. >>> coming up, the national journal. the national journal has a story today entitled "clueless, heartless, and gutless: today's gop." what a statement. the reason? rand paul calls extending unemployment insurance a disservice to these workers. that's orwellian. that's supposedly a good thing. >>> also can lightning strike again for democrats? tea partiers are going after seven seats out there held by republicans. maybe will get nominated and maybe the democrats can pick off a seat or two. >>> and what happened when newt gingrich and ted cruz posted respectful tributes to nelson mandela? they were savaged by right wing critics who portrayed mandela as a terrorist. if that doesn't smell of racism out there, nothing will. >>> finally, if you've got a birther on your christmas list, have we got a gift for you. get it now before supplies run out. and this is "hardball," the place for politics. ♪ [ male announcer ] ever wonder why no other mouthwash feels like listerine®? because no other mouthwash works like listerine®. in you

has gotten high marks from the groups like chamber of commerce, american conservative union, the national journal named him the second most conservative senator behind only alaska's representative painting of jesus drilling for oil. [laughter] someone is going to commission that. [ laughter ] i'll tell you what give me a taste of this steve stockman guy. i want to know what is considered tea party electable these days. it's amazing what they are saying is covered by obamacare. if you decide to become transgender you can get that covered. >> good to know. >> next time i call your show -- [laughter] >> jon: i get it because -- it's funny because he is an (bleep). at this point the only guy that could live up to the ideals is ronald reagan himself. >> ronald reagan brought about obama's election. let's look at what political hero ronald reagan tried to do with three million illegals. >> reagan botched it though. >> exactly that's what i'm saying. >> we have to stop worshiping ronald reagan. [ laughter ] >> >> jon: holy (bleep) when ronald reagan is just another hollywood liberal you have to say your

today, the "national journal" reports on the return of the welfare queen. the return of this talk. >> she wanted a divorce to get an $80 raise. she's eligible for $330 a month in the aid of children program. she got the idea from two women in her neighborhood who had already done that very thing. >> it's a vicious old talking point. and it's back. joining me now is dana milbank. dana, the cover of this story shows a woman driving a fancy car and wearing expensive clothes. why is this demonization of the poor back? >> i'm not sure it ever really left, reverend, and i think, however, the republicans have left themselves in a very vulnerable position here. so, have given themselves an extra long christmas break and then three days after christmas, 1.3 million americans will be turned off from their benefits and the most vulnerable will be made further so. so i think there's always been a strain within the republican party, whether it was the welfare queens or whether it was the 47%. the rhetoric is not necessarily the main issue here, but when it's accompanied

the decision could take six months. washington journal for december 17, 2013. the folks at "the nationalournal" put together who had -- put together a list of who had the best year in politics. for our first 45 minutes we are looking for the same from you. who had the best year in politics? maybe it was a figure, a government body. our phone lines -- our twitter account is -- like i said, the "national journal" put together a poll. they compiled a list of republicans and democrats asking who had the best year in politics. when it comes to those responding for the democrats, here is the result of their list. here is what they came up with. one percent said it was joe biden paid 60% say it was chris christie. hillary clinton at 24%. at two percent with barack obama weighing in on one percent. following that, it was rand paul with two percent, harry reid with 10%, and paul ryan with no one. -- here is the republicans response. nobody responded for the vice president rate of 71% say it was chris christie who had the best year in politics. nine percent of said ted cruz hillary clinton with te

marsha coyle with the national law journal provides an inside look at the supreme court in "the roberts court: the struggle for the constitution." military historian max boot presents a history of guerrilla warfare and terrorism in "invisible armies: an epic history of guerrilla warfare there ancient times to present." in "the way of the knife," mark mozetti, national security correspondent for "the new york times," reports on america's engagement in clandestine warfare. anita ragvan recounts the collapse of a $7 billion hedge fund in "the billionaire's apprentice: the ride of the indian-american elite and the fall of the galleon hedge fund." for links to various other publications' 2013 notable book selections, visit booktv's web site, booktv.org. >> well, now on booktv we want to introduce you to simon booker. mr. booker, what is your professional background? >> guest: well, i've been with -- [inaudible] over a half century starting with the baltimore astros. i had a -- [inaudible] who went to harvard or, carl murphy -- [inaudible] and he always wanted me to be a journalist. so i foll

