>> absolutely. certainly he's trying to build on that momentum, and that is sort of analogous to a baseball player wearing a certain article of clothing and starts winning. you think that that's why you're winning, that's why you're winning and that's all that matters. the psychological recovery is almost as important as the literal recovery in getting the

economy back on track. people start believing things are getting better, they may want to buy a little bit more, fix up the house they've been long delaying or why the car. that triggers the momentum and builds on the momentum that's been started over the last quarter. things get better because people believe they're getting better that. that has almost as much to do with the recovery as anything else. >> on the rupp side, mitt beginning or even back in herman cain's days. they started their argument by economy is and country is in. does this undercut their argument and this they don't have that argument, what do they have? >> they've got the fact that the economy isn't doing much, much better or morrow bust than it's doing right now. what they do fear is that things will get into much better

they'll have a hollow argument when they start talking about the fact that things are so much worse under you this president. clearly the facts show otherwise. they do have this natural resistance to crediting a democratic president with doing good, and that's an argument that resonated in south carolina with newt gingrich, resonating to a degree in florida with mitt romney and newt gingrich going at it toe-to-toe. it's a message that's going to be slightly easier for the white house to refute going forward but not a lock for them to convince everybody that things are getting better. there are a lot of people hurting and there's still pain out there. >> there was cautious optimism at the white house from president obama on down when the last unemployment numbers came out and it was down to 8.5%. all of this could turn around if that next report goes up instead

of farther down, right or even staying the same. >> certainly. we've had slight up tick in the unemployment numbers this week. that is a reflection of people starting to look for work more. it's not a big deal. what could undermine the recovery even more than the economic numbers, the hiring numbers uncertainty on the gas market, gas prices going up. straight of hormuz under threat. those are things that the white house can't control and keeps them up at night. there are signs of life, they're going to protect it. there are some things they can't do and they're keeping a close eye on that. ahmadinejad could sink the whole thing. >> he's not a friend of the u.s. economy. >> thanks, joe, good to see you tonight. >> my pleasure. >> consider this, gingrich gets destroyed by romney's super pack in iowa, the gingrich super pack gets

a $10 million cash infusion. on the two year anniversary of the citizen's united ruling,

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bidder. marry franks is marrying his long time partner in massachusetts where it's legal. should they wanted options, new jersey, washington and maryland might become available. dan savage joins us. since when did presidential debates start sounding like the maury povich show? >> knut in outer space? reports that some science fiction authors agree that gingrich's ideas about it began on the internet ... progressive politics with an edge. these are the young turks:

unique voices ... a common goal. they took their message to the streets and started a movement. now, there's no turning back. the number-one news show on the internet meets the only independent tv news network. the young turks on current tv. >> well, if nothing else, a gig campaign could prove a single individual can keep an entire candidacy afloat. the individual is not newt gingrich. if the pattern holds, billionaire casino mogul can propel newt

gingrich to the candidacy and beyond. meanwhile, a group of democratic senators decry the supreme court decision that made it all possible. the beneficiary of aidle son's money, the pro gingrich super pack winning our future says it's spending $6 million on television ads and other media in the current primary battleground state of florida where the adelson gift has helped bye seven times more ad space than the gingrich campaign itself. adelson, and his wife miriam have given $10 million this month alone to aid the gingrich campaign, $5 million this week $5 million in january. those two contributions are among the largest known political donations in u.s. history. >> in south carolina, the current front runners, gingrich and mitt romney each spent or had spent on their behalf about $5 million. the difference, gingrich's

campaign actually put down the least of the four gop candidates competing in the state. the super pack supporting him did all the rest to the tune of nearly $4.4 billion. this isn't adelson's first time aiding gingrich. adelson, the eighth richest person in this country gave more than $7 million to the former speaker's former political group. they met in 1995 when gingrich was house speaker and backed legislation lobbied for by adelson to move the american embass in israel to jerusalem. the pros was made legal by which the super packs have been able to spend all their money was referred to with words like disastrous and appalling.

