from new hampshire. i would like to yield myself two minutes. i would like to thank dr. compton and the other dr. for taking time to inform ss members and those interested -- us as members and is interested. and the cochair of the bipartisan task force. my colleague from new hampshire. as well as members of the task force and 50 numbers of congress. this is clearly a growing concern across nation, more and more members are understanding that concern not just from what we are, she year in washington, but from there can issuance. i think we have learned a whole host of new ways that we can help the prescription side of this particular issue. as we continue to look at legislation and how we can help at a federal level to integrate what we are trying to do with

the stop abuse act. we may call upon you to help us and that challenge. i also see one of the key significant components is limiting the stigmatism. lifee gone to this and my because i have a family member who has a mental illness. the stigmatism that is still associated with mental illness is just as bad as substance abuse. it is something that we have to continue to inform and make people aware that this is a disease and that says something we can attack and that we can help. i also, and a hope that this year we can pass the stop abuse act. there'll several components of the act that i think would dramatically and immediately help those who are looking for a way to assist themselves or their family members and a way out and the deep dive that they are in. we also do have to inform those in our districts and around the nation of how pervasive this epidemic is.

if you think about it, whether it is from a national perspective or a new hampshire perspective, heroine abuse in the united states has reached unprecedented levels and has increased 62% over the last decade. when you see something of that significance, you would consider that a national epidemic. new hampshire, alone, we have doubled from 2004 2 2013, the number of state-based inpatient individuals to 1500. we have thousands of overdoses in the last year. we had 400 deaths related to drug abuse and drug overdose. i am interested and i know that the chair is also interested in not just solving this crisis, but also anticipating and planning for the next one. so we can be proactive in saving as many lives as we possibly can. i thank you very much for the time that you have given us today and we will be announcing our next hearing in the coming

weeks. we look for to working with each and every one of you in combating this heroin epidemic. with that, our time is expired for the afternoon. thank you for being here. we are now closed. >> coming up, from iowa, a form with the democratic presidential candidates. presidential historian douglas brinkley on the last year of presidencies and what to expect from the obama administration over the next year. kevin brady on 2016th economic priorities. as president obama prepares

for his state of the union address on tuesday, he released this video on twitter. >> i'm working on my state of the union address. it is my last one. as i'm writing this, i keep thinking about the world that we have traveled together these past seven years. that is a makes america great. our capacity to change for the better. our ability to come together as one american family and pull ourselves closer to the america we believe in. it is hard to see sometimes. it is to we are. it is what i want to focus on and the state of the address. >> seasons coverage starts at 8:00 p.m. eastern with a historian betty and a congressional reporter. looking back at the history and tradition of the president's annual message and what to expect in this year's address. at 9:00, our live coverage of the president's speech followed by the republican response by south carolina governor nikki

haley. lets your reaction by phone, facebook, tweets and e-mail, as well as those members of congress. on c-span, c-span radio, and c-span.org. will re-air the state of the union coverage and republican response starting at 11:00 p.m. eastern and 8:00 p.m. pacific. also live on c-span two after the speech, we will hear from members of congress within reaction to the president's address. there was an island rock -- black and brown presidential forum on monday. topics included diversely in the u.s., immigration reform, and the state of public education. is firsternie sanders up, followed by martin o'malley and then her a clinton. the 90 minute forum was held at drake university in des moines iowa. >> welcome back, like from drake

university in des moines, iowa. three democratic -- democratic candidates for president are here tonight. thank you. there are five topics we agree to discuss tonight. education, economic development, criminal justice, health, and immigration. we hope you'll join us that discussion thread the evening. please join me in welcoming our first candidate senator bernie sanders. [applause] >> thank you so much for coming. sen. sanders: my pleasure. >> are you cold here in iowa? sen. sanders: me, from vermont,

no. >> thank you so much for being here with us. let's start talking about guns. do you own a gun? sen. sanders: no. >> all right. i want to ask about guns. and you thousand five, you voted for a bill that shields the manufacturers and laws. clintonat, secretary said that maybe it is time for senator sanders to stand up and say, i got this one wrong. did you make a mistake? sen. sanders: no. it was one of many pieces of legislation, like many of the 10,000 votes and i cast, things are accommodated. let's be clear. when i wanted -- when i ordered a ban with united states congress in 1988 i ran as an independent. the gun people -- [indiscernible] sellinge should not be assault weapons the united states. i lost that election by two

percentage points. throw my political career, have ended up with a d-voting record from the nra. extend background checks and voted against the gun show loophole. i also believe that we should make the -- a situation of federal crime. i believe we need a revolution in mental health. so people in a mental treatment can get it now and not two years from now. >> in this case did you make a mistake? sen. sanders: www.c-span.org -- [indiscernible] there are provisions in that bill. very small gun shop owner in the state of vermont. she goes out later and shoot somebody. should you be said? i don't think so. on the other hand, if you are a gun manufacturer who is selling guns into a area and you're selling a whole lot of guns and you have reason to believe that a lot of those guns are not meant for people in that area

that are being distributed to criminal elements, she be prosecuted? yes. but we have to do is take a good look at that legislation and get rid of the -- like many pieces of legislation, it is, get it. on the issue of guns, limit be very clear. i support the president. we have to expand and extends and improve the instant background check. we have to do everything we can to in these horrific mass murders we are seeing in this country. >> secretary clinton has been criticizing you. have you noticed lately that she has been getting more aggressive with you? why is that? [laughter] sen. sanders: it could be. it could be that the inevitable candidate for the democratic nomination may not be so inevitable today. [applause] [laughter] if younders: i think look at the crowds that we are bringing forth herein iowa, new hampshire, all over the country,

there are millions of people that are saying that maybe it is time to go behind establishment politics and establishment economics. maybe it is time for a political revolution to take on the billionaire class and create an economy that works for all of us. can a socialist be the next president of united states? sen. sanders: -- sen. sanders: a democratic socialist can and will be. [applause] >> thank you for being here. i've question about affirmative action. you have been a supporter of affirmative action for a long time. i want to know, how would you respond to a white student who believes that their access to education is being limited by affirmative action? sen. sanders: how i would respond to think that it is time not to play off white against black intimation of every kid in this country, regardless of income can get a college education which is why i am vigorously fighting to make sure that all public colleges and universities are tuition free.

