of russia is that russia is the is a strong country this is the symbolism of mr putin not that mr medvedev did not have that that that power however mr putin is i think the element of power and with the presence of the first saw now for myself what then is is really very clear and i think that as as the one said in the program earlier that yes maybe the europeans would have preferred mr medvedev because he's more lenient on some of the major issues here is mr putin from officer in the in the end the army. take straightforward man he's there ready to put things on the table straight forward and make sure that there is a balance global balance in international politics make sure that there's not one part of the world that he is the western world controlled by the united states and some european powers that is setting the rules of the game that this is a guarantee for the stability for international stability because when you create that balance then you have to stability when there is a one hit you want to power that controls the whole world then there's a threat for that it could national s

mr. medvedev. here's the exchange again. after my election i have more flexibility. >> question, mr. obama's -- or reset of u.s.-russian relations is his foreign policy priority. how much further is he likely to take that, that reset, in a second term? >> this is a gaff of the really the first order, john. he has confirmed the suspicions of every conservative and traditionalist and nee con in america that after his election, all this nonsense i've been supporting in my first term goes out the window and we've got the new and the -- obama de has scared the daylights out of it. >> wait a minute! wait a minute! [overlapping speakers] >> the missile system is gone. >> who is to say he means that? is it even interpreted by medvedev as to be literal? >> don't they allow -- [overlapping speakers] >> diplomatic. >> tell him to cut me some slack until i get elected, and then we can do business. >> so this is my price, you've got to be good to me on this, and cut me some slack? >> yes, i'll pay you back later on! >> it's a gaff to -- an issue, i agree. but frankly, i'm relieved that he has thi

mr. medvedev have produced legislation for liberalization of the political environment and restoration of elections of regional governments. we continue to press to allow them to build up an exit strategy. if the political course that mr. putin produces continues to take place, i believe that in four years or five years, a revolution would happen. >> back to london. >> thanks very much. international monitors from europe have said in the last few minutes that there were irregularities in the election and was clearly skewed toward vladimir putin. we will go to them in the next few minutes. to china, the premier has cut china's economic growth target. speaking 3000 delegates in beijing, he also addressed land rights and military spending. he and other senior figures will need to stand down to make way for new generation in the fall. >> his annual report, he has been stressing the need for sustainable economic development during what are difficult times. he spoke about the need to increase domestic demand. in order to do that, he says that his government will invest in health services and ca

mr. medvedev' medvedev's reply m reminder of what happens when one person is able to seize unrestrained power, as mr. putin has demonstrated, and should be a lesson for all of us. it also should give all americans pause as we approach this fall's election. i yield the floor. and i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorum call: the debate on the motion to proceed to calendar number 339, s. 2230, a bill to reduce the deficit by imposing a minimum effective tax rate for high-income taxpayers, signed by 18 senators -- mr. reid: mr. president, i ask the names not be read. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent partisan rule under 22 be waived and the vote on the motion on the vote to proceed occur on monday, april 16 when the senate resumes legislative following confirmation of stephanie thacker. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by the majority leader in consultation with senator mcconnell the senate

putin has not done enough yet to bridge that divide i think that he considers this to be the job of mr medvedev who is who is about to appoint a prime minister i think the whole of the whole plus of work like this that matures in a good it will become the prime minister sort of the dialogue and become provides guy but he should get to bridge the gap between the protesters who are more left. leaning and liberal leaning at the same time and and with the structure of power which would emerge would have little to control is the place i think that the russian stage would work like this and then be very very accurately sincere if they do enough if they take into account the views of their opponents like they did with the political reform then i think they have a chance to see one on. the public participation leading up to this election was unprecedented and all of the protests took place under the slogan for a fair election with so much effort putting been put into ensuring its transparency in this vote what will drive the people on to the streets next. well i don't think that everybody will believe

