toomey's polling goes up. in the toomey polling going up, which i think is the most important thing for other republicans to watch, what that -- there seems to be something in that, that says, hey, there's something to be said for what looks like statesmanship. >> right. not just toomey, but look at mary landrieu in louisiana, always considered vulnerable, up in a state that has almost no gun laws, how conservative they are. her numbers went up too. so did kaye hagen's in north carolina. by the way, bill was crafted pretty smartly. the part about assault weapons was an amendment. the main actual bill was called the public safety and second amendment protection act. like the bill was written specifically to be all about background checks and prohibiting anything like a registry. so the way it was written, protected people like toomey, even with gun owners. so to vote against something that moderate, that compromised-laden, makes people look extreme. >> ej deion, the nra's enemy's list, and the last words friend

we love the fact pat toomey had the courage to take this on but pat toomey shouldn't say it's over. it's not over. we can get a revote. we can win this. we need pat toomey to stand up the way he stood up the first time. we're not going away this time. newtown changed so much for so many americans. people like me and mayor bloomberg have been working on it for ten years. we now are joined by people who understand the issue that -- the reason kelly ayotte, i hope erica understands that. the reason that she has no answer is because there is no answer. there's no good answer except i'm a coward or except i let partisanship get in the way of it because i hate the president. neither of those answers is acceptable. >> you know, erica, i think the calculation of people like the senator you dressed yesterday so forcefully, and i approve of everything, in fact, i rallied what you did, is their calculation i think is this. what the governor just said. in the past, before what happened up at newtown, the people cared about gun control like me when i wrote a letter to my congressman after bobby

toomey, has said. >> that's right. it's not about winning or losing. it's about what is wrong for america. they are going to pay for it because people are getting fed up. and as i said when we talked about this earlier this week, the people who care about this issue are not going away this time. >> you know, joy, churchill, my hero, said in victory magnanimity. they believe in rubbing the guy's face in it. they have limited the end zone dance as something minimally triumphant now. these guys -- i hear it's going to go on all afternoon. sarah palin is going to do one of these things. it's going to go on and on. i think it might be a dance over the grave. i think the governor is right. it can't be about less invasive background checks. is this the holy grail for these people? >> i think so. i used to like it when the nfl did back flips. i was thinking i almost feel like the right is suffering from body dysmorphic disorder. they have an in ability to see them as the way others see them. the rest of the country is looking at them thinking, wow, these guys

you saw, you know, senator toomey going out everywhere saying i don't see this as gun control. i am a gun rights advocate. i have a good rating with the nra. i am a concerned republican. i don't see this as gun control. many of the conversations can take place quietly and slowly over time and i do believe that they can make some head way. with vice president biden saying we can do this this year, with all of the polling showing people who voted to support expanded background checks doing well and those against doing poorly and the fact senator manchin twoonts rework it i think will push the coalition to try to bring something up too soon and i don't think they're going to make it the second time. this is a very long marathon and they need to model the efforts of the nra, separate the nra leadership from the membership. they can be as aggressively organized as the gun rights advocates and until then they won't have a victory. they need a resounding victory. >> as much as i'd like to let you have this layup i'm moving on to another topic because we are running out of time. presid

toomey supported this is because pennsylvania has a large gun population. ayotte is also from a state that doesn't have a kind of absolutist stance on gun control. i think she's looking at a possible, maybe a vice president role in 2016. doing something to help her status within the national gop. but remember as ben said, this is a big deal issue for democrats now. especially among the rising class of 2016 hopefuls like o'malley and kwcuomo. >> it keeps it obama coalition engaged. young folks, blacks, latinos, women, suburban women particularly. going into 2014, the more they can keep this front and center for democrats, i think the better they are. >> maybe they'll hold a vote on it every country couple of months, raise high the roof beam. after the break in the wake of the boston bombings, new evidence that meshes are more willing to forgo some civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism. while surveillance cameras become ubiquitous, things slip through the cracks. "time's" michael crowley joins us coming up on "now." [ male announcer ] this is kevi