kid,ld say to that white you deserve an education, so does the blockade. said is every kid in america. in the richest country in the history of the world. we can do that. ,nd we will pay for that including lowering student interest rates on student debt. we will pay for that by a tax on wall street regulation. everything in this country has a right to a higher education. [applause] >> as a follow-up, the supreme court -- i think this is more were, at the supreme court ended affirmative action, will you do to ensure minority students have access to higher education? sen. sanders: everything i can. many no great secret that of the public schools, element tree school, high schools, and this country are in minority areas that are not working. many are dropout factories. -- you got to do do everything we can to make certain that all of our kids get a quality education and pay

special attention to those schools that are not doing well. one of the things that i have always believed is that in terms of education we have to break out -- property taxes. what happens is the wealthier suburbs can have great schools, but the poor, inner-city schools cannot. i think we need a quality in terms of how we fund education and make sure the federal government played an active role in making joy that those schools who needed the most get the funds that they deserve. >> thank you. in light of the recent large-scale rates of immigrant families you got a president obama took and temporary protective that is or safe haven to central american immigrants. battle -- that allows individual's for a status and work visas until they can return safely to their country of origin. use a protected status should be administered on a case-by-case basis, can you be more specific? sen. sanders: what that means is as most of us know,

in some cases, people up and deported from this country back to honduras are back to guatemala and of getting killed. because their committees are being run by drug cartels. so, where we believe that people's life is in danger, obviously, we have to protect those people. that is when you buy case-by-case basis. we have a more responsibly. making status is about sure that people are not forced to return to communities where their lives may be in danger. >> it is not blanket departure for anyone who has come your visit to america? how attraction decide this case by case? sen. sanders: you will have people who know the committees and the situation. we have to be pretty liberal about that. i worry about little children being forced to go back to communities where their lives will be miserable and they will be in danger. >> i want to stay on the topic of immigration. 2007, you voted against an immigration bill because of an increase in the guestworker

program. 313, you said you had reservations about the gang of a bill for very similar reasons. that, you have unlikely allies. an organization that seems to decrease immigration in this country. yet congressman steve king of iowa. here's my question. should immigration advocates be worried about -- [indiscernible] yes they did. progress members of the night states congress opposed it. things, yetg other the southern poverty law center telling us that these guestworker programs were akin to slavery. in other words, you people who are being terribly exploited and if they -- they would be thrown at the country. you have a major latino organization opposing it and some leading professors in congress opposing it. i think it made sense. i did support the more recent

legislation on immigration reform. i happen to believe that we have got to move toward conference of immigration reform and a path toward citizenship. i will use the executive offices of the presidency. >> thank you so much. the black unemployment rate remains at twice the rate of white and of limit. a oblem that has existed since the march of washington which it is over 50 years ago. as long as speculate away this is still true. and he was a fall. who do you think is at fault? and why do you think this reality is still true? sen. sanders: an important question. what you said is right. what is going on the american economy today. what has been going on in the last 30 years or 40 years. what you have seen is the disappearance of the american middle class. you see people working longer hours for lower wages. almost all low incoming --

we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of any major country on earth and more massive in a come on wealth inequality than any other country honors. in terms of unemployment, here is the truth, official unemployment in this country is 5%, will implement is 10%, including people giving up looking for work. african-american an appointment is 51% rise graduates. that is a national disgrace. jails, of investing in and incarceration, i will invest in education and jobs. put the kids back to work. [applause] >> a follow-up to some of the -- about college and student loans. i understand when you say free college, --

nothing sounds better than that. i was deciding whether or not i wanted to go to college and i heard that, i would begin to --. it still sounds like such a far-fetched reality. can you explain a little more how that will ever happen? sen. sanders: they always say this is really far-fetched. imagine the wealthiest country in the history of the world that has massive income and wealth inequality, that we would say that all kids in this country have the right to go to a public college and university, tuition free. do what everyld other industrialized country also does an gearing to dr. to all people as they write. i don't think it is far-fetched. countries all over the world are already doing that. what countries understand, is in the competitive global economy, the best educated workforce.

we do not have the best educated workforce. making certain kids yet get the education they need and not leave school deeply in debt is not only good for the people but the future of the country. this is not a radical idea. here's a radical idea. in the last 30 years, chileans of dollars have been redistributed from the middle class to the top 1/10 of 1%. that is a radical idea. public colleges and universities tuition free is not a radical idea. [applause] >> here is molly from simpson college. >> hello. i'm a senior at simpson college. 37 states require that sex education include abstinence. as the states, 25 require that abstinence be stressed more than any other form one of the states, only 14 require that sex education require verifiable

facts. more than half of american teenagers are sexually active and we know that birth control is critical to preventing not only pregnancy but hiv and stds which does proportionally affect youth. will you and the federal funding that is being poured into these programs for these out of step ideas? sen. sanders: let me start off by saying something very radical. i'm ready for sending radical? [laughter] i'm a u.s. senator who believes in science and believes in fact. i know that is a radical idea nowadays. [applause] sen. sanders: i think when we have too much unwanted pregnancy , i think that obviously women have the right to get the contraceptives that they need. when sexuality is an transit part of human life, we should not run away from it. we should explain biology and sexuality to our kids on a factual basis. you are talking about radical

ideas. can ask about one of his radical ideas? you want to break up the big banks. sen. sanders: i want to break up the big banks on wall street. >> can you give me specifics. sen. sanders: here's a we're talking about. we bailed out wall street after their greed and recklessness destroy this economy. we bailed them out and the reason, against my will, that congress both the mat is because banks were too big to fail. right? guess what? three out of the four largest banks in the country today are bigger than they were we build them out because they were too big to fail. top six financial institutions -- meanwhile, damage economic and political power it is time to

break them up. >> can the economy really work without the banks? were not talking about doing with thinking. were talking about ending a friend is concentration of wealth on wall street. >> -- [indiscernible] sen. sanders: this is what the legislation does. i will not tell you exactly what will happen. the secretary of treasury will take a hard look and will determine what banks, if they failed, would require a bailout. those banks would be broken up and i suspect very large banks that you named would be on that list. but, it is not a question of destroying the american banking system. quite the contrary, it means that we want a banking system not like wall street's main goal is greed.

-- ust that she would aaron island unto themselves. only concerned about profits. i want a banking system that makes affordable loans to small and medium-size businesses so that they can create jobs in this country and not a handful of banks who on the to make profit for themselves as they can. >> [indiscernible] as hillary clinton becomes president, what is your greatest fear for the economy? look, i have known her clinton for toy five years and i have a lot of excellent. basically, we are looking at here is an establishment politician. i think it is too late to -- for establishment politics and economics. i think we need to have the courage in this country to bring forth a political revolution when millions of people stand up and say, enough is enough. the government belongs to all of us.

not just a handful of billionaires. is that her clinton secession? i do not think so. i think they should break up a large banks. lakeland and does not. i voted against the war in iraq, her clinton does -- metaphoric. i've been strong entree. i'm tired of seeing corporations shut down factories for millions of workers on the street. and most other countries. i've been a leader. i didn't wait a whole long time to get on board. >> thank you. [applause] >> sorry, you guys are in my blood pressure. let's talk about weed. [applause] sen. sanders: you think that would help your blood pressure. in states where marijuana is legal, there are men and women

in jail for nonviolent we related offenses. people are selling illegally in the states. statistically speaking, people of color are more likely to be arrested on these charges. should these people be release from jail? sen. sanders: let's get to the root of the issue. it's a very good question. when you talk about criminal justice, what i'm talking about oftrying to end the horror what people in america being in jail any other country. 2.2 million people in jail. $80 billion a year. this is what i have to say. right now, on the federal control dozens at, marijuana is a federal one drug alongside heroine. it does not make a lot of sense. i've introduced legislation to take marijuana out of the controlled substance act. now, states may want to go forward to legalize marijuana. four states have. i do not want -- this sacred

will justice issue. i do not want to see a continuation of millions of people over the decades getting ,olice records, police records for possessing marijuana. your point is right. whites and blacks into doing marijuana at about the same rate, four times as many blacks are arrested his wife. it is a kernel justice issue. from a federal perspective, decriminalize marijuana. >> thank you. when you race to an activist, you outlined a case for sexual freedom and your school newspaper. sen. sanders: i was done about this issue 10 years ago. nationalthe conversation around sex on campus is very different. in fact, we know one in five american women report and experience of sexual assault while in college. to believe it is the relevant public institutions to combat this epidemic and if so, how? sen. sanders: absolutely.

