then along comes reagan. where did it come from, paula? >> ronald reagan was a leader. ronald reagan came into the white house with a vision. this did not happen suddenly. he had purpose, he had vision, and it was a platform he also definitively campaigned on won then not just only election, but executed it. what is remarkable when you think about it is the consistency of purpose and the way in which it was detailed in the doctor's book, the integrated diplomacy. there was a strategy. all the elements were tied together. the economic components. diplomacy being crucial to this execution. also the military. the military in the sense of defenses and in terms of having, as was the slogan, peace through strength. you had a president who had a vision coming in, putting in place all the elements and executing. it was a privilege to be part of that team and that execution. >> john and steve, i want to ask you to establish the background. how bad was it? as a matter of geo-strategy. the soviets have entrenched themselves in cuba and africa, built a deep water navy. on and on it

ronald reagan rode an electoral landslide to the white house. ♪ >> reagan conveyed a sense of optimismope. the secret to his success was that he made people feel good. >> even though reagan had been a fairly successful governor of the largest state of the union, he was still doubted for his background as having been a hollywood actor, and he was very controversial. he took a lot of outrageous positions. >> in this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem. [ applause ] >> for 50 years, americans had been looking to government to solve their problems. when reagan gave his speech, that marked a 180 degree turn around in the american political conversation in the trend of american politics. >> can we solve the problems confronting us? well, the answer is an unequivocal and emphatic yes. and after all, why shouldn't we believe that? we are americans. [ applause ] god bless you and thank you. thank you very much. >> we have a report, i'm just told that the associated press reports that the hostages are leaving iran. they say that the hostages a

ronald reagan: no. a former high school teacher of mine, the one you always remember, he wrote me a letter. he saw what had happened. he wrote me a letter telling me how i was to react and to not do full list things like going off the deep end or anything. it must have been one of those things, a disappointment that it look back on and say if had not happened, what i have now would not have happened. tom: there is a story about one of your college football teammates, william burkart, a black member of the team. he cannot get into a hotel so you to come to your home -- you took them to your home. people say, ronald reagan seemed to be more sensitive about these things then that he has as a president of the u.s. ronald reagan: that whole thing has been the hardest burden of all. sensitivehat i am not and somehow i am discriminating. it is not true. the household i was raised in -- my mother and father -- the things my brother and i grew up knowing wasn't there was no greater sin than prejudice or discrimi

reagan: yes. she was always talking about things like that but making great sense with them. with regards to the reading, i do not know that she was aware she was teaching us. when we were young, we lived in gaithersburg in a rented house, my father was traveling around, looking for better work. she would read to my brother when we went to bed, she would get between us and read bedtime stories. she always did it while holding the book and a running her finger under the lines she was reading. the two of us and watch and hear. i do not know whether she did it deliberately. i have no recollection of ever learning to read. but i was, one night when i was five, i was on the living room floor with a newspaper, and my father came in, and he said, what you doing? i said, reading the paper, and he thought i was being a smart alec, and he said read me something and i did. next thing i knew, he was yelling for the neighbors. he brought the neighbors in and made me read for them. there was no kindergarten. i

president reagan: yes. mind when i was a governor, the lieutenant governor, this concept down through the years of the vice is sitting there waiting to see if something happens was a waste of their time. they should be like an executive vice president of a corporation. that is what i did as governor and that is what i did here. very much a part in the things we did. to see hown charge many regulations we could get rid of. >> thank you. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2019] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] >> you can watch films in their entirety on our weekly series "reel america." here on american history tv. in 1793, george washington selected william thornton's design for the u.s. capitol. michael brown argues events from the french enlightenment influenced thorntons vision. the u.s. historical capital society

president reagan: well, now. there have been recommendations, as there have been routinely, and some fairly recently. but i have no knowledge of any that are imminent that are coming here. reporter: you said that you felt the judicial process with regard to oliver north and john poindexter -- is that still your feeling? president reagan: yes, i think this is going to leave them under a cloud of guilt for the rest of their lives. reporter: in 1980 you criticized president carter for the inability to do anything about getting the hostages home. eight years later, eight years tomorrow, mr. president, when you were sworn in, the 52 hostages did come home. do you feel perhaps you were too harsh on carter during the campaign, and do you now, after eight years, have perhaps an appreciation of some of the limits of power as to what an american president can do with these situations with third-world terrorist nations? president reagan: we are facing two very different ituations. one, more than 50 people in an embassy, kid

