the other influential custodians of the white house, the trumans. ey had to move out for the construction. >> and the time in the blair house. all of the entertainment was, their formal entertaining was in washington hotels, because there was no world that they could entertain. >> you both the referenced jacqueline kennedy, and for our younger viewers, they may not know what the reference is. >> jacqueline kennedy, when she went for her tour with mainly eisenhower came away appalled. the white house looked like a third rate hotel. and she decided out of pride -- it was patriotism. she wanted to restore the house, bring back the best of the past, and make it a showcase. >> and that was, i think, a way to exert a kind of cultural influence that was commensurate with the status of the united states in the 1960s. i mean, the economic power, the military power, and i think jacqueline saw that to go along with it was needed the cultural influence of the united states. and a stage, again, for her husband's conduct of politics and diplomacy. >> i was thinkin

it shows santa claus arriving at the white house to discover there are children at the white house, thathe roosevelts had moved in. the title of the piece was, "there is life in the white "there is life in the old house yet."the country was excited to have a young family and children to watch. they had a vigorous president with a vigorous and attractive wife. attractive santa claus represented the countries attitude.-- country's attitude over the excitement in the white house now. the biggest responsibilities edith had in the white house was to control the president access to the family.-- the press's access to the family. what she did -- she arranged to have professional portraits taken of the children. the first two batches were by francis johnson, a well-known society photographer in washington. a picture of clinton, famous for having written to death ridden the elevator to visit our she when was sick. archie and a bicycle, permit with jack, the wonder dog. this picture standing in front of the tray. -- tree.most of the pictures were taken outside. you take these photographs and it sh

i have here at lenore's earnings in the white house years. this is based on study of income tax returns available in the hyde park library and it showed from the years 1937 to 1939 she averaged annual earnings of $62,000, a lot of money in those days, 68,000 before expenses. and they never wrote about eleanor. and enhance yourself. they covered up that kind of thing because they did feel somewhat grateful to her for allowing them to come to the white house every week. it was made craig, the one wy c first asked men be allowed in the pushed for the civil-rights activist for end to sex discrimination and forced news organizations to hire women on an equitable basis. in 1964, 81-year-old howard w. smith, a conservative virginia congressman, major civil rights legislation, and the pending act, jolo discrimination on the basis of race, by including sex, he held to review the proposed legislation to debt. capitol hill insiders, tagged the measure. and pushed for years, adjacent to the capitol press galleries for the women reporters accredited to th

it shows santa claus arriveing a the white house to discover suddenly there are children in the white house. the roosevelts are moved in. the title is "there's life in the old house yet ." it's representativive how the country reacted to having the roosevelts in the white house. it's a country was excited to have a young family. to have children to watch through the prez. to know they have a young and vigorous president with a vigorous and attractive wife. and santa claus, reflecting the country's attitude of the excitement over the liveliness in the white house now. >>> they edith had in the white house was to control the president's access to the family. and so what she did was arrange to have pictures they mowings for having ridden the elevator and gone up to the second floor to visit archie when he was sick. there's a bicycle, there's care met with jack, actually. the wonder dog. and there's picture of alice standing in front of a tree. most of the pictures. taken outside. several varieties were taken of them. the lady's home journal article is interesting because you take these p

the white house gardener, let's re-create this garden at the white house. ellen wilson could look out her bedroom window and see the flowers all day. roses.ted to see this becomes the rose garden at the white house. alan does not live to see the rose garden completed. she dies in the summer of 1914. is watches as the garden work done, but does not live to see the completion of the garden. it is a vision that begins here at prospect garden. >> so, ellen wilson cannot wait to see the rose garden completed. and as become part of our national lexicon. has become part of our national lexicon. here's what it looks like today. we have her tenure in the white house. we have a list of things that she did during the 17 months. we talked about the rose garden. the fact that she was a broughtonal artist and her profession to the white house. how significant was that? >> they did not set a standard for future first ladies. she earned money from selling her paintings. she'd set up a charity for her brother. the only of the first lady to earn money in the white house was

taking no questions from reporters and going right back inside the white house. o say, quite, i am going to support the president's call for action. i am joined right now by our in-house guest, dee and you worked inside the white house, two things were very, very interesting, one a very short statement on behalf of boehner, what did you make of that? and then i have another question after that. >> i think it's stunning that he is so supportive of the president when he knows -- >> there was no equivocation whatsoever. >> no equivocation at all. and i know a lot of members of the house right now probably are in an uproar because they will not be supportive. he has a big job to do in the next week to try to gain support in the house. >> also the other thing that seemed to be standing out is that he came out alone. nancy pelosi was not by his side. what did you make of that? >> well, i think perhaps it was a strategy, he's thinking it's better for him to be alone and be the leader to bring in his republican colleagues and bringing in other members of the house. him st

