Transcripts For WPVI This Week With George Stephanopoulos 20140914

Good morning. Im martha raddatz. We begin with breaking news. Another horrifying execution video released by isis. The victim, a husband and father, british aid worker david haines. British Prime Minister David Cameron speaking just over an hour ago calling haines a hero and warning that the uk must confront what he calls the isis menace. Were covering all angles of the story this morning, and lets start off in the region with abcs alex marquardt. Good morning, alex. Reporter good morning, martha. The brutal murder of british aid worker david haines has been called by britains Prime Minister an act of pure evil. Isis says its retribution for britain joining the americanled coalition against the militant group, a growing alliance that the u. S. Has been working on intensely for most of the past week to confront the isis threat. David haines had only been in syria for a few days helping deliver aid to a refugee camp when he was kidnapped early last year. This weekend isis released a grisly video of the 44yearolds beheading, a warning they said to the allies of america. This latest chilling tape comes as the American Military assault against isis grows. So far, 160 air strikes against targets in iraq, a campaign the u. S. Now wants to expand with the support of not just western allies but regional friends, as well, like saudi arabia where secretary of state john kerry told me that he and the president want the Largest Coalition possible. Because the bigger it is, the more effective it is, the faster we can eliminate the threat. Reporter while some have eagerly signed up, others have been more reluctance. Egypt said on saturday it supports the mission but didnt say whether it would contribute. Turkey has been the biggest gateway for foreign fighters into syria but wants to stay behind the scenes, and as isis faces an international assault, its ranks are growing. A new cia estimate says isis now has between 20,000 and 32,000 fighters. That number is only growing by the day, and so far despite those u. S. Air strikes, isis has managed to hold on to most of the territory it has taken in iraq and syria. Even once this International Coalition is finalized, the Obama Administration admits it will take years to defeat isis, a war that will almost certainly be handed off to the next administration. Martha. Thanks, alex. More now on this horrific new video and the fallout. Abcs chief investigative correspondent brian ross is in new york, and abcs Hamish Macdonald is in london tracking all the reaction there, and, hamish, does this make it more likely that the british will get involved in military strikes with the u. S. . Reporter well, martha, they certainly havent committed to that formally yet, but David Cameron, the british Prime Minister, is saying that they are ready to take whatever steps necessary as this strategy against isis intensifies. Hes also using really the strongest language possible referring to this video on the beheading as callous and brutal. He says that isis are the embodiment of evil, that these people are not muslims, they are, in fact, monsters. Of course, the British Government has been fully engaged with this from the beginning given that the man who appears in the videos does seem to have a british accent. Hes thought to be one of many british jihadists fighting in Northern Iraq and syria, but now to a british victim, that means that the government here is fighting against isis on the home front, the rise of fundamentalism in britain but also internationally, perhaps a Significant Development here today given that some senior islamic clerics have declared a fatwa against any jihadists who want to go and fight with isis. They say theyre heretics. Martha. And, brian, why do they continue to put these videos out . It would seem to galvanize the world against them. Reporter well, martha, they cant attack the u. S. Or Great Britain as theyre composed right now. But sadly the hostages, the americans and now the british citizen serve as sort of standins brought to their knees as if they bring the u. S. And britain to their knees and then execute them. These videos also have the incredible potential to recruit more fighters to come and join them, and people weve talked to this morning, military analysts, say the fact they did this out in the daylight in the open at a time when they knew u. S. Drones are flying overhead shows they believe they can continue to operate with impunity despite the pledges by the u. S. To go after them. Thanks, brian, and, thanks, hamish. All of that so disturbing. The u. S. Military response so far has included dozens of air strikes against isis, but will it now expand even further . How can president obama succeed in this fight against isis . Lets get over to the map and talk military tactics with general james cartwright, former vice chairman of the joint chiefs. Hes been right there, a key player in advising the president on these Big Decisions and helping to carry them out. He also trained as a Fighter Pilot, so he knows all the angles of an air campaign. General cartwright, we do believe this will expand. The strategy includes not just iraq and more air strikes but going into syria. How will that work . Well, essentially, martha, when we think about isis, theyre not small groups like youd see in yemen or somalia, places like that, shoe bombers, underwear bombers, things like that. They are not quite military either, so theyre somewhere in between, so what they have done is they have moved south out of syria all those yellow dots. Down the tigris and euphrates, which are the green rivers here and captured places associated with these yellow dots and what theyre doing is theyre basically taking control of the water, the dams, the ability to flow south, creating the opportunity for a stranglehold on baghdad. So what does the u. S. Strike and how do they go into syria . So, what were probably going to do, and i dont know for sure, and i doubt anybody does, but in syria well probably be looking for targets that are associated with logistics. Their ability to resupply the forces, isis ability to resupply the forces down south in iraq flowing down along these river lines going after training areas, ammunition dumps, any place