ABC News

Below you can find some of the notable comments made Sunday on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.” This week’s powerhouse roundtable guests included ABC News’ George Will, ABC News contributor and Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, ABC News political analyst and special correspondent Matthew Dowd, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Dowd on Bush legacy and Iraq War ‘disaster’

DOWD: And I think the president, reflecting back, had done a number of good things.  What he did for aid to Africa.  As Donna has pointed out, what he did in the aftermath of Katrina, and a number of things.  And I think what you saw was everybody thinks “this is a good man.”  But the problem that I saw in this whole thing as we had that day and everybody focused on it, it’s as if you were asking the people that got off the Titanic, they say, other than that, how was the trip?

And the Iraq War was a disaster.  We spent over $1 trillion.  We lost thousands of lives.  I had a son that served there.  We lost thousands of U.S. lives, thousands of lives over in Iraq.  And the Iraq War for at least 20 years is going to affect us.  It’s already affecting our foreign policy in Syria.  It’s caused the president to not say, well I don’t know if I can do this because of what happened in the Iraq War.

It’s affected our domestic policy because the lack of funds, the lack of ability.  And it polarized the country.  And so I think we pause for a moment and we say, yes he’s a good man.  But in the end, the Iraq War was such a disastrous decision, it affected this country so dramatically.  His tie to history is going to be completely tied to that.

Will says Congress responded to FAA furloughs quickly because they were ‘going to inconvenience them’ and that ‘was unthinkable’

WILL: The comedian Lily Tomlin has a character “the bag lady” who says, “no matter how cynical you get, you can’t keep up.” Look what happened this week. Two million Americans fly everyday, so in a very few days, you’ve got a real constituency of the irritated out there, but more importantly, 535 members of Congress fly regularly. And this was going to inconvenience them, which was unthinkable.

So, the FAA having said this was all necessary because the sequester required it to live on the amount of money it had in 2010, now it was chaos to live on 2010 appropriations. So whistleblowers within the FAA began sending out emails saying they were instructed that this had to be as painful as possible, on the theory, that if the government annoys Americans enough, Americans will say we should give the government more money — I don’t follow the reasoning there. But the long and the short of this is, George, the sequester is now going to be here for a very long time, because they’re going to find ways to make it administered more rationally.

Gingrich says he ‘distrusts’ a 800 page bill and immigration should be fixed one piece at a time

GINGRICH: I think the more people study the comprehensive bill, the harder it’s going to get to be…I think you’d be vastly better off to do what Chairman Goodlatte’s doing. Take one piece at a time, I do think it ought to be fixed. But, I think it ought to be fixed one piece at a time, out in the open, with amendments, when you actually know what it means.I distrust deeply 800 page bills, crafted by staff and then launched with great publicity, with nobody actually — none of the Senators I bet has read the bill.

Villaraigosa says ‘people will shoot’ holes in immigration bill and it will look like ‘swiss cheese’

VILLARAIGOSA: I agree, we don’t do comprehensive very well. Well, they don’t do comprehensive very well. But the fact of the matter is, we’re not gonna have an immigration bill that doesn’t have a pathway to citizenship. Look even this bill says, 13 years it’s going to take. The vast majority of polling has said people think 5 years is an appropriate period of time. This is very tough on border security, it’s very tough on the hurdles that you have to overcome to become a citizen. you have to pay back your taxes, you have to have a background check, if we do it piecemeal, we’ll have people shoot it, like swiss cheese, and you’ll never get a bill.

Dowd on Obama arm twisting, he has a ’1 on 10,000 ability but not a 1 on 1 ability’

DOWD:  I think the president, he’s had a lot of great speeches that he’s given.  But I think they’ve made a mistake by not having a relationship, not trying to build one-on-one relationships in Congress and saying we’re going to go out and talk to the country.  We’re not going to worry about Washington, D.C.

This president has never built relationships outside of saying, “I need your vote tomorrow.”  He hasn’t — it’s all been photo ops with Congress.  He hasn’t reached out.  He hasn’t consistently said come to Camp David, sit down with me, let’s talk about this.

I think if the president had that ability, he’s got a 1 on 10,000 ability, he does not have a 1 on 1 ability.

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On Sunday after “This Week,” Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa sat down for a web interview answering viewer questions from Facebook and Twitter.  Villaraigosa discussed L.A. traffic, his wishes for the city, and the origins of his last name.  What’s next for Villaraigosa?  He says he will “ride into the sunset for a bit.”

