for the 21st century, we have got to show them otunity and how to think as an entrepreneur, whether they're an entrepreneur or working for small businesses. these kids -- we've worked primarily in low income communities, so literally, to open their eyes and show them opportunity and let them start thinking about their own path for success. it's not hard. >> thank you. nia, congratulations. that does it for us. rescue. let's play "hardball." good evening. leading off tonight, rescue in chile. kre kr crews are ready to start their rescue operation that will free 33 miners trapped for more than

two months. chile's president arrived at the site and the first miners expected to be brought to the surface in about two hours. we'll be covering the story throughout the night. big political news. the democrats finally break out of what james carville called the fetal position. they're fighting back against the republican onslaugt. the battle for the women's vote. and big bill. bill clinton hits the road for the democrats. nine states to rally for his party. we begin with the chilean mine rescue. kerry sanders joins us with the late latest. everything looks like tremendous preparation to do this just right. >> reporter: everything has been set to make this all come off without a hitch. all that said, they do recognize it could still be dangerous. what they're going to do, if

everything goes according to plan, is in the next couple of hour, they're going to take an escape capsule and drop it down the mine and bring it back. it won't go all the way down that shaft. 240,000 feet. they'll bring it up. then they're going to get one of the paramedics to get inside that capsule and they're going to send it down to the bottom. he'll get out. he'll greet those 33 miners who have been trapped down there and then the first miner will get in and take a journey of about 15 minutes to the surface. they have special designed clothes. much like a fighter pilot. it will keep the blood flowing so as they stand in that tiny little capsule like this for 15 minutes, they won't have a problem with blood flow causing clots. each man will take an aspirin before they depart. they'll be given an oxygen mask.

which is slightly more than we normally breathe. that's designed to keep their lungs clear as they come up what could be a dusty pipe. then when they get to the surface, they'll step out into the arms of three family members who had been camping in this desert anxious to see them. they had to make a choice of three family members and as they come out, this is going to be a worldwide event. another rescue worker, another paramedic after they inspect the capsule, will get in and it will go back down. they will repeat this, about four of five rescue paramedics will go down. all 33 men will come up. in the time that they have now under a current schedule, takes 15 minutes to come up, but they anticipate with all the inspections and things they need to do, the entire process could last for 48 hours.

chris? >> kerry, who's running this rescue operation? the mining company or the government? >> reporter: well, kodoko is with the government. sort of like in mexico. that's the mining company here running the operation with the minister of mines. but there are 1,000 plus people here. experts who all have a role in this. they have technology brought in from a dozen countries around the world, but the minister of the mines here, he is the one who is in charge to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. he said today, you see me standing here with five other officials, but there are others who are involved who won't get the credit. but if it goes well, he takes a bow and if there's a problem, he's got questions to answer. >> are they worried about the psychology of people getting

into this capsule? it's only 22 inches wide. i guess the guys are not that big, but it's only two sheets of paper wide, roughly. the whole capsule. that's going to be a bit clos phobic in there. but i guess they're used to that. >> reporter: it is. and they're miners. this is the life they've chosen. jimmy sanchez, the youngest, has only l been doing this for four months. it's a little wider. 26 inches. fitting into a 28-inch shaft. i'm trying to think about the way to describe the width. it's like one of those cheap airline seat. it's that tight. you have your arms like this or like this and then you come up. the real concern is that if the arms are down here, that means the radio to communicate is down here. these guys have lost on average about 20 pounds, so they believe

that there is not going to be any sort of size issues of the folks coming up here. the real concern quite frankly is that 15-minute ride. it can be a very anxious, anxious moment. in fact, the health minister was even talking about the possibility of these 15 minutes, these men who have bonded, there may be some separation anxiety. >> i can totally understand. looks like they're going to make it. thank you so much, kerry sanders, for that great report. much more on the mental state of the trapped miners. let's go to jeff, a psychologist and nbc contributor. i am so impressed, so admiring obviously what these men have been able to do. keeping their sanity, their togetherness. becoming the opposite of the lord of the flies. from the book. but actually, creating a civilization of their own.

