that's why i'm running for united states senate.plaus [ over the next six months, you are going to hear very different policies. there are some that want to go back to the failed policies of geo ore bush, letting wall street do whatever it wants or just saying no to progress. on the other hand, i think we know we are in pretty tough times. we know that we can go forward. we know we must go forward. to do c13 public servant. we need someone there that has the courage of his conviction to do what's right for the working families of penn oflvania. [applause] it's time. ipins just time for a new Ãgo eneration of leadership tha we can count on to leave behind politics as usual. and to robe about working families of pennsylvania right here. and to on stand up to one's own party when that party doesn't get it right for us. [applause] that's what people are looking for. republicans independents and democrats. there's a lot of people i want to thank tonight, i would ask everyone to join me in silence for the men and women who serve our natio

>> i didn't think about the public buying a book about the united states senate, but i did think about writing a book about the united states senate, and i guess there's a problem in that process. somewhere in 2000, i got fascinated by that idea that this great, archaic, historical institution came out of that 2000 election 50/50, and it was completely trying to figure out how to go forward with this relatively unprecedented -- as it happened before, but not in modern times did the house split 50/50 democrats and republicans, but i saw trent lott and tom daschle, leaders of the party, trying to figure out what to do about making it happened, and i realized that the institution came down to the personality of these two men, and i thought, wow, our government is so personality driven that i thought -- and that was the beginning of the book. host: but you honed in on the 2006 election, and how many people newly elected in 2006? >> there were 10 new senators in 2006, nine of them democrats, and one republican, bob corker, and as you remember, the election that brought the democrats back in

maybe now we'll finally be able to accomplish an effective openness here in the united states senate on one of the most powerful tools that a senator has. i think it gives hope to the fact that if you're right, eventually right wins out here, even in the united states senate. and a long struggle does pay. i think we are bringing simply common sense to a process here in the united states senate. it is, as my friend from oregon said, transparency. and with transparency we have accountability. the amendment that senator wyden and i have offered would restore the prohibition on secret holds that the senate voted for overwhelmingly in a previous congress, 109th congress, and make it even more robust. because i said that those turned out to be largely not very effective. at that time, in the 109th congress, our measure passed as an amendment to the ethics reform bill by a vote of 84-13. that bill never became law, but the never congress passed then what's referred to, the title of the legislation, the honest leadership and open government act. our provision was also originally included in t

ford, giving a speech in front of the united states senators. we will play an excerpt of it, but that was one of your first quotes. guest: this was 2001, and, so, bush had been president for a few months. very acrimonious about how to move that agenda, and president ford came to the capital to deliver the leaders lecture, which was an idea. so they invited old political eminences to come back, and president ford use the opportunity to talk about kind of the climate and why his party or any party should not be acting like they had cornered the market on either the eight years or the best way to do things in this town, and the very next day, that was may 23, 2001, may 24, 2001, jim jeffreys switched parties and gave democrats the majority in the senate for the next 1.5 years. chris: he had been a republican. -- host: he had been a republican. let's listen. >> this has not fully prepared me for the byways of the world, greatest deliberative body. in preparing for this lecture, i came across something from another vice president, calvin coolidge. qu

today, on the floor of the united states senate, we saw a pretty good reason why. mr. president, for many months, a large group of senators on both sides of the aisle -- senator grassley, senator inho inhofe, senator collins, among the republicans, a host of my colleagues on our side of the aisle let by senator mccaskill, senator bennet, a host of others -- have been working to try to eliminate the secret hold here in the united states senate, which is in my view one of the most pernicious, most antidemocratic practices in government. what the secret hold allows, mr. president, is for just one senator -- just one -- to anonymously keep the american people from getting any sense of a particular piece of legislation, someone who's been nominated for an appointment, really any sense of some of the most important business that is before the united states senate. the senator from missouri, who is here, has noted that at times there are scores to scores of secret holds. i've point the out that this -- i've pointed out that this has happened for years on both sides of the aisl

as a former united states senator, i also know how hard it can be to make hard choices required while staying true to local values. all of you are going through that every time you vote in this parliament, i suspect. the longer we are without an agreement on the terrorist tracking program, the greater the risk of a terrorist attack that could have been prevented. as leaders, we share the responsibility to do everything within the law to protect the people we collectively serve. we have disagreed before. we will surely disagree again. but i am convinced that the europe and the and not -- that europe and united states can do this if we talk and listen to one another. one another.

