that's it for tonight's "willis report," and thank you for joining us tonight. dvr the show if you can't catch us live. have a great night, and we'll see you here tomorrow. ♪ ♪ lou: good evening, everybody, i'm louisa -- lou dobbs. this is a look at hofstra university in long island issue new york. tonight, the president debates governor romney and domestic and foreign policy in that auditorium, and the president and the governor will be in front in a live audience of approximately 1,000 people and an expected national television viewership of 60 million.

the president, for the first time in his campaign, is the underdog. governor romney holds the lead in polling, but takes the stage as the dominating winner in the first debate with historic margins over the president two weeks ago. tonight's town hall setting and format is more informal than the last debate, but overhanging this evening are political developments of the past 24 hours. secretary of state, hillary clinton yesterday, seemed to try to take full responsibility for the terrorist attacks in benghazi five weeks ago sparring and shielding the president from first time criticisms, but then secretary clinton spent a goodly amount of time afterwards walking back the degree of responsibility she apparently intended to assume with her statements. >> i'm responsible for the state department for the more than

60,000 people around the world. the decisions about security assets are made by security professionals, and we knew there were security breaches and problems throughout libya that was something that came about as the aftermath of the revolutions that toppled gadhafi with so many militias formed, so many weapons loose, and it was taken intoing the by the security professionals making their assessments. lou: it is clear tonight that secretary clinton is taking only broad speedometer for the department of state and the 60,000 men and women, as she put it, who work there. as if on cue, last night, u.n. ambassador, susan rice, also chose to break her silence for the first time since appearing on five sunday talk shows the weekend after that attack. she made the notoriously wrong

assertion about the cause of the benghazi attacks stating repeatedly the attack was spontaneous, not premeditated, spawned by a reaction to an internet video. today, she blamed, in fact, her false statements on the intelligence community. rice telling the washington post her statements originated from a seven point talking points prepared by the administration by intelligence officials. the washington post reporting the white house turned to rice to, quote, "make the administration's case on the benghazi attack because it made sense to have a top diplomat speak to the loss of the u.s. ambassador." the white house ordered rice to go before the campus of five television shows, and she had not appeared on television in more than a year and a half, and ambassador rice had never appeared on more than one network show on any given day.

the question remains why was ambassador rice suddenly dispatched by the administration? why was secretary of state clinton not dispatched? why was no one from national security sent? the president goes into tonight's debate with those questions unanswered, likely to be repeated in the town hall. the president is likely to take some measure of just how frustrated americans are with the administration's lack of response to the benghazi attacks, and the president, today, did make it clear that he still doesn't want to answer questions on benghazi. >> how are you doing all tonight? >> feeling fabulous. >> what are you -- [inaudible] >> hope you enjoy the weather. are you aware that we voted for you yesterday? >> thank goodness. >> [inaudible] lou: turned out to be a nice day for a walk, and perhaps, a nice

evening for answers. we'll see. we take all of that up tonight and much more. coming up, an incredibly important debate for president obama, governor romney, and, of course, the nation. the author of "the amateur" is with us tonight, and the campaign strategist, and "wall street journal" senior economic writer, steven moore, and naomi wolf are among our guests. may have accidently or intentionality further confounded the search for truth with the initial claims of responsibility last night for benghazi, but the claims shifted like the story itself of the administration's role in the benghazi tragedy. to assess whether this is a massive coverup as some claim or the failings of well-intentioned government officials as secretary clinton put it, fog of war, and how all of this will

play in tonight's presidential debate, author of the new york times best seller, "the amateur," and fox news political analyst, joe trippy, who is at hofstra university at the site of the important debate. let me first, joe, go to you, and as the sense there, for the debate, the stakes are high for the president. is there any special element in the atmosphere there? your thoughts? >> no, there's a lot of anticipation here. ewe can feel it. a lot more, i think, energy and excitement than even the first debate. i mean, i think again a rematch or, you know, round two, whatever you want to call it, but, look, a lot more is at stake here. as much as romney had to turn last time around in the first debate, lou, the stakes are high for the president this time. he can't have the same repeat performance. hoose got to come back, and --

