this afternoon by vice president joe biden. while the u.s. house is about to gavel in for pro forma session. no legislative business to be conducted today snow has close much of the federal government today. the house is still holding this brief session to meet its constitutional requirements. live coverage of the u.s. house here on c-span. the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker. the clerk: the speaker's room washington, d.c., february 17, 2015. i hereby appoint the honorable luke messer to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. signed, john a. boehner, speaker of the house of representatives.

the speaker pro tempore: the chair -- the prayer will be offered by our chaplain, father conroy. chaplain conroy: let us pray. gracious god, we give you thanks for giving us another day. in this moment of prayer, please grant the members of this people's house as they meet with their respective constituents. the gifts of wisdom and discernment, but in their words and actions they'll do justice, love with mercy and walk humbly with you. we ask, as well your blessing upon those who are especially impacted by the severe weather -- winter weather in this city and throughout so much of our country. may those who work to address the needs of the weak and vulnerable at times like this know they do your work. may all that is done this day be for your greater honor and glory. amen.

the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to section 2-a of house resolution 100, the journal of the last day's proceedings is approved. please join me in the pledge of allegiance. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. pursuant to section 2-b of house resolution 100 the house stands adjourned until 11:00 a.m. on friday february 20, 2015. >> the house has completed its pro forma session, not because of snow, but because members are in home districts because of the break.

congressman from -- represent party tweets this. john shimkus says he is beaten to the clay county farm bureau alledge letter breakfast at anthony's in florida. c-span begins this evening with conversations from the annual techcrunch disrupt conference from san francisco. journalists interview the leading entrepreneurs and innovators in silicon valley. here's remarks from uber's ceo. >> here's the idea. the ideas you push a button, the car comes to pick you up just like normal. while you are on your way to your destination. someone else is going along your destination at the same way the same time. with less than two minutes -- humans are less deviation from

your route, you go and pick someone else up along the way. >> and they get in my car with me? >> correct. >> it sound like a bus so far. >> understood. the difference is a bus, you go to a quarter that half a cap my way from you. and you wait 15 minutes, and sometimes it's on time, and sometimes it's not. this one comes just like the uber you know. it's there when you want to, where he wanted. that's the magic. what happens is you are still getting the benefit of a bus you are still getting the benefit of carpooling by literally taking cars off the road. there is significant efficiencies in doing that. >> you can see all of our coverage of the conference as part of our three nights of tech starting this evening at 8:00 eastern here on c-span. where you can logon to the video

library at any time, go to c-span.org. >> the c-span cities to or takes book tv in american history tv on the road. traveling to u.s. cities to learn about their history and literary life. this weekend, we partnered with time warner cable for a visit to greensboro north carolina. >> after months and months of cleaning the house they were making one more walk-through and in the attic, he looked over and saw an envelope with kind of a green seal on it, and walked over. and noticed the date was in 1832 document. he removed a single mail from a panel in an upstairs attic room, and discovered a trunk and books and portraits stuck under the eaves, and this was this treasure of dolly madison's things. we've had the story available to the public, is playing different

items from time to time. but trying to include her life story from her book -- from her birth to her death in 1849. some of the items we currently have on display -- a card, ivory calling card case, it has a card enclosed with her signature as well as that of her niece anna. so small cut glass perfume bottles. and a pair of silk slippers that have tiny little ribbons that tie across the arch of her foot. and the dresses are the reproductions of a silk, peach silk down that she wore earliest in life, and a red velvet down which has intrigued both that it's lasted and it's part of this collection, there's also a legend that is now accompanying the stress. >> watch oliver events from

greensboro saturday at noon eastern on book tv, and sunday afternoon at 2:00 on american history tv on c-span3. >> earlier today, vice president joe biden swore in the next defense secretary, ashton carter , who replaces chuck hagel, who announces his resignation in november. ashton carter is president obama's fourth chief. >> make a two-for-one. [indiscernible] >> hello, everyone. welcome to the roosevelt room. dr. carter, stephanie, william

carter, where is william? hey, man. how are you? welcome. daughter ava couldn't be present today, but the deputy secretary who has been running things, it's been a great asset to the department. general marty dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs, as well as admiral james would've filled, vice-chairman, and members of the carter transition team. i said as i walked in, tash, if anyone is made for this job, if there's a job description that that the person, this is the guy that fits the job description. it's kind of fitting that we are here the roosevelt room, a lot of renaissance men, from teddy to franklin. they get sworn in in this room. ash, you are a scholar of strategic military affairs, and nuclear weapons policy.

a profoundly capable manager demonstrated time and again with universal respect and affection of the people you work with. reflected in a near unanimous vote in the united states senate. we have to talk more. [laughter] i tell you what, they used to be the good old days. i'm glad you got us back and harness, got the senate back in harness. a physicist with a genuine expert on the acquisition and technical capabilities that are going to help guarantee the united states military is second to none in the world. this man has a driving intellectual force behind all that he does, and all this in administration has been doing. strengthening our nations -- nation's cyber security, and deepening defense cooperation with india.

even when you were allegedly gone, we never let you go. i don't how many times i was on the phone with you for your advice after you had left. the president didn't like it when you work here, -- when you weren't here, ash. i'm glad you are back. most importantly, you have been a fighter like the men and women in uniform, have been a fighter for the women and men who served in uniform. our incoming secretary of defense, like his predecessor, understands that while this country has many obligations it only has one truly sacred obligation, many obligations but one truly sacred one. and that's to equip and protect those we sent to war, and care for the families while they are there, and them and their families when they come home. years ago, when we learned that

what improvised explosive devices were, it's hard to believe that 15 years ago, people were talking about -- we didn't know what ied's work on it wasn't part of the vocabulary. they are responsible for upwards of 60% of the death and injuries to our troops in iraq and afghanistan. and ash carter was the guy who left into action to honor that sacred obligation -- taking care of our troops. he was then undersecretary of defense of acquisition technology and logistics. and then as deputy secretary, he works like the devil to get our troops mine resistant ambush protected vehicles. they have saved lives and limbs and countless numbers for american women and men. i can remember ash i spoke at the time on the senate with the commandant of the marine corps. we had a universal opposition to spending money at the time it,

as you are member. even some division within the defense department on whether we should spend the money. that was $23 billion we were trying to get that year. to begin to build these. it's faced not only bureaucratic opposition, but there was opposition on the floor of the united states senate. i have a great privilege of leading the effort to get this money put in the budget. and remember before we went in to the debate, going around quoting you, referencing your report. and then in the middle of the debate, why was told by democrats and republicans, leaders in the house -- in the senate armed services committee, this was not a priority for the united states military, i called up then the commandant of the marine corps. i left the floor i suggested the absence of a quorum, left

the floor, and went back into the cloak room. and he referenced your report as well, and said he believed, i'm paraphrasing, his highest moral obligation was to get these bills. and so, guess what? we did. but then the argument became a rebuilding too many -- are we building too many? i member saying is a little like franklin roosevelt saying how we built to many landing craft? because we are not going to be able to use than after this, we won't need the very much. that was the argument of the time. we shouldn't build as many because we're not going to need them. we're not going to need them, why waste the money? in the end, we sent more than 24,000 two iraqi in afghanistan and your binary work was was saved thousands of lives and limbs. i remember my next trip to

afghanistan, after this. two iraq, they were in falluja and the battle had been run. there was a group they wanted to show me. it was a meeting going on. they wanted to show me one that had just been blown up. two young sergeants in an armored humvee got out of their vehicles and showed me how this one was blown up. i forget how many pounds of explosives, but it blew the entire vehicle up higher than a telephone pole, it brought down wires. but they all survived. they had all of the soldiers there survive because the internal portion of the vehicle was preserved. if you did nothing else in your career, that was a pretty important thing to have done. but that's just one example of the way he cares for the troops.

