and there were two big reasons why. one, america defied skeptics with american consumers spending money. the u.s. economy grew 2.5% in the third quarter. twice as fast as the prior quarter. look at it compared to earlier this year. 2.5% isn't great overall. but it is a lot better than a lot of doomsayers expected. the other big news was europe. they made a deal to bail out greece. that deal also, not that great. but after 14 summits, any deal was enough to juice the markets and that it did. october now on track to be the best october for the overall markets since january of 1974. to put that in perspective, that was the year blazing saddles came out. >> we must do something about this immediately! immediately! immediately! >> i didn't get a harrumf out of that guy. >> apparently a movie a lot of guys like. >> it was before cnn or i were born. stocks are up. gdp european deal. he spent 20 years on the floor of the new york stock exchange. so one great day. is that an -- and a great month. it kind of snuck up on us. are you optimistic? >> i am. and i am for several reasons. both of the points you mentioned are clearly the drivers, the macro economic number we've been getting are both incredibly positive, surprisingly positive given weakness in the sectors of the economy. but also the eu, though ausd mentioned, there's a lot of work to be done. it still takes a lot of risk off the table. particularly for the financials. on a day like today, you've seen tremendous leadership from the financials. that's a very good indicator. >> in term of the double dip scenario, which is fair to say our economic strike team had that 17 out of 20 of them, they did not see a double dip. now we get numbers like this. a lot of americans still feel like we're in a recession about it doesn't look like we'll have that double dip so many are dreading. do you agree? >> i do but i must be honest. but i was very, very bearish in mid-april and may. a number that we see today, 2.5 on the gdp, that is definitely not recessionary. in fact we've had quite a few quarters of growth. >> thank you very much. optimism is something we need. the optimism is good because confidence is what will get america and the world growing full steam again. but for the optimism to become reality, 12 people must act. a group of 12 in our nation's capital that's holding america hostage. that is the super committee charged with cutting america's debt within the next month. they have a choice to be bold and make a difference or be something that miriam webster defines as lacking power. with the example being political eunuc eunuchs. so a group of members of the house wrote a letter saying they want to cut america's debt by $4 trillion. they wrote in part, quote, to succeed, all options for mandatory and discretionary spending and revv news must be on the table. now our understanding out front is about 95 people have signed the letter. democrats and republicans. one is congressman jim. thanks so much for being here. >> great to be here. >> how many people have signed on to this letter? >> it's still in motion but we've got close to 100. democrats and republican who's said we need to go big and keep everything on the table. that's a pretty big step forward for this congress. >> that quote i gave was from a draft of the letter which said all options were mandatory and discretionary spending and revenues must be on the table. that line is still in there. >> that's right. and that's a line for people in both parties to say. there are 100 of them now who have agreed to that language. >> what about this super committee? we had mr. camp on last night. there's now a story out of reuters tonight that tim ryan, the democrat on the house budget committee says there's broad sent anymore congress that the u.s. economy will not necessarily suffer from another downgrade from the other two big agencies. is that broad sent nimt congress? >> i would disagree with that. there's a lot of concern that if there is a failure on the part of the super committee, it just continues the notion around the world that we can't govern ourselves. i would say there's real fearful in addition to that real fear, if the super committee doesn't fail to come up with a good plan, you've got these automatic cuts that kick in. everybody hates. they're big brutal cuts. i won't say optimism but there is a lot of hope they will get it put together. >> cnn is reporting that sgrainer, because the cuts hit in places nobody wants, the massive cuts in defense that secretary panetta doesn't want. that jayne john boehner said let take those off. if that's the case, that's very concerning. to me that would mean the committee would do nothing. >> that's why they are there. they are there to make this super committee look like they have some really serious troubles if they don't succeed. so they're bad. so john boehner may have said he doesn't like them but they are in law. and they are what is ultimately going to get this super committee to do what it needs to do. >> so jay carney made a joke today about nine. and he was making a joke about the 9-9-9 plan. 9 being a bad number. but it is the number approval rating for congress. what are you guys going to do about that? what is that it congress doesn't get about the fact people want something done. >> well, yeah. and people do want something done. and people also sent a group of 70 freshmen on the republican side that were pretty uncompromising and have been. so i get it. people are economically insecure. they're losing their jobs and they're homes. i understand why they're angry at congress themselves look at the bailouts, the partisanship and the bic persian occukering. this is another reason why i think it is so important the super committee get this done. if we get it done, nobody will like what gets done. this is tough. >> and you're looking for $4 trillion in cuts which is three time as much as the super committee has to come up with. >> it is also the number that stabilizes the united states debt. if it is not $4 trillion, we'll be back next year or the year after that. >> and it is the magic number. the downgrades, they keep coming. >> thanks so much. >> let's bring in john avalon, cnn contributor. what do you think about the letter? what do you think about what john bain her to say? what gouth what tim ryan had to say? >> the letters, you have 100 members of the house from both parties encouraging the super committee to go big. not just that. when you spoke to senator mark warnary week ago, he said they're 40 members of the senate who are encouraging the super committee to go big. that tell me there are at least 140 people on capitol hill who get it. they get the urgency that they should feel about dealing with our deficit and our debt and they're encouraging the super committee to hit that magic $4 trillion number. boehner and ryan, that's exactly the wrong message to send. it takes away that urgency. the sense of wednesday and will focus the minds of people in congress. >> and good for people like jim himes. he understands this is not something to trifle with. if what reuters is reporting is the case, that's very, very concerning. if there is sentiment in congress that it is okay to get more downgrades. just keep bringing them on. it doesn't matter. it does matter. >> it matter enormously. the fact that was said shows some folks don't want to get it. s&p downgraded because they said it was political brinksmanship. because of the debate we had this summer. and everyone has been warned. this is not subtle. everyone should be clear in their mind about the importance of dealing with our deficit and our debt if you want our country on a long term sound fiscal footing and everybody should. >> i have to say, the letter, these thing can fall apart. they were trying to come up with it today. i know it is still a work in progress. the fact you have 95 people they say have signed democrats and republicans, and my understanding, at this point it is basically half and half. it includes revenues and cuts. that word hasn't come out. neither one of them. that's something to applaud. we want the leadership. >> it is something to applaud. hope is not a strategy but it is a step in the right direction. this formula has been understood. game of six, they've all said that it needs to be done with a combination. some combination of cuts and renew increases. that can be done even by lower rates and closing loopholes. so there's plenty of ground to be built on if they can be brave and go big. >> let's hope they do. thanks. and still "outfront," the latest on the six animals which had survived last week's slaughter in ohio. where are they now? they moved today. and former presidential candidate john edwards on trial for his part in the sex scandal that derailed his career. and did you hear the one about rick perry? we cannot resist telling you our favorite joke of the day. 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[ male announcer ] we're making them a better financial future. what can we make with you? transamerica. transform tomorrow. the number tonight. that is how many gallons of gas you can buy with exxonmobil's third quarter profit of $10.3 billion. a lot of work and money go into a gavel gas. exxonmobil has a hand on almost all of it. 77% of the money you pay at a gallon of gas goes toward crude oil and refining. the government takes a tax out of that. speaking of taxes, exxonmobil pays a lot of it. in 2010, it was 40.7. yes, that is almost 6 percentage points. we want to start by singing the song ♪ i want to you want me. >> although there's no problem with that singing because that would not violate anything. mitt romney wants tea party love. but so far they have not supported him. it's been kind of anybody but mitt romney for the tea party. with us, the national director, ron, good of to have you with us. i know you've been looking at all the fine print in every poll out there. the recent cnn polls in early states and have an inside track on tea party support. you stay race has become two races on parallel tracks. what do you mean? >> i can take your blazing saddle reference and raise you back to dr. strangelove. you had to go back to 1964 to see a republican race that has been as volatile a race before the vote. six different candidates have led. back to barry goldwater and nelson rockefeller. and one of the reasons the race is so volatile, it is clearly evolving along two separate tracks. in your cnn polling, about half the party identifies as supporters of the tea party. the other half of the republican electorate say they are neutral or opposed to the tea party. and they are moving in very different ways. the nontea party side of the party. they are moving pretty steadily toward mitt romney. he was at 16 to 18% in your polling in sxaug accept. 24% in late accepseptember. meanwhile he's stuck with 17 or 18% with the tea party side. most don't want him but they've been bouncing around. early on, michele bachmann had a spike. then rick perry was at 35, 36%. now herman cain as perihas collapsed at 10%. it is hard to imagine that's where the wheel will stop turning with that side of the party. >> if mitt romney does not get the tea party, does it matter? can he still win the nomination and potentially the election? >> well, i think he can win the nomination without the tea party. if no one can consolidate that side of the party as well as he is. if you look like the state by state polls, he is up to 30% in iowa. 39 ners florida. 