Guests: Al Sharpton, Katrina vanden Heuvel, Virg Bernero, Robert Greenwald,
Stephanie Miller, Heidi Harris, Tommy Sowers, Kelly O‘Donnell
ED SCHULTZ, MSNBC ANCHOR: Good evening, Americans, and welcome to THE ED SHOW tonight from New York.
These stories on the table and hitting “My Hot Buttons” at this hour.
I‘m on fire that conservatives have taken their warped hatred of President Obama into public schools in this country. Parents are shielding kids from watching the president‘s back-to-school message. Can you believe it? What a low point for this country.
My commentary on that, plus reaction from Reverend Al Sharpton and Katrina vanden Heuvel of “The Nation.”
“America‘s Mayor,” Virg Bernero, is showing Democrats basically how to get it done. His opponent was too much of a weenie to debate him in Michigan, so he took matters into his own hands and crashed the town hall. And we‘ve got the story for you.
And the professor of paranoia, Glenn Beck, is warning his viewers with a prediction of liberal violence led by President Obama. I will show you some unbelievable tape in “The Battleground” story tonight, and then we‘ll put that “Psycho Talker” right in his place.
And a big development today on the jobs bill. Within the last hour, the Senate has voted to break the filibuster. Two Republicans have come on board, a couple of Georges. George LeMieux from Florida, and also George Voinovich of Ohio, have voted with the Democrats to move the small business jobs bill, something very positive in the job market in this country.
We‘ll tell you more about it later in the show.
But this, I admit this isn‘t the biggest story in America, but it‘s the one that has me fired up because I think it sends a very poor message to young people in this country. The perverse conservative hatred for President Obama has infiltrated public schools all across this country.
It‘s a debate that‘s being held in every school district. I thought we had this story a year ago, but here we are again.
For the second straight year, the president of the United States took time to given an uplifting, positive, forward-thinking message to American school kids for the second straight year. Conservatives, what are they doing? Well, they are trying to protect young, impressionable ears and minds from his message.
Here is the deal. In Aiken County, South Carolina, parents were given the choice to opt their children out of the president‘s education speech today. In Fargo, North Dakota, teachers were given the option to show or not show the speech. And a school near Austin, Texas, required parents to fill out a permission slip so their kids could watch the president of the United States give this message --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You‘ve got a job, too. You‘ve got to show up to school on time, you‘ve got to pay attention in your class. You‘ve got to do your homework, you‘ve got to study for exams. You‘ve got to stay out of trouble. You‘ve got to instill a sense of excellence in everything that you do.
That kind of discipline, that kind of drive, that kind of hard work is absolutely essential for success.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: The entire speech was just like that.
If you‘re a superintendent and it wasn‘t shown in your school or in every one of your classrooms, you ought to be ashamed. It‘s amazing you‘re on the payroll in this country.
And that‘s what‘s wrong with education in this country. We don‘t have people that can make positive decisions.
This is crazy. Now, I have talked with parents from all over America on my talk show about this for the last two days. A woman in Colorado told me the principal at her kid‘s school said that the president was too controversial.
This is a low moment in America. The level of acceptance for keeping kids away from the president is disgusting.
All of this is fueled by the nut jobs on the right. Beck saying that the president has a deep-seated hatred for white people. Newt out there trying to make Americans believe that the president is from Kenya. The list goes on and on, and you know who the culprits are.
The conservative movement in this country wants to brand the thinking of young people like cattle. It‘s outrageous this kind of thinking is commonplace in American public schools.
He is the president of the United States of America, elected by American citizens. But you see, conservatives, well, they hate public education. They‘re afraid to ask, where is the leadership?
I‘ll ask it tonight.
This is all part of vilifying public education on the part of the conservatives. Superintendents who shied away from this are just walking in lockstep with those who were scared.
Superintendents should make the correct call and not put the burden on the teachers. A speech like this should have been mandatory. It should have been not even considered whether it‘s an issue or not.
This—you know if it was Ronald Reagan or if it was George W. Bush, Hannity, Limbaugh, their heads would explode. They would be screaming about the liberal school teachers dishonoring the commander-in-chief during a time of war. But nobody seems to care about dishonoring the black president.
I think a lot of this is motivated by race. There are still millions of people who just don‘t want to see their kids have any association with anybody who‘s black. That‘s right.
What‘s wrong with our country? What‘s wrong with this picture? I mean, I can‘t believe that liberals sit back and take this garbage. Where‘s the conversation about this at the leadership level in politics?
This is a kitchen table issue that I think the Democratic leadership team should speak to across this country. The story speaks to the decay of our country, the lack of respect for the Oval Office, the lack of respect for our elections, the lack of acceptance that President Barack Obama is, in fact, the president of the United States.
