The Ed Show for Tuesday, November 11th, 2014

THE ED SHOW
November 11, 2014

Guest: Bob Shrum, Corey Hebert, Wendell Potter, Mark Dimondstein



ED SCHULTZ, MSNBC HOST: Good evening Americans and welcome to the Ed Show
live from New York.

How do we say thanks to the veterans? We`ll do it tonight.

Let`s get to work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The impeachment would be a consideration...

SCHULTZ: Will the Republicans try to impeach President Obama...

FRM. GOV. SARAH PALIN, (R) ALASKA: The one tool they have are articles of
impeachment. Let`s get going on that.

REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R-OH), HOUSE SPEAKER: We have no plans to impeach the
President...

PALIN: You don`t bring a lawsuit to a gun fight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Impeachment...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Impeachment...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Impeachment...

PALIN: Impeachment...

SCHULTZ: ... I predicted to be one of the first things they talk about and
that is impeaching the President...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Impeachment would be a consideration...

PALIN: Let`s get going on that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Good to have you with tonight folks. Thanks for watching.

Today is an important day in America as we honor our veterans. And I`ve
been thinking about the last few days, how do we honor the veterans on a
show like this? And I thought, well, if I could point out one veteran, one
unselfish American, maybe mission accomplished could be said at the end of
this program.

I want to tell you a story quickly tonight about a 93-year-old man who
lives in Morton, North Dakota, his name is Henry Watson (ph), his nickname
is Red. And every Sunday morning he`s at the Pheasant Cafe running the
buffet. He served in Patton`s army, was in the Battle of the Bulge. So
Red tonight, I want everybody to hear your name, Henry Watson (ph) across
America and I want to say thank you to you for what you did for this
country.

I`ve always wanted to ask him what it was to serve in Patton`s army and
being in the Battle of the Bulge but, over eggs and coffee in a Sunday
morning in Morton, North Dakota, it just never seem to be the right place.
He`s a quite unassuming man, unselfish, and when you get him talking he`s
pretty funny. God bless you Red for what you done for America.

You know, there are 22 million veterans living throughout the United States
today and I can only wonder what would this country look like if veterans
run the country? For starters, can we say that the V.A. would probably be
run correctly? That somebody be really paying attention to it?

Veterans wouldn`t waste any time trying to gut social security, a lot of
them are on it. Medicare and Medicaid, they`ve depended on that and
they`ve seen it work. And I don`t believe that they would trash Obamacare
because that would be a very selfish thing to do and that generation, they
weren`t selfish. Veterans wouldn`t give unlimited power to corporations
and bow to every request because there`s money coming in the door.

And they certainly wouldn`t try to impeach the commander-in-chief knowing
that there are always going to be tough decisions. And that of course is
what the Republicans are talking about this day, impeachment. Texas
Congressman Joe Barton says that there could be consequences if President
Obama uses executive orders on immigration.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

REP. JOE BARTON, (R) TEXAS: Impeachment is indicted in House and that`s a
possibility. But you still have to convict in the Senate and that takes a
two-thirds vote. But impeachment would be a consideration.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: It would be a consideration, no surprise there. I`ve said over
the summer, if Republicans take the majority in the midterms, the I-word
would be on the table.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Will Republicans try to impeach the President Obama before or after the
November elections? It would be after, if they hang on to the House and
they win the Senate, I would predict it would be one of the first things
they talk about and that is impeaching the President and how sad that is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Less than a week, the I-word is out there. Less than one week after
winning the majority, Republicans just can`t help themselves, they know
impeaching President Obama is red meat for their radical Republican base,
keep it all agenda (ph).

Now according to CNN poll from July, 33 percent of Americans think
President Obama should be impeached, 57 of Republicans think the President
should be impeached. I think that`s kind of staggering number. And it`s
what the Republican voters want from their elected officials.

57 percent of Republicans sent their representatives to Washington to
impeach the President. Meanwhile, many new Republicans are afraid to talk
about impeachment but not America`s new fringe Tea Party Senator from Iowa.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JONI ERNST, (R-IA) SENATOR-ELECT: He has continually using executive
order, he his making appointment without authority. So yes, absolutely he
is overstepping the bounds. And I do think that, yes, he should face those
repercussions. Now, whether that`s removal from office, whether that`s
impeachment.

