her opponent is, of course, todd akin. she keep the man who separates out legitimate rape out of the senate? we'll ask her a little later. >>> also, the president's response to the devastation caused by sandy earned him praise by governor chris christie and other east coast leaders. 78% of americans also think he did a good or excellent job dealing with the storm. could the storm be the pivotal moment, the black swan in the race? >>> let me finish with the bottom line on this election eve and i ask this to everybody, fair question, is obama a good president? think about it. this is "hardball," the place for politics. >>> we've got some new polls as we enter the final week of the complain. in ohio a brand new cnn poll shows president obama with a three-point lead over mitt romney, but is it the all-important 50% marker so it's 50%, 47%. good for obama. in a new hampshire a new poll from new england college finds president obama with a 6-point lead. that's solid. 50%/44%. in wisconsin a new poll from st. norbert college has

here it is. >> is todd akin fit to serve in the senate?ey doesn't think so. >> what he said was indefensible, was wrong. it was offensive, and he should step out of the race. >> and he's not alone. >> todd akin is not at that convention, told by his own party to stay home. >> even republican senators from missouri called todd akin totally unacceptable. >> frankly, he would not be welcomed by republicans in the united states senate. >> it was offensive, and he should step out of the race. >> i'm claire mccaskill, and i approve this message. >> was that you playing the piano in that one, senator? >> no. >> that was a pretty devastating ad. you have all the republicans who had basically ran scared from the guy. are they all still scared of him or have they regrouped since that ad -- since those pictures were taken? >> some of them have kind of lukewarm endorsed him, but here the biggest news in missouri this week is that the national republicans have snuck in the back door after trying to reassure women all over america that they understood w

that guy todd akin is no more in pill particulars. in order to run for the senate seat he lost, he had to give up his house seat in missouri. so come january todd akin will be gone from national politics. until then consider this guy, this guy who has the magical qualities of rapist sperm, this guy will retain his house on the house science committee. the republican party put todd akin on the science committee in congress. also, old roscoe bartlett who just lost his seat. he's the one who said rape hardly ever causes pregnancies. he's quite sure that's true. the republicans put todd akin and roscoe bartlett. such is the republican's respect for science. and since the republicans did hold on to the house this year, they still get to determine the membership of the house science committee. do you want to know who they're going to put in charge of it? >> we don't know what those other cycles were caused by in the past. could be dinosaur flatulence or who knows. but we do know that the co2 in the past had its time when it was greater as w

meanwhile, republicans who had rejected todd akin in missouri after his comments about legitimate rape are now having second thoughts. national republicans won't say whether they're injected funds into missouri, but suddenly akin received more than $2 million in the final days of the campaign. but the extremism is taking its toll on other high profile races in the house. joe walsh in illinois seems to be toast. polls are tightening for steve king in iowa. things are not looking real good for congressman alan west in florida. his republican opponent in the primary just endorsed the democrat in the race. michele bachmann is locked in a tight race against democratic challenger jim graves. the right wing's war on women came up in the last debate. bachmann was asked about richard mourdock's remarks. bachmann wouldn't tell voters

let's be honest, the republicans are apoplectic about todd akin.

that guy todd akin is no more in pill particulars.r to rin for the senate seat he lost, he had to give up his house seat in missouri. so come january todd akin will be gone from national politics. until then consider this guy, this guy who has the magical qualities of rapist sperm, this guy will retain his house on the house science committee. the republican party put todd akin on the science committee in congress. also, old roscoe bart let who just lost his seat. he's the one who said rape hardly ever causes pregnancies. he's quite sure that's true. the republicans put todd akin and ras co-bart let. suches the republican's respect for science. and since the republicans did hold on to the house this year, they still get to determine the membership of the house science committee. do you want to know who they're going to put in charge of it? >> we don't know what those other cycles were caused by in the past. could be dinosaur flaj u lens or who knows. but we do know that the co 2 in the past had its time when it was greater as well. >>

that guy todd akin is no more in pill particulars.eat he lost, he had to give up his house seat in missouri. so come january todd akin will be gone from national politics. until then consider this guy, this guy who has the magical qualities of rapist sperm, this guy will retain his house on the house science committee. the republican party put todd akin on the science committee in congress. also, old roscoe bartlett who just lost his seat. he's the one who said rape hardly ever causes pregnancies. he's quite sure that's true. the republicans put todd akin and roscoe bartlett. such is the republican's respect for science. and since the republicans did hold on to the house this year, they still get to determine the membership of the house science committee. do you want to know who they're going to put in charge of it? >> we don't know what those other cycles were caused by in the past. could be dinosaur flatulence or who knows. but we do know that the co2 in the past had its time when it was greater as well. >> dana rohrabachar. they mi

