you can watch these anytime on c-span.org. on the next washington journal former american idol contestant and 2014 congressional candidate clay aiken will discuss his recent run for political office, the ford -- subject of a four-part documentary series. also foundation economist kyle talks about a new report on how much americans will pay in federal and state taxes this year. and a look at the pentagon's f3 five joint strike fighter program and other weapons systems, with a global business reporter. we will also take your calls and look for your comments on facebook and twitter. washington journal is life every day at 7:00 a.m. eastern on the stand. -- on c-span. >> monday night, policy director for alliance thought -- science

and technology, on the importance of technology and the public. >> that last two presidents have written on presidential memorandum on spectrum. when i started in 1979 out of the marine corps, i did not know anything about spectrum. most people that i met and some that i worked with did not understand much about spectrum. nowadays everybody realized the part of our daily lives devices completely rely on it and our ability to communicate. >> monday night at 8:00 eastern on "the communicators" on c-span two. announcer: during this month c-span is pleased to present the winning entries in this year's studentcam's video documentary competition. studentcam is c-span's annual competition that encourages middle and high school students to think critically about issues that affect the nation. students were asked to create their documentary based on the

theme "the three branches and you," to demonstrate how policy, law, or action by one of the three branches of government has affected them or their community. matthew east meadow, travis mill, and ashley peterson from rapid city, south dakota are some of our second prize winners. there entry focused on the -- there entry -- their entry focused on the keystone pipeline. >> we owed transcanada absolutely nothing. [applause] for the sake of all america i asked you respectfully tonight's permit. >> keystone xl will impact the entire nation. however, the people they call the great plains home will be the ones to experience the risks and rewards to the full extent. it will be an underground pipe

that will lead crude oil from alberta through the u.s. states of montana, south dakota, nebraska, kansas, and oklahoma to oil refineries in texas. unfortunately, many people from our region fear the pipes ' environmental impacts. >> i do not believe the people would understand or comprehend how devastating it would be to the aquifer it it was contaminated by the keystone xl pipeline, if it was leaking. >> we feel are legitimate concerns about the sandhills and our aquifer have gone unrecognized. >> we are going to do everything within our powers to protect our homeland and children and grandchildren. most of all, people do not understand the aquifer is

the second biggest water aquifer in the world. >> this is genocide. for first nations people. the american people should not have to choose between jobs and wrecking the environment. forever for seven coming generations. >> contrary to these views, that the pipe will have a detrimental impact on the environment, the president and ceo of things it will have a minimal impact. class one you put in a pipeline the way they do that today the , risks are small. when they construct the lines, they are very picky. they literally x-ray and make sure there are no holes or stress fractures. when you strike an arc with a welding rod it causes crocs, -- spider cracks microscopic , ones.

if they see those on an x-ray, they will cut out that piece of pipe and re-weld it. they are very careful. the externally coat every pipe so they cannot corrode from the outside. they put protection on the pipe itself so they actually, if the pipe starts to corrode, it actually can form an electrical current from the ground water and corrode faster. it's kind of hard to explain, but literally there is a chemical reaction that induces an electrical current. they put a current in the pipe while it is operating to prevent that from happening. >> keystone pipeline is the safest way to transport oil. it is safer than rail, or truck. it is important to remember that canada will be extracting and transporting oil regardless.

the only question, madam president, is whether we wanted -- one it to come here to the united states along with the thousands of jobs it will create, or whether we want to let canada ship that oil overseas. >> advocates of the pipeline seem to have legitimate answers to environmental concerns, but legal issues of intimate domain -- eminent domain and native american treaties and territories have created obstacles. >> eminent domain is the taking of private property for public use with just compensation. >> the whole concept of eminent domain it was to make sure an individual was not going to stop something that we need whether it be a highway, whatever, if it is a pipeline, if it is deemed in the public's best interests as long as you compensate the

individual fairly for the taking, you can do that. and transcanada, is no different than anybody else. it is the last resort to go to the court and asked to condense -- condemn someone's poverty. -- property. >> we have our own constitution. i'm talking treaty lands out of , the state of south dakota, it could not happen. the great sioux nation is in south dakota. >> there are multiple tribes. that make up the sioux nation. >> we do not want this pipeline in our territory. the treaty was ratified by the united states congress. a legal binding and international document. >> the whole state of south dakota is treaty lands. this is our land.