“I think I’ll work in the private sector, maybe join a speaker’s bureau, if you will. Write a book. Affiliate with a think tank. And get ready… I love public service, it’s an honor.  It’s been a real honor to be mayor of the city that my grandpa came to a hundred years ago. I wanna continue to serve, but a little time for reflection is always good.”

Read More Below:

Lara Arcas: If you could do anything for your city that needed to be done without any limit, what would it be?

“I’d make sure that every kid could read. That all of our students who are graduating from high school and either going to college or have the skills they need to be successful in the new economy, where intellectual capital is so important.”

Max Zimbert ‏@MaxZimbert

@ThisWeekABC @villaraigosa @GStephanopoulos what’s the worst LA drive he’s had to undertake as a civilian?

“The worst LA drive — there are so many of them — a city known for gridlock. You know, I think there’ve been a few drives coming out of Dodgers stadium from time to time that makes you feel like you wanna walk.”

Christopher Gossett: Why did he change his name?

“Well, my ex-wife and I were at a party one day and talking about getting married. They asked her if she was going to keep her name, and I responded ‘Well, of course she’s going to keep her name.’  And she said no, she was going to take on mine. So I said, ‘Well, if you’re going to take on mine, I’ll take on yours.’ And we melded two names together and we’ve kept it, our kids have it… It was a testament to the notion that when you get married you’re individuals, but you come together as one.”

Lorane Enriquez: What is he going to do next?

“The perennial question. Ride into the sunset for a bit. I think I’ll work in the private sector, maybe join a speaker’s bureau, if you will. Write a book. Affiliate with a think tank.  And get ready… I love public service, it’s an honor. It’s been a real honor to be mayor of the city that my grandpa came to a hundred years ago. I wanna continue to serve, but a little time for reflection is always good.”

Lightning Round:

Favorite Movie:

“Schindler’s List”

First Concert:

“Three Dog Night”

Special Talent:

“Donna Brazile says I can dance.  We were dancing on Inauguration night in the East Wing… So I guess dance… it’s a nice little skill.”

Viewer questions have been edited, shortened and condensed in some cases. 

ABC

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House Intelligence Committee chair Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., said this morning on “This Week” that “some action needs to be taken” against Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons, saying that the red line “can’t be a dotted line.”

The U.S. announced this week that an initial evidence assessment showed that Syria, which is engulfed in a bloody civil war that has left tens of thousands dead, had used a small amount of chemical weapons in the war. Rogers said Sunday that classified information only strengthened the case.

“There is also classified information that we have, that I think strengthens the case that in fact some small amount of chemical weapons have been used over the course of the last two years,” Rogers said on “This Week.” “And – and the problem is, you know the president has laid down the line. He – and it can’t be a dotted line. It can’t be anything other than a red line.”

ABC

“I think the options aren’t huge, but some action needs to be taken,” Rogers added. “And if you think about the destabilizing impact. Right now, the chemical weapons have been small in use. If you have a larger use, the refugee and humanitarian crisis that comes from that is huge.”

Intelligence Committee member Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., who also joined the “This Week” roundtable Sunday, said the investigation into the use of chemical weapons should be finished and called the implication that the U.S. isn’t doing enough a “mistake.”

“Well the president, and I appreciate his deliberative approach to – to this, you know we’ve had a little problem with going to the U.N. with the idea of weapons of mass destruction before so we certainly want to finish the investigation,” Schakowsky said. “But he said, it’s not an on and off switch, but it is – it has changed his calculation. And of course, he’s looking into all of the options. But, you know to – to imply that maybe we’re not doing enough, or we’re not doing anything, I think is also a mistake.”

Intelligence Committee ranking member Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., added that locating any possible chemical weapons was imperative for the United States, especially given the recent U.S. involvement in Libya.

“Well, we hope he goes a lot faster than he is now. A lot of people are surprised he’s lasted this long,” Ruppersberger said of Syria’s president Bashar Assad. “I agree with Mike on the issue of the chemical weapons. That is severe. We have to know where they are, and we’re very much concerned, when Assad eventually falls, where these chemical weapons are going to go. Just like in Libya. We had a lot of weapons that went to some bad guys. And it’s the same situation here.”

