cut back probably what they're paying now. in the past, medicare trustees have projected that the trust fund would run out of mine. i came came closest in two years of the last couple of decades. lawmakers have responded and made changes to the program. that is what he was talking about when he said that there is a record in the past of medicare getting changes. >> a generation ago, social security was in this urgent situation. people were put into a room and said not to come out until they had a solution. will there be something like that regarding medicare? >> i do not know anything about that. >> have you heard anyone say instead of tackling the whole budget problem, let's tackle medicare? >> it is such a political winner for the democrats.

nancy pelosi was all about jobs and recently she came out and said, medicare, medicare, medicare. they know that this is a political winner for them. again, it is very unclear that they're going to be able to reach any kind of consensus. i think we will see them pushing the ball down the road again. maybe there will be some attempt to fix all we talked about and get those payments to doctors from being cut. but it is more of that. >> there is not my expectation that a deal on medicare could be worked out between now and 2012. >> medicare advantage being run in many districts. >> in the run-up to the 2010 elections, republicans have no incentive to try to fix health care reform. it was a political winner for them. why would they do anything to give away the political card? no movement at all.

ironically, the proposal that representative ryan has put forward, he is handed democrats is incredible trump card. they have no incentives to give that away. it is unfortunately a political recipe. from what he talked about in terms of changing the way medicare does things, from equality in the payments standpoint, it does not require congress to do anything. i think those will continue to go along and we will get a sense over the next 12 to 18 months whether or not those are showing any promise. >> you've injected a note of optimism in an otherwise pessimistic assessment. thank you for being here this weekend. we appreciate your expertise. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011]

>> president obama addressed the annual policy conference of the american israel public affairs committee today. it came falling the recent one house meeting with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu. he reiterated his call for basing peace talks on borders that existed before the 1967 arab-israeli war with mitchell agreed land swaps and the u.s. commitment to israel's security. he spoke for about half an hour. >> good morning, thank you. thank you so much. please, have a seat. thank you. what a remarkable crowd. thank you for your very kind introduction. i did not know you play basketball. [laughter] i will take your word for it.

rosie, thank you for your many years of friendship. back in chicago when i was just getting started in national politics, i reached out to a lot of people for advice and counsel. rosie was one of the very first. when i made my first -- after entering the senate, rosie, your advice side. i want to thank you for your enduring friendship, leadership, and for your warm introduction today. i also want to thank david victor, however, and the board of directors, and let me say that it is wonderful to look out and seek so many great friends, including a very large delegation from chicago.

thank you all. i want to thank the members of congress who do so much to sustain the bonds between the united states and israel, including eric cantor. [applause] steny hoyer. [applause] and the tireless leader i was proud to point as the new chair , debbie wasserman schultz. [applause] we are joined by israel represented to the the united states -- representative to the united states, and by one of my top advisers on israel in the middle east for the past four years and who i know is going to be an outstanding ambassador or to israel, dan shapiro.

[applause] dan has always been a close and trusted adviser and friend and i know that he will do a terrific job. at time when so many young people around the world are standing up and making their voices heard, i also want to acknowledge all the college students from across the country who are here today. [applause] no one has a greater stake in the outcome of events that are unfolding today than your generation. it is inspiring to see you devote your time and energy to help shape the future. i am not here to subjected to a long policy speech. i gave one on thursday in which i said that the united states sees the historic changes sweeping the middle east to north africa as a moment of

great challenge. also a moment of opportunity for greater peace and security for the entire region, including the state of israel. on friday i was joined at the white house by prime minister netanyahu and we reaffirmed it. [applause] we reaffirmed that fundamental truth that has guided our presidents and prime ministers more than 60 years. even while we may at times disagree as friends sometimes will, the bonds between the united states and israel or unbreakable and the commitment of the united states to the security of israel is ironclad. [applause]

as strong and secure israel is in the national security interest of the united states, not simply because we share strategic interest, although we do both seek a region where families and children can live free from threats of violence. it is not simply because we face common dangers, although there can be no denying that terrorism and the spread of nuclear weapons are grave threats to both our nations. america's commitment to israel's security flows from a deeper place, and that is the values we share. as people who struggle to win our freedom against overwhelming odds, we understand this must be

the work of every generation. as two barbara demarcus is, we recognize that -- as two margaret democracies, we recognize the liberties and freedoms that we cherish must be constantly nurtured. and as a nation that recognizes the state of israel moments after its independence, we had a profound commitment to its survival as a strong, secure homeland for the jewish people. [applause] we also know how difficult that search for security can be, especially for a small nation like israel, living in a very tough neighborhood. i have seen it firsthand, when i touched my hand against the