ronald reagan. tom: who were the actresses you liked playing with in those days starring with in films? >> oh, my goodness, the lain sisters had just come on big then. priscilla lane. i was in a picture with bette davis and it was wonderful. great actress. jane bryant, good lord, i am forgetting some of the names. tom: how about ann sheridan? ronald reagan: an sheridan, oh, yes. i did pictures with ann sheridan. she was a great gal. tom: you watch films now. it is possible they will make a story of ronald reagan. who would you like to play the part of you? ronald reagan: i would rather they didn't make the story. [laughter] i can't play it. i don't know that i want to recommend anyone else. tom: do you like current film stars? do you have some favorites among the current crop of stars? ronald reagan: the lack of ontinued publicity that we had , when fan magazines existed and the studio publicity department were assigned to a group of performers to see their names were constantly out. i find a diffic

so reagan had to constantly let the right know, i know what i'm doing. >> reagan was being accused alreadycommunism, but he hadn't forgotten the problems we still had. europe was still divided, there was still a berlin wall. >> there's one sign the soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. mr. gorbachev, open this gate. mr. gorbachev, tear down this wall. >> it was perfect. it was beautiful. he had to insist on keeping it in the speech. and he did it. don't let anybody tell you it was a staffer or anybody else that did that. >> meanwhile, in the soviet union, gorbachev decides to do something bold and he says let's separate sdi from reducing the nuclear stockpile. once he does this, it opens up the possibility for a third summit. >> this week's summit may prove especially important, even historic. for the first time since the onset of the nuclear age, the united states and soviet union will sign a treaty actually reducing the number of nuclear missiles. >> the inf involved the elimination of an entire class of weapons, the

to defeat reagan.nd offered to get kremlin and their propaganda and general and so forth on american television rate in other words on american media by a top democrat senator. >> very top ted kennedy. 1980 charging jimmy carter for democratic primary. >> bring this to today -- can you imagine if donald trump or donald trump's camp had done one tenth of one percent of this? >> and -- and there's a smoky gun there's actual document. >> more than a smoking gun but a nuclear blast here. >> and the document is couched within policies foreign policy. nuclear policies, military national security, 1984 presidential election. and it is written by head of the kgb too the head of the government. soviet union and this will be like having a document by the current head of the -- russian fssb or gru directly are to putin to say here's an offer that is being made by senators so and so on behalf of your donald trump or whoever. and a all laid out right there and -- >> instead professor we're left with there was a mee

and look at the reagan. really wanted to defeat them and they were pushing investigations and pushed iran-contra and wanted to take them out, too. media was part of that. media today which clearly have wanted to take out this president and on it every day. they give a pre- speech analysis and the other day he gave a speech about the border in the budget and they give a post speech analysis but now they fact check everything. in order to conceal their ideology. is that the problem? have the media become devoured by the progressive movement the way hollywood has the way academia has for the most part and the way the democrat have or are they just another appendage at this point? >> there driven by their prices. they deny that but look at cnn. it's 247 trump, trump, trump friend of mine in the media says cnn is treating the trump presidency like a natural disaster, like a hurricane. it's all negative news all the time and you can't go there for news. mark: it is the tone. you actually have people comparing him

reagan in california? >> i had extended that invitation and he countered with the same suggestion. >> what do you think of the possibility? >> i don't know. getting down to these last hours that i cannot foresee what i am going to be faced with until i get out there and have to deal with it. i can scheduleat or what my plans are going to be. >> casey apparently knew that he had a brain tumor two years before he died. did you know? >> i did not know. >> he would have told you, do you think, or should have told you? >> i don't know. see wered -- i could probably he had concerns that this might create a doubt or a suspicion that he wasn't up to , so i am not going to judge him on that. >> this is probably the last i will be able to ask you this question. why do you insist that poindexter did nothing wrong when you fired him for diverting funds. he burned government documents. he supported your power -- thwarted your power. why do you continue to forgive them everything? >> when said doing nothing wrong, -- wh

