last year didn't come from events beyond our control. it came from a debate in washington over whether the united states would pay its bills or not. who benefited from that fiasco? i talked tonight about the deficit of trust between main street and wall street but the divide between this city and rest of the country is just as bad. it seems to get worse every year. some of this has to do with corrosive influence of money and politics. so together let's take steps to fix that. send me a bill that bans insider trading by members of congress. i will sign it tomorrow. [ applause ] let's limit any official from

owning stocks in industries they impact. let's make sure that people that bundle campaign contributions for congress can't lobby congress and vice versa. an idea that has bipartisan support, at least outside of washington. some of what is broken is the way congress does business these days. a simple majority is no longer enough to get anything, even routine business passed through the senate neither party has been blameless in these tactics. now, both parties should put an end to it. [ applause ] for starters, i ask them to pass a simple rule, that all judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up or down vote

within 90 days. [ applause ] >> the executive branch also needs to change. too often it's inefficient, outdated and remote. [ applause ] >> that is why i asked the congress to granted me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy so it's more responsive to the needs of the american people. [ applause ] >> finally none of this can happen unless we also lower the temperature in this town. we need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction, the politics

is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building common consensus. i'm a did democrat but i believe what republican abraham lincoln believed. the government should do for people only they can't do better by themselves and no more. [ applause ] >> that is why my educational reform offers more control for schools and states. that is. >> we're getting rid of regulations that don't work. that is why our healthcare law will be on private market, into the government program. and, even my republican friends

that complain about government spending have supporter federally financed roads and federal offices for the back home. the point is we should all want a smarter, more effective government. while we may not be able to bridge our biggest philosophical differences this year, we can make real progress. with our without this congress, i will keep taking actions that help the economy grow. i can do a whole lot more with your help. because when we act together, there is nothing the united states of america can't achieve. [ applause ] >> that is the listen we have

learned from actions add provide over the last few years. ending the iraq war has allowed us to strike decisive blows against our enemies. the al-qaeda operatives that remain are scrambling knowing they can't escape the reach of the united states of america. [ applause ] >> from this position of strength we've begun to wind down the war in afghanistan. 10,000 of our troops have come home, 23,000 more will leave by the end of this summer. this transition to afghan lead will continue and we will build and enduring partnership with afghanistan so it's never again a source of attacks against america. [ applause ] >> as the tide of war recedes, a wave of change across middle

east and africa. sudan to tripoli, a year ago khadafy was one of the longest serving dictators with american blood on his hands. to had he is gone. i have no doubt that the assad regime will soon discover the forces of changing not be reversed and human dignity cannot be denied. [ applause ] >> how this incredible transformation will end remains uncertain, but we have a huge stake in the outcome. while it's ultimately up to the people of the region to decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that have

identified our own country so well. we will stand together for violence and intimidation. we will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings, christians, muslims and jews. we mr. support to policies that will lead to strong and stable markets because tyranny is no match for liberty. we will is safeguard america's own security that threaten our citizens, our friends and our interests. look at iran. through the power of our diplomacy a world that was once divided with how to deal with nuclear program now stands as one. the regime is more isolated than ever before. the leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, as long as they shirk their responsibilities this pressure will not relent. let there be no doubt.

america is determined to prevent to keep iran from getting a nuclear weapon and i will take no options off the table to achieve that goal. [ applause ] >> but a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible ad and far better. if iran changes course and meets its obligations it can rejoin the community of nations. the renewal of american leadership can be felt across the globe. our oldest alliances in europe and asia are stronger than ever are ties to the americas are deeper. our ironclad commitment, ironclad to israel's security has meant the closest cooperation between our two countries in history.

