mcconnell: yeah. well, let me -- let me just on that issue, i have been extraordinarily lucky to have worked with outstanding men and women over the years. all of whom have made me look a lot better than i am. and it's great to see a lot of them here tonight. robert: thank you, senator mcconnell. thank you, thank you, thank y >> c-span's washington journal, a live forum involving you to discuss public policy. from d.c. to across the country. coming up, we discussed incoming trump administration, and also, katrina burgess join us to talk about the historyf mass deportation in america including th eisenhower era campaign, operation wetback. c-span's washington journal, join in the conversation at 7:00 a.m. eastern sunday morning on c's then, c-span now, or online at c-span.org. in advance of the u.s.' 250th birthday in 2026, the american enterprise institute discusses individual rights and responsibilities, as well as the american revolution. watch live monday at 6:30 eastern on c-span, c-span now, or o

the last person donald trump cares about is mitch mcconnell, i'm curious to see what mitch mcconnell for pete hegseth, tulsi gabbard, kash patel, all of these people will effectively be doing wittingly or unwittingly vladimir putin's will in the sense that they are all committed to the decline of america's strength in the world, the decline of pox americana, which served this country in the nation in the world well since 1945. i will be serious to see if mitch mcconnell, foreign affairs magazine, read by -- in washington and a few people by new york and not by donald trump for sure, nobody that matters in terms of making decisions that affect this country area >> what you think this is about, hayes? mitch mcconnell trying to stay relevant, no longer in leadership position, within the party, not somebody that carries a lot of ideological weight, does not represent the ideological shift trump has been trying to pursue, even though very subservient to trump and trump loyalist doing his bidding, what is the play mitch mcconnell is trained to position himself as? >> i will say something s

>> i will say something semi nice about mitch mcconnell. trying to rehab his image. he hasn't cared about that at all. he cares about the acquisition and the accumulation of power. he cares about america being the top gun on the world stage. he is very ironic we are voting together as a block. that is how we have power. so, for him to be putting this out there and saying hey, guys, don't withdrawal from the world. he wants to keep ukraine money flowing. this is what mitch mcconnell, i really do think cares about as much as he cares about anything that can be considered policy driven. purely how you obtain political power thing. >> and we saw, we have four years of trump in office with mitch mcconnell by his side. in the first term, you had trump's embrace of isolationism when it came to foreign policy. cozying up with dictators like vladimir putin and kim jong un. it was not a secret. yet mitch mcconnell went along with it every step of the way. here he is now trying to be relevant. >> i don't know if he is trying to be relevant. he cares a

but leader mcconnell always plays the long game. he persevered to deliver historic support for ukraine, israel, and allies in asia. he epitomizes that reaganesque quality of refusing to give up or give in when matters of principle are at stake. just to be clear, although stepping down from his leadership position, thank goodness senator mcconnell does not plan to go quietly. as he said earlier this year, he will continue to keep promoting a reaganesque vision on foreign policy as his number one focus for the next two years. today, we are honored to recognize leader mcconnell for his leadership this year and for his extraordinary achievements across a senate career of four decades. the peace through strength award features a bronze eagle perched on a granite base. the eagle projects american courage and strength. the eagle's talon is an actual piece of the fallen berlin wall. it is a reminder of america's role in bringing freedom to the oppressed end of the peace achieved through projecting that strength. and now, to present the awar

with those words later mcconnell perfectly described -- leader mcconnell described president reagan's peace through strength. the marriage of words and action might be a dying art for some but for leader mcconnell it remains a bedrock principle. leader mcconnell began his senate career during the reagan years. the balance of power shifted back and forth but he has demonstrated commitment to the principles he shared with president reagan. when aid for ukraine was in doubt, a lesser leader might have folded. he could have said the politics were too hard. he could have said there was no way forward. but leader mcconnell always plays the long game. he persevered to deliver historic support for ukraine, israel and allies in asia. he epitomizes the reagan-esque quality of refusing to give up or give in. just to be clear, stepping down from his leadership position, thank goodness senator mcconnell does not plan to go quietly. as he said earlier this year he will continue to keep promoting a reagan-esque vision on foreign policy for his number one vision for the next two years. we are honored

