>> production assistance for "inside washington" was provided by allbritton communications and "politico," reporting on the legislative, executive, and political arena. >> some of you need to man up and spend political capital to support the tea party candidates. >> i would rather be in opposition than theirs. >> this week on "inside washington," counting down to the midterm elections. >> there are a lot of people in washington, d.c., saying, "you know what? it cannot be done," just like in 2008.

>> you can no longer take us for granted. don't vote. >> with democrats on the vote, bill clinton to the rescue? >> it is true that we did not get you out of this hole in 21 months. at least be stopped digging. >> and the wife of a clarence thomas telephones anita hill 19 years later to ask for an apology. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> hello, i'm mark shields, sitting in this week for gordon peterson. if the pollsters are correct, a republican wave is cresting and the gop is poised take the house. the spotlight is shining on the senate. races are tight everywhere. jeanne cummings, what it is

coming for november 2? >> hung jury and the senate, republican win in the house. >> colby king? >> i agree with jeanne. what is surprising is that this stage a week and half before the election, they're playing defense, with the president trying to establish a fire wall in states that should be saved. >> nina? >> there is some evidence that democrats are coming home, but it is not enough. i agree with jeanne, it is very tight. >> charles? >> the peasantry will rise and they ever did rules will be humiliated. -- the elegant rulers will be humiliated -- african rulers will be humiliated. >> -- arrogant rulers will be humiliated. >> republicans are going to

lose? [laughter] >> you are a little out of date. in the senate, you have four seats that are going to switch for sure, about six or seven absolute tossups. likely, unless the republicans draw a straight, which is unlikely, they are one vote short in the senate. >> colby king, the battleground states, nev., certainly, harry reid fighting for his life against sharron angle. >> he is, barbara boxer is fighting for her life in california, patty murray is alive but maybe not well in the state of washington. it is a tough time. i never expected to see such a strong -- at least it appeared to be strong at some point -- and, in such bad shape. -- incumbency in such bad shape. >> that is where they are

spending that tree, resources. if they hold those seats, they told the senate. the eastern seats are problematic and may go republican. if two of them republican, washington and nevada, it is a republican senate. >> and there are weird things happening in the east. pencil and a, which we thought three weeks ago was going to be a -- pennsylvania, which we thought three weeks ago was going to be a republican pick- up, looks tight now. there is some movement, probably not enough to save russ feingold, but some movement there. i confess that there are things going on out there that are -- that i cannot quite figure out. >> jeanne cummings, colorado, a purple state that colorado car -- that obama carried. that is a battleground. his home senate seat, alexi giannoulis against mark kirk,

the republican, that is in the balance, too. >> illinois is what strikes many people who have watched that race very carefully -- kirk should be running away with that race, and is not. that is an oddity when we look at it. one of the reasons a lot of these races have tightened up is that democrats were laid to engage. the wait until after labor day to start going on television. in pennsylvania, for instance, the democrats' pac has very hard-hitting ads against the republican toomey, who in august had the race to himself. that is when the race open a really quiet on the republican side, and it has -- tightened up a has and opened up release wjla.com -- wide on the republican side and now it has tightened a bit. bad news for the democrats is that there seems to be a surge by republicans that democrats

hope would not happen. that is tied to the braces that democrats -- that has tightened up raises the democrats had started to flip. >> this ad, "don't vote," despite that the conservative reported -- is by a conservative group. >> democratic leaders must pay for their broken promises and trails. if we keep supporting them this november, they will keep playing games with our future and take our vote for granted don't vote this november. this is the only way to send a clear message. you can no longer take us for granted. don't vote. >> colby king, is this -- excuse may. is this a first in american politics, a member of a minority group is urging fellow minority voters not to vote? >> i cannot speak for all

minorities. i have never did this before. this is another example of a voter suppression, the most blatant what we have seen, anti-democrat when they say "don't vote." anti-democrats or anti- democratic. this is beyond the pale. they cannot keep democratic voters away from poles in, say, nev.. >> that is where this to play, it did play in nevada, and harry reid's election strategy relies on a lot of latino -- >> the idea that is suppression is complete nonsense. that involves the use of the authority of government in preventing a vote. this is advice to not go out and vote -- >> no -- >> secondly, what is unique is

that in broadcasting, out of all the races in the the country, you'd showed one that did not appear on television. >> let's get the definitions clear. suppression is not talking about the government's and did republicans up and telling people not to vote -- suppression is not talking about the government's hand. republicans have been telling people not to vote on tuesday, but on wednesday, that they will check your registration. all these things have been done by republicans over the years. >> and what was shown is not of that. it does not give a wrong date of the election or to say that you have a literacy requirement it's as don't vote. you are and adultery you can go or not. -- you are and adults. you can go or not. i defend ads that tell you to