as the national journal points out. that exact headline showed up in 2008 during the primaries, and in 2009 during the health care fight. and in 2010 after scott brown won that victory in mike galanos. after the bp oil spill, and during the 2011 bad economic news, and during the 2012 election. even this year when the president took on syria. so the next time somebody asks you, can obama recover? i think the smart bet is, yes, he can. so to you -- >> can i point out. >> surmaking my point, sir. if in fact it is the case, betting on the failure, isn't it reckless and foolish on the part of the republican party to have one strategy, which is to hope obama fails? that's the only strategy, as best as i can tells. >> remember the shovel ready? remember obama care, demonstrated weakness around the world? >> again, this is your whole strategy. >> it's not a strategy. >> but what is your strategy? you have no strategy for getting jobs for the country, no strategy for immigration. am i wrong? >> the next time i do this showing i'm

marsha coil, chief washington correspondent for the national law journal provides an inside look at the supreme court in the roberts court, the struggle for the constitution. military historian max. presents the history of guerrilla warfare and terrorism in invisible armies, an epic history of guerrilla warfare is national-security correspondent for the new york times talked about america's engage in a clandestine warfare. contributing correspondent for the new york times recounts the collapse of a $7 billion hedge fund in the billionaire's apprentice, the rise of the indian american elite and the fall of the galion hedge fund. for an extended list and links to other publications 2013 notable book selections visit booktv's web site, booktv.org. >> it also intel's you about his father who was a prominent freedom fighter, who spent many years in jail, cousin told me when i was in calcutta interviewing in 2011, joe was like a house to him. i will start with that. ever since he was born, he was like infant to his father. as handsome as his father with the same chiselled be online the gave b

ron fornier from the national journal and our chief national correspondent, john king. l in the "washington post," who do you trust to do a better job on the economy, issue number one. back a year ago, 54% said obama. 36% said republicans. now look at this. 41% say obama, 45% say republicans. that's quite a swing. >> it was up 18 points, now down four, right? it's crazy how this has switched, even given the fact that the republicans blew the government shutdown in october and you would think the president might still be riding on that but he's not, for a variety of reasons. one is people don't think he's as competent as they used to think. they don't think he's as trustworthy as they used to think. one of the poll numbers also shows that they don't believe he's going to protect the middle class as much as they once believed and we all know that's his bread and butter, when he ran for re-election, that was it. i'm all about the middle class. >> is it simply the rollout of the affordable care act, the health care website, the promise if you like your health care plan, you

host: we are talking with clara ger from the "national journal." she was part of the writing team here. today is your last chance to get insurance o. meant us of the allowance -- announcement last week. guest: sure. administration did a little mini one of their own last week. they announced that for all of the consumers who had received cancellation notices -- and we don't really know how many consumers that was, there were estimates in the millions -- for the consumers are received health insurance plan cancellation notices, because their coverage did not meet the coverage requirements under the law, those people had two options. either next year they do not have to shine up for health insurance and would not face the individual mandate penalty or they were now newly eligible for catastrophic coverage. that is bare-bones coverage, a lot cheaper. then your typical bronze or silver plan on the exchanges. those people were given somewhat of a reprieve. that is really important. a significant portion of consumers would be affected. the administration d

that cost her thirty dollars a month that has a deductible of only five hundred dollars for the national journal spank is now thrilled with their coverage and states that created their own exchanges are reporting huge surges and sign ups just days before the first enroll in deadline california averaged fifteen thousand and romance a day last week up from an average of seven thousand a day the week before and in kentucky enrollments are up forty percent since thanksgiving as states as three thousand kentucky ins a day are being approved for medicaid or qualified health plans so isn't all this proof. that at least in those places around the country republicans are not sabotaging obamacare it is incredibly successful mark no i don't think so i mean. first of all your dad i thought well first of all you're talking about the fact that all these people are signing up when they're compelled by law but i think it's a bigger question to pragmatically we can look in so you can help by law they're compelled by the tax code after all of our previous disco well but seventy five bucks you pay the understand w

