About that is that what is portrayed sometimes as being seeticized, what you really is the operation of different judicial philosophies at work. These are legitimate philosophies. They tend to drive them in a principled way towards answers to the same question. If you are able to perceive that a lot of times that is not the right way to aink about it erie it this is wellthoughtout philosophy about the law and the constitution, but they just dont have the same philosophy. This generates different results. You could say the same thing about the great battles in the Supreme Court over the new deal. There were philosophies about how you did interpret the constitution in certain areas. This generates some sharp differences. Times, the court was not just political in this sort of cents, how they align with political ideology, but they were actual politicians. Had one justice run for president and another former president , chief justice taft, appointed to the court. The first the first chief justice resigned to run for governor of new york, john j. Justice frankfurter would continue to advise the president. He remained very close to president johnson and would give him advice. There were times when the court involved in the actual nuts and bolts of politics. Writing articles under pseudonyms to influence policies. This may be one of those things where we all want the good old days, no matter where we were. I am not certain that however political this is now is more political than it has been at other times. I do think maybe someone will correct me. Court, they are not priornt to disregard Supreme Court decisions. I would not call that political. But they will not be deterred by what the prior court said. We will leave this conversation and take you live to the fairgrounds in indianola where joe biden is getting ready to speak at the harkin steak fry, there is senator harkin. These remarks are thought to be a stepping stone to the white house. President s joe biden stepping possible a possibly a stepping stone to the white house for himself. [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2013] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] do we start this off . Here we go. You have to pay for these. Ok. That ant you to know this is a lot more tender than that one. Oud of this is pretty good. Thank you, mr. Vice president. We have the wonderful rain, which we needed. You brought the rain. I did. [indiscernible] [indiscernible] [indiscernible] [indiscernible] this is toms brother. He lives down in portland. You know what i mean . This is the home week [indiscernible] 51 years. God love you. Get in here. [laughter] there is plenty of it over there. [indiscernible] mr. Vice president , are you ready for 2016 . Some seatsdy to win in the house and the senate right now. When was your first time in iowa . Inampaigning for john coburn 1974. [indiscernible] campaigning for john coburn in 1974. [indiscernible] [indiscernible] just watching some of the fry, with joe biden and Julian Castro. A few people asking if he is ready for 2015. He says he is ready to win some seats in the house and senate. He was also asked about syria. His remarks were going to be ok. Podium we willhe catch some of the Program Going on right now at the stake fry in indianola. Miller. Ve tom treasurer, mike fitzgerald. From the iowa house, john forbes. Kurt hansen. [indiscernible] kearns. Haverom the pilot sent we senate m the iowa rob gorski, herman kraumbach. Least, ourt not majority leader, mike [applause] forget congressman dave congressman bruce brailey. Now, we can keep these folks in office and they can offer so much more next november. We know we are greater together than on our own. We cannot let republicans continue to stand in the way. Lets put iowa on the map with theng the country forward. Congressman has been a terrific asset for all of us, helping iowa families. He is committed to ensuring that our children and grandchildren receive of hers class education and get the training they need from for the work they want to do. And helping veterans and families by providing the resources and support they have earned on the homefront. He is working hard to make sure that everyone has the same opportunities to reach their full potential. Good friend it is good to be here. Thank you. Especially thanks to those people i represented before the redistricting. I think that we need to say thanks not just to the elected justials, and not recognize those who are hoping to win office in november, bruce and i are married to two very special women. My wife is in washington at the moment. Doing the right thing by being there and doing the family thing. We should give a round of applause not only to the spouses of the elected officials but all of you who are volunteering and have volunteered in the past and will volunteer for us in running for office. Give yourself a big round of applause. We really dont thank you enough. I really do believe that. Big round of applause, this was mentioned, to those serving in the military and who have served in the family of those folks as well. Thank you so much. Well, i want to say thanks to tom harkin. What a fighter. Well, butnow him not i got to know him in 1974 when he was running for office. I was a graduate student at iowa state university. There are some people there who did not win but they want to clap. I represent the hawkeyes now. Divided loyalty to say the least. In 1974, this was watergate. In 2006, 1 of those elections like 1970 or. In 1976, that was a tougher election for him. One, election that he has this has been tough. For the house or the senate. But tom harkin has one. People,o the for the who, like me when i was growing up he stood up for those who didnt have the opportunity to do better. And stood up for those who needed that ladder of opportunity. And when we make it we dont pull that ladder up. We keep it there for people to have that opportunity. People willing to take personal responsibility for themselves, that they can succeed in this country because we know that they can, but they have to have the opportunity. Those are the people he has been fighting for. The seniors and the young people who want to go to college and get an education. Else, he isyone fighting for those with disabilities. We should give him a huge round of applause for that. Tom harkin, he fights for those who dont have power and who are often overlooked. That is what he has done his whole career. I know that he will get replaced by somebody who will be just as good. He has to hear me talk a couple more minutes before he gets up here. This is fantastic. We came in together in 2006. We have been great friends. Tom harkin, doing the right weng for the middle last. Talk a lot about the middle class but we never talk about what we mean. Who wantsn is someone some food to put on the table for his family. I talk about someone who does not want to lose their job with bad trade agreements that ship those jobs overseas. Someone who wants to have enough money to be able to send their kids to college and maybe take a twoweek vacation, and maybe have some kind of money put away for retirement. Because you know Social Security wont be enough. When they get to be that age where they are collecting social this does not privatize and medicare does not doubt your eyes. Voucherize. I will keep fighting for the middle class. And for those who want to get into the middle class we want to expand this. Because of that middle class. That is why we are special and exceptional. Everything, thank you for helping me get here today. Lets keep working, lets keep fighting. Thank you for being here today. [applause] thank you very much, congressman. Before i go on i have to knowledge that as a proud board from orin county, thank you for this steak fry. We are proud to have our other democratic congressmen here with he learned the the power of our work at an early age so it is no surprise he helps middleclass families in congress. Teaching the people of iowa skills to work in alternate energy, so more people could afford to go to college. Bruce has proven that he can people together to be an effective fighter for iowa. We need bruce in the u. S. Senate. Ladies and gentlemen. Lets welcome the next senator from the great state of iowa. Our friend, bruce. Thank you, everyone. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. You for that warm welcome and introduction. My good friend dave, thank you for showing throwing me under donts and suggesting i think my wife enough for the amazing sacrifice that she made so i and serve the people of iowa. I thank her every day because i know what an extraordinary sacrifice this is, and i know that you think terry thank terri every chance that you get. Theuld like to have all of harkenistas who have ever worked on one of his campaigns or worked on his house or senate staff, to please stand up so that we can recognize you for the amazing work that you have done or us, and helping our good friend, tom harkin. Can you tom, all of your harkin. You . U stand up, all of is for the people who go out and do the amazingly challenging work every day to help the people they represent. That has been the strength of tom harkin, that he has surrounded himself with these great people. I am so glad that i know so many of them. I am here of people, today because tom harkin got me involved in democratic politics. I was a Young College student at iowa state when i saw that a congressman from southwest iowa was going to be speaking at George Washington carver hall. I decided to go check him out. All of you, i was blown away from the moment i met tom harkin. Here was a man who never forgot where he came from. Who never forgot the people who had worked so hard to elect him to represent them, and who always understood that is fundamental job was to help the people he served, no matter what that took. I am proud that tom harkin is my friend, my mentor, and my hero. And that is why i am so honored to have this opportunity to work in walked into the Senate Chamber after tom harkin walked out for the last time. But i also learned a valuable lesson from tom. That is, i need your help. I cant do this by myself. Many people have come up to me and said, youre going to have big shoes to fill, if you are elected for this senate seat. I immediately corrected them. Because i will never fill tom harkins shoes, and i am not going to try. But i will say to everyone that if you stand by me on this months,over the next 14 i will work tirelessly in every corner of the state of iowa so a proud, patriotic, progressive democrat is walking into the Senate Chamber the day that tom harkin walks out. [applause] this is not about me. This is to celebrate an amazing senator, an amazing human being and an amazing american. I think it is appropriate for us to say, thank you, tom. Thank you for giving us the americans with disabilities act. Thank you for giving us a comprehensive Health Care Reform for the first time in our history. And thank you for fighting every day, to expand the middle class. Thank you for protecting and securing our social safety net, Social Security, medicare, and medicaid. Thank you, tom harkin. But tom is also the first one to harkinus that the first elected to Public Office was not for those of us who went to college in story county, when ruth was the county attorney, we learned to respect and honor the legacy of ruth harkin. Lets give her a big round of applause. Dave mentioned the ladders of opportunity that he has talked about so much in his life. I was one of those people who benefited from those ladders of opportunity. My parents both grew up on iowa farms during the great depression. My grandfather was a sharecropper who somehow managed to send all four of you to get a college education. My dad left the farm near Montezuma Ammann enlisting in the marine corps when he was 17. Landing on iwo jima the day that they raised the flag. He taught me the meaning of sacrifice and patriotism. But the day that he landed they did not ask the marines who are getting on that Landing Craft to have the democrats sit on the left side and the republicans sit on the right side. That is the lesson i learned growing up. In brooklyn, when people had a problem, they did not ask what party you belong to. I asked for your help and they got your health. That is what the people of iowa want in the next editor, and with me, that is what they are going to get. I was blessed to grow up and have a great middleclass opportunity, but i never would have gotten through College Without the opportunity to get tell grants, and federally insured Student Loans at 1 and 2 Interest Rates when the markets were at double digits and being able to work a part time time job 25 hours per week. This is what the people of iowa expect. They expect you to work hard but also that there should be a safety net there, and i learned that question. My dad fell 30 feet and shattered his leg at the Grain Elevator he worked that, nearly losing his life. My mom decided to go back to college and get a fouryear teaching degree. She is still teaching at the age of 84. I couldnt be more proud of her. [applause] im proud of my wife carolyn who spent the last two weeks in waterloo teaching in an unair nditioned classroom in tripledigit temperatures because she and my mom both know that what they do matters in this state. If were going to have a future in iowa, education has to be a fundamental part of it and thats why it needs to be fully funded and we need to honor the professionals who teach our children. Cheers and applause] so i just want to leave you with this. I want to leave you with 12 keys to success for me and every other democrat running in 2014. So there will be a quiz on this later. The first four things i want you to take away from today is i need your help and so does every democrat who is going to be on the ballot. Number two, what do you think . I want to hear from you. I have been traveling all offense the state. I have traveled to almost 2 3 of the 99 counties and im coming to your town soon. I want to know what you think we need to be doing on this campaign to get our message out so that republicans, independents, and democrats have a reason to show up next november and vote for bruce brule. Final four things, final four things, lets get to work. We dont have the luxury of waiting until labor day next year to get excited about democratic politics. We know we wont have the protective cocoon of president obama in 64 field offices in iowa. We have to make that magic happen ourselves. So the time to start is now. So i want to leave you with this last story as extra motivation. About two months ago i got a text message while i was out of iowa and all the message says was, bruce, i finally graduated. That message was from a 31yearold man in waterloo named deandre. I met deandre when he was in fourth grade and carolyn and i started mentoring at long fellow elementary through our church. Through that experience, i started spending time with deandre outside of fourth grade as a big brother. Two years later, he started having pain in his abdomen. He went to the Great CommunityHealth Center in waterloo where they diagnosed a possible tumor, referred him to allen hospital. He had no Health Insurance, and they removed the tumor and he was diagnosed with nonhodgkins lymphoma in sixth grade. The only place for him to go without Health Insurance to get chemotherapy was the university of iowa hospitals and clinics. I went home and talked to my wife because it was impossible for anyone else to go there with deandre. I moved into the pediatric oncology unit in iowa city for almost a month and i saw extraordinary things. I saw young people who had lost all of their hair and had ports in their chest walking in and out of each others rooms taking care of each other and some of those kids didnt make it. But deandre got World Class Health care even though he couldnt afford it and he came back to waterloo and he has had a lot of peaks and valleys in his life and i have been there with him every step of the way. The reason he sent me that text message was after all these years, he finally passed his g. E. D. And he was so proud that he had to share that with me and i got tears in my eyes when i got that text. If the deandres of this world are not going to give up on theirselves, we have to make sure that were out there fighting for them, giving them hope, giving them opportunities to have their shot at the American Dream. Thats why im a democrat. Thats why im running to be your next senator and thats why i need your help. Thank you all very much. Cheers and applause] thank you. How about these great Iowa Democratic leaders lets hear it for them cheers and applause] thank you, again, the main program will resume shortly. And just taking a break here at the harkin steak friday, this fry, this is a long standing political event started by tom harkin who is retiring after 40 years of service at house and senate. Vice President Biden talked about harkins career and his work on the americans with disabilities act. They are campaigning on the democrat we saw earlier, bruce braley, he is a congressman be and is running for harkins state. Back then, the attendance was 20 people and since then, for example, when bill clinton attended in 1992, there were about 5,000 people at the steak fry, when candidates including Hillary Clinton attended in 2007, 15,000 people attended. This is kind of considered a stepping stone to the white house. There have been a trio of events today, other fundraisers. Vice President Joe Biden making inroads with iowa democrat. Eaders as reported and senator harkin was asked if vice President Bidens visit was a testing ground to 2016, senator harkin said he liked to eat steak. That is from the Des Moines Register. Earlier at the barbecue here at the steak fry, one of the reporters standing outside was asking vice President Biden if he was ready for 2016. He responded that he wants to win some house and senate seats now. And then another asked him about syria and vice President Bidens response