use -- >> don't vote -- a "don't vote" ad is acceptable? >> let's hear from my colleagues. jeanne. >> what this demonstrates is all the outside groups that a jump in that cannot be controlled, cannot coordinate with campaigns, and that there is always a risk that one of them will overstep the line and create an issue for candidates that candidates themselves did not create. harry reid has tried to take despitthis ad and attach it to s republican opponent, sharron angle, and her candidacy with that -- hurt her candidacy with it. >> the only thing this at the list is that the choices on this show that we choose -- ad demonstrates is the forces on

this issue that we -- this show that we choose. >> charles, i am going to have to suppress you. nancy pelosi -- do you think she meant it when she said she would rather be in that position than in the republicans'? >> i cannot imagine what she is speaking out. if you look at the number of longstanding incumbents -- barney frank in massachusetts is fighting for his life. the wave is that big, and i could go to the very outside predictions -- that could go to the very outset predictions of the number of house seats lost, which would be devastating for nancy pelosi and her caucus. >> i spoke to a democratic, but political person this week -- big political person this week.

i ask, 40 seats or 90? he said, "certainly not 90." >> you mentioned the body frank race. it is an indicator of what kind of your this is did he won 15 races in a row. he led his own campaign to hundred thousand dollars -- he led his own campaign to hundred thousand dollars. -- $200,000. four years ago, 2006, he did not even have a challenger. parts of boston are very, very liberal. it is a change in the northeast, and i think -- the one place that democrats may still hang on is the west. that is why they may be making the fire wall up there. >> well, we concentrate right now -- just imagine if on

november 2 the house does the republican -- does go republican and the gavel changes from the democratic chairman to the republican chairman. barack obama is in for a very >> i cannot wait. >> that explains why the president, even though he cannot go everywhere, it is going everywhere he can in these last two weeks. his travel schedule is packed. granted, some of them are deep blue, but he can make a difference, because he still does get a bigger crowd out there, and part of the democrats' problem is getting the apathetic progress of the voters out, because those people were frustrated by the things that obama was not able to accomplish. >> two things are going on here. what is traditional, one is not. -- one is traditional, one is

not. it is a referendum on or the country is. -- on where the country is. the second thing is not traditional, the amount of money that is being spent from outside groups. i cannot tell whether people pay attention to this barrage of stuff, billions of dollars worth of advertising or you just cannot turn on the television in some of these states without -- >> this i checked a week ago. in colorado, $27 million has been spent. colorado has 2.4 million active voters. >> colby king, that amount of money can change the terms of the debate. it can overwhelm a campaign. >> absolutely. when you have a candidate who is

running for reelection, and all of a sudden as $20 million pouring into his district against them, he is going to be almost overwhelmed by that. let me push on the bro -- barrage of ads. it is going to have an effect on the margins. and it has a corrosive effect as well. >> bill clinton, the happy warrior, back in the campaign spotlight. >> i don't want see my country making mistakes. i'm old enough to remember that when you make an important decision, never mind politics about anything. when you are really mad, there is a 80% chance you will make a mistake. >> bill clinton is back in the spotlight. he is campaigning for a 60 by candidates and 95 advanced this year. -- 65 candidates and 95 events this year.

he is on stage with a blue dog democrat, with patty murray in washington state, monday in maryland and thursday with gov. martin o'malley. he is getting rough start treatment can bill clinton make a difference -- he is getting rock star treatment. and bill clinton make a difference? >> certainly the candidates think he can make a difference. he is drawing very big crowds. then they take the crowds, especially in states with early voting, and it gets the crowd to some kind of precincts of that they can pass the vote. it is a great to organize and rally around the candidacy. you can also communicate and connect with voters in very effective ways. that was a skill set he had. the candidates are hoping he can do it again. >> the connecting part is something he has been accused of lacking. bill clinton seems to epitomize

it. >> he does, and he loves it. you watched the happy warrior, and he makes you happy to be watching this exercise. it makes politics and a joyful experience, not an arduous one. if you can energize the base and get people to the focus on -- he almost electors in these things, but they are interesting economic lectures. but it is an asset and the fact it he loves it makes people want to be there. >> people say it don't go back, and then use the clinton and say, hey, i would like some of that. >> he can talk about the jobs the were treated and balanced budget that was produced. -- that were created and the balanced budget was produced. but he does not have the same things at stake as some other candidates or barack obama.