[ applause ] we've made it clear that america is specific power and new beginning in burma has lifted a new hope. from the coalitions we built to secure nuclear material to missions we've led against hunger and disease, from blows we have dealt our enemies to enduring moral example, america is back. anyone who tells you otherwise, anyone who else you that america is in decline or that our influence has waned doesn't know what they are talking about. [ applause ]

the message from leaders around the world that are eager to work with us. that is not how people from tokyo to berlin and opinions of america are higher than years. yes, the world is changing. no, we can't control every event, but america remains the one indispensable nation in world affairs. as long as i'm president i intend to keep it that way. [ applause ] >> that is why working with our military leaders, i proposed a new defense strategy that ensures that we maintain the finest military in the world, while saving nearly half a trillion dollars in our budget. to stay one stead ahead of our adversaries. i sent this congress that will

secure our country from the growing dangers of cyberspace. [ applause ] >> above all, freedom endures because the men and women in uniform who defend it. [ applause ] as they come home, we must serve them as well as they have served us. that includes giving them the care and benefits they have

earned which is why we've increased annual d.a. spending every year since i've been president, v.a. spending. >> and it means in enlisting the veterans in the work of rebuilding our nation. with the bipartisan support of this congress, we provide new tax credits for companies that hire vets. michelle and joe biden has worked with american businesses to secure a pledge of 135,000 jobs for veterans and their families. tonight i'm proposing a veterans job corps that will help our communities hire veterans as firefighters and cops so america is as strong. [ applause ]

>> which brings me back to where i begin. those of us who have been sent here to serve can learn a thing or two from the service of our troops. when you put on that uniform, it doesn't matter if you are black or white, asian or latino or native american, conservative, liberal, rich, poor, gay, straight. when you are marching into battle you look out for the person next to you or the mission fails. when you are in the thick of the fight, you rise or fall as one unit serving one nation leaving no one behind. now, one of my proud evident possessions the flag the field

team took with them on niogh get bin laden. on it are each of their names. some may be democrats. some may be republicans, but that doesn't matter. just like it didn't matter in the situation room. i sat next to bob gates, a man who was george bush's defense secretary and h club clinic, a woman who ran against me for president. all that matter that day was the mission. no one thought about politics. no one thought about themselves. one of the young men involved in the raid later told me he didn't deserve credit for the mission. it only succeeded he said because every single member of that unit did their job. the pilot who landed the helicopter who spun out of

control, the translator who kept others from entering the compound. the troops who separated the women and children from the fight, the feerld seals who charged up the stairs. more than that the mission only succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other. you can't charge up those stairs in the darkness and to danger unless you know that there is somebody behind you watching your back. so it is with america. each time i look at that flag i'm reminded that our dedication any is stitched together like those 50 stars and 13 stripes. no one built this country on their own. this nation is great because we built it together. this nation is great because we worked as a team.

this nation is great because we get each other's back and we moment of truth there is no challenge too great, no mission too hard. as long as we are joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve our journey moves forward and our future is hopeful and the state of our union will always be strong. thank you, god bless you. god bless the united states of america! >> brett: president obama's last speech lasted 56 minutes. he said the state of the union is getting stronger. he insisted the american dream is under attack and the administration wants to restore the economy where everyone gets a fair shot and everyone plays by the same rules. he really went weaved throughout

the speech. he proposed anybody that makes million dollar a year should pay a minimum tax rate of 30%. he reiterated a call for comprehensive immigration reform. as he has done in previous addresses, he pledged to cut red tape but in an expansive proposal he introduced a program for homeowners to refinance at lower interest rates. covering both loans issued by fannie mae and freddie mac and private bank lenders. under this plan, any homeowner current on his or her mortgage could take advantage of lending rates 4% or below. congressional support may be tough. he proposed using half of the savings from wide wind down the wars for infrastructure and fixing roads and building high speed rail projects, on a move that had many budget watchers raising eyebrows. let's see if we can hear the president as he exits.

>> thank you so much. good to see you, brother. family good? thank you. thank you. thank you. appreciate it. thoong you. >> good job. >> how are you doing? which way am i going. good to see you. thank you so much. looking forward to working on it.

