i think the set of people the obama white house is getting ideas from is much smaller. it is amazing to me that the people who presided over the dismantling of glass stiegel and started this whole financial crisis, the -- tim geithner and larry summers just have come back to the white house without any kind of problem. it is almost as if fdr had brought back herbert hoover's secretary of the treasury. that would have stunned the country. it is kind of stunning to not seek a wider range of people for information. host: some of the mistakes is the president's decision to leave the reordering of the financial world to timothy geithner and larry summers. they played a major role in bringing on the disaster in the first place. you say it is not too late to

inside the obama white house is my favorite new show. there is something really compelling about the main character. a wonderful narrative'. in fact, the show has been such a hit that all of you guys now want to comment tape one in my house. abc is planning one called "dancing with the czars." [laughter] nick at nite has a new take on an old classic, leave it to a uighers. -- "leave it to uighers." i thought that was pretty good. these shows all be competing directly with governor schwarzenegger's new reality series, i'm a celebrity, get me out of here. [laughter] that's how i feel tonight. it's nothing personal. but this dinner conflicts with my day and night. -- date night. i was posted well with michelle for thai food in bangkok. [laughter] but i have been doing a lot of traveling. i just returned from a trip abroad, as you know. in egypt, we toured the pyramids. by now, i'm sure all of you have seen the pictures of rahm on a camel. i was a little nervous about the whole situation. i said at the time, there is a wild animal known to b

there is some concern also by the obama white house that may violate the pledge to not raise taxes on people making under two hundred $50,000. as far as a pot of money, where you'll find savings. that is where you find it. what could happen in this bill that is yet to be released is the taxes are increased for those who are making a fair amount of money. we have not seen legislative language on that. it will be a tax increase. host: about the timetable here, there is a lot that the administration get -- wants to get done. they have an energy bill. where does health-care rank in priorities? guest: it is very high. they do support climate change, but health care is number one on their domestic agenda. they want to get judge sotomayor through. some democrats, including paul the gala said if they get health care done today said it will be a huge banner year for democrats in the white house. if they fail on it, it is open to debate whether democrats will have a good year. they need to get these bills through committee. the senate is leading on health care reform right now. the house is not

health reform, said we are not going to take it this time and get the management of budget from the obama white house. which is to say we don't want a disinterested estimate of the cost of this thing. furthermore this whole debate is taking place in the context conditioned by one great fact. it was a survey, it said that 80% of americans rate their health care good or excellent. there is no clamor for a radical change for health care. let's of things could be done, i have ideas that are more radical than obama. but we have to understand that the american people are not clamoring for this. host: you can't leave ideas of more radical ideas without an example. guest: john mccain had an idea, give people money, tax the compensation. tax as compensation employer provided health insurance. but make up for the tax by giving people a refundable tax credit for the 40 million that pay no taxes. a refundable tax credit, 7500 for individual, to buy your own. furthermore health savings accounts, if you buy a high-deductible policy, you are eligible for tax deferred savings out of which you pay your out of p

[laughter] >> i must say the whole thing was worth it inside the obama white house is my favorite new show. there's just something really compelling about the main character. wonderful narrative. in fact, the show has been such a hit that all of you guys now want to come and tape one in my house. abc is planning a series called "dancing with the zars." tlc has something called "jon and kate and peter orszag." knick at night has one called "leave it to weegers". given the fiscal crisis in california, the shows will be competing with governor schwarzenegger's new reality series, "i'm a celebrity" "get me out of here." >> that's how i feel tonight. it's nothing personal, but this dinner conflicts with my date night. i was supposed to going out with michelle for thai food in bangkok. [laughter] >> but i have been doing a lot of traveling, i just returned from a trip from in egypt and we had the opportunity to tour the pyramids and you have seen the pictures of rahm on a camel. i was nervous about the whole situation. i said, there's a wild animal, known to bite, kick and spit, and who kno

