What a costume. As a champion for americas underprivileged ryan will likely attempt to hide the fact that 62 of the spending cuts he proposed in his 2013 house budget come from programs that help the poor. According to the center on budget policy priorities and while romney will say that every american should have the ability to rise to escape from poverty his budget would bring the cleaver down on programs that give the disenfranchised a shot including job dwrantss and pell grants. Under ryans plan, pell grants for 1 Million Students would be eliminated. Ryan will say in todays speech that, quote it is unclear whether that compassion includes steep cuts to food stamps as part of ryans budget plan 8 to 10 million americans will be kicked off the program that helps them feed themselves and their families. And finally, a new report from the urban institute finds the ryan budget would slash funding for medicaid by 1. 7 trillion and cut the number of people enrolled by 50 . Given this, dressing up as a champion for societys most vulnerable will be quite the costume drama. Lets not forget how romney and ryan characterized those in need of government assistance or in ryans words the takers. Right now about 60 of the American People get more benefits benefit s in dollar value than they pay back in taxes. Were going to takers versus makers in america. Theyll be dependent on the government for the livelihoods. This halloween is shaping up to be downright terrifying. Jared bernstein as someone who knows about numbers and budgets and economics, the case that the romney ryan ticket i think will probably make over the course of the next two weeks will be some version of that which theyve spun for the last few months which is this notion that supply side economics trickle down economics benefits the country in terms of economic growth. There is a chart that david leanhart published in the new york tiles i love charts. They are based on facts. And if you look at it, the more you cut taxes the less the countrys economy grows. How do they keep making this argument at this point is this. Thats a good question because what we have found is that supply side tax cuts this trickle down notion, really results in two things, far less revenue for the federal government so a larger budget deficit and exactly what you would expect, higher incomes at the very top of the scale based on the very large tax cuts that leaves you with. If you look at the romney ryan plan trickle down double down. Not just making the bush tax cuts permanent adding 5 trillion on that. The theory of the case when it comes to poverty is drawn from this trickle down idea. The thing thats holding back poor people is not the fact that they dont have enough jobs at living wages, not that they cant afford health care, theyre discriminated against from an equal educational opportunity, they have too many government benefits, food stamps. If you take those cuts way i, which i find wrenching that you think about the market failure that poor people have experienced, emotionally wrenching, society wrenching, bad politics in economics they look at those and say thats the way to go if you want to reduce poverty, force people to pull themselves up against the boot straps. The evidence goes the other way. Over the Business Cycle expansion over the 2,000s, poverty rates did not go down, they went up. Chairman. Yes. I ask you, in terms look, there is an argument to be made here. Jared makes an eloquent argument. We had stats we used. What is the point of introducing a policy speech like this late in the Campaign Season . I dont know what the specifics are behind doing the policy speech at this point but i do know that it is consistent from the paul ryan perspective with his relationship with jack kemp who was an advocate and really the father for a form of empowerment that goes to some of the core roots of what the Republican Party and this economic philosophy has been about. It has been sort of that boot strap argument. But the thing that i always appreciated about jack kemp he had sort of Thurgood Marshall approach as well. Sometimes the government actually or someone else has to reach down and help bend down and help you up. Well see. I want to wait to see the whole speech. I understand taking the piece out. I dont know exactly how theyre going to frame this argument at this stage. I like the power of it. Ill tell you why. Its about time that this campaign, this president and this nominee for president on the republican side, talk about the poor in this country and bring this into the light of day. My biggest concern has always been whether its the Obama Administration or future administration, all of this growth in the economy and all this, you know, rising tide lifts all boats, lets talk about people having a boat first. When the tide comes in, they can actually take advantage of all the trickle down, all of the programs, all of the things that are supposedly going to be put in place. I want to wait to see what theyre going to say, to spell out their agenda for addressing poverty. Im glad its about time were talking about it. I think its a little late in the game to be honest because ive said over a year ago, this should have been a leadoff discussion for the party. But were here, so lets see what happens. Heather, the poverty never came up in any of the president ial debates. We have 48 according to the Census Bureau 48 of this country is on is in poverty or on the verge of poverty. Poverty is considered to be 23,000 for a family of four, which is a very, very low bar, and with 11,170 for a Single Person and yet the National Discussion has been largely silent on in terms of this president ial cycle. I wonder is addressing