and correspondents. they busted ass this entire week, an unbelievable job. we'll be in charlotte covering the dnc next week. cooked up some comedy, aasif mandvi, his tampa, he was born here. don't miss it, here say little taste, your moment of zen. >> this is the house i grew up in, this is my dad right here. and we could have gone anywhere in america and we picked tampa because tampa is the greatest city in america. >> it's okay. >> it's okay? >> it's okay. >> what dow mean, it's okay, captioning sponsored by comedy central

(laughter) >> i think i can get america back from those that want to

change this country. (cheers and applause) >> stephen: welcome to the report, everybody. hey! fantastic to have you with us. thank you so much! thank you so much, folks. nation -- >> stephen, stephen, stephen! stephen, stephen, stephen! stephen, stephen! >> stephen: ladies and gentlemen, thats with a little delayed but i will take it anyway i can get it i'm not proud. folks, welcome to the show. last night was the final evening of the republican national convention and, of course, they saved the last for last. (laughter) mitt romney did a great job. there was never any doubt that this man was going to stick the landing because he never left the ground. (laughter)

he answered:-- entered through the crowd, engaging in the traditional human greeting of palm grasp. (laughter) and folks, if you were looking for a speech, he gave one. (laughter) and not just words-- like that? and not just words, folks. subject-verb agreement, different tenses, jimmy blow your mitt load. >> if every child could go to sleep feeling wrapped in the love of your family and god's love this world would be a far more gentler place. my mom and dad gave their kids the greatest gift of all, the gift of unconditional love. >> stephen: folks, that was from the heart. and unlike obama, mitt romney does not rely on teleprompters. he relies on hallmark cue cards. (laughter) he took a long time picking

them out. goes through all of them. folks, with a speech like this, it's really hard to pick a highlight. but if i had to pick a mid light, it would be this. >> president obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans. and to heal the planet my promise is to help you and your family. >> stephen: yeah, [bleep] the planet! (cheers and applause) show of hands, how many of your families live on the planet? (cheers and applause) oh, then it seems a lot less funny, now. now folks, when the speech was over, the reaction in the pundit sphere was

unanimous. something had occurred. >> the most cogent analysis of all came from chris wallace on fox news. >> you know guys i was going go through a long checklist of what i liked about the speech and i didn't like, but it's silly. because tonight people are only looking at the extraordinary pictures of these beautiful families and, you know, i don't think anything that you can say is going to match any of this. so i'm just going to shut up and watch. >> stephen: thanks, chris. (laughter) that's a great new slogan. fox news, just shut up and watch. (laughter) (cheers and applause) but of course-- but of course the question remains, was romney's speech effective wince thought that speech was good enough. >> it was a workman like job, it certainly got the job done. >> this was a solid speech. >> a very solid, dare i say business-like speech. >> it was a solid speech. >> a solid speech.

>> he did a solid job. >> a solid guy. >> stephen: yes, question all agree that mitt romney is a solid. matter cannot pass through him. and he does not conform to the shape of his container. and folks, solid was all mitt needed to be. >> if the goal was the speech was that mitt romney is a plausible president, i think he succeeded on that level. >> stephen: it's true, during the primaries we heard so much about mitt's elect ability but not about his plaus ability. i mean just look at him, he's plausible. i mean who needs yes we can. the republicans have yes, we can imagine the scenario where this could happen. (laughter) so-- a clear triumph after nearly a decade of working toward this moment. mitt, the nominee was on the front page of all the papers like the "u.s.a. today".

we deserve better. and of course-- and of course rupert murdoch's conservative "new york post" had him splashed across the lower right 16th edge in what many called the snooki corner. the rest of the page, of course, was dedicated to a more dynamic speaker, an empty chair. (laughter) you see-- you see, folks, the deal is that all week there have been rumors that thursday night would feature a surprise. >> inside the building a new question swirling over one person slated to speak here at the rnc on thursday night. who will it be? it is a mystery speaker. (laughter) given a high profile spot in the schedule, trace gallagher, who could it be? (laughter)

