0 i think the problem with mitt romney is he wants all the advantages of a conviction politician. he wants to be seen as one, but he isn't one. he's a pragmatist. let's get a look. the starkest bit of evidence paul ryan's position on medicare is poisoning the republican ticket came a week ago when paul ryan was booed at the aarp convention when he called for the repeal of obama care. let's watch this. >> the first step to a stronger medicare is to repeal obama care because it represents the worst of both worlds. i had a feeling there would be mixed reaction, so let me get into it. it weakens medicare for today's seniors and puts it at risk for the next generation. >> well, not too popular there. now we've got the poll that is put concrete numbers behind those boos. a new poll by "the washington post" and the kaiser family foundation shows that medicare trails only the economy as the top voting issue in the swing states of florida, ohio, and virginia. and among voters who say medicare is extremely important from it. i agree, it's a line that's been used before. it's a line that's been drawn before, but it turns out not to work politically. >> i want to get to something that really is wild. by the way, here it is again, we'll get to this first. in the first interview romney and ryan gave after ryan joined the ticket, bob schieffer pointed out ryan budget plan, including his plan to voucherize, that's a great word, medicare, could be trouble for romney. let's listen. >> there's no question your campaign has been trying to make this a election a referendum on barack obama. now some people are saying you are making it a referendum on paul ryan's budget plan. >> well, i have my budget plan, as you know, that i have put out, and that's the budget plan that we're going to run on. >> and again this sunday romney had to distance himself from ryan's positions and assert that he's the man at the top of the ticket. let's listen. >> the president's cutting $716 billion from current medicare. i disagree with that. i'd put those dollars back into medicare. >> mr. ryan has proposed something similar, almost precisely the same number, 716. >> he was going to use that money to reduce the budget deficit. i'm putting it back into medicare and i'm the guy running for president. >> well, what a miserable time he has. all he does is defend himself against paul ryan's budget and he put the guy on the ticket. >> chris, i remember when this happened. when you put ryan on the ticket, a lot of democrats said, okay, it's over, we've got it. and i was skeptical about that when they said it, and i think a lot of us who like to hear intellectual debates about guys. like millions in the our generation, we came to adulthood facing the harsh realities of the vietnam war. 2.7 million in our age group went to vietnam. those young marines that i led so many years ago have grown older now. they've lived lives of courage, both in combat and after their return where many of them were derided by their own peers for having served. that was a long time ago. they are not bitter. they know what they did, but in receiving veteran's benefits, they are not takers. they are givers in the ultimate sense of the word. >> joy, the whole thing, people should look it up on youtube, it's the most powerful speech. i watched it today. it's riveting. >> when i heard this last night i thought to myself, this is devastating for mitt romney. i mean, these two gentlemen are of the same age. you understand, chris, the most seminal decision that had to be made by young men of the vietnam era was whether to answer that call or whether to try to find a way to get out of the draft, and for those who supported the war but still didn't serve, that reminder i think is devastating for mitt romney among veterans. he didn't mention veterans in his acceptance speech in tampa which is was a huge error. devastating i think for mitt romney. >> if i were the democrats i'd run jim webb every night. >> the democrats and the barack obama administration from the beginning has been focusing on veterans. michelle obama -- >> she's always with the families. >> this is a theme that runs through the administration. it's paying off now in many states. >> and romney did them the favor of not mentioning -- >> of not mentioning. in senate races it will be big. that's a constituency surprisingly in favor of this president which in the past has not been the case with democratic presidents. >> this rings with that great movie by oliver stone, they cheer when you go off to battle, when you come back wounded you're not really one of them anymore. it's terrible. >> it's been smart and humane of the obamas to focus on it. >> thank you, howard fineman, great conversation howard and joy. >> claire mccaskill versus todd akin. two months ago missouri was a good bet for republicans. let's see how it's looking now. claire mccaskill joins us next. with four judges from the supreme court in their 70s, the next president could dramatically shift of the balance of the court to the right or to the left. who do you want picking two or three new judges in the supreme court? and celebrities weigh in on the 2012 race. >> what about my social security card? i've been using it for 70 years. >> no photo, no voto. i'm onto your shenanigans, murray gershans. >> she is something, sarah silverman. how hollywood hopes to reignite the spirit of 2008 for president obama. finally, let me finish with my predictions on next week's first presidential debate. it's coming up next wednesday, and this is "hardball," the place for politics. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 let's talk about low-cost investing. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 at schwab, we're committed to offering you tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 low-cost investment options-- tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 like our exchange traded funds, or etfs tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 which now have the lowest tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 operating expenses tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 in their respective tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 lipper categories. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 lower than spdr tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 and even lower than vanguard. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 that means with schwab, tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 your portfolio has tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 a better chance to grow. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 and you can trade all our etfs online, tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 commission-free, from your schwab account. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 so let's talk about saving money, tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 with schwab etfs. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 schwab etfs now have the lowest operating expenses tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 in their respective lipper categories. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 call 1-800-4schwab tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 or visit schwab.com tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 to open an account today. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 funding is easy tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 with schwab mobile deposit. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 investors should consider tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 carefully information tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 contained in the prospectus, tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 including investment objectives, tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 risks, charges, and expenses. you can obtain tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 a prospectus by visiting tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 www.schwab.com/schwabetfs. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 please read the prospectus tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 carefully before investing. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 wow. bill clinton is headed back on the campaign trail for president obama. the big dog will be in new hampshire on wednesday, the same day obama and mitt romney will meet in denver for the first presidential debate. in 1992 clinton, of course, became the first democrat to carry new hampshire since lyndon johnson did it back in '64, and since then the granite state has voted for a republican president only once when george w. bush won it in 2000. we'll be right back. [ male announcer ] you are a business pro. monarch of marketing analysis. with the ability to improve roi through seo all by cob. and you...rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle... and go. you can even take a full-size or above, and still pay the mid-size price. i'm going b-i-g. [ male announcer ] good choice business pro. good choice. go national. go like a pro.