today the national journal writes about president obama's resilience. can obama recover? ining me now is the reporter with that story, national journal political correspondent alex sikes wald and james peterson, professor at lehigh university. thank you for being here. alex, your piece is about the president recovering. tell us what you noticed. >> if i had a dollar for every time somebody said obama or obama care is doomed, i could pay for the website rebuild myself. you know, at every stage when scott brown got re-elected, everyone was sure obama care was done. when the tea party came, everybody said obama care was done. obama himself, from controversies like the irs to when he criticized the arrest of henry lewis gates, he's been done. and he continued. this should be no surprise to anyone who's paid attention to history. bill clinton emerged from an impeachment scandal with the highest approval rating of his career. he's the president. he has the support -- he won the 2012 election with the support of many americans. and the health care law is here to stay. it's not go

that's how the national journal describes the republican party today. a gop that puts its far right ideology over families. even over children. children like desani, an 11-year-old homeless girl profiled in an amazing article in today's "new york times." she lives in poverty in a shelter with her family. a shelter infested with roaches and rodents. the walls covered in mold. in the richest country in the world, no child should live in these conditions. but deshani is just one of 22,000 homeless children in new york city. across the country, one in five children lives in poverty. this is a real crisis. right now this country is facing this crisis. but republicans in washington don't seem to care. in just two weeks, unemployment benefits will run out for 1.3 million americans. yet this is the response from a top republican. >> i do support unemployment benefits for the 26 weeks they're paid for. if you extend it beyond that, you do a disservice to these workers. when you allow people to be on unemployment for 99 weeks, you're causing them to be part of th

it is not clear that cornyn, despite being ranked the second most conservative senator by the national journalo win this thing. two years ago, everyone knew who was going to be the next republican senator from texas, it was going to be senator david due hurst. he got to the right of him and beat him by budget digits in a runoff. and that's senator ted cruz. howard fineman, here's the challenge for an msnbc host, describing steve stockman, it is generally a challenge. we use all these words all the time to describe the far right opposition, that is sort of intent on the president's demise, that believes in a whole variety of awful, terrible and ridiculous things and nothing could quite capture the dark, wierd magic that is steve stockman. >> well, i'm tempted to say that the great thing about the earth is if you poke a hole in it, steve stockman comes out. i mean, you say this stuff coming out of texas is -- you know, you thought it was a parody. i question how much time you have spechblt in texas. i mean texas is built on being a parody and they're proud of their texasness, to a point that it'

that's how the national journal describes the republican party today.uts its far right ideology over families. even over children. children like desani, an 11-year-old homeless girl profiled in an amazing article in today's "new york times." she lives in poverty in a shelter with her family. a shelter infested with roaches and rodents. the walls covered in mold. in the richest country in the world, no child should live in these conditions. but deshani is just one of 22,000 homeless children in new york city. across the country, one in five children lives in poverty. this is a real crisis. right

the national journal writes it's a dark time for president obama. liding as confidence wanes and his competence and the government's ability to do anything right. i'm talking, of course, of the 2010 bp oil spill. or perhaps hurricane sandy. or maybe the irs controversy. disasters that seemed sure to doom the obama administration, but they suddenly didn't. all of these got widespread long coverage in terms of a lot of plays particularly by the right on these issues. these were the things that were going to bring the president down and people heard it over and over and other again. >> sure. and the president even seems more determined than even a couple years ago. you saw it in his speech that he gave the other day where he highlighted inequality and he challenged republicans to put their ideas forward. but he was isolating on what he sees as the problem. republicans. whereas in the past he would use the term washington. now he's saying well it's not washington. it's republicans and particularly it's how republicans. the president's in much more of a f

