bill bennett makes his living criticizing the government. we don't apartment law that says you can't mouth off to governmental authority. >> sometimes you have to because the most powerful weapon that the police has to protect us is our respect for their authority. when we undermine them, when we throw that away all they have left is force and the gun and we don't, none of us want to abuse that. that's why it's important to respect that thofrt in a that's why sometimes police have to take action and arrest people. >> john, a thin blue line. paul was impugning me i thought at harvard. i worked with police department and been in law enforcement. i've been on both side this was. the officer had not concluded yet that there was no crime. remember, how police procedures in these situations. guys often report of a break in in the house, sometimes as an estranged husband in a domestic dispute, the most dangerous kind of situation a policeman can encounter. there was report of two men, he only saw one. he was trying to ascertain what was going on an

we'll be back with much more. >> bill bennett and donna brazile. as we stipeak facebook is lightg up with questions because people want more answers, straight talk about the debate because of all the concern being raised, now much does it cost? how much will it cost them? might affect choices? done narc the president all along has said we need to do this by august, get it out of the house and the senate. so they could have the grand compromise negotiations into the fall. with all of this condpufusion, s not going to bring down cost as fast, different proposals how to pay for it in the house and the senate, the president said take more time to get this right or keep pushing. >> i think right now the president should continue to keep the pressure on congress to try to get this legislation out by the end of july or august. and john, look, the cbo revised some of the estimates on the house charge, 3200, and basically they said that over ten-year period this bill will be budget neutral, it pays for itself and there will be a $6 billion surplus. they're

in washington two cnn contributors, donna brazile and bill bennett and in new york ed rollins. two republican this is day not to outnumber donna. maybe it takes two republicans to debate donna. there's so much republican news in the news. let's start with sarah palin's abrupt announcement, surprise announcement she would not run for re-election next year, bill benne bennett, but she's quitting at the end of the month, quitting as alaska's governor. you're in touch with the base, bill. is she going to run for president? >> i don't know. two republican gentlemen, might add, john, so donna can be reassured. i'll find out tomorrow on the base thing. i'm looking forward to my radio show, three hours of this. we'll find out soon whether she means to focus on home and family or whether she is seeking to advance those core values on the stage as you said. but once she gets on that stage, if she comes and spends a lot of time in the lower 48 giving speeches, doing lincoln day dinners, et cetera, et cetera, we don't know whether that's part of the plan for the next presidential run or a

reaction from both sides when we talk to bill bennett and james carville straight ahead. it's 20 minutes until the top of the hour. fancy feast elegant mes tuscany entrÉes restaurant inspired dishes with long grain rice and garden greens is it love? or is it fancy feast? of the world's most revered luxury sedan. this is a history of over 50,000 crash-tested cars... this is the world record for longevity and endurance. and one of the most technologically advanced automobiles on the planet. this is the 9th generation e-class. this is mercedes-benz. >>> welcome back to the most news in the morning. he came to talk about health care but the biggest news coming out of president obama's press conference last night was his take on the arrest of a friend, harvard professor henry louis gates jr. >> police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home. >> gates was hauled off by police after mistakenly being accused of trying to break into his own home. he claims he was a victim of racial profiling and wants an apology from camb

bill bennett, talk show host and political commentator here at cnn. bill bennett, thank you. >>> and an amazing outcome to tell you about to a troubling story. a baby cut from her mother's body is found alive. and an arrest is made. we've got details coming up here in the newsroom. an... you can't... this isn't a stove, alright? i mean... what if i just walked into the kitchen and started making a salad? - that'd be weird. - right? i mean, look, there's a technique. - okay... - ( strikes match ) wow. it's okay, everyone. - thanks, hon. - you're welcome. announcer: yep, it's that easy, - with kingsford match light. - ( match strikes ) to being able to manage your diabetes properly. it's very important for me to uh check my blood sugar before i go on stage. being on when i'm feeling low can be like a rollercoaster. it does at times feel like my body is telling me to do one thing... and, my mind, my heart is telling me to do something else. managing my highs and lows is super important. with my contour meter i can personalize my high/lo settings so it re

