we get this health care thing done. it's what the people want. it's what the people need. now, let me just show you some numbers that i find rather interesting. these are from a new familiesyi usa report. here's what's going to happen while congress is a way taking a breather. more than 143,000 people are going to lose their health care next month. more than 53,000 will be forced to file bankruptcy because of medical bills. and 1,265 people will die because of the lack of coverage. now, you tell me. is this a good time to take a vacation? i thought this is what it's all about, working hard. this is the worst economy since the depression. people are losing their jobs. and their health care. and the congress, i'm getting tired of these comments, they're just gauging everything around their tight schedule because they've got to skip town in august. i think the idea of a vacation for the congress is a slap in

the face to the american people. a month off? nobody gets a month off in this economy. i think the obama administration has to call on the democratic leadership to declare everybody stays until we get health care reform, because that's what the american people want. now, the senate finance committee may roll out their bill sometime this week. finance committee chairman max baucus, one of my favorites, said this week, just kidding, the president isn't helping us? uh, max, who are you helping? i want to remind you, folks, about the money that max baucus, the senator from montana, chairman of the finance committee, just where he's getting his funding. it's from the big health care interests. over the past six years, baucus has taken $3.5 million from the health care industry. got it? well, let's break it down. that's nearly a quarter of every campaign dollar, senator baucus has taken since 2003, has come from the very people who are trying to stop this reform.

maybe that's why baucus' committee just keeps pushing this ludicrous idea about taxing health care benefits. that would stick it to the middle class. in my view, you know what that's like? that's like $4 a gallon gas. do the math. do the math. how did it feel when it was four bucks a gallon? if they start taxing your health care benefits, that's what it's going to do, hit the wallets of average american families. now, the point of reform is to lower the costs and make health care affordable. not impossible for the middle class. joining me now is congressman jim cleburne, he's the majority whip in the house. congressman, i'm on this one tonight. if the president were to say i think the congress should stay in session until we get health care and forget this recess or vacation, august, whatever you want to call it, would you go along with the president on that? >> absolutely. we've already said that, ed. nancy pelosi made it very clear that we will be here until we

get this done. in fact, as you know, the senate is already scheduled to be here a week later than the house. in anticipation of the fact that we'll do something in the house first, send it over to them, they'll have another week to work on it. as you know, whatever we do, house and senate, we still will have to come to conference together to try to work out the differences. at that point, i'm sure that the white house will get involved in this process as well. so that -- the president's made this clear -- so that by the time that we get finished with this, september 30th, we will have a bill in place. >> so nobody's going home until we get health care reform? i'm hearing that tonight? >> well, i don't know. that's up to the speaker to make that decision. but you asked of my willingness to say until it gets done, my answer to that is yes, i am. >> i'm all about that. today, president obama responded to a comment from senator jim demint who was talking about

this could be president obama's waterloo. i want to play that sound cut, here it is. >> just the other day, one republican senator said, and i'm quoting him now, "if we're able to stop obama on this, it will be his waterloo. it will break him." think about that. this isn't about me. this isn't about politics. this is about a health care system that is breaking america's families. breaking america's businesses and breaking america's economy. >> now, congressman, if that's the attitude in washington, why are the democrats worried about a bipartisan agreement, if this is the game plan to torpedo anything president obama wants? >> well, we're not worried about bipartisan agreement. we'd like to get bipartisan agreement. i think the american people like to see members of both parties working together. but we're not going to allow the republican party to keep us from

doing this. and that's why the health care was protected in our budget resolution, so that if we cannot get a bipartisanship on this, we can move ahead and do this with 50% plus one. now, let me say this about what the president just said. the president is absolutely right. this is not about him. it is not about me. this is all about the american people. and i also want to say, this is not about the uninsured. this is about the people who do have insurance. because the people who have insurance are, in fact, paying these big premiums, around $1,200 a family or more, to pay for the cost shifting that takes place in the system in order to take care of those people without insurance. this is about getting rid of the high deductibles, these high co-payments, closing the doughnut holes, getting rid of pre-existing conditions. i just read of the gentleman from south carolina this money

hog just lost his job, his wife's now got cancer, he now is making 30% less with no benefits. he's lost his insurance because he lost his job. >> well, that's just -- >> that's what this is about. >> you know what, jim, that's exactly the story that we hear when we go on the road and do town hall meetings. and the people are wondering, why in the world are they going to take a vacation in august if this is the kind of stuff that's happening out there with the american people? one other point i want to know tonight, are you standing with nancy pelosi, that we should, you know, ratchet up the taxes on the millionaires in this country and go get the money to pay for this from the top 2%? >> well, you know, one of the big issues before the congress today is whether or not we can achieve reform by savings in the system. now, we have -- >> i know the reform, congressman cleburne. i know about the reform. i want to know about, are you standing with nancy pelosi to raise the taxes on the top 2%?