> the house, the senate and white house locked in a tug of war. hows and why on "washington week." are 230 and nays 189. strip house votes to healthcare funding from the budget. >> the american people don't shut down vernment and don't want obama care. >> but the fight is just beginning. the senate. >> i will do everything and anything possible to defund obama care. >> it would be good political theatre to watch them what estruct and that is they are doing if there were not so much at stake. >> veto threats. insults. ideological battles all coming 10 days and second showdown over raising the debt limit comes next. actually willing to if ge america into default we can't defund the affordable care act. derailed se could be in this train wreck. e explain with molly ball of the atlantic. christi parsons of tribune newspaper. of the "wall street journal" and jeff zeleny of abc news. >> award winning reporting and it ysis covering history as happens live from our nation's capital. "washington week" with gwen ifill. corporate funding for "washington week" is provided by we asked people a s

for our younger viewers what did she do for the white house? >> jacqueline kennedy reportedly when she went for her tour with maimie eisenhower came away appalled. she thought the white house looked like a third rate summer hotel. out of she decided pride that it was a patriotism. she was going to restore the house. bring back the best of the past and make it a show case for the very finest. >> and that was i think a way to exert a kind of cultural influence that was commensurate with the status of the united states in the 60s. the n, the economic power, military power, and i think jacqueline saw that to go along with it was needed this cultural influence of the united states. that was what she was doing. and a stage again for her husband's conduct of politics and diplomacy. >> eevep more than j.f.k. who we all think of as really the first television president and a president whose style, the kind of ironic wit was absolutely perfect for tv. but she was a real tv star. >> and she was the one who image it had administration. >> one of the things

the whole feeling of the white house. how cooperative was congress? >> congress voted money for this. they wanted a better house. it was the moment when the united states became a power, modernizing the presidency, the united states did not arrived as the most successful manufacturing power on earth. they were in the process of becoming a very serious world power. it was a matter of national pride to have a presidents distinguished. it was important for all kinds of reasons. it was a marvelous reflection as thechanges discussed country takes on a new aspect. so is the executive mansion, which now remains the white house. there is only one white house. >> how long did the reservation take? -- renovation take? >> one year. >> where did they stay? did they go back to the hill? >> over the summer they stayed there. the renovations started before she left. hit by the trolley in the middle of this, so they have difficult moments where he is negotiating in a wheelchair because he was hit by a trolley accident. >> how involved was edith roosevelt in the actual

produced by our white house, the white house historical association.hronicling life in the mansion in the tenure of each of the first ladies. find out more at c-span.organize/firstladies. is. >> c-span student cam video competition is under way. it's open to all middle and high school students. this year, we're doubling the number of winners and prize money. create a five-to-seven issue documentary on what congress should consider in 2014. it should show varying points of view and they're due by january 20, 2014. need more information, visit student cam.org. >> a look back at the 2008 financial crisis with henry paulson and former representative barney frank. in an hour, president obama marks the fifth anniversary and takes a look at the economy. then the first ladies' program on helen taft. >> university of maryland professor will talk about the middle east reaction to the situation in syria. and its impact on the u.s. foreign policy. then politico magazine editor susan glasser discusses the unites nation's role in syria in the days ahead. later, bloo

i think the white house candy store is open. i think the ideal job to have today is to be a democratic member of congress. what do you need for your district or state? a post office? a new military facility? what do you want? i think anything you want you're going to get because the white house is going to do whatever it takes to get a majority. bill: that means we're hitting syria based on that answer? >> well, maybe. who knows what the president is going to think in about two weeks. bill: but if you give him the authority then he is going to go forward? >> that's what he said on friday. you think, you think he is necessarily going to hold that view in two weeks? i'm not so sure. bill: thank you, ambassador. john bolton there still dubious. we'll check you in the dubious column today out of washington, sir. talk to you again tomorrow. thank you for your time. >> thank you. bill: 19 past, martha. martha: we're watching all these developments. we're expecting a statement from the state department soon as all angles continue to be