But as a U.S. senator, absolutely -- as a U.S. senator though, we have to
push that issue, and we can`t be silent on things like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Now notice, that was done back in January. And maybe a lot of
people weren`t paying attention to politics almost a year ago, but that`s
what they were talking about. And it`s not just Joni Ernst, Republicans
have been talking about impeachment for years.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

FMR. SEN. JON KYL, (R) ARIZONA: Now if it`s bad enough and if there are
shenanigans involved in it, then of course impeachment is always a
possibility. But I don`t think at this point anybody is talking about
that.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you allow us to default on our debt?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, that would be an impeachable offense by the
President.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I could write that...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me, it would be a dream come true.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I went back to office and I`ve had lawyers come in, and
these lawyers well of their PhDs and history. I said, tell me how I can
impeach the President of the United States.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN POLITICAL ANCHOR: And Jason Chaffetz of Utah is joining
us right now. Among other things, he suggested that perhaps -- perhaps
President Obama`s handling of the Benghazi terror attack could be an
impeachable offense. Congressman, tell us what you mean by that?

REP. JASON CHAFFETZ, (R) UTAH: Look, it`s not something I`m seeking, it`s
not the end game, it`s not what we`re playing for. I was simply asked, is
that within the realm of possibilities, and I would say yes. I`m not
willing to take that off the table but that`s certainly not what we`re
striving for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

SEN. JIM INHOFE, (R) OKLAHOMA: People may be starting to use the I-word
before too long.

RUSTY HUMPHRIES, CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: OK, the I-word
meaning impeachment?

INHOFE: Yeah.

HUMPHRIES: OK, but you live in the world of the Senate there is no way
they`re going to impeach this guy over anything, is there?

INHOFE: No, no I understand that, I`m not talking about it now, this is
something that is endured till the next, after the `14 elections.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: No, they haven`t been thinking about it at all. We got to make
sure we don`t make a mistake and impeachment has been in the Republican
play book since day one. The proof is in the sound bytes, they said it we
didn`t.

They`ll use everything they possibly can to tarnish this President and make
sure that they have power. The debt-ceiling, Obamacare, fast and furious,
you name it. The RIS scandal, if there is one and Benghazi, now the
President is, "Hey he`s overstepping his constitutional authority by even
talking about acting on immigration."

And if Republicans would actually do their job, President Obama wouldn`t
have to act alone. This is all part of the Republican master plan to
obstruct and tarnish this President`s reputation beyond repair. So, you
might feel good Republicans that you`ve got this majority, but is this
moving the country forward?

Putting it on the record books that the second Democratic president in a
row would be impeached, and that`s the best way to kick them down so
there`s not political competition and let the history write it. Thereof,
if you`re a Democratic president, you get impeached.

Gin in up, that`s what they`re going to do and they`ll do everything they
possibly can. And of course, sending Obamacare to the Supreme Court,
that`s really the juice they want.

Get your cellphones out. I want to know what you think. Tonight`s
question, "Are Republicans more interested impeaching the President or
helping America?" Text A for impeaching the President, text B for helping
American to 67622, and leave a comment in our blog at ed.msnbc.com, we`ll
bring in the results later on in the show.

I just don`t think that if veterans were running the country, this would be
their agenda.

For more let me bring in Congressman Jim Clyburn of South Carolina.
Congressman good to have you with us tonight, I appreciate your time.

REP. JIM CLYBURN, (D) CAROLINA: Well, thank you so much for having me.

SCHULTZ: Are you -- what would you say to President Obama when the I-word
continues to come up? Are they telling the President right now, get in
line or else. How do you interpret all the chatter?

CLYBURN: Let me first say, thank you to all those men and women who served
this country so gallantly and valiantly. I just left a program honoring
navy veterans, started out the morning at a veteran`s parade. And so I
want to say thank you to all of them.

Now as for you question, let me tell you, I have been saying for several
weeks now, long before the election that if they maintain their majority in
the House and a got a significant majority in the Senate, there will be
some reason found to introduce an impeachment resolution.

These Republicans have decided that this President must have an asterisk by
his name when he leaves his office, irrespective of whether or not he gets
convicted. It is their plan to introduce an impeachment resolution and
they do have 218 votes to pass it. Because that would keep the country
focused on foolishness irrelevant on what we need to do in order to move an
agenda forward.

You know full well, you will not get two-thirds votes in the Senate to
convict, so why are we going through this whole charade? It is to put an
asterisk next to this first American-American president in the history of
the country, put an asterisk next to his name when the history books are
written.

SCHULTZ: And do you think that the immigration and executive move on that
is going to be the catapult to that?

CLYBURN: That`s exactly what I think. I know Joe Biden. Joe Biden wasn`t
speaking through the top of his head. They know that is an issue that the
President feels very strongly about. They are not going to do anything
themselves on immigration for two reasons.

