republicans only. republicans only for the next couple of minutes or so while they stay in recess. there are five candidates. we mentioned michael steele and reince priebus. also, saul anuzis, the former michigan chairman of the republican party, ann wagner, former ambassador, and maria cino. we think they will all be in the second round of nominations. we will have to wait and see. let's see what our viewers have to say. this is andrew in miami careened go ahead. see, when of the first problems i'm having is we need a candidate that will make the most money for the republican party. i read an article this week saying that we are broke for the redistricting lawsuits. i wonder where all of the money went with michael steele? >> do you donate to the party? caller: they sent me letters a day in and day out. i do not give money to the party any more. i give it directly to the candidates. the amount of parties, and this and that, i think they need to focus on the candidates, and start saving money. >> in th

republican republican power. question that's the argument for re alignment. but wouldn't it be a political miscalculation for the republicans to believe that a real realignment has occurred. >> certainly would, john. we've had three straight repudiating elections. republicans were repudiated in 2006, their president was defeated as it were in 208. now -- 2008. now the democrats were repudiated in 2010. gig government is unpopular. it's too costly, people want to cut back on it. so the liberal hour is over and that's good for the republicans in the near term. in the longer term, demography is destiny, john. 90% of the republican party votes is based on white votes. they are down to 75%. they are 65% of the population. they are diminishing toward 50% at mid-century. in the longer term, the republican party has a deep demographic crisis because the minorities are growing in number and they vote between 60 and 90% democratic in every presidential election. >> what do you think about it, eleanor? >> the current republ

the republicans have to have an effective republican national committee to do grass-roots targeting and out of reach. the republican turnout model was not fully funded in 2010. the former national committee political director quit his job in mid-november and wrote a memo saying, if we had been able to fund the 72 hour program, we would have one bank extra states. we would have one bank governorships in minnesota. we would have one bank senate -- we would have one -- would have won governorships in minnesota and senate races in delaware. that is why the rnc race matters. there are only 168 voting members. the party is in serious financial trouble right now. they are reporting more than $15 million in debt. people expect that number to go up north of $25 million. there are documents being floated around now that estimate that going into 2012, they will still have $10 million of debt. all year, they will only have paid off half of the debt depending on how big it actually is. committee members are concerned about their financial future. come february, they have got to deal with a $5 millio

>> limited to republicans. .> republicans brough >> republican primaries ought to be for republicans. >> aside from president reagan, who is your political hero? [laughter] [applause] last year we got caught -- >> this is a request in. > -- a trick question. >> after reagan, who would you cite as a hero? >> abraham lincoln. >> i will go back to myta. general john ashcroft is my hero. he brought me into the party. he is a man of character and integrity. is is a lightning round, i'm sorry. >> freedomworks. >> margaret thatcher. >> frederick douglass. >> where do you get your news? [laughter] >> the daily caller. [laughter] no, mostly from the internet. the final three pages in the first section of "the wall street journal," with politics, gop. >> i get many of the internet. i read everything from blogs to newspapers. >> i am probably a religious reader of the drug repor -- drudge report, hotline, politico, all the other information online. >> so much for lightning round. >> i get my news online also -- "wall street journal," "national review." >> i am an old-fashioned guy. i start my mo

the teaparty republicans score big. the popular conservative teaparty movement that gained traction in 2009 as what participants saw as big government and out of control spending at a time when a president's party traditionally loses ground in congress. you can read more about that in the philadelphia inquirer. next up, brentwood, california. cliff, you are on the line for "washington journal ." cliff, what was your top story for 2010? caller: i thought the passage of health care and eight months later, when the republicans took the house and the most house seats, a net of 63 since 1938, and of course that record-setting pick-up at the state level, all those state legislators and the state legislatures. you just had on that, very interesting, no labeled meeting. it puts me in mind, you know, when health care was passed, the party in power actually they, you know, they used reconciliation. senate reconciliation to pass health care. the day before they passed it, they were prepared to deem it. do you remember that when pe