western wall and placed my prayer between its ancient stones, i thought of all this interest that the children of israel have long sought to return to their ancient homeland. when i saw the daily struggle to survive in the eyes of an 8- year-old boy who lost his leg to a hamas rocket, when i walked among the hall of names, i was reminded of the existential fear of israel is when a modern dictator six nuclear-weapons and threatens to wipe israel off the face of the earth. because we understand the challenges israel faces, i and my administration have made the security of israel a priority. it is well have increased cooperation tween our military's to unprecedented levels.

it is why we are making our most advanced technologies available to our israeli allies. [applause] it is wine despite tough fiscal times, we have increased foreign military financing to record levels. [applause] that includes additional support, beyond regular military aid, for the iron dome system. a powerful example of american and israeli cooperation. a powerful example of cooperation which has already intercepted rocket from gaza and helped save israeli lives. so make no mistake, we will maintain israel's military edge. [applause]

you also see our commitment to our shared security in our determination to prevent iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. here in the united states, we have imposed the toughest sanctions ever on the iranian regime. at the united nations, under our leadership, we have secured the most comprehensive international sanctions on the regime which have been joined by allies and partners around the world. today iran is virtually cut off from large parts of the international financial system. we are going to keep up the pressure. let me be absolutely clear. we remain committed to preventing iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. [applause]

its nuclear program is just one problem that iran poses. its government has shown that hypocrisy by claiming to support the rights of protesters while treating its own people with brutality. iran continues to support terrorism across the region, including providing weapons and funds to terrorist organizations. we will continue to work to prevent these actions and we will stand up to groups like hezbollah who seek to impose their will through rockets, car bombs. he also see our commitment to israel's security in our steadfast opposition to any attempt to delegitimize the state of israel. [applause]

as i said at the united nations last year, israel's existence must not be a subject for debate, and efforts to chip away at israel's legitimacy will only be met by the unshakable opposition of the united states. [applause] so when the review conference has -- in the wake of the goldstone report, we still up strongly for israel's right to defend itself. whenever was made to -- will be

towed it. -- week vetoed it. in both word and deed, we have been unwavering in our support of israel's security. it is precisely because of our commitment to israel's long-term security that we have worked to advance peace between israelis and palestinians. i have said repeatedly that core issues can only be negotiated in direct talks between partners. i indicated on thursday that the recent agreement between fatah and hamas opposes an enormous obstacle to peace. no country can be expected to negotiate with a terrorist

organization sworn to its destruction. we will continue to demand that hamas accept the basic responsibilities of peace, including recognizing israel's right to exist and rejecting violence and adhering to all existing agreements. [applause] we once again call on hamas to release the one who has been kept from his family for these long years. [applause] and yet, no matter how hard it may be, to start meaningful

negotiations under current circumstances, we must acknowledge that a failure to try is not an option. the status quo is unsustainable, and that is why on thursday, i stated publicly the principles that the united states believes will provide a foundation for negotiation toward an agreement to end the conflict and all claims, the broad outlines of which have been known for many years and have been the template for discussions between the united states, israel, and the palestinians since at least the clinton in ministration. i know that stating these principles on the issue of territory and security generated some controversy over the past few days. i was not surprised. i know very well that the easy

thing to do, particularly for a president preparing for reelection, is to avoid any controversy. rahm emanuel to tell me that. but i said to prime minister netanyahu, i believe that the current situation in the middle east does not allow for procrastination. i also believe that real friends talk openly and honestly with one another. so i want to share with you some of what i said to the prime minister. here are the facts we all must confront. first, the number of palestinians living west of the jordan river is growing rapidly

, and fundamentally reshaping the demographic realities of both israel and palestinian territories. this will make it harder and harder without a peace deal to maintain israel as both a jewish state and a democratic state. second, technology will make it harder for israel to defend itself in the absence of a genuine peace. third, a new generation of arabs is reshaping the region. a just and lasting peace can no longer be forced with one or two arab leaders. going forward, millions of arab citizens have to see that peace is possible for that piece to be sustained. just as the context has changed in the middle east, so, too, has it been changing in the

international community over the last several years. there is a reason why the palestinians are pursuing their interests at the united nations. they recognize that there is impatience with the peace process, or the absence of one. in latin america, asia, and europe, as well, and that impatience is growing and manifesting itself in capitals around world. those are the facts. i firmly believe, and i repeated on thursday, that peace cannot be imposed on the parties to the conflict. no vote of the united nations will ever create an independent palestinian state, and the united states will stand up against efforts to single out israel at the united nations or in any international forum. israel's legitimacy is not a matter for debate. that is my commitment. that is my pledge to all of you.

