Disagreement within the GOP causes tensions

>>> democrats are firing back as republicans draw a line in the sand over the looming money battles ahead. at least one even supports a government shutdown .

>> yes, i do.

>> you really do?

>> yes. i think it's about time.

>> i don't think what washington needs is more compromise. i think what washington needs is more common sense and more principle.

>> i keep saying to my republican friends, take back your party . this isn't the grand ole party that did so many things for america, that commanded so much respect. this is really the over the edge crowd. that's the way i see it. it is dominated by an element that are anti-government ideal0s and committed to not cooperating with this president. it's hard to understand.

>> let's bring in republican strategist and former santorum senior strategist. also former democratic senator from arkansas, blanche lincoln .

>> happy new year to you.

>> happy new year to you. john, let me start with you. i want to get your reaction to what you just heard from leader pelosi and this over the edge crowd that she says is really pushing the republicans away from what the grand ole party has been. what do you say?

>> i do think the democrats and the president have been just great masters at positions us as just fighting for tax breaks for the wealthy and not caring about everybody else . i do think we need to change that. republican principles are based on two promises. number one, to every american, if you get up and you work hard and you follow the rules, you're going to succeed and do well in this country. number two, that we will always leave this country better for the next generation. a promise we're now set to break because of the ridiculous spending and the out of control debt. we've got to remind people what we're fighting for, not what we're opposed to.

>> obviously, a lot of criticism comes from people who think that the most conservative portion, most conservative wing of the party has undue and disproportionate influence on republicans overall. senator lincoln, you faced backlash in your career certainly from liberals, moderates, even conservative leaning folks for some of your positions. i thought it was interesting this weekend, i don't know if you saw in the sunday "time"s magazine jon huntsman was interviewed about his, you know, criticism over the last year or so about his party 's shift to the right. here's what he said about his primary loss. quote, michael moore , bill clinton and jimmy carter coming out and giving you kudos as a sane republican doesn't play so well in the primary phase of iowa or south carolina . can you be a, quote, unquote, sane republican these days and be successful?

>> well, i think that the most important thing for us all to remember is that we are americans first. and we need to be democrats and republicans second.

>> it's easy to say. everybody says it. but in practice, nothing's getting done.

>> but you're right. and if you look at what happens in primaries now, which pushes so many people either to the far left or to the far right. but you look at what huntsman did. what huntsman did was he looked to where his commonality was with president obama . that's what he did first. he went to the common ground first. and when he realized that there were things that they had differences on and he chose to step out there and he wanted to run himself for the idealins that he had that were very reasonable in most instances, he did a very thoughtful and well mannered thing. which was a thank you letter to the president for the things that they agreed on and the opportunities that were availed to him. that's something another mother would want of their son. to be that thoughtful and good mannered.

>> he was heavily criticized.

>> you're right. he was cite sized for being thoughtful and well mannered. it is important for us to find the common ground and work out from that. figure out where we can solve problems together. and then, you know, after we start doing that, there's an opportunity to look at the differences and see where we can all give. but if people come to the table, and everybody should come to the table with all their ideas. but if you come to the table with the idea that everything you're going to, you know, offer is going to be accepted or that you're going to get everything you want, it's just not going to happen.

>> let me get your take on where we are. obviously we know that there's this chasm between some republicans and democrats on many of these fiscal issues. but there are increasing reports about problems within your own party . roll call reporting this attempt attemptattemp attemptattemp attemptattemp attempted coup was larger than thought. if the conservatives were more organized than originally thought, what does that mean for the fights ahead? and are you concerned about divisions within your own party ?

>> there's a big question that we're addressing right now. are we going to be the party about ideas and principles or are we going to be the party about election where we didn't do well. and so all the sudden there's some in our party saying, well, the democrats did well. i guess maybe we should start acting a little bit more like the democrats and we'll win the next election. truth of the matter is i think most in our party think that's a mistake. that we need two parties, but we need one who believes in smaller government, more freedom and giving people more opportunity. we just need to do a much better job messaging out there. but for us just to start acting like democrats , i think, is a huge problem.

>> well, senator lincoln, a part of it obviously always is with the political ramifications in mind of any decision. former pennsylvania governor ed rendell was on cnbc this morning. here's what he had to say.

>> we need people on both sides of the aisle to be willing to accept flak. we're not going to get this done without taking a lot of grief from a lot of different interest groups.

>> how do you do that? how do you say i'm going to move forward. i'm not going to worry about the flak. i'm not going to worry about the pressure.

>> i think, again, you have to be focused on what is the real, you know, objective here. and it is to be americans and to solve the very real problems that we have. but the fact is, is i think the american people and the voters are tired of elections right now. and the idea that we're already talking about 2016 , that even 2014 , you know, these are things -- they want real leadership. they do want people that are going to be willing to come together and figure out where the common ground is and start solving some of these problems. you know, john boehner is a good listener. you know, i found that when i worked with him. and i think that's an important quality in leadership is being able to listen to all those sides of everybody at the table and then trying to take those steps forward.

>> former john blanche lincoln , john brabender, good to see both of you.