and ronald reagan epitomized all those things. >> between '76 and '80, reagan's building a coalitiontian fundamentalists, and law and order nixonan people. >> reagan is realizing to sell conservatism you have to diet with a smile. you have got to do it in a way that makes people feel good not scold them. >> we can turn this country around. we can turn our economy around. and the time to do it is now. [ chanting ] >> there are many democrats who are worried that carter is not going to win. so ted kennedy, a senator from massachusetts decide to take him on. >> today i formally announce that i am a candidate for president of the united states. [ cheers and applause ] >> many democrats believe carter moved too far to the center and he abandoned the traditional idea of the party. >> jimmy carter and kennedy became the polar opposites within the party and jimmy carter on top of that had a feeling that the kennedys felt that they were above we southerners. >> it is a nasty contest. when some one asks jimmy carter in passing what you think of being challenged by ted kennedy. jimmy carter say

daddy's here. ♪ >> ronald reagan, nancy reagan, brought hollywood glamor to the white house.say they brought bling back to the white house. >> the whole image of nancy reagan and ronald reagan are both hollywood fixtures. both people who had been in front of a camera, around a camera, understood the power of image. >> i've got an idea for another picture. i've got the chainsaw. no, and you're blocking me off. >> they're from california. they have no cares or worries. half of their kids don't even speak to them. but they're having a wonderful time with their rich friends and they enjoy the good life. and that was really clear. >> the reagans were all about being stars. and they understood incredibly well how to use image and how to communicate through image. which is really what fashion is about. it's about, what is this dress going to tell the watching world about what this administration stands for and what this country stands for? >> it was the reagan white house that had an excessive amount of state dinners, and they were all celebrity studded. it was hollywood's east coas

i have always been a huge fan of ron reagan. of ronald reagan. huge. [applause] to even his funeral. and i will never forget, and i had it on my desk when with i was a sitting des moines -- sitting d.a., his horse with his boots backwards in the stirrups. [laughter] and that was out of respect, of course, for him and a recognition that he was a man who loved horses, who was into ranches. but i don't have to tell any of you that, you're here. the man was an all-american hero from beginning to end. [applause] without a doubt. without a doubt. [applause] so as john indicated, my friend, donald trump -- who i've known for almost 30 years -- [applause] is someone that i never expected would run for president, but i'm not surprised. and it's almost as though everyone knew from melania to his sister who is on ther is cut court of appeals -- on the circuit court of appeals which is, obviously, one down from the united states supreme court, they both said once he announced he was going to run that he would win. they had no doubt at all. and while the press and

years of that in the reagan white house as a special assistant to the president. my experiences in the reagan white house gave me valuable understandings of many issues of the day as well as contacts that over the years i put to good use. the longer i have been here in washington, the more appreciative i am for the leadership and policies of president ronald reagan. when he left office 30 years ago, our economy was strong, the cold war was ending as the soviet union diss integrated and ronald reagan handed over a new generation of americans, a country with an upward trajectory and tremendous potential and restored to america that sense of optimism that is so much part of our character. it was an honor to have served at his side in the white house. and yes i am proud to have served with the men and women in this congress from all over our country who represented both america's diversity and dedication to high values. yes, looking back, i am disappointed that our government, while i have been here, did not achieve all that was possible. but in the same time, i think

much like reagan. if you put the right place policies people will flourish and people will get richer and everyone benefits but the rising tide and that's one of the things that attracted larry kudlow and i to trump. >> host: talking about i'm sorry i will share a small story aboui met art in person and it was in the '90s and in france and we were having breakfast at the intercontinental are member of the student and it was meeting like a rockstar. i remember that he said something that stuck with me or my whole life and until the state i think about it even outside the context of texas. he said to me talking about the reagan tax cuts the one of the problems in one of the mistakes was to make the -- inaudible is that i can't even remember what he responded to what is said that i may have implied it was a good thing and he said absolutely not. tell people that things will be less expensive tomorrow they will defer option and investment and it stayed with me. >> guest: by the way, that's relevant to the

you may be too young to have lived through the reagan campaign but when reagan ran for president, people laughed . ronald reagan actor ran for president? then he went on to a surprising victory. the way they are different, this is a point we tried to get across in the book. ronald reagan was ideological and i mean that, barack obama is ideological. barack obamawas ideologically liberal. and that means reagan understood the free market. he understood the constitution . he was steeped in conservatism. he grew up with bill buckley. trump is not ideological. you and i are ideological in the way we look at our world. trump looks at the world as a businessman. he doesn't look at it this lens. because most of the things we believe are the right solution and liberals have the wrong solution, he comes around in most cases to the kind of solutions that we believe are the best way to grow the economy. now, there's two issues and we can get into this that he is really i think taken on conservative dogma and the first is on trade where he's not conventional free trader and the second is immigration w

