Right . That couch is really uncomfortable. I have tried it before. The chairs not comfortable either. Steve, youre our inspiration for todays wheel of misfortune. Were going with sequester siesta. The cuts kick in a week from next friday. Congress is in recess until monday. Remember, the sequester started as a white house proposal. And republicans voted for it. But now, both sides seem more focused on avoiding taking the rap for it than they are trying to stop it. President obama is back from his siesta and back in the bully pulpit. These cuts are not smart. They are not fair. They will hurt our economy. They will add hundreds of thousands to the employment rolls. This is not on abstraction. People will lose their jobs the American People have worked too long, too hard to see their elected officials cause another crisis. It seems like every three months around here theres some manufactured crisis. It sure does. We have a senate insider with us who knows all too well how the senate works or in most cases doesnt work. Former Senate Leader tom daschle and also the author of the u. S. Senate. Welcome. Thank you. On this sleepy siesta day, i want you to try to get obamas mind back on us. If you remember back in the president ial debates he sort of dropped a bomb when he said the sequester will not happen. A couple of his advisers went back and said, well, i think what he meant was, it should not happen. He also tried to shake off the proposal something that congress believed got four pinocchios. This came from the white house. And now according to politico, obama is not really reaching out to Senate Republicans to try and get anything done. My question to you is the sequester that obama actually wants because he thinks republicans will get the blames for the cuts . Or this just a gamble that he didnt think was going to go all the way and as far as it has . Well, i think the president has come to the conclusion that its pretty hard to reach a deal right now. It appears that republican, both in the house and in the senate, are really determined to go through with the sequester. So he sees somewhat of a few ti futility at this point. His only option is to go out in the country, talk about the implications and hope that the pressures that could come from the grassroots could change the kind of environment that hes facing in washington. Right, senator, one of the reasons the white house likes the idea of sequester a year and a half ago, it was weighted towards defense cuts. Theres a sacred cow that the republicans have. It involves the republicans. When you have john mccain out there and Lindsey Graham saying this is absolutely if it goes through, its not universal embraced by republicans in washington. And like you say, to the point it looks like its going to go forward with the sequester. I guess is this a twopart gain by the republicans where they let the sequester go through. And three weeks later we have this continues resolution that comes up and maybe they see an opportunity there with the sequester. They can have their showdown with the president and then get rid of the cuts anyway . Do you see a possibility of that . I think youre going to see some resolution of this after the cuts go into that for a couple days. The republicans have two schools of thoughts. One is deep concern that that has. Part the majority of is reflected by the republicans whats the fuss. Were talking 5 here. Everybody ought to be able to suck it up with a 5 cut, including with the defense department. I think he represents the majority thinking on the republican side right now. Never mind that those 5 cuts in each of the departments are taken much more severely because youve got to focus on certain programs. That isnt 5 across the board on defense. Its 5 that could have a profound effect. Nonetheless, thats how they view it, minimal for what they think is the potential for more for cuts looking forward. Senator, i want to hear your sort of Strategic Thinking how the president is going forward. Hes been dealing with this obstructionist thinking. And now theyve got them thinking let me defend the far right challenge. So need to be standing up to the president no matter what he proposes. So how do you advise the president to deal with this Obstructionist Congress in order to deal with the legislative terms second term . El were, i think every president has to come with a way that he or she feels most comfortable. I think for this president , hes got to find areas for which there is common ground. I think the best example is immigration. I dont think theres any doubt by the end of the year, were going to have a deal on immigration. Unfortunately, those issues are far and few between. Nonetheless, thats the first approach to find an other where they thinks republicans are invested. Its possible that we could see tax reform at some point. I think in addition to that, both sides have to continue to find ways to keep the lines of communication open. Calling them down to the white house, actually maybe even come into the Capitol Building a couple of times. Something unprecedented. Nonetheless, would make the point that he wants to keep those communication options open to him. Senator, its not just a social thing of keeping the lines of communication open. But people are refusing to communicate with him no matter what. So its a different strategy that hes got to approach, dont you think . No question. That presents a framework. But you still have to do what he has been doing. Make your case with the state of the union. He did it it with the something that grainaugural. Thats the only issue hes got. Continue to frame the issue in a way that will deflect ultimately on congress that his predecessors did. Bill clinton did, harry truman did it, Ronald Reagan did it. Senator, im glad to hear you that think an immigration deal will happen by the end of the year. An area