Transcripts For CSPAN2 Harry 20240706

Expect to don a badge. I guess you thought of Something Different like football. More of that later. E he didnt expect to be under frontlines battling his fellow americans,. On as a congressional bipartisan january 6th committee will be testified before found inspired by donald trump to stage of violent insurrection of the u. S. Capitol and a failed attempt to overturn a a free and fair u. S. President ial election. But what harry done did didn becoming a Police Officer protecting congress, which is where we first cross paths during my time covering congress. Officer dunn defended the capital on january 6th, 2021 along with his colleagues in some of whom died, but a president ial citizens and congressional gold medal later ended up paying a heavy price. That he is still coping with today. But he decided to turn this dramatic investment into a platform to speak out about Mental Health and democracy, and write a book called standing my ground. A capitol Police Officers fight for accountability and good trouble after january 6th. So lets welcome harry dunn. [applause] thank you. So, harry, i just wanted to let folks know will have a bit of the conversation, then im going to turn it over to the folks here. First of all want to talk about since this is aca press club wet to talk about how the book came together. What inspired you to write it, writing process like, the editing process. Talk to us about the book was actually inspired and constructed. Well, thanks forav having me, make sure you get answers right because literary agent is here and my publishers of got to make sure i get the right answers. No. Like you said i been didnt expect to be in the space right now where we are. I was rach tweeting a lot and i was putting a lot of thought and realize i was garnering small following really come small . Started that way. And i realize that also it was making me feel better putting these tweets and these thoughts that i had on my phone folder photo audio recordings of me venting. I would just be recording in my phone literally at work sometimes i would listen to its those recordingse like 17 minutes, profane laced. Started talking to somee influential people, people and my, people i have respect and ellen drawing a blank nbc correspondent Richard Engel did an interview with him and we talked offcamera about 15 minutes or so. And he said you need to write aa book. Those first time i heard it. I started actually getting some traction and every such a couple of people and the connected me with my team and here we are without elkin together. It was very cathartic for me to write the book i had a coauthor that are but with and we bumped heads a lot because i did like some of t things that were in their and i wouldnt say this i have the personality and then make sure that always comes to the forefront i didnt want to say what people expect me to say, but this is my story, my words, memoir of my life and experiences. So the toughest part about writing the book wasas how to ed it. Because the world is still on fire and i was trying to use my book and like a fire extinguisher, but jesus christ, like how by the way, if anybody saw me on the view, i got like censored on the view several times. I say jesus christ. That seduces . Thats what i i thought thats why we were here. I said jesus christ. But no, i tried to use this book as a fire extinguisher, like a sobering reality of his life. I i do want to paint the picture of all roses. Were in a dire state right now in this country. So that was one of the toughest part of how to end it. But the actual process was eyeopening and judges rent yourself with good people that actually know what theyre doing because ive no idea what im doing. Are you sure about that . Yes. S. Res. Like the actual, you know, getting the technicalities and stuff. You just touched on something that struck mee at the end of te book, and we will get to the other parts of the book later, is that the story keeps going. I do want to sort of kind of sort of rapidfire getea some of your reactions that where the book left off, now were starting to see the whole Legal Proceedings kicked in with much larger players. Your talk about the smaller players in the book. Now the president from a chief of staff, several of his former attorneys. I mean, its starting to move, and the president himself has been on the stand just yesterday in related what do you make of what you think the fire extend wisher, as you call it, of how the system is working or not working or, you know, the things that you expressed in very passionate terms throughout the book . What you make of whats happening now with thehe former president and his chief of staff, former lawyers, alternate . Well, the system is working. At a delayed pace i guess. Jenny was six disher it will be three years. But just to touch on another, look how long donald trump has been doing these things that hes been charged with and is finally paying off. So i do believe that it is working. You know, with the criticism of, at a snails pace. Thats why its important, and the narrative now that they are trying to discredit it as, you know, when facts are on their side that attack the system because they cant have facts on their side. So they attack the institution, now the fbiswe undertaken the department of justice is weaponizing, all the stuff. The institutions