and, plus, new orleans is new orleans, and i'm a small-town boy from the midwest. you walk down bourbon street, and it makes an impression on you. so from the beginning i wanted to get a job in new orleans. i had fallen in love with the city, and i'm still in love with it, hopelessly, lo these many years later. c-span: how big is the school, by the way? >> guest: twenty-five thousand. c-span: is it a state school? >> guest: yes. it's part of the lsu system. c-span: i counted in the front of your book 16 books, plus this one. is that right, 17? >> guest: that sounds pretty good. c-span: which one sold the most? >> guest: gee, i couldn't tell you -- oh, "rise to globalism," certainly, by far. i'm sorry. that's a book on american foreign policy that is widely used as a textbook, and it's now in its ninth printing. it's been for 18 years a standard, really, around the english-speaking world. it's been a fabulous -- it put five kids through college for me. c-span: i started to say earlier, i've got another book that you did, one of the many that's on former president ni

>> we are filling -- filming a show about new orleans after the storm. it is really on the wire with a soundtrack. it is not a crime show. is about people trying to find their way home and reconstitute their lives in a city that was very ill treated in the wake of the storm. in all the years that have followed, the national response to what new orleans has gone through is an embarrassment. the first season will air in 2010. >> on h.b.o.? >> yeah, on h.b. o. potty mouth can't write for anything else but h.b. o. [laughter] >> doesn't know how to write dialogue that his parents can listen to. >> it's going to be on a and e without the language. >> it may be. if you're on an airline flight and something come just turn in the headphones. it won't make any sense. >> especially with the children. did i read that one of the intentions of you working it that subject matter is youd to -- you wanted to use katrina as making analogy with the federal government's response in writing ahead a a financial crisis? >> that sounds so die deck tick as to be a room clearer.

he was a popular and much loved member of new orleans police department. at 62 years of service he was one of america's longest serving police officers. tragically for new orleans he passed away last week and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, his family, and his nlpd colleagues. and -- nopd colleagues. here is an article from today's newspaper. it reports that within hours of his death, three people broke into his home and stole guns, money, jewelry, and medication. his wife was notified of the burglary while at the funeral home arranging her husband's burial. and our thoughts and prayers also go to the family of this couple, orlando cassamir senior and his wife of 55 years. the older was scheduled to have preached the sermon this year at the church in the new orleans lower ninth ward where he was pastor. but on that day relatives found him and his wife fatally shot in their home. it is thought that their murders are connected to a relative's plan to testify in a kidnapping and attempted murder case. reading these articles make me angry and sick

new orleans was hit with a category 2, not even a category 3 hurricane. if you tell anybody from new orleans and say they were drowned by a hurricane, they will get mad at you. their city was drowned by shoddy workmanship and bad decisions in terms of transportation policy and the ineffectiveness of congress in terms of dealing with mississippi river issues. this is our country and you compare it to the dutch which has been able to keep their country out of the north sea for generations. it is humiliating. if you think about those canal walls, how badly they were built, how much corruption went into the poor maintenance and poor planning of them, and you think about the sec and all of the regulation that was not there so that you could not sell crack and collett gold on wall street's -- selling crap and calling it a gold on wall street eventually comes home. eventually came home to new orleans before it came to the rest of the country in a very little way. normans, but i admire about the people there -- northlands, what i admire about the people there is

new orleans was hit with a category two, high category two. not even in category three hurricane.ane, if you tell people from new orleans their city was john by a hurricane there will get very angry and rightly so. their city was drowned by a corps of engineers and by shoddy workmanship and stuff that wasn't built to code. in bad decisions in terms of the transportation policy. the ineffectiveness of congress in terms of dealing with mississippi river issues. this is our country and you compare to the dutch to have managed to keep most of their country out of the north sea for generations. it is humiliating. and if you think about those canal walls, how badly the rebels, how much corruption went into the poor minister of them and the poor planning, and to think about the sec and all of the attendant regulations that was unfair said that you couldn't sell crack and call it a gold on wall street, selling crack and calling and gold eventually comes home and came home to new orleans about four years before it came home to the rest of the country in a very literal way. not in a matter

