>> i would ask that to harry reid.ld get him on i would say, how many more sandy hooks before you would not stand in front of a microphone. >> come on the show, harry reid. i have invited senator reid for two years. >> let's kill another 150 children? how about 1,050 children? >> let's leave the guns issue by repeating what yoko ono tweeted tonight. over 1,057,000 people have been killed by guns in the united states since john lennon was shot and killed on december 8, 1980. if that single fact doesn't make americans say enough is enough is enough, then nothing will. let's take a break and come back. >> we should be ashamed of ourselves if we allow this to continue. >> do something. let's come back and talk about the pope. you're a catholic, i'm a catholic. let's discuss. >> recovering. >> seems a good man to me. >> okay. p sneezes... [ sneezing ] she may be muddling through allergies. try zyrtec®. powerful allergy relief for adults and kids six years and older. zyrtec®. love the air. and kids six years and older. all s

but that doesn't excuse harry reid. i can't let harry reid off of the hook. this is the best chance that we have had in the last 10 years to get an assault -- to get the assault weapons ban which, remember, was in place for 10 years, julie anne? >> we can't get them out of government until 2014 >> bill: but harry reid could do it today. at least have a vote on it and make these people vote. >> that's what we are talking about here. i maybeean maybe it doesn't get through the house. get it through the senate. at least bring it up to a vote on the floor of the senate. >> that's -- that's the issue. the issue is: itthere will not even be a vote because of harry reid. what kind of leadership is that? none. zero. zero. chris, one final point, chris, i will get right to you. but, you know, the people who want to vote no, they are -- they love harry reid. right? those spineless senators love harry reid because now, they won't have to vote. >> that's the point. they won't have to explain to their constituents why they voted against the kids at new town. >> that's a b

harry reid says stuff in the past.hen you say this on the floor, the media ignores it and brushes it off. whereas if it's a republican it would be -- >> greg: the definition of insanity is expecting sanity from harry reid. it's your own fault. to expect anything commonsensical from him. can we talk about how he sounds? he has the voice of horse lubery can't. can't -- lubricant. >> dana: how do you know? >> greg: it's metaphor. it spent time on the farm. doesn't he realize, he is insane. that he realizes that he is shooting in his own tent. obama owns the sequestion ration. he has become the attack dog so rabid his handlers aren't safe. we give you the job of defending harry reid. >> greg: toughest job in world. >> bob: top official at the pentagon came out and said reid did not mean to suggest that there was something about sequestions ration that caused this particular death. having said that, the timing could haven't been worse. he finds a way to get in these situations and then spend two or three news cycles to get

go to senator majority leader oor ory -- harry reid's website. there is a form. him on twitter. >> tweet him tonight. >> @senator reid. >> ask what he's doing. if you don't agree this is a guy you need e to talk to. he's the one calling the shots. >> knowing full well that a vast majority of americans want the assault weapons ban. he know this is. >> and background checks. >> what kind of balls does it take to stand in front of a microphone knowing 55, 65% and higher percentages on other parts of the bill want this. vast majority of americans want this. you stand up there and say, well, you know -- >> here's the problem. here's what sarah palin said this weekend about background checks which seems to me to be a bleedingly obvious thing to do. watch this. >> background checks. yeah. i guess to learn more about a person's thinking and associations and intentions. more background checks. dandy idea, mr. president. should have started with yours. >> i just find it completely offensive. the idea that you would want to have a continued loophole where 40% minimum of all

this is our country, harry reid!nd i just -- >> he should be ashamed of himself. >> absolutely. >> every senator in that u.s. senate who was voting against their principles. >> harry.reid. >> harry underscore reid, that's r-e r-e-i-d@u.s.senate.gov. if you don't take the time to send him an e-mail don't complain about it after the next shooting because the next shooting happen. >> and let's talk about the pope. i feel angry about this day. i think it's a day that's shaming america, shaming the senate. >> shameful democrats. absolutely shameful. ay calls yo. to fight chronic osteoarthritis pain. to fight chronic low back pain. to take action. to take the next step. today, you will know you did something for your pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is a pain reliever fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one non-narcotic pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. anti-depressants ca