“But you talk about a no-fly zone,” Ruppersberger added about one potential military action. “It’s easy to say it, but Syria is very sophisticated. Libya was not sophisticated. So, we have a lot of issues on the table, and we’ve got to get it right. But, I believe very strongly, we have to do it as a – as a team.”

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United States House of Representatives

Top members of the House Intelligence Committee speak exclusively to George Stephanopoulos on the latest in the Boston bombing investigation and developments in Syria, Sunday on “This Week.”

As the country recovers from the terrorist bombing on the Boston Marathon, questions remain about the investigation. Were warning signs missed that could have prevented the attack? Did authorities cut off the suspect’s interrogation too soon? And how dangerous is the “lone wolf” threat to U.S. security? Plus, how should the U.S. respond to the latest revelations about Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons? Has a red line been crossed?

House Intelligence Committee chair Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., ranking member Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., and committee member Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., join Atlantic national correspondent and Bloomberg View columnist Jeffrey Goldberg to debate the latest news from Boston and Syria, Sunday on “This Week.”

And the “This Week” powerhouse roundtable tackles all the week’s politics, from the fallout from the Boston attacks, the battle over budget cuts and airport delays, and the legacy and future of the Bush family following the opening of President George W. Bush’s presidential library. ABC News’ George Will, ABC News contributor and Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, ABC News political analyst and special correspondent Matthew Dowd, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa debate those topics and more, only on “This Week.”

And “This Week” covers all the glitz, glamour and laughs from Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington.

See the whole political picture, Sunday on “This Week.”

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ABC News

Below you can find some of the notable comments made Sunday on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.” This week’s powerhouse roundtable guests included House Homeland Security committee ranking member Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.; Senate Intelligence committee member Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind.; Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haass; ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz; and editor of The New Yorker David Remnick.

Coats says right now, suspected Boston bomber is ‘in a condition where we can’t get any information from him’

COATS: The information we have is that there was a shot to the throat. And it’s questionable whether — when and whether he’ll be able to talk again. Doesn’t mean he can’t communicate, but right now I think he’s in a condition where we can’t get any information from him at all.

Martha urges all media outlets to be ‘careful’ to avoid ‘confirmation bias’

RADDATZ: …Everybody was glued to the television, everybody wanted to know what was happening. We have to be careful — we all have to be careful. I take the lesson of a former intelligence officer, who said “when I was a young man, my dad took me deer hunting. And we were laying there and looked out and my dad turned to me and he said ‘son, when you go deer hunting everything starts looking like a deer.’” So we have to be careful, we have to make sure we don’t have a confirmation bias that we want something to happen. CNN made a mistake, law enforcement made a mistake. You remember when it first happened, they said there was an explosion at the JFK Library.

Haass says ‘terrorism is never going to be eradicated, it’s like disease’

HAASS: What’s scary about this is how relatively easy it is. And if these guys could go on the internet, use primitive devices to do something like this, they’re not the only ones who are going to do it. The attention they garnered is going to encourage copycat incidents — terrorism is never going to be eradicated, it’s like disease.

And what we have to think about is yeah, we go after it, but how do we make ourselves more resilient? How do we protect ourselves, how do we get better at bouncing back?

Remnick calls out Rupert Murdoch and NY Post for its “Bag Men” cover

REMNICK:  Outrageous.  It’s outrageous behavior.  Look I have some sympathy for what happened to CNN.  They’re on all day long –

STEPHANOPOULOS:  The arrest?

REMNICK:  And they got legitimate, what they thought were legitimate sources telling them that there was an arrest.  They turned out to be wrong, they corrected their mistake.  I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes.

This is something more pernicious.  This is slapping on the front page of the newspaper with a wide circulation of something not confirmed at all, and it harms people’s lives and I give that guy a lot of credit to go on television and talk to you.  That takes courage.

STEPHANOPOULOS:  Rupert Murdoch responded in a tweet, he said that all the “New York Post” pictures were those distributed by the FBI and instantly withdrawn when the FBI changed directions.

REMNICK:  That’s a lousy excuse.  Sorry, that’s a lousy excuse.  It appeared on the front page of his newspaper, it was there for all to see.  And it hurts that kid.

STEPHANOPOULOS :  Take responsibility and apologize.

REMNICK:  You bet.

Coats thinks we need to step back and put immigration reform ‘on hold’

COATS:  You usually end up with bad policy if you do it in an emotional way or an emotional reaction.  We saw some things post-9/11 that were enacted that if we had had a little bit more rational time to think this through, perhaps we wouldn’t have had some of the pushback on it.