that's what we were concerned about with toomey-mansion. and unfortunately in this debate, charlie, nobody ever looked at the efficacy of this piece of legislation. we were actually hoping for a vote on t lbert amendment-- coburn amendment, coburn has put some time into a portal like this that would allow people to instantly be able to download their ability to show that they can purchase a weapon because they're not mentally ill, they're not a felon. i think we need to continue to work on this. and to me there ought to be a solution in a country like ours that iss technologically advanced as we are. >> do you think senator toomey and senator mansion want to take away your second amendment rights? >> no. i don't. think tathey aempt a piece of legislation that has some flaws. and i think we need to keep working at this. and i think there is a solution. again, charlie, as i just mentioned, we have the ability to do so many things with technology today that there ought to be a way of doing this. i had say that what i find to be the bigger issu

pat toomey i thought spoke a lot of truth yesterday. it's not news that the strategy of congressional republicans since president obama came in has to be oppose him and try to defeat him and hand him political -- they advertised this is not a point of controversy. it has worked for them at the level of congressional elections. they took back control of the house of representatives and made gains in 2010 in the senate and not worked for them at the national level. this is goes feeds into this fundamental dynamic of the republican party right now. the thing they do to thwart the president every turn do not hurt them particularly at the level of congressional politics. they would hold on to the house of representatives in 2014 and they continue to do themselves long-term damage at the level of a national party because of the fact that 88% of people are in favor of this bill. >> had this gone through, what would be happening in washington now in terms of other legislation that is important to the american people? >> well, i don't know that

by the way, toomey may get re-elected on this because he did the right thing. coming up, we continue our series, the unkindest cut. a series we're doing on the real pain caused by the sequester cuts. tonight, promising heart attack research in peril for lack of money. also, just about everybody wants to help the rebels in syria, but which ones? some are aligned with al-qaeda. others want to establish an islamist state. a reality check from richard engel and we learned today that job creation has been better than what we thought. the unemployment rate down to 7.5. could that be a boost for democrats in 2014? and we're already heard a lot from the nra today, but now this. its new president refers to the american civil war as the war not between the states. the war of northern aggression. that's talking the cause, the lost cause if you remember it.

anyway, senator pat toomey co-authored the compromise on background checks. we like him for that. on guns. this week he said the reason it failed had to do with republican opposition to the president. let's listen to the senator from pennsylvania. >> i thought that we had settled on a really common sense approach that ought to be able to achieve a consensus. i think in the end we didn't because our politics have become so polarized. and there are people on my side who didn't want to be perceived to be helping something that the president wants to accomplish. simply because it's the president who wants to accomplish it. >> well, according to the "times herald" toomey tried to clarify the statement in the same meeting. he said he was referring to republicans across the nation, not just across the aisle in the senate. "the new york times'" reporter write, what toomey was reserving to there goes deeper and wider than gun safety. "republicans are clearly looking to do more than deprive mr. obama victories. however. the ultimate goal is to make him appear powerless and weak, a flailing

because a registry system was expressly prohibited from toomey-manchin. so she is buying into a canard that this is some kind of a registry. you know what that means in certain quarters, it is a precursor of they're coming for you your gun. that is not an accurate response. >> when i say has the answer improved. it is not a judgment on her position as much as it is an explanation of her position. the first answer in the initial town hall was there needs to be more done regarding people with mental health issues in keeping the guns. to your point the answer this time around is not accurate. so whether or not you agree with her vote, she doesn't seem at this point prepared to explain as solution in her eyes in great detail, michael. >> i think that her constituents are owed a substantive response. this is a major vote. she is a member of the u.s. senate. if that's the best that she's got, it is terribly lacking. >> nia-malika, we're looking at these polls. as i ran down the polls, they're seeing a drop here. is this a one-time only thing. a one-off situatio

too many toomey, has said. >> that's right. it's not about winning or losing. it's about what is wrong for america. they are going to pay for it because people are getting fed up. and as i said when we talked about this earlier this week, the people who care about this issue are not going away this time. >> you know, joy, churchill, my hero, said in victory magnanimity. they believe in rubbing the guy's face in it. they have limited the end zone dance as something minimally triumphant now. these guys -- i hear it's going to go on all afternoon. sarah palin is going to do one of these things. it's going to go on and on. i think it might be a dance over the grave. i think the governor is right. it can't be about less invasive background checks. is this the holy grail for these people? >> i think so. i used to like it when the nfl did backflips. i was thinking i almost feel like the right is suffering from body dismore specific disorder. they have an in ability to see them as the way others see them. the rest of the country is looking at them thinking, wow, these

