poland, oregegon, athe baghdad theatre on 31. we'r're back tomorrow nightht w "the ed show." "hardball" starts righght now he on msnbcbc. >> let's play y "hardbl." good evening. leading off it's way too early to say preresident oma is in trouble,ut this much is true. the economy remns stagnant. his health care pl is ruggle in c congress. there's talk o of a send stimimulus. and then takake a lookt this. new poll gifs oba only a 49% apprproval ratg in ohio. perhaps the most imimportanswing

statate in theountry. thatat's down from 62% as receny as may. ththe republans finally have a poll theyey love, butut they're an allime low in the pollsls themems. we'll try to makake see of where the present stands in just a moment. alsoso, at's next for sarah palin? sheedescribed her d decision to resign being the best thing for her family, her part and for alaska. but mighght it simply be the b thing for sarah? we have two guests wh different t views wt makes sahhalin tick? is there somethingngrorong with politicians or are teyey just reflectingng whaisis really happening in mododn n amican marriaiages? also, democrats risk getting

ught in the crsfsfirover atat congressional sosotion honoring michael j jacks.. and finalally all remember rah palin'sitite dudu-u-up with dviviletterman last month.. well, last nightht letterman di the top ten messagess o o papal swering machine. weave the highlights ininhehe "hdbdbl side show." bubut we begegin with the chall s facing president obaba.. haroldldforld, whhat do you ma of the poll coming outut showina drop in suppororfofor esident obamama? >> t tnk three things. onis it's a reason for r rl l ncern for the white housuse. io, as stated in the opepening is not only a a beweweth state, buburereprentative so many ways politically and frfr a an onomic stancece owhwhathis country does.. two, i i tnknk iraises concerns about health care.e. i think the whitite ususe s to thk long and carefully abobout how hard are youou wlilingo push for r isis? how much capitital rlrlrd

-- are e you willing to spend?? and three, i think i ilelead perhaps to a a secd d und of new spending. sosomeing for the states. it's h har makeehehease that states, be it r rpublican or dedemoat facingg hardship p beue state constitititionrequire that th b bance their budgets. employment benefits willll hav to be extendnded, d d think you maneneed payroll tax holiday.. yohave to give business s d d consnsums s so confidence in the shortete that we're doing the e ririghthing, that money can beb jected. u u ha to do what the stimulusus didi't do from the outset,t, wch isis tpuput ney into the system. this stimulus s will rk. itit wl just take a little moro time. you need somethingng to t t ney into t theysysteimmediately. >>at buchanan, let me guesess, the poll i in ioio ia disaster fooboba? right? >> no, n nott t al if i were him,m,i i wodn't worr much about thehe polininhio. that's's gereral a swing state d he's getting sort ofof clo to the swingng pitition, but wht it should d tell omama to do is come h home d sitowowwith his ecomomic advisese srs and say l,

h he a stimulus package 6 6% gdp, running a d dicicitf 13% of gdp,p, twi a alarge as reagan's bibiesest,nd this thing isn't moving. nonow y isn't it moving? d why did they make a a ststak and whwhat wt t ong? and correct it. the eleltitionare 15, 17 months ofof i do agree with hahaldld tthis extetent - theyey cldld he done atathehe begininning y y want a ststimusus, u need a jolt. cuthe payroll taxes on businesses and individidua, , socicialececury and the rest. that pututs neney ght into people's pockets, , theyeaeadown tohehe mls or head out to the e moes or go down to mcdonond'd's. so t thefefeeletter and the moy is there. somebody should be madade to answer, lawrence, , foththis i meanan, isis i6% of gross national productctndnd is not doing g anytngng what went t wrg?g? >> you know, patat, erere s the statatenent vice president den saying, maybe we m mreread the economy. chucuck to p p a question to back obama in moscow

yesterday. let's listst t to what the president t had s s about how they gauge the economy when they were come into officiconon inauguration d day. let's listen. >> i would a actlllly -- rather than say srsrea we had ininmpmple information. we came in jananuary0t0t ititasas oy after the rst-quarter numbers caca i in at suddenly everybodydy looked and said the economy sh rank 6. so it's happening much m more rapidldly atn n celerated pace than the p proctctio out there atat t time. >> patat, gohehe. >> that't's epeposrous. he's'sotot smers, geithner, thth've been on top of thihis thing since septememr.r. i would call thehese gs s and say,y, okok,ou guys s veve gott me, our partyndnd our miminiration in real troublele because you didn't'tee it