bill bennett is joining us, our cnn contributor. bill, what did you think? >> well, very interesting. lindsey graham is an interesting character and has a way of asking questions. look, i want to say this. i'm still troubled by some of the things that she has said. also troubled by the ricci case, but, you know, let me tell you what i think. i genuinely think this woman may have gotten into princeton on affirmative action and i think she would say she did. but she didn't graduate suma con lade. some extent in her personal life, a lot of people are, but i think she is quite genuine by saying she wouldn't apply it to her judging and i would predict right now if i am on cnn in two years, and i hope i am by your grace, wolf, and others, that i would be able to say to you, you know, this is a more interesting and complicated judge and the record would show a more interesting judge and complicated judge as david souter. i don't think she will be as complicated a judge as david souter. her life is much larger than her idology and backing off the latina woman statem

maria, former deputy chief of staff in the clinton white house with us, and james carville and bill bennett also joining us. welcome to everybody. jeff, let me start with you at the bottom line this. out of all of the hours of questioning today, isn't the bottom line that senators want to know whether or not a white man who comes before judge sotomayor is going to get a fair hearing? >> well, this is a judge who's been on the bench for 17 years. in almost all cases, she has ruled with other judges, there is really no doubt that she is very much a mainstream judge. she said a thing she regrets. there's no doubt about it. she apologized, it was wrong, and i think the controversy is largely going to go away, but she had to fold her cards. she was wrong on what she said. >> james, did she do a good job of explaining what she meant by her comments? >> well, i think, look, i think she's just running out the clock. i think she's going to be confirmed, i think the strategy today is just don't do anything controversial, apologize for this and sit down and let these senators lecture. and i think that

we're going to bring in npr contributor john ridly and former education secretary bill bennett. we've also got some clevelasomem bashir jones joining us. how many times did we hear this described as a teachable moment? so did we learn anything? >> you know, i would hope that these two gentlemen, professor gates and sergeant crowley probably learned something interactsing with each other. these are two guys that should have known better, i think one reacted poorly, the other overreacted. but where we are now with this beer summit, i know the president doesn't like that, this is unteachable. this is no longer a situation that most people would find them sneflz a similar situation can even relate to. so, no, i hope they mean something. i think this one is off the teachable chart. >> so you think the president mishandled it? >> i don't think the president mishandled it. i think it was a good idea. he got dragged into something that was beyond the white house. i think it was good to say let's sit down. again, as you said at the top of this, campbell this is sort of become a circus fo

joining us is cnn contributor and talk radio host, bill bennett. let's listen to something that sarah palin said on friday and then i'll get your reaction. >> life is too short to compromise time and resources. and though it may be tempting to put your head down and apiece those who say to shut up and that's a quitter's approach. i think the problem is ap pa three. it would be ap pathetic to go with the flow. we're fishermen. we know that only dead fish go with the flow. >> according to that, she's not quitting, if you look at it that way, right? what is she doing? >> reporter: you know, you've got to say, whether you like her or not, fish, caribou -- >> there was sports in there, too, i think. >> reporter: may i just mention that you can see alaska from russia? >> yes. what a great thing to say as we wait for the -- >> reporter: and look at the architecture of those buildings? it's fantastic. has there ever been any good u communist architecture? >> not that i know of. >> reporter: what is she up to? the mind of a woman. that's a dangerous comment

more on the raw politics reading left to right literally, james carville and bill bennett. james, as you know, many of the president's allies in washington say he's paying a price for deferring too much to congress and letting more liberal committee chairmen shape his margins. in "the new york times," columnist david brooks calls this the liberal suicide march. he said this -- machiavelli said a leader should be fear as well as loved. obama is loved by the democratic chairmen but he is not feared. on health care obama has emphasized cost control. the chairman flouted his priorities because they don't fear him. true? >> in this poker game, if you will, everybody is betting more than they can afford right now. we'll see how it works out. think it's something that's an observation that people want him to be more involved at this point in the legislative process. he and his chief of staff rahm emanuel who knows a lot about the hill, in particular the house, have chosen not to do that. we will know the wisdom of that decision this fall. >> bill, republicans are without a doubt,

