>> and they have sent people out. the president is in no by do that is his first stop. they cut all the cocoanuts off of the trees because they do not like the possibility of a coconut falling on the president's head. those could be deadly. it very rarely happens, but it might happen senate want to make sure it does not happen. just in case, is there any things such as being to save? if it is the president of the united states, you cannot be too safe. >> i can just see him walking around in a helmet. >> that would be -- of the whole time of the presidential party, the reporters, the secret service, robert gives and the first lady, they are wearing

football helmets. in lancaster pa., a central pennsylvania man has been arrested for shoplifting. kind of. what he saw was a pair of shoes -- stole it was a pair of shoes. how is he going to get out of the store and a pair of high heels? he put them on and walked out of the store. i think this kind has other things going on here. >> put that together with a helmet and you have a fashion statement. >> he was also wearing -- never mind. >> no, no, no. >> i was just making that up. >> did you ever have to much money? yes. a couple in candidates, they

live in nova scotia. they are a retired couple. a couple of months ago, they won $11 million in the canadian lottery and they decided it was too much money. it was a burden and they did not know what to do with it, so they gave it all away. the may list of charities, hospitals, good causes, and gave it all away. it wanted to go back to the way that they were before they have their $11 million. >> they should have called us. that is a hell of a problem. >> i have a couple of ideas what to do with $11 million other than give it all away. >> we will be back to take another look at the political landscape here on this friday, november 5. ♪

>> dan, could you print out some facebook-twitter? >> yes, it is printing now. >> ok, good. >> i do not care, why should i? i made over $3.8 million in the worst bear market in history. you will not care either when you get my best selling book.

>> ok, that is good. that is right. so, peter, um, shall we do this here? >> i think that we ought to. it can't hurt.

is the first one grateful? host: yes. yes. >> and then bush on oprah? host: yes. >> any of obama talking to reporters yesterday? host: yes. november 18, huh? >> we have to do the tina fey. >> yes, sure. that is a lot of audio and we might be able to seek -- sneak in a caller to. but we do not need to do both tina fey's. which is the better one? >> i think that when she does

the impression. host: is that the second one? >> that is the first one. host: ok. all right, back in 15. >> is the pot test mentioned there? -- podcast mentioned there? >> this is the bill press show. host: 12 minutes from the top of the hour. it is official. now, in washington state, george bush refuses to be a pundit. president obama bros a slippery at someone at the white house

and we are back with tina fey. don't stop thinking about tomorrow ♪ host: a quick look at yesterday's show. larry was here from the university. they both have insights about the midterm elections. you don't want to miss any part of the show. if you have a podcast subscription, it will automatically download every day to your iphone. you can listen to the entire show commercial free and catch those interviews that you may have missed the day before because you were out of the car or away from home or what ever. go to the website. on the political front, 90 million people voted on tuesday. here is one that did not.

bristol palin was too busy practicing her dance steps. she did not vote. >> she did not vote. >host: she did not even vote absentee. >> there is a joke about her abstaining, but i am not going to say it. host: not on c-span. you cannot say that joke. ank?do you thin you can't think latino voters. they make bashing immigrants and throwing everybody out and breaking up families and bring everybody back to mexico, and they go on the air in the congress and bash, bash, bash. they do nothing but-immigrants both legal and illegal. they pay the consequences.

jerry brown got 64% of the latino vote. in nevada, where sharon angle said that they look like asians, harry reid walked away with 60% of the vote. speaking of george bush, he was on a 04 yesterday. she was trying to get him to opine on president obama. he would not bite. >> i want to treat my success of the way i would have been treated. i do not want to opine on every issue. he has a tough job. he will have plenty of critics and he does not need me criticizing him. >> know, we do not want any

opining. washington state, it is now official. the good patty murray is in for another six years. >> i am grateful for this opportunity. i want to thank all of the voters. i want to thank those that were gracious and called me to congratulate me. i want to thank him and his family. i know what a sacrifice it is. >> that kid in the background. >> that was her opponent. >> the president had fun at the beer summit years ago and he will have another summit at the white house on november 18. >> i have already called mitch mcconnell, john boehner, harry reid and nancy pelosi and invited them to a meeting here at the white house in the first week of the lame-duck on

november 18. this will be a meeting in which i want us to talk substantively. host: 1 reporter suggested that it could be a sort be a summit. -- a slurpee summit. steve is calling from boston. hello steve. >> i hope the democrats learned a lesson that they have to stop the republicans from framing the conversations. every time the republicans talk about health care, it is a job killing health care. i never hear a democrat. i have seen them on television panels and the talk and i never hear a democrat stop them and tell them that it is a life changing health care plan to when they talk about the failed stimulus program, i never hear them call it the job-creating tax cutting stimulus program.

that is why this has worked against the democrats. it is nonsense. every time they talk about that, it has gotten so ingrained in the public. i have heard you get phone calls and i listen to talk radio all day. i hear all of these phone calls. >> let me tell you something. john boehner is one of the worst at those. he knows that the word is democratic. he still says democrat. i think i will reapply for my congressional pastor so i can correct in every time he says it. >> this is the bill press show. >> attention all u.s. taxpayers.

if you owe more than $2,000 in past due taxes, we can help you. call 877-897 -- >> i think this is about issues.

some of the comments that she made -- the line >> -- >> all right, here we go. it is one to be pretty tight here. i cannot read some of these on the air.

>> you have mail, baby, a gap. -- yes. >> of this is the bill press show. a lot of the females in response to my column. this is called the american people do not get it. i said that american voters are fickle and dumb. said that he felt good about his wife and children and i called him an idiot and he is beside himself in despair. >> it is amazing that you would the mental americans because they do not agree with you and voted differently than you wish. that is the way that i see it. she tells bill to sit down and shut up. we will tell you when you can

make a further is yet of yourself. -- edf of yourself. who knew that bill press was still alive? alive and kicking, man. announcer: it is the bill press show. host: ok, one down. who is doing the next hour? >> there it is. host: yes. a lot of calls. good.

so, are you going to do a run? >> do you want a run? host: do i need it? >> is this what a producer really does? host: it is part of the job description. >> part of the job description. i shined shoes. host: what the hell are you doing calling this early in the morning? [applause] [laughter] it is not. [laughter]

were you watching at the top of the show? are you kidding? you have to watch the beginning of the show. seriously, why were you in your office? -- why were you not in your office? oh, i see. it did to get some coffee? is that it? [laughter] yes, i have a few pair the next hour. we have been through too many elections. all right, i will see later.

watch the beginning of the show. i will see you later. hey, that was brian lamb. he was not watching at the top of the show. he will go back and watch it on tape. how many times do we need him -- needle him? i think that he was afraid to watch the top of the show. >what is the update? illinois? right? we can use both of those in washington state. >> yes.

host: ok. alaska. >> we did not get the audio. host: i like that. >> let's do it. host: yes. >> we could probably sneak some calls and. host: i would like to do elvis. >> let's do it. three minutes and we are back. host: 21 to get into -- do we want to get into -- what time do we want to get out? >> at the 20. host: we need to do a little

more than just an update. >> i think you can probably sneak some calls in. host: yes, yes. we could probably take two calls. host: i want to get in that -- for outside, we're focused on the comment, right? >> yes, i think so. >host: and whether you can negotiate with this guy? >> thanks for holding, your first name? >> you already have some calls holding. host: ok, all right.

let's stick with those in the first segment. the other thing that we could do -- hollen >> so, you were saying that you were stupid? host: i like the john boehner denial clippe. >> all right. >> thank you for holding, your first and? -- your first name? joe, what is your comment? sure, hang on for me a. -- hang on for me.

alright, 30 seconds. host: i think i am going to do this. >> all right. >> there are cameras all over this damn place. i can't even read a book. >> yes. host: i am going to hide under the desk. >> they have cameras host:. i enjoy his company. he made references to women that

call him every night. his past football exploits. announcer: this is the bill press show. >> while we've read, we hope. we are met with cynicism and doubt and those that tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people. yes weekend. >host: hey mom, we are on television. i feel like the crowd on the today show. >> only slightly less obnoxious. host: i need a big sign. good morning everybody, it is good to see you today. it is friday november 5. the bill press show. we are live coast-to-coast across this great country of ours are starting in our nation's capital, washington d.c. we are just down the street from the united states capitol

building. we are in a little radio factory and book factory on capitol hill. the bill press show, this friday addition, it is good to have you with us. thank you for joining us. all of our regular listeners wherever you happen to be and today, all of our viewers from c-span, c-span2 is covering the show today. welcome to our comfortable little studio here on capitol hill. the news yesterday on the financial front. the fed said that they were to pump more money into the economy, print some more money and wall street liked it. the dow shot up two hundred 19 points -- 219 points. that means that the market is back to where it was before the crash in october of 2008. that is good news on the economic front. the economy is bouncing back. if you want to give us a call,

we look forward to your calls at any time on any topic. 866-55-press. that is the democrats' line. for c-span, we have three separate lines. the republican line is different. all put together thanks to our regular pristine here. are you running the new york marathon? >> i am not running the marathon. i am thinking about it next year. host: white new york city? >> why not? it is the new york city host: marathon you should do the san francisco marathon.

host: that is a rough crossing. i have done it so many times. i will tell you who is running the new york city marathon which is astounding. it is one of the miners who was rescued down in july it got down in chile. -- done in chile. it turns out that he is not only a runner, he is also an elvis fan. ♪ return to sender ♪ address unknown ♪ [laughter] that is the only for the words of english that he knows third- about-those of the only four words that he knows. -- those are the only four words that he knows. >> i think that dan reported yesterday that he ran 6 miles.

>> every day. >> i am at him running in a little circle over and over again to calculate 6 miles. host: check out the web site. column postedm yesterday. order your copy of my new book, how the radical right has poisoned america's airwaves. we should have done this book online and just added more every day because there is more toxic talk coming from russia limbaugh and michael savage and sean annity.- sean hennes coming up later, senator byron

dorgan will be joining us next hour and congressman van hollen with some insights on what the hell happened on tuesday. but a first-come -- announcer: this is the full court press. >> the president wanted a slurpee summit. they have offered to bring red and blue as far this -- read them live slurpees. the iconic drink has been around for 44 years. >> they are good. >> there are good if you are stoned out of your board and

there is nothing else. host: i think they are good if your 10 years old. john painter said that he would rather have a glass of marlowe. -- john boehner said that he would rather have a glass of merlot. >> the pop star image will be in different locations across the world starting on september 9. you can find them in london, amsterdam, las vegas, shanghai and hong kong. >> i do not like starting this hour with lady gaga getting waxed. >> you can easily get squeamish in movies. there is a new film that stars james franco.

it starts with that rock climber that perform a self agitation when he was pinned by his arm back in 2003. the premier had many viewers getting sick because it was so realistic. >> this is a movie i want to see, watching a man cut his arm off. >> the movie that i want to see is a special screening in washington d.c. for client northern 9. it is a movie about eliot spitzer. i am going to that. buthe timing is perfect. at the documentary about eliot spitzer comes out just two weeks after the new show.

it is a disaster. it is not going to last. your phone calls. we're talking about whether or not the message of the midterms elections is if the voters repudiated all of the policies of barack obama. that is what the republicans are claiming. he should just stand up and say that we are going to undo everything that we did and pull the plug and there is no more health care. no more war street reform -- wall street reform. it is all gone because you repudiated it. what do you think? we will be back to your calls in just a second. meanwhile, this little update on the political front. republicans got all wins on tuesday night. the democrats are smarter. they are stretching them out. there were things that were undecided on tuesday.

yesterday, we learned that michael bennett is the new senator from colorado. yesterday, we learned that pat quinn is reelected as governor of illinois. good news for democrats. and we also learned that patty murray is now confirmed, in fact, reelected in washington state. she was happy to except yesterday. >> i am grateful for this tremendous opportunity. i want to thank all of the voters of a will to fight my opponent who called me just a while ago to congratulate me and i want to thank him and his family. i know what a sacrifice it is. >> she said that on health care, she is not opposed to repeal. >> we will move forward on health care reform. we will now see what the republicans have to offer. i will say this, i am not putting our families back at

risk again. >> good for you, good for her. we are glad she is back in there. alaska is the next shoe to drop. they say they will check out all of the right in votes, but it looks likely some rakowski is going to walk away and come back to washington as the incumbent senator reelected no thanks to her republican party. scott mcadams is in third place. sarah palin is back. at least she is back on late night television. tina fey was the guest of david letterman last night and he asked her something. >> she is extra sassy these days. all of her mama grizzlies are innin'.

they are going to go through that garbage. [applause] york or to have to tie your food to a tree. -- you are going to have to tie your food to a tree. host: john painter says the barack obama does not get it. -- john maynard says that barack obama does not give it. >> there seems to be some denial on the part of the president. there is the message that is sent. >> of the board is democratic leaders and the democratic party. if you are speaker, you have to speak the english language, do. >> i am in missouri.

