go to isitlowt.com to find out more. >>> we're back with roger simon and maria teresa kumar.r more of "the politics fix." betting against health care reform has been a very safe bet for the last 60 years or so. let's listen to what president obama had to say about that today. >> that's why those who are betting against this happening this year are badly mistaken. we are going to get this done. we will reform health care. it will happen this year. i'm absolutely convinced of that. i bee

back with us are mark whit akerr and roger simon, the chief political columnist for the amazing new journaleally about personality. the president of the united states joined by the man i called as ed mcmahon, with no derogatory meeting, his regular guy, running mate, now vice president, seems to have a role. to bring biden in, a man known as pro-cop, pro-firefighters, irish guy -- >> i hear biden wasn't invited, he just showed up -- no. just kidding. the white house did not prepare anybody for the fact -- >> what does he bring to the table, if you will? >> i think he brings, you know, a certain bond with all union members. >> and guys like me. >> this police officer is a union guy, and a certainly -- >> regular, scranton guy. >> exactly. if you run the video again, i don't know -- >> we can look at it. >> if you can get the screen up. >> what are we looking at? >> i got to ask one thing about the stagecraft here. why is is there a physical gulf between crowley and gates? >> what, you want a loveseat? >> why are they why aren't they sitting as close to -- >> they set up the camera shot. >> i

michelle barnard, roger simon.hat continues on "the ed show" with ed schultz. >> we will pass reform that lowers costs, provides choice and provides coverage every american can count on and we will do it this year. >>> good evening, americans. thanks for joining us on this late edition of "the ed show." coming from the nation's capital, washington, d.c. president obama wrapped up his primetime news conference a few hours ago. i was there in the front row and somewhat dismayed. i will tell you about that. we'll have complete coverage. the president clobbers the insurance companies, highlighting the numbers we showed you earlier in the program. the president did address the republican critics and he was a little soft when it came to the conservative democrats. nancy pelosi is the one making the news. the speaker says that she has the votes to pass a progressive option. she's willing to work through august, but dick durbin in the senate said he won't take it up until after august. the president says he's in a hurry to

roger simon, i want to start with sarah palin. i thought senator mccain was rather striking in his comments today. on the one hand he said he was surprised that she stepped down. how could he not be given his record as a politician, as a senator, as a leader? is this the same person he chose to be on his ticket? >> i think it is the same person. if the republicans were choosing a nominee today, i believe they would choose sarah palin. the republican party has collapsed like a star going nova to its densest core of conservative voters. sarah palin speaks to that core. now, the man darins, the elites don't like her. she's not of their ilk. she is the skunk at their garden party. they believe, as some in the media believe, that the highest form of political skill and authenticity today is to flawlessly read a speech from a teleprompter that somebody else has written for you. that's not sarah palin. look, she's not going to beat barack obama, but all she has to do is beat tim pawlenty, bobby jindel, mitt romney. are you saying she cou

we'll be back with roger simon and ruben for the health care fix.e all new chevy equinox. with an epa estimated 32 miles per gallon. and up to 600 miles between fill ups. it's the most fuel efficient crossover on the highway. better than honda cr-v, toyota rav4 and even the ford escape hybrid. the all new chevy equinox. >>> we're back with roger simon and ruben from the politics fix. ruben, you lead off here. we get the word now that the president's going to make a lot of tv appearances tomorrow, making the case for health care. he seems to have gotten the word on his trip overseas to africa and europe and russia and everything else, meeting the pope and everywhere, that he's got to really step on the gas now if he wants this thing to get done. >> absolutely. and you know what the problem is, it's democrats, it's members of his own party, they've said all along, conservative democrats, this is a nonstarter for us. we're not going to go and stick our nets out on this plan. i'm not sure that the president involving himself gives those blue dogs the co

howard fineman, political analyst and roger simon from politico. roger, your piece the other day in "politico" your experience firsthand about walter cronkite was dreamy. it was wonderful. >> thank you. >> what does the president got to do? can he still do it? you're pretty good at the bottom line. is it already lost? health care? >> no, it's not lost. the american people want some version of health care reform and they want the reassurance he's going to try to give them tonight. i was over listening to the spin from them. two key words -- security and stability. >> can you tell me who he was briefing? >> no, i can't. >> i think i can guess, though, right? >> security and stability. the republicans have had success in saying watch out for this risky thing that's going to destabilize the insurance you already have. so his main audience tonight are the 85% of the american people who already have ininsurance. >> not the poor people who work hard and don't have health insurance, but the people who find out after they get in trouble in terms of medical c

