message. i suspect since you saw the president kind of put this on the agenda in his first state of the union address, which was clearly before the website problems, this has had a longer germination time here but i also don't think they worry if something can move the conversation we are talking about. >> in 1996, republicans did concede in the senate, in the congress, and they accepted a minimum wage increase rather than fight it out. it would be interesting to see i think 18 years later, it's a much more polarized environment. i would be surprised if they make the same call. >> $7.25 an hour, it just seems in this day and age to be a very low number. not to take a stance on that. but that's why i think perhaps it might be -- >> those numbers are pretty high in the polls. >> speaking of numbers, they do pay attention to. let's switch to something on the lighter side. some reporting that you had in the "new york times" and perhaps that you grew a beard as you were working on this story. >> in honor of wolf, who is not here today. >> somebody had to have the beard today. the president i guess laid out or i don't know if he laid this out but some of his friends late