where theres a large aggregation of these forces. When you move south, then the targets will change. In the south what well be looking for is supporting the iraqi forces in particular and giving them air cover so they can maneuver. And where do we come out of . I know one of the things in the last time the u. S. Considered bombing syria, they were standoff weapons, those missiles fired from submarines or ships. They didnt have to go into syrian airspace. Lets look at the map on the basing around here. Does this look like the places, those weapons come from . These are reasonable opportunities. Itll depend on where we get permission. We can always fly from the sea from the carriers. The standoff missiles can fly in but theyve got to fly through somebodys airspace so we have to have permission for them to. Who are our allies . Who will allow us to operate and where well operate from including iraq. And if we go over syrian airspace, risky . Riskier, but not abnormally risky. In other words, they have the capability. Its been worn down. Its generally associated with poor maintenance and poor operations, but you also always have to treat it as if its capable. Lets just go back to that other map for a moment and just quickly, general, is this something that will destroy isis . Is this a strategy to destroy isis . The only way we can think about destroying isis in this particular strategy is that the forces on the ground will have to do the destroying, and well provide the air cover and the ability to allow them to maneuver, give them protection but an air campaign alone probably will not destroy it. Thanks very much, general cartwright, for joining us. The fight against isis is also setting up some critical political questions this morning. Does the president need congressional approval for his new military plan, and would he get it . Abcs jeff zeleny is tracking the latest from capitol hill. I know theres a lot of people around here that say they dont want to deal with it before the election. Are you kidding me . Tell the American People the truth, mr. President. This is a counterterrorism mission. Reporter the uncertain politics of the isis debate coming to a boil on capitol hill. The sharpest skepticism from president obamas closest democratic allies like senator tim kaine of virginia. Why do you think its a mistake for the president not to be asking for Congressional Authority here . Its congress that declares war. Congress that initiates war. If were going to ask people to risk their lives, then we ought to be willing to do the work to reach a political consensus that the mission is worth it. Reporter the president insists he can order air strikes in syria without congressional approval, but its this request sparking the most debate. Give us additional authorities and resources to train and equip these fighters. Reporter concerns about arming Syrian Rebels go well beyond the 500 million price tag with questions of just who these fighters are and who theyre loyal to. Were going to pick a side or try to pick a side and the same as we did when we went into iraq, the same as weve done in afghanistan and that hasnt worked well for us. Reporter its blurring partisan lines with republicans showing rare signs of backing the white house. Is this being rushed through too quickly . Shouldnt there be more of a debate . This is a very serious issue and ought to be handled that way and, frankly, we ought to give the president what hes asking for. Reporter democrats arent so sure. Senator mark begich is facing a tough reelection bid in alaska. He is at it again. Reporter his constituents worry about the cost and fear the u. S. Will slip into another long war. Theyre concerned that we would once again get engaged in a quagmire there and pick up the tab for who knows what over the long term. Reporter the challenge for the white house is getting enough jittery democrats on board without scaring off republicans. For this week, jeff zeleny, abc news, capitol hill. Lets take on all of this now with white house chief of staff Denis Mcdonough. Mr. Mcdonough, let me start right away and ask if weve identified the executioner in those videos. I dont have any particular news or analysis on that for you, martha, but obviously were doing everything we can to find that out and everything we can to continue to keep the heat on isil. Do you think this will mean that the british will now join in air strikes with the u. S. . Does it strengthen the coalition . We obviously underscore to stand side shoulder to shoulder with our ally and our close friend, the uk. Exactly what form that takes, is it going to be something that will develop over the next do you have anyone at this point, any countries that say, yes, we will join you in military action and not just support . Right, and youll hear more about this from secretary kerry who is obviously in the region and has been working this and hell be testifying in Congress Later this week and hell have news on that. The administration seems to be a bit confused about what to call this action. Lets listen to this. Were engaged in a counterterrorism operation, and i think war is the wrong reference term. The United States is at war with isil in the same way that we are at war with al qaeda and its al qaeda affiliates. We know we are at war with isil in the same way were at war and continue to be at war with al qaeda and its affiliates. Sounds like some talking points there. Are we at war . Why is war the wrong reference term according to john kerry . Well, this isnt talking points thflt. Have is obviously very serious business. You heard both what john kirby and josh earnest and second second kerry, youll hear more from him, as well. We believe just as we have been at war with al qaeda since the day we got here, we are at war with isil and what does that mean . That means that we are going to use our unique capabilities in support of others on the ground. Other sunni, in iraq well obviously be supporting the Iraqi Security forces and in syria well be supporting with air power the Syrian Opposition thats on the ground now. I want to point to an editorial cartoon that takes on your notion of no boots on the ground. Soldiers saying theyre changing into golf shoes because of what the president said. Yet, you will have 1600 