[applause] moreover, we know that peace demands a partner, which is why i said that israel cannot be expected to negotiate with palestinians who do not recognize its right to exist. will hold a palestinian the capital for their actions and for their rhetoric. but the march to isolate israel internationally and the impulse the palestinians to abandon negotiations will continue to gain momentum. for us to have leverage with the palestinians and with the arab states and the international community, the basis for negotiation has to hold out the prospect of success.

and so in advance of a five-day trip to europe in which the middle east will be a topic of acute interest, i chose to speak about what peace will require. there was nothing particularly original in my proposal. the basic framework for negotiations has long been the basis for discussions among the parties, including previous u.s. administrations. since questions have been raised, let me repeat what i actually said on thursday. not what i was reported to have said. i said that the united states believes that negotiations should result in two states with permanent palestinian boards with israel, jordan, and egypt and permanent israeli borders with palestine. the borders of israel and palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually

agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders or established for both state. the palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves and reach their potential in a sovereign and contiguous states. as for security, every state has the right to self-defense. israel must be able to defend itself by itself against any threat. [applause] provisions must also be robust enough to prevent a resurgence of terrorism to stop the infiltration of weapons and to provide effective border security.

the duration of this transition time must be agreed and the effect of a security arrangement must be demonstrated. that is what i said. it was my reference to the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps that received the lion's share of the attention, including just now. since my position has been misrepresented several times, let me reaffirm what 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps means. by definition, it means that parties themselves, israelis and palestinians, will negotiate a border that is different than the one that existed on june 4, 1967. that is what mutually agreed upon swaps means. it is a well-known formula to all who have worked on this issue for a generation. it allows the parties themselves

to account for the changes that have taken place over the last 44 years. [applause] it allows the parties themselves to take account of those changes, including the new demographic realities on the ground for the needs of both sides. the ultimate goal is to states for two people. israel is a jewish state and homeland for the jewish people and the state of palestine as the homeland for the palestinian people. each state enjoys self- determination, mutual recognition, and peace. [applause] if there is a controversy now, it is not based -- what i did on

thursday was to say publicly what has long been acknowledged privately. i have done so because we cannot afford to wait another decade or another two decades or another three decades to achieve peace. the world is moving too fast. the world is moving too fast. extraordinary challenges facing israel will only grow. delay will undermine israel's security and peace with the israeli people deserve. i know that some of you will disagree with this assessment. i respect that. as fellow americans and friends of israel, i know we can have this discussion.

ultimately, it is the right and responsibility of the israeli government to make the hard choices that are necessary to protect a jewish and democratic state for which so many generations have sacrificed. as a friend of israel, i am committed to doing our part to see that this goal is realize. i will call not just on israel but the palestinians, arab states, and the international community to join us in this effort because the burden of making hard choices be israel's alone. even as we do all that is necessary to ensure israel's security, even as we are clear eyed about the difficult challenges before us, and even as we pledge to stand by israel for whatever tough days lie

ahead, i hope we do not give up on that vision of peace. if history teaches us anything, if the stories of israel teach us anything, it is that with courage and resolve, progress is possible. peace is possible. the talmud teaches us that so long as the person still has live, they should never abandon faith. that lesson seems especially fitting today. so long as there are those who are standing up for the legit -- legitimate rights and freedoms which have been denied by their government, we will never abandon our support for those rights that are universal. as long as there are those who long for a better future, we will never abandon our pursuit of a just and lasting peace that in this conflict, with two

states living side by side in peace and security. this is not idealism. it is not naivety. it is recognition that a genuine peace between israel and palestine. that is my goal, and i look forward to continuing to work with aipac to achieve that goal. god bless israel, and god bless the united states of america. thank you. [applause] ♪