>> yeah, they've been able to set a structure down there. people have stepped up and taken on rolls, one as a leader, one, a spiritual leader. one, an entertainer. another trying to make sure they get exercise. they've done all the things you need to do in order to minimize the trauma that one will have, but certainly, they are traumatized. >> was this self-generated or did someone send down to them some advice about how to organize? how did it work? you know how it started, this amazing ability to create a community. >> there was a shift leader. he was the one who was the leader of that group to begin with, so he helped to begin putting all of these prudiers and structure in place and then of course they have consultanted psychologists from around the

world. people who were submarine shift commanders and so on. all these people gave them information to help them set the structu structure. of course, the families were instrumental in keeping these guys, having them keep their sanity. though some have severe mental health issues. >> is clos phobia, which i have, is that natural to human beings or do we build it up in our heads? we worry about what could happen or worry about oxygen being deprived. is it normal? you would think most would hate to be down in that. >> it's not really normal, but it's something many have. it's a learned behavior. a learned helplessness. because these guys have been down there are for 68 days or so, i think all we have some

element of clos phobia. they're going to be in a very small space. they're used to it now, but i think the bigger issue will be how to deal once they get to the surface. psychologically, they'll still be in. anything that will remind them of that mine. the smell of the earth. the sound of a crane. even looking at a bird cage, for example, will throw them back into that. people with a severe case feel like not only the walls are closing in, but they're actually dying. they have panic attacks. so, that will be a big concern. >> i was in a plane where the air was not pressurized and i know what that feels like. what do you say before they get into the capsule? this obviously is an absurd situation we're in, but you've just got to close down the worries like an astronaut. just got to not think about -- how do you tell a person not to think about what could go wrong

or the fact they're in this little 26 wide capsule closed off from everything else but dirt around them? >> once that medic gets down there, the medic will give the information as to what it is you should do. certainly, being in that small space, will feel that. they can explain that situation, what it is they will experience. that will help lessen the feeling because they will have a little more sense of control. the most important thing is to listen to what they have to say. what the fear will be while in the capsule, but the most important thing you can tell them, your family, friends will be waiting for you aboveground. it will be more intense for this 18 to 20 minutes, but once you are out, you are free and that should carry them through some sort of a panic disorder. >> what a great guest you are to have right now. we will continue to track developments in the rescue throughout the hour and also

throughout the evening here on msnbc. democrats are fighting back, throwing anything and everything at republicans. see what sticks from the last three weeks of the campaign, what is going to stick. we've got great stories coming up from the campaign trial including one about big bill clinton who's out there hitting nine states. this guy is on a role. you're watching "hardball" only on msnbc. was gathered together in one place. [ printer whirs ] done. ♪ thanks. do you work here? not yet. from tax info to debunking myths, the field guide to evolving your workforce has everything you need. download it now at thinkbeyondthelabel.com. it's like hardwiring the market right into my desktop. launch my watchlist -- a popping stock catches my eye. pull up the price chart. see what the analysts say.

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the selection is not about president obama. this election is about jack home bray versus ron paul. who do you want to represent you? >> welcome back. that was conway against rand paul. last night in a senate debate with rand paul. with just 21 days left, democrats are clearly fighting back. here's russ feingold getting

tough with ron johnson in wisconsin. la >> mr. johnson just refused to answer the question about citizen united because he already endorsed it. he's all for it. he is benefitting tremendously in this campaign from millions of dollars of these ads and i am not and i don't want to. will you call on them to stop? >> i have no control over that. >> that's part of the problem. >> will you ask them to stop? >> that's your right to free speech. >> people have a right to free speech. >> the answer is no. >> can democrats present a wipeout by that kind of back talk? >> obama white house. >> same thing. which comes out next month. okay. let me -- i can't pump these

books until they come out. let's go with you first, then mark. richard, it seems to me the democrats have hard times. they can't talk about health care because the numbers don't show it's going to help with independent voters. they can't brag about finreg. they can't talk about employment. they can't talk their record, their promises. that excludes a lot of material. what do they hit? >> they're hitting the other side. they can win ugly. some of the candidates can play ugly, but -- go after bad stuff or tie them to the bush economic policies. they have not found a way to tuke about the stimulus, about the recovery act, which is the most important piece. they need to get out there -- >> why don't they go positive? >> they don't know which piece to sell.

