Transcripts For CSPAN Washington Journal 20160315

In primary states, florida, illinois, missouri, North Carolina and tell us who you are supporting and why. If you are a democrat the phone number is you can also catch up with us on social media. Good Tuesday Morning to hear his look at what is at stake today. On the republican side of the ledger, 367 pledged delegates are at stake today. The most pledged delegates since march 1. Delegates atst stake of any day on the republican primary calendar. The magic number needed to win the republican nomination is 1237. Theld trump at 460 now and rest of the republican field trying to chase him. On the democratic side, 691 pledged delegates at stake today. For democrats, 2383. Hillary clinton at 1234. Bernie sanders at 579. A big day on the election trail, on the primary trail. We are joined by a familiar voice, rubber cost of robert costa. Good morning to you. Robert good morning from florida. Host youre in florida, florida being a must win state for marco rubio today. I was with senator rubio last night. He spoke in the back of a pickup west in his hometown of miami. It has been a difficult road for the hometown senator. Hes been behind in the polls in florida, trying to catch up, trying to save his bid. It looks like donald trump is going to win here in florida. His second florida home. Although his organization here is limited, he has strong grassroots base. The florida, according to average of polls, is going for trump now 42. 1 to marco rubios 23 . Another must win state ohio. Take us through where that stands in the home state of governor john kasich. Robert ohio on the republican side is certainly the state to watch. That is why donald trump was there last night. Was planning to be in miami last night along with rubio. He changed his plans and went to youngstown, ohio. Had a rally with governor christie of new jersey. Those polls have been very exciting in ohio. Kasich, whos only been able to do well in a few key states in the northeast, he thinks because of his network in ohio, his ability to have an operation there, he can be competitive. Now the republican establishment kasich as someone that could be a viable alternative to trump. Was the favorite for that kind of role in the party for a long time but because rubio has fallen behind and kasich is competitive in ohio, that dynamic has changed. Amidst all of this you have ted cruz, the texas senator, hes in missouri well and North Carolina. And pick up delegates. Host what is going to be an early tell from you . Where is the first place there could be a sign that the polls maybe off . Robert i think you have to Pay Attention to the suburbs in florida. Rubio has done well with latebreaking voters and the sobers. Suburbs. Corridor, voter rich. Florida,is able to win it is one of the big stories. And case it, you have to keep an idea on an eye on rural voters in ohio. Host take us to tonight on the democratic side what youre going to be watching there. Robert weve seen from senator sanders, especially with his recent win in michigan, it was a narrow win but a significant one, that when it comes to labor states, states that have high white populations that have workingclass backgrounds that are part of the democratic base, he does very well. So, senator sanders is looking at ohio especially as a state where he can remain competitive in this race. That is why think senator sanders as if you look at the collegeeas of ohio in areas of columbus and ohio state, that is where place he of doing well. E senator clinton, her campaign in florida, her campaign is very good. She has done well on the airwaves. Florida is a state that is so big you have to have a lot of campaign ads. She has a large presence on tv. Missouri, you can see someone like clinton doing well, but also senator sanders because it is a midwest state. In the south, clinton has done so well in the south. That remains her base. Africanamerican voters gravitating towards her. Host we have heard so much about trade policy, the tpp, the Transpacific Partnership leading up to these key battles in manufacturing states in ohio and illinois. Do you expect these to remain in the air so much on the campaign trail and on the airwaves as the contest moves out west, are you expecting other policy issues to fall into debate . Robert i think trade and immigration are intertwined in election, especially in the Republican Party. But it has been across both parties on trade and when you talk about the Transpacific Partnership, it is really a discussion about jobs. About stagnation. So many workers out there who are in industrial and service jobs, feel like their wages are stagnated. They have not seen sufficient growth in the ir income. They blame these trade deals. And that is what is fueling a lot of the economic unrest, drawn people to sanders, making people to maybe look to trump. That outside a populated popularity is because what people have assigned the trade blame. Some economists said it should not be all blamed on these trade deals, but that is the mood in both parties in the electorate. Costa, always appreciate your time. Thanks so much for joining us this morning. Well be covering tonights primary results starting at 7 00 on cspan. You can see the candidates speeches. We will have live your collins as well. This morning on washington journal, we are hearing from just voters in those five primary states that are voting today. We want to hear who youre voting for and why. States North Carolina, florida, ohio, illinois, and misery. We will start in gainesville, florida. Tim, good morning. Line for democrats. Caller thanks for taking my call. Host are you going to the polls, have you been there already . Been tot caller i have the polls already. I voted last week wednesday for Bernie Sanders, endorsed by Harry Belafonte and cornell west. Im so proud of him as a candidate. Proud of the way he has grown as a candidate. I am proud to hear him say that black lives matter in any Police Shooting is going to trigger an investigation. Host what do mean the way he has grown as a candidate . Caller oh, just the way he has embraced the issues. He has brought people from black lives matter into his campaign. The way that hes talk about president obama, for example, and talks about how we should all be offended by the fact that hes been attacked on his americanness, being called a muslim. M gainesville, florida. Florida polls close tonight at 7 00 p. M. Some parts of the states at 8 00 p. M. In North Carolina, 7 30. Ohio 7 30. Illinois at0 and 8 00. Lets head to North Carolina where debbie is waiting period republican. Good morning. For taking myyou call. Good morning, america. We need to get out and we need to do our jobs today, people. I will be going to the polls today and i will be voting for senator ted cruz. I want a true conservative. I want someone who doesnt stick his finger up in the air and figure out which way the wind blows. He does not bend to the constitution and he does not bend to our bill of rights. So, senator ted cruz has my support. Host before you go, do think its time for john kasich and marco rubio to get out of the race and d and let it be a one on one race between ted cruz on donald trump . Caller that is not my place to say. I just say, please, search your conscience. Please do what is right for america. Like i said, it is not my place themy, you know, and tell what to do. I asked them to pray about it and please, please, please look at your conscious and do what is right for america. Thank you and have a blessed day. Host dee in portsmouth, ohio. You are on washington journal caller i will probably be voting for trump. Host why is that . One thate is the only is trying to keep this country from turning to a Muslim Country and then we will havesharia law. Host did you go to any trump events in ohio . Caller no. Have been around here. All have gotten his calls. Is calls. Host did you vote already today . Caller no, im going today. Attemptnald trump an appeal to the Manufacturing Base in ohio and the issue of trade policy that is so important, especially in that part of the country. Has an oped in usa today. Middleclass needs better deal on trade, is Donald Trumps headline. The American Worker is being crushed. The situation is about to get worse at the Transpacific Partnership is not stop. Im the only candidate that will bring jobs back. Ive been warning for decade if we my fears have come to pass. That being published in todays usa today on the opinion page. Ohio. Is also in line for democrats. Good morning. Caller good morning. Im voting for clinton. I believe she is more experienced and knows what she is doing. And i cant vote for in the primary for a person like sanders that 30 in congress, he had three bills. Two for putting up new post offices. I do not think he is the right one to be our president. Host one of our earlier callers said how he liked how Bernie Sanders has grown as a candidate on the campaign trail. Youre saying that it is about sort of the work they have done before being on the campaign trail . Caller yes, i think it is. If you look at his, his history. He hasnt really published anything. I have a comment for that lady that just called. Are talkingthey about muslims taking over the country because i have watched television, iwatch news and cspan. Heard one single word about anything like that. Are not know where they getting their information. They are probably getting it from talk radio. Host diane is in toledo, line for republicans. Good morning. Caller i voted this morning for ted cruz. Host why ted cruz . Caller i decided that trump is a bit of a blowhard. Looking for someone that has some tax when dealing with others, whether it is Foreign Policy or negotiating with congress. Kasich, hes ok. Probably the thing that turned me off with kasich is the medicaid expansion. I am looking for someone who is seriously fiscally conservative. He uses it as his reason for doing so so he can get into heaven. Maybe hed further expand its we can get his entire family into heaven. Who supports the constitution. Nobody is perfect. Nobody has the total ideals i would look for but i guess i will go with with the constitutional guy. I press the level for ted. Host we talked about the math earlier. There have been some of those republicans and the networks to say the best way to stop down much of is for a kasich win in ohio. Do you get into the numbers on the strategy . Does that matter to . Caller i thought about that. I thought maybe i should cast a ballot for kasich, says it sounds like he has got the best chance. I did think about it but then i decided i really need to go with my values. I thought kasich was not that guy. And its probably closer to ted cruz. Host call from toledo. The real clear politics average of polls has kasich at 36 . Donald trump at 33. 3 . Ted cruz at 20 . Marco rubio at just 5. 3 in ohio. Real clear politics takes several of the major polls out there, averages those polls and tracks that average over the course of the election. So, if you want to look at their numbers, you can check out their website. Barbara up next, melbourne, florida, line for democrats. Good morning. Caller good morning. Good morning. Host you are on the washington journal forer im going to vote donald trump. Im registered democrat. So i cannot vote republican but election, i will be voting for donald trump. Host why, youre a democrat. Why dont the Democratic Candidates appeal to you . Caller ive heard the same thing for a long, long time. So, im just going to try Something Different because i am tired of medicare and this prescription drugs and then ill be getting some of my money back that i paid in to the system. The attention over this past weekend is focused on violence at donald trump offense and other republicans and democratic candidate saying donald trump needs to do more to tamp down on the rhetoric to try to help control that. What do you make of the coverage of that, and have you seen that on your tv in florida . Caller ive seen it. In orlando, there were protesters, but what is happening in florida, we have a lot of diverse communities. Donalds are afraid that will tear their families apart. So the childrens are afraid. So, families need to tell their children it is not hes going to do it legally with the visas and all. And he needs to tone down. They say he is too assertive, too aggressive. Sometimes anything you say, youre walking on thin ice, egg shells, and you are going to hurt somebodys feelings. Host thats barber in melbourne, florida. Two editorials from two different papers with two different takes on the violence at Donald Trumps rallies and who is responsible for it. Blaming the victim is the headline on the Washington Times when rioters shut down a political rally, everyone loses. They say that donald trump has First Amendment rights, too. Choices are available to his many critics, condemning that violence at the trump rallies. The New York Times has a different take. Directed at his rallies in North Carolina, chicago and ohio, mr. Trump has offered only to find and further incitement. Violence the sickest part of his con. Here is donald trump in his Closing Arguments on monday referencing the governor of ohio, john kasich, his chief competitor in ohio. Mr. Trump the main thing i want you to do tonight go home. Go to sleep. Get a good roest. Get a good rest. Beat kasich. He is not going to be a good president. Hes weak on the borders. He signed nafta. Nafta destroyed ohio. Now he wants to sign tpp. That is going to be worse. Ive studied it so carefully. That is going to be worse for ohio. It is going to take all of your car business out. The car business is going to be destroyed by tpp and he wants it. And nobody knows why he wants it, including himself. Maybe one of his lobbyists are demanding it. Maybe the special interest from the cars or something are demanding it. May be one of the other countries that are going to benefit are demanding it. Who knows . It is absolutely crazy. They do not even talk about monetary manipulation in the agreement. Its 6000 pages long. Its 12 countries at least. And here is what happens. We do not have people that read thse ese things. Those countries have read and diagnosed every single work. Boom, boom, boom. Do them with individual countries that deserve it. Dontt do it with a mass group. Watching. Yre they will come in through the back door at a later date and they will take it over and continue to laugh at hour stupa in our country stupid our country and our leaders are but it will not happen if im the leader. Host donald trump yesterday in ohio. Not just president ial primaries going on in some states. Some congressional primaries taking place as well as craig caplan notes. Congressional primaries in ohio and illinois today. First district, that is congressman bobby rush. In illinois, the 15th, john shimkus. A special election in the eighth district, the primary to replace former speaker john boehner. John boehner, of course, with an endorsement out for kasich in ohio. Well pull up the story from politico to show you the headline. Kasich. Votes for the speaker has voted for Ohio Governor john kasich. hes my friend. on saturday where john boehner spoke was his first public appearance in slaving congress. If you want to read more on that story, that is a political. Bloomington,udy in illinois, line for republicans. Good morning. Caller good morning. I voted for cruz. One of the things ive noticed never heardis ive him speak about the constitution ever. Ive listen to cspan, i watch it every day almost. Ralliesviolence at