>> we do not give consent for transcanada to bring this pipeline through our beloved mother earth in our area of this country. >> you could build around them if you want to. which isn't terribly difficult. the south dakota supreme court's rule on reservation boundaries the tribes do not agree, but the courts have spoken and basically said that anything inside the borders of the reservation as it is known today is under the jurisdiction of the reservation. anything else is not. >> despite environment concerns voiced by farmers and native americans, the keystone xl pipeline will have a mostly positive impact on the great plains region and the people who live there. we believe the executive branch should pass this bill. >> to watch all of the winning videos and learn more about the

competition go to c-span.org and , click on student can. also tell us what you think about the issues the students address and their documentary on facebook and twitter. >> former secretary of state hillary clinton officially announced her candidacy for president today officially posted online. that is next. then all of that the role and influence of political spices. later, former virginia senator jim webb and senator jim o'malley -- martin o'malley speak. >> i'm getting ready for a lot of things. a lot of things. >> it's spring, so we are starting to get the gardens ready. and my tomatoes are legendary here in my own neighborhood. >> my daughter is about to start kindergarten next year. so, we are moving.

just so she can belong to a better school. >> [speaking spanish] >> after five years of raising my children, i am now going back to work. >> every day we are trying to get more and more ready and more prepared. >> a baby boy. coming your way. >> right now, i'm applying for jobs. it's a look into what the real world will look like after college. >> i'm getting married this summer to someone i really care about. >> i'm going to be in the play, and i'm going to be in a fish costume. we're little tiny fishes. >> i'm getting ready to retire soon. retirement means reinventing yourself in many ways. >> we have been doing a lot of home renovations. >> but most importantly, we really just want to teach our dog to quit eating the trash. [laughter] >> so we have high hopes for 2015 that that is going to happen. [laughter] >> i've started a new career

recently. this is a fifth-generation company, which means a lot to me. this country was founded on hard work and it really feels good to be a part of that. hillary clinton: i'm getting ready to do something, too. i'm running for president. americans have fought their way back from tough economic times. but the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top. everyday americans need a champion. and i want to be that champion. so you can do more than just get by. you can get ahead. and stay ahead. because when families are strong, america is strong. so i'm hitting the road to earn your vote. because it is your time, and i hope you'll join me on this journey. >> plenty of reaction to hillary

clinton's announcement today on our facebook page. rich writes, good luck to her. it is going to be a tough primary. i have not decided who i will support, but clinton has a very good chance of winning me over. bridget says, still can't believe the democrats are actually going to run her. those and other comments you can find at facebook.com/c-span. there has also been reaction from politicians, including former florida politician jeb bush. we also saw political ads from a pac in support of presidential candidate centered -- senator rand paul. >> in the coming weeks and months, i look forward to an exchange of ideas and subsequent policy proposals.

i believe every american deserves the right to rise and the opportunity to achieve the american dream. abroad america's -- americans should be respected by allies and feared by allard -- energies. that is why we must change the way that direction of our country is going. we must do better than what obama and clinton have done. better than failed big government policies that fail that and stand in the way of real economic growth and prosperity. i believe it is conservative ideas that will renew america put our fiscal help in order and make our great country even stronger. i know we can do better. together, we will. >> what path will america take? the past, a road to yesterday? hillary represents the worst of the washington machine. the arrogance of power corruption, and cover up. conflicts of interest and failed leadership with tragic consequences.

