connie. story began at georgetown hospital in the summer of 1946, a year after her parents arrived in the u.s. from, china. she was her parent's 10th child. and the to be born in the u.s. connie lived on decatur street in the 16th street heights neighborhood. then her family moved to a home on warren street in tennessee town. she attended phoebe hurst elementary school, takoma park junior high and montgomery blair high school. every night, connie and her family watched the evening news anchored by walter cronkite. connie's father wanted her carry on, carry on and, carry forth. the family name and in history. those evenings gathered around the television, planted seeds for achieving that dream. shortly before graduating the university of maryland, connie got a at tv channel as a, quote, newsroom copy. it was there that she developed the foundational skills she'd carry through the rest of her career as a trailblazing journalist trailed blazing journalist for nbc cbs and abc. it was also there t

connie: we were e-mailing. tom: from that moment on, connie ones one of us. connie: we were e-mailing back and forth and he said he had a story. nice and i have no memory anymore. i forgot it. i had to develop a little repertoire because there were so many of these things coming out every day read one time, i have to tell you roger mudd reminded me, he called me and he said, new york times, let's see, another one. at the time was working for la times. before he came to the post. i was i think at the biltmore hotel in philadelphia on the phone, on a phone. the old-fashioned payphone with the accordion glass door. in a big black payphone estate. so i was sitting there. i was actually talking to somebody who had been dating. they came up and pressed their noses against the glass and they were harassing me, that they were harassing me. they pushed their way in. i was sitting here, i could see the belt buckles. they were at that height. so to get rid of them, i pulled the flies down. [laughter]. roger said to me, did you do that. and i went, i think so. edwin: on

leave connie out of it. we were like a family for two years and never thought i'd say this, but i'm getting an idea of what you put your mom through. seaterly, i never understood how cold you are until this fall. he directed a smile of pure oppression at the ceiling. there's always been something not right with his interaction with carol. she was what the boys in the prep school would call a milf, an acronym that sounded as an emission for the too for two, matter of a dirty acronym. he was a sound sleeper, there was nights during the period of his residency when he woke up in connie's bed with premonitions of himself as the unwitting and horrified trespasser of his sister's bed or the accidental shooter of a nail into blake's forehead with his nail gun or strangest of all the towering crane and the member swinging heavy containers off a ship and depositing them on a smaller, flatter barge. these visions tended to follow matters of inappropriate connection of carol. the come -- the wing he got from her at the

sen connie mack. successful banking career where he served three terms before running for one of florida's seats. insert to terms before running for reelection. upon returning to the private sector, at the in florida . [inaudible]. rated i will handed over to begin the conversation. and go ahead and present your questions through the chat feature. connie mack: think you very much and is such a joy to have this conversation the man i admire so much. and read the book connie it is great book. the new york times today had an article about the bookstores that i thank you so worth mentioning because i mckenna god but every time i read a book, a candle and by ten books to be able to send to friends. i think important to be able to really focus on the fact that as a nation we need to be literate and we need to be supporting authors across the spectrum. i'm a big fan of yours a big supporter of this equipment ten books. i read on kindle. i got ten blocks that i will buy and help other people do that as well.

think about it connie. in 2000 if you are on the ticket georgia would have one by more than 547 votes. i think there was a lot of agony for a lot of people. and it would've been a great partner with him for sure. it's interesting you think about it. whether your decision process was your own. you were considered someone that special to be a vice presidential nominee. as a it is a reflection on your service. full of consistency. and you happen to be a very popular senator in a really important state. no question about it. i've two more questions. there was a chapter in the book there was a chapter in the book in the prayer breakfast. describe to me how important that was in your life and how you moved towards it and how it became integral in your service. as you mentioned earlier. we are both catholic. i grew up as catholic. i was an altar boy. the spiritual religious perspective was always a part of me they were a leading force in what i was engaged in. i find myself in the senate. two of my good friends. a

