>> c-span's campaign 20 coverage is your front row seat to the election. campaign 2024 on the c-span network, c-span now or anytime online at c-span.org. c-span, your unfiltered view of politics.

>> a number of republican presidential hopefuls spoke over the weekend at the iowa faith and freedom coalition event.

>> the sweetest word cyber heard as vice president and i heard them many times here tonight are when somebody reaches out across a rope line or out on the street corner and simply says, i am praying for you. you can tell when somebody means it. i literally heard it every day that i was your vice president. i came here to thank you for the

opportunity to serve. i want to challenge you. as you hear from some wonderful americans tonight, i encourage you to leave here tonight determine to do your part. but i also encourage you to avail yourself of that wellspring of support in the next year and a half that has seen our nation through more challenging times that we could ever imagine. when you pray for america, pray with confidence. he will heal this land, this one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. let's work and pray and win back america, iowa. thank you very much and glad bless you.

-- god bless you. [applause] >> thank you, vice president pence. it is an honor to have you here. >> thank you. i was for the attorney before it was cool. isn't she amazing? off to an incredible start. congratulations. >> thank you. i think everybody in this room knows you are strong in your faith in your somebody who defines our values. can you tell us about a time when your faith was tested? >> well, thank you for mentioned our faith. my wife karen was the best second lady the united states of

america ever had. in 1978 when i attended a christian music festival, i was sitting on a hillside, some friends had invited me to go and attend it. i heard the words there for the first time in my life. whoever might believe in him might not perish but have everlasting life. i found a young pastor and i prayed to receive jesus christ. it changed my life forever. if somebody through years of

great challenges. in 1988 during my first campaign for congress and got a phone call to come to the hospital that my father had fallen ill in columbus, indiana. that was a time of great testing of my faith. my father was a combat veteran in the korean war. she had left us too soon. as i wrote in my autobiography, it was a testing time for my faith, a time when i had be honest with god about the disappointments i felt. we went through some losing campaigns early on. some people here know what it is like to lose a campaign. my first two runs for congress i lost. all through those years, it was our faith that sustained us.

i we say -- i always say, by god's grace. it has seen me through so far. they will see us all the way back. i believe that with all of my heart. >> it is always an honor to have you in our hawkeye state. obviously, this group is worried

about the erosion of our religious rights. what do our leaders need to do now? >> vote republican. [applause] >> i am good with that. whether it be this radical gender ideology that has taken hold. people talk about this radical gender ideology be impressed by the left, and it is about religious freedom. in the schools here in iowa, students can obtain a gender transition plan from the school without the parents permission. this is where you need a written permission slip to get an aspirin.

i am talking as a father and a grandfather. just as bad as that schools can be penalized if they do not use the proper pronoun. they can also be penalized if they express things that are seen to be intolerant. you can believe that he created male and female and you can be penalized. the battle against radical gender ideology is a battle for religious freedom. and it is a battle we must fight. >> you have been vocal about the need to send aid to ukraine.

can you give a few points to us that we should consider to be persuaded that we should be sending aid to ukraine? it was one year ago that karen and i were traveling in a christian ministry called samaritans purse. we were in poland on the ukrainian border when the ministry leaders informed us that we would be able to travel into ukraine on month after the russian invasion. karen and i traveled to the refugee senate across the board. we saw things i never thought i'd see in europe other than in black and white films. imagine a scene, a crowd like this surging in one direction but the entire crowd is women of every age, children of every age and toe, with people -- children of every age intel -- in tow.

i believe america is the leader of the free world. and we are the arsenal democracy. and i believe what ronald reagan said in 1985 is still true today. it was called the reagan doctrine. it is the idea that if president reagan said in his state of the union address, any country that is willing to fight communists in their country, we will give them the means to fight them there so that we don't have to fight them here. it was part and parcel of the policies that resulted in the unraveling of the soviet union. and i believe today that it is absolutely essential that america be the leader of the free world and the american people provide the courageous military and ukraine the resources that they need to repel the russian invasion and restore their sovereignty. i believe it's in their interest

and the interest of freedom. i've met vladimir putin. i told him things that he didn't want to hear. i judged the man. and let me tell all of my friends here in iowa, anyone that thinks that vladimir putin will top at ukraine if he -- will stop at ukraine if you take that country -- stop at ukraine if he takes that country, has another thing coming. let me also tell you that the way that america and the west responded to russian aggression is also going to inform the communist chinese, they are watching, and i truly do believe that the way that we can achieve peace in europe and in the wider world is by demonstrating american strength. and anyone who tells you that we cannot be the leader of the free world and secure our border and revive our economy here at home has a small view of the greatest nation on earth.

we can do it. >> mr. vice president, are time is through but thank you very much for gracing us with your present. -- with your presence. >> i what we need your leadership to -- iowa, we need your leadership to turn america around. god bless you. [applause] >> now, ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce some very neat people from northeast iowa, congresswoman ashley hinson. [applause]

and from southeast iowa, congresswoman mariette miller meeks. [applause] and somewhere in this vast audience is secretary of state paul -- paul tate. there is right there. and if her name hasn't already been mentioned, republican party co-chair our good friend linda of meyer. [applause] please welcome congressman will heard -- congressman will heard. [applause] >> howdy iowa, my name is will

herd and i'm from texas. this is my first trip to iowa in the one thing you need to know about me or one thing i need you to take into remembering about will heard, i think america is the greatest country on earth and we are better together. [applause] i would love to share one quick stories -- one quick story to share where i came from. it is about my parents. my mother, may she rest in peace was white, and my father was black and they met in los angeles in 1969 and one year later they got married and moved to san antonio texas and 1981. -- 1971. it was not en vogue to be in interracial couple in san antonio, texas in 1971.

my father was a salesman, he sold buttons, scissors and thread. he was gone monday through friday. and after my parents had three kids, i was the baby of three they decided to buy a home. there was only one neighborhood in san antonio, texas that would sell to an interracial couple. it was in the neighborhood with the best schools. -- it wasn't the neighborhood with the best schools. it wasn't the neighborhood with the best resources. but my mother, father, and their devotion to one another brought up three kids and then 35 years later, there youngest son became the representative for that community. [applause] america hasn't always been perfect, but we are always trying to get better. [applause]

and we will -- and we live in incredibly complicated and dangerous times, and we need common sense leadership to solve these problems, too many americans today are having to work harder and longer -- not to get ahead, but to stay where they are. we are not giving our kids the tools for them to be competitive with their peers in other parts of the world. as someone who represented over 800 miles of the border when i was in congress, my district was the size of the state of georgia. it took 10 hours to drive across my district at 80 miles an hour. that was the speed limit and most of the district. but i learned the hard way that it's not the speed limit in all of the districts. and i realize that's not the speed limit driving back from

waterloo to des moines either. i don't need to tell you how bad the border is. we can't even do a basic responsibility of the government. and we are in a new cold war with the chinese communist party. the chinese communist party is trying to pass at the united states of america as a global superpower. this is not my opinion. this is not things i learned when i was overseas and the cia. it is what the chinese government has said about themselves in english since at least 2015. why should we care? because if they win this new cold war it's going to affect all of us, our salaries not go as far, our kids will not be able to have some of the best paying jobs in the world. it is going to impact the quality of life that is the envy of everyone else in the world.

