everybody the t-shirt. keli gave me a gone fishing t-shirt except the fish is getting money out of politics, which is a different kind of politics. we're going to need a different kind of bait for that. >> have fun fishing and shout out to scott jones, who did the shirt. >> that will do it for us today and "hardball" is next. going on offense. let's play "hardball." good evening. let me start with barack obama's forward pass. i'm talking about his decision to get out front on the immigration issue. to say that people who are brought to this country under the age of 16 shouldn't get punished. they shouldn't be chased and grabbed by the ins. from now on, even if they don't have legal status, they will be left alone to live and work here. it's fascinating to see the reaction from the right, isn't

it sm romney and those he wants to represent went silent on this. he whined a bit about democrat congresses not doing this before. democrat when used as an adjective is what republicans use when frustrated. but tonight, the people raring to grab the the white house remain tongue tied. the president proved again he knows how to use his office. it doesn't stop him from playing offense. joining me now are two of the top political thinkers. john heilemann and david corn of mother jones. david more recently with his mus musings in showdown. the one i want to look at tonight the mitt romney and how he started this campaign. he was even further to the right on immigration, the rest of the far right wing in this campaign. he tangled with newt gingrich for example back in january and let's listen to how he positioned himself on the far

right, the most antiimmigration policy. here he is. >> is he still the most antiimmigrant candidate? >> i think of the the four of us, yes. >> go ahead, governor. >> that's inexcusable. >> you tell me what language you would use to explain that deporting a grand mer or grandfather from their family, just tell me a language. >> mr. speaker, i think i described following the law, which to say i'm not going to round up people and deport them. people who come here legally get a work permit. people who do not, do not. those who don't get work over time will self-deport. >> romney pointed to the right of rick perry as well. >> if you've been in the state of texas for three years, if you're working towards your college degree and if you are working and pursuining citizensp

in texas, you pay in state twags there. >> with regards to illegal immigration, of course we'd build a fence and of course we do not give instate tuition credits to people who have come here illegally. that only attracts people to continue to come here and talk advantage of america's great benefits. >> when the january 16th gop debate, mitt romney laid out his hard line on immigration. let's listen to that. >> i think we have to follow the law and insist those that have come here illegally ultimately return home, apply, get in line with everyone else. well, there you have it. i want to start with david corn. seems to me he's laid out the law will be enforced. with a terror if not. if it hasn't been before. in other words, you go home where you came from, where your parents brought you here from and wait in some line that's there waiting for you to join and start all over again in life and that's the deal i'm offering you people who came here without

papers. that's the romney line. how's it going to stack up against obama who's now offered to not basically go after anybody under 30 who came here under 16. >> what romney has done is put himself into a pair of cement shoes. he has taken the most extreme position, not on principle position, it's a logical severely conservative position, which is we're not going to do anything about the 12 million people here who are undocumented or their kids or anything like that. everyone has to go home and that's it, end of story. it's a consistent position. it doesn't match reality. because i can't work as a policy and really doesn't match political reality, which is why he's been so tongue tied since the president took offensive on this on friday. >> how is this any different than the big boat argument? decided put him on a boat and send him back where they came from.

he says that in polite language, but that's what he's been saying. he is right when he says it has been a law of the land and it's not -- >> there will be an accommodation at some point. >> everyone thinks it helps their well being. i think what the president done is the right thing to do. but the policy thing is going to be either worked out on a partisan bases or in the romney administration. there's got to be bipartisan support. romney's problem is this puts him on the wrong side of maybe the most important demographic group in the electorate right now. a group where republicans are in serious long-term trouble and romney has put himself in short-term trouble because he's made himself terminally unpopular with latino voters and if he doesn't get 36, 37, 38,

more like 40%, he can't win the election. >> bob schieffer asked him the question. here is his answer. he had no responses to repeated attempts to try to get an answer on what he thought about president obama's executive order friday which allows people under age 30 who came or under age 16 to basically stay. let' listen. >> would you repeal this order if you became president? >> with regards to these kids brought in by their parents through no fault of their own, there needs to be a long-term solution. >> but would you repeal this? >> it would be overtaken by events, if you will, by my puts in place of a long-term solution? >> would you leave this this place while you worked out a long-term solution? >> we'll look at that setting as we reach that. >> that's almost as good as not doing the sunday shows. we wondered why he wouldn't do the sunday shows.