it enough . Can paul ryan go out there we know some of the verbiage hes going to use we believe americans are better off in a dynamic Free Enterprise based economy that fosters economic growth, opportunity and upward mobility and keep reading these bells of the American Dream, upward mobility, is there going to be scrutiny as far as the actual prescriptions . I think this is showing actually that the Campaign Sees this as a vulnerability and, of course they should. Mu mitt romney said hes not concerned about the very poor. The problem is this dont take personal responsibility for themselves. Two out of three dollars in the ryan budget cuts come from these programs. So we know this is a serious vulnerability when Many Americans are seeing themselves and their situations reflected in the face of what weve also always talked about as the poor as if this is some sort of natural state of being for some people as opposed to something that could happen to any of us, particularly in an economy like this. Whats so frustrating about it is that the conversation im sure that romney is going to have today is not going to mention any of the things that government, that are outside of the government. For example, allowing unions to actually allow people in a free market, you know, ban together and collectively bargain for, you know, better some dignity on the jobs. Those kind of things are outside of taxes and government and spending, but are a lot of the reason why weve seen the economic insecurity grow. Michael eric dyson, i want to call your attention to an interview the president gave to the des moines, it was off the record. Ill have to read you his best. Summon my best obama. His counter argument basically to romney and ryans argument about supply side economics and freeing, unshackling the American Economy and taxpayer. He says is that enough of a forceful rejoineder . Probably not. But in these times of bold gestures, looks like a calm reasonable retort that president is offering. We know both sides are not speaking in a structural manner as the chairman indicated and as both mr. Bernstein and miss magee indicated theyre not speaking seriously about issues of poverty. What is paul ryans plan . To hack at the social person, whack the poor and take away the American Dream. Thats why we call you the golden throat. On the other hand the anemic policies being offered as a counter measure, dont seem to adequately address the fact that 23 million 23,000 for a family of four is pretty ludicrous. You not only have the poor but the working people. People who work 60, 70, 80 hours a week make it above the poverty level. Then they have latch key effects. You cant stay at home and watch your kid, cant go with them to the school system. All the things with their kind of virtue want to support as the basis of democracy, that is to say you take personal responsibility for your kids. They dont acknowledge how the economic forces impoverished people so very fundamentally and then they want the personal responsibility to kick in while the government doesnt take its role. Let me end, obama says this, the reason knows the government is not the enemy because he come from a people that were owned and it was a government sponsored program. If the government sponsored your ownership the government has to step in. Thats 100 years ago, 200 years ago, but we seen the legacy of slavery, economic inequality, jim crow law all of that stuff operates. Certain systemic failure within American Society and yet theres been im flagger gasted at the notion, like 40 huge percentage of this country is living at sort of an economic line where a medical bill sends them into poverty. Lets be clear about that. The fact is, the medical bill shouldnt send them into poverty because we recognize decades ago that we need some social insurance prevent precisely that. If you look at the magnitude of our poverty programs, theyre really fairly marginal as michael was saying. Now when governor romney made that gaffe or whatever it was that heather mentioned what he said was i dont worry about the poor because we have a safety net. The safety net as they just mentioned is very porous and barely there. But secondly these guys whack the heck whack and sack out of the safety net. Whatever holes were there, medicaid, they cut the romney budget cuts 800 billion for medicate. You are talking about the obama budget and the ryan budget as if they are actually the current law of the land. But you got to listen to what theyre saying. The bottom line is ryan did a budget. He put it on the table. It has been a discussion for almost two years. Thats a good thing. Lets see what a Romney Ryan Administration actually does when they get in there and do doesnt matter what they put in the budget . Look, its a framework. I agree with that. Its a framework. Yeah. I dont like the framework. You start at the edges and bring it to a point youre going need to get democrats to pass it in the senate. Framework says a lot. Heres what we do know, paul ryan you guys dont like the framework. I get that. At least its something that we can begin to have the discussion. I agree, there are elements of this budget that are not good, that are problematic. But at least it brings the parties to the table. If Congress Wants to be serious about addressing the poor and that safety net youre going to begin somewhere, at least youve got something you can look down and go we dont like that so here is a better plan. The table is great but if the wolf comes to the table the metaphors are flying. Gentlemen and lady, we know that mitt romney is also giving a speech tomorrow according to the New York Times going to give a major jobs and debt speech on thursday. Theres