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Life is for living. Let's partner for all of it. Learn more@edwardjones.com this weekend and this is First Lady Joe Biden has been affirmative for first year on the road serving her country and supporting her husband, Rita Braverman was recently invited along for the ride First Lady Joe Biden has already traveled to 35 states this year so I feel like I'm walking historic path really told us during our interview at Camp David white if you like is important for people to see the First Lady out there I'll care if it's a red state or blue state. I think you know Joe is the president for all Americans and joined us at the White House later on Sunday morning. Maggie Joan always accomplished actor of stage and screen whose taking on a new role as director on the subject near and dear to my heart only to couple has a brief for direct real debut Maggie Julie whole decided to adapt the lost daughter a story of motherhood from a different perspective that reveals I can't speak for everybody, obviously, but my identity as a mother is like such a huge part of who I am coming up on Sunday morning, the pleasures and realities of motherhood. Morocco field slings and arrows from writer Fran Leibowitz, Nancy Giles, please visit the Santa Claus, Indiana, John Dickerson profiles an up-and-coming congressman and more on the Sunday morning for December 12, 2021 will be back to its disapproves of just about everything except sleep in cigarettes and that's just for starters she's in conversation with Barack. Did you have strong opinions. As a child I did, but no one cared about them to get them to like trying to tell them to my parents but when I was a child I had to go to sleep bedtime at 730. I was like 13 psi once said to my mother why did you make me go to bed so early. When I was like 12 years old and my mother said to tell you the truth by 730. I just can't listen to anymore.

Most writers write for a living. Fran Leibowitz talks and at a recent appearance at Connecticut's Richfield Playhouse. She waiting on everything from marathons run 26 miles as a German soldier costing for pets to lack of activity is everything from her days writing for antiwar holes interview magazine in the 1970s to her two best-selling collections of comic essays repackaged into a single volume one and only joined Netflix Erie, directed by her friend Scorsese challenged real account which brought analog sensibility to a decidedly digital platform. Though technology has always sort of baffled her plane and the guy sitting next to me was on his phone the whole time and what is he playing game where looked like he was murdering fruit killing fruit is not am hoping that one dam that wheeled into surgery and this guy is like. We met Leibowitz at the famed Argosy bookshop in Manhattan. I never loved Hemingway there's my opinion. Really such a thing as too much apart from a children's book in 1994.

She hasn't published a volume of new writing in 40 years. I must have all of these books, but audiences don't seem to mind. And yes, she's got something to say about audiences. Every single thing the standing ovation. There is over enthusiasm on the part of the audience.

You know who has actually no way to judge a thing to begin with.

I went to the ballet. Maybe now, 10 years ago and I was shocked by the audience. So the second the first dancer put their foot on the stage. The audience prompted in shares. I was shocked by this okay used debate if Baryshnikov managed to hang in the air for mixing a full 15 minutes every like city audiences know who they are plotting.

Leibowitz grew up in Morristown New Jersey where the reception to her wasn't exactly warm our parents did not pay the kind of attention to us that people pay attention to the children now. They felt that there job was to instruct us that I would say to my mother.

Can I please have an apple. My mother would say, may I please have it out while she was right. I would say, may I please have an Apple she was eight. Okay so that was child in the 1950s, not just mine Leibowitz's scholastic record was not without its blemishes. I was expelled from high school for what the headmaster sent the letter and that letter just basically said she is a bad influence on the other girls and is usurping my power perhaps a certain revolutionary wardrobe choice was to blame. There was a Halloween party is over, you were custom and I had a friend who I don't know where they got it they had a Castro mask and it was really good. It really look like Fidel Castro and I went with the cigar to this girl school for Halloween dresses. Fidel Castro in the 60s and was suspended for this impact Leibowitz who is gay has never been particularly radical Simmons kids collecting strings. Thank you, thank you for fighting for Iraq to fight for my rights. I just try to avoid these problems.

That's what I did know I did think of fighting for gay marriage. I never thought for gay marriage and we never heard like these two words together didn't exist and who wanted you know I'm not against and I'm glad you have it.

