-- tavis: good evening, from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. the so-called super committee and its impact. dana milbank from "the washington post." a thanksgiving deadline may come and go unless an agreement is reached by the bipartisan committee. and also, legendary singer/songwriter carole king and her daughter louise goffin here tonight, on their new disc "a holiday carole." that is coming up, now.

>> everyom therlu c kg inboul mtin luther king boulevard. it's the cornerstone we all know. it's not just a street or boulevard, but a place where walmart stands together with your community to make every day better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and every answer, nationwide insurantaevsg oumpto joivitatos in working to improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] tavis: for more tonight on the looming deadline on the congressional daedaluses super committee and the impact on the 2010 presidential race, we are being joined from washington by a widely read columnist for "the

washington post," ms. recent book is "tears of a clown. dana, good to have you back. >> good to be here, tavis. tavis: i said from the very beginning that i could not see how a committee evenly split between democrats and republicans could do what a larger senate body could do. please tell me that i was wrong about that and that we will get the problem solved in the next few days. >> i really wish i could tell you that, but i do not see that. i think you were prophetic in your forecast. you never know what could happen in the next week or so, but the signs are not there. you have the republicans saying, "look, we are not going to go any further, on the tax increases." you have the democrats not even putting forth any new plans. i was on the hill this morning, and they had a group of 40 lawmakers, republicans, democrats, both chambers.

they said, "there are 150 of us that want to have this big compromise." they are nowhere near a majority who are really willing to make the compromise, accept things that they do not want, accept cuts to medicaid and social security for the democrats, accept some serious tax increases for the republicans, so it is looking a lot like the committee is just going to fail because of the absence of any sort of real leadership, help for them. tavis: for those not following this story, if the effort at compromise fails, then what happens automatically? >> well, for those people not paying attention, they are in good company. there was a poll out saying 80% are not paying any attention, or just the slightest bit of attention. if they do not come up with something, or if that comes up with something and the house and senate votes it down, presumably next month, when happens is that there will be automatic cuts to

the budget -- what happens is there will be automatic cuts to the budget. it is basically something nobody wants to happen because it is just sort of willy-nilly cuts through all of these programs, whether it is defense or the social programs. nobody wants that to happen, but the problem is nobody seems to have the gumption. tavis: the cuts across the board, when? >> it is sort of phased in over time. it begins to happen in about six months or so. i suspect that congress be in congress, they will find ways to punted this and postpone this -- congress being congress, they will find ways to punt this and postpone this. tavis: so whoever is the republican nominee against obama, this issue really will not have any impact on the race

for the white house next year? >> well, sure, it will have some impact. they will still be debating about what to do about this looming problem. do you raise taxes, or do you do this all through cuts the obvior been in some combination of the two, so, sure, they will be debating. they may manage to not do anything and have some other argument about what to do, and no matter how the election turns out, it is not the politics are going to change substantially. we are going to have the same problems and disagreements then. the long debate which, the harder biscuits for everybody. -- the longer the debate goes, the harder it is for everybody. tavis: the democrats cannot get anything done, that is the easy headline. take me a bit deeper. what is really happening here? what does this say about

leadership? beyond the headlines of gridlock, what are you seeing? >> it is a good question, because it is almost as if people have given up. we are one week away from this big deadline where something cataclysmic happens. you have mitch mcconnell, the senate republican leader, and the senate democratic leader leaving their offices to go home at 7:00 p.m. it is almost as if they are saying, "well, there is nothing we can do. we will live to fight another day." it is almost as if we have reached the point where people have actually given up and given in to the sense that washington is completely broken and nothing can happen here. the always something seems to have been is in an absolute crisis. -- the only way something seems to happen is in an absolute crisis. tavis: given what we have seen about austerity in europe, whenever the eventual that you mentioned earlier rise, and and

these cuts kick in automatically, if you think we of protests in the streets now, if you think americans are upset now, i mean, how ugly can this get when americans really start to feel the impact about what these across-the-board cuts will mean if congress does not do their job? >> you are not kidding. one block from our office is heading towards the white house, you have a few dozen people camping out in tents, but this is a very small number of people compared to those that will be touched when they start taking away these programs. we are not necessarily talking social security and medicare at first. there are many different people assume they will continue to do, and they will be surprised with what they find. tavis: you referenced, somewhat jokingly, knowing of congress as you know congress, that they will push this down the road. you cannot kick the can down the road anymore because there is no

more road less damage to kick began, so what do we do -- because there is no more road left on which to kick the can, so what do we do? >> the 2001 terrorist attacks forced some action. we got together, and they did things for a few months together. the collapse in 2008 forced some action, but nothing has fundamentally changed the system, so it suggests to me that something worse than these to the agreements needs to occur to shake things up. some people talk about a third- party candidate, some other change to the system. it just, you know, it is hard not to give into cynicism in washington at this point because there is no easy or even difficult solution on the horizon. tavis: i always want to make the distinction between cynicism and skepticism, but that line and getting more and more blurred for me, dana.