and that is why we need common sense leadership a lot like the leadership that you all have here in iowa. thank you for having me and i'm looking forward to the conversation. [applause] >> thank you congressman heard -- congressman hurd, as we look out over the room, without -- every person in this room was part of our victory, campaign and it would not have happened without the people in this room. we are police -- we are blessed to have everyone in this room. >> give yourselves a round of applause iowa. [applause] >> in iowa we've had things happening this year things to our leadership, there is more parental voice and control in our education. what can we do at the federal level to make sure that every parent in america has that same voice and control when it comes to something like supporting

their kids education? >> to start we have to win. the gop has win. -- has to win. i don't need to tell you these facts, you know them well. you can clap for winning, yes. [applause] we last -- we lost seven of the last eight to popular elections. we lost the house in 2018. we watched -- we lost to the senate and white house in 2020. and we did not take back in a big enough margin that we should have or did expect. here is the reality. independents and democrats are sick and tired of the direction that the country is going in as well. don't worry about that here in iweb. i know you be.

you took conservative values to places that had seen it. it is easy to preach to the choir. but we need to take the -- take the message to different communities and it's an opportunity and something that i saw. nobody saw that a black republican would win in a 72% otieno district. -- 72% latino district. but i went to areas where they have never seen a republican. whether you're in a red town are blue city, people care about the same things, having food on their table roof over their head and making sure that the people that they love are healthy happy and safe. they want common sense leadership for this issue. [applause] we talk about schools and school choice. congratulations. this is something in texas that

we have, there is a lot -- a 20 year longitudinal study on the impact of school choice. black and brown kids that go to charter schools, there is no achievement gap with other kids. that is over 20 years. that is why this is the message that we are taking to a community that traditionally do not believe in the gop. it requires us to have leaders that are willing to go and and up for our principles and stand -- and talk about these issues. >> congressman, welcome to the hawkeye's date -- the hawkeye state. there are many in this room that see religious liberty as the undergirding of everything, of freedom. what can leaders do at this point to make sure that we continue the fight against the

woke left and positively advocate. >> i have been a decade straight out of university as a under cotter -- as an undercover officer in the cia. my job was to stop terrorists from blowing up the homeland, and stop nuclear weapons proliferators from getting into our country it was an honor to serve my country for decades in some dangerous places i lived in india for two years. pakistan for two years, afghanistan for a year and a half. here's one of the things that i saw. i saw people in those countries fighting for religious liberty that we have here in the united states. i saw the impact that that has on the government by not having

that kind of access. so i saw this up close and impersonal. end -- and i also think that when i first ran for office i was criticized because i thought our churches and synagogues should do more to help her with some of these issues that we have been dealing with like homelessness. [applause] the churches are better set up to not just give someone to fish -- give someone a fish but teach them how to fish. how do we address kids in schools who do not have access to meals. these are the realities and how we should have a partnership and it goes back to the only way that we have that is to have leaders that understand these issues in washington dc and is taking a page out of your playbook in winning and tough

races like you did in iowa. >> thank you for answer, and your service. [applause] >> you have really been a leader in the national security area, could you tell us a little bit about a the threats on the world stage right now, and what that means for us here in iowa? >> you all are starting to read about the decoupling of the dollar from many countries exchanging, doing a currency exchange, why does that matter to all of us? it impacts our ability to have a larger quality of life. after world war ii the united states of america became a superpower in the middle of world war i. but we started acting like a superpower at the end of world

war ii when instead of taking from europe, we gave them a helping hand. and we built an international order that then offended us. having the largest trading partner in the world, that's benefited us. and so the chinese understand that, and they see how we have used some of our financial tools to push russia aside and they want to make sure that that that doesn't happen to them when they decide to invade ukraine. and why should i would about that? if you think inflation is bad now. and if you think supply chain issues are bad now, if you think the ability to get a car or at if refrigerator is bad now, china has cornered the market on nearly 70% of advanced semiconductor manufacturing. why do we care about 70 manufacturers?

they are the building block of every new existing technology. and let's not make these mistakes that we made in ukraine. we should've helped ukraine into thousand 8, 2 thousand 9, 2000 10. and we should help countries like taiwan now. because it's past all quality of life and i want to make sure that the rest of this century stays the american century. [applause] >> congressman, our time together is up it was a true honor. [applause] >> late is and gentlemen, welcome governor asa hutchinson. [applause]

>> thank you, it is great to be with you tonight in iowa. eight years ago i was elected governor of arkansas. that was the first time in the history of our state we had a republican governor with a republican legislator. [applause] after eight years of governing, i'm happy to report to you for the first time in history we transferred the republican administration to another administration and that sarah huckabee sanders. [applause] governing does make a difference, and if you look back , i want to take a second to talk about my life outside of politics. the cause of my faith and belief that we are all responsible for being a good steward of what god has given to us, we are going to

be held accountable for that. and other we make any difference in our lives. and so that motivated me as a young lawyer in arkansas to start a christian school. we believed in choice before choice became an option through legislation. we started a radio station, we put it in a christian format. and it was a ministry and the belief that this could make a difference. and so in the family, all of these areas of my faith impact my life. people ask me, why did you get into politics? it was for the same reason and that is that our faith guides us in the public arena that we can make a difference in the public arena fraternity.

and that is wide the values that you advance are important to us. and part of it is, your demonstration of faith and policy is also your practice in life and it should make a difference. the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace and long-suffering. there is a tough side to politics that we sometimes need to use a little bit more harsh language. but our leadership in the public arena should reflect -- as well. as governor i was proud of the fact that we were the most pro-life state. i signed 30 pro-life bills over my eight years as governor. when you look at the facts that we created jobs, we lower taxes that a record that brings us to today. in my public life i've not only been governor but i've been

ahead of homeland security. and congress. and i bring those credentials today and i can stand here today and say i am a candidate for president 2020 for -- 2024. thank you. you can go to asa2024.bom. the reason that i am -- we have eight administration that has filled us in terms of border policy we have that no pouring into the country i want to address those issues if you look at the fact that we had a energy policy that is all green, that is not producing what we need to produce, in the united dates of america to give us the independence that we need. this is the reason for a change in direction in america.

we need the country and in america that lead the world. if we step aside in leadership who is going to take place. and you know, the answer to that question, others that will set up -- set up -- step up that are not democratic and will not lead in terms of fashion. i believe our leaders today need to make sure that we bring out the best of america. the best in terms of our economy , our individual liberty, our freedoms, our faith, brings out the best of america in terms of our security and our leadership role in the country in the world because god has blessed the united states of america, we do not want to squander those blessings. for the cause of freedom the cause of our faith, and the cause then it makes any difference fraternity.

thank you. [applause] >> thank you governor, i will say welcome back to iowa we've seen a lot of you, and it's great to have you here. >> it's great to be back, get used to it and congratulations on your election and i wanted to congratulate all of the legislators out there as well. you are making a big difference of government rounds, and i'm impressed what you are doing during the session. >> i think what we've seen this day is a lot of the canceled culture and wokeness is getting into our schools and other places what can you do, to protect religious liberties and conscience in this country.

>> in arkansas we think being woke is when you can't sleep at night. but in a serious vein, it is a challenge and i've recently traveled to california and other states and to see what the left is doing in terms of our schools and even our businesses. this is important. this is coming out of washington dc. it's starting there with the biden administration where they are pushing leftist social policy and our businesses and schools. when i was the governor we had a couple administrations but the governor -- but the obama administration was there and i notice was sent out not to the governors but the school superintendents directly seeing that you needed to open jen -- transgender make them open to both genders.

i said please ignore the president of the united states and please ignore the department of education we pushed back, and we were successful. [applause] the most important way to push back is by parents being engaged in our schools standing up against psg and the direction that the government wants to push them. and the biggest difference in culture is through our families, our communities and our houses of worship. because that is where you can take a stand for what is right you influence the environment and in which you live and that makes a difference even more so.

