00:00 - Representative George geese

00:02 - of the Pennsylvania seventeenth

00:03 - congressional district

00:05 - for those around the state

00:06 - who don't know the seventeenth

00:07 - district can you just

00:08 - give US an idea of what.

00:09 - You know what the district

00:10 - comprises and

00:11 - what what the people

00:12 - are like

00:12 - yes.

00:13 - It is comprised of five hundred

00:15 - and sixty thousand people

00:17 - which is the the

00:18 - average number per a

00:20 - member of congress

00:21 - across the nation.

00:23 - And it

00:24 - in our

00:24 - seventeenth district it is

00:26 - made up of all of dolphin county

00:28 - all of Lebanon county.

00:30 - About one fourth or

00:32 - maybe more of Lancaster county.

00:35 - One fourth of cumberland

00:37 - county and one forth of

00:39 - Perry county.

00:41 - All of these areas are

00:42 - very contiguous sli not only

00:45 - continuously join not just by

00:47 - boundaries but by

00:48 - the types of people

00:50 - that we have we have.

00:51 - Largely a middle class and a.

00:54 - Working.

00:56 - Area group.

00:58 - Farm

00:59 - industrial

01:00 - so state workers.

01:01 - Municipal workers.

01:04 - The I a mix of americana really

01:07 - it is a wonderful

01:08 - region as I learned.

01:11 - It is productive

01:12 - and it is responsive to

01:14 - the needs of society etc.

01:17 - When we talked to a lot of

01:18 - statewide candidates

01:19 - they talk about

01:20 - the diversity of the state.

01:22 - What's it like with the.

01:24 - Twenty other members

01:25 - of the a p a congressional.

01:27 - Delegation is there

01:29 - is there a cohesiveness there.

01:31 - There is a cohesiveness

01:32 - from time to time on

01:34 - matters that are brought to

01:35 - our attention that

01:36 - do have a state

01:37 - impact.

01:38 - For instance.

01:40 - Funding for

01:41 - our colleges shall we say

01:43 - or the student to.

01:45 - Aids and all of

01:46 - that sort of thing.

01:47 - Which is a state

01:49 - kind of concept.

01:51 - Our delegation usually

01:53 - works as one and

01:55 - we do try to be cooperative

01:57 - on other matters when

01:58 - it breaks down to a.

02:00 - A republican democrat.

02:03 - Face off.

02:04 - Then it breaks down into

02:06 - a debate between the two.

02:08 - Sides

02:09 - and but throughout it all

02:11 - we do remain very.

02:13 - Affable to one another

02:14 - I've seen a great.

02:16 - Eye change in that

02:17 - we used to have some.

02:19 - Acrimonious members who

02:21 - would not

02:22 - be as co-operative

02:23 - as you might think

02:24 - but.

02:25 - Lately I think that Republicans

02:27 - and democrats are more.

02:29 - Friendly to one another.

02:31 - Let me ask you

02:32 - I went to high

02:33 - school in Harrisburg

02:35 - and you served as the dauphin

02:38 - county assistant

02:38 - district attorney

02:39 - how did you get

02:40 - interested in the.

02:41 - Political scene

02:42 - in the first place.

02:43 - I became interested.

02:46 - It is it's almost unbelievable

02:48 - when I was nine years old.

02:50 - In fourth grade in school

02:52 - nineteen thirty nine.

02:54 - I was a newsboy in

02:55 - downtown Harrisburg.

02:57 - And in September of that year

02:59 - September first I believe it was

03:01 - the headline on which I used to

03:04 - bank selling my newspapers

03:05 - because I would

03:06 - hawk the headline

03:07 - wherever I would go

03:09 - was.

03:10 - A Nazis invade

03:12 - Poland.

03:13 - Which was the start

03:14 - of world war two.

03:16 - That.

03:18 - Forced me not forced

03:19 - me compelled me

03:21 - to read the headline

03:22 - every day as a newsboy

03:24 - and read some of the content

03:26 - and I fell in love with

03:28 - our country all over again

03:29 - I was always happy to be a

03:31 - ya young American kid

03:33 - but this

03:34 - and what we were doing as a

03:36 - nation even in

03:37 - preparation for war

03:39 - and all the things

03:39 - that were happening

03:40 - gave me a real interest

03:42 - in what our government

03:43 - our nation.

03:45 - Was doing at that time

03:46 - from that moment until the very

03:48 - moment that we're joining here

03:50 - in this conversation.

03:51 - I have I've been a.

03:53 - Shall we say

03:54 - stimulated.

03:56 - By

03:57 - the the

03:57 - the the concept of

03:59 - serving in government.

04:02 - What was it like growing

04:03 - you mentioned them

04:05 - selling papers to

04:06 - when.

04:08 - Really the the war started but

04:09 - what was it like in Harrisburg

04:11 - once the United States got.

04:13 - Involved in the war was like in

04:14 - this area it was a busy busy or.

04:17 - Exciting

04:18 - area

04:18 - why.

04:19 - Not only was it

04:21 - and it is still the hub of

04:22 - state government therefore it's

04:23 - always busy from that standpoint

04:26 - but secondly we

04:27 - had a railroad system.

04:29 - Centered in Harrisburg

04:30 - with the old still

04:32 - extent

04:33 - railroad station which was a

04:35 - crossroads I mean a literally.

04:38 - A literal crossroads for

04:39 - all of the eastern seaboard

04:41 - where thousands of military

04:43 - personnel were

04:43 - going back and forth

04:45 - all throughout the

04:46 - war years.

04:47 - Where we had indiantown gap

04:50 - and new cumberland mechanicsburg

04:52 - still serving.

04:53 - Our military establishment

04:55 - but even more

04:56 - bustling at that time.

04:57 - We had the

04:59 - the highway system emerging

05:01 - as being

05:02 - part of that crossroad system

05:04 - so we had rail and bus and.

05:06 - Air and all of that.

05:08 - Vestiges of which are still with

05:10 - US of course because we are

05:11 - emerging reemerging

05:13 - as a crossroads

05:14 - here in our area.

05:16 - But the point was

05:17 - and is

05:18 - that this this was a thriving.

05:20 - Busy exciting community.

05:22 - Throughout the war years

05:24 - and for some period thereafter.

05:27 - What's a

05:27 - lynam.

05:29 - When you decided to

05:30 - to.

05:31 - Go from

05:32 - being the assistant.

05:34 - District attorney

05:34 - to running for.

05:36 - Pennsylvania has

05:37 - had to make that

05:38 - decision and

05:39 - why did you decide

05:40 - to run for the house.

05:41 - That's a good question.

05:43 - The.

05:45 - Era in which I chose

05:46 - then to run for the house of

05:48 - representatives was.

05:50 - Controlled.

05:52 - In many different ways by one

05:54 - figures senator Harvey Taylor.

05:57 - M Harvey Taylor was a

05:58 - magnificent

06:00 - fellow who.

06:01 - Exuded the the art of politics.

06:04 - And.

06:05 - Served in the senate

06:07 - as president pro tem

06:08 - for several terms for very close

06:10 - to all the governors while he

06:12 - served etc.

06:13 - And

06:14 - he had a.

06:16 - Tough and powerful.

06:18 - Machine.

06:20 - Republican machine in

06:21 - dauphin county

06:22 - the likes of which.

06:24 - Never were we're.

06:26 - In the history of the area

06:28 - and ever since

06:29 - never since has

06:30 - it been that way.