♪

>> house majority leader eric cantor spoke this afternoon at the annual policy conference of the american israel public affairs committee in washington. his remarks or about 20 minutes. [applause] >> thank you all. it's great to be here. i am truly honored to be able to address the afternoon plenary of this policy conference, the biggest ever. as i look out, i see more than 10,000 people, young and old, who have come to washington from around the country, not for personal enrichment or gain, not out of concern for your industries or businesses, but out of a deep affection for a

fellow democracy, is real. [applause] we are all here because we know that america is at its best when it stands with allies that share our values. like many of you, i am the descendants of immigrants to america. my grandparents came to this country nearly a century ago from russia. that passed through new york harbor, passed by the statue of liberty on the way to a better, freer life. i grandmother was widowed at a young age, and she eventually made her home in a predominantly african-american section of my hometown of richmond.

she raised my father and my uncle in a tiny apartment above a grocery store that she owned. through hard work, perseverance, and faith, the very values on which america is built, she lifted herself up into the middle class, and even sent her two children college. but never, never did she dare to dream that her grandson would someday be a member of congress, much less the majority leader of the u.s. house. [applause] when i grew up, my parents were among jews actively involved in local politics. from them i learned the value of community involvement in shaping

our future. one of my most vivid memories as a child came on that fateful yom kippur day in 1973. i remember standing on the steps in front of the synagogue after services let out. i heard grown-ups around me talking about israel being attacked and the holiest day of the year. i heard them recall what it was like to live as a jew before israel came into being. they were worried. they feared that those days my return. that experience was etched into my memory. it was only years later that i truly understood the critical role america could play in coming to the aid of a fellow democracy. visitors to our country often ask, why is it that america and

israel are so close? there are many answers to this question. yes, israel is a critical pillar of national security strategy. yes, israel fights on the front line against radical islam, and yes, a strong israel provides a more stable and hospitable middle east for u.s. interest. our strategic ties to israel are important, but there is something much deeper it that binds our two nations. there is something that americans identify with on a gut level, something that i see every time my friend and colleague steny hoyer and i take members to israel. when members of congress stand on the shores of the sea of galilee, when they listen to the words of the sermon on the mount, and when they walk the stations of the cross, the names

and places that people read about in their sunday school studies, live right before their very eyes. it is emotional. it is profound. to them and to our christian brethren among us, we salute you and appreciate your solidarity and support. [applause] israel cherishes the values we do. israel represents the triumph of the human spirit over impossible odds. israel represent appears dedication to saving and improving life for all.

israel's spirit lives through its people. in 1942, a boy was slapped by his parents off a train down for auschwitz. by a stroke of luck, a catholic woman in a nearby village and took him in and hit him in her cover. after the war was finally over, that boy emigrated to israel to begin a new life. today, his son heads up the now famous medical field hospital that travels the world in the wake of natural disasters. [applause] just three days after the earthquake in haiti, the doctor was there helping save lives. this year, his unit treated the wounded in remote areas hardest hit by japan's deadly tsunami. no question, israel joins

america in leading the way to save lives and helped feed the world. yet today, the 2000 year-old dream of the state of israel is in jeopardy. there is no other nation on earth so routinely denied its right to exist and threatened with destruction. recent developments in the region have moved iran out of the headlines, but it is undeniable the specter of a nuclear iran looms larger than ever, and we must never take our eye off iran. [applause] that is why congress will soon pass a bipartisan iran threat reduction act making it the official u.s. policy to prevent

iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. [cheers and applause] plain and simple, if you do business with iran, you cannot do business with america. meanwhile, during this arab spring, we all hope that freedom will take a leap forward in the middle east, and we will do everything we can to support institutions of democracy and civil society. yet the truth is, there is much uncertainty. there is one thing for certain, america will do everything in her power to keep israel strong and secure [applause]

the longstanding anti-israel, anti-semitic vitriol persists, but the world must no longer turn a deaf ear. it is time for america to lead. and so to the merging governments of the middle east, america must clearly state it is not ok to vilify israel. it is not ok to demonize jews, and is time to stop scapegoating israel. [applause]

nearly 7,000 miles away, israel fights the same more we do. we share a common enemy in iran in seeking nuclear weapons. my message to you this afternoon is this. if israel goes, we all go. in order for us to win this great struggle, we must have the courage to see the world not as we wish it to be, but as it truly is. it is not morally equivalent when the offenses of terrorist or equated with the defenses of israel.

the following story illustrates israel's dilemma. a palestinian woman from gaza or arrives at a hospital for life skating reduce life-saving skin treatment for burns over half her body. at the inclusion of treatment, the woman is invited back for follow-up visits to the outpatient clinic. one day she is caught at the border crossing wearing a suicide belt. her intention, to blow ourselves up at the same clinic that saved her life. now what kind of culture leads one to do that? sadly, it is a culture in fused with resentment and hatred. but it is this culture that underlies the palestinians and the broader arab world's refusal to accept israel's right to exist as a jewish state.