i think the obama white house is aware and of the and change -- is aware of the change in the environment. it is not the same army we had during the 60's and 70's. -- it is not the same environments we had during the 1960's and the 1970's. there is not an establishment of the presidency in this country. the whole idea of the rhetorical presidency was that the big speech, and this happened until reagan, the defense to the passage of is a legislation. -- that you could affect the passage of legislation. you talk about going to the restroom and twittering. with all kinds of gadgets carrying around, but i mean it is just that way. the country has a lot of people here who are going to get distracted into their own cubbyholes. but the that's one reason why the obama administration is taking on so much so early pre did have an intuitive understanding that people's attention is going to scatter. i think he is enormously capable. this is one respect in which he is different than george w. bush. he was ok. when he was given a written speech and he could give it, he had some gifted speech writers. i

growth instrument for it and democrats are delighted by this turn of defense. >> as he moved the obama white house though blacks are they reacting? >> i think that, no, i don't think the decision yesterday had anything -- i think that was a foregone kirker -- conclusion and as we have discussed i think that president obama is a pretty cautious person in this whole realm and i don't think that he is coming to -- >> the folks at the pentagon and the cia -- >> the main story is he's getting too much to the military ground on this right now. >> okay. >> let me say i am incredibly curious what is in the memos. i really want to see i hesitate to prejudge. i don't think he's kind and up being a hero for political independence but he certainly could end up helping him and the bush administration with the republican base. and these memos will come out. it is impossible something that significant quality eventually come out. it is the rule of washington. >> it has to i think in terms of that these documents are hung up in this current litigation. so once that ends presumably they can be made available

. >> yesterday, former secretary robert rush said he was worried the obama white house had overlearned the lessons of the clinton years. deferring too much to congress when it came to crafting legislation. what are your responses to that critique which i should add george stephanopoulos seemed to agree with? >> well, i don't want to weigh into network politics on this, i quite honestly don't want to -- don't think there's a whole lot of utility in me getting involved in a debate about tactically whether the pursuit of what we are doing versus how or when it was pursued 16 years ago is appropriate except to say, as i said earlier, the president envisioned as he said throughout the campaign a big table of negotiations in order to get long-term comprehensive healthcare reform that cuts cost. i don't see based on the notion that the pharmaceutical industry who, again, was on the other side of the political debate, not even at the table 16 years ago, i think where aarp was 16 years ago, i think regardless of what we have or have not learned, i think the process that the president is moving

and at a meeting of the campaign for america's future, progressives discuss their role in an obama white house. >> a hearing on federal health care spending. the secretary of health and human services, kathleen sebelius, testified about her department's annual budget at this hearing of the house appropriations committee. the white house has proposed an $879 billion h.h.s. budget for fiscal year 2010. that's a $63 billion increase over this year's budget. this hearing is two hours 15 minutes. this hearing is two hours and 15 minutes. >> -- before this subcommittee. i noted the presence of the kansas call. [laughter] and we welcome that, too, today. madam secretary, when i was in the legislature i served with a fellow by the name of harvey do helm who was a retired dairy farmer, on lee as a basset hound on a bad day. [laughter] and he was probably the best human being i ever served with anywhere. and one of the things he always said he said you know one of the problems with this country is all too often the poor and the rich get the same amount of i support it there's in the wintertime, an

president obama's white house attitude that in the memo before they released it to the public. today, many weeks later, the president still won't let you, the american people, see the documents that show how effective this program was. last week in this very building, the house intelligence committee took up this issue, and according to news reports, the hill newspaper was one example, following a detailed briefing on the enhanced interrogation program republican members said they were briefed the program worked and terrorist attacks were prevented because is that a vote wax democrats on the committee again moved to cover the information and prevent the american people from hearing the truth. why don't they want us to know the truth? why won't they released the memo? i think it is because they know the american people believe enhanced interrogation is justified to save american lives and because of the american people get to see the evidence that this program did save lives and prevent attacks they will want to know how the president could have cavalierly released the details o