the washington machine is destroying the american dream. it is time for a new leader and a new rain. rand paul. rand paul plans to defeat the washington machine, balance the budget by law require congress to read legislation before they vote term limits for televisions. rand paul: i have a message. a message that does not mince words. we have come to take our country back. >> defeat the washington machine and unleash the american dream. >> i'm rand paul and i approved this message. >> hillary clinton becomes the third candidate to officially joined the race, joining senator ted cruz and senator rand paul who began last month to announce their candidacy. the number is expected to vote tomorrow, when florida senator

marco rubio announces in miami. we will have that lie that live at 5:30 p.m. eastern on seized. as -- on c-span. as we see more candidates, we also expect to hear more from their spouses. on this morning's washington journal, we talked about the role and influence of a political spouse i looking at armor first ladies and who is currently on the campaign trail. this is 40 minutes. >> ""washington journal" continues. host: and we want to welcome karen tumulty of the washington post -- "washington post." and anita mcbride. this is the book. it is available this week. also available as an e-book. presidential historians on the lives of 45 iconic american women.

anita mcbride, let me be -- begin with you, though, on the role of spouses. what is america looking for? guest: we are looking for someone who can help humanize the candidate that is running to be our leader. it shows them as a human being as a family person. i think that is really important and i think that the candidate spouse generally tends to be a lot more popular. they are not the one out there in every single position, but they are reaching out to the american people. they are also excellent surrogates as fundraisers, which is important to make a campaign. host: as you have covered this campaign, we are just beginning to get to know the spouses of these candidates. guest: except for one spouse. one spouse we know very, very well. [laughter] it was kind of interesting to watch bill clinton the last time

his wife ran for president. here is a guy who is so brilliant as being -- at being his own candidate. and he is not so great as being espouse. -- a spouse. the spouse is the validator. the spouse can go into places often with a candidate, himself or herself, cannot. again, what they are is a testament to the candidate's values to their priorities. host: where should the line be drawn between the public and private lives of these public officials or a president and first lady? guest: i think it is very first to have -- hard to have anything private anymore. and we are already seeing that. the coverage has always been pretty wide and deep. as much as their public positions. guest: i think there is still a

bit of a zone of privacy around the children. but i think that if there ever was one around the spouse, it is long gone. guest: agreed. host: let me read to you -- he told "town & country," -- anita mcbride? guest: i think there is no doubt she will depend on him for advice. how could you not? someone who has read so many campaigns himself, there is

value to the experience of campaigning. but the last time, the campaign around her tried to keep him out of the race. this time, i don't think that is going to be the case. i think that he will have a great influence. host: we are talking about spouses, including the wife of senator rand paul. the second of three candidates announcing. here is what she had to say about her husband. [video clip] >> rand is the middletown of five. from what i have heard from his siblings, he is a lot like he is today. he is opinionated, has a lot of energy, played a lot of sports. he also loved to collect coins which is something that he used to do with his grandmother. he was very close to her. and through the years, as her eyesight began to fail, he became her eyes to spy the faint mint marks on the coins as they

would go through them together. but rant never forgot how sad it was for him to watch his grandmother lose revision. and i think that really cemented in him the desire to be an ophthalmologist. host: all part of the rollout of the rand campaign humanizing rand paul as a person? guest: and introducing him as a family man. as a man whose first career was as a doctor. again, the spouse is in a position to sort of talk about this in a way that no one else really can hear -- again, these candidates are human beings. host: his not so secret weapon, and yet her involvement with goldman sachs becomes a line of questioning. guest: well, she has been in the

ministry that has somehow become demonized in our culture. we saw that in the last campaign. in 2012. ms. clinton will face that question, too, because she stayed very close to wall street heard so i think it would be may be fairly distributed, this kind of criticism. host: and one of the spouses will either become first gentleman or first lady in 2017. we will get to your phone calls at just a moment. you can also join us online at facebook.com/c-span. or send us a tweet @cspanwj. [video clip] >> i knew it. i mean i do that, of course, the kazaa had seen my mother in law and what she had to talk about

literacy, her particular industry -- interest. and how she had influenced me, even, here at home in texas because of her interest in plants. but i didn't really know it until i made the presidential radio address. the fall of 2001 after the terrorist attacks. to talk about the way women and children were treated by the telegram and afghanistan. good morning. i am laura bush and i'm delivering this week's radio address to kick off a worldwide effort to focus on the brutality against women and children by the al qaeda terrorist network and the regime it supports in afghanistan, the telegram. that regime is now in retreat across much of the country. and the people of afghanistan, especially women, are rejoicing. afghan women know through hard experience what the rest of the world is discovering.

