so i think it really depends on who you talk to, what blackmun are you talking to, where did he come from, where do they reside, where the educational level, what the class background, where do they fit? and so i hate to speak for all black because every single blackmun in the gym is a different, and that you have a different experience and had a different response. i can only speak about mine and speak to the brothers i know. >> i had a different reaction to the election in that regard but in my mind barack obama, and those had to run, the most exceptional negro ever. and if the criteria for being the first black president is to be the most exceptional negro ever, because there is very little opportunity think that this would have a dramatic impact on the rest of us in that regard, particularly when we consider the nominal mediocrity of the 43rd minute came before him. -- 43 men who came before him. >> good point. when you talk about the number you -- they were disenfranchised, this is something that michelle alexander, she wrote the new jim crowe in the age of colorblind, she speak

black history bulletin, recently devoted an entire issue to the subject and in their forward, to blackmunslars attributed these characteristics to black woman in america. unshakable, conflating sacrifice -- on flinching sacrifice. we know about countless women from the past to the present who have lived their lives in this way. in fact, like many of you come out my political and educational and historical education started with my family. my consciousness about being black and being proud began with the luminous woman in my life will comprise my roots, my fulcrum and my foundation. my fraternal grandmother, her father was born a slave and later became an owner of a farm in virginia. in prince edward county, virginia. this was the county that was the site of a 1951 protest led by black students to persuade their local school board to build them a better school. it also led in part to the landmark civil rights place -- decision, brown vs. board of education. my grandmother and her sisters realized early on that education was important for their survival. their unshakeable persistence and unf

i know when i was a new justice, justice blackmun came to see me, and he said, ruth, i want to give you some advice. it was given to me by justice black when i was a new justice, and he said don't ask many questions because if you don't ask many questions, you won't ask many foolish ones. >> oh. >> that's good advice. >> what did you say? >> i was not intimidated by, that and i think he was disappointed that i didn't take his advice. >> we hear a phrase now that washington is broken and the observation is usually made about the legislative process which appears to be at an impasse on many difficult issues, budget. even the budget is difficult to pass. compromise appears more difficult, but that's a phrase really that has never been used, to my knowledge, to apply to the judiciary. why do you think the judiciary works relatively well by comparison to the other branches? is it because you make decisions and not avoid them and kick them down the road? how would you explain the differences? >> well, one thing is we don't set our own agenda, and we don't have an initiating role. we get -- we

a justice came to see me and said, "i want to give you some blackmun. do not ask any questions because if you do ask many questions, you will ask many foolish ones. -- if you don't ask many questions, you won't ask many foolish ones. [laughter] >> that is good advice. what did you say? >> and was disappointed that i did not take his advice. [laughter] >> we hear a phrase now that washington is broken and the observation is usually made about the legislative process, which appears to be at an impasse on many difficult issues -- even the budget is difficult to pass. compromise appears more difficult. that is a phrase that has never been used to apply to the judiciary, to my knowledge. why do you think the judiciaries works relatively well by comparison to the other branches? is it because you make decisions and not avoid them or kick them down the road? how would you explain the differences? >> one thing is we do not set our own agendas and we do not have an initiating role. we are a totally reactive institution. we do not say this is the year we will tak

circuit harry blackmun on the supreme court was an assistant u.s. attorney in los angeles and has served as a special counsel to the independent review panel investigating the l.a. police department's rampart division scandal is just an all-around brilliant and wonderful human being and i am so glad he is moderating today's panel. without further ado, join me in welcoming this panel and i look forward to your discussion. thank you. [applause] >> thank you racial and taking a call for coming today to join us in discussing these very important questions and issues. we have a wonderful panel here this morning to talk about the issues of race and policing. let me introduce them all briefly and then we would've started the discussion. to my immediate left is lisa daugaard, public defender in seattle and supervises the racial disparity project, which works to reduce bias in the criminal justice system and focuses particularly on drug arrest in seattle. to her left is song richardson, former public defender coming up or university of iowa and leading schol

sitting down with linda blackmun to set the record straight. >> the media is awful. there, not knowing what they talked about. they really chopped on her. chopped on her. >> reporter: she is a gospel-singing music legend in her own right. and she insists her superstar daughter, contrary to published reports, did not die broke. >> she is not broke. >> reporter: in the end, the l.a. coroner decided to houston died in a bathtub, after doing cocaine. heart disease also contributed to her death. >> she is my only daughter. and a good one. ♪ why >> was my life not enough of a cautionary tale for you? >> reporter: this morning, we're hearing these haunting words from houston. part of the trailer for the soon-to-be released "sparkle, the film she was working on before her death. houston plays a former singer, whose daughters make it big. >> it makes me feel i've done something right. don't lose it. >> reporter: it is a sentiment, shared by her mother. >> i'm very proud of my daughter. she's accomplished a great deal in the short time that she's had here. i'm proud of her for