she says she wants to go after the millionaires. >> i think it's the top 1%, but i am standing with her. $500,000 per individual. $1 million per family. but that will be only if we need to do that. i would much rather us do it with the system that we currently have, because all of my hospital administrators are telling me that there is better than $1 trillion in the current system that can be reformed without additional revenue coming in at all. i would really do it that way. >> good to have you with us tonight, congressman. thank you, you're a standup guy for saying you'd work through august. that's what the country needs right now. >> absolutely, thank you so much. >> you bet. i want to know what you think. should lawmakers leave town if they haven't passed a health care bill? "a" for yes, "b" for no. 622639. joining me is mike allen, senior

political correspondent for politico. mike, are the democrats going to be able to get through this without taxing millionaires to pay for this? >> well, yeah, they're going to tax a lot of other people too. that's what's going to have to happen. this is a big that expands access, the cost savings are unclear, a lot of them are not proven. and won't be counted already so, in order to have this balance out, they're going to have to tax a lot of people. but that's why there's a very great resistance among conservative democrats in the house. these democrats and these mccain districts, it's hard to believe there were in mccain districts but there were some, and the democrats in there don't want to take this tough vote if the senate isn't going to follow through. they took a very difficult vote on climate change, now they're very squeamish about this. the twist for you, ed, it may be that the house, not only will they wait on their break to get this done, they may wait until

the senate goes. so they know that they're not out on the ledge all by themselves. >> what would motivate a blue dog democrat to turn on the american people who have clearly stated through the last campaign that this is what they need? is it all about the money? what are they afraid of? >> i wouldn't say quite -- if you put it quite that way, i don't think that they would vote that way. but there's a lot of worry among these conservative democrats, these freshmen, sophomores, about the money, honey. about the borrow and spend hit that they know is going to come in mid terps. yes, it all started under bush. republicans. but the president is the president now and he has to deal with these big deficits, the big spending that's coming with these programs. that's the problem. >> mike, i don't get the love affair. i don't get the love affair with the blue dogs with the republicans. all of a sudden they're all

worried about the money. they weren't worried about the iraq money. >> i think you make a great point and you taub the love affair. yes. i can tell you among leadership in the white house, there's some annoyance with them. they should be on the team. you saw the president there. when he said it's not about me, well, when they say it's not about them, it's about them. and we saw there a president who's fighting. this is not a president who likes to lose. and he's been much more direct, much more aggressive in taking on his critics in recent days. today, he did a much more -- we're going to see that in coming days, we're going to see him taking on critic busy name. he's not going to let this go unchallenged. they know that republicans clobbered democrats all summer long under president clinton. they are not going to let that happen to them. democrats at the house, senate, white house, are fighting back. >> all right, mike allen, politico, thanks for joining us tonight here on "the ed show." >> have a great night. in my "op ed" i showed you just how much money finance committee chairman max baucus

has taken from big health interests. joining me is jay leventhal from center for responsive politics. the center compiled those numbers. the learn people are sitting there looking at, this dave, saying, gosh. we're never going to get reform because a guy who's supposed to be leading the charge in the finance committee has got the players in his back pocket. i mean, the appearance here isn't good. >> it's indicative of what's going on in washington right now. lobbying numbers the past ten years, the numbers keep going up and up and up in terms of expenditures. >> is baucus the number one taker in the congress from health care industries? >> he's among the top. not campaign contributions only but lobbying expenditures too. so many people are lobbying like crazy, to try to get health care reform pushed the way they want it to get pushed. and he's a prime target given his leadership position. >> $3.4 million from 2003 to

