partnership between our countries and the united states. god protect our troops. thank you. [applause] host: good morning, it is saturday, july 16, 2022. a lot has happened this week in washington. they house has passed a bill to codify abortion rights. the president is in the middle east. inflation hits 941% in june and the january 6 committee hearing continues. we want to know what is the top story of the wood for you. is it one of the ones i mentioned or something else. give us a call only by party affiliation. democrats, (202) 748-8000.

republicans, (202) 748-8001. independence, (202) 748-8002. you can send us a tweet at c-span wj. welcome to washington journal. before we get to your calls, i want to show you the front pages of the newspapers this morning, all three newspapers have that same story and the fist bump between president biden and the crown prince of saudi arabia. this here is the new york times and the wall street journal. the president is still in saudi arabia and he was asked about what he said to the prince about slain journalists.

here's what he said. he said he was not responsible for it. pres. biden: i will not talk more about the criticism of the saudi administration in other countries, review rest to me as a violation -- are viewed as a violation of human rights. >> we just heard from his wife. she says the blood of the next victim is on your hands. what you say to her? pres. biden: i am sorry she feels that way. i did not come here to meet the crown prince, i came here to

meet the gcc united nations to deal with the security -- nine nations to deal with the security and the free world and not leave a vacuum, which is happening as it has in other parts of the world. host: that was the president speaking in saudi arabia. he is set to return tomorrow to washington your the house passed two bills on abortion rights, including the women's right protection act. here is a portion of that to be. [video clip] >> that have been devastating stories of patients being denied care at the fear of criminals nations. states have enacted dangerous laws banning abortions without any assumptions. in criminalizing providers of those assisting someone of obtaining care. these laws turn back the clock

of the health, well-being and equality of women across the nation. republicans have made it clear, this is just the beginning. congressional republicans are already pushing a nationwide band that would criminalize abortion in all 50 states. that is why this houses act today on the woman's act to ensure the rights of abortion laws, no matter where you live, you have the right of comprehensive health care that is free of restrictions that are only intended to impede access. >> presenting abortion up until birth, as a woman's only option essay false choice, there are nearly 3000 pregnancy centers in all 50 states, they outnumbered planned parenthood by 2000 facilities, these pregnancy centers which are under violent attack by pro-abortion groups, provide medical care, research

to woman. they must be rejected. not undermined -- they must be protected, not undermined and threatened. the supreme court has confirmed the americans peoples right to speak their elected officials, and enact laws to protect unborn children. the question upon us today, how are we going to respond? host: that is about the news of the abortion bill passing the house. also in the news, senator manchin, here is the headline from the washington post. mention once more puts biden in a bind. president asked congress to pursue a modest bill on health care. president biden on friday called on congressional democrats to refocus their one sweeping spending ambition ended

up a package to lower american health care costs. bidens wants vast mission to remake -- slop with u.s. economy -- in the fight against climate change has faltered. also, inflation numbers. let's say a look at senate minority leader mitch mcconnell said blaming the democratic policy. [video clip] energy cost are up more than 40%. >> the cost of the fuel that drives us to work my delivers hours goods throughout our economy are all up over 60%. these are staggeringly bad numbers.

they refueled by the -- they were fueled recklessly by democrats last year. president biden said "the biggest risk if not going to be a good, it is if we go to small ". the democratic leader says i do not think the backers of inflation of the real terms are very real. these were gigantic errors. the so-called american rescue plan was arguably the biggest fiscal policy mistake in several decades. our inflation rate in america is more than 2% higher than in europe. elation is about here because our democratic government has made uniquely bad choices.

-- inflation his uniquely bad here because our democratic government has made uniquely bad choices. host: that was senate minority leader mitch mcconnell talking about the inflation numbers. we are asking you what is your top story of the week. let's take some of your calls. sandra is up first in columbus, ohio on the democrats mind. line. caller: good morning. i am calling about the rate of the 10 euros child. -- 10-year-old child. for years, this is not new. they would tell me how they would bring those little girls in the ages of nine, 10, 12, 14,

and there step father's and mother's boyfriends and so forth would be raping them. some of those girls were impregnated, but because they could go in privacy and take care of their children. now they cannot because of these laws. those little girls bodies have not developed to carry a baby. back in the old days, back where they work 13 and 14, were 30 and 37 years old. when we are going to choose laws , we need to completely think out what this is doing and how -- they do not even know what is happening to them. i am disappointed with some of the comments i heard yesterday.

this has prompted me to call because i live in columbus. this has been going on for a long time. host: here's the washington post about the house passes legislation to codify access to abortion. sub headline says, bill's aim to minimize effect of overturning roe on lighting -- unlikely to become law. we will put up on your screen, the bill that it passed the house would prohibit any state from restricting travel from another state to obtain an abortion, it also bars states from banning groups for assisting and traveling for abortions when it comes to sending fda abortion bills. that is what passed the house, unlikely to pass the senate. herbert is next in st. louis, missouri on the republican line. caller: my top story would

probably be joe biden's trip to the middle east. i think it might have been a awkward situation after president biden had been giving the prince a fist bump. we should use american oil here at home. host: herbert. a tweet here from kurt who says that a trunk give his deposition? what about secret service destroying evidence in a january 6 cover up? talk about the stories, please. professor mansion is a hero for killing the "climate legislation". mark says this, mexican president --. let's talk next to jerry on the democrats line in tennessee.

caller: i am calling to say about this roe v. wade thing. it is not about abortion. these kids get shot in schools and stuff. the rights they will have would be zero. thank you. host: all right. tyrone is next in illinois. caller: how are you today? i think the biggest thing is, the inflation. it is the biggest rain on american people. i happen to be a business owner also appeared biden keeps talking about raising taxes on small businesses. that would be detrimental to all

small businesses. i do not think he has a grasp on what is going on in america. i would like to see a lot of change happens that this country needs. that is all i have to say today. host: all right. in dayton, ohio on the republican line. joe. caller: good morning from a rainy day in ohio. how are you doing? the reason for my call is also inflation. basically, joe biden's lie of saying he created a .6 million new jobs. he keeps on pushing that narrative that is not true whatsoever. these are people going back to work because they quit receiving free tax dollar money. inflation, 9.1%, is actually

truth be known 12%. they -- kamala harris, joe biden bragged that gas prices drop $.40. that is not success at all. until we get the fuel situation resolved in the united states, inflation is still going to be high. host: you know, you mention vice president kamala harris, she spoke about the earlier this week about the inflation numbers in the administration efforts to counter it. >> there's no question that we still have work to do. it is important to note that these numbers do not fully reflect the recent drop in gas prices. average national gas prices have fallen everyday for nearly 30 days. since mid june, prices are down $.40 a gallon.

fighting inflation is one of our administrations top economic priorities, which is why we have taken action to lower the cost of living for americans, millions of americans. we are releasing one million barrels of oil a day from a strategic petroleum reserve to lower prices at the pump. we have reduced high-speed internet bills for millions of americans. we have passed the tax cut to give working families up to $8,000 a year, which means giving folks more room in the budget to buy food, medication and school supplies for their children. president joe biden and i are always fighting to make sure that working families can get ahead and stay ahead. that is why we continue to call on congress to pass legislation to lower the price of prescription drugs, health care, and the other everyday essentials that will meet the needs of american families. host: that was the vice

president talking about the inflation numbers. take a look from dave in maryland. he sent us a text. kitchen table issues, gasoline, food and my electric bill, i will be voting republican. from california, a text saying, what absolute shame, biden begging saudia leader for prices of lower oil. we are taking your calls this morning on your top story of the week. betty is next in north carolina. independent. caller: good morning. i would like to say, this roe v. wade case, those who are against abortions, republicans appeared those are who are opposed to him about democrats.

in my area, they have at the food program for the kids at school because of the republican outlook on things. inflation is bad, that may be true. in my area, people are still doing all they have done so we could be making decisions as to what is best for us, not best for the public, but in democrats. something needs to be done. thank you. host: next up is rick in fredericksburg, virginia. rick, on the republican line. caller: the other day that i came on and oak on your show and said that -- and spoke on your show, said it had been hidden that the individual who raped

18-year-old child was a immigrant. if that is true, that needs to be broadcasted. we have more immigrants in our nation than the government is saying that we have. that is where inflation is coming from. the biggest problem with our nation is the democratic party. i plead with all people to go republican. you can maybe change the republican for a better thing that it is. please do not be democratic, please, please, please do not be democrats. please. host: joseph is next in new york. good morning. caller: first of all, please, please, do not be republican. i really wonder why so many republican voters and constituents believe that the big lie?

do they really believe the big lie? or are they afraid of crossing donald trump because his own -- homegrown thugs, the kkk and the proud boys will exec revenge on the senators, congresspeople. that is why the republicans have failed donald trump. he is a dictator worse than hitler's. host: let's take a look on nbc news. the january 6 committee is expected to hold a hearing on july 21 in primetime. that is on thursday. the committee chairman says next week's hearings will be the last one at this point, declining to say whether there would be more down the line. of course, we will be covering that here on the c-span network live in primetime.

we will definitely let you know about that. speaking of the january 6 hearing during this week's ready hearing, chairman betty thompson asked formal spokesperson, jason van about the experience of the group and what their objective is. [video clip] >> can you help us understand who those people are? >> i can, thank you. my time with -- i want to be rash with that first standoff when i went to cover them as a independent journalist. i had then subsequently covered two more standoffs. it was at that time that i was offered a job as national media director and a associate for the webpage.

so, i spent a few years with the keepers. i can tell you that, they may not like the call themselves a militia but they are. they are a violent militia. they are largely. i think rather than try to use words, i think the best illustration for what the oath keepers are happened january 6. we saw that stack military information going up the stairs in our capital. i saw a radicalization that started with the beginning of my time with them and continued over time as the member base and who it was, stuart was courting drifted further right into the

all right world, into white nationalist and straight out racist. it came to a point where i could no longer continue to work for them. the oath keepers are a dangerous militia that is in large part fed by the ego and the -- at time seem to see himself as this military leader. i think that drove a lot of it. in my opinion, the oath keepers are a very dangerous organization. >> thank you very much. you talk a little bit about that danger. what is the oath keepers vision for america? why should americans be concerned about it? >> i think we saw a glimpse of what the vision of the oath

keepers is on january 6. and does not necessarily include the rule of law. it does not necessarily include -- it includes violence, it includes trying to get their way through lies and deceit, intimidation, perpetration of violence, slaying of people who may not know better through the lies and rhetoric and propaganda. i was swept up at once too. host: let's talk next to mike. how are you doing? caller: it is mark.

first thing is, i am astounded by the republican responses on what they enjoy and what life should be along. in my opinion, roe v. wade was just a bad decision, not that i do not respect things that are going on. i have to say, i am sorry -- all they do is take away rights, they do not give them. this was opec. trying to get saudi arabia and prices lower. i have heard this many times before in my life. that is a fair deal. this is capitalism at its finest. the price of oil is not controlled by the president. so, anyone thinks that he has that idea is wrong. host: all right. adrian is next in florida.

this time in lakeland on the democrats line. caller: yes, i am here. i would like to comment on two points. number one, the abortion right. i think that six weeks is the appropriate time for anyone to receive an abortion. number two, mind your own business. women have a right to choose no matter what. do not take away rights of women . no man should tell a woman to do with their own bodies. two, january 6. trump had let this country on a path where no other president has ever gone before. he is a disgrace to this nation.

he should be held accountable. he should go to jail over what he has done to this country. the division of these people in this country. he is a disgrace. no one should be able to run for president after what he has done to this country. his lies, his deceit, he is a disgrace. that is what i have to say. host: next in connecticut on the independents line. caller: i want to follow about that caller. i wish you all can do a poll on what life would be like if y'all lose democracy? this country has a bad security problem right now. a bit democrats and republicans

do not pardon each other, we have a serious problem right now. that is my main issue. host: all right. james is next on the democrats line. caller: yes. yes. i am just wondering where all of these crazies are coming from. if they want to blame the biden administration for high inflation, high grocery prices, high gas prices, abortions. you know what, it is a -- there was a stage that wanted to keep slavery also appeared as far as inflation and high prices, that is all over the world right now. host: ok, james. elaine is next in olympia, washington. that i say that right?

