Panel talks GOP message and guns

>>> "politico," anna -- and perry bacon, jr. perry , you heard paul ryan this morning saying if president clinton was in the white house right now they wouldn't have a budget, a debt crisis. he was assailing the president on his leadership qualities . this sounds like the same old talking points , the same republican leadership and the same old fight. this isn't, this isn't that new -- this new mantra they wanted to take up -- republicans we are okay, we are going to turn over a new leaf and have a different image. sound any different to you?

>> didn't sound any different. in washington the debates against president obama , paul ryan sounds similar to last january and february. the fights are the same. the republicans view the president's inaugural address as being too partisan. and the fights in washington sound familiar. a lot of debates over the debt ceiling. the republicans , you heard bobby jindal saying we have to stop being the stupid party. i think they are trying to figure out how do we avoid talking about the 47%. republicans are looking to change their tone for elections in 2014 and 2016 . in terms of the politics on the fiscal stuff and the politics, the fight is the same. republicans don't want to raid taxes. the president wants to cut spending less severely. same fight we have seen.

>> you see it the same way, same old, same old.

>> it is a fight that will don't happen. they are starting to position themselves and republicans are looking to 2016 to say we are going to change what has happened and jindal signalled that in his speech earlier this week.

>> perry , another topic, gun violence , no doubt we have been since newtown. there are going to be hearings on capitol hill this week. patrick leahy , he has five witnesses. the list has come out who he is going to have talking about gun violence and someone that a lot of people are familiar with is wayne la pierre of the nra will be testifying before congress. what was he thinking in putting, i think he has more pro gun folks than anti-gun folks, if you will, on that panel. what is he hoping to get out of the hearings?

>> you saw what the president said today. the democrats need to show respect for people who own guns the call chur around owning guns and the argument is they show respect for the gun owner unless the first place to help convince them to accept background checks, an assault weapons ban . you are trying to appeal and make sure gun owners are part of the conversation. wayne la pierre is an important voice for gun owners in the country. he may say controversial things. we saw him say some extremely controversial things. but having him at the table lending credibility and that's what they are thinking when they invite him to a session like this.

>> it is an idea of you just let them speak. if you let -- in some instances, some of the ideas doesn't sound reasonable. do you think that maybe part of the plan to give him a huge platform with some folks like la pierre , like the press conference he had a couple of weeks ago. people are scratching their heads.

>> this is where the head of the nra did not take questions an he will have to face senators who are opposed to what he stands for in terms of gun control . it is important to understand this is the first hearing. mark kelly who's the husband of a victim of gun violence , he's going to be there. he's obviously been somebody who's been outspoken in terms of what they would like to do in terms of future things. the other thing, republicans were able to put two of the panelists on there. it's the first conversation that will spark many other hearing at the judiciary committee .

>> i want to close by talking about two articles from you all. some of your latest piece pieces. first one perry , on the agree owe, on debt ceiling obama forces republicans to blink.

>> their policy they call it the boehner rule. for every dollar increase in this debt ceiling we have to have a dollar in cuts to match that. the president said earlier this month, i'm not doing that anymore. we are not going to keep negotiating over the debt ceiling. this is our obligation over. the republicans have conceded the president had won the argument and are now -- this week they ebb extended the debt ceiling with no accompanied spending cuts. the republicans will cede that issue to him.

>> your latest article, mitt romney i'm not going away. tell me.

>> certainly was a little different. he came in to toub this weekend for the alfalfa dinner. we hadn't seen a lot from mitt romney since he lost in november. he to told donors that it was purposeful. he is not going anywhere. he will be active in 2013 and 2014s and in terms of 2016 . although some sources said his personal ambition for public office are over.

>> good to see you both today. thank you so much.

>> thank you, t.j.