thumbnail of PBS NewsHour; June 15, 2012 3:00pm-4:00pm PDT
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>> Woodruff: THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WILL STOP DEPORTING SOME YOUNG ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND GRANT THEM WORK PERMITS. GOOD EVENING. I'M JUDY WOODRUFF.
>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. ON THE NEWSHOUR TONIGHT, WE DEBATE WHAT THE NEW RULES MEAN FOR SOME 800,000 YOUNG PEOPLE AND FOR THE NATION'S IMMIGRATION POLICY.
>> Woodruff: THEN, WE PREVIEW TWO UPCOMING ELECTIONS: FIRST, IN GREECE, WHICH HAS EUROPEAN LEADERS WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THE RESULTS COULD MEAN FOR THE EURO-ZONE.
>> Brown: AND IN EGYPT, WHERE POLITICAL TENSIONS ARE HIGH AFTER A COURT ORDERED THAT PARLIAMENT BE DISSOLVED.
>> Woodruff: TOM BEARDEN REPORTS ON WILDFIRES IN COLORADO, WHERE A DRY WINTER, HIGH WINDS, AND A TINY INSECT ARE MAKING IT HARD TO CONTAIN THE FLAMES.
>> PINE BARK BEETLE DEVASTATED MILLIONS OF ACRES 6 WESTERN FOREST AND WHEN FIRES MOVE THROUGH, DEAD TREES CAN CAUSE IT TO BURN HOTTER AND MOVE MUCH FASTER.
>> Brown: PLUS, MARK SHIELDS AND MICHAEL GERSON ANALYZE THE WEEK'S NEWS.
>> Woodruff: THAT'S ALL AHEAD ON TONIGHT'S NEWSHOUR.
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>> Brown: PRESIDENT OBAMA MADE A MAJOR SHIFT ON IMMIGRATION POLICY TODAY, AIMED AT YOUNGER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. HE CALLED FOR ALLOWING MORE OF THEM TO STAY AND WORK IN THE COUNTRY. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, UP TO 800,000 YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN THE U.S. ILLEGALLY WILL NO LONGER BE SUBJECT TO AUTOMATIC DEPORTATION. THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED THE CHANGE IN THE WHITE HOUSE ROSE GARDEN.
>> IT MAKES NO SENSE TO EXPEL TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE WHO, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, ARE AMERICANS. THEY'VE BEEN RAISED AS AMERICANS, UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES TO BE PART OF THIS COUNTRY. TO EXPEL THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WANT TO STAFF OUR LABS OR START NEW BUSINESSES OR DEFEND OUR COUNTRY SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS OF THEIR PARENTS, OR BECAUSE OF THE INACTION OF POLITICIANS.
>> Brown: UNDER THE PROGRAM, YOUNG ILLEGALS WILL NOT BE DEPORTED IF: THEY WERE BROUGHT TO THE UNITED STATES BEFORE AGE 16 AND HAVE REMAINED FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS WITHOUT LEAVING; THEY MUST ALSO BE UNDER THE AGE OF 30, WITH NO CRIMINAL HISTORY; AND THEY MUST HAVE A U.S. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, OR ITS EQUIVALENT, OR HAVE SERVED IN THE U.S. MILITARY. THOSE WHO QUALIFY MAY APPLY FOR A TWO-YEAR WORK PERMIT WITH NO LIMITS ON HOW MANY TIMES IT CAN BE RENEWED. THE CHANGE EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTS PARTS OF THE "DREAM ACT." THE BILL WAS MEANT TO CREATE A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP, BUT IT DIED IN CONGRESS IN 2010. THE PRESIDENT SAID TODAY HIS NEW POLICY IS NOT INTENDED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR CONGRESSIONAL ACTION.
>> NOW, LET'S BE CLEAR-- THIS IS NOT AMNESTY. THIS IS NOT IMMUNITY. THIS IS NOT A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP. IT'S NOT A PERMANENT FIX. THIS IS A TEMPORARY STOP-GAP MEASURE THAT LETS US FOCUS OUR RESOURCES WISELY WHILE GIVING A DEGREE OF RELIEF AND HOPE TO TALENTED, DRIVEN, PATRIOTIC YOUNG PEOPLE.
>> Brown: BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT, PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD FACED CRITICISM FROM LATINO GROUPS FOR STEPPING UP THE DEPORTATIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. LAST YEAR ALONE, THE NUMBER TOTALED NEARLY 397,000, THE MOST EVER. IN WASHINGTON TODAY, 20-YEAR-OLD VICTOR PELLA-FOX EXULTED IN THE PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCEMENT.
>> SO, I'M UNDOCUMENTED AND I LIVED IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA FOR 13 YEARS. I GRADUATED IN 2010, AND I WAS ACCEPTED TO VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES IN ALABAMA AND ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST, BUT I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND ANY OF THEM BECAUSE I WAS UNDOCUMENTED. WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, WITH THIS NEWS, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF MY LIFE.
>> Brown: YOUNG LATINOS ALSO CHEERED THE CHANGE AT A MARCH IN LOS ANGELES AND WATCHING ON TV IN ARIZONA. BUT THERE WERE CRITICS, TOO, LIKE SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO OF MARICOPA COUNTRY ARIZONA. HE'S BUILT A NATIONAL REPUTATION FOR A HARD LINE STANCE AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
>> MY OPINION IS THEY WANT AMNESTY. THIS IS ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS AMNESTY, WHICH I OPPOSE.
>> Brown: REPUBLICAN LEADERS IN WASHINGTON COMPLAINED THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD TAKEN UNILATERAL ACTION ON A VITAL NATIONAL ISSUE. FLORIDA SENATOR MARCO RUBIO HAS OFFERED AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE DREAM ACT. IN A STATEMENT, HE SAID: "TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE WELCOME NEWS FOR MANY OF THESE KIDS DESPERATE FOR AN ANSWER, BUT IT IS A SHORT-TERM ANSWER TO A LONG-TERM PROBLEM. AND BY ONCE AGAIN IGNORING THE CONSTITUTION AND GOING AROUND CONGRESS, THIS SHORT-TERM POLICY WILL MAKE IT HARDER TO FIND A BALANCED AND RESPONSIBLE LONG- TERM ONE." FOR HIS PART, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MITT ROMNEY ALSO CALLED FOR A LONG- TERM SOLUTION.
>> IF I AM PRESIDENT, WE WILL DO OUR VERY BEST TO HAVE THAT KIND OF LONG-TERM SOLUTION THAT PROVIDES CERTAINTY AND CLARITY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO COME INTO THIS COUNTRY, THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, BY VIRTUE OF THE ACTION OF THEIR PARENTS.
>> Brown: BUT THE PRESIDENT'S ACTION PROMISES TO HAVE ELECTION-YEAR REPERCUSSIONS, ESPECIALLY IN BATTLEGROUND STATES LIKE COLORADO, WITH LARGE AND GROWING HISPANIC POPULATIONS. TWO VIEWS OF TODAY'S ACTION NOW. FIRST FROM THE ADMINISTRATION: CECILIA MUNOZ IS DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE DOMESTIC POLICY COUNCIL. THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE PRESIDENT SAID THIS IS NOT AMNESTY, NOT A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP, BUT WE JUST HEARD THAT FOR SOME OPPONENTS IT HAS MANY OF THOSE VERY CHARACTERISTICS. HOW DO YOU DEFINE IT? WHAT IS THIS?
>> WELL THIS IS REALLY A DECISION BY SECRETARY NAPOLITANO TO CONTINUE TO USE THE PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION THAT SHE HAS BEEN USING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO MAKE SURE THE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT CASELOAD IS NOT CLOGGED WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE LOW PRIORITIES FOR ENFORCEMENT, AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE SPENDING THE RESOURCE, THAT DHS IS SPENDING ITS RESOURCES DEPORTING PEOPLE WHO COMMITTED CRIME OR POSE A SERIOUS THREAT. THIS IS REALLY AN EXTENSION OF HER AUTHORITY TO USE PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION IN A WAY WHICH LIFTS THE CLOUD OF FEAR OF DEPORTATION FROM FOLKS WHO FIT THE CRITERIA THAT DHS ARTICULATED TODAY. IT'S NOT PERMANENT. IT'S NOT A PERMANENT SOLUTION. THE PRESIDENT WAS VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT TODAY. AND HE VERY STRONGLY SUPPORTS CONGRESSIONAL ACTION TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM IN A PERMANENT WAY.
>> Brown: YOU ARE FRAMING IT IN THE CONTEXT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE KIND OF BREAK GAP THERE. BUT SURELY IT HAPPENS, IT TAKES PLACE AT A TIME IN THE MIDST OF THE CAMPAIGN. THE PRESIDENT COULD HAVE DONE THIS AT ANY OTHER TIME. SO SHOULD IT NOT BE SEEN AS A POLITICAL ACT?
>> WELL, THE SECRETARY TOOK STEPS IN 2010 TO ASSERT PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION. AND AFTER EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF THOSE STEP THESE TOOK ADDITIONAL STEPS AT DHS TWICE IN 2011. AFTER EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF THAT, THEY'VE TAKEN THIS STEP TODAY. AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE FOCUSING THE USE OF ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE. THIS IS REALLY AN EXTENSION OF SOMETHING DHS HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN, REALLY SINCE THIS ADMINISTRATION CAME INTO POWER.
>> Brown: WILL YOU BET-- BUT LET ME ASK YOU AGAIN. BECAUSE AGAIN YOU HAVE FACED A LOT OF CRITICISM FROM LATINO GROUPS OVER THE DEPORTATIONS. AND THE PRESIDENT IS OUT THERE LOOK FOR VOTES IN THIS CAMPAIGN. SO NO POLITICS INVOLVED IN THIS AT ALL?
