minister zarif. both of them have been empowered by their respective presidents to make a deal. turns out it wasn't the hand shake that was important. it was the handoff. we'll see the first inkling of that in two weeks. >> great to have you with us tonight. appreciate your time. thank you. that's "the ed show," i'm ed shultz. "politicsnation" with reverend al sharpton starts right now. good evening, rev. >> thank you very much. thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, knock it off. that's president obama's blunt message to republicans today. with three days to go until a government shutdown, the president spoke just hours after democrats in the senate, voted to keep the government running, and fully fund the president's health law. the vote was a huge defeat for ted cruz and his tea party

extremists. now the issue goes back to the house and the clock is ticking. will republicans pass a budget? or shut down the government? >> many republican senators and many republican governors have urged republicans to knock it off, pass a budget, and move on. my message to congress is this. do not shut down the government. do not shut down the economy. do not threaten to burn the house down simply because you haven't gotten 100% of your way. that's not how our democracy's supposed to work. >> don't threaten to burn the house down. the president and other democratic leaders have had it. >> how long do you just bang your head against the wall at the expense of our country? >> we're not going to be extorted. the country's not going to be extorted. obama care has been the law for four years.

why don't they get a life and talk about something else? >> not going to be extorted, get a life. those were what democrats. but today tea party extremists also heard it from other republicans. >> we are dividing the republican party rather than attacking democrats. it's very dysfunctional. the american people do not want the government shut down. >> have you ever seen this kind of in-fighting between one party? >> no. >> the house gop will meet tomorrow at noon to talk about what to do next. but tonight it's a field trip to the movies. believe it or not, house republicans are all going out to see the new film "prisoners." it's about a villain taking hostage. yes, hostages.

what is this? a how-to manual for republicans? will they be taking notes? but this is real life, real people were hurt. republicans better stop these playing games and face reality. they'll be facing reckoning with the american people. joining me now is congresswoman jan schakowsky from illinois. and melissa harris-perry. >> thank you, rev. >> congresswoman, do house republicans themselves even know what they're doing next? >> one is they could pass the senate bill that passed this afternoon and have the craziness for the debt ceiling which would be worse. or try to amend the senate bill, send it back over there. but the question then is are they going to meet that midnight on monday deadline? all of this, all of this is

simply a manufactured crisis. we're all on pins and needles. i'm in a hostage situation right now. and it's all totally unnecessary. that's what's so frustrating. >> and melissa, late today john boehner put out a statement saying not budging at all. quote, grand standing from the president won't bring congress any closer to a resolution. he says this while they're getting ready to go to the movies. >> okay, there are moments when i assume that my president is either behaving as a jedi master of some kind or a trickster here. the president did something i think was extraordinary this afternoon. when he stands and makes the case do not shut down the government, he signals clearly to his party and the american people where he stands. and that is the government should not be shut down. on the other hand, he also knows that this republican party or an aspect of this republican party is most likely going to do

exactly the opposite of whatever it is he says to do. so if the president says don't shut it down, then they're going to make it their top priority to shut it down. as the congresswoman just said, the fact is that shutting down the government as horrible as it is is much better than the default option. as bad as it is and it is bad, given that the president can expect some kind of obstructionism, this is the better place to draw the obstructionism. let them shut it down and then you put a clear and stark choice before the american people going into the 2014 midterm elections. is this what you want to re-elect? or are you ready to, in fact, give the president a house of representatives that will work with him? >> you would think they would be smart enough to see the situation they're putting themselves in. and the president told republicans to stop doing the bidding of these tea party extremists, congresswoman. watch this.