toomey yesterday, you know, it is true what they say. every now and then a politician will screw up and tell the truth in washington and that's called a gaffe. pat toomey -- >> bill: very rare. >> told the truth on the background checks. in the end it didn't pass because we're so politicized. there were some on my side who did not want to be seen helping the president do something he wanted to get done, just because the president wanted to do it. plain and simple. >> bill: pretty sad. talked about that last night on current tv on "the war room" with michael shure and yeah, i mean pat toomey told the truth here. what do you expect? going back to mitch mcconnell who said on day one their number one priority was to prevent obama from getting a second term. there are a lot of republicans who decide where they're going to stand on issue after they figure out where barack obama is on the issue then they take the other side. >> exactly. >> bill: back to ted cruz, just checking online about this canadian being born in canada. he was born in calg

pat toomey said many of his republican colleagues voted no, because they didn't want to give the president a political victory. >> i thought that we had settled on a really common sense approach. to achieve a consensus. i don't think we did because our politics have become so polarized. there's people on my side who didn't want to be perceived to be helping something that the president wants to accomplish simply because it's the president who wants to accomplish it. >> toomey later tried to walk back parts of his comments, saying it wasn't just senators, but republicans across the country, who has misgivings about the bill. >>> now, there are suggestions immigration reform, also backed by the president, could face an equally bumpy road. congressman jack kingston told "the new york times," there was a lot of washington talk about the gun bill's possibilities. but i never saw that reflected in the people at home. now, there's buzz about immigration reform. and that's not reflected, either. >>> the department of justice will try to keep young teens from having access to over-the-counter plan

did that start prior to manchin and toomey getting together? or after the defeat? >> it started prior and it was a big part of the reason why there was such unprecedented support in recent years for this legislation. you know, why six a-rated nra senators actually listened to their constituents. but it's definitely been amped up since the vote, and you know, it shows what a watershed moment -- i was actually in the chambers with sarah brady, who, you know, was there the first time around for the passage of the brady bill, that the president was talking about. you know, she turned to me immediately after, kind of partially consoling me, saying you know, dan, sometimes it takes a good defeat and that's really what's happened. because it shined a light on the elected officials who were not representing the american public and the very folks that we need to hold accountable and since the vote, we have put more than 20,000 calls in to the senate and now we're starting to do it while the house is back in their districts this week, flooding calls into there, making the vo

pat toomey's revelation about why the background check failed has everybody talking. francena says, "i'm grateful to toomey for being honest" and clark says, "these republicans will do anything to oppose president obama, even at the cost of american's lives." >>> coming up next, we'll talk about how the president can fight back against gop obstructionism with the man who is one of hits closest advisers, david axelrod. but first, we want to hear what you think. please head over to facebook and search "politicsnation" and "like" us to keep the conversation going long after the show ends. so now we've turned her toffee into a business. my goal was to take an idea and make it happen. i'm janet long and i formed my toffee company through legalzoom. i never really thought i would make money doing what i love. [ robert ] we created legalzoom to help people start their business and launch their dreams. go to legalzoom.com today and make your business dream a reality. at legalzoom.com we put the law on your side. ♪ [ indistinct shouting ] [ male announcer ] time and sales da

absolutely that's one of the issues i mean when the supercommittee had pat toomey from pennsylvania and patty murray from washington state senators from different parties both having boeing as part of their constituency i predicted this committee would fail because neither side wanted to actually see that well it's all right so i want to i want you to finish it off after our short break and after a short break we'll continue our discussion on the fed spending states that are to . be. they all see themselves as dying swans in their dreams. but only one in the cells and will ever make it to the top. they're ready to give their lives for the chance to die on stage if only once. not even broken wings come to tell of them. for generations at the madrid ski theatre ballet sweat and tears on a. please . i. i am from. the lord that i. and every day she says mother body. syria or saudia in arabic. why name. everyone hamlin's in the war beginning far from on the skill of. the syrian woman is. trying. to stop the very most of all the cause of. my name. i'm planning to stay here a show. to build a

