afternoon. it wakes me up. thank you very much for that kind introduction. it is always a great pleasure to be able to be with you, but in particular, to be with you here at fort benning. you have shown tremendous leadership in congress in supporting fort benning and its soldiers and the families that are all part of our military family. i would like to particularly recognize your work as co-chair of the congressional military families caucus. that is an extremely important caucus in the congress that tries to look out for the families that are so important to supporting those who serve in

our military. 20 years of service, we thank you for all you have done. i also want to express my thanks to general brown, thank you for posting here. it has been a great treat to be able to be with you. and to relive some old memories and see a lot of the new things that make fort benning the best insulation in the world. [applause] it is an inspiring sight to be here to see so many soldiers gathered in one place. this is a big crowd. one day, i learned in life, especially as a member in congress, but never, never can you have enough sledgehammers. you never engage in a pure white

-- fair fight. one will have more power. when i heard i was going to see you, i ask someone who spent a little time on kelly hill, which i expect? he said, this brigade is not fancy, but they are tough. he also told me a little bit about each of the units that make up this brigade. and, colonel johnson told me that you like to sign off -- sound off. i will try it out. first, we have got the queen of battle, the first of the 15th, that can do battalion. souding off] second, the second of the 69th

this year. you remind all of us that are more equal speed and power. [sounding off] the third battalion, you are always courageous and faithful. [sounding off] and, the first of the field artillery, the rock support. [sounding off] >> the king of battle. [laughter] >> and, the king of battle. [sounding off] the third stb. [sounding off] and finally, the mighty eagles of the 203rd, bsb. [sounding off] it is an honor to be with all of you and an honor to be here, as i said, at fort benning.

this is my first time at fort benning and secretary of defense. it is not my first time here at fort benning as a soldier. like you, i had the opportunity to come here in a previous capacity as a young army lt. back in 1964, almost 50 years ago. at that time, i spent 10 weeks in basic training here at fort benning. i went through the drill. i went through escape any nation. -- escapes and evasion. i understand a movthey moved that. i have been through the mud, humidity, swamps. yes, i have lots of warm memories of fort benning. and, like many of you, fort

beginning was the first indirect into real army life. -- the first introduction into real army life. a baby understand what being a soldier was all about. -- it is made me understand what being a soldier was all about. i had a chance to visit here and i have to tell you that the treatment i am getting today as secretary is a of a lot nicer than what i got here as a lieutenant. -- is a of a lot nicer than what i got here as a lieutenant. the main reason i am here today is the main reason, when i go to other posts and when i visit the battlefield, the main reason is to thank you. to thank you for making the decision to step forward and and

to serve this country. -- step forward in to serve this country. each of you has many very courageous decision. to serve this nation at a time of war. i am a big believer in public service. our democracy, from the very founding, depends on those who are willing to serve. and make this country a better place for those that follow. i am the son of italian immigrants. my parents, like millions of other immigrants, came to this country in the early 1930's. i used to ask my dad, why would you do that? why would you travel all that distance to a strange country? he came from a poor.

in italy but they have the comfort of family. -- a poor area in italy, but they had the comfort of family. no language ability, no skills, why would you do that? my father said, the reason that he had my mother did it was because they believed they could give their children a better life. that is the american dream. that is what all of us want for our children, and hopefully, what our children will one for their children. a better life. this country, this country depends on men and women in uniform who are willing to put their lives on the line in order

to give our children a better and more secure life. we depend on you. we depend on you to make sure that you protect this country, that we keep america safe so that our kids can enjoy the opportunity of this country has to offer. so, i thank you for your willingness to put your lives on the line. i also want to thank you your families. -- i also want to thank your families. they have sacrificed, as well. long absences, moments away on holidays, special events within the family. on behalf of the american people, as your secretary of defense, i thank you and i thank

them for their sacrifice. for their dedication and for their loyalty to this great country. as far as i'm concerned, families, all of your families, are part of our fighting force. this country has asked the soldiers of this brigade and a mighty third infantry division to shoulder a heavy burden over a decade of war. the hammer brigade deployed four times to iraq. as much as any other bct. from the initial march to baghdad in 2003 to the worst

days of the insurgency, to operation new dawn, soldiers of the hammer brigade fought and died. to give iraq the opportunity to secure and to govern itself. many of you deployed there. many of you lost brothers and sisters. 77 heroes from the hammer brigade gave their last full measure of devotion in iraq. we will never forget, never forget these brave men and women. nor will we ever forget what they accomplished.

they put their lives on the line to achieve in import mission. because of their sacrifice, the american people are safer today. because of all that you have accomplished, we were able to bring iraq and the iraq war to irresponsible and honorable conclusion last december. this week, as many of you know, the president made an important trip to afghanistan. we are now working to try to bring that war to a responsible and, as well. last year was, in many ways, a turning point in our efforts in afghanistan.