2008, that's $1,500 a day. i'm curious. why would the health care industry be going after a guy from montana? probably because he's the chairman, right? >> he's a guy from montana but a guy from montana with a heck of a lot of power and a lot of sway in debate. he's one of the key members of congress here who's going to ultimately have some power one way or another to decide which way this debate ends up going. >> dave leventhal, this is basically a microcosm of in the congress? it's baucus, then it's all of them. you know, the people that are trying to stop reform are in the pockets of all of these guys? >> well, you can say that. i think one of the most interesting things is the sort of revolving door syndrome. there's a number of former baucus staffers and staffers from other senators who used to work for those numbers, and now are lobbyists today, lobbying the very congress they used to work for, doing so on the issue of health care reform. there's 350 of them we reported

and "washington post" reported. that's a significant number in this debate. >> dave, good to have you on tonight. thanks so much. those are the numbers, folks, and they do have influence. coming up, president obama's been on the job for six months now. there are some poll numbers out there that have got some people shaking a little bit. maybe some red flags. we'll do a scorecard. katrina vanden half of "the nation" will give us her take next on "the ed show." you have questions. who can give you the financial advice you need? where will you find the stability and resources to keep you ahead of this rapidly evolving world? these are tough questions. that's why we brought together two of the most powerful names in the industry. introducing morgan stanley smith barney. here to rethink wealth management.

here to answer... your questions. morgan stanley smith barney. a new wealth management firm with over 130 years of experience.

as we get older, our bodies become... less able to absorb calcium. he recommended citracal. it's a different kind of calcium. calcium citrate. with vitamin d... for unsurpassed absorption, to nourish your bones.

welcome back to "the ed show." today marks six months since president obama took office. a new "washington post"/abc news poll shows slipping a little bit in the debate over health care reform. 49% of those polled approved of obama's handling of health care. that's below the 50% mark for the first time. here's the problem. congress has dictated the health care debate. the president still holds a strong approval rating of 59%. he needs to use it, and he needs to get out there and get after it. but we saw today -- >> talked to doctors, nurses, physicians' assistants, and administrators at this extraordinary institution. we spoke about some of the strengths on our health care system and some of the strains

our health care system places -- >> joining me now is katrina vanden half, editor of "the nation." what do you make of the numbers? >> i think those are -- the honeymoon wasn't going to last forever but those are still high numbers according to historical markers. i think what we're seeing is president obama realizing he has to use his personal popularity to use that to translate into legislative success. the big signature success for president obama in this first year will be real health care reform. if he can achieve that, it will be a game-changer. >> don't the republicans know that? >> that's why they're doing everything they can to obstruct. >> they did nothing for eight years on health care. now, all of a sudden, they want to take their time and say, what's the rush? >> this is why i think you're right about, listen, millions of americans are taking what we call staycations. they don't have job security. they don't have the money to take a real vacation. we're looking at now in this country in terms of health care, and joblessness, is not simply a crisis but a national emergency. legislators should stay and hammer it out.

president obama's presidency will be judged, ed, i believe, by his success in revive is the real economy. he may not have the leverage to do a second stimulus but he could do a comprehensive jobs program moving forward and the key again is health care reform. because that is inextricably linked to job security, economic security of millions of americans. >> what do you make of these blue dog democrats that seem to be causing trouble every single day? why would they side with the republicans when they've done nothing on health care for eight years? >> because they're less concerned about the people's recovery. about achieving a country that has human -- has a healthy economy, healthy society, and more concerned about leaving that chamber in a coffin. they want life security for themselves. and they're going to trade that, instead of caring about the people's business. and people need to remind them, if they do go on recess, people should hound them. hound those blue dogs. dog the dogs. tell them why they're there.

>> well, you know who takes the vacation now for three and four weeks in our economy? politicians who take money from lobbyists. they can protect their backside. i think the obama administration should call on the democratic leadership and say, we're staying until we get this thing done. >> i agree. >> it's a crisis situation right now. >> the other crisis, though, i have to say, on the six-month marker, president obama's tenure, is this taxpayer-funded gift to wall street. this bank bailout, today there was a report, you probably saw it, the overseer of the t.a.r.p. money, it's saying banks aren't lending. they're using this money we gave them to buy other banks, to do mergers, to do gaming. so their books look better. too many people are out of their homes. keep people in their homes. fight these mortgage lobbyists. find a way forward. because president obama's stimulus may have been too small but it is helping people keeping their jobs. and the republicans, alarmist, demagoguist rhetoric. it's part of the reason obama's

taking a hit. the media, not your show, but too much of the media is failing to educate americans why if business isn't spending, consumers aren't spending, government is the last resort. otherwise we're heading into a depression. >> we've got to get cheap money, we've got to get availability of money are. that's what it's all about, getting the economy going. putting it in perspective about where we are, this is six months. okay, if it's a football game, we're halfway through the first quarter. i mean, are we being a little impatient? we'll talk about that with our panel a little bit later. next up is "psycho talk" here on "the ed show." michael steele. this guy just needs to quit talking but we like when it he does. now he's suggesting president obama is a mad scientist doing a health care experiment on the country? it's coming up in "psycho talk" on "the ed show." illion people have discovered how easy it is to use legalzoom for important legal documents. so start your business, protect your family, launch your dreams. at legalzoom.com we put the law on your side.