06:32 - And.

06:33 - I thought that as

06:34 - an assistant da.

06:36 - And with the announced

06:38 - retirement of the incumbent

06:40 - then Bob ogilvy for the state

06:41 - representative from that area.

06:44 - That I would could

06:45 - offer my services

06:47 - and I.

06:48 - I tried to see him

06:50 - to see the best

06:51 - way that I could approach this.

06:52 - And he.

06:54 - I think chose to

06:55 - not to not to ignore me

06:57 - but he had other options

06:59 - so he.

07:00 - Put his blessing on some

07:01 - other individual to run for

07:03 - I decided to run against them.

07:05 - Which is was unheard of.

07:07 - In that.

07:08 - Time

07:09 - and I managed to prevail

07:12 - and the.

07:13 - Rest is history as one says.

07:15 - What happens.

07:17 - Or what happened at that time.

07:19 - Once you when you talked

07:20 - about Harvey Taylor then.

07:21 - Did you

07:22 - have to meet with a

07:23 - ham and yes I have to say a

07:26 - great politician that he was

07:28 - one of his first acts after I

07:30 - was elected was to

07:32 - to bring me to the office

07:34 - and to discuss things with me

07:36 - and to urge all the others

07:38 - in the hierarchy of

07:39 - the republican party

07:41 - to support me in

07:42 - the general election.

07:44 - Because this was a

07:45 - primary that I was as.

07:46 - Discussing with you

07:47 - where I challenged them

07:49 - and but then I was nominated

07:50 - by virtue of the primary victory

07:52 - from that moment

07:54 - on until he died.

07:56 - I'd have to say that the har

07:58 - good ol harv was a

08:00 - supportive of my efforts.

08:03 - You were in the

08:03 - Pennsylvania house.

08:05 - When Pennsylvania

08:07 - held a constitutional

08:08 - convention actually right yes

08:10 - what was that the.

08:11 - Experience like it

08:13 - although I was not a delegate

08:14 - to the constitution convention I

08:16 - did vote for the convening

08:18 - of the convention

08:20 - and I attended

08:20 - many of the sessions

08:22 - and I do did I believe either

08:24 - submitted

08:24 - testimony or testified.

08:26 - On the.

08:28 - Issue of whether

08:29 - or not we should

08:30 - change the number of members

08:32 - of the house

08:33 - and an end of the senate.

08:35 - The outcome of that was it

08:36 - remained exactly the same

08:38 - but there were hearings and

08:40 - debates on whether

08:41 - that should change

08:43 - and uh.

08:45 - I met with.

08:47 - The famed author.

08:49 - Of

08:50 - Hawaii etc from our

08:52 - eastern

08:53 - Philadelphia area.

08:55 - What's

08:56 - my gosh a famous author

08:57 - who slipped my mind now

08:59 - who was a delegate to the.

09:02 - To the convention

09:03 - and with whom we

09:04 - spoke are quite often

09:05 - south pacific.

09:07 - Was.

09:08 - Patterned after his.

09:10 - Tales of the south pacific.

09:12 - Can't think of his name.

09:14 - As

09:14 - anyway.

09:16 - James michener James michener

09:17 - that's exactly right he was a

09:19 - delegate who took

09:20 - it very seriously

09:21 - and I remember

09:21 - meeting with him on

09:23 - a couple of these issues.

09:24 - I was just a state

09:26 - representative

09:27 - not a delegate

09:27 - he was a delegate.

09:28 - But.

09:29 - We had I in other words I

09:31 - participated even

09:32 - though I was not a

09:33 - member of the

09:34 - house the greatest.

09:35 - Sir single accomplishment

09:36 - I thought of the constitution

09:38 - convention was.

09:39 - The.

09:40 - The formalization of and

09:42 - the elevation of the station of

09:44 - district justice.

09:46 - Instead of having

09:47 - a patchwork of.

09:49 - Of.

09:50 - The old type of

09:52 - alderman system that we had

09:54 - extent until then.

09:56 - Where.

09:57 - The salaries and

09:58 - everything else was.

10:00 - We're all conditioned upon how

10:02 - he was able to exact

10:04 - fines and all of that.

10:06 - We formalized and

10:07 - made it a court system.

10:09 - Just like

10:10 - a min.

10:11 - Larger court system

10:12 - that we always had

10:13 - and that was a tremendous

10:15 - accomplishment I

10:16 - think they are the

10:17 - cause of justice

10:18 - was advanced a

10:19 - thousand percent by that

10:21 - concept.

10:22 - You mentioned that there was

10:23 - some debate at the time about

10:25 - changing numbers.

10:27 - What to what side were you on.

10:29 - At the time I

10:30 - I felt that we should

10:32 - stay where we were.

10:33 - It would have been too

10:35 - traumatic to try to

10:36 - change the system

10:37 - and thereby rush in a new era of

10:40 - different kinds of politics.

10:42 - We we weren't sure

10:43 - for instance a how

10:45 - how we could change.

10:47 - The fifty senators

10:49 - to.

10:50 - Or not to an odd

10:51 - number forty seven or

10:53 - sixty three in order to have a.

10:56 - Instead of a twenty five twenty

10:59 - five possibility to

10:59 - have some other

10:59 - number emerge

11:01 - and after awhile everyone just

11:02 - threw up his hands and said let

11:04 - it remain the same.

11:07 - What to

11:08 - what was the.

11:09 - As the the governorship

11:11 - was controlled

11:13 - by a republican at the time.

11:14 - Schaefer was the.

11:16 - Governor during the convention

11:18 - what was the makeup of the

11:20 - house and senate

11:21 - remember

11:21 - we had a brittle.

11:23 - One or two vote majority

11:25 - I think one one three.

11:27 - Two ninety nine at that time.

11:30 - Or whatever that.

11:33 - It was very

11:33 - thin just like.

11:35 - We see a lot of it today.

11:37 - As a matter of fact.

11:39 - I was struck by

11:40 - the fact that the

11:41 - current.

11:42 - New elections that.

11:44 - Preserve the house majority

11:46 - for the Republicans

11:47 - in the house.

11:48 - I left them to the number

11:50 - of one hundred and three

11:51 - which was that number which

11:53 - we had to work with back then.

11:56 - What's a is it a different

11:57 - situation working

11:58 - with numbers that

12:00 - close or absolutely the.

12:02 - Makeup of the committees.

12:04 - Closely I is identified with the

12:06 - majority minority numbers.

12:09 - And therefore there's a lot of.

12:12 - Courtesy and co comedy

12:13 - that has to be extended.

12:15 - In order to

12:16 - extend a point of view.

12:18 - So.

12:19 - It's it's very tough you

12:21 - have a large majority

12:23 - and I've never

12:24 - enjoyed being in any

12:25 - body with a large majority

12:27 - throughout my career.

12:28 - Even when we were in the

12:29 - senate when I

12:30 - was in the senate of

12:30 - Pennsylvania

12:31 - we had just emerged

12:33 - as the majority party

12:34 - we Republicans

12:36 - and therefore we never had

12:37 - the blast of big majorities to.

12:40 - Work our will without even

12:42 - having to talk to the democrats.

12:44 - Not that we would have but

12:45 - i'm saying it's

12:46 - it's that kind of a.

12:47 - Close majority

12:48 - that we always had.

12:50 - Did you know once you get

12:51 - into the Pennsylvania house I.