he did show up, but didn't answer the questions and we got a whole bunch later in the show. why did she show up? >> that's a very good quechlt i think he made the agreement to go be on the show before he knew that barack obama was going to make this. before he knew -- this is a pretty dramatic thing obama did on friday. i'm not making ek kuss for romney here. he should have an answer, but the thing before, which is that he does not, he's trying to etch sketch his way out of the position he took in the primary. he was against the dream act. further to the right than any other republican candidate. but he can't be there and win the election so now, he's trying in some way to get a holding pattern here. >> seems like this is one area where romney has stuck himself so far to the right. we've often asked how far -- if

you spend the whole fight saying i'm going to be the toughest person on hispanic people here, the right of newt, the the right of perry, the right of santorum, ron paul especially, i'm so far right, you can't get to my right and then says by the way, i'm doing an about face. can he get away with it? >> this is the perfect encapsulati encapsulation. you played the clip, chris, when he said there's one solution here. people go back to where they came from and then we deal with it then. then when bob schieffer asked him the same question, three, four times, not only does he not have an answer, well, i'm going to do a long-term solution. his solution was to send them back, self-deport, whatever you call it. and the fact that, he did the interview on saturday, couldn't answer the question.

it's his campaign running ads that say on day one. with what's he going to do day one about this directive. >> how many generations have been in this country. they're going to think -- why so comfortable about taking that antiimmigration position. on one issue, they're pretty good. the neo conservative "weekly standard" praising president obama's order on friday. he said romney's got trouble here. >> i think it's a sensible policy. if that was the law of the land. i think the president's pushing the limits and saying we're not going to enforce a law in order to meet these people in the country, but i think it's the right thing to do, actually. i think this is a big problem for romney.

embrace marco arurubio's act. let's pass this in congress, this is what i'm for. >> this must scare david corn to have a guy that's as far right. to say you're so far out you're in trouble here. >> i'm waiting for the business community. remember, the business community doesn't take this hard line on immigration that romney took to get the tea partiers on his side. there's a split within the republican party, there's no way at this point in time that romney can can take the lead on this. he's already said he's not that interested in the marco rubio approach. so if he embraces it, we have yet another flip-flop on romney. i think he's shot himself in the foot and he can kiss a lot of the latino vote good-bye. >> i also wondered how americans up to date on politics would take a position -- and here you have another pretty direct statement by romney.

i'm not on your side on immigration issues. >> to answer the question you asked, first, bill crystal, there's a bright line in the republican party between those people. he was sitting on that interview set on fox with karl rove. another guy who recognized that republicans had to be right with hispani hispanics. those guy say this is not -- this is we're recognized demographic reality and those who don't. as for latinos, if you go around focus groups in the southwest, there are older hispanics who resent illegal immigrants as much some white americans do. >> what is the reaction to people that don't like them though? >> it's one thing to have a conservative view on the law. what do you do -- >> i think it's hard to get someone to vote for you if you think you believe -- hates you as an ethnic group.

there's not a uniform view and there are -- >> they'll tell you -- >> on this particular issue when we're talking about kids who have been brought here through no fault of their own. we're not talking about people who have snuck in and been here 20 years, who are adults. this is about as sympathetic a group you can get and for romney to be behind on this, it's a big gap that he's not going to be able to close. even if he takes bill crystal's advice. >> i think he made a calculated decision to win the the nomination and then fight from then on. go as far right on every single issue. taxes, foreign policy, iran, mexican americans coming here. every issue. you could get to the right, go as far right as you could, calculated and do some pir wets, etch scratches or etch sketches and later in the campaign, make some adjustments and people would forgive you. i think they're not going to forgive this character. thank you, john heilemann and david corn. coming up, dirty, angry

