like i said, bill kristol gets it. paul ryan gets it. >> it's really not that hard is the problem. >> why do they get it? i'll tell you why they get it. because each person, as you just mentioned, reagan, thatcher, paul ryan, bill kristol, they know who they are. what that tape does, it reveals so much about something that i've thought about with regard to mitt romney for at least 20 years. who is he? who is he? is he a moderate trying to pretend he's a tough guy really nut case, you know, right-wing conservative? who is he? >> he's insulated. that's who he is. >> he's insulated, but he's also, i think, fundamentally at his core trying to figure out on a daily basis who is he? the campaign reflects that. every campaign is a mirror reflection of a candidate at some level. we all know that. so what you've got here -- what he did in that -- look it, the election is far from over. there are 50, 49 days left, 49 different things could happen. but it reveals a couple of things. one, he's not very optimistic. americans are --

the weekly standard's bill kristol called the comments arrogant and stupid but most republicans stood by romney, including former presidential candidate john mccain who is campaigning for him today in florida. >> i think people know mitt romney well enough to know that he is fighting and struggling for the vote of every registered voter in america, especially here in florida. >> reporter: john mccain says the episode shows candidates have to realize everything can be recorded. president obama stirred controversy four years ago when he was caught on tape at a fund- raiser saying this about resentment among small town voters in pennsylvania in the midwest. >> reporter: now, this is supposed to be the week romney is refocusing on jobs and the economy with some new polls now showing this race back to a dead heat. but, scott, this is yet another distraction as the campaign is trying to build momentum. >> pelley: thanks, jan. mr. obama talked about the tape today during an interview with david letterman which will be broadcast tonight. >> one of the things i've learned as president is you r

, of the "weekly standard" and peggy noonan from the "wall street journal" and billy kristol said the 47% thing was stupid. peggy noon nan said it more elegantly, but she said same thing. when you talk to some of these republicans when they don't use their names, they're even more critical thus far. >> of course they are when you don't use their names. everybody is critical in washington when they don't use their names, right, bob. i have great respect for peggy and everybody who is critical. it's their job to be critical. as i said to you, the campaign hasn't had a good two weeks. the bottom line is it changes on wednesday night. listen, i believe in governor romney. i believe in him as a >> this is a closed captioning test. >> this is only a test. >>> please stand by. l polls here say 65% of the seniors in florida don't want to change medicare. 59% in ohio. 56% in virginia. did the campaign make a mistake by going off in this direction? i think most people know you've got to reform medicare, but they don't seem to be taking-- seniors don't seem to be taking very well what mitt romne

. >> you mentioned president obama, conservative analyst and writer bill kristol gave some credit toresident obama today and i want to give your take on this and talk about it on the other side. take a listen. >> this election is just about the last four years, that is a muddy verdict, because bush was president in the ooh financial meltdown and they have urned the it around very well, and the clinton speech at the convention turned it around in a way, and how horrible it was four years ago. >> and is bill kristol right, in that he has spent too much time trying to make it merely a referendum on the president? >> that is not the problem. the problem has been that we've not really had a serial number of days where we have been able to talk about the same numbers and situations that the american people are facing. $4 a gallon gasoline, and $5 a gallon diesel fuel, and houses underwater all over the country, and those are issues where the american public is starting to pay attention, governor romney has to make sure that is laid directly at the feet of president obama, and also make cle

question. [ laughter ] folks, now my fellow conservatives have turned on mitt, everybody from bill kristol to scott brown to linda mcmahon to susana martinez to peggy noonan who wrote "it's time to admit the romney campaign is an incompetent one." wrong, peggy. that time was six months ago. [cheers and applause] but now -- but now but wonhe -- and folks there's a new video that strikes a crushing blow to the obama campaign and it's everywhere from fox news to fox business news. >> tonight a new recording surfaces, this time it's president obama who gets caught. >> the president is now dealing with his own words on tape coming back to haunt him. >> president obama's turn to be haunted by an old tape. >> it's interesting because both campaigns now have these tapes but you may not hear about the obama tape only if you are watching fox news to hear the counter response. >> stephen: in truth, only on fox news will be hear the world counter reply. let's hear the tape. >> the trick is figuring out how do we structure governmentsomes that pool resources and fas sill tate some redistribution becaus