and this is the root of the conflict between israel and the palestinians. it is not about the 67 lines. [cheers and applause] and until israel's enemies come to terms with this reality, a

true peace will be impossible. the reality is, the people of israel live, and what they want is to live in peace. [applause] if the palestinians want to live in peace in a state of their own, they must demonstrate that they are worthy of a state. so to mr. abbas, and i say, stop the suicide bombers and come to the negotiating table when you have prepared cure people to forgo hatred and renounce terrorism and this is where we will embrace you.

until that day -- until that day, there can be no peace with hamas. peace at any price is not peace, it is surrender. all of us here today are heirs to a rich tradition of zionism that has its roots in american founders. the colonists, including ben franklin and thomas jefferson, saw themselves as a new israel crossing the plains. i had the great privilege of:

james madison's seat in the congress. he spent a year at princeton learning to speak hebrew. like many others, john adams marveled at the prospect of 100,000 israelites returning to the land of israel and creating an independent nation in their ancestral and religious homeland. 109 years later, adams vision has been realized. never before in history of mankind has a people forcibly removed from their land for thousands of years returned, just as the bible promised. in this time of extraordinary challenge for israel and for america, we simply cannot

afford to become complacent. we must rise to the challenge before us and shake history. israel deserves americas friendship in reality, not just in rhetoric. [applause] words and promises come and go. only the discount -- only thdees count. there is a time for talk, but not as a time for action. there is a time for following, but now is a time to lead from the front. for the survival of israel, for the security of america, and peace for the world, now is that

time, and right here is the place to begin. thank you all very, very much. ♪ >> tomorrow, israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu is among the speakers at the aipac annual policy conference. live coverage begins at 8:45 p.m. eastern on c-span2. next, discussion on the 2012 presidential race and what to look for in congress in the weeks ahead. this portion is about 30 minutes. >> "washington journal" continues.

host: our sunday morning roundtable, welcome to mark murphy and jonathan allen. thank you for being with us. guest: congratulations on surviving the apocalypse, [laughter] host: an e-mail from its daniels to his supporters -- he is not running. your reaction? caller: -- guest: he cited personal reasons. often when politicians cite often when politicians cite personal reasons, there is usually more to the story. for mitch daniels it was the biggest obstacle for him. his wife and daughters did not want the scrutiny. a few days -- a few days ago sarah palin said that she had a fire in the belly, but the fire in the bel was definitely lacking from its daniels on whether or not he had the

stomach to want to run. running for president is not easy. it takes a tremendous amount of time. there are many big highs and lows in his decision was not surprising. host: coming the same week as donald trump announced he was not running for president. michele bodman -- michelle bachman, plus stops in new hampshire. guest: it would appear that the entire state of minnesota is running. they are taking advantage of mitch daniels not being in the race. people that might want to get in, contingents that were thought to be behind the daniels' campaign. he was a bush guy in

washington, within the administration. there is anpportunity for a lot of folks. at theame time, i cannot imagine that we will not have a pretty good idea wiin the next few weeks. host: michelle obama, her first real campaign appearance at the hyatt hotel with democratic party activists. fund raiser for 2012. here is what the first lady had to say about the upcoming race. >> the simple truth is that today, four years later, we are here because of all of you. i am not just talking about winning an election. i am talking about what we have been doing every day in the white house since that time to keep on fighting for the folks that we've met and the values that we share. talking about what barack has been doing to help us all for

the future. the future. host: the headlinerom "the washington post," "frustrated with democrats." guest: this has been the complaint of organized labor, saying that senate leaders and congressional democrats have not backed orgized labor in those tched battles when it comes to collective bargaining in states in the midwest. one thing that is always on in the presidential year, the face of the dilemma of organized labor. do you want a democratic president or a republican president m. for the employee's service union, the question is usually backing the democratic candidate. where they will really be allocating resources is in the state's. certainly, when it comes to the

president's reelection campaign he will not have to worry about where he is getting his money. host: this is from "the washington post." contributions to candidates. guest: the people that have to be worried are the members of congress seeking reelection of the democratic side, the campaign committees where they have republicans and challengers. the president will get plenty of cash and support. teh sciu will also be there this time. there is no question about that. really, it is those down ballot races where the democrats have to worry about where the unions are going. it happened in 1994. republicans said the state -- unions said that they would all- out and they did host:

rochester, n.y., a special election. one of the headlines this past week is that they hate special elections in new york. what is going on in that race? guest: there are two things going on in that race. even tugh he is a former democrat, a lot of support is being drawn away from the republican candidate. and then there are the levision advertisements that have been playing tell all of it out the paul ryan budget and whether or not medicare should be phased out. those stories are in play right now. whichever is the biggest, it is probably jack davis. the democratic candidate winng with 45% of the vote? hard to say that this was an overwhelming victory.

