scott walker isn't surprising anyone with the cover-ups in his book. governor is just starting his campaign of denial a little bit early. joining me on our "rapid response" panel, ruth coniff, political editor of the "progressive" magazine and john ni kprr nichols of the "nation" magazine. ruth, johnson just got elected. he's at 28%. what's going on here? >> well, johnson was elected in that landslide year. you know, 2010, and it was a backlash against obama. and he defeated russ feingold, our senator from wisconsin who, you know, may not be done being senator from wisconsin. we'll see what happens. but ron johnson has been virtually invisible since he got to washington, d.c. he's done basically nothing. he's an ayn rand fan. he ran on a pro-business flat form. he stirred up the tea party base. i don't think many people are expecting him to be a leader in wisconsin politics for very long. >> john nichols, how does johnson recover? he's been critical, out on the talking heads about benghazi, about the irs, about obama care. how is he going to recover? i

margaret, we talk a lot about scott walker. k he may end up being a presidential nominee in 2016. at this appoint, where do you put mary burke's prospects? >> i put walker in the what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. he got his bad stuff out of the way and then survived the recall. she is a really attractive candidate. if anybody could do it, she's the kind of fresh face, you know, entrepreneur, has her own money candidate. however, i hate to disappoint you, but i think it's uphill. i think he has solidified his popularity. >> he has a tremendous amount of national support. i wrote a piece about republicans in the senate maneuvering for the 2016 nomination. the smart people saying doesn't run out of congress look to conservatives. shrewd conservative activists looking to governors like scott walker as potential standard bearers in 2016. he's very popular out there. >> he's become a national icon that's howette $13 million out of the state. i'm biased because i own a bicycle and like it a lot. >> she's pro bike. >> someone th

you know, the christie will have a hard time to get the nomination it will move between scott walker who is a dark horse he is tough, real executive he does stuff in wisconsin is really important. i say somewhere between him and rand paul is the nomination. not jab -- jeb bush not rubio but it will happen pretty soon. that is when it begins. so i will be covered. i am good through 18. i signed up for five more. [laughter] [applause] >> i think hillary is the nominee bided is hoping that she won't run but whoever it is stable look really good if he does not attacker but those positive with the exposure you will get. she is unbeatable so you can lose it is brilliant. put your name out there and campaigned for your debating partner make her look good and evil be great. i am just political. >> this woman has been holding her hand up since the beginning. [laughter] >> i was just wondering if you think the tea party has been divisive to the republican party? >> it is by nature because it is revolutionary. newt gingrich was the first tea party or with his methods. i think here is the thing

. >> y look at governor scott walker in wisconsin, he said i'm going keep my parks open.e money comes from my budget th yours, i win. we need republican governors anding up saying iontrol this state. not you, president obama. ddal with me, don'take it out on my citizens. >> this is a private organization, even more that they have the right to do what they want. >> scott walker is to b congratulated. >>> there's a effect right now, all that the country's gone through and we talk about the apathy and indifference of folks right now. it's so troubling and frustrating. is a country right now not behaving like americans. there was a time local sheriff's would stand up. the mayor, the governor, county officials would say youe not going to act like this. and understand who they're talking to and have a relationship. but we've got a government right now that is trying to iimidate every element of the citizenry and ste e local and county government. that's got to change. >> so much of the mon that comes to force county to function comes from the feds. you never bite the hds that f

this is scott walker's party. and this is chris christie's party and this is jeb bush's party.nd this is tom coburn's party and this is my party. it's not their party. not even close to that. so if you're saying scott walker is too liberal for your party chances are good you're in the wrong republican party, right? >> there's -- you were talking about lack of transparency on health care. what republicans are saying about ted cruz. behind-the-scenes they are just -- he's going iowa again on friday third trip in a year and he's pulled in his sails a little bit but still a big problem for the party. >> make no mistake somebody else said this, bracketted it out like the ncaa tournament. coming out of the ted cruz site. ted cruz and marco rubio if he can't help himself and rand paul, freshmen. lots of luck with that. over here you'll have chris christie and maybe jeb bush and they are going to call that establishment wing actually, the republican wing of the republican party. >> the winning wing. >> those are the ones. i've written about this for 80 years that's the wing that always

