really matters. today i will introduce you to an anomaly in america. a ceo who believes people are more important than profit. >> all that and why democrats should love trump, aiken and jeb bush to. it monday, august 27 pj. no rnc tonight. reince priebus officially opened the convention then 30 seconds later suspended it. mun 00 day cancelled. grand opening, grand closing. i asked republicans what plan b is, but they don't like plan b or any contraceptive. they plan it nominate mitt romney tomorrow. with a biblical name the size of texas, it is heading for

new orleans on path eerily similar it hurricane katrina's. we start with tamron hall from new orleans. with katrina, the biggest concern, as the same with isaac, the storm surge. that's what we are concerned about. can residents there compare it to katrina? >> of course they can. this is wh they lived through. a lot of people are suffering, as you know, psychological issues a. >> a result of what happened in katrina. many people, still seven years later, are still 3w50building t. when have you a monster storm like isaac barreling and headlines that say new orleans in the cross hairs, it would be impossible for any individual not to think about katrina. but things changed. i talked to a number of parish presidents in this area. people who have felt the impact of katrina and were very vocal and critical of the army corps of engineers and they all unanimously expressed great confidence in the levy system,

billions spent. still a billion dollars on the table to further improve the levy system here. the new mayor is a different mayor now in new orleans than raying with mitch landrieu, a beloved mayor, told people, it won't be a mandatory evacuation, but he says, hunker down. the word is that tonight, you need to be where you feel can you ride this storm out. well not again see people standing in line outside of the astro dome or people dying in front of the convention center. as we witnessed seven years ago. in our last hour, we can't just focus on new orleans. you have evacuation order in mississippi, alabama as well. that is also where the storm surge,referenced, is of great concern. people are walking around. i had the pleasure of speaking with a couple from indiana. they are here until next week. their family vacation. they can't get out of town.

they have to hunker down at their hotel and ride it out likesome others. i was here, i did relief work after katrina. i talked with people from all parts of this area. right now, i have to be honest with you,some of them have confidence in the levy system. they believe fema learned from its let down and what it did to not step up and help the people of this region. i really think there's a different tone here. but we don't know. we are at the mercy of mother nature. we don't know if this is category 1. category 2. i'm going to musician he village. that was an area flattened after katrina. we are getting an assessment, getting our feet on the ground. but right now, i have to say -- excuse me -- people are -- >>. >> you all right, tam tam? >> yeah, i'm okay. there are like 5,000 things going on, including heckling from some people stationed beside me. but nevertheless, can you find

humor in anything. i found humor in anything that i think a bug just attacked me. that's the laeflt meast of my p. tomorrow and later, a downpour of rain, flooding in a lot of areas. right now, i have to be honest, we are going to walk around, talk to people. we don't know what will happen here tomorrow. what we can tell is you that people are confident in the levy systems. you and i reported on katrina. we know it was not the start, it was a let down of the left levy system that decimated so many of this area. we will have the latest and i will be live through the duration. >> stay safe, tamron. s.e., sorry your party was rained out. do you think mother nature is mad about the war on women? >> i got these ponchos to my hotel, an cute look. >> you're good. >> i'm going to brave it myself. no, the storm has been annoying. the weather last night, we were

going to a texas delegation event. the weather was afloiing. annoying coming in. p t made all of us have to relocate and switch our plans around and just earlier a couple hours earlier, an alert by blackberry saying there was a tornado warning and i should take cover. here i am with a job to do. i take cover everyday with you folks. i can still -- >> nothing new. >> good one. seriously, there's an optics problem this week, right? we have the rnc and some nice things going on there. revelly, and people struggling with theler cane that may change new orleans -- >> did you just say, "you people"? >> i sure did. but i didn't mean that, as you well know. how will the rnc deal with this optics problem? >> well, i have to be honest. we have a similar situation in 2008 where there was a storm at

the same time as the rnc and john mccain had to figure out how to set an appropriate tone. that sort of conversation is being had here as well. it is not what you plan or what you want to happen but we are utilizing these conventions can happen in two days instead of four. you don't need all of this time to do official business and get to all of the speeches. i'm assuming that bit end of the day, tomorrow, the storm will officially be gone and wednesday and thursday will be all about paul ryan and mitt romney and they can end on a good note. >> the news will look at what is going on with isaac and in tampa. i want it bring in politico's ken vog ken vogel?