that ended this week after harry reid dropped the ban from any legislation.o, jim, you didn't get a lot of coverage on that in the media. >> well, on cnn on thursday, you got a certain amount of oh, hand wringing, it's so terrible. the end of everything in terms of this issue. and you're struck by the contrast that news thursday was covered and the flip for the president in last year. talks about mental health parents, educators and the pl panoply of things you might do. and so adam lanza the killer there, and sort of fallen out of the picture and the things have become gone control. the at media is so focused, john holmes, right about a the lot of things, converted to islam, and in terms of what was going on with him. the only thing they want, define as justice for newtown is gun control up or down. >> jon: we'll get to you in a second, judy. ron fournier wrote the ban on assault weapons sponsored by dianne feinstein of california died tuesday with barely a whisper from the media or the white house. black bunting should have hung from every window in washing

>> john: when we talk about how sorry harry reid is for acting like harry reid.he comedians laughing and the thinkers thinking. >>ok, so there's wiggle room in the ten commandments, that's what you're saying. (vo) she's joy behar. >>current will let me say anything. [clucking]. everyone wants to be the cadbury bunny. cause only he brings delicious cadbury crÈme eggs, while others may keep trying. nobunny knows easter better than cadbury! a closer shave in a single stroke for less irritation, even on sensitive skin. ♪ ♪ gillette mach3 sensitive. gillette. the best a man can get. [ male announcer ] it's red lobster's lobsterfest our largest selection of lobster entrees like lobster lover's dream or new grilled lobster and lobster tacos. come in now and sea food differently. visit redlobster.com now for an exclusive $10 coupon on two lobsterfest entrees. >> john: welcome back to "viewpoint." one last question from my esteemed panel. is there any initial that you think every in washington could agree on katie? >> i think they did agree on not taking a pay cut for thi

let's take harry reid, who has coward before the gun lobby if harry reid thinks it's gun lobbyists who got him back in the election, he's nuts. he lost the male vote. it was the obama coalition of union voters, young voters who put harry reid back in office. people like harry reid give the gun lobby far too much credit. >> sam, what's your reaction to that? >> they say the same thing, that the nra has trumped that. and the only thing i would add to that is this. we've seen a tlot of recent pollings, specifically background checks, and it's universally popular. i don't see any other issue polling at 90% popularity. if you read specific issues it might dip. this is a noncontroversial bill. it would be surprising to me if democrats felt concerned or nervous about voting for it and i think harry reid recognized that and that's why he's going forward with this in the baseline bill. >> according to "the washington post," these individual gun safety measures have overwhelming support with the public. you know, they have 6 in 10 people, 57% support a been on assault weapons, a majority, obviou

and so the majority strategist, harry reid, had a choice.lt weapons ban in the bill, going to the floor, and watch as the first amendment offered on the floor would be an amendment to strip out the assault weapons ban, or bring the bill to the floor without the assault weapons ban and watch dianne feinstein offer it as an amendment just like she did last time and harry reid is making the second choice. he announced tonight, once debate begins, i will ensure that a ban on assault weapons limits to high capacity magazines and mental health provisions receive votes along with other amendments. in his state of the union address, president obama called for all of these provisions to receive votes, and i will ensure that they do. there was going to be a vote on the assault weapons ban on the senate floor whether harry reid included it in the original version in the bill on the senate floor or not. what we know now, the vote will be up to dianne feinstein. if she offers it on the senate floor as we know she will, and fights for it as we know she wi

it's hare i harry reid saying i misspoke. >> neil: let's talk about when politicians get into troubleu're a believer, as you were with bill clinton, get out there right away and get ahead of it. get the facts out. a lot of times i think presidents or c.e.o.s understand the magnitude of the problem. >> when will they ever learn? every time you see the same mistake made, to give a half truth or no comment because lawyers are telling you to no comment and there's no one to confront the lawyers. what's more important in politics, business and life. >> neil: it helps to make sure your confidantes are lawyers. the attorney client privilege shields you. >> you have to be in the room with lawyers to make the argument it's better to get the facts out, take the hit and get it behind you. if you're outside the room, which is what public relation firms are, you only get to tell what the lawyers choose. >> neil: we can ride this out but remember the dustup over the president golfing with tiger woods. >> i have an idea, mr. president, you don't want press coverage of you golfing with tiger woods. e

