washminster's MyC-SPAN

John Lawrence, author of The Class of '74: Congress after Watergate and the Roots of Partisanship, took viewer calls about the political polarization that emerged after Watergate and the new members of Congress who advocated for congressional reforms.

Professor Evan Friss talked about the evolution of suburbs from the early 1900s to the present day. He spoke about how changes to home loan policies, the mass production of houses, and the rise of automobiles helped create an alternative to urban living.

The House met for Morning Hour, with members permitted to speak on any topic.

Representative Brendan Boyle (D-PA) talked about his role as a new member of the 114th Congress. He discussed his first impressions of how the U.S. Capitol operates, his upbringing as the son of an immigrant janitor, and his criticisms of the campaign finance system.

Former Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) talked about his work at the Lugar Center, including the development of a rating system to track bipartisanship in Congress.

Christopher O’Sullivan talked about his book, Harry Hopkins: FDR’s Envoy to Churchill and Stalin.

The 2015 Roosevelt Reading Festival was held by the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Reading Room C of the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center in Hyde Park, New York.

President Richard Nixon’s 1971 calls with members of Congress. Participants include Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield, Arizona Republican Senator and former presidential nominee Barry Goldwater, and House Minority Leader and future Nixon vice president and successor Gerald Ford. Topics included legislation, Vietnam, and the release of the Pentagon Papers.

Language in some calls may be offensive to some people.

Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) talked about his role as a new member of Congress. He owns a number car dealerships in the Washington, D.C., area, and previously served as U.S. ambassador to Switzerland during the Obama administration. Representative Beyer won the seat vacated by retiring Representative Jim Moran.

Panelists talked about second term presidents. Topics included how they worked with Congress, their own party, and the opposing party. They also spoke about how presidents' foreign policy goals shift from their first to second terms, and their engagement with presidential candidates aiming to succeed them.

Former White House officials and presidential aids spoke about White House relations with Congress and their advice for President-Elect Obama during his transition period. They also focused on the pace of the transition and the importance of the inaugural address. Panelists responded to audience members' questions.


This was one of a series of five discussions held by Stephen Hess, based on his book What Do We Do Now? A Workbook for the President-Elect (Brookings Institution Press, 2008).