Television Companies Support cspan2 as a public service. American history tv, saturdays on cspan2, exploring the people and events that tells the american story. At 7 p. M. Eastern well feature washington journals segment looking back at the Senate Watergate hearings 50 years ago with historian kate scott. At 9 30 p. M. Eastern on the presidency, historian Richard Norton smith talks about his book an ordinary man decade long look at gerald ford, assessment of the man and his presidency. Exploring the american story. Watch American History tv saturdays on cspan2nd find a full schedule on your Program Guide or watch online anytime at cspan. Org history. Ladies and gentlemen, id planned to speak to you tonight to report on the state of the union. But the events of earlier today have led me to change those plans. Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and i are to the core with the tragedy of the shuttle challenger and we know we share with the people of the country truly a national loss. 19 years ago almost to the day we lost three astronauts on a terrible accident on the ground. Weve never lost astronauts in flight and a tragedy like perhaps weve forgotten the crew. They, the challenger seven were aware and we mourn several heroes. Michael smith, dick scobie, judith reznick, ronald mcnair, astronaut ona zuka, and jarvis and christa mcauliffe. We mourn as a nation together. The family of the seven we cant know the lost, but we feel the loss and are thinking of you. Your loved ones were daring and grave and they had that special grace, special spirit that said give me a challenge and explore with joy. They hungered for knowledge and they wished to serve they did serve offed all of us. Weve grown used to wonders in this century and hard to dazzle us. But for 25 years the United StatesSpace Program has been doing just that. Weve grown used to the idea of space and perhaps we forget that weve only just begun, were still pioneers. They, the members of the challenger crew, were pioneers. And i want to Say Something to the School Children of america who were watching the live coverage of the shuttles takeoff. I know its hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. Its all part of the process of exploration and discovery. Its all part of taking a chance and expanding mans horizons. The future doesnt belong to the fainthearted, it belongs to the brave. The challenger crew was pulling us into the future and well continue to follow them. Ive always had great faith in and respect for our Space Program and what happened today does nothing to diminish if. We dont hide our Space Program and dont keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all upfront and in public, thats the way freedom is and we wouldnt change it for a minute. Well continue our quest in space and there will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here. Our hopes and our journeys continue. I want to add that i wish i could talk to every man and woman who works for nasa or who worked on this mission and tell them, your dedication and professionalism that moved and impressed us for decades and we know of your anguish. We share it. Theres a coincidence today, on this day 390 years ago the great explorer sir Francis Drake died aboard a ship off the coast of panama, in his lifetime the great frontiers were the oxana historicalion later said, he lived on the sea, died on it and was buried in it. Today we can say of the challenger crew, their dedication was like drakes, complete. The crew of the Space Shuttle challenger honored us in a manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them nor the last time we saw them this morning as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye, and slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of god. Thank you. Weekends on cspan2 are an intellectual feast. Every saturday, American History tv documents americas story and on sunday, book tv brings you the latest and nonfiction books and authors. Funding for cspan2 comes from these Television Companies and more, including midco. Midc along with these television Companies Support cspan2 as a public service. 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the vietnam war and sunday night on q a, well discuss the war with metropolitan museum of art president and ceo, daniel weiss. Mr. Weiss book, in that time, tells of musician and poet, after the helicopter he was flying shot down over cambodia. He made the decision to rescue the men so he went down into the landing zone area, and he hovered on the ground for four minutes waiting for the Reconnaissance Team to arrive there, which is in a battle condition an eternality, its a very long time sitting vulnerable for the enemy. He waited and the Reconnaissance Team arrived, injured, but safe, they exported the helicopter, all of them and odonnell man to pull the helicopter up above the tree line and radioed, i have everyone, im coming out. Daniel white with his