[applause] >> to mark memorial today, president obama was at arlington national cemetery. that is next on c-span. then antiwar activists talk about the impact of war on civilians. antonin scalia spoke at william and mary law school, followed by terry mcauliffe at virginia tech, and later wisconsin governor scott walker. the second amendment is the most misunderstood part of the bill of rights.

the conservative political agenda. then some of the middle east policy challenges. also your phone calls, and you can join the conversation on facebook on twitter. quotengton journal post every morning at 7:00 a.m. on c-span. the president and mrs. obama participated in a recent-laying wreath-laying ceremony at arlington national cemetery. this is 50 minutes.

>> halt. present arms.

["the star-spangled banner" plays] >> ladies and gentlemen,

present arms.

[drum roll] plays]

>> ladies and gentlemen, please

stand for the invitation and the national anthem.

>> the chaplain, national captioning will -- national capital region, and the military district of washington, major general geoffrey buchanan, military district of washington, executive director your army national military cemetery, general martin dempsey, chairman, joint chiefs of staff, the honorable chuck hagel, secretary of defense.

ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states. the chief" ladies and gentlemen, the chaplain. let us join together in prayer. god, we ask that your presence be upon us this day, a day in which we as a nation come us to honor these

men and women who gave all they had for our freedom. lord, never let us forget the sacrifice and their willingness to serve. we know they did not ask to become heroes. they simply asked for kurds to leaveere duty, to never their friends, their brothers we continue too command these brave warriors who died for our country in war. today we recognize that their gift to us is peace and liberty, the kind of liberty that indoors too long struggles, that tries of nation's soul, the kind liberty that is brought from heroes.n and women, our men and women who witnessed the crucible of war and will never be seen again. let us now celebrate this liberty and may give comfort it

to those who continue to grieve. but then know that their loved one did not die in vain and that we will never ever forget. lord, help us as we recommit our lives to the service of this great nation and all those brave in and women who served uniform, especially in harm's way this day. let them know they are not alone. we ask these things in your holy name, amen. navy bandited states in seeing our national anthem. . >> ♪ o say, can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? whose bright stripes and bright stars

through the perilous fight o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there o say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? ♪ [applause]

please be seated. >> ladies and gentlemen, general dempsey. >> thanks very much. mr. president, secretary hagel, embers of congress, yes, veterans, fellow americans, and most especially the families of our missing and fallen warriors, and especially those from the tragedy assistance program survivors. [applause] every day but especially on memorial day, arlington's rolling hills remind us on this

helen groundnd -- so much valor rests. looking out on these headstones i'm reminded of a stanza of our national ballot, america the beautiful. it goes like this oh beautiful for patriot dreams that see beyond the years, thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears. in our ownington alabaster city and in other national cemeteries around the world. ofhonor the patriot dreams america's sons and daughters, those who were willing to fight in every client and in every place who were willing to give their lives for our nation's ideals. here we remember, we grieve, but we are also inspired. here we celebrate the timeless strength of america, undimmed by human tears. we know that we are a better nation for the sacrifice for the

men of women who serve. memorial day gives us the chance to bow our heads to honor our fallen heroes. we remember their devotion and dedication to our national purpose, to secure the blessings of liberty. it is the responsibility of a grateful nation to look back. it is incumbent on us to look forward. areica's sons and daughters out there today on the frontiers of our common defense, in afghanistan, and all mountains and plains around the world. they are crossed the shining seas and are in the spacious skies. in the footsteps of generations before, they will marsh or old the day with a commitment to make a difference for each other for us and for people they have never met, but with whom they share a dream for a better future. i am inspired each and every day prior men and women in uniform, by their sense of purpose and character. a represent the best of this great entry.

on this memorial day let us remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for this and show that america stands firmly with those who protect her. let's renew and we dedicate ourselves to the ideals of our nation, its freedom, it's just a possibility, it's patriot reames, undimmed by human tears. may god shed his grace on our fallen, missing, their families, and on this nation. [applause] >> listen now as the united states navy band performs america the beautiful.