the also led the effort to develop -- this is not a joke, protective undergarments. earned him a pair of signed bulger funderburk, but enduring gratitude from writers whose bodies were broken -- run broken because of what he rushed into the field. ash and stephanie -- my deceased wife used to say you want a measure of a man or a woman look at what they do if no one was looking. if no one was looking. almost every saturday, when no one was looking ash and stephanie were out at walter reed, no cameras, no publicity no advance. they just became regulars. they got to know the families of those women and men they looked after their children, they saw these warriors heal.

and they formed lasting bonds with hundreds upon hundreds of these young women and men. that's what endeared the most to you ash and stephanie. he didn't just do these things, he wrote eloquently about the lessons of his experience of the next time, we could do a lot better. in other words ash carter is a thinker and a do or. he gets things done, he's famous for holding meetings while walking briskly in the pentagon with aides struggling to give up. they hope you stay in the bigger office and don't wander as much. and woe to the person who runs -- carter -- runs into ash carter having not finish a project. they're probably staffers over

there thinking of the things they told you you would do before you left. where is that memo, did i get it all done? many tough missions as you know as well as any of the men or women in here lie ahead, from the fight against isil, to the asia-pacific rebalance, to maintaining a technological edge, to the continuous efforts to make the most out of every dollar we invest in defense. as you know now, after your vote, not only to the president and i, and the chiefs, but the united states senate are counting on you to keep holding yourself and all in your charge to the highest possible standards required for our ideals. never stop demanding and delivering the best for the men and women in uniform. and dr. carter, as you take

leadership of this greatest military in the history of mankind, that is not hyperbole. that is an absolute fact. in all of human history, there has never been a military as capable as this. you do so with confidence of everyone in your building, confidence in the united states senate, the confidence of president obama and me. and so many other people who admire your work. so, god bless your mission old buddy, and may god protect our troops. with your permission, i'm going to administer the oath, and you and i are going to have to sign a few documents here to make it official. and then i'm going to turn it over to you. you walk up to her, and he raised her hand. put your left hand on the bible. i, state your name. >> i, ashton carter, do solemnly swear, that i will support and defend the constitution of the united states against all

enemies foreign and domestic that i will their true faith to legions of the state. but i take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of invasion. and i will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office of which i'm about to enter. so help me god. >> secretary, thank you. [applause] you and i have to sign this, ash . and then the podium is euros. let me make sure i sign the right place. sign there, and i'll get out of

the way. >> well, thank you as vice president. i think you know how much it means to me to have you swear me in today. i thank you. and for me, this is the highest honor, to be the 25th secretary of defense. i'm grateful to the president and the vice president for your trust and confidence, and to the u.s. senate as well, for their trust and confidence. i've got a lot of banks to give out here, first and foremost to my perfect wife stephanie. my wonderful sun will, and my daughter ava, already mentioned. a number of folks who were part of my transition team, and helped me get to where i am without whom i would not be where i am.

i won't name each and everyone of you, but i'm looking at you. and i appreciated it. it was a time when i really needed help. and i got help from you all. and to join, my wonderful deputy bob lark, my fantastic chairman marty dempsey, i've known and worked with you before. it's wonderful to rejoin the team with you. i have some special friends here, deputy secretary of energy leader sherwood, i'm very grateful that you would come today and take your time to be with me. all the rest of my team to be, eric ron, thank you all very much for being here. i am honored to rejoin the men

and women of the defense department in what is the highest calling, which is the defense of our country. starting today, i want to make three commitments to them, and to the country, and to the president, and to the vice president. and my fellow citizens. the first is to help our president make the best possible decisions about our security and the security of the world. and then, to ensure that our department executes those decisions with its long accustomed competence and effectiveness. and while we deal with the challenges to our national security, i also want to make sure that i help our leadership

grab hold of the wonderful opportunities that lie before this great country. and to make the world better place for our children, and to create a safer world. my second commitments is to the men and women of the department of defense, whom i will lead to reflect in everything i do, and to honor the commitment and dedication that brought them into service. to protect their dignity, their safety, their well-being. to make decisions about sending them into harms way with the greatest reflection and care. and third, i have a commitment to the future. to building a force for our future. that involves not only securing

the resources we need, but making sure that we make the best use of the taxpayer's dollar. make sure that we embrace change so that years from now, and decades from now, we continue to be a place where america's finest want to serve. a place that the begin to the rest of the world, a place that has the best in the way of technology, and in the way of caring for our own people, and people around the world. we are entering the fourth quarter of this presidents -- president's tenure. these commitments i think will help me help him come and help the vice president to ensure that those years are productive, and that they leave our country's future in the best possible place, in the best

possible hands. so thank you, once again, for this honor and privilege, to lead and serve alongside the members of the finest fighting force the world has ever known. thank you. [applause] [indiscernible]

[indiscernible] >> ashton carter becomes the fourth defense secretary under president obama. the white house is promised an appeal after a federal judge in texas temporarily blocked president obama's action on immigration, and gave a coalition of 26 states time to pursue a lawsuit. this puts on hold the president's orders that could spare from deportation as militant -- as many as 5 million people. should the lawsuit go forward

without april and her injection he said, the states would suffer irreparable harm in this case. how speaker john bader tweeted this out about the texas's judge's ruling. president obama does not have the authority to do what he did. no surprise, at least one court agrees. nancy pelosi offer this, clearly, the legal authority of and precedents of previous presidents do not apply the eyes of a texas judge. three nights attack beaching -- featuring leaders and internet companies. >> if you lease a taxi it should be a bentley. instead, it's a taxi. and for that privilege of leasing that car for $40,000 a year, he gets to be impoverished. >> here from insiders at facebook, paypal, at sea, and more. all part of a special presentation will congress is in

recess. >> is, probably the top high-tech country in the world with digital first, for gdp growth, job creation, including for minorities, health care and every location, and cisco was a partner all the way through. >> three nights attack starting tonight at 7:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. -- three nights of tech. the new york historical society has a panel on hillary clinton. the moderator is a former abc news correspondent. presidential marriages that shaped our history. >> good evening, ladies and gentlemen as such a pleasure to be back and to have three such a distinguished panelists to discuss a subject that i think

