Extreme Mortman

"On November 22, 1963, at precisely 12:30 PM, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the youthful 35th President of the United States drove triumphantly into this square, where hundreds waited to cheer him...and where another waited as well. Seconds later a dying President sped away from Dealey Plaza -- into history, into legend, into a national nightmare of suspicion that persists to this day."   --Walter Cron...

"Now there's another way you can tell you're a Republican. You have faith in free enterprise, faith in the resourcefulness of the American people, and faith in the U.S. economy. And to those critics who are so pessimistic about our economy, I say: 'Don't be economic girlie men!'" California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger – speaking at the 2004 Republican National Convention.. Quite a choice: Free...

C-SPAN's podcast "The Weekly" presents a special two-parter on Milton Friedman. In support of C-SPAN's series "Books that Shaped America" and the upcoming episode on "Free to Choose," The Weekly hears from politicians who both worship and reject Milton Friedman's economic theories. In this first part, hear directly from Presidents Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43, Biden, several candidates for the preside...

Well, it's another odd year in politics. And by odd year, we don't mean what's happening in politics. We mean – the year itself. Every odd year we get a new Almanac of American Politics. There are at least two things we can be sure happen in politics every two years: (1) elections for Congress; and (2) the publication of a new and updated Almanac of American Politics. With a collection of best-of...

"I have defended the Second Amendment more than any Member of this body, and I am a past member of the board of directors of NRA and a life member of that body. "  That was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives … speaking on the floor of Congress ... in 2012 ...  Past NRA board member ... life member of the NRA... defender of the Second Amendment. So, the latest episode of C-SPAN's "The We...

"This past Sunday, at 22 minutes after 6 Beirut time, with dawn just breaking, a truck, looking like a lot of other vehicles in the city, approached the airport on a busy, main road. There was nothing in its appearance to suggest it was any different than the trucks or cars that were normally seen on and around the airport. But this one was different. At the wheel was a young man on a suicide miss...

"Mr. President, I feel compelled to address head on, I mean  head on, the news stories in recent weeks that have pointed out the  shocking discovery, yes, shocking discovery, that I am growing older.  Did you get that? Shocking discovery that I am growing older." And with that opening, Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) addressed the U.S. Senate ... June 28, 2007. Thus began one of the most notable speech...

30 years ago: The battle of Mogadishu. October 3rd and 4th,1993 in Somalia: 18 American soldiers killed ... 73 wounded ... and one captured in a street battle with the forces of Somali warlord Mohamed Aidid. In the latest episode of C-SPAN's podcast "The Weekly," we mark that 30th anniversary ... What is now commonly remembered by the book and movie title Black Hawk Down was a deadly two days for...

It's part II of "The Weekly"'s special two-episode look at Emmy Award-winning -- and Emmy Award-nominated -- TV shows being cited by candidates on the presidential campaign trail! In this latest episode, we go in-depth with one particular show -- and one particular candidate:  "I welcome the debate with Hollywood. Even if it occasionally flares up into what the New York Times yesterday called a wa...

The 2023 Emmy Awards had been scheduled for September 18th ... But because of the writers and actors strike in Hollywood, they won't be held until next year ... January 15th -- which happens to be the same day as the Iowa Republican Party's first-in-the-nation presidential caucus. Distraught by the delay? Can't wait for either the Emmys or Iowa? The C-SPAN podcast "The Weekly" to the rescue! We're...

"The hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too." That was Vivek Ramaswamy during the recent Republican presidential candidates debate - on Fox. Oh wait -- no it wasn't -- that wasn't Vivek Ramaswamy at all. Let's try that again. That was Barack Obama, delivering the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention - on C-SPAN. Many observer...

"When we were vacationing on Martha's Vineyard on two different occasions we went sailing off Martha's Vineyard, and James Taylor was a member of the crew. It wasn't such a great thing watching him work the ropes and the sails , although that was truly impressive -- though when we go to a calm sea-- he sang for us. And the stars were out, there was a moon out, and the water calm. It was something...

