legal permanent residency so they can work, pay taxes. they had to do it legally. the key is we have to be able to migrate. they need to be in the system legally. control it so we don't have a negative impact on wages for am announcer: the complete guide to congress is now available. and has lots of detail about the house and then it for the current session of congress. bio information for every senator and representative, plus more information on state governors and the cabinet. actually 19 congressional directory is a handy guide.

order your copy from the c-span online store for $18.95. >> west virginia senator joe manchin is our guest on "newsmakers" this week. he is the ranking member in the committee on energy in the senate, and we will ask you more about attorney general barr's testimony this week. thanks for coming in. sen. manchin: thank you for having me. >> two reporters will be asking questions this week. bob cusack is editor in chief of the hell, and bridget everest covers congress for political. bob, you are up first. >> the attorney general -- you supported bill barr for attorney general. what did you think of the comments that the white house was right on, and do you regret the vote? a turbochin:, it was

statement. the only way to have any reprieve is to allow us to have the folder art. we have to start healing the country. you cannot continue to separate and divide with all these eateries because a lot of people are justifying of videos based on their own facts. let us see the facts and make our determinations. that would go a long way in resolving the statement. i never thought anyone had any question that the russians were involved. i was on intel last year and i saw all the reports and the investigation done. every agency had on security and not one of them contradicted the russians actively and aggressively were involved in trying to interfere in our elections. now, they have done that for many years. but not on the scale they did in 2016. the mueller report would help us immensely. mr. barr should apologize for the statement.

>> it is a loaded word, spying. sen. manchin: basically, we never saw anything from either political party other than political rhetoric that goes back and forth. i'm hoping will bring him back. hopefully that works out. i am thinking that u.k. for helping bring that out. , and iould recommend would make sure that secretary barr understands that he is the attorney general for all of us do it doesn't have just one client, he has 330 million clients, and i hope you never forgets back. i was very much concerned about the affordable care act. it devastates my state. how anybody could before this. ,ohn mccain, god rest his soul

he was voting not because he liked the bill. at that time we had marie alexander, susan collins and bill nelson. we haven't put any restriction on people getting a card for the first time because we never taught them how to use health care. they never had it before. i wentthese things here, to the president and i said, mr. president, you can fix it. e b that mr. fix-it resident. we will call trump, trumpcare -- care.repair how can you take a position that you will not support the law of the land? .ou are attorney general i do know from back channels and probably from your reporting, basically that he did protest and said that it was our word against the president's decision on this. >> do you regret your vote for

him? would you not have voted for him if he was today? sen. manchin: i would give him clarification on this. i look at the qualifications. if the person is qualified and ethically, and has moral values. and the men was definitely qualified. everything we had seen, in his job when she had performed before, there was no ethical violation. . he had written a 19 page memo, it made no sense at all what he wanted to jump into that for a. but if you look at his. qualifications and performance in the job he had on an public service, we had never found any flaws there. people as anfirm state senator and it would say, just look at their qualifications. and i have been very differential to that. i have voted sometimes as the only democrat, if they are qualified, and if there is an ethical -- if there is no

ethical violation, there is no reason not to. second, if i give them benefit of the doubt, i can come back and hold them accountable. when you report on him, i will hold his feet to the fire. like bernhard coming up. i was clear, i said, there are a lot of concerns about you. you are very qualified and knowledgeable, and it will hold you accountable. .t's not just playing politics >> you mentioned depending affordable care act. most of your party, a third of the caucus, is looking for medicare for all. sen. manchin: it is so aspirational. we can't even pay for medicare for the sum of us who are getting it. we go insolvent in 2026. >> will this become law in the next decade, will this ever

happene? sen. manchin: i don't know, but the. i think they come up with all of these, but it is all aspirational. , andave any green new deal then the real green new deal, what really needs to be done. bernie and his medicare for all, i said, bernie, we have basic health care for the first time, we can hold on to that. we can help you. we can fix the flaws in it. that you think we ought to do that before we jump onto another changes?major policy don't you think we are to make sure everybody that is paid into medicare receives it when there are 65 or older, that they can continue to keep it asked 2026 and it not be afraid of losing it? i was born and raised in west virginia. i don't have the luxury of looking at all these.