["american the beautiful" plays] beautiful for spacious skies grainber waves of majesties mountain plainthe fruited

america! america! grace on thee and crown the good with brotherhood shining sea

o beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years citieslabaster gleam tearsed by human america! america! grace on thee and crown they good -- thy good

with brotherhood shining sea america! america! america! ♪ [applause]

>> ladies and gentlemen, secretary hagel. [applause] >> thank you, and good morning. mr. president, mrs. obama, vice president biden, dr. biden, general dempsey, ladies and gentlemen,

first i want to acknowledge and add my welcome to the families of our military men and women who are here today and who are watching this all over the world. i want to particularly welcome the families of the fallen who are here with us this morning. we admire you and are grateful. we will never forget your sacrifices and the sacrifices of your loved ones. i very much appreciate the opportunity to be here. to be here this morning, in this place, as we observe this very sacred day in america, memorial day. we remember people who sacrificed everything in defense of our nation.

next week marks the 70th anniversary of the d-day landings at normandy. that was the bloodiest day in all of world war ii. a day with more than 10,000 allied casualties. such a staggering toll is difficult to comprehend. as we commemorate the fallen, i think of the wisdom and the humility of our allied commander, general dwight david eisenhower. not long after, he said that any battlefield commander would face that his honors cannot hide in his memories. they cannot soothe the anguish of the widow or orphan whose son or daughter will not return.

when he spoke, our nation was approaching a period of great transition. victory had been achieved in europe. the war would end in the coming months. soldiers were beginning to come home and get on with their lives. our country began to ask itself, where should we go from here? today as we conclude 13 years of war, we are approaching another period of transition. these times of change and uncertainty require exceptional leadership. they demand leaders who are strong in the face of challenges, who are wise in the face of complexity. our commander in chief is one of

those exceptional leaders. president was in afghanistan less than 24 hours ago. on behalf of all of our military men and women and their families, i want to thank him and his personal commitment to those deployed in harm's way. ladies and gentlemen, i am honored to introduce to you now the president of the united states. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you so much. please be seated. thank you, secretary hagel, for your introduction and for your lifetime of service, from a young army sergeant in vietnam to our nation's 24th secretary of defense. vice president biden, jill,

chairman dempsey, major general buchanan, patrick hallinan, chaplain brainerd, to our men and women in uniform here and around the world, to our outstanding veterans, and, most of all, to the gold star families here to remember the loved ones you've lost, michelle and i are humbled and honored to commemorate this memorial day with you. every year this ceremony marks another page in the life of our nation. this year in particular, as we recognize the 150th anniversary of this holy space, arlington national cemetery. 150 years ago, war raged on

hillsides and farmlands not far from where we gather today. a nation ill-prepared for war found itself overwhelmed with the task of burying so many of its sons. so we declared upon this hill a final resting place for those willing to lay down their lives for the country that we love. and on a spring day in 1864, private william christman of pennsylvania was the first american to find eternal rest on these grounds. over that century and a half, in times of war, in times of peace, americans have come here, to pay tribute not only to the loved ones who meant the world to them, but to all our heroes, known and unknown.

here, in perfect military order, lie the patriots who won our freedom and saved the union. side-by-side, live privates and generals who defeated fascism and laid the foundation for the american century. here lies the americans who fought in vietnam. those who one the long struggle against truck -- communism. here lay the men and women who kept the homeland safe over more than one decade of war in afghanistan. early this morning, i returned from afghanistan. somerday, i visited with serving their.

-- there. for more than 12 years, men and women, like those i met with, have bore the burden of security. because of the progress they have made, we are in a pivotal moment. our troops are coming home. by the end of this year, the war in afghanistan will finally come to an end. [applause] [cheers] yesterday and today, we paid patriots whoe 2200 have made the ultimate sacrifice in afghanistan. we will honor them always. , in the small towns across

america, and cemeteries throughout the country and , onnd the world, and here this solemn hillside, the families of the fallen share stories. ache from their absence. ull.hearts are also f full in knowing that the legacy shines bright in the people they love the most. loss, theimaginable families of the fallen have cap courage and resolve that many of us will never know. we draw comfort from the strength of their example. we draw strength from the promise of their children. today, michelle and jill are with brave boys and girls whose

