sharing that allows for the emergence of two states and two people. mr. president, france believes in the possibility of a definitive and fair solution for both parties. we must allow for the meansthe means are collective. successive failures over 20 years were called to us. it must evolve. the parties cannot take difficult decisions alone that come with the negotiation. the palestinians cannot bear the burden alone of seeking this difficult feat. after 25 years of negotiations it's essential the international community share the weight of this negotiation.

the international community is determined to give priority to the emergence of a method that allows for closer support of negotiations by concerned international parties complementing and in support of the major role played by washington, the arab league, the eu, and the permanent members of this council. this collective effort should be based on an unquestionable foundation that can only come from the security council when it comes to giving credibility to negotiations. it is incumbent on us to establish parameters for conflict resolution and settlement that should lead to the satisfaction of different claims. this council and members are called upon to fully assume their responsibilities and maintaining international peace

and security. in order to set a credible basis for peace, we have proposed a constructive, reasonable alternative for the initial palestinian project so the security council can become a positive actor in this conflict and not a theater of theoretical declarations and successive vetoes. with this positive step filled with goodwill -- rather, without this no credible process can come about. to the contrary, there will be deterioration on the ground, which calls upon us to act without waiting. there is urgency that we act because of a deep need to adapt a message based on the responsibility incumbent of each

member of the council. it is for this reason we voted in favor of the resolution submitted by jordan. this does not mean this is perfect. we have reservations over some of the terminology as well as the method in which it was presented. we would have preferred and continue to hope there can be a consensus-based stepped that brings together -- step that brings together all of the members around an independent sovereign palestinian state living in peace and security, side-by-side with east jerusalem as the capital of both states. as the modality for refugees and security arrangements is part of the agreement between the

parties, we can and must collectively establish the overarching parameters of these negotiations. we should set a clear timetable for obtaining this, because this is essential for credible negotiations if they are to end. the french proposal looks at just that. france regrets it is not impossible to reach a consensus on these points which should bring the international community together. our efforts should not stop there. our responsibility is to continue to hope before it is too late we can move forward. >> i think the representative of france for his statement and i now give the floor to the representative of the russian federation. >> i thank you, mr. president.

the russian federation regrets the security council was unable to adopt the draft resolution, which was to strengthen the generally recognized international legal basis for the middle east peace process including security council resolutions, the madrid principles, and the arab peace initiative's. recent events in the middle east have illustrated an undeniable truth, that alternatives to a collective approach to resolving such a complex problems do not exist, and especially that this unresolved conflict is one of the most serious aspect at the destabilization of the region. they recruit extremists, convincing them seeking political solutions is pointless. in order to reinvigorate collective efforts, we need not only a greater profile with the

involvement of the league of arab states, but also a general involvement by the security council. this would give the process new impetus, which focused the parties on more responsible steps towards a comprehensive just, and final piece. we cannot share the objectives of those who say the resolution was undermining the process. last year revealed this process, how it has gone into a blind alley with its mobilization by the united states. we believe this to be a strategic mistake am a justice casting off our proposals to do brainstorming in the council in order to determine ways to reinvigorate the negotiating process, including sending to the middle east i council mission.

the conflict in the holy land is deepening. violence erupts from both sides. the building of settlements and on occupied territories continues, including in east jerusalem, undermining the concept of creating two states. we are coming to the end of 2014, which the international community has proclaimed the year of solidarity with the palestinian people. in this year we get closer to implementing a two state solution or further from it? the answer is obvious. the inaction of the security council in this area dooms the situation to a dangerous status quo, which we cannot accept. one chance for hope is not enough. we must continue. >> i think the representative of

the russian federation for his statement, and i now give the floor to the representative of australia. >> australia remains committed to a future where israel and the palestinian state exist side-by-side in peace and security with an internationally recognized border, and as such our efforts must be focused on encouraging parties to return to direct negotiations towards this goal. the draft resolution will not help this process, and that's why we voted against it. it lacks balance and seeks to impose a solution put forward by one party alone. the issues can only be resolved between the sides. the process agreed by both sides is the only way forward to reach an enduring agreement. the violence experienced in recent months in the palestinian territories and israel underlines the terrible human costs of the failure of final

status negotiations and how fragile the situation is in the absence of general progress towards establishing a palestinian state and objective to which australia believes and to which we are committed. australia urges all parties to refrain from provocative actions and for leaders of both sides to show real courage and returning to difficult -- the difficult path of peace negotiations. thank you. >> i think the representative from australia for his statement, and i now give the floor to the representative of chile. they queue. chile's position had -- thank you. chile's position has been expressed. namely, we support negotiations between the parties and the two state solution that allows the

two states to live in peace and security in safe and internationally recognized borders. after two decades of the peace process, we believe the time has come to implement the two state solution. the security council has a role to play and can contribute to the renewal of dialogue as part of its responsibilities in maintaining peace and security. chile, assuming it's international responsibility has voted in favor of adoption of this resolution. we have not been pleased with the exercise as it has unfolded what gives space for dialogue among members and stakeholders. as we see it, negotiation is essential when we want to bring

about the necessary consensus that rings efficacy to the council in search for viable solutions. we have given priority to the urgency of addressing the situation on the ground and the trust that it is possible to bring about a political outcome that allows for renewed momentum and negotiations. the conflict in gaza in july and august and the events in recent months in the west bank and east jerusalem have shown the status quo is not sustainable. after 46 years of occupation the palestinian people hold fast to the hope of full sovereignty and independence. these are legitimate aspirations chile supports. we are aware there are different positions, and some delegations believe the political time has not come for taking action. it's such a complex matter that it will never be easy to determine when the time has come

to act. chile will continue to contribute to this process as we held the conviction the solution requires being realistic. many actors can facilitate the road towards peace and dialogue. i think the representative of chile for his statement. i give the floor to the representative of nigeria. >> i thank you, mr. president. nigeria believes in the critical role of the security council, in seeking lasting peace in the middle east based on security council resolutions, the support of land for peace, the roadmap for peace in the middle east and the arab peace initiative. we are convinced that collective action by this council is critical in advancing and

expediting the peace process and serves as the most important catalyst in the conflict. nigeria's perspectives on the question of palestine have been consistently guided by positions regarding the rule of law and respect for the principles of international law and justice. we have an abiding respect for the committee of the palestinian people to self-determination or and independence. that is why we encourage both sides to demonstrate flexibility in their long-term strategic interest. there is no alternative to a two state solution with israel and palestine living together side by side in peace and security. nigeria remains supportive of the rights of the palestinian people to determination

independence, and dignity. we are mindful of the need to guarantee israel's security and existence of a sovereign state. it is for this reason we support our pretense of discussion of all these issues -- we support discussion of all these issues. the ultimate path lies in a negotiated solution, and the time is right for both sides to return to peace talks. i thank you. >> i think the representative of nigeria for her statement and i will give the floor to the representative of the republic of korea. >> thank you, mr. president. on the issue of the middle east peace process, the republic of korea a two state solution as the only viable way to build a lasting peace in the region. we fully understand and empathize with the aspirations