troops there. Youve made it very clear they will not engage in combat, but what is not clear is how you plan on destroying 30,000 isis fighters without u. S. Combat troops on the ground. Well, nobody knows this region better than you, martha. And obviously youve been investing a lot of your own time in that effort over the course of this last many years and weve learned a lot of lessons from that, so what we want to make sure happens is we have committed partners who can take the fight to isil on the ground, and they will have not only support from us from the air, but theyll also have training and Equipment Support for us. And yet, mr. Mcdonough, what ive seen and i have been there a lot is those iraqi forces ran the last time they were confronted by isis. They split apart and disappeared. We trained them for eight years, and it didnt seem to work. Why do you think thatll work now . Theres no question that one of the reasons that that happened was the intense sectarian nature of iraqi politics over the course of the last many years. Thats why the president was very discerning and very prudent in the use of our air power, notwithstanding pressure to do more than he did earlier in the summer because he thought the first and most important thing we could do was to make sure there was a if you Prime Minister in iraq. There is a new Prime Minister. That theres a new multiethnic government in baghdad. There is now a new multiethnic government if baghdad. They will support a unified capable multiethnic iraqi force so that they can take this fight to isil. Just very quickly ultimately they need to do it for their success as well as ours. Just very quickly, mr. Mcdonough, is there a limit to how many u. S. Troops you will send to iraq . Yeah, im not in a position right now to tell you limits one way or the other. Heres what we will do. We will be very candid with the American People as the president has been. Well work very closely and consult with congress on this effort, and we believe that we have the right strategy the president laid out for the country on wednesday night to make sure that we degrade and ultimately defeat isil. Thanks for joining us, mr. Mcdonough. Thanks, martha. Lets get instant analysis now from our experts. Colonel Steve Ganyard is an abc news contributor. He is a former marine corps Fighter Pilot and state Department Official whos helped explain so much to us over the years and Lieutenant Colonel john nagl was a top army strategist, also a commander on the ground in iraq. He coauthored the militarys counterinsurgency manual with general david petraeus, and let me start with you, john nagl. You heard what Denis Mcdonough said about the iraqi forces. He said, they will the Iraqi Government will support a unified capable multiethnic iraqi force so they can take this force to isis. Are they capable of doing that, those iraqi forces . You helped train them. I did help train them, and theyre not ready yet, and im afraid theyre not going to be for awhile. If were going to make this thing happen any time soon, were going to need American Special forces a teams on the ground in combat advising those guys, not just in Training Camps but on the ground. Thats i believe the key weakness of this strategy right now. And, Steve Ganyard, the president has said, said in his speech that this effort is more of a counterterrorism effort. He talked about yemen. He talked about somalia. Is it different than that . Well, i think we have a bit of a strategic mismatch here because isis is not al qaeda, isis is not a terrorist group. They present only a lowlevel threat to the homeland, and the department of Homeland Security says they are not a threat at this point so they may be barbarians and they are very much barbarians but they are not a terrorist group. They have 30,000 to 50,000 men under around, they have tanks, they have artillery. Theyre a much more conventional threat. In war the first principle of war is to understand the enemy youre facing and to make sure you understand the war youre about to undertake. I think there is a real strategic mismatch on both counts by calling this a counterterrorist strategy. Theres been a lot of talk, colonel ganyard, about is this war, is this not war, is it counterterrorism. Does it matter what you call it . I think what we call things matter. It really does because the strategy that you would concoct for a counterterrorism strategy, which the white house did a very good job of outlining, is very different from what you would have with a more conventional force, which i think isis is. I think if this strategy addressed isis for what it really is rather than the white house, what it wants it to be, i think wed have a much better chance of success in the near term. John nagl, people are already talking about Mission Creep, and we have, indeed, seen the Mission Change in iraq, originally it was to protect americans and infrastructure. Now theyre going after a much Broader Group of targets and possibly into syria. Do you see this as Mission Creep . It seems like every conflict starts this way, and then it gradually moves to Something Else. Well, the last iraq war, of course, didnt start this way. This is going in the other direction. I do think that the goals the president has outlined are correct. We are at war, that its going to take a much bigger effort than he has described to date to win this war in any kind of reasonable time to keep the middle east together and keep americans safe, so i dont think its Mission Creep. I think the president has understated what its going to take to accomplish the objectives he correctly laid out destroying isil. And quickly, colonel ganyard, how long do you think this will take . I think we can do a lot of good work with air power in the next couple of months. I think weve stabilized the situation in iraq, but at the end of the day, this is a sectarian civil war within islam and only islam can solve it. Thanks to you both. Up next, the isis threat to the homeland. How real is it . Plus, Hillary Clinton about to hit the trail in iowa. Jon karl and the powerhouse roundtable are there too. And later, the nfl in crisis, the new pressure and investigation commissioner Roger Goodell faces this morning. Plus, ray rice makes his first public appearance since that