>> how can they risk being viewed as insensitive as the storm rolls into the gulf. >> especially when it has been carefully choreographed forsome weeks and months leading up to it, to switch on a dime. even to postpone the start of it and squeeze in all of the events that were to have taken place today over the course of the next few days is a real huge logistical challenge. and let's keep in mind, there are events going on behind closed doors. that's the stuff i'm watching. that's what continues regardless. big donor, what is you've mystically called, that's important and it is important to put out the right image. just one splip where you look to be and republicans celebrate and something bad is going on, like you said, on the other side of the split screen and can you bet the democrats will pounce all over it. >> i just wanted to follow up on

something. it is interesting, republicans realizing that they can do in three days or two days what they plan to do in four days and of course next week you have democrats, conventions only three days this year. so i think what we are seeing now potentially is a reconing. two parties are going through. media is going through with what is the point of conventions for the party? what is point for the media and this evolution over decades in the old, old days the party wasn't until the convention you pick had nominee. even then, more recent times, 20 years ago, parties were bigger, more geographically diverse. there is suspense over what kind of platform, how do delegates react? how the things really are just infomercials and i think there is decisions made both within the media, the network television level and among parties about, you know, we have to do something every four years in the summer. but is it a one-night thing? a one-hour thing? more of just made for television broadcast? we don't have to work necessarily with this convention

framework that we are stuck with from years ago. >> you have two things going on. one, messaging function even though we have been paying close attention as most of your viewers have for sure for many weeks and months to this race as it developed that this traditionally is the start of the presidential race and these candidates are sort of introducing themselves particularly the challenger, mitt romney, to the american public. that's important. but you're right, maybe that can be done certainly seems like it can be done in less time than four days. however, i think the other function of the money raising, donor maintenance and sort of enthusiasm is perhaps more important than in past cycles, particularly on the money side because for the first time we see since these post water gate forms, you see both k57candidat opting out and sort of the end of fund-raising for the

presidential campaign. now it is the half way point and particularly with the super pacs, they need to gin up big donors to continue to reach for big pocket books and credit cards to give big contributions through election day. the convention is maybe more important than past conventions. >> ken, can former florida governor made waves when he endorsed president obama and he wrote an op ad in the tampa bay times and wrote in part an element of the republican party pitch sewed far to the extreme right on issues important to women, immigrants, seniors and students that they have proven incapable of gov yearning for the people. look no further than the akin amendment in the republican party platform -- how much juice does charlie crist still have in florida? >> not a lot. that's why i think a lot of folks rolled their eyes when they saw this. this was an evolution long and coming when it appears he would not win the gop nomination.

deciding it run for senate as independent. we see these things from time to time. we saw it in 2004. we saw it with joe leiberman. by the time someone gets to that point, they are persona non grata within their own own party. >> what donor mant flens? >> donor maintenance. a you'a euphemism. where people write big checks to the party and this year with post citizens united, post speech now environment as well as candidates with public financing, this donor maintenance is more important than ever. >> seem pretty well maintained. >> got it. ken vogel, thank you very much. >> pleasure. >> up next, what does romney need to do at the convention? apart from not telling jokes. and the story no one want to talk about. up next in the spin cycle, as we roll on for monday, august 27th. mom: ready to go to work?

