the republican party is finalizing its platform tonight. their convention starts next week. that means that this is basically right now the formal end of the republican primary process. and what has just been a wild presidential election year. we should have known it was going to be a wild year when it started off so strangely, right? you remember when mitt romney won the iowa caucuses. he won the iowa caucuses for a second. the iowa republican party, that night of the iowa caucuses announced mitt romney as the winner. but then a little while later, they tried to announce that actually it had been a tie between mitt romney and rick santorum, but shortly after that, they eventually admitted, no, both of those were wrong. turns out rick santorum won, but ultimately, when it came down to allocating the delegates that are what you win when you win the iowa caucuses, the delegates that go to the convention next week, in iowa, it turned out the winner was neither romney nor rick santorum, it was ron paul. republican presidential nomination process this year started in chaos in iowa

this is what is wrong with the republican party. that was a republican idea. gned it into law. milton friedman's idea. now, it's not a good idea. your party is committed to slashing it. you pushed women into the workforce and we slashed welfare and we will have the earned income tax credit and we will encourage work. >> what is wrong with women in the workforce? >> it's terrific. we slashed the welfare roles and we raised the earned income tax credit. it's a good thing that we raised the earned income tax credit and now your party wants to come and snatch that back, we snatched the welfare and we said, take these low-wanl jobs and we'll help you out with the earned income tax credit. you get it because you're at a low-wage job -- >> they're going to -- >> i know that you have a good heart, sophie. when you say that -- when you say we only half people don't pay taxes, that's part of what you're talking about. i really think that is your party's idea. you should embrace it. >> you're saying the earned income tax bracket. the ryan budget is also going to cut food

republican hands. they also look at who the party 's registered voters are. democrats versus republican, breaking it down by gender. white in the republican party versus african-americans in the democratic party. for republicans, -- what do you think about the unification of the republican party? where does it stand right now in your eyes? as we get your calls coming in, let's look at another piece about how the republican party may be affected by the ticket this year. for gen-x-ers, a wake-up call. he sprinkles the word awesome into daily speech and he works at the ultimate job at mcdonald's. the first member of generation x to appear on the republican ticket may inspire. this piece looks at how gen-x- ers are taking congressman paul for the vice presidency. let's go to victor in land. is the republican party unified? caller: yesterday, i went to see 2016 with my girlfriend in silver springs. that movie is really scary. it talks about the psychological character of obama and it is really scary. i was happy to find out i do not need to have an audio descriptio

again, he was a republican tea party candidate able to fight against the establishment republican candidate with whom he held virtually no differences in terms of conservative politics in texas, and he won. he is a rising star in the party. >> talk about how he has come to be a rising star and the role particularly of campaign finance getting him where he is. >> texas was a model, as many states were. outside big money coming independent groups that want to bankroll candidates they like. in this case, clubs for growth and other but white conservative business groups came in with an awful lot of money to match, in large part, the spending of his opponent. it is a super pac, absolutely. there were others that were helpful. dick armey and his group, freedom works, work for ted cruz. they saw in him someone who, on the business issues, would be on their side. they do not care as much about the issues of abortion and marriage. but he is on the right when it comes to abortion, marriage, and business deregulation. he is the perfect candidate for this group in washington. although again he tried to

take a look at the republican party platform of mitt romney's republican party.ssed today, included a human life amendment that would ban abortion under all circumstances including in the form -- in the cases of rape. and incest. and could impact some forms of birth control. these were legislative initiatives that congressman ryan worked with congressman akin on while he was in congress. governor romney previously endorsed the personhood amendment. but this is in the platform of mitt romney's republican party. >> but it's been the platform since 2004, 2008, george w. bush, mccain, mitt romney, the latest to disagree with the party platform. he's not different from the two that preceded him. >> he'd endorsed the platforms in the past. he endorsed on governor huckabee's show the personhood amendment earlier this year. congressman ryan worked with congre congressman akin to advance this legislation. you know, i think the broader discussion that the republican party's had about women's issues in the past year is something that we heard 50 years ago. you don't expect