the brutal oppression of women is a central goal of the terrace. host: and that moment is recounted in "first ladies." the book that is out this week. the forward by one of the individuals who gave us the idea for the series. but finding a platform. guest: that was a time of great consequence in our country after 9/11. laura bush rose to the occasion. she says in her book, after nine months of being in the administration, she had just held the first national book festival, choose getting ready to go up that the hill to give testimony on early childhood education and she felt like her voice found her. then this happened. and that became a comforter to our country. she realized she had this platform. guest: and i'm not just saying

it because of a need a sitting care next to me, but she is really one of the best -- wrote one of the best political memoirs i have ever read. particularly overseas, she was doing some very brave and very controversial things, but she never really think it is country at the kind of credit that she deserved. host: third most traveled first lady in the country. guest: correct, after pat nixon and hillary clinton. host: which is interesting because pat nixon only had five and half years in the white house. guest: she had done an enormous a lot of travel with her husband, but also on solo trips. host: of course, our new book out this week, "first ladies." david is joining us for middletown, new jersey. good morning. caller: good morning, c-span. the best channel on television. host: we didn't pay him to say that. [laughter] caller: good morning, ladies.

i am a 91 year young american patriot. and i have voted in every federal, state, and most municipal elections since president harry truman. in my lifetime, the best president i feel was president truman. he was the president of the people. president kennedy and jacqueline kennedy brought legality to the white house. they were the closest to having a king and queen in the american history of our politics. and i remember the young people under president kennedy and jacqueline, how they worked at a peace corps and was proud at that time to be american for what they tried to do for the american people. but i would like to ask you ladies what do you think about

elizabeth ward -- warren? guest: i think of elizabeth ward -- warren -- she is not likely to run, but what you will continue to do, and people around her are very upset about it, is keep pressure on hillary clinton. she believes that hillary clinton is way too close to wall street. she wants her to surround herself with a different set of economic advisers. (202) 748-8001 for republicans. (202) 748-8000 for democrats. anita mcbride and karen tumulty. let's go back to another first lady and in interview we did with nancy reagan. [video clip]

>> they just had little antennas that went up when somebody had to own agenda. [indiscernible] he didn't always agree with me but i would tell him. >> what was one of the first things you would notice when somebody had the own agenda? >> you just know. you can't say. you just know if you have those antennas. host: that was from our interview back in 1999 with nancy reagan, who is now, i believe, 93 years old. she clearly had a big role behind the scenes in the reagan administration. guest: and most famously, she tangled with the chief of staff. in that battle, he lost. he was -- he was out of his job

primarily because she believed he was not serving her husband's interests. a young staffer in the reagan administration, of course. her presence was definitely felt. she was devoted to the president. they just want their husbands to succeed, and choose absolutely devoted to that. the question about it. host: if you look back at american history, how important is it to have your spouse support you maybe push you, or prod you into elective office? guest: i think it makes a huge difference for how you are able to conduct yourself, how you are able to be happy with your home life, till that your spouse support you in this because it is hard. and it should be. you are the leader of the free world. every single problems -- problem comes to your desk. host: play is next.

clay is next, the republican line. are you with us? we will try one more time for clay in louisiana. what do you think will be different in this 24/7 social media age with political spouses? guest: well, i think that the narratives are out there. for instance, jeb bush. his wife has the possibility of becoming this country's first hispanic first lady, and only the second do have born and a foreign country. the first being john quincy adam's wife. i think that is a story there campaign will want to tell. and i think the only person to tell that story is she herself. we are going to see a number of spouses, as we saw with michelle obama, having to juggle raising