i remember when i had scott walker on a couple weeks ago. off the air, do you know what he bragged to me about? not about some fight with the unions. he said i'm in new york and i'm here to talk about how strong our state is and how our bond ratings are going to be higher. they've got to work with democrats, and that's exactly what they do. that's the great divide right now. republican governors are doing pretty darn well across america because they're not caught in this ideological trap that leads to nowhere. and i think that's why you see chris christie up by 33 points in a state that barack obama won by 18 points just last year. >> and i just understand the math to be that if you could get your bond rating up, that means it costs you less to borrow. and it's a lot easier to borrow if you have to. >> by the way, without getting into trouble with anybody here, that list of governors he gave me, i'm impressed with. walker is a guy who impressed me in an amazing way, he with stood attack. he hung up there. so i'm looking at a list of maybe th

case in point, wisconsin governor, scott walker.ke his arm patting himself on the back in an op-ed in the "washington post" today. he wrote, our state face the big problems. we were at a turning point so together the legislature and i worked to fix the economic and fiscal crisis, holding wisconsin back. walker fails to mention that the state has actually just been borrowing more money. walker doesn't mention rejecting $4.4 billion in federal medicaid assistance. walker promised to create 250,000 jobs in his term. well, you know what, he didn't mention the state would have to add 160,000 jobs in 16 months to meet that goal. they're way behind. o wait a minute, it's the recall's fault. walker definitely doesn't mention slashing education by nearly $1 billion and attacking unions, middle class workers. the sad thing is, the tea party extremists in washington give these radical republicans a chance to look reasonable. joining me now, our rapid response panel, author liz winsted, the agree owe contributor, maxwell and joan walsh, salon.c

. >> and they also work, willie, with democrats and scott walker's 48% that's higher by a point or twohan barack obama in that same state. >> they have to. they have to get things done for their constituents. in washington they are wing political point. a year ago at this time the contrast was put in stark relief when you had chris christie managing his state through superstorm sandy, president obama comes to the state and he's attacked by national republicans. chris christie is. he says what the hell your talking about? the president took care of us, i'm trying to help my state get through it. that to me was the contrast how dare you shake hands with a democrat. he said -- i'm saving my state. >> the entire state suffers. let me go to robert gibbs. rork robert, it's a tale of two parties. a lot of republicans controlling the governor's mansion. >> despite the gratuitous shot at my snazzy shirt -- look, it is hard for the american people to give the keys of government to republicans that have no desire to want government in any level to operate. you have republicans that are making it

. >> we all said they were going to lose, didn't sfwhe scott walker said it. everybody, we all said it. >> willie geist. >> willie geist, of course. was that the latest at-bat? said guess what, they're going to lose so what are they going to do before the government default? they're going to cave in and they're going to look horrible. sorry. i don't know how these baseball series will end, mika, i know how this will end, they will not default on the president of the united states, like we said. >> the panel is saying a potential downgrade of its credit rating because of the political brinksmanship and reduced financial ability of the united states. last night they rescrambled to end the shutdown and extend the treasury's borrowing limit. earlier in the day, majority leader harry reed and senator mitch mcconnell put it on hold. at the end of the day, speaker boehner was unable to deliver the republican votes necessary to pass the bill after deemed unacceptable by many conservatives. democrats, in particular, were out raged at the leadership in the house for set