russians take ok you know what if i go back to you i think we shouldn't diminish the role that mr medvedev played as president i mean he he did exactly was a very popular president and he pushed through a lot of reforms through though you know he's passed the baton back to the man where he got it from mr putin. guber go ahead. there was a difficult to pick you up to pick up. eric did you hear that what i said it. yes well i was initially hopeful with me then there but i'm sorry i have to disagree that i think the reforms that he was trying to push did not really get oh ok well we've run out of time gentlemen to see where the rest of the count goes many thanks my guest today in brussels toronto and here in the studio and thanks to our viewers for watching us here at the phoenix time and remember prost awful. story. of the. world. science technology innovation all the lives developments around russia we've got the future covered. i don't.

mr. medvedev where president obama said, of all of these things overheard conversations but particular missile defense, this can be solved but it's important for him to give me space and medvedev said, i understand. i understand your message about space, space for you. this is my last election. after my election i'll have more flexibility. understand i'll transmit this information to vladimir. this is not a little matter. i'll tell you why it's not a little matter. we had a long debate over the missile defense. the left has never favored missile defense. president bush was preparing to place a system in poland out of the blue it was cancelled. the polls were de polls -- po disappointed, so were the czechs, and told, don't worry about it. we'll have another system. i thought they were changing the course of things and we were going to have that, something that wa not eve's on the drawing board then but we about to implant in poland a system which we've proven. the dmg system that we'd already placed in the united states. so i guess what i say to me, the president, makes his assurances. we're go

no i don't see it that way i think if you look at the recent record between mr obama and mr medvedev or america in general and russia i think you'll see there's been plenty of progress and it's easy for politicians in the heat of an electoral campaign to pander to the lowest common denominator of the american populous with cold war rhetoric that's exactly what mr romney is doing and what concerns me about that is that i tend to wonder how thoughtful he would be on these larger issues if he were to get into office but also says to me that he's not particularly sophisticated when it comes to foreign policy it's almost as if he's been handed lines by his advisors about what to say and that it's intended not to necessarily make progress but to get himself elected. or those utterances romney also calling russia a thorn in america's side i mean there's just tried to play to have this hardline sentiment but it has become america's post-election foreign policy chops what then . i think the u.s. had better think very carefully about taking that sort of an approach the fact is that america and

called bowing to the kremlin and he said basically one of the lines is it's not an accident that mr medvedev is now busy attacking me the russians clearly prefer to do business with the current incumbent of the white house which i mean to me it's like oh yeah he's president he's the one that's been president for four years that's actually been working with russia when it comes to reset a new start and what not but mitt romney we also do a little background here so he said the russia is the greatest turns out in the past he has also called china the greatest foe he's also called iran the greatest he's also pointed to islamic jihadism as the greatest foe so you know what do you make of all of these his moves here. he's a real opportunist when it comes to greatest proses me but you know i think his comments really make obama's point i mean obama's point was when we get close to election cycles all this stuff gets demagogued in and political discussion in washington that's exactly what's going on with the issues between russia and the united states could not be more serious in fact these two cou

mr. medvedev after their official conversation, and i quote from the "washington post" -- "on these issues, but particularly missile defense, this can be solved." i underline nobody knows what this means." but it is important for him to give me space." president medvedev said back -- "yes, i understand." then the president said the following -- "this is my last election. after my election, i will have more flexibility." that flexibility obviously refers back to this which was in the first comment. so as a continuing member of the foreign relations committee, one that's proud of the work that we did on the start treaty but one that understands particularly the commitments of the country, i think it's important that the president clarify what this meant and how flexibility would be implied if he were re-elected as president of the united states, for this reason -- in the president's letter to the senate, to endorse the new start treaty and ask for its ratification, he said the following -- "you pledged in your -- he said the following -- he would pledge in his message to the senate -- on the

