today's "washington post." the story leads with the recollection of a hazing incident at the elite school with romney leading the charge against a presumed homosexual student who wore bleach blond hair, draped over one eye. five of romney's fellow students interviewed separately, recall the incident the same way. including romney's close friend. matthew friedman. quote, he entered stevens hall off the school's collegiate quad to find romney marching out of his own room ahead of a prep school possie shouting about their plan to cut lauber's hair. friedman followed them to a nearby room where they came upon him. tackled him and pinned him to the ground. as his eyes filling with tears scream for help. romney repeatedly clipped his hair with a pair of scissors. thomas buford, the wrestling champion who helped romney

restrain the boy, later apologized to lauber telling the post, to this day, it still troubles me. but mitt romney saying he didn't recall the incident, offered a much more tepid response. >> well, you just say to yourself that back in high school, you know, i did some dumb things. and if anybody was hurt by that, or offended, obviously i apologize. >> if anybody was hurt or offended? if? bear in mind, this is not the only incident. the student who later came out as gay says romney would taunt him with at a girl when he spoke out in class. never mind, as usual, mitt has a three-letter answer to all his person at problems. >> there's no question, brian, that i became a very different person as i met ann. >> when he met ann. wait a second. but that was way back -- when

was it? >> i saw ann in elementary school. she was the second grader. i was a fourth grader. >> i was in fourth grade and she was in second grade. >> oh, yeah. she was in second grade. i was in fourth grade. i didn't notice her. she was in the second grade. i was in the fourth grade. so i paid her no attention. >> right. he was in the fourth grade. she was in the second grade. seems like it wasn't early enough. let's bring in our panel with us from washington. msnbc political analyst, former rnc chairman michael steele. political analyst caved corn who is the washington bureau chief from mother jones magazine and the author of the new york time best selling showdown and msnbc contributor jonathan capehart. an opinion writer from the "washington post." good afternoon from all of you. so mitt romney could remember the height of the trees when he was growing up. the love of driving. the meeting the love of his life in fourth grade but he can't remember leading a gang of bullies who attacked a child who

simply appears to be different to him. he can't remember that. >> it's hard to believe. i guess -- >> no! >> i guess this is what he mean by manage many experience. he didn't face down this guy on his own. he rounded up a mob. a crew of kids to get this guy down. when he was in high school, i had my share of fights and fisticuffs and i got into a bunch of brawls. i remember the most significant ones and i certainly believe i would remember leading a pack of kids. what do you know? four or five of the people who were found by the "washington post" all believe it. and they all provided tremendous details. so even if romney had somehow imaginally psychologically repressed this episode from his dark memories, then i think reading the story today might shift a few pieces loose in his dark recesses. and he would say, you know what? that was a low moment. and it is too bad the fellow is dead and i can't really apologize anymore. >> michael, i'm slightly confused.

romney says and i'm quoting him. i don't remember that incident. then he says, i certainly don't believe that i thought the fellow was homosexual. that was the furthest thing from our minds back in the 1960s. so that was not the case. how can he be cat goric that the child was not victimized because he was homosexual but says he can't remember the incident. isn't this a classic case of what we might call selective amnesia? >> you know, it may be. i can't get into his mind about what he recalls or doesn't recall on the one has not. on the other has not, the cleaner thing to do would be to come out and say, particularly if you have time people saying this is what happened. to say i did some dumb things. i was silly. i will apologize to mr. lauber who has since passed away and then move beyond that. you don't want this to know about an indictment of your character now based on behavior

that did you maybe one time in high school. and i think this has the potential to grow into something that it doesn't need to. and i think you're right. the selective memory or something like this is kind of hard for the public to digest. and so it is better to get out in front and say, look, it was a dumb thing to do. reading the article, i didn't walk away thinking he did it because he was presumed homosexual as much as they seem to have a problem with the fact that he had long blond hair. so i think you put this behind you in a very clean way. >> but clearly, it was bullying. jonathan, if these four eyewitnesses are to be believed, it is clear that romney was not a fringe or peripheral member of the gang. as david corn was just saying. he was actually the leader who maliciously targeted this young boy and then took scissors to his hair. he is not in the gang. he is the leader of the gang. >> yeah. that incident in particular, it is violent. it is physically violent.