he's got to come back, and in a new arena with the town hall, it's a little bit more aggressive. it will be very, very interesting. lou: the stakes are rising. the economy is still in the 1.3% gdp growth, and this economy's stubbornly refusing to create jobs, 23 million people unemployed, under employed, folks just giving up on ever finding works, and the case against the administration in benghazi seems to worsen by the day, even efforts to clarify, if that's what the efforts were, seem only to combat it. the role here of secretary clinton, can you clarify at all for us tonight? >> i'll try. you know, just before i came op your show, i spoke to a member of hillary's legal staff. this staff has been working for

weeks to try to come to a decision on how to handle this in a way for her reputation and wouldn't prevent her from running for president in 2016. lou: you're referring to the ben benghazi attacks and her response to them or the administration's? >> the entire benghazi question. when david axelrod went on fox and said it was the state department's responsibility, and therefore hillary clinton's. she even told the white house she was thinking of resigning. it got to that point. ultimately, they decided that this legal team not to go that way after they reviewed the cable traffic to and from benghazi, and this is what i discover. the cable traffic, and i'm careful about this because i took notes when i was speaking to a member of the legal team,

the cable traffic will ultimately show that hillary clinton gave specific orders, and if the orders were carried out, which they weren't, they could have conceivably avoided this disaster. lou: and yet, ed, secretary state clinton taking at least broad responsibility for what happened last night, but then very carefully not accepting responsibility for which was a lack of security as they were killed, and in terrorist attacks on that date. why does she step forward just about 24 hours ago? >> you know, beyond the human tragedy, there is a political scrimmage going on between the obamas and the clintons over who is going to take ultimate

responsibility for this, and this can have huge impact over the debate and the next 21 days of the campaign. lou: joe, you heard ed's report here. your thoughts, your reaction. >> well, look, if they said that hiilary clinton ordered and felt it didn't happen, i mean, that investigation's going to fall out, why didn't it happen? she's doing the right thing here. i don't think it's -- i mean, look, everything's politics, but the fact is she was really saying that prior anything about not beefing up security or the right security was not there or why things were not handled better, that's her desk. the rest of it, and then she didn't have anything. that was not her responsibility,

and i think there has to be answers to that, but i think hillary clinton did a standup thing here by taking responsibility for the security. the other side of this is, look, i think she's wrong. i don't think -- whoever the source was that said had they followed her orders, this thing would have been repelled, i don't believe that. from my reading of the two state department individuals who did the briefing for the press october 9th, there was no thought -- i mean, a platoon maybe, but no security diplomatic security agents could have -- a number of them could have repelled that attack. that's important here. diplomatic security agents are a high thing. the professionals who protect @%e dignitaries are, you know, you read that report, bravely they showed that night, and what i experienced with the people who protect those folks, they deserve better, but i'm not sure

that anything we do normally would have. in other words, what i'm saying was, look, we had to redo airport security after 9/11. lou: what you're really saying is it was a failure not only of security, which is -- can be imposing uneffective, is typically not a large force -- >> right. lou: usually an attachment of ma reaps and the fact -- marines, and the fact to guard our embassies and consulates, but you're really saying it's a failure of intelligence because we had no way to prepare or react; correct? >> yeah. there's a lot of -- lou, marines don't guard consulate entities. that's a misnomer. it's diplomatic security that does that. it's a small team of five to 16 people, and i just don't see how we -- we have to rethink how we do security. lou: before we get into that,

the big questions really destroy here, i think, the important questions. i mean, what question is why wasn't there security? why in the world wasn't there intelligence? why in the world suspect this administration five weeks later being forthcoming about what happened and why and for that matter, ed, why is it that we're not seeing these cables leak because it would seem to be if it was in the secretary's interest, she would or a supporter within the state department as pristine as it is and values -- >> i think they will be leak. i think we'll see that in the coming days. i was thinking as you and joe were talking, if george w. bush were in the white house today, and this had happened in benghazi, this country would have had been tapered with head lines in the new york times, the washington post, everything, about george bush's administration should take credit -- should take blame for

this. this is not happening yet, and a ought to happen. lou: joe, in terms of the debate, focusing on the difficult issues of the economy, do you believe that we're going to see significant questions develop tonight around the very issues that we have been discussing here that ed has reported from the clip -- clinton camp from within the state department and personal staff? >> lou, if you were the moderator, and it was a moderated debate, i think it would happen. i just don't know what the 12 undecided individuals, you know, gallop put the group of folks together in the town hall to ask questions. they may need, you know, ask about jobs, about energy, about, you know, all kinds of things. it may not be front and center, and they may not know what hillary clinton said hours ago. lou: all right, as always, thank you very much.