bill kristol from the weekly standard and fox news political analyst juan williams. bill, you didn't waste any time after the video came out saying that mr. romney was "his remarks were i should say condemn the action and not the man stupid and arrogant." any second thoughts? >> i might have been a tad harsh. the romney campaign thought it was over the top. but if you are a conservative and fighting for 30 years and made the case over and over and skeptical audiences and college campuses and conservatives do want everyone to do better and tax cuts help the economy and especially help those who want upward mobility and not just help those who are ready and doing well. if you make those arguments over and over the republican cand date seem to say if you don't pay taxes we can't -- you don't caver about the tax code and not much i have to say to you. and if you are dependent on government and senior citizens getting medicare, i can't expect your vote. it was a blow actually and honestly. i hate for conservatism to be redefined in that way. i am now moving on. >> chris:

and conservative bill kristol thinks the party will pull away from social issues. >> the polling shows, no one really believed the republicans are waging war on women. the republicans half believe it was a threat. they rolled out -- the theme of the convention was, we love women. we're not engaged in a war on women. >> joining me tonight, sandra fluke, attorney and women's rights activist. great to have you with us tonight. she will be speaking add the democratic national convention this week in charlotte. i would like you to respond to bill kristol's comments right there that you just heard. >> yeah, i mean, i thought what you were saying initially was so telling, that the idea of how to appeal to women is to serve them cocktails and just put women at the podium. it takes more than that. women want to hear what a presidential candidate is concerned about in terms of women's lives. so women's access to health care and to equal pay for equal work. and you know, violence against women, and that kind of substance is what women are worthy of, and that's what we want to hear about. >> you d

the weekly standard's bill kristol called the comments arrogant and stupid but most republicans stood by romney, including former presidential candidate john mccain who is campaigning for him today in florida. >> i think people know mitt romney well enough to know that he is fighting and struggling for the vote of every registered voter in america, especially here in florida. >> reporter: john mccain says the episode shows candidates have to realize everything can be recorded. president obama stirred controversy four years ago when he was caught on tape at a fund-raiser saying this about resentment among small town voters in pennsylvania in the midwest. >> reporter: now, this is supposed to be the week romney is refocusing on jobs and the economy with some new polls now showing this race back to a dead heat. but, scott, this is yet another distraction as the campaign is trying to build momentum. >> pelley: thanks, jan. mr. obama talked about the tape today during an interview with david letterman which will be broadcast tonight. >> one of the things i've learned as president is you re

arrogant and stupid was how conservative bill kristol described it. kristol and others point out 47% of americans who do not pay federal income tax are not the same 47% likely to support obama. many are likely romney voters, many are seniors who support mitt romney. keeping them honest is not just a question of math or votes. listen to what else mr. romney said on the tape. >> i wind up talking about how the thing which i find most disappointing in this president is his attack of one america against another america, the the division of america basically going after those who have been most successful. >> he's talking about a division of america. he says president obama is dividing america, going after those who have been most successful. keeping them honest, though, he said that at the very same fund-raiser at which he divided america 53% to 47% to be precise. out on the campaign trail, romney slams the president for it again and again. listen. >> i will not divide america. as i have seen the president do over these past several months, i will not div

bill kristol from the weekly standard and fox news political analyst juan williams. bill, you didn't waste any time after the video coming out saying that mr. romney was quote, his remarks were, are let's condemn the action, not the man. stupid and arrogant. any second thoughts? >> i might have been a tad harsh i suppose. some people have informed me of that. i think the romney campaign thought it was a little bit over the top. if you have been a conservative fighting for 30 years and i got to washington 25 years ago and made the case over and over to skeptical audiences, conservatives really do want everyone in the country to do better. we are for tax cuts to help the economy and especially help those who want upward mobility and economic opportunity not just to help those ready and doing well. you try to make the arguments voter and over and see the republican presidential candidate seem to say if you don't pay income taxes you don't care about the tax code and there is not much i have to say to you and if you are quote dependent on government which includes senior