it looks like in missouri ma mccaskill has legit me raped todd akin. electorally speaking obviously. in indiana joe donnelly has defeated richard murdock, the republican. that is a democratic pick up. and in illinois this is interesting, tammy do you do you recollect -- duck worth has defeated joe walsh. so that's another big one. by the way you want to keep in mind the electoral college race. the first person to 270 wins the ability to bomb iran. and right now obama is at 243 and mitt romney is at 203. so keep your eye on that. [crowd cheering] donations trickling in for the presidential race. it's magical, thank a lot guys thanks for joining us. tonight's results, guys, what do you think. >> jon tonight's results have caused a seismic shift? what we're forecasting for the 2016 election. the real winner tonight looks to be hillary clinton who is now projecting pat 68% chance of victory -- >> [crowd cheering] >> that's up from 54% just a few hours ago. obviously premature to call the 2016 election but i think through demands we have at least examined s

that guy todd akin is no more in politics.nst claire mccaskill in missouri by 16 points. in order to run for the senate seat he lost, he had to give up his house seat in missouri. so come january todd akin will be gone from national politics. but until then, consider that this guy, who has this theory about the magical qualities of rapist sperm, which he says he learned from doctors, this guy, until he is gone from the house, will retain his seat on the house science committee. the republican party put todd akin on the science committee in congress. also, old roscoe bartlett who also just lost his seat. mr. bartlett was the one who said rape hardly ever causes pregnancies. he knows that because -- well who knows! but he's quite sure that that's true. the republicans put todd akin and rosco bartlett on the science committee in congress. such is the republican party's respect for science. and since the republicans did hold on to the house this year, the republicans still get to determine the membership of the house science commi

it looks like in missouri ma mccaskill has legit me raped todd akin. electorally speaking obviously. in indiana joe donnelly has defeated richard murdock, the republican. that is a democratic pick up. and in illinois this is interesting, tammy do you do you recollect -- duck worth has defeated joe walsh. so that's another big one. by the way you want to keep in mind the electoral college race. the first person to 270 wins the ability to bomb iran. and right now obama is at 243 and mitt romney is at 203. so keep your eye on that. [crowd cheering] donations trickling in for the presidential race. it's magical, thank a lot guys thanks for joining us. tonight's results, guys, what do you think. >> jon tonight's results have caused a seismic shift? what we're forecasting for the 2016 election. the real winner tonight looks to be hillary clinton who is now projecting pat 68% chance of victory -- >> [crowd cheering] >> that's up from 54% just a few hours ago. obviously premature to call the 2016 election but i think through demands we have at least examined s

todd akin didn't defend it. he apologized for it. he repudiated it.a the republicans did more damage to todd akin than the democrats had to. that was ridiculous. why did they go after him like that? they didn't go after karl rove when he said that he would have murdered todd akin. i think murder is pretty serious as well. but that shows the inconsistency. i think the party is going to have to decide either it stands with its people and it rehabilitates them when they say stupid things, as we all have done, or it doesn't. >> so what do you think todd akin meant when he said legitimate rape? >> i'm not trying to get into his head. i think what he was talking about was the concept of statutory or forcible. the fact is it doesn't matter. he knew he made a mistake and he apologized for it. >> you differ from other members of the republican party on that. there is a split there. mitt romney, it was a 20-point gender gap that. is the biggest gender gap in half a century. don't you think the comments of akin and murdock led to that or do you think it was some

then you had todd akin and mourdock. i know you don't think they are responsible for a presidential loss. but they teed it up to the point, laura where the message of barack obama, which was so artfully done was they hate women, they don't want you to get healthcare, which, to many women was really about abortion, reproductive freedom and they said, you know what? what we want is the ability to economically survive, to gretchen's point but that means abortion and health cair as well. >> that's really depressing to me, laura. that's really short-sighted for women if they only looked at that one little message about the war on woman. if they didn't look more into the details. and one other thing about the economy. i think married women to it a certain extent they are less maybe less likely undoubtedly when a couple is together. they probably have more finances. >> you are right. to a lot of women they are married to the government they used her as a brilliant battering ram against the republicans. that was done largely in