disturbing video was released back in just two minutes. Announcer this week with George Stephanopoulos brought to you by xerox. You probably kx as the company thats all about printing. But did you know we also support hospitals using Electronic Health records for more than 30 million patients . Or that our Software Helps over 20 million smartphone users remotely configure email every month . Or how about processing nearly 5 billion in electronic toll payments a year . In fact, todays xerox is working in surprising ways to help companies simplify the way work gets done and life gets lived. With xerox, youre ready for real business. And life gets lived. So what were looking for is a way to plus our Accounting Firms mobile plan. And minus our expenses. Perfect timing. Were offering our bestever pricing on mobile plans for business. Run the numbers on that. Well, unlimited talk and text, and ten gigs of data for the five of you would be. Oneseventyfive a month. Good calculating kyle. Good job kyle. You just made partner. Our bestever pricing on mobile share value plans for business. Now with a 100 bill credit for every business line you add. Now our closer look. The beheading of the british aid worker and the two american journalists makes it clear that isis has become a threat to westerners in the middle east, but whether that threat extends to the homeland is the subject of debate. With u. S. Air strikes pounding targets and slowing the advance of isis in iraq, it was easy to think isis could be contained overseas, but it was the secretary of defense himself who gave this alarming warning. So, yes, they are an imminent threat to every interest we have whether its in iraq or anywhere else. Joint chiefs chairman Martin Dempsey added to those concerns. If they were to achieve that vision, it would fundamentally alter the face of the middle east and create a security environment that would certainly threaten us in many ways. But those frank statements created an urgency that the white house did not want. Top Administration Officials began walking the statements back. We have no credible information that isil is planning to attack the homeland of the United States. In our view any threat to the u. S. Homeland from these types of extremists is likely to be limited in scope and scale. Instead of the imminent threat, which hagel warned about, the white house now says it is a potential threat. Whether it is potential or imminent, the threat from isis is resonating across the country. A poll this week showing 90 of americans believe isis poses a serious threat to the United States. And more now on the threat here at home, Daniel Benjamin served as ambassadoratlarge in counterterrorism coordinator for the state department in the Obama Administration. And john cohen was counterterrorism coordinator at the department of Homeland Security until just two months ago, and you saw the isis threat emerge, and as we are coming on the air, there is a flight from geneva to beirut which has been escorted by fighter jets to land in rome because some of the baggage didnt match the passengers. It really does show you how tense things are right now. So, john cohen, you were most recently in department of Homeland Security. How serious do you think the threat is to the homeland . Its a very serious threat. Obviously, as youve seen from earlier parts of the show, isis as an organization poses a significant threat to u. S. Interests in the region, but whats different is that we have thousands of westerners from europe, from the United States, from canada traveling to the region, becoming more extreme in their ideology, becoming better trained, becoming linked with these extremist organizations, and that is why this situation is different than situations weve dealt with in the past. And, dan benjamin, you have said this week that you think the threat is slightly exaggerated. I do think the threat has been exaggerated a bit domestically. I think its important to remember that we have spent billions and billions of dollars improving our intelligence collection and our Homeland Security capability since 9 11, and i think that we can deal with the threat. I think its also important to remember that in 2003 and after, we had a fair number of foreign fighters, not as many as we have now, going into iraq, going into afghanistan, and while its important to worry about them and to guard against them coming home and causing trouble, we did not have a serious foreign fighter problem at home after, you know, a major war in iraq and a major war in afghanistan. But, john cohen, i want to turn to you, and we talk about the person in the basement being radicalized and you wont know anything will happen until they will emerge and possibly carry out an attack. How do you fight that . We fight it at the community level. The difference with this situation is that we have serious intelligence gaps in syria and in that region. We also do not have the same types of capabilities we have in other parts of the world to address threats that may be emanating from within syria and that part of the world. What we also have is a concerted effort, a very sophisticated effort, by isis and other groups in syria to inspire or recruit westerners. As you pointed out, in some cases it may mean traveling to the country to engage in the conflict, and weve already had several americans who have conducted lethal attacks. In other cases it may mean people leaving there and carrying out lethal attacks as well as we saw in brussels. And, dan benjamin, quickly, if you will, why is this jihadi message resonating, do you think . Well, its resonating right now because isis has done what its predecessor groups had failed, and that is its holding territory, it seems to be on a roll and seems to be succeeding. Thats part of it. I think part of it is also the attraction of the sectarian fight in the middle east, and i think that, you know, we often view this as being about us. We have a bad history of thinking its all about us as we did in vietnam, as we did in thinking that Saddam Hussein was going to be a threat to us when he was trying to keep his own people cowed and subservient. This is very much about what is going on in the region. I do think we have to worry about the long term. I do think we have to worry about the selfradicalized at home. The ft. Hood shooter is the most likely outcome, but this is really about a conflict in the region. And one that will be going on for a very long time. Thanks to you both. Now all eyes on iowa. Hillary clinton set to make her first visit in nearly seven years, and my colleague, jonathan karl, is there. Jon. Reporter thats right, martha. This field will be the center of the political universe later today. Well tell you why both bill and Hillary Clinton will be here. But first our powerhouse roundtables big winners of the week. Back in just two minutes. Nk sal. 