small children. michelle obama had an almost unbreakable rule during the 2008 campaign that she had to be there for her children either when they woke up in the morning or when they went to bed tonight. and that really respected -- restricted her travel. ted cruz's wife -- these are very very modern roles that we are seeing these women play. host: mrs. bush was not a visible first lady in florida. was she visible on the campaign trail? guest: she was involved in issues that were important to people in the state of florida. substance abuse and drug a deck's in, violence. and she did make a difference there. she was very involved in cultural activities and art activities in florida. so, she may have been quiet, and a lot like her sister in law

people underestimated the value and the role that they can play. so, i think that given the opportunity, the family is coming around and supporting jeb for this. host: i am curious, we did an interview with barbara bush and she said i love bill clinton. george herbert walker bush and bill clinton have a close relationship did jeb bush and hillary clinton, what is that relationship going to be like next year? guest: george h.w. bush -- this relationship was developing. i said, what is it? he said, bill likes to talk and i like to listen. but i think i'm the father he never had. it is a very interesting dynamic. i think they all understand politics. they will handle it just fine. host: from savannah, georgia.

good morning. caller: good morning. how we doing this morning? host: fine, thank you. caller: i am a c-span is my species. the ladies, talking about the first ladies. i just think they all did a remarkable job. it was just hard to get to know mrs. reagan, but all the other first ladies, they were wonderful. and i love the first bush wife. i really loved and admired her. host: thank you for the call. observations? guest: first ladies do tend to be very beloved, but it is not necessarily a role, like laura bush was saying, but they understand when they were taking it on. michelle obama had some real problems when she was first in the public eye. and worked very hard on sort of

finding the right role. people don't want to see the spouse as a copresident. as hillary clinton found in 1992. but they also want to hear from the spouse, they want to understand the spouse, and they want to believe that the spouse has at least a few issues to which he or she is deeply committed. (202) 748-8000 for host: how accessible host: -- host: how accessible are the spouse is right now? guest: not very at this point. in part because so many of these candidates are not yet officially declared candidates. and part because someone a of the spouses are often going jobs and small children. but we will be, again, seeing a lot of them. hillary clinton was the first lady -- and i was a white house reporter. i took several overseas trips with her, and she would become very accessible once you were in

this kind of foreign setting with just a small number of reporters around her. host: former governor margaret malley's wife is a judge. does her decision become politically game? guest: absolutely. as karen says, it is not the elected official. known wants them to be a copresident, but they have an expectation to have a mind of their own and being gauged in issues. and they will be judged on the kind of work that they do. i think it will be hard certainly to do it again. it will -- is the modern world we live in. people are going to want to know how they acted. host: the only single present we have had during the four years james buchanan, our 15th president. i am wondering, could we elect a single individual, man or woman, without a spouse? guest: i think we can.

i don't know, karen? guest: it is hard because i think we like to see family life around them. but i think we can. i think we are trying to elect the candidate, not the spouse. host: christian is joining us from oklahoma. the democrats line. good morning. caller: yes, i hope that you guys will talk about nancy reagan and that she was into astrology. she had astrology is. this woman would bring that lady to the white house and they would have discussions together. i care to this lady will not call me a liar because she knows it. nancy reagan was into astrology. i don't know why you guys as republicans always put ronald reagan on a pedestal. look it up on your computer. nancy reagan is into astrology. astrology is from the devil.

they give very much. republicans, really, you guys need to understand the history of people. don't just go by what somebody says. once again, i guarantee they will not say that reagan -- nancy reagan was not into astrology. host: ok, we get the point. it has been well documented. guest: it has been very well documented, absolutely. and we look at another first lady who did the same thing mrs. lincoln. i think it is hard to judge anyone whose person they love most in the world, if someone tried to take their life. and what they do to help support them and to get through that and try get through the public life where they feel they are fearing for their husbands' lives. none of us that -- would say that didn't happen. host: by the way the "first

lady -- ladies" series, that will begin to re-air next sunday at 8:00 eastern on c-span three. it will continue through december. the full schedule online. and the book, published by public affairs, "first ladies." available as a hardcover this week. also available as an e-book. (202) 748-8000 for democrats. (202) 748-8001 for republicans. if you look at this field and you look at the role that bill clinton will be playing on the democratic side, what stands out? guest: i think that -- what the obama campaign people told me after the 2008 campaign was that -- bill clinton did have the authority to go places and chin