the national response to what new orleans has gone through is an embarrassment. and that will probably air -- the first season will air in 2010. >> on h.b.o.? >> yeah, on h.b. o. potty mouth can't write for anything else but h.b. o. [laughter] >> doesn't know how to write dialogue that his parents can listen to. >> it's going to be on a and e without the language. >> it may be. if you're on an airline flight and something come just turn in the headphones. it won't make any sense. >> especially with the children. did i read that one of the intentions of you working it that subject matter is youd to -- you wanted to use katrina as making analogy with the federal government's response in writing ahead a a financial crisis? >> that sounds so die deck tick as to be a room clearer. >> no, true or no? >> i think there's an analogy to be made. but if any character were to say anything that directly it would be cut out of the script. but it is true. new orleans was hit with a category 2, a high category 2, not even a category 3 hurricane. the hurricane, if you tell people

. >> you were living in new orleans. >> yeah. we came back to new orleans. i was professor attu lane and even named my american studies center attu lane, the theodore roosevelt center and i was teaching classes attu lane on theodore roosevelt and conservation. at rice university now i teach a class on theodore roosevelt and conservation meaning when you say when you start writing a book, i have been informing myself on the research part of this story for a long, long time. it always was in my mind the main thing i wanted to do as a historian with my life is to write the history, of first off, t.r., but f.d.r. and the c.c.c., carson and the u.s. fish and wildlife, the beautification during the 1960's up until the present time global warming and the modern green movement. i wanted to see that all that through the presidency meaning using people like t.r. and f.d.r. and truman and lyndon johnson and jimmy carter and clinton and people that have gotten involved with conservation, using them as the centerpiece but talk about these characters around them. >> when

he's talking about the importance of new orleans in d-day and the normandy invasion. let's hear what he has to say and get a response from john mcmanus. >> it was here in new orleans that the landing craft were built. every american who went ashore in the second world war, whether in north africa, italy, sicily or moral did i or guadal canal or all the way that you saipan and up to okinawa did so in a boat built in new orleans by higgins industries. dwight eisen hour toic eisenhow time i met him, he wanted to talk to me about writing his biography which i agreed to do. but he said i see you live in new orleans. did you ever know andy higgins. i said no, i didn't. he died in 1953 and i moved there in 1955. eisenhower said that is too bad. he is the man who won the war for us. well, that is quite a statement from what a source. i looked astonished. seeing that look, he said, that is absolutely correct. if higgins had not developed and produced those landing craft i would have had to go into ports that the germans had concentrated all of their defenses at cher powerithe

cassidyy, johnny, benny and my wife is formerly ann goldman of new orleans. we met there and got married. i have become a family man. it's changed my life. more than changing your life, i love taking them out. all they want to do now is go to the wild basis. we have a place in austin. i take them all the time to the study center. if they see a fish, they say a pemp. i have trained them to get them to start knowing all of them. they each have faff rite animal that's they've hoaned in all. without scag operation, my daughter probably has 200 toy ducks.el we have a lot of those the writing of all this, do you still write longhand? >> i'm mixed these days. it's really my first draft. it's like going to a civil war scholar and taking notes >> are you left handed? >> i am. obama is left handed, clinton is left handed. bush 41 is left handed. >> what does that mean? >> we're a tribe. >> last question, who named it willederness warrior. john hilton cooper has a book the warrior and the prees. he liked to have fights about everything and believed it. he was very bold

, international new orleans that are important to up hold. channels lor merkel and i share doctor chancellor merkel and i share the belief that what has happened in iran is unacceptable when it comes to violence against its own citizens, and we call on the iranian government to up hold those international principles. what was the second part of your question there, jeff? >> i was wondering if you had a reason to apologize or if he should apologize to you? >> i don't take mr. ahmadinejad's statements seriously about apologies, particularly given the fact that the united states has gone out of its way not to interfere with the election

. >> you were in new orleans. >> then became back to new orleans. i was a professor at tulane university. mike american studies center, the theater roosevelt center -- my american studies center. i was teaching a class on conservation. at rice university now i teach a class on theater roosevelt and conservation again. i've been informing myself on the research part of this story for a long time. it always was in my mind that the main thing i wanted to do ato write the history of theater roosevelt then fdr, carson, then u.s. fish and wildlife, stored would all, ladybird johnson, up until the present time dealing with global warming and the modern green movement. i wanted to see all that through the eyes of the presidency. as a presidential historian. using people like teddy roosevelt and fdr and if truman and lyndon johnson and jimmy carter and clinton and people that have got involved with conservation, using them as a centerpiece if the talk about these characters around them. >> when did you do the reagan diaries? >> that came out three years ago.