>> THIS IS DHS'S DECISION ON THE BASIS OF REALLY SOUND LAW ENFORCEMENT POLICY. AND IT'S A PART OF A PROGRESSION THAT DHS HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN AGAIN SINCE SECRETARY NAPOLITANO CAME INTO OFFICE. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT STEP. AGAIN, IT DOES LIFT THE SHADOW OF DEPORTATION FROM OVER A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT ALSO ALLOWS THE AGENCY TO CONCENTRATE ITS ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES WHERE THEY'RE MOST NEEDED. THAT'S WHAT DHS HAS BEEN WORKING TO DO ALL ALONG. THIS IS THE NEXT STEP IN A PROGRESSION OF STEPS TAKEN BY THE AGENCY.
>> Brown: WHAT ABOUT THE CRITICISM OF THE PROCEDURE, THE PROCESS, BY WHICH THIS HAS HAPPENED? CONGRESS SAID NO TO THE DREAM ACT. WHY GO THIS ROUTE TO AN EXECUTIVE ORDER. AND WHAT ABOUT THE CRITICISM YOU ALREADY HEAR FROM OPPONENTS THAT THIS IS AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL, POTENTIALLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL APPROACH TO DOING IT.
>> THERE IS NO EXECUTIVE ORDER THIS WAS A DECISION BY SECRETARY NAPOLITANO TO EXPAND THE USE OF PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION IN A WAY WHICH IS CLEARLY PART OF THE AUTHORITY THAT CONGRESS DESIGNATES TO HER AS SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
>> Brown: NOW PEOPLE CAN REAPPLY FOR-- FOR THE WORK PERMIT AFTER TWO YEARS. OVER AND OVER AGAIN. YOU SAID THIS IS NOT PERMANENT. AND YET SOMETHING LIKE THAT, MAKES IT LOOK AS THOUGH FOR PEOPLE IN THIS SITUATION, COULD JUST GO ON AND ON.
>> THERE IS NO GUARANTEE OF RENEWAL. ANY SUBSEQUENT ADMINISTRATION COULD DECIDE TO TREAT THESE FOLKS COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY. SO IF STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO APPLY FOR THIS EVERY TWO YEARS. AND ANY SUBSEQUENT ADMINISTRATION CAN MAKE THEIR OWN DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO USE ITS DISCRETION IN THIS WAY. SO IT'S NOT PERMANENT. AS THE PRESIDENT SAID TODAY, THESE YOUNG PEOPLE REALLY DESERVE BETTER THAN HALF TO ORGANIZE THEIR LIVES IN TWOIER INCREMENTS. BUT THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THIS IN A PERMANENT WAY. WE BELIEVE PERMANENCE IS IMPORTANT. THE PRESIDENT BELIEVES VERY STRONGLY, WE NEED TO PASS THE DREAM ACT TO REFORM OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS. THE PATH TO GETTING THAT DONE GOES THROUGH ITS CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES. ANDY'S EAGER FOR THE PARTNERS HE NEEDS TO GET THAT DONE. HE REITERATED THAT AGAIN TODAY.
>> Brown: IF THIS IS ITS RIGHT THING TO DO AS THE PRESIDENT SAID SEVERAL TIMES TODAY, WHAT IS THE LOGIC FOR STOPPING IT AT AGE 30? WHY ISN'T SOMEONE WHO IS 31 WHO HAS GONE THROUGH ALL THE SAME, SPENT ALL THESE YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES AND GONE TO SCHOOL AND HAD A JOB OR SERVED IN THE MILITARY, WHY NOT, WHY ISN'T HE OR SHE ELIGIBLE?
>> WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERSION OF THE DREAM ACT THAT PASSED THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN 2010, THE CUTTOFF DATE IN THAT LEGISLATION WAS THE AGE OF 30. SO THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT A SIMILAR POPULATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE. AND THAT IS WHERE THE DISCUSSION LANDED.
>> Brown: BUT SO IT'S A PRACTICAL MATTER, IT'S NOT A LOGICAL MATTER? I MEAN IF YOU HAD YOUR WAY, AND YOU APPLY THE SAME LOGIC, THEN IT WOULD GO ON TO OLDER PEOPLE.
>> WELL, THIS, THE SECRETARY IS ARTICULATED A CLEAR SET OF CRITERIA, THAT IS THE CRITERIA THAT THEY'RE GOING TO APPLY TO PEOPLE WHO COME FORWARD. WE STILL HOPE FOR A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO RESOLVE OUR IMMIGRATION PROBLEMS AND THE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON AN IMMIGRATION REFORM.
>> Brown: I ASKED YOU ABOUT POLITICSMENT I WILL TRY ONE PORE TIME. ARE YOU EXPECTING WE WILL HEAR THIS A LOT FROM THE PRESIDENT ON THE CAMPAIGN, PARTICULARLY AS HE GOES TO A LOT OF STATES WITH HIGH HISPANIC POPULATION.
>> WELL, I'LL LET THE CAMPAIGN STAFF TALK ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN. I WILL TELL YOU AS A POLICY MATTER ON THE PRESIDENT'S DIRECTOR OF DOMESTIC POLICY, THIS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNTRY. THIS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF SOUND LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES AT DHS. AND AS THE PRESIDENT SAID TODAY, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
>> Brown: ALL RIGHT, CECILIA MUNOZ, THANK YOU.
>> Brown: FOR A DIFFERENT TAKE, REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN JIM SENSENBRENNER JOINS US FROM WISCONSIN. HE IS A PAST CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AND HAS CRITICIZED THE ADMINISTRATION'S MOVE. WELCOME, CONGRESSMAN, CECILIA MUNOZ AND THE PRESIDENT SAID VERY CLEARLY IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. YOU DISAGREE, WHY?
>> STRONGLY SO. NOW FIRST OF ALL THE DREAM ACT WAS REJECTED BY A DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS IN 2010. NOW WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS DOING IS HAVING NAPOLITANO DO SELECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE LAW IS STILL ON THE BOOKS. IF YOU ARE HERE ILLEGALLY YOU OUGHT TO BE SUBJECT TO DEPORTATION. THERE SHOULD BE NO SELECTION BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO WON'T BE DEPORTED AND WHO WHO WILL BE DEPORTED. IF YOU BREAK THE LAW, YOU WILL HAVE TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES. THAT'S CALLED EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS. WHICH IS SOMETHING OUR CONSTITUTION GUARANTEES.
>> Brown: OF COURSE THE ARGUMENT HERE IS THAT THESE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO CAME THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHY THEY'RE HERE. THEY HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME, THEY KNOW NO OTHER COUNTRY, REALLY. THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH SCHOOL. THEY MAY HAVE HELD A JOB. THEY MAY HAVE SERVED IN THE MILITARY. YOU'RE ARGUING STILL THEY SHOULD BE DEPORTED?
>> THEY SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO DEPORTATION. AND WHAT THE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY NAPOLITANO SEEM TO BE DOING IS TO SAY OKAY, WE WILL GIVE 800,000 ILLEGAL IMGRANTS-- IMMIGRANTS TWO YEAR WORK PERMITS THAT CAN BE RENEWED INDEFINITELY. AND THAT'S 800,000 MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPETING FOR JOBS AGAINST AMERICANS WHO HAVE NOT BROKEN THE LAW. THAT IS UNFAIR TO UNEMPLOYED AND UNDER EMPLOYED AMERICANS. THE PRINCIPAL PROBLEM FACING OUR ECONOMY TODAY IS JOBS. WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS DOING IS FLOODING THE JOB MARKET WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT HE IS GIVING TEMPORARY WORK PERMITS TO. NOT FAIR.
>> Brown: NOW YOU ALSO PUT OUT A STATEMENT TODAY CRITICIZING THE WAY THIS WAS DONE, AFTER CONGRESS HAD TURNED IT DOWN. WHAT IS YOUR ARGUMENT ABOUT THE WAY THE PRESIDENT AND THE SECRETARY HAVE GONE ABOUT THIS.
>> THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, ON INAUGURATION DAY TAKES AN OATH TO FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE LAWS. THOSE ARE THE LAWS THAT ARE PASSED BY CONGRESS. I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS BROKEN HIS OATH TO FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE LAWS BY ESSENTIALLY GIVING A GET OUT OF DEPORTATION FREE CARD TO 800,000 PEOPLE THAT HE HAS SELECTED THROUGH HIS SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY. WE'RE A GOVERNMENT OF LAWS WHERE A GOVERNMENT OF CHECKS AND BALANCES. AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH IS-- TO ITSELF SOMETHING THAT THE PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS REJECTED TWO YEARS AGO WHEN HIS PARTY, NOT MINE, WERE IN CHARGE OF BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS.
>> Brown: BUT YOU HEARD CECILIA MUNOZ AND THE ARGUMENT IS THAT THE SECRETARY HAS TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT RESOURCES, HOW TO USE THEM, HOW TO APPLY THINGS.
>> SHE IS SUPPOSED TO ENFORCE THE LAW. IF SHE DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, SHE SHOULD GO AND ASK CONGRESS FOR MORE. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. WHENEVER WE'VE HAD A NEED FOR A NATIONAL SECURITY OR PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, CONGRESS HAS ALWAYS FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WHITE HOUSE REGARDLESS OF WHO IS IN CONTROL, GIVING THEM THE RESOURCES TO KEEP AMERICA SAFE AND TO ENFORCE OUR LAWS.
>> Brown: NOW LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE POLITICS OF THIS ON YOUR SIDE. WE HEARD IN OUR SETTUP PIECE MITT ROMNEY SAY THAT HE WANTS A LONGER-TERM SOLUTION. WHEN REPORTERS ASKED HIM WHETHER HE WOULD OVERTURN THIS SPECIFICALLY, HE DIDN'T RESPOND. YOU HAVE GOVERNOR RUBBIO WHO HAS TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO DO SOMETHING SORT OF LIKE THIS, NOT QUITE IN THE SAME WAY. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR STRONGER STATEMENTS FROM REPUBLICAN LEADERS?