coming together on an issue, on a bipartisan basis, and senator toomey said it. there are those who just do not want to see the president succeed. now, put that aside. this is not about barack obama's success. this is about this nation and legislation that can protect our children, that would have been potentially protected erica lafferty's mom and the other teach who are died and were murdered at sandy hook and those who are dying every day. we have an obligation. it is not an obligation to barack obama. it's an obligation to the people who elect us to do the right thing. it is not about our personal ideologies. it is about what we need to do in order to deal with such a difficult issue that this nation is facing. and i believe the senate had an obligation, a moral responsibility to pass that legislation so we could bring some solace to those families every day and the newtown families who are never going to be able to get their loved ones back but can say that those who represent me are doing what they need to do to help protect us and others. >> connecticut co

toomey, had said on the record. >> no question. it's disgusting. this isn't about the president, about him winning or losing. it's about what's right for america and what's wrong with washington, d.c. is exactly what these guys are saying and they're going to pay for it because people are getting fed up. the people who care about this issue are not going away this time. >> you know, joy, churchill, my hero, in victory, mag nemty. i mean, this is the -- not the nba, the nfl has sort of limited the end zone dances to something minimally triumphant now. you can't put on an entire performance, but these guys, it seems to be no limit. i hear it's going to go on all afternoon. sarah palin's going to do one of these things. i think it might be a dance of death over the president's political grave. i think the governor's right. it can't just be about less invasive background checks. is this the holy grail for these people? >> i think so and i used to like it in the nfl when they used to do back flips. i was just thinking i almost feel like the right is suf

she voted against the manchin/toomey bill. you'd think she'd be safe in terms of this. today she was confronted by a relative, a daughter of one of the victims up at sandy hook. erica lafferty lost her mother, the principal of the school. listen to this exchange. >> you had mentioned that day, the burden on owners of gun stores that the expended background checks would cause. i'm just wondering why the burden of my mother being gunned down in the halls of her elementary school isn't as important as that? why is that not something that can be supported? >> erica, certainly let me just say that i'm obviously so sorry, and as everyone here, no matter what our views are, for what you have been through. and i think that ultimately when we look at what happened in sandy hook, i understand that's what drove this whole discussion. all of us want to make sure that that doesn't happen again. >> wonder what she meant by that. >> well, i mean -- >> what did senator ayotte mean when she said, i hope it doesn't happen again, and there's a daughter of one of the prime victims. >> what

toomey: mr. president i ask unanimous consent to address the 207 topic of an amendment that thor brown and i have introduced to this legislation. the presiding officer: senator, we're currently a quorum call. mr. toomey: i ask that the quorum call be suspended. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. toomey: thank you. first i would like to begin by thanking my colleague senator browrntion for his leadership on this issue and senator casey my colleague from pennsylvania, who is supportive of this effort as well. mr. president, this isn't a complicated amendment and i don't think it is a controversial amendment either. the fact is, in southwestern pennsylvania we've got three iconic rivers. in northwestern pennsylvania we have access to and a coastline along a beautiful and important national treasure much it is lake erie. both of theerks the rivers and lake erie, the commerce and recreation that occurs on these waterways are potentially at risk to an invasion of the asian carp. this as we a

toomey: mr. president, my understanding is that senator shaheen was going to take the first 30 seconds of the minute on behalf speaking in favor. i don't see her on the floor. i was going it take the second half. i believe i see her now. so at this time, if she's rather, i would yield to the senator from new hampshire. mrs. shaheen: yes, thank you. the presiding officer: the senator from new hampshire is recognized. mrs. shaheen: thank you, senator toomey. this amendment was address the only program within the farm bill that hasn't been reformed, the sugar program. the way it is now, it's a -- mr. menendez: the senate is not in order. the presiding officer: the senators will take their conversations to the cloakroom. senator shaheen. mrs. shaheen: what we've now is a sweet deal for sugar growers and a bad deal for consumers. we're losing three jobs in manufacturing for every one job we save in the sugar grower industry. that's not a good deal for job creation in this country. would end to change

