housing and urban development secretary shaun donovan. initial obama campaign stop in wisconsin. then a debate in the wisconsin senate. >> this week on "newsmakers" we are joined by shaun donovan. welcome. we have a few reporters with us. alan from "wall street journal" and brady from "the washington post." >> the housing bust has been a catastrophic event for millions of american families. this go around we have not heard that much about it from either campaign. why does housing seem not to be a focus this time? >> it is a focus of the president. as you know, there is a broad range of things we have done to try to move the country forward and move the housing situation forward. you have seen president obama talking about the need to open up more refinancing. this is one of the most important things we can do at a time when interest rates just hit 3.4% this week, the lowest 30 year mortgage rate in the history of the country. we have to open it up to more families. that is something the president has talked about. we are taking actions to do that. he is urging congress, the senat

shaun donovan talks about the house and urban department. how housing issues figure into campaign 2012. "newsmakers" at 10:00 and 6:00 eastern on c-span. now, a vice president joe biden speakes said a campaign rally in the fort myers, florida. this is about 40 minutes. >> all right. thank you very much. thank you so very much. it is great to be back in fort myers. i always joke. a man should always have two things. a brother with a place in florida, and a brother in law with a pickup truck. for the long this time my brother had a place here in fort myers. i got to come down here all of the time. and then he sold it. i have not spoken to him since. i am only kidding. since i have been here a number of times over the last 20 years -- do you mind if i take my coat off? ok. thank you very much. when i got here and i was introduced to jamie, i thought she was my sister a lot. she looks like my sister-in-law kelly more than you can imagine. thank you for the introduction. thank you for the hard work you have under way. all of the for being here on

. >> what our "newsmakers" program with shaun donovan again today at 6:00 p.m. on c-span. >> it is the first thing an article, getting medicare costs under control. it is the number one priority. it is the most untouchable thing. that will cause more trouble than any other problem we've got this bill the, getting medicare costs under control is the number-one thing. >> the sale we also charged eight obies for their medicare coverage. -- you say we also charge of the obese for their medicare coverage. >> i did not have to fight hard for it. this is another thing where everybody knows this to be true. someone has to pay for it. there should be penalties. but not really a democrati you have to be responsible for your personal behavior. someone is going to pay for it. >> we are not the only ones making arguments like this. there have been other bipartisan commissions. the task force also said that with regard to medicare we need to do something about the obese and smokers. the also have a proposal more complicated. for restricting the spending on the end of life car