Transcripts For CSPAN QA 20160502

She talks about some of the stories over the past 20 years. Brian amy goodman, 20 years of democracy now. You say going to where the silence is your motto. Amy unfortunately the Corporate Media leaves such a gap to cover the majority of people in this country and around the world. When you turn to a network, they have the small circle of pundits who knows so little about so much, explaining the world to us and getting it so wrong. The idea of democracy now starting 20 years ago, it really hasnt changed. Bringing out the voices of people at the grassroots in the United States and around the world. They very much represent the majority of people. I think people who are concerned deeply about war and peace, about growing in equality in this country, about climate change, the state of the planet or not a fringe minority. Not even a silent majority. But the silenced majority, silenced by the corporate immediate, which is why we have to take it back. Brian 20 years ago end of february, we had you as a guest on our morning show. Heres a clip four days after you started democracy now. Got to ask about this piece. Why liberals find talk radio so threatening. Youre a talk show host and not a conservative. Amy thats right. We just started a show this week called democracy now, which is the only grassroot daily election show. Bringing the voice of the grassroot into the National Political discourse. I havent read the article. I find talk radio i dont get to hear a lot of talk radio because im doing a lot myself. Lot of what were hearing, about what im reading is a lot of hatemongerring clip]ideo brian whats the difference between democracy now, than what it was like back 20 years ago . Amy first of all, we were on Nine Community Radio Stations in 1996. When you invited me on, we started washington d. C. At the pacific Radio Station. I thought you gotten the wrong number. That was the first time i was ever invited on television. It was four days after our first broadcast february 19, 1996. It was really remarkable but in a sense, the mission has been hasnt changed. That was 20 years ago nine stations. Now were broadcasting in over 1400 not only Community Radio stations but public Radio Stations, npr stations on Public Access tv stations around the country on pbs tv stations around the country and also all over the world. We broadcast on television and radio in sweden and japan and south africa throughout latin america. Our headlines are translated into spanish for the Spanish Speaking u. S. Audience as well as people around the planet. I think the growth from nine station to 1400, its a testament to the hunger for independent voices. People on the ground who are deeply involved in their community, not having the pundits on describing experiences they often dont know about but people themselves. Thats just plain old hard work. I want to just pay tribute to all the remarkable producers and journalists and videographers who worked at democracy now. Its that digging everyday to bring people to global audience. Who are seeking in their own words, there is nothing more powerful. At the time we started on pacifica. Its instructive to look at the history. Founded in 1949, berkeley, california, lou hill came out and said, theres got to be a media outlet. Thats not run by corporations that profit from war but run by journalist and artist. Thats how pacifica was born. Not run by corporations but nothing to tell and everything to sale that are raising our children today. So the first station was cpa in berkeley, second station kpsk in 1959, wbai1960 went on the air. 1977wpfw in washington. 1970, kpsp in houston. That station only station in the country, that was blown off the air by the klu klux klan. It was only months into weeks and into its operation, when klan strapped dynamite to the transmitter and blew it up. I think he blew it up in the middle. They got back on their feet and rebuilt the translator. The klan strapped 15 times of to the basedynamite of the transmitter. The klan strapped 15 times of the dynamite and blew up again. National event. It finally went back on the air in january 1971. Pbs was returning i cant remember if it was the grand dragon. He said it was his proudest act. I think thats because he understood how dangerous independent media can be. Dangerous because it allows people to speak for themselves. When you hear someone speaking from their own experience whether it is palestinian child or israeli grandmother, whether its iraqi uncle when asked in afghanistan, whether its a child in the south bronx or in ferguson, missouri. That breaks down stereotypes and caricatures that fuel the hate group. I think the media can be the greatest force for peace on earth instead all too often, its a weapon of war. Thats why we have to take it back. Brian here you are in 2008 at the Republican National convention in minnesota. [video clip] do not arrest me stay right there. Back up. Youre under arrest. Back up back up. Youllcross this line, be under arrest. So dont do it. Clip]ideo brian why the confrontation . Well, this was the first day of the Republican Convention of 2008. We had just flown in from denver. That was the democratic convenience. There was major protest there against war. We came into st. Paul. Before the night of the convention, it was a beautiful blue sky day, 10,000 people marched for peace. They were led by men and women in uniform. They were taking great risks. They were soldiers who returned home who felt that war was no the answer. Thousands of people. We covered that protest. Then, i went to the Convention Floor. We were covering the Convention Floor. I was interviewing. I remember people from alaska. This is the sarah palin, john mccain convention. I get a call on the cell phone, he said come quickly. 