his just, i think he incites it. I think i dont think he in the beginning intended to do that but it seems like he plays on everything that draws attention to him. He loves the sound of his name, trump. Verynk that cruz is constitutional. He stands for the constitution, i think he will uphold the constitution and that is very important to me. Host andrew up next in missouri. Line for democrats. Caller good morning. Ill be voting for bernie this morning. Host why is that . Caller well, i think it is time for america to reinvest i itselfn. Put another bought and paid for politician in office. Int well go to gary fletcher, North Carolina. Line for independents. Caller good morning. Yeah, im getting ready to go out the door to vote for donald trump. Host why donald trump . Caller well, i think, im afraid of people falling into the welfare trap. Of socialism ideals. Berniek a lot of people, sanders side, they do not have american concerns. They have not lived in the country enough to understand how the system works. I think they vote more on not being export imported are having their families not being able to come. I think they have more personal concerns than they do cares for the country. I look at myself as kind of a cash cow american. I pay taxes. I have property taxes. Ive watched them go up. I what this immigration has been doing. Health Care Department land, North Carolina, has extra ats to, folding se accommodate the masses of people coming to the area. Young people are ok on socialism. I see them seeping into the socialism ideal. It kind of scares me because they do not understand what it is. Blackt, i think the community will do better with trump because a lot of these jobs will be filled up with genuine americans which blacks are. Im concerned about them because their problems are our problems. I do not know why they do not see that, why they take such a strong stance against trump, being a businessman and successful in america. We can learn a lot from that. I think politics to go further than trying to get grandma and grandpa back into the country here, add em into the country. I think people should be voting with a little bit more concern and education. Host lets go to john in lakeland, florida. Line for democrats. Caller good morning. Im voting for Bernie Sanders. Hes the only one that is going to make a real change. People say they want change but they want change they have to vote for bernie. He is the only one that is going to break up wall street and special interests and lobbyists in the white house and congress. Everyone talks about democrats. Remember when they had the house and senate . We cant get nothing done. The democrats did not get nothing done. No, because the republicans had their most, uh, what do you call it . Filibusters. They got the record in filibusters in the senate. Ive never seen so much filibustering in my life. We have got to get rid of the congress of the senate and the house. We have got to get rid of them. If you want something done, get rid of this tea party. Remember back in 2010 . They ran on jobs. Where are the jobs they said they are going to get. They lie. They always lie. We get rid of this congress and his house and senate, we will get something done. Host what do you want to replace the house and the senate with congress with . Throw them all out and elect new people . Caller yes. From out and get democrats in there, and you will see a difference, i guarantee you. Lakeland, florida. Here is Bernie Sanders in columbus, ohio. This was Bernie Sanders on sunday talking to the crowd there. [video clip] senator sanders what this campaign is about is creating a political revolution. It is the understanding that no president , not Bernie Sanders or anybody else, can do it alone, that we need millions of people to jump into the political process. Never seen we have in recent history. And the bottom line is when we stand together, as black and white and latino and asian americans, gay and straight, people born in this country, people coming to this country, when we stand together, yes, we the power to take on the billionaire class and, yes, we will have the power to create a government that works for all of us, not just the 1 . Host this morning on this super tuesday2 we are talking to voters in the key primary states voting today, North Carolina, ohio, florida, and illinois. We will talk about who you are voting for and why. Here are a couple of tweets lets go to murphy, North Carolina, the line for republicans, good morning walter. Guest good morning, i voted for trump and i did it on early voting on friday along with my next for neighbors who also voted for trump. From folks are originally another area. He was a union man, electrical worker who worked on electrical systems. Is union told him to vote for Hillary Clinton. His status to republican. For republican, democrats, and independents cant vote for anyone. I change from independent to republican. , inreason i voted for trump cherokee county, North Carolina, where murphy is the county seat, there are approximately 1520 empty industrial sites, lee jeans, coats of america, just vacant, massive acreage buildings. Some of these buildings and employed anywhere from 200300 folks in this little county. They are gone. They went south of the border or they went across the ocean. This is just unbelievable. Jeans, when it was operating in this county, the prosperity was incredible. You saw people driving your cars and now youve got poor folks with 15 and 20yearold cars trying to make it day to day. Most of them are on some type of relief from the government. These are good quality people that dont have a College Education or a hightech education but they are good people and they know how to work with their hands. This is the reason i voted for trump. We need to bring these jobs back. I am a former business owner. I am going on 73 years old and i have owned several businesses i have employed many people. I took care of them and what have you. This is the reason i voted for trump. I hope i did not overstate my case. Host i appreciate the call from North Carolina. That state is where donald trump had a rally in which there was an incident where protester was being led out and was hit by a trump supporter. That incident got caught on camera and a lot of attention to that incident, a followup story from that from the Washington Post. The violence at trump rallies are getting attention over the weekend after in event was canceled in chicago and there was an arrest in st. Louis on saturday. Tampa, florida is for democrats, kelly good morning. Good morning, im voting for Bernie Sanders. I have been up 40 year democrat. I get amused people compare donald trump to bernie. They are polar opposites. Trump is an egomaniac it. Hillary and the clintons are in it for power. I hear this talk of anger. Americans are angry and thats why they are following trump. Are you kidding . Where were you people when george w. Bush was bleeding let000 jobs per month and us into a war and was giving tax cuts to people like donald trump . Donald trump said recently he was going to send our troops over to fight isis. Send your too little rich sons. Bernie is the real deal. We will get back to more of your calls and just seconds. I want to update you on other news stories going on around the world. Specifically, the announcement that russia will begin withdrawing forces from syria. Joining us by phone is kevin baron, executive editor of defense one. Take us through this withdrawal announcement. Was this expected and why now . [video clip] even the White House Reporter got word of it from the press secretary and he was unaware that it happened. Vladimir putin seems to have taken the world by surprise just as he entered syria. He announced yesterday that today would be the start of withdrawal from syria. To restart theme peace talks and it looks like Vladimir Putin has the upper hand. Host what was his all in the first place . Has that been accomplished . Guest there were stated goals and then there were the real goals. Goal was that he was going to help with the fight against terrorism. There was little dumb by the russians to fight isis or any other terrorist group. They went in specifically to bolster assad and help give the government and the Syrian Forces must neededa respite to regain some territory. Frankly, the russians attacked the Syrian Opposition with the americans support with airstrikes and Ground Troops and artillery. They achieved that objective so and he out leading assad helped him bring to bring them to some sort of peace table and bolstered the position of the countrys sovereign later which goes in step with 50 years of russian and cold war politics when it comes to taking down leaders of countries. Host who does this withdrawal put pressure on . Does it put pressure on assad to take part in the piece process and have an agreement since Vladimir Putin will no longer be there for him militarily . Or is it putting more pressure on the west . Guest some argue that it puts assad in a place. Vladimir putin has given everything he can help legitimize his regime and his rules so now he can watch of the table and say now we can find our way out. At the same time, it gives some pressure to the americans and the west. He said he is pulling out as demanded. There are new facts on the ground with which to negotiate and off you go. He also kind of called some bluffs by pulling out. It was a fivemonth long intervention. We will see how long it last. S will retain an airbase. Host so its not a complete immediate withdrawal. Guest exactly, overnight, the russians sent the first groups of jets around the country. Out if you want to check defense of ones work on this, its defense one. Com. We have a few minutes left in this segment. We are talking to voters in florida, North Carolina, ohio, missouri, and illinois, the five key primary states that make up todays super tuesday 2. We want to hear how you are voting and why. Fort lauderdale, florida, line for republicans, good morning. Caller thank you so very much for allowing me to speak this morning. I understand why people want to vote for donald trump but my choice will be john kasich. Americans is because want to be together. We want to feel good together. We want to be together on the same road, on a road we all agree we should be on. Candidates, democrat and republican, claim thats what they want, there is only one that has the ability to do that and, in my opinion, its john kasich. This revenge politics, revenge against wall street, revenge against white people, revenge against black people, he said iis and they said that dont think the majority of americans want that. ,here is only one candidate democrat or republican, that has the ability, the ability, not the mouth, but the ability to put americans on a road we can and feel goodr on about our country. Of johnt me play some kasich Closing Argument at an event last night in ohio. [video clip] ohioe country is watching where the Geographic Center of gravity in every political election. It is happening now and it will happen again when i come here so that we can meet Hillary Clinton this fall. [applause] i was going to say, i was going to say that i need you one more time but im going to need you to more times. [laughter] [applause] and maybe practice will make perfect. The whole country is watching us. The whole world is watching us. Frankly, holding their breath about what we are all about. And im asking all of you to send a message around the country and send a message around the world that we have somebody who has a proven record, somebody who has been able to deliver for the people that elected him. Thats part of the question in peoples minds who can i trust . There is nobody better that can make that argument than the people that i grew up with, my neighbors in westerville. I am asking you as sincerely as i can, you have to get out and talk to everybody you knowing give me a vote so i can continue to run for president of the United States. [applause] that clip you can see behind john kasich, the 2012 nominee, mitt romney who joined him on the campaign trail. Time for a few more calls. Florida,n hilliard, line for independents, bruce. Caller thank you. I have already voted for hillary. Let me tell you why i do not vote for republicans. Republicans do not believe in Social Security. They do not believe in medicare. They do not believe in medicaid. They do not leave in the food stamp program. They do not believe in the constitution. Everyone one of the republicans diedout as soon as scalia and they would not consider any nominee from the president and thats a violation of the constitution. The republicans do not believe in science. They do not believe in labor unions. They do not believe in labor. Why in the world what i waste a on our god host line for republicans is next. Good morning. Caller today i voted for marco rubio. Ie reason why is because think in this election, we have a choice to make about what a country is like and what it means to be a part of a country and whether a country is more like a business are more like a family. In a business, thats great for making money but at the end of the day, the individuals of the company are expendable because the sense of the common good is all about the company and there is no sense of the individuals who make it up. People today need to make a decision and realize when you growrt, maybe america will as a whole economically but are you willing to compromise the person next to you. I think there is an understanding of community with marco rubio. We need someone who represents belonging. And someone who leads his country more like a father than a ceo. Who likes their bosses at the end of the day . If marco rubio does not win florida today and the polls have them down a bit, should he drop out . Is it time for him to exit . Caller i think that marco rubio will make the decision thats best for the country and i support that. Host what do you think is best . Rubio andam not marco i think he can make a decision best. When it comes down to making the choice, he will consider with best for the country. Donald trump does not have the capacity to think about that as much. At the end of the day, marco will make whatever decision he thinks is best for america. Host lets get one more from florida, line for democrats, the are, good morning. Whoer yes, i am a democrat crossed over and voted for donald trump and the reason i did was because i think he is can get candidate that things done in washington because he has a Republican Congress that would cooperate with him. He could get something done on outsourcing of jobs. He could get something done on v1 visa program. Hereare replacing people with Foreign Workers and he would get something done on the deficit. He would have a Republican Congress were the democratic candidate who i like what they say, they could not get anything done with a Republican Congress. Ted cruz or think marco rubio or john kasich and work with a Republican Congress . Is there any reason they would not work with those candidates . Caller i dont think they could get anything done. But congress is bought and paid for by the top 1 . Cruz and john kasich and marco rubio are but trump would use the bully pulpit and call them out when they are not doing the right thing. Withare more concerned whos going to give them a Large Campaign contributions than they are with whats good for the country. Thats the main problem we have with congress. They are totally in the bag for big as ms. And Large Campaign contributions. Host thats a democrat