i want to thank, jane hall, jim pinkerton and

cal thomas, jim pinkerton. and kirsten powers, new york's post columnist and fox news analyst. i'm john scott, fox news watch is on right now! >>> i understand how easy it is for this town to become consumed in the game of politics to turn every issue into a running tally of who is up and down one told his party that even though they may want to compromise it is better politics to go for the kill. another republican senator defeating health care reform is about breaking me. so let me be clear this isn't about me. i have great insurance. so does every member of congress. this is about the letters i read when i sit in the oval office and the stories i hear at townhall meeting everyone >> president defending his plan wednesday night. nearly 200 members of the media were on hand in the east room for that event. only 10 reporters called on mr. obama, and all questions were on the president's chosen topic. given how much confusion the american public seems to have over this issue, cal, should there have been more questions or maybe more answers? >> this was the most controlled news c

bill salmon and managing editor of fox washington bureau, jim pinkerton, fox forum contractor and judy miller. i'm john scott and fox news watch is on right now. >> i think that it's behooves the committee to take whatever actions they believe are necessary to get more information on that subject as to whether the intelligence community was directed by the vice president to create a program and intentionally withhold that information from congress. >> nancy pelosi talking about reports that the c.i.a. had developed an anti-terrorist proposal to train assassination teams to take out al-qaeda leaders. the plan initially had been hidden from members of congress it is alleged at the instruction of vice president cheney. they reported the plan on monday after c.i.a. director leon paneta informed the congress that he had scrapped the plan. the plan had been on and off since 2001. leon paneta found out about it he cancels it but immediately it's in the press. is it any wonder there are people he wanted to keep it secret? >> that's true. but the timing is this. the republicans were about to re

andr andrea san tears, jim pinkerton, and columnist and fox news analyst kirsten howard. i'm jon scott. fox news watch is on right now >> i do not know what the future holds. i want to work right now for people who are in ofls or out of office for the right things for principles that built of america who are inspired for the values of america who will not deride or apologize for the values for america and i want to work for those people. >> sarah palin, after her decision to resign as governor. her resume' sparked a new criticism, an infamous analysis from new york times columnist maureen dowd. wrote in the column, with her announcement palin proved she's ready to be president because quote, caribou barbie is one t nutty barbie. carl cannon from aol inside politics daily had this to say about coverage of palin when she was running for vice-president. he wrote in the 2008 election we, meaning the press, took sides, straight and simple, particularly with regard to vice-presidential candidates. i don't know that we played in incisive role in that campaign and not saying that

>> on the panel this week, marissa guthrey, syndicated columnist cal thomas, jim pinkerton, fellow newmerican foundation and fox forum contributor and judy miller, writer and forum contributor as well. i'm jon scott, fox news watch is on right now. on wednesday, president obama held a town hall meeting in virginia on health care taking questions from the audience. and several online sources as well. well, it turns out the audience was invited, the questions pre-screened. the scenario which even riled veteran white house reporter helen thomas. >> (inaudible). >> a tough question, it's a question coming from somebody who is invited or screened, or the question was screened. >> tim, tim. >> . >> let's have this discussion as a conclusion of the town hall meeting. >> no, no, no, we're having it now. we don't have to have it now. >> which question do you object to at the town hall. . >> wow, jim, as the national review said on thursday, if you lost helen thomas you've got to wonder, is the white house losing the battle with the media here. no, plenty of high cards to play, including the pro

sean: jim pinkerton, who are like a lot, writes on foxnews.com. he is very tall. "obama's katrina."t is the failing economy. will the american people view it as his dead, his deficits, his botched economy, his broken promises on spending? are they not going to blame him? is he not going to take responsibility? how long does he get away with saying, this is bush's economy? >> i think those days are coming to an end. in ohio, his approval rating has fallen under 50%. it was in the middle-60's and plummeted. i think republicans are very energized. independents are getting more energized. those old reagan democrats, who you and i understand, are beginning to say, i am worried about my kids. i am worried about spending. you're getting it wrong in washington. it is the same old nonsense we have seen for a decade. you know, look. let's keep the faith. you keep doing your job. we all do our jobs. we will turn it around. sean: do me a favor. get elected governor. why you would want that job, you are out of your mind. appreciate it. coming up, why is barney frank trying to funnel your money t

very good people and without further ado, -- let me mention jim pinkerton.still mad at him because i was assured i would be the tallest person here. he out ranks me by several heads. i will introduce in any way. it is a pleasure to do so. currently, some of the people know jim pinkerton from the work he is doing as a contributor at fox news channel. he is here because he served as deputy assistant to the president for policy planning in the first bush presidency. more recently as a senior adviser to the might cut the campaign. -- to the mike huckabee campaign. he is a fellow at the new american council and is very tall. i will get over that someday. thank you to you all for being here. >> thank you very much. the sessions we have been having here have talked about various aspects of domestic policy making operations and we have talked about campaigns, the relationship between campaigns and of learning, especially the transition. specifically about policy formulation process these end the process of getting out the message. this is a session to step back and

we are also happy to have with us jim pinkerton. he is known to us currently as a free press contributor to the fox news channel, a frequent poster at phot -- fox from.com the reason we are so interested in having him here is the work that he did in the first bush presidency as a deputy assistant to the president's for policy planning. finally, among our former white house staff people, margaret spelling, not only a former staff person during the first george w. bush administration, but rarely among white house staff people went on during the second term to serve as secretary of education, and currently is president and ceo of margaret spelling and company. leading the discussion during this 90 minute session will be a lawrence jacobs. he is the joan mondale share for political studies and professor in the department of political science. he has published handbooks including by my count, three just this year alone. one is a class war? what americans really think about economic inequality. and also the share, a book called, the unsus