their thoughts on why in his government is to close the only job center in my constituency? >> she talked about falling unemployment under labor and then mrs. to point out that unemployment rose under labor over the past three years. what matters is putting people back into work. what she will sit with the work program is the boldest effort to get people out of benefits and into work that this country has ever seen. >> my constituency is very much welcome the fact that the prime minister is leading by example in these difficult economic times by taking the time to except reduction in his salary. the council is headed salary of two hundred 20,000 pounds a

year. will he join me in calling others to do the same. -- do the same? >> i think my hon. friend makes an extremely good point. that is why it is right to have complete transparency on pay levels throughout the public sector. for the first time in a long time, we are able to find out what these people are being paid. as a result, there is pressure >> each week, the house of commons is in session and we air the prime minister's questions live on c-span2 stay at 7:00 a.m. eastern and then on sunday night on c-span at 9:00 p.m.

eastern. >> our political coverage continues next with president obama at a campaign rally in ohio. after that, the kentucky senate debate with jack conway and rand paul. been a debate between patty murray and dino rossi. >> the supreme court struck down laws limiting corporate spending elections. in the case citizens united verses fec. we will discuss how the case is handled in midterm elections. that is hosted by the campaign finance institute and university of virginia and starts live at noon eastern here on c-span. >> in the final weeks of campaign 2010, the c-span video library is a great resource for

voters pretty here from the candidates, party officials, strategist and reporters. the c-span video library, all free, on-line, any time. >> president obama was at a rally in ohio state university. our c-span local content vehicle was on campus today to interview a few rally attendees before the president's arrival. >> no republican one president without carrying ohio. he wants to help win ohio for the democratic candidate.

>> what is your opinion on the president so far? >> i think he is doing a good job. it took us a long time to get into this bridge that we are in, and i think that it will take longer than two years to dig us out of it. >> what are you hoping to hear from him today? >> i am hoping to hear about some new jobs for young people and middle income people and there are a lot of seniors that are looking for jobs nowadays because they cannot afford to retire. >> i think he is doing very well. >> what do you hope to hear from him today? >> more of the same from the presidential campaign and his hope and change and letting us know what he is going to do. >> are you concerned about the midterm elections about the democrats? >> no, i am not. the democrats will not lose. they will win. >> you think there is

enthusiasm? >> i think that there is a bit of a dip. i do not think that will impact the elections significantly. >> i usually try to give a president a full term before i make a judgment. he has come through with some of the things that he said he would but i feel like i should just wait and see. >> what are you hoping to hear from him today? >> i would like to see here is -- his official endorsement of the democratic candidates, even though i am a republican. our like to hear him be a little more specific about what he will do with the economy. >> i think this is going to get people thinking. i think it will be a big help. >> others want to hear about his values. i wanted to see history in the making and i want to be about to

tell that to my grandchildren. >> are you worried about the potential? >> timeframe the democrats get the upper hand and we give votes. >> to you think of the speeches will hope? >> i think so. hopefully a lot of people will change their mind. i am definitely behind obama. are you a student at ohio state? yes i am. >> do your classmates follow the election? >> some of them are kind of disappointed in obama and are having mixed feelings, but most of them are hard core of obama fans. >> what kind of job you think the president has been doing in

the first two years? >> i think he has been doing a great job considering what he has dealt with. >> would you expect to hear from him today? >> reregister to support him and let him know that we stand behind him and support what he as been doing. >> the thing that there has been a gap in enthusiasm the republicans and democrats in this election? >> absolutely. >> to you think that the speeches will help? >> we hope that all the democrats will come the other. that is why we are here, to support the democratic party. >> among the president's campaign stops this weekend, ohio. in columbus, he was joined by ted strickland and mary jo kilroy, both of whom are running for reelection. also, gov. lee fisher who is running for the senate seat.

here's a look at the president's remarks from earlier tonight. >> i am told that your 35,000 strong. thank you. [applause] >> i am told that you represent the largest gathering of president obama is presidency. [applause] >> i am so happy to be here this evening, to be joined by ohio's lieutenant governor, lee fisher. ohio'sattorney general, state treasury, kevin boyd. ohio's chief justice eric brown.