12:54 - Mean did use for see yourself

12:55 - going to the Pennsylvania senate

12:57 - and then the the

12:57 - US house as that.

13:00 - I suppose harboring within

13:02 - every member of the house.

13:05 - If one is continually interested

13:07 - in public service as I was.

13:09 - That if that opportunity came.

13:12 - I undoubtedly would have tried.

13:14 - My thinking would have gone.

13:16 - To to attain that next position

13:19 - and it happened that

13:20 - the way senator lense.

13:22 - With whom I had worked.

13:23 - When I was in the

13:24 - house he and the senate.

13:25 - Many different

13:26 - times on many different issues.

13:29 - Brought me to his office one

13:30 - time and told me he was thinking

13:32 - about retiring.

13:33 - And.

13:35 - So then I decided to

13:36 - run for the State Senate.

13:39 - As someone that served in

13:40 - in the Pennsylvania house

13:42 - Pennsylvania senate and.

13:44 - The US has can you.

13:46 - Can you uh.

13:47 - I guess explain or or just get

13:49 - into some of the the differences

13:50 - in some of the.

13:52 - The syllabus of the

13:53 - similarities are are

13:54 - more intention

13:55 - and more in number

13:57 - than are the differences.

13:59 - The similarities are.

14:01 - The the art of legislating

14:02 - is super important in every.

14:05 - Body.

14:06 - To which.

14:07 - I have been a.

14:09 - Member.

14:10 - And

14:10 - and the the way of crafting.

14:13 - And debating

14:14 - and producing majorities

14:16 - for an idea and all of that

14:18 - all of that is an

14:19 - absolutely the same.

14:21 - The.

14:22 - Big difference is that I found

14:23 - in the congress from the state

14:25 - legislature

14:26 - is the nature of the issues.

14:28 - That is.

14:29 - In the state house we never have

14:31 - to worry about Afghanistan and

14:32 - the mujahideen

14:34 - and the

14:35 - rocketry and

14:36 - international relationships

14:37 - nuclear threats

14:39 - and all of that

14:40 - although we always

14:40 - worried about it of course

14:42 - it was not within our.

14:44 - Our jurisdiction in the state

14:46 - general assembly to

14:47 - deal with those issues

14:48 - so the difference was in the

14:50 - magnitude of the issues

14:52 - more than in the

14:53 - texture

14:54 - of the legislative process.

14:57 - What.

14:58 - I guess

14:59 - how do you.

15:00 - Do you study those as you

15:02 - as things come up as a as a

15:05 - congressman I mean.

15:07 - Fuck.

15:08 - Yes I tried to study

15:09 - every single issue that

15:11 - is presented to US and we have

15:13 - various resources at our

15:15 - disposal to make

15:15 - sure that we do that.

15:17 - However I must say because

15:18 - it's implicit in your question

15:20 - that much of it.

15:22 - Now in the this stage

15:23 - of my public service

15:25 - comes by instinct.

15:27 - That is or recollection.

15:29 - Or.

15:30 - Banking on and

15:31 - drawing on experience.

15:33 - And really when I

15:35 - run for reelection I say I want

15:37 - to run because I'm experienced

15:38 - and I.

15:40 - I want you to consider

15:41 - I say to the voters the

15:42 - experience that I've gained.

15:44 - That's not just a.

15:45 - A password of of cash painting.

15:48 - I really deeply

15:50 - feel that an mean that

15:51 - and it is it is a wonder

15:53 - to me and have a.

15:54 - Distinct.

15:55 - Pleasure to me when I can

15:57 - draw something I remembered

15:58 - having done that that helps me

16:01 - deal with a current issue

16:02 - it's a marvelous.

16:04 - Display

16:05 - in my own mind of

16:07 - the the word experience

16:09 - and recollection and

16:10 - background

16:11 - that leads me to be able to

16:13 - solve a particular situation.

16:15 - As he has we talked about.

16:19 - The similarities of of the

16:20 - different offices

16:21 - but has politics.

16:23 - Changed at all since you've.

16:26 - Gotten into it the way

16:28 - the political system works.

16:32 - I do believe that

16:34 - on my ascension to

16:36 - to the congress.

16:37 - That a new political

16:39 - ballgame was at

16:41 - my feet desert were

16:42 - and that is to deal on a

16:44 - national basis with the national

16:46 - republican party.

16:48 - Which is vast as is the

16:49 - national Democratic pp party.

16:52 - Two to.

16:53 - Dec.

16:54 - Plan of cohesive

16:55 - policy and so forth.

16:57 - Brings in so many

16:58 - strains of political activity.

17:00 - That it's unlike working

17:02 - with dauphin county

17:03 - and only dauphin county as I

17:05 - did before as a member of the

17:07 - state senator.

17:08 - Of the Pennsylvania house.

17:10 - And

17:11 - so here in dolphin county.

17:13 - Wow where.

17:15 - We work together

17:16 - on every single.

17:17 - Issue.

17:19 - Once I got to Washington.

17:21 - I already had five other

17:23 - counties to deal with or four

17:25 - depending on which

17:26 - district we're talking about

17:27 - and so

17:28 - I became diffused as it were

17:31 - spread out

17:32 - in my political contacts act

17:34 - although always retained

17:36 - close ties I have

17:36 - fallen short with

17:37 - dolphin cat in my home

17:39 - base my base as it were

17:41 - for all things.

17:43 - Nevertheless I had to be.

17:45 - Diversified as it

17:46 - were in political

17:48 - thinking and political action

17:49 - to meet the demands of

17:51 - the federal

17:52 - and national

17:53 - political scene.

17:55 - Issue

17:55 - what's your

17:57 - favorite.

17:58 - Part of

17:59 - the job that you have.

18:02 - I believe the.

18:04 - Most satisfying.

18:06 - Part of the job is to.

18:09 - Observe a problem or

18:10 - or take a problem that

18:12 - has been presented to me.

18:14 - And then to.

18:15 - Try to create a solution

18:17 - sometimes it's only.

18:19 - A constituent

18:20 - solution I say not only

18:22 - I don't mean to say

18:23 - that denigrated but it.

18:24 - Starts from.

18:26 - Being concerned about

18:27 - a constituent let's say who

18:28 - a veteran Owen who has

18:30 - never received

18:31 - the medals that he should

18:32 - have received from the korean

18:34 - conflict or world war two.

18:36 - Or Vietnam

18:37 - and so we

18:38 - mount a search

18:39 - to try to get those

18:41 - certified to them and present

18:42 - them to him that's a great

18:43 - satisfaction.

18:45 - So

18:45 - that's one form of

18:47 - constituent service and and

18:48 - pleasure horrible

18:49 - result from one Jackson's.

18:51 - The other is to take.

18:53 - An idea and transform it into a

18:55 - bill which then becomes law and

18:57 - signed into law by the

18:58 - president of the United States.

19:00 - That is a.

19:02 - Monumental

19:03 - feeling of accomplishment.

19:06 - And I have had the pleasure of.

19:08 - Having

19:09 - that accomplish

19:10 - several times and I

19:11 - I feel good about that.

19:13 - Because that's the

19:14 - largest service that cares in.

19:16 - Service to all constituents.

19:18 - While the other

19:19 - individual one.

19:20 - Pertains to one

19:21 - family very satisfying

19:23 - but it only.

19:24 - Occurs within the realm

19:26 - of a family shall we say.