time reagan learned to wash her hair by herself was a big day. what we do in these chambers and in public service makes a difference in the lives of people. from one that spends it all to one that create savings for more difficult times. we now have a long-term reserve fund with a current balance of over $125 million. [ applause ] so, when it comes to the future, we have an understanding from history that the future is brightest when we embrace the new and create growth. remember, the voters supported and gave us approval for growth agenda, we cannot let them down. let's not let this moment in history pass us by, let us work together for success let's work together and make history let's make history by transporting state government and make history by raising teacher pay to historic levels in our state. [ applause ] let's make history by focusing on a growth agenda that allows arkansans to prosper. [ applause ] i've submitted my balanced- budget to you and includes original funding for public safety with 30 additional probation officers and incl

president reagan said it's the suicide pact. people of the world don't want that. and i guess the dialogue or discussion that goes on is if you develop an exquisite missile defense capability, is that destabilizing or stabilizing? you know, i think it's something that you got to look at for what is it, and that is your ability to defend your people. it's not an offensive weapon. it renders an opponent's capability less capable, swarm is a challenge. but, you know, even given the argument over stability versus instability, it's the right answer to go down versus a suicide pact that mutually assures destruction. so i think -- and if you look at the other strength of the united states that's not often talked about is our friends and partners, our allies, we by with and through as secretary mattis said. i lived it. most people in their uniform lived it their whole lives. when we build that -- we have friends and partners. if you build a missile defense capability, and you have nations like china and russia, they don't. so even if they -- even if it's destabilizing with

there's no quoting of reagan anymore. donald trump destroyed ronald reagan.ed ronald reagan's power even after holding office and even after death in the republican party. which was an extraordinary power that ronald reagan held for a long time. >> and you're talking about the power of example? >> of his ideas. republicans were living under reaganism for a few decades. decad decades. they were living under republican principles that reagan lived by. and they were narrowing them all the time. i mean, reagan, for example, was in favor of raising taxes when it made sense to him, and it sometimes made sense to him. he's not one who said we should never raise taxes, but the inheriters of the reagan legacy did. they didn't refine it very much. trump blew it away, and blow si sh -- pelosi showed that today. >> i could go on and on. >> come back at 10:00. >> it's called the last word with lawrence o'donnell. it's one of the most popular shows on cable news. you're hosting it tonight. >> that is the embalmed version of me. >> do i join in this joke or not? >> that pho

bush price and some for ronald reagan, some for george h.w. for mitt romney, who are these people who hear him lying, know he's lying and still blindly defend him and attack all those who just show the tape and say, look, he's lying? >> you know, i watch these same people, many of whom i've respected, admired and thought had ining it rhad logic twist t with pretzel logic and juxtapose what he's saying now and they come up with some -- they always have an excuse why it's really not quite what it is or what it seemed. and i get into discussions of what trump trying to say. why not have trump explain it to the rest of us? can't he use his words and explain? he can't take responsibility with his own actions. what i believe is going to happen with a shutdown now, there won't be a negotiated settlement. he will either declare a national emergency and it will go to the courts, just like daca, or he'll find emergency funding designed for other emergencies like california. "the washington post" has identified $13.9 billion, more than twice of what he's

chris: ronald reagan appointed you. you are friends with ronald reagan. tell us about ronald reagan for a few minutes. he taught himself so much. his writing was great. we found all of his original writings from the 1950's. -- how didu think you think -- because he played such a big role at the end of the cold war in modern conservatism and is ranked as one of the top presidents. what do you know about him we don't know? justice kennedy he believed -- justice kennedy: he knew what he knew and believe what he believed. in access to him, i did a few legal things for him and lived in sacramento. veryd nancy liked mary much. i said there are two things you can ever ask me. he said, oh, what's that? you can't ask me about politics. i was a practitioner and a business lawyer. he had won the great political teams. he said what is the other thing? i said don't ever ask me who should be appointed a judge. inppear in the state court sacramento is a lot of -- is an area for a lot of that. i had good access to him. one time i was in his office early on. they said gov