i have to figure out how i can make what is in front of me work, or fix it and make it better. that is what i try to do. >> are you worried about the direction of your party? many say the democratic party has moved left. sen. manchin: i am worried about all of you writing about it, on the house freshman. there are how many, seven of them? when you look at the people that disagree change the house of the democrats, they were all blue dog democrats, moderate, centrists. they come from areas were they basically have to give and take. a process that they have to work through. .hey are getting eviscerated i worry about the perception people have of the democratic party, that it has gone completely off the rails. >> so along those lines, the house democrats have been in control for a few months, not led certainly by the freshman, not by speaker pelosi. would you agree?

sen. manchin:-she's doing an admirable job. that is a tough on. i think she has been looking at this and trying to be -- there is no impeachment. she knows that. there are no votes. she can count. she is a veteran. she is smart. you want to go out and campaign and play games, fine. that is not going to have any traction here. she knows health care has to be fixed, don't throw it out. she knows that attorney general barr should be attorney general for all the people, not just for the white house. she gets all this and she is doing a good job. i like all brian, he was a good , he was a goodn man. but he had a hard time operating. paul or kevin as well as i know my buddy before that.

it is a tough job over there. reporter: you say that it is perception that you already's moving left, but by many metrics, bernie sanders is the front runner without joe biden in the race yet. are you worried that he would get the nomination, would that be a problem for your party in the election? sen. manchin: i think it would countryhallenges if a moves were burning it has been -- bernie is bernie. you have to give bernie credit. he is who he is. he doesn't try to camouflage anything. you can go back 30 years of bernie and he has been preaching the same thing for 30 years. only across't come as being sincere, she is sincere in what he believes. free education, college, i said, bernie, education is local, primary and secondary is free, our colleges true expensive.- too

there are a lot of things you can do to make it more tolerable and affordable. i said, bernie, you make college free. i have a son who is a most 40, he would still be in college. he loved it so much, he never left. >> what is he -- what did he say? sen. manchin: aside, bernie, we need to attract smart people to the market. but if they knew they could offset -- i would say this, anybody who gets a stafford loan , all the kids whose parents have planned for a college education, that is a lot of people, i said bernie, we have to pay for everybody. a lot of people have won scholarships and need a little help. and there is that big swath that has nobody. but didn't have the nurturing at home. they are smart. . we all knew smart kids in school who never had a chance. let us say every kid.

truly knew they had a pathway forward and it could be pay for. if they did this -- you get a stafford loan, you take a full load and you graduate on time. then you go into a selected area. so you know before you go to your classes where we have shortages. and we will pay 75% of your education, and it depends on need. they will have earned it. i said, bernie, i have always found that if some has earned something, it has more value than something we gave to them. that is a different philosophy we have. i think there are more people in letane -- let me help you, me show you how you can afford this, how you can better yourself and before it, or a portion of it. >> you have left the door open for possibly supporting president trump in 2020. sen. manchin: i just said, represent the state of west virginia. and a look at that, and a look at all the values we have.

i will support the best person i think represents my state and why think is best for the country. so i take both of those extremely important and in consideration when they make the determination. >> is there any chance you could support bernie sanders for president? sen. manchin: i wouldn't take anything off the table and depending on what their final policies are. right now, to say i will or what, we only have got 15, there is room for five or 10 more. >> you were quick to defend joe biden when he was embroiled in the stories about inappropriate contact. you contact him before that, or did you just naturally leads into his defense? sen. manchin: i didn't leave to his defense. >> he went into tv and defended him. sen. manchin: it is what it is. he asked me a question, said, have been around joe and known him for a long time. i have never seen joe put himself up on someone other than

he thought he they needed encouragement -- he thought they needed encouragement and comforting. i had never seen that. hope he gets into the race, would you consider him?ordering sen. manchin: i hope it gets into the race. i would consider supporting everybody. i know. mayor pete came to me when he wanted to be the head of the democratic party. remember that? youampaigned and everything i give him an entree to everybody. all the delegates area it just wasn't his time for that. he might look on that as a blessing. [laughter] >> right. sen. manchin: anyway, there are a lot of good people out there. kamala harris, she is a good friend of mine. i know them all. >> have you spoken to biden recently? sen. manchin: i spoke to him the other day? sen. manchin:. 's funeral.eau

i know all the pain he suffered over the years. >> that he talked to you about the presidential race? sen. manchin: he did. i told him, joe, bu. they can't change you -- joe, be .ou joe biden is a type of person in our generation, touchy-feely was something that we just all did. i told people when i was a young in family,time, hugging and kissing, that was how you greet, men, girls, everybody. a cousin of mine i knew was a relation, i didn't greet him that way because i didn't know him, and i got reprimanded. and i'm thinking. , whew, never making that mistake again.