>> the house republicans are so concerned with appeasing the tea party, that they've threatened a government shutdown or worse unless i gut or repeal the affordable care act. i said this yesterday. let me repeat it. that's not going to happen. >> now, congresswoman, as you respond to what the president said, he's appealing to republicans not to deal with the extremists or do their bidding. if we are in effect given the shut down, if we end up in the shutdown, this will stop military pay, veterans' benefits, unemployment benefits, furloughs for federal workers without pay. this will hurt real people. and they're playing with this all over a law -- funding of law bill that has been passed that has been law four years. >> not only that, it would cut off meals on wheels to senior

citizens, elder abuse programs, parks, museums, monuments would all shut down. that's millions and millions of visitors. this is a deliberate act that will hurt the american people. and i think, absolutely, come back to hurt them. in some ways it's saying if you don't do exactly what i say, i'm going to shoot myself in the head. >> it may hurt them in the long run politically, but let's be clear, congresswoman. they will be paid while all of these others we're talking about will not get their check. not one of their checks will stop. >> so, you know, combined with the craziness is a meanness that i haven't really seen before. a disregard for ordinary people and their needs. yes. checks can be held up. checks that are -- that people depend on for living for their livelihoods, it's just extraordinary the lengths they're willing to go. i don't know who these people

are. >> melissa, do you imagine how seniors and veterans and government workers in their districts are going to feel when their checks are held, but the congressman and senators will be getting their checks while they hold up these people's checks over something that has been resolved with a vote. >> let me say, we still live in a democracy at least as of today. and that means if voters in these districts would like to see a different outcome, they should communicate immediately with their members of congress. this is part of the question about the issue of a shutdown for democrats. right now you have many people who rely on government services who need government services whether they're sort of minor ones or large ones. but neither will say i hate government, let's make government small. in part because government has been so efficient in certain ways that it has become invisible. and you have people against the very things that benefit them. the one positive in a government

shutdown as horrifying as it might be, to once again make clear to people that when we say government, we're not talking about some super structure out in the world. we're talking about the things that bring food to the elderly. we're talking about things that prompt our economy. we're talking about spending in all of these communities that need it. when people get a very clear idea of what the government is, they may have a very different perspective on which party they would like running the house of representatives. >> and i think that is the risk they run politically. but that is why i think you're right, congresswoman. who are these people that -- how do you look at government workers every day going to work in the congress and not care that you're playing with their check, their livelihood, seniors. how do you become so caught up in a brinksmanship game politically, you don't care about people who have nothing to do with the political game you're playing? >> even the wall street journal

said these kamikazes could end up with an all democratic congress. i stood on the house floor when we were talking about the s.n.a.p. program. and i said did you really come here to take food out of the mouths of hungry children? who are you? that is not the way the american people are. we're a generous people, we care for each other. this will as melissa said, really show that government is about the things that people need if they shut it down. that would be maybe the one bright side. but for a lot of people, it would be pain. >> and for people that have taken the oath to serve this country, for people that have said to their constituents who may not agree with anything i believe in, but that we're going to washington to serve you, to protect you, to fight for you. but even though we lost a vote in the house, vote in the senate, general election, and supreme court decision on this, we are going to shut down

everything including your checks if you get it from the federal government because we're not going to say my way or the highway. and we're going to the movies to enjoy ourselves while we watch the government fold. >> it's malpractice, i think. >> the tea party has changed the calculus of how government works. these were things that didn't used to be on the table for partisan discussion. there are all kinds of things as the president said today -- there's all kinds of things we should disagree about. that's a healthy democracy. but some things didn't used to be on the table that were about the basic health of the nation. >> and even when we face government shutdown, it was never over a law. we might have argued over a budget. a law that was passed is not even in the '90s what they did. congresswoman jan schakowsky and melissa harris perry, thank you

for your time. coming up, a historic and surprising moment at the white house today. something happened for the first time since 1979. and it's the picture everyone is talking about. this adorable 5-year-old asking for a school excuse note from the president. well, she's here with us tonight. and i can't wait to talk to her. and friend or foe, i want to know. e-mail me. reply al is ahead. ooh, homemade soup! yeah... [ male announcer ] try campbell's homestyle soup brimming with farm grown veggies. huh, just like yours. huh. [ male announcer ] and roasted white meat chicken. just like yours. huh. soup this good could never come from a can. [ male announcer ] people will say, soup this good