of the palestinian people to have an independent state of their own. we believe such aspiration is in accordance with the right of the palestinian people as embodied in the charter of the united nations. to this end, we believe direct negotiations between the parties are for realizing two democratic states living side-by-side with secured and recognized borders. in this process, any unilateral action by any party will be counterproductive and hinder progress, just as paragraph 10 of the draft resolution calls upon both parties to abstain from any unilateral actions. it is under this consideration the republic of korea abstains. given the deteriorating

situation in the middle east, we agree with the secretary-general's repeated warning the time is not on the side of peace. we share the view the longer the present state of the insecurity continues, the longer the path to peace will be. this is more reason each side must exercise constraint so as not to worsen the situation by engaging in the unilateral action. once again, we urge all parties to respect reviews agreements and returned to the negotiating table to work out a viable agreement with a two state solution. thank you. >> i think the representative of the republic of korea for his statement. -- i think -- thank the representative of the republic of korea for his statement. i give the floor to china.

but china supports the draft resolution and the question of a palestine submitted by jordan on behalf of arab states. this draft reflects the demands of arab states, including the palestinian people. it is in accord with the relevant you in resolutions -- un resolutions and the middle east kees roadmap. -- peace roadmap. it is in accord with china's position. we express deep or greta for the failure of the draft resolution to be adopted. -- deep regret for the failure of the draft resolution to be adopted. china has always been making constructive efforts for advancing the middle east peace process. in 2013 the president of china put forward for proposals on the palestinian-israeli question.

and 2014 the foreign minister of china proposed five points on resolving the israeli-palestinian conflict. china supports supporting legitimate rights, supports the establishment of a fully sovereign and independent state of palestine based on 1967 borders with east jerusalem as the capital. supports palestine's joining the united nations and other international organizations and hopes palestine and israel will resume these talks as soon as possible, and occupation at an early date, and realize coexistence of the two states. the middle east these process is now in deep stalemate, and the tensions between palestine and israel persist. we call upon the international community to redouble effort to help palestine and israel to end

the cycle of violence and return to the peace talks where we call upon the security council to effectively assume responsibility for the palestinian and israeli question. china is waiting to join the relevant sides in the international community in common effort and will continue to play a constructive role in promoting an enduring and just resolution of the question of palestine. thank you, mr. president. >> i think the representative of china for his statement. i now give the floor to the representative of rwanda. >> or wanda takes the floor to explain the draft resolution 2014--- rwanda takes the floor to explain the draft resolution. we note the efforts of jordan in these texts. rwanda's position on the

conflict is well-known. our country, as well as all states of the african union has already -- always been in favor of a two state solution. despite efforts, there is yet to be a breakthrough in the peace process. for wanda -- rwanda, any final statement should be achieved through direct negotiations however painful they might be. we fully believe only a negotiated settlement will result in the emergence of an independent and viable palestinian state, living side by side with israel. the security council should step up efforts to ensure the resumption of direct negotiations for a list -- lasting solution to the conflict

as on previous frameworks. parties should make serious statements to address the conflict and refrain from any provocative action that could undermine the prospect of durable peace in the region. or wanda -- rwanda doesn't believe any action by either side could bring peace to the region. on the contrary, unilateral solutions could jeopardize a situation that is always -- already fragile. provided the resolution is consensual agreed-upon by the parties, and supported by all major stakeholders. rwanda believes the proposal,

which has not gained consensus in the region and within this council could not help parties achieving this goal. it is regrettable the members were not given an opportunity to discuss the draft amended outside the council. for all those reasons, lack of consensus, negative impact on the peace process, and lack of process in new york explain the position of or wanda -- rwanda. we asked the stakeholders to work together to a more consensual draft resolution, which should give new impetus to the peace process. we firmly believe given the current and irreversible momentum for peace, status quo will no longer be an option. there is a unique window for the international community to act

decisively if we wish to realize our common vision of two viable states, living side-by-side in peace, security, and recognition of each others'rights. the government of or wanda -- rwanda will contribute as much as it can to the solution of this crisis, which has been going on for too long. >> i think the representative for his statement. i now give the floor to the representative of romania. >> i think you, mr. president. it is with regret lithuania had to abstain. our votes should not be understand as our abstention on the solution itself. on the contrary, most parts of this are a good base for

establishing parameters for peace negotiations, seeking an agreed and peaceful settlement. we would like to make it clear there is no substitute for direct talks between the parties, and we call for an immediate resumption of negotiations. it is through negotiations that a final, just, fair, and agreed settlement can be achieved. it is through negotiations are realization of a two state solution -- our realization of a two state solution can become a reality. were a viable palestine live side-by-side in peace and security. furthermore, resumption of negotiations is a matter of urgency. the unsustainable filtration that situation in gaza, the deteriorating regional context -- the unstable -- the deteriorating regional context.

people on both sides along with the international community, expect their leaders to show leadership in taking bold actions to guarantee security and a prosperous future. any unilateral action is detrimental to peace negotiations and to a peaceful settlement of the conflict. i thank you mr. president. >> i think the representative of lithuania for her statement. -- thank the representative of lithuania for her statement. i give the floor to the representative of argentina. >> thank you very much. argentina believes the explanation of its affirmative vote is unnecessary. the history of the palestinian people, international law, and united nations resolutions are

the deepest justification of the position taken by my country. we limit this security council -- we lament the security council has not adopted this resolution. know that no resolution can prevent the resolve or undermine the resolve of people to be free independent, and above all things, dignified. each one of us will have to be responsible for the consequences of what just happened in this room. they queue very much and -- thank you very much, mr. president. >> i thank you for the

statement. i would like to thank the delegation of jordan for presenting this draft resolution on the palestinian question on behalf of the arab states. in recognizing the right of the palestinian people to have a sovereign and viable state in the 1967 borders with east jerusalem as its capital, chad voted in favor of this draft resolution, which the security council unfortunately did not adopt. we can only express our deep disappointment and regrets at

the rejection of this text, which was balanced and moderate and should have led to the adoption by all council members. the text would have allowed us to put an end to the cycle of negotiations which have only made the israeli occupation permanent and which has undermined all international efforts, which could have resolved the israeli-palestinian conflict. the text does not contradict the direct talk principles between the parties. it advocates a new framework for negotiations, one which guarantees the active participation of all stakeholders alongside the two parties involved. therefore, the text clearly defines the parameters for a solution and the mechanisms for security guaranteeing and

