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PoliticsNation, Friday, January 25th, 2013

Read the transcript from the Friday show

POLITICS NATION
January 25, 2013

Guests: Paul Babeu, Bob Shrum, Maria-Teresa Kumar, Cynthia Tucker


REVEREND AL SHARPTON, MSNBC ANCHOR: Thanks, Chris. And thanks to you
for tuning in.

Tonight`s lead, change you can`t believe in. At this hour,
Republicans are gathering in Charlotte, North Carolina for the RNC winter
meeting. It`s the party`s first big meeting since Barack wiped the floor
with them in November`s election. The committee is calling from a
Republican renewal, a time for change to build new relationships, to
compete in every state in every region. Sounds bold, even promising. So
who are the Republicans turning to? Turning to lead their bold, new plan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The ayes have it. Reince Priebus is elected
chairman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Huh? Huh? That`s how they started? With Reince Priebus,
the same guy who help get them into the mess? But, OK, let`s give them a
chance with their bold, new plan. What`s at the top of the to do list?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. BOBBY JINDAL (R), LOUISIANA: We`ve got to stop being the stupid
party. And I`m serious. It`s time for a new Republican party that talks
like adults. It`s no secret that we had a number of people that damaged
the brain with offensive and bizarre comments. I`m here to say, we have
enough of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Stop being the stupid party. OK. OK. I can get behind
that. What`s next?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JINDAL: We`ve got to compete for every single vote. Forty seven
percent and the 53 percent and, by the way, any other combination of that
that adds up to a hundred percent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: And Newt Gingrich agrees saying I`m for 100 percent of the
American people believing that they have a party that cares about their
future.

Wow. What a vision. What an amazing, ground-breaking idea, including
all Americans. But OK, it`s an idea, at least. What other changes do they
have in mind?

Gingrich says we need to learn to be a happy party. Imagine that. A
party with leaders that aren`t so grumpy. I`m liking this. So, how do you
plan to get this done?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REINCE PRIEBUS, CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: The task
before us now is charting our party`s future. The good news is our
principles are sound.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Principles are sound? They`re sticking with the same,
failed principles. What about the renewal? The 100 percent? The happy
people? What exactly will you be changing?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRIEBUS: We can stand by our timeless principles and articulate them
in ways that are modern. And that, I believe, is how we`ll achieve
Republican renewal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: They`re going to change by renewing the same destructive
policies, same principles, different message. Maybe it`s time to go back
to step one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JINDAL: We`ve got to stop being the stupid party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: On second thought, good luck with that one.

Joining me now is Melissa Harry Perry and E.J. Dionne.

Melissa, did they not get the message?

MELISSA HARRIS-PERRY, MSNBC ANCHOR, MELISSA HARRIS-PERRY SHOW: Well,
look. Any time you give me a chance to talk about my governor, Bobby
Jindal, who, you know, on my place, we use a hash tag, fbj, forget Bobby
Jindal.

So, look. The thing about Bobby Jindal saying let`s not be the stupid
party, is that this is a man whose policies in the state of Louisiana have
created a voucher program that increasingly sends children to schools that
teach creationism. This man, who was a biology major, who understands what
basic, scientific principles are, is sending children in a poor state with
under-achieving schools to school that are teaching them with state
dollars.

So, when he says stop being the stupid party, that is pure rhetoric.
That has not reflecting in his policies. And as you heard there from
Priebus, they`re not talking at all about a core change in how this party
actually plans to govern. They`re just talking about a cosmetic difference
and how they are going (INAUDIBLE).

SHARPTON: Well, he`s also not teaching creationism. He is also not
teaching in some of those schools, science:

HARRIS-PERRY: Oh, yes, as the science course is creationism.

SHARPTON: Yes, that`s exactly right.

E.J., when you look at Reince Priebus saying that Republican campaign
wants develop the best technology, build in national field infrastructure,
train candidate volunteers and operatives work on welcoming in voters, but
the same old policies, I mean, do they get it?

