congressman beyer a won the seat vacated by retired congressman jim moran. >>> congressman don beyer from virginia's 8th congressional district. when and where did you begin a am politics? >> i think i have sort of a terminal case of potomac fever. three of my four grandparents came here to work for franklin roosevelt they were new dealers and growing up here i just -- you read the "washington post" every day, are sucked into political life. i can remember very well the democratic convention in 1960, we were down at the beach and all the grandparents and parents were huddled around the radio listening to the convention night after night. i remember john kennedy's race in 1962, it was the biggest hinge in our family life, the packet that this catholic democrat could win the presidency. so i think the fantasy all my life was that i would grow up and find a career and find a way to get into public service. >> your tad started a volvo dealership, those who live in washington, d.c. are quite familiar with don beyer voluntarily row, it's your dad. >> it will be our 42nd anniversary in nove

. >>> our conversations continue with democrat don beyer of virginia's 8th district. he owns a number of car dealerships in the d.c. metro area and served as u.s. ambassador to switzerland during the obama administration. congressman beyer won the seat vacated by jim moran. >> why did you begin a career in politics? >> i have a terminal case of potomac fever. 3 of my 4 grandparents came here to work for franklin rooz vel. roosevelt they were new dealers and growing up here i just -- you read the "washington post" every day, are sucked into political life. i can remember very well the democratic convention in 1960, we were down at the beach and all the grandparents and parents were huddled around the radio listening to the convention night after night. i remember john kennedy's race in 1962, it was the biggest hinge in our family life, the packet that this catholic democrat could win the presidency. so i think the fantasy all my life was that i would grow up and find a career and find a way to get into public service. >> your tad started a volvo dealership, those who l

. >>> our conversations continue with democrat don beyer of virginia's 8th district.he owns a number of car dealerships in the d.c. metro area and served as u.s. ambassador to switzerland during the obama administration. congressman beyer won the seat vacated by jim moran. >> why did you begin a career in politics? >> i have a terminal case of potomac fever. 3 of my 4 grandparents came here to work for franklin rooz vel.

it's time to find your park, which is what don beyer writes in ""the huffington post.""hich parks have you found this summer? judy is up next. good morning. you're on "the washington journal." >> caller: good morning. >> go ahead, judy. >> caller: i have volunteered -- i have been to like 30 parks and i have volunteered in two parks. i wish they would have been more supportive of the parks. they're in real trouble. when you go and you visit the parks, they look like paradise. they do. but underneath all of that, you have the decrease in the budget, decrease in the number of rangers at each park. and if it wasn't for volunteers, the parks would not be able to keep going. the rangers are not paid a lot. the seasonal rangers are -- they are seasonal rangers. when they lose that job, they have to apply to another park, which they may or may not get the positions. and it's a very cumbersome system. and they lose their housing, they lose their insurance. they're like nomads and they get paid very little, and yet they have the backbone of our park. and they are not hiring more

. >> congressman don beyer, thank you very much for your time. >>> prior to california becoming a state in 1850, it was ruled by mexico, and the majority of the population had immigrated from that region, including many with african ancestry. up next, professor carlos salomon talks about the history of california during the 19th century and the many californians who lived in the region. in particular, he focuses on the role of wealthy businessman pio pico, who was the governor of california while it was under mexican rule. >> hi, everyone. welcome. my name is marie silva. i'm the manuscripts librarian here at the california historic society. i'm really excited about tonight's program. it's my great pleasure to introduce our speaker,

. >> congressman don beyer, thank you very much for your time. >>> prior to california becoming a state in 1850, it was ruled by mexico, and the majority of the population had immigrated from that region, including many with african ancestry. up next, professor carlos salomon talks about the history of california during the 19th century and the many californians who lived in the region. in particular, he focuses on the role of wealthy businessman pio pico, who was the governor of california while it was under mexican rule. >> hi, everyone. welcome. my name is marie silva. i'm the manuscripts librarian here at the california historic society. i'm really excited about tonight's program. it's my great pleasure to introduce our speaker, dr. carlos manuel salomon tonight. he is a scholar working in the areas of borderland studies, social movements, oral history, and migration. this portrait of pico challenges the paradigm of the decline of the californians through which that experience has often been interpreted drawing a connection by the battles fought by k californians. like many other ea