certainly it is an indictment on the republicans. host: what do you say about this race? guest: it will be very close. jack davis, by the way, ran as a democrat repeatedly in upstate, new york. often i think that support for the third candidates really falls off at the end. of course, if [unintelligible] win this race, let's pe they do not go the way of eric ss ua. [laughter] host: what does that tell the republicans? guest: that they are able to hold on to reliably republican seat. this is the former seat of jack kemp, something they shall

always be able to win. it does not tell us much about 2012, but it does tell us about the organization and infrastructure. even in 2010, when repubcans certainly had a great year, they were not able to win some of these special electionsnd who can create a campaign quickly. and they mightet some of their mojo back. st: if the democratic candidate wins, what does that tell the committee and the media following that? guest: i think the you will see republicans trying to make medicare the issue in every race. they say that their best hope lies the issue, fight it to a draw, but that is not the territory they would like to be fighting on. host: the editorial of "the weekly standard" wrote --

the democrats are looking to turn this into a political issue. guest: this will last to the guest: this will last to the next 20 or 25 years. it has a huge strain on the system. [inaudible] democrats say, we think medicare, there should be some scalpels taken to it. there should be some cuts. to be able to increase taxes or bring in extra revenue, so we

can keep medicare as we know it, by making changes to deal with the democrat system of all of these baby boomers retiring. host: this has been a two million-dollar race in upstate new york. >> you have earned it. work your whole life for it. unfortunately, jack davis said social security benefits may have to be adjusted down. and he supports a budget that since medicare. instead of balancing the budget the right way, he wants tax breaks for corporations while cutting benefits for seniors. we just cannot afford ja davis or jane corwin. >> meet jack davis. he claims he had a hand in

creating the democrat majority with nancy pelosi. >> she has done a great job for this country. >> great job? jack and kathy cannot fight for us. they come with strings attached. host: what is gng on here? guest: folks are wanting to put two candidates as the negative. jack davis on one side. it is an interesting race. i am sure the new york voters are tired of hearing about it. it is a very republican district. district. host: those were congressional

at. here are some for jane corwin. >> cafe is the one who says she will cut medicare and social security. and -- kathy is the one who says she will cut medice and social security. >> im jane curtin. i will n cut medicare or social security. >> look for yourself. >> look for yourself. kathy hochul.caf

>> i am kathy hochul and i approve this message. guest: this is all about medicare. in the first ad from jane corwin, she is trying to distance herself a little. corwin did say she supported the brien budget and medicare overhaul. the republicans quickly voted -- it happened so quickly and without four republicans decided to vote against it. it was almost as if a lot of republicans did not look at the political consequences they were taking. we are seeing it played out in these tv ads.

we will not know quite how effective this is until the next elections. it may be more effective if republicans use it against democrats. it is a controversial issue that did not make it into law. membersave to vote on it. host: we have a new set of phone numbers on this sunday morning. here they are. we still have the same e-mail address. address. you can visit us online at twitter. wolf as through congress this week. what are you keeping an eye -- walk us through congress this week.

what are you keeping an eye on? guest: some items are somewhat controversial. there has been a deal between the speaker of the house and harry reid. whether members are ready to go along with that is another question. anything in terms of a motion on the deficit or the debt ceiling -- something from the gang of fiveng of five. of host: you're traveling overseas with the president. guest: they are big stories.

washington, d.c. on wednesday. the daniels announcement late last night provides a lot of the backdrop. we havour field. we will see if michelle kaufman decides to get later in this week as well. we will follow a lot of political news. host: what about the impact it would have on mitt romney? guest: mike huckabee had a real chance to lock up a lot of voters in western iowa. his message resonates there. it was an opportunity for him. i think that is what is going on

there. it is an opportunity for medtronic to connect with some of those people -- mitt romney to connect with some of those people. guest: it makes i will wide open. is michele bock when the favorite? one story not to ignore is that mitt romney could end up making a push. mike huckabee caught fire. it will be interesting to see if ms. romney tries to make a place in iowa. if he does and it goes on to win new hampshire -- he could do well. well. host: your reaction to one