more on the raw politics reading left to right literally, james carville and bill bennett. many of the president's allies say he is paying a price for deferring too much to congress and letting the liberal committee chairmen shape his margins. machiavelli said a leader should be fear as well as loved. obama is loved by the democratic chairmen but he is not feared. >> everybody is betting more than they can afford right now. we'll see how it works out. i think it is something that is an observation that people want him to be more involved. he and his chief of staff rahm emanuel who knows a lot about the hill, in particular the house, have chosen not to do that. we will know the wisdom of that decision this fall. >> bill, republicans are without a doubt, enjoying this. senator demint talked about obama's waterloo. bill kristol says with the president weakened somewhat some republicans will see an opening to deal. bill kristol advised go for the kill. 60% of the personal bankruptcies in this country are because of health care costs. is there a risk for the republicans in sound

let's bring in our cnn political contributor, democratic strategist james carville and bill bennett, the host of the national radio talk show "morning in america," a fellow at the claremont institute, as well. and i want to talk to you guys first about health care reform. it's reaching a decisive moment right now. james, first to you. if you go back to the barack obama campaign, and that was a long time ago, but there was a hard pledge he made there on the campaign website among other places saying this, and i'll read it to you -- no family will pay higher tax rates than they would have paid in the 1990s. that was during the clinton administration. >> right. >> but on the verge right now of nancy pelosi and democrats in the house get their way to have to break that pledge, isn't he? >> well, the democrats in the house get their way, but then you also have the senate and the president have not weighed in. it seems the strategy is to let this thing work through the legislative process. by the way, they're closer to getting health care reform than any time in history. this process has q

our cnn contributor bill bennett is still with us. bill, arlen specter, arguably, one of the most intriguing members of this panel. >> intriguing is a good adjective. becoming a democrat hasn't made him any funnier. look, i know arlen specter very well. when i was drug czar he got very much into it, very technical. he made a great point at the end to be veryioserious. you look at the constitution which senator sonia sotomayor invoked many times. may maybe it's the supreme court, perhaps that's the big power and we should think hard about that. maybe that is one of the most important things. i think he's right about that and a lot of people think about and worry about the amount of power the court has. this is a bipartisan wereorry. people worry with a democratic president that all will be made by a liberal and liberals worry that -- >> all right, looks like -- >> you remember months ago -- >> we're getting a technical glitch there. but just wrap up your thought. >> i'm sorry. remember eric holder said a few months ago we're too coward

cnn contributors bill bennett and donna brazile will help me analyze the sound that will become monday's headlines, all that on "state of the union." >>> as we do at this time, turn things over to

i heard bill bennett this morning criticizing her saying quitting is not a good thing and it won't serve her well. i heard the criticisms as much from republicans and democrats. a person has a right to do whatever they want to do, right? >> you certainly have the right to quit, rick. the question is whether you have a right to or an obligation to explain why you quit, especially after you sought the votes of tens of thousands of alaskans. then you said look at all the great things i've been doing as governor, elect me as vice president. then i've got 18 months to go, forget about it. i think the explanation has been less than satisfying. >> i think she may hurt herself with something like this. who knows? it may be coming at a different way, a way we don't get it. >> that's the thing. >> a lot of people are saying this can't be good in the end. why did you leave the job? we've got a lot of other stuff going on. always good to talk to you. >> thanks, rick. >> rioting in china leaving dozens dead. china? what could be going on in china the police couldn't control? it's quiet on the home fr