Number one, they cannot find the kind of unanimity within their caucus or
their conference to do that. And so number two, they believe that the
President is so committed to this issue that he will in fact prefer an
executive order to get it done. And that will be the peg upon which they
will hang an impeachment resolution.

SCHULTZ: What would you advise the President to do, move forward with
executive action on immigration and risk the chance of being impeach? And
I think that there would be a big political downside for the Republicans if
they did that but what would your advice to the President be Congressman?

CLYBURN: Absolutely move forward. You may recall I was lone voice yelling
for the President to use the executive order to raise the debt limit, debt
ceiling some years ago. And I still feel that the executive order is
something that every President ought to move to do when Congress won`t do
its work.

Now, I just left, as I said Navy Memorial to the Navy Veterans and I
brought up Harry Truman, a World War I veteran who after World War II used
the executive order to integrate the armed services because Congress was
never going to do it. And so Harry Truman integrated the armed services of
this country by executive order.

I think that was the right thing to do. Now he got a lot of blow back at
the time. You may still remember...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

CLYBURN: ... from your studies You`re not old enough to remember when all
these happened, that Strom Thurmond bolted the Democrat Party over that
executive order and formed the States Rights Party over integrating the
armed services. These same people who are running around saying how great
it is to have all these veterans and look at the number of African-
American, Hispanic, other minorities, Veterans of fighting for this
country.

And these are the people who are descendants of those who wanted to vote
the Democratic Party over integrating the armed services. You should not
fight together. You should not be fox hole together. You should not die
together on behalf of this country. That is what these people are about.
Their narrative is to do what they can to maintain this narrative
inferiority on the part of African Americans and never allow an integrated
agenda to go forward.

SCHULTZ: Congressman Jim Clyburn, good to have you with us tonight, sir.
I appreciate your time. Thanks for being on the Ed Show on this Veterans
today.

For more let me bring in Bob Shrum, Democratic Strategist and Warshaw
Professor of Politics at USC. The politics of this Bob, if Republicans go
down the road of impeachment, how does it play out?

BOB SHRUM, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I think it`s a disaster for them and
Mitch McConnell knows that, John Boehner knows that. They understand
number one, that the country hates the idea. You got about 60 percent of
people who are totally opposed to this.

Beyond that, it`s a perfect example of gridlock. They`re going to spend
all their time taking revenge on the President for committing the high
crime and misdemeanor of getting elected twice instead of focusing on jobs,
education, the environment, things that matter to people.

Secondly, if you do this over the issue of immigration reform, Republicans
will simply end up further alienating Hispanics, further motivating them to
vote Democratic. They`ll cement the Democratic advantage with Latinos in
the Presidential vote. Republicans have to win about 40 percent of that
vote to have a chance to capture the White House.

Mitt Romney got 27 percent. If they go ahead with something like this
impeachment and they do it on the basis of immigration reform and the
President moving ahead on it. I think that you`re talking about 15 percent
of the Hispanic vote.

Now a lot of these guys don`t care. They come from deep breed, deeply
gerrymandered districts where the only danger to them is that they`ll be
seen as not conservative enough and they might be challenged in a primary.
So maybe they can keep some of their power in Congress for a long time.
They`re going to keep this House Majority I think through 2020.

And then we`ll see what happens in the next redistricting process. But
they can also lock themselves out of the White House for an almost
permanent period of time.

SCHULTZ: So what does the President do? Does he make his move? Is this a
bold move or is this a slum dunk if does it?

SHRUM: He promised to do it. He should do it. He should do it. He will
do it. And Boehner and McConnell are going to try very hard to not have
that result. They`ll scream and yell and complain. They might file a
lawsuit. But they don`t want to go down the road of impeachment.

Look, Boehner is less the leader of House Republicans than he is a figure
head who has a big office. The real question here is whether with Ted
Cruz, these new Republican Senators, folks like Joni Ernst. You`re going
to see Mitch McConnell be Boehnered in the next few months.

SCHULTZ: But this really has been their plan. I mean if you go back all
the way to January, collection of sound bytes that we played. Somebody`s
talking about it behind closed doors. All they`ve been licking their chops
about trying to get to the power. And now they`ll move forward and then
rollback everything that this President has been able to accomplish in the
progressive movement and really clearly the beach I think for 2016.

