Ask the Speaker- LIVE

Gina is up now giving us an overview of how the event was created. And how the speaker's office and the speaker has shown incredible openness by agreeing to and working with Netroots on the event.

They have told us that they will not be able to deal with any organized disruption.
(Code Pink is here)

I am especially proud that Terri, HS and I got up very early and volunteered to help set up the fliers on tables and got an awesome table right up front. AND we were able to give a great seat to Darcy Burner, who is with us today!

Event opening- Congressman Doggett is speaking. About Turning Texas BLUE.
Democracy is Liberty, PLUS Groceries. (laugh) He is doing a nice little historical perspective... And he is praising Nancy-- for helping stop the 12 year GOP death grip on the house. Praise for the energy bill.


More about congress. And how there is always debate in congress, as much as in the netroots. Nancy engages, listens and leads. Introduces Nancy...

NANCY Up. Thanks for the warm welcome, let's hope the current feeling continues through the q&A.
thanks to Gina for the Netroots Nation invite.
Thanks to the Netroots for our 2006 victory.
Austin should be proud of congressman Doggett.

She seems nervous but self possessed.

More acknowledgements.

After our election, after I was sworn in. I established a select committee on climate change. Need to be energy independent. Revolution in economy, issue of security, a moral issue. (sorry for my shorthand she speaks fast)

Responsibility to the future. She traveled to some countries, criticized for talking to other countries. Unbelievable. Everywhere I went, the young people wanted an end to war.
Sharing a quote.
"Words not weaponry are the tools of the new civilization"

People are communicating in every way possible.

I come here knowing the frustration we have, all of us, for not being able to end the war in Iraq, which is what we came into congress after 2006 to do. We have tried no less than 5 times. It only reached the pres. desk one time, he vetoed. and the republicans are using their 60 votes to stop us for ever getting the vote to his desk again.

We need a new president, 107 days till the election and we can end this war.

You make our democracy stronger. We may not always agree. You should continue to be persistent and relentless in pushing us to make the country better. And in that spirit. let the questions begin.

Q&A

1. Why take impeachment off the table.

"Nancy: We did take the conempt of congress vote and it passed. The contempt resolution was supported by all democrats. We supported Conyers in his work on contempt resolutions. Next up is the contempt charge against Karl Rove.

George is using his appointed judges to stop our investigations and contempt charges from going forward. Our congress people on the judiciary committee will lead us down our path.

2. Telecom, what was the gain in giving the telecoms immunity?

Nancy: I wanted to be on the intelligence committee. Our options were limited once 17 democratic senators sent that bill to the house.

I had 5 requirements that were my threshold.
exclusivity. FISA exclusive authority
protection of USA Citz. overseas
ALL electronic communications fall under FISA
Inspector general.

HOUSE bill as the good bill.

came down to one thing. How do you find out more about what the admin. did?
If we don't have immunity it wouldn't go to court. But you CAN learn something from the inspector general.

I believe that the House bill was the better bill.

Some people ask why didn't we wait for the new president.
we still have those 17 votes.
we still have those republicans.

The telecom should not be considered a success...

GINA:
Askthespeaker.org was posted on progressive and conservative websites.
Both had the same outrage with the telecoms getting no accountability.
These 17 dems and repub. who is supporting this? This was bipartisan agreement.

NANCY:
Many Conservatives support protecting the constitution. I am not surprised.

Senate bill was bad, ours was better. We are trying to protect the people. I know we are in disagreement at the end of the day. But I did feel this was the best choice. I felt like it was my responsibilty to stop the senate bill.

My sadness is that the senate sent us the FISA Bill.
And I am sad that we have not been able to stop the war.

FROM THE AUDIENCE>

JEFF: Repub. talk about wanting gov. small enough to drown in a bathroom.
We have seen the outcome. Food that makes us sick. etc.
What is the Democratic vision of the government.

NANCY:
Last nov. was step 1.
first step was winning the congress.
Next we need to win the president.

Gov. needs to deal with 4 big issues.
first responsibility is to protect the American people but our vision is....

Healthcare. Access to what? Big Vision? Major investment. Bio medical research. Most privilege person in America's heatlh care is better if the poorest person has good health care. It is a big vision, diet, health care, exercise. Science is the answer.

Science, for energy self reliance.

Infrastructure. Big vision to build and rebuild our infrastructure.
Very bipartisan.

(Break for battery change)