is more than a mild interest in this room. so, our topic this evening is hillary rodham clinton and the white house. and i think sean, jon, and carl, we are working even though no formal announcement has been made that this is a done deal and -- indeed it is a deal that hillary rodham clinton has prepared for four a very long time. i think rarely have we ever had a candidate more prepared for the role in so many areas. for the sake of full disclosure, i will disclose that i have a

personal relationship with hillary but i will maintain decorum as a moderator. and my husband was in her candidate as ambassador to the united states. gentlemen, does she have that first-class temperament that the presidency requires? sean? >> sure. [laughter] >> no hesitation. she has a first-class mind which is the second part of the question. >> the reference to the temperament which is a reference to fdr. >> look, it has come across during her second stint as secretary of state where her temperament was one of calm in crisis and that is one of the things required, calm in crisis. it is understanding a situation

and taking the situation and calculating and acting appropriately. she has the temperament for it. >> jon? >> i think it's still an open question and i am an admirer of hillary in many ways and she has a first-class sentiment unlike fdr, a description of him, at a 92nd birthday a few days after roosevelt was sworn in in 1933 and roosevelt went over to the justice's home to drink bootleg champagne. that would be like obama going to a justice's home to smoke a little weed. >> medical marijuana. >> when he left, justice holmes

said second-class intellect, first-class temperament. some stores believed he was talking about theodore roosevelt. [laughter] but, you know, the question of temperament as the great political scientists, the late richard said is the great separator. you can have all of the experience. you can be smart. but what separates the great presidents from the merely good or mediocre presidents is temperament. a very complex quality, a very lucid quality, in little bit the way the supreme court defined pornography, you know it when you see it. i think obama has first-class temperament when he was elected and now he has a second-class temperament. it is not enough.

and with hillary, it's too soon to know even though we are familiar with her. the pressures are such it is too soon to know what her public temperament would be in office. >> carl, she is often compared more to president obama and contrasted with her husband. the point being that she is more like obama in that she is very much an analytical, an analytical mind and has been pointed out -- first-class intellect. but jon eludes to in terms of having that magic something,

which is so hard to quantify which her husband had, does she have that? >> i think she has had at times and displayed it at times. not too far back and really finding a figure, a president, who's sort of handed this, lack of fireworks, not always a need or perhaps unwisely not a desire to blow her own horn.

someone she admires and i remember her talking a lot about and talking a lot about, for example, an example she mentioned was -- i have no problem with the kennedy administration, the justice department getting a lot of credit with civil rights. circuit court judges and so that -- but i also see her eight years as first lady as being more instructive to us now about what she would be like as a president and not just secretary of state were not. when i looked at how she handled health care and dealt with it, this is of course a huge crush but i will learn from this. as then went on to give the 4 speeches on human rights. how during the president's impeachment crisis, during the worst time, still kept her eyes on the most sweeping adoption of foreign legislation that she was working with tom delay on in getting past and not letting

that distract her. i see some of those -- and first-class temperament, that ability to keep one's eye on the big picture and putting what is going on personally to the side and i think she has that. >> what i was going to say, the word is perseverance and calm mean taking bad blows and moving on as she has done it again and again. like the 2008 campaign. she campaigned and she did much better, she picked herself up. that is really the hallmark of her career.

>> i can only think of 2 instances when she lost it and one was in new hampshire when the famous scene, where somebody expressed sympathy and her eyes filled and she, she allowed us how, yes -- >> it helps her imminently. >> and the second time was when she was being hammered by during the senate hearings on benghazi and she just kind of threw her hands up and basically, i think won the audience that time. it was such a human reaction and i think everybody else was feeling by then that this was -- and this was a witch hunt.

and get on with it. >> the first time she did it was in 1992, the new york primary. i decided to pursue my professional career. >> that was -- that was one of her -- i think these two shows of emotion and humanity have really helped and i for one would like to see more of that. jon? >> i think her resilience is one of her great qualities and important qualities for president. the temperament thing gets very complicated for two reasons.

it is couple candid enough when it is a male but we do not really have any real template for what a first-class female temperament is in high office. she is inventing it as she goes along. it takes more than race, it is different. the temperament of a woman and how that connects in the chemistry of that with the american public. and so with roosevelt, compared meeting him to opening a bottle of champagne, it made you feel better. it may you feel better, that optimism, that quality that reagan had that made people or certain people feel better. we do not really know whether hillary has that quality.

she is never held an executive position. >> but she has -- >> as governor, we would've had a better idea. >> she has broken so many barriers and rewritten so many templates and as she has been, our longest running public performer. i cannot think of anyone else who has sustained this level of public scrutiny. is it there -- >> the one thing she has that is partly a temperament question, she has the habit of command. and where when she comes in whether she was just out of law school and she went to arkansas to take control of bill clinton's unsuccessful congressional campaign in 1970 four. she came in and took charge. for one of the reasons she is greatly respected in the military and a monkey love her

-- and among a lot of her colleagues is that she knows how to take charge. i saw it in 1992 when bill clinton was under pressure from having the draft and trying to get into the national guard and the gennifer flowers. i remember being backstage at an event that clinton was taking part in, a television hearing. i cannot remember the specifics but just remember hillary clinton was totally in charge. she was going to take control. even worse with lewinsky later on, both cases, she put of the personal stuff aside and took charge of her husband's career

rescued him, pulled him up, and figured out what needed to be done. she was barking orders, in a commanding way. barking orders to staff people here is what needs to happen. >> you raised several important points. time is short. first of all, let's spend a few minutes with the bubba, bill clinton. an enormous factor in all of this. yet again, the clintons are on the brink of making history. if she is elected, we have our first gentleman which would be an interesting topic for us to write about. but in the 2008 campaign, bill clinton's role was at best a mixed bag. what can we expect and the 2016 campaign? >> i am glad you brought it up. i think this is really

fascinating, the idea of not just potentially the first woman president but the first former president's wife as a president. that actually would help the visual familiarity of them. you know, you cannot underestimate that familiarity of seeing them together. and there been many times when she was at the podium and he was standing behind her. i think -- and i think it can also be said -- and a lot of people were said during the 1992 campaign even though a lot of people voted for him because of her, the general population, she was -- during the campaign.

there were a couple of things -- >> again, the clintons are about to make history. sean, do we expect to see a different bill clinton by her side? >> of the world is different and it is a different campaign. 2008, the obama campaign came out of nowhere. and there was a lot of scurrying and trying to figure out what to do. and president clinton was a part of all of that. eight years later, by all measures, the most admired man in the world. he comes with that. he spent a lot of time in the foundation role, which is different from politics. it requires a different temperament, a different way of approaching things. i think bill's eight years -- he brings to the campaign that aura which wasn't quite in there in 2008. it will be different. we will see.