it is an epidemic. here's my thing has to happen. saltand assault is rape or , whether it takes place on campus on a dark street. if a student rates a fellow student, that has got to be understood to be a very serious crime. it has got to get outside of the school. and have a police investigation. that has got to take place. too many schools now are seeing this as a soon issue let's deal with it. i disagree with that. it is a crime. has to be treated as a serious crime. you are seeing now the real horror of many women love been assaulted or raped, sitting in a classroom alongside somebody who rate them. somebody -- rape is a very serious issue -- crime. past because again in dallas. >> that salon order component of this. educationallso

components. questions of whether or not affirmative consent is something that should be taught in america's high school and colleges. whether or not center program should be across the board. what do you think about those ideas? sen. sanders: of course i do. this gets back to the previous question. about sexuality. about men and respecting women. about one summit he says no. that means no. to answer question, i do believe and i know this is controversial, we really do need a serious national discussion about sexuality. this would be part of that discussion. a very important issue. >> thank you so much. >> i will read a list of names that unfortunately we are familiar with. trayvon martin. to memorize. eric garner. walter scott. sandra bland. we know them and we know them frank appel reason. silence.

do you think that a level of distrust between the black community and the police is justified at this point based on the number of incidents taking place in the past 18 months? sen. sanders: the short answer is yes. i think -- let me just say something. all of the names that you have listed are well-known. sometimes, i think young people especially think, what is going on now? the truth is, this is gone on for a very, very long time. the only differences, we did not have cell phones to video these crimes. do i think the black committee has a right to be nervous and apprehensive about the police? absently. i think we need some radical rethinking about police procedures and the relationship of policeman -- please deferments to minority communities. just the obvious facts. if a police officer at any other public official breaks the law,

in killing somebody or using lethal force when it should not have been necessary, that police officer must be held accountable. i have seen as all of you have seen, these pictures on tv of local police departments where you look like you're in iraq with an invading army. i think we've got to work to demilitarize police departments and make police departments part of the communities, not seen as invading, impressive force it -- oppressive forces. shall police department look like the communities they are serving. in terms of diversity of the communities. in terms of criminal justice, police department reform is a very important part of what we've got to do. >> a follow-up. with live the tension streams and phones and videos,

so much of it is the violence that takes place in the streets, but they're often things that we do not see or talk about. police union contracts is something that i think is a little bit some get days to prepare. as president, would you challenge police unions to encourage more public trust? sen. sanders: i think what we want to have are unions, police departments that are supported and appreciated by the anmunities, not seen in antagonistic way. any and always we can do that makes sense. an burlington, we had initiative were cops were out on the street getting to know people. that is the goal we have.

any and all ways. >> how did they do that in burlington? wonderful place. baltimore. sen. sanders: there are a number of ways that we need to reform police departments. the bottom line is -- some of it is beginning to happen. being a cop is a hard job. police officers need to know you can break up, try to break up disturbances without the kind of force we often see. it it is a mentally ill person walking down the street with a knife, there are other ways of dealing with that than shooting them. we need training on how to deal with mentally ill people. there is a lot we need to do to make police departments much more part of the community. >> you say that health insurance should be a right of all people.

it seems simply having insurance is not the solution. 20% of people under 65 with health insurance sitltill have problems paying medical bills. you say you want to break up the big banks. i'm pointing at you a lot. [laughter] do you want to break up insurance companies? sen. sanders: i would not talk about it that way but let's talk about it this way. there is one country in the entire industrialized world, one that does not guarantee health care for all people. that country is the united states of america. there is one country which people pay the highest prices for prescription drugs. that country is also the united states of america. there is one country where 29 million people are uninsured completely and there are millions more who are underinsured with deductibles and copayments. yet, despite all of those

failures, guess what? we end up spending far more per capita than the people of any other country which guarantees comprehensive health care for all. three times as much as the british. to answer your question, what i believe is comprehensive universal health care for all people, medicare for all. when you do that, because you take private insurance companies out of the system whose only function in life is to make as much profit as they can. when you control the cost of prescription drugs, your provide health care for all and saving middle-class families thousands of dollars a year. that is why i believe in that. >> we have a couple of minutes more. can you sayon --

something in polish? cannot.ders: i [laughter] >> favorite fictional president. sen. sanders: i liked the guy in the movie "the american president." >> who didn't? is it offbrand for a democratic socialist to live in a mansion like the white house? sen. sanders: i would consider it more like public housing. [laughter] [applause] >> senator sanders, what is your favorite david bowie song? sen. sanders: he passed away and i'm afraid i'm not much of a follower. puerto rico as a $70 million

debt. would you pay for it? sen. sanders: having met with some of the leaders, we need to stand up to wall street funds that want to see schools shut down in puerto rico and negotiate a payment schedule that is fair. >> all right. is america making progress faster on racism or sexism? sen. sanders: i would say sexism. in that sense, what we have made progress in dealing with race -- we haven't an african-american who is president. we have seen terrible situations. i think we have made more progress in women's rights. >> how much do you have to earn to be rich? sen. sanders: i would say the people who make $250,000 a year are doing pretty well.

>> what state you think like see the least -- likes you the least? [laughter] sen. sanders: washington, d.c. [laughter] [applause] >> thank you for being with us. >> i appreciate it. >> bernie sanders. [applause] ♪ [applause] >> welcome back to the brown and black forum. i'm joined by my colleagues. we just heard from senator bernie sanders. we are going to continue with our next candidate. please join me in welcoming the former governor of maryland, martin o'malley. [applause]

mr. o'malley: thank you. thank you. >> thank you for being here. mr. o'malley: thank you. >> you think you can be president? mr. o'malley: i do. alwaysple of violeniowa have a way of setting it up. with only three of us less than the race, i'm the only one. >> i was speaking about your democratic party and the party presents itself a party of diversity. however, there is not a single latino candidate, not a single asian candidate, not a single african-american candidate. republicans have two latinos, an african-american candidate. do you think the democratic party is not ready for the

future? mr. o'malley: this is what i think -- in our country, we have seen a concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few. happened concentration in the democratic party. we have gotten to a point where candidates come to be excluded from the debate stage before single voters even cast a vote. that is not the way democracy is supposed to work. i believe we are strongest when more people are more included. i can tell you this -- if you look at our caucus, you will see a far greater amount of diversity at the state of the union on our side of the aisle than their side. our party is the party that understands diversity is our strength and it is therefore the party of the future because america's greatest strength is diversity. >> i was reading 82% of your

staff -- is that true? mr. o'malley: on the campaign? >> your staff. mr. o'malley: we have a lot of diversity. our deputy campaign manager. i have probably the smallest staff of any of the three presidential candidates. in the early going in iowa and new hampshire, those are the only places i have staff. i have staff here. in the early state, the majority are white. i can tell you in the leadership of my campaign and every cabinet i have ever put together as mayor and governor, i have had a great deal of diversity and made appointments to judicial positions that were historic in every way by race, gender. i'm willing to challenge your campaign. it is evident our diversity is our strength. >> thank you.

campus sexual assault often goes unrecorded because the process of reporting is confusing and put students at risk. should colleges and universities be fined if they do not turn over cases to local law enforcement?/ mr. o'malley: this is a huge challenge in our nation. there is been a heightened level of awareness and some documentary filmmakers have done a tremendous service by elevating the movement and the way a lot of students and campuses are stepping up. i think we need greater tramp transparency from our universities. you hurtn that somehow the university if you are not openly transparent is an ill serving notion. i think the universities should have to report and it should be consequences if universities do

not abide by those requirements and referrals to authorities. >> what do you think specifically colleges and universities can do to make women feel comfortable? mr. o'malley: i think university presidents -- i think the boards of regents and the students need to come together and demand a policy on the campuses of openness and transparency of reporting incidents and tracking them and posting them on the internet so all parents know, so all students know. i've had deep conversation -- my wife and i have four kids. my two daughters have gone to college and i have had conversations about this as well with them. what specifically i think needs to happen is only universities need to have policies in place. those policies need to be followed and it needs to be posted.

