it would lay off 25,000 employees. in romney's case it's hewlett-packard's meg whitman. check, check and check. michael steele. >> and what do you want me to say about that? >> what? check. >> explain. >> check please. >> yeah. >> this is a day the romney campaign knew was coming. >> i don't get it. i never understood over the last week the whole setup for everybody knew that will this texas primary would be the event. to roll out in texas with conservative base around you going into this next 90 days where you're going to put together os sten stensbly the winning strategy with these folks to do with donald trump, he's goods more the fund-raising but you've got to think beyond that moment. and he clearly didn't. then today, only making themselves available to fox i think is just, again, that's nice, but now you have to expand

the horizon. i don't think they're doing that very well. >> think about the message they're sending. nobody believes that mitt romney is in need of $2 million from donald trump. come on, right? so what do you do? you go to the -- stand next to -- >> if he is, he can get it another day. >> more importantly, you stand next to the birther king and i know, how about let's release my own birth certificate. that's not a way to say that you don't agree with the berger. release your tax returns. why release your birth certificate when you've tried to distance yourself from the birther controversy? nobody buys that. the message that sends is i get it. the message is, i'm very comfortable making sure that i appeal to those racists in my party who think that the birther controversy is legitimate. >> let's pause that for a expected.john this morning andrea sol, romney campaign spokesperson on the daily rundown trying to defend the trump appearance and the birther talk. let's hear what she had to say.

>> again, you know, they don't agree on every subject. and if you look, you know, the obama campaign refuses to denounce bill maher when he said extremely hateful things. >> big dins, the president is not sharing a stage with ball mar. >> he's taken plenty of money from him which he could turn away if he wanted to. >> this is one of those things where one would think they would at least have some kind of response prepared. going to bill maher seems like weak sauce, to put it mildly. >> yeah. pretty weak sauce. i will tell you what they think about this, and as always, a offer my standard disclaimer. not endorsing or agreeing with this view. what they think is, none of this matters. none of it matters. they think that the thing that voters are going to care about is the economy and that in the same way that the obama thinks every day that mitt romney is not talking about the economy is

a day we win, the romney look at this and say this is a distraction. president needs to, again, this is their view, the president is not convincing swing voters that his economic stewardship is solid. every day that there's a distraction like this is a day we win. that's their view. >> do you think the romney team thinks they're winning today? >> i think they think every day barack obama is not making the sale on the economy is a day they're winning. >> if you have to redo this day, they would do it the same way. >> they think it's all ridiculous. that's what they think. i'll say again, i'm not agreeing with it, but in their -- they're not sitting up there going this is such a disaster for us, they're not. >> we're spending a day talking about the birther controversy. how is that going to win over mos moderate 20% of voters that he's trying to get who don't agree with the controversy who aren't appealing -- >> that's not what this moment is. you're at the end of may, beginning of june. you've got a long summer where people basically shutdown politically because they've got

vacations and more important things to think about. this thing reengages at the convention time. this is the 90-day win where they think fine, let's get the silly stuff out of the way. it's not a big deal. i just think from my perspective, the optics and the messaging to set the right tone coming out of the box the day you get the nomination to me is important. >> it's like a basketball team when they have the whole thing wrapped up and they rest the starters and think you don't have to be competitive. you can just like roll into the next round and save yourself for it. it rarely works out that way. you've got to the keep disciplined, keep doing the things right all the time. you don't get yourself into a silly situation like this. >> it's not just the mediaen at left that is looking at this saying hashtag fail. david frum on twitter, he didn't use hashtag fail but he did use other words we can't say. this was a big steaming plate of expletive spaghetti. mark mckinnon says associating

with trump which is that romney is an out of touch rich guy without any real -- >> we're talking about the appearance with meg whitman who is the head of the ceo of hewlett-packard, they're laying off 25,000 employees. that gets his narrative going of the layoffs. >> likes to fire people. how hard would it have been to do a quick stop in texas, thanks the voters for putting him over the top and then head right along. >> why didn't he? they just didn't think of it? >> y'all -- >> i'll say again, they think -- they are sitting looking at this conversation and saying this is absurd. none of it matters. none of it matters. that's what they think. do i think it's the right thing for them? that it was a smart way? no, do i think there are a million ways for them to have handled the last 24 hours? yes. i'm telling you right now, their