>> i wasn't always a republican. from haiti and they identified with the democratic party because they were told that's what black and working-class people do. what's sort of converted me, if you will, after i began working in the inner city as a school counselor and witnessed how a lot of democratic policies purported to help black people to their detriment, that's when i sort of reevaluated my allegiance. >> arm strong, you identify as a conservative but don't identify as a republican. what's the process to make you a black conservative but not a republican? >> there's an inherent problem even in the question you ask. you give the impression the democratic party has since its inception has had all the answers for black people. if that were the case black people would not still be complaining about the problems they complained about 30 years ago, 20 years ago and today. no party has a monopoly on what is best no matter who is in power at the white house black people should be at the table. you should want to be a pa

>> limited to republicans. .> republicans brough >> republican primaries ought to be for republicans. >> aside from president reagan, who is your political hero? [laughter] [applause] last year we got caught -- >> this is a request in. > -- a trick question. >> after reagan, who would you cite as a hero? >> abraham lincoln. >> i will go back to my state. general john ashcroft is my hero. he brought me into the party. he is a man of character and integrity. this is a lightning round, i'm sorry. >> freedomworks. >> margaret thatcher. >> frederick douglass. >> where do you get your news? [laughter] >> the daily caller. [laughter] no, mostly from the internet. the final three pages in the first section of "the wall street journal," with politics, gop. >> i get many of the internet. i read everything from blogs to newspapers. >> i am probably a religious reader of the drug repor -- drudge report, hotline, politico, all the other information online. >> so much for lightning round. >> i get my news online also -- "wall street journal," "national review." >> i am an old-fashioned guy. i start

congress or republican house, more republicans in the senate. the lame duck session was where the president finished strong. lot of booip accomplishments. this is what you said, however, just before skrichristmas react to the lake dumb. >> when it is all going to be said and done, harry reid has eaten our lunch. this has been a capitulation in two weeks of dramatic proportions of policies that wouldn't have passed in the new congress. >> so to your way of thinking -- the kind of bipartisanship we saw is not what you want to see in the new year. >> yeah. i don't want to see bills passed in a lame duck congress war you can't amend a bill. don't ask, don't tell was repealed in the lame duck congress. not one amendment was allowed to the bill. we had six versions of the dream act brought up in the lame duck -- >> immigration bill. >> yes. that's right. the s.t.a.r.t. treaty could have been named better if it came in the new year. i don't understand why republicans were pushing through policies in lame duck when it could have been made better in the

republicans say now c.b.o. numbers don't matter, that's stretching things historically, factly and politically. >> and i think democrats believe there is a bit of political upside in having this health care debate over again in some respects, threat -- at least. the democrats are hoping that republicans look extreme, that they're trying to take away aspects of the hurricane bill that people are ok with. a bigger problem is what if it does pass the house, which it probably will. it gets to the senate. how many uneasy senate democrats are there who they -- may vote to repeal it? any people up in 2012? >> does it even have to come to the floor? >> i would think so. >> the only way it would matter is if outside republican groups, for example, begin running ads and saying senate so-and-so, you're up in 2012, call your senator. >> senator nelson, for example. gwen: which is why they're against further -- >> there are 13 house democrats who voted against the health care bill in the last congress who came back in this

>> limited to republicans. .> republicans brough >> republican primaries ought to be for republicans. >> aside from president reagan, who is your political hero? [laughter] [applause] last year we got caught -- >> this is a request in. > -- a trick question. >> after reagan, who would you cite as a hero? >> abraham lincoln. >> i will go back to my state. general john ashcroft is my hero. he brought me into the party. he is a man of character and integrity. this is a lightning round, i'm sorry. >> freedomworks. >> margaret thatcher. >> frederick douglass. >> where do you get your news? [laughter] >> the daily caller. [laughter] no, mostly from the internet. the final three pages in th first section of "the wall street journal," with politics, gop. >> i get many of the internet. i read everything from blogs to newspapers. >> i am probably a religious reader of the drug repor -- drudge report, hotline, politico, all the other information online. >> so much for lightning round. >> i get my news online also -- "wall street journal," "national review." >> i am an old-fashioned guy. i start