we do not know. we will have to see. has political skills betrayed him and he said stupid things that hurt at the campaign. he is disciplined enough to avoid that this time and it will be more like what they ran in 1992, two for the price of one. it will be comforting to certain voters to know that, you know, if the country runs into tough times, he is in the picture. and by the way, he was president during the biggest boom time since right after world war ii. >> and what about president obama's low poll numbers? is that a plus for hillary or is that a negative? >> it depends on what happens. if the economy gets better, if he keeps getting better, it is going to be a good thing having obama around.

i think the voters, they can distinguish between the two of them. >> i think we can agree. >> she is going to be distinct and the other vice presidents were not or other former cabinet members were not. that is pretty clear. i do not think the president can hurt her particularly. i think the economy could help. >> it is so interested how their fates are bound with each other. these candidates who wrestled so intensely -- obama needs hillary to win to complete his legacy. >> i think that is why he did that "60 minutes" interview with her when she left the secretary of state. that was unprecedented. >> and she needs him to be successful and the last few years.

if there was a huge foreign-policy mistake, it would be hung around her neck. and this quote to get her in 60 years, the only president since eisenhower, the only democrat since fdr who won an absolute majority both times. and so, part of that is the third-party candidates, there is an obama coalition which she assembled twice. >> will they come out for hillary? the obama people? >> i think hillary and the clintons have been popular, they will come out. there will be a battle to try to up spend.

a lot of turn out questions. they need and a lot will depend on the way the immigration debate plays out. as far as young people goes, that is the big question mark. obama did well with the young people. not to during the midterms especially the last time. hillary might seem 20th century to some of the young people. >> except for young women. for young women, such a historic opportunity and they have none of the historical baggage that you guys have been alluding to the white house in years. listening to my daughter and her friends, they are ready to go to work today for hillary. will she make more of the fact

she is -- just possibly the first woman in the white house that she did not do in 2008? >> i don't think that she really needs to as opposed to focusing on the issues. it is obvious, the only thing is as we are talking in january as we know how rapidly and certainly the world changes, when you think about the fact that a less than a year, the presidential election was decided by the supreme court. and then the world trade center and pentagon were attacked in the world changes rapidly. you have to be sure if she is going to run. second of all, there is discussion about some challenges, martin o'malley and even though no one at the moment looks like they can amount a credible campaign against her. the way the media may focus will

raise issues and provide a voice that might suggest -- >> maybe it is not a bad thing. peril in being the front runner with no one near her. right now, she is 60% to biden's 10% and elizabeth warren's 12%. >> we are not used to seeing parties coalesce around a candidate. and we might be seeing something that is different which is not in our experience. we are uses a lots of primary battles. i am not saying it will happen but it is possible the party -- when i say the party, not just the voters was the machinery the people out there. the people that run the caucus.

if there is a coalesce around her, i do not think it is a bad thing. >> i think she will win to the nomination but she will be challenged just like in modern american politics. bernie sanders might run. jim webb might run who is a war hero and very interesting and a little awkward candidate. martin o'malley might run. but somebody will emerge and if they do not, a lot of mischief making the by the press. you have these 10,000 reporters and they all want -- they all want a story. the possibility. but very quickly, i agreed with everything you said except on the issue of women, in order to make herself seem new and in

part because she failed to do enough of it in 2008. i think she will talk explicitly about being a woman and what that means and she will not just leave it to people's knowledge. >> you think she will speak about her own perhaps experiences or -- >> a historic quality of it. >> that come she missed the last time. her historic opportunity was trumped by barack obama's opportunity. an extraordinary collision of 2 moments of history. we elected the first african-american. >> it makes you seem new and that is her big challenge. she is a little old, she is any risk of seeing to 20th century. but being a woman makes her seem new. >> what is the worst thing that could be thrown at her? we a great political figure has been so scrutinize as hillary rodham clinton. what could possibly make her lose?

>> where the money is coming from. with talked about the obscene amounts of money that needs to be raised more and more and last time, there was some trouble. the chinese-american in california -- it was not a big story, but she did not with the nomination. i think that is always a potential problem, where is the money coming from? >> that is not an issue republicans will raise. [laughter] >> i really agree with that. she's been a little tone deaf on some of those things. she gave speeches to goldman sachs and i think that will be an issue. she is still giving speeches and there is a populist element and the democratic party that is growing. she will need to respond to it and the way she responds to it

i think will be the big question and her first outing on that was not encouraging for her supporters. she said at one point she was trying to show that she was not close to wall street. and she said businesses do not create jobs. a little similar to obama's gaffe in 2012 when he said -- the difference was -- this was something that might indicate some challenges ahead. obama, he was talking fast and he made a gaffe. when hillary said it, she was speaking very slowly and when you watch it on youtube, it was really disturbing. her mind should have that, what are you saying? it was like she was overcompensating for the fact

she knows she needs to move left. >> i would disagree a little with jon on the populist issue. she tried to recover. i am going to show you right now. she made a speech at the end of the year, she got an award from the kennedys. that was after ferguson and all of that stuff where she was really out. she gave a speech that had the crowd pretty up. i was watching that rather than her. she addressed the ferguson stuff. she said, we should not have a government where a banker can get away scott free in a middle-class person has to

struggle. she was talking about those kinds of issues. the 1% stuff, the press can come down on her for that. she is in the 1%. if we say she cannot represent anyone else, frankly, the opposite. she does have to find her voice on those issues. i can hear her doing it in that speech and she was persuasive. >> and she is conscious of it. >> who would be her dream candidate to run against on the other side? >> ted cruz. [laughter] i like rand paul. >> michele bachmann has left. >> but no, the republican party, they talk about the clown college, the primaries, they all come out. >> rick perry isn't it back. >> a lot of people strong, powerful, ideological convictions. i think she was much stronger against someone like that. if they were to nominate somebody like that, she would have the opportunity to do something that hasn't been done

in america politics in a long time which is the 1964 campaign. if the republicans are crazy enough to nominate an ideologue like that -- >> a barry goldwater. >> and things look different. i do not think they will do that. >> i cannot imagine. hillary today, she would have them for breakfast. in a debate. with her range of experience, we have not touched, she was our senator after all. and she was a very good one. and having -- >> do not be so sure about the debates, they are hard to predict. >> mitt romney in the first debate. >> yes, but she did beat obama most of the time in 2008 but ted cruz -- i do not think he will get elected.

this is from professors at harvard law school. one of the brightest students who ever went through harvard law school. >> what happened? [laughter] >> there is a tendency because he is so nuts to say he is not smart, that is not true. and in the debate, you could be effective and rand paul also has some political chops and is not to be underestimated. the history of the presidential campaigns i have covered over the last 35 years is because what you wish for. -- is be careful what you wish for. >> i think also it would be weird but kind of interesting. if there was another bush-clinton challenge because they are sort of at this point what the two of them have been through in terms of seeing and understanding things.

the fact also that the families are somewhat close. >> the elders. >> and it might actually create this vacuum where there is a little bit more stability in the debate and may be as ridiculous as this may sound, maybe there would be an opportunity to focus on more substance, unless the distraction harry -- >> what an astonishing thing to have these dynasties pitted against each other. >> i wish i agreed with that. part of me agrees. [laughter] maybe they can have a high tone debate. i remember the campaign that bush ran in 1988 against michael dukakis. someone called them the wasp corleones.