she talked about changing who the footmen would be at the white house door. edith had a gentleman who was white to greet people. helen wanted african-americans. mrs. roosevelt bridled at that. nelliewanted to change the had other changes she wanted to make right away. let's get started. edith, thinking, i will be first lady until march 3, said, not so fast. wait a while. there began to be, you need to take over. the roosevelt people said, wait a minute, what is going on? what about the appointments being made? ite friendship began to erode. really started to erode when taft wrote tr a letter saying, you and my brother charlie are responsible -- forking the president. making me president. charles was a newspaper owner and tr was infuriated by that talked about it for the next two or three years. itft writes a thank you note. started the doom of his presidency. >> in the parlance of today, edith roosevelt and helen taft let's go tof's. horace in philadelphia. caller: i have been watching the series from the beginning. i have a question i wanted to ask. i am a li

hagel will suppress the white house. >> at the white house, a lot of strong statement and support of the president's call for action. and del, it's important to important to hear that we're called to action. speaker boehner's press secretary coming out with a statement saying that it's still up to the president. it's his responsibility to make his case to the american people, perhaps tempering that support a bit, waiting to see which way the wind will be blowing ahead of the huge meeting this afternoon. secretary kerry, secretary hagel going before the powerful senate security committee, and we'll see if the committee gets behind it this afternoon. >> if two men know the senate well, it's both of those gentlemen, former senator john kerry and former senator chuck hagel. sherry from political co-,the white house must be smiling right now. oddsmaker would have said that this would not be the case. >> i think you're right, del. weekend when the president first announced this there was a struggle to rally the support in congress. i don't think he's entirely there yet in terms of making t

the 2010 expo shows that the white house meeting off campus at coffee houses near the white house offo it was not on the visitor log. so we don't know about it. penny? >> well, i think that again, i think that it is in the best interest of them to hear all sides of the argument, whether it is somebody representing google or facebook or whether they represent the american cancer society. i think it is a good thing for them to hear all sides. oftentimes the lobbyists -- many times they have the information there so they can avoid unintended consequences. so i think it is important for them, too. >> you mean the favoritism, corporate welfare, loopholes for corporations -- >> or how about the u.s. chamber on behalf of advocating -- >> number one, the president broke his promise, which you said he never intended to keep. the second point is that the people of this country do not have access to the white house. but people with the money, people that are literally buying influence, buying their way in, and getting rewarded for it -- >> shawn, i was just on capitol hill today and i saw hundre

she brings the white house gardener back to this garden at prospect house and says to the white house gardener, thus re- create the rose section of this garden at the white house. ellen wilson could look out of her bedroom window in prospect mansion and look right down and see the flowers all day. similarly, she wanted the president of the united states to be able to see roses when he looked out of his window in the white house. this becomes a famous rose garden at the white house. ellen tragically doesn't live to see the rose garden completed, however. she is dying in the summer of 1914. she is wheeled out into the space outside in her wheelchair and she watches as a gardener works, but she doesn't live to see the completion of this vision she had for roses blooming at the white house. that is a vision that really begins here at aspect of art and in princeton. -- that begins here at prospect garden in princeton. >> here is a photograph of what it looks like you're in the wilson administration and here's what the rose garden looks like today. short tenure in the white house, she did d

when you go to the white house today it is really edith roosevelt's white house. >> there was too much looking down, and i think it was a little too fast, not enough change of pace. >> yes, ma'am. lux i think, in every case, the first lady is really -- has really done would ever fit her personality and her interest. >> she later wrote in her memoir that she said, "i myself never made any decisions. i only decided what was important and when to present it to my husband." you stop and think about how much power that is, it is a lot of power. >> prior to the battle against cancer -- part of the battle against cancer is to fight the fear that accompanies the disease. >> she transformed the way we look at these bugaboos and made it possible for countless people to survive and flourish, as a result. i don't know how many presidents have realistically had that kind of impact on the way we live our lives. >> just walking around the white house grounds i am constantly reminded of all of the people who lived there before, and particularly all of the women. >> first ladies, influence and image, a

first lady, particularly jackie kennedy, in the white house? this is something that edith roosevelt did. did she approach introducing americans to culture and supporting the cultural life of the white house? >> theodore roosevelt was not as bad as president grant. said there were two songs, dy and yankee doodle dan the other isn't. >> she brought amazing inner came into the white house, paluding have locus all -- cassals. she brought the entire philadelphia orchestra at one time. she loved the corcoran art gallery, theater and art and music. tr brought indian songs. helped encourage john lomax to discover cowboy songs. they wanted people to understand and have culture. it was not a colonial society anymore. european cultures for borrowing artists. they are really important in that sense, too. >> since they had sagamore hill, why did they need a retreat? get toook a while to sagamore hill because it is on the way in long island -- all the way in long island. he had a lot of political and att and difficulty times when he was having a rough time,