Now, if you‘re a superintendent, I should probably point out to you that the irony is that this president is probably one of the most academically accomplished presidents we have ever had. And his critic across the street loves to tell people that he is a college dropout.
So, you make the choice. You mean to tell me that we have school administrators in this country that are so afraid of the local school board, and so concerned about their job and their security, that they are afraid to put the president of the United States, with a positive message about education, in their school?
Hell, you‘re no better than the politicians that take money in Washington. You‘re all about your job. You‘re afraid to stand up.
And this is one of the problems we have in public education in this country. We don‘t have enough leaders. We don‘t have enough people that stand up and say, look, this is the correct thing to do because he is the president of the United States.
Conversely, what do you think the kind of problem would be created if President Obama were to take this opportunity and really give a strong speech about universal health care, or really give a strong speech about taxes and say, well, you know, your dad makes over $250,000 a year, I think that, heck, he ought to be paying more. Do you think the president would do something like that?
Well, in the twisted thinking of these righties, they think he will do anything. In fact, one broadcaster on Fox is now saying that President Obama is going to lead liberals to violence if the election doesn‘t go their way.
I guess this is why we have a segment on this show called like “Psycho Talk.” It is a sad day for America, because there are other countries around the world that watch our model of entrepreneurship and developing young minds to be aggressive in the capitalistic system in this country.
And what message are they sending? Hell, they don‘t even let to Obama speak to their kids in public schools. America is on the decline. We can kick their ass. Let‘s see if we can get some more of their jobs.
Yes, there is a ripple effect throughout the whole thing.
Maybe I‘m just too much of a competitor. Maybe I feel like America at one time would never question this. And there was a time that‘s the way it was.
When your broadcast friend little fat Eddie was in elementary school, I remember John Glenn circling the globe, and we were all worried in elementary school if John Glenn was going to splash down and get in the water and everything was gonna be OK. But we got pretty excited when we found out that the president of the United States was going to speak to the country and we were gonna get a chance to watch it.
Why is it that I remember that? You know what kids are going to remember today? That there were some school administrators when they were growing up that didn‘t want the president of the United States in their classroom.
Tell me how our country is better for this. It‘s not. It‘s a sad moment for America. And I think it has a lot to do with race.
Tell me what you think in our telephone survey tonight, folks. The number to dial is 1-877-ED-MSNBC.
My question tonight is: Do you think kids should need a parental permission slip to watch the president of the United States, President Obama‘s school speech? Press the number 1 for yes, press the number 2 for no. I‘ll bring you the results later on in the show.
Joining me now is Reverend Al Sharpton, president of the National Action Network. He has also announced a new syndicated Sunday morning television show dedicated to education called “Education Superhighway.” It debuts on September 26th.
Reverend Al, you have the floor. What do you make of this?
REV. AL SHARPTON, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK: I mean, I think it is a sad day in America. I agree with you. I think that if there‘s one thing that should rise above partisan politics, then that‘s the education of American children.
When you look at the fact that this nation has gone down compared to other nations in education, for the president to make this a priority and to want to inspire young people of all political persuasions, races or religion, for them to politicize it—because the only political statement here was those that are going to say he shouldn‘t be seen by students, or there needs to be permission, I think shows that they don‘t even put the children of this country and the education of those children above politics. I think it is absolutely reckless political manipulation of children.
I remember when George Bush was president, his last speech, Ed, was in Philadelphia around education. And even though I probably marched on George Bush more than anyone, I went to the speech, because I said here‘s something all of us should unite on, and that is education, even if I don‘t agree with all of his policies. I wish that Americans would have had the same respect, all of them, for President Obama today, or whoever the president is, when it comes to educating our children.
SCHULTZ: Reverend Al, how do we turn this thinking around?
SHARPTON: I think we‘ve got to confront it. I think we‘ve got to expose it like you do every night.
I think that real Americans need to come together. That‘s why I‘m working with you and others on 10/2/10 in Washington to show that we have more in common.
And one of the things we have in common is that all of our children are not getting access to a good public education. And that‘s where we can say Republicans, Democrats, Independents should put their politics at the door of the school and go inside and unite around educating these kids.
SCHULTZ: Yes. Reverend Al Sharpton, we will see you at the march on October 2nd.
SHARPTON: Thank you.
SCHULTZ: I appreciate you being a part of it. We‘re looking forward to it.
For more, let‘s bring in Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of “The Nation.”
Katrina, thanks for your time tonight.
KATRINA VANDEN HEUVEL, EDITOR, “THE NATION”: Thank you, Ed.
SCHULTZ: The message to young people is so negative here, because the next question is, well, ,why can‘t we hear the president? And what‘s answer?
VANDEN HEUVEL: You know, I mean, President Obama, if conservatives could have listened, gave a very traditional—I mean, an inspiring pep talk, but very traditional about personal responsibility and hard work and the value of education.