respecting the sovereignty of the state of palestine with the gradual withdrawal and integral withdrawal of israeli security forces from non-occupied territories as well as the fair and equitable settlement of the refugee question and the inherent final status issues. ladies and gentlemen, council members, in drafting this resolution, the security council has once more disappointed all of those who are indignant, who have been without dignity for many years without the prospect of a political solution to the israeli-palestinian conflict. the rejection of this draft resolution sends a negative message of encouraging a continuation of occupation continuing injustice oppression, and instruction

which promotes -- destruction which promotes a hardening on both counts. an opportunity was given to the security council to act in order to strengthen peace in the region and to give to the palestinians array of hope -- a ray of hope after the failure of direct talks. international opinion is seeing the sad reality the palestinian people once more have been deprived of their legitimate rights to live in and independent and sovereign state. given the upheaval in the middle east and the expansion of violence and terrorism it's in the interest of all parties including the security council to find an urgent solution sustainable solution to the

israeli-palestinian conflict. chad remains persuaded there is no alternative to the two state solution. independent, democratic states living side-by-side in peace and security and mutually and internationally recognized orders. thank you -- borders. thank you very much. i now give the floor to the permanent observer of the observer state of palestine. >> mr. president. i come before the security council on behalf of the leadership of the state of palestine and the palestinian people, a long-suffering yet dignified people. we remain steadfast and fully committed to the achievement of the inalienable right to justice and legitimate national

aspirations, including to self-determination freedom, and independence, and will remain committed to the pursuit of peace through nonviolent means to the achievement of these objectives, to which there is a long-standing local support. -- global support. we have endured the passage that has inflicted more, due to the destructive actions of israel, the occupying power. it has been a year that has witnessed the breakdown of another political process despite the genuine efforts of the united states with the full support of the league of arab states and all other major stakeholders and the good faith efforts of palestine and the

deepening impasse, creating an unsustainable situation roundly acknowledged by all. despite all this, the security council has failed to uphold its duties to address these crises and to fully contribute to a peaceful and lasting solution in accordance with its own resolutions. as the security council has looked this year, the people and toured the further colonization of their land, the demolition of their homes terrorism, constant of friends to human dignity and

extreme provocations, bringing tensions to an all-time high and threatening to ignite a religious war and destabilize the situation on the ground. the situation reached a new level of savagery with military action waived. the forces launched tens of thousands of missiles, bombs artillery shells, and live ammunition against the defenseless population in the criminal onslaught that killed more than 2200. the majority injured, displaced

hundreds of thousands terrorized the entire population and cause distraction of homes by civilian infrastructure. schools as well as mosques and churches. all of this was perpetrated wantonly by israel, creating widespread devastation, human drama, and a massive humanitarian disaster. this human rights violation and breaches of human to terry in law were undoubtedly committed by israel's occupying power. the millions of refugees who remain exiled from their homeland continue to endure a vulnerability due to conflicts in the region that has inflicted

further displacement with the tragedy involving the futures of so many palestinians. this was the year that brought us to this day, i hear the deep and the suffering and injustice -- a year that deepens the suffering and injustice of the palestinian people and took us further from the lasting peace. mr. president, it was in this rave contact the palestinian government under the leadership of mahmoud abbas, the initiative that has now been brought. it was an initiative meant to mobilize the security council to act, to diffuse the situation

to reaffirm the basis for justly resolving the conflict and addressing this historic injustice and to provide a horizon further that could restore order to our people that the 47 year occupation of the land and oppression would soon come to an end by delineating a timeframe and the justice, freedom, and peace are within reach. mr. president, we sincerely thank all of the countries that took a stand and voted in favor of the draft resolution. we thank argentina chad, chile china, jordan, luxembourg, and the russian federation and vague also all the friendly countries that supported us throughout this long process -- bank -- thank also all the friendly

countries that supported us throughout this long process. we thank jordan for its efforts as a representative of the security council including sponsorship of the draft and its call for the vote. we thank france for its serious efforts and responsible engagement throughout this process and its support. i also wish to thank his excellency, the deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of luxembourg for his present at today's meeting and his country's support. -- presence at today's meeting and his country's support. we regret the council was unable to draft this resolution despite months of effort, patience, flexibility, and serious efforts to engage and despite the fact the draft reflected the

long-standing international consensus on a solution for the israeli-palestinian conflict. it is firmly rooted in the council and resolutions. this draft resolution reaffirmed well-known parameters for a just solution and set forth a clear timeline for negotiationsng a final peace agreement with support of stakeholders as well as the timeline for bringing israeli occupation to a complete and then for achieving independence of palestine on the basis of the pre-67 borders, living side-by-side with israel in peace and security and a solution to all the issues, including the plight of the palestinian refugees. yes, the result of today's vote shows the security council as a whole is clearly not ready and willing to show its

responsibilities that would allow for a comprehensive resolution and allow us to open the doors for peace and for a just and lasting solution based on international law. it shows the security council with call for an end to israeli occupation and achievement of the long overdue independence of the palestinian people and their own state. in contrast to today's vote, it's clear folks inside and outside the council, there is a global consensus to the two state solution and the annexation is not accepted by any country. there is also global consensus of the illegality of israeli

settlements and the blockade on the gaza strip and the need for the immediate end. there is clearly a global consensus on the legitimacy of the national aspirations and the responsibility of the international community and helping to bring them. we must ask, we ask you why is it so difficult for the security council to act on this global consensus and demand an end to israeli illegal action, an end to israeli occupation, which the council has called for repeatedly from the resolution and the implementation of the two state solution in accordance with the resolution. why have the efforts of the arab group, with the full support

worldwide as a result to bring this to an end through civilized and nonviolent means repeatedly failed? why are we facing another security council failure as the situation unravels and international peace and security is cap from us? -- kept from us? considering the situation and the need to act responsibly on behalf of our people to address aspirations, the palestinian leadership must consider its next steps, and they will meet tomorrow and decide on the next steps. we are grateful for the support of all brotherly and friendly countries in support of

palestine and in support of this journey to fulfill the inalienable human rights of our people and make peace, despite the many challenges and obstacles. accordingly, we have the imperative to hold israel accountable for violations of international law, including humanitarian and human rights laws and violations of resolutions. there can be no excuse for denial of the right to self-determination of another people, as affirmed in the assembly this month with a vote on the right of the palestinian people to self-determination receiving the support of 181 member states of the general

assembly. the message is clear worldwide. it is high time to end this a borat israeli -- abhorrent is really occupation. it has sown so much instability and anger throughout our region and continues to undermine global peace and security. this mission has been strongly conveyed in the numerous resolutions adopted once again this year by the general assembly on all aspects of the question of palestine. it has been affirmed and the recent conference of parties of the geneva convention convened in switzerland, and it continues to be reaffirmed in the motion by parliament calling for recognition of the state of palestine and that 130 five