mcconnell has had some very public health incidents. twice over the course of the latter half of last year, he had moments where he appeared to freeze on camera. those health experiences were never really explained by mcconnell's office, but we do know that he sought to reassure his colleagues and the press in the aftermath of those events. we have thought seen any health scares like that from mcconnell in the interim period from september through right now. but we do know that he has fallen in the past. there was a moment, i believe it was a year or more ago, where he fell leaving a fund-raiser here in washington and sustained some injuries. so we're of course waiting to hear from mcconnell's office at this juncture. we have, of course, reached out to them and are eager to hear back. but we can say, just at this point, preliminarily, mcconnell should be speaking alongside the rest of his republican leadership apparatus. they do a weekly press conference around this time, and our understanding is that john thune, who you see there on th

mcconnell wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> attention, middle and high school students across america it's time to make your voice heard. c-span's student documentary contest 2025 is here, your chance to create a documentary that can inspire change, raise awareness, and make an impact. it should answer this year's question, your message to the president. what issue is most important to you or your community? whether you are passionate about politics, the environment, or community stories, studentcam is your platform to share your message with the world with $100,000 in prizes including a grand prize of $5,000. it is your opportunity to not only make an impact, but to be rewarded for youcreativity and hard work. interviewer submissions today. scanned the code or visit studentcam.org. the deadline is january 20, 2025. >> c-span it now is a free mobile app featuring your unfiltered view of what is happening in washington live and on-demand. keep up with the day's biggest events of floor proceedings, hearings

eastern as we explore the life and career of senator mcconnell.e shares his views on the importance of the senate, is 17 years of leading his fellow republicans, and plans for his remaining two years in office as well as other topics. our guest is deputy washington, d.c. bureau chief for the associated press and author of a new mcconnell biography, the price of power. join us for the career and legacy of senate leader mitch mcconnell wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. announcer: witness democracy in action with c-span. experience history as it unfolds with c-span's live coverage this january as republicans take control of both chambers of congress and a new chapter begins with the swearing in of the 47th president of the united states. on friday, don't miss the opening day of the 119th congress. watch the election of the house speaker, the swearing in of new members of congress and the senate, and the first day of leadership for south dakota's john thune as the new senate majority leader. on monday, january 6 live from the house chamb

eastern as we explore the life and career of senator mcconnell. he shares his views on the importance of the senate, the 17 years of leading his fellow republicans, and plans for his remaining two years in office, as well as other topics. our guest for the program is the deputy washington, d.c. bureau chief for the associated press and author of a new mcconnell biography, "the price of power." join us for the career and legacy of senate leader mitch mcconnell wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> c-span is your unfilteredded view of government. we're funded by these television companies and more, including cox. >> when connection is needed most, cox is there to help. bringing affordable internet to families in need. new tech to boys and girls clubs. and support to veterans. whenever and wherever it matters most, we'll be there. >> cox supports c-span as a public service, along with these other television providers, giving you a

mcconnell says he feels liberated. we're going to find out on the first confirmation vote how liberated mcconnell is, and every is going to be watching. you know, i have high hopes. i am going to maintain high hopes until those hopes are formally crushed with an actual vote on the senate floor. >> i appreciate it. look, my name is joy, but you're the one who brings the joy. you're also bringing joy to people in malawi. you have been doing this -- is it 14 years? >> it is. >> can't believe it's been 14 years. i have been watching you do it from the very beginning. it's so important that the global south be paid attention to. we're starting to do it, but you have been paying attention to the need of children to have desks. explain for the two people who don't know what the kind fund is. >> this is something i started at the very beginning of my show. we call it the kind fund. kids in need of desks. i went to malawi and discovered the situation in the schools there and came back here thinking how can we get desks into the

