so you need financial assistance for post exit release. and for the rest, prayer. >> other questions? >> the comments of wilem boiter, chief economist for citigroup. this is "washington today" on c-span radio. >> on saturday, c-span radio continues this month's series of president richard nixon's phone calling. in this program, conversations with who us special council charles colson. on november 3, 1972, just four days before the election, they talk about the democratic nominee, george mcgovern. >> you don't think so? >> no, no. i think he knows they're on the disaster. >> on the eve of the election day, november 7. >> i think the thing that will be written about this election,

an enormous landslide. if a democrat comes out and votes republican le may feel well, i've got to get back to my party loyalties. >> richard nixon's calls with charles colson on c-span radio. >> "washington today" continues. >> what i'm trying to do is encourage people at both sides of the aisle to be honest with the american people and to be honest with ourselves, to begin to tackle this problem in an adult-like fashion. >> but was justice clear he would not accept an approach that would ask middle class families and senior citizens to make sacrifices without asking for anything more from million nars and billionaires.

>> the head lean at "the washington post," the president warning republicans over the debt ceiling fight. the comments of the speaker of the house, john boehner, as he spoke to reporters before his noontime meeting at the white house, joined by congressional leaders and reactions by jay carney. this is hour two on c-span radio. we'll be checking in on all of this with aaron blake from "the washington post" and his column from the fix. meanwhile, dozens of world leaders heading to the u.s. to discus europe's economy and also to solidify plans for winding down the war in afghanistan. all of this coming together with the g-8 meeting taking place in camp david friday and saturday. then on saturday evening, most of them will head to chicago for the an nato summit. meanwhile, presidential politics. vice president joe biden criticizing the background of mitt romney during a speech in the key state of ohio.

the vice president was in youngstown speaking to a factory floor saying mitt romney is a corporate raider, more interested in profits than the needs of, whoers. a quick response from the romney campaign saying he had a net job creation both as a businessman and a governor. the meeting took place in a couple of months for the speaker of the house to be at the white house. the president warning congressional leaders he would not tolerate a replay of the debt ceiling fight that led to the nation's first ever credit rating downgrade. this all came about during a luncheon at the white house with congressional leaders. house, senate democrats and republicans. he called the political deadlock last year not acceptable. but the speaker of the house saying he will not go along with raising the debt limit unless there are real reforms and significant budget cuts. here's more on how aural of this

came about today with jay carney giving a readout following the session that took place at the noon hour the a the white house. >> talk about the atmospherics of today's meeting. and also, did speaker boehner's comments yesterday about the debt ceiling change the tone or the meeting? >> well, the president had lunch with the leaders alone. i was not in there, no staff was in there. i spoke with the president afterwards. my sense is that the tone was congenial, the discussion was productive, the sandwiches were delicious and that while the topic was raised and discussed, there was no other issue associated with -- or no problem associated with speaker boehner's ares yesterday.

>> what portion of the meeting was taken up by that. >> i think my readout of the meeting and the percentage of sometime spent on the various topics is a fair representation of the percentages of the meeting and how they broke down. >> but the president did call the meeting to talk about his to-do list. >> they spent some time talking about that and the fact that -- and i think this was noted not just by the president, but by others in the room, and members of both parties that, in fact, the president and this congress, republicans and democrats have worked together to get a number of things done, despite their differences, despite the fact that this is an election year. and i mean, as i've noted before, that extends extending the payroll taxes and extending unemployment insurance. the stock act and so-called jobs act. and it includes the reauthorization of the

export/import banks. and the kinds of initiatives included in the president's to-do list for congress are similar to those in that they should be able to corner bipartisan support. they are the kind of things that whether it is the assistance of small businesses or assistance to veterans have traditionally enjoyed both democratic and republican support and should this time enjoy bipartisan support. so there was a significant portion of the meeting dedicated to that. and both the items on the to-do list and other things like the service transportation bill and the reauthorization of the vie len against women's act are other examples of the kinds of things they should be able to get -- should be able to get done in spite of the fact that it's an election year. >> white house press secretary jay carney earlier in the day. the press secretary making specific references to the sandwiches. we want to point out as abc news

writes this hour, the president trying ining hogue gsh h-- hog. he made a trip to taylors sandwich shop. with that become ground, let's go to aaron blake. hogie diplomacy. >> i don't know what it is, but it sounds delicious. >> let's talk about the more serious issue, the back and forth between the president and the speaker of the house. and as you point out in your piece for t"the washington pos," why we're headed for more debt yeeling brinkmanship. this debate is going to be pretty intense here in washington. >> yeah. the current debt limit is not