new york's senior senator chuck schumer said the decision should be blamed for "undoing our democracy." >> one of the foremost needs of our society is for a fair, functioning democracy where there's some semblance of equality that each people's votes has the same weight. >> the citizen's united decision represents one of the most destructive changes in law that >> speaking of gingrich's super pack, i meant to say $4.4 million, not billion, it's a lot of money in politics. you get confused sometimes. joining me, hey, brian, good to have you with us. thanks for your time tonight. >> thanks, bill. >> who is sheldon adelson and why is he giving so much money to understood gingrich. >> he is the eighth richest man

in the country out of nevada big into gambling. >> owner-operator, right? >> yes, and also betting on candidates, apparently. he and gingrich go back to gingrich's speakership. they became close over the issue of israel. adelson found a very powerful ally in newt gingrich and been a loyalist ever since. i don't think it's an issue where adelson like some donors have a particular problem with mitt romney, but newt's his guy, so newt is reaping the benefits of that. without it, he would have been dead in the water after iowa. >> as far as we know just to make clear, what he is doing is perfectly legal under citizens united, correct or under current campaign law. >> exactly. >> is there any reason people should think if this guy gives so much money now during the

campaign that he would have an impact on god forbid, a newt gingrich in the wide house presidential policy. >> for the one issue that adelson seems really passionate about, it's hard to imagine, he and newt are sort of of the same mind frame. it's not like he's buying newt's views on this. you can imagine a megabillionaire who found a candidate who didn't necessarily share his views, gave him the money he needed to win the presidency and that candidate would feel sort of compelled to adhere to those policy views once he won the office. i don't think that if in the end newt gingrich somehow manages to become the president he's going to adopt a whole new set of views about israel, because he already shares those. situation exactly what you're talking about happening. >> they get invited to a lot of nights in the lincoln bedroom, probably. [ laughter ]

>> we think of people like richard melon or the koch brothers. adelson is not the first individual that likes to get in politics and throw his money around. what makes i did different now under citizens united before citizens united if anything? >> it's indirect. citizens united direct impact was on corporate and union donations to independent expenditure groups. back in 2008 or 2004, you saw wealthy donors making direct expenditures on behalf of candidates, they could bye they are own ads, give to these groups, 527 groups, the swift groups. there was also a legal cloud of suspicion hanging over that kind of activity, sort of unsettled. what citizens united, it released a safety valve on that, it basically said you can give as much money as you want to a

super pack, whether you're a corporation, or a labor union or an individual or any combination of the three if mitt romney is the one designating what the differences are. >> i wanted to ask you if in terms of like a level playing field, these opportunities have been made available by citizens united, are democrats taking advantage of those as well as republicans? >> they are. you know, they didn't really want it to be this way. when barack obama won the nomination, a lot of outside democratic affiliated groups wanted big dollar democratic donors to help them fund basically an outside game for obama. obama shut that down. he wanted work to be done through the traditional democratic channels. once citizens united happened, they sort of reluctantly came to the view that they needed to play against the republicans in this

terrain, and they weren't really happy about it. it's not what they want. there aren't nearly as many adelson's on the left as are on the right, so they're at a cash disadvantage. there are outside groups on the democratic side but not as vast or well-funded yet. it sort of remains to be seen how much after this cycle of republicans are really interested after newt gingrich is throwing their guy off his game whether they want to keep you know, thal chemist citizens united in place. >> if you can't beat them, join them. thank you very much. >> bill in new jersey state senate

legalizing same-sex how is chris christy going to get out of this?

don't worry, he's got a plan.

>> barney frank plans to marry his partner.

soon their marriage may be recognized in more states. first, the sanity break, australia day, the official national day of australia celebrated annually on january 26 commemorates the 788 arrival of 11 british ships at sydney cove and proclamation of british sovereignty. work on those crocodile dundee impressions or any australian think you can think of. throw a shrimp on the bash be, of course. >> the weather report in seattle is reporter james lynch. >> there are times when only a big ass tow truck will do. this is one of those times.

>> yes, sometimes you need a big ass tow truck and sometimes you need somebody to read over your script before you broadcast it live on t.v. from the dumb politicians say the dumbest things department, here is east haven connecticut joseph mature. after his police officers were charged with using excessive force against undocumented immigrants, the mayor had this to say. >> what are you doing for latino community today? >> i might have tacos when i go home. >> that's not really the comment to say. >> i might have spaghetti tonight. if you're of italian descent. if i was going to have mexican dinner or italian, it's jim material. >> i was asking what are you doing for the community and you responded immediately i'm going to have tacos probably tonight. >> i could again, if i was going

to go out and have tacos, i'd go to the -- >> that's not the point mayor. i asked you what you're doing for the latino community. >> whether it be tacosar any other meal. >> did you tell me that you were going to have tacos tonight. >> i said i might, yeah. whether i have tacos with the latino community or spaghetti with the italian community. >> he apologized the next day and referred to the incident at a gotcha moment. quote sarah palin, mr. mayor that ought to help your case. time marches on. >> dan savage on same-sex