reagan is known for make america great again. >> ronald reagan coasts into washington. was a sense of okay, we're done with the hostages and now let's just have a good time. >> daddy is here. >> ronald reagan, nancy reagan brought hollywood glamour to the white house. you could also say they brought bling back to the white house. >> the whole image of nancy reagan and ronald reagan are hollywood fixtures. both people who had been in front of a camera, around a camera understood the power of image. >> i have an idea for another picture. i've got the chain saw. and you're blocking me off. stopping me. >> they are from california. they have no cares or worries. half their kids don't even speak to them, but they are having a wonderful time with their rich friends. they enjoyed the good life and that was really clear. >> the reagans were all about being stars. they understood incredibly well how to use image. and how to communicate through image. which is really what fashion is about. what is this dress going to tell the watching world about what this administration stands f

it could have, this was for reagan, too. a lot of young people, this is the court again, people think there's this conservative order. ogre. so by having young voters, you can sooth their concerns that this was a radical right and that was an emphasis, too. those are two issues, there was politicians, policy issues, i will point out, nixon and this gets controversial, nixon was an important advocate and i'll use that term loosely. by 1972, he was backtracking. so that was an appeal to a lot of working-class, blue-collar, young people. i will say, a major appeal that was interesting that i found to ethics, we'll call it ethics, cultural appeal. that is to ethnicity. so there was for example, i have a picture in this book called ford rally. with the young polish society. it's a bunch of young, it was in pittsburgh. young polish society was marching down the street and had a big bear the said welcome 4g. there was this ethnic appeal, i think balances the backlash that a lot of people associate with, i don't want too simply say

ronald reagan. recognizing that vitality, the optimism, the hope, the courage, the determination to make the future better for their children and the next generations, and those are american traits. those people, all of our ancestors, parents, grandparents, maybe some of you in the room, make america more american with that optimism, hope, courage and determination. he goes on to say, we must not close doors. you really have to read his speech. it's just remarkable. and he, george herbert walker bush, president clinton, president george w. bush in his heart, in his head was all there with immigration but we couldn't convince others in his party at that time. he really -- maybe the best in terms of his full appreciation personally as a representative, as a governor of a border state and, of course, barack obama. and so this administration is vl a departure from the bipartisanship that has always existed, the recognition of who we are by and large a nation of immigrants unless we are blessed to have b

ronald reagan. i think we feel it so deeply. we, the people, congratulate you, latino members of the 116th congress may your victories be the best and the best of all americans. now, i would like to take a moment to think mission partners of chci to make this event possible. thank you to our cohost, bank of america, target, thank you for your commitment and with investing in our future leaders, i want to take a moment to recognize the 25, i will not put you through that, i want to share the screen and you will have a list of all the generous individuals and companies that support the chci mission. it is supposed to come soon. thank you so much. >> [ applause ] finally, i want to recognize our outgoing chair who will be cheering the congressional hispanic caucus in the 116th congress , the last two years would not have been possible without his steadfast mission and without his support i would not have been able to -- done the work, it is so meaningful for me and for the chci staff and all of you. yo

template for president reagan's plans to overthrow the nicaraguan government the congress passed the boland amendment which prohibited u.s. military aid to the contras one thousand nine hundred four daniel ortega was elected democratically this government implemented new social services for providing free education health care and land reform. reagan vend used ortega's socialist policies and economic aid received from the soviet union to start a covert war using the national security council the administration sent secret aid to the mercenary soldiers known as the contras. despite the passage of the boland amendment the arming and support of the contras became the most ambitious paramilitary and political action mounted by the cia since vietnam. war changed as new sandinista government turned to the american p.c. . to just for help. we've begun with the request of the knower to get water to bring people down she says look i don't care who you bring don't bring down republicans democrats but we want people to know. your country is devastating our country. what politicians to do someth

reagan dens used ortega's socialist policies and economic aid received from the soviet union to start a covert war using the national security council the administration sent secret aid to the mercenary soldiers known as the contras. despite the passage of the boland amendment the arming and support of the contras became the most ambitious paramilitary and political action mounted by the cia since vietnam looking. for changes new sandinista government turned to the american peace activists for help and. we begin with the request. to bring people down she says look. republicans democrats but we want people to know who. their country is devastating our country. police stations are always telling us oh we can't have everything at the same time we can't have peace and democracy blah blah blah in a situation i know war situation that's not true is that instead of telling people what you can't have everything and then failing to deliver on everything we should be fabric here and say ok no you can't have g.'s like some kind of peace you can have some kind of democracy you can have some kind

