the former president return to texas or a public in houston wednesday night. thursday, saint martin's episcopal church, the george bush presidential library and museum. speak,ou come on and many say nancy pelosi is likely to become the next speaker. t speaker. and your take on his legacy. john: i wrote a column yesterday about it. mr. bush, and there are controversies around any president. anyone who has been in public we have a debt of gratitude to him. as a historian you like to look at the balance presentation. quality of

understanding the complexities of the country. understanding the complexities of working with congress. as president and vice president, he would come down to palpable gym and play with members of congress because he understood the importance of maintaining personal relationships for the relationships that serve you well. he did, like any other president. he had the balance view. in an eramber him where people could talk more easily with each other in washington. president will be judged -- clarence thomas to the supreme court which turned out to be a divisive action.

there will be some accountability by historians for the 1988 campaign. part of the that campaign. that comes and goes with the turf. politicians will make tough decisions and will be held accountable. >> let us talk about nancy pelosi. you will with here for a long time, a decade. it should become speaker as is expected at this point, what will she bring to the table having been speaker before? what has she learned that she will apply? she: her strengths are that was one of the most successful speakers in american history.

whichritics of the way in congress operates. able to play different roles. she is not like the president. she is not supposed to be. her job is to manage the democratic caucus and she does that in parallel fashion. it is like trying to herd chickens. it has many factions in it. together --et them she says if he did not have 218 votes do not have a conversation. she is to figure out how to make that caucus a coherent and productive unit. she was able to do that. she was able to do that under republican president when we pass financial rescue legislation area we passed

stimulus registered -- legislation. as well as a democratic president, under obama. she has to represent the house of representatives and congress, that is her role. that means standing up to the president, using the court necessary to challenge the president. she did over the question of rights. her role is to make sure congress sirs is constitutional -- serves its constitutional role. >> let me get the numbers on the screen, with john lawrence who served with nancy losey. ,epublicans, (202) 748-8001 democrats, (202) 748-8000, .ndependents, (202) 748-8002 there are 32 democrats.

who voted no. and the caucus meeting to put her forward as speaker. how does she get those 32? suggest i'mt me to familiar with what she is doing at the moment. but i watched her over years. work with members who had problems with legislation, strategy, making sure factions in the caucus were represented and formulation of legislation. the way she does it is retail politics. she sits and talks to people and different groups within the caucus. she brought in some of those negative people who said there were been are problems voting for her and she turned them around. the problem solvers caucus. she said you want reform, we can do that.

part of her job is to have everyone understand the nature of politics, of coalition politics is give-and-take. we campaign and poetry but govern in rpose --prose. what she had to say in the halls of congress -- that is what we need. it was a conversation. -- we knew should get the majority of the votes. would we have been saying all along. she has ability to get votes on the floor. none of us want to see a fight. voters have to be heard.

we have to protect new members. i hope we will have conversations in the future. [indiscernible] people need to know when this leadership plans on turning the reins over. we just selected the most diverse group of members ever elected to the house. know whenve to leadership will change. lawrence, let me jump off that last statement, a lot of folks want to know how long the leadership on the democratic side -- that has been in place for a long time, will stay in place. we've heard her maybe being a transitional speaker. what do you see happening? think is mostg i important is parties are prepared to go to work on january 3.

what you want to have in place is a leadership team that is experience. experience and what it means to go up against the president who was antagonistic. potentially republican leadership in the senate that is the same way. is not a job you learn on the job. you want to have experience. the issues congresswoman rice raises is where his next generation of leadership. and the democratic caucus meeting, a whole new team of leaders was elected from caucus chair, two vice chair, to campaign chair. a whole new group of people. that is your next generation of leadership. they will move into leadership when the caucus wants into. the speaker does not select the

next leader. that is up to the caucus. they say why did she not set up succession? it is important to note political leaders of parties, they do not pick this successor any more than the president does. legitimate a criticism. the caucus makes that decision. people.group of diverse >> as far as the future of the party, we have a call from florida. , democrat. caller: good morning. could the jenna metellus if's -- could the gentleman tell us if the democratic caucus supports shank you wary cities? -- sanctuary cities? and on worked with her

the hill for 38 years. i would never speak for my boss. i would say there are differences of opinion in the democratic party. a number of cities, i believe san francisco, that have chosen to be sanctuary cities. debt is the decision made at the local level not by federal officials. i would respectfully refer those inquiries to the appropriate offices. >> clinton, pennsylvania. caller: good morning. i just finished looking at a video of nancy pelosi, on c-span. the person said you better view this before someone yanks it. it is her addressing the media.

was, she telling them the art of lying about the opponent she pointed at the media in said you point the story in the validates them and it becomes true. she said this is one of the ways we operate. it is her speaking in her own words. i understand this gentleman will say he is not aware of it. but it is on c-span. i did not have a chance to research it. i said this is cool once a dental -- coincidental. it is amazing these people would resort to lying about your opponent and then have a validated as the truth. they say the media has recorded this or that. whatever. paul: d want to speak to this?