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i'm the first one to say that we're not where we need to be. what i would say to that voter though, is who is more likely to fight for middle class families, to make sure that they've got long-term security. >> they've experienced the last four years. they know if they re-elect him, they will get for mauer years of the same. it is not his words they have to listen to. it is his action and record and this they look at that, they have to take him out of the office and put people 2349 office to get america going again. >> live from the floor of the republican national convention

here in tampa, both candidates have been everywhere this week spreading their campaign message. what should we keep the eye out for this week? it is a politics heavy week, so we have a lot to put through the spin cycle today. >> s.e., you're down there, and i guess there are no speeches tonight. it gives time to look at bigger pictures. this is mitt romney's big week, his sort of favorable mixage in poll says way down. the race is, there's a poll that says it is tied, other wileys he is down a couple points. what do we need to see in the speech of his thursday night that puts this race where he wants to to be? >> there is in sugar coating it. this is a huge week for mitt romney. a chance to shift the campaign, look presidential, excite the base and come out of this convention with ro meant um. remember he has a few days before the dnc, you know, takes over the narrative. so we has to make this stick. a couple things he has to accomplish.

he has to make a positive forward thinking message. it can't be this negative anti-obama rhetoric that we've seen on the campaign trail. there just isn't the stomach for that right now. and you don't want the lasting memory of his convention and his speech to be one of anger and bitterness and division. mitt romney needs to look positive. and sort of a reagan morning in america. kind of moment. he has to walk a fine line. he has to be critical of the administration on a broad number of points. but also positive about the direction he thinks he can take this country in. it is a huge speech for him. and that's not always the case, if you remember, in 2004, sarah palin stole the show. and in a speech with john mccain who had been for decades, was not as important. this is mitt romney's campaign

for right now. this is it. >> and i think s.e. hit on something here. a fine line you have to walk. making a speech that can jazz up the base but that can play to the broad audience watching across the country. and it sounds cliche to say, because others have said this, but i do think the key piece here is for mitt romney to be able to show that he can connect with the american people. it is easy for him. i think people have the sense that this is a confident guy. a problem solver. i think people understand that. what they need to get is that he actually wants it solve their problems. and that he understands what those problems are. and i think that's the piece he has to show and bear his soul, as they say, during his speech. >> right. krystal, he has to be emotional. >> yes. >> it is not something we are

spous u used to seeing. remember talking to the pastor about him. he has to be emotional and talk with people and we will see if that is written under the speech and see if he can deliver that emotion. >> here is the thing i'm thinking though, guys. i'm looking back at the modern convention except in speech, the one that everyone is watching. a television event. and i can't think of anyone, democrat or republican, that botched it. they have months to work on it to get just the right words, just the right tone, to work in choreograp choreography. bob dole managed to deliver a very well-received acceptance speech. michael dukakis walked out of atlanta with 17-point lead. i want it say the bar is so low on this, it is impossible to miss. the only thing that comes to mind is the bar was low for romney on the overseas trip, all he today do was show up, shake hands, and he didn't do that.

i don't dent see how anyone can botch these. >> there is no way he will botch it. that's not whatter with talking about. but the guy has to go in there and connect with american people as krystal was alluding to. show us into your heart, your soul. who are you as a person. we talk about policy so much but the beer test is important and obviously romney doesn't drink beer. but we want to know who you are and do we want you in our living room for the next four years. >> a gut shot. >> don't you think this is the easy one? >> can this guy do that? does he have the stomach for that? we will find out. >> he doesn't talk about himself personally so much. he never talks about his wife and multiple sclerosis and the impact on his life. i wonder if this -- >> kids. >> it could be a real powerful story. >> talk about his father. there are so many things to talk about. >> they could control it so easy in a speech. >> he finds it easier to talk about paul rye and a narrative, which is very interesting and

heart warming and inspiring, losing his father at a young age. but romney -- i don't see that same ability. we will find out. >> yeah, i think it is interesting. if he can have a speech that connects with people and hit the points he needs to hit on. maybe we will learn something about himself. we'll see. we will have a report live when we catch it. straight ahead, the big issue here at the rnc, our nation's debt problem. budget guru david walker is taking the fiscal fight across the country with a $10 million a minute bus tour. he is in the guest spot next. [ female announcer ] the power of green coffee extract is now in our new starbucks refreshers™ -- a breakthrough in natural energy. made with real fruit, starbucks refreshers™ are delicious low calorie drinks

