because the unions don't pay their salaries they can spell their sums on other things. do you think it's time to reform? >> well, my honorable friend raises an important point. whenever you raise a point about union funding, you get shouted down by the party opposite because they don't want any examination of what trade unions do or how much money they give to the labourparty. i think they protest a little bit too much. >> i'm absolutely delighted to be supported by the trade union. can i ask the prime minister why he has trusted advisor that it would show no mercy. it would be big opportunity for private profit and it would transform the nhs into an insurance provider and not a steered deliverer? >> well, i'm very, very grateful for the honorable gentleman to allow me to clear this up cause when i read about him being my advisor i was slightly puzzled. [laughter] >> because i've never heard of this person in my life, and he's not my advisor but i did a little bit of research, and it turns out that he was an advisor to the last government. >> here, here. >>h, don't worry. there's plenty more he helped develop labour's nhs plan in 2000 which increased the role of the private sector. he was appointed by the labour as the chief executive as one of the 10 strategic health authorities set up by labour. and when the leader of the opposition was in the cabinet, mark britnell was director of the nhs. what i don't know him i suppose party opposite knows him very well. >> mr. andrew tyree. i can't understand why the house doesn't wish to hear mr. andrew tyree. >> here, here. >> i was i was rather impressed by that last answer but i will draw the prime minister on something else. the government planned to have send chamber. could the prime minister tell the house whether he will use all means necessary including the parliament tax to protect the coalition's legislative progms. >> the short answer is yes, >> the british how the of commons is in recess, and questions will resume on wednesday, june 8. watch british events at any time on c-span.org. >> following "washington journal" on twitter, the question of the day, and key program highlights. you can tweet your questions to our guests and add your comments to the conversation. don't miss any updates from "washington journal," start your twitter account today. >> monday on c-span, a senate homeland security on the white house proposal of protecting cyberspace. that's live at 10:30 a.m. eastern here on c-span. monday on c-span2, the american israel public committee conference continues with benjamin netanyahu, that starts live on monday, c-span 2. >> tonight on road to the white house, jon huntsman in a party event in new hampshire. and michelle obama speaking. >> no one succeeds in life by themselves. you must be willing to lean on others, to listen to others, and yes, love others. >> watch 2011 commentment speechs on c-span on memorial weekend, and search for other world leaders and others online at t at the peabody award center, it's washington your way. >> our road to the white house coverage starts with jon huntsman, that began on thursday and ends on monday. new hampshire holds the first election for 2012. >> this is a real pleasure, thanks for coming out. >> my older sister is a big fan of yours in singapore. >> we have to reflect on that, that was 20 years. well, we did a lot of work with the financial work folks, if we have an opportunity, would like to reconnect with her. would like you meet our mayor. >> good to see you, and thanks far wasting your good perfectly good sunday. >> he comes over every sunday. >> have you enjoyed? >> it's been exhilerating. >> county commissioner. >> great to see you, county commissioners carry quite a load. >> we do. >> former mayor. >> this is the senior leadership. >> that's right. >> love this weather. >> great to see you, thanks for taking time to be here. and food i noticed, a little food. how are you? pleasure to see you. >> good to see you. >> how are you doing? >> my daughter, sara. >> hi, sara, how are you? good to see you. you can come say hi. hello, how are you? >> hi. >> good to see you, thanks for being here. we appreciate that. hi. >> i am cathy, nice to meet you. >> good to see you. a pleasure. >> marte, good to see you. >> thank you. how do you guys co-exist in the same sphere? >> on the other side. >> never the twins shall meet. what year? >> 1980. a while ago. >> a while ago. >> a lot was going on. >> arr. >> exactly, and with germany all the money went and less resources. >> thank you for your service. >> she was on the school board, she was chairman on the school board and doing a lot to get her hands around this thing and make significant "improvements. >> better than i found it. >> that's all you want to say in life. >> thank you. >> thank you for your service in an area that is important, education. >> thank you. >> thanks for your great service. >> this is an air force academy graduate. >> oh, my goodness, you have all the branches represented here. what year with the air force academy? >> '73. >> what did you do before that? >> i flew for c-21. >> the old jet star, or what do you call it? >> the lockheed. >> the starlet. >> yeah, exactly. >> i flew it in the old days, i was a passenger a couple of times. had a couple of bunks behind the cockpit. i occupied a few of those bunks. >> it was before than (inaudible) on the side. >> true. they are in favor of the c-17. >> yeah. it has been around since the 50s. >> yeah. >> yeah. thanks for your service. >> thank you, nice to meet you. >> this is al warner here. >> hey, nice phof to meet you. >> it's an honor. >> cathy. >> thanks for the reminder. >> tell me about you. >> i am a state rep for franklin. >> and that's part of the 400 plus state reps in new hampshire. >> yes. >> how do you enjoy your service so far? >> i love it so far, i love it. >> well, it's a pleasure to be with you, thanks for taking the time. >> thank you. >> that would be great. we could do this. that would be great. >> would you like to do it right up here? >> i think the loud speaker is on. >> i promise i will not bore you for too long. that's my promise. a microphone here? >> i think they grabbed it. >> i think we have a microphone here. by the end the day, the voice is shot. >> i bet. >> i am good, thanks anyway. >> if you think you need it for application, yeah. >> and it only will go so far. >> the plug is over here. ok, bill. >> you want to say anything? >> yeah, sure. see if we can get that to