19:28 - Either issue shoes that you're.

19:30 - Particularly

19:31 - interested

19:32 - in and.

19:34 - It was.

19:35 - There are three that are

19:37 - recurrent and on

19:38 - which I have taken

19:39 - steps of along the way and I

19:41 - hope they come into fruition

19:43 - during this next term.

19:44 - One is to

19:45 - prevent government shut

19:47 - down from ever occurring

19:48 - although that's not a.

19:50 - The.

19:51 - Topic of discussion

19:52 - every single day.

19:54 - It is worrisome every year

19:56 - and every year.

19:57 - Some member congress comes

19:59 - up to them and

19:59 - says to me I wish we

20:00 - had adopted the

20:01 - geek as amendment

20:02 - to

20:03 - to prevent government shutdown

20:05 - we did pass it.

20:06 - Two or three years ago

20:08 - and then president

20:09 - Clinton vetoed it so.

20:10 - We still didn't make it

20:12 - so I'm going to try again.

20:14 - It it's a simple concept it says

20:17 - that at the end

20:17 - of the fiscal year

20:18 - if we hadn't

20:19 - we've

20:19 - we've not reached

20:20 - agreement on a budget.

20:21 - That we should revert the

20:23 - next day October the first.

20:25 - To an instant replay

20:26 - of last year's budget

20:28 - thus they'd never

20:29 - be a government.

20:31 - And the.

20:32 - Process for adopting a new

20:34 - budget could go

20:35 - on without worrying

20:36 - that you had to stop.

20:38 - The services and the

20:39 - capital from running.

20:41 - The other is the development of

20:43 - an energy policy so that we can

20:45 - become.

20:46 - Self sufficient

20:47 - as a nation and not

20:48 - have to depend on opec.

20:50 - For.

20:51 - Our enslaved a

20:53 - position to them

20:55 - on prices and flow of oil

20:57 - that's

20:58 - an

20:58 - acceptable to me

20:59 - and we've got to become

21:01 - energy independent

21:02 - and we do have the

21:04 - capacity to do so so

21:05 - I have called for

21:07 - the development of energy

21:08 - policy and I've

21:08 - got to brag to you a

21:09 - little bit.

21:10 - That's part of the.

21:12 - The

21:12 - beauty of this program.

21:15 - Is

21:15 - that.

21:16 - I developed this policy several

21:20 - times but last

21:20 - April this past April

21:21 - I introduced a

21:21 - bill to that effect.

21:23 - About three months

21:24 - later or four months later

21:25 - candidate George bush.

21:28 - The president for president.

21:30 - In one of his may major

21:31 - speeches in saginaw Michigan.

21:33 - Adopted practically all that

21:35 - I had introduced in this bill I

21:37 - thought he read the bill and was

21:38 - was doing.

21:40 - My bidding as it were

21:42 - as it turned out that he

21:43 - had this kind of thing in mind

21:45 - and we can't sided so

21:47 - I have great hopes that of.

21:49 - That I'd have a good

21:50 - chance now in this new term

21:52 - to have something done about

21:54 - an energy policy the third is.

21:56 - Big

21:56 - issues

21:57 - the third is to create a.

22:00 - A.

22:01 - System.

22:02 - In our country

22:03 - where we could lead

22:04 - to the eradication of disease.

22:07 - Across the face of the earth.

22:09 - Not only does it have

22:10 - humana tarion elements

22:12 - to actually cure disease

22:14 - to prevent disease

22:15 - but it would have.

22:17 - a

22:17 - big impact on our own

22:19 - enlightened self

22:19 - interest we lead the

22:21 - world in pharmaceuticals

22:22 - and biotechnology

22:24 - and biomedical

22:25 - research all these factors

22:27 - would would

22:28 - raise our level of

22:30 - leadership and all these facets

22:32 - and at the same time.

22:33 - Help the people

22:34 - across the world.

22:37 - I do want to ask about that

22:38 - you mentioned the

22:39 - government shutdown

22:41 - and.

22:42 - You were.

22:43 - In the area when the

22:44 - state government was.

22:46 - Set down for quite a long time.

22:48 - What was that like.

22:50 - For for this district

22:52 - I mean.

22:52 - Oh yes that was a bleak

22:54 - period I remember that time how.

22:57 - Are state workers

22:58 - going without paychecks.

23:00 - So I can't remember where I

23:02 - was in the senate

23:03 - or the house that

23:04 - time but.

23:05 - What I did at that time I

23:06 - checked with some banks.

23:09 - And we worked out a program

23:11 - whereby.

23:13 - The state.

23:14 - Treasure I think it was

23:16 - al Benedict at that time.

23:18 - At any rate we worked out

23:20 - a system where the banks.

23:22 - Would advance.

23:23 - To the state workers

23:25 - what they would be getting.

23:27 - With their paychecks.

23:28 - With

23:29 - a.

23:30 - A system that

23:31 - the auditor general

23:33 - the state treasury would pay

23:34 - the banks back

23:36 - from the.

23:37 - General revenues from

23:38 - these paychecks don't you see

23:40 - and we work that out I was so

23:42 - proud of it and the next day the

23:43 - the the thing ended

23:45 - and we went back to normal but

23:47 - but the point is that's

23:48 - how I remember.

23:49 - The impact of it because

23:51 - individual state

23:51 - workers were going

23:52 - without paychecks.

23:54 - Do and ask if you've

23:55 - been in public service for

23:56 - quite a while I mean I

23:58 - guess since nineteen sixty six.

23:59 - Assistant district attorney.

24:01 - And.

24:02 - What if there's some.

24:03 - Major

24:05 - things that have happened in

24:06 - the time you've been in public

24:07 - service and i'd

24:08 - like to ask about a couple.

24:09 - Of them.

24:10 - First of all.

24:11 - Vietnam.

24:13 - What was it like when

24:14 - Vietnam was happening

24:15 - happening.

24:17 - From a perspective of

24:18 - someone that's that's in.

24:19 - Involved in in public

24:21 - service it was a.

24:22 - An overweening

24:24 - a.

24:26 - Impact on on our society

24:28 - especially in our area.

24:30 - I remember very

24:31 - well I introduced this.

24:32 - Resolution in the

24:33 - Pennsylvania house.

24:35 - At that time

24:36 - too.

24:38 - Just to say to the congress

24:39 - of the United States to the

24:41 - president Nixon.

24:42 - That they ought to do we

24:44 - call it a memorial elevation.

24:46 - Are interested in

24:47 - congress doing something

24:49 - about the p o w 's

24:50 - in the end my age

24:51 - I thought it would sail

24:53 - through as a routine matter

24:55 - and it engendered

24:56 - eight hours of debate

24:58 - because there were people in

24:59 - the house who were anti war.

25:01 - And.

25:03 - They fought against

25:04 - this as being a

25:05 - right wing type

25:06 - of thing to try to

25:07 - have the congress do

25:08 - something about the p o w.

25:10 - M I a

25:11 - and I remember distinctly

25:13 - that

25:14 - on the other side of the

25:15 - aisle was Jack murtha.

25:17 - Member of the

25:18 - pencils Anya house democrat.

25:20 - Who stood up and supported my

25:22 - resolution he was a.

