blanche lincoln down 23 points then tries to go after the president.in your administration understands business. too little too late? >> no, gosh i don't think that fight started. i love the way you like to celebrate in february for a race taking place in november. >> sean: i to prepare. [ laughing ] >> you guys are on a roll you are happy, i'm happy for ya, wait until the democrats start to fight back. >> sean: i'm not celebrating and i agree. i think there's one thing to oppose the obama agenda. another thing, dan if you don't have better views that you articulate. they have views, have they articulated them? >> president keeps telling people he hasn't fully explained the health care bill and they have to do a better job. i has been on the table for a year if they can't slain it by now they will never be able to explain it. as far as blanche lincoln is 23 points behind the american tea party candidate. >> sean: she is done. >> one of the most interesting numbers president obama's approval rating there is 33%. there is no wonder she is running again t

>> if i'm blanche lincoln i'm thinking about what ambassadorship -- >> it is over.rate democrats get together and say we've had it >> sean: who? >> ones you were mentioning. and they say they are not going to do it and speak out, create a counterweight, independent force in america that could have some credibility. >> sean: if the president goes on national tv in the state of the union and says i'm going to be fiscally responsibility, last wednesday and today, introduces the biggest bun -- budget ever in america history with the biggest budget deficit in history. >> he said he was going to be fiscally responsible next year. >> next year it is over a trillion. >> they don't believe that you create economic growth in in country through the private sector. they believe you create economic growth through government spending. when it comes to washington, d.c. they are right lowest unemployment in the country? washington, d.c.. >> another probably is with the interest payments on the debt we don't have the resources to fund our military. we are effectively the hugest debt

people like blanch lincoln could oppose it, but they could still get it through. think the tougher vote would be in the house where the democrats did only pass their health care bill by a fairly small margin. i think that's why obama would love to be able to convince people that the public opinion is shifting, at least just a little bit in his favor. >>> thanks to both of you. six haitian children were delayed from leaving the country to join their new families. their american escorts were questioned for hours. the kids taken to an orphanage then moved again. gary tuckman has the latest next. es. chevy malibu stands behind theirs for up to 100,000 miles. which makes it pretty clear whose standing out front. a consumers digest "best buy" two years running. chevy malibu. compare it to anyone and may the best car win. now, get a low mileage lease on this 2010 malibu for around $199 a month for 39 months. call for details. see your local chevy dealer. once upon a time, mutual funds promised to simplify investing. what happened? i used to ask my broker for advice. funn

here's arkansas's blanche lincoln taking treasury secretary timothy geithner to task. >> i don't understand it, and i guess most arkansans don't understand the vision of the administration when it comes to putting in place economic policy that works for our nation in today's economy and the economic climate today. >> reporter: administration policy would work better, the secretary said, if congress actually passed it into law. >> it's important that we bring to earth a bunch of things we are still working on up here, like financial reform, health care reform, and elsewhere, so people can plan for a more certain future. >> reporter: but republicans like olympia snowe warned the administration's plan to raise taxes on upper income small business owners would not restore their confidence. >> there is no way that they are going to move forward to job creation. who would take the risk? depending on what they are hearing coming out of washington these days, would you take the risk? would you put your money on the line? >> reporter: to help get more loans to small business owners so they can hire

senator blanche lincoln is one of them. she's in a huge fight in her home state, down 23 points in the polls. only has a 27% approval rating. here's what she said to the president yesterday. one constituent fears there's no one in your administration that understands what it means to go to work on monday and make a payroll on friday. ouch! >> and then on her web site, she had a thing that says she's standing up for the people of the great state of arkansas. >> what does this mean for the president? let's find out. coming up next, dick morris is here to talk about some digging into president obama's budget. what he found out in those thousands of pages that were released earlier this week. he says the deficit numbers are not right. he'll explain. >> we're only three days away from the super bowl. time to check out some of the super ads we've been waiting all year for. we'll preview some straight ahead. when you're living with bipolar depression... ...it's easy to feel like you're fading into the background. that's because bi