common president reagan turned his focus to the resource rich countries of central and south america central america. the effect of security and it will be. and central america is much closer to the united states than many of the trouble spots the concerns we knew. in the country. in the system because for one hundred years two hundred year those who lived through dollars. for every dollar we invest is so good for the tremendous source oh then go for the. for forty years the united states received first choice on the ninety percent of nicaraguan exports in return the us government supported the dictatorship of the some most of dynasty the family used land confiscation and political repression to rule over the nicaraguan people . in one thousand nine hundred seventy nine the samosa those were driven out after a long war waged by the popular sandinista party led by daniel ortega. one nine hundred eighty two in an attempt to thwart president reagan's plans to overthrow the nicaraguan government. congress passed the boland amendment which prohibited u.s. military aid to the contras ninet

he can envision voters and say for reagan two, young people think you're conservative ogre, and reagansaid some really rough things about young people in the 1960s. and so by having young voters you can see people's concerns that this was the radical right and so that was an emphasis two. so those are a few issues, there were some policy issues, nixon was an important advocate and i'll use that term loosely by 1972 he is backtracking. that was an appeal to a lot of working class blue-collar, young people. i will say that a major appeal that was really interesting that i found to ethic, was a cultural appeal. that is to ethnicity and so there was ford, a great picture in the book of ford rally, with a young polish society. so it is a bunch of young, dashed it was in pittsburgh, they were marching down the street and they had a big bear that said welcome ford ski. [laughter] southard was his ethnic appeal. which i think bounces the backlash that people associate with, i don't want to say just the working-class americans were fully on board with the republican racism but it was the ethic

reagan for the honor, had a vote been taken.im round after round of cheers. >> we're going to turn the bull loose. >> the whole world, from reagan's white house on, was basically saying wall street is the engine of our economy. it represents growth. it represents opportunity. it represents the american dream. so these guys were basically saying, we're going to go do it. >> this is the big draw on wall street, the smell of money. >> this is where the action is. this is the over the counter trading. more than 17,000 daily transactions involving millions of shares and millions of dollars, made and lost here every day. and it's a game for young people. when you get home at the end of the week and you look back at what you've done, what gives you a sense of satisfaction? >> i guess making a lot of money. >> for yourself? >> myself and for the firm. >> when the economy started to recover and become more vibrant, there was a great sense of exhilaration that we survived this miserable period. let's celebrate, let's party. we have money

george bush could go. >> we are talking about reagan tonight.eption, but we are talking about reagan tonight. >> laura: craig, it is a day that i remember very well. both of the reagan revolution generation, and i like how he said all in all, not bad. basically, we did a pretty good job. always underselling himself and what was accomplished. humility was such a big part of who reagan was, and i think we can all use a dose of humility, myself included. thank you so much for joining us tonight, brief, but on the podcast next week, you can hear an extended analysis of why that speech wasn't so important on what it says about today's politics. coming up, the house democrats latest smelly stunt. thatatatatat daddy diaper duty... i can't say it's the highlight of fatherhood. but i'd rather be here with my little man than not be here because of migraine. i have three words for migraine... .. pain, redness or swelling at the injection site and constipation. talk to your doctor about aimovig. and be there more. >> time for the last bite, house democrats

they said, dutch reagan? i said my real name is ronald reagan. never used ronald, i like dutch better. they said that is not bad. i got to keep my own name, ronald reagan. >> you can watch archived films on public affairs in a their entirety on their series weekly america. here on american history tv. a panel of historians discuss controversial monuments in the west. plaques thate honor u.s. military leaders who massacred indians and at monuments to pioneers, and early settlers who colonized the west. they explore similarities and differences between monuments in the south and west. this talk is a part of the annual meeting. it is about 90 minutes. >> i am the author of a book called the legacy of conquest. the working title was the burden of western history. that tells you something about the relationship that i found myself in, the southern history. i hope that would see more of it in western history. i was frequently saying i was hoping to do something comparable to what mr. woodward had done to connect the past and present.