-- do you want to speak to this? john: i have never seen mrs. pelosi lying are advocating lying as a mechanism in campaigning or negotiation. she is a tough negotiator and i would point out i have been in the room she has been tough with george w. bush when she was tough with barack obama, she caucus, her house is the institution she defends and she is very tough in doing that. i never heard her advocate the idea of lying or promoting lying. contextwant to see that . our guest john lawrence is the author of the book read what are you writing and compare it

to present-day situations were smart --? john: it is at the end of watergate, president and has resigned. team of progressive democrats are elected and they come to washington with a significant group of performers who have been in washington but never had the numbers to overcome the seniority system and coalition of conservative democrats and republicans who had run most of congress for decades. they are able to affect significant change in the way congress operates, to disseminate power to make leadership more responsible to the caucus. to give copper -- powered not just to the caucus chair, but

make the chairman responsive to the caucus. because your members choose to have you represent them. because it wasnt able to facilitate the movement of legislation. -- they allowed a much greater participation, more amendments and more open process. that reform inadvertently partisan to highly develop and find a way into legislative process. -- after speaker pelosi winning the caucus vote talked about the importance of

the house democratic freshmen. we will be back with john lawrence heard -- john lawrence. >> we have new members coming in. this was so different than ever before. fresh new historic class. their experience, and diversity, gender, it is something special. that we area moment in the majority. majority, majority, majority. members.eral dozen new she will take a few of the young congress members including those that ran under no pelosi, and gain experience. connectingsee her with the new folks, especially

those that are youngest in age -- youngestk -- nh in age? john: she created a freshman breakfast. lety week the freshman were -- invited to come. now there's such a large number it may be a bigger event. toy were invited every week meet with the leadership and ask tough questions and they did. and meet with the chairman of legislation. towas an unprecedented act come and meet with leadership. criticisms people have raised and the freshman meet with the leadership at least once a month. they have been meeting once a week for the past decade and more. relishesancy pelosi

that opportunity. she enjoys having the infusion of people. she likes to shake things up. having new people come in for her is exhilarating. she will find ways to engage them. particularly in the election committees. that is a major role of the speaker. paul: democratic caller. caller: thank you. c-span sohaven't for we can voice -- heaven for c-span so we can voice our opinions. democracy is slowly dying in that's contrary. there has been nothing conservative about the republican party but they claim they are. actually get money and emotions of the government?

are you familiar with chris and his predictions of the demise of the usa? i think most of us see more good than bad but we need to learn from our mistakes. trump does not seem to think he makes mistakes so he does not learn. john: my understanding is the first piece of legislation the democrats intend to bring is a major reform bill that addresses the issue of campaign finance and ethics. that is my understanding. a prodigiouss been fundraiser, she says you cannot go into battle unarmed. but there are variety of ways of restricting money in politics. that is her piece of legislation.

rights, and the voting rights act. get tougher because citizens united -- i saw an interview this week with a retired justice who wrote the citizens united case and talking about the importance of disclosure legislation. which the house passed under pelosi, that will be a high priority. role,ot disagree with the the role of money can be the most disturbing aspect of what is happening. mention she talked about reestablishing in the house rules, changing the rules that would restrict deficit spending. --was so successful in 1990

unfortunately the republicans rescinded it when they took power. using the deficit skyrocket since. paul: democratic line, hello. caller: i wanted to comment on the man from pennsylvania. whatid he did not research nancy pelosi said. that a few months ago and i said i have to check this out. it was taken out of context. he was talking about making her a villain. you cannot believe anything you see the first time. let us move on to george in maryland. republican line. comment, wanted to

regardingsi saying the affordable care act. they were preparing to next -- nix some things. she said you have to make sure you have to see the impact before you pass this new legislation. that is one thing. hearing onhe c-span the gentleman from connecticut or massachusetts to bring the affordable care act. they knew if you like your doctor you can keep it, if you like your insurance company you could keep it and it was alive. .- a lie they created a second mortgage for me.