If you want to, but thanks Leibowitz has been a vocal advocate for the rights of a different sort. Fran Leibowitz is a writer and a diehard defender of the right to smoke. I know that cigarette smoke annoys people.

It was about smoke annoys me that there are no other laws in this country about annoyance.

I mean this is entitled to be no light. Here's the thing. It's an addiction is not, however, a character flaw is not a sign of morality is just fact is device that gives Fran Leibowitz pleasure speaking are people having enough leisure days and I don't know but I will tell you this.

If you're not having fun now they find in your 20s time you're my age, I will be long dead, but tried that France should tis the season for letters to Santa Giles takes us to a town far south of the North Pole where it's Christmas all year round in southern Indiana in a town of just over 2500 people, one name stands out.

Everywhere you look on the hardware store community center.

Even the fire department with drugs named after some familiar reindeer but the town's most important distinction.

It has the only post office bearing Santa clauses name for more than 90 years letters from around the world have found their way here to Santa Claus, Indiana for Christmas.

I would like socks Pat Cook along with her self-styled team.

L do not busy themselves with making toys. Don't ever try to present them. It's all about keeping up with Santa's mail is our ministry is getting a letter in 1930 that Ripley's believe it or not, had a cartoon saying if you write to this little town in Indiana. I got a letter in the post master received over 100,000 letter. It all began in 1856 when the town's application for a post office under the name Santa fee was rejected Santa fee was deemed too similar to Santa Fe. Another Indiana town. So the postmaster suggested Santa Claus and the name stuck. Santa Claus receives about 30,000 letters in history.

I found that out the hard way. This is wanted to ask for a robot that has a button to make it all right dear little Dylan that's not how you spell okay okay 90-year-old Pat Cook has been one of Santa's helpers ever since she was a child my father brought letters home and we put them on the dining room table and that was when I learned that letters were really important and that I is a little girl could help her dad embraced the role dressing up to look like Santa and leading teams of letterwriters. He visited the postmaster down in the town and saw that he was getting all these letters and said help. This needs to be taken care survey organized. There are dues and don'ts when replying to the children of the world, especially because they ask a lot of questions so very very wealthy could come visit is almost answer those, five. These elves always have ready answers Santa's favorite cookie is chocolate chip reindeer's love carrots Mrs. clause is always fine and the question is reindeer fly in the story for kids who are being told by differences in Santa Claus. What's your response to something like that absolutely, positively, there is joy and happiness to people.

And that will always be, and that kind of Christmas spirit Pat Cook and the rest of the towns elves have tried to carry on one letter at a time and answered so many letters over the years but are there some for you that stand out.

I remember especially one letter that I will never forget. They found this house key attached is said this is the key to the front door. We don't have a chimney and I get Christmas.

Remember, Santa knows all because there are elves who, that's what's wonderful about children riding letters is really do just tell you, and in no way cry. We lastly share I think it's good for them and good for us.

Maggie juvenile has done me the Broadway stage the big screen small into the couple tells juvenile is also checking out the view from behind. I think I II think I'm actually going to come and see that Maggie juvenile hall is more than your typical movie like 24 movies in less than two weeks and not only because you probably know her as an actress before but I can assure you that I am very excited about this opportunity and blockbusters like dark Knight you look is at the stars. Usual TV shows like dues and a long list of even gritty role, including an Academy award nominated performance increase yard not okay. She also happens to be part of a mini Hollywood dynasty, the daughter of director Stephen enjoyed whole and screenwriter Naomi former not to mention big sister Jake. But what really sets juvenile whole part as a single file is that after all these years in and around the movies, her love for them. You still growing. I want to see movies more now than I ever wanted before. Like almost everybody that this year that no one keeps her own lost daughter Joanne holds first screenwriter and as a director is crucial is out in theaters and streaming on Netflix later this month after what Julie Hall says was an exciting, also excruciating premier overseas very been there as an actor filled first elected at the 4 foot fracture. It's a moment to see what the director hundred thousand why I do know this movie is everything I for it to be all my offering I am to stand behind all of it and want a lot of if there is the film is a psychological thriller and drama story of a woman who does something almost unimaginable amid all too real flashbacks to her life as a young parent lies. How many people have been like sewing people extended to me that like like dirty terrible secret secrets, or at least things left unsaid or a big part of what drew juvenile hall to the project, which is based on a novel by Elinor flaunted mega best-selling Italian writer known only by her pending people spent a lot of time and energy trying to figure out who she is not me.

