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Ticket, that the party was way too liberal. the parties extreme, suffered a huge devastating loss and come back to their senses and move back towards the middle. you can see this happening. like i say, if the republicans win the house and also win the senate especially, you can imagine heading into this 2012 election someone like sarah palin or someone who is able to appeal to sarah palin's voters, and it's noticeable. you know, one of the things that happened today was that someone you might never have expected to align with this caucus, mike pence, someone who wants to run for president. >> ...

Members? joan walsh is editor of salon.com and john heilmann is national political correspondent for "new york" magazine. by the way, joan, i recognized one of the members from the tea party standing behind the congresswoman. she was in the special on "the right." let me ask you this. do you like the word receptacle? that was my favorite word used unusually today. not really an intellectual word. it's a trash can receptacle. >> it's a trash can. >> and she said her caucus will be a trash can for all white wing ideas. does that go from second amendment remedies when you don't like what congress...

Partiers what, due think about the tea party, 56% said they are way too extreme and only 17% said they shared their values, so they drive away independents when, you know, part of the game is going to be about, you know, getting the independents. this is not going to help them get the independents. >> john, the only thing i can remember is history, and i remember it -- people say this isn't going to happen, but i remember in 1964 out here in the cow palace in california in san francisco where moderate republicans were booted out of the room. people like nelson rockefeller, the behavior by the ...

Walter mondale out as a rad cal kashlgs come on, let's be right about history. >> by the way, in the fall, the nuts fall from the tree so look out in november. thank you joan walsh and thank you john heilemann. up next, the white house has a couple big wins to brag about lately. they are winning on wall street reform. they will get unemployment extensions and we'll get to see all the verdict rigs are playing on main street with pennsylvania governor ed rendell. this is "hardball" only on msnbc. that communicates trust... honor... follow-through... and follow-up. it's a promise that says go ahe...

>> is michele bachmann any different than harry reid or anybody else in a tough re-election to go to your deepest base and try to make the most of it? >> well, she's going to her deepest base. i would also say, i'll give her this much credit. i think she believes some of this crazy stuff so i don't think she's only being an opportunist. i really think she believes it and is a little bit dangerous because she believes it, that a lot of us are un-american and that there should be an investigation into our beliefs, et cetera, but i believe she holds her ideas sincerely. they are very bad ideas, a...