going to be all sorts of policy floating around for us to discuss. We have to go to break. Afterwards which battlegrounds are making the campaigns nervous . If you ask them not a single one. We will climb back on the swing set next on now. [ horn honks ] [ male announcer ] you start your day. Love you, too. Thinking about whats important to you your family. The mortgage. The kids college tuition. [ cellphone ringing ] but Life Insurance . [ horn honking ] life is unpredictable. Thats why at Fidelity Life we want you to think about term Life Insurance taking care of your familys future expenses if something happens to you. Its easy. We get to know you and your needs, then give you our best quote and our competitors. You choose and save up to 70 . That could mean 250,000 of coverage for just 15 a month. We offer plans with no medical exam, and weve been in business for over 100 years. Call Fidelity Life. Or visit fidelitylife. Com for your free quote. [ horn honks ] hey, honey. Do we have Life Insurance . [ male announcer ] or visit fidelitylife. Com to secure your familys future today. If barack obama opens up and gives his College Records and applications and if he gives his passport applications and records, i will give to a charity of his choice, inner city children in chicago, american cancer society, aids research, anything he wants, a check, immediately for 5 million. One caveat, the records must be given by october 31st at 5 00 in the afternoon. Thats a nutty conspiracy theorist dressed up as a real estate mogulist for halloween. Donald trump trying to launch an october surprise. What do you make of that, my friend . Its a little baffling what exactly i understand the birther b. S. Hes trying tos press but i dont understand what hes trying to press with the idea we need to see the president s College Records and application as if one keeps one, except this really really ugly idea that the president didnt deserve to go to the universities that he went to in some way. I actually dont know what the theory of the case is hes trying to do except get more attention for donald trump incorporated. Whats insane is that he doesnt have any grounds to launch this latest conspiracy theory. Hes kind of out there putting money out in the either effectively, a bounty. The thing thats interesting about it, i would love to take 5 million from donald trump and give it to a good cause as opposed to donald trump and the question is, the only reason not to do if youre the president is because that was nuts. This is also true. And wont be the end. But what it does speak to and what is perhaps or definitely more of a substantive conversation is that, you know, its game time and this race is tight and, you know, i talked to Michael Steele before this Program Began and said your party has a race and you pointed to me and said your party has a race. Its tight and important to note that the president is going to log 5300 miles in the next 24 hours. Hes going basically everywhere. Going to iowa, colorado, l. A. , las vegas, to florida, to tampa tomorrow. Mitt romney no more stationary going to everyone is going to ohio. Romney will be in nevada, in iowa. Everybody is making basically a lastminute dash. I think we have a photo of the two, the romney plane and air force one in the same hangars. These guys will meet at various battleground states. The question is, Michael Steele, you know, is there how much of the romney lead is a i wont say a fabrication, but how much of this is selffulfilling prophecy. The more you talk about the lead the more he will actually can i interrupt hes not leading, actually. The president is still leading and hes got hes been gaining but that hes not leading. Its so funny because i think we as, you know, progressives you know, we tend to think because hes got momentum and he shouldnt. Gallup polls say romney is leading. Thats just one poll. The averages of a lot of poll. It wasnt an outliar. Look deniability, you can live in that world all you want. Two weeks out from a president ial election in which two things you need to consider. One, either one of these men should be running away with this thing and theyre not and theres a reason for that. The country is largely still making up its mind in one sense. I think theyre going to come down in the voting booth. Thats why youve seen 47, 48, 49. But this is the reality. Ohio. The president has his firewall, ohio, iowa wisconsin and hes going to hes building his whole Campaign Around making sure that firewall stays in place. Romneys got to find a way to crack that firewall. This is chuck todd i thought put it perfectly. The president has the map. The obama team, theyve got the map in place to kind of pull together those pieces. The romney ryan team have the momentum. The question is does momentum overtake the map or the map suffocate the momentum . Thats going to be the next couple of weeks be here that are in play right now. This thing is close. The president is behind. He is behind. Thats why you have chicago concerned about reinforcing those firewalls, the president on the plane the way he is. This thing is going to boil down to hard ground games. Let me Say Something about the lead. Whether or not he is up or down, we know the thing is really close. Jonathan writing in new York Magazine obamas lead is narrow, he says its a lead. He is leading and his lead not declining and the perception that romney is pulling ahead ed years. I actually heather what did you think of that . Because on one hand i thought thats good because everybodys been saying you got to put some vision out there. Do you think thats an effective tool. I think its great. I hope that people get to read it. This is something we did when i was on the Edwards Campaign in 2008 when we were trying to make sure that in all of the sort of Campaign Spending and all the advertisements, debate talking points, you actually respect the American Voter and say hey, this is what i would do with the parts of the economy, our democracy, womens right to choose all of that. This is what i would do. Here it is in print. See it for yourself. I think americans are actually hungry for that kind of detail because theyre sick of, you know, this. I wish this was a country that was attracted to, you know, haifa lieu tent movies but its a booty call nation. The reality thats a prop, a great prop, substantive prop but the reality is, that this nation is so addicted to the stuff that passes and leaves off the scene and youve go to seize the moment. I think the president understands both. The need to release 3. 