view is about how they win this election and to michael's point they think they win this election, those people in the middle of the swing voters in the middle of the swing states, that those people are predisposed to vote against president obama. they're going to win that argument on the economy when it matters. >> i'd like to say something which is i don't agree with you that they have no concern about today. mitt romney has been painted consistently as someone wooden, out of touch, who is a corporate raider, who is bloodless when it comes to the state of this economy and the working class and the poor. the fact that he is doing a multimillion dollar fund-raiser with meg whitman and once again reinforcing that narrative does a lot to bolster that will reputation. it's something that mitt romney in an interview with peggy noonan said he regretted. the sense that he is an out of touch guy who likes firing people and thinks corporations are people. >> i don't think that resonates the way a lot of my friends on the left hope it does in terms of what. >> mitt romney said this, not

me. >> i know what mitt romney said there, but i do not think to your point, john, that they consider that to be the death knell for them that thereromney hating the rich. there's no difference between a donald trump fund-raiser or meg whitman than what we've seen the president do in his fund-raising over the last few weeks, as well. >> but you guys, take out the money. it's the birther argument. come on. what is the real reason to stand with donald trump and to release your own birth certificate? he knows that there is a segment of the population that agrees with that argument, and they're taking no chances and want to make sure they keep that part of the base happy while they try to get the middle, as well. there's no other reason to be standing with donald trump and taking that kind of risk. no other reason. >> i would think they weren't very happy about all of the birther conversation that donald was enjoying with the media. >> they knew he was going to do

it. he hasn't stopped. he's been been doubling down on it. >> it's the money or noise. >> it's a curious choice. i willnounce to our watching public that approximately 11:30 this morning, eastern, the president called governor romney to congratulate him on securing the republican nomination. president obama said he looked forward to an important and healthy debate about america's future and wished governor romney and his family well throughout the upcoming campaign. in other words, it's on, dude. coming up -- >> no more negative ads. >> if everything's bigger in texas, what about primary races? as romney takes the state, the tea party is resurgerient. we'll discuss the implications with texas senator kay bailey hutchison when she joins us live next on "now." i'm freaking out man. why? i thought jill was your soul mate. no, no it's her dad. the general's your soul mate? dude what? no, no, no. he's, he's on my back about providing for his little girl. hey don't worry. e-trade's got a totally new investing dashboard.

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this race is ground zero in the battle between the moderate establishment and the conservative tidal wave that's sweeping this country. >> the message out of texas last night, don't count out the tea party. that was texas senate candidate ted cruz who is backed by several high profile tea partiers and who gave the republican establishment candidate a run for his money last night. lieutenant governor david due hurst did not gain enough votes to avoid a runoff election. they are vying for the seat being vacated by kay bailey hutchinson who joins us now from dallas. it's great to see you. >> thank you, alex. >> let's talk a little bit about the tea party here. it would seem as if they have the wind in their sails. we know that lieutenant governor due hurst spent quite a bit of money, $25 million in total and has to do a runoff later on in the summer. those folks we read in terms of the texas race have said that this is good news for the tea

party because it's a strong inurgent base that is likely to turn out in big numbers come runoff time. what do you make of it? >> i think that the race is going to be very interesting and very vigorous. i think that 45 to 34ish margin is a lot to overcome. and i think that certainly, mayor lep part who came in third will, you know, may have a role here. i don't know. it's way too early to tell. but i think people are going to be looking for who will represent texas and the views of texas and who also assure that texas has representation in the united states senate. and i think people are really thinking about that very carefully. >> senator, sarah palin recorded some robo kaws for ted cruz in the last couple weeks. what is her sort of effect? what is her power inside texas

if any? >> well, i think that she certainly has the appeal to the tea party. i think that has been a strength that she has had in her career really throughout. so, i think that she is popular with that base. and so i'm sure that it had something of an impact, but i think more so, people are looking at what they want and who is going -- who are the people of texas supporting. there was a lot of outside money that came in outside people like sarah palin, but outside money. i think people of texas are going to start thinking, now who's going to look out for texas because big states have a hard tile in the united states senate. we don't have the vote in the senate because everybody's rote is equal. and so i think people are going to start thinking about who will