our own bill bennett said the incoming was 4-1. if you don't like her, you think she is a quitter. if you do like her, you think she is a victim. i think she is an unorthodox candidate and always has been. she is a middle class megamulticlassing mother, a conviction conservative, a reform governor. she had to balance all those things. i think she will continue to have an important future in the conservative, republican party. what that is, i don't think she knows. i don't think any of us know. what we are saying, she is done, she is toast, stick a fork in her, it is really unfounded. we have no way of knowing that. >> that is some comments coming from the republicans. >> let's listen to a little bit of the interview that drew griffin had with governor palin earlier today. >> july 3rd was deliberate. that's a good catch, because that was the eve of end pence day. >> i am told by your attorney that was your declaration of independence. >> it was a declaration of, come on, alaska, let's move forward. i love ac ago that much. i doesn't want to hamper its progress and it's potential and

bill, although in utah we refer to it as the bennett-wyden bill. senator and senator comes down here and speaks for permission in morning business and they always speak about health care. and since we haven't anybody else here to speak about the bill on the floor, chairman dorgan has indulged them in that bit of morning business. the one thread that has run through much of the statements about health care has been, we must get rid of the present system, as if that were a debatable issue. everybody recognizes we must get rid of the present system. the proposal that senator wyden and i have been behind gets rid of the present system. and coming to the floor and giving example after example of how the present system has failed americans is not the same thing as putting forward a legitimate proposal as to how to deal with the present system. and we discussed that a little yesterday, so i won't go into it again. i just want to make one slight change -- one slight addition to the comments that senator wyden made with respect to choice. when i first got h

and national talk show host, radio talk show host and cnn political contributor, bill bennett. here is what david brooks writing in the "new york times" today, liberal suicide march the headline. i will go to you, james, first. "months ago it seemed as if obama would lead a center-left coalition. instead, he has deferred to the old bulls on capitol hill on issue after issue. machiavelli said a leader should be feared as well as loved. obama is loved by the democratic chairman but he is not feared." brooks is referring to the liberals, especially in the house. what do you think? >> well, i mean, look, what he is doing and we will see if it works it will be brilliant f it doesn't, we will all say how stupid it is, but letting the house put that bill up and now some kind of deal, the senate on the finance committee, considerably more moderate. you know, one of these games this is very early in the bidding, if you will. and it is a little too early to draw conclusions. the truth of the matter is if you win, everything you do is smart. if you do, everything you do is stupid. we will

for example, you've got the wyden/bennett bill which has a large number of republicans signed up, as well as a large number of democrats. you've got the coburn and burr proposal which accomplishes the president's goals which snurns everyone and make sure you don't lose your insurance if you like it and my proposal which takes the same approach. there are a lot of constructive proposals out there and if the other folks who are drafting this -- these concepts are willing to take a look at them, then i think they can pick up some republican support. >> senator gregg, final question. do you think that the administration and those negotiating the various haerlted bills are tough enough on the insurance companies in terms of trying to ring out costs out of the system or frankly as my colleague chris matthews likes to say are at the pussy-footing around that a little bit? >> in the end, there's no question that those accounts are going to get hit and i happen to believe, for example, that we shouldn't have both deductability of health insurance when you get the high-end plans. for example,

. >> rose: the widen/bennett? >> the widen/bennett bill. and i believe even max baucus would like to see something along this lines where we have some equalization of tax deductibleability of purchasing for health insurance. either get rid of it, extend it for both, cap it but do something about it. i think that's a fundamental important step that has to be made. if we have to tax more people some more money, we do that, too. this is a political issue on how to pay for it. but we have to pay for it in a system that we're redesigning or we'll never get that return on the investment. that's why i think we have to be focused on both. this is the time toe make a statement about insurance for everybody and going for value at the same time. massachusetts has shown it. >> rose: and we need both. >> and we need both and massachusetts has proven it. >> rose: mandated insurance. >> they've mandated insurance but now we are two or three years later, they've got many more people insured, 98% or more. now they're coming to grips with the fact that deliv

so the wyden-bennett bill is constructed along the idea, let's rearrange the subsidies that we already give to the american people for health care and give it to everyone in a way that will permit them, all the american people, to afford a health insurance plan that's about the same plan that congressional employees is. and so instead of dumping 20 million more people into a failed government program called medicaid, which is not only disserving nose low-income people, but bankrupting states literally, we would say to low-income americans, here, take this money and buy a private insurance plan of your own just like the rest of us do. now what is wrong with that idea? if 14 of us think it ought to be considered. yet, it's not been given the time of day. senator coburn and senator burr have proposals. i've endorsed their proposals too. it's the same general idea. senator gregg has a approach, senator hatch has a proposal. not given the time of day. we've had very friendly discussions, but they don't qualify as bipartisan discussions. i would give the senate finance committee members grea