7th and jackson. Nicole has been arrested. Nicole salazar were two reporters who when we finished covering the protest, they went to the Public Access tv station where we were broadcasting from to digitized tape. I said they were in the tv station. They seen there was a protest outside. They had gone down stairs to cover it. He said theyve been bloodied by the police and arrested. We got to 7th and jackson. I saw this line of riot police that you were just showing. I went up to them i had all my credentials on. I had the top security clearance credentials. I was on the floor of the convention. I said, i want to speak to your commanding officer. You got a part of that. Two of our reporters has been arrested. Theyre inside in this parking lot area they need to have them released. Thats why i was standing there. It was minutes before they pulled me through the police line, pushed me against the car, pulled my arms behind my back, slapped the handcuffs on and pushed me to the ground. They charged me with interfering with a peace officer. Only there was a peace officer in the vicinity. Im still looking for my advantage point on the ground for shareef and nicole. I saw shareef. We were saying, were journalist. The secret service came over and ripped the incredible credentialed around our neck. I said nicole what happened. How did you get arrested . She said we were in the tv studio. We saw right outside riot police protesters. We ran down with our video camera and microphone to start recording. They would not have been doing their job if they stayed in the tv studio. Theyre in this parking lot. She was against parked cars. Riot police came at her. This is a contained area. They were shouting on your face. They were saying, she had to move. She said where. Shes against parked cars. She didnt know what hit her from behind her and in front of her. They took her down. First thing they did was take the battery out of her camera and if you want to know what they wanted to stop happening. The recording. They had their boot in her back and face in the ground and they started to ground her. Which means her face was being dragged. Shareef was telling them to calm down. They punch him twice in the chest and they take him down. His arm is bleeding. They face im taken to the Police Garage where they directed agents to put the protesters in. Shareef and nicole were taken to jail. There were hundreds of people calling and faxing and emailing the authorities to have us released. A number of hours later, we were ultimately released, first me and shareef and nicole. I was brought back to the convention center. It was over for the night. I was brought into the nbc sky box and i was being interviewed. When that was finished. Nbc reporter said i dont get it, why wasnt i arrested . He said, why were you covering the protest. I didnt graduate arrested in the sky box. Its our job to get in the sky box to get into the corporate suite whos sponsoring these celebrations of democracy. The republicans and the democrats. Also to be on the Convention Floor and interview the delegates and get out into the street where the uninvited guests are. They were thousands of them. They had something important to say. Its our job to get it all. Democracy is a messy thing. We shouldnt have to get a record when we put things on the record thats what happened to us at the convention. We would later sue the st. Paul and the Minneapolis Police wells the secret service. Interestingly, the only reason we knew it was secret service who pulled our credentials, when i turned to police officer, said this is outrageous. He said it wasnt us, it was the secret service. We sued, the secret Service Wanted to be separated from the law enforcement. They didnt want to be known that they were there and they did this. Theres all levels of authority at these what are called special National Security events. We felt it was very critical to send a message. Journalist must be protect. All illegal arrests should not happen. Ultimate it will took a number of years. We wanted a fix figure settlement. When we got out, it was right before the next convention. We felt, where do we hold the News Conference announcing that the settlement has been made . We just come from st. Paul the settlement, negotiation. When we went to a large gathering of police and protesters, we went to the park. This was in the middle of occupy wall street. We thought a lot of police and theyll hear. You cannot simply arrest journalist because they dont want because you dont want them to see. You dont want the public to see whats going on. I mean, we live in a democracy and journalism is extremely important. Theres a reason why our profession, journalism is only the only one explicitly protected by the u. S. Constitution. We are supposed to be the check and balance. Brian im going to run a clip of man named alex jones, who could probably not think anymore different than you. Based in texas, hes saying