money. what do you want? let's go inside the coke brothers machine. and jerry sandusky. the defense has begun its case such as it is. can you imagine what this defense is going to be? big question. will he take the stand and confront these awful charges? plus, mitt romney wants to be president, but why can't he say what he would do if he is president? once again ducked and dodged with bob schieffer. shows up, but doesn't answer the questions. let me finish tonight with what makes the idea of a romney presidency so dangerous. this is "hardball." the the place for politics. ♪ [ engine turns over ] [ male announcer ] we created the luxury crossover and kept turning the page, writing the next chapter for the rx and lexus. see your lexus dealer. is important to any successful business. which is why at wells fargo,

we work with you to get to know the unique aspects of your business. we can recommend financial solutions that can work for you that have helped millions of business owners save time, reduce expenses, and maximize cash flow. as the number one small business lender for nine years running... we're with you when you need us. so you can be there for your customers. wells fargo. together we'll go far. let's compare. germ party! eww! now the colgate total mouth. nice! [ female announcer ] colgate total fights 90% more plaque germs. i'm in. [ female announcer ] colgate total. less germs. healthier mouth. president obama is tagged john kerry to play the role -- wow. he has firsthand knowledge of the romney record up there in the base state and of course,

kerry's no stranger to the presidential debates having been the nominee for president back in '04. we'll be right back. surprised . so did the country that came in 17th place. let's raise the bar and elevate our academic standards. let's do what's best for our students-by investing in our teachers. let's solve this.

wow. welcome back to "hardball." if you need a reminder about the dangers of unlimited money flowing into into our political system, look no further than the coch brothers. they're doing that with a war chest that resembles an entire political party. their plan calls for spending about $400 million including money from their own pockets as well as others. their operations have become increasingly sophisticated, including on the ground county by county efforts in key states. this this weekend, they're holding a con vens in san diego, where wealthy donors are expected to hand over tens of millions of dollars. much of that will be spent

without having to disclose who gave it. ken vogel and eugene, i want ken to go through this. tell us about the coch brothers. who are they? how much loot do they have to spend? what are they interests? >> they have a vast conglomerate manufacturing really, it's the second biggest private company in the united states involved in everything from oil refining to chemicals to household products. they own georgia pacific, which makes brawny paper towels. they've been involved in conservative politics, however in cent years, they have both shifted their ideology, which used to be a form of libertarian

d libertarianism and have become more involved, giving more money, consolidated more donors around them and also taking the money that they give and that these donors give and giving it to a wider range of groups so their tentacles reach very far into the conservative movement and the republican sort of extra party infrastructure of the republican party to the point where it's arguable they are maybe the most powerful force on the right in politics today. >> you know, you've been studying politics a long time. this seems like a new organism here. something so big, a levithan if you will. apparently, they don't care about the issues as long as their republican. they're pro gun rights, pro right to life. it isn't just oil and gas -- >> my view at least, chris, what's different number one,

they are billionaires. they're not just millionaires. they've got virtually unlimited funds. second, it's all in service of a sort of radical libertarian idea ji and they've kind of added these traditional republican causes like the nra, like bells and whistles, but the central thrust is really quite radical in terms of where the political center has been in this country for a long time. >> what do they read the fo fountain head? what moved them? like a lot of u read those books. we weren't moved politically by them, but how did they get to move so fanatical? >> that's right, chris. they were influenced by the classic libertarian philosoph s philosophers. this makes them, has in the past, made them sort of difficult to pin down on the traditional partisan spectrum.

they oppose the war in iraq. sort of slightly in favor -- if not legalization and it's only in recent years where they had ta tacked further and become more of a machine. even still though, there is some question about among folks in the establishment to what extent they are loyal party soldiers and to what extent they are going to go and punish republicans from the right for not adhering to their orthodoxy, their sort of traditional orthodox. >> republicans used to depend their call for unlimited fund donations by bansing for calls for full disclosure. we'll tell you who we are and who's given the money. that's changed. quote, now that they have unlimited donations or something close, they don't want unlimited