connie: think the accusation of thank you's hearts. enters those of us who believe in the force and believe and in what we are doing and that we pursued a worthy profession and we were after we were trying to right the wrongs of the government or society, social ills, and we considered it an honorable profession. and even though others don't consider us pursuing an honorable profession, think there are plenty of reporters today, who are in still have that mindset. i mindset and credited there is a whole section of people who don't. and they engage in opinion in the engage in biased reporting. but honestly, mild friends, my old colleagues, the people that i knew, were honest people who are just pursuing the truth. tom: just the one thing, she's been very wise and eloquent but i guarantee, if anythin anybody i2 and treated connie the way that some of these fake news criers today, she would have flattened them. [laughter]. [applause]. tom: and do you have any final words. ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. [applause]. connie: tom

and then their younger sister, connie, love. connie. connie., you go tod advice. connie. connie is the emotional outlet. she's a poet. she's the younger sister. and she is the one that will rt of empathize with t.r. she becomesary before the role existed. she will slip stories to the press of this rambunctious home life. right? i mean, elyna the the snake that alice rooseve hnow,'t like her aunt emily and she didn't like spinach. so named spinach. she's the one who would these stories to the press over edith's objections because knew if people fell in with the roosevelt family her brother could accomplish all that he wanted in policy. and then finally the first woman in your in infrastructure for teddy roosevelt, his second wife, edith. so edith is amazing because you could first of all, you couldn't find two more opposite women on the face of eali and edith, and yet they both marryheodorroosevelt in the in the course of seven years. edith is a childhood playmate of the roosevelts, home schooled with them. she knows the death at 6457 years. and

think about it connie. in 2000, if you are the tickets, george 11 by more tha 547 votes >> for that story before. back. >> he would've saved a lotf agony for a lot of people. and you would've been a great partner with him for sure. to think about your decisio process was your own. for two election cycles in a row, you will consider somebody at special unit a vice esidential nominee, this reflection on your service which was full ointegrity. full of consistency and you happen to be, and veryopular senator and really imptant state. >> is a great life. there's no question about it . >> empty wl questions. one, thereas a chapter in the book about a breakfast. this a prayer breakfast. describe to me how important that was your life and howou kind of moved towards it and how it became interval in your service. >> were both catholic. so the group as a catholic. i was an altar boy. so spiritualeligious perspectives were always aart of me. but they want aeading force in when i was engaged in so i find myself in the

i'm-- i think-- i don'know if there was a before connie and an after connie moment, but most of my experiences wit you are that yo are just, you know, you're-- you have a relationship with a higher being that is werful. >> there's another aspect to it, but i appreciate you saying that. but the-- i think one of the most important things for each of us is to understan who we are, you know. lots of people have ideas about who we are, but it's really important to try to understand what it is that makes you tick. why do you do the things you do. who are you? and you know, and that makes a difference, but, you know under is calm and cool individual, there's a lot goi on, jeb. okay, that's good to ow. >> one final question and then we're going to open it up for questions, is the book reads in some ws like a love story. it's a romantic love story. how is priscilla doing? >> well, thank you for asking about her? very, very special, she's gone throh some tough years, the last five, six, seven years, medical issues, and her back and i severe pain. she's worked through all of that. we have found procedure

i don't know if if it was a bee connie and after connie moment but most of my experiences with you are that you are just, you have a relationship with a higher being that is powerful. >> there's another aspect to it but i appreciate you saying that. onef the most important things foeach of us is to understand who we are. lots of people have ideas about who w a but it's really important to try to understand what i is that makes you tick, why do you do the things you do, who are you. that makes the difference. under this calm and cool individual ce there's a lot going on, jeb. >> has good to know. one final question then we'll open it up for questions, is the book reads in some ways lik a love story. it's a romantic love story. how was pscilla doing? thank you for asking about her. very special. she's gone through some tough years. th last five, six, seven years medical issues. her back, severe pain, but she's worked to all of that. we have found procedures that addrsed that pain and she has comeack strong. ship to two cases of meningitif you believe that,ne after the other. where itame