[applause] >> you are the first declared candidate that has been here. we already know what governor hutchinson would do in the first couple of days of administration, what would president hutchinson to do in the first few days of an administration. >> i would reverse and revoke all of biden's executive orders. [applause] there is a new one coming out every day. you have to get in there quick we have a lot at risk and he is pushing that agenda, he has yielded his administration to the left, and we need to reclaim that territory. jeff, congratulations, i was a state chairman in arkansas and i know about fighting the battle. and you know about winning the battle. congratulations. [applause]

>> governor we've had good conversations about prosecution and the law enforcement and how close it is to your heart and recently you came to a big sentinel event that we had in this area. -- a big sentinel event in this area. what is your plan to stop the fence and all that is destroying lives of americans and killing many others. >> i called someone in new york city, and he told me that his son just od to because he thought he had a percocet pill bit was laced with fentanyl. that is a tragedy that could be repeated 100,000 times across america each year. thank you, and governor reynolds for hosting that fentanyl conference in dallas county.

i was glad to support. what we need to do first is to educate our young people and our communities into how interest this is. that is critical. i remember when government -- i remember when methamphetamine was at the biggest challenge and on our not in our american community tour. it made a difference we need to take the attitude toward fett mall secondly, we need to go after the test to fentanyl. secondly we need to go after the cartels. we need to pressure the president to not yield to the cartels and it is critical that we go after the supply chain that brings that in as well as going to educate our communities. it is a hard for -- it is hard

for america whether it is minnesota or iowa it is the same way. >> it's a difficult question to ask with one minute a remaining but i'm going to try. china is a threat, can you think of one action that president hutchinson could take unilaterally and not in the oval office that would help us to address that threat? >> make sure that they do not have access through technology into our systems of the united states. we addressed it at the same level and other ways on tiktok, but what really is important is that we recognize that they are our competitor, and they are getting away from us strategically aligning us -- aligning themselves with russia. we need to compete against that both in terms of the economy but also in terms of the strength. of course, this administration

messed up terribly when they had such a disastrous withdraw from afghanistan that led to the demonstration of weakness. we have to show our strength because strength keeps peace. and that's what avoids war. we need to be strong in the united states of america. >> our time is through, thank you sir for gracing us once again. [applause] >> and now, please welcome larry elder. [applause]

>> well, say hello to the black face of white supremacy. that was said to me by a woman that writes for the l.a. times whose initials are erica d smith. oops. another one refuted to my views as a white supremacist. do i look like a white supremacist? what's mike ryan? i'm pro-life -- what's mike ryan -- what's my crime? i'm pro-life and i am concerned about our borders. 85% of black eighth-graders hidden dashcam that neither do math or read at grade efficiency. the money should follow the child rather than the other way around like they do in iowa, i recognize that we need to get back to being energy independent

rather than energy dependent. we need to drill. we need to finish the wall. [applause] another reason i was called that is in all of my 30 years of being on radio. 40 years altogether, radio dj writing my column, i have never referred to myself as an african-american. i am in american. [applause] i gave a speech once in front of a bunch of young people and i said how much i resented the turn -- the term african-american leader. who is the hispanic leader? who's the greek american leader? who's the italian american leader. a kid stands up and goes rossi.

i found out that the second debate will be held at the ronald reagan library. i gave a speech years ago, when my mom and dad worse with us and in the audience -- were still with us, and in the audience. my dad left home at the age of 13 years old. his mom threw him out of the house. an only child in athens georgia in jim crow south at the beginning of the great depression. my dad walked down the road, picked up trash, when someone says they are dirt poor. my father was dirt poor. he was dirt poor. he finally had a job as the largest private employer. and we came to this place called california in a city called la cienega lists my dad -- in a

city called los angeles. and you could be served in -- cans of tuna and craft the -- cans of tuna and crackers. after pearl harbor my dad going the marines. are there any marines here? i knew it. i asked my dad, why didn't -- why did you join the marines. he said, they go where the action is and i love the uniform. i told the story about my dad who couldn't get a job as a cook because he was told that we don't hire, "n-words" he asked for another job and they treated him the same way. he wanted to make conditional

money so that -- she wanted to make additional money so that my mom could be a stay-at-home mom. and he went to a high school to get his ged. i never saw anyone work that hard. during the speech, i said my mother and father are here. they had a standing ovation at the ronald reagan library. [applause] thank you. i speak quickly so you have two speeches in one. i speech was over, and i wrote a book called the 10 things you can't say in america, and came out in 2000. i was standing at the podium and people were lining up behind my father, and my dad was signing my book. only in america can something like that happen. only in god's great country can

something like that happened. thank you for having me with you, may god bless you and may god continue to bless the united states of america. [applause] >> you need to crank it up, it's too low-key. >> it's so good to have you here tonight and have you here in iowa. >> i told you you're going to get sick of me. >> we already are. [applause] >> i'm glad you talked about your father as well, because i know you talked about the fatherless epidemic that this country has and the importance of dads. what kind of plan could you have at the federal level to make sure the dads have a role in kids lives? >> it is the number one domestic problem in america. by far, 40% of all american kids

come into the world without a father in the world married to the mother. 70% of black kids. 50% of hispanic kids. 25% of white kids, which is the same percentage as was the case in 1955 with the black kids. why? we've incentivize women to marry, we incentivize men to be undid in their responsibility. i will let the applause died down. [applause] [laughter] thank you sir, checks in the mail. barack obama, a kid not raised by a father is nine times more likely to end up in jail. it is number one the most -- barack obama said a kid not

raised by fathers nine times more likely to end up in jail. i supported the message of the million man march in washington dc, all of these black men were there. i called the capitol police and i said, -- interesting when we have rallies in the mall crime goes up. but crime went down. the moral message was there. people need to take responsibility. that's one thing. secondly if you look at people in chicago and these places where hundreds of kids are out in the seat -- out in the streets. i guarantee most of them came from fatherless homes. they need mental wards just like aa. have a sponsor that you can call. there are bunch of people who are retired with time on their hands, be a mentor.

every of these kids should have someone that they can call and say i'm having this issue problem and i'm thinking about doing x, y, and z. there are lots of organizations. but we need to step up. because they need to have an intervention. [applause] >> one more quick thing. i've been on radio for 30 years, jesse jackson will not come on, al sharpton and minister farrakhan would not come on. the former president of the naacp who has since gone to the congress of baltimore. i asked him, the absence of black fathers, or -- he said,

the absence of black fathers. >> i think the last time we talk to each other was a cold winter night in clinton, iowa. >> welcome again. you are terrific. obviously the issues of religious liberty is a preeminent issue in this group. what would an elder do to carry on? >> the reason i ran for office is because i felt like i had an obligation, a moral obligation and a religious obligation. our family -- art country is moving away from the judeo-christian values that founded this country. more and more young people are moving away from religion. we need to bring religion and god back to our country. and the way to do that --

