>> i was talking about extreme policies that republican candidates are running on that the republican leaders on capitol hill don't want to be part of. >> let me just clarify. she was referring to are limited government, lowering the tax burden. constitutional government. >> exit question. >> get it in here, pat. >> on a scale of 0 to 10, what is the probability that obama will close the intensity gap with republicans and motivate his coalition to buck up and turn out next month? 0 to 10? >> it is a 0, john. he can't -- he can maybe make some gains, but the real problem, obama's great mistake is he misread an election that said get rid of republicans as a mandate for transformational change that he never had. and because he moved in that direction, he has lost the center. >> i disagree. he didn't act on the mandate he had from 53% majority win and he misread the public's desire for everybody to get along for thinking the republicans might want to do that. and that failed completely. >> monica. >> close the gap is probably two or three. but there's a march this weekend in washington an

republicans are dealing with their own inner turmoil, as some tea party-backed republicans faller and senate seats may be slipping beyond the party's grasp. this election season the word "unsettled" comes to mind. today, 30 days to the midterms. with the heads of the two senatorial election committee, republican senator john cornyn. >> the american people have gotten very tired of being lectured to as opposed to being listened to. >> and democratic senator robert menendez. >> dems are going to have a lot more votes in the united states senate that people think. >> then, deciphering al qaeda's latest terror plot with pakistan's embassy, husain haqqani. >> pakistan and the united states remain allies and we are allies with some disagreement. >> making sense of the political jumble on the home front with donna brazile and ed gillespie. i'm candy crowley and this is "state of the union." a month ago, republicans thought they'd win joe biden's old senate seat in delaware but a tea party candidate beat the favorite in the primary and it it's looking like the seat will stay democratic. hard

>> if senator demint -- he has said he would rather have a republican conference of 30 republicans who share his view the and 51 with 21 who don't. >> that is not enlarging the party. >> i understand. [laughter] >> keep going. you're doing great. >> that is his point of view. i like jim demint and i know and respect him. i don't share the point of view. sometimes what it takes to get elected to the senate as a republican in texas is diferent than what it taketo get elected as a statewide in maine or oregon, and you know, we have to be competitive around the country. at the same time i don't think the party should abandon its principles of being for overtaxes and stronger national security and traditional values ani think we can do both somewhere in between there is a happy medium. >> so if the republicans to take over the house of representatives particularly if it's big, should nancy pelosi continue to be speaker of the -- the democratic leader or should somebody else take over who is more popular in the country? >> i was at the number of the democratic caucus up there but if the hous

the republican pledge to america written by house republicans. on the health care sector, their first item is repeal obama-care, repeal the health care bill. their second item is reinstate most of the democratic health care bill. they say, we will expand state high risk pools, reinsurance programs and reduce the cost of coverage. we will make it illegal for an insurance company to deny coverage to someone with prior coverage on the basis of a pre-existing condition. eliminate annual lifetime spending caps and prevent insurers from dropping your coverage just because you get sick. talk about demonizing health insurance companies. so michael, your republican idea on health care after repealing the obama plan is to impose a massive regulatory socialistic regulatory regime on the health care sector in order to prevent insurance companies from doing business the way they want to in a free enterprise system. when did that become a republican idea? >> you're a funny man, lawrence. you really are. >> it's a funny document. the document is very funny. it'

are they a problem for republicans?> well, they've been a little disruptive in the primary process. to some candidates and we have some unconventional candidates now because of tea party participation in the process. that's the right kind of problem. we've got 19 million people who voted in republican primaries this past year versus 15 million in democratic primaries. four million more people voted in republican primaries than in democrat primaries. that's the first time i think since fdr republicans have outpaced democrats in primary voting. that's a very good harbinger for what going to come on november 2. so the fact is there are some growing pains that are going on here with these new folks coming into the political process, coming into the republican party primary. growing pains are better than shrinking pains. as a former rnc chairman i would rather see that any day. so the fact is the best thing for us is that these folks are voting in republican primaries, not backing third party candidates, tea party candidates

republican.f he's a republican, he sure does a lot of knocking on the republicans. boy he knocks and makes me want to vote republican. what's your opinion? host: more on the cable chat. guest: it's funny how the elections this year. things have changed because there's so much election talk constantly on the internet and tv talk shows. i wonder what affect it's had on how people vote. it's made the electorate more impatient. host: let me ask you about nevada. if harry reid does lose this race, there's a race for the leadership. guest: of the four leaders, it's patty murray also. there's two leadership spots. reid is the more interesting one. next in line is richard durbin of illinois. underneath him. senator shumer in new york. it's going to be a battle between the two of them to see who emerges as between them. some people think shumer can win and the others i think durbin. so, you know, it's going to be up in the air between the two of them host: the last two democratic leaders have been from sw