countries already recognize our state -- 135 countries already recognize our state, the most recent sweden. this message continues to be conveyed by civil societies with massive displays of support for the rise of the palestinian people and the cause of a just and lasting solution. it is most regrettable the security council remains paralyzed and unable to uphold its responsibilities in this regard. with all the implications this has on peace and security in the middle east and beyond. the repeated request for us to wait and wait while our people are suffering, while our people are besieged, while our land is being colonized, and while the two state solution is being destroyed and the prospect for

peace are evaporating must understand that such requests are not viable under these circumstances and are unsustainable. those eager to save the two state solution must act and cannot continue to make excuses for israel and to permit and thus be complicit in its illegal behavior. the security council must act. we will call on the council to uphold its charter of its duties and will spare no efforts in this regard in the coming years. the time has come for the international community to act firmly to and occupation that began -- and the occupation that began in 67 -- end the occupation that began in 67 and a resolution on the basis of 194

and for ultimate realization of justice, freedom, and peace. the palestinian people and the world can no longer wait. that is despite the regrettable outcome and especially clear. in closing, i wish to thank you personally and the delegation of chad for your speedy response to convening this meeting and to reiterate our gratitude to all council members who righteously and honorably supported the draft resolution. he also take this opportunity to express our appreciation -- we also take this opportunity to express our appreciation of the council. luxembourg australia korea and rwanda, we congratulate their service over the past two years.

i thank you very much, mr. president. >> i think the permanent observer of the observer state of palestine for his statement. i now give the floor to the representative of israel. >> mr. president the palestinians have found every possible opportunity to avoid direct negotiation's with israel. they have engaged in a never ending string of political gains, and now they are parading into this council with a preposterous unilateral or postal. i have -- proposal. i have news for the palestinians. you cannot promote your way to a state. i urge the council to stop indulging the palestinians and put in and -- end to the folly. thank you, mr. president.

>> i thank the representative of israel for his statement. the security council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. the meeting is adjourned. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] >> now national hockey league commissioner gary bettman on the future of the nhl. this book about the intersection of technology with the sport. the annual winter classic game being played in washington, d.c.

, on new year's day and efforts to bring the olympic games to the capital. this is an hour. >> good afternoon and welcome. i am an adjunct professor, a former international bureau chief with the associated rest and the 107th president of the national press club. the national press club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists committed to our future, for programming of events such as this while fostering a free press worldwide. for more information about the national press club, visit our website at press.org. i would like to welcome our speakers and those of you attending today's event.

our head table includes guests as well as speakers. members of the general public are attending, so it is not necessarily lack of journalistic integrity if you hear applause. i would like to welcome our c-span and public radio audiences. you can follow on twitter. after our guest speech, we will have question and answer. i will ask as many questions as time permits. it is time to introduce our head table guests. i would like each of you to stand briefly as your name is introduced. from the right, the coach of the national press club division champion softball team, who also happens to be a reporter for wn ew fm. the deputy political director for every voice. jonathan, the washable --

washington correspondent, a former national press club president, and a former coach of the championship winning national press club softball team. jason anthony, strategic partner at pure channel and a member of the national press club broadcast committee. pat, the speaker committee member who helped organize today's event. i will skip over the guest of honor while i introduced the rest of the head table. the washington bureau chief for the buffalo news, chair of the speakers committee, and a former national press club president. the u.s. navy retired and the other speedy -- speaker member who organized the event. the national hockey league vice president for media relations.

the freelance writer and the head of cardin communications. and the national association of homebuilders, communication manager, and a member of the national press club newsmakers committee and an ice hockey referee for the past 25 years. [applause] you know, the hockey league commissioner gary bettman and the washington capitals owner are with us today to face-off and speak about the face of the national hockey league and the upcoming winter classic, which will be in bc for the first time. esther bettman -- mr. bettman has been an nhl commissioner for two decades.

he led the expansion of the nhl global reach with six teams added, bringing the total to 30. he has navigated including the cancellation of the 2004-2005 season. we have the ceo of monumental sports and entertainment, which operates the washington capitals. he has several other interests supporting charities, with an interest in military families. we are interested in hearing details of our guests, detail from our guests that they can share about the winter classic on january 1, when the chicago blackhawks take on the washington capitals at the national stadium.

we are also interested in hearing about other issues facing the nhl and professional sports in general. we are pleased our guests have brought with them a stanley cup which one day perhaps will reside in washington for longer than the length of this election. please join me in welcoming. bettman and ted -- welcoming bettman and ted leonsis. they will have conversations between them, and at 1:30 we will start the q&a. the chairs are yours. thank you very much. >> i want to give a shout out to the canadian ambassador to the united states. it's great to have you here. [applause]

he happens to be a big fan of hockey and was very interested in the jets returning, so it's great to have you. let's talk for a second about what the stanley cup means to an owner in the nhl, and without attempting to embarrass you, we have a discussion about where we sat so you would be further from the cup at this point. what goes through your mind and your bucket list? what does it mean when you are an owner and you're thinking about the cup? >> i think it creates lifelong memories for every member of the community to be able to craft and build a winning sports team and win a championship. it's a bit of immortality for people, so i am involved in lots of businesses, but there is

really no higher calling than to have the collective psyche of all the people in your community in the palm of your hands. there is also no bigger risk and danger of disappointing people on that, because scratch any individual, especially in a sports crazed town, and you will find an export -- expert who can do it better than you, so i am going to the to try as hard as i can with the cap scum the wizards, the mystics to make a team as good as the community we serve and to bring a championship here to d.c. [applause] >> let's take a step back. you bought the capitals in 1999. you subsequently acquired the

wizards. what was going through your mind when you said, i want to own a sports team? i want to own the capitals? i want to be a hockey owner? >> i had a life reckoning when i was a young person and ended up making a list of things to do before i die. it was amazing looking back at the sports. i grew up playing, and we developed a rink, and it reminded me as the young man of leaving school at 3:00 and going and playing roller hockey or basketball, and it became so central to the person i became

wanted to be part of the teams trying to accomplish something collectively, so sports played a big role in my life. i wrote down, own a sports team, win a championship. all of a sudden you have the opportunity to do that, and i initially passed when patrick approached me to buy the caps. i was married and had children thought it was a lot of money. i thought it was a lot of work. i frankly didn't want the notoriety and the spotlight thought that would be a tough environment, because i knew what i would get into in running a public trust. i went home that night, and my wife said, what's new? i said, somebody tried to sell me a hockey team. she said, what did you say? i said i passed.

i gave for the reasons. before i went to bed, she said what if you get 99 of the 101 things done before you die. i love you. i have to buy the team. it's been a family endeavor family labor of love. the commissioner has been great in teaching us how to do it. it is really funny as an owner. we take stupid pills. >> no, really? >> you think because you have been moderately successful in one field that you know what you are doing instantly in sports. now that i have been in pro sports for some time, i see it. we laugh together. here comes the new owner. i know what he is going to say what he is going to spend, what he is going to do. the leagues are very, very

responsible for creating an environment where you can not do a lot of harm, but you can do a lot of good. and, i'm very grateful to gary for coming here today, but i am really grateful not only for the guidance and what he has done for the league, but he gifted the winter classic to d.c. this has not been considered a traditional hockey market. we have been working night and day to craft a great team, to build youth hockey, to connect with the consciousness of the community to make them fall in love of hockey. we have been fortunate that we have a good team, superstar players. we sell out every game.