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have you joined the "politicsnation" conversation on facebook yet? we hope you will. president obama has gotten a lot of praise from our facebook fans for standing firm in calling out the gop.

clyde said i know the president wants the best for the american people and spends so much time and energy fighting to bring about change to a broken system. robert says, if the majority of the people did not like or want obama care, we would have elected romney and repealed it already. you're right. fadiylah says stand your ground, mr. president. we've got a lot more on the shutdown fight on our facebook page. just head over to facebook and search "politicsnation" and like us to join the conversation that keeps going long after the show ends. [ male announcer ] legalzoom has helped start over 1 million businesses. if you have a business idea, we have a personalized legal solution that's right for you. with easy step-by-step guidance, we're here to help you turn your dream into a reality. start your business today with legalzoom.

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we're back with a remarkable and historic moment from the white house today. president obama made an unexpected appearance in the briefing room this afternoon. we were expecting to hear about the looming shutdown, but then he dropped this bombshell. >> just now i spoke on the phone with president rowhani of the islamic republic of iran. the two of us discussed our ongoing efforts to reach an agreement over iran's nuclear program. i reiterated to president rowhani what i said in new york. while there will surely be important obstacles to moving forward and success is by no means guaranteed, i believe we can reach a comprehensive solution. >> this is an important development. the white house tweeting out a photo of the president making that phone call.

it's the first time leaders from the u.s. and iran have directly communicated since the 1979 iranian revolution. joining me now is trida parcy author of "a single roll of dice: obama's diplomacy with iran." first, thanks for joining me tonight. >> thank you for having me. >> how significant is this call? >> i think it's almost impossible to say exactly how amazingly significant this is. as you mentioned, it's never happened before. and the reason why this goes so far beyond the symbolics is that both now the president of iran and the united states have taken ownership of the diplomatic process regarding the nuclear issue. because the main reason as so why things haven't moved in the right direction is because enough political capital was not

invested into the diplomatic process. now it is. and i think we will see results. >> now, a lot of people are already saying a lot of things with skepticism, be careful. this may be the beginning toward a breakthrough but not a breakthrough. you're saying the fact that both of them spoke and publicly put it out there, that they have now taken some ownership of the diplomatic process. >> absolutely. and i think it's important to be careful in everything. whether it would be diplomacy or any other approach. but i think it's also important to not be over-careful so that one becomes cynical. so one thinks opportunities don't exist when they do. then we miss opportunities. and between the united states and iran, it is a long history of both sides never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity until, perhaps, today. >> now, the president also talked about the challenges.

watch this. >> we're mindful of all the challenges ahead. the very fact that this was the first communication between an american and iranian president since 1979 underscores the deep mistrust between our countries. but it also indicates the prospect of moving beyond that difficult history. >> so there's a difficult history as the president said, but president rowhani of iran in an interview with nbc, the first interview he did with a western media outlet, he set a different tone than his predecessors. listen to this. >> translator: we have never pursued or sought a nuclear weapons and we are not going to do so. we solely look for peaceful nuclear technology. we are one of the country of

this region which is asking peace and stability and giving up all mass destruction weapons in this region. >> president rowhani also said you should no circumstances would iran pursue nuclear weapons. now, this is very different from what we've heard in the past. do you think this set at least the climate for the president of the united states to be able to at least start with a direct conversation with the president of iran? >> the iranians have always denied that they have or that they're building a nuclear weapon, but everything rowhani has done in the last weekend or two with the visit to u.n. and also the twitter diplomacy he's been engaged in shows this is a very, very different approach, differents a matmospherics that has been created. has gone down precisely because

he has shown himself to be more pragmatic and open. >> trita parsi, his book is "single roll of dice." have a good weekend. >> thank you so much. still ahead, are john boehner and the republicans going to shut down the government? will they try to defund obama care yet again? a live debate with a tea party member of congress next. plus, are republicans trying to nullify the 2012 election? it's the real story behind the attempt to roll back obama care. plus we'll hear from the little girl in this photo who got had her own kind of presidential pardon. stay with us. jamie to checkout, please. there are lots of "jamies" out there,... huh? but that doesn't mean we're all the same. just like greek yogurts. that's why i prefer activia greek.