5 million but you have to be prosecuting your case before the American Public going on television, on popular shows and expressing yourself. The release of that document was a response to i dont want to say consumer demand, almost pundit demand. They were taking in too much coming in. I have five points. Wheres yours . Everything in there is the stuff the president has been talking about thus far. I want to get back something michael said. The country is still making up their mind. Frankly the vast majority of the country appears to have made up their mind and when you talk about the swing states what i understand from campaign insiders its not ohio, its a few counties within ohio and they know which counties they are. Thats how tight this thing is as well. Ill stand corrected. Thats what i was referring to. Not necessarily the country as a whole but this subset ten ladies in ohio. That means the karl rove approach, for better or worse, is the one that has to be mastered here. He understood that it was those ten guys in those ten counties and women. And a reason the obama team has spent the money they had in january this year as opposed to august this year like the romney team has had to do. So advantage to the obama team for the organization, the ground game and their structure. Thats something the gop, the National Committee and the campaign are trying to match and theyre doing a very effective job of doing that but thats what it boils down to in the next 24 to 36 hours and then theyre off and running. I have an update for all of you, white house Senior AdviserDavid Plouffe said during a gaggle on air force one regarding donald trump and his bounty for information, direct questions should go to boston because donald trump is mitt romneys biggest supporters. He owns everything he says. Take that and put it in your hat. Known tea party yam tater alan west has upped the ante over who cares more about the American Dream. Wests highly questionable new ad campaign ahead. Ally bank. Why they have a raise your rate cd. Tonight our guest, thomas sargent. Nobel laureate in economics, and one of the most cited economists in the world. Professor sargent, can you tell me what cd rates will be in two years . No. If he cant, no one can. 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Gives you a 50 annual bonus. And everyone likes 50 more [ russian accent ] rubles. Eh, eheh, eh, eh. [ brooklyn accent ] 50 more simoleons. [ western accent ] 50 more sawbucks. [ maine accent ] 50 more clams. Its a lobster, either way. [ male announcer ] the capital one cash rewards card. With a 50 annual cash bonus, its the card for people who like more cash. [ italian accent ] 50 more dough whats in your wallet . It is becoming evident that member es of both parties avoiding hit the spending cuts known as the sequester. What do economists think about the looming fiscal cliff . Im quite concerned. Im quite concerned because the amount of friction in our political system is not new. But what is different is, they dont talk to each other. They will cliff hang with both shoe aficionado luke russert next on now. [ male announcer ] its time for medicare open enrollment. Are you ready . Time to compare plans and see whats new. You dont have to make changes, but its good to look. Maybe you can find better coverage, save money, or both. And check out the preventive benefits you get after the health care law. Medicare open enrollment. Nows the time. Visit medicare. Gov or call 1800medicare. Visit medicare. Gov or call 1800medicare. When you lost the thing you cant believe you lost. When what you just bought, just broke. Or when you have a little trouble a long way from home. As an American Express cardmember you can expect some help. But what you might not expect, is you can get all this with a prepaid card. Spends like cash. Feels like membership. President obama raised some eyebrows during mondays Foreign Policy debate when he said this of the looming sequester, 109 billion due to hit in 2013 if no action is taken by january 2. And first of all the sequester is not something i proposed something that congress has proposed. It will not happen. Republicans in congress have repeatedly blamed president obama for the sequester seemingly oblivious to the fact that the original idea came from the white house it was discussed to and agreed to and signed off on by both parties a as a worse case accidescenario. The complete lack of any progress made ever since has made the president s optimism on monday all the more surprising. Though perhaps not surprising the issue perilly came up barely came up in any of the debates. The consequences of the sequester would be devastating. The spending cuts which total 1. 