this is how they trade powers, through this process. >> roland martin, mitch mcconnell in supporting the ban on earmarks said, look, i don't really believe in this, because, three weeks ago he was against it, but gave to tea party pressure, but he said i'm worried about just giving more budgetary discretion to the white house and putting it in the hands of the president. is he right to be concerned about that? >> no, that's utter nonsense. first of all, i disagree when we categorize this as, well, it's just less than 1%, because if you ask anybody when it comes to their own personal budget, when you need to make cuts, every little bit helps. but it is clear that senator mcconnell and republicans want to, to the american people, try to make it all about obama, he's going to somehow spend the money. when you have republicans and democrats who want to spend, spend, spend. but in your opening, john, you're absolutely right. where are they going to cut? are they willing to touch defense? you see john mccain in a constant battle with fellow republicans, tom coburn when it comes to defense

roland martin, what do you make of that?getting a little push-back from the folks talking about when cheney came to him as to whether or not he should have been his vp. that's his way of saying, hey, dick, i have your back. first of all. >> a little texas jealousy going tlo. we haven't seen the former vice president for some time and he's up on his feet. the democrats don't like what he said, but just that he's jumping back into the game. i take that as a good sign. >> considering all he's been through, he's very fortunate to be alive and still fortunate on the stage. obviously his mind is still clear. whatever the diet he's on, row lan and i don't want to go on. >> hell no. i'm with you, ed. >> and i think he showed a little humor. it was not -- at this point in time presidential libraries, there's an old saying the two happiest days of a president is the day he's inaugurated and dedicates his libraries. president bush is going through a recovery period. >> you don't hear al gore in every debate, but you hear dick cheney's

thanks very much, roland martin as well. up next, john walsh, host of "america's most wanted" his mission, stopping child predators. he went under cover in cambodia to track down some american predators. >>> plus kanye west canceling an upcoming performance on ""the today show."" he canceled it on twitter. see what fueled his -- well, i guess got him annoyed at "the today show." we'll tell but that ahead. ♪ ...unlock the doors, and turn on the hazard lights. ♪ or better yet, get a car that automatically does it for you. ♪ right now, during the sign and drive event, get the all-new 2011 jetta for practically just your signature. ♪ get the all-new 2011 jetta this site has a should i try priceline instead? >> no it's a sale. nothing beats a sale! wrong move! you. you can save up to half off that sale when you name your own price on priceline. but this one's a deal...trust me. it's only pretending to be a deal. here, bid $79. got it. wow! you win this time good twin! there's no disguising the real deal. >>> at the top of the pro

thanks very much, roland martin as well. up next, john walsh, host of "america's most wanted" his mission, stopping child predators. he went under cover in cambodia to track down some american predators. >>> plus kanye west canceling an upcoming performance on ""the today show."" he canceled it on twitter. see what fueled his -- well, i guess got him annoyed at "the today show." we'll tell but that ahead. [ advisor 1 ] what do you see yourself doing one week, one month, five years after you do retire? ♪ client comes in and they have a box. and inside that box is their financial life. people wake up and realize i better start doing something. we open up that box. we organize it. and we make decisions. we really are here to help you. they look back and think, "wow. i never thought i could do this." but we've actually done it. [ male announcer ] visit ameriprise.com and put a confident retirement more within reach. >>> at the top of the program, we pointed out about amazon.com selling books and videos that may exploit and endan

thanks very much, roland martin as well.h, host of "america's most wanted" his mission, stopping child predators. he went under cover in cambodia to track down some american predators. he's back to tell us what he found. >>> plus kanye west canceling an upcoming performance on "the today show." he canceled it on twitter. see what fueled his -- well, i guess got him annoyed at "the today show." we'll tell you about that ahead. [ female announcer ] swiffer sweeper is 2 in 1. it sweeps and it mops. your old broom just can't compare. [ funny voice ] hey, broom! wanna sweep and mop like swiffer sweeper? then try the mop club for brooms! designed to look natural, even when wet. ♪ [ female announcer ] sorry, broom, but swiffer sweeper's electrostatic dry cloths attract and lock more dirt than a broom. and the dirt dissolving wet cloths clean better than a mop, or your money back. ♪ she blinded me with science >>> at the top of the program, we pointed out about amazon.com selling books and videos that may exploit and endanger childr

roland martin, if you do read the law literally, he might have a problem?he might have a problem, but keep in mind, president george h.w. bush. he actually rided esided in hou. they had a suite at the hotel. that was their official residence, although he was vice president, he also was president. so he will go back and vote here and was considered a texan. it's based on frankly how the election folks there this chicago rule, but there is precedent in other places, that being your official residence. >> precedents in other places, but other places don't play politics like chicago does. >> this is business as usually hard bore politics where the best way to win an election is to knock a strong rival off the ballot any way possible. the the emanuel campaign is arguing that intent is what a judge will look at. the loser will go to a court, appellate, could go to the illinois supreme court. his people argue he never intended to moouch to washington permanently and never established a permanent residence, and that can be proven easily enough because there was a s