27% in south carolina. and 40% in new hampshire, roughly. among the nontea party side of the party. and if he can build on that and no one can consolidate the tea party side, he can be the nominee. there may never be a majority that wants to nominate romney but that won't matter if no one can consolidate that majority and it fragments among several candidates. >> that will be interesting. thanks very much. good to see you, sir. >> thank you. today a federal judge refused to throw out the criminal case against john edwards. in case you have forgotten, the disgraced former presidential candidate. he will face charges of violating campaign finance laws by using nearly $1 million to hide an affair with rielle hunter and his child with her as you see there. jeff tubin is cnn analyst. were you even alive with cheap trick sang, i want you to want me? that's an old reference. >> i don't know the exact year but i may not have been. >> not blazing saddles either. ? >>, but i've been told i must watch it. so john edwards admits hiding money for the affair. >> it is a weird affair. the facts are not in dispute. he w two of his big supporters, fred barren and bunny put up nearly $1 million that go through enter need areas and goes to rielle hunter, basically to cover her living expenses and keep her quiet. everybody agrees that happened. the question is, is that an illegal campaign contribution, as the government says, or is it simply friends helping out a friend in trouble? >> okay. so now he's pretty confident he can win this. if i am right here, he had a chance to need a misdemeanor. he had a chance to take, what was it? a few months? and he said no. now there is a lot more at stake. >> really a remarkable thing that he turned down this plea deal. he would probably not even to go prison at all. but he wasn't guaranteed no prison and he wasn't guaranteed that co-keep his law license. apparently those are the big sticking points in the plea negotiations, keeping the law license and prison. and he and his lawyers, they think they have a pretty good case here. i don't know. it's very weird. >> so if he chooses, how long does he to go jail? how much does he pay? >> i don't know. he won't go to jail for a long time for this case. i would be surprised if he got a year but he would lose his law license. his political career is over. but he's in his mid 50s and he wants to be a lawyer. he was a very talented and popular lawyer in his day. >> can he get a jury that's untainted? people have strong opinions. >> everybody hates him because of what he did. his wife was dying of cancer, we all know the story. the problem is the case is not really about that. bits campaign finance laws. the question is will people's hostility to him carry over to this fairly arcane technical crime. and will they say we hate this guy, we'll convict him. or will they say, this isn't why we were mad at him. it is just irrelevant. >> this is going to be interesting. i'm very curious. >> indeed. >> to see what kind of treatment people get. "outfront," next, herman cain. he doesn't have any endorsements and he doesn't have a formal base of support but he is leading in the polls. that's the bottom line. his campaign staff, can they hold it together? the guy in charge is coming on this show. and rick perry has a joke to tell us and we can't resist sharing it with you. and the six animals who survived last week's slaughter in ohio. will they be returned? like new sweet and spicy shrimp, all for $15.99. my name is angela trapp, and i sea food differently. [ siren ] [ applause ] [ jackhammer ] [ crowd cheering ] [ speeding car ] [ siren ] [ horse whinnying ] [ bell dings ] your true self -- uncover it, embrace it, protect it. what's healthier than that? i have to be a tree in the school play. good. you like trees. well, i like climbing them, but i've never been one. good point. ( captain ) this is your captain speaking. annie gets to be the princess. oh... but she has to kiss a boy. and he's dressed up like a big green frog ! ewww. ( announcer ) fly without putting your life on pause. be yourself nonstop. american airlines. now a story we can't resist. rick perry was in the news today, backtracking on comments he made about the president's birth certificate. earlier in the week, he said, quote, i don't know. i don't have a definitive answer. it's a good issue to keep alive. i don't have a clue about where the president, and what this birth certificate says. sound pretty definitive. today he change his tune when he said, quote, i don't think i was expressing doubts. i was just having some fun with donald trump. est the latest candidate saying something controversial one day and then saying they were joking or kidding the next. but i say if these really are jokes and not just candidates flip flopping, we should celebrate them as jokes. so we have. with this new product. and we can't resist playing our first commercial for this product right now. >> they're wild, wacky, and downright hilarious. political punch lines. 25 of the fun yift line from politics' zaniest characters. >> i don't know how much god has to do to get the attention of the politicians. we've got an earthquake -- >> some of these are almost impossible to find anywhere at any price. >> have you officially responded to elizabeth warren's comment about how she didn't take her clothes off? >> thank god. >> now they're all here on one outstanding dvd. >> he came in the union in 1845. one of the issues was that we would be able to leave if we decided to do that. >> like with governor rick perry and herman cain. >> on the top. it will be electrocuted. electrified. and a sign that says it will kill you. >> and all americans will be forced, forced at gunpoint to listen to every david barton message. >> if you're the kind of person who likes the funniest jokes by the funniest politicians, you will just love punch lines. hilarious ribs on one dvd. just $9.99. >> we couldn't resist. still "outfront." the "outfront" five. animal fight. >> we received a letter from the department of agriculture. >> placing these animal under quarantine now will not allow marian thompson to retrieve the animals. >> these events are so tragic. >> questions for kids. >> keeping their faces out there in the public is something that is critical in helping to bring children home. >> this smoking man. >> america has never seen a candidate