all the republican action is in washington right now but the real republican story is the fight to beatarack obama next year and on that front, the important action isn't here in washington, it's out there. right now, 12 armies are pitching tents, gathering strengge, gttinad rey.th today we launch our 12 for '12 series putting a sharp eye on the huge republican field. the possibilities are mitt romney, mike huckabee, sarah palin, newt gingrich, tim pawlenty, haley barbour, john thune, mitch daniels, john huntsman and rick santorem. many say it's up to sarah palin. if she's in, that steals the oxygen from others, john thune and rick santorem. palin has threatened several others but many would hang in and chief among them, mitt romney. romney is considered the leader based on having run last time, raising money. john, you've been out there, you're writing a book for the next presidential campaign already. mitt romney, is he in the best spot right now in terms of palin's possible in or out and everything else considered? >> i don't think anything palin does will affect romney. chris: why n

republicans across the nation. with this new focused leadership, the rnc will move forward by restructuring our financial operation, reviewing our current plans of action, and hiring top notch staff. i understand the challenges that lie ahead of us go well past raising funds. we must know how to spend these funds effectively, to aid in our redistricting efforts, to support our 2011 candidates, to hold a world class convention, and to be sure that our republican presidential has the organization in place to be to barack obama. -- to beat [applause] ] i am completely humbled to have the opportunity to lead this amazing party. starting today, starting now. , as a committee, let's come together and let's get ready to elect republicans and god bless the committee and god bless the united states of america. thank you very much. i appreciate it and i will turn your trust every day. thank you. [applause] >> sean miller of the hill, you have been watching this all day. what is your reaction? >> reince preibus @ whittled dow

is it part of the republican party? >> i do not think they are part of the republican party. i think they're very much an independent voice. i think that they are interested in a constitutional efforts of limited government and many fiscal standards that are important. i think they'd play a tremendous role in the last election. i think they have a tremendous role going forward. one has to recognize the independent nature of this patriot group, tea party, grassroots movement out there. they must be engaged. they are always welcome to have a seat at the table to talk about candidates, to talk about policy, off to talk about how we win elections. i think they differ vastly from state to state, and from community to community. but i applaud their efforts and they are welcome to be a part as we go forward toward winning the white house in 2012. >> would you welcome a tea party presidential campaign? or is it your role is chaired to prevent a splinter nominee? >> i believe in our to-party system. this is a great democracy and i think that all views ought to be brought together. it

republicans promise to try to do this.ow, the more noise the democrats make about the awfulness of it all, the more conspicuous what the president has done becomes, and the more it look like they have fought hard to do it. it would be smart for the democrats just to let it roll by them. they can't stop it and they know it will be stopped anywhere and not make a big deal out of it. for this reason. the thing is unpopular. the repeal idea is popular. why not just let this unfold? particularly when you know that it's not ultimately going to become law anytime soon? >> because it will be a fight. a big fight. the democrats now making -- >> let juan. >> democrats will not because of what the republicans are doing the democrats will aggressively make case for benefit of healthcare reform in this country. say to republicans what is it, repeal and replace? what are you replacing it with? >> that's fine, but what i'd say about that is democrats aggressively made the case for this legislation for two years. the president of the unit

we have a wide field of republicans.t of republicans are wringing their hands, i'm not one of those. we believe in competition and opportunity. there's a great opportunity right now for someone to emerge. we have well qualified governors who have cut spending in their states who have created a pro-growth and pro-jobs environment in their state. we have members of congress and members of the senate. >> here's the new hampshire straw poll from this weekend that shows you have mitt romney on top of it. a lot of people. >> as potential nominee, sarah palin is strong where republicans are strongest. the movement of working class white voters toward the republican party in the last 30 years but accelerated under obama is enormous. two-thirds of them voting republican. she's weakest where the electorate is most fluid and where this will be decided in that white collar upper middle class college educated white electorate moving toward democrats and through this class inversion where they do better in places than in youngstown bu

