Transcripts For CSPAN2 Former 20240702

Other television providers. Giving a front row seat to democracy. Former House Speaker nancy pelosi spoke about her years of Public Service at a lectures to students at drop georgetown law jumper device reflected on former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader ginsburg for whom the was made its an hour and 15 minutes. I. [applause] one more round of applause for speaker pelosi. [applause] this is my favorite georgetown tradition. Ten years ago we started the tradition of having an iconic figure has made a profound difference in politics talk to the firstyear class. Weve had justice kagan. We had justice breyer. We had our own. But the person who appeared year after year was justice ginsburg. Justice ginsburg her husband was on our faculty. She really cared so profoundly for this community. Every year whenever we invited her, she would come. We decided to name this lecture series in her honor. So this year she spoke. And then the second year she got proctor and trent secretary of state clinton. Im trying to think how do we keep up with this incredible tradition . We figured it out. The honorable speaker nancy pelosi. [applause] so she does not really need an introduction. Fiftysecond speaker of the house of representatives. She made history in 2007 when she was the first woman elected to serve as speaker then she made history again in 2009 when she regained the speakership the first person to do that in six cap decades. As speaker she led the passage of really transformative legislation. Including the american recovery and reinvestment act in 2009. The Affordable Care act of which she was the architect the first ever comprehensive Energy Legislation to fight the Climate Crisis shes currently serving as a representative for californias 11th Congressional District where shes fighting to lower cost, and grow paychecks and create jobs. So in addition to being the architect of generation defining legislation and democracy at home and abroad shes also very good friend to georgetown. Received an honorary doctorate in 2002 her husband is a member of the class of 62 he served on the board of advisors and was chair. In 2010 the university of subsidy paul pelosi Public Service award and you are a parent so two of your five children attended georgetown. And your son paul senior graduated. So an iconic figure, a member of this community. And also this is a very important moment in the history of the law school this is the heart auditorium was named after senator philip hartz. We spent a year end a half redoing it. This is the first event very appropriately we are holding in the heart auditorium. Again could not be more perfect. [applause] [applause] so we have questions from our first year students but before that you do justice ginsburg. I did. My family here today is my College Roommate from Trinity College that was a wild ago georgetown did not accept the women in those days. We had a friendship forever. During that time she met her husband dennis and meyer who was there georgetown law student. A graduate student he was true to georgetown law. It is an honor to be here with all of you im looking for my grandson liam i dont seem quite yet. He is a graduate of georgetown do we have three generations. But theyll to speak with under the auspices of the title of ruth gator ginsburg i was sharing some stories. They have been so wonderful im so proud of you. As that doesnt really count. Won the prize. Everybody wanted to be associated with her. I am saying one time there had to be more than 15 years ago she said to me at an event she came over to me, pulled me over and said because we love each other and we are such good friends im going to tell you something very personal. I do not want you to be afraid but it is that i have cancer im going to beat it dont worry about im going to beat it is going to be okay. I will be prayerful i will not be fearful but im glad you had all this confidence and she did beaded at that time. Sometime after that i was on a plane and there she is Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Since we love each other so much i go up there and she said not now. [laughter] and as it turned out happily for me my seat was right across the aisle from her so not now is okay because id be there for the flight at some point she closes up everything thing and she said i was into my book. [laughter] i wanted to finish what i was doing. And im going to have you read the galley again that was an act of love i was tough love but nonetheless love shall of the opera as you all know so we went to see her at the opera and it was always a joy to see what a loving couple they were. He loves her so much. Every time we would see them together he was so proud of her and she of him. In the course of conversation to have her lie in state and iuppercaseletter was so glad e speaker at the time so i could make that happen. This is another kind of Ruth Bader Ginsburg story we could not have all of you there but we had as many people as they would allow us to have in the capitol. And all of the sudden getting toward the end there is activity going on like oh my gosh someone must have fallen or gotten sick it was her trainer doing her exercise. Her favorite exercise. Everything she did was with gusto weathers writing a book or doing exercises or loving her husband and her oath of office to protect and defend the cause or to sue the United