they haven't talked about the jobless state. there are teachers still teaching. the tax cuts they've given. they lost this battle six months a we're ago. >> mark, when the president rolled out that big tank, the stimulus package, the one that was going to get the economy back on its feet, was going to be the best way to fight a great depression ii, he never explained why we had to do this. he never really made the case. is that the problem is democrats have? they can't sell what he sold? >> you can go back through the course of the administration and find things they may have said differently. i'm surprised they aren't talking about what they would do next. this is a person who come

january, is going to be pushing hard on immigration, energy and deficit reduction. >> the people want to hear that. >> i don't think so. but i think the president would be better going down fighting for what he's going to do next rather than engaging in strictly assassination of republicans on a case by case basis where they see vulnerability. >> what can they do next? in this environment and it's off topic. i don't see how that's a winner either. i see why they go negative. >> another example, democrats getting tough on the economy. here's patty murray, who's had a tough race. seems to be coming back. her latest ad out in washington state. hitting back at her opponent. >> i'm patty murray. i sponsored this ad. >> can we trust a man who wants to turn back the clock? he voted against insurance companies covering women's

contraceptiv contraceptives. he voted against funding for emergency contraceptives. he even voted to deny women unemployment benefits if they were fleeing domestic violence. he wants to take away a woman's rights. he's not on our side. >> you know, mark, that's the kind of ad i thought a lot of the women democrats like barbara boxer who are pro-choice, very pro-choice in the case of boxer, would run late to try to hold on. if you're ahead, you wouldn't be running that ad. >> one of the cards, a lot of these house races is house democratics have a lot of money in the bank. i'll go back to talking about immigration and energy. they're not popular. there's not a pollster in the world who would tell the president that's what he should be running on. if he wants to have this, give him some sort of mandate, some way to go forward after the midterms. he needs to start telling the country again, i want to do big

things. let the politics take care of themselves. the way he's going now, he's going to end up with the worst of both worlds. >> let's look at the president's travel schedule. campaigning in the states. look at the states he won in 2008. now, maryland, pennsylvania, florida, delaware, massachusetts, ohio, washington, oregon, california, nevada, minnesota, rhode island. he is going to try to cover the world and all the states, but the question is, the question is, he can't talk the past, he can't talk the future and the current situation sucks. so, what's he talk about? he goes after foreign money. bob schieffer, a totally objective journalist and real pro seemed to nail the democrats and said is that all you go. that's one of those great there you go again lines. it's funny how the most basics counterpunch seems to work like

high school almost. >> they're going after secrecy, but can't talk about it. >> i don't want to be totally fair. they bring in se $100 million. 20 million comes from abroad. then they spend money on campaigns. who's to say the 20 didn't go forwa towards the campaign. >> they say they keep it separate, but they don't know. this sort of ante business. >> that is such a nonsensical argument. that means the money goes to pay the plumbing bill. >> we don't know, but that isn't really a framing of the entire election. it's off topic. again, it's not about the economy. >> i'll tell you why. what's going on in america, big corporations are saving money

and getting back. the dow is going up because they're cutting jobs. it's called cost cutting. how? they get rid of employees. then outsource overseas. go to india. answer the phone call. they do every trick in the world to screw the working guy to make a profit. it has fundamental. mark, i think it's relevant. that's my view. this question taking foreign money from multinationals seems to me playing into this game of reducing the number of american people who get jobs by cost cutting. >> that's good enough. reasonable analysis, but i don't think it has anything with the political advocacy of attacking the chamber of commerce or with the question that the chamber is somehow breaking the law or doing something improper with its foreign entities. >> most working guys at factories say we're losing work to foreign competition. >> they do and that's what the

white house is tapping into, but with no facts. not just bob schieffer, but others have reputeuated. it's uncommon to have that much of a democratic white house across the board. they are so desperate to come up with a way to tap into that antiforeign sentiment. >> my response was better than his. but here's james carville at politico -- you hold the ones. at least you get the ones, the people you believe are going to vote for you if you get them out. i think the democrats are looking at shutout here. they've got to score some runs. they've got to get some of their people to the polls. >> it's a two-track strategy. one is the message of karl rove and chamber of commerce.

the next, you're seeing these democrats who have been holding on to opposition research videos, job history, comment frs the past. >> this is stuff they've hung on to and are going to release it at the end when the other side doesn't have time to come back. >> i love politics. do you like that kind of politics? when they save these little sugar plums so they can't play defense? >> if they're relative and solid, i'm not bothered. >> yeah, i've seen cases where they say he was sued by this guy. richard, do you like this? >> it's self-defeating for this

white house. if they're going to win this way, it's going to be hard for them to come out and reform. >> raise the tone. >> that's the all politics -- >> one day to the p president getting out on point. he's exposed right now. the fact they can start hitting him, that tells me he's exposed when the middle weights are going after you. thank you. up next, brand new poll numbers from hot races across the country. we'll go to the scoreboard when we return. hey, did you ever finish last month's invoices?