the great congresswoman mary jo kilroy. and other friends. maryellen r. shaughnessy, david tepper and mary jane trapp. [applause] thank you for joining us here this evening and thank you for showing such a great interest and ohio. every election cycle her, they say that the eyes of the nation are on ohio that saying has never had more significance than the sheer. here in ohio, voters face a

those who got us in this economic mess, or are supporting the folks who are working every day to get us out of this recession i like to say that the choice is between ohio values and wall street values. a choice between our ohio values of honesty, hard work, and the willingness to pull together for the common good. we know what those wall street values are like. putting the fast bought above the common good. let'set's all vote and

all vote to send a signal that we will not stand by and hand our stage over to wall street values without a -- without a fight. but, you know, this election is about more than 2010. what we do on november 2 will have great significance for 2012. as well as for the future of our nation. am sure you dod i shou as well, ohio helped america give the presidency to barack obama. so, let's be ready for 2012 by

sending democrats back to columbus and to washington this year. [applause] i cannot tell you how beautiful you look. your the best of ohio and your the best of america. we are counting on new to lead this state and our nation forward. i have the privilege, my , i have the privilege of introducing one of the most dynamic campaign duels that our nation has ever seen -- below

is -- duos that our nation has ever seen. let me tell you something special. their appearance together is special. in fact, is their very first and joint campaign appearance since the 2008 presidential election. [applause] over the last two years, first lady michelle obama has been her husband's greatest asset. she has been a champion for children's health. an advocate for national service. and a strong voice for our nation's military families. as a daughter, a wife and mom,

she has served with grace and set an example for all zero islands -- ohioians. and then there is the president. [applause] with the collapse of lehman brothers on september 15, 2008, our nation entered one of its darkest economic recessions since the great depression. but there was the president's from the day he entered office, he has fought day after day to bring our nation back from the brink of total economic collapse. [applause] he did that while maintaining his commitment to providing tax relief to working and middle- class families, creating jobs

that can't be outsourced, keeping teachers in the classroom and police officers on the streets. [applause] i was proud. i was proud when ohio helped deliver the presidency to him in 2008 and i am proud to stand with him today. please join me in welcoming to ohio and ohio state university, president barack obama and first lady michelle obama.

>> wow! oh my goodness! ow!le >> yes we can, yes we can, yes

we can, yes we can, yes we care, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can! >> hello, ohio. oh, my goodness. thank you, thank you, thank you, columbus. >> o-h -- >> io. that is wonderful. my job is to introduce him. i want to think you're great governor, ted strickland. thanks for that very kind introduction, but i want to think a few more people, you're

with to the governor, your mayor, senator john glenn and one of my favorite performers in the whole wide world, john legend. let me tell you how thrilled i am to be here tonight with all of you. first of all, this is something that i do not do very often. in fact -- oh, you are so sweet. i had really not been on the trail since a little campaign you might remember a couple of years ago. believe it or not, as ted strickland said, the last time barack and i campaigned together was two days before that little election and we were right here in ohio. [applause]

>> the truth is, as a self- described mom in chief, my first priority has been making sure that our girls are happy and healthy and adjusting to their very interesting in the white house. but, i think in that respect, i am like every parent that i know. my children are the center of my world. my hopes for their future are at the heart of every single thing that i do. when i think of the issues facing our nation right now, i think of what that means for our girls. i think about what that means for the world that we are leaving for them and for all of our children. i think about whether or not we're leaving the next generation, and that would be many of your generation, whether

we are leaving something better through the that is really how i look at things. that is how ted strickland looks at things and that is how my husband looks at things. [applause] this is a serious moment for our country. there is so much at stake tonight, this is more than about politics. it is about whether or not we, as a people, can move forward through times of challenge and cynicism and frustration and used the opportunity we have been given to build better communities and build a better country. that is why barack has fought the battles that he has fought over the past two years.

already, we have seen some important victories that have made a real and positive impact on the lives of children and families across this country. today, more of our families are in control of their own health care. today, more of our students are receiving financial aid they need to get a college education. today, more of our veterans and military families are receiving the care and support and opportunities that they have earned. [applause] that is how barack measure's success. not by noisy chatter, but by positive change that touches people's lives. that is why he ran for president in the first place because he knows that his life is possible

because of the american dream. keeping that dream alive and in reach for all americans is what drives him every day. i believe that that is why folks like all of you across this country joined our campaign two years ago. that is why many of you made those calls. you knock on those doors in the freezing snow in the blazing sun, remember that? that is one we are all here today. we're here to restore that dream for all of our people. that is the change we are fighting for. that is what is at stake. that is the change barack has fought for for so many years. is what he fought for in the illinois state senate and in the

u.s. senate. it is what he talked about all those months on the campaign trail. it is the change he as been fighting for every single day in the white house. he is going to keep fighting every single day. so, tell me something, ohio. if you are still as fired up and ready to go as you were two years ago, that i know that we can keep bringing about the change that i know. we can keep that american dream alive. i will ask you something. can we do this? >> yes weekend. >> can we do this? >> yes we can are you fired up and ready to go? >> yes!