[applause] the way to do that is to talk about our faith. you read my book, called your fathers and son. my dad and i had knots oak for -- had not talked for 10 years even though we had a great conversation after that. we talked for eight hours. and during the course of the eight hours, my dad got bigger and bigger and larry got smaller and smaller. and i asked my dad to forgive me, and has to questions i always wanted to ask him. i said, dad why did you never go to church? i went to church every week, and i played piano at the church, but my dad never went. we figured that he was too tired. he said, i grew up in the south and the person that has the

biggest house, the fanciest car, the nicest closed -- nicest clothes was the pastor. and my mom would come home and talk about what kinds of affair she was having with various women of the church. that turned me off from organized religion. i said, dad, not every pastor is like that. but my dad, once he makes up his mind that's that. i dad was a strong believer in god. my mom, two brothers and i, and this is what brings our country together. someone after these mass shooting said on the left, where tired of your prayers. we are tired of hearing you say you are going to pray. and i said, that's exactly the problem. you are tired of hearing us pray ? we need more of us. [applause]

>> can i say that i also have a website, elder for president.com, throw something in the tip jar and make this thing happen. [applause] >> i think our time is up, it's a pleasure it's always a pleasure. [applause] >> now, please welcome terry johnson. [applause]

>> i'm delighted to be here. a very small group, i see. i am terry johnson. i'm running for president of the united states. [applause] i am probably too conservative for this group, but i'll take my chances. i am pro-life, pro-second amendment, anti-woke, anti-china , pro-american worker, and by golly, pro-freedom. [applause] when i am elected president there are three things that i am going to do immediately.

number one, i'm going to start a program where we balance a budget to stop inflation. [applause] number two, never again will we allow transition therapy to minors. it is child abuse. [applause] number three, you may not like this but i'm getting rid of the department of education. [applause] ido you will probably throw stones at me but i disagree with our vice president about ukraine. i think it's ridiculous to send 100 billion dollars to send -- $100 billion to ukraine when we are going broke.

[applause] you know, the only reason we have inflation is because of the government, they decided to spend your money and dam are they good at it. do you know that the government sent -- set a record this year for the amount of money spent by any hit -- any country in the history of the world. we went to early $2 trillion in debt in six years -- $32 trillion in debt in six years. what happened? inflation. when you go to buy one dozen eggs and you are on the verge of a higher tack -- of a heart attack, because you cannot believe that they are $4.50, blamed the government. if you can't believe that they are paying $3.75 for a gallon of

gas when it should be one dollar $75 -- $1.75. blame the government, because the government caused this problem. do you like spending all of that money? needlessly, because of the government cannot control it solves -- control itself? i ask you, does it make any sense? the reality of life is, i'm a guy that started with nothing. i was getting eviction notices and grad school, and i had to live on a sub sandwich area --

sandwich. . i don't know if any of you remember the japanese had tremendous quality and they were killing us. but i knew how to solve the problem. so i went forward and started my first company. i introduced statistical methods. did you know in four or five years we had the best quality in the world. and then i wrote a book. has anyone heard of it? well, it ignited my company. and we do business in 61 countries around the world and i live the american dream. i have spent my entire life ringing quality and efficiency to companies, that is all i have done. and now i want to bring quality and efficiency to the federal government. i think it is about time.

[applause] now, i say that the success -- this excessive spending has caused -- this excessive spending has caused moral decay in our country. it has caused damage to our values. did you know 20 years ago 70% of americans patriotism was important? and now? it's 39%. i don't know if any of you saw the study but they also said, religion was important to 63% of the people 20 years ago, and now it's important to 38%, to 39%. 20 years ago, 59% of people, children, that identifies 25-30 wanted to have children and now

it is down to 30%. i have a two cents plan to save america. we are going to cut two cents out of every dollar. that means government is not going to be spending all of that money it is going to reduce every year and we will balance the budget. we are going to stop inflation. it's ok to bankrupt the company for five times but it's not ok to bankrupt america. i have over 70 companies throughout the world, number have gone -- never have gone bankrupt and have no debt. i went to bring america back on a golden path. i'm going to restore the basic fabric of america. i'm going to get back to the moral fiber of america. mice on is here, my wife is here, and jesus is the part of

our life and he guides us all of the weight. and i hear inside, we are going to keep this the greatest country the world has ever known. by golly, we are going to have the two cents plan, and we are going to save america. i say, america is going to stay the greatest country that the world has ever known. odd lasalle you, god bless america. [applause] -- odd bless iowa, god bless america. [applause] >> welcome to iowa, thank you for the book, i just got mine in the mail. >> did you read it? >> i just got it, i'm looking for to cracking it open and taking a look. >> people talk about all of the things that are wrong, but i say, you need to have a plan. and i'm the only guy that really has land area and its logic

because i've been doing this all of my life. i should have a. -- i should have a plan. your business success has been extraordinary and i know that's what you're referencing and i look forward to finding out about your plans for the country as well but you opened your speech talking about the life issue that is important to the people in this room, could you talk more about where your commitment to protect innocent light -- innocent human life comes from? >> oh my goodness, do you realize that i come from michigan which is probably now the worst state in the union? do you understand what has happened to michigan? they just passed a law that says at 40 weeks you can kill a child. at 40 weeks.

my son is here, he was born at 38 weeks. my two boys, two other boys were born at 38 weeks let's face it, there's nothing in this world that gives more joy than children. and they are our future. don't you think we should do something about it? [applause] it's an important point. they always try to nail us. i say let's stop all of this nonsense. do they think it's reasonable to murder a child at 38, 39, and 40 weeks? that's the legislation they passed. and i say, let's stop all of this and go on the offensive on thect. he because i admit that i'm extremely religious. jesus christ is the huge part of my life, but i would think that anyone who loves humanity would

realize that this is a disaster, so let's stand up for ourselves, let's not let us push us around. what you say? [applause] >> welcome to iowa, i actually gave my book -- can i have another one? >> absolutely not. >> it's a pleasure to have you here. and this religious liberty and the culture war being waged by the woke left is a primary concern for everyone in this room. what would your presidency do to combat the woke left and stand up for religious liberty. >> the first amendment is supposed to always protect us. but you also know that i've addressed this whole issue when i first wrote my book, two cents

to save america. i'm not sure if it's talking about we need to do this to make sure that we can feed our families, and live a reasonable life. we needed to go to the basic fabric of america. and that fabric of america has gotten almost distorted because never before was at this nuts. do you understand how wacko we are? we just passed a law in michigan where someone who is nine or 10 years old could choose to have transition therapy without the parent's approval. how many people want to move to michigan? think about how lucky you are here. [applause] when i am in iowa, they asked earlier when i was in iowa what did i think? i thought it was like being in my hometown.

i grow up in a home town of about a few thousand people, where you could live in illinois and not feel like a communist. the reality was, it was so wonderful because i could talk to people and they are down to earth and you sit there and realize that they have the same values that you have, and it's wonderful to go out there and visit with these people and meet them ace to face. it warms my heart. when i go and talk about my values. i could talk about my values, i could almost have tears in my eyes when i realize how phenomenal it is and how welcoming everyone as. because there is no place on the planet where you have people as warmhearted as you will find in the state of iowa. [applause] if you are up here with me, he's got tears in his eyes. sir, you will be fun to follow on the trail. i think our time is up, welcome to the hawkeye step -- the

hawkeye state, and we look forward to seeing you. >> i won just say, i think desantis is making a huge mistake by not coming here. i don't understand it. to each his own. in the meantime, going to iowa has been a ball, i love it and i will see each and everyone of you. enjoy life. [applause] >> when we clear the stage a little bit i'm going to welcome jeff mintz, the director of legislative affairs for the iowa faith and freedom coalition and the scheffler. -- and steve scheffler. apparently we have a lost cell phone also.