prif we don't act,y, launch your dreams. medical bills will wipe out their savings. if we don't act, she'll be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. and he won't get the chemotherapy he needs. if we don't act, health care costs will rise 70%. and he'll have to cut benefits for his employees. but we can act. the president and congress have a plan to lower your costs and stop denials for pre-existing conditions. it's time to act. has the fastest serve in the history of professional tennis. so i've come to this court to challenge his speed. ...on the internet. i'll be using the 3g at&t laptopconnect card. he won't. so i can book travel plans faster, check my account balances faster. all on the go. i'm bill kurtis and i'm faster than andy roddick. (announcer) "switch to the nations fastest 3g network" "and get the at&t laptopconnect card for free".

that sticks to your teeth so well you can even drink water with it on. new crest whitestrips advanced seal. get a dramatically whiter smile while you do just about anything. satisfaction guaranteed. but did you know you also get hotel price assurance? it's a one-two punch of savings -- pow! pow! lower hotel booking fees mean you get a lower total price. plus, if another orbitz customer then books the same hotel for less, we send you a check for the difference, automatically.

the dodge chrysler and jeep summer clearance is here, and it's the best time to get some of the best deals. get in now and get the chrysler town & country with a generous cash allowance, or 0% financing for 60 months. the trail rated jeep grand cherokee also comes with a cash allowance or 0% financing for 60 months. or choose a hard working all new dodge ram truck with a cash allowance that's tough to beat. all with our best in the business lifetime powertrain warranty. so hurry come see the deals we've built for you at the dodge chrysler and jeep summer clearance.

welcome back to "the ed show." it's time for "psycho talk." this guy keeps landing in it. chairman of the republican national committee is back in the "psycho talk" zone tonight. mr. steele showed us today he is good, good at following the republican talking points written by gop strategist alex ca who wrote a medicalmow and said they could scare americans by calling the president's health reform efforts an experiment. steele gets an "a" for following the talking points and script closely. >> obama is conducting an experiment. a dangerous experiment with our

health care. reckless experiment with our economy. unnecessary experiment. rushing this experiment. the barack obama experiment. experiment, experiment, experiment, experiments, in that economic laboratory, experiments, experimentation. multi trillion dollar experiment. experiment, experiment, experiment. so it's time to stop the experiment, experiment, experimentation, experiment. risky experiment. w.barackobamaexperiment.com. >> they even have a website? we did the math. steele actually said "experiment" or some variation of the word 32 times in that speech. after reading his prepared remarks to the national press club, the rnc chair took some questions. without his script, steele was not as sure about his views on health care when he didn't have the script around him. at one point the moderator asked did republicans support an individual requirement to get coverage? that question stumped him. >> does -- an individual requirement, what do you mean by an individual requirement? do we support requiring individuals to get health coverage? again, that is one of those

areas where there -- there is different opinions by some in the -- in the house and the senate on this. and look, i don't do policy. i'm not -- i'm not a legislator. my point in coming here today was to begin to set a tone. >> a tone. i don't do policy. there is the guy who is the head of the republican party, who can't answer a question about health care. they don't have any answers. republicans aren't interested in fixing the broken health care system. as steele says, in this quote, he's there to set the tone. that tone is a tone of no and blocking any efforts to do something for the american people. the barack obama experiment is desperate fearmongering "psycho talk." welcome to the now network. population 49 million.

right now, 1.5 million people are on a conference call. 750,000 wish they weren't. - ( phones chirping ) - construction workers are making 244,000 nextel direct connect calls. 1 million people are responding to an email. - 151 accidentally hit "reply all." - ( foghorn blows ) that's happening now. america's most dependable 3g network bringing you the first wireless 4g network. - sprint. the now network. - ( whoosh sound ) deaf, hard of hearing and people with speech disabilities access www.sprintrelay.com.