from florida voting for donald trump. Thats all for our calls in this segment. Up next, North Carolina is one of those states up today for super tuesday 2. Republicank to congresswoman Virginia Foxx about that. Later, another member of the congresswomantic kathy castor of florida will be here will talk about politics and her recent trip to cuba and the administrations efforts to restore diplomatic relations with that country. The Supreme Court is vested with his outsized amount of power and with that our comes great responsibility. You have individual sitting on the court unfettered for 3035 pass the smell test when it comes to a modern democracy. Talksday night, gabe roth about changes he would like to see at the Supreme Court including opening up oral arguments to cameras, imposing term limits on the justices, and requiring justices to a here to the same code of ethics that other federal judges follow. The Supreme Court decisions affect all americans. All americans are aware of the third branch of government and in the last 1015 years, the third branch of government has become so powerful. With issues on voting and marriage and health care and rightstion and womens am a pregnancy discrimination, these are issues that may be 30 years ago, congress and the executive branch would get together and figure out a compromise. That does not happen anymore. The buck stops in a Supreme Court in a way thats unprecedented in our history. Given that they are making these very impactful decisions in our lives am a the least we as a public can do is press them to comport with modern expectations of transparency and accountability. Sunday night at 8 00 eastern. Campaign 2016 continues today with primaries taking place in missouri, illinois, and swing states of ohio, North Carolina, and florida. Live coverage of the Election Results gets underway at 7 00 p. M. Eastern. Taking on the road to the white house on cspan, cspan radio and www. Cspan. Org. Washington journal continues. Host we are joined at our desk at North Carolina Republican Congresswoman, Virginia Foxx, Senior Member of the powerful house rules committee, a member of gop leadership. S are headed voter to the polls today. Guest we have lots of primaries today. We have a senatorial, a gubernatorial primary and the president ial primary, primaries for all of our offices. Its going to be an exciting day in North Carolina. Host lets focus on the president ial one. Have you endorsed or have any predictions on that . Guest i have not and door to me only prediction i have is the ones i have seen in the news and that is that mr. Trumps leading i believe senator cruz, according to the polls coming in second place and senator rubio is in third place. Host i want to get your thoughts. There was a lot of attention on violence at the donald trump rallies. It started with this incident in fayetteville that was caught on camera. There are news reports that donald trump was the insider of that right in the Sheriffs Office eight they will not indict him for inciting a riot in that event. What you make of donald trump rallies and the language used at the rallies . Do you blame donald trump of the violence . Guest i never condone violence. Even watch a violent movie on tv or go to a violent movie. I deplore violence of all kinds. I think the people who are committing the violence are the most responsible for whats happening. Its up to them to behave are not behave. There are times i think when people can use inflammatory language but thats really no excuse for any kind of violence. Should think any of us be doing anything that week could prevent from doing to encourage people to be violent. Host the speaker of the house said in an interview yesterday that there is never an excuse for condoning violence or even a culture that presupposes violence. Who do thisd those for political gain. He said i think the candidates have an obligation to prevent this from happening and tamp down anytime tatian from this to get out of control. Do you think its getting out of control . Guest i have not in at any of the rallies. I dont go to rallies and i dont know. All i know is what i see in the news media. I am very grateful for the police who were there, putting their lives on the line every day. I think our police and the capital every day for doing that because they are there to keep order. Emphasisere were more on policy issues. I dont even think the debates have done a very good job of bringing out the differences in policy. And focusing on what i think are irrelevant things. Focused onher we be bringing out policy issues to the American Public were different people stand. I do my best to focus on those things and never to bring up things that would cause folks to be distracted. This is an important election in this country. Every election is important but has the in particular potential for setting the course for the country for a long time and making a huge difference. I wish we could really focus on whats important and those are the issues. Member of thea house gop leadership and secretary of the republican conference. What is your role in that job . Guest one of my main roles is to help with the messaging from the republican conference. People position to have out speaking on the issues of the day and the issues better concerning the American People. That is one of my jobs. The secretary always does, we keep minutes of all of our meetings. And we have a lot of meetings. I am also there to assist members in getting their jobs done. I am generally available to help members with all kinds of rings. Bank for we run a job the republican conference where people can post jobs if they have Jobs Available in their offices and people looking for jobs can come to the job bank and see if they can find a fit with their skills and the jobs that are available. We do a whole bunch of things. My staff responds to a lot of staff requests for information and things we might be helpful for them. Monthits womens history and you are the fourth woman to represent North Carolina in the house. What is the messaging this election on womens issues for republicans . Guest every issue is a womans issue. I dont think there is anyone issue thats a womans issue. National security is as important to women as the mystic issues are two women. There are no womens issues, they are all the issues. One of the main things that we want to get across is that women have suffered a great deal in the last seven years under this administration in terms of the economy. Our wages have been stagnant, opportunities are not there, we have the highest number of people on food stamps. Are trying tons say to the American People as we have an alternative. Tohave lots of alternatives the situation we have been facing in the last seven years with this administration and particularly in the area of promoting opportunity and helping people get out of poverty. There are currently 84 women from 31 states serving in the house of representatives. Republicans and 62 are democrats. You talk about promoting opportunity. Our republicans doing enough to promote opportunities for women to run for ingress . Guest you mean in the Republican Party . Oh, yes. I think very much so. We see the difference in numbers pointed out a great deal. It is not that republicans are not promoting women to be involved. It takes a long time generally to get to be in congress. One needs to start early early in life a lot of times and get involved at the local level. Many republican women are august on their amylase. Many of them are Small Business owners and they cannot of or the time away from their business or they are involved in a larger business their family might own. Its often much harder for them to break away from Family Responsibilities and to to be able to run for public office. I began as a member of the school board in watauga county. I went to a School Board Meeting one night and the school board was being particularly incompetent and a friend of mine was there and said why dont you run for the school board. I said no, im not qualified. And imy masters degree was teaching at Appalachian State university and i was an administrator. But many women feel that way that they are not qualified even though they have the qualifications because they truly have not focused on serving in that particular way. Iran for the school board and i lost the first time. Then i ran and i was elected three times. Then i ran for the state senate and then for congress. Women dont see the opportunity to serve in that way or they are serving in other ways. Homemakers fulltime and they are involved in lots of career activities. The schools are delighted to have mothers serving and working with children and doing volunteer work. They are serving in other ways. Host Virginia Foxx is our guest. We will start on the phone in North Carolina and put up a numbers. Tyrone is up first. Caller good morning. Please dont cut me off. You just sit there and blame president obama for everything. You say you will obstruct everything he does. Hewere in a recession when started and you all have stopped everything this man has tried to do when you should be ashamed of yourself of putting the blame on president obama. Solidvernor we have is a governor. Governor weve ever had come and youre not representing North Carolina. God is going to bring the republicans out. Host i will you respond. Guest i dont blame president obama for everything bad that has happened in this country in the last seven years. Disagree withusly his policies because i think they have taken us in the wrong direction. Street,ts go to maryland, where bonnie is waiting on the line for republicans. You are on with Virginia Foxx. Caller i have two quick points. Trump, ile say drop see him like the father who said mccain got captured, hes a nobody. That was just to get him in the news. They say he is self funding no he is not. He lent money to his campaign, and he will get it back with interest. And the woman in florida who said she is going to switch over from democrat to republican because trump will stop the visas, thats all he uses in florida. Host bonnie, who are you supporting is republican . Either johnink kasich or ted cruz. Anybody but trump. I think that he is bringing in these people to start these riots. Its all about trump. You dont hear him talk about what hes going to do for other people. Its when he comes into these, he said i think im going to buy some property here. This man has never done anything since his father died in 1999. Host Virginia Foxx, i will you respond to some of the concerns about the trunk campaign coming from a republican. Know, one of the most wonderful things about this country is it is a free country. And people are absolutely free to state their opinions, and we are a very diverse country in many ways. And so i dont really have any response to her. That one of the questions republican elected officials are getting a lot lately is that if donald trump comes the nominee, could you support him in the general election. Where do you stand on that . Caller ive always supported guest ive always supported the republican nominee for president , because that person has been chosen by the majority of the American People. I have no plans to do anything other than that this year. I think that is what we should be doing. Any republican is going to be better than secretary clinton. Int lets go to beverly washington, North Carolina on the line for democrats. Beverly, good morning tim. Caller we call it little washington. Thank you for having me on. I would like to say to represented a foxx, as far as ,he last eight years of gone the reason that she is quoting all of these things about that have been going on as far as not being able to have jobs and women not being able pay this congress has tried to break up the unions, beginning with wisconsin. They also have not been supportive of even raising the minimum wage. Thats why people are on food stamps. And then to go little bit further, i will agree that definitely women do need to be taking a role in the leadership. I think that woman should be Hillary Clinton. But my comment is for donald trump is concerned, i have noticed that no one has mentioned the donald trump, this decisiveness is not new. Triedther in 1928 was with the kkk lawyer representing him as well as the kkk member and donald trump never made his money, about a quarter of his money, because hes not a billionaire is a quotes. Host i apologize come i dont know that story. Where do you get your information on donald trump . Caller on Donald Trumps father, thats relatively out there, all you have to do is google it and look that up. Host a lot there to go through. Minimum wage, womens issues, donald trump. Guest i would just say in terms of womens wages, republicans have always supported equal pay for equal work. There is issue involved there with us. There are laws on the books to support that. And we have always supported that. Host lets go to the line for republicans. Michael is in alabama. Good morning. Caller yes, i would just like to comment on the wages and stuff. I dont see what that has to do with congress. If a company give somebody a wage, that should be on them. I was going to Say Something about donald trump. For all of these people that think he is going to do all of this stuff, you know, its just insane. I live inons alabama, and he endorsed donald trump. I feel like were going back to the old south. Its really put a black eye on alabama in the southern states. If theres any way for the gop to stop it, i would be all for it. Host congresswoman . Again, its perfectly fine for people to have their opinions on these various president ial candidates. Thats what makes america such a wonderful place. Host one of the issues he brings up is Congress Getting out of the way of business owners. This is a policy issue in a policy message that republicans in the house have been pushing. We have a task force on realtor reform. One of the things that speak orion has been taking the lead ryan hasing speaker been taking the lead on is helping us focus on at least six different issues we want to focus on to show the American People that we have a positive agenda for america. Give us a republican president , republican house, Republican Senate and let us show you what can be accomplished in this country. Problems in our country, one of the things that theeeping wages stagnant is blitz of regulations that have come out of this administration. We are being overwhelmed in this country with unnecessary rules and regulations. Which are Holding Businesses back from being able to create jobs. That is one of our main focuses, is what can we do to have Regulatory Reform and reduce the role of rules and regulations, unnecessary rules and regulation. Host lets head back to your tar heel state. Is anth carolina, rex independent. Caller i would like to say that Virginia Foxx has been doing an outstanding job since shes been in there. Im tired of these people always saying that obama cant do nothing because of republicans. On thest four years senate and everything was controlled by democrats. He could have done a lot of this stuff and he didnt do it. And then when republicans got in, all of a sudden, the republicans of the big bad [inaudible] the gentleman is absolutely right. For the first two years of president Obamas Administration , he had a Republican Senate a Democrat Senate and a democrat house. The largest numbers of democrats in both places. Thats how we got obamacare. Is because there was a Democrat Senate and a democrat house. Democrats in the house of