2 trillion over nine years would do damage to the economic recovery. In an interview with the Des Moines Register tuesday a transcript of which was released this morning president obama previewed the coming showdown saying, quote joining us from washington the sage of capitol hill and my celebrity topple gaerng nbcs luke russert. Lets talk about that good afternoon. Good afternoon, my friend. Lets talk about that quote from the president. Basically outlining in no Uncertain Terms sort of what the grand bargain looks like. How much of that is a kapow to the people who were hoping the president wouldnt lay his cards out so early in the game. It all depends on who wins the election. More so a lot of people are freaking out about this statement. I dont take it as very significant from talking to people from around capitol hill. We know if the president wins he can walk this back if he wants to. He has four years to do as he may. Whats interesting here and is being lost is that this whole issue really comes down to a game of chicken about the bush tax cuts for those making 250,000 and above. Where there could be worries if the president has gone this far out saying the sequester wont happen the worry on the left he would be boxed on the right by not allowing the tax cuts for the 250 and above to continue. Thats the game here. What the best intelligence suggests is that whats going to occur is if he is reelebt the some sort of punt. They cant get this done in the lameduck session but some sort of punt until april perhaps where you keep the status quo and then have some sort of large deal you have tax reform tied in to the spending cuts and getting more revenue, you would grow the base. The question becomes that 250,000 number and no one knows that and until people know that a lot of this is going back and forth in political spin. Jared, luke uses the word that is used a lot these days when talking about congress which is punt. And politico has a story out today that gave me shivers in this halloween season which was, be forget about the 2012 deadline, fiscal cliff politics is all about 2014 about a dozen senators who could be party to a deal because of their leadership spots and Committee Positions or because theyve inserted themselves into the horse trading so far are up for reelection in 2014 among them mitch mcconnell, max baucus, dick durbin, these are the deal makers are. We are going to kick this can down the road . The reason that analysis doesnt make sense this is an unusual situation if you dont do anything a lot of really bad stuff happens. You cant just sort of let this thing unfold on its own. And as far as can kicking goes or punting, i think the white house and the Senate Democrats have been incredibly consistent on the following point and its not new at all, which is that theyre simply not going to fold on the expiration of the highend bush tax cuts. Thats what luke was talking about, the above 250,000. Let me say a number that hasnt been said here, the top 2 of households. These guys agree on 98 . They all agree that the tax cuts should be extended for the broad middle class but were just fighting over the top 2 . Thats 1 trillion of revenue in deficit savings over ten years. Its real money. My view is that if it takes going over the fiscal cliff to ply the leverage that the white house and Senate Democrats have on that i think that thats where the deal comes. I do believe that the sequester, the automatic spending cuts, will be pushed forward, punted but on this tax issue i dont think the white house is going to move on that. I dont think they should. To be very clear, i mean in terms of how this works out electorally, what wed be saying is those members who were willing to do whatever we see happen, were doing it to save tax cuts for the very richest americans. So as long as the debate is framed that way, that this is all about preserving tax cuts for the very richest americans at a time when everyone else in the country is suffering, that should be high electoral ground for them. It should be, but look, if mitt romney has been able to survive we think so far the 47 comment, and the ryan owepea to go along with the romnesia, theres no American Public to discern the shenanigans going on behind the scene. Hes talking about most of us, the 47 , from 250,000 and above, so the reality is, that those people are being blinkered in the 47 should stand for the interest of those who are at the top. The republicanss ability to make that case to the masses of america is something thats both scary and the fact that this administration in my view has basically punted in any kind of real reform here even when you had certain republican conservative leaders come to the table with sim son bowles and ryan House Republicans voted against simpsonbowles. I want to make a broader more important point. Were dancing where the Political Parties want us to dance and play. And luke russert knows this to be true because he knee sees this grap every day on the crap every day on the hill. When washington is talking about were going to spend cut a trillion dollars over ten years . You think thats going to happen . Why . Because youre committing future congresses to make those cuts and as weve seen already, that does not happen. They lay out these broad propositions. If were serious about dealing with the budget we cut what we need to cut now, raise the revenue we need to raise. Wait a second. Thats exactly i agree with a lot of what you said. But thats exactly what the white house has tried to do. I mean the idea that the white house the white house has not tried to do that. I listened to you. I think lets all listen to each other. Go ahead. Thank you. The white house the president has had a budget in place that does exactly what you just said. Now, i will agree that neither republicans nor democrats have take than budget seriously. But