-- did i say that right? maybe someone downstairs could help me with the phone lines. let him show you the hilt. here is what it said, mansions says inflation report killed tax talks for consumers. senator joe manchin said friday that he told senate majority leader, charles schumer, this week that a reported showing inflation jumped in june compared to a year ago -- with tax reform anytime soon. manchin said talks have been going well until a eye-popping inflation report came out on wednesday. he said it made it impossible for him to vote on a budget bill that would raise billions in tax

revenue to spend on tax incentives and other climate proposals. let's go back to the phones now and ask you about your top news story of the week. i think we have elaine in on the priya, washington on the republican line. are you there? caller: yes i am. i am calling to comment on bidens asking for oil from outside the united states. this concern for climate change and reducing the oil and the fossil fuels produced by the united states because they are concerned about climate change, then why would they go outside the united states and ask somebody else to produce that oil, which they produce it

dirtier than we do. it still has the same effect on the climate. that does not make any sense to me. it builds to me that he is doing it to punish our workers -- it feels to me that he is doing its punish our workers. you know, this impact on the fossil fuel has on our climate. it does not matter where it comes from in the world. so why is he going outside the country to ask them to do it instead of asking us to do it? host: all right, elaine. here's a tweet that we got from mlb, who says another tragedy is the release of the video of robb elementary school. the fact that those parents had to actually see the community police, must be like -- feel like losing their children all over again. here's a tweet from lee, he says

his greatest story is the greatest income inequality in the nation of the world. let's go to attica, new york on the democrats line. caller: good morning. i am calling for a couple of reasons. first, i think the january 6 committee is doing an excellent job. if we do not have accountability for people in office that are doing things that are criminal, then we have lost our democracy. donald trump and people that support him, i am meaning like people like mitch mcconnell who has pushed in the supreme court candidates that are there -- judges that are there now and are doing such harm to our country and reversing roe v. wade. it is very shameful. i feel criminal as well.

i feel very sad with what is happening to our country. the thing i wanted to mention, there was -- brother who i saw on the news was also of the national guard, i think. why is that not being discussed? i am hoping if anyone is listening from the committee. because i remember when january 6 happened, i watched it live. i was in horror with what i was watching. it was said that he did not want to sign on to allowing the guards to come in. that needs to be -- because that is his brother that was in that position. that is a lot -- there's a lot more things in terms of the series of events that i hope

get discussed. the other thing i wanted to say in terms of the violence with the killing of children, i am very concerned about the video games that our children are watching. also the internet in terms of how they can medicate. every time there is a shooting, we do not know any information on who they were in contact with, what their plans were. that is just like seeing the pictures of -- you know, the graphic which is being discussed in terms of not seeing that on the news. i think that is important for all of us to see what these guns do. it does not mean that every time there's a shooting we have to see it over and over again.

the public needs to see -- pure when i saw recently how the video of how they were -- they had come into the school and they were waiting before they got in and shot the gunman. that is very critical. as hard as it was for me or others to watch, i think that is very important. again, does not mean it has to be shown all the time. host: ok. you mentioned the january 6 hearings. the next year will be on thursday in prime time. we will have a here for you on the c-span network. in columbus, ohio. republican. caller: i have three questions. the republicans going for trump. for four years, the democrats

went after trump after the voter fraud. come to find out, it was all just a hoax. ok. why is the u.s. in china for most of our strategic oil reserves, when china is still buying oil from russia? ok. on roe v. wade. i know people are mad. how come they do not get so mad when they were saying we had to get the flu shot? that is all i have to say. to me, we hear everything about trump with the voters, to find out that was a hoax. to oil, we should not giving china oil for most strategic oil

reserves. roe v. wade. i understand the point of that. where was that when we had to get a vaccine shot when they said your body, your choice. it was not a lot of people's choice. a lot of people lost their jobs because they did not get the shot and now there are repercussions of that. i appreciate it. you all have a good day. host: baxter in north carolina on the independents line. wonderful show. caller: get information. i just want to let y'all know you are doing a great job. unfortunately, we have a failed administration that seems to me

like absolutely archers going in that direction -- absolutely going in that direction or they just do not care. my question would be to him. joe biden as president, why don't we take care of problems that he has caused in this country with our fossil fuels and come together with our supply chain and so forth? now we are going to travel around the world to get fossil fuels in countries like saudi arabia. let's take care of it here, let's take care of our problems. it seems like the former president have that under control. he is just going around the world.

like in the middle east handing out money. you can't do that. we all have issues. every country in this world has issues to deal with. appeasing will not get problems resolved. we need to take care of our problems here. host: aidan is next on the democrats line. good morning. caller: i just have a couple of questions. [inaudible] showing clean energy, which in the long term what cause -- to

bring down. i do not know. when obama was president, i remember watching paul ryan. then watch things go from bad to worse in 2016 with trump. the republicans are going to try to take control again. i just do not even know. people do not understand the holding. that is all. -- whole thing. that is all. host: the front page of the u.s. times, it says that president yields on climate change as talks collapse.

it says it was a familiar, excruciating position for democrats a day after pulling a plug on his parties plan to push the energy and tax plan this summer. joe manchin of -- called in on friday to west virginia radio show. perhaps he suggested in another month or so, he might see his way clear of salvaging the last bit of president biden's domestic agenda. let's talk to michelle who is in connecticut on the independents line. caller: i just wanted to call and say two things. one about abortion and the other one about oil. the democrat took the wind of

votes. nancy pelosi seemed so happy and giddy. we are talking about life, babies life's. it just seems to me that they would be a little more humble. you know? you are talking about saving children's lives in school shootings. you now, children coming to the border. through their lives matter? it just seems that she was so happy about it. it was a little disturbing to me. the other thing was about the oil. i heard some people talk about joe is doing what he needs to do. he should be buying oil at home and not abroad. we have the cleanest oil here. and he was campaigning, he said he was going to go out to the oil companies and he did. i just wanted to bring that to people's attention. it seems like our american

businesses are being attacked and i do not understand why. host: next up is pairing on the republicans line. good morning. caller: my comment is going to be on the january 6. it is more or less illegitimate until we have a commission on the 574 cares act in december of -- summer of 2020 that democrats committed. let's not forget of august 2020, after the republican national convention, we had a -- almost butchered in the street of washington dc on live tv. not one thing, not one thing has been done being assaulted. donald trump was running into the bunker in the white house in

may of 2020 when the nazi democrats decided to --. what is being done about it? not one thing. host: you are saying that the january 6 hearings are not legitimate question mark are you watching them? e? caller: we have not heard one thing about that either. they had a field day. they was laughing and cheering at all.

the democratic party, it is the party of terrorism, plain and simple. to the guy who said please do not be a democrat, he is right. to all of the listeners listening and do not like my comment, screw you. host: let's take a look at the january 6 hearing. she asked a january 6 protester about his involvement on his attack on the capital. >> we showed how donald trump's december 19 tweet summoned extremist groups and others to come to washington dc. he told them to be there, we will be wild and they came. we should know how president trump told them to fight and they marched to the capital. you are at that crown in the

rally in the crowd that marched in the capital. were you planning to go to the capital? >> we do not actually plan to go down there. we went basically to see the rally. that was it. >> why did you decide to march for the capitol? >> basically, the president got everybody riled up and told everybody to head on down. we basically was following what he said. >> how did you feel? >> i was angry. after everything that was said in the speech, a lot of the stuff he said he already put out in tweets, i have already seen it and heard it before. i was already worked up and most of the people there. >> as he started marching, did

you think that there was a chance that the election would be overturned? >> i did. everybody was kind of in the hope that vice president pence was not going to certify the election. you know, also on our way down, i kept hearing about this big reveal. we kind of thought that was it. that hope was there. >> did you think that the president would be marching with you? >> yeah. i thought everybody thought he would be coming down. he said in his speech, kind of like he is going to be there with us. i believed it. i understand. we know that you eat legally entered to capital that afternoon and then left later on. what made you decide to leave? >> basically when president trump put his tweet out.

we literally left after that came out. to me if he would have done that earlier in the day, you know, maybe we would not be in the situation. host: we are asking you about your top news stories for the week. fill free to give us a call on our minds. we will take your calls before about another 10 minutes or so. tim is next in south dakota. democrat. hello. caller: thanks for taking my call. the last color was dead on with what he said. this is just a disgrace. they did not do anything about all of the other 500 events that took place and all of the destruction in our country. the federal government is out of control.

they are completely in power, the democrats, and they could never do it right. host: did you mean to call on the democrats mind? caller: i must have dialed the wrong line. host: shirley is in chicago, illinois. on the independent line. i am calling about the roe v. wade decision. caller: i am strictly in the middle. as i hear people talk about roe v. wade, those that are completely against it and those who are completely for it, i covered the question to some of them about young men having vasectomies. i said i couldn't remember when i was younger, when more people were willing to have vasectomies

. i am older now. i just wondered if more families would have their young men get a perspective me. i understand that it should be completely reversible now. that would help with the women becoming pregnant with unwanted pregnancies because of one man can and pregnant a lot of women. i just like to hear something a lot about that in our news, someone researching it, or is someone coming up with some ideas to help with unwanted pregnancy on the male side and not just on the female side. thank you. host: tom is on the republican line in washington. good morning. caller: good morning. i have got two things, like to address. one is the oil and the trip to saudi. it is frustrating for me because

i know that in montana and on the edge of idaho, they are sitting on a lake of oil. they can get to that oil simple. there's no reason we should go and pay money to go anywhere else and get oil when we have more than enough here in america. the other thing that frustrates me, we are sending money and we are helping. in the past we have seen where they have sent money and they discovered boxes of cash. by americans and soldiers and by other people, government especially where they are taking it for themselves. critical people who need it aren't saying anything.

if they need a little money, they can ask for a draw. we will verify and make sure if what they are asking for is absolutely correct. we can give them a draw. that way we control exactly what it is going to go for and not just --. the other thing i think is, if we take these people that want to identify as a gender. i was thinking it was pretty simple to solve that problem. you register your dna in your part of a sporting event especially. then your dna will tell us whether or not you were born a male or a female the chromosomes. if you want to identify

something other than a male or female, then i think that you should have your own special group that you can compete in, instead of against women, this one guy that is identifying. you do not get to race with women. you do not get to go to a women's gym, locker or bathrooms. my daughters and granddaughters, we are not sharing those facilities with somebody that is not of the proper gender. host: ok, tom. brian is next in florida on the democrats line. caller: thanks for taking my call. i wanted to call to give all americans a little reminder of a certain somebody was sentenced for his role of november 8,

