let's go to david gergen. i'm curious to get your take in terms of sort of why we're seeing the president make this move now, david. is it him buckling under the pressure to appoint somebody, do you think? >> no, i think he's responding to the public's very strong clamor to see a government that is in charge and in control of the situation. americans are not panicked about ebola but they are very anxious to have the government on top of it and this administration given the context of the last few months cannot afford to have a bumbling response in the weeks ahead. they need someone to coordinate. ron klain is an excellent candidate, he's strong, he's tough. he's very tough. it's important in this job. to be a coordinator you have to knock heads together occasionally. he's tough enough to do that. he's very bright. what's also interesting is he has both the foreign policy portfolio and the domestic portfolio because he's reporting both to susan rice and to the head of homeland security also because he's not a h

sanjay, i want to ask you about the political growing situation, david gergen is going to join us always. make sure you set your dvrs, we'll be right back. estor you c. you want to cut through the noise of an overwhelming amount of analysis. [ all talking ] you want the insights that will help you decide which ideas to execute and which to leave behind. you want your trades executed in one second or less, guaranteed, and routed with institutional-quality technology. look no further. open an account and find more of the expertise you need to be a better investor. (receptionist) gunderman group is growing. getting in a groove. growth is gratifying. goal is to grow. gotta get greater growth. i just talked to ups. they got expert advise, special discounts, new technologies. like smart pick ups. they'll only show up when you print a label and it's automatic. we save time and money. time? money? time and money. awesome. awesome! awesome! awesome! awesome! (all) awesome! i love logistics. >>> welcome back, again, the breaking news tonight the federal official telling us the cdc will shortly rel

so david gergen, welcome. before we get to the substance of that conversation between gloria and secretary panetta. when it comes to memoirs, you know, as we mention, gates, clinton, now panetta. do you fault these people for criticizing their boss while he is still sitting in the oval office? >> not very much. i might have 10 or 15 years ago, there was a different standard then, brooke. and the phrase that was often used. there should be a, quote, discreet interval. a discreet interval between a time you serve a president and the time you write a memoir so that as you say people leave office, you know, or the political of the landscape changes. but standards have been lowered in so many areas over the last 15, 20 years. this is just one more. we are what we are. do i blame these folks? i really think the story here is how frustrated they were. to have both bob gates and leon panetta write memoirs that are stinging. and i think really underscores the fact these are two heavy weight guys, serious men. they were

david gergen, cnn senior political analyst, is joining me now. is the white house, do you think, so determined to put out fires politically, that they may be misleading the american public about the real threat of isis? >> i think that they have had a record of underestimating isis for a long time. right back from the beginning when, you know, the president called it a jv team. you know, and i'm sure he did that thinking that he was right and that's what the intelligence showed, but it was faulty intelligence. it's rooted way back in the failure to leave forces there which we could have anticipated more of this had we left moderate forces there. i don't think the white house is intentionally misleading the country, but i do think they put a gloss on it at times which sounds more like cheerleading than it does like, you know, just tell us the facts and we can figure it out. isis is clearly a much more dangerous threat to the stability of iraq, you know, to be so close to the baghdad airport indicates how vulnerable it continues to be. and we've go

this is how you do it. >> david gergen, see passion on both side here.he president again saying, he is not, not, not, philosophically -- owe posed to it. people are saying where is the president. seeing a lot, not seeing a lot of the president. >> sure there is pressure. come offing from the public as much as politicians. don, listening to polls, talking to friends around the country. clear the country hasn't panicked about ebola. but people do want to know that government has the it under control. the government is decisive, strong. would a travel ban solve the problem, no? but we know the existing system has allowed somebody to lie coming in. and he died. and he spread it. so the current system isn't foolproof. sure, if you, if you've put in a travel ban. some people may escape. there are heck of a lot more people coming on the planes openly than are going to sneak around the system. most americans look and say, let's try the travel ban. maybe it will help. you know, strong majority would look to see that. most of all they would like sense of confidenc

who better to ask than david gergen. in the white house under both parties, served four presidents. he's a senior cnn political analyst. david, nice to see you. is the democratic strategy working insofar as the president's numbers are in the tank, and the gop doesn't yet seem to have put the hammer down on this? >> they don't -- i don't think they put the hammer down on it. it's very close. the "washington post" over the weekend is now saying 91% chance that the republicans will take the senate. i think they either got or are leaning ahead in seven races. but the two -- there are two races out there, michael that could flip it the other way that seem to depend more on local conditions. one is in george where michelle nun, a democratic candidate, is running a spirited campaign has moved slightly ahead, according to the latest polls. and the other is in kentucky, of all places. we thought mitch mcconnell had that wrapped up. some recent polls suggest it could be close. the democrats are clinging to hope. i don't think it's

who better than david gergen to discuss that?ve some new details on the victims of that school shooting north of seattle. gunman jaylen fryberg shot two of his cousins and two other teenage girls. this is one week after he was crowned homecoming prince of his freshman class. cnn has just learned the 14-year-old cousin is in serious condition but improving. the 15-year-old cousin remains in critical condition. we know the next update from that hospital where the two cousins are being treated is coming tomorrow. and we have mentioned previously but a reminder at that other hospital the two female girls are still faighting to stay alive. both girls shot in the head. >>> the washington state school joins a troubling list of similar incidents. by one count, at least 87 school shootings since the tragedy in newtown, connecticut, back in december of 2012, sandy hook. and like those previous cases friday's incident leaves behind a lot offen an answered questions and the new normal. ben ferguson and mark lamont hill are joining us again.

david gergen -- and retired associate justice of the supreme court sandra day o'connor. tennis icon and humanitarian arthur ashe. thomas king, governor of new jersey and chairman of the 9/11 commission. so jack, you have got a lot to live up to. today i had the privilege of introducing our speaker jack rakove. an exceptional student and teacher of history, a pulitzer prize-winning author. he will share his insights on james madison's ticklish experiment at constitution making. and no doubt will prompt us to question and reflect on the concept of polity, something we cherish at st. john's. rakove is the one -- is the william robertson professor at stanford university where he has taught since 1980. he is also taught at colgate university from 1975 to 1980 and has been a visiting professor at nyu's school of law. he is a visionary scholar and author. his book, "original meanings, politics and ideas and the making of the constitution" won the pulitzer prize in 1996. his principle areas of research include the origins of the american revolution and constitution, the politica