representatives. Hes absolutely right. The president does blame us for not doing things that he could have gotten done when he had a majority. The people repudiated the democrats after two years of president obama and speaker pelosi. And thats when republicans were put back in the majority been 2010. The gentleman is absolutely right about that. We got the stimulus under the first two years of president obama, which added to our debt, over 1 trillion. And we got obamacare. Host what ask you about your work on the education and Workforce Committee. We mentioned you were on the rules committee, we have a newly confirmed secretary of education , john b king, junior. What do you make of this new education secretary . He is somebody who is well known by members of congress. He has been at the department of education. Wast he has been, and he at the Workforce Committee about three weeks ago for hearing that we had. The main concern that we have with the new secretary is that the new secretary will faithfully execute the law. One of the big problems, again, that we had with the Obama Administration is the Obama Administration attempting to legislate. Our constitution is beautifully written. Givese one section one all the power for legislation to the congress of the United States. But we find the departments constantly attempting to legislate. Host an example of that in the department of education. Guest under president obama, trying to dictate common core. To the local schools. Educationment of arrived many schools into adopting common core by offering funds from the federal treasury. Clear inade it very the committee that the secretary and the president cannot do that in the future. The reauthorization of the elementary and secondary education act spent a lot of time telling the secretary and the president what they cannot do, and expanding the legislation that we passed. And so much of our hearing was focused on getting a commitment from the secretary that he would not go beyond the legislation is being passed by the congress. Host there is some republicans who believe the department of education should be abolished. Are you one of those republicans . Guest im a strict constitutionalist, ive read the constitution many times. I cannot find the word education in the constitution. As a relates to duties of the congress. The 10th amendment says very clearly if the constitution didnt spell it out to the federal government to do, that it is left to the states and to the people. And so i believe there is no role for the federal government in education. I think the founders clearly said that is for the states and for the people. I think we have operated very well in this country by leaving education to the states and the localities. As i said, i was on a local school board. So much of what we had to do was comply with mandates from washington, which i dont believe is right. You dont need a onesizefitsall solution from washington, d. C. For the education challenges that face this country. We have many challenges. It is different for new york, for North Carolina, for california, for arizona. I think the solutions to the challenges should be left with the local people. Host chantilly, virginia is up next. One for democrats, zach is waiting period caller good morning, thank you for taking my call. Democrat for the last 35 years. I am inall businessman, china and i sell in the United States. I am also a muslim. Ive been voting democrat for the past 35 years. This year, when donald trump came, i told my wife and four children that we have to vote republican for donald trump. Problems other what other politicians promise you before the election, once they get in office, they forget about you. I thought donald trump is a businessman, maybe well do something better. But what ive seen in the last couple of months, he is dividing the American People. Making one group fight against the other. Conceptly changed my again, against him and begin to vote democrat once again. Donald trump, unafraid, wants to become an hour, he may put all the muslim and concentration camps in the United States. It is you history, and the 1940s, hitler came to power by talking about immigration and the jewish people. Donald trump is coming in, rising into power talking about throwing 13and Million People out of the country and lining up all the muslims and killing their children and so on and so forth. Im afraid that this man is going to destroy the country, and being a Small Businessman, you can imagine i have employees, ive been paying taxes for 35 years. For me and for my employees. Is one of the largest employers in the United States, to make all of their product in china. 35 tax on the imports, i will be out of business. The product will become too expensive. How is he going to create jobs . It will be a creating a recession like weve never seen in the United States. Host Virginia Foxx. Thoughts on the callers comments . Guest the color seems to be thing attention to whats going on in terms of the president ial campaign. Support any kind of intolerance in this country. Again, one of the things that makes us a great country is that we are accepting of different religions, different philosophies. I think that is the way we should be in this country. Im not an intolerant person at all. Im very accepting of all kinds of people. Intoleranceo see breed in this country. Host when it comes to the rhetoric, i want to get your thoughts on this. On a caller making comparisons to nazi germany when it comes to this president ial election cycle. What do you make of the rhetoric on both sides . Guest its very unfortunate, i think. I dont think that ever its good for us to bring comparison to what happened in nazi germany. We have made mistakes in this country. What happened in world war ii with the japanese internment is a big blot on our history. Im very sorry about what happened. I just dont think those kinds of things could ever happen again in our country. Toertainly would not wish us ever consider anything like that again. Host lets head to fayetteville, North Carolina. Leon is rating waiting on the line for republicans. Caller good morning, representative foxx. I have a comment and a question in terms of education. In terms of my comments, i am a republican. We have an election going on down here today, and title hard time figuring out who im going to vote for, because of the discourse is so vitriolic and hateful. I was really embarrassed for my what we saw on saturday i mean thursday night with the individual feeling they needed to put their hands on somebody else to hit them. , retired. Our vet guest thank you for your service. Caller thank you. I love this country. It was very hurtful to see fellow americans hitting one ,nother, fighting one another when the whole world other parts of the world want to hit us back. A commercial for lieutenant governor, saying i want to fight for you, i want to go to washington and fight for you. Im like who are you going to fight, who are you going to hit . Instead of going up there with her best minds, it seems like our candidates to go up there their boxing shorts on and boxing gloves to hit on people. The way our government is structured, and i agree with you , iterms of the constitution has to deal with collaboration, not confrontation. Because once we continue to fight one another, the government comes to a screeching halt. Host commerce woman . Congresswoman . Guest he didnt getguest a butce to ask his question, contrary to what seen on the media, we do get along pretty well. Most of the bills that passed the house of representatives, almost all of them, are passed with bipartisan support. More peopleh getting along that is for trade in the media. I think in many cases, the media feeds on itself with promoting this dissension. We get along really a lot better. I go to a bipartisan Prayer Breakfast in bible study on wednesday mornings with democrat women who have become very Close Friends of mine. Bipartisan Prayer Breakfast on thursday mornings. Very goodbe very, friends. We Work Together on committees. Host who do you work with best on the other side of the aisle . Whats the example of someone who passed legislation with . Guest i dont know if you name somebody else, whether thats good or bad. But i get along very well with Loretta Sanchez from california, janice hahn, lois capps is a good friend of mine. Juan vargas is a good friend of mine. I get along very well with david price, who is from North Carolina, hes a good friend. We are actually very friendly to each other on a personal level. Philosophically, yes, we disagree. And on the floor, we will disagree very strongly. But on a personal level, we like each other. Because we all go through the same things to get elected. We have families that sit home and wait for us, and we understand each other. We actually get along much better than the public is led to believe by the media. With about 10 minutes left Virginia Foxx, republican from North Carolina, the Fifth District of North Carolina. John is in great falls, montana, the line for independents. Caller greatest respect goes out to you and your colleagues. I watch all the hearings. My, to the same one i had was senator langford about six months ago, is congresss inability to fight for itself. Under the rule of law. In, all of thest scandals that have gone on under the Obama Administration, nobody is in jail. You guys dont stand up for yourselves. We want people in there that are going to fight tooth and nail, i think thats why donald trump get some peoples attention. Hes willing to go in there and smack people in the mouth and call them liars, throw them in jail, try to get them put in jail. Eric holder its just ridiculous why you guys wont stand up for yourself. You have the power of the purse. Its all you need. If my dad says and what to take away your lunch money for the next month if you dont do something, im going to do it. I am so glad you brought up power of the purse. And you were up early out there and montana. I want to say, this issue of the power of the purse is one of the most misunderstood issues in the last few years. Article one, section seven says all bills raising revenue shall begin in the house of representatives. Amend thatate may legislation and return it to the house, and the president must sign the bill. So there are many, many people under the false impression that the house of representatives has unilateral power to stop funding programs. We do not have that power. Concur withust whatever we do, and then the president has to sign the bill. And so, what we can Start Building the house, we must Start Building the house that raise revenue, we do not have unilateral control. As to the gentlemans comment about the house and the Congress Standing up for itself, and by the way, im a huge fan of senator langford, he spent four years in the house. Im just a huge fan of his. Hes a wonderful human being. And grasps the legislative issues very quickly. But we are standing up for ourselves every day. It may be difficult for people understand, but we hold hearings , we get out information that is needed to get out. With file lawsuits. In fact, theres an historic lawsuit now before the courts that has, for the first time in the history of this country, given Congress Standing to sue the president. As a relates to obamacare. Thats not over yet. So we have that. We will be passing tomorrow in the rules committee a resolution to allow the speaker to file onto brief to challenge the administration in some other ways. And so we do fight. We dont have an army, we dont have a police force. We cannot pick people in jail. We can hold people in contempt of congress, as we did with mr. Holder, twice. But it is up to the president and the Justice Department to carry out those laws. It goes back to what i said gives usarticle one the legislative powers, we do our jobs, but the president and his administration havent been willing to do their job. Marylandin greenbelt, on the line for democrats. Caller good morning to you. I want you to listen to me for a second. Because you listen to others, im an African American scientists. Im concerned scientist and a democrat. Is, theg of it ledbetter act of 2009 was designed for equal pay for women and so forth, it will wage for women. What happened is the gop has denied womens own health care under the situation, being denied by the republicans. Foxx deniedmrs. Women this right for their own contraceptives and so forth. Its not costing the taxpayer a diamond. Its an independent system. This is been denied. The only thing im ashamed of it to not show ups at the polls for the primaries the last couple of years, and this is not going to happen anymore. Were going to do this right this time. The thing is, the Republican Party has been denied has been denying this president for a long time. You are voting against a lot of women, especially white women have been voting against their own interests and health and equal rights to pay and so forth. This is shameful. Miss fox, you have to do a better job of doing this. Host of present the facts. We got your point host we got the point. Rejecti categorically what the caller said. Republicans do not deny women health care. We are very concerned that obamacare his raise the cost of health care so significantly that it has impaired people being able to get health care. As far as equal pay for equal work, we believe in that. We have supported that concept over and over and over again. Unfortunately, what our colleagues on the other side of the aisle often do is pass additional legislation that is not necessary, that is a gift to trial lawyers. It really is an opportunity for people to bring additional lawsuits and to tie people up in court unnecessarily. The republicans are very much in favor of equal rights for everyone in this country. And i categorically deny and reject what the gentleman has said. That we do not want women to have Adequate Health care or contraceptive services. Again, those things should be local and state levels. Health care should be dealt with at the state level. I think one of the major reasons that the cost of health care had been driven so high is because of federal government involvement. To theeft these things states and to the localities, we wouldnt be having these problems with health care. Host time for just a couple more calls. Sandra inventor of california, up early this point. Sandra, line for republicans. Go ahead. Caller good morning, Virginia Foxx. I really like you a lot. I registered to vote for republicans, ive always been a republican all my life. I only voted one time for president , because they have stolen my identity. I had to the go to the dmv and fix that. ,nd to vote for the first time i didnt get to vote eight years ago because they stole my identity to. Host who are you going to vote for this time in your first love for president . First vote for president . Because held trump, doesnt smoke, no drinking, no drugs. He cares about the American People. He cares about the people. He cares about the children, he cares about education, he cares about the truth. My son is in the United States navy. Guest thank him for his service. Caller yes, maam. My uncle was in the United States navy. So on the mom and grandma. I come from military family and im proud of it. To be a president one day, but you know how it is, you getting old, the grandma now. But i think its never too late for anybody to a couple should goal. Republicans, the its the first time ive noticed somebody from california, which i live with my beautiful state that i see a lady like you, makes me feel so proud to think if i can be president , because i was too old, at least you get to do what you want to do. Host sandra from california. Guest thank you. Thanks for saying that you see a role model in may. I think i think im a prime example of the fact that you can be anything you want in this country. I grew up in a house with no electricity and no running water. I grew up in extreme poverty. I was fortunate enough to being a small school with good teachers who encouraged me to go on to college. I learned early on that getting a good education and working hard meant that you could achieve in this country. I think i am a prime example of why this is the greatest country in the world because i believe what sandra says. You can be anything you want to be in this country. I could never be a concert pianist or artist because i dont have the talent, but i have taken my limited talents and use them to help other people. I think there are many countries where that will not happen to you. This is the only country in the world where you can come from extreme poverty and become a member of the house of representatives or president of the United States. That is not what i want to do though. Host lets get you one or two more calls. Steve in south carolina, independent. Caller good morning, representative foxx. Guest good morning. Beautiful city. Caller by the way, i love boone, North Carolina. Guest i think it is the greatest place in the world. Aller i went to respond to couple remarks you made. Thank you for taking a stand for the sovereignty of the states, straight constitutionalist, and unfortunately, you know the government holds that fiscal caret in front of us. That is the sad state of affairs. For addressing the equal pay act of 1963, although you had mentioned it. Ladies, if you are being excavated being this against, call your senator, lawyer, they will be happy. It is specific in a gender discrimination. A word about the campaign and North Carolina. Host we are running out of time. Caller virginia and michigan had more republicans come out in their primaries and they were and 2012. 