1923. by right wing members in the nazi par. y, hitler's was charged. i do not want to see a repeat in history. i do not want to see this just handed over to democrats easily. it seems like an easy call if republicans can't get their act together to find a true conservative to get back on track with what i know them to be. we can have a real debate in this country and understand that the whole world is going through inflation right now, and to get the person on your left and right, my fellow americans are

to get us back on our feet and not to try to put the blame on one person. i think that is all i wanted to remind people of. host: let's go to texas on the independents line. caller: good morning. i was calling to say i love my lord jesus christ. i stand with christ. there will never be a bipartisan agreement with the committee. the reason why, if you are a republican and he speak out against donald trump, you are a automatic, credit -- democrat. i think you have a bipartisan when anybody speaks out --.

we are living in revelations. host: my question is, what is your top news story of the week for you? caller: let's talk about gas prices, oil, talking about buying oil from other places. we have got oil rigs going up everywhere. [indiscernible speaking] host: let's fit in one more call. gail, good morning. caller: i have three quick little things to say. everybody is talking about europe having inflation. the reason why europe has inflation, they have a need of oil like we are.

we would not have this inflation if he did not do that. number two, fentanyl, over the border within the last four months i have lost or no to people that have died from fit fentanyl. they have to do something about that border. the young gentleman that was testifying against the january 6 commission, i have one question, did they give him a commuted sentence? or did they say if you testify we will drop all charges? we can't ask these questions, but a slab personally think that the january 6 -- questions that are/think the january 6 is not

legit. host: good morning, stephen. caller: i am in houston. i worked in the oil industry for seven years. one of the things that people need to remember is that, our energy could be a lot cleaner than it is, but it costs money to make it clean. there's also risks. we all remembered the deep oil horizon that destroyed the oil industries in louisiana, florida. the cost of florida and georgia, the people of florida and georgia do not want that. those leases that were given off of the coast come off the coast of florida, people of florida and georgia do not want that.

we ought to have, who wants to see a drill and reagan when they go on vacation -- rig when they go on vacation? the few national forests that we have, we have two recognize that it is hard oil now. people do not like when they have earthquakes that wreck the foundation of their home from water being injected into disposal wells that are not really well planned or maintained or over injected. these are the realities. we think they can be better.

they can broaden the horizons they are injected to that take water easier that do not have to be above frack pressure and do not cause earthquakes. host: that will be our last call. thanks for everybody who called in this morning. up next, we will talk to the vice president "washington , brian katulis. will be right back. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

>> next week, thursday night the january 6 committee holds its eighth hearing. also on capitol hill this week, tuesday transportation secretary pete buttigieg testifies before the house education committee on the limitation of the $1.9 trillion infrastructure bill passed last year. wednesday, two hearings on gun and gun violence. highland park attacked and civilian reaction. testifying on the oversight committee on the practices and profits of gun makers. the house and senate are both in session with the house taking the first federal spending bills. they will work also on a protection for a person's right to have contraceptives.

watch next week live on the c-span networks or on c-span now , our free mobile video app. had to c-span.org for scheduling or to stream video live or on-demand anytime. c-span, your unfiltered view of government. >> book tv features leading authors discussing their latest nonfiction books. at 8:00 p.m. eastern, ucla law professor talks about the fourth amendment and the power of the police with his book "unreasonable." and afterwards, kristi noem shares her book "not my first rodeo," about her life and political career. she is interviewed by david rucker. watch book tv every sunday on c-span two, and find a full

schedule under program guide or watch online anytime at book tv.org. ♪ >> >> join washington journal every sunday for our six part series on landmark legislation. each week historians will explore a piece of legislation that helps shape today's america, how we get around, educate our kids, pay for health care, our media, and welcome new citizens to the country. this sunday morning we will look at the americans with disabilities act, which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. joining us is the author of the ada, former senator tom harkin. watch landmark legislation live at 9:00 eastern sunday morning, on c-span, or on c-span now, our free mobile app. ♪ >> c-spanshop.org is c-span's

online store. browse c-span products, apparel, books, home to core, and accessories. there is something for every c-span fan. shop now or any time at c- spanshop.org. "washington journal" continues. host: welcome back. my guest is brian katulis , a senior fellow and a vice president of the middle east institute. what is the mission? guest: is a think tank that has been around for 75 years, the oldest think tank committed to building ties between the united states and the people of middle east. the main aim is to educate people about the dynamics of the middle east. we have an educational

component, language classes in arabic and hebrew and as well as turkish. we have a cultural component that includes an art gallery, or the oldest in washington, d.c. education is a key mission. we look at the policy dynamics and the reason -- in the region. there is a lot of advocacy on different angles of middle east issues like israel and palestine or iran. what we try to do is bring a diversity of views. we are funded by a diversity of different donors, some from the region, corporate america, individuals, and foundations. the key is not to be beholden to one so we can advance that mission independently. it is not easy to do, especially in our polarized views here

where we have read verses lou on all sorts of issues. host: especially about the middle east. let's talk about the policy part. what do you think about the president's trip? what were the objectives? guest: the trip is still ongoing. they were a little unclear about why he was going. i joked at the outset that this seems like the magical mystery tour. it didn't seem like a new peace deal was going to be had between israel and the palestinians as well as difficult situations with iran. there was hope that we would have a new nuclear deal with iran, and that is not happening. an hour or so ago, he gave a speech in saudi arabia, where he made clear what his objective was, and i think it would have been better if he had set it at the outset. he essentially said, the united

states is not being the middle east. he sent the message that partners of ours need to speak up and do more. one of the outcomes are not the things that people focus on like the fist bumps with the crowd he -- saudi crown prince, but on things in the last 24 hours that address energy security, regional security, food security, at a time when there is a lot of turmoil geopolitically. the middle east, for the last 20 years in america, has been seen as draining us and dividing us. what we have seen since russia's you gratian -- russia's invasion of ukraine is we have the key bridge in geopolitics between key countries around the world, china, russia, europe, and the united states.

one of the key objectives which president biden has succeeded in sending the message that america is still the preferred partner of choice of most of the countries in the middle east. it is not russia, vladimir putin, china. that is one of the main goals. the other goal which we will probably see is energy security, a key thing that drove this was the run-up in gas prices here at home as well as through the role that key countries like saudi arabia and israel play in the global economy. saudi arabia is a member of the g20, the largest economy in the world. resident biden didn't talk as much about how this wrigley connects to american -- this directly connects to american citizens. we are likely to see continued prices at the pump go down as opposed to up. i think that is an important objective. a lot of it depends on the follow-up, not only by the u.s.,

but the actors in the region, because you see these visits signed documents but the key thing is then what? that is what i will be watching. host: i want to remind our viewers they can call in and ask you a question. the phone numbers will be split up by party affiliation. democrats can call us on (202) 748-8000, republicans (202) 748-8001, independents (202) 748-8002. the other thing president biden talked about was the slaying of jamaal khashoggi. american intelligence believes the crown prince was response before ordering that here is what he said in response. [video clip] what is the crown prince's response about to mow khashoggi? -- about jamaal khashoggi? pres. biden: he indicated he

wasn't personally responsible and he took action against those who were responsible, and then i went on to talk more about how that dealing with any opposition to the criticism of the saudi administration and other countries was viewed as a violation of human rights. >> first, we heard from jamaal khashoggi's wife who said after this visit the blood of the next victim is on your hands. what do you say to misses khashoggi? pres. biden: i am sorry she feels that way her was straightforward back then and today. i didn't come here to meet with the crown prince, i came here to meet with the gcc and 90 nations to deal with the security and needs of the free world, and

particularly the united states, and not leave a vacuum here, it has happened here as it has in other parts of the world. host: what is your reaction to what he said? guest: i think it is expected. nothing surprising fact that he was doing this visit and raised these issues, not just jamaal khashoggi's murder which u.s. intelligence has said the crown prince had a role in and sanctioned, but also raised what is more important and relevant today, which those who are still imprisoned in saudi arabia and other places. to me, i think that is a good thing, in part because that is what makes america different from vladimir putin and russia and xi is not going to go to saudi arabia and raise these issues. my main point would be -- what is the follow-up and engagement on these issues? the finger wagging and name-calling of different

countries and it and simply trying to isolate and downgrade ties is less effective in trying to get results on human rights record in front. the worst thing would be that president biden those there and leaves and gets agreement on energy and regional security and that we drop it, there isn't somebody from the u.s. side that is empowered to continue the conversation. saudi arabia and everybody needs to do better on their records. what was interesting that rose reported by others is that in the conversation -- what was interesting that reportedly by others is that in the conversation with president biden that the crown prince pointed out abu ghraib and other examples of human rights abuses. that is in line with my experience when i interview people in the region and i raise it all the time and they throw it back on us. that needs be a part of the

conversation. it expresses a desire among people of the region in places like saudi arabia, egypt, iran, across the region, the record is not good. we play a unique role relative to russia and china in prioritizing that. host: i have to ask you about the fist bump in the picture on the front page of the new york times. the washington post publisher said the fist bump between president biden and it was worse than a handshake but was shameful and offered this level of intimacy that gives him unwarranted redemption that he has been desperately seeking. do you agree? guest: it is part of our discussion and debate. i agree that the image of this is hurtful for a lot of people, especially those who want to

stand up for imminent rights and freedom. i also think the president of the united states has this role on multiple fronts to advance the agenda and move things forward. for those who sort of say that, my question is then what? is it better to just sit on the sidelines and essentially let others shape the agenda in saudi arabia and other places in the middle east? my main point is that for the broader fight for freedom, other countries and powers we are competing with won't prioritize it. my hope is that biden will prioritize it and discuss it. past presidents, certainly president trump didn't raise these things, he talked about his love of dictators and in a sense wanted some of that power i think you're at home. president -- i think here at home. president obama talked about it

but it was dropped in places like syria when we have seen people die of human rights abuses. that fist bump, the images don't look great and is hurtful but the lack of follow-up on human rights and democracy and how human rights and basic freedom and how the united states can work with these to improve their record, because they become a better member of the global community as a result. host: michael is first in imperial beach, california, on the democrats line it. good morning -- line. good morning. caller: i was wondering your perspective, as americans we understand the catholic-protestant wrist. kenny -- rift. can you give us an understanding of the perspective in the middle east.