going to be reached until later this year. there's some kind of go-arounds they can use to push it off into maybe the lame duck session after the election or into the next congress. but boehner gave a speech on tuesday that basically said we're going to stick to our guns, just like we did last time and look for spending cuts that are commensurate with the debt limit increase. now, that was a nonstarter last time. eventually they agreed to have a super committee to kind of reach a conclusion. they were supposed to come up with $1.2 billion in cuts. it failed and we're left with some automatic cuts fwhaed to the pentagon and elsewhere. but i think there's a good chance we could kind of see a replay of that situation. we're very likely again some kind of a split federal government next year. all three, the house senate and president are competitive race 37s it seems unlikely one party

will win all three unless there's a wave. and i think the failure of the supercommittee speaks ill for this time. boehner said on tuesday, we're not going to be doing these kinds of gimmicks this time, which means they need to come to some kind of an agreement. >> as you look at where we were last year, i guess to summarize what this president was saying, the president saying we're not going to go through this again this year, congress, you've got to resolve this. and the speaker of the house saying we're not going to raise the debt limits without rereforms and tangible budget cuts. neither said really had any longlasting harm with the debate last summer. >> i think they both did. the thing was that harm was pretty evenly dispersed stween them. what winds up happening, because the republicans got hurt and congress's brand got hurt, but the president also got hurt.

it wound up being kind of a wash as far as elections go and both sides have a good shot at this year's election. i'm not sure either side learned a lesson becauthey have just as a chance as the other in whenning the election. people may hate congress but at least our congress is going to have chance at holding power or gaining power, whatever the situation is in the house and senate. >> you include this point in your piece, which is available online at washington post.com, the fix, along with your colleague chris alizza, the speaker saying weshld not dread the debt limit, we should welcome it. he is looking forward to this debate, apparently. >> yeah, this is apparently the impact of the tea party we have seen over the last few years. you know, they were criticized for going to the end and, you know, risking a government

default on the debt limit last time. but the way that republicans in the tea party feel about this is that well, this is a great way for congress to basically have a gurn to its head and have to do something about debt reduction and reducing the national debt. and so i think what boehner was basically saying is that he's putting a flag in the ground. so we're going to see this as an opportunity to get more spending cuts. we're not going to back down ton this. this is make the best opportunity we have to get the cuts we want and stop the growing size of government. i would expect them to follow through on that to a significant degr degree. basically their party demands it. >> we're going to hear what the speaker said as he spoke to reporters before the noontime session. but there was essentially duelling statements between the speaker of the house and nancy pelosi on really what took place inside the meet. based on your reporting, what have you been able to glean?

>> well, it sounds like is basically what happened in the debt limit showdown. president obama says i want a clean debt limit increase, which means that it doesn't take into account all the other things. it doesn't necessarily take into account spending cuts or anything like that. and republicans are basically saying we need enough spending cuts that they equal the debt limit increase. and so you can't overstate the gap between the two sides on this issue. and neither side is going to give in 100% to the other side. the question is whether they can actually come clees to an agreement. and that's going to take a lot of time. and frankly, these things don't generally happen in congress until the very last minute. >> let's listen to what the speaker said, these comments before the meeting at the white house earlier today on capitol hill. >> speaker boehner, why are you threatening to default on the credit limit ceiling --

>> whoa, whoa, whoa. i'm not threatening to default. let's remember something. the issue here is the debt. almost $16 trillion worth of debt. $1.3 trillion budget deficit again this year. one only has to read the publications that many of you write for to realize that the situation in europe is becoming grimmer every day. we have time to deal with our problems. and what i'm trying to do is to encourage people on both sides of the aisle, both sides of the capitol and both ends pennsylvania avenue to be honest with the american people and honest with ourselves to begin to tackle this problem in an adult-like fashion. >> the speaker of the house earlier on capitol hill. you could take that statement, play it back last year and essentially it's the same argument. >> yeah, it is. i think it's interesting during this whole debate one side says well, we're not engaging in

brinksmanship. they're the ones saying they're going to hold out for what they want. and the other side is saying the exact same thing. you know, basically, there's blame to go around here. the two sides are so far apart. one side can say well, they're the reason this may go to the end and resing default. the other side can say the same thing and they're both kind of right. in one side were to cave to the other side and their demands then the situation would be other. but neither side obviously wants to do that. >> and finally, based on the meeting that took place today, the president had his own to-do list. the speaker of the ho us trying to jump start that with his speech here at the peterson summit. the statements today in his briefing with reporters on capitol hill before his meeting with the white house. so aaron, my question is, whether or not you think this has basically drawn the line in the sand we'll continue to see leading into november.