it is emotionally violent. and you know, especially in high school when kids are still trying, they're just starting to figure out who they are and how they fit in and where they fit in in the grand scheme of things. to have something like that happen to you, mr. lauber never forgot it. i find it hard to believe that romney romney forgot it. the thing that resonates so many for people about this story, it's not so much what happened and who was involved. it is the fact that we have read these stories as recently as last month. there's a movie out now called bully by lee hersh. teens in small cities across the country who have faced bullying for one reason or another. it doesn't matter whether the kids are gay or perceived to be gay but they were perceived to be different in some way. it was happening when mitt romney was at cranbrook. it is happening to million of

kids right now. >> indeed. this speaks, does it not, to this man's character and also the way he responds which is to simply drag out his wife again. i mean, throughout the campaign he says, ann speaks better than me. she defends my position better than me. and then when he has to confront a story like this, he says, well, i changed when i met ann. it is almost as if ann romney is his messianic savior. >> it is like that's when he stop drinking, though he wasn't drinking. it is the equivalent of that. but i think to me, the issue has resonance because of the way romney is now reacting to it. we've all done things that were terrible. i grew up in a time when people were, kids were taunted for being gays, being, even if they were or weren't. i remember being around it. >> david, i personally was subjected to those accusations myself. even though i'm not homosexual. i'm not gay.

>> and just as jonathan mentioned, it has been a problem. so this would be a great moment for mitt romney to come out and say, i was a part of that, too. i did something terribly wrong and i apologize. but this sort of dodging. i didn't know he was gay but i don't remember. that is what i think the problem is here. and then ducking behind ann's skirt, as you note. so it could easily be put behind him if he was just up front about it. if he was a man about it as one might used to say. and he is not doing that. >> michael? >> he's not, is he? >> no. i think he's answering the question in a typical romneyesque way. >> which is what? >> in other words, that which is not important to the narrative that he's trying to, or conversation he is trying to have with the american people. he will not spend a lot of time getting lost in the weeds. on as you saw, he played in the clip. can we talk about the economy, the economy, the economy. i think from his perspective, i

mean, not knowing him, not talking to anyone in the campaign about this, i think that he sees this as another way to sort of drag us off of a national conversation of way more importance than what he did when he was 17 or 18 years old in high school. everything else that has been said on on this program not with substantial, i think from his perspective, that was then and i've apologized for it and now let's move on and get back to the conversation. i think one last point, martin, if i could. i think that the fact for a lot of folks, and this will be something that will get work out in the next few days. how do we apply today's sensibilities about, as jonathan aptly and very appropriately noted, the bullying movie that has been out to sort of calls and raise our consciousness on this issue. how do we apply these sensibilities to that time. we've got to be careful about that. it is very different. and what was accepted then is not so accepted now. i think it would be hard pressed. >> it would be great for romney to talk about that.

>> that's my point. >> that's the problem, isn't it? because today he has the opportunity with what jonathan just said about the discussion of bullying in the public arena to address this. and he fails to do so. and that's what speaks to his character. now, john, congressman barney frank was on our broadcast a few week ago. i want to play you something that he said about mitt romney that reminded us after we read the story in today's post. >> there is also in mitt romney, and people don't fully -- there is a meanness at his core. >> john, a meanness at his core. that suggests to me that there may be some relationship between something that happened in the past and the character of the man that barney frank came to know in the year 2004, 2007, when romney was governor. >> that very well may be.

this is one story, a highly sourced story with four or five people going on the record with their separate recollections of that one incident. but i've said for a while now that mitt romney has that, he is sort of a quiet mean person. in that you can insult him at 9:00 a.m. when you go home at 5:00 p.m., your locks are changed or your house has been foreclosed on or your house is gone. but somehow, he is going to get back at you in a very quiet, calm manner. >> jonathan capehart describing as mitt romney as freddie kruger. thanks so much. >> sure thing. tonight on "hardball," much more on the same sex marriage debate. congressman barney frank takes on tony perkins, the president of the family research council. chris will be the referee. make sure you watch.

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while much of the nation has been focused on the president's historic endorse many of same sex marriage, back on capitol hill, republicans are concentrating their efforts on legislation to slash program for the poor and the most vulnerable in society. and just moments ago, they did

just that passing a bill to replace automatic cuts already agreed to in defense spending. earlier this week, we spoke with republican joe barton of texas seen here delivering meal on wheel in east texas. and we asked him why he would vote to cut that very program. >> i want them to get a good job, to get out of poverty. >> sir, we're talking about 80 and 90-year-old seniors who live at home and rely on the provision of meals on wheels. >> i want to keep the government strong, the economy strong in order to do that, we've got to balance the budget. you know that. >> congresswoman donna edwards is a democrat from maryland and she joins us live from capitol hill. good afternoon. >> it is unbelievable. how cynical to deliver meals on wheel for seniors and people on disability and then come to washington and cut those very programs. i mean, what we, what republicans really did today in the house of representatives