it's been moved from downtown new orleans out to the outskirts of new orleans. at 26069 canal street. a $2.5 million building, roughly, relatively new and modern. that houses many of the subsidiary corporations that one can connect. i filed the list a. list that is incomplete but is a list of 174 of the more than 250 corporation that is are affiliated with acorn. i filed them into the congressional record as part of the amendments that were to go on the justice appropriations bill. that was managed by mr. mollohan and concluded yesterday. of course those amendments were denied not quite in secret but up here where you can't hardly get six reporters in the room if there are going to be a dozen members of congress in there pleading to be heard here on the floor. so that's the record, that's the standard. 2609 canal street, acorn's building, one should go on google earth and take a look at that, zero in on it and see what it looks like, madam speaker. and the corporations that are involved in subsidiaries, the interconnecting spider web of corporations, by the way l

he is the author of cuba and its music as well as of the world that made new orleans. and as he was working on the world that made new orleans he also began writing his memoir of writing it. and that is the year before the flood and it tells literally about as he was living in new orleans in the french quarter, the things that he discovered there, the people that he encountered, especially the musical history which is really his forte's neck is a beautiful book and it will be coming out on august the ninth which is the four year anniversary of hurricane katrina. and they may also have a book which is a young adult narrative, he is the cousin of emmett till's. he was there during the emmett till's line and this is his story as written for young adults so they understand the historical importance for the civil rights movement. and justice and peace. >> when is that coming out? >> that will be later on this fall just-in-time for our january for black history month. >> what is boomtown? >> it is a really interesting case study the way wal-mart change bentonville, arkansas.

prior to the land all of katrina, the 211 and new orleans had to close. united way, united we of northeast louisiana and monroe began taking all of the 211 calls directed from new orleans. overnight we expanded from a four person call center and mom wrote to a 65% to 11. we have additional support that was outstanding. from 211 call specialists of america 25 states send people to the community and there were hundreds of local volunteers that responded. as the result of that in lonrho, to 11 responded to more than 111,000 calls in two months. the call volume peaked at 7,358 the day that rita hit. after 2005 we were even better prepared for 2008. going into the hurricane season in 2008 we had a partially integrated telephony, statewide disaster plan, centralized the sastre database and 24 hour day 70 a week coverage. 211 louisiana answered more than 170,000 calls between gustav hitting august 31st and a december 16th 2008. in the peak of that we were assisted by the 211 system of california which was invaluable expanding capacity and a today window when ike

prior to landfall of katrina, the 211 in new orleans had to close. our united way, the united way of northeast louisiana and monroe, began taking all the 211 calls that were directed from new orleans. overnight we expanded from a four-person call center there in monroe to a 65-person 211. we had additional support that was outstanding from 211 call specialists around america. twenty-five states sent people to our community, and there were hundreds of local volunteers that responded. as a result of that in monroe, 211 responded to more than 111,000 calls in two monts. the call volume peaked at 7,358 the day that rita hit. after 2005 we were even better prepared for 2008. going into the hurricane season in 2008, we had a partially-integrated telephony, a statewide disaster plan, a centralized disaster database and 24 hour a day, 7 day a week coverage. 211 louisiana answered more than 117,000 calls between gustav hitting on august 31st and september 16th of 2008. in the peak of that, we were assisted by the 211 system in california which was invaluable

and new orleans is looking at us now i think a little bit like, what did you expect? we've been there. >> if you'll just allow me for a moment. we're almost out of time. but before asking the last question, for those of you who have been here before, you know the routine. we have a couple of important marts to take care of. upcoming speakers, on june 11th general james conway, the commandant of the u.s. marines corps will be here. on june 25th, stan cass ton, president of the washington nationals will be here. i don't know if they're going to put chicken wire in front but we'll see what happens. june 26th. robert herz chairman of the financial accounting standards board will address -- financial markets. secondly if you wouldn't mind just coming up here as is our tradition we'd like to present you with the traditional m.p.c. cough -- n.p.c. coffee mug. >> thank you very much. >> one final question. that is a simple one. to what newspapers do you currently subscribe? [laughter] >> i subscribe to the "new york times." and again, it's delivered in baltimore for about the