somewhat of the same thing youre say being the Corporate Media lets run it and get your reaction. [video clip] alex jones i got 30 employees and im not exaggerating. Go to the major stat analytic site. Its dwarfing, msnbc, glenn beck. They have all the flash. Its a giant hoax. They know people are looking behind the curtain now that the emperor has no clothes. They are openly announcing internet tracking, internet taxes, they have called for a banning. Thats anybody that questions the official story. The system is losing credibility, its circling the wagons with government and the mega corporations we are kicking their rearend. Clip]ideo brian are you worried that somebody is going to kick your hind in and take you out of business . Amy i think that Corporate Media has have to change its ways. Theyve learned. I dont think those with newspapers and with television, i dont think its just theyre losing audience because of the internet. They for a long time has been gatekeepers. Preventing most people from being heard. This year with this president ial election, has shown so much. The shock of those on the network tv stations, when they see thousands of people coming for example for Bernie Sanders, Bernie Sanders is very much expressing the views of people who came to occupy wall street. Who are deeply concern about the growing inequality between rich and poor and also who is profiting. The richest people in the world, have more wealth than 3. 5 billion people than half the planet. This is astounding. When occupy wall street happened, the media hardly paid attention at first. But then, mocked it and then when the police eviscerated the encampment. They represented every issue under the sun. Leaders, were their anyway . Sense, it was not so much a leaderless but a leaderful movement. Yes they represented many different issues. People were so frustrated with the direction that this country going. I think that were seeing these movements on the ground percolating and coming together and coalesce. President obama was elected in 2008. Many different movements came together to elect him. First and foremost, i think the peace movement. Because i think thats the reason he was a democratic candidate. The difference him and Hillary Clinton was she was for the war in iraq and he was against the war. Then there was environmental movement, Racial Justice, Economic Justice movement, gay and lesbian movement. All of these different movements together. Now, they accomplished something. The first africanamerican president in this country has ever known, which is absolutely astounding with a country with a legacy of slavery. When it came to the issues of these different movements, ending war, dealing with climate change, dealing with the inequality. People i think at that point, they felt theyd accomplished momentous, they theyeither exhausteed or didnt want to contribute to the racist backlash. Like the birther movement, like donald trump was one of the leaders of. The suggestion that president obama, look at what he looks like, he couldnt come from here. It was so ridiculous. Not just ridiculous, it was racist and people didnt want to contribute to that backlash. I think there was a fear of criticism. One of his first promises was to close guantanamo, which became such a symbol and he admits recruiting tool for groups like the selfproclaimed Islamic State and others. Seven years into his presidency, still guantanamo. Congress has not helped. There are a number of executive actions he could have taken to ensure that the extra outside of the reach of us law but run by the United States prison would be closed. Astounding more recently that president obama was in cuba the first president in 88 years to go. Hes talking to the cuban t. Esiden and just down the road, u. S. Is presenting a model, Little Corner of cuba, the u. S. Was lease land. What does it do with it . Guantanamo. 91 men still it is a very painful lesson what the u. S. Has come to represent to the rest of the world. Brian what do you think somebody have to do in order to label themselves journalist . As you know, you got very strong views and theres never any doubt what you think. Couldnt anybody in our society journalist, and i i wantedentials and access to everything. I think the whole Journalism Movement and noncitizen Journalist Movement has been extremely important. For so long the Mainstream Media didnt go. Places on the ground. They had that elite group of pundits. They were missing so much of the story. I think about ferguson. The networks did go to ferguson to their credit. It was after Michael Brown was killed by Darren Wilson the police officer. They showed people being teargassed. They showed the militarization of the police. There was not a lot of showing of the political leaders but the people in the crowd. I remember watching cnn one day, one of the journalist, was walking along with a protesters, now were turning on this street and that street. In the middle of the protesters, were a backdrop. They were the scenery to a traffic report. What about handing the mic to them . It is that going behind the scenes and truly talking to people on the ground. So often, youll have the network calling us and saying, who is this person and who is that person . Amazing movement that has reshaped america like the black lives Matter Movement. Three africanamerican women who coined