mrs. bachman may get back into the race, mr. romney may start to press this. when i talk to people in texas, they think his achilles heel is cronyism and pay to play. >> ari fleischer your comments? >> well, anderson, i think that republicans have to be careful here that social security does not become the defining issue that divides them in this primary. they have to remember these debates to bring it back to barack obama, jobs, debt and deficits. this is the core strength that have made republicans so strong in this cycle. and it will come back to the social security doe bait. the romney people love it. it's a given. the bigger perspective cannot be lost as these debates continue. >>> let me know what you think, follow me on twitter @andersoncooper. rick perry said president obama's $800 billion stimulus package created zero jobs. next, we're checking the facts on that, keeping them honest. ari was saying, the focus should have been more on obama. we're going to take a look at how the presidential hopefuls blasted the president tonight over his health care p

mrs. bachman says and everybody that claims -- proclaims that. but it is what i believe. i believe, but it is what i believe. if it was a sin to be short, what would i do? i'd be right on the hell bus, right? i believe that's the way god made me, and i don't believe god makes mistakes, and that includes a person's sexuality. >> as a former "west wing" cast member, i have to ask you your own political view. are you an obama fan? would you vote again for him? do you feel disillusioned by him? >> i won't say who i did vote for, who i will vote for. that's a private issue. i would not want to be president of the united states. can you imagine that job? >> i can't think of a worse job. >> i think time's going to tell a lot with even president bush. i know there's going to be people out there who are going to be like, how could she say that? i think he's a good man, he had to make some tough decisions. i think obama's having to make some tough decisions. i support him. >> that's a good point. i recently finished president bush's book, "decision points," an unusual book, not a t

mrs. bachman's former campaign manager, ed rollins is here. e latest poll, i want to put it up, is not good news for michelle bachman at all. this is a usa today gallup. good poll. historically good poll, small sample, 439 republicans, republican leaners. romney, 7. ron paul, 13. and that's a very hard core vote, 13. but michelle bachman sliding all the way down to 5%. why do you think she slid? >> i think rick perry. the bottom line here is she's the best candidate in this field. i watched a lot of candidates over my 40 years in politics. she's an enormous candidate and very, very strong on the stump. she won the straw poll which no one expected her to do. she's a great retail politics. our game plan was always to win iowa. >> bill: then why, if she's so good and i agree with you, i've always said she waged very, very good campaign. her personally. then why did perry destroy her support? she's down more than 50%. >> it's not over yet. i think when you look at a national poll, it basically indicates people from all over the country. when you th

mrs. bachman is an emotional person who has great feeling for people and i think that's what she was trying she would have been better if she stayed on the issue which was the governor's executive orders and he made a mistake and she did. the quicker she admits it and moves on, the better she s. >> that's ed rollins. we have not heard congresswoman bachman admit in a manner that she made a mistake, mark. >> in that interview that was on "hardball" last night was damaging to michele bachmann. chuck todd spoke on daily run down this morning. i'm no longer the campaign manager and no longer getting paid, but giving advice. it seems as though ed rollins going on air is not bringing michele bachmann into a positive light. while it wasn't a super direct criticism, i disagree with the way her campaign is handled. that so far. great seeing you. >> the french president and saved cameron to libya's new government. both vowed to release billions in assets. they also plan to push ahead with the nato air strikes on the strongholds of gadhafi loyalists. mike is live for us in tripoli. what else can you t

mr. president, stop. your last plan hasn't worked and it's hurting the american economy. instead of temporary fixes, do what has worked in the past. permanent, pro-growth policies that are driven by the free market. >> bachman'seaction tonight echoed the sentiments from last night's presidential debate. she and other candidates hit the president hard on his performance from everything from the economy to health care to the military. >> as devastating as our economy is with the policies of barack obama, i think that he is actually weakened us militarily and with the u.s. presence globally. >> this is a president so committed to class warfare and so committed to bureaucratic socialism that he can't possibly be effect ive in jobs. >> on day one as the president of the united states that executive order will be signed and obama care will be wiped out. >> on day one i'm direct my secretary of health and human services -- it is bad law, it will not work. >> once obama care is repealed, and it will be, the question is what do we do now? >> obama care is killing jobs. >> this country has a bright future. our president doesn't understand how the economy works. >> don't forget the day that president obama took office,

michele bachman, the congresswoman from minnesota had a news conference on capitol hill after the speech. take a listen to what she had to say. >> not only should congress not pass his plan, i say, mr. president, stop. your last plan hasn't worked and it's hurting the american economy. >> reporter: a similar message from every other republican presidential candidate. hear more from them monday because there is another debate. >> and why you're in tampa. the big debate on monday night and see it live on cnn. >>> christine romans with the business side of the president's job plan. let's break it down. >> reporter: put the politics aside and not talk about what parts could get through. the payroll tax cut for 98% of businesses. mark zandi calls it a creative way to take the payroll cut to businesses. a tax credit for companies that high unemployed veterans. you know that employed veterans the unemployment rate is rising to dangerous levels and something needed there and both parties agree on that. improvement for about 35,000 public schools. this is part of the infrastructure component of this. we have unemployment rate for construction people anywhere from 13% to 16%. this would be m