it here to omaha. -- including the landing craft from new orleans. despite all the planning and preparation, despite the inspiration of our leaders, at the skill of our generals, the strength of our firepower and the unyielding support from our home front, the outcome of the entire struggle will ultimately rest on the success of one day. lyndon johnson once said that there are certain moments when history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man's unending search for freedom. the-day was such a moment. -- d-day was such a moment. one newspaper noted we have come to the hour for which we were born. the allies failed pierre, hitler's occupation of this continent might have continued indefinitely. -- if the allies failed here, hitler's occupation of this continent might have continued indefinitely. it made possible the achievements that followed the liberation of europe, the marshall plan, the nato alliance, the prosperity that flowed from each. it was a noble then, but so much of the progress that would define th

it comes as foreign reporters began leaving the country new orleans, on a republican line. -- new orleans, on a republican line. caller: -- host: we're talking about the iran elections and what you have to say. caller: i do not think anything is going to change. host: one more call. this is the democrats' line. caller: i am calling to make a comment. most of these people calling

in the new orleans declaration, the seminal document of the d.l.c. and new democrat politics, we brought it back. we declared in clear and simple terms that the promise of america is equal opportunity. that the purpose of the democratic party is to expand opportunity, not government. and that economic growth and the private sector is the prerequisite for opportunity for all. but with opportunity comes responsibility. as we further declared in new orleans, we believe that american citizenship entails responsibilities as well as rights. we mean to ask our citizens to give something back to their communities and their country. i hope i have done that and i intend to keep on giving. we've evoked a lot of memories tonight. we should enjoy and savor every one of them, but as we do, let us not forget that our work has just begun. that we still have so much more to do. opportunity and responsibility are the cornerstones of the poll stick -- politics of the future, not the past. finding new way to further them is a never-ending challenge, even as we look back

we had to close and the united way began to take all of the phone calls, that were directed from new orleans. overnight we expanded from a foreperson call center to a 65 person to 11. -- 211. 25 states sent people to our community and there were hundreds of volunteers who responded. we responded to more than 111,000 phone calls in two months. at the highest this was 758, the day that hurricane rita landed. after 2005 we were prepared for 2008. we had a statewide disaster plan and the central database, and 24 hour coverage. we answered more than 117,000 phone calls between hurricane dean gustav -- hurricane gustav hitting and [unintelligible] this was indelible in expanding our capacity. when hurricane i came to the state of texas, in taxes they answered 150,000 phone calls. in the aftermath, there was flooding, and wind damage through the midwest. in missouri and indiana, we played significant roles in the recovery. the 2009 preparation is underway and we have complete integrated telephony and we have an enhanced relationship with the louisiana state government. i am pleased to say that we h

together, bill clinton, al, marshall, and bruce read or write the new orleans declaration which lays out a bold new governing philosophy for the new party. soon thereafter, clinton delivers a speech in cleveland the proposal to the forefront of national politics. later that year, clinton launches a presidential campaign as a different kind of democrat. >> we offer our people a new choice based on old values. we offer opportunity. we demand responsibility. we will build an american community again. we are, as democrats, a revitalized democratic party. [applause] >> in november, in is 12 long years of republican rule in -- he insists will long years as a republican rule and the white house. campaign, a transition, and the president, al becomes the conscience of the white house, and bruce reid goes to the white house as domestic policy adviser to the president. soon, a democrat agenda becomes national policy. the 100,000 cops program not only reduces violent crime, but puts to rest of the nation's perception that democrats are soft on crime. americorps reflects the party posing a commitm