eastern's as we explore the life and career of senator mcconnell.es his views on the importance of the senate, his 17 years leading, and his plans for his remaining two years of office, as well as other topics. our guest for the program is the deputy washington, d.c. bureau chief for the associated press and author of the no mcconnell biography, "the price of power." join us for the legacy of mitch mcconnell wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. ♪ >> ahead of the presidential inauguration on january 20, american history tv presents a series "historic inaugural speech is." each we can listen two inaugural speeches from fdr to barack obama. on saturday, which is by president john kennedy in 1961. >> ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. announcer: president lyndon johnson in 1965 -- >> i will lead, and i will do the best i can. announcer: announcer: and president richard nixon in 1969. >> our world can be transferred from the destruction of war abroad, to the urgent needs of our people at home. annou

mcconnell is a polio survivor himself. there are people who are going to have some tough questions, especially about all these vaccines. especially when you look at mcconnell who is a polio survivor, he knows the effectiveness of these vaccines and he doesn't want to see the is going away. he's going to have to answer the tough questions. but also democrats have expressed an openness in the hearing about we are going to see how this goes. host: the headlines continue this morning. this is the front page of the new york times, kennedy aid files to revoke shots for polio. so is mitch mcconnell meeting with rfk jr. this week? i imagine that would be a place reported would be gathering if that happened. guest: i don't know if it will be this week when i do know he is going to be meeting with them sometimes for the confirmation hearing and he is going to want answers to these questions. the headline is that that is what mcconnell is referring to, something he does not want to be reading on the front page of any newspaper. he wi

you're not a supporter mitch mcconnell if you support the polio vaccine? you are a democrat, republican, somebody in favor of public health in the country. it does a disservice to boil it down to the politics of this or well, there's this old guy named mitch mcconnell who supports polio vaccine. it is something that has made all of us safer, that has guaranteed the ability to send children to schools all over the country and all over the world. it is an american innovation of the debt millions of lives all over the world. we are on the brink of eliminating polio in the entire world in recent years. it was a goal of the gates foundation. they didn't quite reach it. it would be an incredible blow rfk jr.'s lawyer were to be able to succeed in something like this. whether he shades his own record in some meetings with a handful of republican senators, just think i would under score that in no way shape or form is a polio vaccine a partisan issue and it would be a tragedy to leave viewers with the impression that it is something that is supported by mitch mcco

as we know, senator mcconnell was personally affected by polio.y, on the world. it will be interesting to see, though, how the republicans oppose rfk, jr., if they choose to do so. he had such a huge cult following, that's what makes him so attractive to donald trump. it will make it difficult for republican senators to step out against rfk. >> also trump is so fond of having a kennedy on his side. and i think that kennedys make america healthy again, which is some of the less controversial stances. that might provide enough cover for people. >> so popular with the joe rogan audience. hitting an audience of men, hitting that audience and talking about america's food supply, which we all know could be healthier, could be better. could catch up with europe on a lot of our standards. >> let's talk about, following the pete hegseth confirmation battle closely. ten days ago, it seemed like he was all but finished. now he has momentum. it's not clear he has the votes. he is still a few short. what is the latest you heard as to what momentum he might hav

eastern as we explore the life and career of senator mcconnell.iews on the importance of the senate, his 17 years of leading his fellow republicans and plans for his remaining two years in office as well as other topics. our guests for the program is michael tackett, deputy washington bureau chief for the associated press and author of a new mcconnell biography "the price of power," join us for the legacy of mitch mcconnell on wednesday at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. ♪♪ ♪♪ >>> by way of previewing america's largest inland city we may commence with this panorama from the observation tower from chicago's tallest building. less than 140 years ago such a view would have disclosed a log fort and a few cabins at the mouth of a muddy river. when gold seekers were running to california chicago boasted streets of bottomless mud. now with 3.5 million res dens the city has become the second largest center of population in the western hemisphere. such growth reflects chicago's location midway through the west and the east. it is interest rate industrial inst

