you can follow along and join the conversation at hash tag dan balz. dan will speak for a little bit and will be time for questions if you have a question. notice the bright lights on c-span. we are also videoing the event for our own website. so please try to make it to this microphone here so that everybody can pick up your question. afterwards of course dan will be happy to stay and sign copies of his book. given the size of the audience, if you could not all russia pier one, but take some time to fault the dirt shares in place to make it something solid and form alliances makes back that way, we appreciate it very much. ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming dan balz. [applause] >> now the wendy analysis begins. brad, thank you. it is a delight to be introduced by a former colleague and one with whom i have so much respect and his wonderful wife on the list that when they took over politics & prose. sorry, is the mike thayer? hello? already. i am paid tribute to brad and must for the great work they've carried on here at politics & prose.

police disperse those rallying in support of damascus security forces also block the entrance to is dan balz gezi park to prevent a demonstration there as well in the u.s. people took to the streets expressing opposition to a possible attack on syria protesters gathered in front of the white house after obama's announcement about a strike and crowds turned out also in new york at a rally in paris marchers held science calling president a lot of hama and with david power and terrorists u.s. administrations and the syrian rhetoric has sparked warnings and criticism of from moscow as well president vladimir putin saying washington's assessment the assad government had launched a chemical attack against its own people is quote nonsense or to use sean thomas reports. moscow has been very busy this week urging the west not to intervene in the situation in syria vladimir putin spoke on the situation saying that the idea of the assad regime using chemical weapons that in country is ridiculous saying the situation on the ground just does not allow for it he said that the g twenty summit this week is

dan balz writes -- we are going to hear next from our republican line.ler: thank you for letting me speak. i think there should be a ceiling, there really should. look how far we are in debt. when the kids nowadays grow up, they're going to have so much that that they have to pay back. , i don't think it's fair for the people who work and pay taxes into their medical insurance -- their medical insurance has gone up so from them just having to support the ones who don't want to work. what would you think about a government shutdown? i don't think they should shut it down but if they do the should cut everyone's pay. host: what do you do for a living? caller: i'm on disability. host: are you worried about any of that? caller: i am. i'm worried about all of it. that is what i am saying. if they shut down, i cannot pay my bills. you are calling on the republican line. do you believe spending should be cut? some spending should because, yes. -- should be cut. barbara is on the independent line. caller: thank you for taking my call. i believe this whole thing

i'm dan balz with the washington post. i cover national politics at the post. [applause] thank you.the washington post" is a proud cosponsor of this event. we have been a charter sponsor since the beginning. it's been a fantastic partnership. we hope it will continue on well into the future, and as any be author can tell you, this is a wonderful audience. it's fantastic to see book readers and book lovers, so thank you for coming. one piece of housekeeping for those of you who have not heard this, i want to inform you that the pavilion's presentations are being filmed for the library of congress web site and for their archives. please be mindful that as you enjoy the presentation, do not sit on the camera risers in the back and pay anticipation, obviously, to everything -- pay attention, obviously, to everything that's going on around you. all right, now we've done that. for the next 45 minutes you all are in for a real treat. evan thomas is one of our country's most accomplished journalists. a former washington bureau chief and assistant managing editor at "newsweek," and he is als