you are on the air with bob vander plaats.r: i agree with you, rick santorum will make the best president we will -- we have had in a long time. that is all i want to tell you. guest: i want you to know how refreshing your call is. what is happening across the country -- what i found that as i was going around iowa and the country is hearing people say they might be for one candidate, but they like rick's santorum. rick santorum always been -- always seem to be in the top two. i think he is catching on at the right time. another news network talk about this dealt santorum campaign, that there could be a search for santorum. if they coalesce around him, they can lift him to victory in the state of iowa and becomes an alternative to romney. if that is the case, i think rick santorum wins that battle and becomes the next president of the united states. he is feed it -- he is defeated three incumbent democratic senators and representatives. even people who disagree with him, although you do not agree with him on the issues, he doe

you are on the air with bob vander plaats.ee with you, rick santorum will make the best president we will -- we have had in a long time. that is all i want to tell you. guest: i want you to know how refreshing your call is. what is happening across the country -- what i found that as i was going around iowa and the country is hearing people say they might be for one candidate, but they like rick's santorum. rick santorum always been -- always seem to be in the top two. i think he is catching on at the right time. another news network talk about this dealt santorum campaign, that there could be a search for santorum. if they coalesce around him, they can lift him to victory in the state of iowa and becomes an alternative to romney. if that is the case, i think rick santorum wins that battle and becomes the next president of the united states. he is feed it -- he is defeated three incumbent democratic senators and representatives. even people who disagree with him, although you do not agree with him on the issues, he does not, c

here's this guy that ran for governor, bob vander plaats, he's the key to the christian right., wants a little action, we'll take care of that, you know. >> i feel like those truths about the iowa caucuses are sold as if they're a nice thing. it's the tradition of the iowa caucuses. six old people get together and decide the whole thing. it's sold as being a romantic thing. almost as if it's the sort of new england town hall tradition. but i wonder if there's an extent to which the organizational principle of iowa does make it not only less democratic, less representational, but a little bit more corrupt. in the sense that the republican party does run the caucuses in a lot of ways as a fund-raiser. >> absolutely. that's something you see in ham happen ham. there's a lot of people who make some money off the presidential primary and get some prestige out of it. but in iowa it's more pronounced. it's hard when you're a candidate to sort of understand, to separate, okay, is this guy who's promising me others going to deliver a block of votes at the caucuses, a consequential bloc

you are on the air with bob vander plaats. agree with you, rick santorum will make the best president we will -- we have had in a long time. that is all i want to tell you. guest: i want you to know how refreshing your call is. what is happening across the country -- what i found that as i was going around iowa and the country is hearing people say they might be for one candidate, but they like rick's santorum. rick santorum always been -- always seem to be in the top two. i think he is catching on at the right time. another news network talk about this dealt santorum campaign, that there could be a search for santorum. if they coalesce around him, they can lift him to victory in the state of iowa and becomes an alternative to romney. if that is the case, i think rick santorum wins that battle and becomes the next president of the united states. he is feed it -- he is defeated three incumbent democratic senators and representatives. even people who disagree with him, although you do not agree with him on the issues, he does no

bob vander plaats ended up entorsing rick santorum. there were published report he saut up to $1 million for his endorsement, allegations he vigorously denied. "need to know" airs on most pbs stations tonight. >> lehrer: and to the analysis of shields and brookes, syndicated columnist, mark shields, "new york times" columnist, david brooks. david, from iowa, do you have a big-picture portrait of the setting, the scene there tonight? >> well, there are some human interest stories. i got to see newt gingrich cry today, something i had never seen before. he was asked some very personal questions about his life and he talked about how he is sadder and slower than he used to be and then he was asked about his mom and his face just dissolved in doors. you know, the candidates are very tired. gingrich's numbers are falling, they're under a lot of pressure, so you got to see that human element. the big thing that comes from all the different campaigns is a sense of looking backward. there's a theme in almost every single race which is america

