>> coming up, a look at opposition research and upcoming midterm elections thousand or smith appeared she is the executive director of out -- america rising. is followed by a senate intel hearing on social media. then, a discussion on russia's involvement in the middle east. later, secretary of state mike pompeo and commerce secretary wilbur ross talk about u.s. engagement with india in the asia-pacific region. joined us from new york on c-span's news anchor program as alexandra smith, executive director of the political action

committee, america rising. the questions, james homan, the national political reporter for the washington post heard and out weaver with the washington examiner. >> let's talk by your organization, what is the mission, what role will you play the midterm election? purpose of america rising is to define and defeat democrats. we are the gop's premier research organization so we spent countless hours reviewing videos, going out tracking the field, reading and producing countless pages of materials, to really shape a narrative on democratic candidates. the 20 18th cycle, we will be playing the same role that we appeared.from 2013 looking at our democratic targets, particularly our friends running in the trump state, the 10 democratic senators running. along with a host of other house

candidates and state candidates. researchhe opposition include following candidates around the cameras and monitoring every statement they make? every media parents a have? >> it does. there is a little bit of a caricature of opposition research. you can go with a very sexy james bond type, or you can think about it as dumpster diving. neither of which are true. researchn organizations, taken all of the information that a public citizen, and average citizen could access. then put it together a narrative form. we use devices like freedom of information requests, we follow candidates with cameras other public events, captured what they are saying it. you see fit is different than what they said on the record elsewhere.

we are doing what any citizen could do. we are doing it in a very organized and methodical way. >> limited to james of the washington post. 18, how didoned 20 your american rising experience shape your approach to the 2020 provincial campaign? if you like your starting early. was founded inng 2013, that is the first day of the first page of what would become a 5000 page research book on hillary clinton began. had researchers that very day that were particularly dedicated to just researching hillary herton, evaluated all public statements, going out to the field doing research, libraries, courthouses, where ever we needed to go, in order to compile this incredible document that was used throughout the gop ecosystem in the 2016 campaign.

america rising was there would hillary clinton started her book tour. if you remember the shadow campaign that she had started when she was going around the country and talking about her book, america rising was there with the freedom of information request. had huge sums she office speaking on taxpayer-funded universities. we're the ones to be unwinding between complex ties the clinton foundation and the state department. america rising was there early and often. i think that was the lesson from 2016. it is not true anymore. instancely, one defines an election or a candidate. you need to build that narrative. 42020, the way that 2016 was forming our efforts, it is starting the process early.

for us, we have many more candidates to be evaluating than just hillary clinton. --hough bernie sandoz sanders deftly came up with 2016, researchers were getting information compiled on him. 2020, we have candidates from across the spectrum looking to run. whether it is more traditional candidates or nontraditional candidates like ceos, we are really seeing a huge deal starting to develop in 2020. as you alluded to, they are already running. they are very much in the game. they're taking positions now causing a lot of heartache. the democrats are trying to survive in the red states. america rising has started our 2020 initiative. it involves the tracking and the research and the field research that would go into ultimately

developing the research books in the entire -- on the various individuals. dedicated team that just look at 2020 if you can believe it. researchers busy themselves with a a lot of work on the senate and house. >> a la weaver covers politics for the washington examiner. thank you for joining us. the 2020 emissions of the many candidates that could be running in 2020. you mentioned hillary clinton. are you looking to come up with the 2020? as many are you looking into you going to this endeavor, what does that look like? we are going to look into anyone who expresses interest in running. that includes traditional and nontraditional candidates. that president

trump was able to claw through an otherwise very traditional group of politicians and ultimately to win the nomination. think it would be unwise to simply look at elizabeth warren. at this point, we are eyeing a about a dozen books that will be looking to seriously produce. we are not limited to that number. if people answer to candidates , we areests perks of interested in expanding that. we announced our 2020 initiative . will be going around the country feed you can contribute to the very important effort. in 2016, a lesson that we took from that was defining hillary and often it

was the key to making her an unacceptable alternative. >> are you looking at republicans,? >> america rising solely focuses on democrats. it is defining and defeating them ahead of the electives. who do you think, who are the democratic primaries, based on looking at the paper trail as it exists, who is the most overrated democrat and you the most underrated? >> i will start with her to initiatives that we have launched prior to our larger 2020 initiative that now cost this. the elizabeth warren initiative because after 2016, she was perhaps the most aggressive in making it known that she wanted to run for president. america rising was the first to obtain a copy of her book