I think Reverend Sharpton said something that is very important, which is that this is a moment to reflect on the state of public education in this country, access to public education. The conservatives are willing to give tax cuts to the very richest, yet preside over the most brutal cuts at the state and local levels in education, and layoffs of teachers larger than we have seen in the last three decades.
We need to have a laser-like focus on what is happening to our educational system, access to high-quality education for all children. And considering that civic education in our country, Ed, has been gutted --
SCHULTZ: Yes.
VANDEN HEUVEL: -- a lesson from President Obama about the great values of work, conservatives should welcome this.
SCHULTZ: They should. And if the president of the United States can‘t lead on public education, who is supposed to do it, Katrina?
VANDEN HEUVEL: Well, I think parents and administrators and people around this country are leading. There are a lot of great innovations.
You know, I have to be honest, Ed, I‘m worried about President Obama‘s education policy because I don‘t think he has moved far enough from hyper-standardized testing, and I don‘t think we have seen enough attention paid to investments in education. On the other hand, conservatives are blocking everything that moves.
But we need high-quality investments in education and attention paid to the skewed priorities we have seen in these last few decades, mostly led by conservatives, where there are more investment, Ed, in prisons than in schools. We can do better.
But I think we need to wake with up. And today is a moment to reflect on President Obama‘s message to kids and what it says to a country that needs to, again, revive its investments in high-quality, equal education through creativity, investment, and allow for critical thinking in this country. Maybe those kids who didn‘t hear President Obama will understand that you‘ve got to question authority and stand up to those administrators who are such fools.
SCHULTZ: Katrina vanden Heuvel of “The Nation.”
Thanks so much for joining us tonight.
VANDEN HEUVEL: Thank you.
SCHULTZ: Coming up, Glenn Beck is a disgusting, fear-mongering fraud. He is ratcheting up the warnings that violent progressives are coming. He says President Obama will be stirring it all up.
I will stir him up in “The Battleground.”
And the “Psycho-Talking” “Drugster” is spouting off about the NFL and the Ku Klux Klan. I will spike him in “The Zone.”
All that, plus Reggie Bush fumbles his Heisman. And I‘ll tell you why Lady Gaga is goo-gooing over Senator Harry Reid as a fan. That‘s coming up in the “Playbook.”
You‘re watching THE ED SHOW on MSNBC. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to THE ED SHOW and thanks for watching tonight.
I love this story out of Michigan. This is how you do it, where my friend Virg Bernero is running for governor.
He‘s a fighter. He is really fighting hard in a tough election year for Democrats, and he is standing up and always has been standing up for the middle class.
Virg‘s Republican opponent was ducking a debate, citing a lame excuse about how their campaigns just couldn‘t reach an agreement on the debate rules. Well, Virg didn‘t think that a race this important should be decided on attack ads and sound bites. He thought voters deserved to hear from both nominees, so America‘s mayor, which I love to call him, took matters into his own hands and became a Grand Old Party crasher.
He went to the town hall meeting where Republican Rick Snyder was having, and walked right up to him and asked him to debate. Virg: “We can hammer out these rules together in a gentlemen‘s agreement.” In a room full of people, Snyder shook his hand and agreed.
Virg got it done for the voters of Michigan. He joins us here tonight on THE ED SHOW.
Virg, good to have you with us.
Why did you do this? Did you think it was just absolutely necessary, or were you just grandstanding?
MAYOR VIRG BERNERO (D), MICHIGAN GUBERNATORIAL NOMINEE: Ed, you know this is the American way. We have been trying to coax this guy out of his corporate cocoon and get him out of his handlers and give the voters a real choice.
This is a crucial election in Michigan. I don‘t have to tell you, we‘re on the ropes. Our people are hurting.
I have got a plan to bring Michigan back, the Michigan Main Street Agenda to put people back to work. I think it‘s a great plan. I‘m willing to have my plan compared to his, and have my vision and my plans, my proposals, to put up next to his.
Let the people kick the tires. Let them hear us.
You know, like you say, outside of the infomercials and the sound bites, people need to hear from the candidates directly from the heart, from the head. Hear how we are, how we answer questions from tough journalists. You know, answer tough questions, not just in prearranged sound bites, and also not just in so-called town hall meetings where you‘re surrounded by just your friends.
SCHULTZ: Were you taking, in your opinion, a real political risk here, or did you feel like you were on solid ground, that Michigan folks wanted this to happen?
BERNERO: Well, yes, there is some risk, but the reality is, I‘ve got to stand up for what I believe is right. I didn‘t want to disrupt his town hall, but I did go in and ask him to work it out with me. Let‘s put the lawyers aside and the negotiators and the handlers, and let‘s sit down, you know, as two individuals, and get this done.