up enthusiasm where his wife could not go forth. small towns in east texas. he could go and campaign there. it was a huge event when an ex-president would arrive. the obama people were really kind of surprised come primary day. some of the places where bill clinton was actually able to turn out votes by going under the radar. host: one of the earliest interviews we conducted with the first lady, michelle obama, back in 2009, she talked about how she was tied to get her sea legs. here is a portion. [video clip] >> i think every first lady brings their unique perspective to this job. if you didn't, you couldn't live through it. i think to the extent that this feels natural to me at any level and i would never have thought that living in the white house and make first lady would be natural, it is because i try to make it me. i try to bring a little bit of michelle obama into this but at

the same time, respecting and valuing the traditions that is america a -- america's. host: what has she brought to the position? guest: she has been very focused on issues that she cares about. she did take her time to roll out two or three signature initiatives that she will be forever remembered for. the let's move campaign, that did have an impact on how people think. i think that was actually an excellent interview. i think every single first lady they bring their own authenticity and credibility to the job. people can resonate with that. host: and she has made a lot of appearances on shows like "ellen." guest: i think she is the first lady i have ever seen dance. [laughter]

the other thing, though, is just by being in the office, michelle obama plays a unique role. for the first time, african children growing up in this country can look in the white house and see an african-american family in there. i think, in many ways, that is as much a part of her legacy as first lady as any of her policy initiatives. host: back to hillary clinton and the issue of health care because it was a public policy issue that she surrounded herself with. she testified before congress, initially talking about universal health care. [video clip] >> as the president said and as he believes, this is not a partisan issue. it is not an ideological battle. it is a problem to be solved that affects all of us. and i'm looking forward over the next week and month to not only

working with you, but to watching you craft the most important social policy that a nation will have presented in many decades. when i worked on health care, a lot of people thought i shouldn't be making recommendations on legislation or that i shouldn't be involved on working on behalf of what my husband asked me to work on, which is one of his primary objectives, because he felt that that was somehow inappropriate. that if you exercise influence do behind-the-scenes when no one can see you. i find that curious. to me, i would like to know what goes on in front of the scenes because i am very, very much the kind of person who believes that you should say what you mean and mean what you say. then take the consequences. just like anybody else who is all in public life. host: early and late in the clinton administration. guest: there is a lot of

history, especially in that second interview. she is the spyker's office just an advisor on health care. in fact, it was a disaster. she put together a 500 person task or that work together in secret. they completely cut out the congressional committees in the early going. and i think that the way it was handled -- remember, the clintons were new to washington. there were a lot of people at capitol hill who had worked on this issue for decades. the way it was handled turned it into a partisan, in ideological issue. and i think hillary clinton now acknowledges that she made some really big mistake there. rookie mistakes that essentially doomed her husband's initiatives and owls cost of his presidency. guest: karen said it all. there was a lack of transparency there. host: was for -- her role any

different? then say, eleanor roosevelt? guest: eleanor roosevelt was the eyes and ears for president roosevelt. she was the one who could get out there and travel. in a lot of ways, she opened up the white house to the american people and created that pond and the connection between the president and the people. and she was very vocal. it wasn't a cakewalk for her, as well. but i think, you know increasingly now in our modern age, it is 24/7 coverage of everything that anybody in the white house is saying, in living family members. so it is hard to walk way from it. host: christine is joining us from kingston, illinois. good morning. caller: hi, there. i just want to say michelle obama is great. i think she is definitely the best first lady the country has ever had.

