Transcripts For CSPAN2 Mike 20240703

Thank you very much. Jordan thank. And to all the sponsors, cosponsors and guests who are here. You know, being here brings back, fond memories about, this great, beautiful state capital, you know ive never held but one elected Public Office in my career. And it was governor and i looked back today and i see legislators who i worked with and people on the staff and denmark great republicans. Theres so many fond memories in that one memory. Im glad that i dont have i dont have have a memory of the legislature ever overturning one of my vetoes. Not. Many can say that this is about politics. No, this is about books. And youll love this book because its a book about. An incredibly interesting in american history. My purpose is to introduce to an honorable christian gentleman, whom im proud to know and proud to have worked with, former president mike pence. Mike pence has served our country well because he takes it seriously to that. That is his job. The oath of office to him is what is it . Is heart and schwartz in his work. We have a large president who when he was vice he had a on active duty in the United States marines and a son in law on active duty in the United States navy. Right. That taking your oath seriously and were proud of those boys. Now, hes a conservative, a big heart. I remember because i was. Governor of mississippi when he was in the house and katrina hit our state. Pence was chairman. The Republican Study Committee in the house, if youre familiar with the structure of the republicans in the house, thats of the very conservative groups. And mike led that conservative group. But when it came time to look at special necessary untaken care of under average law, he stood up for mississippi. He stood up for mississippi and whole program passed the house and senate and. Then just to prove he was a conservative he came back and made sure all the pay for was actually got done. We need more of that. As indiana governor he was an outstanding economics leader. He he brought record job growth to indiana while he was while he was governor along way he passed the largest tax cut in the history of the state of indiana. He produced record employment for more work, for more jobs, for more hoosiers. Hes not just a good christian conservative. He understands how to get toothpaste out the tube tube. A republic coming whos and actions as is governor. And while he was in federal office will remind you the president and me thats the highest compliment that we can give joining the vice on the podium is a great friend to all of us. Former mississippi Third District congressman gregg harper. The mr. Vice president , welcome to the promised land. Thank. You so much, governor barbour, and has you here this way. Credibility is. With us and this was so wonderful to do that and were very excited have you here. Would you please deliver. Mr. President , we want to welcome you and karen here. And its so glad to have you. We hope youll come back when its cooler. Wouldnt take much, but welcome. Welcome to the book festival. Mr. Vice president. Well, thank you very. How about another of applause for congressman gregg harper, his special man. The. This is an enthusiastic group that theyre glad to have you here. Weve got a lot of a lot of media be on cspan eating popcorn and watching that plays when it plays back. But youve been through so much and the book, so help god. How did you come up with that name, mr. Vice president , what made decide on that . Well, first i wanted to get you a round of applause. Theres no one. I served with it was more a man of integrity that lived his faith every day. Congressman gregg harper, and you, sidney, are very special to karen and me. I see another colleague, chip pickering, is here with. What must be his son. Who the last time i saw his son, he was about that big. So its great to see you. Charles pickerings on the road behind. Very good. Very good. Good to see you all. Thank you. Really appreciate your family. But i have to tell Abraham Lincoln said his only ambition life was to be esteemed by people he esteem. And when i went home, indiana, to be governor, i was following a great fresh new republican governor in indiana but the Gold Standard for governors in america was, Governor Haley barbour. And i want to thank you for. Setting the standards and im humbled and very humbled by a really in the of the book really came from i hope it came out of a reflection on whats whats been the driving influence of my life since a day at a place called Asbury University in 78, sitting on a hillside at a christian music festival, i was listening to contemporary christian bands and listening to preaching in sets and i remember it was like i heard the first time the god soul of the world, he sent his only begotten son that whoever might believe in him might not perish, have everlasting life. And i. I stood up on that that night with a light rain coming down. I walked down, found a youth pastor and made decision to put my faith in jesus christ as my lord and savior and my faith has been my aspiration. I consider myself a growing christian, not grown. And if you wonder about that, karens available shortly after the program today. But also the inspiration for the book really came from the oath of office that you took that took both as a member of congress as a governor and. When i had the