we also have another issue called flooding over the mississippi river that ends up in new orleans. but it comes down from illinois roaring like a mack truck doing 90 down i-55 and it leaves in its wake a lot of flooding. and i was just wondering, how does nor com coordinate with the national guard in terms of the disaster coordination? does it go through the national guard first or who is really in charge there? >> to answer your question, our coordination is with the national guard bureau. but the first response will always be with the national guard supporting the state and local officials. we though immediately upon indications that there's a disaster pending will begin to coordinate with the national guard in case there are gaps in their capability to respond. and i talk with the national guard chief of operations daily. in looking across the country, looking at where they have forces deployed so we are prepared to respond. we recently responded to flood in the red river in the north in north carolina north dakota and we provided some active duty forces to back them up at the r

and of course then there's that -- direct relationship between haiti and new orleans, the latter of which in the beginning of the 19th century was considered a minor adjunct to the island which was then considered france's most valuable possession. . it was only after napoleon had failed to conquer the colonies, only then did he decide to sell the louisiana territory. many from the island who had fled that island became early inhabitants of new orleans, contributing to the culture that is so recognized and renowned today. there are also many u.s. virgin islanders today and in the past and from the then danish west indies who have and continue to contribute much to our nation and have spoken of many of them on several occasions. people like casper holstein, congressman payne mentioned raymond jones, emil griffin, tim duncan, many, many others. one, denmark vecsey, was born in st. thomas and settled in charleston, south carolina, one of my favorite cities. settled interest in 1783. 17 years later he brought his freedom and inspired, i'm sure by the 1733 african rebellion of st. john and the

speaker, the issues of crime and hurricane recovery are most important for new orleans and jefferson parishes. yesterday i voted for the witness security and protection grant act and it passed. law enforcement officials in my district must have the federal resources needed to protect our citizens. on monday i requested a government review of unresolved fema public assistance projects that will help louisiana move forward with delayed disaster recovery efforts. lastly, i was able to acknowledge that the diverse culture of new orleans by co-sponsoring a resolution to honor black music. it has been a productive week. i yield back my time. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey rise? mr. sires: i ask permission to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. sires: mr. speaker, i rise today to speak for those in cuba who cannot speak for themselves. as the administration is moving forward with immigration talks, as we're welcoming cuba, i rise to say that when you deal with cuba

our united way, northeast louisiana, monroe, began taking all calls directed from new orleans. overnight, we expanded from a four-person office center in monroe to a 65-per 211. we had additional support debt was outstanding -- that was outstanding from centers across america. there were hundreds of local volunteers that responded. as a result of that, in monroe, 211 responded to more than 111,000 calls in two months. the volume peaked at 7000, 358 -- seven dozen 358. after 2005, -- 7358 respondents. we were even more prepare for 2008. we have a partially it to credit telephony, a statewide disaster plan, a central disaster database, and 24 hours out reached -- average. -- outreach. we answered calls between the 21st and 16th of september, 2008. at peak of that, we were assisted by the 211 system in california, which was invaluable in expanding our capacity. in an eight-day window, the texas 211 answered 157,000 calls, an incredible response. inland, the aftermath of the hurricane caused unprecedented flooding and wind damage throughout the midwest. the 211 in missouri, indiana

william jefferson represented parts of new orleans. those are some of the headlines on c-span radio. >> "washington journal" continues. host: a lot of people heard what the president had to say about health care. what goes through your mind? guest: i think what he said at the speech, and c-span covered it. i had a chance to listen to almost every word. i think he pretty much laid out his plan. he did a wonderful job in rallying troops and addressing an audience that perhaps he thought was hostile. there were very warm and gave him many ovations. there was only one boo. he is sticking with the program. host: when doctors here about a public plan, what is there -- why are they against this? guest: there was the public plan and malpractice, which is been a major platform issue. not that there should not be malpractice but that the should be on it. the public plan is truly -- has turned out to beat the hottest part of the proposals appeared to be coming in the bills and with what the president is opposed -- is proposing. the president said

together bill clinton, al and others write the new orleans declaration which lays out a bold new governing policy for the party. soon thereafter clinton delivers a peach in cleveland that -- a speech in cleveland that propels him to the forefront of politics. then he launches a presidential campaign as a different democrat. >> we offer a new choice based on old values. we offer opportunity. we demand responsibility. we will build an american community again. we are, as democrats, a revitalized democratic party. >> in november he ends 12 long years of republican rule in the white house. as a key advisor to the campaign, the transition and the president, al becomes, in clinton's words, the conscience of the white house and bruce reed goes to the house a domestic policy advisor to the president. soon a democratic agenda becomes national policy. the 100,000 cops program not only helps produce an unprecedented drop in violent crime but puts to rest the view that democrats are soft on rhyme. a movement recommits us to patriotism and civic duty. his bold effort to end welfare is not only lifting