E.J. DIONNE, COLUMNIST, THE WASHINGTON POST: Well, you know, I think
the new Republican slogan judging from Newt is don`t worry, be happy, that
actually a little happiness would be nice compared to meanness.

But, I think it is really striking that Reince Priebus put a heavy
emphasis on technology, on organization. Then, he did say the party needed
to be more welcoming and inclusive. The problem is that that takes them
away from having to think about what actually failed them.

Mitt Romney got in trouble just because the 47 percent comments were
caught on tape. He got in trouble because a lot of people had already come
to believe that the Republican Party was primarily a party of very wealthy
people and was only interested in cutting their taxes.

They lose the Latino vote because their Spanish language ads were bad.
They lost the Latino vote because Mitt Romney talked about self deportation
and the party of blocked immigration reform. And the African American vote
was going to go to President Obama. But they jammed it way up with their
voter suppression effort. So, they`ve got to think more about fundamentals
and not just organization.

SHARPTON: And, Melissa, will you look at the American people, 68
percent say it`s unacceptable to cut Medicaid, 66 percent disapprove of the
GOP`s negotiation over tax, 51 percent favor same-sex marriage. What they
are selling, the American people are not buying. And seems like in this
mid-winter conference, they`re in denial. They`re acting -- in fact,
they`re saying that what we have is fundamental principles are right.
We`re just presenting it wrong. It`s not the content they`re saying it`s
the package. No, it`s the content.

HARRIS-PERRY: Right. And look. You know where this is going to get
really real for people on the ground? Are these Republican governors who
are going to continue to try to block President Obama`s affordable care act
that is going to now finally start taking effect on the second term. So,
does the great legislative achievement of the first term, obviously. But,
it wasn`t taking impact yet, right?

So, now, what we`re going to see is in states that are allowing the
health care changes to be set up, that are doing the kinds of things that
are allowing the Medicaid e extension. You`re going to see a dramatic
impact in people`s real lives. And then in states like Bobby Jindal`s on
Louisiana and other state where they`re standing in the school`s house door
around health care reform and those states become sicker and poorer and
have fewer economic opportunities and can`t grow in their hospital sectors
and all of that, then you`re going to see - this is not, I mean, part of it
is about the social policy. But the other part of it is their social
policy decisions will have economic consequences for their constituents.

SHARPTON: -- who are going to feel it in their pocketbook. This is
not something remove.

You know, E.J., something was telling when the senator Saxby Chambliss
announced it and he won`t run for re-election. And took a shot at his own
party. He says, and I`m quoting him. "The debt-ceiling debacle of 2011
and the recent fiscal-cliff vote showed congress as its worst and sadly, I
don`t see the legislative gridlock and partisan posturing improving anytime
soon." He went on to say, we cannot continue to play politics with the
America economy.

Now, this is a conservative taking a shot at his own party.

DIONNE: Well, I guess I agree, by the way, with Melissa on the health
care and people trying to block it. But let me be a little optimistic here
on behalf of our Republican friends. I do think there are Republicans in
senator Chambliss indicated that who do know that the substance matters
here. The Republicans knew they couldn`t fight President Obama on the
debt-ceiling. They should have just extended it entirely instead of
playing these games of having putting it down the road.

Nonetheless, I think there are Republicans who learned some lessons.
There are the Republicans who broke with the party to vote for aid for the
victims of hurricane Sandy. So, I think this sort of meeting is sort of
the top line of people wanting to say it`s just organization. But I think
below that, there are Republicans who know their problems run deeper.

SHARPTON: I don`t doubt that, but I think that the bad signal is, for
example, how do say you`re going to have change re-elect the same chairman
in Reince Priebus, who we learned this week, has Clint Eastwood`s empty
chair in his office.

Now, I mean, you got to be looking at it from an alternative universe
to think that to have Clint Eastwood`s chair in your office as some symbol
of -- that you want to recognize other than if you use an example to show
how you lost an election, how dumb we could be. I mean, what -- can you re
elect this guy as chairman and he thinks like this?