States when i think of her i think of happy and funny stories but more will emerge in the course of all of this. Her own book and her protection of democracy, womens right its about democracy. She was quite about her views. Sometimes they were good sometimes they werent. There are always definite. Very courageous and extraordinary. It was her privilege for firstyear students to hear her talk about her career. What she had to overcome. Is quite a story. But you all have your own story. That is really the kind of conversations she would hear, your story. In the history of the whole world theres never been anybody like you. She thought that herself there is nobody like you amounted in the history of the whole world. So know what your power and that the authenticity of you, the sincerity of what you believe, what you care about. And i say to the candidates and nonmembers this is a rough business we are in. It is not for the faint of heart for this a lot of roughandtumble your target and thats just the way it is. The only will be justified is no wife or i know why im doing this. I know why im here. If you understand why its about democracy, saving the planet, whether its about a particular individual rights or educational justice in every form of justice. Justice as you study it and know it is of environmental justice, social justice, Economic Justice whatever it happens to be if that is your why know your why know what it is. Have your vision. Have your knowledge about what that subject is have a particular path that you want to take. You are not going to know everything there is no secret sauce. With all do respect. [laughter] i say this to women. And your vision, your knowledge and therefore your judgment because you know what you are talking about. You are never fully now knowledgeable. How you want to get it done. How you think in a strategic way thats really what it is about. The why, the what, the how. And then it comes back to you the strategic, knowledgeable, principled value space you and whats in your heart in terms of how people see your authenticity paid your sincerity about it all and are attracted to you whether its a day in a courtroom or a voter at the polls, whatever it happens to be. You need to have this education at georgetown what a remarkable thing. You must have great confidence in what you bring to georgetown. What they learn from you at georgetown learns from you. I what you first take from here and from each other. So i am in awe of you and im honored to share some thoughts with you. You are so inspiring beginning. You talked about your why. So lets talk about why its you get into politics . Asked my husband paul was at georgetown grad we have five children our son paul took it to the limit college, study for the mba. As long as she could stay. It was adorable. [laughter] parks we actually have if he wants to come back. Went abroad and all that. But here is the thing we had five children and you know the story so youve heard me say it so many times. My why was one in five children in america goes to sleep hungry at night. Lives in poverty. I just could not stand that. I just could not stand that i was raised in a family where we were told a Public Service was a noble responsibility and we all had a responsibility to each other. A family i was born and was devoutly catholic. Proud of our italianamerican heritage. Deeply patriotic loving america staunchly democratic. The democratic part was the values in our family went together. So i just cannot handle the fact one in five children. This is the greatest country that ever existed in the history of the world and that injustice was my why. From the kitchen to the congress housewife, House Speaker. I target all the way. That was my life. For our students were interested in careers in Public Service, do you have any advice to them what they should be doing it now question of what the first steps are . As i said know why. My children how tax credits, minimum wage, everything that goes with that you can enlarge any issue to include the whole planet in terms of the Climate Crisis that is a health issue clean air, clean water for these children to breathe. Its a jobs issue clean jobs keeping america preeminent globally and the economy. It is a defense issue and military experts tell us the competition for resources in habitat and all the rest will be because her conflict unless thats addressed so that security issue. But most of l its a values issue. If you believe this is gods creation we have a moral responsibility that impute dont believe that we alter the belief we have a moral responsibility to young people, to the next generation to keep the planet intact. Any big issue can come your way in terms of how you might see it. But again i had no intention of running for office office. You asked her what advice . None. I was rock n roll. [laughter] i had five children and six years in one week i keep saying that to the archbishop. [laughter] hes got a problem. [laughter] but anyway. [laughter] i had no intention of ever people came and said run for office i sit you dont understand im shy im not going out there im not getting into that arena. You have to run, you have to run you love the issue. You have to run so i go to alexander who is our youngest she did not go to georgetown she went to loyola and los angeles. She went there she selected her college very carefully. The school that had the best Radio Station in the