harry reid had heavy nra backing the last few campaigns. surprising that they pulled it at this stage? >> yeah, to me personally, it really is. i would have thought after what we saw happen in connecticut that it -- that there would have been -- it would not have been as difficult. if you're sitting back and watching this and you look, for example, at the headline that you just showed us earlier with all of the pictures of those children that were literally slaughtered, most numbers of the american public have to be saying this is an absolute travesty. what is so difficult about this? why is it that there is a belief in our country that you need to have these type of weapons at home? quite clearly this person could not have slaughtered all the children if you didn't have an assault weapon. >> the politics are very tough, john. you have red state democrats in louisiana, arkansas, alaska, they don't want to touch an assault weapons ban with a ten foot pole. >> and i think it was a big part of the democratic strategy in '06 was to get pro gun

and the reason that harry reid, this is the best clip that we've at theed for harry reid.s is smart for the democrats to try to create a universal appeal on the budget. let's take a look. >> our power for an agreement will take a balanced approach to reduce spending. i urge the republicans to join us to do the difficult, but necessary work at hand. if there is a message to take away from this year's election, it is this, americans are tired of politics and position, they're tired of obstruction, and distraction. the american people, democrats and republicans, want cooperation, reconciliation. i urge any of my republican colleagues who are considering the same strategy of obstruction to turn away from the divisions of the past and join cooperation, compromise and consensus. >> sean: all right, the problem is, he doesn't mean it, that sounded like obama, obama doesn't mean it either. they say that and then the president goes out and say that republicans want to stab, punch, kick, and hang and throw granny over the cliff. >> except there's a reason why the democrats have the

again, it's until friday where harry reid has another set of things he can do. >> michael: so harry reidld actually end this if he chooses to end it? >> yeah, harry reid can end it if he gets the 60 votes, but a number of republicans were enjoying the whole spectacle, so they wanted to extract certain promises from heir on other issues, so they said according to senate rules this has to ripen, and it's not until friday when you can have the straight up or down vote. >> michael: senate rules are unbelievable. so rand rakd said if the president or the attorney general will clarify if they will not kill americans on american soil, i will yield. is it strange that i agree a little bit with what he is saying? >> i think's a certain point there. if eric holder is willing to go there, what is keeping the justice department from saying look, we have an ironclad promise that we will give you that we will never use drones to kill americans on american soil who are not posing imminent threat. the problem there are agencies that say, no there are circumstances when the government could possibly use

big fight between harry reid and senator dianne feinstein.lt weapon's ban, she is accusing him of breaking his word. and on the republican side reince priebus is in a spat with former republican chair michael steele. yesterday michael steele went on the radio show for andrea tontarose who is a contributor to fox news. >> michael steele who would win in a steel cage match, you or reince priebus? >> oh, no question i would clean his clock. >> what would you use the sleeper hold or -- >> just -- just one knock on the head. it's done it's over. >> no pile driver needed? >> no that's just way too much energy for this. >> bill: so then she asked him about reince priebus, saying well, michael steele made a lot of mistakes. he was a terrible chair -- i'm paraphrasing here of course. he accused him of running the party into too much debt and basically bankrupting the party, and not doing anything about a 50-state strategy, which reince priebus said he invented. >> i was laughing at some of these numb nuts saying oh we need to do a 50-state strategy. d

senate is harry reid.the last year, he told a flat out lie on the floor of the senate and said mitt romney hasn't paid taxes in ten years. that was a lie. a flat out lie. >> brian: he never even met mitt romney. >> steve: so now what the senator said yesterday has got his own team trying to walk it back. and yet, it is incredible and we're going to play it for you. harry reid implies that the sequester caused the explosion that killed seven in hawthorne, nevada yesterday. that's right. he linked the sequester with seven dead marines. listen. >> one of the things that sequester is cut back in training and maintenance. that's the way the sequester was written. these men and women are -- our marines were training in hawthorne and with the sequester it will cut the stuff back. i just hope everyone understands. >> brian: so he's asking us to tie it all together. why are you bringing it all up if you don't believe they should be tied together? if you didn't believe it should be written, you should have stopped t