work. there we go. that's fine. >> thanks for coming this afternoon. i know that a lot of people have indicated they want to be here, the weather is a little of an issue. sunday afternoons are tough. and i am happy you are here, and i know everyone here pretty well. and i indicated to the governor and i don't speak for everyone. but we really need to check the direction that our country is going, and going in the wrong direction in different areas. and it really all boils down to what kind of legacy we want to leave our kids. can we do something better? the governor knows about leadership. i mean it's a basic concept and (inaudible) thank you very much for coming to franklin today, and we wish you the best j thank you. maybe we can get this turned on. thank you, bill. let me take this opportunity, can you hear me now? >> yes. >> thank you, bill and pat, where is pat? pat, thank you for your backyard, your hospitality, this majestic venue we have here, this is incredible. and the u.s.a. academy class of 1969. thank you for your service. we have someone here from west point. and we have someone here from the air force academy. now if we can all get along in this set of circumstances, can't the nation get along for heaven sakes? >> this is our one day together. >> we are in franklin and reminded by daniel webster, a story that is relevant that served in the senate, when william harry was elected in the early 1840's, and he was preparing for an inaugural speech, and called in his friend daniel webster and edited from 3,000 down to a manageable number, and giving it back to henry harry william and gave his speech and died 31 days later, because he spoke too long and the weather wasn't good. and if we combine daniel webster and his presence, and for me in history that means you don't speak too long. although the weather is fabulous. i want to introduce my family, i am here with my wife, mary kay, the finest human being ever known. we are married for 28 years, and with two of our seven children. elizabeth, no raise your hand, and gracie. come here, i want to show you what good political work consists of here. gracie who wasn't much familiar with south new hampshire university was there yesterday as her dad gave the commentment speech. and she was celebrating her birthday. and as she was celebrating her 12th birthday -- right? yeah, and they give her a sweat shirt and she put it on rather gratuitously and as if she's a local. have you enjoyed it today? yeah, thank you, gracie. she's a wonderful girl that has had a most remarkable life. and when we come back and in the future and when we come back for a second, third and fourth engagement, when we get to that point. because we understand that is what it takes in new hampshire. and we hope you get a better appreciation for this little girl and indeed our entire family. it's a great honor to be back after serving our nation two years in beijing. if you want to get a sense of where this world is going and a sense of what the 21st century is going to look like. drop yourself in beijing for a couple of years. if you get a sense of where china is going, and the trajectory where china is going. and coming back from beijing and to here where everyone is excited about growth. you can't help but reflect on our own country and you see we are in a funk. people are down, they are dispressed, they are disspirited because they know we can do a whole lot more in this country. and i am here to tell you they believe that the 2012 presidential cycle will be about things. and it will be about 14 trillion dollars, and the trajectory that our spend suggestiing is on wil overwhelm impact on everyone. that impacts our families and the value of goods and the relative position in the world. i think that people care about. and this nation has 51 trillion in public and private debt. which means that every family, every business small and large, every city and every state in our nation is dealing with a debt problem. and it means we all have to be smart, how we move going forward. second, i think that the discussion around 2012 will be about the revenue side of the balance sheet. now what do i mean about that? i have no doubt about where we will be in terms of finding fixes on the spending side. congressman ryan put together a proposal that i think is good. and before long we as a country will rally around good recommendations that will address spending. but on the other side of the balance sheet, we have to grow and get our economic engines refired in the country. it's one thing to deal with the debt and spending, and it's another thing to deal with the revenue side of the balance. how we grow and build and launch the industrial revolution. i don't know how to put it. we have had a revolution in the past, one after independent aced after the industrial revolution, and you know what i mean by creating a right environment of industrialship and enterprise entrepreneurship and it's about whether our public and political will is there. and i believe we have no choice but to consider an industrial revolution. and if we take one seriously, we have to have an environment inducive to growth. and part of that is about reforming our tax code. about looking seriously whether or not our corporate tax that is the highest in the oced, all the developed countries, it's conducive to following capital, we know that capital flees where there is risk in the marketplace. that's welcoming to capital. and i believe that the income tax will need a good look at and review. regulatory reform will have to be part of anything we do to speaks to a new industrial revolution. because if businesses today are not willing to deploy capital expenditures and invest in their tomorrow. in the expansion of property, plant and equipment, because they can't see around the corner, they don't know what this country will look like in three to five years. why deploy the capital? you have a problem. three, the lowest of hanging fruit has to look at raw material and sources of supply. and the fact that we are bringing in 60% of our oil is a crying shame. the fact that we are paying 4 to 5 dollars for gasoline, and when you add what it costs to deploy troops across the world, and the cost is not 3-4 dollars a gallon but 13-14 dollars a gallon. and taxpayers are footing the bill. to take industrial revolution seriously, it's bringing out the best in generations gone by. we know that we are capable of doing it. and despite our competitive challenges on the other