. violence levels decreased for the first time in years. transition to afghanistan, to their security responsibility so that they could secure their country, that began, as well. the taliban has been weakened. they have been unable to organize an effort to regain any of the territory that has been lost. they have been weakened. their momentum has been broken. , includingleadership osama bin laden, has been decimated. we recognize the first year anniversary taking down osama bin laden. let me tell you, that was due to the military professionalism of

soldiers who went in there and did a mission that they do time and time and time again in afghanistan. it was for that reason that i was confident that that mission would be accomplished. [applause] the afghan national security forces have been growing steadily and they are more people of being able to engage in operations to provide security and to do the job that they have to do if their country will be able to be strong and sovereign and independent in the future. we have accomplished transitions in the areas.

we have transitioned darrius -- areas in afghanistan that represent 50% of the population. we will come in a, do another series of prom -- provinces that will be transitioned. by the end of the summer, it will mean that 80 percent of the afghan population will be under afghanistan security and control. the strategic partnership agreement that president obama signed into bull this week affirmed that this transition plan is on track. it sends a clear signal to our enemies and to our partners that we will finish the job right in afghanistan. [applause]

we have an enduring commitment to afghanistan and to the afghan people. if we keep our eye focus on this ,ission, as i know you'll will we will defeat al qaeda. we will deny them the ability to rebuild. we will deny them this safe- haven that they used to plan an attack on our country. they may have attacked us once. it will not do it again. [applause] -- they will not do it again. too much precious blood has been spilled. to much progress has been made. and to lose sight of the mission now. there is no doubt that there we've -- there will be

challenges ahead. we will face a determined adversary. we will face extremists. we will continue to try -- they will try to be taken to attack america. our enemies are losing on the battlefield and they will seek any opportunity to damage us. in particular, they have saw to take advantage of a series of troubling incidents that involved misconduct on the part of a few who do not represent the best majority of those in uniform who serve this country. that brings me to the last

comment i want to make. i need everyone of you, everyone of you -- every one of you to always display the strongest character, the greatest discipline, and the utmost integrity in everything you do. in visiting the in situ museum -- the infantry museum, i had a chance to see the army douglas -- army values. loyalty, duty, respect, honor, integrity, courage. those are the standards. those are the standards that

marked men and women who serve in our military. i know that you are proud to wear the uniform of your country and that you strive to live up to the high standards that we expect of you. the reality is that we are fighting a different kind of war. and living in a different kind of world. when i was a lieutenant, here at fort benning, -- these days, it takes only seconds for a picture, if votto, to suddenly become an international headlines.

this can damage or standing in the world and cost lives. i know that none of you, none of you, deliberately acts to hurt your mission. or to put your fellow soldiers at risk. you are the best. that is why i am here today. to tell you that i need you. i need your leadership. i need your courage. i need your strength, to make sure that we always abide by the highest standards.

these incidents represent a small percentage of those great work that our men and women to across this brawl. i represent 3 million people, 2 million in uniform. a very small percentage of people. sometimes, they made terrible mistakes and a concern us and our service chiefs. because a few let judgment and professionalism and leadership, that can hurt all of us. it can hurt all of those men and women who serve this country with distinction. they concern us because our enemies will seek to turn them, these incidents, in their favor. at the very moment that they are

losing the war. so, i want all of used to -- all of you to always remember that we were and their great country that you surf and that -- serve and we're all part of. you are part of the best fighting force on the face of the earth. never forget that. [applause] greatness lies in the quality of our people. we have got great aircraft's, tanks, technology.

let me tell you something. it is the character in the standards that each of you during to the battle that makes us -- bring to the battle that makes us strong. we can often be better than our though we can never be better than our actions. our actions speak be a lot for all of us. never forget you have responsibility to look after your fellow sarah jurors -- fellow soldiers the you are sworn to defend. i know about all of you can meet this challenge. you are the best and i have the greatest confidence in your ability to make all americans proud by demonstrating the very

finest character and judgment and willingness to fight. the bottom line is that all of us have to be willing to fight to make this country great. it is a great story that i often tell. the rabbi and the priest who decided they would get to know each other and learn about each other's religion. they went to events together. one night, they went to a boxing match. just before the bell rang, one of the boxer's made the sign of the cross. the rabbi nudged the priest and said, what does that mean? the priest said, it does not mean a dam thing is he cannot fight. -- a damn thing if he cannot fight. we pray that our country will be ok. and that somehow, we will be able to prevail.

i have to tell you, it does not mean a damn thing if we're not willing to fight for it. [applause] tamara berg gagne -- the hammer brigade has always been willing to fight to keep america safe and make sure our kids have that better life. most importantly, to always make sure that we have a government of, by, and for people. god bless you. that plus this brigade. god bless the united states of america. -- god bless this brigade. god bless the united states of america. thank you very much. [applause]

>> thank you. sit down. i'm supposed to do some questions. if you have some questions, i am happy to answer anything that you might want to ask about. go ahead. >> good afternoon, sir. i am lieutenant walker. my question is, with the military transitioning away from counterinsurgency in towards the hybrid threat likely trend against during our current recent rotation at the national training center, what will be the role of the armored force during and after this transition? >> we have been, as you know, going to the process of looking at strategy for the future. in part, because we are at the turning point after 10 years of

war in part because we are facing record deficit and a record debt. and, in part because i think it is important to look get how -- look at how do we protect the finest force? the service chiefs and i sat down and said, what do we need to make sure we have the best military force in the world? for now, for 2020, and beyond. we came up with a strategy that involves five elements. number one, we know that we are going to be smaller because as you drive down after these words, regardless of budget constraints, we are likely to be much smaller in leader. we will -- and a cleaner. we need to be agile, quickly deployable, technologically advanced, flexible.