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Were back here in indianola where later today Hillary Clinton will make what looks like her first unofficial foray into 2016 at the annual harkin steak fry. This is her first appearance in iowa in nearly seven years. So why did she choose this moment and this event to make her big return to iowa . We talked to the man who started the steak fry 42 years ago, retiring senator tom harkin. Its an iowa institution, the annual cookout and fundraiser thats been bringing out the biggest names in Democratic Politics for years. Youve had just about every democrat whos had a serious shot at president come by here over the last quarter of a century. Absolutely. Weve had them all. Some made it, and some didnt. Well, most didnt obviously. Most didnt. And todays event marks mrs. Clintons biggest foray yet into 2014 politics as bill and hillary get ready to hit the stump in key midterm races. She wants to focus on 2014. Right. And how we can keep the senate and elect some key people around the country, so shes shes going to be out there working hard. So i mean were gonig to see them out more than the president for the actual candidate, right . The president is doing a lot of fundraising but hes not very much in demand for a lot of these races. Yes, thats the correct observation. Thats right. Reporter the clintons say their visit here is all about their friendship with senator harkin, whos retiring after 40 years in congress and not about 2016. But dont tell that to the ready for Hillary Super pac with their already welltraveled campaign bus. To them, mrs. Clintons 2016 run has already started. The organization which is, of course, several Million People very much would like her to run, and if she chooses to, shes got an army ready to stand with her. Reporter when mrs. Clinton stood here at the 2007 steak fry, she seemed invincible, but when iowa caucusgoers gathered four months later, the onetime frontrunner finished a disappointing third. Liberals upset about her support for the iraq war had found somebody else to rally around. Now mrs. Clinton is once again looking unbeatable. But some democrats still have their doubts. Were some progressives a little unease with Hillary Clinton . I mean, will she be too hawkish on military issues . Will she be too moderate on Economic Issues . Were always nervous about people moving too far to the right. See, a lot of us believe the center ought to be moved back, that the center has moved too far right. So wheres hillary on that . I dont know. I think this is something that will be developed, and well find out when when and if she decides to run, you know, whats her vision for america. So you still have real questions about where she stands on those central issues . I do everybody. You know, again, i must be frank with you. I thought barack obama was a great progressive and a great populist and, quite frankly, i havent some things have happened i didnt agree with. Reporter and as the campaign bus revs up, shes not the only democratic star coming here. Vice President Joe Biden heads to iowa on wednesday, and even ultra liberal senator Bernie Sanders is making three stops of his own in the Hawkeye State this weekend. Is iowa ready for hillary . Is iowa ready for hillary . Are democrats ready for hillary . Well, i think the answer is that iowa and america does not want to anoint anybody. I think what the American People clearly want to see is a major debate on the important issues facing the working families and the middle class of this country and not say, oh, heres your crown, take the nomination. And were joined now by two political pros who are no strangers to iowa, democratic strategist Donna Brazile and abc news political analyst matthew dowd. Thank you both for joining us here in iowa right outside indianola. So, i have to ask you, matthew, Hillary Clintons president ial campaign really came apart right here in iowa. Is there any chance that she could hit a roadblock here again . Well, youre right. This was she was the dominant candidate going in that race and barack obama won this, won iowa. She finished third, and it basically began the end of her campaign where she was supposed to win this. I dont think thats her problem. I think shes going to be overly prepared if she decides to win and overly prepared here because she wont let that happen. Shes got bigger issues i think that shes going to have to face with, one of which is the guy that beat her in iowa the first time which is barack obama. She has to run, if she runs, under the understanding that barack obama has been president for eight years and people may want to take a different turn. She came in close third. I mean she lost, but she rebounded in new hampshire. The problem here, of course, is that many people thought that she ran a National Campaign when in a state like this you have to really run a retail campaign. You have to go where people live, where they work, where they eat and where they pray. You got to talk to them. Look them in the eye. If she decides to run in 2016, she has to basically get here and stay here so that people can get to know her once again. But does she have to find some way to distinguish herself from barack obama . I mean, the only thing shes done so far really is on Foreign Policy and suggesting she would have been a little more hawkish on syria, but is that going to play . I mean, are we going to see a little bit of that antiwar tradition here in iowa . Its important she not come here as a hawk. A washington nerd. People want to know your values, what you stand for and i think she can define her own values, her own vision of the country, the countrys future without