comingng. and biden says youou dn'n't e it comingng nowhy? i mean, rereal h he ght to be grgry. he's t the g i icharge and will pay the price. >> but pa these t thin happen. i think one of t t g gre flaws d srtcomings off the bush adninisttion was the unwillingness s to aitithen a miststakwawas de and a change in course was needed. this p prededentas shown the tuturity and dextxtitity 've been misissingn n e white house ththe st eight years. i don't fault them.. i take t theatat tir word. i thinkk this ecomom hardship isis tgher than many thoughtht.. as such, it calls s foa a different approaoach. weow have to sit back, take ststk and veventy d understandnd whadidiction we ha t to ve and how much litical capital that wilill take. ii hpen rereeith pat thatt we need t the unemployment befits extended and you have d do mething to help stateses strulili, not to help t the spspen money and cucutaxes and o

ththgsgs tt are not wise in the short term, bu states making tough chchceces ould be rewarded s se ways. > younono harold -- >> let's look atathehe nbers of whwhe e wetand now. thstimulus cost $787 billilion. the defificit r r 09 is now at $1.8 trillion. the projected d stst ohealth carere plawiwi be somewhere ararou the trillion. the are other estimates. isis trere a room for the obama adniniration to even begin ththinng about coming up with h money for another ststimusus? >> i think s s >> look, here's the ththin let t s sayhis. of course, i'm o on e e otr si. i would d opsese iand oppose health c care,utut think what harold iss reemmmmenng for obama is timididit didn obamama say health care, , we're going to do itit reag w wld say -- and he believes somomhihingdamn the torprposos, ll speed ahead. however, i do agreree ining the well, , pepecily if you're going

toto he e toaise taxes on small businesses or the e hethth pns, atateople get from businesesse you'rere gngng thave a firestorm this country, but here'e's th thing, lawrencnce. what youou wt t too now is what's going t to lo b bt down e e ad, what is best for t the cocotry, because that willll b best for yououanand u shouldn't try to p plapopolics now or worry, quite frankly, , abousoso poll in ohio. >> now, your nototn n of payroll tax x holiy y uld be a stimulus at republicans would g g o on board with. >> i would think, you havave to lolookt how you build a cocoition. u u t it on the business s sid the employee sidid i would pay for r thisititsome ofheheoney coming out of the banks. therere e e t.a.r.p. repayments being made. i would take thosese resrcrc apappld d to new stimulus, understandining fuy y wouldn't pay for r y youl, but would certainly, oncncththe nks pay

back all this money,y, ifafacte could papafofor me round of tax tstsith the t.a.r.p. payments. p pat points, it's a little scschi. t thehe ralalit is a p prident has to step baba a andake ininntory of where we are.e. this president understands s e energy and educacationrere keyso the tutu, the pillars. but wiwithoujojocreation, our cocouny faces peril and i ththk political the prpresidt t ll face it. >> hold on a s secd,d, p. we're gogog g toome back in a sendnd i want t to t to uck todd's ininteiew with the president t get the presidenens s veion of ererhe thinks the economy y is right now. >>ome areas you're seeing g the economic engine turn, , t t wh we always s knewheheecession wod d beeep, b, it was going to last for a while,e, andc,c, even whehetheconomy pulls out of reseson, that you're going g to s s j jobemerging only at the

end of thahat presesrather than the e giginng. >> pat buchanan, go aheaead. >> hehere where i -- look, the tone of obama hee,e, it smsmso me, is very y defeiviv this is likeke a situation, lawrence, , hehere you owow genenera mmarthur has invaded and it's t turn o o to be wrong anand disaster. you relieve ththcocommder the way obama a reevevedhe guy, ybyb rightly or wrongly inin afghanistan. he o oug t to ll these guys together. agagaiyou're talking $1.8 trillilion dicic, 13% gdp and it's not wororngng. and somebody o ohtht tbe made to plplaiwhy a an to tell himim wha course he oughght t tak >> harolold ord, do y sense any nervousnsns s noon the hill when they start to lolookt t thpolls fromomhihio? eyey he some very big votes coming up. in the conngres t t mark-upssnn the committetees iheheth care.