♪ she does. obviously they do. ♪ oh, and her. my daughter was with me. i took a bayer aspirin out of my purse and chewed it. my doctor said the bayer aspirin saved my life. please talk to your doctor about aspirin and your heart.

welcome back to "the ed show." president obama is kicking it into high gear for health care reform. the president urged lawmakers to

get moving on a bill, one that includes a public option. >> i don't believe that government can or should run health care. but i also don't think insurance companies should have free rein to do as they please. that's why any plan i sign must include an insurance exchange. a one-stop shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits, costs and track records of a variety of plans. including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest. >> are they listening on capitol hill? joining me now is senator ken conrad, chairman of the senate budget committee and a member of the senate finance committee. and i understand just got out of a meeting with the key players of those two committees. senator, can you give us an update? first of all, good to see you, good to have you with us tonight. what happened today? give us an update. any movement today with those two committees? >> yeah, it's been a very constructive day. not just today. but people were working all through the weekend.

and real progress has been made. we just finished about a two hour long meeting. in that meeting, we got about a dozen items left under discussion. and we went through about a third of those. so we've got eight or nine more items to go over tomorrow. but very good progress being made. >> okay. senator, the cbo report that came out last week, and you got testimony from mr. elmondorf. was that not a incomplete report because it did not take into account new revenue streams coming into government if we were to raise taxes on the top 2%? >> actually, it does take into account on the house proposal the total proposal that was then in train in the various committees. so it does take into account the revenue as well as the expenditure, and as you know, they concluded that it would not bend the cost curve over time. they also concluded it wasn't

paid for over the ten-year period. but you know, those are all things that can be rectified. and it's better to know them now and get them fixed than to have a surprise later. >> so, the congressional budget office figured in, if we repeal the bush tax cuts and tax the top 2% in this country, move the rate back that we still wouldn't be able to pay for the plan that they're talking about on the hill? >> well, they took the revenue plan that is in the house bill. and, yes, they concluded that -- two factors fell short. number one, wasn't paid for over the ten years. number two, would not bend the cost curve in the right way beyond the ten-year period. so, again, those are works in progress. they're not finished legislation. so there's lots of time in order to fix them and get them right. >> but the fact is that the senate health committee, what they came out with was much

lower than the house. and if we did repeal the bush tax cuts, which i know you never supported way back when, you never supported those, the senate health committee does have a workable plan. >> yeah, they do. in fairness to the health committee, the health committee does not have jurisdiction over revenue. so, the health committee, that's the senate health committee, you know, you can't make a fair judgment on their plan. on the cost side, they're clearly within the range of what is doable and could be paid for over the ten years. >> senator, why are conservative democrats so reluctant to help the president get what he wants and what the majority of americans want? what's the hold-up? >> you know, the hold-up is getting it right. ed, this is the most complicated legislative endeavor i've ever been part of in 23 years. because it affects every single american and it affects

one-sixth of our economy. one in every six dollars in our economy is going through health care. so, i really think this is a matter of trying to get it right. it's an extraordinary -- extraordinarily complex. but real progress is being made. i think everybody should take heart from the fact we're very close now to a plan, at least in the finance committee, that would be paid for and hopefully would bend the cost curve in the right direction. >> would you support repealing the bush tax cuts? >> well, i think i wouldn't on those that are for the middle class. >> well, no. i'm talking about the top 2%. i'm talking about the millionaires. the top 2% that cost this country $750 billion. >> yeah, i would not -- i don't think that's the right way to pay for health care. i think the right way to pay for health care is out of the health care side of the ledger. you know, we've got $2.4 trillion of income tax subsidy to health care over the next ten

years. that's the first place i'd look for health care. with respect to the tax cuts for those who are the most favored among us, i think those are going to have to be addressed to deal with the larger deficit issues that still confront the country. >> finally, senator, you summed it up tonight on this program saying it's the biggest legislative effort you've seen in your almost 30 years in the congress. would you be willing to stay through august and not go on vacation if the president were to say, we've got to stay here until we get this thing done? what about that? >> i've already said publicly and privately, count me in. we want to reduce the august break or cancel it entirely. it's fine with me. the most important thing is that we get this right. >> and i know you're working out, senator. good to have you with us tonight, thanks so much. senator ken conrad. for more let's bring in our panel tonight. bill press is with us.