country no matter where or what is where she was going. So i go to alexander shes going to be a senior in high school four of them were in college when there that close shes going to be a senior in high school. I said alexandra mommy has been asked to run for congress. I never thought of it. I never wanted its not something i aspire to but they keep asking me in the persons ps asking is important to me and i promised i would consider a sit in the answer is fine. I love my life with dad and you if i were to do this here is what it would be i would be gone monday through wasnt be home on thursday or tuesday through friday. Some weeks we are home but largely three nights a week i would be in d. C. So any chance you have is okay. She said mother, mommys been asked to run for congress. Mother, get a life it. [laughter] this was 35 years ago i had never heard that expression before. [laughter] what teenage girl would not want her mother out of the house three nights a week. [laughter] you to alexander how she is shes very directive. Shes a filmmaker now she did a film with me in my pajamas and no makeup, the whole thing paid without another story. But i was ready. I didnt know if i wanted it. As i said i was consider myself a shy person and now is getting in the ring but this is for you. Just be ready pretty take inventory of you. What are your strengths . What do you care about, what do you know about . What do you want to do . And when the opportunity comes you never know when it will, just to be ready and know your power the power of you. The only person like you ever. The values you bring, the education you have, all of that. Because you never know it could be right around the corner. I had absolutely no intention what i went to congress i loved working on the appropriations and intelligence. Loved what i was doing. Loved it. And they said he should run for leadership i dont want to run for leadership. Same thing, same thing, same thing i said okay i got really tired of losing. You will also 94, 96 and 98 and 2000 is coming up i said im tired of losing. For the children. Youve got the policy its very different but its two different schools of thought as to what the role of government is and what were talking about justice. So then the word went out i would be running at mans it who said she could run . Any hesitation i had was god. Light my fire. [laughter] so in any case because i was tired of losing i decided to run i knew how to win elections ive been chair for California Party as a volunteer and showed them i thought he could see a path and then when you when you become speaker than the whole thing about women and all the rest. And you have the gavel its a whole different deal. A whole different deal. I asked a few your advice, know your power i said the other stuff why, what, how whats in your heart . But be ready. You can do it all. You shape it to you. Shape it to you. You might members i say to them i do not divide up the work around here. I recognize the talent and that itll be spring from. Its what do you do best . You have to think about what you do best and go forward. Then you do the buddy system i help you, you help me, this and that. Of course its always friendships and all the rest but it is tough. You are in a new arena now. I will quote republican president Teddy Roosevelt being bipartisan here. Teddy roosevelt said you are in the arena is different you are no longer a spectator. You are in the arena so what i tell the members in addition to know your power, be ready, and all of that, but we are in the arena you have to be ready to take a punch. You have to be ready to throw a punch for the children. [laughter] the main purpose if you know what your purpose the rest if it is okay. It is rough. When i went there were 23 women 435 people in the congress, 23 women 11 republicans 12 democrats. Are you kidding me . I said that is one thing being a party chair now we have 94 Democratic Women we went from 12 to 94 i what more. Weve got more than half we have in our caucus that over 70 of the caucus are women, people of color lgbtq. That is beautiful, remarkable representative of our country. So understand why you have to participate because of what you bring to the table. A 59 by firstyear students women. [cheering] no offense gentleman. [laughter] you have advice you give to our female law students are interested in leadership . You have advice for female law students interested in leadership positions . Thank you for that. There is nothing more wholesome for any system by the retracting government and politics that goes with it. We are talking the legal system we are talking corporate laws we are talking our national security. You name it nothing that is not more successful. More wholesome than the increased participation of women and no offense gentleman, you must have the diversity at the table. You just must have it. It is just better. And so to the women i think we agree we think of you is oh my goshs beginning a law degree from georgetown university. How many times i have gone to in San Francisco and even in washington d. C. To meet with women lawyers of helping others challenges are. You are right there and it is still a challenge. Its Getting Better and better and better. But there were times our client did not want a woman lawyer. Well, whats wrong with him . The client did not want a woman lawyer or my son, paul, has had a number of friends along the way and young