worth pointing out, you have the support of a couple of key democrats, jim webb of virginia, and blanche lincolnf arkansas. senator chambliss of georgia, thank you. >> thanks, jon. jon: senator lincoln, whom i just mentioned, is one of the more conservative democrats in the senate. she is also facing a tight race for reelection. we're talking to her tomorrow on "happening now," senator blanche lincoln of arkansas. right now we're also monitoring a hearing on capitol hill that could effect the future of the military and its don't ask, don't tell policy. secretary of defense gates announcing review of the boon gay military service, whether it could be lifted in wartime. we will continue to follow that for you on "happening now" as well. plus, a scary discovery in israel, two barrels filled with more than 80 pounds of explosion sieves wash ashore. where in the world might they have come from? quality and reliability... are more than words here. it'sersonal. i have diabetes. rodney's kid too. so we're so proud to manufacture... the accu-chek aviva meters and test strips... here in the u.s.a. plus, w

if, jim webb and blanche lincoln, apparently like his idea., steven? >> yes, i think he can be. in fact i would be surprised if he wasn't, precisely because you have democrats eager to join in now, what you have, basically is an effort to cut off the funding for the trials for 9/11 conspirators, like khalid sheikh mohammed and we have seen over the past week, the obama administration, basically backed down from the plans to hold civilian trials, in manhattan, and, you know, there has been talk of them trying to hold civilian trials elsewhere and this is an -- i think this aims to short of short-circuit that process. and eliminate the possibility -- >> the price is extraordinary, in new york, $200 million a year and the forecast was, okay, maybe the trial will go on for five years, and that is a billion dollars in safety and security and rerouting the city. if you don't have the money through congress, would the civilian trials even happen. >> no. no. the congress is in charge of appropriation, and they can determine, to that extend, whether th

arlen spector in pennsylvania, bennett in colorado, blanche lincoln in arkansas, kirsten gillibrand in new york, barbara boxer in california, evan bayh in indiana and pat leahy in vermont. the race they face all but leahy's far tougher than the questions they posed. >> what are we going to do differently? >> spector for one complained about trade with china. >> china has not lived up to its obligations to have its markets open to us. >> obama told spector he would not sever trade ties. >> china is going to be one of our biggest markets. for us to close ourselves off from that market would be a mistake. >> spector had to know the answer as well as he knew how well the question would play at home as he attempts to woos voter in the primary. president played along. politics does have a place in the family. something that knows no political boundaries the bowles is played here on sunday and the president as he did last year will invite the interested republicans from indiana and louisiana and other republicans. here tomorrow, the president will meet privately with the top senate and house

blanche lincoln of arkansas, barbara boxer of california.greed about how the president might help. less partisanship? >> reach out to republicans, but to push back in our own party for people who want extremes. >> reporter: or more partis partisanship? >> what you're doing now is really important to the folks that i represent. because you're showing that fighting spirit. >> reporter: fight is the new obama tactic on health care and jobs. he slammed republicans. >> we extend a hand and get a fist in return. >> reporter: but the new obama jobs plan, tax credits for companies who hire new workers, got slammed by two house democrats. >> i don't know anybody in business who hires an employee because they're going to get a tax break. they get nothing out of this jobs tax credit. >> reporter: the president under fire from his own party. but barack obama told democrats today the lesson from massachusetts where his party lost ted kennedy's senate seat is not to do nothing. i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, capitol hill. >>> and the republican who is ta

next question will be from the chair of the agriculture committee, the senator from arkansas, blanche lincolne, mr. president. i stay away from the tv and everything else. thanks for being with us today. i want to thank you also, i had an opportunity with several of my colleagues from the house and senate to have a bipartisan meeting yesterday if with the first lady on childhood obesity. a great meeting. we look forward to working with you and her off to tackle that problem on behalf of our children and the future of our country. i come from a seven-generation arkansas family. my dad was a good democrat, a great arkansan. he was very independence-minded, as im and most of my constituents are. the news to tell me early on when i ran for congress, he said its results that count. as i look at what is going on in my state, i visited with a constituent yesterday, a good democrat, small business owner extremely frustrated because there was a lack of certainty and predictability from his government, for him to be able to run his businesses. he and his father have worked hard, built three or four sma

