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Given that nearly half the democratic party is non-white, aren't you out of step with where the democratic party now? >> the democratic party and the reason i decided to run as a democrat has been the party that gives people who otherwise have no voice in the quarters of power, a voice. that is not determined by race. i have always supported affirmative action for african-american. that's the way the program was originally designed because of the unique history in this country with slavery and the laws that followed. what i have discussed is the idea that when we create diversity programs that...

>> thank you. nor webb in 2006, you called affirmative action state sponsored racism. given half the democratic party is nonwhite. aren't you out of step where the party is now? >> no. i believe where the democratic party traditionally has been. i decided to run as a democrat, it gives people who otherwise have no voice a voice. that is not determined by race. as a clarification, i have always supported affirmative action for african-americans. that's the way the program was originally designed because of their unique history in this country with slavery and the jim crow laws that followed. ...

Country with slavery and the jim crow laws that followed. what i have discussed a number of times is the idea when we create diversity programs that include everyone of color other than white struggling whites like the families in the appalachian mountains, we're not being true to the democratic party principle of elevating the level of consciousness among your people about the hardships that a lot of people who happen to be white have. by culture, by the way. >> senator webb, thank you very much. let's move on to the pressing issues facing our country right now. some of the biggest issues in ...

Me, ladies, i guess i break it down on to what they were actually reciting. if they were reciting a nursery rhyme, then i don't think we'd be having this discussion. they were reciting the pledge of allegiance, which is our patriotic pledge to this country. and in fact, the immigration debate on capitol hill right now, one of the tenets of the senate's bipartisan commission is that immigrants coming to this country learn how to speak english. katie? >> we are supposed to be a melting pot, and that's why we have these diverse clubs on college campuses, diversity programs and organizations dedic...

Administration to -- >> john, where do you stand on the hiring diversity issue on wall street? should the wall street firms be more diverse? what do you think? >> i know that a lot of major corporations have very effective and bold diversity programs. i support that. what i don't necessarily support is the government telling people in the private sector how to hire and if they don't hire, they get punished hard. i think that's exactly the wrong message to send. i know there's several big corporations that have very effective diversity programs. i don't think though that the government -- let m...