stumbling into trying to figure out where she went wrong. This is not about her looking back but the country looking forward. Jon, she does have to handle two going to be at that point one former president , one about to be former president which is her husband. How does she handle that dynamic and then how does she handle barack obama who is likely to be in the low 40s or high 30s on job approval. Thats going to be the biggest thing, i think actually her Foreign Policy stands and the fact shes a hawk is problematic both for a primary and general election at a time when the country, the majority of the country, doesnt want to have military action around the world. Well, take a look at what rand paul said on this. Very interesting. He said, if you want to see a transformational election in our country, let the democrats put forward a hawk like Hillary Clinton and youll see a transformation like youve never seen. I mean, it could be striking of we could have a president ial race where you have a more dovish isolationist, he wont like that term, but certainly less interventionist candidate on the republican side and a more hawkish candidate on the democratic side. Theres going to be a fascinating side because i think itll be much more of a discussion, and if rand paul was the nominee and Hillary Clinton, it would be the first time wed have a real conversation about the use of the military around the world and what really is our Foreign Policy vision, and we havent had that in 25 years. Well see. Donna, you havent mentioned the name joe biden. Biden is going to be here in iowa next week. Just tell me, is he going to run . Well, look, Vice President biden is an incredible force, not just in the democratic party, but in the country. Theres no question. Is he going to run for president . Well, im not here to say who will run and who will not run. What do you think . What is the Donna Brazile gut . My gut says he is interested in seeking the presidency again. Every one of those guys, and biden are waiting for the big domino to fall, Hillary Clinton, and if she decides she doesnt run, theyre both prepared. We have to take a quick break. When we come back we take apart the Key Senate Race in iowa but first our powerhouse puzzler. The starspangled banner celebrating its 200th anniversary. It was written in 1814. When did it become our National Anthem . The answer from our powerhouse roundtable when we return. American employers and their workers to go backwards. They want to go back in time and retroactively rewrite the tax laws. So they can impose taxes that werent owed in the first place on american businesses. It sounds crazy. But its true. The white house is on record saying theyre considering retroactive taxation america cant move forward when washington spends its time trying to tax backwards. Join us at fairreform. Com so what were looking for is a way to plus our Accounting Firms mobile plan. And minus our expenses. Perfect timing. Were offering our bestever pricing on mobile plans for business. Run the numbers on that. Well, unlimited talk and text, and ten gigs of data for the five of you would be. Oneseventyfive a month. Good calculating kyle. Good job kyle. You just made partner. Our bestever pricing on mobile share value plans for business. Now with a 100 bill credit for every business line you add. For now for the answer to our powerhouse puzzler. The starspangled banner is celebrating its 200th anniversary but what year did it become the National Anthem . Donna. 1876. Ill say 1918. 1931. Well be right back. Hi, im Henry Winkler and im here to tell homeowners that are sixtytwo and older about a great way to live a better retirement. Its called a reverse mortgage. Call right now to receive your free dvd and booklet with no obligation. It answers questions like. How a reverse mortgage works, how much you qualify for, the ways to receive your money. And more. Plus, when you call now, youll get this magnifier with led light absolutely free when you call the experts at one reverse mortgage today, youll learn the benefits of a governmentinsured reverse mortgage. It will eliminate your monthly mortgage payments and give you taxfree cash from the equity in your home and heres the best part. You still own your home. Take control of your retirement today back now with our politics buzz board kicking it off here in iowa where the race for the senate is a dead heat. Im joni ernst. Im bruce braley. A new poll shows bruce braley democrat and republican joni ernst neck and neck to replace democrat tom harkin. Iowa could decide control of the senate and democrats are calling in the big guns, Michelle Obama. The first lady hits the trail next month bringing star power, but not her husbands low approval rating. Just 38 in iowa. And time for our weekly checkin fivethirtyeight. They give braley a 55 chance of winning the seat but republican chances of taking over the senate, at 59 , down three points from last week. All right. Back with our roundtable, Donna Brazile, matthew dowd. Were here in iowa. This senate race, bruce braley, joni ernst, the motorcycle driving republican who likes to spend time in the firing range. This could actually be the race that determines control of the senate. If you take a look at the 10 or 12 key races in this election and you go down the list, this is the race to me thats the Tipping Point race. Tell me which race if you ask me what race on Election Night will determine who takes the senate, whether democrats keep it or republicans take it, iowa is it, and if the republicans take iowa, theyre taking the senate back. I think congressman braley is a strong candidate with a very inspiring story. Look, he got off to a very slow start. But he has big shoes to fill in tom harkins being tom harkins replacement. I think this race will come down to the womens vote, and if hes able to capture the womens vote and get a real good turnout, i think theres a narrow path of victory for this. This may have had the gaffe of the cycle when bruce braley the democrat was speaking about the other senator from iowa, chuck grassley, and dismissed him as just a farmer without a law degree. That piece of tape, hidden camera tape just like the 47 tape, i mean is that the most important piece of tape of this cycle potentially . Its obviously