disclosure. they want unloimted contrion why? the playing field has tilted toward republicans and they're in no hurry to tilt it back. they can take donations, use them in political ads and never disclose the donors. i don't know what this is like. i was going to say it was like one of the latin american countries like the 15 families, but at least you know who those families were. these people don't want anybody, they don't like us talking about them right now. >> they want to be able to promise other big donors that they bring in that oh, don't worry, nobody will know. and perhaps say boycott your products. the products your company makes if you're giving to radical causes they don't believe in. the real impact of this, we're talking about nearly $400 million and on the presidential level, the obama campaign's going to have enough money to

compete, but at lower levels, this money, undisclosed, unlimited, can be decisive. >> talk about that. you could pick say 20 or 30 congressional races. dump the last weekend money in and what? >> you can move the needle. in that manner and without anybody knowing who you are and to the tune of however much you want. sounds like we're making this up, but this is the way things work. >> just imagine you're running for r congress for re-election. somebody starts duffering this money out of nowhere. all of a sudden, ads are running about what a stinky poo you are. you've never heard these charges and people by the thousands are saying i don't know if i know this guy anymore.

>> they do work and it's kind of shifted the incentive structure in politics. if you were starting a campaign, a congressional campaign even five, ten years ago, you would go out and you would schmooze the leaders. just talking about the tactics for fund raising and now, all you need is that one big sugar daddy and that person is sufficient to be able to give money through an outside group that is technically not with your campaign, but has its best interests at heart and could completely tilt the race. shift the the dynamic and that person, as long as you maintain them as your patron, can get you elected if for years and years without youf having to do the traditional things we think of as part of retail policies. >> sure nice to have daddy warbucks showing up. thank you. up next, which republican presidential candidate was the inspiration behind this tv

vampire? wow. check out the side show, next. this is "hardball." the place for politics. [ male announcer ] at scottrade,

we believe the more you know, the better you trade. so we have ongoing webinars and interactive learning, plus, in-branch seminars at over 500 locations, where our dedicated support teams help you know more so your money can do more. [ rodger ] at scottrade, seven dollar trades are just the start. our teams have the information you want when you need it. it's another reason more investors are saying... [ all ] i'm with scottrade. more than 50 times a day? so brighten your smile a healthy way with listerine® whitening plus restoring rinse. it's the only rinse that makes your teeth two shades whiter and two times stronger. ♪ listerine® whitening... power to your mouth. with less chronic osteoarthritis pain. imagine living your life with less chronic low back pain. imagine you, with less pain.

cymbalta can help. cymbalta is fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one non-narcotic pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing skin or eyes. tell your doctor about all your medicines, including those for migraine and while on cymbalta, call right away if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles or serious allergic skin reactions like blisters, peeling rash, hives, or mouth sores to address possible life-threatening conditions. talk about your alcohol use, liver disease and before you reduce or stop cymbaa.lt dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. ask your doctor about cymbalta. imagine you with less pain.

cymbalta can help. go to cymbalta.com to learn about a free trial offer. welcome back. time for the side show. the first lady stopped by live with kelly today. the conversation quickly turned to parenting in the white house. >> there's definite ly the time where you're giving that sort of get over here, you know. you just don't see it on camera. >> i have to ask you this. >> you get that mother voice like, come sit down. >> you don't do the one -- >> when we do, what i'm trying to teach them is like when you're at a performance, you know, you know how kids don't have a poker face and malia and sasha are watching dancers and performing and here's malia and sasha.

and i'm leaning over like aren't you having fun? yeah, this is great. >> wow. later in the hour, the first lady surpassed, actually surprised some team champions of double dutch jump roping with a porls of her own. let's watch her go. ♪ campaigning these days takes many forms. and speaking of the first family, we're getting new details about the celebrity new york fund-raiser hosted by anna wintour and sarah jessica parker, but it was andy cohen who stole the show. he got the president to play a version of the bit he does on his show. it's called plead the fifth.

he asks his guest, three questions, only one of which they're able to plead the fifth. the question the president refused to answer, which outfit does -- wanted the answers straight and that was the first lady, herself. i want to know what it is, she said. well, the president's answer, no way. lastly, how's this for an artistic homage? when alan bald wanted some inspiration for the powerful leader of the vampires, where did he turn? apparently to rick santorum. the legendary tv producer told the rap coat for me, the jumping off point was watching the republican primaries. watching michele bachmann, watching rick santorum, what would it be like to have a -- take a look at the rick santorum inspired villain. >> i am the authority.

