i wanted to take this opportunity to read a letter to you that we received from david heller who is the president of our greater geary boulevard merchants and property owners association. so, i'll just read this letter for you. the greater geary boulevard merchants and property owners association wholeheartedly supports the continuation of the outside lands music and arts festival. we appreciate the remarkable contribution this single event makes to our merchants, employees, and the city of san francisco each year. our businesses cover an expansive area from van ness to the ocean. we see a substantial increase in foot traffic and sales for aye two-week period around the festival. this event brings us customers from outside the bay area who are introduced to our restaurants, cafes, hotels, bank, salons, florists and service stations for the first time. the fiscal impact of new customers is palpable. this festival has brought dramatic increases in revenue each year in august. the economic boost is felt by a wide variety of businesses for the week before and after the event. our merchants,

heller decision. you can have universal background checks. you can certainly limit the size of ammunition clips. you know, david from the nra said this morning, well, limiting the size of those ammunition clips wouldn't matter because it only takes a few seconds to reload them. then why do they care if they're outlawed? i mean, we have to do something in this country, and andrew cuomo has done it here in new york to make life safer for people going to school, for folks going to a movie, and that's why i think we've seen a sea change in public attitude on this question. >> looking forward to the inaugural. you've written a few famous speeches in your day. what kind of speech would you expect from barack obama? what message do you think he should be trying to project? >> i think he wants to renew hope in this country and ratify the renewal of hope that he believes came with the election. i think it will be a speech of inspiration. it will not be a detailed legislative agenda. i think it can be one of those speeches. he has this capability that can inspire people. from him, actually, in the 2008 campaign especiall

senator heller, senator manchin are sponsors a bill that would be tougher for the next congress so we don't face constitutional challenges. >> david walker, good to have you on the program. thank you. >> good to be with you. >>> as early as next week, the national board of boy scouts could bend to ongoing pressure and drop its policy that excludes gays. instead, loop troop sponsors would have the freedom to decide whether to maintain that prooli. a spokesman for the boy scouts says 70% of troops are affiliated with some sort of church or religious group and that could complicate those decisions. >>> to politics now, where the president says he will sign an emergency relief bill for victims of superstorm sandy as soon as it hits his desk. the senate passed the $50.5 billion package yesterday, three months after the hurricane destroyed the coasts of new york and new jersey. >>> mitch mcconnell could be in trouble. he's up for re-election next year, and a new poll shows people there are waiting to see who will challenge him. just 17% of registered voters will absolutely support him. 34% say they'll vote against him. 44% are waiting t