represent texas and not other states. >> i want to open it up to my friends on set here. michael steele, the tea party, we've done a lot of sort of analysis about what the tea party means for 2012. >> right. >> where do you place their center of power, or where are they in terms of the center of gravity in the republican party? >> i think they're still very much are the center of the party's political base on the ground. and i think what they have done which was very smart, they went silent. they went and they decided look, we're going to build our organizations within the state party structures. we've had a number of tea party members take out sitting chairmen and national committeemen and women. you see the that movement within the party structure. you also see it at the electoral level where they're going after these candidates. we've seen high profile races like lugar and bennetts in utah. i think senator hutchinson kind of raises a question for me at

least about where this goes in july, the dead of summer, special runoff election. >> it's hot hot in texas july 31st. >> that base will be organized. the question for duherst, will he continue to build on that 407 something% know is that is base is going to be enserted. i think the tea party's got something ready for him. >> let me ask you about rick perry. he endorsed david d ku hearst. do you think that will this, does this hurt rick perry, the fact that his guy did not win out and out? >> well, you know, i think endorsements are vastly overrated, frankly, alex. i don't think that it's a reflection on the person who endorsed that their person didn't win. i think people make their decisions based on wa they see as the issues and the representation. and i think the tea party is a very important part of the republican party.

i do. i think they have voiced the frustration that people have against the obama administration and the washington way of doing things. i think that has been a value that they have added. i also think that people are going to be looking at the issues and who can fight the obama administration most effectively. and i think that's part of it, but i also think people have to know that the people you elect have to represent your interests. and sometimes that's parochial. >> speak of endorsements and those representatives representing the interests of their constituents, i want to ask you about immigration because have you been in texas. you know texas politics. you know the politics of george w. bush and rick perry who on one specific issue, which is to say immigration, have been further left than the current republican nominee who you've endorsed mitt romney.

given the fact that a third of the folks in texas of are hispanic origin, do you think romney can make up what my friend john heilemann has termed a chasmic gap, about a 35 or 40-point spread among the hispanic community? >> yes, i do because i think that the hispanic community is looking for their values, the work ethic, they're looking for small business capabilities to grow and expand and create the american dream. i also think that a rational immigration policy is something that is supported by the majority of the hispanic community. and that doesn't mean be amnesty. it means that you have a rational policy. you have control of your borders. you have work visas, and you have the immigration that comes in the orderly way we all have embraced legal immigration. legal immigration has built this

country, and it is a vibrance that is added to our country. and i think people want that, the people who have come here legally want to continue to have the open borders for legal immigration, but they're not supporting illegal immigration, and what that has done to our country and to our state. so i think that mitt romney will definitely appeal to them, and i do think that we have a great chance. >> senator, one last question. we ask all of our moderate friends who come on this program who are retiring, many of them are retiring, many moderates are retiring, ben nelson, joel lieberman, olympia snow. are you optimistic about the future of this country and the legislative process? i want to say specifically as it regards the next four years?

>> well, yes, i am because i think that people seem that there has to be an adjustment. this country is going in the wrong direction, and i think people are scared and that's why you're seeing a kind of a radical reaction in some cases. but i do think that conservatives as i am who want to move forward as ronald reagan said in increments and get more and more of what we see as the right way forward which is letting small business grow, keeping jobs in the private sector, growing our economy in the private sector as the way forward. and i think that -- i am optimistic that we will be able to bring those who have voiced the frustration together with those who want to move forward even if we don't get every direction, that's progress.

>> senator kay bailey hutchinson, thank you so much for your time. >> thank you, alex. >> after the break, vice president italian media reports jeb bush is interested in the gig. the former governor says otherwise. we will talk veepstakes next on "now." [ male announcer ] considering all your mouth goes through, do you really think brushing is enough to keep it clean? while brushing misses germs in 75% of your mouth, listerine® cleans virtually your entire mouth. so take your oral health to a whole new level.