very problematic in iowa to insult somebody for being a farmer. You combine that with what donna was talking about, there is a big wave the democrats have of trying to figure out how to blunt in some ways. They know theyll lose senate and they know theyre going to lose house seats but how many can they prevent from losing . Those do not help them. She hasnt helped herself by closely associating herself with sara palin. That was good in the republican primary, but in the general election in a state like this, that might not work to her hang. Tom harkin told me he expects to see a lot more of the clintons than obamas on the campaign trial. You have Michelle Obama coming to iowa. What kind of a factor is bill clinton, Hillary Clinton, what kind of factor are they going to be out there . Think about the key states that the democrats need in order to retain control of the senate. Kentucky, louisiana, georgia, north carolina, they not only speak the language, they understand the lingo. I mean, people the candidates right now are requesting the clintons because they are popular in those states, so its very important that the Clintons Campaign in those states, but, look, president obama will also be out there to mobilize the base voters as well as get out some of those young voters that turned out for him two years ago. We wont see president obama in these Key Senate Races. No, almost again like george w. Bush. You didnt see george w. Bush in any races in 2006 and didnt saw him in the 2008 president ial race. You saw george hoercher walker bush than president bush. Lets take a look at our facebook find of the week. Now to our facebook find of the week. Trending right now, whats burning up news feeds from tina fey as sara palin. And i can see russia from my house. To jay pharoah as president obama. Im aloof. Im overcome. I love watching snl tear up the campaign trail, but could these political comedy skits become illegal . Senator ted cruz says yes if supporters of Campaign Finance reform get their way. Lorne michaels could be put in jail under this amendment. In its Citizens United ruling the Supreme Court allowed unlimited corporate contributions to campaigns calling it free speech, but this week democrat tom udall pushed a constitutional amendment to change that. It would allow congress and states to restrict campaign spending. Cruz helped block the bill claiming those rules could limit corporate owned tv networks from political speech like comedy skits. Democrats say cruz is way off base. So would Campaign Finance changes really Kill Campaign comedy . And is the Citizens United decision here to stay . Lets take a look on our facebook find of the week. All right. Well, i dont think anybody is going to be outlawing saturday night live skits regardless of what happens but how big a factor is outside money in this race compared to where we were in 2010 . It will be several Million Dollars spent over the next five weeks as the candidates try to solidify the votes. This is going to be the most expensive midterm on record. I mean, we saw a billion dollars in a president ial year. Youre looking at close to a billion dollars in a midterm election. Theres no reason we should have this kind of money in elections. The problem with this Campaign Finance reform we see, every time they pass some Campaign Finance reform to pass or fix the last problem a new problem is created in the midst of this. For two people very involved in campaigns really before this, i dont think this is good for people who run campaigns. You lose track of the message. You lose track of any kind of mechanics you can do and all this outside money complicates everything and confuses voters. I think it ought to go, but it looks like its here to stay. But you wouldnt favor a constitutional amendment on this. I would. I would favor some system to get a lot of the ads we see off the air. I dont think for free press you can sort of ban this and, again, Campaign Finance reform is weve been changed, changed, changed, and we keep coming up with new things. Its a Grassroots Movement and it wont end because the Senate Republicans voted to stop it. All right. Donna brazile, matthew dowd here in indianola, iowa, thank you very much. Martha, back to you. Thanks, jon. Coming up, the nfl in crisis, back in just 30 seconds. That is former nfl star ray rice in his first public appearance since the release of that graphic video of him punching his then fiancee. That video shining a new light on the hidden crisis of Domestic Violence. Heres pierre thomas. He came behind me and hit me upside my head. I fell out, blood was coming out of my head profusely. I had a black eye, which if you look closely, i still have that ring up around my eye. I had my head bust open. I had 15 stitches in my head. Thats what donnas husband did to her. She keeps this photo as a reminder of what she endured. The abuse never stopped. If it wasnt physical, it was verbal. If it wasnt verbal, it was emotional. It was horrific. Reporter Domestic Abuse, its americas dark secret usually happening behind closed doors hidden. But this week, the country saw what Domestic Violence looks like up close and personal with that shocking video of nfl player ray rice knocking out his then fiancee. Domestic violence put simply is a chronic national epidemic. Peg hacskaylo runs a shelter for battered women in our nations capital. We get a whole range of injuries from the survivors that harkin are coming in. If theyre coming to us from the hospital, they may have open wounds, they may have broken limbs. Reporter according to the Justice Department in 2012 nearly 665,000 women were victims of Domestic Violence. Thats 75 women every hour. For this problem, ground zero is every town. Every city. In the d. C. Area the local Domestic Violence shelters here served over 30,000 Domestic Violence survivors last year. 30,000 . 