08 it will be interesting today. You are going to see an overwhelming number of republicans come out in illinois, florida, missouri and North Carolina. Fluent 2008 and read in 2012. Red inh carolina went 2012 in blue in 2008. I think this outpouring of republican support and voters may be cause for concern for democrats in november. I am talking about parties. Up,t what you brought thank you for being so specific about the equal pay act. I appreciate you bringing that up. Very specific. You are right. Women only need to let people know that they feel like they are being discriminated against. There is more interest in this election. I was speaking with folks last know aho said that they lot of people who own businesses, and they say everybody is interested in the election this year. That is good. Decry the low turnouts in our elections and i think we are going cap high turnouts in the election. I think that bodes well for the country. When one is an informed electorate. My lenders to students who write to me, i tell them, the economy and informed voter. When you go to vote, my hope is that you actually investigate the policy position of the person for whom you are voting because it is so important to get beyond the rhetoric and to get beyond the noise and figure out, what does this person believe in at their core and what it is they are likely to push for against when he or she gets elected . Elected, we have a record to run on and people can see what it is. Before you run, you do not know what people are going to do, so ask for their policy position on the issues that are of concern to you. Host Virginia Foxx, republican from the tip district of north winstonsalem, appreciate your time. If you want to follow her on virginiafoxx. S will talkathy castor about the florida primary and u. S. Cuba relations. Later, we will talk about super tuesday and the five States Holding primaries today. We will be right back. Thehen i tune into it on weekends, usually, it is authors sharing new releases. Watching nonfiction authors on book tv is the best television for serious readers. On cspan, they can delve into their subjects. Brings you author after author after author. They spot like the work of fascinating people. I love booktv and i am a cspan and. Seeing the fabric of our country and how things work and how they are made. , i love American History tv fantastic show. I had no idea. That is probably something i would enjoy. With American History tv, it gives you that perspective. I am cspan fan. Campaign 2016 continues today with riemer is taking place in missouri, illinois, and ohio and North Carolina and florida. And viewerfeatures 7 00 p. M. Live at washington journal continues. Oft democrat kathy castor florida joins us. She served as cochair of the cable working group. Lead a bipartisan delegation on six members of congress on trips to cuba. What was on the agenda during that visit and who did you meet with . A factfinding mission, mainly to meet with the entrepreneurs on the island. Cuba is changing. They have made reforms in their economic system. It used to be everyone would work for the communist government, but after raul castro came in, he began to embark on economic reform. A lot of folks who used to work for the government now owned Small Businesses. For example, one young woman used to work for the government inserting medicine bottles into a cardboard package. Think about doing that every day, all day. Now, she has the room to make baby clothes. She started a new business. She scoured her neighborhood for a sewing machine and has now hired people to work for her. She goes to miami to import materials, make baby clothes for her neighbors. I meant another gentleman who used to work for the government restoring all the old chevys you see on the roads in havana and cuba. He now owns his own Small Business, where he owns a number of the cars, rents them to tourists and keeps them up. , think the new policy underway announced by president obama a couple years ago about greater engagement, the ideal is to empower those entrepreneurs, to give them better safe and push the cuban government to continue to reform their economic system, go faster and go farther. Host we are talking about cubanamerican relations in this segment. We will have a line set aside for cubanamericans, 202 7488003. We will talk to kathy castor about her trip and the president s upcoming tour. Democrats, republicans, independents, we will put those numbers on the screen as well. You will be going to cuba with him. Guest i am honored. Host where will you tell him to visit . Who does he have to talk to . Guest he would not have a lot of time there, but it will be important that he meets with the same kind of entrepreneurs on the island who want a better life. They want to be able to control their own destiny, provide for their families just like Business People and our neighbors across america. He also needs to meet with religious leaders, the Catholic Church, and he should also meet with folks that are trying to encourage greater reforms in the human rights phase. Cuba can do a lot better when it comes to human rights, but we are also going to attend a baseball game. If you know anything about baseball, and cuba, they love baseball. America has a passion for baseball. This is something we share, so i am excited because my hometown team, the tampa bay rays, will be playing the Cuba National team. This is a goodwill gesture between both countries. At the same time, there is a reform underway to ensure cuban a small players can come to play in america without having to pay the folks that sneak them off the island to play baseball here. Host the president s efforts to restore relations with cuba reached the United States. Marco rubio talked about this in thursdays debate. Here is about what he said. [video clip] love theio i would relationship to change, but it would require cuba to change. At least the government. Today, it has not. [applause] after these changes were made, there are hundreds of millions of dollars that will flow to the castro regime and allow them to be permanent. They will be able to carry out the transition when the military continues to run the country there. He will put the public figure forward as the new president and nothing will change for the cuban people. There has not been a single democratic opening, change in human rights, and things are worse than they were before the opening. The only thing that hasnt changed is that now the cuban government has more sources of money from which to build up their repressive apparatus and maintain themselves permanently. We ask nothing in return. Compare that to the changes required in burma. And by no means is from a perfect country, but at least when there was a democratic opening, they were required to make democratic openings. Today, the former Minority Party is now the Majority Party in the legislative body. He asked nothing in return and we are getting nothing in return. Cuba and the regime remains a communist dictatorship to help north korea invade sanctions and bring fugitives to justice, including stealing our medicaid money and going back to cuba, all in exchange for nothing. [applause] host what are we demanding in exchange . Guest i respectfully disagree with senator rubio. I have seen firsthand changes on the island. I talked to the entrepreneurs that used to work for the communist government and now own their own businesses. I have seen the evolution in the tourism sector, but the cuban people, when you talk about human rights, they can travel to america. It is difficult because it is an impoverished country and you have to have money to do it, but a lot of the cubanamerican families in america are fueling these Small Businesses. They are helping their families. I represent the community with a large cubanamerican population. It has been a real education working for them, listening to them, and they want change. War policyr old cold of isolation has not served the people of cuba will or america well. In fact, that is the policy of the embargo with the travel ban on americans is really a violation of american constitutional rights. We can travel anywhere in the world except cuba. Why is that . Hardliners inago involve this very hardcore isolationist policy, i of whatnd the trauma happened in the cuban revolution years9, but it is over 50 from that. We have got to change and it is going to be through a policy of engagement, where we encourage human rights changes and economic changes because the hands off approach is not brought in and to their political system. Now, we see signs of hope because of engagement and because of what is happening with businesses and human rights groups, churches in america in engaging with the people. Host you said the president should meet with dissidents. In january, according to reports from the Cuban Commission for human rights and national reconciliation, some 1400 cubans were detained for political reasons. That is just this past january. What should the president do . Can the help those people next week . Guest yes. I think president obama and the delegation of Business Leaders, congressional delegation, will be welcomed with open arms because the cuban people want a better life. That is why it is important to engage through engagement. A few examples in my community in tampa, the Catholic Church is funding the first new catholic parish, the first new catholic on the island of cuba. To changeing allowed in cuba. It used to be religions and new churches were hands off under fidel castro. Over the past decade with pope elp and leadership of the cap at church, there is greater religious freedom. They still have problems but this is a good sign. Cuba is known for having a high literacy rates and their Health Care System provides primary care to everyone. My Cancer Center in florida, the toprated Cancer Center and other Research Institutions across america, are engaging now with the doctors and medical community in cuba to help find treatments and cures for cancer and diabetes. We need to partner on these things. There is no reason you let governments can in the way of making progress for the people on either side of this. Host we have a line for. Ubanamericans, 202 7488003 as usual, lines were republicans, democratss an independents. We start with enid, line for democrats. Go ahead. Turn down your tv and talk. Caller good morning congress woman. Good morning. I am just concerned because president obama has opened the way to cuba, and he is getting the opposition from the opposition party. If america would look into this system of education and Health System in cuba, they could learn a lot from cuba. In, the other question is why is representative rubio is so much against the cuban decision by the president and why is he so far behind trump in his own state of florida with regard to the process . Host a couple questions there. Guest thank you for your questions. I respect the experience of cubanamericans who lost everything under the cuban revolution and came to america and lived out the american dream, but that was over pitt the years ago. Over 50 years ago. We fought war with other countries during that time. Ii, we had a war with germany. We have been able to reconcile over the decades and they are an important partner of the United States. In the 1960s, we had a bloody war with vietnam, but over time, we were able to heal those and modernizee on american policy. It is time to do that with cuba. Our nextdoor neighbor. And families in my community and across the state of florida are suggesting to policymakers, in this time, past time. That cold war and isolationist policy needs to turn the page. President obama has been very bold and cracking open the door, recognizing that there are Economic Reforms underway, and we need to use engagement to press the cuban government on greater human rights reforms. Host care to take a stab at the iewtrump race in florida rubiotrump brace of florida . Guest always very interesting. It is changing when it comes to cuba policy. Donald trump has said a few different things. Not quite as part of blind as senator rubio or senator cruz, but i respect for senator rubio comes from, but respectfully, he is wrong. We all want the same thing. Whether you live in cuba or america, our neighbors went to be able to provide for their family. Safe,ant to live in a clean environment, and unfortunately, that communist experiment did not work. When you travel to cuba, the people are largely impoverished, except in the new sector of entrepreneurs and tourism. Yes, they have a good Health System and it education system, but they need so much more, and that is why theyre going to welcome president obama and Business Leaders and religious leaders and congressional delegation with open arms because they want a better life. Host lets head to tennessee where tommy is waiting on the line for independents. Caller good morning. I have a suggestion. I believe that the womans delegation of congress should go down there and speak to the women of cuba and empower them to show their superior intellect so that perhaps they can make the changes necessary so cuba can be as great a country as the becausetates and it is of the women of cuba. Women of cuba have suffered so much. They really have struggled to keep their families together. If american women can go down there and help them accomplish this, then i know cuba will be shining light to all women around the world. Thank you