you know, sort of the most problematic republican, person to emerge from the republican field.ocrat or republican saying she didn't have coherent arguments and she more than held her own against senate majority leader. republicans have an easier argument to make this year. the key thing for the next two weeks for republicans they need to stay on the core election. if you have a wave election, ride the wave. don't get in back and forth about the personal ethics. make it taxes and spending and debt and the big issues facing the country. the republicans doing worse are in the personal ethics fights. illinois for example. mark kirk has been unable to open up a lead over a democrat. it's about who is more corrupt? republicans are running the ideological races. even states that obama carried, wisconsin, pennsylvania. they are running straight forward conservative races, conservative messages and they're doing very well. >> chris: mara? >> well, they are doing very well. it's hard to see, you know, we talk a lot about how the republicans need ten seats to get a majority in the senate.

republicans 1, 7, 9. for control 2, 1, 8. assuming republicans gain control of the house, john boehner, minority leader becomes speaker of the u.s. house of representatives. republicans will gain house of representatives. all congressional committees in the u.s. congress practically all of the action takes place on the committee level. and chairmanships are the key to the committee action. assuming all goes ed towns of n as chairman, isa will be able to hold investigation and issue subpoenas to the white house and its staff. cabinet officials and heads of government agencies to testify requested. >> question, as a group, how powerful and how tough are these republican chairman? eleanor clift. >> well, there are some like fred upton, who is going to take over is a moderate republican and i don't think democrats would have any great issue with him. they would probably applaud his chairmanship. darryl isa is primed to make obama's life miserable. i mean he will investigate everything that can be found whether it's there or not a

after hearing this battle of republican and democratic messages, 8% shift their vote to support the republican. while only 5% move to the democrats. we lose ground. these messages are helping the republicans." you have just used one of those phrases, congresswoman. is the democratic messaging working? >> well, you know, i don't can think that most members running for re-election use polling memos like dan greenburg and james carville. but having seen it, i know they are running on their record. they're running on the choice they have. the republican choices that have been offered across the country are, you know, pretty extreme. you've got a stranglehold that has been taken over the republican party by the tea party. you have disturbing trend in the corrupt and pretty despicable recruitment job they'vdone where they have candidates that have been accused of sexual assault in erecent weeks. you have one candidate in ohio who thinks it's a good bonding experience to go reenact nazi battles with his son. those are their top-tier candidates that are in their young gun program. and so if that is th

no republican senate. then it becomes this odd game of the white house and the senate against the house. and that's just going to -- you know, we don't know yet the tone out of house republicans until we know who controls the senate and that's potentially going to be a problem for the white how. it would be easier if it were a clean break, in an odd way, being the white house versus congressional republican. we'll have this weird dynamic between the senate and the house before this stuff even makes its way to the president. >> i want to talk about the house and look at a few races that you'll look at early in the evening if to get a sense of magnitude. it's not a question of if republicans take the house but a question of magnitude. tom periello trying to hold off robert hurt. and indiana 2 and kentucky 6. why do those matter? >> there's no one bellwether. you have to look at a basket of them. those are states, early, early states will get if you see three, four, five of those going republican. you'll know

if you are republican. they are not doing necessarily what is best for their constituency but what is best for their party. host: kansas city, missouri. anthony, a democrat. caller: how are you doing? my problem and what has got me going out to vote tuesday is hypocrisy and the inability to get anything done in washington. what i mean by hypocrisy is, you have democrats and republican politicians who are against health care but if i am not wrong -- correct me -- doesn't tax dollars, our tax dollars pay for their health care? on the hypocrisy side, it is ok for these lifetime career politicians to say these things that health care is going to work, but their health care is already there for them. what did they have to worry about? and the people who don't have health care or whatever, need to get out and vote. the reason i vote is i am arkansas-american, not african -- i'm a black man. i love this country. this is the best country in the world. host: the next call comes from mexico. linda, good morning. call