there was i think were going to be ok. So we should be hearing from a number of speakers shortly. Just taking a break here. While we wait for the next folks to appear on the stage, were going to listen to a reporter with the Des Moines Register who talked today about vice President Bidens appearance. This is the 36th annual harkins steak fry and what the Vice President s potential 2016 intentions might be. Hakem joining us on the phone is jennifer jacobs, a political reporter with the Des Moines Register to talk about vice President Joe Bidens visit to iowa today. Jennifer jacobs, why will the president be in iowa, what is happening . Good morning. There is a lot of chatter that e is interested in 2016. Thats the big buzz here. Some people think its not about joe biden running for president. He is trying to set his son up for a future race. He will be iowa. Why today . What is happening . Today is the harkin steak fry. We have a very Popular Democratic senator here, tom harkins, this is the 36th year. Its a very high profile event. Its nationally televised. It attraction many people who have president ial as per raises. If you attend, people think youre interested in running for president. Is it necessary to go to the harkin steak fry . Why would joe biden go, whether its for him or his son . Right. We asked senator harkin that and harkin said, well, were old friends. He runs iowa. He has deep roots here. He has campaigned here three president ial cycles and he likes steak. Harkin kind of joked about that, it has nothing to do with 2016, there are Iowa Democrats that think otherwise. What are you hearing on the ground about his son, beau biden . He is a sparkplug for democrats here. One activist said if beau biden would run some day, not 2016, everyone has their eye on Hillary Clinton for 2016, if beau biden were to run in the future, one activist said her job as a political visor would be easy because beau biden would be so popular here in iowa. Is Hillary Clinton going to be there . She will not be here. We have not seen Hillary Clinton since the day she found out that she did not come in first in the Iowa Caucuses back in january of 2008. She has not been here. Some democrats are hoping when she publishes her book she will come here on her book tour. Otherwise have not seen her at all. Why not . Why wouldnt she come to the harkin steak fry if she is contemplating a run . Well, some operatives would say its too early. Were three years out from the general election in 2016. Its too early for her to get into the race in general. They dont want people to get burned out on her. It would be better for her to keep increasing speculation. If she is going to run, make the announcement much later. Who else . What other democratic figures are going to be at the harkin steak fry today . An interesting pair from texas, the identical twins, the castro brothers, and actually theyre celebrating their 39th birthday tomorrow, the day after the steak fry. One is a congressman from texas and one is a mayor of san antonio, texas. Democrats here are fond of both of them. They saw one speak at the Democratic NationalConvention Last summer and really, really liked him. These two castro brothers are considered up and coming democrats. I know that people here are pretty excited to see them. When people tune into see the harkin steak fry, what will they see . Theyll see a stage with straw barrels and a big u. S. Flag and the speeches start 2 20 iowa time, we have the castro and harkin speaking and Vice President birdie. Jennifer jacobs with the Des Moines Register, thank you for your time. Youre welcome. Well be hearing shortly from Vice President birdie. You can see here in the crowd san antonio mayor Julian Castro. Again, were going to be taking their comments. Join the conversation and let us know what you think. Of hashtag is at the bottom he screen. Cspanchat. Fema is continuing to support the response to the flooding. President obama has made federal Assistance Available to individuals there and he is having the administrator of fema get on the ground in colorado tomorrow. Again, that update from the Associated Press on the flooding in colorado that continues there. Ladies and gentlemen and great Iowa Democrats, welcome to the 36th tom harkin steak fry. Please welcome back to the ley. Congressman bruce bra please welcome to the stage ruce harkin, senator tom rkin, please welcome special and mayor Julian Castro your vice President Joe Biden cheers and applause] ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the pledge of allegiance but Iowa Army National guard veteran and fourth Congressional District candidate, james mahr. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america. And to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indy visible, with liberty and justice for all. [cheers and applause] please remain standing for our National Anthem performed by sidney lett of des moines. See by the n you dawns early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars fight gh the perilous oer 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 oer the land of the free brave home of the cheers and applause] please welcome to the podium, lets hear it for ruth harkin [cheers and applause] thank you, thank you very much and welcome to the 36th harkin steak fry. We are so honored today to have vice President Biden and mayor castro join us. Our family and the bidens go way back and we share many family values. As you know, when the Vice President was a senator, he took the train home every night to be with his family. Now that says a lot about who he is. Cheers and applause] then there is mayor castro, wow many of us heard his speech and heard him speak for the first time last year at the democratic convention. Wow, wasnt he extraordinary and come to find out he has a twin running for congress he and his congressman brother are rising stars and definitely what our party is all about. [cheers and applause] you know, i have been thinking about our first prize in the early 1970s. These were modest events we would climb up a little hill on joanie and garys farm in madison county, steaks, 2. We always had cold beer. But guess what, we had a rule that there would be no political speeches. Can you imagine . [laughter] we just gathered, drank beer, talked politics. And i recall the first event having less than 50 people. But you know, it was kind of fun. So we have just kept on doing it. No texting or facebook postings, you had to be there. Then tom began to invite guests who spoke and we moved to the mueller farm, a bigger space, started having larger crowds and upped the price of the steaks and by 1987, the Event Features candidates running for the presidency, paul simon, gore sr. Were al all among them. In 1991, tom announced for president at the steak fry on muellers farm. [cheers and applause] actually, that was one of our best ones. In 1992, candidate bill clinton was the guest. Nd he came back in 1996 as our president. [applause] so the harkin steak fry over the years has become a real tradition. Rain or shine, we have been in mud, wind, cold, and some very hot weather. A couple of people have even told me they got engaged at a steak fry. [laughter] through the years the constant has been tom fighting for us, for equal rights, working people, education, and health care and most of all, fighting for people with disabilities. Cheers and applause] last month tom and i were in ethiopia and we visited a clinic run by members of our piece core. Among peace corps. Among other things, they were working with disabled children making wheelchairs. They were pretty excited to meet tom, the guy who started it all, the father of the americans with disabilities act. [cheers and applause] his impact has been felt here in iowa all over the country and all over the globe and its been really wonderful to witness firsthand the efforts of his good legs. But i have also been a witness to toms personal life, as you know, he has been wonderful husband for 45 years. [cheers and applause] a terrific parent and a doting grandparent. So please welcome a wonderful, wonderful senator who hasnt forgotten his first steak fry, tom harkin. Cheers and applause] thank you thank you, thank you, thank you all very, very much. Steak , 36 harkin 36th friday, 36th and we havent fried a steak yet. I dont know where that name ever came from. As you heard, i have a better record, a better winning reak, 45 years of love and partnership with a woman by the name of ruth harkin. [cheers and applause] i thank you, ruth, for those keend words, a very formidable troduction by a formidable woman, the only woman county attorney at that time and the only democrat in the county courthouse. I ran for congress that year. I lost, ruth won. And i said she was the only democrat in the courthouse, only women prosecuting attorney in the state of iowa so i ran two years later for congress and more than once i heard it said that, well, if she is that good, he cant be that bad. [laughter] so i rode her skirt tails into