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could've had a v8. in the juice aisle. we are three days away from a possible government shutdown. 80% say it's not acceptable to threaten a government shutdown. 80%. 80% can't agree on anything, but they aagreed this is a bad idea. yet some republicans continue to threaten a shutdown. there are showing some who oppose it. govern chris christie calls it irresponsible. governor john mccain says the plan's not going to succeed. and congressman peter king even called it governmental terrorism. for republicans, the question is to shut down or not to shut down. that is the question. joining me now is congressman mo brooks, republican of alabama.

congressman, thank you for joining me. >> my pleasure, al. it's an honor. >> now, you've signed a letter saying you'll oppose any spending bill that contains funding for obama care. so how do you respond to your own colleagues who says these tactics amount to governmental terrorism? why do this? >> well, forgive me if my memory fails me, but if you're talking about the letter that was circulated by the heritage foundation/action group and some congressmen, i did not sign that letter. if there's another letter out there, i'm not familiar with it off hand. >> well, what is your position on funding the government including obama care? >> well, the house of representatives has funded 99% of the federal government. i would like to see us go ahead and get out of the way the things we agree on. then the other 1%, let's have a discussion on that. i don't see any reason to hold

up the i9% in order to coerce out of the house of representatives spending that we don't have the money for in a program the american people don't want. but if we want to have a debate about that 1%, let's isolate that to the 1% and not hold up the other 99% of the funding for the federal government that apparently both the house and senate agree on. >> but aren't you really reversing it? aren't we seeing the senate and others saying we're going to fund 100%, we've already debated the 1%. it passed the house, passed the senate four years ago. we had a general election where a candidate from your party lost running against it. and even some went to the supreme court. and the supreme court ruled it constitutional. so why are we going to hold up something that has been law for four years. >> well, with the position that you're in, the background you've been in as a civil rights leader

for years and years and years, i'm sure you would agree that sometimes the supreme court makes a mistake. certainly the early decisions that stood for separate but equal were bad decisions. >> right. >> and fortunately we had the board of education case out of arkansas that turned that around. and i think you'd also agree that it was good of martin luther king to persist in fighting even though for years and years and years and elections and elections and elections the civil rights side had lost those fights. so it was good for martin luther king to persist in the face of having lost in the past. i believe and the people who elected me are in accord with this, that socialized medicine is a bad thing that is going to do two bad things to our country. one, it's going to decrease the quality of health care. and two, it's going to increase our deficit and debt that's going to increase the risk of a debilitating insolvency in bankruptcy. so i'm representing the people in my district in that regard. i would expect those with other

views to do the same thing. that's what congress is all about. >> that is what it's all about. and i think you're right talking civil rights history and dr. king history. but where you're wrong is dr. king and no one else in civil rights ever took hostage government workers, paychecks -- just a minute. i listened to you. to equate those that would stand up and fight for civil rights who would submit to going to jail and who would submit to things happening to them to raise their point, you're not sacrificing yourself. you'll get your check. and your colleagues will get their check. you're sacrificing others. that is not civil rights. that's not even civil, congressman. >> well, who is holding whom hostage when the house of representatives is more than willing to fund 99% of the federal government? we're willing to do that. we have done that. >> you're holding hostages saying we will not fund it if you're going to pay for what we disagree with. >> we're not holding it hostage. >> it's like someone going in