>> good morning. >> i do not think that there really is a message. the party in power always loses at midterm elections. it is not a repudiation. >> especially when the economy is bad. the incumbent party always does. >> john boehner is one to act like it is. >it is interesting what people o think of when they hear him. >> gavin is call in from colorado. >> good morning. >> good morning, bill. >> you know what? you were referring to the idiocy of the voters.

in colorado, we have mail in ballots. i voted the republican ticket all the way. i think that that was wrong. it was for convenience. i think that this is how people are inclined to vote. >> i do not understand. it would have been just as efficient to pull a straight democratic ballot. why did you pull a straight ballot on one or the other side? because you're too lazy? >> pretty much, sir. >> at least you admit it. i would hope that most americans would put a little more thought into the ballot. more calls are coming up. >> the bill press show continues. >> i am not used to such

honesty. >> why even bother calling to tell us that? >> why did he even vote? >> yes. >> i this want to call to say that in just an idiot. you said that voters were idiot and i just wanted to call and say that you are right. there are a lot of its out there. we are here for you. >> clip northern 5, his name is john and he explains why he mooned 3 at the football game in tennessee. -- the guy at the football game in tennessee.

>> clip northern 3 is michael shields -- #3 is michael shield. cliff number two is john maynard crying. -- john boehner crying. cliff number one is bill clinton campaigning when they can it's what goes into labor. t. plus, he lost her hea >> so, do we have time for anything else? >> we might. i will do the cliffs first and maybe just to a call.

-- the clips first and maybe just jump to a call. >> oh, shoot. you know what? i should have asked dan to do a coffee run. >> they have donuts in there. what? >> i have a whole thing of doughnuts. >> get out.

>> to you guys have coffee? do you want some? we have some great coffee shop downstairs. >> tell them i will pay them back. >> coffee? coffee? coffee? one coffee? >> tell them that brian lamb is buying doughnuts and coffee. >> alright, cool. thanks. >> tell them that brian is paying.

>> after clips, you have calls. >> all right, good. >> here we go. >> i am ready. >> it is 24 minutes after the hour with the bill press show. sunday, check your local listings. i will be on the mclaughlin group with john mclaughlin. issue number one has not changed all of these years. it should be a lot of fun. i always enjoyed doing that show. meanwhile, here on a friday -- ♪

as all of the regular listeners know and our sea spam viewers will malmo, we look back on a weekly file and hit the favorite sound bite of the week. we start at the bottom and work our way up to the top. i will start today with a guy in tennessee that was not happy with the referees' calls of his son's football game. his name was john largen, and so he mooned the rest. >> i told him that he was crazy. he continued to throw one more flight. i told him that he might as well throw a flag at this and i moon him. >> wow, throw a flag at this. that a full moon over tennessee. nepal, was a big loser when he was asked by a reporter about

his comments about a little girl. >> don't you think that little girl is a sexist statement to make? >> you can make it what ever you want. >> you do not think it is sexist? >> absolutely not. >> a number of republicans lost >> are we going to talk issues or am i leaving the right now. >> i think this is about issues. >> he said that he would take his baseball bat and go home. michael steele, how many seats would you have to win to declare victory? >> #3. >> we need 39. if we get 39 seats and take the majority, that is success. if we get 37 seats, that is success. >> john boehner was so upset with success. >> i spent my whole life chasing

the american dream. >> john boehner, a man up. >> #1. >> ohio has cut its dropout rate among the kids most at risk. the baby is now being born. [applause] >> we have time for a quick word from john in ferndale, washington. hello, john. >> hello bill. i was just calling to say that president obama needs to say to mr. mcconnell that they are

liars. i hope he uses the word liars'. >> i would love to see that. i would hope they would have c- span cameras like they do here this morning in that meeting when the president calls them out and say that they were the ones that blocked everything he tried to do this year. >announcer: this is the bill press show. >> do you own a time sure that you're no longer using? are you tired of paying a mortgage on a place that you probably do not even use? if you said yes, you are not alone. >> time shares only is the world's largest. >> ferndale, washington.

for 30 a.m. in the morning, watching c-span? -- 40 a.m. in the morning-4:30 a.m. in the morning, watching c- span? >> so, -- are you there? so, the question is -- i to

focus on the compromise question, right? especially in light of -- >> yes. >> we do not actually have him saying one term, do we? >> no. peter.

>> yes? >> was the message to work together? >> not from yesterday. no. >> yes. >> i do have the obama from the press conference on wednesday when he says moving forward together. do you want to hear that? >> yes. >> i told john painter and mitch mcconnell last night that we could figure route how to move forward.

>> that is good. let's do that. >> as just that one? >> we will start out with a call bank, so -- >> yes. >> thank you for holding. your first name? allen, where are you calling from? what do you think about the president compromising with mitch mcconnell? hello? great, hang on for me. >> from the capital of the free world -- >> 33 minutes after the hour. the bill press show. we are coming to you live coast

to coast from already a studio here on capitol hill, washington d.c. and.ation's capital we are live coast to coast this morning both on the radio airwaves and on c-span, c-span to. we welcome all of our friends joining us. there is something about the big issues of the day. this is a section we call outside the beltway because we devote the next half hour to your calls. the phone number is 866-55- press. unlike c-span, were you have to know three telephone numbers. they make it so complicated. >> there are so difficult. >> and you have to identify yourself as a democrat, republican or independent. our number is 866-55-press.

i asked you whether or not the president should try to compromise with republicans? is that the message of tuesday? he seemed to indicate that that is what he took away. here he was wednesday at 11:00 a.m. news conference that i attended in the east room of the white house. >> i told john painter and mitch mcconnell -- john boehner and mitch mcconnell that we needed to move forward together. yesterday, a week or so ago, mitch mcconnell said, and i quote him exactly, "the single most important thing we want to achieve it is for president obama to be a one-term president. did he miss speak?

no. he gave a speech at the heritage foundation where he repeated that. he said that his top goal is to make obama a one time president. he said that americans repudiate the policy is of president obama. how can you compromise with these guys? if john major starts with a total repeal a total repudiation -- if john boehner starts with a total repeal and total repudiation and mitch mcconnell says that he wants to reach out, it seems to me that this is a non-starter. i do not think that obama should be thinking compromise with them at all. didn't he learned anything over the past two years? they were not willing to compromise on anything. they did not give him one vote on the stimulus package, one vote on the auto bailout, one

vote for nothing. compromise, working together. coom bios -- let's start with allen in raleigh, north carolina. >> thank you, bill. i would like to seek compromise. i m of the tea party mentality for it -- i am of the tea party mentality. i would like to work together rather than have the democrats locked and the -- lock themselves into a room. i think that that hurts them. >> let me back up. in an ideal world, we see that. we see them work with ronald reagan. we saw bob dole work together with bill clinton. but i am not sure that is possible with this crowd.

it has not been the democrats that locked themselves in a closet. it was barack obama who tried to reach out to republicans and it would not come his way at all. >> what about this story of the fact that the president has not reached out to the senate leader for 18 months? is that not true? >> not true. i have seen ms. mcconnell at the white house. i go down there every day. i do not know who made up that story. the classic story, allen, and you have heard it on the show before. this happened right after obama got into office. he wanted to be a post-partisan type of guy. he called up john banner -- john dillinger -- john boehner and

said that he wanted to hear his ideas about what we can do for a jobs bill. this was the regional stimulus package and john painter said fined three before the president in a car, they said that not one republican was going to vote for the president's plan. they had not even given their ideas. he said not one republican vote. that is what they think compromise is. >> josh, calling from vermont. >> i think that obama should try to cooperate, the what i am afraid of is that barack obama will trade the tax cut for 4 full version and republicans are glad to stab him in the back. >> then why even try? you are right. that is exactly what they're going to do. or why not give them another shot? didn't he learned anything over the past two years? >> he should try because it makes him look bad if he says

no. >> i think it makes him look weak if he tries. >> anthony is calling from trenton, new jersey >> thank you for taking my call. >> what is that saying? >> trenton makes the world takes her if >> not so much anymore. he can't compromise. he did compromise and to give some examples. . . republican votes. how many did he get? >> caller: exactly. and they consider, not just republican, but republican supporters. and less they get everything that they want, and we get very little for nothing that we want, it's not a compromise.

so, you know, i would just like to say they need to get up the sound bites, democrats need to take up sound bites remember hello? it should be like hell freaking know. makes sound childish, but, you know, what, it's effective in people when they listen to that kind of stuff it motivates them. that democrats need to do a better job of communicating our positioned. >> host: amen, anthony and i appreciate the fact you said help freaking out recognizing we are on c-span this morning. we couldn't do otherwise. paul from rochester wisconsin. >> caller: hey, bill. i love your show. i'm glad you on c-span train to thank you. >> caller: maybe some of these congressmen will listen to advice i think this is so six as of this morning that c-span will put us on every day five days a

week, don't you think so? >> caller: i think some. >> host: let's get that message out to brian lamb. >> caller: i'm a tea party member, okay? i'm from wisconsin. i really hate that we had to sacrifice our great senator, but -- >> host: did you vote for him? >> caller: guess i didn't. >> host: good for you. >> caller: the tea party, it's not that we want gridlock and stuff. we want our government back from the corporate raiders. we don't want back from the republicans and democrats. we want the corporate money -- [inaudible] and all these fox news and glenn beck and sarah palin and all that, jumping on the tea party bandwagon is -- >> host: i appreciate ago. the tea party, which i identify for us with wrong paul, has been hijacked by a bunch of phonies. it's been hijacked by phonies

led by dick armey, you're right, sarah palin, jim demint and others who were really just trying to make it, beat the drums for the republican party agenda. here's billy calling from atlanta, georgia. >> caller: how are you doing? >> host: good. compromise, compromise, is that what the president ought to be trying to do? >> caller: i think the question answers itself. maybe it's not so much compromise as it is, we need to start focusing on where we agree instead disagrees i think that's what has gotten this country so polarized right now. >> host: billy, doesn't take two to tango? that's the problem. >> caller: i know. i'm not saying he would be easy but that's where leadership comes in and that's what we need an president obama right now. we need strong leadership to make this happen. >> host: you see, again, i think obama, if anybody, if any modern president has been ready to sit down and talk and

honestly genuinely try to compromise, it's barack obama. john boehner and mitch mcconnell, they want 100%. they don't want to compromise. >> caller: been ready to lead and being able toledo two different things. i think he can do it. >> we've got to find a way because this polarization -- is taxing. >> host: it is, billy. i agree. i agree, but i'm telling you the message from bain and mcconnell is my way or the highway. listen to the statement. they are not saying let's see and take a look at this health care reform bill and see many parts of it we have to modify, or, no, no, no. they are saying the whole damn thing out. that's not what the american people want. it's not what barack obama is going to you, or should even try to do. should he try to compromise with these naysayers? 866-55-press.

>> okay. i love those c-span callers. not the one in their cars. is it safe to assume that the ones calling from their cars are not watching c-span? >> you never know. >> i hope it is.

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> these are the shots of c-span lives for, as eating -- us eating. >> i love the coconut story. that they would -- cut all the

coconuts. there seems to be an easy way, don't let them walk under a coconut tree. just get away from them. >> let's shoot them all down. >> what are the chances he's going to be walking underneath a coconut tree anyhow? >> it happens. i mean, but speeded the president of the united states is just going to be wandering around? >> are they going to remove all of the coconuts? what if someone picks up a coconut off the ground and throws it at him? >> i'm sure they didn't just drop them all on the ground. start all the coconuts on the ground. >> i mean, i'm sure it happens. have you ever heard of anyone getting killed by a coconut? i mean, falling on him? >> no. i never heard of it.

i've heard of people falling out of coconut trees that have climbed. >> that's drunk. keith richards. >> he almost died. all right, coming back. ♪ >> simulcasting live on c-span, republicans call 866-55-press. democrats call 866-55-press. and independents call 866-55-press. this is the bill press show. >> i hope you got those three numbers down. it's 12 minutes before the top of the hour, the bill press show. we are live on c-span today, and don't forget, go to the website

at billpressshow.com. lots of goodies on the website. my new column posted yesterday, the american people don't get it. and also, while you're there follow the link to check out on carol press his scars. she's a real talent in the family. she makes a beautiful hand woven scarves. i just happen to have one in my briefcase. it is a little chilly in there so i thought i'd better be prepared this morning. this one is a nice read rayon. anyhow, follow the link on the website at billpressshow.com, and it's getting close, thanksgiving gets, christmas gifts. you know what i mean. okay. carol is happy your life back. >> welcome to build shopping network. >> exactly. >> we are taking your calls the president obama am a whether there's any chance for him to compromise with this gang of republicans or should even try. saint paul, minnesota.

