business woman mary burke said her schedule, she was packed today, unfortunately. she really had no time at all to spend with the president, but state republicans claim that she was not wanting to be seen with president obama, and this is something that we've seen in a number of races continuing to add up here, karl. so, what do you make of that? >> well, i think it's a really revealing incident. look, you'd expect this in a red state that mitt romney won, but this was a state that president obama won. and the fact that she's not willing to show up and be in his presence indicates something that the president's job approval in wisconsin is below water, he is more unfavorable than favorable, and candidates are seen with him at their own risk. remember, back in 2010, the republicans picked up six seats in the united states senate, and they did so in states that were largely purple or blue states. they won a seat in north dakota, but they also won seats in wisconsin, illinois, the president's home state, ohio, pennsylvania and florida, all of which president obama had

yesterday, democrats mary burke, running for governor in wisconsin, blaming a full schedule for not appearing with the president, even though with wisconsin's republican governor met with mr. obama. we'll talk to the governor in a moment. first to pat goodell who says democrats have good reason to be nervous. welcome, pat. good to see you. >> good to be with you. >> first question. if the election were held today would the democrats lose the senate? >> i think at least the five senators you mentioned, all within the last ten days have been rung behind for the first time against potential opponents in the general election. >> here's what they are trying to rub away from. i'm going to run some of their past statements on obamacare. go. >> you can keep your doctor and your insurance plan. >> and insures if you like your insurance and your doctors, you keep them. >> we're going to be able to stick with our plan. the answer is yes. >> those individuals who like the coverage they already have will be able to keep their current plan. this is a very accurate description of this bill. >> so there you

he's being challenged by a democrat, mary burk, who is nowhere in sight.he president when he landed just a little while ago in wisconsin. you can see the governor is there to receive him. but mary burk, who's challenging scott walker, she's in the other part of the state today. she decides she's not going to be anywhere near the president of the united states, presumably because she thinks that kind of photo is not going to help her chances of beating scott walker. now, if this were just one isolated incident, that would be that. but it's happened a few times when he went to north carolina a few weeks ago, the incumbent democratic senator kay hagan, she was nowhere in the state. they always have an excuse of being busy, a full schedule. he went to louisiana, mary landrieu, the incumbent democrat up for re-election, she was busy with other stuff she had to do. she wasn't there to receive the president. there seems to be a pattern here of democrats who feel that you might not necessarily be helpful in their bids to win their elections, although they certainl

what about mary burke? >> we don't know a lot about her. people watching this race not so much but because of her but because of scott walk who are has made, hasn't made a bigamistry of it if he comes off commanding win clearly is planning a presidential race in 2016. the race is going to be about him not her. remember he looked very vulnerable during that recall effort shortly after he was elected but he won it and since then he's really been shoring up his support. i think he'll be a tough incumbent to beat even though this is a very, very narrowly divided state in wisconsin. >> the list of fascinating races go on. >> republicans month hold 30 of seats. >> john harris with a look inside the politico playbook. thanks so much. coming, it's bowl season in college football. we'll look back at yesterday's action. michigan state number four against number five stanford. good finish to this one. sports is next. ♪ [ male announcer ] even more impressive than the research this man has at his disposal is how he puts it to work for his clients. morn

it's another thing when mary burke, who with the president when truly, she could benefit from some ofhat attention. what's that about? >> it is true that the president's numbers aren't where he would want them to be. but house republican numbers are a fraction of that. 13% job approval. if i wanted to run for re-election and my pollster told me i was at 13% job approval, i'd probably find something else to do with my time. >> fair enough. listen, let's talk about another issue i don't think we talk about enough. the last election, a million more people voted for democrats than voted for republicans nationwide. a million more. it seems though that you guys are comfortable with that and you've created this old strategy of keeping this kind of gerrymandered grip on the house. don't you think that the politics that you have to now put forward to hold onto the house hurt new the national election on issues like immigration, et cetera? >> i think what americans want is washington to work. i think they want a more efficient government that the doesn't waste their money. i think they want to

mary burke who is running for wisconsin governor and who would get a huge boost in name recognition by appearing with the president of the united states is too busy to greet obama tomorrow. this is part of a growing pattern. senator kay hagan of north carolina was also too busy to attend an obama event in her state this month. even more embarrassing was democratic senator mark udall's uncomfortable nonanswer last night when cnn's dana bash asked him if he'd campaign with the president in colorado. >> that was not a yes or no. >> we'll see what the president's schedule is, we'll see what my schedule is. but coloradans will re-elect me on my record, not the president's record. >> one more chance, you won't see yes or no, will you? >> we'll see what the schedule allows. >> mo, these democrats are basically giving obama the political equivalent of, i might have to wash my hair that day. isn't this embarrassing and worrisome for you guys going into 2014? >> no. >> tell me why not. >> well, it's january. now, if you want to see an example of a candidate who is fleeing from party leaders look

i'm here to tell you mary burk, a gubernatorial candidate in wisconsin said she's too busy when he comes. mark begich in alaska says i'm disappointed as well. there's his statement from the state of the union last night. who does want to campaign with the president right now if they are a democrat? >> well, here is the thing, gretchen. it's interesting four years ago, 2008, 2012, people were happen to ride the coattails of a popular obama. now that numbers dipped everyone seems to be running scared, running for cover. i don't fault politicians, they have to be concerned with what constituents are concerned with. we did see a statement too broad. the president was way too broad in his attempt to cover a million different topics rather than take time to be specific about a for you that would have resonated with the constituent groups you talked about. >> one of the things, brad, constituents across the country are talking about was obamacare. it took a huge chunk of time when the president went there. when he did go there, he didn't address some of the bad things that are happening about i

mary burke was on the other side of the state. the real reason is she's afraid to be seen with him. after signing his executive order, the president flew off to nashville, tennessee. he's expected to touch a little bit on gun violence, an issue that got a lot less play in this year's state of the union speech compared to last year's. it was rocked earlier in this week, tuesday, when one student was fatly accused of shooting another off campus. before the president got off air force one, he sat here at this ge plant and signed the executive order. this is his first interview following his state of the union address on tuesday. in the exclusive sit-down, we talked on a whole range of topics, economy and asking him how far he thinks his go it alone attitude towards congress can get him and the rest of us. thanks for doing this, mr. president. >> great to be with you, jake. >> so your big bush is whatever you cannot accomplish with congress is to take executive orders. how much can you really accomplish by doing that? >> first of all, my big push is making sure we're focused on opportun

on the other hand, walker's democratic challenger, there she is, mary burk, did not meet with the president. a spokesman saying burk is busy. she's campaigning in western wisconsin. republicans say it's a sign of how unpopular president obama is right now. from wisconsin it's onto national for the president he visits a high school to promote plans for new private-public partnership. but gun control will be front and center when he arrives in a few hours. brianna keilar explains. >> president obama is promoting his go-around congress economic message from the state of the union address. but as he pitches his plan, the issue of gun violence is following him to nashville where he's scheduled to tout new public-private partnerships today at a high school reeling after a student was killed by gun violence tuesday. a 17-year-old student is charged with killing his 15-year-old friend inside this apartment building. witnesses told police that the shooter was playing with the gun when it discharged. last year gun control was front and center in obama's state of the union. >> the families of newtown