someone's home and saying, look. if you do what i say, everything is fine. but if you don't do what i say, then you are responsible for what happens. you have no business in my house. you have no business stopping something that is law, congressman. >> we're more than happy to set the 99% free. we have done that. we have voted that way. we've also passed appropriation bills in the house of representatives, sent them over to the senate for national defense, for military construction, for veterans' affairs, for homeland security, for energy and water and some other items, yet the senate has refused to vote on any appropriation bills. all they have to do in the united states senate is pass appropriation bills. each time they do so and the house concurs in it, then you freed up that part of the federal government from any risk of a federal government shutdown. so who's holding the hostages when we're trying to set the 99% free but the senate demands that we spend money on a program, money that we don't have that we're going to have to borrow to

come up with and a program the people of the united states poll after poll after poll said they don't want. >> the people of the united states went to the polls last year, congressman. where a clear issue was obama care or this affordable care act, and your candidate lost. the united states congress and senate voted it law. the supreme court upheld it. you can fight at the polls in the midterm elections to change that. you can fight and try to get enough senate seats to change it, but to hold up government workers, furlough government workers, to have veterans get their checks late, military men. to hurt people while you get paid is not a profile encourage and it is not the way we should -- we've never done this in the history of this country. >> well, actually, to the contrary. historically, you don't spend money unless the house, the senate, and the white house all

concur. with respect to the elections, the american people also elected a significant majority in the house of representatives each and every one of whom campaigned on socialized medicine being a bad thing. each and every one of them who campaigned on the need -- continuing to giveaway programs we don't have the money to pay for. >> but you're overturning a law. congressman, where in the history of this country have we ever seen the house of representatives hold up a budget or hold up funds to overturn a law? name me when that's happened in the history of this country. >> the continuing resolution that the house has passed does not repeal obama care. what i think is going to -- >> it defunds it. >> well, i'm cautiously optimistic that tomorrow the house of representatives will pass a continuing resolution that will just delay the implementation of obama care for

one year much like the president has already done for big corporations as i call them. for what he's done for over a thousand other political allies and friends of the white house. if it's good enough for these individuals, let's do it for all of america. >> how do you delay something you already lost? let me ask you another question. you represent a district in alabama, and i have kin in alabama. my mother was from alabama. >> roll tide. >> and here's what health care law would do for your constituents according to the health department. a family of four making $50,000 a year could get insured for $112 a month. an adult earning $25,000 could get insured for $98 a month. that's in your district. i mean, are you against helping someone uninsured in your own district getting insurance for less than $100 a month, congressman? >> well, there are always two

sides to every coin. what is happening here is in order to pay for that insurance, we are forcefully taking money out of the pockets of middle class americans, upper class americans, people who are working for a living. none of this is free. if it was free, gosh, i'm all for it. but it's not. someone has to pick up the tab. let me give you another impact in the state of alabama. i spoke to the people at blue cross blue shield of alabama. just one obama care tax is going to cost them on average $200 million over a year. that's going to increase the cost of the premiums for health insurance in the state of alabama. so that has an adverse effect on everybody else. yes, some people are going to benefit, but at the expense of other people being hurt. >> that's what the insurance companies are saying. you know and i know that those that have went into effect, it's lower than the figures the obama administration and others project. you're going by the boogeyman

projections that some of the insurance companies put out. that has not lived up to it, and there's no reason to stop that going forward. and there's no indication that it will ever live up to that. >> well, we'll find out before long if that is accurate or not. because we'll have hard data opposed to projections. but i can say there's one company in the tennessee valley who has told me -- and they use blue cross blue shield, that their insurance bill for their company has already gone up over $1 million a year. that adversely effects their competitive status. >> you know there are states that have gone into it and say it's come in lower than expected. you have republican governors, even jan brewer that's going in. congressman, you can't hold hostage something like this that is already been law and say we'll free the over 99. that sounds, between me and you, it sounds like hostage saying

i'll let the 99 relatives go, just give me what i want. you're better than that, congressman. >> actually, i want to give the other 99, let them free. >> let them all free. give us our health care. >> we ought to fight over the one issue that we disagree with and pass a continuing resolution that funds 99% of the federal government. >> we already fought. >> that does not seem to be the case what the president wants to do. >> we fought. you lost the fight. let's go to the next fight. thank you for joining us. >> thank you, al. have a good one. coming up, we live in a democracy, right? not with these republicans. they don't care that president obama won the election. and i can't wait to talk to the little girl who got a very special note from president obama. stay with us. [ male announcer ] if you're taking multiple medications, does your mouth often feel dry?