this has to be a force that is able to move and move quickly and be able to engage quickly. secondly, we made the decision that we have to focus our attention on two key areas of the world that involve the greatest threats to our country. one is the pacific. and to maintain a strong presence in the pacific and the other is the middle east. to make sure that we are there. we are present. we are able to deal with potential conflicts in that part of the world, as well. thirdly, that we also need to have a presence in the rest of the world. and, to do that, what we talked about is developing a capability to have rotational presence in other areas. to be able to rotate brigades, other forces, so that weather is

europe, africa, latin america, we can engage. we can do exercises. provide advice and assistance and develop the kind of partnerships that we need. that is a role that will be played, not just by special forces or the marines, but by the army, as well. fourthly, we have to be able to engage and the seat more than one enemy at a time -- defeat more than one enemy at a time. we are fighting a war in korea, we have to confront a war or an enemy in the middle east. and be able to do that. so, that requires a strong fighting force. it requires what you are training for. requires your ability to engage in the -- to engage. in the and made his boots on the ground that make a difference. that is what you represent.

lastly, we have to invest. this cannot just be about cutting. it is also about investing in the future. that means we have to invest in the technologies of the future. we have to invest in cyber. cyber is a whole new battlefront for the future. we face cyber attacks now every day. you can use cyber to basically paralyzed this country. you can break down the power grid. you can bring down our financial systems. bring down our government systems. we have got to invest in cyber. we have to invest in space. because their new technologies are being developed every day. we have to have that capability. we have to be able to have the very best to engage whatever enemy is out there. we have to invest and special forces operations because those

are key operations that we will need for the future. investing is important and being able to mobilize quickly, which means we have to have a strong guard and a strong reserve in order to be able to do that. word, is ang in a summary of the strategy that we put in place and build our budget around. that means that every branch of our military has to be prepared to confront enemies. let me tell you, as an army guy, the army will help lead the way for the future. [applause] >> we have time for one more question. >> ok.

>> good evening. with the army cutting back, what is the purpose of cutting brigades? >> on the army, specifically, we have discussed how to approach this. as a result above 10 years of war and a drawdown that would take place as a result of iraq and afghanistan, the decision was they would gradually have to resume -- reduce the number brigades in the army, as well. the number we are looking at over 10 years, by the way, this will not happen next year or the year after, it will be a long transition -- it will go from

580, which is the high point that we are at right now and reduce that down to 490, above the number we had before 9/11. so, we are still going to maintain brigades. we are going to maintain a strong army. in the future. that is important. it will be an army, as i said, that will have to engage in some of these missions that we talked about. so, while there will be transition down over 10 years, and while that or have been in the marines and elsewhere, -- will happen in the marines and elsewhere, we have to maintain these finest military -- the finest military we can for the future. i want to also say that we have also made a commitment. the one thing we do not want to do, every time we cut to these periods where we draw down after a war, we made terrible

mistakes. we have made terrible mistakes in the past. whether it was world war ii or korea, vietnam, whether it was the fall of the soviet union, what happened in the past is that when the front went away, we cut across the board and we hollowed out the military. we are not going to repeat the mistake. i am not going to cut across the board. [applause] so, what ever -- the army units and brigades we have, marine units we have, the navy, air force, we will give them the best equipment. the best training. the best kind of benefits that they need in order to be the strongest military in the world. so, that is one of the things we have tried to do in our budget. to make a very short that as we -- sure that as we make

reductions, we also invest and make sure that you have which need in order to be able to fight the battle. the other thing that we made clear is that we will not break faith with you in terms of the benefits we promised you. we are committed to you and your families. [applause] we ask you to go to war. we have faster to deploy time and time again. for that reason, we said those who are serving today will get the benefits that were promised them. we will do that. so, this is the, you know, a challenging. . it will not be easy. we think the fight in the congress will take additional challenges, as we go through this. in the end, i am convinced, service chiefs, and all of us have put together a strategy for the future. it will do one thing -- it will keep america the strongest military in the world.

it will protect this country. it will give our kids a better life. thank you very much. [applause] >> the libertarian party selects its nominee today at the national convention in las vegas. c-span will have live coverage from the red rock resort beginning at noon eastern with the president-elect in process. we hear speeches from the

candidates and then delegates will vote for their party's damany. we will have live coverage today of several campaign events with president obama and first lady michelle obama. the start up in columbus, ohio for the first of two obama for america campaign rallies. you can watch the event live at 1255 eastern on c-span.org. the second stop is live here on c-span in the afternoon at 4:35 p.m. when they will be on the campus of virginia commonwealth university. >> our guests on "washington journal" -- frederick joutz. the unemployment drop from 8.3% to nt 08 0.1% and the economy added 115,000 jobs. vote president disgusts --