when i saw the winter classic, the very first one on television, i literally sent an e-mail to gary before the puck dropped. i said, i think i'm in love. [laughter] this is the greatest visual i've ever seen on television. it looked like a snow globe. to see so many people outdoors at a hockey game -- i pretty much spent the next several years every day saying don't forget about washington. >> actually, i don't know if i would call it a gift. it's like the kid who for christmas gives his parents his list every day for four years and is going to throw a temper tantrum if he does not get it. [laughter] that is an overstatement. ted, as you know from following

the wizards and the caps, is a passionate owner. he says it is stupid pills. i think your passion when you first come into buy a team is something that drives you in ways that you would not have any other business because no matter what business you buy, you would never as passionate as buying a sports team. what is it like day to day being an owner? how high do you get on the wins, how low do you get on the lows? does it affect you in ways you never imagined? >> it can be wearing. it can be joyful. the social responsibility of owning these teams -- they are small businesses. i have run really big businesses. employed hundreds of thousands of people, companies that go public and create a lot of value.

you own a sports team and there are hundreds of millions of dollars. we employ hundreds of people. yet, because of the media -- i'm here for the press club. i could come to the press club weekly, i think, because i own sports teams. when i was president of aol, you would not give me a sniff. [laughter] right? we'd launch a new piece of software that would do $4 billion in revenues in its first year and you would get a write-up like this in "the washington post." and, we trade a third line player and there are columnists writing about it, there's news and ap. so, sports has become such a defining element in all businesses. when you look critically at the

demography of our country, 65% of our population is now coagulated around 32 big cities. that phenomenon continues. it is one of the reasons that d.c. has become a magnificent place to work. great kids come to our universities. they're introduced to how great the city is. they want to stay here. they get jobs. the ip and innovation stays here and it starts to feed upon itself. there are very few iconic institutions that define a major metro area. it is universities. we have georgetown, george washington, american, catholic maryland, on and on. it is iconic real estate. no one has iconic real estate like washington, d.c. the monument -- just go down the mall.

it is public space. manhattan was unlivable. watch "gangs of new york" if you want a reintroduction of what manhattan was like until they built central park. we have got the most iconic gathering space. "i have a dream" speech was delivered here. for my kids, it was walking from virginia to go to the first inauguration of president obama. fourth is a defining business community. silicon valley, hollywood, wall street. this is the federal city where we were created to be the people's city. last is sports teams. you close your eyes and think chicago and you think of the blackhawks or the cubs. you think boston -- you think montreal, you think of the canadiens.

here we have the most important economic and social centers and sports teams play this pivotal defining role. that responsibility can be daunting because it can only be one team that wins. that means there are 29 losers every year. [laughter] it's true. business is not like that. you can take a company public and create billions of dollars of value and wealth and have the number two or number three market share and you are a success. you can launch a product that is as good and has some features that are better and you are a success. in sports, you lose the seventh game of the stanley cup in overtime and you are the loser.

>> talking about cities and economics. one of my pet peeves is you get these academic economists who will tell you that sports teams don't have an economic impact. arenas, the publicly financed, have no economic impact. i happen to think that is absurd. talk about the verizon center, formerly the mci center, and whether or not it had an impact on washington, d.c. >> it has had a defining impact on washington, d.c. mr. pollin was a visionary. very brave. he also structured a deal that was not a great deal with the city, but it led the way for the city to see how great the economic impact would be and that is why we have nationals

park and the baseball team. basically, when i went to georgetown university as a student i was told to enjoy the campus, enjoy georgetown, go to the mall, but whatever you do, do not go anywhere near 10th street. 10th street was adult bookstores, drug dealing prostitution. now it is the shakespeare theater and the national portrait gallery. i don't think verizon center can take all of the credit, but it certainly can take the credit for being the first pioneer to believe in the city and to allow this development to go around it. today, within a mile each way of verizon center, about 12% of the city's tax base is generated.

so, we have been named washington business of the year several times because we bring 2.5 million people into the community. guess what? they come into washington and it has become a living infomercial about d.c. the first couple of years, nobody was coming to games because they were afraid of the neighborhood. somebody finally came to a game and said it was safe and nice. there is lazy thinking in reporting everywhere. not that the media would ever do anything. >> nobody here. >> certainly, nobody in this room. some would say unsafe, downtown can be unsafe. washington is the safest city in the world. [applause]

it's not unsafe. we held a concert for half a million people and a game for 20,000 people at the same time. not an incident was reported. mostly because we have nice people but also because everybody kind of knows there are probably more cameras and more interagency cooperation in this community than any place on earth. and so, the economic benefits are important and they show up in stacks. we have the most phd's of any community in the world. we have the most fiber and bandwidth of any community in the world. we speak the most languages of any community. 170 languages are spoken in d.c.

20% of the population is foreign-born. almost 80,000 people have moved back into the city. there was this trend of people moving out of cities. baby boomers. they all moved back. so, just go around nationals park -- i just drove by today as we were dedicating the playground. there are more cranes up here than any city on earth. people used to brag about beijing and shanghai. that is happening here. this is the greatest place. i think the first pebble that was thrown into the pond was the belief that downtown could be thriving and safe and be a place

for the creative class. that is a central role we play in the city's economy. >> you touched on technology. your background from where you really made your money was in technology. talk about the intersection at this point in time of technology, sports. what this over-the-top stuff is that people are talking about and why you started the monumental network. >> technology's like oxygen. we all better get used to it. we are living in this world where these phenomenons of moore's law and the network effect where the more people i communicate with and they communicate with and we create these networks, the more productive we become. those are two self-evident

theorems that our generation and the next generation are privvy to. there is more technology being introduced on an annual basis than 50 years previous. i worked on my first computer at georgetown university. in 1976, there was one computer on campus in the registrar's office. my iphone 6 has more computing power than the whole campus had when i was a junior. that is unbelievable progress, right? it costs $500 now to do that. we have 6 million mobile subscribers around the world and 3 million people connected to the web. by the way, we in the united states have less than 300 million. we are now less than 10% of the world's internet traffic.