HARRIS-PERRY: Look, this is the moment. And the things that I think
is E.J. is pointing out that is so important is look, we are in a two-party
system. We are going to be at a two-party system, I can do the whole
political science lecture on why.

But the parties reconfigure themselves. So, for example, when we look
at the current Democratic Party, it is not the Democratic party of the
1940s and 50s, right? There was ultimately a moment when the party shifted
and where those southern segregations as Democrats had to find themselves a
new party. And we may be looking at a Republican party that was similarly
in a position where it`s going to have to shift potentially spit between
those who are going to follow a reasonable path and those weren`t. There`s
plenty to disagree about in the land of reasonable. It`s fine to have a
conservative party.

(CROSSTALK)

SHARPTON: And call it the happy party.

(LAUGHTER)

SHARPTON: E.J. Dionne and Melissa Harry Perry, thanks. And have a
great weekend.

And remember watch Melissa Harris-Perry Saturdays and Sundays at 10:00
a.m. here on MSNBC.

Ahead, the right wing plan to steal elections pops up in another
state? Why is the RNC chair staying silent?

And meet the Arizona sheriff vowing to defy President Obama`s gun
laws. I have a few questions for him.

And he missed the inauguration. But Willard is in Washington today
and he made some news. There`s a big Friday show coming, so stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Have you joined the "Politics Nation" conversation on
facebook yet? We hope you will.

We asked our facebook fans to give advice to Republicans on how they
can stop being the stupid party, as Bobby Jindal suggested.

Sydney said it`s time to care about others and stop the closed door
tricks and cheatings.

Dred says the GOP needs to explain how their big business views can
help the average man if they can.

Joy says start by helping the American people, which is what you were
elected to do.

We want to hear your advice, too. Please head over to facebook and
search "Politics Nation" and like us to join the conversation that keeps
going long after the show ends.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: For the men and women
in big cities and small towns who fall victim to senseless violence each
and every day. For all the Americans who are counting on us to keep them
safe from harm. Let`s do the right thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: More than a month after the shootings at Sandy Hook
elementary, President Obama is ramping up the pressure on gun safety. Vice
president Biden went to Virginia today, the first stop on a national road
trip to push new gun laws.

Also, today, the president nominated a new ATF director, Byron Todd
Jones. He`s one of the 23 executive actions he signed earlier this month.
But some Republicans vow to block him. Arizona sheriff Paul Babeu is one
of several sheriffs promising to defy the federal government and refusing
to obey any new laws.

He wrote a letter to the president saying quote "I`m writing you this
letter today to inform you that any law or regulation created by an
executive order, which is contrary to the constitution of the United States
of America and what it says shall be deemed as unlawful and shall not be
carried out by myself or my office. An officer of the law, refusing to
carry out the law. Interesting.

Well, joining me now is that Arizona sheriff, Paul Babeu.

Sheriff, thank you first of all for being here tonight.

PAUL BABEU (R), PINAL COUNTY SHERIFF, ARIZONA: It`s my pleasure,
Reverend Al.

SHARPTON: Now you`ll defy a law if it violates the constitution. But
what gives you the authority to decide if it does that?

BABEU: Well, my oath and that I`m the top law enforcement officer of
my county. And where we`re talking here, and this is what I put in
parenthesis in that letter, a law or an executive order which circumvents
legislative process. The last I checked is we live in a republic with
democratic principles and you just can`t just write and sign an executive
order, especially in matters so important of constitutional consequences
and infringe upon the rights --

SHARPTON: But the president of the United States, it is the head of
the executive branch and he is in power to give executive orders like he
did today when appointing ATF. So, that`s not unconstitutional.

My question was what gives you the right to decide what is
constitutional. In you oath, you didn`t take an oath saying that you will
uphold the constitution if it follows your interpretation of the
constitution. I mean, you`re not a Supreme Court justice, are you?

