. >> paul bennett, a transfer to santa rosa from another state prison, is just starting the check-in process, and his search might take longer than most. >> oh, they search. [ laughter ] it doesn't bother me though because i feel safer knowing that they search, you know. so in case i come in contact with another inmate that i am quite sure that person don't have a weapon, or, you know? >> why are you in a wheelchair? >> i got shot in north carolina, so i was quad and then paraplegic, you know. this helmet, i'm epileptic. you know, which i have grand mal seizures. so, i wear the helmet to protect my head because the bullet is still in my head. >> bennett is only two months away from completing his sentence of seven years for burglary and grand theft. but neither that nor the fact that he's in a wheelchair will deter officers from scrutinizing him as much as any other inmate. >> you need any help doing that. or can you get it yourself? >> while bennett undergoes a strip search, all his possessions, including his helmet and wheelchair, are thoroughly inspected. officers quickly discover

is a tea party victory and i think this is different from smaller scale like when they defeated paul bennettis is a large state, very expensive and they got their preferred candidate but it's not just a tea party conservative ideological. it is this anti-establishment and it all came together for ted cruz. >> ross ramsey does that sound like what you're hearing there and people wanting small government and no government, what were you hearing about that from the voters. well, texas is in a place where the republican party is like a one party state and the two parties are in the republican party. and the establishment sort of the organization al candidates have had had hard time but the tea party candidates were on both sides. some candidates lost, some won. but in any case where you could identify an establishment character and nonestablishment character the nonestablishment character one. i think this small electorate and the summer election and a candidate who kind of caught their imaginations, they just ran with it. >> and ross ramsy, what does had cruz say he wants to do. >> it's not all

paul ryan in the closing days. and from north carolina, washington fellow of the clairemont institute, bill bennett for whom a young paul ryan once worked. as if at 42 he's no longer young. welcome to all of you. >> still young. >> chuck todd, you can tell i'm -- you know, i'm -- >> you feel old now. that's what you're trying to say. >> that's what i'm trying to say. this is an exciting time. we are in a new phase of this campaign. you heard it from david axelrod at the top of the program. there is this new intensity. let's go back to basics here. why did mitt romney make this choice? >> he needed to relaunch his campaign. i think that's clear. he made that decision. if you think about what they thought this race was going to be, you know, stuart stevens, the chief strategist would argue this for months on end, this is going to be about president obama and it's going to be a referendum and it's going to be about the economy. i think they made the decision that wasn't enough. and what this pick does is it gives romney some definition beyond just being this rich guy, which they were struggling with. the president had

when we come back, bill bennett joining us. he was paulmentor when paul ryan finished college will one of the first jobs he did get was at empower america, worked with jack kemp congressman from new york state and bill bennett, bill bennett standing by to share thoughts about paul ryan. but that doesn't mean we should be penalized for it. that's why liberty mutual insurance policies come standard with accident forgiveness, if you qualify. learn more at libertymutual.com. >> told the motorcade carrying mitt romney to this event in norfolk, virginia, near the "uss wisconsin," the battleship commissioned during world war ii is there. we're going to be hearing from mitt romney soon. he'll announce paul ryan the republican congressman from wisconsin is, in fact, his vice presidential running mate. our own candy crowley had a chance to reflect with paul ryan not too long ago about what it was like growing up, why he went into politics. listen to this. >> my grandfather was a doctor, uncle, i had doctors in my family. i looked up to them. then i

he's proven he can take on the president. >> paul, look -- >> it's just a difference in philosophy. it is. >> this is an important point. >> bill bennett says that ryan really flashed on to the president's radar after some fiery exchanges at his health care summit. >> you can tell barack obama took notice, took the measure of him. paul ryan was in his brain a little bit. >> actually, a lot. the white house seated paul ryan right up front at the president's budget speech in april and then proceeded to denounce his plan. >> simply, it ends medicare as we know it. >> what i was thinking you know what? we're getting divided government to work. we're actually compromising, getting things done. so what i got out of that was politico mode, demagoguery and sort of nullify the notion there's an alternative path for this country. >> with neither side budging, ryan had settled in. >> paul ryan is the right guy! . >> as a hero to republicans and a devil to the democrats. and he's okay with that. >> they had an ad of me pushing some older woman off a cliff or something like that. >> does it bother you? >> no, not really. we have a normal life here

