Kind of process that has a sense of fragility to it. Is that cooperation is forthcoming and how do you ensure that it is Going Forward . Thats a great question. I think the intensity of cooperation and the sense of the daytoday importance of counterterrorism feeds over time. That is human nature. I think the interesting thing about it, these financial campaigns and focusing on illicit finance is that these are enduring issues that matter to the integrity of the financial system. Money laundering laundering matter before 9 11 and it mattered more so after 9 11. It mattered and that matters even more so now. So how far do you expand these powers and whether or not reach the Tipping Point where they start to be less effective over time, either because the u. S. Has lost its predominance or the dollar has lost things in terms of courtesy. Or because we have overused it and people have stopped paying attention in these alliances have emerged. I dont think the attention has waned. I think th
Going to be we saw it happen with speaker gingrich and it can happen here. Boehner walked away from a deal shortly after that. I want to come to the interplay between the leadership on the republican side in in a second but i have to ask this based on what you said. I think you know the president gave what was initially an off the record interview to the Des Moines Register editorial board, speaking although he did not get the endorsement of that paper in one of the things he said in the interview was he believed he could get a grand bargain struck on the debt ceiling if he were reelected on november 6. A son what youre saying they may not be possible if if the freshman and now sophomores and many members who come and dont eventually give a nether blessing to cut a deal. In her may feel in the same tough spot now that but he was last year. A ground part and based on what you say may not be possible if obama wins under any circumstances. This is outside of the book but i will do it anyw
There is not domestic you. Thank you so much. Right behind you. I noticed mr. Ornsteins pantheon of views that are still in congress favor mr. Lugar will be in a few. It seems once they are on their way out or out the door, they say all the right things. When they are continuing to run, Olympia Snowe is another great example. What would you suggest we do as a public for others do to encourage politicians in office to the right thing because the right thing to do . Tom, you can start. Im curious because he done so much work and then whatever you want to say before. And then i guess, are we closer pass the time . I usually go over. We have many fascinating questions pending, most of which havent been answered. Let me try to run through a couple of them. The conservative wayne is now the party. Its been embraced by the party. Its agenda has been embraced by the leadership. The chairman of the Budget Committee, paul ryan, very able member is the archetype of that agenda, which should make
Author of big, hot, cheap and right, and what america can learn from the strange genius of texas. [inaudible conversations] good morning. Im glen, the directer of the school of journalism at the university of texas at austin. I welcome you. Theres two superb authors here to morning to talk about the state of the union where we went wrong. We have 45 minutes, but could spend 45 hours on this. We better get rolling. Ill introduce the writers, ask questions, and i turn it over to you. I want to remind you when the session ends, two authors go to the signing tents, and theres a place to buy copies of the books and take them to the tent and have them signed. Follow us out when we leave. To the left, george packer, staff writer for the new yorker magazine, author of asass sins gate, named one of the ten best books of the year by the New York Times, written two novels and two Nonfiction Books, a play off broadway, and lives this brooklyn, new york, the new book called the unwinding inner hist
[inaudible conversations] we are going to get started now. Welcome to the texas book festival director for the New York Times magazine i nt night i am here with Mark Leibovich to talk about. To talk about his book this town. It was an openended question while he was reported the bow to the new video side of washington would be interested in the finished product after spending 11 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list is of full house today here in austin, texas o congratulations. Have the genesis of this book was 8100 word costume contest that he did for the character that most of you would not know or care about an unusual fellow named mike allen who pollute produces playbook apolitical tip sheet that he describes as a distillation inhouse law of the nations business in the form of a summer camp newsletter. [laughter] the premise was that this very socially precarious individual is the town crier for the Nations Capital tuesday it says much about washington as the fellow that we