republican. i think that is what you're seeing across the states. >> and his elections when republicans support are the one who sponsor building a bridge to nowhere. in 2006 everyone knew about that conservators just abandon the gop. by the way it's not about government spending. it's about ways. that is what makes people angry. we can argue over the definition of ways, but that's the worth of public uses. so why not focus on not? mitch daniels is here. he's a great communicator. so of course he can get through this reform. he is the ability to communicate reforms. if you don't explain what you do them or some governors right now pushing really hard that i'm explaining the context behind it. they are not talking about the result. they are talking about the situation now, but not what the outcome will be. and they will face a problem.

you can do great things as you've done in louisiana and mississippi, but you guys are sitting between two of the best communicators the governors have. they're a peep in the square here that haven't explained to voters that they are doing and why and they're not going to get credit for it. >> i think frankly you in a to each other in the 90s, a lot of times it sounded like cannons. we tend to talk about that. you need to tell people what you are for, why you are for it and how it will help their families and communities. if you just keep that little simple thing in mind, usually you can get to the point if it's the right policy. but you are right and bobby is right. my experience when we lose it is not because people change their mind about the policy they want. it is because they change their mind about us. they decide we are not adhering to what they thought they voted

for. >> and they'll personalize. i give you an example on taxes. i'm fat now so i can do it as well as i used to. i'm totally out of shape. when you wake up in the morning you pay a sales tax. as you drive to work u.k. gas tax. he flushed the toilet you pay a water taxpayer to turn on your tv and pay cable tax. he flew here from another state. use your cell phone and phone tax. he bowersox refuted you pay at closing tax. wow, you really are poor and mississippi. [laughter] just for the record, his shoes cost more than everything i own. [laughter] we are taxed in the morning we wake up in the morning to the moment we go to sleep at night. hard-working americans deserve a break and i'm going to give it to them. it's personal. it's human. his day-to-day networks.

>> just to jump on something you said, governor what he said you talk about what it is that she wants to do and how it's going to help him and everything. one of the questions i pay a fee to frank, but i do get to moderate focus groups, too. and down the stretch in the virginia governor's race in 09 i was doing governor mcdonald's pulling and we did focus groups once a week in northern virginia, figuring if we did okay in northern virginia we would win statewide. one of the questions i would ask before we got the testing was, you know, what is bob mcdonald trying to say about himself to voters like you about why we should vote for them. people would give reasons, one of which is in all of the above energy policy. what he was trying to say about himself i got blank stares back. people said be quiet because they couldn't think of anything. then they laugh nervously and said maybe that's why he's got a problem and i don't want to vote

for him. these are independent swing voters. so again, it is not just -- and obama will find this out. it's not just against someone or giving them reasons to vote against somebody. you have to have a reason to vote for somebody, particularly for an executive office like president or governor. you have to deal to communicate what you'll do in the job and why you should be hired for that job. and i think that is one of the keys -- one of the things democrats have forgotten and they're kind of wash to make republicans look so extreme and attack and attack and attack that they have forgotten that they need to be for something. >> frank, glenn said obama has no choice but to rent a very negative campaign. the question is trying to get across a minute ago, can the incumbent president be reelected

if he has to resort to just running a negative campaign and can't run on his record? and the import of that question is, what the strategy quan described for, and they're very negative campaign, cannot wear? >> for obama's personal likability is still quite high. i keep looking at 2004 because -- not 2004. 1984. when people do not support reagan's policies but liked him as a person and walter mondale is so disagreeable, they like to bomb a and they believed that he is trying, which is keys to governors here. your intent is not quite as import is your results, but it's pretty darn important. and they still believe that his intent is good. if he stays so negative, it will destroy that in hand, destroys personal favorability and undercut the one thing holding

them up right now because when you ask about the specific job related attributes, he fails. he fails miserably. i would not be delivering negative messages on the campaign trail. it's okay in our testing because they were separated. that negative words. i would not let negative word come out of my mouth. i would let joe biden be negative. amtrak built this car because of joe biden. let him go out and be the guy. but i want to be sure that you feel that i'm in doing it. if he feels negative, i believe he is not reelected, and that he needs a balance. and i'm not sure if people really feel that now. >> bobby come you follow for the country campaigning for people in all your four years as governor, what do you see as the difference between steaks like

ours that vote overwhelmingly republican? and were greeted daddy want this in the industrial midwest for the west coast environment? i mean, what do you think the issues are that make the georgia to texas swing so much safer for the farm states that are so loyally republican? would've we got going for us that they don't have going for them? >> a couple things are interesting. louisiana was one of the last southern states good to talk about the deep south and southern strategy. louisiana is a u.s. senator until recently had never had a republican majority in either chamber i did not have a history of electing republican governors. i voted for twice. a lot of voters and the fact reregister democrat was a

republican nationally. even a voter registration, even though our numbers are increasing in their numbers are tear creasing, were still half the size of the democratic party. they outnumbered two to one even today. so i think what's interesting, let's look at state that a red versus blue, but the states that are changing. louisiana is moving in the right direction. west virginia is one of those states that wants to move in the right direction and certainly a lot of talk about the western states may be becoming more purple, moving kind of towards the middle. i think that the voters -- reagan at the famous thing about the democratic party -- and that leaving the democratic party. i think you've got a lot of voters in louisiana that looked around in a couple things happen. i think they stayed pretty much where they were in their beliefs and select the parties moved around them. so their fathers, grandfathers, moms, and everybody having

democrats. they told him there's no point in registering republican. this is a tax paid tax payer. they say you only have one choice. you got to register democrat otherwise you don't voted our stay. for generations come you got people that voted for their local municipal elections although he up stray puppy. see what a lot of people do come and tell me, you're the first republican i've ever voted for. i'm glad my dad is not alive. there is a strong cultural identification and i think over time they saw the party didn't consistently, time and time again would nominate candidates are seen up for ideas they didn't agree with. but the second thing that is so great when you see governors and you've got states like michigan, wisconsin, pennsylvania, ohio, a whole lot of states that have elected republican governors to succeed to oust democratic governors. those governors are showing in any of these states, republican candidates can win. cannot wait there's permanent

republican or permit democratic states. what those candidates have shown is the relevant message with a competent leader, with a good leader, we can win in states, whether it's in the midwest or the industrial part of the country at the northern part of the country. one of our great friends from rhode island with a very successful governor of rhode island. we had a governor in vermont several terms they are, so we can win in those states that are called blue states or red states. i don't think there's anything in her dnas that make us red states or blue states. what tends to happen in some states as the parties would've been their gates to build up your glenn talked about infrastructure and over time they start building up local volunteers and people that are currently party people search identified. a lot of people just have never voted for a republican because

they never one for share for the education of the school border mayors. so i think what's great about drg as we do support candidates all over the country. we support candidates in many new governor sitting here because they went got involved in the states where we hadn't had a republican governor before. i'm a big believer that we have to expand the map. to president obama's credit politically for years ago if you were gone in history and said a democratic governor is going to compete in virginia and north carolina, he went and won in so-called red states. i don't think he could win those three states this time by the way. it's up to mr. reichert can any to get the message to compete in those states like the northwest. we have a great candidate in washington state, so i think we can be competitive in areas that we've not won statewide elections recently. >> it's evident because we've elected so many republican governors that states that are very hard for us for president.

i wonder, glenn, as we think about the u.s. senate and we all think we got this great chance to win the senate, or decrease the fat, 20 democratic seats, only 10 republican seats, i'm not sure it's that easy. what do you think the prospects are that we win a majority majority in the senate? and particularly if obama is reelected, what are the chances we'll win a majority in the senate? >> look, it's not going to be as clear-cut. in terms of opportunities for pickups, i think on the governor gubernatorial level, they are really south. on the senate level, i would be shocked and very disappointed if we did not at least get the 50 seats in the senate. because when you look at where some of the best opportunities are, those are seats that republicans will run well and the republican nominees for hanwell for president.

so you have that synergy there. at work, senate races tend to break one way. so you know, a lot will depend on what happens on the presidential level. typically the senate races usually go republican or democratic. even if the rest of the country looks much more evenly divided. so we are going to be facing a huge tipping point next to tober in states like missouri and others, where you've got, you know, contested races for governor and senate. i think how well they run as a team, not as a team. that's not the rightward. if they ran a coordinated effort, i think that can really make a big difference. >> a chance to answer that question will take questions from the governors and the audience. the level of hatred towards congress is unlike anything that any of us have ever seen. a 9% approval rating could not

be at a 15% approval rating of libya and that was among people who killed them. [laughter] at choate did not -- i took a joke to republican senators. they did not laugh. [laughter] the opportunity is so amazing for challengers regardless of what political party you are. it is not an anti-republican antidemocratic mood or movement. it is an anti-incumbent, antiestablishment, anti-elitist, anti-status quo. it is a rejection of those things that got us towards whatever point we are now and are rejecting it for the future. the message for the governors here come the democratic governors to us if you look and sound like the status quo, you are done. and how do you govern in a situation like that?

i have to think the gop got a 50/50 shot at getting the senate, but i feel sorry for you all. i think you're the luckiest person of the year because you're getting now. how do you govern when people can even send the same room and talk to each other, we can't go to those opposed and have a civil dialogue with them when they will stand up and oppose you? you know i moderated the debate out in iowa 10 days ago, a forum. educate time at the beginning to give a protest or two minutes the mike so they could speak so that the whole thing would get disrupted. eric cantor had to cancel a speech at the university of pennsylvania, a great school because the occupy wall street people are taken the first hundred tickets ever going to protest and disrupt the whole time. governors, i don't know how you do it now. and i do think in addition to what we do politically, some of the sinister and have to figure out why we do out of respect and decency and stability because if

we lose the ability to talk to each other and disagree without destroying each other, and then we are going to have an awful next 10, 20, 30 years in this country. >> can i get some house lights? how we will see who wants to hear. >> thank you. i enjoyed your presentation. frank, you touched on a question i've had for a long time here and that is the dysfunctionality in washington. i think governors are actually a lot more collegial. we get along better in based on a set of principles and the governors to have to go back after we have a discussion and actually do something. congress is able to kick it on down the road for a while. you've written a book, words matter. what about the word compromise? do we ever use that again? the founding fathers seem to make it work okay. or can we use the word compromise anymore in

washington? >> no. if you talk about compromise, they'll say you are selling out. your side doesn't want you to compromise. which use interface and that word is cooperation. it means the same thing, but cooperation means you can stick to your principles and still get the job done. compromise says you are out principles. >> i will say this. and my stay at, where i had the democrat legislation for seven years and the democrat house for eight years and we've all pretty hard on some stuff, but by and large, we could sit down to we might not agree, but we can deal with each other civilly. and washington strikes me as being far worse than the state