these republicans, the mainstream republicans, are scared to death of these tea party people. they don't know what to do with them, how to handle them. that's one reason they're so vague about what they're going to do. they don't want to say. not only because they don't want to tip their hand to the white house, i don't think they want the tea party folks to know because they don't know what their response is going to be. >> couric: and they don't want to look like a house divided in the party itself. >> well, i mean, they've just got to figure out... they are a house divided. i mean, the president tonight is going to be talking to three parties: republicans, democrats, and the tea party. and we've never kind of had that here before. >> couric: he'll also be talking to some independents. john, isn't part of the president's goal tonight winning back those independents who elected him and then abandoned him in the midterms? >> he'll be looking exactly to those independents who are, according to pollsters, they want kind of a renewal of vows. they want barack obama they voted for

gwen: was that really a kiss agreement between the tea party republicans and establishment republicans? >> i think it's a question of how far they want to go. the republican positioning is we believe the american people are trod feel the pain. paul ryan, the house been committee chairman has said it. hence article irning -- hensarling has said it. i think it's a really interesting question when we're used to politicians saying "we're going to help you, give you something, suss," and the republican party is essential le saying we're not going to help you. we're going to make life a little more difficult, but we believe you are with us on this. i think thts -- that's a fascinating political gamble to take. gwen: and the gam -- gamble the white house is taking is that people don't really mean that? >> right. >> having lived through the gingrich revolution and covering congress and the difficulty they've had, the i think the administration is probably right to bet that the republicans are going to be in a bad place on this. >> and at the end of the day the president is goinging to judged o

republicans across the nation. with this new focused leadership, the rnc will move forward by restructuring our financial operation, reviewing our current plans of action, and hiring top notch staff. i understand the challenges that lie ahead of us go well past raising funds. we must know how to spend these funds effectively to aid in our redistricting efforts, to support our 2011 candidates, to hold a world-class convention, and to be sure that our republican presidential nominee as the organization in place to beat barack obama. [applause] starting today, starting now, as a committee, let's come together and let's get ready to elect republicans. god bless the committee, and god bless the united states of america. thank you very much. i appreciate it, and i will warm your trust everyday. thank you. -- i will earn your trust every day. [applause] >> you have been watching this all day. your reaction, how did mr. priebus come up with the goods? >> he just whittle down support from his rivals. he took some votes away

ken is a republican. caller: some way to separate out to help social security, and i cannot get any senator -- is there any way you can take my number or anything? is there a simple way to put money back into social security? some white the -- some way to -- [unintelligible] i talked to john mccain when he was in jacksonville. host: if you called it a general capital number -- the general capitol number, that might be a better way to get staff attention. guest: people are looking for good ideas, and whatever has have the support of the american people behind us. we started this interview talking about what are my priorities in congress, and i go back to job creation. we have 50 million-plus people out of work. if we can get -- we have 15 million-plus people out of work. if we can get half of those people back to work, that would put $50 billion a year into social saberi, making it much more solid. -- it to social security, making it much more solvent. we have to make sure it is there for the long term, fo

, this is about jobs and they'll bring republican governors in, many republican governors who won inhe midterm elections to say what is this law, health care, what is epa regulations? what is net neutrality? what are all these things having an effect in your state on jobs and if they get a negative reaction then we need action and they'll say here is the republican course. it's all going to be framed around jobs. >> i disagree with amy on the message of the election. i don't think it was going to washington and work together and get things done, go to washington and stop it. put sand in the gear, to which end another person, people have not heard of that they're about to hear of is senator tom udall, a freshman from new mexico who will lead the attempt to change the senate rules to make a filibuster less effective to make the senate work quicker. now, those of us who believe that quickness in government is not a good thing object to that but it will be the first big fight of this congress. >> explain that a little bit more, because there are obviously in op-ed page as cross the count

co-chairman of the republican national committee. have a great love and appreciation for the institution and the kind of work that only the r.n.c. can do. whether it's coordinating with the state parties and funding those victory programs, whether it's putting together the presidential trust, whether it's putting on a nominating convention, all of those things are important and i do think i've got an opportunity to bring a fresh perspective, kind of the perfect insider-outsider, perhaps, to come in and guide the ship. i know the r.n.c. well because i worked there in the building for four years when i was co-chairman, and obviously served on the committee for seven years when i was a g.o.p. chairman here in missouri. so i'm hoping it's a benefit. i think our party's ready for new leadership. it's important that we do this, to instill the kind of credibility in our donor base, in the public and also with our members on the committee. >> ok. if i could follow up on that. what do you think that chairman steel meant when he said yesterday