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we also want to draw your attention to the unprecedented

fiscal recklessness of the obama administration. as depicted by the realtime national debt clock shown here in the arena. >> the national debt clock unveiled by rnc chairman reince priebus, taking off the debt incurred during the convention and intended as a constant reminder of our can country's spending problems. shades of 1992, right, steve? >> you got it. >> when the economy was the number one financial issue. number one fiscal growth fair trade deficit debt burdens. those are the foremost topics. and candidates were forced to address them head on. that was 20 years ago. since then federal debt quadrupled. in the guest spot, david waker, who recently wrote an ad on the debt with ross perot. walker is the president and ceo of the come back america initiative who is about to embark on the $10 million a minute bus tour, educating the

public on the current debt crisis. david, thank you for being here. >> thank you for having me. >> what do you want to accomplish on the bus tour? >> i noted that the rnc is causing the national debt clock. frankly, that low balls the problem. we had delivered to our offices today the new u.s. financial burden barometer. it is over $70 trillion and growing by 10 million a minute because the national debt klos doesn't count unfunded pensions, retiry healthcare, social security, medicare programs, et cetera. we need to realizer with not exempt of the laws ever prudent finance. we are trying to force candidate to deal with more substance and solutiones about what are they doing to get the economy going, generate jobs and put our finances in order. whoever can convince the american people that they can do the best are those three things will win. >> david, i think i want it challenge the premise of what you are doing here a little bit. i think some people can make a

case, pretty strong case, that it is not really a deficit crisis that we have right now. it is a jobs crisis. and it is a demand crisis in the economy. people who don't have money because they don't have jobs or afraid of losing their jobs and they are not spending money. if you can get the economy moving by getting people spending their money again then it is a windfall of revenue and the picture wouldn't look nearly as bleak. i'm looking at, you know, interest rates on government bonds kind of ridiculously low right now. which to me says if you have a demand crisis and you have the nonexistent interest rates, isn't this the time for government to spend more money and not to be wording in the immediate short term about deficit but to be stimulating the economy through spending so you get demand up and you get spending going again and get revenue coming in. >> we have a short term problem and structural problem and we need to deal with both. tht short term we need economic grej up. we have to deal with our unemployment and underemployment

challenges. yes, that can justify additional target investment that are effectively implemented, even if they exacerbate the deficit in the short term as long as they are coupled with a clear credible concrete and enforceable plan to deal with the large and growing structural deficit that lie ahead driven by demographics and healthcare costs. bit way, uncomparable full unfair accounting, there is only one country in europe that has higher tone government debt to gdp than we do, thaenand that's greece. and we don't want it follow their example. >> david, let me ask you, i i don't disagree with the idea of a short term jobs crisis and in the long-term a structural trajectory issue and healthcare cost we need to get under control. but i want to read a part of the ad you wrote with ross perot. the purpose is to engage votes on these critical issues by stating the facts, explaining the stakes outlining the tough

choices we face and discussing range of nonpartisan fis kag reform that should be able to gain bipartisan support all in the name of keeping america great and the american dream alive. the ideas for that were heritage foundation ideas. should have gained bipartisan support, even cap and trade was really a, you know, market based solution that should have been able to gain bipartisan support. when you have republicans who say they will not accept a deal that is 10-1 spending cuts, to tax increases, is the problem really one of pushing solutions or is the problem one of having a completely entrance ye intran that doesn't want it run. >> they are in deniable about revenues. it is a spending problem. the government is too big, promise teed much and waited too

long to restructure, but it's not too late. much will be addressed through projected spending but we will have to have more revenue thap the historical average. how you achieve that matters and when you achieve it. we should do it through comprehensive tax reform and basically, in this tour, well try to help people understand what the key principles are that are necessary to get bipartisan support. >> i hear what you are saying david. but how do you fix that log jam? how do you compromise? >> two ways. this is not a partisan issue. the truth is, president george walker bush was fiscally irresponsible and frankly so was president barack obama. the burden barometer has gone up $50 trillion in the last 12 years. you have to do two things. one, the president, whether barack obama's second term or romney's first term, has to

demonstrate extraordinary leadership and help people understand that we've got it make tough choices on the budget, on spending, on social insurance and on taxes. has to lay out a way forward that is credible. that meets certain principles and the american people, we the people, have to put pressure on our elected officials to work with the president constructive way to try to help solve this problem, to diffuse this tick time bomb. we have to make the political price associated with doing nothing greater than the political price of breaking irresponsible pledges and also, making tough choices to help create a better tomorrow. that is possible. i've been in 49 states. nobody has talked to more americans. nobody has done more town hall meetings. nobody has talked to more editorial boards about this. it is possible. we just need leadership. >> got to come from the people, right, david? >> absolutely. we, the people. >> thanks, david. all eyes on republicanes this week but both parties have work to do to get it together.