>> brett: you heard hillary clinton, that was the best speech, well done, president. he called for plans for the saf >> the president is directing directing the department of defense, talked to leon panetta. he is directing to make the largest renewable energy purchase in history for some 3 million homes by the end of 2012. he did not mention the word keystone excel oil pipeline. his administration rejected to the dismay of republicans and some democrats and union leaders.

. >> i'm going tell them to get it done. >> outstanding. >> brett: that was senator scott brown. he was saying that harry reid is going to move the bill that the president mentioned to his desk very soon. that is the bill about insider trading in congress preventing that. he did call for building consensus and cited abraham lincoln. the question is, whether this speech shows any signs of change in what republicans often call a big government administration? he insisted america is back and said anyone who says that america is in decline doesn't know what they are talking about. ending with the story of killing of osama bin laden and the

military success. listen as the president leaves the hall and i'll bring in the panel. >> okay. hope we get a chance to work together. thank you so much. >> thank you, mr. president. thank you. we got to keep it going. >> brett: let's reintroduce our panel. brit hume, amy stodard and charles krauthammer.

charms? >> i was struck by two aspects of the speech. first it was less partisan than i would have expected. the speech in kansas city last april. he tried to be bipartisan. there were a couple of illusions to republican obstruction. but i think he struck the right tone for the state of the union address and didn't open up to attacks. other thing i thought was interesting in how the narrowness of the vision he presented compared to what it was four years ago. when he was candidate of hope and change. he was a man that would heal the earth and prevent the oceans from rising. he was a man after his inauguration where he wanted to change american education, energy and health care. here he is in a speech that was

instance of a tweak in tax code here, a program here. a new department or committee here that had a lot of aspect of the late clinton administration. the one area where he spoke forcibly fli and dramatically was on raising the taxes on the rich. that was sort of the only aspect of the speech but in other respects, it's a repeat of the decade of debate over the bush tax cuts. other than that, it's hard to say what exactly does he want for the country in the next year and next term. that i think he hasn't answered. alley do that when he starts his swing around the states tomorrow. >> i thought that he made sort of traditional calls for unity and very moving one at the end.

he took credit where we expected him to on events in libya, iraq and right hand and the killing of khadafy. he had good news about manufacturing and oil production is up and auto industry is back but i noticed the feisty tone how he is not going to back down. he tried to defend solyndra, which received a government loan guarantee and now controversy for him. he tried to push the theemgs of clean energy again and again, not surprising that charles' point he is displaying small ball. he passed sweeping healthcare reform and sweeping package that are not popular. he is not going to discuss them and he is not going to discuss that and the economy and how much trouble remaining very

dangerously high unemployment. he is trying to change the subject so these small initiatives are going to continue even though he knows that a new financial crimes unit and other things are not likely to come to pass. you don't think that congress is likely going to be on board with. >> i've covered about 35 of these things i thought there were murderous assignment for any president. for one thing they are too long and for certain political reasons, they need to be because there is multiple bases must have their places touched. i think the president is always in a position where he is trying to portray his achievements as greater than people may think they are and down play the things that haven't gone well. he made a reasonable case he spoke with his poise and polish

and that enthusiasm, where he comes to a whisper and pushes his voice that some people find effective. all in all he did a workman type job and it was fine but laundry list of programs. they are always too long. in the end i'm not speaking about this president's decision but state of the union address fend to be boring. >> brett: let's check in with mike emanuel who is on capitol hill. a preview of governor mitch daniels. your thoughts. >> an interesting choice in mitch daniels, second term in indiana he has done a good job in terms of making it more friendly in terms of job creation, taken it from deficit to surpluses and mitch daniels is not part of that issue.