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call, click, or come in to td ameritrade. time for the "hardball" scoreboard. let's check the latest polls and tight races. the generic congressal ballot. the democrats up 42-40. the first time i've seen that. that's among likely voters. in delaware, chris coons has a huge lead over christine o'donnell. coons is up 57-38. that's a 19-point spread. west virginia, manchin leaves raese by three, which doesn't mean anything. another poll, in nevada, harry reid has a slim lead over sharron angle. slim leads don't count for much.

it's only 47. it's got to get near 50. in wisconsin, a new reuters poll has johnson leading feingold. i don't understand what's going on in wisconsin. we'll continue the check the scoreboard every night. up next, a fight for the women's vote. women have tended to be democrats over the years. should they be worried about losing them? there's always been the gender gap and could have to deal with issues like health care, education, issues important to the household as well as the working woman. this is "hardball," only on msnbc. i needed more customers,

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stocks giving up gains to finish slightly higher. the dow adding ten points, s&p

up four and nasdaq climbing 15 points. the federal reserve reenforcing another round of asset buying. two big names reporting earnings after the closing bell. intel beating on estimates and csx beating expectations thanks to steady growth. the democratic party in danger of losing the women's vote? dee dee myers served with president clinton and michelle, i think you're a moderate republican, aren't you? >> i'm a registered independent.

>> that explains it. and your -- >> center left. >> good. book ends here. i think i'm somewhere in there, too. let me ask you about the whole issue of woman who tended to vote democrat. i used to -- i wrote something about this years ago, that political parties seem to divide that way, but if you take the issues women have to live with every da, the notes about the teacher, the education, more homework than the father. my wife is a genius at knowing this stuff. in terms of child care, they have them do the paper work. they tend to be more pro government. child care help, public education, better public schools. i've always figured that was a

logical reason. i would add that sometimes women feel more vulnerable. they're one paycheck away from taking care of their parents. they see vulnerability. i think that when the dust settles, more women will vote for democrats than republicans, but i don't think by a larger margin. >> what changed? >> i think women are frustrated the same way. they're antiincumbent. don't feel like things are getting better. >> let's go to the center right. >> it's true that historically, more women vote democratic than republican, but changed in 2004. women put george bush back in office. there was that horrible massacre in russia and you saw hundreds

of children that were killed. it became a terrorism war issue and you saw democratic women voting for george bush. >> women already talking -- are women as hawkish? >> i don't know. a lot of people tell you hillary clinton is more hawkish than barack obama. >> 68% positive -- 44%, president bush. the most recent bush. and sarah palin at 38. these are across the board percentages. you get to the republican party and palin is at 76%. i have a theory that you look at -- jerry brown against meg

whi whitman. >> i don't think so. >> you want to bet? because i will bet you big money on that that the women in california will vote democrat and the men will vote predominantly republican. >> i think women across the board are voting on pocketbook issues. it's the economy. >> so, you're saying that the women in california will be at conservative as the men? >> absolutely. >> in college, i would put the money on the table right now. i think you're just -- >> i'm not bluffing. i think whitman and fiorina, i think they are going to do well. it is pocketbook issues. >> man versus blumenthal in connecticut. i would argue that the men are going to vote for mcmahan and the women for blumenthal. >> i agree there. >> i think you vote your interest and it's all economic

interest this election. >> i agree with that. i think more women tend to see democratic solutions as being the answer to this problem. >> jerry brown -- the women and he will win the election if he does. >> yeah, look, jerry brown cannot win without carrying the majority of women. >> barbara boxer, enormous advantage with women. absolutely reproductive rights, absolutely pro-choice. >> you're also assuming that tons of women are single-issue voters. if you're going to talk about -- whether or not she's going to have a job, she's going to go with the job. >> will you cut me the slack of admitting that boxer will do better among women than men? >> no. >> you don't have to bet based on hunches. you can look at the poll. she does do bet e.