he left it somewhere. >> we are going to talk a little bit about what a great job [applause] as i have mentioned, they have taken a lot of hard votes, the right to vote, and might view. they take a lot of flak. one of my longtime friends, brad sherman, had a direct threat on his church. the insults and plain junk that has been thrown has been despicable. when they do these things that are right, according to god's law and what needs to be done. we need to think them, we need

to text them, email them, and have their back. i couldn't be more proud to be an ioan, i think we have 20 of them here tonight. i want to introduce a guy who last fall, we were searching around who could lobby for faith and freedom and could do a job that takes patience. some of it that is very -- keeps in the game, he is engaged, he doesn't give up. he consumes a knowledge so he will begin to have the respect of lobbyists and legislators. jeff has exceeded my expectations beyond anything that i've ever imagine. if you don't get our emails and his report, you are missing a

lot. let one of our staff know, we can send you these reports. it talks about the bill we signed onto, the ones we are against. there are issues that don't impact our mission. even though some of you may feel strongly about it. that is for you to decide. he has done a phenomenal job. she said you need to have a backup in the hill. we have come back, -- bruce, where are you at? he is a longtime a lobbyist who was suggested to me by one of the board members that this guy could teach him a -- him the ropes. he sends me a report saying what a phenomenal job he's doing. give jeff a round of applause,

let's go get him. [applause] >> thank you, steve. courage, it is, and he is when you are scared you go anyway. it is when you know that what you need to do will result in pain. but courage is insisting on taking that right action anyway. that is courage. that is what i witnessed this year in downtown day mine at the capital. from our finest iowa state legislators. this is radio all legislative reports, session number 90. we have lots of legislators here, would you mind taking a stand if you are here? i have seen several of you, give them around of applause. [applause]

they are doing a phenomenal job. some of our most courageous legislators, the ones who follow logic's lead and stood up to a tsunami of leftists, these courageous legislators gushed courage and i grew to admire many of them. i admire those who voted to end having pornographic materials easily accessible within our schools. i admire those who said read my lips, no new pronouns. or at least, no pronouns switching by schoolchildren without parental consent. it is not ok to kid -- keep a kids pronoun usage a secret from parents. for fighting for the right to

parents, to be kept in the loop of major life decisions, and on -- inappropriate classroom discussion including gender entry -- orientation. asking that schoolchildren exclusively use the appropriate restroom. [applause] school choice scholarships became law in session number 90. big time. almost any parent in iowa can afford to place their student in the most preferable education space, it is a game changer, godspeed. [applause] major medical sex change procedures are off limits for minors, it was the right call to protect people, protecting kids

from irreversible surgery and hormone therapy came with a cost. iowa elected republican representatives who accomplished difficult objectives. after achieving these milestones, our courageous servants and your an onslaught of hate and scorn from some. they are being called nazi, bullies, and worse. i admire our legislators, they are doing a great job, you should admire them too. [applause] call them, email them, send smoke signals, let them know, they need to hear your support. the fight is far from over, iowa has a great governor and a wonderful new ag. [applause] they will be taxed was -- tasked

with enforcing the laws. they are nothing if not courageous, but they need encouragement. speaking of courage, steve scheffler, a man, thank you so much to steve and i am think will to our board. i think everyone for letting me serve in this role. the biggest thank you goes to the legislators who are the ones who fought the good fight and did the hard work, for them a dozen end when session 90 ends. it is onto the campaign season, door knocking and fundraising. and we have to be there for them, i know he will be. we go back to the capital year and let's keep winning there to. [applause] unborn davies -- unborn babies

deserve to live. [applause] they are not better off dead. we cannot and will not quit on them, no matter what the courts do, 100%, all in, whatever it takes, let's attack session number 91 with an enthusiasm. and with the courage too. this is your annual legislative report. see you here next year. thank you. [applause] >> we are going to take a two minute break while things are prearranged. go ahead, steve, say something. >> i would be remiss if i didn't think my wife, all she ever

asked me, usually on sunday night is, are you going to be home any night this week? i thank her for her love, patience and putting up with all my long hours. thank you. [applause] ? i want to think -- >> i want to thank steve two. as a board we are unpaid. we are rely on you for donations, this is the last chance that i will ask you to dig into your hearts, help us keep this fight going. i can't think enough, i will probably embarrass him, mr. david barker, please stand again, you have been gracious to our organization. [applause] if dagan -- if david kendig in his heart, please dig in your

heart, let us continue this great fight that we put up in iowa. i will continue to work with steve to make this the best grassroots organization in the state. thank you. [applause] ♪

>> please a welcome vivek ramaswamy. [applause] [applause] mr. ramaswamy: it is good to see you guys, i am vivek ramaswamy. i was born in 1985, i am 37

years old, i am the first millennial to ever run for president as a republican. thank you. [applause] i will tell you something about people my age, my generation today. i think it is true of all of us, we are hungry for a cause. we are hungry for purpose, for meaning, at a point in our national history when the things that used to fill that hunger, faith, patriotism, hard work, family, these things have disappeared. these -- it has left a moral vacuum, it allows poison to fill the void. we are like a bunch of blind bats flying around. maybe we americans are. if you are a blind bat, you can't see where you are. you don't know how you figure it

out, you sent out daily -- a sonar signal. it will bounce off something that is true, my faith in god, bounces back, send out a signal that bounces off my family, the two parents that partly into this world. my father and my mother, bounces off. bounces off the nation of which i am a citizen, bounces back, tells me where i am. the hard work, bounces back, tells me there's is where i am. what is happening today is that we send out those signals and nothing comes back. that is why we are lost, the first time i read the bible, i was at high school, we read the book of exodus. when the israelites were liberated from their rule under pharaoh, they were lost in the desert. they could not see the promised

land. they said we want to go back and be ruled by pharaoh. you stop bending the knee to god, you are going to bend the knee to something. that is what is going on in our country great now. we are lost in that desert. hungering for our vision of the promised land. the left to pray on that vacuum, they are good at this. they fill that void with their vision. race, gender, sexuality, climate, one of the things we need to do better in our movement -- i'm guilty of this, -- we criticize that but what we need to do is a level up. it is time to graduate the conservative movement to solving the problem with a vision of our own. don't say race, gender, climate, sexual read tatian, we have a different vision.