eastern as we explore the life and career of senator mcconnell.nce of the senate, the 17 years of leading his fellow republicans and plans for his remaining two years in office as well as other topics. our guest is the deputy washington dc bureau chief for the associated press and author of a new macconnell biography "the price of power." join us for the career and legacy of the career -- of mitch mcconnell. >> ahead of the presidential inauguration on january 20, american history tv on c-span two a four-week series, historic inaugural speeches. listen to inaugural speeches from franklin roosevelt through barack obama. on saturday, here inaugural speeches by president john kennedy in 1961. >> ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. >> president lyndon johnson in 1965. >> i will lead and i will do the best i can. >> and president richard nixon >> in 1969. our wealth can be transferred from the destruction of war abroad to the urgent needs of our people at home. >> watch historic inaugural speeches on american

actually, to me, it's more about mitch mcconnell right now.t's where the interesting part of this discussion is, because mitch mcconnell late friday put out a statement after it came out that an attorney advising rfk jr. had pushed in a lawsuit to revoke the vaccine for polio. mcconnell put out a statement that said efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed, they're dangerous. anyone seeking the senate's consent to serve in the incoming administration would do well to steer clear of even the appearance of an association with such efforts. mcconnell also separately, and i'm not going to go through the graphic, actually put out an article in foreign affairs this weekend, sort of laying down the line on foreign policy, saying where he's going to fight with the trump administration. how much do you think mitch mcconnell is going to take a stand, karen, over the next several months? >> i think it's very clear. and actually i am with him on this one when it comes to the polio vaccine, because goodness knows he ha

join us for the career and legacy of senate leader mcconnell wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> witness democracy in action with c-span. experience history as it unfolds with c-span live coverage of this january as republicans take control of both chambers of congress and a new chapter begins with the swearing-in of the 47th president of the united states. on friday, don't miss the opening day of the 119th congress. watch the election of the house speaker, the swearing-in of new members of the congress and the senate, and the first day of leadership for south dakota's john thune as the new leadership. from the house chamber, witness vice president kamala harris preside over the electoral college vote where this historical action will confirm donald trump as the winner of the presidential election. january 20, tune in for all the coverage of the presidential stay with c-span row january for comprehensive, live, unfiltered coverage of the 119th congress on the presidential inauguration. c-span, democracy unfiltered, presented by cable. >> president jimmy cart

eastern as we explore the life and career of senator mcconnell. he shares his views on the importance of the senate, 17 years of leading his fellow republicans and plan for his remaining two years in office as well as other topics. our guest for the program is the deputy washington dc bureau chief for the associated press and author of a new mcconnell biography, the price of power. going for the legacy and career of senator mitch mcconnell wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> the c-span bookshelf podcast feed makes it easy for you to listen to all of c-span's podcasted feature nonfiction books in one place so you can discover new authors and ideas. each week we are making it convenient for you to listen to multiple episodes with critically acclaimed authors discussing history, biography, current events and culture from our signature program about books, afterwards, a book notes plus and q and day. listen to c-span -- c-span bookshelf podcast. you can find that feed on the free c-span now mobile video app. or wherever you get your pod

let me just read mitch mcconnell's statement. a polio survivor, he won't be the republican leader, but he's still a reasonably powerful republican senator. he says efforts to undermine public confidence, confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed. they're dangerous. anyone seeking the senate's consent to serve in the incoming administration would do well to steer clear of even the appearance of association with such efforts. so i do wonder inside trump world, if there's any concern that mitch mcconnell may get in the way of rfk or try to of rfk nomination. look, there's a lot of concern within trump world about senators in general trying to raise issues during rfk's confirmation hearings, even if people eventually vote for him. i think there's a number of issues that will come up in questioning. mitch mcconnell is clearly signaling that that is going to be one of those questions. rfk jr.. is historically pro-choice. that's been another issue of concern for some of trump's supporters on the conservative right. so there's a

then there's mitch mcconnell. i want to be clear and precise.ow that trump is president-elect we have not heard him raise his voice. he does have power to say that now that trump is on the vernl vernl of doing it. that same night, sheer mitch mcconnell sglt united states senate will not be intimidated. we will not be kept out of this chamber by thugs, mobs or threats. we will not bow to lawlessness or intimidation. we are back at our posts. we will discharge our duty under the constitution and for our nation. this failed insurrection only underscores how crucial the task before us is for our republic. our nation was founded precisely so that the free choice of the american people is what shapes our self-government and determines the destiny of our nation. not fear. not force. but the peaceful expression of the popular will. >> the democratic popular will is what mcconnell defended then. but is not defending now that trump is acting against it and against the rule of law and what juries found in the convictions. here was some of the coverage arou