he is not part of that drama. striking, we were at breakfast with house speaker john boehner. he insisted the personal relationship with president obama is good the professional veap strikingly bad at this point. speaker boehner says he has not spoken to the president in over a month. he has given up governing as of last labor day and only priority is extending the payroll tax cut boehner describes it as trying to work out with a deal that never negotiated before. pretty striking donate from the speaker of the house. what may get accomplished between the capitol hill between now and the next election. >> brett: mike, where lawmakers come afterwards to spin what they sau thought about the state of the union address. we'll head back as necessary as we get some of that reaction. governor mitch daniels, a

governor of indiana and turned that economy around once thought to be really a star, a hope for the republican party and the presidential race. he is now said he is not going to run even though there are still people within the republican party saying he should still throw thinks into the ring. he will be answering specifically the charges of class war if a fare. republican response delivered by mitch daniels. he'll speak from the auditorium change from the war memorial building in indianapolis. obviously a red state. here is a governor daniels. >> greetings from the home of superbowl 46. status of opposition imposes those out of power some responsibilities. to show a presidency to ex treasury agreement where it exists. republicans tonight salute our

president for instance his aggressive pursuit of the murderers of 9/11 and bravely backing changes in public education. i would add to that list to admiration to the strong family commitment that he and the first lady have displayed. on this evening, presidents seek to find a sunny side of our national condition. when president obama claims that the state of the union is anything but grave he must know in his heart this is not true. he did not cause the economic and fiscal crisis that continue in america tonight. but he was elected on a promise to fix them and he cannot claim that the last three years have made anything but worse. the percentage of americans with a job is the lowest in decades. one in five men have prime working age and nearly half of all persons under 30 did not go to work today. in three short years and unprecedented explosion of

spending with borrowed money has added trillions to an already unaffordable national debt. yet the president hats put us on a course to make it radically worse in the years ahead. the federal government now spends one of every four dollars of the entire economy. it borrows one of three dollars it spends. no nation, no entity large or small can thrive for surviving that with debts as huge as ours. the president's grand experiment in trickle down government has held back rather than sped economic recovery. he seems to sincerely believe he can build a middle-class out of government jobs paid for with borrowed dollars. in fact, it works the other way. a government is big big as this one is maintained on the backs of middle-class. those that were punished by the three years are those unemployed

or underemployed and they have abandoned the search for work altogether. and young people have been tragically alarmed by this economy. as republicans our first concern is for those waiting tonight to begin or resume the climb up like ladder we do not accept that our nation will be a nation of haves and have nots. we must be a nation of haves and soon to be haves. >> we're a short distance behind greece and spain now facing economic catastrophe. but ours is a fortunate land. because the world uses our dollars for trade we have a short grace period to deal with our dangers. the time is running out so to avoid the state of europe and once great nations of history that fell from the position of world leadership.

for 2012 is year of true opportunity, maybe our last to restore an america of hope and upward mobility and greater equality. the challenges aren't matters of etiology or party preference. the problems are mathematical and the answers are purely practical. an open six that would earn it's a way back to leadership is not just criticism of failures but a positive and credible plan to make life better, particularly nor those as preirg to make a better life themselves. republicans accept this duty gratefully. to reach back to an america of promise and to america that can pay its bills, start in the same place. the only way up for those suffering tonight and the only way out of the dead-end of debt is a private economy that begins to grow and create jobs, real jobs at a much faster rate than

today. contrary to the president's constant disparagement of people in business, this is one of noblest human pursuits. late steve jobs created more of them than all the stimulus dollars that the president borrowed. out here in indiana, when a business asking asks me, what can i do, first assay make money. be successful. if you make a profit you can hire someone else. the extremism that stifles the development of home-grown energy or cancels a perfectly safe pipeline that would employ tens of thousands or jacked up utility bills for no improvement for world temperature must be replaced by a pro-growth approach. calls all close ones in favor of