BABEU: Well, my oath actually says, and this is even my 20 years in
the reserve component, the military. I swore an oath to obey the lawful
orders of the officers` appointed over me. These are not lawful anything
because they are laws. A law, a legislative body has to pass, as you know,
and then the president signs. We all learned that. This is a process.
And to think that, especially on an issue, yes, it`s emotionally charged.
We have people that believe multiple different answers will be the solution
whether control of weapons or restriction of certain guns in size and
capacity of magazines, or nothing, a more armed citizen, that other people
believe that.

But what I am saying is the president cannot and should not
unilaterally say with the wave of the hand this is what we`re going to do.
And I believe that we have to look at --

SHARPTON: First of all, the president has made some proposals to
Congress. Other things he`s issued an executive action and certainly,
that`s within the law.

But what I`m saying is you said that you will be the decider of what
you think is constitutional. What gives you the authority? If every law
enforcement person in the country decided that they would do what they
think is constitutional, you`d have anarchy.

BABEU: Not at all. Here in -- there`s 3,000 plus elected sheriffs
throughout the country. I`m the third largest county in Arizona, in Pinal
County. And I have to enforce the law. I`m a law enforcement leader. And
we enforce laws, whether I agree with them or not. These are not laws.
And this is what I believe has to happen with issues --

SHARPTON: But, who determines they`re not laws?

BABEU: The president by executive order; that is not a law. He can
issue that and that is a policy where to carry out by his cabinets and the
secretaries. That`s for federal agents. What I am saying is here, these
restrictions, especially on, not in our constitution but guaranteed rights
and liberties for our second amendment freedoms.

(CROSSTALK)

SHARPTON: Tell me how these orders violate constitutional freedom.

BABEU: Well, many of these orders, there`s 23 as you pointed out.

SHARPTON: Well, give me one of them.

BABEU: Well, they don`t specifically. But, what the president is
talking about and now senator Feinstein is embodying, and this is the right
approach to take that the president also speaks about laws that would be
created that would ban assault weapons or restrict the sale of certain
individuals.

Well, most Americans would agree that yes, we should have background
checks. But this idea to think that we`re establishing another law or a
regulation somehow is going to make America safer is --.

SHARPTON: But, you are opinion, sheriff. You are not telling me how
it violates constitutional law. He appointed the head of the ATF by
executive order. Are you telling me that was unconstitutional for the
president to appoint the head of ATF?

BABEU: Not at all.

SHARPTON: So you`re going to decide what executive order the
constitutional right has to do or what he doesn`t. It`s all right with you
that he did ATF. But it`s not all right with you it becomes something you
disagree with and you hide behind it was unconstitutional?

BABEU: Here`s the difference. The most important person in the land
is that of private citizen. It`s not the president, not some governor or
congressman or the sheriff. It is when we have guaranteed liberties and
freedoms in our constitution, when the president believes he can just
infringe upon those rights and liberties; that`s unconstitutional.

SHARPTON: Tell me the executive order u again, I`m asking for the
second time, that violates that privacy. Tell me where he has, in your
opinion, made it an executive action that is unconstitutional?

BABEU: He doesn`t in those 23.

SHARPTON: Then, why are you writing him claiming that he is acting
like a king and a dictator? You accused the president of acting like king
and a dictator. You said you defy that you`re going to do it. But what
I`m asking you, point-blank, to give me an example, you say he didn`t do
it. So what is the letter about?

BABEU: Well, on this, even on the president`s web site, he talks not
only these 23 executive orders. He talks about what he plans for
legislation to infringe upon gun rights.

SHARPTON: So legislation. So, you mean now you`re not talking about
executive action. You mean if he proposes legislation that is voted by the
congress, you`re going to defy --

BABEU: In that case.

SHARPTON: The very laws that the Congress may vote on?

BABEU: Not at all. That`s what I`m encouraging the president to do.

SHARPTON: You just said he`s going to do it. Legislation means it
goes before the Congress. That`s what legislation is.