she drives a bigger gender gap because men are uncomfortable with women who are outspoken. >> i will make the bet. do better among women and jerry brown among women. >> no one will win without carrying a majority of the women's vote. women are what's going to show up. >> like president bush was elected by carrying the majority of men and not women. and so i think that's been a -- since the reagan years, it's been a pretty standard thing. the question is why. it comes back to how do you see your interest being reenforced. women feel more vulnerable. >> i'll show up on november 3rd -- >> women, i'm going to get back to the argument. >> you are generalizing. >> of course. >> this is a general discussion.

we're talking about gender gap. if there's still a gender gap that favors democrats. >> there is still a gender gap. >> that favors men with republicans. depends on how you define it. >> law and order, tough foreign policy, men are just as much a category as women. a minority category. men have their things they care about. guns, capital punishment. >> they'll carry men by a greater margin. >> they will carry men, independents, men and women. not because democrats are so great or republicans are so great, but because they're tired of what has been going on. >> who's going to win in california? >> meg whitman. >> the senate side? >> i'm voting for carly fiorina. >> are you registered in california? >> no. just kidding. i think the governor's race is a

toss-up. >> fiorina looks very upbeat these days. i think the turnout is going to be terrible for democrats this year. i just sense it. i sense that you can be a young democrat today and see another young democrat say i'm not bothering to vote, i know what you mean. you're a right wing, white older guy, you didn't vote, what's wrong with you. your age, too. by the way. after the show -- we will bet a few bucks. thank you. we generally get along better. up next, bill clinton's in nevada today for harry reid and boy, does he need him. he is mr. happy warrior. bill clinton. look at this guy. he is floating on air, this guy. and thank you. dee dee myers who made him what

he is today. look at this guy. i don't think he's too skinny, do you? >> no. he looks good. >> what's with the reagan suit? "hardball" back after this. [ advisor 1 ] what do you see yourself doing one week,

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. the tea party crowd, they're all motivated and young people won't show up. working people won't show up. there is nothing wrong with this country, as i've said 1,000

time, but you can't be played. >> wow, welcome back to "hardball." president bill clinton is in kentucky there. he's a key omen in these final weeks. josh marshall, founder and editor of talkingpoints.com and ron christie is a republican strategist and author of a new book. we're going to have you on to talk about that. good luck with that book. i believe in everybody deciding what they want to be. it's a free country. >> absolutely. >> let's go to this question here. let me go to josh. josh, it seemstoe that bill clinton has more than charm and good looks. he is a campaign fact. the fact is, when he was president, we balanced the budget. the economy was booming. we had unemployment way down in the single digits. he had something to come from when he goes to these people and says, vote democrat.

>> that's true. there's another thing, too. one of the things that bill clinton has to his advantage is about ten years where the right wing noise machine hasn't been on his case. if you go back and you remember this, back to 1994 or 1995, bill clinton could barely show his face in a lot of these states where he's now the clutch hitter. >> but he could have carried west virginia even when it was terrible for him politically. he could carry those white, more southern states. >> he definitely had an advantage over most democrats. even something you saw in 2008 when hillary clinton was the person who had more traction among rural, white voters and stuff like that. nothing like in the 1990s. bill clinton, a successful democratic president, one who was in office during a period of great prosperity, but his ene

enemies have laid off him a lot, too. >> it is a great time not to be running for office. even better time not to be defending office. here's bill clinton's campaign schedule in las vegas today. in arkansas tomorrow. in new mexico thursday. governor jerry brown friday in denver. next monday in washington state for patty murray. next monday in florida. now, the difference. >> if you look at the map, certainly california, state where is barack obama was very popular in the last election where as perhaps now, his popularity is going down. people still love him out there.