work, if we have these safeguards, the safeguards are American People. You know, it frustrates me though that these institutions that have entrusted, tried, true for centuries, decades, now the attack them as being not credible and their followers are buying into it. Bennie thompson told me one day that the best disinfectant is truth. So we need more people to do, speaking truth to power. And like i said thats why one of the reasons i hope my book ia that a lot of people ask about the congresspeople and politicians or mayors, governors who repeat these allies. You know, if they read my book, great but this book isnt for them. The book for the American People and hopefully open some eyes and inspire people to continue to speak the truth to power. Speaking of the book, theres some talk in terms of the structure, it seemed to be part catharsis. There was a definite Mental Health track to this. Part democracy primer, part history primer. Was that intentional . So, im this big hodgepodge of all that stuff that you just named. Yes, the was intentional, especially the Mental Health aspect of it. You know, usually somebody who says they got it together all the time and ill show you the biggest liar on the face of this earth, because we all are striving for something. We all are. Water wanted people to know where i got this forceful pride from, and that goes back to i guess the waywa i was raised, al the way back to my parents to thead community, my upbringing. Id some experiences that may be some people cant relate to, maybe they can. Like what . Well, i talk specific incidents where i will would play sports and w then i was on medicine as a child for adhd, and it made me feel weird being medicated as a kid. Wr i felt like something was wrong with me, and maybe that helped shape me to be the person that it am that it did need to be controlled by medicine. Not saying theres anything wrong withwi it because people,e all need some kind of assistance, we need help. But that, these expenses that of the didnt like being cut from a football team, you know, going up in the community that i grew up in with a childhood friends, having four sisters and being the only boy, may be that molded some the compassion and empathy that i have that men are afraid to display or dont display for whatever reasons. I include all of that because all of these experiences that i live help create the person that you see standing, sitting here in front of you know. Which is weird because its standing on by grant at of literally sitting down. But its a great picture. Thats right. Talk about yourut upbringing and Mental Health. Do you want to start a National Conversation about Mental Health . And specifically, theres been a lot of discussions about how Mental Health is not openly in passionately and widely discussed in the africanamerican community, especially among africanamerican men. I mean who wants to admit they are aft up . I guess thats one of the reasons why the conversation doesnt happen. Yes, i want to have a National Discussion about it, but theres nothing new that can be said to accomplish. Theres nothing new, there is no new phrases or no new hashtags. We need morepl people saying it. More people need to i guess the phrase gets the right all the time, normalize this, normalized that. More people just slowly a part of our everyday life, part of our everyday life. So more people just need to be opening and accepting. But iis understand what people e not. This world is really cool. People love to kick you while youre down or take a picture of somebody struggling instead of helping the person. Thats the worldld we live in. So its easy to go with the norms that of an happening, and its hard to do the opposite come to go against it. i just took it with anybody thinks, thats what i am a bit to do this, show the full adobe. Speaking of vulnerability, you were pretty wrought inrm ths book in terms of opening yourself up to all the rage, all the things that were coming in that you are experiencing, not just as aou result of january 6th, your childhood. All of it. What kind of feedback has been getting from not just your friends but total strangers . If anybody said hey, you have helped me, youve help you seek or anything of that nature . I share a funny story, feedback from my father. Why do you guys so much . [inaudible] my parents didnt really like that, correct, but they also didnt raisese the to do with an insurrection and Everything Else that followed behind. That wasnt in parents yeah, but you know, i had to share how i really feel and i pulled the curtain back all the way and thats the way i feel. Im not going to say isis jiminy cricket. Thats not, thats not count us aqim. Im able to articulate come some people say to curse a lot, you have limited vocabulary either party could okay the dirty for sometimes those words bring it home. But no, but yes, i have gotten a good feedback and i actually got a message from a coworker to stay night that they saw my message on my interview on the view, and this person is the longer with the force because of january 6, not physically, just mostly cant do the job anymore and said that they struggle getting out of bed every morning. And seeing me still fight even if sometimes by myself just to tell the truth or inspire people or it makes it easier for them to get out a bit. My response to that is thats what its all