women who are in were inlaw school they go to a m their high ranks. So the future in this why would i come here you have nobody that you recognize i knew it to convince me that im going to be the one . I was so proud of them. We are going to go where we have seen women recognized. Some of you have to be pioneers in certain firms you maybe start your own. I see no evidence of recognition of what women bring to the table they would say. Ice on the tech pubs in San Francisco show you value women have women in your higher ranks may be your ceo or Something Like that. Going to be convinced this is a place they might reach the affectional fulfillment or at least a step in the way. But understand how you needed to are. It is so essential i can speak from first hand of government. With increased participation. Our motto is when women succeed america succeed that. [applause] [applause] of questions are from of our students. Lets begin with some of those questions. How do you think the legislative process in congress could improve . For what reason we think those improvements are important . Why . Is going to sound very parochial. Our founders, bless their hearts were so fabulous they had a beautiful beautiful declaration of independence. The creator mentioned equality of all people. It is not reflected in our constitution until time went by. So over time our freedoms expanded. The abolition of slavery, black men having the right to vote and women have Different Things and roe v wade freedom of individuals was expanding freedom. Now just equality. Jobs went in the opposite direction that is something we have to, shall we say, address it. The court i just gave you back one of the problems we had across the aisle that 15 years they decided. But when they passed what they called the protection of marriage act the guy who introduced have been married three times. Most because it sounds like something. I didnt i from San Francisco. [laughter] and ascents, some years later they said they wanted to have a bill that stripped that will strip the right of judicial review from our old friend the protection of marriage act. That why would they want to do that unless they did not believe it was constitutional . But to make their case they didnt talk about the bill. They said it was wrongly decided. It was wrongly decided. There is no judicial review. Therefore it should not be subject to the court system. So when it was before the Supreme Court i was in the room. You know you go there you cant fix your glasses they think youre taking pictures or something. Have you sat in there . You cant do anything. It was hard for me too sit still when that justice said do you think the republicans thought the defense of marriage was constitutional when they passed it . On the person defending said. [inaudible] of course is stripped judicial review from it. But nonetheless that case was one as an expansion of freedom and were happy about that. If you sit down for dogs at privacy and the constitution so many of our freedoms and opportunities are subjective. So this is a lot at stake in the debate. Whether they keep it nonpartisan in the debate. So what can we do to change it . The more public visibility that the public is aware lincoln said it best public sentiment is everything. You can accomplish almost anything with practically nothing. Right went back to our founders what they did in the constitution was to have a compromise so they could have a constitution, bless their hearts and thanks thank heavens they did. A district in california to sense . From across the aisle wit had constituents than my district. Two senators. That was the compromise to get it constituted prei do not think our founders could have imagined we would be 48 million they be through 50000. That there be such disparity. But nonetheless there were. The senate have had 60 votes. Were talking serious minority rule most of the time. I think improvements that they filibuster and the senate. Making decisions. Get rid of the filibuster for the senate. Why should be 60 votes . And also in the senate 99 senators are not enough. One center is holding up 600 appointments to the department of defense. You cant function as an acting whatever. You have to be confirmed to have the authority to protect the American People. One senator. They said they have another scheme to try to persuade them to change their mind. That isnt right. The public does not even get that. Its like what . How can that one person be doing that . What did they do . They could do it themselves. When i became his speaker what i did right away it was to change how leadership was formed too. They practically doubled the sides. The chair of the caucus and vice chair its up to 20 now. I said to the members how would you like to . With the freshman incentive appointed by the speaker . I always let them. But nonetheless to have that people who are there just a few terms determine who would speak for them and the leadership. All different kinds of things establish something called crescendo. Representing all of the caucuses so they would have more of a voice. The more voice that representative have i think the stronger the consensus is built and the better the legislative process. Unless you ask im not going to go into whats going on from one side to the next. But from our standpoint representing our diversity. How did you do this . We did not have much of a margin. With the vote one boatyard to