first of all, bob vander plaat endorsing rick santorum. the organization did not. the national poll, new poll out. abc news/"washington post." again, you can see the tie there at the top. ron paul at 15% and the others below. look at iowa, american research group, the latest out. gingrich at 22%. ron paul 17. romney, 17. perry, 13. there are the others. new hampshire. arg has a new poll out. you see ron paul again inches up to 21% in that poll in new hampshire. back with the panel. steve, thoughts? >> i think the bob vander plaaat endorsements are significant in as far as endorsements are significant. he is a big name in iowa. a lot of people loyal to him. there was a split among the organization that led for him to make clear he was endorsing rick santorum as individual. in my experience, interviewing people in iowa in the past week, there are a lot of people who will offer to you, rick santorum as someone they support or are supportive of and they raise the question, can he win in iowa? i don't want to waste my vote. but if i think he can win, could cast a vote f

in 45 minutes, bob vander plaats of the

host: politico is reporting that bob bender platz -- bob vander plaats has called on michele bachmannquit. does this matter? does it make a difference? guest: all -- i will let richard talk about the republican race. i am just sort of watching it. i do think probably the greatest advantage barack obama has in the upcoming election is this republican field. i have heard them called "comedians, clowns, comics," and all the rest. this has not been an impressive public discourse, watching these debates. i am not sure it matters much if michele bachmann stays on the stage or not, or how much longer. we need a better public discourse in this nation. host: when you have an evangelical calling on a candidate -- guest: he is a politician. he wants to be a kingmaker. guest: i do not disagree. he is frustrated, much as we were frustrated in 2008. john mccain was not the flavor of the month. for many of them, mitt romney is not the flavor of the month. you have a situation where, if you look at the polling in the iowa, you have perry and santorum at about 6%, bachmann at about 6%. those three tog

some of the iowa social kingmakers like bob vander plaats point out, he says these things, believes these things but as a federalist who doesn't want to impose this on every single state, as somebody, looks at gays in the military, says it's not any of my concern. we can't trust him to actually do this stuff. we don't want somebody who just believes it but will enforce it. >> through big government which he doesn't believe in. >> he's gotten away with it so far, but this is two weeks before the caucus. people taking him seriously. we'll see if that lasts. >> do you think the combination of that two-pronged appeal you're describing and what's needed to win in iowa, which everybody says is organization, organization, organization. does he have that other side of it? do you think that he actually could end up winning? >> the organizational side, he's always had that. he was only about 100 votes short of michele bachmann in the ames straw poll. >> that's right. yeah. >> actually they talked about this since then. no one wanted to interview ron paul after he came in second to michele bachmann.

[applause] >> please welcome the president of the family leader, bob vander plaats. [applause] >> thank you, and thank you for coming out tonight. well, it's four years later. i'm still involved in the iowa caucuses, and i think it's high time that governor huckabee comes back to the state of iowa. tonight, the family leader along with citizens united and mike huckabee are pleased to participate in this event. really, the corner stone of our issues. i was 16 years old laying on the living room floor watching tv. the phone rang, and my mom went, and she got the phone, and i continued watching tv. it was my sister on the other end of the line, and she was obviously upset, but i had no idea why only to find out later she was upset because she was inpreeing nateed with her fourth child, and it was definitely unplanned, and i kept watching tv on that living room floor, and i do remember my mom's words, and they struck me to the core. because she said, now, listen, listen, just listen, she's trying to calm down my sister -- just listen, we didn't want bob either. [laughter

host: politico is reporting that bob bender platz -- bob vander plaats has called on michele bachmann to quit. some disagreement and debate in the churches on her to endorse. -- on him to endorse -- on who to endorse. does this matter? does it make a difference? guest: all -- i will let richard talk about the republican race. i am just sort of watching it. i do think probably the greatest advantage barack obama has in the upcoming election is this republican field. i have heard them called "comedians, clowns, comics," and all the rest. this has not been an this has not been an impressive public discourse, watching these debates. i'm not sure it matters much if michele bachmann stays on the stage or not all for how much longer. we need a better public discourse in this nation. host: you have an evangelical leader calling on a candidate -- guest: i do not know him, but he is acting and behaving as though he wants to be a kingmaker in iowa. guest: he is frustrated. a lot of evangelicals are frustrated the same way they were in 2008. john mccain was not their flavor of the month. mitt rom