about. I was telling meredith on the way in here that, my publisher, i got a text from a coworker at work right now and people just want to say that the shooting that happened h last night in maine, and he just wanted to talk to me about it. Like, how did i become this person that you just want to talk to about it works bes is just sports, you know, new music. But now, just getting that message from people that want to open up aboutyt any and everything, and thats, its rewarding because it lets me come one, l its been on that the only one that are having these feelings. Against thats what made it okay because they are having feelings and if you like theyre not the only one either. Theres another part of this, you just raised about reaction and talked about a coworker. What kind of reaction have received in the Law Enforcement community . Talk about that. Because in a previous conversation as we were prepping you were speaking before National Organization for black Law Enforcement officers and so forth. Hasnt been mixed, good, bad, talk about that . It is as defined as this country is. It is as divided as this country is. On january sixth there was actually a Police Officer, active Police Officer from chicago who got charged and the fop lawyers represented in court after januaryry 6th. Obviously, the Capitol Police had an individual charge with i dont know exact charge of it he was telling individual he agreed with what happened and we need to delete this office social media. But i get messages all the time from coworkers, keep it up. Bro, i dont know how you do it, keep going. It is definitely next. Has anybody ever called you a traitor or the trail anything like this. Us know. They say i am seeking clout. You are seekin clout and you doing this because of all the media appeared to . Every single time ive gotten awards or on tv, all of those acknowledge and michael anybody say thats 100 disingenuous, its wrong. Because all i do is upload my coworkers. I dont speak a negative about them and i try to share the spotlight and given the opportunities that i have been blessed with. But it definitely next, as divided as his country. But has it changed the relationship, lets is specifically within the African American community . Which is a complicated relationship with the police historically. Yeah. I did a podcast, Michael Harriet, michael, unapologetically black and black everything, you know. Yeah here but he said from the jump, one, it would never expect to have a Police Officer on his podcast, and, but thats the kind of thing we need to have those discussions. Because living in this divided world, im not trying to be the great unifier, right, but this kind of discussions need to happen. And they also need to be received with understanding, empathy and compassion because people thought which of all the want of the walkway, i hate him, i hate it. We talked. People need to seek actual understanding for for a dife to be made. Theres another part of the book to titlele the other bunchf history nuggets out of there. What were you trying to do in sort of planting those historical themes . In short to say, nothing new. This death has been happening for years. Iat mean, coming back from the view last thatlk i was talking o the driver and thank you for appearing at my employers. Of course, of course. We werelk talking about life, liberty pursuit of happiness, humor, life, liberty and property. That same have been around for a while. Black people come with this all men are created equal, they werent talking about black people and all men are equal. At that time black people were considered property. So all men are created equal didnt apply to black people at that time, whether you could splice it apart you want. Thats the actual facts of it. Or women. Correct. I talk about that in the book. But this aint nothing new. These people are, felt this entitlement. Donald trump still doesnt think he did anything wrong. The people who attacked the capital, they didnt think they did anything bunker its their sense of entitlement that is existed because of our history that they have been emboldened by the history, our history, its ours, its all of our history. And that still rears its ugly head today. It still exists today. But thats the point of bringing up those historical events that this aint nothing do. But that historically been come those historical events collectively also dip into deeply and you talk about a little bit about the Michael Harriet discussion, into the issue of race. On a number of interviews you have stated squarely that the january 6th insurrection was not act racist act. Im going to challenge you on that. Why . I dont think that they get together and said, well, let me back up. My white coworkers got their ass will also. Thats why dont think it would be racist fueled event. There were races there, a lot of them, but i dont think the premise off that. The premise of that there was entitlement and he wanted to disenfranchise and safe yellow, no, yall didnt winter we did. Yall is lying. Thats what that there was about. Now, a lot of racists believe that but i dont believe that it was, and also anytime you bring up what are using the race card . It just is what it is. Its a part of her history, part come its a part of our current history thats going on now. In the democracy leg of this, youve written this book now, you have done a bunch