the democrat or the republican.nd the early voting in most places except for nevada seem to show more of a democratic surge than a republican surge. so maybe democrats have woken up to the threat that is posed here in the final days. >> is she overly exuberant? >> no. kentucky is not only a tossup. pennsylvania is a tossup. moved a point ahead. he closed >> athat party? >> he's a democratic congressman and he is tied up with tumi now. everything in the republican side, john, because a lot of races are very, very tight. it depends. will there be this republican wave which sort of goes over everybody and adds 3 or 4 points to everybody, in which case republicans have a long shot case of picking up the senate. i would bet no to the senate and i don't know, people talking 60, 70 seats in the house. i don't see that. maybe they will get 45, 50. >> this early voting, are they counting these early votes now? >> i think they are probably talking to people when they come out of these places and asking them how they are votin

if you are republican. they are not doing necessarily what is best for their constituency but what is best for their party. host: kansas city, missouri. anthony, a democrat. caller: how are you doing? my problem and what has got me going out to vote tuesday is hypocrisy and the inability to get anything done in washington. what i mean by hypocrisy is, you have democrats and republican politicians who are against health care but if i am not wrong -- correct me -- doesn't tax dollars, our tax dollars pay for their health care? on the hypocrisy side, it is ok for these lifetime career politicians to say these things that health care is going to work, but their health care is already there for them. what did they have to worry about? and the people who don't have health care or whatever, need to get out and vote. the reason i vote is i am arkansas-american, not african -- i'm a black man. i love this country. this is the best country in the world. host: the next call comes from mexico. linda, good morning. call

let's say republicans pick up 44 combrose seats. the net is less than the 39 the republicans need to take over the house. -- house. it's all going to be a net-net game for democrats come election night. probably seven the republicans have a chance of winning. two are already in the bag. delaware at-large seats, and louisiana's special district, that's going back to the democrats. illinois' 10th congressional district, mark curk running for senate. california's third district, dan lund grevpblet problematic the political skills, never really delivered as much as republicans hoped he would. so they have found a few places around the country. allentown, pennsylvania. 15th district. charlie dent could be in jeopardy. so if democrats can stitch together enough of these victories they might be able to hold off the republicans. >> but, major, could they stitch together those victory and still lows -- lose? >> yes, because so many other seats are on the board. john dingell has gone in in two weeks absolutely safe, michigan institution to je

things they're talking about on republican side? >> without a doubt, and it is striking when the final month -- this has been a very active year and a half in congress. they are sorted out -- going out quietly with a whimper. it is extraordinary that the democrats are not trying to double down on these accomplishments. without question, both of these issues will be front and center during the lean-succession after the mid terms, when everything is different. >> the tax issue demonstrates the limitations about life in politics. democrats were certain one year ago the bus strategic move for them was to hold the bush tax cuts until the end, and because they were portraying themselves as protectors of the super rich. the economy has not recovered, and they cannot even take the vote. think about this. they are not campaign on health care. this gives you an indication of where the party finds itself of a more than one month out. >> gentlemen, thank you. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] [captioning performed by nati

-- does go republican and the gavel changes from the democratic chairman to the republican chairman. barack obama is in for a very >> i cannot wait. >> that explains why the president, even though he cannot go everywhere, it is going everywhere he can in these last two weeks. his travel schedule is packed. granted, some of them are deep blue, but he can make a difference, because he still does get a bigger crowd out there, and part of the democrats' problem is getting the apathetic progress of the voters out, because those people were frustrated by the things that obama was not able to accomplish. >> two things are going on here. what is traditional, one is not. -- one is traditional, one is not. it is a referendum on or the country is. -- on where the country is. the second thing is not traditional, the amount of money that is being spent from outside groups. i cannot tell whether people pay attention to this barrage of stuff, billions of dollars worth of advertising or you just cannot turn on the television in some of these states without -- >> this i checked a week ago. in colorad

it's a republican landscape this year. republicans get to run on what they stand for. and democrats ought to stay quiet about what they stand for. democrats ought to stay out of the lime light. democrats should try to seem as much as possible like maybe they're republicans too. with each passing day, that advice -- this year's political common wisdom is getting less common. more and more democrats seem to be rejecting that advice and instead getting on offense. and it appears that in many cases they are scoring. you can tell they're scoring by watching the effect that democrats being on offense is having on those democrats' republican opponents. it is an effect best described as stop, squirm and run. we are seeing it play out in races in which democrats are favored and races in which republicans are favored. we are seeing it in some of the highest-profile races in the country from which the common wisdom is supposedly drawn. if that's the case, the common wisdom needs updating. here is a case in point. linda mcmahon, the former world wreszing entertainment ceo, and nom