where they have more trouble finding common ground. Chuck hagel has faced a really ugly confirmation battle. Republicans have used an unprecedented filibuster to at least slow down that confirmation. You said on filibusters that filibusters abused terribly today, especially on nominations. Filibusters against nominees create a Chilling Effect that keeps top talent from even accepting nominations. Is it time for a more comprehensive filibuster reform . Unfortunately, ive come to that conclusion. The filibuster was used in the past but used very rarely. But its now used as an everyday matter of course. We had 130 some motions in congress. You cant run a country that way. You cant run a government. Especially with regard to the white house when you have a limited amount of time for each of these members to serve in a cabinet or highlevel positionfr a year or sometimes even two years is unacceptable. Were going to have to revisit the filibuster in nominations and hopefully theyll do it before this congress. I agree with you, the 60vote senate, especially as it relates to executive Branch Nominations is really troubling. A longterm precedent there. But i wonder if theres a separate issue as it relates to cabinet nominees. You were up to hhs in 2009. You look at the questioning that chuck hagel has faced, specifically from ted cruz, in his confirmation for the defense secretary job. Re real scurrilous stuff here. Are you worried beyond the filibuster about the treatment of nominees and the treatment of prospective nominees and how that might have a Chilling Effect in the future . No question. Ive talked to many people who have contemplated offering themselves in faires capacities. And a lot of them ask the question, is it worth it . Can i really survive this incredible mine field that one has to endure to get through the nominating process. Its becoming more and more crass, more confrontational. And let respectful. I dont think this is the message we want to send not only in this country, but around the world who use us many in respects as their model to make their own judgments about government. So its not just the audience at home that weve got to be concerned about. Its worldwide. Former senator tom daschle. Thanks for joining us. Straight ahead, beat the press. A new report paints president obama as a master media manipulator. Good for him. But is that bad for america . The cycle rolls on. Tdd 18003452550 you shouldve seen me today. Tdd 18003452550 when the spx crossed above its 50day moving average, tdd 18003452550 i saw the trend. Tdd 18003452550 it looked really strong. Tdd 18003452550 and i jumped right on it. Tdd 18003452550 tdd 18003452550 since ive switched to charles schwab. Tdd 18003452550. Ive been finding opportunities like this tdd 18003452550 a lot more easily. Tdd 18003452550 like today, tdd 18003452550 i was using their streetsmart edge Trading Platform tdd 18003452550 and i saw a Double Bottom form. Tdd 18003452550 i called one of their trading specialists tdd 18003452550 and i bounced a few ideas off of him. Tdd 18003452550 theyre always there for me. Tdd 18003452550 and ive got tools that let me customize my charts tdd 18003452550 and search for patterns as they happen. Tdd 18003452550 plus webinars, tdd 18003452550 live workshops, tdd 18003452550 research. Tdd 18003452550 whatever i need. Tdd 18003452550 so when that Double Bottom showed up, tdd 18003452550 i was ready to make my move. Tdd 18003452550 all for 8. 95 a trade. Tdd 18003452550 can you believe it . Tdd 18003452550 i love it when you talk chart patterns. Tdd 18003452550 trade up to 6 months commissionfree tdd 18003452550 with a 50,000 deposit. Tdd 18003452550 call 18005400078 tdd 18003452550 and open an account, tdd 18003452550 now with no trade minimums. President obama celebrate this weekend by playing golf with tiger woods. Obama took a threeday golf vacation to flap while the first lady took their daughters to colorado to ski. You know you have a good marriage when you say, honey, go have a weekend with tiger woods. Stop by hooters and have some wings. The other night, i came home an hour late and my wife as a little miffed. She said, its not that you did it, its that you didnt tell me. Fair enough. The same dynamic, i think, is going on in washington on sunday. The president played golf with tiger woods. Sending the White House Press in rage. They werent mad that the president was on the links with the greatest golfer of all times. They were mad they werent told about it. They learned about it from a golf digest reporter. Why didnt you just tell us. The transparency and accuracy that they thought they deserved is not being delivered. The president is happy at keeping them at arms length. Were it a facebook relationship, everyone would say its complicated. By the way, like us on facebook. Howard fineman. Hes here to explain whats really going on. Howard, this is part of a classic white house versus press corps battle, right . First of all, i think the lead so far is that toure likes hooters. Thats the main story there. That is the main story. Anyway, two thumbs up. Yeah, this is a this say typical washington battle where the most trivial thing generates the most discussion. While ignoring the more serious story behind and above it, that nobody bothers to look at which is not only whether the president is doing his job, but whether the press is doing its job. I just wrote a piece on the Huffington Post where the kicker of it was, lets make sure that the reporters, namely us, make sure were worthy of the access were not getting. And i dont think we are. Interesting condemnation of the White House Press corps, howard, i like it. Im not limiting it to the white house. Hes condemning us, too. Yeah. Us, too . Did we just get dissed and i didnt realize it . Look, howard, i think part of the different dynamic here is we have this sort of pop culture