guest: that is a great question. this is a rich, important discussion. my view is there are two different strands inside of islam, sunni and shieh, and has been there since the early days of the religion. today we talk about it, the correct way to talk about it is how eaters, especially authoritarian leaders, use those different strands in ideology to reinforce their own power. my main -- is how leaders, especially authoritarian leaders use different strands in ideology to reinforce their own power. much of this is driven by different leaders, primarily in iran versus saudi arabia, often viewed as the leader of the sunni islam world because of the

two holy cities are there and one of the largest countries in that realm. my main point here is that a lot of this is used for conflict in the region by leaders itself to divide the people of their own country and the people of the region. those of you who follow u.s. politics, that sounds familiar, meaning leaders taking divisive ideologies rather than an inclusive nationalism here in the united states, a liberal patriotism that i would like to ascribe to myself, but instead vitas according to different views. that's what's going on here -- and instead divide us according to different views. that's what is going on here. it is about politics. i experience for 25 years in the region is that when you talk to ordinary people of the region, they are sick of it. they want a more decent life, more security and what a lot of you and i want for our kids and

they want the government to perform better. we are not nearly out of the woods. the high point was when the islamic resolution popped in in 1979 and set the region on edge, and there have been civil wars raged as she versus sunni -- as she sunni. -- as sunni versus shieh. they confuse the masses about what is going on and better alternative would be to include, encourage ways and methods of government that actually respond to the people of the region because they have a lot of challenges in their daily lives. host: up next is calvin in winston-salem, north carolina, independent. caller: good morning. yes, i am here. thank you so much for the

opportunity to continue c-span and to those teams who create the opportunity to hear these opinions. brian used the word "power," and if you could give a synopsis of the letter, world war i, ottoman empire, britain and other western powers decide that there is going to be a homeland for zionists, ultimately world war ii happens, and it is interesting that the map that was shown a little bit ago, at the end of world war ii, that map looked dramatically different. my point is, regarding the middle east, you can't talk to the middle east and its issues without israel and the palestinian question.

so where does the bow flower letter from before world war i play a role in the divisions, play a role in the ultimate solutions that we need to have happen for that region and for the world? host: ok, calvin. guest: calvin, that is a great question. and you are an independent, but what i understand is that 40% of americans are independent these days when you look at polls. you came in on a good question and you answered your own question by describing the declaration, which was essentially a move by colonial powers. at the start of the 20th century, much of the middle east did not have the borders we see today. the ottoman empire, which was now spread from turkeiy and

constantinople and istanbul, when that collapsed at the end of world war i, britain and france essentially drew lines on a map. it didn't necessarily reflect at all the people of the region. an reflected dynamics going on with different tribes and focuses and the creation of israel that happened later. it wasn't on the map in terms of the system we see today. the seam i think -- the thing i think that is most relevant is the fact that you have jordan, which had its borders with syria and iraq were drawn by colonial powers. the key thing today is to try to

avoid any sense they are trying to be a colonial power. that is what is interesting about biden's trip and put it in context of the last three presidents, the u.s. has been through an extended period of time where we have overreached, in my view, especially militarily and endless will jerry occupations across places like iraq. compare it to now -- and endless military occupations across places like iraq. compare to now. what we are seeing is trying to nudge them through greater integration, not only on security but on other fronts like economics. the age of colonial powers is over. people want, especially in key parts of the middle east, want

to have their voice. people in the countries and regions it is up to them to sort out and it is hoped they would do that peacefully. we have seen many wars, lebanon, libya, iraq, that were trying to settle scores, and i think we are moving the on that phase. i think there is going to be a new, interesting competition between those who are driving faster to the future. who can get to the future in creating jobs and incur -- interlink inch -- interlink inch -- interlinkage in their economies. host: what is the chance saudi arabia joins the accords and in relations with israel? guest: i think it is going to happen sometime in this decade is my prediction. it will be slower than the more

recent accords between israel and the united arab emirates and bahrain because they are in a different position. they are the largest economy in the region. it has a larger population. what we saw under biden's visit is baby steps toward that normalization, but it will take some time. the biggest thing walking this is the lack of progress on the palestinian front. i know talking to saudi counterparts and other think tanks and academics and saudi officials is their general position is we are not moving a lesser is significant progress to help the palestinians and because of issues like jerusalem, holy city to jews, christians, as well as muslims. let's not forget that. it is a key site. it is connected to people's faith and identity. saudi arabia, actually i think

will move in that direction, but it won't do it in a way that treats a normalization accord but the bypass road in the west bank around palestinians. it won't work. i think they are pragmatic and understand. they understand there's too much dysfunction in israeli politics and leaders themselves. they definitely understand the palestinian leadership is not -- is aging and not connected with its own people. there will be a generational transition happening and i see it happening but not without significant progress. host: let's talk to alan next, who is up early and hawaii on the independents line. caller: good morning. i have three questions. brian, what you just said i need to ask you more about that.

the realignment was written a year ago which was an interesting article and if you could elaborate on that after i get off. i was curious when you said kind of brain a bell that i'm hearing the article the spoken in some ways -- rank a bell that i'm hearing the article spoken in some ways. -- rang a bell that i'm hearing the article spoken in some ways. and also becoming a more aligned military strategy with israel and other particles to try to figure out a way to prevent a real proliferation from iran and not to give them the benefits they have been offered if they had rejoined the jcpoa, and the

jcpoa was probably dead on arrival from those originally involved and coming out saying that is the case. the third part of it is -- the way we are working right now, the u.s. with biden's visit with israel, apparently, and that was confusing for me, i read in the jerusalem post just a few hours ago that when biden was touring in the certain parts of jerusalem, he basically changed flags, didn't let israelis join him on the tour. it was like a downgrade, and that was written in the jerusalem post. i would like to hear your thoughts on that period no i flung -- on that. i know i flung a lot on you.

guest: i will try to be sustained. the author of the pieces, they have slightly different views than i do on certain issues. i understand the realignment if i remember the article correctly that the tectonic plates in the region are shifting, and there are just more natural linkages between israel and many of its neighbors beyond his -- jordan. i go back to the central point i made in response to an earlier caller is that those times i think will likely continue but the biggest thing that needs to be a part of the equation is some sort of resolution on the israeli-palestinian front that recognizes there are millions of palestinians connected to the land and that this is their homeland as well. that is easier said than done

given the political dynamics on the ground. i will answer your third point because it is a good dovetail to the first one, is that i heard these reports from a journalist that resident biden when he moved over to east jerusalem to do this visit to a hospital, that there was a flag taken off a car. i hadn't seen the documentary evidence of it myself, but if true, my guess is that given there are hundreds of thousands of palestinians who live in east jerusalem and many of them don't have the same status as israeli citizens who live in west jerusalem, my guess is he was just try to be sensitive to the fact that is still considered a key part of the issues that are unresolved, is that is that jerusalem is holy to christians and jews and important to palestinians and back to my point on saudi arabia earlier,

it is a key part of the discussion. so how i view it is biden's turn to correct some mistakes the trump administration did in cutting aid to the palestinians. this is a that was going to hospitals. the aide cut off happened before the -- the aid of happened before the coronavirus pandemic. i want to see evidence of what happened there i feel that the fact that it was written up in the newspaper and there is controversy shows how sensitive these issues are to so many people. on the jcpoa, the biden team basically has said publicly that there is very little chance they will reenter -- or that iran will reenter, to be precise, because they were trying. the plan a was to do that and

that is not working out. what we see is with biden's tour is the attempt in actors in the region to drag the biden team towards a plan b, kicking and screaming, because biden says lightly we should focus on diplomacy. my view is that security measures, because of the roles that iran and some of the groups that it cooperates with, has block, -- hesbaleh, -- i understand what the resume is -- the regime is and what i think is interesting is a plan b for me doesn't necessarily mean a military option because i

don't think a military option would be a good thing. i think there are interesting diplomatic winnings already between saudi arabia -- diplomatic openings between saudi arabia and iran. the u.s. in a quiet way yes involves and encourages greater de-escalation, that may be more viable pathway towards a plan b. it is usually this act and white either with biden or a 1980's beer ad, is not just war or diplomacy. enhanced security measures make people across the region feel more secure with a different type of diplomacy that includes leaders on the region. that may actually be an interesting formula. i don't think that the biden team is close to any plan b. host: let's hear from the

president andrew israeli prime minister in israel -- the president and the israeli prime minister. [video clip] pres. biden: we discussed ensuring iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. this is a vital security interest to the united states and the rest of the world as well. i continue to believe that diplomacy is the best way to achieve this outcome and will continue to work with israel to conquer other threats from iran throughout the region, including support for terrorism and the ballistic program and the proliferation of weapons. >> diplomacy will not stop this. the only thing that will stop iran is knowing that if they continue to develop their nuclear program, the free world will use force.

host: brian, i want to ask you a question that came to us over a tweet. it says -- the global trend of oil attorney tubes must be of some -- of oil alternatives must be of some concern. can you speak to their technological investment, aside from oil production? guest: this is a key part of the biden visit and a recent trend in recent years in the middle east. at the middle east institute we have a climate program that looks at that climate dynamics in the region and it is a hot region in the world. it is getting hit first with a lot of the high temperatures. there have been more investments in trying to diversify the economies that are basically hampered by those hearing oil, they got -- those.

oil, they got a lot of money. over the last five years or so, there have been more steps towards that because they know where this is all going. they go to the international climate conferences and the next two conferences will be held in the middle east, in egypt that are this year and next year in the uae. that is a sign they acknowledge in many ways they have not to change and there are important steps being made. the u.s. just signed with saudi arabia including a lot on green energy. if you look at the unique agreement, it was a discussion between israel, the united states and the uae on the israel leg of the trip, they talk about clean energy. all of this talk shouldn't just be on paper.

-- b inc. on paper -- be ink on paper. if the old model of the last years for the u.s. in the middle east was heavily focused on fossil fuels. the last year of the biden administration wanted to lower the global price of oil so it lowers prices at the pump. there is an energy transition unfolding across the world and in this country and will take longer than most people expect but it has to include the topsoil producers including the united states -- top oil producers, including the united states and israel. it is helping create a new

region and new world based on greener energy. host: let's talk to chris who is calling from massachusetts on the democrats line. caller: three days ago it was reported that saudi arabia obtained an application to join the brits block. it is a lot of brazil, russia, india, china, and south africa. if that is not a cream pie in the face of joe biden, that i don't know what else is. as for the accords, do you believe the citizens of morocco, the sudan, the united american -- arab emirates are in favor of the abraham accords? i would like to remind you that bahrain is a country with

unpopular sunni --. the accords were from king of dula of saudi arabia and the israelis turned it down because they were more interested in expansionary positions. if you have any response to my question. guest: those are two very good questions. first, this move by saudi arabia, again if true and they are moving, i think it is just a sign the geopolitical landscape we face here today. 2022 is not 1991, meaning that countries like saudi arabia which are middleweight or swing states in the broader geopolitical competition between the u.s., china, and russia, are more likely to hedge these days than they were in 1991. 1991 was a period when the

united states had just won the cold war. the soviet union had collapsed and it was the year the united states won a middle east war. they got saddam and iraq out of kuwait and did it without substantial cost to the united states. it wasn't one of these endless wars. back in 1991, the u.s. was seen as sort of driving global dynamics. in 2022 world is just so different. china has risen and its economy is approaching the size of the united states and has a global engagement strategy, also through economic but also increasing security measures and we are in a competitive landscape. the other factor is our own domestic factor, the things happening here, including january 6, people in the middle east and leaders see that. they see our division and

tribalism, red versus blue in the united states and actually hold us back in the world because countries increasingly, especially in the middle east, try to exploit them and they see america held back by that. it doesn't surprise me that saudi arabia isn't continuing to hedge. my response is, what should the u.s. do? biden's move is about the broader strategic engagement about economics, new energy, deeper connections, that's the best way to compete. that is so earlier today in the speech he talked about it. on the abraham accords, you raise an interesting question about whether there is popular support. amongst palestinians, no, they got nothing out of them. that is the key missing link. in countries like bahrain, i don't know necessarily if

someone living in bahrain that necessary identifies them as skeptical of the abraham accords. i just don't know. in part because there is not enough data and no strong information one way or the other , because this is an authoritative -- authoritarian society. in 1990's when i lived in the middle east, it was viewed across the region in a much different way than it is today. it is still an important priority among the people in the region, but i think the old ways of trying to get to an independent palestinian state and supporting measures that look at conflict or other things , for the 1990's you saw a lot of terrorism but there is more of an impetus to say, we need to do more to improve the lives of the palestinian people and help

them stand on their own to build whatever a solution looks like. when i go to the region, people are more and more increasingly concerned about their own neighborhood and country and how to improve their own economic standing and their lives. they care deeply about the palestinian issue, but it has become symbolist -- symbolism but they are concerned about things in their backyard. host: we will go to todd on the independent line. caller: thank you for taking my call. i did research while waiting about you, brian. i have some questions with regard to most of your comments you have stated. how can you impose american values about the sanctity of life, liberty, diplomacy,

democracy, when the u.s. government is supporting murdering babies? sending our tax dollars going to countries like ukraine while americans suffer in the streets here in this country should be a crime. host: briefly, brian. guest: that is a great comment and thanks for tuning in and offering it. i think you are referring to the abortion issue and roe v. wade and it goes back to the point i was trying to make before about the divisions here in the united states, which are dangerous and sort of reflect what i have seen of things in the middle east. it is not as extreme but the divisions between iraqis over the last -- after our invasion and what led to a civil war there, really worried about that. we are americans living in the same country. the things that bind us together