>> NO, I'M HAPPY WITH THE STATEMENTS REPUBLICAN LEADERS HAVE MADE. I JUST REMIND EVERYBODY THAT SEVEN YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, I INTRODUCED A BILL AND THE HOUSE PASSED IT AND THE SENATE KILLED IT THAT WOULD HAVE SOLVED THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT GIVING AMNESTY TO ANYBODY. IT WOULD HAVE SECURED THE BORDER. IT WOULD HAVE MADE HARSHER PENALTIES ON EMPLOYERS WHO BREAK THE LAW BY HIRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. HAD THAT BILL PATSED AND BEEN SIGNED BACK THEN, PRESIDENT BUSH, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM TODAY.
>> Brown: BUT I REFER TO GOVERNOR, I MET SENATOR RUBIO BUT SPECIFICALLY TODAY HE SAID THERE IS BROAD SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA THAT WE SHOULD FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HELP KIDS WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN. NO YOU SAID HE WANTED TO DO THAT WITHOUT ENCOURAGING MORE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BUT HE DID SAY THAT THERE WAS BROAD SUPPORT FOR DOING SOMETHING TO HELP THESE KIDS, DO AGREE WITH THAT.
>> ANY TIME AMNESTY OF ANY TYPE IS GIVEN REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU SPIN IT, IT ENCOURAGES MORE ILLEGAL ENTRIES INTO OUR COUNTRY. THAT IS WHAT THE HESS PER COMMISSION RECOMMENDED, THE PRESIDENT REAGAN AND 1981, CONGRESS IGNORED IT. WE HAD ABOUT 3 AND A HALF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN THE COUNTRY THEN, AND NOW WE HAVE BETWEEN 11 AND 20 MILLION. WHAT THIS IS AS IS IF YOU GET IN HERE AND ARE ABLE TO AVOID DETECTION, SOONER OR LATER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER AMNESTY AND ANOTHER AMNESTY AND ANOTHER AMNESTY. THIS IS A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY. WE OUGHT TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND AGAIN, I GET BACK TO THE POINT THAT I TRIED IN 2005 AND 2006. AND NOW WE'VE GOT A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE GOT UNACCEPTABLY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT. AND THE PRESIDENT AND 9 SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY ARE JUST HAVING 800,000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FLOOD THE LABOR MARKET. THAT'S GOING TO MAKE IT MUCH TOUGHER FOR UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS WHO ARE LEGALLY HERE TO GET JOBS IN THIS PRETTY AWFUL ECONOMY.
>> Brown: ALL RIGHT, REPRESENTATIVE JIM SENSENBRENNER EP REPUBLICAN OF WISCONSIN, THANK YOU. ON OUR WEB SITE, YOU CAN WATCH INTERVIEWS WITH DREAM ACT SUPPORTERS, AND WITH ADVOCATE JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS, THE FORMER "WASHINGTON POST" JOURNALIST WHO, ONE YEAR AGO, REVEALED HE, TOO, IS AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT. AND ON TONIGHT'S EDITION OF THE PBS PROGRAM "NEED TO KNOW," NEWSHOUR SENIOR CORRESPONDENT RAY SUAREZ HOSTS A PANEL DISCUSSION ON AMERICA'S IMMIGRATION POLICIES.
>> Woodruff: STILL TO COME ON THE NEWSHOUR: THE ELECTIONS ON SUNDAY-- IN GREECE AMID FINANCIAL TURMOIL; AND EGYPT, WHERE THERE ARE ESCALATING POLITICAL TENSIONS; PLUS, BATTLING COLORADO'S WILDFIRES; AND SHIELDS AND GERSON. BUT FIRST, THE OTHER NEWS OF THE DAY. HERE'S HARI SREENIVASAN.
>> Sreenivasan: THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ANNOUNCED NEW AIR QUALITY STANDARDS TODAY TO REDUCE LEVELS OF AIRBORNE SOOT. ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH GROUPS SAID THE MOVE WOULD HELP PREVENT RESPIRATORY ILLNESS, STROKES AND HEART ATTACKS. CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS AND INDUSTRY OFFICIALS CALLED THE PROPOSAL OVERLY STRICT. THEY SAID IT WOULD ADD COST, KILL JOBS, AND HURT ECONOMIC GROWTH. A FEDERAL JURY IN NEW YORK HAS CONVICTED FORMER GOLDMAN SACHS BOARD MEMBER RAJAT GUPTA OF INSIDER TRADING. HE WAS FOUND GUILTY TODAY OF CONSPIRACY AND SECURITIES FRAUD. GUPTA WAS ACCUSED OF FEEDING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION TO A HEDGE FUND MANAGER, WHO USED THE TIP TO MAKE NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS. WALL STREET FINISHED TODAY WITH ITS THIRD BIG GAIN OF THE WEEK. THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE GAINED 115 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 12,767. THE NASDAQ ROSE 36 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 2,872. FOR THE WEEK, THE DOW GAINED NEARLY 1%; THE NASDAQ ROSE MORE THAN 1%. IN SYRIA, GOVERNMENT FORCES RENEWED THE SHELLING OF REBEL- HELD TOWNS TODAY, AS U.N. OBSERVERS WARNED THEIR MISSION IS IN JEOPARDY. AMATEUR VIDEO SHOWED A FIREBALL ERUPTING IN HOMS. THICK BLACK SMOKE FROM THE SHELLING COULD BE SEEN HOVERING ABOVE THE SKYLINE. IT WAS PART OF A NEW OFFENSIVE THE REGIME LNCHED EARLIER THIS WEEK. MEANWHILE, IN DAMASCUS, THE NORWEGIAN COMMANDER OF THE U.N. OBSERVERS HAD A GRIM ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION.
>> WE ARE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE WE SEE THAT THE VIOLENCE IS CONTINUING AND IT HAS INCREASED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. THE ESCALATING VIOLENCE IS NOW LIMITING OUR ABILITY TO OBSERVE, TO VERIFY, TO REPORT AS WELL AS ASSIST IN LOCAL DIALOGUE AND STABILITY PROJECTS.
>> Sreenivasan: ACTIVISTS REPORTED AT LEAST 34 PEOPLE WERE KILLED ACROSS SYRIA TODAY. A RAFT OF INTERNAL DOCUMENTS SHED NEW LIGHT TODAY ON A SCANDAL INVOLVING SECRET SERVICE EMPLOYEES. THE GOVERNMENT RELEASED A 229- PAGE LIST OF SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS GOING BACK TO 2004. THEY RANGE FROM INVOLVEMENT WITH PROSTITUTES TO SEXUAL ASSAULT TO IMPROPER USE OF WEAPONS. IT IS UNCLEAR HOW MANY OF THE ACCUSATIONS WERE EVER CONFIRMED. THE SECRET SERVICE HAS COME UNDER SCRUTINY SINCE A DOZEN EMPLOYEES WERE IMPLICATED IN A PROSTITUTION SCANDAL IN APRIL. NIAGARA FALLS WILL BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT TONIGHT WHEN DAREDEVIL NIK WALLENDA ATTEMPTS TO CROSS ON A TWO-INCH TIGHTROPE. WALLENDA WILL HAVE TO WALK 1,800 FEET ON A CABLE SUSPENDED NEARLY 200 FEET ABOVE THE RUSHING WATER. IT IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1896 THAT U.S. AND CANADIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE ALLOWED A TIGHTROPE ARTIST TO ATTEMPT A CROSSING. WALLENDA WILL WEAR A TETHER TO SAVE HIM IN CASE HE FALLS. ABC INSISTED ON IT, IN RETURN FOR TELEVISING THE STUNT TONIGHT. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DAY'S MAJOR STORIES. NOW, BACK TO JUDY.
>> Woodruff: LEADERS AROUND THE WORLD ARE CLOSELY WATCHING THIS WEEKEND'S ELECTIONS IN GREECE, WHERE THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS FOR THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. POLLING STATIONS ACROSS GREECE WERE BUSY WITH PRE-ELECTION ACTIVITY TODAY FOR THE SECOND TIME IN SIX WEEKS. NO PARTY WON ENOUGH SUPPORT IN LAST MONTH'S VOTE TO FORM A GOVERNMENT, FORCING A DO-OVER THIS SUNDAY. AND THE STAKES ARE HIGH-- FOR GREECE, EUROPE AND EVEN THE BROADER WORLD ECONOMY. THE LEFT-WING SYRIZA PARTY INSISTS THAT, IF IT WINS, IT WANTS TO REOPEN THE PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL BAILOUT AGREEMENT THAT FORCED AUSTERITY MEASURES ON GREECE. THERE HAD BEEN FEARS OF A GREEK EXIT FROM THE EURO CURRENCY SYSTEM AND RESULTING TURMOIL IN FINANCIAL MARKETS. SYRIZA'S LEADER, ALEXIS TSIPRAS, HOWEVER, NOW INSISTS HE IS FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE TERMS OF THE BAILOUT AND WOULD NOT QUIT THE EURO.
>> ( translated ): DON'T PUT YOUR MONEY ON A GREEK EXIT FROM THE EURO-ZONE. YOU'LL BE THE LOSERS.
>> Woodruff: THE HEAD OF THE CONSERVATIVE NEW DEMOCRACY PARTY, ANTONIS SAMARAS, SUPPORTS THE BAILOUT PLAN, BUT HAS CALLED FOR ADJUSTMENTS.