>> stephen: yes-- yes, like, like fox news anchors, i believe that this means something good is coming. (laughter) yes, yes, oh, oh, oh, oh, happy anniversary, darling. (laughter) i got you a surprise. here, it's a this psatry i made for you, it's got a mystery filling. so good! now-- yes. who could, who could the mystery speaker be? was it sarah palin? was it hologram ryg an? was it me? sadly no. evidently i learned how to belch the second amendment for nothing. well, last night we finally

got our answer. it was hollywood legend clint eastwood. carrying on a conversation with an invisible obama in an empty chair. and having watched last night's mystery speaker i can say with some confidence, the mystery remains. (laughter) jim? >> i have mr. obama sitting here. and es-- i just was going to ask him a couple questions. but-- you know, how do you handle promises that you have made when you were running for election? and how do you handle-- how do you handle it? i mean what do you say to people? do you just-- i thought, well, i think closing gitmo, why close that, we spent so much money on it. but-- i thought maybe it is an excuse-- oh, what do you mean shut up. what do you want me to tell romney? i can't tell him to do that, he can't do that to himself.

>> stephen: folks, there has not been a political speech this powerful since the famous lincoln book shelf debate. (laughter) and it's not just me. it's not just me enjoying it, the praise was universal. >> you saw him begin with a very odd schtick by clint eastwood and i think you may have wondered what was going on. >> let's talk a little bit about the elephant in the room or perhaps the empty chair. >> look, it didn't work. >> i do think that the time might have been better spent, you know, if they had it to do over they would probably leave it out. >> there is no way i'm going to touch clint eastwood's performance tonight. >> stephen: once again for fox news that is countries wallace, just shutting up and watching. (laughter) (cheers and applause) >> stephen: well, folks, well, folks, it's the day after. and everybody wants him on the show.

but i got him to talk about last night's speech, please welcome clint eastwood's chair. (cheers and applause) chair, chair, thank you for joining us. oh no, no, the hon certificate all mine. now, whatever your political beliefs everybody loves clint. what was it like working with eastwood? what was he like? well, yes, at time, of course, he seemed a little, you know, we were worried. but-- what-- that's a terrible thing to say. how do you know, maybe he had a prescription for those. you don't know what you're talking about. what-- what's that? you want me to do what? there's no way coy fit my fist in there. listen, you're just dodging the fact that unemployment is still above 8% and obama has kept none of his

campaign promises for the-- what? okay, he signed the lily ledbetter ago guaranteeing equal pay for women but that was on day one of his administration. i mean just name something big that-- okay, okay, he saved the auto industry. well, what about the government takeover of health care y should my money go to-- yes, i am well aware that we are the only western nation without universal health care but-- yes, of course i am my brother's keeper, i'm a christian bu but-- yes, i do ask what i can do for my country bu but-- yes-- yes, of course i want to live in hope. everyone wants to join a cause greater than themselves but-- i'm sorry, i interrupted you, go on, what were you saying? (laughter) uh-huh? right. well, i feel that way all the time. i want to keep trying, but

can we? yes? yes? yes, we can? yes, we can! yes, we can! yes, we can! yes, we can! yes, we can! yes, we can! clint eastwood's chair, everybody. (cheers and applause) clint eastwood's chair! oh, oh-- chair-ryan 2012. [bleep] it's too late. we'll be right back. (cheers and applause) we asked over 3,000 doctors to review 5-hour energy

and what they said is amazing. over 73 percent who reviewed 5-hour energy said they would recommend a low calorie energy supplement to their healthy patients who use energy supplements. seventy-three percent. 5-hour energy has four calories and it's used over nine million times a week. is 5-hour energy right for you? ask yodoctor. we already asked 3,000.

>> welcome back, everybody. thank you so much. nation, america lost an icon last week. the first man to walk on the moon, neil armstrong. and remembrances have been pouring in like money pouring out of nasa's budget. (laughter) >> he was an american hero and a space pioneer. >> armstrong rewrote history. >> he was the epitome of cool under pressure. >> a man who made his country believe that with enough know how we could do anything. >> i want to give a shoutout to astronaut neil armstrong. thank you for letting us all dream of going where no man has gone before. (laughter)

>> yes, you can always count on geraldo rivera to find just the right words from-- the star trek opening credits. well, nation-- i would like to ad my voice to these tributes and say, neil armstrong, i don't know. no, no, hear me out. i know i'm to the going to win any space medals for this but may i remind you what he said when he first set foot on the moon. >> that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. >> mankind? what's wrong with america kind, neil. i'm sorry, did you plant the flag of mankind? did mankind spend millions of colors and thousands of man hours developing you a refreshing orange space

drink? look, i can understand getting all caught up in the moment and having a slip of the tongue but for god's sake you brought a plaque it up there which reads we came in peace for all mankind. come on! the space race was a proxy war against the soviets. that plaque should have read, suck it ivan sincerely jfk's ghost. come on! but what offends me most about armstrong is that he was the first man on the moon and never had the decency to wallow in his fame. >> you some times seem uncomfortable with your celebrity, that you would rather not have all of this attention. >> no i just don't deserve it. >> this is how little this guy understands america. (laughter) celebrity has nothing to do with deserving anything. (laughter) come on!

