dream of an affordable higher education possible for them. making sure they know he has gone to bat to create jobs for middle-class, workingthere is nh doing well. it is a goal that we all aspire to, and we won in america for everyone to be able to do well, but we should not have our tax policy, we should not have our government policy exclusively focused on helping people that are already doing well do better. in america, we should target our policy in america for those who need assistance. just like obama has done for the middle class and families.

he put 17 tax cuts in place and gave 95% of americans a tax break. what they have been looking for is what passed in 2001 and 2003. for the wealthiest, most fortunate americans, to extend those. it really is a dramatic contrast, and i think it will be a clear choice. >> yes, all of the way in the back. >> the lack of civility. >> as someone who spent 19 years as a member of a legislative body, i really agree with you. this is particularly in light of

the tucson tragedy from one year ago, where my very good friend, gabby giffords, is doing very well. the discourse in america, the discourse and congress, in particular, to answer your question very specifically, has really changed. i hesitate to place blame, but i have noticed that there was a lack of civility with the growth of the tea party movement. after the elections, when you had the tea party electoral whole lot of their supporters to the united states house of representatives, and you had town hall meetings that they tried to take over, in the time i have been in my state legislature and in congress, i

have never seen a time that was more divisive or where it discourse was less civil. i have had people come to tell me that they do not agree with me on something. i learn something when i hear from a constituent who does not share my view, and hopefully they do, too. they have taken it to another level. you are not just wrong, you are an enemy. when they disagree with you on an issue, you are not just wrong, you are a liar. it is not just a difference of opinion. accusations like that get

hurled, and it brings a conversation down to a level where none of us want to see. he has tried so hard to the republicans to work with him, to bring them to the table, to get them to compromise, but when you have someone like mitch mcconnell, for example, the minority leader say at the outset that his number one goal is not turning the economy around or creating jobs but to defeat barack obama, well, then how are we going to reach compromise if that is the goal that drives them and all of their questions? if that is their goal, then any thing they do to compromise, and they are less likely to defeat them.

there is their interest in only one job, barack obama, when they have been fighting for american jobs, and that is the choice that people will have to make. thank you for your questions. yes? >> all of my adult life. those who supported president obama in 2008, and we are socially conservative, fiscal conservative. and what we have noted, especially as some republicans are, they have come up with a handout, looking at what reagan

put out. what i would like to see the president do, does he have a particular message to actually show the difference, because we want them. >> yes, he absolutely does, and i think he has demonstrated that for the last three years since he became president. remember, when president obama became president at the end of 2009, he inherited the largest set of problems probably since fdr at once since any president,

and the economy because of republican policy that brought of the economic disaster, the economy was dropping. we were losing 750,000 jobs a month when he took office. a month. we hear that numbers so much that we gloss and over and treated like it is something so familiar. i do not want to be that familiar with that statistic ever again, and we no longer have to. three years later, we have had nder president obama's leadership over 20 months of improvement, and we have created jobs. he came in and passed the recovery act, badly needed resources injected into our economy. they had an opportunity to start to begin to turn things around.

there was the tarp program. he made sure that we rescued the automobile industry, while mitt romney and the rest of the republicans feel, no, let's just let detroit go bankrupt. let's not think about it 1.4 million jobs that are in the pipeline for the automotive industry, the 20,000 jobs that are related to the automotive industry here in new hampshire, let's just let them go bankrupt. that is mitt romney's experience. he was the ceo of a capital company. that is what they did. letting the chips fall where they may wear his -- were his m.o. president obama make sure that when we passed tax breaks that they were not just tax breaks for the wealthy. not trickle-down economics,

which has been disproved and many times. the payroll tax cut extension and making sure that small- business owners had that tax break that could give them an opportunity to make investments in their capital needs for their business and create jobs and add to the people who work with them, so 22 straight months of private-sector job growth later, now we have begun to turn things around. that is a dramatic contrast between where we were and where we are now, and we know we will have a choice in november between moving in the direction that president obama has been taking up or having a policy -- making sure that everyone in america and not just the wealthy have an opportunity to be successful, and i think in south carolina and new hampshire, that message, that gender resonates with everyone, and i tell you, i represent a pretty wealthy

districts, a district that is middle to middle and upper- class, and i have people tell me all of the time, "debbi, you know, if my tax rate changes, i probably will not have to sell my second home. if my tax rate changes, i probably will not have to dine out that nice restaurants fewer times than i already do, but i know what will happen, debbi, if we make sure that our tax policy in america is balanced and that everybody is paying their fair share. we will have the best education system in the world and make sure that our kids can graduate prepared for the tasks and life and be able to compete globally, which is where we are competing now. i know he will make sure that our economy is the most competitive globally because we have people to make sure that the tax policy that exists in the united states allows them to create jobs and beef up their

infrastructure and allows us as americans to out compete and out innovate and out build the rest of the world. that is the direction of president obama. i do not know about you, but i do not want to go back to the failed republican politics of the past. thanks. sure. >> there was a remarkable difference in the economic climate of the two places. it seems that washington, d.c., has really thrived over the last four years of the obama administration, but there are those that are struggling. the federal dollars do not seem to make it very far beyond the beltway.

is the obama administration aware of the disconnect between federal dollars that do not make it beyond the washington metropolitan area and the struggle for the rest of the country? >> well, i would have to differ with you, because i am driven down 89 and 93 plenty of times and have seen the signs that say "this were a project thanks to the american recovery and reinvestment act," and the ability to do this to the nation's infrastructure are a direct result of the recovery act that president obama was old enough to make to jump-start this economy and to take us from me instead of bleeding jobs, adding jobs. i have seen the resources generated by the obama leadership directly benefiting the people in new hampshire. ask the teachers in new hampshire and were able to remain on the job and did not have to get laid off or the

first responders or the small business owners who benefited from the tax break that president obama insisted on that should not only go to corporations and the businesses that or already doing quite well, so i would have to differ with you that the policy decisions and the resources that president obama has said that we know that we need to get the economy turned around have not reached these areas. so, anyway, and thank you so much for your opportunity to be here. [applause] >> on behalf of the council, we want to thank you for coming. of course, you get the mug. >> thank you. >> we have something else coming for you when you come back for

the primary. thank you. >> thank you. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> the event in new hampshire held one morning after mitt romney won the new hampshire primary by 39%. that makes two in a row for mitt romney. he is in south carolina this evening, and we will have that live at 6:10 this evening. and there are top dollar fund- raisers and comes, and one is a speech at the university of illinois. we will have that for you at

6:50 p.m. eastern on c-span2. >> it is easy to follow the candidates. go to the c-span 2012 website and read the latest from political reporters of and what viewers like you are saying on facebook, twitter, and more. plus, access the most recent video from the candidates at c- span's website. >> in this episode, we will take a look at the surprising comments by rick perry on climate change. >> there are a substantial number of scientists who have manipulated data. >> what i do is write a different comments from politicians on a one to four scale. if you say something completely outrageous, you get four. if you say something a little out of context, you may get something as low as one pinocchio. >> he rates the truthfulness of

political candidates and others. >> whether or not they are deliberately lying, i do think it that politicians says the same thing over and over again, even when it has been pointed out that it is untrue, that they know that they are saying something untrue, they are just going to say it anyway. >> sunday 9 8:00 on c-span's "q&a." >> earlier today, british lawmakers returned to the house of commons following their holiday break. in the first question time of the year, prime minister david cameron to questions on transportation costs and a possible referendum on scottish independence. they said it would be illegal for the scottish government to hold a referendum without prior u.k. approval, but scottish ministers had planned to hold one in the fall. from london, this is 35 minutes.