this is something for the republicans to deal with. the latest tax cut screed the republican party's pledge to america is economically incoherent. it has no meaningful numbers, proposes no changes in programs and asks no sacrifices of anyone, yet says it can balance the budget. good luck with that. what can they make to put them back in power, if they are in power? a question for democrats, too. >> it might be offensive to talk about the issues but the reason the democrats are in a mess here is that first the economy is bad. second, the policies are unpopular. health care has 38% approval. going back to those core issues, voters are not insane. they'll vote on those core issues. the problem is the country -- the polls are pretty clear about this. the country is not willing to make the sacrifices the way that british people are, that is necessary to get them back in the fiscal situation that is stable. we have to take away some of the middle-class tax subsidies and raise taxes. we probably need to raise taxes on consumption and probably

more republicans will come out? that democrats won't vote? i'm trying to figure out what the practical enthusiasm of the gap is. >> it's the most important question this cycle, i think. certainly more republicans are coming out. there is no question about that. the question on the table is, will democrats show up to vote. now what's good news from the democratic standpoint, three things. we have michelle obama and barack obama and our entire democratic field out there saying, you know, vote your values, not your fear. vote or there will be an alternative that you don't like in power. secondly, we have the apparatus on the ground. this party knows how to get out the vote. and we have to operationalize that. and the enthusiasm gap which still exists, as whit was saying, is half of what it was a couple of weeks ago. but the most important thing that democrats have to do in the next three weeks is get our vote out. >> and let me talk to you a little bit about the tightening in the polls as celina was referring to. a, is

the republicans played him. that he chased -- [ inaudible ] >> i would hardly say 37% -- >> let her finish. >> hold on, monica. >> the democrats feel that he really was played by the republicans, chasing this fantasy of bipartisanship and they are glad to see him fighting back. this is a fight. this is a real battle. people are getting stomped out on the campaign trail. >> i would hardly call a 37% job approval in his first term succeeding. the other part of his problem is that when he comes out with language like this, it is holy unpresidential. he is supposed to be the president of all of the people, including those who oppose him and his agenda. the other part of his problem is it violates the obama brand. the obama brand was bringing everybody together and healing what divides us. he has gone out there and been the most devicive. >> exit question. >> instead of hitting the campaign trail, president obama stayed in the white house with the democrats then have been in multiple choice, a, would they be better o

republicans are ready to be partners in that debate. if we get the majority back obviously we're going to have to lead it. >> you mentioned we have to grow the economy and create jobs. $700 billion is the equity cost of extending the bush tax cuts for the wealthiest american earners. cbo said if you're going to look at the effect of what you can do with $700 billion the tax cuts is one of the least stimlative to the economy. there are other things you can do and many economists believe you can do more than just extend the tax cut. why do you believe that's the best way to create economic growth? >> most economists -- there are different views and some come from different points of view believe i think that you cannot in an economic downturn like we're in right now raise taxes on your job creators which are your small businesses. and you've seen people come forward and say that would be a mistake right now to allow these tax cuts to expire and essentially to raise taxes on small businesses. i think that right now the major issue is the e

when the republican says -- the head of the republican party also said that mr.worst candidate in the history of colorado. a vote for him would be essentially a wasted vote. that is the head of the republican party here. talking about his republican party candidate. so, the situation is peculiar one for sure. >> shannon: i want to about things that came from the heated debate friday night. the issue of dan maes stepping down came up and he said, "i'm the only conservative on the stage." do you take issue with that? >> say again. >> shannon: do you have an issue with him saying, "i am the only conservative on the stage," maes referring to himself. >> you can say anything, especially when you have no background no, record voting for a single issue. of course, i do. i have been around a while and i have 97.2 rating from the american conservative union, over a lifetime of vote in legislature and the congress. there was one conservative on the stage that night but it wasn't dan maes. >> shannon: he has criticism of you, your vote on tarp and issue of legalizing pot. >

i'm a republican. and i don't see any real action being done to help things in the hispanic community. the rhetoric about democrats, i don't buy into it and i think it's that kind of rhetoric this keep this is community in limbo in the political world. because we really don't know who supports us. >> i can tell you, carlos, the hispanic community overwhelmingly supports president obama by 65%. i will tell you why. clearly he has been on the side of latino community. he has been on the side of creating jobs for latino community. giving 9 million latinos before the affordable care act did not have health insurance. he has given the women latinos equal pay. given latino students an opportunity to get an education in this country by pell grants and the biggest tax cuts and importantly, pushing if day one. immigration reform. not only have they advocated and run away from this when just three years ago, we had 23 republicans to count on to help us solve this incredible problem of immigration reform in this