But more importantly, immigration is an issue that has dramatic economic effect on Americans.  It has national security implications.  I think stepping back just a little bit and putting it on hold, for instance, we have a bigger issue than immigration in front of us.  And that’s our debt deficit and it’s got to get solved.

Thompson says putting a hold on immigration ‘is not in the best interest of this country’

THOMPSON: It is not the right thing to do. We are a nation of immigrants. I trust our government , we vet people up and down. We review policies everyday. But, to put it on hold, is not in the best interest of this country.

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Speaking this morning on “This Week,” author and Boston native Dennis Lehane praised the response to the Boston Marathon bombings, calling it as one of the greatest “acts of heroism” he has ever seen.

“I’ve been proud to be from Boston my whole life – I don’t think I’ve ever been as proud as I have been this week.  The thing that will stick with me the rest of my life is, the plot of these brothers failed within two seconds of the first explosion. Because the objective of terror is to rattle a populous. It’s to make them paralyzed with fear,” he said. “And to see all of these civilians run toward the blast to help their fellow civilians, to help their fellow Bostonians, their fellow members of the human race was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. It was one of the great acts of heroism I’ve ever witnessed.”

INTERACTIVE TIMELINE: From Terror to Manhunt to Capture

The iconic author of such books as “Mystic River,” and “Gone, Baby, Gone,” praised the people of Boston as “tough and hearty” with a “pugnacious pride.”

ABC

“We’re a city that values civil discourse, civil liberties. And then at the same time, we have this kind of pugnacious pride – this romantic, underdog – ‘if you’re gonna hit me, you better hit me very, very hard, or I won’t go down’ kind of vibe. I mean, we were Red Sox fans for a century, so that in and of itself is – is a tough and hearty people,” he said. “I got a couple of different texts from friends that were the same text, essentially, that was ‘they messed with the wrong city.’”

Lehane described the capture Friday night of the second suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev as euphoric.

“When it came back ‘we got him,’ I think you could see the euphoria, you could see the relief. You could see a sense of vindication, of justice prevailing, of our values trumping very corrupt values. I think you could — you could feel that. It felt – it felt wonderful.”

PHOTOS: Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect Manhunt Ends

Lehane said the attacks at this year’s marathon would not derail future races, predicting twice the turnout next April.

“I think the citizens of this city were saying ‘we’re not going to change. This is going to change nothing. Whatever you thought, whatever your objective was, whatever you thought you were going to do to our spirit — it’s not going to change.’ You go to the marathon next year, I bet there’ll be twice as many people there.”

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Sunday on a special edition of “This Week,” George Stephanopoulos covers the latest developments in this week’s attacks in Boston.

Days after two bombs exploded at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people, a massive manhunt locked down the greater Boston area Friday, before the dramatic capture of 19-year-old bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

On Sunday, “This Week” brings the latest reporting and analysis from the ABC News team covering the investigation, with ABC News Senior Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas in Washington, D.C. and Chief National Correspondent Byron Pitts reporting from Boston.

Plus, ABC News legal analyst Dan Abrams, ABC News consultant and former White House counterterrorism adviser Richard Clarke, and ABC News consultant and former FBI agent Brad Garrett break down the details of the investigation and what the attack means for the safety and security of the country.

Then, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino goes one-on-one with George Stephanopoulos about the latest developments in the aftermath of the attack and arrest in Boston.

And House Homeland Security committee ranking member Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Senate Intelligence committee member Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., join the “This Week” roundtable to analyze the fallout from the Boston attacks, with Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haass; ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz; and editor of The New Yorker David Remnick.

Plus, in this week’s Sunday Spotlight, author and Boston native Dennis Lehane reflects on the resilience of the people of Boston.

Tune in Sunday morning for this special edition of “This Week.”

ABC

This Week, we asked Time Magazine assistant managing editor Rana Foroohar to answer seven questions.

1) How do you see the Boston Marathon bombings impacting President Obama’s domestic and international agendas?

Foroohar: “The conventional wisdom over the week has been that Boston is a potentially agenda changing event for a president that was already having trouble with issues from gun control to immigration. And indeed, I hope it doesn’t derail immigration reform, which is very much needed. But the fact that the operation has been a success, the city was well prepared to execute the manhunt, and the authorities at all levels seemed to work well together leaves the Obama administration looking competent and resilient. Unless new facts come to light, I’m not sure you’ll see some major domestic agenda pivot off this.