>> order. questions for the prime minister. mr. gramm story. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i am sure that everyone would want to join the in honoring those that have fallen. one died after a long time in hospital. their outstanding courage and selflessness will never be forgotten. they have given their lives, making our lives more secure, and our thoughts should be with their family and friends. this morning, i met with colleagues and others, and i will have further such meeting later today. >> thank you, mr. speaker.

the whole house will want to address themselves to the prime minister is tribute to the fallen. can i ask the prime minister to join us on the investment creating the state of the art situation, employing more than 1200 people. >> hear, hear. >> unfortunately, they are blocking exports to the far east. can the prime minister assure main that job destroying unnecessary regulations will not be tolerated by the government. >> i certainly join my honorable friend for the expansion of the new jobs they are bringing. it is vital that they balance the economy with greater emphasis on investment and on exports and in terms of exports

to china, they went up to 20% last year. i certainly will do everything i can to resolve the situation, and i will ask a minister to meet on this. >> ed miliband. >> mr. speaker, can i join the prime minister in paying tribute to the royal marines, the squad leader, from the royal air force, and the private from the first battalion, and the rifleman. all of them showed enormous courage and bravery. they are making sacrifices on our behalf, and our deepest condolences to their family and friends. mr. speaker, it said in the autumn statement that train fares will only rise by 1% above inflation. can he explain why the rail

companies this month on some of the busiest commuter routes have increased their fisa by up to 11%? >> the power was given them to do that by the last labor government -- labour government. >> ed miliband. >> no, mr. speaker. no, mr. speaker. the last labour government stopped them from doing that. this minister when it came to office reversed that policy. that is why, that is why the companies are not able to do that. that is why someone traveling from northampton to london when see a rise of over 300 pounds. will he stand up for trade companies, get a better deal, and changes policy? >> i know there was a difficult start to the year, but he has made it worse by getting it

wrong. labour, in 2009, about fare increases of up to 11%, because they introduce the idea of flexibility. what was the case in 2009 is the case today, but i think the key issue is this. there are only two places that money for the railways can come from. it can come from the taxpayer, or it can come from the traveler. the question is are we going to put money in investments, and this government is. we are building crossrail, we are electrifying the great western mainline, and we are electrifying the line between manchester and liverpool. >> ed miliband. >> i am afraid the prime minister is just wrong about the facts. the last labor government --

labour government saw the train companies were taking advantage of consumers, ripping them off by increasing the fairs on the busiest routes, and we stopped it. we took that power away from them. the national audit office only last month warned that the problem was no result in increased trade operating profits. i asked the speaker if he will now go back and reverse his policy? >> we originally set out an rpi plus 3%, but if need man wants to see more money go into our railways, presumably he supports the electrification of the crest -- great western mainline, he supports the lines in the northwest, he will be touring the country, telling us that he

supports these things, but he is never prepared to take difficult decisions in order to support them. it is time -- >> order. the answers from the prime minister will be heard. >> i think it is time for him to listen to his secretary, who wrote very candidly of a christmas that there is a difference between populism and popularity, and that difference is called credibility. time to have some, i think. >> ed miliband. >> instead of his prepared minds, he should get his facts right about his own policy. he is just wrong. he is wrong. he says that he is continuing the policy of the last government, and he is wrong on the facts. they said they would put an end to it. the prime minister said on the weekend that he wanted to take action against crony capitalism, and he failed at the first

hurdle. i asked him to the last time, mr. speaker, will be reversed the policy? >> we are now on to the issue, let me be absolutely clear. labour introduced the policy and changed it for one year only for election-year with no intention of making that permanent, and if he does not know that, he should. if he wants to get onto the issue of executive pay, i think he is entirely right to raise this issue, and unlike a government that did nothing -- >> order. i want to hear the answer, and however long it takes. order. order. and however long it takes, i will. the prime minister. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i think he is right to raise the

issue of executive pay, and unlike the last government that did nothing for 13 years, this government will act. >> sir roger gale. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i understand my right honorable friend recommend me for one new present, and i am about to ask him for another. the leader of the opposition is talking trouble. and yet been paying up to 10% increases under the previous government for the last four years. mr. speaker, in congratulating this government in their courageous decision to pursue high-speed 2, may i ask my right honorable friend to turn his attention to a new piece of unfinished business left by the previous government? please see driven 32 th --

through totahanet -- to thanet, so that we can enjoy the sort of benefits in the future will be enjoyed by birmingham? >> first, i congratulate my right honorable friend. on the issue of the high speed, i will look at what he said, but i think high-speed 1 is an advertisement, shortening to meter distances and helping to change the economic geography of our country so that we can build a stronger economy. >> luciana berger. >> over 80,000 pensioners in liverpool will lose up to 100 pounds this winter following the government cut in winter fuel

allowances. will the prime minister adopt a policy of ensuring that energy companies automatically put elderly customers on the cheapest terps for gas and electricity? >> what we did is keep the last government policy on the winter fuel allowance, and we are meeting in fall all of the promises that she made. but we have gone one further than that, because they introduced higher cold weather payments only for electioneer. we have made them permanent. >> >> what steps are the government taking to make sure that the patients throughout the country are receiving the highest possible nursing care from the n.h.s.? >> the honorable lady is entirely right. i will remember and will not forget the time i spent at a hospital and the happy days i had there. it was a great privilege to go

back there last year. i think we do have very high standards of nursing care in our country. in overwhelming majority of nurses to a fantastic job, but i do not think that we would be serving our constituents properly if we did not highlight those few cases where it goes wrong. i think it is incumbent on government to try to remove the bureaucracy that ended in the way of the nurses, but it is important for us to highlight the best practice in the best hospitals in our country, and i visited an excellent hospital in salford last week, and said, let's copy that right across the country so that we have high standards of care. >> ed miliband. >> we on this side of the house believe the united kingdom benefits the people of scotland and the people of the rest of the united kingdom in equal

measure. we are stronger together and we were part. does the prime minister agree with me that we must make the case for the union, not simply against separatism but the positive case about the shared benefits to us all of scotland's part in the united kingdom? the shared economic interests, the shared institutions such as the n.h.s., the defense forces, and the bbc, and above all, the shared values we hold together? >> i am happy to say that we are in 100% agreement. i passionately believe in the future of our united kingdom and passionately believe that we are stronger together than we would be by breaking apart. frankly, i am sad we are even having this debate because i support the united kingdom so strongly, but we have to respect the fact that scott and voted for a separatist party in the

scottish parliamentary elections, so the first thing that is right to do is make clear the legal position about the referendum. we have made the offer to devolve the power to hold a referendum so that it can be made in scotland and held in scotland. i am happy to talk about the process, happy to talk about the process. they do not want to talk about the substance. i sometimes feel that when i listen to them, it is not a referendum they want but a "neverendum." let us have the debate, and let us keep our country together. >> ed miliband. >> it is not about the scottish governments and the westminster government or between the british prime minister and the scottish first minister. the way to tackle this issue --

does he agree with me that we have the discussion about the substantial issues involved? because this is a momentous decision that, frankly, our children and grandchildren will have to live with it we get it wrong, so we need a serious and thoughtful inclusive debate and the benefits of scotland staying in the united kingdom, on this important issue, the people of our country deserve nothing less than that serious debate about the benefits of the united kingdom. >> i think the right honorable gentleman is right on those three points. on the process of negotiation, which is very important now, particularly given that the snp

has come out and made more clear what it wants to do. i am very happy for the u.k. government and the westminster parliament to speak directly to the scottish government and to the scottish parliament. as soon as that is settled, we need to get on to the substance. the only thing i will make about the timing, as they are so keen to leave the united kingdom, i do not understand what it wants to put off the question for so long. >> helen grant. >> what action will the prime minister take to tackle the appalling issue of forced marriage both in the u.k. and globally? >> my honorable friend is absolutely right. we have taken some steps, as the previous government did, to try to crack down on the practice of forced marriage we are looking specifically at whether we should take further legal powers and make it a criminal offense. i think we should be taking

every available step to say that it is simply unacceptable in 2012 and a civilized countries such as ours to have such paperbark practice -- have such a barbaric practice. >> lilian greenwood. >> nodding and sure -- nottinghamshire police serb areas of deep deprivation. >> all police forces are having to make deficiencies, and i would praise the two constables or the steps they have taken to deliver these efficiencies and at the same time delivering a reduction in crime levels. in terms of the police there, there are still 47 officers working in back-office jobs. there are still trained police

officers working in a jar, finance, and corporate development. -- working in hr, finance, and corporate development. we need to make sure we get all of our police officers out on the front line. >> andrew stephenson. >> following the murder of my constituent, andjane clough, but her former partner, a rapist, jonathan vass, i presented the bail amendment bill to the house, and in october, the ministry of justice agree to change the law. can the prime minister confirm to the house, and to her parents, that are in the gallery today, when that will happen? >> first, on behalf of the