thank you. paul: anything on those points? john: on the last point the affordable care act, like any complex piece of legislation will be reviewed and amended. congress should have been doing that. it is happened -- i have been involved in hundreds of bills, and you always review legislation after it is implemented. unfortunately all we have seen from the republicans his efforts to repeal it not try to dress the problems. they have an effort to undermine it by not setting up exchanges by not expanding medicaid which is a critical feature. even conservative states have started to do that on their own. we have to look at that. i don't think ms. pelosi or the democrats have any problem

looking at it and trying to make it work. republicans have done over the years. i do want to address the promise the color made and said we cannot -- call it made and said we cannot tell what is in it. it is one of those things that has been thrown around for years. legislation was going back-and-forth between the house and senate. there were two different bills, to negotiations going on. the point she was making was you never know what is in the piece of legislation until it is passed because it goes through an amendment process and revision process. anyone that believes those were working for months and writing and rewriting and tweaking the

legislation did not know what was in that bill is misrepresenting the case. lasts saying until that version is passed, of course you do not know how it will read. think, like all of us, there was a lot going on, it could've been said better. paul: as we go deeper into policy, let us get your take on the dynamic, a lot of folks in the democratic caucus want investigation of the president. how do speaker pelosi balance those wants from the new members and putting forth an agenda at the same time? john: one of the reasons you need a skilled person who has worked with men in women will be the chairman of these committees and help them prioritize and schedule what they are doing. so you don't have investigations stepping on each other and

mixing up the message or taking up too much time when they have to be addressing legislation. whether it is infrastructure or campaign-finance reform or immigration reform -- you have to be able to do two things at the same time. she has successfully done that. as speaker it is one of the reasons why it makes sense for her to be in that position on january 3 as opposed to someone who was never played that role. we will get resistance and pushback from the administration with subpoenas and requests. you do not get the subpoenas until you get resistance. paul: oscar in california on the democratic line. caller: good morning. i want to thank mr. lawrence for his service.

and nancy pelosi has a steady hand on the helm of the new congress which is our democracy at work. we are seeing a balance of power where the president is not get to run away with things. problems handful of ahead of her. one thing about her leadership in the new congress, they are not the people -- for example, aorge w. bush who got us into war in iran and iraq, these are steady hand people who think things through. didnt your comment on what diversity on the events of women religious ideology will bring to her congress customer -- her congress? john: she and some of people are inited about this class --

1974 in my book i talk about how people were critical that the freshman did not have electoral experience even though a significant percentage did. that has been said about this group. you look at this and coming group, a lot of minimum and who have served in the military, who asserting congressional staff positions who have served in the white house, national security. you are bringing in a group who have great perspective, experience and understand part of their role is to provide that check on the executive branch. congress over the past eight years has been an adversarial role with respect to president obama or a classic role in respect to trump not doing oversight and asking questions for that will be balanced now

with the proper kind of investigation. abouta bloomberg headline democrats, they have power "can they wielded without screwing it up". john: i did not make a habit of giving advice to ms. pelosi, i would say do what you did. look at the crisis in 2008, just on the eve of the presidential and congressional election. the country was falling apart. she was critical of president george w. bush -- a collapse workred and she is able to with republican administration that she was critical of and with the senate to produce

sweeping legislation that protected the american economy from collapse. thatne who can maneuver kind of legislation under such difficult circumstances understands how to wield power and exercise rights of the institution and you want to get to a product that serves the american people. paul: in new jersey, the republican line. caller: good morning. given that article one of the constitution does not require a speaker to be a member of the house, do you think there will come a time when the bipartisan majority will elect an outsider, someone who calls balls and shrikes and does not function as a majority leader?

as someone from northern new jersey, i'm happy to hear someone from new jersey. the caller is correct, there is no requirement that you be a member of the house. systems, the speaker is part of the majority party. i do not foresee that happening. will have tofforts take into account the speaker comes from the majority party. paul: from chicago,. caller: good morning. a couple of things. that would have been funny. we forget about speaker, the longest-serving speaker in the history of the republican party.

he turns out to be a serial pedophile. partywe got the tea bashing nancy pelosi. get, there is a big lists. since when do americans not value wisdom and leadership? we hear more from the media then we do democrats for the impeachment. 2003 the drugget mandateeniors have a and of lifetime penalty on their plans. as far as republican free-market, there is no free market when it comes to jobs.

the drug plan is you're not allowed to negotiate any free market. collapsedn brothers in 2008, the world almost collapsed. was the one the needed to bring us out. i would like c-span to give us two segments about the republican majority leader kevin get fromand what do we eight years of the republican party. i would like to know what the speaker and jeff were doing in estonia before the tax scam went through. paul: there was a lot there.

you can take any or all of that. out some ofs laid the challenging issues the new congress will face. advice isuation, my to let us move forward and figure out how to constructively address the problems. maybe historians can go back and analyze these past situations and how we got into them. the american people are going to judge democrats and anyone in public office as to how well their responses to contemporary issues. aboutwe began by talking nancy pelosi and her relationship with the president. weekve a clip -- last about president george w. bush and how he treated her.

