Transcripts For CSPAN American Perspectives 20100314

it was only after the 1960's, when the supreme court took a more prominent political role -- if the logical issues -- that you had public hearings. -- ideological issues -- that you had public hearings. i do not think anybody thinks the process is particularly edifying. . . >> the collection includes at least one item from every presidency. this is half an hour. >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome designer jason wu, the director of the smithsonian's national museum of american history, the secretary of the smithsonian institution, and the first lady of the united states of america, michelle obama. [applause] >> good morning, everyone. welcome to your national museum of american history. i would like to extend a special welcome to the first lady of the united states, michelle obama, to the smithsonian secretary, to the designer, jason wu, to all of our board members of the national museum of american history, and our chairman, all of our special guest, students from huntington high school -- welcome to all of you and thank you for the great support you provided this museum. mrs. obama, it is an honor to have you and your guests here to join with the museum in a tradition that is now almost a century old. the presentation of the first lady's inaugural ball gown to the smithsonian institution and our national collection. we have a unique mission. we have the mandate to tell the whole story of america. recollections, research, exhibitions -- through our collections, research, exhibitions -- this museum, which is the largest and most popular history museum and the country, offers a unique opportunity to visitors to discover the american dream and to understand what it means to be an american. we are assembled here in the hall which serves as the museum's public square -- the place where we connect our visitors with information and ideas, and with each other. it is also the place where we sponsor a number of important programs. naturalization ceremonies take place here. we have hands-on learning activities -- a living history programs. with a special events like this. inspirational moments have happened here -- the spontaneous performance of the boys choir of kenya when they were here and st. "the star spangled banner -- and sang "the star spangled banner." at this museum, we are in the forever business. americans trust us with their family heirloom and prs and prid possessions. we are very grateful that mrs. obama is interesting us what -- is entrusting us with this wonderful gown that she wore at the inaugural ball last year. i'm sure this dress as many memories for you. it will become part of our country's collective memory. it goes into one of our best known and most popular exhibitions and collections at the smithsonian. it will become part of a personal memory for millions of visitors who come here every year. over the years, our first lady collection has evolved, in response to the changing role of women in american society and the changing role of the first lady. i am pleased to announce that, thanks to a generous gift, the museum will be adding a new gallery to the first lady's exhibition -- i gallery called "the first lady -- a gallery called "the first ladies' debut." it offers a 50-year review of first lady fashion at the smithsonian. not only do we have a world- class collection at the smithsonian, but we have a world-class staff. i recognize and thank the production staff and many others who put together this exhibit and contribute so much to the success of this museum. [applause] for the past two years, we have enjoyed the inspired leadership of of the 12th secretary of the smithsonian institution. -- of thenjoyed the inspired leadership of the 12th secretary of the smithsonian institution. it gives me great pleasure today to introduce them to you. >> thank you. good morning and welcome to this great museum. it is a very special occasion for us. thank you to the board members who help support the role and to the chair for the generous donation of this time, talent, and resources over the years. this collection is one of the most enduring and popular collections at the smithsonian. today, we celebrate the newest addition to this collection -- the ball onegowngown worn by michelle obama on an aberration night. -- on inauguration night. we thank you, jason wu, for your beautiful design. this is the museum's and america's public square. it is our public square on the national mall where history is made and celebrated and more than 1 million people were on the national mall for the inauguration of president obama. who could forget that moment? at this moment -- at the smithsonian, we're dedicated to making sure nobody forgets. we have nearly 750,000 of those individuals -- we had nearly 750,000 of those individuals at this museum during that time. we present some of america's greatest treasures including "the star spangled banner." we tell the story of all americans to all other americans and those who come from other countries. the first lady collection is a display of the creations of talented designers such as jason wu and it is the story of the challenges are nation's first ladies have faced. we have been blessed with many gifted and determined women such as dolly madison, eleanor roosevelt, nancy reagan, hillary clinton, laura bush, and michelle obama. their lives are inspiring stories for all young women and men, such as a student from huntington -- such as the students from huntington high school who are with us today. the students are our future. it is the job of our generation to pass on the values and beliefs that make this country great. the smithsonian, with more than 107 million items in its collection, is ideally positioned to do that. our commitment is that we will. take for example what we celebrate today -- clothing. in our collections, we have a familiar earhart's jacket -- amelia earhart's jacket, marian anderson's." . this is just the starting corps for what we will be a journey of discovery. we are here to initiate, engage, and continue the dialogue. we do so thanks to the generous support of people on capitol hill and here in this room. we take our duty to the american people seriously. at the reopening of the museum in november, 2008, a historian and board member said, "never has an understanding of our story as a people, of who we are, and how we came to be the way we are, and what we stand for, been of such importance as right now." thank you very much. [applause] >> thank you, mr. secretary. jason wu's story embodies the american experience. going in taiwan -- born in taiwan, he was 9-years old when he moved to vancouver and learn how to sew. he enrolled in the parsons school of design in new york city and intern with a designer. -- and turned -- interned with a designer. all eyes were on michelle obama in beautiful -- in the beautiful jason wu design. and inaugural ball gown is the most important dress in the country. mr. wu, i think many will agree with me that by adding this dressed to the national collection of the smithsonian, it will be remembered for many years to come. please welcome jason wu. [applause] >> first of all, thank you for such a wonderful introduction. i would like to also thakn the smithsonian for inviting me here today -- thank the smithsonian for inviting me here today. i would also like to thank mrs. obama for this opportunity. to say she has changed my life is an understatement. there is no doubt that this was my single greatest accomplishment so far. what an honor. i could not have imagined that as a 26-year-old, taiwan-born immigrant -- that i would one day be standing here today. i have learned that america is truly a land of opportunity. over the past year-and-a-half, many people have asked me what it felt like when i first learned the first lady had chosen to wear my down to the inauguration. frankly, i had no idea. i did not know i was being seriously considered until i saw her step out on television. imagine my surprise. not only to witness history in the making, but to actually be a part of this incredible moment. many people also ask me about my inspiration for the down -- what was i thinking? what was the meaning? the truth is, i was simply inspired by the moment. i was inspired by mrs. obama's boys, grace, and intelligence. i was inspired by the overwhelming optimism she and president obama represented. i was inspired by the fact that i would be able to realize my dreams. i cannot think of anywhere else where this kind of opportunity exists. finally, the question most people ask me is, what would i say to mrs. obama if i were to see her in person one day? that is the easiest question of all. i'm happy to answer it today. mrs. obama, thank you. thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your incredible support. thank you before having the courage and vision to choose a gown made by a young designer who did not fit the traditional mold, and for reminding us that nothing is impossible. thank you for allowing my store to be a part of this incredible moment in american history. thank you. [applause] >> beautiful words. we thank the first lady for coming here today and for her previous support of the design museum's national awards, where she graciously hosted a luncheon. at the first lady, she is active on a number of issues, supporting military families, helping working women balance careers and families, encouraging national service, promoting the arts and arts education, and fostering a healthy eating and healthy living for children and families across our nation. in a speech last year, the first lady said, "the charts are not just a nice thing to have, or to do if there is every time, or if one can afford. whether it is paintings or poetry, music and fashion, design and dialogue, it all defines who we are as a people and provides an account of our history for the next generation ." ladies and gentlemen, the first lady. [applause] >> thank you, everyone. thank you so much. clearly, it is a pleasure and honor to be here with you today. let me begin by banking -- thanking you for your generous introduction and for your dedication to the mission of the smithsonian. i want to thank our hosts from the national museum of american history. thank you for making this such a wonderful place for people of all ages to learn and explore. i also have to do my part in recognizing our very special guest -- the students and teachers from huntington high school, who made the trip all the way from new york to be here. please stand so we can see you. [applause] now there is a special reason why i invited these students. they sent me in this book a beautifully-designed inaugural gowns of their own creations. i had so much fun looking through those designs. you are all obviously very talented and beautiful. i am so pleased to be able to share this special day with you. you make us proud. thank you for the gift. i also want to thank the board members, staff, and supporters of the museum for all you do every day and for being here to share this moment with me. here we are -- it is the dress. [laughter] i have to say, to be honest, i am very honored and very humble and a little embarrassed by all this fuss being made over my dress. i am not used to people wanting to put things i have worn on display. all of this is a little odd, so forgive me. at the same time, i truly recognized the significance of this day. this gown and that items in this wonderful exhibit help us connect with the moment in history in a very real way. when we look at the down that jackie kennedy war 50 years ago -- gown that jackie kennedy wore 50 years ago, it takes us beyond the history books and photographs and helps us understand that history is really made by real, live people. the detail of each down -- the fabric, cut, color -- tells us more about each first lady. it is a visual reminder that we each come from different backgrounds, different generations, and from different walks of life. each gown places us right in the moment and makes us wonder about the intimate details of that evening -- how did she feel in that dress? did her feet hurt in the shoes? [laughter] how many times did her husband step on that train? more importantly, these gowns define a moment in our american history. when i look at my gown, which i have not seen since the day i took it off, memories of that moment come back. i remember it was freezing cold. i know we all remember that. despite the frigid temperatures, hundreds of thousands of people flooded the mall. nothing would stop them from being part of history. that day was so hectic for us. i remember the inaugural parade and how the president and i stood and waved until every last man walked by -- band walked by. then we only have less than an hour -- ladies, if you can believe that -- [laughter] all of my friends let us in the stands. thank you, good luck. we have to get ready. yeah, so did i. i was not focused on what i was wearing -- i was trying to stay