>> production assistants for "inside washington was provided by allbritain communications and politico, reporting on the legislative, executive, and political arena.

>> pass this jobs bill and we can put people to work rebuilding america. >> this week, president obama's new jobs plan. >> mr. president, watt among your proposals was a new? >> and the president that a new poll numbers -- lousy. >> we have given him four years and so far nothing has come of it. >> the republican presidential bid, rick perry versus mitt romney. >> michael dukakis crated jobs three times faster. >> george bush and his predecessor created jobs faster than you did. >> the third rail of american politics. can get away with this? >> it is a monstrous lie. >> and remembering 9/1110 years after the attacks. >> i remember saying distinctly, what a beautiful day this started out to be.

>> 14 million americans out of work, credible talk about a double-dip recession. how to get us out of the ditch? president obama has a plan. he asked congress to pass a $447 million bill called the american jobs act which includes a payroll tax cut, 8 to the states, and for those who have been out of work and long time. congressman michele bachmann asked what is new. apparently nothing. >> there should be nothing controversial about this piece of legislation. everything in here is the kind of proposal that has been supported by both democrats and republicans. including many who sit here tonight. and everything in this bill will be paid for. everything. >> what is the problem, charles? full speed ahead, right? >> there is nothing in this bill that wasn't proposed and enacted

two years ago and then failed. what strikes me is the fact that it seems to me and abuse of the majesty of the venue. a joint session of congress is a place where fdr asked the country the day after pearl harbor for a declaration of war on japan. well lbj stood and asked for a revolution in civil rights. obama used it as a way to kick off his campaign. >> i could give you -- i would not have preferred to see him use the house chamber for that. the question is, as it was before he gave the speech, can he get anything through congress. the payroll tax cuts i think will get some support. the proposals -- a infrastructure, that kind of spending.

but it might be the economy. >> welcome back. >> thank you for having me back. i am very happy to be here. i do think the republicans are starting to send some signals that some of the infrastructure might get support from some republicans. it is useful to keep in mind that the infrastructure bank is a proposal that was developed by the u.s. chamber of commerce, which is a great friend of republicans. also supportive of the afl-cio, a great friend of democrats. it has a lot of strength behind it in terms of lobbying and those who would advocate for it. but it does require spending that would be offset later, which is something the republicans are highly skeptical about, and rightly so. >> the president did not abuse the majesty of this venue, and my predecessors who called us about weapons of mass destruction in iraq and the purchase of enriched uranium, which did not exist. it was a difference in style in

a sense that it was not given -- it was a far more energized -- it was the president on caffeine. we have seen a big decaffeinated barack obama the last several years. >> talking about $250 billion of tax cuts. republicans like tax cuts. why would not -- what do they vote for that? >> it is fascinating to watch them why they might not vote for it, because they do have to contort their arguments because they have supported these tax cuts before. these tax cuts are a favorite of the business community -- again, a friend to the republicans. so it would be difficult, i think, for some republicans to come to terms with voting against these tax cuts. and so many of the economists who look at this program say this is probably one of the

most support elements of it because it does put money back in workers' pockets immediately and it does help small businesses instantly so it could have the best positive impact quickly. >> the chief economist from moody's analytics claims it would reduce the unemployment rate -- 2 million jobs. >> the key here is whether president obama will actually follow through -- to make arguments on behalf -- but he will have to sustain this. and at or before he gave the speech he was already sending notice to a number of democrats saying i want you to be ready to help me fight this fight over the next several months. he will need to have that kind of thing happened. because the proposal will be

cherry pick. at this point, he does not have the package. >> there is skepticism -- skepticism about these predictions of jobs. remember the one that was twice the size of this -- this time as was supposed to keep unemployment under 8%. obama is looking at a situation where the economy is stalled. economic growth is essentially -- we are on the edge of a double-dip recession. his economy, at two and a half years, he promised on stimulus one that it would revive the economy and it is now stalled. what he is trying to do is set up the premise. i have a plan that will solve the problem and restore our economy and the republicans are going to stop it. when we have 9% unemployment as his own it all when the is predicting, it is not me but the republicans. this was a campaign set up. what the speech was all about.

>> it is president obama's economy, make no mistake. but one thing we did not comment on it is sort of a different republic -- republican attitude, reflecting, in my judgment, the bad poll numbers congress has got an especially since the debt ceiling fiasco. eric cancer -- cantor was all sweetness and light and john boehner was more than accommodating, offering sort of the olive branch. it will be interesting to see what form it does take. but this is a kind settlor, gentler, republican house majority. >> a kind word, gentler house majority that will work with the president -- >> that is the question. >> if the republicans were as cynical as the president they would accept the entire package, every inch, and then say, mr. president, it is your economy, see you next november. >> the president's numbers keep dropping. let's talk about that. >> i thought he was going to create those jobs he promised,

and the kind of jobs. but it has gotten worse. >> that is the grace from ohio from an abc news piece. unemployed independent voter who says she is in worse shape financially that she was before barack obama convinced her to vote for him. says the president delivered a strong speech at a time he has never been we compared the latest poll, president losing support of independents, women and hispanics. politico is calling him the incredible shrinking president. martin, president obama got 53% of the independent vote in 2008 and the "wall street journal" paul is down to 26%. >> bad news, bad numbers. the kind of numbers that make you say, can we please have an opponent? we would like to have somebody to run against -- because of their was a straight up or down memory -- referendum we are in deep.

-- do do. >> down with union voters, and talk of a recession. >> the one thing that alarms the white house the most is the sharp drop over the summer among obama's core supporters. as he said, he is double digits down with the women, college educated, people making over 90,000. all the various groups in which he had strong support during the campaign last year, he has seen his numbers declined dramatically over these the summer months when the economy stalled and the debts fight was so ugly. if you looked at the speech, he is, in a way, targeting those particular constituencies. he talked about ohio, he talked about teachers. this is all targeted at some of those contingency groups. >> how is get them back, colby?

>> i think what pyjamas bill. -- with this jobs bill. he really did served up to his base, talking about the jobs. but let's not get too far away from the reality. what happened in 1946, harry truman. he found himself with a republican congress, his approval rating was down to 32%. and he got back against the do nothing congress. he turned in a round. i think it is possible for obama to turn it around. >> colby, i knew -- harry truman was a friend of mark, barack obama is no friend of truman. not that conflict -- complicated. obama is over his head. a great orator, he came out of nowhere. he has never run anything. never enacted anything even in

the legislature. he had not run a state, not run a city, or a business. he is running the biggest enterprise in the world and he has not succeeded. and that is why all of these independents, all of those who believed in a soaring rhetoric, including probably a couple who swooned in the aisles as he spoke in 2008, are now waking up and realizing he is over his head. >> i think this like for obama is getting away -- in the way of sound analysis. week after week it is a personalized attacks. -- attack. then a great orator who is a very smart man and would be a good professor. he argues -- when the united states, he can't. -- run the united states, he

can't. been an argument that answered the analysis and not an ad hominem on your part. >> will we one day see barack obama holding up a newspaper that says romney wins? >> clearly there are paths for him to recover. and one big part of it, no small part of it, is, as mark said, who does he run against? elections are choices. it will be a referendum on obama's years in office but also a choice. that will be important to see who republicans nominates and how he stands up against that person. in addition -- it is 14 months away. we have seen how fast things can change. >> and mitt romney looked good in that debate, mark. >> mitt romney probably have the best night he has had on a national stage. but barack obama is over his head? how about sarah palin? if she over her head? michele bachmann. rick perry over his head?

charles, there are people over there is fiercely underwater. >> last time i checked, neither of those people is president of the united states. >> undoubtedly -- if sarah had it in 2008. >> you had so many people trying to obstruct, obstruct this president. if he walked on water, they would accuse him of not being able to swim. >> the democrat opposes a republican who is in the white house, that is opposition. if the republic of both the democrat in the white house, it is obstruction. explain the difference. >> beg your pardon? [laughter] >> charles. that is silly. it is not opposing him because of policies.

before he had a chance to do anything. it was already declared that he would be a one-term president -- mitch mcconnell, but for the first year in office. >> we talked about the president's numbers, with not very good, but look at the numbers congress are getting. >> really bad. according to "the wall street journal" nbc poll, congress that a disapproval rating is 82%. this is amazing. well the law -- beyond partisan blocks. we've got everybody. the positive rating is 13%, which i could only assume represents their staff, families of their staff, and maybe their own families. >> i wonder how this translates into individual members. i mean, boehner is not in jeopardy, cantor is not in jeopardy. who is in jeopardy? people hate the congress. >they make excuses --

>> they like their member and a reelect them and they convert -- congress in the abstract. colby is absolutely right. >> for the first time -- to correct my colleagues -- for the first time, that number has dropped. a majority no longer -- >> we will see what happens. >> 34% did not believe that -- >> traditionally that has been the case. >> 54% in an abrupt -- and another poll said if they could punch a button and throw everybody out, they would. in another poll it shows the disapproval numbers for the republicans right now are approaching the disapproval numbers that the democrats had just before last year's midterm in -- and 63 of them were thrown out. these numbers are dangerous for all incumbents. you've got 82%. not just the republicans. >> how will this change their behavior?

>> i think you are already seeing in congressman cantor, the majority leader, his charm offensive -- >> did you by his charm offensive -- offensive? in i find him quite endearing. speaker boehner bang applauded, sometimes separately. quite open to the president's proposals. in an uncharted waters as far as, let's re-elect our guy, good old sam who brings back the bacon. and we are in a time of the people -- of evil. >> charles? >> when you talk about real people, real seats, real elections, the democrats are looking at a really high lineup in the senate where they are defending 23 seats and republicans about 10. only one or two are in play but seven or eight on the democratic

side. i am not sure this wave of revulsion against congress in the abstract will have an affect. people are going to look at their senator and decide they have done a good job or not as an individual. i am less impressed with this overall number. i think the way it will influence our politics is that obama will use it as a way to run against congress in the abstract and use that as a foil. >> what does it say about the tea party, colby? >> the tea party has significant influence in the republican party. it does not run the republican party but it has significant influence. and you had influential members and the republican party who are tea party members. like jim demint, who sponsored the -- in >> remember, maybe you do, remembers when the democrats had their new left, the new

democratic coalition. that is the tea party book ending the era. november does not count -- as long as we can win primaries, beat the establishment, that is the tea party attitude. that it was their attitude in 2010 in delaware and colorado, alaska, nevada, then gave up the chance of republicans actually winning the majority of the senate and the riots that attitude in 2012. >> he is so old he actually knew harry truman. >> the republican debate. >> it is a ponzi scheme to tell our kids that are 25 or 30 years old today, you are paying into a program that will be there. >> use a by any measure social security is a failure. you can say that to tens of millions of americans who live on social security. >> rick perry and mitt romney at the debate at the reagan library in california. rick perry was holding his own for a while but i am wondering if he shot himself and, what --

cowboy boots talking about social security? >> that clip captured what will be the essence of the race between those two. rick perry is the one who is edgy -- he said i was a provocative things. in essence, it is a ponzi scheme. however, it has the united states government and treasury behind because -- so it will succeed. obviously you pay in today and what you did back in 60 years is not your money, it is the money of the generation after you. so, technically it's right. but it is not how you argue it. mitt romney is the one who played the grown-up, the one who would say, look, which will run in general election. it is a program you don't want to trash. however, you think of the financial standing right now, you want to save it. he is playing an election strategy and it is an appeal to his constituency. and away he it is saying, look, if you want to win in november

you really want somebody on edge of these issues -- social security and other entitlements? >> how is the rick perry, -- ponzi scheme will play in florida? >> not very well, war in iowa or new hampshire. the reality is, it is not a ponzi scheme. upon this game is an illegal act where i pay money to you and promise to pay back and i do nothing with it and what i do is then get more money out of dean what the prospects. it will be paid back. it is going to be paid. it has always been a pay as you go item. the republican problem with this is simple. they have twice screwed around the web social security and paid dearly for it. barry goldwater in 1964 was going to revamp and recast so security. george w. bush, private accounts on social security. that led to the democrats running -- winning the congress

in 2006. this was something -- mitt romney is absolutely right politically and substantively and rick perry is on very thin ice. >> roundtable for us. where is rick barry's strongest and where is mitt romney strong as? >> rick perry is strong with the base and the tea party activists, anti-tax and government, and evangelical. it will help him quite a bit in iowa. he will hope to compete hard in new hampshire but that of the placement romney has tried to keep in his pocket. for three years he has not been running -- but really has been. if you look down in south carolina and rick perry could rise again down there. but you have to consider michele bachmann is still in the race. whether she will last, we don't know, but she can peel off from rick perry's base and in some ways mitt romney's people are looking, if she stays in, ask iowa where the vote could fracture and maybe he could do

some what well there. >> is there a role in this for jon huntsman warning -- the gingrich or ron paul? >> i think those people will go by the wayside. but remember, the first vote in this contest will not be cast until january. in iowa -- we have a lot of distance to go. knows what will happen in the next several debates? i think you will find romney will be on -- be receiving more attacks from the other members in the group, especially someone like not only huntsman, but he will hear from gingrich, he will hear from bachmann, and hearing it from perry. >> would have rick perry comes to town and get into the room and say so so security, we have to do it this way. it was as first debate. >> that is true. he said i am a novice.

i need to correct mark rossi own contradictions. social security is a system where those who pay in the early receive their money from those who pay and later. >> that is right. >> that is the definition of social security. it is, as you said, pay-as-you- go system. it is not a system where i save and i get my savings. you pay as you go, you pay in and you received what later generations are giving you. and the point is that you pay in today, but the aging of the population, there will not be another young people in the future who will support you in the future. that is why i think it is a ponzi scheme netted >> that is why they are talking about reforming it. >> nevertheless, i refuse to check out early. 9/11, the 10-year anniversary. >> too much material, coming down too fast and heavy. people coming out and grabbing you and pulling you into store fronts. it was madness. >> that was andy sullivan, a

construction worker interviewed by abc news. two questions -- did we overreact, or are we safer now? >> we are safer now than i do not think we overreacted at all. matter of fact, this was an horrendous attack on the united states on our soil. by an enemy who did not wear a uniform and we could not set -- as a country. we had to respond to that. coming at us from almost any side. any side. we had to do what we did. and i think we did it reasonably well. look at where we are today. we are safer. >> clearly we are safer. and it isn't just in terms of the government apparatus that we have built up, which some of it is working well and some may not be because of the duplication in the system and they still have not been able to put in place communications systems so that if it happened again all of the police and firemen could talk to

each other without interruption. so, we have more that we could do. >> her comments make sense. i agree with her. but i would add that the action of using 9/11 as the rationale and justification for going to war in iraq will get history's judgment and it will not be positive. >> charles? >> from scratch, being attached and being disoriented, we were able to attack, hunt down, scattered, and reduce the enemy of around the world and protect ourselves at home, and that is why we have had 10 years with no second attack, which, as you may remember in the days that happened in the days afterward, everyone in washington and in new york assume that there would be a second attack soon. there never was, and that is the mark of the success. >> it was done in the last two or three years by a president who was in over his head.

>> the at the last word. see you next week. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> for a transcript, log onto www.insidewashington.tv.