furthermore hurricane katrina hit new orleans and chief justice rehnquist passed away leading to a week-long delay in his hearing after he was then nominated to be the new chief justice. despite all of these obstacles, judge roberts was confirmed 72 days after president bush named him as a nominee to the supreme court of the united states. if judge sotomayor is confirmed before the senate recess in august she will have been confirmed on an eye didn't kal timetable. if, however, she is not confirm until the term in october, consideration of nomination will have lasted nearly twice as long as that of judge roberts. confirming judge sotomayor before the august recess would give her time to prepare adequately for the court's fall term. including reviews of hundreds of petitions for the court's first conference and preparation for merits arguments. it would also allow her time to move and hire law clerks. i do in the believe it is fair to delay judge sotomayor's confirmation if it is not absolutely necessary. that the republicans will have a fair confirmation process. i believe it is -- that judg

we held our breath at that williamsburg conference, and we had a meeting in new orleans. we had a meeting in cleveland. one of my good friends, reverend jackson, called us the democrats of the leisure class. some of the set we were republican light because we talked about trade, national security, and welfare reform and holding families together. they forgot we also talked about strategies to reduce poverty, collect child support, promote education, and that we were very explicit early on in saying we would not stand for discrimination against anybody who played the politics or anything else. we were always in the right place on that. but we thought we needed to break out of the orthodoxy of the past. then, after i got elected, some of our critics said, we must not believe in anything since we wanted politics that went beyond the partisan divides of the 1980's. by 2008, the same people thought that was a good thing to be. and i understood it. it was so easy to cover politics until we came along. it was like the gunfight at the o.k. corral. playing checkers, there are two

going to pp tÑhsvw añ$$$ólÑÑñ60óófÑ so ii that was d g cxcxe' games at new orleanscompensation round of the 06 draft. so this is only his fourth professional season. big breaking ball, he levels off and singles it into right field. it's a 2-1 game. scott olsen got that pitch up. and for coghlan, his 12th rbi. >> rob: here's the pitch location on the pitch track. going to be a hanging curveball. coghlan fights it off for a single just over the infield. works perfectly to drive in a run. >> bob: he never really was a lead-off man until he made it to the major leagues. here's emilio bonifacio who as we saw in the first week of the season is good as a right- handed batter at hitting the ball the other way. he's going. nieves throw right there. got him! right on the bag, right on the runner's arm and coghlan gone for the second out. you couldn't throw it or place it any better. >> rob: but watch how quickly wil nieves gets up and just one fired strike right to the bag. beautiful. watch how he just gets up, doesn't try to shake off the mask, just throw it, great tag by an

clinton, isn't the united states in an uncomfortable position because you are invoking democratic new orleans to restore a president some would argue was taking illegal steps to remain in office? >> it is important that we stand for the rule of law and democracy and constitutional order. when i talk about supporting the work being done in the o.a.s., and certainly a distinguished delegation, i think all parties involved have to take a step back and look at how the institutions within their democracy are supposed to be working. so there are certain concerns about orders by independent judicial officials that should be followed and the like. but the extraordinary step taken of arresting and expelling the president is our first and foremost concern right now. then we do want to work with the parties, as i said, to return to a rule of law, and that means for everybody. everybody needs to take a step back here, take a deep breath and say we have a lot at stake in maintaining our democracy and not going backwards, and we would expect all parties to play a responsible role in doing that. >> you ment

without it we might be living in philadelphia or alexandria, charleston, savanna or maybe even new orleans. if the erie canal hadn't made new york city the center of the commercial world and establish habitual routes of trade and travel, the railroad which came along not much later might have made other coastal places greater. now a lot of the material in the book is the traditional erie canal tale, but i have selected some of the myth busting in it or this brief talk. one, the irish did not go the erie canal. at least not any significant numbers until halfway through the ninth construction season. the early contractors were pioneer farmers and settlers, almost invariably refugees from bad forms in connecticut. the workers on the canal sections that these farmers contracted for were mostly their sons or their farmhands. it was only when the most dangerous work eventually needed to be done on the western portions of the line, malarial slumps and blasting of limestone ridges that the legendary gains of irish immigrant laborers found work on the erie canal. another little bit of myth busting,