let's spin. >> i hope it is about harry reid. >> it is about harry reid.nt did something very important in the state of the union which is really one of the most important addresses he will give in his second term. the first big policy address to congress, obviously after re-election. he said they deserve a vote. he didn't say it about one part or only background checks. he went through and put his moral fiber on the line and that they deserve a vote for each proposal. that was the president's words. i think what we're seeing is a pretty important fissure where now harry reid, either doesn't care that much about this issue from the person of comprehensive gun regulation and floor votes, or because he is stuck dealing with this very unruly caucus. either way, he has broken away from the idea we'll have a vote on everything whether or not we lose. now he is saying, you know what? this thing, maybe it is an amendment. maybe it gets in but i don't really care. when you contrast that to over 900 people are killed every month with guns and that we're talking abo

harry reid says it doesn't. n promises that the fight is not over and she claims that senator reid did tell her that this would be offered as an amendment on the senate floor, but-- >> it came out on 10-8 vote of the judiciary committee not to give me a vote would be a major betrayal of trust. >> megyn: joining me now to discuss that, monica crowley, she's a radio talk show host and kirsten powers, the daily beast,both are fox news contributors. and it's spin and hope that has no foundation in reality? i mean, do we all agree that her assault weapons ban for all intents and purposes is dead? offering it as a amendment, as an amendment does nothing. it will not pass. it had very little chance of passing as part of the main bill and now it's offered this way, zero chance. >> well, look, when the president did this as a state of the union, it was meant to shame the republicans. what was left unsaid was that ocrats weren't going to support it and you had harry reid say right there, he has less than 40 votes. that mea

this week senate majority leader harry reid stripped feinstein's gun ban from the bill for strategic reasons, so that the senate will take it up next month. the pared down legislation focuses on school safety and gun trafficking. at new york's city hall mayor michael bloomberg who heads mayors against illegal guns implored congress for an amendment to the stripped down legislation. >> the only question is whether congress will have the courage to do the right thingor whether they will allow more innocent people, including innocent children, to be gunned down. >> the mayor was flanked by vice president joe biden who reminded the audience that congress has passed a been on assault weapons in 1994 and could do so again. the vice president also turned to a mother of one of the schoolteachers killed in the newtown, connecticut massacre. >> you know, it's time for the political establishment to show the courage your daughter showed. it must be awful being in public office and concluding that even though you might believe you should take action, that you can't take action because of a polit

and the question that i asked harry reid, i tweeted him the other night, i said, harry, just so we couldave some time, just give me a number. how many kids is it going to take to be massacred before you will stand up and fight for what the majority of the people want. just give me a number. 50 kids. 50 more. a hundred more. just tell me how many dead massacred dismembered children will it take? because i know there's a number. there's a number where you and everybody else will go, that's it. game over. nra, out. this is our country. that's going to happen. i wish it would happen now. and not after the next newtown, which will happen in the next month, and we all know it. we all know we went get through another month without this. >> let me ask you you this question. yesterday in israel, president obama made reference to his 2008 hope/change campaign. he says, i can tell you this because i know it. that unless politicians are pushed, we will not dot right thing. a, do you think we pushed obama far enough in terms 6 being aggressive in regard to this gun control issue and b, how can people

everyone of taking them out of context and that's pretty much more or less what a spokesman for harry reidaid yesterday afternoon. said, quote, the idea that senator reid thinks the hawthorne tragedy has anything to do with the sequester is absurd and unsubstantiated. and the marines would not be able to operate under conditions because of budget cuts. he's implying that maintenance was not done because of the sequester, oh, really? john sununu, i'm fed up with slander, and this is a guy, part of the campaign, a source told me mitt romney has not paid taxes for ten years, he's got a record of this slander and these lies. >> happy wednesday, sean. look, this is a majority leader in the senate that's gotten caught lying many times and when the marine corps says that what he is saying is unsubstantiated, they're saying he's lying again. harry reid has made a habit of being dishonest on the floor of the senate and what he is trying to do is just cover the president's butt on sequester. the president himself started to cover his own butt by playing such silly games as shutting the white house t