He has agreed to at least talk with me, to sit down with me. And we were able to share some ideas at his forum where most of them were Snyder supporters, but that‘s OK. I didn‘t mind giving my ideas to them as well.
(CROSSTALK)
SCHULTZ: Are you going to do it again? Are you going to do it again?
BERNERO: Well, you know, I hope we can get a real debate scheduled now. I think you‘ve got to apply for the job, Ed.
I think—you know, the problem is the guy wants the job, but he doesn‘t want to go through the interview. And that might work on Wall Street, but on Main Street, you‘ve got to apply for the job and you‘ve got to show up for the interview. There is nobody geesing the skids.
I‘m afraid he thinks he can reach into his pocket because a multimillionaire and simply buy the election through commercials, but debates are the way to go. It‘s been done since Lincoln and Douglas, it‘s an American tradition, it‘s the American watch. We‘re going to continue to push him. If he wouldn‘t go to the debate, maybe we‘ll just have to take the debate to him.
SCHULTZ: Interesting political move. I have never heard of one like this before. It‘s in your character. It‘s gutsy and I love it.
Now, a story that you and I have talked a lot about, small business getting money to create jobs in this country. The filibuster has been broken just a little over an hour ago. Two Republicans came on board on the small business jobs bill.
This is the reaction from President Obama on the cloture vote:
“Today‘s vote brings us one step closer to ending the months-along partisan blockade of a small business jobs bill that was written by both Democrats and Republicans. This is a bill that would cut taxes and help provide loans to millions of small business owners who create most of the new jobs in this country.”
How good of news is this, Virg? What do you think?
BERNERO: That‘s great news. Thank goodness that they came to some reason and came to heel on this.
My God, if ever there‘s a time for bipartisanship, we know the number one problem facing small business is access to capital. We have been trying to address that issue. I addressed it in my Main Street Agenda with the state bank proposal.
But we need help now. We are being robbed of our recovery in Michigan because Wall Street banks have redlined us.
Small business, which is the engine of our economy, can‘t get access to capital, can‘t create jobs. So this is wonderful news. I can tell you, there are a lot of businesses in Michigan who are ready to go, who have demand but cannot meet it because they can‘t expand.
SCHULTZ: Virg Benero, great to have you with us tonight. And I am not going to take this opportunity to call this a big political moment and a victory for President Obama. I have done town hall meetings all over this country. There are a lot of people hurting, there are a lot of small businesses. You know in your back yard, Virg, what‘s happening in Michigan.
This is a victory for America, that some statesmen came together with the majority and decided, let‘s get some money, let‘s loosen up the credit, let‘s float $30 billion to community banks and get small business going again in this country. This isn‘t about politics. This is about people who are hurting and businesses that need to move forward.
Virg, great move. I think you have got do it again, buddy.
And I‘d love—and I‘ll put this out, Virg. I would love to host the debate somewhere in Michigan with you and your counterpart. And if they want to get another moderator to—a co-moderator, I‘m offering up my services, I would love to do it, because—
BERNERO: I‘d love it.
SCHULTZ: -- I think that small businesses is what this turnaround is going to be all about, and I know you‘re an advocate. Good to have you with us.
BERNERO: Great.
SCHULTZ: You bet.
Coming up, leave it to “The Drugster” to somehow tie racism and sexism into football. Smacking him down big time in “The Zone” next.
Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: And in “Psycho Talk” tonight, “The Drugster” returns.
He weighs in on the alleged sexual harassment of an NFL reporter in the Jets‘ locker room. Now, he was talking about the NFL‘s rapid response to the complaint and served up a Limbaugh special.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: The league is on this like white on a Klansman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Oh, buddy, with your history of racism, I would steer clear of the KKK analogies.
But Rush didn‘t stop there. After taking a sexist swipe at women‘s groups, he made it all about him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIMBAUGH: So, now all this sensitivity. Women against violence in sports are getting involved, and women against violence against good looking women are getting involved, and women against violence on the football field are getting involved. And so the league—it‘s maybe as controversial as my wanting to buy a piece of the Rams.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Really? More controversial?
Let‘s look back at why the NFL didn‘t want Limbaugh infiltrating one of their teams.
First, there was this comment about Donovan McNabb that got him kicked off of ESPN --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIMBAUGH: I think what we have had here is a little social concern in the NFL. I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback be do well, black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. I think there was a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he really didn‘t deserve.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Oh.
Then a couple of years later, he took another racist shot at professional football.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIMBAUGH: Let me put it to you this way—the NFL, all too often, looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: A guy with The Drugster‘s history, with the NFL mixing racism, sexism and football, is just not smart broadcasting. In fact, it‘s “Psycho Talk.”
Coming up, paranoid false prophet Beck warns lefty violence is on the way. This kind of talk is flat-out dangerous and it is completely dishonest. Robert Greenwald, director and producer of “Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch‘s War on Journalism,” blasts Beck coming up.