>> george w ran against john mccain in south carolina. >> little known facts, because he always writes a thank you known afterwards. >> i would happen to be in mccain's hotel room when they got the returns in south carolina. his wife said how can people do this kind of thing? it was really low. the problem i have is it feels too much like a banana republic. [laughter] there is a lot more families that people can be picky. people think -- talk about clinton fatigue. iowa's thought it was made up during the impeachment. -- i always thought it was made

up during the impeachment. it is early but she has 62% of the democratic party. bush does not have anywhere near that much. there is more bush fatigue because george w. bush left office with a lot of people in the right wing disliking -- >> jeb is running, he was quoted as saying, don't you have a brother or a dad and he is try ing to carve out that he is his own man but good luck with that. >> we're here to talk about hillary clinton. >> no one is saying don't you have a husband? she is proud of her husband's record in the white house. and proud of her own record. one thing i want to add is it is interesting in 2008, a really big mistake over the clinton campaign was they did not come forward and nobody really knew how to handle this.

the first lady is not elected and unaccountable and hillary clinton was so much part of the behind-the-scenes with the executive staff, domestic legislation. there was so much across the board that the campaign did not come out much and make a record of her years as first lady. a lot of the media did say what did you do, after health care you did not do anything. if she were going from being first lady to the presidency then i think it would be more valid here. it is more secondary. she was secretary of state for four years and a u.s. senator. and so she has logged an awful lot of miles.

it is worth examining. her record of first lady but not with as minute attention. she has these extremely powerful roles. >> karl rove's mean insight as you go after your opponents strengths, not their weaknesses. he went after john kerry's war record. hillary's strength is her great experience. she is probably the best repaired of any modern -- best prepared of any modern candidate. you can already tell and john mccain just said this the other week, what did she do as secretary of state, what did she accomplished so they will go after that resume and say she did not put the points on the board, did not really do anything. >> i have to believe she is ready. >> it is tricky. you could see in the appearances

what she was accomplishing which was an amazing connection with women all over the world and raising the status, stature of the u.s. in the eyes of the world after a disastrous administration. but those are kind of intangible. >> but those are significant. she was the best public diplomat we have had since george marshall. >> there was a missed opportunity and that was her book. she had written a book which was much more pointed. here is osama bin laden, here is syria and told with more drama. they would not have been bogged down so much. the book is fine. it is not a page turner. the best book like this was written by richard nixon.

and you got a sense of a man in battle. -- embattled. hillary could have written something like that which would have been more effective. >> let's fast-forward to the white house. hillary clinton is in the white house now. let's start with her relationship with the hill which has been one of the most disappointing aspects of the obama years, not through his own fault that through the deadlock between congress and the white house. can we expect hillary to do better than obama? >> i vote for -- perhaps her greatest strength both because of the experience she had in

that second administration working with opponents and passing a lot of domestic legislation and her full term in the senate which from the get-go she reached out across the aisle. >> she is one of them and had a pretty successful turn. >> there are too many moving parts. it is hard to know what the composition of congress will be in 2017. will the democrats get control of the senate, that is an open question. the house is locked in for 10 years to republican control because of gerrymandering and those guys are pretty immune to hillary clinton's charms. she was popular in private with republicans but then they would go home and bash her to their conservative constituents. so it is hard.

she wants people to think that she is an lbj type figure. even lbj, there is a new book. he needed that big 1964 victory. >> doesn't she enjoy sipping bourbon after hours with the guys on the hill? she is more of a politician. >> it depends on numbers. a lot of it depends if you have a 64 type election. if you get that type of switch over it will be different. we do not know. >> when i am driving at is not her favorite drink but she is more of a politician. obama has almost contempt for his chosen field. >> she is a political leader and she knows how to do politics.

>> they resident ran as an anti-politician. >> he makes no bones about that. >> this goes back to temperament as well. she has a political temperament. she enjoys that type. >> she spent 40 years with our generation's most alien politicians. -- brilliant politicians. >> she has a sense of how politics works. she was sometimes calling the shots. she has learned a lot more about how politics works. so in that respect we have a different approach to government than we have seen in the last eight years. it would be different. >> the big question for me about hillary in the white house is it goes to her judgment. i think it is an open question. i was for the iraq war as was hillary clinton.

you were with me as well. terribly wrong. it was the worst call i made in my career in punditry. not sure she has quite come to terms with the fact that it was her worst call, too. obama was nominated because he made the right call and was against it. >> his position was clear. he didn't have to vote on it. if he had been in the senate he would not be in the war. his position was crystal-clear. so again in 2009 when they had the big debate over escalation in afghanistan and the military wanted a 10 year open ended counterinsurgency commitment which would have us now only halfway through a commitment of

100,000 plus troops, hillary was on the side of the 10 year open and the commitment and biden was on the other side and the relationship suffered. you could make the argument that she made the wrong call on that. on bin laden, she did not really take a strong position and it is not at all clear if she had been president whether she would have gone for it because it was a high risk operation. >> according to leon panetta's account it was leah -- leon panetta it was, that was the driver. >> she is a supremely cautious person. no question about that. the military really like her. she is there -- their girl. i have had the opportunity to observe this and she gets along extremely well with the brass.

whether she is also a person who is constantly learning from her mistakes and in constant development. she is not going to replay, i do not think, the iraq war decision if, god forbid, we have another such vote. >> remember you and a lot of people who supported her were doing it -- supported it were doing it based on false information. >> there were a lot of people who got the call right. the same thing applies to her choosing people which is one of the most important jobs of president has. it is an open question. i am not saying she would do a bad job but in the past, she sometimes has chosen people for

their loyalty rather than for their talent. not always but sometimes. >> this has been a real problem with the obama administration is that there has not been a real reaching out to the best and the brightest. he pretty much has the same people who he had on the hill who got him elected. i think three or four people basically run that white house. i think hillary who has been a victim of that closed shop as secretary of state, i cannot imagine that she would repeat that formula for governing keeping that small group and power. >> the white house these days is pretty insular.

