Henry Winkler talks politics

>>> so cool?

>> that makes me think i'm so cool.

>> and in the big finish tonight, henry winkler , the fonz , is an american icon. cool guy and a heart of gold . something the fonz and winkler share in common. since winkler made it big, he's appeared on broadway and he's currently working on three television shows. in addition to acting, he's the author of 25 children's books and has been recognized for his contributions to education. winkler donned the fonz jacket back in 2008 when he joined forces with ron howard to create this call to action .

>> i'll tell you something. eight years ago, i thought, okay, we have these presidents, just give them a shot. was -- i was so --

>> you were wrong, fonz ?

>> okay, that's the word. but now we can make it right, right?

>> joining us is henry winkler whose show "royal pains" remeres with a two-hour movie event on december 16th . i have made it into minnesota to have you on the program.

>> i'm so happy to be here.

>> you have done so much in your career and you have been so unselfish and been committed to education and writing these books. that takes a lot of energy and a lot of passion.

>> well, first of all, i never knew i could write a book. and i write with my partner lynn, but we write come dis. i had no idea it was going to be so far reaching. and the greatest compliment is when children say, how did you know meso well? here i am. i'm one of you.

>> you're into politics. you follow it. how important was this election? how connected were you to the decision?

>> this election seemed to be very important. i voted for a man, whether or not he was able to accomplish everything that he talked about his first term, i truly believe he's the man who cared about the 300 million people in the borders of america as opposed to a very few friends in maybe the city he lives in.

>> in that 47% comment, did that strike a nerve with you?

>> practically i was very happy he said it because i believe that it very much helped the cause of our president. on the other hand, it is very sad that the worst word in the eng lish language is beholden because these men are beholden to somebody other than the population that they are supposed to take care of.

>> there's a statue of you in milwaukee.

>> yes.

>> taller than i am. it's a problem.

>> that's where happy days was. so you know the culture of the state.

>> yes.

>> and you know how important workers rights were in all that state has gone through. with that, can we rebuild the middle class ?

>> i believe so, but it does not depend on the government. it does not depend on one man, the president. if we're really interested, it depends on us, the population taking the country and saying, you know what, we want to go in the direction where we are going to take care of the middle class .

>> the republicans are climate change deniers.

>> right.

>> young kids aren't.

>> right. i have a broadway play that just closed and it closed because of a hurricane. a hurricane, the likes of which, the city that we're in at this moment has never known. and i was born and raised here. mother nature is really angry. and the fact is, there is such a thing as -- that science cannot be denied.

>> and where does that leave the republican party then?

>> it leaves them in, i believe, the republicans are not all outrageous. and i believe that they are now going to have to relook at who they are, what they believe and who they think they are taking care of.

>> can president obama have a successful second term?

>> i think that he has learned a major lesson and i believe that he can have a very successful second term if he now -- he's got nothing to lose. now he does not have to make nice with anybody.

>> henry winkler , great to have you on the program. come back again.

>> i hope i made sense.

>> you made a lot of sense. absolutely. his network show "royal pains" premiers with a two-hour event on sunday december 16th . and thanks for being on the program. that's "the