30,000. Reporter but despite the stunning level of violence, 70 of Domestic Violence cases dont end in prosecutions as victims choose not to press charges and stay in violent relationships. When the police came, i still protected him. And that was because you loved him. I did love him very much. In your heart you do believe that the person that is supposed to love and protect me would not hurt me in this way. Donnas abuse ended only after prosecutors moved on without her cooperation, and her husband was convicted. Another Domestic Abuse victim, tiffany, said fear, layers of pain and selfdoubt must be overcome. You have to want out and you have to love yourself more, more than loving your abuser. Im getting so much better now because ive realized that it doesnt have anything to do with me. Reporter in a shift, some cities prosecutors and police are aggressively pursuing cases even when the victims dont cooperate. High point, north carolina, is one of them. If the victim is continuing to be psychologically abused, if not physically abused, then that person just cannot be responsible for the prosecution, it has to be the state. Reporter the fbi is encouraging police to do the basics like take photographs of victim injuries, find more witnesses. Those tactics apparently do work. In the five years before we began this, we had 17 domesticrelated homicides. In the five years since, weve only had one. Reporter a glimmer of hope amidst the tragic of Domestic Violence which claimed the lives of nearly 1,000 women in 2012. Were you willing to stay with him at that point . I probably would have stayed. Being honest, yeah. And you might be dead. Yeah. Reporter for this week, pierre thomas, abc news, washington. Our thanks to pierre. Joining us now, connecticut senator richard blumenthal, who has worked on issues of Domestic Violence as the attorney general in connecticut and in the senate and usa todays Christine Brennan is an abc news contributor. She interviewed Roger Goodell this week, but, senator, i want to start with you. That was such a moving piece. You heard those astonishing figures. How do you change the attitudes about this . How do you get more cases prosecuted . As a former prosecutor, martha, i know how difficult these cases are, and this ray rice incident could really be a turning point because this exception where we have a video, mostly this crime, it is a crime occurs behind closed doors surrounded by stigma, shame, secrecy could be a real opportunity that we need to seize from congress and from the nfl to do more. Christine, i assume you agree with that. Oh, i do. I think this is a watershed moment. It could be, martha, especially if the nfl move as head on this and as we know, sports takes us to these national conversations, something horrible, so terrible as this could end up having a very good result. You talked to commissioner goodell as we said. He told you in no Uncertain Terms they didnt have the second video until last sunday. Do you believe him and should he resign . I have to believe him right now as a journalist. Thats what he told me. I think if it comes out he did not, that Roger Goodell did know and did see it before then, that would mean he lied and then he would have to resign. Otherwise, i do think hell survive. And weve got Adrian Peterson this week, the Adrian Peterson case where he was arrested for using a switch on his 4yearold child. Another story, i mean, this is the nfls worst nightmare. I think this is the biggest scandal we have ever seen in u. S. Sports. And do you believe goodell should resign . Should they just clean the slate . If Roger Goodell lied as a lot of people believe he did because the Security Apparatus of the nfl is so competent and well experienced, that for them to not have known about this tape seems incredible. He should go. He should go if he lied. But heres the more important point, martha, regardless who runs the nfl, it ought to be making a serious commitment, stronger penalties, a sixgame suspension is way too lenient and equally important, resources, funding for domestic survivor groups. Violence ought to be met with better services, and the congress has an obligation there too to do better and do more. And, christine, very quickly, women, 45 of the fans now are women. Big money source, will women forgive . You know, they really shouldnt. This is a time for the nfl to have to say its sorry, but it will be interesting to see the reaction over the next few weeks as these stories continue to grow, whether women fans who, as you said, spend a lot of money on the league, if they start to show with their pocketbook how angry they are. Thank you so much to you both for your perspectives. Well be right back afte now our sunday spotlight. President obama closed his speech this week with these words, god bless our troops and the United States of america echoing those of so many president s before him. We have seen our towers fall, our warships attacked, our embassies crumble and our president s trying to exact revenge. Good afternoon. Today i ordered our armed forces to strike at terroristrelated facilities in afghanistan and sudan. We must be prepared to do all that we can for as long as we must. I want you all reporter from the war whose cause the country rallied around. Good afternoon. On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against al qaeda terrorist Training Camps and military installations of the taliban regime in afghanistan. Reporter to one which divided the country from the start. My fellow citizens, at this hour american and Coalition Forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger. Reporter a danger that turned out not to exist and a war that came to define Mission Creep. The new strategy i outlined tonight will change americas course in iraq and help us succeed in the fight against terror. Reporter it was the war that barack obama inherited and one he was determined to put to an end. Operation iraqi freedom is over. This was my pledge to the American People as a candidate for this office. Reporter but what we have learned this week in the clearest possible way is that wanting a war to end and touting success does not mean our enemies are listening. My fellow americans, tonight i want to speak to you about what the United States will do with our friends and allies to degrade and ultimately destroy the terrorist group known as isil. May god bless our troops and may god bless the United States of america. Indeed, but some welcome news, the pentagon did not release any names of Service Members killed in afghanistan this week. Thats all for us today. Thanks for sharing part of your sunday with us. Check out world news tonight later. Have a great day. Have a great day