>> they do need one or two real brains -- there are people who have been tried in true, they feel they can trust. >> not every president needs people around them the contrast -- that they can trust. but you make a lot of appointments and the batting average in those appointments we do not know. she chose some really incompetent people to run her 2008 campaign. >> her record is much better at the state department. she had some bad air -- better quality people who she did not choose on the basis of loyalty although there was still an inner circle. >> still going back to the white house. >> there is much more for us to cover but we did promise our patient audience that we would take some questions. if you have a question, please ask a question. i sure you have great speeches

to deliver but let's not deliver them tonight. and please identify yourself. we have two mikes. sir. >> could you be specific as possible and identify the differences between hillary and bill with regard to first political elites and second -- beliefs and second administrative capability. >> who would like a shot at that? >> i would say in general, at least during the white house years i thought of hillary clinton as extremely focused in terms of domestic at least domestic initiatives. certainly with health care and that priority shifted because

her husband and his staff made that decision that [indiscernible] administratively i would give her an a and him a b. >> more analytical than her husband. not as intuitive. >> in terms of their positions on issues and went to compromise which is always a big thing in politics, the reason i would definitely not give her an a is there were moments in the clinton white house when they could have compromised on health care and gotten a bill through and hillary insisted that her husband not compromise and so they got no bill. so there were moments she did not handle that process right. it was too secretive and she did not compromise. >> that was her single failure the health care. >> the analytical quality is important. i think she shares bill clinton's pragmatic streak.

i think they are very close in terms of how they see public policy issues and they have had this mind meld, part of the secret as why they are still married is they connect on policy. >> not only on policy. >> that is a potent thing. they described -- they have been having this conversation for 40 years. at home you and i might talk about what we see on "mad men" and they talk about public policy issues in their connected on those and they develop great insights that are not really very different ideologically from one another. i think the answer to your question is they are very close on issues, even though they drill down into problems in a different way. >> different temperament. we have so many people. >> i am hoping 70 is the new 50 and it is not.

no one has talked about health stamina, age, and whether one should be seeking the most demanding office in the world at a certain time in their lives. i would be interested in your views. >> and johnson knows this, looking at franklin roosevelt. to a certain degree, you get up there and you know that your health can deteriorate. it is hard to predict. eisenhower had his greatest health problems in his first term and went on to service second. there is no evidence that his age and health problems were detriment. ronald reagan in his first term, evidenced problems. it was more parent to many in the second term -- a parent to many in the second term. >> it will be a big issue.

americans are very unsentimental when it comes to presidential health. if she has any kind of mishap, bill bradley's campaign against al gore was seriously hurt by him having a little hard issue in iowa. were she to have another health scare like she had, that could be very detrimental. >> i cannot imagine that she would run -- >> if something came up, of course. she would be reagan's age if she is elected. >> i was wondering if hillary clinton ever caused a scandal, not that she would, with that -- with that, would that affect her differently because she is a woman? >> a personal scandal?

>> that is so beyond the realm of -- >> it is a great question. depends on what the scandal is. >> it depends on what the meaning of "is" is. >> she has lived for 67 years without a personal peccadillo that i am aware of. i certainly do not think that at this stage when she is basking in being a grandmother -- >> that financial scandal that carl raised earlier, that could happen and the clintons did have a fairly scandal-prone

administration compared to the obama presidency. there were things coming up all the time, fundraising issues and lincoln bedroom issues and so forth that did not relate to sex, that were just financially related scandals, if you could call them that. it is a really intriguing question whether the face that she would present to the public if she was in a defensive mode if there was a scandal. the white house press corps is always looking for scandal. it is hard to imagine that she would go through eight years with no scandals. again, it is one of the fascinating things about this is that nobody can know the answer to your question because we never had a woman president. >> it is a gender question generally but we do not know yet. >> i read hillary's book and she considered you and your husband good friends.

miss martin. i would like to know could you share with us some anecdotes of personal qualities that we in the mainstream would not know and what surprises. -- and would surprise us. >> she is a very warm person. you forced me to reveal my biases here. but she is -- i would like her to exhibit more of that personal warmth that she exhibited toward me when my husband was very sick. i think she knows how to be a friend. there is absolutely relation -- calculation in her continued warmth towards me. it is all about her human

qualities. she sat beside me in the hospital when we were not sure that richard was going to make it and just sat there and held my hand and did not -- we did not exchange any words because it was not necessary. that to me was a very strong indicator of the person. >> you mentioned how hillary took over bill's campaign and was in charge. if she runs, would we say bill clinton having that same ability to take over and why was it missing in 2008? >> he tried to take over a little bit and they had to bar him from the campaign headquarters. his instincts were rusty and he was saying things like comparing obama to jesse jackson and

things that were not helpful to the campaign. he is way beyond that kind of nuts and bolts of managing a campaign but he would still, he is so involved and so smart about politics that he would still be involved at some level and the way she manages his involvement will be very interesting to watch. because obviously, he has a lot to contribute, but within certain parameters. and figuring out what this parameters are will be one of the great games of 2016. >> one of the great roles and -- first ladies have played spouses, trying out the big speech, the state of the union the acceptance speech, the farewell speech. sometimes the spouse who is not leading the country has more of an air for what they hear on the street and the way people will react.

i think that that is now interestingly more of a role that bill clinton will play for her and she would probably run by a lot of her major speeches i him first, -- by him first and he would say, don't say it that way, say it this way. >> a lot of the good first ladies and now the first gentleman. can we take anymore -- >> we are asked works ok. -- >> ok. [applause] >> thank you so much. >> federal workers got the day off today due to the snow here in washington dc.

the federal government is closed. but incoming defense secretary ashton carter started work at the pentagon this morning even before being sworn in. ashton carter is president obama's fourth secretary of defense. congress is on a break for the presidents' day holiday. nancy pelosi according to the ap, is leading a delegation of democrats on a trip to cuba that is aimed at further improving relations with the island nation. it comes to month after president obama and ro castro improve relations that have been strained for more than a century. >> this week, three nights of

tech, featuring the innovators driving today's most successful internet companies. >> he leases a taxi for $40,000 a year, it should be a bentley. but instead, it is a taxi. for the privilege of leasing the car for $40 -- $40,000 year, he gets to be impoverished. >> all part of a special presentation while congress is in recess. >> israel, probably the top high-tech company in the world has digital first for gdp growth, job creation, inclusion of minorities to arabs and orthodox jews, education and every location, and cisco is the partner all the way through it. >> three days of tech tonight on c-span. >> up next students, activist, and law enforcement officials

discuss the issue of race in america. speaking to an audience of mostly high school students in northern ohio. the city club of cleveland is the host of this hour-long event. [bell] >> good afternoon, and welcome to the city club of cleveland. i am phillip hedayatnia, a junior at hawkins school. i am a proud member of the city club's youth council. thank you very much for coming to see our panelists today. the goal of the council is identical to the city club. it is to host conversations, debates, and discussions that empower us to further understand the world around us and the people that comprise it. i am pleased to introduce our form entitled a conversation on race.