SHRUM: Well if they clear the beach that way they`ll clear the beach so
that their going to be repulsed from it the minute they try to get into
2016.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

SHRUM: Because the country is going to revolt against it. Look, this is
less a plan than primordial yearning that`s at the heart of the Republican
Party and the Tea Party. And, if you talk to Republican strategist they
don`t want to see this go forward.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

SHRUM: They don`t want to see anything like this happen. They think that
if it does it not only can cause them the Presidency. It will cause them
the Senate in 2016.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

SHRUM: And it`ll cost them a bunch of House seats.

SCHULTZ: Well if they want the chatter and they want headline we`ll give
it to them because I believe that what`s they really want to do. Bob
Shrum, good to have you with us tonight. Thanks for your time.

SHRUM: Thanks Ed.

SCHULTZ: Remember to answer tonight`s question there at the bottom of the
screen. We love it when you share your thoughts with us on Twitter and at
Ed Show. Like us on Facebook. We want to know what you think.

Coming up, in Trenders, The United States eradicates Ebola on our shores.
How in heck did that happen? I thought Obama screwed that up?

It`s not stopping Republicans from playing doctor. And later, Glenn Beck`s
own medical battle. We`re talking health, wealth and the dire need for
Obamacare. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Time now for Trenders, social media we appreciated it if you join
our team. You can get my podcast by the way free on iTunes 24/7.
Facebook.com/edshow, Twitter.com/edshow and ed.msnbc.com.

As I said on iTunes free 24/7 also get it wegot.com, rawstory.com, they do
great work and of course ringoffireradio.com.

Ed Show social media a nation has decided, we`re reporting.

Here today`s top trenders voted on by you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That is so coll.

SCHULTZ: The number three trender, Garth`s gift.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A moment that cause Garth Brooks to stop his concert.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We never expect that from anybody especially, you
know, a big super star.

SCHULTZ: The country singer connects with a cancer patient.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Teresa Shaw caught Brooks`s attention with a handmade
sign.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Chemo this morning. Garth tonight. Enjoy the dance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After five months fighting stage three breast cancer,
this was her treat from treatment

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All of sudden he unstraps his guitar and hands it to
me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He not only saw the sign. It stopped the show.

SCHULTZ: The number two trender, phone a friend.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Avery also has a curious infatuation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: With Joe Biden.

AVERY BRAL, 3-Year-Old: Joe Biden.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you know Joe Biden?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?

SCHULTZ: Vice President Biden gives his youngest fan a phone call.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Avery mom says her daughter saw the Vice President on
T.V. A month later Avery parents saw her having a conversation on her toy
phone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who you talking to?

BRAL: Joe Biden.

BURKE: Joe Biden.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who is this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So Avery`s grandmother posted a message on Biden
website telling him about his youngest fan.

BURKE: He said this is Joe Biden and I say "Who is this?"

JOE BIDEN, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: Talk to all you later I hope.

BRAL: Good night Joe.

SCHULTZ: In today`s top trender, clean Villa Hill

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For the first time in months no one with Ebola is
being treated at an American hospital.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today I am healthy and no longer infectious.

SCHULTZ: Ebola political fever subsides as the last American patient heads
home.

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R) NEW JERSEY: The CDC incremental assignments.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The President again has been two steps behind us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can see his incompetence with Ebola.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know the President should have demonstrated real
leadership to protect American citizen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s beyond time that Obama administration is stop
these flights from these countries where you got this epidemic.

CHRISTIE: Because they don`t want to admit that we`re right and they were
wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Joining me tonight Dr. Corey Hebert Professor at the LSU Health
Science Center. Doctor, good to have you with us tonight, there are no
American citizens or anyone on our American soil with Ebola.

COREY HEBERT, LSU HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER: Exactly.

SCHULTZ: So, how did they President screw this up?

HEBERT: Well, all I can tell you that we all knew that Ebola virus wasn`t
on the spread throughout this country because we have such a great health
care system. But, the President and the CDC did all they could do after
the Dallas hospital made those errors. But it also put everybody on alert.
I mean, of course we all know that the Ebola hysteria was all political
because of the midterm election, Ed you know that.

SCHULTZ: But Doctor doesn`t that underscore the effectiveness and the
power of our health care system and our knowledge in operation that when
mistakes are made early on. We have the where with all the ability, the
resources to correct it and now today there are no Ebola cases in the
United States and it was all a bunch of political hype and political
personally bashing and everything else. Where are we today? And why are
we where we are today?

