budget negotiations, is it doesn't allow the normal democrat strategic approach to that. that you used to see. it mean it freezes the democrats away from compromise because they feel if you start to take a step towards where ryan is now, there is no middle there, as you've said. >> this has been the challenge. i've been critical of president obama. i understand the din dynamic he. i get it. you have no partner there. go to the people, leverage the people. because i think, lawrence, just for the reasons you've saud,id, don't see any other way, other than leveraging the public and making them see what is at stake. because, you know, we' got this kind of scorched earth approach now to every issue. i don't have to tell you the democratic party was made up of northern liberals, western liberals and southern conser