And Harry Reid is accusing Tea Partier Sharron Angle of being soft on domestic violence. I will show you the tape.
All that, plus Vice President Biden‘s under fire for giving out hot dogs?
And this sports reporter is making news instead of making it reporting. I will have “Rapid Fire Response.”
You are watching THE ED SHOW on MSNBC. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to THE ED SHOW. The Battleground story tonight, professional psycho talker Glenn Beck is ramping up the fear mongering about violence coming from the left. Now he is saying the President of the United States is planning to stir up trouble.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GLENN BECK, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: What you‘re going to have is the president is going to have all this fuel and he is going to go right directly, mark my words, Ben Jones is already doing it, right directly to the most progressive, most violent, the worst of the worst on the left and stir them up, get out into the streets, cause trouble.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Cause trouble. The word he used was violence. This type of rhetoric has become so extreme, even republicans aren‘t safe. Last week the chairman of the Delaware Republican Party got a death threat for supporting mainstream republican Senate candidate over his Tea Party challenger. He got an e-mail saying he deserved a bullet in the head for backing political ass-kissing rhinos.
Joining me now is award-winning filmmaker Robert Greenwald of Brave New Films. Robert directed and produced the documentary “OUTFOXED: Rupert Murdoch War on Journalism” and was the brains behind a recent project called “Glenn Beck is not MLK.” This is, Robert, really a new twist in broadcasting that a broadcaster would go out and start proclaiming that there is going to be violence and who is going to be responsible for it? Your thoughts on this.
ROBERT GREENWALD, BRAVE NEW FILMS: Well, we know that Glenn Beck is advocating, we know that he‘s been leading the so the called choir and we know that he is going into very dangerous territory in terms of way the democracy functions. And I think it is critically important time, Ed to speak up and more importantly, for all the caring people who believe in our country to really take action, it is not enough now just to be pissed off. We really need to be doing things.
SCHULTZ: How does he know that there is going to be violence, promoting action, assigning blame? Is it all for political gain to gin up hate against liberals and against the president or do you think he really believes this is going to happen?
GREENWALD: Well, you know, Ed, in psychology and my brother and sister-in-law are therapists, so I know the world well through them, something called projection, the feelings in you, you take and you put them on the other person and we are seeing this with Beck, right? How could he possibly have this information, other than the anger and the hatred stirring within him? But one of the most important points that we all need to think about even as we are focusing on what Beck is doing is the terrible fear and pain that‘s affecting millions of Americans who have lost their homes and their jobs and their health care and we need to think about how can we reach those people so they don‘t turn to the Glenn Becks of the world.
SCHULTZ: It is always bad for broadcasters to talk about other broadcasters because of the line of promotion and whatnot, but I think that this rhetoric is so over the top. I have never seen a broadcaster stoop to this level and there is a pattern, here he is at this Alaska 9/11 rally where he made a dollar and allegedly donated. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Good thing Alaskans have their guns.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Because if this country ever goes down to two, you will be—Russians, Chinese, these resources will be gone. And if you think the Russians with Putin shooting whales is going to be better for the planet, you are out of your mind. If you think the Chinese that are dumping toxins in the rivers and drowning people in rice paddies are going to be better for the planet, you are even crazier.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Your response?
GREENWALD: Well, the level of hatred, the level of viciousness and the level of demagoguery is something to behold. And as you said in the beginning, Ed, it‘s really important that you and the other broadcasters are speaking up about this, because we know where silence leads us and we know the argument of liberals and progressives that say, well, don‘t give them anymore attention, don‘t do this, but we fundamentally must understand that there are dangers here and that it is important and it is an act of courage and strength to confront it head on, very strongly and take action. As my grandmother would say, don‘t just kvetch, you need to do something.
SCHULTZ: Robert Greenwald, always a pleasure, great to have you with us tonight. Thanks so much.
GREENWALD: Thanks, Ed.
SCHULTZ: Now, let‘s get some rapid-fire response from our panel on these stories tonight. Majority Leader Harry Reid is taking no prisoners in his raiser-tight race with Tea Partier Sharron Angle. He‘s up with a new commercial slamming her for siding with domestic abusers.
I think it is absolutely outrageous that some schools let parents pull their children to protect them from the president‘s back-to-school message.
And it‘s the story everybody is talking about today. The NFL is investigating a female reporter who allegedly was sexually harassed by the New York Jets but now she is talking a different story.
We got to get response on this, Stephanie Miller, nationally syndicated radio talk show host with us tonight and also Heidi Harris, radio talk show host in Las Vegas. Let‘s take the reporter‘s story first. Stephanie, what do you make of this? Is she just an attention-grabbing reporter or do you think that she really has an issue?