private sector jobs that restore opportunity for all and gin rate the public revenues to pay our bills. that means a dramatically simpler tax systems of fewer loopholes and lower rates. a pause in the expensive regulations that devour dollars that otherwise could be used to hire somebody. it means maximize miez can on the new domestic energy technology that is the best break our economy has gotten in years. there is a second item on our national must do list. we must unite to maintain the safety net. medicaid and had social security has served us well but after half of three-quarters of a century, it's not surprising they need some repairs. we can preserve them untouched for those now in or near retirement but we must fashion a new affordable safety net so future americans are protected,

too. decades ago we could afford to send millionaires pension checks and pay medical bills for the wealth think yest among us. now, we can't. so the dollars we have should be devoted to those that need the most. mortal enemies of social security and medicare are those are in contempt of the plain arithmetic continues to miss lead americans that we need to change nothing. these proud programs and take the american economy with them. it will mean that coming generations are denied jobts they need in their youth and protection they deserve in their later years. it's absolutely so that everyone should contribute to our national recovery including, of course, the most affluent among us. there are smart ways and dumb ways to do this. the dumb way is to raise rates in a grossly complicated tax system choking off growth

without bringing the revenues we we need. better course is to stop sending the wealthy benefits they do not need and stop providing them so many tax references that distort our economy and do nothing for our economy to foster growth. notices fair and not true for the president to attack republicans in congress as obstacles on these questions. they may alone passed bills reform entitlements and encourage job creation only to be shot down time and time again by president and extended allies. this year, it falls to republicans to level with our fellow citizens about this reality. if we fail to act to grow the private sector and save the safety net nothing else will matter much. to make such action happen, we also muts must work in the ways that republicans have not always practiced to bring americans together.

no feature of the obama presidency constant efforts to divide us to curry some and castigate go others. we americans are all in the same boat. if we drift, qearlg and paralyzed over a niagra of debt we will all suffer regardless of income, laugh, gender or other categories. if we fail to shift to a pro jobs, pro-growth economic policy they'll never be enough public revenue to pay for our safety net, national security or whatever size government we decide to have. as a loyal opposition who puts patriotism and national success ahead of party or ideology or any self-interest anyone who joins us in the cause of growth is our ally and our friend. we will speak the language of kent. let us rebuild our finances and the safety at this net and

reopen the door to the stairway upwards. any disagreements we have can wait. you know, the most troubling contention in our national life these days isn't about economics but policy. it's about us as a free people. in two alarming ways that contention we americans just can't cut it anymore. in word president says we can't handle ourselves in this perilous world without their protection. left to ourselves we may pick the wrong health insurance, wrong mortgage, wrong school for the kid and we may pick the wrong light bulb. a second view, some republicans also seem to hold is that we americans are no longer up to the job of self-government. we can't do the simple math that proves the unaffordability of

safety at this net programs for all the government we have. will fall for the con jobs we can you plow ahead and someone else will pick up tabs. we'll allow ourselves to be pitted one against the other. blaming our neighbor for worldwide trends that our own government has caused. 2012 must be the year that we move that wrong. the year we strike out boldly not nearly to avert national bankruptcy, but to the fate say to a new generation that america is still the premiere land of opportunity. republicans will speak to those that believe in the dignity and capacity of the individual citizen, who believe that government is met to serve the people rather than supervise them. who trust americans enough to tell them the plain droorth truth and to lay them before a specific credible program of change big enough to meet the emergency we are facing. we'll advance our positive

suggestions with confidence because we know that americans are still born to liberty. there is nothing wrong with the state of our union of the american people address this free born, mature citizens cannot set right. republicans in 2012 welcome our our countrymen to program of renewal that rebuild the green for all and makes our city on hill shine once again. thanks for listening. good night. >> brett: that was mitch daniels with the republican response. speaking directly to a camera in a small room without an audience. that is always a challenge the grand stage of the president's address. governor daniels who was budget director said in three short years of the obama administration there has been unprecedented explosion of spending with borrowed money adding trillions to an quote, unaffordable national debt.