house, may i pay tribute to my honorable friend for his work on the issue. the punishment for offenders bill, creating a right of appeal against granting of bail by a crown court. i hope this will improve the lot, be more helpful to victims, and gives some satisfaction to the family the he is representing so well. >> bank is robertson -- angus robertson. >> the scottish government were elected with an overwhelming mandate to deliver an independence referendum in the second half of this parliament to return. what is the prime minister tried to emulate margaret thatcher by dictating to scotland? >> quite the opposite. we want to give to scotland the power to hold a legal referendum. that is the power that we are giving an that run across this

house, there is uniform police said that needs to happen, so discussions can now be entered into about the timing of that referendum, about the precise nature of that referendum, so we can make sure that it is fair, it is decisive. the people of scotland deserve nothing less. >> greg mulholla nd. >> care of our older people is one of the most pressing issues facing the country today. when the prime minister join me in alcoming age uk's care crisis campaign, which was launched on monday? >> can i pay tribute to my honorable friend for the work he has done on this issue and also to the age concern campaign. we want to do so through this white paper. i think there are three elements. we have to make sure we do something about the rising costs of domiciliary care. we have to make sure that we

improve the quality of care that people receive, and we have to address the issue of people having to sell their homes and all of their assets to pay for care. we are looking hard all of those issues to work out a way forward that is right for a system and one that we can afford. >> "the sunday times" show that in the past two years, the 1000 richest persons in britain got richer by 137 billion pounds, enough to pay off the entire deficit. will the prime minister therefore tax them to fund the creation of 1 million jobs, which would be a far better way of cutting the deficit than prolonged austerity? >> for a minute, i thought he was talking about the government he served under. it is essential that we reduce the deficit.

what we have done so far has seen the top 10% of the country paying 10 times more than the bottom 10%. crucially, the top 10% are paying more not only in cash terms but as a percentage of their income. as we go ahead with this agenda, and went to ensure that people behave responsibly, and the government does, too. >> dr. therese coffey. >> i am sure that you, mr. speaker, and the prime minister will want to congratulate mr. tony whatling, who served as the postmaster in west offer more than 60 years and still does not retired. -- the postmaster in westhall. >> i certainly join my fender -- friend in paying tribute to mr. whatling.

we have committed 1.3 billion pounds to approve the network. as a condition of this funding, the post office must maintain at least 11,500 branches, but i think the point she makes about mobil post offices is a good one. this is a way to serve many communities and make sure the elderly and vulnerable people are getting the services they need. >> david simpson. >> the debit to prime minister is reported to have said in the past few days that in due course, the united kingdom will sign up to the eu treaty that the prime minister rejected only a short time ago. was the deputy prime minister correct? >> the position is very straightforward. [laughter] we did not sign the treaty because we did not get the safeguards that we received. and so that situation is not going to change.

what coalition partners want to put in their manifesto as it is entirely up to them. >> andruw jones. >> does the prime minister agree with me that people should keep the businesses onshore, pay their taxes, and not live as tax exile in switzerland, leaving pensioners high and dry put >> having to attack a different businesses in different ways, the one person that the leader of the opposition has chosen to advise him on this issue has placed all of its companies in the british virgin islands. >> valerie vaz. >> the funding for the united kingdom resource center for women in science, engineering, and technology has been cut. given that 1 million women are unemployed and that women make up only 12.3% of people in

science, engineering, and technology, will the prime minister looked again at funding for the ukrc? >> i will certainly look at the case that the honorable lady sets out. as she knows, despite having to make difficult decisions across a range of public spending areas, we did not cut the science budget. i will look at the specific one that she mentions and get back to her. >> mike crockart. >> today, unfortunately, is the 10th anniversary of the opening of guantanamo bay, a despicable institution that to this day still holds one u.k. national. will the prime minister commit to do all that he can see that 2012 is the last year that this institution operates? >> my right honorable friend foreign secretary is working very hard with the united states to try to secure this issue and bring this chapter to a close,

and as he will know, we have also taken steps as a country to try to achieve some closure about what happened in the past, three settlement with the people in guantanamo, also setting up a proper inquiry to ensure that the british government was not complicit in any way in terms of torture to those people in guantanamo bay or indeed elsewhere. >> a moment ago, the prime minister was clear that it is kershaw that government economic policy be fair in seen to be fair. can the prime minister confirm the 50% tax rate on incomes above 150,000 pounds will remain in place for the duration of this parliament? >> wheat pretty much the same point of view as the previous shadow chancellor, and introduced it, the senate should be a temporary measure. the purpose is to raise money for the funds that we need to

put into our public services, and i think it is very important that we look at how it works in practice. >> heather wheeler. >> will the prime minister congratulate the secretary of transport and the good workers of bombardier on securing the contract on december 28, and on the announcement which is so important to the workers in derbyshire? >> i congratulate everyone at bombardier on the contract. as i am said before, i want the government to be a good customer of british firms. they drop the contract for there were always service that bombardier did not win. -- for the railway service that bombardier did not win. >> the prime minister rob roblin

be aware of the chief executive executive vice stock exchange topped 100 companies paid 35 times as much as a hospital consultant. when will we see that obscene 35 times multiple come tumbling down? >> the government setting out their own pay ratios as an active leadership. i think this government has shown some leadership, not least by cutting and freezing the minister's pay and having total transparency. on the specific issue that he raises, this year, we have seen a 49% increase in pay and yet and only 4% increase in the ftse. i am not against people running great companies being paid lots of money if they are growing them if they are expanding and succeeding. we do not want is reward for failure. frankly, the last government had 13 years to deal with the ended

sweet nothing. but -- had 13 years to deal with it and did sweet nothing. >> nick boles. >> does the prime minister think it can be fair for a single- family to receive 100,000 pounds a year in housing benefits alone? >> we have to get rid of the something for nothing system. we inherited one where you got families on tens of thousands of housing benefits. we had an out of control immigration system, where it paid too cheap, and also had an out of control banking system, where reward was not linked to success. unlike the last government, we are going to deal not all of those things. >> tony cunningham. >> the cumbrian health economy

is in crisis. how does the prime minister propose to deal with it? >> the first and most important thing is that we are committed to a year-on-year increases in n.h.s. spending. also, frankly, we have to do more on public health and health promotion agenda because that is the best way to reduce demand on our n.h.s., but i think there is one extra thing that we need to try to achieve, and that is looking at the links between alcohol and crime and alcohol and hospital admissions, which is putting massive pressure on our n.h.s., and it is something i want them to deal with. >> sir bob russell. ethnic cleansing and apartheid are evil. sadly, successive governments have supported a country where these vile actions are inflicted on indigenous people. we welcome the arab spring, but

the long arab winter continues for palestinians. prime minister, on tuesday last week, the israeli government said it was to receive forced evictions of 30,000 arabs from their historic lands. is it not time we pleaded israel as we did apartheid south africa? >> what i would say to my honorable friend is first of all we should respect the fact that israel is a democracy. it is a country that has a right to exist but it is a country that is frankly been threatened i never speak but we're also a country that should stand up for clear human rights and for clear rights and wrongs in international relations. and on the issue of settlement, this government has been very clear that it doesn't agree with the practice by the israeli government. i raised this issue myself with the israeli prime minister in a new your telephone call, and this government will continue to act and vote on the issue of illegal settlement.

>> stefanie michl in per, a 14 year ago in my constituency, has leukemia. and desolate needs a bone marrow transplant. despite an honorable campaign by her family to get more people to join the stem cell register, she still doesn't have a match and is having to cope with the disease. what plans does government have to improve public awareness about this vital issue and increase the number of potential bone marrow donors here in the u.k.? >> first of all i think you are the lead is right to speak up for bethany consistently, but also for all bone marrow cancer sufferers. i think it's not widely understood enough about the need to get more people onto the register because of the importance of trying to get a match. the government will be spinning i believe about for nine pounds this year to help promote and help make that happen. but i think all of us in her own constituency in her own way can promote the idea and encourage people to do what she said. >> thank you, mr. speaker.

