The relentless and often intense efforts by judy and scott, the partners and associates and staff of gilbert llp law firm, that is where we are right now, they made me take the jacket off. Kim reeser of capitol hill their efforts have been inconceivable. Senator Patrick Leahy of vermont has been instrumental in shepherding the arrival of this day. I want to thank members of congress from all sides of the aisle. Senators chris van hollen, barbara lee, and numerous others who spoke up or visited me, subjected themselves to my ranting and helped me regain some of my weight. Even in cuba, eminems melt in your mouth, not in your hand. To those of you who were unable to visit, thank you for trying. Im at your service as soon as i get some new teeth. I hope being they will be Strong Enough to make a difference. To the washington jewish inmunity, ron howard particular and his staff at the Jewish Community relations council, all the executive ,irector staff and volunteers federations, synagogue
The saudis have been very aligned after 9 11. This is a turn. I decided im going to go and represent the president in saudi arabia. So i have never been. I called everybody. The state department. The cia. Everyone would get me ready. They are consistent in one thing. Absolutely, you can go. The saudis will view it as insulting because you are a woman. I dont know, how would i know . So i wait for my right moment to approach president bush and say to him, looked this is what i have been told. And you are not into her my feelings. Maybe this is really important. Maybe it is better if you send somebody else. And you know, i am happy to bow out. The president is quite irritated and says to me, it is not your choice. It is mine. What you dont understand about the saudis is that they wont care if you kind of were a big purple dinosaur. The fact of the matter is, you did he just say big purple dinosaur really . No, he didnt very he didnt. [laughter] we almost made twitter news. Anyway, i spen
Receive as many written questions as necessary to by the end of Business Today so you can review them and have your answers returned so that we can get your confirmation to the floor early next week. If not, as you know the week after that were in a recess so well try and get it accomplished accomplished. I heard a door close. I just simply want to thank you for the service of the nation and thank you, mr. Chairman, for a very productive hearing. Thank you. Well, i just cant hold the witness any longer senator mccain, i think hes running around the ante room to this entrance. I would expect him to pop through in about ten seconds. Senator lee. Welcome. Thank you very much, mr. Chairman. Youve been very patient today and answered a lot of questions and i just wanted to talk to you briefly about religious freedom within the military. I think the ability to believe according to ones own belief system and to express those views appropriately is of utmost importance to the morale ofto all o
Ignorant, i think. And i want to add to that. My colleague had said change is no the a valid Foreign Policy doctrine. Hope and policy is not going to guide us to anywhere positive or successful. Thank you. First of all, i think the panel is excellent. Thank you very much. Its a reflection, i think, certainly of my views and i think the assessment of many here the policy and why its misguided and illadvised. My question is a practical one. Considering it is the policy now and i think the ambassador talked about what the president should do with respect to foreign leaders. Im not holding my breath. I dont think he will do that because the policy already reflects i think a fundamental misunderstanding of the realities of cuba. So from a practical stand poicht and ill count myself as not in the obama camp. We have a republican majority. Im a republican, for the record in congress. What he can what can we do for the next two years knowing the reality is around the edges we can do certain th
Gasoline prices that have fueled optimism but which are unrelated to any white house policy. Mr. Obama is also tonight going big on tax hikes. Proposing more than 300 billion dollars in new taxes. Hes still pushing taxpayerpaid Community College for all and looking for fast track trade promotion and negotiating authority from congress. And the president has already threatened to veto seven prospective bills in the Republicanled Congress. The Republican Leadership dismissed tonights speech as another campaign event, a speech loaded with proposals they declare to be nonstarters. I think any president in this situation has a choice he can sort of act like hes still running for office or he can focus on the things that we have a chance to reach an agreement on. Obviously, thats what i hope well hear tonight is a speech that brings us together and doesnt push us apart. Lou also here tonight u. S. Diplomats in a motorcade on their way to the u. S. Embassy were shot at in yemen, despite the t