problems that his party still faces after those rape comments from senate candidates, not senators, todd akin and richard mourdock. focus on mourdock and akin revealed neither of them are outliers. as john weaver told "new york times"sh, quote, they did not seem foreign to our party, they seemed representative of our party. wow. the senate will make history with 20 women making up the largest percentage of women ever to sit in the upper chamber. i don't like the phrase upper chamber. one of those members will be senator amy klobuchar of minnesota who is coming off a big win tuesday night. senator, thank you, and congratulations. you're one of those people that people dare not run against, i guess. anyway, what do you make of the fact -- just the whole women's thing and the way women now tend to be democrats. you see it in california. we have two senators who are women in washington state, and new york, of course, you have a woman senator now and in the northeast. in fact, i think you've got 17 democratic women now, right? >> well, we do. we have -- we're going to have 20 women senators, which

and representative todd akin's infamous remark about women's bodies shutting down to prevent pregnancy in cases of so-called "legitimate rape." >> so doctor, are these extreme remarks by republicans distancing themselves from these remarks, are they what are keeping abortion front and center? >> they are actions. they remind women of people trying to redefine rain rape. the words are bad enough. the actions are worse. >> i disagree, bonnie. i think it's to the less advantaged to keep this conversation going. most of them are concerned about the state of the economy and jobs and that's what they are going to the whole thinking about. >> what we know is abortion is the leading topic for women. 39% to 19% to the economy. with the electorate being 56% women, swing voters being a key women demographic, the candidates and the campaigns need to address the issue and have to be in front of it. that's why they are trying to make it an issue. >> i laugh because murdoch's comment along with todd akin, it's men bation the dumb remarks and not representative of the republican party. what i think is

if he pulls and a strong win that could help todd akin get across the finish line. these are races where our candidates did have setbacks. not is a question of whether or not there is a type that can help overcome that. it is important to our goal of trying to reach the majority for it to happen. >> do you consider both of those races are one of the two definitely winnable? >> i do. thing they both are winnable. i talk to folks the missouri using mitt romney is pulling ahead of president obama and anywhere from 10 or 18 points. if there is a big double digit win is a clear head wind. the same is true in indiana. it is still a very strong republican state. you have mike pence who is running for governor who has a very big margin there. we are still hopeful governor romney will win big in indiana. we hope our candidates will have a good night there. it will come down to turnout. >> in hindsight because this race is so close, was that a mistake? >> all those decisions get made based on circumstances at the time. i think that there have been some money put in there now

senator claire mccaskill is trying to defend her seat against todd akin whose memorable legitimate rapecaskill with a slight edge over akin within the margin of error. in indiana, treasure, richard mourdock defeated -- but he stump nld in the general election race against joe donlly when he said rape was something god intended to happen. >>> bill nelson holding a slight lead over republican congressman connie mack. a recent miami herald tampa times poll shows nelson with an edge there. lot more to talk about in those races and the presidential election. voters going to the polls in three minutes. we'll be talking about that on "morning joe" in a moment. still ahead, what are you doing up? i know why you're up. it's election day. your tweets, texts and e-mails next in morning joe live from democracy plaza moments away. try running four.ning a restaurant is hard, fortunately we've got ink. it gives us 5x the rewards on our internet, phone charges and cable, plus at office supply stores. rewards we put right back into our business. this is the only thing we've ever wanted to do and ink hel

i hope the people know the truth about todd akin. really wanted to talk about equal pay for equal work. i had to work my way through school. i am focused on parity in the workplace. it should be guaranteed in our constitution. congressman akin has said that is not what he supports. he supports the bonds being able to decide whether or not you get paid less because you are a woman. if you look at his office, he is the boss that does that. his female staff makes a percentage less than the men in his office. that is not the way we should have it in america. if you are doing the same work, you should get the same pay. also, it is very important that we keep government spending down. i have sponsored efforts to do away with automatic pay raise for congress. i have never voted for an automatic pay raise for congress. congressman akin voted to raise his pay. in 2002, he voted to raise his pay. he was the only member of his delegation to vote against the farm bill. he was one of 14 to say no to -- in 2004, he voted to raise his pay and oppos

we're talking about todd akin and the richard mourdock races? >> both are looking unlikely to win this time around. richard mourdock looks like he's got a better shot, although the polling is not looking good for him. todd akin in missouri, claire mccaskill, everyone thought she was going to be a dead woman months back but she is probably going to win that race. the polling is tightening a little bit there, more spending from the gop. outside groups got involved the last week and: zeros like -- looks like claire mccaskill are going to hold on. those were two seats the republicans were holding on to control. they were hoping to win back the senate. after the two societies were taken off the map, it's harder for them to get to 50 or 51 seats. >> and in the house, are we expecting the republicans to keep control? and gain seats, lose seats? >> democrats are bullish about taking back the seats they lost in 2010. they're going to picture up a few and going to be like three to six or 10 if they have a good night. that is not going to be the big number

