mr. ayers? [applause] >> thank you all for coming. this keeps being called a debate, but i don't know who the pro or con is. i think it is discussion about a lovely question -- what is so great about america? when a dialog was proposed to me on this expansive question, i immediately said, i think i will make a list. let's see -- on my list, topping the list is chicago. that's right. because it is my hometown and i know it well. and because it is one small piece in all of its outsized and crazy complexity of america itself, the city is the essential american metropolis. chicago is one of the things that are so awesomely great about america. the musical, the house and film the jungle," the blues are -- blues brothers and the film making wachowski siblings nelson auburn, whose dazzling book was called "city on the make." it once described chicago as a beautiful woman with a broken ose. he would have said the same thing about america. so great how my and there's more of course. lake michigan, the vast inland sea now under siege from atacl

i think both mr. ayers and mr. d'souza will be selling and signing books. iq for stopping by.ank you. >> the new c-span.org website makes it easier than ever to keep tabs on washington, d.c., and share your finds via twitter and other social -- new tools make it simple to create short video clips and share them with your friends via facebook, twitter, and other social networks. or you can send links to your video clips via e-mail. just find the share tools on our video player, or look for the green icon links throughout our site. watch washington on the new c-span.org, and if you see something of interest, clip it and share it with your friends. >> this morning after "washington journal," attorney general eric holder will address attorney generals from around the country at their annual winter meeting. watch live coverage at 10:00 eastern on c-span. on c-span2 the senate will continue debate on judicial nominees and have votes to route the day. live senate coverage at 10:00 a.m. eastern. on c-span3, a joint hearing on disabled military veterans. live coverage starting at 2:00

mr. bill ayers. [applause] >> thank you all for coming. this keeps being called a debate, but i don't know who the pro or con is. when a dialogue was first proposed, on my what is great this, chicago. that is right because it is my hometown and i know it well and because it is one small piece in all its outsized and crazy complexities of america itself, the city of big shoulders. chicago is one of the things that is so awesomely great about america. musical, the blues brothers, corrigan, quindlen brooks brooks.wlyn described as ae beautiful woman with a broken nose. sameuld have said the thing about america. so great, and there is more. make michigan, the vast inland sea now under siege from climate change, the mass of prairie that , and the imagination chicago cubs, who teach us humility and perseverance. abroadr i have traveled and inside the united states, the name evokes a response. four years it was our opponent, rep that tat, and then jordan,ngly, michael michael jordan. someone asked me if i knew oprah. of course it is a small cap t

mr. bill ayers. -- i will now turn the floor over to mr. bill ayers. you have 18 minutes to start his minutes tohave 18 start his opening remarks. this question and answer session will continue for 30 minutes until the debate ends. members that audience reserve all the questions to the time allotted and i present their questions clearly and directly as to give others around him a chance to speak as well. we hope that making this event responsive to issues that interest you that we can create an evening of debate and as enjoyable as it is memorable. with outfielder -- without further ado, i yield the floor to mr. ayres. [applause] >>. call for coming. this keeps being called a debate, but i don't know who the pro or con is. i think it is discussion about a lovely question -- what is so great about america? when a dialog was proposed to me on this expansive question, i immediately said, i think i will make a list. list, toppingn my the list is chicago. it is my hometown and i know it well. he cause it is one small piece crazy of its outsized and complexi

[applause] >> my question is for mr. ayers.i have read a lot of your writing and i would like you to comment on what we can do as activists to help prevent the handing over of public education to corporate interests and testing agencies. [applause] >> if there are no more questions, i would like to ask mr. ayers to give a brief conclusion of his remarks. >> answer these questions at the same time? >> in five minutes, can you do a little overview? >> you start. [laughter] >> sure. i'll start. i remember before i came to america, on the outskirts of mumbai, there were a group of, i think they were yale anthropologist who would come to india to study the local people. they set up tents and of zoom lens cameras and they were recording those and they were basically recording the lives of the slum dwellers outside of bombay. slum dwellers would come up to the anthropologist and say, i want your jeans. i want your camera. and it's a, oh, no, that is a very simplistic point of view. you unfortunately inside the prism of ethnocentrism.

. >> : mr. ayers tell me that these incidents are part of an ongoing dispute. may 2012. recent threats have been made to all local elementary school student. >> : berkeley water main break happening now at the corner of california as three and. the state mutt crews are on the scene. no word on the cause it all started for 10 this afternoon we'll keep an eye on developments there. meantime federal officials say that california farmers will not get help with watter the secret watter would have come rivers reservoir is in place through the state. last year the farmer is normally got 20 percent of normal. this year they will get none. official announcement comes days after jerry brown led with state drought legislation. legislative leaders hope that the bill will be approved in the next few weeks. the money will help with water conservation and other things. >> : but the sunsets and at the weekend is here live look from our camera on top mounds pies. >> : we need to have this awesome whether for the weekend. or is live shot over the san mateo bridge where the sun i