a secret task force of the white house by hillary clinton and the only people they allowed in that room from congress for the legislative councils to draft legislation. obama is going just about the opposite line and deferring. >> baucus for instance and kennedy staff and others to begin drafting the details but working closely with the white house staff and secretary of health and human services so he is consciously going about in a way letting congress work on the details but making sure that the general guidelines that obama has in mind are in place. >> okay, and the comments or questions? among the panelists? go ahead. >> use said one thing that struck me, the whole idea that presidents get groundout overtime and that brings up the whole discussion that has been going on at the white house among the press and blogs and such as to whether he is overexposed. he is out there everyday and there are what is the american public someday just kind of says i am getting tired of him, i just don't like him as much as i used to hearing if they are in big trouble if that happens because they are using him to sell everything. >> let me just add on that point. i thin

others, the "new york times" observed that at least so far the candidates being considered by the obama white house for early nomination do not appear to have a special ideological profile. for that i say hooray. the nominations are of course just the first step because of the senate's role to advise and consent it certainly makes sense for the white house to consult with senators before the nomination is finalized. and for district judges at least there's a tradition of considerable senatorial courtesy. but courtesy is one thing. for the president to totally abdicate his constitutional power to nominate is not wise. and those who want to submit only one name for the president's consideration rather than three or a panel are asking the preses to totally abdicate his role in the process. the president should rightfully refuse such entreaties. presidents, however, still has to get his nominees confirmed. the 41 republicans in the senate sent president obama a letter on march 2nd in which they said "we look forward to working with you as you consider nominees for the federal judiciary." they wen

that injuries and wounds, exercised at the highest level of this government, straight from the obama white house and the democrat leadership in this congress. they will say anything and do anything to keep power. their victims are my constituents, the people of the san joaquin valley, who have done nothing to deserve this cruelty at the hands of this government. the clock is ticking. there is very little time left. this congress must act and act now. at this moment, madam speaker, members of this body are at the white house having a luau. and in the meantime, there's 40,000 people without jobs in the san joaquin valley because of the inaction by the democrats in this congress. come back, stop the luau, stop the partying and come back and vote no on this rule and allow amendment on this bill to bring people to the san joaquin valley. come back. stop the partying. come back now. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from colorado. mr. polis: thank you, madam speaker. to address the gentleman from california, in a previous discussion at the rules committee,

cbo this time, look at our estimate from the office of budget which is to say will get within the obama white house which is to say we don't want it is interested that estimate of the cost of this thing. furthermore, this whole debate is taking place in the context condition by one great iraq and that it was it was either the pew or kaiser survey, i have forgotten which one, says that a percent of americans with their health care good or excellent so there really is no clamor in this country for a radical change of health care. lots of things could be done. i have ideas that are more radical than barack obama's what to do with health care, but we have to understand the american people are not clamoring for and this, either his approach or mine. >> host: ideas that are even more radical without giving us an idea does make john mccain have the right idea which is give people money coming give people control their attacks as compensation which it obviously is the biggest tax somebody in the budget. tax as compensation, employer provided health insurance but make up for that tax by giving people

than sired scepters, if rick wagoner had been that studhorse it would have been at gm telling the obama white house to go get some new management is what would have happened. karzai the reliable especially the cars but neither our horses and a list of cars it is not personal. horses have complex psychologies, they have little brains. horses are like your adolescence children's. cars are like your computer but the computer may be bulky and slow and may even be worth less, but it never addresses itself in all black, gives every part of its keyboard pierced, screams that you don't understand and goes out and takes the drugs and is brought home by the police at 3:00 a.m.. [laughter] actually horses don't do that either but you understand. changing a tire on a car is no fun but easier than issuing a horse and will get kicked or britain or have menorah dump on your head and was a change in a very bad neighborhood. you take apart and put it in a damp space and there for months and the spca will not get on your case. for that matter you could be a car in the street without raising in a public protest