>> i guess a final follow-up -- what role should men play in reducing and preventing gender-based violence? mr. o'malley: that gets back to the it is on us movement. i think all students, but especially the young men, have a role to play, have to step up, after lead by their example. have to make sure that they express to one another this is not acceptable behavior in our country, in this day and age or any day and age. > > thank you. >> many have argued that freddie gray, the baltimore man who died a week after being arrested, was failed by more than one system. he went to a high school that was 90% black and 1% white. there is a project called an apartheid school. more than half of black students in maryland anttend those

schools. do you think schools in america are in a state of apartheid? mr. o'malley: it was not i that called them the best in america. magazine named us the best public schools in america. when i brought people together as governor, i increased public education funding. [applause] core of your question, the reason we increased public education funding is because disparity intoric funding between the poorer and wealthier schools. not a single one of our grace scored proficient in reading or math when i was running.

once we get the better funding, we saw that first graders score above the national average for the first time ever and continue that movement. every year, we have worked to increase our graduation rates and our achievement rates for all people. in fact, more of our kids take and pass stem related ap courses than any other state. some of the highest rates of excellence are found among many of her african-american families. >> just in case i was not clear -- the spirit of the question is whether or not, all these years after board of verses of the board of education, actually .elivered the promise to mr. o'malley: many states have not addressed the school funding issue. some states have. some states you have seen a greater integration. we have a lot of historically black colleges and universities.

our funding increase for those colleges and universities. it is a different pace in improvement in every state. i think the main hurdle that all states need to overcome is the inadequate funding which often corresponds to race and to class and to incomes. >> thank you. >> how are you doing? mr. o'malley: i'm good. it is good to be that. [applause] want to talk about when you were the mayor of baltimore. and enlistedmayor a zero-tolerance policy, imposing harsh penalties for offenses without making any exceptions. critics say it is this type of legislation that created this trust in the black community. even if it reduced crime, which

it did, do you take any responsibility that exists between the police and those in baltimore? mr. o'malley: i think all of us have the responsibility. i have been in a constant search for the things that work in order to do more of them and the things that do not work so we can stop doing it. when i ran for mayor of baltimore in 1999, there was already a deep, deep distrust between communities and police. that predated my service as mayor probably by about 250 years. i had to work to heal that wound. when i ran in 1999, our city had allowed itself to be the most violent city in america. every year for 20 years, we buried 320, 340 young black

men every year. black lives matter. when i ran in 1999, it was on the platform that together we did not have to accept the sort of injustice of where you called the police from a wealthier neighborhood, black or white, they always came. if you called from a poorer neighborhood, and most of them were black, they hardly ever came. i promised policing but this is another thing. we have to police the police. recruiting a much more diverse department. publicly posting our brutality, use of lethal force. i brought down the fatal police involved shootings. had i not improve the accountability on transparency in which we police the police, i would not have been reelected five years later with 88% of the vote or supported in two elections overwhelmingly by the very communities who saw the

biggest reduction in crime and the biggest improvement of the quality of life. we did things well. that was to dramatically increase -- i think we tripled or quadrupled the amount we invested in drug treatment. the number of lives we saved by reducing overdose deaths in our city were greater than the strides we made in reducing homicides. as governor, i accomplished something very few states have. i reduced the incarceration rate to 20 year lows. experience tof offer our country what we need to do. we have figured out things that work and do not work. one of those things that does not work is the death penalty. i've repealed it in the state of maryland. [applause] >> thank you. >> governor, a student has a question for you.

>> i attend brown university. governor o'malley, diversity is a word we hear a lot, but at my school, only four of the 424 professors are minorities. how do we integrate education and the student body? [applause] mr. o'malley: wow. forward a plan, the debt-free college within the next five years. i have a little bit of experience as i was the only governor during the recession to go four years in a row without increasing the college tuition. i think the deeper question is this -- throughout our country, we have made great strides in bending the arc of our nation's progress towards justice but we

have a long way to go. we tend to talk to people who are like us, socialize with people who are like us. i think the only answer -- not the only answer but a big part of the answer is the openness and transparency and being able to report what those diversity numbers are. in my own state, we had the highest goals for minority women and business participation than any other state. during the recession, we exceeded it and we raised it. i constantly gave voice to the truth that our diversity is our strength. the more we include people in the economic and social part of our country, the better all of us are able to do. that is a great work that lies before us whether it is in the universities, hospitals, government or any other institutions, or the media. democrats have

criticized the obama administration for the deportation rates. do you believe that secretary clinton will continue that? mr. o'malley: no, because she is not going to win the election. i am. [laughter] [applause] iselieve that america scanning the horizon looking for a new leader that will move us forward. right now, many people in america have fixated on the immigrant bashing donald trump and his fascist appeals. once the people of iowa have an opportunity to actually caucus and discuss this, i believe they will see in leadership i have offered. the boldest and most comprehensive reform policy. i was way in front of either of the other candidates. we have big differences on immigration policy. >> what are the biggest differences? mr. o'malley: the biggest

differences are these -- some people say are you to the left or right? i'm to the forward of them. i arrived at things before they do. what are some of those? two years ago, when the kids were coming over the border and are still coming because we need a new alliance for progress that we need to be a part of. when those kids were coming over, there were many governors who said i will find out where those rascals are an roundabout. -- and round them up. we took a different approach. secretary clinton said that. i brought together leaders from all over our state and we were able to accommodate not detention camps, but foster homes. 5000 kids which was more per capita than any other state. theve called for an end to

shameful practice we have of for-profit prisons. awful public policy in the united states. [applause] americans in the course of this campaign when they learn that our country maintains the largest system of immigrant detention camps than any other nation in the world, they will rise up and say this is not right. >> you will not the poor deportn -- the pord children? mr. o'malley: i believe if people are coming from central america or syria, we cannot slam the door. >> you would not? mr. o'malley: i would not. [applause] before either of the two candidates in this race, i called for temporary protected status for those coming here

from honduras and el salvador and guatemala, the northern triangle countries. we need to work with other countries to push back against the drug gangs and death gangs that are threatening to make nationstates fail in our own hemisphere. >> in central america, they must be thinking if you become president, it is an open border. that is what they might be thinking. you are sending the wrong message. mr. o'malley: the message is this -- we are a generous people and a nation of immigrants. we are a nation of nations and we do not send children and women and families back to the hands of death against. gangs. they are breaking up families every single day. 72,000 parents were taken away from their american-born kids by a mindless deportation policy. just because it is government, there is not on or off.