talk to connie schultz. just practice. >> a wonderful novelist and essayist, there is no substitute than the seat of the chair. i am especially constantly trying to get people to write more, those are the voices still missing in literature, opinion writing and coverage. i never had a contact. i was a working class kid, first in my family to go to college and those kids still and i want them to know you don't want to have any tethers. if you've got talent and skill and the attention, it can happen in the way you know you have talent is to keep working on it. very few people are born to write or do anything really well. it is something you learn over time but the most important thing that happened to me a young age is i told myself i was a writer. an illustration by a dear friend who was a writer. i call it the monster under the bed. it shows a picture of a child sitting next to the monster on the edge of the bed and i always imagined realizing nothing to be afraid of. that is the negative voice in our heads t

connie. connie. so e wanted advice. you went to bambi. if you want sympathy you go to connie. connie is the emotional outlet. she's a poet. she's the younger sister. and she is the one that will sort of empathize with t.r. she becomes his his press secretary existed. she will slip stories to the press oft? i mean, emily spinach the the snake that alice roosevelt had because, you know, she didn't like her aunt emily and she didn't like spinach. so obviously, let's have a snake named spinach. she's the one who would tell these stories to the press over edith's objections because knew if people fell the roosevelt family her brother could accomplish wanted in policy. and then finally the first woman in your roosevelt, his second wife, edith. so edith is amazing because you could first of all you cld find two more opposite women on the face of the earth than alice and edith, and yet ty both theodore roosevelt in the in the course of seven years. edith is a childhood playmate of the roosevelts, home schooled with them. ows theodore from age three to his married for over 32 years. so

connie chung, last but not least. we are so delighted that connie has joined us. a true pioneer. only the second female coanchor to coanchor and network newscasts as part of cbs evening news. also a report for nbc, abc, cnn and msnbc. that's in demand. >> couldn't hold a job. [laughter] >> tim krause wrote first that connie disrupted the cozy male world of the boys on the bus. by always showing up well prepared. bright and early with microphone ready and never hung over. >> never what? >> never hung over. a real advantage. >> i will tell you about that. >> anyway, i was wondering if you could tell us briefly how you came to be on the campaign of 72 and where you were in your career at the time.>> you've given most of my career, at least since that date, i had joined the ap in 1960 out of columbia journalism school. a silent to the tampa bureau. - - assigned. then a few days after that, i was assigned to the new orleans bureau. new orleans got more interesting than tampa. what i didn't know is they were about to desegregate the schools and it got very interesting. in june 1963, af

i don't know if there was a before connie and after connie moment, but most of my experiences with you are that you are just you know you have a relationship with a higher being that is powerful. >> there's another aspect to it. .com. i appreciate you saying that. i think one of the most important things for each of us is to understand who we are. lots of people have ideas about who we are, but it's really important to try to understand what it is that makes you tick, what you do the things you do, who are you? and that makes a difference. under this calm and cool individual there's a lot going on, jeb. >> that's good to know one final question and then we will open it up for questions to the book reads in some ways like a love story, a romantic love story. how is priscilla doing? >> thank you for asking about her. she's going through some tough years you know the last five, six, seven years medical issues with her back in severe pain, but she has worked through all of that. we have found procedures that address that pain and she has come back strong. she had two cases of meningitis if

[laughter] >> what makes connie a great journalist? and what makes connie as senators life partner?anks mom. [laughter] >> you are welcome. [laughter] >> she would have loved you. >> do tell. >> with her ability to do so many things. she loves her students she teaches two days a week and puts real time and effort into that. she's writing a novel that has taken her years because at the beginning she was a very accomplished journalist not sure if the same skills would apply to being a novelist. i call her that because she likes it so much. she has earned it she does the senator's wife kind of work she is called upon to do. >> i said you were worth the wait. >> thank you. [applause] >> she is a great journalist because she has integrity and listens to people and asks very good questions and she is an amazing writer but she also took it seriously. she is one of the reasons i have always been prounion because that is what i learned even though my mom never belong to a union. she knew doctor king died the martyr supporting sanitation workers. the older she got the importance of that i mar