host: new orleans on the democrats their index caller: sure. host: what you make of this example?aller: i don't believe it is a love affair so much as he is a very articulate and intelligent man and sinkthings before he sps which is a refreshing change from the last eight years. i think that the media seize this more than anyone else and that is the reason for the exposure. his a constitutional law professor and has a lot compared to the cowboy that we just are rid of. host: on the independent line, john, what do think? caller: i don't it is a love affair from the media to barack obama, but if you put it into the context of how the media treated george bush just after 9/11 and a look the other way as bush pushed through his policies, you put it into that context -- and with the media when after bill clinton and al gore when he ran for election, if you look at the way that the media has treated democrats and republicans suddenly the media is being easier on barack obama -- and all of a sudden everyone is accusing the media of being so easy on obama. if you put it into context you c

million in the community long-distance is probably not what charleston or savannah or miami or new orleans or atlanta or batteries are in a number of committees that can do much with $5 million and that is all the law allows them to borrow. the administrator 55 from fema will discuss the 2008 response and the agency's work on an alert system evacuation plans and from his perspective if we are better situated in it 2009 season opens. major general from the northern command will outline the department of defense support mission for hurricane response including ariel storming civilians comair medevac, a search and rescue, communications support of logistics coming hurricane response, exercises, no., coor dination for the state and national guard. it is a lot but we will try to get that in. we are very proud to have it general with us from the misery of national guard which is of particular interest to senator mccaskill. in our final common next panel we will have george foresman former dhs official to talk about the private sector role because this committee chair and ranking member recognize

and you answer, my name is joe schmo and let's use a previously used address, 2609 canale street, new orleans, and they hand you a vote. no i.d. required, no picture i.d. required. in fact, in new mexico, and this is part of the congressional record with the secretary of state of new mexico testified before the judiciary committee about three years ago, it comes down to this. if i am working as a poll worker in new mexico registered to vote in new mexico and someone walks in to that polling place and says, i am steve king and i live at -- names the address that i live at -- even if they say they are me and i am working the polls, by law in new mexico i can't challenge that fraudulent voter. it's against the law to challenge voters in new mexico and many other states because  the liberals have so corrupted the process. first, they passed motor voter so when people get a driver's license they ask them, do you want to be registered to vote, well, who says no? and a test that you are a citizens of the united states. well, who says no? what if you don't understand the language, are you really go

the first caller is from new orleans. caller: good morning. there is a not unwanted perception out here that' washington does not listen to the american people and you are so far divorced from what we want, come up with plans that do nothing but destroy us. i could come up with numerous examples of this, but i would just use a few and will ask you one per in question. when the bailout first came out, the calls were 1000 to one against the bailout. yet, this government went ahead against the wishes of the american people and passed it. the health care reform, when you had your committee asking about it, the majority of people want single payer health care deployed in all of the other industrialized nations, and this government would not even allow a representative on the panel to talk about it. recently i witnessed mr. biden, vice-president biden, handed information that nine scientists from around the world, the study of debris from the world trade center buildings of the attack on 9/11 and found that there was now-thermite in those buildings

and our united way of northeast louisiana began taking all the 211 calls that were directed from new orleans and overnight we have expanded from a four person call center to 65 person 211, we had additional support that was outstanding. from 211 call specialists around america, 25 states send people to our committee and there were hundreds of local volunteers who responded. as a result of that in monroe, 211 responded to more than a hundred 11,000 calls in two months. mccaul volume peaked at 7,000 the day that rita hit. after 2005 we were even better prepared for 2008. going into the hurricane season of 2008, we have a partially integrated telephony, statewide disaster plan, centralized disaster database, and 24 hours a day seven day a week average. 211 louisiana answer more than 117,000 calls between hurricane gustav hitting on august 31st of september 16th of 2008. in the peak of that, we were assisted by the 211 system in california which was invaluable in expanding our capacity during it in a day window when hurricane ike hit texas in september the texas 211 insert 157,000 calls, absolut

