be looking into possible criminal violations as you were discussing just a few minutes ago. that's number one. and that involves former senator ensign. there's senator ensign's parents, who may be under investigation by the department of justice as well. the questions that have been asked and will be asked about senator cobourne. there's the whole question about that fellowship ministry on the hill, the so-called c street house, and what discussions were held there. whether they were all matters of the heart or whether they were matters of money and power as well. and that really gets sort of to the heart of the party in the senate. but i really don't ok -- this case is so garrish. and as you said, it was so obviously laid on the table, i think it's more personal to those people now, still, than it is to the whole republican senate. but there's no question that this story is going to drag on all the way through election day, especially with the department of justice on the case. >> howard fineman of "the huffington post" and msnbc. thank you for joining me tonight. coming up, mitt romney tried