it's not true for president to attack republicans as obstacles because they have passed bills to encourage job creation. only to quote, be shot down time and again by the president and his democratic senate allies. he also said the obama presidency has been they divide americans ending with a call to rebuild american dreams and making ronald reagan's city on the hill shine between did. brit, your thoughts. >> it was interesting to me in the course of his state of the union address with this whole question of national debt and entitlement programs confronting us and people worried, the president spoke about what he would be prepared to do for about a two sentence paragraph. governor daniels spoke about those issues at length. it is strike that go a republican with a tiny speech to

make would spend so much time on that issue than the president did tonight. >> brett: charles for those about the 2012 race. >> i can hear sighs all over the country with republicans. that was the best speeches i heard as a response to the state of the union. i think it was best presentations of a conservative idea against the larger government of obama. he connected jobs and debt. he also in a couple lines he took on the argument about stair share. he said the democratic ideas to raise the taxes on the rich which hurts the american economy. we would do the same thing but do it by reducing the loopholes and reforming entitlements and he carried the message. >> brett: what about you. >> i thought it was quite

impressive. issue of debt and balancing the budget in the state of indiana and very popular there in both parties. i think that he was, it was very well written. it was funny and direct. it was very impressive. >> brett: final thoughts after a quick time-out. in america, we believe in a future that is better than today. since 1894, ameriprise financial has been working hard for their clients' futures. never taking a bailout. helping generations achieve dreams. buy homes. put their kids through college. retire how they want to. ameriprise. the strength of america's largest financial planning company. the heart of 10,000 advisors working with you, one-to-one. together, for your future. ♪

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if they want "big" savings on car insurance, it's a bit like asking if they want a big hat... ...'scuse me... ...or a big steak... ...or big hair... i think we have our answer. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. >> welcome back to washington. final thoughts from our panel. brit. >> what was the single greatest priority of this president's first couple of years? obamacare. this is his third state of the union address. the subject was never mentioned, except faintly in passing. remarkable. >> well, this was what we thought it was going to be, it was a campaign speech in which he had to include the laundry

list of provisions which if we conclude congress is not interested in and is not going to be passing, he is going to take it on the road to the swing states. he is not interested in talking about obamacare or the unemployment numbers or anything else. he took credit for things he can take credit for. it was a good speech, but it won't make a difference in his relationship on capitol hill or produce major legislation. it's the beginning of the campaign swing. >> this is the example of the shrinking of the presidency. he achieved an historic change with obamacare. and i think his main intent in the second term is to hold onto it and prevent its repeal. but no initiatives. i think it was interesting how the republicans and daniels presented a case against it. it would be nice if a presidential candidate were to make himself. >> mitch daniels gets in or doesn't? >> i'm afraid not. but we could create a posse, but i think he would resist.

>> thanks for watching fox news coverage. don't forget. join me week days for special report. we will have all the news from the 2012 campaign trail, which is also, by the way, a hot story. i'll send it to greta van susteren for "on the record." >> greta: tonight, president obama's state of the union address. governing speech or campaign kickoff or both? >> we can neither settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of americans barely get by, or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot and everyone does their fair share and everyone plays by the same set of rules. [cheers and applause] >> greta: president obama draws a battle line with republicans and the g.o.p. fires back. here's indiana governor mitch

daniels. >> when president obama claims that the state of our union is anything but grave, he must know in his heart that this is not true. the president did not cause the economic and fiscal crisis that continue in america tonight. but he was elected on a promise to fix them. and he cannot claim that the last 3 years have made anything but worse. >> greta: we have both sides. republican whip kevin mccarthy and peter welch and michele bachmann in her first interview since leaving the race. first, peter welch from vermont. good evening, sir. >> good evening. >> greta: could the co-chair of the president's chair on debt and deficit was very critical of the president's speech for failing to take on debt and deficit. in fact, he says, where's the guts? are you satisfied that the president addressed those issues? or are those issues not worthy of the state of the union?