so the wyden-bennett bill is constructed along the idea, let's rearrange the subsidies that we already give to the american people for health care and give it to everyone in a way that will permit them, all the american people, to afford a health insurance plan that's about the same plan that congressional employees is. and so instead of dumping 20 million more people into a failed government program called medicaid, which is not only disserving nose low-income people, but bankrupting states literally, we would say to low-income americans, here, take this money and buy a private insurance plan of your own just like the rest of us do. now what is wrong with that idea? if 14 of us think it ought to be considered. yet, it's not been given the time of day. senator coburn and senator burr have proposals. i've endorsed their proposals too. it's the same general idea. senator gregg has a approach, senator hatch has a proposal. not given the time of day. we've had very friendly discussions, but they don't qualify as bipartisan discussions. i would give the senate finance committee members grea

dorgan: it is nearly 2:00 on wednesday, we've been on this bill since monday, and senator bennett and i have spent a lot of time on the floor waiting for amendments to be offered. we've had several. we appreciate that. we have many filed, but not offered. and i know that the majority leader has filed a cloture petition, which would ripen tomorrow, so we would have a cloture vote tomorrow. our hope has been that we would not get to that point. in as much as we have waited an waited very patiently for senators who do have amendments that they wish to offer and have not come to offer them, senator bennett and i have talked about perhaps going to a third reading this afternoon at 5:00 and so i would ask if there are those senators and or staff who have amendments that they wish to have considered on this legislation, that they would -- they keep that in mind. we have a couple of hours here. so senator bennett and i have talked about going to a third reading by 5:00. and i would ask people to come here an offer amendments. let's -- and offer amendments. let's have debates and have votes an

senator bennett is the ranking member. we have worked on the bill for some long while. on july 9, 2009, by a vote of 30-0, the committee recommended the bill, as amended, be reported to the senate. that is, the full appropriations committee has recommended this bill, on a bipartisan basis, without objection, 30-0. i want to thank both chairman inouye and vice chairman cochran for their support for this bill. i especially want to thank senator bennett for his work with me in developing the legislation. let me, perhaps, as i begin, rather than end, thank the staff of the subcommittee scott omallia on the minority, doug clap and molly barakman and many staff on both side that have worked very hard putting legislation of this type together. it is not easy. i think working with limited resources at a time when we have relatively difficult circumstances to try to deal with the federal budget deficits and other issues, we've put a bill together that is, has garnered bipartisan support. the allocation for this bill is just under $34.3 billion. with scorekeeping adjustments it c

senator dorgan and senator bennett are sheparding this bill on the floor. meanwhile in another room six senators or more are meeting, trying to work out the details of a piece of legislation that could literally affect every person living in america. it is the question of health care reform. it is an interesting issue because it has been tried before. previous presidents, theodore roosevelt and bill clinton have tried to change the health care system in america to make the system stable, secure, so that people will know what it will cost, what it will cover and they know ultimately that they can have quality care available when they need it for themselves an members of their family. -- and members of their family. the simple fact of matter is that health care in america has become extremely sensitive. we spend more per person in america for health care, twice as much per person, as the nearest nation on earth in terms of spending. so we're spending a lot of money. and people see it because the cost of health insurance premiums are going up much faster than

has the administration looked at the biden bennett bill which the ceo said might be bottom line neutral? >> there are a number of components of the bill that are incorporated into both the house and the senate bill. i think that's a very viable idea that's definitely on the table. the ceo said the house bill does not raise the deficit over ten years, the health committee doesn't raise the deficit. the cbo has scored all of those bills as not increasing the deficit, which is one of the president's principles. what now is at work, how do we in the future make sure costs actually come down. not that just the bill is paid for but the costs come down. the president has a proposal on an independent commission which would help enforce paying for what we know works. high quality, lower cost care that exists in some parts of the country but doesn't exist everywhere. too many medical errors, too many procedures that just add to the cost and don't improve the outcome are done day in and day out. some places like mckeown, texas has health care but the president is committed. we hope house and senat