capitals. >> possibly one of the reasons and this is just a fact of computers and policy today. gerrymandered seats. the fewer competitive seats there are, the more the members of congress are worried about primaries than they are about competitive general election. and it goes back to you are selling now. you know, you're caving in to their side. and keep in mind, too, one of the frustrations republicans have had over the years in washington as the democrats talk about compromise, that usually means you do things our way. that is what they mean when they say compromise. but frankly the fewer competitive races at the congressional level, the less likely there is to be compromise. the flipside is every governor here who controlled their lives, it's rational to do so. >> ton of people to sacrifice. because there isn't an american today in november of 2011

doesn't understand sacrifice. you tell them not to sacrifice for the pretty angry at you. you talk about we're all in this together. we either succeed together or fail together. he preached the universality of it. sacrifices personal and nobody feels they can afford to give any more. we are all in this together is the universality of it and people are then willing to do what you want from them if they think that everyone is engaged in this process. >> i'm going to give myself a little bit, but when i first ran for office in 1998 campaign and the legislative seat, i have no cards in a tin box and that is how i hide precincts go door-to-door to campaign. we did a lot of mailers for the different social media thinks we have now. but now that we have 24/7 news, we have facebook, which we,

twitter, it e-mail, all those things have really changed the political landscape for anyone on issues and anyone running for office. and it is hard, especially when you have people attacking you and its immediate response versus u.k. did a piece of the male 20 years ago the next day. talk a little how social media, and the internet, 24/7 news that we see, how it affects the politics and issues and campaign. >> well, look the biggest challenge if you touched on you have to react right away. a candidate makes a mistake now you have to deal with it forthrightly and upfront immediately. and that hardly gives you time to kind of think about okay, now what is the grain of truth? i mean, look at the kane campaign for president, where the first accusations about harassment came out and they

kept changing their story, that's a real problem. and that is why he went from the front runner to areas right now. not because of the details, but because they couldn't get their stories straight. the fact that it's a 24/7 news cycle and you've got the internet which amplifies everything. and by the way, everybody in this room regardless of what you do, you should assume you're being taped. and whether it's a cell phone or whatever. you know what time you make a mistake. it's going to show up on the internet. if you do everything right, then it's not going to show up on the internet. if you do it right, and i will be so much credit to go around that it won't. so it's when you make a mistake that you become immediately famous and that's not what you want. you just have to presume whatever it is you're doing, somebody is keeping you, someone is going to tweet about it. and by the way, that's the other

thing. professional athletes really show that these days. he got out to put your immediate knee-jerk reaction on twitter. it's much, much better to be smart and think through what it is you're trying to communicate and what you're trying to get across, like i'm trying to do is focus. >> one thing that behooves all of us that we can all do, learn to use them as twos. learn to use it as some thing that advances our camp paint on the way. all those bad things he's had to deal with and you're going to have to learn how to be agile enough to be a lot more agile. but at a minimum, learn how to use those tools so they take the place of your card box and get you toward something that you can use. >> i know a lot of people talk about -- on the positive side

you've got a much more engaged voter population. you've got much more civic duty. all date myself as well. i remember being an intern. when you're an intern, a lot of that his research and writing back in drafting responses to correspondents. that and if we cut letters, that meant less if someone took a time to write the hand-lettered and generally get interns at there in august and the members are gone. you get letters about things that happened weeks before review draft response in a few days later snappers about to make it a letter back in the mail people were thrilled their congressman had written about québec issue. in today's world, nowadays i see this in our state legislature. there is a hot issue coming up, the legislators go to the mic and say they're voting differently because they got a certain number of e-mails literally within minutes about the bill coming up with a certain number of phone calls generated. so voters are now able to get that information more quickly.

i think you seen a big difference in not only the halls of congress, but also state legislators and how they respond to that. >> or author should have a mission for every single issue you'll deal with, probably 30, 35 missions. not a mission statement has that's political. we're poor sentence sentence max. they have two or three statistics underneath that you will quote again and again. underneath that you will have a set of words, phrases. every issue as a single page and whoever is responsible for social media keeps going back to that same thing. i know for fact and i look around at the names here because i know enough people who are here. at least half a dozen governors still have it tonight and there was behind the eight ball because they are always responding to rather than engaging preventative communication or assertive communication because they haven't even created the message that goes along with the policy. you know both and you've always been good at both.

and these kinds of policy changes every year, but he knows the language behind it at the same time. you cannot separate the two and expect to succeed. because of social media you don't have the time. if you don't have the briefing book prepared to take a two over the next five days, 10 days. so for the rest of the time your governor, everyone knows that needs to go on twitter, facebook and all the social media sites. >> frank, i think you're right about the message of occupy wall street the one that resonates. people can understand the one person for 99 and the numbers are what they are with the income gap. and i think it does have potential but people don't pacify with occupiers, but the message is a good easy one. is there any ability to change the conversation too wide a gap is spreading? is their inability to do that? >> absolutely. it goes to the focus of policy.

we are in orlando, florida. is this on disney property? is very close that it's not. if you are wearing a suit and tie, stand up. come on. [laughter] this is what's wrong. [laughter] it's symbolic tiered and announcing you want to look like these hippie freaks from the late 60s, but when they see people like us, any politician because they're not happy with the democrats. they think that -- first off i have three weeks for you all. i get it. if you asked me whether republican or democrat, were the first two words i use to address them if i get it? i get to hear angry. i get that you see inequality. i get that you want to fix the

system. you're pretty conservative, but i think you'd understand what is causing people to be so bad. if you have knowledge that anger, you can then take step two. in step two to should be occupying washington. you should occupy the white house because those policies over the last three years have created this problem. but if you don't begin with i get it and all you do is insult them, which a couple presidential candidates did, it's a great line for that debate room, but it causes an awful lot of damage all across living rooms of america. >> my old granddaddy used to tell us, never underestimate the natural animosity of a poor man for a rich man. and that is just a good starting place for their side because they got some facts that really made the right point. this administration's policies have been pushed up the money to wall street, main street --

there's no recovery on main street. you know that. the biggest difference in my lifetime is between the real economy and the stock market. between main street and wall street. i never have seen anything that compares with this. huge businesses they're making money off the inning. >> but it's time for that phrase class welfare. over the last couple weeks -- one set. class warfare is ideological and it sounds like college campus and it actually sounds political. but the public resents politicians that divide americans. in the end, we are the united states of america. there is more that unites us than divides us. and so the public to leave and will reject those politicians who try to pit against each other in favor of those who try to find common ground. once again it is not a compromise of philosophy or

ideology, but he does seem that if you divide us, you weaken us. that is the best response. >> paul. >> one of the biggest issues facing.com out of the boston, new york papers and our state is the whole issue of big as this is sitting on big cash. and it goes to the question of hoarding. i mean, the policies have been bad. the administration's policies have been helping wall street, not me stricken people on wall street are sitting on the cash. and so a lot of the 90 niners say, that is the problem, is they are getting a lot of money. and the jobs are being created. what is their rebuttal? ..

administration. one where people can feel like what -- businesses conflict they can take a risk, spend some money and not have the rug pulled out from underneath them by some crazy regulations and, you know, obviously there's a different way to say that, but when you communicate that that's

when people nod their head and say i get it. >> as a party we talk a lot about excessive regulation and we talk about the message of more effective regulation of the local level but i will give you a couple examples in louisianan we had a project ready to break ground a few years ago 3 billion-dollar capital investment, $75,000 average salary of those were very important local community. they delayed breaking ground in part because of their concern about the uncertainty of cap-and-trade rules coming out of washington, d.c. so the eventually decided to break ground last year, but they also said during that two-year freeze and said thinking about going overseas. second example we have a large japanese company to make a $120 million investment from the

capitol. they are thinking about making that investment overseas because the uncertainty of regulation coming out of washington, d.c. but what is more effective during the moratorium we were fighting this fight against the obama administration on this economic activity sending money to the middle east but to send this to other countries spend the money in the service company and they are the ones that are going to be hurt because when it went to brazil and africa, those jobs, they didn't go overseas, they began

to lose their homes and declare bankruptcy and lead people off so i feel we can point to specific examples companies want to create jobs in america. they want to hire people and investing capital but excessive or unpredictable regulations stop them from doing it but it's also important sure it's not just big companies but these are companies of all sizes that me be your neighbors, maybe a small business in your community that want to make money and hire americans but can't do it with the unpredictability out there. >> the language the americans want you to use is the small-business owners and job creators. they are less interested in entrepreneurs and innovators and i recognize entrepreneurs and innovators are the ones who create apple and microsoft and dell and nike and companies like that, but to the american years a small business owner and a job creator is what needs to be defended over every other title you can use. by the way when you give someone a bonus, i would strike the word

bonus out of your lexicon and some of you do this at the end of the year you are coming up to give out a christmas bonus at a time of economic hardship, you're going to make people angry. it's pay for performance. people will support performance pay. they will not support a bonus. >> i hate to talk like this, but i do think the great thing about the question that you pose, the answer is totally on our side is why would people sit on their money? win obama says he wants to put the largest tax increase in american history on job creators, how are they going to say that i ought to be creating more jobs to spend more money but i am facing 1 trillion, 2 trillion-dollar tax increase? obamacare, i don't know what my obligations or cost will be for new employees, so how can the job creator make a decision to hire more people? this is an administration that

has made its it's policy to drive the cost of energy. and so people will use lists because they have big energy policies, environmental policy and it isn't just terrible for the south, it's terrible for maine. but the big thing here is the actual factual argument is almost totally on our side, and i know i tend to be a little wonky but i think people want to hear that. i think they are prepared to hear the facts and patient enough to listen to them. >> i won't put you on the spot but i don't mind putting frank on the spot for a moment. in five weeks republican presidential primary will cast the first votes in the iowa caucus followed by new hampshire, south carolina and florida with the two of you, you

and bobby are welcome to come. could you predict what's clinton had been or give some insight? [laughter] >> i'm not going to be a profile in courage. a couple of observations and little on the buy side. second not my position not working having done a thing on the campaign my comment on the race i will say this look recent presidential primaries, what has happened and even hollywood and new hampshire aren't necessarily determinant here so particularly with the rules changes where it's no longer win or to call delegates until the end of march for states to think we are in for a pretty wild ride. >> the initial updates to me watching some of them are absolutely terrific when the candidates are just pounding

each other and it hurt the gop, romney's numbers came down and you can actually show romney falling and linkage to the debates on the stage people beat up on him the post. why? when republicans go after other republicans they don't like it but they still hear what is being said. i never dhaka question as you know. i can't answer it because every fiber of my being would have said that new gingrich would not even have made it to five weeks from now six months ago. i've never known anyone to start a campaign from a vote south of greece and yet he is absolutely positively in there and he is in there because of his intellect. this is someone who is unprecedented in his capability to deal with issues in a broadway in a focused way. he has no money, she has no

organization, he has such a negative image and yet he's actually winning. who would have thought that there is a lesson which is i think you said this more americans are paying attention now than they ever have. everything you say can and will be used against you. everything you do will be held up to scrutiny. in 2012 we are going to end up wishing that this cycle was over. governor sadr the only institution in america will have the chance to cut through to clutter with your constituents and prove to them government still works. the only people that have the the opportunity to demonstrate that results can still happen. don't miss that opportunity because it's on your success that we will rebuild the political system that is going to be destroyed over the next 11 months. >> i put my cards on the table.