he has no job to lose. it is all gravy for him. in some places, barack obama is the asset, like california where his approval ratings are high. but he cannot go warble clinton is going these days, that is for sure. >> charles, in a truly closing year, the only bipartisan figure is -- truly polarizing year, the only bipartisan figure is bill clinton. can you explain that? >> i will not explain it because i don't agree with that. i do not share nina's rapture on seeing him on the scene. what we heard him say that if you are mad, you know what to make a decision, because it is likely to be wrong. the president said this week that there are -- they are trying to prepare a narrative to explain the upcoming democratic collapse. he said that the brain is hard wired when people are afraid to

not think straight. that is his explanation. he said that in massachusetts. preparing the story -- the country is either in a panic or angry. and thus it is going to act irrationally in rejecting the democrats. it is an opposition and a reflection of the unbelievable intellectual -- odd proposition and a reflection of the unbelievable intellectual arrogance of the democratic leadership. >> he is the only bipartisan figure who gets favorable ratings from both -- >> i took his words at which you just showed seriously and try to explain what the implication was. >> trouble in punditland. this week npr fires juan williams for comments he made on the bill reilly's fox show. >> when i get on a plane and i see people in muslim garb and

they are identifying themselves first and foremost as muslims, i get worried, i get nervous. >> that was fox commentator juan williams talking on bill o'reilly's fox show this week it got him fired from his other job at national public radio. this is a bit awkward. but what do you make of this? it got front-page play in "the new york times." nina totenberg. >> i work for npr, as you said, so i have certain opinions and will not share. but i do think that this is a very -- npr did not let people go to inaugural balls, even if they were married to somebody that was active. we put out a bulletin that you cannot go to the jon stewart march. and they have had issues with juan before.

i am in the most awkward position in talking about a management decision did not agree with. >> colby king. >> he also said during the show that he questioned bill o'reilly, the most of the show -- the house of the show, not to sweep to broadly on muslims and that he would not want to make sweeping charge about christianity because of timothy mcveigh. it is a more balanced statement. certainly it was not a firing offense. but npr is now suggesting there was more to it than that. like so many things, is murky. >> charles, fox, where you are a contributor, offered juan 8 $2 million contract. >> i don't think it is murky at

all. it is a clear issue. the bigotry charge is a joke it is obvious if you heard it in context. know bigotry at all. jesse jackson once talked about the sadness he feels on the street and he hears footsteps and it turns out to be a white person. he says he is relieved. it is the kind of a feeling he says he is sad about but it is something he talked about openly. he is not a bigot. juan is not a bigot. npr came up with a second explanation could the ceo said he went over the line of npr analysts expressing opinion. i am on the set with one at least once a week. >> and mara on fox. >> i don't understand inconsistency here. she has partly and shot and unashamedly and openly -- tartly and sharply and unashamedly and

openly and she is a top correspondent there. they mentioned your status here and openly on your npr biography. and the standard ought to be lower in the case of juan because he is an analyst and nina is a correspondent. >> in the modern journalistic world, where people are asked to give opinions of the time -- all the time, if you cover stories, you may be asked to appear on television to talk about it. i think it is a very difficult line to draw. npr tries to drop it, in my view -- draw it, in my view, using rules that don't exist anymore. >> what is the difference between you and juan? it is completely illogical and hypocritical. >> it is not a question should

be made to answer. >> i think what this episode does demonstrate is the changing nature of journalism. there are a lot of blurred lines. everyone of us has to bear in mind what responsibilities and will we want to see -- >> where did juan go over the line? >> it is risky when you get on tv and sometimes you get asked a question that you don't really comfortable answering a near capacity -- >> this is highfalutin journalistic theory. where did juan go over the line? i'm defending him. he is a friend of mine. >> it was not a firing offense. that is not a question, as far as i'm concerned. >> a phone call from virginia

thomas to any help reignite the controversy. -- to a need to help reignite the controversy. she got a call this week from virginia thomas, the wife of clarence thomas. she is looking for an apology for accusing her husband of sexual harassment 19 years ago. is it the least -- to say the least, this bridge is up a blue moons. she is not going to apologize. >> it is almost the anniversary of the hearings. i don't know, but i think mrs. thomas probably has never gotten over this, and is sitting there at 7:30 in the morning stewing. you call the office of brandeis at 7:30 and in the morning and you don't really expect to get a human being. she does very visible, political activity with money from anonymous sources. the cause serious problems in

the court. the behavior is puzzling. >> i cannot agree more. i don't know if there will be more to the story. but it's an odd thing to have it all to edged up seven years later -- dredged up so many years later. there are many young adults who do not know about the initial incident. clearly it is a personal matter and we will see where it goes. >> colby, why did anita hill make the call public? >> of course i do not know the answer to that, either. why did virginia thomas call? this is not an old one for her. it is a fresh round. it never did heal. it is the number one subject in clarence thomas's might and virginia thomas' mind.

what he has written about it, what she says about it. that part is not surprise me. what does surprise me is that 19 years later, i still don't fully understand the relationship between those two people. >> what surprises me is why it she would go to campus police and give it to them. there is nothing costing about it. that is something i would like answered as well. >> that is the last word. >> i accept it humbly. >> it belongs to charles scott hammer. i'm mark shields, keeping the chair warm for gordon peterson, who will be back next week. >> for a transcript of this broadcast, log on to insidewashington.tv.