first up tonight, reaction from a key republican on the senate and finance committee, john cornyn of texas. also, the unlikely race for best picture four oscars. "up" became only the second animated film in hollywood history to be nominated for that category. john cornyn and pete docter, coming up right now. >> there are so many things that walmart is looking forward to doing, like helping people live better. but mostly, we're helping build stronger communities and relationships. because with your help, the best is yet to come. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports "tavis smiley." tavis and nationwide, working to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment

tonight, we begin with texas senator john cornyn.is chair of the national republican senatorial committee. he joins us tonight from capitol hill. senator, good to have you on the program. >> thank you, tavis. tavis: happy belated birthday. >> just remember, groundhog's day is always my birthday. tavis: so much to cover in this short time. let me run through a list of things. at first of all, these aig bonuses, today we are told it totaling $100 million, they were given $2.8 billion of bailout company -- bailout money. your thoughts? >> it is over the top, and the american taxpayer has invested a lot in aig to keep afloat because we were told this represented a systemic risk to the whole financial system. the least these folks could do is recognize that these kinds of exorbitant bonuses are really offensive to an awful lot of people. i would say, tavis, i believe in the private sector, this ought to be a matter between the shareholders and the managent. in this case, because this is taxpayer money, the taxpayers have every right to be

cornyn robinson continues our coverage -- to me robinson continues our coverage from springfield, virginia. >> out came the cleanup crew. the overnight snowfall made it into early morning. some are still digging out from the snowfall. >> it was -- >>bad. >> bad. >> in virginia, they were clear before you open your eyes. >> it is the side roads that have not been cleared yet. >> crews are still out patrolling northern virginia. they were out on the roadways last night and into the morning hours. despite best efforts, there are neighborhood trees like this one of the snowy-slushy mix, and i dreamed needed -- and underneath it could be ice. >> it actually is not too bad driving out, as long as you take it slow. >> others are just liking it. >> do you like the snow? >> we love the snow. >> they are ready for another fall this weekend and crews are getting ready, too. >> turning out to the district, where crews were also well prepared for the storm. the district at more than 180 pieces of equipment out there, clearing roads ahead of last night's snow. d.c. gets average of but abou15 inches of s

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cornyn: madam president, i'd like to speak as if in morning business. i'd like unanimous consent to be able to do so. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. cornyn: madam president, i was watching, as many of us were, at the great interest of the bipartisan health care summit that's being broadcast on television and i am happy that there is a bipartisan meeting at the white house to discuss health care reform. i think the practicalities are that only 38 of the 535 members of congress could participate directly in that. but i know that representatives of the -- of our political parties are there, along with the president, talking about something that is very near and dear to all of our hearts, and that is how do we bring down the costs of health care, which is priced out of the reach of many american people, inclining too many in -- including too many in my state in texas. unfortunately, sometimes the -- in washington what happens is you see what's happening on tv or what's happening on the floor of the senate and it looks like one thing and then

let me begin by asking you to respond to senator cornyn. he said we'd like to have the president.we don't want it on camera. >> well, look, we want to have a dialogue with members of both parties, and we'll do it as we can. i think there was something valuable about the exchange that the president had both with the house republican caucus and with the democratic senate caucus this week. i thought they were good exchanges and i think it's valuable for the public to see those exchanges. they were open and honest. but if the senate republicans don't want to do that, the president is not going to not talk to them because they don't want to do it in public. >> is this a photo op or is this this serious? >> i think most people who watched thought that they were quite serious. i think they were substantive and valuable. so i think they were very positive. >> during the president's exchange with the house republicans, he had some kind words for congressman paul ryan. he said he wanted to work with him. immediately afterwards the house democrats attacked what he talked about. what does tha

and that is 90 percent of the game according to senator cornyn who makes sure republicans get elected to the u.s. senate. >> we have heard from people who were not going to run saying they are reconsidering. we have a great range of candidates. i don't think quality candidates is a problem. >> a key race where the scott brown affect is playing out is arkansas where lincoln is vulnerable. following the victory of brown, republican congressman decided the time was right to challenge lincoln. the mood is taking hold on the house side where former pennsylvania congressman who called brown's win inspiring announced he will enter the race to win back the seat from democratic congressman murphy. >> everyone believed this is looking like a good republican cycle, a political wave so you get republicans who were on the fence on running for the house or senate and they decide this is a good cycle to run. candidates who ruled outruns decide to take a second look. and some thought, well, i may in the get a better opportunity. >> democrats concede they will lose seats in both the house and senate b

lot of us know the processed food has cornyn side of it and read probably suspect most of that comes from feed stock from monsanto. but you know, ascorbic acid, vitamin c used to preserve all of that, 100% of ascorbic acid is controlled by the chinese vitamin cartel. this stuff that we buy in our country. the materials inside the store that i man o' war, the steel beams, aluminum shelving, three countries almost control the entire supply of iron ore and aluminum in the world. two of them tried to merge pretty openly. the entire systems in our company have monopolize. of you go around and look at the automotive industry here is a case of where we have real american and cowboy capitalism even the most companies are no japanese. 12 companies or more. selling all of these different brands and types of cars. as these were outsourcing the activities over the last and rolling up control over suppliers coming here you see many heads the down below what you see one body. will just to sum up, i could go on and on. but you may know jim grader at -- jule graner -- jim cramer from mad money. a co