warm. i will never forget when i put on this beautiful gown. i remember how lush as i felt when we were announced on to the stage for the first of many dances. i will cherish that moment for the rest of my life. now that the crowds are gone and the mall is silent, and our family has settled into our new home -- the white house -- this is one of the most tangible things i have left to remember that day. that is why it will always hold a special place in my heart. when i look at the dress, i remember the incredible people that we met along our journey and on that day. i remember how warmly welcomed we were. i remember the joy on the faces of so many young people who devoted so much time to getting us to that point. i remember wonderful letters we received from people who were there and others who watched the event from home -- people who told us about how much that they meant for them and their families. we receive letters from octogenarians, who told us how they never thought they would live to see the day. i remember the men and women who worked so hard and long to make sure that every single detail was just perfect. i remember the time we shared with americans from every corner of this nation. one person who made that a possible is the creator of this beautiful gown, jason wu, a young man who, not so long ago, was just an aspiring designer like many of you here. when he was just five years old, growing up in taiwan, his parents would take into the bridal shops so that he could sketch the downs -- gowns in the windows. he started making clothes for dolls when he was 16. after studying under some of the best designers in the world, he opened his own shop with the money he had saved. you can see this is a masterpiece. it is simple, elegant, and it comes from this brilliant young mind -- someone who is living the american dream. the countless hours you can see he spent sewing this piece made my night even more special. i am proud that millions more visitors will see how talented this young man is. thank you, jason, for your vision and your hard work. at the end of the day, today is about much more than this gown. it is also about how, with enough focus and determination, someone in this room could be the next jason wu, the next barack obama. it is about how the american story is written by real people -- not just names on the page. it is about how something you create today, whether address or painting or story or song, could help teach the next generation in a way that nothing else can. thank you all so much. [applause] >> thank you very much, mrs. obama. thank you for your words about how people make history. i think it is fair to say that the first lady of the united states is one of the most influential, and the elected people in the world. i think the words you have spoken about the importance of people in history and how we make history cannot be repeated too often. mrs. obama, on behalf of the smithsonian and the american people, thank you for presenting your inaugural ball gown to the smithsonian and for helping us tell the continuing story of the people. we hope that you and your family will visit again, often. you have an open invitation. this concludes our ceremony. -- the formal part of our ceremony. we invite the members of the media, as ordered by our press office, to come forward for photographs. mrs. obama, if you would do us the honor of joining us next to your inaugural ball gown. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] [applause] >> still to come on c-span, a congressional gold medal ceremony for the first women to fly airplanes for the u.s. military. later, president obama meets with the haitian president rene preval to talk about earthquake recovery. after that, george papandreou visits the u.s. to discuss his country boss economic situation. -- his country's economic situation. >> tomorrow, on what "washington journal -- tomorrow, on "washington journal" -- mark tapscott, david waldman, and joan claybrook. plus, your e-mails, phone calls -- that is on "washington journal" sunday. >> tomorrow, your chance to talk to karl rove. starting at 10:00, the former adviser to president bush will take your phone calls, e-mails, and tweets on his new memoir. afterwards, bill cohen and his wife will discuss race relations in america. they will be interviewed by congressman john lewis. all of this week and, of tucson -- all this weekend, the tucson festival of books. >> the health care debate moves to the house budget committee on monday as committee members mark up the legislation. live coverage begins at 3:00 p.m. eastern on c-span3, c-span3 deal, and on their website -- c- span radio, and on our website, c-span.org. the rules committee will meet on wednesday to work out the structure for the debate. house speaker nancy pelosi says she hopes to start debate on thursday, with votes possible later in the week. stay tuned to c-span for the latest. visit our health care hub, read the legislation, see what the president and congress are saying, and joining the conversation yourself on twitter. you can also find cost estimate s for the bill and hundreds of hours of video from the house and senate floor debates, committee hearings, and other events. c-span.org/healthcare. [applause] >> this week, the first women to fly airplanes for the u.s. military receives congressional gold medal during a ceremony at the capitol. more than 1000 flew non-combat missions during world war two. we will hear remarks from nancy pelosi and nbc anchor tom brokaw. this is a little more than an hour. >> ladies and gentlemen, the speaker of the united states house of representatives. [applause] >> thank you. i am glad to be here. it is great to honor the women airforce service pilots. they are earning the highest honor -- highest honor that congress can bestow. [cheers and applause] let us begin by asking the w.a.s.p. independence to b stand and be recognized. [applause] [applause] [applause] >> as we prepare to stand for the presentation of the callers, i also want to acknowledge a former colleague, congressman -- congress woman, who began this campaign 30 years ago to have the wasts -- wasts -- w.a.s.p.'s honored. [applause] >> she will be 94 -years-old this weekend -- 94-years-old this weekend. please rise for the presentation of the colors. [drumsticks tapping] [snare drums playing] [fifes playing] ♪ ♪ ♪ >> halt. ♪ oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there oh, say, does that star spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ [applause] [drums playing] ♪ ♪ ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing as the rev. gives the invocation. >> let us pray. gracious god, we are gathered here today to honor an elite fraternity of women airforce pilots. their history is one of service, patriotism, and heroism. lord, like their male airforce counterparts, they were a formidable force of over 1000 skilled aviators, who is a service to our grateful nation -- whose service to our grateful nation is now being acknowledged in this grand hall. though many of these brave women are no longer with us, the memory of their service will endure. lord, let those still with us, who gather here today, know that they are american heroines, who have brought honor to you and country. bless, keep, and sustain them in all their tomorrows and beyond. we pray in your sovereign name. amen. >> please be seated. >> ladies and gentlemen, the honorable susan davis. >> good morning, everyone. i want to begin with a word of gratitude. at a very precarious time in our country's history, you step forward -- stepped vo forward. you volunteered for often- dangerous missions. unfortunately, 38 of your fellow w.a.s.p. is lost their lives on those missions, and many more have passed away since their service. i know you held remembrancer money for them yesterday -- remembrance ceremony for them yesterday. i wish they had all been here to receive the honor. i appreciate the many family members who are here in attendance on behalf of their loved ones. thank you for your remarkable service and patriotism. thank you for your love of flying and your desire to serve your country, which are testaments to your outstanding your wisdom. i have been captivated by your legacy for the past year, as i, like far too many americans, did not know your story. in addition, thank you for your patience. this honor is much-deserved and long overdue. today, your day of honor, is an opportunity to thank you for your strength and unprecedented moxy. service women today stand on your shoulders, perhaps unknowingly. let this be just the beginning of your story as it spreads throughout the country. we have heard it on public radio and many other outlets. it is a wondrous. it is wondrous -- it is wondrous. it does wonders for me to be part of your story. i hope that when you leave today, you take with you not only your medal, but also our sincere gratitude. congratulations and thank you again. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the honorable leon ileana ros- lehtinen -- the honorable ileana ros-lehtinen. >> we are honored to present to you this medal. it is an honor to be here on this occasion. the wfp -- the w.a.s.p.'s serve our country with no expectation for recognition or praise. yet, as benjamin harris son once noted, it is a good criteria to judge the true state of society by how women are treated. which would be remiss to not honor such unique women who paved the way for future generations of women in the military, including my daughter- in-law, a marine corps pilot who has flown missions in iraq and afghanistan. [applause] she is part of the lasting legacy of all of you -- the w.a.s.p.'s. on behalf of her, my congressional colleagues, and a grateful nation, i offer my sincerest thanks and at most admiration -- utmost admiration. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the honorable kay bailey hutchinson. [cheers and applause] >> thank you. as we celebrate women's history month, this is the perfect time for us to gather and honor de women airforce service pilots -- the women airforce service pilots with the congressional gold medal. america's first women to fly military aircraft -- they blaze a trail in the sky, opening the doors for women military pilots today. by the time of the war ended, 1074 women had earned their wings. 38 of them were killed in action. throughout the war, these courageous women flew over 60 million miles around the world. they flew in every type of aircraft and on every type of mission flown by male pilots, except for direct combat missions. there were never commissioned, never afforded active-duty military status, and were not granted veterans' status until 1977. these women volunteered to serve our country in wartime, paying their own way to texas for training. when the war ended, the program ended, and date paid their own way to get back home. those who were killed in action were buried by their families, often with contributions taken up by the women of the w.a.s.p. i wrote about the costs -- the w.a.s.p.'s in my book -- the spirited women who shaped our country. they were never eformally recognized for their wartime military service until today. [applause] today, we right a wrong and acknowledge are debt to these -- our debt to these great patriots. tom brokaw raised the awareness for all americans of the greatest generation. we are closing a circle today of an recognized achievement -- un recognized achievement that began with the tuskegee airmen. i am proud to have introduced the senate bill with my friend barbara mikulski -- the legislation that resulted in this celebration today. it passed in record time for a resolution. for this, i thank my colleagues and the leaders in the senate and house who responded with incredible enthusiasm. most of all, i want to thank the loss -- wasts -- w.a.s.p.'s and their families who are here. on behalf of a grateful nation, thank you for your service. [applause] [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the honorable barbara mikulski. [applause] >> good morning, everybody. today, all of america stands in salute to the 1074 women airforce service pilots, treasurer around this country, and known as the loss was -- w.a.s.p.'s. we know that your personal service was unrewarded. we know you were often unappreciated. we are here today to undo that wrong in an act long overdue. the greatest generation that saved democracy and the western civilization was not limited to one gender. you gave all that you could to save the united states of america and the world. you gave america's your lives, your love, and your devotion. today, congress will give you the gold. the congressional gold medal for the women airforce service pilots is the highest expression that we can be still for courage, service, and dedication -- bestow for courage, service, and dedication to our country. you served during our country's greatest time of need, answering the call of duty on your own dime. i am very proud to have co- sponsored this bill with my dear friend, senator kay bailey hutchison. it is not about partisanship -- it is about citizenship. it is not about red states or blue states -- we have to start being the red, white, and blue -- the united states of america. [applause] you flew those military aircraft. you flew every type of assignment except for combat. you also flute in the face of gender bigotry and even the gender hostility. it true to your calling, you defended america and became trailblazers and true patriots. you flew over 60 million miles, 12,000 planes, 122 american bases. it is not about numbers -- of 14 women came from maryland. -- it is not about numbers. 