the smallest of our states, states like wyoming with a few hundred thousand people, has two united states senators. the state of california, with millions of people, has two united states senators. and so regardless of size, regardless of economic influence or other matters, we are all coequals here, at least as far as our states are represented. and the opportunity as well for minority voices to be heard, not overwhelmed. the tyranny of the majority which can happen. so there's a value to the existence of the senate, and we're slower to act. it can be frustrating, as my colleague and presiding officer has come to appreciate and as a former speaker of his own state legislative body, i know he appreciates how difficult that can be as a leader in trying to move business and product along so that matters can be considered. so i say all of that as a backdrop, because in recent years, rearsent months -- recent months in fact we've been bogged down, frustrated. there's been a lot of obstructionism that's gone on that prohibited from moving forward on matters. at least in this case up to now anyway, we'v

if he is true to his belief, why is he running for the united states senate?e purest sense that the government should intrude on businesses' rights to discriminate against gay people, against people who have disabilities, who need wheelchair access, if he doesn't believe in that, why does he think he can go to the senate and pass laws? that's what senators do. they legislate. >> yes. but forget -- i mean don't forget that the anti-government message is really, really strong. there was a man named ronald reagan who ran on it in a very, very powerful way. and if you look at some of the things reagan said in his various campaigns, they echoed this. it turns out reagan didn't cut government, he did cut taxes, and, you know, now people look at that very fondly. so -- >> let me push back on that, because i did an interview with jim baker this week who, without knowing exactly what rand had paul had said, made that same point, the reagan analogy. ronald reagan was a pragmatist. he ran on some things in 1980, but as we all covered him in the years he raised taxes when

he had been in the united states senate for a long time. >> well, he came very close in 1844. re is some evidence that he should have won that election. >> that was the polk election? >> yes. new york state had a great deal of election fraud in that election. newly arrived immigrants voted as well as a large number of deceased people. if he had taken in new york he would have won the election. it was very close in new york. i think he thought that in 1848, the whigs had a very good chance. he was right, because the person who won the nomination won the election, zachary taylor. in the north, and generally speaking, people like abraham lincoln were whigs. when the party disintegrated, most of the northern whigs made their way into the republican party. >> henry clay was basically a politician until he died. he ran for president five times. he was in the house four times, the senate four times. the one thing i kept reading was that he would be a friend of somebody, and then over jackson they would lose the friendship. one example i would like you to explain is john crittenden. >>

. >> here to say as plainly as i can, arlen specter is the right man for the united states senate. >> i want to say a few things about arlen specter, he came to fight for the working men and women of pennsylvania. >> i can count on this man, that's important, a firm ally when it matters most. >> arlen specter casts the deciding vote in favor of recovery act that helped pull us back from the brink. >> i'm proud to tell you, i think he's earned another term as united states senator. >> he's going to fight for you, regardless of what the politics are. >> i'm arlen specter, i approved this message. >> i'm ar men specter and i approve this message. >> tremendously effective ad, it was run on youtube not by the sestak campaign, but this shows perhaps there are limits to political opportunities? >> well, specter was questioned on another talk show the other day about his past presidential votes and to bolster his democratic credentials he said he'd voted for adelaide stevenson twice in 1952 and 1956 so we've got stevenson-- >> were either of you guys alive when that was-- >> i was not. >> st

tavis: i can't imagine, you, garry shandling, playing a smarmy united states senator. >> well, then that's perfect because really when you see these smarmy united states senators you can't imagine what they are like in real life, can you? so working backwards, they are like this. [laughter] no, i think that you just have to really know that you are in front of your constituency and really, i played that guy as someone really wanting the attention, making sure that he is going to get re-elected. looked like he is standing up for the u.s. and at the same time doesn't know what he is talking about. tavis: there is nobody like that in u.s. senate for real, though, is there? >> not that i know of. it is a completely contrived character. tavis: i made my attempt at humor a moment ago. how did you end up in this blockbuster this summer >> well, i mean, i just don't know what to drink to override your sarcasm. tavis: you got two cups here. coffee in this one. water in this one. >> i need a gatorade sarcastic drink. well, it is good to see you and i love you. they may not know we know each other so