BABEU: Well, here`s the thing. Here`s what I have to go at. What
we`ve seen, and I put this in the letter, as well, and you read, that our
experience specifically here in Arizona when it came to e facilitated these
high powered weapons into the hands of the most violent criminals, not just
some mass murders.

SHARPTON: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. You`re trying to go fast
and furious away from the issue. You just admitted that he is proposing
legislation, which is the anti-thesis to him being a king or dictator. You
also admitted that he did not issue an executive order that you can
specifically point to as unconstitutional. So, I can only assume that you
did this to raise an issue to get some attention because when we drill
down, you don`t find anything unconstitutional about the executive action
and you admit he is going to legislate.

Sheriff Paul Babeu, thank you for your time tonight.

BABEU: If that`s the route he takes, that would be great.

SHARPTON: I think -- I think -- I think I agree with that he`s going
to legislate. And I think that is not what you can call a king or a
dictator. I think that is what he`s proposed to do. And you`ve admitted
that. So I don`t think all of this saying that I am going to defy you
amounts to much if you can`t tell me what is unconstitutional you`re going
to defy?

BABEU: Well, this is the whole approach he`s taken on countless
issues even with the immigration issue. And regardless what people`s
opinions are, the president, and on one day, says he doesn`t have the
authority, and a year later, he did exactly what he said he didn`t have the
authority to do.

SHARPTON: OK. So, now with immigration, fast and furious and you
started by saying you are going to defy unconstitutionality that you can
established. And you`re the sheriff? People actually depend on you to
protect them.

BABEU: Exactly.

SHARPTON: Thank you, again, sheriff.

BABEU: We actually enforce the laws:

SHARPTON: And you should enforce the laws and not try to interpret
the laws. That`s what we have judges for. Stay ahead --

BABEU: That`s what we do.

SHARPTON: Still ahead, Mitt Romney tells the GOP, quote, "I`m not
going away." Holy cow, is that a promise or a threat?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Guess who`s back in the nation`s capitol? Mr. 47 percent
himself. That`s Governor Romney carrying his own bags through the airport
after arriving in Washington today. He couldn`t show up for President
Obama`s inauguration four days ago, but he has no problem making it in for
a lunch in his honor.

He and Ann were the big guest of honor at a party just blocks from the
White House thrown by hotel chairman and good friend Bill Marriott. And
everyone in attendance left with a party favor. Some pearls of wisdom from
the governor himself. He began by telling everyone the crowd, quote, "we
lost," huh? We lost? What is this we? I`m pretty sure he lost.

But, anyway, Romney went onto say, "I`m not going away. I will
continue to help." Wow. He`s going to continue to help. It`s Christmas
come early for the Democrats. I wonder how the Republicans reacted? Huh?
Oh, I`m hearing we have a video of the reaction from the actual luncheon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: It`s important.

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: To be honest, I was the one
doing the weeping.

BOEHNER: I`ve spent my whole life chasing the American dream.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: I`m sorry, governor, that was the big take-away from the
luncheon. Then, if that`s what it was, people left with heartburn, not
doggie bags.

Joining me now is Bob Shrum, Maria-Teresa Kumar and Cynthia Tucker.
Bob, is this the last thing the republican wants?

BOB SHRUM, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Oh, sure, it`s pretty much the last
thing. It`s a ritual they have to go through. Losing is a short, sharp
good-bye, usually. He may say he`s not going away. Well, the truth is
he`s not going anywhere. Unlike John Kerry and John McCain, he doesn`t
have an important place in public life. He`s not going to influence and
impact what happened unlike Al Gore.

He doesn`t have a great cause that can come in, the center of the
world stage or the national stage. I think he will remain a byword for how
to run a bad campaign. And his most important legacy, ultimately, may be
to convince the Republicans and they want to convince themselves with this,
if there problem was not out of touch policies, but out of tune
communication so they can again, indulge their own self delusions and lose
another presidential election.

