University of Southern California for the 20th annual Los Angeles Times festival of books. And why cuba matters. Before we get into cuba, for those who dont know why you are, give us a brief biography. I am an archaeological dig. I am 75 years old. I come from michigan and wisconsin. I was a student in 1960 at the university. I have always been a writer. I became an activist and freedom rider in the early 60s and i was in the anti vietnam war movement, 50 years ago this week, the first peace demonstration in washington and we are commemorating that on may 1st and Second Coming up in washington. Then i went on to 18 years in the California Legislature and off and on i wrote, and i right for publication, the nation, i right hubble log tom hayden. Com and books that reflect my experience combined with whatever study or interviews i am able to do which brings us to cuba. Listen, yankee why cuba matters just came out. You had to update it because of what president obama did. I believe from
That night stood in front of his 87yearold aunt susie and said, you dont have to do this. We mean no harm to you. I introduced them to cynthia hern whose life motto was to be kinder than necessary. That is now my life motto. Every opportunity have, i mentioned the nine we lost and the three survivors. The emmanuel 12. Those 12 who took in someone that night who didnt look like them, didnt act like them, didnt sound like them. They didnt call the police. They didnt throw him out. Instead, they pulled up a chair and they prayed with him for an our. I mention them because i dont want to be just the families that know their love and compassion and greatness of these amazing people. I want the whole world to know them as my children and i do. The second thing that needed to happen was removing the Confederate Flag from our state house grounds. There are many honorable, decent people in our state who revere that flag. They are not racist. They are the same people who twice elected an african
The president of the United States and mrs. Michelle obama. [applause] [applause] [cheers] [applause] pres. Obama thank you so much, everybody. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening, everybody. Good evening pres. Obama on behalf of michelle and myself, welcome to the white house. Over the past eight years, this has always been one of our favorite nights, and this year i was especially looking forward to seeing how joe walsh cleans up. [laughter] pres. Obama pretty good. I want to begin by once again thanking everybody who makes this wonderful evening possible, including dave rubenstein, the Kennedy Center trustees im getting a big echo back there and the Kennedy Center president. Give them a big round of applause. [applause] pres. Obama we have some outstanding members of congress here tonight, and we are honored also to have Vicki Kennedy and three of her grandchildren with us here. [applause] pres. Obama the arts have always been part of life at the white house, because the arts are alw
That night stood in front of his 87yearold aunt susie and said, you dont have to do this. We mean no harm to you. I introduced them to cynthia hern whose life motto was to be kinder than necessary. That is now my life motto. Every opportunity have, i mentioned the nine we lost and the three survivors. The emmanuel 12. Those 12 who took in someone that night who didnt look like them, didnt act like them, didnt sound like them. They didnt call the police. They didnt throw him out. Instead, they pulled up a chair and they prayed with him for an our. I mention them because i dont want to be just the families that know their love and compassion and greatness of these amazing people. I want the whole world to know them as my children and i do. The second thing that needed to happen was removing the Confederate Flag from our state house grounds. There are many honorable, decent people in our state who revere that flag. They are not racist. They are the same people who twice elected an african
The president of the United States and mrs. Michelle obama. [applause] [applause] [cheers] [applause] pres. Obama thank you so much, everybody. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening, everybody. Good evening pres. Obama on behalf of michelle and myself, welcome to the white house. Over the past eight years, this has always been one of our favorite nights, and this year i was especially looking forward to seeing how joe walsh cleans up. [laughter] pres. Obama pretty good. I want to begin by once again thanking everybody who makes this wonderful evening possible, including dave rubenstein, the Kennedy Center trustees im getting a big echo back there and the Kennedy Center president. Give them a big round of applause. [applause] pres. Obama we have some outstanding members of congress here tonight, and we are honored also to have Vicki Kennedy and three of her grandchildren with us here. [applause] pres. Obama the arts have always been part of life at the white house, because the arts are alw