of speeches, had a lot of interviews. What do you make of our american democracy . Here at the press club. You can tell it. The press club . [laughing] weve been asking people to be honest with folks for more than 160 years. Its on life support i guess right now. Keep any ade next, nearby. Is a really that precarious . I think so, man, i think so. I do see anything that gives me real hope tha its not, that its not, you know, individuals are so so what . I dont know. Im trying to find the right word. N this sucks, you know . We are in a bad place right now and people have lost hope and people just dont really care anymore. A lot of disenfranchise people. I mean, just look at whats going on in the house of representatives right now. You know, just elected a speaker and how long we were without one. One. Instead of working together to find but you put your life on the line every day when you wear that uniform, and particularly on the sixth of january 2021. And the insurrection ultimately failed. So dont you have faith . It takes individuals. Its not these institutions thats going to hold up. Its individuals that occupy these institutions, like whod wouldve thought you have to give the president of the United States and ethics briefing . I mean, the individuals are the people, and do you know that the speaker of the house can be any jewel i get to all the street . Did you know that . You dont have to be a member of cox to be speaker of the house. If, if you, i wanted to run for speaker. If you cut you when to speakership. Its insane. What did you come what do you think of the thought that was outou there that house republics might entertain the idea of bringing in former President Trump as speaker . Thats what im saying, thats the point im trying to make. I think im trying to make. Am i making it . The institutions are run by these people. We are only as strong as these individuals, we are a nation of institutions that are run by the people, which makes the question how too turn it around . I dont know. I dont know. I kept the think him these ideologies that exist at how to defeat an ideology . Like is that if donald trump goes to joke sure ill be happy, yeah, great. But then what . M his followers dont go away. The idea, maga doesnt disappear. Its still there until the next person comes up and then its the next donald trump. I dont know d how you defeat an ideology. The best disinfectant is truth. You say that around all the time. I dont know what im doing. I hope it works. Like a set about trying to be this great uniter, but if i is for somebody and that person is by somebody, you know . Youve done a lot in this time period, even before you wrote the book, since six. You testified before a congressional committee. You talk in the book about all the harassment, all the pain, althoughry everything. You talk about how it impacted your family, your daughter. Talk about that for a minute. I got a fulltime job, man. Fulltime. Yakima top of your day job. Ive got a fulltime job, man. Protecting members of congress. Its a funny, when they tried to nope, eric has got to work. Cant do it. But you talk about indie book youre defending some of the very same numbers who were denying what happened. How do you deal with i struggle with that. I mean, why go back . Backwards why put the badge back on . Because then the institutions collapse. I leave, other people to come everybody leave. The cistercians start collapsing. So at this moment we have bigger than yourself kind of moment. Eat one individual. But you know, a group together, you know, come together and you make it strong so. It sounds a superhero ish but the country is depending on in a country dependent on me, you know . [laughter] a roth of a lot of famous ad heats that say they would carry their team on their back. Do you feel the same way in. No, but can i, im not doing it alone. Its a lot of harry dunns out there the that they dont know their faces, but, you know, is men and women that i work with, im sure they hate it. Theres part of my question you didnt touch. Which one . Ow the impact on your family. Oh, yeah. Daphne. Oh, she tonight care. Really . [laughter] [inaudible conversations] after my tv appearances on my launch date, she tech me and i thought, hey, daddy. She said, daddy, do you like my hair . If she just got my hair braided. She didnt saying nothing about t. [laughter]r] yes, baby, you look beautiful. Shes a shy kind of girl, except forr when, like, her dads around, i guess, you know, she warms up. But shes a little shy. So im, like, oh, this is even in the white house we got to go to the oval office, and shes standing there like the. [laughter] and then finally e when Vice President harris gave her, like, the white house m ms and the cookies, then shes now we talking. Sh uhhuh. Now she warms up. We at the white house. Always the goodies exactly. And the adults. Definitely. [laughter] [inaudible] well, i want to do one thing before we start shifting to questions. I want to ask one question. Was it worth it . Yeah. No question. No, like, absolutely. It is worth it. You know, i received a lot of pushback. I dont talk much about it, but i even professional ally uhuh suffered a little bit, and ill just leave it at that. Publicly, ill leave it at that. But without a doubt, i would do it all over again. Without a doubt. Well, weve got some questions, i think, that are coming