, farsighted republican are looking for ways to increase the visibility of black republicans on the presidentialn trail. look for republican big wigs to talk up the candidacy of retired businessman herman cane. he's black, very conservative, he's a radio talk show host and hee ecama republican darling in 1994 when he confronted bill clinton on national television. chris: what is he running for? >> over health care reform. talking about a presidential bid. chris: ok, ok. >> i decided to go back and grade president obama's last state of the union and looked closely and in fact he did deliver when it came to a jobs bill, health care reform, the start treaty, don't ask, don't tell. he promised 1.5 million, we have had 1.1 million. one area we did not deliver on, changing the tone in washington. he promised in his state of the union to hold monthly meetings twithhe republican leadership. on that he did not deliver. chris: when we come back -- he better do that. big question of the week, if republicans in washington do compromise with the president this year, does it open up a grand canyon between tho

i come from a republican background. my family has always been republican. thing they do not do is play politics. to me, this seems like a big game that everybody is playing. this combat that has been going on against the democrats and republicans. we should all be working together. barack obama is our president. we should honor our president. we're just going to disagree with him on everything. he is our president. let's work together. that's the way i'm looking at it. barack obama is talking about innovating and asking us to take responsibility. people say that is something that we should just -- it's a bunch of hooey. you have to believe in yourself and we have to take responsibility. each one of us has to build our country together. host: that was a republican in dallas, texas. we are going to continue our coverage of the state of the union on "washington journal" for the full three hours. we will get your reaction and your thoughts. joining us from capitol hill will be several members of congress. representative chris van hollen, democrat of maryland, i

who are these republicans? after months and months and months of the national debate, you can go into any coffee shop, any church basement, just about any card game in this country and people have solid ideas about what they think about health care, but not the republicans. they've got a resolution today that says, hey, committees, go try to figure this stuff out. it's complicated. by the way, i don't know, madam speaker, if i read it correctly, i don't think there are any deadlines. i don't think there are any deadlines. i will eat this rostrum if they come back with legislation that actually accomplishes the things that they just repealed yesterday. it's not going to happen. ands in the fundamental problem that i believe -- and this is the fundamental problem that i believe the majority party now has. they have the campaign slogans all down. i heard the gentleman from florida do one. unconstitutional. they have the campaign slogans, and i got to give them credit, they were successful with them. they came here

sure, i'd like a republican president for 2013. but the real question for the american people is not the election in '12 but what are we going to do now? i hope the president's pivot to the center will be more than just rhetoric and we can do important things for the country in short-term. the election will take care of itself over a period of two years. >> chris: finally, are you going to sit with a democrat at the "state of the union"? >> i'm going to sit where i usually sit. we don't have seating assignments for most members and we can sit where we want to. >> chris: you're sitting at the leadership table on the republican side? >> it's a seat i typically sit at. if people want to mix it up, they can. we don't have seating assignments for most members. >> chris: what do you think of this idea? >> more important of the appearance than sitting together is what we do together. the american people are more interested in actual accomplishments on a bipartisan basis here in the next six to nine months than they are with the seating ar

republicans do not. democrats believe we shou close the doughnut hole and reduce prcription drug prices for our seniors. republicans do not. democrats believe that young people should be allowed to remain on their parent's insurance plan until age 26. republicans do not. democrats believe we should provide tax breaks to small businesses and subsidies to low-income americans to help them pay for health insurance for their workers and their families. republicans do not. and democrats believe that we need to seriously address the budget deficit. republicans do not. as the c.b.o. croble made abundantly clear -- made abundantly clear. it would add $230 billion to the deficit over the next 10 years and another $1.2 trillion in the following 10 years. as far as i can tell, this is the most expensive one-page bill in american history. 114 words. that's $2 billion per word. rather than adess those budgetary facts, the new republican majority has simply ignored them, to cover their ears and pretend that the laws o