as far as our platform is concerned, this is the platform of the republican party. itt romn romney. that all being said, these guys are proud pro-life candidates and we're a proud party. >> you can disagree with me on this, but it caused the gender gap in the latest poll which is 15%. you add in the comments and platform. how concerned are you about the gender gap? what's your take? >> i don't buy the fact that the pro-abortion stance means you are pro-women. i don't happen to believe that most women -- i believe most women are pro-life. i know surveys bear that out. i think the pro-life position is a positive with us with women. not a negative. you have to be careful not to make a logical leap that you suffer with women is not true. >> i want to make sure we're on the same page about this. the polls i have seen show most people may say personally that they would not choose abortion and they believe it is a woman's right to choose, which is different than what the republican platform is. >> there are very -- first of all, i believe in the surveys we have seen number

and now, the fourth reason, the republican party is the party of the future cause baits is a party to which the many things that still need doing will be done and will be done by enlisting the fullest energies of free creative individual people. republicans approved that it is possible for the government to have a warm sensitive concern or the every day needs of people while steering clear of the big brother is watching you kind of interference. the individual and the special are the young person who has the tight federal monopoly on problem-solving. it deserves opportunity for ps and every other person who is burning to participate in putting away the wrongs of the world. our time of prosperity is one thing we must be on guard against is smoking. things are going well. but there are thousands of things still to be done. still in what needless sufferings to be cured and injustices to be erased and proto provide careers for all those we can produce. we want them all, republicans, independents, discerning democrats, come on in and help. 100 years ago. the republican party believed in eq

added this constitutional amendment to ban abortion in all cases to the republican party a number of other republican presidential candidates have tried to fight against it and lost we don't have any evidence that romney actually tried to fight this inclusion in the platform and so there are a number of things going on here there's the politics of talking about what they really believe and then the politics of the far right and the way that they have rationalize their cruel and frankly evil policy on no abortion in cases of rape to a general public who absolutely completely disagrees with them on this issue it's really quite extraordinary sir mitt romney has called on akin to the race. kind of too little too late. romney is want to do are you surprised by the reaction the g.o.p. has taken to a can especially considering the party has a long history frankly of of making controversial remarks about rape and women and abortion not to mention voting to redefine rape last year. i think that the g.o.p. knows that this in particular is a losing issue and that the american public will not ob

the republican party let this strand of strange politics grow within its midst. they let it become mainstream republicanism. and now the republican party is witnessing the country recoiling from what the party has become. you know, governor ultrasound, bob mcdonnell, he may not have gotten the presidential nod this year, but you know what he got as a consolation prize? he got a sign to oversee the republican party platform for this year's election. the national platform has supported criminalizing abortion since 1976 with no exceptions for rape or incest. the republican party has always counted on that being kind of quietly ignored in national politics. noticed by the activists to whom they answer but not noticed by any of us. do you think they'll still take the paul ryan/todd akin position on rape victims in the national platform again this year or do you think now that's going to have to change? bob mcdonnell is the one who decides. joining us now is frank rich, writer at large for new york magazine and former columnist for the "new york times." it is great it s

are we seeing a schism in the republican party? kward for the party leader to be at odds with the party flat platform. specifically the no abortion for incest or rape, is that a strategy? >> here's the problem. mitt romney, for example it has been reported that he has called for representative akin to step down. akin said no, i'm not going to. if mitt romney as the potential head of the republican party and he has called for a member of congress who has said something absolutely foul about women and rape, and he has called them to step down and that person has stepped down, what does that tell you about today's republican party? i don't know so much, governor, whether or not it's a strategy, or whether or not simply on more instances or not mitt romney is very comfortable with the republican party because he didn't choose to run as an independent. he didn't choose to run as a democrat. he has chosen to run as a republican knowing what the republican party platform is, and also knowing that unless at least in today's republican party

and the republican party was more liberal republicans in the north and con receiver tifs elsewhere. both parties were themselves coalitions, they had to actually negotiate within each party before they negotiated with each other. and that made the foundation for a natural compromise. >> i always found when i was working there, the negotiations within the party were the hardest one. tom friedman, author of the book "that used to be us." thanks for being with us tonight. >> pleasure, lawrence. >> >> coming up, now that the republicans are trying to win elections, suddenly they don't want to talk about abortion. sandra fluke will join me. alan west back tonight in the alan west back tonight in the rewrite. that fit almost anywhere so you can take them everywhere. dentyne split to fit. practice safe breath. so you can take them everywhere. i wish i could keep it this way. [ dr. rahmany ] you see, even after a dental cleaning... plaque quickly starts to grow back. but new crest pro-health clinical plaque control toothpaste can help. it not only reduces plaque... it's also clinically prov