blanche lincoln of arkansas, barbara boxer of california.ut how the president might help. less partisanship? >> reach out to republicans, but to push back in our own party çó for people who want extremes. >> reporter: or more partisanship? >> what you're doing now is really important to the folks that i represent. because you're showing that fighting spirit. >> reporter: fight is the new obama tactic on health care and jobs. he slammed republicans. >> we extend a hand and get a fist in return.xd >> reporter: but the new obama jobs plan, tax credits for companies who hire new workers, got slammed by two house democrats. >> i don't know anybody in business who hires an employee because they're going to get a tax break. they get nothing out of this jobs tax credit. >> reporter: the president under fire from his own party. i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, washington. >>> president obama brought up massachusetts where democrats recently lost the seat held by the late edward kennedy. mr. obama said the lesson from that is not to do nothing. >>> the

for example, blanche lincoln, she is a democrat who is facing a brutal re-election battle this year. she said, look, she can't sell this back home. and she wants the administration to hear when she's hearing from her constituents, which is, people don't support giving terror suspects the same rights they have. another example, everyoan bayh, said, at a time of deficits, why would you spend hundreds of millions of dollars to try these suspects on u.s. soil in civilian courts? this is also the subject of the democratic lunch today, i'm told there was a feisty debate inside those walls. and the bottom line is this, anderson with, the president must get money from congress to follow through on this policy and more and more, talking to democrats, they are saying, sorry, mr. president, we don't think we can do this for you'll right now. >> interesting. dana, ed, appreciate the reporting. thanks on the breaking news. >>> also tonight, new developments in president obama's bid to end don't ask, don't tell. testifying before the senate armed services committee, defense secretary robert gates

there are a lot of people looking at one morrison tore, blanch lincoln in mark mark, the filing deadline in that state is in march. she has said she's definitely running but there are a lot of people wondering based on what happened with evan bayh. they have similar track records in terms of their desires to see as a centrist. her poll numbers much worse than evan bayh. you have a lot of members who have already decided to pack it in. maybe they're holding off right now hoping that things will look better as we go down the road. but if they don't it's hard to see that a lot more of them won't decide to not run again. >> ifill: what do you think about that, stu? i know republicans are getting very excited. they think the majority might be within reach. >> there will be more retirements. i'm quite confident of that. amy is right. there's still a lot of members who are going to decide, you know, they're keeping their options open. maybe they've even decided to retire but haven't yet announced it and both parties are trying to orchestrate some of these announcements. it will be a very good r

this is prompted by a question from senator blanche lincoln of arkansas. the previous questions came from michael bennett of colorado and arlen spector of pennsylvania. those three and several others are facing some very difficult re-election races this fall, so there's a pattern in terms of who gets to ask questions. let's listen to the president again for a few moments. >> the problem is right now we know they're not lending. and paying out big bonuses. and we know that the existing regulatory system doesn't work. so we shouldn't be spooked by this notion that, well, is now the time to take seriously in an intelligent way, not a knee jerk way, the challenge of financial regulatory reform so that you don't have banks that are too big to fail and europe not putting taxpayers at risk and you're not putting the economy at risk? now is the time to do it. the same is true with health care. the same is true with health care. there are, i promise you, at least as many small businesses out there if you talk to them who will say i just got my bill from my health i

spent the last year on, health care, isn't done yet is that many democrats including people like blanch lincoln in arkansas, michael bennett in colorado who are nervous about going back into a vote like that. >> so what can they say to the public given that, andy kohut. >> well, they have to be positive. what our poll finds is that while most people continue in plurality to oppose the health-care reform bill, when we ask people do they want the republicans-- do we want the government to drop it, most people say, you know, keep work on it. only 25% say let's drop it. there is a desire to see change across-the-board in health care. >> woodruff: which raises the question, where does all this leave bipartisanship. the president said we've got to work together. there have been a few sort of halting efforts at that this week but are we, i mean, are we going to see members who see it is in their interest to work with the other party? >> i think, i always say once the year turns even, that is an election year, are you less likely to see any major legislative accomplishments bipartisan or not. i think t

next question will be from the chair of our agricultural committee, the senator from arkansas, blanche lincoln me, neither, mr. president. i stay away from the tvs and everything else. but i want to thank you for being with us today. we had an opportunity with several of my colleagues from the first -- from the house and senate have a bipartisan meeting yesterday with the first lady on child of the city. it was a great meeting and we look for to working with there and you and your administration to tackle that problem. i come from a seventh-generation arkansas family. my dad was a good democrat and he was very typical of arkansas in that he was very independent- minded, as am i. and as most of my constituents. he used to tell me early on when i ran for congress, he says is really results that count. and as i look at what is going on in my state, and among my constituents -- i visited with one yester day, good democrat, small business owner, who was extremely frustrated because there was a lack of certainty and predictability from his government for him to be able to run his businesses. he and