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we know that will senator marco rubio traveled to guantanamo bay on tuesday and senator rob portman is scheduled to pete with bibi netanyahu this week. >> those are nice plays guantanamo bay over memorial weekend. >> it's tropical. >> and senator portman is very close to the prime minister of israel. >> this is just totally coin dental. >> totally. i will stand by my existing story. i think senator portman is by far the front-runner in this for a variety of reasons we've discussed on the show before. obviously qualified to be president from day one. passes that test in the eyes of democrats, republicans and the media. he's from a swing state. very popular in ohio. understands fiscal stuff in a deep way. if you looked second and third on that list, you're talking about tim pawlenty, mitch daniels. marco rubio will not be the candidate. he can go to guantanamo bay and might as well stay there. if it's a bid to try to -- if it's a bid to try to get on the

ticket, you might as well stay because it's not going to help you. >> stay there. >> i'm saying it's not going to get you on the ticket. >> worth noting mitch daniels recently said if i thought the call was coming, the call to be v.p., i'd disconnect the phone. is this just like a contest to see who can say the most offensive or disinterested thing about being vice president? i will take it. >> on the romney ticket? it would be wonderful. >> i think, well, i don't want it myself. and i think governor portman, i'm with john. i'm of the caing my vote with him. >> michael gerson making the case for chris christie, karen finney? >> i don't see it. he doesn't give romney what he needs. he is a graph-prone person himself. >> he's an angry angry man. >> i actually agree. >> michael, do you agree with john? >> the other thing about chris christie, no presidential candidate in either party, you never pick someone who is going

to upstage you. >> that's right. >> who raises the question of that guy should be at the top of the ticket. that didn't happen to john mccain. >> it's like picking the rnc chairman. you never want one who's going to say exactly what's on his mind. >> what else? let it out. >> the fact of the matter is i think you're right. portman is my number one, jindal is my number two. at that point it really doesn't matter. the reality for someone like romney is he wants a package team that continues the narrative that they're going to be putting in place. he does not want to the go into tampa and come out with everyone looking at his vp nominee and flashbulbs going off there. and not paying attention to the narrative he wants to have on the economy and so all the high profile and all the heart beats and throbbing going on for others is a waste of energy. just get set. you're going to have the kind of ticket that is going to be argued, this is what the nation needs now. we've had the flash in the pan, the hope and the change, the hoopla and the woops. now it's time to get serious.

and the woops. >> and the woops. >> there it is. >> that just happened. coming up, first there was hope. and then there was forward. is the next phase fear? we will dig into campaign details next on "now." wake up!

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how math and science kind of makes the world work.

in high school, i had a physics teacher by the name of mr. davies. he made physics more than theoretical, he made it real for me. we built a guitar, we did things with electronics and mother boards. that's where the interest in engineering came from. so now, as an engineer, i have a career that speaks to that passion. thank you, mr. davies. in 2008, president obama ran on hope and change. now it appears that his message is morphing into one perhaps of fear. in his new york magazine cover story this week called "hope the equal," john heilemann writes that obama will soon emerge as a "brass knuckled pipe hitting red in tooth and claw brawler, will do what he can to keep mitt romney from winning this fall." a great piece of writing. >> the important appendage to

that comment was dash a politician in other words. which is to say just like both sides, no more or less so than anybody else who ran for president, very serious about winning. >> different from the last time he ran for president. >> true. look, there's a bunch of things going on in the story, but one of them is, and this is not something that the president's people -- i spent a month talking to every senior person at the campaign, every senior person at the white house. no one is disputing the premise of the story. they were very open about it. when i read these interviews, the sheer weight of the amount of time they spend talking about how the center of their campaign is going to be how it's going to be on bain, on massachusetts on his character, you looked an this thing. i knew they were going to be tough on mitt romney. but they were very open about their perception, their conviction that in order to win on the economy, there's a bunch of other issues they can win on in a slightly different way, but to win on the economy, they must