and joining us to discuss our political panel, the national journal sam baker the hill's jonathan easilyulie are a ragenski here in new york. any surprises, sam. >> no probably not. i think gallup says the sitting president has been the most admired man in the country for something like the past 30 years i think it was and obviously hillary clinton has been pretty far up there as well. i would expect this is about what you would expect and both of them also, saw a smaller share and gotten in the past which would track with president obama's poll numbers. >> jonathan, when you look at this, the people down just slightly below, at least on the man's list was george w. bush. you think that surprised the democrats at all? >> it is a little bit surprising, i think. if you had told george w. bush back in 2008 that by 2013 he would be number two on this list i think he would be ecstatic. >> believe me. >> bush this year, he really calm out and showed his personal side and i think that buieed him. we got his paintings. he went on the late show. it remind people that hey this would be a guy i wou

"the national journal" says the republican civil war is getting bloodier. "politico" writes the gop's private war goes public. basically, conservative groups like heritage, freedom works and americans for prosperity are urging members to vote against the deal. and it made speaker boehner angry. >> most major conservative groups have made statements blasting this deal. >> you mean the groups that came out and opposed it before they were sought? >> yes, those groups. are you worried -- >> they're using our members, and they're using the american people for their own goals. this is ridiculous. listen, if you're for more deficit reduction, you're for this agreement. >> a statement signed by more than 50 members of conservative groups reads, quote, it is clear that the conservative movement has come under attack on capitol hill today. and the head of the senate conservatives fund said, quote, john boehner has apparently decided to join mitch mcconnell in the war on conservatives. mcconnell called us fringe traitors who should be locked in a bar and punched in th

the senior political analyst of the editorial director of the national journal, as well. sident, whose job approval numbers now are at a record low, he's in deep trouble because of the launching of obama care is calling in the cavalry to help. >> it's not usual kind of pattern in the second term of an administration. you reach out for some of those more veteran washington figures. think of reagan and howard baker. after iran-contra. this precedent for this, john podesta is a fascinating figure. he was close to the clintons, chief of staff so he knows how to deal with a hostile congress. he has worked with obama. he ran the transition for him and also built what has been the most successful left of center think tank launched, the center for american progress. someone with very good ties inside the broad democratic coalition and has experience dealing with congress. >> what does it say the president is calling on him to bring him in as a counselor to the president? >> the counselor is a historically a pretty fuzzy term. it usually translates into you give a lot of advice, yo

based on this headline that came out from the national journal where congress has the lowest output since this year alone congress will close the year with 58 public bills. they may add a few in the last day of the year but it's not going to change much substantially, you announced you're going to be running and seeking your 33rd year in congress. when we look at now having the lowest output since 1947, a member like yourself wants to go back. you want to go back to this rodeo one more time for the 23rd time. explain what you hope can kwhche with keeping your position. >> you know, when you have a bad marriage, and we are married to the republican party as a congress, you still have a bad marriage. and i have invested too much love and sacrifice in trying to improve the quality of life of most americans so that they can have the great opportunities that i've had. and the president has two more years to fulfill an exciting, progressive program that creates jobs, enhances education, gives hope to the poor that they can become the middle class and hope to the middle class that they can becom

ron brownstein is cnn's political analyst and director of the national journal. house speaker jon boehner blamed senate democrats. so who is at fault here, ron? >> you can -- the question for the blame is even the right word. the fundamental reality we have two coalitions reflected in the democratic majority in the senate and the white house and the public majority in the house that have antithet cal views about what the government should be doing and what the country should look like and they have proven unwilling or unable to bridge their differences and that is the fundamental divide we are facing and there is no sign it's going to end any time soon. you talk about the number of bills and talk about bills of substance. there may be only a single one that was approved earlier this year and even that passed with opposition from a majority of house republicans so we are looking at very low levels of productivity. >> and then, of course, upcoming we have the deadline to reach a new budget and that would be friday. bo jon boehner said come friday we're at the end of

but before you grab the torches and the pitchforks let's take a look at this headline in the "national journalongress probably worked more than you did this year. "national journal" political correspondent alex seitz-wald has checked out the numbers. good to see you, alex, good morning. >> thanks for having me, chris. >> come on, hating congress is something of a national pastime but you write it's not the cushy job we think it is. >> there are so many good reasons to criticize congress but this isn't one of them. members of congress work on average 70 hours a week when they're in washington, 60 hours a week -- >> i don't believe you. >> they could be putting in tons of hours but clearly not doing very much. they have passed historically low number of bills. they shut down the government. they have driven their approval rating really low. that doesn't mean they're not working theoretically. this is a really grueling job. they get up super early in the morning. they're out at events by 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. and work straight in the evening until 9:30 p.m. when they're back in their districts, they'

