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Guys. it's complicated territory. i think from a political perspective, what you are going to see is that claiming victory or progress in afghanistan is a fraught question for the obama administration. much more fraught i think than they thought it would be when the president gave his west point speech last year. >> bret: it happens. >> in a country where corruption is endemic we're not going to cure it. the best hope is to tamp it down and to have people on our side who at least play us one way and not a two-way game. >> bret: that is it for the panel. stay tuned for añpp@@

Them and not between the people that we are supporting and robbing their own people. >> bret: afghan sources, others saying that karzai's brother is on the u.s. payroll, the governor of kandahar. this comes at a time when congress and the administration are trying to crack down on the afghan government to avoid corruption. it just gets sticky. >> there is a strong case to be made for why we stay in afghanistan, general petraeus has been trying to make it. president obama not made it well enough, not made it often enough. political support for the evident is rapidly eroding. i agree with charle...

Would go with killing -- with bribery. forgive me. >> bret: rewind. >> rewind that. bribery involves the transfer of money. killing is a more difficult proposition. i'm skeptical, and tired of those getting squeamish. in this particular case, what we are dealing with is a man, it's something we can tolerate. but the problem is if he has a hand in killing his own people. that would prevent any success in the insurgency campaign. i think what we have to do is make sure that the c.i.a. is acting effectively. but at the same time is trying to ensure whatever happens is between us and

Chris, first of all, what about the economic numbers and where we stand on this economy? >> well, i think the political calculation here is this. the numbers are bad. we see the numbers and we look at these closely but when you are talking about the reality for the election, you talk about what voters understand. voters don't have to look at the numbers to know that the economy is bad. they can't sell their house. they're afraid of losing their jop. the kids may not be able to find work and they may move at home with them. it's a multiplier effect and baked in the cake. among the democrats now...

In 2010, we started slipping again. slipping rather badly. g.d.p. numbers sliding very much. they will be stagnant now. shockingly bad numbers on housing this week. idea that the fed has run out of options. i think what is returning is a sense we might not just be in doldrum of pause. but headed to a double dip or worse. you see that in the jitteriness of the stock market. that i think is new. economic times are bad, the party in power is in trouble. people are seized with fear. the party in power has no chance whatsoever. >> bret: democrats, chris, some of them are running now against their l...