. >> but has not gotten the pension reforms like scott walker in wisconsin.wail have a lot of competitors who come from redder, faster growing, more competitive states. so it's going to be some distance since sandy when he is talking to republican primary voters, he needs to have more. >> garrett you don't think that's a problem. >> not from what i say, but i have to say, we did have a visitor who shall go nameless, but a politically asuit one, who says i don't know if you can sell christie to middle america. he says i don't know how much you can do with somebody whose notion of political connection is, shut up. >> well, he would have to change that appeal. there's no question about that. all right. thank you. we'll be following this. when we come back, long-time ally in the middle east, pulling no punches in the obama administration. [ male announcer ] once in a while, everything falls into perfect harmony. [ engine revs ] and you find yourself in exactly the right place at the right time. just be sure you're in the right car when it happens. the 2014 c-clas

rejection of one hundred nineteen million dollars in medicare expansion and number two the scott walker's failure to have oversight of insurance company rates. isn't those of those demonstrate that in the in the blue states it's working fine you were saying you know i went to my state's website and blue states health insurance is working fine even health care dot gov is working fine in the red states it's a disaster california it's working fine i mean here's the thing it's like republicans have done nothing but kick obamacare and kick it in taken a cake and now they're outraged that it's brewed you know. and lou leave that there are marks on this obamacare i am shocked paul ryan this is this is really it's this only appeared in the hill and i don't know why this didn't make national news paul ryan made a comment that matt salmon of arizona congressman matt salmon who was in the meeting with ryan pointed out that he said he's going to use secret. so to push for long term reforms of a time of progress there is they want to cut social security you want to cut so scared he wants to cut medica

. >> scott walker.jor strides but politics take time and i think these are folks who are in a big hurry and not that politically experienced. >> you know what upsets me, matt. there were very few of us that were complaining about george w. bush spend go to much. i'm sorry, nicole. when i have somebody come up and lecture to me about big government wait a second where were you in 2004 where i wrote a book talking about big government republicans or in 2006 writing an op-ed how we would lose if we didn't. for some of these people to lecture us rather than fighting big government republicanism and then like you said because they are guilty they weren't doing anything over the past decade now they are converts and they want to prove they are the most self righteous of all. >> when you write a book criticizes george w. bush and the spending, you were a rhino then for doing that. >> i was a rhino -- thank you, matt for saying that. in 2004 i write a book attacking george w. bush while a lot of these people we

. >> he has not gotten the kind of pension and state governance reforms that, for example, scott walker has gotten in wisconsin. as we mentioned, a lot of competitors who come from faster growing, more competitive space. i think it is going to be some distance since sandy when he's talking to republican primary voters. he's going to need to have more to show. >> i gather you think that's a problem. >> we did have a visitor, who should go nameless but a politically estute one who said i don't know if you can sell christie to middle america. whose notion to political connection is shut up. >> well, that, he would have to change that appeal. there's no question about that. all right, thank you. >>> we'al be following this. a long-time ally in the middle east pulling no punches in the criticism of the obama administration. what a rift with saudi arabia means for america's influence in the region, next. farmer: hello, i'm an idaho potato farmer. and our giant idaho potato truck is still missing. so my dog and i we're going to go find it. it's out there somewhere spreading the good word about

a good model for republicans to look at and he's a reminder that when you look at a john cases scott walker a rick perry bobby jindal there are a lot of republican governors doing smart things across this country i personally believe we're more likely to nominate a governor than a senator in two thousand and sixteen for the republican nomination and christie certainly if he wants to is going to be a major contender for the presidency no one can get into another person's head but off the top do you think hillary's going to run gosh you know i think she is and she's working too hard to not run but part of our has to really dread be you know. her peeve day is going to be the day she announces she's been through this once before it's very clear that the left is going to organize around somebody like a lose with warren and it's very clear that the news media is going to take apart how her husband has been making money how the foundation gets run everything they can go after of so from her perspective she got to really think about it but it's a little hard for me to imagine her not running i mean

effort is already underway the koch brothers figures like paul ryan very big new players like scott walker in the wisconsin republican party have all worked to try and bring an end to this impasse and to have this not cross that threshold. do you think the backers of the tea party like the koch brothers for example have created say a frankenstein's monster or something that was outside of their control they funded the tea party they brought into existence but they didn't realize that there was all this other baggage that would come with it this very strong anti government sense. of the way i mean so they've unleashed in the most short of sense of the term these populist elements that have the torches and pitchforks to use your frankenstein metaphor and they are rather difficult to control as it turns out my guess is that they will be arraigned in but. it's proving far more difficult than the koch brothers and their organizations such as a like anticipated. what about the global business community i mean aren't they all crying at this point for the for this impasse to go to go away and for