render romney a totally disqualified candidate. they're going to -- not going to putty foot around on it. you have seen probably the last positive barack obama ads of the cycle. they spent $25 million on the ads. i don't think you're going to see a lot of positive advertising from the president going forward. >> there was an interesting part -- there are many interesting parts of the story but one in particular stood out. when you're talking about david plouffe and team obama wanting to have it both ways. plouf recalling george w. bush's effective double barreled attack on john kerry as both a flip flopping phony and a liberal extremist, maintains that the two threads will be merged into a -- we're also going to say we know where he stands. he's way off to the right on abortion, contraception, immigration and gay rights and hold him to those positions. karen i've always thought this is a very delicate if not semi

impossible dance to say he has no core except that his core is incredibly poisonous. >> the other piece of that is he has no core and there was that great piece in "rolling stone" about those big donors to whom he made all these promises. so not only does he have no core, he's willing to take the big pone, to move far to the right because he's an opportunist who wants to win. the challenge is you've got to fill out that narrative for people. it's not enough to just say he's got no core. it's not enough to just say he's so far to the right. you've got to have your own narrative that explains the behavior people are seeing, why he did what he did at bain and governor. >> so the fact that you're going to say on the one hand he's coreless on the economy but his core is filled with all these other things that no one's talking about, kind of gives you a muted message in my point of view. the reality is, fine.

campaign all day long on abortion and contraception. have at it. let the obama campaign do the dance with the bishops and the card pals of the catholic church and rank and file ministers in the black church on those issues. meanwhile, the romney campaign will talk to middle america, hard-working, you know, blue hats out there who got -- >> the michael issue for women this is an economic issue. every woman on birth control knows exactly how much she pays for it and she knows that money is money that's not going to her family, that's money not going to her owneconomy in her home. and so -- also for women, it's a kind of issue -- this should be settled. if you try to take that away from me, that means instead of worrying about things like access to capital and i don't even know where you stand on things like lily leadbetter. next week he gets a big test on the fairness paycheck act, those are economic issues for women. >> worth noting we have a new

"washington post" abz news poll that shows among women obama is down seven points from last month, mitt romney is up 13 points. >> also just in the context of this piece put this in the broader framework. both sides kind of agree this is a contest between economics and demographics. the demmics in the country where the president has big leads shrinking with women, he still has a substantial lead with women voters, a huge lead with the hispanic voters. a pretty sizable lead with young voters. the growing parts of the country -- african-american are about the same. minorities especially latinos, you've got the growing parts of the electorate in the swing states and the president's gap, the lead he has with romney, they need to gap that gap really large. this is why david plouffe is talking about abortion, contraception. they need to keep the lead with women. they need to keep the lead with

hispanic voters. so again, that's going to be also a very negative campaign because the vision, i quote another obama strategist saying we want to paint romney as a character of the '50s. he's retro. >> avatar of -- >> i like that. >> french ification of avatar. >> avatar of -- >> i like the way you pronounce that. >> but the notion is, he's '50s. he's old. he's your dad old. and for you voters minority voters, young voters, young college educated unmarried women voters that's a pass that you weren't a full stakeholder in. he wants to go back to an america where you weren't a first class citizen. that's the broader message. >> how does that help obama with the deflation of the kind of message from -- >> you address this had. >> from 2008. >> this is the fear factor. for others in the party in both politics and business, the new obama posture is cause for concern. from the gay marriage decision to the onslaught on bain, had he

see the president and his team coming across as too conventional and too nakedly political. putting at risk his greatest asset, his likability with the voters in the middle of the electorate. >> those are some. >> this generation has rejected they don't like about politics. what they liked about obama in 2008 was the fact he didn't engage in that kind of politics. to do so now, let's do it. >> that's one of the feelings i had reading john's story. there's a certain arrogance of the obama team in their ability to win basically by painting mitt romney as all these things. it just -- it struck me as like they needed a little more fear themselves about just what romney's strengths actually are and they're making fun of like the republican primary candidates and what terrible campaigns they ran. you're like, they did a pretty good job of taking a hev well funded and really making him scared and really struggle. they obviously did a few things right. it would seem wiser for them to try to learn what they did right