>> caller: thanks for taking my call. i think he should extend, he has to. but like your collar said, they will stab him in the back. >> host: here's my question been. why do democrats always have to compromise if republicans never do? >> caller: because just like it's in their nature to stop unless they get 100% that it's in the democrats nature to say we at least have to be realistic and reasonable about this, at first. that's why. >> host: maybe we shouldn't be that way. i hate to say this that made we should try to be more like them. >> caller: but i don't agree with it but i think it has to happen. but i do have one thing that republicans cannot answer. and it was a big campaign theme that they wanted congress to run, like americans run households. but listen to this, they always want to compare the national debt which is 13 trillion, the annual budget of 13 trillion, but if americans who make $50,000 a year and live on that

method, that system, you could have a house -- you're not paying it off every year. >> host: rick, look, they don't make any sense at all. they always say we have to live within our means. like they did when they were in charge. lucas from chicago. >> caller: hey, i'm a progressive socialistic did i call the right number? [laughter] >> host: i don't know. the socialist line is 866-55-press. >> caller: i got it. no compromise. i told -- how many times do need to get sucker punched before you punch back? >> host: exactly. >> caller: i feel like someone is hiding behind the curtain with a knife or gun to obama's back telling him, you know, if you say this you will get it. you know, it's like he's not the same when he was when he was campaigning, obviously. it's weird. it's like, i'm thinking i wasn't expecting him to say.

>> host: i know. there's the political obama, a process for obama, and a philosophical obama. and the white house within the philosophical and the professorial and not enough of the clinical. i want to see similar political. good to have a fellow socialist call here. dan from chantilly, virginia. you are on c-span. >> caller: good morning, bill. i'm on my way to work. here's the thing. i don't know if it people don't get it, bill. i disagree with it. they understand the corporate democrats, so they had control. and into the corporations one. they want on drugs, importing drugs from canada. they just want on to the rules, not pushing through when they had a chance to get a better bill. >> host: the question, dan is should the president try to compromise with boehner and mcconnell? >> caller: know, because get this. this is what politicians don't

understand, because if you do anything towards keeping taxes, if you do anything with them affirmatively, they will take credit for this economy recovering. it's like they did in 1996 with the tax hike, created the jobs. that's why they're pushing so hard to get a compromise on the taxes. >> host: know, dan, that's a good point. we will move on. that's a good point. they see this economy is coming back so they want to jump on board so they can take credit for. >> caller: how were you doing? no, he should not compromise. and, in fact, what he should do this term is push or progressive social programs that won't require any funding coming from the house. he should go for card check, the don't ask, don't tell, campaign

reform, finance reform, things that are not going to require -- >> host: you know what? >> caller: getting some things done so citizens united case, corporations cannot be considered people. >> host: listen, i think that's a great idea. focus on the stuff that doesn't cost any money, that is good progressive legislation. that would be one way to really take advantage of the next two years. >> the official more show of the obama and generation. the bill press show. [inaudible conversations] >> it's a little chilly in the studio. she's probably out jogging.

have we heard from van holland? >> not yet.

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

>> so i would to just we have something ready for that top. >> he's not coming in until 8:15? [bleep] shoot i meant to say. >> if we go -- >> damn, damn, damn. >> everything ready or and and break right after -- >> we can't get dorgan at eight? >> what's that? >> i guess not. >> not at this point. we can do something at the top, we can take calls at the top but will we have enough time with chris? >> if he is here at 8:15 if we break early, we will have a big segment there. >> all right. >> coming back. starting with tom in waterbury. ♪ >> this is the bill press show.

>> e-mail, what a blast to be able to watch your radio show on c-span2. i got up extra early so i wouldn't miss a minute of the. it is so much fun to see you, dan end peter inaction. and we are. talking about cover my. thanks, lynn. tom is up in waterbury and etiquette. >> caller: he has compromise already. i'm not going to vote for him again. i supported him. i gave money. i will not vote for this president that i will just not vote. >> host: time, i think you better wait and see who the republicans but before you make that decision. doris has the last word from chicago. >> caller: good morning, bill. he should definitely not compromise. in fact, he should come out stronger. he should tell them no and he should work to the existing agencies to get his policy done. i mean, fund epa?

they can do that. >> host: they're going to try. >> caller: i know but there is the senate to say no. >> host: and he has the veto pen. >> host: you're right. is a lot he can do without having to bend over for john boehner or mitch mcconnell. in the next hour, senator byron dorgan and congressman chris van hollen. so stay tuned. >> it is the bill press show. >> okay. so, great. i mean, do you think they really mean 8:15? >> yet. look, he could be late. >> that sucks, okay.

>> here are the options. . . >> yeah. >> so, yeah. i think, you know, we've got enough calls rg right?

take coughs. i mean -- calls. i mean, reset, take calls and then break early and have the time with him. >> okay. >> because we won't be able to get any calls with him. well, maybe -- >> maybe in the second set. >> with dorgan. >> okay. i'm just going to call them back at 8:15 and say, where are you? this. >> don't wait until then. >> i'm going to touch base with them now. if they're still five minutes away at -- >> oh, got it. >> if they're five minutes away, let's just keep going. there's no point in breaking. >> right. it doesn't work to have him and dorgan in the studio together. >> i don't think so. >> okay. well, that's what we'll do then. basically, still compromising,

right? >> yeah. i think so. unless there was something else you wanted to get in, if you want to do another update at the top, a round-up. >> i say we stick with calls. >> all right, okay. >> good. ♪ >> bill press, good morning. thanks for holding. what's your first name? rick, where are you calling from? moline? and what's your comment? in the health care bill? yeah, well, i mean, i'm answering your question. it's one of the examples.

like, any health care bill, like when he gave up on the public option? right. never did. all right, rick, f -- i've got you. hang on for me, don't go anywhere. thanks for holding. your first name? joy? hang on for me. thanks for holding. your first name? i'm sorry? frank. where are you calling from? and what's your comment? is sort of. we're talking about should obama compromise with, should he

compromise with mitch mcconnell and the republicans. why not? sure, sure. hang on for me, don't go anywhere. bill press, food morning. can -- good morning. can you please hold? >> but now that we're going to be on five days a week -- >> yeah, right. just leave it here. >> probably leave it here. >> thanks for holding. your or first name? melong, where are you calling from? >> peter? >> and what's your comment? >> >> how about --

>> yeah. >> a little tina finishing -- fey ahead of time? >> that'll work. >> i really like the governor clip. >> and you both -- >> we can do both. >> hang on for me. >> all right. so, so tell me again what time we're going to get out? >> aim for 8:15. >> okay. >> worst case she their know -- >> so tell me -- yeah. >> when i talk to them a little bit before them, i'll tell you to keep going with calls. we've got calls. >> moline, illinois. >> bill press show, good morning. please hold. >> rick, hang on for me, going to get you on with billy in a few minutes, okay?

>> moline, illinois? >> amad, minneapolis. hang on, going to try to get you on with billy in a couple minutes, okay? great, hang on. frank, buffalo, new york. all right, here we go. ♪ >> here we go. >> i enjoyed his company. he had a warmth and brash humor that made up for his comments

about the retinue of women who supposedly still call him every night, his past football exploits, the celebrities he knew. >> this is the bill press show. >> out of many we all want, that while we breathe we hope, and where we are met with cynicism and doubt and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that time lease creed that sums up the and spirit of a people -- yes, we can. >> the market roars back! 219 points on the dow yesterday. obama mommics is working. hey, good morning, everybody, it is the bill press show. welcome, welcome, welcome. good to see you today. the bill press show coming to you live coast to coast this friday, november 5, a very special show because today we're joined not only by all of our regular radio listeners but all of our guests on c-span2. welcome, welcome, welcome those of you in tv land across the

country. thanks to brian lamb for sending the crew over and a special thanks to c-span2 for the show's been so successful so far, we've heard they're going to make i a regular, regular feature of c-span in the morning on c-span2 five days a week for three hours every morning. i think it's great, and we accept. we accept their nomination. >> just wait until brian lamb sobers up and realizes what he's done. >> what he's done, yeah. leave the cameras here, love the lights here. we love having you and having you all join us. and for you today on the bill press show from our little studio right here on capitol hill, just around the corner you can see the u.s. capitol building sick blocks away -- six blocks away. in the shadow of the capitol dome we sit ready to take your calls, and we've been talking about this morning whether or not the president should compromise with republicans, try to come propropoise with --

compromise with republicans. that's what the president says the message is of tuesday, but do you think it'll really work especially for our c-span viewers this morning we have three special phone calls, phone numbers for you. republicans, 866-55-press. the democratic number is 866-55-press, and the independent number is 866-55-press. the socialist number is 866-55-press. >> the rent is too damn high in america. >> 866-55-press. and the atheist matture bay to have number -- >> is your home number. [laughter] >> there you go, it's team press. as you can see, i'm not in charge around here. hello, guys, happy friday. >> good morning. >> it's always a good day when tina fey comes back. she was on david letterman last

night, and he asked her can you still get into that sarah palin thing? >> she's extra sassy these days. all her mama grizzlies are winning. [laughter] they're busting through. busting through that glass ceiling. the mama grizzlies are going to washington, and they're going to flip your picnic table, babe, and they are going to go through that garbage. [applause] >> she's so good. but she does ask a question about why they still call her governor. >> you know what i noticed on fox news last night? on fox news they address her as governor. >> yeah, why? why? why? >> that's like calling me dairy queen employee. [laughter] i was once. but i quit. >> she quit too. hey, and check out our web site, too, bill press show.com. as always, we're selling on the web site free copy of my column if you want to read it, the latest column about americans

don't get it. also your chance to order a copy of, signed copy of toxic talk, my new book, how the radical right has poisoned america's airwaves or to order a carol press scarf we're showing today. the bill press radio shopping finish. and we'll get to your calls on compromise or no compromise but first -- >> this is the full-court press. >> the headlines making news, fox news is known for picking up unsuccessful politicians and adding them to their payroll, but they have no interest in christine o'donnell. >> oh, get out of here. >> many speculated she'd become a member. they have no plans to hire her. >> i'm upset about this because aye been working on titles of what her show could be called, the witching hour with christine o'donnell. >> let me tell you, she'll get a job on fox. >> instead of the situation room, it could be the calderon, christine o'donnell.

twister is getting closer to the halls of power. the social networking site made its first hire in washington, and it is a former c-span producer and capitol hill staffer -- >> steven scully? >> it's not steve scully. >> no? [laughter] >> the epicenter of politics and media. >> everybody twitters at the press briefings including me. >> including you. they may not have won the world series, but the texas rangers were happy with their manager's performance and renewed his contract. nolan ryan extended the contract with the team yesterday for two more years. >> boy. i hope they get enough money to keep buying those sunflower seed. >> yeah. >> constantly chewing sunflower seeds and spitting them all about. >> it's better than tobacco, you know? is. >> i guess so. i don't know. yes, so president obama said at his news concern on wednesday in the east room of the white house and he repeated it yesterday

that the message of voters that he heard on tuesday is to try to work together, the two parties should sit down and work together and solve problems. the republicans say, no, the message from voters on tuesday is repeal everything. repudiate everything. by the way, chris van hollen and senator byron dorgan joining us shortly here in studio. but right now you are the guest. your calls. rick is calling from moline, illinois. hi, rick. >> hey, bill, how are you? >> host: are you calling on the republican, democratic, independent or social i line? >> caller: i'm calling to the right of reagan line. [laughter] >> host: well, moline, illinois. >> caller: curious thing, the 17th congressional district flipped back into republican hands for the first time in, what, 30 some years. >> host: is that right? >> >> caller: yeah. rock island county has gone republican for the first time ever. we're still in big problems.

no, you made reference to the fact that obama and compromise. obama has not compromised at all. you mentioned the olive branch of him going up and talking to the republican caucus. there was a two-word headline bold print that came out of that thing: i won. that was barack obama's message to the republican caucus -- >> host: no, no, rick, you missed the point. he said, i want to come up, sit down and get your ideas on the stimulus. before he left the white house, john boehner gave a news conference saying that he would not get one republican vote for the stimulus. to me, i think it's pretty clear, obama was reaching out, boehner was stabbing him in the back. >> caller: well, how can you stand -- stab him in the back when you take him on head on which is exactly what boehner did? >> host: stop, stop, stop. i mean, this is just nonsense. get out of here. glenn beck has something for you. >> get off my phone, you little pinhead!