600 million people watched him land on the moon that is the ultimate reality show. he got voted off the planet. (laughter) what a tragedy that the greatest adventurer in history never had the balls to cash in. i mean he could have appeared with scooby and the gang in terror at tranquillity base or endorse neil armstrong's moon pies. that's one small snack for man, one giant treat for mankind. we'll be right back. (cheers and applause)

>> welcome back, everybody. my guest tonight is the political-- without kind the phrase, it's the economy stupid. to be fair he said it back when there was an economy. please welcome james carville. (cheers and applause)

james, good to see you again. thank you for coming back. >> thank you. >> how are you. >> i'm doing great. i'm all fired up. you are down in tampa. >> i had he had to follow a chair, that is not fair. >> that chair was very effective it beat me in a debate over there everybody knows are you a political consultant, pundit actor bourbon pitchman. >> yes. >> you have a new book here called it's the mill class, stupid. now are you calling the middle class stupid? or are you calling me stupid, or worse are you calling me middle class. >> what is the meaning of that phrase, it's like the economy, stupid. and you remind yourself to remind yourself what we're all about here. >> stephen: okay. >> and so to remind ourselves that what this country is really about is a middle class. >> stephen: at this point isn't the middle class legendary like buying foot.

the middle class is in so much trouble s there much of a middle class left to appeal to? >> that's one of the problems. they've lost 40% of their net worth between 2007 and 2009. >> thanks, obama. >> he was-- he stop blaming people who did it. >> you're right, what can i say, and he closed that plant in wisconsin too, so-- but, yes, and the book is to sort of remind people what has happened to the american middle class and what are some things that we can do to sort of help rebuilt it, if you will. >> okay. what's romney got to say. what is the thing that he has to communicate to the american people. de a good job last night by communicating -- yeah, he communicated this, if you agree with bush's economic policy, cheney's foreign policy and santorum's social policy you loved romney's speech. >> stephen: i did. >> there was not one thing-- .

>> stephen: i loved his speech, i loved his speech. >> stephen, it was designed to appeal to you. if, it was right in your wheelhouse. >> stephen: i'm flattered. >> as you should. >> stephen: thank you very much. >> yes, sir. >> stephen: what dow predict for the post convention bounce, i say 40 points. >> maybe 2. >> stephen: 2. >> 3. the romney people are probably predicted 11. >> the romney people put clint eastwood out there. >> i thought he gave a very fitting speech, now in charlotte are you only doing three days down there, right. >> no i think we're going the wol-- . >> stephen: only doing three days. >> all right. >> stephen: i actually do have fact checkers and they said three days. >> okay, three days. >> stephen: you have got real financial problems putting on this convention. >> right. >> stephen: i understand are you holding it at a waffle house.

obama is way down on the money opposite mitt romney. how big of a difference do you think that will make over the next two months. >> some. >> stephen: request obama win this one. >> can win it but there is a huge money advantage. i mean to be perfectly blunt about t the polluters and the financers are really getting behind the republicans. >> stephen: you mean the job creators, did you come here tonight on a bicycle. >> come to think of it i came in on a colbert report lincoln navigator. >> stephen: all "the colbert report" cars burn panda meat. >> if the republican message is we built it, what is the democratic message next week going to be. >> i think the democratic message next week is going to talk about some of the things that president obama has-- and joe bidesen right.

general motors and bin laden, bin laden is dead but they really have got to talk about what does he want to do the next four years. and i think if he does that i think he'll be fine. >> stephen: he whispered to medvedev if he gets re-elected will have more flexibility. that means resell alaska back to the russians, right? james, thank you so much for joining me. >> thank you. >> stephen: james carville, the book is it's the middle class, stupid. we'll be right back.