>> yes, i think the to-do list is a great example of obam. ma basically saying this is a congress that has stood against what i've tried to do as president. i'm giving them very simple things to do. i don't think too many people believe that the republicans in the house are going to act on a lot of those things. so in effect what obama is doing is allowing himself to stay in the november election, i gave republicans some very simple things to do. they didn't get them done. and then he can use that and continue what his campaign has been doing from the beginning, which is basically saying that republicans are obstructionists and they prevented us from making as much progress as we could. it's interesting for a strategy. it's difficult for a president to lay blame on con as a strategy. we haven't seen that too much times in the course of history. >> we'll see if anything has changed.

>> don't do that to if to i sai something that doesn't end up happening. >> aaron blake writes for the fix, all available online for "the washington post." thanks very much for being with us. >> thank you, steve. this is "washington today." the white house again threatening to deveaux a house version of the defense authorization bill that will's now on the house floor. this week, with the white house saying the bill which includes $3.7 billion above what the president requested and $8 billion hooger than the budget control act spending cap. with this debate, and the ongoing issue of spending cuts and the budget deficit, the debate focusing on the defense bill. here's how the debate folded on the house floor with a democrat from colorado earlier today. >> i'm really displayed that the defense authorization bill the house republicans have brought before us undermines the bipartisan agreement agreed to

just last summer. it's $8 billion over the budget control act and $3 billion over the president's budget request. again, more deficit spending in this republican bill before us under this rule. as our deficit spirals out of control, we need to tighten our belt and balance our budget. instead, this bill doubles down on 10 years of ballooning defense budgets which have played a major role in our deficit. this bill continues to kick the can down the road towards balancing the budget and leaves only a bigger hole that the tax and spend policies continue to dig our nation deeper and deeper into debt. this ties the hands law enforcement by requiring to keep military detainees in guantanamo. handcuffing any president, democrat or republican, when preventing them from coming up with a plan for what to do with these individuals. this bill papders to our fears by insisting the detainees

remain in guantanamo and tries to tell generals how to do their jobs and sets a timetable for troof levels in afghanistan, rather than our normal civilian process. finally, i'm disappointed by the political posturing included in the bill. the ndaa used to focus on setting defense policy and protecting our nation. unfortunately, the republicans have decided to use this bill to also push political wedge issues. there's language prohibiting the use of military facilities to conduct same-sex marriages, even in states that allow same-sex marriages. even preventing gay and lesbian chaplains from marrying members of the military to other members of the military. further deeply disturbed in a bill that governs our national security, language included that would increase our dependence on foreign oil. this bill's exempt of the department of defense from complying with section 526 of the 2007 energy bill hurts water and recreation interests in my

state and harms research and development and investment in renewable energy. >> from the house floor earlier today. congressman jarrett polis in opposition to the republican house version of the defense authorization bill as the debate continues in the u.s. house of representatives. again, the obama administration threatened to veto this bill. the white house also upset about the increase or the proposeden crease in tricare fees and a plan that would reverse retirements of a number of global hot drones and c-27 fighter jets. although the pentagon is planning new base close shurs and the white house is upset because under this plan, some of the base closures would not take place, so the debate is continuing in the house of representatives. we'll get some background on all of this. congresswoman virginia fox is a republican from north carolina. in favor of the house gop plan.

>> as we debate this important bill, let's keep if n mind men and women of the armed forces and their families. we could not be here today without the sacrifices of those who served in the military and helped protect us as a free people. as james madison wrote in the federalist papers, the operations will be most extensive and important in terms of war and danger. our founding fathers had a clear view that the primary and central job of the -- of our congress was to deal with these issues. the federal government was to provide for the common defense. which is a constitutionalal mandate. it's not an issue that should divide us or deinvolve into partisan rancor but unite us as a country that supports our military and provides them with the resources necessary to complete their critically important mission.

madam speakner a few days we'll be in our districts participating in memorial day events. i approach memorial day with mixed emotions. as part of me celebrates a joy and pride of living in this grat country where we're all free to participate in a robust public policy debate. i'm proud that i live in ameritocracy, but memorial day also elicits somber thoughts for those who have given their lives. while many fellow americans will be celebrating with cookouts and family, i ask that we all pause and think babt about those families who will have an empty place at their denner table. rather than cooking out, they will be visiting our fallen heros in hallowed grounds across the united states. that's the true purpose of memorial day to pause, remember and honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to preserve all that is great in our country. so as we return home to our

districts, i ask all of my colleagues to keep in mind the spouses, children and families of the fallen. as president lincoln stated in his second inaugural address, with mall las towards none, with charity toward all, with firmness in the right as god gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we're in, to mind up the mags's wounds, to scare for him and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. >> the comments from the house floor of representative virginia foxx, republican of north carolina. and joining us live from capitol hill is ken baron. he is covering this story for "national journal." he focuses on congress and national security issues. thanks for being with us. >> my pleasure. >> if you could summarize what the republican argument is and what the democrat argument is and why the white house is threatening a veto.