our policies should be about keeping people together. yes, protecting the border and public safety. we need to act like americans. americans whether it was in 1939, whether it is today, we should never be sending women and children back to death gangs. i have called for an end to these mindless deportation policies. [applause] >> vice president joe biden recently said that there were "two good candidates for the race of the democratic nomination." meanwhile, you might not qualify for the upcoming debate in south carolina. on this very stage, candidates are up here individually and not together. is the dnc the reason you struggle to challenge hillary clinton's nomination? mr. o'malley: yes. [laughter] [applause]

report that the vice president said that. i was wondering if the other one was either hillary or bernie. [laughter] look, i don't make the rules. the rules are made by other people. the dnc chair. we have never had such an undemocratic debate schedule as we have in the party. we schedule these debates on saturday night when as few people will see them as possible. i really appreciate the fairness of this format. the great american tradition of equal time. in the other debate, they tell us 80% of the time the questions will go to the front runners. it leads to a situation where the field of five was whittled down to three after the first debate. so, i don't make these rules, but i offer my candidacy.

this is what i believe -- i believe the people of iowa have a way of sorting through things. if we are looking for a new leader that can get things done and move us forward rather than gridlocked and divided, i believe we will surprise a lot of people on caucus night. that would put me in the company of other candidates who surprised on caucus night who were in the same place in december as i was. we rose to double digit before christmas. my wife asked me what i would like an christmas, i said two more points in the iowa poll. [laughter] people like john kerry, jimmy carter. the iowa way is the people in this state, the individuals matter. >> how do you think you will do in iowa in the general election or the primary? mr. o'malley: i think we will surprise a lot of people. we have a terrific staff. i have visited 65 counties.

we have great organizations. what i hear are the two phrases -- new leadership and getting things done. i'm the only one of the three of us -- i'm not a former member of congress, secretary. i have been a mayor and a governor. i have brought people together under deep divides whether it is in the city or as a governor to make our schools number one in america. to have not only the highest median income through the recession, but the second-highest for african-american families. i have the record of practicing not only the politics, but the economics of inclusion. i have a record of getting results. i believe that is what our country needs right now. >> thank you. >> we have talked about for-profit prisons. let's talk about for profit colleges. the industry has been criticized of taking advantage of veterans feesinorities for charging

with failed jobs. the department of education hands over to tens of millions of dollars to the same institutions that have been accused of predatory behavior. where do you cut funding for these for-profit institutions? mr. o'malley: a lot of the worst offenders have been weeded out of the system. i believe that we need greater accountability on our dollars. plan covers tuition and room and board which is often times a big chunk of what it takes to go to college. i also believe there is great examples out there of online universities, many of them public online universities, that actually work and create flexible pathways for students to finish their degree to move forward when they are ready. i do not believe we should stifle that, but i believe we need to lift up those schools that actually work.

university of maryland university college is a largest public online university in our country. university of some the new hampshire -- of southern new hampshire. we need a blended way to a achieve degrees rather than putting institutions in the center. we need to put degree completion at the center. we need to be open to online universities and other multiple pathways. >> going back to the question of for-profit. the bad actors that are existing, that are dabbling in predatory behavior. should they be able to receive federal funds? mr. o'malley: no, they should not. >> thank you. one thing myi feel generation knows little about is social security. millennial's do not expect to receive any social security benefits. we're accepting the fact we are putting money into something we will not be covered with down the road. do you think that is justified?

mr. o'malley: i think it is understandable when you see the republican congress shutting down are very government every three months. it is easy to be discouraged about the state of our national politics. you know what the most recurrent question i get across iowa and new hampshire? the most recurrent question i get is what are you going to do to bridge the divide in washington? we have been so this bond and about our own inability to govern ourselves. having said that, i believe social security is one of the strongest and best and most effective programs we have ever created as a nation. i put forward ia plan to expand social security, create a credit with in it so we are not penalizing women who more often than men drop out of the workforce to raise families. i believe the way to pay for this is having people who earn more than $250,000 to start to pay back in.

right now, it is a cap of $118,000. what i would say to millennials including my own kids is that no people ever gave their children or grandchildren a life with more opportunity and more security by making their country weaker. we are going to come through this with new leadership and a faith in one another. as we do that, we will strengthen social security. we will make college debt-free. we are going to square our shoulders to the challenge of climate change and make it the greatest business opportunity to come to the united states in 100 years. this is what we do. we are a great people and those of the things i am running to a accomplish. 65, i will getrn more than a $100 check? mr. o'malley: yes, you will. >> i have a question for you on the unemployment rate, if i can find it. give me one second.

hold on. ok. unemployment among black americans remain higher than the overall rate at the peak of the recession. many economists are saying another economic downturn is on its way and it could occur in what would be your first term in office. would you support a second stimulus for those americans who have been left behind? mr. o'malley: yes, i absolutely would. in fact, i believe -- there is a party too weak on the stimulus and i was advocated with the democratic that the stimulus needed more long-term investments. i'm the only candidate in either party to put forward a plan, a new agenda for america's cities. america's cities and towns are the places where we have the greatest problem with structural unemployment and yet it is also the place where the greatest amount of work needs to be done. my plan has three components. one is much more robust

investment in transportation and mobility. economic mobility, one of the greatest barriers is the lack of mobility. the second part of it is doubling the investment on it for what housing so our cities can be places that are economic elite inclusive for people across -- economically inclusive for people. we need to make our cities to a 100% clean electric grid by 2050. we can redesign the buildings to retrofit. i propose doubling investments so marriage can get people back to work. ps so weosing a jobs cor can get people back to work. this is what needs to be done in other areas and i believe we need to do it now. structural unemployment, the widening opportunity gap. it will not solve itself. we need to solve it. >> thank you. >> let's mix things up a little bit. short questions, short answers.

ready? the most difficult one -- do you think el chapo will escape again? mr. o'malley: no. [laughter] >> on the campaign trail, you use the phrase we are all in this together. are you a high school musical fan? mr. o'malley: was that in there? >> it is the main song. mr. o'malley: i'm going to be 53 next week. once you get over 50, you have to work to stay connected to the current. we are all in this together. the great frederick douglass one and we must help each other if we were to succeed. it has been a touchstone of my. ine. >> described the american dream in one sentence. mr. o'malley: the american dream

is that in our country you start , with your own hard work, you should be able to get ahead and give your children more security, safety. [applause] >> this one could be a longer question but it is a yes or no question. in what scenario should a man be able to tell a woman what to do with her body? mr. o'malley: no scenario. there we go. >> rapidfire. fie.re. >> thank you very much. >> thank you for your time. [applause] >> it has been an incredible night here at drake university. we have covered a lot of ground. please welcome to the stage former secretary of state hillary clinton. [applause]

mrs. clinton: good to see you. >> thank you so much for coming. mrs. clinton: thank you for doing this. i guess the republicans will be next? [laughter] we we invited them. mrs. clinton: it didn't work out. >> i want to disclose that my daughter works for your company. mrs. clinton: thank you. she is wonderful. [laughter] >> the last time we talked i asked you if you had a latino problem. many latinos want to know if you will be the next deporter in chief. many were concerned you are against federal licenses in new york state. in 2014, you said you would send

back central american children. we have not heard you publicly by the acts done by obama's administration. would you become the next deporter in chief? mrs. clinton: no, and i have come out against the raids. i don't think it is an appropriate tool to enforce the immigration laws. i think they are divisive, s tarting discord and fear. i also came out in favor of guaranteeing unaccompanied children have government-sponsored council so as they go through the process, they will not be confused by the process and will have a chance to tell their story. this inportant to put the broader context which is what i have tried to do. we have to have comprehensive