14 women came from maryland. even now, we sometimes do not get it right. we know that you, like you're male counterparts, came in on the wings and a prayer. 38 of you came home in pine boxes -- your families had to pay for that yourselves. to scrape together your own boss there's -- you scraped together your own bus fares. you held your own. because of your dollavalor, womn are serving in the military -- astronauts, search and rescue pilots, etcetera. you really created this opportunity. off we go into the wild, blue yonder. instead of giving you the gun, we will give you the gold. god bless you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the lieutenant gencolonel. [applause] >> thank you for patience. thank you. thank you, speaker pelosi and and distinguished members of congress -- thank you speaker pelosi -- thank you, speaker pelosi and the distinguished members of congress for hosting us here today. a special thank you to senator hutchison and mikulski and ros- lehtinen for making this day possible. welcome to all of you. today is the day were the wasts -- w.a.s.p.'s will make history once again. i have the opportunity to make a close relationship with many of you. it means much to me that you're being honored and remember today. if i may be so bold, i would like to speak on behalf of my fellow service members -- women and men alike. as you know, the past eight and a half years have been challenging for us. days, weeks, months, and even years away from family and loved ones -- going into harm's way against an enemy who does not play by the rules. it is these w.a.s.p.'s that remind us to step back and remember why we serve it -- because we love our country, because we know that freedom comes at a cost that is worth defending, and for one another. if you a spend any time at all talking to these wonderful women, you will and under -- if you have spent any time at all talking to these wonderful women, you'll notice how humble they are. they did not do it for fame, glory, or recognition. they had a passion -- to take what gifts they have and use them to help defend, not just america, but the entire free world from tyranny. they let no one gets in their way. another thing you might notice is that, despite the incredible barriers that were placed in their path, there's been nothing but positive about their experiences. -- they speak nothing but positive about their experiences. they have always been grateful for the opportunities. they are the embodiment of the word "integrity." for all of us in uniform -- and our heritage has profound importance. we look to the heroes in the battles of the past to take what we can from those lessons. we want to learn what we -- we want to learn where we have come from and find role models to follow. our military history, which at long last include the history of our women airforce service pilots, reminds us why we all serve. as we indelibly write the story, we say thank you for your service, sacrifice, and most importantly for the example used that for all of us to follow. thank you. -- for the example you set polybus to follow. -- for all o fus to -- for all of us to follow. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, mr. tom brokaw. [applause] >> thank you very much. thank you very much. it is a great privilege for me to be here. i am unaccustomed to being in the rarified area of the speaker's podium. i am generally back there with the total -- photo dogs. let me acknowledge the colonel, who is a direct descendant of these remarkable women you see here today. she reported for duty today, even though you can see she has a broken leg. what you do not know is that she is also expecting twins later this summer. [laughter] [applause] i do think we have to acknowledge that as well. like so many americans, when i began to write "the greatest generation" i was unaware of the contribution of the w.a.s.p.'s. and then we found one of them -- an indiana farm girl who became aulos -- all lost -- a w.a.s.p. at the age of 79, in 2001, she participated in an erase -- an air race. she flew to the end of her life. i have always thought she was emblematic of the loss -- the w.a.s.p.'s. i'd think we should all take just a moment to savor -- i think we should all take just a moment to savor what these women represent uto us. think about the difficulties they have helped this nation overcome. together, individually, and collectively, they remind us today of all that is great with us and the ability to move forward as one nation. their lives were forme d by the great depression. they were asked to do no less then go off and defeat the two mightiest military machines in the history of mankind and save the world. i am often asked about that title -- "the greatest generation." i have to answers. the first one is -- two answers. the first one is -- that is my story and i am sticking to it. people ask me about what that generation came to represent. they gave us the lives we have today. women and people of color who served our country nobly and with great sacrifice came home, and with dignity and peacefully, asked the this country to recognize and accept them as full citizens. on this occasion, i have a third answer -- a third reason to say this is the greatest generation. you have done something unique in the nation's capital this year. you have brought to a common hall, a common cause, a common microphone, and common language, senators reid and mcconnell, speaker pelosi, and congressman boehner. [applause] if you are still uncertain about the title -- was it "the greatest generation," i asked you to set it up with this audience. thank you to all of you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, a vocalist from the united states air force. >> ♪ off we go, into the wild, blue yonder climbing high into the sun here they come zooming to meet our thunder attaboy, giver -- give her the gun down we dive off with one hell of a roar we will go down in flame nothing can stop the u.s. air force ♪ [applause] >> ladies and gentleman, secretary of the united states air force michael donley. [applause] >> good morning, madam speaker, congressman boehner, majority leader reid, senator mcconnell, distinguished guests, and especially our w.a.s.p.'s. . >> from that time onward, women would forever be part of the united states military aviation. it is perhaps regrettable that it has taken this long to fully and knowledge or service to our nation. -- acknowledge your service to our nation. as the observer noted, the greatness of america relies on not being more in mind than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults. today, we take another overdue step in repairing one such fault. i represent a proud and grateful air force. your contributions have made america a more perfect union and a more effective united states are force. 60,000 women served in the air force today, 20% of active duty airmen. more than 600 women are serving as pilots. 100 and to our general officers. female airmen serving shoulder to shoulder and are indistinguishable from their male counterparts throughout our air force. continuing your legacy, over 63,000 air force women have deployed in support of combat operations just since september 11, 2001. these women share a very noble tradition of service which began with jackie cochrane, with you, and other pioneers of your generation and those who followed. we think he today for your courage, your service, the history that you made in your enduring legacy to american oppose the air force. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, republican leader of the united states house of representatives, the hon. john boehner. [applause] >> thank you. madame speaker andmy colleagues, honored guests, and the gold medal recipients, welcome to all of you. we honor the women airforce service pilots, the wasps. we are humbled to serve them with that nation's highest civilian honor. it is typical of the extraordinary world war two generation. after pearl harbor, americans released the largest technological outpouring in world history. the unconditional surrender of germany and japan were directly related to our total dominance of the air, a dominant achieved quickly and in every theater of the war. america quickly fill the skies with p-38's, p-47's, b-17 and b- 29 bombers. and the famus msutane -- musta ng went from the drawing board to production in just four months. what a thrill it must have been to fly those planes. and the flyers live the life on the cutting edge of aviation. one pilot was assigned to right field near where i live where she met or will write and became the first american woman to fly a jet powered aircraft. in her autobiography, she said that, "i felt that we have been pioneers as military pilots flying military aircraft. none have gone before us. in answering the need for pilots it more time, we have changed with men's -- women's status forever. we proved that women could be professional pilots. and many would follow us." between 1942 and 1944, the pilots of w.a.s.p. flew 60 million miles of operational flight. of the 25,000 women that were applied, about 1000 earned their wings. 38 of them lost their lives. these pilots were responsible for half of all combat aircraft deliveries within the united states. this is amazing considering america produced 150,000 combat aircraft between 1942 and 1944. simply put, the outstanding success that america achieved in the air during world war two would not have been possible without the women airforce service pilots. [applause] we are proud of their achievements and of their contribution they have made to defend america and ensuring our freedom. thank you. [applause] >> the hon. mitch mcconnell. [applause] >> good morning. six decades have passed since the end of world war two. america's decisive role in ending that tragedy will always be a defining part of our history. it because it reaffirms the basic tenet of the american creed. america's role in world war two reminds us and the world that where freedom is challenged, americans will rise up to defend it. and we will demonstrate through sacrifices great and small that we believe what we say about freedom. that is just what the women who we recognize today did for their courageous service as airforce service pilots. we overlooked them for too long. today, we honor them. to honor them for reaffirming with their lives not only america's enduring commitment to freedom, but many other deeply american qualities. a commitment to excellence, guts, daring, and the willingness once victory has won to quietly walked away, content to return to ordinary life. we are people like millie davidson, and another whose husbands were missing in action and made their vigil more meaningful by flying with the wasps. we honor them and hundreds of women across the country and in every walk of life. when men who have paid their own way to do something that they had never done before. we honor these remarkable pioneers of the sky. we affirm their place in the firmament of american heroes. most of all, we thank them. in this hallowed place, and as a great gallery of freedom -- in this great gallery of freedom for their tremendous service in freedom's cause. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and dublin, majority leader of the united states senate, the hon. harry reid. [applause] >> just a point of personal privilege, colonel malakowski was my personal appointment from nevada. [applause] today, we honor these great women, not just for the miles they flew but for the many they inspired. more than 600 female pilots patrolled the skies today as members of the united states air force. more than 1600 women today serve on active duty at the air force base in las vegas. not long ago, those numbers were zero. every american and now serves in a more equal military, and every little girl that wants to fly and fight for country has the women airforce service pilots to paint. -- to thank. two are here from las vegas. nevada has always been the home of pioneers. the women wanted nothing more than to serve, knowing full t well it would be full of sacrifice and risk. the country did not call them, but they answered anyway. when they volunteered for duty, they were stronger both at home and abroad. your selfless sacrifice for your nation was necessary in your leadership was revolutionary for the united states armed forces. congressional gold medals are often long overdue. if you look at a long list -- and the short list of lotteries and when they were honored, you might ask, why did it take so long? overdue recognition is nothing new to this brave group. they were given no military benefits, no veterans' benefits when it ended, 30 women that died received no suitable honors. their coffins could not even bear the plight of the country for which they gave their lives. when it was over, these women have with the most powerful planes, they had to get home on their own. for years, it seems your contribution was forgotten. when the air force selected a handful of women, it mistakenly said it was the first time females were flying military aircraft. they were wrong. we not only remember your service, but we roared with the highest civilian award the congress can give. -- that we reward you with the highest civilian award the congress can give. great american women like rosa parks, other underappreciated heroes like the tuskegee airmen, and a national icons like george washington . to all of those that are here today and those that are here only in their hearts, thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the speaker of the united states house of representatives, the hon. nancy pelosi. [applause] >> it is a great honor to join the leadership of the congress, senator reid -- and later read in the leader mcconnell, mcconnellboehner, -- leader boehner, tom brokaw, the greatest chronicler of the greatest generation to bear witness to what is happening here today. colonel, how proud we are for and how eloquent she spoke of the shoulders that she is standing on. i want to pay special tribute to the four sponsors of the legislation in the house, congresswoman susan davis and senator makkulki, andk ay bali -- and kay bailey hutchison. thank you. [applause] >> another woman, 44w2 once said -- all right. once you have flown an airplane, your world is never the same again. once a w.a.s.p. took to the sky, the world was never the same for many of us. entering the country's call, they demonstrated courage and patriotism. their bravery and spires and awes us. their success allowed the successive generations cents and the generations to come. today, the accomplishments will be written large in our nation's history. as others have said, this day comes too late for some. let us remember the w.a.s.p.'s who have left us before they could receive this honor. we acknowledge that for too long, the proud service was not recognized in a word or india. -- in deed. there were no honors, no benefits, and very few thank yous. barbara, not to be in a contest or anything, but in california, we had nearly 80 living there. [applause] so we have known over time that the great contribution they have made. i want to acknowledge margaret, an asian-american w.a.s.p. who taught us all so much. [applause] for decades, she has been teaching us about -- imagine the courage to leave home, get the training, and go into the air. we honor you as the heroes that you are. i hope that it is some source of satisfaction to you. this is one of the largest crowds ever gathered inside the capital of the united states. [applause] leaders and other guests have spoken about the statistics, distances, cargo carriers, the number of people, and all the rest. but i want you to know that we had to turn hundreds of people away because we did not have a room big enough to contain the admiration that we all have for you. hopefully, they will see it through the media. on behalf of the entire congress of the united states, our leaders have spoken. many members of congress are here. all of us send you our gratitude anfor your service in your patriotism. the sky is not even the limit anymore for the women of our nation. the patriotism lays the trail that others have used, trailblazer, for the women that came after in flight, the field of battle, and even the congress of the united states. i have been told that there is a w.a.s.p. song used as encouragement during trading at sweet water. [laughter] maybe some of you remember it, maybe you will sing it for us. if you have a daughter, teach her to fly. [applause] i think they may have had another song in mind. i am not sure. when an air force service pilots, we are -- women airforce service pilots, we are your daughters. we thank you for that. and for making us the home of the brave and the land of the free. thank you. [applause] and now, please join me in welcoming mr.s parris -- mrs. parrish who will receive a gold medal on behalf of all of the w.a.s.p's ehre. -- here. mrsyou will all receive individl ones, but she will represent all of you. leader reid talked about george washington and other distinguished americans that have received this award. all things considered, you are receiving this award, thank you for your patriotism and your help. [applause] i want to thank all of our guests who joined us. colonel, if you can, we would like you all to join us here. isn't that beautiful? [applause] >> madam speaker. my colleagues. distinguished guests. family and friends. i am humbled to have been asked to represent the w.a.s.p.'s today. every single one of these ladies deserves to be standing where i am standing. [applause] to the members of congress, on behalf of all of the w.a.s .p's, we who are here today, thank you for this award. with humility and a great sense of pride -- and over 65 years ago, we each served our country without any expectations of recognition or glory. and we did it without compromising the values that we were taught as we grew up. honor, integrity, patriotism, service, faith, and commitment. we did it because our country needed us. we thank you for passing this bill to honor our service with the highest honor that you can bestow on a civilian. on behalf of all of these women, we would like to thank the champions that are also responsible for the ceremony today. a special thanks to lieutenant colonel malakowski. [applause] for the first draft of the bill for allowing the congressional gold medal to be given, to senator hutchison, and rep davis for their leadership in the congress. in to those of you that are here, those of you all over america that encourage the senators and representatives to sponsor the bill. to the artist for creating such a significant symbol of our service on this metal -- medal. for volunteering to work hundreds of extra hours in order to coordinate all the details including our military escorts from every branch of the service. [applause] and they are here from all bases all across america. to the general and her staff at the whim and's -- women's memorial. [applause] and as i look around this room battle of the cameras, all of the news people that are covering this event, we want to especially thank you, each of you, because whether or not you realize that, your educating millions of people all over america who have never heard of the w.a.s.p.s. that is all -- [applause] all we ever asked for. is that our overlook history would someday no longer be a missing chapter in the history of world war two, and the history of the air force, and the history of aviation. and most especially, the history of america. [applause] i grew up believing that with god's help, nothing is impossible. i still believe it because i believe this is the day that when the people of america will no longer hesitate in answering the question, do you know who the w.a.s.p.'s were? it is because of the media that that will happen. i believe that i speak for everyone when i say that it was both a privilege and honor to serve our country during some of the darkest days of world war two. thank you. [applause] in closing, god bless all of you, and god bless our troops for keeping our country free. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, please stand as the rev. it delivers the benediction. -- as the rev. delivers the benediction. >> let us back our heads and play for god's blessing. lord, made the hands and hearts of this nation be raised in prayer and praise for these pioneering women of full military service. the women airforce service pilots. just as the wings of a plane take to flight, made their spirits be lifted from the past to celebrate this present moment with full honor and glory. they the breath of god of hold their noble in heroic story, carry it to other generations, and even to other nations. and so inspire young women everywhere to serve the mighty caused of faithful public service, always seeking equal justice. those lifting the ultimate sacrifice, those who etched out each historic victory, and those who fly above the nile and disdain be rewarded -- and then not -- denail and -- denial and disdain be rewarded. god bless america and to grant us peace both in present circumstances and peace with you, the almighty, forever. amen. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, remain near seats for the official photography of the ceremony in the departure of the official party. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] >> here is our schedule. next, president obama meets with thhaitian president preval to talk about the earthquake. the grease prime minister visits to discuss their economic situation. and later, michelle obama this -- it donates her inaugural gown to the museum. sunday, live coverage of newsmakers with oklahoma senator james inhofe. he is the ranking member on the public works committee. see newsmakers live at noon eastern on c-span. it is also going to repair on sunday at 6:00 p.m.. >> obama -- in deciding salaries, this is a life lesson in progress right now for conservatives. >> on sunday, founder and president of the policy institute on her work to promote conservative women in leadership roles sunday night on c-span's "q&a." >> president obama met with the haitian presidents to talk about recovery aid. from the rose garden at the white house, this is 25 minutes. >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states and the president of the republic of haiti. [applause] >> please be seated. good afternoon, everybody. on behalf of the american people, i want to welcome president preval, the first lady, and their delegation to the united states. the president and i have concluded a productive meeting, they will recover and rebuild. mr. president, as i did when i spoke to you those first days after the earthquake, i want to express to you and the haitian people, the condolences of the american people. it is shared by our strong haitian amercain commun -- american community. to our fellow americans, you remain in our thoughts end our prayers. the united states joins in mourning the loss of american citizens as more than 100 americans died in this earthquake. our hearts also go out to their loved ones. we also remember that this natural disaster was an international tragedy taking the lives of dominicans, 80 and, french, brazilians, -- canadians. on the status of relief, the progress so far, and the daunting challenges ahead. it is as if the united states lost nearly 8 million people. or is as if 1/3 of our country, 100 by americans suddenly had no home, no food, and no water. no nation could respond to such a catastrophe alone. it would require a global response. that is what we have seen the last few months. you have carried on with great courage and determination. you persevere leading an international effort with critical support from the united nations, many partner nations and countless government organizations. many representatives are here today. you uplift lives every day in haiti and around the world often at great risk to your own lives. the united states has been proud to play a leading role. the men and women including members of congress and in many states and local officials that we think for their support. the leaders from across my administration, the department of state, usaid, homeland security, fema, transportation, and the department of defense, and the great folks at southern command. i want to thank all of them for leading a swift and coordinated response during one of the most complex humanitarian efforts ever attended. we are joined by the ambassador, the heroic embassy staff at work around the clock. we are joined by the disaster response teams that were on the scene within 24 hours. our military personnel that quickly reopen the airport making way for a massive humanitarian effort. our search and rescue teams pull survivors out to safety. the volunteer physicians that treated tens of thousands of patients with life-threatening injuries. and all the men and women in uniform that have distributed food, water, medicine, to millions of people. i just want to personally say how extraordinarily proud i am of each and everyone of you that. -- of you. because he represents what is best in america. i could not be prouder of the response that all of you were engaged in during this humanitarian crisis. no relief effort is without its difficulties. but there should be no doubt in anybody's mind, along with international partners, these men and women