eo damrosch and his book about alexis de tocqueville. >> leo damrosch, what is the most interesting personal thing you learned about alexis de tocqueville? >> he was not the kind of olympian, abstract theorist that we assume he was. we have all read part or all of "democracy of america." he was a volatile, emotional, very complicated kind of depressive the young man. he was very adventurous. when he was in america, he was 25, and he was having an adventure. >> when did he live and when did he come to the united states? >> he was born in 1805. his parents had been executed merely because they were french aristocrats. he grew up in a very privileged family. they wanted the old monarchy back. he knew it was not coming back. he came to america in 1831 when he was just 25. he wanted to study our prison system, which he had been mandated to do by his government. he wanted to understand why this great democracy succeeded when france was having one revolution after another. >> he came with a companion, mr. beaumont. who was he and why did he join him on the trip? >> they were best friends. they were

you'll see what i am talking about. >> alexis de tocqueville -- >> you know his story. "democracy of america." you know his journey. alexis de tocqueville. 160 years ago, france was his home, but america was just ahead. it was here that he found the words to write "democracy of america," a book that is still part of today's political conversation. >> we went over to the chateau in france. those politicians and those writers were talking about him all the time. in the last 10 years. am i right? have i just missed it? >> he is still quoted. the problem is he can be quoted on every side of the spectrum. he was very broad-minded. there is more than one side to a question. you can quote him and seem to contradict him. president reagan's speech writers could quote tocqueville, but people may have overdosed on him. that is too bad. i do not think the great book is read as much as it deserves. >> what made these publishers think you could sell this? >> i have a wonderful editor who loves ideas and the history of ideas, as well as american history. i think he thought this was a w

. >> take a new look at alexis de tocqueville and his 1831 tour of america.hat is tonight on cspan's "q &a." >> next up is "washington journal." journal." we will have brian fishman of

. >> a new look at the alexis de tocqueville and his 1881 tour of america. sunday, on c-span's "q&a." >> this weekend on c-span2's "book tv," growing up between arabs and israelis. he chronicles -- and then chronicling one of the most vile places on earth. and a novel that took an author 30 years to polish, "matter turned -- matterhorn." >> it is campaign 2010 your way with the c-spannvideo library. it -- we make it easy to follow the prairie season, campaign trail, debates, victory and concession speeches, all free online anytime. >> "washington journal" continues. host: congressman joe wilson of south carolina serves as a member of the armed services committee in the house of representatives and he also has sons serving in the army and knows about the roles and responsibilities of america's military firsthand. you heard general petraeus' testimony urging patients. do you agree? guest: i do. i have the opportunity to visit the country nine times. i indeed have had -- i have fears sick -- i have four sonss in the military. and i have a nephew who just comple

. >> take a new look at alexis de top fell and his 1831 tour of america. abroad -- alexis de tocqueville and his 1831 tour america. fcc commissioner robert mcdowell talks about the use of public airwaves for emergency airwaves sunday night on c-span 2. tonight, vietnam veteran on the novel that took in 30 years to publish. "matt terhorn" follows the veterans of bravo company. we will have the author of more than 20 books for children. get our entire weekend schedule at book-tv.org. >> "washington journal"continue this. host: we have a policy director for the judicial crisis director to talk about the election of l.a. neck taken to the supreme court. the hearings will start --elena kagan. the hearings will start july 8. talk about why you are opposing her. a clear opposed or in favor oft- position. the big problem here is that elena kagan is a blank slate. she has never been a federal judge or a state judge. she has very limited practical experience before she became solicitor general last year perry should never argued in cases in court. she had experience in the clinton administration d

. >> take a new look at the alexis de tocqueville and his 1881 tour of america. a new book "tookville's discovery of america." sunday on c-span's "q&a." >> this weekend on book tv, growing up between arabs and israelis. an autobiography. charles -- chronicles one of the most violent and corrupt places on earth, juarez, mexico. and on afterwards, a vietnam veteran on the novel that took in 30 years to publish, following the soldiers of bravo company through vietnam. find the entire weekend schedule at book tv.org, and join us on twitter. more than 30,000 already have. >> it is campaign 2010 your way, with the c-span video library. we make it easy to follow the primary season, from the campaign trail to the debates, to victory and concession speeches. all free online anytime. >> "washington journal" continues. host: we have about 40, 45 minutes left in this morning's program and it is open phones friday. what ever public policy topic you would like to discuss, we will put the numbers up on the screen and a second. they are divided by political affiliation. we talke

. >> take a new look at alexis de tocqueville. that is sunday on c-span.upreme court justice clarence thomas on the prospect of a new justice. >> to bring in a family member, it changes the family. it is different. it is different today than what it was when i first got here. i have to admit that you grew very fond of the court. you spend a long time here. >> the confirmation hearings for a landing can start june 28. -- the confirmation hearings for elena kagan the start june 28. these provide any insight about the court. they are available now in the hardcover and also as an e-book. >> "washington journal" continues. host: joining us is joan lowy. who are opening of u.s. airspace? guest: a permanent homeland security, department of defense, law enforcement agencies, the coast guard, customs and the border patrol, and manufacturers who want to sell these things to the government. they would like to have permission to do this so they can make a lot of profit. there are researchers come universities that have proposals to gather various types of information.

. >> take a new look at alexis de tocqueville and his 1831 tour of america. "q & a." c-span's >> a senate hearing on the costs associated with the gulf of mexico oil spill. testifying are the bp vice president in charge of the claims process, and officials from the coast guard and government accountability office. senator tom corporate shares this hour, 45 minute hearing -- senator tom carper chairs this hour, 45 minute hearing. >> we will come to order. i want to welcome my neighbor from across the delaware river, my colleague. before i call on him, i would like to give an opening statement. once we are joined by other colleagues, if senator mccain it joins us before i recognize senator lott and byrd, senator mccain will give his opening statement. if other members of our panel show up before, the panel will have an opportunity to give opening statements. welcome one and all. for 58 days, the american people have watched the tragedy unfold in slow motion before our eyes. it was two months ago when we first heard the news of an explosion on the oil rig in the gulf of

. >> take a new look at alexis de tocqueville and his tour of america. there's a new book about it. we will discuss it sunday on c- span's "q&a." >> admiral thad allen says there is a major push to acquire more ships for skimming and additional protective booms. admiral allen is the government coordinator for the bp oil spill cleanup. he briefed reporters in new orleans for about half an hour. >> good morning, folks. i will give you a couple of updates on what is going on at the wellhead. i will be happy to take any questions you might have for me. i am pleased to report that in the 24-hour period ending last night, we were able to cover 25,000 barrels of oil. this is our new system of boats. enterprise and our exploitation of the key line to bring additional oil out and be processed. there are additional vessels being brought into the area. we anticipate by the end of the increase to about 53,000 barrels a month. following that, there'll have to be a decision made when we reach max capacity with the recovery system we have on the scene with the containment cap. at that point, the o

. >> taken to look at alexis de tocqueville and his 1831 tour of america. tonight on "q&a". >> this past thursday, officials from the minerals management service's testified before the house resources subcommittee on regulations concerning oil rigs. they are responsible for approving offshore oil rig construction. also appearing was a former bp contractor who alleged unsafe practices concerning the atlantis platform. this portion of the hearing is about three hours. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] [gavel pounds] >> the subcommittee on energy and minerals will now reconvene. i want to apologize to the witness of the second panel and witnesses of the third panel, because obviously, i was off by 20 minutes. it is the intention of the chair now to go through this second panel and a third panel and conclude the hearing when that takes place. members that are here will be recognized under the same terms as we hold with the previous witnesses, previous panels. the subcommittee will no