through our trackers. i don't think she was too pleased about because we released excerpts ahead of time. we took the wind out sale -- her sales. we been looking at elizabeth warren and following her, tracking her. she is undoubtedly taking positions that are way to the left of where most of the country is. she is bringing the rest of the field along with her in many ways. who is she is someone interested in running for it she is attempting to create this brand for herself. she is the unit for every cause out there. whether talking about pride month or the boston marathon, she is doing her best to make it her own with the branding. that is unique to elizabeth

warren and her store. in other person we have focused on last year around this time was andrew --. the reason why we have looked at him is because he's the governor of a large state. here are 25 million-dollar -- by the time we left our initiative. that is really faced the challenge in this 2018 primary cycle. i think an unexpected challenge. he is being primary by cynthia nixon or it who is decidedly more progressive than andrew -- was. him givenastating to the fact that he tried desperately throughout 2017 to shed some progressive criticisms of him. arm around bernie sanders, he talked about free tuition. he has been trying to put himself out there is a more progressive candidate because he has a rap for being more

established and to not play well the 2016 democratic primary process. out of nowhere, from his left come cynthia nixon. only --howing not showcasing the fact that his positions are not as progressive as people would like them to be, but i think he is also showing what thin skin he has. that is something people at the new york area did not realize. he has a real issue talking to the press. he frequently gets angry in the face of tough questions. i'm not sure how well that attitude would play out in iowa, come 2019 and 2020. it has been interesting to see how different people have advanced and in some ways are treated. >> how fickle are you guys for cynthia nixon -- thankful are

you guys for something that some? particularly during the new york democratic convention. that was just a couple of months ago. team, and i mean this genuinely, has so much fun watching this. what we saw play out, was almost , right in new16 york state. you had the establishment that was shoving andrew cuomo through. and, this insurgency candidate see from cynthia nixon, coming out there from the activists that were in the crowd as well. perez, the dnc chair at the convention, after vowing in 2016, not to get involved in primary battles. i think you could hear an audible gasp from the american

rising boardroom. we were all shocked about that but also elated. we had a lot of fun with that. that, good for cynthia nixon for showcasing andrew cuomo for who he is. a very small person. forone has a lot to answer in terms of corrupt hives. i think there is a lot going on. . initiatives -- can you talk about how you highlight the areas and how much of a factor though the next presidential campaign. that is a huge factor. race to thet the left in terms the 2020

candidacy. when you look at the field of traditional candidates, think about people like senator elizabeth wharton senator corrie occurred. harris, neither are the traditional candidates. they liquidate homogenous group. like -- you see a blue dog democrat. cory booker has ties to -- capital previous he defended --. the senator has ties to corporate. issues in california and back on law-enforcement. of --ckground makes some problematic. you have a group that is largely taking the same position. a great example of this is the refusal to take corporate money. elizabeth warren was first.

she declared early that she was not going to take donations from corporations. kiersten -- many moons later. come out with a very random facebook video. she says i am not taking corporate contributions. , his people must've been running to get a video camera together. he gets out there and says i will not either. saysrris is on stage and -- happens to be watching. we are watching this. and there was some laughter. she said well that depends. yet another moment for america rising. .e immediately wanted to action

two weeks later he was forced to retreat and said no i will not do it. we have a group of people who are all of the same. presumably, on this issue. now it is get into the nuances of how serious are you on this issue? a good example of this is on cory booker's sec report, taking contributions from a insurance pack. where does the insurance pack most with contributions from? .ow he is under fire ray insuranceor pack. what they think progressive world want and 2020. that is a good illustration of how the race to the left works. issue,ly, in terms of medicare for all, this is a prominent bernie sanders

proposal. which it now we know from the -- center, will cost $32 trillion over 10 years. is pretty extreme for most americans. you have bernie sanders out there with this proposal. 16 democratic senators have signed onto it, almost all the 2020 hopefuls have try to hang their star on that area did -- that. see issues with monsters of tariffs, shedding association with anything that might be considered establishment or mainstream. a flagrant attempt to adopt a new position with more local and more progressive. >> admittedly, there is a deeper division within the own party. we saw president trump are critical of the coke brothers.