also jack rice, former cia officer. and also tim griffin, republican strategist. tim, i want to start with you tonight. what's wrong with repealing the bush tax cuts if it doesn't affect 98% of the american people? let's have at it and pay for this thing. >> well, that's the last thing you want to do in the middle of a recession. i mean, the government in this particular instance, in this administration, the government is taking center stage. but we forget that most of the jobs created historically in the last 20 years in this country have been because of small businesses. and these tax cuts that you're talking about, the bush tax cuts, they impact not only individuals but they impact small businesses. when you're talking about the higher income bracket, you're talking about a lot of small businesses that have the income pass through their llc, their small business. >> well, i understand protecting small business. but i don't see the millionaires taking their tax breaks and creating any jobs as of late. bill press, when is the obama

administration, bill, going to come out and realize they're not sacred cows, they're not sacred territory, we've got to go after those folks? >> you're absolutely right. i think president obama -- they say the next couple of weeks he's going to really start taking charge. it's about time. i think he's given congress too much running room and he's spent too much time trying to find common ground with republicans. i think he's got to take charge. lay down the guideposts and say, we're going to get this done and we're going to stay there without any vacation until they do get it done. and yes, the top 1% of americans who have been living high on the hog for the last eight years are going to be asked to pay more, and they should. >> jack rice, how do you see this situation? >> let's face it. the democrats need to grow a pair. they need to find a spine. come on. they won the white house, they won the house, they won the senate, they have a super majority. why is it they're playing around with the republicans like jim demint made it very clear. this has nothing to do with the american people. this has nothing to do with what

we want, what it is that we need. this is about trying to take this president down. he needs to stand and up say, to hell with you, we've had enough. now we'll simply take control and do what must be done. that's all. >> tim griffin, what are we supposed to make of senator jim demint of south carolina when he says he wants this to be obama's waterloo? where's all this bipartisanship, all this love that's supposed to be around there? >> i think the bottom line is there's a lot of reasons to stop this legislation. and you can -- he may not be the most articulate in how he expressed it but the bottom line is there are a lot of people who want this stopped including democrats. you mentioned the blue dogs earlier. well, the blue dogs in places like south arkansas where i grew up, you've got mike ross down there, those people don't want this reform package to pass. >> they don't want health care? >> they want health care reform but they don't want this one. >> whoa, whoa, whoa. wait a minute. mike ross said today if the republicans think they can count on the blue dogs to stop obama

or to go against obama, that they're kidding themselves. the problem, all the republicans want to do, you just said it, is stop. they put no alternative plan on the table. they want to delay, delay, delay, and then kill it. just like they tried to do the stimulus package. we're wasting time talking to republicans. >> if i was advising mike ross i would say, you shouldn't have said that, because let me tell you, you need to be listening to your people in the fourth district. >> all right, gentlemen. it's all about listening to the voters. we'll come back with the panel. stay with us. i'm tired of the conservative democrats dragging their feet on reform. i want a yes or a no. you're either with us or not. you're with the president on a public option or you're not. i'm putting a moderate democratic congressman in the hot seat when we come back here on my "playbook" on "the ed show."

should lawmakers leave town if they haven't passed a hell care bill? "a" for yes, "b" for no 622639. i want to know if the blue dog democrats will stand with president obama on a public option. i'll ask congressman ron kind. that's my vision. every day, transitions lenses are there to help care for my sight. announcer: transitions lenses adjust to changing light to reduce glare and help protect your eyes from uv damage so you can see better today... and tomorrow. live your vision. transitions. healthy sight in every light. to learn how transitions lenses can help protect your family's eyesight, go to our website or stop by a sam's club optical near you.

come on in. you're invited to the chevy open house. where getting a new vehicle is easy. because the price on the tag is the price you pay on remaining '08 and '09 models. you'll find low, straightforward pricing. it's simple. now get an '09 malibu 1lt with an epa estimated 33 mpg highway. get it now for around 21 thousand after all offers. go to chevy.com/openhouse for more details.

democrats in congress, they're not really playing like a team right now. in fact, i think the blue dogs are kind of playing the role of the spoiler. they're dragging their feet on health care reform. they're standing in the way of what the president wants. they're saying, we got to get going on our august recess. what for? that's not what the american people want. i held a town hall meeting in madison, wisconsin, last night. i can tell you i saw firsthand the american people want action. the people in the heartland, they want everybody covered. this thing about pre-existing condition, that's got to go. public option, they want it. they also want the congress to come back in the next session and work on cost containment.