>> no, they definitely are worthy of the state of union. and the president signaled a willingness to restart those talks. i think the president had two fundamental points. one, he challenged congress to stop being the dysfunctional institution that it's been. that can be pointing the finger to republicans and democrats. whatever the problems we have to face, we won't make progress unless we do it signature. and secondly, he identified the big challenge, reviving an economy that works for the middle class. >> greta: do you think anyone at home is part of that 8.5% national unemployment listening to the state of the union tonight would feel inspired and hopeful? >> you know, i think when you are unemployed, especially for a long term, it's hard to feel inspired or hopeful about anything. so it's tough, especially with the gridlock here in d.c. when we are fighting and can't get anything done, whether you are a liberal or conservative,

republican or democrat, no one wins. one of the challenges that the president imposed on us in congress is not to use the excuse that it's an election year as a rationalization not to get things done. >> greta: hasn't congress been dysfunctional for decades, republicans and democrats not getting along? we had a president who said he could break through the gridlock, not successfully. now we have a president who says he's special, he could get through the gridlock. he hasn't. are we looking for a leader, or is there a leader who can get congress to really work together, to lead? >> you know, i think those in congress have to look in the mirror. we have an independent responsibility. you know, the role of big moan is a factor. the perpetual campaign is a factor. but each of us has a rough-and-tumble campaign, but once we get here, we have a responsibility to cooperate and not to have a perpetual campaign

machine going. >> greta: congressman, in terms of listening to the crowd with gabrielle giffords, i suppose that's very important for all members of congress tonight, a little fun for everybody, wasn't it? >> well, you know, it's astonishing. she is inspiring to all of us. she is a unifying figure. gabby is the kind of person who, when she served in congress, found common ground with the republicans and democrats. she focused on getting the job done. she is an inspiration. >> greta: congressman, thank you, sir. >> thank you! >> greta: congresswoman michele bachmann wanted to take president obama's job. three weeks ago, she dropped out of the race, but she still wants president obama out of the white house. tonight for the first time since suspending her campaign, she's talking and here to tell you what she thought about the address. i can only guess you weren't wholly satisfied. but let me try to go to the positive. is there anything you can zero

in on the president's speech that was inspiring and hopeful to you for the american people? >> i think it was inspiring to hear all the praise given to our brave men and women in uniform. that occurred at the top of the speech, at the bottom of the speech. i think all of us recognize that osama bin laden's capture happened because of the bravery of seal team 6. we will never be able to fully repay that debt to them. we are extremely grateful to our brave men and women in uniform. >> greta: do you get the sense that the president was lecturing congress or reaching out and saying let's work together on the very serious problems? >> it -- some of his language may have appeared, greta, like he was reaching out. but there was no reaching out. there was no new ground that was forged tonight. what we saw was a lot of the same old same old. we saw a fan dance that the president was giving because he didn't want to talk about what people are upset about. they are upset about obamacare.

they are upset about not being able to access credit and their houses underwater. you didn't hear a lot about job creation. what he did defend was the silondra's of the world and he intends to have more coming. in fact, he was very proud of the fact that the federal government will be the producer of green energy and also the consumer of green energy. that's essentially socialism. we saw more of the same. his agenda and that's what he intends to do going forward. >> greta: what, though, i am trying to think, in listening to the president's peach and other presidents in past years, i am trying to think here, what do we really expect of a president tonight? we are not going to get a change in the tax code. he says he wants it. but we are not going to get anything done. what do you see as the purpose of the state of the union? >> for the president, it was very clear t. came from the administration before. this is their campaign kickoff.

it was the speech he gave in kansas and now this is the follow on to that. so he is laying down the issues he will advocate, amnesty for illegal aliens, passing more magnets and benefits for illegal aliens, more government money for private businesses, but also more government programs that he intends to create. there really wasn't a lot of new ground here. and what is very sad, greta, people truly want to see the economy changed. republicans, i think would love to work with the president to make sure we can grow the economy. but what did the president fail to do? y there is no call for reducing the corporate income tax on job creators. there is no call for that. in fact; the president wantsab alternative minimum tax and everyone hates that. >> now to to the race, is this r first interview since you suspended your campaign, i appreciate that you are here to talk about the state of the union.

