you need to read ben franklin and you need to read our own history.lin was asked that questi question. whose religion? whose christianity? he gave a great answer. i think this answer is the key that he is missing and unlocks the door to understanding america. i'll give that to you next. >> glenn: in three minutes, mr. president, let me help you out. progressive said they needed to destroy our churches, history and constitution. and they've done it. i translated this in to if they destroy it, we have to restore our faith, our hope. history, you know the truth of who we are and where we came from. you'll have hope. the constitution is charity. how did i get there? well, ben franklin was asked the same question the president asked: whose christianity, whose church will we go to? ben franklin was asked by yale. tell me, what is the american religion? this is how he described it. very simple. one, god lives. two, we will see him when we die. three, read the old testament, he gets a little pissy. he'll judge us when we see him. four, that's why we should se

there's a legend that ben franklin applied to harvard and was rejected.e did. founded in 1740, it was called the academy of philadelphia. later it was renamed the university of pennsylvania. today, penn has more than 23,000 students on campuses that sprawl over hundreds of acres. its wharton business school is world famous. and while there are many other excellent colleges around the country, for some only the ivy league will do. >> applications are at an all-time high. and only a fraction of those students will be accepted. >> but the more challenging it is, the more attractive a school becomes, and that's one of the reasons the ivies are more popular today. >> reporter: dean stetson adds that students and their parents shouldn't obsess on the ivies. they should broaden their options to find the college that best meets their individual needs. >> there are plenty of other options out there. >> reporter: the man who became famous for his experiments with electricity would probably be shocked to see how his little college has grown into one of the country's

ben franklin called it the cooling saucer of our on democracy. it's like the meat locker nowadays.is ultimately a very good day. you alluded to it earlier. one, health care took effect, closing the donut hole for seniors. the very same day, the republican party, the party that paul ryan says he wants to privatize social security and eliminate medicare. we have a clear case to make here. i just wish democrats would lean into that argument rather than being on our heels so much. >> amen. congress anthony weiner. >> that's escaped 23rd. i'm keith olbermann. goodnight and good luck.

ben franklin called it the cooling saucer of our on democracy. it's like the meat locker nowadays.ely a very good day. you alluded to it earlier. one, health care took effect, closing the donut hole for seniors. the very same day, the republican party, the party that paul ryan says he wants to privatize social security and eliminate medicare. we have a clear case to make here. i just wish democrats would lean

>> i believe on the eighth floor in the ben franklin room. that will be open for media coverage. >> will there be a big table in there? someplace where they might sit and talk, or will all but talking be done elsewhere? >> this was part of the subject of the walk-through. i think that they will be at a table. again, i have not been fully briefed on the specific arrangements. >> do know if it is rounder square? >> i cannot describe the table. i would anticipate that the delegation would be here as a rough guess for roughly three hours, it could be longer. we do not have the day entirely scripted. but i would anticipate that george mitchell will brief you sometime in the early to mid- afternoon. and because we do expect have a very significant meeting contingents here tomorrow, we will move this briefing to the dean acheson. of course. >> this is the secretary's first foray to bring the two sides together. as she reached out to predecessors who have tried to do this in the past? >> she has had the opportunity to interact directly with the numbe

it was ben franklin is said nothing can be certain except death and taxes. it was will rogers to amended that is said that the only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse every time congress meets. for many people, that is sadly true. i would like to hear your thoughts and your questions. more about what congress should do. the country he is in better shape than it was two years ago. in the fall of 2008, we seem to be on the edge of a cliff and about to plunge into a major economic collapse. in a few short months, the financial disease spread and ruined retirement and drove thousands of people out of their homes, destroyed their small businesses, through more than 5 million americans at their jobs and triggered a global economic crisis. hundreds of people in my state lost jobs even though we suffered less than most. we are in better shape but this is not to say that we are in good shape. unemployment was close to 10%. existing and new home sales remained sluggish and economic growth was slow. many americans are frustrated by the l

and yet, it was ben franklin that broke the logjam after five weeks in the constitutional convention of 1787 by being recognized, he was 80 at the time, he was two or three years away from meeting his maker. he was suffering, apparently, from gout, had to have help getting in and out of independence hall for the constitutional convention, but he got recognized and he pointed out they've been meeting for nearly five weeks and accomplished basically nothing. how, as it happens, -- how has it happened, sir, he said, that we have not once thought of applying to the father of lights to illuminate our understanding in the beginning contest with great britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room. our prayers, sir, were heard and they were graciously answered. franklin went on and then came to the point. we're told that a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice. is it possible an empire could rise without his aid? we've been assured in the sacred writing that unless the lord build a house, they labor in vain who build it. firmly believe this, frankl

ben franklin! >> that's right. dr. franklin. and i helped get the constitution approved. speech that got everybody to vote for it. >> it was indeed. sir, you are? >> thomas payne. >> hello, thomas. >> and i wrote a pamphlet which helped -- you read in it it outlined a structure for the government of the united states. >> uh-huh. >> that would have checks and balances. >> that's right. that's exactly right and by the way, common sense not so common these days, is it? >> you are, sir? >> john jay. >> hey, john jay. >> first chief justice of the united states. >> all right. and of course, one of the things about the constitution, it did set up the three branches of government. you are? >> mr. james madison. >> hello, james madison. how's dolly? >> doing very well, thank you. >> very good. you are, sir? >> mr. john adams. >> and i'm in england at the time because i was serving as ambassador for the congress. >> we knew that because we saw the hbo show and you are? >> thomas jefferson. >> thomas jefferson. >> and i was actually in france at this time of the signing of the cons