when he walked through our door, you hugged and kissed, no matter who you were! [laughter] of friends, you are friends with senator susan collins. she has been with you, leaders on the no-labels group. she is up for reelection in 2020. was your support her? sen. manchin: i would campaign for her. her? would campaign for sen. manchin: as she wanted me to, i would campaign for susan collins. for america to lose someone like susan collins, it would be a shame. >> she may take you up on that. sen. manchin: if she does, i will be happy to do that. >> do you think your party would be happy? [laughter] sen. manchin: it is not about party. friend.humer is my i think the world of him. we are able to talk and we understand each other. we are it would get into it sometimes but we always walk away as friends. he knows the way i feel about people. i say, i've what they way i want to vote.

if you have been around long listen, itust say, is the right thing to do. susan collins is the right .erson to be in the senate >> are you disappointed by current dynamics? sen. manchin: very much disappointed. it is not what i expected, what i thought, what i heard about. it is not. there is so much good that can be done. and here is the shame about it. i don't have anybody in the senate that i don't consider my friend, democrat or republican, them. i hang out with him, i like them all, i can talk to anybody. one of the senators said to me the other day, you don't talk to me. why, -- one of the senator said to me, the other day, they don't talk to me. i said, why, is it because you are republican? oh and talk to them. >> wouldn't that be a lost of

them? sen. manchin: i am getting to the end of my career. do i want to be and the my career where i can be the most effective? and looking at everything doing it in a methodical way. years.been doing this 37 i have been through a lot of tough campaigns but nothing like a have been through this last one. i think i owe it to my family. but i am concerned about my state. our state deserves full-time representation, somebody who is basically going to be there and look at the problems we had, infrastructure, economic challenges we have, health care, all those things. opioid addiction. these are things we have to tackle. i have always said this, i don't think the federal government should be our provider, and i don't think state government should be the provider to the people of the state. they should be a partner. when it is given take both ways, works.

but if someone expects government to do it all for them, i guarantee you, you will not get off the cost to do anything for yourself. we have a responsibility to help those who can't help themselves. i take a little different approach to this. >> president trump has nominated herman cain to the federal reserve board. women who haveal made allegations of sexual misconduct, would you support herman cain? sen. manchin: the allegations are very troublesome. but let us look at the qualifications. is a qualified to sit and make those determinations? i don't know his background is enough to do that. and the other person he is considering also. >> stephen moore. what about him. sen. manchin: again, i don't know. the president nose, you give me somebody qualified, no problem with me. no ethical violations, no problem with me.

>> the president campaigned against you in the senate race. i know that there were some early moves to rejuvenate your relationship with him. what is the state of your relationship with the president. ? sen. manchin: the best relationship in the world i have ever been involved in. i can get him on a phone call in 10 minutes. come over and have lunch or something, we go over. we talk about things. we talk about immigration. take 2013. the all-inclusive immigration bill. it fixes everything. guess what, don't worry about money, we put $46 billion to secure the border. and also, we give people a pathway. the people who desire to have the quality of life and are willing to pay the price to get back in line. you want to keep them. you know how to get rid of the bad ones, and if you don't secure the border, you can't keep them out. >> would you say you are an

ally? sen. manchin: i don't know about an ally? sen. manchin:. i say, mr. president, i can give you good honest reading on what is going on. we have talked about sensitive stuff. said, this whole asylum situation, you're talking about taking money away from the countries that we basically give to.ign aid get to switch set to where we can go down into these embassies and have safe houses in safe places for people that truly need protection? domestic, from violence in this country. can't we do that for those countries? incan get them safe passage america, those will qualify for asylum and who want it and need it, and stop this illicit trade going on that you have been harping about. we can do this. so we have some good conversations sometimes, and he it.s but then when i leave the room,

somebody else jumps in, and then they trust me. [laughter] state --nts, he won me state. is he more popular or less popular? >> did they raise issues like health care? >> i won on health care. me. spent money against they threw the whole enchilada at me. first time in the history of the united states of america. i am not looked upon as being partisan. people have known me long enough to make sense. i called the guy and new he was the best and -- best of the best. he said, you know i am a

republican? i said, does that other you? he is the best of the best. tremendous job. you.at race took a toll on coming all over to eat me. we have never lost in our 40. you can't rest on your laurels. people knew me well enough, new it was not true. new i was not controlled by anyone. i am a west virginia democrat. i try to work with them.