>> president barack obama. >> o-h >> i-o! >> she is kind of cute, is she not? it is good to be back in columbus. thank you so much. i am so proud to be here with the governor ted strickland, one of the finest governors in this country. the lieutenant governor lee fisher, michael coleman, on outstanding congressional delegation, mary jo kilroy and, and astronaut john glenn. the state university drum line

is in the house. [cheers and applause] and about 35,000 of my closest friends. cheers and applause it is good to be here with you, but guys. -- but dockeyes. i have to say, i am sorry about last night. we need you fired up. in a little more than two

weeks, you can set the direction of the state and the direction of this country for not just the next two years, the next five years, the next 20 years, just like you did in 2008. you can defy conventional wisdom, the kinds of things you cannot overcome, the cynicism of our government, you cannot tackle our biggest challenges -- everybody said, no, you can act. in 2008, you showed them, yes, we can. [cheers and applause] into ways, you have the chance to say once again yes, we can. let's be honest. this is a difficult election. this is hard.

it is hard because we have been through an incredibly difficult time as a nation. we have gone through a tougher time than any time in the last -- for the most of the last decade, middle-class families saw their costs rise from everything to health care to college tuition while their incomes fell. between 2001 and 2009, the incomes of middle-class families fell by an average of 5%. job growth was the most sluggish it had been since world war ii. a lot of jobs moved overseas, especially here in ohio. there were too many parents who could not afford to send their kids to college. too many people could not afford to see a doctor when they got sick.

americans are working two jobs and three jobs just to make ends meet. and all of these problems were compounded with the worst economic crisis since the great depression. and i think sometimes we forget how scary it was, the magnitude of the crisis. we lost 4 million jobs in the six months before i was sworn in. 750,000 jobs a month. we lost 8 million jobs in the course of this recession. a once in a generation challenge. when i was sworn in, it was my profound hope and the hope of many of you that it would cause both parties to put politics aside for a moment for the sake of the country. the notion was that we could move beyond the division and the bickering that has dominated washington for so

long. even though some many of us are proud to be democrats, we are proud to be americans. [cheers and applause] but the republican leaders in washington made their decision. they made tactical decision. their basic theory was that we had gone into such a deep hole, the economy was so badly damaged. they knew it would take a long time to repair. they knew it would take longer than anybody would like. they knew the people would be frustrated and be angry. and some of the enthusiasm that we have seen in the 2008 election would start to dissipate as people looked at

their friends losing jobs and small businesses having to close their doors and they figured, if they just sat on the sidelines long enough and opposed everything we did, if they said no even to policies they traditionally supported, then they figured they could ride people's anger and frustration all the way to success in the next election. they were betting on you for getting who cause the mess in the first place. they want you to believe that this election is a referendum on the economy, on me. they do not want you to understand this is a choice -- but make no mistake, this is a choice and the stakes could not be greater. if they win this election, the chair of the republican campaign committee has assured us that he

will pursue same exact agenda that they have before i took office. this is not like the republicans went off and said we have to rethink everything and they went off into the desert and the meditated and it finally came back with some new ideas. [laughter] that is not what happened. they have the very same agenda and we know what that agenda is. to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires. protect rules for special interest, insurance companies that want to drop you when you get sick, wall street banks that are dealing in all kinds of derivatives that end up crashing the market. you cut the middle class lose to fend for themselves. the call of the ownership side day, but basically it is on your own. if you lose your job, you're on

your own. if your child does not have health care, tough luck. you're on your own. if you are young person and you cannot afford to go to college, too bad. with your self up by your own bootstraps. you're on your own. it turned record surplus into a record deficit. it produce slower job growth in the of had this year, and let wall street run wild. an agenda that nearly of this -- destroyed the economy. they say that we have forgotten? >> know! >> it is not like we did not try what they are peddling. we tried it for eight years and it did not work. the other side has promised to roll back health reform so that insurance companies can go back to the minute coverage when you

get sick. they want told walt -- rollback wall street reform. the want to let credit-card companies hit you with hidden fees and penalties. they want to cut education by 20% to help pay for a $700 billion tax break for the well tested at 2% of americans. this is the same. they have been peddling for years. and ohio, it is up to you to tell them, we do not want what they are selling. we have been there before and we're not going back. [applause] if in explaining to people around the country, it is as if

they drove america's car into the ditch. they drove it into the ditch, and so i came along and ted strickland came along, we put on our boots and we went down into the ditch, and it was hot down there and it was muddy. there were bugs. but we said, that is ok. even though we did not drive it into the ditch, it is our responsibility to get that car out of the ditch. [applause] and so we pushed and we pushed and every once and while we looked up, and you see the republican standing there, fanning themselves, sipping on a slurpee. [laughter] atte.g a lot

and we would ask for help and they would say, that's all right. you need to push harder. you're not pushing the right way. we kept on pushing and finally we get this car up on level ground. it pointed in the right direction. we're ready to move america forward. [applause] but the next thing we know, we get this attack on our shoulder and we look back and who is it? it is the republicans. and they say, we want the keys back. you cannot have the keys back. you do not know how to drive. [applause] now if you want, you can roll