>> ( translated ): WE HAVE TO CHANGE THIS PROGRAM, IN ORDER TO STIMULATE JOB GROWTH, WHICH IS THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUTH, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WE MUST TRY TO REMAIN WITHIN THE EURO-ZONE.
>> Woodruff: THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO LEADING CONTENDERS HAS MANY INSIDE THE EURO-ZONE WORRIED THAT GREECE WILL ONCE AGAIN BE UNABLE TO FORM A COALITION GOVERNMENT. AND EVEN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES THAT DON'T USE THE EURO ARE TAKING NO CHANCES. SWITZERLAND AND GREAT BRITAIN HAVE INSTITUTED NEW MEASURES TO PROTECT THEIR FINANCIAL SYSTEMS. AND FOR MORE, I TALKED WITH JOHN PSAROPOULOS IN ATHENS A SHORT TIME AGO. HE'S A FREELANCE JOURNALIST WHO HAS WORKED FOR THE NEWSHOUR, NPR, AND AL JAZEERA, AMONG OTHERS. JOHN PSAROPOULOS, THANK YOU FOR TALKING WITH US. FIRST WHAT IS THE MOOD THERE AMONG MANY OF THE GREEKS. WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM WHAT DO THEY TELL YOU ABOUT THIS VOTE?
>> THERE'S A LOT OF INSECURITY, PARTICULARLY AMONG THE OLD WHO REMEMBER THE SECOND WORLD WAR. THEY'VE ACTUALLY LIVED THROUGH STARVATION, FAMINE, OCCUPATION. THEY HAVE BEEN HOARDING MONEY AND FOOD IN THEIR HOUSES EXPECTING THE WORST AFTER THE ELECTION IF GREECE REALLY WERE TO LEAVE THE EUROZONE. AMONG YOUNGER PEOPLE THERE'S A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ATTITUDE. PEOPLE ARE REALLY TAKING A HOPEFUL ATTITUDE. BUT A RATHER FEARFUL ONE. SO REALLY THEY'RE JUST PRAYING AND HOPING FOR THE BEST. IT IS A TIME OF ENORMOUS UNCERTAINTY. THE ELECTION IS TOO CLOSE TO CALL. AND NO ONE REALLY FEELS CERTAIN ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON MONDAY MORNING.
>> Woodruff: DO YOU SENSE, JOHN, THAT THE THINKING ABOUT WHAT TO DO HAS SHIFTED SINCE THE ORIGINAL ELECTION, THE FIRST ELECTION DATE?
>> WELL, I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT. IN THE LAST ELECTION, THE ATTITUDE WAS A LOT MORE POLARIZED BETWEEN THOSE PARTIES FAVOURING THE MEMORANDUM OF AUSTERITY MEASURES THAT ACCOMPANIES THE BAILOUT LOAN AND THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST. NOW THERE IS A BIT MORE OF A SOFTENING. THE HARD LINE RADICAL LEFT HAS ACTUALLY SOFTENED ITS LINE EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T SOUND AS THOUGH IT HAS. BECAUSE IN RALLIES IT SAYS IT WANTS TO TEAR UP THAT AGREEMENT, UNILATERALLY, BUT IN PRIVATE INTERVIEWS WITH TOP ECONOMIC PLANNERS YOU HEAR THAT NO, IN FACT, THEY WANT TO STAY WITHIN THE BAILOUT LOAN BECAUSE THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO FINANCE THE GREEK GOVERNMENT FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR SO. BUT THEY WOULD LIKE TO RENEGOTIATE THE MEMORANDUM OF AUSTERITY MEASURES. AND THAT BRINGS THEM A LOT CLOSER TO THE CONSERVATIVE PRO MEMORANDUM LINE WHICH IS IN SOME WAYS VERY SIMILAR. CONSERVATIVE NEW DEMOCRACY WOULD LIKE TO RENEGOTIATE CERTAIN THINGS LIKE NOT HAVING FURTHER AUSTERITY CUTS AND SALARIES AND PENSIONS, NO MORE TAXES. EVERYONE'S AGREED ON THAT. AND INSTEAD TO PLACE THE EMPHASIS ON GROWTH BECAUSE AS NEW DEMOCRACY SAYS, FOR EVERY PERCENTAGE POINT OF GDP THAT WE MAKE THE ECONOMY GROW WE CREATE 45,000 JOBS. THAT MEANS MORE TAX REVENUES. THAT MEANS REREVERSE THE DEADLY SPIRAL THAT GREECE IS IN.
>> Woodruff: JOHN, IS THERE A SENSE OF WHAT HAPPENS IF NEITHER PARTY WINS A STRONG MAJORITY?
>> WELL, ALL THE INDICATIONS HAVE BEEN UP UNTIL THE POLLING BLACKOUT THAT'S IMPOSED FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS BEFORE AN ELECTION THAT BOTH NEW DEMOCRACY AND THE OTHER PARTY WOULD EMERGE STRENGTHENED FROM THIS SECOND REPEAT ELECTION. THAT MEANS HAD THAT THEY WERE BOTH POLLING UP TO ROUGHLY 30% OF THE VOTE EACH. NOW THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN. BUT IT IS TOO STRONG AN INDICATION TO IGNORE ENTIRELY. IT SEEMS VERY LIKELY THAT BOTH OF THEM WILL BE STRENGTHENED. BUT IT DOES MEAN ALSO THAT THEY HAVE POLARIZED THE RESPECTIVE PRO MEMORANDUM AND ANTI-MEMORANDUM VOTES. IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT ONE OF THEM WILL ACHIEVE ENOUGH VOTES TO RULE ON ITS OWN. THAT DOES SEEM OUT OF REACH. SO ONE OF TWO THINGS WILL HAPPEN. EITHER THEY WILL BOTH HAVE TO SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE AND FORM A GRAND COALITION, A RAINBOW COALITION BETWEEN RIGHT AND LEFT OR ONE OF THEM WILL GO INTO THE OPPOSITION AND ALLOW THE OTHER TO FRM A COALITION WITH SMALLER PARTIES WHICH, OF COURSE, WILL BE A MUCH WEAKER STRUCTURE.
>> Woodruff: JOHN PSAROPOULOS IN ATHENS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME
>> Brown: TENSIONS WERE HIGH IN EGYPT TODAY AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND'S FIRST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SINCE THE FALL OF HOSNI MUBARAK. MORE THAN 200 POLICEMEN WERE DEPLOYED OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT TO BLOCK LAWMAKERS FROM ENTERING. THAT CAME AFTER A COURT RULED YESTERDAY THAT RECENT PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WERE INVALID. WE BEGIN WITH A REPORT FROM JONATHAN RUGMAN OF INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS IN CAIRO.
>> Reporter: IN THE BALLROOM OF A SMART CAIRO HOTEL, EGYPT'S HIGH SOCIETY SEEM TO BE SCENTING THE SMELL OF VICTORY. ONE OF THEIR OWN, HOSNI MUBARAK'S LAST PRIME MINISTER, IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. AMONG THOSE WAITING TO WELCOME THE CANDIDATE ARE TWO OF THE DEPOSED DICTATOR'S MINISTERS, THOUGH NEITHER WANTS TO TALK. THE MAN THEY'RE ROOTING FOR, AHMED SHAFIK-- AGED 71; AIR MARSHALL, RETIRED. "THE PEOPLE WANT SHAFIK," THEY CHANT, IN A BIZARRE ECHO OF LAST YEAR'S CHANTS IN TAHRIR SQUARE. BIZARRE BECAUSE THIS MAN IS ABOUT AS FAR FROM LAST YEAR'S YOUTH-DRIVEN REVOLUTION AS YOU CAN GET. ON STAGE WITH HIM ARE PRESIDENT SADAT'S WIDOW, AND THE DAUGHTER OF PRESIDENT NASSER, THE FOUNDER OF EGYPT'S MILITARY STATE.
>> THERE IS A BELONG TRADITION OF MILITARY MEN RUNNING EGYPT IT SEEMS LIKE WE MIGHT HAVE ANOTHER ONE.
>> NO, NO, NO. IT JUST BY CHANCE.
>> PEOPLE THINK THE MILITARY ARE PULLING THE STRINGS.
>> NO. THE MILITARY ARE NOT PULLING THE STRINGS. IT'S EGYPT, IT'S THE EGYPTIANS.
>> THE PEOPLE.
>> IT'S THE PEOPLE WITHOUT ARE PULLING THE STRINGS.
>> Reporter: THE GRAFFITI IN TAHRIR SQUARE TELLS A DIFFERENT STORY. IN THE LAST 48 HOURS, JUDGES HAVE DISSOLVED EGYPT'S FIRST FREELY ELECTED PARLIAMENT, AND EMERGENCY RULE HAS BEEN RE-IMPOSED, LEAVING THIS MAN PERHAPS WONDERING IF THE SCALES OF JUSTICE ARE PERMANENTLY TILTED AGAINST HIM. HE'S MOHAMMED MURSI, A PROFESSOR OF ENGINEERING, THE ISLAMIST CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT IN AN ELECTION WHICH PUTS RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR EGYPT AT POLITICAL WAR. TO HIS CRITICS, MURSI IS FUNDAMENTALISM'S FRIENDLY FACE. TO HIS SUPPORTERS, HE'S A REVOLUTIONARY HERO.
>> SHAFIK IS COMING FROM THE OLD REGIME, NOW I HAVE NO CHOICE IN CHOOSING BETWEEN SHAFIK AND MORSI. MY CHOICE IS MORSI.