25:24 - Veteran etc

25:25 - and together we

25:26 - were able to win over

25:28 - and when that resolution as I

25:30 - said that stunned US because

25:32 - we thought it'd

25:33 - be a routine thing

25:34 - but that's my big memory

25:35 - of the Vietnam situation that

25:37 - Pennsylvania has

25:38 - actually got involved in it

25:40 - and the p o w s and the m I a's

25:42 - subjects which are

25:43 - still on our minds.

25:44 - Was a vital part

25:45 - of our activity.

25:47 - On the floor of the house.

25:49 - How split was the community

25:51 - I guess I guess when

25:53 - when you talk about the house

25:54 - being split it's

25:55 - something that I

25:56 - hadn't.

25:58 - Thought about.

25:59 - How split was the

26:00 - country and the community.

26:01 - The community in our area was

26:04 - rather.

26:05 - Pro

26:06 - not pro war we're

26:07 - not saying that

26:08 - but not an tie.

26:11 - The government's

26:12 - actions in Vietnam.

26:13 - We generally supported

26:15 - the the the war effort

26:17 - it's only in the later stages

26:19 - when everybody became.

26:21 - Questioning etc

26:22 - but by and large i'd

26:23 - have to say that our area.

26:25 - Remained patriotic

26:28 - and supportive

26:29 - in the a sense that

26:30 - they were not demonstrating

26:32 - against the war.

26:33 - Not on a wholesale basis.

26:37 - Another thing I

26:38 - wanted to it in.

26:40 - When when John f Kennedy was.

26:43 - So assassinated.

26:45 - What.

26:46 - What kind of effect

26:47 - that have on you.

26:49 - That

26:50 - came as a real

26:51 - blow to all of US.

26:53 - I was an assistant da at that

26:54 - time I was having lunch at a

26:56 - wonderful restaurant

26:57 - on broad street.

26:59 - In Harrisburg that

27:00 - everybody Wright

27:02 - remembers also decks restaurant.

27:03 - When the news came.

27:05 - Right around the lunch period

27:06 - that day November twenty second.

27:08 - Nineteen sixty three.

27:11 - I.

27:12 - Don't think anybody

27:13 - returned to his normal routine.

27:17 - Without a stay outside.

27:19 - Nervous condition shall we say.

27:21 - Four to three weeks

27:23 - a month after that

27:25 - we sort of plodded

27:26 - through all these.

27:27 - These the funeral and

27:29 - the oswald situation all that.

27:31 - It lingered with

27:32 - US for a long time

27:33 - but to the credit the lyndon

27:35 - Johnson the succeeding president

27:37 - the vice president

27:38 - became president.

27:39 - He did a great deal to

27:42 - to

27:42 - bring about normalcy

27:44 - as did president Ford.

27:46 - When.

27:47 - Nixon.

27:48 - Left office.

27:50 - I did want to ask you about the

27:52 - eight you mentioned president

27:53 - Nixon for

27:55 - and.

27:55 - Watergate effect

27:57 - and.

27:58 - The Republicans in this area the

28:01 - republican party

28:02 - and in yourself.

28:02 - It affected the republican

28:04 - party generally adversely.

28:07 - Because it led to.

28:10 - Many more Democratic.

28:12 - Congressional

28:13 - victories than were

28:14 - could have been anticipated.

28:16 - And

28:17 - in Pennsylvania arena

28:20 - I think it

28:20 - solidified the shap.

28:22 - Administrations a.

28:25 - Democratic.

28:27 - Control

28:28 - of both the

28:28 - executive and the the

28:30 - and the general assembly

28:31 - I think it solidified their hold

28:33 - on state government.

28:35 - I'm pretty convinced of that.

28:37 - Yet in retrospect.

28:41 - The.

28:41 - The break-in

28:42 - burglary type thing.

28:45 - Still

28:46 - still is.

28:48 - Imponderable that such a

28:49 - such a thing could have led

28:51 - to the

28:52 - downfall of a president.

28:56 - What.

28:57 - You've mentioned them.

28:58 - The minority what's what's the.

29:01 - How big a difference is it

29:02 - being in the minority as opposed

29:04 - to the majority I'm not sure

29:05 - if a lot of people.

29:06 - Realize my best

29:07 - example of that is that.

29:10 - When I was in the senate

29:11 - when I first went to the house

29:13 - and when I went

29:14 - to the senate the

29:15 - the entire time that

29:16 - I spent in the house

29:17 - and the senate in the first

29:19 - two years

29:20 - were in the minority.

29:22 - And.

29:23 - Then when we.

29:25 - Gained the majority

29:26 - along with the

29:27 - ascendancy of dick

29:28 - thornburgh as governor.

29:30 - I became chairman of the

29:31 - judiciary committee

29:32 - in the senate.

29:33 - As a result of being in the

29:35 - majority and having the gavel.

29:37 - And having spoken

29:38 - about my ideas about.

29:40 - New crime legislation

29:41 - tougher crime legislation

29:43 - I was able to confer with the

29:44 - governor who had a similar.

29:46 - Intent and similar bent towards

29:49 - toughening up on crime

29:50 - and we were able to put a

29:52 - package together of nine.

29:53 - Nine I tell you.

29:55 - Specify synfig

29:56 - new pieces of

29:57 - legislation on mandatory

29:59 - sentencing for

30:00 - felons who use

30:01 - guns in crimes and.

30:03 - Who are

30:04 - second and third

30:04 - offenders that type of thing

30:06 - a whole range of

30:07 - things nine of them

30:08 - we put them together the

30:09 - governor signed

30:10 - them into law we did

30:12 - it only because we

30:12 - were in the majority

30:14 - and because I had the power

30:15 - of the gavel then the committee

30:17 - and because I had a

30:18 - governor who would

30:19 - support legislation.

30:20 - The likes of which

30:21 - I was crafting.

30:23 - It

30:23 - is the difference between being

30:25 - in the majority and in the state

30:27 - and.

30:27 - In the federal

30:28 - government in the house.

30:30 - Know there it's it's quite

30:31 - similar the power of the gavel

30:33 - which I now have as a

30:34 - chairman of a committee.

30:36 - Is sheree committee.

30:39 - Allows me to do

30:39 - things that I could not.

30:41 - Possibly do as a

30:42 - member of the minority

30:44 - from that standpoint and

30:45 - be able to craft legislation

30:47 - and to move it as far

30:48 - as it could possibly go.

30:50 - Is powerful in the

30:51 - hands of the gavel.

30:53 - And it's nonexistent.

30:55 - In the hands of a

30:56 - member of the minority.

30:58 - Important.

30:59 - Is seniority.

31:01 - You have quite a bit of

31:02 - seniority in the house now.

31:04 - How important is that.

31:06 - In the ways of

31:07 - doing things in in

31:09 - the congress it's very important

31:09 - it's not as important

31:11 - as it once was

31:12 - for two reasons democrats

31:13 - somewhere in the

31:14 - nineteen seventies.

31:17 - Conducted a little revolution

31:18 - against the longtime chairman.

31:20 - And as a result

31:22 - some of those changes were

31:23 - made that seniority

31:24 - began to count

31:25 - for less

31:26 - but not so much.

31:28 - But then we

31:29 - when we took over

31:30 - in nineteen ninety four.

31:32 - We self imposed upon ourselves.

31:35 - a

31:36 - system where chair people

31:37 - can only stay for

31:38 - six years years.

31:40 - Because we felt that wherever

31:42 - there was corruption or undue

31:44 - influence

31:45 - it had to do with

31:46 - longtime chairmanships

31:47 - where guys would stay as

31:49 - chairman for twenty

31:50 - years thirty years

31:51 - and have inordinate

31:53 - sets of powers.