office. And then ruth became the deputy general counsel at the department of agriculture appointed by president jimmy carter. [applause] and then she became the president and c. E. O. Of the overseas private Investment Corporation appointed by president clinton. [applause] and then a senor attorney with one of our nations top law firm which was headed by ob strauss and for whom both hulean castro and Joaquin Castro worked in that same law firm also. And then ruth went into the private sector, became senior Vice President for one of our largest manufacturers, United Technologies corporation and through it all, a great mom to our two daughters and now a wonderful grand mom to our three grandchildren and i remember one time some years ago our oldest daughter amy coined she was studying french in high school. So she coined a phrase that has stuck with us ever since when she described her mother, ruth. La petit her general. [laughter] [applause] for those, that means the little general, you got it . A very special welcome to the Vice President of the United States, joe biden. Cheers and applause] now, folks, i got to tell you, i have enormous respect for the office of the Vice President every time i see the Vice President i refer to him and address him as mr. Vice president. But having joe for so many years and knowing the down to earth type of guy he is, its just hard not to call him joe. So, mr. Vice president , no disrespect, but to everyone here and to all of us here in wa, youre our friend, joe biden. Cheers and applause] and youre right, its just joe, right, exactly. He wouldnt have it any other way. I can tell you that. He wouldnt have it any other way. Thank you all for putting up with the extra security today. I mean, in addition [laughter] i guess in addition to the secret service and everybody hecking tickets and the secret service doing their security checks, i heard that donald trump was outside checking birthday certificates. Cheers and applause] so it is always a big deal to have the Vice President here with us. Its also a big deal to have san antonio mayor hulean castro here with us today. [cheers and applause] and if youll just turn a little bit, ill introduce his brother, congressman Joaquin Castro is right there. Cheers and applause] so ill tell you, our two speakers today really embody the strength and the genius and the heart of the democrat party. Mayor castro is young, charismatic, one of our bright stars with new ideas, new energy the constituency of party. Vicepresident by me, who embodies enormous experience and wisdom, the sound judgment of our party that perilous times. We need both, the new and the seasoned. Its a great strength that we have as democrats and such a great honor to have you both here with us today. [applause] year the steak fry marks the change of seasons. There was an attack on a buttered cow. [laughter] isnt anything sacred anymore . [laughter] over the summer we have endured visits by rick santorum, rand ted cruz, governor way rry is on his [booing] thell i can say is thats calendar is filling up rapidly. On a more serious note a couple of weeks ago we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Martin Luther king jr. I have a dream speech. [applause] vision forember his all of gods children. ,arlier in the summer congressman steve king made headlines with a very different vision. The children of immigrants who aspire to become citizens, let me say it loudly and clearly, i am the proud child of an immigrant mother and i know which speech is for me. [cheers and applause] folks, congress is back in session. I want to say this, yesterday the announcement came through. Russia, the u. S. Have reached an agreement. Weapons is being dismantled in syria by 2014. This happened because of the strength, the wisdom, the courage of president obama. This guy right here, vice President Joe Biden [applause] and our great secretary of state, john kerry. We reached this agreement with the International Community to secure and dismantle by 2014 and we did not lose one american life. That is leadership, folks. That is leadership. Once again, republicans of threatening to shut down the government or default on the debt unless we dismantle obama care. As one of the principal authors of the Affordable Care act, i do not know whether to laugh or cry at that. Republicans have now voted 40 times to repeal of the Affordable Care act. Folks, the good news for these republicans is that obsessive compulsive disorder is covered under obama care. [applause] [laughter] even better news is that the Affordable Care act is already working for all americans and as you know, next month we start sign up, ending the denial of coverage for all children based on preexisting conditions. Following abuses from insurance companies, such as giving canceled, it allows young people to stay on their parent policies until age 26. October 1,days, millions of americans will be able to sign up on the exchanges for Subsidized Health care. [applause] at long last, every american qualitye access to affordable Health Insurance and cannot be taken away. I want you to know that that includes every american with a disability. No more segregation, no more exclusion, no more secondclass citizenship for people with disabilities in america. So, bruce, i understand that theyre probably going to vote again on ending obama care. They are going to fail. Because they are on the wrong side of history. Americans will not let republicans drag us back for the Social Security, medicare, obama care, or opening new opportunities for young people with disabilities across this country. So, we are going forward. [applause] we are going to build a reformed Healthcare System that works for all americans. Before i go further, i want to acknowledge some special people. First of all, all the steak fries for just about all of them, my dear friend joey has been the death interpreter for almost all of them. Thank you, joey. Interpreter for almost all of them. As well as susan, lets hear it for her. They always tradeoffs. On that not a great job National Anthem yeah cupful [applause] the ground crew spent National Anthem . [applause] the ground crew spent days setting up. Our grillers, glenn perry, valerie deal, again, lets hear it for all of the people who made this possible. Applause]d and we have some wonderful rain last night. Now it is nice for all of this year. I want to thank the one responsible for that, too. [laughter] [applause] have a lot round of applause for scott ran, who once again answered the call to be the state democratic chairman. Scott . [applause] lost by contact, but where is jim . Againck here, thank you for leading the pledge, thank you for your service in iraq and your future service as a United States congressman defeating steve king. Thank you. [applause] our former state senator, stacy apple is with us. Thank you for your future in the third district. I want to recognize and honor all of our state democratic dignitaries, including mark smith. He is here somewhere, i saw him earlier. [applause] thank hours want to our Senate Leader for being our rock of gibraltar through the last session. [applause] where in the heck is t. . Mike, thank you. I want to all to never forget that those of you who call iowa home, those of us who care about keeping this state on a progressive course, nothing is more important than getting more democrats in the senate and winning back the governorship next year. [applause] our fighting Second District congressman. Dave . Is dave . I just lost dave. Dave . Where is dave . I just lost dave. To come upsomeone here with me now. Bruce. [applause] folks, and you have been so kind and generous to me in the years i have represented you in the house and the senate. When i announce my retirement in january i said that i would sit back and that this was going to be a passing of the baton, but that i would work every day until that day in january. I want you all to know that there is only one person i want our nexthe baton to, United States senator, bruce. [cheers and applause] thank you. Thank you, buddy. Ok, it is on with the show. You have your stake, for some sizzle. Our first speaker, the mayor of americas seventh largest city. New to iowa, you have all seen him before. Take to be the keynote speaker at the Democratic National convention in charlotte. The ovation that he got at the end of his speech, all the talk about him ever since reminded everyone of the ovation for a previous keynote speaker eight years earlier, an obscure state senator named barack obama. [cheers and applause] the reason that there has been such outgoing love and support, many people see this young man as the future of our party. In fact, if you do this you can try it at home in your iphone, castro and rising star and you will get 410,000 hits. He was introduced by his twin brother, whom i introduced earlier, who is also with us as well today. As he said in that introduction, for 18 years they shared a small bedroom and a lot of big dreams, raised by a single and he became the