we have not heard from mcconnell himself.do expect to see him to go and vote in a matter of minutes here. this comes in the aftermath of a number of incidents, including last year when he tripped and he fell. he hit his head, he suffered a concussion, broke some ribs and the like, and a couple of freezing episodes as well. that raised some questions about his health. at the time, his office said that this was the result of dehydration. mcconnell is 82 years old. he's the longest serving party leader in history. this is the end of in the senate history of any party, republican or democrat. this is the end of his tenure as the republican leader. he is stepping aside from that, giving that position to john thune. he will serve out the final two years of his current term. he has not said yet if he will run for reelection, but at the moment, his colleagues say he is fine. we we hope to hear from the senator more about exactly what happened here, but no doubt about it alarmed, his colleagues tripped and he fell 82 years old. but no

mcconnell is clearly sending a message to rfk jr. and his lawyer.ld this have an effect on kennedy's potential confirmation to lose well, it totally could. >> mitch mcconnell is influential in the senate right now. he's the senate minority leader. he's going to be stepping down from that post, but still going to have a lot of influence with his fellow senators. he's been a part of that body for quite a long time now. he's retiring, so he has a little bit more leeway to break from the party orthodoxy and potentially even oppose some of donald trump's candidate selections. and i think he's trying to send a shot across the bow and let trump and those around him know that not only is rfk someone that he's not very comfortable voting to support, but that if rfk is going to be confirmed by the senate broadly, he's going to need to moderate his position. he's going to need to clarify some of these controversial statements and positions that he's taken in the past and that his associates have embraced. and so i think it's very clear that mitch mcconnell is

because mitch mcconnell thought a president shouldn't do that during a year that americans should vote. and fast forward to what elie is talking about, ruth bader ginsburg death where trump does this rush rush nomination of amy coney barrett after voting is actually underway in 2020. the idea that he would say this is about red and blue not about black robes is pretty ludicrous. it's a mountain out of a mole hill. god bless those judges that are willing to hold on for four years, because moat federal judges, regardless of who appoints them will do the right thing once they're on the bench. and although it rings in some sense hollow for chuck schumer to say that the judiciary will be the bulwark against trumpism, after what we've all seen the supreme court do for the last eight years, in the sense that the district judges, the trial judges across the country who hear these issues in the first instance and often are the decider along with the courts of appeals, that still is important. that still resonates for americans. and those judges unlike their brethren and sisters on the united st

mitch mcconnell has it as a child.e's what he said, and he is as hard right, maga, helping trump as much as he gets. "the polio vaccine has saved millions of lives and held out the promise of eradicating a terrible disease. efforts to undermine public confidence and proven cures are not just you uninformed, they're dangerous. anyone seeking the senate's consent to serve in the incoming administration would do well to steer clear of even the appearance of association with such efforts." if i thought he would vote against rfk jr., i would implement them for that, but they want to do more than mess with the polio vaccine, potentially. pre-vaccine cases of the measles, 530,000. after the vaccine, 13. diphtheria, 200,000, now zero. mumps, 162,000. we don't even hear about moms anymore. 621. rubella, 48,000, goes down to six. smallpox, 29,000 20. polio, 16,000 20. we could go back to the numbers on the left side of the screen, right dr., if we go back to no vaccines? >> we absolutely would go back and one of the things that

mitch mcconnell is a polio survivor.pete hegseth, you want mcconnell to support your nomination, probably best not to attack the thing that mcconnell thinks is really, really key. he is a survivor of polio. >> faithfully expected to save something problematic can be done by supporters,

eastern as we explore the life and career of mcconnell. he shares his plans and other topics. our guest is michael tackett, washington dc bureau chief for the associated press, and author of a new mcconnell biography, the price of power. join us wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> for over 45 years, c-span has been a window into the workings of our democracy, offering coverage of our congress, call and programs, and access to the decision-makers that shape our nation. c-span exists for you, viewers who value transparent coverage, as your support helps keep our mission alive. we are asking you to stand with us. your gift goes towards supporting c-span work, ensuring coverage continues to thrive in an era words needed more than ever. visit c-span.org/donate or scan the code on your screen to make your contribution. we can ensure that c-span remains a trusted resource for you and future generations. >> c-span is your unfiltered view of government. we are funded by these television companies and more, including buckeye broadband. ♪ >> buckeye broadband supports c-sp

colorado sheriff's deputy ryan mcconnel and chris calderon arrived before firefighters.n as i got near the house, i could hear the kids screaming. >> reporter: the officers began tearing apart the fence piece by piece to rescue ava grace unruh and her barefoot 8-year-old brother, grayson. >> i am going to pass you to my buddy. >> hi, buddy. >> who was still shaken. >> my room is on fire. >> our saviors came, you know. minutes. >> reporter: mom renee unruh and her family nearby rushed home. turns out, grayson, acted heroically. grayson alerted his sister. >> he was yelling ava, ava. she climbed out the window. saved her life. >> reporter: the family is safe tonight thanks to grayson and the determination of two deputies. alan gionet, cbs news denver. >> norah: deputies ryan mcconnell and chris calderon, they are tonight's "heart of america." with the assist by grayson. that's tonight's "cbs evening news." i'm norah o'donnell. we'll see you right back here tomorrow. good night. >>>>in here we have tomatoes and we have tomatoes. >>>>this prized >>> this prized produce isn't

in fact, mcconnell referred to two. had he had done so earlier.id a republican and a democrat. it was actually two republican appointees in 2009, 2004. so it doesn't happen very often at all. judges sometimes withdraw their retirement plans, not necessarily after an election, but they just withdraw them when it when it appears to them that the person nominated to replace them is not someone to their liking. there's a couple of examples of that in past ten years or so, but by and large, once they say they're going to leave they they stick to it have these two gentlemen, these two judges said what motivated them to not retire i'm aware that the judge in ohio, marbley said something rather obliquely. i mean, he he once he saw, i think he said once he saw the election, he decided not to call it quits i don't know if judge cogburn said anything or not, but it's pretty clear why they did so. >> well, the judiciary is supposed to be nonpartisan. so does this fly in the face of that well, it certainly has the appearance of flying in the face of it but the

i think mitch mcconnell is really the senator to watch here.ou also saw interestingly, the president himself or the president-elect himself say, you know, we're not going to touch the polio vaccine. that's a third rail for kennedy. i will say while kennedy is not the petitioner in in this case to withdraw the vaccine, he has espoused the same ideas in the petition. in other words, he wants the vaccine to be tested against placebo. that's where all that concern is coming from. i think kennedy will probably downplay it as your other folks have said and we'll see if senators like mitch mcconnell believe him. >> well, let's see where we are with all this in mind. i wonder what you're hearing from lawmakers, particularly. inwonder if the main concerns are around these statements. if there's anything about whether or not he has the skills and experience to run an agency with 80,000 employees and a budget something like north of $1.7 trillion. >> i think the first stage over his confirmation, chris, is about his controversial positions on a wide range

doug, you know, we heard from mitch mcconnell tonight, a polio survivor himself. y.n this statement, he said the polio vaccine has saved millions of lives and held out the promise of eradicating a terrible disease. efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed, they're dangerous. anyone seeking the senate's consent to serve in the incoming administration would do well to steer clear of even the appearance of association with such efforts. >> you know, mitch mcconnell, you know this from covering him when he puts out a statement. it is fascinating to go through the hieroglyphics of what he says and what he doesn't say, who he mentions, who he doesn't mention. one word can mean everything, and omitted word can mean even more. and what mcconnell is saying very clearly here is i can be a block to this nominee, you know, rfk jr. or any of the nominees that we've talked about over the past few weeks have a narrow path to victory because there's a narrow senate majority. if all of a sudden somebody who should be an automatic layup, a conserv

