i'm michele norris sitting in for gwen ifill this week. questions of leadership, law, and presidential ambition tonight on "washington week." a thanksgiving week break makes way for a full plate ahead. for the president, there are big challenges at home. >> in the coming days it's so important, in the coming months it's so important that democrats and republicans work together. the election's over. we've got to find places where we can agree. michele: and challenges abroad. >> it is important for the american people to remember that afghanistan is not just an american battle. michele: for the g.o.p., is the republican with the most name recognition serious about running in 2012? >> if you ran for president, could you beat barack obama? >> i believe so. michele: and the supreme court, with a new justice on the bench, prepares to chew on several weighty issues, including immigration and benefits for returning veterans. covering these stories, peter baker of the "new york times," john dickerson of "slate magazine" and cbs news, and joan bisku

. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. on the newshour tonight: president obama took responsibility for voters' frustrations and called for compromise. we wrap up yesterday's victories, defeats and races still not called. >> lehrer: newshour political editor david chalian fills us in on the hows and whys of republican wins and democratic losses. >> ifill: we hear what party leaders had to say today, starting with the republican likely to be the next speaker of the house, john boehner. >> republicans have made a

. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. on the newshour tonight: president obama took responsibility for voters' frustrations and called for compromise. we wrap up yesterday's victories, defeats and races still not called. >> lehrer: newshour political editor david chalian fills us in on the hows and whys of republican wins and democratic losses. >> ifill: we hear what party leaders had to say today, starting with the republican likely to be the next speaker of the house, john boehner. >> republicans have made a pledge to america, and our plenty is to listen to the american people. and the focus on their priorities, and that's exactly what we're going to do. >> lehrer: and we'll have excerpts from president obama's news conference at the white house. that there's no doubt as i reflect on the results of the election, it underscores for me that i've got to do a better job, just like everybody else in washington does. >> ifill: then, jeffrey brown examines the federal reserve's latest action to jump start the troubled economy

i'm gwen ifill. there were new tensions in the u.s.-afghan relationship today, as president karzai renewed his criticism of u.s. strategy. >> suarez: and i'm ray suarez. on the newshour tonight, we get the latest from joshua partlow of the "washington post" in kabul, and margaret warner talks to senate foreign relations committee chairman john ker. >> ifill: then betty anne bowser goes to new england for an update on the first state to pass health care reform. >> here in massachusetts health care reform has been up and running for nearly four years. for the most part, people like it. >> suarez: kwame holman reports on the return of congress, and charles rangel's decision to walk out of his own ethics trial. >> ifill: and what can a lame duck congress hope to accomplish? we look back with congress watcher norman ornstein and historian richard norton smith. >> suare: and jeffrey brown talks to author stacy shiff about cleopatra, the egyptian ruler who has captured our imagination for more than 2,000 years. >> rome is looking at... well m

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once again, live from washington, moderator gwen ifill. gwen: good evening. by now you may have heard what happened on tuesday, a wave so forceful that even political tsunami warnings didn't prepare democrats for what it would actually feel like. the long and short of it? gridlock is so not over. here's the best the white house could offer in the form of an olive branch. >> can you name today areas you might be willing to compromise on that you might not have been willing to compromise on in the past? >> well, um, i think i've been willing to compromise in the past and i'm going to be willing to compromise going forward. on a whole range of issues. gwen: here what's -- was the republican response. >> the fact is if our primary legislative goals are to repeal and replace the health spending bill, to end the bailouts, cut spending, and shrink the size and scope of government, the only way to do all those things is to put someone in the white house who won't veto any of those things. gwen: and in the meantime here's what at least one of the newcomers headed to w

once again, live from washington, moderator gwen ifill. gwen: good evening. last week's political seismic shock gave way to another this week. this time over policy. turns out it's one thing to campaign on cutting the budget, erasing the deficit and reducing spending. it's another thing when doing all of that can mean overhauling medicare, slashing military spending, raising taxes and eliminating popular deductions. that's some of what the president's bipartisan fiscal commission is recommending. maya mcginnis, president for the committee for and a responsible federal budget said on the newshour this week, that's a good thing. >> i think if there's one thing we should be able to agree on is that the deficit and debt present a real threat to this economy in the medium and long term. my hope is having this realistic blueprint out there changes the terms of the debate. gwen: how realistic the blueprint is and how much the terms of the debate changed remain an open question tonight. president obama traveling in south korea urged lawmakers to at least consider the

. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. on the "newshour" tonight, we get the details of the long anticipated proposal from lori montgomery of the "washington post." >> lehrer: then, judy woodruff previews the coming confrontation over currency and trade at the world economic summit. >> ifill: from haiti, jonathan snow of "independent television news" reports on the ground, ten months after the earthquake. >> for the vast majority there is aid, not development. their emergency, more permanent by the day. >> lehrer: jeffrey brown explores political involvement rules for journalists. >> ifill: and we examine reform efforts in the nation's largest public school system, as new york city school chancellor joel klein steps down. >> lehrer: that's all ahead on tonight's "newshour." major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> opportunity is a powerful force. set it in motion, and it goes out into the world like fuel for the economy. one opportunity leading to another and another. we all have a hand in it, because op

i'm gwen ifill. >> lehrer: and i'm jim lehrer.e'll see you online and again here tomorrow evening. thank you and good night. major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org

. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. on the newshour tonight, judy woodruff gets the latest on the nationwide probe into questionable mortgage practices. >> lehrer: then margaret warner interviews t.s.a. administrator john pistole about concerns over security screenings at the nation's airports. >> we have to do a good job of informing the public as to what we're doing without providing a road map to the terrorists. >> ifill: tom bearden tells the story of an organization trying to heal the wounds of war, working with former child warriors in uganda. >> lehrer: we update today's news from the congress, including the guilty verdict for congressman rangel, and the effort to end budget earmarks. >> ifill: and ray suarez talks to army staff sergeant salvatore guinta, the first living service member to receive the medal of honor since the vietnam war. >> i think this represents all those unsung heroes that deserve it so much. this is for them. i can't wear this for myself. >> lehrer: that's all ahead on tonight's newshour. ma

. >> ifill: and i'm gwen ifill. on the "newshour" tonight, we get the latest on the protests and the spread of the disease on the ground from jacqueline charles of the "miami herald." >> lehrer: then, margaret warner runs a debate between two former negotiators about the u.s. russia arms control treaty now stalled in the senate. >> ifill: special correspondent david brancaccio goes to maine to find people who have figured out creative ways to survive the recession. >> it involves a bank but not the kind with money. it's a time bank known as hour exchange portland, where people swap services and build community. >> lehrer: judy woodruff talks about how to cut the deficit with budget veterans alice rivlin and pete domenici. >> ifill: and jeffrey brown talks to photographer tim hetherington about his new book capturing life on the battlefield in afghanistan. >> i just wanted to show the texture of it. and that meant not just photographing just the combat but as you say the guys you know their time, when war is often ve

i'm gwen ifill. >> lehrer: and i'm jim lehrer.e'll see you online and again here tomorrow evening. thank you and good night. major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org announcer: find your voice and share it. american greetings-- proud sponsor of "the electric company." - beaches resorts is a proud sponsor of "the electric company," connecting bright ideas and countless outlets for high-energy excitement. from the u.s. department of education's ready to learn grant, and... - i couldn't believe my luck when i found this coupon