 In terms of foreign policy, the fact that the Boston bombers have been identified as Chechens may increase support for Russian anti-terrorism strategies and its approach to Islamic extremism. Although Russian-US relations have been strained of late, it’s possible that this could spur new counterterrorism work between the two countries. It will be interesting to see if it actually leads to any progress on other contentious issues that the countries have disagreed on, like Iran, Syria, etc.”

2) Time released its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Is there one person who you thought was especially influential?

Foroohar: “Malala Yousafzai, the 15 year old Pakistani girl who was shot and nearly killed by the Taliban because she stood up for education and women’s rights. Simply by being back in school, she’s exerted more influence than anyone I can think of. She’s a tremendously powerful figure. I can’t wait to read her memoir.”

3) How does the United States best handle a country like North Korea? What is the end game?

Foroohar: “For starters, it’s very hard for the U.S. to know what it’s dealing with in North Korea. “Lil Kim” has been in charge for a very short time; we had years to figure out his father. That said, I think we should stop kidding ourselves that North Korea is going to give up nukes anytime soon. Why would they, especially now that the South Koreans have said they’re open to negotiations, when in the past, they always  said that they wouldn’t even come to the table without a promise that the North Koreans would give up their nuclear weapons program? That said, talks could and should be an opportunity to get more information — what exactly do the North Koreans want? The U.S. needs to figure out what the carrots and sticks are that could shift the dynamic in the region, especially since it’s clear that the Chinese aren’t going to play any important role in finding a solution.” 

4) Secretary of State John Kerry is trying to revive Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in hopes of eventually reaching a peace agreement. What are the prospects for peace at this point?

Foroohar: “Almost zero. Kerry’s efforts are a kind of Kabuki act demanded by domestic politics, as Americans want to feel some efforts are being made in the region. It has very little to do with the intractable situation on the ground.” 

5) Job creation in the United States was weak in March. You described the post-recession recovery as “wimpy” last year. What’s your outlook for this year?

Foroohar: “More of the same. Sadly, we’re still in a 2 percent economy. This last jobs report aside, the private sector has been doing better over the last few months, thanks to the rebound in housing, which has boosted construction, and the strength of American manufacturing, which has enjoyed a rebound in the last couple of years. But there are big headwinds — the eurozone crisis continues, and the emerging markets are slowing, both of which are effecting US exporters. Meanwhile, we’ve got the same political gridlock in Washington that we’ve seen for years now. The US remains the prettiest house on the ugly block that is the global economy, but we’re also our own worst enemy — if Congress could show markets that it’s capable of more efficient governance, I think we’d see more U.S. investment. It would also be great to see politicians agree on productive public investment in growth boosting areas like education and infrastructure — but I’m not holding out too much hope of that.”

6) President Obama has released his 2014 budget proposal. In terms of trying to spur growth and reduce the debt, does this plan make sense?

Foroohar: “I think the president’s budget was a good attempt to get beyond growth busting partisan politics — he showed that he was willing to make real compromise on entitlement cuts and public sector spending. I was also glad to see him continue to push for revenue increases around things like investment income. The economic paradigms of our age so favor those already at the top of the pyramid, I think it’s only fair that they should pay a bit more to ensure we can continue to delivery the kind of productive government programs that ensure more inclusive growth for those lower down. Inequality itself is, in the opinion of many smart economists, a major hinderance to growth. In terms of reducing the debt, we’re certainly going to need both entitlement reform, and new revenue. The ball is now in the Republicans’ court.”

7) What is your take on Sheryl Sandberg’s message that women need to “lean in” more when it comes to their careers? Does it ring true to you?

Foroohar: “I respect what Sandberg has accomplished, and her efforts to try to help women. However, I fall a bit more into the Anne Marie Slaughter camp on this issue  — I think institutions can and should do more too. Women, and men too, want more balanced lives. As I wrote in a blog post, I think America’s extreme work culture is really tough on people, and doesn’t always yield better results, to boot. As a working mother with two small children, I’ve always found that having control of my own schedule is the best way to have it all. I am also curious how much the “lean in” message will resonate in an era with diminishing economic returns, flat wages, and long term high unemployment — I think people are more motivated to give everything to their job if they have a sense that there are greater gains to be had.”