with us. but you got to be in the back seat. [applause] if you want to take your car for, you have to put it in what? d. if you want to go backwards, you put it in r. we want to go forward. i love you back. let's examine what has happened over the last 20 months. the cause of the steps we've taken, we know what her face the possibility of a second person. the economy is growing again, we have created jobs nine months in a row. but people, we have such holon

waco. we have so much more work to do. people out there are hanging by a thread, people are hurting. is what keeps me up at night. he keeps me fighting. i also know this. the biggest mistake we could make right now, ohio, is to go back to the very same policies that cause all of this hurt in the first place. think about it for a second. it does not make sense. the other side is counting on all of you having amnesia, just forgetting what happened here. we cannot return to a philosophy that nearly destroyed our economy and decimated the middle class right here in ohio. and i say this not to read litigate the past. i say it because we cannot relive the past. and that is what this election is about. not where we have been, but where we want to go.

where we want to be 10 years from now, and 20 years from now. what is america's future look like? what do we have left to do? this election is not just about moving forward forces moving backwards, it is also a contest between our deepest hopes and our deepest fears. the other side is playing on fears. that is what they do. that is what they do. you say, we democrats have different ideas about what the future should look at -- like. it is based on not just ideas and books but the rich history of ted strickland and michelle and myself. we did not come from wealthy families. we did not come from famous families. we came from working families.

we came for some -- we came from some ordinary folks. we had to go to school on scholarships and grants. if we wanted some spending money, we had to work for it. and so we were remembering the story of our family's lives, and it is the stored your life. we know that the government does not have all the answers to our problems. we believe government should be clean and efficient, but in the words of the first republican president, abraham lincoln, and who i am not sure could not win the nomination in the republican party right now -- [laughter] we believe that government should be there to help people do what they cannot do better for themselves. that means we believe in the

country that reward hard work and responsibility and a country where we give each other a hand up, where we look after one another, or we say i am my brother's keeper, i am my sister's keeper. that is the america that i know. that is the choice in this election. [applause] see a future where it is driven by american ingenuity. we want to give tax breaks to companies right here in the united states of america. if to small businesses and american manufacturers and clean energy companies for solar panels and wind turbines and election cars -- the electric cars made right here in the united states of america by american workers.

we see an america where everyone has the skill and training to compete with any worker in the world. the other side might think it's a good idea to cut education by 20%. let me tell you who does not think that. china does not think it is a good idea. south korea and india, they do not think it is a good idea. they are not playing for second place. the united states of america does not play for second place -- we play for first. that is why tens of billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies that used to go -- is going to where it should, the families and students for their student loans. we're making a tax credit permanent work $10,000 of two russian police -- tuition relief for every student.

route -- to college. the only limits your success is how you -- how hard you're willing to work. that is why we want to give tax cuts and make them permanent to the middle class families. that is why we will fight efforts to privatize social security. that is not going to happen on my watch. they are not going to take the entire savings of an american generation and hand them over to wall street. that is why we refused to go back to the days where they had free rein to do whatever they want, running roughshod over the interest of middle-class families. i want to make sure that if you are paying your premiums than they are paying for your health care when you get sick. i want to make sure that credit card companies are not hit --

hitting you with hidden fees and penalties. i do that as someone who profoundly believes in the free market, but the free-market works when there are rules of the road in place. and when the best businesses, the ones competing for your business on the basis of high quality and good customer service, when they're the ones that succeed because there are decent rules out there. looking out for consumers, looking out for you -- that is the choice in this election. that is what we're fighting for. that is what we're fighting for. i want to warn you about something. and i am losing my voice because i am still fired up. to i've got some campaigning do over the next couple of weeks here. right now the same special interests that would profit from the other side of the agenda,

they are fighting back. the empire is striking back. [laughter] to win this election, they're spending tens of millions of dollars in the front groups, running misleading ads all across the country. they do not have the courage or that the motion to stand up and disclose their identity. insurance companies, banks -- we do not know. this is not just a threat to democrats, this is a threat to our democracy. and the only way to fight it, the only way to match their millions of dollars is all of you -- millions of voices ready to finish what we started in 2008. that is where you come in. that is where you come in. that is why you need to vote in this election.

banks are early voting here in ohio, you can vote right now. -- thanks to early voting here in ohio, you can go right now. a lot of you got involved in 2009 because you believe this is the time where the decisions we make, they are going to shape the lives of our children and our grandchildren for decades to come. that is why you knock on those doors. that is why you make the phone calls. that is why you stood in line to cast your vote for the first time in your life, because you believed that your actions could make a difference. that you could play a role in making change. and now we're not just advocating change, calling for change -- we are doing the hard work of change. sometimes it is frustrating. we're delivering change inch by inch, day by day. it is not easy -- believe me, i know it is not easy.