it is not an issue -- it is an issue not exactly black and white. author in steve's other boss joan walsh, joins us next. a black and white cookie, elaine. you want some black and some white. nothing better than a black and white cookie. and it is racial harmony. if everyone would just look to the cookie, all of our problems would be solve snez your view on race relations be just fascinating. you really should do an op ad piece for "the times." >> look to the cookie, elaine. look to the cookie. america is a place where all things is possible. i have evidence that proves my dad's a space alien.

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to find you a great deal, even if it's not with us. [ ding ] oh, that's helpful! well, our company does that, too. actually, we invented that. it's like a sauna in here. helping you save, even if it's not with us -- now, that's progressive! call or click today. no mas pantalones! our friends, some years ago, the federal government declared war on poverty and poverty one. >> that was one of ronald

reagan's favorite lines and the next guest says it is particularly powerful. the challenge of building and maintaining a multiracial working class political movement is at the heart of our next guest's new book, what is the at the heart of the white people? with us, is joan walsh. joan hired me at salon.comma couple years ago. i'm thankful, i hope she doesn't regret it. nice to have you here, joan. >> best decision i ever made, steve. >> now i'll ask you an easy question to start with. >> got to be tough on me. >> the -- so your book really tells the story, i mix in your story 6 life with the dem dra c democratic party. how you were raised catholic irish in new york. and how suddenly society found more and more in common with the

republican party. we play that regan line. a lot of stuff that nixon did. what is it that the republican party has done that has made that party so attractive to white working class voters? >> it's funny. because ironically, our former colleague, pat buchanan, who made me think more about this in a couple of different way webs pat wrote this memo called dividing democrat in 1971. he advised nixon, don't focus on what unites republicans, focus on things that divide democrats. essentially his message was, make the white working class think the government is all about black people and make black people think that the democratic party has abandoned -- has basically still all about white people and is not moving fast enough. now this wouldn't have worked if there wasn't already tension and if white working class people weren't already worried that government doing more for minorities than for them.

so pat stoked that racial fear and resentment. the genius of regan was couching it more in terms of, rethought a war on poverty and poverty won. that wasn't true, but it let people be kind about the car in a certain way. i want it help the poor but the war on poverty isn't the way to do it. so it was the beginning of saying the government was the problem. government was certainly not the solution on every front. >> you know, one thing interesting about your book is you are very critical of liberals in the democratic party and i think this is a theme to it. democrats are good when it comes to race. but often sort of tone deaf and clueless when it comes to class and they sort of, often times made it easy for republicans to go about this. >> i think democrats did two things. center democrats decided oh, oh, boy, the 60s became a problem. we did great things but then there was chaos. democrats were in charge so

democrat got blamed for all of that. you had one sector of the party that ran away from government and really abandoned the white working class and entire working class of every race in terms of policy. more pro business. competing with republicans to be more pro wall street. becoming the party of wall street in some ways, in 2008. so there is that. and then i think on the left, there a tendency to leave out the white working class and you know, i found this n the 2008 primary for example, i got certain debates with people because i felt that people were only responding to hillary clinton's support among white working class voters as it was racism, rather than her policies, some of which were populist. i feel liberals, especially white liberals, are kond sending to kond sent g /* condescending to the white working class. >> joan, i know some people don't want it hear the truth but

you talk about it. part of the gop appeal it white working class people for decades has been stoking the fear of black people, be it part of the southern strategy, war on drugs, welfare queen, willie horton, all through the birther, that has been a big part of driving white working class people into the gop, hasn't it? >> it has been. but you know, the opportunity that i see now is that the guy who wrote the book on regular yn's we fought a war on poverty an poverty won. he says it made poverty worse by discouraging marriage and good values. now charles wrote the same book basically about the white working class saying their problems have come, not because of the economy, but because they nor longer getting married or working hard. they are more dishonest than they used to be. i feel like there is an opportunity if we can talk about these things better to reach the white working class with an economic populist message.