and have a blessed day. Guest thank you. That is an interesting point. It reminds me back here in the congress, despite the country being about 50 female, 50 male, we are still stuck at about only 20 female in the congress. Cuba is better when it comes to females in the government. When i was there, we visited company, thecom port, where they want to make changes, all sorts of government leaders. They had better female representation, but they can do much better. Particularly interesting, the early diplomatic discussions between the United States and cuba were led by two female diplomats. Hemispherewestern diplomats out of the state proposed toshe was be the best of mexico, and valdal, they leave foreign minister per cuba, they were the ones at the head of the table negotiating on important issues like cooperation in law intervention,rug and all sorts of restoration of diplomatic relations. That made me very proud. It did not go unnoticed. Host pennsylvania, stephen on the line for republicans. Good morning. Caller thank you for allowing me to be on. I have one question for the senator. Thank you very much for taking my call. The convention that the late fidel, and south america, who was in the lead of some organization, i wish i could remember sorry about that but concerning these countries where they have or whatever you want to call them, in order to get help from the United States, they are democratizing and having privately owned that she is mentioning as having a cuba, and her concern was that these dictators are giving these businesses who are making it possible for friends of the , and to own businesses actually, they are part of the ruling party that is in power. I am wondering if it is a show in cuba with privatization opening up . Are these friends of castro and his long supporters and all this . Guest good question. , think any government system they have got to grapple with influence. And we suffered some of the same issues in the United States at all levels of government. I think it is important for cuba as the market begins to grow, they will have to institute certain basic, fundamental, rule of law requirement. We have seen that when the and a lot ofell the Eastern European countries began to modernize and change the economic system. They really grappled with it, but i think that fundamentally, the new u. S. Policy of engagement toward cuba will help them evolve. It hasstem of coming as not worked. They have relied in the soviet union. That ended. They relied on oil revenue from venezuela. That has largely come to an end issues of Global Energy in the fall of the value of oil. Recognizing that there will not be a free lunch and they can rely on other countries paying their way. They have to reform their economy, and i think the american policy of engagement will help it along. It appears that when president he willads next week, take along a number of Business Leaders and possibly make some announcements with marriott hotels, starwood hotels, a Tractor Company that would like to sell small tractors to cuba and the cuban people. From my neck of the woods, i represent a Company Called florida produce that has been exporting fresh fruit and vegetables to cuba. Those businessmen would like to , be a warehouse on cuba able to hire cubans to work there. These are the kinds of small steps that will be very important as cuba changes their economy, and the way for america to continue to press cuba to reform. From 2014 andts 2015. 4 billion dollars in exports, petroleum, nickel, sugar, and 15 million and imports petroleum, food, machinery, equipment, chemicals. Some major import partners, venezuela, china, spain and brazil. Export partners, venezuela, canada and china. We are talking to kathy castor. Back withe going president obama next week. We have a special line for cubanamericans, 202 7488003. Frank is up next, fort lauderdale, florida, independent. Good morning. Caller how were you . Castor. Ngressman your mother at one time was the president of the school. I did my paper on the cuba related topic and it had to do with ybor city. I also in the cold war veteran and i studied that at Washington University for a while. If you go down there, will you do something to try to get cuba to open up their archives the way the soviet union opened up theirs after the cold war ended . We went to find out more about what happened with the cuban government. I once talked on the phone to senator dennis of arizona, who he seemedressman, and pretty pessimistic about getting cubans, at that time, a few years ago, maybe things will change now, in opening up these documents. This goes with people like claire and haines, John Lewis Gaddis and getting documentation as so we can learn more about history. Thank you. Guest thank you for the mention of my Hometown University of south florida and ybor city. Look into this because we need to better understand what happened in cuba and what was going on historically after the revolution. Let me give you a little context. Rank mentioned ybor city the reason the tampa bay area has been so forward leaning when it comes to cuban policy is we have a very unique story and cultural ties to cuba. Back at the turnofthecentury, the late 1900s, immigrants came from all over the world to tampa to work in our cigar factories. We were known as cigar city, the cigar capital of the world, and people, families traveled from cuba, spain, italy, germany, across america and build this unique Historic Community called ybor city. Worked toually all fund the Cuban Independence Movement from spain. The cuban patriot and poet jose marti would come to raise money in the cigar factories to help fight the spanish government, as of the cuban people could be free. A lot of folks in the tampa bay area are very proud of those cultural ties to cuba and see it as their responsibility and inir heritage to be involved cuba policy again. That is when the greater tampa bay commerce and the church i mentioned, the florida orchestra, aquarium, all of these primary institutions in the tampa bay area have been very forward leaning. They have pressed president obama to do more so that we can lift the cuban people in the United States and on the island of cuba. Host in texas, gerald waits on the line for republicans. Good morning. Caller good morning. Thank you for taking my call. Listen, i am wondering when the democrats are going to stop worrying about cuba or any other country in this world and start taking care of the veterans over here and homeless over here. We have got a lot of issues here that need to be taken care of. I think you are need to start concentrating on that. The other thing i want you to concentrate on is getting rid of obama care. Nobody out here can afford that. My premiums have more than doubled. My copay has tripled. You need to do something about that. Get rid of obama care. I am sick of it and that is why the democrats are fixing to lose the next election. Thank you. Guest ok. Work on Foreign Policy, whether related to cuba or any other nation in the world or combating terrorism, that is not mutually exclusive from veterans or trying to do better for health care. Certainly, the vendor and issue are at the forefront the veteran issue are at the forefront. They have given so much. I represent the community that is home to an air force base, United States Central Command and special Operations Command and i am interacting and talking with military leadership and their veterans all the time. I often have to fight to the bureaucracy of the v. A. To ensure that the veterans i represent, yes, they care and benefits they are and deserve, so dont think that just because you focus on combating terrorism or promoting Democratic Values around the world that that is exclusive to the primary mission of taking care of our veterans at home. Castorongresswoman represents the 14th district of florida in tampa. Up next on california on the line for democrats. Good morning. Caller good morning. Kathy castor has opened up my eyes to what is going on. Some of theeeds involvement with his cuban thing because we are definitely a melting pot out here. We blend totally. You go back to some of these other states and it is like, they have little barriers up, but out here, you go to different neighborhoods, a few miles, and you have clusters of cubans, italians, irish, hispanic, you name it, we have got it. This is the way i think i amornia, right now, hopeful, that the United States of america will follow what governor brown, our democratic governor that has saved california, will follow. Blend. D, we all we have our own ideas, but we need to help each other. We learn from each other by helping each other. Just listening a little bit, even if nothing else, you know . Test celebration of life. We are alive. We made it. We have got to stop killing each other. In this insane how we are wasting our lives, but we have a west coast, too. I have been to pensacola back in 1959, that was it and it was pretty, but i lived in southern illinois, oklahoma, houston. I have been in the friday of places. We need people. Host thank you for the call from california. Guest that is the beauty of america, a great melting pot, great friday of people. , especially because it is election day in florida for the president ial primary, love election day, a time when citizens get to exercise their democratic right to drive the future of the country. Florida politics is always quite interesting. And proud to be a floridian im proud of my community in the tampa bay area. Whole Central Florida area is known as the swing district. We have had a lot of candidates visit over the past few weeks and we will have a big turnout today. To my message to floridians, ohio, illinois, missouri, please, get out there and vote and exercise that right. Host you endorsed Hillary Clinton, correct . I have because she has a history of fighting for working families, and those of the folks i represent. I dont represent a lot of the universe and millionaires. I represent workingclass district with a lot of students that need action on Student Loans and more affordable college, it is a military heavy community, so i like that hillary is tough but smart, unlike a lot of the republican candidates who appeared to be very reckless. I think in this dangerous world, we have had breakfast in the past. We need someone who is focused, knowledgeable, tough and smart. Host National Headlines focusing on the republican contest in florida. Rubio trails from and must win florida. Floridas early voting points to trump as another headline. This is on the front page of the New York Times the vanishing there if youory want to check it out. Lets go to jay in maryland, line for independents. Caller good morning. Predators,r according to Hillary Clinton, i have a question, sanders and trump said that politicians are in the pocket of big corporations and pharmaceutical companies. My question is, even with the embargo on cuba, how are they going to still provide Free Education and Free Health Care to the citizens when america cannot . Guest that is a great question. Their political system determines that those were there ain priorities for their people, but the lack of free enterprise, market economy, has taken a toll while they have rate andliteracy they have doctors, they have little infrastructure across the country. In cuba, there are millions of acres of farmland, but it has gone south because there is no incentive to farm the land to make money because it is all owned by the government. These are the kinds of reforms that we are trying to press. It is a bipartisan effort. I am cosponsoring the cuba trade act and embargo with my republican colleagues on ember of minnesota. On the precedents trip that he will lead on the president s trip that he will be next week, we have a bipartisan legislation. Yes, they have a high literacy rates and provide primary care little to no cost, but they have suffered in other ways. I think that is one reason the cuban people are very desirable to change. Even the dissident in cuba are saying, lift the embargo, this has harmed the cuban people and has harmed our ability to do business and trade, said this is a cold war relic. That soon, congress can turn the page of the cold war policy. Host back to lake placid, florida, rafael is calling in, republican. Good morning. Caller good morning. Thanks for having me. Do you hear me . Host yes, go ahead. Caller i am cuban and i cannot get the numbers because it was too fast, you said that the women are more represented there. Well, they kind of decide who gets to be represented there. Knew money is good, but it is not everything. There are a lot of people in jail just for speaking up, doing what we are doing. Well, my grandpa died because he did not have peopleeeds, so you have who are trained but that does not make everything. All you are worried about our economic ties. The cubans cannot even enjoy it the beaches. Those are made for tourists. Sugar came much there. You can try to paint that it is pretty and cuba is representative of this, you go ahead and believe that, but it is tough for the cubans. Guest i agree. Communism has failed the cuban people, and they are very and reform,hange and that is what the new policy of engagement is intended to do. It allows cubanamericans to send money to the relatives there, so that they can leave the employee of the cuban government and start their own Small Businesses. T is not simply economic ties i think i mentioned that the church, saint laurens Catholic Church in tampa, florida, they raise money in america, largely with cubanamerican families as well, and are working with the Catholic Church to expand religious freedom on the island of cuba. It is cultural, too. When the florida orchestra went to cuba, they brought Musical Instruments and helped bring musicians back to florida. Now, we have got to go farther. We have got to get greater student exchanges. We have got to press for reforms and their currency so that the in one area where cuba has to change, and it is human rights, is a telecommunication. Over the past few years, there are nearly 3 million cell phones on the island of cuba, but they spotty Internet Service. When you travel to cuba, often times, you see a crowd, mostly young people with their cell phones, all conjugated in one area because that is the wifi hotspot. Want, need what all of us to have the Internet Service right to their home. When we met in our bipartisan delegation with the Cuban Telecommunications company, we them. That is what area where the like it was back tothe soviet area because they said they want everyone to have Internet Service, but there was little dialogue or explanation on why they were not pressing ahead when Telecom Companies around the world would like to help them expand Internet Service across the island. Host i want to get your reaction to news that a few minutes ago from the white house. The obama the station announcing it will allow individuals to travel to cuba for educational trips and lift limits on the use of american dollars and transactions in cuba, moving away to wipe away sections as president obama prepares for the trip. Noting that the actions represent some of the most significant changes in the department of commerce has made the move toward normalizing relations with cuba. That was announced in december 2014. Guest that is great news, and this is a policy that will empower americans. Remember, all of the laws that have built up around cuba that include the travel ban, americans are prohibited im traveling freely to cuba. Americans can travel freely