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ABC News

Below you can find some of the notable comments made Sunday on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.” This week’s political roundtable guests included ABC News’ George Will; House Judiciary Committee chair Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va.; Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill.;  Washington Post Columnist Ruth Marcus; and Wall Street Journal Columnist Kimberley Strassel.

Gutierrez identifies gangbangers and drug delars as ‘delighted’ with lack of gun reform

GUTIERREZ:  I’ll tell you who is applauding and who’s clapping any lack of success on gun control, gangbangers and drug dealers across this country.  They’re happy and delighted.  Because they are murdering and killing young people each and every day.

Schumer does not comment on if Anthony Weiner deserves a second chance

SCHUMER:  Look, I’m not going to comment on that.

How did I know you’d ask that question, Jonathan?

KARL:  You’re not going to comment at all?  Do you think he…

SCHUMER:  Nope.

KARL:  Not even whether he deserves a second chance?

SCHUMER:  No comment.

Gutierrez predicts ‘real history’ is being written on immigration reform

GUTIERREZ: Look I’ve been working on this issue for 20 years.  We’re making real progress.  I see real history being written in this Congress, and I see it written this year and signed by the President of the United States.

Marcus: Ease in supporting same-sex marriage instead of gun control is a ‘rather extraordinary moment’

MARCUS:  I do not think we’re going to get magazine limits.  I think we’re at a rather extraordinary moment where it’s easier for Republican and Democratic politicians to support same sex marriage than it is for them to support the same law that was passed in 1994…It’s going to be limited progress on expanding the background check system that is already in place.

Will says Cuban Embargo made sense during Cold War, but ‘the Cold War is over’

WILL:  The Cuban Embargo may have made a lot of sense during the Cold War.  The Cold War is over.  And it is hard to think of a policy more firmly refuted by events than the policy of the embargo which is supposed to weaken one of the, it turns out, most durable dictators in the world.

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Jonathan Karl, ABC News’ Chief White House Correspondent, took some time after hosting “This Week” on Sunday to answer viewer questions from Facebook regarding his experience covering President Obama.

 Rick Gibbs: Is there anything enjoyable about covering the president, Jonathan?

“Yeah, course.  Look, it’s a tough job—you’re always on. It is a lot of work.  It is constraining being in the White House…As a reporter covering the White House can be a little frustrating because you are not allowed to roam the halls. I can’t like go and knock on the door of the oval office. I’ve gotta stay in the press area and I’ve gotta count on senior officials to return my calls.  In that sense it can be frustrating.  But this is a great honor, a great privilege.  I love the job. I…profoundly believe I am lucky to have the opportunities I have every day.  So I find much, much more to say about it that is quite enjoyable.”

 Marcela Marchesini Kapfer: Do you ever step back and get a little starstruck when you talk to the president, regardless of who it is? And do you ever get a little embarrassed or hesitant about asking certain questions?

“Well, I will say that I have had the privilege of meeting four different presidents.  And no matter who they are, there is a sense of ‘Wow, I’m meeting the President.’  There’s that very flash—this is the president, talking to the President of the United States. But that quickly goes away when you have a reporter.  And if you feel embarrassed or hesitant about asking questions, you should probably find a different line of work. I find that goes away quite quickly. ‘I’ve got a job to do.  It’s my job to ask questions.  Sometimes those are tough and hard questions.’ And I do that.”

Bill Bourquin: What’s it like for a reporter to deal with the Secret Service?

“I’ve got to say, the secret service, they’ve got a job to do.  Their job is to protect the president. It is a profoundly important job.  And I find them to be absolutely professional. We have to go through a lot of security sweeps…especially on a foreign trip. I was just traveling with the president to Israel, and to the West Bank, and to Jordan.  The security is intense.  You have to go through…everything on you has to get checked out before every event. But the Secret Service are absolutely professionals.  They understand that we have a job to do as well and I find working with them to be just fine.”

Diana Galaviz Erikson: Is it hard to report something that you personally don’t agree with?

“Diana, I have to answer quite simply, ‘No.’ My personal beliefs are absolutely irrelevant to the work that I am doing.  I need to put them aside when I’m reporting on a story. My job is to present the facts, to get to the bottom of what is going on, and to present that in a way that is not affected by my own personal views. Frankly as I’m doing my job, I’m not even thinking about what I personally believe on a given issue.”

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