coverage of the u.s. house when members return right here on c-span. >> tonight homeland security secretary maykas and others testify on globathreats to the u.s. watch the subcommitt hearing at 9:00.m. eastern on c-span.

c-span now, our free video mobile app. and online at c-span.org. c-span is your unfiltered view of government. funded by these television stations and more, including cox. >> the syndrome is rare but when you're connected, you're not alone. >> cox supports c-span as a public service along with these television providers, giving you a front row seat to democracy. host: a very good wednesday morning. this is a league graph of the congressional memo of "the new york times." the former speaker elbowed a leader who voted to oust him.

and a chairman of a different panel compared a member of his committee to a cartoon character. the headline on that piece, skirmishes and heated exchanges erupt on capitol hill. [video clip] >> i was elbowed and it was a clean shot to the kidneys and i turned back and there was kevin. kind of for a minute, i was what the heck just happened? and i chased after him, of course. because as i stated many times, he's a bully with $17 million and a security detail. and i use the type of guy that as a kid you'd throw a rock over

the fence and run home and hide behind his mama's skirt. from behind, that kind of stuff, it's not the way we handle things in east tennessee. you have a problem with somebody, i'll look him in the eye and talk to him. >> he walked down the hallway and hit you with the elbow. >> you can go to claudia's twitter account, or x account. it's very accurate. >> you chased him, what do you mean? >> i ran after him, what the heck, why did you do that? because i say, if you've ever been hit in the kidneys, you don't have to hit hard to cause a bit of pain. and he just of course, as he always did, he just denies it or blames somebody else or something, you know. and it was just a little heated but i backed off because i saw no reason, i wasn't gaining anything from it. everybody saw it so it didn't really matter.

>> but he responded? >> he just acted like what are you talking about, who are you, that kind of thing. and that's symptomatic of the problems he's had in his short tenure as speaker. host: tim burchett with reporters on cnn and also others caught up with mccarthy and here's our brief on it. [video clip] >> i didn't punch him or walk into him. you guys line up along the way there. he was being interviewed and i didn't know it was him, our elbows clashed as i walked by. >> you didn't punch him? >> i was walking further, somebody was interviewing him and he comes running up, why did you hit me or something like that? and i was like what are you talking about? i didn't know something

transpired. host: kevin mccarthy, the headline in "time" magazine today, lawmakers almost came to physical blows at the capitol twice. the second incident occurring on the senate side yesterday at a hearing, it was senator mark wayne mullen from oklahoma, the republican challenging the head of the teamster's union in a fight during the back and forth. here's that exchange. [video clip] >> let's talk about mr. o'brien himself. last time we had a back and forth. i appreciate your demeanor, it's different. after you left here you got excited about the keyboard. in fact, you tweeted at me one, two, three, four, knife times. i'll read the last one. greedy c.e.o. who pretends like he's self-made. wish you were in the truck with me building my plumbing company myself and my wife was running the office because i sure

remember working pretty hard and long hours. pretends like he's self-made. what a clown, fraud. always has been, always will be. e hearings. hearings. quit the tough act. you know where to find me, any place, any time, cowboy. you want to run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults, we did do it here, let's do it then. >> stand up. >> no, no, sit down. you're a united states senator, act it. sit down, please. do not respond. hold it. hold it. if we can -- no, i have the mic. mr. mullin: this is what he said. can i respond? >> no, you can't. this is a hearing and god knows the american people have enough contempt for congress.