>> it's a long list of issues. number one is, i guess, the top one, budget number. the republicans came out with more than the democrats did. and they're sticking with that number despite the veto threat, despite claims that goes against the spirit of the bipartisan agreement to find spending and come to a greater deficit deal. that's number one. this's language in the bill from republicans that serve to slow the pace of the withdrawal in afghanistan. and representative adam smith, ranking member, is going to introduce an amendment that does just the opposite. and he's looking for a nice floor debate from house democrats. just two weeks after the president committed to the war. he wants a speedier exit. another highlight would be the detainee provisions.

some republican members want to prevent the detention and military custody for anyone who is detained on u.s. soil, whether american or not. obviously that reopens the entire debate over what to do with prift suspects in your country. >> house republicans trying to spend -- or proposing to spend more at the same time congressional republicans are critical about the rising debt and deficit. >> that is right. you know, they -- they want offsetting costs. this goes back to budget chairman ryan's first budget offer where they would shrink entitlement spending at some equal level. now again, the writeoffs and even secretary panetta and really all the military, joint chief leaders also have, you know -- they stood their ground against that saying we've done

our part. degrees should be part of the spending solution and we like the numbers we want. and the general said please accept our budget request exactly as we proposed it. well, no surprise that's not going to happen. >> how much of this is really okay, make budget cuts but don't do it in my district, don't close my bases, don't impact companies that create jobs where i represent. >> some of it. there's a good amount of that. the pentagon wanted to -- they requested congress begin looking at another round of base closures, you know, the brac process. already republicans and democrats, house and senate have said no thanks. they don't want that. they know that two things, one, a brac round usually has a high up front cost. it's not an immediate savings. and number two, they're unpopular.

i think, you know, beyond that, there are -- there are so many little cuts throughout the bill that it's been hard for any battles to pop-up over one big item. so there's some anticipation before the request comes in that they would cut an aircraft carrier, an entire sub. some giant easy to go after target. instead, it was a little bit here and there. a delay of some project. one drone program moth balled, it stopped but not scrapped entirely. republicans said that made it easy for us to put a hol to those things. >> what are you looking for? >> i'm looking to stee if the house engages in a real debate in the time line at the end of afghanistan. i was a pentagon reporter before i was a hill reporter. secondly, the top line number. you're not going to see debates

over one or two planes here or there. it's about whether or not this is a general rin effort, you know, upholding the agreements to find the solution of the deficit or set up a ploy to say, we're tougher on defense than you are and leave it up to, you know, the senate to decide if they want to take this up or stall until after november to just push it all through every year. >> he is joining us live on the house side of the u.s. capital tonight. his work is available online at nationaljournal.com. thanks so much for adding yo you are perspective to this story. >> my pleasure. >> meanwhile, the situation in afghanistan and the economic situation in greece will be front and center as the g-8 meeting gets under way at camp david with the president hosting the group of 8 nation leaders at camp david in the mountains just about half an hour helicopter

ride from the white house. and then on saturday and sunday, the world leaders heading to chicago for the nato summit. we've been asking you this week whether or not you think congress will accomplish anything in this election year. of course, the export-import bank did pass, but the debate continued on the defense authorization bill. on the bush era tax cuts and the back and forth today between the speaker of the house and the president on the debt limit. with with all of that, will something get accomplished? here's what some of you have been saying. >> caller: hi. i don't think this congress can accomplish anything because they lack the ability to lead. and what we really need in this country today is leadership. and that possibly might bring us to a new paradigm of thinking and learning to work together. and i remember after world war ii we came out of that have were

with a great deal of get, but we took care of it because we were willing to pay for wars, spending, anything that we had a hand in. for, for disappointed in these so-called elected people. they're not statesmen and they're not stateswomen. they have become, in my mind, like very slick kind of car salesmen, constantly giving us words. this has no substance. it's like giving you a meal and there's no food on the table. it has no substance. i guess eventually people are going to get tired of it and wa