it wasn't just todd akin.mourdock, it was tommy thompson in a state where scott walker republicans dominated every state legislative race. there is something wrong with the national republican party. >> i think there are multiple things. there's a process question for start, primaries getting hijacked by the extremes when they got no interest in reaching out to the middle. but there's also a policy, a position problem that the republicans face. and if you dig into those exit polls, you know, it's really easy to accept the conventional wisdom that people are generally conservative with a small scene. they don't like change a whole lot. they like things the way they are, generally. but if you look at the positions in the exit polls, you've got big majorities that are against the litmus test that ran through the republican primaries, on abortion, 50%, 60% say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. so forget the extreme stuff about rape talk. just on the question of the exceptions that republican party is

researching them from the very beginning and made a calculated -- working with majority pac knowing that todd akinwo worst candidates -- worst candidates in the sense if you wanted to have a democratic pick up or for senator mccaskill to have the best chance, it was akin in missouri and mourdock in indiana. so, for instance, when we were doing work in the primary in missouri, we laid off of akin. we had a research book yea big. we knew he was a cowboy and prone to say ridiculous stuff. i don't care how great of a strategist you are i don't think anyone could have fathomed just outrageous things both akin and mourdock said. but when they did say what they said, we had already had research stacks and stacks of research to buttress the their at this that this wasn't a one-time gaffe. these were pretty extreme people who meant what they said. >> bill: you were able to show this was a pattern. this is exactly who these people were. what's impress biv that is you -- impressive about that is you had that information and you they would back until the right time. >> so amazing. >> want to put democrats in

and missouri which is claire mccaskill versus todd akin.s just too weird because todd akin is case. but missouri isn't called yet either. do those senate dynamics tell you about whato expect in those does because it was on to the battleground i think and i brought up our senate map here. a lot straight ticket voting in pennsylvania. that's wso it doesn't surprise me there. another clue perhaps to what's going on in new hampshire, the a open was close. they were h a little bit there. so add that to your clues. ones. oee way, oenate race there's going to be lot of drop off vote meaning think of it as this suburbs, republicans going to vote for claire mccaskill. i'll v9ogote for the presidential and skip the race. al reason his race in 2008 was so lot ofted for the pr race. vote drop off in the total senat six-figure drop off in there. and that itç:ter. if they were forced to choose they may have said i'm get something out fa expect nelson couplead of the president. that's interesting to follow. it's a little cl. nelson can win and jazz. mome

they told todd akin to get out of the race. we talking about two people who lost in the senate? again, i didn't hear president obama last night in chicago thank planned parenthood for his victory say, as soon as i get back to washington i'm going to make sure this war on women continues. he realizes that 57.7 million people last night voted against him. and we all want to work together, but it is ridiculous to pretend yet again that women ran to the polls because of abortion. >> look, i think it was so clear last night. and kellyanne can keep speaking. but the only thing that mitt romney did, he took extreme positions of overturning rowe and what was clear to me, when it was clear that mitt romney was going down in defeat, he ran millions of dollars of adds trying to convince women that he was not that extreme on women's health issues. it didn't work. women didn't vote for him. and that's the reason, frankly, that president obama was re-elected. >> where is that in the exit polls? >> let's agree on one thing. 20 years ago, ther

>> well, you know, todd akin -- >> which is it? >> todd akin was never a tea party candidate.hat's important. there were two other primary challengers who were the favorite of the tea party who focused on fiscal -- >> were they to his right? >> no -- well, they were focused on economic issues. he was always from the social conservative wing of the party, but a big fan of earmarks. even claire mccaskill discovered she was against earmarks. democrats ran on what i would call tea party issues, but there is no tea party. there is a set of issues that define the tea party movement, and you had both republicans and democrats successfully running against earmarks, distancing themselves from obama care, running for balanced budget. >> you say it's fiscal issues, but below the surface you hear a lot of concern about illegal immigration, anger about it from tea party people. it's not all numbers. >> it's not -- that's -- >> tell me how you deal with the immigration issue when you're talking to people who are here without papers or their families came here without papers and they come in