a up. People are looking for cecily, i think people are looking for pens. So, sorry, ill grab a couple of them. Letss see. Firstir one, i was out of the country when january 6th happened. What would you want for people from other countries i think, i cant read all the writing. To learn about that day e and how the u. S. Needed to move forward from it. Okay. Real quick, fun fact. Ii met the team of astronauts from nasa who were the only people that on january 6th who were alive on january 6th that werent on the earth [laughter] they were above. [inaudible conversations] he was, like, i was watching you from space, dude. But, no, its cool to meet people who were or alive on january 6th that werent on earth. Werent on earth. Crazy. I just thought that was [laughter] but otherot countries have been, people from other countries have messaged me on im going to always call it twitter. Not x. What do they say . Theyre in disbelief that this is happening because the u. S. Is looked up to as this world power. Maybe thats our own arrogance that we do, that we look up were the worlds leader. Finish and think about like parenting. And, you know youre fighting with the two the married couples fighting in front of their kids. And not in front of the kids, clnot in front of the kids. The u. S. Is going through this big, messy divorce in front of everybody or when the people are supposed to be looking up to us. And its depressing. But other countries, like i said, i wouldnt look up to us being the world leaders. But look at canada last summer. The truckers convoy that started. I mean, this stuff thats going on and the whole thing with brexit and other countries, this isnt a u. S. Specific problem that were dealing with here. There are global issues that, like i say, i dont know how to fix it here, i definitely wouldnt know how to fix over there, but i do know that that people standing up for whats right, continuing to stand their and stand their ground [laughter] stand their ground, us islam. Its worst it. You know, it feels good. Soou i encourage people to tell your truths and tell your stories and dont be downed by the backlash that you get because more people actually support you than you know. You know, you ask thats a fly outfit, right . Yeah, i look good. So walk up to ten people, one person says, eh, okay. The other nine says you fly, you look great. But you focus on that a one individual, and we forget about theth other nine that just validated what were doing. And we beat ourselves up. Im all over the place with that answer because i dont know what the answer well, you answered the best wayy you knew how. Yeah. I want to go back to something from that answer and others, how did januaryth change you . I mean january 6th change you . And specifically your faith or trust in humanity. So ill okay, two parts to that. Take how t the change well, before january 6th, you know, id believed in Public Service. My fathers, you know, a military veteran, and i believed in Public Service, you know . To be a good person. But now that was prejanuary 6th. After january 6th i feel like its a duty now, not just like the a calling and right thing to do. Its, like, i have to do it. I have to do it now even though i dont want to do it anymore. Its kind of like i have to now. So it changed thats the way i dont like it now. I used to like being a cop, Police Officer, but with now i dont likeow it at all. Because of the things that were exposed that a day. But that doesnt make me, like, run away from the challenge, i guess. But also personally to answer that, you know, i used to be this big old extroverted person, and people who know me and now im, like, this introverted shell of my former self, and im working my way back to get go out and, you know, events in large crowds, like bother me now. Ive always been, you know, or vigilant watching my back, kind of things like that. But now even around a friendly people, my friends, i gotta get out ofis here, this isnt good. That sounds like a bit of a ptsd. Uhhuh. If thought about that. S its rough, man, because i hate it. And, you know, sometimes ill just go out to my truck and ill just sit there, like, im all right, im all right. A lott of deep breaths, tears streaming down my face, and then i get it all back together. I get it together and i try, i try to go back to my former self. And, you know, im working on it, and im a lot better than what i was. I still struggle at times. And its not fun. Finish its not fun at all. It sucks. Sounds like an advertisement for therapy. Believehe me, i my parents put me in therapy when i was a kid. Thats another thing, so i guess thats why its been normal to me. But, yeah sometimes they can be fun, sometimes it can be i hate this, sometimes you walk out of there, like, i feel like crap. But you unpack these you dont you live with it, you you dont live with it bottled up inside of you. And one thing that ill say about therapy is going to therapy doesnt make you with immune from lifes traumas and tribulations that youll experience, because you will. But what it will do is give you the tools of how to process it and to unpack everything. So lifes still going to suck, just may suck a little less. [laughter] speaking of morale, you touched about a, touched on actually, you didnt touch on, you hit it on the head about, that you dont like your gig. What in the wake of all of your appearances