made a difference. they saved countless lives. men, women, and children. if you would let us express our admiration for all of those that step forward, who volunteered, represented the true character of our country, and projected the best face of america, the face of compassion and generosity. each and everyone of you can take enormous pride in your service and every single american thinks you. -- thanks you. [applause] i also want to abolish the enormous generosity of some individual americans and get what they could to support 80 even in difficult economic times. -- haiti even in difficult economic times. they are courageous and capable non-governmental organizations that support all kinds of efforts that the government is engaged in. i know that the support of the american people will continue to be essential as hhaiti tries to rebuild. the situation on the ground remains dire. people should be under no illusions that the crisis is over. many are still in desperate need of some shelter and food, medicine, and with in the spring rains approaching, those needs will only grow. the challenge now is to prevent a second disaster. that is why at this very moment, thousands of americans both civilian and military remain on the scene at the invitation of the haitian government. as we handoff delete functions to the international partners, our commitment to haiti's recovery effort must indoor and will endorse. -- endure and will endure. this was a pledge and made at the beginning of the crisis, and i intend for america to keep our pledge. we will be your partner in the effort for reconstruction. [applause] toward that end, the international donors conference of the united nations later this month will have an opportunity for all parties. haiti can and will lead the lead -- lead the way. the international community can put the resources for a coordinated and sustained effort. and we can ensure that assistance not only delivers relief for the short term, but builds up haiti's capacity to deliver basic services and provide for the people over the long term. mr. president, in the face of devastation, the people of haiti responded with resolve, in song, and in prayer, the determination to carry on. as he declared, it is time to wipe away the tears and time to rebuild. i say today and, you will continue to have a steady and reliable partner in the united states of america. with that, let me turn this over to president preval. >> mr. president, with friends in congress, members of the organization that helped haiti, the haitians of washington. the damages caused by the earthquake of january 12, 2010 are unimaginable. but the response from the international community from asia to africa to the united states, canada, all of latin america, the caribbean, europe, all the way to the middle east -- this response, thanks to its size, was commensurate with the disaster. today, here and now, i would like to thank the american people. i would like to thank congress. i would like to think the administration, and you in particular, mr. president. as well as your wife. not only for the material, but also for the moral support, the psychological support. we realize we were not alone, and that provides us great comfort in our district. thank you to your tatements. -- thanks to your statements, it sends a message to all of those that provided help to haiti. it is need this for me to repeat that which you said. so i would like to thank you for having made it possible for these people to come to help us. mr. president, for me, this is also an opportunity to express my sympathy, my condolences to all of the american families for whom the members of the families were killed, injured in haiti during this earthquake. dear friends, we must draw the lessons for what occurs in h aiti. these were lessons for all of mankind. the earthquake was immediately followed by an earthquake anchile and o -- in chile and others throughout the world. the countries that have risks are not merely those countries that are located on top of faults in fact, the tsunamis which are the repurcussionso f v -- repercussions of faults threaten regions, including the united states. in addition, global warming is a major concern for the entire planet. we must draw the lessons for what occurred in haiti. the spontaneous help was a good response to the disaster. however, its effectiveness must be improved, because the effect of this -- i support the idea of the creation of the red helmets with in the united nations. these would be -- and a humanitarian force that would be the equivalent is what proposed the so-called red helmets for them to intervene and would work in a coordinated manner as soon as the first minutes after a disaster which are fundamental to save lives. mr. president, during our meeting, i mentioned what haiti's priorities are. they are first and foremost protection of those people that today are helpless. in parallel, we must prepare the rainy season which just last week has already caused the deaths of 15 people. and at the same time, much more basically, we must deal with the need for rebuilding haiti thanks to a decentralization policy. namely, offering health care, education, jobs to all haitians, men and women, regardless of where they live in the country. in order to prevent migratory flows to the big cities, that will help avoid that disasters such as the earthquake that caused some any victims. on march 31, there will be an international conference in order to support the reconstruction of haiti. i hope that all participants will share this philosophy in division of decentralization. and at the same time, just as first responders, i recommend the acquisition of a trust fund whose implementation would be done according to procedure carried out by an agency. we talked about this, and i know that we can already count on your support to be the advocate during that conference in support of our vision. thank you very much. [applause] >> members of congress, think you guys -- thank you guys. >> [unintelligible] [laughter] [indistinguishable conversations] [speaking foreign language] and >> in a moment, the grease prime minister visits the u.s. to discuss his country pose the economic situation. that, first lady michelle obama donates her inaugural down to the smithsonian's of american history museum. after that, chief justice john roberts on the confirmation process and whether or not supreme court justices should attend the state of the union address. in congress this week, the house returns monday at 12:30 eastern for morning our speeches followed by legislative work at 2:00. on the agenda, bills relating with congressional pay and expanding fha programs. it is possible the chamber could also debate a senate-passed tax bill that continues unemployment benefits and health insurance subsidies for jobless workers. in the focus on health care continues with the possibility of votes on the senate-passed bill and reconciliation measure occurring sometime this week. like house coverage on c-span. and in the senate, members returned monday at 2:00 eastern. they'll get back to work on a $17 billion jobs bill. there are numerous banks including a tax credit that -- for those that hire new workers. and they will extend legislation for faa programs. a final passage vote could follow. live said that coverage on c- span 2. -- senate coverage on c-span2. >> we provide people a free tool by which they can share information with anyone, anywhere, at any time. >> with more than 400 million users online, facebook public policy director tim sparapani on cspan 2. >> in the prime minister of greece was in washington was in the united states this week for a visit with president obama. on monday, he stopped at the brookings institution to talk about his relationship with europe and the united states. this is an hour and 15 minutes. >> a good morning to all of you. welcome to spring in washington. we are ready for that. and welcome, especially to the washington diplomatic corps which is particularly well represented today. i might add that the athens diplomatic corps is pretty well represented, too. the united states ambassador to greece, a very dear friend and former colleague of mine and several other people in the room. this is going to be an especially timely event, and it features an especially distinguished guest of honor. americans like to think of their country as a world's oldest modern democracy going all the way back to george washington. will the george who is with us today traces his political heritage back to pericles. the prime minister is a leader not just of his own country, but a leader of europe. he is a champion for everything that is good, everything that is best about the idea and the institutions of the international community. he is also a great friend of the united states of america. he has many personal friends in this country, and this town, the white house, and the department of state, and in this room. i am proud to be one of them. back in the 1990's, i worked with him on some of the most challenging issues of that period. some of which are all still too much with us today. he was then, and he is now, a states men of rare discipline, ingenuity, integrity, and i want to stress this word particularly, political courage. . . to stress this word particularly, political courage. he was then and is now a problem solver. and it was in his capacity as a problem-solver that he decided on assuming the prime ministership of greece to retain at least for a while the portfolio of foreign minister. so that he could follow through on his commitment to resolve long-standing regional issues so that greece can play a larger role on the world's stage. as a problem-solver, he's also as a problem-solver, he's also got his work cut for him on another front, which is to say the home front. when the ambassador, bill, and martin and i saw him in athens last october, a week after his election, prime minister papandreou knew then that the biggest of the problems his country was facing were its troubled economy. and those troubles, of course, are linked to the troubles of the world. and, of course, there are consequences of the financial earthquake of 2008, whose epicenter is here in this country. like president obama, whom he will meet tomorrow, prime minister papandreou inherited a crisis. but my guess is when the two of them meet tomorrow, they will not spend much time commiserating or looking backwards. rather, they're going to concentrate on coordinating and cooperating and looking forward. we look forward to hearing whatever he wants to share with us about how he and his fellow leaders will meet this challenge. following his remarks, our brookings colleague and another -- the prime minister's many friends in the united states kamal dervish will moderator the discussion. khamal successfully managed a financial crisis of his own as finance minister of turkey. so, ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming to the podium the prime minister and foreign minister of greece, george papandreou. george? [applause] >> thank you, strobe. it's an honor to meet here again in this great institution. and, ladies and gentlemen, dear members of the diplomatic corps, it's great to be with you and particularly to see paul sarbanes here, a very old and good friend for many years ago. and we've been working together. and his contribution to the united states, of course, but also to greek-american relations has always been paramount and very important. and i'm very happy to have khamal dervish here as a moderator. ladies and gentlemen, 53 years ago this week on march 12th 1947 president truman rose before a special joint session of congress. he was there to warn america of a looming new crisis. a crisis that revolved in part around greece but was, in essence, a european crisis. one that directly affected america's interests. in that speech president truman introduced a vision and laid down the sturdy foundation for policies and institutions such as marshall plan and the bretten woods arrangement that allowed us to rise above the crisis and build shared peace and prosperity. so today i have come to washington this week to speak about another crisis in europe. this crisis, too, revolves in part around greece. this crisis too very much involves america's interest. and as in 1947, if we act with sufficient foresight, i believe this crisis also contains opportunities, great opportunities to strengthen our respective countries and our shared interests for decades to come. what is this crisis. i would call it a crisis in global governance. as we bask in the triumph that the end of the cold war symbolized for the west, we forgot three important elements. first of all, the world's problems were not over. no. history had not ended. new conflicts, new issues and new complexities of a globalizing world arose. secondly, we underestimated our own dogmatism while those on the other side of the iron curtain worship state-run economies as master, we had created our own masters. the