but president obama's white house edited out that reference of the memo before they released it to the public. today, many weeks later, the president still won't let you, won't let the american people see the documents that show how effective this program was. last week in this very building the house intelligence committee took up this issue and according to the reports, the hill newspaper was one example following a detailed briefing on the interrogation program were briefed that they worked -- is that a vote. they moved to cover up the information and prehaven't the american people from hearing the truth. why don't they want us to know the truth? why won't they release the memos? i think it's because they know the american people believe that enhanced interrogation is justified to save american lives. and because if the american people to get to see the evidence that this program did save lives and prevent attacks they will want to know how the president so cavalierly released the program. how can he justify putting that information in the hands of terrorists. now, president obama s

obama makes these insulated white liberals feel good about themselves. think that is the simple thing about it. i believe, as bernard goldberg said, there is a slobbering love affair. one reporter said during the inauguration that even the seagulls were in awe. i think it is hilarious. host: you can also use twitter. you can also find the schedule and the guest lineup on twitter. we are asking about president obama's relationship with the media. one person right here in the philadelphia paper, he is from the potomac strategy group, claims that there is a love affair going on. the next caller is on the in the pimm line. caller: good morning, america. for more than one year now i have been -- senator obama, now president obama -- i want to know what president obama will do about slave descendants reparations. that debate was just in the house and senate. a couple of things were done as far as apologies. i can give you an example that the media has protected him from that issue. right now i will tell you that this guy is a can-kicker. the gay issues, he kic

now we're taking you to the white house where president obama and if the south korean president are holding a joint news conference. lee myung bak also met with hillary clinton, secretary of state today. this is live on c-span. >> good morning, everybody. president lee, on behalf of the american people, it is my pleasure to welcome you to washington. [president obama's speaking in korean] >> thank you. >> the first lady michelle obama is delighted to host your wife. the south korea is one of our closest allies. a friendship forged through a history of self sacrifice and anchored in our shared democratic values. mr. president, i am pleased that the french between our countries has grown stronger under your leadership. -- the friendship between our countries has grown. north korea has abandoned its own commitments and violated international law. its nuclear and ballistic missile programs pose a great threat to peace and security of asia and to the world. in the face of these threats and provocations, the people of the republic of korea have shown a steadiness and resolve that has earned the r

was usable fissile material and maintain in force these authorities to remain, signed barack obama, the white house, june 18, 2009. the speaker pro tempore: sent to the committeed on ordered printed. the clerk: leaves of absence for ms. ve laz quezz for today and the balance of the week, mrs. schmidt of ohio for today until 1:50 p.m. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the requests are granted. the gentleman from new york. mr. arcuri: i move that the house do now adjourn. the speaker pro tempore: those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. the motion is agreed to. accordingly, the hou >> we're going to go back now to the health committee, the senate health committee mark-up. they've been marking up this bill for a time to last through the end of next week. >> the meeting will come to order. we have a aquarium present and i thank my colleagues for being here this morning. yesterday was a long day of openings statements. but i think worthwhile. given the magnitude of the legislation, the importance of it. i recommended a five-minute rule. obviously i wasn't ridged, to p

signed, barack obama, the white house, june 12, 2009. the speaker pro tempore: referred to the committee on foreign affairs and ordered printed. under the speaker's announced policy of january 6, 2009, the gentleman from virginia, mr. wolf, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. mr. wolf: i thank you, madam speaker. madam speaker, as ranking member on the commerce, justice, science appropriations subcommittee which last week considered the f.y. 010 appropriations bill -- 2010 appropriations bill, i have a keen interest in and oversight responsibility for a host of counterterrorism and related initiatives. the bill which is expected to come before the full house next week includes $7.7 billion to support the work of the federal bureau of investigation, the f.b.i., whose top priorities including protecting and defending the united states against terrorism and foreign intelligence threats. the f.b.i. was intimately involved in a 15-year investigation what's culminated last fall in the holy land foundation that