this term, black lives matter. Who deeply committed to Racial Justice in this country. Making sure that the microphone open up in the way that black lives Matter Movement has grabbed attention. Theyre not waiting for the networks to come to them. They went to Martin Omalleys rally. Theyre going to Bernie Sanders rallies. They went to Hillary Clintons rally and they interrupted. It wasnt just the republicans, it was the democrats saying how you addressing our issues. They changed the shape of president ial politics 2016. Brian what would you say to some republicans say that all the coverage that Corporate Media are giving donald trump is really because they want to elect Hillary Clinton. By giving him a lot of coverage, theres no way he can be elected . [inaudible] what he is saying. Amy there is no question that msnbc, cnn, and fox have become trump tv. Theres no question. Thats a very good question for what reason theyve done this. Certainly the statistics show that. Its not just the networks. Its the newspapers. The Washington Post from march 6 to 7th, had 16 antisanders articles. The New York Times had a piece looking at his record andin congress. Then it was changed by an editor to be a negative piece. I remember the one donald trump was in his white house south. One of his florida residences with all the american flags behind him. He held a News Conference for an hour where he showed trump steaks, trump water, trump magazines. All the different trump products. It went on for an hour. If, he can hold it all night he wanted. Networks stayed with it. What werent they showing . Hillary clinton had given her speech that night. They recorded it and they played it afterwards. Then you go the next week, two weeks later, i think it was super tuesday three, it was with illinois, missouri, this was very contested five states. She had won three of them. But it wasnt clear she won her home state and win missouri. It looked neck and neck with sanders. She gave a speech for not wanting to be there. That was a day rubio pulled out. That was kasich, that was ohio. They showed his speech. They showed ted cruz of course and they usually show all the concession or victory features. Speeches. They said that donald trump was holding a News Conference again. They kept showing the empty podium. They were waiting and they were looking for something. Finally they showed it. He spoke about half an hour. Where was Bernie Sanders. Huffington post did a piece, saying where was Bernie Sanders, he was giving a speech to thousands in phoenix. It started before donald trump. They never showed Bernie Sanders at all that night at a point when it was divided 32. Ultimately he would lose missouri and illinois. But where was this candidate . The Networks Just brought you the others but particularly, the Kendall Center did a report in 2016, he got 23 times for coverage than Bernie Sanders. The networks make these decisions. He doesnt need to go to every community. Because hes being channeled into everyones home. Arenty that others that has to be challenged. Its also why we need independent media. Brian go back to motivation. Take the Corporate Media and why they do what they do. Go back to the republicans who think the Corporate Media is trying to get Hillary Clinton elected by covering trump so much. Amy i dont know if its about getting Hillary Clinton elected. I think going way back, i was on msnbc, i remember it was very much at the beginning, i was saying Bernie Sanders right before we went to commercial, you cant be serious. I mean, hes not going anywhere. Well, thats because theyre not in communities understanding people enormous frustration. You dont feel it in the hallowed halls of the network studios. You just dont feel it. Not . why amy theyre not in touch. Brian theyre making lots of money amy they are. I think the reason that you dont have a questioning of how money is drowning politics, drowning our democracy, is because these networks are making so much money. Especially in an election year. Hands down. The less coverage they do, the more politicians need to pay money for their ads. Theyre furnishing whole studios and theyre getting money from the ads. Thats a huge problem. I think campaigns shouldnt have to raise money for cash. They should have allotted time on television. Tv time is so expensive. These politicians wouldnt have to raise this kind of money which puts them in the pocket of the corporations and the super pacs. Brian back to democracy now, how of an organization is it . Amy well, we started nine stations. Now were 1400 stations. Our staff is a staff based in new york city. About 25 full time people. Then volunteers, interns, fellows and weve been doing this for 20 years. It is just been astounding the growth. Working with stations all over the country and because were in a lot of Public Television and Radio Stations, we do a lot of fundraising. Brian nonprofit. Amy nonprofit. Youn how much does it cost per year to function . Amy i dont know the exact budget. It is to cover the news all other the world. To maintain the staff. I dont know the exact budget. Is it going to be 6 million or 7 million. Yes. Where do you get it . Large part of it is listeners and viewers. Some foundations. Nonprofit. This is nonprofit. Were nonprofit news organization. Maybe a station a week or every maybe a station a week or every week or two. Its picking