could i draw my right honorable friend's attention to the excellent paper published by, this one which seeks to build on the governments initiative, building up cadet forces on the one hand and getting more former military personnel into schools, teachers on the other hand. proposes that we set up in some of our most deprived communities military academies and free schools? but managed by the reserve forces and cadet associations? >> first of all let me take you to my honorable friend to do so much to speak up for our reserve forces and also for cadet forces. they are incredibly viable assets in a country and it's worth noting that issued the cadet force will be doing a huge amount to try to save and preserve our war memorial from the appalling crimes they have been suffering in terms of medical affairs but i will look very carefully at the report he suggested i think we should be about our cadet forces to

expand, perhaps to go into parts of the country where they haven't always been present in the past and i think the link he makes between cadet forces in schools is one that is a very, very good idea and one that we should promote and support. >> thank you, mr. speaker. my constituents is 32 years of age, has lived alone for eight years, and was forced onto housing benefits because of redundancy. that benefit has just been cut by nearly 50%. which does the prime minister think is most like, that the landlord will reduce the rate by 50%, or my constituents will be made homeless? >> first of all can make and i congratulate you honorable lady for her affirmative honorable lives? although i disagreed many of the things she's trying to do over her political career, mostly

disarmed britain one side of the, i ask, i praise her for her persistent efforts. and she quite rightly, no one can accuse -- [shouting] i'm sorry, i'm sorry, let me answer the question very directly. all parties are committed as i tend to reform housing benefits. that was labour's commitment to for the last election. the housing benefit bill is completely out of control. labour's own welfare spokesman said last week at 20 billion pounds it was unacceptable and it had to change. what we have seen so far as housing benefit has been reformed and reduced is actually we >> chris matthews in the second debate. >> the nbc studio. nixon gets control. he brings the level in the room down to 40 degrees.

it was a meat locker when kennedy arrives. he is a tv guide. racing down to the basement, defines a guy in charge of the thermostat, and there is an nixon got down there standing in charge of the thermostat. he said, that they would call the police. they had another standoff, and they ended up compromising on the temperature. the whole idea is that they did not want nixon to sweat. they had seen him sweat profusely during the first debate, and the senate and would not have it again. this was about to was going to rule america, and this is what was going on. >> chris matthews is interviewed on "afterwords" on saturday on booktv. >> as the republican candidates arrive in south carolina today, jon huntsman, who came in third

in new hampshire, is joining the chorus of departed of mitt romney asking them to tone down their attacks. mitt romney has its first post new hampshire appearance coming up shortly. he is scheduled to speak at the state capital at a rally at 6 tenet -- 6:00 to and. live coverage is said to get underway here on c-span. until then, pentagon spokesman george little earlier today. other topics include the presence of two aircraft carriers in the persian gulf and supply routes in afghanistan. we will show you as much of this briefing as we can until the mitt romney briefing gets under way. >> good afternoon.

we'll open upper with a quick preview of the secretary's trip to el paso. as you all know, he will be headed there tomorrow. we'll spend part of the day on friday in el paso also, visiting fort bliss. he is looking forward to meeting with troops and their families. helix 40 thinking local community leaders for their support of the military and thanking them for their efforts to reintegrate returning veterans into the community. with that, we will take your questions. bob? >> george, on the matter of the assassination of the iranian nuclear scientists, the u.s. government today has denied having anything to do with that. i am wondering if there is any anticipation of escalating tensions in the gulf as a result of this, and has there been any added u.s. forces in the gulf? >> the u.s. played no role in

the killing of the scientist, and as to the broader question of tensions, we have been very clear that we seek to lower the temperature on tensions with iran, and we think that things have calmed down a bit in recent days. >> there has been no change to force posture in the gulf region as a result of this incident. >> can say how many carriers are in the gulf region at the moment? and are there any in the gulf presently? >> the stennis, as you know, actually in the arabian gulf proper. >> are there other strong groups -- strike groups in the aor? >> yes, another. one other. but not in the gulf proper. >> the buildup in the region? >> no, the numbers of carrier

strike groups that are attached to the fifth fleet and to the centcom aor changes all of the time. they have had a two carrier presents for quite some time. the fact that there are two in that aor does not mean anything specific. it does fluctuate from time to time, yes. >> for some time, was it not? >> it is not like there is always a given number. as you know, carriers rotating and come and go, so if, for instance, you are trying to keep two carriers in the region, where you may have to get down to one, and it takes a while before another comes in to relieve it, it does go up and down, but it is based on overall

broad requirements that the central command sets and establishes, not necessarily driven by a specific incident. >> two? >> right now, there are two assigned to the en -- centcom aor. >> the iranians have made threats about the strait of hormuz, which is an international waterway. as a decision been made? and if so, when a carrier will transit that just to assert the free it right of passage? >> we do not get ahead of ships schedules with respect to that, so i am not going to get into speculating or commenting about when the next passage through the strait will be by a u.s. aircraft carrier. that said, tom, as you know, it is an international waterway. it is a key choke point, particularly for the flow of oil

in and out of that region. and the united states navy has and will continue to remain a force in that region to help protect the free flow of commerce in international waters. >> to clarify, when was the vinson ordered to the centcom aor? >> it is a longstanding deployment. i could not give you the exact date. there is nothing unusual about this. >> oh it predates recent tensions? >> absolutely, absolutely. >> having two carriers in the fifth fleet aor nelson requirements since the drawdown of -- aor, now a sort of a requirement since the drawdown from iraq? is that a new requirement? >> that is what we are

operating under. right now. it can and probably will change over time. it does frequently. i have seen as having one carrier presents for link b period -- i have seen us having one carrier presence for lengthy periods, and then it can go up to 1.5, no, now we have got two. but, i mean, it is not based on requirements set by the combat commander and what he believes the needs are. it could change within months or not. >> given the recent tensions, the plan? >> i do not know of any changes to the deployment schedule.

>> two carriers in the gulf? and you say it is a recorded, but was not something like, to be bureaucratic, 1.5 to 1.7, and that was the requirement, and now that has been increased of >> i do not know. i do not have that. again, i do not know when that decision was made. we will try to get you some better clarity on that. look. it is important for everybody to understand that we have long maintained a let me finish. at present changes all time. it fluctuates based on the combat commander and is approved by the secretary of defense. to get an aircraft carrier straight group anywhere in the world takes a lot of planning, month of a dance work is done. i don't want to leave anyone

with the impression we are putting two carriers over there because we are concerned about what happened today in iran. this is just prudent force posture requirements set by the combat and cmdr. >> it sporadic at best -- we are told that rather than the question being when did it -- [inaudible] the stennis is going to stay and these were not turned over for many weeks to come. >> i'm not going to get into individual ship schedules and i think you can understand why it would not be prudent for us to do that. these ships are available to the central commander for his entire area of his responsibility.

it does not mean they're going to be parked inside the arabian gulf the entire time they are deployed. >> does the united states have a commitment to send a carrier back to the state of hormuz at some point? >> we routinely operate our ships, all of our ships, all are types of ships inside the arabian gulf and that will continue. >> yesterday, the admiral said the u.s. force posture in asia pacific would not increase, which seems to contradict the strategic and guidance. then they said the force would increase in europe over the next decade. are there assertions correct in terms of force posture and how you reconcile that with the strategic guidance? >> i have not seen the abels comments and we're not here to

make announcements on force posture elsewhere in the world. what i will say as we will maintain the asia-pacific region. we are a pacific nation and pacific power and we will maintain american interests in their region and we will protect those interests and alliances. we don't have any specific announcements to make today about force posture. that is something we will do in the coming weeks, perhaps. >> focus on an area does not depend on force base posture or the number of troops. all of our forces are expeditionary and rotational. we're going to shift the focus

to the asia-pacific region and you will see that borne out in deployments and exercises and routine operations. you can still meet that requirement the president made clear without adding to the bottom line of troops in the region. >> on this straits of hormuz issue -- do you take this threat seriously? the united states has the capability to open the state of hormuz. >> i think chairman dempsey said it on "face the nation." they have the ability to do it for limited amounts of time. it's not a very wide waterway. it is a narrow chokepoint which

is why it is so bite -- why it is so vital. using access the nile, it could be closed temporarily, but only temporary. we are confident and partnerships we have in the region and we're comfortable that we will be able to meet those requirements and commitments. >> do you think they are serious? they are not bluffing? >> i think you need to talk to the iranian leadership about the seriousness of their intent. we take all threats to our partners and relationships and commitments in the region seriously. to questions about pakistan and egypt. do you have any comment about the firing of the defense secretary, the military command -- second in military command

there and the comment on their website that this would lead to a grievous consequences? on egypt, have there been any further interactions with the military there since the raids earlier this month? apparently that issue is still not resolved. has there been further contact at higher levels here in the building with egypt? >> on pakistan, i would not comment on what's happening inside deep political system with respect to jobs they're being left or taken. in terms of egypt, i am unaware of any further contacts beyond those that occurred recently between the secretary and the field marshal on the ngo issue. it's a very important situation to get right.