great privilege of putting my left hand on the bible, Ronald Reagans bible, and on january 20th, 2017, raise right hand and took an to support and defend the constitution was a promise i made to all of you and the American People. But its also it also ends with a prayer which history, traditions, record with those four words. It wasnt in the original oath, but our very first president added it when he took the very first oath of office. And every president since has finished it, as have members of congress and elected officials. And my son, that marine that governor barbour mentioned, told me at one momentous time in our familys life a few years back, he said, dad, you took the oath. I took and nothing else matters. And so thats where so help god came from. And i hope as people perused book, theyll theyll sense the importance of family and most especially faith in our life and in our journey. You know, as you go through book, the first thing youre hit with is that every chapter begins with a verse. The bible, the very first one is jeremiah 911 four. I know the plans. I have for you, declares the lord. Plans to prosper, you know, not to harm plans, to give you hope and a future. So did you make that decision to start each chapter with a verse that meant something to you . I dont know what the other authors here. And how about a round of applause . The mississippi book festival. Two years. This is such a special annual event. I dont know what the other authors here said about, their process, but that actually was our intention to begin with. But we got about halfway through book and found that, you know, as we describe lessons through our life, there was almost invariably im sure its true for you and certainly almost invariably a for a verse that was particularly meaningful in that time in our life. And it showed in the chapters. And so i had the idea of putting it at the top of each chapter. And then readers would have fun of looking for that verse in the chapter. So its, it really evolved way because that verse is particularly special of it actually took us three times to get elected to congress, i think is more than it took you and chip i lost my first two races for congress. Ten years later, we came back around, tried again. You can read about in the book after a lot of Lessons Learned and my wife presented me with a parchment that hung over our home during our years in congress, hung over the mantel at the governors residence, hung over the mantle of the Vice President s residence. And it had that that verse from jeremiah 2911. So we dedicated the book to that because if we have a family verse thats as close as it comes, thats great. And, you know, its theres so much about your obviously your service, but your faith, your family. But ive got to just ask this question before we get some more serious stuff. How it that you met karen and failed to get her phone number that first time you met tell us, tell us how you tracked her down. Tracked her down after. I mean, thats thats, you know, preinternet i think thats fair. I think i did track her down. I wrote about it in the book i was i was my first year law school, a little bit of an intense time. And i was stopping into a church near the place that i was renting a room. And i saw this beautiful brunet playing a guitar up front and some friends from our hometown were there and they interrupted me and i didnt get a chance to meet her. I went back a few weeks later. She wasnt there. But then, about a month before my finals, mr. Speaker, i was back at that church. There she was again. So i made a beeline straight to the front of the church. These same people to interrupt me, haley and i and i really i, i gave them the heisman. You know, i just. And i followed her out the back of the church and she was holding her guitar case, her left hand, which was a strategic challenge challenge. So i told her i was interested in playing in the guitar group. Did you play the guitar . I, i strum a little bit. I mean, i could affect if i was pressed into it with my wife. Often says the first thing i ever said to her was a lie. Its its actually true. So but she was real quick about it. I said i said you know what . Hi, id like to play in that guitar group. And she pointed to this guy looked like £300 in a beard. She said, well, actually he runs it. You can talk to him about it. And i dropped the pretense of stuck my hand out and said, im mike pence and, but i didnt get her number to your point. And so i went in to the registrars office. One thing id learned in a short conversation with her was that her sister was going to the same law school i was going to, and and and i thought, this is the same law school that former Vice President dan quayle had attended. And the registrar at the law school, Velma Dobbins had held back the National Media when they were trying to get quayle grades. Remember all that from a long time ago . And velma was a vault and i walked in. I said to her, hey, i just need the phone number of, you know, a third year student. And she said, we do not give out personal information on any student under circumstances. So i was dejected and i turned i began to walk out of the room and i turned, i said, look, heres deal. I met her sister. She knocked my socks off. I just want to call. Velma. Velma without moving an eyelash, just stared at me blankly. And then she pulled a veil. Cabinet and said, whats the name again. Gave she gave me the number and i said, thank you so much. She just invite me to the wedding and we. So the rest is history. 