signed, barack obama, the white house, june 22, 2009. the speaker pro tempore: referred to the committee on foreign affairs and ordered printed. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20 , the chair will postpone further proceedings today on motions to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote or the yeas and nays are ordered or on which the vote incurs objection under clause 6 of rule 20. record votes on postponed questions will be taken after 6:30 p.m. today. for what purpose does the gentleman from california rise. mr. filner: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill s. 407. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report. the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: senate 407, an act to amend title 38 united states code to provide for an increase effective december 1, 2009, in the rates of compensation for veterans with service connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans to codify increases in the rates of such compensation that were

colombia will be meze meeting with president obama at the -- meeting with president obama on obama aatthe white house. i support the colombia free trade agreement because of its importance to colombia but also because i think it's important for u.s. firms to gain access to markets of fast-growing developing nations abroad. our economy will revive only if we create jobs. enacting this colombia free trade agreement will help to do that. america's two-way trade with colombia reached $18 billion in 2007, making colombia our fourth largest trading partner in latin america and our largest export market for u.s. agricultural products in south america. exports are the only major sector of the private economy actually making positive contributions to u.s. economic growth. in my own state of arizona, nearly 40% of all of our manufactured goods were export exported. on average, net exports added more than one percentage point overall to our economic growth last year, in part offsetting the negative consequences of the housing downturn. so if u.s. manufacturers and farmers were not able to sell their produ

i urge the prompt and favorable contribution of this proposal, signed, barack obama, the white house, june 9, 2009. the speaker pro tempore: referred to the committee on the budget and ordered printed. under the speaker's announced policy of january 6, 2009, and under a previous order of the house, the following members are recognized for five minutes. ms. woolsey of california. mr. poe of texas. mr. poe of texas. mr. poe: mr. speaker, noble sacrifice dominates the character of a man so willing willly dedicated in his life for others. there are none who understand that any better today than the men and women in our u.s. military. they personify the very he essence of what it means to be an american. today under the morning sky at arlington cemetery, myself and other members of congress, rob witman from virginia, jo bonner from alabama and senator sessions from alabama, joined several other hundred members of family and friends as a 21-gun salute and "taps" was played for the united states air force lieutenant clon, mark e. straten ii. the somber silence of the gravesites were broken w

signed, barack obama, the white house, june 24, 2009. the speaker pro tempore: referred to the committee on the speaker pro tempore: will the gentleman from pennsylvania , mr. altmire -- pursuant to house resolution 573 and rule 18, the chair declares the house in the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for the further consideration of the bill h.r. 2892. will the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. altmire, kindly take the chair. the chair: the house is in the committee of the whole house on the state of the union for further consideration of h.r. 2892 which the clerk will report by title. the clerk: a bill making appropriations for the department of homeland security for the fiscal year ending september 30, 2010, and for other purposes. the chair: when the committee of the whole rose earlier today a. request for recorded vote on amendment number 1 printed in part d of house report 111-183 offered by the gentleman from arizona, mr. flake, had been postponed and the bill had been read through page 93, line 12. pursuant to

with president obama and the white house, we now have the best opportunity ever to enact health reform. i'm determined that we not let this opportunity slip from our grasp. i look forward to this morning's testimony and continue with urgent, pragmatism, to send help reform legislation to the president for his signature this year. i want to recognize the ranking republican member of the committee. >> thank you. >> we both attended summit this year. in both those summits, i said that the republicans in the house and on this committee were very ready am very willing to work with the president and with you and other members of the majority to create a new health care system for america. there is no member of congress on either side of the aisle that is opposed to the improvement in reforms in our current health care system. we were ready to work. you told me repeatedly that you are ready to work with myself and other republicans. having said that, actions speak louder than words. while you and i have had several meetings, personal meetings, we had one with ranking members of the subcommitt