immigration reform, but how we implement our immigration laws does have some ability for the executive to make choices. i would prioritize criminals, orple who are plotting taking action that is against our public safety or our property. those are the kinds of people that would be on my list. >> that is not what the administration is doing right now. can you promise that you will not deport children and you will not deport immigrants who don't have a criminal record? mrs. clinton: i can promise that it will do everything possible to provide due process. we have to change the immigration asylum and refugee laws. do, we havetil we to try to figure out how to handle this very large group of

predominantly women and children who are coming north. we have to be sensitive and humane in the application of our laws. we also have to do a lot more. this is where i think i have a particular passion. we have to do a lot more to help those countries in central america get over some of the challenges of violence, criminality, drug cartels. that is really the impetus behind it. you know that this year we had no net immigration from mexico. in fact, mexicans in america are actually going back to mexico. why is that? because there is, despite the problems that we know exist, there is better economic opportunity. there is better stability for families. i similarly, i remember the good health americans gave to the

colombian people to overcome their decades of civil war and apparatus behavior of the -- horrendous -- kare behavior of the drug cartels. >> would you deport children? mrs. clinton: i would give every person, particularly children, due process foto have their story to be told. every children will have legitimate stories under our laws to be able to stay. i will end public t detention centers which do not uphold the values of americans. i cannot sit here and say we will have a blanket rule of who or who will not be able to be staying in the country. what i don't like is a mass round up and a raid

sending people off in the middle of the night. that should end. >> thank you, secretary. all of the democratic presidential candidates have said black lives matter even if they didn't at first. i did your administration -- how did your administration do that? mrs. clinton: i have done a lot of thinking about that. i have met with a very dynamic group of young black lives matter activists. i have heard directly from them. it is a broad agenda we have to agenda. let's start with the most contentious issues. policing reform, incarceration reform. i believe strongly that this has to be the highest priority of the president. president obama's releasing commission has some very good suggestions i would want to build on what we have to do everything possible in reaching out and listening directly to

communities that are being affected. families are decimated by the large numbers of missing men in the community. a very specific set of recommendations about what i would do when it comes to arrests. we have to have a clear set of standards because african-american men and latino men in particular get arrested more quickly for doing the same thing as a white man does. it continues through the process. more than likely to be charged, more likely to be convicted, more likely to be incarcerated. the figures do not lie. we have to bring that to a broader audience because it is such a violation of what we say our values are. we have systemic racism and bias that is implicit in the system. unless we begin to go after that and end it, we don't solve the

problem. in addition to the really difficult pieces of reform needed in criminal justice and incarceration, we have to disrupt the school to prison pipeline. we need a cradle to college pipeline. we need more job opportunities. i want to incentivize more investment in the most distant communities. areas,ities, poor rural native american reservations. we have places where the poverty is so appalling. it is not what we say we stand for. it is not just dealing with the criminal justice issue because i want to end incarceration of people for low level i offenses. we need far more opportunities for people to stay out of jail or prison while they deal with a

drug problem or a mental health problem which is one of the main reasons people end up in jail and prison. when you look at it, it is not anizing,ng and dehum it doesn't make economic sense. if you have a system -- we should have treatment recovery programs across america so that when somebody is in and out of jail or the emergency room alcohol orut all o drugs, they get a setting to go besides jail. i have seen a great example in reno, nevada. what i want is to make the case. it is the right thing to do, but it is also cheaper. morala humanitarian, thing to do. diverts $3000 to somebody. it costs $30,000 to put somebody

in jail. you make the choice. [applause] >> you have been endorsed by planned parenthood. just yesterday, you told an audience any right that requires you to take measures is no right at all not as long as we have rights in the books making it harder for low income women to exercise their rights? does that mean you would support federal repeal for funding of abortion? mrs. clinton: yes. i have for a very long time. it is hard to justify because if we have a right, and i think people have the right to health. we are trying to make that real. certainly come of the full range of reproductive health rights that women should have included access to safe and legal abortion. if state governments, ir powericians use the

to try to restrict that right, well off people will still have it. we know that. isolatedpoorer women, far from a place with a can get services, are going to be denied. that is why this case is going to the supreme court out of texas. the texas government has forced the closing of planned parenthood clinics. a totally inaccurate medical requirements. it is a huge state and it is going to be much more difficult for poorer women to exercise that right. i think we should do everything we can to repeal that amendment. i think it has been a blockade. >> a quick follow up -- congressman debbie wasserman schultz recently said she believes the generation of women who grew up after roe v. wade

have become complacent. do you believe my generation of women are complacent? mrs. clinton: i don't have any overall data or information to respond to that. i don't want to draw generalizations. i think it is always important for people to be reminded of some of the struggles that went before whether it is civil rights, human rights, women's rights, gay rights or whatever it might be. i think what is happening is that because of some of the actions going on in states and because of the supreme court's decision, it is in the news now. anybody who might have thought this is ancient history is realizing that maybe it isn't. it is important to do what we can to raise the visibility of these issues and demonstrate important connections that they have with people's lives whether or not you ever exercise that right. it is something that should be available. i feel especially passionate

about this because i traveled to so many countries. i have been in a hospital in northeastern brazil where the doctors told me half the women are so happy they just had a baby. half the women are here because of botched abortions. i went to romania where the prior communist dictatorship actually legally required everyon woman to have five children. the secret police would follow to make sure you are not trying to do anything, even birth control, to prevent that. thousands of abandoned babies, orphanages filled with many kids. i spoke in beijing in 1995 against forced sterilization. reproductive rights are a fundamental human right. no government should interfere.

they should not tell a woman what she can do with her life and body. we need to stand up again with this movement that is currently going on. [applause] evening. the danger of isis is clearly a major threat to american safety, is much more obama concerned about the local level rather than that. andou believe terrorism extremism is as much a threat in this country is something like isis? mrs. clinton: i think that we our all kinds of threats in country. i would not discount any of them. i think we have to take them all seriously. many of those threats are fueled

by the gun violence that we face every single day. byre 90 americans are killed guns, tragic avoidable accidents. one of the reasons why i'm so adamant and in support of president obama's policies is i think as a nation we cannot sit idly by while 33,000 people a year die from gun violence. i also believe we have to take any form of violence, particularly organized violence, seriously. yes, i believe there are all kinds of underground movements and efforts in our country to try to use violence or certain often leadt i find to violence. let's take some of the white

extremism we see. i remember very well go into thehoma city and seeing ruins of the federal building where i recall 168 americans and 19 children were murdered by a bomb by a guy who aided the government. that i -- hated the government. that is terrorism. when you have communities terrorized by gangs where parents are afraid to send their kids out. i remember a beautiful woman from chicago. she performed at president obama's second inauguration. came home hanging out with her friends across school from chicago and gets murdered. stray bullet, intentional bullet -- murdered. i think when you have police violence that terrorizes

communities, that does not show the respect that you were supposed to have from protecting people in your authority, that can feel terrorizing. there are so many different kinds of potential violent acts. we have to go after all of them. we have to stop them all. we cannot let anybody live in fear. higher profile when it is tied to international terrorism because it seems like it is coming from the outside and not homegrown. homegrown terrorism in oklahoma city and i saw foreign terrorism in new york city. i saw people grieving over the loss of their loved ones. at some point, we all have to come together as a country again and stand against violence and do something to get the guns out