side of the world, where we lived in the last years, they are moving in the future, they are proud of that direction. yet for every reason, given who we are as a country and what we have done in the past, that we can maintain our preeminence and it's up to us. and the election cycle i think will put before us the prospect of a lost decade. you want a lost decade? it's up to us. or unleash the magic that this country has shown the world time and time again. as for us, we are in that phase where you kick the tires and have conversations with a whole lot of people. we have done that for the last couple of weeks and continue. and in the time of june, we will sit down together as a family and digest the information that we received. including the experiences this weekend. i have to tell you this experience has been extraordinary. you were dropped right in the middle of someone's neighborhood and someone's living room. with the national press there, and with neighbors like you who dropped by. and you were totally exposed, and you sink or swim. it can be the most exhilarating experience in the world. and i am reminded through it all, that we do it differently in this country. we do it in transparent fashion and open fashion, and you develop relationship us and earn the vote, that's what new hampshire is all about. and i couldn't help be reflect of this open democratic process, and think where we have been for the last two years. where you don't show up in someone's living room and you don't have this press and have these discussions. this is uniquely american, and it's what made this country great. so new hampshire's contribution to our american democracy is unique and extraordinary. our american democracy influence on so many countries abroad is profoundly important. and i could say it all starts in new hampshire and i would be proud of that fact. and let me end by this, because i know you are cold and probably want to go in and i want to shake more hands and have additional conversations. i would tell you that i am a little tired of divisiveness in this country and the americans being divided. and we all want the same thing, we want a better tomorrow. we all want my daughter's, gracie's generation to develop a better country than we got. and the prospect of getting something worse off, that is waist deep in debt and have no exit strategies aboard. it should not be accepting for anyone of us. and that should be a compelling reason enough for us to come around common sense solutions. we will differ around the edges and the substance of those elected in the 2012 election cycle. but let's do it with a sense of respect, and we all want what is best for our country. and the world is watching how this democracy plays out. as we go, so goes other nations that want to be like us. when we carry on a debate that is civil and gets us where we need to be, that's to be noted of. where one side of the world is overjoyed where they want to go and on the top of the world. and we look over here and we are down and disspirited and a bit in a funk. i would say those feelings are not american. that isn't who we are. we are optimistic and we are hopeful people. we always think and dream about a better tomorrow. but more than that, we get busy in building a better tomorrow. and i think it's totally doable. and as for me, this election cycle, whether we are in it or not, i hope that it gets out the issues. we don't have a choice, this election cycle is a critical point in this nation's history. and it's a critical point where issues needs to be addressed in the next couple of years, in terms of where this country is going. it's critically important. i know the role that you play, i respect the role that you play. i hope in the true new hampshire tradition if we decide to make this journey. i am feeling pretty good and confident about that, but still as a family we have to make that decision. i hope the honor of shaking your hands four or five times and doing it the new hampshire way. because it's earned. it isn't given but earned. i get that part of it. we thank you for taking your time. bill and pat, you are terrific to make your backyard available. we are grateful to you. thank you all so very much and i look forward to spending more time with you. thank you for being with us. [applause] >> who would like to say when i was kidding about my graduate friends that we are actually like brothers. >> that would be you. no brawling on the back lawn. >> thanks. >> thank you very much. >> i would ask one thing of you, what is your opinion looking forward of the economics such as china? the conflict and their idea that it's much conflicting economic strategy and national strategy, the economic warfare by another means and looking at security ramifications that a lot of senior military views. >> i have been knee deep in that one the last little while. >> their view of military and civilian. >> there is a big divide between military and civilian, and that's dangerous, and we haven't had a military relationship with china in over two years. that's an unhealthy thing, we need dialogue and need it do search and rescue . . >> good to see you very and what a trade. of course. thank you for your time. madam county commissioner, what a treat. where were you busted? >> in europe and. -- posted? -- in europe. >> this was a military misadventure. was she in the army? >> she was at fort dix, and they told her about the air force guys. >> it worked out. that is what is important. >> thank you for being here. >> i met there in the 1970's when i was a teenager. [inaudible] you are in the same league. [unintelligible] thank you for your service over the years. sure, i would be honored. now you're wet -- fine. but as you are with the last fine. >> you have to introduce them. >> this is a big, open process. there is healthy competition between the parties. it is really important. absolutely. welcome home. welcome aboard. i am going to talk -- i'm going to tackle what down here. yes, sure. a warm day. [unintelligible] [unintelligible] >> hey, how're you? >> our road to the white house coverage continues with first lady michelle obama delivering a keynote address at chemical audit fund-raising forum. this is just over 20 minutes -- and a democratic fundraising forum. ♪ [u2's "beautiful day" playing] >> you are looking beautiful. thank you so much. it is a true pleasure to be here at this year nationals issues conference. i help you have figured out all the issues. [laughter] you