, and i come from different families and i married into a woman who has a german-american background, the things that bind us together of the idea of america is that we are here because we come from different grounds but we respect basic rights and freedoms, and that is a bit in tatters. it is not completely, and we need to work together to avoid the most extreme situation in the united states that i have seen in the middle east. it is separate from my work at the middle east institute. i write on the liberal patriot, and we write about the need to redevelop a sense of inclusive nationalism here at home. if the middle east can tell us anything, is that these bitter divisions, especially places like syria that are quite

deadly, we need to avoid just ways we talk to each other and day-to-day that exacerbate those divisions in the united states. lord knows we don't want to go down that. the only way to pull back is to remember that we are all in this together and we have to the together and even if we have different political views on tough issues like abortion and things like this, then we still need to have that conversation as opposed to shut that off and not have that conversation. host: we are going to close on that word. middle east institute senior fellow and vice president of policy, thank you for joining us. guest: thank you. host: up next, more of your calls and coming up later, a podcast looking at the intersection of politics and religion. we will be right back. ♪ >> american history tv, every

weekend, expose the people and events that tells the american story. on lectures in history, an economics professor compares the work of three economists. during the lecture, he draws on capitalistic and socialistic economies and argues that all three economists were important, one was more impactful. historian michael burlingame talks about his book in a virtual event sponsored by the abraham lincoln institute and ford theater. he discussion -- discusses president lincoln's relationship with americans and talk about race and equality in an democracy. watch american history tv every weekend, and find a full schedule on your guide or watch online anytime at

c-span.org/history. >> sunday on q and a, elliott marks shares his book strength in numbers which examines the history of public opinion polling going back to the 19th century and the accuracy of polls today. >> donald trump is a 30% chance of victory in the 2016 election, not because national polls are going to be wrong but the race is close in key states. i do wonder if every person in the media had understood that the percent as meaning -- that 30% as meaning that these polls if you have three elections they are going to be wrong one time. if you have 18 elections, you have a good chance that the polls are going to miss enough that the losing presidential candidate could end up winning. i wonder how the tone of the

campaign would have been different and what the people what i thought would happen. >> his book strength in numbers, sunday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern on q in. you can -- q and a. you can listen to all of our podcast on our c-span now app. >> c-span has unfiltered coverage of the house january 6 committee hearings investigating the attack on the capitol. go to our web resource page to watch the latest hearings, rethinks, and all of our coverage on the attack and subsequent investigations since january 6, 2021. we will have reaction from the white house and journalists and authors talking about the investigation. go to c-span.org/january 6 for a fast and easy way to watch when you can't see it live.

>> at least six presidents recording conversations -- recorded conversations while in office. here them on the podcast recordings. >> the nixon tapes are part private conversations, deliberations and unfiltered. >> let me tell you that the main thing is it will pass and my heart goes out to those people who with the best of intentions were overzealous and i'm sure you know if i could have's bent more time -- if i could have spent more time being a politician and not president, i would have kicked thereabouts. -- kicked their butts. >> c-span brings you an unfiltered view of government.

our newsletter, word for word, recaps the day from the halls of congress to press briefings to remarks from the president. scan the qr code to sign up and keep up-to-date on everything happening in washington each day. >> there are a lot of places to get political information, but only at c-span do you get it straight from the source. no matter where you stand on the issues, c-span is america's network, unfiltered, unbiased, word for word. if it happens here or here or anywhere that matters, america is watching on c-span, powered by cable. >> "washington journal"

continues. host: welcome back. for the next half hour we are going to ask you to tell us what you think are your top stories of the day. it could be the fact that the house passed abortion bills, president biden's travel to the middle east, including his meeting with the saudi arabian crown prince, the record inflation, and this week's january 6 committee hearing. call now to tell us what you think is the top story. mcats should call (202) 748-8000 , republicans (202) 748-8001, independents (202) 748-8002. you can also text us at 20-2 and 748-8003 -- 202-748-8003. the president met with the crown prince yesterday and spoke about

bringing up the murder of a washington post journalist. that's here how he described the meeting. [video clip] >> what was the crown prince prospects response to your comments about khashoggi? pres. biden: he said he was not personally responsible and i indicated i thought he was and he said he was not personally sponsored and took action against those who were responsible, and then i went on to talk more about how that dealing with any opposition to the criticism of the saudi administration in other countries was viewed as to me, a violation of human rights. >> we heard from jamaal khashoggi's wife who said that after this visit the blood of the next victim is on your hands. what do you say to her? pres. biden: i am sorry she feels that way.

i was straightforward then and i'm straightforward today. this is a meeting -- i didn't come here to meet the crown prince, i came here to meet with the gcc and nine nations to deal with the security and the needs of the free world, particularly the united states and not leave a vacuum here, which was happening as it has in other parts of the world. host: we will get to your calls in just a moment. want to show you the fist bump between president biden and the saudi arabian crown prince led every major newspaper the same photo that you saw and the new york times, the washington post, and even the wall street journal. we would love to hear if you think that is the top story of the day, but this week, the u.s. house passed bills to codify in federal law the right to abortion. we know that legislation is going to have a tough time in the senate.

listen to a little bit of the debate from friday. >> there have been devastating stories of patients being denied care and doctors hesitating to provide lifesaving -- banning abortion without any exceptions, inciting citizens to track and report women in need of an abortion and criminalized providers those assisting someone in obtaining care. republicans have made it clear this is just the beginning. congressional republicans are already pushing a nationwide abortion ban that would criminalize abortion in all 50 states. that is why the house is acting on the self protection act to restore the right to abortion nationwide. legislation shows no matter where you live you have a, -- right to comprehensive health care that is free from restrictions only intended to

impede access. >> presented abortion up until birth as a woman' is only option is a false choice. there are nearly 3000 pregnancy centers in all 50 states. they outnumber planned parenthood by 2000 facilities. pregnancy centers which are under violent attack by pro-abortion groups provide medical care, resources, education, and mentoring to women. they must be protected, not undermined and threatened by an extreme abortion agenda. the supreme court has affirmed the american people's right to speak through their elected officials and an act laws that protect unborn children. the question upon us today is how are we going to respond? host: now let's get to your calls paired first up we are -- calls.

first up we will hear from bob in illinois. caller: good luck to you on c-span. my topic is the corrupt news media, big tech way they covered up the hunter biden story and mainstream media kept the lid on it for four years and now we had the january 6 committee which are trump haters and democrats. the way they portray the russian hoax for four years, i think in four years from now the truth will have gotten out and we will find out that donald trump really did with the 2020 election. and the coverage of hunter biden is right under our noses and the world sees it and the mainstream media won't even talk about it. can you imagine donald trump, jr. doing the things that hunter biden has done and the doj not snatching him up and throwing him in the slammer?

it is so obvious and the corrupt media we have in this country, and the world sees who hunter biden is and we are in trouble. host: --in light of amnesty international, declaring israel in apartheid regime. the palestinian people would have no problem standing on their own if given the chance. they live under apartheid and are oppressed. host: i appreciate your thoughts. you have any thoughts about the top news article of the day? caller: this is my top news story from president biden's

visit to the middle east. host: ok. caller: i have a question and i wanted to ask that man who is on, how can we justify the billions in aid the u.s. gives israel? it makes our democracy vulnerable. also, criticism of the idf seems to be off limits which is plain un-american. host: we do have a tweet from aubrey who says one of the most more significant domestic stories this week was the letters issued by the fulton county d.a. to the trump co-conspirators in georgia who worked to impersonate georgia state electives to the electoral college. lindsey graham of hospice grand jury subpoena from the fulton county investigation. thanks, arbery. next up angela from maryland on

the democrat line. caller: hello. thank you. i found out in the january 6 hearings that one of the congress people, i forget her name, they had a second meeting at the white house and that is where the congress people helped trump plan his coup. one of the congress people is in my vestry -- district. he is a far right winger, freedom caucus that swept in the 2010 wave. i did not know he was part of that congress people but was one of the 10 that did the second meeting with trump. i don't understand why some republicans want to bring up something like hunter biden or spontaneous rights over black people getting killed as more

important than a president trying to overthrow the united states government. this is unprecedented. speaking of inflation, when we end up under an authoritarian government, our dollar will no longer be the world currency because there are no authoritarian governments that have that status. what trump did was so unbelievable and had it happened, this country would have been in turmoil. to compare this to hunter biden or a protesting over unarmed people getting shot, there is no getting shot, there is no comparison. this was the president of the united states trying to overthrow our government. if that is not important, i don't know what is. host: thank you. we are going to go from video for this week's january 6 committee hearing and you will see chairman bennie thompson who is asking the former spokesman for the oath keepers, jason van

ted and hope, about his experience with the group and what their objective is. [video clip] >> can you help us understand who the oath keepers are? >> i can, thank you. my time with the oath keepers began back at the ranch with the first end off when i went to cover them as an independent journalist. i then subsequently covered two more standoffs. it was at that time that i was offered a job as national media director and associate editor for the webpage. i spent a few years with the oath keepers and i can tell you that they may not like to call themselves a militia but they are. they are a violent militia, and

they are largely steward rhodes. i think rather than try to the best illustration for what the oath keepers are happened january 6 when we saw that stacked military formation going up the stairs of our capitol. i saw a radicalization that started with my beginning of my time with them and continued over a period of time as the member base and who it was that steward rhodes was courting drifted further and further right into the all trite world, and to white nationalists, then straight of racists.