STEPHANIE MILLER, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: You know, Ed, I think it is going to be hard to tell through this investigation. I may not be the best woman to ask because as you know, I have been in this boys‘ club of radio for a long time and you can‘t be oversensitive if you have sat through a commercial break in my studio, it is kind of like a friar‘s roast meets a loading dock. So, I‘m not a delicate flower. We will have to see if there was real harassment here or she‘s just being over sensitive. I don‘t know.
SCHULTZ: This is Ines Sainz, the reporter in question making a sound bite on it today, explaining situation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
INES SAINZ, SPORTSCASTER: I must say that I don‘t hear anything that is in the way sexual way, so, because I am not the one who say the charge or who tried to involve all the team in this situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: So what is it, Heidi, is she just a headline grabber or she got a real issue?
HEIDI HARRIS, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: No, she‘s a headline grabber, obviously. I have to agree with Stephanie on this, you know, those of us in radio and a lot of other occupations are not big babies. If you don‘t like testosterone, stay out of the locker room. That is why they call it locker room talk. There‘s a shock. He is swear wearing skin-tight pants, she‘s walking around with skin-tight shirt on, what do you expect around a bunch of guys in their 20s and 30s? So, she needs to quit crying if she wants to do that kind of occupation. But she is getting a lot of press for this, so, maybe that will lead to something else.
SCHULTZ: Heidi, do you think her dress is an issue, her attire is an issue?
HARRIS: I think it is if you are going to be around a bunch of guys like that and not expect the occasional cat call, yes, I think it is, I don‘t look like she does in a pair of pants but you know what, she is doing it and she knows she is going to attract attention, so this is not the board room, this is the NFL.
MILLER: Wow. Wow.
HARRIS: The locker room. That is how they behave. What?
SCHULTZ: What do you make of that, Stephanie?
MILLER: Wow, Ed, I‘m sure glad I didn‘t wear the thong I was going to wear today. I have no idea how you might have treated me.
SCHULTZ: Well, is her attire—Stephanie is her attire an issue?
MILLER: I don‘t think it should be at all, Ed. I mean, that to me, Heidi, you know, that toes the line of like a rape trial, like, oh, look what she was wearing, she deserved it. I don‘t think that is an issue at all Ed. I don‘t think that, you know, I do think that in that job, she is going to have to not be oversensitive, but I don‘t think it is an issue at all what she was wearing.
SCHULTZ: All right. The league is investigating, we‘ll see what they do. All right. I think it is outrageous that there are superintendents across the country that are concerned about what parental reaction is going to be if the President of the United States speech on education was broadcast today out of Philadelphia in the classrooms. Stephanie, is there just right-wing overreaction to this or should we be concerned that a political figure is entering into the classroom of American children?
MILLER: Absolutely ridiculous, Ed. I mean, seriously, they think it is some sort of Kenyan socialist plot to indoctrinate our children, to say you should stay in school and study hard and work hard. When have you ever heard this kind of controversy over the President of the United States talking to school children? I mean, there is really something different going on with this president, Ed, and I don‘t know what to ascribe to racism or whatnot to, but this is really a disrespect for the office of the presidency of the United States.
SCHULTZ: What do you think, Heidi?
HARRIS: I‘m going to agree with Stephanie. I think that when we were little kids, we respected the office and that was how it went and our parents may or may not have agreed with what that particular politician had to say, but he is the president of the United States and to me it is a teaching moment for the parents. Talk to the kids after school, find out what the president said, if you think there‘s something he said you don‘t agree with, then you talk to your child. He is the president.
SCHULTZ: Heidi, isn‘t this a residual of all the birther talk, he is really not from the United States, wasn‘t born here, all this fueled anger towards President Obama because he‘s got a progressive agenda and this is just a result of the right wing, scared a lot of people in this country.
HARRIS: Well, I don‘t like his agenda and I think a lot of parents obviously on the right don‘t like his agenda either, even the left isn‘t that happy with that.
SCHULTZ: So, what is the harm in having him speak in a school?
HARRIS: Well, that is my point. You respect the office. He is the president. What is he going to say? I don‘t know what he is going to say that terrible to children. Parents have a right to talk to their kids at the end of the day, find out what the president said and if they need to change what their kid thinks about that, then, they can do that, they can talk to their child at that point. He is the president. I don‘t think it a big deal to have him talk to the kids. I don‘t know why people are hysterical. I really don‘t.
SCHULTZ: All right. In your state of Nevada, Harry Reid.
MILLER: I mean, yes, please, we let.
SCHULTZ: Go ahead, Stephanie.
MILLER: Please, we let George Bush read to our kids, Ed, and that‘s probably why their reading scores have gone down so much, so if they survived that, they can survive President Obama.
HARRIS: Well, like I said, I have no problem with it.