person's candidacy? guest: he will keep the conversation likely. he will push other republican candidates into debate and take positions that they may not want to take during the general election. at the end of the day, he will not be president of the united states. host: he spoke about foreign policy issues. here is john mccain from yesterday. >> -- cane from yesterday. >> -- cane from yesterday. -- herman cain form yesterday. --rom yesterday. >> do not mess with us. is that real clear? is that real clear? that is what i mean by real

clear foreign policy. know who your friends are. host: the president will be talking about that today at the apec conference. guest: he is a talk radio host. republicans are after the fox news debate, they like herman cain. it is tailored to the constituency group of core conservatives. he is not a former member of congress or governor. he can be a vehicle for a lot of protests, especially if some republicans do not catch afire. he took some flak if whether the

borders for any type of compromise on middle east peace should be debates on the 1967 borders. a tough problem for the president. almost 80% o jewish voters voted for president obama. he has a lot of circuits to keep his message and make the argument that he is trying to be a fair broker in this divisive development. [unintelligible] she was always a good fund raiser. penny his top fund-raiser is jewish. there is a lot of ability for him too into the jewish community and get money. this issue pops up. the president will have to pull each person aside to assure them on this.

it will be interesting to see his reaction from apac. it makes up about 20% of the jewish community that did not vote for the president in the 2008 election. host: we will have live reaction at 10:30 eastern time here on c- span. let us go to the phone line. good morning. caller: i want to tha c-span for allowing me to speak. i listened to the lady in ohio saying republicans do not respect anybody. i am a registered republican. for a long time, i was told as a black man, you are supposed to go democrat. i live in detroit, buffalo, new york, not far from east

cleveland, ohio, and gary indiana, east st. louis, all of these places have been made by democrats. these people have rain of these cities into the ground with high taxation. it is a crying shame that we have to think that in order to have a vibrant economy democrats have to lead the way. they have ruined these cities and states with a crest of taxation. black children are not being educated in these schools. host: who is your candidate? caller: i like herman cain. they may call him a puppet. give me a break.

president obama is a puppet. host: when a viewer calls mitt romney a brilliant conservative. guest: he probably named all of the cities hardest hit by the economright now. there is very little in the way of solutions coming forward as far as the unemplment problem is concerned. some people have stopped looking. it will be a top issue in the campaign. the low point for unemployment

is 5%. now we are talking about maybe 11%. that will be a huge issue for any of the candidates, certainly president obama and anyone who wants to challenge him. host: herman cain with the shades sounding like he wants to pick a fight. guest: he is a bit more ideological. he tells the conservative exactly what they want to be able to hear. he will be a factor. it rains to be seen how big of one. one. the last time that there was someone who was not an elected to w the presidency was dwight eisenhower. those that end up becoming president are former governors.

herman cain it does not have the political experience. he will try to use it as an ast. host: these bids have impacted the race. democrats line. o beer: mr. kaine's seems getting some air play. -- cain seems to be getting some airplay. there is a big ally going on in this country. maybe you should direct heat -- lie going on in this country. maybe you should direct your attention to it. after not being able to reduce the democratic rules by jailing 2 million people, in many states, they are putting in these identification cards that are disenfranchising l.a., poor,

students, those that do not pay bills. -- elderly, poor, students, those that do not pay bills. many are americans that do not have a voice in this government. they are being robbed of their voice for the next 40 years. i think you need to pursue this, unless it is only important to talk about the day after the 2012 elections. guest: the more herman cain is out there, the more he will be asked questions. he will get attention based upon how he does in the polls. i think those questions are

legitimate to ask. legitimate to ask. host: there has never been a president be elected since fdr when unemployment was over 8%. why would a 12 be an exception? guest: the economy is going to play a bigger role. the direction of the economy. if you look over the last two years and every month going into the president's reelection campaign, the economy was adding 200,000 new jobs. an unemployment rate that hit 10% is going down. it goes down to 8.5 by the end of this year. perhaps 8.1% by november 2012. the direction of theconomy, that icontinues to grow, it plays an important role.

the president's approval vote -- rating is still 47%. it is more good economic news. it shows how president obama can have a re-election path, because the news gets better. host: was there one number that surprised you? guest: it was the economy. we look at the economi data that suggest that the economy is proving. the down, more than 12,000. the monthly job creation. it looks at the handling of the economy by the president. it goes to show how much of an impact gas prices are having right now. host: atlanta, good morning.