president who is comfortable with and able to take his message to the view, also to David Letterman on and on and is able to use twitter in an interesting and innovative way. So he doesnt need to deal with the traditional hard news media in the way weve typically done . Well, i dont buy that explanation partly because you used the word also. Its not that he also has done Google Hangouts and reddit and the view and so forth. Hes not doing the New York Times or the Washington Post or the Huffington Post or anyone else. Or the cycle. Or the cycle. How dare he. Hes using the available technology. And hes using the social media kill th skill that they began to develop that his First Campaign to essentially do a workaround of whats left of the Washington Press corps. Its true that the Washington Press corps, in general and the white house in particular dont have the clout that they used to have. The president isnt required to deal with them the way he used to be to get his message out to the country. Through facebook, through twitter, through reddit, through the white house website, through youtube. They can get to the American People on their own. And this is the First Administration to fully do that. And i dont think the press corps, what used to be called the National Press corps, has figured out how to deal with it yet. I think thats the interesting point. The idea that the president wants favorable coverage and is going to exert his influence to try to get that and so to the safer outlets if he doesnt need to go through the White House Press corps. To me, thats not news. Robert carroll has an interesting antidote in his book about lbj and power. He talks about lbj held up the merger of a newspaper in texas and forced them to he extracted a written pledge that they would not cover him unfavorably at all for the rest of his time in the white house. An actual written pledge. So it doesnt seem like the white house, this particular dynamic with the white house and the press is really new. No, it isnt. And i love it when you quote robert kayro. It makes us old guys feel good. And its the masterpiece of press manipulation by lyndon johnson. So, no, its not new. Obama is using the latest technology. He can call him for the fact that the president does not like to go before the press in unstructured situation where is he might be asked uncomfortable questions. Thats true. And we can blame him for it. And we can criticize him for it. But i think at least the point i was trying make in Huffington Post. Its our obligation as reporters and news organizations not to whine about that but to dig, instead of whine. You know, ask the questions repeatedly, if they dont answer, highlight the fact theyre not answering the questions. Do the digging that makes for pointed questions that its difficult to ignore. As opposed to merely wanting access so you can stand around and watch the president play golf. You know, howard, ive got to give john cook credit for this. The Story Society that sparked the whole conversation was in politico. Politico talking about how obama is trying to avoid tough situations. And john cook pointed out that politico did actually get a oneonone interview with george w. Bush in 2008. Among the tough questions that were asked, all right, mr. President , who does the better impression, will ferrell of you ordain that kavi of your father . Mr. President , i know ugoing to hate this, but im hoping that we may twist your arm and talk about baseball. And mr. President , you and the first lady appeared in an American Idol charity show. Idol gives back. Who is going to win . There were more serious questions mixed in there. I covered congress for a little while. And my experience was the worst place to Cover Congress and know whats going on was at official press conference or hanging around in an official event or one oneonone interviews with congressional leaders because theyre going to give you the spin that they thought about. Theres a lot of reporting to be done without the access that this politico piece is demanding. Right. But i would also say, ive watched over the years, as succeeding administrations take more and more territory. And more and more sort of power for themselves, to determine the rules and the rights of the conversation. Even reporters asking simple questions, simple direct factual questions of lowranking administration officials, have a hard time getting answers. I know this in the Huffington Post. We have a big bureau now. We have a lot of reporters throughout digging all the time. Its hard to get answers to simple questions because this white house does try to control the flow of information. But what that means you have to do, youre not going to get it out of the administration for the most part. You got to go to the hill to get it there. You got go to kay street to get it there. You got to go to Court Records to get it there. You got to get it there first and then confront them with it to get any information out of it. Thats sort of the way its always worked. Its harder now its harder now that any white house feels rightly that it can pretty much communicate at will directly with the American People, without having to go through either the television networks. Or cable networks. The major newspapers and major websites. News websites. They dont do it. And its going to be very rare that they will in the future. And i guarantee you that whatever the next administration is like, its going to be even more down this road than the Obama Administration already is. Well, and, howard, yeah, i just want to bring it back to transparency a little bit. I dont care about the golf game at all. I think thats much ado about nothing and kind of a distraction. But the transparency issue is sort of amplified because it was such a huge part of his 2008 campaign promise. That this was going to be a of course Transparent Administr