>> i will say, when i was speaker and president bush was president, he treated me in the office i hold with great respect. he would call me number three. he was one, the vice president was number two, and i was three. he never began unless the speaker was present. we work together on many issues relating to energy, passing the greatest energy bill. issues that related to tax policy. the list goes on and on. i would expect nothing less than that from this president. my power springs from the vote

of the members of house of representative. i think the president will be respectful of that. paul: she goes and president bush to president trump. he is offering republican votes if they need them for speaker. take us to the future and into that room if there's a negotiation going on. nancy pelosi and experience, the skill that she sites. john: meetings can the want for long time. many, bign in meetings and small meetings she stands her ground. this is one of the attributes you want in the speaker who respects the president. heard her refer to

the president as anything except mr. president. job is not toer defer to the president, it is to articulate the viewpoints of the men and women who serve in the house of representatives. and to do that on a collaborative basis. she is farmer interested in trying to reach an agreement on , whether is an infrastructure bill or campaign reform, then she is in partisan points. if you do your job well, you will get the political benefit rate george bush for all the disagreements, and political fights, understood each other and were able to work together. we will have to see how that relationship work separate. we have a few more calls.

melvin. caller: i want to bring the two things. class,spect to the new they need to shut up, get to work and find out what the need to do before they talk about taking over. i keep hearing people talk about the affordable care act and the light that is sold, keeping your doctor and policy. they have not showed me any language in the affordable care act that addresses that situation where they tell insurance companies what they can in cannot do. the company had to follow the new regulation and there was nothing in there about following -- there was nothing about

doctors or the policy. they tried to make a big deal about it. nothing about changing policies or doctors. two quick points, on the this isle care act, exactly why we should be focusing on serious efforts to correct problems that have emerged over the past 10 years. instead of simply reversing or repealing it. there is no alternative piece of legislation in place. freshman always want to stretch their legs, offer their opinions, they are generally welcome. of 1974, there is a that from a congressman, before you save the world you have to save your seat.

they have to keep their eye on the politics as well as the legislation. paul: an iowa, republican caller. i am calling about the freshman class of democrats. peoplene listens to us, we will have -- i have been listening to you for the last 20 or 30 minutes and you had two or three republican callers to how many democrats? what is that about? paul: don't have an exact number, but glad to have you as a republican and we welcome more republicans calling and i'm sure we will have more. thank you for the observation. freshman, there is slow -- some in the far left and some who are

conservative when you win a big definition. paul: stacy from virginia. caller: good morning. thank you for having me. the first comment is about nancy i do not see republicans allowing democrats to take their house speaker, why should they be allowed his pick hours westmark they would -- allowed to pick hours? --ours? that is neither here nor there. my second comment, to the

gentleman in iowa saying c-span does not have enough republicans, we are all americans. this is the united states of america, we are not democrat or republican. we are americans first, please never forget that. your loyalty should be to the united states of america, not to a party or any president. the united states of america sir. i will pray that you embrace your fellow americans as americans. no political party or any wing a party has the solution to any ideas. as americans we are stronger together. let us unite. those tactics are war tactics that the government use to split countries like us that are so diverse. in the name of god and all that is holy i pray you embrace all americans and all americans opinions. we would all be

wearing wakes today -- wigs today. paul: you are on color good morning. -- caller, good morning. caller: i think democrats should do their best for all american people on foreign policy. administration foreign policy is awful. menblicans -- murdering women and children in yemen should not be empowered. thoughts on the future of the party with the

incoming speaker? john: this is one of the reasons it is so important the democrats win in november, you need to have a credible oversight of the second of branch and historically that tends to be parties in thehe house and senate are under different control. whether foreign policy or other executive action, the affordable care act in other actions, they and make them accountable not just the democrats but to the people. serve the intent of the laws on the books. that is one of the reasons why democrats wanted to show up on january 3 to test the

leadership. not something you want to learn as you go, --. paul: john lawrence, 30 years on capitol hill, he is a professor at university of california. visit the university of berkeley summit discussing what it means to be an american. >> one nation, indivisible, was sense, aren't we all american? >> the american character is what it means to empathize. when you -- improvise.

at valleyook at 1777 forge, the ability of general washington to improvise, to be a guerrilla fighter, to live off the land. >>, from the very beginning, not all groups were included. certainly minority groups were not, certain religious groups were not, and women were not considered citizens. that changes over time. more and more people were brought into the american family. c-span's q&a. >> funeral plans have been announced for former president george h.w. bush. democrats from the house and senate -- congressman from the house and senate will take part in the viewing. in the evening, the public can

pay their respects to the late president as he lies in state at the capitol rotunda. the washington national cathedral begins at 11:00. later they will be returned to texas republic feeling in houston on wednesday night. there is a funeral service at saint martin's episcopal church at the george bush presidential library and museum. table, sebastian gorka the former deputy assistant and national security advisor staff member good morning and thank you for joining us. we want to get your take on the legacy of late president george h.w. bush. example ofhe is an how it should be done. keyidea you can fill in posts as a bea