votes depending on which phase we are voting in. I consider myself a weaver. Im at a loom and you are all the threads. Every one of them precious and valuable. One of them to be disregarded. To put together a tapestry of what legislation will look like. Respect is the word i would use. More respect in the process. So it needless to say for somebody for 20 years i think we did a lot of things to improve the legislative process it. The job title and Job Description same thing representative. She agreed their points of view on the subject or not. Its a valid because it represents. We put this all together set beautiful thing to behold a consensus of it all. Whatever it happens to be. You really try as much as possible to reach across the aisles. We had major differences. If you do not have a belief in governance and you dont have a belief in science its hard to find Common Ground it really is. We want to try to get over that one goal i would love for you all to take from here is try to find essay half a dozen subjects a eight that are unifying. That are unifying. Plenty of things that are not unified. Try to find the ones i can bring people together. The constitution we have to govern in a way that is unifying the children. I would just say some of the things might not be the speakers in the constitution. Nothing else is. Article one legislative branch takes great pride in the first branch of government. That talks about having power of the person all about. The constitution could see there would be a rogue president or a rogue official they did not foresee thered be a rogue president and a rogue United States senate. I thought there would be a check and balance on it. The different points of view from my completely objective at. [laughter] and so some of the things that affect what we do are a matter of interpretation of the constitution went to the extent how do we find Common Ground . I believe particular. A few whatever you want to see a great show whether its a concert or a twitter presentation or whatever it is we laugh together, we cried together, we dance together and be inspired together. Would respect our differences. Would you find some Common Ground. If youre standing in front of a painting and listening to something that is one place but there has to be other places whether its sports, you know how we are sports oh my gosh. But doesnt matter about anything else. Goes with politics i love you so much might get away from you that. [laughter] you can just imagine what the hat was. When asking about the six or eight things are not telling i am talking about see if you can find Common Ground just see and you will be surprised i assure you youre in a difficult situation right now but we have an agreement on respecting the vote of the American People as to the outcome of an election. That is what a democracy is about its a very tough area of this agreement. Rocco talked about a thing else. Were going to try to find more Common Ground. What areas could be improved . We improved a lot on the house side. Absolutely no question. Listen to the people who are participating. Listen to the constituents. They went to see accountability for what is happening to have accountability you have to have transparency you have to have people see whats happening. We need more transparency to have more accountability strive for more bipartisanship. And the senate. [laughter] jacob asks procedurally do you think there should be any changes in our leadership is selected given the growing fractures among certain clinical parties . Whats in terms of the speaker . I think so thats in our constitution. The constitution the speaker will be elected by the majority vote. That is why somebody votes or not. [laughter] they put in something i think we should get rid of which is that one person can move to vacate the chair. She relate to vacate the chair theyre going to vacate the chair when jon was speaker. Because they lost the vote and we worked so hard to defeat his position which was to deFund Planned Parenthood. Congress does not even Fund Planned Parenthood they want a resolution we dont want it. Those things planned parenthood clients take advantage of the thought because of any bad thing he did he was a speaker. They cannot just not having any certainty of one day because of the vote. I said i would protect the institution im not protecting it i mean i love you but thats not the point the point is about the institution. But then he said theyre going to do it every week im out of here he walked right out the door. He welcomed to the capitol and the next morning he walked out the door. So in any case i think we are trying to interpret whether the constitution could accommodate somebody not having a majority on the floor. Like if you have 10 votes and nobody gets the majority can a plurality do it . But that is not the concentration says. So some of it is there. So Kevin Mccarthy gave that to his members to get their votes. Pete vacate the chair with my vote i will vote for you it was like the incredible shrinking speakership. There is a reason things are certain ways everything should be subjective to the scrutiny of how we can do this better . But some of it is in the constitution. The current state of the Supreme Court. A number have asked about the Supreme Court and the kind of reforms that you like. [laughter] first of all they should have an ethical standard. Of that asking too much for the Supreme