just is really devastating cuts to medicare. cuts to school nutrition, meals on wheels, cancer screenings. the lists go on. >> food stamps noork trigs education, fund rt fog new consumer protection bureau. meals on wheels, child daycare and assistance to the elderly and of course, transportation for the disabled. why are they doing this? >> that's a really good question. i think in the nail of deficit reduction and spending cuts, what they're doing is really devastating some of our most vulnerable. think about it. we want children to go to school and to learn but we're telling children, you have to come to school hungry because we've cut nutrition assistance programs for your parents at home. and at the same time, we've actually cut nutrition program in the schools. it really is very cynical and it hurts middle class americans. it hurts poor people.

and they seem not to care at all. tame, propping up a defense budget and sacrificing the needs of seniors and people on disability and all of our young people. >> anybody with a normally functioning brain realizes that this bill will never pass the senate and would never be signed by the president. so why do this? or why not deal with some other pressing issues like for example, resolving the student loan impasse? we're going to see students facing double the interest rate level unless something is resolved by july 1. yet they do this today. >> i think, martin, you've hit it on the head. these people are all about sort of messaging to their tea party republicans that measures that would devastate ordinary people. and tame, something that middle income people, students all across this country need. that is not to see a doubling of their student loan interest payments from 3.4% to 6.8%. and we're wasting time.

it really is a waste of time. the republicans and their leadership know it is a waste of time. it won't see the light of day in the senate. the president would never sign off on this devastation to our seniors, to people with disabilities, to children. don't even want to do cancer screenings. women need cancer screenings. cervical cancer and others. they've cut the budget that would put 326,000 women to the curbside. and at the same time, they say we care about our women and children. >> i've got some news on that. i would like your response to freshman republican bob dole of illinois introducing a bill to protect planned parenthood from being cut out of federal spending. any chance that that will see the light of day? here is a republican. >> please. it sounds like a real political ploy to me for a republican who is facing the really tremendous challenge in his district by trying to pretend that he is

supportive of planned parenthood and supportive of women. he knows his own leadership will never allow that to pass. we've already taken, we've taken how many votes to cut planned parent who have and cut important program for women including contraception. so you know, i think clearly, there are some members like bob dold and others that would offer up things to get themselves out of political hot water at home knowing it will never see a have the light of day with their leadership. >> should i add the vote was 218-199. all along party lines and not a single democrat voted for that bill. congressman from maryland. thank you. next, michele and marcus. the swiss family bachmann. i wonder if they'll like how gay couples are treated in geneva. everywhere you go, america,

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if the swiss historically are neutral, why are they front and center in the politics? i'm not just referring to romney's finances. this week we learn that michele bachmann enjoys dual swiss and american citizenship. a heritage revealed this week after a citizenship filing for bachmann and her three youngest children now. the tea party darling called the revelation a nonstory. explaining she gained dual citizenship when she married husband marcus, a dual citizen himself in 1978. i am proud of my husband, marcus, the love of my life, and his swiss heritage, she said in a statement. funny, the swiss michele never mentioned that in her run for the white house. and one wonders the back lash had candidate obama had such a split allegiance.

that was not the only business on hand wednesday. no. she was among the first republicans to criticize the president's i am a sex marriage announce many, calling him, quote, out of touch with the values of american families. now, we remember marcus, her swiss mister and his ties to a clinic that reportedly practiced repair i have the therapy, curing homosexuality. so at least in their minds, they practice what they preach. but back to her swiss roots for a moment. that neutral den of socialized medicine, the economy, is she aware switzerland was the first nation in the world to grant by referendum same sex partnerships the exact same rights as heterosexual couples? alas, don't expect any gay pride on that swiss beat. stay with us. the top lines are coming up. >> the president of the united states is gay.