-- all trite world, and to white nationalists -- alt right world, white nationalists, and then straight racists. this is fed by the ego and drive of steward rhodes who at times seemed to see himself as this paramilitary leader. i think that drove a lot of it. so in my opinion, the oath keepers are a dangerous organization. >> thank you very much. you have talked a little bit about the danger. what is the oath keepers vision for america and why should americans be concerned about it. >> i thing we saw a glimpse of what the vision of the oath keepers is on january 6. it does not necessarily include the rule of law, doesn't necessarily include -- and

includes violence, it includes trying to get their way through lies, through deceit, through intimidation, and through the perpetration of violence. the swing of people who may not know better through lies, rhetoric, and propaganda, that get swept up in these moments, and i will admit i was swept up at one point as well too. host: we got a couple more tweets coming in. lee says the top story is the focus on international insulation and benefits those countries provide their citizens . then we have already heard from albury again talking about the fulton county special investigation. let's take more calls. eric from charlottesville, virginia on the democratic line, go ahead. caller: welcome to c-span. thank you for taking my call.

my issue that i've gotten from the news recently is mansion locking bidens program. i am very much in favor of environmental regulations and the program that bidens administration has put forward. i think taxing the wealthy people is long overdue, long overdue. i will let somebody else come on. thank you. host: all right. we have darius from prince and maryland, go ahead. -- prince ann, maryland. go ahead. caller: first of all, thank you for c-span and all that you do. two issues are some of the people calling in, they tend to be like i don't want to sound young but they tend to be really old and i'm guessing you guys

may have been born in 1970, turning around and walking around with bush right now. january 6 this and that and they were in d.c. burning down this and that. i do not know how you can equate the two. i don't know how you can put weight on other and one and expect them to be the same. one is about police rights and policing in america and another is about the actual state of our union. again, i keep hearing everyone talk about mr. biden and president trump. trump is no longer in office. if you believe you won, i do not think you are living in reality. the reality is biden's president at this current moment in time and biden needs to do things for the american people. not just one side or the other, both sides, all of them. me personally, for the midterms this year, which i feel are very

important, especially for anybody under the age of 40, we do not want to see the same, i don't know, practices we have been seeing for the last 15, 20, 30, 40 years. we want something different. biden, student debt, get it together. infrastructure, get it together. do something for the american people. host: thank you for your call. up next is when nita in richland, washington. go ahead. -- juanita in richland, washington. ahead. caller: this thing about abortion, it's for women. i can't something be done to educate the males to use birth control? why can't we have stuff for men and all this kind of stuff but it is always a woman's fault. why can't men learn to control

themselves and say no, use a condom, educate the males. why? host: thank you. mike in rockford, illinois. go ahead, mike. caller: good morning. the problem i am having is adam schiff trying to pass a law to shield the military from oversight when they're working within our borders. that is worse than january 6. he should have been recalled yesterday. there should have been a grand jury investigating. what has the military been doing in our country, and they need to be protected now? i notice with a lot of these gun laws that just past, these gun incidents, there is no video evidence of the shooters, for some strange reason. i guy gets shot at the gas station over here, shot on his front porch. i'm feeling the people who want to change the laws are behind

any percent of the shootings. why is adam schiff trying to pass a law to stop oversight of the military within our borders? that is so scary to me and for the american people not to catch this is outrageous. hopefully people wake up and see what is going on. host: next caller, joe from tallahassee, florida on the republican line. caller: how are you today? host: joe, go ahead. caller: i wanted to bring up the issue about the abortion, and this thing has turned into a horse race and everybody is wondering who will win in the end. many times i've heard this statement brought up, why can't the man who got the girl or woman impregnated, why can he not do something by either being responsible or getting a vasectomy?

i just want to say in 1972, when my wife and i had our child, the doctor spoke with both of us, and due to the fact my wife at certain health issues, he told us i cannot prove this to you but i can tell you this, with your wife's health issues, there is a good possibility that she could be affected in her life or the baby's life. so i went to my doctor and i asked him what i could do and he said you could either have a partially vasectomy or -- partial vasectomy or this ectomy. parcel means the tubes could be connected again and you can have children again. if you do the full, there is no way to connect it again. i wanted to do what was right. the reason why i did that, the vasectomy, is because "i did not want to have to deal with an

unwanted pregnancy." and the truth of the matter is, there is a lot more to it then meets vi. there was a case even in the bible of a man who spilt his seat on the ground and he died. man has the life-giving seed to produce children, so to go ahead and everybody running around saying pro-choice, pro-life, the biggest thing is everything we do in life is choice. if a person has a legitimate reason, they feel that i have to have the abortion, there should be guidelines to it and open season to do whatever you want to do. i just want to bring that up to anybody who may be listening and maybe they will think about what i said before they go into some tangent. host: joe, we appreciate the call. matt is next from new baltimore, michigan. go ahead.

caller: two things, as far as the gentleman sang mostly older people he things are calling in, i'm 82 years old and like millions of other americans, we have been through life and our life is gone. we have experiences and hopefully people will take those experiences and do the best thing. the other thing is the price of gas. in my lifetime, i have gone through two different times and i cannot give you the years when we had gas shortages. it seems to me people are not using common sense. to me, when 73, not -- 1973 to 1974, we had a gas crisis. there were lines, took you in hour to half and you can only get five or eight gallons of gas. now if you pay five dollars for a gallon of gas, you can get all of the gas you want. i don't see any lines at the gas stations. i think common sense tells me there is all the gas that we need. thank you. host: max just brought up the

price of gas. we know this week the rising cost in inflation is one of the reasons why democrat joe manchin decided that he could not currently support a plan but democrats to sue pat -- to pass new climate change and health care proposals that would be offset by tax increases. that plan is still in flux, but joe manchin put a little ice on it this week in response to rising costs, including the place -- price of gas. that is another big headline from this week. next, we have freedom from kentucky on the republican line. freda? caller: hi, my name is frida. i'm talking about the january 6 insurrection. when you talk about the insurrection, you have to look at the people that were completely disrespecting the capitol when they were climbing the walls. those look as if they were proud boys. i have not experienced -- i had a -- an spirits in my life

where i had the police protect -- my 14 year old son was murdered and the ripple effect was police didn't go to the fbi, didn't go to the department of justice, the state attorney general, and you have senator mitch mcconnell, we have randall paul, and brett guthrie who have been alerted of the homicide covered i by the police of my 14-year-old son dragged and murdered but nothing was done. they refused to reopen the case. those are people that ran and joined into the proud boys, to go into williamson, north carolina. you can see where systemic racism is a big issue here for the january 6 insurrection. host: thanks, freda. next is ruth in pennsylvania. you will have to tell me how to per net -- how to pronounce your hometown. caller: host: -- caller: mattamorse.

host: what is the top caller: i think the top is the abortion issue. we are trying to pass our concealed carry, so it is harder for the police to protect our children in the streets in the crossfire. you know how many kids that are had mistakenly? now it is harder for the police to protect us because of the open carry. this is getting crazy yet we are going to protect the fetus and a before it turns into a person. we are even talking about birth control so we can't have too many children. we are not be able to produce enough children that we will not be able to feed more. children are getting thrown into dumpsters because people cannot take care of them, and we will still keep having them? things are getting out of hand.

are we protecting our children are the fetuses? i don't know. host: thanks, ruth. teresa in illinois, go ahead. caller: hello. i am calling about the soviet style lynching of the president of the united states over the january 6 incident. i was born in the soviet union, i grew up in refugee camps. for 50 years i watched how the soviets conduct lynchings and sending people to gulag's. this january 6 is exactly that without any defense, without any attorneys for the defense, without any cross-examination. that is what soviets do. shackling a 78-year-old, unarmed man and taking him off of the

airplane. that is what bolsheviks do, putting your political opponents in a jail that is what the soviets do. killing ashli babbitt, who was unarmed, that is what the soviets do. i am getting very afraid of being in this country when the bolsheviks are taking it over. as far as i'm concerned, this panel, january 6, is actually a bunch of bolsheviks. not because of what -- it is because of what they do. host: i wanted to ask, do you believe the people who entered the capitol committed a crime that day? caller: pardon me?

host: host: do you believe the people that enter the capitol on january 6 committed a crime that day? caller: some dead. if you did. but they were unarmed. when they say they were trying to take over the government without having guns, are you kidding me? host: we are going to have to leave it there. thank you, teresa. we will take a quick break and be back with corey nathan, who will discuss his program, looking at the intersection of politics and relations. ♪ >> next week come on the c-span networks, thursday night, the january 6 committee hold its eighth hearing investigating the attack on the capitol. also on capitol hill this week, tuesday, transportation secretary pete buttigieg testifies before the house transportation committee on the implementation of the 1.9

trillion dollar infrastructure bill. -- bill passed last year. wednesday morning, two hearings on guns and gun violence. the senate judiciary committee examines the highland park attack in civilian access to military style assault weapons. ceos from gun manufacturers have been invited to testify before the house oversight committee on the practices and profits of gun makers. the house and senate are in session with the house taking up the first federal spending bills for 2023. they will also work on legislation to protect a person's ability to access contraceptives. the senate will consider executive and judicial nomination. watch next week, live on the c-span network, or on c-span now, our free mobile video app. head over to c-span.org for scheduling information or stream video live or on-demand any time . c-span, your unfiltered view of government. ♪

>> book tv, every sunday, on c-span two, features leading authors discussing their latest nonfiction books. at 8:00 p.m. eastern, ucla law professor devon carver auto talks about the fourth amendment and the power of the police with his book on reasonable. at 10:00 p.m. eastern on afterwards, south dakota governor kristi noem shares her book, not my first rodeo, about her life and political career. she is interviewed by senior political correspondent david drucker. watch book tv every sunday on c-span2 and a full schedule on your program guide or watch online anytime at booktv.org. ♪ >> join "washington journal" every sunday for our special six-part series on landmark legislation. each week, historians and experts explore a piece of legislation that helps shape to today's america, how we get

around, educate our kids, pay for health care, help our media, and welcome new citizens to the country. this sunday morning, we look at the americans with disabilities act of 1990 which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. joining us as the author of the bill, former senator tom harkin. watch landmark legislation on "washington journal" live at 9:00 eastern sunday morning on c-span or c-span now, our free mobile app. >> c-span brings you an unfiltered view of government. our newsletter, word for word, recaps the day for you from the halls of congress to daily press briefings, to remarks from the president. scan the qr code on the right bottom to sign-up for this email and stay up-to-date with everything happening in washington each day. subscribe today using the qr code or visit c-span.org/connect to subscribe anytime.