up democracy now. Its absolutely amazing. It turned the population of people who view Public Television on its head. It is a young, diverse audience. People committed to hearing voices like theirs and not like theirs. But where else do you get than television and radio . Brian here are two people you know well. David goodman and a man thats also on the cover of your book. Dennis moynahan. Lets watch them. I have to say one of the most surprising things and most moving thing that happens again and again when we go and speak in rural areas and places that are traditionally conservative areas. Like salt lake city, its soldiers and their families come up and speak with us. Many of them thank us. Were bringing a viewpoint that they are not getting. Many of them just come to express their sense of whats going on. Theres a lot going on in the country. You have to get out there and cover it, which is what we try to do with democracy now, which is part of offer goal. At its heart, are the wonderful constellation of Community Media institutions that broadcast democracy now with whom our work would not be possible. Brian you dont say much about it. Isnt Dennis Moynihan your husband . Amy no, he is married. He lives in denver. Brian i wonder why is that stated somewhere on the internet. Amy somewhere on the internet. I said universities and colleges in particular, you got a double, triple and quadruple check everything that you see on the internet. David is my brother, a great journalist, he lives in vermont. Dennis is my colleague at democracy now whos been there since 2000. He lives in denver, colorado with his wife and he is really helped to build democracy now to what it is now. Were about to embark on a 100city tour. Well be doing the broadcast from wherever we are. Well start in ithaca, new york and move on to ohio state university. Then were moving to st. Louis and kansas city and well be in los angeles at the Los Angeles Times book festival. Cspan covers these festivals so well. Well be doing fundraisers. Well be moving on to San Francisco to the San Francisco city arts and lecture series. Going on to washington state, new mexico, houston, texas, louisiana, new orleans, atlanta, new york. Brian what drives you . Amy the deep commitment that independent media is the oxygen of a democracy. Its essential. Holding those in power accountable. Were not there to serve some kind of corporate agenda. When we cover war and peace, were not brought to you by the weapon manufacture. When we cover climate change, were not brought to you by the oil, gas and coal company. But by individuals. By viewers and listeners who are deeply committed to getting independent information. So they can make up their own minds. They dont have to agree with what they hear. But deeply believe in a forum for free speech. Brian theres a fellow named john weir. Do you know him . Amy i know what he did. 1991 andis is back in its on youtube. Got a clip of him talking about when he interrupted the dan rather evening news show. Its a longer clip. The whole thing is available. Its interesting thing to watch. Lets watch a little bit of this when he talks about him that he does interrupt the evening news show back in 1991. You walk down hall. In the middle of the war and gulf, there were all of these people around. We stroll down the hall with our fake i. D. s and we waited for the show to start. Dan rather said good evening. We ran on set and jumped in front of the camera. What happened was, my face popped into the screen for about three seconds. We were chanting news,s is the cbs evening dan rather reporting. We going to take a break for commercial. I want to apologize for the way the broadcast came on the air tonight. There were some rude people here. They tried to stage a demonstration. Our apologies for the way it began. Well continue after this these messages. Brian fight aids, not arabs. Amy this is such a powerful movement which we document in our book democracy now, 20 years covering the movements change america. The movement fighting aids. The aids coalition to unleash power, the bravery of young people who were facing the calamity you know, recently Hillary Clinton was congratulating nancy reagan, eulogizing her. Talking about her brave stance on aids, but had to take this back. It was badly president reagan did not mention aids in his first term and until his seventh year. Even though this is when the epidemic was ranging. Then you understand when you have a media that covers power and the powerful and the president was not addressing aids. People on the ground and their communities were dying. The young population taken down. Why . If they could put center stage this epidemic and how it was happening and putting money into research to deal with it. You had people like john weir. In didnt only happen on cbs. It happened on pbs. They dealt with it a little differently and said, we will discuss this issue. That they were taking they understood how powerful media is to get out a message. They took it into their own hands. Brian just another clip of john weir. What is it about some people that would go and interrupt a newscast like this . Where did that start in life . Lets watch this. It turned out that, as a matter of fact, my father works for television. My father works for nbc tv. Which was a rival network. Hes retired now. For 35 years, his job was basically