scott walker said it. everybody. we all said it. >> willie geist. >> so guess what?guess what they will do before the government defaults they will cave-in and look horrible. i'm sorry i don't know how these baseball series will end but i know how this will end. they won't default on the credit of the united states. >> and that was 25 hours ago. welcome back to "morning joe." >> i was catching grief. why were you watching a baseball game instead of the debate. because i don't know how the baseball game will end. >> cokie roberts is still with us. joining us on set bob woodward. >> he was caught rummaging through mike allen's iphone. >> that and also it's kind of -- it's very hot. >> what? >> he brought texts to read. >> texts. >> you are so old school, man. >> look at this. >> old school. >> because -- >> you rummaged through mike allen's iphone. >> we never like to be secretive. 11 months ago after obama won re-election, i met in the white house with boehner and obama said the following, the episode from 2011, the debt ceiling fight was the worst. i will not sign an

"the des moines register" is full of stories about local visits from marco rubio, scott walker, scott? seriously? scott brown? everyone who is thinking about running in three years is in iowa already, because the iowa caucuses, of course, are first in the nation. that said, iowa screwed up its caucuses this past time, at least they did on the republican side. part of it was that the republicans never said with any confidence this past year who actually won their caucuses, so that was bad. now, though, there are gory new details emerging about the other much bigger problem that they have in iowa. and that problem, apparently, is bribery. republican politicians paying off iowa politicians for endorsements in the caucuses. the state senate ethics committee filed a 500 page report yesterday which found probable cause that an iowa state senator accepted payment from a michele bachmann pac for being her iowa chair. though that is against ethics rules. though the senator denied the bachmann camp paid him. not only did the bachmann camp apparently pay him, apparently they did not pay him enou

. >> when you look at governor scott walker, he stood up and said no, i'm going to keep my park openedney comes from my budget and i went. that is what we need. we need a republican governor standing up for our country not you, president obama, deal with me and. >> and that was the government. this is a private organization. >> that counts and i think for the people of the state. lou: there is in effect right now, all that the country has gone through. we talk about those and it is so frustrating. this is a country right now not behaving like americans. it was a time that local sheriffs expanded and stood up, the mayor, the governor, county officials, you're not going to act like this and understand who they are talking about and have a relationship. every element of this state and local and county government. >> so much of the money that comes from forcing county government, you never bite the hand that feeds you. he wants what we are really saying is that the dependent nation the president obama seems to have wanted to create is succeeding in doing. lou: thank you all for coming. tha

look at what is happening in other states, like the state of wisconsin where governor scott walker hadthe courage to take on the unions and do what is right to restore his state economy and turn a $3.6 billion deficit into a surplus of half $1 billion in the badger state. unemployment has dropped from 9.2% down to 6.7%. kasichgovernor john inherited an economic mess. the previous state unemployment had reached 10%, the highest it had been in 10 years. 10.6%. today, governor kasich has brought it down to 7.3%. the result of conservative governance is making a difference. in michigan of all places, they now have a republican governor and a right to work laws. he has taken the unemployment rate down from 13% to below double digits. the result of conservative leadership in the executive departments makes a difference. compare those results in state after state. and then all you have to do is look to the east of our state in buddies where obama's from chicago run everything, and run it into the ground. look at where they are. the enemy summit rate in illinois going up instead of down. it is

governor scott walker of wisconsin is finding a way to give $100 million back to the folks there.elief for working families, senior citizens, farmers and for small business owners. >> the governor says he hopes to have a deal in place by the month of december. we'll keep watching that. >>> you want food stamps? find a job. the state of missouri wants to tighten eligibility benefits. if you're between 18 and 50 years old, you'll only get food stamps if you have a job or if you're looking for work. back in august, missouri had about 915,000 people on food stamps. that's well above the 724,000 it had five years ago. we got e-mails. let's read a couple of those. this one from austin. of course you should have to get a job. you can't expect the government to do everything for you. and then sherry writes in, i'm sick of everyone saying that if you want food stamps, get a job. i'd love to have a job. i've been out of work all year. of course, some people are taking advantage of it. but not everyone is trying to game the system. >>> we've all been there, your foot falls asleep. but what i