i wanted ask something to the point about life for connie. because she really, one of the things about them that perhaps is different from now is this was at the dawn of the let women in age. in 1972 saw the arrival of three people. one, and absolutely sightless correspond as cbs2 was just marvelous especially in new hampshire and laid at the convention, michele clark who was lost in a plane crash the last year. >> she was african-american, and when i was hired the equal employment opportunities commission was pretty great pressure on networks to hire women and minorities. and so cbs news, which was into the end of fall years, and still kind of is -- [laughing] hired four women in one fell swoop, and black woman, michele clark. me, a chinese person. lesley stahl, a nice jewish girl with blonde hair, and sylvia chase, i should start with blonde hair. [laughing] >> it looks like one of those tickets in the old new york democratic party for you. you had one of everything. that was one of the woman, a third woman that you're in 1972 who broke thr

i think connie has more perspective than i do. i lost you a little bit there and then we bend over backwards. >> but honestly when you are a normal reporter we all want to be fair. and then to push our personal bias out of the way and at that time with what spiro agnew said we tried very hard just to be objective. we are all products and to be subjective and we try not to be. i didn't know many nixon or agnew people. after the first speech and build from the grave. arguing about who wrote it. but then to come up with other phrases and that this is more of a game than something serious. and that is bending over backwards and tough as possible and then to be on the campaign trail with this intermediary layer and not getting from the news and in the intermediary. in the newsroom and for those are on the front lines following the campaign. but as a consumer this is what i like. take a 24 hour period. get it all to streams of events and the thing that has the circle with the lines in it that he could only write 150 words or something.

connie chung, last but not least, so delighted connie chung has come down from new york to join us. a true pine or, only the second female coanchor to coanchor a network newscast as part of cbs evening news. also an anchor and reporter for nbc, abc, cnn and msnbc. that is in demand. timothy crouse said that connie chung disrupted the cluby mail world of the boys on the bus by always showing up ill prepared, bright and early with microphone ready and never hung over. >> never what? >> never hung over. >> right. >> a real advantage. >> i will tell you about that. >> any way. if you could tell us briefly how you came to be on the campaign in 72. >> given most of my career since that date, i joined in 1960 out of columbia journalism school at the tampa bureau three days after i was assigned there a spot opened up in the new orleans bureau. i figured new orleans has to be more interesting than tampa. i didn't know they were about to desegregate the schools there and for the next three years i covered a lot of desegregation, mostly the end of it that was legal. in june of 1963, a brief te

connie chung, last but not least, we're so delighted connie has come down from new york to join us. a true pioneer, she was only the second female coanchor to coanchor and network newscast as part of cbs evening news and has also been an anchor and reporter for nbc, abc, cnn and msnbc. that's in demand. >> couldn't hold a job. [laughing] >> tim krause in the book refers connie disrupted the cozy clubby male world of the boys on the bus by always showing up well prepared, bright and early, with microphone ready and never hung over. [laughing] >> never what? >> and never hung over. >> oh, , right. >> was a real advantage. [laughing] >> i tell you about that. >> first of all i i was when if each of you could tell us, just tell us briefly how you came to be on the campaign in 72, where were you in your career at the time? >> given most of my career, le since that date i had joined the ap in 1960 out of columbia journalism school. i was assigned to the tampa bureau. fortunately three days after i was assigned, a spot opened up into new orleans bureau and i think new orleans got to be mor

president connie is an economic performer but they still rank toward the bottom. there has been some progress but it has been slow. there have been bright spots. the government has improved its performance and funding a greater share of its budget. the u.s. share dropped about 50% to 25% today. the afghan people who face this every day understand the need for peace and so do the personnel working to implement the strategies. the key question, will they join the peace process they're prepared to test this. thank you for the opportunity to prepare before your committee. support is crucial to our progress and i look forward to addressing questions. >> we now go to mr. elliott. >> thank you for calling the hearing and for your time in service. our policy is critical, 15 american troops remain in we provide assistance every year. back in september 11 our troops and allies have performed heroically. there has been progress once estimated as many as 5000 there now thought to be in the low hundreds unfortunately those gains are what most experts consider a stalemate. they