god, country, family, and if the individual and hard work. that is what it means to be an american. you ask people -- thank you. u.s. people my age what does it mean to be an american, you get a blank stare in response. do you know what it means to be an american, it means you believe in the ideals that set this country into motion. from aristocracy, i will end affirmative action, to -- i will shutdown the administrative state starting with the department of education. to the rule of law which is why i said i will use the military to secure our border. this is what it means to be an american. after we were discover that, nobody is going to stop us. we will stand up and declare independence from china, we can make the sacrifices needed to do it if we rediscover who we

really are. thank you. [applause] we have spent a couple of decades, i grew up into it. we spent a couple of decades celebrating our diversity and our differences. so much that we forgot all the ways we all are really just the same, as americans. our diversity is not our strength. ever strength is what unites us across our diversity. without those ideals, we are just a different looking group of two leg did mammals, walking the do graphic space, doing what our iphones do us to do, -- tell us to do, america is a vision of what that place can be. e pluribus unum, we say for a

reason. from many, one. that is the dream that won the american revolution, that reunited us after the civil war, that one us to world wars and the cold war, that still gives hope to the free world. if we can revive that dream over fractious group identity and grievances, nobody in the world, not a nation, not a corporation, not a virus is going to stop us. that is what american exceptionalism is all about. that is what we will revive to save this great nation. thank you, i am looking forward to our conversation. i appreciate it, thank you. [applause] >> thank you so much and welcome

to iowa, it is good to have you here. i see your beautiful family is here with you. [applause] >> thank you. >> as a mom i love campaigning with my family. i wanted to ask you about an issue that we have been hearing a lot about, people want to learn more. that is what you see as the problems with esg, woke wall street, what is doing to infect corporate america and iowa. >> thank you for your leadership on this as well. what is going on in america is the government can't tax the agenda through the front door because we say now -- no to the agenda. they are trying to deputize private countries -- companies to do it through the back door what the government could not

get through the front door. they are using your money to do it. the three largest asset managers are blackrock, state street and vanguard. they use our money to force american companies to adopt racial equity programs and emissions caps that most of us would disagree with, that cause us to make less money and suck the air out of a constitutional republic where we are supposed to settle differences through the political process. i believe in solving those problems. the most recent country it -- company i founded, it competes with blackrock, by telling companies to knock it off with politics and go back and focus on making products and services for profit without apologizing. that is what it means to be an american. thank you very much.

if we are being honest about it, it takes two to tango. i focused on the top down problem. there is a cultural problem in the country where the trick only works if we have a culture, a generation that is willing to buy up what they are selling. that is why i think we are in this identity crisis. it couldn't solve that through the market. that is why i am running for president. to do what reagan did for this country, he led us out of the last identity crisis. there was an opportunity to rediscover who we really are. that is why i made this decision, i think we are going to do it. thank you. [applause] >> you are the age of my son, i think your campaign and decision to run is terrific and exactly what the republican party deeds

to reach out to millennials. thank you for being here. [applause] >> talk to me about how you can help your generation, this new group of americans, to care about religious liberty, to understand it is a fight we must fight to keep it? >> i think the message to our generation is we know you have a moral hunger. we have been taught by the left to fill that moral hunger by going to ben & jerry's and ordering a cup of ice cream with social justice sparkles on top. you can't satisfy that moral hunger with the fast food. we are hungry for something more substantial. god should not ba.4 letter world -- be a four letter word in our

culture. that is what is happening with wokeism and transgender is him and climate has him and covid-ism. we are hungering for the real things. we need to see this with compassion. i think hold every republican candidate to this standard. one the other side's media is in disagreement with you, go on their home turf, argue the points with reason and defeat them. reach young americans who think they are standing up to the man by being woke. you can explain to them you want to be countercultural, you want to stick it to the man? try calling yourself a conservative, try calling yourself religious. that is what it means to be a hippie today. when i go twos -- when i go to college campuses, they are hungry for it. you are not going to go to a college campus, you probably

shouldn't be sitting across the table from xi jinping. that is what it means to be a leader. that is why i am in this race. my son is there off stage, i am grateful for him. it is for his generation. if i had been born 20 years later, i don't think my story of living the american dream the way i have, i don't think it would have been possible in the same way. i would have been taught to think of myself as a victim. i have encountered hardship, most of us have. hardship is not the same thing as victimhood. young people in this country need to learn that, hardship is part of what helps us discover who we really are. hardship happens -- it's a choice. they are going to file power,

this country is worth standing up for. that's what this campaign is all about. [applause] >> thank you so much for your answer. whatcom to our first of the nation state, we are at the end of our time. >> let me end with one final note of optimism. do me this favor, reject bipartisan consensus in this country, which is that we are a nation in decline. we are not, we do not have to be. we don't have to be carthage, think of it this way, we are just a little young. going through our own version of adolescence. figuring out who we are really going to be when we grow up. when we see it that way, it becomes obvious that our best

days as a country, in a true way, are actually ahead of us. hope you share my confidence that we will get there and i am here to help us deliver that to the next generation. thank you so much, god bless you all, and bless your families, god bless our country, the united states of america. thank you. [applause] >> now please welcome senator tim scott. [applause] >> hello iowa!

[applause] just this weekend, a liberal reporter wrote that the era of value voters was over. how ridiculous is that? they have never been to the great state of iowa. they have never been in a room with 1000 value voters who have faith on their sleeves and jesus in their hearts. [applause] i am glad to be in a room filled with motivated and excited believers. i like to walk around, my mama wanted a southern preacher, she got an elected official, let's just pray for her. it feels like when you look around our country today, that beau biden and the -- joe biden

and the radical left have created a blueprint on how to ruin our america. i have to tell you, not on my watch. [applause] we are going to save our great country. if you believe like i do that america should celebrate our founding fathers and not cancel them, let me hear you say amen! if you believe we should educate our children and not indoctrinate our kids, let me hear you say -- >> amen! >> if you think we need more abcs and less crt, let me hear you scream. i believe, believe -- because i have lived it. that america can do for anyone what she has done for me. we should celebrate our founding

fathers and not cancel them. we are indeed the land of opportunity and not the land of oppression. we should -- amen -- we should celebrate that we have the seed of greatness and not the seed of grievance and our hearts. the radical left are selling a drug of victimhood and the narcotic of despair. we know the individual responsibility is the path to the american dream, i know it because my life is -- disproved the lies of the radical left. we must restore hope, create opportunities and protect america. the city on the hill, the beacon in the mist of the storm.

we are the greatest, freest, fairest, land, on crowds -- on gods green earth. [applause] >> welcome to iowa, it was so good i got to see you this morning, i know you have been making the rounds. we have that farm tour i am so glad that you took the time to do that and learn more about our agriculture and iowa, one of the things we talked about which is important to the people in this room which is waters in the west which means, farmers having to hire lawyers just to farm their own ground here in iowa. how would you lead at the federal level, what are some of your ideas to fix this disaster in washington? >> we should use common sense to simply cancel the concept of the waters in the u.s., based on

president biden and president obama's approach to water. what they've done, basically is they've said any amount of water, a pond or a bathtub, they should have the ability to control it. we know that is as far away from common sense as you could be. the easiest way you could do that would be to reverse of the waters of the u.s. and allow farmers and private landowners to determine their future productivity. [applause] >> welcome, again, senator scott. your energy never dies down. >> thank you, senator. >> eve talked in your last several trips to iowa about religious freedom and how it impacts policy. the next leader of the free world, who would be a republican, what should the next president do.

what is the most immediate action that the next president could do to stand for religious liberty? >> the first amendment was written to protect the church from the state, not the state from the church. [applause] we should encourage and motivate and value voters to be engaged at every facet of our absolute lives. frankly, we need to make sure that we protect our religious liberties, they will be under assault. and they said that our patriotism has failed because we keep telling people that we live in an evil country. we have to tell them the whole story, the story of truth and redemption that america is the freest, fairest land in the history of the world. i am sitting here as living proof that anyone anywhere at any time can rise above their wildest imagination and i will say this, with a praying mama,

all things are possible. >> senator, you are a powerful communicator and i appreciate your message. i think i saw last week that you said something about state is a word that is phenomena -- is synonymous with american exceptionalism. can you tell me more about what you meant when you said that? >> if you think about the core principles that have always led to the greatest level of human flourishing, they are embedded in the word of god. the notion is according to themes three: 20. -- we are able to seek abundantly all that we ask or imagine. in a very strong agricultural state, says that whatever you sow, you reap.

