american taxpayer is paying for it, it would seem the american taxpayer should have some access thenformation about contracts, the amount of money, the worker safety, the political relationship. >> sunday on c-span's q&a. we proudlycretary, gives 72 of our delegate votes to the next president of the united states. [applause] ♪ [applause] ♪

announcer: next, a look back at presidents giving their last speeches at the annual white house correspondents dinner. and governor john kasich of ohio, at a couple of campaign stops today. then the congressional gold medal ceremony to honor the 65th infantry regiment. >> saturday, april 30, c-span presents live coverage of the 2016 white house correspondents dinner, an event that typically includes prepared remarks by the president of the united states/ and coming up in just a few minutes here, we're going to show you the last white house correspondents dinner speeches from presidents reagan, both bushes, and clinton.

but first, we will discuss the annual washington event with mcclatchy senior white house correspondent steve toma. how long have you been attending these events and how have they changed over the years? steve: i have been going about 28, 29 years -- likely 30 years, but close, going since reagan. >> how they changed? >> they have become much more crowded. we have squeezed more tables into that same ballroom. it has got a lot more holly wood and celebrities can always happen, but got a lot more. >> what about the length of the speeches. the speech we are going to show in a moment we start with ronald reagan. he goes about eight minutes. we ended this program with george w. bush. he goes about 20 minutes. clearly, the speeches are

getting longer. reagan,onald particularly in his last dinner, was getting up there. he was ready to go home. 20 minutes is about the average now. to be fair, all the presidents, they insist on getting out of there and going home. so when we are working on the schedules for the white house always reminds us, whether it is barack obama or ronald reagan, they want that done by 10:45 or 11:00. >> do you find the presidents take a different approach, billy get more comfortable, enjoy themselves as the years go by? steve: absolutely, they get more relaxed. you can see it. the humor changes. particularly the last couple of presidents, barack obama at the beginning often told jokes the kind of stone a little bit. he was using those jokes to go after his rivals or enemies.

as each of them go on to become more relaxed, more egalitarian, make more fun of themselves. and everyone laughs little more. >> what about first ladies? how long have they been attending the events, they take a role in any way? steve: they have been attending for decades. before 1962, women when john f. kennedy insisted they open the dinner for women. before that, we do not have all of the roosevelts or bess truman. a few of them have played a role, nancy reagan went to the microphone once. moment whenat president reagan called her, and she took a dramatic pause, well, i am thinking. georgiaa bush famously, be bush stepped aside. she stepped aside and deliver the monologue. very funny.

>> what is going on at the tables, ballrooms? are reporters working the room at all? have you had an opportunity for example to talk to and administrations source and try to get a story of the event? steve: it is not a story. definitely making contact and getting as much information as you can. other than the fact you're going to have a drink and a few laughs, hopefully you are working your sources are meeting new sources. absolutely. do it every time. at mcclatchy, we tend to take not celebrities, but people in politics or government that can help us. they will talk to us about policy and politics. >> and the times that you have been attending the event, what is one memorable or particularly fun moment that you can relate to us? steve: my position is a little bit different because i was president of the association. so the unique moments tend to be presiding over the dinner and

sitting next to the president, having dinner with him for three hours. his conversation is off the record. the white house make sure you know that. he can relax and chat a little more. i will tell you, we talked about golf. he had played that day. i know what he shot. which is kind of a state secret, the white house is not release his score. i will not tell you. it is the always i have for my book. some of thed about things that have since become public, talking about where he will live after he left the white house. i asked the white house staff several times, they said no. i never wrote it. more likely to new york, for we talk about new issues. most memorable moment, i picked the entertainer. it was joel mchale. and he told some jokes that i thought were little off-color. and i was wincing.

i kind of apologized to the president, and he said steve, i have heard so much worse. i always river that. >> the senior white house correspondent for mcclatchy news. thank you for joining us. now we are going to show you the last white house correspondents dinner speeches by presidents reagan, george h w bush, bill clinton, and george w. bush. we start with ronald reagan from 1988. [applause] you.dent reagan: thank [applause] thank you. [applause] thank you very much. please. thank you all. i am delighted to be here. my, what a crowd.