the leader, the guy that runs it, bob vander plaats, did enunderstand endorsing rick santorum and innedy and asked you to get out of the race? >> that's true, and in would be no reason for us to do that, because we've always poll aid bov rick santorum. plus, the momentum shifted tremendously this last week after the last debate. i also have the endorsement of the former leader of the family leader council, and i have the endorsement of the head of concerned women for america here in iowa as well as over 100 pastors. i have probably the strongest level of support of any of the candidates here among the evangelical community in iowa and a caravan of pastors traveling across iowa last week letting people know i am the best candidate on these issues. a very widespread level of support and plus glenn beck said he would be voting for me. we have a lot of support across iowa. >> what do you think the point of what discussion was to do something that makes sure mitt romney doesn't win in iowa? what's the concern of those conservative voters who suggest you should step out in favor of rick sa

host: yesterday, alice stewart, bob vander plaats of the family leader was on the program any talk about the fact that the evangelical vote was split. >> as i said, we are not going to talk down any candidate. they all have a lot of assets to bring to the table. they are all people we could galvanize around. but the advantage for mitt romney is these votes will be fragmented and he will be able to come out of the state of iowa. that is a predicament that we are in. but what i try to do is lead. there will probably be coalescing movement to say let's give rick santorum a chance, he has not gotten his rise yet. i think what he does, he will handle the vetting and the scrutiny -- and the scrutiny extremely well. i think you will be the best choice against barack obama. host: alice stewart? guest: i think the world of bob, a tremendous leader in the fifth community but he is by no means the voice of the entire faith community in iowa. he himself could not get the consensus of his own group, the family later, to rally around his choice for president, rick santorum. while rick is a fine candid

host: yesterday, alice stewart, bob vander plaats of the family leader was on the program any talk about split. >> as i said, we are not going to talk down any candidate. they all have a lot of assets to bring to the table. they are all people we could galvanize around. but the advantage for mitt romney is these votes will be fragmented and he will be able to come out of the state of iowa. that is a predicament that we are in. but what i try to do is lead. there will probably be coalescing movement to say let's give rick santorum a chance, he has not gotten his rise yet. i think when he does, he will handle the vetting and the scrutiny extremely well. i think he will be the best choice against barack obama. host: alice stewart? guest: i think the world of bob, a tremendous leader in the faith community but he is by no means the voice of the entire faith community in iowa. he himself could not get the consensus of his own group, the family leader, to rally around his choice for president, rick santorum. while rick is a fine candidate, he is not a general consensus for the faith community.

bob vander plaats, and an organizer with "occupied des moines." were get the actors time as british prime minister. -- margaret thatcher's time as british prime minister. like every morning on c-span at 7:00 a.m. eastern. live "road to the white house coverage tomorrow from iowa at 11:30 a.m. eastern, newt gingrich holding a town hall meeting at 1:20 p.m. eastern, mitt romney talking of jobs in the economy, and at 8:00 p.m. eastern, ron paul at a salute to veterans campaign rally at the state fair grounds in the morning. -- in des moines. >> there is a hearing on federal rules for reporting child abuse. pennsylvania senator bob casey called for better reporting requirements in the aftermath of the child sex abuse allegations at penn state. this is almost two and a half hours. >> good morning, everybody. the subcommittee will now come to order. today we have the very powerful and poignant hearing. we will be addressing one of the most difficult issues to raise in child welfare policy. that is, that we protect the children in our communities and in

two iowa conservative leaders, bob vander plaats with the family leader group, and also chuck hurleyrstand that mr. vander plaats who is quite influential there in iowa apparently there are reports out that he asked your campaign to persuade you to drop out and support rick santorum or rick perry. what can you tell us about that? >> well, i did receive a phone call and i've been polling above -- above the ricks and so there would be absolutely no reason for me to drop out plus i'm the only one that actually won anything in this state. plus we -- i have so much support here. i have the former president of the family leader who also has come out and endorsed me. i have the head of concerned women for america in iowa that have come out to support me. i have over 100 evangelical pastors that have come out in public support. they had a caravan going across iowa last week telling them i'm the candidate that best represents the views of the evangelical community. i have the most support in iowa from that community. >> some people find this phone call troubling because it was described as a

bob vander plaats, and ed fallum.also take a look at "newsweek," and their cover story about margaret thatcher. our guest is the author for of -- the author of the article. "washington journal," live every morning on c-span at 7:00 a.m. eastern. live road to the white house coverage tomorrow. newt gingrich, holding a town hall meeting. then, mitt romney in clinton. at 8:00 p.m. eastern, ron paul with a salute to veterans at the state fair grounds.