>> you're from the northern part. i've been out there, josh, to southern california with are yo? you are from the northern part. i have been out there, josh, to southern california with him, santa monica is his spiritual home. the guy's in the bill,ing stocks, the intellectuals, the beach combers, the hollywood crowd, everybody comes out for him when he is out there. >> bill clinton is still just a big political star no question about that he can -- he has just his inherent carries marks you said, successful democratic president. i think the key is that in a moment like this, where the economy is bad, it is very polarized environment, you have someone like bill clinton who, you know, politically speaking, policy wise, pretty close to barack obama in pretty much everything but you know -- >> that is not how he is seen. >> well, such a -- >> i think he is seen as center left more and fluid, i mean, able to go back, but never left. do you think? >> well, i this think that's right to an extent -- >> whereas obama gets tagged, fairly or not, being a candidate

increasingly because of health care of the left. and because the big stimulus. >> barack obama's health care plan is considerably more centrist than president clinton's one back in '93/'94, for one thing. that is what i'm talking b i think a lot of this is, again, a very polarized environment. i don't think there is much a factual argument that barack obama is any further to the left than bill clinton but again, you are in -- coming off a really polarized political year and if you're running for office, you don't necessarily want someone who has -- who is carrying that baggage. some parts of the country -- >> what is bill clinton's most famous political tag line, most famous political tag line, i feel your pain. >> or carville's, it's the economy, stupid. and i think bill clinton reminds people of a different era, a better time. >> talk about your hero, sarah palin. >> of course. >> sarah palin seen across-the-board nationally, low numbers in the 30s, you put her in the republican party, she is in the 70s.

the question is look at this, going to two rallies in california this saturday and florida the following saturday. she is doing the weekends. i guess roger els lets her off for the weekend from fox. >> you had to. >> i think she has a job. she is working over there. >> and doing a fantastic job of going out and localizing the base and getting people fired up for this election. you talk about her numbers being in the 30s. >> you think she is qualified to be president? >> i do she was governor of alaska, mayor of a city, certainly a whole heck of a lot more experience than a particular junior senator from illinois. >> i like the way you say that with absolutely no hesitation, qualified to be president of the united states, handling our nuclear weapons, handling the world's population -- >> you mean of course considering the one that we have sitting there now who has been indecisive on the economy? indecisive about every single issue. >> what is the role of palin going to be? >> it is obviously to rally the base. you have got the electorate is

much more polarized around had her than around barack obama, if that is even possible. i'm interested to see that that is becoming the sign on the dotted line question for republicans across the country. you see carly fiorina a few days ago, they each have to eventually answer this question, do you think this woman is qualified to be president of the united states? tried to duck it and try to duck it, a lot don't say yes. >> i love it. i think it is the litmus test, why ron christie is selling books and not running for office. he can say yes. thank you, ron christie, my friend. great to have you on, josh, come bag back, much respected, as mr. christie, his new book "acting white, the curious case of a racial slur". today, chill lakers rescue capsule arrived to mine site, ready to rescue the 33 guys there, down there 68 days, imagine, 2,000 feet in the earth, just some other guys in the dark. you are watching "hardball" on msnbc. five months ago. we are building a website by ourselves.

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just about an hour away now from the start of that amazing rescue operation down in chile. let's go back to chile and get the very latest from nbc's natalie morales. natalie, thank you for -- well, you're there and we are not and i guess i have to ask you everything you know. >> reporter: well, chris, i got to tell you there is just so much excitement in the air now. it has been 69 days to get to this day and to within the next couple of hours, they are

expecting operation sun lorenzo, the name they have given this mission, san lorenzo to begin here. already today, a couple of hours here ago, chile's president, sebastian pineiro visited with the families and he actually told one of the miners' families, the family of florencio alvarez, he would be the first miner to be rescued out of the ground, he is a 31-year-old, has a couple of children, also happens to have a brother who is trapped in the mine as well. we are starting to learn the details of some of those who will be coming out first and also, perhaps the miner who will be coming out last, we understand, is going to be really who has become one of the heroes of all of these 33 heroes, of course, and that is luis to orsua, the first to really -- he is actually the

mine -- the manager of the mine at the time and he was actually the first to say over the next 17 days, the first 17 days, rather, that they were to ration-day supply of their food. he was the first to have that presence of mind. the rescue capsule has gone down a couple times over yesterday and today and we understand it is all now a matter of maybe a couple hours, chris. >> i have read today they have agreed as a group not just to stick together for these 68 days but in the future, they have agreed on a compact apparently on what they are going to say about what happened down there. >> reporter: yeah, it truly is amazing. these are men who have shown every bond possible. i mean, they have not shown any sort of rift whatsoever, as far as we know and as far as we are told. in fact, we have been told that they actually don't even want to all leave the rescue area right