38 years. The love of my life sitting right there. The first. You know, one of the things that was so in the book when youre talking about that and youre talking about your political career decisions to try to do that, as you called it, is you said, as political career unfold that you didnt say as my political career unfolded. So that was a that was a big statement. Well, it very much from the time we were dating, i tried to be open with her that i, i, id always been interested in public service. I have the heroes. My youth were president john f kennedy, the reverend dr. Martin luther king jr. I, i got active in democrat politics when i was a teenager, but then when i went to college and i heard the voice of the 40th president , everything changed me. And i joined the reagan revolution. Never looked back. But it was for us. It was was always about what it would have to be us. Weve entered on a new journey. In fact, i thought today was going to be a debate. Thats the reason i know its its easy on this, but thanks for that. Very good. Thanks for getting that joke now. But for us, its weve always very much felt like, you know, when when youre in public life and sydney have lived this out, others have, its its, its a Family Commitment that you out and shes always been there for and always had an excessively opinion of my abilities and but its always been us thats great in a a great great thing to hear and you know you cant help i mean throughout the book and so many places as the importance your family just stands out and of course you know i had the privilege to be at your sons winning ceremony at the Naval Air Station in meridian in 2018. And youve got book coming out in november with your daughter. I guess thats chocolate. And i found the name of it says the name of the book is go home for dinner. It advice on how faith makes family and family makes a life. Tell us about that decision to do another well. And thanks for mentioning that. Our son our son got his wings at naval station meridian, mississippi. Youre here. We all very proud of you. Thank you for some. A son. Actually, he surprised because these you know, these graduations ceremonies from Flight School are, you know, not a large group of people. But we were sitting in that little member, the Little Chapel where they have it, and they Just Announced that my son had finished first in his class. Wow. And im very proud of them. And we back to his apartment. And i said, did you know you did you know, you finished first . And he said, yeah, dad, i work my tail off. But i was really proud of him because if you read the book, youll see my late father had just a couple of sayings that have always stuck with our family. One of them was climb your own mountain and you know my son said, dad, you know, with my last name, if i got the aircraft i was hoping for and i didnt finish, first of what do you think people would think so . I was really proud of them. But our daughter charlotte is a actually a terrific author. Shes on her fourth book. She just helped her dad with a new book. But before you get to my book karen pence has a book coming out just a couple of weeks is titled when its your turn to serve experiencing gods grace and the calling in your life and. Very proud of her for. But go home for dinner really was born of the fact that i think by the time you and i met in the Congress People would oftentimes come up to me. And as soon as you start showing up on cspan a little bit or on cable tv in washington, dc, people come up and they flattery a little bit. They say, where do you see yourself in five years . Right . Where do you see yourself . So everybodys got a grand plan, right . And i always answered same way id stay home for dinner. Because i really do. Ive never had to just you and others in the room. Ive never had to motivate myself to work hard. I love to work hard, but all the blessings in our life come from really putting into practice common sense and and frankly, biblical principles of putting our family first. And that meant, you know, at the end of the day, you know, shutting off the computer, putting the phone in the dish and sitting down with family and listen to the kids and spending family time together and for the things that weve accomplished in our life, the things that we have had opportunities to do. My family is my greatest source of, pride and satisfaction, not just our kids. Theyre incredible spouses. My two unworthy son in laws of. But in the last two and a half years we also became grandparents of i. I mean the three most beautiful granddaughters ever born in history of the world. And so were incredibly blessed. Thats it. Thats amazing. And you you think about that because thats the foundation of what youve done in public service. Thats what gives you your relationship with. Christ, youre the Strong Family from your parents. Youre your wife and kids. I mean, it just it means so much. But you have you we all have people that we look up to and admire and so just so you know my first term my first two terms of your last two terms and you were my bill cal that first term. Now not sure i like the term cow. Well understand but if i had voted that first year and i wasnt sure if id voted the right way. Id look up on the board if id voted the same way as is mike pence. I knew i was okay and were there was a trust level. And you point out one person, youre both somebody that you admired that im so glad you mentioned it was people dont talk about him anymore. And thats the jack kemp. But tell us just a minute about your admiration of that man. Whos former nfl quarterback star and and just what he means for the future of the Republican Party just things that he taught in show. Well, those of you do not know jack kemp. Hes hes worthy learning about he was a nfl Boundless Energy goes to the congress of the United States and he becomes an incredible champion of an optimistic conservative and also an inclusive conservatism means jack kemp had passion for israel and he also had a passion. And the way he would put it was to win the africanamerican vote to the republican. And he ran for in 1988. Thats when i first met him. But he would go on to be the secretary of of housing and urban development. But he had been the conference chairman was a role that i played in the congress. I write about in the book. And he had encouraged me to seek that position as well when he passed away to an aggressive i, i went to the floor of the congress and i said, you know, debt this nation owes to jack can only be repaid by relentless imitation of his example, an optimistic, forward looking view of america that sees the boundless potential. Every american thats thats Republican Party. And it his great. I do have to tell you a great line in terms of go home for dinner. The book is mint. Its a very gentle its not meant to be preachy. And i my daughter who wrote the book with me insisted that i write about some okay sometimes i drop the ball as a dad and i try and be humble about. But i love what Ronald Reagan said. He said all great change in america at the dinner table. And i hope these in these challenging times which were living that that that book, karens inspirational book might people to turn turn their hearts back home turn their hearts back to permanent things because thats always been the wellspring of our strength in this country. Thats great. Well, you know, you have been in the forefront of so much history that were familiar with mr. Vice president and you were serving in congress on 911. In the aftermath of that, the anthrax scare that so many in the house and senate had to endure. And then most recently, january six, and what you had to go through on that and its such an emotional thing when we look at january six and and years before that, i had been one of the only House Republican Electoral College tally clerk for the results of your victory. President trump. And so, four years later, im not in office, but i was in d. C. , so i blocked off the afternoon to go over there and watch and i dont know whats going on. I go through the tunnel through through rayburn and i come out on the capitol and im in the House Chamber and then all of a sudden it gets really crazy. And i had no idea that was going on until the Capitol Police came in and bolted all the doors and this probably somewhere around 1 00, im guessing that afternoon. But take us through. That day. When did you first learn that there a problem in the capitol with you going that process . And then, of course, you know, your decision to. Your first loyalty to the constitution of the United States of america this tell us a little i mean the emotions and of course karens with you, i guess charlotte. I mean, what a what an unbelievable experience. And of course, the most disgust thing thing was to look at the pictures of the capitol, see people scaling and going through the windows. So i just wed love to hear your on on that day. I know youve given countless interviews, but its its something that everybody here just has to live through. Oh, thank you, greg. Its interesting you 911 i was a freshman member of congress when september 11th happened. And. I thought one of the best things members of congress that day was, with the pentagon still on fire and the remains of an aircraft in shanksville pennsylvania and the towers fallen in new york city, where congress reconvened on the steps of the capitol. And at the end of the press conference that we essentially the world that having taken the worst attack on american soil in the history of the country that we were still and. Somewhat at the end of that press conference started singing God Bless America and someone just reminded me of that the other day. One of the sweetest stories that came from that was a little farm family that lived on randolph county, indiana, and five daughters and mom and dad were far away from the farm on 911. And they were racing to back because they were very concerned that the girls would be frightened for the day. And they were. But ill never forget, they told us when they pulled up to the farm, the girls came bounding off the front porch and said, everythings okay, we just saw congressman pence on television and he was singing. This was just a moment of gods grace. The reason i reflect on that is because i tell you that i was always loyal to president donald trump. I believe thats the role of the vice. But i did have higher loyalty and that was to the to the constitu and the promises that i made to god. I hoped all along the way that the president would come around and see that i had no authority to overturn the election, no Vice President in history had ever asserted that authority or should i mean, the presidency belongs the American People and the American People alone. But to see what unfolded that day was was was saddening to me. It was truly a tragic day. But my wife and our daughter had come to the capitol to witness me engage in some of my final legislative ceremonial activities and as soon as things began to happen and i was escorted off the floor of the Senate Law Enforcement personnel. Me, we need to get you out of the building. But i had a deep conviction that i would that i needed to stay at my and did. My wife karen was encouraged to go home. She had a separate vehicle with my daughter and she basically said if staying, im staying. And my wife was at my side, too. Four in the morning, the next day when we finished our work under the constitution of the United States and the laws of this country. I think used. I realize how that decision resonates with this this. And we thank you, mr. Vice president. It it would have been easier to have left, wouldnt it . I but you refused to do that even though you were under enormous pressure to exit the capitol, not stay well with, the exit of me off the floor, i wrote about this the book. I dont know if i mentioned i wrote book. Theres a. And i believe theyre for sale under the out in the tent. I think so. When they took me off the senate floor, my secret service lead who did job said we need to get you out of the building and i said, im not leaving. Well stay. I had every confidence Capitol Hill Police would have the situation well in hand. I id been at the capitol earlier when a gunman came into Majority Leaders Office and Capitol Police are some of the best men and women in Law Enforcement enforcement. Eventually they informed us that we couldnt stay in the small office just off the Senate Chamber and. I reiterate that im not leaving. And they said well, we could go to the parking garage and we went down there and as i was walking up to where our vehicles were parked, the doors were open and they started to walk me toward the car and i the lead local police car to move a little bit up the ramp. So i looked at my secret Service Agent and i said, im not getting in the car. And he said, no, were just going to hold here. Its were not going anywhere. And i said to him, who is phenomenal secret Service Agent, i said to him, youre a man of integrity. And i believe what youre telling me is but youre not driving that car. And i ive been motorcades for a while as a governor and as Vice President. And i said i figured somebody had to tell somebody in the earpiece once those £200 doors closed to just hit the gas. And i was just determined to stay. And by grace, we did. I my wife spoke to abc news for the first time about this about a week ago and really gave theyve got the glory of the whole thing. We just had a we had a peace throughout that time. Ive told my kids that the safest place in the world to be in the center of gods will. I honestly, in that moment we just had peace and a sense of resolve and gods grace we knew we were where we were supposed to be doing what we were supposed to be doing. And i must tell you that ive been so blessed. I mean, have my detractors in this regard, including my old running mate who still holds a different view of that day and my duties. And he and i will continue to have that out in the public square. But ive been deeply humbled how Many Americans have come up to me in the last years and expressed gratitude for. What we did that day. I mean, i honestly believe this is a country that loves our constitution and they understand that what unites us in this country is in that the ideals and the liberties enshrined in the constitution are what really unite us all. And i think its a pathway toward uniting our country again. I really believe that on the island. Thats a great i think there was some applause that was there the way they were up there. Thank you for on that day. I know leading up to january six, you had discussions with president and you were certainly under a lot of pressure from the president and on january six, did you did you talk to him that that before this happened and . Tell us about that. I did. I mean, look, i it may come as a surprise to people to tell you that President Trump and i had a very Good Relationship for four years. Some people think were a little bit different different. If. But it was a great working relationship. I was. And i want to im going to say people here in mississippi, thank you for your support. Im incredibly of the record of the trump administration. I think we delivered for america a stronger military, a growing economy, secured border and we put three conservatives on the Supreme Court of the United States of america that gave us a new for the right to life. And ill always be proud of that record. Any time the president and i had a difference of opinion, i kept it to myself until we were alone. I have a very maybe its because i was a governor and i had a lieutenant governor. I really believe that the relationship between the president and the Vice President is unique in. Our system of government. And it was always very important that if i had a different view that i shared it with him in private and then would make a decision and then wed walk out and id support the decision you dont have copresident s in