caller: i think both parties -- i am an inpendent. [unintelligible] it is hurting the american people. i go to the political side quite frequently along with nbc. i wish you would do a better job of seeking and exposing the truth. both of you seem to have a liberal bent. that is especially msnbc.com. tell the truth about what these politics are doing to the people of america. of america. host: to you want to respond? guest: it is a situation in terms of the democratic and republican parties where a lot

of people are frustrated. i do not know i would call every one [unintelligible] there is frustration out there. there is frustration out there. the democrats won by a big majority. there is some frustration from the american public. they are trying to determine if the news they are getting is accurate. they wonder if the stories stand on their own. host: as journalists, we tried to be as fair as possible. sometimes we are seen as conservative, because we are owned by our parent company. sometimes we are liberal or more conservative. as journalists, we tried to be as fair as possible.

we try to make sense of what is happening out there. one of our viewers talks about the tea party and the popularity of ron paul. guest: he was the godfather of the tea party movement. we missed it in the 2008 election, where he was getting a lot of support. people were coming to his rallies. he finished fifth in the new hampshire primary. he was raising a lot of money. we saw how -- the beginning of the tea party. we do not know how it will play out. out. sometimes these movements often

do not have lasting power. it will be interesting to see what kind of influences the tea party is having now. i do not have any idea as far as the election goes. every time you put ron paul in a headline [unintelligible] what was hard to see was the translation from that to what appeared to be a generated movement in the tea party. the organic tea party movement -- the progression of that was there to be seen. we did not want to miss it. host: we are looking at the

newton gingrich fund-raising effort. here is the hdline from the "washington post. well -- ." guest: his presidential rollout may have been the worst in american day politics. his campaign let us know through in e-mail that he is attracting 150 people through all of hi stops this week. when you are talking about reblicans who attended the iowa caucuses, 150 is a pretty good turnout. if they are coming out to see a train wreck or because he is a political personality, that is one thing. there is the potential for him to have better days.

we have a long time to go especially with the campaign. host: his first political appearance, joe biden, on behalf of the president, this wednesday. some speculation with newt gingrich -- after the interview, do you know the impact of what he said would have on a reblican? guest: he was endorsing an individual mandate on health care. he was talking about endorsing a type of mandate. i think we thought it would be the big story. when you look back -- he does

not necessarily disagree with paul ryan, but it washe language he used. that angered so many conservatives. later on he said, it is a jump too far. had he stayed there, we would not have seen the blow back. it created a backlash. guest: the issue is that they do not mind if you distance yourself. newt gingrich held this position in 1995. what we see right now is it was

not going to play particularly well. jane corwin is a victim of it. we will see what happens with e special election. there is no way the race would be close without the issue. be close without the issue. there is social security debate. so security is the one that blows up your campaign. this does not affect a lot of republican or independent voters. you have to message as well. and has to go beyond and medicare. we will have to see what

happens, but do not expecd this issue to go anywhere anime soon. host: there is a piece that begins like this. capt. joins us from pennsylvania. -- kevin joins us from pennsylvania. call: i have a question regarding the republican party. herman cain is like an insider to the federal reserve system.

some are drafting to herman cain as a new figure to idolize. guest: some say he is a profi of politics. but for the mainstream, i do t think it will happen. host: louisiana, and democrats line. caller: i am a nurse and obama supporter. anybody that believes that you can and do away with medicaid has never worked in a hospital or nursing home. people do not have enough money to take care of this. some do not have families. there is a lot of waste.

there are many things that can be changed. if you are a millionaire, why should you get medicare and social security? it doenot make sense. some things are so simple. nurses, we see the waste every single day. there is not a lot you can do about it. guest: the issue of health care coming up in the primary. coming up in the primary. guest: people do not like their rights taken away. even if this will not impact people younger than 55 years old, some maybe 53 or 54 and

say, -- it shows that republicans did better with seniors bant what they have done in a long time. if that seniors accord goes down, we see how the democrats can be able to hold onto the white house, make house gains. guest: they are trying to pay for the new obama health care plans. they are borrowing subsidies for insurers. it is important for republicans on the campaign trail. many analysts are saying, why would you win on that and then

turn around and make yourself vulnerable. we spend so much money on and of life care on items that do not ne to be done for people, that there has to be some sort of a solution. there are many solutions out there. the real question is who is paying foromwhom? if you eliminate at the upper end of the scale, they will organize politically against them. there are a pot -- if you were to test that only the wealthy to test that only the wealthy were paying