i imagine connie in particular, we met over a phone call not too long ago, just delighted to be part of this panel. so to your question, , tony, who is eda, right? as you mentioned i spend a good amount of years at commerce during the obama administration just understanding commerce writ large is fascinating, but more important is what commerce does and what eda does in particular. so eda is the only really agency dedicated economic development and in the question is what does it really mean? we catch community is large and small. we touch can be whether urban suburban or rural. for the purposes of this conversation the work we're doing in rural communities, as secretary vilsack mentioned the federal government does a lot. we don't tell the story very well but when you travel communities across the country there is an eda contribution in so many different areas and i'll just tell you on my second day on the job i flew to norwood colorado and it was, going to use it as an example of what eda does. they are in collaboration not only with the local government which are critical partners

hi. >> host: did you go to the university of colorado, connie? >> guest: in colorado springs. >> caller: oh my gosh, connie. hi. hi, how are you, hon? >> caller: i'm fine. how are you? it's weird to be living and teaches at amherst college, named after lord jeffrey amherst. as you remember when we found out about the blain ets for land story, i was really horrifying. buffy st. marie sang a song. that's not my question. my question is you've written so many wonderful what you would call nonfiction books filled with all sorts of just amazing information. and stories. what was it about the novel that grabbed yousome >> guest: well l -- i started out as a poet. and i went to the novel because i couldn't tell certain stories in poetry. i didn't have have -- it was the wrong tomorrow form. so i had to make up the form of the novel. and i really love writing novels. i'm working on one now as well as doing my other research and i have a new book, "indios" coming out this october. which is from a new press that i haven't been with before, wings press, in

>> connie said we had no choice.we are pretty good at you were the one that wanted to take skating lessons. i think i was pretty self-motivated when he came to skating. unfortunately it was really bad at it. i am 5 feet 8 inches and i had five for tenants lakes. when i picked up a tennis racquet several years later i said why did you not put a tennis racket in my hand and said his skates on your feet. he said you were the one who wanted to skate. i didn't want to get up at 4:30 in the morning to take you. i was motivated because of something i did learn from that. it is hard for me and i think they learned more from overcoming something that was hard for me than something that was easy. i was a natural pms. it wasn't that hard for me but i will tell you a story of parental intervention on the piano side. when i was about 10 years old i've been playing since i was three. i could read music before he could read and when i was 10 years old i wanted to quit. i said to my mother i want to quit p.m. now. and she said you a

this is what you would have sued for, conny. [laughter] this person asks questions, and if you passed the question, you can register. my mother, who was very fair skinned, long hair, the man said to her, so, what job do you have? she said i'm a schoolteacher, and he said, then you probably know who the first president of the united states was. she said oh, yes, george washington. he said, fine, go register. he looked at my father, a big impulsing man, six, two, built like a football player. he said, so, how many beans are in that jar? there were hundreds of beans in the jar. he couldn't answer it. he said, well, you failed the poll test. my father was very unhappy, went back and talked to mr. frank hunter, an old man in the church. he said, don't worry, i'll show you how to get registered. there's a courted there, and she's a republican, and she's trying to build a republican party. she will register anybody who will say they are a republican. [laughter] now, you didn't register by party, but i suspect this womanfuls telling --

how do we get beyond the connie mack philosophy? >> a saying in alcoholics anonymous called putting principle over personality. so where i'm going with that is the two words i would use right now there is hatred on one side and anger on the other. every media outlet including all of us going around with the iphone to take pictures and to send information, we are all focused how much anger and hatred instead of saying let's talk about the issues that are important to the country. as individuals we have a responsibility to look through what we see and hear from the media today and look at the issues facing the country whether broad economic issues or local issues in our communities. getting involved he will change things. a lot of us need to be quick getting focused on anger and hate and fear and talk about what's important to us. >> we are a bottom-up country and typically were people act on their own sense of consciousness and the believe they can make a difference and act on it. may be that is the path forward to go back to the roo

connie was in college and so we didn't need. but i knew of connie because the time would always come when somebody would say, you know, i thought you were in a program from los angeles and i would not have associated you with your republican party. and everything, there goes my cousin again. [laughter] and i would just step outside the post office and the one time i got confused at to come which is most interesting, condi, so this will come out and said you know, you're a dead ringer for that girl who's related to that sister the white house. and i don't know either of your names, but she is important. [laughter] >> so it's been a pleasure boat to get to know each other better over the last several years. we spent more time together in the last 10 years. what is really wonderful about getting to share this particular stage with connie is to talk about "extraordinary, ordinary people" because the books first or second chapter is the life in the race. and if the book really about our families and how they were educationally balanc