. >> joining me today political reporter at the national journal, "washington post" columnist and msnbc contributor jonathan capehart. senior fellow bob herbert, nbc correspondent luke russert who mercifully is not wearing a fancy christmas sweater. >> stand up to kearns, great organization. >> had to do it. now i feel bad. i now i just feel bad. i have to go to you first, jonathan, that whole series, soliloquy. >> stand up in october. where was that man in october? where has he been the entire of his speakership since the tea party folks came in. this bipartisan feeling and spirit that sort of washed over a bit of washington now, you know, it's sort of been there. the debt ceiling crisis, government shutdown, all those things could not have happened if john boehner decided lets just pass it. republicans you don't like it, don't vote for it, bring it in with democratic votes. what's about to happen today could have been happening all along. the whole time. you covered capitol hill. that's what's so amazing, john boehner has refused to put on the floor what extreme parts didn't want prec

me to talk about this, cnn senior political analyst, ron brownstein, editorial director of the national journal, and cnn political commentator, ryan lizza, also washington correspondent of "the new yorker." thanks for being with me on boxing day. happy holidays to you. you saw dana's piece. americans think this congress is just the worst but she also said the bar is low. is this the worst congress ever? >> it could get worse. we're only halfway through. it's year one of a two-year congress. >> wait, there's more. >> they could do even less next year. but look, when you have divided government with a democrat in the white house and democratic controlled senate and republican house, that's historically a unique set of circumstances and not a lot gets done. now, even given those circumstances, these guys managed to do less than previous congresses. >> it raises the question of what you think the purpose of congress is. if you think the purpose of congress is to, in a very forceful way, articulate the divergent views of the country who disagree, they are doing that. most members feel they are artic

and you can tell me if i don't succeed on the news hour and in my work for the national law journal to play the court down the middle and try to give everyone enough information to make their own decision about whether you think the court did the right thing. so i think they viewed me as fair. but they are very nervous about talking to the press. it surprised me how many of them don't really understand the ground rules. one justice said i will talk to you but it is all off the record. and i said you know, i am an old fashion journalist and off the record means i cannot use anything you say to me unless i can find another party to say the same thing or confirm it. what about background that means i can use it but i don't say you said it or name you. and the justice said that is fine. so you would think after all of years they have been on the court and had interviews with press they would understand the ground rules. some of them only talks off the record but were gracious enough to let me go back and talk about things i would like to put on the record. scalia allowed me to put portions

cupp and cnn political analyst ron brownstein, editorial director of the national journal. we will start with you, ron. what's the white house doing? >> improvising and playing for time, really. because this really is a game about playing for time for them. they are looking at very difficult numbers in public opinion, as the polls showed again today, that aren't likely to get much better any time soon. it's been pretty consistent throughout. they have had enormous difficulty convincing most americans this will benefit them and their family or even benefit the country overall. that's very tough. on the other hand, the other set of numbers that they are watching are how many people can they sign up and get into the system because ultimately, if this is going to endure beyond his presidency, i think the key is building a constituency for it both in people who are obtaining the benefits and within the medical community that believes this is something that benefits them. that race, they're doing better on but still a long way to go on that front, too. >> what do you think? when i