I like to be anonymous and out and never spoken to her. I've never met her all of my interaction with her husband to email and there's something amazing about her being because she's been so supportive.

In fact, after Julie Hall letter to her for a long day requesting rights to her story. They agreed on one condition.

She wrote me back and she said yes you have the rights that the contract is void unless you direct. She also offered juvenile hall and unexpected gift. She said she thinks it's really important that the movie be good and she knows it will only be good if I make it mine and so she want for me. Freda Ron Davidson said of the finished movie. I like the whole film, calling it true cinema. One of the books big true is now brought to the screen by juvenile hall is that motherhood even when it's a choice and a joy is not always a pleasure how to say it delicately, yeah, yeah, it's funny that you had to say.

Delicately it's very complicated and I think what I think is that it's just that the spectrum of feelings about it are huge and from our culture says if you feel ambivalent or terrified, or all these dark things included in all the light ones that somehow there's something wrong with you. The abnormal Julie up in Southern California, which he was bearing to New York and she's raising two daughters overgrown year with husband and fellow actor Peter Soares, Gord held her kids are 15 and nine so your cut out of the worst of it in terms of the most intensive they need to tell me that toddlers certainly thinking about toddlers after nearly 3 decades on-screen. Julie Hall is also realizing she has a whole new kind of career ahead of their a lot of people that don't like. I I think that I just got tired of it takes a lot of energy. I think probably looking back on that now that I have directed this film which I live. I think probably I was always a tractor and I just didn't feel entitled to even know that I want very thinking about the Yates lost daughter is already an award winner taking, among other honors best screenplay at the Venice film Festival in the 44 you may juvenile Hall says beyond the movies ensemble of stars, which includes her husband. She sees a simple reason for the film's success.

Tell the truth about something that nobody's been talking about making feel really invigorating and exciting and good you know like on the second electric shock through you to hear the truth spoken out loud like oh you greedy and just in case you're wondering, there's a lot more than mother just like there's a lot more to being a woman that really makes it. And that above all else, is what Maggie Julie Hall.

The director is most excited to change. I'm just trying to be honest that's really all I'm doing because first. So much of my life. I my experience portrayed in ways that weren't totally honest and I wondered if there like something with me because this whole others, like the edges of my experience, the nooks and crannies of my experience. I rarely see and I think we can get confused if we don't see reflections of our experience portrayed the world's most obvious question, are you going to do it again. Yes yes yes yes totally yes progress and crazy time is the point is we need people in the best way to protect good people is to convict final season Millstream Jewel one work cut out for college teachers in the White House work duties to perform wide a few days ago. She invited are really braver to tag along when he was first lady Jill Biden on the Philadelphia administration's efforts to get Americans vaccinated. Keep you get a sense of how seriously she takes a long time ago that I would never waste my help heal this nation.

I want to be. I wanted to do it so much, each $79 red state of Oklahoma 35 states she's visiting this year where she meets with the Republican governor and his wife drives another hour and to show the president support from members of the Cherokee nation.

Their efforts to preserve their native language are not alone in Denver you are out there shaking hands with them talking to them I feel excitement and I'm so happy that they're happy to meet someone who is about the I see Ashley Biden's daughter usually absolute file along course, you can and avoiding Air Force planes. She traveled back east late Friday night I saw like I'm walking historic really injure energy never seem to flag when she met a very next day.