. >> bill kristol also made this observation -- mitt romney did not even mentioned the troops in harm's way for this country another glaring omission. it says nothing about, as far as i'm concerned, romney's patriotism -- >> tactical mistakes. >> tactical mistake. >> we saw a stunning shift in which the democratic party wh change into the party of the military and patriotism and whacking at the rebel against not only for not thinking the troops, but romney -- whacking the republicans for not only not thanking the troops but romney for saying it was not worth it to go after bin laden. >> a man of few words. >> i want to nominate a man who is cool on the outside but prince for america and -- burns for america on the inside. [applause] and by the way, after last night, i want to nominate a man who had the good sense to mary michelle obama. [applause] >> who could have imagined that such a thing, colby? >> with bill clinton, there is no limit. i have been watching him since he was governor of arkansas. my wife worked with him when he was governor. i like watching him in public, watching him

talk about the military at this convention, but not as much -- >> i think, and somebody like bill kristol also made this observation about romney's acceptance speech, to not even acknowledge the troops was a glaring omission. it says nothing about, as far as i'm concerned, romney's mmitment or patriotism, but how they could have left it out -- >> tactical mistake? >> we saw a stunning shift with the democratic party became the party of military patriotism, walking the republicans for what colby just said, not thinking the troops, but also romney saying it was not worth going after bin laden. >> the man of few words, william jefferson clinton. >> i want to nominate a man who is cool on the outside but who burns for america on the inside. [applause] and by thehe, after last night, i want a man who had the good sense to marry michelle obama. [applause] >> bill clinton in rare form, nominating a man who defeated hillary clinton in april primary fight four years ago. >> with bill clinton, there is no limit. i have been watching him since he was governor of arkansas my wife worked closely with

and this is what bill kristol said as well.t's part of a general pattern of trying to placate some of the most implacable enemies of the united states of america. >> lawrence, what's your take on that? has the obama administration had a general pattern of trying to, as michael put it, placate the most implacable enemy of america? >> absolutely not. as you just showed before, president bush was even more apologetic after an american threatened to desecrate the koran in iran. you may remember that general petraeus condemned pastor jones, who was part of this video hear. re. he condemned him when he was threatening to burn korans, and that would cause damage to the troops he was commanding in afghanistan. president bush himself explained that he didn't support what was in the cartoons, the danish cartoons, because of the problems that they would cause. i have no problem with the statement. i wish obama had not, you know, distanced himself from it, because, basically, what they were saying is that we don't support what's in there.

it is time for our sunday group, bill kristol of "the weekly standard," liz mar lantas, syndicated talk laura ingraham and political analyst juan williams. bill you heard paul ryan say romney will offer the country a clear choice of two different economic futures. is that what he needs to do wednesday? is that enough? >> i think, he needs to win the debate. that is my advice to governor romney and it is time to begin panicking and that means offering his own way ahead and, really explaining why the next four years under president obama will be disastrous, shouldn't focus on the last four years, focus on the next four years and clear choice, and really lay out what four more years of obama policies, in terms of debt and, no economic growth and in terms of a failed foreign policy, would look like, and lay out the romney alternative, and, i think he needs to go right at obama. my advice, ignore jim lehr, and, like i do with juan williams... ignore the question and, do not answer jim lehr, speak to obama in the second person, you have failed and here's what we can do differently, to make it

bill kristol. list marlantes. laura ingram and fox news political analyst one williams. you heard him say that romney will offer a clear choice of two different economic futures. is that what romney needs to do wednesday? is that enough? >> i think it will be good to win the debate. that is my main advise to governor romney. panicking a little bit and offering his own way ahead and explaining why the next four years under president obama would be disasterrous. shouldn't focus on the last four years. focus on next four years and what four more years of obama policy would look like and lay out romney alternative. and i think he needs to go right at obama. my main advice would be ignore the moderator. sort of like juan does with you. when one argues with me and ignores all your questions around all that. he has to take do not get -- do not answer jim lehrer. go after president obama and speak to him in the second person and say you have failed unfortunately and here is what we can do differently and make it a sharp contrast. >> chris: interestingly enough, liz, when i talke