by the way, i indicated when i began discussing the bill that senator bennett and i brought to the floor by talking about the number of earmarks that the president has requested. a very large number of earmarks are in the president's request about what he believes we should pursue with respect to projects and how they should be funded. we've agreed with him in most cases, disagreed in a few cases, added some -- and those are areas where we have disagreed and we have not funded that which the president has requested because we didn't think it appropriate to fund it. we have, in other cases funded other proposals that have come to us from senators that have, we believe, more merit. i don't believe that the executive bnch always gets it right and the congressional branch or legislative branch never gets it right. i think somewhere between represents the best of what both can offer, and that's why we have preserved a substantial majority of that which president obama and his budget to the congress has requested. if you look back in history, you'll see that there are a good many examples of p

some of us are for the wyden wyden-bennett bill with our democrat colleagues. that's the only bipartisan bill before us today. hasn't even been seriously considered by this body, but it's there and has significant support in the house. we have got two doctors over here -- dr. barrasso, who's been an orthopedic surgeon general an original pee -- surgeon for 25 years. dr. coburn, an ob-gyn. so far their ideas aren't be adopted in the process. you have senator gregg from new hampshire, one of the most respected senators who's been a part of many bipartisan efforts and he's got his own bill in. he'd like to be a part of it, but his ideas really don't fit the way things are going. but the way things are going are too expensive for the congressional budget office and take us in the wrong direction, according to the mayo clinic. so maybe we ought to step back and say, well, let's listen to these other ideas. let's go very carefully. let's work with the president. let's see if we can get a result and let's keep a four-letter word out there that's a good word, and that'

but there is a bill. ron widen and bob bennett from utah, one republican from oregon -- democrat from oregon, republican from utah, there are six republicans and six democrats on that bill, i'm one of them, that man dates coverage for every american but allows the private sector to provide it. i would urge the president to look at that model. i think it's a way to break this impasse. and it's revenue neutral. >> i asked david axelrod, his senior adviser, earlier if the president's ready to abandon that public option, a government-sponsored health insurance plan that would compete with the private sector. and he indicated strongly the answer is no, the president believes in that as a way to try to reduce costs to be more competitive to let some of those private insurers like blue cross & blue shield and united health care have greater competition to bring down the price. so, what's wrong with that argument? >> nobody in this country can compete with the government. this idea that the government has to be i

senators dorgan and bennett will manage that. and i think it's -- it would be wise at this time for me to tell everyone that i think we will not have a vote monday. there is a lot of work to do on that bill. and we will have some votes before noon on tuesday. but we he won't have any votes on monday. i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today it adjourn until 2:00 p.m. on monday, july 27, following the prayer an pledge, journal of proceedings be approved to date, morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for use later in the day and there will be a period of morning business until 3:00 p.m., with senators permitted to speak up to 10 minutes each and the senate proceed to 116, s. 1383, the water appropriations act for fiscal year 2010. the presiding officer: without objection, so ordered. mr. reid: if there is no further business to come before the senate, mr. president, i ask that it adjourn under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned u

with the focus on the senate, talking to senator bennett coming up, and then chuck schumer well, but the focus on the senate is going to do, the house members are reluctant to walk off the plank, having done this on stimulus and climate change without knowing where the senate is coming down. >> you're asking members of the house to make a vote in favor of higher taxes on wealthy americans, some of them represent wealthy americans who don't want their taxes raised. >> in tougher districts. >> that's right, and including some districts that democrats have just won over from republicans that's a tough vote for some house democrats and they don't want to make the vote unless they're sure the senate will, too. why make a tough vote if it's not the funding mechanism that prevail in the end. >> rahm emanuel told the "new york times" that tonight is going to be a report card. is a report card by the president, we accomplished this, we did the stimulus package, we saved the economy from catastrophe, is that good enough for what people want to hear? >> i think at this moment the president prob