the senate is obobououslunder a lot t of psssse on the health ca. this is s e e ki of thing that shakes confidence, isnsn't i you appreciate, lawrencnce, probably better r th b botpat and i.i. e senate, the debate movoves there. they will l y y ve close attetentio the ohio numbers arere s snahot. ththe qutiti is where ware fofouro six, eight weeks from m now. if these jobs s tata -if this b b ta does not improve, t tha numbmberilill more telling than an deficit number, the e costf health care.e. >> pa the p pesesidt clearly kns s th jobs is his n nber ee isiss, he knows w wt's what they want to heaearr i ohio. i want t to cut back to chuck todd's interviewew whh t prpresent and listen to the w w he talks about j jobnonow. >> okay. >> this isis mnunumb one concncer i is w are we, a, going m maksure the people are tting back to work, bubub,b, h do we put the ececonomonon strong eugugh oting so that once we emerge outut of e e recession and ththececony is tually on the uptick, , th

it's creatatinththe nds of jobs and prprospetytyhat we need. >> it seems like o ohiisis s, esesidt aama this is your economy now. you own thisisececomy. and whatat i'meaeari fromom presesenent amaayayg is this isis m ececony. u don't hear any referenence about what he inherited d as w were hearing w whehehe ce in earlrlr r inhe year. >> it't'clcleathat the american opop are begigiining hold him countable for the economy. bubulet me disasagr w wit harol this. you u t t th money into these states, and these ststat w wil use it to o tatainheir programs analalthis and that. itit dsn't create the kind o o bs where somebody who'o's t t of ofofwo, he's got a job in thth private sector, goininouout d buying things,s, a i i tnk they've gogot f foc more on atat pductive sector than on government. i think letting g nancpepesi run with t t b balwas a terrible stste. >> that's why i agree e withouou thth t payroll tax.

i just d d't't believe f fcicing governors anand lol l vernments toaiaiseaxes. thatatururtsconomic development, job creaeati a andntrepreneurial growowth. i hear you. i'm trying t tfifind balance that w wl l noonly build decrcr support in the housese and senana,, b will bring some republicans along as welell. frankly, if we don't'to o itmy fear ishahamany of these states will l keke drastic cutsn the human services programs that affect the neediest t d d th poor. i knowowouou ce deeply about emems well, i know i do, a and ththk governors and mayors across the c coury are worried ououthat affected populatition >> at's going to be the finil word. we have to conontinuononnother daday. harold ford and papabubuchan, thank yoyou ve m mh. >> at's next for sarah papan? nearly threeee quas of republicans say they w wouldotot for her fofor esesidt. we'll talkk two politicical observers on either side o otht aislababt whether h herecision s ste down asoornor makes her aa tter or worse candidata. you're watatchg g "hdball" only on msnbc.

coming up, the strtrains on popoliticamarriages, when high-profile p politicns like mark s sford a john edwards admito having had affairs,s, what does that t tell usbout the statof marriage in americaca today? kind of consnsider mylf a robinhood of the di. buick enclave the fines luxury crossor ever. i need some zen n time th this model ththank you.

>> sarah palin is giving varis reasons r quitting the governorship, all for the good of others. offn't finished t job, some would say. >> you're not listening to me as to why i wldn't be able to finish that fin year in office wiout costinghe state millions of dollars and countls hours of wasted time. unfortunatel we're seeing too much waste. a lame duck ssion prodes more opportuty for waste and i wasn't going to put alaskans through that. >> but a conseative syndicated comnist as a different opinion. can we stop pretending was quting sfish or selfless? ining miss is ron christie and joan walsh. did sah palin do this for the sake of faly, for the same of

party and r the sake of alaska? or did she do it for the se of sarah? she clearly did it for the sake of sarah, lawrence. i mean, i have never seen anything more ridiculohan at press conference, except what followed that press conference. how do you give a speech complaining about how poorly the national mia has treated you, and then when you go off on yo shing vacation with your family, wh you invite? doounvite your family? your friends? , you invite kate snow, matt lauer and the entire natiol media.