>> i don't like thugs. >> i don't like you. because you described yourself. >> hold it. you have the mic. you have time. >> then let's do this because i did challenge you and accepted your challenge and you went quiet. >> no, i didn't go quiet. you challenged me to a cage match acting like a 12-year-old schoolyard bully. >> hold it. >> no, excuse me. senator mullen, i have the mic. you have questions on economic issues, anything, go for it. we're not here to talk about physical abuse. : that was yestem the u.s. senate hearing. we are talking this morning on "washington journal" about civility and congress. is it important to you in those incidents and in the wake of headlines like this this morning on rollcall media, it is time for thanksgiving. tensions flare as fights break out in congress. give us your thoughts. democrats, (202)-748-8000. republicans, (202)-748-8001.

independents, (202)-748-8002. otis is first out of orange park, florida, democrat. caller: good morning. good morning. you know, i was sitting here watching the show you just, this pc just showed. it seemed -- this piece you just showed. these guys should be better leaders. i know back in the day, these guys make laws. they should set an example that we don't fight on tv just because of words. guarantee you this, this senator that stood up do not spend not one day in combat boots. yet, he is a tough guy. and the other guy, he is a tough

guy. it don't make sense. you don't have to show how bad you are by fighting. use your head. but we are making ourselves look immature. we are supposed to be the leaders of the world, and we allow any citizen or appointed person who they think got their back because they talk to us. here's the true fact, you don't have to talk tough to be tough. you can be as quiet as a mouse, but then when somebody jumps, you can respond. do not ever misunderstand thinking that just because you want to talk tough, it makes you tough. you might be a little coward tried to put up a front to keep people off of your behind. that is not right. we need to do better for these kids. it is not fair to this country or to the world to have leaders like that in these positions to act like they are five and six-year-olds. host: otis from florida.

al in massachusetts, republican. caller: good morning. i think we need to roll this back a little. with 16 l -- with the 2016 election, the left-wing media complex. hillary clinton had it. let's remember the deplorable's, that donald trump was the first president in history not to have a honeymoon period. so they have been shot since the 1960's. they were the ones who are angry. they no longer have full control. we can see that $33 trillion in debt that they have run up. where's the utopia they promised us? you talk about this heightened banter back and forth. it is because the democrats, the liberals are losing power. they are losing their control and the left-wing media complex is falling right along.

in closing, let's remind you of the summer of 2020. all the riots. this is the message that the democrats have been saying, they are willing to stay in power. they are the problem. host: that is al in massachusetts. david, west virginia, democrat. caller: yeah, the way these people are acting in washington, why don't you give each one a pacifier when they go home because they are acting like a bunch of little babies. they need to grow up and be men and do right in this country right. that is what is wrong with this country now. they are not acting like men, they are acting like a bunch of babies. host: in west virginia, the headline from "the huffington post" this morning, elbows, petty gop fights and in congress. the headline referring to an incident at the house oversight hearing with james comer, the chairman of that committee,

talking about the financially illiterate democrats that were spreading fake news stories about finances and trying to discredit his ongoing investigation into the biden family finances. james comer leading that impeachment probe. this is the back and forth with jerry moscowitz yesterday and oversight hearing. [video clip] >> i am one of the largest landowners in my home area. i went to bank and borrowed money, and i bought that land. i did not get buyers from romania, china. my family does not get wires. never loaned my brother money. do not have an llc. but you and goldman, who is mr. trust fund, continue -- >> i am reclaiming my time. >> i am not going to give you your time back. we stop the clock. you are like a smurf fear, going

around -- >> mr. chairman, if we are not on time, you have said [cross talking] >> why should they believe you? why should they believe you? is there a different rule for the president and you? why should they believe what you are saying, mr. chairman, way? do you go on fox news and say loans and evading taxes, we don't know if that is what you are doing. we are supposed to take your word for it. >> you have already been proven a liar. >> who? you? >> yes. go to my hometown. there is a camera crew there today doing research. >> mr. chairman, it seems to have gotten under your skin. i think the american people have lots of questions. perhaps you should sit for a deposition. >> i will sit with hunter biden

and joe biden, and we can go over our llc. >> i will make sure that the ranking member -- >> i make a point of order that we should return to rank of order. [end video clip] host: that incident also yesterday on capitol hill. we are talking about civility in congress, whether you think it is important. if you do, we are taking your phone calls. john, lake geneva, wisconsin, independent. caller: good morning. thank you for taking my call. let me back up a minute. everybody saw the march on the national mall yesterday for israel. that is what we would call, you know, there was not yelling, screaming or defacing of property statues. everybody gets were i am going. just a nice, peaceful, people