this is important, the second day of meetings here with key lawmakers at the white house. we'll see john boehner as well as house minority leader nancy pelosi and you'll have the top democrats and republicans from key congressional committees. the point that president obama will be making is that he needs their help, and without it, a message may be sent to not only syria if there is no retaliatory strike, but also to other american foes, like iran and hezbollah. basically, a message of, you know, maybe you can go ahead and try us on some of our policies, because you may just actually get away with it. and i'll tell you, i'm actually watching at this point a motorcade come in right now, as i imagine we're expecting some of the arrivals for this meeting here, carol. >> yeah, i see them, too. while you're watching that this morning on cnn, earlier this morning we heard from senators john mccain and lindsey graham, two of the more hawkish republicans who met with mr. obama yesterday. of course, they still have some serious concerns. listen. >> and to think that the syrians are

>> the white house is going to stay optimistic. we've seen the unofficial vote counts from media organizations. you never know. they're back in session. they're milling on the floor of the house. they're trying to get a feel of where they are will be politically and in terms of other members of their respective caucuses. having said that, it does not look loalook good for the presi, they will try to turn some of those votes and move some of those votes on capitol hill as we look at those series, a very vital procedural vote is expected. the president traveling up massachusetts avenue where joe biden was entertaining republican senators and lobbying behind the scenes. the president is doing no less than six interviews all of them taped for broadcast later today and into the evening. then tomorrow the president makes the trip up to capitol hill. he'll be behind closed doors with senate democrats. he'll have to count on democrats to put him over the finish line. there is not a lot of public support from republicans even though the top

the other influential custodians of the white house, the trumans. struction. >> and the time in the blair house. all of the entertainment was, their formal entertaining was in washington hotels, because there was no where else that they could entertain. >> you both the referenced jacqueline kennedy, and for our younger viewers, they may not know what the reference is. >> jacqueline kennedy, when she went for her tour with mainly eisenhower came away appalled. the white house looked like a third rate hotel. and she decided out of pride -- it was patriotism. she wanted to restore the house, bring back the best of the past, and make it a showcase. >> and that was, i think, a way to exert a kind of cultural influence that was commensurate with the status of the united states in the 1960s. i mean, the economic power, the military power, and i think jacqueline saw that to go along with it was needed the cultural influence of the united states. and a stage, again, for her husband's conduct of politics and diplomacy. >> i was thinking even more than jfk, who

she brings the white house gardener back to this garden at prospect house and says to the white house gardener, thus re- create the rose section of this garden at the white house. ellen wilson could look out of her bedroom window in prospect mansion and look right down and see the flowers all day. similarly, she wanted the president of the united states to be able to see roses when he looked out of his window in the white house. this becomes a famous rose garden at the white house. ellen tragically doesn't live to see the rose garden completed, however. she is dying in the summer of 1914. she is wheeled out into the space outside in her wheelchair and she watches as a gardener works, but she doesn't live to see the completion of this vision she had for roses blooming at the white house. that is a vision that really begins here at aspect of art and in princeton. -- that begins here at prospect garden in princeton. >> here is a photograph of what it looks like you're in the wilson administration and here's what the rose garden looks like today. >> we have for short tenure in the white h

this isn't about barack obama versus the congress. >> the white house is particularly happy about the last comment. that republican mike rogers, not any republican. he has standing in the congress, chairman of the house intelligence commitow, for him to sigh we're going to get this done, they happy inside the white house but it's basically a race against the clock. the president leaves tomorrow night for sweden and then will be gone a few days, also in russia for the g-20 schmidt. that's why he is trying to back in the phone calls and meetings as much as they can before he is out of the country. >> some skepticism over the weekend since the president's decision to seek congressional approval because it sounded so urgent we needed to move in and attack syria, and then he backs off. i know you have been gathering information how that decision came about. >> you're right, secretary of state john kerry on friday afternoon, was out there pretty hard, far out on a limb, suggesting that military action was imminent, if not days, maybe within hours and people were expecting it to happen on sa

correct she only started when she got out of the white house area did -- a white house. been an activist in the women's movement, the labor movement, and she was probably fewof the first -- the first ladies who came into the white house with political owntituencies of her separate from her husband. >> has that happened since then? >> maybe hillary. >> on a much more modest scale. with things. broadcast.dio she was proud she drew more than her health and. -- her husband. of commercialized the role first lady. >> people would come down on her today. one of the things i thought was is she was about her into the media at the time, particularly the radio. they were talking about we are going to do anything we can to win. that illustrates her ee is in ee's --e media -- her the media.ng >> you often hear the times make the man or the woman. her husband served longer than any other administration. the public was eager to hear from the white house. >> she rose to the occasion. >> she was seen as the conscience of the administration. it made apec are for him to govern -- easier fo

