To have been tested, the only way to get into north korea, and we do every day, short wave radio. We do a very good job at that so it wouldnt abandon a short wave radio just because its the only way to get into a place like north korea. We recognize there are parts of the world where and nextgeneration media is critical but other parts of the world where its not. Host john lansing can you be critical of u. S. The u. S. Government in your workforce . Guest i think critical reporting his professional journalism and it requires any reporter to ask questions whether it be the federal government or many other foreign governments or any other policy. Thats on both sides of the aisle. When the iran deal is being carried we carried it live and carried it on both sides. Thats really our mission is to tell americas story, every side of it. Host john lansing is the new ceo of the broadcasting board of governors which includes voice of america, Radio Free EuropeRadio Liberty and radio saw a, radio free asia and the office of cuban broadcasting radio and tv marquee. You can read ron nixons reporting in the near times. Gentlemen thank you for being on the communicators. Guest thank you. Guest thank you. Members of the congress i had the great pleasure, the high privilege and a great honor of presenting to you the president of the United States. [applause] i am sub tour and im a historian. The state of the union amended by the constitution and in the words that from time to time the present of United States should give a message to congress on the state of the union and recommendations of programs that he think should be followed. George washington began that the practice of giving a state of the Union Message to congress when Congress First met that washington went in person to the congress, went to the Senate Chamber and delivered the speech that had a series of recommendations, a relatively short speech but in those days before they were Standing Committees of congress they used to cut the state of the Union Message up in paragraphs and create ad hoc issues that the president suggested. Washington and adams, john adams the Vice President who became president follow that practice so they created this idea that from time to time and annual message and in fact it was known as the annual message. It didnt become known as the state of the Union Message really until the 1940s. In fact in 1948 there was the hollywood movie called state of the union and that cemented the idea that the annual message with the state of the Union Message. President washington adams went first to congress, Thomas Jefferson didnt enjoy public speaking. In fact he gave only two public speeches while he was president. His first an uproar dress address and is second in our girl is dressed. Other than that chairperson was a writer not a speaker. The president going to Congress Personally to deliver a list of things that he wanted to see done is too much like the british king of the monarchy going to parliament. He thought this was not appropriate for your republic so jefferson sent the message of congress and each year after that president s would send their messages which would then be read by the clerk of the senate or the house rather than by the president. Members of congress could read it in the congressional record of the newspaper. They didnt necessarily have to listen to the reading of the message. That became the tradition and again the constitution is not the specific. From time to time this message needs to be given on the state of the union. In 1913 we have a new president who had been trained in the Political Sciences. He had a ph. D. In history and Political Science that was Woodrow Wilson. He read his doctoral dissertation about congress and their congressional government. One of the things he said was the american president needs to be more like the british prime minister. Couldnt just be completely separate from the legislative branch. It had to be the chief legislator as well as a chief executive so wilson decided he would go in person to deliver the message. The first one he did was in april of 1913 about the terror. He was not a state of the Union Message per se. Congress did know what to do with it. The idea that Congress Speak of them, they decided theyd invite the senators over but there was a lot of grumbling. If congress had been left on its own to probably wouldnt have that the president said he wanted to. So Woodrow Wilson began the modern tradition of the president each year giving their state of the Union Message. He gave his first day of the Union Message in december of 1913 and he continued to do it in person until he was in paris negotiating the end of the First World War. He actually telegraphed to state of the Union Message back to congress in 1919. Since then president s have followed suit. The only president of the United States who did not give a state of the Union Message in person since then was Herbert Hoover who also was not a great public speaker and he sent his message out. Almost every other president every other year has felt that this is too good of an opportunity to miss to not go in person to give a state of the Union Message. The president of the United States. [applause] [applause] this is the point when everybody in congress is sitting there looking at you. The senate and the house and the cabinet and the Supreme Court is there. The galleries are packed with people. A major moment coming together and the only other occasion is is. I propose that we begin a massive attack on crippling and killing diseases. I propose to this congress a 10 billiondollar nationwide Clean Water Program to put modern municipal waste Treatment Plants in every place in america where they are needed to make our waters clean again and do it now. It does influence the legislative agenda whether or not congress chooses to follow the president suggestions or nose down or what rights them at least a president has given them an outline of what he wants to see. Sometimes the president never got a chance to get there and i garrell address. William Henry Harrison and James Garfield died before their first opportunity. They came in march and congress wasnt end until december so the 19th century state of the Union Message was given in december to amend the constitution was changed they move the beginning of congress up to january and now they are usually in january or february. There have been some miscues and some of the state of the Union Messages. President Grover Cleveland had a controversial dealing with terrorists. It was one of those things that divide parties and created great passion and unfortunately for cleveland his party was not united on the issue and in fact they lost to the next election probably because of that division. There were a lot of people that blamed the state of the Union Message but in most cases most state begin new messages are long laundry list of things that the president wants to see done and particularly controversial speeches nor are they inspiring speeches. They are really wish list. When anything is done in congress the galleries are open and as long as there are galleries and there are been galleries in the senate since 1795 and in the house in 1789 the public can come in but of course there arent that many seats in the gallery. There is a great demand each member of Congress Gets a single ticket for a spouse or a member of their staff or a favorite constituent to sit and. The press gallery is packed. Usually the first lady is there with guess of a president so theres not a lot of space for the public. Over time the public has gotten to see and hear this or read this in the media. Newspapers covered it in general and in the 19th century you would have read the entire speech in those newspapers. In the 20th century beginning in 1923 Calvin Coolidge gave his state of the Union Message on the radio and then in 1936 Frank Roosevelt suggested moving the state of the union from the middle of the day when it was traditionally given to the evening so they could get a much larger audience on radio. In the 1940s it was back during the day that