you only reap after you sow and you always reap more than you sow. american exceptionalism is understanding that the universal laws embedded in the laws of jesus christ is the foundation on which we stand and living in accordance to the consistent values that we see in the gospel means that we can rise beyond our circumstance and we can be the city on the hill, we can be the beacon of darkness and we can lead only if we first follow. -- first follow the basic universal laws embedded in the gospel. [applause] >> whenever i hear you speak and reading your book, i am truly touched by the way that you talk about your grandfather, it's an americans worry i have to ask you to share with the group, the story of your grandpa and what lessons that your grandpa taught

you which was still writing your leadership today. >> thank you very much, chairman. i learned more about my grandfather when i was seven years old after my parents divorced, we moved into my parents very small house a rented home, me my brother and my mother shared a bedroom and bed, every breakfast we had in that house my grandfather would come to the kitchen table, he would read the newspaper he read it from cover to cover, we set their learning very quickly that readers are leaders. 15 years later, i learned that my grandfather never learned to read. in the deep south in the 1930's there was no reason to have an educated black man. but he knew then and believed tour heartedly -- believed

wholeheartedly that somehow they and the future and america would allow his great -- allow his kids and grandkids to live in a world that he could not imagine i am so saying -- i am so think of that the man who dropped out of the third grade to pick cotton lived long enough to see his grandson pick out a sees it -- pick out a seat in congress. that's why i say from cotton to congress all things are possible. thank you. [applause] >> who was it that you would say in your life has had the greatest impact on your character and the man that you've become. >> outside of my amazing mother who is always number one i would say a man name john fleece. he was a chick-fil-a operator who found me at the end of my freshman year. my freshman year i didn't do very well.

i failed four subjects. i failed world geography, and civics. civics is the study of politics. help me, god has a sense of humor. i also filled spanish and english. when you fail spanish and english, no one calls you bilingual. they call you biignorant, because you don't speak any english. -- he does begin healing wage. -- you don't speak any language. he told me anyone at any time can rise above their circumstances if they take responsibility for themselves. he told me, don't blame your mother because she works 16 hour days. don't blame your dad because he is not around. take responsibility for yourself. and if you do, the most

remarkable things are possible because you've already won the lottery of american citizenship. [applause] >> this will be an easy one because we have less than half of a minute but what would you like to say to this group of conservative freedom faith loving individuals tonight. >> we have the old to met responsibility to protect the future of this nation not for ourselves, but for americans unborn. i would simply say, the lives of the left have been disproven -- the lies of the left have been disproven by my life. we embrace every sigel person in this country, we can do better. we are doing better. we are becoming a more perfect union, and thanks be to god. [applause]

>> thank you for being here. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, welcome, congresswoman tulsa gabbard. [applause] >>aloha. i want to thank you for your leadership in for taking the time to come out tonight.

when we think about the words that come to mind to describe this country, for mean it is freedom. life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. peace and prosperity. these are the foundational bricks that our country was built upon. i love our country i'm proud to have served in uniform both in the national guard and on the reserves for more than 20 years. [applause] i swear an old that a soldier in listing like so many other because of the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and i swore that same both as a member of congress where i served her eight years, on the foreign services community. to fight against all enemies foreign and domestic.

it is a note that i take -- it is an o that i take to heart and seek to -- it is an oath that i take to heart and seek to affirm every day. the freedoms come from god and no one else. that means no one, no person or government has the right to take away the intrinsic freedom. [applause] which is important for us to remember now. our founding fathers vision, thomas jefferson said it best, the god who gave us life gave us liberty. there are efforts underway to undermine those rights and freedoms every day by those in power. it is one of the ways -- one of the reasons that i left the democratic party.

because, unfortunately, today's democratic party is seeking to undermine those rights and freedoms area they are seeking to erase god from every facet of our public life. how do we people trust anyone or any political party upholding those god-given rights when they are trying to take them away and erase god from our lives? this is why -- this is what we are dealing with. and why are they doing it? it is because they feel threatened by people who draw inspiration and influence encourage and strength from a power that is far greater than any government. a power that is god. [applause] god threatens their power, so they try to weaken us in every way that they camp to strengthen their own power. they try to undermine our faith in god so that we become a people more easily controlled. there are so many, too many

examples, but one that we are seeing play out as we speak is how in carrying this out they denied the existence of objective truth. truth becomes what anyone says it is. that anyone can become a woman if you believe you are woman. that i can have my truth and you can have your truth and even more dangerous, that the truth becomes whatever those in power say it is at any given time. and they can weaponize our government and law enforcement to go after and target anyone who goes -- dares to challenge their so-called shrews -- truth. it's affecting our kids, and families and undermining the fabric of our society. this is where we need to take a stand. this is what is at the core of the battles and challenges that we face as a country.

as americans, as people who recognize and respect each other as children of god. to recognize the most empowering of our rights is the freedom that each and every one of us has two choose to love god in our heart. two choose to drop our strength from within -- two choose to draw our strength from within. two choose to draw that strength and clarity that we need to fight for what is right. to fight for freedom. to fight for the future of our great country. thank you, so much. [applause] >> congresswoman, welcome to iowa, we are so glad to have you here. we even had us snow -- we even had some snow. >> i landed yesterday and there was hail. >> it's a special i will

welcome. i also want to say think you for serving the country and your deployments. we admire that you are in iowa and we appreciate your service. [applause] >> we hear these days that it's harder and harder for our military to recruit people to join and serve our country. what ideas do you have for improving the military, or what are your ideas to make sure that there are more people that will serve our country like you did? >> this is such an important question, if you only look at the headlines and you see what is coming out of the pentagon, you hear things like, our young people are out of shape, overweight or they are not interested in serving, or they are not interested in putting their lives on the line unlike previous generations. but the problem is they are focusing on the wrong things. but i'm not surprised that they are not understanding why people are less likely to join. and this is one of the reasons that i'm grateful to continue to serve. i get to put the uniform on and

hang out and train with and work with soldiers through all different parts of the country. i hear what's on their mind and heart. it is that we have a failure of leadership to lead out of time -- assess time when we need an army of warriors were trained and ready to protect the security of the american people. instead what we are caring in the military and outside of the military -- we are hearing in the military and outside of the military is equity and inclusion training which is anything but those things. we are hearing from dod wanting to implement training from in the dod physicians to make sure that they provide immediate prescriptions of gender transitioning hormones to any

child that presents with gender dysphoria, without informing or notifying parents. these are the things that are being focused on in our military rather than focusing on what it means to stand up and give your life for this country. what does this country stand for, what are you willing to make the app -- make the ultimate sacrifice for. we need strong leadership that can lead to this country again, that can inspire people of all ages to come and serve and protect this nation. [applause] >> congresswoman, welcome. we are pleased that you here. when i was in the legislator i served with a outstanding representative that left the democratic party. i can only imagine some of the emails, and text that you received leaving your party, in

my opinion is an act of political courage. as chairman of the republican party of iowa, i am impressed. >> thank you. [applause] >> religious liberty is in many ways why all of these individuals have gathered here this evening. what do our leaders need to do to push back against what you just described, and also make sure that religious liberty is paramount to our democracy? xo me look at the founding of this country, religious -- >> when we look at the founding of this country, religious liberty is at the central of our founding. it is essential to some of the of the challenges that we face. i have the opportunity to speak to folks across the country, and there's a sense of hopelessness when you look at the insanity that is coming at us and our