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the president is gay. friendly, that is. marco rubio is grossed out, and the penal presidential candidate. here are our top lines. business in the front party in the back. >> same sex couples should be able to get married. >> they have the president of the united states is gay. friendly. gay friendly. damn you, ellipsis. >> it wouldn't occur to them that their friends' parents would be treated differently. >> it takes a brave man to take a stand like this. >> it is a campaign finance decision. >> it doesn't make sense to them. >> that's the kind of thing that

promise a changing%. >> we think of the country as getting less anti-gay over time. for the top tear of politicians, they are getting more anti-gay over time. >> republicans should stay the heck out of it. >> we had to previously said he opposed same sex marriage. now he is saying he supports it. >> i have already made a decision. >> a simple proposition. who do you love? >> probably got out a little bit over -- >> i love cars. i must admit. i'm a car guy. >> i'm joe biden. >> i'll take a lot of credit for the fact that this industry has come back. >> i think this is one of his etch a sketch moments. >> that's why people get grossed out by politics. >> candidate of the u.s. senate. compromise between the two parties. >> he could be our first president with a super mullet. >> mitt romney is fighting this

image that he has no personality. the reason for this is that he has no personality. >> bert and hal work with twista, kanye west and jamie fox. these guys can work with anybody. >> let's get right to our panel now. joe-ann reid, dana milbank is a political editor for the "washington post." and joe williams covers the white house for the politico. good afternoon to all of you. we'll get to the president going off to hollywood in a moment. it is mother and son day and ann romney has an editorial column in "usa today." she's done an interview that will be broadcast tomorrow on fox news. this appears to be, the dualed pillars, which is ann romney and fox news. where does mitt romney come in? >> i'm not sure. she said some lovely things. it was a beautifully written op ed and it talk about her mom and

her being a mother. she said that her husband gives her lilacs every mother's day and it was lovely. it shows that she will have to carry the whole ball here. she is the one most capable of sounding human. so they're going to use her in that way. >> dane, a there is a third leg to this pack that i was just referring to. super pac attack ads. here is the latest right now. watch this. >> ann romney raised five boys. she successfully battled breast cancer. and multiple sclerosis. what does white house insider hilary rosen say about ann romney? >> guess what. his wife has actually never worked a day in her life. >> and bill maher who gave a million dollars supporting obama, attacks. >> can you explain that ad to me? i don't know whether it is a bad attack ad or a bad parody. >> i think this may be the first ever mother's day attack ad. you know, you would think we finally reached as low as we can go when mother's day is an

occasion for this. i suppose that the romney side, or this is not the campaign itself. but conservatives are trying to address this gender gap in whichever way they can. you can understand why they would do that. it is sort of specious to ask everybody on the obama side just as it is to demand that romney answer for everybody on the republican side. this is apparently how everybody wants to play the game this time. it won't be the gender gap won't be addressed by things like this. it will be address by policies and this whole gay marriage decision will aggravate it further. >> here there results using ann fox. when asked whom do you trust to handle social issues such as abortion and same sex marriage, the president wins 53% to 32%. i guess what dana is saying is

right. it will take more than an editorial in usa today to close this gap. >> and an attack ad that has all the hall marks of like dana said, a parody with the spooky music and the grainy photographs. that's just not going to cut it. particularly since mitt romney has such a large gap to close. and joe-ann said it best. that ann romney will have to carry the load. is that enough in you have a clear record of a candidate who does not have the interests of we will at heart. at least in some of his policies and it will be a tough road to hoe. an attack ad alone. an op ed on mother's day. he has to go stronger and change who he was which i don't think is possible. >> the presses as we've just that, has landed in, on the west coast. he is going to this fund-raiser which is being hosted by george clooney. they speck to raise anywhere from $12 to $15 million. i mean, i guess the president is

hoping that this kind of effort is going to make up the difference because of the super pacs. >> i think especially since the president has come out in favor of gay marriage, i think he has a lot better shot at solidifying what had been sort of a somewhat tepid support from liberals and hollywood is full of nothing if not liberals. these folks, they liked obama. other than clooney who is being very enthusiastic about the president, there has been a lot of disappointment that he hasn't moved for gay marriage. this could be very helpful for the campaign. >> admittedly, george clooney is no ted nugent but republicans are continuing to smear the president as a hollow celebrity. as we saw with that ad produced by american cross roads. but that's inevitable, is it not? they have to attack the president because their own candidate has about as much charisma as a stem of wilting asparagus, doesn't he?

>> we're talking about a very clear charisma gap here. talk about enthusiasm. charisma factors into enthusiasm. and one of the things that joe-ann put her finger on here about the hollywood fund-raiser. you have a lot of celebrities out there. matt damon was one of them who expressed disappointment in president obama's evolution stance. now he is probably going to go all in. george clooney has been a staunch supporter. so has a lot of the producers. they take the lgbt issues very seriously so i think it is a good move. it come at the right time. he will need something to inject fresh air and get some momentum going on a campaign that will have to run on a mixed economic record at best but certainly, this gives some energy and fresh life and people, some people something to look forward to. >> is there not the possibility that hobnobbing with these superlatively wealthy individuals can make the president seem a little out of touch with ordinary people?