television came along. In 1947 Harry Trumans state of the Union Message was covered by television. In 1965 Linden Johnson said lets move the tv show back anything so more people get to see the state of the Union Message so now the evening performance is a large tv and Networks Covering it so it gets a considerable audience that way and since the late 90s that spends dreaming on the internet around the world. In recent years the two parties have become cheerleading squads for their presence but there are moments when something the president says is something more than a partisan reaction, its a bipartisan reaction and you can tell the mood of the congress by the response. In all the world knows that no successful system builds a wall to keep its people and and freedom house. [applause] of course immediately after the members of congress will rush out into statuary hall where there will be dozens of camera set up with television stations around the country getting personal reactions and immediate reactions. Nowadays on the house tv you can twitter and tweak and some of those people will be responding instantly. Mr. Speaker, mr. President , distinguished members of the house and senate, when we first met here seven years ago many of us for the first time, it was with the hope of beginning something new for america. We meet here tonight in this Historic Chamber to continue that work. If anyone expects just a proud recitation of the accomplishments of my administration i say lets leave that to history. We are not finished yet. [applause] the one thing that you cannot do that is very different than in parliaments and is where heckling is a fair sport. In the u. S. Congress who are supposed to be respectful of the present when he speaks in a few years ago one member of the house did interrupt the president in a chabot and he was censored by the house of representatives are doing that. That was unbecoming conduct. The reform i am proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. You lie. The office of the constitution believes in transparency. They did require come even though they were the constitutional and secret they did require certain things to be open. Not everything. They dont actually require congress to meet in open session. Just from time to time to publish a journal and the thing is they dont have to present to give an annual message but they ask him from time to time to deliver a message on the state of the union. I think they would be pleased to see that the president comes pretty much every year to do this but i think they would be astonished to realize the congressional record is published every day after the proceedings and not only the state of the Union Message but the work of the house and the senate on the floor on that particular day. That was something that they have certainly intended that this was a republic and it was democratic republic represented the people and the people at a right to know what was going on. So in that sense even though they were not all that specific they certainly set some goals that the government has met. I can report to you state of the union is good. [applause] again live coverage of president obamas final state of the Union Address begins tomorrow night at 8 00 eastern on cspan. Coming up next to look at u. S. China relations than the future on time of day. Later several republican president ial candidates share their views on poverty and the economy at a farm in south carolina. Former defense secretary from the Obama Clinton and carter ministry should or part of a discussion on the state of u. S. China relations. Topics included north korea trade intentions in the South China Sea. This is an hour and a half. Good evening everyone. Im Steve Borland president of the National Committee on u. S. China relations and im thrilled to welcome you all to the First Special program of the National Committees 50th anniversary. For 50 years, we have been educating americans about china and chinese about america. From pingpong diplomacy to todays program we have strengthened the bilateral relationship by fostering exchanges and informed discussions. Todays program is the first in a series of seven programs throughout the next year. Two months we will gather the former secretaries of the treasury and two months later the former secretaries of commerce and the United States trade representatives including our chair carla hill who is here with us today. Later in the year we will gather National Security advisers and then American Business leaders who will blaze trails in china. Our final program this year will gather former secretaries of state and next year we will hold a Similar Program in china with many chinese leaders, some of whom are alumni of error programs. To begin the celebration today i am joined by former, four former secretaries of defense who also happen to be for great americans all four of them have served our country above and beyond the call of duty and have contributed to this world in ways too numerous to enumerate. If i began to list their accomplishments i would have no time for questions or discussions so let me go right to questions. I will start with dr. Harold brown who was secretary from 1977 to 1981. Then go to bully him perry who was secretary from 19904 to 97. Bill, can you hear us . We couldnt hear your response. I can hear you fine. Terrific. They will go to senator William Cohen and finally to senator chuck hagel two was secretary from 2013 to less than a year ago. I and the American People cannot thank all of you enough to our service to your service for our country and im honored to be here with you today. Secretary brown you were secretary when we established diplomatic relations with china and i was a young lawyer. The chinese are fond of saying a small potato, and the state department. Tell us about the relationship with china in those early days when you were secretary and the dealings you had with the chinese. The situation then was very different from what they are now or were further 10 years of the others as secretary of defense who will be speaking here today. The chinese were then very much worried about soviet possible attacks on china and looks to the u. S. As an offset essentially and as a way of ensuring chinese security. Moreover, they were very far from their present military capabilities. Thats quite different from the situation not only today but during the tenure of the others here. Bill perry was in a somewhat different position because he was my and her secretary at that time and in fact went to china as a way of exploring some cooperation in terms of research and development and even perhaps , although it didnt happen and so quite a bit later come even some transfers so thats a very different situation. I have watched and to some degree participated in the subsequent evolution of the relationship of the strategic relationship of the militarytomilitary relationship and i must say that its become at first a cautious relationship and now has turned into a peculiar combination of interdependence and disagreement and in fact controversy and hasnt approached amity yet but it could get their. That is i think to some degree limited by the mutual dependence of the two economies and i know i will offend bill perry by saying this but its also limited by the possession of Nuclear Weapons on both sides and the devils bargain that is mutual in terms. That is to say aside from greatly in him but did Armed Conflict by the possibility it would escalate a nuclear war but of course if that happened it is an unimaginable catastrophe. Now maybe there is an intermediate step that is created by cyber warfare but in any event thats going to be a big worry. Their relationship is very different both in nature and in relative position of the two sides from the way it was when i was secretary of defense and when i first visited china and saw the military displayed thats largely troops mounted on bicycles. Secretary perry it was about 13 years later that you then became secretary of defense. Talk about the relationship with china then and obviously you have experience quit