if the media are the problem she should be run arrunning away from them and establishing her bona fides for her future political career. she's so confused. is there a word r a hycrite who doesn't en know she's a hypocrite? it was self-ty, it was victimation, and it was all about sarah. >> ron christie, you want rise to the defee of sarah pali this one? >> happy to,awrence. i think governor palin madthe decision that wabest for her, best for heramily and best for the e of alaska. ron, just to stop you there, you did start with best for her as the number e reason, which shnever mentions. >>f course, lawrence, but before you cut me off, best for her means it's best for her family and the state oalaska. she'be subjected to so many frivolous lawsuits and ethics complain, i should say, it was draining the coffers of as to the tunes of millions of johns. >>hat's not true, ron. >> i didn't cut you off. >> okay. >> if you look at her personal

finances she spent about $5,000 of her own money. that wasot wise for those who ca after her for political attacks. and shsaid i'm going to step away. what i finwhat's fascinating is the political left fascinated witgornor palin. ey're obviously scared of her. she has a bright future in the republican party and t people contue to attack her. jen says she is's accused, she's a pocrite. think she took a very balaed decisionshe made a very reasoned approach to say is not about me, it's what's inhe best interests of thstate and my family. that's why i belie she stepped down she has a remarklyright futurehead of her. >> ron, we've seen a lot of politician bill inton, rudy giiani, getting in trouble, personal issues swirli around them, and they stayed in oice. are you suggesting, r example, that president cnton should have rigned? or as a republan, are you suggng that rudy giuliani should have resigned wn his marriage ran into oblems, for

example, and hmoved out of mayos mansion in new york city? and moved in with gay frs of his and lived with tm, and his marriage was tabloid stuff eve day in new york? and he was accused of ng an affair wh s press secretary while in office? should giuliani have said this is toouch for new york, too much for my faly, i'm going to ha to quit? is that what giuliani shld have done, under this rationale? >> under the rionale between mayor uliani and president clinton, those are t different issues. >> let's stick with giuliani >> that wod have been his peonal decision for the citizens of new york. but as a lawyer, i can tl you one of the articles of impehment was that the president lied under oath to a federal investigatn. in fact he was dbarred for that. >> let's not talk t clinton. >> r, u think clinton should have quit. >> io. >> joan, go ahea >>et me introduce a bit of

fact-based reporting into this whole ideologil discussion. clearly sarah palin is hugely popular with the republican base, even i would notispute that. what she's done tely, though, has hurt her with indepeents. ron, if you want tbe back in powe you'll need the independents. indulge me a mine to tk about the ethicsomplaint. number nethe anchorageaily nus newssaid it st $286,000, not miions. number two, there were 15 of them actand only one was filed by a d.c. wahdog group. that was thene about her $1,000 shopping spree. they thought maybe it was illel, they found for sarah pan. she was exonerated ur of e ethics complains were brought by republican former allies sarah palin in alaska. the rest of th, alaska cotituents. one of tm, she had to pay b the statefor the $8,000 she billed the state to travel her ds arod the country.

sohese are, a, not frivolous. they are, b, not result of democratic bad guys snooping i in h garbage in wasilla, and c,hey're all alaska. they're former allies. i mean, this is not abt the bad -- big bad east coast nationaledia coming after her. this iabout somebody who sells her owpotical bed in alaska and s seen her popularity decline, and it's not millions of dollars. that iridiculous. >> let me say this, what fd most ridulous is we have a untry in very serious economic trouble. u saw in the previs segment, chuck todd was interviewing e prident. he verylearly displeased ab the way the economy is going and so much of the c conversaon is about governor palin. i think the mediwod would be better talking about whether the