>> host: thank you. yeah. you don't sit down to talk about things when before the conference even starts you have a news conference and say we reject everything the man offers. that is not compromise, and that's why i think obama would be making a big mistake to reach out to boehner or mcconnell. they're out to kill him politically. chris van hollen is here, he'll join us in just a minute. we'll take a quick break. >> buy your bill press show podcast. shows download straight to your computer, mp3 player or smartphone exclusively at bill press show.com. >> okay. >> this seat right here. >> yeah, just move it up. >> you haven't slowed down. i mean, come on. >> that's for sure. >> up and at it all right. >> good. that's nice of you to come in, appreciate it. >> not at all. >> i saw you tuesday night, and i left before they had made that

call. >> yeah. >> in fact, i left the hotel, and i went over to media matters, and i walked up to some guy, and i said, so, what's the word? and he said they just called it, and i said -- >> i was going to say, you've been over the drill. your head phone volume is over the -- >> should i put these on? >> not now. when we go on the air. >> i don't know if we'll have any time to finish byron's coming in at 8:0. >> he's actually here. they came up on the same elevator. >> let's just talk about what the message is, what you're doing now. >> okay. >> yeah. >> i had a call from sam carr last night. sam, i have to tell you, he got 66% of the vote, he had four opponents. >> four o opponents?

>> yeah. i said, sam, what'd you do, get 75, 80% this year? he said, no, i had four opponents. 66%. that's pretty good. [laughter] >> [inaudible] >> host: he's one of those guys that enjoys a -- not a district you can take for granted but still a pretty good district. >> yeah. >> host: i mean, monterey may be kind of conservative, but santa cruz -- >> santa cruz, i don't know the district that well pause we don't -- well, we just don't spend that much. >> host: santa cruz, carmel. >> that's your old stomping ground, right? is. >> yeah. well, i never lived there, but, of course -- >> on in two minutes. >> okay. the other thing about sam, it's an agricultural area, and he really works those farmers.

>> does he? >> yeah. >> yeah. he's got a long history there. but, i mean, it's overwhelmingly a democratic district. >> uh-huh. >> you know, this election, we're still analyzing it. that's been a good part of yesterday, going over or the numbers. >> yeah. >> the rural areas, the towns and just a big, we got swamped by the vote in rural areas. >> are isn't it strange? -- isn't it strange? i mean, i've seen this map. when they do the geographic, that's what it looks like. >> someone said we lost half of our geographic territory. >> yeah, yeah. >> geographicically. red with big blue cities. we had made gains in these areas because of the swing. >> i know, yeah. >> so those are the areas that collapsed back. >> what was the final -- they picked up 62? >>

>> there are still about five seats being counted. >> oh, is that right? >> right now the official number's 59, i expect we'll go up. >> yeah, yeah. >> and some of them has been, like, we've got bob etheridge's seat is up in the air, link larson -- rick larson's seat, ortiz's -- >> are these recounts or -- >> they haven't gone to recount yet. they're still mostly tracking down -- >> all right. coming back. >> enjoyed meeting your son the other night. he was partaking of the food at the -- [laughter] i asked him what was good, he said, the chicken's good. >> chicken's good? he said mom's brownies are much better, so -- >> yeah. >> coming back. ♪ >> this is the bill press show.

>> 19 minutes after the hour now, the bill press show on this friday, november 5. a special edition of the bill press show live on c-span2 as well as our best radio audience as well. good to have you all onboard, and it's an honor to welcome into the studio our good friend, the congressman from montgomery county here in washington, d.c. but also, more importantly maybe, the chair of the democratic congressional campaign committee and a special assistant to speaker nancy pelosi, chris van hollen. hey, congressman, good to see you. >> guest: good to be with you, bill. >> host: you and i talked, and we were, you know, doing what we could here to help out and hoping for the best. it didn't turn out that way. 59, 60 seats the republicans picked up. why did they win that many seats? what do you attribute it to? what's the message? >> guest: well, bill, it was a rough week, and there's no sugar coating this. as the president said, we took a she lacking. i take some solace in the fact

that close observers of this election recognize from a campaign perspective, our candidates did everything they could and had all the resources necessary. i think the president's right. i think the country is clearly hurting economically, people are still looking for work, millions of americans are uncertain about their economic future, and when you have 9.5% unemployment, that discontent is reflected at the ballot box. that is the main, was the main issue in this election, a sense that we hadn't moved more quickly out of a very severe economic town turn. people were frustrated and impatient. >> host: that's what the president says. john boehner, mitch mcconnell say the american people were saying we reject the policies of the obama administration. that was the message. >> guest: i disagree with that. obviously, in every congressional district there's some different dynamics at play, but there's no doubt there were

uniform aspects of this election as well, and i think the one underlying issue in every one of them was this plussation and impatience with the recovery and the fact that the economic collapse started on the watch of the previous president and the fact that the republican candidates didn't offer any new ideas as to how we would get out of this mess clearly did not resonate with voters. >> host: did health care prove to be a poison pill for democrats? >> guest: i don't think so at all. obviously, in certain races it was an important issue -- >> host: but there were people who voted against it who also lost. >> guest: i was going to say, if you look at the pattern here, you have people who voted against health care, who voted against the stimulus, who voted against almost every measure losing, and then you have people like tom perriello who voted for them also losing. so the one pattern in this election was, you know,

democrats were punished for the fact that the economy has not rebounded and recovered more quickly. i should say if you look at the pattern of these elections, the overwhelming number of losses were taken in congressional districts that george bush carried in the 2004 midterm elections. if you go back to that election soik l, it was kind -- cycles it was kind of a flat political environment, there was no wind to anyone's face or to anyone's back. >> host: yeah. >> guest: and there have been 84 democrats in the house who represent congressional districts that george bush carried in that 2004 election. that's where most of the losses were sustained. >> host: and as i looked at it, you mentioned tom perriello who's a great guy, that it wasn't just freshman who lost, right? >> it wasn't just newcomers like patrick murphy, also, in pennsylvania, but you had ike skelton, john spratt, paul kanjorski in pennsylvania. it, it was across the board

young and old. right? >> is just because they had a d after their names. >> guest: well, that's the pattern here, and you look at the guy like ike skelton who's been just a great champion for the veterans and the men and women in our armed forces, he has represented a district that has leaned republican. that is a district that george bush carried in 2004 as is the district of john spratt. >> host: uh-huh. >> guest: and, you know, what the voters were saying was, look, we are impatient with the lack of a faster economic turn around. in every district there are other elements to the race. i should say that what was a big political storm was, certainly, made worse and turned into a, you know, type 2 hurricane, type 3, 4 hurricane because of all this -- [inaudible] themselves have acknowledged they would not have won had it

not been for this massive infusion of secret money that just got air dropped into congressional districts in the last couple weeks. >> host: all right. so in your position, congressman chris van hollen our guest here in studio -- thank you again for coming in -- what to you do? you got she lacked, as you said. you lost 59, 60 seats. you lost control of the house of representatives. you cry for one day, but then what coi do you do? >> guest: well, you've got to pick yourself back up and keep on going. as republicans have acknowledged, some of the republican strategists and commentators, this was not an election that was an endorsement of republican policies. in fact, i do think voters recognized the policies they were offering were nothing more than a remix of the past. it did turn out -- >> host: they admitted that. >> guest: yeah. it did turn out to be a referendum on the state of the economy, and because democrats were in charge, democrats in

charge of the white house, the house and the senate people said, look, we're not happy with the state economy, we're going to hold these guys accountable. so we hear that, we understand that. our charge now is to make sure that we work with everyone who's willing to work with us to try and make sure we get people back to work. that has been our goal. we have not been as successful as we wanted. clearly, the numbers show that. we'll get a new set of numbers out today. later today in terms of the up employment figures -- unemployment figures. >> host: yeah, soon. >> guest: yeah. and all of us need to work together to move this country out of the economic -- >> host: now, that's -- >> guest: -- position that it's in right now, and that's why it was disheartening to hear people like mitch mcconnell, the senate republican leader, saying that his top priority but not jobs, but it was simply dedicating himself to insuring that barack obama doesn't get a second term. >> host: that's the policy side. but in the pragmatic, practical side of winning the house back

you start recruiting candidates, start raising money, start identifying districts that you think you can get back, is that -- >> guest: well, that is correct, and i think a number of the democratic candidates who lost this time in what was, clearly, a wave will take a look at whether or not it makes sense for them to run again. because, again, this was a larger message about the state of the economy. it was not an endorsement of the republican candidates. and republican candidates that interpret it that way do so at their own peril. and so i think you're going to have a lot of these democratic candidates that, you know, take another look at reconnecting with the voters and, you know, talking about how their plans for moving the country forward. >> host: and somebody is going to have to lead that effort. you have done so, now, as i believe, for three terms, three, you know -- yeah. right?

>> >> guest: well, in 2006 i worked with my colleague, rahm emanuel -- >> host: okay. >> guest: i was recruited chair at that time, 2008. obviously, 2006 -- >> host: all right, how about are you ready for another turn of the wheel here? >> >> guest: bill, when it comes to the dccc chairmanship, i believe in term limits. this will be the end. two cycles is, really, probably the maximum most people have done. a lot of people only do it one time. after 2008 i had actually considered stepping down and even made an announcement at the time. >> host: yeah, i remember. >> guest: the speaker came to me and said we need someone to do this job who doesn't have training wheels, and i was happy to take on what we knew was going to be a very challenging cycle. >> host: i want to thank you for the great leadership you've shown there at the dcc even though this time it didn't turn out as well. will nancy pelosi be the minority leader of the

democrats? >> guest: i think the choice is hers. she has an enormous reservoir of goodwill. the republicans spent millions demonizing her, but she has been a successful leader, so the decision is hers. >> host: congressman chris van hollen, thanks for stopping by. we'll be back with senator byron dorgan. thanks, congressman, good to see you. >> guest: thank you. >> this is the bill press show. >> host: all right. [laughter] >> oh, man. >> host: you know -- [inaudible conversations] >> thanks for coming in. >> thank you. thanks for having me. >> that great. that was great. >> how you doing? >> byron. >> you want to come in with me,

when he sits down make sure we get a good camera shot? >> yeah, absolutely. >> okay. [inaudible conversations] >> same publishing group. >> oh, i see. >> but not with tom. >> three minutes out. why don't we go ahead and slide in. >> okay. [inaudible conversations] >> yeah, they're getting, they're getting rocked. >> so here's headphone for you. >> okay. >> and then the volume for the

headphones is right here, too loud or too soft. >> all right. >> and, yeah, we are, we are on c-span. oh, yeah, the poster's fantastic. is that, is that good? okay, great. cool. >> we have laura out there. >> yeah, there she is. our number one fan. [laughter] >> i don't know where they got that. i think they got it from some -- [inaudible] it's been here as long as i've been here. talk radio conference. she's there always with a watchful eye. >> yeah. >> so i should get to it. bill? is. >> oh, byron can do it without me. >> yeah, right. >> is how you doing? >> i'm good.