Court of the United States . They are elected for life deciding what you can do with your life without having at least an ethical standard . Part of that would be a code of ethics which they seem to think they are above and nobody can do that to them, they do it to themselves but they havent. Were very disappointed in the Supreme Court. The decisions they bring it to the court that is the way it is. But to have no ethical standard its one thing to get back to the previous question and this question. The one thing that would make the biggest difference in the legislative process and this is something weve been trying to do get rid of that 60 vote requirement is to reduce big money in politics. It is poison. It is poisonous this is one of the biggest fundraisers in the country but i have small donors its not the big dark money i sought the big dark fossil fuel industry it is committed to fossil fuels to the destruction of the planet. Last night was so heartbreaking. Heartbreaking. I keep saying it to the gun group we went to pass legislation were never going to get what we need to get again but we did it before we did under clinton with them we couldnt do anything after that. Unless to unit how much money is involved in the gun industry . Were they called . The lobbyists. Untagged mud big dark money goes into elections is the process of business to them. Morning, noon and night constantly working selling that stuff. Selling that stuff. Selling that stuff up. White shouldnt there be background checks . Most gun owners support that. 80 support that. But not in the congress. Why wouldnt we be able to do an assault weapon ban . I get this little thing i stick it on here a black button automatic weapon killing people so fast. A Market Opportunity for the industry. I do think the most important threshold to crash and Public Policy and making sure the public has the accountability and transparency it wants to see. This is an earlier court. The citizens. A good name, terrible decision. What they did was use of the court will do something. You know this better than i. They will do something in they will say it now congress, we dont think that is its constitutional not go do something about it. Not with this bill unless it was a different agenda. What they did mostly shut every window. They shut every window so that you could not go back and change but their objection was to the law. Left one little window open the process by which big dark money has opened money. I must show where its coming from. The chamber of commerce said thank god we do not have to this we tried to pass it with got 59 votes we cannot get one. Mitch mcconnell said i dont know what your problem is. The problem and politics is not too much money is not enough money. [laughter] so maybe for you but not for the American People. We would end a lot of the cynicism that people have i do believe skepticism they have about who are you representing . What is my voice worth and all of this if this guys getting billion dollars . Its a price of doing business. Fossil fuel, guns, farmer, you name it. I try to work with that, not the guns. What are you just making all of this money . We passed a bill called ira inflation reduction act. That took the cost of insulin from five or 600 a month to 35 a month for seniors on medicare. Some could not afford to take it they take it one month cut and half, five or 600,000. Theyre taking us to court on reducing the cost. What are we talking about here . But money, money, money, money. The republicans have said the republicans have said their agenda is to overturn all of that in the next election. If you have a senior taking insulin five or 600 until joe biden signed that bill, 35 a month. It is wrong it also is horrible in terms of what its done to peoples faith in government and the rest. They think youre all in on it but no theyre the ones. The only thing we can do to correct that impression is to get rid of that. You need 51 votes to change the filibuster rule if we can get 51 votes to change the filibuster rule pass the protect of the voter. John lewis wrote the first 300 pages of this bill. Stops the voter suppression. It stops a partisan redistricting it discloses dark money and politics. And five people. They do not want their employees, their customers, their clients, their Community Know how much money theyre putting into guns and should that this, and to the that. An honors small donors by having small contributions of people see that their vote and their participation is as good as anybody. The outside mobilization of politics getting out the vote. Lou never passed the Affordable Care act if we did not have outside mobilization. You want to talk about a force the bishop is against it. Not honoring the high demand the people who read the hide a metal or supporting the bill because it did honor it. So the outside mobilization just because it comes back to whats the best way . Not dont worry what happened in turn. How they can impact it. We get the affordable eric act they said to me we lost it in massachusetts the press said because then we had 60 votes. Not going to be over. You know her so well. The masterful legislator. He was with us then one of the of jurisdiction. So in any case they say its over. Are not giving up to give millions of people access to healthcare . Martin luther king said of all the injustices at the most inhuman because people can die. Theyre not given an opportunity. Going