god put obama in their, young white america. young, white america was touched by the blood. they put obama in there. they want change. host: the president outlined a plan for lower drug prices yesterday. the photograph that included a picture of senator max baucus and the head of a arpey and chris dodd who is taking -- and the head of the aarp. robert points out that the lobby for drug companies, the thomas senecal research at manufacturers association had pledged $80 billion -- the pharmaceutical research and manufacturers association pledged $60 billion. further into the story of drug company lobbyists say that the $80 billion reflected a total savings to the health care system and included unspecified future concessions. some of the money reflects savings to the government, summer flex savings to older americans, but all of the savings would go to beneficiaries. -- some of the savings reflects savings to older americans. we're going to be in your town next week. caller: good. host: what is the situation like? caller: i would like to talk about the banks. we have citizens b

[applause] >> friends, i've had the opportunity to meet president obama at the white house, and i can attest to his willingness to listen and to engage. his focus on health care reform and the plight of the uninsured, and the concerns of those involved takes a courageous spirit and wise judgment. and we are grateful for his leadership. so please join me as the american medical association welcomes the president of the united states, arauca bala. [applausebarack obama. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. thank you so much. it's good to see you. thank you. thank you so much. please everybody, be seated. thank you so much. your very kind. thank you. let me begin by thanking nancy for the wonderful introduction. i want to thank doctor joseph heyman, the chair of the board of trustees as well as doctor jeremy lazarus, speaker of house of delegates are thanks to all of you for bringing me home or even if it's just for a day. [applause] >> you know, from the moment i took office as president, the central challenge we confronted as a nation has been the need to lift ourselves out of the worst

president obama held his fourth news conference yesterday at the white house. but of the questions in this hourlong event for about health care and iran. >> we have been outraged by the beatings and imprisonment that have gone over the last few days in iran. we are morning each and every innocent life that is lost. i have made it clear that the united states respects the sovereignty of the islamic republic of iran and is not interfering with their affairs. we must also bear witness to the courage and dignity of the iranian people and the openings in iranian society. they are trying to have a debate about their future. some in iran -- iran government are trying to avoid that debate by accusing the united states and others in the west of instigating protests over the election. these accusations are false. they are an attempt to distract people from what is truly taking place within the borders of iran. this strategy of using old tensions as scapegoats of other countries will not work anymore. this is not about the united states or the west. this is about the peop

[applause] friends, i've had the opportunity to meet president obama at the white house and i can attest to his willingness to listen and to engage. his focus on heather care reform and the polite of the uninsured -- health care reform and the plight of the uninsured takes a courageous spirited and wise judgment and we're grateful for hits leadership. so please join me as the american medical association welcomes the president of the united states, barack obama. [cheers and applause] >> thank you. thank you. [applause] >> thank you. thank you so much. good to see you. [cheers and applause] thank you. thank you so much. please, everybody, be seated. thank you very much. you're very kind. thank you. let me begin by thanking nancy for the wonderful introduction. i want to thank dr. joseph hayman, the chairman of the board of trustees, as well as dr. jeremy lazarus, speaker of the house of delegates. thanks to all of you for bringing me home, even if it's just for a day. [applause] you know, from the moment i took office as president, the central challenge we've confronted as a nation has be

president obama at the white house this afternoon. in meeting with the democratic members of the house ways and means committee. the associated press reported that u.s. authorities have brought the first guantanamo detainees to the u.s., flying him to new york to face trial for the bombing of the u.s. embassies in kenya and tanzania in 1998. front page of "the washinton post," the cia objecting to the release of bush-era documents of the interrogation of some of those detainees. the headline this morning, the chrysler deal put on hold as the supreme court reviews the company's bankruptcy reorganization. all this possibly impacting the deal with fiat. more details coming forth from congress and the white house on health care. and this question, are you satisfied with your health care? the numbers to call, 202-737- 0001, our line for republicans. 202-737-0002 if you are a democrat. if you are an independent, 202- 628-0205. this morning, front-page of "the washington post," an in-depth story by cc connolly, decision makers differ on how