>> what are you looking for? >> [inaudible] >> right there on top. >> so we took a pretty good beating, huh? didn't we? >> yeah. i know. he ran the best campaign he could run, but so much money came in from the outside. >> is that right? >> yeah. and i think it just wasn't in the card for him. he turned more republican, more conservative. >> dan probably told you, this microphone is always on even during the break. >> okay. >> yeah. i've already used a word that i shouldn't use on the air, so -- [laughter] i'm more the one to warn than you. well, i want to talk about what do you think we can do -- first of all, what do you think happened and why and, also, what do you think we can do, if anything, during the lame duck because the president's talking about -- [inaudible] >> i'm just going to tell you real quick, when you're on the

air, you can move this off to the side, it's better for the camera angle. >> george -- i mean, josh -- i'm keeping an eye on the jobs stuff. >> and we'll have the jobs number coming in. >> unchanged at 9.6%,. >> what? 9.6? is. >> unchanged. >> oh, 151,000. >> 151 created in october according to cnn. >> private sector, i guess? >> yeah. we'll get you more details. all right, here we go. >> so, peter? do you want to try to take some calls at 45? >> sure. >> is that all right with you? is. >> sure. ♪ >> this is the bill press show. >> host: we've got 33 minutes after the hour, it is the bill press show brought to you today, by the way, on c-span2 as well as our regular radio audience. we welcome all of you,

especially our new friends from c-span2. and the show brought to you today by asme, the largest public employee and health care workers' union. for more information, go to their web site at www at any time afscme.org. and proud to welcome into our studio today a good friend, a senator who will soon no longer be a senator, sadly, that's his choice, senator byron dorgan from north dakota. hey, senator, good to see you. >> caller: thanks for having me. >> host: you're shaming us. this is radio, you look like -- >> guest: yeah, you know, i've got a necktie on. >> host: indeed. we just saw that new job numbers for the month of october, 151,000 new private sector jobs created, unemployment rate stays at 9.6%. what's that tell you? >> guest: well, we're coming, you know? is i mean, slow but, again, go

back two years, just put it in the reverse, go back two years. we were losing 700,000 jobs a month. think of that, 700,000 jobs -- losing. i mean, you know, people being called in saying, you're done, you're fired, your job's gone. now it's turned around some, and we have some additional jobs being added, but it's too slow. i mean, we need to push more of a boost into this economy because we've got to get people back on payrolls. >> host: here's what i don't understand, and you've written a book about this, "take this snob and ship it." your new book, "reckless: how debt, deregulation and dark money nearly bankrupted america," i mean, this has been an area you've focused on. how is it that we keep -- we're now, i think this is maybe the ninth or tenth month where we're actually creating new jobs. as you say, not nearly enough. but the unemployment rate remains the same at 9.6%. what is that -- how?

>> guest: as you know, our population is growing, so you need to create a certain amount of jobs each month just to stay even. yeah. we're coming. i talked to treasury secretary geithner yesterday about some things and asked him his sense of these numbers that we've seen recently, and, i mean, i think most of them believe that the danger of a second downturn, you know, has fairly well passed and we're now on the road. what we need to do is provide some propellant to this economy that can lift it and put people back on payrolls. you mentioned the first book i wrote, "take this job and ship it." consider this a bathtub, you know? as you're trying to put money in with the faucet, you know, get jobs into this tub, you also have to close the drain, stop jobs from moving out of this country to other countries, and that's been happening for far too long, and we need to deal with both. put more jobs into this economy and stop jobs from moving to other countries. >> host: and just before the break you had a piece of legislation on the floor of the senate. i think it got to the floor,

which would have taken away some of these credits for companies that are moving jobs overseas. republicans blocked it. any chance for that now? >> guest: well, i don't know. i hope that every member of congress would understand that the last thing in the world you ought to do when you have the kind of trouble we have is to continue to provide tax breaks for people that would fire their workers, put a padlock on the door of their manufacturing plant and ship the jobs to china. it's been going on and, frankly, we subsidize it through the tax code. it's just absolutely ignorant economic policy. >> host: and yet the u.s. chamber of commerce says outsourcing, sending jobs overseas is the way we stay competitive in the global economy. >> guest: they sure do, and they're with their dark suits and red neckties and having neatings about it. they're not losing their job. it'd be interesting if we could outsource the chamber of commerce, maybe they'd change their minds on these things. [laughter] >> host: you've got my vote. senator byron dorgan in the studio with us on the bill press show.

the president used the word she lacking, i was there in the east room when he did it. it was not a good night for democrats, lost six seats in the senate and lost 60 seats and control of the house of representatives including your good friend earl pomeroy from north dakota. what were the voters saying, what do you think? why? >> guest: i don't know. to use an old line, it sort of felt like going through a car wash with a convertible. i mean, we really got scrubbed. my colleague, congressman pomeroy, is a great congressman, terrific guy. he ran, i think, an outstanding campaign, and it just there for him -- wasn't there for him. you know, look, the american people have a right to do what they want to do. they're in charge. the late claude pepper used to say, you know, every even-numbered year the constitution provides a miracle, and the miracle is the american people get to grab the steering wheel and nudge it to say here's where we want america to go. >> host: yeah. >> guest: it is not surprising that coming through the most significant economic downturn

since the great depression that people are anxious, nervous, concerned about them, their family, their future. that's not surprising -- >> host: and the biggest unemployment rate staying -- >> guest: i understand that. but, and so, you know, they use their vote to send a message. but it seems to me, now, with the change in the house and over 60 pickups on the republican side, they're not going to be able to do what they did for the last two years. even while this country was in trouble, their position is we're going to block everything. well, this country doesn't need more blocking. what it needs is people to help lift and give people some confidence about the future. >> host: and the president is saying that, first of all, he's willing to -- and eager to sit down with john boehner, with mitch mcconnell and see areas of agreement, areas that they can work on. do you think there is any possibility of compromise with this gang? i mean, you've seen them. >> guest: yeah, well, there's no evidence of that in the last two years, but i hope that's the case because the lubricant of a

democracy is when people who come together who believe different things, they reach compromise. and what we have these days is people who have decided if we're going to reach some compromises, it's only going to be on our terms. in fact, what this election also shows is that those on the republican side who did compromise, they in some cases got booted out of office. >> host: yeah. >> guest: but compromise is essential. and, you know, it's sort of become a dirty word. it has, and it should not be. but senator mcconnell seem to be saying, you know, we want to work with the president in areas where he will agree with us. [laughter] >> host: that's clever, but -- >> guest: it's not the way things can work. he has said that, i think, word for word. >> host: if he's willing to agree with us on -- we'll work with him. otherwise -- >> guest: that's not called a concession, is it? look, i want to get the best ideas of both parties rather than the worst of each. both parties can contribute to

this country, and especially as sick as our economy has been as we try to promote economic health, let's get them to come together and now and see if we can work together. >> host: so there will be the first opportunity which is the so-called lame duck session. again, wednesday when i was there the president said he thinks there are some areas where they can get some things done. i'm not sure, maybe immigration reform is too big for that session. >> guest: right. >> host: certainly on the tax cuts he thinks there's some -- >> guest: right. >> host: what do you think can be accomplished? let's start with the, with the tax cuts. are the votes there to extend tax cuts for the middle class? are they there to extend them for the wealthy? >> guest: don't know. my view is we should extend them for the middle class for about two years and then take a look at where we are -- >> host: even for the middle class? >> guest: yes. look, we have a $13 trillion debt, we have a roughly $1.4 trillion yearly deficit, we've got the soldiers at war strapping on ceramic body armor

this morning, getting shot at this afternoon. can't we probably pay the cost of these wars? we haven't done it for nine years. we have to be sober and serious about what our responsibilities are for the country's economy. i just jotted a note here of what's many front of us and what has to be done by january 1st. the bush tax cuts expire, the estate tax springs back to one million, husband and wife 55%. the continuing resolution expires december 3rd on all the appropriations. >> host: okay. >> guest: the dock fix, there'll be a 30% reduction in doctors' fees under medicare on january 1st unless something intervenes, unemployment k3e7b saying expires at the end of -- for two million people at the end of december, and you've got the starr treaty that really needs to get done in december. >> host: i think you add one more thing to the list, the debt ceiling? or is that in january? >> guest: i think it's in

january, but i'm not certain of that. >> host: well, even with this list, right? i mean, what are the chances? given the record of the last two years and the ability to get around the filibuster and get things done, what are the chances any one of those six are going to get done? is. >> guest: well, some are going to have to get done because the consequences of not doing them creates a decision that's unpalatable. you think there's going to be a 30% cut in physician reimbursement under medicare for the -- >> host: neither party could survive that. >> guest: no. so there has to be resolve somehow. the question is when you put something together that begins to resolve these issues, can you reach agreement that both parties would say, yeah, this makes some sense? >> host: and i want to come back to the tax cuts because the follow up extends the middle class tax cuts for two years, the president originally said no way, no how, we have to borrow too much money. now he's saying he's open to talking about maybe a temporary extension of that. would you support that?

>> guest: well, i -- >> host: one or two years of the top two? >> guest: i'd prefer shot to, but my own guess is an extension across the board for probably two years. i would prefer we take a look at this and say, all right, what are the costs of this? >> host: right. >> guest: we've had a substantial reduction in revenue. you lose about $400 billion on the revenue side, and then the economic stabilizers kick in, unemployment and food stamps and so on, so you have a dramatic uptick in ec pendtures. it seems to me the american people were also saying with their vote, get this fiscal policy in order. stop this deficit spending. address these issues. and part of it has to be on the expenditure side, tightening our belts in a way that's thoughtful, and part of it has to be on the revenue side. >> host: senator byron dorgan in studio with us. you don't often get a chance to ask a senator a question, but you've got it this morning.

866-55-press, that's the democratic number. the republican number is 866-55-press, and the independent number is 866-55-press. we'll be back with your calls and senator byron dorgan. ♪ >> the time for bickering is over. the time for games have passed. >> you're listening to the official morning show of the obama generation. this is the bill press show. >> what's your first name? tom. >> i know, i know. we've been working with some dates but -- and we definitely want to go to venice. >> thank you, america. >> i've been looking at possible cruise. so what, who's your new senator? he's the governor, right? >> yeah. he's a good guy. i've known john for a long time. he used to be a democrat. >> is that right? is. >> he got his start in politic because senator conrad and i

supported him to become president of a bank in minnesota when he was -- >> oh, is that right? >> but he's, you know, john's a good guy and, you know -- >> was he in congress before? >> no. he was president of the bank of north dakota and then became governor. yeah. >> but that seat was never one that was really -- >> yeah. >> how about lisa murkowski? i think she's going to win. >> it looks like it, although they have 160 names that filed as independents, so there are 41 -- they have sent independent ballots, but the question is what percent of those are marked for lisa. >> yeah, yeah. but those other guys came on at the end. she had all the publicity. >> she's a good senator. i like lisa, and i've worked closely with her. >> yeah. it kind of surprised me that she said she'd come back here and caucus with the republicans after what they did to her, you know? but -- >> well -- >> it's where her heart is, i

guess. >> it is. and there's a tradition, her father was a senator and it's a conservative state, of course, republican state. interesting, remember when hawaii -- i wasn't around, but when hawaii and alaska came in, they figured alaska would be democrat and hawaii would be republican. >> it was exactly the opposite. >> they brought both of them in as states at the same time -- >> oh, i see. >> the expectation was -- >> yeah, yeah. >> what was going to happen, and it turned out not to be the case. >> so i did want to ask you what you're going to be doing next, but let's take a couple of calls first. >> yeah. and i can't -- well, i can -- >> [inaudible] >> you're working on 'em? >> i'm doing some writing, but otherwise you can't make -- >> whatever. yeah, yeah. yeah. >> you still having a lot of fun doing it? now joseph a. banks, do you

ever -- [inaudible conversations] >> i know, i see them. in fact, well, i see them because i'm always watching the monitors here. >> yeah. >> i'll get you some more as they come in. >> to tell the truth, since i'm not doing television every day, i haven't bought a suit in years. >> is that right? >> i mean, why? >> yeah. >> spend the money on good wine instead. [laughter] whatever. >> c-span doing your whole program today? >> all three hour, yeah. >> good. >> yeah. it's been fun. >> [inaudible] >> okay. ♪ the thing is, they keep it on during the break, so -- >> simulcasting live on c-span, join in the conversation. republicans call 866-55-press. democrats, call 866-55-press. and independents call

866-55-press. this is the bill press show. >> host: socialists, call 866-55-press or whatever. [laughter] hey, how about it? it's 12 minutes, now, before the top of the hour. this is the bill press show on friday, november 5. in studio with us, north dakota senator byron dorgan. we are talking about what happened on tuesday and why and what's going on with the economy and taking your calls. senator, how about we say hello to pam from seattle. hello, pam, good morning. >> caller: good morning, bill. >> host: yes. >> caller: and just want to let brian dorgan know that the stimulus money that came down and the federal tax credits for solar are working near washington state. we have a crazy, just amazing market for solar. putting solar on people's houses, starting to put in the infrastructure for the electric cars. i've got an energy of-efficient operation going. identify just hired -- i've just hired six people this year including a vet, and it is so

exciting. i wish other people had this kind of energy. >> host: there, there you go. >> caller: well, pam, what a nice thing to have a positive call on a talk show. [laughter] but, you're right. i mean, as you know, i'm the principle author of the electric vehicle act where we want to move on these issues to solar energy, wind energy, and there's a whole lot of investment been made as a result of the economic recovery act -- >> host: you know, you wouldn't think of seattle as a police where sew la -- place as solar would work. >> caller: yeah, but when the sun does shine, man, is that a beautiful city. >> caller: well, everybody's producing at max. it's not what you think, and a lot of americans don't know this stuff. >> host: yeah, i know. look, absolutely. and i say that as the proud opener of a solar house in california. >> guest: good for you. >> host: we've been off the grid ever since we built that house in 1-9d 80.