>> thank you. >> and it has been a great privilege to be in the united states senate.working hard for the people of the commonwealth in the coming months. thank you all. [applause] >> arlen! arlen! [applause] >> thank you for many years of public service. [applause] ♪ [applause] >> ok, you came to see alex. thank you, pa.! and thank you to everyone here tonight. this election is about you -- you and everyone in this great commonwealth. who stood up and wanted their voices heard. this is what democracy looks like. a win for the people. over the establishment, over the status quo, even over washington, dc! i will never forget that it was the people of pennsylvania that made it happen tonight. and i will work so hard to earn their trust and their confidence. it should come to no surprise to anyone that people wanted change. when i went to congress just a few years ago, after 31 years in the wonderful united states navy, i found too many career politicians a bit too concerned about keeping their jobs rather than serving the public, rather than helping the people. in the na

suddenly he was being challenged by the guy who least looked like the united states senator. he was a farmer from montana. he is from the outskirts of big sandy. he had lost three fingers in an accident when he was a child on his farm. it became a question of whether democrats could take this seat. ipad a lot of attention to that race. i even julie went to montana. -- i paid a lot of attention to that race and eventually went to montana. one of the stores in the book is that he likes to say saved my life and i acknowledged that in the book because i left his farm and tried to get back to my hotel on a snow day. i went the wrong way down the road and got stuck in the snow. suddenly, i was looking around with nothing but snow piling up. eventually, i got out because john tester in his tractor came and pulled out my car and sent me on my way. >> did you spend time in his home? >> i did. >> why did you that you follow him that closely? >> one of the shocking questions -- i do not know. he is a nice guy, for the most part. i am shocked at what people do if you ask. i asked if i co

. >> very hard to send in to the united states senate. >> go, sestak. thanks for coming. >> i'm 100 years ochld guess what? i can do everything now i did when i was 99. >> republican pat toumey is kind controls of his plane. >> if you look out from here. >> hunting for red votes. >> you realize what a big state this is... >> in this increasingly blue state. >> pennsylvania kind of runs a gamut as far as ideologically. >> important thing is to have a message to, believe in things that is share add cross that geography and ideology. >> in 2004, toumey lost a tight race. >> if one vote would have gone, i would have won that election. >> this is is your turn. >> toumey became the owe nod when spector left in april. >> mow meant jounl our side. i'm very confident we're going to win this race. >> march 16th, the day began at 10:00 a.m. in allen twoun with a 45 minute flight to franklin county. there, toomey left us for a private fund raising event. he's back, edits a press release, and gets back, hinld the controls. >> i've got a jewish prayer. >> that is exc

and i have already given you my expression of love and affection for the procedures of the united states senate. i just don't have to deal with that stuff anymore. it is just that simple. >> [unintelligible] >> after 9/11, bil young andÑi i were frozen out of our offices because of the anthrax scare. bill and i and our staff talked and we decided we would go around to every security agency in town and try to find out exactly what they thought they needed to respond to 9/11. we did that. bill has been the chairman of the committee and we have always been good friends. bill was the chairman of the committee and i was the ranking democrat. we went around and did just that. we put together a package of additions to the budget we thought we needed for online security. -- for homeland security. we expected to go down to the white house and talk about the. m. we looked at dulles lest and we told the staff to cut in halves of the road -- we look at the list and we told the staff to cut in half and we went to the white house and the president walked in. he said he understands somebody wants to spend mor

[cheers and applause] >> i am proud to except your endorsement of connecticut's next united states senator. [cheers and applause] >> year after year, i have crisscrossed this state visiting every nook and cranny, listening to people where they live and work, but these days in backyards and kitchens, in officessand factories, i hear a lot of worry about jobs and the economy and a lot of frustration with our political process. and i hear something more ominous and alarming. people tell me they feel washington has forgotten them, left them invisible and voiceless, not served, not heeded, not even heard. we want an economy that works for everyone, but washington isn't listening. we want our entrepreneurs and small businesses to get loans and credit and be able to compete internationally on a level playing field, but washington isn't listening. we want good schools and affordable electricity and clean energy jobs, but washington isn't listening. our public conversations sound like trash talk, but it's not just the tone or shouting. what is worse, it ignores real people and their problems, their

