she seems to fit what molly ivins is all about. >> she's a lot of people don't know molly ivins because she is best known in texas and the southwest. but she is quite a funny political person. >> i would bet a lot of people in this town have been reading her column is forever. coming up next, to pick up or not to pick up -- the never ending debate among parent of it comes to crying babies. a new medical study has a new answer. >> one man's trash is another man's treasure, but how about this? a renoir [ romney ] this president can ask us to be patient. this s president can tell us it was someone else's fault. but this president cannot tell us that you're better off today than when he took office. [ female announcer ] here in virginia, we're not better off under president obama. his defen cuts threaten over one hundred thirty thousand jobs lowering home values, putting families at risk. the romney plan? tax cuts for middle class families. north american energy independence. create over three hundred forty thousand new jobs for virginia. [ romney ] i'm mitt romney and i approved this messa

member of people for the american way, and i am extremely happy to be here and i love performing molly ivins and the arena stage. i will confess that come at one point, i came close to spending a lot more time here than i anticipated, say, 15 or 20 years. i came to washington with joseph papp, the late founder of the new york public here. we were here to lobby for continue funding for the in town -- for the endowment of the arts. we met senator strom thurmond. i said something that i deeply believe, that what we have left of the societies and civilizations that preceded us, more than any other aspect or the arts, the paintings, the literature, the music, the architecture. these are the legacy is left to us. now our own art is what we will leave to the future. what senator thurmond -- we were not on the same page. [laughter] he said, now, little lady -- which of course please me to know when -- now, little lady, i have been around here a little longer than you have, wouldn't you say so? [laughter] you know, i have always liked blondes. well, i am here to tell you that this funding just ain't

[applause] [laughter] >> finally, i would like to ask you what is your favorite molly ivins quote. >> i will tell you one that is becoming more and more part of my everyday life. she says, you see? i am an optimist to the point of idiocy. [laughter] [applause] thank you. >> thank you all for coming today. i would also like to thank the national press club staff, including the journalism institute and the broadcast center for organizing today's event. finally, a reminder that you can find more information about the national press club on our website. also, if you would like to get a copy of today's program, please check out our website at www.pres.org. thank you and we are adjourned. [applause] >> in four weeks, the first of the presidential debates live on c-span, c-span radio and c- span.org. next, the president of the university of virginia on student cheating and then a debate on student athletes and higher education. after that, actress kathleen turner on women's health and reproductive rights. >> i am just angry. it is offensive to have people take on a position of public trust a

besides acting and doing political work, turner is doing one thing -- helping to keep the spirit of molly ivins alive. she was a newspaper columnist whose passion for politics made a religion. turner beens. that is because when former texas gov. ann richards was undergoing cancer treatment in manhattan, she happened to move into turner's apartment building. one day, ivins was visiting with richards and the ran into turner. they invited her out for an evening of laughter, paul stories and giving turner a -- tall stories and giving turner a unique appreciation of -- tall stories and giving turner a unique appreciation of ivins if you have not already seen the play, the national press club journalism institute has tickets available for a special performance on september 13 where miss turner will meet the group after the performance. please welcome kathleen turner. [applause] about what i have to say. i do not lend my name to groups to use on a list. i invest in the issues i care about and the organizations are respect and i give what time i can. when i am home in new york city, i am a board member