i think it is incumbent upon the republicans to say what they want. all they have said is they don't want this law. but recognize what health care was like before this was passed. for decades, people say we have to reform the health-care system, the costs were going up and up, employers were dropping coverage for employees, individuals that did not have employer-provided coverage had to go into the individual market and could not get a policy if they had a pre-existing condition. they could not buy a policy of the couldn't afford it. they were left in the lurch. this legislation took parts of ideas, a lot of which were republican ideas, of what to do with health care system to create a market and prevent discrimination, to protect the rights of individuals, to be able to shop around and make a decision for what is in the best interest of them and their family. >> do you envision the law will be opened up through the committee process or action in the senate that were there will be reforms made to health care law? if so, what do you want to see done to

those principles and values that make you a republican, those that would not make you a republican or even a democrat? >> gay marriage is the big one that apparently makes me a democrat and i don't know what democrats are doing for gay marriage or the gay-rights movement at all. it is hypocritical to say democrats and gay-rights movement. republicans, strong national defense. government should stay out of our lives as much as possible. those are the main principles. and pro-life pro gay marriage, people don't seem to be able to reconcile that. it is who i am and what i believe. i grew up christian. it is what i continue to believe. people just need to have a hard time with the fact that i am also wrote birth control and against abstinence only education. it comes into play and strong national defense. i continue to support the war in afghanistan and iraq. that is the problem and where people lose me. i am what i am and meet a lot of people who share the same beliefs. politics is a lot like acting. they say hollywood is for ugly people, not just -- and hollywood is politics for the new

republicans across the nation. with this new focus the leadership, the rnc will move the ford. by restructuring our financial operations, reviewing our current plans of action, and hiring top notch staff. i understand the challenges that lie ahead of us, it goes well past ways in funds -- raising funds. we must know how to spend these funds effectively to aid in our redistricting efforts, to support our 2011 candidates, to hold the world class convention and to be sure that our republican presidential nominee has the organization in place to beat barack obama. [applause] i am completely humbled to have the opportunity to lead this amazing party. starting today, starting now, there is a committee -- let's come together and get ready to recollect republicans. and, bless the committee. and god bless the united states of america. thank you very much. i appreciate it and i will earn your trust every day. thank you. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable sate

republican line. caller: i will not be watching. i think he will say tonight whatever he thinks the american people want to hear. it is what he will do, not what he says. because he says many things and has done what he wants to do. host: have you watched passed the state of the union addresses? caller: yes, i have. host: what do you think the republican addresses? caller: again, they say what they think the american people want to hear. it is what they do, not what they say. this president is great at what he says but he does not do that. he is america's worst enemy, i think. host: according to reuters, the speech may spur a fight over the pace of budget cuts. he specifically vowed to defend education programs for major cuts. that is reuters. let's go to sarasota, florida. democratic line. caller: good morning, how are you doing? host: i think the state of the union matters, but i will -- i was watching the news last night and he is not going to deliver anything on the immigration issue. it seems lik

republicans dispute that." "lawmakers may find it difficult to follow through with some aspects of the law. if the cuts do not take hold, the cuts of the law could soar." it also says "the white house and congressional democrats say it could create jobs so employers would have more to spend on wages and hiring. they say the law provides tax credits to help many small businesses. representative sam graves, chairman of the committee on small business, says the law could cost the economy 1.6 million jobs." bloomfield, new mexico. mary on the line for republicans. caller: i think it needs to be repealed. they did not address some of the very big issues. when they started this whole debate, i contacted nearly every congressman in the 111th congress with two simple questions. ok, we are going to have preventive care with conoco pay. great. wonderful. where are these people going to get care? at the top of the patients bill of rights should be the right to actually see a doctor. i live in one of the largest counties i