families and communities from all directions. what do we do about this. this includes people that we saw, over easter, the department basically kicked out the catholic priest who were at walter reed hospital administering to our service members were there. the attacks were coming from all directions, now is a time when we need courageous leaders who actually understand what it means to be committed to upholding the constitution. who understand what it means -- what religious liberty means, and the true responsibility that we as leaders have to carry that out. that change can only happen when we, the people, remember that we are a self governed nation. go back to the declaration of independence and remember that we are the only ones that can bring about that change by selecting leaders that are committed to upholding it. who understand religious liberties and to understand what freedom means and to understand

what this country was founded on, those ideas and principles and are ready to take that courageous stand to even when it's not popular to protect them for everyone. whether they be people you agree with or not. people in your party or not. we live in a hyper-partisan time where people vote for the -- go for the political click bait or like an ardent rete -- like and retweet then standing for freedom. that truth is what we need more than anything right now. [applause] >> we have one minute left, this is a tough one, tell me the role that states have played in your life and what does that mean to you. >> it isn't a tough one but it is a personal one. it is my personal relationship with god, to serve god and love god every day of my life that

inspires me. you alluded to some emails, jeff, and messages, things i may have gotten over my years in politics when i left the democratic party. you all know, unfortunately it is a toxic time. acts of courage, people ask me, how do you smile how do you remain calm and relaxed? everything i do i am able to do by the grace of god, god's mercy and love in the strength and courage that he gives me to do my best to be pleasing to him. and what better way for any of us to be pleasing to god than to be of service to god's children. thank you. [applause] [no audio] -- [applause] >> congresswoman it's great to have you in iowa, we hope to have you back. >> thank you, everybody.

[applause] >> and now, watch the screen. the president, donald trump. [applause] >> thank you, very much. it is a great honor to address so many true american patriots who live by those timeless words , in god we trust. i want to thank -- iowa gop chair jeff kaufman, and so many other great people in the room. all friends of mine. for seven years, you and i have been fighting side-by-side,

winning monumental victories for faith, family, and freedom and life. together we achieved more for our values than any administration in the history of our country and it is not even close. i appointed over 300 judges to fill the federal bunches -- federal benches with constitutional lawyers who interpret the laws as written. i face down violent attacks to confirm our three supreme court justices, gorsuch, barrett, and cavanaugh. after years of work for organizations like yours, nobody thought it would happen, they thought it would be another 50 years, but we protected innocent life. republicans had been trying to do it for that keyword of time. 50 years. -- for that keyword of time. 50 years.

i reinstated and expanded the mexico policy. i -- at the united nations i made clear that global bureaucrats had no business attacking the sovereignty that attacks life. i was the first president to attend the march for life what -- the march for life rally in d.c.. in addition, my administration restored religious liberty and protected the conscious rights of groups like the little sisters of the poor. we fought with them and we were very successful. we stopped, very importantly, the jobs and amendment from interfering with pastors, first amendment right and people of faith. it was a very important thing and i also stood proudly with our friend and ally, the state of israel. i kept my promise and recognized

israel's internal capital, and opened the american embassy in jerusalem. we had built, for very little and it's a very beautiful building. i also recognize israeli sovereignty, they have been trying to do it for 52 years and i got it done in one afternoon. everything i did, i faithfully kept my word to the people of iowa especially are great farmers. we love our farmers. when china targeted our farmers, i gave them 28 billion dollars, nothing like that has ever happened before in any industry, let alone our great farming industry. $28 billion straight out of the tariffs that i took from china. i had china paying hundreds of billions dollars -- hundreds of billions of dollars, no previous president had a red sent from china. and it paid for about -- the big

one was, as you know the usmca, the worst trade deals ever made. the usmca mexico and canada, it's so good that mexico and canada are trying to renegotiate it now. they should not do that. to protect family farms i virtually eliminated the unfair's -- unfair estate tax. so now you can leave your farm to the ones you love and you don't need to pay tax. that was a big one. i thought or iowa, just as i promised, a rule declaring that he 15 would be available all year round. i also increase the number of fueling pumps where you 15 could be sold -- where e15 could be sold across the country. i did a great job i don't think

any president has come close. without me, you would no longer be the first in the nation. i bit -- i built hundreds of miles of wall, and look at it now, it's never happened like what's going on. it's probably the worst order perhaps anywhere in history. i say that third world countries would have stopped people even if they had to use sticks and stones, to get into our country. by the end of this year i think you could have as many 15 million people, people don't know where they came from who they are. they emptied men still -- mental institutions, and prisons into united states of america like we are dumping round we are going to up that day one. every part -- every crevice -- every promise i made to you as a president, i will fulfill when we become very important, 47th

president of the united states, we have to do it or we are not going to have a country left, there has never been a time like this for our country. i say that if you take first five presidents that are the absolute worst and you add them together, they haven't done the harm that joe biden and his administration have done to our country. it's so sad. my administration will again adopt rocksolid constitutional conservatives to be federal benches justices and judges. but anthony could -- anthony scalia and clarence thomas who is under siege by the radical left has the most -- is -- as the most pro-life president in history i will continue to stand against the late-term abortionist in the democratic party who believe in abortion on demand in the ninth month of

pregnancy. and they believe and executing babies beyond birth. beyond birth executing the baby. this is where we've come. so sad to see. i will stand proudly in defense of innocent life, just as i did for four very powerful strong years. because every child born and unborn is a sacred gift from god. i will stop joe biden's weaponization of government and law enforcement against patriots, citizens, we will obliterate the deep state and overhauled the fbi and doj to protect your constitutional right. another critical fight is the battle to retake schools from the radical left. the marxism being preached in our classroom was totally hostile to religious teachings, under my leadership, we will bring back god to our schools

and our public squares. that will happen very quickly. on day one we will begin to find the radical zealots and marxist that have infiltrated the federal department of education and we will have them as worded from the building -- have them escorted from the building. i will cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, transgender insanity and any racial or political content on our children. the left-wing agenda and lunacy being pushed on our children is a act of child abuse. it will stop immediately as president, i will sign and a new -- i will sign a new federal executive order to cease the transition -- cease sex transition at any age. i will lemonade -- i will

eliminate gender transition for children of any age. we will give power back to parents. parental power will again be a force in our nation. under my leadership, we will defeat the colt of gender ideology and we will reassert -- the cult of gender ideology and we will read -- reassert the truth that god created two genders, male and female. we will reassert the judeo-christian values of our nation's founding. we will protect our heritage and traditions, and we will both make america great again. thank you very much. thank you all, god bless america. [applause]

>> c-span is your unfiltered view of government who are funded by these television companies and more, including charter to location -- tub -- charter telecommute occasion. >> we are just getting started, building 100,000 miles of infrastructure to reach those who need it most. >> charter cmunications support c-span as a public service along with these other television providers, giving you a front row seat to democracy. >> c-span's "washington journal." every day, we take your calls live on the air i discuss policy issues that impact you. coming up tuesday morning, a and former pennsylvania congressman discusses mental health in the u.s. and "the nation" magazine's

reporter talks about the news of the day tuesday morning on c-span or on c-span now, our free mobile app. join in the conversation with your phone calls, facebook messages, text, and tweets. >> the very first president to attend the white house correspondents dinner was calvin coolidge. i had just been elected to the united states senate. >> the white house correspondents dinner, washington's premier black tie event, is saturday at 8:00 p.m. eastern. this year's headliner is "the daily show's" roy wood junior, and president biden is expected to speak. on c-span, c-span now, or online at c-span.org.