and they told any white house staff, any reporters on the north lawn to get inside here to the white fing room so that clear the lawn and make it safe. we've seen more officers engaging out there, circling around the lawn, obviously making sure that the residents, the west wing, et cetera, is safe right now. >> when you say engaging, what do you mean? >> reporter: i saw one officer with a large weapon. and i didn't see him actually fire it. i saw him put it up. then i heard another shot closer to where the suspect was. i didn't actually see the officer shoot. but he was moving closer with a large weapon like he was about to fire. and then i heard a pop. and it sounded like someone else closer had more directly engaged with the suspect. i heard at least two or three pops, not more than that. and then the yelling, the screaming, the clearing-out. and i could not tell because i was close here to the briefing room, to these various officers. i was not close enough to the gate to see whether or not the suspect had actually been hit. but he was certainly on the ground and they had officers

i think -- i've been over here all day, you haven't been at the white house to talk to white house officialsbut i think what they will say is in the moment give a sense that life goes on at white house, it's business as usual. the nation's capital hasn't been disrupted, but then what they did is brought out a picture of the washington gridlock in dysfunction. that's what everyone doesn't like about washington, and what we saw here today in the aftermath of this horrific attack is some of what people do like about washington, the rallying together here, the heroism that we're told happened inside the washington navy yard as officials responded within seconds to this shooting. the immediate responders here and then, of course, the civilians and military officials who handled this with dignity and class throughout the day, a very, very trying and tough day here in washington. that was the tone down here by the washington navy yard, larry. >> you know, eamon, larry, of course, you've been down there at the navy yard all day, eamon. i spoke earlier today on cnbc with the chief economic adviser to

our senior white house correspondent jim acosta is here at the white house as well. he's got a special report for us. i want to warn our viewers that what they're about to see in his report is very graphic and very disturbing. tell our viewers what you have, jim. >> well, wolf, as for that russian proposal that we heard jim talk about, the administration officials are all using the same words when talking about it, saying that they're going to take a hard look at it and even as that proposal is being considered, administration officials are as you said pulling out all the stops to get that vote for congressional authorization up on capitol hill, including welcoming an estimated 70 members of congress to the white house just today. it hasn't let up all day. a steady stream of republicans and democrats from top gop leaders to hillary clinton and the congressional black caucus, all meeting with administration officials making the case for lawmakers to approve a military strike against syria. the administration shifted into overdrive with the release of video showing the

before we get to the white house, we need a lot done in the house.lls, it's the house negotiating with the senate. >> i agree strongly that younger people have visions that affect things where older people may not do that. talking about infrastructure, i agree request you, congressman. how do you get your tea party members and won't vote to spend a time on anything that investing in infrastructure is good government spending and the only way to grow. how can you get that done. i would like to hear from you too. >> i would say look, you won't get everything on everything. i won't suggest i can deliver 235 republicans and the most conservative ideological republican in my party, but i don't think you have to. i for one don't believe that 20 or 30 members ought to be deciding the agenda for the house of representatives or what my party stands for. second, look to those supporting infrastructure spending. the business community understands that infrastructure is part and parcel of economic development. >> that's all good, but how do you stop your leaders

in hong in the white house and were brought back here into their home. -- hung in the white house and were brought back here to their home. one of the most interesting groups that they had visited them was the japanese delegation. the japanese delegation came to the white house in 1860 and came bearing all types of kicks. what can see here are some of the list of things they brought. with the full list of issues. paper fold and objects. oragami. this is a little dictionary in japanese. jane and her friends found all of these things intriguing. here we are in harriet's lane's bedroom. it is furnished in the same way it might have been furnished and she was living here. these are pieces she moaned loaneownedarriage.-- after her marriage. behind me, you will see her original wardrobe where she would have stored her pitiful downs, european downs that she purchased from paris. he was well known throughout the country for five his clothing. she had a penchant for european fashions. most of her clothes were handmade for her in paris. her signature style of first lady differed radically from