youngest councilman in the history of san antonio. He was first elected mayor in 2009, reelected to a third term this year. The youngest mayor of a top 60 american city. There is much to admire about him, but what really caught my eye was two things. One, the phrase that he used in his speech last summer when he isd that the American Dream not a sprint for aar but it is a relay. Think about that, he generation growing up to pass on the opportunity to the next. For almost 20ing years to years something done for Early Childhood education in america. This last january in his state of the Union Barack Obama 75 million to a program for young people in america. We have not gotten there yet, the mayor of san antonio decided not to wait. Business Community Came together and they passed a sales tax measure for preschool and next month the first san antonio children will be enrolling in preschool and they are going to cover every single kid with preschool education. [cheers and applause] a round tolets give one of our bright young leaders, a courageous young man, the mayor of san antonio, texas, coolly and castro Julian Castro. [cheers and applause] thank you. Thank you. Hello, i love. It is nice to be here. All, let me say a huge thank you on behalf of the regenerationand and this is your senator, tom harkin. A leader and a true Public Servant for so many who often if you can be in Public Service and stay true to who you are. Tom has said yes and showed us and he couldyears not done half of what he had a and thank you for having us today. Sometime ago president obama said that the best political made in hisever life to was to select joe biden as Vice President. I agree with him. Commend president , we you on your leadership. Thank you for joining us. I had nothing to do with the security here. Next greatse, the senator from iowa, bruce. [cheers and applause] i know we have got a lot of folks from all over iowa. Dubuque,ot folks from desmoines, and indianola. I come from a city that google maps says is about 1,000 miles away from here. Of theonio, texas, one fastestgrowing in the United States, economically prosperous, vibrant, 1. 3 Million People. I have been mayor for about four years. I told the folks that a couple of months after being elected mayor i had a meeting with a woman in my office in city hall and i do not remember how we were meeting about any more, and as an elected official you get a lot of gifts. Most of the mark trinkets or t shirts. I have Something Like 200 t shirts, five of which actually fit. Before the meeting was over i was a rookie mayor and this woman, she gave me this gift bag that was covered in tissue paper. She asked me to go ahead and open my gift. I started to unwrap the tissue paper, i took the gift out and it was a prayer card. It was of st. Thomas more. Not know it, but he is the patron saint of lawyers and politicians. So, right before she walked out the door she said by the way, he was beheaded. [laughter] that is true. I thought to myself, what in the world have i got myself into. In thishat many audience have been sold during the way in iowa, in the trenches as democrats for a long time. People hereobably who have been here since the first state fried. Lock walking, letter writing, ing, and sometimes you wonder why we are doing this. Today we are gathered at this special moment in 2013, a moment when our world is changing at a faster rate than it has ever changed in human history. A time when it is easier to travel than it ever has been. Easier to communicate with folks than ever before. Computing in an iphone is faster than the computer. A computer that cost millions a few years ago. United states is engaged in a 21st Century Global economy that is more competitive than it ever has been, with countries around the world who are producing welleducated young people capable of learning and manipulating technology that a timefine this century, in which brainpower is the new currency of success. Which the divisions that have often separated us, the divisions of geography, creed, are crumbling at a faster rate than any other time in human history. The question before us is what is the blueprint in this , the, in this century blueprint that america should to ensure prosperity. Our friends on the other side of the aisle, they say the blueprint is this if everyone goes on their own, we will be fine. If everyone does their own thing and government leaves everyone alone, everything will be great. But i believe in a different blueprint. I believe in investing in the gi bill so that millions of americans can get a higher education. I believe in shepherding medicare to congress so that millions and millions of Senior Citizens can get the health care that they needed. Ofelieve in the blueprint president obama extending health care to all americans in the United States. That this is the blueprint, because it has worked like this. In the United States we have always had the basic bargain. We expect you and your family to work hard, but when you do, we reward the hard work with opportunity. I know that it is more than just words. I know it from my own life. At the convention, i spoke about my grandfather grandmother. She came over to the United States as an orphan from mexico. She dropped out of Elementary School and, eventually because of that she wound up working as a maid, coke, and babysitter her whole life. With myer and i grew up grandmother and my mother. I remember on april 3, 1992, we got two packets in the mail. These packets were from stanford university. We had gone to Public Schools in san antonio and we tried to apply to the best school in the United States. April 3, 1992, we got that acceptance letter and a couple of weeks later we got the bill. [applause] cost 27,000 per person to be able to attend stanford university. My mother was making less than 20,000 that year. My grandmother made a few hundred dollars in Social Security checks. Here were these two women, both of whom have worked hard during their lives, watching their sons and grandsons with an enormous opportunity and wondering how in the world it would be able to pay for it. I can tell you this, the only reason i was able to reach my American Dream to go to college and become a professional was because i worked hard, my family worked hard, and because there were grants, work studies, stafford loans. Because iords, invested in myself. But fundamentally, i reached my dream because you invested in me. Because the American People invested in me. That is america. That is what is great about this nation. That is the blueprint for success in the 21st century. That in san antonio. Last november for the First Time Ever the voters said yes to the educational initiatives. 22,004yearold will get high quality pre education so that we have the best prepared, best educated, most likely to succeed kids in all of the state of texas. [cheers and applause] my grandmother, when i was young, she used to tell these stories about when she was a girl. That after she was pulled out of school, she used to go and work the fields with her family. Now, this is the first time i have really been in iowa. I have to admit, i was here for about five minutes a few years ago, but this is the first time i have been here and when we were coming in on the plains i looked out the window and i saw all the fields, the green space and i thought how proud she would have been that she had been picking crops and her grandson would be here where you guys pick a president of the United States. That is the American Dream. So, we have the blueprints. We know what we have to do. We need to continue to elect great leaders, like president obama, like vice President Biden. And of course, congressman soon to be senator bruce [indiscernible] working, keep phone banking. I look forward to Election Night on november, 2016. I will be in san antonio, i will probably have the television on. I am sure you will be at some Victory Party somewhere. I look forward to watching cnn, cbs, msnbc, abc, i look forward to that moment on fox news where they turned to which other and they say we call the electoral votes in iowa for the democratic nominee for president. Thank you very much. [applause] [cheers and applause] thank you. Thank you, julianne. Julian. [applause] remain standing for a second. Tomorrow is a momentous day. Tomorrow is his birthday. We would give them the biggest happy birthday. Are you ready . Youppy birthday to happy birthday to you sappy birthday dear castro at a birthday to you [applause] [laughter] truly honored to have is our key note speaker the Vice President of the United States. I am sure that i do not have to remind you that joe biden first ran for president here in 1987 and 1988. He spent some much time in iowa, he spent so much time in iowa he has friends all over the state. I am pretty sure he is from iowa at heart and one of the few people outside this state who can say he has been to every one of our counties more than once. So, he does not really need an introduction. Heres what i want to say about my great