>> me, too. tavis: good to have you on the show. dana milbank, thanks for your insight. up next, carole king and her daughter louise goffin. stay with us. so please welcome carole king back to this program, the legendary singer/songwriter tonight joined by her daughter, louise goffin. the two have teamed up on a new holiday album called "a holiday carole, " c-a-r-o-l-e. >> this christmas, all i can say is what a great song. >> ♪ a very special christmas for me yeah

take a hand, shake a hand shake a hand this christmas ♪ tavis: i love christmas music, but it ain't christmas for me until i hear "this christmas." it is the greatest christmas song of all time. >> i was a great fan, and i wanted to pale monash -- pay homage. and i think we brought this to me. >> yes, we had a list and listened to everything that was a taker. tavis: how did you whittle down that list? >> oftentimes, on itunes. you go to one, and they show you the other christmas songs. i was avoiding the on the nose

christmas songs. a christmas album that was only good at christmastime, but good all year round, every day would be like a holiday, my favorite thing. tavis: my mother listens to christmas music in july. literally around the house in july in indiana with 89 degrees humidity in indiana, and she is walking around the house. >> indiana? tavis: yes. >> my gosh, enjoy this. tavis: i do not know the answer to this question, carole, and i should have researched it be, -- researched it, because it bugged me. >> you are correct. there are three original songs on the album, and they were all co-written by louise and other

people, and it was so much fun for me to be singing some of tell-alls is a song, and also because of the we is -- singing someone else's song, and also because louise's sensibility is so much like mine. she was part of a mission, and it was to write something for carole, like carole had written it. >> i will see if i get to the short version of this. throughout the whole record, i thought we need to have a new year's dishonor. i will not do one more without that. -- we need to have a new year's song. i will not do one more song with christmas and it.

-- in it. and i wanted it to be prayerful and hopeful, and so this earlier, "new year's day," i think old record was writing itself, just kidding, and then when i went to london, i actually did not plan to write anything in particular, and then i ended up staying right across the street to mind co-writer, and i walked across the street, and i said, "how about we write a new year song for carole?" >> guy wrote the music with me in mind, and i heard it over skype, and i thought this is great, it sounds so much like me, but when it came time for me to perform it, i had to perform it and learned, and it is much more complex, so it took me some time to learn the song that i

supposedly might have written. tavis: i do not want to interrupt this story, but i was waiting for this story to end, because if someone has written a song as it carrolle -- carole king had written it, we would all be writing songs. what is the trick to doing that? >> there is an interesting trip. when you try to do it like someone else, you always get it wrong, but it can still be good. i would bring up prince, who was doing little richard and jimi hendrix, and it was not him. sometimes just reviewing the feeling of someone who inspired you can just bring about an amazing song, and people say, "that sounds like you." >> if i want to write for the sherrills, i have them in mind. if i want to write for nora jones or more contemporary, i have that person in my mind, but i do not sit down and say, "let

me see what i can do." you have that person in your mind, but it comes out as you. tavis: writing for your mother, is more intimidating or less intimidating? in your case, writing and producing, more intimidating or less intimidating? >> i think for me, less intimidating than anyone else, because i do not have that feeling. i have been giving her a hard time since i was 5, so she probably -- tavis: used to it by now. >> you know, there was one point where we were on the phone, skyping, and i think there was one change that was of little jazzy, and she said, "i would never do that," sell out with that. there was some input there, and i do not want to be the guilty party that took away carole's

riding on this. she was writing a book that was coming out. >> mmr. tavis: -- >> mmr -- a memoire. tavis: we will be waiting. >> desk the title? >> -- guess the title? tavis: you have so many song titles. >> it is a memoir, and it was fun to ride. it took so much of my brain space that the whole reason this album got made at all with a new weaves producing it was that a former manager of mine said -- the whole reason this album got made at all with a we've -- with louise producing it was that a

former manager of mine had said something. she got me in the studio. she did not even paul and out of me. she put me in circumstances where i could not help but rise to the occasion and be who i always was in the studio, and she inspired, and when i faltered, she led, and when i was doing fine, she stepped back. it was like butter. tavis: i will hold my questions, because i want do them justice, but i also want to make sure that you come back when the book comes down. somebody write this down. i just booked carole king in april. this does raise this question for me. how does this project, working on this with your daughter, fit into the narrative and story line of your life? if you were writing about this moment, carole, how would you