and the republican party was more liberal republicans in the north and con receiver tifs elsewhere. ies were themselves coalitions, they had to actually negotiate within each party before they negotiated with each other. and that made the foundation for a natural compromise. >> i always found when i was working there, the negotiations within the party were the hardest one. tom friedman, author of the book "that used to be us." thanks for being with us tonight. >> pleasure, lawrence. >> >> coming up, now that the republicans are trying to win elections, suddenly they don't want to talk about abortion. alan west back tonight in the rewrite. at usaa, we believe honor is not exclusive to the military, and commitment is not limited to one's military oath. the same set of values that drive our nation's military are the ones we used to build usaa bank. with our award winning apps that allow you to transfer funds, pay bills or manage your finances anywhere, anytime. so that wherever your duty takes you, usaa bank goes with you. visit us online to learn what makes our bank so different. have

republican in america is probably for gay rights. it's just a much more progressive segment of that party. that is an area where the president has an opening to go in there and pull out some of these young independents or republicans who may agree with mitt romney on the economic issues but just don't agree with him on gay marriage or gay rights. when you look at demographics, hispanics are the fastest growing in the country. if republicans don't get right with the issue, they're not going to be a majority party. it's also something the democrats are naturally aligned with the hispanics on in terms of their immigration system. these are going to be the issues of the future. i think the election will be decided on the economy. if it's a close election and we know it will be, it will also come down to a few points. and it could be voters voting on other issues. immigration and gay rights are absolutely key points for small but key pieces. >> thank you so much for your time. >> thank you. >>> coming up, the former top republican in florida says voter suppression was openly discussed. it's shoc

but i truly believe that the republican party is the party of women. really good to women candidates. you look at just governors alone. we've got more women republican governors than we do democrat governors. we believe in life. that is true. we believe in life. but we are very, very open and supportive of women and the women's issues. but the bottom line is most women, they want to talk about jobs and the economy. they want to talk about their children's future. and we, as reblicans, need to drive that message down -- and we will do that between the convention, reintroducing a president romney. we will be out there. and we're going to get those states. >> let me underline that advantage, because congresswoman, this is what the president is up against, and why this is a really tight race, despite some of the disadvantages. here are romney advantages according to our polling, you put it up on the screen, good ideas to improve the economy. he's got a six-point advantage. changing business as usual in washington, six-point advantage. and here's the other

. >> with no exceptions for rape or incest. >> this is the platform of the republican party. >> is there a war on women? >> women. >> women. >> women. >> absolutely. >> why do republicans have such a problem with women. >> it's something that paul ryan believes. >> the akin/ryan proposal. >> the mistake i made was in the words i said. >> this is the cost, isn't it, of paul ryan? >> the vice presidential nominee is tied directly to this. >> i ask for your forgiveness. >> the republican brand has been a mess. >> this really insane thing. >> just insane. >> the mistake i made was in the words i said. >> and the clock is ticking. >> the clock is ticking. >> ticktock. >> i ask for your forgiveness. >> forgimpvenessforgiveness? unlikely. ♪ >>> a republican strategist who knows bat-crap crazy republican congressman todd akin tells "the washington post" today, "he marches to a completely different beat. he believes that his race is providen providential, that god has willed his win." rush limbaugh, karl rove, erick erickson, senate minority leader mitch mcconnell, paul ryan, and mitt ro

he has exposed the republican party's war on women. o go into tampa next week and be the anti-woman anti-human being as far as i am concerned policy and the party of pure pure hypocracy. and nobody more hypocritical on this issue than mitt romney and paul ryan. >> this is "the bill press show." [ ♪ theme music ♪ ] in on full court press with bill press. >> he caved on the public option, he caved on the bush tax cuts, the guy has caved so many times there are miners trapped inside of him. (vo) this thursday and friday morning starting at 6 eastern. you want to save money on car insurance? no problem. you want to save money on rv insurance? no problem. you want to save money on motorcycle insurance? no problem. you want to find a place to park all these things? fuggedaboud it. this is new york. hey little guy, wake up! aw, come off it mate! geico. saving people money on more than just car insurance. if you have copd like i do you know how hard it can be to breathe and what that feels like. copd includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. s

throwing him out of the party was a win-win. for the republicans. get rid of a weak candidate in an important senate race and also paint him as the only guy in the party that is an extremist on the women's issues making those left look less extremist because of his absence. and frankly, it looked like it was going to be a win win for them at the beginning of the weak. it looked like they were going to pull this off and then it all fell apart. first of all, todd akin is not getting out of the race. he held a power summit last night in florida at the site of the republican convention with some of the biggest names on the social conservative right. not only is he not getting out of this race, he's rallying the troops and getting more support and publicity. now that republicans realize he is not getting out, they're essentially writing off their chances of winning that missouri seat and looking for other seats they might be able to pick up instead in their attempt to take control of the senate. could tommy thompson win wisconsin. maybe? please, this is a