we cannot claim that anymore as our resource because the internet is so ubiquitous and available. it will activate creative classes all around the world. young people -- it's fantastic. thousands of flowers blooming. it is what we imagined. it is also a huge threat to us and our competitiveness. there is no field that is not being transformed quickly by technology. sports is going to be no different. we have a lot of work that is going on in being able to algorithmically study performance of players, how we market our teams, how we deliver information. algorithms rule. we teach our children math and mandarin. i see right now that everything

is an internet device. you've got your fitbit on. i have already done, for those counting, 10,500 steps today. [applause] >> i ate that many calories. [laughter] >> and so, i really do see we will be big data generating machines. our physiognomy, our vision. somebody interviewed me outside in the hallway wearing google glass. your glasses, your watch, your wallet, your belt buckle -- it is all going to be connected. you will have cameras on you. that will be tremendous for

sports and athletes and the data it generates. the way we deliver information is changing dramatically. right now, there is a couple of million homes that pay for cable. there are 6 billion homes that pay for some kind of a mobile subscription. it is a huge business to be connected to television. sports is proving to be the only programming on pay television that can convene in real-time large audiences of people. that is very counter to if you asked 10 years ago to somebody

what is more valuable -- produced television or sports. i saw this five years ago. my daughter was a freshman in college. she came home with some girlfriends and they binge watched "gossip girl." i remember walking downstairs and asked what they were doing. they were watching all four seasons of it. i asked what network it was on. she said, apple tv? she did not know. was paying $1.99 to watch what was on free television on the cw. you can't do that with the game last night. sports in real time has this unbelievable power and it has become the economic driver on primetime television.

i think eight of the top 10 shows were nba, nfl shows. we helped launch a cable network with the nhl and nbc sports. the list goes on and on on how important the programming is but i want to bring our content around the world. to do that you'll hear a lot about over-the-top networks. it is being able to deliver content, programming. it probably will not be live games to devices. you should be able to see highlights, interviews communicate. if you are in india, china russia, if you don't subscribe. there is a whole generation right now of young people who may not get cable.

i have two children who both just graduated college. neither one of them for the last 10 years has had a home phone number. they live in apartments. they don't have a home number. can you imagine our generation? your phone number is your cell phone. my son when he went to college did not get local cable. he said, i have my computer. i have slingbox. you have cable. i have an xbox, netflix. not really sure i need to pay those dollars. they talk about cord-cutters. you will hear that phrase. the next generation will be never on. they will never have subscribed to a newspaper.

i have "sports illustrated" following me today. that was the first magazine i ever subscribed to. i paid and i would wait for it to come. i would read every word of it. my son does not subscribe to any magazines. he has never filled out one of those cards. he reads everything online and most of it is free. there is going to be a whole generation that will not need tethering, they want it over the top. i will get as much as i can for free and very selectively will i pay for some things i see a lot of value in. >> i thank our guests of honor for this new formatted conversation. mr. bettman, you have a future career as an interviewer.

perhaps, "meet the press" will consider you. [applause] >> truth be told, i used to have a radio show. >> first, i have some questions for mr. bettman and then mr. leonsis. mr. bettman, how does a national hockey league choose venues for the winter classic and where do you see future games being held? >> the smart-ass answer would be somewhere between we throw darts and it depends who was harassing me the most. the latter is closest to the truth. actually, we look for to be opportunistic. we started in buffalo with the notion that maybe it would work. once it did, we started looking for what would be the next place we could go to that can build

upon it, and continue the growth of the winter classic and all outdoor games as an institution. as we got more and more comfortable building it as an event, as it got a bigger and bigger following, we decided we could try things that some people thought would be crazy. last year, we did an outdoor game in los angeles and it was great. for us to come to the nation's capital, there is a fan base here that ted has built through his organization and through his use of social media and his commitment to the community that made us comfortable that selling out the venue would be no problem. secondly, we would have an impact on the community that we thought would not just be positive for d.c., but would reflect well on the league. we thought the critical mass was there. every city, every club wants one. even in florida, arizona. why can't we have one? because it is 80 degrees at

night in miami, does not work. so, what we do is we try to move it around. it is the same thing with the all-star game, the draft -- >> i told gary it is never hot and washington. >> he also promised me we would never have weather like we had this morning when we were dedicating the legacy rink. we thought what better place at this time in the genesis of the outdoor games than to be here and to bring in the blackhawks which is a great team and a great draw. we think there's no better way for us to start 2015. >> full disclosure, we have a question from the representative from the "new jersey advance." >> i need to know whether or not i will be canceling my subscription. >> we have already seen a winter classic at yankee stadium.

when are we going to see one at the meadowlands? >> we have -- we played two outdoor games last winter in the new york/new jersey metropolitan area. the devils played in the game. we are going to be moving things around before we go back to the place we have been. we have been given many expressions of interest by metlife stadium and the devils but i think for the time being having played a round robin with the rangers, the islanders and the devils -- playing in new york and new jersey is a unique situation because of the three clubs. if we had only played one game the team that was excluded will say you are driving us out of business. so we had to play two games to make sure everybody was included but i have a lot of other teams that want the game before we can come back.

>> your success as commissioner is indicated in the fact that there seems to be a lot of interest in other cities that want an nhl team. so, i have a general question and a few specific questions that begins with specific cities that want a franchise. we expect you to announce it at the national press club. what is your forecast on the prospect of future expansion and having an equal number of teams in the eastern and western conferences? >> i try not to be in the prognostication business. i don't like guessing about things. yes, i'm charged with leadership and vision but prognostication is like being the weatherman. we know how often they are not right. we are probably stronger as a league. our franchises are stronger as a group than ever before. the ownership group is the

strongest it has ever been. as a result, we are getting expressions of interest from a number of places that don't have franchises. it is gratifying. it is also helping to make franchise values higher and higher almost on a daily basis. we are looking and listening but not doing anything about it. we are letting people look and we are listening to the expressions of interest. yes, we have 16 teams in the east and 14 in the west. that was by virtue of a realignment we did a couple of years ago to try to fix what was wrong with our geography. columbus and detroit -- columbus from their inception and detroit for more than 20 years were in the west. they are in the eastern time zone. it made it very difficult for their travel and for their fans

when they went on the road and had to play games on television back because if they are on the west coast, it was late at night. we had minnesota in the northwest and wanted to be in the central. dallas was in the pacific and wanted to be in the central. we realize and the only way we can do it and get everybody where they belong was to have 16 in the east and 14 in the west. we are scheduling around that. we don't think it is a problem. however, we do understand that there are some people who do. we are not going to expand just for symmetry. somebody's notion of symmetry is not how you make an important business decision as to whether or not you bring in a new partner, a new city, but we will continue to look. if we were going to expand and somebody wanted a team in the east, it would make the evaluation a little more complicated to say the least

because 17 -- 18 in the east and 14 in the west exacerbates what some people perceive to be a problem. since we are not in formal expansion mode right now, i'm not worrying about it. >> i don't expect you to give the pros and cons about the specific cities, but just to let you know, the request i had came from persons who wanted to know about the possibilities of an nhl franchise in seattle or portland or oklahoma or cleveland, ohio where i grew up watching the cleveland barons. >> seattle has expressed an interest previously, before the nba went to oklahoma. oklahoma city tried to get an nhl franchise. we are getting -- las vegas has given us solicitations of

