back to washington to welcome the japanese prime minister, shinzo abe. he is holding a rally in green bay tomorrow night. we will have live coverage of that rally here on c-span. i believe that gets underway tomorrow night at 7:00 or so. we will have live coverage of that and the white house correspondents dinner as well on saturday evening. all of that live here on c-span. we will wait here live for the comments from vice president trump -- vice president pence and president trump. [video] i support the second amendment because of that. support the nra because they support my right to protect my kids. everybody has a right to life, and you have a right to protect that life. and nobody has the right to take it away from you.

>> my daughter came into the and said there is a man in tactical cheer -- tactical gear shooting up the church. every one of those shots to me represented one of my neighbors, one of my friends. i could.fast as immediately, he came out of the church shooting at me. ,e had the truck in front of me the car behind me, the house behind me. he had an ar-15, but so did i. it's not the gun, it's the heart. it's a matter of the heart. man in the bravest world or anything, but i was here. i was here and i could do something.

i had to do something. >> i am a law-abiding citizen who never shot anybody, never committed a serious crime, never committed a felony, but it seems like every time we have one of nobody wants to put the blame where it goes, which is at the shooter's feet. you want to put it at my feet. cracks -- >> i felt like i needed to say something for all the people out there that i just spoke about, the people who have come together, the majority of people who obey the law and work hard every day. and are just tired of people trying to pull them apart, pull them in all directions. i am hoping each one of those people will go out until these politicians we are not going to take it and we are going to stand up for our rights and we are going to hold onto them. was confirmed as

holding onto the second amendment. live inr: we are indianapolis. this is the national rifle association annual meeting in indianapolis. the president is returning to washington later today. he will welcome the prime minister of japan, shinzo abe, coming to the white house this evening. he is back on the road tomorrow traveling to green bay for a rally there. we will have live coverage of that tomorrow night. ♪

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♪ announcer: music you are hearing, the crowd is waiting. everybody is set. president trump and vice president pence are set to speak shortly to the national rifle association meeting in indianapolis. the president returns to washington later to welcome

japanese prime minister shinzo abe. later today, the president of anerao bread will -- p bread will be speaking about business. live here shortly, the president and vice president speaking to the nra. gentlemen, please welcome, the executive director for your institute for legislative action, chris coxe. [applause] >> we take a backseat to no one, not only when it comes to also when it

comes to security. >> we sure as hell weren't afraid of hillary clinton. >> the politicians who want to divert attention away from the underlying problem and suggest we are somehow to blame will pay a price for it. >> we are the largest and oldest civil rights organization in america. allight for the rights of americans regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation because the right to protect your life is the most precious right you have. >> i refused to be lectured or shamed by a bunch of ignorant, hypocritical people who treat animals like gods and people like trash. voice of: we heard the wayne lapierre. not exactly sure when the event will get underway. we will have it live when it starts. while we wait, we will show you

the conversation with president trump's campaign advisor from 2016 on "washington journal pure ."de -- journal pure >> a lot of folks in the media look at the current polling in the head-to-head matchups. people need to realize that elections are ultimately like sporting events. it comes down to that competition, whether it be between two teams or -- >> how is everybody doing?

the 148th nra convention and leadership forum. are you ready for a good time? it sounds like there might be some texans here today. anyone from texas? good, because you are going to hear from your senator, ted cruz. how about kentucky? your governor, matt bevan is here today. are there any hoosiers in the house? well so is your governor and both u.s. senators. missingel like i'm another hoosier. oh yeah, indiana zone, the vice president mike pence is here today. was anyone with us in dallas last year? you know, we made nra history. we had both the president and vice president address the men and women of this great organization. should we do it again?

president of the united states, donald trump is with us. i want to thank a few people for helping make this possible. everyone give a round of applause to our presenting sponsors, townhall media and daring arms. arms.ring alvarado stepped up to sponsor this event. let's give anthony a big round. things off,ick please welcome to the stage, nascar legend and nra's first vice president richard, and nra's second vice president carolyn meadows. to lead us in prayer, please

welcome the man who was fed up with law-abiding gun owners being blamed for criminals. our friend mark robinson. >> let us all bow our heads in prayer, please. most gracious and heavenly father, we come to you today with a spirit of thankfulness. we thank you for blessing us with such a wonderful nation and allowing us to live in a nation that allows your freedom to be paramount. we pray for the leaders of our nation. we pray for our president, president donald trump. that he may continue to lead

this nation back to greatness. we pray for this great organization, the nra, which is fighting for the rights that you gave us to arm ourselves and defend ourselves against all enemies foreign and domestic. we thank you for our blessed families and we thank you for the wonderful abundance we have been blessed with in this country. there is nothing we can do to fory us -- repay you everything you gave us. the last thing i want to ask to askfor today, i want prayer for all the men and women of this country, the patriots of this nation, because it will be through them that the nation is saved, lord. give them the strength, courage, and wisdom to preserve what you have given to them. we asked this prayer in your name, lord, amen and amen.