31:54 - We said we had to

31:56 - turn back

31:56 - that type of influence

31:58 - so we didn't our restricted to

32:01 - being a chair

32:02 - for only six years.

32:03 - So

32:04 - it is it's a.

32:06 - Powerful instrument

32:08 - to be chairman

32:09 - but we have now in the

32:11 - interest of good government

32:13 - restricted how much power

32:14 - that individuals should have

32:16 - seniority still counts

32:18 - but not so much as before.

32:21 - You have to run

32:21 - for office every.

32:23 - Two years.

32:24 - Do you like campaigning do

32:25 - you like having

32:26 - to run that off I've

32:27 - always loved campaigning and I.

32:30 - I say almost laughingly that.

32:33 - Even the times

32:34 - when I am unopposed

32:35 - and that has happened

32:37 - a couple of times.

32:38 - I still go door to door.

32:40 - In every camp pain I have

32:42 - exercised the door to door.

32:44 - Campaign.

32:45 - Which is exhilarating

32:47 - in which.

32:49 - Brings me to the neighborhoods

32:50 - which are part of my district.

32:52 - And which is.

32:54 - As I say very stimulating

32:56 - and I love campaigning but it is

32:59 - time consuming

33:00 - and it does happen

33:01 - every two years.

33:03 - Every.

33:04 - October or November by

33:06 - before the next election season.

33:09 - I make a judgement as to

33:10 - whether I should run again.

33:12 - I do it and she

33:13 - kind of.

33:13 - Criteria that I've set

33:15 - for myself one his.

33:16 - Level of energy am I.

33:18 - Healthy enough and energetic

33:20 - enough to face another

33:22 - campaign and

33:23 - another term of office

33:24 - if the answer is yes

33:25 - I go to the next one.

33:26 - Do I.

33:28 - Have I maintained

33:29 - sufficient contact with

33:30 - the people over the past.

33:32 - Two years to

33:34 - embolden me to feel that

33:35 - they have confidence in it

33:37 - if the answer is yes

33:38 - I'll run again.

33:40 - And that's the way.

33:42 - We decide so.

33:43 - The two years.

33:45 - Running every

33:46 - two years is tough.

33:47 - It is tough and time consuming

33:49 - but

33:50 - it is worth it

33:51 - when you think of

33:52 - the reward.

33:54 - I I do want to ask you

33:55 - back to a few people that.

33:57 - I know you've.

34:00 - At least the scene in

34:01 - your public service career.

34:03 - One of them is

34:04 - that the first person

34:06 - you mentioned is Harvey Taylor

34:07 - and for people in Harrisburg

34:08 - that drive over

34:09 - the Harvey Taylor

34:10 - bridge every day I was

34:11 - wondering if there's.

34:12 - Any story or anything.

34:14 - In the Harvey task

34:15 - tremendous stories about tarp.

34:18 - Two anecdotes that seem

34:20 - to have gotten a night national

34:22 - recognition.

34:23 - Are one where he said that.

34:26 - I remember.

34:29 - When I first went down to

34:30 - register as a republican I've

34:32 - as soon as I turned

34:33 - twenty one he said.

34:34 - I registered probably had

34:35 - a vol was voted republican.

34:38 - Straight down the line

34:39 - I remember registering he said.

34:41 - Because

34:42 - it was right before the big war.

34:45 - The Spanish American war.

34:47 - He turned twenty one

34:49 - in eighteen ninety seven.

34:51 - And as that was the

34:52 - big war to have the

34:53 - Spanish American

34:54 - war took place in

34:55 - eighteen ninety eight

34:56 - that's how he remembers

34:57 - when he registered when we sit

34:59 - when he said the

35:00 - big war we thought

35:02 - of world war one at least or.

35:02 - Was the Spanish American

35:03 - war that's one

35:04 - anecdote the other

35:05 - another is that

35:07 - it is said that just

35:08 - before he was.

35:09 - He knew he was going to perish.

35:11 - He was one hundred and six

35:13 - going on one hundred and seven

35:14 - and he called his

35:16 - daughter to his bedside and

35:18 - he felt he was

35:19 - leaving US

35:20 - and he said I want to

35:22 - change my registration.

35:24 - And the daughter almost fainted

35:26 - he changed the registration

35:27 - yeah I want a form I want to

35:29 - change my bridge

35:30 - Jason to democrat.

35:31 - And

35:31 - she was stunned

35:32 - she said why dad why

35:34 - and he said

35:35 - that or one of them

35:36 - should go then one of US.

35:38 - Had pets

35:39 - that's a real

35:40 - anecdote that

35:41 - typifies a Harvey Taylor.

35:43 - He was a beloved

35:44 - and

35:45 - and cantankerous and feisty

35:47 - and humorous and.

35:49 - A great political leader I had

35:51 - conflict with him as I told you.

35:53 - And I but

35:55 - it was always a respectful.

35:57 - Conflict he did

35:58 - a lot for our area.

36:01 - Some of the governors that.

36:03 - You had a chance to.

36:05 - Serve with.

36:07 - Like a ratio for yes

36:08 - and that was your first.

36:11 - You were in the house I had.

36:14 - I started off with

36:15 - on a bad foot with

36:17 - ray shafer because

36:19 - I opposed his.

36:21 - Budget plan his

36:22 - first budget which

36:24 - included an increase in taxes

36:25 - and I

36:26 - fought against that I never

36:27 - voted for it at the end and that

36:29 - put me in a.

36:30 - Sort of a.

36:32 - Different

36:33 - atmosphere with ray

36:34 - shafer but thereafter

36:36 - the constitutional convention

36:37 - and other things we were.

36:38 - We became very close

36:40 - quick anecdote there.

36:41 - My he and I were running

36:43 - together he for

36:44 - governor I for state

36:45 - representative.

36:46 - In in the fall of nineteen sixty

36:48 - six the dolphin county banquet

36:50 - was occurring

36:51 - and so he and I went

36:53 - table to table

36:54 - ratio for governor candidate

36:56 - George geek a state

36:57 - representative.

36:58 - Tables that would reach the

36:59 - table where my dad was sitting.

37:01 - So I said pop here's.

37:04 - The

37:04 - lieutenant governor

37:05 - is going to be governor

37:06 - and the governor says

37:08 - mr geek as I'm so glad to

37:10 - meet you says.

37:11 - I

37:12 - your years one's going to be

37:13 - my strong right arm

37:15 - and the legislature.

37:16 - My dad said

37:17 - god help you.

37:19 - Said to him.

37:20 - Which.

37:21 - Wasn't as complementary as I

37:24 - thought might come

37:25 - out of his mouth.

37:26 - And

37:26 - what about the.

37:28 - Men a

37:29 - Milton shap.

37:30 - I had very abrasive.

37:33 - Conflicts with him on

37:34 - various number of issues.

37:37 - Including.

37:38 - A little thing about

37:39 - phosphates in.

37:41 - Detergents at that time

37:42 - which was an ecological.

37:44 - And environmental problem.

37:46 - And a whole bunch of things.

37:49 - But with thornburg.

37:51 - I had a great

37:53 - great.

37:54 - Spurt

37:55 - of legislative activity and

37:57 - and succession

37:59 - and various ideas.

38:01 - That

38:02 - made me proud.