>> that's become the ideological center of the republican party. one of the reasons this is such an explosive issue now is the republicans didn't want to talk about social issues but not economic issues. this is what the party believes. in that human life amendment part of their platform, there are no exceptions, not for the life of the mother, not for rape or incest. there's no exception to that. that's also true in the personhood amendment, which paul ryan co-sponsored, which would say -- not only outlawed all abortion, it will outlaw many forms of birth control and in vitro fertilization. those are not positions the republican party want to talk about. it's not a fringe position within the party anymore, chris. >> that's interesting. >> it's become a mainstream party. it's a center of gravity. it's where the energy of the republican party is today. >> absolute pro-life. >> under all circumstances. >> this morning on "today" matt lauer questioned todd akin about his use of the world "legitimate" as in legitimate rape. let's watch. >> legitimate sh

but today kobach is not just advising romney but the whole republican party. in tampa helping the right gop policy at the republican platform committee meeting. that committee is headed by virginia governor bob mcdonnell. better known as a guy proposed forced ultrasounds on women. here's what he said about gay people at the republican national committee platform meeting in tampa. >> our government routinely judges situations where you may regard self-people completely affecting themselves like the use of controlled substances. like, for example, polygamy voluntarily entered into. we condemn this. >> romney, informal adviser, chris kobach comparing gays to poll i sxhi drug abuse. after this line the committee reaffirmed their stance on gay marriage and rejected a motion to recognize civil unions. in their platform they made their voter suppression campaign formal and adding pro-voter i.d. and proof of citizenship at his behest. and adopt ad ban on foreign law after he complained of the threat of shariah law. we told you about their wildish strict anti-abortion.

and the message and the intensity of that pressure believe it or not there was a time when the republican party wasn't filled with the radical far right climate change denying crazies and lawmakers of that ilk maybe jeb is right and the party will become a little more mainstream again in the near future the way things are looking now i wouldn't hold my breath the bad but pat rogers rogers a republican national committee official recently called out new mexico governor susanna martinez for meeting with a group of native americans rogers said the martinez had dishonored general george custer the nineteenth century military general who routinely slat slaughtered hundreds of native americans rogers went on to say that because of governor martinez's actions new mexico was quote going to hell and quote. first rogers is obviously unaware that this new mexico wall that the governor meet with state native american leaders and second native americans live in america two that they were here before the rest of us they deserve to be treated like any other american citizen at the very least and have a say in

this incident highlights what the republican party confirmed last night would be part of their national platform, opposing abortion in all circumstances, including rape and incest. that's churned up waters in massachusetts, where republican congressman scott brown is calling for change in the party platform, saying i believe this is a mistake because it fails to recognize the views of pro-choice republicans like myself. finally, there could be one other high pressure system looking to rain on the republican party. vice president joe biden indicated he will be down in florida during the convention. perhaps unsurprisingly, the tampa mayor said this morning that he's prepared to cancel the rnc if necessary but at this point, it's unclear what's more threatening, the meteorological chaos or the storm brewing over the republican convention. that was a lot of weather, maggie haberman. >> lot of storm systems. >> setting aside the practical implications of a hurricane hitting tampa, and throwing plans into disarray, it would not seem like the republican party has teed up this week in the way t

earlier today you're seeing cheers and applause from his supporters but how is the republican party feeling about paul's appearance and how hard are they working to silence the paulista also how much money does it take to buy a seat in congress well shelley agents and things five hundred thousand dollars should do the trick was he throwing his latest campaign donation at what does this say about democracy in america and forty nine years ago today martin luther king jr gave his famous i have a dream speech a speech in which he had vision of a more equal and just america unfortunately republicans are gathering in town tampa this week to undo just about everything and milk a dream. in the best of the rest of the news ron paul made a surprise appearance of the republican national convention floor the scepter new receiving a standing ovation from raucous cheers from his supporters since he's not speaking at the convention hall as appearance of the r n c today has been described as a show of solidarity with several hundred delegates who are in tampa the same delegates feel that they're being larg