senator is in his country's history. he was reelected six times before becoming vice president of united states in november, 2008. a former chairman of the senate foreign relations committee and the senate judiciary committee, he is known to speak his mind. he defends causes which are far from popular at the time. he leads opinion, he does not follow opinion. so that is the reason for your speech today, mr. vice president, to the european parliament is so important and so crucial for all of us. let me thank you once again for your very warm invitation and you're very constructive and fruitful discussions last week in washington. today'sleagues, in world, europe and america can and should work together in a partnership for global stability and enlightened values. vice president biden's visit to the european union today demonstrates this commitment. we should attack this as equal partners -- the united states and european union. we must find lasting solutions to the many challenges we face -- climate change, energy security, the current crisis. it is still hitting all of us to terrorist are defending -- terrorists -

his only actual duty by the constitution was to preside over the united states senate and this really doesn't take much effort. so he wrote, i soon found that the senate had but one fixed rule. subject to exceptions, of course, which was to the effect that the senate would do anything it wanted to do whenever wanted it to do it. when i had learned that, i did not waste much time with the other rules. because they were so seldom applied. so unable to prove himself through accomplishment, washington saw him only as a silent little red-headed man who warren harding would probably dump from the ticket in 1924. but the coolidge luck eventually did strike and when it struck it, struck in spades. when warren harding died in august, 1923, calvin coolidge was vacationing in plymouth notch and by flickering kerosene night at 1:00 in the morning he was sworn in as president of the united states of america by his 78-year-old notary public father. when have it was complete, he walked down the darkened road to visit his mother's grave. he came back and he said, i think i could swing it. he did swin

are there 60 united states senators ready to deal with this issue between now and november? of counting -- >> we need to know because it is important. somebody needs to talk to republicans. some of these people voted no in 2007. i am not saying they were wrong to vote no. i am saying that the 2007 bill would not pass. you agree with that? >> as you state the question, i would give you a tentative yes. >> i would bet everything i own that the answer is that this 2007 bill would not pass. >> i will bet you everything i own that congress needs to take immigration reform because it is not going to go away. >> i bet you everything i own -- immigration is absolutely devastating to the future of this issue. the southern border is not secure. there is a war in mexico that is bleeding over into america. the mayor has moved out of his city and is living in the united states. most americans things will have lost our minds if we move forward without securing the border. the biggest change between 2007 and now is that there is a war in mexico threatening the mexican government that also t

. >> here to say as plainly as i can, arlen specter is the right man for the united states senate. >> i want to say a few things about arlen specter, he came to fight for the working men and women of pennsylvania. >> i can count on this man, that's important, a firm ally when it matters most. >> arlen specter casts the deciding vote in favor of recovery act that helped pull us back from the brink. >> i'm proud to tell you, i think he's earned another term as united states senator. >> he's going to fight for you, regardless of what the politics are. >> i'm arlen specter, i approved this message. >> i'm ar men specter and i approve this message. >> tremendously effective ad, it was run on youtube not by the sestak campaign, but this shows perhaps there are limits to political opportunities? >> well, specter was questioned on another talk show the other day about his past presidential votes and to bolster his democratic credentials he said he'd voted for adelaide stevenson twice in 1952 and 1956 so we've got stevenson-- >> were either of you guys alive when that was-- >> i was not. >> st

where the united states senate was a prosecutor or a law enforcement agency. but the united states senate played an important role as it relates to goldman sachs. chairman carl levin, the chairman of the relevant committee -- the investigations committee -- said we were focused on policy and theubgs. and -- and ethics. i think that's an important role for the united states senate. what happened in that goldman situation? there's a lot of way to describe it, but one way to look at it is this way. that goldman sold investors a product, in this case a derivatives product and its value was tied to the peformance of a big portfolio of subprime mortgages. so that's where it starts. but it appears that goldman worked both sides of the deal. they'd sell these products to investors, on the one hand, while also plotting with a hedge fund manager who is betting against the pr-frpbs of the very -- peformance of the very same mortgages. it gives conflict of interest new meaning, and it's a disturbing, a large image, i think, for a lot of americans. selling on one side and t