mr. medvedev, they're totally into yoga and pilates. >> gretchen: he did try to laugh it off.ten to this. >> first of all, is the mic on? the only way i get this stuff done is if i'm consulting with pentagon, if i'm consulting with congress, if i got bipartisan support and frankly the current environment is not conducive to those kinds of thoughtful consultations. >> steve: so that's where the white house would like to have it end, right there. yeah, i'm going to make a little joke. but here is the thing, laura, with the main stream media, they're going to take this and a bunch of the rips are trying -- republicans are saying he's saying i'll cave on missile defense. >> what we have to do always in these circumstances is remember what happened in the lead-up up to health care. remember the closed door meeting, health care companies, he needed to line up all the support. all the stuff is done behind closed doors. they meet with lobbyists not in the white house because they're not going to do lobbyists in the white house, but they meet with them across the street at caribou coff

mr. medvedev where president obama said, of all of these things overheard conversations but particular missile defense, this can be solved but it's important for him to give me space and medvedev said, i understand. i understand your message about space, space for you. this is my last election. after my election i'll have more flexibility. understand i'll transmit this information to vladimir. this is not a little matter. i'll tell you why it's not a little matter. we had a long debate over the missile defense. the left has never favored missile defense. president bush was preparing to place a system in poland out of the blue it was cancelled. the polls were de polls -- po disappointed, so were the czechs, and told, don't worry about it. we'll have another system. i thought they were changing the course of things and we were going to have that, something that wa not eve's on the drawing board then but we about to implant in poland a system which we've proven. the dmg system that we'd already placed in the united states. so i guess what i say to me, the president, makes his assurances. we're go

mr. medvedev where president obama said, of all of these things overheard conversations but particular missile defense, this can be solved but it's important for him to give me space and medvedev said, i understand. i understand your message about space, space for you. this is my last election. after my election i'll have more flexibility. understand i'll transmit this information to vladimir. this is not a little matter. i'll tell you why it's not a little matter. we had a long debate over the missile defense. the left has never favored missile defense. president bush was preparing to place a system in poland out of the blue it was cancelled. the polls were de polls -- po disappointed, so were the czechs, and told, don't worry about it. we'll have another system. i thought they were changing the course of things and we were going to have that, something that wa not eve's on the drawing board then but we about to implant in poland a system which we've proven. the dmg system that we'd already placed in the united states. so i guess what i say to me, the president, makes his assurances. we're go

mr. medvedev about those three points. i won't say he disagreed but asked about the premise of my question and said are these critical for russians to advance? he agrees that it is yes. and in russia, namely repeal jackson-vanik helps us address our human rights causes. doesn't hurt us. helps us. because otherwise sometimes putin. sometimes others will then use it to grant pntr as a leverage, as a foil to attack the united states to help themselves. so i just think this is a no-brainer. at the same time we have to work very hard to address the serious issues of iran, syria, they are all extremely important. but we don't have leverage over russia on any of those issues with respect to pntr. we have to find other ways >> if we pass legislation for pntr, have we accomplished anything? >> senator, i think the way that we can accomplish something of -- >> this is a simple question -- is it not this is a to repeal jackson-danica for p antti are to mean anything? >> we need to extend pntr for businesses to benefit from joining th

mr. obama and the russian president medvedev had a short conversation picked up by microphones. esident obama asked the russian leader to pass on a message to his successor vladimir putin. mr. obama suggested that the u.s. and russia might be able to reach agreements on some disputed issues, particularly the missile defense shield but asked for some time because this is an election year. >> my last question. >> yes? >> i understand. >> deputy national security adviser ben rose was asked about the missile defense comment. he said he did not hear the conversation and then later released this response. he said, given the long standing difference between the u.s. and russia on this issue it will take time and technical work before we can try to reach an agreement. since 2012 is an election year in both countries it is clearly not a year in which we are going to achieve a breakthrough. >>> well, we have some wacky weather coming through. it's going to be seasonal. >> actually what march is supposed to be. we're supposed to be seeing temperatures in the 30s this time of year maybe even