great evening ahead for us all, especially you, joe, in hofstra. we appreciate it. ed, joe, thank you very much. we'll be following up. much more on tonight's debate, hillary clinton's declaration of responsibility on benghazi will play, taking up that with the a-team. stay with us. we're coming right back. >> president obama ordered the raid and to kill bin laden. a new book details the unprecedented hunt and mission that led to the death of bin laden, but not everyone wanted the president to order the attack. author of the new book "the finish: the killing of osama bin laden" joins us. president obama talk about fair share, and governor romney wants to cut taxes for everyone. author of the new book "who's the fairest of them all," joins us to talk money and politics.

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lou: vice president biden touting the operation that killed bin laden on the campaign trail, but a new book reveals the vice president was opposed to that raid saying it could cost the president a second term if not successful. joining me now, national correspondent for the at lap tick, new york new york best selling author, the new book "the finish: the killing of osama bin laden," and you will recognize mark as the author of "black hawk down," great to have you here. >> thank you, lou. lou: start with the first congratulations on the book, outstanding. i want to get, quickly, your reaction to what's going on with benghazi, just your reaction. >> well, i just think it reflects the tremendous tumult

in that part of the world. i don't think anyone, including those living there, know what's coming. they are in the process of trying to sort things out. tragic incident, i know that the level of security that we provide diplomats, particularly consulates around the world, is more geared towards keeping them out of harm's way than meeting force with force, and so if someone -- lou: it's a light force indeed? >> a light force, and meant to be -- diplomats don't want to be surrounded by tanks and armour personnel carriers. it's a big risk going into these places. lou: big risk, the president took one going after bin laden as you documented in your book, and i'll hold it up. it's always -- i like it "the finish: the killing of osama bin laden," the revelation, your rev lyings that vice president biden

was not so sure about this idea because whatever he appears on the bully pulpit of any sort, bully or otherwise. >> he did it fairly soon after this, but he was the one person who opposed launching the raid. you know, you're right, he really does give the president a tremendous amount of credit for doing it. i think he feels it because the president didn't take his advice. lou: good thing for everyone he did not. the idea that this mission took so long, the rumors that took far too long to get to this point, and that he was sort of coerced in the view of so many into that proximity and that time to do it, did he really have a choice? >> the president? i think that he had an opportunity and an enormous amount of conflict on the part

of the military and intelligence community and advisers, it would have been, i think, harder for him to decide not to do it than to do it. lou: your conversation with the president, i find it interesting he let you know clear hi that he believed a trial would have been appropriate, diffused whatever reaction that would have been in the muslim world by demonstrating due process in american commitment to justice. was it his preference to be taken alive? >> yeah, i do. i don't think, though, that he was in a position to and did not strongly direct the seals to bring him back alive. i think he left that option to them realizing it was a very dangerous situation and riskier if you withhold fire in a, you know, a strong effort to take a captain so i don't think there was a very strong directive in,

you know, to the men on the ground, but i think that is what the president, himself, would have preferred. lou: good to see you. >> thank you. lou: the book is "the finish: the killing of osama bin laden," it's available everywhere, and we recommend the book. thank you very much for being here. >> thank you. lou: foreign policy is not the only item on the agenda tonight. talking about what the president and the governor will be talking about. taxes and whether the rich are already paying their fair share, and president obama, he's got a woman problem sounds like, only one point ahead in the latest gallopy svettgr and h democratic pollsters whining about polling. one of the pollsters says don't even pay attention to polls. go figure. we're coming right back. 0t[h7

lou: latest polling shows governor romney leading the president by four points, 50% to 46% of unlikely voters in swing states, 12 states. a big reason for the surge in the governor's showing in the polls, the president's 18-point lead among women in swing state literally vanished. the president is up among female voters by one point, 49% to 48%. the obama campaign is certainly not pleased with that showing. they are now trying to discredit amongst others gallop and pew. obama pollster calling the

method gallop used to identify likelihood responses, of course, just last week, another pollster tried to argue that polls now don't matter. imagine that? a pollster saying polls don't matter. there's a man confident of his livelihood. i talked with gallop's editor-in-chief, and he stands by the poll reminding the obama camp that the complaint is illegitimate because the polling model is highly validated and recognized as such. only a personal note, it's my experience that the farther behind they get, the more loudly it complains about the polls. the obama campaign is as loud and complaining frequently as i've every seen. joining us now to discuss the shift in the female boat is author of the new book ": a --