"It is great to be here. Honestly. It's so great to be out of the tough backbiting world of Hollywood and into the benign and polite world of New York book publishing."     That was comedian Steve Martin, appearing on a book panel on BookTV on September 27, 1998... It was just two weeks after BookTV started on C-SPAN, 25 years ago -- and it was one of the earliest programs seen on BookTV.   Steve...

BRIGADIER GENERAL PAT RYDER: "All right, let me do one more from the phone here. Jeff Schogol, Task & Purpose. JEFF SCHOGOL: "Thank you. Does the DOD know for a fact that Prigozhin is still alive or are we in a Weekend at Bernie's scenario right now?" The premise of that question? The June mutiny against Russian president Vladimir Putin. Who got the question? Defense Department Spokesperson Brigad...

You might think Cory Booker and Aaron Bean have nothing in common. One is a tenured Democratic Senator from a blue state (New Jersey) … the other is a freshman Republican Congressman from a red district (in Florida). But they do share one thing – they both seem to get a kick out of presiding over their chambers. What does it sound like two politicians with seemingly different politics have a commo...

"There is that Eddie Murphy skit where Eddie Murphy is on a bus and he's the only Black person on the bus, and no one is speaking, like people in an elevator. Just sort of stand there and watch. Silently. But Eddie Murphy gets off the bus, leaving only whites, and they immediately pull off their out garments, they have part outfits beneath, they start drinking champagne, the band strikes up. So to...

"Before I took up my current line of work, I got to know a thing or two about negotiating when I represented the Screen Actors Guild in contract talks with the studios. After the studios, Gorbachev was a snap." That was Ronald Reagan --- speaking to the Chamber of Commerce -- November 17, 1988 --- one of his final speeches as president. The topic of the speech: world trade and world economics. But...

"New beginnings" indeed! That was Dr. Barry Black ... July 7, 2003 .... his first opening prayer in the U.S. Senate. This month marks 20 years since Dr. Black became Senate chaplain. And in C-SPAN's "The Weekly," we hear some of his most notable prayers from those two decades. How did we select the prayers? Well, we asked Dr. Black himself! His responses to C-SPAN Radio's "The Weekly" are what you...

During the summer of 1991, Soviet Communist hardliners tried to seize control of the country from Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. Now the summer of 2023 – an attempted mutiny against Russian President Vladimir Putin. With that backdrop – the latest episode of C-SPAN's podcast "The Weekly" goes back and remembers the 1991 coup attempt in the Soviet Union – and we do it through the words of then...

Who needs the Major League Baseball All Star game when you have All-Star plays like that one -- in the Congressional Baseball Game ... This year, freshman Democratic Representative from California Kevin Mullin made that all-star catch playing left field. The big league All Star Game is approaching (July 11, Seattle) ... but you might not be interested ... you might want good, alternate, yet still...

Typically on the Fourth of July, you hear Americans praise America. The C-SPAN podcast "The Weekly" is going in a different direction. We hear British praise America. Specifically, British leaders who have addressed Congress and the White House and other large public venues – and have only nice things to say about the country that gained its independence from the British empire 247 years ago. King...

Last week, President Biden ended a speech in Connecticut by saying: "God save the Queen, man." And during his State of the Union address, President Biden told Republicans, "Lots of luck in your senior year." Both times, media observers wondered: What does that mean? In C-SPAN's podcast "The Weekly," we don't answer that. We do something else.  We provide other times, in other settings, with other...

You might not think listening to a Supreme Court oral argument could make you chuckle. But when Justice Elena Kagan is involved in the conversation, there's often a chance that will happen. In what is typically a world of dry legal argument, Justice Kagan can provide snappy comebacks, witty repartee, and quick delivery -- providing a humor and lightness to the oral arguments. In the latest episode...

Rosalynn Carter has championed mental health since her days as President Jimmy Carter's First Lady -- and even before. With the announcement that she has been diagnosed with dementia, C-SPAN's podcast "The Weekly" looks back at her advocacy of mental health awareness and mental health programs. But with a unique perspective: we focus on her collaboration with -- and friendship with -- fellow First...

In the latest episode of C-SPAN's podcast "The Weekly" -- we mark Henry Kissinger's 100th birthday -- but not with him talking about himself -- with him talking about milestone birthdays of other famous statesmen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices