john middleton, are you there? let's try one more time for mr. n. >> caller: hello. >> host: hi, middleton, tanks for joining us. why did you want to learn about the topic of gerrymander oring? >> guest: well, i've been watching various media including c-span over the last several weeks as the discussion of the deficit and the tea party came about, and i got a very clear impression from the media that gerrymandering was something new and nefarious and had been invented by the tea party, and that's how they got to be so powerful. but i didn't think that was the case. it's not new at all. and so i just thought it was very interesting, the media's current portrayal of gerrymandering and the actual history of it being so very different. >> host: how long have you been interest inside this topic? >> guest: oh, 50 years. i'm an american history major, so i've always been interested in it. >> host: talk a little bit then of the things you've learned either by watching this network or your own study, what have you learned about gerrymandering? what would

the viewer who gave the --gested -- suggested suggestion is john middleton. mr. middleton, why did you want to send that suggestion? are you there? let's try one more time for mr. milton. thanks for joining us. why did you want to learn about the process of gerrymandering? i have been watching various media, including c-span, the last several weeks, the discussion of the deficit and the tea party came about. and i got a very clear impression from the media that thingmandering was some new and azeris and invented by the tea party and that is how they got to be so care -- powerful. i did not think that was the case. it is not new at all. and so, i just thought it was very interesting, the media's portrayal of-- gerrymandering and actual history being very different. host: how long have you been interested in this topic? caller: 50 years. i am an american history major, so i have always been interested in it. things youabout the have learned either watching the network or your own study, what have you learned and what do you think would be of interest to our viewers

john middleton, are you there? let's try one more time for mr. middleton. caller: hello. host: thanks for joining us. why did you want to learn about the topic of gerrymandering? caller: i have been watching various media, including c-span over the last several weeks with the discussion of the deficit and the tea party came about. and i got a very clear impression from the media that gerrymandering was something new and nefarious and had been invented by the tea party and that's how they got to be so powerful. but i didn't think that was the case. it's not new at all. so i just thought it was very interesting, the media's current portrayal of gerrymandering and the actual history of it being so very different. host: how long have you been interested in this topic? caller: oh, 50 years. i'm an american history major, so i've always been interested in it. host: talk a little bit then of the things you've learned maybe watching this network or your own studies, what do you think of gerrymandering? what do you think people would be interested in it? caller: gerrymandering is