when a republican calls in on the republican line use a republican. and when an independent, you call it the independent line. when somebody calls and on the democratic line you don't say here is a democratic on the democratic line. would you please go like -- start calling them the democrats' line so it would not be descriptive but just identity. host: i see that -- go ahead with your comments or questions. caller: in connection with this subject. the local congress lady here has recently been in the paper for handing out about 23 different scholarships to people, and it has caused a lot of problems here. so, i have some black friends and i asked one of them who has a church what he thought was going to happen. and he just kind of laughed and said, we are still going to call vote for her because she has been a conversely we are just going to go ahead and vote because she is one of us. so i would like to make comments about our guest. host: what is your question? caller: this minister, who has been a friend of mine -- host: do you have any thoughts to

tavis: republicans were going to clean the clocks of democrats and now of late, i see republicans john boehner and others starting to back down a bit on these predictions about what we thought they were going to pull off in november. am i reading this wrong? >> i do not think so. we have been hearing for quite some time that this is going to be a big election, a good election for republicans. all factors are in their favor. we're looking at when we look at the poll numbers out there, the president's approval rating is under 50%. the enthusiasm gap. republicans more motivated than democrats. people are frustrated with the way the president is handling the economy, go down the list. the republicans will tell you we have never said at a right we are taking control of congress, but it is clear the expectations game has gone out of their control. the expectation is republicans, it is not enough just to have a good night. they should have a great night. in the house, that would mean john boehner would win over as speaker. that does not mean it is going to happen. is that the expectation now

for republicans. they think they could possibly win the house, they are hoping for the senate. that seems less likely. for democrats to combat that, it would seem they need to build up turnout. what is the emily's list strategy for getting democratic women to the polls this year? >> as with every year, it is women who really truly make a difference particularly for democratic candidates. we have seen a consistent gender gap in these elections for decades now. it is something that emily's list has been working on very, very hard, not just this year but in the years past. we just recently came out with a survey to talk to democratic women voters in particular, women who often votes in presidential years but did not vote in the midterm elections. that is the so-called drop off voters. we found that on like other democratic voters you see in polling and what you have written about over the last month, the democratic women we have found are not angry. they are more discouraged. we also found that through t

republicans 178. to become the majority, the republicans must hold on to all of the 178 seats they now have and they must pick up 39 new seats. if they succeed, republicans will be in control of all committee chairmanships, plus have the fellow republican the of representatives. >> question, how many house seats will the republicans pick up in the house if the election were held today? eleanor. >> i'm thinking mid to high 40s, which would be enough for them to take over. but some of those races are beginning to narrow and the amount of money that is being flooded into these districts on behalf of republicans, money inspired by karl rove, the group he inspired or founded prompted the "new york times" columnist to say this is a billionaires cue masquerading as -- >> i'm sure frank wouldn't like this one. >> the democrats have tried to point this out to the voters because whatever voters fear from president obama and the democrats pails to what they would get if a corporate agenda triumphs in this electi

>> i was talking about extreme policies that republican candidates are running on that the republican leaders on capitol hill don't want to be part of. >> let me just clarify. she was referring to are limited government, lowering the tax burden. constitutional government. >> exit question. >> get it in here, pat. >> on a scale of 0 to 10, what is the probability that obama will close the intensity gap with republicans and motivate his coalition to buck up and turn out next month? 0 to 10? >> it is a 0, john. he can't -- he can maybe make some gains, but the real problem, obama's great mistake is he misread an election that said get rid of republicans as a mandate for transformational change that he never had. and because he moved in that direction, he has lost the center. >> i disagree. he didn't act on the mandate he had from 53% majority win and he misread the public's desire for everybody to get along for thinking the republicans might want to do that. and that failed completely. >> monica. >> close the gap is probably two or three. but there's a march this weekend in washington an