and all the hearings and everything, has anything been done seriously, in your view, to help the morale of Law Enforcement you just made me hi of Something Else too, another reason why i because people say we need people like you. We need more people like you. And that resonates with me because, as i said, what do i want too do . I want to inspire people. I want to show that resiliency. You know, another thing, when you quit thats what they want you to do. They want you to leave. They win. They win. So im, like, no. Im staying in this fight. Also theres a little bit of stubbornness. Im right, yall are wrong. You leave. But going if back to the say that again, what was you asking me . [laughter] my w point was more important tn your question. Th [laughter] no, not. Fairer enough. We were talking about whether or not morale is enough is being done for the morale of frontline Law Enforcement. Thats not a institution question as far as agencies, Police Officers. But you look across the country, finding people to do Public Service each in the military even in the military, people are given ridiculous hiring bonuses for people just to and i think thats one of the reasons why we have the issue that we have with policing today, because were not getting the people that are doing it for the right reasons. You throw 20,000 at somebody thats struggling, shoot, ill take it. Now theyre a cop, and they dont even know why they signed upper for it. Thats one of the reasons why but i just think that is a National Humanitarian problem, the morale issues. Its not necessarily, you know, working long hours and everything likee that. People hate the mis. It just finish the police. It just is what it is. For the right reasons sometimes. But thats nothing that can be fixedd with, hey, talk an extra day off. I dont think that its a bigge. A day off, shoot, ill take it. But itssa a bigger conversation to be had about morale. Speaking of do wow, this is interesting. What you got . The. Has any member of congress who denied the election, supported the since erection the insurrection verbal will hi, writing, whatever, apologized to you . I didnt get any apologies, right in but i did get themes o. Its a former congressman now. But on january 6th a trump supporter on january 66th in the rotunda after everything, all the chaos, gave me this big hug. And we embraced each other, and hes crying. Trump supporter. And to see him in the coming weeks afterwards with his maga hat on and that was disheartening. But i did get a little joy that he lost his reelection. [laughter] you know . If i did get a little joy that he lost his reelection. Dude, you were in tears. I was too. Were two grown ass men embracing each other in the rotunda with tears coming down our faces, and for you to backtrack, that hurt me. But, no, to answer, no, i didnt get necessarily apologies, but peter mayer from illinois . He was a h republican, first ti, and he went against he never denied it, but he always was, he supported officers and me personally. Liz they inny also liz cheney also. You know with, i thinks agree with her fundamentally on everything except if for, you know, standing up for actually what is right and whats wrong. Of so is im appreciative of her. And Adam Kinzinger and i, we still keep in we talk often. But, no if, i havent gotten any apology. But there are people that see how bad we are, and and they appreciate what im doing. Speaking of members of congress, would you consider running for congress . Or any dude, this is you wan me to go through that . I didnt ask no, no, no. [laughter] i mean, i have definitely thought about the idea of running for office, but, man, thatd be a lot on your plate. And i dont know not now. Finish i dont know if i could handle it. You know . Im still struggling with this role that i have here, whatever that is. Finish i dont know. Ive toyed with the idea, its still in the realm, but i dont evenen know if i could handle i. I would want to itd be great to represent more people. Id want to, but i dont know if i could do everything that comes with it. You sort of in that moment kind of, it can keep coming back to this, that it seems like january 6th stole something from you. Joy. Joy of doing i dont want to do all thisdo stuff. I,. [laughter] i dont even i want to cancel some media awe pierces, but its important to do it now, you know . I dont the joy of being a Police Officer or, l like i sai, it was, its a duty now. Like, i have to do this. I dontwa want to anymore. I have to. This sense of vulnerability, this sense of opening yourself up, one question is how much do you feel that the cultural restriction on mens vulnerability i touched on that earlier fostered the anger, this is different, that led to the insurrection . Read it again . How much do you feel first of all, this questioner thanks you for your service. Youre welcome. How much do you feel that the cultural restriction on mens vulnerability fostered the anger or that led to the insurrection . Wow. Thats a good question. You can take a beat. Yeah, im thinking about it, because ive never even thought about the it like that. Can you read it again . Id like to here you go. For yourself. [laughter] is see, i, thats a good question. But i dont think that damn, thats a good question, man. Um, the people that were there on january 6th were there because of lies. But hay wanted to believe