kennedy center for the performing arts; david rubenstein.d rubenstein: the last time i danced in public it was at my bar mitzvah. it wasn't a pretty site then either. tonight you have seen why ellen degeneres is such a worthy recipient of the 15th mark twain prize. like mark twain, and each of the previous 14 recipients of the prize, tonight's award winner has a unique style and manner of making people laugh. in ellen's case it is to use warmth and wit, grace and charm, friendliness and happiness. and all of this is always with a smile on her face and a spark in her step; especially her dance step. it is unlikely that others can replicate this unique approach to humor, but no doubt others will try. they will try because ellen has simply become one of the modern "gold standards" of humor. and for that reason, at some point down the road, we can expect to see other organizations giving out humor awards, and calling them the, "ellen degeneres awards." but tonight, we are pleased that ellen is the recipient of our award and i am now honored to p

michael levi is the david m. rubenstein senior fellow for energy and environment on the council of foreign relations and the director of the energy security and climate change. he's an expert on climate change, energy security, arms control and nuclear terrorism. project director for the independent task force on climate change. cochaired by former governors tom vilsack and george pataki. his essays have been published in foreign affairs, foreign policy, nature, scientific american, among others. his op-eds have appeared in new york times, washington post be, "wall street journal," financial times and his book is reviewed in this week's "economist." he served as technical consultant to the drama "24." we could probably spend an hour asking questions about that, actually. he holds a bs in mathematical physics, an ma in physics and and a ph.d. in war studies. so let's not hold him against him that he currently lives in new york city. please join me in offering a very warm welcome to our distinguished speaker, michael levi. [a

david, meanwhile, 148 victims and their relatives are reportedly suing the u.s. government for $750 million. they say the government failed to protect against these killings. the group's lawyer, reid rubenstein's, quote: open, very obvious jihaddism was overlooked out of misplaced respect for his religion. is this a valid suit? >> that's a nice way of putting it. we have a culture where the obama administration won't recognize muslim terrorists for what they are, and within the army ranks, there was a protected class of muslim. major nadal hasan, i won't even use the title major,ny call hasan is a -- nidal hasan who in open areas and in speeches and writings made clear his radical views, but they would not report him. there was a failure under political correctness guidelines that led to this event. and here we have a guy who, by the way, you know, when you talk about how he's going to the play the system in the trial, he's been playing it for four years. and the end point of this is important, that no matter what happens -- even if convicted of the death penalty -- he goes through the process, even if he asks for a supreme court review, the president, if it happens in the next three years,