we have had the egyptians -- we understand have taken steps to improve the situation with respect to that ngos. >> on pakistan, has there been any further calls since the first week from this building -- any calls related to the latest developments there in pakistan? how concerned are you of about the stability of the military structure there? >> chairman dempsey has been in contact with the general and it was a productive, good conversation. that call has taken place. within recent days. you have to check with the chairman's spokesperson on that.

that is a call that happened recently. the important thing with pakistan is to continue that dialogue at all levels. we have an important relationship with pakistan and we know we have hit bumps in the road over the past several months. we hope to improve the relationship and get back to a place where we can cooperate vigorously on a range of matters and there are a number of issues of common concern that we share. we look forward to improving the state of our relationship with our partners in pakistan. >> isn't this another bump in the road? does that mean more delay in repairing the relationship, the sacking of the defense minister? >> i'm not going to speculate on how this internal pakistani

development may or may not impact its relationship with the united states. we have relationships in many places inside the government and i don't want to suggest one data point makes a trend. >> one thing it does not do is change our commitment to try to move the relationship forward. >> eddie sought or received any assurances from the military leaders in pakistan that they are not interested in staging a coup? have you sought any assurances? >> i'm not aware we have sought any assurances and i don't think they are aware we have been given any. this is a matter for pakistani officials and civilians to work out.

>> in a comparatively short time, too young u.s. army soldiers, both intelligence analysts, both highly secure with high-security clearances have been charged with serious offenses. and disclosing classified documents and another planning to join a terrorist organization. was there a particular concern about the age of these particular people? >> i don't really have any thing on that. >> i would not comment on a particular case or instance, but broadly speaking, we take very seriously the concerns about security and the potential of

insider threats coming from within. that is something -- there is policies and procedures in place to prevent these kinds of things from happening. we will continue to try to improve our ability and prevent security breaches and prevent behavior inconsistent with what should occur inside the u.s. military. >> [inaudible] think i can diagnose anything based on age. >> [inaudible] do you see an improvement in relationships with pakistan? in the recent review presented

by president obama, it was highlighted you are going to help india incorporate to become a provider of security in their region. what is happening on that? is that financial corp., military cooperation? >> were not going to comment on specific counter-terrorism operations in the afghanistan- pakistan region. the united states remains very committed to continuing efforts to damage al qaeda and its militant allies. that remains a top national security priority. al qaeda threatens the united states, they threaten our allies and threaten pakistan as well. when it comes to the ground lines of communication, those

have not been reopened. we do believe we have sufficient stores in place inside afghanistan to provide for a very successful war fighting effort in afghanistan. as you know, the general has done a terrific job working with this team to manage the levels of supplies and we have the no. distribution network as well. >> on the question on india, we hope to continue a very strong relationship with the indian military. they are contributing to issues in afghanistan in a constructive way, whether its training or economic assistance.

broadly across the u.s. government, we want to continue to pursue a close relationship with india. they are a major economic power not only in the region but in the world. we respect those interests and want to respect that. >> the provider of security -- what was behind the sentence? >> it refers to the role india continues to play in the region economically and from a security perspective. particularly inside afghanistan. >> we have time for one or two more questions. >> what are you going to do with the somali pirates on board best tennis right now? >> i think they're working to that right now. >> what is the law say you have

to do? >> it is not the first time we have detained them temporarily. it is not a long-term solution. in the past, we have looked for and found third-party countries willing to take them and they're working through that right now, i just do not have a good answer for you. >> i have heard they have been turned over to iran. is that even a consideration? >> not that i am aware of. >> the final question goes to louis. we have a -- we do have an army, navy -- all of -- >> can you tell us what will be the expectation of the team sent to sudan? toi'm not aware of any plans

send any more additional than this team at this point. the officers have been signed -- assigned to a military mission in sudan and they will be working with international partners to try to engage in peace operations in that new country. >> the main mission is to help as south sudan begins to stand itself up, to help with governments, rule of law and civil affairs and that is what these five individuals are doing. right now, that the limits of the involvement of these five individuals. it may change over time. this is not unusual. >> was the action as a result of a request from south sudan? >> it is meeting our commitments and responsibilities to the un is what this is. this is not a combat mission

whatsoever. these five individuals are there to help with this new country as they stand up. >> thank you, everyone. we appreciate it. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> it is 10 days until the south carolina primary and we are not -- we're live in colombia, the capital. mitt romney is scheduled to appear here before supporters. it's an event scheduled to start about 10 minutes ago or so and obviously running a bit late. we will have that live for you. lots of folks here and lots of media coverage here.

9 it news trucks at his first event of the week in colombia. we will have this life for you want it gets started. he won the new hampshire primary yesterday, winning 39% of the vote, followed by ron paul at 23, jon huntsman coming in third at 17%. until this gets underway, we will hear what washington journal viewers had to say this morning. >> host: ron paul, the -- host: the race now scope -- w

goes to south carolina. south carolina is on january 21. let's see how the south carolina newspapers are looking at the presidential contest. this is from charleston -- the greenville news out of green bell south carolina.

"usa today" says iowa by a western and new hampshire by a walk. another 10 days to unleash a barrage against the front runner and persuade conservatives to pull back around an alternative that could carry the south carolina primary. let's hear what you have to say on the republicans lined -- caller: i think mitt romney is going to have a hard time in the south because i don't think his message is going to play well here. this is ron paul country. ron paul is dead juggernaut and the media is not willing to cover it. -- ron paul is that juggernaut. people are tired of the same old, same old. that a team is for ron paul. the baby boomers have to have the party and my generation is going to have to clean up the mess.

hopefully we can keep the media honest and we could have a fair and honest ballot counting election and hopefully we can turn this country around. if not, i will be voting for gary johnson if ron paul is not there. >> an independent scholar from oakland, michigan. caller: thank you for letting me speak on c-span to read i have a real problem with romney and his politics of envy and what i am finding i ambain capital and what he spoke of in nevada that nobody should help the people losing their homes, they should buy them out and did the investors can come in, buy them and read them out and wait for the prices to go up. i'm not sure -- i am wondering about mr. romney's idea of fairness, morals, and ethics, the matter what is the law.

thank you. host: "the washington post" has the story -- host: let's hear from a democratic caller in new haven, connecticut. >caller: i will make this short.

we all know mr. norquist is calling all the shots. ron paul and all the other republicans, we know they are part of the pledge, how can they help us? the republicans will continue to block and say no to every bill. romney has five sons. have they been at war? republicans to not want change. they only want to keep the 2% returns of they can't keep their bonuses. host: why do you say they are beholden to grover norquist? caller: because they have a pledge and every time a obama tries to get something going, they block it because norquist is calling the shots. host: a local story -- the candidate's head south with brass knuckles.

charlotte, go to north carolina. a republican caller. what do you think about this contest as the race had south? caller: the lady that just spoke, i don't know what universe she is living in, but the republican house has been generating bills and the senate is the one to let it language and guy over there. we are running over 900 days without a budget and maybe she ought to take notice of that. when it comes to romney coming south, the folks down here are strong when it comes to 10th amendment rights. we voluntarily surrender some of our sovereignty to the united states for the betterment of our country. however, when you talk about massachusetts moderate who emphasizes the mandate implementing romneycare, that

goes against the grain. he's going to have a tough time even though he might win. we will see what happens. to eugene, go oregon. an independent scholar. caller: i think the calls might be more reflective of four in the morning than the east coast. obama has turned into the greatest republican president they could want. i'm not worried about the economy, i'm worried about president being able to execute with the drone the size of a butterfly. i'm astounded at the changes that have happened to america. i don't know why they would want to let anybody else. it seems obama has drank the kool-aid or something. host: who do you hope to support in the presidential election?

