cnn contributor errol lewis is here.referencing food stamps here, or does this remind you of the candidates who used to talk about the so-called, you remember the welfare queens? >> oh, sure. well, newt gingrich was one of those candidates, i mean. it's part of political history. it's in black and white. in the early '90s his go pac circulated a document called language, a key mechanism of control, in which he recommended to represent republican candidates to use certain words to make their case, including words like cheat, lie and steal so of all the people in the country who don't have a right to complain about their words being taken out of context, this is somebody who built a career on specifically using rough, antagonistic language to achieve power. made no secret of it in the '90s. i don't know if he gets the benefit of the doubt this time. >> will this have an effect on him positively or negatively? >> no, i mean, the initial response seems to be -- seems to have blown up in his face and backfired. you have to be

and helping with this tonight, comedy writer of "the daily show," cnn contributor, political anchor, errol lewis. we'll get to them in just moments. this dinner is an odd backdrop to our breaking news which lit up reporter and white house blackberries at the dinner and came just as president barack obama was making his way to the event. there are reports from libya that moammar gadhafi and his grandson, his son and three of his grandsons were killed in a nato air strike today. a libyan government says saif al arab gadhafi died and moammar gadhafi and his wife were in the house but are still alive and three of his grandchildren were purportedly killed. nate toe said it did hit a command and control building but not confirming any of the deaths. frederik, what's the reaction there tonight? >> reporter: massive demonstrations at the compound in the heart of tripoli. we heard also massive gunfire all throughout town that seems to come in direct reaction, that happened right after a press conference earlier tonight where the libya spokesperson announced in fact the libyan government is saying s

what is going on, errol? is she runing? >> it's very interesting.ow and not in a position to know because apparently she doesn't even real very a askedler. she's keeping this all very close to the vest, she and her family, apparently making all of her decisions which is why they don't follow the kind of script or pattern that you and i might be used to seeing, and frankly she's got that luxury. she's got almost 100% name recognition with the public, in particular the republican public, so she can take her time. she's got more time than anybody else. on the other hand, she needs a lot of infrastructure. it's not enough to hire a couple of aides. i mean, you know, she's in a world where a mitt romney can raise $8 million in one afternoon. she's going to have to talk to some major funders and have to talk to some members of the rnc. apparently that has not happened yet. she's not talked to incumbent governors apparently to try to line up their support early. she's got some time. she hasn't got forever. >> do you think she could actually run this way, k

let's talk about it with cnn contributor errol lewis, political anchor for new york one.s. all right -- >> good to see you, hala. >> unsurprisingly, former bush administration officials are defending controversial techniques that were then -- that were then abolished by the obama administration. what do you make of this now coming out on the sunday talk shows and saying, look, our methods worked? >> i think there's a genuine debate that went on. it went on during the campaign in '08. it's continuing on the airwaves today. and it's a debate over torture. i don't really go for the euphemism of enhanced interrogation technique. if you describe the techniques, 90% plus of americans would call it torture. slamming people's bodies against the wall. threatening to kill their families. putting them in boxes with insects and all of the other range of horrible techniques. it was never a question about whether or not it worked. although there were -- there was a small subset of people who said we shouldn't torture possible terror suspects because it doesn't really work. the much mor

>> we've seen this before, and people lapse into what erroll flynn once called my wicked, wicked wayswe need a more energy efficient lifestyles and have ways of conserving energy as top of the mind issue. hope flywheel fully we'll change our ways. >> how unusual is that, 44 days of consecutive pain at the pump? >> the third largest streak in u.s. history. in april alone, what we paid for gasoline in this country, in this region, costs us almost $200 than it cost us three aprils ago. we were paying about $400 or about 113% higher than we paid two years ago. that drained a lot of budgets that had a devastating impact on household budgets, and our financial wherewithal and our sense of economic well-being. >> any anticipated driving numbers out on the roads as we head into memorial day weekend? >> it's kind of hard to say. we've been here before. we've seen the scenario before, and you have to go back to 2008 when gasoline prices were this high and people didn't travel as much, throughout all of the five major travel holidays of the year. this may be a repeat. >> john townsend, thanks fo

. >> thank you to lizz, errol and pete. there you are from gawker.com.eading. you are going to weigh in on the president's humor, seth meyers humor and donald trump, how the night went, coming up. any way you like from favorites like crab-stuffed shrimp to special new creations like bbq-glazed shrimp or potato-crusted shrimp. create your own combination with unlimited cheddar bay biscuits all for just $11.99, during the festival of shrimp. get more of the shrimp you love in more irresistible new ways. for a limited time at red lobster. >>> tom green refuses to hide who he is. >> marching for gay rights. i, you know, would see these people who were targeting me. my story is similar to some of your stories, how you felt targeted because of who you were. >> the high school history teacher believes making connection with his students is key to his success in the classroom. that's why he's open about being gay. >> this is north carolina. not necessarily known for being the most liberal part of the country. what was the reaction to you once you got in the buil

when errol flynn played in my view the definitive robin hood, he as robin hood stole taxes -- >> guest rand is a victim of a false legend. she did not realize that robin hood was actually not stealing from the rich and giving the loot to the poor but taking back what belongs to people that the taxpayers -- i mean, the tax-takers have taken from them, so you're dead right. >> host: next telephone call, river view, florida, hi, caller. >> caller: hi, can you hear me. hello. >> host: yes, sir, we can hear you. >> caller: thank you. when i was wondering -- i'm a mark twain and has he read any mark twain writings especially what i think is as important from his writers from earth and the adam and eve diaries? i think he gives a lot of insight about human nature. >> guest: i grew up on mark twain. when i was a kid, i was 9, 10, 11 years old. i read huckleberry finn, tom sawyer in hungarian. i became a fan. and i continued reading all kinds of american fiction. zane gray, i must have read 40 zane gray novels. i read all of the earl stanley -- in fact, my nickname in budapest when i was only 9

when errol flynn played the definitive robin hood, he stole taxes that were -- [talking over each otheris a victim of a false legend. she did not realize that robin hood was not stealing from the rich and giving. to the poor, but taking back what belongs to people that the tax takers have taken from them. you are dead right. >> host: >> host: next call from florida. >> caller: can you hear me? >> host: we sure can. we can hear you. >> caller: what i am wondering is my friend mario in mark twain's rating is what i think is important, the adam and eve diaries. he gets a lot of insight into human nature. >> guest: i grew up on mark twain! when i was a kid i was 11 years old, and i read huckleberry finn, tom sawyer, in an area and translation. i became a fan. i continue reading all kinds of american fiction. i must have read 40 zane grey novels. i read the old perry mason -- my nickname in budapest when i was 9 years old was harry --perry u mushon because i couldn't pronounce mason. my favorite novelist, somerset maugham who has written so much, i haven't caught up with him though i am stil