i supported rick some time ago, the governor of the neighboring state. he's been a great leader here, denigrate job while president obama has been under his job we have lost 2 million private sector jobs and actually added a million jobs over the last couple of years but in terms of what's going to have been five weeks from now i would echo what frank said. five weeks is an eternity in this presidential cycle. in his right. not forget six months ago, five weeks ago predicted correctly he would be running ahead of the polls. who would have foreseen what has happened with herman cain's numbers so who knows in the next five weeks who is going to go up and down. that hasn't been totally unique it's been somewhat more exacerbated this cycle you compare to the previous cycles you are a little safer a few weeks out who is likely to win on the way and do well in new hampshire but even the last couple elections i would caution us to get too far out there i

remember when for years ago this march predictors were saying hillary clinton is going to be the democratic nominee. eight years ago it was howard dean was going to be the nominee going into iowa cannot be stopped. before president obama got elected there were some on our side saying here's the guy you want to run against. people said he's a true term president look how popular he was after he was sworn in and after the midterm election was obvious he was a one-term. i think the five weeks is an eternity in this political cycle and so i just have no way of being able to know who is going to be poured down. it's amazing one thing you can predict is there isn't a lot change it seems like every day there is a new twist in this election. >> today's headlines are tomorrow's speech wrappers. that's what we used to say. i guess that doesn't -- people don't understand what that means any more. what happened yesterday or last

week may not have anything to do with what is going to be the result in a week or two weeks or five weeks. it is the most fluid thing that i've ever been a around for our side or the democrats' site for that matter. >> i think that's all the governors. we give time for one from the field. i see a hand. hold on. we are going to get you a microphone. >> what are your thoughts in the panel i remember seeing rick on the debate a couple weeks ago talking about economic mobility and that the republicans should be talking about that and forget about the economic mobility as manufacturing, returned to manufacturing at the united states do you have any thoughts on that or comments on the

economic mobility? >> in mississippi we haven't given up on the manufacturing and they've brought in a lot of advanced manufacturing in the last eight years. not unique to us or among the states in the south you've got states like indiana that are doing the same thing. economic mobility is something we don't talk about enough because there's this idea that the top 20% are the same people a year in and year out decade in and day out. i do think the data may show in the current recession that's a little more static than it normally has over the last 30 years people were moving all of and down within that income level as i might expect has new age you make less money where you are younger and you finally

get a job and start making some money and once you get to be older than i am, i'm 64. most people's incomes go down because they don't work as much or they don't work at all so there is a lot of economic mobility in the united states, an unusually large amount in the most advanced world come and i can see the point that we ought to talk about that. i personally think we had a conversation among the governors in a different group yesterday that is even more important than that. a lot of income inequality is to in education. i went to the high school every one of my four years somebody would, make a speech and say if you graduate from high school you will make more than if you don't graduate high school and a few graduate in college you will

make more than if you don't. today much income inequality is purely a function of lack of education and i'm not necessarily seeking a degree. it may be skills that you have learned, but there is a huge element of income inequality that has got to do with people that dropped out, people who didn't take school seriously, people who just for may be no fault of their own don't have the skills or the education and an economy that values more common values those much more than ever before in world history not just in american history, so we don't just talk about income economic role of the, but also talk about the powerful importance of education. we need our children and grandchildren to really realize

that is for real. >> but economic mobility is more important than economic honesty and what they are looking for you is to be looking straight with the american people and the people you represent. no more budget gimmicks, no more accounting tricks, no more empty promises. you have the right to know the facts about the budget and we have the responsibility to tell you about the budget toward about the economy. i'm waiting for an elected official to stand up and tell them what they want do which is those three points and then acknowledged the have the right to know the truth and told them the truth. >> i absolutely agree in the importance of economic mobility and see the senator's comments i agree that as a party we do need to be talking about the american

dream which is if your kids work hard and the degree in education they should be able to do anything better than you didn't quite frankly it's one of the reasons i am a republican and i won't belabor you but we all have these stories in our history. i heard this everyday growing up and now i appreciate that i'm a father like that was one of those nine kids the only one that got past the fifth grade no one in running water electricity walk uphill, downhill, back from school, all that stuff but he chose to come to america with his pregnant wife to start all over and one of the things that brought him here was the opportunity to read it doesn't matter what your last name is or how much money you've got there is no limit to what you can do in this society, and he literally opened up the phone book and started calling companies until someone would hire him and that is how he got his first job they were looking for an opportunity as a party we've got to remind folks and remind ourselves in the policies

and communications we have to remind folks and voters what we stand for is for every child to have that same opportunity to read it doesn't matter whether they were born rockefeller or not the should have the opportunity to get the grade education and create a better quality-of-life to have a better career to have that kind of upward mobility but second and discussed the plight this is important it's an enclave to get the issue a lot of these governors are improving education in the state's because the reality is in this economy if we want our kids to have the better quality-of-life they are going to have to have the skills. the countries that will do better in this economy we've cut taxes in louisiana but the reality is we know we have to have more skilled productive workers you can find anywhere and the competition is not just mississippi and louisiana. it's china, brazil and countries all over the world and i think it gets to -- we don't have time to get into the issue but many governors listening to around this table and other governors here or going through policies

reporting excellent teaching not just a number of years in the classroom but looking at more choice for parents and kids it shouldn't matter what is it could you grew up and you should be able to get a great education. in other words providing the tools kids need to have the upward mobility and on the manufacturing like kaylene and mitch and a lot of these governors we are bringing manufacturing jobs growing only new companies polled companies and that goes back to other policies whether it is predictable texas, tier regulatory environment, skilled workers if we're serious of the manufacturing based economy you have to have a predictable energy supply and if we don't let's be honest i think the example of the company in louisiana is that what good does it do to the american economy environment, whatever to send those jobs to brazil and that is the debate we need to be having to disappear to go to other countries will be other people's children, not our children getting those jobs so to answer

the question absolutely we the party should be comfortable talking about why we are the party of opportunity and that stands up for however you want to describe it, the 99%, whoever that works for the average american worried about their children and grandchildren. >> the 1. i would make is americans are an aspirational people and the republican party is the aspirational party and when you have to do when you're talking about policies is to connect them to the american dream whether specifically to use that phrase but you don't want to just talk about policies to reali alisa you don't want to lead voters to water you want to force them to drink it you have to connect the dots for them so that the understand that you're not just a policy wonk or technocrat but you have a broad vision for where it is you want to do for the state, for the people or what have you. people understand economic mobility is often self driven in other words somebody like the governor and his parents they were much more likely to provide

the economic mobility because they wanted it and the understood the importance of education. but what you have to do is say our policies are trying to improve the opportunities. >> thank you. let me just add i think a couple things should have come out. governors get paid soft problems. to me it's always been remarkable how much closer we governors, no matter where you're from or whether you are democrat or republican, how much closer we are to the results coming and we are held to accountability for those results than say a president is or anybody in washington, so one thing i hope you will take away more conservative than i am we are result oriented, and the

public like says learn to tell the truth even when it is not going to be happy talk. that is something else the public is ready for. they know the reality, and don't be afraid to be the guy that tells them the truth. they can take its. and the last thing is there are solutions. there are ways to get good results and you just got to be the guy that stands up there and doesn't give in to what's popular. as i would say to all of you whose companies are so generous or organizations are so generous that's what i hope you feel like we have to offer, results oriented, truth telling trying to get the solutions for real problems. if you feel like that's what you are supporting the and we are

doing our job. thank you. i don't know what the next session is. [applause]

>> yesterday pollster peter hart conducted a focus group with 12 republican voters in virginia. a swing state that president obama carried in 2008. participants were asked what they thought about president obama and the field of republican presidential candidates. the event also featured analysis of the focus group by political reporters from "the new york times," "the wall street journal," "chicago tribune," cnn and nbc. this is to be in a half hours. >> okay. welcome. deborah, you set? >> thank you very, very much. welcome, everybody. my name is peter hart, and thank you for coming tonight, to

tonight's focus group. this is one of the focus groups we are doing in the 2012 election that's being done for the annenberg public policy center at the university of pennsylvania, and as i've told you, c-span is covering it and in addition to c-span, we have a number of reporters who are behind a one-way mirror who are also covering it. so it's our chance to sort of talk about a republican primary. everybody raise your hand or all republican primary voters, good. what i would like to do is go around the room very quickly, just to introduce yourself. give me your first name, tell me what you do that would be a great start. welcome, ben. >> linus ben, tax preparation and bookkeeper. >> great. >> i name is deborah. i work for built removers. i do their marketing.

>> my name is christina and i may contractor. >> my name is laurel and i may flight attendant. >> my name is jonathan. >> my name is chris seibu i.t. consultant sales. >> on sue and by a part-time retail merchandiser. >> toni and i am a retired bookkeeper. >> i am a bookkeeper. >> heavy bookkeepers. okay. great on all the economic issues. >> i'm renee, mother of four and work a few hours a week at a job. >> okay. great. >> chuck, a realtor. >> my name is michael and me recently retired educational administrator and independent contractor. >> great. thank you rematch. let me ask a simple question to the sue, why are you a republican? >> i'm not republican. >> you're independent? but vote in the republican

primary? >> i will this time, yes. >> then let me ask toni, what makes you a republican? why are you a republican? >> i'm more of an independent republican. >> okay. >> i'm not really sure. i guess because i like the candidates better, but they stand for. >> about yourself? >> i'm a republican because the traditional values and i'm definitely a conservative, also i wish they were more conservative they seem to be straying. >> michael, how about yourself? you are republican. scaap i grew up in a democratic family but i changed over the years to more of a conservative type of person and i think i believe in more of the republican conservative values. >> jonathan, how about yourself? >> i grew up in a democratic household, and some of the values that i see it on the republican side seem to be more

along with my thinking. >> laurel? >> i agree with the family values. punishment, guns, and i was raised that way. but there are some views that line independent. >> and were you raised in virginia? >> chicago. >> got it. christine? >> i tend to believe republicans are more enabling citizens to create their own jobs. >> deborah? >> i grew up with my dad owning a company, so it is more geared toward business and private industry than the government controlling things. >> how many of you would say i identify with a tea party movement? >> okay. we've got ben, laurel -- chuck

and renee. so, and toni, do you identify with the tea party at all? >> yeah. >> you do? and christine? >> somewhat. >> somewhat, good. let me start if i could and just hand out a quick card. do we have a car here? i'm going to put it up on the eisel also. here are a series of ideas, thoughts and believes that the republican party has. you can put your name at the top. everybody should have a pencil. and if you find yourself at odds with any of these -- if you find yourself at odds with any of these, just put a check mark next to it. but if you say no, i agree with all of these, then you can put down none at the bottom or just leave it blank. in other words, are you at odds with any of these?