getting along. i think we need to get back to that to some extent. that was a childish exchange. a lot of the people on the left and right, firesides, do the same thing. they have 20 people in the squad. grand they are always yelling and screaming and shoving and microphones, typically, in my opinion. i just think, you know, the thing with the senator, he previously was a mixed martial arts fighter. so, the other person who is just sitting down there, he was not going to get up and fight that guy. he does not have a chance. and that is not the point. back in the day, you probably are little up in your ears, like i am -- i am 60, and used to

settle things by good old fistfight. you put down the guns and go to for sites. do you ever taken my call. host: that is john in wisconsin. this is alvin in washington, d.c., your thoughts on civility in congress? are you with us this morning? i think the last alvin. go ahead and keep calling in. democrats, (202)-748-8000. republicans, (202)-748-8001. independents, (202)-748-8002. do you think civility in congress is important today? that is our conversation this first hour of "washington journal." as you are calling in, we want to talk about the spending bill passed yesterday in the house that now moves over to the senate.it was funny to the government passed the friday at midnight deadline. joining us to talk about it is the budget appropriations reporter at roll call, up early

this morning on zoom. .good morning guest: good morning, thank you for having me. host: take us through the package that passed the house yesterday. what is in this package? what would it do? guest: the package that passed the house yesterday is pretty much a continuing resolution with a kind of big caveat that is not that straightforward, which it is split up into two end dates. it continues the funding level from the last fiscal year, 20 trade three -- 2023, but it does extend funding for agriculture, energy, military construction, v.a. and transportation hud bill to january and all the other appropriation bills to february 2. speaker mike johnson believes that this will prevent a massive, you know, year-long spending bill before christmas, which is what we have seen in previous years.

instead, reefs the negotiations between the chambers about these first four bills and later the remaining eight as packages. host: the strategy of splitting it up this way, does it set up the potential for a partial government shutdown in january and another partial government shutdown in february? what is the strategy behind that? guest: that is a big point of concern by democrats, who oppose this. they could unnecessarily complicate it, and a quick shutdown in the new year. republicans believe this is an opportunity to shake things up and get out of the standards that is of massive -- and instead of fighting these battles, with a hard christmas deadline, they will not be talking about that new year.

host: the bill passes yesterday, 136-90 5,209 democrats with 127 republican supporting this -- and hundred -- 436-45, 209 democrats with 100, 7 republican supporting this. guest: a lot of republicans do not like stopgap spending measures. they are not happy that this was negotiated. they do not like the policies that continue to, so those are the two big things that cause republican opposition from a wide range, but democrats wanted to support it and they said essentially as long as they got

their levels continuing at the same level and there were no policy matters the republicans wanted, they could continue to support this. obviously, they ended up carrying this with all but two democrats, who wanted to see ukraine money in this package. host: and it was a continuing resolution that passed with more democratic support than republican support. during kevin mccarthy's speakership, is there talk about concern of mike johnson's speakership in the wake of the vote? guest: the big points that they have been making is that they had -- that mccarthy lost their trust but they still trust mike johnson. it is a similar dynamic, but there were a lot of personality differences between the eight republicans who joined the

democrats to making the speakership earlier this year. i think we are not anywhere close to that yet, but there are some who are upset about how this wind and they thought that johnson may take a different path on government spending at this point. that would be -- it would be very difficult for johnson to do anything and avoid a government shutdown based on the control in the senate and the white house, so johnson decided he did not want to shut down the government as his first active speaker, and in his eyes, this is what he had to do. host: you mentioned the senate and white house. what is the path for this continuing resolution in the senate and to get president biden's signature? guest: i really do not want to jinx anything, but it is looking good over in the senate. both chuck schumer and mitch mcconnell are saying that they thought the package looks like