. >> for every bill kristol, and they'll be-- >> and accusing the republican national committee of race baiting and the l.a. times had a headline, republican national convention puts a brown face on a white party. is this race baiting by the media? >> i was struck by the coverage of nbc, and m. snbc, how unabashedly biased it was. has a point of view and clearly came out on the coverage whether it was tom brokaw speaking about backward looking speech, about a man who is less inclusive than his father, to saying things that made joe scarboro and miss brasinski uncomfortable on morning joe. >> and got the opinions through. >>, but they're supposed to have straight coverage of a convention, hard to find that on nbc. >> and david challion, the former, now former head of yahoo! news, washington bureau, who was overheard on an abc webcast saying the romneys are happy to have a party as black people while black people drown, referring to the hurricane, referring to the hurricane hitting the west coast-- i'm sorry, gulf coast, he got fired for that, but a guy political director for abc news, an

jon: bill kristol, thanks. >> hey, thanks.amie: right now presidential politics and governor mitt romney wrapping up his stay in new york city after addressing the clinton global initiative. later, the governor's heading to battleground state of ohio, home to 18 electoral votes, an all-important state. he's going to meet up with his running mate, paul ryan, at the gathering of global leaders, though, the governor touched on a central theme of their campaign. >> free enterprise, as we know, has done more to bless humanity than any other economic system. not only because it's the only system that creates a prosperous middle class, but also because it's the only system where the individual enjoys the freedom to guide and build his or her life. free enterprise cannot only make us better off financially, it can make us better people. jamie: senior national correspondent john roberts is in ohio where the republican candidates will soon meet up, and they're going to work that state hard, huh, john? >> reporter: yeah. good afternoon t

. >> reporter: conservative commentator bill kristol called the remarks arrogant and stupid. and joe scarborough weighed in this morning on "today." >> mitt romney is blowing this race. it is too much for many republicans to handle. >> reporter: still many conservatives rushed to romney's defense. one calling this his gettysburg moment. urging romney to rise to the occasion and fight. romney didn't back down from the substance of his comments. instead, brian, in a televised interview, he tried to turn the tables on the president, accusing him of running a government centered society and favoring redistribution of wealth. incidentally, the person who leaked that video is former president jimmy carter's grandson, who told nbc's michael isikoff he was angry that romney had attacked the former president. >> peter alexander, traveling with the romney campaign salt lake city, utah starting off our reporting tonight. peter, thanks. >>> romney's remarks about that 47% who pay no income tax set off an immediate flurry of fact checking. and tonight, nbc's andrea mitchell has our realit

but you touched on kristol and david brooks. what you're seeing on the right right now is sort of two strands of thought here. one is sort of beltway, conservative elite, like those folks talking about romney sort of being arrogant and dismissive and contemptuous of half the country. you're seeing a lot of conservatives on the web, say, hey, mitt romney said something we believe in. he's talking about what they call a dependency society. it is about time people spoke bluntly about what barack obama is doing to this country. that's coming from the grassroots side of things. i think the problem for the romney campaign, as much as they like to say they don't care what people inside the beltway think, guess what, they really do. they really pay attention closely to what beltway political types are saying about the campaign. it has gotten under their skin in this campaign, frankly, in a way it hasn't for the obama campaign in chicago. >> so you touched on what the right is saying today, let me play what the white house is saying toda

, of the "weekly standard" and peggy noonan from the "wall street journal" and billy kristol said the 47% thing was stupid. peggy noon nan said it more elegantly, but she said same thing. when you talk to some of these republicans when they don't use their names, they're even more critical thus far. >> of course they are when you don't use their names. everybody is critical in washington when they don't use their names, right, bob. i have great respect for peggy and everybody who is critical. it's their job to be critical. as i said to you, the campaign hasn't had a good two weeks. the bottom line is it changes on wednesday night. listen, i believe in governor romney. i believe in him as a leader. and i know that he's going very, very well do the job on wednesday night. >> schieffer: the shift toward medicare reform does not seem to be going over well with seniors, especially in some of these key states like florida and ohio. i'm looking at polls here that say 65% of the seniors in florida don't want to change medicare. 59% in ohio. 56% in virginia. did the campaign make a mistake by