i understand some of you when you think back, election night looked so good, in operation etha singing, and then we start solving these problems, suddenly the other side is disrupting, and people started looking around and seeing family members losing a job, another foreclosures i'm going up in my neighborhood, and you see all the tv ads and politicians tearing each other down and pundits saying you cannot change politics. i know, i know it is discouraging up there. but do not let anyone tell you you're not making a difference.

because of you right now, there is a woman in new hampshire to does not have to choose between losing her health and treating her cancer. their parents and other children in the eye and say, yes, you are going to college. because of you, there are some clean energy on to inures that are building some plants somewhere and calling people and putting them to work, putting up help wanted sign. because of view, 100,000 brave men and women are no longer at war in a rock. -- iraq. so do not let them tell you that change is not possible. do not let them take this country backwards, because we did not fight for it, because here is what i know. nothing in america is ever easy.

the very founding of this country was hard. it required a revolution. and when you thought about 13 colonies coming together, how unlikely was it that they could gain their freedom from the most powerful empire honor? and then draft a document based on principles that had never been tried before -- we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and we are endowed with certain inalienable rights, and then we had to grapple with the legacy of slavery. and of civil war. and we had to fight to make sure that workers could get a decent deal after jobs and make sure that women got the right to vote. and then world war ii came along and we had to fight to defeat

fascism, overcome the depression, and when folks came back, we had to invest in them with the gi bill to make sure we could build a middle-class that would be the envy of the world. and win cold wars and put a man on the men, and each and every one of the steps required a struggle. and each time there was someone out there saying we cannot do that. each and every time there was someone who said, you know what? you're wasting your time. there was someone who was saying, you know what? change is not going to happen. if our parents and grandparents had made the decision to set it out 15 years ago or a 100 years ago for 200 years ago, we would not be here tonight. the only reason we're here is because of past generations have been unafraid to push for even in the face of difficulty. they were not afraid to do what was necessary, even when things

are uncertain. that is how we got through all four. that is how we got through depression. that is why we have civil rights. and women's rights, and workers' rights. and if you will recapture that spirit, if you are out there knocking on doors and making phone calls, talking to your friends, and if you do not give up hope, then i guarantee you that not only are we going to win this election, because this was never just about putting the president in the white house but building a movement for change, we will build a movement for change that will last 10 years from now and 20 years from now and we will grow this economy and restore the middle class to its rightful place. and once again the american dream will be alive and well. god bless you, ohio. and god bless the united states

of america. ♪ ♪ fame andkid dreams of fortune one kid helps pay the rent

one could end up going to prison one just might be president only in america streaming red, light, and blue only in america we all get a chance everybody gets to dance only in america sun going down on an l.a. freeway newlyweds in the faback

all wilder's son and a banker's daughter all they want is everything she can add here to be an actress he was a singer and a band they just might go back to oklahoma and talk about the stars they could have been only in america streaming red, white, and blue only in america everything we wanted to we all get a chance everybody gets to dance

only in america ♪ only in america where we dream in red, white, and blue. only in america we all get a chance everybody gets to dance only in america only in america only in america where we dream in which red,

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♪ [ rita coolidge's "higher and

higher" playing] ♪

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>> now let discussion on the article "the education of the president." this is 20 minutes. eter baker of the "new york times." what does he do now? your interview with the president and the cover story in the "new york times" sunday magazine, the education of president obama. why this piece? why now? >> well, we're talking about

these mid-term elections. everybody is assuming they're a referendum, at least a verdict on the first two years of president obama's time in office. we decided to take a serious look at what he has learned from these two years and what lessons he plight apdr -- might apply to the next two years. we had a chance to talk to both president obama in the oval office as well as probably two dozen of his aides and advisers from how things look from the inside out, how they per seef what's going on, what do they decide has worked and hasn't worked. it was an interesting process. you got a lot more reflection than you might have expected in the weeks coming before an election when everybody is obviously on edge. >> you've been around him as a candidate, senator, and as president. what was his demeanor like when you sat down with him? ? guest: relaxed, unrushed. we were told we had 20 minutes. he was engaged in the subject.