mr. obama met with dmitri medvedev, president of russia the world's other major nuclear power. the plans for a missile defense system in europe prompted this exchange in a private moment. >> woodruff: slad mere is of course putin, medvedev's predecessor and now his elected successor. russian cooperation also remains key to agreements to reduce super power nuclear arsenals. as well as to resolution of the iranian nuclear issue. as the guessing game over whether israel will strike iran continues. russian and american officials did discuss how to cut their strategic and tactical nuclear arsenal. the president, who has made a nuclear-free world a goal, said this today. >> we have more nuclear weapons than we need. i firmly believe that we can ensure the security of the united states and our allies. >> woodruff: tomorrow's summit- ending communique will focus on the drive to lock down nuclear materiale scattered in countries all over the world by 2014. and for more on all this, we get two views. joseph cirincione is the president of the ploughshares fund, a foundation that promotes

mr. president, we can hear you capitulating to the russians. although, on the plus side, medvedev no longer that's transmit that's information to vladimir. ( laughter ) it's on the tv. can we hear him say that again? >> jon: i transmit this information to vladimir. that is a sentence that should only be spoken into a shoe phone. ( laughter ). i mean, i know it's not necessarily sinister, but it really does sound pretty ( bleep ) sinister, doesn't is it? "i transmit this information to vladimir." give me that again. all he's really saying is, all right, i'll tell him. but when it comes out with a little russian sauce on it "i will transmit this information to vladimir." i wonder if russia has been our enemy for so many years because everything they say sounds evil. we would go, "hey, man, is dinner ready?" and in russian it would be, "has the borschht been preparedded for dinner? i can't believe it's not butter. the authorities insist it is not butter, but, my life experience tells me otherwise. now, i'm sure republicans are going to say that the president's gaffe was sinister. but

conversation the cameras picked up between president obama and outgoing russian president medvedev in which mr. m asked for space on the missile defense system the u.s. and russia disagree on. the white house says given the political transition in russia and the presidential election in the united states, little progress was likely to be made on the missile defense system but technical experts will continue to work on it. jenna. jenna: we thank wendell goler for that report from seoul, south korea. the president is also addressing our nuclear arsenal saying he's committed to working with russia to further reduce the number of warheads worldwide. we're going to have more on that in a few moments. jon: new developments in the shooting death of anan jrmd black teenager in florida. friends and supporters, speaking out on behalf of the neighborhood watch volunteer who told police he shot the 17-year-old in self-defense. his friends say the man is in hiding after receiving death threats. this as protests spread across the country. phil keating is live in sanford, florida. i guess there's a new witne

mr. obama. win one last election to gain flexibility, and weaken our defenses to fundamentally transform the world. dmitry medvedevtransfer the message. >> starring barack obama as president flexible. dmitry medvedev as andriskov. >> wow, it is yet to be seen if the incident we saw will be a long-term problem. the democrats might have you singing along with this. mitt romney got the endorsement of congressman paul ryan today, and the dnc had fun linking ryan and the tax-cutting medicare-threatening budget with mitt romney. ♪ when old mitt claps his hands for the paul ryan plan ♪ ♪ that's amore >> when the plan came out, i applauded it. ♪ when paul ryan gives props to mitt romney's chops ♪ ♪ that's amore ♪ pain for the middle class ♪ the middle-class ♪ if they pass the budget >> their plan is to end medicare as we know it. ♪ but it is for the billionaire and the millionaire to give tax cuts ♪ >> gives tax cuts to the wealthy. ♪ and they prepare to find ways to end medicare ♪ ♪ that's amore >> we have done coordination on the plans. ♪ when old willard goes nuts for the congressman's cuts ♪ ♪ they are in love >> paul