38:05 - And

38:05 - did you get a

38:06 - chance to work with

38:08 - governor Casey

38:08 - at all no that was.

38:09 - A wizard who's.

38:11 - Going

38:11 - the way of.

38:12 - My my term in the senate.

38:15 - And then when I ran for

38:16 - congress was

38:17 - during the thornburg

38:18 - administration so we

38:19 - never reached the kc.

38:21 - What what's the relationship

38:23 - like then between the governor

38:25 - and like someone from.

38:27 - The congressional

38:27 - delegation is there any.

38:29 - Interaction or

38:30 - yes as

38:31 - a matter of fact I'm very happy

38:33 - to report to you for those who

38:35 - never realized that.

38:37 - Tom Ridge as governor.

38:38 - Would drop down to Washington.

38:41 - Three times a year or more.

38:44 - Has an office in Washington.

38:46 - And so we are always apprised

38:48 - of Pennsylvania concerns.

38:51 - On a regular basis and

38:52 - we interact all the time.

38:54 - When the gov berners association

38:56 - particularly the republican

38:58 - governors

38:58 - association nationwide.

39:00 - I.

39:01 - Crafted a welfare reform

39:02 - concept which we in the congress

39:05 - then.

39:06 - Put into law despite.

39:07 - Clinton's

39:08 - first opposition and

39:09 - then acquiescence.

39:11 - And

39:12 - it was governor Ridge

39:13 - who kept US informed on

39:15 - how would affair Philadelphia

39:17 - how would affect the.

39:19 - Erie county and

39:20 - and everything else

39:21 - and all the little problems

39:23 - he made clear to US.

39:25 - Could be met if we supported

39:26 - the welfare reform etc

39:28 - that's just one example

39:29 - of many many in which.

39:31 - He operated that way

39:33 - now governor Casey

39:34 - did the same thing.

39:36 - As I recall.

39:38 - He he dropped down to

39:39 - Washington several times

39:41 - and we met in the mansion.

39:43 - Governor's mansion as well.

39:45 - So that's a kind of a

39:46 - tradition that has been.

39:48 - Maintained.

39:50 - What to

39:51 - do when asking I'm not

39:52 - I'm not sure if you knew

39:53 - him so I don't mean to.

39:55 - Sweat but.

39:56 - Frank Rizzo.

39:57 - Political figure

39:58 - in the state what

39:59 - I met him once that is we

40:00 - were on the same platform.

40:02 - One time in Philadelphia some

40:04 - patriotic.

40:07 - Memorial Day or

40:08 - July for something like that

40:10 - and

40:10 - my recollection of them

40:11 - was easily the tough.

40:13 - Politico

40:14 - of the the type that

40:16 - people write about.

40:18 - And

40:18 - he.

40:19 - He and I.

40:21 - It's a funny thing that

40:22 - you should ask that

40:23 - coincided on these crime issues.

40:26 - On the.

40:27 - Repeat offenders and.

40:29 - All of the issues

40:30 - that at that time were

40:32 - extant on fighting crime.

40:34 - So

40:35 - I respected his point of view

40:37 - there the tough cop type of

40:38 - individual that he was.

40:40 - But I never had any

40:41 - than dealings with his.

40:43 - Philadelphia legislative

40:45 - program or city council.

40:47 - Or anything like that.

40:49 - I do.

40:50 - Want to ask you during the.

40:53 - Impeachment of.

40:55 - President Clinton in

40:56 - the trial in the

40:57 - senate

40:58 - you were a.

41:00 - On the house a team you

41:01 - are one of the house lawyers.

41:02 - What was that.

41:04 - What was that

41:04 - whole experience like.

41:06 - Let me ask you

41:07 - like personally what what.

41:09 - What was going

41:10 - through your mind when.

41:12 - When impeachment

41:13 - you you knew what would

41:14 - happen when that came about.

41:16 - I felt ready for it not

41:18 - from the standpoint that I.

41:20 - I was prepared to impeach the.

41:22 - President but

41:23 - as a member of the

41:23 - judiciary committee.

41:25 - I had already.

41:27 - Been involved in an impeachment

41:29 - this being of a federal judge.

41:31 - In southern Florida where we had

41:33 - an entire impeachment

41:35 - with all the constitutional

41:37 - requirements there

41:38 - the meetings in the house the

41:39 - impeachment the house and then

41:41 - transfer the senate

41:42 - for trial

41:43 - and I was one of

41:44 - the managers then.

41:45 - Who went over to the

41:47 - senate then spoke to try to.

41:49 - Convince the senate to oust

41:51 - this

41:52 - this judge we were successful

41:54 - and that at occurred so when

41:56 - the impeachment

41:56 - of president link.

41:58 - Clinton came about.

42:00 - I was ready

42:01 - at anatomy mean ready

42:02 - to impeach Clinton

42:03 - but ready for the.

42:05 - The bricks and batch of an

42:07 - impeachment proceedings.

42:08 - I felt very familiar

42:10 - and very confident.

42:11 - That

42:12 - I knew what I was doing

42:14 - and that the rule of law

42:15 - which was Paramount to me.

42:17 - Had to be followed and

42:18 - that I was prepared to do so.

42:21 - And that mantra of the rule

42:22 - of law guided me throughout.

42:25 - The entire proceeding

42:26 - notwithstanding the result.

42:29 - We succeeded

42:31 - if that's called a success.

42:33 - That is.

42:34 - Of impeaching the

42:35 - president in the house

42:37 - but the senate

42:38 - did not convict him

42:39 - but the.

42:40 - Mechanics the process.

42:43 - Was second nature to me

42:45 - because of my

42:46 - previous experience

42:48 - in an impeachment it was just a.

42:49 - Happenstance of history that I

42:51 - was ready for this impeachment

42:52 - there were only

42:53 - three of US who had

42:55 - ever been involved in it before.

42:56 - Henry Hyde.

42:58 - Jim sensenbrenner and myself.

43:01 - So

43:01 - we feel we brought to the.

43:05 - Impeachment proceeding a taste

43:06 - of experience again that we were

43:08 - talking about

43:09 - and background and knowledge.

43:11 - On how.

43:13 - How difficult is it working

43:14 - under the national spotlight.

43:16 - The national media didn't.

43:18 - Cause you any problems or is it.

43:21 - I have to say it did not

43:22 - now there was

43:24 - a flurry of

43:25 - interviews of all types

43:27 - Geraldo Rivera CBS

43:28 - news and CNN and.

43:31 - All kinds of hosts of.

43:34 - Radio television all of that.

43:36 - And.

43:38 - I.

43:39 - I I felt that

43:40 - was my day duty to.

43:43 - State my position and

43:44 - explain what I was trying to do

43:47 - and much of it was like I was.

43:49 - Just explaining to you about.

43:51 - Following the rule of law

43:53 - I never had any

43:53 - personal animosity against

43:55 - president Clinton

43:56 - still do not.

43:58 - But I I felt

43:59 - strongly that he violated.

44:01 - The law

44:02 - of perjury jury and.

44:04 - Obstruction of justice.

44:06 - We were not able to

44:07 - convince the senate of that

44:09 - but then later a month later.

44:11 - The judge in.

44:13 - St Louis know

44:15 - in Arkansas in

44:15 - little rock Arkansas.

44:17 - Found

44:18 - that the president committed

44:19 - perjury falsehood under oath

44:21 - and obstructed justice

44:23 - and brought him

44:24 - into contempt of court

44:25 - which is still

44:26 - being.