those lies though. Its kind off like going to a doctor, right, and people get a second opinion. Se if you dont like what you hear, you get a third opinion, fourth opinion, until you find somebody that tells you what you want to hear. And they seek out each other. Its like everybody there was related ined some kind of in ideas. God, this is a good question, man, because its making me think now. Now im just having, you know, having to answer questions on the spot likee this, i dont wat really thats why youre here. I know. But i like having conversations. You know, if i was in charge, moderating this, i would ask yall what yall think about this. [laughter] and then i would be listening, and then i i would come back wih an answer. I dont know. But theres so much, the culturalt restriction, thats huge. And the ability toab foster anger man, that is a really good question. Whoever wrote this, please find me after, i would love to think about [inaudible] i would love to. [laughter] well, if former President Trump is nominated again and beats current president biden, could you see another insurrection or other entitlementfueled issue happening again . C not by the left, we have common sense. But,t, yeah. I mean, of course, man. Like, you know, my mission to seek out accountability, or or and accountability is to prevent people are from doing things again. In and until we have had that, which we have not yet at the top, whats to stop the it from happeningro again . Likeke i said earlier, donald trump thinks that what he did was right. He doesntk think he did anythg wrong. If you still have that mindset, thenen absolutely, it can happen again. Doesbu that also, does that does that sound almost hopeless . Yes. Because, and i think about this because a week ago i was back at my alma mat or guest dc alma alma mater guest lecturing for students, but lets talk about the notion of you talked about ideologying, of how to challenge the notion that the culture of propaganda, how do you challenge that ideology . How do you prevent i mean, its been around forever, it just has new tools. But how do you challenge it to the point where at least its on the right, its on the wrong side of being the dominant thread thats running through some of those incidents that you ticked off a little while ago . Think a about what happened with covid. Covid deniers. Yeah. Youre talking about election deniers. You talk about people who had movements that are based on lies. Idli like to try use a met forthat just came to me. Metaphor. Think of this as a big game of tug a war, and the demise is right here tugofwar. No side is going to stop pulling, because its over, youre done. Once you stop pulling, youre going to fall in that hole. We need more people to keep on getting on the back of that rope, join in and keep pulling until they lose. Thats the only way to do thats the only way. So when i say hopeless, we just need more people doing whats right. And think about it like that, just a game of tugofwar, and and theyre getting traction right now. But thats why this election cycles so important. Every single election is so important. Weve got to get people on the back of that rope giving us help. Like on january 6th. That count some magic that wasnt some magic smoke bomb we grewo to make people leave the capitol. We got control when more people showedpl up. We got reinforcements when the capitol was cleared, when we got help. Finish it wasnt some magical stun gun or smoke grenade or verbal command that we used. More people showed up, and the good guys won. And thats the way i look at it, thisis country. More people gotta show up, and the good guys will win. [applause] that was a larger question, but youal tapped on a detail that you touched on as well, the fact that you and your fellow officers at some point felt deserted, felt unprotected, felt like somebody either forgot or deliberately didnt stack the yeah. Didnt get you guys ready. Has there been reform, in your view, since then now that youve had all this testimony with you and your fellow officers that have gone to basically expose the fact that, you know, you got left hanging out there . You knoww what . So one of the arguments from i want to say the right, the extreme right, is Nancy Pelosis in charge. She didfa the failures. And ive always said that a anybody, anybody meaning not free from being nobody everybody who had anything to do with the failures of that a day needs to be held accountable. And if that was nancy pelosi can i dont think it was, i havent seen anything that says its her if it was her, she needs to be head accountable, period. But this is something madeup thing in their head. It makes me so angry because the people that were there on january 6th, the reason i feel so comfortable attacking donald trump in the manner that i do, i heard what he said, and the people that were there told us they were there because donald trump told them to come there. I heard that, they said that, donald trump said it. So i dont mind attacking, you know . Im not going to be mad if at ark d adt because joe broke in my house and im going to let joe get a pass. Joe, you the one that did it. Rants over. [laughter] answer to your question, yes, hike i said is, im just a regular frontline, everyday officer. Ive seen, you know, im not privy e to the conversations about, you know, future planning and but there have been yes. We