anywhere they want in the world. They can travel to syria, iran. I would not recommend that you go to syria right now, but why is it that cuba is offlimits to americans . Before this announcement, if you wanted to travel to cuba, you had to go in an organized group through a travel agency. Very important reform because now you can go as an individual. That is how americans often like to travel and we do travel around the world. You combine that with the opening of commercial, regular commercial air service that is not available right now. If you want to travel to cuba, really, you have to go partly due miami, new york, los angeles. We fought at the Tampa National airport to book a charter and you cannot do it online, so over the next couple of weeks, the u. S. Department of transportation will announce new regular commercial air service ,rom hubs in the United States hopefully, the Tampa International airport, which is largely a gateway to cuba, will win some of those flights. I am confident that they will come up with these are the kind of reforms that empower americans and hopefully lead to greater economic and human rights reform on the island. Host on the line for cubanamericans, cherry is waiting in new york city. In new yorkwaiting city. Sorry, i have to push the button. There we go. Caller thank you. I have a question but a couple of quick comments. First, opening the door by obama or crack in the door, that is way i look at it. That is not really opening the door. As far as the myth that we have with medical and education, cuba, before castro, was 85 literate, although, less than 100, still not as bad as education. Medical, my family and cuba says that when they go, they barely have bandaids to go around. The best medical is basically ts and goes ups the chain of command. That being said, what are your feelings on putting the wet foot, dry foot policy where who are fleeing cuba come to new york, florida and then they have to go back and collect u. S. Government money . Guest thank you for your questions. The cuban adjustment act, the foot, it is not serving the best interest of the americans or cubans. I have the a woman that works for me, and she is cubanamerican. She traveled back to her hometown last week to see her mother who is at the end of her when she came back, i asked her about the trip and she hometown, houses are boarded up, many people have left, especially younger people have come to the United States. That was an appropriate policy when people were being and imprisoned and oppression was full scale, but now that things are changing, many of the cubans who are traveling to the u. S. Are not political refugees, they are economic refugees because it is so poor. I think you are right, while everyonelth system, can see the doctors, the supplies are very sc scarce. This cuban adjustment act will have to change. For those who do not know what it is, if you get to u. S. Soil as a cuban, you can become a citizen within one year. You can get health care under medicaid and other services. I deal with a lot of latin american immigrants, many who i go to wait in line the difficult process. I look at immigrants from haiti and other parts of the world, especially south america and latin america because ever present the tampa bay area, and it is really not fair any longer. This is going to have to be part of the change to lift the embargo. We are not there yet. There was no real consensus, but at the very least, the cubans, we have got to engage Law Enforcement better so that people cannot especially commit crimes in the u. S. And then go to cuba without being able to extradite those folks. The cubans did extradite the criminal back to the United States so he could be tried. , democraty castor from florida, representing the 14th district you can follow her on twitter Virginia Foxx on usrepkathycastor. Guest this is a historic trip that president obama will lead. No u. S. President has traveled to cuba in 90 years. The cuban people are wonderful people and they want better lives. I think a policy of engagement, moving toward normalization, will serve them well and will lead to greater economic changes and human rights change and empower many of our businesses and cultural exchanges. Host thank you for engaging with the center viewers. Guest thank you. The up next, we go back to bones. We will talk about super tuesday. We want to talk to voters about who they are voting for. Why, missouri, florida, North Carolina, and illinois, you can start calling in now. The numbers are on the screen. We will be right back. Invested with this outside amount of power and with that power comes greater responsibility and the idea that you have individuals sitting on the court unfettered for 30, 35 years is does not pass the smell test to a modern democracy. Q a, theight on talk about changes they would like to see at the Supreme Court, including opening up oral arguments to cameras, opposing proposing term limits on justices and for them to adhere to the same code of ethics that other judges follow. The Supreme Court affects all americans. All americans are aware of the third branch of government and in the last 15 years, the third branch has become so powerful. The idea that issues on codeine, marriage, health care, immigration the issues on voting, marriage, health care, immigration, i could go on and congress andago, the executive branch would have figured this out but that does not happen anymore. Hasel the Supreme Court become unprecedented in the history and it is making impactful decisions in our lives. The least the public good to is to press them for transparency and accountability. 8 00 easternht at on cspans q a. Campaign 2016 continues today with primaries taking place in missouri, illinois and swing states, ohio, North Carolina and florida. Live coverage, viewer reaction gets underway at 7 00 p. M. Eastern. Taking you to the road on the white house on cspan, cspan radio and www. Cspan. Org. Washington journal continues. Host the headline on the front page of todays st. Louis postdispatch, super tuesday hits a day in which five states are holding primaries and the second most delegates at stake of any day of the election cycle, so in this last 35 minutes or so, we are talking with viewers in missouri, florida, ohio, North Carolina and illinois. We want to hear who you are going to vote for and why. Here are other headlines from papers from those states. The Columbus Dispatch ohio gets to have its say today. Front page of the Charlotte Observer North Carolinas turn. Front page of the Chicago Tribune this morning campaigns at crossroads, after unusualawns clashing in illinois, talking about that trumpet event on friday, the rally that was canceled in the wake of protests and violence. On the front page today at the miami herald a long, strange road to floridas big day. Earlier, we talked to the National Reporter and asked about marco and his efforts in florida. Here is what he had to say. I was with senator rubio last night. He spoke in the back of a pickup home town of west miami. It has been a difficult road kit for the hometown senator. He is behind in the polls in florida, trying to catch up. It looks like donald trump is going to win here in florida. Trump calls for do his second home, although his organization is limited, he has a strong grasp on the state. Host florida according to the real clear politics average poll is going for trump, 40 2. 1 to marco rubios 23. 5 . Another must win state on the republican side, ohio. Take us through where that stands with john kasich. Ohio on the republican side is certainly the state to watch, and that is why donald trump was there last night. Trump was planning to be in miami last night along with rubio, but he changed his plans and went to ohio with the rally with governor christie of new jersey. Those polls have been very tight in ohio. Kasich, who is only been able to do well in key states in the northeast and elsewhere, he thinks because of his network in ohio, his ability to have an will determine if he can be competitive. Now that the republican establishment is seen kasich as someone is a viable alternative to trump, rubio was the favorite for that kind of role for a long time, but because rubio has fallen behind in florida, they changed the competitor in ohio and the dynamic in the race has changed. You have ted cruz, the texas senator, he is pulling to do well in missouri, perhaps North Carolina, and at least picking up delegates. Host as you watch the republican field, what will be an early tell . Thee is the first place at polls may be off or we have a different story line 24 hours from now . Guest i think you have to Pay Attention to the suburbs in florida. Rubio has done well in the suburbs throughout this entire campaign, but if trump is starting to do well in the suburbs in florida, especially corridor, very highly populated in florida, it could be ablemp to win for the end it will be a big story of the night. Kasich has to keep an eye on the rural areas in ohio. Trump can draw new conservatives out and he will be they be having a chance of upsetting kasich in ohio. Host take us to on the democratic side. From senator sanders, especially with his recent win in michigan, it was narrow but significant, when it comes to states that have high white populations, workingclass backgrounds that are part of the democratic face, he does very well, so senator sanders is looking at ohio to see if he can remain competitive and that is why i think senator sanders will look at the urban areas of ohio, cleveland, College Areas of columbus, ohio state, that is a place where he is a good chance of doing well. Senator clinton, her network in florida, her campaign is very good. She has done well on the airwaves. Florida state is so big that you have to have a lot of campaign ad straight she a large presence on tv. In missouri, you could see not doing well, but senator sanders also fits his bill because it is a midwest state. In the south, clinton has done so well in the south. I think that remains her base, and africanamerican voters are gravitating toward her, especially in the south. Host that was part of our conversation with robert costa. We will be talking about those five key primary states as part of super tuesday ii. Voters inar from those states onto you are voting for and wife. Florida, North Carolina, illinois, missouri and ohio. If you are standing in line at the polls, give us a call. Fred is up in ohio, independent. Good morning. Caller good morning. How are you . Host good. Who are you voting for . Caller i voted for donald j trump. The radio announcer and the great picture of the st. Louis cardinals once said, if you can do it and you have done it, it is not bragging, so we are supporting donald trump, and all the members of my church are supporting donald trump. I think you will see a big evangelical shift to trump in ohio. I noticed something this morning and there was a huge turnout amongst independents and crossover democrats that are going for donald trump. Host what do you think is the appeal of those democrats . We have heard from some on our show today that say theyre democrats voting for donald trump. Caller well, things were going ok in ohio. The governor had been a good job, he is popular here. He would make a great us president ial candidate, but lately, with his support of certain activities, they are shifting and were losing especiallyded ohio, around cleveland and cincinnati, so i think you are seeing a big undertow here in the last 10 hours for donald trump. We certainly hope so. Host thank you. In ohio, marion, ohio, democrat. Good morning. Caller good morning. Host who are you voting for today . Caller i am voting for hillary. Host why is that . Caller i believe in her and she is a very intelligent woman. I know she believes in the people. And she will help all people. Connie, have you been following the breakdown of the democrat demographics in the campaign . Bernie sanders seems to have an appeal among younger voters. Are you seeing that in marion, ohio . Caller yes. I am. And i have a granddaughter. Host what are your conversations with her like . Caller she knows how i feel. I tell her to go with the one that she feels is more true to what she believes in. That is how i put it to her. I do not tell her to vote for this one where that one, but she knows how i feel about hillary. You what did she say to about how she feels about Bernie Sanders . Young voters,ll they are looking at him like a grandpa. My granddaughter loves her grandpa. Thats all i can tell you about that. Today inre is a column the New York Times trust no one over 30 except for bernie. Exit polling found 81 of democratic voters age 18 to 29 cast a ballot for Bernie Sanders. Of young voters have carried mr. Sanders further in the nominating process than anyone predicted. They have to figure out what they will do if they do not make it all the way to the revolution. Mrs. Clinton needs to find a way to make her collegeaged mans less lonely. Republican, good morning. Caller good morning. I voted for trump. , youll led off with the violence this morning. Traub started it . Are you there . Host im listening. Have you been to a rally . Caller no i havent. But, the violence, lets not the democrats had the black Panther Party in philadelphia threatening white people at the voting polls. Lets get it straight where the violence actually starts. John kerry has said on national tv that part of this country does not have the First Amendment right. We need to be silenced. What we saw in chicago is a good sign of it. Mp says the silent majority majority, itlent is the majority that has been silenced. That is all i have to say. Host a column that says when down a political rally, everyone loses. That the demonstrators succeeded in shutting down donald trump. Everyone lost in this exercise. He has a First Amendment right as well. Other choices are available so that contributors can tune him to his contribute opponents, vote against him, and persuade others to do likewise. That is what a free society is all about. Democrats, good morning. Go ahead. Caller im a democrat voting for john kasich. I think that john kasich is the best man for the job and i hope that ohio comes out for john. Host please stick with john if he wins the nomination in the general election . Would you pick him over any democrat . Caller absolutely. I voted for him for governor twice, and he is the only republican i would vote for. If he does not win ohio, and the generalnto election, i hope our governor does not keep the pledge that was made before donald trump showed how unqualified he is, how divisive he is for our country. He scares me. He scares a lot of people. I have a lot of democratic friends that voted for john kasich. They will vote for him in the general. All of us have agreed that if he does not get the general, we will vote democrat. Ost lets go to ohio republican. Rosalie, good morning. Caller good morning. I would like to say i am mad at the republicans and democrats both, but i will vote republican. I have voted for donald trump. When something is good for the people, it shouldnt matter if it is republican or democrat. They should vote for what the people want. That is what ive got to say. Exampleat is an where they have not done that caller . Look at our situation. The democrats dont vote for it, and if something is good for the country, vice versa. I want them to get together and work for the people and not for the party. Host wears a place that you think they should Work Together . What is one avenue for that . Goodr anything that is