todd akin in missouri, lost. his only winners of the night were dean heller, the incumbent appointed senator in nevada, and deb phish er fisher, up in nebraska. more than $100 million went to candidates who won versus those who lost. it turns out his rate of return, if you want to put this in business terms, was an anemic 1.29% return on the dollar in terms of winners and beating people he didn't like. he was asked about it, mr. adelson, on fox -- actually rove was on fox. >> yeah, look, if groups like crossroads were not active, this race would have been over a long time ago. president obama came out of the box on may 15th with $215 million of advertising over a 2 1/2 month period designed to demonize mitt romney. >> how is that for an argument? if it wasn't for his own money, romney would have been less competitive and would have lost earlier. how will that fly with the billionaires who put their money into this thing? michael isikoff knows about this stuff. he's national investigative correspondent for nbc new

she also had the luck of running against todd akin, but she'll be back with us, as she should be, ina moment. and this is "hardball," the place for politics. >>> "the new york times" has listed my book on its best-seller list. the book has just been released in paperback. it's a great honor to be back on that list. it's the story of a real american hero and heroism and a leader who inspired the country through some of its toughest times. it makes a great gift. anyone who wants to share our love of history and american greatness should get it. we'll be right back. >>> we're back. pundits declared missouri senator claire mccaskill the underdog earlier this year in her race against todd akin, but she battled back and won a decisive victory against mr. legitimate rape. returning to the senate. she's one of the leading moderates in her party, and her top goal right now in the lame duck session coming subpoena to find a compromise with republicans on the issue of taxes and spending. what exactly would that look like? welcome back to "hardball," senator mccaskill. for coming to us from the

you have todd akin talking about women's rights.comes to the issue of politics and their body. you just don't do it. the second thing is immigration reform. that's coming. no matter who the next president is, they will have to do something on immigration reform. both sides are demanding it. if that's the case, watch the tea party rear its ugly head again and beat the living hell out of the republicans on that. by the way, that's also a bipartisan issue. i know plenty of democrats who feel major heat over the immigration reform but it's got to happen. so to that point, if you nominate fringe candidates, it's the same on the left, if you nominate fringe candidates you can't always win. they've blown two cycles in a way. obama goes from the senate to the oval office. who in the senate right now is most likely to be able to go from the senate to the oval office in 2016, 2020. >> a sleeper senate is ker st gillibrand. he's making moves. she's out there raising money all over the country for these folks. watch kirsten gillibrand. she's go

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a big ruling on gay marriage and what does todd akin plan to do next? first, israeli defense minister barack announced he is quitting politics. he served as prime minister and said he will stay on the job until the january 22nd election but would then take time to concentrate on his personal life. there had been talk that if he continued in the coalition government he might succeed netanyahu. remember, in israel to be a prime minister, you have to have lost as prime minister once. back here at home, congresswoman shelly capito will announce she is running for the seat held by jay rockefeller. capito's bid could put pressure on rockefeller who is 75 years old. he has indicated so far that he does plan to run again in 2014. there's always been speculation, though, that he may decide to retire. it's a big issue for senate democrat in 2014. a lot of veteran senators up like rockefeller, tom harkin, baucus, guys there three, four, five terms. the u.s. supreme court will decide whether it should consider legalizing gay marriage nationwide. there are several c

they all got beat these are all states that republicans thought they were going to win the senate todd akin to preserve richard murdock in indiana they nominated the tea partiers and they lose he started what is sort of the question this raises is the tea party basically the modern tea party is basically driven by these billion years and it's not it's no longer a grassroots group the last two you know i think you know let me ask you sam i mean what do you think the story is going to be tomorrow i mean certainly always the monday morning quarterbacking what does this mean that president obama not only won one by less of a close margin than some people expected that the results are called before eleven thirty at night what's the narrative i can think of any other narrative out there it's a big night for democrats really when it comes down to it and i know everybody is getting tired of this two part of the two party system but regardless we still live in it this election democrats win big and now look the point is for progressives out there and even for libertarians out there is to to build th

all those anti-choice people, richard mourdock todd akin, they all lost, and they helped romney to lose the american people sending a clear message. we don't want that. we want the opposite. we want progressives. what about climate change, yale university poll, 74% of americans believe it is affecting the weather in the united states right now. the country is fundamentally progressive. how about during this election. they did an exit poll and they asked about raising taxes. raising taxes, we are told no way americans don't want to raise taxes. wrong again bob 60% of americans say raise taxes already. how about pot. you crazy that passed everywhere, colorado overwhelming passed. legalized. not medical marijuana but recreation marijuana. come on, gay marriage, this country is fundamentally conservative. that's what you hear from the knuckle heads on tv. this is a conservative country look at these maryland, passed. may, passed. and maine was an important one. it was a ballot initiative. they put it on there and the voters in maine said yes legalize gay marriage. the country is fundamental