how do you see his leadership style differing from mcconnell's, rick?e's in his 60s. he's not in his 80s. i think he may be more conciliatory. i think he may be more concerned with the republican party brand overall and how people perceive it than mitch mcconnell was. i think mitch mcconnell's term as leader will really be determined by his successor, john thune. that is, does mitch mcconnell's mastery of the senate, and he used it both to promote legislation and block legislation and did that very well with his judicial appointments as well. is that the way that the senate is best ruled? we'll find out, whether john thune adopts that style or he adopts a different style. i think that will reveal whether mitch mcconnell was a good leader in the senate or not. >> and congresswoman, how do you see this change with thune impacting how the senate works, with the house, and with democrats in particular? >> well, it's still going to be a very thin majority on the senate side. and it means that to move anything major in the senate and to get to a point where y

and then amy coney barrett, mitch mcconnell said democrats would have done the same, but your thoughts on how that impacted politics? >> the end of the first two years of the bush administration, once you get to your number three democrats control the senate, schumer was not the leader but he led this fight and announced there is not a vacancy but if there is we will not fill it until after this election, so no question both sides look at it that way in the majority, if there is an opportunity, they will do that. you could argue changing the rules to where 51 could do that clearly made a difference but when the rules get changed, they do not change back, when harry reid changed the rules to 51, senator mcconnell said he will be sorry and you may be sorry sooner than you think. within 18 months republicans were in the majority and had the tool that was used against them now they could use on their own and they did. post: what about the delay with merrick garland? >> if you did not do that in the majority you would have failed to do what you are expected to do. >> if anyone thought that

join us for the career and legacy of senate leader mitch mcconnell at 8:00 p.m.eastern on c-span. >> do, president elect donald trump gives remarks at his annual new year's eve gala -- tonight, president elect donald trump. watch starting at 8:00 -- 8:15 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> c-span is your unfiltered view of government. we are funded by these television companies and more, including sparklike. >> what is great internet? it is strong. it is fast. it is reliable. that sparklight, window connections go way beyond technologies, from monday morning meetings friday nights with friends and everything in between, where with the best connections are always there right when you need them. how do you know it's great internet? because it works. we are always working for you. >> sparklight supports c-span as a public service, along with these other television providers, giving you a front row seat to democracy. >> one week before the 1980 presidential election, the incumbent democratic president jimmy carter and republican governor ronald reagan of california participat

senate minority leader and polio survivor mitch mcconnell putting rfk jr. on notice. his stern warning to anyone even appearing to undermine confidence in polio vaccines. >> i want to be the greatest player that i could possibly become. >> ali, my moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, held me back. but now with skyrizi, i'm all in thanks to skyrizi. i saw dramatically clearer skin and many even achieved 100% clear skin. don't use if allergic serious allergic reactions, increased infections, or lower ability to fight them may occur. before treatment, get checked for infections and tb. tell your doctor about any flu like symptoms or vaccines with skyrizi. nothing on my skin means everything. ask your dermatologist about skyrizi. today. >> copd is an ugly reality. i watch as his world just keeps getting smaller. but then trelegy helped us see things a little differently. with three medicines and one inhaler, trilogy keeps airways open for a full 24 hours and prevents future flare ups once daily. trelegy also improves lung function so he can breathe more freely all day and

uh, you know, what are you going to do to mitch mcconnell, for instance? and so the way to get their vote would be to have this nominee, whoever it is, for whichever job, to go and convince those senators, hey, i'm qualified. here's what i plan to do. here's an answer to all the questions you have about me that have come up in the press. so there's a way to win here with some of these senators that are skeptical without threatening them, because some of them, frankly, just are beyond being threatened or in some cases, some of them actually want to be threatened because it benefits them back home in their particular jurisdiction to be in a feud or at least show some sort of independent streak when it comes to trump. so i think every nominee is different, but these senators are also different. and the way you deal with one might be vastly different than the way you could deal with the other, given that they're insulated often from the same kinds of political pressures that, say, members of the house are. >> scott jennings, kate bedingfield, thank you both so