HEBERT: It`s because of our robust health care system in America I mean we
have to remember that the Ebola virus had outbreak 24 times all over the
world and countries that didn`t have anywhere close to our health care
system eradicated it. I mean look, it was so bad in my blue state of
Louisiana. They bard a scientist from international conference on Ebola
because they didn`t want those doctors that came from West Africa to come
there and it`s was going to be conference to help stop this the spread of
Ebola. I mean it was ridiculous.

SCHULTZ: I kind of equate this to the duct tape story back in the day, you
know.

HEBERT: Yeah, exactly.

SCHULTZ: Where we told to put duct tape around doors.

HEBERT: Exactly. I doesn`t like...

SCHULTZ: Because we might get hit with a chemical attack or something. I
tell you want it`s amazing when people believe it. Do you worry that this
type of overreaction will be the norm with Republican Party that`s lead to
the fear, not based on facts? I mean you actually have governors the guy
across the river here. Acting like an expert and now he sounds like a
fool.

HEBERT: Yeah. I mean I think that because of the Senate is now under the
control of the Republicans. We have to expect all of this type of stuff
because that`s how they operate. I mean desperate politicians have
desperate measures in which they operate. And so that`s something that
we`re going to have to be able deal with. But we also have to remember Ed,
that once this -- once the Ebola outbreak happen, all it did was give a
really good wake-up call to our systems so that we have to ask the...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

HEBERT: ... tough questions as doctors...

SCHULTZ: So what did the CDC learn from this incident? What about the
hospitals and the care providers and everything else. We still got a long
way to go but...

HEBERT: Well not a long way to go. What we have to do is just realize
that this is not addressed rehearsal. And I think that we have to do
strike teams around the country so that we can have mock outbreaks. And
then if the hospitals can`t do what they need to do. They need to be
sanctioned and I think that`s what really needs to happen. We need to
coordinate, the federal agencies and the local agencies...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

HEBERT: ... and the hospitals so that we can have better outcomes at the
very beginning.

SCHULTZ: OK, so now that we`ve been through it. Do you think that we got
to have a federal standard for Ebola? So in other words if this happens,
this is what`s going to go into place. I mean is this rapid response team
that the President has medically put together in ordered. Do we keep that
in place and is this going to be the norm or is there more that we can do
because of this.

HEBERT: You know, what I think? I really think that they should have a
strike team not just for Ebola. But any time of outbreak that we have in
the United States. I think that we should have a group of people that are
trained and can get to that area and put out that fire immediately.

And I think that, you know, when you have people that are very specially
trained to be able to do that type of thing, it can only help. And I think
that getting that team down to Dallas would stop a lot this nonsense before
it started.

SCHULTZ: Well, I`m counting on President Obama holding his press
conference and saying mission accomplish because nobody has got Ebola in
America. Dr. Hebert...

HEBERT: Well you heard it first.

SCHULTZ: Yes, you did say it earlier on. Thank you. Dr. Corey Hebert
good to have you with us tonight.

Coming up, and I mean this, best wishes to Glenn Beck. We`ll discuss why
his mysterious illness underscores the need for Universal health care in
America.

Plus, how the other half lives? A celebrity divorce gives us a glimpse
into the world of the mega wealthy. I got your questions next here on Ask
Ed Live. We`ll right back on the Ed Show.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. We love hearing from our viewers.

Tonight, in our Ask Ed Live segment our first question comes from Deben
(ph) he wants to know, "Will republicans ever quit voting to repeal the
Affordable Care Act?"

Well, first of all they got the Supreme Court on their side now because
they`re going to hear the case and that`s what their banking on. They may
do some small things around Obamacare. But it`s a generational effort.
They don`t have to get rid of it next month or in six months, they`re going
to count on the Supreme Court. And if they don`t get the ruling that they
want then they`ll do everything they can legislatively to tear it apart.

Our next question if from Lenora. She wants` to know, "Do you think it
sounds like President Obama is leaning towards turning down the Keystone
pipeline"?

It does but, it`s going to be a tough thing to do. His going to have to
stand his ground, first the Republicans are going to offer up standalone
legislation. It might get the 60 votes but I don`t think that`s going to
move the President. Then if doesn`t move the President they`re going to
put a Keystone amendment on every piece of legislation that goes to his
desk and what his going to do? He might have to sign it because their
might be a bigger issue there. That`s the game plan for them.

Lots more coming up on the Ed Show, stay with us we`ll right back.

MARY THOMPSON, CNBC MARKET WRAP: I`m May Thompson with your CNBC Market
Wrap.

Stock end mostly flat this Veterans Day with the bond market close with Dow
did add a point to finish at a record high as low as the S&P 500 also up
the point, the NASDAQ gain about 9.