. >> can i tell you marine corps officials this afternoon are taking a strong exception to what harry reid implied, saying that this exercise, for example, was planned well in advance had nothing to do with the bucket -- budget cuts, there were no corners cut. >> bill: this is what i object to. reid is exploiting the death of these marines who were just out in nevada because that terrain is similar to afghanistan. they had a mortar. the mortar malfunctioned and blew up. it had nothing to do with the sequester. he exploits this for political gain. that's just awful, is it not. >> let me say one thing. harry has a unique ability to use wrong words at the wrong time. however in his defense he he never ever associated the two of those together. >> bill: wait, we just heard him do that. he said the sequester and this is terrible and we don't have enough money to train our people. exactly what he said. >> the pentagon came out and defended him and said did he not link the two of of those together. >> bill: we just heard him say it. >> you heard it wrong. >> bill: i heard it wrong. >> you did. be

is it just harry reid? >> i hate to be the voice of cynicism but you know why.ry reid gave it up because he knew he didn't have the votes and he didn't want to have to cast his vote. >> john: with the healthcare debate rick, if they had gone for single payer, they could have compromised. >> i agree with you. >> i totally agree with you. >> john: then pull back and compromise but the democrats fold like wet cardboard. >> have you no shame, sir, at this point. >> they told when they have an election next year. >> look at the guys now saying they're going to stand against this bill. all of the guys who want to run for it. >> rubio. >> exactly. >> those are the republicans. and you have the democrats that have elections coming up next year and they're all scared to death of this. by the way one thing i want to add about mr. lanza -- i apologize. we learned one bizarre thing today. his mother was buying him guns. >> john: we knew that already. the pbs special documentary. >> they were more concerned with her buying him video games. i think. >> john: go ahead. the nra

>> well, let me take this quote from the senator harry reid from last year denouncing the republicansy with cuts to defense, i will not accept that reid said, my people in the state of nevada and the country have had enough to whacking the programs we've cut to the bear bones. not only has he offended the united states marine corps and families who lost their loved ones,'s also a hypocrite when you think about what he said just may of last year. so, i don't see this as a clumsy statement, i see this as a deliberate thing that he has said. much the same as when he accused mitt romney of certain things from the senate floor. harry reid has to be called responsible for the statement that he made, and as i've said, he needs to go over to the marine barracks before a formation of marines, standing with the commandant and give an apology and not just have some spokes people from his office do it, cowardly. >> i will say that, you know, that it's with his statement that was issued by his office, if it's-- i find it difficult to say to think it was sort after clumsy statement that he made on

you're in harry reid's office. imagine you're sitting with harry reid, the old prop.softly but he has a big stick. what does he say when you get in there was the new kid on the block to say this. >> when we urged him to do this and he was for this and we were moving down the road, he did the vote count and i didn't think we were quite there. he didn't think we had enough votes -- >> did you have his vote? >> he wanted to do this. he wanted to do this. he said he wanted to do this and he said he didn't have enough votes and that's where we were, but the idea is still a very good one and it was proven out in the two situations you just talked about. halligan, secret, exception, behind the scenes, people don't realize that court needs four justices and she was very well-qualified and she was deep sixed. on the other hand, rand paul stepped up to the plate, made his point, got some answers, and we got the brennan nomination gone. >> let me talk to michael steele. it seems to me we have a very good system of checks and balances. to get something passed you have to get it t

so it's the marines versus harry reid.back with steve forbes, judd gregg and harry bernstein. senator gregg, this ain't even politics. this is so low, i can't believe it. >> well, it's hard to explain. harry reid is a friend. i suspect it was said in the moment. without any conscious thought about what the implications of it were. and i suspect he regrets saying it. and he is a decent individual, harry reid, and certainly understands the importance of our military and the trauma that these families must be going through right now and they shouldn't be drawn into something like this. >> that's the thing. and the marine corps made it very clear. again, they had been planning this exercise for quite some time, and obviously something went wrong, tragically, seven died. but they say political posturing on the backs of dead marines. see, i think, apart from this ridiculous, horrible thing that reid said, i think tim obama has misplayed their hand. they have just misplayed their hand and it's back firing. and this one is going t

and harry reid for democratic leaders said to the president, mr. president could you please leave the room? i have covered presidents for 40 years and i know of no other time that anybody asked the president to leave the meeting in his own house that he had called. i asked the president about this. how did it feel to be voted off the island in your own house? because that is what happened. he said he's not going to stand on protocol. the problem needed to be solved. the next day he called the democratic leaders to the white house at 6:00 on a sunday night and harry reid is fair and nancy pelosi, the house leader and the relations between, among the democrats are so not solved that harry reid's has his chief of staff make a presentation on the deal that reid is is trying to workout with the republicans. in the course of doing that, david kron says to the president of the united states in its own house, i am disappointed in this white house and hugh for not having a plan. literally again somebody reading out the president in the oval office for not h