free market, the master and the masters are not to be tampered with. they rule. forgetting that in democratic politics, our master is the people. and both states and the market are there to serve them. thirdly, we neglected our transatlantic relationship. either by paying lip service to it as something as a matter of fact or something irrelevant to the new challenges of the time. so off we went with our respective, often narrow politics as the world was changing and as the balance of power was shifting. that has undermined the extent to which our common values remain a dominant force in the shaping of this new globalizing economy and society. values such as democracy, the protection of human rights, the rule of law. the core of the crisis is that today the international community seems impotent. impotent to deal with the complexities of an interdependent market or for global warming or energy resources or the spread of violence, terrorism, and the proliferation of nuclear weapons. or an inability to deal with protracted conflicts like the ones in the middle east. my conclusion is that cooperation between europe and the u.s. must be revitalized to empower our countries, societies and our citizens so as we deal with these issues effectively and democratically. how does this relate to my country, greece? you are all aware of the financial crisis greece has faced in the recent months, the crisis that confronted me when i became prime minister last october. after we took office, we discovered that the budget deficit was actually double. double what our predecessors had told us, told european authorities and the greek people. so our announcement of this discovery rocked investor confidence, not only regarding the finances of greece but also the soundness of currency that we share with our european neighbors. all of you understand this crisis like wall street's original crisis in 2008 risks spreadly more widely. many worry it could reignite a global financial crisis and produce a crisis 2.0. that's why in the past five days i met with chancellor merkel and president sarkozy and previously visited with gordon brown and jose louis paterro how to deal with this ongoing crisis and how to prevent it from spreading. and that is why i will meet tomorrow with president obama not only as a greek leader but also as a european leader to discuss the important role i believe the united states can play to ensure greece, europe, and america that we remain strong and healthy partners. let me exemplify the greek case. i stood for election last fall before a country that was demanding deep changes during the preceding five years our public had grown increasingly alienated as greece's national deficit ballooned. wasteful expenditure mushroomed and our gdp shrank. during our election campaign, we promised to tackle head on the chronic problems of the heart of greece's economic woes, structural problems that we often politicians had avoided addressing for so long for such a long time. our goal was and remains to transform greece into a thriving economy driven by green technology and investment in our natural and human resources such as education and health. so when my party won a resounding electoral majority, we knew our mandate like the mandate of your own president, your new president, president obama, was to bring deep changes even at a time of great economic challenge. now, i am used to change. i was born in minnesota and raised in california before eventually moving to athens. and then when my family was forced to flee the dictatorship we lived in exile in canada and in sweden. and throughout my political career i have often taken office during times of crisis. as strobe mentioned earlier. i became education minister during a teacher's strike. i became foreign minister just as greece was entering one of its most fraught standoffs with turkey. i took over as leader of my party in 2004. just a few weeks before an election that we were quite certain to lose. and now i have become prime minister during the greatest economic crisis greece has faced since the second world war. so confronting upheaval and the need for big changes has been an intrical part of my life. even so, that doesn't make change any easier. the enormity of the deficit made deep changes absolute and now the changes are underway. to restore confidence in our country and stability to our economy, we pledge to bring the 12.7 deficit down to 8.7 this year. and to the e.u.-mandated levels of 3% by 2012. to meet those targets the parliament has adopted the toughest austerity measures in greece's modern history. the third round of those measures passed just last week on friday. and we know greece faced not only a fiscal deficit but i would call it a credibility deficit. as a matter of fact, i call that the biggest deficit we had. as a result of the fabricated budget figures our predecessors had published. so our partners in the european union were understandably skeptical about our promises to rein in the deficit and crack down on issues such as corruption. but today we are demonstrating the decisiveness of greece. public secretary salaries have been cut. retirement ages raised, taxes increased. and these are painful choices. they have come with high political and social costs. we have made them not only to rescue our own economy but also to prove our courage and our credibility. we do so also because we are part of a genuine community, the european union and all these measures reflect our commitment to protect the stability of our common european currency. this medicine may be bitter but it's the only -- but it is only an immediate remedy as we must deal with other core problems that have prevented greece from reachi i have told the greek people that 2010 must and will be a year of drastic reform across all levels of government. we'll change our tax system, social security system, public administration, education, health system, and our development model. at the top of the list is tax evasion. to give you just one measure of the scope of that problem -- fewer than 5000 greeks are incomes of 100,000 your roast or more. that pattern must end and will end -- 100,000 euros or more. the rule of law means that a law applies to all. we are sure these changes will bring in billions of and paid -- unpaid taxes and help underpin our return to economic growth. i dismissed a deputy minister and friend who was treating minor favors for voters. corruption is a problem we are determined to address as part of our broader reform. to usher in a new era of transparency, we are televising our cabinet meetings, have launched an open online application process for public sector jobs, even at the highest levels, and passed laws so that every government expense will be published on line -- up first in europe. -- online -- a first in europe. allow for deliberation and participation in a web 2.0 application which empowers our citizens, puts a check on lawmakers and strengthens the qualities of our policies. these are among the changes my government has made and will pursue in response to this crisis. so i'm confident that greece will very soon be a paradigm of open government, a leader in green development as greece has great untapped potential for renewable energy but also a real magnet for new business investment. ... we need more cooperation and regulation and foresight. the greek people understand this. the majority of greece recognizes that the very difficult changes we're making our in our own long-term interests. there is wide public support for this reform. much more than in previous times in my country. i see this every day. even those who have volunteered to help, such as a well-known senior who has given her pension back to the state, and who spoke about greek -- the greek sense of pride and honor, in giving to the common good. europe, on the other hand, needs to recognize that the measures we put in place and still to come meet time to take effect. countries are not like financial markets. social change cannot be executed as quickly as credit be called swaps. you cannot sell short and social commitment and political responsibility. sell short on social commitments and political responsibilities. so although there are great risks in the current crisis, there are equally we'll risk in expectations and inflammatory and patients. something we have seen in the press around the world. so it's dangerous to push people to hard and too fast. for example, greece has or has one of the lowest wages in europe. the average ways in greece is just under 24,000 compared to just over 40,000 in the u.s. we intend to reform our economy with the help of our citizens, not in spite of them. and here, this is where europe needs to join us in taking a longer view, because certainly we need our budget cuts. but at the same time, we need to have sustainable economic growth. and if we're not careful both higher taxes coupled with lower revenue could actually slow down our recovery. that would be both unjust but also could create a lot of social unrest. deflation is also a genuine risk. if we don't take your love measures to kickstart productivity, and create new jobs. this is not about asking europe to rush to the aid of a reckless country. on the contrary, standing by greece as it makes deep and responsible reforms is in the interest of europe as a whole. and this, i think, is now understood by the leaders, the other leaders in the european union. so the price of not acting together will be higher taxes, higher unemployment, a slower economic recovery, not only for greece but for all in europe. so greece may be doing all the right things to revive our economy. but not everyone may want us to succeed. and this brings me to my second point. they need to address the threat of speculation and ill regulated financial markets. a threat that imperils not only greece, but the entire global economy. i see that threat every day as we manage this crisis for the immediate problem we face is not dealing with the recession, but in servicing our debt. and despite the deep reforms were making, traders and speculators have forced interest rates on greek bonds to record highs. many believe that there have been malicious rumors, endlessly repeated and tactically amplified that have been used to manipulate normal market terms for our bonds. partly as a result, greece currently has to bar at rates almost twice as high as other european union countries. so when we borrow 5 billion euros for five years we must pay about 725 million euros more in interest than germany does. it would be like, let's say, california having to borrow at a rate which, 5 billion euros, which would mean they would have to pay 725 billion u.s. dollars more than another state in the u.s. when you have a common currency, that is simply not viable. so we will have a very hard time and implement our reform program if the gains from our measures are simply swallowed up by prohibitive rates. this whole affair has a horrible sense of déjà vu. the same financial institutions that were bailed out with taxpayers money are now making a fortune from greece's misfortune. while those same taxpayers are paying the price in deep cuts to their salaries and social services. so on principle specters are making billions everyday by betting on the greek default. all this may sound a bit familiar to american ears. and unlike the bankers, greece isn't asking for a bailout. let alone a bonus. indeed, we have slashed the salaries of every single government official. i myself cabinet members, have all taken significant pay cuts in our salaries. yet our correct decisions may still be undermined by speculation, and to me this is a challenge to our democratic institutions. an elected government making huge changes with the consent of its people is being undermined by concentrated powers in an unregulated market, powers which go beyond those of any individual government. a further point is that even though greece accounts for just about 2 percent of gdp of the european union, our economic conditions can have a far larger impact than that figure in flies. and ongoing euro crisis could cause a domino effect driving up borrowing costs for other countries with large deficits and causing volatility in bond and currency rates across the world. a small problem could be the tipping point in an already volatile system. we should remember that the great depression in the u.s. was followed by a second recession in 1937 and 38 that derailed the world's recovery, and prolong the crisis. so if the european crisis metastasizes, or any other crisis around the world, it could create a new global financial crisis with implications as great as the u.s. originated price is two years ago. so for america, a weak euro also means something else. it could mean a rise in dollar, that in turn means a rising u.s. trade deficit, which will not help america's economy rebound. if the e.u. still america's biggest trading partner should falter, the consequences here would be palpable. that's why europe and america need to work together to say, enough is enough. to the speculators, who only place i on the immediate returns with utter disregard for the consequences of the larger economic system, not to mention the human consequences of lost jobs, foreclosed homes, and decimated pensions. these market manipulations, which were at the heart of the banking systems collapse, are still legal practice. so it's hard to fathom that we have allowed this to continue after what we went through. it is common sense enforced by in church regulars that a person is not allowed to buy fire insurance on his neighbor's house and then burn it down to collect on that insurance. yet that is exactly what is done in the market for credit default swaps. this malaise has led banks to foreclose on the homes of millions of americans, but this malaise now haunt not only greece, but all of us. but if europe and america jointly stepped in and shore up global financial regulation, and find regulations, we can curtail such activities. and it is encouraging. it is an encouraging sign that the american authorities have ordered some speculators not to destroy records of their trading in euros. and i would encourage u.s. authorities to continue these investigations. since the 1980s, we have witnessed a succession of global financial crises. the third world debt collapse, the u.s. savings and loan debacle, the asian financial crisis, the high-tech and housing bubbles, and now the worst over recession since the 1930s. globalization which promised so much and opened so many doors to those of us with the good fortune of advanced educations and careers has also brought new inequalities and new risks. so this crisis is an opportunity to correct many of the ecstasies of the globalization. it calls for deep structural changes, changes to our global institutions, to our system of global governance. at the g-20 in copenhagen, and at the meeting in copenhagen for climate change, we did fall short of our citizens expectations. we fell short of our own rhetoric. so we can't afford to squander another opportunity to make the critical changes that our current reality demands. this crisis should be an opportunity for decisive and collective action, for regulation which is urgently required if global economic growth is to be sustainable. we need global coordination of monetary policies, and if we let market forces alone dictate the terms our economic recovery will almost certainly slip into reverse. i just arrived from paris before that i was berlin, in berlin and in luxembourg. together, with my european partners, we have taken a common initiative to strengthen financial regulation. particularly, these are the, speculation. we need clear rules on short, thank you shorts and credit default swaps. so i hope the to be a positive response from this side of the letter to bring this initiative to the g-20 and its next meeting. i know that some fear the word regulation. they claim that regulation curtails our freedoms. but i would simply say that it's like saying that we should go without traffic lights as it slows down our cars. so let's make the markets work for us. all of this is possible if we, greece, europe, the united states, have confidence and trust in each other as partners. there was a debate for some time about whether the european union would work and then whether it was better for it to be week or strong, particularly vis-à-vis the euro. >> even now there are debates about whether the new europe is a force to be reckoned with, it's global roles strengthened by our new president and high representative, or whether it is a non-entity of a continent disappeared off the map, as "time" magazine would have us. my view is that the world needs more europe today, not less. in saying so, i would like to say that europe, the european union, as a model, as a prototype is very interesting experiment in a globalizing world. a world which is a need of a more humane globalization. we are a political union of 27 each is -- each of us brings our own idiosyncrasies and experience and language. imagine uniting in america is a different town was spoken in every state. we have been a catalyst for great progress, prosperity, and democratization. with the urgent call for global cooperation, we have pulled some of our national sovereignty to become more effective in protecting our common interests. creating are common currency -- a currency shared by 328 million europeans and backed by an economy larger than america's is perhaps europe's greatest achievement. the euro as been called a post- sovran currency grid -- the euro has been called a post- sovereign currency. i am confident we will succeed. there is reason to have confidence in my country during this crisis. we have shown determination. we will be ready to use this crisis as a real opportunity for change. i say that because, a decade ago, when they launched the priggish -- the process of rapprochement, everybody said it was doomed to failure. failure. but our countries are closer than they have been in centuries, and there's no better symbol than the fact that my good friend, kemal, is moderating this discussion. i also look forward to turkish prime minister to athens in the coming months. i believe we can make new breakthroughs in our relationship and become a symbol of stability in eastern come in the eastern mediterranean and the middle east. prior to the athens olympics, so many voices at greece would fail. but we pulled off one of the most secure and successful games in history. today, we will be using this legacy to revamp athens and our public administration. and so we will overcome this new challenge and we will do it with the cooperation of our partners in europe and america who have stood with us on so many vital tests. for this new crisis is a moment of great opportunity for greece. a chance to modernize and revitalize its governance and development model. for europe a chance to become more fully integrated we're talking now about more coordinating economic governance, for example. and for the world, this is a moment to move towards greater democratic corporation at a time when, once again, the global power of poorly regulated markets is proving dangerous for us all. yet well-regulated markets can truly lift our people to new heights, and our economies. and at its heart our economy faces a very ancient challenge, which i would like to simply conclude with. before the advent of democracy, greece's city states were ruled by rich and ruthless who belonged to powerful interrelated clans, not altogether unlike the mergers between powerful financial institutions that dominate today's global market. play-doh been made a critical remark about a system controlled by of a minority elite. and he characterized the system as one where and i quote, just or right means nothing but what it is in the what is in the interest of the stronger party. not the rule of law, but the law of the powerful. so we have a shared responsibility create rules and institutions that can provide a more just and sustainable answer for our planet. let me take you, in concluding to the parthenon as i finish my speech. if one stands by the parthenon and looks down on athens, you will see not only that museum waiting for the return of the parthian marbles. on the other side you will see the ancient market. that in greek means two meanings. it means marketplace, but it also means public speaking. a place of politics. so ancient greece should guide us here in saying that the market is and must be part of the realm of our political decisions. and we have separated the two as if they are dumb as if they can be separated. if you look over the hill to the other side, you will see, each and every citizen will stand on a rock, speak and be heard. politics in ancient athens was participative. everyone have the power to be heard. so we must use the new means we have, such as the internet, but not only, and our globalized society to empower our citizens and give them a real voice in politics. and that's much more than just a technique. it's a question of political will. as you look towards the sea, you will see the islands of the aegean. an agent is comma every eye was the country into itself, a city state. yet they all were aligned to a common purpose, the protection of democracy and, not yours. so let us use our countries as a vast, let us see our countries as a vast sea of diverse islands linked by a common set of values. and that is what europe is trying to be. the ancient philosopher socrates said being greek is partaking in greek education. meaning very simply, sharing a common value. greece has long been america's partner in values and in history. we are determined to be an ever stronger partner for the u.s. in world affairs, and commerce and in culture, and security. so now i ask you to stand with us and work with us again as what each confront our own challenges of change, as we work together to realize our shared interests and a strong europe and a sound global economic system. thank you very much. [applause] >> mr. prime minister, thank you very much on behalf of all of us in brookings and discrete audience here for this powerful speech. let me start the discussion by asking, how did things happen so quickly, six months ago there were difficulties, but there was not a major crisis? i have known you many years. i have had the honor of working with you in various seminars and workshops that you always stressed the importance of transparency. citizens are to the patient. what role do you think the lack of transparency has in the emergence of this crisis? >> thank you, kemal. i think when we're talking about this financial crisis, we should see that it is a challenge to our democratic institutions. politics around the world, we representatives of our people, sometimes or often tasked and seen by our people as all powerful. but, in fact, there are parts much stronger than us. and in other parts of the world, and corrupt politics, and other parts of the world can simply lobbied enough to change politics. but what will very often undermined the will of the people, if you like. and what we have had and we have seen in this financial crisis is that they were all kinds of innovations, as they were called, or all kinds of practices, which were too opaque, to nontransparent for first of all, us to understand but then to actually see and if we were able to of transparency, i would take immediately we would've had much more possibility to prevent the crisis as it unfolded. increase, particularly we had lack of transparency, even to the point where we didn't have the right numbers of what our deficit was. and a lack of transparency there also has at times allowed for decisions, which are client list, more based on party politics voting, not meritocratic. voting very often the public sector as becoming part of a party machine rather than part of an engine to help both growth but also protect our citizens rights. but also it helped to develop a lot of corruption, corruption from the local, the grassroot level, day-to-day level and civil services all the way to the political level, to a higher level. and that's why transparency, for me, is very important because what it does do is, first of all, it exposes these possible wrongdoings. but secondly, in a democratic society a sickly gives our citizens and our different bodies, part of the democratic, part of the democratic process whether legislative or executive or judicial bodies, to be able to apprehend and to control these types of activities. so bringing back transparency, or bringing transparency to our system is, i think, one of the prerequisites, not only to deal with a crises such as the financial one we felt when we went through, but also it's a way of giving and empowering our citizens again to be part of our political life, and not feel alienated from the decisions we often take. >> usage are going to televise some are made all of your cabinet meetings that i think we're going to do a sessions at brookings watching one of these cabinet meetings. [laughter] >> i think that will be great. now at the time of crisis, sacrifices unfortunately needed, and i know you are taking very tough measures, 4 percent of gdp in one year. trouble is, budget cuts. and unfortunately, the sacrifices for even on people who were not that strong, not that wealthy, although i'm sure you are trying to make everybody pay their fair share. but as the recovery will come, these things will recover, they have been many expenses of crisis am and it looks terrible but then two years later all of a sudden growth is back. but often what happens is the fruits of that recovery are not very well spread. do you have already any thoughts, i know it's hard that you in the middle of this crisis, but thinking of how to make that recovery benefit really the average citizen increase? >> thank you, kemal. you've gone through a similar crisis in turkey, and you know what this means. i think the basic prerequisite for people to