than to be like they weren't prepared. they did a terrible campaign. >> does, you quote a white house official who says romney doesn't have idiots running for him. they're going to run a safe smart campaign. they kill well admits a senior white house official. that's not important. >> they absolutely know that. what i would point to is the size of the african-american electorate is increased because obama brought more african-americans into the voting spectrum. point being making these arguments continues also because it's impacts our economy. and the more mitt romney is talking about tax breaks for big oil and all this 1% type stuff, the more like to your point. people see 1950s where they were not stakeholders but also the more they say that's not going to help me and my family and part of why they're making the argument. that being said, i don't think that this is a fear thing. what irritates me about that with some of our donors because i've heard them say things like oh, we're going to go negative

and you know what? those are the same people who said he wasn't tough enough an the beginning. this is going to be a tough campaign. i agree with you sometimes they've been a little bit too arrogant. i think there is a realism about how hard this is going to be. >> it's a base election. it's a about mostly driving your motivated voters. keeping that turnout really high. among the 8% of swing voters in seven or eight states, there is a risk before being off brand. there's a risk. they may be right, but they know that not having obama as uplifting positive optimistic, but they are running a risk there with one segment of the electorate that they need to win in the middle. in the middle with swing voters. >> we unfortunately have to go to a commercial break. it is worth noting that the 2008 race wasn't exactly candy and roses either. so, just saying. after the break -- >> but a little bit more candy. >> get ready, america, for a

tror ren shall all powerful hurricane of cash this election season. no, really get ready. it's come. that's next on "now." c'mon dad! i'm here to unleash my inner cowboy. instead i got heartburn. [ horse neighs ] hold up partner. prilosec isn't for fast relief. try alka-seltzer. it kills heartburn fast. yeehaw!

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politico is reporting that super pacs and outside groups on the gop side are planning to spend a billion dollars on campaign ads this election season. john, we were talking about your story in new york magazine in the last block. this stood out to me. david plouffe saying it concerns me gravely speaking about money, plouffe said from a political standpoint i'm almost as worried about that as i am about the question of what the economy is going to do over the next three or four months. the money question. >> look, if you ask those guys what they're worried about the first thing they say is exogenous war in iran. >> exogenous.

>> i have a dictionary. you can borrow it. >> every time i read new york magazine i need the dictionary right next to it. >> is that like exxon news zones? >> family show. >> yes, really. >> middle of the day. >> calm down. >> so they worry about iran and europe, et cetera. the other thing is they all believe they're going to get outspent and outspent not by a little bit but by a reasonably large amount, maybe by 20, 3050%. the republicans are, because they're the democratic super pac has been a dismal failure thus far and it's getting pretty late. >> usa action. the rez's sanctioned super pac. republicans raising a ton of money. those guys think, you know, it's bad to get out spent when you're running for reelection. it's bad to get out spent when you're an incumbent president. never happens. >> is it just a wall street related thing? do you think the bankers aren't

coming out for obama. >> the coach brothkoch brothers nearly $400 million more than john mccain spent on his entire election. >> george soros likes the president, not enough i guess. >> a lot of democrats sat back, looked at the primary and said these goof balls? how hard can that be. part of the message at that time campaign is trying to send now is to ring the alarm that says no, we're going to be outspent. we need your money. >> obama needs to hang out more with donald trump. that's the problem. >> let's not get all weepy for the democrats and their fund-raising lack of fund-raising prowess. obama in the first quarter this year brought in over 360,000 new donors to his campaign. small dollar donations are the new game for the direct campaigns and for the national parties. the super pacs notwithstanding will do their thing.

>> how can you say the super pacs not withstanding when talking about that amount of money? >> i'm just saying that's going to be part of the equation. the other part is what these campaigns will be able to do with their small dollar donations in conjunction with the national parties as well as was reported by over the last month. >> soft money in that that it's basically not regulated. the money going into the campaigns and to the party committees specifically as you know, there are limitations how that can be spent. when somebody writes a $10 million check to a super pac, you can spend that on just about anything you want. >> what the key thing is on election day is not the number of ads you've run. it's your ability to turn out that vote. if you don't have your grassroots and states organized, if you don't have those pieces in place on election day which is what the small donor contributes to, all that free air and billions of advertising do the not get anyone's behind off the couch and to the polls. >> it helps.