to be basically the Vice President. When activists invade your studio, he was in charge of technical foul ups. Wherever anything went wrong, they called my father. It was john leap into the tv studio. He took it personally. My mothers father, ran a Radio Station in denver, my brother is a video editor, he edited the olympics in barcelona. It was basically that i violated the family temple. Brian whether you agree or disagree, watching the overwhelm thing on youtube whole thing on youtube is interesting. Listen to that family. This man for some reason, was quite willing to break all the codes. Amy i dont think it was for some reason or other. It was because this community was being decimated. His friends were dying. This was nothing compared to that. What was something was letting this country know. When they saw millions of dollars and billions of dollars being put into war, to kill people but not to save people here who are suffering from this epidemic not being talked about. He decided to take action himself. Its very important to be able to whether you agree or not, hear why people do something. I think about scott olson, a young marine who served two tours of duty in iraq. This is advancing much further into the iraq and afghanistan wars. He came back to the United States and he ended up being on the front lines of protest in oakland at occupy oakland. Here was this former soldier and there are many veterans and former soldiers who have been part of the occupy movement. He got shot in the head by a bean bag projectile of the oakland police. They almost killed him. Went unconscious. People around him didnt know him went to pick him up. They were hit with a flash grenade. The group that went to save him right in front of the police. Horrific story. But scott just stood by his values when he regained consciousness, ultimately came out of the hospital. He was part in 2012 of the antinato summit in chicago. This is very interesting what happened. Scores of soldiers marched and they threw they are medals back like what happened back in the early 1970s with john kerry when he came back from vietnam war. They did the same, throwing their medals back. These soldiers in 2012, two of the reporters that came with democracy now was there to do a number of shows two of the reporters, axel wechsler, the , amazingematographer filmmaker, and a young reporter named james foley. James foley who of course is well known to everyone because he was ultimately beheaded by isis. He went back to syria after covering the event. He was one who deeply believed in hearing peoples voices on the ground that he covered war. He felt that the people of syria voices were not being heard. He was held hostage here libya. He came here to cover the peace movement. He went back to cover the people on the ground who were the victims of war. He ultimately would face the ultimate penalty for what he did. He was beheaded by isis. His family, i just interviewed with his close friend, its very interesting to follow independent journalists to see the paths they take. Brian if you had the responsibility of being president of the United States and you were facing what the last two president s faced, what you have done differently . When it came to the war . Iraq war, afghanistan war. Amy not go to war. Brian what would you go about protecting the American People . Amy i think what was shown at the time, with hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction. An imminent threat to the United States. And even tony blair, who sided with the u. S. , he was interviewed on cnn and asked, what do you say to those who say that this invasion of iraq would ultimately lead to formation of isis . He said, that is true. Brian if you go back to the 9 11 situation, you were on the scene down there. Was a happenstance that you were that close . Amy we were the closest National Broadcast to ground zero. We operated out of a firehouse at the time. September 11, 2001 was election day in new york. It was primary day. We were doing broadcast that day. We couldnt see what was happening. We broadcast then at 9 00, now we broadcast live at 8 00 a. M. Then at 9 00, at 8 47, first plane hit the first tower of the world trade center, we were just down the street. We were within the evacuation. 9 03 the second plane hit. We were doing a special that day terrorconnection between and september 11. 1973. The day the president in chile died in the pelvis. Pinochet would ultimately take control, 17year reign, killed thousands of chileans and other latin americans. We just continued to broadcast september 11, 2001. The fire house was opened up. It was a decommissioned fire house. They are providing water to people and phones. We were just interviewing people as they came in through the day and broadcast to whoever was taking our broadcast. Then we stayed inside the fire house for the next day. We were in the evacuation zone. I felt if we went outside, i was afraid that the police would force us out. But it was critical to keep on broadcasting because what was being projected to the rest of the world, the reaction was very different from what was happening on the ground. People streaming into parks, holding candles comforting each other. It was not a cry for war. It was a little sticker that said, our grief is not a cry for war. I think that much more expressed the sentiment. We were interviewing people like the late great historian howard zinn, saying we should be sending nurses and doctors into afghanistan, not soldiers. Imagine how the world would respond differently. What happened on september 11th was horrific. 