on behalf of scott callahan and the board of trustees of tulane university and all of the faculty, students and staff here at tulane, i welcome you to this very exciting events put together by the bipartisan policy center. we have a marvelous day during which we will have an array of very interesting panels to talk about the state of political debate and policy discussion and analysis here in the united states. i have to say, when i reflect on how a member of congress shouted at the president of united states during the state of the union address, calling him a liar, making him seem like it was the house of commons in britain, not the united states congress. i reflect just last week an individual that lost a gubernatorial race, in this case in new york, showed up in his concession speech brandishing a baseball bat. i am struck by the need for paying some attention to the nature of discourse and debate in the united states about present policy concerns. for those specific reasons and for more general reasons of which we are all acquainted, it is especially a pleasure for tulane university to

from tulane university, this is about one hour, 15 minutes. repor>> we're wanted talk aboute thing that everybody loves to hate, the media. i will start by introducing our moderator. he is the father of lee hall wood, who will be an incoming freshman here at tulane university this fall. we're particularly delighted to have john here. when you talk about people in journalism, john has done everything that you would think. he started with the washington star, graduated magna cum laude. i graduated thank the lord. he was at cnbc, meethe press -- everything that you think of when you think of a big, giant guy as part of the media establishment. i do not know if it is a good thing to be part of, but you are. let's bring the real war, new orleans welcome to one of the real intellectual people -- real warm, new orleans welcome to one of the real intellectual people here. john harwood. and -- you'll get a waiver on tuititioon for being here. [applause] >> thank you for that nice introduction. if the -- if what he said is not enough to make you dislike

. >> i wanted to ask you this because i know you teach a class at tulane university. i heard you teach a class there. >> i do. >> it focuses on the debt and the deficit. >> it is. >> obviously, a huge topic right now. what would you advise the president to do, in regards of the recommendations from his commissions co-chairs. they put out cutting military spending, reducing or cutting the moorage interest tax deduction, which is popular with a lot of people. raising the social security retirement age. cutting back on social security benefits. this is tough stuff. would you recommend the president do all this? >> well, you know what i would recommend? i think he's in a good position because this is his commission. if you remember, i think senator gregg and senator conrad wanted to do this in the republicans. voted that idea down. and the president acted on his own. i would go to the republicans and say, you have promoted deficit reduction. and that was a large point of your victory. and i have a commission. they have a plan. but some of these things, even i have trouble

from tulane university, this is one hour and 20 minutes. >> we are going to move right in and talk about the thing that everybody loves to hate and that is the media. i'm going to answer this and start by introducing the moderator to say that here is the father is and the incoming freshmen here at tulane university this fall. as we are delighted to have john here. to talk about people in journalism. john has done everything that you would think. he started with the washington star, he graduated magna cum laude the and i graduated "thank the laude." [laughter] he's on cnbc, "meet the press," everything you think of when you think it's a big giant guy as a part of the reestablishment. it is a good thing to be part of or not, john, but you are real new orleans welcome to one of the really intellectual people in all of political reporting, john haulwood. [applause] >> and, don't get a waiver of tuition for being here. [laughter] >> exactly. i'm going to get miced up and think james for the introduction and save all the things he says are not enough to make you dislike me as a member of the m

the bipartisan policy center hosted this event at tulane university in new orleans. it is a little over an hour. >> there is such a person up there that is not heavily involved in still trying to catch their breath from the recent events. they're all here for free. thank you all for doing this. [applause] this pedal on journalism -- this panel and journalism, if you want to see bipartisanship, talk to any democrat or republican about their views of the press. how much this campaign compared to previous ones. we kept talking about 1994. media today is really a completely different from the media environment in 1994. the media is a player. that is why we can all have our views about them. we cannot do this -- we cannot have democracy without the media. for those of us, as we travel around the world, and work with the emerging democracies, talk to young people. why did they want to do? they want to be a journalist. if they want to tell the truth. they want to get the truth out there. for those of you have kids, it is incredible profession ended is one that is under a lo