harry reid blocked it. here with analysis, karl rove.ore we get to that i didn't know you had so many vacation days at the white house. so bush spent over, what, three years on vacation and eight years he was in office? >> i would start doing this, if i were you. picking out the steakhouse where austan goolsbee is going to buy you a nice steak. >> sean: i'm picking it out. >> in eight years george bush was in office for roughly 2,920 days. does austan goolsbee really think that president bush was on vacation one out of every three days? i have no idea how he gets it. >> sean: i found how he got it. okay? if bush was at camp david for an hour, well, that counts for 487 days. now, didn't he work at camp david, isn't that where you met after 9/11? >> yeah, well, the war cabinet met at camp david after 9/11, you bet. you mean if the president on friday afternoon or saturday morning goes up to camp david, that counts as a vacation day? i mean, that's a weekend. you count weekends as vacation days in in that case, president obama has spent the

harry reid needs to say no to the special interests and yes to the american people.re very motivated on this issue. i do think this is a place where we need to turn american reality into political realities. people need to get motivated on it. >> here's what's in the package. let's take a lock at it. universal background chokes. gun trafficking would be a federal crime. it includes a grant program for school security. what do you think? is this a pragmatic move on the part of harry reid that something will get done in the wake of newtown? >> i think he is driven by trying to keep control of his chamber on this. even though there's poll numbers around the country that show different things, those polls are not in arkansas and even senator in montana is going to have a tough race. this is a tough situation. because if they pass too much they're going to be worried about a general election. if they don't pass enough they could be worried about a primary election. >> there was an interesting article in the national journal today. and they said that the democrats may be m

this makes it difficult for harry reid and people like harry reid that come from red states, states withong second amendment extraditions it makes it difficult for those senators to go and say i support additional gun control measures. jon: that confrontation between longtime senator dianne feinstein and the relative newcomer ted cruz that is going to be replayed a longtime on television clips i think. >> i think so. jon: steven hayes from "the weekly standard," thank you. jon you. jenna: he made headlines posing at clark rockefeller. that is just one of many aliases he's used over the years. he was also -- there is a question about whether or not he took part in a murder. is that part of his past as well? we have the latest from his trial coming up. also wall street keeping a close eye on cyprus today, how bailout deal there is having ripple affects on markets around the world. [chanting] [ male announcer ] just when you thought you had experienced performance a new ride comes along and changes everythi. the powerful gs. get great values on your favorite lexus models during the mmand pe

joe biden versus harry reid. democrat versus democrat. "outfront" tonight, north korea says it can hit american bases in japan and guam right now with its missiles. would kim jon-un do it? let's go "outfront." good evening, everyone. i'm erin burnett. "outfront" tonight we have breaking news with major developments in the search for the gunman who killed colorado's prison chief. at this hour investigators from colorado are headed to wise county, texas. it's about 45 miles from ft. worth. they're going there to see whether a man who led police today on a high speed car chase is the same person who killed tom clemens on tuesday night. the chase ended with the suspect crashed into a semi, left his car and opened fire on police, injuring a deputy. we have a reporter in wise county, texas, to night. ed, why do police think this suspect might be related to tom clemens' horrific murder? >> reporter: well, the car that the suspect in this particular case was driving was a black boxy cadillac. what's interesting is this car had two different color

lou: senator dianne feinstein is not happy with senator harry reid.r they're insisting she will give up her fight to pass a ban on assault weapons for a second time, despite her dramatic rhetoric today, the senators facts to not quite lineup. kelli, asking americans in late january what approach congress and the president should focus on, well, to prevent further school shootings for example. just 30%, 30 percent responded that they should focus on passing new laws on the sales of guns and ammunition. want to repeat, only 30%. 65 percent said that they should focus of school security measures and the mental health system. by the way, i want to give credit to wayne lapierre of the nra. right now the nra is the only organization or voice that has stood up and said precisely what the solution is, and it is, by the way, in place and author of the public schools in this country. it needs to be in wondered%. senate majority leader harry reid says the assault weapons ban had fewer, as he put it -- this is his language, fewer than 40 votes. fifty-one and need