would you vote for a third-party candidate or go to the republican side? host: i would like to see a full blooded american indian to be president. "bostont's go to the globe" paper from mitt romney's home state. host: on twitter -- romney is no different than obama. the democrats' line from memphis, tennessee. caller: i hear a lot of people

calling and that support ron paul. i voted for obama and i'm going to keep voting for obama. republicans don't care anything about poor people. they are racist and want to end of government programs that help poor people. that aid to the christian way. >host: we're going to talk later with it have a smiley and cornell west. acclaim no one is talking about poverty. caller: i have been watching politics since i was 16. obama put the health care plan out there so he can assure poor people. if you are against poor people having no health care, that's not being a good american. it's sad. scott in's go to michigan, detroit, the republican line. caller: mitt romney to me is a

great person and he stands up for everything i believe in. his father was governor of michigan and i believe in everything he has to stand for. caller: i would like to say the only one in the republican race right now that could be barack obama and the presidential election would be wrong ball. he would get the independent votes, a lot of -- would be ron paul. if the republicans want to win the election, they should be behind ron paul. romney only has so many votes and can i get the independent voters. ron paul would be the one on the republican ticket i would vote

for and i would like to see him get of the nominee but nobody is going to let him. host: what do you think of his performance last night? caller: i think he did wonderful. i have been taught -- i have been falling run ball for years. >> more chances for you to weigh in tomorrow morning. we take you live now to columbia, south carolina, mitt romney, making his first pre- primary appearance in south carolina, live on c-span. ♪

>> welcome. what a great turnout. i will tell you it has been an exciting night for a couple of reasons. was that a great win in new hampshire or what? [applause] the joke was we all took wagers on how he was going to do. i said i what he's going to win by a hair and somebody said he won by eight hairs. in new hampshire, i said it's going to be a landslide and a base that you cannot say it's going to be a landslide. it was a landslide. before we start off, we have a great group of supporters here that work hard and believe in governor romney and have done some great things. i want you to make sure -- the

treasurer is here. [applause] secateurs ronnie cromer has thrown his support behind gov. romney. -- senator ronnie cromer. we have agree one today, our speaker pro tem has thrown his support behind governor romney today. [applause] i want to talk to you a little bit because everyone has asked the question, why mitt the person you decided to endorse? what i knew i was going to face as governor was unemployment problems, economy problems, balancing our budget, dealing with the spending and trying to find a way to prioritize. i knew that was going to be a problem. i had no idea the hardest part

about being governor of south carolina was going to be the federal government. it all started with a great company we have and south carolina called boeing. [applause] national labor relations board saw that boeing created a thousand jobs in charleston, south carolina at a time we needed it. at the same time, the expanded 2000 jobs in washington state. not one person was hurt. but president obama allow them to try to stop production. they have removed that lawsuit now and we are free of that one. [applause] i ask every candidate to acknowledge the nlrb, and a one can't it did not speak on it. that was president obama. the second thing, we passed

illegal immigration reform and the department of justice sued us and told them we could not do that. we passed a picture id -- you should have to show a picture i.d. to the one thing that matters most, to vote. [applause] once again, the department of justice stopped that and said we could not do it. what i knew in this thought process was we need a president that has nothing to do with the chaos that is washington d.c. we have had enough and we don't like what we see. the second thing is i'd do, it's not about what you say, it's what you do. is about results and elected officials remembering who is the work for. i looked at it and this was a man that worked in the private sector 25 years, not in the government sector. he fixed broken businesses.

we have a broken washington that needs to be fixed. this is a man that -- give a round of applause. [applause] this is a man that took a failing olympics, no one can touch it because he made a source of pride for our country. we need to be proud of our country again. [applause] this is a man that went then as governor of a very liberal state, cut taxes 19 times, balanced his budget with an 85% democrat legislature. think we could do that in washington right now? [applause] i took all that into account. i would like you to know the

coolest first man ever is in the house tonight. the last thing was we are a military family. we know the sacrifices are men and women in uniform deal with every day and the sacrifices their families deal with every day. we need to make sure we have someone that strengthens our military and does not weaken it and tell us we have to be embarrassed for it. he believes in strengthening our military. [applause] i sat down and had a conversation with the governor and said we don't want health- care mandates. we cannot afford it. he said dade number one, we will get a waiver to south carolina to every state that wanted and we will appeal -- we will repeal obamacare. [applause]

i said we are trying to pass illegal immigration reform and a voter i.d. and washington is getting in the way. he said i've been a governor of the state. handle your state and i will keep the federal government out of your way. [applause] i said we had this issue with yucca mountain. then add a problem and said they would take our nuclear waste. after years of paying a billion dollars with some other states, they pulled the rug out under arrest for political purposes. he said that i will bid it out to any other state and if we cannot do it, i will fight to get you your money back. [applause] that is why i am endorsing mitt romney. i will have a partner in the white house, not someone fighting me every step of the way. they will understand what we

care about in south carolina is jobs, spending, and the economy. this is a man that will totally focused day one on jobs, spending, and the economy and making sure we have jobs in the state and not out of the state. [applause] i know who you are here to see. but i've got to tell you this story. i come into the governor's office this morning and was shocked because congressman cliburn was outside my office. he had democrats all around him and he was sitting there saying we cannot have governor romney, we don't want a free market and he was bashing it. i felt like i was in the twilight of because i thought we'd a minute, there are still six people in this primary. why is the heading governor romney? secondly, and i say this as a

warning -- i am proud of our republican candidates. i'm proud of the people who have taken the time to come campaign in south carolina. but we have a real problem when we have republicans talking like democrats against the free market. we believe in the free market. [applause] we don't ever want people to come in and say boeing can hire or fire. we allow people to go into michelin's of people can say they can make profits for can't. we want companies to do best that they can't. during hard times commie make hard decisions it during good times come you expand. that is what he has done. he has done with every one of us has tried to do. with no further ado, i will tell you michael and i are very proud to have in colombia, the next

president of the united states, governor mitt romney. [applause] >> thank you. thank you, governor. thank you very much. you are so kind to be here tonight. it is so warm outside. it's different from new hampshire. it is going to be great campaigning in the palmetto state. what an honor to have the governor here with me and your treasurer here with me and state legislators. but you guys, how nice of you -- how many kids have you got here? they're not all hers, she says. she promises. i know you are concerned. someone is talking over here.

i hear a little one -- let them up front. it has been a tough year. it has been a tough three years for people in the palm of straight -- palmettos state. remember the president made all these promises and was going to repair the come tree and repair the world and get people back to -- repair the country and get people back to work. people were going to collaborate across the aisle. remember all of these things he said in the campaign? he has failed. [applause] we all know what has happened here domestically. there are failures internationally. the greatest threat we face for our security over the coming decade is a nuclear iran. he came into office and did not put into place crippling

sanctions iran needed to face. it he did not organize and communicate be halved effective military options to take and when there were over a million people in the streets of tehran screaming for freedom, he was silent. can you imagine ronald reagan being silent? even bill clinton would have had something to say. this is unthinkable. here at home, look at what is happening with government. this is a guy who was critical of george bush for racking up large deficits and his have been a multiple of what george bush put into place. if you look at what he is on track to do by the end of his first term and is only term, by the way -- [applause] he will have put together as much public that as all the prior presidents combined.

he is leading us on a path to become like greece or italy. i'm convinced we will be there at some point if we don't get him out of office. then there is what happened with the economy and putting people back to work. 9.9% unemployed. 25 million people out of work or have stopped looking for work or are seriously under employed. the underemployment statistic is a number of families or people getting by on very little. i think you have to say this has been a failed presidency. i don't think he tried to make it bad, he just didn't know what to do. he's in over his head. [applause] i'm going to go to work to do a couple of things. i'm going to scale back the size of the federal government. are going to cut federal spending and get the country on a balanced budget by it. [applause] -- balanced budget by at.