>> thank you. to lead us as we stand for the blessed toare welcome the members of 12 strong. hundreds of miles of reinforcement surrounded by enemies, impossible odds, they led the defeat of the taliban and al qaeda forces in just two months. and gentlemen, please welcome master scar -- sergeant scott neil. >> please stand and remove your hats. >> i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation,

under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. thank you. >> to lead us in the national anthem, we are honored to be joined by an active member of the indianapolis police department. he wakes up every day, straps on a gun, and devotes himself to protecting the people of this community and the laws and the values we stand for. please welcome to the stage sergeant christopher wilmer. o say can you see by the dawns early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars,

--ough the perilous night fight, over the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming. glare, thekets red bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. jose does that star-spangled banner yet wave, over the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪

>> friends, we have a lot to celebrate today and i have good news to report out of chicago. for years, we have talked about chicago's absolute failure to prosecute its go. genuine imagine if one of us didn't follow their gun laws?

with rob emanuel on much of anything that he was spot on. one set of rules for celebrities and a different set for the rest of us. i don't know what is wrong with jussie. maybe he just needs a hug. i am officially making this a -- skipping zone. what's going on with hollywood these days? it used to be filled with cool people, i'm talking about real icons like charlton heston. cheering]and when you was marching for civil

rights, enjoying our second amendment freedom. ridiculebrities today us for that. instead they want to lecture us on how we live our lives. they hate our trucks, plastic straws and guns. what they fail to understand is we don't give a dam with a thank. applause]d hollywood used to be filled with people that you wanted your kids to emulate. now they're filled with people you would not want your kids to be around. who would rather your teenage daughter in turn for? this guy or the sky -- this guy? maybe that was too easy. who would you rather your teenage son in turn for? this guy?

or this guy? [cheers and applause] we will keep our guns, god, and freedom. never been a tougher time to be a believer in american freedom than right here, right now. behind all of these efforts are a growing number of billion ayers led by michael billionaire , michael bloomberg and george soros. 2020 election has already started. came ain't trivial, obama he sounded like charles heston illegitimate son. i will not take away your shotgun or pistol.

if you like it you can keep it. remember this? -- antipathy towards people who are not like them. cling to my guns and religion. are you with me? used to know that this is a sure fire way to sync your own ship to the issue if you are not willing to open the second amendment, call for every gun and scheme including complete you will be booed off the democrats stage. the socialist wave we warned were coming is here. the wave is hitting the heartland of america.

as this circus goes on, millions of americans will see how are outside the mainstream these socialists have become. -- polo cnancy loc arm mainstream? for a rude awakening when america goes to the polls. the one where hard-working people put their heads down and mind their own business, raise their families and do the right thing. , our fight isa not just about supreme court victories or election victories, it's about dignity and honor of every citizen. there is a single mother living with her kids in a trailer park near indianapolis right now. trying to her own

build a new life for her family. she works two jobs. the trailer park is not safe but it is all she can afford. no one in this room has met her in the media will not talk about her. she will never be famous. maybe she's a republican or democrat, she's got more important things to worry about. without the nra there is nobody worrying about sheet the fact that she has the same right to protect her and her family like michael bloomberg. that's who we are. freedom youht for fight on the most principled ground. you fight for people you will never meet, you might disagree with or not even like. but people, not governments or corporations, people.

our conviction is the core of our strength and the heart of our courage. so why these are dark -- times. i am not scared and i know you are not either. we only -- we don't exist for the good times, we exists for when our freedoms are under attack. have allve -- they can the hollywood wannabes that they want. we have schoolteachers of volunteers, police of this -- police officers and veteran. cause.can match our the higher the stakes, the stronger we get because we are the nra. we do one thing and better than anyone else. god,and, we fight, and by we win.

thank you very much. applause]d minute, give us just a while we change the podium, and you know that means something special is about to happen. give us a minute.

our first speaker is an example of what all americans should strive to be, someone who stands on face -- phase and principle.

the loving support of his family and the blessings of liberty that are every american's birth right. throughout his career he has unapologetically championed our constitutional freedoms and our military, who put their lives on every day. honored to have here at the nra and will meeting, join me and welcome the vice president of the united states f america, mike tends -- pence.