Ford shares shed more than 2 percent today, the automaker begun production
in its new aluminum F-150 pickup, which is supposed to improve fuel economy
by up to 20 percent.

And Groupon share finished up nearly 5 percent. The provider of online
deals says its 2015 revenue will be above estimates.

That`s it from CNBC first in business worldwide.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. If you pay attention to media in
America, if you pay attention media on a day to day basis, you know who
this guy is, it`s Glenn Beck. Very successful radio broadcast for years,
very successful television broadcaster, very successful businessman. He`s
done well from himself, God bless him.

In fact most people in front of the camera have done pretty well in this
industry and most of the people -- in this business have got health
insurance.

I think Glenn Beck has done the country a real favor. This story is not
about personality bashing or not about media confrontation or any of that.
Beck revealed something very personal on his broadcast in recent days.
Glenn Beck just added I think a very important personal note to the nation
conversation on illness, and solutions, and where do we go from here.

Beck is wealthy he`s successful and highly visible. Think about that, a
very highly visible person in the media with plenty of wealth and the
ability and the wherewithal to get it, the attention has come forward to
tell his story.

There`s a lot of people behind the camera that they can`t do that. Now,
he`s so highly successful that sickness of course -- well, sickness doesn`t
know wealth. Sickness doesn`t care about you success. Beck gave his
firsthand account.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GLENN BECK, CONSERVATIVE T.V. HOST: About five years ago right around the
time we met in Washington D.C. for a 28 I had been begun to have a string
of health issue that quite honestly is made me look crazy. And quite
honestly I felt crazy of them.

My hand or feet or arms and legs would feel like some had just crushed them
or set them on fire or pushed broken glass into my feet. Yeah, I hadn`t
even real REM sleep in maybe as long as decade. Macular dystrophy in the
vocal cord paralysis something was happening to my body.

I was going into a seizure-like state. This is me actually coming out of a
surgery. About 18 months ago I checked into a hospital in New York City
for some extensive testing. I had some of the best doctors in the world
look at me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Pretty scary. You can almost hear the fear in his voice...

(AUDIO-GAP)

... ordeal, plagued by illness. Glenn Beck was able to find care.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: I found the Carrick Brain Center. They engaged in experimental
therapy, you know, the stuff that government and the insurance companies
aren`t sure that they believe in. And because of that they don`t take
insurance and it cost quite a bit of money and they don`t make any
promises.

They found that I had several things going on from auto immune disorder to
adrenal fatigue. My doctors told me that it was my faith in God that was
empowering me through all of these that I shouldn`t be standing. That if I
would stayed in New York City they didn`t think I would alive today.

After months of treatment and completely changing the way I eat, sleep,
work and live along with ongoing hormone treatment and intensive physical
therapy. I have reversed the process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Glenn Beck hasn`t named his exact diagnosis but says specialist
found an autoimmune disorder and adrenal fatigue similar to Addison`s
diseases. As Glenn Beck suffered excruciating pain. He had access, he had
access and he had opportunity to visit several doctors and undergo rounds
of testing. He was offered treatment and guidance. Glenn Beck found help
because he could afford it.

Someone without insurance would not have the resources to see any doctors
at all. Now listening to Beck, can you imagine what that would be like?
The Affordable Care Act which the Republican`s hate, give the American
people an unprecedented opportunity for care. But Beck telling this story
I think is powerful because it brings us right to the crossroads where this
country sits right now.

How do you say no to you next door neighbor because they have a preexisting
condition. Maybe like the one Glenn Beck has. How do you vote to take
away insurance where you couldn`t go see any doctor to get a first, second
or third analysis of what you`re going through? I don`t know Beck. I have
no desire to know him.

I`ve had my battle with him over the years no big deal it`s media
mudslinging, whatever. But I`m curious about his motivation for sharing
this illness with his viewers and the people that basically are followers
and worshipers of what the guy says and does. I hope that his story
motivates those who think that Obamacare is bad.

That maybe that they will rethink the situation that seeing a doctor and
having it covered is paramount to a good life, to a chance at a good life.
And from a man who has had sickness in his family, I can tell you,
insurance is one of hell of a thing. Being denied is the worst.

There is a chance here I think for a better dialogue between conservatives
and liberals on what were going to do in America. What is our moral fiber
all about? Beck mentioned God. We did our share of praying as well and do
everyday. That`s important. But what`s really important is that we don`t
say no to our fellow man.

And that we have compassion within our heart to solve this and not let it
become personality bashing and not let it become something that is going to
be a political victory because we`re so concerned with who might the
political credit in the long run.