but getting everybody covered has got to be the first step. joining me is wisconsin congressman ron kind. he's a member of the house ways committee. good to have you with us tonight. you're on the phone because i know you've got some vote is. if you're hearing in your district in wisconsin what i heard in madison last night, my friend, i think you've got to get on board with the public option if you're not there yet. >> first of all, i was glad to see my home state of wisconsin survived your visit over the weekend. you were well received and we appreciate your visit. ed, you know, this is this generation's moon shot. health care reform. because the current system is unsustainable. we've got rising costs and the number of uninsured growing each and every day in this country. >> but congressman, what i heard last night is that people don't care about the money. they care about the coverage. and will find a way to pay for it. it seems that the conservative democrats are saying, all of a sudden this is just too much money. where was that resistance when we were voting for the war in iraq and the bush tax cuts that cost us $750 billion, and the

war which is going to be maybe $2 trillion when it's all done with. here we are balking at $900 billion. how does that add up for you? >> i also recall five years ago when the republicans jammed through that prescription drug bill at 3:00 a.m. $800 billion. not a nickel of it was paid for. all of it was deficit financing. but reforming health care is important. and doing it the right way is important. for too long we've had a reimbursement system that has floored to the volume of care given as opposed to the value of care. that's why studies show close to one-third of all the dollars spent in health care in this country goes to care and treatment that does not improve the patient. that's what we're trying to reform. so we can cover all americans. and it will be sustainable for future generations. but without that delivery system reform, rewarding value over volume, it's going to get very expensive very fast. >> are you with the president on a public option, congressman? >> i am, as long as it competes

on a level playing field. a public option should be a choice that people are free to make. along with other health care plans. >> well, that would be the plan that you've got in the congress. that seems to work pretty good. >> it does. but again, the public option should be based in reimbursement. on the quality of care that's given. as opposed to the quantity of care. and that's been one of our biggest problems in providing coverage for all americans. costs are skyrocketing. we're not getting a good bang for the buck. >> so are you with the president? i mean, can you make a statement that i'm with the president, what he wants, i'm going to do whatever i can as a representative from wisconsin to deliver? >> the president's been the biggest champion in reforming this delivery system so it does reward the quality of health care as opposed to just the volume of health care given. he's been up there speaking endlessly about this. that's the goal that we do share with the president. >> and are you willing to give up your vacation recess in august to make sure we get this thing done? >> i'm willing to do whatever it

takes to move health care reform along. >> okay. >> 47 million uninsured is unacceptable. rising costs, unacceptable. and the fastest-growing area of federal spending, health care, is something that we cannot afford to delay any longer. >> congressman, good to have you with us tonight. we have three elected officials tell us tonight here on "the ed show" they're willing to stay for august. i guess we better call the white house and ask president obama if he's willing to call harry reid and nancy pelosi and stay, what do you say we stick around until we get this thing, because i think that's what the american people want. one last page in my "playbook" tonight. a get well soon card going out to an "ed show" regular, senator barbara mikulski of maryland. she broke her ankle, she's having surgery, she e-mailed us to let us know she's getting great care, the kind of care she wants for her constituents. while i'm following the doctor's orders, i can't wait until i'm back on my feet. continuing my work for quality,

affordable health care for every american. i can tell you, she is a fighter. senator mikulski, always fired up and a great guest on this program. all the best to you, get well soon. stay with us. we are coming up here on "the ed show," a look at president obama's greatest hits from the first six months on the job. i don't understand all this back and forth about how he's not doing a fantastic job. give me a break. we're only seven minutes into the fourth quarter if you look at the totality of the presidency. our panel coming up on that next, stay with us.

has the fastest hands boxing has ever seen. so i've come to this ring to see who's faster... on the internet. i'll be using the 3g at&t laptopconnect card. he won't. so i can browse the web faster, email business plans faster. all on the go. i'm bill kurtis and i'm faster than floyd mayweather. (announcer) switch to the nation's fastest 3g network and get the at&t laptopconnect card for free.