of the hands of people who should not have them, no matter who they are. [applause] our final introduce question from the audience. a junior here at drake university. my question is for you and it is the following -- white privilege is a term more people are talking openly about these days. people like me have long understood what it means. secretary clinton, can you tell us what the term white privilege means to you and can you give me an example from your life or career when you think you have benefited from it? [applause] mrs. clinton: where do i start? [laughter] hard when you are swimming in the ocean to know exactly what is happening around

you, so much as it is when you are standing on the shore watching. for me, i was born white, middle-class in the middle of america. i went to good public schools. i had a very strong supportive family. experiencesof great growing up. i went to a wonderful college. i went to law school. what was orly knew was not part of the privilege. i just knew i was a lucky person and that being lucky was in part related to i am, where i'm from and the opportunities i had. but, i will tell you when i first realized that i was privileged both because i was

white and economically stable. i had two experiences through my church. the first was when i was about 11 years old, a church asked if some of us would volunteer to babysit for the children of migrant workers on saturday because the family had to go into the fields and the older kids had to go with them. there was nobody left to watch the little kids. i and a couple of my friends volunteered. in those days, chicago was surrounded by fields. it does not look like it anymore. it was on the migrant journey from mexico of to texas to the midwest and then to michigan. a certain point in the summer harvest, folks were in the chicago area. i remember going out there taking care of these adorable little kids. thought they are

very different from me. they have different experiences, but they were just little kids. at the end of the day, at the end of this long road because they'r are all these housing units, the bus stops and the older siblings got out. when the little kids saw them, they drop everything and began running for their mothers and fathers, holding their arms out. i remember it like it was yesterday watching that and i was thinking i used to do that with my father. and, i'm watching these kids and their families, they have to work so hard. the place they live is not very nice. i just felt i have a different kind of life. i did not call it a particular name but it was a different life and i knew that. >> let me jump to another question. president bill clinton in 1994

built new fences at the border with mexico. i voted numerous times when i was a senator to build a barrier to prevent immigrants from coming in. first question -- would you commit by now to not use the word illegal or illegals? [applause] mrs. clinton: yes. that was a poor choice of words. obviously, historically -- undocumented. i will not use it in the future. >> what is the difference between your idea and donald trump psyd on building a wall with mexico -- donald trump's idea on on building a wall with mexico? mrs. clinton: everybody i know on the democratic party who favored for reform also favored border security. myt is ted kennedy,

husband, president obama. even somebody like president george w. bush was trying to push reform and gave up too easily. we do need to have secure borders. what that will take is a combination of technology and physical barriers. >> you have said that. >> i voted for border security. some of it was a fence. i don't think we ever called it a wall. it was aimed at controlling the borders. i think we have to to have comprehensive immigration reform with a path to full citizenship, but i think we need to keep the border secure. i don't see a contradiction. what i object to about what the republicans are saying is that they always -- at least the person you are referring to -- he always combines building the porting people.

that's a me is not only for offensive.is we need to do both. >> democrats have introduced a plan that bernie sanders is pay her but you are against. would you veto it in order to make good on your tax pledge? secretary clinton: i do not in any way up those the plan. my good friend jill -- senator gillibrand introduced the bill

and ice up her. the substances both weeks of paidleave, seven weeks of date sick leave. ahave the same plan to put four by closing the loopholes and raising taxes on the wealthy. i think my plan is a better approach to get to the same abject of and i do think we have problemsith numerous simultaneously. until we stabilize social security and make sure will be there and the promise will be fulfilled, i do not want to do anything to the puerile tax. >> at the sanders campaign has criticized the vagueness. details?ive us more a price tag? secretary clinton: that is

interesting because i have made up specifically my tax planning and my friend senator sanders has said he will lay out his andre the iowa caucus myself and others will be anxious to see them. i have said i have cap deductions at may 8% with the exception of charitable contributions. closing loopholes like those the hedge fund managers used to pay a lower tax rate ban most secretaries do. a tax on everybody making $1 million or more in a day fair's -- air chair surcharge fair share surcharge of incomes over $5 million. the reason i do not want to raise middle-class taxes is most middle-class families of not recovered from the recession. not recovered from wages not owing up. often are working two jobs and

set of one. family wealth is not recovered. they may have lost a home and are now renting. i have a very clear plan outlined about where money will come from to provide paid leave which is a high priority of mine. >> how many accounts do you have? >> one. >> who had a better 2015? you or drake? >> he is talented, that is not fair. released apaign list, seven ways hillary clinton is like your grandmother. can you name one way in which you are not. clinton: i am running for his name, not every grandmother does that.

that other republican we don't speak of, donald something, what would you give --?for his willtary clinton: nothing stop he was basically a democrat before he was a republican. he was somebody we all knew in new york. he was supportive of them across. with supportive of a lot of causes i cared about and people i knew cared about and now he seems to take in another road. [laughter] , people can say whatever they want about us. if you do notit have anything positive to say about what you will do to help people thrive, you are going to resort to personal attacks.

that is not something we will in dalton or try to respond, we will just let people run their campaigns anyway they want. i am going to run on what i think will help our country and i will let our voters decide. >> tell us the truth. do you hate --? secretary clinton: i don't take them, but number one, i don't like to take a selfie, i want to talk to people. number two, i once had a selfie one of the-- kardashian's. she had lighting that you put roger case. yourat you put around case. you cannot take a bad picture with it. but most selfies, now, when people ask for a selfie, i will

say ok and take it. but hardly ever are they as good as kim kardashian's. but i feel kind of like, hey, what is the point? >> best rumor you ever heard by yourself? secretary clinton: there are so many. where do i start? oh, my favorite. i was in the white house, one of the cowboys publish this amazing picture with my head and i was wearing something i actually own. not myes i know it is body because they put my head on somebody else's clothing, but this one was my clothing and there were arms coming around and the headline was, hillary's secret alien baby. and the alien was right there, it was really cute. -ish.of e.t.

>> do you think we should start studying the reparations? secretary clinton: i think we should study what we can do to help individuals and communities move forward. i am absolutely committed to that. there are some good ideas. there is an idea in the congressional black caucus about targeting dollars to communities that have disinvestment or no investment and have had years of being below the poverty level. that is what i would like to focus on. ,> one final question [indiscernible] clinton: anyone can win. river thought donald trump would be winning in the national polls? anyone who has ever thought about running, take heart.

[applause] [indiscernible] stay with us. announcer: c-span takes you on the road to the white house. best access to the candidates at townhall meetings, speeches, rallies, and meet and greets. we're taking your comments on facebook, twitter, and by phone. as always, every event we cover is on our website, c-span.org. up on c-span, presidential historian douglas brinkley. then 2016 economic priorities. later, the congressional task force to combat the hero when epidemic holds a meeting on treatment.