eastern as we explore the life and career of senator mcconnell.e shares his views on the importance of the senate, the 17 years of leading his fellow republicans, and plan for his remaining two years in office, as well as other topics. our guest for the program is michael tackett, deputy bureau chief for the associated press, and author of a new mcconnell biography "the price of power." join us for the career and legacy of senator mitch mcconnell, wednesday at 8:00 eastern on c-span. >> ahead of the presidential inauguration on january 20, american history tv on c-span two presents a four-week series, historic inaugural speeches. listen to inaugural speeches from franklin roosevelt through barack obama. saturday, here in agra speeches by president john kennedy in 1971. >> ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. >> president lyndon johnson in 1965. >> will lead and i will do the best i can. >> president richard nixon in 1969. >> our wealth can be transferred from the destruction of war abroad to the urgent ne

not notably absent from rfk leader mitch mcconnell.n, but first, let's go to capitol hill and our senior national political reporter sahil kapur. fill us in. who is meeting with rfk jr., and should we read into mcconnell not being on the list? ? hey, ana, rfk, jr. is expected to begin meetings with republican senators this week. all in all, he expects to meet with over two dozen senators through the course of the week. that includes names like john thune and john barrasso, the incoming number one and number two republican leaders and rand paul and the senior member of the health committee and they'll be doing a hearing on his nomination and lisa murkowski as well as thom tillis, the north carolina republican who faces reelection in 2026 and a key senator to watch in these nominations. one key figure to watch, as well is senate minority leader mitch mcconnell, the outgoing republican who put out an interesting statement on friday responding to a new york times report that a key kennedy adviser once asked the fda, and mcconnell is a poli

mitch mcconnell had polio. kindergarten or first grade who died from polio. we don't want to go back. >> congressman rose, you've served in congress, not on the senate, but you were there in the house. do you think the fact that leader mcconnell is dead set against rfk jr., that that will move republicans to grow a spine or stiffen their spine and defy the president-elect and say no way? >> it's simple math, right? three or four senate votes, four to be exact, and this doesn't work, right? you have to think that the senator from maine, senator from alaska both are leaning no on this guy particularly when things like this polio fact comes out. people knew for a while when they were voting where rfk stood on some of these matters. what donald trump it appears does not understand is that that's not why they voted for him. so this is a gigantic political liability and it is so important. let's poll the resurgence of polio and see where that stands. the democrats have to unify and press the momentum in option to thi

mitch mcconnell likely to be one of them, especially when he is in that hearing and asked for his uset on the spot to definitively say whether or not he is going to revoke this. as part of his job, he oversees the food and drug administration which has the power to potentially revoke or pause some of these vaccines. trump, in his interview with time magazine this week, said the polio vaccine was the one vaccine that was a great asset and a great achievement in american history. >> the one? >> and he did at an the interview that there are other vaccines he wanted to review. >> how stupid are these people at this point to believe this? i'm sorry but this is crazy. >> this is why i think the confirmation hearings matter a lot. it seems far-fetched, what we are saying. voxel play the clip and say, michael steele is raging against the machine. but the reality is, all the things we are talking about are true. rfk jr. has said what he wants to do. about these vaccines. he has said is very controversial things. he said concerning things about women and other drugs that the fda has purview ove

. >>> an update on the health of senator mitch mcconnell after he took a fall yesterday. >>> and then we'll have a check on sports and weather. rainy on the east coast. we'll be right back. east coas. we'll be right back. you can create opportunities. and inspire the next generation. helping someone find their path can transform your own. so find a mentor. or become one. wait, can i do both? you know what? let me ask my mentor. of course, you can. bring someone along on your journey. and see where it takes you. asthma. does it have you missing out on what you love, with who you love? get back to better breathing with fasenra, an add-on treatment for eosinophilic asthma taken once every 8 weeks. fasenra is not for sudden breathing problems. serious allergic reactions may occur. get help for swelling of your face, mouth, tongue, or trouble breathing. don't stop your asthma treatments without talking with your doctor. tell your doctor if your asthma worsens or you have a parasitic infection. headache and sore throat may occur. ask your doctor if fasenra is right for you. at harbor freigh