44:27 - Debated in Arkansas courts.

44:30 - What a

44:31 - what was it like

44:32 - doing the trial

44:34 - in front of the senate

44:35 - pressure packed.

44:37 - And.

44:38 - As you say

44:39 - we knew that the

44:40 - spotlight was on it.

44:41 - Honest.

44:42 - I must say that I was a.

44:46 - Prepared for it

44:47 - as I said because

44:48 - of my previous appearance in

44:50 - the senate on that other

44:51 - impeachment

44:52 - and so I felt comfortable.

44:54 - I felt that I was in command of.

44:58 - What I wanted to present.

45:00 - I was not nervous one bit

45:01 - I must tell you that sounds

45:03 - braggadocio but.

45:05 - That happens to be true.

45:07 - But the aura of it the

45:08 - the the moment in history.

45:11 - Is one which hit me.

45:13 - Afterwards.

45:14 - More than it did during.

45:16 - My presentations.

45:19 - It's a strange thing

45:21 - but.

45:22 - I feel very.

45:24 - Good about.

45:25 - Staying with

45:27 - and supporting

45:28 - and fighting for.

45:30 - The rule of law.

45:32 - What was it like in Washington.

45:35 - And.

45:35 - After

45:36 - that after that or.

45:38 - After the trial in the senate

45:40 - and.

45:41 - What was it like for you.

45:44 - And.

45:46 - What was the

45:46 - environment while it was a.

45:49 - It was a fifty fifty proposition

45:52 - that is many.

45:53 - Felt that I did the right thing

45:55 - in pursuing the rule of law.

45:58 - Others felt.

45:59 - And some of that

46:00 - was divided by political.

46:02 - Affiliations.

46:04 - That.

46:05 - That it was much ado about

46:07 - nothing that we

46:07 - should never pursued

46:08 - it because it's just a matter of

46:10 - a sex incident had nothing

46:11 - to do with anything else.

46:13 - Why pursued the president.

46:15 - And notwithstanding

46:17 - my arguments that

46:18 - we're talking about

46:19 - the violation of law not.

46:22 - Not the sex or

46:24 - incidents.

46:26 - They were.

46:27 - Adherents of the president.

46:30 - Were strong in

46:31 - their feelings that.

46:32 - Notwithstanding.

46:34 - The rule of law or perjury

46:36 - or obstruction of justice.

46:37 - It was all wrapped up in a

46:38 - sex incident therefore it was

46:40 - unimportant.

46:41 - I could never.

46:42 - Endorse that kind of

46:44 - thought.

46:45 - Well we seem to have.

46:46 - The the business of government

46:49 - seems to have gone on like what

46:51 - and what's the

46:52 - relationship between

46:54 - the president and the congress.

46:55 - After that

46:56 - I mean

46:57 - president Clinton is

46:58 - a master politician.

47:00 - And he.

47:01 - Never broke stride in.

47:04 - During impeachment or afterwards

47:06 - even up to now.

47:08 - In i'm.

47:09 - Going before the

47:10 - cameras and expect

47:11 - espousing a

47:12 - particular point of view

47:13 - conducting the affairs of

47:15 - of government.

47:16 - It never.

47:18 - He never broke his stride

47:20 - nothing ever

47:20 - affects him it seems.

47:22 - He's a master politician.

47:24 - So that same mastery of the

47:25 - moment of which he is the master

47:28 - the master of the moment.

47:29 - Ah he deals with the congress.

47:32 - On a on a basis that.

47:34 - Sets aside any

47:35 - bitterness that might

47:37 - exist in his heart

47:38 - if than he does.

47:40 - About the impeachment.

47:43 - What.

47:43 - Shifting gears back.

47:46 - What what

47:47 - what are your.

47:48 - Goals what are you still.

47:51 - An Australian congress.

47:52 - Either or but what

47:53 - do you want to.

47:54 - What you want to get the.

47:56 - The three main goals about

47:58 - which we spoke

47:59 - before are looming.

48:00 - As my main targets.

48:02 - If I complete those

48:04 - in this next term.

48:05 - That will weave into

48:07 - the decision making

48:09 - that I tell you

48:10 - occurs every October

48:12 - level of energy

48:12 - level of confidence

48:13 - of the people and so forth

48:15 - and the level of accomplishment

48:17 - but.

48:19 - Those three things

48:20 - energy policy.

48:22 - Eradication of disease

48:23 - from the face of the earth.

48:25 - And ending government shutdown.

48:28 - Are three.

48:29 - Main goals.

48:31 - Besides that I have in mind.

48:33 - Overhauling the motor voter.

48:36 - Law

48:37 - which is.

48:38 - I think is hurting

48:39 - our election process.

48:41 - Too many people

48:42 - are voting who are

48:43 - not citizens of

48:44 - the United States

48:44 - simply because

48:45 - when they register for.

48:47 - Their motor vehicles they get a.

48:49 - Chance to register to vote

48:51 - and they may not be citizens and

48:53 - it's a big problem to me.

48:55 - So that's another

48:56 - show sub issue.

48:57 - Like there are many many

48:59 - others but the

48:59 - three main goals are

49:01 - as I've indicated to.

49:03 - What what did you

49:04 - ever think about the

49:05 - retiring or what you

49:06 - would do if you did

49:08 - know I.

49:10 - I suppose that when the time

49:11 - comes that I feel that I must

49:12 - retire or want to retire

49:14 - or the people retire me.

49:16 - Which is always a possibility.

49:19 - I'm always ready

49:20 - to try cases again I.

49:22 - I feel that I can

49:24 - deal with.

49:25 - Trial

49:26 - lawyer ship

49:28 - and.

49:29 - Therefore I.

49:30 - I do not worry about the

49:32 - future about retirement.

49:34 - Did you ever think

49:35 - eight you spent in

49:36 - your career here and grew up.

49:39 - In the house as for the area did

49:41 - you ever consider

49:41 - leaving the area.

49:42 - No.

49:43 - Never once not for a moment.

49:45 - I.

49:46 - I I love my home town.

49:48 - And my whole area here I.

49:51 - Live here I.

49:54 - Received my education here.

49:56 - All all that I am.

49:58 - Is from.

49:59 - Our area here

50:00 - every every little.

50:02 - Court puzzle of my

50:03 - body is

50:04 - rooted in.

50:06 - And in spirit and

50:07 - in our area here.

50:10 - Now you get to travel

50:11 - around other parts of

50:12 - the country in the world.

50:15 - What to I guess what is it that

50:17 - draws you back I brag about our

50:19 - town and our area all the time

50:21 - hershey is an

50:22 - internationally known.

50:24 - Arena for not just sports

50:26 - the hershey arena but

50:28 - the chocolate and all the.

50:29 - Everything else that it

50:31 - it means to the world.

50:33 - So.

50:34 - I preach each I I

50:36 - brag about our area

50:37 - not just hershey

50:39 - but.

50:39 - Everything else that is

50:41 - that is.

50:42 - Wonderful about our.

50:44 - Geographic and demographic.

50:46 - Area.

50:49 - Representative.

50:50 - George skegness of

50:51 - Pennsylvania

50:51 - seventeenth district.

50:53 - I want to thank you very much

50:54 - for joining US I appreciate your

50:55 - time this is enjoyable

50:57 - thanks very much.