>> can we look beyond ourselves in the bloodless that has historically defined us as something bigger than all of us? >> this administration is dedicated now more than ever to the path of mainstreaming. onet santorum is definitely better dressed. sure outdoes that sweater vest deal he always wear. up next, the defense in jerry sandusky case has begun making his case. will sandusky get um there and face these charges? we'll see. rers, miami, florida. in here, great food demands a great presentation. so at&t showed corporate caterers how to better collaborate by using a mobile solution, in a whole new way. using real-time photo sharing abilities, they can create and maintain high standards, from kitchen to table. this technology allows us to collaborate with our drivers

to make a better experience for our customers. [ male announcer ] it's a network of possibilities -- helping you do what you do... even better. ♪ helping you do what you do... even better. high schools in six states enrolled in the national math and science initiative... ...which helped students and teachers get better results in ap courses. together, they raised ap test scores 138%. just imagine our potential... ...if the other states joined them. let's raise our scores. let's invest in our teachers and inspire our students. let's solve this.

not in this economy. we also have zero free time, and my dad moving in. so we went to fidelity. we looked at our family's goals and some ways to help us get there. they helped me fix my economy, the one in my house. now they're managing my investments for me. and with fidelity, getting back on track was easier than i thought. call or come in today to take control of your personal economy. get one-on-one help from america's retirement leader. i'm mandy drurry. the dow today shaved 25 points.

s&p up by two and the nasdaq gaining 22 points. facebook shares rose nearly 5% to finish above $31 a share. it's slowly climbing back to its $38 a share. sentiment rose in june to its highest level in five years, however, the confidence index is still far below where it was five years ago and shares of gr grupon soaring to over 11%. welcome back to "hardball." after emotional testimony this morning from a mother of an alleged victim of san ddusky, t prosecutor cougs rested its case against the coach. the defense began calling him to speak -- recessed today.

the judge told jurors they could begin deliberated as early as thursday on the 41 charges of sexual abuse which he faces and denies. michael isakoff is covering this case. give us a recap of the case. what's it stand like now? >> reporter: well, first, yeah, first, chris, the prosecution rested with that final witness. the mother of victim number nine, she was the first mother in this case to testify. only mother to testify and she breaks down in tears as she described how she continued to allow her son to go to sandusky's home over a several year period despite the fact that he was complaining at times that he grew ill, that he grew withdrawn, anxious. she encouraged him to go and at one point, the prosecutor asked her, do you feel reasonable and she covers her hands, weeps and says, yes, i do.

a very powerful moment in the courtroom. prosecution rested and defense began calling a string of character witnesses. a couple of former coaches who talked about what a great reputation jerry sandusky had, who you great he was with kids, how with young boys in locker rooms and coaches and saw nothing wrong with it. none of the testimony spoke directly to the specific allegations of abuse. and it's hard to see how much ground sandusky's lawyers gained today. >> this morning, on the "today" show, you reported that the prosecution asked nbc, our net work on friday, to reauthenticate the full trypsin of b transcript of bob kos tas' interview with san ddusky. that transcript includes this previously unaired portion which legal analysts tell nbc could be used by the prosecution during rebuttal or cross-examination if

jerry sandusky takes the stand in its own defense. let's watch this really powerful bit of news making here. >> so it's entirely possible that you could have helped young boy a in some way that was not objectionable while taking advantage of young boy, b, c, d and e. isn't that possible? >> well, you might think that, i don't know, in terms of my relationship with so many, many young people. i would guess that there were many young people who would come forward, many more young people, who would come forward and say that my methods and what i had done for them made it very positive impact on their life and i didn't go around seeking out every young person for sexual needs that i've helped. there are many that i didn't