and arkansas' blanch lincoln.fternoon, gentlemen. >> good to be with you, kelly. >> some political analysts are predicting bloodbaths when it comes to republicans taking over seats in the house and senate. >> it could be worse than bloodbath for the obama administration. the possible scenario is democrats hold 52 senate seats. that's not enough to ram your program through congress. but you still control the body. so you can't turn as bill clinton did after the 1994 election and blame all your problems on the congress because your party still controls the congress. you could see republicans take one or both houses, who knows. but the worst case fear obama is if his partly holds on in name only. megyn: on camera and out in front of the scenes be many democrats are saying the scott brown thing is not necessarily a harbinger of things to come because martha coakley wasn't a strong candidate. the president is coming out early. just so our viewers know. we'll take some of this and dip in as he makes news. the glad handi

karl, i don't know if you saw it, we had senator blanche lincoln of arkansas on yesterday as our guest, she has a big thing on her website basically trumping her opposition to the president's budget, saying that she stands up for the farm bill and the farm subsidies that come with it, and she is not alone among democrats in touting their opposition to this president. why? >> well, look, why? because the numbers indicate that they got troubles. they're too closely identified with them. i saw this in 2006 on the republican side, so i'm sort of -- i have sort of a clinical view of this. think about this, president obama started out with high approval ratings and ended in 2009 at 49 percent job approval, every democrat up for reelection this year understands that in every first mid testify lerm election the president standing on election day in that year is worse than it was at the beginning of the year, they know they've gone from having a 16-point advantage on the generic ballot in the 2008 election to a three-point disadvantage today. so all of them are trying to get the right -- dial i

people like evan bayh, blanche lincoln, there would like to have it before recess. they are supposed to go out friday -- although with the snow we have to see what happens. host: we are going to be talked about trade agreements to stimulate job growth. what can you tell me about any interest on the senate side of things? guest: i know the administration has been reaching out in support for trade policies. that has been happening in the senate as well. they are moving on these things, trying to at least. host: lease of lerer, you can read her work on politico.com -- lisa lerer. a look at the headlines this morning. a lot leading with the super bowl, but when for new orleans. "the miami herald to close " courtesy of the newseum. any political change in new orleans, mitch landrieu sworn in as mayor. writing about his win in the open "the new york times" this morning. an article this morning in "the new york times." political news from new orleans over the weekend. danny of the democrats' line. west virginia. good morning, you are the first caller. caller: this morning

say, hey, i asked the president this question and some of those particularly were questioned by blanch lincolncts chinese export. it gave them a chance to show their constituents that they're asking questions they may be interested in. >> the senate democrats have been working behind the scenes on a jobs package. what's in that bill that they're crafting? >> there are going to be a whole lot of provisions in the jobs bill. senator reid said yesterday that he is hoping to get an extension of surface transportation programs and that would be sort of a highway bill included in the jobs package. so that's infrastructure spending which is something the democrats have talked a lot about. they're talking about tax incentives for small businesses, things like higher expensing limits, allowing them to write off the cost of equipment more quickly. reid said potentially there is going to be a so-called cash for caulkers incentive which would be similarÑi to the cash for clunkers bill. instead of paying for people to buy new cars or giving a credit for buying new cars, people would insulate their home bet

we're talking about jim webb, the virginia senator and blanch lincoln, the democrat from arkansas. they're going to join him in saying they do not agree that these trials should happen in new york city. interesting point about evan bayh is he seems to be upset about the cost of having it here in new york city. $200 million. >> a year. a billion over five. >> a heck of a lot of money. >> it is a lot of money. so what this group of senators, democrats and republicans are going to do, they're going to try to attach an amendment under the first thing that comes down the pike and it looks like it could be that much ballyhooed jobs bill so they would attach this bill, rather amendment to the bill that would say, all right, we're going to pull the funding for it. now the reason this is important is there's a story -- remember on friday, we told you that the white house was sending out signals. it's not going to new york. this morning, there are stories that apparently during budget talks yesterday, one of the acting attorney generals said we haven't made a decision. new york is not off th

