GOLDEN MOMENTS FROM 45 YEARS ON THE AIR

2024-03-19 - ALL PHOTOS FROM C-SPAN

FEB. 25, 1983

While hosting a viewer call-in show featuring students who had toured the Capitol and the White House, host and C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb was stunned when one caller turned out to be President Ronald Reagan. Reagan had met the students earlier in the day but wanted to expand on some of the topics they had discussed.

SEPT. 24, 2013

While attempting to stop legislation funding the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas spoke to the Senate for 21 hours. He ran through a number of topics to fill time and, at one point, pulled out a copy of Dr. Seuss’s “Green Eggs and Ham” to read to his young daughters, who he said were watching at home.

MAY 19, 1984

Rep. Newt Gingrich of Georgia began giving strongly partisan speeches ... but after hours, when House business was done for the day. Speaker of the House Tip O’neill ordered House cameras to break away from their usual podium-only view and show the entire chamber, revealing Gingrich was talking to an empty House.

DEC. 16, 2014

North Carolina-based political activists Dallas (Republican) and Brad (Democrat) Woodhouse appeared on a C-SPAN talk show to discuss their documentary on divides in family and politics. One caller in particular, they found very familiar. “Oh, God,” Dallas moaned. “It’s Mom!” Joy Woodhouse asked her boys to tone it down a notch for the holidays.

OCT. 1, 1991

Freshman Congressman Jim Nussle of Iowa, attempting to draw attention to a scandal involving an internal bank of the House of Representatives, wore a paper bag to begin a speech on the floor of the House. He then whipped it off, saying it was time to take off the “mask” and “bring honor back” to the House.

JUNE 23, 2016

Democrats demanding a vote on gun control legislation and angered by a recess called by Republican leadership staged a sit-in on the floor — literally — of the House. While official House cameras were turned off, several of the members of Congress broadcast video via social media. C-SPAN put those feeds on the air.