>>guest: well, in 1993 when paul went to work with my father and bill bennett and jeane kirkpatrick, young person who was around dad, whether it was on the hill days or at empower america they were attracted to his personality, and style of politics and his optimism for the country, and dad wanted young people to learn about what he called and what paul clearly learned very well "the american idea." at its root is the human idea for all people. >>neil: do you think what was a tough sell in 1996 when bill clinton was running to re-election, could be a better sell, or at least a more driveable sell in 2012? >>guest: well, the comparison, to make define kemp and ryan, frankly, jack concern is the time of 1980. he was a congressman elected in 1970 from western new york. it was a pretty balanced district. it was not republican, certainly. that is similar to where paul ryan comes from, in wisconsin. he did not win in a republican district. paul learned how to speak to people regardless of their party. one of the lessons i think that dad taught paul, well, and you can see that paul really b

paul ryan said passion from jack kemp and jourge from bill bennett and compassion and understanding from sam brownbag. he is obviously a big fan of yourings. >> i am a fan of his and he's a great man. he is as advertised. good family man and like to go out and hunt and passionate with his country. >> what will the debate with vice-president biden be. >> i think it would be one worth selling pop corn for. paul is a good thinker and he presents it very well. and joe talks pretty well. but when you clash the two ideas, there is no substance on the side of the obama team when you get to the real issues. how are you going to dole with medicare and social security . get the economy going. what is the plan? and then you put out the ryan plan. they will attack it. i see your attack. what is your plan in and i hope the american public will see that there is not one . we can't go another four yearrs without dealing with this or we'll number the same position that europe is in right now. we'll be there if we don't deal with the problems. >> governor, thank you. >> good to you. all the best. >> road

paul ryan said passion from jack kemp and jourge from bill bennett and compassion and understanding from sam brownbag. he is obviously a big fan of yourings. >> i am a fan of his and he's a great man. he is as advertised. good family man and like to go out and hunt and passionate with his country. >> what will the debate with vice-president biden be. >> i think it would be one worth selling pop corn for. paul is a good thinker and he presents it very well. and joe talks pretty well. but when you clash the two ideas, there is no substance on the side of the obama team when you get to the real issues. how are you going to dole with medicare and social security . get the economy going. what is the plan? and then you put out the ryan plan. they will attack it. i see your attack. what is your plan in and i hope the american public will see that there is not one . we can't go another four yearrs without dealing with this or we'll number the same position that europe is in right now. we'll be there if we don't deal with the problems. >> governor, thank you. >> good to you. all the best. >> road

with a lot of paul ryan, i think the jury is out on whether the pick was bold, dramatic and brilliant or less -- >> we'll find out maybe on election day. >> willie? >> yes. >> bill bennett told us 20 years ago, young paul ryan called him and said, does this pass the laugh test? i'm planning to run for congress. >> wow. i guess it passed after all. >> yeah. >> mike, when are you heading to tampa? >> tampa tomorrow and another little tidbit, pick you up on your roll call story, we think that ann romney's speech will be moved to tuesday. that speech so important to them, no broadcast network coverage monday so she's going to crowd governor christie a little bit at the podium and share the night on tuesday night. >> no one crowds chris christie, let's be clear. that's a big night on tuesday night. ann romney and chris christie. mike allen with a look inside the playbook, thanks so much. our coverage of the republican national convention begins monday morning. we'll be down there hosting "morning joe," "way too early," everything from the elephant bar on channelside drive in tampa. if you're in the area like going out in hurricanes, come on by. coverage beginning at 5:30 a.m

. >> well, paul ryan is maybe a rare thing in washington. he is what he seems. >> bill bennett is a conservative talk radio host and cnn contributor. he was one of ryan's mentors alongside with jack kemp in the early 1990s. >> he is a guy with -- without guile, without pretense. he likes to hang out with actuaries for relaxation, which is -- >> who doesn't? >> which is a funny thing. he hunts elk with a bow and arrow. >> he's had the deficit in his sights for years. but even republicans steered clear of some of his more controversial budget ideas. that is, until the tea party became the rage. >> i think it is because of the circumstances of what happened that the recession -- the resulting binge and spending that occurred after it and passing entitlements like obama care and then the electoral reaction to that brought these ideas into the mainstream. >> because it's not like you had an extreme makeover. >> no, no. i have been doing the same thing for a long time. >> ryan became popular by pushing the unpopular. things like killing his colleagues' pork projects or trying to reva

going to go to michael shure in just a little bit to talktalk about ron paul and the latest drama surrounding him. right now grant bennettiend and fellow mormon of mitt romney. let's listen to the relationship they have and if it informs me. >> i'll arrange for meals, and i will visit her on my way home from the airport tomorrow. in our early morning calls mitt didn't discuss questions of theology. he found the definition of religion given by james in the new testament to be a practical guide. pure religion is to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction. [applause] so what specifically did mitt romney do as our pastor? for one or two evenings each week and several hours every weekend, week after week and year after year he met with those seeking help with the burdens of real life burdens we all face at one time or another. unemployment sickness, financial distress, lonelyiness, mitt prayed and counseled with church members searching for direction single moshes raising children couples with marital problems, youth with addictions, immigrants separated from their families and individuals who's heat had been

and jack kemp and bill bennett, everything crystallized for him in terms of his economic world view and limited government and pro- market orientation. >> he mentioned that paul ryan likes to talk about policy. there is no doubt about that. how have you seen him talking about politics. he does not like to apple length about political issues as much as a policy wonk issues. he has just been picked as vice president. how do you think he is going to handle that? >> he likes to talk about how disinterested he is in politics and how he is a policy guide. in fact, i think he is a very good politician who does have some political acumen. i have had conversations with him over the years where the conversation will drift over politics. he has opinions about the presidential race. he will offer tactical and strategic opinions. people should not miss the political dimensions. there is paul ryan the policy guy, there is the very ideological conservative. you see reflected in his relationship with the media. he is a good communicator, good and at ease with reporters. those are some of his political skills that work. >> why the budget? what led him to propel himself to be