you co-authored it with senator bennett, a republican from utah. we've got the finance committee with a bipartisan group that's trying to hammer out a senate bill. but over in the house, it's the democrats against the republicans. do you believe that you can get health care without bipartisan support or do you need to have the support of republicans for a plan? >> if you want to make health reform stick, if you want enduring change that the country rallies to, you ought to make it bipartisan. it is going to bring the country together. the fact is on health reform, both sides have some valid points. my party is absolutely right, you cannot fix this system unless everybody has good quality, affordable care. otherwise, you just have the uninsured shifting their bills to the insured. the republicans have some valid points about making sure that there are choices, that you don't freeze innovation. that's why we have 15 sponsors in the united states senate, nine of them democrats, for a proposal that the budget office says will make sure that everybody i

and the majority leader to go to a third reading on the bill following these votes and following a period in which we would gather together whatever remains. i think there are a few amendments that remain that we can clear. but we have waited all day. we waited all day yesterday. senators have had plenty of opportunity. plenty of time. their staffs have had plenty of notice to come and offer amendments. and so for the next hour we will be here. we'll have the vote at 5:15. following that vote it's my intention that we finish this bill very shortly following that vote by going to a third reading. we don't want to preclude the opportunity for people to offer amendments but no one can come to the senate floor and suggest that they've been precluded from anything given the fact that senator bennett and i have been sitting here patiently for well over two days. so, again, with the cooperation of our colleagues and the hard work of the staff and our colleagues, i think we can finish in this evening. mr. president, i yield the floor. mr. president, i suggest the absence of a quorum. the presidin

i indicated earlier that senator bennett and i talked about third reading on this legislation, to move it through the senate. the fact is the majority leader will not have the patience to allow us to sit here with nothing to do and people saying they want to offer amendments but not being willing to show up to offer amendments. we've been here since monday afternoon, and very little has been done. and i would again say to the staff that may be watching or senators who are watching that i think we ought to conclude this bill. and if people are not interested in offering amendments, filing amendments is not offering them. if they don't have the interest in coming to the floor of the senate to offer them, i'm going to push very hard with the majority leader to go to third reading and finish this legislation this afternoon. mr. whitehouse: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from rhode island is recognized. mr. whitehouse: mr. president, while we await the arrival of senators who may be interested in offering their amendments, i would ask unanimous consent to speak for up to

widen bennett. there are a number of plans that look to help state businesses or pool their resources so they can get into association health plans. there are cooperative plans, such as senator charles grassley has. all intended to help people pool their resources, lower the cost, and ease the burdens for folks so that whether it's employers or individuals so they can help bring down the cost of their health insurance premiums. guest: there are some republicans on the senate side who are trying to come up with a bipartisan solution. i just would like to say something here about this canada conversation. because there's not a single democrat i'm aware of who's talking about the canadian health care system. what they're talking about is building on the system that we have, the american system. a system that's based fundamentally on private insurance companies delivering care, not the government delivering care. there's not going to be any government takeover of anything. there's going to be an effort

widen bennett. there are a number of plans that look to help state businesses or pool their resources so they can get into association health plans. there are cooperative plans, such as senator charles grassley has. all intended to help people pool their resources, lower the cost, and ease the burdens for folks so that whether it's employers or individuals so they can help bring down the cost of their health insurance premiums. guest: there are some republicans on the senate side who are trying to come up with a bipartisan solution. i just would like to say something here about this canada conversation. because there's not a single democrat i'm aware of who's talking about the canadian health care system. what they're talking about is building on the system that we have, the american system. a system that's based fundamentally on private insurance companies delivering care, not the government delivering care. there's not going to be any government takeover of anything. there's going to be an effort