have solved the mall. how like that. but conference leadership committee for all of their hard work. the turnout is wonderful. give them a round of applause. and of course i want to thank all of you for joining us here today. i am thrilled to see so many new faces. but i am thrilled to see some many folks who have been with us right from the very beginning. folks who have been through all of the ups and downs and all the nail biting moments along the way. and today as we look ahead to the next part of this journey, i just want to take you back to how it all began, at least in my mind. i have to be honest, when brought our started about running for president, i was not exactly enthusiastic about the idea of. [laughter] yes, i was proud of the work he was doing as a u.s. senator, and i knew that he would make an extraordinary president. and i told him that. but like a lot of folks, i still had some cynicism about politics. and i was worried about the hold that a presidential campaign would take on our family. we had two young daughters at home. they are not so liberal here now. mailia is here. and i did not want to disrupt their life and their routine. the last thing i wanted was to spend time apart from my girls. so it took some convincing on part, and by some i mean a lot. [laughter] and now was still uneasy about all hold president thing, and that is what our real of college, the president bank. but something happened during those first few months that changed me. campaigning in places like iowa and new hampshire and south carolina, it was not just about handshakes and stump speeches. for me it was about conversations on front porches and in the living rooms. people would welcome me into their homes and into their lives. i remember one of the first advance in iowa that i did was a gathering in someone's backyard, of beautiful backyard, a beautiful sunny day. within a few minutes i was so comfortable that i kicked off my shoes which i wish i could do today because they really do hurt. [laughter] and our standing barefoot in the grass talking that folks. and that is what campaigning was talking about. meeting people one-on-one and hearing what was going on in their lives. and i learned so much. i learned about the businesses that folks were trying to keep afloat. the home they loved it but could no longer afford. the spouse it came back from the war and needed a lot of help. the child who was so smart, it could be anything she wanted, if only her parents could find a way to pay tuition. and the stories were familiar to me. taking the extra shift, taking the ever -- extra job, i saw fathers mother and my who drove himself to work at the plant every morning, even though it made him weaker, but he was determined to be our family's provider. in the grandparents coming out of retirement to pitch in and help make ends meet. i saw my own mom who has helped raise our girls since the day they were born. and i could not do this without her. [applause] i saba rocks grandmother who caught a bus to work before dawn every day to help provide for their family, in the children that i met who were worried about a mom who lost her job or a dad deployed far from home. kidd so full of promise and dreams, i saw my own daughters, the center of my world. these folks were not asking for much. they were looking for basic things. being able to see a doctor when you were sick. having decent public schools and a chance to go to college even if you are not rich. these simple things like making a decent wage, having a secure retirement, and leaving something better for your kids. and while we may have grown up in different places and seen different and so many ways, their stories were my family stories. familyre barack's stores. you treat people how you want to be treated, you put your family first, you work hard, you do what you say you are going to do. these were our family values. and then suddenly, everything barack had been saying about how we are all interconnected, about how we're not just read state and blue state. those are just not lines from a speech. it was what i was seeing with my own eyes. and that changed me. q one and know what else changed me during all those months out on the road? you all. you really did. i had seen people who had become like family. you what changed me. and when i got tired, i would think of all the folks out there making calls, knocking on doors, all kind of weather -- remember that? [laughter] and that would energize me. when i got discouraged, i would think of pope's opening up their wallets when they did not have much to give. i would think up folks who had the courage to let themselves believe again and again. and that would give me hope. and the simple truth is that today, four years later, we are here because of all of you. and i am not just talking about winning an election. i am talking about what we have been doing every day in the white house since that time to keep on fighting for the folks we met and the values we share. i am talking about what barack has been doing to help all of us win the future. had a time when we still have some many challenges and some much work to do, it is easy to forget what we have done all along the way. it is so easy. so let's just get back in moment and think about these past couple of years. we have gone from an economy on the brink of collapse to an economy that is starting to grow again. we're helping middle-class families by cutting taxes. [applause] working to stop credit card companies from taking advantage of people. [applause] getting working moms a child care credit because we know how cost build up for those foot. we are helping women get equal pay for equal work when -- with the lilly ledbetter bill, and that was the first stain that he did. because of health reform, millions of people will finally be able to afford a doctor. their insurance companies will not be able to drop their coverage when they are sick, charge them for the roof because their child has a pre-existing condition, and they now have to cover preventive care. things like prenatal care, mammograms, that we all in this room knows saves money but it saves lives, we know that. because we do not want to leave our kids a mountain of debt, reducing our deficit by doing what families across this country are already doing, cutting back so that we can live within our means. and we are investing in things that really matter, things like clean energy so that we can bring down those gas prices, scientific