$5 million in community loan assistance is probably not what charleston or savannah or miami or new orleans or atlanta or baton rouge or any number of communities. they can't do much with $5 million that is all the law allows them to borrow. so, administrator fugate, female will discuss the 2008 response and the agency's work on alerting warning systems, evacuation plans and from his perspective for a better situation as the 2009 season opens. major-general grass from u.s. northern command will outline the department defense's support mission for hurricane response, including aerial storm surveillance, are medevac, search and rescue, communications support, logistic support, reason hurricane response exercises and northcom's coordination with the state national guard. it is a lot but we are going to try to get that in and i will mention were very proud to have the general with us and he is from the missouri national guard which is of particular interest to senator mccaskill. then in our next panel we will have george foresman, former dhs official who was here today to talk about the priva

how we held our breath at a williamsburg conference, then the meeting in new orleans, then the meeting in cleveland. and one of my good friends, reverend jackson, called us the democrats for the leisure class. some of our liberal friends said we were republican like because we talked about trade and national security and welfare reform. and holding families together. they forgot we also talked about strategies to reduce poverty, collect child support, promote educati education, and that we were very explicit early on in saying we would not practice discrimination against anybody or play the politics of race, gender or sexual orientation or immigration versus natural born or anything else. we were always in the right place on that. but we thought we needed to break out of the or owe docks si of -- orthodoxy of the past. then after i was elected some critics said we must not be anything because we wanted politics that went beyond the partisan dichdz vides of the 19. but 2008 some thought that was a good thing to do. and i understood it. it was so easy to cover politics until we came alon

biblical -- literally the biblical implosion of the levees breaking and the impact of the hurricane on new orleans. i think that was more of a failure of leadership at all levels rather than the failure of the department. men and women with the right direction and the right support consistently delivered i think rather admirable service in response to natural disasters. 9/11 was not an admirable -- it was noteworthy for the wrong reasons. a lot of lessons were learned by the administration. they made some corrections, and i suspect the same today because of the corrections made in the global aftermath of katrina makes it an even stronger department. it should remain growth in the department of homeland security. host: last question, what is more difficult, running a state, a department, or writing a book? guest: good question. i enjoyed all three. guest: the bug is called "the test of our times. it is coming out in december -- is coming out in september. host: in just a moment, sir david frost will join us on his perspective about the reporting of his interaction with richard nixon from 1977. it i

or that senator hutchison mentioned, you bring texans together along the gulf coast corridor to new orleans and east coast and south central corridor into oklahoma city, little rock and memphis and ultimately into the midwest. this project, impressive in itself, will require a unique part of of federal, state and local officials and the private sector and we would very much look forward to working with this committee with amtrak to make that happen. thank you for having us here. looking forward to questions. >> miss fleming, we welcome you and ask you to make your remarks. >> mr. chairman, ranking no. 19, thune, ranking member hutchison, thank you for the opportunity to discuss passenger rail, and the reinvestment act. the $8 billion provided by the act for high speed and other intercity passenger rail project have focused more attention on and generated a great deal of anticipation about the possibility of developing high-speed rail systems in the united states. my testimony have 2 parts, i will discuss the fact is that we have identified that affect the economic viability of high-speed ra

host: fred, from new orleans, you are on with bomb ridge. -- with tom ridge. caller: you brought up the anthrax attacks. you did not finish the statement. the anthrax attack was traced back to for beatrix -- to fort dietrich. so if we have terrorists, they are somewhere in fort beatridie. new evidence for 9/11 has been uncovered by "the new york times" given to families of 9/11, uncovering that saudi arabia was a major financial backer of those involved in 9/11. host: is saudi arabia and internal threat? guest: first of all, i do not think that is any secret that there are sources within saudi arabia, whether they are in the form of contributions or -- john mccain said that we pay that part of the world for oil, but much of the end up in the pockets of terrorists. that is not a revelation. it is common knowledge. it is a fact. for the longest time, there were those in the saudi government, and there was this notion that you could export the terrorists as an extreme factor in order to get them out of their own indigenous country, they have kind of support of th