everybody says with a run for president or national office that they are going to cut federal spending. as the governor of my state, i did not cut spending. i came in with a few months into office, i said let's cut back. we balance the budget every one of the four years i was in office. one of the things we had to do and like to do. the like to do things we cut back on or eliminated. we're going to have to do the same thing with the federal budget. i will take every single program and say it is this program so critical to the country its fourth borrowing money from china to pay for it? -- is it worth borrowing money from china to pay for it? to these little ones, i think it's immoral to continue to spend massively more than we take in knowing we will never be able to pay it back during my

lifetime and they will have to pay for the things i voted for it -- we voted ourselves. it is not moral and i will stop it. [applause] to get our economy going again, i will make america the most attractive place for job creators, entrepreneurs, innovators, businesses foreign and domestic, small business, big business, i will get our tax rates competitive they get regulators to make sure they're working to encourage private enterprise rather than burden it. i will make sure we open up our energy resources. why we act like an energy poor country? it makes no sense to me. [applause] i will open up markets for american goods so we can sell more things around the world. when countries like china cheat, i will hold them accountable and

say you can't keep stealing our jobs. [applause] but this election is about the president's failures internationally, domestically, his failure to steal back the size of government. but also about something more. it is about the soul of america. the question is which courts are we going to take? are we going to go on the path to put this on which is to become like it european-style welfare state? or are we going to hold true to the principles that made us the most powerful nation on earth? [applause] those principles welcome people who are willing to work hard and get what education they might and maybe have good luck and dreams and build enterprises that employ us and make us

better off as a nation. i believe in those founding principles of the nation. when the founders wrote the declaration of independence, they say the creator in doubt as with certain unalienable rights. the government hasn't, the creator has. among the more life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. as a boy, i wondered what that meant. i know now, it is the right in this country to pursue our lives and dreams as we wish. government does not tell us how to live our life. government does not tell us what kind of health care we could have. government does not tell us where we can live. individuals can pursue their own dreams and by virtue of those freedoms to elect representatives in washington and state capitals and an opportunity nation where we can pursue our own path in life, this became the place on earth

every pioneer and innovator and wanted to come to. and come to they did for hundreds of years. did you know the average income of an american is 50% higher than the average income of the european? why is that? it's not because we are different people. we are all human beings from all over the world. what makes us different are the principles we were found on and those principles need to be restored. the president says he wants to transform america. i want to restore america with the principles that made us a great nation. [applause] a lot of people in south carolina are hurting tonight. they are people who a few years ago were thinking about where they might send their kid to college. now are the eight -- now they

are wondering if they can put a meal on the table at the end of the week. there are people who were planning their retirement and now they're wondering if they can get another minimum-wage job to keep things together. there are people who use to plan about whether they could take their kids to the movie at the end of the week and now they wonder will they be able to have enough income to make it to the end of the week. these are tough times for americans. it's a tragedy. it is a real tragedy in the wealthiest nation in the world. i am going to go to work to help the american people because i know that dream is still out there. the things we remember from the past is not something gone. what has happened these last three years is a detour, it is not america's destiny. america is the greatest nation on the history of the earth and we will call on the spirit to get government small and behind us. [applause]

i love this country. i know we're going through tough times and we're going through tough times because of the failure of one man. that is why he has got to go. [applause] i love the songs of the country. the song "america the beautiful ." o beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain. i used to joke with my friends in iowa corn counted as an amber waves of grain. i love the verse that says "a beautiful for heroes approved for more themselves their country love and mercy more than life." do we have any veterans in this room? national guard members? thank you. [applause]

let me know the president just announced a plan to dramatically cut back on the military budget. the deal that was the president and congress cut back even further. i don't believe that's the right course for america. we have to have a military so strong and superior that no one in the world would never think of testing it. i will rebuild our american military strength. [applause] there is one more verse that i might mention. "oh beautiful for patriot's dream that sees beyond the years." the idea was the patriot's dream, the founders dreamed of this country was not something temporary, but something enduring. i am convinced the principle of

opportunity and freedom and protection of life were not temporary, but are permanent and if america is going through tough times, we should not stray from those principles but returned to them. i will get america strong again by restoring those principles. [applause] while we may have a president in looking at our history and principles who is inclined to apologize for america, i will never apologize for this nation, which is the greatest nation on earth. thank you. thank you. thank you. ♪

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>> we lost our signal. mitt romney working the event in south carolina. we're going to get a chance to see his comments and in their entirety. before that, debbie wasserman schluz was speaking this morning about the 2012 race. that is coming up tonight at 8:00. looking ahead to tomorrow, the nation talks about a campaign and how the white house and

democratic party are gearing up for the contest. david on his policies in their political agenda heading into the race. after that, amy schatz talks about the roles of nudity and foul language on broadcast television. "washington journal" is live every day at 7:00 a.m. eastern. >> in this place, we will stand for all time among monuments to those who fought for this nation and defended it. a black preacher with no official rank or title that somehow gave a voice and are most lasting ideas. >> saturday, president obama is joined by civil rights leaders

and the king family for the dedication of the martin luther king memorial. also, saturday, scholars to get the direction of the war as well as northern and southern strains and weaknesses. john kerry became a vocal opponent of the vietnam war. his story this weekend on c- span3. >> next up from this morning's "washington journal" a rap of. >> we are joined from new york city. he is the editor of the national review. thank you for being here. >> met romney was expected to win last night. what do we know from the numbers?

how does the rest prevail? >> it is a solid victory. you look at the exit polls. he won protestants. he won catholics. he won people who were neutral on the tea party. he won a crushing victory among republicans. he word this for a long time. it worked. now he goes into south carolina in a tough position. there was the fractured nature of the opposition. i was hoping grex santorum -- rick santorum would do much better. he was bumped up into high double digits. he bumped up and the load -- into the low double digits.

his momentum is just checked. and maybe that this is not his kind of the electorate. what ever reason, he tied for fourth. that makes it harder for him to make the case that he is the dominant one. you go to south carolina with three non-romney's. two of whom are fundamentally wounded but can still take votes. one is rick perry. they are saying if he just used the metrics they're supposed to use, at he would not even qualify. he is at 5% in the polls.

newt gingrich is still holding up in the south carolina polls but made himself radioactive by the hour. maybe these anti-bain attacks hurt romney. i think they are hurting newt gingrich and in looks like he is on a suicide mission. host: our guest rich lowry wrote a piece yesterday in "national review." what advice would you give him? guest: i do not know if i have good advice for this problem. i said in that column that he's the only candidate who is running a presidential campaign. there was an event in exeter that felt like a real, serious candidate for president. it was well produced and the crowd was big. it was in a gym. there was a huge american flag.

and that mitt romney gives a speech that was just complete schmaltz, substance-less. chris christie was the one who connected with the crowd. i do not think mitt romney will be able to excite people. i think he will be the weak front-runner, whose weakness will be trumped by the weakness of the rest of the field if the does indeed win. host: rich lowry, editor of "national review." mitt romney -- the headline, "mitt by a mile." you can see a teleprompter. you're saying he seemed more presidential, using the tools and the trappings that happen

when you turn it into president or more serious presidential candidate. does that help him? guest: the most important ingredient is the teleprompter. that was a pretty good speech last night. it was much better than the iowa speech. they realize that we will not win -- or we have not won yet, so mitt romney gave a version of his stump speech.

he gave it in a manner that was underwhelming. he was better last night. he talked about the state of the economy and do we want to move in a more european direction or not. then he had one shot at his rival, although he did not name any of them as desperate republicans who are adopting the divisive rhetoric about the nature of the free market and the nature of capitalism. i think there was a pretty effective shot at newt gingrich and rick perry. perhaps this will be by circumstance a more ideological election then you would have expected between president obama and mitt romney if he does get the nomination because mitt

romney will be pushed into a more philosophical defense of how the market works and of couple was because of these attacks on his prior business work. host: rose marie in michigan, good morning. caller: good morning. the reason that it round connected by the 25% mark is because he keeps saying that the president is naive and he does not understand the economy, and that is why our national debt, and he does not understand what the national debt is destructive to our country. i believe that we should call a spade a spade. president obama is not stupid or ignorant.

he knows exactly what he's doing. that is why i don't think mitt romney will make it. i don't think he will get past 25% and chris christie does. chris christie calls a spade a spade. host: mitt romney's message is taylor to a general election message in such a way that he thinks would appeal to the middle. he does not think he has evil intentions. a characteristic line is that he is a nice guy but he is over his head. on the 24% threshold, that is a great cliche of a political analysis. south carolina, in the early polls, he is above 25%. i don't think that is a ceiling on mitt romney.

if all the other candidates exited except mitt romney or newt gingrich, do we think it would be 75% mitt romney and 25% newt gingrich? host: eric from nebraska, welcome. caller: thank you. i just wanted to say that we need to come together as one party and we need to vote for obama in the congressional seat because with those democrats in the seats, we can actually get things done, and we can get bills that obama is trying to get past past.

we have not been doing that for the past four years. host: go ahead, what do you think? our caller is asking for cooperation, but can eric see that? newt gingrich was saying you elected a republican house and republican senate and me as president, we will get something done. guest: i think the caller is making a case for a unified democratic government which we have for the first two years. the democratic past an agenda which was unpopular with the american people. they passed a stimulus that did

not work. we basically tried that. part of romney's case will be if you want something to happen in washington and you want a common sense reform agenda to pass, let the republicans elect a president -- a republican president and give us a chance. if president obama wins and is still left a republican house and senate, you'll be in for the kind of partisan trench warfare that has turned off the public over the past year or so. host: republican from cleveland, sheila. caller: good morning. i'm talking about housing. we'll need shelter and jobs. obama has tried to pit the rich against the poor, which is ridiculous, because most of the people of congress are rich.

