from washington, "the mclaughlin group," the american original. for over two decades, the sharpest minds, a

issue one, huntsman versus obama. >> i intend to announce that i will be a candidate for the presidency a week from today. >> the ranks of republican presidential contenders grew this week from seven to eight. jon huntsman, the former governor of utah, and u.s. ambassador to thpeople's puic china, announced he also will seek to be the

republican nominee to challenge barack obama 17 months from now. what does jon huntsman bring to the 2012 table? one, foreign policy. ambassador to singapore, appointed by george h.w. bush. ambassador to china, appointed by barack ob'ma. two, executive branch, huntsman has served four u.s. presidents. three, moderate politics. huntsman is a supporter of green energy and equal rights for same-sex unions. that means he can steal independent votes from obama in the general election. those factors are the said that

huntsman candidacy made plplplp why did huntsman declare his intention to declare his candidacy instead of just declaring his candidacy? pat buchanan? >> you got a couple separate headlines but is delaying long. he didn't show up for the new hampshire debate. john this, guy is the wends el wilkie of 2012. >> wilkie lost. >> well, he's the media candidate show being imposed upon the repuican party. i've never seen sump a build-up for a candidate who is at zaire or 1% in the polls. he's not no general did, no cutting-edge issue. he's not been a leader of the party. sure, he's got a shot to get into this thing, john. but he is nowhere in iowa now and i do don't see how he beats mitt romney or michelle bachman in either our or new hampshire.

he will flame out very, very early. he will get a huge boost but he is going nowhere. >> eleanor? >> well, there are a lot of up sides to jon huntsman. he is smart, he isgood- looking, he is comfortable with himself in a natural campaign in a way that mitt romney isn't. he definitely will cut into the romney vote, which you can call the grown-up vote. and i ththk he is not contest engine iowa. i think the showdown will be in new hampshire. i think if the party really is looking for someone who is unconventional, he has an ad out that shows himself riding a dirt bike out west, and he -- he's an interesting man. but if you believe that the republican electorate has moved to the hard right, it's really a challenge to see how he can defend working for president obama and defend some of his policy positions. i think he would be a formidable candidate if he can get past the primaries but pat is probably right, what does mitt romney bring

to the the american people. >> one, finance experience. 25 years of experience in high finance, medium finance, low finance. that means he has finance experience as a candidate who knows how to fix the economy. two, presidential campaign experience. so question, is the romney still the front-runner? >> he's a stronger front-runner thani expected nth or two ago. nationally he's picked up a pit. in new hampshire he's genuinely in a front-runner-like position now. he's at 40 and the others are down at 10. but john, the opening in this

race is not for jon huntsman. the motorbike ad is actually a metaphor because you don't know where he's come from or where he's going in the ad! >> he looks good, though! >> he will be look for a state that can get purchase the opening is for rick perry, who cod eclipse tim paw lenny and pontially be a real competitor toitt romney. >> wt will he do? >> you know, i don't think he's made the choice, but it's going to be very, very tempting for him to get in. >> what do you think? >> i hi huntsman has a first- class intelligence and temperament, as eleanor said he is totally comfortable with himself. and can connect very well with people. and he has a first-class family. i think he's an outstanding individual and i think he'll be much more competitive when the country gets to know him and the republicans get to know him. i think he will be somebody who will really appeal across the board with a winning candidate if he gets the nomination, d

that is something that at some point may actually have an influence on what the republicans do do. >> why would you shove romney aside to take huntsman? romney has been out there, made $500 million. he frankly has downsized businesses, he's a tough guy on the economy. and he's out there at 40%. what does huntsman have in terms of a cutting issue or dramatic agenda to beat romney, who is now at 40%? >> my view is he's got a natural gift for leadership, and romney has had too much shall we say flip-flopping on a lot of issues to have the kind of credibility to be a leader in that sense. >> also -- you -- >> really an out -- wait to the country gets to see him in action. >> you want to point out that he was ceo of huntsman corporation, petrochemical company from '83 to '89? so he knows about being an executive. [everyone talking at once] >> his father started it! u >> outstandingly well as a ceo of that company, right.

the name of the company has some relationship to his family, but even still he did very well. >> yes, and he was the assistant secretary of trade and development, secretary of u.s. department of commerce. >> secretary, john, he's -- [everyone talking at once] >> he's been ambassador twice. >> ambassador at age 32, appointed by a range of -- [everyone talking at once] >> he just got back from being ambassador to china. okay. huntsman and the china syndrome. >> the former u.s. ambassador to china was one of two speakers at a reuters event in new york city this week. huntsman along with former u.s. secretary of state henry kissinger was asked by harry evans to give his view on china's rise on the global state. huntsman says china is on the global stage bubuis learning how to handle it. >> the question now becomes, are they ready to lead on the world stage? and i think there's a lag

there. they'll figure it out, but i think there's probably three to five years during which they will have to come to grips with what it to be on the world stage. >> question, jon huntsman served as ambassador during that service china backtracked on human rights. will that hurt huntsman on the campaign trail? >> i'm sure that's just a small excerpt but what is he talking about? this is a great dramatic, dynamic power which is working the world international order. we establish for its own benefit. >> you were there. i was there. i was there. you brawl huntsman says? >> yes i do. china has played a role that is a narrower role in terms of the world stage, okay? there's no doubt they're greg that direction. he was the first person able to stand with henry kissinger who knows more about china and -- [everyone talking at once]

let him finish. >> china is going to be the major player as far as we are concerned over the next decade. he has the experience that will show up in the way he deals with it. >> i think with rich on this one. henry kissinger is not exactly a marquee name among republicans. most republicans today think he was some sort of sellout. and i don't think. >> that's nonsense. >> i don't think the voters will holds huntsman son and for our china policy but it does accentuate the fact he worked for obama. how does he explain that away? [everyone talking at once] >> it's one of first primaries were held at a seminar on foreign relations he would be fantastic. but none of them are. you look at new hampshire, john. necessary extraordinary. he is 14% favorable, 36 unfavorable. already in new hampshire. >> why? >> i think it's his affect and the fact he worked for

president obama. [everyone talking at once] >> combative and the thing that people know about him was a president obama's ambassador to china. >> will jon huntsman make it all the way to the presidential nomination or fold? quickly? >> eleanor said he was riding that motorbike across the desert. he'll wind up like evel knievel in the snake river canyon with all his bones broken! >> i think he's going to announce with the statue of liberty on the back. >> like pete wilson? >> pete wilson used that to knock immigrants. and this man is coming from the opposite d up there's a lot -- >> it will be pro-immigration? good. >> republican primary voters are probably with you, pat. >> what do you 90. >> eleanor vote but that's not going to do him much good. >> what do you think? >> i don't know if he'll win the nomination but will be one of final contenders? >> how about vice president? >> he would be a great choice! i don't know tharoey will

be the nominee of the republican party either. you may -- >> of the two, he would be inclined to think romney. >> romney at this point is ahead without question, running for five years he should be running for five weeks. >> look good with michele bachmann. >> you mean bachmann at the top of the ticket? >> she's the star this week, john! >> bachmann at the top of the ticket? >> bachmann-huntsman. >> bachmann work all the way for herself, whereas huntsman has a -- >> issue two, war? what war? >> we're here today to announce the filing in federal court of a lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of the war against libya. >> ohio congressman dennis kucinich, a democrat, filed a lawsuit this week against u.s. president barack obama, a democrat. kucinich and nine other house

members are suing the president for violating the war powers act. the 1973 war powers act calls on the president to notify congress when u.s. troops are in combat situations and to withdraw them within 60 days of the notification unless both houses of congress declare war or otherwise approve the use of the troops. the 10 lawmakers argue that the president violated this war powers act by not receiving congressional approval for u.s. military actions against libyan leader moammar gaddafi. president obama's 60 days safe harbor period ended without any authorization from congress. north carolina republican congressman walter jones says the president not only violated the the war powers act, but als the u.s. constitution.

>> where and when does the constitution say to a president, you may bypass congress and send millions of dollars of bombs and equipment over to invade a country that is not a threat to you? >> on wednesday, president obama submitted a 30-page report to congress. he contends that he and his people did not violate the war powers act. the president argues the u.s. is not engaged in "hostilities" or at war with libya. rather, we in the u.s. are playing a supporting role in the mission led by nato, the north american treaty organization. the president's press secretary so affied that congress has not been kept in the dark on the u.s. role in libya. >> there have been 40 distinct engagements with congress in terms every consultation on libya so we feel confidence that we will be able to answer

the questions that congress has. >> question, does president obama have any legitimate basis to claim that the u.s. is not at war with libya? eleanor? >> the war powers act is couched in these big constitutional terms, but it's really a turf war between congress and the white house. if congress is really serious about want to go stop this engagement, they use the power of the purse. this is a small group of members, kucinich and maybe two other democrats, and some republicans who mostly have an ax to grind with the obama white house. an institution they're claiming mostly they've been disrespected, but an institution that has 12% approval rating won't get much sympathy in the country. >> you're dead wrong on this one. >> i think it's a lot of table pounding. they're going nowhere. >> you're dead wrong on this one. >> me or eleanor? >> eleanor is dead wrong. kucinich and walter jones would have passed their resolution in the house defunding the libyan

war if boehner had not run in a substitute. ask gaddafi if we're at war with him. we've attacked and killed his troops. the united states is -- ask those guys over there -- >> we killed his daughter. >> we lied about going in. we said it was to protect -- >> during the reagan years. >> to protect civilians. >> u.s. >> you killed one. >> okay. okay, you've heard from eleanor and pat. speaker think we are at war wit >> we're spending $10 million a day, part of an effort to bomb bombs on gaddafi's compound. it doesn't pass a straight face test in my view that we're in the midst of hostilities. >> you agree with the speaker? >> yes. i think we are. i can understand everybody can play legal games with the words here, but when the president go public d ys we're

going to get gaddafi out and we're going to really be involved in this war, on whatever terms, we're involved in hostilities. but having said that, it's a political issue basically. but why do they play games like this? i just don't understand it. i don't think it passes either the smell test or the legal test to say the -- >> one of things i said in this document was that we're not engaged in hostilitieiebecause there's not firing back and forth. that's because we're already bombed the hell out of them such that they can'fire back! if president ama was host he would do what bill clinton did, toward the end of the kosovo war, saying powers act because it's constitutionally defectism. >> we're not playing a lead role [everyone talking at once] >> john? >> the document -- [everyone talking at once] >> the war powers act is extremely drawn.

it's written in such a way to catch all of sort of activity. >> let me make a point. the document that the white use usesto dend itself and claim that it's a humanitarian effort on its part is so weasel worded, it becomes almost north only laughable but contemptible! exit question -- the polls tell us america's role in the libyan intervention is a political minus for obama. what kind of minus is it? is it major, is it moods rat, is it minor or convertible into a plus, if and when gaddafi goes? pat? >> it's a moderate minus right now, john. but i do agree, when and if gaddafi goes down, they will say, got the guy that did pan am 103. >> would have been a much bigger minus if obama stood by while gaddafi murdered his own citizens and in benghazi. >> we'll the remaining members in a minute.

>> i hope to be able to continue >> question, democratic congressman anthony weiner, by the way, representing the ninth congressional district of new york, resigned this week. did minority leader nancy pelosi and president obama pull out the rug from underneath him and force him to resign? i ask you. >> yes, as we discussed a couple weeks ago this is not a resigning kinds of guy. but pelosi, obama and the clintons, bill and hillary, really put the screws to him. but i think the decisive thing was his wife apparently shifting and wanting him to go. >> they ratcheted up the pressure. >> weiner was snichteled. he's become a parody. it's day in and day out and

it's humiliating in new york. also for his whiff's family, and i think the combination of everybody loading up on him was just too much. >> you may not believe in, but the weiner story was actually -- despite the new york. it was fading. and it's arguable that if he had done nothing he could have de it. >> i never heard of the new york post but -- >> he has a marriage to contend with. to enjoy. >> he could have made it -- if pelosi and reed say we're going to send him to the ethic committee, what he did was wrong but not throw him out of here -- obama and pelosi did this, they threw him under the bus. >> they did the deed. >> because he's an embarrassment and expendsable. >> do you think he could have ridden it out? >> yes, if they said we're going to send it to the ethics committee, we condemn it but that's it. >> not with pictures coming forward and more womestepping forward. the story wasn't going to die. >> but the women -- did women -- [everyone talking at once] >> what they're hanging on is lying rather than they are the

rap itself. lying. >> there's issue four, african queen. >> it is a great honor to join you here and to address the african union. it is good to be back in africa, and it is a singular honor to address this body. >> secretary of state hillary clinton this week became the first u.s. secretary of state to address the 53-member african union. the au. that address included a plea from the white house, namely, abandon libyan leader moammar gaddafi. the white house wants the au, the african union, to call on gaddafi to step down, despite the fact that gaddafi himself was chosen presidt the au

and served as such from february 2009 to january 2010. president obama hopes that gaddafi will heed the words every his african union allies and step down, ending the civil war between his forces and libyan rebels. secretary clinton says the fate of libya is now in africa's hands. >> your words and your actions could make the difference in bringing this situation to finally close. >> here's e sts of demands from washington. one, au nations should call for a cease-fire between gaddafi's forces and the rebels. two, au nations should call on gaddafi to resign. three, au nations should suspend their embassy operations in libya. four, au nations should expel from their own nations any diplomat who are pro-gaddafi.

five, au nations should put their support behind thanti- gaddafi rebels. questionpresenting our demands to the african union, was secretary clinton speaking to a receptive audience or hostile audience? >> not a receptive audience. they were not big for this intervention in the first place. gaddafi has spread a lot of money around to these countries. i expect the au to dump him just as soon as he is dead or fled from the country. >> another reason for her going and visiting with the au in africa? how many secretary of states have taken the coinen seriously? >> she's done something necessary, she's really established a lot of personal relationships and really been in their homes and in their place and their countries, and really done that. that's not what the presesent has done and she has filled that gap. and it's a very, very important gap. >> the chinese are a 53-nations in africa, the chinese now have

full diplomatic relations with 48 of those. 48. >> and they got enormous investments in sudan and all these other countries. they're putsing money in, developing resources -- >> why are ey dog that in africa. >> because they're billing to draw resources out of there to china. >> is there any place on the planet that china has not penetrated? >> mexico. >> mexico? >> that's about it. and south america, they're in africa, all over south asia. >> do you think there's a sense of mission creep and the mission being to be number one in the plan set in. >> i don't think that's their objective. they're doing it for their own national economic reasons. they're developing resources for them, they do it wherever there's oil and minerals and in latierica. >> what they want to whitewash? >> they've got a huge population to support. they're doing things out of their own national interests. they're not necessarily doing it to tweak us, although that's -- >> global power.

>> they're never going to be a leader because they never have followers because the self- interest is so naked. there's no idealism or purpose there that anyone can get beyond. say that, but i know of a phd students who are over here, from china, and they used to stay here. they don't stay here anymore. they go back to china. >> parts of the reason is we don't let them stay here. >> i don't think that's the reason. i think the reason is -- that the future is in china! >> china is succeeding where the rest of the west is failing right now, john. >> why is the west failing, pat? tell us? >> because the west is in terminal decline. >> oh, pat! >> predictions, pat? >> day of the interventionist neoand republican party is just out over, john. >> eleanor. >> michele bachmann will get more scrutiny from republicans who are uneasy with her growing prominence in the presidential

race. >> the house will vote by the end of the year to strip the independent payment advisory board out of the health care law. >> what does had mean? >> what sarah palin calls the death panel. >> it will go? >> what do you any with that? good news? >> no. but housing prices will continue to decline, a year from now another five million homes that exceeds the value of the home. >> secretary of state hillary clinton will be the new head of the world bank when she steps down from her present post. happy father's day. bye-