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And that our true north is how are we helping american families suck see the. deficit reduction is part of that agenda and an important part, but it's not the only part and i don't want us to be paralyzed on everything just because we disagree on this one thing. >> lynn, what's first on the president's post-sequester agenda? >> well, i would say it's a simultaneous agenda think of it going on three or four track set once. you have the gun legislation that's making its way towards votes. there is a hearing on the assault weapon ban in the senate this week. you have immigration getting teed up. ...

Spiteser quoting, almost no traffic on 395 a.m. joe pounder, another rnc official saying i was surprised today when coming into work that that sequester hadn't turned washington into some scene out of mad max. it did not end when the budgets went through. how much hyperbole did the white house describe with the sequester? >> everyone has been using hyperbole. >> present company excluded, of course. >> of course, craig, of course. >> you've driven the stree stre washington and you know how bad it could be. the aaa reported there could be a 30% cut in congestion because of furloughs so you wonde...

To come to a bipartisan agreement on these other major deadlines coming down the pipeline and possibly with some time to spare? >> well, i will tell you, several weeks ago i was much more optimistic than i am now. i didn't believe that my republican colleagues would want the sequester to go forward, but now it seems as though they have embraced it. i do have to hold out and be optimistic and say that we will get a deal done because we absolutely have to. the government can't be shut down and these cuts cannot go into effect, but i have to tell you that people are already feeling the impact. i ...

>> last question here before i let you go. >> i have to wonder how can the next pope have the most influence? would it be better for the conclave to choose someone from a part of the world where catholicism is strong or might a choice like a cardinal dolan here in north america inspire a place where catholicism is on the decline? >> in fact, catholicism is in a much stronger position in the united states today than it was 20 years ago. the american seminary here in rome right above where we are tonight is fuller than it's ever been since 1964, and i think the vitality of the church in the unit...

Mcconnell and rank and file republicans will agree with his approach for more taxes in order to deal with the sequester and it's a very risky proposition because the economy could begin to slow and the president could end up getting the blame for that at the end of the day. >> do we think the gop was ever serious at all about negotiating here over the sequester? >> not on this round of negotiations, no. i think they dug in after that fiscal cliff and made it clear if the president got his tax increase we want the spending cuts and the speaker went through and you cited in "the new york times" ...