paul is at capitol hill but first we're go to the white house where mike viqueira is covering the white house. is there reaction to that assad interview? >> there certainly is, and it might not surprise to you learn that the white house is unimpressed. this is the same individual that secretary kerry called a thug and a murderer. the president has high confidence that this is the individual or his regime carried out the attack on august 21st. here is the official reaction from the spokeswoman. it doesn't surprise us that someone who would kill thousands of his own people including hundreds of children with poisoned gas would lie about it. bashar al-assad unlikely to get traction in the administration here if in fact, he gets any among the public at all. >> and mike, it just seems to indicate that is gaining traction on several fronts now. you heard minutes ago that russia has now entered the fray saying that th the assad shouldt aside its chemical weapons. >> it might be too late. u.n. secretary general ban ki-moon spoke last friday in st. petersburg, rush russia, alf these proposals we

here is the story that white house aides behind the scenes are giving us we at the white house.along the south line a 45 minute walk with chief of staff, the president was affected by not only the resistence from congress in both sides of the all some 200 members had written to the president asking him to come to congress for prior authorization, not incidentally some 80% in a pole yesterday of the public thought that should happen as well. but the president also looking on at what happens in the u.k. at david cameron lose that go vote. when he returned from the walk the president informed his senior national security council staffer of his decision to go to congress, discussions en excuse throughout the evening and in to the morning. and culminating in the president's appearance there that surprised virtually everyone, joey. after the president had for all intents and purposes most aids had assumed had decided to go ahead with a military strike in the relatively short-term. if you look at the events that transpired since august 21st, the steadily, more aggressive hawkish commen

i've staked out a position that is not that of the white house. i will not support the resolution as drafted by the white house. i am working on a resolution, an alternative resolution that narrowly constricts what is being proposed to the terms laid out by the president himself. we're dealing with the chemical attack and only that chemical attack and no boots on ground and no further expansion of involvement. that kind of narrowly drawn resolution i can support. i think there is support for that in other corners of the congress. frankly this one has taken on such a life of its own, some members are beyond having any further discussion on this matter. >> sir, you support what the president is talking about now, no expansion but surely, whatever we do, assad and or hezbollah and/or iran, will respond to that and we'll have to do something else. so how can we support something and say, no expansion. there may be a request for an expansion coming down the pike very soon? >> well, i don't know toure it's a given they are going to respond. there have b

there's a democrat in the white house and they say, at least in the senate, that they feel confident, sources there tell me they feel confident they will be able to defeat everything the house brings over there, specifically we are talking about delaying obama care for a year and repealing a tax on medical devices that republicans thought was a gotcha for democrats. many of them voted for the repeal in the past because of interest in their states. they say they are going to hold firm. the long way of saying, yes, it brings us much more possible to a shutdown. >> okay. all right, dana. gloria, are you there? i have a question for you, gloria. it just came across my desk. house republicans added contraceptive coming up. the conscious clause would allow employers and insurers to opt out of care for women that are object it -- >> reporter: it is politics here. it's an opportunity for republicans to unite on things they all agree on and take back to constituents and say even if we fail, we tried. they tried to repeal obama care but never passed it to a must pass piece of legislation such a

when you go to the white house today it is really edith roosevelt's white house. >> there was too much looking down, and i think it was a little too fast, not enough change of pace. >> yes, ma'am. >> i think, in every case, the first lady is really -- has really done would ever fit her personality and her interest. >> she later wrote in her memoir that she said, "i myself never made any decisions. i only decided what was important and when to present it to my husband." you stop and think about how much power that is, it is a lot of power. >> prior to the battle against cancer -- part of the battle against cancer is to fight the fear that accompanies the disease. >> she transformed the way we look at these bugaboos and made it possible for countless people to survive and flourish, as a result. i don't know how many presidents have realistically had that kind of impact on the way we live our lives. >> just walking around the white house grounds i am constantly reminded of all of the people who lived there before, and particularly all of the women. >> first ladies, influence and image, a

senior white house correspondent jim acosta at the white house. today, but can we talk some strategy at the white house? >> reporter: sure. well, don, i think their strategy at this point is to sit back and watch. one administration official calling this something of a circus what's happening up on capitol hill and the way you set this up before playing that sound from the president was perfect, don. president obama has said and administration officials have said that he will not say anything that delays or defunds obama care. that's out of here, that's off the table. forget about that. now, this proposal from house republicans to perhaps tinker with obama care, perhaps repeal that medical device tax that helps pay for obama care, that is not going to fly either with this white house. the president has said he is not going to do anything with obama care under the threat of a government shut down or a debt default and it's sort of ir irrelevant, because you heard what dana bash said a few moments ago, it's a nonstarter and dead on arrival in the se