looks like the index of the book. [laughter] [applause] it is good to see norm, and your incoming president, jerry o'leary. in his book, jerry said used to fill his coat pockets with pastry. jerry denies it. just to be safe, i told him to keep his hands off my dinner roll. [laughter] larry also said that preparing me for a press conference was like reinventing the wheel. it is not true. i was around when the wheel was invented. and it was easier. [laughter] [applause] but even howard baker is writing a book about me. it is called "the measure of a

president." [laughter] [applause] mike, in his book, said i had a short attention span. but letreply to that, us move on to something else. [laughter] [applause] now, i forgot to acknowledge jacob smirnov. i have heard him before. he is a very funny man. i just have an idea here. why don't you and i have a little fun? how would you like to go to to the summit as my interpreter? [laughter] [applause] the media certainly has had a lot to report on lately. i thought it was extraordinary that richard nixon went on meet the press, spent an entire hour

with chris wallace, tom brokaw, and that should put an end to the talk that he is been punished enough. [laughter] [applause] and of course, you have been reporting on the new york primary. i am afraid that michael too far left for me. he wants no u.s. presence in korea anymore. no military presence in central america. and no u.s. military presence at the pentagon. [laughter] [applause] michael dukakis got great news today though about the jimmy carter endorsement. he isn't getting it. [laughter] [applause] george bush is doing well. george has been a wonderful vice

president. but nobody is perfect. [laughter] i put him in charge of antiterrorism and the mclaughlin group is still on the air. [laughter] [applause] but with so much focus on the presidential election, i have been feeling a little lonely these days. i am so desperate for attention, i almost considered holding a news conference. [laughter] [applause] i have even had time to watch the oscars. i was little disappointed in the movie "the last emperor." i thought it would be about don regen. [laughter] [applause] of course, i still have lots of work here. businessthe panamanian going on.

one thing i cannot figure, the congress wants to bring the panamanian congress to its knee. why doesn't it just go down there and run it? [laughter] [applause] ladies and gentlemen, this is the last white house correspondents in her that i will be attending -- dinner that i will be attending. we had our disagreements, but the time is been very educational. [laughter] i used to think the fourth state was worone walter annenberg's home. [laughter] [applause] goodbye, i will not stand up and deliver one of the worn-out, sentimental homily about the press. neither of us would believe it. [laughter]

a president may like members of the press personally, and i do. lou, soorm, johanna, many others of you. but the president, institutionally, seeks to wield power. the process by using his own great power, and that makes for friction. every president will try to use the press to his best advantage. and to avoid those situations that are not to his advantage. to do otherwise results in a divination of his power. the press is not a weak sister. it has more freedom, more influence than ever in our history. the press can take care of itself quite nicely. and a president should be able to take care of himself, as well. so what i hope my epitaph will be with the white house correspondents, what every

be, hent's should gave as good as he got. and that i think, would make for a -- [applause] think, would make for a healthy press. and a healthy presidency. and i think all that is left to say is to thank you for inviting me, thank you for your hospitality. [applause] president bush: thank you all

very much. a lot of talent of year. thank you, and please be seated. tonight is a night for relaxation and fun. and barbara and i are just delighted to be here. this is a strange and ugly year in politics. there is a lot of name-calling out there. candidates calling out terrible epithets, like corrupt, liar, hypocrite, fascist, racist, incumbent. [laughter] even normally relaxed marlon fitzwater, my able right hand, got a little hot with the press corps. but i will be honest, and i don't mean to be a little critical, but i don't think you went too far as you call that little flareup global warming. [laughter]

i will hope that you excuse me, that if my normally hilarious one-liners are set aside here for just a few minutes, because a really have something -- i'm just back from los angeles. and i would seldom deign to speak for the white house correspondents, but i think all of them were with me on this trip, and they were very moved. but at least for me, it was a very emotional and moving trip. and the scenes of the wanton destruction will not go away. nor will it hurt the people i lead to, nor will it pictures on the television of firefighters, police officers stepping in harms way. neighbors coming to rescue friends. a womany, i talked to who used to go to our church in houston, saint martin's church. and her son and her brother climbed on a motorcycle, and set out to see a friend, a young