a good thing for republicans. >> colby, your star of the future. >> rubio, republican vice presidentialandidate. >> happy new year. see you next week. >> for a transcript, go to

a republican collar. good morning. caller: good morning. i've got a quick three points and being that i'm paying for c- span, i would like to get those across. host: c-span is not actually publicly confirmed dead. caller: do you want to listen to me? i pay my -- c-span is not actually publicly funded. caller: do you want to listen to me. i pay my cable bill. it is just money. host: what are your comments? caller: i will give you an example. the epa forced a mistake to have the local people send me a note in my water deal that something changed our%. -- 5%. the epa does not drink our water. a local people take care of it. they drink it. i have all of these -- i will take care of what we have here. i believe what they do is very important. i do not need the epa. and by the way, young lady, you have learned your talking points pretty well. what are you going to do about china and russia? china is opening a coal plant once a week and that is pollution according to you. guest: the caller makes an interesting p

the republican house is going to stop it. what is likely is that 1023 democrats are up for reelection in 2012 -- is that 23 democrats are up for reelection in 2012. it looks like a republican senate, and then they have the run of the kind as if you abolish the rule. -- run of the congress if you abolish the rule. democrats are being extremely shortsighted. >> it really is completely undemocratic as it works now. whoever is in charge of to be able to pursue their agenda unless people are willing to stand up and fight against it. i am not proposing to abolish the filibuster. i'm proposing to make it a tool it once was, rare. >> charles' rosy scenario -- lord knows he has a rosy scenario for 2012 -- a republican in the house and president palin to sign it into office. it is nirvana, it really is. >> that is what i said, end of days. >> bill daley as chief of staff. >> this is a guy who understands the issues, understands the players, knows the players, and knows how to make it work. >> that is the president and ceo of the u.s. c

in there and the republicans ended up watching the kitchen t.v.and you could sort of hear cheers and syrias from either side as certain points came up. >> ifill: well, some things don't change. gene grant in new mexico, are people still wary after last night's speech, does it take more than one speech for people to think okay, maybe this can work? >> i would agree with what we heard from wisconsin and colorado. talk radio i heard the morning and afternoon was on that same beat. a wait-and-see attitude at the least, hostile, almost, at the most or at the worst depending on your point of view. and it really was like wait a minute, this is not... i didn't hear anything about getting myself or my wife or my husband or my kid back to work by next month. and i think what had happened was it was a sense of, you know, it started... again, for us here locally it started with a very encouraging note that we could understand and we could embrace and that was sense of waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting and when it never really happened, when you never really

a good issue for republicans to have the oversight on. among other issues that they should look at what the obama administration is doing. >> we can do advanced care planning on this regulation today. and predict that congress will pull the plug on it, even if it does make sense, because it's politically loser for both sides, for the republicans to do so. and it sets the stage for what it will be, years long. several years long. five years, maybe, war of attrition between the people for healthcare reform -- >> chris: that's a plug -- >> it will defund that aspect of medicare. they'll say you can't spend the medicare money. you can't spend the medicare money on this advisory planning. they have done it before and they can do it again. it suspect they will, as i say, yank the cord on that one. >> chris: mara, i want you to pick up on brit, because the general question of the obama administration thinking they can do a lot through regulation, that now that they can't get things through a republican house, are you as pessimistic as he is abou

no republican here should kid themselves about it. the greatest leaders in fighting for an integrated america were in the democratic party. the fact is it was the liberals that ended segregation. it was franklin delano roosevelt who gave hope to a nation in despair. the fact is every republican has much to learn from studying what the democrats did right. but i would say to my friends the democratic party there was much do what ronald reagan was trying to get done. there is much to be done by what republicans are doing today. as much we can share with each other. we must replace the welfare state. the balanced budget is the right thing to do but it does not give moral urgency of coming to grips with what is happening to the poorest americans. he goes back for 300 years and look at what has worked with america. how we have reached out to save people. he has the right sense of where we need to go as americans. i don't believe there is a single american who can see a news report of a 4-year-old thrown off a public housing project by othe