>> Reporter: IN TAHRIR ITSELF, THE GRASS HAS DIED. THE YOUNG LIBERALS WHO LED THE REVOLUTION HAVE LEFT THEIR MANIFESTOS, BUT IT'S A RATHER TACKY TOURIST SPOT NOW, WITH STREET HAWKERS FIERCELY PROTECTING THEIR TURF. SHAHIRA AMIN READ THE NEWS ON STATE TELEVISION TILL SHE RESIGNED TO JOIN THE UPRISING LAST YEAR. NOW, SHE'S SO DISILLUSIONED THAT SHE'S BOYCOTTING THE PRESIDENTIAL VOTE.
>> I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED. VERY LETDOWN. AND I-- YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE REVOLUTION TO HAVE A SECULAR, CIVIL, DEMOCRATIC STATE. AND THEN TO END UP WITH, YOU KNOW, A MUBARAK CRONY AND ISLAMIST, NONE OF THE GOALS OF THE REVOLUTION HAVE BEEN FULFILLED. AND IT'S A STRUGGLE.
>> PAIN YOU WERE EXPECTING TOO MUCH.
>> WE WERE EXPECTING TOO MUCH TOO QUICKLY, YES. YOU KNOW MUBARAK FELL IN JUST 18 DAYS. AND SO EXPECTATIONS WERE HIGH.
>> Reporter: YET IN THE BAZAARS OF OLD CAIRO, THE DIVISIONS ARE STEEP. SOME SAY A STRONG MAN LIKE AIR MARSHALL SHAFIK WILL BRING BACK TOURISTS AND INVESTMENT. OTHERS BELIEVING THAT PROFESSOR MURSI AND HIS LONG BANNED MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD REPRESENT THE TRUE MAJORITY OF EGYPT'S 90 MILLION PEOPLE. WITH HOSNI MUBARAK GONE, EGYPTIANS GET TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME THIS WEEKEND. BUT DEMOCRACY HAS ELUDED THIS COUNTRY FOR THE LAST 7,000 YEARS, AND THE OLD MILITARY GUARD WHO'VE RULED IT FOR THE LAST 60 ARE SHOWING PRECIOUS LITTLE SIGN OF REALLY LETTING GO.
>> Brown: FOR MORE, I'M JOINED BY TAREK MASOUD, AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC POLICY AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY. HE SPECIALIZES IN ISLAMIC POLITICAL PARTIES AND THEIR ROLE IN GOVERNANCE. TAREK, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS AS APPROACHING A KIND OF COUP, ALMOST, BY THE MILITARY. CERTAINLY A SHOWING OF STRENGTH BY THE MILITARY AND THE OLD GUARD. HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE IT?
>> WELL, JEFF, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE DECISION TO DESOL-- DISSOLVE THE PARLIAMENT AND THE DECISION TO ALLOW SHAFIK THE OLD MUBARAK SENATOR TO RUN FOR ABOUT THE, THESE WERE NOT DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE BY THE MILITARY. THEY WERE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE BY THE COURT. SO THOUGH ONE, WE MIGHT LOOK AT THIS AS THE MILITARY BEHIND THE SCENES PULLING THE STRINGS. ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THIS IS THAT THE EGYPTIAN JUDICIARY HAS STEPPED IN AND WANTS TO ASSERT ITS INFLUENCE OVER THE PROCESS.
>> Brown: WELL, TELL US ABOUT THAT JUDICIARY AND THIS COURT. WHO DO THEY REPRESENT? ARE THEY INDEPENDENT? ARE THEY BEHOLDEN TO MUBARAK OR THE MILITARY OR ANYBODY?
>> WELL, SO, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME CONSTITUTIONAL COURT, THEY'RE ALL APPOINTED BY MUBARAK, THEY'RE ALL MEN WHO MADE THEIR CAREERS DURING THE MUBARAK ERA. BUT THERE IS A VERY STRONG STRAIN OF JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE IN EGYPT. SO IT'S NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR THAT WE COULD JUST LOOK AT THIS AND SAY THAT THE JUDGES ARE JUST DOING THE MILITARY'S BIDDING OR THE JUDGES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LOYAL TO MUBARAK. I THINK BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED IS THIS. THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD WHICH HAD THE MAJORITY IN THE PARLIAMENT DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF BUILDING CONSENSUS. AND SO THE EGYPTIAN POLITICAL SPACE IS VERY FRAGMENTED. THERE'S A LOT OF CONFLICT. AND BECAUSE THERE WAS THIS CONFLICT, BECAUSE THE LIBERALS FELT THAT THE MUSLIM BROTHERS HAD BROKE FAITH WITH THEM, I THINK THIS GAVE THE JUDICIARY THE OPENING IT NEEDED TO STEP IN AND CLIP THE BROTHERHOOD'S WINGS.
>> Brown: SO WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD? WHAT'S THEIR REACTION BEEN TO THE CALL FOR DISSOLVING PARLIAMENT. I MEAN THEY ARE STILL FIELDING THEIR CANDIDATE IN THE ELECTION, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT SO THIS IS MORE THAN A CALL FOR DISSOLVING PARLIAMENT, PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN DISSOLVED. THE MILITARY HAS BARRED THE PARLIAMENTARIANS FROM ENTERING THE BUILDING. AND WHAT HAS THE REACTION OF THE MUSLIM BROTHER LOOD? THEY HAVE NASHED THEIR TEETH A LITTLE BIT. THEY HAVE LAMENTED THIS BUT THEY ARE NOT TAKING TO THE STREETS. THEY ARE VERY MUCH FOCUSED ON THE ELECTION TOMORROW AND THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF TAHRIR SQUARE, THE SYMBOL OF REVOLUTION, THEY'RE COMPLETELY QUIET. THE BROTHERS AREN'T THERE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE LIBERAL ITS AREN'T PROTESTING IN THE SQUARE EITHER BECAUSE FROM THEIR STANDPOINT, HAVING THE ISLAMISTS DOMINATED PARLIAMENT BE DISSOLVED IS NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING.
>> Brown: WELL, LET'S FILL IN THAT PICTURE A LITTLE BIT, THE SECULAR LIBERALS. THEY PLAYED SUCH A ROLE IN THE REVOLUTION. THEY DID NOT PLAY MUCH OF A ROLE IN THE PARLIAMENT. THEY DON'T HAVE A CANDIDATE IN THIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. SO DASHED HOPES? WHAT HAPPENED HERE?
>> IT'S-- IT IS DASHED HOPES AND I THINK IT'S MISMANAGEMENT OF THE POLITICAL SITUATION BY THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD. SO BASICALLY THE, AS YOU SAID, THE LIBERAL, THEY WERE THE ONES WHO KIND OF CATALYZED THE REVOLUTION. THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD CAME IN AND HELPED THE REVOLUTION SUCCEED BUT THE LIBERALS WERE VERY IMPORTANT IN GETTING THIS REVOLUTION STARTED. BUT THEN ONCE THE POLITICS MOVED TOWARDS ELECTIONS, THE LIBERALS WERE NOT NAY VERY GOOD POSITION. WE KNOW THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD IS MUCH MORE ORGANIZED. THEY HAD A LOT MORE EXPERIENCE RUNNING FOR PARLIAMENT. THE LIBERALS HAD TO SCRAMBLE TO GET READY TO RUN FOR ELECTION. AND AS A RESULT THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AND OTHER ISLAMISTS DOMINATED THE PARLIAMENT. AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY THEN, THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AND THE ISLAMISTS ACTED AS IF THEY HAD A MANDATE. AND SO THEY DIDN'T REALLY REACH OUT AS MUCH AS THEY SHOULD HAVE TO THE LIBERALS. AND SO WHEN THEY CAME TO PICK THE COMMITTEE TO WRITE THE CONSTITUTION, 9 LIBERALS FELT THAT THEY WERE UNDERREPRESENTED. AND SO AS A RESULT THERE WAS THIS JUST TREMENDOUS CONFLICT. AND THERE WAS SOME HOPE WITH THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BECAUSE THE LIBERAL CAN DID-- CANDIDATE DID PRETTY WELL, GOT ALMOST 21% OF THE VOTE. AND THAT SHOULD HAVE INDICATED TO THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD THAT IT NEEDED TO CHANGE ITS WAYS A LITTLE BIT AND REACH OUT TO THESE LIBERALS BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.
>> Brown: LET ME ASK YOU IN OUR LAST MINUTE, I WANT TO PICK UP ON SOMETHING I HEARD IN THE ITN PIECE. TALKING ABOUT EXPECTATIONS, ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF MUBARAK FELL THEN EVERYTHING WOULD CHANGE. AND NOW IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT PERHAPS OR IT'S NOT CLEAR BUT PERHAPS NOT AS MUCH IS CHANGING AS PEOPLE THOUGHT OR EXPECTED.
>> I THINK, LOOK, I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE. AND ONE THING WE HAVE TO REMEMBER WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THESE MANEUVERS BY ELITE POLITICIANS, THERE'S 80 MILLION EGYPTIAN PEOPLE THERE WHO ARE CARREVENING TOWARDS ECONOMIC CRISIS AND WHOSE DAILY LIVES HAVE NOT IMPROVED IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS. SO YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FAILED BY THE MILITARY, THE LIBERALS, BY THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, THEY'VE BEEN FAILED BY EVERYBODY. THERE IS STILL SOME HOPE. WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. IF THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD CANDIDATE WINS, MAYBE THEN THAT, HE WILL, BECAUSE HE WON'T HAVE A PARLIAMENT BEHIND HIM WILL HAVE TO REACH OUT TO OTHER POLITICAL FORCES. BUT I THINK WE ARE NOW ENTERING INTO A VERY DANGEROUS PERIOD.
>> ALL RIGHT, TAREK MASOUD, THANKS SO MUCH.