to push open the gate if that doesnt work the going to climate next if that doesnt work were going to polevault and if that doesnt work were going to helicopter in. We are not letting anything stand in the way of our passing this legislation. After they passed it which one did you do . And the younger one said the first. Because we had the vote but we had the outside ground game. That earned the ground. With all the diagnosis groups. Every diagnosis you could think of was there. The counter. [laughter] [inaudible] the ones who were in charge. Which would be completely unusual for me when they said i have a person i worked with for years maybe you partner. We work with for years this guy says to me i have never seen as many as are against the Affordable Care act. Okay but we have that too. We did, with people studying in the seminary and all of the rest who were out of votes because they knew what they were saying was not true. I can its about the outside mobilization. The outside mobilization before the Affordable Care act we had 10,000 events or people told their story. We talk about the bill my mother had cancer my father was born with a heart condition had a Million Dollars in bills. The Affordable Care act save them. Told their story. The outside mobilization save the bill from the grip when you want to talk the about how to do it better and people can be involved in it better, thats a responsibility of the people who are in office too. To throw open those doors and make sure people can see what it is. And are doing work of big dark money. Take more responsibility for it too, but demand. If we can pass this bill, it would be the savior oh of democracy. The other bill is named for him. The john bill Voting Rights act. When i was not even speaker but leader, we wrote the Voting Rights act in a bipartisan way, 2006 became law in 2007, bipartisan and and we walked down the steps of the capital together. I think they had a 100 vote in the senate and we had a few in the house that didnt vote for it. George bush signed it. He took great pride and signed it and he came to selma on the 50th anniversary on the march of selma and he was taking pride in signing that and now they wont give us a hearing. None other in the history of the world. Im getting a they are saying we the country that created human rights and justice. They are taking full credit. [laughter] philosophically but we did it. And then the sacrifice of men and women in uniform to protect that freedom and the sacrifice that families make, the vision of founders, sacrifice of men and women in uniform. All elections are about the future. Its about the future. What does this mean for the future . Joe biden is such a great president of the United States and president for the future but i dont think thats allowed here. [laughter] so this has been extraordinary and its been just an incredible privilege to have this opportunity to talk with you. One final question, so first year students, any final advice as they were i thought you were asking them for final thoughts. [laughter] what some of us did in our day you can do better now because you have the technology of communication and so much opportunity, think differently about theyre not different incorrectly but think differently about you want to see the future be. Think about the vision of our founders skipping the bad things that we had to correct in the constitution but what we could do further and always take it home to the person. What does this mean to the person . Well, i will tell you what i think your opportunity is. Im from baltimore, 50 years in San Francisco but born and raised in baltimore. American catholic patriotic. The National Anthem was written in baltimore. I take great pride of that. War of 1812 and when you know youre at the game and come to the end when i do that, through the night that our flag was still there, that is a challenge that we have now. Proof through that night that our flag was still there. We had to get through it in order the make sure that our flag is still there for the world to see, beautiful flag that we take a pledge to every day to in our civic lives with liberty and justice for all and that liberty and justice for all is about you. So how do you take the pleasure that we take, the constitution that we take or that to the person, with liberty and justice. Thats what our model will be to the world and that is what we owe our founders women and men in uniform and we certainly owe our children. So as youre thinking about how you go further and whether you freshmen make decisions in classes or this or that, how does it do two things . Find areas of agreement. Find just what you might have in common. Might not be the highest priority but you can get there. When i talked to members they will say i had hoped we bring together about this. Think about what you might want to bring people together. Its a rough scene right now and things that we have to defend and that makes differences. But you cant just do it without thinking what comes next. You are what comes next. You are the here and new but youre also what comes next and how do you think about this country, this great democracy. Just love it so much. So grateful to the inspiration that brought us to what our founders had but when you go to washington you see all of these statutes and monuments and all to the past and thats a good thing. We should honor that but all of those people were