we're standing by for reaction from the white house. what will the white house press secretary say? he's going to be going to the microphone shortly. we'll have live coverage coming up. stay with us. we'll be right back. we'll do almost anything. out for drinks, eats. i have very well fitting dentures. i like to eat a lot of fruits. love them all. the seal i get with the super poligrip free keeps the seeds from getting up underneath. even well-fitting dentures let in food particles. super poligrip is zinc free. with just a few dabs, it's clinically proven to seal out more food particles so you're more comfortable and confident while you eat. a lot of things going on in my life and the last thing i want to be thinking about is my dentures. [ charlie ] try zinc free super poligrip. just by talking to a helmet. it grabbed the patient's record before we even picked him up. it found out the doctor we needed was at st. anne's. wiggle your toes. [ driver ] and it got his okay on treatment from miles away. it even pulled strings with the stoplights. my ambulance talks with smoke alarms and

military strikes will achieve. >> shepard: sir, thank you very much. >> thank you. >> shepard: the white house and the u.s. senate are back in session today. lawmakers weighing whether to authorize military action against syria. the senate can vote as early as tomorrow. the house of representatives may vote sometime next week, or the week after, they tell us, on maybe not at all. if that resolution doesn't clear the senate. president obama and the vice-president, joe biden, discussed syria last night in a dinner at washington. a u.s.a. today survey shows the president has lot of work ahead of him in any attempt to convince congress to approve a strike against syria. the survey shows 22 senators and 22 members of the house are willing to support a military response to the use of chemical weapons. and also shows 19 senators and 130 members of the house have said they oppose a strike. the vast majority of congress remains undecided. mike emanuel is on capitol hill. a close ally made the case for action. >> that's right nor harry reid took to the senate floor and said anytime the powerful use such

now, they would say inside the white house, the u.s. we should note has been the biggest supplier of aid, not just to the rebels but humanitarian aid, the refugees, et cetera. but the president has not been out there making the case to american people. he's had his plate full of other issues, perhaps. but he hasn't made this case in over two years. back to eric's original point, i don't want to ignore him. it is a fair point, why is about 1,000 or 1,400 people being killed in this one chemical weapons attack on august 21st, why is that the flashpoint when in fact the u.n. and others say over 120,000 syrians have already been slaughtered and yet the u.s. and others didn't step up and say, you know, we've got to step in here. i think the white house believes that as sad and tragic as it was that all those others lost their lives, it was the use of weapons of mass destruction that crosses the line. not just the rhetorical red line, but the line into the u.s. national security interests, guys. >> well, it's fairly obvious that the differenc

prime minister benjamin netanyahu comes to the white house on monday. brian, i'm already told the white house has briefed israel on all parts of the conversation that took place. >> chuck todd at the white house, which brings us right here to this very studio. our chief foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell is here, also nbc's ann curry who interviewed the iranian president in

>> reporter: well, i think what the white house hopes is they will finally -- and specifically members of the house will get their first real chance to see all the intelligence, to see all the information, the case that the white house, that the administration has gathered up on why this needs to take place. so many of those administration officials are convinced. so many members have heard from just the constituents in their own districts. they hope when they come here with a classified briefing scheduled for monday, that will help turn the tide. perhaps as significantly, the president will be making that national address on tuesday night. earlier in that day, the chief of staff, dennis mcdonagh, will visit with house democrats trying to convince them. the democrats have been as challenging as any group to get on board with this because so many of them oppose the idea of intervention. as you have noted multiple times, it's an uphill battle this white house faces but one they're aggressively pursuing as they fan out the forces across television and to the capitol. >> this tuesday eveni

politicsel house loved and became wilson's closest adviser in the white house. and in foreigny affairs. for years.nseparable colonel house betrayed him in paris during the peace conference. when wilson left the peace , and colonel house was there for every minute, they said goodbye and that was the last time wilson saw him or spoke to him. >> you said that edith did not like colonel house. >> edith wilson did not like colonel house. >> they colonel house like her? >> he had a wonderful relationship with the president. time, the president loses his first wife and marries his second. now, he sees that someone new has entered into the president's life and colonel house was resentful. it was starting to play a role in the president's life and they were inseparable. mrs. wilson attended meetings with the president. he briefed her on everything he was doing. though that hes knew that something would happen to him and she would have to know all of these things. it is quite ironic. time, mrs. wilson always doubted colonel house and thought he was a sycophant. anyone agre