there's 47 million uninsured americans they argue and when you talk to republicans senator john cornynneed insurance and can't afford it, you're talking about a much lower number. if you can't agree on who wants and needs health insurance at various stages of their lives how can you move forward who is going to get it under a plan? >> well, i mean, again, going to the facts are really important as we've been talking about. according to the census bureau, about 46 million americans on a typical day don't have health insurance coverage, so that's a fact. secondly, on the cost of insurance if you look at people buying insurance in the individual market by themselves, the congressional budget office has said 18 million will have lower premiums. that's right out of the cbo report. the remaining 14 million people who buy individual coverage, will either pay the same or a little bit more, but they'll get better policies. just really quickly in terms of -- >> go ahead. >> on this washington issue, the states are much more prescriptive in terms of prem m premiums and what's in a package and sen

senator brownback, senator bunning, senator chambliss, senator cochran, senator collins, senator cornyn, senator crapo, senator enzi, senator grassley, senator hatch, senator hutchison, senator inhofe, senator kyl, senator lugar, senator mcconnell, senator murkowski, senator roberts, senator sessions, senator shelby, senator snowe, and senator voinovich. all of it a government massive entitlement program run out of washington. big government, big bill, not paid for, and not one word about it needing to be paid for. and we fast forwarded. that's a big part of our deficit. by the way, we've now figured out on medicare-d that we transfer a whole bunch of taxpayer money straight to the bottom line of pharmaceutical companies. i wasn't here then, but i'm sure the senator, maybe you can enlighten me. my recollection is that the biggest people in favor of medicare-d was pharma. mr. durbin: i say to the senator from missouri, she is correct. it was their belief they would make a lot of money -- mrs. mccaskill: they have had made a fortune on the backs of taxpayers. mr. durbin: those who formed

today is john cornyn's birthday.ding, for committing us. >> we could get it out of committee but after that i'm not sure what would happen. >> i'm going to ask you to spend a minute or two -- you've outlined in your oral testimony, i got a copy of it thanks to your staff -- but you outlined what seemed to be pretty comments and ideas to try to keep job creation activity going as we move from net loss of jobs, a huge net loss of jobs to something almost dead even right now. but you've outlined some ideas that would seem to me to not only enjoy democrat support from the administration from folks on our side. i want you to come back to talk to us where you see the most potential for common ground moving a package forward and why. >> well, senator, we have tried to take the ideas from both sides on this area and i think the core of this agenda is the recognition that businesses need to be able to grow if we're going to create jobs. and that requires that government do things that are going to help make that easier and no

secretary is today with mike enzi's brick the in today's john cornyn's brick the. probably offer resolution commending them both on their birthdays but i don't think that would get 60 votes for it. >> i would bet you could. [laughter] >> we could get it out of committee but i after that i'm not sure what would happen. i'm going to ask you to spend it amend or to. you about why did your oral testimony and i got a copy of vatanka steers dat but you outlined what seems like good common-sense ideas to keep job creation activity going as we move from a huge net loss of jobs a year ago to something even right now but it would seem to me tonight only enjoyed democrats support in the administration for folks on our side but the number of our republican friends. itis lead to come back and talk about the ways for you see the most potential for common ground moving the package for and why. >> well, senator we have tried to take what we think the best ideas from both sides in this area and i think at the core of this agenda is the recognition that businesses need to be able to

. >> senator cornyn. >> mr. chairman, let me ask for improper the human rights and medicaid. you talked with senator grassley about that. under the president's budget additional $26 billion will be spent on the medicaid program but according to some figures i've seen as much as 10 percent of medicaid payments are improper payments and, of course, is as you know this is a shared expense program the state and federal government share in that expense. i have been trying -- my staff has tried to get from your staff since july in a detailed statement about improper payment rates of and so far we have been refused that information. you may not be aware that so i want to bring that too your attention. and i'd like to ask you would do see that that information is provided to us so we can make a better informed decision? about your proposal to spend additional $26 billion on the medicaid program? >> yes, senator i would. i am not specifically aware of your request. i assure you i will check into appearing as you know our department does not pay the medicated providers directly. that i

one is article for is a trap for nuclear power which i also cornyn as toxic radioactive power that as long as we have that we will have problems with iran and also with susan campbell who got me my first pass in 2000, and on the global council working with ngos on presentations for the delegates that were addressing that. in the international coble energy association to replace it clear power. also it was mentioned it that nuclear concession of nuclear is a status symbol of national pride and also the more that we threaten and coerce and try to punish them the more there are going to want them i think. so according to the law of opposites the kind of actions we take to pressure them have the exact opposite and in one case of a 100 stations failed 86 times. >> you're question greg's. >> i think we need to use positive inducements and security assurances but it's against our psyche now which is we have to threaten them and purple and punish. >> conflict transformation it. >> i am susan mcbride in them here from philadelphia with the citizens for global solutions my question may be very

cornyn: mr. president, i wasn't on the floor after the vote last night, but i did get a chance to read some of the transcript of the back and forth between senator bunning and -- and senator durbin and others. and since i understand that senator durbin retained the floor for the most part and yielded for questions, but, basically, the procedure denied senator bunning and senator corker, who i know was also -- also weighed in an opportunity to explain precisely what was going on. i have seen some news reports this morning that have suggested that because of the objection to more deficit spending in order to pay for this temporary extension of benefits, that this was an unreasonable and -- thing to do. to actually insist that congress pay for benefits that it's providing. but i'd like to put it in a little bit of context. i think there are two things that are causing the lack of approval of the american people of congress these days, it boils down to two things. one is a lack of fiscal discipline.