afro-american, living in a again riot became zone. and it was up ended i again of these thugs. son was beaten, triggered and not go off. her brother, a guy deeply offended by the king verdict, very close to the black community itself, was savagely beaten. and then from close range, shot right through the head. gunnedat same terror down the now paralyzed firefighter that i went to see in cedars hospital yesterday. justice, you might say. what does any of this have to do with justice? but the point i want to make tonight is that out of the fear and the desolation, there was i really felt something stirring

positively. the people i met with, the wonderful church leaders, civic leaders, kids, the boys club, allministers, they projected a sense of determination and hope. it was genuine, pervasive. some of the reporters know some of the really tough and most moving moment was only met with the korean community. in a young korean afterward, whose place of been totally wiped out, said i am staying. i want the american dream. now, south-central be restored. we will find many ways to help. everybody will. local, state, federal, private sector. they help not only the restoration, but giving those people there a real shot at the american dream. ugly.me out there, it was the scene made a profound impression on all of us. and yet, there is that certain

spirit, it is very hard to describe. the spirit says, we'll come back. we will make it back. so i wanted to share that with you. and i am sorry for being so somber. and now, there is an expression you not hear much of anymore. perk up. perk up, the best is yet to come. bauer brought a poundstone, stabbings of political. i know it, she knows it, i told her not to hold back. paula and i are both very funny people. [laughter] purpose. thank you very much. [applause]

president clinton: good evening, ladies and gentlemen. dylan,nt-elect distinguished guests, i am really happy to be here. [laughter] reunited, at long last, with the white house press corps. [laughter] let me direct your attention to a photograph. [laughter] ago, itst moments proves the on the doubt that i am indeed happy to be here. [laughter] now, wait a minute.

it seems that my hair in that longer than itle is tonight. [laughter] [applause] so, maybe i am happy to be here. and maybe i am not. feel free to speculate. [laughter] [applause] looks -- andt photos can be deceiving. now look at this photo. it is a recent one of the vice president, applauding one of my policy initiatives. [laughter] [applause] closer, thosetle are not his real hands. [laughter] [applause] w, this photo. it made all the papers. but i have to tell you. i am almost certain that this is

not the real easter bunny. [laughter] the next one is my favorite. i really like it. let us see the next photo. [laughter] [applause] isn't it grand? [laughter] [applause] i thought it was too good to be true. [laughter] but there is one thing beyond this tonight. this is really being. i am really here. [laughter] and the record on that count is clear. bad, and timesd of great confidence or controversy, i have actually shown up here for eight straight years.

[applause] looking back, that was probably a mistake. [laughter] just eight years, i have given you enough material for 20 years. [laughter] this is a special night for me for a lot of reasons. jay leno is here. [applause] now, no matter how mean he is to me, i just love this guy. because together, together we chunkype to gray-haired, baby boomers everywhere. [laughter] [applause]

tonight marks the end of an era, the after dinner party hosted by vanity fair. as you might have heard, it has been canceled. every year for eight years, the vanity fair party became more and more exclusive. tonight, it has arrived at its inevitable conclusion. this year, no one made the guest list. [laughter] actually quite hear the bloomberg party will be even harder to get into than the vanity fair party. i am not worried. i am going with janet reno. [laughter] [applause] now, the bloomberg party is also a cast party for the stars of the west wing, who are celebrating the end of their first season.

you will have to forgive me if i am not as excited as everyone else is, at the thought of a west wing finale party. but i have to give them credit. their first season got a lot better ratings than mine did. [laughter] not to mention the reviews. the critics hated my travel office episode. [laughter] cameo fellvid gergen completely flat. [laughter] i'mking of real-life drama, so glad that senator mccain is back tonight. i welcome him o especially. [applause] he just made a, difficult journey back to a place where he endured unspeakable abuse at the hands of his oppressors -- the senate republican caucus. [laughter] [applause]

i am glad to see that senator mccain and governor bush are talking about healing their rift. they are actually thinking about talking about healing their rift. and you know, i would really like to help them. i have a lot of experience repairing the breach. i worked with catholics in northern ireland, israelis and palestinians, with joe lockhart and david westin. [laughter] but the differences between bush and mccain maybe just too vast. i mean, mccain is bush 's running mate? has in the man suffered enough -- hasn't the man suffered

