tavis: good evening. from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. first up tonight, our preview of next week's midterm elections with pennsylvania governor ed rendell, who will conclude his second and final term as chief executive in pennsylvania. pennsylvania is one of the most closely watched races. also tonight, actor and comedian paul reiser is here. he is about to release his first cd of music called," and next year he is set to return to prime time television with a sitcom for nbc. we are glad that you have joined us. pennsylvania governor ed rendell and paul reiser, coming up right now. >> all i know is his name is james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i'm james. >> yes.

>> to everyone making a difference, you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer, nationwide insurance is happy to help tavis improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] tavis: ed rendell is serving the final month of his second term as pennsylvania's governor. he is also the popular former mayor of philadelphia, and he joins us tonight from harrisburg.

governor, good to have the back of the program. how does it feel to be in the final months? >> in terms of my own political career, i have been an elected official the better part of the last 32 years. will i miss it? sure, is a major undertaking, and a matter what i do afterwards, i will never get that same feeling. yeah, i am looking forward to the end with a little melancholy, but i am not worried about it because we're focusing on tuesday. i'm about to spend the next five days traveling around philadelphia's suburbs, the city itself, the lehigh valley, trying to drive out democrats and get them out to the polls. tavis: want to talk about that since you reference to it. politics, by most people's account, has become so nasty.

these midterm elections have become quite nasty. i am wondering how it is you have not personally gotten turned off to the whole political process, given how ugly and devices and partisan in has become -- and divisive and partisan in has become. >> the ads are filthy and vicious and disgraceful, but it is also the process itself. right now, all over, it has become so partisan and so ideologically driven that the business is not the same as it used to be. they used to be democrats and republicans would disagree, but they could be social to each other, and there were times in the year when we acted together for the good of the country. now, every morning, one side gets up thinking how the king get something over on the other side. the issues are never looked at. is a good for the country, is a good for pennsylvania?

unless we stop this, tavis, and i am not sure that we can, unless we put the genie back in the bottle, this country is in serious trouble. tavis: why against that backdrop do you think democrats have a shot in this hot summit. a hot senate race or the governor's race? >> here is why, and give the news media a little bit of credit. back in 1994, when the republicans swept congress, people really did not see it coming. since june, the media has been harping about this enthusiasm gap. finally i think it has gotten to democrats that they better vote. at the same democrats that around late august are now saying they will vote. that is the reason for california and pennsylvania. they have seen significant democratic movement all across the board. whether it is enough to keep away the tidal wave, it is hard to tell.

three weeks ago, 12 weeks down the polls. now he is ahead in a couple of polls and within the margin of error in others. are oldknow if you enough to remember the horse silky sullivan who came from way behind. i call him the silky sullivan of politics. he is also benefiting from the fact the president has been out there and very effective. president clinton has been out there relentlessly, enormously effective, the vice president. people like myself, just hammering democratic voters with, look, you may not think what is going on has been great, and obviously the economy is challenging and we are having problems, but do you want to go back to what the other side it is offering -- tax cuts for the rich, the trickle down theory? do you want that to become the predominant face of washington, d.c., and the state capitals?

i think they're starting to get through. the movement is there. whether it is fast enough and strong enough, we will know tuesday night. tavis: you have knowledge and president obama has acknowledged on the campaign trail there is an enthusiasm gap that exists. helpmeet understand what it is or why it is that democrats -- help me understand what it is or why it is that democrats are so unenthusiastic? why do you have to beat the drum? why is that it president having to beg democrats to vote? >> first of all, there is the recession, probably the worst since the great depression. when that happens, the party in power is on popular. my popularity ratings are at an all-time high. that is the same with governor after governor across the country. incumbents get blamed when the

economy goes sour. that is number one. no. 2, in the victories the president has had, and he has had an incredible amount of legislative victories, but we lost the spin war. we got health care legislation, but we lost the spin war. the greatest communicator i have ever seen in my lifetime in a campaign, barack obama, his white house was terribly out- spun by the republicans. most people out there will say the health-care bill will add to the deficit. the nonpartisan congressional budget office asays it will reduce the deficit from the president's health care bill, but nobody hears that. the stimulus, the cbo again, says without this, we may have an unemployment rate 2% higher. that would be millions more americans without jobs, but nobody believes that. everybody says the stimulus was