is there -- these are believes i hear a lot from the republican party. anyone -- take a look and say no, i find myself in a different space on one of these? anybody. here? how many say -- we've got seven different positions. how many say i basically agree with all seven positions? it's a republican position. chuck agrees, toni agrees. anybody else? laurel agrees. a good, good. anybody else? >> i just don't know much about the dodd-frank situation, so why don't know whether to agree or disagree otherwise, yes. >> ben, do you find yourself in this agreement on these? >> a clarification, amnesty for illegal immigrants, is that black and white or is it just going to be no amnesty --

>> well, i think the position tends to be a republican is pretty strict on that. anybody else? chris, are you at odds with some of these positions? >> in thinking about it a little bit longer, no, not really. >> anybody else? tina, are you at odds with these? >> amnesty for illegal immigration. >> anybody else on the immigration issue? so we have three people, deborah, christine and tina. anything else that people find that they are at odds with based on the faults within the republicans' cracks >> line at odds with the gun laws and all that -- >> okay. >> not everything but -- >> anything else? so we have a couple on that. but for most of the others, whether it is repealed obamacare or tax increases or their

position on abortion or same-sex marriages you are all in agreement on those. >> we are in turmoil because we are benefiting from what is happening in the health care. >> okay. and so your turmoil is what? benefitting from that right now it's hard for me to say through the media out with the bathwater. >> anybody else agree with deborah? >> okay let me move on. here are some objectives in looking at the 2012 election. what i'm interested your is to find out how high a priority is this as far as you're concerned where ten means it is a very

high priority i want to see this happen and one means it is a low priority and again i've got six different things appear and put your name up at the top if you could and then just put down number one to ten you can choose any number you want and you can do it obviously repeat a number depending on how you are feeling. these are things from capturing the republican majority in the united states senate to defeating barack obama on the social issues like gay rights and abortion. tandy is the highest and one is the lowest. thank you.

>> [inaudible conversations] >> okay. everybody there? okay. let me see one thing. how many elected president supports the goals of the tea party movements will put themselves at nine or ten on that list? that's something i really care about? so we've got laurel and tina. eight. >> okay, ten, sorry. >> okay. anybody else on eight? so we have a couple more. so we have five at eight, nine or ten. how about barack obama. how many people had a ten? >> i've got one, two, three,

four. how many people had naim? one, too. eight? to others. how many had 54 less? two people. okay, great. and the last thing is electing a president who is a strong conservative on social issues like gay rights and abortion. how many had eight, nine or ten on that? one, two, three, four, five. okay, good, great. that gives me the sense i just wanted to do a broader sense of the consensus in the room on various issues. a good place to start. you can pass up the sheet, the yellow and blue, and i'm going to sort of change what we are talking about. let's go to another thing which is to ask you for a word or phrase to describe how your

feeling about america give a word or phrase to describe how your feeling about america. let me start sue to describe how your feeling about america. >> i'm afraid about the economy hispanic word or phrase, chris, to discuss how you're feeling about the way things are going in america. >> frustrating. >> good. deborah? >> unsettled. >> unsettled, ben? >> misguided to read >> chuck? >> downward trend. >> renee. >> uncertain. >> tina. >> on the edge. >> toni? >> worried. >> and you are worried because? >> the economy. >> mm-hmm. >> education, losing control. >> yeah. what are you thinking, jonathan? >> i think he's out of touch. >> he you mean the president? we will get to him and talk about this. and tell me something, one of

the things i've been asking in the polls i've been doing is do you think america is going through hard times now through which it does periodically or is it the start of a downward decline for the country? how many people say i think this is the start of a downward decline? we are going around. one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight out of 12 people. why, ben? >> fighting it is a case of the year just not sure where we should be heading. as a leader it isn't taking the reins and pointing us in the proper direction. >> and good. michael? >> i'm more along the line of optimistic. we are not just starting it now. we've been in the downward trend a little while now and i'm optimistic when the next election we can start moving in the right direction. >> chuck?

>> there's too many people on this, on the government dole or on that take, and i am afraid of the balance has all pretty ticked and when it is then there are always going to be voting. >> renee? >> globalization to be exchanged, when times change, how do you adapt and it is a big picture worry that i have. >> tina? >> i'm not really sure right now whether it is a downward trend or just one of those time period. it may be my age i haven't been around that long to see, but i think that it could go either way. >> toni, what are you thinking? >> global economy is there and

foreign policy worries me that we are too willing to spend money year after year after year to the estimate sue, let me ask a slightly different question. >> and i was ready for this one. [laughter] >> i want you to have this one. go for it. >> i'm worried about lyme and optimist. i think if we look at the history of the united states from the time it was formed, we will see that it goes up and down, it goes up, it goes down. the question slightly different is what is the one thing you were thinking today that you thought you would never say think about in terms of america? >> i'm getting a lot of feedback. if we could cut that down, there would be great.

what's the one thing where you say i thought i would never say this about america but i'm actually thinking it now? >> i'd love to know if i had much time to have those thoughts but if it could be 1i would say line no longer hopefully think things are going to get better before they get substantially worse. i just thought things got better. >> christine? but two questioned? >> same question. >> to think citizens are having to become more reliant on government, and i think that's what the president wants. >> deborah, what's the thing you're thinking about you never thought you'd say about america? >> concern about children's futures. >> raise your hand that the next

generation will not be as good as this generation raise your hand. laurel? >> i don't think they want to be bitter feud with obama giving handouts they have no reason. >> ben? >> somewhat on that point there, but it's almost like the deck is already stacked against them. we are taking the train so far off the tracks it may be impossible to put it back on. >> next generation? >> one concern, the values of change. i think that the younger generation seems like it's been handed to them and they haven't had to work as much as may be the older generation, and i can cut is what the bank bailouts and things i'm concerned about.

>> chuck, next generation is not going to have it as well-off as this generation. >> we don't produce much anymore. we just don't produce anything, and with the government handling everything now it won't instill the ambitions or goals or strive to be better the next generation just will not have that and then. >> tell me personally the biggest challenge each of you are facing? what is a challenge to are facing in your own life, what are you worried about now? what are the things you were you are going to be able to overcome? >> my kids are reaching college age, my oldest is just now going to college and we are just -- i'm crashing for a living right now. i'm trying to find a job and i haven't really -- i've been home for a long time and i've always had the idea i would get a job relatively quickly in all of a sudden come to know, it's weeks

have turned into months of turned into years. spec deborah? >> concern about retirement, and i am concerned about increasing expenses. my health care went up $40 a week just in the last two months so i'm looking for a part-time job just to compensate for that. >> okay, good. chris? >> i think it comes down to money. my parents aren't going to be able to retire when they thought they would sign likely going to have to support and my kids the same for me one day. >> i'm worried about retirement. my husband and i are both retired and worried what we have put away isn't quite to be there as long. >> right now finances. i just moved. it's expensive here. that's scary. also retirement and i have no children so they won't be able to support me.

>> security and health care. >> anybody else want to say anything in terms of the challenges in the way that you are looking at things? >> my mother is terminally ill and over the last six months dealing with this, the health care system in america is pretty apparent. i'm scared to death of the debt we are building. we are just throwing money away and talk about security, we won't have social security, some generation or age group won't have it and they are going to have tremendous debt that may be impossible to pay off. >> anybody else want to -- >> i agree with social security. i've been working since 16 and there may be nothing there for

me. i'm going to do a series of what i call rapid fire subjects, so we're just going to move very quickly through a lot of subjects and get your quick point of view. biggest disappointment with president obama. biggest disappointment. >> health care. >> biggest disciplined, sue? and a collective leadership. >> ben? >> promises unfulfilled. >> biggest disappointment, christine? >> insecurity in his citizens. >> laurel? >> christianity. >> okay. when using christianity you mean? >> i think he wants to take the in god we trust we from our country. >> michael? >> the economy. >> okay putative anybody else? >> i knew what he was all about so i don't know if there is disappoint but the fact that he

is taking care of his cronies that is a big disappointment. i knew what we were going to get when we got him. >> okay. anybody else? okay. biggest surprise about president of not giving it can be positive, neutral, . >> it's going to be openness. i don't care about killing hussain and getting a bin laden. he has no sense how to deal with israel which is the only space country america can feel positive dealing with. >> others, biggest surprise? >> his ability to do talk shows. >> what you mean, how good or how bad? >> how often.

>> okay. good. biggest surprise? >> the way he handled immigration. it isn't a way that was presented before he was elected. he made it seem like he was going to help that the legal immigrants and what it seemed like is there has been more of these flirtations' this year. >> and you don't agree with that? >> i don't have one blanket view but i think that it too was handled individually instead of just going out for a few days and picking up everybody who was illegal. >> i don't think that i'm surprised. >> one thing he deserves credit for, maybe republican but i will give him credit for this. what have you got?

>> the autrey kids were college-age and a couple of them are past the age of 21 now comes from our perspective to up the aged 26 to keep our kids on the health care plan that is one thing that we have in my family. >> how many say benefited in the nothing of the age? a couple people. okay. good. give them credit for -- yes? >> and 08 for the election terms. >> how about his presidency? okay, good. you give credit to him in terms of the presidency? >> try not to make a contact with you right now. >> anybody else? >> so i've got 12 republicans around the table, i've got michael giving him credit, ben is about the election. chris? >> i get him credit for putting his chips on the table with the health care plan and didn't seem like it was going to go through

so he fought for it. >> anybody else give him credit for something, anything? >> presenting some compromises. >> presenting some compromises. >> okay. do me a favor on your piece of paper write down one image that sticks in your mind from the obama presidency, one image that sticks in your mind.

okay. what is your image, renee? >> he is unable to take that fire that almost compelled me even during the election and sort of translate that into practice and get things done. >> okay. image toni? >> [inaudible] >> sue? >> i have to look at him personally i feel he is a good family man and that means a lot to me. >> so the image that comes to you is family? tina? >> the image of the presidency would be held care, insurance became unaffordable to my family. >> chris? >> the images occupy wall street. >> okay, jonathan. >> we had such a poor economy and he came in talking about all

this change and i haven't seen it. >> anybody else? an image that stands in your mind? >> running the country, socialism. i guess what i was focusing on is a visual image that came to your mind. >> playing basketball. >> am i top of mind is he and his wife getting out of the car going into the church on inauguration day. he has a smooth appearance. >> he did quit smoking which is good. tikrit let me change, said, rapid-fire. republican leadership has taken over the house of representatives. satisfied, not satisfied, have they lived up to your expectations? how many say they've lived up to my expectations? how many say they have not lived up to my expectations?

many people don't know. how many say they haven't lived up to my expectations? hands up so i can see. one, two, three, four, five, six to read why not, jonathan? >> will because, i mean, they have to do more compromising on certain issues and the just seem to be very bullheaded. the way the presidency is when he has an issue he has to deal with the have to do more. if you look what happened when newton cannon 93 he was working with clinton the economy was a helluva lot better. >> as they do have to work together. there's a lot of give-and-take. >> chris, christine? >> i think a lot of them if you view them as individuals they are trying to keep their jobs as well, and the decisions they make in the public reflect whether or not they keep

voluntary leaves been a disappointment? >> a lot of stalemate going on. >> chuck? >> the k2 much and compromise too much. >> who is the other one we had one other problem on this side. okay. does anybody say they've lived up to my expectations? okay, nobody in terms of that. what is your one piece of advice for the republicans? what is the one change you would like to see? piece of advice, for the republicans. >> take what you can get to compromise together. >> sue? >> don't believe what everybody says trying to be elected. >> toni what is your piece of advice for the republicans?