I have fought for a long time that all this President wants to do is try to
deliver hope to people, and in the form of health care when he took office
there over 50 million people in this country that didn`t have it and
couldn`t get it and were denied and were turning that worm. But now we
finally have someone of wealth in front of the camera who is willing to
come out and give a testimonial, open up his life to people across America
and let us reexamine who the hell are we and why are we voting to take away
things from Americans who are sick. It makes no sense.

And on Veterans Day, a day where we honor those who are unselfish and did
the unthinkable so we could stand here in front of a camera and talk maybe
we can find it within ourselves to have the party in power say, "We got
something better than Obamacare." That`s what I want to hear.

As an American, OK you won the election. Let`s have at it. Let`s do
Obamacare or health care, whatever you want to call it. Let`s do it all
over again because the American people want coverage. And the American
people really if you poll them and pay attention to them its universal
health care.

Joining me tonight is Wendell Potter, Senior Analyst for the Center for
Public Integrity. Mr. Potter, good to have you with us tonight.

WENDELL POTTER, CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY: Thank you Ed.

SCHULTZ: What is the Republican plan for health insurance? Nonpartisan,
let`s say -- this is a nonpartisan question. I`m curious, what do they
want to do? Do you know?

POTTER: No, I don`t. I don`t think they`ve show a plan for a long time
except to suggest a few things that really wouldn`t work. They have said
that we need to have more high deductible plans and have torque reforms and
things like that. But not a real coordinated plan. And that`s the problem
and that`s why we didn`t really have an alternative during the whole health
care reform debate.

There was really nothing that they brought to the table that was all that
different. Keep in mind however that a lot of the elements of the
Affordable Care Act did contain some Republican ideas. The individual
mandate for example was what came out of a Republican think tank several
years ago. So it really was bipartisan legislation. They just have never
really owned up to it.

SCHULTZ: Is there a chance that the Republican Majority could go back and
redo health care with their decision makers and come up with something that
would make what we have right now better?

POTTER: I don`t think so Ed, because the Affordable Care Act again is
built on this Republican idea of requiring all of us to have health
insurance. The Republicans want to make sure that we have competing health
insurance companies. The only way that they can stay in the game and can
offer policies to people who have been sick in the past and people who are
currently sick is to require that all of us be in the pool so that young
people and healthy people are also getting insurance and paying for it.

So that the folks who really need it, people who are sick can get it and
afford it. If Mr. Beck had been just a regular person when he got sick,
chances are he would have declared uninsurable by insurance companies. I
know this from the years that worked in the industry. He simply could not
have gotten insurance because of his preexisting condition. And chances
are he would not be alive today as a result of that if he didn`t have the
wealth that he is.

SCHULTZ: That is what Congress has to think about when they start thinking
about taking away things from American citizens. Mr. Potter, good to have
you with us tonight. I appreciate your time. Thanks so much.

Coming Republicans take another punch at the postal service. We`ll tell
you about the latest attack on the American Institution.

Keep it right here. We`ll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. On this program we focus on the
middle class and the struggles average Americans face everyday.

Tonight we bring you an inside look on how the other side lives. Today
shows, Betty Nguyen has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BETTY NGUYEN, NBC ANCHOR: After a nine-week close door trial, a judge in
Oklahoma City has ruled that oil magnate Harold Hamm must pay his ex-wife
Sue Ann Hamm $995.5 million. So, how does one pay out that much money, one
word, installments.

According to the filing in just over $322 million by the end of 2014, the
remaining $650 million will be paid out on a monthly basis at least $7
million a month.

68-year-old Harold Hamm is an Oklahoma oil man, the 24th richest man in the
U.S. Industry expert estimate his company Continental Resources owns more
unrefined oil in the United States than anyone. The Hamms married in 1998
before Harold earned his fortune and without a prenuptial agreement.

Sue Ann Hamm filed for divorce in 2012 claiming her husband was unfaithful.
Her lawyers argued she deserve half the Hamm family fortune. The billions
of dollars add issue in this case that eclipses Tiger and Elin Wood`s
divorce, Michael and Juanita Jordan`s break up, even after Mel Gibson and
he split from wife Robyn Moore.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the King Kong of divorce cases.

NGUYEN: Proof that breaks up can come at a colossal cost.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: That was NBC is Betty Nguyen reporting.

Coming up, the head of the American Postal Workers Union joins me for the
Punch Out. Stay with us. We`ll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. This is the story for the folks who
take a shower after work.