research including stem cell research, also investing in community colleges, which are a gateway to opportunity for so many people. and pell grants which helps so many young people of ford that tuition. that is what we are doing. [applause] and a competition called race to the top, we have 40 states working to raise standards and reform their skills. we are working to live up to our founding values of freedom and equality. today because we ended don't ask, don't tell, our troops will never again have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love. [applause] and you may recall that my husband also appointed to brilliant supreme court justices, and for the first time in history, our daughters and our sons watched three women take their seats on our nation's highest court. we're working to keep our country safe and to restore our standing in the world. we are responsibly ending the war in iraq, and i already brought home 100,000 men and women in uniform who have served this country bravely. and as you know it today, thanks to the tireless work of our intelligence and counter terrorism community and the heroic efforts of our troops, the man behind the 9/11 attacked another horrific acts has finally been brought to justice. [applause] and finally we are tackling to issues that are near and dear to my heart, as a first lady and and as a mom. you heard about childhood obesity. this ec does not just affect our kids help and how they feel, it affects how they feel about themselves and whether they have the energy and stamina to succeed in school and in light. so we are working hard to get better to the into our schools and our communities -- better if food into our schools and our community. the second issue i came to on the campaign trail, meeting so many extraordinary military families. these folks are raising their kids and running their households all alone wall spouses are deployed. and they do it all with tremendous courage, strength, and pride. and that is why jill and i launched a nationwide campaign to rally our country to serve them as well as they serve us. that is just some of what has been accomplished. and it is fair to say that we have seen some change and we should be proud of what we have accomplished. but we should not be satisfied. we know that we are still nowhere near winning the future. now when so many of our kids do not have what they need to succeed. not when so many of our businesses do not have what they need to compete. not when so many people are struggling to pay the bills today. the truth is, all those folks we campaign for and won for, and have been fighting for us and we have been fighting for over these past two years, those folks still need our help. and that more than anything else is what drives my husband as president. let me tell you, that is what i see when he comes home after a long day, traveling around the country, meeting with folks in that oval office, doing things. they do things in that office. [laughter] and they'd tell me about the people he has met. and i see it in this quiet moments late-night after we have put the girls to bed, and he is reading the letters people have sent him, because he reads everything. the letter from the woman dying of cancer whose health insurance would not cover her care. the letter from the young person with so much promise but so few opportunities. you all, i see the sadness and the worry creep into his face. i hear the passion and determination in his voice. you would not believe what these folks are going through. that is what he tells me. no, he says, michelle, this is not right. we have got the fix it and we have to do more. let me share something with you. when it comes to the people that he meets, barack has a memory like a steel trap. you all know this, right? he might not remember your name, but if he has had a few minutes and a decent conversation with you, he will never forget your story. it is a gift. it becomes and printed in his mind and on his heart, and that is what he carries with him every single day. that collection of hopes and dreams and struggles. that is where barack gets his passion. and that is why he works so very hard every day -- it is unbelievable starting first thing in the morning, going every day and going late into the night, hunched over, reading every single word of every memo that he gets, making notes, writing questions, making sure he knows more than the people briefing him. because all of those wins and losses are not wins and losses for him. they are wins and losses for the folks whose stories he carries with him. the folks he worries about and praise about before he goes to bed at night. for iraq -- barack and for me, and for some many of you, that is what politics is about. it is not about one person or one president. it is about how we can and should work together to make real change that makes a real difference in people's lives. the young person attending college today because she can finally afford. that is what this is about. the imam of the data and take their child to a doctor because of health reform -- a mom or dad who can take their child to the doctor because of health reform. people working at gm, bringing home a good paycheck for their families, that is what this is about. [applause] and now more than ever before, we need to finish what we started and we need your help. we need all of you to be with us for the next phase of our journey. and i am not going to kid you because i never do, i said this in the first campaign -- it is going to be long. [laughter] it is going to be hard. it's designed that way. [laughter] and there will be twists and turns along the way. but here's the thing about my husband. and this is something that i appreciate even if he had not shown the good sense to marry me. [laughter] [applause] even in the toughest moments, when it seems like all is lost, everybody is wringing their hands and worrying and calling, what is going on, what is he doing, what is going on? i am one of those people. [laughter] barack obama never loses sight of the end goal. he never lets himself this distracted by the chatter and the noise, even if it comes from some of his best counselors. he keeps moving forward. and in those moments when we are all sweating it, when we are worried that the bill will not pass, the negotiations might fall through, barack always reminds me that we are playing a long game here. he reminds me -- [applause] change is slow. he reminds me that change does not happen