from tulane university. >> are ready to get started? thanks for making this trip. there is not a person up here who was not heavenly involved and trying to catch their breath from recent events. they are all here for free. thank you all for doing this. [applause] this panel and journalism -- if you want to see by partisanship, talk to any democrat or republican and you will find agreement about their views on the press. one of the things we talked about this morning is how much this campaign compares to this election cycle and to previous ones. there was 1994. the media today is really completely different from the media environment in 1994. the media is a player. we can all have our views about them. we could not have a democracy without the media. for those of us and many of our panelists have, as we travel around the world, we talk to young people -- would to the want to do? they want to be a journalist. they want to tell the truth. the want to get the truth out there. those of you who have kids know -- my girls both want to be journalists. it is an incredible p

from tulane university, it is about 45 minutes. >> good afternoon, everybody. welcome back for one of our more interesting session show. we will talk a little bit about a new project at the bipartisan policy center. rather than having an animal lamentation about the frustrations of our system, we thought it was important to talk about the ways we can start to make a meaningful difference. the conference is titled beyond the ballot in making washington work. we have talked about the need for real leadership. we want to talk about a little bit about the structural democracy. there are a lot of ways that you can engage in this conversation. there are many organizations that focused on the metaphysics of campaign finance reform, mandatory voting and other issues that i think a very fascinating. but we think they're not practically realistic. we try to focus on some very discreet issues. some people may call them small balls, but it is my view that not only do we have opportunities to make real difference, but in the world of gridlock that i think we existence, litt

close to tulane and loyola universities.'s been serving up burgers and heaping omelets to students and locals since 1946. >> everybody loving that grub? >> reporter: marvin day has worked hire for the last 20 years. he credits camellia's food with the academic success of countless generations of tulane and loyola students. >> we have brain food. we produce congressmen, senators, presidents, ceos. >> reporter: as customers? >> as customers. and post most of all, we produce graduates. >> reporter: i tried an omelet, crowned with their famous chili. amazing but true. i felt smarter in minutes. >> there you go. >> i did. i felt smarter within minutes of eating that chili over there. >> brain food. >> let me introduce you to the foot. this is the fat doboy. the cheese steak, bacon, pa mozzarella sticks. >> combo of everything. >> i'm digging in. >> this is the pizza. you recognize pizza, of course. and next to that -- how is it? >> it's good. just one bite. i want more. >> this is the brent nelson. this is the polish sausage with

>> i should point out that to lane just got newspapers on campus, -- tulane university just got newspapers on campus, and they are gone every day. you have this combination of this old school newspaper, and at the same time we have this comedian who can filter out all of the garbage from the 24 hour news network. >> is he putting his own garbage on top of it? >> yes. >> it does not matter. you said it. he entertains you. you do not necessarily watch betsy fischer's show to be entertained. >> as long as people are engaged in politics, watching what is happening -- if it comes from jon stewart, fine. as long as you are engaged in some aspects, whether it is jon stewart, "saturday night live", it does not matter. >> i think it is fascinating to see the affirmation of the impact jon stewart is having. what is interesting, is watching where he is going back and forth across the line of irony toward direct engagement as a news source. he is blurring that line a little bit himself. at what point does he adopt the mantle of a guy that is trying to change the civic discourse, or he is he an enterta

rounding out our college quartet, camellia's grill in new orleans where students from tulane and loyola universities. marvin day says if you eat here, you are guaranteed you will graduate. and the winner is, bianna, the envelope. bianna? the envelope. the winner is shakespeare's pizza in columbia, missouri. and the manager there, kurt mirtsching, and some friends are joining us via skype. congratulations to you. >> woo-hoo. >> really good pizza. excellent pizza. what -- but it's more than just the food, you were telling me. it's the atmosphere here. what do you try for in the atmosphere of this college hangout of yours? >> it's just a big pizza party. we just try to have fun, not take ourselves seriously and make pizzas and just smile at the customers whether you feel like it or not and it seems to work. >> and, kurt, the masterpiece, tell my comrades what exactly was on it. they'll be amazed. listen to this. >> it's the crust, sauce, cheese, onions, pepperoni, canadian bacon, mushrooms, black olives, italian sausage, ground beef and green pepper. >> wow. >> i think that's what i'm eating now. it's