here's what senator george voinovich of ohio said about some of his fellow republicans. we've got too many jim demints and tom coburns. it's the southerners. people hear them and say these people, they're southerners. the party is being taken over by southerners. is the party of lincoln getting weighted down by the refugees from the democratic party down in dixie? we've now got republicans opposing health care reform by telling people that the government is coming to your house to ask you how you want to die. well, that's what they're saying about the health care bill. is this more of the malarky? that's in the politics fix tonight. plus what, general colin powell has to say about mr. afternoon delight himself, rush limbaugh in the "hardball" sideshow. first, fox news host glen beck said this early tuesday about president obama. >> this president i think has exposed himself as a guy over and over and over again who has a deep seated hatred for white people or the white culture. i don't know what it is. >> fox was so concerned by that that it issued a statement separating

george voinovich says the big problem with his party is that it's all run by southerners. is he right? ♪ then bring 'em o where your laptop's at... ♪ ♪ log on to free credit report dot com - stat! ♪ vo: free credit score and report with enrollment in triple advantage. introducing anytime gourmet culinary kits for two. it has everything you need. just prep, cook and share your way into a gourmet meal. wild salmon dijon in puff pastry with whole-wheat orzo and vegetables. new stouffer's anytime gourmet. make it amazing. >>> welcome back to "hardball." president obama hit the trail again today to sell his health care plan. what do you make of these job approval numbers what's causing them to go down, shuck? >> i'm glad you brought up the campaign aspect of this. that's what we've seen more than anything else in this poll. ifrk everybody has put their jer southeast on. maybe there was soft republican support over three or four month, giving the president the benefit of the doubt on the economy or health care. not anymore. this campaign atmosphere we've seen the last three week

that's what george voinovich says.lina, who himself said he is swaying on health care. had he pressed republicans to break the president on the issue saying it could be the president's waterloo. senator demints had fighting words for him. still, he defended his brethren earlier. >> he is apparently very frustrated, decided not to run again. i don't mind him taking out his frustrations on me. the point i've been trying to make is maine doesn't have to be like south carolina or california. >> you can see, it is not exactly disagreeing with senator voinovich. are southerners taking over the republican party? is that such a bad thing? >> let's ask david frum. >> a shrinking party needs every supporter it can get. yes, republicans should be grateful for the support of the american south and as many senators as you can have. there aren't enough senators or members of congress to be had in the south much the great question overhanging the republican party is what happened to california. this is a part that used to be a southe

republican senators dick lugar and george voinovich surprised nra allies by voting no. although close, democratic leaders said they would have made sure that the bill failed there is so much going on in a vote like this. they know what it's going to take to have it passed. they also know it's important to get the vote out there, to allow senators, democrats and republicans to take a vote on this. >> reporter: big city mayors along with gun victims groups lobbied to defeat the measure because they viewed it as a risk to public safety. in a statement, the nra said not only would the bill have reduced crimes by deterring criminals, it would have protected the rights of law abiding citizens to defend themselves. >>> a prominent african american scholar says he understands in a new and personal way how african americans are sometimes treated by police. henry louis gates, junior, a harvard professor is outraged after being arrested in his own home. gates, one of the leading scholars on african american history, was arrested for disorderly conduct on his front porch last thurs

indiana senator richard lugar and ohio senator george voinovich.of his fellow democrats was majority leader harry reid. he represents nevada, a state with a libertarian streak, is facing low poll numbers at home. according to a mason-dixon poll taken last month for a las vegas newspaper, reid has a 44% approval rating as he heads into his 2010 re-election campaign. senator reid reportedly allowed this amendment to come to a floor vote after republicans agreed to stop blocking hate crimes legislation, which passed as an amendment last week. it's possible there may be another vote on the concealed weapons issue, since today's vote was so close, one g.o.p. aide says senator thune may try to bring it up again. in washington, molly hennenberg, fox news. bret: one of the top republicans on the senate judiciary committee says he will vote for the confirmation of supreme court nominee sonia sotomayor. south carolina's lindsey graham becomes the fifth republican to telegraph a positive vote. he joins maine senator sues susan collins an olympia snowe, richar

the problem is we don't enough george voinovichs in places like ohio and enough candidates who can run and more importantly win in places like the northeast. but i will say that given everything -- i think the greatest gift ironically to the republican party's chances next year is how far to the left president obama and the democratically controlled congress has moved, and you look at the congressional generic ballot, republicans are moving up every single week. >> can i suggest where your party went wrong and then i will let karen take over. your party went wrong when george bush, the governor of texas, a young guy, didn't know much about a lot of things, asked the senior uncle figure his avuncular figure, dick cheney, to pick his vice president for him. dick cheney somehow picked himself as chairman of that committee. >> convenient. >> in picking himself, he knocked apart a guy like tom ridge, who was a good moderate republican from pennsylvania. if your ticket had been built north/south, a texas governor, a pennsylvania governor, you would have had a reasonable party representing th

senator george voinovich says the republican party has been taken over by southerners.'ve got too many jim demints and tom coburns. it's the southerners. they get on tv and go er, er. people hear them and say, these people, they're southerners. the party's being taken over by southerners. what the hell they got to do with ohio?" i wonder if he wasn't having a couple of cool ones when he did that interview. jamal simmons, democratic strategist. roy sekoff, founding editor of "the huffington post." ron christie, republican strategist. ron, we'll start with you. this is a very unusual comment by a senator, to talk about his party like that. does the republican party have regional issues? what do you think? >> i don't think we have regional issues. i've known senator voinovich for 17 years and he's a blunt and outspoken individual. i think the word he should have substituted was, the republican party is being dominated by conservatives which i think is a good thing. we're going to obviously be in a good position to hold his seat in ohio with my good friend rob portman. the

and we'll get comments from ohio senator george voinovich, kind of a republican, as a result.nd then we have david fiscal. he's one of the wall street street street's. it's a nonpart son, this peterson foundation. so he doesn't have an ax to grind on this health care issue. we'll get some real facts on what is likely, if it happens and if it doesn't. "squawk box" will start right at the top of the hour. back to you. >> joe, just on that, what is the fear? is everybody sort of preparing for higher taxes generally, or not? >> oh, yeah. yes. and i'm hoping maybe the trend is definitely up. >> i loep r hope i'm near where the trend is coming down. are you in the public system over there, ross? >> puck system of -- oh, what, health care? >> health care. >> yeah. everybody is in it and it's a question of whether you choose to also have a private system, as well, on top. >> and do you? yeah. you get company. i think the major differences, you still rely on the public. the private system is going for the minor things that you want done quickly. >> that you want done quickly, that's th