and neera tanden.at the conversation, the policy conversation in washington is too backwards focused in terms of fighting off these cuts and too narrow in terms of how we're thinking about solutions? >> well, chris, we have to play offense and defense. last year, we celebrated 50 years of the war on poverty. we had lynda johnson-robb and came and talked about how head-start, job corps, food stamps, medicaid, how all these great initiatives during her father and mother's time were still appropriate today. thank you, maria, for continuing with the legacy of your mother and father. your father was the architect of these great society programs. we're trying to preserve this right now against these budget cuts and against this very backwards thinking with regard to issues of income inequality and poverty reduction. >> barbara, neera, how do you think we bring, you know, bring this down the line so to speak? get some movement on this? we have a moment here. there's a lot going on. a lot of discussion. seems

bush, neera tanden, president of the left-leaning center for american progress. she served in both the obama and clinton administrations. and andrew rudalevige, professor of government at bowdoin college, and author of the book "the new imperial presidency: renewing presidential power after watergate." what did the speech, neera tanden, tell you about where the president and the presidency stands right now? >> well, i think the president was really trying to foe can cus on the country from the lead where he could. i think not that much is going to get through congress. i'm optimistic about immigration reform, but past immigration reform it seems like he recognize there is's a limit to what he can do in washington and he is not just limited by washington, he can do things in the country as well. fill fill michael, you've had a hand in crafting these hydra-headed state of the union speeches with so many people contributing to it. what did that speech tell you and the republican ae action to it tell you about where things stand now? >> well, i think it's first worth

in the "crossfire" tonight, neera tanden and amy kremer.sident obama has decided to get new -- he's just as sick of the job that congress is doing as the rest of us. in his exclusive interview with cnn's jake tapper today the president went out of his way to explain why. >> the house republicans in particular have had difficulty rallying around any agenda much less mine. and in that kind of environment what i don't want is the american people to think that the only way for us to make big change is through legislation. we've all got to work together to continue to provide opportunity for the next generation. >> the president's pen already has the house republicans rolling over. they're suddenly talking about compromise on everything from immigration to the debt limit. mr. president, keep on writing and the republicans will keep rolling over. amy, i mean, look, with 65% of the american people disapproving of the tea party, the house republicans now running away from the tea party, are you afraid that the house republicans will throw you under

"crossfire" with guests neera tanden and amy kremer starts right now. >>> tonight on "crossfire" -- thean exclusive interview with cnn says -- >> i can't wait. and the american people, more importantly, cannot wait. >> while republicans talk of compromise, even on immigration. >> turned into a political football. i think it's unfair. >> will conservatives let their leaders make a deal? on the left, donna brazile, on the right, newt gingrich. in the "crossfire" -- neera tanden, who worked with the obama administration, and amy kremer of the tea party express. is reaching for compromise a slap in the face to the grassroots? tonight on "crossfire." >>> welcome to "crossfire," i'm donna brazile on the left. >> i'm newt gingrich on the right. in the "crossfire" tonight, an obama democrat and a tea party republican. after five years of failing to get the economy going, the president today used an exclusive interview with cnn's jake tapper to reveal his latest gimmick. let's listen to the president. >> what we've done is to gather together 300 companies, just to start with, including some of t

congresswoman barbara lee, neera tanden. for more information, download the "shriver report" for free at shriverreport.org. "the rachel maddow show" starts now. >>> good evening, happy monday. thanks to you at home for joining us. the largest city in the state of new jersey is newark, new jersey. until recently, of course, the mayor of newark, new jersey, was a man you might have heard of. cory booker. cory booker now is no longer the mayor of newark because he's a united states senator now. one of the highest profile democrats in the country. there are not that many people who have jumped from mayor to u.s. senator, but cory booker did that. and the city he jumped from is new jersey's largest. the second largest city in new jersey is jersey city. and jersey city, too, is starting to become known for its rising star of a democratic mayor. his name is steven fulop, he is 36 years old. his parents were immigrants to this country. he grew up working in their deli in newark. he worked hard, went to college, got himself a great j

publication to the atlantic so we're delighted to be working with the center for american progress and neera tandenthank you, elizabeth, for the very kind introduction and for the great partnership of atlantic. we are excited about this day and atlantic brings so much to our ability to communicate these ideas but also brings such a new and innovative ideas. so thank you again. at the core of our mission is expanding opportunity for all americans. we believe with all americans have a fair shot we are all better off, and that is why the work we have done with maria shriver on this book and this project has been so important and so critical. because ensuring that women who are one paycheck away from poverty, or already in poverty themselves, ensuring that a real opportunity we believe will ensure their families to better, our country does better, our communities do better, our businesses do better, and that we are really again all better off. we really honestly believe as a guiding principle that just because you're down doesn't mean you're out in america. that is a critical principle, something that

neera tanden, thank you. pat and dick nixon. >>> up next, former defense secretary bob gates talks about his controversial new book and his response to the criticism that followed. "morning joe" will be right back. when i first started shopping for a hybrid... i didn't even look at anything else. i just assumed you went and bought a prius. so this time around we were able to do some research and we ended up getting a ford... which we love. it's been a wonderful switch. it has everything that you could want in a car. it's the most fun to drive... because it's the most hi tech inside... i think this c-max can run circles around the prius... the biggest difference would definitely be the acceleration of the car... if you can get someone to test-drive a c-max... they would end up buying this more times than not. kand i don't have time foris morunreliable companies.b angie's list definitely saves me time and money. for over 18 years we've helped people take care of the things that matter most. join today. and then