has to be more to life than explaining the ridiculous accountability destroying rules of the united states senateand angry and frustrated constituents. >> with me in the studio, two guys who are happy they don't have to explain the frustrating rules of the united states senate, nathan daschle, nick ars. congressman obey is not your concern, but does it say anything about the political environment, veteran guy,s the chairman of the appropriations committee, said he's just bone tired. >> look, if i had the record -- if my party had the record of congressman obey has amassed in the last 18 months since taking office, i would be frustrated and ready to pack it up and head home too. he's been in office since 1969. your numbers showed it. the debt was less than a trillion dollars now it's nearing 14 trillion. 15% of that would have come since his party has been in power and in the last 18 months. i bet he does have a lot of explaining to do. we've seen that across the board in democratic politics. it's not happening with the congressmen. it's happening with the governors who cannot defend their fiscal

. >> arlen specter is the right man for the united states senate. can count on this man. >> but now -- >> my change in party will enable me to be re-elected. >> arlen specter switched parties to save one job -- his, not yours. gwen: the man who beat him is joe sestak who three years ago won his house seat by taking out another washington fixture, republican curt wheldon. has sestak been riding a wave that even we didn't see? >> i think we saw there was a wave out there but i think it took new force on tuesday. this is a wave that is described in lots of different ways, eanlts incumbent, anti-washington but this was one in which anti-insider took full force in on tuesday. gwen: is arlen specter -- was he in the wrong place at the wrong time? >> arlen specter in some ways didn't on the -- doesn't tell us a whole lot because he spent 45 years training democrats to not like him and then he switched participants and asked those same democrats to vote for mihm. -- him. what was so push -- punishing about the ad is not just the idea that he'd had switched

united states senate.time that we've gone too far and have moved back to a more moderate position n1982 there was a texas law passed that said that elementary schools could refuse entry to undocumented children. l.a. in the landmark supreme court decision of plyler v. doe, the supreme court destruct down the law. chief just at this time roberts was lawyer at the justice department and criticized the justice department for is not supporting the texas law. it's been 23 years sincely letter v. doe was decided. millions of children have become citizens. there are others who contribute to america every day. imagine what would have happened in that texas law had been the law of the land. i asked john roberts during his confirmation hearing for the supreme court if plyler v. doe which struck down the texas law was law in america. he wouldn't answer. it leaves some question as to what might happen if it comes before his complete arizona faces serious law challenges. there is violence on the mexican side of the bor

one of the first areas we need the leadership is in the united states and senate ratification of the convention of the law of the sea treaty. i believe it is crucial for the united states to be party to this treaty and be a player in the process rather than an outsider hoping that our interests are going to be protected. access to the convention would give current and future administrations both enhanced credibility and leverage in calling upon other nations to meet convention responsibilities. given the support for the treaty by arctic nations and the drive to develop natural resources, the treaty will also provide the environmental framework to develop these resources while minimizing environmental impacts. the united states is the only arctic state that is not a party to the law of the sea convention. having first submitted the treaty to the senate for approval in 1994, we have not acceded to it yet. both canada and denmark joined. canada in 2003, denmark in 2004. there are some who say they don't see the point in joining the rest of the world in ratifying the treaty. they say the

government in washington we want them in our primaries, as our nominees and we want them in the united states senate. i think it provides diversity in our party. it makes us a bigger tent. gives us a lot more energy. i think the american people are really upset right now. this election is going to have a lot of fresh faces, a lot of surprises. but the mood is let's throw the rascals out in washington. and the democrats are the rascals by a big majority. i think we're going to have a lot more republicans in november for that reason. >> schieffer: but there are no democrats running in some of those republican primaries out there. there are tea party candidates taking on mainstream members of your party. i guess that's what i'm getting at. >> when you have a lot of nferg, bob, out there in the country, one party or the other is going to attract it. we have people who have looked at washington and looked at a bailout every other day, too much taxes, too much debt. i mean this new financial regulation bill is just a big wet blanket on our entrepreneurial system in the country. our system for creating job