>> on the next washington journal, a preview of dissident obama's state of the union address. beat with a representative from texas about what he expect to hear. then, a conversation with a democrat on texas to discuss the debate on deporting 11 million u.s. immigration immigrants. as always, you can call us or common on facebook or twitter. >> as president obama prepares for his state of the union address on tuesday, he released this video on twitter. president obama: as i am writing, i keep thinking of the road we traveled together the past seven years. that is what makes america great. americangether as one

family to pull ourselves together for the america we believe in. it is tough to see sometimes. but it is who we are and it is what i want to focus on in this rate of the union address. announcer: c-span's coverages starts tuesday at 8:00 p.m. eastern looking at the history and tradition of the president's annual message and what to expect in this year's. then, at 9:00, the state of the union address. by phone, reaction tweets, and the e-mail as well as those by congress on c-span, c-span radio, and c-span.org. 11:00l re-air starting at pacific.8:00 p.m. after the speech, we will hear from members of the congress in statuary hall with their

response to the presidential address. next, presidential historian douglas brinkley on the final year of residency's and what to expect from the obama at the station. from washington journal, this is 45 minutes. spend someoing to time talking about the final year of a presidency. usually a two-term presidency. what does it mean in terms of policy or legacy? with aed to start out short piece from president obama's news conference. at the end of the the year when he talked about his expectations. for his final year in office. unfinished: we have business. i plan on doing everything i can to deliver on behalf of the american people.

i have never been more optimistic than i am now. host: douglas brinkley joining us. good morning. good morning. of a the final year presidency, how do they generally position themselves? what approach to they take? and they want to build their legacy, what did we do the previous year, how can i package it. if you are in the position barack obama is in, you are trying to say what can i talk about that we have accomplished, what do i want to do this last what is my legacy piece of

this? they that because presidential library is going to be in chicago. this last state of the union is a big moment that will be dedicated to gun control issues, stopping gun violence. thing, how did they play the campaign? talking about donald trump, hillary clinton, bernie sanders. theseem to be out of limelight. in this case, president obama saying i am not going to weigh in on hillary clinton yet. he has two more big speeches.

it will be a major endorsement for hillary clinton. his farewell address, which will heur next january, what thinks america needs to do in the future. voting starts in a matter of weeks. how much are people listening? guest: he will be tidying up unfinished business. obama has wanted to close the base on guantanamo. i suspect he will raise that issue again. president obama will be

once he goes and campaigns, probably for hillary clinton. he has about a 90 percent or more approval rating in the african-american community. bringing out the african-american vote, which barack obama is good at, will be relevant in the home stretch of the campaign. douglas brinkley is in new york. his new book is called rightful heritage. caller: thank you for taking my call. that this president

is going to take his last year in office to do something about gun violence in the united states. i remember meeting mr. obama and mrs. obama in d.c. a few years ago. host: to what extent have last year's presidents tackled issues like guns? a few days ago, president -- shed tea tears rs.

i would introduce myself to somebody and someone would say i say my name -- and i lost my daughter at newtown. the national rifle association is very strong. the president is starting to build a coalition. he is starting to build the coalition. i think we will see him continuing in that role. i'm trying to get background checks for gun purchases made much tougher. of the union, the symbolic moment of the evening is going to be the empty chair. if you go to oklahoma city, they have an amazing memorial done there. they have mt chairs in a park

that people come to visit. the chair will be representative of the people killed by gun violence. it will be a solemn moment. symbolism of that that tells you how much the president wants to make reducing gun violence part of his last year in office issue. climate change, which is popular in the american press, it is starting to get people to riled up about libel -- about global climate change, it is an issue you will see him dealing with a lot. host: you can watch our coverage at 8:00.

next call for douglas brinkley is very. barry is here in washington, d.c. caller: thank you for the work you have done. what is your view about taking ton the lee circle statue robert e. lee and confederate statues and commemorations throughout the south. guest: i have a great connection to new orleans. i am worried about the city because of the recent winter in theg that has gone on missouri river in the midwest. i worry about flooding in the mississippi delta. complicated issue. think things have to be done on a case-by-case basis.

the edmund pettus bridge in alabama, should be named after john lewis. sometimes i think those changes are appropriate. go way too, people far. everyone to look like they did today. we have to sloth of that down some of theous on tearing down of statues and a renaming everything. in new orleans, i am an advocate that we need to do a statue for ruby bridges. people.onoring

ruby bridges, being one of many. as a way to outrace the confederate memorials. tearing downto statues, we have to be careful on doing that. heritage, connect culture, what does it all mean. lee was a great west point cadet. host: bob, great falls. i hope my mom is listening. she will not believe i got on. this is her favorite program.

i know you wrote the book on franklin roosevelt. we are big bernie sanders fans. wondering, do you think baite sanders is trying to -- break up the big banks, start a work program like bernie sanders is talking about. would fdr be considered a -- source? i would like to hear what your comments would be. is a good question. was auld say fdr democratic socialist, although the term socialist is repugnant to many people due to the cold war concept that was used. the word most people like to use

is progressivism. who wassomeone suspicious of wall street power, when after big businesses and trust, was a public utilities over private use of natural resources and the like. wrong tothink it is to whatwhat his message franklin roosevelt was saying, to the great depression years. he was standing up for what used to be the forgotten man and woman. been an assistant secretary in the navy during world war i and was an activist in that role. when it gets into domestic

debates, fdr was one of the most era.iant tacticians of his remind us of what his last year in office was like. how significant? guest: 1940 four, he died april 12, 1945. in 1944, he had the big victory. the beginning of the end of hitler. we had a lot of wind in his sale. he reluctantly ran in 1944. he said i just want to go back to the hudson river valley, write my memoirs, relax, enjoy

myself. he felt compelled to see the war through. of summitless series meetings. by 1945, when he went to the summit, it took a toll on him. he met with churchill and stalin. they started looking at post-world war ii world, what it would look like. globallt wanted to make conservation. he believed it was the basic premise for global peace. around the standard world, which never happened. he was pushing forward what would be a straight legacy, the united nation. he died in warm springs, georgia, quite exhausted. his heart was a mess. he was prone to having horrific

headaches. he is not the man he was two years olearlier. from warmas moved springs to washington. he is considered an extraordinarily successful commander during world war ii. he was remarkable in that regard. i rank fdr with lincoln as one of our two greatest presidents. caller: hello. i had a comment that i think

with the president is trying to do at this point in time is a good thing. not only should they put that into law about people with mental health problems not aving access to guns, i have daughter that open carries and one that has mental health problems. i do not feel comfortable with them in the same room. that would put a lot of control, along with the locking mechanism may have for the guns where can only be fired by a person whose that gun, that would be a definite control. it should be instituted into our laws. host: thank you for calling. it is important for people to understand the second

notdment issue with guns is controversial until recent times. people work around it. , the supremeoup court got more conservative. you have a key moment when barack obama is running for president, when he was getting nomination, you have the district of columbia versus -- you said it was illegal to not allow people to have a handgun. scalia wrote the judgment on this. it was a victory for the nra. all of us know second amendment language is a little fuzzy. all i am suggesting is once that his whole presidency

has been involved with this gun issue. he has been fighting an uphill battle. each time, the president has had to take on this role of mourner in chief. it is going to be impossible to look at the obama years as a historian 20 years from now without looking at the role of guns, the power of the nra, mass shootings. it is part of the obama era. the president recognizes that. post san bernardino, it may have been a turning point. these people did get guns in the united states. debate is going on and i am

not weighing in on which side of it. i am pointing out that president obama is going to make this a central part of his last year and a major part of his presidential legacy. in insion him weighing the public schools, holding town hall forums, working to make chicago safer and use the model of what he does in chicago for other places in the united states. i would not be surprised if he do more town halls on the gun issue. in the end, we are going to vote. the president will see who wins the 2016 presidential election and it will be very telling. our guest is professional