he has a document thats been scored by the Congressional Budget Office and the gridlock that were stuck with, as we would both agree, nobody is looking at that plan and thats the one is a very good plan. Youre right. Both democrats and republicans voted it down. Youre be right about that. Luke, the president initially made the comments to the Des Moines Register because they were off the record, a moment of unguarded honesty. Hes contended that the republican fever will break and deal making possible in 2013 if he is reelected. Your assessment of that . Can he get it done . If he wants to. Oh, sure. I think if you look into those comments and other things, there would be some savings in health care reforms. To me the bell that went off is medicare. If president obama were willing to trade anything with in regards to medicare which he was during the grand bargain talks with Speaker Boehner thats something john boehner would go for. Look, john boehner and barack obama both do not want their legacies to be just years in this case would be four years of inaction between 2010 and 2014. I think there is some im pe tus to get it done. Again, i cant tell you the big issue here enough, the 250,000 tax cuts, which side is going to blink first on the game of chicken. Even if president obama is not reele reelected, it wouldnt surprise me if he let them all expire, all coupled together in the name of deficit reduction because it would be hard to make them law again because anything that adds to deficit cannot be passed with reconciliation and wont have a 60 feet majority in the senate. The 250 k number is the ball game. Luke russert, our eyewitness to the high stakes game of chicken that is occurring and will continue to occur in the lameduck session of congress. Tastes like chicken, my friend. Thank you as always for the intel. Be well. Governor romney claims that u. S. Used to promote Free Enterprise around the world and, quote, our president doesnt have the same feelings about american exceptionalism that we do to which president obama later responded its worth noting that i first arrived on the National Stage with a speech at the Democratic Convention that was entirely about american exceptionalism. And that my entire career has been a testimony to americaning exception allism. Does the American Dream prevent our leaders from being critical about the country. Well discuss that next. Rogaine . Well, ill admit it. I was skeptical at first. But after awhile even my girlfriend noticed a difference. [ male announcer ] rogaine is proven to help stop hair loss. And for 85 of guys, it regrew hair. Save up to 42 now at rogaine. Com. Stay top of mind with customers . From deals that bring them in with an offer. To social media promotions that turn fans into customers. To events that engage and create buzz. To emails that keep loyal customers coming back, our easytouse tools will keep you in front of your customers. See whats right for you at constantcontact. Com try. And that my entire career has theres no such thing as a somali dream, chinese dream. Theres one dream, the American Dream, why people came to these shores. That was a new ad from congressman alan west running for reelection in florida. In a New York Times oped this weekend, the opiate of exceptionalism he argues americans politicians are forced to wrap themselves in the cloak of the American Dream instead of discussing the issues facing the american country. He writes michael eric dyson, this is in a time when talking about the u. S. Ranking 34th out of 35 in economically advanced countries in Child Poverty off 14 in education, our infant mortality rates are worse than 48 other countries and yet we talk about american exceptionalism and any suggestion otherwise is deemed unpatriot unpatriotic. The trajectory of the discourse around american exceptionalism tracks the ways in which the suffering of the masses of the people was often cloaked in the notion of american exceptionalism to keep them in place so that Martin Luther king, jr. Was as great a patriot as weve been able to imagine and yet he was able to be critical of a nation. James baldwin said i love america more than anybody and why i reserve the right to criticize her. There is a tradition of speaking honestly to the issues that affect the American Dream that keep it from being shared widely that is really patriotic at its roots but unfortunately the debate is so narrow and so shallow that everybody has you know, politicians are like bad wide receivers. Theyve got to spike the ball after every catch, promote themselves you are the king of metaphors. Not even a question. In the beginning about alan west to say nothing of the politician alan west is, there is no chinese dream which is such a fundamentally flawed ludicrous statement. People in china are not dreaming the same dreams of like freedom and economic stability. I really dont understand how even if you want to promote the American Dream that means you have to take down somebody else. Thats pretty ridiculous. Look, i think this is a box that politicians check. One thing i almost disagree with in the shane piece you were talking about a second ago, it precludes people from discussing real issues. Weve done a lot of issue discussing in recent weeks, not as deep enough as i would like, but it doesnt maybe go that far. One i think that barack obama as he says is a good example, whatever american exceptionalism means hes a good example of it. And sexdsly one of the things peel secondly one of the things people are talking about economic upward mobility has been under threat and that is a structural problem in our economy. Very much predates this president , by the way. The diminished rate of social and economic