[laughter] started to hone in awkwardly making passes in connie's direction. i was struck first of all how calm and cool she was that she really didn't notice the guy. he did not understand and he kept circling again coming back. and finally he was coming back and i started to get up out of my chair to shoo him away but then connie gave him one of the most withering stairs i have ever seen in my life and said a line that has stayed with me forever. honey look you don't want to go to bed with me you will just be horny 20 minutes later. [laughter] then we knew she was one of us. [laughter] >> he said he had a story but i had forgotten it. but i had to develop a little repertoire because there were so many coming out. so roger mudd reminded me when he was writing his book he said jim and the new york times and another one who at that time was working for the l.a. times and then i was at the biltmore on the phone on a pay phone the actual with the accordion glass door and a seat so i is sitting there i was talking to someone who i was stating. - - dating and they

please do me too welcome to the stage miss connie schultz. [applause] >> elected to the seat with the democratic party beginning the political career 1975 and from secretary of state and has taught at ohio state university. with progressive senators who changed america. and with the eight men that were there before them. and in mansfield ohio he is married to a moderator they have three daughters and a son and a daughter-in-law seven grandchildren and those named franklin and walter sharon brown. [cheers and applause] - - sherrod brown. >> we are ready. >> i have never gone that reception. >> hello husband. interviewing my husband on stage is nothing i have done before but the more i thought about it coming close second in terms of how hard you have worked on it and more than a decade people are asking the same question over and over that you wrote this book yourself. [laughter] [applause] like i have nothing else to do so talk about how the book came about and what you learned over the course. >> first i want to say something nice about the

how do we get beyond that and back to connie mack philosophy? >> again, there's a saying at alcoholics anonymous called -- this is one of those terrible moments when -- it's putting principle over personality. and so where i'm going with that, the two words i would use is right now there is hate dread on one side and there's anger on the other and everybody media outlet, including all of us that go around with an iphone that can either take pictures and send information, we're all focused on how much ager and hatred instead of talk putted what issues that are important to the country. as individuals we have a spent to look through what we're seeing and hearing from the media today and look at the issues that are facing the country whether that it broad economic issues or local issues in our communities. getting involved, by getting involved you'll change things and so i think lot of us need to quit getting focused on anger, hate and fear, and start talk about the issued that are important to us. >> you bring up a good point. we're a bottom-up co

and connie mariano. s author of "white house doctor: t my patients were presidents." >> it's truly an honor to introduce two women whose books and stories can influence all of us to make a difference in our communities and in our country. their lives show that pursuing a passion for equal justice andqul for service can truly change the world. dr. connie mariano is a woman of many firsts. she. was the first military womn to be chosen as the white house physician, the first woman director of the white house medical unit, and the first filipino-american to become an admirable in the navy.avy. but she started her life as an underdog, always being underestimated because of her gender, her ethnic background and her appearance. in her new book, "the white house doctor: my patients were presidents," she shares her journey of how a little girl from the philippines came to america and became the physician to the president of the united states. her example is truly one of a woman whose achievements were unlimited i

connie's book.is there a moment where you met someone or you felt that connection in that community that was forged because you were telling stories? >> oh, absolutely. i've done 20 cities now, and invariably somebody will come up and say thank you for writing this book because they were having difficulty at work and it gave them the courage to speak up as this woman was doing, or, you know, i awz always i was an underdog and nobody believes in me, and now i know somebody who never even spoke the language when they came here. so you're rooting for the underdog and not underestimating yourself. >> yeah. similarly, actually just yesterday i received an e-mail from a woman who was at a breakfast, just a breakfast gathering in the home of one of her friends. and it wasn't even a formal book event, the just one of those things that just was happenstance. and she e-mailed to tell me that as a consequence, she had decided to start a new company with the express intent of designing everything from a woman's