>> always a pleasure. >> greta: do you intend to endorse, and when? >> i don't have any intention right now. but i keep in contact with the candidates on a regular basis. we got to know each other, we like each other. i spoke with rirk santorum today and mitt romney today and newt gingrich today. i enjoy speaking with them on a regular basis. i intend to continue to do so. i will be standing with our eventual nominee and calling our party to come together. you haven't heard the end of my voice on the campaign trail because i will be standing and working on behalf of our nominee. >> greta: what do you make of what many people say was blood on the floor between speaker gingrich and governor romney? i am sure you have seen the debates and the ads have been wicked. >> i think the florida contest will be a decisive one. of course, this will be state number 4 out of 50. so there is a long way to go.

this is in all likelihood, this could be a very long process. but again, people have whiplash, watching -- going between the candidates and watching the numbers go up and down. this could go on for a long time, but it may be over after florida. who knows? that's why we are paying rapt attention. >> the 20 seconds we have left, is it bad or good for the party that it's an aggressive battle between the candidates? >> the focus does need to be on barack obama. but let's not forget, there will be no stone unturned by the obama re-election campaign. they will sniff out everything. we might as well get it out now and deal with the issues because we have to focus on how our positive message of turning the country around. we have one because we didn't hear one tonight from the president. no job creation stories from this president. that's what our nominee will have to tell the american people. >> greta: congresswoman, thank you. >> good to be with you, greta.

>> greta: house majority whip kevin mccarthy joins us. good evening. >> good evening. thanks for having me. >> greta: i noticed when the president entered, your part of the leadership coming in after him, did you have a chance to speak with him before he entered the chamber? >> the escort committee goes behind and we had a little conversation about the time away. we talk a lot about family at the same time. then we try to have a discussion about ways we can move this country forward without a political speech being shot at you. >> greta: did you get a political speech being shot at you? >> yeah, we did. it was a -- it was a class warfare speech almost. i mean, the president talks about energy independence with all of the above, then he has cancelled the keystone pipeline of 20,000 jobs, sending oil to china instead of to america. this is -- >> greta: did you expect him to

address specifically keystone in his speech? >> i had hoped to because how are we going to move forward in the process when we are talking about jobs? his speech was calling the built to last. but you cannot change this, so you put us in last place. america has to be competing worldwide. we can't do that without an energy policy that lets us be independent. >> greta: did you see any gestures to him to reach out to you, whether in the chamber or before, to both give a little? >> look, i will tell you, every time we go back to that room, never once has he tried to reach to work on legislation. it's a bipartisan group. you will have democratic senators who talk to us. here, we had a payroll debate, we wanted to did it for a year, so he did and he picked the side with the democrats. look, this country is hungry for leadership, takingitous the next place, letting americans compete

worldwide. >> greta: was there any softening in the room before? did you see any opening where there could be a discussion between and you the president? >> no. we have discussions. but you try to go in depth. we are having an open discussion. he starts out talking about the break, the family, and then we try to go into the process. how can we work together? how can we move legislation right now? think of t. it is the state of the union. but it is also the anniversary of a thousand days where the senate has not produce aid budget. how can you move forward if you don't have a plan? why can't the president from one standpoint, he can argue with us where he thinks we are wrong, but why doesn't he say the senate, you could have written the constitution 58 times and built two entire state buildings, but you can't produce a budget? >> greta: congressman, thank you, sir. >> thanks for having me. >> greta: thank you for being with us tonight. we will see you tomorrow night at our regular time,