>> joan, a fascinating argument. i really appreciate it. i also want it address the media application here. it seems like when a democrat says something categorically racist, it is gaff. when a republican even brings up the topic of race, it's a dog whistle. isn't there some kind of double standard at play here? >> you know, s.e., i can see why you would say that, but we have to come down to specifics. i personally defended joe biden. a lot of people thought what joe biden said about chains was his own racial coding. i did not. >> what about what joe biden said about receive 7-elef en. >> well, people are called ton whether that stays -- he called the president clean and articulate. but on racial issues people think joe biden's heart is in the race place so sometimes he does get a pass.

>> joan, i don't know if you remember this but back in the summer of 2010, senator jim webb, democrat, wrote, i dedicated my political career to bringing fairness to the economic system and our work force regardless of what people may look like or worship. unfortunately present day programs work against that notion having expanded so far beyond their original purpose that they now favor anyone who does not happen to be white. now, i'm not asking you to weigh in on affirmative action, but is that the underlying sentiment that you're talking about here among working class white people? >> i think it is. you know, i am going to stay in the camp that says be on certain issues we need affirmative action. but if you live in california, krystal, you see that you don't have the narrative any more of white people have all of the power either politically or economically. at the university of california, asians are the largest group. white students aren't doing as well. so the part of senator webb's

article that i saw the point of, is that we often talk about race in very buynary terms where whites are on top and everyone else is on the bottom. and you do find that top universities, rural whites, working class rural whites, are the least likely to make mir way to the top universities. so you know, i think we are terrible as society about talking about class. that's what i would like us to talk more about. >> joan walsh, author of white what's the matter with white people." and we go to a town in ohio that krystal says it shows what it is all about. you do this every morning?

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begins with back pain and a choice. take advil, and maybe have to take up to four in a day. or take aleve, which can relieve pain all day with just two pills. good eye. as you know, we cyclists have been getting to know each other and help you get know us. last week we exposed my fear of unstable ferris wheels and my love of roller coasters and talked politics. today it is time to look into the krystal ball. yeah, i said it. >> you went there. >> yes, that is our lovely cohost's actual name, though she likes to point out her parents were not hippies. growing up in virginia krystal

wasn't the only kid named that, they had a goat. sadly, krystal the goat couldn't come with krystal where she played water polo in college. she was inspired by the documentary "no end in sight." she had her sights set on political office long before that. back in fifth grade krystal run a and tied with brian shreikal for class president. sounds like a hard fought election, krystal. >> it was. and in some ways, the real presidential election this year is about simple childhood moments like that and about small town dreams. today i want to introduce you to a midwestern town that is close to my heart and part of what inspired me to run for office. it is in battle ground, ohio. this election to me, if you boil

it all down, is really about the american dream. will it be revived or fade away? the answer, i'm convinced, lies in places like east liverpool, ohio. >> from across the ohio report east liverpool looks like picture perfect small town usa. and here the locals tell its story. it sounds like it too. >> this town was a bustling down. town. from the time ways born in the mid '30s, up through several generations. it just was a mecca of joy and happiness. these streets were crowded with people. very sports town. in those days, the high school football team would dress this other street and the band would, on the other street, and the band would lead the team to the field and everybody would fall in. if you were smart, you would get in between the trombones and get into the stadium without a ticket. >> the team was call the potters. this was once the pottery capitol of the world. home to 200 ceramics factory

possess. now there are just two. frank dawson, known as digger, is the town's funeral director and town historian. he says the town changed. >> devastating economically to employment. lost jobs but most of all a real different in the self-esteem of the people. >> now this america's rust belt, is struggling to survive. >> we need jobs. we need jobs. of our two grandchildren that just finished college, they're working in other towns. and we have people leave for employment opportunities. >> i moved to east liverpool with my husband about five years ago and as newcomers in town, we were definitely a bit of an oddity. the population here peaked in the 1950s at about 26,000 and it's it's dwindled down to just 11,000. people don't typically move into this town, they move out. but these are the sounds of hope.