next question will be from the chair of our agriculture committee, the senator from arkansas, blanche lincoln. >> me, neither, mr. president. i stay away from the tvs and everything else. but thank you so much for being here with us today. and i want to thank you also -- i had an opportunity with several of my colleagues from the house and senate to have a bipartisan meeting yesterday with the first lady on childhood obesity. it was a great meeting and we look forward to working with her and you and your administration to really tackle that problem on behalf of our children and the future of our country. mr. president, i come from a seventh-generation arkansas family. my dad was a good democrat, and he was a great arkansan, and he was very typical of arkansans in that he was very independent- minded, as am i, and as most of my constituents. and he used to tell me early on when i ran for congress, he said it's really results that count. and as i look at what's going on in my state and among my constituents -- i visited with a constituent yesterday, good democrat, small business owner, who was

capital and particularly shook up moderate democrats up for reelection so people like even bayh, blanche lincoln, they really want some of this to happen before the recess and i believe they will go out on friday in. >> host: we will spend 45 minutes talking about trade agreements that the president has called for it that a number of folks are calling for to stimulate job growth. what can you tell us about interest in the senate side of things for that legislation? >> guest: i know that the administration has been reaching out to the democrats for support for. policy so that's happening in the senate, the focus in the house and senate as well so they are trying to move on things. >> host: lila lerer, reader worked at politico.com. thank you for joining us this morning. >> guest: thanks for having me. >> congressman john murtha died this afternoon at the age of 77 at a hospital in arlington, virginia. after publications following gall bladder surgery. chairman of the house appropriations subcommittee on defense, the democrat became pennsylvania's law disserving congressman last saturday. he was a

>> next question will be from the chair or agricultural committee, the senator from arizona, blanche lincoln. >> me neither, mr. president. i say away from the tvs and everything else. but thank you so much for being with us here today. i want to thank you also i had an opportunity with several of my colleagues from a house and senate to have the bipartisan meeting with the first lady on childhood obesity. we look forward to working with her and you on half of our children and the future of our country. mr. president, i come from a 7th generation arkansas family. my dad was a good democrat and great arkansan. he was very typical in that he was very independent minded as you am i and most of my constituents. he used to tell me early on when i ran for congress, he said it's really result that is count. and as i look at what's going on in my state and among my constituents, i visited with constituent yesterday, small democrat and business owner who was extremely frustrated. extremely frustrated because there was a lack of uncertainty and predictability from his government for him to be able to

for people like evan bayh, blanche lincoln, they really want to move before recess. and they're supposed to go out i believe on friday but with us know we will see what happens. >> host: will spend 40 also talk about trade agreements that the president has called for, to stimulate job growth. what can you tell us about any answers in the senate side of the things for that kind of legislation? >> guest: i know that democrats, support for trade policy so that's happening in the senate as well as the focus is and the house. they are moving on these thing things,. >> host: lisa lerer read her work at politico.com. thanks for joining us. >> guest: thanks for having me. >> twice a year the british prime minister go before the house of commons liaison committee to answer questions about issues. prime minister does not see the questions in advance and the panel is comprised of 30 select committee chairman. at just two and a half hour hearing prime minister gordon brown answered questions on the british economy. parliamentary reform, foreign affairs and his role as prime mini

next question will be from the chair of our agricultural committee, the senator from arkansas, blanche lincoln. >> me neither, mr. president. i stay away from the tv than everything else. thank you so much for being with us today and i want to tell you i had an opportunity with my colleagues are a bipartisan meeting with the first lady on childhood obesity. it was a great meeting and we look forward to looking with her and you and your administration to tackle the problem on behalf of our children and the future of our country. mr. president, i come from a seventh generation arkansas family. my dad was a good democrat and he was a great arkansan and he was very typical of arkansan and not he was very independent minded, as am i., and as i much of my constituents. and he is to tell me early on when i ran for congress, he said it really results and as i look at what's going on in my state and among my constituents i visited with them yesterday, good democrats, small business owner, who was extremely frustrated, extremely frustrated because there was a lack of certainty and predictability from hi