Ran Bain News Today

For "the washington post." great to have you with us. bob, let me ask you first. how damaging is this to romney? he better be mr. october if hes going to turn this thing around. >> i think its really damaging. i think theres a thing called water cooler conversation, which is most people dont sit around paying attention to politics the way we do. there are things that breakthrough because they happen and you meet somebody at the water cooler at the office the next morning and you say, did you see...

Strategist bob shrum tonight and eugene robinson. great to have you with us. bob, how damaging is this to romney? he better be mr. october if hes going to turn it around? >> i think its really damaging. theres a thing called water cooler conversation, which is most people dont sit around paying attention to politics the way we do. there are things that break through because they happen, and you meet somebody at the water cooler at the office next morning and you say did you see what that guy sai...

Bob, let me ask you first. how damaging is this to romney? he better be mr. october if hes going to turn this thing around. >> i think its really damaging. i think theres a thing called water cooler conversation, which is most people dont sit around paying attention to politics the way we do. there are things that breakthrough because they happen and you meet somebody at the water cooler at the office the next morning and you say, did you see what that guy said? it was callous and untrue, but it...

Whole bain attack. they think its working. the polls seem to indicate its working. but the reality of that? >> certainly if you look at the bain record during romneys time there, it had big successes and some failures. i think this is sensible for the obama campaign to promote. also, its true that during the last year or two of president obamas watch, manufacturing has had some kind of recovery in the united states. whether or not he can take direct credit for that is a whole more complex issue....

>> what hes ignoring is sometimes people lose. the way mitt romney ran bain, he never lost. his million dollar investors never lost. the people always on the losing end of the stick were middle class americans just trying to do their jobs and get ahead. >> thanks for joining the panel. union bussing governor nikki haley is campaigning for scott walker in wisconsin. she says if the loses, it will be a major hit for republicans everywhere.

I honestly believe if you take a look at the percentage of successful ventures that he had -- this is the point about running against capitalism or business. >> nobody is running against capitalism, mike, i want to clarify here. it is mitt romney citing his experience at bain capital that makes him qualified to be president of the united states. >> would you agree, somebody said a moment ago, what about the 20% of businesses that failed? the truth is that capitalism means sometimes you win, some...

>> sure. >> it has nothing to do -- mitt romney left bain capital in 1993. i honestly believe if you take a look at the percentage of successful ventures that he had -- this is the point about running against capitalism or business. >> nobody is running against capitalism, mike, i want to clarify here. it is mitt romney citing his experience at bain capital that makes him qualified to be president of the united states. >> would you agree, somebody said a moment ago, what about the 20% of busines...

Politics will be ruined. look, im not the church lady when it comes to negative ads. but when that plant closed, mitt romney was running the olympics. the new guy at bain who actually made the decision to pull the plug in the thing is an obama super donor. theres a level of cynicism here in the tactics of politics i think were hitting overflow on. its interesting the bain assault happened exactly the time romney inched up in the polls a bit. >> you think theres a legitimate hit here on romney, h...

When it comes to negative ads. but when that plant closed, mitt romney was running the olympics. the new guy at bain who actually made the decision to pull the plug in the thing is an obama super donor. theres a level of cynicism here in the tactics of politics i think were hitting overflow on. its interesting the bain assault happened exactly the time romney inched up in the polls a bit. >> you think theres a legitimate hit here on romney, his governing philosophy, whether he ran bain or how he...

Plug in the thing is an obama super donor. theres a level of cynicism here in the tactics of politics i think were hitting overflow on. its interesting the bain assault happened exactly the time romney inched up in the polls a bit. >> you think theres a legitimate hit here on romney, his governing philosophy, whether he ran bain or how he will run a federal budget? >> when i interviewed -- i heard, look, were going to cut the fat. were going to make these companies lean. the only way to do it is...