homer laughlin china company is the largest remaining pottery in the ohio river valley, thanks in large part to its signature line of fiesta wear. the colored place settings have been perking up dinner tables since the 1930s, the idea sparked by a trip out with west. >> he said, i've seen this colored dinnerware out in california and i think that it's just the thing to spruce up the table for people in the middle of the depression. brighten up their table, brighten up their dinner, and he said, i want you to come up with something. >> reporter: joe welles is talking about his grandfather. joe iii is the fourth generation to runner homer laughlin, all committed to keeping their pottery made in america. >> the easiest thing for us 50 years ago would have been to go overseas, not only in the pottery industry, but in every, almost every industry that there is. that people throw up their hands

and say, oh, well, i can't compete instead of -- instead of trying to compete. >> reporter: as competitors moved to places like japan to cut costs, the welles focused on a different bottom line. >> the last thing we think about is a profit. a profit is not the driving force in our company. it's providing jobs in this valley, hoping that we can supply those 1,100 people, at least a living. >> reporter: and homer laughlin isn't the only bright spot. this summer, starbucks struck a deal with american mug and stein company to make its new individual mugs in east liverpool. what is your personal definition of the american dream? >> being able to get an education, and obviously, after you get an education, get a job. free to do what you want, when

you want to. i think that's all i'd ever want. >> and here in east liverpool, would you say that the american dream is alive? there's not much alive here in east liverpool. i think if you want it to be, i think it can be. but i think you have to work in order to get there. >> the homer laughlin factory really was an amazing place. we've posted more of my tour of it and my not-so-great attempt at making pottery, that's on thecycle.msnbc.com. and we'll be posting more from my interview with frank "digger" dawson and his thoughts on the american dream. up next, back to the convention. the people most disappointed that trump's rnc speech tonight is a washout. toure's turn is just ahead. [ male announcer ] drive a car filled with

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earlier today, a new democratic super pac was founded called patriots for trump. many people's first reaction was, whoa, why would i send my hard-earned money to help a rich reality star that was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple. the people say that trump has gone bankrupt, at least three times, but he's a godsend for the democratic party. he's the gop mascot who confirms their image as the party of the

wealthy that o prefers obstructing and distracting. if you're part of the gop, you don't want him at the convention doing some predictable juvenile stunt like firing obama, you don't even want him in the party. his big idea is birtherism. he told the "today" show, you would not believe what my researchers in hawaii are finding. yet being caught in a bald-faced lie, he remains part of the gop brand. patriots for trump plan to keep it that way, because trump is good for democrats. he's not alone. later this week, we'll see the launch of, patriots for akin, because we have to help keep him campaigning. and patriots for bachmann, so she can keep chasing the muslims. they must be double agents secretly working to undermine the gop on behalf of the democratic party. pac insiders are also considering patriots for w. to rescue him, because republicans have left him out of the convention and the campaign and pushed him so far underground that he must be in the witness protection program or something.

but the party that dedicated itself to destroying the president, even if it damages the country in the process, clearly needs to help in hurting itself. just yesterday, jeb bush told david gregory that america's changing demographics means the gop must change for the long-term. >> i'm concerned about it over the long haul, for sure. there has to be a concerted effort to reach out to a much broader audience than we do today. >> he knows that in a nation with a rising hispanic population and a diminishing white population, a party whose policies and rhetoric are interpreted as hostile to hispanics as well as blacks, gays, and women is not built for the future of america. jeb bush is a smart man, sounding an important gong. the new super pac, patriots for jeb, will work to keep w.'s brother quiet. that does it for "the cycle." martin, it's all yours. >> great work, toure. good afternoon to all of you. it's monday, august the 27th. and you want to know mitt romney? just listen.