cose he set for the country is working. >> we're gng to that right now. is sarah palin the most talented potician in alaska? >> say that again. >> is sarah palin the mo talented and ablpolitician in alas? >> i think sheertainly one tm, obviously. >> so you think it's a gd idea for that most talented and able litician in alaska to walk away from governing alas, when it is in this ecic crisis along with the rest of the 4 states? you think that's a gd idea? >> what i sa was, a, she was one of the most talented, not the most tented. >> who is more talted than sarah palin in your ew in alaska? who would be a better vernor? >> i'm notoing to go down the list. >>hen shquits the job, soone else becomes governor. do you think the lieutent goor is going to be a better governor than her? do you thi that will be an upgrade? >> i think hs going to be far more equipped to deal th the ecomic issues for th ste of alaska without the distraction the media come into e state trying to mu rake against the vernor. so much of this fascinatn, so mu of this frankly i think obsession with sarah palin obscures the facthat alaska is

best represented by somee who can address the s of that particulartate, and governor palin, wisely in my opinion, said i do not ne to behe source of specation. -- diraction. m going to step awafor the best intert of my state. >> ron, m not trying to twist your words, but when i boil em down, i think wh i just heard sarah palin is right to conclu tt the lieutenant goveor would be a better governorhan shcan be. >> i tnk using the governor's own words, said it was in the best interests oher state to step asidet this particular juncture, that she'soing to work wh e lieutenant governor as he transitioned into office. >> plee you're just doing the same spin again. >> i'm using her words. >> joan, i try to give thealin side of this argumen much of the befiof the doubt i can. en i hr ron tell me that e's one of the most talented politicis in alaska and maybe the lieutenant govern can do a better job, if that's the best suppt she can get from republican analysts and strategist, isere any real

future for her in republan politics? >> no, i realldon't ink there is. i think she will appeal to t base, but i think, younow, some of her ugst critics during the campaign season were republicans and reblican women like kathleen parker, you know she really showed that she was in oveher head. now, i thinkhe specter of somebody who quits when their statis in trouble, and gives a self-pitying speech and lies franklabout the millions of llars the ethics commission investigns were costing, i don't see how she has a fure. i think mitt romney, newt gingrich, the rest of thatack will come ater, tim pawlenty is not running for reelection, th's what we all expected her to do. but to up and quitth two weeks' notice like you're, you know, a barrbarista attarbuc?

that's ridiculous. please. >> ron, ron, pase give me a ten-cond bet on what her political future is, as e st word for ts segment. >> five yearago there was a ste senator by barack obama on rose to promisinnocee to become the psident of the united states. i think sarah palin over the next several years hasery bright fute. let's t handap 2012. let's let this democratic congress and administratn get the country ck on track. govern palin will do just fine in her political future family fortune >> nice try, r. >> nice try, it's the uth, lawrence. >>up next, how b was yesterday's memorial to chael jackson? how does it stack up to the obama inaugurati? sticaroundor our very big numbernext in the "hardball you're watching "hardbl"nly on msnbc

welcome back to ardball." time for the "sideshow." sarah palin's comedic golce

ain. her shocking annncement that she's stepping down from offe has given pley of fodder to late-night comedians. if you thought david lettean uld go easy on palin after being forced to apologize afr last month'sad joke abouher daughter? well, you ju don't know dave. here is dave lnight. re he is last night. >> t category tonight, top ten messages on her answering machine -- well, there you go.

she'll ndoubt be giving these guys lotof material for months to come. next, the litical picture of the day. e that guy? that's freshman congreman bobbbright in his home state of alabama, and, yes, he holding a shirt at reads "fire coss." politico ror that bright was asked by a friendly group to pose with the shirt at an indepeence day event this weekend. his office exped the photo op by ying the congressman is always wling to mingle with constuents, and that he'll actually be keeping the shirt his office as a syol of who he works r. now, there's somne who can ta a joke. time foronht's big number. michael jackson is shattering records in death, much as in life. bere yesterday, barack oba's inguration was yahoo.com's most watched streami video ever. with 1.8 milli views. homany streams did the michael jackson memial get yesterday? meer, 1.8 million for the

obama inauguration, the inauguration of the first african-american presint. yesterday, 5 million forichael jackson, a record shatterering 5 million streaming ews. for the jackn meri. tonight's ig number." up next, the clintons, the sanfordshe ensigns. are the strains of political maiage more pronounced when one spouse is a high-profile politician? at's our discussion wh w we return. you're watching "harardball"nly on msnsnbc. tlower your