>> Woodruff: NOW TO THE WILDFIRES IN THE AMERICAN WEST, BURNING IN SEVERAL STATES, WITH THE LARGEST ONES IN NEW MEXICO AND COLORADO. IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO, FIRES HAVE BURNED ALMOST 60 SQUARE MILES AND DAMAGED MORE THAN 200 STRUCTURES. MORE THAN 1,000 FIREFIGHTERS IN COLORADO ARE TRYING TO CONTAIN A FIRE THAT HAS SCORCHED 73 SQUARE MILES. NEWSHOUR CORRESPONDENT TOM BEARDEN REPORTS FROM NORTHERN COLORADO.
>> Reporter: ALMOST A WEEK AFTER THE HIGH PARK WILDFIRE BEGAN WEST OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, THE FLAMES STILL RAGE OUT OF CONTROL. MORE THAN 30 HOMES HAVE NOW BEEN DESTROYED AND EVACUATIONS ARE MULTIPLYING. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT JUST APPROVED THE USE OF SEVEN MILITARY TANKER PLANES TO ASSIST IN THE BATTLE. THEY WILL ADD THEIR WEIGHT TO ATTACK ON FIRES THAT HAVE GENERATED MASSIVE PLUMES OF SMOKE, LIKE THIS ONE LOOMING MORE THAN 30,000 FEET HIGH OVER COLORADO HIGHWAY 74E. IT'S ONE OF THE FEW MOUNTAIN ROADS IN THE AREA STILL OPEN, AND NOT FAR FROM THE TOWN OF RED FEATHER LAKES. AS OF THIS MORNING, THE FIRE HAD ONLY BEEN 15% CONTAINED. BUSINESS PEOPLE LIKE PATTI McMILLAN ARE COUNTING THEIR LOSSES.
>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON EVERYBODY.
>> Reporter: McMILLAN AND HER HUSBAND OWN THE RED FEATHER TRADING POST. SHE SAYS BUSINESS HAS ALREADY DRIED UP.
>> THIS IS SUMMER, THIS IS WHEN WE MAKE OUR MONEY. THIS IS HOW WE PAY OUR MORTGAGES. AND IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH, IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR EVERYBODY.
>> Reporter: SHE SAYS, ALTHOUGH IT CAN BE TERRIFYING, FIRE IS JUST PART OF THE LANDSCAPE HERE.
>> IT IS WHAT IT IS. WE LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS, AND IT'S A FEAR THAT WE HAVE EVERY YEAR. THIS YEAR, IT'S GOING TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY BAD. IT'S BEEN VERY DRY, AND WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE SNOW IN WINTERTIME, YOU HAVE THIS FEAR. AND YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT, YOU LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT. EVERYPLACE HAS SOMETHING-- THERE'S HURRICANES, THERE'S TORNADOES, THERE'S EARTHQUAKES. WE HAVE FIRES.
>> Reporter: COLORADO ALSO HAS A LOT OF DEAD TREES TO FUEL THOSE FIRES, RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE FORESTS HAVE BEEN MANAGED. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY ALMOST ANYWHERE IN MOUNTAINS, IT'S EASY TO SPOT SWATCHES OF RED-- PLACES WHERE INSECTS HAVE KILLED THE MOST VULNERABLE TREES. YEARS OF FOREST POLICIES STOPPED PERIODIC NATURAL FIRES FROM CLEARING AWAY WEAK AND DISEASED TREES. FORESTS, IN TURN, GREW MUCH THICKER THAN THEY HAD IN THE PAST. TREES THEN HAD TO COMPETE FOR SUNLIGHT AND WATER, LEAVING SOME LESS ABLE TO RESIST ATTACK FROM INSECTS. THE PINE BARK BEETLE HAS DEVASTATED MILLIONS OF ACRES OF WESTERN FORESTS. AND WHEN FIRES MOVE THROUGH THOSE AREAS, DEAD TREES CAN CAUSE THE FIRE TO BURN HOTTER AND MOVE MUCH FASTER. CHAD HOFFMAN IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF FIRE SCIENCE AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY. ALONG WITH COLLEAGUES AT THE LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY, HE'S BEEN MODELING HOW FIRE BEHAVES WHEN IT BURNS BEETLE-KILLED TIMBER.
>> THE FIRST SCENARIO I'LL SHOW YOU IS A GREEN FOREST THAT THE BARK BEETLES HAVEN'T IMPACTED. AND WHAT YOU SEE IS PRETTY TYPICAL, WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE A TYPICAL FIRE SPREAD. THERE'S SOME TORCHING HERE AND THERE, A LITTLE CROWN FIRE RUN GOING ON. AND THEN, WE COMPARE THAT TO THE SECOND SIMULATION, WHICH SHOWS THIS REALLY BROAD, HIGH LEVEL OF MORTALITY OF MOUNTAIN PINE NEEDLE OUTBREAK. WE NOTICE THE FIRE RATE OF SPREAD INCREASES. IT'S ABOUT DOUBLE. WE SEE THERE'S A LOT MORE CONTINUOUS COMBUSTION IN THESE SIMULATIONS.
>> Reporter: A THIRD SIMULATION SHOWS A BEETLE-DAMAGED AREA AFTER SEVERAL YEARS HAVE PASSED AND THE NEEDLES HAVE FALLEN TO THE FOREST FLOOR. SOME SAY FORESTS NEED TO BE THINNED AND DEAD TREES REMOVED TO REDUCE FIRE DANGER. BUT THAT'S EXPENSIVE, AND SUCH PLANS OFTEN DRAW HEATED OPPOSITION FROM ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS. DOUGLAS RIDEOUT IS A PROFESSOR OF FOREST ECONOMICS AT C.S.U.
>> THE GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT AND IS SPENDING SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF MONEY ON FEDERAL LAND. I THINK THE REAL QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT BE SPENDING ON PRIVATE LANDS TO PROTECT PRIVATE OWNERS? I MEAN, WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS THAT, REALLY?
>> Reporter: RIDEOUT SAYS THE HIGH PARK FIRE IS SOMETHING OF A PERFECT STORM-- A VERY DRY WINTER, HIGH WINDS FANNING THE FLAMES, AND A GREAT DEAL OF FUEL TO BURN. ADD THE VERY DIFFICULT TERRAIN, AND EXPERTS SAY THIS FIRE IS LIKELY TO KEEP ON BURNING UNTIL THE FALL.
>> Woodruff: AND TO THE ANALYSIS OF SHIELDS AND GERSON. THAT IS SYNDICATED COLUMNIST MARK SHIELDS AND "WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST" MICHAEL GERSON, FILLING IN TONIGHT FOR DAVID BROOKS. GENTLEMEN, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH. SO LET'S START WITH OUR LEAD STORY AND THAT IS PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY THAT HE'S GOING TO GIVE A BREAK TO YOUNG ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO WORK IN THE COUNTRY FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS. MARK, WE JUST HEARD THE WHITE HOUSE CECILIA MUNOZ OF THE WHITE HOUSE TELL JEFF NO POLITICS INVOLVED HERE.
>> THERE'S POLITICS, JUDY. IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR. BUT VERY BLUNTLY, THIS IS THE WORST DAY OF MITT ROMNEY'S LIFE, AS THE PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. BEING PRESIDENT MEANS THAT YOU ARE A NEGATIVE END WHEN THERE IS BAD JOB NUMBERS. BUT BEING PRESIDENT WHEN YOU CAN TACK AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION THAT MAKES YOUR OPPONENT SQUIRM, EVEN THOUGH IT IS AN ACTION THAT IS TOTALLY CONSISTENT WITH WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN AND A POLICY SENSE, IN THIS FOR MITT ROMNEY IS A CHARACTER ISSUE. BECAUSE IN 2008-2012, HE RAN TO THE HARD RIGHT OF JOHN McCAIN, OF RUDY GIULIANI, OF MIKE HUCKABEE THERE 2008, AND OF NEWT GINGRICH AND RICK PERRY IN 2012 ON THE IMMIGRATION. HE EMBRACED THE ARDS ARDS CONTROVERSIAL ARIZONA STATE LAW. HE SAID HE WOULD VETO THE DREAM ACT. AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE FASTEST GROWING CONSTITUENCY IN THE COUNTRY. AND HE REALLY IS SCRAMBLING NOW TO GET BACK WATCH. DOES MITT ROMNEY DO? DOES HE REJECT THE PRESIDENT'S ACTION. DOES HE PROMISE TO REPEAL IT. DOES HE PROMISE TO HONOR IT. DOES HE SUPPORT LEGAL CHALLENGES AGAINST IT? HE-- I THOUGHT HE WAS TERRIBLY SLOW OFF THE MARK TODAY. HIS ANSWER WAS EQUIVOCAL. IT REMINDED YOU OF THE 3:00 IN THE MORNING PHONE CALL. WHAT DOES A PRESIDENT DO? IS HE GOING TO HAVE TO POLL HIS CONSULTANT WHENCE THAT HAPPENS? I JUST THINK THIS IS REALLY DANGEROUS, DANGEROUS TERRITORY. AND THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECTIVELY CHANGED THE ENTIRE TERM FOR THE DEBATE AND THE NARRATIVE WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE DEFENSIVE AND LOSING, AND PUT ROMNEY I THINK SQUARELY ON THE DEFENSIVE WHERE HE IS SQUIRMING.
>> Woodruff: MICHAEL, ROMNEY ON THE DEFENSIVE, WORST DAY OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR THAT.