buffalo, good morning. >> guest: first-time caller and, senator, you have served us well, and i'm sorry to see you go. this is my question and frustration. why is it that we have the availability of all this technology, libraries are still free as far as it's included in our taxes and so forth, and the ignorance seem to abound? is it -- could it be, possibly, from the way we start off telling our american history, tending that our jumping point tends to start when we start looking good, yet we gloss over the murderous fact of the native american history? why don't we start history from the beginning and not at our selective jumping-off, romantic point? >> host: all right, take your answer on the air. >> guest: well, that's a big question. >> yeah, senator. [laughter] >> guest: you know, i self-confess that most members of congress have the attention

span of a gnat, so it is true that the attention span of the american people is shorter as well. that's why when you watch television these days, you see every program now has these little seven-second jump cuts here just because you've got to keep people's attention, and the attention span is short. i really wish that we would have had, for example, in this campaign -- and it did not happen -- an extended debate, a real debate about the issues and where america needs to move. but this debate was always about who's the worst rather than who's the best and not about ideas. >> host: no, absolutely. i compare it to americans with elections today are like people sitting on the couch with a clicker watching tv, you know? five seconds of this, five seconds of that, change parties, change channels, it's all the same. david's out in santa monica. this is the byron dorgan fan club on the bill press show. david's in santa monica. >> caller: yes, hi. i just want to ask the senator what the legislators are doing

to stop the subsidizing through the walmart storeses and the target stores? people that are on welfare and social security and getting benefits from the federal government using their checks to buy these chinese products and all these imported products. why can't it be that these checks come with a requirement that they have to buy american products? >> host: all right, david. >> guest: i wrote a whole book about that, david. >> host: yeah. "take this job and ship it." >> host: exactly. >> guest: the title is walmart and china, dancing in the dark. so get the book, read -- i'm not asking you to go buy the book, go to the library and read that chapter. you know, it is a real serious problem, this issue of outsourcing and whether made in america is a label you'll find in the places again. if i might just mention one thing, etch a sketch, almost every kid has used etch a sketch. it was head in bryant, ohio. it was their rather small town, great factory, everybody

understood this product. and now it's not there anymore. it's in china because walmart went to etch a sketch and said it has to be made at the chinese price or we won't market it in walmart, and if you're a toy and you're not on the shelves in walmart, you're in the trouble. so the jobs left ohio and went to china. but that's replicated over and over and over again, and that's something we have to fix. >> host: so, senator byron dorgan, you're not going to be around much longer. again, your choice -- >> guest: well, i hope i'm around. >> host: not in the u.s. senate. [laughter] >> guest: help me out here, would ya? >> host: but you are going to be there for the lame duck session, so i just want to know, we're counting on you to get all those -- you gave us a list of six things that need to be done. we're counting on you. >> guest: i'm working on it. >> host: senator byron dorgan, i'll be back with a very quick parting shot. >> this is the bill press shot. >> guest: that was good. that was fun thanks. >> host: yeah, how about

those -- [laughter] you're wonderful. you're wonderful. >> tip o'neill was incapable of saying byron. you know, montana -- >> is that right? >> it didn't matter -- [inaudible conversations] >> he just was incapable of saying it. >> oh, we want to get a picture here. >> oh, quick picture. >> yeah. >> one, two, three, beautiful. >> we'll work a date out. >> two minutes. >> well, that was fun, bill. anytime.

[inaudible conversations] >> yeah. >> you're back in about 90 seconds or so. >> and so monday? >> john heilemann, author of "bring change," will be joining i. >> okay. >> all right? >> yeah.

>> hey, first thing's first, i need you to grab van hollen right near the end where he said he's stepping down as head of dccc, how close he's going to run for it for sure. >> cool. >> [inaudible] >> okay. >> eric, i'm sorry bill deny

have time -- didn't have time to get to your call. thank you so much. >> mitch, i'm sorry, bill got your comment i'll pass it on. thanks so much for listening, man. have a great day. >> the parting shot with bill press. >> this is the bill press show. >> host: my quick parting shot for today, okay, enough gloom and doom. yeah, it wasn't a good week this week, but we also can't forget there is a silver, silver lining to this cloud. one, democrats still control the u.s. senate and, two, president obama's still in the white house. nothing is going to get around his veto pen, and he still has the most powerful bull horn in the land for getting his message out. so i say take heart, my fellow liberals. as nancy pelosi says, don't agonize, organize. don't agonize, organize, and let's start now fighting to get

power back in 2012. all right, with that parting shot i remind you that i'll see you sunday morning on the mclaughlin group. check it out, your local listing. thanks all after our regular radio listeners, thanks all of our extra friends joining us today from c-span2. have a great weekend, see you back on the radio on monday! >> it's the bill press show!

i think the conclusion is that everyone is experienced with off term reactions, and reaction against the incumbents. they know, or at least they can be reminded of their history of what happened to clinton or what happened to reagan. so the short answer is they know president obama is not finished. he can come back. that said, i don't think people have been particularly impressed by the reaction of

the president since the defeat or even in the buildup to the defeat for the democrats that there is probably for the rest of the world as much as at home a desire for leadership and i think there's a real question as to whether the roof -- the response which the president has given so far while ticking -- sticking to his principles that is one that's in the relatively short space of time that's left will be particularly inspiring. probably, and i think this is applies domestically as much as for the rest of the world, he would be helped if there can be some real tests where he succeeds abroad. obviously people are looking for gratification, the arms reduction treaty they clearly are interested in his involvement in the middle east. but it has to be said that if

you look at iraq, which seems to be going bad again, or afghanistan, neither of these look to be particularly heroic. and it does leave a problem certainly for the british government, which as you know, is led from the right of center as to where they look for friends in washington in the future. do they carry on with the white house or do they start reminding republicans that they too are conservatives? that said, i was reporting on the rally for solidarity -- for sanity of the weekend. >> the difference in term nol. >> and what struck me there was that whether it was dade cameron or ed, thailed have all been at home in the crowd. so politics, probably in a different place. the second question which everyone asks themselves is the rest of the world is obsaysed by the influence of the tea party.

is it a good thing? is it a bad thing? where is it leading american polls ticks? -- politics? i know that many people to center left here condemn the tea party. i have to say our sister station here is focused on news and i spend a lot of time talking to conserve tivets as well and they make a strong analysis, probably the significant moment which helped the republicans if you look across the board in all the elections was when the tea party decided to throw its lot in with the republican party and to basically promote republican candidates. there's no doubt that that energized the republican base and probably explains the scale or contributes to the cail of the republican victories, particularly if accepting what's already been said, if

you recognize that there is a growing group of people who describe themselves as independents who are volatile, in politics, i think this is a phenomenon probably across the democratic world. but here, where you basically have a bipartisan system, until 2016 at least, that clearly energizes it. and final finally the question we're all asking ourselves is about the united states remains the engine, economy, for certainly britain and much of europe. and it's astonishing to hear that you do appear to be straddling the two questions at the moment. it doesn't seem to be much possibility of further stimulus if you accept that that moment was missed on the scale of the stimulus. but at the same time, unlike the experiment which the coalish government in britain

going under, it's fairly clear i think that there's not going to be dramatic cuts in the detches sit or really dramatic cuts over the next two years in the size of government. which really leaves the united states and to a certain extent the presidency drifting waiting for the upturn. and one other final cheery thought which my friends in the financial sector in britain are always reminding me about. over the last 20 centuries, china has been the dominant economy in 18. so perhaps. >> that culed be a trend. dan, i know you have something to say about that. >> i'm not sure about that. but one thing i do want to point out. we thing it should be concentrated on what is it that the majority of the people in the country want and what

they're worried about. take into effect what the many special interest whose contribute to these overwhelming amounts of money to campaigns in both parties, this time it's republicans, although i think the democrats had plenty of money this time. but let's see clearly that in modern times a great deal of what our election is about, and never more than this recent election, is who gives the most money to whom expecting to get what. it's all well and good for us to talk about what it is that we the people want, what the electorate wants, but there is a growing group of people in the country, and cuts across party lines, who by their ability to contribute huge amounts of money, keep in mind this was a $4 million mid-term election. and while some people give money, a lot of people give money altrustically, a lot of

people who give that kind of money expect to get something in return. so let's be clear that when we talk about the direction, what now? for the overarching myriad of what we're about here today, where do we go from here? one of the places we go from here, unless things change dramatically, which i don't expect them to do, is if you unching this is a very expensive wild and wooly election, in which a lot of money, which by the way a lot of secret money, influenced the election, stand by for 2012. the last presidential election was a $2 billion presidential election. you can imagine what it's going to be in 2012 given what we've been through in 2008 and 2010. so just note that's in the background of everything we talk about here today, is the tremendous sums of special interest money. some of it comes from corporations, some of it comes from organizations, but there's

a lot of it around. it's increasingly difficult to really put the sunshine on it as a disinfect nt to say where it comes from. >> i ask harold, i know you have some thoughts on this. who is getting rich out of this? there's $4 billion spent. where the heck is it going? is it all ad buys? is it the consultants that are racking it up? who actually gets this doe? >> it's the consultants get it, people get it, postage costs money. >> so it's good for the economy. >> so a lot goes into the ads. i want to come back, and i agree with dan. it is a huge and growing problem. and when i consider the united states supreme court disgraceful decision, the united states united has just opened up overruling over 100 years of federal law banning corporate contributions to federal campaigns, it's disgraceful. i think it augurs real concern

about the federal cases that are going on affecting the health care bill. the health care bill is not i think have a seprablet policy which means that if the supreme court of the united states were to find one provision in the whole health care law unconstitutional, it could -- i'm not saying it would, but it could knock down the whole law. but i want to come back to where do we go? and it's unclear to me if i can wavic wand what i would advise anybody to do. because here you have a group of tea parties who decry government but can't wait to get into government. there's no small irony on that. two, you have the two republican leaders, mr. mcconnell and mr. boehner, who have said mr. mcconnell very bluntly and mr. boehner almost

as bluntly, our task is to take the president of the united states down in 2012. that's our central task. so i don't think you can expect a lot of cooperation from them. three, they have the tea party's and boehner has a bigger problem i think than mcconnell, who are going to be screaming and yelling. you could be seeing possibly something getting through the senate, and i understand you have a dimmer view of the senate at times. but let's put that aside. you can see something getting through the senate possibly with there's ten mod ral democrats so you can see something being fash fashioned there to get through the senate. does it then get accepted by the much more radical house or really radical republican constituency and a more liberal democratic caulk suss? so when you think about the politics in the context of what needs to be done? the economy, the economy, the

economy. mr. bernanke apparently has thrown up his hands and has given up on the congress and the president and is now going to buy $600 billion worth of government bonds to try to stimulate the economy while the corporations are holding, as the congressman pointed out, trillions of dollars in their treasury. and if you look at the political landscape and if you believe as some of us believe that we need more stimulus, i couldn't agree with the congressman more, we were way to tepyid on the stimulus bill. but that's buy gones be by gones but you're going to be hard pressed to find a democrat in the congress, much less a republican, that is going to vote for additional stimulus. so what, as you look at this, you can talk about cooperation until you're blue in the face. what's the remedy? i think we are in a very havor -- very, very scary time. and if you look at what happened to japan. they were starting to come out of their freefall in the late