parents gave everything they had in service to the country. mothers and fathers like michael . he gave his life in afghanistan four years ago. the years have been hard for his family. andlove of their mother the strength of his daughters, beyond their years. the oldest of the three has become a mentor to other children who have lost their parents. now seven.girl is she shepherds her little sister. baby when her father was deployed and knows what it means that her father served his country. today.e here we say to you and to all the

yourgeous children, lives on.avery you will never walk alone. you will grow up to be the young men and women your parents knew you would be. that is our pledge to you. [applause] we draw strength from the love of the spouses of those who have fallen. was a veteran of world war ii when he met clara edwards. herpent two years working her before she agreed to marry. he told his young wife to

remarry. she told them, no. he had a hard enough time getting her to say yes. he had waited two years for her and she would wait as long as it took for him to come home. when joseph went missing in action, she waited. she waited 63 years. meanwhile, our country continues to work to bring home the missing from all of our wars. december,ber, last his remains were identified and he was returned home to be laid to rest. remarried during the 63 years. now, 96 years old, she welcomed him home.

we are honored to have her with us today. clara. [applause] [cheers] [applause] we draw strength from the parents. earlier this year, i spoke of a of the rulingry recovery of a sergeant first

class who was severely injured by a bomb in afghanistan. andtood in the balcony reminded our entire nation that we are blessed to be protected by patriots like him. that was only part of the story. i want to close with the story of his brother in arms. sergeant sanchez was killed by the same explosion. wendy remembers that he was larger-than-life. .lways surrounded by friends he had a devastating smile. he admired the army from a young age. he dressed up as a soldier the first time he went out from halloween and for many halloween's after that. he arranged and rearranged g.i. joe's on the bedroom floor. when he watched the twin towers

fall on that awful september day, he found his calling to serve his country. .e was a proud army ranger he took care of his fellow soldiers like his own emily. he told wendy, i am your superman. of 2009, he was on his fifth deployment. he was finishing a message -- he bomb went t off and this family made a sacrifice that few of us will ever truly comprehend. since, finding the strength to live with out rob, she keeps in touch with cory. they shared their memories of him. she runs half marathons. she and her husband poured their

hearts into raising their youngest son, who wants to be just like rob. that means she will send another son into the military. today, they are watching the story from indianapolis. she has been made safe by the sacrifice of her son. every day, she looks at the old photo of her son on the dresser and is reminded that he is gone. he will always inspire her. he will always be her superman. child.se who have lost a for the husbands and wives who lost a partner. for the children who have lost a parent. this is an extraordinary reminder of the sacrifices made. today remind us that for the

families and comrades in arms, the service endorsed. endures. few truly understand what it means to send a child into war. on this memorial day and, every veterans arely and who we are sworn to look after. here, we rededicate ourselves to our dedication to where america'. our troops will have the resources to do the job. the nation will never stop searching for those who have gone missing. for the prisoners of war. do more to keep faith with our veterans and make sure that they get the care, the

benefits, the opportunities that they deserve. these americans have done their duty. ask that our nation does ours. now and for decades to come. patriots we are moralize today gave their last full measure. not so that we might mourn them. we do. not so that the nation would honor their sacrifice. although, it does. they gave their lives so that we might live hours. so that a wife might be able to secure and free and a mother might raise a family.

everything that we hold precious was made possible by americans who gave their all. because of them, our nation is stronger. remain a shining beacon of freedom to the rest of the world. may god bless the fallen and all of those who serve. may god continue to bless the united states of america. [applause] >> please remain standing for taps.laying of

♪

>> the benediction. >> the sacred place for our loved ones. let us pray. lord, continue to strengthen our president and all of the leaders with energy and wisdom. give them strength for the journey that is ahead. bless our families and comrades. the us to be mindful of principles of freedom, justice, and equality. they have been in our heritage. give it to our fallen comrades. we would be remiss if we did not pray for the safety of all of our brothers and sisters who serve the nation on this day. teach us to pray for their safe return with the knowledge of a

job well done. continue to bless this nation, our friends, and the flight that we serve. may the spirit of god being near you to defend you. within you, to refresh you. behind you, to justify you. above you, and to bless you for ever more. go forward. please remain in place until the president has departed and the colors are retired.