>> remember what you were elected. >> renee? >> just keep listening. >> deborah? >> i don't feel like the two parties are close together as they used to being when they were able to compromise. i see the democratic party particularly under obama becoming more socialistic but that makes it hard for the groups to come together. it's just oriole and water. >> so how do we governor? >> you asked me earlier what i thought of america and i said on settled. i don't know the answer. it's why i'm concerned about my children. what's happening is changing so quickly it is hard to assess or use our history to determine what the next is. >> if i told you the republican leadership sent me down here in order to deal with this focus

group with a piece of advice you want me to take back to them? >> don't compromise your values or you lose your base. >> ben agrees with that. how many would say i agree with chuck? how are you going to get consensus among democrats or republicans or don't you worry about it? >> de think the party needs to unify themselves first before they can work compromises out with the democratic party. >> but is it important to get consensus or not that important? >> we are becoming more polarized. >> is that good or bad? >> that's bad. >> would you want to stick to their point of view? >> absolutely. >> so how you do anything would end up in polarization? >> the other choice is we are going to go off the cliff and

socialism if we don't stick to our guns because all they've done is slip or slide. >> i agree with chuck, i really do. you have to stand for something and a lot of them if in. i'm not in politics so i don't know the answer is but i do agree. >> the answer is get rid of the career politicians because they will never make the decisions they need to make to make the country great again as long as they are trying to protect the next reelection. >> i have a proposal for the table. with a republican or democrat of the of been in for over 15 years i will vote them out in 2012. how many will agree with my proposal? in other words i don't know who your representative sar etc that, but every representative

over 15 years you have a chance to vote them out how many would say i would buy into that proposal? >> one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. >> okay. so a little more than half the group. one thing i've heard talk to get quite a bit here is immigration. what is you're point of view on immigration? what needs to be done? i will go around the room. just a short quick burst on your feelings about immigration. >> secure borders. >> and that means? >> that means to protect the country. >> how about the people that are already here that are illegal aliens? >> i may be in favor of some because they have been here for such a long period of time. >> okay.

>> they are definitely running our economy. we talked about unemployment. they are doing jobs that need to be. >> tell me what would you do. how many know about what alabama has been doing in terms of illegal immigration issues. >> they should be exported. you are on the export side. >> i wouldn't go that far but we have to make sure there is a process and make sure that is followed through that it is going to pay off in the long run. >> we should get as many out of the country as possible. >> yes. >> tina? >> like michael said the borders should be secure, but with the

people who are already here they should be looked at individually there are some might believe that are here and are trying to live in american life so on the individual basis if they are working and the families why would you want to tear apart a family? >> borders need to be secured first and we need to remember with the word of legal and illegal means. we kept getting illegal benefits. >> would you find yourself -- i don't think it is reasonable that we can send them all home especially for those that have started families here and so forth and are in a second generation. >> we need to be able to bring in workers legally for short-term. i was just in florida and got a tour of a blueberry farm. the need workers to come and pick and we don't have people in

our country that are going to work like that, but we need to bring -- we need to send people in, let them do the work that the need to do. they also pay into our social security system and they get no benefits from it. >> take care of the borders and help people plan better in the country and have a penalty order to let them do so but then living normal life. >> secure the borders but also some are here in illegal that create all kinds of crime. make sure they are doing their time. >> i agree with that statement. >> we do need to secure -- [inaudible] >> but speed is saying exports, tina is saying to the individual by individual. you can't afford to send everybody back or you shouldn't. who do you find yourself closer to? >> chuck.

>> christine? >> i think it is a social issue deportation coming you can't treat people like they are numbers on a piece of paper. they are human beings. at the end of the day in order to make the situation not fully financially on america you need to hold the country responsible for their leading financially, and maybe than these other countries will secure the borders with us. >> deborah? >> our economy couldn't support right now, so we need to find a way to legalize the ones that are here. >> ben? >> securing the borders, in regards to speed's position i agree in the week to determine who, you know, who is quickly upgraded i would start with those that are on the government dole, start at the bottom and if you have somebody that is producing and is a successful individual.

.. i got one person. two people, three people appeared anyone else you're in agreement with? >> i am a realist, so newt gingrich. >> tina? [inaudible] >> okay, laurel. he had gingrich. from the everett a few things in the not really firm.

>> okay. and as they come close to your point of view? >> yes, yes he does. >> and i saw assorted tina and check in the office pools and they both say it's moot. so tommy. >> certain numbers of them are going to have to stay. and as the nation, export everybody. illegal is illegal. and i would love to elaborate on what it's doing to entity economy. you don't think people would pick blueberries? at the right price there will be blueberry pickers. but as long as someone does that for $5 or $10 an hour, then we'll never paid a $20 an hour thingy to maybe even raise a family at the lower level. that is what happened to our

economy. they're doing jobs for $20, $30 that should be paid 50 or 60 to survive. as long as they do it for that, i'm elaborating -- >> i just have to share your hair type. okay, it's not the chuck show, but we like chuck. okay, good. okay, here we go. lightning round. very, very quick i'm going to reach the names of various people and i want you to give me water furnace to describe your feelings about the person. so if i were to say laura bush, don't say to the former first lady are. i know she's the former first lady. i want out your feelings are. so will be what are your feelings towards each of the people? a word or phrase and will go very, very quickly. were going to start out barack

obama. >> week. >> christine. [inaudible] >> word or phrase. >> delhi one. >> toni, real quick. porter phrase. >> this is the heart. some getting out with, but don't want to be president. >> michael, word or phrase. >> athletic. >> then. >> chop. >> evil. >> allows? >> liar. >> okay out of touch. here we go. here is rick perry. order phrase. >> not ready for it. >> sue? >> bricked terry, michael. >> confused. >> christine. >> respectful.

>> deborah. old school. >> he's too out of touch. >> laurel. >> i'm uncertain. >> okay good. jon huntsman. >> i don't know enough about it. porter phrase. >> i look do not. i like him. >> jonathan. >> is a pr manager because it's good if you look at his background, but nobody knows who he is. >> anybody else have a point of view on jon huntsman? the rest of the table no point of view. okay, herman cain, order phrase. click. >> i would say trouble. >> order phrase, deborah. >> tina, order phrase click >> for the people. >> sue? >> disappointing. >> jonathan.

>> finished. >> laurel? >> three months ago candidate, >> outside the beltway. >> maybe. >> unelectable. >> chris christie. who knows chris christie? one, two, three, four. okay, word or phrase. >> heavyweight. >> wish he was running. >> i stop thinking about him. i'm sorry. >> met romney, word or phrase. >> dissenter here. >> tina. >> undecided. >> i guess buyable. can't relate to him. >> i like him. i like kerry speaks out and says what he needs to say. >> michael. >> charismatic.

>> wishy-washy. >> and effexor tiered >> christine. >> nlf. >> laurel. [inaudible] >> innovative businessman. >> chris. >> unimpressed. >> what was your word? >> wishy-washy. >> anywhere? manufacture. >> he is made. he's a politician. he's taken all the things we care about and says that's what he is. >> okay, ron paul. word or phrase. >> is off the wall sometimes. >> michael, order phrase. fun to listen to. >> jonathan. >> 20 years ago a lot better. >> chris? >> just crazy enough it might

work. >> great ideas. >> sue? >> i give him credit he keeps trying. >> christine? >> no content. >> okay good. hillary clinton. >> crazy. >> hillary clinton, gina. >> businesswoman. >> deborah. contender. >> christine. a second chance for her husband. >> laurel. >> looking out for yourself. >> sue? >> she scares me. >> newt gingrich. >> i love him. like thank god. >> very intelligent. he not been. >> he's the same old vulgate. >> deborah. >> careless and combustible. >> i'll give you a high size.

you play the game well. >> christine. >> i think a surface. he saw surface. >> in many sail surface coming in name? >> i agree with what then stated. i think he's behaving himself in the campaign right now and saying what he is supposed to. >> good, laurel. >> he stands firm in its belief. >> might be the best politician of the group, but i don't think it's a moral person. >> tony. >> he's the smartest one running. >> experienced. it's the job done. >> okay, rick santorum. who knows them? p. not then. >> i like cam. >> jonathan. >> again is good, but people know enough and he needs a pr

guy. >> shall bachman. >> i'd vote for her right now. >> tina. >> don't worry. i was trying not to make eye contact with you. >> go for it. >> a possibility. >> tony. >> a slight possibility. okay, but what are your feelings? >> i felt more strongly about her at the beginning when they first started campaigning than i do now. >> sue. >> i don't trust her. >> okay, deborah. >> misaligned. >> then. >> she's firm. >> christine. >> i agree with toni. after she had all the plastic surgery she's scary.

>> laurel. >> i think she's a contender. >> michael says? >> she's reached her peak and is on the down side. >> i may not be write something on your pad. what i would like to know is if you think about the candidates running in 2012 on the republican side compared to other years like 2008, 1996, whether you're speefour, do you think the overall feel of the candidates running as strong field of canaday and rich field of canaday or a weak field of candidates? rate on your answer. strong, a richer week. just as you see the whole field of candidates.

>> okay. everybody write down? , and he said it's a strong field of candidates? lets see the hands up high. i've got three this hate is a strong field. how many say it is a weak field? i've got one, two, three, four. okay. strong field because? >> diversity. >> strongsville because? >> diversity. >> weak field because? >> a lot of people i don't think our electable. >> mostar marshmallows. >> anybody else? yes, chris. >> two quarterbacks and they're still seven people. >> okay. tina, weak because? >> i don't think that anybody -- i thought well -- like with km is kind of embarrassing.