poet langston hughes wrote that freedom is a strong seed. as i want freedom just as you. in many ways freedom has been granted to races of people subjected to oppression throughout our nation's history. there is a difference between freedom and liberty. freedom being a state of being and being able to make decisions without external control perhaps being guaranteed by government. liberty can be different. it is freedom granted by society and the world around us. in light of the recent deaths of michael brown and others we wonder how far we have come. many racist laws have been removed from the books. what today's discussion does is seeks to answer questions

regarding race in america. joining us is shakyra diaz. she has worked on policy campaigns regarding political activism and gang and initiatives. next, andres gonzalez. he previously joined us on a panel for their forum turning the tide on sexual assault in november. we are glad to have him back. jonathan gordon teaches legal analysis and writing. he was an inaugural mentor working with youth from east cleveland. he was a trial attorney handling cases involving racial discrimination.

basheer jones hosts a variety of radio shows in the cleveland. during the 2012 presidential campaign he was a regional field director for organizing for america. the moderator for today's forum >> good afternoon. i man city price, a youth forum council member here at the city club. i want to thank you for coming out to this special form -- special forum. we also have another forum on the 29th called the cleveland renaissance, so that should be good as well for -- good as

well. i was talking to the panelists briefly before the forum and i want to thank you for taking the time to come and talk on this topic. thank you. when you hear the word race what comes to mind and how has that impacted you personally throughout your life? >> first, i'm thankful to be here. can i be truthful? are you sure? it may feel good at first, but it's going to hurt. is that all right? we have a conversation about race and i look in the room and i see a

majority of african-americans. that's a problem. we have to bring to the table black, white, latino asian all groups of people to have that discussion. but when we have a discussion with those who are receiving the most oppression, who are receiving me hurt more than any other group, then we are not having the full dialogue. we have to have those from hawken and from university schools and other schools across northeast ohio and have any cool conversation. what we are doing right now is just talking to the people who are being brutalized. we understand the pain and we deal with it every single day. the u.s. department of justice came out with a study that shows the cleveland police department engages in excessive force. now many of us didn't need no department of justice to come

out with a study to tell us with the police department has been excessive. because we have been dealing with this on a day-to-day basis. so i appreciate the conversation, and i hope and pray that we all can learn. i always appreciate city club, but for future references, we have to have an array of different people in order to have a true conversation. >> so with regard to what i think of when i hear the word race, i feel there is another word that needs to come with it, and that is racism. in order to really evaluate and's and -- and to change structure of racism we have to talk about race and how it manifests itself. in many ways while we do not have laws and policies or legislation that specifically outline race to marginalize specific groups of people as we did in the past. what we do have today are

policies and legislation that are specifically enforced in a way that impacts traditionally. i will give you an example. there were laws at one point in this country that prevented black people, negroes, people of african descent, from standing outside. you're not going to find those laws anymore. those laws do not exist. however, with this country being so segregated, cleveland being the fifth most aggregated city in the nation, who lives in black communities? black people. and everyone who raised their hand. [laughter] i call that the scenic route to racism.

you can get the same outcome even if you are not articulating that. when i think about race, i also recognize that we have to talk about racism. >> anybody else? >> when i think of race, of course, i think about differences, i think about diversity, i think about different backgrounds, different experiences. and there is a word that i learned when i was young. it is called paradigm. the best way for me to describe that is looking at other people or trying to understand other people through their glasses through their lenses. what i tried to do in my role as chief of police, what i tried to do is impress upon my staff and those men and women who go out every day to provide a service

to be accepting of those diversities, of those different cultures. because we should not be treating everyone the same. however, everyone has a right to be treated equal under the law. and so when i think about race that's what i am thinking about. also, i am also thinking about myself, my family, my heritage and where i come from. because it is no secret that if it were not for equal opportunity, i would not be here representing my career, my profession as police chief being the first hispanic police chief in the county. race is very important something we should not take lightly, but something that needs to be respected, appreciated, and respected. >> i cannot speak as an

african-american, but i am acutely aware of our society that discrimination still exists. i think there is still many people who think we are in a post-racial world where it does not exist and that the law does treat people equally. i do not think that is the reality. i think especially well-intentioned people may not be aware. i am not a social scientist either but there are studies that detail sending out people with identical resumes but perhaps a name that is more typically african-american and another name that is more typically white. and a greater percentage of the white resumes even with identical information will get callbacks or offers, job offers. a recent study about ebay cell

phones being sold on ebay. in the pictures you could see a black can't in some pictures versus a white hand. purchases were made from the person holding the same cell phone but with a white hand. there are all sorts of other social signs and tests that have come up with similar results. it is really shocking the percentage differences in some of those. we have to understand that the police acting in interests -- inner-city communities that are predominately african americans, police are human. they have biases, too. some people have biases that come out in different ways. it could be great discretion especially when we're talking about petty crimes, stealing

cigarettes, jaywalking, selling cigarettes. there's a great deal of discretion as to how people are going to be treated in those circumstances. we have to have better rules and policies that prevent the abuse of that discretion and abuse of people of color. >> where you think, since we're talking about race, there are many stipulations as far as the word race. it is a touchy word when we talk about race. where do you think that in order to have a greater understanding of accepting race, where do you think it starts? in the schools at home, where does it start?

>> it starts, continues throughout society. it has to involve conversations that happen at home. it has to involve the great systems whether it is education, social service, criminal justice, health care. all the systems have to become accountable to ensuring equity that all of us will know and live and breathe. even to that extent, we have to have conversations about how we recognize in justice -- in justice --injustice. we mention eric gardner, michael brown, and we have to uplift the name of women who have experienced disproportionate abuse or had died at the hands of police. the conversation has to happen

every day in every city in order for us to move past hour passed as a country and our present. i have heard people say we just have to get over it. but we have just -- disproportion today. these are conversations that have to happen. we all have to be collectively a part of that. in the same way that we have many people of various races and ethnicities uplifting the black lives movement. you will see black and white people and latino people and people of asian descent, young and old, all participating in

uplifting the value of black lives. it is another example that we all have are responsible to have this conversation and push and demand for more. >> i think it begins in the home , and at school, and everywhere in our community. we all have that responsibility to discuss these issues. i am deeply saddened by the events in ferguson and new york and here in cleveland and in paris last week. such tragic events. in the "black lives matter" mantra , i think people need to understand that. that goes back to our schools and educational system and understanding that there is an entire history where people did not value black lives. slaves were not full human

beings or deemed to be human beings under the law. after emancipation we had jim crowe laws. we have mass incarceration. very disproportionate numbers of african american men in our prison system. numbers are staggering in the sense that i think there are more men subject to our prison system who are on parole or on probation as being in the criminal justice system, not necessarily all in prison. that numbers greater than the number of slaves prior to emancipation. we can't ignore that disproportionality. we can't ignore that history. i think the police have co-opted . police urban important role in our society. they take risks on the job. many, if not most are dedicated

to being public servants and upholding the law and observing the constitutional protections. but there are bad apples and they need to be weeded out. we have to understand through education, to answer your question, we will, i hope be able to address these problems. there are programs that i think some of the students here are part of. i think serve that purpose. i see some from a high school were a group on race relations has been serving the community for a quarter of a century. i think that is where we start before we can act -- expect the criminal justice to change on its own. >> there are two sides to

the question. of course it there's more we can do in the community. for the students who showed up today, i see some of you with notebooks and others with no notebooks. anytime you come to events like this you should come prepared to write down things, because there is no way possible you will remember everything. for adults, make your students bring their weaponry. do not build your shield on the battlefield. you have to come to these kinds of places, meet different people, get contacts, network. that's how you will be successful. we know there is hatred that exists in the world, but the real question is how do you feel about you? do you love yourself? when you look at your neighbor dca beautiful person or a hateful person?