. >>> let me bring in roger simon, chief political columnist for politico. roger, what do you make of the senate not being able to get it done before the recess and harry reid today saying that the senate financial committee needs more time to figure this thing out? what's your take? >> my take is the votes just aren't there. the president would love to do this with republican support, but he'll do it with just democratic support, but he doesn't have the votes yet, doesn't have the votes in the senate or the house, and one of the reasons is neither side knows exactly either, a, what this health care plan is going to look like, and, b, how really we're going to pay for it. you put your finger on one of the big sticking points, the public option. a lot of people think the public option is a done deal. if you talk more to max back us, listen closely to the president, there's two different views. two different views on what the public option really is. is it something that will actually exist? or is it going to be used as a threat to make the insurance companies

i think we may have hit a snag on this abortion issue. >>> we're back with roger simon and ruben fromfix. ruben, you lead off here. we get the word now that the president's going to make a lot of tv appearances tomorrow, making the case for health care. he seems to have gotten the word on his trip overseas to africa and europe and russia and everything else, meeting the pope and everywhere, that he's got to really step on the gas now if he wants this thing to get done. >> absolutely. and you know what the problem is, it's democrats, it's members of his own party, they've said all along, conservative democrats, this is a nonstarter for us. we're not going to go and stick our necks out on this plan. i'm not sure that the president involving himself gives those blue dogs the cover they need. i'm not sure how popular he is on this issue in their districts. >> what do you make of the 19 house democrats who said there can't be any abortion funding in this bill? no national house funding payments for abortion? and by the way, bob casey of pennsylvania yesterday voted with the republicans to

thank you, roger simon and maria teresa kumar. chris matthews will return monday night at 5:00 and 7:00 for more "hardball." "countdown" with keith olbermann starts right now. >>> which of these stories will you be talking about tomorrow? first class hypocrisy. governor mark sanford flying high on the taxpayers' dime. the phony fiscal conservative won't take federal stimulus money to educate the poor, but he will spend public funds on expensive airline tickets to south america. you know, the place where his mistress lives. >> i've let down a lot of people. >> a conservative think tank allegedly putting its thoughts up for sale to the highest bidder. do i hear two million? when fedex tells you it absolutely won't be part of your paper plate scandal, there's always u.p.s. what can green do for you? turns out not every mccain loves joe the plumber. daughter megan sets her sights on huss her father's unofficial campaign mascot samuel wurzelbacher. quote, joe the bummer is a dumb ass. he should stick to plumbing. crank calls gone wild.

roger simon, w wan to startt with sarah palin. thought s senoror mccain wawas rather strikikgg in h comments today. onhe one hand he s sd he was susurpsed that she stepped dodon howw cldld he not bee givenen h record as a lilitian, as a senator, ass a leader? is this the s sam personee chose toto bononis ticketet? >> i thihi i it theamame pepers. if the r replilins were choososn nomineedaday, i i believehey wodd cose sarah palin. the republblic party has collapsed like a srroing nova totsts dsest core of conservative vovorsrs. sarah palin speakaksoo that cor. now,he man dadari,, the elites don't lilikeher. she's not of theiririlk. she ishehe skunk atheheir garden pay. they belelveve,s some inhe mea a beeve, that the highehest rm offolitical skill andnd authenticityty today is too flawawsssslyead a speech from a leprompter that somebody y el has writittefoyou. that's not sarah papan.n. lolo, she's not gng to beat barack obaba,, b all she has too s beat timim wlenty, bobobby ndndelmitt roromn.. e e yosaying sheououldt beat tttt romn