caller: what we will see in this next census with obama moving into the white house and letting acorn take over the census, it will be let chicago politics cannot i do not want some criminal from a corn showing up at my friend door and asking me what time i leave for work. -- from acorn. what can they do if we refuse to enter this? it will not be fair. it will be gerrymandered by acorn will sign up every illegal they can find. there will give them the census to fill up as if they are american citizens. host: what do know about the committee group acorn in 2010? guest: i don't know there will have any role in conducting the census. caller is obviously referring to the widely publicized issues of acorn registering people who are fictitious or duplicative. the thing to remember is that the white house has made it clear after some initial news reports about this that aboutcensus will be conducted only and the part of commerce. that is the way that it should be. it should never be a political football. i would say to the caller that it is important everyone respond to the senscensus. it is

as soon as something bad happens that they can go after obama, they will be after him like white on rice. guest: i think obama has done the right thing. the best thing obama can do to support freedom around the world as well as in iran is to be an inspirational figure, to really articulate the ideas of freedom and liberty and those values, and make it clear that we share them. we are in sympathy with people, muslim, christian, anywhere in the world. people who want freedom and are fighting for ideals that america as a country and as a people care about -- at the same time, we need to respect the sovereignty of other nations. we need to make very careful judgments about the degree to which we can or should get directly involved. host: there is a piece in the new york times weekend review. it shows a man who is protesting. some regimes are brittle in the face of popular pressure. others are not. if some regimes are simple tierney, the system can be complex and opaque. anything you want to add their? guest: sometimes repression works. it is well coordinated and the regime remains unified an

i won't say mitch stewart is responsible for barack obama being in the white house, but mitch and steve hildebrand played an enormous role in the crucial victory of the iowa caucusses, and you know how crucial those iowa caucusses were. and then mitch went on to pull off another miracle, turning the commonwealth of virginia blue for barack obama. he is director of the new 13 million strong grass routes and online force to emerge from the campaign to help obama win new victories. mitch will talk about how they won the mission of organizing for america and how they plan to work with outside groups. please welcome mitch stewart. >> thank you all very much, and thank you for the gracious introduction and for putting this conference together. and for all the folks here participating. as roger said, i did start on the campaign the third week in january of 2008. i lived in iowa for a year and traveled to a number of different states -- nevada, minnesota, texas, indiana, and then spent about six months in virginia, which was a truly gratifying experience. there are a number of things that we le

. >> now to the white house, where obama met with congressional democrats, for the pay as you go budget rules. on the podium, spratt and pelosi. we will hear from them in a moment, but first, president obama. we will hear from them in a moment. [applause] >> have a seat. thank you. thank you for joining us in the white house. i want to talk about the comment of the treasury department on the financial stability plan. through this plan and the predecessor, taxpayer dollars were used to stabilize the financial system. this funding was also meant to be an investment, and this was meant to be temporary. that is why this announcement is important. several institutions will pay back $68 billion to taxpayers, and we know that we will not escape the worst financial crisis without a loss to taxpayers, in the first round of repayment, the government has actually turned a profit. this is not a sign that the troubles are over. the financial crisis we inherited is still creating major challenges, everyone sees this in their own individual districts. this is a positive sign. we see a return on these

host: president obama will release this white paper this week. tell us withabout the political procedure to get this through both the house and senate. who are the key players? guest: that two key players are burning franbarney frank and chr dodd, both democrats. they will lead the conversation. chairman barney frank has said that the house plans to pass its version of the regulatory overhaul by the end of july. senator dodd is taking a lead on health care. that will be in the fall. those will be the two prime leaders. republicans have more of a voice in the senate than in the house. you will see the administration presented its plan wednesday. host: bryan, texas, first up on our independent line. caller: one thing we do not hear about is how lucky, praise god, that george bush did not go along with putting social security into all these hedge funds and derivatives. think of the disaster. i am concerned about the bailouts of these wall street operators who are in the business of giving american taxpayer's business. these better not be derivatives