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> leeianpanettaasas aed to

pupubllylyorrect a statement he made in may which sasa i it s notciaooli or pacacce t t mimisld congress. hehe ss the recent testimonyny that t topcc officicia h hav coconcleleinformation and misled congressirirtly contradicts th statementnt. the cia has released a statememt tonight sayingng directotor pet stands by his ororigalal testimony. polili in nasashvlele say foerflfl star steve mcnairirasas the victim of a mumurd-s-scide. his -year-old g girririend sho him five times inn t head a and chesesbebefo then turning that n on herself. ndndds of visitors and ememoyees at the world famous artenener los angeles have been evacuatedececse of a nenear b bru fire. so far there are no o poportof injuries now back to "hardball."

welcome backcko o "hdball." are politicicianlilikeark sanford and john ensign n beinin that americans arereececomg more understandininanand rgiving of polititianans o are unfaithful? richard engel l t theanaging editor o o"t"tim magazine with e e vert "unfaithfully youours and kathleen parkeker a a syndicatededololumst. before w wgeget questions here, there is some e brkikingews in ththpopolical affair front. thth comes from nevada, ththis comes from senatat j johensign. potiticoas obtained a letter that senenat e eign wrote to his miress, cynthia hansen, , according to "the las s ves s sun." we're going g to rd it here. he writes inin pt,t, quote, cin, ththiss the most important letter i i he everer written. what i did with yoyou s s wrg. i was complelelyly sf-centered.

only t thiining of myself. ususedou for my o o pleasure, tt letting thoughts of you, doug's children, comeme io o mind. i bebetrededverything i believed in, and i lied to mysese o ove and over. i justitiededyy actions bececaui blamed my wife. ririckteteng, this adds to the literatureref f potical adultery u took this subject anan expanded it out intoto a exination of what is the statate of marririaginin arica and okokedt the question of, is there something wronong thth tse guys? isis tre something peculiar r the drinkikingatat at the political fund-raisersrs or is there sosomeiningoing on inmemerin marriage that they are just r refctctin reflectingngn n a nse their nsnstients? k katlynn flanigan, who wroro the story, basasiclylyakes the case a at e e me time that we are vevenetitingarriage, we dedeine it at the same timime,

that americans have more partrtrsrs tn other people in ototr countries, we have m mor out-of-wedlock b bthths. >> incnclungngequential partners through marriagage and divorcrc >> yes. anatathe same time, we h hol up maiage with great reverence.e. it's t th great asaspititial thing g fososo my people,but we haha a very contradicting g vi of it. and basically, a ayoyou ow, from your longtimimseserve for pat moynihihanthth marriagess t havevenn for the hearart ststle world. it's'shehe w that children are ised best, and anytitime children are raiaid d ouide of that c conntntnal parental unit, ey are more troubled, , d d that's whwh k kaiyn's thesis is. >'m'm aays happy to include senatoto moynihan in discussion in "hardball." thth is the one segment whwheri don't ththinhehe h a place. thth m mnihan marriageasas ee most beautifif, , long thing i hahaveveveseen. now,w,atateen, in this week's "time" magazinine poportit says maiage is an increasingly fragile construct, d depdiding less and l ls s onotions of

crcrife and obligations thanan on the efeferera of romance a happiness, kathleen, itit seem at when politicianans nd themselvesin that ple,e, wonderininababouthe hand they dealal ththemlves, they are as capable of gettingitit with the dopamine, the love drurug,ndnd losingngonontr as anyone else. isn't that what we'r're eieing here? >> i donon'thihinkhere's ananhihingeally new about adultery andnd autut han fraiaiy,y, t fall of man goes y y ba. we do discard marriages s wi greater easese tsese ds. i think k rtrt owhat's at work here is that t theememption th's always been in place isis exaggeraratenonow. there's morere oorornities. the e tetern allows people to