thank you, roger simon and maria teresa kumar. right now, it's time for "the ed show," with ed schultz. >>> i'm ed schultz. this is "the ed show." good evening, americans. live from 30 rock in new york, it's "the ed show" on msnbc. you heard it here first. howe now it's official. the house intelligence committee chairman sylvester rayers confirms there will be an investigation into dick cheney and the cia and why they didn't brief the congress. yes! the right's talking about taxing and spending and some democrats are starting to get some weak knees on this again. we'll straighten them out tonight. one of them's joe lieberman. he's acting up again. i've got a message for them tonight, that's right. less than one year after the bailout, wall street's making some money again. how's this working out? i thought government wasn't supposed to get involved in any of this kind of stuff. another republican talking point bites the dust. this country, serious business. not doing right by our female veterans. we're going to talk about that ton

bill press, roger simon, michael med ved, i think and i really admire the the secretary of state andbill press, i have to say that i think if she's above the grass at 90 she'll be thinking about running for president. what do you say? >> no way. i'll tell you right here and now the next clinton who runs for public office will be chelsea. it will not be hoil clinton. >> i think you just heard a denial there, ed, and let's put the conspiracy theory aside. >> i think she's going to run again. >> she wouldn't say absolutely i am fat clee not. roger, how do you play this? >> this reminds me of what ted kennedy used to say. i don't think about it any more and i don't think about it any less. in 2016 cheel only be 26 years old. in 2016 he might want to run. >>> here he is talking about the job he is doing in the office. >> having worked with him for six months, what i see is the desize i haveness, his discipline, his approach to difficult problems. >> during the campaign you questioned the experience and his toughness. are those issues that you don't feel as strongly anymore? look, i'm here

and in arlington, virginia, politico's chief political columnist, roger simon.first of all, anything out there that surprises, i can't see myself out of political office, it's in me, do you get the impression she has quit to pursue bigger jobs in the future is >> i think there's a difference between being involved in the public policy arena and politics and being elected to something, and she certainly left that a little mushy. i think that a lot depends -- so much depends -- on what she does with this time, between now and the next 18 months now and the time when we begin to see how the 2012 race is shaping up. is she going to go out there and campaign for those 2010 republicans that want her to be there? is she going to build on her political support? is she going to take the time, which we know she will, because she has a contract, to write a book and to sort of become a, quote, more serious person, if that's what republicans seem to think she isn't at this point, at least some of them? so, i think a lot really -- i don't think she knows. i'm not inside her h

thank you very much, roger simon. thanks, ruben nafrette. >>> "countdown with keith olbermann" starts right now. >>> which of these stories will you be talking about tomorrow? the confirmation hearings, confirmation that the senior republican is deliberately, knowingly twisting sonia sotomayor's words. words which condemned judging based on personal experience, which he pretends were words endorsing judging based on personal experience. >> philosophy can't impact your judging. i think it's much more likely to reach full flower if you sit on the supreme court. >> confirmation, the dishonesty of jeff sessions, senator from alabama. and a judge's calm, plotting, almost too gentle effort to disprove his lying. >> i do not believe that any ethnic, racial, or gender group has an advantage in sound judgment. >>> dick cheney's got a secret. now "the washington post" confirms it was an assassination squad kept from congress because it failed, utterly. but cia officials tell "time" magazine it might have been another illegal us

well -- mark whitaker, thank you, roger simon. join us again tomorrow at 5:00 and 7:00 for more "hardball." "countdown with keith olbermann" starts right now. >>> which of these stories will you be talking about tomorrow? the white house, two weeks after the racially charnged arrest of a harvard professors president holds peace talks between the two men in the middle of a culture war. >> this is three folks having a drink at the end of the day, and hopefully giving people an opportunity to listen to each other. >> and he buried the distraction once and for all. not if the race and right wingers get their way. >> finally hearing me. an angry black guy. i do believe he's angry. >> what it says, more about them than it does the president. >>> health care. it's a health scare. >> won't pay for mire surgery but forced to play for abortion. >> fallen for a republican radios with their august time-out? and inside the gop. >> what i don't know is why the president can't produce a birth certificate. i don't know anybody else that can't pro

roger simon said on "meet the prs" yesterday that she'd beat mitt romney tomorr or today if they had. she wld beat him today, i'm not sure if se'beat him after a year. >>ho is the better speaker do >> sarah palin is one -- >> who i the beat cane >> pal is the better campaigner and speaker. she's a sensation. the question is can she get the middle america - >> why shou sheed the middle if the rig swing controls your party? >> there's no doubt she could win the nomination, b i have a hard time believing she uld win the presidency of thenited states unless the country is in a realeneral disaster becau of the issue of credibility -- >> okay >> and confidence at -- >> okay. you gys are all historians of politics. we all love the history looking back. when a party lks they can't beat the ncumbent, whether 's '64 with goldwater or '72 with mcgovern and you were on the other de of that fight, that's when they go to the far corner politically. when you can't win, you have so fun. you follow your ideology. isn't that the perfect settin right now, if you can't beat th, have some fun running --

