on the right we have radio commentator greg knapp, amanda carpenter with the "washington times." on the left, keith boykin and bernard. first, let's bring back our members of congress, joe sestak and marsha blackburn. congressman sestak, one issue added to this debate is the way the obama posse is characterizing the opposition, they're saying it's big fat public interest, almost implying it's unamerican, burning in effigy in these protests i thought it was incredibly american we were doing in 1776. do you think the opposition to obama-care is in any way unamerican or purely orchestrated by special interests opposed to grassroots response? >> there's a bit of that, but i went to all 67 counties in pennsylvania for three weeks before i got in the race against arlen specter in july. there is angst out there among every one. why? they're in a very savage recession. they can't afford with their 401s and iras to send their kids to college and we in washington d.c. have been in an echo chamber and not able to explain. when i left the military my 4-year-old had a brain tumor, cancer. i h

duking it out, democratic strategist rich masters and greg knapp, radio host of the greg knapp experience. 20 seconds. a lot to talk about here. greg, is he being realistic or was he just facing the heat and he rolled? >> first, obviously he caved. and didn't just cave for republicans or protesters. of he looked at the polls. people are against this government grab of the health care system. they don't want it expanded. it's also realistic, because he knows he can't get it through because even the blue dog democrats are saying, whoa, slow down, buddy. so this is kind of a victory, but still going to go to the government plan. the co-ops have a different name for it. >> rich, what do you think? >> well, listen, i can't imagine. i guess it's because we had eight years of imperial presidency with george bush, where it was either my way or the highway. this is what the founders wanted. they wanted healthy debate. and that's what they've got. and i think the president is being brilliant in how he is handling this. much listen, we've got to get something passed. half a loaf is better than no lo

julie riginski and greg knapp. you know how to works. the softball to you, julie. is this working?s, it is working. look, the stimulus has put a lot more people to work than would have been at work, had we not had the stimulus, including police officers, including teachers who have been able to keep their jobs, and also including a lot of people in the construction industry who now thanks to stimulus have worked where otherwise couldn't have been. it's a bargain, a great idea and i'm glad the president pushed it through. >> she did it with 3 seconds to spare, greg. why isn't this a bargain? >> the stemlous spending is like economic crack. much makes you feel high, but it's not a real high, and has long, negative consequences in the future. christina romer, obama's own economic advisor did a report that said in the era of big government spending, you have deeper recessions than longer recessions, and history shows both in america and around the world, more government spending in the economy means deeper recessions and longer recessions. >> yes, but also did another piece, julie, whe