. >>> the national journal said embracing the happy festivus.. not all serious business. and paul complains democratic senator cory booker doesn't repeat him enough. the senators tweet their agreements to take on the war on drugs. >> come on tweeting. >> you got to get on twitter, vinita. >>> new york's daily news, a former executive will spend a year in prison. incorporate grid lederhaas-okun. >>> researchers studied 100 high school students outside of new york city those who showed high attitudes of gratitude reports high gpas, less depression and envy. >>> and gayle king talks with shirley maclaine. >> it reading like a hollywood script. it took off and givie ing macla her big chance. ♪ good times and gbum times i'v seen them all ♪ >> i think of carol haney years ago. >> carol haney, you were her under study, she broke her ankle and they said, shirley, you're in. >> well, she didn't break it, she sprained it. that night when i showed up, they said you're on. >> were you nervous at that point because you hadn't really done this role? yet, ther

the return of the welfare queen, the latest story on "national journal" and hits the hot spots.he fancy sports car with the fins. this is back to the '60s. babies galore in the car. a tin of caviar. aforementioned king crab legs flying out of a whole foods grocery bag. paperwork for welfare, food stamps, paper for medicare.gov blowing in the wind there and last but not least, a obama/biden bumper sticker. bobby brown, and margaret carlson. i don't know if you laugh at the ridiculousness of it or stereotypical. i'd love to see you in court as a prosecutor asking this character, lee bright, strangely named nickname. he's called mr. bright by his friends. here he's saying he has obviously not observed somebody with the fingernails he thinks are really delightful or with expensive bag which may well be a knockoff for all he knows and of course, driving around in a very zippy car. i don't think he's ever watched anybody in a line at a safeway or a piggly wiggly or any place he goes shopping. i think it's all stereotyping and all the game -- it's called the dog whistle. we know what h

moving on to the longer view of president obama's eight years in office, "the national journal" has a recent headline. quotes the gallup news editor about approval ratings. where does the president stand on this issue of trustworthiness, and if that is a bigger problem than job approval right now? the start of his administration, this president made transparency and trustworthiness an essential part of his brand. he contrasted himself from the previous administration, weapons iraq thatstruction in did not appear. he said he was not going to be that kind of president, that he would be honest. his approval ratings were low, his trustworthiness was high, and that buoyed him in times when approval ratings were low. this year, because of things like you could keep your insurance plan, the nsa taken a hugeit has blow and has been hard to get back. without credibility, you have a hard time selling a plan that the iran nuclear freeze to a skeptical congress and to an increasingly skeptical congress. whites what worries the house more than others. host: the latest polling numbers on obama's tr

lose my job to turn over to nancy cook from "the national journal. >> to forget to his outstanding panelwe want to get some on his participation to get a sense of how people are feeling about some of the poll numbers. we would like to give the audience opportunity to weigh in on the poll by asking a couple of questions. you can text your answer to at poll.tweaked to >> here's a question. what you believe the primary way average americans can improve their arsenal financial situations? is to theirsponse own personal effort and if that is the answer you believe in, the second response improveericans can their own personal financial .ituation through government there is also going to be tabulated in real-time on the screen by friday. >> let's see. this is pretty cool. it looks like the majority of people here think that -- oh, oh. know, ok. wins.like the top ones whe this is interesting and seems to go along with what we heard about the poll. i want to introduce a panelist. they're all wonderful and i can't wait to welcome them. first we have a consumer advocate of the certified financial p

the investor state dispute settlement. >> that's it. thank you, everyone. >> thank you. >> thank you. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2013] >> on the next "washington journal," with reports that north korean leader kim jung you know has executed his uncle, we'll discuss the situation with scott snyder with the council on foreign relations. that's followed by a look at president obama's national security strategy and legacy with authsandor "new york times" national security correspondent david sanger. then fundraising and spend fog the 2014 and 2016 election and it is role of outside spending groups, like super p.a.c.'s, dave levinthal is our guest. "washington journal," live every morning at 7:00 a.m. astern here on c-span. >> president obama held an end of the year press conference with reporters on friday. he addressed the healthcare law, negotiations about iran's nuclear program, and his chosen delegates to the sochi olympics. here's a quick preview. >> what was the message you were trying to send with not only your decision not to attend the sochi games, but also with the people you named to the delegation to represent the united states at those games?