be, they feel that they can actually support, even though they may not be happy and we're not happy with these measures, but they can support these measures, is the first of all, there is a prospect and two, three years as you said for recovery, putting our finances into order and creating a much more viable economy. but secondly, that these changes will be just. and obviously we have taken some immediate measures him as an emergency measures, and they are not necessarily as just as we would like it because, for example, we are cutting down the deficit by cutting down wages. and those who actually have their wages out in the open, and declare their wages are the ones that will have their wages cut. while those who taxi table not really feel this. so this is why we are moving into other types of changes which will bring transparency which would change the tax system which will redistribute in a more just a matter, the tax revenues, and the burden if you like, of the tax system. so that people in the and will feel that we not only have taken this very bitter medicine now, but we are actually creating a much more just and viable system. i would add the third element to this, that obviously with these measures we need to see the other side of the stabilization program in the european union. it's called officially the stabilization and growth plan. and the other side of course is the growth area, we need investment that will be public investment, there will be you we will be looking for private investment. this is a time of opportunity for investors to see greece at that time of change or we are cutting down on bureaucracy and corruption. we're moving into a green economy -- making that the driving force of our economy from tourism to agriculture to our services. that means quality products and competitive products. this is where we see greece heading. that is our goal. >> do you emphasized -- >> you emphasized the need for more europe. i know you have been a great supporter for the european union for decades. this is a challenge for europe and the southeastern part of europe, where greece plays a particularly important role, and you play a very important role. could you say a few more words about europe -- the european project, which is at a crossroads? also, talk about southeastern europe -- the enlargement issue, given the economic the difficulty. where do you see it going? >> if we go back to the origins of the european union as it is today, we're talking about a post-world war ii europe, where the major factor in developing a european market was the common market. the european union was pretty much a peace project. the idea was to interlink the economies in such a way that there would be no desire for w ar, as that would be catastrophic for all sides. as that would be catastrophic from both sides if you're all sides. so it has been a piece project, and people sometimes underestimate the importance of the fact that the european union, over the years, have brought in countries, for example, breaking the divide between the east and west of the cold war. and that is huge piece project. with it also is a democratic project to project a democracy. bring in countries that were formerly did dictatorships, greece, spain, portugal. but also many of the eastern and central european countries that were under communist regimes. and thirdly, it is of course an economic project with social cohesion. the whole idea of social cohesion is very important. and many other countries, particularly the south, and we talk about the south sometimes we bring in countries like ireland, even though they are not south of europe. but now when we're talking about the central eastern europe, or european funding is help to equalize the differences, the economic differences in europe, i would say that today europe more and more will be evolving. this is a challenge and that is why this financial crisis can be an opportunity, not so much as an answer to the past of the world wars, although when we get to the balkans, i think and greece and turkey and so on, and cyprus, that's where we can see that the europe can play very important role in putting this conflicts to the past i helping the solution to many of these protracted conflicts. but i feel that it's also looking to the future of how do we want to structure regions in the world in a globalizing economy? how do you get sovereign nations to pull their capabilities in a peaceful way so that we can deal with problems that go beyond such as the climate change or globalizing economy? we need to work together. we need to manage this planet. we need to have some form of governance of this planet. what kind of governance? well, i'm not saying that european governance is always as efficient and as quick in responding as one might want, but it is a new model of governance which i think we need to look and democratic governments, and how we deal with the world. just one more point on the balkans and turkey. the importance of the enlargement is, in fact, and recall the word enlargement, it sounds very neutral, sort of a growth, growing geographically, but, in fact, enlargement is much more. it is sharing detailed values and institutionalizing these thugs within the countries that become members of the european union. so there is a process where countries apply for mentorship that it would be like, let's say, mexico or some other smaller, they want to apply to become a state in the united states. well, what would be the rules and the prerequisites for that kind of a change? well, this is what europe has been doing. i have been a proponent of moving ahead, both with the western balkans, countries like albania, former soviet, croatia, serbia, bosnia-herzegovina, so that we move and they are now most of them candidates are potential candidates. they are -- i have proposed that we put a date to their accession which would be 2014, 2014, 2014 happens to be 100 years after the beginning of world war i, which began in the balkans in sarajevo. closing a circle of violence and instability, and again, showing how europe is a piece project. i also see that what turkey and i've been a proponent of turkey becoming, having the capability and becoming a member of the european union of course having to fulfill its copenhagen criteria as we call them, and a number of criteria which have to do with good neighbor in his. obviously, cyprus has relationship with greece. now that has been, i have been a proponent of this and this was a major change, as you remember, and policy 10 years ago increase when we said we had locked the possibility of turkey being a candidate. and the we said we change that policy and said, make turkey a candidate and have full capability of becoming a member of the european union. saying that that in fact would be a stabilizing for our region. that would be important message for the world as a europe is bringing in a country which is predominantly muslim. and showing that the values we share have nothing to do with what religion we may believe in. and thirdly, in doing so we would solve problems such as the cyprus problem, but also issues that have to do with bilateral relationship in greece and turkey. so i am continued to be strong opponent of this proposal, and i do hope that a meeting with the prime minister of turkey we will be able to make more moves and issues, that have be lead us and held us back over the many years, the last decade. >> make you very much, and i hope the crisis will end soon so that more of your time will become again available for these important regional and peace issues. i do remember your visit i think in israel and palestinian territories and how together as greed for mr. and a turkish foreign minister you gave the message to israelis and palestinians that one can work together and go forward together. so let me now open the floor to questions from the audience. please do identify yourself briefly so that we all know where the question is coming from, and please make sure to address the question to the prime minister. [inaudible] >> thank you, prime minister, for that very eloquent rendition and also best of luck on the tremendous challenges that you face. i wanted to bring back a little bit to the economics. you mentioned the budget deficit. according to numbers where been looking at, greece has lost 30% competitiveness against germany in the last 10 years. costs have risen by 30% relative to those of germany. and by more than 50 or 60% relative to those of the united states, in terms of the fall of the dollar, et cetera. now, my question is, how it do you gain that competitiveness in a situation where you have no control over your currently, you're part of a concurrency, no control over monetary policy. is a realistic that greeks will take 20, 30% wage cuts in order to establish competitiveness? or that they will increase their productivity? thank you. >> i think what i will do is take three questions in a group, and then let the prime minister answer because there will be overlapping parts of these questions. >> abdullah representing the policy orienting turkish organization here you can be see. mr. preminger, thank you for your remarks. your election as prime minister was as you know very well, was very well received and turkey. and never -- there were high hopes your election would bring impact of the ongoing cyprus negotiations. and casual remarks such as you have to spend a great deal of your time and energy in tackling with his economic crisis, and i know how much you're willing to go back to your foreign policy issues, but my question is, what do you think about the cyprus issue? and where is this issue headed, as it is a major issue portioning turkey's relations with the e.u. as well. thank you. >> yes, in the back there. >> mr. prime minister, it is a pleasure to welcome you back to washington. i want to ask you -- >> could you identify yourself. >> john. if i can ask you, mr. prime minister, much of the speculation about your policies over the last several weeks pertain to the amount that greece might be asking of the european union are whether or not an imf package might be put together. we are done of this in your remarks this morning, and none of this seems to have come of your visits to germany and to france. can you please specify for us what it is that your government is requesting, if anything, from either of these governments or international institutions? thank you. >> thank you very much. >> i will take one more. yes. >> executive director of the institute. welcome to washington, mr. prime minister. mr. prime minister, just want to pick up on your discussion had with kemal regarding that greece is looking more and more for private direct investments. it's that point want to talk about or ask a question to get this was a will of american corporate executives rather than diplomats and reporters, what would you tell them right now in terms of trying to entice them to say why greece is still a good investment opportunity? if you could speak more specifics to greece's investment laws regarding in reforms that are taking place there in any incentives that would be forthcoming from the greek government regarding to entice foreign investment. >> mr. prime minister, i think we will turn to you to answer these for question. spectacular much that i will start with the economic questions. first of all, we said we're not asking for money. as with most countries are many countries, we go on to the international market to borrow for our needs. and what we are saying is that since we now are putting our finances into order, making our long-term economy viable and making the necessary changes, we should be able to borrow at rates which are comparable, if not exactly the same, as other countries in the european union. as i said, if you had state, different states in the united states borrowing at different rates, that would make it very uncompetitive for different regions in different states in the united states. that's what's happening now. we go out to borrow and have double the rates of other countries. so what we are saying from our european counterparts is, we're not asking for money. we are asking for the types of instruments which are necessary that if we seek speculation, and if we see the markets not responding to what we have done, and would have done even if we were under the imf, that there be a contingency plan which make sure that we can borrow at normal rates. that's what we're asking for. we're not asking for free money. we're not asking for bail outs. we are asking for the right to have similar rates of borrowing as other countries. that is what we need coordinate action, and that is where the european union now as i said with chancellor merkel and presidents are cozy -- president sarkozy, who are truly ready for coordinated action, -- if greece could not borrow or has to borrow at high rates, there may be another crisis. what i have said about the imf is that in a different

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