3000 people incinerated in an instant. Well never know how many people died. Those who go uncounted in life go uncounted in death. They are the undocumented workers and folks who lived in that area or worked there. Brian as we watch isis grow, you suggest that wasnt caused by us . Amy i think it is many people physical including feel, including those like tony blair, you are seeing a growth of a force tt came out of the destabilization. Saddam hussein, theres no question he was a tyrant, but he was not a threat to the United States. How did he stay in power force so long, this tyrant who was oppressive to his own people . Remember that handshake of Donald Rumsfeld and Saddam Hussein as the u. S. Was providing Financial Support to sadaam hussein. My colleague did a great job showing this, showing that image. For a long time, the u. S. Was supporting iraq and Saddam Hussein. Then they turn against Saddam Hussein. He didnt have weapons of mass destruction. Why werent we waiting for the u. N. Weapon inspector saying wait, let us do our work. But president bush was intent on attacking iraq from almost the minute, give a day or two, after september 11th. You hear his National Security, his National Security czar and others saying, he was talking about iraq when we understood full well this wasnt coming from there. Another issue that is a kind of sacred cow with the media that must be challenged. The questioning of saudi arabia and the role that it has played over the years. If you ask most people, who was in those planes that went into the world trade center, you would think it was iraqis. This team of 19 hijackers were from saudi arabia. What did president bush do at the time . Hes on the truman balcony smoking a cigar with the saudi ambassador to the United States within a couple days. What are they doing when all planes are grounded . Brian whats the motive of george w. Bush . Relationship to the saudis. Amy they were on intent at the time on attacking iraq. Theres a joke of a little by saying to his father, whats our oil doing under their sand . Brian what is the motive if you are george w. Bush . Do you really want to go to war . You want to see americans killed over there . Whats the reason . Amy its a very good question why president george w. Bush, why Vice President cheney, why secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld, why they committed so many innocent lives in this country. Think about the soldiers who went to iraq, deeply committed to securing the United States, why were they sent to iraq . That is a very serious question. One of the people who signed up to be in the military who wasnt was edward snowden. One the great whistleblowers of our time. He ended up having his leg broken in training. He didnt go into the military. Ended up working for the nasa. The nsa. Had a deep commitment to the United States and ended up showing it in a different way. Brian from your perspective, why do you think was don rumsfeld and george w. Bush, were they evil people . Amy when you look at the actions they engaged in, were they evil actions, committing so many lives leading to loss of not only american lives but lives in iraq and afghanistan, its horrific. Brian why do you think what motivated them to do it . Thats the question that never been answered. Obviously you were against it from the beginning. You demonstrated before it started. Whats the reason . Amy that was a matter of saying, what would be the reason after the september 11th attacks when harmed so seriously, we would attack a country who had nothing to do with the september 11th attacks. I do not know why they were so intent on taking out Saddam Hussein from iraq. There are many dictators in the world. Except the countries that we target are so often have precious resources that u. S. Wants to control for example like oil. I think its more complicated than that. All we can judge is the actions that they took. Brian in a democracy, your leaders are chosen by the people. He was reelected in 2004. The public must not have been unhappy. Amy thats another interesting issue, our election. When we started democracy now in 1996, end of 1995 i was in haiti. Why was it that people covering people would go to the poles risk their lives. But in the United States, many countries in the world, the vast majority of people vote. In the United States, most people do not vote or its like 50 or slightly higher. This is a very serious issue when we look at why people dont vote. I think there are many obstacles put in their path and theres a question of whether they feel theres a real choice. We have to look at why people are elected with 25 of the vote, which is Something Like along the lines what george w. Bush was elected by. Brian what happens when amy goodman says, its im to quit . How does democracy now continue . Amy democracy now is a group of deeply committed of people. I work with journalists all over the country and around the world. Democracy now is much bigger than me. Brian but still, youre the one that conceived it. Youre the one who hosted it. Amy im the founding host of democracy now but it will continue. There is a new generation