got to feeling, if i wrote about one more president ironically my daughter is on barack obama staff in the whiteouse, so maybe i will write about her. [laughter] and, i had always had this year ng, believe me no one was fighting over me to write about science at the figures. i wanted to reject, i had no more to say. i had something to say about the politics of the day, not the overriding ordered. >> robert? >> for me, it is a pretty embarrassing slap-process. i am sort of in the midst of it now. i am writing a novel but i am looking for something else and often i have a few ideas and i start researching all of them. i like to read. thank goodness at some point, and excitement overtakes me and it often turns out that there is something in the material and the subject that i am starting to stumble on and so, i really get chosen by the topic at some point. i felt that walt-- his personality, it finally started working in me and then i made what for me was the real discovery of this project, which is okay i have these two brothers, had a very interesting relationship but their mother was the soul of

their grandmother and we were most moved by women who loved the idea that michelle obama was not only going to the white her mom with her. [laughter] and we know exactly what it means to take your mama with you program looking at share and and i believe she just came in with her mom, her grand mom? fed has beene1 extraordinary, the whole experience for black women to tell us their feelings about the first lady and something about the title of the book people always ask us about that. "go, tell michelle" it started out as dear michele, letters of love and support and encouragement but we send it into the publisher but they said how about this title? we don't want anyone bossing us around but we boughtlp it. those of us who like poetry we said it is not just go tell michelle but go tell it on the mound 10. so doing a little research and finding now calling the publisher back but there has to be a, after the word go and it signifies that we were either identifying

god put obama in there. young, white america -- young white america was touched by the of blood. they put a bomb in there. they want a change. host: the president outlined a new plan for lowering drug prices. a photograph from the diplomatic reception room. the picture of senator max baucus, also the head of aarp and senator christopher dodd who is taking over for senator ted kennedy in supervising as chairman of the house committee hearings continue this week. it points out the lobby for drug companies, pharmaceutical research manufacturing organization said it pledged $80 billion of 10 years to help reform are troubled health-care system. the commitment came in a deal with the white house and senator max baucus, democrat of montana and chairman of the finance committee. but further in the story, senate aides and drug company lobbyists say the $80 billion reflected total projected savings to the health care system and included unspecified future concessions, besides the drug discounts and the coverage gap. some reflects savings to the government, some reflects savings to older a

if i wrote about one more president, ironic they my daughter is john barack obama's staff and in the white house. [laughter] and i always had a yearning. believe me nobody was having the right about scientific figures. [laughter] but i was fighting over it. and i wanted to reject. i have something to say about politics of the day. >> for me is a pretty embarrassing process. i am writing a novel but i am looking for something else. often i have a few ideas and mr. researching of them, i like to read, it is always fun but goodness come at some point* a certain excitement over takes me and it often turns out there is something in the material that i just part to stumble on. so i get chosen by the topic at some point*. i felt that walt, his personality, it has finally started working on me and then was the real discovery of this project which was i have these two brothers who have a very interesting relationship but the mother was the sole of the family. the mother had been written about as walt whitman's embarrassing smug mother, and the illiterate mother back in brooklyn. abbate went to the

. >> friday president obama took part on a white house townhall meeting of father hood and responsible responsibility, and several talked about their experiences as fathers and their outreach. >> good afternoon and welcome to the white house. thank you so much for coming today, for this conversation on fatherhood and personal responsibility, it's good to be here to talk about something so close to the president's heart. i am chief of staff of government affairs, and i have been working with the president as a paralegal back in chicago and as a chief council in the senate and i know how much fatherhood means. he's a dad and he views that as the most important job he has. but he was also a son that grew up without a father in his own life, know of the impact. and it's something that i shared. my father left before i was born, but i was lucky to be adopted by the man who married my mother. and i a dad myself. i have a teenage son what we are working to guide and i have a son that has autism, and i have a young daughter who has made it clear who is in charge, that would be her. i am please