america you have one president of and i would say all along the way i very clear with the president what i believe the constitution provide article to of the constitution simply says that once states certified elections because states conduct and you never want to give that up you never want to let washington, d. C. Nationalize our president ial elections. The founders that and happily a couple of years ago republicans in washington rejected effort to do the same. But under article two. Once mississippi certified as your election and once court are brought to challenge it, theres a process for objections on the house floor. When you were a counter that you know, democrats brought objections in of the last four elections where republicans won. Nothing wrong with that. You can have it out. The elected representatives of the people. But the notion that any one person could decide which votes to count, which votes not to count, thought was antithetical to the very essence of the constitution for frame one. And i made that clear all along the way. But frankly, it wasnt until the last few days that that it clear to me that the president was to go with a group of outside lawyers that told him what is itching ears wanted hear and but even ill never forget it was monday night before january six. I made a point to watch a rally that he had in georgia that monday night. I had done a rally in the morning, and i saw the president he opened it saying our great Vice President s got to come through for us. And everybody cheered and said, if he doesnt, i wont like him so much. But then he caught himself as he called himself and no, no, no. One thing you know about mike pence, he always plays it straight. And i remember watching that on the television screen. I went and found karen and i said, you know, i think he might be coming around. I, i did. I mean, id like to tell you. But, you know, i mean, there were more than a few occasions where the president said, we need to do all of this. And then we started having some private conversations and. It ended up closer to here. Right. And that was a style of his. And i thought we might be on that path, but sadly, it was not to be. And when the when the violence and the rioting and the people assaulting police officers, it was it was a tragic day. But i will tell you, the heroes of that day were men and women of the Capitol Police who secured the capitol in just a few hours and made it possible for us to reconvene the very same day. They were the heroes and the stories. Did you so you to the president that morning you had the final conversation for him make his argument about what you should do contrary to your constitutional duty would have been. And did you talk to him again that day . No, we didnt talk again. That day when we finished our work the next morning, the president said all the right things. He condemned the rioters he said the people that had ransacked capitol and perpetrated violence against Law Enforcement. I his line on National Television was you will pay he committed to a peaceful transfer of power in the wake of that tragic day. But to be honest with you, wasnt in a hurry to talk to him again. I really wasnt. I felt like i said my piece and it would be about five days later that his daughter and son in law, who worked at the white house and actually were good friends or friends to this day, came to my office and said the president was wondering if hed be willing to come down and sit down with them. And i said, well, if he has something to say to me, ill down here mouth. Then i came in and as i tried to write very openly what i, i walked in, he was very contrite about what had happened. In fact, i thought he was very saddened about what had occurred. He told me at that time he had only recently learned that karen and charlotte had been with me the whole time and was troubled about that. But we spent about an hour and a half talking through everything and i made it clear to him the same that id taken. It continued to be my deep conviction and when you started to talk again about the elections issues, he i told them, you got to let that go we we got to finish the next weeks. And his voice trailed off. But we met few more times after that. And frankly, it may surprise people that we parted amicably. Never forget our last meeting, sitting in a dining room just off the oval office had gone down to talk to him about a couple official things. So as the inauguration approached. And i, i remember i stood up and i told him. I said, you know, well, thank you for the privilege, president. And he said, well, it was with you. And then i stopped in the doorjamb and i turned and looked at him and i said, know, i guess theres probably two things that were never a agree, because i told him that i was praying for i was going to keep praying for him and have, you know, our faith demands forgiveness. And ive tried to ive tried to forgive all those involved that day from my heart without giving people a pass on the political consequences or otherwise. What took place. But when i said to him, im praying for you as i was leaving, he said, dont bother. And thats when i said, know, those are probably two things were never going to agree on on. I alluded to his view of my duties on january six, and then i looked at him and said, im never going to stop praying for you. And he looked out from seated at the end