>> "washington journal" continues. host: we are back with corey nathan. he is the host of the talking politics and religion without killing each other podcast. that about says it all. thank you for joining us, corey. guest: i'm so glad to join you. host: thank you so much. guest: talk to us -- much. talk to us about the mission of your podcast. why did you start it? guest: we don't try to hide anything. it is in the title. talk politics and religion without killing each other. we started the program because as you can imagine so much of our conversations around really important issues are dominated by folks who are the loudest, most obnoxious, have the most extreme views, and a lot of the rest of us, with david french and curtis chang, what they refer to the silent majority it

i call them the silenced majority. but the exhausted majority is the where they used. i think a lot of us would like to talk about these things but maybe we do not have extreme of a view on any particular issue. really what i thought, having grown up as an observant jew and becoming a christian in my late 20's, having been in one political ecosystem if you will and then being thrust into the evangelical world which is another sociopolitical ecosystem, i thought we have lost the ability to talk to folks across our differences. not that we have to agree on a thing -- agree on everything but maybe talk to people that disagree with us on any particular issue and not allow all of the oxygen be taken out of the room by the folks who are the loudest and most extreme or radical on any given issue. that is why we start to talk politics without killing each other and that -- and we have

fun doing it. host: why do you think americans struggle talking about politics and religion without killing each other? why has it become so combative and frustrating, these conversations. guest: i think they are important issues. they are, whether it is political issues, or what we think about god, or no god, or have big questions that really grip us, they are important to us. when we arrive at certain conclusions, we feel passionately about those things, so to be able to talk to folks who may be at a different place or feel differently about any given issue, whether it is about god, religion, or any number of these political issues, like you have been talking about in your first segment, we have to nurture the ability to give grace and understanding, even if

we really passionately disagree with someone and the ability to listen and understand and still hold on to our views, understanding someone, being able to stay in a conversation with someone does not mean you are sacrificing your own beliefs. frankly, you might actually learn something from somebody you disagree with. it is difficult because we feel passionately about issues around politics and religion. i thought it was worthwhile to exercise our ability, exercise our virtues of listening to folks across these differences and doing it in an edifying and neighborly way. host: how do you decide on topics and guests for your podcast? can you tell us perhaps some of your favorite discussions you have had so far? guest: yeah. a lot come to mind. sometimes, it is not so much an issue. there are so many issues gripping us today, but sometimes

it is an individual who i think is exhibiting the kinds of virtues i would like to exhibit in my own engagement with my own neighbors or family or friends that disagree with me on different things. so there might be writers or analysts or academics or elected politicians. i will give you one. i live in southern california, a purple district in southern california. i was able to have a conversation with our state senator, a republican, longtime republican. on fiscal issues, we tend to agree on things. we have to have a lot of the same theological convictions. not too long after that, we talked to christie smith who was a two-time status only member

now running for u.s. congress. she is a democrat. frankly christie and i disagree on may be 75% or 90% of the time we disagree on political issues, but i love the fact as an assembly member, she included me in her -- i am a small business guy -- so she included me in her small business committee. she knew i would vote against her when she went against -- went for state assembly but i like that she included a guy like me who disagreed with her in a committee that was important to me. those were a couple really great conversations very i love talking to folks, guys like will shallahan or i've had a couple conversations with jonathan rauch and their writers and thinkers who i have been reading their work for such a long time and have been so informed either work and they challenged my thinking so it is such an honor

to be able to speak to folks one-on-one and have these extended conversations with folks whose work had in impact on me, whether i completely agree or disagree with them. that has been a thrill of doing this whole project. host: corey nathan is our featured podcaster this saturday and we will get to your calls in a moment. democrats, dial (202) 748-8000. republicans, (202) 748-8001. independents, (202) 748-8002. you can also text us, (202) 748-8003. send us a tweet and we are going to get to your questions for corey in a moment. before we do that, corey. you mentioned your faith background. tell us more about your upbringing as a jewish person and converting to christianity. guest: yeah. how may segments do we have? [laughter] i was raised in an observant

jewish family and when we -- and we went to an orthodox synagogue but i had questions. existential questions. in my late 20's, i went on a pretty earnest inquiry. it was a six-month -- i thought the spring and summer of that year, i think it was the year of 2000, i had probably a 10 hour reading habits. i was voraciously pursuing these questions about the existence of god and watch it all meant and where this is going and what it is -- what is wrong with this whole deal. i came to an inconvenient conclusion but i did find the teaching of jesus, the gospel accounts and letters, picking up the new testament, to be the most compelling set of answers. much to my families dismay, i became a born-again, bible thumping, christian. [laughter] what followed from there, telling my parents i became christian, was either tragedy, comedy, or a combination thereof

. in some ways, that led to talk of politics -- talk and politics without killing each other. that is why i made that decision and transition. it was quite a journey and still is quite a journey. host: did that religious transition also cause a transition or correlate with a transition in your politics. can you explain that more? host: i would say my politics have always been formed primarily by my philosophical and theological convictions to a consent that my theological convictions evolved -- i would not say they changed or converted -- i would say they evolved. they have informed what i think morally and ethically, some things we have an intuitive sense of but some things i defer

to a more transcendent set of answers, answers from folks who have been grappling with questions like these for thousands of years. on certain things, i defer to authorities. in my case, i believe on the authority of scripture. there are certain things i am informed by scripture, at least for folks who do not believe in the bible as authoritative. it is a philosophical document. then it informs me philosophically and informs political decisions i make. more than anything, it is about the virtues of who we are as human beings. it is about the fruit of the spirit, kindness, self controlling, goodness, how these things not only conform how we vote but how we talk through it with our neighbors and friends. host: let's get to calls now. jane in rochester, michigan on the democratic line. go ahead. caller: good morning. thank you for taking my calls.

i want to say i appreciate the podcast because i think there is a space where as you noted civility needs to be a primary driver here and we need to have those discussions. my question is simple. i know a lot of question evangelicals want to i guess hi jack the founding fathers inserting phrases such as founding fathers, we the people, and they are really trying to push the idea that the united states was founded solely as a christian nation. i would like to get your thoughts on number one, how do you push back on something like that and say the diversity does have a role and two what are your thoughts? guest: james, that is a great question. to be candid, i have been having these conversations basically since i became a christian inside of the church. i think that where you are going with it, and you alluded to the fact that we are a flora listed society. the founding documents and founders really work hard to

ensure the pluralism that -- for example in the first amendment, there is the establishment clause but there's also the free exercise clause. those things our intention, but they are in the same place. to the extent that folks want to pretend that this is an exclusively christian nation, i find that to be another form of idolatry. that is an illusion, idolatry. frankly, revelation 21 and 22 talked about the kingdom come and spells it out in illustrative ways. if we think the united states -- the united states is a wonderful, great thing but it is not the kingdom come. it is not the nation, the people of israel. when we confuse those things, the types of idolatry i have found in the bible that are most threatening or not those 180 degrees off of our form of

worship, we can spot that like black and white. the ones that are most tempting are the ones that are maybe five degrees off of our form of worship. i think when we replace messy and ask symbols with a particular politician, i won't say the name yet, that will light the phones above share, but -- owns up i'm sure, but when we make those confusions, that is the golden cap we have to be wary of. i have been kicked out of a bible study or two saying you know what? scripture does not say what our preferred political position is. it might come at odds with it and we have to be really candid with ourselves about when that occurs and also you knowledged your point that this is a pluralistic society. we have to figure out how to live well with our neighbors who may or may not be christians, who may be muslims, atheists, and celebrate the fact that we

live in this melting pot, celebrate the fact we can season each other with our differences. not to agree on everything, not that we have to beat everybody up until they agree with us on every last point, that would be rather boring, but to celebrate each other across our differences and come to a better understanding of our own faith across those differences. i think that's a great question and for whatever it is worth, i have been fighting a good fight inside of the church for about 20 something years now. host: stephen in michigan sent us a text that is kind of along the same lines. he asked about the breakdown of separation of church and state, says it has been happening for years and wants to know what about how right of freedom from religion. i will let you enter that quickly. guest: freedom from religion, absolutely. first amendment, it is the establishment clause the government should not establish one religion, but i also have the right of free expression. i have the right to practice my own religion.

so that separation of church and state is not the absence of church and state but we have to be cognizant of the fact we are not to impose how religion on our neighbors around us who do not share the same religion. i agree 100% with that text. host: so we have had a couple of references already to former president donald trump. last month, he spoke from an event sponsored by the group faith and freedom, and he talked about his views on religious freedom. i want to play you some of his comments and then we will get some of your reaction. [video clip] >> we know that religious freedom is the foundation of all freedom, because we know that our rights and liberties come straight from the hand of our creator. [applause] that's right. we believe america is a

sovereign nation with a sovereign people, which means we must have a strong, secure, and sovereign border. [applause] if we don't have a border, we don't have free and fair elections, we don't have a country. we believe the first duty of government is to protect and defend the interests of our own citizens. in other words, we have to put america first. [applause] we believe that america's destiny depends on upholding the judeo-christian values and principles of our nation's founding, and above all else, we know this, in america, we do not worship government, we worship god. host: before i go to you for a reaction, we did have a text from a caller who basically mentions that former president trump, this is jimbo from

baker's bill, california, who says -- bakersville, california, a lot of people don't feel like donald trump is of good moral character. how does the fact -- does that gel that many conservative christians do support him and remain supportive? guest: let's talk about idolatry for a second. donald trump is a huckster. i can turn to practically any page of the bible and it testifies against the words, actions, and character of donald trump. make no mistake, i'm not going to mince words here. i mentioned the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, patience, control. donald trump contains none of those things. he comes out on the wrong side of the scorecard on any of those things. love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast. donald trump comes out on the wrong side of any of those things. he's talking about -- listen, immigration, we can talk about policy, talk about the practical nation of policy, what he has

not read his bible. his message in the clip we just listened to is not -- listen to, he has not read his bible. read leviticus 19 and come to the policies his administration try to enact. i think it is a problem. i think we have, and the church, many of us have twisted ourselves into electoral he, mentally, spiritually -- intellectually, mentally, spiritually, to bent our sociopolitical preferences, in order to succumb to this illusion of a culture war so that our primary priority is to fight the supposedly me. donald trump came along and played into that 100%. then we, many folks in the church, have basically bowed down and worshiped this title. i just think it is a dangerous -- it is a time to show and, it has turned our very principles,

our biblical judeo-christian principles on his head. yeah. i do not want to mince any words about how i feel about donald trump and don't give me any " we don't know what's in his heart." we have enough of his words, actions, character to understand what this individual is all about. i would say we need to read our bibles and when there are times where the bible indicates that we are wrong, for example on immigration since you play the clip, that we need to reckon with that. if we say we believe in the authority of scripture, less believe in the authority of scripture. even if it happens to align somebody who has a d before their name. i am a fiscal conservative and social libertarian but i do not mind if someone happens to be a democrat and i agree with them on certain immigration policy or the other thing is let's not mischaracterize immigration policy. not everybody in the democratic

party once in the democratic party once an open border policy. there are a lot of people who have practical initiatives and not too long ago we were very close to coming to -- coming very close to immigration reform. large-scale immigration reform, but we could not because we cannot fathom the possibility of collaborating with and finding solutions with folks who had a different letter before their name or cannot -- before their name. the r's couldn't get along with the d's and the d's could get along with the ours. -- r's. get over it. we know what good virtues are, we all do. i find that when i talk to folks who feel differently on tax policy, foreign policy, gun regulation, any number of these contentious issues, a lot of what we really care about is actually very similar, the legislation itself might come out differently but we actually,

a lot of us care about the same things. listen, if we are being honest, any of us teaching our kids what good virtues are are teaching them the exact opposite of what this individual, donald j. trump, is all about. did i make myself clear on that? [laughter] host: very clear. we do have a tweet are want to read. that tweet is from candace and it says, great discussion. she says so many people are afraid to talk as the loudest and most extreme take all of the oxygen. what advice do you have for people, like you said, who are not necessarily the loudest and most extreme but to get in on the conversation? guest: that is the very project -- i think that is the imperative of a lot of us. i refer to the exhaustive majority, i think of them as the silenced majority. if i will get loud, i will get loud with those extremists, with

the screamers. because they are in fact taking all of the oxygen out of the room. because they're taking up space in the virtual public square, or the actual public square a lot of times, and once you have indulged yourself with all of your --, go to your kids table so normal, rational people who have nuanced opinions on any number of these things can have actual adult conversations in a neighborly way. they took up all the space in the public square and we are try to take some of that back. there are player programs on broadcasts, podcasts, radio, where they are all screaming and talking heads and that is one after another. we had enough of that. let's create space weather on c-span or on our program where we are the exhausted majority who have a place to explore some of these issues, where we do not have to pretend we know everything about every last issue but we can explore it