>> hello nra. thank you for this great introduction. chris and i have 10 friends for a lot of years. i am a christian, a conservative and a republican, in that order. as vice president of the united states it is my honor to be back home again in indiana with so many freedom loving americans at the annual meeting of the national rival assumption.

association.ifle and wayneollie north lapierre, great leaders that we admire every day like the governor of indiana, governor of kentucky and so many distinguished members of the u.s. congress including the , courageousty whip steve scalise. speaking of friends of mine, it is especially great to be here with another friend, a champion who i can tell you gets up every day and fights to thatthe promises he made

-- to the american people, welcoming the 45th president of the united states, president donald trump. applause]d we stand with the nra because like all of you, we stand for freedom. the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is a freedom that is at the heart of the american story. our founders one our independence with the power of their ideas and their muskets. our forebears fought are nation's wars, defended our array of life with their skills they learned of the rifle range or father orher

grandparent back home. there are no greater champions of america's traditions of responsible gun ownership that all of you in the 5 million proud men and women of the nra. thank you for your stand. [applause and cheers] we are with you. president trump and i are with the nra today and tomorrow and always a cousin of the nra stands for -- because the nra stands for freedom. firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens don't threaten our families, they protect our families. we know that firearms in the

hands of citizens make our communities more safe, not less safe. [cheers and applause] charlton heston said these famous words, i will give you my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands. applause] under this president and vice president nobody is taking your guns. under this administration you have the right to keep and bear arms shall not be in french.

-- infringed. from the first day of this administration, the president has been fighting for freedom and you all know that. to bedn't be more proud vice president to a president who writes every day not just but those who defend it. he stood with those who defended our freedom when he signed the largest increase in our national defense since the days of ronald reagan. thanks to the president leadership we are giving our agreeing --rmen, marines for support they need to accomplish her mission and come home safe. this president has stood with those who defend our freedom

here at home, who protect and serve on the in a blue line. under the president's leadership, we are given all the men and women law enforcement at every level the resources and the respect that they deserve every single day as they protect our families. i know there is a lot of law enforcement members here today, why don't you show them how much we appreciate the men and women who serve on the thin blue line and protect our families every day? god bless you all. this president has stood for freedom and the american

economy. the president has cut more federal red tape in the last two years than any president in history. the president signed the largest hot reform -- tax reform in history. the results are in. small havelarge and created 5.5 million new jobs, more americans are working, and this morning it was reported the american economy grew by three point 2% in the first quarter of 29 teen. -- 2019. our rossr security and parodied this president has strengthened the foundation of our freedom. president trump has already appointed to our federal courts more principled conservatives in

the last two years than any president in american history and they are all conservatives the god-givend liberties enshrined in our constitution, like the freedom of speech, religion and the right to keep and air arms. -- bear arms. unprecedented -- resistance. i believe that when this president's story is written, when he finishes his term in office, six years from now -- [applause] record nohistory will other president in all the modern era has done so much for

so many and -- in so little time. president donald trump has forgiven -- delivered. under his leadership here at home and around the world america is winning again. weame here today to say that need you to stay in a fight. we live in a time when freedom is under assault. thatnot just the freedom the nra no bully defense but the work ando live, worship god are all being threatened by the radical left every day. the same people who threaten by raising taxes and increasing regulation.

the people who want to take away denigrates routinely millions of americans and advocate late-term abortions and infanticide. under this president and this administration, we will stand without apology for the sanctity of human life. applause]d our freedom is under assault in other ways. same blue states and cities are trying to bankrupt the nra have become sanctuaries for a legal immigrants including dangerous traffickers.

rightant to restrict the to keep and bear arms to law-abiding citizen believe the boston marathon bombers should begin in the right to vote on death row. i got news for you, not on our watch. violent convicted felons, murderers and terrorists shall never be given the right to vote in prison, not now not ever. applause]d i heard the other day that this other vp said we are in the battle for the soul of the nation. for once i agree with him. but not for the reason he thinks.