applause] with that, i would like to introduce my mother, an amazing grandmother, and your united states senatorara boxer. [applause] >> you look fantastic. i am so excited to see all of new year. i do not know if you heard the welcoming remarks from folks who had unflattering things to say about us, but it is fine. this is a free country, but we are on the side of the people, and that is what matters the most. this event is a tremendous success. i think all you have to do is look around and see that, and is says to me everyone in this state is getting it, that they understand the choices facing us in this election. i wanted to particularly thank my california finance share. thank you bay area democrats. thank you, members of my finance council. thank you, reverend williams and the united methodist church choir. will you stand up? you're fabulous wife and partner, will you please stand up? i wanted to thank our performer for the evening. thank you. and i suppose to stretch this out, or is the president back there? they told me to be subtle about that, but i am not subtle. we aren't good. he is b

that has come together behind this amendment to ensure that finally the secret hold in the united states senate, one of the most powerful tools that a senator has here in the senate, is no longer. mr. president, you have done very good work on this issue, along with a number of colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and the reason we feel so strongly is because the secret hold in the united states senate is an indefensible violation of the public's right to know. we all understand, every time we're home in our states, how frustrated people are with the way business is done in washington, d.c. one way to send a message that we're going to start doing business differently is to throw open the doors of government and to make sure that nominations and legislation that's important gets debated in public and people actually get to see the give-and-take of colleagues on both sides of the aisle, democrats and republicans, that is essential to making good policy. now, most americans have no idea what a secret hold is, and i have said on many occasions that my guess is, a lot of them think that this is s

in college and being a united states senator. for now, however, of course, they're sticking by him. >> and, jake, on the other side of the aisle, the democratic nominee in connecticut, richard blumenthal and questions about his vietnam service, whether he misrepresented it. how does he move forward now that he captured the nomination? >> reporter: his party, democrats, are circling the wagon attacking "the new york times" that broke the story and had another story on top of that on top of other comments blumenthal has made and hoping that blumenthal's decades of service in connecticut as attorney general will enable him to weather the storm but, of course, it is still possible that the party might ultimately decide to go in another direction if blumenthal becomes too damaged to win in november. >> all right. jake tapper, good to have you here. tomorrow morning on "this week," jake will have more on this this when he's joined by leaders of both parties. >>> another political race and could be a case of deja vu. we learned that new

look, for the past 35 years i have attended a lot of dinners as the united states senator.ood news to me tonight is that i do not have to catch the train home to wilmington. i now have a house in washington for the first time. i voted for public housing my whole career. i never had any idea it would be this good. now that i live in washington, i have come to realize how screwed up this city really is. if has a language of its own. for example, "deep background" means that you will be quoted in "the game change." senior white house official means rahm. and reconciliation means war. . . >> i think you are rough on the republicans for repeating the mantra, the healthcare bill is 222 pages long. well, put yourself in their spot. put yourself in their it's a lot to write on their hands. i don't blame them. by the way, i know this is you supposed to be humorous, as i'm trying to be, but i do have to defend our administration a little bit, especially the recovery act, which i've been put in charge of. republicans keep saying it has not created a single job. tell that to senator sc

it is always important to know that with us today is the leadership of the united states senate. we think about the assistant majority leader, dick durbin is here because the eyes of the united states state are on louisiana and what is happening here on the gulf coast today. i want to make it very clear. under the law, bp is the responsible party. bp is charged with capping their leaking oil way and paying for the response and for the recovery without limitation. they will be held accountable. we will keep our boot on their neck until the job gets done. as i said yesterday, we will make sure that all of their responsibilities are fulfilled to the people of the gulf coast and to the united states government. when the admiral as commander of this situation is not satisfied with the actions of bp, he will call bp and push them to take every appropriate step. he will order them to take the appropriate steps. i also have made it clear that we are not standing on the sidelines and letting bp do a bp wants to do. the federal government has mounted the largest response to fight this oil i

you see it with the united states senate going on vacation this past week without extending the unemployment> we are not on vacation we are working hard. working until next tuesday may 18th when the primary outcome will determine who gets one step closer to winning the senate seat. >> we are going to win the election on may 18th. >> arlon spector switched from republican to democrat to save his seat. is pennsylvania cooking up a primary upset stews?  >> president obama through his support behind arlon spector in pennsylvania democratic primary. will spector's 30 year senate career end anyway on tuesday. >> april 11th. >> they will have the yellow sign for 30 seconds and the yellow sign for stop. >> he is hours from an unusual debate. >> tonight we will see two men who respect each other. >> it's not just from arlon spector but instead with the republican senate frontrunner pat toomey. >> i disagree with all of joe's ideas. >> they make the same point. they say spector switched partys to avoid a republican primary challenge from toomey. >> he ran from pat toomey now he ducks me. >