for the people. That is what im for. Host rosalie in ohio this morning. Lets go to charleston, illinois, independent. Good morning. Caller good morning. , i am voting for ted cruz. I think that he is the only candidate that we have that will strongly back the constitution. Ivan that is important. People seem to forget and are voting out of anger or whatever a lack of information. The candidates they are voting for will be able to take on the democrats in november. I think ted cruz has the strongest chance. His argued in front of the everye court and won time. He believes in the First Amendment, second amendment, 10th amendment. He would be great for our country. I think donald trump is a very scary man who changes his facts,. Eliefs, on a daytoday basis he supported the democrats for 20 years, and i dont think he can be trusted. I think all the people voting for him will be very sad later down the road. Forpe everyone comes out ted cruz and a big way. Host the republican race in illinois on the democraticside of the aisle there is a story in the wall street journal noting that voters in president obamas home state of illinois will decide which democratic candidate shall be the heir to his political legacy. A recent poll of the state showed mrs. Clinton leading 51 to 45 . Cbs showed mr. Standers mr. Sanders winning. That is along with all five of s of her grabs today. They will be closely watched. Brad, good morning. Caller hausa going . Host going well. Caller we are voting for trump. There is 172 of us. We got the vote before noon. Host did you go as a group . Caller all over the county, yes. Groups in our district. Host had you know 172 . Signatures,ve postcards, and i know 60 of them. We are all democrats voting for trump. Come november, we are voting for. Illary you have to fracture the Republican Party as hard as we can get them. Host do you see donald trump as the best candidate for Hillary Clinton to run against for her chance of winning . Caller yes. Er or bernie either one. The republicans finally got their billionaire. This will be a fun election. Host it seems like youre involved in the process with getting the word out. Is this something you have done before in previous elections to play the primary process . Caller no, this is our first. I live in a hardcore at kmart wemp have 80 people with confederate flags that are supporting trump bring america back again. Well see. Host cleveland, ohio is next. Joyce for republicans. Good morning. Caller we voted early. For the first time in my life. Im 72 and i voted for a republican, trump. That is also true for my husband, who has never voted for a republican. We feel like he does not know anyone anything. At histhe disruptions conventions, this goes on all over. Why arent they publicizing everyones like they are his. As far as ted cruz, our opinion is that he is a sneaky snake hiding behind churches. He is not an honest man. Donald is honest. He says what he thinks. Host who did you and your husband vote for in 2008 and 2012 . Aller obama we voted for obama. My Husband Campaign for obama. He is 81 years old. Host Hillary Clinton having served in the Obama Administration, we read that she is campaigning to be the heir to his legacy and what dont you like about a Hillary Clinton presidency . Hillary is not honest. She has taken payoffs from china for their foundation, and lots of other things. She has taken too many contributions. Too much money is going her way to big organizations. Do not tell me that if they give you money, you do not own them anything. That is a fairytale. Independents. Good morning. Caller i live in polk county. I called the board of elections to find out where i should vote. Last time i voted in a general election i was and a. Was an absentee ballot i was registered as an independent, and she told me i could not vote. Isnt that something . Host what will you do today . Caller watch cspan. I cant vote. Not knowing,es for but there is not sameday registration in florida . Caller i dont know. The board ofd me, elections said in the primary you cannot vote as an independent. Host we appreciate you watching cspan. Tune in at 7 00 tonight. You can watch all day, but at coverage of primary super tuesday 2 begins with live candidate speeches, results, and your calls. Make sure to tune in. Richard in verona, missouri. Good morning. Caller good morning. Bernie sanders all the way. Obamacarel deal, the isnt working out. The only thing we have for health care is Bernie Sanders. Are you listening . Host i am, sir. How long have you supported Bernie Sanders . Have you been following his career in the senate, or just this cycle . Caller five years ago, i called bernie and told him to run for president. I am 78 years old. Host you called his office, or did you talk to the senator himself . Caller i called his office and told him to run for president five years ago. Hes the only one who tells us what he will do. The rest of them will not tell you. You may not like what he will do, but at least he tells you what it is. Hillary clinton has one flaw. They dont like her. Thats what it is. Host lets go to st. Louis, missouri on the line for independents. Good morning. I am a cspan and pbs junkie. Mostly cspan. Who are you voting for in st. Louis . Have you voted yet . Caller i have not. Im not sure who to vote for. It is either going to be trump or sanders. My reasoning is that i have watched so much tv coverage i lying at leastz twice that i can definitely remember. , whatnot write it down station i was watching, or the times so that i could document it. It happened so fast. At the time i didnt take it was that important. I figured everyone would figure out that he lies. The reason that i might vote for trump is that i do not want to see the situation go to a brokered convention. I think Bernie Sanders is on the right track. I dont feel that we would have to worry about anything going to extremes because of the checks and balances in our democratic system. There is no way. I have watched enough cspan to know that i want to watch your q a about the Supreme Court that is coming up soon. Courte that the supreme has reached the point where its power has gotten out of balance. It has too much power. Like i said, thank you for cspan. Host thank you for the call. Information on florida Voter Registration and how it works at in primaries from wfla florida. Florida has closed primaries. You must be registered with the Political Party to vote in that partys primary election. The deadline to change or party or register was february 16. Waiting in line at 7 00 p. M. When polls close will have the opportunity to cast a ballot. Just answer our earlier callers questions. Lee, good morning. Hillaryi am voting for clinton. I think that she is the most qualified. In the military and i am a Wounded Warrior disabled veteran. I despise the rhetoric coming out of the rightwing mouths. Especially donald trump. I dont think that he is racist, but hes not a dumb guy plays on peoples fears. He is part of the rightwing incessant anybody but hillary bandwagon type of person. People wouldhy follow a guy who incessantly stated that the president of the United States, barack obama, was not born in america and had no about it whatsoever. To watch these americans follow defies totalis reality to me. , a bigtime wire. For all of you folks going for this junk, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Totally and completely. I find it disparaging for prison like me who served my country honorably for all of those years ago for a guy like this that is creating such wildfire out there and links to the masses. The masses. Amongst and they cannot figure out what he is doing. 10 minutes or 15 minutes before the house of representatives gavels in for the day. Also of note today, starting at 10 00 a. M. , a hearing on the flint, michigan water crisis in the oversight committee. You can watch that on cspan3. Also on thursday, another hearing on the flint water crisis featuring the epa Administrator Gina Mccarthy and the governor of michigan, rick snyder. As you are preparing for that hearing at 9 00 a. M. On cspan3 on thursday, you may want to check out todays Washington Post. The administrator has a comment column stop the next flint. That is the headline. Two goes through what happened during the crisis and calls on congress to help with water systems. That is in the Washington Post if you want to read that. Good morning. Caller good morning. Im happy to be on. Thank you. I have voted for trump. The reason there are many, got obama and the Democratic Party got obamacare through. They were not ready. It was a complete fiasco. I know someone that tried to get of it cut as they were out of it because they were getting Social Security the first of january. They wrote that they would be getting that, please cancel it. Nodewrote it on the next in december. We had to call the congressman to get out of it. It is a fiasco. Washington is a business. People there live in a bubble. There are people that have been there for 40 years. They have no idea what is happening in the world. In the world of americans. We are taking in a lot of people. Sorry for their poor circumstances where they are from. We cant keep taking in people and not know who is coming in the country. It is not possible to sustain. Donald trump is a businessperson. Washington is a business. They own property. They have employees. They have insurance. They are being treated one way. Obamacare cometh it was so wonderful, why did Congress Exempt themselves from using it . It is like one rule for inside the beltway and one rule for the rest of the country. Carolinamington, north. Next, saint augustine, florida. An independent. Good morning. Caller good morning. Thanks for cspan. Host appreciate it. Go ahead. Caller im voting for Bernie Sanders. Host why is that . Caller he has been saying the same thing over and over. He has fought for civil rights. He is trying to get the country back to where it should the. Should be. Anyone out there for unions, i cannot understand why they would vote for anyone else. All of the information is there. Look him up. It is the same thing since the 1980s. He has been saying the same thing. He has never wavered, changed, or flipflopped. He is for the military. If you want to send the boys carethe dont want to take of them when they come back. He is fighting for them. Host fort myers, florida. Democrat. Caller good morning. I am calling and saying that we voted for Hillary Clinton. Thing, you got ahead of me and stole my thunder regarding voting in the state of florida. Were not the only state with closed primaries. Those of you listening on cspan, find out your rules. Inre are independents florida, but they dont get to vote unless they change their affiliation 30 days before the election. This is not the only primary that we will have been the state of florida before the november elections. November, everyone can vote for whoever they want. All of the candidates. Host we have asked this before, but if you could change the primary system in this country, what do you think is the most fair way of doing it . Caller the fair way is select the party, be involved, find out who the candidates are. If they do have a restriction where lets face it. If i watched what happened in New Hampshire where people walk in as independents, republicans, or democrats, and said im changing into this, then they walk to the exit door and change back no. You have people who believe in the system of government, which is a twoparty system, or you dont. Host what about the people that dont want to be under one label . That want to be independent and not registered with the party . Is it ok for them to participate in the system . Caller heres the problem. When my mother moved to florida, she was told, because she said i want to register as an independent, the lady at the Elections Office said, that is nice, but you will not have anyone to vote for. In the primaries, even for the sheriff, it is democrat or republican. County, which is , thatjim crow lee county is the way it is. You have to be associated with the party to vote in a primary. , if you dont, there are times in primaries where they have school board and judges elected in those primaries. You have to show up. Host thanks for chatting. , the lineo illinois for republicans. Al, good morning. Caller i will be voting for donald trump today. Hard aboutink real whether to vote for Bernie Sanders versus donald trump versus john kasich. Host what did it come down to . Caller unfortunately, i dont think bernie can beat hillary. Bernie is kind of scary. Im not sure he has a grip on the finances that will be required to do what he wants to do. I think he will spend us into the jerk. Into the dirt john kasich would be my choice, that i dont think john kasich has a chance to win. If it went to a brokered convention, john kasich would have a good chance to emerge from the convention as the candidate, but i think the process of making that happen fabric tohis moral shreds. The party would destroy him as a moral person. They would sell him out in a thousand different ways. Donald trump, i am attracted to the fact he does not own anyone anything. Anything. Ne he is independently wealthy. Economic attraction of politics is limited for him. He might be one of those rare job and grow into the , which a great president he has the potential to be, or he could be a moneygrubbing circus big top guy who takes this as a money making opportunity. Even if that is the worstcase on theo, who will be other side . Hillary clinton. She has already demonstrated her willingness to sell out. , but he iscrapshoot the best crapshoot weve got. Fight donald a trump will not be able to wrap up before the primaries are over . Caller i hope that he can. If it goes to a convention, the powers it be will destroy him before the destroy him behind the scenes. I dont care. Ort, theyone vote sh will not allow him to emerge the winner of a brokered convention. They will find some way to tear him up. It will be a loose interpretation of the rules. On whatre is the math the candidates need to do. Republicans on delegates before the convention, 1237 that is the threshold to achieve the nomination. Delegates are available in the five primaries happening today. The second biggest day on the primary calendar. The biggest with super tuesday on march 1. Donald trump has 460. Ted cruz, 300 70. Marco rubio, 163. Side, ocratic today, there are 691 pledged delegates at stake in those five primary states. Hillary clinton with superdelegates is at 1230 four. Bernie sanders at 579. That is the math. Lets try to get more calls before the house gets in. Alice in alan in st. Petersburg. How are you . Caller thank you for taking my call. One quick point. Am a total independent i am an elderly man going on 70 years old in may. I have been watching for the past 50 years. Host im so side. We have to end the show because the house is gaveling in. I apologize. Please call in again. Were taking our viewers to the house floor where live coverage will begin on cspan. The speaker pro tempore the house will be in order. The chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker. The clerk the speakers room, washington, d. C. , march 15, 2016. Hereby appoint the honorable Cresent Hardy to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. Signed, paul d. Ryan, speaker of the house of representatives. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the order of the house of january 5, 2016, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour ebate. The chair will alternate