It's really just I think cozy and comfortable for a rare visit to Camp David, the rustic presidential retreat in rural Maryland and a conversation in rosebud cottage do you come up here, along with Pres. Wellwood, I think 12 times now to talk about the way she sees her role prepared for what it's like to be the first lady. I think what you know. I wish that I think it's a little harder than I imagined.

It's not like a job. It's a lifestyle that you live.

It's 24 hours a day. Dr. Biden the first president's wife in history to work outside the residence is still teaching in person classes two days a week at Northern Virginia community college. I know, for example, you came home from getting final change her clothes and went to the Christmas tree light. I think some people would say you've earned it. You've proven it. It's okay, you can hang up your textbooks.

Now, because teaching really is who I it's a part of life for me and when I go into the classroom.

People accept me for being an English teacher and gift to get think it though. Jill Biden is a longtime advocate for free community college president has now dropped it from his build back better bill so it was not hard for you to hear. Did you say to him. Joe, this is not the last.

Now I understand compromise and I knew this was not the right moment for that doesn't mean it might not get somewhere down the teacher over the years.

A lot of people close to the present had described you as one of his most important advisors, and I wondered how that White House.

I listened to him. He listens to me each and we talk about what's going on every day. What's going on with our lives and not in his advisor on his spouse on his wife. You've seen the president's poll numbers drop does that bother you and I look at it a little differently. Rita during the campaign. Joe made certain promises things that he would do and we were going through a pandemic which no one could have anticipated. So he did come in and rescue America with the American rescue plan and millions of families got money because they were desperate. We have vaccines for kids ages five and up and now with the infrastructure plan were going to have better roads and better buildings that don't have asbestos better drinking water so you figure once the public kind of comprehensiveness things will turn around IQ. IQ and one more question on that on the polls because there been some recent polls that show that quite a few Americans have some questions about the president's current mental fitness as somebody who spends I can see you shaking your head so what's your response to I think that's ridiculous. We got to observe the bond between the Biden's only traveled aboard Air Force One with them. Just a few days before Thanksgiving, Brad North Carolina, where she introduced him like your family to us, and we cannot thank you enough to stop dinner to servicemen and women their late son Bo in Iraq war veteran. The Biden's have long been dedicated to supporting military families, something I think about every single day. So it's so great to feel welcome dear with people and hear their stories saw that Biden family spirit White House Monday.

Dr. Biden's holiday get operations run rave reviews gingerbread house on America's workers. It looks amazing. Was it fun to do what's fun to do. The central theme gifts from the heart. What's the gift that we are so is the gift of peace and unity and you can see that all that encircles this tree, but as president Joe Biden joined us.

Thank you so much Mr. present forgiving. It was clear that both I understand that unity is an elusive goal. This has been hard when the mill pandemic you know various things that you've done got a lot of criticism hard time getting the other side to work with you. Don't you ever feel discouraged about the criticism get healing help you through. Well, you know, I guess it should go to war but look one of the things we did decide my words. I know what I'm going to lose if we walk away from class walk away from trying.

People start to engage in sin, politics of the last four years will lose your willing to lose your presence I present strictly for certain things just like for example Afghanistan. Well I guess that Warner gives them further from the verb members and $300 million a week over 20 years know what he says you could've gotten out without any anybody being hurt. Those come up with whatever's good to me and so there are certain things that are just so important.

As for what it's like for him to have his wife of 44 years at his side through all of this every time a helicopter where she stones about a lucky man. I smile too emotional, and emotional issues right well I am I am I am Joe is wife of my love of my life just a matter of just straight and makes a lot easier when you start off with the same respect and from the perspective of first lady Jill Biden. No matter where I travel across this country. A lot of people say Jill I feel like I can breathe again. Thank you. Please tell the president thank you for what he's doing, being a freshman congressman is always easy, but Richie Torres seems to hold tight to his roots. John Dickerson talks with the New York option the 15th congressional district in New York's South Bronx has a number of distinctions. It's home to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx zoo.