struggle for the authorization vote in the house. >> axelrod: what can we expect to see from the white house as the lobbying effort picks up steam? >> lots of private lobbying by telephone calls, and lots of public lobbying. by phone calls, the president made them last night, talking to bicamera members of the house, republicanrepublicans and democ. john kerry, the secretary of state, chuck hagee, the defense secretary. the president will give six interviews, three major networkes, two capable networks, plus pbs plus an address to the nation on tuesday. >> axelrod: major garrett at the white house, thank you. and you can see scott pelley's enterview with president obama on monday's cbs evening news. joining us now is clarissa ward who is inside syria this week talking with rebel commanders. she is reporting for us tonight from the turkish side of the border with syria. clarisa, what are they telling you about the the possibility of u.s. strike? >> reporter: the rebel commanders told us they want the strikes to happen and they want them to happen soon. their concern is the longer the delay, t

the white house seeks a green light to strike. leading charge the here secretary of state john kerry who was sent to run the gauntlet of weekend political talk shows. secretary kerry, his role here, laying out the administration's case. >> we are saying that the high confidence that the intelligence community has expressed and the case that i laid out the other day is growing stronger by the day. we know where this attack came from. we know exactly where it went. we know exactly what happened afterwards. >> here's what the time line looks like. the first hearing in the senate is expected to be held tomorrow. the full congress is not scheduled to return until next week. so far, the only consensus in congress is there is no consensus in congress. >> i'm hoping by the time next week comes around and hopefully the president can make his case, that he will be able to get a majority of the house of representatives. >> i think it's at least 50/50 whether the house will vote down involvement in the syrian war. i think the senate will rubb

to the nation from the white house briefing room. we'll bring that live. edly warned a government shutdown could mean the end of his 17-seat majority in the house of representatives. given what they did with the debt ceiling two years ago, the sequester in march, and now this fight over funding the government, why would anyone want to retain them as the majority in the house? >> well, i can't imagine why anyone would want to retain them as the majority in the house. here's the problem, though, martin, is these districts are so drawn towards these tea party republicans, they don't fear anything. they don't fear the polls, they don't fear bad editorials. they don't fear what a shutdown of the government would do to the economy or to real people. >> so are you saying -- are you saying even if they shut down the government, they won't lose their majority in the house? >> well, look. i think they do risk losing their majority in the house. but the people from these districts, likely a lot of these tea party republicans, they wouldn't lose their districts. their

our premiere episode of pin heads and white house correspondents stars fox news chief white house correspondent. he is the pinhead, or maybe the pinhead sitting in the front row of the white house press briefing room surrounded by some of the real reporters who work there. ed henry walked into the press briefing room yesterday with a plan. sure he was very proud of his plan. he knew it would thrill his fox news bosses. he was going to trap jay carnie with the brilliant question he had planned. >> you are talking enrollment, will jay carnie and white house staff enroll in obama care? >> pinheads are a proud people. very, very proud of their ignorance. that question could not possibly be more ignorant. like asking jay carnie if heave will enroll in the food stamp program since he is a known defender of the food stamp program. like asking him if he will enroll in medicare. he does not qualify for medicare for reasons ed henry may understand. because jay carnie is not exactly 65 years old yet. jay carnie its not one of the people the food stamp program its designed to help. for reasons that ed henr

and she painted a little in the white house for her one year in the white house. but she was interesting. a genuinely interesting woman. she was the first actively social first lady we had. you think of eleanor roosevelt to be in the trenches. ellen wilson is the first to take on a cause here in washington which was the slums and she thought the way the african-americans live in this city was just appalling so she literally used to drag members of congress through the alleys of washington just to see what was happening. literally on her deathbed, she called out to wilson who proposed some legislation to say, you know, have they passed the legislation yet? and, indeed do, they did just moments before she died. >> the id she have a different attitude then about the races? >> well, no, i think their attitudes were very similar, which is to say, again, that we -- we have to put ourselves in the 19th century, not just the 20th century. wilson, again, did not want to keep blacks down. he did believe separate but equal might work, should work, had to work for a while. be

the white house pushing for more support in his plan to strike syria. we are following this story with live team coverage. paul beban is in washington. and washington developments over -- watching details overseas we have phil london. overseas secretary of state john kerry is currently in paris trying to build an international coalition there. how many countries support strikes against syria? >> reporter: secretary of state kerry said that there were 12 countries that were now prepared to take military action against syria. he said they would make their own statements within the next 24 hours or so. he met today in paris with members of dit taries from the arab league and they hashed out a statement in which they condemned the assad regime, called for some sort of action. secretary of state kerry saying there is no intention to wade into that civil war on one side or the other. it would simply be an action condemning and punishing the assad regime for its use of those banned weapons. so on saturday, he got the eu to sign on to something. today, he got t