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Chris Stirewalt and Shira Toeplitz discuss President Obama's claims regarding spending and deficit.
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And that will only take over we -- clean about.
That was President Obama talking to donors in Denver -- touting the fact that federal spending has remained at about the same level since 2009.
And this is power play I am Chris firewall and Internet we've come to a strange moment in the campaign.
When the discussion starts to shift now.
Two debt deficit and spending.
It's the weakest point for the president and job approval numbers consistently across all the polls but the president has a message is an argument that he's coming back against lot of Republican shots on this subject to say this.
George W.
Bush started this problem I'm just trying to fix it -- make that stick he's campaigning in Iowa today and more stimulus.
Can he do that we'll talk about that.
We're gonna talk to your friend Lou Dobbs when -- you like a great deal he will be here and we'll talk to somebody who has worked in the past with Mitt Romney on his biography on his story.
About how.
Whether or not he can.
The successfully define himself whether he's gonna get defined by Barack Obama.
As -- Gordon -- so we'll do all of that and thank goodness.
-- topless will be here with us to do it you're welcome back.
Thanks for having are you -- -- today I am I think it's going to be a pretty big deal I think it's going to be gets very very.
Very big deal we're gonna take it up from dvd to dvd.
OK so the question is this if you're Barack Obama.
The Washington Post poll New York Times poll ever -- everybody says when you get to the last ranking for how the president's doing on.
Different issues.
Debts and deficits he sticks and and the economy number goes up and down he's had little good uptick lately.
But on the deficit numbers -- Republicans are escalating the attack on Obama because they know people have a sense that you know we've had added.
Deficit more than a trillion dollars 200920102011.
We're gonna have another one.
Can the president make this argument about bush started the problem and I just haven't been able to turn the ship program.
I think it's a tough argument for President Obama to make first not because of the -- numbers that you just mentioned Chris.
And secondly because this idea blaming president George W.
Bush for stuff for years later little -- -- for voters to swallow.
These voters -- want to look past 2008 they don't want to hear a lot about the -- former president I don't think they really I believe this argument that it was all.
President at least many of them do not believe a president Obama's argument that it was not his job.
I want share with you Jay Carney when the president was flying out on this campaign trip.
He was gambling with reporters.
This is off camera discussions and here's what he had to say when when questioned by some apartment guy named Henry I don't know this to this Ed Ed Henry person as.
But I do not buy into the BS that you hear about spending and fiscal constraint with regard to this administration I think doing so is a sign of -- and laziness.
That's.
That's pretty rough rough stuff.
Is that.
It though it does shows insensitivity on the subject can David effectively get reporters to say.
Well it is complicated and and maybe back off this reload it is -- hit pretty hard.
Well personally imagine Jay Carney and I think it's interesting because he's a former reporter first of all I wonder how Jay Carney is a former reporter -- feel very active -- White house Press Secretary said that to him but that aside.
I think it's still -- -- at the White House to sell this argument because let's face it economic issues are very -- wants there are a lot of things that go into this.
And in the end -- all drill down to little sound -- that are using campaign advertisements.
That people spend millions of dollars to air on swing states like Ohio in Ohio and Florida to -- for them to battle this there are a lot of different things.
Going on terms of the economy and I think the state of the economy is a very separate issue from the national debt right.
But politically they are often the same argument.
Politically there off in the same -- the other thing that they are is in the minds of voters when.
They -- question over and over again and this is not surprising -- good to see more cuts would you rather see.
Tax increases to cover this gap.
Cuts always win because of course as you know when you say to somebody should there be cuts is the reason the government of course.
Except for the things that I like.
Those things are not waste if -- defense if -- defense -- -- -- that's not -- we have to have that all that other stuff and is the ways meantime if you are fiscal leave enthusiastic.
You -- the social programs are the stuff that you these things are -- -- these domestic but those bombers are ways so it's not surprising that people feel that way but that's still.
Works to the president's disadvantage right.
I think so because on the whole it's put in the position.
OK it the American public wants to cut things that no matter what he cuts he's going to make a certain faction or sector or blue voting -- angry.
Well today he goes to Iowa which is a state.
That he won very easily in 2000 and it was.
But it absolute walk for him he launched his really his political rise had come there where he shocked the nation -- beat Hillary Clinton.
And it's where it all -- now it's very much tossup state to state -- moved sharply to the right he's there today talking about.
Windmills and the need for these wind turbines and all of that stuff it's good politics and Iowa.
Because 20% of -- energy actually comes from.
Wind farms -- they've been very only Texas has more kilowatt hour now Texas it's a drop in the bucket but in -- it's the second in terms of wind production in the country.
And it's good local politics -- even Republicans in Iowa who like the idea when forms.
Is there a danger for the president as he's trying to make it complicated argument -- deficit spending to go out and talk about.
Subsidizing wind energy.
Well I think -- the -- subsidizing at this point does -- seven.
That negative connotation if you wanna try -- appeal to independent voters I don't think.
Independent voters want to hear anything like subsidies stimulus anything that.
Kind of -- extra spending in their mind is not a good thing we mention that cutting spending is popular across the board LA but obviously they voters say yes cut spending just don't cut spending for programs I like.
So I think this might -- this actress.
Well it's sort of like this is the forum for the president he wants to be able to -- that he's taken action on the economy.
And visits like this to someplace and Iowa.
Is who is a way that you say.
You know look I think I'm doing things it's working -- I think the percentage of national.
Electrical grid derived from wind power is at an all time I have something like.
Almost 3%.
And it's in and they're doing that and he wants to be able to point to that stuff but as you say when you talk about it I mean I'm sure if I'm Mitt Romney today I'm gonna -- -- -- -- This guy wants to just he wants he's the words Solyndra Republicans will mention the word Solyndra one bit -- times today in every possible.
What grade and it obviously the president has to watch his base which -- a lot of environmental concerns and and I'm sure the White House views this kind of wind project is a bridge project as you mentioned earlier Republicans.
Even some Republicans in Iowa even like this project.
But it's very very is thin line he -- a lot especially when he talks that environmental projects because it makes excellent and the fallout from that Coca.
-- -- -- -- -- now as something I would encourage you to do there there's several things I would encourage you to do.
And they're all very important one is that you should roll call and you should reach -- -- stuff because it's very excellent.
Think that's one thing let's stipulate that lets put that on the record you should know that.
You should also follow me on Twitter at cease -- But in doing so you should just go to -- Twitter you should follow me because every day I write this power play for you that I think I'm crazy about reading -- I I love it that's why spend about 5 hours every morning.
By myself stepping over the little power plays -- trains to write this in the dark.
Because I'm I'm crazy about doing it if you follow me on Twitter.
You can have it -- just for the cost -- We're gonna take a break when we come back the man himself Lou Dobbs is gonna tell you -- is gonna drop some knowledge John here.
I think it's -- the kids would say about private equity how it works he's Smart will be smarter talkies.