it is terrible that he has done this. people work hard, a lot of people. i sold houses 27 years. it is terrible what has gone on in the housing market. host: go ahead. guest: sorry. i think the caller is right about what president obama has been doing in terms of blaming the rich. it is so terrible to get rich in this country. why do former obama officials go out and get rich? are they contributing to inequality?

peter orszag was going to work at citibank and making $2 million or $3 million a year, whatever it is. i think people cannot live up to their ideals. the president's speech in kansas was shameful. it posited a connection between income and equality and a lack of mobility in this country. there is no evidence of that whatsoever. if someone gets rich on wall street, that has nothing to do with struggles of people further down the income ladder. that has more to do with high incarceration rates and family breakdown. this is fundamentally dishonest, the case he is making

to the american public. i believe it is cynical. he needs someone to blame for his own failures in office. host: what do you think about the influence of the tea party in general? guest: i think it is extremely influential. there is not one dog for the tea party to back. the conservatives are divided up. a lot of tea party folks want to win this election. newt gingrich won tea party voters up in new hampshire. it doesn't mean that the tea party is unimportant or fundamentally diminished in this influence. host: reggie is a democrats. caller: i'm calling from wisconsin. nice talking to you.

i was surprised when i watched the show and i would read on the internet the passionate support that ron paul has. i'm only 22 years old and have voted democrat, but he seemed to make a genuine connection with the younger crowd. i'm surprised he sticks around in the republican party. i feel that if ron paul's name was on the ballot, i would have a good chance of voting for him. he stays consistent with his message. i don't agree with all of his

policies. i see him stick to his views and i have a lot of respect for him. back in 2008 i just turned 18. i voted for obama based on his campaign of change. i am not 100% disappointed because i do feel he tried. i cannot fault him for getting as far as he promised. i can see that most people are disappointed. i am impressed with the support that ron paul gets from the younger generation. host: let's look at how ron paul did in new hampshire. 30 and above, romney was the one with the most votes. ron paul is not too far behind romney in the 30 to 44 age bracket.

guest: the caller is right. you want to convert those voters to republicans. i am not sure how inclined those voters are to the republican party outside of ron paul. i think we will see that he will stay in this race to the end. he has proven he can get about 20% of the vote, maybe more if he is just running against romney at the end. i think he will want to use his delegates at the convention. i think he will say, if you want to keep me inside the tent, you have to give me something or will ruin your chances to win this election and i will reelect president obama. he left that threat out there

over the weekend. host: why is the resonating with younger voters and the independent bloc? guest: i think a lot of it is a foreign-policy and his stringent opposition to wars and any involvement overseas. i think that is a juvenile world view. i don't think any president could adopt it without making us weaker. his anti-establishment credentials. nobody has better anti establishment credentials when there is a deep distrust of our political institutions. he is an idealist. he planted his flag in the ground regardless of polling and

political support and said i will rally. i would be remiss not to point out just how shameful those newsletters were that he published where there was racist material written under his name. his response to that has been thoroughly dishonest. he said he was not aware of that material. that material was going out under your name and you were making a lot of money. everyone surmises that a friend of his wrote it. he could ask his friend whether he wrote it or not. that is a real mark against ron

paul. i was hoping it would hurt him more. host: independent line from new jersey, welcome. caller: laryngitis. we the people. the only one of the republicans is jon huntsman. jon huntsman went overseas in china on a democratic presidency. not obama but the presidency -- not obama. never attacked the presidency. he said he's doing this for his country, america. he has two sons in the navy. under a democratic presidency. plus, he has more experience in foreign affairs than all these guys put together.

he is thinking about the country. the other items like abortion -- emphasizing all the things that politically -- we keep separate ourselves into little factions where we never get it right. host: could jon huntsman be a uniter? guest: that is his pitch. i commend the caller for calling in with laryngitis. i don't think it is going anywhere. he has had a marketing problem from the beginning. he had a conservative platform. george will said it was the most conservative platform of

any of the candidates. maybe republicans show throughout the race and that was his marketing strategy with an eye to new hampshire and winning independence and he won a fair number of independents and democrats in new hampshire. so he was there six months and won a pretty weak third. at that pace, it would take about 25 years to run. he is going down to south carolina, and much more conservative state. i think it is over but he is not recognized it. host: rich lowry is the editor of "national review."

he has been there since 1992 and has been editor since 1997. guest: it is not 20 years until the fall. host: howard is next. caller: good morning. your column is published in our local paper and i enjoy it. guest: you have discerning editors. caller: i had below conversation with the editorial board of the paper and should i need to read more and i got him on there. guest: good for you. he is one of the best columnists in the country.

caller: i think the republicans have 1/3 of the puzzle put together working on the presidency and i look forward to rob a republican elected president. i am in the deep weeds in california and it is difficulty. we have 55 electoral votes. there is enough sense in the country overall to defeat this president. it is not like the leader of the republicans and senate -- it is not that we hate obama. what would disagree with is his social policies and we can enumerate them for days. i think middle america will come together.

my question is, what is your sense for taking over the senate? once we have the house and the senate and a republican president, working together with the house, who is in charge of the money? guest: i have to admit, i've not studied this closely. the conventional wisdom is better than 50/50. it is better to focus on the senate as an insurance policy if president obama is some how

reelected. harry reid has adopted a strategy of basically doing nothing, not even trying to do anything. they did not pass a budget out of the senate for 900 days or whatever it has been. the argument that congress is doing nothing -- this is a cynical strategy of the part of harry reid. nothing would delighted me more than to see him lose his job. host: thank you for being here. guest: thank you for having me. host: we have a news update. we will be joined by amy schatz

to discuss and decent language on broadcast television and radio. "washington journal" is like every day at 7:00 a.m. eastern. >> a couple of the event to tell about. the president of the u.s. chamber of commerce sticks of -- the state of u.s. business. >> you will take a look at rick perry is surprising comment on climate change.

>> the do something outrageous, you give for pinocchio's. glenn has let the value is the truthfulness of political figures and others. >> are they deliberately lying? i think it a politician says the same thing over and over again, even when it has been pointed out that it is untrue, that they know they're saying something untrue. they're just calling to say it anyway. >> chris matthews on the attempted political maneuvering in the second kennedy/nixon presidential debates. nixon gets control of it. he brings the level of the temperature down to 40 degrees. it is a meat locker.

my source is the tv guide. he finds them. there is a nixon died down there standing guard on the thermostat. he says it be denied get away, i am calling the police. they have another standoff. they ended up compromising. they did not want nixon to sweat. nixon had seen them sweat profusely. they said it would not happen again. this is about who will roll america. >> he interviews chris matthews on his new book "jack kennedy, elusive hero." >> in this place, it will stand for all time. monuments to those to father the nation and those who defended

it met a black preacher with no official rank or title who somehow gave voice to our deepest and most lasting ideas. >> president obama is joined by civil-rights leaders and the king family for the dedication of the martin luther king memorial. also, a civil war scholars look at the direction of the war. sunday at 3. now john kerry became a vocal opponent of the vietnam war. >> in a few moments, debbie wasserman shultz on the 2012

campaign. then it mitt romney campaigned in south carolina. after that, a fund-raising event with president obama in chicago at the university of illinois. >> debbie wasserman schulz on the new hampshire primary in 2012 campaign. shoes at a political forum for she was at a political forum. this is about 40 minutes. >> welcome, everyone. i want to welcome you all. i am the executive director of the new hampshire institute of politics. i want to welcome you to the kickoff of the 2016 new hampshire presidential primary.

i was going to deliver a better line than that, but some people thought i might be too exhausted to deliver a good line. the new england council and the new hampshire institute of politics has become the must stop location for all the presidential candidates, reporters. our distinguished guest today. we are very excited about that. as you will note, jim brett is a way, and larry zabar is in place. i want to thank our sponsors. today you will see there are banners in the back. they are responsible for making this happen, and they are our partners through this process. and greek companies, particularly here and new hampshire and new england. we have a few dignitarie