mr. franklin? he said, a republic, if you can keep it. can we? that statement looms larger today than perhaps any other time in our history, maybe with the exception of the civil war. take the time to consider the values and the principles and the history of this country, what we were founded on. the values and the principles, the role they play, not only in our country, but they play in our own life. it is my goal, i really truly believe with everything in me that this audience will change the course of the nation, and thus change the course of the world, if we are our highest self. if we have -- if we've done the hard work. and it's hard, especially before the problem really hits. i ask you tonight, take an inventory of your own life. take the 40-day and 40-night challenge, a blueprint for national survival. i ask you, in 40 days, please, with a firm reliance, we mutually pledge to each other our sacred honor, it's a four-step process, all outlined on the website. please take that. take a moment to find and center yourself, take a moment to be

mr. franklin or jefferson could imagine big money politics and a person who has all the money has all of the power. you are totally out of touch. the guy previous was completely correct. money can purchase things. host: we got a point. i want to add this tweet the guest: of course, i do. host: there is cynicism. guest: i can see that. part of it is i think the congress gets a bad rap. i think people do not understand institution and the people who come here are better than they ever tried on television -- except on c-span, the average rate accurately. i will give you quote for the late, great journalist, tim russert. he was asked what is the one story we should cover in washington and we don't. without risk -- missing a beat, he said most of the people who come here are decent, good americans, who just happen to disagree with other decent, good americans. i have worked with these members of staff for 30 years and they are hardworking people. they were the equivalent of two jobs. the pew research center did a survey of members of congress about 10 years ago and asked how many hours do you

mr. franklin or jefferson could imagine big money politics and a person who has all the money has all ofthe guy previous was completely correct. money can purchase things. host: we got a point. want to add this tweet the guest: of course, i do. host: there isynicism. guest: i can see that. part of it is i think t congress gets a bad rap. i think people do not understand institution and the people who come here are better than they ever tried on television -- except on c-span, the average rate accurately. i will give you quote for the late, great journalist, tim russert. he was asked what is the one story we should cover in washington and we don't. without risk -- missing a beat, he said most of the people who come here are decent, good americans, who just happen to disagr with other decent, good americans. i have worked with these members of staff for 30 years and they are hardworking people. they were the equivalent of two jobs. the pew research center did a survey of members of congress about 10 years ago and asked how many hours do you work and members ofongress, 75% say they worked 7

mr. president, i said it's trust. trust is the political coin of the realm. people trusted franklin roosevelt. eleanor there was the story that after franklin died somebody stopped eleanor on the street and said i missed the way your husband used to speak to me about my government. now you can imagine someone saying that about any politician now? but roose investment connected brilliantly because on those fire side chats. >> why can't obama do that? >> i'm not sure. he talked to us about all this at that dinner. i'm not sure. but clearly it has not happened. you know, they've tried to find a bumper sticker to speak to the nation and they came up with what the new foundation. my friend doris concerns goodwin said to me it sounds like a woman's girdle. >> what's the great debate of our time? >> well, currently the great debate is how do we repair the economy, get back to prosperity the way we -- >> that's not a great debate. that is a question of -- >> well, it's an anguish, let's say. but the great debate i would think is how do you find a policy, a larger design, a vision of how are you going

franklin institute, derrick pitts. a pleasure. >> thanks, keith. >>> nf 16th, 15 days since republicans took control of the house. mr. boehner, where are the jobs? i'm keith olbermann. good night and good luck. >>> tomorrow's election day, at least for nancy pelosi. let's play some "hardball." >>> good evening. i'm michael smerconish in for chris matthews, who's in rome for the ceremony, elevating washington bishop whirl to cardinal. >>> leading off tonight, challenges in the house. you can add charlie rangel to the list of embarrassments on nancy pelosi's plate. the new york congressman was found guilty on 11 counts and now awaits punishment. pelosi may have held on to her job, but is still facing down challenges from blue dogs and liberals. on the republican side, at least 39 new house members are tea partiers and they're not shy about making their voices heard. we'll talk to two of the incoming freshman, a democrat and tea party republican. here is a sign of tea party power. at least 27 republican senators have agreed to ban earmarks, including minority leader mitch mcconnell who secured 113 million in pork projec

franklin institute, derrick pitts. a pleasure. >> thanks, keith. >>> nf 16th, 15 days since republicans took control of the house. mr. boehner, where are the jobs? i'm keith olbermann. good night and good luck. >>> welcome to another -- i can't believe we're doing this. welcome to another end sed of "pin the debt on the donkey," everywhere. not only can i not believe we're doing this, i can't believe we're doing it for a second time. but we are. all right. the challenge as always is to figure out which u.s. presidents saddled america with the most debt during his time in office. and which presidents didn't. our two contestants this evening are rachel maddow show producer, vanessa. hello. also return for another appearance on "pin the debt on the donkey" the one and only kent jones. fingers on your buzzers, everywhere. ready? first question. of the last five u.s. presidents who during his time in office increased the national debt by the largest percentage? vanessa? >> bill clinton. >> uh -- >> jimmy carter. >> no, although i have to say we've greatly improved the wah-wah since the first episode of the show. for that

mr. president, the recession's not over for many, many americans. and if something has proven that it works, why don't we reinstitute it? it was president franklin roosevelt that said during another time of economic peril, the great depression, he said, only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment. mr. president, do we not have the dark realities of the moment of what's happening in the state of the presiding officer right now, in my state and many others? indeed, these are dark economic times and most every american knows it. just look to the elections. in almost every exit the poll after these elections, 60% of the voters said that the economy was the most important issue that was facing the nation that they were concerned about as they walked into that polling place. 40% of those same voters said that the families -- their families are worse off financially than they were just a few years ago. and 33% of them said that someone in their household had lost a job recently. is that not the dark realities of the moment? so let's take something that worked. and despite the fact that it's costly, let's find an offset. let's find

mrs. dodd replied what's the matter with franklin roosevelt? it was a great line. the truth is while grace and todd dodd were new dealers they knew when they taught they children they all have an obligation in our own time to try to move america to a more perfect union, thomas dodd worked to fulfill that obligation in his time. he chased don dillinger as an f.b.i. agent, prosecuted war criminals and kkk members as government lawyer and served in the house and senate. his son chris followed his father's example, found his way to serve america by serving as a peace corps volunteer in the dominican republic where he lived in a house with tin roof, no running water or telephone. in that village he started a maternity hospital, family planning program, youth club and school. those were the first installments of what would become for chris dodd a lifetime of work protecting women and children worldwide. senator dodd was elected to the senate in 1980 at the ripe age of 36. he is both the youngest person ever elected in connecticut history to the senate and the longest ser