good to have you with us. >> great to be here. lou: are you surprisedded that governor romney, the nation told by every major it seems, national liberal outlet, that the governor could never, ever do well with women. he's now tied up. >> i mean i have to say i'm shocked, but i can speak late that that's a big gender gap. lou: a number of polls. it's validated, corroborates by other polls. >> what i think we are seeing is something that makes me sad, and it's not about one party or another, but the current political situation which is that there are things terrifying to the majority of women who have mixed feelings on abortion, but want the decision to be made by them or them with their loved ones because what -- sorry -- lou: go ahead. >> what the romney campaign is masterful was talk about

romney's and ryan's position on these things. it's hard to find out from their website or from their statements the truth which is that romney would oppose rowe v. wade, and women make the decision to choose abortion or other draconian restrictions that lead to closing down planned # parenthood. lou: again, that is the vice presidential nominee and governor romney made it clear his policies will prevail. >> he said he doesn't support a woman's right to choose kept in case of rain and incest. lou: first of all, for democrats to suggest that a republican who is anti-abortion could do

anything about the issue is bizarre because -- >> it's not his decision? lieu lie correct, his decision or in his power, and the most he could do, should he roll back rowe v. wade, somehow prevail in the supreme court and actually get it done, the result is not it then goes back to the states. >> i mean, we could talk about this all night. plan the parenthood was on tv saying if romney's legislated, what happens is his own state thed policies is waim have to travel to other states, they are impoverished, and they don't have the access to basic life choices. lou: we're light years from there. >> we may not be. may be months. lou: even if romney prevails, the process takes time. it is still, as best as we can hang on to, a constitutional republic. let me ask you this.

you're so disturbed about women making a decision that you have written a book on the female anatomy, and i love the concept, as i said, the biography. women having choice means, by, god, letting them to have the choice. >> i agree. lou: you should celebrate. we all have to reserve as citizens of the great constitution of the republic, always a possibility that majority's right. sometimes -- >> i mean, of course, that's what it comes to, but look at what's happened state by state. powerful interests passing laws that are identical. lou: talking about the unions? >> talking about the -- we could talk about that, but in terms of the choice issue, io identical s saying draconian dripping away of basic health care, you know, basic civilians to choose and extend their families, something

most americans agree should be between a woman and her doctor, husband, or partner. not the government. there's a funny -- lou: all with you about the government and ngos and non-profits. thank you very much. >> thank you. lou: the book is "vagina: a new biography". we'll have more on the women's vote and the shift with the a-team coming up. a new poll has governor romney leading president obama in the battleground states. the obama campaign says the polls have deep flaws, and the poll numbers upsetting chicago and the white house next. the university of north carolina, no place for veterans. unc denies in-state tuition for a veteran of iraq. at the same time, the university considers offering in-state tuition to illegal immigrants. we're coming right back.

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lou: garo street this stocks rallied for the second day. dow jones industrial average gaining 120 points. the s&p up 15. 37 for the nasdaq. mattel, johnson & johnson, a goldman sachs drives that market higher. of sharp increase of energy prices especially gasoline. @%ty grew up following the sudden ouster of the vikram pandit. he immediately replaced by longtime executive michael corvette. and being denied in-state tuition from north carolina a school that is right now considering granting institution to illegal immigrants.

to use the mbia bill to enroll on the pembroke campus owning a home there since 2006. she did not qualify because she did not pay income tax issue was deployed to rack or at a base in texas. the sergeant appealed the decision "demeaning process that made her feel like a criminal. she was still denied. we've reached out for comment. the school said the solicitor 1.5 pages of dodge they could not comment on her particular case. we contacted to the department of veterans affairs. let me say this to the heart of university of north carolina. would of your policies are reasons you need to rethink we we're doing. you are being extraordinarily badly. you of all people should be setting an example for young

people and citizens across this country. president obama thinks he is entitled to his own facts. with government bailouts. listen to him last thursday at a campaign event. >> we stabilize the banking system but we got back every dime we used to rescue the banks. lou: really? according to the cbo the very same day he was wrong. taxpayers will lose $24 billion. the cbo report released the same day that the president was making an incorrect declaration. you not hear him talk about it or mainstream media but last night obama listed one of his priorities if he wins