It's one of the most Democratic districts in the country's largest, and something else. This is of course the what is more than half the residents in the South Bronx pay more than half their income for their rent and that's before you factor in the cost of food and transportation and utilities and prescription drugs. At just 33 years old. Richie Torres represents the 15th in Congress are real people. Results of the going to affect our lives. For him the issues that Joe Biden has staked his presidency on reducing inequality, overhauling the social safety net are not as abstract as the build back better term used to describe them for Torres their personal apartment to a window so that's the window you what you looking out the window thinking when you're grown up as a whole world of opportunity that might seem like a bold thought given the Torres grew up in chronically underfunded public housing in the Bronx of someone who grew up with a whole range of child and family members justice system.

The phase housing security of food insecurity. The one constant in my life was a stable, affordable Richie Torres and his sister and twin brother were raised by their single mother. There were moments when we could not afford to my mother would lurch from one low-wage job to the next, and so are income very widely and will cut jobs that you mechanic food server is the whole range of low-wage jobs mechanic karma can you the motivations that would drive a future congressman were all around as a teenager he helped care for his grandmother after she was widowed and in declining health, but he learned he could only do so much.

What was that experience like it's painful to see people you love were the leaders of your family. The strong matrix of your family struggle in their final years become shadows of their former selves as part of the reason I feel so strongly about I want. For every older in America. What I would want my own criminal in high school. He was captain of the long team leading to school to win New York City's moot court championship. He entered New York University full of promise, but faced a personal crisis that cut his studies short. I was hoping that I would graduate going to law school or go on to become a teacher during the latter years of mine high school time for my early college years, I came to struggle with depression and so I dropped out. There were moments when I thought of taking my life because I felt as if the world around me had collapsed. Torres sought therapy started taking an antidepressant and found his way back by immersing himself in local politics.

He ran for the New York City Council despite calling himself an introvert.

I would have to drink one glass of wine before every speech he won becoming the youngest member ever to win a city Council seat we uncover evidence after six years, Torres ran for Congress, becoming the first gay Afro Latino representative. The most important lesson that my mother taught me is never forget where you come from. He has the idealism of youth, but recognizes politics has limits some moral debates. For example, are distractions so I'm up Democratic hand it out there somewhere and my Republican opponent is mischaracterizing critical race theory. Do I answer those mischaracterizations or do I talk about prescription drug costs with the bulk of my remarks, I would focus on cost because if you conduct your campaign on the terms set by your opponents than you want to lose.

Moderates must win or Democrats will lose the majority.

I'm in a deep blue district, one of the most Democratic districts in America and so on, respectful and mindful of the perspectives of members who are on the front lines and purple districts and whoever feel for swing voters much more than I did. Let's rebuild America. We talk about a lot and half a loaf is better than no loaf which might mean whittling down social policy legislation to win the vote of moderate Democratic Sen. Joe mansion is a progressive, why put all this blood sweat and tears into electing Democrats and marching and speaking passionately about these issues. If the West Virginia senators can call the tune for what the party believes I refuse to allow progressive purity to be the enemy of progress in the room for me for the district that I represent an expanded child tax credit home care, affordable prescription drugs, childcare, all of these represent progress, Torres will be able to see the results when he visits his mom who still lives in the apartment of his youth. How will the lives of the people present buttons legislation signed were finally going to have the opportunity to bring public housing, insisted none of the six of this, but replace elevators so that disabled residents are no longer prisoners in their own will replace poorly. So the people have consistent water in the winter bring people closer to the ideal safety is for Richie Torres each key to giving the next kid like him some reason to look out the window and hope when people asked me how my mother raised three children on wage I describe his mission. There a mothers report off manage to remain hopeful in the face of real deprivation in some sense of if that triumph of hope that inspires me, insisting we Thank you for listening and please don't to get next Drew Barrymore all my goodness, I want to tell you about our new show business, and each episode mean a weekly gastric to cover all the quirky find inspiring and informative stories that exist on the ball because well and maybe you do too. From the newest interior design trend RB core to the right and wrong way to wash her armpit also working to get in the things that you just kind of will probably not able to do in daytime television. So watch out.

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