>> well, of course that's the danger, martin. and inevitably you'll hear about the hollywood liberal attack. but there are 15 million good reasons for obama to do this. politics is all about money and he has to go where the money is. >> indeed. dap a milbank, joe-ann reid and joe williams. thank you so much for joining us. before we go to break. a bit of news. michele bachmann, former presidential candidate and currently a congressional candidate has just withdrawn her swiss citizenship pledging her full allegiance to this nation after a 34 years of proud heritage. i hope it wasn't something i said. stay with us. much more ahead. first the weather in scotland. >> in the west, it will be lighter and patchy. there will be a few drier interludes. there will be snow for the

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he was just focused on making sure we were gonna be successful. he would never give up on any of us. the president says his faith helped him become a sport of equality. >> when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is not only christ sacrificing himself on our behalf. but it is also the golden rule. >> of course, there are those who say the golden rule doesn't apply to everyone. joining us live now from dallas is pastor robert jeffries, a leader and spokesman for evangelical christians across the nation. good afternoon, sir. >> hi, martin. good to see you again. >> thank you for joining us. the president talk about his own christian faith when he explained his endorsement of

same sex marriage. but as i understand it, you believe that the president's view now contradicts scripture, is that right? >> absolutely. i mean, jesus was very clear in matthew 19 when he outlined god's plan for marriage as being one man with one woman and a lifetime marriage commitment. and martin, any deviation from that, whether it be unlawful divorce, adultery, fornication, polygamy, incest or same sex marriage. any of those deviations is wrong. and i think the president is violating the very teachings and words of the jesus he says he follows. >> so what then, sir, is your view of slavery? because ephesians 6:5 says slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear. colossians 3:22 says slaves, obey your earthly masters with sincerity of heart. and as you know, many christians have historically claim that

scripture supports slavery. do you? >> no, i don't believe it supports slavery but i don't believe that's what the scripture was speaking to. as you know at that time, martin, up to -- >> sorry, sorry, sorry. can i on he on. >> instructions. >> can i put the verse to you again? it seem no fairly obvious. slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear. that's a statement by the apostle paul in his letter to the colossians. you're saying what? that that is no longer applicable? >> i'm saying that was a relevant command to a world that was dominated by slavery, telling christians how to respond to their masters. it also said, masters, you're to be mercyively to those who are your slaves. it was a two-way street back then. it wasn't just a unilateral command to slaves. but slavery is not applicable today. and so the bible doesn't speak

to that. >> but here's what is interesting -- >> i don't know what this has to do with same sex marriage. >> i'm going to help you. here's what's interesting about what the president said yesterday. he used exactly the same biblical justification that william wilburforce used to condemn slavery, and he wrote. that slavery is contrary to that religion which commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves, to do to others as we would have them do to us. again, the president like will betterforce was using the golden rule to justify equal rights, regardless of sexual orientation. if it applied to slavery, why can't it apply to same sex marriage? >> well, i would say to you, why can't it apply to polygamists? why can't it apply to siblings who want to marry one another? >> because those are unlawful. because those are unlawful. >> who says? >> the law of the nation says they're unlawful.

>> well, certainly the nation ought to change maybe its view. why do we discriminate against some people's sexuality and not all people's sexuality? you know, the fact is in 2003, after the lawrence versus texas decision, a polygamist sued to have his conviction overturned. and he had good grounds for doing that. if you're sexuality is the essence of who we are as the lawrence decision said, then who are we to pick and choose which sexual behavior is lawful and which is unlawful? the fact is, martin, when you go away from god's absolute standard and say, all behaviors are lawful. everything is right. then you have no moral compass in which to decide which, what is right and wrong once depart from god's word. >> what great and terrifying abomination will be brought about if monogamous same sex couple are allowed to marry? will this unleash some great curse upon america in your view? >> you know, in 1885, the

supreme court in murphy versus ramsey said that the holy matrimony between a man and a woman is the foundation for all that is good in society. and since that time, sir, a associate yol gist from princeton university said if we were trying to design the best situation for a child to thrive in, it would be a two-parent home where the child is connected to each of its biological parents. sarah mcclanahan was simply echoing what the bible says. god designed the family. not man. he said a child needs a father and a mother. and i believe while that's not always possible, martin, it certainly ought to be encouraged and not discouraged by the state. when you say that any and every relationship is a marriage, then it really deval use what is the real thing. counterfeit always deval use the al thing. so i think we're asking for more instability in our society by causing chaos with the most basic institution in society that god, not man, has ordained. >> you've previously described