of journalists and reporters who are deeply committed to independent media. We are part of an independent Media Movement in this country and around the world. That is much bigger than any one institution. Brian looking back 20 years, where were the different points along the way where you thought this might not work . Amy i didnt think that. Brian or was there a hiccup . Amy i didnt think that from the beginning. We originally began with pacifica radio. Then we wept to independent. We also expanded to division as well. It just continue to grow. I think being out in this country and around the world, that hunger for independent voices has its just enormous. That wasnt really something i thought from the beginning. Brian what can get in your way now this moment forward . Who are you dependent on . Besides the money that keeps you going. Satellite, dish tv . Amy yes, were on public radio, Public Television, Public Access tv stations on both satellite, dish network. Free speech tv and link tv. Then were around the world. We pioneered a way to this was because at the time, the network would spend millions. Even in Saddam Husseins iraq, they would pay millions of dollars to use the satellites. We couldnt afford satellites like that. Sendoneered a way to broadcast video through the internet so we could send it to stations all over. Now that is commonplace. Brian is that how they get it . Amy we use satellites as well. We use every means necessary to get information out. The internet is also something we have to fight for to remain open and free and not to allow the Video Companies and any of the Corporate Networks to rewrite the rules of the intenret. It was something that was developed with public resources. Its a great equalizer. The way we can talk with each other all over the world. Brian somebody might have listened this last hour, amy goodman is really not that different from any of the United States senators. She just has a different platform. Amy im a journalist. Brian a journalist is i can just say that, what i do, i started as a young person in my not in elementary school, Junior High School covering what was happening in our school and the principal. I took it to a larger stage. It is being there, chronicling what is happening, digging deep, going beyond the he said she said. Chronicling it, its not a matter of different perspective. Forum for is being a people to speak to themselves. Another part is digging deep to get the truth. This issue of holding those in power accountable is essential. That is why independent media is essential to any democracy. I hope we can be a model for people and institutions around the country. So often we have documentary makers coming from all over the planet to show a model that media, isnt Corporate Media. Brian in ten years, what do you think youll be saying about the journalism of this country . Amy hopefully independent media will be the par for the course. It will be accepted. That its unusual that you have weapons manufactures, oil companies, Insurance Industries running the essential check on power. That instead, it would be an outgrowth of a democracy saying, we need independent bodies that are monitoring and holding those in power accountable. Brian our guest has a book out called democracy now, 20 years covering the movement and changing america. Along with her brother, david odman, and her friend, dennis. Thank you very much. Thank you so much, brian. Which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2016] for free transcripts or give us your comments about this program, visit us at qanda. Org. Q a programs are also available as cspan podcasts. If you enjoyed this weeks q a interview with amy goodman, here are some other programs. Radio talkshow host bill press talks about his book, buyers remorse, how obama let the progressives down. And radio talkshow host hugh hewitt on his book the happiest life. You can join us any time on cspan. Org. Cspan washington journal, live everyday with news and policy issues that impact you. Coming up monday morning, mara kiesling, executive director for national centerrer Transgender Equality on reaction of the North Carolina bathroom law. Then, columnist for indiana, craig dunn on tuesdays republican indiana primary and how the cruzkasich alliance is playing out. Be sure to watch washington journal monday morning. Join the discussion. During this weeks question time, british Prime Minister David Cameron acknowledged the anniversary of the hillsboro disaster which killed 96 soccer fans in 1989. He also answered questions on the refugee crisis, mr. Speaker, yesterday marked a momentous day for the victims of the hillsboro disaster. In their search for justice has been met with hostility instead of sympathy. Is wrong of the families had to wait for so long into to fight so hard for the truth. The house with want to join me in praising their courage and resolve. They never felt it in pursuit of the truth. Owe them a great debt of gratitude. Here, here. Mr. Speaker, this morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, and in addition to my duties in this house, i shall have further such meetings later today. Mims davies. I wouldve very much like to comments on the hillsboro, along with members on all sides of this house and pay tribute to the dems, their families and be resilient other campaigners who continued to strive for the