80s, early 90s. nay cut the deficit. so they increased the consumption task from 3% to 5%. and those people who have studied japan think that that is the reason japan is -- it killed the republic. >> thank you. your thoughts? >> well, i'm going to stick to what i know best, which is the voting patterns. i think what we're looking at is a period where both parties' basis are going to insist on open warfare. i think they're both positioning for the big show in 2012. and i think that increasingly is something that is being rejected by people in the middle. about a third of americans, a third to 40% are partisan democrats. about a third are partisan republicans. and the people in the middle would like to see elements of both parties' platforms adopted

in increasingly difficult times, understanding why they can't sit down and each sacrificing. also, electoral, i think you are seeing not for the same reasons as congressman kucinich does, but you are seeing the way of openness to a nonparty candidate not in 2012 then certainly beyond if one or the other party doesn't understand the discontinuity between the demands of its base and the demands of the middle and seeks to curb the excesses of its base to curry favor. >> i think that the points that dan and congressman kucinich made are ones that i want to come back to. when i say this election was about fear, it was fear that was exploited in the way the campaigns were run about issues

that had nothing to do with what the campaign was about. and part 51, for example, became the subject of campaign ads in several dozen elections. can you explain that? >> the part 51, the building of the islamic center in south manhattan. a district in west virginia, unemployment 13.5%, mine disaster taking lives and fear of miners going back to work, the republican candidate challenging the democrat where do you stand on part 51? and then making a whole series of ads funded by big coal. and the very guys who the congressman in his role as committee chair of resources was putting regulations on, doing ads saying that he was a supporter of terrorism and that he was affiliated with radical islam, that he did this, that he took money from this that

and the other. one might argue that issue had nothing to do with what this election was about. but hundreds of thousands of dollars were poured into this campaign and others, renee elmers and others who are going to be joining this next congress. wasn't the issue. and it wearnt -- wasn't what big coal was interested in. but it was the wedge that they used to build fear. and it played a big role in this campaign. at tude toward muslims among democrats, 55% favorable, among republicans 12% favorable, it's not the party of george her better walker bush and james backer any more. it's the party of those who exploited fear all summer long and literally unified their base around this issue and then were able to exploit it in the election.

and i'm very concerned about how this played out and waiting to see what the next fear campaign is going to be. >> that would be interesting. do you think this will intensify? do you think they'll be more of these kinds of things? >> probably. >> is it just naturally so or is this a difficult environment that creates even more of this kind of fear? >> well, i think some of it is situational. it will depend on the environment, it will depend upon -- let's just say if the packaging aboard that plane last week had exploded, we would have a different political climate today than we do. it would change everything. and i think that the islam phobia that comes out of this, some of that is situational.

i am interested just in the very short term, president obama left in a big international swing, he'll land in germany tonight and he will go to indonesia. and one of the things i am waiting to see is if any of that strikes resurge nt about his life in indonesia. i will be interested to see how his boyhood years in indonesia are played. that will be a teg point of something. but there's always flash points in campaigns that are ugly all the time. i see no reason why there will be a difference. >> kind of an underimplicit assumption. remember, i want to bring out to the open, that it's in the interest of the unemployed to have dramatic restructuring of the economy. we can debate that as a matter

of policy preferences. i might take a different view. but the polls suggest that, among at least white working class voters, that they don't share that. that two to one believe that less government, -- that more government is more harmful to the economy than less government. and that's an abstract level. but i think the argument that you are making is that it's a distraction from what what they really care about. they're really concerned that the government that sthay see coming from washington is not in their long-term economic interest. and that could be a failure, they could be misinformed. i don't believe they are but they could be misinformed. but that's a perception issue that's real and it's something that if you're trying to interpret what's going forward and what's just happened and where we're going forward has to be taken into account. the very people who were most affected by the unemployment and the economy did not believe that the remedies that are

being advanced were adequate and not because they weren't too little but because they were too much. >> congressman, your thoughts here. >> well, we could talk about post election anlitches but it depends on what questions you ask the people. if you say too much government. look, i know about white working class people. my father was a truck driver. i grew up the oldest of seven. my parents never owned a home. and as the family expanded we kept moving. by the time i was 17 we lived in a couple different places including a couple cars. i know about the experience of america. the idea that government just doesn't work. government works. the question is who is it working for. it sure is working for wall street. it sure is working for

international monetary systems. it's working for multinational companies. it's working for arms marchents. when people look to the government and they say, well, look, where is my right to organize? i was promised that. how come we're not out of iraq? the democrats promised that when they took over in 2006. how come my wages are frozen? why is my pension in trouble? is social security going to be in trouble next? when you create that kind of uncertainty there is going to be a backlash. and the democratic party, which based on the new deal, won the affection of working class people, that white working class, frankly where i grew up, there were african americans having the same kine of economic problems in the same boat. we can talk about less government. but let's talk about less

government in terms of this new congress. if we don't have any government stimulus and private sector isn't providing jobs and we're talking about cutting taxes, looking at dedeflation. there's just no other path possible. so i know a little bit about that working class. i live in the same house today in ohio i bought in 1971. working class neighborhood. people want government to produce results. and, frankly, temporizing, minimalism. great speeches. well, to quote walter mon dale from many years ago, where is the beef? there was no delivery that was adequate enough to be able to meet the size of the challenge. and the american people had every right to expect that would happen. so again, where do we go from here? well, if we're going in the

direction of tax cuts and stop stimulus and reduce the deficit at the expense of social spending and we stay in iraq and afghanistan, god help us. >> i note, i'm going to have one more thought from adam. i'm going to ask him for his -- there is a huge movement, a coalition government in great britain, and he can testifies to that, he was there. but there's also a real interest in cutting services and spending as a solution by the coalition government. adam, just quickly, what parallels do you see and how is this country going down that particular path? and will it be beneficial? will it be a detriment? host: well, the short >> >> >> i don't see big parallels. i think we have got a right of center government in britain which is trying out a very

different experiment, which is basically trying to cut the structural deficit over the next four or five years. a lot of people are worried in exact thri same way that the representative is worried that this will simply strangle any sign of ecovery. re we are seeing welfare cuts, support for defense, support for education being cut. and even within our national health service, our socialized medicine, we're seeing a stand still in the budget there, which of course given that there is still medical inplation -- inflation, means effective cuts. and we are doing that in britain because we don't have the advantage of being a reserve currency and the argument has been made, and for

the time being accepted by the electorate that wasn't the room to borrow more to finance the further stimulus, because in an open economy like ours, the effect of that on the economy would simply be to postpone a worse reckoning. but, i would put a question back, if you'd like, to our panel is as we look at the way we go forward, let's assume that america does now have a decent recovery to a certain extent. is president obama right when he says if unemployment was half of what it is now, the democrats wouldn't have had a problem? or given the acsell ration of the political cycle, if that happens, could it actually be the republicans are given the credit for it? >> of course one of the most difficult things going forward

must be dealt with that on the one hand you have election returns which indicate people say they want less government, want the government to get out of things. that would indicate at least slightly a trend line that says it favors the republican or the right, we need to get the government out of things. and depend more on the private sector the kind of people who give this huge money to each election campaign. but when you get down to individual programs, the certain who says i want the government out of my life. you say, well, then we'll cut your medicare, wait a minute. i'm not talking about medicare. or if you say we want to raise the eligible for social security, you go to someone and you say i want to get the government out of my life. well, we'd like to raise your retirement age to 67, 68. wait a minute, i'm not talking about social security. this is what the elected officials and the rest of us

must come to grips with. which way is it? do you want to go say raise social security the retirement age, raise that up? do you want to get control of medicare? some in the republican party, some in the tea party want to get rid of medicare. but it's going to be done but it's going to be a part of a cut and thrust of the debate and the argument as you go forward. we can't have it both ways. if you don't want the government in your life, then medicare and the new health program, social security, will all be affected. i'm sure the other side will say, wait a minute, we're not talking about that. but if you want -- i don't want to be a one-note about this. we can talk about what needs to be done, what should be done, but if you want to know what is going to be done, follow the

dollar. follow the money. find out who contributed what to whom and what amounts in the last campaign, whether they be lynn or democrat, and you can just bet the rent money on it that that's the way the policy is going to go. you want to know where the policy is going? follow the money, follow the dollar. that will tell you where we are going to go, not necessarily where we should be going. >> thank you, dan. indeed sage advice. and if you think about raising the retirement level age, just look at our friends in france. take a lesson from some of the goings on. >> the retirement age has gone up. >> there you go. we've got two wonderful people here with microphones, and i'd like to spend the next 15, 20 minutes really listening to your questions. and if you will make them questions and not propaganda statements, we would prefer that. and we'll keep them short and i will ask my distinguished panel

to keep your answers short, too. because i'd like everybody to go. this man has been raising his hand since wednesday, so we want to make sure that he goes. yes, sir. tell us who you are and how you're affiliated. >> bob weaner, national columnist and jointly cover the white house with you, john. >> that's not why i called on him because he covers the white house with me. >> and good to see some friends on the panel, too. one issue that hasn't been rayed, i wanted to bring it because i was a youth voter registration director in 1971 when the youth vote was first allowed in the constitution there were 15 million more youth 18 to 29 who voted in 2008 than 2010. but as cnn reported yesterday, the congressional election margin of republicans over democrats was 5 million. is there any way to build that turnout of youth but also

minorities, especially here in the college setting, very appropriate to ask this question, in an off-year election? and if not this election, which had this kind of controversy, when? so how can that be done? >> we're going to ask each panel member to take about 30 seconds to answer that, because i'd like to get everybody's perspective. and adam, we'll start with you. >> in an off-year election, i really think we're going to struggle probably the way to get young people involved is to have at the top of the agenda an issue which they think affects them, which again in britain we've got a lot of discussion now about university college financing. that does motivate people. but in a sense that's why we're here. >> well, the way you positioned the question is presumes that -- you're coming from good governance and good civil

behavior. it might not be in the best interest sometimes to want to raise or the bow the boat depending on where you're running. what we saw in 2008 with the obama phenomenon, which was compared to a unique chapter. >> the young person saw a chance for change. you'd see the turnout start to change. so you give young people a stake, that's what we should be doing. people say how are you going to pay for it. >> do you feel a stake in it? i see a few students out here. fair question?

do you feel there was a stake in this election personally for you that you got out and voted? i see a lot of thees and not a lot of thees. i see one yes, one no. that's interesting. bear that in mind. but they're hear meaning that they're here to participate. >> but the -- look, there are so many young people right now who are stock piling debt or their parents are where by the time they leave school they will owe 80,000 and more. and so their whole lives then from the time they graduate until they're in their middle age period are going to be about retiring educational debt. we have a system that is just wrong when it comes to investing in our young people. so if you show them that you have a stake in the election because there will be education for all, everyone who is 18 or over will be out there to register and vote.

at least those who want a higher education. >> do you see any similarities back in, you were a reporter in vietnam for the field. when i as a college student was scared to death i would lose my 2 s and if i did i would have to go to vietnam. that motivated us. we voted because we knew what was at stake. it was a certain part of the anatomy i want mention here but we were really scared and we voted. there's no draft right now. your thoughts on that. >> one question, it raises a larger issue. i think that with young people, with people of any age, the question is how do we reach the percentage of people eligible to vote? i think we need to study what the experience of some other countries. for example, i'm not suggesting this but we don't even discuss it. some form of either you vote or you pay a price for it.

i don't mean literally a price. for example, when you go to apply for employment, they ask you for your social security number your birth certificate. did you vote in the elast and some proof of that. i think the subject is broader than just young people because it's been a long time ago, it isn't true that sam houston was still writing when i was young but it's been a long time ago. young people have other things to do. and we understand that. but i think the larger question is how to increase the, in the american style, there are some countries where it's mandatory to vote. there are others where there are high incentives to vote. i don't know the answer to this question. but i don't expect, frankly, that the percentage of young people, however you define that, will be significantly higher in 2012 than it was in 2008 depending on the race it

could be lower. and i don't think the mid terms of 2014 will reflect much higher percentage of young people voting this time. it's just in the nature of our particular american advance of democracy. >> the short and the long answer is no. >> i forgot the question, harold. >> to his question. no. >> no. >> i would agree with dan and harold, that we had a high turnout election this time by mid-term standards. we had about 42% of eligible who cast ballots, about 5 points higher. and for decades we've seen voter participation increase with age and the degree to which you're settled in the community. so unless you move to a compulsory system that many european. >> australia. >> i don't think you're going to see mobilization of young

people in what we've seen in the past. >> the republicans nationalize this election on the president on fear and insecurity, and to some degree it worked those who were coordinated national campaign. democrats tried in the last month to sort of put the president back out there and make it an election about supporting him to get first-time obama voters the votes, who turned out in 2008, back to the polls. but he wasn't on the ballot. and the hope wasn't there, fear was. but 2012 will be different. and i think that you will see a replay of the kind of turnouts that qued we had in 2008. >> that may be good news for certain people. the young lady down here. >> thank you. i'm a student at the center. the panel discussed a lot about how the election reflected the

american desire for an effective government and how we're really looking for congress and the white house to do what the people are looking for. i'm wondering, in recent years not just the 2008 but just recent years there's been record numbers of phil busters and presidential vetos. how can we ensures that with the numbers that congress is facing now that there will be action taken in 2010 and that people will work across partisan lines to ensure that the very real american issues get dealt with? >> i'd like to answer that? very good question. >> i think you vote republican. if i could put it that way, that certainly in the 30 odd years i've been covering american politics it's no news that there has been a polarization, that the republican party and the

democratic party are more clearly defined. and, you know, if we look abroad, we can see that party structures are more volume tile with their forces do come into creation. one of the other things that's been going on in the 30 odd years that i've covered british politics that our sector has grown from being a couple of percentage points to really just about if you put all the liberals and the nationals together on a par with the other two main parties, now you haven't had that take part in your american, in your political system, and if bipartisanship is going to become almost a dirty word in here in congressional polls,

some relationship between congress and the president, something has got to give. because it does point to fairly parallels put in the system. >> good one. >> my name is elizabeth and i'm a student in the democracy and governance program here at georgetown. and my question has to do with the spending and the wars in afghanistan and iraq. shortly before the election, reported on a poll that said voters in this election were obviously prioritizing the economy and that the war ranked lowest if at all on their sort of list of priority issues. and i was wondering if you could commint on why they focused on the economy and how much we're spending seems divorced from how much, as congressman kucinich mentioned, we're spending in the wars. >> let's have someone beside congressman kucinich. i think we have an idea of how he stands. >> people can be concerned about a few things at once.

