ken vogel, so these outside republican groups can actually raise $1 billion? >> it essential appears so. when i covered the first cycle of this unlimited outside money in 2010, which was sort of precipitate bide these federal court decisions that allowed these outside grouped to accept unlimited funds from very wealthy donors there were some really vast, big figures that upper thrown about that karl kal rove's group were talking about raising $52 million. i thought there's no way they are going to raise that much. they raised more than that. they raised upwards of $70 million. there are many more groups raising that kind of money, and the conservative donors, these very wealthy business type are especially motivate they have a deep enmity towards president obama. >> woodruff: tom hamburger, how much do we know about who is giving this money? >> that's the big concern. there is not only a big increase in money. there is a big increase of secret money. for many of the groups described today in the story that ken hundreds produce, there are organizations like cro

ken vogel is chief investigative reporter for politico and goldie tailor. ken, if i may, the president says he's going to win. meanwhile romney is finally taking questions from the press and saying, and i quote him, i stand by what i said, whatever it was. is there an etch a sketch to erase that gaffe, ken? >> well, it definitely sounds bad and particularly since -- >> i think that's a generous view, ken. >> right. it's particularly bad because it was a quote that was given in reference to the controversial of t of the day, something he said in a rather forceful statement repudiationing the ad that reverend wright is at issue saying it's a wrong direction. that's a pretty simple statement. whether he came up with it as a strategist and himself, he should be able to remember it and repeat it. fact that he was unable to do it again and looks bad, really, i think it's more a reflection of the riggers of the campaign, a very tiring campaign as opposed to some kind of tendency toward equivocation, which may also be at issue for him, but i don't think that's -- >

joining me is ken vogel.e're talking about virginia is for lovers they say and virginia is for candidates. >> yeah, that's right. it's no coincidence that president obama over the last three years spent a lot of time in northern virginia. i live in old town alexandria. he's down there at northern virginia community college for an event on education or the budget. he and michelle went there for their anniversary, for christmas shopping. it's very much part of both campaigns, the romney campaign and obama campaign. the 13 electoral votes from virginia. i think we'll see a lot more of them here. >> whatever happens with the top of the ticket will have a big influence on two formergoer running for a senate slot. >> this is shaping up as a hop out of the ground with tim kaine and george allen facing off. we've seen democrats win the last couple senate elections here, but obviously bob mcdonnell the governor won in rather a landslide a year after president obama carried it in 2008 so that highlights the volatility

going back to what ken vogel and ari was saying, the fact is this showed enormous strength of character. it was a unilateral action and going into foreign territory with no guarantee of success whatsoever. >> i think they are absolutely right. the reality is that this was a very risky military venture. he risked a great deal of political cap. hit gone south, his reputation would have followed. he was able to muster the courage to make the decision, the clarity of mind, the lucidity of the decision process and he acted with dispatch. he didn't sit there once having heard about 911 for four or five or six minutes in a classroom and then run for cover. he made an executive decision. he achieved his goal. he announced it to the american people. and he moved on to the next situation. he is cool and calm. not only in domestic situations but in international affairs as well. so i think as mr. vogel indicated, it would be awfully difficult to impugn the dignity of mr. obama in regard to the discretionary use of the osama bin laden killing against him. that was the very focal point for so long f

. >> let's bring in ken vogel, and joel reuben. thank you both for your time tonight. joel let me begin with you. it strikes me that this was both a victory speech for the president and exit strategy. he stressed we have accomplished our primary objective, we have peace in site albeit with the teleban. the first time i have experienced the president saying that personally. and saying the troops will come home. do i capture the essence of what he said and is he fair in describing a reality in afghanistan? >> you really did capture what he said eliot. the plan is not going to satisfy everybody, but it is a clear plan for going forward and getting out of afghanistan and doing it in a way that doesn't leave a power vacuum there. we have been there for ten years, it's far too long but we can't jump out immediately and expect things to go well so the slowly ramping down of our involvement is key and that's what the president laid out tonight. >> am i clear there has been ambiguity about what the primary objective was? was the objective there was an element of nation building

. >> ken vogel, they are true believes, the ron paul supporters. they are not going away. you very much. >> thank you, andrea? which former secretary of state was subjected to a ttsa patdown? in this is andrea mitchell reports only on msnbc. seem like the stf of fairy tales. but if you take away the faces on the trees... take away the pixie dust. take away the singing animals, and the storybook narrator... [ man ] you're left with more electric trucks. more recycled shipping materials... and a growing number of lower emissions planes... which still makes for a pretty enchanted tale. ♪ la la la [ man ] whoops, forgot one... [ male announcer ] sustainable solutions. fedex. solutions that matter. make that new stouffer's steam meal so tasty. actually, the milk from my farm makes it so creamy, right dad. dad can see... boys! don't you think stouffer's steam perfect bag should get some credit? my carrots. my milk. [ female announcer ] new from stouffer's. farmers' harvest steam meals taste so good we'll bet the farm on it. but i tested it out, and bayer advanced aspirin relieve

political commentator abby huntsman joins us, along with jonathan capehart and politico's ken vogel.od afternoon to everyone. abby, let's start with you. you were a resident in the ambassador's residence in china. what do you think has happened with regard to the dissident this week? >> let me say watching the top line. you're going to miss the circus so don't get too excited about this. >> i am. we love it. >> i did live in beijing this past year and it is inconceivable that they would have let mr. chen go. i can't figure it out i imagine that hillary and geithner probably put a lot of pressure on ambassador locke and the embassy to make a quick fix as the strategic and economic dialogue was about to go on. but this really was a quick fix. and i don't think that it was the right thing to do. i spent a year living there and i can tell from you my experience, there was no way that mr. chen or his family for that matter would have been safe living in china. that, we should have kept him and figured out a way to get him to the u.s. now we don't have as much control over the situation. >