>> anybody else? >> i put above average. because they could be better. >> but so do they hand out. here is the field of pathetically listed. intake one, pass the restaurant cannot give you the. thanks. and here is what i want you to do. put your name up at the top. if the election were today, who would you vote for? and if he said i'm undecided, i know you're undecided and you don't have to vote for a candidate, but instead they have completely undecided. but if you have a choice that the state of the game, put down your choices. just put an x next to your

choice. okay, everybody down? let's go around the table and get your choice. tell me why you are in for that person. >> met romney because he is electable. i think he is the type of person that can be barack obama and the next election. i think he has money in his coffers and has enough support for the various primaries coming up. >> job. >> newt because he will speak his mind, even if it is not what the polls say he should say. >> renée. >> bob then because of the tea party movement and the values that stands for and her involvement and she stands firm.

>> tina. >> kingsbridge. >> because? >> i think that he would annihilate obama in a debate. >> toni. >> newt. i want to hear many debate. i think is very strong. >> okay, good. >> jon huntsman because i feel it's got a wonderful balance of business and politics. he has worked for for president. ambassador to china and that's very important. >> let me just understand one thing. am i right do we talk to you a couple days ago when you're undecided and so is that true also of toni? briand decided a couple days ago? >> i am undecided, but sitting here if i'm supposed to say who, but i'm undecided because

there's too many people. i'll know when we're down to two people. >> how many say -- let me go around. next question. >> ron paul. >> the reason? >> his plan is scaling back the government and getting more for the states and putting more populations. >> jonathan. >> met romney. he is electable, got money in his pocket and is a problem solver like he did the olympics years ago and he's created a lot of business for america. >> okay good you >> laurel. >> i'm undecided. >> christine. >> areas pro-business and 37% of all the jobs created in america in 2009 were created in face access. >> good, deborah. >> met romney because of the family does he represent in the position he represents as far as what republicans are concerned

about. and he's smart and a lot and a lot and a lot >> band. >> i still stand by herman cain. i think it's a wonderful businessman. he's outside the box. not in the bubbly as usual. i'm not looking to a lack a leader. what happened with 10 husband a while back. i haven't been paying attention currently out to right now i don't know if he has come out and said any kind of apologies, but the sprinkler justice meant to the same status and east made a wonderful justice. so again, i'm looking for theater. >> okay good. i am interested from you, picking up from sort of were sue and tony arana. how many of you would say that my vote is up for grabs or i'm undecided enough that i just, you know, i don't know where i will end up. you know, you happen to be here

on this early december day, but how many years a night giving you any of your, but i am still really pretty up for grabs as a voter? >> okay, let me go around. tempers up for grabs, jonathan, sue, toni, tina. >> put your hand down, shut. >> and michael. and how are you going to decide? maybe i should ask, what is it about the kennedy said the appeals to you or how are you going to decide you've got there a candidate? >> i think the big one is elect ability. that's what worries me. the person a may identify the most it may not be the person that's going to be able to defeat obama. and i guess that is ever election. >> okay. does anybody else in that corner? >> the early primaries are going

to dwindle the field down. we might see candidate in the race tomorrow for what could papers are saying. i think that's when the make the decision easier. >> i know who i'm not going to vote for. ron paul. i liked what i stood for until i heard he does not believe in capital punishment. >> and you're undecided. anybody who appeals to you greatly? horror they ought equally acceptable? >> i like gingrich and romney right now. >> okay. and heidi's decide between the two of them? >> by wade until somebody else leaves and asks a good question and strike it with me. >> others, what are the things that are won to help you in terms to make your decision? do, what is going to help you?

>> well, when we are down to two, three people and i'm listening to what they're saying and how they are saying it, then i'll make my decision. >> in terms of quality of your candidates, either candidates who are unacceptable to you? anybody have a candidate who say look, i just know i really can't be with this person for the nomination. who was cut somebody? >> met romney. >> cane. >> ron paul. >> okay. so besides herman cain and ron paul, everybody else is a possible vote for everybody here? >> i'm sorry. are you talking about the ultimate republican candidate? were you talking about listening as far as weeding them out? between easier, i couldn't vote

for mitt romney. but i am taking romney over obama. >> okay. >> i don't want to vote for newt gingrich. he's running against obama. >> okay. anybody else's point of view? tina. >> i would find out country and not vote for rick perry. i don't think it is electable. i don't think he can be very well. >> okay. how many of you have watched the debates? two, four, six, seven. how do they've been helpful and important in your decision making process? why? >> i think that when the candidates are put on the spot you can see how they can handle themselves. and i encourage that goes the wrong way with certain voters.

>> okay, then. >> there's just no intermediary there. i am hearing the words come out of your mouths. >> okay. >> it is helpful to hear npr break them down, to have it -- there's just too much out there for me to grasp everything. so it's extremely helpful. >> explained to me and maybe this is unfair because i'm putting you in inexpert role, but you know, it just amazes me. i've never gone through anything like this. one month michele bachmann is soaring in the polls, the next month she descends to nothing. one month outcomes rick perry and many descends to nothing. up comes herman cain and many descends.

and up comes newt gingrich. he is a descendent. and romney sort of hangs out this one level. i mean, what is going on here? why are these people coming up and going down? what is going on? can anybody explain within your own? >> i think it's how the media portrays at that time. >> okay. >> dirt is being uncovered when they reach that level until they are one of the top candidates, they are kind of ignored by the media. once they reach the top prefers a top-tier scrutinize a little more. >> okay, anybody else? christie. >> i think we have become somewhat of an gratification society, so we are all in if it sounds good. and when it gets boring or nobody's interested anymore, we just toss them aside. >> chuck. >> well, the moderators -- why have the libs moderating the

debates? they are just debating on. i haven't liked the way these% up at all. of course a good dba or doesn't make necessarily a good president. i think kerry could be a good president and his support debater. >> do you think it's the media? is the media doing it for these candidates doing it to themselves? >> the media. >> , you say it's the media's fault for rick perry, for example? the media has been -- how about herman cain? is the media unfair? [laughter] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> -- stop reporting what happened. >> they scrutinize the democrats

as much as the republicans. >> if you scrutinize, scrutinize two ways. [inaudible] >> show of hands, how many expect republicans to win in 2012? were going to win the presidency? how many say that's going to happen? i've got nine of 12 people. not sure? >> i think when times are uncertain, people don't like change. >> chris. >> now think any candidate -- does not accumulate if they separate themselves from each other. >> you want to stay with the double you know what the devil you don't know? >> okay. >> does anybody wish that somebody else would i announce that i would love to have another candidate besides the ones that are currently in to

get into the race? anybody feel that way? have cut three, five, maybe six. hart that you would love to see somebody else? to have anybody else or just would like to see somebody else? >> i wouldn't mind seeing either mitch tannhauser chris christie. >> to have anybody? >> i could not name somebody. >> but you have to see somebody else then? everything in sight to see somebody else then? >> i think the majority of politicians in general are just that, politicians. >> okay. laurel. >> i'd like to see maybe jesse ventura type for somebody along those lines really ties. >> she likes rudy giuliani. >> i want someone i can be excited about. and obviously voted i've never had someone i would go out and campaign for her.

>> this is going to sound crazy because i generally love republicans, but mark warner could stand in front of us. >> okay. and you wanted somebody else and even though we've gotten it? yeah, chris christie would be good for someone else that would really be what i could say absolutely defeat obama. >> okay. now, you stop and think about it and we think about the president be in antique at the end of the day, the person who is president has to do with every issue from around the world, has to do with all of the domestic problems, all of the various things. some do it better than others. but you have to do it for 1440 days. it's not a one-day sale. i am interested. on the right-hand side, put down a score between one and 10 in terms of from your point of view

how qualified and competent you feel each of these people are to be president for the next four years. everybody from an two rick santorum. and if you don't know somebody at all and have no impression, just leave it blank. but any number from one to 10, how competent and qualified do you feel this person is to be president of the united states? >> 10 being the most competent? >> 10 being high, one b. in the.

okay, we are going to a real show of hands very quickly. how many put michele bachmann and eight, nine or 10 i think she's how qualified to be there? say to people. anywhere from 05. i have one, two, three, four people at the bottom. herman cain eight to 10. i have one, two, three, four. how many at the bottom end of the scale, zero to five? one, two, three, four. newt gingrich, eight to 10. i have 10 people. theater five, bottom end of the scale. nobody. jon huntsman, eight to 10. one, two. zero to five? how many didn't have any opinion? okay, those people. ron paul, eight to 10. two people. 025. one, two, three.

okay. for kerry, heat to 10. one, two, three, four, five. how many zero to five? three people. mitt romney, eight to 10. one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. and how many zero to five? two. and rick santorum eight to 10? zero to five? okay, most people don't know. okay, newt gingrich. everybody had an iced qualified to be competent. why? anybody threw it out. >> he has experience. >> he can get things done. >> okay, what else? >> he's proven. 20 years ago with the majority speaker, the economy within us by shaping the last 20 years. >> okay, good. anybody else? >> he's the smartest candidate. >> i think he could completely

turn the ship around. >> okay, anybody else? >> yet the budget balance. >> okay. >> i think of the great chance to go head-to-head. >> he's boisterous. >> he doesn't like the bickering. >> he seems unbiased. >> firm on values. >> opinionated. anything else? okay, so we think -- seven romney. why romney? eight, nine, or 10? >> family values. >> again, the question here was what number would you choose in terms of this person who's got the competence and qualities to be president of the united states? >> he's done a good job were inside. >> anybody else? >> is in a nice job in massachusetts. >> he can create jobs.

>> you know how many jobs he created with paying u. put money into so many companies today. google -- he knows how to create jobs. >> okay. anybody else? >> he's a politician and a good idea. he has spent three campaigns like this before, so i think he can take pressure. >> anybody else? two peoples that no one gave them an zero to five. who gave him a low number? taking tina and chuck. >> mitt romney? >> yeah. okay, why? >> i think it is because he says whatever people want to year. >> tina. >> i gave him a five because i didn't want to make it too low or too high, that he doesn't have charisma. >> and herman cain. for people that day, nine or 10. why? >> e-business experience. >> what else?

president of the united states and everything for years. >> i think he's going to take a stand. he's got some good points. i think it's just now conserve space. he could be a good candidate. >> okay, others? anybody else put him at eight, nine or 10? >> he made his qualifications may not be all the gratis, but then again neither is our current administration, so it's not necessarily something i wrote looking for. but herman cain -- i believe he can take complex situations in the tax code and trying to erase simplistic solution for everybody to understand. >> he's not a politician. >> okay, those people looking at the bottom end of the scale i don't think he's ready to be president. there were four of you. why not? >> he has no idea about foreign

policy. we just listened to his interviews with chris wallace. he's a disgrace. >> he's a buffoon. i would be embarrassed for him to show up in another country. that's our president. >> we will get bombed if he's the president. >> okay, okay. anybody want say anything about the others? rick perry ordered anybody else on the list? michele bachmann, in terms of variability and ready to be president of the united states? >> i think michele bachmann would do a great job. she's been in the house for quite a while. she's had a lot of good things for the state of minnesota. while she is not my front runner, in my top three. i firm stance of the key party in it and it's a great thing. >> good. anything else? anything on rick perry? five people separate perry is ready to be president of the united states. >> when he entered legislation

in texas, he entered as a democrat. and i think he could handle a bipartisan situation. >> anybody else? not hearing a lot. okay, let me try this. here it is. are you ready, sue? you just got an invitation in the mail. you've been invited for a weekend for you and your family. write down everybody on the bottom of the yellow sheet. we hope the invitation came from? which of the candidates? you could spend a weekend with one of the candidates, candidates family. write down who you hope the

invitation is coming from, who you want to spend time with. >> today have to be? >> s. >> kennedy mr. undecided? >> well if you truly don't want to spend time with any of them, write down nine. , but it's got to be one of these eight people. everybody write it down? okay. lauro, who did she write down? >> newt gingrich. how many put down newt gingrich? by one, two, three, four. why, laura? >> i would like to talk with them and see if he really is as tough as he appears. >> what you want to spend a weekend with them? >> he invited me. >> what's it going to be like?

