Im bradly graham the cohonor of politics and prose and welcome and thank you so much for coming. We were vers very excited when we learned of last years hearings on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court that ruth marcus was writing a book on the subject because we knee that if anyone could deliver an indepth hen the scene s account of what happened, and also put the whole drama into a grander plate context it would be ruth. Her bookes revealing and incitele and evened hands and fast pace and elusive pros makes for a compelling read. In the acknowledgments she calls thats book she has been preparing to write for her entire career. And indeed she brought to it a wealth of knowledge and experience. Out indicate net history at yale and the how at harvard she went into journalism after he studies and spent 35 years at the Washington Post, closely observing how washington works and developing a wide network of friends and sources. I think nearly all of whom are here tonight.
At one point, he even shot your mother in the back of the head. Right. I mean, there are a lots of stories in american politics and elsewhere of people who have a drive and ambition that comes from an abusive home is that something you recognise as part of your experience . Well, i wont deny that adversity shapes you as a human being, you know . The more challenges you face and overcome, the stronger you become as a human being. They also have the ability to debilitate you, you know, and i think im only here because of my mother. Shes a woman who was able, you know, she would say by the grace of god, to persevere. She was able to, time and time again, overcome these obstacles, and that is not an easy thing to do, notjust to overcome them, but to come out of them enlightened on the other side and finding a purpose for why it happened in your life, or what you got from it. You know, sometimes you say, everything happens for a reason. I dont like that phrase, i go, you can take reason fro
There are some news about john back to the white house. He may urge the Obama Administration to bypass congress on a number of issues. What are you hearing . I think that is old news. Has been what has been going on for several years. Essentially since the 2010 congressional election. Been the wholes strategy on environmental policy and a bunch of other things since republicans took the house in 2010. It is hard for me to imagine how they can double down on that. I think they are doublet that already. I can imagine podesta continuing to carry that out. What is your biggest concern . Whichis what it is now, is that the Obama Administration in many cases in Environmental Action and others as going beyond his constitutional going beyond their role in terms of executive action. I think that should be a very broadbased concern whether you agree or disagree with what they are doing, just in terms of constitutional democracy. What is the senate roll to stop that if you are opposed to it . Wer
Sunday at 4 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan3. Washington journal continues. Host joining us from our new york studio, Bernard Kerik, former new York City Police officer to Police Police a nomination a nominee to be the interim interior minister, and also a felon. What happened . I had advised president bush that i had hired an illegal anny and failedn to pay payroll tax. I went through a fiveyear investigation. In november of 2009 i pled eight felonies, most of which were related to my childrens nanny. I was sentenced to 48 months in the federal prison and i spent three years and 11 days in a minimal security what was that experience like for you . Guest it is like the same as it is for anyone else that has been in jail or prison. The deprivation of freedom is more profound than anyone knows especially for someone that has been a lawabiding citizen and for someone in my position that has been a Law Enforcement officerff for i had a 3035 year impeccable career up until that point ande then to
Going to go back to school in january. Its a new school where theyre trying to replicate like sandy hook. They want every crayon in the right place. Were also going to go, as part of our search for solutions, inside one of the safest schools in the country. You wouldnt believe how they protect the students in school. The question, of course, being are these extreme measures about to become routine in schools . Certainly, a fascinating look. Also, a shocking verdict in the case of the High School Valedictorian in michigan accused of killing his mother. Were going to go inside a stunned courtroom. Were going to switch gears. You saw it in the open. Get ready, everybody. It is perhaps our biggest deals and steals event, ever. All for the holidays. How about 15 hockey jackets . Just for starts. Lets get to sam. That major storm sweeping across the country. And i guess blizzards in some places. Maybe tornados in others . Exactly. And its going to be a long storm. This is just getting starte