probably the better for republicans. it broadens their margin for error in terms of the 39 seats they need to take back the house. >> even if people are not getting energized and enthusiastic and excited about this issue of campaign money, in terms of the ground game, campaign money has a lot to say about what happens. >> absolutely. look, every poll, andrea, when you ask do you think there's too much outside money, do you think people should disclose, do you think there should be more transparency? absolutely, yes, 100%. they don't typically vote on it. democrats and congress have focussed a lot on these outside groups, american cross roads, seems to me that's a base play. to energize their base. not to appeal to independent voters. >> let's talk about all has a where you've got this incredible three-way race. they had another debate late last night in alaska, early morning our time. let's play a little bit of it and ask you about it on the other side. >> scott is not ready to lead. joe is not ready to lead. i have been

it's the republicans. why take it out on the democrats, the majority party, that time and time again has been there for the unemployed? >> well, you know, ed, we have gone back in the history of the tiers. we as 99ers are trying to figure this out ourselves. what has happened we can remember the time when the republicans say, sure, get another tier. use the stimulus fund and the democrats said, no, we need to find sourcing for unemployment and we're thinking back on that and we're realizing it wasn't the republicans, it was the democrats that caused us to be in this situation that we're in. we want the democrats to come back before this election and we want them to come back and rectify this, ed. >> yeah, well, they won't do it. they're going to be out until the middle of november. and the president has said -- asked you to engage. that's not enough? >> we are engaging, the no vos has given our commitment to encourage american 99ers to vote. we have finally come -- we've conceded to that. however, our pres

many of whom are republicans. it sends the wrong signal and it's problematic for the brand of the republican party, so i think it's important for republicans across the party stand up and voice their opposition to these kind of views and make clear it doesn't stand for the republican party, it's not the majority view of the party, it's a minority view. and it may be a short-term strategy to win primaries, but it's a bad long-term strategy for the party. >> what would that look like in the nuts and bolts sense? i mean, should the rnc make a statement against candidates who have super anti-gay views or say very homophobic things? should state parties do that? should leading candidates do that? jim demint's not up for re-election, but he's getting more and more powerful and he has among the most anti-gay positions that i've ever heard a public official voice in my lifetime. >> he does. listen, i think we should have it in the republican party platform. i think it should be in the state plot forms. i just think it is

the last time that more republicans voted with all the population, the last time more republicans votedhan democrats in a year's worth of primaries was 1930. i'm not -- it would be amazing. the democratic era began in 1932 and it would be amazing after it ended in the victory in 2008. i don't want to go that far. but that's a real number. that number has to reflect something. it shows the republicans this year. >> shannon: they feel that way. the senatorial committee put out a note there are six races they think are locked up that they thought were in contention. pointing to russ feingold seat and others that are tight. what do republicans have to do to win in those cases? >> the democrats have to emphasize get out the vote. there will be more republicans in the primary but the energy has come from the right. the tea party have been driving american politics. in this moment is can the democrats reignite what remains of the people who turned out in 2008? when they were so excited about barack obama. can they come back? to get them excited you have to say there is something at stake. is t

suppose the house gets republican, everybody telling me now it is going to go republican if that happensls like this -- continue to tax cut for everybody, including the top two 2%. goes the senate, slowed down there, nothing happens, two to one, conferences, somewhere in the middle, the president signs it. how does that hurt the republican party? they have moved the whole country a bit to the right on taxes? >> on taxes, i don't think it will hurt them, on deficit reduction, for instance it may well hurt them. >> come in with a budget that has a lower deficit that the senate -- they compromise, the president agrees to it but they have moved the country to the right. >> because deficit or meaningful deficit reduction doesn't include cutting discretionary program. they will have to say serious things about social security, medicare, medicaid. >> the president is going to be for it, too. >> the long run, maybe not the short run but got to look at it in the long run. talk about turkey, seems to me all this is basically a game of chicken. at some point, it is going to happen. the question put

is this what republicans want? >> i would rather have 40 republicans who believe in the principles of freedom than 60 who believe in nothing at all. >> i'm not a witch. i'm nothing you've heard. gwen: want economy still in a long-term stall -- >> it took as you long time to get out of where we are now and the damage left by this recession is so deep that it's going take a long time to get out. gwen: is this the best message democrats can hope for? >> reports of the death of the democratic party are exaggerated. gwen: at the supreme court, attacks on the limit of free speech. as the justices begin their new term. covering the week, peter baker of "new york times." michael duffy of time d magazine. david wessel of the "wall street journal" and joan biskupic of "u.s.a. today" d. >> award-winning reporting and analysis. covering history as it happens. live from our nation's capital, this is "washington week" with gwen ifill. produced in association with national journal. corporate funding for "washington week" is provi