he gave ate lot of thought. he is a reflective person. he wrote his memoir at a very young age that most people think is the most introspective of memoirs. so he was willing to chew over some of these issues and we ended up spending a full hour together talking about what had gone right and wrong and how he sees things going. host: we're going to share with you some excerpts. as always, we'll get to your phone calls. you can join the conversation on line or send us an e-mail. let's dig right into this. you say theperhaps the most amb domestic agenda finds himself domestic agenda finds himself villified by the right, cascaded by the left and abandoned by the middle

guest: and he's aware of that. he's not going to admit it in the interview. he's going to maintain optimism about where the democrats are going to end up. but he has begun thinking about what the aides call obama 2.0. what does he do with a less friendly congress? how much can he move through and think about using his executive power more, foreign policy obviously, and also implementation. the first two years he pushed through a lot of very big ambitious legislation, controversial. a lot of people don't like it. and these next two years are in part going to be about defending themselves against attacks from republicans in congress and in the courts. host: these are the president's words

guest: and that's absolutely true. the rest test -- real test is not when the president is down because every president does go through a period of political trouble, a period where they're challenged. the test, as we always tell our children, is when you get knocked down, can you get back up? what do you do to recover at that point? and he's thinking about history in that way. he's been reading presidential biographies. he's reading a book, the clinton tapes, about his secret conversations with president clinton. and he's looking at the examples i think of history to find out presidents -- how presidents have gone through moments like the one we're seeing right now and how do they recover. president clinton lost congress in 1994, came back to win reelection two years later.

ronald reagan lost a couple dozens seats in the house. his poll numbers were also down. he came back to win reelection. so are those the examples that president obama can follow or does he have a different path where like for instance jimmy carter perhaps or even george bush in his second term where the numbers just went down and he never could pull back up. host: this is what it looks like, the education of a president by peter baker. in your story you refer to the president's comments in milwaukee. let's watch. >> some powerful interests who have been dominating the agenda in washington for a long time are not always happy with me. they talk about me like a dog. that's not in my prepared remarks. it's just -- but it's true. host: harry truman said if you

want a friend in washington, get a dog. did those comments surprise you? guest: a little bit. i think he's expressing his frustration on the trail. he said some thing that is sound perhaps defensive even or frustrated. he said at a recent fund raiser, look, it takes time. it took time to free the slaves, it took time to give women the vote. which is comparison, equating what he is doing with some pretty big things in american history. but i think it must be tough to be a president given all of the things that come your way. and all of the knocks that come your way. he has at the moment not a lot of friends that he can rely on. he doesn't have a solid base of support at the moment that he would like to turn back to at the time of this. >> host: one of the pictures in your article, one of a series

of a backyard townhall meetings, in richmond, virginia, in a home because of rain that particular day. but we've been seeing the president in these informal settings. we've been covering them. what's the message and the pr behind that? because there is pr behind that. guest: i think they're trying to find a way to communicate that works better for him. there's the oval adf office address, things like that haven't worked as successfully as they would like. the big rallies of 2008, we see many of them but not many. they think these are more intimate and more human, and that might allow vote ers to connect with him and see him as somebody who understands what's going on in their lives and the troubles that they're experiencing with this down economy. you know, i think all these things are ways of trying to get across the message. but it's hard to imagine that they changed the dynamic in an environment like the one we have right now.

host: and yet today's the first time we'll see the president and first lady together on the campus of ohio state university in columbus, a state that is at the polls are correct, likely to go republican for a governor and senate. guest: exactly. the president's on a big campaign swing across a number of states. yesterday, friday in delaware, saturday massachusetts, today ohio. the rest of the week he's got five or six more states, all of which are obama states, by the way. he's only going to states where he won in 2008, in october, and that shows you he is trying to rally the base and not trying to expand his reach at this point, not bothering to go to places in the south or mountain west where he hasn't been as successful over time. host: i called this a lengthy piece. it's an interesting piece. how many words? guest: very quick 8,000 word reading. host: elly is joining us from new york. independent line. good morning. caller: good morning.

host: go ahead, please. caller: yes. i'm very interested in the article. i haven't gotten to read it yet. but my comment is to peter. how many other political figures have you interviewed over the past few years? have you ever super viewed another president? education of a president? there have ever been any other presidents that you did this kind of an article on? guest: thank you for the question. this is my third president i've covered. i've cord president clinton president bush. and it's interesting to see different presidents over time. what strikes me is the familiarity, actually, that these are very different men, of course, bill clinton, george bush, and barack obama and yet some things are universal. being in that office, being in

that position i think regardless of ideology puts individual men and eventually women in a very familiar position. and in terms of their own personality, in terms of the way they run their white house, there's some interesting parallels as well. i sort of see president obama in a way kind of a cross between president clinton and president bush in some ways. not ideologically but in the way they run things. president clinton was very engaged in the details of policy, loved really digging into the nitty-gritty of things and understanding what was going on, intellectually curious. president obama is pretty similar in that regard. he's less likely to leave a decision open as long as president clinton did. when he makes a decision, like president bush, he doesn't revisit it, he's done with it. he's going to move on. he's more disciplined in the same way that president bush was. and some of the things that they say, it's fascinating to see some of the same things come out of their mouth.