write about this in the story of your life? >> it is kind of a coming home, in that there is this person who has been in the studio, literally in the playpen, grew up making music, around music, creating it herself from a very, very young age, and here she is, coming to this project with all of the knowledge and all of a sensibility that i could possibly wish for in common with me but enough different to add, to enhance, and it is just a coming home. of course. >> very generous. tavis: did your mom ever try to talk you out of the business? >> absolutely. i was furious when i was 12. i said, "i am going to be a singer/songwriter, and i am going to make records." and she said, "lets talk." i was furious.

she told me it could be really hard, in her mind, she thought, well, you are falling in my footsteps. do not tell me i cannot do anything in the world that i set my mind out to, which as a 12- year-old -- tavis: believe they can. >> and you want to at that stage, but, yes, she did try to talk me out of it, but the household was so artistic. there was music around all of the time. there was a final round. people singing. my dad had a recording studio. i was marinating in it. >> she never stopped. she was like a laser, always writing, always singing, and always doing it loving it. we all want to achieve something, but she never looked back. that is always what she has done. tavis: it may not have been intimidating to write and produce for your mother, but take me back and tell me how the

journey has gone, that is to say, try to chart your own path, writing your own stuff, perform, when everyone knows this is your mother? >> in london, thinking i could get away with that, and i would be in a shop, and a carole king song would come on. it has been a tough journey. first of all, i had the confidence wherever i went that i was me, and i always knew that my sound and my musicality was not derivative. what happened was the 1980's. the 1980's suddenly made music corporate. suddenly, you were a brand, as carole was just saying. when i started out, music was much more joyous, making records, long shelf life records, making a record that was an artistic statement.

whatever it was. a statement. and then when the 1980's came along, it was all about you are a pepsi-cola products, you are something else, and i did not think that way, and i was never very good about suddenly thinking of product instead of inspiration and musicality, so -- tavis: that is because you are a very wise woman with a very wise mother. the '80s, they came and went. >> part of the story of my success, which is undeniable and for which i was incredibly grateful, was the window in time in which i was able to do what i did, and i were sheltered from having to think about anything like that by working with lou and donny, so i had the experience as a writer and then

as an artist, and the shield me from having to deal with the corporate world, so between those two things, i had made a more advantageous time period. tavis: how difficult is it -- i would think difficult, but you tell me -- to introduce new music at christmastime. it is the most traditional season of our lives, and that is what people know. they are used to doing things that are normal, that are typical, that are traditional, so when you try to break in three or four new holiday songs, how difficult is that? >> that would probably be a question for the record company. >> i can answer that, and the answer is we come on shows where the host is generous enough to make people aware of the music, and then we hope that somebody actually catches it and passes it on, and with the internet, you can fail bigger, but you can also succeed. >> i will also say that having carole in the room, making this

music, and the lyrics, they were all join is. again, it was prayerful, spending that whole year on hope and joy and peace. that was fun. when she walks in the room and sits down and plays the piano, you are not thinking about, is anyone going to buy this? it just goes to another level, and you just hope everyone finds out about it. tavis: god knows that i do not speak for the record companies, but if they were here, they would have to say that "white christmas" had to be introduced at some point. this is such a challenging thing. who wants to take on a holiday season and put out a new song when you are competing with bing crosby? >> hope. tavis: what a great place to end our conversation. and that is what our -- this project is all about. can you see this?

good. yes. this opens up. it is really cool. >> you can prop up on your table. >> or your chair. tavis: making money, creative ideas like this. i am out of time. one more question. i am curious. i have friends who have done this a thousand times over the years, and whether it is television, or do you always call her carole? >> i always call her mom, but i would just be talking going 'mom, mom, mom. " when i am going to the sec, it will been -- when i am going to the set, it will be carole. tavis: happy holidays to both of

you, and i will see you in april. do not forget. >> thank you, mom. >> that is our show for tonight. as always, keep the faith. the time of your live everything will turn out all right it will be ok, in every way, making it better ♪is new year's day >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org. tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley. join me next time for a conversation with jimmy on his forthcoming cd.

that is next time. we will see you then. >> every community has a martin luther king boulevard. it's the cornerstone we all know. it's not just a street or boulevard, but a place where walmart stands together with your community to make every day bette >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and every answer, nationwide insurance is proud to join tavis in working to improve financial literacy micoremoveesbset etaclo tno empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] >> be more. pbs. >> be more. pbs.