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Prosperity. we have already done a lot of deficit retux. we are on a path right now where, you know, just recently the imf said we're doing too much too quickly. we should be doing more in the long term and less in the short term. i think that we have a composition question. the across-the-board cuts are not good for the economy, not good for the american middle class, not good for our national defense. we ought to be having a debate about the kinds of medium and long-term reforms to entitlements and tax programs, but we ought not to be talking about holding the country hostage again to a figh...

The corporate sector probably in the best shape it's been in in years, with trillions of dollars of cash on the balance sheet. but there is still a very deep frustration i think within the administration in terms of, we are in an anemic recovery. you were right, this is an anemic pace, not even 2% growth. we need to get beyond this 2% growth. it's not happening in gdp. and of course the unemployment situation remains persistent. i think there are things to do to, particularly when it relates to business. business needs to create jobs, but they need to believe it's a landscape that is favorable...

Spending and taxes, over entitlement programs, is that within grasp, realistically? >> you know, i think the question of a grand bargain kind of captivates washington. what the american people are asking is, what are we doing to make sure that their kids can to to college? what are we doing to make sure that their health care is secure? what are we doing to make sure that their homes are secure? we need to be debating the things that the american people are focusing on. and in the course of it, we will -- we need to solve all of these washington, you know, responsibilities. but we can't let th...

Actually improving. yet we have these surveys that show that the american people have kind of deep memories of how bad the recession was and concern that they need confidence that it's going to stay on the path towards continued growth. one thing i do know for sure is that a season of washington fighting about self-inflicted crises and self-inflicted wounds will not help that. it will hurt that. i think the american people need and expect for washington to buckle down and do the kinds of things the president was talking about. >> mr. secretary, you're being prescriptive, which i understand, bu...

Made her mark on the program, catching the eye of moderator and washington bureau chief tim russert. as his executive producer, they worked side by side as the program reached its greatest heights. >> almost every morning for the last ten years tim would call at exactly 9:00 a.m. and say, hey, bets, what do you know? >> after tim's untimely death, betsy led the program with tom brokaw as the moderator during the homestretch of the 2008 campaign. betsy and i, after being classmates at american university years ago, became partners on this program in december of 2008. from wall street to the cam...