of that table to this mike, dont ever change. We left the white house with a handshake and he spoke kindly of my family, Andrews Air Force base when he was wheels. And we talked from time to time. But when he returned to talking about the last election, talking about my duties, i figured it was it was important that we just go our separate ways. But i really do believe that. Ill be proud of what we did together, and ill always be grateful for the opportunity to vent your Vice President was the greatest honor of my life, so thank you all. You you know, you brought us to that point where you were down in the garage. You refused to get into the car with your head of your secret service detail. But you had to wait it out. And what . And somebody asked said, what gave you the courage to congress and what were you thinking about during that time. Well, gods grace. In that moment, as i said, we i love that verse that came to mind on 11th. The lord surrounds imperfect peace. The man who trusts in him. We we were there. We had peace. And i just credit gods grace in that moment. I truly do. But, you know, the other was the experience of 9 11, i remember you. Youve got some legislative leaders who are here with us today. And im honored that you take on a saturday afternoon to, be with us. Youve got a great state legislature and a great here in mississippi. You could give them a round of applause if youd like. Theyre just doing a great job. So. But i knew that while i was away, i was the presiding officer under constitution of a joint session of congress. And had some responsibilities relative to the conduct of the process day. I got all four of the leaders, democrat leaders of the senate, democrat leaders of the house together a Conference Call and just brought them together and said, what are you hearing . And they were there was a measure of frustration had been widely reported they werent getting good about when things were when more help was going to come, when things were were going to be dealt with. And thats when i asked them that. I thought was appropriate because of my subordinate to the congress. In that moment, i said, do you want to get involved . And they all universally said, yes. And then i did say to them on the call i said, i remember 11 and i, i thought the best thing we did that day was we reconvened the very same day i made a statement to the wider world that whatever had happened in america at the hands of terrorists in new york and in shanksville, at the pentagon, that we were we were Still Standing and was heartened by the fact that all the all the leaders all four of the leaders, both immediately agreed with that enthusiastically. Yes, we have to reconvene today, because they were actually being told early on that it might be three days before the capitol could be swelled and that may have been a, you know, legitimate projection by Capitol Hill Police being careful with public officials. But so we went to work and i then began to make calls and reach out people at pentagon, people at the justice department, and made sure that we got the reinforcements, the support that we needed. And again, i will tell you, you know, all my heroes wear uniforms. And the men and women Law Enforcement that day, the people that rallied and not only held back the violence, but also secured the capitol and made it possible by 8 00 at night for us to reconvene and finish our work. It was a tragic day, but, you know, there was the loss of life that was ransacking of the capitol. But ill always believe that at its core, on that day a day of tragedy gave way. To a day of inspiration. Because as the world watched in the of that mayhem on january six, they saw the resolve of our institutions as men and women in both Political Parties stayed at their posts and reconvene and to finish the peoples work under the constitution of the United States. And always be part proud been a small part of that. The softball questions, though are losing people. Well, yeah. Look, i ive gotten the hook that our time is is a good so great to hear about your family your experience there and i know were weve got to wrap it up but before we do that i think in person in personation i talk to you about you know if i know what a great friend you are with former president George W Bush and indianapolis recently you did your George W Bush. Well, i want you to be encouraged. Just rubbed on this mostly in the shoulders. Its good. Look i want to thank you all for coming out. Karen and i are really, really touched that. Youd make time honored. The mississippi book festival made way for us and, you know, one of the things a couple of months ago we announced our plan to seek one more office in our life, and weve been encouraged by the support people around the country of because ive come to the conclusion that im well known but im not known well know what i tell all of you is if you remember us in your prayers, wed be grateful. But if youd like to, wed to get a better idea of who the are, what our values are, and what our Lessons Learned along the way and the privileges weve had to serve and id love it if you took a look at our book and karens new book, and i think youll have a better idea and. Let me just tell you what we know what the future holds, but we know who holds future. And i to come back to mississippi soon. Thank you. But to make our case the beginning of. The