>> I'M IN SUPPORT OF THAT. I'M A SUPPORTER OF THE DREAM ACT. I THINK THERE IS A MORAL CASE THAT YOU DON'T PUNISH THE CHILDREN FOR THE SINS OF THEIR PARENTS. THIS IS, ROMNEY'S PROMISED TO VETO THE DREAM ACT I THINK IS A SERIOUS VULNERABLE FROM THIS CAMPAIGN. THE PRESIDENT DROVE A TRUCK THROUGH THAT VULNERABILITY TODAY. HE PREEMPTED MARCO RUBIO'S LEGISLATION THAT HE IS PROPOSING ON THIS TOPIC. THE PRESIDENT HAS A PROSPECT, THE PROBLEM WITH THE HISPANIC VOTE IS OFTEN TURNOUT T DOES NOT TURN OUT IN THE SAME WAY, EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBERS, THE PERCENTAGES FOR DEMOCRATS ARE HIGH, THIS COULD HELP WITH TURNOUT. THERE ARE TWO RISKS. ONE OF THEM IS SEEMING TOO NAKEDLY POLITICAL. IT SNACKS A LITTLE BIT OF THE CHICAGO WAY TO PROMISE SOME BENEFIT TO A MAJOR TARGET GROUP IN KEY STATES FIVE MONTHS BEFORE AN ELECTION. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS-- YOU KNOW, A RISK. THERE'S ALSO A PROCEDURAL RISK WHICH THE CONGRESS IS GOING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT. WE ARE A NATION OF LAW BUT WE'RE A GOVERNMENT OF PROCEDURES. THE PRESIDENT WENT AROUND THE NORMAL PROCEDURE HERE. I THINK A LOT OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS EVEN IF THEY ARE SYMPATHETIC ON THIS WILL BE OPPOSED. BUT IT IS PRIMARILY A VINDICATION OF THE POWER OF INCUMBENCY, TO CHANGE THE DIALOGUE. BECAUSE THE DIALOGUE WAS VERY BAD FOR THE PRESIDENT FOR THE REST OF THIS WEEK.
>> Woodruff: SO DOES THIS, DOES THIS COMPLICATE? I MEAN DOES IT CONTINUE TO COMPLICATE THIS FOR MITT ROMNEY. I MEAN DO YOU SEE A WAY AROUND IT FOR HIM?
>> IT'S A CHARACTER QUESTION. I MEAN ROMNEY HAS NEVER REALLY BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS, YOU KNOW, HIS POSITION, CREATIVE CHANGING OF HIS POSITIONS. AND THIS IS ONE WHERE HE IS ON THE RECORD. NOW WHAT DOES HE DO AT THIS POINT? I MEAN THEY DID IT AT A PERFECT TIME. HE'S MAKING HIS FIRST NONFOX NEWS, NEWS APPEARANCE THIS WEEKEND ON BOB SCHIEFFER'S FACE FACE-- FACE THE NATION AM YOU KNOW THAT ON CBS. HE WILL BE ASKED ABOUT IT. IT'S GOING TO BE KEPT ALIVE ALL WEEKEND AND GOING TO BE WELL, GOVERNOR ROMNEY, YOU SAID THIS, YOU DIDN'T SAY THAT. WHERE DO YOU STAND.
>> I THINK GOVERNOR ROMNEY WOULD RESPOND THAT THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FOR HISPANICS IN AMERICA WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS IS THE ECONOMY, NOT NECESSARILY IMMIGRATION. BUT THE DREAM ACT HAS BECOME A SYMBOL OF WHETHER YOU ARE INCLUSIVE OR YOU'RE NOT INCLUSIVE. AND YOU KNOW I THINK IT'S PRETTY EFFECTIVE.
>> THEY ARE SAYING THEY HEARD OTHER SAY THIS IS TEMPORARY, WE HEARD MARCO RUBIO SAY TODAY, WELL, THIS MAY HELP SOME PEOPLE BUTTS'S NOT A PERMANENT SOLUTION.
>> WELL, THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING THAT. AND SO I, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD MAKE IT EVEN LOOK PORE TRANSPARENTLY POLITICAL, THOUGH N A CERTAIN WAY. BECAUSE THIS IS A TEMPORARY POLITICAL BENEFIT, FIVE MONTHS BEFORE AN ELECTION.
>> I WOULD SAY THIS. IT'S NOT A CHANGE OF POSITION. I MEAN THIS HAS BEEN THE ADMINISTRATION'S POSITION, THE PRESIDENT, THEY HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THE DREAM ACT, THE PRESIDENT HAS LONG BEEN. IT'S A CHANGE IN PROCEDURE, AND HOW HE'S DOING IT, RATHER, ACTING THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH RATHER THAN LEGISLATIVELY. I THINK THINK NAME WHEN YOU ARE REDUCED TO ARGUING PROCESS WHICH IS WHAT THE REPUBLICANS BASICALLY DID TODAY, YOU ARE ON THE LOSING SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT. THEY DON'T WANT TO ARGUE SUBSTANCE HERE. MITT ROMNEY HAS TO DECIDE WHO IS HIS NEW BEST FRIEND, JAN BREWER THE GOVERNOR OF ARIZONA OR MARCO RUBIO, THE SENATOR FROM FLORIDA. HE'S R I THINK HE'S IN A BIND AND IT'S TO THE GOING TO GO AWAY.
>> Woodruff: YOU DON'T SEE I WAY HE CAN FINESSE THIS IN THE SHORT TERM.
>> NO, NOT IN THE SHORT TERM.
>> Woodruff: YESTERDAY THE TOPIC. WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMY TONIGHT UNTIL THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CAME OUT. YESTERDAY THE TWO OF THEM WERE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, MICHAEL. THE PRESIDENT AND ROMNEY BOTH IN OHIO GIVING THEIR COMPETING VISIONS. DID EITHER ONE OF THEM GET THE BETTER OF THAT ARGUMENT? WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM THIS YET?
>> WELL, YOU HAD A MAJOR SPEECH AND THEN A REFUDDLE, SOME SAY RESPONSE THAT ROMNEY DID. THE MAJOR SPEECH THOUGH WAS MORE OF A REHASH THAN A RESTART. IT WAS TAKING THE GREATEST HITS FROM A BUNCH OF OTHER SPEECHES, PUTTING THEM IN 1 PLACE, THAT IS PROBABLY USEFUL FOR HIS SUPPORTERS. I DON'T CONSIDER THAT A GAME CHANGER. IF I WERE A VOTER COMING IN AND CONCERNED ABOUT MY JOB OR HAVE LOST MY JOB AND LOOKED AT THESE TWO SPEECHES, I WOULD HAVE SEEN THE PRESIDENT BLAME HIS PREDECESSOR AND THE CHALLENGER BLAMENT INCUMBENT. AND I'M NOT SURE I WOULD HAVE FELT VERY HOPEFUL ABOUT MY OWN PROSPECTS IN THE SHORT TERM HERE. YOU KNOW, THIS, AND THAT TIE, THAT DISMAL TIE I THINK GOES TO THE CHALLENGER IN THIS DEBATE. BECAUSE MITT ROMNEY JUST HAS TO MAKE A CRITIQUE. BARACK OBAMA HAS TO EXPLAIN WHY AT 3.5 YEARS HAVE NOT BEEN SUFFICIENT TO TURN THIS ECONOMY AROUND. AND THAT, HE HAS EXPLANATIONS FOR THAT. BUT THEY'RE MAINLY LOWERING EXPECTATIONS SAYING THIS WAS REALLY HARD. IT MIGHT TAKE TEN YEARS, HE SAID, TO FULLY RECOVER FROM SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND I'M NOT SURE I WANT THAT KIND OF CAMPAIGN MESSAGE FOR A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF LOWERED EXPECTATIONS. THAT'S NOT REALLY A RALLYING CRY.
>> SO THE EDGE GOES TO ROMNEY ON THIS MARK?
>> I DIDN'T-- I THOUGHT THE TIE WENT TO THE TIE. I MEAN I REALLY-- I THOUGHT ROMNEY GOT A TACTICAL POLITICAL ADVANTAGE BY SCHEDULING HIS REMARKS BEFORE THE PRESIDENT. DE IT WITHOUT A TELEPROMPTER AND WITHOUT NOTES AND IT WAS BANNAL. THERE WAS NOTHING IN IT OF ANY SUBSTANCE. THE PRESIDENT GAVE THREE PRETTY GOOD 15 MINUTE SPEECHES THAT TOTALLED UP TO ONE REALLY MEDIOCRE 54 MINUTE SPEECH. I MEAN THERE WERE SEVERAL GOOD MINUTES BUT ONE BAD HOUR, I THOUGHT. I MEAN --
>> YOU'RE TO THE GIVING EITHER ONE OF THEM.
>> NO, I REALLY DIDN'T. I KNOW I WAS IN CHICAGO ON TUESDAY AT THE INTERVIEW AT THE OBAMA HEADQUARTERS AND THEY WERE QUITE CONFIDENT THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE A MAJOR SPEECH AND CHANGE THE NARRATIVE. THE NARRATIVE HAS BEEN CHANGED, I THINK, BY WHAT THE PRESIDENT DID ON FRIDAY BUT NOT WHAT HE SAID ON THURSDAY.
>> THERE WAS ANOTHER NARRATIVE THIS WEEKEND. THERE IS SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, AND THAT'S MONEY IN THE CAMPAIGN. WE LEARN THIS WEEK A DAY OR SO AGO THAT THE LAS VEGAS BILLIONAIRE SHELDON ADELSON, MICHAEL, IS GIVING $10 MILLION TO ONE OF THOSE SUPER PACS SUPPORTING GOVERNOR ROMNEY. WHAT DOES THAT SAY? WE ALREADY KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY SLOSHING AROUND. WHAT DOES THIS ONE SAY.