his mission if not to break senator patty murray from from from from washington state democrat pat toomey republican senator from pennsylvania both have boeing is a commonality so you've got people who actually are more worried about their reelection than what's doing what's best for the american people because when i sat in the super committee i predicted they would naturally do nothing productive actually rein in these issues regarding the defense side of the house with that said boeing is actually the most creative of the super contractors because they actually had done a small burger the president comment that the fact that they're going to basically accept they have to cut and therefore as a productive hard productive company producing aircraft they're going to take some of the military side folks and confirm to the civilian side to the commercial side which really is the right thing to do we should have all contractors doing that sort of thing instead they're digging their heels in as doug stipulated and as as kelly stipulated that all they're trying to do is basically lobby the hil

pat toomey explains why he didn't get his bill he co-authored through the senate. >> i think in the end we didn't because our politics have become so polarized. there are people on my side who didn't want to be perceived to be helping something that the president wants to accomplish simply because it's the president who wants to accomplish it. it's a heavy lift to get five senators to change their mind about a high profile issue like this so i'm just not sure that it's likely to happen any time soon. >> according to a "the new york times"/cbs new poll, even republicans overwhelmingly support background checks to gun buyers and path to citizenship for illegal immigrants but asked about president's handling of the issues and voters retreat into partisan camps. 17% of republicans approve of the president's handling of gun policy. 41% of voters approve overall. 52% disapprove. only 15% of republicans approve of how the president has handled immigration reform. overall americans are divided. supporters of the immigration bill moving through the senate are aware of the danger that despite bro

you start with pat toomey. senators who used to be inclined to basically side with the nra in a knee jerk reaction are now understanding there's a political price to pay for doing that. their understanding that the newtown effect is not going away. it's not going to go away. >> i want to push you on that a little bit, this idea there's a political effect for this. i think part of what seemed to make president obama so angry in that press conference right after the bill failed was this sense that in fact members of the senate apparently didn't think they were going to lose their job. is there someone who is going to lose their job as a result of this vote? >> yes. undoubtedly yes. i look a lot at the immigration issue to see how this dynamic on guns is now working. you go back a few months, you see mitt romney running for president on the immigration issue on the right wing saying things as radical as you can imagine, they go into the 2012 elections in november and get hammered and lose the latino vote overwhelm

literally if we can't get something done that 90% of the american people want done, and the fact that toomey whether he slipped or not and told the truth that tells you everything you need to know. this congress is provably obstructionist, and it's not fair to put it on the president. >> absolutely not. you can blame the president when two things happen. when democrats win the house back and get rid of the filibuster in the senate, the way it is used currently, and when those two things happen and the president isn't able to get anything done, then you can blame the president. until then this is a guy who offered up social security on the chopping block to get the republicans to come to the table. i was ticked off to all get out when he did that, and very upset, but he did it to get republicans to the table, and they still won't come to the table. >> stephanie: thank you, and if i hear one more person start a sentence with lincoln johnson -- he does not have anywhere near the liberal major advertise -- >> not only did lyndon johnson have huge working major advertise but they weren't filibust

. >>> up in arms, senator pat toomey says he knows why his bipartisan gun bill died in the senate. >> i think in the end we didn't because our politics have become so polarized. and there are people on my side who didn't want to be perceived to be helping something that the president wants to accomplish. simply because it's the president who wants to accomplish it. >>> and google comes to us. we chat with executives eric schmidt and jerry cohen about the new digital age in their new book. >>> plus, from one former secretary to another, henry kissinger jokes about hillary clinton's 2016 prospects. >> became president. and that sort of started focusing my mind. i want to tell hillary when she misses the office, she looks at the history of secretaries of state, there might be hope for a fulfilling life afterwards. >> good day, i'm andrea mitchell live in washington, the students accused of interfering with evidence linked to the deadly boston bombings will all be appearing in court over the next few weeks. meanwhile, investigators continue to examine the recovered items taken by these me

yes or no on manchin toomey? and we know what that means. manchin and toomey are senators. they offered a bill. she obviously didn't have the answer right there. she wasn't exactly sure. rookie mistake? look. i don't think -- at this late date anybody is going to give her a hard time. this is a great race because you have two underdogs. if you like underdogs and i think everybody likes underdogs in politics, you have two underdogs going against each other. this late date i don't think anybody cares about that little slip. i think she is slipping in the polls somewhat because she has disappointed her democratic base by trying to reach out and seem a little more conservative right at the end. i don't think anybody is going to -- >> hard to win as a progressive in south carolina. whoever wins is renting the seat. because the next -- >> there is another election come november. >> you bet. >>> ahead on "the lead" can't bill clinton do one public event without getting a question about hillary clinton running for president? no. the answer is no. what is the former president saying