mr. chairman, and i participated in a private sector group that prepared and submitted a joint report to president medvedev and president obama. entitled russia u.s. joint working group on joint institutional integrity. simply in 2009 i served as co-chair of a public sector advisory committee that provided the administration with recommendations on a new bilateral investment treaty, new model bit. my written statement describes three sets of disciplines. you could think of them as a triangle, that form the foundation for a solid rule of law framework for international business activity. first trade disciplines, second, investment disciplines, and third, institutional integrity. when only one or two of those are in place, the rule of law framework for business is not as strong nor as stable as it is when all three sides of the rule of law triangle are in place. i believe congress and the administration should be partners in ensuring that all three sides of the rule of law triangle become firmly established in our economic relationship with russia. in my testimony, in my written testimony, i urged that six a

capitol hill but the conversation between obama and medvedev which wasn't supposed to go public more about it half an hour but right now you're up to date next mr cars or unco. stars of this is the kaiser report oh we're hunting bunting we shall go tell you know things are tell us more. hunting for joining lloyd blankfein hunt goldman c.e.o. lloyd blankfein reportedly hunting for muppets so c.e.o. lloyd blankfein told partners in a conference call this week that he's scanning internal e-mails for the term up it and other evidence that employees refer to clients in a derogatory way yeah ok so he's going through everybody's email looking for a muppet sees in their bedroom he's in the bathroom he's examining everyone looking for the word muppet looking in the mirror lloyd blankfein that's the biggest muppet of them on you you go up in the joke's on you well two things first of all he's buddies with the n.s.a. i'm sure you can just call them and say send me although not references from my firm and number two just look at the headlines around the world because that's what we're going to do and you can see muppets everywhere you look first headline t

medvedev he needed more space and, quote, this is my last election. after my election i'll have more flexibility. well, this morning at the nuclear summit in seoul, mr. o said arms controls are complex and it's not surprising a deal can't be reached quickly. >> this is not a matter of hiding the ball. the only way i get this stuff done is if i'm consulting with pentagon, if i'm consulting with congress, if i've got bipartisan support, and, frankly, the current environment is not conducive to those kinds of thoughtful consultations. >> republicans were quick to criticize the open mike comments. speaking in san diego gop presidential contender mitt romney says it appears the president is about to cave in to the russians. >> that is an alarming and troubling development. this is no time for the president to be pulling his punches with the american people. >> russia wants a pledge that its missiles would not be targeted by the proposed anti-missile system, and some control on how it would be used. >>> well, for the second day in a row the supreme court hears arguments on president obama's politically charged health care overhaul law. today is the main e

of the president's quote to medvedev, you've been quoting saying there is huge cause for concern here, mr. ambassador. what do you mean? >> well, this is a fire bell in the night this comment by obama. you know, the only flexibility that he can be talking about, and i think you could see medvedev understood it perfectly, is giving away more from the american position on missile defense and more broadly on security issues. for the president to try and say today as he did, that you can't get something complicated starting in an election year is just dissembling. obviously he is saying to medvedev and the russian government generally, just wait until after the election is over and i can give way on points that i would be harshly criticized for in the united states if i surrendered them before the election. jon: what about jay carney's comment that al qaeda is more of a problem for the united states and groups like it, than say the russian government? >> well, maybe he should talk to the president more often. you know, if you listen to president obama having killed osama bin laden, al qaeda i

>> reporter: a day after telling outgoing russian president medvedev that issues can be solved if putin gives him space, mr. obama told reporters he had no hidden agenda. >> i want to reduce our nuclear stockpiles. one of the barriers to doing that is building trust and cooperation around missile defense issues. and so this is not a matter of hiding the ball. i'm on record. >> reporter: building that kind of trust, said the president, means finding bipartisan support in congress which is difficult in an election year. >> frankly the current environment is not conducive to those kinds of thoughtful consultations. i think the stories you guys have been writing over the last 24 hours is good evidence of that. i think we'll do better in 2013. >> reporter: there was one part of the question asked today that the president didn't answer. whether he was being presumptuous in suggesting he would still be president after the election. for "cbs this morning," i'm bill plante with the president in >> announcer: thisatio >> this national weather report sponsored by dove hair care. advanced care and repair for beautiful