have, i hardly had any contact with who i have helped in many, many ways. >> you know, mike, i've never heard of a guy so self-indicting. i didn't go around seeking every young person. we can make our own judgment of what that admission sounds like. >> reporter: exactly and that is the problem with the defense so far. and bringing out testimony about what great work jerry sandusky did doesn't do anything to disprove the specific allegations of abuse by the witnesses who did testify in this case and you know, that statement pretty much encapsulates the prop that the defense has and also remember that if sandusky does take the stand and they're going to wrap up their case by wednesday noon, that can be played and he can be

cross examined on that exchange alone and could have some real problems. >> i think it says a lot about how forthcoming he was trying to be with bob costas. what a strange situation to be so honest as to admit the guilt so clearly. great reporting with me. now, as diane diamond, diane, you've been very good at capturing what i think most people, the darkly fascinated about this case. the horror of it, the complete nature of the testimony presented so far. you know, just listening to my friend here and it's so important for people to remember that pedophiles i'm not saying jerry sandusky is one, but pedophiles are among the charming personable, engaging, popular people around. they have to be because they must get through the wall of parents to get to the children. so michael hit the nail right on the head.

the defense can bring in all the people they want. they had six witnesses here today to say you know, jerry's a great guy. he did a lot for this charity, but that doesn't mean he didn't do what the prosecution is alleging. two other children were eyewitnessed by a janitor and michael mcquery, so it is a huge mountain for this defense to try to climb. >> if they put jerry sandusky on the stand, how does he deal with what we just showed where he said no i didn't mess with all these kids. i'm paraphrasing it strongly. he said i didn't go around seeking out every young person for sexual needs that i've helped. >> yeah, just 10-year-old boys i guess is what he's saying. i don't know what he's saying. >> you don't have to interpret it. >> yeah. i'm of the mind that jerry

sandusky is never, ever, ever going to take the stand and i'll bet you dottie sandusky doesn't either. when the judge announced both the prosecution and defense were going to be all wrapped up by wednesday, i thought to myself well, that means the sanduskys aren't going to testify because if they did, if he were to testify here, the testimony would go on for days and days. no prosecutor in their right mind would agree to end on wednesday with sandusky possibly coming to the stand. >> this show on "hardball" is about politics and power. we've had the catholic church involved in some of these horror stories and we've had this penn state like a religious institution football up there at penn state. people are done with this guy. was his charm, his position? what protected him from all the suspicio suspicions, all the people that made accusations over the years? he was always able to move on to hold his position.

>> you know, you hit the nail right on the head there. it is all about power. it is people in authority that get away with the things that are being alleged here. again, i'm not trying to indict jerry sandusky. it's up to the jury to decide whether he's guilty, but you know, there were former coaches from penn state that testified here today that he was a great guy. one of them, mr. brooks said he has an exemplary character. he's topnotch. we haed a wrestling coach say i saw something kind of strange there, but he was with jerry sandusky, quote, he's a saint. so, you know, it's that specter of power and now the lack of power that jerry sandusky has. i went over to the bar today to ask about one of the witnesses and jerry sandusky started talking to me. i was so stunned. i went to ask the attorney about a one witness in a wheelchair, an army veteran and i wanted to know was he wounded in battle.

the assistant attorney said i don't know, jerry, what's the story? sandusky came over to me and just started talking. oh, his leg got blown off, came home and was in a motorcycle accident and now the paralyzed and is terrible. i thought to myself, this guy does not know when to not talk, so if he does take the stand, we're back to the that question. i don't see any pluses for the defense. up next, all mitt romney wants to be is president. he doesn't seem to want to answer tough questions or any questions. he doesn't want to say what he'd do if he got to be president. this is "hardball," the place for politics. [ male announcer ] how can power consumption in china,

impact wool exports from new zealand, textile production in spain, and the use of medical technology in the u.s.? at t. rowe price, we understand the connections of a complex, global economy. it's just one reason 75% of our mutual funds

beat their 10-year lipper average. t. rowe price. invest with confidence. request a prospectus or summary prospectus with investment information, risks, fees and expenses to read and consider carefully before investing. baseball great roger clemens is free and clear. he was acquitted today on all six charges including perjury and obstruction of justice after being accused of lying about steroid use before the u.s. congress. after the verdict, he thanked his supporters. zpl it's kind of uncomfortable for me to sit there and hear people talking about you. good or bad, but i just want to say i appreciate everyone who came in that rusty and michael and the entire team asked to come in to speak on my behalf. >> wow. once again, roger clemens, not guilty on all counts. we'll be right back.