the people who actually will be able to cast a ballot on whether he's elected the inspection united states senatorr not. >> your take on what's been happening the past few days? >> it seems to me this is an example of what's happening to the republican party across the country, beating the republican establishment. but it's the mainstream losing to the extreme. clearly, with rand paul, here's someone who, as you have already cited, questions elements of the civil rights act as it relates to the private sector, says that president obama's comments about making bp responsible in the oil spill is unamerican, wants to end farm subsidies across the country, including in kentucky. so i think this is an example of what's happening to the republican establishment across the country. the establishment being beaten by extreme candidates, whether it be here or in florida or, as you see surging in colorado and nevada. >> from the heart of the nation's capital, "this week" with abc senior white house correspondent jake tapper. >> i think it's part of this sort of blame game society in the sense that it's alway

previous president who face to this choice has found that the united states is better off with a treaty then without one. the united states senate has always agreed. the 2002 moscow tree was approved by a vote of 95-0. in 1991 start treaty was approved by 93-6. more than two years ago, president bush began the process that has led to the new start treaty we are discussing today. it has already received bipartisan support in testimony before this committee. as the chairman and the ranking member acknowledged, former secretary james schlesinger, secretary of defense for nixon and ford and secretary of energy for president carter declared it is obligatory for the united states to ratify it. today, i would like to discuss what the new start treaty is and what it is not. it is a treaty that if ratified would provide stability, transparency, and predictability for the two countries with more than 90% of the world's nuclear weapons. it is a treaty that will reduce the permissible number of russian and u.s. deployed strategic warheads to 1550. this is a level we have not reached since the 1950's. in addition, each country will be limite

the candidates are here and they are united states senator arlen specter of philadelphia, united states congressman joe sestak from the seventh congressional district representing parts of chest ever, delaware and montgomery counties. the first question going to -- goes to senator specter. senator, what do you see as your main challenge in convincing pennsylvania democratic primary voters that you are the best candidate to face the republican nominee this fall? >> the fact that i have voted with the democrats during my tenure in the senate on the really big issues, more than with the republicans. i have supported democratic values. that's why president obama has supported me, governor, that's why the democratic state committee endorsed me with a i have supported a woman's right to choose, opposed warrantless wiretaps, i have stood with the democrats and the democratic values on the big issues. at the outset of this debate there was one item which needs to be cleared up. i want an apology from congressman sestak for his television advertisement which calls me a liar. i've been in public

. >> arlen specter is the right man for the united states senate. i have can count on this man.s a firm ally. that's important. >> he switched parties to save one job. his. not yours. >> specter has attacked sestak's military service. >> joe sestak, relieved of duty in the navy for creating a poor command client. >> retired sestak has not released his military papers and said he asked to step down because his daughter developed brain cancer. the poll shows sestak leading 44-41%. he's also hitting saying he will support elena kagan, though specter was the only one to pose her last year for solicitor general. >> he picks the justices on how they affect the electoral process. >> he says his skin is thicker than a rhinoceros. >> it does not hurt me. i am in a tough line of work and i'm used to being challenged. >> reporter: when specter quit the g.o.p. to run for senate as a democrat, he shot to the top of the poll last year and many democrats said the nomination was his to lose. it looks that he may in fact do that come tuesday. last year, specter quit the g.o.p. come tuesday, the

but he wants to be a united states senator. so he's canceling this appearance which we think is unfortunate which i think will raise a lot of eyebrows among those following the race in kentucky and beyond. it's interesting, somebody on my staff put together -- found a quote from him about national television appearances and how important they are and that the number one way to raise your profile is persuade people that you're electable. but he's revising that after what has been a pretty tough week. it's worth pointing out, politics is a rough game. and he hasn't won anything yet. he won a primary. he hasn't won the election. he's saying he's very tired and wants to take sunday off. i think it comes after a tough week. >> his remarks have gotten a lot of traction. democrats are jumping all over this. a lot of people are pointing to the tea party, which i mentioned backed him earlier as we know. and he is the son of ron paul, we should mention. >> yeah. the comments have gotten a lot of attention because they're least a distract