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states now considering legalizing same-sex marriage including the stated of washington, maryland and if legislature can get by chris christy's political pat is it youring, new jersey. a bill passed new jersey senate judiciary committee, moving to the full senate where it's expected to pass. there's one large road block, governor chris christy has threatened to veto the bill not necessarily because he disagrees with it but because he doesn't think elected officials are the ones who should decide. >> i think this is not an issue that should rest solely in my hands in the hands of the senate president or the speaker or 118 members of the legislature. let's let the people of new jersey decide. >> so instead of wasting time with the democratically elected legislature legislating, he

wants to push it off to citizens so he doesn't impact a future presidential run. other politicians have shown more backbone. in maryland, governor o'malley presented a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. in washington state, a similar bill is poised to pass as a majority of legislators have >> gay marriage opponents have announced plans to seek referendums overturning the bills in november in washington and maryland if they pass, believe it or in the. joining me now is dan savage who writes a syndicated column savage love and is author of the book the commitment and co project. we should also give you credit for entering a certain senator's

name on google and making us all chuckle. >> i am the google santorum problem, and proud of it. santorumville filed quite viciously and graphically comparing my 17-year-old marriage to my partner to child rape and dog rape. we thought that was disgusting so we came up with a disgusting definition for santorum. >> and said it's not healthy behavior. the guy is hopeless. i want to ask you about chris christy. he's really afraid. >> he's willing to let it happen as long as his fingerprints aren't on it. >> he's watching what happened to mitt romney and the trouble that romney is residing over his objections over massachusetts at the time. he was the governor when gay marriage was legalized. it happened on his watch. he's been roundly criticized by the conservatives. what's idiotic about it, the

social conservism, cain is out, perry is out cantor rum, who's going to be dropping out soon, it's tough getting anywhere with gay bashing. it's really on its last legs. even if the republican party the old gay bashing part of their base is dying. young evangelicalses are not gay bark. catholic churches won't have to marry same sex couples just as they don't have to marry couples of differing faiths. >> your home state of washington, i met the governor the other night. she has had a turnaround. >> she has

evolved. she used to say that washington state isn't ready. it is now ready, thanks to the efforts of one of our openly gay elected officials, he had murray who had three domestic partnership bills come through which chopped up the rights of marriage and presented them one chunk at a time. they all passed. the governor signed them into law. the state saw you could extend all the same rights to same sex couples without the sky falling and now people are ready for marriage. democrats like obama who say they support civil unions but not marriage but don't act on civil unions, the there was no movement to move a civil unions bill through. that's what we did in washington state and now will get full marriage rights. >> if the governor was able to evolve, part of the white house press corps, the question often

comes up where is the president on this issue, he's considering it or thinking about it. you think there's a chance that before november of this year that president obama. >> will evolve? >> no, christine is in her last term of governor. oddly enough, she doesn't have to stand for reelection and made the leap. >> i expect the president will make the leap in his second term. the president was devaulting, a supporter in the mid-90's. when he ran for national office, he wasn't supporting. we expect him to devolve. >> do you believe that it's just a matter of time? >> absolutely. >> that time is on your side and america is moving in the right direction, but slowly. >> moving the right direction, but slowly. social progress

in america always drags. great britain got rid of slavery four years before our civil war with a vote in parliament. despite the home of the free rhetoric, i expect we will get there. the referendum pushers and bigots don't realize it's not over until we say we win. we're going back to ballot in maine. washington state had a state white referendum and we won at the ballot box and we will win in november. >> i don't have to tell you to keep up the good fight. good luck. we're all with you. believe it or not, republican debate number 19 is now underway in jacksonville.