we had to bring on cnn analyst roland martin. he is a good man and loves his wife. rola roland, what do you think about this story? >> well, look. i certainly understand the pastor's position in terms of he is counseling people. he's dealing with infidelity. but the issue is not facebook. the issue is not social media. what this says is that if somebody is committing infidelity, there's something else going on in the marriage nothing to do with social media. and so he can say get off facebook. what about twitter and dig and all of these other social media outlets? black planet. the root. different websites and blogs. so the root issue is what's happening inside of the marriages? how are they being fortified? also, i think he is crossing a line by telling somebody what you can do in your personal life as a staffer. how do you say, i'm going to link you having a personal account on facebook with your job? that makes no sense to me. >> all right. but let's just back up for a minute and let's admit it, roland. this got our team talking this morning in the meeting whether

she joins us along with roland martin and we have eric erikkson. melanie i mentioned mr.owell was with him but not formally representing him. you say the congressman could be committing an ethic's vice during his trial. how so? >> if in lowell was representing him, let's just understand this. is mr. lowell -- are mr. rangel, are they saying that abbie lowell happened to walk by the ethic ice committee room and happened to walk in when mr. rangel was having his hearing and happened to sit in a reserved seat and walk out with the congressman and guide reporters? that seems unlikely. it does seem like he was, in fact, giving advice. >> can he be there as a friend? >> certainly. but given mr. lowell's well-known position as a plom nent legal defense fund who handles these kinds of matters that doesn't seem likely in these circumstances. >> does this pass the smell test for him to claim he didn't know he could set up a legal defense fund? >> i don't understand why that wasn't set up. but recognize, he was paying for his defense out of a campaign fund. had a significant war che

roland martin, a cnn contributor. tide is turning how americans think of government spending. 1994 when we polled one in three wanted the government to spend less on domestic programs. today they are split evenly whether to cut spending or not. washington spend $109 billion on jobless benefits. are americans ready to cut off long-term employees because it's costing more on taxes. >> people who have jobs, haven't been adversely impacted, of course they are saying that. when you look at people talking about the deficit, these are likely not the people struggling. earlier this week on the tom joyner morning show, he read a letter from a woman who for three years hasn't been able to find a job. she's been sending out resumes, going to the library, couldn't afford a drug test to become a trucker. she paid $600 for rent. if she was late it cost $800. her mother moved in with her. you're talking about republicans extending tax cuts, costs for the rich $700 billion. $700 billion for them, $100 billion plus unemployment benefi

and here in washington, roland martin. the language of this one is hard.is something james did say. it is a comparison he made during the campaign when both hillary clinton and barack obama, then senator clinton and senator obama were candidates of president. does it make a difference, john -- roland, you go first. you are right here with me. does it make a difference. he is the president of the united states and she is the secretary of state. to say if hillary clinton gave up one of her and gave it to obama, he would have two. >> there is a difference. i believe you have to have respect for the office of president. i understand what james said. he explained us the context. so what he did was, he mixed a present-day discussion as relates to what the president should do with a joke that he told during the campaign. so, frankly, it is not like he was repeating -- it is not like he was telling a story from 2008 and linking the two. it is disrespectful to the president of the united states to make that kind of comment. >> you just heard his explanation where h

joining us now to talk this over from houston, cnn political contributor roland martin, john avalon.ior political columnist for the daily beast.com, and in atlanta eric aircraftson, the conservative blog red state.com. eric, this has been one of your criticisms of mitch mccobble for a long time. that the establishment would not give in, would not listen to the conservative base and ban these ir marks. maybe it's not a lot of money, but it is symbolically important. i want you to listen quickly to mitch mcconnell today on the floor. >> banning ear marks is another small but important symbolic step that we can take to show that we're serious, another step on the way to serious and sustained cuts in spending, and to debt. >> is eric aircraftson going to sign up for the mitch mcconnell fan club? >> no, but this is a step in the right direction. i'm impressed and however much it pains me to say something nice about mitch mcconnell tonight,ly do so. he had his pulse on where the tea party was, when i suspect he knew the inevitable outcome and decided to be with the majority, but, john, wou

>>> joining us, our cnn political contributor roland martin and leslie sanchez.er and ceo. thank you for coming in. charlie rangel was found guilty on these ethics violations. do you believe he is getting a fair shake right now? a fair trial? >> first of all, this has been going on for quite some time. he had a legal team. a washington, d.c. powerhouse. frankly, it took about $2 million of his dollars. he says they with drew in october. they say that they did not quit on him. the fact of the matter is, he has had ample opportunity to set up a legal defense fund. so i think that it was indeed proper for them to move forward. so i don't really understand how he did not receive a fair shake from the ethics committee based upon all the information that we have in front of us. >> he says he was found guilty these last few days because he didn't even have a lawyer. he didn't even show up today. they just sort of rammed this down and didn't give him a chance to create a new legal defense team. what do you think? >> i think that is a weak defense and it is a sad case. it

this is the soul train situation room with roland martin. let me see you do a little doug e. see. >> oh! >> doug e., get up there. >> you can get into it, you know what i'm saying? >> let's bring fred in. fred, you don't stee that every day here in the situation room. that kind of live reporting going on. you believe what you see, though? >> real reporter involvement. you have taken that to the next level, too. >> it was a lot of fun. i have to tell you when i was in atlanta a couple weeks ago, i went to the soul train awards and it went on and on. this is going to be a fabulous show. it's a week from sunday on a sunday night on b.e.t. and centric. people who watch it enjoy it. you know what i love the most, fred? you will, too. it's great music and entertainers going back to the '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s. all the way back. there's great stuff for everyone. >> i can't wait to see you do the dougie. >> what i loved was there we were at this big, big cobb energy center in atlanta, there were thousands of people there, and up on the stage was "the situation room" at the soul train