On this Veteran`s Day, one of the nation`s largest employers of veterans is
under attack. Heading into the lame-duck session a congress conservatives
are on the crusade to collapse the postal service.

On January 5th, mark the date. The United States Postal Services is slated
to lower service standards again. 82 mail processing facilities across 37
states are schedules to be consolidated or closed. This could eliminate up
to 15,000 jobs in 2015. Republicans are trying to justify the closures
with reports of billions of dollars in losses for the Post Office. This is
a manufacturing crisis. It`s another product of failure to act by
Congress.

Here`s what infolded back in 2006 in a lame-duck session, Congress passed
the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. The act requires the postal
service to pre-fund future retiree health care costs 75 years in advance.
And they had to do it in a 10-year window. This is $5.8 billion of an
obligation on their bottom line every year. How do you make it work? You
don`t.

No other public or private entity has the same burden. On Friday members
of for-postal unions from all over the country will protest the United
States Postal Service Board of Governors final meeting of the year. Post
Master General Patrick Donahoe needs to protect thousands of American jobs,
stand up for them and don`t cave to this constant chipping away that
Congress has set up for the postal service. Why should our mail be late?

Mark Dimondstein is the President of American Postal Workers Union joins us
tonight. Mr. Dimondstein, good to have you with us. What do you see?
What hope is there do you see happening following the National Day of
Action on Friday? Whose attention can you get?

MARK DIMONDSTEIN, PRES., AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION: Well there`s a lot
to hope Ed, there`s the people of this country, want the service they`ve
been promised under the law which has prompt, reliable and efficient mail
services. Under Post Master General Patrick Donahoe we`re getting the
opposite.

So, we think on a National Day of Action, the people of country will be
much more aware of what`s happening on January 5th because what`s happening
on January 5th is under the radar. And that is the slowing down of all
mail in the country wherever a patron lives and works not just for the
individual patron but for the business patrons as well.

So not only will they`ll be virtually no more overnight mail delivery or
first-class mail but all mail will be slowed down. If it`s now two days of
service it will be three and four days. So number one, the people in this
country have within our power to stop it. Number two, all four postal
unions are working together. All our members are united in the effort to
stop delaying America`s mail.

SCHULTZ: And the problem...

DIMONDSTEIN: OK.

SCHULTZ: And the problem here is the bottom line. You read stories all
the time about other postal service isn`t making any money. I mean you`ve
got over $5 billion dollars a year that you have to hit the fund of this
health care, 75 years in advance. Nobody runs a business like that. Is
that -- you take that out, do you make money?

DIMONDSTEIN: Yes, the operating profit for this last fiscal year without
that was over $1 billion dollars. And I want...

SCHULTZ: And it`s a fact that no tax dollars are involved in your
operation? Its all user fees correct?

DIMONDSTEIN: Absolutely no tax dollars. And I wanted to let the listeners
know, on November 14th this Friday there`s going to be 145 actions planned
around the country to back up what`s happening in Washington at the Board
of Governors meeting. It`s going to be in 45 states.

And also 51 Senators have gone on record asking the post office, demanding
that the post office put a moratorium on a change in service standards, how
long it takes to get mail from point A to point B. Stop the diminishing of
the postal services. And it doesn`t take an act of Congress to have at
least a one-year moratorium which has Senators have asked for.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

DIMONDSTEIN: That`s something the Board of Governors and the Post Master
General can do this Friday. And anybody that wants to come out on that day
you can find information on our website at stopmaildelays.org and join us
in this protest to stop delaying America`s mail.

SCHULTZ: And where`s all these billions of dollars just t the United
States Treasury just accumulating?

DIMONDSTEIN: The billions of dollars shifting over to the United States
Treasury as you pointed out, there`s no tax money involved, its user money.
And it should stay in the post office to make sure that the American people
get the kind of service that they deserve and the post office grows and as
days -- days of e-commerce and this great infrastructure is used to service
the people of this country for generations to come.

SCHULTZ: Bottom line is it doesn`t have to be this way. This is a
government intervention. This is a government takeover of the postal
service. It can be reversed if we have some law makers who care about
their communities and every community cares about their postal service.
Mr. Dimondstein we`ll cover the story on Friday. I appreciate your time
tonight.

DIMONDSTEIN: Thank you.

SCHULTZ: Thanks so much.

DIMONDSTEIN: Thank you.

SCHULTZ: That`s the Ed Show. I`m Schultz.

Politics Nation with Reverend Al Sharpton starts right now.

Good evening, Rev.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY
BE UPDATED.
END


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