>> presidential debates are looking more like game shows. this must be the boldest campaign promise ever, newt will put a colony on the moon by 2020. (vo)the young turks are here. >>win! >>cenk uygur and his team take the headlines head on. >>i accuse you because i have the numbers. i am about tonight's gop debate happening as we speak. number 19, more than any halfway sane human being needs to see of the candidates and t.v. anchors.

most attention will be focused not on the candidates but the audience. will they go berserk ago they charleston? i was there in the audience before the debate. a cnn producer encouraged the audience to make as much noise as possible which they did when newt was asked if he had asked his wife for open marriage and knut attacked the media. >> your ex-wife gave an interview and the story has now gone vile. in it she says that you came to her in 1999 at a time when you were having an affair, she says asked her, sir, to enter into an open marriage. would you like to take some time to respond to that? >> no, but i will.

i think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, attract decent people to run for public office and i am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that. >> standing ovation. >> or will they be on their best behavior as admonished last monday by brian williams. >> we've asked our invited guests to withhold their plows any verbal reactions to what they hear onstage so as to assure this is about the four candidates and what they have to say. >> the next morning gingrich attacked williams for stifling free speech and vowed not to appear unless the audience was allowed to scream and shout like a high school basketball crowd

which tells you he's not such a good debater, but a good actor who thrives on the cheap shot of audience reaction. we've gone from the lincoln douglas debates, kennedy-nixon, the dig any ofified obama mccain debates to the jerry springer show where it's not who says the smartest things that counts, it's who gets the most laughs or applause from the audience which isn't going to help newt gingrich. if he ever makes it to the big leagues, no audience applause is going to be allowed so newt will

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>> it all started in the 1950's with one man and simple idea. one of these days, bang, zoom, straight to the moon. nasa started and that dream was realized as man walked on the moon. since then, nothing major has happened in space but in our number one story tonight, one man seems destined to reignite america's fascination with the lunar surface, newt gingrich. today gingrich challenged past space visionaries like j.f.k.

>> by the end of my second term, we will have the first permanent base on the moon and it will [ applause ] >> but the modern day captain kirk didn't stop there. he looked beyond the moon to our sister planet, mars. >> by the end of 2020, we will continuous propulsion system in space capable of get to go mars in a remarkably short time, because i am sick of being told we have to be timid and we have to be limited to technologies that were 50 years old. >> of course there's a big difference between being tempt and having a lack of funds for an incredibly undertakeling. >> he is running on the ability to get people to believe just like he did 26 years ago when he said tourism in space is coming. it looks like he was as correct

then as he is now. let's bring in derrick, good to see you tonight. thanks for your time. in talking about this moon colony by 2020, is newt gingrich a visionary or just plain nuts? >> i think i'm going for the latter on this. unfortunately, you know, i can understand his enthusiasm and idea that he wants to sort of put out this great idea of something that can be used to spark a technological development here in the u.s. but the fact of the matter is that we don't have the technology available right now it's going to take us much longer than 2020 to get to where we can actually establish a base on the moon and besides that there is the issue of funding. it takes a lot of funding to do that. the biggest impediment to this is what he's done is spoken to a

congressional district that has space industries and they love to their that. would he make that same argument in another congressional district without space industries? those people don't care about that. >> he's going to have to get to the point of how much this is going to cost. do we have any idea? talk about all that equipment you'd have to put up there, not to mention the vehicles to get there and what would be necessary to support life on the moon? >> it would be tremendously expensive to do this in the period of time that he's talking about doing it. in fact, what would have to happen is we would have to completely refocus all of our intentions in this country from things like international terrorism and the economic problems we're having in the u.s. right now. we would have to look specifically at this and then at the same time, devote a great deal of our national economy to making this work. it would equal the amounts that we've been spending in iraq and afghanistan on those wars to

actually try to make this work. >> if we got there and were able to establish this base, what would we get out of it scientifically? what would we learn. >> there's a lot for us to understand about the moon and the origin of the moon and earth. if we were expecting as newt indicated that there's a possibility that commercial companies might take this on there has to be a financial benefit for them. you know what no there is none. >> you know, derrick, newt gingrich when he was in congress, he also introduced a bill called the northwest ordinance space plan or something which said if you get up to 13,000 residents on the moon, they can apply to congress for statehood. [ laughter ] >> we could be looking at two senators from the moon, right? >> you know, and the real issue here is i hope we can get one of those senators there early.

i won't say which one. >> right. well i frankly think we already have a couple of senators from the moon, maybe jim demitt for example. quickly, mars the shutting back and forth, possible? >> what are coming down the pike or better propulsion systems for rocketry. that if we solar system, we will have to come up with better methods, one already in use but based on very long distance travel. hopefully we will come up with something that will cut the travel time to mars soon. >> sign me up, beam me up. thanks for your time. that is "countdown" for tonight.