>> interesting. >> anything else? what are you going to do a. >> anything else? what are you going to do a weekend? >> question him. >> okay, rené. >> i'd like to get to know somebody that seems so powerful, just to get more of a personal side. would it be fun? >> yeah, i think so. >> what are you going to do? >> i don't know. i was going to put obama to play basketball, but he was in on the. i don't notice interests are not further to find out. >> tina, you are going to the gingrich is for weekend? why? >> i think it would be fascinating to hear your -- just to have a conversation with him, be able to ask my own questions. >> is it going to be fun? relaxed? >> i think we would spend the whole time talking. yes, it would be fun.

>> ltd. to gingrich people. anybody else on gingrich? >> i just think i could drink a lot of beers with him i learned a lot about inside politics. >> okay come you think you'd be using it might not? >> okay, good. sue, who are you going to? >> i think i'm the only registered independent in this group. i would wait until i were to have a candidate and spend the weekend with him to find out if you want to vote for them. >> okay, who do you want, michael? >> my wife would want to go with michele bachmann so i'd go with mitt romney. i think i'd like to enjoy your weekend. >> how many had the romney's down? three people. >> i didn't know we had a yacht. >> i just want to see him on a personal level. >> what you think you'd be like?

>> i think he'll be easy-going and relaxed. i can visualize the barbecue. >> good, then. >> actually picked romney because he's the one on this list that i'm a seemingly against, slightly slightly to either confirm or allow him to change my mind or allow him to at least -- >> so it's a pain weekend. >> it's me having an opportunity to either confirm my suspicions and what i've read about in learned about whether to say hey, you know, i've not done my homework. if this gentleman actually is the republican nomination, i'm going to feel that much better going at the polls for him. >> deborah. >> i put michele bachmann because they really don't like the tea party, so i'd really want to get rid of the benefit of the doubt, see if maybe she's better than not. >> okay. who're you going on? >> i would say rick peary to

tell him my life story and tyler mike on qualms and issues. >> to think you'd be sympathetic and listen while? >> i think i would give him a better idea with the issues are his voters are dealing with. >> anybody else? >> ron paul because it would be the most interesting conversation. >> i think he seems like the most real person, genuine person when he speaks. >> okay. >> let's put up the pictures here. let me try one other thing of interest. and not as -- [inaudible conversations] >> it's the wet show?

>> the muppet show. >> what does that mean? what does it mean? why did you say the muppet show? [inaudible] >> okay. here's the question. if this person were not a politician, what would he do? what does he look like? he be a ceo. what does this guy look like? he looks at a rancher. what does this guy look like? >> a soap opera actor. >> , it's a soap opera actor? what is this guy look like he'd be if you are a politician? >> dentist. >> what else? >> a game show host. >> an attorney. anybody else? >> a minister. >> anybody else? what does this guy look like eb if he were a politician?

>> a realtor, car salesmen. attorney. >> he does look like a business man. >> financial advisor. this woman would be? >> banker. >> stay-at-home mom. >> what else does this woman look like? >> you agree? homemaker? >> like a news broadcaster. >> what does he look like? he looks at a ceo. anybody else? >> a taste tester. >> he looks like he's high up in the military. >> i was going to say retired military. [inaudible conversations] >> this person? >> pastor. okay what else? >> comedian. >> what else?

>> k-kilo reilly's replacement. >> what else? this guy? >> a while? >> athletics are here. argos? >> what else? okay here we go. this guy looks like? >> atv pitch man. >> helix the capacitor to me. >> businessman or attorney. there. what else? >> sports team general manager. salesman. what else? here's a question. you've been unjustly accused of a crime and you are going to trial and it looks very tasty, but one of the things is going to be an absolute key is you can

have one of these people is your character witness. that is they have to obviously be somebody that the jury is going to believe. also somebody they are going to listen to and relate to. write down who you would choose at the bottom of the page. who would you choose as your character witness, were you at an unjustly accused of a crime, but it's clear your point me help. >> based on these pictures? >> no, no, no. based on what you know. i'm just making it -- not based on the pictures. you know these people. so who would you like to be that person that is going to provide you with the credibility? >> okay. tell your story. let's go around the table. then chose? >> newt gingrich.

>> ever churros? >> ron paul. >> ron paul as well. >> newt gingrich. >> ron paul. >> mitt romney. >> mitt romney. >> michele bachmann. >> gingrich. >> okay. >> it was close, but michelle. >> same thing, michelle. >> okay, why michelle? >> in empathy -- >> credibility leahy said. she would be credible. i think she could really get her point across and be believable. >> okay. and michelle, why? >> same reason. she's believable and strong. >> servility chose ron paul. why? deborah.

>> while coming as it saves you can trust. he doesn't appear to have an agenda. he seems to be outside of the agenda so you could trust what he says. >> christine. >> i agree with deborah. he acts less like a politician and he exudes morality. >> he seems like he's a grandfatherly type and seems fairly honest. >> i said romney. i think he might be smooth enough that people would listen to what he had to say. >> okay. i'm why did you choose new? >> his age, wisdom. >> laurel. >> at strong, persuasive and does his homework. >> tina. >> he comes across as honest and speaks very well. >> okay. let's try this one other thing. here's the situation. let's suppose for a moment that

rick perry for the sixth person in line at an airport counter and there's only one ticket left on the plane. absolutely critical point that this person must be on to get to a key event. how would rick peary handle it? anybody, jump in. >> he would send somebody else to do it. rick perry, how to handle this? somebody else to get the ticket? okay. i would rick perry, sixth person line has to be in not playing. >> i would say you would call his texas buddies. >> i'm sorry, that's a good point. he needs to get to that city comes to your point would be? >> you would find another way of getting there. >> anybody else? >> i think he would talk to the people had that in mind.

>> into a? >> try to convince them he is better needs. >> i think all of us would say we need to do something on their site opening to talk to them and see and respect their decisions, whether it's for or against us. >> okay. herman cain. what would you do? >> come up with something different. >> what herman cain do? who else? go what herman cain do? >> he would talk to one of the women and from. [laughter] >> i think he did the same thing. >> okay. what would mitt romney do? how would he handle the situation? i'm sorry, jonathan?

>> he paid the airline. but else? >> a double for the tickets. >> he could buy himself to the front of the line. >> romney would pay off or find some way. i'm not concerned about the private enemy. i'm going to find another way. >> he would pay his way to the top. >> tina. >> you would pay off whoever got the ticket. >> okay. but with their appeal and do? >> should definitely talk to the people. >> she would talk to people in front of her. >> she would get up on the counterattack to them. >> should have the group commits that person. >> is newt gingrich were a member of your family, who would he be? in other words from the closest relative to the furthest out, better, who is newt gingrich?

>> grandfather. who else? >> uncle joe. who else? >> i don't have one. >> okay, but -- >> he's got the personality of the father. >> cusick cared for. >> eb my favorite uncle. he speaks boldly and positively, but softly at the same time. >> anybody else? >> he might be that uncle, but he would bring in different wives. >> there's funny to go around. >> okay. laura? >> he expects something of you. >> okay, who is mitt romney? who is he in your semi? >> black sheep. >> based on neighbor.

>> i picked the neighbor, too. >> family member. >> seki removed kaizen. >> okay. >> uncle. >> cms close. can you relate? were destined? >> dissent. >> white destined? >> because he is richer than the rest of us, so he would come to our events. >> he's not me. >> toni, what do you think? >> what do i think? to the kaizen. >> and the reason? >> i don't know. i've never thought about it that way. [inaudible] >> i see them as the dad who's never at home. there's a possibility is just not connect to it.

others? >> i'd say be a close member of the family and good leader of the family. >> how many current michael? okay. tell me something. let's stay here. what makes you confident about mitt romney becoming the next president of the united states? i'm not saying his chances. i am saying what are the positives? would you like about him? what do you see in terms of them is the next resident of the united states? >> moral character. >> strong leader. [inaudible] >> okay, that's jonathan. what else? >> he's going to be able to find work. >> okay good, that's chris. >> steady. okay, so steady, roll up his sleeves. >> it be a good role model.

>> okay, good. >> similar belief. >> okay, good. >> non-polarizing. but else? >> teacher got it. good, okay. what are your concerns? what are your uncertainties? >> about romney? >> not strong enough. >> and why do you feel that way? >> it just seems like -- i don't know. it might just be a personality issue. it may not be tasha has to look at mr. it may not be a policy issue, but someone like new, you know exactly what the sane all the time. hider now. i think it's a personality thing. >> tina. >> i think he has strong morals, that he would cave-in easily if that's what was necessary.

>> either while? >> user right now. >> push came to shove, he would easily sigh. he would give up a founding principle of the republican party. >> how many agree with dan? user right now. okay, let me see. i've got been, christine, lauro, tina. i've got rename and chat. okay, why do you feel that way? >> he seems to answer questions with a question i've noticed. and that seems a little wishy-washy to me. >> christine. >> is someone who would listen to his advisors. >> tina. >> i think that he would to what is necessary to get the end

result. if that meant giving up one of his values. >> renate? >> what was the word used? >> wishy-washy, that makes them think of another word at the time. but yeah, and almost feel like he's at the point where he -- she's just trying not to throw knotted the race. he's trying to be a little safe. he's not strong enough. sorry. >> chat. >> i example, romney care. he is just wishy-washy. he says what he thinks you want to hear. >> and what does he need to do to persuade you and make you feel comfortable? [inaudible] >> yeah, you didn't chime in on any of this. tell me what your thoughts are.