that brings me to pat toomey who said quote . . . you know, it's -- that's -- really goes to what you were just talking about. i mean they -- they see something that is a good piece of legislation. they know probably in their heart and minds and politically it is right, yet they just don't want with to be with the president. are we too naive to expect the mcconnell doctrine to subside? >> what do you expect when mitch mcconnell started out day one of the obama administration saying the number one goal of the republicans in the senate was to prevent president obama from getting a second term. this is just the latest issue on the stand the republicans have taken depends on the stand that the president has taken. look at the individual mandate, the heritage foundation a conservative republican philosophy if you will embraced by mitt romney in massachusetts, when president obama put it in the health care reform suddenly they are against it. but for them to use this doctrine on this issue on gun safety, and those 20 little angels killed u

senator toomey of pennsylvania says republicans voted against the bill just because it's a major part of president obama's agenda. the president promised voters that he would get tougher gun laws passed, if he were re-elected. toomey says that caused "political polarization" to kick in when people vote their partyline no matter what. that's actually similar to what president obama said about the failed gun bill. some republicans say that's not true and that they will support a bill, if it does not infringe on a citizen's right to bare arms. emeritus pope benedict the 16th has moved back to the vatican as was planned. a picture of benedict with current pope francis was released to the media. no tv cameras were present. benedict was the first pope to abdicate in 600 years. he has been staying at the castel gandolfo papal summer residence ever since he stepped-down earlier this year. he'll live-out his retirement in a restored convent in the vatican gardens, a short walk from the residence of his successor. pope francis is not living in the customary papal apartment at the vatican. he li

from 1998 to 2012 helen toomey worked for life care center of america. >> the mission statement that they have is no longer true which is to serve their residents in a christian-based atmosphere. >> who are they serving? >> themselves. >> among other services life care provides speech and physical therapy, but toomey says much of it was not needed. >> they felt that no one was watching them and so that every patient that came through the building, they could charge the highest rate of reimbursement regardless of their diagnosis or their need. >> what percentage of the therapy you're being told to administer do you think was not necessary? >> i would say probably as time went on about 40%. >> 40% of the work you were doing -- >> was not reasonable and not necessary under medicare guidelines. >> reporter: toomey says it got so bad that last year she resigned but on her way out, she took these patient notesful she says they show how life care wouldn't let patients leave so the company could core to bill medicare. >> this is on 12:30. cannon, i requested. dp, asap discharge as soon as po

then the senator said well the problem was it would create a registry, but as you know in the toomey/manchin bill, it makes it a felony punishable by something like 15 years in jail. >> nobody is buying it in new hampshire. there's been editorials seeing through this. people who are felons can't by guns. >> john feinblatt, chief policy adviser to mayor bloomberg. nice to have you here. >> thank you very much. >>> all right. in space, no one can hear you sing mostly. hold on. that's next. where is flo? anybody know where flo is? are you flo? yes. is this the thing you gave my husband? well, yeah, yes. the "name your price" tool. you tell us the price you want to pay, and we give you a range of options to choose from. careful, though -- that kind of power can go to your head. that explains a lot. yo, buddy! i got this. gimme one, gimme one, gimme one! the power of the "name your price" tool. only f as soon as you feel it, weigh you down? try miralax. it works differently than other laxatives. it draws water into your colon to unblock your system naturally. don't wait to feel great. mira

what is happening to pat toomey in pennsylvania? >> he is going up in the polls and people are saying explicitly in quinnipiac poll his handling of the gun issue is the thing they like. >> you were saying weeks before in the lead-up to the vote that this is going against what the people want. >> right. >> now it's being proven to idiotic members of the senate -- >> get a permission structure. how do you find a permission structure -- brings back chambliss and baucus? you're right. go for six. i thought what we learned from ted cruz, maybe in the worst way, have a vote and nail them and bring them back into the fold. ted cruz is a freshman but a tough guy and you want a tough guy? you got one there on the right but the president is not his strength. leaders from a different kind. >> flaky is down 19 and not as bad for begich. >> what would you call ohio a purple state? i don't think it's a blue. i think you're seeing this in the purple states like new hampshire and ohio. >> arizona has a lot of retirees. they don't like what he did.