. >>> and finally, the politico's roger simon, a good friend of this show, has come up with a fun listings that the white house staff, the white house staff, is not allowed to say to the president. here is a few of them. first up, any reference to the gates saga saying i don't know all the facts, but the police acting stupidly is like saying i don't know if there's any weapons of mass destruction, but let's invade iraq anyway. another unspeakable, you want a cigarette? another thing you can't say to the president if you work for him. i think it has to do with his press conferences. one reason we can't put the questions on the teleprompter is because we aren't supposed to know the questions in advance. don't we all agree these press conferences he's been holding are downright deadly? like midnight in a cemetery. i say bring back the hand waving. i pine for the sound of somebody yelling out, mr. president. now that's a press conference. >>> time for tonight's "big number." the judiciary committee in this senate easily approved judge sotomayor for the supreme court by a vote of 13 to 6. b

thank you, andrea mitchel and roger simon. >>> u upp next,alal f fraenen i senator alfrfrann.n.h 60democrats in the senate that he didn't have before?? this is "hardball" onlyonon msc. >>> coming uup, p psident obama and bill clinton both talking about michael jackson today. "hardball" returns a after thihi with a advil pm she's spdings time... lyinawake with aches and pains... he should switch to advil pm. the better night sle you must b be looking for motorcycle inrance. yoood. thanksso is our bike insurce all the coverageouou need at a great pricece. hold on, cowboy. cool. al get 24/7 roadad asstance. ght on. sosounds likyou ran a a 500. more a 900 v-twin. excuse me. well, you'rere excuseded ththe right insurance foyour ride. w, that's progressiv cala sure, but dodo we speak hybrid? yes, we do. and we can sayay00 miles on a singlgle tan and epa estitimated 41 mpg cityty anall the words stick because they're true. speak the most fu-efficient midsize sedan iamerica. we speak the all-n-new 2010 ford fusion hybybrid. get in... anand drivone. >>> and d th y youre well and fafahful

there she is, the one that started it all and now we have roger simon here, chief political columnist from politico. lynn, let me ask you about this. are you glad you started this? >> well, i'm neither -- i have no emotion one know, president obama -- i don't want to go -- i don't want to become part of the story here any more than i am. president obama today, when he talked to reporters, said he had a fascination with the fascination with it, and i think that's kind of how i am on this, chris and roger. i am fascinated with how this whole thing developed from what, in a sense, was a question the white house expected on a big story in the news. >> roger, are you fascinated or not? i think it gets to the san andreas fault in life, which is race, and we're having two guys meet. >> it's fascinating, because i'm fascinated by presidential stagecraft, but it's not an accident this is happening. >> sergeant crowley said, let's do it. >> we now learned, i hope we can all have a beer someday. first of all, it was the president of the united states who revealed that conversation, and then like

roger simon said on "meet the press" yesterdayhat she'd beat mittomney tomorrow or today if they hadht. >> it would have to take o year going o tiowa. she woulbeat him today, i'm not sure if she'd beat him after a ar. the real queiois -- >> who's theetter speaker? >> sarah palin is one of the best -- >> who's the better campaier? >> palin is the better campaigner and speaker. she's sensation. there's no doubt about it. >> i agree. >> the question is can she g the middle of amica to move to her -- >> why should she need the middle if the righwing controls your party? >> there'so doubt she could win the nominationbut i have a hard time believing e could win the presidency othe united states unless the country is i a real general disaster beuse of thessue ocredibility -- >> okay. >> and confidence that's -- >> okay. you guys are all historians of politics. ll love the history lookin back. when a party looks like they can't beat the incumnt, whether it's '64 with goldwater or '72 with mcgovern, and you were on the other side of that fight, tt's when they go to the far corner politically.