i would also like to thank the national press club staff including the journalism institute and broadcast center for organizing today's event. a reminder you can find more information about the national press club on our web site at www.press.org and please remain seated for some closing remarks in spanish by president santos. thank you. we are adjourned. [applause] ..

captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> " the wall street journal" calls president obama possibly a with iran a triumph. "the new york times" says that the deal will make the safer -- the world safer for now. lindsay graham does not buy it. with peoplealing who are untrustworthy and this is a m murderous regime. it has not made thehe world a safer plplace. >> i believe in wh kennedy once said, let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate. jerusalem post" says this may slow down iran, but all more than likely provide false impression that there has been headway while providing cover for iran to go nuclear. >> we will see. they had six months to look at this arrangement. there are a lot of conditions that have to be met on both sides. we do not know, and we will no know until we have the opportunity to see what has happened in the six months, including whether iran lives up to its agreements, the extent to which they do that, and to the rest water rate. diplomacy,favor of but i am against what they brought home. think about the logi

. >> host: shane goldmacher is a congressional correspondent for the national journal. thanks for getting up with us this morning on the "washington journal." >> guest: thank you. >> secretary of state john kerry is on capitol hill right now testifying before the house foreign affairs committee about the latest in the nuclear negotiations with iran. this as officials from iran along with the world's major powers are meeting today if vienna. you can watch live coverage of secretary kerry's testimony right now over on our companion network, c-span3. >>> also want to mention that tonight here on c-span2 we'll bring you highlights from today's memorial service in johannesburg for former south african president nelson man dell la. we'll have remarks from president obama and other world leaders. that's tonight, 8 p.m. eastern, again, right here on c-span2. >> it's a rare constant in american political live life. in 1901 less than 2% of members came from working class backgrounds, got into politics and eventually wound up in congress. flash forward to the present day, the avera

. >> reporter: as first reported by the "wall street journal" the u.s. and gulf nations are engaging with islamist groups in order to strengthen those who are not directly linked to the al qaeda franchises in syria. while these groups including the newly organized islamic front are not members of al qaeda, they still fly the black flag and support the establishment of an islamic state within syria, which runs counter to democratic principles. as for the syrian president assad, who's agreed to send a delegation to january peace talks in geneva, switzerland, defense department officials say the administration is trying to build support for the conference and trying to determine whether the u.s. can partner with islamists. >> it's worth knowing whether these groups have any intent whatsoever to be moderate and inclusive or whether they are from the start intend to be radical. >> if this is all going to come to some kind of a diplomatic solution, then all parties involved are going to have to be represented some way. >> reporter: critics say the direct talks are more confirm

tonight's program will consist of an interview conducted by barbara cochran, president of the national press club journalism institute, and the hurley chair and public affairs journalism at the missouri school of journalism. with mr. cheney and doctor reiner followed by a brief q&a. we invite you to purchase the book if you haven't already done so, for sale. and each of the books have been, has a pre-signed late with it so you get a signed copy. they won't be able to sign tonight. as long as he asserted at the highest levels of business and government, vice president dick cheney -- has been one of the world's most prominent -- now for the first time ever, cheney together with his longtime cardiologist jonathan reiner, shares a very personal story of his 35 year battle with heart disease, from his first heart attack in 1978, to the heart transplant he received in 2012. "heart" the book has been described as riveting, singular memoir both doctor and patient. like no u.s. politician has before him, cheney opens up about his health choice, sharing never before told stories about the challenges he faced during t

tonight's program will consist of an interview conducted by barbara cochran, president of the national press club journalismnstitute and the chair in public and for journalists at the missouri school of journalism. but mr. cheney and dr. reiner, followed by a brief q&a, we invite you to purchase a book you have in our defense so. each of the books have been pre-signed -- is a pre-signed plates you get a signed copy. they won't be a book signing tonight. as long as he is served at the highest levels of business and government, vice president dick cheney -- has been on of the world's most prominent heart patients. now for the first time ever, cheney together with his longtime cardiologist, jonathan reiner and the shares the very most tory of his 35 year battle with heart disease from his first heart attack in 1972 the heart transplant he was deep in 2012. the book has been de