interest. we hear from quebec city. we are just listening. >> the canadian ambassador -- >> actually, i was waiting for the quebec city question. he actually was helpful and responsible for getting a team back in winnipeg after the jets left in the 1990's. >> we are pleased to have you. one or two more and then we will move over to your colleague. what are the challenges of playing with the players union and will fans be subjected to future nhl lockouts? >> i'm going to ask ted a question about that. we don't like lockouts. the fact that i presided over three of them is not a matter of pride. the fact of the matter is we have had some fundamental problems that needed to be addressed. if you don't get the cooperation you need and collective bargaining from the union, we

are prepared to do what needs to be done in order to get to a place where you think you can make the business of your game healthy. you sometimes have to go through those. we have had issues related to the union. after we took a year off, i think the union went through four or five executive directors. the last round of negotiations we had a brand-new executive director in the last round of negotiations. there are things that had to be changed. i get asked if it was worth it. it makes it sound like on some level that i was happy to go through it. the fact of the matter is we had no choice. we did what we had to do and the game for the last 10 years has never been healthier, never been bigger, never been more popular. the game on the ice has never been better. from an owner's standpoint, how do you view work stoppages? by the way, if i did not have the support of ownership, we could not have gotten through it

and achieve the objectives we set out to achieve. >> i think i have been an owner too long because while the commissioner was speaking, i noticed there is a light out up there. [laughter] if you owned a team, you would probably get about 30 e-mails from people saying you have a light out. [laughter] fans deserve the opportunity to have hope and dream and believe their team can be competitive. the system that the nhl has implemented now has proven out that every city enters the year thinking they can make the playoffs and compete for a stanley cup. we have seen in our league teams that just make it.

they finish in the 16th spot and they end up winning the stanley cup that year. one of the great things about the system for the fans is that if you are a really big market you can't outspend somebody in a really small market. the competitiveness there -- you come to the sprint for the playoffs and your team is in it. we did not have a very good year last year and we did not make the playoffs. the first time in seven years and we missed the playoffs by three points. i look back -- you look at the

schedule and say we lost in a shootout here, lost in overtime -- we should have made the playoffs. it is so healthy. the players all want to be on winning teams. i look at some other leagues that don't have a system like that. usually, there are markets that spend $40 million on payroll and this other team is going to spend $200 million on payroll. as soon as my player who is young and i develop gets good, he is going to go to another market. what happens, the scar tissue builds up in the fan base because they feel disadvantaged. they don't want to fall in love with the young player. i believe firmly that the day the washington capitals took off was when alex ovechkin became this great player and an m.v.p. and he announced he wants to stay in washington, d.c. and we

signed him to a 13-year contract. [applause] i honestly believe the fan base said we can believe. we can trust he is not going to the first big market he can or a canadian team. it was like a verification to the community that this was a great place and we can have a great team. so, i like the system for the benefit of the fans. it starts to put an emphasis on how good you are as a leader and a manager and an owner because you cannot outspend everybody. you need to have a good ahl system, you have to draft and develop well, you have to make a few trades, manage the cap a lot -- a lot goes into it. it makes it more fun to manage. >> how painful are work stoppages from an owner's standpoint? >> like you can't believe. i didn't lay off a person. right? i paid everybody during all the work stoppages.

financially, it is really painful. the bank didn't say you don't have to pay the mortgage on the building. emotionally is where it hurts the most because that ebb and flow -- that's the great thing about sports teams. the other day, i was coming to a game with a very important person and we were a little late. he said, what time does the game start? i said, the game starts the same time every game. it is not like i am going to call over and say we are running late, can you wait to drop the puck? there is a trust embedded in that that you play this many home games and the season starts this week and it ends that week

and the playoffs begin this week. when that gets taken away, it feels like death. like a zombie, you walk around and there is nothing to do. you feel terrible for the fans for the workers, for the players. when you make that decision, it is a really difficult decision. you have to make sure that you come out of it as much stronger which we have proven. the league has never been stronger, the competitiveness has never been better, the play has never been better, the revenue growth has never been better. i think a lot of that comes from the core of the cba that all teams can be competitive. >> i will ask the questions now.

>> fix the lights. [laughter] >> we are going to switch the topic. you are involved in the effort to bring the olympics to washington, d.c. in 2024. what do you think the prospects are and how would the olympics change our region? >> our country and our community is so in need of big mission-based projects we can rally around. i just came back from a week overseas and many organizations that people here represent are

partially responsible for how the world sees us. we watched sky tv and bbc last week and the tv shows that gets shown, you would think everybody has ebola. every city is closed down because of riots and that there is a race war going on in america. that is the imagery that is basically being delivered to the world. every media outlet has headlines that talks about the dysfunction of washington, d.c. how broken america is and how dysfunctional the city is. we live here. this is the greatest city in the world. and, doing something like the olympics, our theme is unity.

russ ramsey, our chairman, is here. we have an opportunity, a once in a generation opportunity to accomplish a lot around a big mission. on a small level, we can reimagine the city. when i was in london last week i got goosebumps in seeing how the east end, which looked like the area around verizon center and now looks like ward seven and ward eight, were totally transformed for the olympic games. some media write things and i go have you been to london? have you seen? they made a profit on the games. they created a community where public transportation united a disconnected part of the city. they cleaned the river. they turned the olympic village into low-income housing.

the data centers and the fiber that was laid created silicon roundabout which is now their thriving number one job creator for their venture capital community and tech center. we can do that here. we can deal with the scar tissue and the birth defect we have in washington, d.c. we have not been able to embrace and go across the anacostia and make that community a part of ours. for the world, we are in desperate need to show a united front that we stand for something good. nothing, honestly, nothing is more transformative and healing than the power of sport. do you believe in miracles? yes.