>> reporter: well, you know, harry reid was faced with a very fundamental question, martin.tially an unpopular measure, dianne feinstein notwithstanding, and that's a renewal of the assault weapons ban. he could put it on that base bill and have it bring down the entire bill. under that circumstances, by harry reid's estimation, it has fewer, martin, fewer than 40 votes in support in the united states senate. you can't blame it all on ted cruz and his compatriots on the republican side. there are several democrats who don't favor a renewal of the assault weapons ban. you need 60 votes. harry reid told us with less than 40 votes in support, it would be filibustered, gun control wouldn't even get a debate and that's unacceptable to aefb in the wake of newtown, just three months passed. what's going to be on the floor in the base bill? this is why it's important. something that can pass with bipartisan support, there's a provision to crack down on straw purchasers and gun trafficking and a few other provision. that will be a starting point. the assault weapons ban, they'll try

harry reid. but time out.e's what harry reid said on the senate floor today. >> we should all reflect on what happened yesterday as we proceed with other nominations including a lot of judicial nominations. this can be a senate where ideas are debated in full public view. and obstruction happens in full public view as well. or it can be a senate where a couple of senators obstruct from behind closed doors without ever coming to the senate floor. >> harry, we know this speech. we know the drill. if you're going to go swimming you've got to jump in the lake. just don't put your toe in there. you want some numbers, folks? it's about power. it's not about people. we're talking about clotures, right? 137 times. that's the number. from the 111th congress. got more numbers. the 112th congress, 115 times they pulled stunts like this. we've got more numbers. how's the judiciary working out for us? oh, we've only got 87 vacancies. that makes the courts run really, really nice. but of course they don't like the philosoph

why harry reid and fellow democrats have not broken a promise to the american people. >> we heard itrom lawmakers and loved ones affected by the tragedies never again. here we are a few months removed from newtown and harry reid has removed an assault weapon ban from a gun reform bill. some feel betrayed but they shouldn't and here is why. >> reporter: one of the bleakest moments in recent american history prompted cries from some of washington's most powerful figures that this time was different, changes in our gun laws would have to happen. harry reid said this. >> i have to get something on the floor so we can have votes on that issue and the other issues that i talked about. that is what i am going to try to do. >> i looked at bodies that have been shot with these weapons. >> reporter: the senate majority leader yanked dianne feinstein's bill for fears it couldn't get enough votes. did reid and other democrats betray families by not fighting for an assault ban? >> any legislation is a success. our congress is ineffectual on any issue. >> reporter: gun reform advocates like robin

the statement from harry reid tonight was very clear on one policy change in particular. he said quote any bill that passes the senate must include background checks. universal background checks for gun buyers are not only among the most popular gun reforms in the country, with over 90% support in many national polls, background checks for people buying guns are among the most popular policies of any kind in the country. gun related or not. it is remarkable to think that something with 91%, 92% popular support might be too controversial to get any republican senators votes but right now it is still an open question whether republicans will vote for it. if it does pass the senate, if it passes the senate, is there the question whether it can pass the house. the house is controlled by republicans. do republicans in the house support universal background checks the way that 91% of the country does? do house republicans supreme court background checks? maybe. sort of. at least for a second, it seems like they did. >> do you think background check, improving background checks

and i think this is a, a big, big thing that harry reid is throwing to them. that you know, they are going to have their people on record. >> karen tumulty, john harris, thanks for joining me. >> thanks a lot, chris. >>> if guns are one part of the big conversation on capitol hill, the budget is the other part. joining me for the republican perspective on all the budget activity happening right now on capitol hill is wyoming senator, john brasso, chairman. public policy committee. senator, thank you for taking the time. we're in the midst or about to be in the midst of a vote-a-ramma, 400-plus amendments to the budget.a, 400s to the budget. >> for the lay person, why are we doing this? and is this progress? that we're having this open amendment process? how should the average person watching you guys be there until midnight or 3:00 in the morning, 400 amendments being voted up or down, how should they take it? >> for the first time in four years we're actually on the floor voting on the budget. the democrats even though by law they have to offer one, haven't of