the democrats will get on board and there will be more than enough republicans to pass this when it comes up. with timing, government spending going down friday night at midnight, they need to pass it soon, and anyone senator can hold it up. at this point, it is not appear to be that it would be them yet, but with thanksgiving around the corner, i think we will see a speedy passage of this in the senate and we will be out of here tomorrow or friday with the government fully funded to the new year. host: we will keep watching the senate and clock. if you don't mind, just your thoughts on these incidents of members behaving badly between a shoving incident, a neophyte and senate hearing, the name-calling across capitol hill and in committee hearing. you are up there. what are your thoughts on what

happened yesterday? did it just happened to happen in front of the cameras more than it usually does? guest: that is a part of it. tensions are high overall. the house especially, the speaker reelection, it has been a high stress environment for them. not to excuse the bad behavior, of course, but i think a recess over thanksgiving where everybody can go home and spend time with their families hopefully will kind of quiet every thing down. host: aiding quickly is a budget appropriations reporter for roll call -- aiden quigley, is a budget appropriations reporter for roll call. thank you. host: we are talking about civility and congress. members of possibly going home and spending time with their family. this is the commentary section

of today's "washington times,"an delete pieced -- and the lead to by mike pence and the former vice president is encouraging americans to save their families and save america in his piece, noting that democracy depends on civility, but today, our civil discourse has weakened us as americans, and we are losing the art of discussing issues with one another. he says it is not just contributed to our lack of connection but the result of it, saying a good way to find that connection and family is to spend home around -- go home and spend time around the dinner table. that is the vice president washing today's "washington times," "go home for dinner." mike in huntington, indiana, independent. caller: a yeah, im 78 years --

yeah, i am 78 years old, and i have heard this story about the democrats spend too much money, cannot balance the budget, yet, they have got all this ground. they should have to sell it off, and until they balance that budget next year, not 10 years down the road, next year, that is what everybody else has to do if they run into problems. host: i will take your thoughts on the budget, but any thoughts on the civility in congress and the tensions that flared up yesterday? did you see any of them? caller: yes, they are all babies. host: mike in huntington, indiana. newman in san antonio, texas, democrat.

good morning. caller: good morning. i am listening to people calling in and i am sick of excuses for the congress and senate. these are supposed to be our leaders, and children saw themselves, if i was to do the things that we have seen the senator's doing, i would not have a job. i am sick of these politicians up there. what would you bring up a tweet when you are supposed to be handling the business of the people? i am sick of everybody making excuses for these people. this is no way to run your country. i don't know what this country is coming to. everybody is trying to act like donald trump, bullying people, and sometimes, there are no words for some of these, but you

all can decide. have a nice day. host: this is sean out of baltimore, maryland, independent. your thoughts on civility on capitol hill? caller: good day to you. [indiscernible] to be honest, i don't think it is going to get any better. last i was watching, i was thinking, really? you are trying to start a fight in the senate customer that is ridiculous. even if they had start a fight, it would have got broken up. [indiscernible] at the end of the day, i don't think it will get better. [indiscernible] she is crazy. then you have the far right.

i really do not see it getting any better. as you see in other countries, how they are fighting in their congress or parliament, i am not saying that is a good thing, but it is inevitable the way things are going with the country. you will see congresspeople start fighting. host: it has happened here before. it was joanne friedman, author and professor, who went viral yesterday after these incidents, the author of the book, "the field of blood: the violence in congress and the road to civil war." she is quoted on today's "washington post" and there wrap up of today's incidents. she is in american studies professor at yale university. i the person who wrote that book

-- and the person who wrote that book wrote on her x account yesterday, please stop providing fodder for "field of blood: volume ii." that book is coming out in 2019, featured on c-span's book tv. she sat down to talk about it, as well, c-span's "in-depth" program, all available on book tv on c-span2, online at c-span.org, if you would like to read more about her book. "the field of blood: violence in congress on the road to civil war." we will take your phone calls as we talk about civility in congress. constance and, democrat. caller: hi, thank you for taking my call. host: what are your thoughts on everything that happened yesterday? caller: it is an embarrassment. the republicans are imploding. if we elect donald trump, this

is what we are going to get. they are their leader with the rhetoric he is spewing on a daily basis, and it must stop. this is not america. we are better than this. host: charles -- that you were done, constance. charles is in arkansas, republican. caller: hey, i just had an idea that since they are running the political system the way they are, i think we could do better if we vote on things ourselves. in the sense that we should vote on money to israel, we should vote on referendum votes with all of us, and since they are not running it well, i know they could do any worse, and i think we would feel are presented and we could represent ourselves. we don't need to send somebody

to washington to represent us since we have a telephone, a computer. you can bet in real time on a ballgame, and i can bet on again that is going on in real time. i do not know i cannot vote on things. i don't understand the system. host: do you trust members of congress previously, decades ago, was there a time when you had more trust and confidence in their ability to be civil and to be able to take those votes and represent you well? caller: oh, yes. back at those times, i was naive. i was told that absolutely we are not. it would have been better off if i had voted myself on these issues. they are not voting in my entries. voting is not an exercise of

power, it is how i give my power away. if i got to vote on actual things, then it would be exercising power. but the way we have voting set up, it is a way for me to give all of my power away. this is not represented government. host: what would you have like to see happen when it came to that continuing resolution, defunding the government, -- of funding the government, a fight going on for four months, likely to be extended into january and february next year? caller: we have to do it eventually. these republicans are right. we have to bite the bullet. donald trump, god bless him. he opened everybody's eyes up to a lot of things. he is a great individual. he thinks he has all the answers and knows what to do. he does not ask anybody. that is the shame of it all and of our system. we have got no say. host: that is charles in

arkansas. this is read out of washington state, independent r --eed out of washington state, independent. caller: i do believe in civility in congress. it is important. it is nothing new as far as violence in places of democracy. in canada, they still have carpets read in parliament because of all the bloodshed and violence that happened in parliament. i think the historical reference you bring up with freeman's book is great and everybody should remember that as far as our bar is pretty high as far as what we consider violence in congress right now. host: the historical records on congress began on the platform previously known as twitter, on x, npr reporter claudia, who was talking to congressman tim burchett, republican of tennessee. that incident with kevin

mccarthy, here is how she described that incident and the ensuing interaction betwee the twnumbers of congress. she writes, "i have never seen this on capitol hilbere. while talking to tim bcht, former speaker mccarthy walked by and shoved bridget. bridget lunged towards me. i thought it was a joke, it was not, and a chase ensued. burchard's back was to mccarthy, and burchard responded jokingly as he said, sorry, kevin, did not o elbow. kevin, why did you elbin the back? kevin, do you have any guts? then he asked, jerk, and i asked if bridget had done that before, and he said no. and i just behind with my miophone.

after catching up withccarthy, hey, kevin, why did you walk behind me and elbow me in the back? mccarthy said, i did not. burchard, you have no guts. what kind of chicken move is that? burchett continued, you have no gutthreporter said it right there, you are a pathetic man. burchett tells me, what a jerk, and then he says, you need security, kevin." burchett voted her mccarthy's house back in october. "he is just a jerk, he is just a childless little blank, blank, b lank. burchett said, did you just see that? he will not follow up with mccarthy on what happened. he said, that is pretty that lists -- gutless of him, and i

am disappointed with him." by the way, one follow-up yesterday, matt gaetz, the publican of florida, also leading the effort to oust kevin hy tweeted out that he has filed an ethicomaint against speaker mccarthy for assaulting, as he puts it, tim burchett. that was yesterday on capitol hill. this morning, we are asking you about civility in congress. do you think it is important? democrats, (202)-748-8000. republicans, (202)-748-8001. independents, (202)-748-8002. janet in new york, democrat. good morning. the head, janet. -- go ahead, janet. caller: can you hear me? host: yes ma'am. caller: my take on the whole thing is it may be a little different than others. i agree with your previous