>> IT'S SUCH A MIXED BAG. THE SUPER PACS. YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE IT'S CERTAINLY INCREASES THE POWER OF BILLIONAIRE WHOSE HOBBY IS POLITICS, OKAY. THAT DOESN'T SOUND VERY DEMOCRATIC. AT THE SAME TIME, THOUGH, SOMETIMES THESE PACS COME IN AND EMPOWER CHALLENGERS AS THEY DID IN NEBRASKA WITH DEB FISHER, FOR EXAMPLE. AGAINST ESTABLISHMENT CANDIDATES AND INCUMBENTS. THAT DOES SEEM KIND OF DEMOCRATIC. THESE PACS BEDEVILED ROMNEY DURING THE PRIMARY. ALL GINGRICH HAD TO DO WAS PLEASE ONE DONOR IN ORDER TO CONTINUE HIS CAMPAIGN. BUT NOW THEY PROBABLY HEARD OBAMA BECAUSE THEY ARE LARGELY NEGATIVE AND EARLY NEGATIVES I THINK COULD HAVE SOME DAMAGING EFFECT.
>> THEY ARE AN ABOMINATION. I REALLY FRRK 1976 TO 2008 WE HAD A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE MONEY DID NOT DOMINATE, WHERE THE PRESIDENTS WERE NOT CHOSEN ON THE BASIS OF WHO HAD THE DEEPEST POCKETEDS ARE THE RICHEST FRIENDS. I MEAN IF WE LIMITED WHAT INDIVIDUALS COULD GIVE TO A CANDIDATE, AND WHAT THAT CANDIDATE COULD SPEND IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT, THEY ACCEPTED THOSE LIMITS AND THEY ACCEPTED PUBLIC FUNDING. THAT WAS CHANGED IN 2008. PRESIDENT O BOMB-- OBAMA, DEMOCRATS DON'T LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS, BROKE THIS FROM THAT PRESIDENT BECAUSE HIS CAMPAIGN COULD OUTRACE McCAIN 2 TO 1 BUT THEN THE DECISION FROM THE SUPREME COURT. AND NOW WE HAVE ANONYMOUS. WE HAVE UNLIMITEDDED. WE HAVE CORPORATIONS ARE PEOPLE. WE HAVE 32 BILLIONAIRES NOW WHO HAVE ALREADY CONTRIBUTED TO BARACK OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN. THE PRESIDENT HAS HAD 164 FUND-RAISERS ALREADY. IF PEOPLE --
>> $32 BILLION.
>> 32 BILLIONAIRES HAVE ALREADY CONTRIBUTED, WHO DID --.
>> YOU SAID TO THE PRESIDENT.
>> I'M SORRY, TO MR. ROMNEY'S CAMPAIGN.
>> THE PRESIDENT HAS HAD 164 FUND-RAISER. THIS IS NOT THE WAY THAT CAMPAIGNS SHOULD BE RUN. I MEAN YOU ARE SPENDING TIME WITH-- THE PRESIDENT SHOULD BE ON AN AUCTION BLOCK, IS WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO TO ME. AND THE VOICE, THE VOICES OF PEOPLE ARE DROWNED OUT IN THIS SEA OF MONEY. I'M TELL YOU, IT IS ANONYMOUS GIVING, IT'S NEGATIVE ATTACKS. IF WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT COMES FROM, WE DON'T KNOW WHO IS GIVING IT. IT'S JUST LOUSY AND I JUST WISH ONE OF THESE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES HAD EVER RUN FOR SHERIFF. I REALLY DO. I WISH THEY HAD BEEN THROUGH A CAMPAIGN.
>> WHICH WAS VERY SIMILAR, IN FACT THE SAME COMMENT JOHN McCAIN MADE YESTERDAY.
>> Woodruff: BUT IRONICALLY, OR COINCIDENTALLY THIS WEEKEND IS THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF WATERGATE, WAS PARTLY ABOUT MONEY. BUT BREAK IN AT THE WATERGATE WHAT LESSON FOR OUR COUNTRY, WAS IT MONEY. WAS IT SOMETHING DIFFERENT, MICHAEL?
>> WELL, PETER KING COMPARED THE LEAK SCANDAL SAYING IT WAS WORSE THAN WATERGATE AND YOU OFTEN THEIR THAT ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT WORSE THAN WATERGATE BUT IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET WORSE THAN WATERGATE. YOU LISTEN TO THOSE WATERGATE TAPES AND THEY ARE SOME OF THE SADDEST, SICKEST MOMENTS IN AMERICAN POLITICAL HISTORY. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES CONSIDERING BLACK MALE AND SABOTAGE AND OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE. THIS IS A PRESIDENT WHO REALLY SOILED EVERYTHING HE TOUCHED. THE GOOD NEWS IS, AND OFTEN THERE'S GOOD NEWS AT THE END OF AMERICAN SCANDALS IS THAT THE SYSTEM WORKED. THAT THE CONGRESS INVESTIGATED, THE SUPREME COURT ACTED AND THE PRESIDENT RESIGNED. SO THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS THAT WE REMEMBER FOR THE YEARS ON.
>> I MEAN I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT MONEY WAS AT THE CENTRE OF IT I MEAN THERE ARE $2 MILLION FROM THE DAIRY INTEREST AND THEY RESULTED IMMEDIATELY IN PRICE SUPPORTS FOR DAIRY GOING UP OVERRULING THE AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT. I MEAN 400,000 DOLLARS WAS GIVEN BY AT&T TO THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION. AND AN ANTI-TRUST SUIT WAS DROPPED. I AGREE WITH MICHAEL THAT IT DID WORK IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS BUT THE CONSEQUENCE OF IT WAS WE CHANGED THE WAY WE FINANCE OUR CAMPAIGNS AND IT LASTED FOR 32 YEARS AND IT WAS GOOD FOR 32 YEARS. I'LL PRAY WE WILL RETURN TO SOMETHING SIMILAR.
>> WE'RE BACK TO TALKING ABOUT MONEY AGAIN. HERE WE ARE.
>> MARK SHIELDS, MICHAEL GERSON, THANK YOU BOTH.
>> AND ON OUR WEB SITE YOU CAN ON OUR WEB SITE, YOU CAN WATCH VIDEO OF THE NEWSHOUR'S JIM LEHRER AND ROBIN MacNEIL INTRODUCING THEIR GAVEL-TO-GAVEL COVERAGE OF THE WATERGATE HEARINGS ON PBS BACK IN 1973.
>> Brown: AGAIN, THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE DAY: PRESIDENT OBAMA LAID OUT A NEW PROGRAM TO STOP DEPORTING YOUNG ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND GRANT THEM WORK PERMITS. GREECE FACED A WEEKEND ELECTION THAT COULD LEAD THE COUNTRY TO BREAK WITH THE EURO CURRENCY SYSTEM. AND VOTERS IN EGYPT MADE READY TO CHOOSE A NEW PRESIDENT AMID TENSIONS BETWEEN ISLAMISTS AND THE RULING MILITARY COUNCIL. ONLINE, WE EXAMINE NEW RULES THAT COULD CHANGE THE GAME OF FOOTBALL FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. HARI SREENIVASAN HAS MORE.
>> Sreenivasan: READ WHY THE LITTLE LEAGUE OF FOOTBALL IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISK OF LASTING BRAIN INJURIES, AND WATCH OUR REPORT ON THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE CHANGE. THAT'S ON OUR HEALTH PAGE. FROM SYRIA, OUR PARTNERS AT GLOBALPOST INTERVIEW A MEMBER OF THE MILITIA WHO VOWS TO DEFEND PRESIDENT ASSAD. AND ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NOTE, JAMES JOYCE FANS COMMEMORATE BLOOMSDAY TOMORROW. THE CELEBRATION COMES AS THE COPYRIGHT ON HIS CLASSIC, "ULYSSES," EXPIRES. THAT STORY IS ON "ART BEAT." ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON OUR WEB SITE, newshour.pbs.org. JUDY.
>> Woodruff: AND THAT'S THE NEWSHOUR FOR TONIGHT. ON MONDAY, GWEN IFILL FOLLOWS MITT ROMNEY'S BUS TOUR IN THE BATTLEGROUND STATE OF OHIO. I'M JUDY WOODRUFF.
>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. "WASHINGTON WEEK" CAN BE SEEN LATER THIS EVENING ON MOST PBS STATIONS. WE'LL SEE YOU ONLINE AND AGAIN HERE MONDAY EVENING. HAVE A NICE WEEKEND. THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT.
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>> THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org
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Series
PBS NewsHour
Episode
June 15, 2012 3:00pm-4:00pm PDT
Producing Organization
NewsHour Productions
Contributing Organization
Internet Archive (San Francisco, California)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/525-4m9183527c
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Description
Description
News/Business. Gwen Ifill, Judy Woodruff, Jeffrey Brown. (2012) New. (CC) (Stereo)
Date
2012-06-15
Subjects
Greece; Colorado; Brown; Egypt; Cecilia Munoz; Washington; Napolitano; Marco Rubio; Syria; Cairo; Michael Gerson; At&Amp; T; Wallenda; Tarek Masoud; Jeffrey Brown; John McCain; U.N.; New York; Gerson; Alabama; Jim Sensenbrenner; Hosni MubarakAthens; Mitt Romney; Tom Bearden; Pbs Newshour; Florida; Chicago; Macneil Lehrer; John Psaropoulos; Romney
Media type
Moving Image
Duration
01:00:00
Embed Code
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Credits
Producing Organization: NewsHour Productions
AAPB Contributor Holdings
Internet Archive
Identifier: KQED_20120615_220000_PBS_NewsHour (Internet Archive)
Duration: 01:00:00
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Citations
Chicago: “PBS NewsHour; June 15, 2012 3:00pm-4:00pm PDT,” 2012-06-15, Internet Archive, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed April 24, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-525-4m9183527c.
MLA: “PBS NewsHour; June 15, 2012 3:00pm-4:00pm PDT.” 2012-06-15. Internet Archive, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. April 24, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-525-4m9183527c>.
APA: PBS NewsHour; June 15, 2012 3:00pm-4:00pm PDT. Boston, MA: Internet Archive, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-525-4m9183527c