>> icn not a buffer, a four-year holdover that he is just a safe bet that her for the next election after that. >> how many see him as a buffer? >> chris does. >> maybe not a third -- but safe. >> sue, your thoughts. >> i think he could be a placeholder. i don't know. i just kind of have the feeling that we have a group of people here that may not be able to win this election. and so, maybe -- maybe their part to seem for eight years from now. i don't know. >> okay. i might be good gingrich. the advantages of having -- let me start by saying, who has

reservations or doubt about it anchorage becoming president? who has reservations or doubt? >> the ability to become president? >> is being president of the united states. okay, two people. so tell me for the rest, what does he bring to the presidency? what are his strengths? would you like about him, et cetera? >> a proven track record for least the experiences what we were saying. >> that he knows how the system worked and here he should use that to his advantage. >> i think the terrorists would be afraid of the. >> jonathan. >> yeah, like i've been saying, he knows how to put people together in a room and get an answer. he's a negotiator. he can make things happen.

>> others? >> i think he is a doer. he is a strong person and would be a strong leader. a little concerned about may be a fault as far as a moral stand point. >> anybody else? >> i think you'd be good in foreign policy and i think you'd represent the country. >> economic fiscal policy would be good. >> okay, and your downside concerns? he's president of the united states, what are the downside concerns? christine, any downside concerns? >> i think behind closed doors to someone different and his marriage is bad. >> okay. >> paper is michael on the morality issues. >> i'm not concerned about morality. i think he's very strong and will make a tough decision. >> is just he's been alive for a long time to make a decent

amount of stakes. in that way doesn't bother me. values are really important to me -- extremely important to me. but at the same time, it doesn't -- it doesn't make ken -- wouldn't make him a bad leader. >> ms michele bachmann dropped out of the race, could you vote for her gingrich? >> yes. >> is a nominee? >> as a nominee, yes. >> i would just be worried about -- i would be worried and i would still be looking at this up until it was go time, but you know, who could win the overall election. so i might not. >> okay. tina, you are with newt from the get go. go ahead. >> i am now. i was sent when he spoke in the

senate. >> 34? >> i was undecided. >> what is meant along this week? >> i have to say honestly it was his -- his views on immigration. >> okay. and did his views on immigration bother anybody? did anybody say i heard his views on immigration and they bothered me? ..

these are themes that essentially a i have heard stated or what the read that the media has put forth, and essentially what i would like you to do is check any of that concern or bother you and if it doesn't concern or bother you leave it blank. and again, these are various things that have come held in the course of the campaign, and any of the things for any of the candidates and if there is

something that you see that is not mentioned, add that in. >> will give you a moment or two to do this. let's see if i can make it this way. >> in alba conversations [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] >> a lot of times we don't would promise you a sauna but we give you a conversation with a sauna. so we give you both. [laughter] you guys are doing great. this is marvelous. everybody ready? i want to run through the various things, and then you can -- there's michele bachman.

the first question is on the campaign of cutting government spending and money that she, her family has received from the federal government. anybody bothered by that? one person checked it. one and a half. three term congressman, anybody bothered by that? one person. established that he party caucus in congress. one person. okay. health issues for herman mccain? nobody bothered by that? no experience in foreign policy. two, four, five, seven, nine, ten people. 13 year affair. two, four, six people. okay. sexual harassment? three, four, six, eight, nine.

never held elective office two, four, six, seven. okay. talk to me about herman cain. a lot of different things bother you. lay it out. help me understand. a lot of you said i would support herman cain for president or he's qualified. tell me what's going on and what you are thinking for any of these. >> i'm less likely to support somebody that can't admit what they've done and move on. >> okay. others? >> if there was just one person coming forward with sexual harassment you could give them the benefit of the doubt and i know people have been accused of things in the past that come forward and there is no truth to it. but there is no where there's smoke there's fire. >> he paid off four of these women.

>> again, other things that -- yes? >> with the sec's civil harassment issue i think abuse of power. >> sue, anything to add in here or anything? >> it bothers me he hasn't had elective office. i like that he's a businessman, but we need to know how does this work. okay let me ask you. >> never held elective office. that's a plus. very few presidents come and have any foreign policy experience. if herman cain mortifying you tomorrow morning how many would say i urge you to get out of the race. you should get out of the race. the process so, christine, john thune, press, rene says so.

deborah, why? >> so we can spend our time on more serious candidates. >> christine? >> i think he is a distraction to politicians that should be running. >> they were doing great until he fumbled the ball. he needs to take a lie-detector test. >> if he continues with this. >> i'd like to be able to focus on candidates obama. >> i would come clean and make the decision whether or not i could support him. >> let's go to the next. newt gingrich, freddie mac. put that down as a concern --

creating a system on immigration how many people does that concern? one. third, marriage. it's either a hand up or a hand down. i got three, four hands up. okay. changed his position on issues like intervention in libya, the running in budget, global warming, health insurance. how many does that bother you? two, four, six people. okay. majority of his career in politics. anybody bothered by that? to people. okay.

good. talk to me about changing his positions. what does that concern people? >> it's a sign he can change his mind if he gets new information. >> these are people that are bothered by this. okay. who is bothered by it and why? six of you raise your hand as something that concerns you. >> when you enter a race this important you have to know what your stand his and stick with it, period. >> he has an experienced enough to know >> that's why i described earlier as volatile. >> see them maybe changing on one issue but these are marked paul issues.

people were bothered by this and during the second marriage he had an affair with a member on his staff. why? who are the people concerned about that? it's not a deal breaker would it's a major concern of mine that shows his character. >> i don't care how many mortgages he's had but it's the marriages. >> one of them had cancer and that is a disgrace. >> you mean his wife? >> he would like your president to be held to the high your standard. you would like to be proud of them.

okay. anybody check any of the things on jon huntsman. okay. let's move to ron paul. anybody check something on ron paul? how many said age. okay we've got three, six, six people. anything else checked? >> neto. >> noted. ron paul, patriot act. let me go to rick perry. everybody disagree with something on illegal immigrants. anybody check something on the

vaccine. to come for, six people his executive order requiring all sixth grade girls to get the vaccine unless their parents help and that bothered people because -- [inaudible] >> later report this staff had something to do to come out with everything. >> okay. >> why do we have to be on romney there's a lot similar to the obama proposal and he will now seek to repeal the obama plan. how many does that bother? one, two come three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.

his models later changed positions on global warming. how many say i'm bothered by that? to come four, six, seven. anybody check that? >> nobody. okay, the first to bother a lot of people. was the important of the health care? >> i don't want government-run health care. i don't want my health care the way the government is run. >> he seeks to pre-appeal.

if none of you raise your hand that is more than raise your hand for anything else except herman cain having no foreign policy experience. >> health care is one of the biggest issues on the table. and she had romney care, so why should we believe that? i guess i should have checked it because that concerns me. something like a health care program mandating that everyone has it, that is prying into the most decisions for them it doesn't take me enough to say it is a bad idea like president obama's plan is a bad idea.

>> deborah? >> i think he changed because of the help get him elected and i agree with you i don't necessarily think it's a bad thing but he knows we don't like it. >> the program you and your opponent have come up with are similar and now all of a sudden because he is your opponent you want to repeal what he's done. what does that tell you about romney? >> that's what we've been saying not middle-of-the-road but wishy-washy, not strong enough, just kind of doing what he needs to do. that's why i said earlier he is going to be a doctor because he's just going to kind of

change and run in the middle one. >> i agree and for him to institute something in massachusetts, you're dealing with a state one of the smaller in the country doesn't equate to universal health care. >> laurel? >> i think he needs to find a way to do it. if you're going to a doctor he tells me how one going to perform the surgery but it means these ideas with moving to follow them. we have to come up with a way to make it more affordable is something that concerns you that he is modifying change with various issues.

okay. let me go around very quickly. >> he is one of my top candidates. like i said about the direction, issues concern me. >> tina? >> it's like we were saying before it seems like. chris? is the fact that he rehearses traditional on abortion that is a moral issue? no. the biggest -- let me ask you each gingrich becomes president of the united states. the biggest fear which is president in 2013 in other words

i'm ducking you back. tell me your greatest fear he may love him and want him that you can still offer fear or concern. what is your greatest concern. >> he will only be able to achieve 90% of what he says i think that he is still going to go in and he's going to do a lot and he will be strong and firm on some things but to pull a bowl bid on things that matter. john wayne is not going to solve all our problems. he can't do it. it is just not going to do it paris this that because he's not strong enough or he doesn't

karina or he's going to change his position for what? with too. >> tell me how his hands are dirty. >> i think this coming you know, with his experience. laurel? >> i fear that he may give up some of his beliefs to get what he wants done. he will dwell like clinton. >> that he's going to lose faith >> i will say the same about africom today. the need with a promise and then

things can't change in foreign years the way everyone set to. it's really important he's got working with him few okay, tina? >> that something will come up in the marriage area whether it is an affair. the ability to effect change. >> renee? okay, chuck. >> he's not a yes, ma'am. 11 of its strengths he has been in the beltway for such a long time. my greatest fear about meant

romney. i think that he's not going to get anything done. >> he's not going to get anything done because? about health care in terms of revealing obamacare. well again what is your fear he becomes president and what is your downside, what is the concern? >> i don't think that he has the knowledge to solve the problems. >> agreed to it's going to be a

show. >> and he won't get anything done because? >> i think he's going to try to complete. he won't get anywhere else at this point. >> my concern is he wouldn't have enough both parties. revealing the obamacare will not be pretty for him. i guess that.

>> toni? >> i'm not sure he can make the right decision if the military crisis came up again. >> sue come same thing? >> okay. two other things. thank you all very much. i just saw a crystal ball and the choice he wind up with in virginia by the time the primary comes is going to be new gingrich against mitt romney. how're you voting? how are you voting christine? >> newt. >> laurel? >> same. >> how are you voting him? i want to be excited about one of them.

>> newt. [laughter] here's the question. would any of you -- would any of you not vote for the republican nominee. mitt romney barack obama with any of you not vote for the republican nominee if it were knute new gingrich or. if they were romney of -- if it isn't newt or romney.

i would have them compromise and move forward. >> three people. but if there were newt, and deborah, if it were newt. he would vote for obama because? >> because he needs more time and i hope other republicans would surround him. final question. barack obama wins the reelection. why did he win? >> why did he win?

>> sue? >> exactly. >> sue. he raised more money or polarized. >> people were foolish enough to vote for him the first time. >> christine? >> people vote for people who aren't going to win. >> ben? >> rallied around the person the public put forward. because he is a great speaker i think probably would have done better in the debates. 51% of the nation.

it may be wrong paul, may be a tea party candidate, mitt romney and barack obama are the only two candidates. how many people would vote for the third party candidate that would be a tea party candidate? you have no. how many people say i did vote for the third party? you have done an absolutely marvelous job. i hope that you had a good time. i hope that it's been eliminating. it's been great and let me say

thank you foley and numbered one. we've concluded our session. thank you all very, very much. [inaudible conversations] we are going to find out and we will send it to you because we all want he will put 3:00 in the morning. [inaudible conversations]