all at once. but he said that if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight, and doing what we know is right, then eventually we will get there. we always have. and that is what he needs from you. he needs you to be this in the west in this with him for the long haul. hold fast to our vision and our values and our dreams for our kids and for our countries. he needs you to work like you have never worked before, people. because that is what i plan on doing. [applause] i am not going to ask you to do anything that i would not do. and i will not be doing it just as a wife or as a first lady. i will be doing it as a mother who wants to legal legacy for my children. [applause] and more than that, i will do it as a citizen who knows what we can do together to change this country. >> the president and michelle obama left is aiming for a week- long trip to europe. they began in ireland and we will have coverage of the speech by the president in dublin about noon eastern time on c-span2. he will visit with queen elizabeth ii and prime minister david cameron street on thursday, the president attends the g-8summit in france. he will go to poland before returning on sunday. the house returns on monday at 2:00 p.m. eastern for legislative business. roll-call votes expected after 630 p m on several bills on a veterans' programs. it later in the week, they're expected to take up defense authorization to -- and follow the house live on c-span. on the other side of the capital, the senate comes back at 2:00 p.m. eastern for general speeches. they will take up a bill to extend the expiring provisions of the patriot act with a procedural vote scheduled at 5:00 p.m. eastern. live coverage of the u.s. senate always on c-span2. next, a discussion on the 2012 presidential race and what to look for in congress in the weeks ahead. this portion is about 30 minutes. on c-span 2 m three. >> "washington journal" continues. host: our sunday morning roundtable, welcome to mark murphy and jonathan allen. thank you for being with us. guest: congratulations on surviving the apocalypse, [laughter] host: an e-mail from its daniels to his supporters -- he is not running. your reaction? caller: -- guest: he cited personal reasons. often when politicians cite often when politicians cite personal reasons, there is usually more to the story. for mitch daniels it was the biggest obstacle for him. his wife and daughters did not want the scrutiny. a few days -- a few days ago sarah palin said that she had a fire in the belly, but the fire in the belly was definitely lacking from its daniels on whether or not he had the stomach to want to run. running for president is not easy. it takes a tremendous amount of time. there are many big highs and lows in his decision was not surprising. host: coming the same week as donald trump announced he was not running for president. michele bodman -- michelle bachman, plus stops in new hampshire. guest: it would appear that the entire state of minnesota is running. they are taking advantage of mitch daniels not being in the race. people that might want to get in, contingents that were thought to be behind the daniels' campaign. he was a bush guy in washington, within the administration. there is an opportunity for a lot of folks. at the same time, i cannot imagine that we will not have a pretty good idea within the next few weeks. host: michelle obama, her first real campaign appearance at the hyatt hotel with democratic party activists. a fund raiser for 2012. here is what the first lady had to say about the upcoming race. >> the simple truth is that today, four years later, we are here because of all of you. i am not just talking about winning an election. i am talking about what we have been doing every day in the white house since that time to keep on fighting for the folks that we've met and the values that we share. talking about what barack has been doing to help us all for the future. the future. host: the headline from "the washington post," "frustrated with democrats." guest: this has been the complaint of organized labor, saying that senate leaders and congressional democrats have not backed organized labor in those pitched battles when it comes to collective bargaining in states in the midwest. one thing that is always on in the presidential year, the face of the dilemma of organized labor. do you want a democratic president or a republican president m. for the employee's service union, the question is usually backing the democratic candidate. where they will really be allocating resources is in the state's. certainly, when it comes to the president's reelection campaign he will not have to worry about where he is getting his money. host: this is from "the washington post." contributions to candidates. guest: the people that have to be worried are the members of congress seeking reelection of the democratic side, the campaign committees where they have republicans and challengers. the president will get plenty of cash and support. teh sciu will also be there this time. there is no question about that. really, it is those down ballot races where the democrats have to worry about where the unions are going. it happened in 1994. republicans said the state -- unions said that they would all- out and they did host: rochester, n.y., a special election. one of the headlines this past week is that they hate special elections in new york. what is going on in that race? guest: there are two things going on in that race. even though he is a former democrat, a lot of support is being drawn away from the republican candidate. and then there are the television advertisements that have been playing tell all of it about the paul ryan budget and whether or not medicare should be phased out. those stories are in play right now. whichever is the biggest, it is probably jack davis. the democratic candidate winning with 45% of the vote? hard to say that this was an overwhelming victory. certainly it is an indictment on the republicans. host: what do you say about this race? guest: it will be very close. jack davis, by the way, ran as a democrat repeatedly in upstate, new york. often i think that support for the third candidates really falls off at the end. of course, if [unintelligible] win this race, let's hope they do not go the way of eric mess ua. [laughter] host: what does that tell the republicans? guest: that they are able to hold on to reliably republican seat. this is the former seat of jack kemp, something they