but i don't know, the spouses -- i don't think hillary should really let, you know, spouses should not get involved too much. bill has already been president. i think that should be hillary's cloud -- crowd in iowa. but i wouldn't let him take the hillary show. but if she does go to waterloo she should definitely say, i know this is the town where -- is from, right? but i don't think those are gaudin talk to michelle is the wife of a president that is different. but in bill's case, he is too political. i wouldn't take him with me. also, hillary can do good on her own. thank you. host: christine, thank you very much for the call. anita mcbride if you could go back in history and envision

another first lady running for president, who would you put on that list? guest: i think definitely lady bird johnson. she was politically various dudes. she was a great communicator on her own. she would to rate her husband's speeches and give them a b plus at best. she knew what connected to the people. she was also very gutsy. she went to campaign for him for lyndon johnson, when he was running for reelection in the heat of the civil rights debate. i think she had what it took to be president of the united states. guest: -- she was basically running the country because of her husband's incapacity from a stroke was virtually unknown. guest: she had a lot of -- did

not have a lot of the knowledge base to do it, though, unfortunately. host: how big of a factor will the foundation be in 2016? guest: i think of the a few tractor because already the media, including some terrific reporting from my own newspaper is looking at sort of the source and the funds and the fact that it was taking for contributions at a time when hillary clinton was secretary of state. and some contradiction of what they said was their own policies. i think these are definitely worthwhile areas of reporting. they are going to continue to be. host: you have researched the subject and also have seen it firsthand. but at what point does the president listened to his wife? if he doesn't, order some of the consequences? guest: i think the president can also -- always trust the spouse is going to be a person who will give him the straight and honest

truth. no matter what. and, arguably, the only advisor can be fired. so they know that this person is most invested in their success. of course they are going to listen to them. they may not always follow, but we her nancy reagan say that they do clip, that doesn't diminish the value of that confidential relationship that nobody else has. host: (202) 748-8001 for republicans. (202) 748-8000 for democrats. what are the damaging effects of that, if any? guest: wasn't mainly eisenhower who said basically i cleanse the country? [laughter] attorney linda porkchops. there is an expectation now that there wasn't back then. if she doesn't, she has this

enormous platform. and if she doesn't use it to do good, it is really squandering. host: it does go back to what hillary clinton said she wants that zone of privacy. guest: sure, of course they want personal privacy. you need that sanctuary to make all the rest of it very bearable. but that doesn't change the fact that there is an expectation when you have this proof opportunity that you do something with it did and you just -- this is the ultimate work-life balance in the white house. host: karen, you have spent a lot of time reporting on mitt romney. but what about his wife's role? guest: she used to repeat the family took which was that she was the stabilizer. that her presence on the campaign trail relaxed him. he was in many ways a better

candidate. interestingly, you got the sense publicly she was talking about how reluctant she was to see him run, to see him run yet again. but as he was torn with the possibility of a third campaign, we were hearing that it was in fact she who is egging him on and telling him nobody else out there is as qualified as you are to be the president of united states. host: this is a book put together by c-span's ceo and the staff here based on the "first ladies" series. john from vancouver, washington. good morning. caller: morning. i had a comment on ronald and nancy reagan. they were the classiest couple in washington dc. the caller from oklahoma is absolutely wrong. ronald reagan defended liberty and freedom and spoke out

against communism. obama and michelle obama are communist. thank you. host: ok. do you want to respond? guest: no. host: let's go on to bill joining us in langley, kentucky. the republican line. caller: good morning. since listening to the ladies and they are very articulated in their point, but what i don't understand is there is more women in the united states than there are men. and there was a time when women couldn't vote, couldn't own property here in the united states. so -- and vote as a blocking get rid of the men? host: anita mcbride, or you want to respond to that? guest: i think women and men have to work together. i am definitely not of the mindset that mentioning continues be president. i thoroughly hope a woman will be president at some point.

but i think we all have to work together. host: let's go back to 1984. elected as walter mondale's running mate. and her backup became part of the bear to. looking back, is that fair or unfair? guest: i think it is fair. your family income is, you know, it is a great potential source of conflicts of interest. it says something about your value system. and again, the spouse is -- we now have a situation now where we are seeing candidates like ted cruz, where the wife is the family breadwinner. i think it is actually something that can and should be explored. guest: are ethics reporting requires it. any vest that worked in the white house sort of know that. we have to disclose our spouses income -- our spouse's income.