do take more precautions. And, yeah, were yeah, weve made improvements. Like i said, i dont know if theyre insurrectionready, i dont know. But we have evolved. Another question. What haventyo you been asked during all of your public opportunities to talk about all of in that you want everyone to know . Whats been left unsaid . I say what i want to. I say what i think is important. Like i said, all these question or not asked. Were there. You didnt ask me stuff and im still talking about of it. No, i telling my truth and my story, and i dont think theres anything that maybe i havent thought of it yet, but anything that ive a ever wanted to say i have. That i could say. Like i said, im still an employed member of the federal government and tow that line carefully. We canan talk offline about a couple things. You dont seem to hold back much. See, thats the thing. Imagine if i was in this fight with one arm tied behind my back. Well, the clock is ticking down, so part of our format is before we get to the last question were going to talk about some Upcoming Events since you have a captive audience. Here at the National Press club. On friday, november 3rding we invite you to join Associated Press videographer and director cher novemberrn and frontline producer for a screaming of the documentary 20 days in pair mariupol followed by a discussion. And also we have coming up on monday, november 6th, veteran Affairs Secretary Dennis Mcdonough who will speak at a National Press club headlineersup champion. You can look at the complete calendar at press. Org. Now, in a bit of tradition all right. We have, we usually give to our headliners, and youve walked through thean halls and youve seen the president s and the prime ministers, and your pictures going up there withit the rest of them finish . Thats cool. [applause] isnt that cool . Oh, man, thats awesome. So, yes. Before we came out here, he signed, just like the rest of them. So he goes up there with the astronauts ask and everybody else. We do give, however, the National Press club mug. Thank you. So this, this has been, this mug, as a simple as a it seems, is hopefully a reminder of the time you experienced here, the fellowship you experienced here and knowing that you have the same mug as misty copeland, former President Trump [laughter] i dont want it. No. No, no, no, thank you. I appreciate it. [laughter] we. Consider ourselves the great convener. So we bring all points of view here, and we thank you for coming here. But before we wind it up, we have one last question. In terms of the road not taken . Ifif you did manage to become tt nfl player that you talk about in the book, what team would you play for . [laughter] thats a good one. I am living vicariously through my cousin now who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns pittsburgh. Hes their backup quarterback, so, hey, sergeant baa knell. Good to see you. November 7th. Good to see you, wayne rnlt no, you did. Good to see you, man. A city that is boring, that would keep me out of trouble. Enter i recommend pitts lugger pittsburgh. There you go. No, i am, i dont like the commanders because theyre good. I like em because theyre the hometown team. Yeah, theyre not good. Ibut i represent magic make that call . Oh, id be there in a heartbeat. I dont know. Ive always liked the raiders. I think that was the first jacket that i had as a kid was a raiders starter jacket. Like the black and silver. Because of their colors, thats it. Thats thehe only reason ill have to give you a terriblele towel. I dont want one, but i love [laughter] finish. Anyway, wed like to thank once again, thank our Headliners Team and Club Team Members who helped put this together. Tremendous staff help from our membership events and program coordinator, cecily, who you saw getting all of your questions. Our culinary, technical and building staff all led by our technical director tied area, and our current elected Club President , Eileen Oreilly of axios, and all of our almost 3,000 members of the National Press club worldwide. Harry dunn, thank you for joining us,us and thank you, ladies and gentlemen. We are adjourned. [applause] and this is expected to be e last legislative day of the year in e senate. Taking a break now to all work off the floor on recess materialsncluding any bills and nominations that would be approved by unanimous consent. Those would be measures agreed upon by both republica and democrats. Next votes in the senate are scheled on january 8th when senator return next year. Work will continue on aid to ukraine and border security. As always, find live coverage of the senate on cspan2 2. Weeknights at nine eastern, cspans encore presentation of our 10part series books that shaped america. Cspan partnered with the library of congress which explored key pieces of literature that have had a profound impact on our country. Tonight well feature the journals of lewis and clark, detailing their expetition to explore the west all the way to the Pacific Ocean from 18041806. Our guest is Stephanie Ambrose tufts, author of several books on the expedition. Watch cspans end core presentation of books that shaped america week mights at mine if eastern on cspan or go to cspan. Org books that shaped america to rue to view the series and learn more about each book featured. Next, transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg and