>> so that is a no. >> no, we know that it's all about jobs and people are struggling from paycheck to paycheck and any person that is talking about a issue that came up four years ago and has no relevance to today, it's not a winning strategy. this is the interesting thing about the republican party, my party is struggling with right now, do you want to mainstream conservative, not a severe conservative but a main -- like mitt romney or do you go to the right like santorum, that is not the winning strategy for november 2012. >> but they cannot seem to get out of it. the longer this goes o the longer this goes on, we were talking this morning with franklin wright about whether or not president obama -- whether president obama is in fact a

christian. and this debate, i don't think serves the republican party well, but they cannot seem to get out of it. steve? >> that is the amazing ning about santorum turning the focus to these issues, he came out wins a few week s ago that made him the challenger. he said i'm not going deal with the social issues the way you think i will. but it's one headline after the other and he seems to be doubling down with more attention. it's a problem for him, i think what he has been doing these last two weeks is auditioning the opinion shaping class of the republican party. fundraisers and opinion shapers, columnists that can go out and make the case for him, saying you know he is safe if you get behind him. he is flunking that test because he could be pushing a simple message. >> here is the problem, conservatives know where he stands, no question about it.

>> it was franklin graham, son of billy graham that i was referring to. let's listen to what rick santorum said in terms of dominion and the environment. >> so i was criticized by saying the president that has a radical environmental theology. we believe that man has dominion over the earth. >> we belief that man has dominion over the earth. again, it's not just, it's not just the theology but doublinin down on the environment rhetoric and prenatal testing what is going on? >> he is trying to get into darwinism, he is under mining the things that have been done

by other party supporters. he is taking on things that are not a approximation of what people thought years ago. dominionism, it's interesting, because it's a way to get into environmentalism, as a way to justify churches being active in working on global warming, for him to twist it is odd. >> we do not have responsibility to the fish and birds but we can dominate their habitats. richard, what does it mean when donald trump sounds like a sane person in the party. i want play a trump sound -- >> please do. >> this ought to be good. >> i see some of his views which are so out there that he is never going to win. he cannot win the general election, there's no gift, no christmas gift that could be

given better than rick santorum for the democrats. >> the eugene robinson in th circles there's more of a wif of panic in the air, it's not that santorum would lose in september, it's that he could be a drag on house and senate candidates as well. >> let's stay with trump for a second, because to christmas witch list that the democrats have, he is near the top of it. a shame that he took himself off of this lift. how much self awareness does he have to know who is a good or bad candidate. but yet looks at himself and says i'm a good candidate. look, i don't any you can blame the candidates for what they are saying. actually the republican party itself has moved out of the main stream, look across the board,

20% of michigan thinks the auto bailouts were a bad thing compared to 50 percent of all voter s in michigan. it means that it's that much harder. a 30 point margin harder in michigan to go back to the main stream just on the auto bailouts which people in michigan should know about. the party is so much to the fringe of the mainstream now. >> you have president obama talking about the economy, the dow is close to 13,000 points and newt gingrich is now attacking president obama on national security. let's listen to that sounds. >> barack obama is the most dangerous president in modern american history. defeating barack obama becomes in fact a duty of national security. because the fact is he is

incapable of defending -- >> defeating barack obama is a duty of national security, steve? >> i think newt gingrich has won the day, because he managed to get back on television, so i think that ties into what i was saying before about santorum's seemingly pivot here where he is back on the culture war, he said my theory, gingrich will get more money from adelson, he did well in florida among white evangelical voters, southern baptist who is are maybe more suspicious of romney, gingrich tapped into those voters and santorum's appeal is limited to the midwest. i think that if he is playing up the culture war stuff, looking ahead to tennessee and alabama and states like that, you have

massive 75% evangelical blocks of voters and if gingrich is alive, he has $10 million and he is out there with that's all money maybe santorum is trying keep that momentum going with them. >> i asked this morning do you think that mitt romney is a christian and pedestriahe said s a mormon. and i said well does that mean that he is a christian? and he said well, he is a mormon. there's a problem with them accepting romney as a christian. the latest fundraising totals are in, who has the most cash, take a guess, who is burning through it fastest? take a guess and how are the super pacs changing the game? that is next on "now." how about we make a big change for just a little money? let's start with a paint we know can do the job.

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i can ashr -- assure you someone who has understood personally the importance for religious freedom and the right to one's own conscious, i will make sure we do not attack religious liberty in the united states. >> that was mitt romney criticizing president obama's stand on religion, is his campaign losing steam? during the break we were discussing of all the candidates that can speak to religious persecuti persecution, romney is the one guy, it's refreshing to see him address it head on. >> this is a place where perhaps his restraint serves him well,

it came across as a dignified history. it was a bloody history. the mormon church was viciously oppressed. he has to be careful with it though, because some of the code words when santorum is talking and to a degree gingrich, there are voters that will be suspicious when ever romney talks about the religion. >> the first half of the sentence, it was authentic, the second half, totally insincere, he knows full well that this president has not been attacking religio religious liberty, because that man did the same in massachusetts himself, he also attacked religious liberty, because they were for the same policies. it's curious how he pivots from something personal to a brazen

tom foolery. >> appears to be the grown up in the room, to your point, he appears to be the rational grown up in the room when you compare him to santorum or gingrich, i think the average voter is saying, maybe i should look at him again. i'm serious. because when you compare that to an orange, he is an apple and the others are an orange, the apple is much difference than the orange >> i want any that robert is on to sbhg there, there's a position poll that has romie -- that has romney ahead. it may be turn for him in michigan. >> we have the numbers, romney raised $6.5 million and spend $18.7 million. that is a fast burn rate. put on your spfp the issue is whether, you know, he has an incredible war chest but half of

the money came from supporters giving $2500 so he will be relying on super pac donations to carry him through the nominating process. >> correct me if i'm wrong, but there's a lot of voter outreach, a lot of getting to know people. he has been running for president the longest, so if he is spending money to define himself among voters, that is a problem. and i think it's a problem, because he doesn't have the presence, i mean he is the grown up in the room, but is he even an apple or a fruit we never heard of. he seems about foreign to a lot of people. >> or is he a toast? >> what is interesting, what those numbers tell me is he is spending money to defend himself. and he is depending on big money. but the small dollar folks are not resonating with romney and that's a problem.

>> let's look at the super pac big donors, joseph craft of alliance coal, giving a half a million. and meg wittman giving money. there's people that will open up their checkbooks time and again, is it is super pac supporting the candidate or not the candidate supporting the super pac. they are burning through two or three times burn rate as well before they encounter the rival, the president. there will be other people that can fund the super pac, the campaign looks different. >> the super pac numbers, romney's raised $6.6 million and so indeed the super pac should wear spf too, that's a high burn rate. we talked about sheldon adelson,

who said i'm against very wealth wealthy people attempting to influence elections but as long as it's doable i'll do it. >> but, what is happening with romney now is reminding me of what happened to bob dole, the last one to take on a incumbent democratic president. he was waiting for his matching funds, and he had to rely on the republican national committee and meanwhile, clinton, no primary challenge, filled the air waives and dole could not get going. >> this will get dragged out if what is happening now is any indication. president obama super pac, raised less than $59,000, thus skblaning why they are beginning up the twitter machine with suggestions that you may want to

donate. it's been 12 years since president clinton lefts of and now an exploration of the life and legacy of the come back kid. we will have that live next. ♪ [ male announcer ] for our families... our neighbors... and our communities... america's beverage companies have created a wide range of new choices. developing smaller portion sizes and more low- & no-calorie beverages...

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so you can get a deeper understanding of what's going on with your portfolio. we know all this because we asked you, and what we heard helped us create pnc wealth insight, a smarter way to work with your pnc advisor, so you can make better decisions and live achievement. >> i'm going give you this election back, and if you give it to me, i'll never forget who gave me a second chance and i'll be there until the last dog dies. >> how many second chances, right? how many second chances does any one person deserve? you know, clinton's view is as many as a person is willing to take. >> that is the clip from the new pbs american experience. it chronicles the life and white house years of the 42nd president. we have the writer and director

to discuss. it's a great documentary and it's airing tonight at 8:00. we were talking during the break of whether it's forthcoming and how people discuss the legacy of bill clinton. were you surprised how it came together? >> i was. you never know how cagey people will be, and i think that people want their version of events out there. and i think that people were very candid with me. including those close to clinton. >> one of my biggest take aways was how pivotal a role she played in his life from the beginning. she walked over and shook his hand, it's a testament to her intelligence and sfrtrength, i d not know it went so far back in their time together. >> she played a role in lifting

him up when he was at his we weakest, she would come in and save him as someone said in the film. it was touching to me to watch it play out during the lewinsky, she put herself between him and the coming fire. when she realized it was something real, it was all the greater that moment. >> we talk about second and third and fourth acts in politics. do you guys feel the current climate, we look at newt gingrich who is still a candidate for president, who knows may end up being the nominee, does it feel like a difference era when bill clinton was in america? >> one of the fascinating things have reported closely to bush white house and obviously to obama campaign as well, it's the sense of perspective you have looking back at those years, because you know, for people on the right, they will say, well the clinton did not prepare

enough for terrorism and war, and people on the left say the clinton years laid the foundation for one bubble and maybe two, and we are dealing with the economic problems of that. so, two presidents later, either that was a very naive time or a very great time, depending on your perspective. i would be interested to know what you think looking back into that, reque -- did you see the r was it just another era? >> they missed it. but to hold them responsible for missing it would be tough. the repeal of glass steigel that contributed to the bubble, passed both of the houses by a large majority, not controversial at all, and clinton signed it because he thought it would spur economic activity in banks. no one could foresee -- >> and it did. >> who could foresee the sub

prime mortgage crisis, it's dangerous to do history that way, the terror story is more complex, clinton would say, and i think is he right, he was out front of anybody else. everyone that criticized him did not say anything bit at the time. >> they did it, they said it was wag -- they said it was wag the dog. >> but he did understand the threat, thanks to his national security aid, so he was doing something, sure, maybe he could have done more p but that is the kind of kind of judgment that is not that serious in my opinion. >> when we watch footage of clinton, you are reminded what a political animal he was, how he could read a room and he had an appetite for the game of poll tparticular -- the game of

politics but these are sort of big campaign machines now, and beneath them are pragmatic guys that communicate a distaste for the game of politics, it's a contrast. >> it's part of his dna, clinton, you saw it in the film, he and his wife seemed like a couple that was destined to help other people. they were not ideological in many ways and they were very much empathetic and went left or right. and you did a good job last night, i got the impression that there was the good angel and the devil on his shoulders, no matter how high he got, there were his personal demons that were whisper in his ear

approximatsaying remember when we did this? >> he -- he had the misfortunate of coming in at a time where he was vulnerable. clinton believed that he could keep his private life private. that was a great mistake. he had this experience in childhood of keeping secret the parts of his life he did not want public. so you grew up with that kind of public and private separation and the time this is changed on him. >> time seems to be kind to former presidents. ronald reagan, most think he will go down in history as an out standing above average president. and clinton is up ten points from 2009. do not miss it.

breaking news, the kpourt is preparing to fill its plate with a lot of cases. we will talk to one of the authority on the high court when he joins us live next on "now." i'm freaking out man, he's on my back about providing for his little girl. hey don't worry, e-trade's got a totally new investing dashboard. everything's on one page. i'm watching you. oh yeah? well i'm watching you, watching him. [ male announcer ] try the new 360 investing dashboard at e-trade. we could eat whatever we wanted and still lose weight. weight watchers online was so easy. you look up a food, you eat the food, you track the food. weight -- comes right off. you have lipstick on your teeth. ok. got it. using the recipe builder,

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suggested that ruth bader, ginsberg may be stepping down, how likely do you think that will happen? >> i think it's unlikely that the conservatives or liberals will step down and retire. they have been allowing the president to appoint the successor. i think that ginsberg may decide to go, but if santorum is elected or romney is elected, she will ftry to hang on. >> it's -- who is in the ovals of, we talk about the power of the supreme court and looking down the roster for what is on

tap this year, there are very, very big decisions that could have major impact to political landscape and on the election in number -- election in november. the affordable health care act is at the end of the june, give us intel on what we can expect here. >> there are big fights and little fights, the big one is over the individual mandate, the requirement that every get health insurance starting in a few years, it's the argument over the shape and powers of the government. does congress have wide ranging authority to require you to purchase a product or a narrower scope for congressional power. so that is going to be a big ideological fight and there's lots of little things, it's a complicated statute. the betting money out there says that the statute is likely to be upheld but the challenge is more

serious than people thought. >> let's open this up to the panel, we are talking about the health care insurance mandate and the immigration law in arizona, how does it play out to presidential stage? >> in 2004, there was the michigan case on affirmtive action that played a role in that campaign year, we have known that the 2012 election will focus heavily on the health care reform. >> repealing obama care. >> the issue is, does the supreme court throw something else in there, are there potential land mines that the supreme court do introduce in year and that become as story. >> and in fact they uphold the individual mandate, tom you said that was a possibility, is that a huge shot in the arm wore if president -- arm for the

president as he seeks to debate the opposition? >> yes, if the judge goes out and say, it's fine then this president looks like the mainstream president that most people think he is. they will see it as over reach. it does not change whether they like him or not. but it weakens their assessment of what is and isn't american values. what is inside the law and what is constitutional. i have a question for tom. those oral arguments we see in march, how much of it is a clue to how the people will rule ultimately on health care? >> i think you really will know at the time of the oral argument who will win or lose, the justices in hard fought case where is they had time to prepare do tend to tip their hand. so we will sit down in the first couple of days of the oral argument and people will listen

to justice kennedy and if he is hostile to the law, it's in big trouble. approxima if he is more sympathetic, it will probably carry the day. when you thinking of the election in november, and what is on the table at the time. in will not only be affirmtive action, but you have citizened united too, that will be heard by the justices, maybe on election day in fact and for social conservatives and social liberals there's the question of gay marriage, defense of marriage act and prop eight, notes are cases that are likely to be to be before the justices. >> do you think on citizens united, i know it was said that in reviewing the decision it would give the court an opportunity to consider in light

of the huge sums currently deployed to buy candidates a allegiance should continue to hold sway. you feel they may reverse their decision? >> the first, not the second, no chance that the supreme court will overturn citizens united. whether they will hear the part that bans corporate donations. they may out right dismiss it. it's more likely in november they will hear argument on whether citizens united should be narrowed or overruled. i do not think they will, but they will hear it. and as the president made clear, he thinks he can run against the extreme court when it comes to citizens united. >> the prop eight stuff is interesting, because the folks against prop eight said it's better left at the local level in the hands of the voters, fit

goes to the supreme court it could be bad for the cause of gay rights, which is an interesting turn of events, is it not? >> it seems that the prop eight case is the risk of energizing the people against it is bad. the health care case is one where if the president wins that, it will be hard to make the argument to anyone outside the base that that is a really bad thing. like the base will believe it bought i'm not sure anyone else will. if this become as national conversation, people are so uncomfortable with kind of thinking beyond their own sphere, i think that most americans just want to leave it alone, but the people against gay marriage can get out there and fire it up. and make a case as it were. >> tom, i rarely invoke rick perry, but he had thoughts about reforming the supreme court in terms of lifetime tenure, and so on, do you think as they are

charged with handing down major decisions that will have massive impact on the society, will their will be more thinking of it's time to reform the way in which the court works and perhaps have them not serve lifetime tenures or think of a different retirement process that is not hinging to political landscape? >> you are in there for life once you are in, i think that there's never momentum against the supreme court to reform it or change the length of the tenure or anything else because the justices have way more respect than the president does, than the congress does. everyone can find something they like about the supreme court. president may hate the citizen's united but he may like the other decisions. >> hate the gavel love the robe.

a little bit for everyone. thank you for coming, we hope you'll be back shortly. >> thank you. >> after the break, we go inside the beltway, we will discuss washington ways and a new book. that is next on now. when you have tough pain, do you want fast relief? try bayer advanced aspirin. it has microparticles so it enters the bloodstream fast and rushes relief to the site of your tough pain. it's proven to relieve pain twice as fast as before. bayer advanced aspirin.

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people often compare and contrast the cultures of hollywood and washington, d.c., today we welcome someone who has had a foot in both worlds. joining us now is new york time best seller author alli wentworth, congratulations on the book. >> thank you. >> let's talk a bit, everyone loves -- i grew up in washington, d.c., as well. i usually hide the fact. >> i wrote a book bit. so there you go.

>> your childhood was more interesting than mine. people say hwashington is holl hollywood for ugly people p you know washington quite well, how do you see the city changing and the culture of washington having changed? >> when i was a 5-year-old girl, the democrats and republicans were together. i mean, my parent this is dinner parties and they would all be there and they would be discussing issues. you kind of put aside the company line for a while. you know, my mother was a democrat in a reagan white house >> nancy reagan? >> yes, that would never happen today, henry kissinger swam in

my pool while he was bombing cambodia. that would never happen today. so it was a very, a much warmer community, when i went back and moved to d.c., it felt like a different city that way. >> which is surprising, because i think that we thought of given obama's campaign message, hope and change and the great unifier -- it has not come back. >> why do you think it changed? your mother was in the white house in the '80s? >> are you trying find out how hold i am? i'm 23. i think a lot of it is the internet. believe it or not. and everyone was journalists in my household, so i think a lot

of the sources from the internet, there's no deep throat anymore. i saw a change after high school. so, the late '80s, i think a lot of it was the internet. i think the republicans started to move across the river, like they were not in the same hood as me and the kids say, i think there was these great stories that my mother used to talk about tip o'neil having drinks, and that doesn't exist. there's a dirtiness, and no one is having affairs -- >> well -- >> it's much harder now. >> to get away with it. >> but back in the day. >> we were revisiting the clinton era documentary and a lot of people see that as a line in the sand, when newt gingrich started to rachet up the

rhetoric and perhaps it was a break where people were not going to drinks. and tippling. >> back home, they throw all these wonderful parties and dinner parties, were you as a young girl expected to perform in some fashion for the guests? >> yes, i did. in fact, my stepfather's 60th birthday party, everyone was there, and i did a little tap dance -- >> literally. >> to the song animal crackers, i can do it today. and i was doing my thing and i looked out and i could see henry kissinger just disgusted. >> well, he just bombed a

country. >> i could not get him to smile. it's the low point of my career >> is still around. when we talk about the culture of washington i want to get your thought on first ladies. michelle obama is a powerful partner for her husband, as we look out on the field of the republican candidates, your take on ann romney or callista gingrich, ann romney has been a great help to romney. and i wonder what you make of looking out and their behavior on the campaign fratrail and ho they help or hurt their husband's reputation? >> you know, i think, listen there's got to be a lot of interesting conversations when somebody tries to run for president, and i think the only

thing you can do is kind of stand by your man and be the voice of all the good virtues of him. i look at michelle obama and i think she has done a great job and done a great job because she has been a voice and she has been standing for a woman that works and a mom and a first lady and i think that that to me is the right kind of role model now. especially for, you know, i have two girls more my girls. it's interesting to watch, it's more interesting to see what they do with that role when they become first lady. when you are a first lady, you have a lot of power and bring about more change than you thing, i'm proud of a first lady that goes out and kind of does her own thing and makes her own changes and one day when i'm first lady i hope to -- >> there's an incredible garden

waiting for you. michelle obama has owned her first ladyship, no doubt about. that great book. new york times best seller. >> oh, she is terrific. >> i would go buy a copy now. >> am i not talking about the controversy in afghanistan? >> u.s. and nato are doing damage control of reports of [ male announcer ] drinking a smoothie with no vegetable nutrition? ♪ [ gong ] strawberry banana! [ male announcer ] for a smoothie with real fruit plus veggie nutrition new v8 v-fusion smoothie. could've had a v8. spark card from capital one. spark cash gives me the most rewards of any small business credit card.

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welcome back time for "what now" the u.s. commander of nato in afghanistan is apologized and ordering a full investigation of reports that foreign troops did not dispose of copies of the

koran at bagram air base in an improper way. i read this and said this is not good. panetta said i support general wift's action to investigate the matter and i'll ensure we take all steps necessary and appropriate, he calls out the inappropriate treatment of the materials and apologizes to the the afghan people. we continually get news from the middle east in terms of a declining impression about america and what we have done over there. you know, there were the allegations or the photos that were circulated of u.s. forces, d descrating the body of afghan milita militant, beyond not good, how does this affect us? >> we have a foreign millitary

presence in a country for ten years, it makes this worse. and this proves it. you have a report, whether it's true or not, there's no trust and instant apology. >> like we believe it happened. and no investigation, but yep, that happened. >> remember the abuse of the koran led to deaths not long ago. one mistake, okay, but after a while, people think there's a basis for believing there's institutional attitude here, which i don't think that there's. how careless can you be? >> and we have heard time and time again that they go through sensitivity training but it still happens. >> the longer we stay, there the more chances it will happen. there's no sensitively train

thanksgiviing that you can do on our side -- >> let's not forget to mention, the veterans and veterans issues and let's talk about the attention that is paid to them when they get back home is unthinkable. thanks to robert, anna marie and richard and steve, that is all for "now," i'll see you back here tomorrow when i'm joined by martin bashir, and maggie habarman and eric bates, until then, follow us on twitter, happy mardi gras andrea. coming up, holy wars, santorum slams the president's faith again, what he said and what role does a candidates can religion play in politics, we have our guests to talk bit and

the supreme court takes up affirmative action.

right now on "andrea mitchell reports" a matter of faith, first it was phone if i theology and now the jeremiah wright issue. >> went to reverend wright's church for 20 years, it's a christian church, he said he is a christian. look, i'm not going question the president, what the president believes in what it comes to his faith. >> while franklin graham, on morning joe today questioned the president's religious beliefs as well. >> so therefore by your definition, he is not a christian. >> you have to ask him. >> you do not believe he is a muslim? >> no.