a second term. >> i have been in favor of the assault weapons ban. have to make sure we do better job on background checks of fire arms to not get into the hands of people who are mentally ill or with criminal records. that is the continue priority for me as president. lou: talking with nickelodeon. another hard-hitting interview. erring on the children's channel and has been march since he is actually appeared for a news conference with the work being white house press corps. if you work for abc don't make jokes about obama's being a communist. they cut a line from his show where he calls the president a communist. he said he fought to keep it

did that he thought it was funny but the network did not agree. did we say it was set to air four days before the election? maybe it is high and sensitivity. secretary clinton tries to protect the president now has to face is a point* over our. and robert zimmerman is in long island. he traveled there from the hamptons. do join us live. the 18 is next. -- the "a team" is next. from investing for the first time...

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lou: joining me now the "a team" i am especially a

grateful to have done a diet with us. it will be difficult because ellis hennican at representing the extreme left. [laughter] and also democratic strategist and robert is a man. how are you? >> the voices of reason to night. [laughter] [laughter] lou: your view to what secretary clinton it intended to do blaming the intelligence community right after the secretary seemed to take responsibility. >> tonight we know this

would be brought up and it will buy mitt romney to divert attention from the president but i have to commend herbert but in 2008 barack obama said the buck stops with me and right now he is willing to say it stops with hillary clinton and she is responsible to say i don't think it explains the enormous disconnect. lou: with president clinton in -- president obama. [laughter] david axelrod had already blamed secretary clinton by saying the responsibility for security rested with the state department. i am looking for leadership. >> hillary clinton with her comments is no ultimate the obama's m.a. acknowledge he

is the sole responsible officer i'd 88 knowledge that in the past but the issue here is taking this discussion of political discourse with a fair investigation. darrell issa shows he does not care about investigating the politics. lou: that sounded bipartisan. with bill mar the communist? >> i did not say that. [laughter] this discussion belongs with serious investigations. >> you could make jokes like 10 up. >> he can debate the law at the same time. >> believe me at all believe the travesty should be the subject of a comedy show and darrell issa showed poured

judgment. >> i did watch the show. he was not being funny. i think he was educating the viewers who were not currently informed. lou: months turn to the daily poll romney is up nationally. are you surprised? >> no. clearly since the first ave there has been a surge. i was coulda recommend be careful about doing your a victory dance over oneepoll. [laughter] >> it is tempting way your guy is doing well to say

that proves everybody has come to my position. >> i cannot be too sineappreciar guidanceand cautious statements protecting us from hubris. [laughter] we are coming right back with the "a team." we will find out what is going on at hofstra university. one viewer has come up with a capital summation. we will be right back. you see us bank on busier highways. on once empty fields.

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lou: we are back with the "a

team". robber is a red at the scene of the debate tonight what i expectations? will we see a much improved democrats to 98? >> we will see obama's show a polls. lou: thais the high standard. >> we will see a great energy. the town hall meeting the challenge is not about the and obama to show the sharp differences with governor romney and he will speak to nin committed voters and how he can elate

to them even though they don't belong to hscountry club. lou: wt about t? >> that comes with a job. >> four obama's he can connect with working people he needs to get the favorable side while driving a sharp difference. lou: you will have quite a beating there. viewers will join us throughout the evening thank you for being here. robert half's to go before the lockdown. i know you dismiss the polls because they don't favor your candidate now. [laughter]

are you expecting a different president obama to show up? >> yes. one with more energy. maybe not quite the grin but he has proven himself better barack obama it does have more. lou: the polls show that this governor is now a fraction ahead. >> he talks about the of romney painted by a but mainstream media not during the last debate. lou: they can resolve this this evening. we will do one more time. of big week for the

clintons. you'll love what you here.a litr we will be right back. you know, working, working, working, woing, working, working. and now you're talking about, well you know, i won't be, ani get the chance to spend more time with my wife and my kids. it's my world. that's my world. ♪

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i wouldn't trade him for the world. who matters most to you says the most about you. massmutual is owned by our policyholders so they matter most to u if you're caring for a child with special needs, our innovative special care program offers strategies that can help. lou: har orld wrote in to say, first bill saves the convention now hillary saves the week, taking responsibility for benghazi, obama is running out of clintons, i wonder what they will ask of chelsea. casey said, can anyone on media follow the libya chain of lives

o