victories and huge gains with gop leadership on the state level and i think those governors from scott walker kasich to rick perry in texas and to bobby jindal, i think those guys and chris christie, i think those guys are enjoying a huge uptick in a popularity amidst all of this. now, that's a good thing because they're running their state. so before we get all, you know, giddy about, you know, hillary is going to love this, i don't think so. i think this whole thing looks terrible for obama, and you pointed it out with that military death benefits story. >> that is really, really -- >> i mean that and the world war ii memorial issue, bill, that kills obama. its makes him look terrible. >> his leadership quo shenlt is the lowest ever. thanks, laura. >>> our "mad as hell" segment. we'll be wild tonight. >>> up next, meg inkelly, a judge like you've never seen and a child who's raped because of it. [ woman #1 ] why do i cook? ♪ because an empty pan is a blank canvas. ♪ [ woman #2 ] to share a moment. ♪ [ man #1 ] to remember my grandmother. [ woman #3 ] to show my love. ♪ [ woman #4 ] because

if crews can clear out early, get rid of a ran paul, get rid of rubio, scott walker and sort of take on christi, head-to-head, he has a chance. >> i'm curious, is there no lesson learned from 2012 of the republican party -- >> we did learn. >> if the lesson -- >> anthony -- >> let me finish -- >> 2012 -- let me say this, 2012 we learned mitt room know is a terrible candidate and so was john mccain. >> the difficulty -- in spite of all the problems with mitt romney, he actually ran ahead of a lot of consecutive republican senate candidates in senate races. so it's not to say the problem was mitt romney. there was a party wide problem. it requires sin thinks, a civil war and the winner to reunite the party because you can't have a party without a base. you can't have a party without moderates. who can do that? >> i have to wrap it up there. a great debate. thank you-all very much. >> thanks. >>> the frantic search for an autistic teenager in new york. police scouring the city looking for the boy. his mother joins me live coming up next. >>> the despite search for a ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> the despit

scott walker defied the feds by reopening some of the state's park facilities.ingle has been misbehaving at the federal level. >> we want our brand back from washington, d.c. >> and chris christie said it is a ridiculous failure on both parts and the bipartisan ads started the day after the shutdown. >> if you stick to your principles, compromise is not a dirty word. >> reporter: and then there was to blast cruz with a fraud strategy. >> ted cruz led us down this path, and it was a disaster from the start. >> reporter: and vice president nominee paul ryan has not come out, but he is stuck behind the scenes trying to sort out the mess. and depending upon how this ends will decide whether he goes on the trail in 2016. >> if you have not participated in the poll already tonight, you can go to the website and follow the simple instructions that are laid out there. and you can monitor realtime feedback for what the panels are saying, and you are essentially on the panel, and you can access it on your tablets or smartphones at bingpolitics. and so are we ready to shut

you have christie, you have scott walker in wisconsin, you have rick scott in florida who is down, ways kind of had a resurgent, rick snyder in michigan. you have people there who often have to work with democrats, to get things done. the message if any of them decide -- plan on running for president, which more than a few of them are thinking about, they realize they can say, look, we're conservatives, we can work with democrats, we can get things done, ted cruz may be ideologically pure for the base, but he's part of the washington problem. >> i'm trying to figure out, how is the tea party going to understand the success of chris christie. the iconic moment for chris christie in terms of national republicans is the hug, hugging president obama last year, when he came to new jersey. some just can't get over that. i look at it though and i'm trying to figure it out because i think of mitt romney winning the nomination last year, john mccain got through in 2008, you look at romney getting through last year, the moderate candidate, quote unquote -- >> so far to the right. >> right. he en