it is what it is. it is fair game. guest: and look how much time hillary clinton -- time to untangle whitewater and their financial dealings. host: are less color is from north carolina. good morning. caller: good morning. my comment -- about michelle obama being the first lady to dance in the white house. if she will look back in her history, you will see that eddie ford -- betty ford danced on the table on -- in the cabinet room. and that was published. guest: the last thing she wanted to do before she left the white house with stan on at table and dance. host: let me ask you about a new

book that came out this past week -- does this, and anyway, affect future income until the white house knowing that butler's and staff may talk? guest: it does and i know a lot of those people through three administrations. they are terrific people. they make life bearable inside the white house. and i think anybody coming in and the current occupants certainly have to think twice. guest: i question the number the things that were in that book, including an episode where hillary clinton supposedly threw a book at bill. that rumor went around washington with so much regularity. the idea that the president of the united states could have been walking around with stitches in his head and nobody knew it, quite frankly, i think that what is being repeated in that book as fact is actually gossip. host: let me conclude where we

began, we look at political spouses, we are looking for what? guest: we are looking for someone that is -- humanizes the candidate. absolutely. we are looking for someone that we know is a stabilizing force behind what is arguably the most intense and most important position in the world. and we are looking for someone to take the platform and use it in a way that is good. host: the last word. guest: i absolutely agree with all of that. the spouse is a window into the values of the candidate. host: anita mcbride and karen tumulty. to both of you, thank you very much for being with us. the

>>"first ladies" is now a book. learn details of all 45 first ladies that made these women who they were. the book, "first, presidential historians on the lives of 45 iconic american women." c-span's first ladies is an illuminating, entertaining, and inspiring read and is now available from your favorite bookstore or online bookseller. the event included former

virginia senator jim webb and former maryland governor martin o'malley. both of them have said they are considering a presidential run in 2016. this is part of c-span's road to the white house coverage. >> thank you very much. it is a pleasure to be able to spend a few minutes with you tonight. i would like to think the polk county democrats to be here with you. i would also like to express my appreciation to the uaw for hosting this event. it can safely be said that i am the only person ever elected to statewide office in virginia with a union card, two purple hearts and three tatoos. i'm very proud of this support.

-- support we have for organized labor. [applause] i would also like to say, that these videos were so extraordinarily well done. the one that really got to me was the first one about the veterans. i do not think that anyone who has had to watch friends be shipped away like that will ever forget it. i come from a family with a long military tradition. my dad was a world war ii bomber pilot. he was a pioneer in the missile program. i was a marine, my brother was a marine, my son was a marine. i would like to take this opportunity to ask those who are veterans to stand up and be recognized tonight. [applause]

we are happy to be here in iowa. i got here yesterday, my bags got here today. [laughter] i have to admit, last night, i am strong in my faith and i'm no apologetic for that, but i did suffer for committing the sin of envy. i was sitting in a hotel room, coming from american airlines from chicago, sitting on the tarmac for six hours in the delay, and i got to omaha and my bag was not in omaha. i had to figure out who to get my bag to omaha and then to des moines. i called my wife, and i said i'd get here, i do not know where my bag is, and i look there and donald trump's aircraft is sitting on the runway. what did i do with my life?

she said to get over it. you were so in a hurry to get out of here you did not kiss me goodbye, so this is god's way of kicking you in the seat. [laughter] i had a great moment over in council bluffs. one of the greatest heroes of my life is one of the most underestimated amateur fighters in american history, hurley copeland. he was my coach my senior year in high school. more than that. he was a national golden globes champion that year. the had a knockout in the finals, made the olympic team

the next year and was an incredible mentor to me. i needed some stability in my life, and i had to work all through my high school. that is why i started boxing. my senior year, i got an academic scholarship, went to the university of southern california before it went to the naval academy. i went out track, and i ran the 880. the first heat i was in i came in second, and i was very proud of myself. i would buy to see harley, and he asked what i was doing. i got this scholarship and i ran in this race, and i came in second. he asked if i was bragging? i said yes, because i have never done this before, and i came in second. he said do not ever come bragging if you come in second. he asked who ran the first four-minute mile. he said who came