ronald reagan. our common cause -- applaud for ronald reagan. our common cause is to find and forge a way forward for our country. let us stand for the people, to promote liberty and justice for all as we pledge every day. and always, always keep our nation safe from threats old and new, from terrorism and cyber warfare, overseas and here at home, to protect and defend. that's the oath we all take to serve in this body. that is the oath we take, to protect and defend. i close by remembering a cherished former member of this body who rose to become a beloved president of the united states and who last month returned to the capitol once more and he came this time to lie in state. that week we honored president george herbert walker bush with eulogies, tributes and tears. today, i single out one of his great achievements, working with both democrats and republicans to write the americans with disabilities act into the laws of our land. thank you, steny hoyer, for being an important part of hat. in 2010, we marked the 20th anniversary of the act by

to serve with him and to be a friend of ronald reagan. kind of the person that most made me who i am today is ronald reagan. and your service with him as attorney general and also in the state of california is just really exceptional. i also want to thank jennifer marshall, john malcolm, and especially the panelists today. each one of you brings a unique perspective to today's discussion. but we're all united in our shared values of tolerance and mutual respect. i also want a special thanks to emily cowell, director of the richard and helen devos center for religion and civil society for organizing this event and for many years as an attorney dedicated to the protection of religious liberty. i also want to take -- before i start my official remarks, i just want to take a personal moment to say how exceptionally well i thought bill barr did yesterday in his senate confirmation hearing. it really -- i've always believed it, that he is the right person to take over the department of justice and lead us into the next chapter in the department

ronald reagan from the oval office 30 years ago today. still with us, the historian and author, john meacham. there is the current occupant of the white house, his address from the oval office this week. john, there were democrats that election night when jimmy carter lost in tears because they thought that our country was ruined and we were going to be the laughing stock of the world. then came ronald reagan, and in a country where unless you're a scallywag, we tend to look affectionately back on our former presidents. the question is to you, did people in real-time look at this guy, his farewell address and say, you know what, that's just a shining example of what we want our president and our presidency to be? or has it been fuzzed up in history along the way? >> well, there's a difference between something being fuzzed up and our seeing it more clearly, and i think that a lot of times with presidents we had this with truman, we had this with george w. bush, mountains tend to get a little bit larger and we judge them more effectively t

that's ronald reagan. their hero. they didn't applaud for ronald reagan when i said that. they usually applaud for ronald reagan all the time. we are a nation of immigrants. and every new generation of immigrants is a revitalization of america. making america more america. >> give me one fundamental thing, is it daca, what's the fundamental thing that must be in a bill? >> the best way we could go and hope that the president would agree to is comprehensive immigration reform, where we address the whole package of reforms. we have always said, all of us together will go -- the daca situation, the dreamers that became such an urgent matter and still is, that we separated that out and that would be a part of it. but if you have comprehensive immigration reform where you talk about people coming forward -- coming forward because people are not going to come forward if that means they come forward and they're arrested. they come forward and taxes, that usually isn't the case, but whatever that would be. but anyway to have legalization process for the 11 million people who are i

that is ronald reagan. their hero. they didn't applaud for reagan when i said that. they usually applaud for ronald reagan all the time. but the fact is we are, unless if you are blessed to be a native american, a nation of immigrants. and new every generation of immigrants is a revitalization of america. making america more america. >> one of the fundamentals, one fundamental thing that must be in a bill? is it dhaka. ending child separations? what is the fundamental thing that must be in a bill from your point of view. >> well from the -- the best way we could go and hope the president will agree to is comprehensive immigration reform. where we address the whole package of reforms. we have always said all of us together will go. except the dhaka situation, the dreamers said became such an urgent matter and still is that we separated that out so that would be a part of it. but if you have comprehensive immigration reform. where people come forward. people are not going to come forward if they are arrested and then deported. so they come forward, they are recognized

george bush could go. >> we are talking about reagan tonight.ing about reagan tonight. >> laura: craig, it is a day that i remember very well. both of the reagan revolution generation, and i like how he said all in all, not bad. basically, we did a pretty good job. always underselling himself and what was accomplished. humility was such a big part of who reagan was, and i think we can all use a dose of humility, myself included. thank you so much for joining us tonight, brief, but on the podcast next week, you can hear an extended analysis of why that speech wasn't so important on what it says about today's politics. coming up, the house democrats latest smelly stunt. that is next. dad, we need to talk about something important. you don't need to go anywhere dad, this is your home. the best home to be in is your own. home instead offers personalized in-home services for your loved ones. home instead senior care. to us, it's personal. home instead senior care. ♪ ♪ i can do more to lower my a1c. because my body can still make its own insulin. and