to get people to try on these new depend silhouette briefs, and today we are rocking the red carpet. look it's lisa rinna! lisa hiii,i know you don't need one but will you try on these new depend silhouette briefs for charity and prove just how great the fit is even under a fantastic dress? are you serious? i am serious... sure why not! she's doing it! the best protection now looks, fits and feels just like underwear. hey lisa, who ya wearing? she's wearing the new depend silhouette. (growl) we invite you to get a free sample and try one on too. wanted to provide better employee benefits while balancing the company's bottom line, their very first word was... [ to the tune of "lullaby and good night" ] ♪ af-lac ♪ aflac [ male announcer ] find out more at... [ duck ] aflac! [ male announcer ] ...forbusiness.com. [ yawning sound ]

it was in my sister's neighborhood. i told you it was perfect for you guys. literally across the street from her sister. [ banker ] but someone else bought it before they could get their offer together. we really missed a great opportunity -- dodged a bullet there. [ banker ] so we talked to them about the wells fargo priority buyer preapproval. it lets people know that you are a serious buyer because you've been credit-approved. we got everything in order so that we can move on the next place we found. which was clear on the other side of town. [ male announcer ] wells fargo. with you when you're ready to move.

we're back. we know one thing about mitt romney. he wants to be president of the united states, but what would a mitt romney presidency actually be like or look like? we're taking a look at some of the candidates' statements on major policy issues. casey hunt's a national political reporter. she's been covering the romney campaign in iowa and ron reagan's an msnbc political analyst. this is yesterday. on face the nation. mitt romney took a hawkish stance toward iran on face the nation. let's watch him. >> i can say sure you if i'm president, the iranian will have no question but that i would be willing to take military action

if necessary to prevent them from becoming a nuclear threat to the world. i don't believe at this stage therefore if i'm president, we have a war powers approval or authorization for military force. the president has that capacity now. we cannot survive a course of action which would include a nuclear iran and we must be willing to take action. all those actions must be on the table. >> who's writing this stuff for him? no foreign policy experience, never been in the military, no one in his entire family history has been in the military. yet his solution is an instinctive let's used armed force. where's that history come from? he making this up or is somebody writing it for him? >> we heard that a lot throughout the campaign. president obama has a record on osama bin laden that makes him hard to assail from the right. i will say that romney's

campaign team is aware that this is a public that's tired of war. we've been in afghanistan for a decade. people want us to get out. you see that reflected in how he'll talk about that conflict. he doesn't have a problem with the timetable for getting out of there, but he is critical of the president's willingness to publicize that tactic. >> let's take a look at this. i want your reaction to this. here he is talking yesterday with bob schaffer. he dodged the question on how he planned to deal with revenue. let's look at this one. >> we know, governor, you've told us -- you haven't been bashful telling us where you want to cut taxes. when are you going to tell us where you're going to get the revenue? which of the deductions are you willing to eliminate? which of the tax credits are you -- when are you going to be able to tell us that? >> well, we'll go through that process with congress as to all the deductions and exemptions -- >> but do you have any ideas -- >> he gives something there.

for bolton of all the world to be giving advice, john bolton. now on the issues of taxes where he's supposed to be mr. business, mr. expert, he can't tell you what he's going to deal with -- how he's going to deal with this thing. >> he once said not long ago if he gave too many details about his economic policies that would be problematic because people wouldn't like the details and they wouldn't vote for him. but he has signed on -- i guess so. he has signed on to the ryan budget plan, of course. we know his general tendency is to privatize everything. privatize medicare. as far as taxes goes, you know, he's not going to raise the rate on the highest earners. we know that. we know he's not going to do that. he's not going to tell you what deductions he's going to come up with. again, it just wouldn't sound good if he did. >> okay. kassi, last with you.

