and writing the stories about norman schwarzkopf's death. when people came together in both parties and did things they felt best for the i felt that a little bit when president obama had a at what pointing prusz event before this that didn't help with the negotiations. i felt that way with speaker boehner with a deeply divided caucus and not able to do what he needs to do. they have to do something hard as opposed to what senator sanders was arguing. the main problem we have for 30 years in the future is middle class entitlement that we can't afford. we need broader taxes or reduced benefits or a mix of the two. those are the hardest things in politics to do and it will require real leadership by both sides. >> the president said he is willing to make compromises. is he willing to face the denial that michael grish am laid out. >> if you look at the negotiating position and trying to make a bigger deal on social security, it shows he was willing to bend, even on this deal. the taxes, he bent on the payroll tax cut. he is willing to bend. mi

. >> eliot: back to recently with norman schwarzkopf's obituary, but it still feels different. >> wet had these terrible in afghanistan. if we learned that lesson. but we forget it. it's amnesia. >> eliot: when robert gates was the fulcrum of our government said we should have our heads examined if we invade perhaps that means we have learned. >> we learned it of a vietnam and then we lost it. >> eliot: we're bad students. if that's your point. >> we don't learn history in this country. it's very instrumental for most people. if leaders use it. >> eliot: thank you. next on "viewpoint"." >> eliot: i'm back with academy award winning director oliver stone and peter kuszick who wrote a book "the untold history of the united states." thank you. you said before we learned the wrong lessons, and sometimes it's better to study mistakes than victories. one of the mistakes was in 1944 with henry wallace who did not rise to the level of leadership he should have. sprain whyexplain why this is pivotal moment. >> he knew we were he had haded toward a war with fascist and the convention refused t

the president was sort as i said last night preparing the battlefield, like the late norman schwarzkopfld say. he would say if the government can shut down for the next couple of months, if there is a fail your to pay bills, none of this both sides did it, none of this finger-pointing on capitol hill, none of the old malarkey and tired old cliches. the republican party wants to stop this government, blame them. will that work its way into the news coverage? will the people begin to buy the president's shaping of the battlefield? >> it seems like that has happened every time. that the republicans get more of the blame when we have these sorts of, you know, end of the night deals that have to get made, because they have been doing a bit of foot-dragging. so he is definitely laying down the rhetoric. i think one of the things he said in the press conference, which i think people will resonate with, which is this whole idea, if you go out and buy an expensive bill, when the check comes, you can't refuse to buy the bill. he is likening that to refuse tolerate the debt limit. it resonates wit