the arizona senator -- where does that put the gop? >> your own party is internal divisions as well. >> these divisions are not new to the republican party. watching the 2016 residential primary process play out, is among the example of that. these are not new. thedifferent about democrats, and that is the america rising sole focus. i spent my days watching democrats not republicans. looking at the democrats, the paradigm is new. it is a new thing. to have such a wide field of candidates moving so ruggedly to the left. where the divisions are with the gop, although they are real. and they are there, they are not so much unexpected.

the democratic party is breaking in waves. it is a little bit new to our ecosystem. >> i will ask you a quick question. who is the one democratic you up at night? if anyone does. if there is any when you guys are most concerned about, who would you say? >> i can't get their voices out of my head. i don't think i have one democrat yet that has really presented himself or herself as that viable of a contender. what keeps republicans up at night, is the unexpected. is there a nontraditional likely 2016he primary field, can come in and -- what thep and

democrats are trying to accomplish. just as a pure policy matter. it does keep me up at night. this idea that we are marching so far to the left. someone will eventually be a standard there for the democratic party. they will be adopting position so far outside the mainstream. the young person who cares deeply about the national debt. i genuinely do worry about the of standard democrats will produce in 2020. they were supported by republicans. >> as someone who is been concerned about the debt. it is a legitimate criticism and something that as a younger person, which be concerned about. try to doemocrats are

is a fundamental redefinition of who we are as americans. look no further than -- than the democratic social of america's increasing roles in the primary. the membership has grown tremendously. that with the democratic socialists have done, is to rebrand the failed soviet style socialism into new packaging. they think it is going to full everyone. look no further than venezuela. even in present day. what i do worry about is a paradigm shift on the left that is taking the country. the democratic socialist support abolishing the senate area did that is the position that is totally -- with the government. just a it is really enormous paradigm shift. there's obviously a lot of

places where you can hit democrats. you spend all your time watching democrats. states, atthese red least 10 are up for reelection. much does the president's second the oxygen that all of the talks that is the president's tweets? -- the fact that these have become so nationalized? is a harder than it was in 2014 and 2016? was thenk it nationalization of the presidency in washington. it was somewhat confined to the washington bubble. just because i think that most will, i'm from pennsylvania. i have a lot of family and friends back home. where the president was last night. who ended up, some of my family

and friends were to time obama voters. chance, ie get the tried to ask them what they think is going on. and what it is they feel about what is happening in america. what isthat in terms of going on day today, the latest tweet, that is not necessarily the case. the voters in these red states, what i hear most what i hear most often, there was a real desire to have their democratic senator work with the president. move across the aisle and work with him. themut partisanship behind and actually reach out. some of these places, like in

missouri, -- is someone who voted against the justice gorsuch. don't forget people who were voting and had the supreme court as their top issues, voted heavily for trump. she voted against justice gorsuch and appealing obamacare. she voted against tax --. she's looking for the confirmation of judge kavanagh. we do know where she is on that. believe. hard to how she is going to go back to her constituents. someone who is fall this pattern. how would he go back to their constituents and say i want to washington, i worked in your behalf. when, that is a clear signal of 2016. for both parties, 2016 was distinctly not about

partisanship. both parties, whether was the candidacy of bernie sanders or that donald trump, both parties had been tired with washington. hown 2018, you mentioned --. the priorities of races. are some races, you look at arizona and mississippi, where there could be republicans in the general election, who are not desirable for major responsibilities from the republican party. races that they could not play in. mississippi,n writing off this type of races, not playing as much of those? >> from a political action standpoint, we are focused on the democrats. the primary processes, other

looking at the democrat primary process, which is of great interest to us, we are not looking at those republican --. , in termsking at where resources go. go for the marketplace is. if there are races that are more competitive than others, that is very will focus our attention. we are focused like a laser on the democrats heard not so much on their potent primary. >> let's say you have the opportunity to shift resources -- and someone gets through the primary to a place like north dakota or missouri. is that some of that is on the table? >> resources are finite. the put them where they would have the greatest used. it's been a predictable cycle of so many ways that there events have had surprises.