♪

>> antiwar activists, academics, and journalists talk about the impact of war on since -- civilians. mcauliffe. terry later, scott walker. union 40% of european test imports come from russia

and much goes through the ukraine. tomorrow, a panel will look at the growing influence in the energy markets. live coverage starts at 10:00 eastern on c-span. donald trump will take questions from the audience. >> if you go back and look at calvin coolidge, he was a conservative hero. 25%.ax rate was that is what he brought the top rate down to. and startedke crazy in the 70's. you look at what the socialite said about calvin coolidge. you want to remember that they were from families that endorsed different policies. differenthad a

president. teddy roosevelt was a bully pulpit president. and calvinld coolidge's silence was cultural. he was not talking a lot or waving his arms about. he was temperamental. he was a shy person. he knew that if you do not talk a lot, people would stop talking. a president or political leader is constantly bombarded with requests. his silence was a way of not giving in. >> an author and columnist will on depressionents era presidents and fiscal policy

on sunday on c-span2. next, a conversation about the effects of war on civilians. we will hear from robert dreyfuss and a hiker who was imprisoned by the government of iran. this is one hour and 20 minutes. >> good morning. welcome. panel 2467. 12:30 is the beginning of this panel. my name is jenny and i am honored to be here today. i work for the american red cross here.

i am honored to be back. without further ado, i want to inform everyone that c-span is recording today. our panelists will not be able to stand up. let me introduce our panelists today. silence thecould noisemakers or other devices, that would be appreciated. we have bob dreyfuss. i asked him where is the most intriguing place he has ever been. he shared vietnam and iran. he said he was bobbled by those places while he was a contributing editor at "the nation." we have sarah lewinsky, who just came from the central african republic.

that is the most intriguing place. we have the executive director of the center for conflict. scholz.tammy storch -- she was a supervisor. a lead supervisor. kind of a big deal. and the director of national security. of strategic studies at the u.s. marine corps college. our second one today, who is the author and contributing editor for the solitary wash websites. she is a visiting scholar. welcome. without further ado, i will give it to bob and each panelist will have about 10 minutes to speak.

after that, we will go into audience participation and questions. students will come and ask questions first. thank you so much. >> make you for coming today. it is a great pleasure to be here. to suchmarkable to come a topic that is not exactly easy to swallow for most people. in fact, talk about the euphemism, collateral damage always sticks in my craw. it means dead innocent people. let's try not to use that. i am not going to use it in my presentation. this.ard to talk about it immediately becomes very personal for me and i will explain that. i have never been in more.

it seems that the best way to avoid innocent dead people is to i think thate and has to be the starting point. in this country and around the world, we slip into wars as something that we have to do because of national interest or honor. for the most part, there are almost always other solutions. i find it hard to be objective and analytical about this. as i said, it is a little too personal and i will speak personally when i talk about this. i have never been in combat or the armed forces. know, deliberately. 1960's at ae in the time when everything i thought i had learned about this country

as a teenager and in middle school was proven to be completely wrong since the country was engaged in a criminal enterprise, which was the war in vietnam. we were killing a lot of people for no good reason. it was not explained to me in whycs or before that something like this could happen. how could our government do something so misguided? in college in the heartbeats of the anti-war movement. we shut down the college a couple of times. we got past-fail grades that semester. the second time was after the

or, what dod -- they call it? into laos. revolt and ither was involved in all of that. i had no question about what would happen to me when i graduated. i was going to canada. i was not going into the army, no matter what. not because i did not want to be killed. to me, it was a criminal war. theas the first year of rivalry and i remember the night incredibly well full -- incredibly well. it was known that they were only going up to 110. vietnam was the turning point. is reason i bring it up

because it has affected everything in the rest of my life. know, let me put it this way, we killed people for no good reason during those years. and i been to vietnam have a daughter adopted from vietnam. when we went to adopt her. their,diers who served many of them went insane. many of them were indeed baby killers. you hear a lot of veterans say, they called us they be killers. . do not know what percentage a number of them were.