roger simon said on "meet the pres yesterday that she'd beat mitt romney tomorr or today if they had fight. >> it would haveo takene year going out to iowa. shwould beat him today, i'm not sure if she'd beim after a year. e real question is -- who's the better peaker? >> sarah pin is one of the >> who's thbeer campaigner? palin is the better campaigner and speak. she's a sensatio there's no doubtbout it. >> i agr. >> t question is can she get the middle of america toove to her -- >> why should she needhe midd if thright wing controls your rty? >> tre's no doubt she could win thnomination, but i have a hard time believing shcould win the presidencyf the united states unless the untry in a real general dister because of theue of credibility -- >> okay. >>nd confidence that's -- >> okay. you guys a all historians of politics. we all love thhistory looking back. when aarty looks like they can't beat the incumbent whher it's '64 with goldwater or '72 with mcgovernand yo re on the other side of that fight, that's when thego to the far corner political when you can't win, you have someun. y

i think roger simon had a very good piece about it. she is the one that deserves the beer. >> lucille wheeland received the most hateful responses, it was disgusting. with we return, i want to ask this panel about sergeant lashly. the national media and why -- why there had to be even the beginning of this discussion? what was the president thinking? what was sergeant crowley thinking? and oh, yeah, what about professor gates? we'll be right back. >>> is this political, this meeting this summit? is it political for a president that overspoke and without appropriate calibration oreg as originals framed it, stupidly or is it an effort to reconcile two men that should have never been in conflict? >> you can argue that was a political risk for this president. >> i agree. >> the bottom line is it's an important moment for the country. and it's beyond politics. it really is about an issue. >> they were calling it a temperate professor. they were from a sergeant who well may have been within his authority, harold, certainly did not need to mo

time for "the politics fix" with the politico's roger simon and reuben of the san diego union tribunehank you, ruben for joining us. let's look at something that was written in the toronto globe and mail. according to leading republican pundits, judge sotomayor is a hot tempered dim witted bigot whose jushl aktivism read nutty identity politics could wreak play havoc with the constitution, amayingly, these are the same people who continue to insist that sarah palin is qualified to run for president of the united states. this grabbed me as a brilliant comparison. because the very qualities of sotomayor, which is up by your boot straps, studying hard, you know, bringing yourself up, and then this other person that they seem to like based upon no preparation like that, no homework, no scholarships, no effort to manifest, what's the story on the republicans? why do they like someone who has shown no sweat equity? >> because the question is ideology. they like conservatives better. there's a confusion in this column. aside from what you quoted which was the most sensible part, the author g

. >> roger simon is joining the conversation by virtue of his expertise to the actual players. t at politico. contessa is still here. do you think these will be beneficial, roger, to their tendencies and problems? >> the white house is backing off the whole term retreat because they don't want the public thinking of them falling back into each other's arms and climbing through holes. >> no ropes, stuff like this, no? >> yeah, no. you know, this is a cabinet which rarely meets. the cabinet has become too big and unwieldy. as you said, there are 22 members of them. they're coming back to guess get the messages for the second six months of the obama presidency. they are meeting and didn't know at the time they set up the meeting at the time when the president is reaching all-time low numbers in his personal popularity and they are going to try to come together and decide what their roles are and the message the next six months. i don't think they will be crawling around on the ground a lot. >> i suspect as much. treasury secretary now, i would like to continue to him. he tends to p

. >> roger simon, a good one. i'm read a couple of them. i think you have them there. one, hey, we hear the gulf channel will carry it the next time. actually only the golf channel will carry it next time. two, professor gates called. he can't find his house key. three, is the reason we can't put the questions on the teleprompter is because we're not supposed to know them in advance. >> pretty darn good. >> you can read that full list at politico.com. jim, thanks so much as always. >>> take a look at morning papers. "wall street journal" traders blamed for oil spikes. commodity futures trading commission suggest speculators play a significant roll in driving swings on oil prices. more on that in business. >>> "new york times" study finds texting while driving drastically increases the risk of a crash. >> there's going to be -- forget talking on the phone. this is going to lead to so many accidents they are going to have to address it on a national level. >> a lot of people did it. >> rendell proposing stopgap spending, department of labor investigates the lack of timel