russian outgoing president dmitry medvedev president obama overheard asking for space on the european missile defense system, russia's strongly opposes. >> later aides said mrama was recognizing given the political transition in russia and the presidential campaign in the united states, a break through on missile defense is unlikely. but mr. obama was unlikely to get negotiating space from republicans on missile defense, he hasn't delivered the upgrade to the nuclear arsenal he promised two years ago. north koreans plan to launch satellite and is thinly vailed missile test. at a speech, the president spoke directly to the north. >> there will be no rewards for provocations. those days are over. ththis is the choice before you. >> sunday mr. obama visited te militarizeed zone, called the heavily fortified boarder in the world. more than a million south korean troop and 28,000 u.s. service troops in the middle. later he said looking north across the border is looking in the past. >> it's like you are looking across 50 years. in to a councilmember tha count0 to 50 years of progress. >> on this day, chinese officials concedeed they, too, were concerned by north

medvedev. he told him he would have more flexibility to discuss the missile program after the presidential election. >> your mission is simple, mribility, weaken our defenses and fundamentally transform the world. dmitri will transmit the information. >> starring barack obama as president flexible. dmitry medvedev and vladimir putin as himself. >> we'll go back to our panel. so let's go with you, anne. it seems the president speaking early here. does this send the wrong message to voters if he appears overconfident, could this hurt him? >> well, i don't know if the overconfidence will hurt him or the idea that he's asking foreign leaders to wait until his re-election for him to do something else. both sides, both supporters and his detractors have for some time been speculating about what he would do in a second term, whether it's gay marriage, middle east peace. this adds another thing for them to wonder about. >> can i also ask you, you've been out on the trail, how does this happen? logistically. you're like, what? >> you'd think they would do a full sweep to look for microphones. in that instance, it did seem he might have t

mr. obama. win one mass election to gain some flexibility and weaken our defenses and transform the world. dmitry will transmit the information. >> starring barack obama as president flexible, dmitry medvedevsmakov, and vladimir putin as himself. >> well, that's a fallen one, i suppose. it won't be much of a long term problem for president obama. >>> mitt romney got the endorsement of congressman paul ryan today, and the dnc had some fun linking ryan and his tax-cutting medicare threatening budget with mitt romney. ♪ when old mitt collaplaps his for the paul ryan plan, that's amore ♪ >> when his plan came out, i applauded it. ♪ when paul ryan give us chops to mitt romney's tops, that's amore ♪ ♪ for the middle class, for the middle class, for the middle class, if they pass their budget ♪ ♪ but great care for the millionaire and the billionaire for their tax cuts ♪ ♪ when they need to prepare and change medicare, that's amore ♪ ♪ when old willard goes nuts for the congressman's cuts, they're in love ♪ >> paul ryan is one of the brilliant visionaries in our party. ♪ when you work hand in hand pushing parallel plans, oh senor ♪ ♪ but you see with ryan and romney, that's amore ♪ >> somewhere t

mr. putin that a crook and a thief has no place in the kremlin. we had enough humiliation. >> warner: for many, that humiliation was epitomized by putin's bid to return with a job-flipping announcement by medvedev last september. simmering resentment let loose on the internet then, wide suspicions of fraud in december's parliamentary elections blew it open into the streets. >> we have to stop sitting in our apartments. we have now to do something for the political system. >> warner: we rode to sunday's rally with 25-year-old interpreter dmitry makarov. never active before, he was stirred to action when social media spad videos of voter intimidation and ballot- stuffing. >> so evident and so arrogant that we thought it's not real, but when your friends upload the video to facebook or they send a photo to twitter, and you believe your friends, right? >> warner: 12 years of putin power have brought benefits to makarov and many like him, as russia's freed-up economy rode atop sky-high oil and gas prices. now, he says, government needs to catch up. >> we're not satisfied with how the government works. they are too far behind us. we want good service at a restaurant, but at the same time, we want goo