welcome back to "the ed show." six months into the job and president obama has passed 12 bills since taken office. the better fair pay act which he signed into law nine days after he tooks of. reauthorizing the s-chip bill, children's health insurance act. the stimulus package was passed. the small business act was passed. also the helping families save their homes act. and of course, the credit card bill. jack, what do you think? how has the president done in his first six months? >> actually, i'm very pleased. i think he's done a lot in the six months. the real problem that we have is you compare the challenges that he faces, versus where he is right now. it took president bush eight years to just about destroy the country. for him to actually dig out of that hole is a very, very difficult thing to do. one thing that you didn't even

mention, which i think is huge, was the speech that he gave in cairo. this is on an international basis. this is a guy who finally came out into the world and said, guess what, we actually don't hate you, we actually really are interested in having a relationship and having an understanding where we can benefit one another. and that was fundamental to what we're doing on an international basis and something that president bush really, really did so incredibly poorly. and the fact that this president understands that really pleases me. >> you know, bill press, all of the things that have passed have been good and what the democrats wanted. if the president doesn't get it done on health care, it seems like nothing else matters at this point think you're right. i to agree with jack. i don't think any president in our lifetime has done so much, so fast, so well, as barack obama has. he has already changed the direction of this -- of the image of this country around the world for the better. and he's changed the direction of this country at home for the

better. but you know, you're right, it all comes down to i think he'll be judged by -- for this first year, maybe for eight years, how well he does on health care. that's why he's got to do it right now, full-time; take charge. >> jim, why do i think you're going to have a different answer on that one? >> i'm actually going to agree with all of you on one thing, and that is, he promised -- >> oh, no. >> he promised change and we got change. i don't think there's any doubt about the change. but one of the things that's instructive for me, you talk about the great challenge that he inherited. we have a huge challenge with the economy, people losing their jobs, businesses closing. if you look at 1981, when reagan became president, he was facing a similar problem. he had a completely different approach. that approach was to cut taxes and downside government to stimulate the economy. so, you know, in terms of getting stuff passed, absolutely.

president obama has done it. do i agree with the substance? absolutely not. >> jason kidd, what does the president have to do to get this health care will through quickly? if you had to pick one thing what would it somebody. >> he needs to pull the democrats together. he needs to stop trying to reach across the aisle to the republicans who clearly want to see him fail. what he needs to do is marshal the american people who will then drive the democrats to do what is necessary. we have seen what's been going on with demint, with steele. heck, we could look at russia. some apparent drug-induced haze in florida. we need baucus and everybody on the left pushing hard to get this done. >> forget the republicans. get the democrats in line. tell them you're not going home until you get it done, period. >> i hear you. gentlemen, great to have you with us tonight. thanks so much. bill press, tim griffin, jack rice with us here on "the ed show." earlier in the show i asked for your opinion. should lawmakers leave town if

they haven't passed a health care bill? 4,500 of you have responded. that's our most ever to any question we've put out. 21% of you said yes, 79% said you agree with me, that they should stay in town until they get health care done. it's not an election year. they don't have to go home and raise money. we just came out of the most publicized election in the history of the country. nothing's really changed much when it comes to health care. in fact, it's gotten worse. it would seem to me that the president could take the real leadership role by calling up the democratic leadership and saying, you know what? i think we're going to miss that fishing trip in august and we're all going to stick around and get health care done for the american people. i'll be blogging about it tonight on my website at wegoted.com. that's "the ed show." i'm ed shuts. for more information ed.msnbc.com or check out wegoted.com. chris matthews, "hardball," the man who knows what's happening

in politics, coming up next right here on msnbc. intensive care. will the health bill make it? let's play "hardball." good evening. i'm chris matthews in washington. leading off tonight, health care. now in surgery. president obama's everywhere selling action on the national health care bill. with just a few weeks to go before the congressional august recess, the president will be highly visible with speeches, interviews, and a prime time news conference on wednesday night. all this as the latest abc news/"washington post" poll shows the president is still popular, but with skepticism growing over whether he can do the job on the economy and health care. the president's poll numbers are still the envy of republicans, whose ratings continue to be at a near all-time low. democrats have received more

popular votes than republicans in four of the past five presidential elections. and the gop has lost 54 house seats and 15 senate seats in the past two cycles. rnc chairman michael steele comes to "hardball" tonight. how does he intend to reverse the democratic tide that threatens to bury his party? plus, so much has been said and written about walter cronkite since he died on friday evening. we're going to do something special here tonight. dan rather will join us, and he and i will look back at an interview i did with cronkite back in '96 when he revealed some things about himself that might surprise you about the most trusted man in america. also, it's getting near do or die for president obama and health care. he stakes his presidency on getting this done and getting it done this year. let's see how that bet looks in "the politics fix." and tonight i'll show you where i was those recent two weeks when i was gone from the show. i've got some pi