friend. For years he was a powerful senator. Now he is the second most powerful person in the world, but he is the same, decent, unpretentious, approachable joe elected at the ridiculously young age of 29 in 1972. All the years he served in the senate, very seldom did you see him after hours in the washington social swirl. The senate quit work for the day, he was at unions station, riding back to wilmington, delaware, to spend the evening with his family. That has meant a lot to ruth and me. This job pulls you in a lot of directions. There are always demands on your time, demands to do something in the evening. When we started having our families, only two nights per week out, we abided by that. Every night joe biden went back to his family. Hime that says more about than about anything else you could say. [applause] with his humble roots. He has always been a fighter for the working people. He understands what it means to be middleclass. He has known tragedy in his own life. Heart isl you that his always open to others. Senate, years in the there was always one place to the him, at the center of action. He was the chair of the Judiciary Committee during some of the most contentious Supreme Court nomination hearings. He also made his mark on ,riminaljustice systems passing the violence against women act. [applause] understand this, last year, to he led ourredit, the justiceognizing of Marriage Equality for all americans. [applause] so, we all know why he is so popular here and wherever he goes. He is the real deal. President obama calls him americas happy warrior. Smart, witty, tireless, irreverent. The mention irreverent . [laughter] those of us who know and love him so much know that he is also , and in this case that is a good thing. My friends, i wish i could put into words what joe biden has meant to needy in my years of coming to the house, the senate, and having him as one of my me, instillingg in the his great values that he always had. There. Anding why we are not to make a comfortable comparable, but to help those who need a government. There are opportunities for advancement and growth in america. As i said many times, i always want to refer to the Vice President , all due respect, as mr. Vicepresident , but it is him for me not to just call my good friend. [cheers and applause] hello, folks. Be back in iowa. How are you . It is great to be with you all. Alls great to be here with of you. That mytart by saying son senses love, support, and affection. He and jim served in iraq for one year. Did for our administration, what he did for the veterans and their families, it will not be forgotten. [applause] i know that many will find this as a shock, but it is amazing when you come to speak at the steak fry, a whole lot of people seem to take notice. [laughter] you have attracted the entire National Press corps here. Quite understood it, but i am learning. Know, when the mayor was , he mentioned st. Thomas more and how he did not he was the patron saint of judges, lawyers, and public officials. I do not want to change this into a mutual admiration society, you know, as well as i do, but i know them both very he made that reference it reminded me of a play about that time when thomas more was taking on henry the eighth, seeking to change the law so that he could get married. Remarried. Famous scene in that camewhere his soninlaw over with a fellow named roper to try to get compromise to overturn the law. He said, in response, if i cut down all the laws in england to what will you do when the devil turns around and you . These are gods laws, not mans. You have to stand sometimes despite enormous pressure. That is what i have watched him do. I have served with a lot of , but nonen and men with a conscience, none with the , none with more certitude about why he ran for office in the first place and tom. Let me tell you, everyone knows about his work with americans who have disabilities. But the thing that they do not realize, we talked about it on all fewover, first of men or women ever get to see the fruits of their labor. Especially when the labor was in the face of overwhelming opposition. Tom took on the business community. He took on everyone. Not only did he change the lives, literally, of millions and millions of americans with disabilities, the same way he ,id with his School Programs not only did he change, but heres what did [applause] he did something remarkable, he changed all of america, turning able people either into not orking at the disabled looking at them with nothing but sympathy and pity, to looking at them as equals. Them in a way at the value of a had to offer. He not only changed the state of affairs for the disabled in america, he changed the soul of america. Think how different it is from what it was 25 years ago. , able orle look for disabled, is to be treated with dignity and respect. That is what he changed. Of a handful of people, and this was supposed to make me feel good, but it made me feel bad, more than most people in American History i have served longer in the senate. [applause] so, it is astounding. Tom does not leave it to just what happened here at home. Think of what he has done and how loud his voice has been for those around the world. Not only the disabled and the only thed, not disabled, but the people who in fact have no voice. Tom has never been afraid to speak out. The war in vietnam . In centralquads america . The outrages of everything from a general mutilation of no women in africa to what is going on in syria. Had a profound impact on how we view ourselves. Today he remains the conscious of the senate. Anyone the allow comfort of the nile in the democratic caucus. Permit the willing suspension of disbelief that so many of us would rather engage in. These problems are hard to a knowledge, they place a burden on us. The good news is we have tom for another whole year. The good news, as i have gotten to know him well, we campaigned with him. He won despite me in 2006. Got to see him, i have got to see him up close and personal. In 2006 it was not a certain thing, but i have watched people reacting the way you did, people engaged in politics, you can feel and taste that. Right dec . The same thing that i respond to this the same reason that he will be a great senator, he is absolutely authentic. He has no phony bones in his body. [applause] i told bruce that i would come campaign for him against a group that helped him the most. [laughter] folks, folks, look. When the president knew that i i spentng, sincerely four hours the six hours per day with him and we became close friends, he was a hell of a man. He knew that i was coming and destiny of i would thank you for what he had done for handling and for delivering iowa in 2008 and 2012. [cheers and applause] standing where we are if it were not for all of you assembled before us today. The key to ouren ability to govern. From that day in 2008 when the ticket was announced, the president and i have had a laser focus on one thing. The middle class has been battered, as you all know. The eightot just by years that preceded us, but the decline began much earlier. I do not know how mealtimes i have walked the picket line. I do not know how many times ive been with you in your hometown as factories were padlocked and the jobs were sent to overseas. Watching people who have had the ability to raise their families with decent income, watching it does appear before them. Thing i have learned, mr. Mayor, people often say that they say what they mean. Literally, and they hit me for using literally all the time, literallybut folks the president and i had a handshake when he asked me to join him. I ask him only one question, was he committed as he said he was . Committed to rebuilding the middle class . Him two things i would not do as Vice President. I would not wear funny hats and i would not change my brand. I kept my promise and he has kept his. Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you how we will measure the success and failure of the administration. It will not be whether the gdp continues to grow, and it is growing. It will not be whether or not they have returned and defeated the time they have. Just be any old job. The measure of the success of will beadministration whether or not the middleclass is growing and the things that allowed it to grow and feel secure are able to be put in , jobs that you raise a middleclass family on. Unlike any other country in the world, we are uniquely a product of having the largest middle class. The middle class, the one thing and thevery well president has demonstrated that economy like you always have, from the middle out, not the top down. He has acted on that belief. [applause] the unitednt of states and i understand this and i will keep saying it, middle class is not a number. It is a value set. It is about keeping your farm and not having to sell it. Living in a state with a decent neighborhood, sending your kids to a school where if they do well they have a chance of being admitted to college. If they get into college, having an equal chance to get their not based and your income but based on the fact that you earned it and work for it and you have a chance. [applause] that has been the american story. It is the story of the history of the progress of this country. Note your children will have to take care of you if you take care of your own parents. Because your government friends fought on your behalf, not got in the way. My dad had an expression, and i know that so many of you . What it is all about. Forget someone asking me why everyone in delaware was so upset with the president. And he makes me sound like a and it was not that. My dad after the war in the early 1950s, i remember my father coming up to sit down and he had this you have seen and i am moving them to and and i will come back and bring jimmy and valle. 