SCHULTZ: In the state of Nevada, Harry Reid now leads 46 percent to 44 percent. That is the new Reuters poll that is out there in that Nevada Senate race. It has been close all along and here is a new commercial Harry Reid has taken out on Sharron Angle. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Imagine, you have been abused by your spouse. You get a restraining order and move your family to Nevada thinking you are safe. In the State Assembly, Sharron Angle voted prevents restraining orders from other states from being enforced in Nevada. It would have made Nevada safe haven for domestic abusers. Thankfully, other legislators weren‘t so extreme because Sharron Angle sided with the abuser, not the abused.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: What about that, Heidi?
HARRIS: It‘s a lie, in 1999, she voted an assembly bill that allowed any restraining order that was valid in another jurisdiction to be honored here in Nevada. It‘s a complete lie by Harry Reid‘s campaign. In 2001, some legislators tried to change the wording and Sharron had questions about it, where basically a police officer would be able to arrest a guy based on nothing but the word of the alleged victim.
SCHULTZ: OK.
HARRIS: Nothing, no other paperwork or anything like that, so it is a lie, she voted to protect victims in 1999 and Harry‘s lying because he is desperate, the guy is going to lose.
SCHULTZ: Heidi Harris, Stephanie Miller, great to have you with us tonight.
Up next, Vice President Joe Biden is under fire for handing out hot dogs? I will explain it in the Playbook. And I will introduce you to a real young gun. This Green Beret is running for Congress in Rush‘s hometown and giving hope to everyone from President Obama to Howard Dean. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: And it is not too late to let us know what you think. The number to dial is 1-877-ed-msnbc. Tonight‘s telephone survey question is, do you think kids should need a parental permission slip to watch President Obama‘s school speech? Press the number one for yes. Press the number two for no. Again, the number to dial is 1-877-ed-msnbc. We are right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: And in my Playbook tonight, a several lining in the cloudy forecast where democrats in this election psycho. Thirty four year old Iraq war veteran Tommy Sowers is taking on a seven-term republican incumbent in the State of Missouri. In fact, it is in Rush Limbaugh‘s home district. It is the first time in a long time, a democrat has mounted a credible challenge in the district. Former DNC Chairman Howard Dean even recently promoted Sowers as a face of hope for the democrats in a tough election year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD DEAN, POLITICIAN AND PHYSICIAN: Young guy named Tommy Sowers is a Vietnam vet, he‘s going to knock off Jo Ann Emerson in Southeast Missouri, Rush Limbaugh‘s home district, he just running a tremendous campaign, he‘s raised a lot of dough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Well, Tommy Sowers joins us now. Great to have you with us hopefully congressman. How‘s the battle going in what is some people say Rush‘s home district?
TOMMY SOWERS (D), MISSOURI HOUSE NOMINEE: Well, the battle is going great out here. You know, in the military, I learned to stay on offense, because you get your tail kicked if you are on defense. And every day, I‘m out on the ground, listening to voters and they want new blood out in D.C. And we are seeing a strong anti-incumbent sentiment, and it‘s a great year to be straight out of the military running for Congress.
SCHULTZ: All right. Here is Limbaugh responding to Howard Dean‘s comment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Focused on a district in which I don‘t live. It‘s not my district. I mean, I grew up there. My pictures on the floodwater murals. And I own the town, but I don‘t live—it is not the Rush Limbaugh district.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Now, you sent out an e-mail, fund-raising e-mail saying that my campaign welcomes Rush Limbaugh‘s criticism and claims of ownership to this district, he doesn‘t own this district, the people of eighth district do. What Rush owns is a legacy of draft dodging, hate mongering, racist, sexist rhetoric that has polluted the political discourse for over three decades. Is Limbaugh helping your campaign in this district?
SOWERS: You know, Ed, every time Rush mentions this district and especially owning this district, there are people from around the nation that come to TommySowers.com and they give us the fuel and ammo to fight back.
SCHULTZ: How do you feel about this story that‘s being reported that Iraq has a surplus while this country is in red ink and losing jobs? And that of course has stabilized in the stimulus plan, but the fact is, we got tough economic times going on and ahead of us in this country right now, yet the country you went to and fought in, they have got a surplus. How do you see that?
SOWERS: Well, the people in my home, they want us to invest in our home. And right now in Afghanistan, we are spending $400 a gallon for every gallon of gas, we‘re building infrastructure there but we‘re not building it here. And in Iraq, I have better cell and internet receptions than in many parts of my home in Missouri. So, it‘s time with you to right investments back here at home.
SCHULTZ: Jo Ann Emerson has one with better than 70 percent of the vote the last three elections. Can you win?
SOWERS: Absolutely. You know, we learned how to stay on offense and we are running an insurgency and every day, more and more folks get on board. So, we have got a great ground game in place, we are going to fight it through election day and I‘m honored for this support that‘s coming in from around the nation.