>> one thing mentioned in the story as well, michael steele. >> yes. >> the man turning his face away from this television. michael to the back of michael's -- >> i thought he was about to say something. >> super pacs and outside groups are doing is spending money not only on the presidential races but on the congressional races and really the game this election sony think is really in the congressional races because no matter what happens. >> 25 seats separates control of the house. >> if you have a republican controlled house and senate it doesn't matter what president obama wants to do. ike wise if mitt romney is sitting there with congress under his thumb, you can do a whole lot. you now have outside spending groups spending millions of dollars to swing a delicate democrat race. >> it is a horrible thing that i was at this event in chicago last night. steve schmidt mate the point in almost all these races now, the

people who have the least voice in congressional races, senate races and to some extent weirdly not quite true in the presidential race but getting there, the people who have the least amount of voice are the candidates themselves because the outside money is so huge. there is one thing that you have to think about is that the republican super pac advantage is as i said a huge worry for the white house. on the other hand, it's not controlled. and there's a reason why in 2008 president obama told big donors who loved him them and don't necessarily love him as much now not to give to outside groups. they were worried outside groups, who know what they're going to say. when they say stuff, we have 0 own that message. we saw this with the reverend jair my yao proposed ad backfired on the republican side. there are going to be a hundred conversations between now and election day that are going to go exactly like this billionaire with a checkbook who sits in front of a republican consultant and says i have a check i want to write but i want this add to

be about the economy. i want something that breaks through and pops. that is catnip for the admakers and dangerous for romney. a bunch of crazy things will get made. >> by pops i mean vaguely racist and totally incendiary or not. we'll see what the definition of pops is. coming up, what now? an apreviewiated version in which we show you pictures of hugo lindgren with angora bunnies. stay tuned.

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>> dirigable. d-e-r-i-g- >> b-l-e. dir ridgeable. >> welcome back. time for what now. that was 6-year-old lorei and

madison of virginia spelling dirigible. i didn't even know how to pronounce it. >> john, what does it mean? >> it could be -- >> i believe it's a giant blimp, is it not? a giant blimp. >> i think at some point we referred to newt gingrich's campaign as a dir ridgeable. >> i know i read it before. >> were you a good speller when you were younger. >> not as good as this young lady. >> i think she should spell exxon news and move on. >> watch it to you. >> hugo. >> i think she totally rocks. my 6-year-old doesn't know what it is or how to spell it or anything. we're hitting the homework tonight. >> i did make -- i did a deep tease about hugo lindgren surrounded by angora bunnies. unfortunately the technology was not fast enough to put it on the air but it is available for viewing in new york city taxicabs.

on twitter. don't miss it. it's the cutest thing you'll see this hour. thanks again to john -- >> an hour very close to being over. >> see you in the next four minutes. >> that's all for now. i'll see you back here tomorrow at noon eastern, when i'm joined by mort zuckerman, and "time" magazine's michael scherer. you can find us at fa facebook.com/now with alex. good afternoon, andrea. >> late developments now from sir annia. within the hour, international mediator kofi annan's deputy told the u.n. security council that syria's uprising will not stop without political negotiations between the government and the opposition. how do you get assad to agree? susan rice will be joining me as soon as the meeting is over. and we'll have reports from the field and from the u.n. next on "andrea mitchell reports." er ] u know the average person smiles more than 50 times a day? so brighten your smile a healthy way with listerine® whitening plus restoring rinse. it's the only rinse that makes your teeth

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syria as the u.n. security council meets. the romney campaign presses the white house to help arm the rebels. >> we do not believe that militarization, further milt irization of the situation with syria at this point is the right course of action. we believe that it would lead to greater chaos. greater carnage. >> we'll talk to u.s. officials, to the romney campaign and to our correspondents in the field. mitt romney clinches the republican nomination and gets a call from president obama. we can bet they didn't talk about donald trump. >> governor romney has said that he believes the president was born in the united states. he said it repeatedly. he said that he thinks the issue is closed. and that he's focused on jobs and the economy. and you know, democrats put out a web video on this yesterday. they can talk about trump all they want. we're focused on jobs and the economy. >> but trump has just tweeted again. we'll have more on that and the truth about joe biden.