host: from the piece as i read this, i pount out that presidents clinton, bush, obama, coming to this town with little experience or washington, really friends in this town. host: and then the two presidents before the elder president bush were ronald reagan, and jimmy carter. both governors came from out of town. we seem to be electing people who are promising to change washington, five of the last six presidents basically ran on that platform. and i think each of them has a different degrees discovered that's easier said on the campaign trail than traps form. you want to make change, and you can, but at the same time you have to be able to be

effective as president and therefore recognize the system is what it is and you have to work within it to some extent. host: next, new york city, good morning with peter baker. caller: good morning. i just wanted to ask i guess you had touched on this before but my question is basically do you feel that obama is perhaps a very great speech giver but perhaps maybe he needs to work on communication skills, getting his message across about his programs? i just feel he's, he gets up on the podium and does a great job but when he communicates his programs, he is falling quite short. guest: two years in his presidency we're talking about that being a challenge for him. his capacity for taking a stadium of 08,000 people and rousing them to intpration and hope and so forth but in fact that's one form of communication, not the only fornl of communication.

as our caller just said, i compare president obama to president clinton in that way. president obama is a speaker and president clinton is a talker. what i would -- the distinction i think president obama can in fact sort of captivate a moment in time with a great large crowd, where as president clinton isn't a great orator per se but is a really good explainer of his policies, a really good story teller and sort of talker to a group of say 250200 people in which he lays out his program in a sort of logical sequention. . .

guest: your moment of maximum political capital is when you take office. he ran that with health care and financial regulation right from the start. host: and yet he is not talking about that on the campaign trail. he was talking about republicans taking away social security. guest: there are two dynamics. health care reform did not prove to be popular. in fact, they did think health- care would be popular and they

have not managed to structure it or sell it in the way the public has embraced it. that may change. a lot of the program has not come into effect. but for the moment, it is not a political selling point. is the public doesn't want to hear about what you have done. but what you will do. as the president is trying to make the case, what the others may do. host: our guest is peter baker. it's difficult to have discussions with people who think you're the evil incarnate. we will go to pat on the republican line. caller: me question is to peter,

the fourth branch of the government is the press. since 2011, when fox took over, the media followed fox. what i'm challenging the reporters, because that's where we get our information. i just want facts. i love this country more than my party. that's what it's about. what i'm challenging the reporters, do your job. report the facts and let us decide. thank you very much. guest: thank you, i think our job is to provide the facts and context and analysis. i understand some people probably, you know, follow fox or whatever or any other station. what the "times" tries to do is

follow the news and the facts. host: you were in the oval office a month after the refurbishing looks like with new paint and wall paper. in the body of the piece, you said. in politics, presence matters. he redecorates in a period that was unnecessary, next in a time of austerity. and one day, he showed up wearing one. you went on to talk about his appearances in church, at st. john's. guest: he thinks a lot of them are insulting to intelligence of the voters or the politicians.

in the end, there are conventions that are probably not worth his name. in the end, you explain why you're not wearing a flag pin or pray at home. it creates a distraction that's unnecessary. so in the end, he rebels and sort of succumbs in some ways of the rituals of the american politics. guest: another comment from mary. the president thinks he has fulfilled his promise, but did them in the gop way. enriching the corporations not the people guest: i think the common answer, he thinks he has gotten a lot done. they believe him to be in bed with wall street or whatever. it's fascinating how you can

have such disparate views of the same person. you get, he's captive, of corporate interest, he caved in to them and the right. on the other side, you hear the talk of his being a socialist, anti-business liberal. they seem irreconcilable. host: another picture of him and rahm emanuel. pete will stay on and not just serve as interim chief of staff. guest: i think how long he stays we'll see. pete rouse is a relectant chief of staff.

he didn't want to move into rahm's office. he wanted to stay in his office. he has a bet with his fellow deputy white house staff, a number of weeks of staff, >> tomorrow, the book "overall ," about the restructuring of the detroit auto companies. and the gala editor in chief discusses the recent polls examining people's attitudes on how active the federal government should be in the affairs of america. "washington journal," live at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span.

now what kentucky senate debate with democratic jack conway and republican rand paul. the cook political report rates this phrase of tossup. the university of louisville along with whhstwv organized to this debate. it is about an hour. >> welcome to bigelow hall for tonight's political debate. tonight's debate will be between the candidates for u.s. senate. i am from the university of louisville. i am the director of media relations. i will be moderating these debates. we have four reporters who will be asking questions of the candidates.