he still won't go on "meet the press." that's his call. why'd he go on a sunday show if he wasn't going to say anything? >> well, you've seen this challenge play out. he's spent much of the primary campaign being careful about what campaigns he does release. we talked to his strategist yesterday and he said what we were hearing three months ago is it going to be the same as what we're hearing three months from now. that he will evolve over time. so it's going to be interesting to see if he does in fact -- if he is for it. he took heat yesterday. >> we'll follow you again out there on the campaign. ron reagan, thank you, sir. when we return, let me finish with the idea of why a romney presidency is dangerous. let's think about it. you're watching "hardball" the place for politics. as part of a heart healthy diet. that's true. ...but you still have to go to the gym. ♪ the one and only, cheerios

[ creaking ] [ male announcer ] trophies and awards lift you up. but they can also hold you back. unless you ask, what's next? [ zapping ] [ clang ] this is the next level of performance. the next level of innovation. the next rx. the all-new f sport. this is the pursuit of perfection. [ female announcer ] improve the health of your skin with aveeno daily moisturizing lotion. the natural oatmeal formula improves skin's health in one day, with significant improvement in 2 weeks. i found a moisturizer for life. [ female announcer ] only from aveeno. i found a moisturizer for life. what happens when classroom teachers get the training... ...and support they need? schools flourish and students blossom. that's why programs like... ...the mickelson exxonmobil teachers academy... ...and astronaut sally ride's science academy are helping our

educators improve student success in math and science. let's shoot for the stars. let's invest in our teachers and inspire our students. let's solve this. or treat gas with these after you get it. now that's like sunblock before or sun burn cream later. oh, somebody out there's saying, now i get it! take beano before and there'll be no gas. tell me you have good insurance. yup, i've got... [ voice of dennis ] ...allstate. really? i was afraid you'd have some cut-rate policy. [ normal voice ] nope, i've got... [ voice of dennis ] the allstate value plan. it's their most affordable car insurance -- and you still get an allstate agent. i too have... [ voice of dennis ] allstate. [ normal voice ] same agent and everything. it's like we're connected. no we're not. yeah, we are. no...we're not. ♪ ask an allstate agent about the value plan.

are you in good hands? let's compare. germ party! eww! now the colgate total mouth. nice! [ female announcer ] colgate total fights 90% more plaque germs. i'm in. [ female announcer ] colgate total. less germs. healthier mouth.

let me finish tonight with this romney character. i don't think romney cares all that much about the presidency except that he wants it. if he weren't running, you think he'd be watching this show or any other show on politics? forget about it. he cares about three things. his faith, his family, his business. right now his business is running for president. it's his business to be interested. he does the most obvious thing, he seems stunned. he doesn't have an answer. why? he never thought of that one. he hasn't thought about many things outside his zone of

interest which again includes his faith, family, business. and this is the most dangerous thing about this guy. since he doesn't have a foreign policy, he buys the foreign policies of the powers that be. he sings the song of his so-called advisers. what they are are people who advocate a point of view. to add a new war with each new republican president. they need a president who speaks their language, so they write his speeches. they want war with iran, they just put that in the next speech. this as i said is the dangerous part. we've had experience with a president who came to office with an empty head on foreign policy and bought the entire neocon pitch. the one that deserves a dunce cap. he won't say anything about taxes that norquist may approve. that doesn't make mitt a leader. that makes him a rover. grover says beg, mitt begs.

same with the religious right. he won't say a word that pat robinson hasn't approved for his political prayer book. there he was at the university getting an honorary degree. i didn't know they give honorary degrees for pandering. the scary thing is he's open for bids. he's sold his soul to everything out there. the religious right on social policy. grover on the tax issue. why have a brain if you don't have to think? with this crowd around b, his only job is to do exactly what he's told. he's done just that. listen closely. tell me if you've ever, ever heard mitt romney say something that's not perfect right wing talking points. the exact words the pressure groups are telling him to say. this guy isn't a candidate, he's a speaker system. that's "hardball" for now. "politicsnation" with al sharpton starts right now. welcome to "politicsnation." i'm al sharpton.