dedelolop lationships that they uldn't have access to otherwise. all of that makes s it l ltle bit eaeasi, , i ink, to slip on e ice. lilicians have a certain degree of narcissismsmndnd hris that is unique to themem. that's how they gogowhwherthey are, andnd ihihi some of them foforg they have to play by y e same rules as evereryby y se or sufffferg g thconsequences. >> it seems the unique t thi abouout vevern sanford's affair is he's still in t themomoonal roes of it when he speaks s publicicly this is something wewe'vneneve heard befofo.. in everyry oerer ce, it's as if the e otr r man doesn't exist, or can't remember theieinaname we'll go to sosomelili. here's h howhehe gernor described d hiafafir in an inrvrviewith the associated press. >> i it'momo than a simple afir. it's a aovove ory. a foorbdeden e, a tragic one.

but aove story at the end o o the day. > khleen, it's a love stoto.. the mamaseseemto be laboring under the notiononhahat ere is ch a thing as a simplele aaiair. isisn'that one of hisis big mistakes? he thougughte e mit be into a sisimp affair? >> no,o, ihihinke lost his mind. there's no other expxplatiti for .. bebeg in romantic love is s nothing but t teororarinsanity. we all know w th.. d d th llllowas a south carolinian, can i i sa p pase governrnorshshusup. it p pattic and embarrassing.. 's'sot the first guy to fafall in love, but the firstst t ememrrrrasan entire state over his weweakssssf heart. >> rick, did he loloseisisind? >> have one word of advivi f for him, cpartmentalize. we ededtoto criticize popolicicis. keep it t serarate when senator ensnsiggagaveis stement, the thing that bothereded malalmo the most about it is this sentimement view he has the mamaiaiagend

even his o o o offe, when he sasayshihiis the worst thing i've done. hohow nn public figure who has acacons that affect millioionsnd hundreds of thousands of p peoe sasay atatomething heidid inn te prprive e fe is the wst thing 's's er done. totoototer we care about what we i in ur public life, not yoyo private life. >> kakateen, we have a bit re tortrte e he. we're gooin to listen vernor sanford talkingg to the sociated press, makingng athther point.

> kaleleeni think you have ththe ngng-most honest politician evevecacaug in an affairir. heasasllowed more to come frfrom s heart in his public commmmen than anyone else whoho'svevebeen in thihis tutuatn. rick advococeses cpartmentalize, ckss advocating, fyfy everytythi t tha momornrn psycholologyelel you thee human mind is capable of doioingndnd just comompamemealize this that reduces the womaman nothing and go forward witith ururareer. dodon'you south carolinians s >> that's not whatat i s sing. >> d don y youeel that, hey, at least the guy is in touch h wi

hifefeelgs, and speaking at let in a semihonest way?y? >hat's exactly why we p pay therapists to listst t to . until governor sanfordrd ps s to listeten, d don want to hear abt it. ank you very much. soso things should be workrkedut in private.. there's somemethg g ing on here with his spiritual adviserers, who's clearly y enururag him to confess, get i it l l outhere, olologe to everyone. i cacan'imimage this is helpful to his marriage, and i f feesoso badly for his four sons whwho ll have to liveve wh h thyoutube rereayays this for their entire lives. ththinthe man really needs to seek serious analysis.s. all right. we're going to have e toeaeavet there today. rick stengel and kathlhlee parker, rick w wilbebe ueiling thnewest magazine cover withth tomorrow on "morning g e.e." right here m msn. up next popotical fight ewewin erer ne other than michael jason.

congrerewowomasheila jacksoson e ntnts e house to ssss resolutitiononoring jackson. republican c cgrgresan peterer king has called jackson a pervert, a c cldld mester, and a pepedoilil thhohousdemocrats are caught in the m mide.e. the "pololicics x" is next, only m mbc.