and the conversations with don at one point kept stressing connie is a very special person. we are not comfortable they said what i am saying to me using the talents that god has given you. no sooner that i said that i knew exactly what i had to do i would run for congress. i from that evening. tears coming down my face because i was scared to death. i was actually scared to death. i told chris what word you say i would run for congress? she said great. go for it. and then upon my heart and soul of the race. you never had that experience you know how that feels but it's not good. it's better to win they are most one - - when they lose. find a pass kennedy to run against you have a better chance of winning. [laughter] i felt i left a lot of people down and then looking at catholicism i would go to mass every sunday. going to the election with regular people and of faith in god made a huge difference in my life to this day. to have your eyes open and your ears open you are open to your thinking it can change your life but if you go to the field position you can never do and yo

their coworkers malawi can ask connie with anything related to teaching. she made her decision to move to west palm beach worth it. as for the moment decision she worried was the wrong move but so far her new life was working out and she can imagine settling down make it home for herself. maybe even having a family with the right guy. malawi had driven to connie's house in greenacres calling her sister on the way there. they talked at least three times a week texted almost every day. malawi shared everything with donna even the real reason she reported. she did not reveal his name. that was a secret she took to the grave. donna had not talked to them in months. malawi understood why yes feeling like one of the tiny chocolate exit easter shifted gears stomach. recognition that the crack between the mall should not be left to grow. she needed to get away from the family but the distance while it was giving her clarity have become greater. they should be better to one another. she would make an effort when she went back for a visit. malawi made a promise to b

i want to start with connie. connie is responsible for the voting systems in the state of indiana but also works with secretaries of state across the country. would you describe our voting system, in your opinion, as currently safe from hackers? and mischief makers, or are you particularly concerned? will do you fall in the continuum? >> for small, obviously people in your severed this before. there is no evidence that any thoughts were tampered with in the 2016 election. i think that election security has always been a priority of sectors the state, and i think that the e-mail that every chief election official received in august or september of 2016 changed the way we do business. so we're making especially cybersecurity a priority, and we done a number of things we can with department of homeland security, the fbi and, to become, to make sure that we get the information we need. so the number one activity since the 2016 election for the national association of sectors a state at the sectors state has been to i

connie has a way more to say. [laughter] >> that is a wonderful i love the three elements you just laid out. first off i heard access to both investments in human capitol and human capitol itself. those elements you laid out i think with the secretary was talking about with an emotional connection locally but there's an emotional connection for the country as a whole. connie let me turn to you now. you are a former mayor. while we think california, i doubt if a lot of it think immediately, rural. tell us about the rural communities there. think it's important for us to understand a little bit of the diversity, the challenges to a policymaker such a diversity and a range of what happens across the u.s. and a little bit about the successes and challenges you see there. wonderful thank you so much for having me today. it is such a wonderful thing to be on this panel with so many good friends. so, first of all i brought a slide, an image to show you what rural looks like in california. california action is 37 of its 5

as the chair man headquartered in coral gables florida tonight's guest of honor senator connie mack. since 1982, senator mack launched a career to run for the house of representatives were serving three terms running for one of the seats in the u.s. senate. then served two times before choosing reelection. upon returning to the private sector, became chairman followed by the chair as in tampa florida. with that i will handed over to governor bush to begin the conversation and keep in mind you can submit your questions later in the event. a. >> thank you. it's a joy to have this conversati with a man i admire so much and i've read theook. it is a greatook. >> thank you. >> "the new york times" today had an article about independent bookstores that i think it is worth mentioning because i am a kindle guy but every time i read a book i buy ten books to be able to send to friend. i think it's important to be able to really focus on the fact that as a nation, we need to be literate and supporting authors across the spectrum. i'm a big fan of yours and supporter of this, so i have ten book