together and we can ask questions together and disagree but then say that is a really interesting point, i have not thought about it that way, help me understand it better. then learn from each other. risk the possibility some of our assumptions may be wrong or confirm that our foundations are very solid and we have a place to build from there. i have learned so much from folks. i have had a few different atheists come on and jonathan routes considers himself an atheist. i learned so much from folks that disagree with me on fund mental issues and it is added nuance, flavor, to the soup of my beliefs. so i agree with you 100%, candace. if we are going to get loud, the only place to get loud is folks taking up all of the oxygen in the room. once we have done that and created the state or ourselves, we can sit around a fire, have a glass of wine and a better conversation among the rest of us who might think about these

things in a nuanced way. host: gary in tennessee, go ahead. caller: thank you. mr. nathan, i want to say i am an evangelical christian and i am a sick dog as every man who stood in front of a pulpit. you have been such a hypocrite talking about donald trump's sins be what about the other politicians? do you know one that measures up? it is unbelievable what you just said. i can tell you this. for anybody that is searching, don't listen to what man has done in god's name. study the bible. there is many books from scholars that will tell you what

the bible says, what most people agree on, most scholars, what there are some arguments on. there are not many. but sir, you have just lost all credibility with me when you started on your political agenda. host: i will let you respond, cory. guest: i guess i've offended you because i'm not a donald trump fan. you did not hear me say is that i think anybody with a d or i or any other letter is the next coming in the messiah. you did not hear me say that. let's be 100% clear about that. you are free to be a big fan of donald trump. that is your freedom. you and i, because we sat bible study, we can turn to any page of the bible and i believe because i'm a devout christian and i read my bible every day, i believe ours is the word of god, testifies against the words, character, and actions of donald j. trump. what you did not hear me say is that i think somebody else is the next coming messiah.

i believe man is man, god is god, and so let's not be confused about that. i guess i stepped on your toes because perhaps you are a donald j. trump fan. that is your right. if we ever had an opportunity to sit in bible study, we maybe could work it out but i get the feeling i'm not your cup of tea and you probably would give me -- would kick me out of i will study peer i take my bible seriously even when it comes at odds with my sociopolitical preferences. host: next up is dana from new albany, indiana. dana? caller: good morning. there are several things actually for me. we have become a nation that is very self-centered and very unwilling to accept other views. we basically said in our minds what we think is right and we allow no room for any other interpretation of that.

where quickly, with regard to president trump. the bible in many instances names people who were not exactly perfect beings that god chose to do his work. you don't have to be perfect forgot to choose you. in fact, i believe your imperfections may be the deciding factor. my problem is that i was once a democrat, then i discovered a lot of things about the democratic party i did not care for. i then became a republican because i was more aligned with that. then i found out the republicans are just as corrupt as the democrats. i am now an independent. i think that god, the word god has many different names in many different religions, but ultimately the one in higher power is what questions term as

god. i think everybody should be accepting of other religions. i do not think this is a mission that should be ruled by one religion and i think we need to question these things we call truth to see if they hold that. we have to be willing to admit we are wrong when we find out that we are wrong that's what we thought was true is not true. that is what god wants us to do. god wants us to not be selfish, to seek the truth, to understand the truth with your awes way new see it -- with your eyes when you see it. host: i will give cory some time to respond. guest: i would love to sit around the proverbial bonfire with you and -- if you are a wide person or set a personal water person -- because so much of what you said resonates it i

suspect there is specific issues that we disagree on or particular politicians you prefer that i do not, but i cannot dispute anything that you just said. i think that it is difficult to come to new revelations, to come to new understandings, because it does mean often times we have to admit we are wrong about prior positions that we held. i am brace that often times it i embrace coming to new understandings, and it makes it fun when you're doing it with folks you are not completely aligned with. folks that disagree with each other. we can enrich each other's lives, whether somebody believes in a different religion, god, no got it all, i've had friends atheists, agnostics all different kinds of folks

from all different backgrounds and i thing is great we learn from each other. you are absolutely right that, as someone who does believe in god, god chooses these imperfect vessels -- you know, in the bible story, the one i believe in -- i do not believe in every tidbit of it. literally, i don't think that is how it is meant to be taken. if you take certain stories from the bible, looking aching david, you look at moses, you look at abraham. they were all imperfect and that is what made them wonderful, that god, seeing what is wrong in his creation, is going about redeeming his creation, specifically through a people, specifically through a people who are not cot themselves and recognize. if there is any conviction i have that is more fundamental than anything else, it is that there is a god and i am not god. [laughter] the reason i believe that is

because i know how imperfect i am. i do not know how long we have been talking but i have all different kinds of imperfections. i would not dispute anything of what you just said. if we ever do get a chance to sit around a bonfire and have a glass of wine, i think it would be fun to learn more about what informs what you just said. i appreciate that. host: next up is jennifer in oak park, illinois. jennifer. caller: hello. good morning. host: good morning. caller: mr. nathan, i am very excited to be able to talk to you. this means a lot right now because i grew up born-again christian, radical born-again christian i daresay, believe in the literal truth of the bible. you made me bust out my bible, it is a hebrew/greek case study bible that helped me learn a lot about what was what really fast

-- watch. it really fast, before my favorite revolution is because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, i will spit you out of your mouth -- out of my mouth. i thought that to be a good one. my question, so the way i grew up in born-again christian, they do not believe women are equal. they believe women are supposed to be subservient in lots of ways women are allowed to be great, to be completely abused, and inside the born-again christian church, it is a lot like that. my grandpa started numerous baptist churches in the 1980's -- churches. in the 1980's, baptist became a bad word so now it is nondenominational. you were only able to become a mother, everything i wanted to do. -- able to do i was told i would not able to do because god would

not want it. and also the idea of marriage, getting married right away. nothing, you had no freedom, nothing at all. you are allowed to be abused, you are still allowed to be abused. beth moore has been ostracized for saying this is a completely misogynistic religion, and maybe that is why so many of our politicians are racist and sexual assaulters and complete hypocrites. host: what are your thoughts? guest: let me be clear, i am not -- i don't speak ancient -- i don't understand ancient hebrew or aramaic or greek, so i'm not an expert on those translations. i would be interested if we looked at those -- paul's letters in particular -- where some of those issues are discussed to really get back to

the original language and study those original languages and see what they say. i have not written any books on anything along the lines of women's place in the church or sexual identity issues or anything along those lines, but there are certain scholars that make a heck of a lot more sense to me than others. i will tell you, jennifer, that when i read beth moore's work or hear her speak or see the kind of ethical stance that she took at great risk and cost to herself, when she left the baptist convention because of their lack of action or inaction or wrong action on sexual predation and these issues they were having to deal with, i definitely side much more with beth moore then someone like john macarthur who all he could -- and he is in our valley so i know johnny mac and a lot of

buddies i go to church with our johnny mac students -- so when all he could say was go home, you lost me. you lost me a long time ago. when i will say is i'm not an expert on those issues, i do not have an entrenched view on women's issues, but i could tell you that folks like dr. russell moore, like beth moore make a heck of a lot more sense to me. i admire the stance and integrity they showed. in fact they showed biblical level of ethics and integrity in what they have had to -- the decisions they have made to leave the sbc and what they had to face to do so and taking essays -- a stance on really contentious issues they make a lot more sense to me than some folks still speaking out the loudest and most radically at the sbc or some be like john macarthur who simply can say go home to someone as admirable as

beth moore. i appreciate the question, jennifer. you are another person that i love you being someone with your greek and ancient hebrew, i would love to know what -- if we ever get a chance -- i would love to know what your interpretation of those letters are on this particular issue. host: next caller, esther in canton, ohio. go ahead, esther. caller: thank you for taking my call and thank you for c-span. mr. nathan, i have heard a lot of pros and cons today. how do you get to god unless through jesus christ and repent him as savior? some of the rings of said today has really offended me. -- some of the things you've said today really offended me. i have not heard anything about jesus christ but i heard about all of these other great people you are talking about. so no, we have a lot of problems

in this country, ok, but they can be corrected. if i can ask you a personal question, do you believe in abortion? i would like to know that. that is very important to me as a believer. host: go ahead, cory. -- corey. guest: so again, i do not have a strong of an opinion on these political issues and i happen to believe life starts at conception, so i do value life. at the same time, i do not demonize folks who have not come to that conclusion. i do not believe they should be criminalized. i think that we can, in good faith and in goodwill, come to folks who happen to not believe life starts at conception, that we can come to agreements on actually valuing the totality of life. so yes, i happen to believe life starts at conception so i value the life in the womb as well as

the life when it is born as well as the life of the mother, as well as the life of the family in communed -- and community around the mother and child. we should value all of those lives, from life until death. i do not also at the same time 12 mischaracterize the views -- at the same time mischaracterize the views and until everyone agrees with the very last detail of my own theological beliefs, i do not believe they should be mischaracterized, that they should be vilified, and that we should be fighting against them. i could find common cause with folks who do not happen to believe life starts at conception so that we can value more of life together. i hope that answers your question. i believe starts at conception -- life starts at conception but i will not vilify somebody who does not come to that conclusion and value that we can protect life across our differences. host: we will have to end it

there. our featured podcaster today is corey nathan, and the name of his program is "talking politics and religion without killing each other." [laughter] we thank you for joining us today, corey. guest: this was fun. thank you for having me. host: we also want to encourage you to check out c-span's podcast. you can see them listed here and go to c-span's website and check out those podcasts. "washington journal" will return tomorrow washington journal every day we take your calls live on the air. on the days news and policy issues that impact you. coming up sunday morning, campaign 2022 with the washington examiner. during part four of our series, we look at the americans with disabilities act of 1990 with a

former iowa senator and disability activist. they talk about the impact legislation has on the lives of americans with disabilities and the small business community. watch washington journal live at 7:00 eastern sunday morning on c-span or on c-span now, our free app. >> the houses back for legislative work on monday at 2 p.m. eastern. they are in the week, the workers will take up the first federal spending bills funding the government for next year. the house will also vote on legislation guaranteeing the right to contraceptives. senators are expected to begin work on legislation providing funding for the u.s. computer chip industry so they can better

compete with china. watch live coverage on c-span. you can also watch our free video app c-span now or online span.org. c-span now is a free mobile app featuring your field -- filtered view of what's happening in washington live and on-demand. you can stay current with the latest episodes of washington journal and find scheduling information for c-span tv networks and radio. c-span now is available at the apple store and google play. download it for free today.

c-span is your unfiltered view of government. funded by these television companies and more. ♪ buckeye broadband supports c-span as a public service along with these other television providers giving you a front row seat to democracy. next, a hearing on the legal concerns in the u.s. following the supreme court decision in dobbs v jackson women's health organization. that brought the reversal of roe v. wade which legalized abortion. this hearing is two hours 45 bennetts.

-- 45 minutes.

this case represents the first kind in america's history that the supreme court has revoked a constitutionally protected right. the first time. as a result, a woman's personal decision to make her own reproductive health care choice is no longer protected or guaranteed by the constitution. in the words of justice kagan, sotomayor, the conservative majority has "consigned women to second-class citizenship." in overturning roe, the supreme court has a least a health-care crisis across america. make no mistake -- women's health and in some cases, their lives, are at risk. today, the committee will examine the very real