there has been a lot of fluctuation after 2016. i think those are judgment calls -- we will make into the mid and late fall, looking at the -- a different candidates. looking where we will send our resources. executive director of american former chair of the college republicans. we think for being with us. >> thank you so much for having me. democratoned, and socialist heard what was your reaction? >> they want to emphasize the democratic party, most of these visions were in the republican party. what a reflected was had -2020 is going to be great that was particularly -- even she was criticizing the president and republican deficits.

she was not criticizing it but she was nodding in agreement. the real story of the democratic how, that telegraphs vicious and negative the 2020 races will be. win,nly donald trump could being viewed favorably by 44% of americans on election day, make it more favorably. i think is what america rising will play a important role by presenting whatever the democratic nominee is. everythingted out, she does is the public domain. some would say that is what makes politics 30. -- dirty. 2014, whener back in -- for started covering. it made a big imprint.

the tracker is going up and they kept asking, did you vote for obama? i think you're seeing a continuation of that. that is also a sign nothing is ever early enough. they started this a long time ago. operation, is here to stay. it is not going away anytime soon. >> a lot of time at their, politicians or -- are more guarded. if someone is walking around with a camcorder, republicans, the reason american rising itlow democrats, is because had tracker footage of republicans saying embarrassing things in 2012 that costs senate seats. i think they are probably ahead of the game. it is not entirely --. wrong, but we have

illuminating a reporter. both groups are posting videos on youtube that we would not see otherwise. one of our first think of american rising 2014. they found online. the democratic senate was the fundraiser trial orders. he was giving a speech and he started talking about how republicans won the senate, and who would be the secret senator. he would be the chairman of the senate judiciary committee. a former -- farmer from iowa. at a fundraiser in texas. they found that video. none of us would've found that. they put it up, that video may have cost democrats. >> it kept grainy footage comments. a new world of campaigning. it was a take away in terms

of 2020. >> they are looking at a dozen democrats. they were caught off guard. republicans gun in 2016, no one would have bothered donald trump. in 2015 there were a lot of democrats who are rooting for donald trump. they're paying attention to on -- on orthodox candidates. the ceo starbucks, some other names that she mentioned were people that she put on any list. bernie sanders, joe biden. it would be interesting to see who they are. anything, you combat -- can bet on anything, he was with change. front runners won't be the same a year from now.

people that are not on our radar, would probably be on the radar find because ild talked to both parties, republicans do not understand democrats. the democrats not show republicans. yet a bunch republican sitting around trying to guess how democratic party will pick their nominee. they might not be the best to decide that. it's have a good have a vacuum cleaner and they are trying to download as much information as they can they are trying successfully to get democrats to attack each other. it does pay to pick up those staffs. it looks interesting. pushing democrats who will not take corporate money, i could and the been significant 2020. when have to break that promise in a pragmatic way, or when they select their hands are tied. and they are leaving money on the table.

republicans are happily taken. >> we're about to embark on a very applicable and uncertainty campaign cycle. >> the democrats were very fluid. >> they made changes to the convention and superdelegates. it would be bigger democrats in 2020. james home and sets up shop at the washington post. >> nominated by ronald reagan in 1987, anthony kennedy is retiring after 30 years on the bench. monday, we'll take a look at legacy of the supreme court. his impact on the nation.

and former assistant to the solicitor general, -- argued 29 cases before justice kennedy and the court. watch the legacy of supreme court justice, anthony kennedy, monday night at 8 p.m. eastern. on c-span and c-span.org or listen on the free radio at. >> next week on american history tv on c-span3, washing for savard nine part eerie's, 1968, america turmoil. we look back to that tumultuous year. we will discuss the vietnam war. on tuesday, a look at the presidential campaign of that year. wednesday, civil rights and race relations. on thursday, a discussion on liberal politics are friday, conservative politics. on saturday, women's rights.

watch 1968, america and turmoil. next week, at 8 p.m. eastern on american history tv on c-span3. nine programs are available on spot if i. or watch anytime on our 1968 page. next, a failed intelligence hearing on the spread of -- online by foreign groups. theral lawmakers asked that intended goal behind russian attempt to eliminate social media platforms. this is two and a half hours.