hey, kimmy, says connie casey through the glass. kimmy comes right up to the glass and begins making frantic-looking hand signals, a sign language that she created. what do you want, asks casey, banana? she looks forlorn and continue to sign, imploring us to understand her message. kimmy tells us again. it's impossible for me not to think she's asking to get out. those big eyes stare at me, and i cannot help but feel that she knows she's stuck in there, as big an enclosure as it is, as well e equipped as it is, and i'm not. i look away from her eyes and hands and notice she's toothless. she's a retired zip by chimp and arrived with no teeth, not uncommon for show business chimps of her era. a toothless chimp is not able to cause night l injuries. -- bite l injuries. there were zip by dolls and comic books, a troupe of different chimpanzees played zippy, and kimmy was one of them who talks at the glass again. huh? this apple? what do you want? this kimmy keeps up an intricate series of fast-changing hand signs. casey keeps asking her

thank you, connie, for your leadership as well. [applaus [applause] >> thank you, leader pelosi, for holding this very important discussion and in teach-in and inviting us. i am connie ford and i just wanted to take a second to tell you that i'm a former secretar secretary-treasurer of opeiu and san francisco labor council for those who are not aware. we try to bring the labor union, about a hundred together to form policy and initiative to help working people about 85,000 of us. i want to mention a few important people in this room today. we have our secretary treasurer, alda miranda from the labor council. [applause] e and i also want to mention, i don't know if you know this, but usf is a union job from the bottom to the top. from the top to the bottom. unions represent-- unions represent 200 professional administrators, and the janitors and every part of work for this university, so, thank you usf for being such a good union shop and the leader of opeiu is natalie, our director of representation and we also have two-- doing the

connie is right. i won't speak to details of an arizona bill, but i will say there's been a pattern of bills across the country that are unbelievably troublesome. they seek to criminalize dissent. they seek to criminalize protest. or at least to put incredible restrictions on it. this is not something new, it's happened in the past in america, but it's something we have to resist. our constitution was written in 1787, and people shield -- need to remember states said, no, it's not sufficient. you have to add a bill of rights. that first item of the bill of rights protected freedom of press, freedom of speech, it protected our ability to sometime this morning go to a church or hassing or synagogue if we wanted, but it also protected the right to assemble and to petition for the redress of grievances. that is a core constitutional right. and if laws diminish it, undermine it, put people at risk or fear for dissenting in this country, then that is a violation of the constitution of the united states and,

. >> and now book tv we want to introduce you to connie long, missed long, what is your career been. >> guest: it has been amazing, that's why detail did in my book, i'm book, i'm sr. whitehorse correspondent in 1968, it was an amazing year, i had one of the last interviews with bobby kennedy before he was shot. i got accolades from nelson and then della who said he used to listen to me in jail, he pick me up and swung me around and said you're not as big as i thought you were, i got beat up in chicago in 1968 during the democratic convention, went to czechoslovakia and spent six months there, made 18 trips to is the israel. still covering the presidents. >> host: for what station where can people find her work. >> guest: right now i do stuff on the weekends and contribute blocks to huffington post .com. i hope you read my book you wake me each morning. this a final addition because i have parkinson's disease. we are all terminal at some point in our life, i guess i'm more terminal than others. i'm under hospice care, the hospice people are great and they come to my house, one of the

[applause] let me welcome the honorable connie mack.applause] ♪ only in america in red, white and blue. ♪ born in america -- >> thank you so much, jim. thank you for the introduction, and thank you for a walk down memory lane. yes, i am cornelius harvey mcgillicuddy. [laughter] i want to say a special thank you to a great friend, a great conservative and great american. he is built cpac to what it is today. we all owe a huge thank you to our friend and mentor, david keene. [applause] david is a tough act to follow, but the right man to do it is the man who has been picked to do it. so i hope you'll join me in saying thank you for him taking the job. my fellow floridian, al. [applause] and, you know, there are 434 other members of the house and 100 senators. but it is no secret that i have a favorite. a great congresswoman from california. and so my mind, our nation's great est congresswoman -- greatest congresswoman, my wife. i'm so proud of her and to be her husband. mary, are you here? [applause] hey, honey. will you be my valentine?