[applause] that is representative. >> let me ask you a follow-up question. >> yes, i am passionate. [laughter] >> leading on from your comments, hockey is a rather expensive sport. with the cost of gear and ice time, how can the nhl and the washington capitals and other teams help kids get involved and afford hockey and further diversify the makeup of players in the nhl? either or both. >> the commissioner should talk because the league has done a good job. a lot of times, this goes to the media reporting, it is not front-page news to talk about the commissioner's work with black colleges and scholarship funds. why would you want to write about that?

we just went to ward six in the rain and cold and i'm disappointed not a senior city official was there because it doesn't make big news. we built the playground and gave equipment and built the rink for kids that will have that for decades. we train kids. a hall of fame player was there. sports teams, we really are in pursuit of a double bottom line. we have the iceplex and we give 1200 hours a year away to sled hockey and youth hockey and the like. i won't be disingenuous. it is the right thing to do but

it is also good business. introducing young people across all economic strata, making the tent as big as possible is smart business. they are the fans of tomorrow. they are the next great defenseman. the number one or number three pick in the draft a couple of years ago was the son of a basketball player who once played for the washington wizards. popeye jones. he got traded to dallas. while he was in dallas, dallas had a really good hockey team. there was a boon of rinks that were being built. he started playing ice hockey and he could become the greatest defenseman in the league. it is how we will expand the game and the bigger the tent the better.

we are very active. >> the fact is we spend millions of dollars in support of usa hockey which is the grassroots organization that manages hockey across the united states. we have programs, learn to play programs, try hockey programs. we have a number of clubs that support economically disadvantaged programs. whether or not it is here or ice hockey in harlem or snyder hockey in philadelphia. the owner of the flyers has taken over from the city all the rinks that were dilapidated and were about to be shut down. for me -- this may not make an owner happy in terms of the bottom line but in ted's case

the broader objective is something i know he is supportive of -- hockey as a vehicle for disadvantaged children to learn life lessons. be a good student, hard work team work, diligence, physical fitness, getting the education you need so you can do anything else. if we can get young people involved in life by using hockey, it will be great if they can become fans and it'll be amazing if they become nhl players, but the last two objectives are not as important as giving back to the community by making kids to be in a position to go to college and do things with their lives they never would have had an opportunity to do. [applause] >> what is the last board of directors you joined? >> thurgood marshall. >> gary's on the board of the thurgood marshall scholarship college fund.

>> we are almost out of time. i just want to interject this format -- you two having a conversation, i think you deserve a special round of applause. [applause] before asking the last question and since you elected to receive during the first half, you will receive the last question which is a two-parter. first, i'd like to present you each with a traditional national press club mug which we give to our distinguished guest of honor and you both deserve it. >> thank you. [applause] >> this was not the cup i was expecting. [laughter] >> that was a very good line. >> actually, i'm shortening my concluding remarks because

before i ask the last question i will like to ask you one that you just referred to. the last time you spoke here the capitals were having success in its regular season and you predicted a stanley cup championship. i guess we had that on the record in our archives. so, why has that not happened? >> because it's hard. [laughter] >> there are 29 other clubs who want to make sure that does not happen. >> it's very humbling. it's very humbling to realize that ultimately there are 29 failures and one success. the great thing about sports is you get to try it again. you try new things and you keep making investments. my belief is that we're hard-working enough, smart enough, energetic enough investment oriented enough. keep at it and eventually we will get through it.

>> ok. now, we are going to switch to the national football league. as a successful owner of two professional sports teams, what advice can you offer the owner of the washington football team and the second part -- should the washington redskins change their name? why or why not? >> i get asked this question all the time and i've been very consistent with my answer. i have great empathy for how difficult it is to lead a team. i have done some things well and i've had miserable failures. i have done things that i'm not proud of and not executed well on. my plate is full. i would never appreciate another owner talking about the capitals or the wizards and our strategy.

i don't think it's appropriate for me to address anything there. [applause] >> we are out of time which often happens at sports events. i want to thank our two guests so much for being here today and sharing the podium together. we are adjourned. thank you very much. [applause] >> now, a conversation with former naval aviator brian binnie a spacecraft test pilot for. he describes his experience and gives advice to private citizens who are buying tickets for upcoming spaceflights.

this is one hour. >> ok. now we are going ahead with the second part. this is brian binnie. he is a private astronaut. he flew spaceshipone 10 years ago. spaceshiptwo, richard branson is working on. this guy, i've got a ticket on spaceshiptwo. he was going to fly me. he has gone to xcorp now. i want a warm welcome for brian binnie. this guy has the right stuff. [applause]

>> thank you. i'm in the private side. i don't take your tax money. we do business our way. i'm working on our fourth spaceship. i have pictures of my private career post military, available with a business card at the back. it has been 10 years now since the x-prize flights. coming up on 11 years. i have written -- is c-span running? get this on screen.

i have written a book about the experiences of the program. there were a lot of blogs they came out at the time that told pieces but the fun stuff is in here. i kept thinking if i could just find myself in a city that has some expertise in books, publishing, editing, managing, and i could find myself in a group, a crowd of people that might actually enjoy reading what it is like to explore a brand-new private spaceship, then i thought here is an opportunity. with that said, i'm going to pass these around.

if you think -- i think there is enough for everybody in the room. if you're in the book is in this, my business card is on the back. please take one. >> i just handed them out. >> off they go. >> that is all i had to say today. [laughter] >> to move on to our next presenter. brian is not only a great aviator, he is a friend of mine. i guess you would say in full disclosure, he wrote the forward to one of my books call the right stuff. i took brian in a car at 200 miles per hour as a passenger.

he has the right stuff. was that scarier? >> spaceship 1 wasn't as scary. the vehicle itself. 200 miles per hour is faster than any of the designs. it was curious that it actually took an automobile to get my attention on the runway there. >> we 10 years ago remember first of all many of us never thought the rise was going to be one because there were so many competitors. all of a sudden with a couple of months to go you guys fly it into space.

then you do it again but you do it twice within two weeks. it's fun 35 times and looked dicey to us on the ground. then you had to go and finish the job. you had to fly it again within two weeks to get the $2 million. talk about that a little bit. i know there is pressure. richard branson is there. you had to make it happen. >> you know, what i want to talk about is -- i will get back to that but walt's comment about cell phones, i'm not a cell phone kind of guy. one day i was flying a plane. the only requirement was to have

a commercial glider rating. if you start to think about it it seems like it is a pretty low bar flying wise. i doubt that in the foothills -- i am out there in the foothills and i am practicing this baby airplane glider. it weighs as much as i do. the plane takes us up over the mountains which are 8000 feet and then get released. immediately i get things that are 1500 feet per minute. just making a turn. i'm coming down like a brick. the stick is swinging back and

forth trying to keep the wings level. i decide today is not the day to be flying this thing. i start aiming back towards the field. i may be pointing that way but i am still flying this way. there is no place to go. at some point you have to give up and say today i'm not going back, i'm going somewhere else. where that somewhere else is -- i don't know. i ended between [indiscernible] in this baby airplane that has no canopy on it. eventually it makes a sharp

turn. this is where the windmills are. 3000 windmills can't be wrong most of the time. today was one of those days. i'm getting pretty low. i'm running in between these slashing blades of these windmills. i'm looking for a place to park this airplane. they have these access roads that run up and down the valleys. i find i've got 50 feet, 20 yards of road in the right orientation that is relatively flat. i have that much altitude.

it is that kind of turn. the thing settles my sling onto this access road. and i go, hey. i made it. how about that? i didn't break anything. that is when i realized i was after that harrowing mess, did you think that would be easy? >> i am stuck in i cannot get out. if i get out it will fly away, essentially. so i am sitting there, it is sunday morning. the