i don't take so much stock in the poll that just puts the concerns. it doesn't mean that it's not there. but until you have a mortgage you can't pay, a house you can't sell, a retirement you can't have, and a job whose pay may be chopped, or you're furloughed, you have to deal with that right in your face. and that is why the economic situation is so tough. and so important politically. >> a good answer for those. the gentleman right here. tell us who you are. >> i'm chris. i'm a freshman at the for foreign service. president obama said back when he was president elect said that he liked the majority to be inclusive, that the minority

to be constructive. and my question is, which side of this has been more true? i don't think it can be true without the other being true. >> thank you. >> good question. >> sum rising. >> back to barack obama's statement. >> so barack obama said the majority has to be inclusive and the minority has to be instructive. and i'm wondering, has the democrats over the last two years been as inclusive as they could have been? have the republicans been as constructive? how does that play into voters what perceived. >> i'll put that to congressman

kucinich. >> the dynamic that the country was expecting with stronger leadership from the white house was then pull the congress along, and if the republicans had a plan to basically frustrate the president, the president could go over their heads to the american people and some of the support and you would have seen a different result in the election. that didn't happen. so >> is that called a bully pull pitt? >> again, i want to go back to inaugural day, 2008 -- how many of you staw inauguration and were there? i had this chance to just sit up and right at the back rise where i could see it all and it was an amazing thing and i could feel the energy. and i was thinking, my god, we're at the moment of real

transformation here. and the energy dissipated. it was squandered. and so we didn't have to -- it didn't have to be that way. >> well, it didn't have to be that way, congressman. here's what president obama does, he has to be accountable on this. which in sports, in basketball, you don't try to sit, you try to get up and pull it off. in military terms, every even noncommissioned officer knows, exploit success. and i agree that in there was an aura about inauguration day, not just in washington, but around the country. and even many people who had not voted for barack obama felt strongly that this is a new day we can move forward with something new. and when the president got into office, having run a bold ah dashese campaign, he began to play in the public perception,

at least if you were here we argued this he began to play it safe, got a reputation for playing a little soft. an example. instead of saying to congress, i want a big stimulus, and if the republicans resisted i'm taking it to the people. in the case of health care. rather than let congress write the health care legislation, i'm going to lay out some parameters of what i want and i'm going to fight for it. now, again, justifiably or unjustifiably, he developed very quick and said -- the young man's question is what happened. what happened is that the perception got out that president obama was not willing to really stand up and fight in harry truman fashion, if you will. that he might be trying to do a bit of more bill clinton, triangulate a little bit. and again, rightly or wrongly, this helped lead to the, well, what does he stand for?

what is he willing to stand up and fight? is he willing to take on directly? >> again, there's one element that i ask be added. and that is that congress, the democratic leaders in congress were waiting to see what the white house would do. instead -- you wouldn't know it but we're a co equal branch of government. >> well. >> and you wouldn't know it because we're waiting to see what the white house would do. the white house testimony prizing, we done tetch a program. so the american people have every right to be upset that neither the executive or the legislative branch produced the results they were demanding. . >> when congress adjourned, went out around the country. the summer before, on these health care town meetings it was very clear what the agenda was. it was to disrupt. and people behaved in vandal bully like fashion and violence actually ensued in a number of

instances. what was really troubling i think to those of us who wanted to see health care reform was that there was no pushback in a real sense. so that we had a briefing at the white house toward the end of the summer about health care. and still were not sure at the end of an hour and a half discussion what the white house really wanted in that bill. and then there were those endless meetings in the senate trying to win over one vote in the republican side. didn't happen and the bill got compromised down and down and down and down. still didn't get is the vote. so i think that the democrats were inclusive to a fault. and i think that republicans were obstructionists to a fault. but republicans were able to spin their obstructionism better and democrats, until this day, i think don't know what happened to them last year. and didn't realize even after they passed health care and the bill was passed that they had the job to do to explain that bill to the american people,

which frankly most people still don't understand. "new york times" did a better job of trying to explain it than congress did or that the party did. and the result is that the guys who were playing the game won and the guys who were sitting the sideline lost. >> much wisdom in what you're saying. there's a lot of talk about the power of the presidency. one of the major powers of the presidency is the power po to persuade. that's what leadership is about. pick whatever fight you want, health care reform, stimulus bill, whatever. at some point the president is expected to and he wants to do well in future elections to lead and to take on -- this is what you say if there's no push. what president obama in at least the public perception is he doesn't really have the stomach for the cut and thrust when it comes down to it's

either going to be this or that. as for congress waiting object white house, what you've described is what's known in baseball is alfon gas stone act. the bawl falls somewhere in between -- ball falls somewhere in between. >> i remember who is on first too. >> i want to move, a couple of our distinguished folks have to get on trains and planes and automobiles. but i want to go this to this gentleman and then that gentleman there. and we'll keep the answers briefly. >> i'm a senior in the business school literally here in this building. just first before i ask my question to return to this issue as a young person in this election. i vote because er day there are men and women overseas making sure that i can vote. but my question today is i

think the most intriguing thing to come out of this election is it seems like the republican party exists in name only. and it's sort of reserved down. we have the southern, the northeastern entrepreneurials from the george bush area. my question is it seems there's no national republican figure who can come out and take the nomination for the 2012 presidency. mike pence, jim demint, they're all great in the republican party. can they come out and take a sweep in the primaries in the states that they need? additionally, what would the selection of that candidate mean, particularly talking about mike bloomberg who i think in his public comments has made it seem that he would be considering the run. >> good question. harold. >> republican party hasn't

nominated who wasn't already nationally famous since 1940. so for them to nominate somebody who can walk into a diner and get blank stairs if you mention their names is probably not going to happen. >> sara palin. >> well, sara palin would get very nonblank stairs, particularly if it was full of men. there would be four people who would fit that test. mitch -- mitt romney, huckabee, sara palin and going rich. so i think one of them wins and then the question is which ever one comes on top, the question would be how does the tea party feel about that person? i think if huckabee or palin came on top, the tea party would be very happy but the establishment wouldn't necessarily be happy. so not the elite but voters, to

an establishment style bloomberg candidate. i think if romney were to win in the wrong way that many tea party would be unhappy. we won't know for about a year. >> one quick question and then we're going to lose two of my distinguished friends here. and if the other folks would like to stay for a few more minutes, we can do that if that's all right with the powers that be. >> we will take this question, and then i will lose my two friends here and then we will continue for a few more minutes. >> thank you. >> who are you and who are you with? ? >> i'm sam stine and with the "washington post." harold, you can't pass on this question. it was announced about 30 minutes ago that speaker pelosi will be making a run as and i'm wondering if this is a good thing for the democratic party considering they just lost

however many. >> it's all yours. >> i missed the name. now that she's going to what? so your question is? well, i think she's been an extraordinarily effective leader. there are those who say that there would not be a health care bill. you can debate the merits of the health care bill but there are those who say there is not a lot of opinion in washington there would not have been a health care bill without mrs. pelosi. so i think she has been an extraordinarily effective leader. my view is that she has a real hold on the democratic calks. it's a much more liberal caucus than it will be in january than it was before the election because of the loss of the blue dogs. my view is that if she wants to continue as leader, she should continue as leader.

and i don't think it will hurt the democratic party. i take issue i think with henry on the themic that he struck that this is a vote against policy. i don't think this is vote -- really is against policy. i suspect if you ask most people what policy did they vote against, they might come back and say too much government. there's a lot of talk about the health care bill is not very popular. but according to some exit polls at least, 50% of the country want the health care bill. they don't even know -- that's 50% that doesn't know what's in the bill because the administration has not done a good job of saying what the good things are in health care. there's some bad things. the answer is yes. are they going to be corrected over time? the answer is probably yes. but there's a lot of good that came out of the health care bill that benefit a lot of

people. we democrats have not done a good job of selling that. by contrast, if you were to ask virtually anybody who voted what the republican program is, other than shrinking government and cutting expenditures in a time where even martin if he will stine, imnemt economist of bush one, thinks that there ought to be more stimulus. even when somebody like that is saying there ought to be more stimulus, i would defy anybody to articulate what the republican program is going forward. and so i do take some issue with you on whether they were voting against policy or against the fact that they are pissed off, they are frightened, and they think the government hasn't done thing. >> please keep in mind this is

a jezzwit institution. >> i'm sorry. >> and only here could we let him get away with that. and we're going to lose dab rather and dennis kucinich. [applause] >> let me just say that in a far less articulate way my opening comments were trying to make the same points as harold did. there is the way people interpret this election on top and then there was the reality underneath of a royal public really frightened, very anxious, and voting their fear and anxiousness. and i think that that was pretty much what happened. on the question -- i just also

want to say speaker pelosi should stay leader pelosi. it was a great two congresses. you cannot look at the legislative record in particular the last two years and not feel proud of what a -- the first woman speaker in history accomplished. and i think it was shameful and to some degree blatantly sexist the way she was characterized. it was wrong. and she should not pay the price for the sins of those who tried to target her in a very disgraceful way. >> i think what happened here is between the increase in

debt, between the health care bill which according to the exit poll it is about 50/50. but among 48% saying they want to appeal it. 48 saying they want to expand it. i think what happened people did not want the rapid sudden extensive movement that was being proposed. and i know many people in this audience and many people in this panel think it wasn't rapid enough. and there's a lot of americans who shared that view. i don't think the elections showed that. it's very consistent. this has happened a number of times in history, american political history that when there's a rapid expansion of federal policy in good economic times or bad, that the american middle class tends to react by voting for the republicans. >> my only response to that would be i'm amazing given the license that the republicans

had to bad mouth and characterize the health care bill as big government raising your taxes, et cetera, in contrast to what i consider not a very vigorous or effective selling by the administration and democratic leaders. i'm surprised that 50% approve. >> well, ok. >> we could take a new question. >> why don't we take a new question. >> i'd like to make one point. what is the strategy now. i'm not rally very clear on what the democratic strategy is. >> the question along those lines. yes. the first person right there.

>> my question is about the tea party. whether or not they think that if miraculously the, within the next two years we see big economic growth, is there a future for the tea party? or is it an outgrowth? >> you want to jump on that. >> there is no tea party with a capital t and a capital p. no head quarters. it is a movement. and it is a movement that gravitated and became a win-go in this election for the republican party. and it may be absorbed in it, it may not be. the republicans fused their candidates with movements in local areas, in this 2010 election. one of the things that existed in 1996 was something called ross perot and his followoers

and there's no per ot movement that exists any more. it left. people went someplace else. usually you often call people who come and go in the electorate and aren't identified with a particular party, they're called independents or swing voters. here, we had people who for all purposes seemed like independent republican voters just going up to a lot of local splinters and the tea phenomenon will, i'm banking on, will not become more structurally head quartrd any place than it is now because that's not what the people in this movement seem to want. >> yes. another question. >> yes. the gentleman right in the middle. >> my name is gaven. i'm a freshman here in the school foreign service at georgetown. and i want to touch on the subject that mr. rather

addressed before he left, and that's the subject of campaign finance. just for a little bit more an elab ration. and since a lot of figures in the democratic party and indeed president obama himself have criticized the citizens united case as really a travesty for our democracy, we've seen probably an equal amount of pushback from the right saying that, no, corporations actually do have these rights. my question is, is this really a threat to our democracy? does this really threaten our legitimatesy of our democratic system to have all of this money flooded into an election even if it's just a mid-term election cycle where less than 50% of the people actually get to vote? is this taking power actually away from the people who aren't getting out to vote anyway and giving toyota the corporations? . .