enough? [laughter] [applause] but george w. bush is a brand spanking new campaign strategy. he is moving towards the political center, distancing himself from his own party, stealing ideas from the other party. [laughter] i am so glad that did morris has found work again -- dick morris has found work again. [laughter] [applause] you know, the clock is running down on the republicans in congress, too. i feel for them, i do. [laughter] they only have seven more months to investigate me. [laughter] that is a lot of pressure. so little time. so many unanswered questions. [laughter] [applause] example, over the last few

months, i have lost 10 pounds. where did they go? [laughter] why haven't i produced them to the independent counsel? [laughter] how did some of them managed to wind up on tim russert? [laughter] [applause] now, some of you might think i have been busy writing my memoirs. i am not concerned about my memoirs. i'm concerned about my resume. [laughter] here is what i got so far. objectives, to stay president. [laughter] but being realistic, i would consider an executive position with another country. [laughter] i prefer to stay

within the g-8. i am working hard on his resume deal. mostly from my staff and they really seem to be up on this stuff. and they tell me i have to use the active voice for the resume. you know, things like commanded u.s. armed forces. ordered airstrikes. served three terms as president. everybody embellishes a little. [laughter] painted bridges for the 21st century. [laughter] [applause] supervised vice president's invention of the internet. [laughter] [applause]

generated generated, attracted, and maintain controversy. i know lately i have not done a very good job of creating controversy, and i'm sorry for that. [laughter] you all have so much less to report. i guess that is why you are covering and commenting on my mood, my quiet, contemplative moments. my feelings during these final months in office. [laughter] in that case, you might be interested to know a film crew has been following me around the white house documenting my remaining time there. this is a strange time in the life of any administration, but i think this short film will show i have come to terms with it. [laughter] could we see the film? [laughter] [video clip]

on the campaign trail, things are not as exciting as they used to be. in fact, it is starting to wind down. >> there is bipartisan support in congress and it meets the principles i set out in my state of the union. if they send me the bill in its present form, i will sign it. ok. any questions? [laughter] >> are you still here? [laughter] ♪ >> radio just is not captured be sadness and isolation of it all. >> joe? anybody home? [frank sinatra singing] >> john?

you hear? em up joe i've got a little story i think you should know ♪ >> he is yesterday's news. who is next? >> white house, hold please. hello, white house. please hold. hello, white house. white house, hello? hold please. he's not here. would you like his voicemail? >> nothing to do. [laughter] >> i am a little bit worried about him. this morning, he came into the oval office for our meeting. i said, mr. president, are you all right? he said, yeah, what is the matter? >> i said mr. president, you're

wearing your pajama bottoms. i wish i could be here, but i know he has everything under control. >> wait, wait! [laughter] [applause] >> i think his legacy is going .o be the natural environment ♪ >> i have urged him to spend more time on that. [laughter] >> his schedule is as busy as ever, just filled with different things. road ♪e more for the [laughter] ♪ >> ♪ you would never know it i'm kind of a poet

and i've got a lot of things i would like to say gloomyn i am ♪ >> i feel bad for him. i wish there was something that would cheer him up. ♪ [upbeat music] hahaha! ♪ >> yes! >> there you are. come on in. >> let's light this candle.

just like that, you are riding the wave of the future, my man. how many are you going to buy? >> wait a minute. >> chicken? >> what does it cost? >> name your own price. let's do it. you did it, my man. [laughter] ♪ >> you sunk my battleship. [laughter] >> yes! ♪ [laughter] i want to thank the academy for this tremendous honor. this may be the greatest moment of my life. ever since i was a little boy, i have wanted to be a real actor. [laughter]

♪ [traveling music] ♪ huh?etty good, whatever you want. ♪ [laughter] [applause]

>> you like me, you really like me! [laughter] [applause] [laughter] >> now, you know, i may complain about coming here. [laughter] but a year from now, i will have to what someone else give the

speech and i will feel an onset of that rare affliction unique to former presidents -- agdd. attention-getting deficit disorder. [laughter] plus, i will really be burned up when al gore turns out to be funnier than me. , i let me say to all of you have loved these eight years. you know, i read in the history books how other presidents say the white house is like a penitentiary and every motive they have a suspect. even george washington complained he was treated like a common thief. they all say they cannot wait to get away. i don't know what the heck they are talking about. [laughter] i have had a wonderful time. it has been an honor to serve and fun to laugh. i only wish we had even laugh ed more these last eight years