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we're back with one of the greatest presidential pardons of all time. i'm talking about this one. there you see adorable 5-year-old alanah poullard getting an excuse note from the president of the united states. the white house tweeted the photo out, and it went viral. alanah was in the east room at the white house earlier this month with her parents for a

wounded warriors event. she personally asked the president for a note to show her kindergarten teacher. president obama wrote, please excuse alanah from school. she was with me. signed barack obama. joining me now is that very special 5-year-old alanah poullard. she's joined by her father, the reverend stacey poullard. and he also fought in vietnam. and alanah's mother u.s. army major yolanda poullard. who's recovering from injuries she sustained in afghanistan. thank you all for joining me tonight. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> alanah, let me go to you. first of all, you are adorable to say the least. tell us how this happened. what did you do when you saw president obama? >> i ran up to him and i fell

and i got back up. >> you ran to him, fell, and got back up? when you got back up, what did you ask him? >> nothing. >> did you say you needed something from him? >> my daddy said that. >> okay. and what did you daddy say? >> she needs a note for school. >> and did the president give you the note? >> yes, he did. >> that's the note your daddy's holding? wow. and did you give it to your teacher? >> i didn't give it to my teacher. my daddy printed out one. >> oh. and what did your teacher say?

>> said wow. >> reverend stacey, you were right there. did you know she was going to run up to the president? >> i had no idea. to be honest with you, reverend sharpton, when she first saw him, the president was about 75 feet away and he yelled i have your letter. and she froze. after she was prodded, she took off, fell down, and continued to run. i had no idea where she was going, but she ran to him, threw her arms around him. he picked her up, he put her down right quickly, but he picked her up. i had no idea what they said until they got back to us. they were 50 feet away when the embrace took -- and i was happy that it happened. i was a proud papa. i was standing there crying. i had tears in my eyes, al. >> he said i've got your letter. he knew that she needed a note for school?

>> oh, no. she had -- before we got there, she wrote a note to him. it said president obama, my name is alanah poullard, i'm five years old. i live in hathaway, louisiana. i love you. alanah poullard. >> wow. >> and the secret service agent brought it to him, and i'm told that they normally send them back, but the president kept this one. we didn't even know if he was there or not. >> wow. >> and when he came around the corner, he and vice president biden, he yelled out i got your letter. and i think that's what shocked my daughter. >> i can imagine. >> and she immediately took off. >> now, yolanda, you're recovering from injuries from afghanistan for all your sacrifice. what is it like seeing your daughter meet the president of the united states? >> it was an honor. i mean, to meet the president of the united states. to meet president barack obama, it was -- i mean, that day i was

just -- i couldn't move. i mean, we was in the room with the president and the vice president. i mean, it was an honor. it was a good feeling. after coming back from war and you're in the room with the president and the vice president and they are speaking positive and letting the wounded warriors, letting us know how they care about us and appreciate our hard work, it was an honor. >> what did the president say to you, yolanda? >> he thanked me for my service in afghanistan. i mean, he thanked us all for our service in afghanistan. he also gave us presidential coins. >> is that right? now, reverend stacey, what was the reaction from the school and the teacher when you got back? >> they took her picture and put it in the school newspaper. everyone seems to want to talk to her and -- about that

experience. yes, you may. >> hi, mommy. >> i guess that you're pretty famous there now. is that true, alanah? that all the kids and the people in your town -- >> yeah. >> you're pretty famous there. say hello to your mommy. because you are someone that brought a note home from the president. >> wave to your mommy. >> and i want to thank all of you for coming on the show. this is really great. and alanah, just in case you need it, i wrote my own excuse note from "politicsnation." it says please excuse alanah from school. she was on tv with me. >> oh, my goodness. >> alanah, thank you for coming on the show. >> say thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you all for your time. >> thank you. >> and for your family's service to our nation. we'll be right back. baron of the build-out. you need a permit...