mobility were seeing, if the american exceptionalism argument dampens that discussion thats bad. Too much insecurity as well. We have to constantly berate other people and promote ourselves at the expense of acknowledging the collective projects of democracy across the world. I agree. On that democracy point i think heres one of the most sort of sterling examples of american exception a. M. Ism we never talk about, we are this multi origin, multi racial, multi ethnic democracy. No other country takes look at this. And says okay, you can come from wherever, come to our shores, become a citizen and we will give you an equal say. It is very difficult to create some sort of social cohesion and a sense of a real American People out of people who come from all over the world. But we do it. We need to work on it much more deliberately. We need to not forget this is part of what makes america genius. But its not easy. And we need to keep that. I think the president has the potential to continue to do that hopefully in a second term. I think what you just said there really kind of encapsulates the whole argument about exceptionalism and how do you define it. We get the privilege of defining it for ourselves when we come here. Not all of us came here of our own free will and we have made the most of it and found ways to selfempower at and times empower others. Thats what makes us exceptional. To congressman wests point i dont think the congressman as i heard the ad, i dont think he was saying that the chinese in china dont have a chinese dream. I think hes talking about those who come here thinking theyre going to sueplant that assumes a lot obviously. The American Dream with a chinese dream or some other dream. I think thats what he was referring to. Hes wrong even if that is the case i dont think its a matter of sueplanting the American Dream with you know an asian dream, but its incorporating and thats the beauty and the strength of this country our ability to assimilate and incorporate and make for ourselves real not forgetting our past, not forgetting our linage, not forgetting our heritage, but making that a part of this new fabric weve decided to be a part of and then growing that out so that as an africanamerican i can appreciate that asian heritage. Obama says romney says its american. Same thing hes saying, if he says it out of his mouth hes unamerican. You know we have to go to break unfortunately. Something you said jared, i thought is important. The social mobility question. We are trailing europe, australia and canada in terms of whether or not you can be lifted out of your economic bracket, to say from poverty to the middle class to the middle class to dare to dream the 1 . That goes against what i think of as American Dream. We have to go to break but after we come back well look at the pss late night calendar and push for the youth vote. [ the odd couple theme playing ] humans. Even when we cross our ts and dot our is, we still run into problems mainly other humans. At Liberty Mutual insurance, we understand. Thats why our auto policies come with accident forgiveness if you qualify, where your rates wont go up due to your first accident, and new car replacement, where if you total your new car, we give you the money for a new one. Call. To talk to an Insurance Expert about Everything Else that comes standard with our base auto policy. [ tires squeal ] and if you get into an accident and use one of our certified repair shops, your repairs are guaranteed for life. Call. To switch, and you could save hundreds. Liberty Mutual Insurance responsibility. Whats your policy . Team obama is making a lastminute sprint for the youth vote with a series of Television Appearances aimed at turning out 18 to 29yearolds. The president will appear on the tonight show, thursday the first lady a guest on jimmy kimmel and friday the president will take questions from a mtv special. Only a minute left, go with your gut here friends. Michael steele, are the kids going to turn out for the president . Are the kids going to turn out for mitt romney. Not as the same way. Theyre graduating into a jobless economy and having an impact. Theyre going to turn out and get stopped too many of them by the ridiculous voting restrictions oriented towards keeping them from voting. Theyre going to turn out and help the president and all the pollsters will say we underestimated the power of the youth. Look at that optimism. Theyll show up and show out to borrow a gospel phrase. Thank you to michael, heather, jared and michael. Michael and michael. Thats all for now. Back tomorrow live from our Nations Capital at noon eastern, 9 00 a. M. Pacific joined by john harwood, the Huffington Post sam stein and times michael scherer. Find us at facebook. Com now with alex. Andrea mitchell reports is next live from philly. Good afternoon, andrea. Good afternoon alex. Coming up next, the campaign enters the final stretch. Both candidates are crisscro crisscrossing the country. Bo biden, the Vice President s son joining me and team romney distances himself from rape and abortion made by end yant na republican candidate richard malala. Teamsters president james hoffa on the critical vote in ohio. Andrea mitchell reports right here next. 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So meet with us, or go to etrade. Com for a great Retirement Plan with low cost investments. Right now on Andrea Mitchell reports battleground blitz. 13 days to go. They are in a riser tight race to the finish. The president kicking off the biggest single day of his reelection bid in iowa. This is the first stop on our 48hour fly around Campaign Marathon extravaganza. Were going to pull an all nighter. Romney will also be