. >> well, paul ryan is maybe a rare thing in washington. he is what he seems. >> bill bennett is a conservative talk show host and cnn contributor. he was one of ryan's mentors along with supply-side guru jack kemp in the early 1990s. >> he is a guy without guile, without pretense. he likes to hang out with actuaries for relaxation, and he hunts elk with bow and arrow and he is an interesting character. >> reporter: he has had the d f deficit in his sights for years, but even the republicans steered clear of the more controversial budget ideas until the tea party became the rij. >> it is because of the circumstances that happened the recession and the resulting binge in spending afterwards and passing the entitlements like obama care and then the electoral reaction to that brought these ideas into the mainstream. >> reporter: because it is not like you had an extreme makeover? >> no, i have been doing same thing for a long time. >> you want a photo? yes. okay. >> reporter: ryan was popular by push i pushing the unpopular and things like killing his colleague's pork projects or

bennett. i thought those were the two key wings that you really grow this country and glide it forward on. i still think those are the right things today. pauln represents those. >> i think he'll follow through as he always has. sam brownback of kansas, thank you for sharing personal vignettes. >>> now to the hard-core tough political panel. cnbc contributors howard dean, former vice president governor. jennifer ruben of the right turn blog and robert costa, national review political reporter. robert, a question. is the ryan pick going to be a game changer and is it going to mobilize the tea party for team romney? >> it already has, larry. look at the crowds. i was on the trail with ryan and romney in virginia on saturday. there is real energy behind this ticket. a lot of people thought romney would play small this campaign. play small ball in responding to the bain capital attacks of president obama. instead of picking someone run of the mill, vanilla, he went with a bold conservative. he's running on big themes, big issues, fiscal reform, entitlement. the third rail of american politics. for everyone who questioned whether romney had the g

bill bennett says that ryan flashed onto the president's radar after some fiery exchanges at his health care summit last year. >> you can tell barack obama took notice. he took the measure of him, paulbrain a little bit. >> reporter: actually, a lot. the white house seated paul ryan right up front at the president's budget speech in april and then proceeded to denounce his plan. >> what i was thinking going into that speech, we're getting divided government to work. we're compromising, getting things done. so what i got out of that was, political mode, you know, demagoguery and try to nullify the notion that there's an alternative path for this country. >> reporter: with neither side budging, ryan has settled in. >> paul ryan is the right guy! >> reporter: is a hero to republicans and a devil to the democrats. and he's okay with that. >> they had an ad of me pushing a woman off a cliff something like that. >> reporter: does it bother you? >> not really. we have a normal life here in janesville. my wife and i have three beautiful kids, we have a normal life like every one else. i go to washington four days a week, which i call the silly place. if we don't tacklehese big problems, the

paul ryan did was different. he sought out his mentor, jack kemp. he went to empower america. he didn't know jack kemp, but he sought him out and went to work for jack kemp and bill bennette conservative movement right out of college and that's been his rise since. it only took him six years to run for congress at the age of 38. >> conservative intelligenceia. >> that's always been ryan's world and it still is ryan's base. >> i think it's interesting. i interviewed jack kemp about ryan a couple years ago. one of the thing he is predicted that he would be the chairman of ways and means, which is where he is now. which is really interesting, what he would say now. >> interesting stuff. we have a lot more to talk about with our panel. but first, trivia time! we asked, which politician used to greet former house speaker sam rayburn by kissing his bald head? you got a preview of the answer have harry smith. we always like when harry smith delivers the answer. he answered correctly. it was lyndon johnson. but he didn't have the art. as a fellow texas, rayburn initially took johnson under his wing in the house of representatives, guiding johnson's career in congress. in the lat

and jack kemp and bill bennett, everything crystallized for him in terms of his economic world view and limited government and pro- market orientation. >> he mentioned that paulyan likes to talk about policy. there is no doubt about that. how have you seen him talking about politics. he does not like to apple length about political issues as much as a policy wonk issues. he has just been picked as vice president. how do you think he is going to handle that? >> he likes to talk about how disinterested he is in politics and how he is a policy guide. in fact, i think he is a very good politician who does have some political acumen. i have had conversations with him over the years where the conversation will drift over politics. he has opinions about the presidential race. he will offer tactical and strategic opinions. people should not miss the political dimensions. there is paul ryan the policy guy, there is the very ideological conservative. you see reflected in his relationship with the media. he is a good communicator, good and at ease with reporters. those are some of his political skills that work. >> why the budget? what led him to propel himself to be th