157 miles and i will be home most weekends. We believed it would be ok. Not going on the bluray or losing a job, whatever and and he said . It is about respect. It is about being able to take and of those a things, legitimately or in the power of the government, could and it possible to enhance all but and that is why the and something he and he decidedrd that instead of seeing those factories padlocked, he wanted them open. Im and hollowht creating good jobs, creating good jobs for process. Manufacturing jobs brought back to the United States of america. 500,000 of them since is a with Hightech Industries for which there are not trained people. In combination here arrested 2 andion in Community College at the rescuer of the of a more automobileystery industry, creating 300,000 jobs, saving millions. Energy costs, reducing the cost of energy for middleclass families, doubling mile in standards, saving 1. 70 trillion. Over 12 billion barrels of imported oil. Ladies and gentleman we are the worlds leading producer of oil and the Double Renewable Energy , and i will not take the time, but college affordability, we have increased the number by 3 million since taking office. Over 9 million middleclass families can keep their kids in 500ge because of a troy it will not double or have to and ladies and despite since to is his to a doesnt 8. And his leadership has reduced the National Debt by 2. 50 trillion. We have created 7. 5 million new have and the most educated and they do not understand why andannot generate besiegers canan generate you understand me. And theygoes on from a want to talk down to americas age java is allah and it goes beyond the job. It goes beyond how you treat the people of our country. And i could the iran silent any more. And 11 even regina and 11 Million People came out of the shadows to get their opportunity to treat those people with dignity. That is what has been expressed and as in essence the i will prepare for is he will use ahead and it is not a as a and a review the in made for us. Mypresident is absolutely daughter and four granddaughters will have every single solitary opportunity my and itd ran funds have. S not i have been saying this for the last four years. The American People are weighing in. You notice that when we announced our gay marriage decision, the American People agreed with us. Immigration, what a surprise, the American People are always ahead of leadership. Ladies and gentlemen, its always been the story of the history of the journey with this country that the American People have been ahead. I know i have been criticized for saying it and i will say it again, thats what makes america exceptional. In the area of foreign policy, the president and i were determined from the outset to reestablish that notion of a shining city on a hill, where we are once again the most respected nation in the world, we are once again looks to not just for the example of our power, but the power of our example. World hasy the repaired to america for so long. You at this steak fry in 2007 at opposite ends of the platform, but he and i said the exact same thing, coincidentally. We said the first order of business if either of us were elect and would be to and the war in iraq and we did. We ended the war in iraq. [applause] thepresident gave me responsibility of coordinating the effort to end the war trade the proudest moment as vice in this gods ending awful gaudy palace of Saddam Hussein before american troops and iraqi troops and having the great honor of dismissing the american troops and saying like every american troop it for you, you are going home with nothing in hand but the certain knowledge that you did your job and you are coming home. [applause] gentlemen, we promised you we would end the war in afghanistan, and i guarantee you we will end the war in afghanistan. [applause] but what we believe from the havet, everybody says why you become such good friends . I have Great Respect for everyone for whom with whom i ran into thousand seven. But if you go back and look at those 13 debates, the only two people who never disagreed on a single, solitary subject in those debates were barack obama and joe biden. The reason i tell you that is this this has been seamless. It has been a great honor to work for him, worked under him, work with him. From the outset in foreign policy, he was thermined, as i was, that best way to defend our National Interest was working in consort with the International Community, not at odds with it. Obviously every president reserves the right to act alone if american interests are at stake. But he knows we are much stronger when we act in consort with our allies in the International Community. That is exactly how he stepped up to deal with the atrocities of that were occurring in syria, with a fundamental violation of human rights by the use of gas for the first time without the world responding since early on at the end of world war i. Wasrs have used it, but he not going to allow it to happen on his watch. As the president said, the use of chemical weapons anywhere in the world is an affront to Human Dignity and a threat to the security of people everywhere. Let me note parenthetically that i think john kerry has been one of the best secretaries of state so far in the history of the United States of america. [applause] because the president charged him when the president when do the g8, he is the one who raised with Vladimir Putin why , why dont wely jointly, since its not an either of our interests to allow the largest stockpile in the world to go unattended, why dont we jointly moved to the United Nations and jointly secure it and destroy it . A lot of cynics were of the view that putin would not respond, but he did respond, not because hes a good guy, because its in his naked selfinterest. Self interest of russia to see these weapons not fall into anyones hands. As a consequence of the incredible work of john kerry with his counterpart, the weeign minister of russia, are going to the United Nations with a resolution this week that will in fact call on the United Nations and the world to put to have thesyria confiscation and destruction of all those weapons. Gentlemen, as the president has said, while we made important progress, much work remains to be done. The United States will continue russia, the united kingdom, france, the United Nations, to ensure this process is verifiable and there are consequences should assad regime not comply to the framework agreed to. The president s vision is absolutely clear and absolutely straightforward. Then fact is the reason why World Community is facing up finally to this hideous aspect of these largest stockpile in the history of chemical weapons being confiscated and destroyed. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a clear vision of america. It rest on a growing and prosperous middle class where the Playing Field is level, where the middle class has a fighting chance, and where again we lead the world by the power of our example, ending torture, ending the war, refusing to yield to the baser side of human nature. Convinced i said to tom, he and i came into politics at about the same time. When i got elect it is a 29 yearold kid, i was referred to as the young idealist. Even to this day, even on the old guy in the white house, they talk to me of talk about me as the white house optimist. I am an optimist. I am more optimistic about americas chances today than when i was one i arrived as a 29yearold kid. There is not a single reason in we will not leave the world of the 21st century trade the reason for that is really simple. Peopler the american have been given half a chance, they have never, never, never ever let their country down. Is what my president is about, making sure the people have an even chance. Ofi told the president china, who i know well, as i told mr. Putin when i last had a conversation with him, it is never, ever been a good that tube that against the American People. Very god blessll our president and may god protect our troops. Thank you. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2013] thank you again for showing up for the 36th annual harkin steak fry. We will see you next year. Stop by Fleetwood Mac playing] you can see vice President Joe Biden parse remarks again at 6 30 eastern here on cspan. We are going to take you live now to birmingham, birmingham, alabama for the 60th anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. Every person who hears my voice to confront injustice wherever it is found, to isolate those who act out of hate, and to make real a Brighter Future and the more just world that addie may, cynthia, carol and denise never had the chance in which to live. [applause] as the father of two young daughters who are now almost , itn, it is heartbreaking is heartbreaking for me to look at photographs of these little heroine as i have so many times over the years and see how innocent and how full of hope and use they were when they were taken from us and denied the chance to become the remarkable women they might have been. Our nation lost something precious on that sunday. Earlier this summer, i was honored to stand with president obama and lets think about that president barack obama. [applause] the 50th anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. You can keep watching coverage on our companion network, c span3 until 6 00 p. M. You can catch a streaming online. Now some news surrounding the Obama Administration and the president must possible choice of Larry Summers, the president of harvard university, for the chair of the federal reserve. A letter was sent from Larry Summers to the president. He withdrew from consideration as the fed chairman says i have reluctantly concluded any possible confirmation process for me would be acrimonious and would not serve the wrists of the federal reserve, the administration or ultimately the interests of the nations ongoing economic recovery. Obama says he has accepted summers withdraw and says he was a critical number of my team as we face downward economic crisis since the great depression. I will always be grateful to larry for his tireless work and service on behalf of his country and i look forward to continuing to seek his guidance and counsel in the future. Obama also declared a major disaster in colorado. As and severe flooding and then slides there. He has opened federal aid for temporary housing, home repairs, lowcost loans. Boneresident spoke on the to the colorado governor that he is going to be sending fema administrator the fema administrator to colorado to manage the federal response there. Internationally, the u. S. For the report on chemical weapons in syria is expected to be released tomorrow, to confirm the use of chemical weapons and what kind of chemicals were used. There was a breakthrough inations in dosh russia on saturday. Representatives from france were not present at the negotiations. The french president says he has not will doubt intertel ruled out military intervention in syria but france will be involved in meetings held in france tomorrow and they will be working on a u. S. Resolution setting out how serious will be securing and destroying its chemical stockpiles. We talked about syrias chemical weapons this morning on washington journal. Host we have reached a deal, it says to dispose of the arms. And delay indefinitely any sort of military strike. Let me show our viewers the language of this deal what do you make of that . This is a big breakthrough in a number of different ways. Just a week ago, we were looking at the possibility of Cruise Missile strikes to degrade syria are sizable chemical arsenal. Arewe are not now we talking about eight nonmilitary means to do even more which is to account for, verify and eventually eliminate this stockpile which is about the fourth largest in the world. So there are going to be a lot of difficult steps along the way, but when i think is remarkable about this is its not just the United States and france, but its also russia. Syrias main patron. Assad may try to delay or obtuse gate, but i think it is now in his interest to cooperate with russia as part of this package and to move through this a very accelerated schedule, which is faster than most chemical weapons. Language says immediate and unfettered access. What does that mean . The agreement says a complete accounting of all of its chemical weapons. The precursor agents, the production sites, etc. He should be able to do that. Assad has very tight controls over his weapons and he should be able to do that. That would be the first test. Following that, the inspectors from the organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons need to move in, they need to go to these sites and verify that declaration which means they need to eyeball the stockpiles and make sure the syrian declaration is accurate. Aided u. S. And russian intelligence which is a good. One of the things in this agreement says the u. S. And russia have agreed on, have a common understanding of the extent of syrias arsenal. There were reports yesterday that the United States and were going to get more information about the stockpile. Unlike the situation in iraq in 1991 after the first gulf war, the United States and russia and the organization for the prevention of chemical weapons should have a good idea of what theyre looking for which should make the accounting and instruction job easier and faster. When it says immediate, does that mean as soon as this assigned customer who are these inspectors . First thing the agreement says is the United States and russia will take this to the Chemical Weapons Convention. That organization i expect is going to meet weekly this week and approve this. I dont think theres going to be any trouble. Simultaneously, the u. S. And russia are going to take this plan to the un security council, where the council will adopt a resolution that parallels this agreement. I think even before then, the u. S. And russia are expecting assad to comply with the schedule. Immediate and unfettered means immediate and unfettered. It is not in his interest to deny the inspectors access at this stage. Thursday, assad said they would join the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Prime Minister welcomed this agreement. Resistance,there is the United States reserves the right to use military force even over russias objectives. That sort of damocles still hangs over a saw but said. Its not just the United States, but russia. The organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons has been working for over 15 years to verify the destruction of the world chemicals. Aisles. Worlds chemical stockpiles grade they have about a hundred inspectors but they have a lot of jobs to do. Inspections of Chemical Industrial facilities around the world. They oversee the remaining and russian of u. S. Stockpiles. They continue to do work in libya. Sources andx their teams and they are going to need additional Financial Assistance to make this happen. They are going to need additional inspectors that they will have to call upon. I think they are scrambling to at their together organizational headquarters in the hague. How will they be able to do this when there is no ceasefire to the civil war in syria . Guest that is one thing that makes this unprecedented. There have been situations where stockpile has been accounted for, inspected, destroyed, but not during wartime. One thing we have to remember is the Syrian Government has been keeping tight control over their a love and hundred tons or so of chemical weapons agents. Rise toe their most literary possessions, so these are likely in the best controlled areas of government territory. Assure,uld be able to the Syrian Government, the security of the in specters and the work of the inspectors. In the contested areas outside of the masochists outside of damascus. Once they are there to the sites, they should be able to do their jobs. Get theirdid syria stock i love weapons and does that help them try to get rid of them . Of their job will be to look into the history of syrias chemical weapons program. Thea has been developing arsenal for about 20 years and it really accelerated after the iraq war when Saddam Hussein was using chemical weapons in that war with regularity. Syria saw the International Reaction then, which was very weak. The United States and other countries did not protest nearly as loudly if at all. So syria started opening up its stockpiles. The problem with chemical weapons is the precursor chemicals used to make the deadly poison gases are really common chemicals. There are all sorts of industrial uses. So it is relatively easy to acquire the chemicals and production facilities for useful, normal industrial purposes. It will be helpful to know how to put this program together. You can watch the rest of that on recession online. Just go to www. Cspan. Org coming up, newsmakers with representative rob wittman. Q a. Our guest on newsmakers this week is representative rob wittman of virginia. He is the chairman of the subcommittee on readiness, which puts him in responsibility of the biggest line items in the pentagon budget. Let me introduce our reporters who will be questioning our subject, Donna Cassata and rick maze