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>>ththis guy was a pervert. he w was c cld lester. w waspepedoile. and to bee giving this mch coverarageo o m day inn and da ouout,hahadoes itay aboutut our cotry? >> thahawawas w york congressman, republicacan cocongssman, peter king l las weekend.d. time for the"politics fix" now with susasa page, washihin bureau chihi f "usa today,"," and ivanjafafrerers here'shelia jackson lee o on tuesday at the jacaconon svice. >> we hahaventntduced i in the house ofepresentatives this resolutionon 0000 thhat will be debated on the floooo o of e house that caims chael jackcksoasas an american legegen and musical icon,,oror humanitarian, sosomeee w will be honored foreveve and forever and forever and forever and forerer.r. >> susan page,,asas time i checked, the day before the

memerial, s sheadad exactly one sponsor on that resolution in the use. isishihis ing actuauall going t make it to the floloorf f th house? if it does, is peter kgg going to be aonone voiceofof opposition, or theeader o of a big republican movement? > don't know if 's going to make it to thehe floor, b but i think it mit. the e hoee claims a a l people at the point o o their death, including some controversisial people and shelilijajackn lee did not promisise isis wld pass the hohoe, she promised it would be debated on ththeloor of the hoe.e. i think thatat mhtht well happe. p ps democrats in a l lite bit of bibindmaybe,ecause of thsome more qutionable asasct of michael ckson's life, but puts republicans in a bind too given ththei low standing with afafran-americans, wi young people in this country. m m t sure t the's a b b winnerer hee for a f fig over this rrolution. > eann jajabbs, it's mpletely up t tonanancpelosi whetheher isis ceses the floor ofof t house or no

is t thisosomeing sheanantso bring g upnnhe eve of s sninia sosomayor's nomiminaonon is thihis meme kind o sideshow yoyonether than s shiaia jackson lelee ll want to have? >> just talked to aouse leaderersh a ae that talked t t a little w wile and s sai they don't think this isis ginin to e floor this week andthey're not sure wheheerer ty have thevovos to passs itt sthth're not sure whher they will bing it to the floor at all in ththeouou leadership. shelelia j jacononee may not ge th dated afrrall. > we'll b be back with san pe an eamonnrvis with more on the politics fix afterhis. if you think all babatteries are the s same, csider this:

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we're back with sus pag d eamon javs for more of e politics fix. eamon, how are th feeling about the numbers coming outf ohio withobama's appral rating dropping dramically, you've got big votes comi up inouse and senate committees on health care. what's their confence in the prent's ability to coin the publichat this is the way to g >> well,learly we had a pivot week this week whe somethi that hpened that we'd all been expecting,hh is that barack obama at some point was going to own ts u.s. economy. that seems to be what'sappened this wee is that people have conclud ouhere in the country that matters tha in

fact this is obama's econom w. he said we were going to pass this smulus bill athe beginng of the yer. turnound the jobuation, but the job situaon is getting worse, not tter. that just makes everything mor diffult in washington for barack obama, jusuts sand in the potical gears as ople sort of recalibrate their political expections of what this president c achieve this year and it's going to me alth care harder to do well. >> san page, what do you think the reaction was in e white house day when davidxelrod got s hands onhat ohio poll? >> w all know ohio is the center of the pitical unerse, because that'shere we fight our presidential electis. but i would just caution, we ve not seen this kind of decline naonwide. the llup poll month had an avege approval rating of barack obama of 61%. that's still pretty healthy. i do think the time comeshen pele's patience on the enomy wearut, they hold barack obama responsible, not george w. bush. i don't think we're quite there yet. in fac i think that's why the white use is so determined to pushealtre through in july and august,n the theory that the presidt's approl rating is nev going to be better than

it is now. >>ut susan, as youknow, when the white house is pushing for those tough votes in swing districts, one of the implit promises is,i' be there to help you with your re-election campaign if this is a tough vote for you. as people are looking at these lls in places like ohio, they've got to b wonring how much political backing and benefit they can get by lining up with the president on his agda. >> and these hlth care votes are goingo b very tough. they're having trouble ithe senate finding a funding mechanm, some taxes broadl acceptle enough to put forward that sete fce bill that we thinis going to be the main vehicle for health care reform. we haven't seen it yet. 's wee afthemax bacus, the chairman td us we were going to see it. clearly, this is a proble and to some degree, it's on barack obama's shoulrs to sell this idea tth american pubc and prove the kind of prottion you're talking about for senators a members of the house who are going to have to make tough votes. >> that will hav to be the st wo f today.