shall always be able to win. it does not tell us much about 2012, but it does tell us about the organization and infrastructure. even in 2010, when republicans certainly had a great year, they were not able to win some of these special elections and who can create a campaign quickly. and they might get some of their mojo back. host: if the democratic candidate wins, what does that tell the committee and the media following that? guest: i think the you will see republicans trying to make medicare the issue in every race. they say that their best hope lies the issue, fight it to a draw, but that is not the territory they would like to be fighting on. host: the editorial of "the weekly standard" wrote -- the democrats are looking to turn this into a political issue. guest: this will last to the guest: this will last to the next 20 or 25 years. it has a huge strain on the system. [inaudible] democrats say, we think medicare, there should be some scalpels taken to it. there should be some cuts. to be able to increase taxes or bring in extra revenue, so we can keep medicare as we know it, by making changes to deal with the democrat system of all of these baby boomers retiring. host: this has been a two million-dollar race in upstate new york. >> you have earned it. work your whole life for it. unfortunately, jack davis said social security benefits may have to be adjusted down. and he supports a budget that since medicare. instead of balancing the budget the right way, he wants tax breaks for corporations while cutting benefits for seniors. we just cannot afford jack davis or jane corwin. >> meet jack davis. he claims he had a hand in creating the democrat majority with nancy pelosi. >> she has done a great job for this country. >> great job? jack and kathy cannot fight for us. they come with strings attached. host: what is going on here? guest: folks are wanting to put two candidates as the negative. jack davis on one side. it is an interesting race. i am sure the new york voters are tired of hearing about it. it is a very republican district. district. host: those were congressional at. here are some for jane corwin. >> cafe is the one who says she will cut medicare and social security. and -- kathy is the one who says she will cut medicare and social security. >> im jane curtin. i will not cut medicare or social security. >> look for yourself. >> look for yourself. kathy hochul.caf >> i am kathy hochul and i approve this message. guest: this is all about medicare. in the first ad from jane corwin, she is trying to distance herself a little. corwin did say she supported the brien budget and medicare overhaul. the republicans quickly voted -- it happened so quickly and without four republicans decided to vote against it. it was almost as if a lot of republicans did not look at the political consequences they were taking. we are seeing it played out in these tv ads. we will not know quite how effective this is until the next elections. it may be more effective if republicans use it against democrats. it is a controversial issue that did not make it into law. members have to vote on it. host: we have a new set of phone numbers on this sunday morning. here they are. we still have the same e-mail address. address. you can visit us online at twitter. wolf as through congress this week. what are you keeping an eye -- walk us through congress this week. what are you keeping an eye on? guest: some items are somewhat controversial. there has been a deal between the speaker of the house and harry reid. whether members are ready to go along with that is another question. anything in terms of a motion on the deficit or the debt ceiling -- something from the gang of fiveng of five. of host: you're traveling overseas with the president. guest: they are big stories. washington, d.c. on wednesday. the daniels announcement late last night provides a lot of the backdrop. we have our field. we will see if michelle kaufman decides to get later in this week as well. we will follow a lot of political news. host: what about the impact it would have on mitt romney? guest: mike huckabee had a real chance to lock up a lot of voters in western iowa. his message resonates there. it was an opportunity for him. i think that is what is going on there. it is an opportunity for medtronic to connect with some of those people -- mitt romney to connect with some of those people. guest: it makes i will wide open. is michele bock when the favorite? one story not to ignore is that mitt romney could end up making a push. mike huckabee caught fire. it will be interesting to see if ms. romney tries to make a place in iowa. if he does and it goes on to win new hampshire -- he could do well. well. host: your reaction to one person's candidacy? guest: he will keep the conversation likely. he will push other republican candidates into debate and take positions that they may not want to take during the general election. at the end of the day, he will not be president of the united states. host: he spoke about foreign policy issues. here is john mccain from yesterday. >> -- cane from yesterday. >> -- cane from yesterday. -- herman cain form yesterday. -- from yesterday. >> do not mess with us. is that real clear? is that real clear? that is what i mean by real clear foreign policy. know who your friends are. host: the president will be talking about that today at the apec conference. guest: he is a talk radio host. republicans are after the fox news debate, they like herman cain. it is tailored to the constituency group of core conservatives. he is not a former member of congress or governor. he can be a vehicle for a lot of protests, especially if some republicans do not catch afire. he took some flak if whether the borders for any type of compromise on middle east peace should be debates on the 1967 borders. a tough problem for the president. almost 80% of jewish voters voted for president obama. he has a lot of circuits to keep his message and make the argument that he is trying to be a fair broker in this divisive development. [unintelligible] she was always a good fund raiser. penny his top fund-raiser is jewish. there is a lot of ability for him to go into the jewish community and get money. this issue pops up. the president will have to pull each person aside to reassure them on this. it will be interesting to see his reaction from apac. it makes up about 20% of the jewish community that did not vote for the president in the 2008 election. host: we will have live