senators mccain, hatch and bennett will be introducing governor huntsman and, senator mccain, welcome and the floor is yours. >> well, i thank you, mr. chairman. i apologize for having to leave after my remarks. as you know, the defense bill is on the floor of the senate and we continue to proceed in the most efficient and timely fashion. i want to thank you for welcoming governor huntsman. he's already made his mark as a leader and as a statesman. and i think americans are fortunate that he's agreed to re-enter the service of our nation. chairman kerry described his many accomplishments and achievements already. i would also note that not only was he elected governor but reelected with a record percentage of vote as governor of the state of utah and was -- utah was named by the pew center as the best managed state in america. again, i will not review his record since it's already been reviewed, but i would point out that governor huntsman's great talents in industry is his commitment to america in my view. in accepting the president's nomination, one which required him to cross party

the math we're not quite sure it will add up to millions as senator bennett suggested, it's up to the state. that gets a half true on truth-o-meter. >> bill adair, from politifact.com, thanks for joining us. >> good morning, thanks. >>> for all the topics we discussed head to the blog, cnn.com/am fix and check out details. be right back. 44 past the hour. >>> 46 minutes past the hour. welcome back to the most news in the morning. we'll be running down conspiracy theories about whether or not it actually happened later on this morning but 40 years ago today people sat in front of their televisions glued to the black and white images of neil armstrong becoming the first person to walk on the moon. but after that one small step for man, there's now questions about the next giant leap for nasa facing budget cuts and layoffs. cnn's john zarrella for that. >> three, two, one, boost off ignition and liftoff of "endeavor." >> reporter: now there are seven, the number of flights left. soon just a chapter in history. >> it just makes me want to cry to think this the end of it. >> reporter: when

i also want to thank senator bennett and his staff for their strong efforts in putting this -- this bill into proper perspective and making sure all issues were properly addressed. and i also want to thank senator cornyn for his leadership over the years on this issue. senator cornyn is not a member of the rules committee, but he has been very engaged on this issue over the last several years. his input was valuable. there's no question that his support for the amendment and contribution he and his staff made to the amendment have made a good amendment a much better one. i want to thank my secretary of state, of the state of georgia, karen handle, also a very valuable asset to us as we went through the process of putting this bill together, she and her staff responded very timely and were very honest in the feed tbhac we got from them. -- feedback that they got from them. they contributed sensible changes. their contribution will move us in the right direction to ensure that every overseas voter wishing to vote will be able to do so. again, mr. president, to my colleague from new york, i

they might want to take some of our ideas, there's a wyden-bennett piece of legislation i didn't even mention. 14 of us, eight democrats and six republicans, are cosponsors of that legislation. it has a zero addition to the national debt, according to the congressional budget office. and the principle of it is basically to take the dollars that we have available and give them to amecans and let them buy their health care insurance. so instead of expanding government programs, including for low-income americans, you get the dollars. you get the health care. and that takes care of virtually everybody. all of the plans from this side of the aisle, like those on the other side, say everybody needs to be insured. you are not disqualified for a preexisting condition. and the cost has to be affordable. all of us agree on that. the difference is whether it's going to be government programs or whether you're going to have dollars that you can choose. that's the big difference. and we hope that the american people will pay attention to the differences we're offering. we believe they will becaus

up, one republican congressman from ohio is asking where all of the money is going from the stimulus bill. he's finding out, it's closer to home than he thinks. back in a minute. ♪ going from rags to riches ♪ if you would only say you care ♪ >>> a little tony bennett this morning as we look at a wonderful picture of cincinnati, ohio where it's clear and 72 right now. it's going to be a sunny and 88. wkrc. >> i miss ohio. >> you do? you will be there. >> soon enough. all right. now to a developing story. vice president biden stood outside of an abandoned warehouse in ohio yesterday and slammed the republican stimulus critics. and we decided to tag along looking for real signs of your money in action. here's our jim acosta in cincinnati. >>> kiran and joe -- vice president joe biden came to cincinnati to defend the stimulus right outsider the home turf of one of the biggest critics. just up the road is the district of john boehner. as we found out, some stimulus dollars are starting to arrive in his district. in the first trip to ohio since the election, vice president joe biden jumpe