because power is not the most important thing in life. it only counts for what you use it. i thank you for what you do every day. thank you for all of the fun times that hillary and i have had. keep at it. it is a great country. it deserves our best. thank you and god bless you. [applause] [applause]

all.dent bush: thank you, [applause] thank you very much. gentlemen.ladies and please excuse me if i am a little sleepy. 3:00 a.m. this morning, the red phone rang. [laughter] damn wedding planner. [laughter] two weeks from tonight is jenna's wedding, so i am a little wistful this evening. plus, this is my last white house correspondents dinner as president. i am not sure what i am going to do next. after he left office, vice president gore won an oscar and

a nobel peace prize. [laughter] i don't know. i might win a prize, publishers clearinghouse or something. but thanks for inviting me. our entertainment tonight is craig ferguson. [applause] know, this is a small world. craig was once in a punk band called "baskets from -- "bastards from hell," which is what dick and i are going to call our birth. craig is scottish by birth, so is barney. two months ago, craig became an american citizen. [applause] honored to call you a fellow american. ladies and gentlemen, surprisingly, i have enjoyed

these dinners. [laughter] so tonight, i thought we would reminisce a bit. the first couple of years i came to this dinner, i was really into slideshows. [laughter] [video clip] my mother has put together at least 70 scrapbooks about our life as a family. when i have done is pull out some of the actual, never before seen photos from these scrapbooks. [laughter] [applause] this was during the great drought of 1953. [laughter] darro, and jeff. those kidsy with all in the tub, it is not arsenic in

the water i would be worried about. [laughter] lefte have asked me if it hard feelings between my brother jeb and me. not a bit. in fact, here's a picture of the governor of florida. [laughter] [applause] [laughter] we have two dogs. this is our dog, barney. likel him with eyebrows that, he ought to be a senator. [laughter] [applause] this is our dog spot. people often ask me how i came up with that name. [laughter] i don't know. i am just kind of a creative guy. [laughter] the truth is the door to the oval office has a little people -- peephole. [laughter] this is karen hughes peeping in on me. this is karl rove peeping in on

me. this is condi rice peeping in on me. hole.has her own peep [laughter] [applause] this is andy card peeping in on me. [laughter] and ladies and gentlemen, this is the vice president of the united states looking through a peephole. i hope you are not doing what it looks like you are doing. [laughter] next year, a new president will be standing up here. i have to say i am kind of surprised we don't have more presidential candidates here tonight -- like any. [laughter] senator mccain is not here. he probably wanted to distance himself from me a little bit. [laughter] he is not alone. jenna is moving out, too.

[laughter] the two democratic candidates are not here either. senator clinton could not get into the building because of [indiscernible] and senator obama is at church. [laughter] [applause] but i am sure whoever the next president is will show up at , especially like the dinners in 2005 and 2006 when we had a couple of surprises up our sleeve. [video clip] >> the city slicker asked the old guy have to get to the nearest town. >> not that old joke, not again. [laughter] [applause] ladies and gentlemen, i have been attending these dinners for years. [laughter] and just quietly sitting there.

[laughter] well, i have got a few things i want to say for a change. [laughter] [applause] i am married to the president of the united states, and here is our typical evening. [laughter] 9:00, mr. excitement here is sound asleep. [laughter] and i am watching "desperate housewives." [laughter] i am aand gentlemen, desperate housewife. [laughter] [applause] i want to talk about some serious issues such as -- ok. [laughter] here it comes. nuclear proliferation. [laughter] nuclear proliferation. [laughter] nuclear proliferation.

nuclear proliberation. [laughter] all right, all right. maintain. stay cool. let's give this a try. we must enhance noncompliance sanctioned not only a iaea formal sessions but through intersessional contact. [laughter] we must enhance noncompliance protocols, sanctioned not only at eieio formal sessions. xual conduct.nterse [laughter] [applause] nailed it. [laughter] fun overe had a lot of the years.