and you can tell me if i don't succeed on the news hour and in my work for the national law journal to down the middle and try to give everyone enough information to make their own decision about whether you think the court did the right thing. so i think they viewed me as fair. but they are very nervous about talking to the press. it surprised me how many of them don't really understand the ground rules. one justice said i will talk to you but it is all off the record. and i said you know, i am an old fashion journalist and off the record means i cannot use anything you say to me unless i can find another party to say the same thing or confirm it. what about background that means i can use it but i don't say you said it or name you. and the justice said that is fine. so you would think after all of years they have been on the court and had interviews with press they would understand the ground rules. some of them only talks off the record but were gracious enough to let me go back and talk about things i would like to put on the record. scalia allowed me to put portions on the report

the national press club. we are the world's leading professional organization for journalists committed to our profession's future. please visit our website. to donate to programs offer to the public through the national press club journalism institute please visit press.org/substitute. on behalf of our members worldwide i would like to welcome our speaker and those in the audience today. if you hear applause, i would note that members of the general public are also attending. so it's not necessarily evidence of a lack of journalistic objective. i i would like to welcome our c-span and public radio audiences. you can follow the action on twitter using #npc lunch. after our guest speech concludes will have a question answer session. i would like to introduce our head table guests. from the right lewis carlos ambassador for the republican of colombia. vice president of the national press club, former associated press correspondent currently professor at george washington university and the national press club member who organized today's event. thank you. >> our guest today could well have been a member of the national press club if he were not the president of colombia. as a journalist, president juan was a columnist and de

the return of the welfare queen, the latest story on "national journal" and hits the hot spots. the fancy sports car with the fins. this is back to the '60s. babies galore in the car. a tin of caviar. aforementioned kings cab legs flying out of a whole foods grocery bag. paperwork for welfare, food stamps, paper for medicare.gov blowing in the wind there and last but not least, a obama/biden bumper sticker. bobby brown, and margaret carlson. i don't know if you laugh at the ridiculousness of it or stereotypical. i'd love to see you in court as a prosecutor asking this character, lee bright, strangely named nickname. he's called mr. bright by his friends. here he's saying he has obviously not observed somebody with the fingernails he thinks are really delightful or with expensive bag which may well be a knockoff for all he knows and of course, driving around in a very zippy car. i don't think he's ever watched anybody in a line at a safeway or a piggly wiggly or any place he goes shopping. i think it's all stereotyping and all the game -- it's called the dog whistle. we know what

that is the headline of a "national journal" piece today on the modern republican party, which analyzed the congressional republicans' positions, such as letting unemployment insurance for 1.3 million americans expire three days after christmas and concluded the most charitable thing you can say about the republican party is that it has an image problem. president obama used his weekly address on saturday to challenge the republican opposition. >> extending unemployment insurance isn't just the right thing to do for our families, it's the smart thing to do for our economy. and it shouldn't be a partisan issue. for decades, congress has voted to offer relief to job seekers, including when the unemployment rate was lower than it is today. but now that economic lifeline is in jeopardy. all because republicans in this congress, which is on track to be the most unproductive in history, have so far refused to extend it. >> then, on sunday, fox news sunday' chris wallace asked rand paul about unemployment. >> do you, personally, do you support extending unemployment benefits or would you let 1

the defense intelligence agency lt. gen. michael flynn on national security. in a little more than an hour we will riata washington journal special on the national institutes of health. now, the head of the defense intelligence agency, lt. gen. michael flynn con challenges facing the intelligence community kind of unlimited resources and cyber threats. his comments at the institute of world politics are a little more than an hour. [inaudible conversations] >> good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. my name is john. i am president of the institute. for those of you are new to the institute of world politics, i would like to just introduce us and our mission. we are independent graduate school on national security and international affairs. we specialize in teaching all of the different arts of statecraft by which we mean the various instruments of national power, military strategy, intelligence, counterintelligence, diplomacy, the many arts and public diplomacy and sought power such as culture of a policy, information policy, political action, and that sort of thing. economic strategy and now all of these different parts are