i think, look, steve schmidt is a pro. he's been at this for a couple of different administrations and candidates. he offers good insight. i think the reality is that there is still the republican primary voters. who is making a decision about where they want their party to be. do they want a real antigovernment conservative who sorts out of the last decade by moving the party much further to the right or do they want an establishment figure and we will have a race like we is seen in the last couple of cycles where a more establishment figure has to prove himself to the right wing of the party which is a lot more organized this time around and not about social conservative issues. it is about fiscal conservative issues an forced principles of the constitution and all the rest. that debate is literally playing out. it will play out on the stage where you are. but it will play out over the course of this primary for that reason. huntsman as a more moderate conservative, moderate republican though he probably doesn't like the

steve schmidt was the senior strategist at john mccain's 2008 presidential campaign. and john heilemann writes for "new york" magazine. gentleman, let me just go to you. steve, you're the republican here. heilemann, you cover this party as well as the other party. chris christie, my hunch, my premise tonight. i think he's got something. it's irritability. it's like, don't mess with me. you take a shot at me, i'll shoot back at you. it's the angry guy or woman in traffic. life is congested today. we're angry. he's got that sense. >> he's real. he's tough, he says what he thinks. and i think the american people, who as you accurately pointed out, they're in a very bad mood. they think the country's going in the wrong direction. and they look at washington and they see a giant weasel pack. you know, in the senate, the house, politicians of both parties. he's someone who has approached the problems of his state with utter fearlessness, unafraid to take a position. and i think that people are just absolutely craving an authentic leader. and i think that's why he's resonatin

thank you, steve schmidt. she doesn't know anything!way, steve schmidt, you'll never forget, that's going in bartlett's, by the way, she doesn't know anything! thank you, john heilemann -- who reported it. up next, republican voters don't like any of their candidates and jon stewart says the problem is the candidates, he says i msnbc. so i took my heartburn pill and some antacids. we're having mexican tonight, so another pill then? unless we eat later, then pill later? if i get a snack now, pill now? skip the snack, pill later... late dinner, pill now? aghh i've got heartburn in my head. [ male announcer ] stop the madness of treating frequent heartburn. it's simple with prilosec otc. one pill a day. twenty-four hours. zero heartburn. no heartburn in the first place. great. >>> back to "hardball." now to the side show. first up, bring on the funny. well, it's hard to recall another presidential candidate getting so chewed out for his weak debate performance as is the case w goper rick perry these days. here's now nate toomier took perry

thank you, steve schmidt. she doesn't know anything! steve schmidt, you'll never forget, that's going in bartlett's, by the way, she doesn't know anything! thank you, john heilemann -- who reported it. up next, republican voters don't like any of their candidates and jon stewart says the problem is the candidates, he says it's the republican voters. catch the sideshow next, you're watching "hardball" only on msnbc. so, how was school today ? i have to be a tree in the school play. good. you like trees. well, i like climbing them, but i've never been one. good point. ( captain ) this is your captain speaking. annie gets to be the princess. oh... but she has to kiss a boy. and he's dressed up like a big green frog ! ewww. ( announcer ) fly without putting your life on pause. be yourself nonstop. american airlines. >>> back to "hardball." now to the side show. first up, bring on the funny. well, it's hard to recall another presidential candidate getting so chewed out for his weak debate performance as is the case with gopper rick perry the

thank you, steve schmidt. she doesn't know anything! anyway, steve schmidt, you'll never forget, that's going in bartlett's, by the way, she doesn't know anything! thank you, john heilemann -- who reported it. up next, republican voters don't like any of their candidates and jon stewart says the problem is the candidates, he says it's the republican voters. catch the sideshow next, you're watching "hardball" only on msnbc. [ carrie ] i remember my very first year as a teacher, setting that goal to become a principal. but, i have to support my family, so how do i go back to school? university of phoenix made it doable. i wouldn't be where i am without that degree. my name is dr. carrie buck. i helped turn an at risk school into an award winning school, and i am a phoenix. [ male announcer ] university of phoenix is proud to sponsor education nation. because we believe an educated world is a better world. [ male announcer ] uniyou wouldn't want yourproud todoctor doing your job.ion. so why are you doing hers? only your doctor can determin

here's what steve schmidt, campaign manager for john mccain in 2008 said on wednesday night after the debate. >> when you're explaining controversial statements, you're losing, and that's what the problem with the ponzi scheme statement is. there's no constituency in the republican party to abolish social security, lawrence o'donnell pointed this out correctly before, president bush tried to privatize social security in '05, there was no congressional support because they know the constituents don't support it, and i think it's going to be very problematic for governor perry as you look at the south carolina coast where there's a lot of retirees, when the campaign moves into florida, and i think that stewart stevens is exactly right, you can't win a national campaign when you are on the record calling for the dismantling of social security and then exacerbating it with statements like he did tonight. it's very problematic for him, and i think it's something that democrats have a lot of glee over, obviously. >> stewart stevens is a senior advisor in the romney campaign. steve schmidt w

here's what steve schmidt, campaign manager for john mccain in 2008 said on wednesday night after theou're explaining controversial statements, you're losing, and that's what the problem with the ponzi scheme statement is. there's no constituency in the republican party to abolish social security, lawrence o'donnell pointed this out correctly before, president bush tried to privatize social security in '05, there was no congressional support because they know the constituents don't support it, and i think it's going to be very problematic for governor perry as you look at the south carolina coast where there's a lot of retirees, when the campaign moves into florida, and i think that stewart stevens is exactly right, you can't win a national campaign when you are on the record calling for the dismantling of social security and then exacerbating it with statements like he did tonight. it's very problematic for him, and i think it's something that democrats have a lot of glee over, obviously. >> stewart stevens is a senior advisor in the romney campaign. steve schmidt went on to say that