remember the year i mentioned ozzy osbourne, and he stood up on a chair and blew me a kiss? [laughter] so few leaders get that kind of experience. [laughter] know, i love the crowds here. it is an interesting crowd. just think, pamela anderson and mitt romney in the same room. [laughter] isn't that one of the signs of the apocalypse? [laughter] which brings me to dick. [laughter] years as vice president, dick has ridden shotgun. probably not the best analogy. [laughter] but he is a dear friend, and he has been the greatest straightman in the history of the world. dick, i don't know what i would

have done for material without you. [laughter] get out and get a little fresh air and exercise. let me show you what he has been up to. ♪ [laughter] >> ♪ walk down the street [laughter] >> lynn and laura were out of

town recently, so i called up dick and said, why don't we go to a movie? he said, great idea. let's go to a cowboy movie. [laughter] yep, finally went to see "broke back mountain." eee!me tell you -- whoo yippyeyohkayai. dick sat through the movie. he did not say a word. we come out. after a while he says, "nice horses." [laughter] i said yep. he became real quiet again, kind of serious like. i knew something was on his mind. finally turned to me and said,

you don't suppose the lone ran ger and tonto? ♪ down the lane i look dick chaney is struggling with documents he has been withholding it is good to touch the brown, brown grass of home yes, you are all going to miss me the way you used to diss me but soon i will touch the brown, brown grass of home ♪ [laughter] [applause] what i like best about these evenings is the laughter and the chance to thank you for the work you do for the country.

i also knew this was a good chance to put aside our differences for a few hours. one thing we all share whether we are native citizens or new is aens like craig tremendous appreciation for our people in uniform. an appreciation symbolized by the united states marine band, celebrating its 210th anniversary this year. [applause] i love the band. say myi'm going to farewell to you by doing something i have always wanted to do. and i do it in the spirit of our shared love for this country. murmuring] [applause]

[drums beating] >> [band playing] rhythmically clapping] ♪ [laughter]

♪ [laughter] [laughter] [crowd rhythmically clapping with the music]

♪ [cheers and applause]

[drums rolling] >> as president obama appears to deliver his last speech to the white house correspondents association, c-span will look back at some of his previous dinner routines. saturday night, our program will include remarks by the white house correspondent. here is the president in 2011 talking about donald trump. president obama: no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the donald. [laughter] that is because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter. like, did we fake the moon

landing? [laughter] what really happened in roswell? [laughter] and where are biggie and tupac? [laughter] [applause] all kidding aside. obviously, we all know about your credentials and experience. [laughter] seriously, just recently in an episode of "celebrity apprentice" at the statehouse, the men's cooking team did not impress the judges from omaha steaks. gore was a lot of blame to around. but you, mr. trump, recognize the real problem was a lack of leadership. so ultimately, you did not blame littlejohn, meatloaf.

you fired gary busey. [laughter] these are the kind of decisions that would keep me up at night. livespan brings you coverage from the white house correspondents dinner saturday, april 30, starting at 6:00 eastern. one of the biggest social events in washington each year, the dinner includes a guest list featuring major celebrities, remarks by president obama, and this year's featured comedian, larry wilmore, host of "the nightly show." that is coming up saturday, april 30, here on c-span. this weekend, the c-span cities tour hosted by our comcast cable partners takes you to tuscaloosa, alabama, to explore the history and literary culture of the southern city which is home to the university of alabama. american history tv will visit the archaeological site and learn how the native american

culture lived from about the 11th through the 15th centuries. >> welcome to mountville archaeological park. it was the largest city north of mexico and contains the 30 blacktopbout mounts. , thee standing at mound b largest in alabama. it contains about 11,000 cubic yards of dirt. this would have been where the structure for the highest ranking ruler of the highest-ranking clan would have been. thoughty, scientists they were built one basketball at a time. recent research indicates the base and possibly sides were blocks thatilt with were filled in with clay. this would give a lot more stability to the structure as they were building it. we know periodically after the mound was built, it would be

capped over with different colors of clay so that if you slice into the mound, it would resemble a layer cake. >> what's the c-span cities tour sunday afternoon at 2:00 on american history tv on cspan3. working with our cable affiliates and visiting cities across the country. >> next, republican president of candidate john kasich of a coyote, had a couple of campaign stops today. then, the congressional gold metal ceremony. then, a look at president's giving their last speech is the annual white house correspondents dinner. announcer: republican presidential candidate, ohio governor john kasich, brought his campaign to a synagogue in great neck, long island, where he spoke to members of the congregation.