a failure because it spent too much money and added money to the deficit. but hold on, 40% of the stimulus was tax cuts, not spending. we got out-messaged. we have lost that war, and it is tough to make up at ground. tavis: if i was a cynic, i would say that ed rendell is winding. -- i would say that ed rendell is whining. if you are as good as you say you are, if you were just as good on the campaign trail, don't wind to me. how did you get out-spun? >> take health care for a second. look at the things that have gone online things to the president's health care bill. kids 25 and under can no longer coverage. young people 26 years of age and

younger can be covered, it is to be covered under their parents' programs. pay prescription drugs. at 4,000 tons of fans who are ill and could not get coverage -- 4000 pennsylvania residents who are greatly on and cannot get coverage are now covered. small businesses with 25 employees or less get 35% tax credit this year. insurance companies can no longer. yearly caps on the amount of money to reimburse for medical bills. -- insurance companies can no put yearly caps on the amount of money to reimburse for medical bills. while the democrats shying away from that? tavis: if we wake up next wednesday morning and republicans have taken back either or both houses of congress, what will the president say to the nation on the eve of trying to preside over a divided government? >> his message should be the

of the mitch message. the mitch mcconnell message that slipped out was disgraceful. he said if we take that congress, our first priority that barack obama is a one-term president. really, senator? with the deficit, with the economy, fighting foreign wars, the number-one priority is political? that is a disgrace. and of the men, i accept your verdict and i will try my very best to keep moving forward and meeting challenges by reaching out to republicans to reach consensus. he has to try, no question. bill clinton did it very after the 1994 election. he worked with the republicans to pass a lot of very important legislation. i don't think the republicans are going to let barack obama do that, but he has to be seen as trying.

tavis: 4 better than three decades, you have served honorably in the state of pennsylvania. thank you for that and for all the time to have talked to us. you are always welcome on this program. >> thank you, tavis. tavis: up next, former "mad about you" star paul reiser. pleased to welcome paul reiser back to the program. the creator and star of a " mad about you" will be returning to nbc with a new sitcom called "the paul reiser show." more on at any moment. what you may not know is that paul is an accomplished piano player who is about to release a new cd called "unusual suspects." from the project, here now some of the video for the single, "unsung hero."

>> ♪ what ever you do just remember that i love you you know your light will shine ♪ tavis: i was just responding to you during that clip, you did the theme song for "mad about you." >> am so glad that you brought that up. i was not aware until we chatted. thank you for bringing that out. three out of four people said they got married to that, that was there a theme song.

tavis: on our live radio show, i just had a conversation with one of the great the writers of all time, he did everything, "love boat," and we talked about the way that tv has changed so much, or they get the show on, during the credits they run them so fast because they want to get to the next show, there are no commercial breaks. the music for tv shows is gone now. >> i was at a charity show, and i cannot believe how many great songs he wrote and how long and complicated day were. "lavern & shirley," great pieces of music. now it is 12 seconds, into the show. tavis: will "the paul reiser show" have a theme song? >> we will just hum it quick.

it has been fun. i was not particularly looking to do it, and it was a nice invitation, and they came up with an idea for the show. it is very exciting. it will be on in the spring. it is pretty close to my life, because i tell people i am not smart enough to make things up at this point, so i will talk about what happened yesterday. tavis: it is about your life? >> yeah, i play me, who had a hit tv show 11 years ago, and after 11 years this is what happens. that is the show. tavis: i like that. authentic. >> it is. tavis: is it true, even with all the money, that you can be happy at home 11 years without being on tv every week? >> oh, are you kidding? is that why you are here every day?

tavis: i know you are being funny, but i am asking seriously because there is this sense that i have picked up from some people in this town that if you are not out there all the time, you don't really exist. or only as good as your last thing. >> that is not me. i was very happy at home, and when i am not working, i don't have the need to be out there. this was -- i was not looking to do it. it seemed like the right thing at the right time, and i was content being home. what was funny, in the last 11 years, i did films, but some of the things i have always wanted to do. one of those was getting back to music. i was a music major in college. i was thought, one of these days, i am going to get back to writing. a year or two ago, i finally sat down and started writing. i did not know what of it going

to do, songs or symphonic pieces, whenever. i bumped into my friend, julia fordham, phenomenal voice. i said, it is funny i should bump into you because i have been writing music and i have this one song that is something you may be able to do. we sat and wrote the song together. it surprised us. well, that was easy and great, let's do another. there is no agenda, nobody waiting for it. there was no thought of it being an album. after we got a couple, we thought, let's put them together. and there it is. and the baby is born. tavis: "unusual suspects" is about what? >> the song "unusual suspects," which is our gift to soldiers and more specifically families of soldiers in afghanistan, really anywhere, because i had written the music. almost all the songs of the

album, i gave julia the music and she would go off and inspired in the words would come to her. the day i gave heard this music, she started the conversation about afghanistan. it was a real eye opener. she had just never heard a first-person account of what it means. you don't know when they are coming, the gate changes, and how do you sustain somebody you love halfway around the world. and this song fell out. it blew me away. i thought, my god, it is called "unusual suspects" because those people are often forgotten, and to me, they keep the family's going, the kids are waiting to see if their parents will come home. that is every bit as heroic as being the one in harm's way. and the impact of the song "unsung heroes" has been

surprising. we were asked to perform this at a benefit for an organization for wounded warriors, soldiers. the audience was all family, military, and people came up and said, thank you, nobody ever talks about that side of the equation. as mill brooks would say, there is something going on here. -- as mel brooks would say. tavis: "unsung heroes," "unusual suspects." >> yes, once we have an idea, we milk it. they are so hard to come by. tavis: you are not singing on this? >> i never sang. no, i don't sing. but i wrote and played the piano and i wrote the music. julia wrote the lyrics. she sings.

tavis: do you know how many people on this show i've had over the years he started out as paul reiser, who played, and people tell them not to sing, and a final listing. george benson was told never to sing, by his own manager. maybe? >> i knew poverty when he was just a busboy. i said hey, pal, and go on a diet -- and i knew pavaroti when he was just a busboy. i was a huge fan of jolie before i got to meet her. for me, this is the julia fordham album. i just collaborated. i was having fun. for me to get my toe into that world and start to write music, with an artist that i really admire -- she sounds better than

ever. i say, listen to her, if for no other reason. tavis: where do you find inspiration? how does it work for you? >> it is really uncomplicated. i sit down and start nibbling. -- i sit down and start no odling. technology part was really simple, just hit play, and i was like a kid in the candy shop. violence and drums? wow! i am 12 years behind everybody else. i would sit down and write the melody, and it was not long to write a song. i would give it to juliet and she would listen to it and we would simplify it for her. she would go away and she has this very artistic muse process where it comes to her, usually in one big wallop. almost every song is pretty darn

melancholic, which i would not have it any other way. i like a nice sad song. i wanted to call the album "why so sad?" two happy people, and you want to shoot yourself. tavis: what turns you want about that? >> i don't know, i don't get moved by a happy song. i danced to a happy song, drive to a happy song, but her voice and art history is emotional. every song that is upbeat and happy, i'd want to hear -- i hear.want to tavis: i'm trying to juxtapose the comedian with the melancholy. >> i am a crazy amalgam. life is good, but i always love

-- i just love moving music, storing music. as a kid, we were studying classical music. it was a very validating moment when i was a kid, teenager, and i saw ray charles interviewed on some hit show. that might have been big cat or something. -- and might have been dick cavet or something. i remember him saying, what the listen to? he said, i listen to classics. he said the classics are rock bottom off -- rakmanaanhoff. i said, ok, there must be something there that works for people. i don't know what it is. here is the funny thing, when i

put on a cd, you don't even put on a cd anymore. what is the order? there is no order, just people bopping around. i love a bunch of song that last for one mood. you go away to one place. i don't want to be jolted. what is nice about this, they're all very different songs, but they kind of fit together. you can try for a while and you won't be thrown. each song works, and works as a whole, and i say if you listen to this album and you don't fall in love with her voice, i will drive to your house and explain why you are wrong. tavis: it is impossible, i would think, to fall in love with her voice and not appreciate your composition. they go hand in hand. >> god bless you. here is a little piece of paper, my contribution.

tavis: how did you get away to the stage, do your comedy, the tv screen, away from what is your first love? how did that happen? >> you know what? it's sort of went through comedy. it was a well laid out a path for me. if you want to be a comedian, go to these clubs on tuesday night and come back wednesday. they don't have that comparable thing for music. i need somebody to show me, what is the plan? now i am older and i can make my own plan. it at the time, -- at the time, i needed a plan. tavis: i would expect you will do more? >> i hope so. tavis: the new product is called "unusual suspects," julia fordham does the vocals and paul reiser does the composition and the music. wonderful collaboration. and

and we will see you on nbc. >> sometime in the spring. tavis: sometime you will see "the paul reiser show." that is our show for tonight. until next time, keep the faith. >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley. join me next time with san antonio mayor julian castro on the impact of the hispanic vote on the midterm elections. that is next time. we will see you then. >> all i know is his name is james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i'm james. >> yes. >> to everyone making a difference, you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and answer,

nationwide insurance is proud to join tavis in working to improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--