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steve schmidt. thank you for joining us. i appreciate you coming in to talk. >>> if you're a fugitive from the law, your time as a free person statistically speaking is winding down. it is a bad year for people on the lam. some incredible news about that today coming up. male announcer? [ sniffles ] not sure what to take? now click on the robitussin relief finder at robitussin.com. click on your symptoms... ...get the right relief. ♪ makes the cold aisle easy. the robitussin® relief finder. relief made simple. and introducing nasal relief pills. now for the very first time from robitussin. that is the end... of carousel one. ...of carousel one. there's carousel two! carousel two, all right! [ male announcer ] some parties need a bowl of queso. made from creamy velveeta and zesty rotel tomatoes and green chilies. it makes any get-together better. everyone loves surprise parties. yeah, so, last week, we had a surprise party for our dear friend lizzie. surprise! surprise! surprise! surprise! [ woman ] happy birthday! [ male ann

steve schmidt. thank you for joining us. i appreciate you coming in to talk. >>> if you're a fugitive from the law, your time as a free person statistically speaking is winding down. it is a bad year for people on the lam. some incredible news about that today coming up. the two trains and a bus rider. the "i'll sleep when it's done" academic. for 80 years, we've been inspired by you. and we've been honored to walk with you to help you get where you want to be. ♪ because your moment is now. let nothing stand in your way. learn more at keller.edu. >>>s all right. so you're in the car, it is not a real car. it's a video game car. you're playing burnout paradise. you are pure liquid flowing through a city of pixels. unexpectedly this city of pickles has billboards in it everywhere, billboards carrying this message, early voting has begun. voteforchange.m that's a campaign ad in th vio game. in the 2008 presidential race, the obama campaign, being the first presidential campaign to advertise inside vid wroeo game. at the time it

steve schmidt, thank you very much.last night's debate. you're watching "morning joe." coffee doesn't have vitamins... unless you want it to. new splenda® essentials™ no calorie sweetener with b vitamins, the first and only one to help support a healthy metabolism. three smart new ways to sweeten. same great taste. new splenda® essentials™. ♪ >>> this is a president so committed to class warfare and socialism he can't possibly be effective in jobs. we need a president who is going to provide leadership in giving direction and opening up opportunities. this president thooz go. he's a nice guy and doesn't have a clue how to get the country moving again. >> wow. that's one way to put it. some people may not feel that way about things. let's address those things. with us from the white house, we have jay carney. good to see you. >> good to see you, mika. >> also, we have nbc news chief white house correspondent, chuck todd as well. jay, i'll start with you and let you respond to the statements. also, on a more realistic lev

me now, former senior adviser to the mccain/palin campaign and newly appointed msnbc analyst, steve schmidtry much for joining us tonight, steve. >> great to be with you, lawrence. >> steve, after that first debate that rick perry participated in, you told me here on msnbc that you thought the obama campaign after watching that first debate was hoping to get perry as a nominee rather than romney as a nominee. that florida poll, going one on one, perry against obama, romney against obama, bears that out. there's a very significant difference there. are voters going to start making their decision here based on electability, or when in the republican primary do voters start turning in the direction of electability? >> i think that as long as you see two things, polls that have rick perry ahead of mitt romney and polls that have mitt romney ahead of barack obama, you're going to see the romney campaign making a really big issue out of electability, saying that we're the stronger candidate in the race, that mitt romney's the republican who can beat barack obama. and i think when you look at the

. >> do you agree with steve schmidt and other republicans who suggest and some of the polling that we'renow, that suggests that the obama campaign, if they have to face romney or perry, should be cheering for perry to get the nomination? they have an easier campaign against him? >> i don't think there is any question about that. to go to chris's point, what the romney campaign is doing, they are playing, they are using social security specifically to make that point. to talk to moderate republicans, conservative democrats, and the broad reach of independents to say between these two guys, who do you think, a, can beat -- who are you more comfortable with? when they say romney, then he beats obama. these things will become more important as we go to actual voting. i think chris is right. that's what the romney campaign is doing. they're playing a very strategic game. they think they found kind of a hinge against which they can pivot for the next four months in social security. >> is there anyway for the obama campaign to deal with having a preference in terms of these possible nominees? i

that's what steve schmidt has said on this network that -- and the polling indicates they'd be better far. do you think that's what the obama campaign is rooting for at this point? obama versus perry? >> yes. i do think they would rather see obama versus perry. although it seems to me that they're still kind of trying to lay groundwork for obama versus romney. they seem to think that in the end it's probably going to be romney. and if perry continues at this rate, they'll be right, i think. romney is turning in solid performance after solid performance in the debates. they might be "b" performances or "b" plus. they're not "a" plus. he's a good debater and he manages to put the focus on perry and not the focus on his own flip-flops, on obamney care, on the reasons that republicans really don't like him that much. and, you know, the more he sticks around, the more he, i think, might come to seem inevitable. >> and romney, gene, has been running for president for more than five years now. perry's been at it for about five weeks. that difference is really showing now. >> it sure is. romn