they are not washington republicans. >> have you had republicans try to convert you? >> every time they made me. i'm extremely serious. me -- goes at me and throws me that enchilada. health care, taxes. we are so far apart on these locks ofose are basic human life. we are different on that. i am proud and truly a proud compassionate conservative. a compassionate political person. capitalism. i may compassionate capitalist.

i believe you should be rewarded. be 400ve it should not times as much as the other guy that helps you get there. >> we have one minute left. subpoena.s a do you think he is going to be in legal turmoil? >> i don't know any thing about that. >> let me close on an issue. the opioidabout crisis. the land needs to be changed to give be a more authority. >> there was a big article about that. it narrowed it down to where they could go after them. the language has changed. down to hear.

a real pigeonhole. we have 9 million coming through. i have asked him. they can reverse this. we are trying to reverse the spirit the dea has got to do its job. we should be putting labels on this. it will kill you. they are putting out stuff that was basically never administered outside of the hospital and now is on the street. it is awful if you see what it is doing. we haven't seen how this is going to escalate. the children have been living in and around opioid addiction. that is the fallout. and of seeing the front it. you have not seen the residual. flax thank you for being with us. >> thank you for having me.

>> bob q second is editor of the hill. our conversation with senator joe manchin of west virginia. he said most of america is in his laying, moderate to conservative democrat. is he right? with his ownning party and the candidates they are fronting? >> there are polls that show the liberal wing of the democratic party is not the majority of people who identify as democrats. whether that say means he is confident bernie sanders is not going to get the nomination. they will need a more centrist candidate. is may be saying we do not need to nominate bernie sanders. we don't want to nominate an ultraleft candidate. >> he was measured about all the

candidates in the race. calledher network, he joe biden from edible and seasoned. strong endorsements. doing to helpists support may be moving the party more not direction? >> they clearly do talk. machinee mention -- supporting biden. senator feinstein has indicated she would endorse former senator biden. there is real concern in democratic party among the centrists about where the party is headed. this talk of socialism republicans love to talk about. the green new deal, medicare for all. left and right. you are going to see what of commercials on that going into 2020. >> what about the long explanation about joe biden and

the me too movement? >> part of it is he is what like joe biden. i asked him about this last week. he put his arm on me to demonstrate how he views retail politics. i have covered him in the capital. he is going to put his arm around you while he talks. there is a generational divide any politics. i think people like joe manchin don't think there's anything wrong with that. >> everything in politics is relationships. they go back a long time. it joe biden is finding out who hisfriends are and who are enemies. his rivals have given him no slack. i think this talk about joe if weand the touching it, are still talking out of the summer, that is a problem. >> one of the things we are

going to be talking about is his support for susan collins. how is his party going to receive that? it is a blue tilting state. they don't have a ton of pickup opportunities. it is hard to see a path if you can't beat susan collins. if you have the most moderate senator endorsing the republicans most moderate senator, it is not necessarily helpful for the campaign. they don't really have a candidate yet so that is part of the why -- reason why he is willing to step out and election is 1.5 years way so it is easier to say that now. collins is a centrist. king actually endorsed her in 2014 but has said, she has not officially launched yet. joe manchin went further.

kavanaugh fored the supreme court. that is why she is going to be a target. she has done quite well in her senate contests. at some point, they are going to have a candidate. maybe we'll see him go up there. >> i want to switch gears. thursday afternoon, everyone ller report from the justice department. what do you anticipate? >> i think republicans would say this as well. there is going to be material that does not make the trunk campaign or president look super great. at the same time, as long as what the attorney general put out is essentially a correct summary of the report, the ramifications may just be several new cycles. may be more oversight hearings but no impeachment. why he didtion is not make a decision on obstruction of justice.

the pros and what cons really are. there's going to be more of a problem for democrats. some may say, we need to pick up ueller left off. others will say, no, let's not. much for beingry here. .nteresting conversation >> thanks so much. once, tv was simply three giant networks and a government supported service called pbs. network 1979, a small rolled out a big idea. let viewers decide on their own what was important to them. they open the doors for washington policymaking -- to

washington policymaking for all for all to see. there is no monolithic media. broadcasting has given way to narrowcasting. youtube the stars are a thing. but the big idea is more relevant today than ever. no government money support c-span. it's nonpartisan coverage is fund is as a public service. c-span is your unfiltered view of government. you can make up your own mind. >> this week on the communicators, more of our interviews from the state of the net conference held in washington dc. us, daphne keller of stanford university law school. what is it you do at stanford? >> i