mormonism as a cult and heresy. do you feel that given what the president has said, many more evangelicals may feel motivated to support mitt romney simply because he opposes same sex marriage? >> absolutely. let's be honest, martin. a lot of evangelical christians have not yet felt goose bumps about a mitt romney presidency. >> because of his mormonism. is that because of his mormonism? >> because of his -- not only his mormonism but what some people see is a lack of consistency in his position on issues like the sank at this time of life and the sanctity of marriage. i think it is a multiplicity of things. not just one issue. i think what president obama has done yesterday is succeeded to not only energizing his base out in hollywood and the liberal left. i think he will energize the somewhat apathetic bases of mitt romney as well. so i do think it will have some political implications for november. >> can i ask you finally, are

you able at least to recognize that this president is a man of principle? knowing full well that many people like yourself would react adversely to his comments, he nevertheless decided to stand firm on his principles. he has repeal don't ask dope tell. he ordered the justice department to cease in forcing the defense of marriage act and now endorsed same sex marriage. can you at the very least acknowledge that this is a principled president. >> no, i can't, martin. because he's been all over the place on this issue. when he was running for congress, he was for same sex marriage. and later while he was running for president, so i don't know. >> during his presidency. >> you mean as of yesterday, is he principled? i would say he is sticking by what he has said lately. that's the best i can do. >> thank you very much. pastor robert jeffers. thank you for joining us. next, the president on a west coast swing. stay with us. [ male announcer ] the inspiring story

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it's not the grammies, it's much, much bigger than that. the president is in l.a. for a star-studded fundraiser. we go to the white house, nbc's mark vacera. before we get to that, on a more serious note, where is joe biden standing in the white house after the same sex marriage pronouncement? because he's mr. popular with a lot of people, but the president did say he got in front of his keys on sunday. >> you know, they're just coming out and saying it, martin, that joe biden executed the thing. he was goi

the president was going to announce that he was going to publicly support gay marriage in the summer, but joe biden expedited it. you have the president on air force one doing a gaggle, telling supporters that he is still focusing on the economy. republican john boehner was saying today he wants to focus on the economy. on the other hand, the obama campaign sending out an e-mail today asking for money to back the president, back the stand that he made, explicitly linking it to, very literally on his tweet, linking it to a fundraising forum that people can sign up and donate money to. it's a mixed bag. there is some division within the republican party on this issue, but it also san opportunity for mitt romney. and i think as our colleague rachel maddow put it, this is truly a let the chips fall where they may moment. except for that bash in l.a. with george clooney and jeff

katzenberg, you can guess he's going to get a very good reception, martin. >> i want to ask you details about tonight's fundraising, because i'm getting $40,000 a ticket? >> $40,000. >> wolfgang puck is cooking. is that right? >> 150 people. we should add that the president just wheels down air force one, land ing in seattle moments ago probably a half hour ago. he's one of two fundraisers there. dave matthews is at another one. that ticket starts at $1,000 when he goes to los angeles later today. there are reports it was going to be $12 million, 150 people, 40k a person, you're right. the results of some sort of on-line contest or auction to sit the the head table. two people, we call them

grassroots supporters, they're sitting at a table with barack obama. $12 million, $15 million, we're hearing figures all over the place, but one thing that is fairly consistent, this is going to be, in all likelihood, the largest if you understafundrais political history, martin. >> the biggest ever. >> the biggest ever. >> what was the biggest one in the campaign in 2008? >> that was $11 million. that was in tinseltown as well, and that featured barbra streisand, like butta. she performed in the 2008 fundraiser campaign, martin. >> thank you very much, mark. we'll be right back. ♪

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thanks so much for watching us today. dylan ratigan is here. dylan, good afternoon to you. >> martin, can i ask you a question? >> sure. >> you're a well-dressed british guy. you're all dressed well all the time with your pocket squares. >> ask the question rather than offering the faint-hearted compliments nay snulinsults. >> what does an anchorman do about a straight collar? >> you have a big neck like mine. you wear a spread collar rather than one that comes down. i have a 17" neck. that's what i do. >> we're not even kidding with your abilities and your physical threat that you represent. >> i'm not a physical threat at all. you're four times my size,