the reporters will be asking questions of the two canadas, democrat jack conway and republican rand paul. the audience has been asked to refrain from applying until the end. if they believe their opponent has said something about them that they need to respond to, i will give them a little leeway. the coin toss was won by jack conway. rand paul had the second option and has chosen to go last in the closing. you each have 90 seconds for your opening statements. mr. conway, your first. >> thank you to the university of lowell and for whs for -- of louisville and whs for hosting

this debate tonight. i have looked up for seniors or try to take advantage of them. rand paul has said that seniors needed two thousand dollars deductible. he is wrong. as your attorney general, i've taken on the pharmaceutical companies and the oil companies. rand paul would not let the government hold them accountable in any way whatsoever and as also for as to say that going after bp was unamerican. he is wrong. he is on record that we have not all of the constitution since 1937. in 19 -- 1937 is not pick randomly, that is the year that

to the supreme court reinstates upheld the constitutionality of the social security. rand paul would undo all the basic protections we have had since the 1930's. count on me to stand up for you and for kentuckians. i humbly ask for your vote on nov. 2nd. >> thank you, mr. conroy. mr. paul. >> people ask me if i enjoyed running for public office. boesak, i say yes. but recently, it has become difficult. most of you know me as a pro- life christian. i will not apologize for that. i have never written or said anything to indicate that i am otherwise religious. i am disheartened that he has chosen to attack my religious beliefs. we have serious problems and our country. we have to have a serious discussion. he has descended into the gutter

to attack my christian beliefs. i believe that those who choose politics for personal destruction disqualify themselves from consideration. i believe that those who stooped to the level of attacking a man's religious beliefs to gain higher office, i believe that they should remember that it does not profit a man to gain the world if he loses his soul in the process. if you wish to be considered for higher office, if you wish to enter into the debate, stepped up. cast aside these criticisms on my personal religion. you should apologize. have you no decency? have you no shame? >> can i respond? >> nope. we will move on. [laughter] you had a chance and a second. the moderator will be asking questions from the viewers and the folks here in the room.

i will ask the first question. mr. conroy, are you in favor or opposed to the supreme court decision that allows unlimited corporate dollars in the election process? and white view held that position? >> first of all, i am opposed to that position. i do have to answer rand paul. values matter. grand ball has to questions to answer. the president of baylor university and a group because they "were making fun of christianity and christ." why did he freely join a group known for mocking or making fun of people of faith? secondly, when it is the every good idea to tie up a woman and ask her to kneel before a fall sidle?

-- false idol? these are two fundamental questions i hope we can answer here tonight. there is a lot of undisclosed special-interest money coming in here to attack the right now. we need to make sure that corporate special interests do not serve to pay off their politicians. >> about the ruling, jack, you know how we tell when you're lying? when your lips are moving. [laughter] you're accusing me of crimes. do you know nothing about the process? you will stand over there and accuse me of a crime from 30 years ago from an anonymous source? how ridiculous are you? you embarrassed this race. you will accuse me of a crime from 30 years ago? you really have no shame, have you? do you want to discuss the issues of the day? discuss your support for obamacare.

let's not let this degenerate into calling me names and accusing me of crimes from 30 years ago from anonymous sources. really, have you no shame? >> you have sit -- you have 15 seconds to respond, mr. conway. >> he still has not answered the two fundamental questions. why did he join a group that was known for mocking christianity and crisis? he reveled in sacrilege. and values matter. when it is ever prepared to tie up a woman and have her new before a false god? >> how do you respond to a guy who is going to " somebody anonymously from 30 years ago? you just out and out lied because you have nothing to stand on. run a race as a man. stand up and be a man. >> ok. [applause] >> we will move on.

>> dr. paul, kentucky is haunted gm, ford, and toyota plants and suppliers to those automakers. you agree with the statement that the country would be in better shape if gm would have been allowed to fail rather than be bailed out? if gm's failure would have threatened the other automakers of kentucky, ford and toyota, because they share suppliers, would you still be in favor of letting gm failed and whatever fact that would have on the other automakers of kentucky? >> i would characterize it a little differently. i would say that nobody wants gm to fail. nobody wants ford to fail. everyone's in the business to fail. i am not in favor of any businesses failing. but i would say that, when the economics of it show that you are going bankrupt, that there is something to be set for organized bankruptcy. what happened to what president obama bit in this is that he stole money from the indiana teachers' pension and gave it

to the union workers. the teachers' pension was not what you call a bond holder that was a preferred bondholder. by the government coming in and overtaking the process and having a bankruptcy that was outside the normal bankruptcy rules, they basically took money from people who were owed money. bankruptcy also causes efficiencies to occur. through bankruptcy, there would have been a more efficient process. fertile loam went bankrupt. -- fruit of the loom went bankrupt. i did not like to see them go into bankruptcy. but what happened? warren buffett bought them. >> this is really about who has the jobs plan for the future. i have a plan. my opponent does not. he has said we will need to he has said we will need to have