reaction at 10:30 eastern time here on c- span. let us go to the phone line. good morning. caller: i want to thank c-span for allowing me to speak. i listened to the lady in ohio saying republicans do not respect anybody. i am a registered republican. for a long time, i was told as a black man, you are supposed to go democrat. i live in detroit, buffalo, new york, not far from east cleveland, ohio, and gary indiana, east st. louis, all of these places have been made by democrats. these people have rain of these cities into the ground with high taxation. it is a crying shame that we have to think that in order to have a vibrant economy democrats have to lead the way. they have ruined these cities and states with a crest of taxation. black children are not being educated in these schools. host: who is your candidate? caller: i like herman cain. they may call him a puppet. give me a break. president obama is a puppet. host: when a viewer calls mitt romney a brilliant conservative. guest: he probably named all of the cities hardest hit by the economy right now. there is very little in the way of solutions coming forward as far as the unemployment problem is concerned. some people have stopped looking. it will be a top issue in the campaign. the low point for unemployment is 5%. now we are talking about maybe 11%. that will be a huge issue for any of the candidates, certainly president obama and anyone who wants to challenge him. host: herman cain with the shades sounding like he wants to pick a fight. guest: he is a bit more ideological. he tells the conservative exactly what they want to be able to hear. he will be a factor. it remains to be seen how big of one. one. the last time that there was someone who was not an elected to win the presidency was dwight eisenhower. those that end up becoming president are former governors. herman cain it does not have the political experience. he will try to use it as an asset. host: these bids have impacted the race. democrats line. to be: mr. kaine's seems getting some air play. -- cain seems to be getting some airplay. there is a big ally going on in this country. maybe you should direct heat -- lie going on in this country. maybe you should direct your attention to it. after not being able to reduce the democratic rules by jailing 2 million people, in many states, they are putting in these identification cards that are disenfranchising l.a., poor, students, those that do not pay bills. -- elderly, poor, students, those that do not pay bills. many are americans that do not have a voice in this government. they are being robbed of their voice for the next 40 years. i think you need to pursue this, unless it is only important to talk about the day after the 2012 elections. guest: the more herman cain is out there, the more he will be asked questions. he will get attention based upon how he does in the polls. i think those questions are legitimate to ask. legitimate to ask. host: there has never been a president be elected since fdr when unemployment was over 8%. why would a 12 be an exception? guest: the economy is going to play a bigger role. the direction of the economy. if you look over the last two years and every month going into the president's reelection campaign, the economy was adding 200,000 new jobs. an unemployment rate that hit 10% is going down. it goes down to 8.5 by the end of this year. perhaps 8.1% by november 2012. the direction of the economy, that it continues to grow, it plays an important role. the president's approval vote -- rating is still 47%. it is more good economic news. it shows how president obama can have a re-election path, because the news gets better. host: was there one number that surprised you? guest: it was the economy. we look at the economic data that suggest that the economy is proving. the down, more than 12,000. the monthly job creation. it looks at the handling of the economy by the president. it goes to show how much of an impact gas prices are having right now. host: atlanta, good morning. caller: i think both parties -- i am an independent. [unintelligible] it is hurting the american people. i go to the political side quite frequently along with nbc. i wish you would do a better job of seeking and exposing the truth. both of you seem to have a liberal bent. that is especially msnbc.com. tell the truth about what these politics are doing to the people of america. of america. host: to you want to respond? guest: it is a situation in terms of the democratic and republican parties where a lot of people are frustrated. i do not know i would call every one [unintelligible] there is frustration out there. there is frustration out there. the democrats won by a big majority. there is some frustration from the american public. they are trying to determine if the news they are getting is accurate. they wonder if the stories stand on their own. host: as journalists, we tried to be as fair as possible. sometimes we are seen as conservative, because we are owned by our parent company. sometimes we are liberal or more conservative. as journalists, we tried to be as fair as possible. we try to make sense of what is happening out there. >> later we what chat with the government accountability office official on the national flood insurance program. that is live at 7:00 a.m. eastern here on c-span. >> tonight, david mccullough on his latest book "the greater journey -- americans in paris." david cameron takes questions on the deterrent policy and disability benefits. after that, on "road to the white house," jon huntsman and house party in new hampshire. first lady michelle obama delivering a keynote address at a democratic party fund-raising event. >> as cities tour in tampa, st. petersburg. interviews with an author. look at the book industry's will local booksellers. american history events on c- span3, petersburg at museum of history, to the first scheduled commercial aircraft. the hidden history of angola, former slaves and indians who two wars against the u.s.. watch this on c-span2 and c- span3. >> you are watching c-span, bringing you politics and public affairs. every morning it is "washington journal," our live call-in program about the news of the day, connecting you with elected officials, policymakers, and journalists. weekdays, watch live coverage of the u.s. house, and on weeknights, congressional hearings and policy forums. also supreme court oral arguments. on the weekends, you can see our signature interview programs. on saturdays, "the comm