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are republicans trying to nullify the presidential election? we'll look at what's really behind their shutdown threats. next. [ dennis ] it's always the same dilemma --

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washington. it's anti-democratic. the republicans don't care that he won the election. they're trying to ram through an agenda that's already been rejected by voters. joining me are maria teresa kumar coming to us live from the site of tonight's alma awards in los angeles. and ryan grim, reporter for the "huffington post." maria, isn't it unprecedented what republicans are trying to do here? >> not only is it unprecedented, they're basically playing chicken not only with our economy but our national security and the safety of this country. it's about time they realize that there was a reason why the romney plan was rejected. it was rejected at the polls in 2012. the people spoke. now it's important for the president to make sure he was able to go ahead and do the job for the people. >> you know, ryan, the president talked today about how gop

demands over the shutdown and debt limit don't fit within our system of government. listen to this. >> nobody gets to threaten the full faith and credit of the united states just to extract political concessions. no one gets to hurt our economy and millions of innocent people just because there are a couple of laws that you do not like. that's not how our constitutional system's designed. we are not going to do it. >> i mean, this has never happened in the history of this country, ryan. >> i think a good way to try to make people understand it who might be on the other side is to say let's pretend for a second that we live in a world where mitt romney won the election, but everything else remained the same. democrats still controlled the senate, republicans controlled the how's. now here comes the debt ceiling bill. and harry reid says you know what? unless we get a cap and trade bill and unless we get a public option attached to health care reform, we're going to destroy

the global economy. i mean, hey. those might be good policies to implement, but would anybody actually take that seriously? that's not -- it's like hey, you lost the election. where do you think you're -- >> well, on that point, losing the election, i had a congressman on the show the other night that told me no we're not in a democracy. and when you look at the fact the president in 2012 got 66 million people voting for him, republicans in congress 281, and they're acting like we didn't even have the election last year. that they didn't have the vote four years ago. and that the supreme court didn't uphold it. no, we're just going to put that to the side. we'll fund everything else, but we're going to hold this hostage. and they act like there's something natural, normal, or even acceptable about this. >> well, and that's the thing. they got trounced in the 2012

election. and what you normally see and even newt gingrich said he hasn't seen anything like this where people aren't willing to compromise. we're all adults. whether it's a bill or you're negotiating with your spouse, you may not like the final outcome, but you realize you walk away -- it's for the better of everybody else. that's unfortunately what they don't want. they want to take their marbles and go home even though they know at the end of the day the american people are at stake. >> ryan, you've been around washington dealing with and covering it awhile. when you look at the polls, the public's view of the tea party, only 22% support the tea party. that's near record low. 73% disapprove of gop in congress. this is not sustainable for them, ryan. >> and those are the numbers before whatever happens in the next few weeks. there is a very real chance that they could take this government and also the economy off a cliff. and there is no question in

people's minds who will be responsible for that. and so, you know, that number of 22% represents kind of a bedrock, but i think even that 22% could get halved. because a lot of these nihilists really believe that everything they're being told is a lie and if they shut the government down and if they hit the debt ceiling, might be a little bit of pain for a day or two. but actually everything will be okay and our sins will be cleansed and be better off on the other side. when they see that's not the case, that 22% might become 2% or 3%. >> i'm out of time, but maria will they push us off the cliff? >> i think all of the folks in the upper echelons of the republican party know this is for them to lose. so they have to come together and give in. you're even seeing ted cruz doing movement saying let's