mind, i think when he helped form the republican party. >> for many, president obama's words felt like a return to sanity. for others, it was a stark reminder of why president trump won the election. meanwhile, much of the country is just sick of all of it. >> i conceive of myself as an independent conservative who caucuses with the republicans but, frankly, neither of these parties have a long-term vision for the future of the country. there's massive stuff happening in america, and thesis matters are really content to do 24-hour news cycles screaming at each other. >> why stay a republican, and when is the last time you thought about becoming an independent? >> i probably think about it every morning when i wake up, but i figure out, why am i flying away from nebraska to go to d.c. we are going to get real stuff done? i'm committed to the party of lincoln and reagan as long as there's a chance to reform it. >> stuart stevens, before i ask the rest of the panel about