we are in a battle. for the soulattle of our but it is a battle between liberty and tyranny. the president has said before it is a battle between independence and government control and up -- ultimately a battle between freedom and socialism. under the guise of the green new deal and medicare for all, the same democrats who want to take away your freedom advocate a failed economic system that is rob liberty and impoverish people across the world. let's be clear. it was freedom, not socialism that gave us the most prosperous economy in the history of the world. [cheers and applause] it was freedom, not socialism that ended slavery, one to world

wars and stands today as a beacon for hope in all the world. socialism,dom, not that is trying to create a more perfect union and extend the all.ings of freedom to it was freedom, not socialism. the highest quality of life, the cleanest environment and improved health and well built -- well-being. medicare for all means? health care for none. the green new deal, how much green it will cost us if they ever signed it into law. the trouble was socialism is you

eventually run out of other people's money. i say from my heart to all of you freedom loving americans gathered here, the moment america becomes a socialist country is the moment america ceases to be america. as the president said, so we must say with one voice, america will never be a socialist country. [cheers and applause] they men and women of the nra, the stakes have never been higher. the choice has never then clearer.

be enough to just win the next election, we have to win the next generation. this is our challenge. it will not be easy. but it never has been. explained during the american founding, the battle for freedom is always arduous. as he said, the harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph. obtain toohat we cheap we esteem too lightly and that heaven knows how to put a price upon its good and it would so celestialdeed an article as freedom should not be highly rated. it's about freedom that we

gather here today. preserving the freedom that is , as youeart of america will hear in a few minutes, president donald trump and i are ready for the fight. [cheers and applause] we are ready to stand with all to expand fight freedom for every american. alone.ot do it , talk tooing your part your neighbors and friends, tell them what we have been able to a comp is over the last -- accomplish over the last few years. tell them what the opposition offers and tell them this administration and president have been fighting for all the

liberties you hold dear. tell them we are draining the swamp. because we are. them the forgotten men and women of america are forgotten no more. thank you for the opportunity to be with you today. thank you for coming here to the hoosier state. it's amazing for me to think of the journey that my wife and i have been on it five years ago when i was the governor of the state of indiana and i stood at this podium, this small time -- southernn boy from

indiana, it's hard to describe and how humbling it is to have the privilege. i want to thank you for the honor of serving as your vice president, and i want to thank you for your support. applause]d because of your support and this president i am proud to report america is standing strong again. america is prospering again. the second amendment of the constitution of the united states is secure again and freedom is winning all across america.

i know we will keep on winning. said, faith in this president i served alongside every day, i have to tell you, somebody said to me the other day, tell the president to keep on going, keep on fighting, and i said to them, that's not something you have to tell him. as we say here in the hoosier state all the reverse is strictly out of that take up truck. it is straightforward for the americanp and the people. i promise you we will do it every day. friend, ith in my have faith in the conservative leaders you cope to a lack --

two helped to elect. you. have faith in all of as i travel across this country i see americans every are standing with us. encouraging us. i meet them at grocery stores. i meet them at airports. i meet them at rallies and at diners. they are folks just like you and me. who always knew that we could be strong again. who knew that we could be prosperous again. and knew that we could be standing tall again and they are standing with us every step of the way. for their sake, i want to encourage all of you. be confident as we go into the days that lie ahead in this year and a half. i have faith that if we hold the banner of freedom hi, if we put practice the words

described on the liberty bell to proclaim liberty throughout all the land and the inhabitants thereof, those same americans will rally again. and we will keep on winning. a great victory for the american people. and remember, as you leave indiana and go to your homes and all of you that are looking on from afar, remember that when we fight for freedom, we do not fight alone. where the spirit of the lord is, there is freedom. that means freedom always wins. [applause] thank you for the honor. thank you for the honor of addressing you today. thank you for the stand that you

have made. the stand that each one of you take. we are proud to stand with you. i truly believe that with your continued support, with president donald trump in the yearshouse for four more [applause] freedom and leaders serving at every level across this nation and with god's help, we will finish what we started. we will make america safe again. we will make america more prosperous than ever before. and as i know you will hear in just a few minutes, we will make america great again. thank you very much. god bless you all. and god bless america. [applause] ♪

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♪ >> on c-span, we continue live at the national rifle association meeting in indianapolis. they will hear from president trump momentarily. the president himself, a busy

weekend with the prime minister of japan coming to washington later today. president trump is on the road tomorrow in green bay, wisconsin. we will have live coverage of that saturday night followed by the white house correspondents dinner on c-span. ♪

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>> how about another hand for the vice president? [applause] this morning, i was thinking about what i would say before the president walked out. something occurred to me. has any president in american history ever needed the job less? think about it. he spent 70 years of