SCHULTZ: Would you vote to repeal the Bush tax cuts?
SOWERS: Well, you look at the tax cuts and the majority of the people in my district make far less than 200,000 bucks. And you know, I want to fight for the middle class and expand the middle class. And I think people are tired of these D.C. games. We saw a little bit of daylight over the weekend. Now, folks are looking for a compromise that both parties can get behind.
SCHULTZ: Iraq veteran Tommy Sowers running for Congress in Missouri. Best good luck to you. Thanks for joining us tonight. Some final pages in the Playbook tonight.
Vice President Joe Biden is catching some heat from PETA. The animal rights group is upset at him for passing out hot dogs to troops on the Colbert Report? PETA sent a letter suggesting he pass out veggie dogs next time because troops can‘t be lean, mean fighting machine if they are full of fatty hot dogs.
And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid might be picking up a few votes, thanks to a new friendship with Lady Gaga. The pop star tweeted gay veterans were my Video Music Award dates. Repeal Don‘t Ask, Don‘t Tell. Call Harry Reid to schedule a Senate vote. And Senator Reid quickly responded, tweeting, there is a vote on Don‘t Ask, Don‘t Tell next week. Anyone qualified to serve this country should be allowed to do so. Lady Gaga thanked Senator Reid when asked by reporters if he had the 60 votes, Reid said, we will sure find out.
And finally, another corrupt Bush? Former USC running back star and current Saints‘ star Reggie Bush says, he is for fitting his 2005 Heisman trophy. Bush has been under pressure since the NCAA punished USC for Bush taking improper benefits.
Coming up, Delaware‘s Palin-endorsed Tea Party wacko Christine O‘Donnell has a lot of folks buzzing about her campaign and get this, many democrats are actually rooting for her to win tonight. We will explain when we come back as NBC‘s Kelly O‘Donnell gets us ready for the big primary night, next THE ED SHOW. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Welcome become to THE ED SHOW. And finally tonight, voters in seven states and Washington, D.C. are going to the polls for the last primary of the season. Tensions which win the republican establishment of the Tea Party are at a boiling point. The dogfight everyone is watching is in the state of Delaware. Long-time Congressman Mike Castle is in a nail-biter with Sarah Palin-backed candidate Christine O‘Donnell for Vice President Joe Biden‘s old Senate seat.
For more, let‘s bring in NBC‘s Kelly O‘Donnell live in Wilmington, Delaware. The political dynamics of this are more than interesting. Kelly, I‘m interesting to know what kind of turnout has there been for this race in Delaware?
KELLY O‘DONNELL, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well, good evening, Ed. Delaware, as you know is a small state, there are three counties. And on the republican side, the experts we have talked to who are running elections say, they estimate about 35,000 republican voters will cast ballots in this primary. The democrat in this race is running unopposed. So, roughly 35,000 voters will do something that may have really far-reaching implications for the country. We are talking about Joe Biden‘s Senate seat. The remaining four years of his seat. There‘s been an interim appointee in the seat right now. And of course, it belongs to a democrat. Republicans have seen this as a big opportunity to try to take that back.
And as you mentioned, really, the establishment chose Mike Castle, a nine-term congressman, he has also been twice the governor of Delaware. He has won more elections in this state than any other republican. Now, his record is far more moderate than his challenger, Christine O‘Donnell, who is a conservative backed by Tea Party, both within the state and the Tea Party express from California. They have pumped in money. Sarah Palin has done Robocalls and radio ads trying to help Christine O‘Donnell. And the basic divide has been this. Castle says that he has had a record of service to this state. He is moderate. He can work with democrats and be fiscally conservative.
Christine O‘Donnell has taken the classic Tea Party approach of a much more conservative position. And she says that her own personal financial difficulties, her trouble with her own employment, which had been high lighted by her opponent in some very unflattering ads that those have actually given her a way to understand what voters are experience and gives her an opportunity to connect in a way that Castle can‘t. She says, he has been receiving a government paycheck for decades and doesn‘t really get it. Now, all of this sets up the potential for control of the Senate. Delaware‘s crucial for republicans if they run the table. If not, this remains a democratic seat. Democrats, of course are hoping that the Tea Party candidate would win tonight because they believe she would be an easier opponent than Mike Castle—Ed.
SCHULTZ: Well, we‘ll find out if change can beat big name recognition. NBC‘s Kelly‘s O‘Donnell. Thanks, Kelly, I appreciate your time tonight.
And our telephone survey, I asked you, do you think kids should need a parental permission slip to watch President Obama‘s speech? Four percent of you said yes, 96 percent of you said no. What‘s wrong with public education in America?
That‘s THE ED SHOW. I‘m Ed Schultz, Chris Matthews and “HARDBALL” is next. We will see you tomorrow night.
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