there is a community responsibility that we have. but on the flip side, the media plays a strong part in the perception of how we are viewed. for example, everyone heard about france, and we are very sad about what happened in france, very sad. but who is talking about nigeria and what happened in nigeria and west africa? i was driving -- when i was driving here, i was driving through little italy. everybody is familiar with little italy. it is a beautiful place, you know. the history that is here. no one feels offended when you hear little italy. when you're going through a jewish neighborhood, you don't feel offended. you don't feel offended by it. you don't feel offended when you go to tiny town and see the history of chinatown. why is it that people feel offended that we would call our

community little africa? how would that the offensive? why is it that some african-americans would be offended to call it little africa, and some get offended when someone says you look like an african? why would you be offended with that when some of the most beautiful people come from there? when you see africans, you see skinny somalians. you don't even want to view yourself in that light in a sense of self-hatred that the media plays a part in. there was a media panel with all the media people here in cleveland. the majority of stories that come out in the media about african-americans are not positive. i appreciate c-span being here but why are not other stations here?

let something negative happen, and all the media is there. you know what i'm talking about. [laughter] the media plays a part as well. we are very color conscious here in america. i was in australia and a young lady was asking me why everything is so black and white in america. at the same time she was talking to me about the atlanta hip-hop wives. [laughter] there is perception of who we are. some people play into that perception. the majority don't. before you even get a chance to open your mouth, people already have a perception of who they think you are. before you open your mouth young ladies, she has an attitude problem.

as soon as you walk in. if we were to pass around a survey about how you feel about iranians or some others, many would say negative things about them, and you may not even have met someone like that. but yet in still, you artie have a perception as to who you think they are. what i want to say to us is that there is a community responsibility for every person in here must speak and talk about humanity. we all deserve to be treated fairly. why are you upset that i am marching for justice? why does that offend you so much? why are you so angry when i say i am a proud black man? why does that offend you question mark why are you so angry that im proud to be of who i am?

why is it that when you walk up to my car you already have your hand on a gun? what makes you feel i am dangerous? i could be in a suit and walk into an elevator and someone will hold their purse. this is an issue we are dealing with. but, in closing, as young people you have a responsibility as well. raise your hand. if young people like this today would change things to be not as discriminatory as your grandparents were. these race issues that we are dealing with in america will be the downfall of our country. without a doubt.

[applause] >> mr. gonzalez. >> let me be the first to say, because i noticed as a police officer i am trained to look at people and try to gauge responses. it's true. as my colleagues were speaking i could not help but see everybody looking and then looking at me. [applause] [laughter] let me at knowledge a couple of things. in this conversation. cops, we don't always get it right. that's the truth. we don't always get it right. unfortunately, because we are

police officers, and because we took the oath of office and because we made a commitment that no matter what we were going to lay our lives down if we had to. that just puts an additional factor into how we make decisions. because we don't always get it right, the challenge for us is to work to get it right. when we sit back if we just sit back and do nothing. if then you need to get rid of us. you need to get rid of that police department, because they are not serving you in the way you need to be served. the truth is this, folks. a police department is only as strong as the community allows it to be.

when the community loses confidence in the police department, then that is almost the beginning of the end. i would say to you, all of the young people in this room. we asked where the starts, in the family, at home. i would say it starts with you. i am not going to be a police chief forever. someone has to step up and step in to my role. someone has to be a police officer in the future. someone has to be an attorney, and a judge, and all the professions you hear about. the issue is getting to a point where you are going to start making a contribution, a positive contribution regardless of your background, regardless of your race, regardless of what

you believe in. at the end of the day, are you making a positive contribution to your community, your school your family, and to your total environment? for me, it is about you. it is about what commitment, what decisions are each of you going to make that is going to lend yourself to be a productive citizen in the future and eventually a more productive community. thank you for listening. [applause] >> i want to add that you guys will make all the difference. i am saddened by those recent events, these tragedies, but i am also extremely hopeful because you guys are here and you care. i think there are communities in france, communities in africa, communities all of the united states now that because of these

tragedies will come together i hope. it is not just the public discourse that this fine institution stands for and has for so many years, that action needs to be taken. the cleveland police department is going to make changes -- is going to need to make changes. in terms of abuses, whether it is us in the community who have known of the abuses, not enough has been done. perhaps through our actions and collective efforts, through our concerns, all of us can help make a dish -- make a difference. public discord is not enough by itself, we need to take action. >> we are in a room full of teenagers, and it may be a few leaders, or it may be all leaders in a way.

some do not have that particular push to do something in the community. what can we as young leaders or game changers or what if you want to call it, what can we do as teens in our community? >> first i want to start answering that question by asking all of your question. raise your hand if you know anyone with a criminal conviction. this country is the number one incarcerated are of adults and children in the world. ohio has the -- is the sixth largest prison state in the nation and we rank fourth with -- in regards to incarceration of women. we have to be mindful that when people are settled unfairly,

unnecessarily with the criminal conviction, we are preventing them from contributing in some way. we have to be real about that. we have to be real about the consequences of criminal convictions. not only how they impact us but families and communities. i would say that we have to tell our stories. have to tell our truths. whether you have been treated unfairly, whether you have you witnessed someone being treated unfairly, there are -- there is value in demanding our system changed. you and i were having a conversation before on the program. we are the number one

incarcerated or of all people the world. if we invested in education and value it the way we value incarceration things would be different. [applause] one of the things i value most about young people is they have zero tolerance for hypocrisy. but young people have zero tolerance for that. the fact is many systems are

talking about this beautiful equity we have to work towards but the truth is that policies are not made in that way. budgets are not allocated that way. we have to call it out. we were at a program a few years ago and young man from martin luther king high school said that his biology project consisted of dissecting a cookie. i will never forget how that child was violated. he was prevented in many ways from pursuing a career in medicine. you know why? he was not properly educated. the city was a city that spent

23 years testing crack pipes to charge people in the city of cleveland with felony cocaine possession instead of misdemeanor position of paraphernalia. 23 years. approximately 35,000 african-americans have a felony conviction they should not have because cleveland was the only city in the entire state of ohio that had the policy. some of those people went to prison. they cannot get financial aid to go to college. the city of cleveland did not test rape kits and dating back to the 1950's. it is all about priorities. when we evaluate the priorities we have given to the war on drugs over other more important issues, we have to look at ourselves. we have to look at ourselves. the choices that have been made in our name. the truth is