about the future. About creating this country and then saving this country with link own saving this country and so how are you making contribution, hopefully you wont be saving it but you will be enhancing this counterry to strengthen liberty and justice for all until we really have liberty, justice for all we are always going to have problems, people just dont understand why they are frightened of innovation, they are frightened of immigration, they are frightened of globalization, they are frightened lgbt, frightened about diversity, no, embrace it. Embrace it. How do we take it, how do we take it forward and remember that we are model to the world. I know that you mentioned Ronald Reagan in your comments, interesting, i said but i want to make sure that you you heard me say. Teddy roosevelt and Ronald Reagan. Abraham lincoln. 3 republicans. Didnt mention joe once. I said you have to be Ronald Reagan, Ronald Reagan and i promise you this will be the end, Ronald Reagan said this. Google it. He said that this is the last speech i will make as president of the United States and i want i want to communicate a message to a country i love. He goes onto talk about the statute of liberty and beacon of hope it is to the world. If we choose to close the door, he has a lot a the new comers and ideas and this is america, nation of immigrants but if we choose to close the door we will end the preeminent nation in the world. You have the read the whole speech and recognize that this is Ronald Reagan making that speech, we are a nation of immigrants and that constant has been a wonderful thing for our country. We have our challenges, we have to security our border and this or gnat but never forget who we are, native youre blessed to be a native american and god bless you for that thats a blessing for the country but also this is a country unlike any other that was founded on the principal of equality that was developed, inspired, invigorated by new comers coming to our country and how we deal with the future in that regard, so very important. Be ready. Know why and how and i hope that i did not discourage you from taking part in politics. Its worth the trouble and carefully years ago she gave me this prayer. She gave me this prayer. It was nailed on a wall by a hospital in africa. African bishop. When i die and happily go meet my creator, he will say to me, show me your wounds and if i have no wounds he will say was nothing worth fighting for. And that is really what its about too sometimes, sometimes its a fight but hopefully it can be a success. A vision with a plan, brilliant future, thank you for the opportunity. [applause] this is a lecture series that we are proud of and they have dont so much to all of us and was such a path breaker and such a fighter and i cant think of more powerful way and perfect way to continue the tradition than to have this talk today and to give you this other speaker, justice ginsburg, speaker pelosi. [applause] just through the last line when we had in the capital, it was such an honor of the last song that was sung, the last words were something that you should all be inspired by and have as your words as well. America, america, i gave my best to you Ruth Bader Ginsburg to all of you. Thank you so much. [applause] i cant wait to display it. Cspans washington journal, live forum involving you to discuss the latest issues of government, politics and Public Policy from washington, d. C. To across the country coming up friday morning, janes of the Heritage Foundation and mara red month for the center of American Progress talk about bidens response of israelhamas war and Chinese Foreign minister visit to washington this week and commissioner benjamin of the u. S. Elections commission discuss Election Administration and restoring integrity ahead of the 2024 cycle. Cspans washington journal join in the conversation live at 7 0n cspan, cspan now or on lane at cspan. Org. Friday ukrnian ambassador to the u. S. Tal about ongoing russiaukraine war while addresng reporters at a conference in washington, d. C. Watch this live starting at 11 30 a. M. On cspan, cspan now, our free mobile video app or cspan. Org. Cspan now is a free mobile app featuring unfiltering view of what is happening in washington. Keep up with latest demands, hearings from the u. S. Conference, white house events, campaigns and more for the world of politics all at your fingertips the and stay current of washington journal and find scheduling information and cspan radio plus a variety of compelling podcast, cspan now available at the apple store in google play, don load it for free today, cspan now, your frontrow seat to washington any time anywhere. Monday watch cspan series in partnership with the libraire of congress, books that shaped america, we will feature novel. Published in 1918, novel is part of primary trilogy the book addresses the immigrant experience and womens issues at the time. Melissa homestead, english professor at the university of nebraska lincoln has talked for many years and will join us on the program. Watch books that shaped america featuring my antonia. Free mobile video app or online. Be sure to scan our qr code to listen to forked cast. You can learn more about the authors of the books featured. South carolinas republican governor kristi noem outlines priority speaking at Steamboat Institute conference in colorado and what else she hopes to accomplish, this is just over an