>> well one of the things they can do is if they have a representative who voted for the manchin-toomey amendment, they can call them and thank them. and if they have a representative who didn't, they can call them and say, "would you mind telling me why?" the president has said it at least half a dozen times now. nothing is going to change until the people demand it. until the people ask for it. >> he said that on december 16th to us -- >> he did, he did. >> to us. and the people, the senators who voted against it, one of the things they said in their defense was, "well, it was a three to one call from constituents who did not support this bill." >> or four to one, or six to one. >> you know. >> right. >> and so they were listening to those phone calls. so i would say, you know, get on the phone. if you support background checks and you support your senator to vote for that. >> we know how well financed, we know how well organized, and we know how effective the other side of this particular part of this debate is. so it's an uphill struggle. there's no denying that. but does that mean

that's what the manchin-toomey amendment was all about. we needed 60 votes. we got 55. we lost four votes on this side of the aisle, the democratic side. we picked up four votes on the other side of the aisle. and let me commend my colleague, my republican colleague mark kirk who joined me in voting for this measure, truly a bipartisan effort from most senators who voted for it, but we fell five votes short of breaking the republican filibuster. the issue of gun violence isn't going to go away. we're losing more americans every day to this gun violence. just this morning, the "chicago tribune" reported two people were killed and 11 wounded in shootings last night in chicago. chicago is a wonderful city. it's a great city. proud to represent it and proud to spend much of my time there, but i'm saddened by the gun violence that takes place there and in all the cities, major cities across america. since 26 school children and six teachers were killed in newtown, connecticut, on december 14, america has been fixed on gun violence. just the images of those beautiful little b

the manchin/toomey bipartisan approach to keep the guns out of hands of convicted felons and people so mentally unstable they shouldn't own them. it's still sound policy. the national rifle association can go to texas and celebrate defeating this measure, but they shouldn't celebrate when they take a look at the carnage that takes place every day in america because convicted felons have guns. we stand with law enforcement. we believe this measure would be brought to the floor again. senator reid has put it in a procedural position where it can be called on a moment's notice. what we need to see is a change in political sentiment within the senate. we need to pick up five more votes, and that's quite a task, i might add, as whip in the senate, but we can do this. i hope the american people don't give up. i know the president hasn't given up. >> you're basically counting on public pressure on those who voted against it so you couldn't get a bill passed essentially. thank you so much, senator. >> listen, the american public -- >> go ahead. i didn't mean to interrupt you. go ahead and fini

. >> i would like to thank you so much for the vote on the manchin/toomey background checks. >> that's where americans stand now on guns. that's why the far right is far from over, far from over is this fight gns the far right on this issue and that's why president obama is vowing to push the background checks. joining me now, melissa harris-perry. thank you for being here. >> thank you for having me. >> melissa, aren't we seeing the disconnect between the nra and the allies in congress with the american people? >> yeah, it's kind of stunning. certainly at this point it's official officially puzzling. you have to be able to assume that you can predict the actions of members of the house of representatives or of the senate on a very simple equation. if they think doing something will get them re-elected, then that is what they will do. it's pretty simple. so we just have to figure out what kind of district is this person in and it's less about ideology and their own job preservation. in this case, you repeatedly have people with these pro nra fights against what seems to be against the

>> pat toomey committed the truth and the truth is that if the president is for something, the republicans are against it. obama said it right. the fact is, they are terrified of a tea party primary in their districts so it's very hard to get anything done. it's very different from, say, 1986 when ronald reagan could work with a democratic congress on tax reform. those days are long gone. as i look ahead to something leak immigration reform, i'm not particularly optimistic. all you have to do is listen to marco rubio waffle in the last day or two unless he could continue discrimination against gays and even if the bill gets through the senate, it goes to the house where there's a very good chance it's going to get killed. look, you have a republican party right now that is so adamant that every day in washington is groundhog day. >> yeah. >> every day is another day of gridlock. >> but joy, we've heard a lot of pundits blame president obama for the inaction of congress. >> uh-huh. >> just today, maureen dowd road this. "it is his job to get them to behave. the job of the former community o