SHARPTON: Now, Cynthia, we are seeing here where the governor told
Politico or source told Politico that Romney explained that has been out of
the news and that it was purposeful. He didn`t want to say something on
the fiscal cliff and has the president use it as a wedge between the
speaker and the minority leader. He`s been purposely taking a low profile.

CYNTHIA TUCKER, CYNTHIA TUCKER, PULITZER PRIZE WINNING JOURNALIST:
Well, as Bob says, it`s not that the guy has any natural platform, he
doesn`t have a political platform from which to speak, anyway. And the
last thing Republicans want is him speaking out on the fiscal cliff or
anything else. They want to act as if that losing campaign never happened.
Let`s remember, Reverend Al, Mitt Romney was never beloved by the
republican masses, anyway.

As one republican whack put it, there`s not a Mitt Romney wing of the
Republican Party. He was just the last guy standing. He had a whole bunch
of money and he beat out the rest of these not-so-stellar contenders to win
the GOP nomination. But he never had a natural constituency within the
party anyway. So they were -- so they are -- they are more than willing to
see him leave the stage. And I can imagine how it must have terrified them
when he said I`m not going away.

Well, Maria, when you talk about -- when Cynthia Tucker is talking
about they were more than happy to see him leave the stage, I mean, since
he`s lost the election, they`ve been throwing him under the bus. Look at
how the GOP is talking about Governor Romney.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. PAUL RYAN (R), WISCONSIN: Both parties tend to divide Americans
into our voters and their voters. Let`s be really clear. Republicans must
steer clear from that trap.

KARL ROVE, POLITICAL CONSULTANT: They also said by the end of the
campaign, I can`t bring myself to vote for Mitt Romney.

CHRISTIE: You can`t expect to be the leader of all the people and be
divisive. But he`s a good man. And he will find his level.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Inevitably, there are these mandarins in politics
who give the voice. Don`t show any contrast. So by the third debate, I`m
pretty certain Mitt Romney actually French kissed Barack Obama.

(LAUGHTER)

SHARPTON: Wow, I mean, with friends like those, Maria.

MARIA-TERESA KUMAR, PRESIDENT, VOTO LATINO: Well, I think it was
interesting what Paul Ryan is doing. You actually going to start seeing
the Republican Party do it more and more where they`re marrying themselves
not for the 47 percent but for the 100 percent. And I won`t be surprised
if they start taking on -- policy much more under their -- but what`s
interesting is, I don`t know if they necessarily want Mitt Romney out in
front of him.

I definitely believe that they don`t. But what they do want is his
access to the war chest. So, while they may not be courting him in public
and basically touting him as the idea of brilliant ideas, they will be
calling on him to make sure that he`s calling those billionaires that
basically did the Citizens United so effectively that tried to tarnish the
name of the President.

And I won`t be surprised if that`s where he`s going to be much more
effective. Again, bringing his billionaire friends to the forefront in
politics. And that`s where I will be more concern because it`s behind
closed doors and that`s where the American people can`t see what he may be
up to.

SHARPTON: You know, Bob, you`ve been involved in politics for a while
and you`ve led some of the campaigns of our time. I think you need big
people to do big things. It seems a little petty to a lot of us when it
was reported this week, they`re not only was Governor Romney going to skip
the inauguration which hasn`t happens since `89. And he was the first
losing candidate to do that since `89. But that`s one thing. But an aide
went onto say and he had no plans, but it was doubtful that he`d even watch
it. I mean, that seems a little small to me.

SHRUM: It is. Look, when you lose one of these campaigns, it`s
tough. And you don`t want to kick the guy when he`s down. But the end of
his campaign was an exercise in mendacity, a lie about shipping jobs, to
shipping jobs to China. He thought he was going to win because he had all
of these skewed polls. So he went off to La Hoya and sulked in his
mansion. I think it would have been much smarter of him to show up for the
inauguration and sit on that platform, it wouldn`t have done in good.

Right now, his place in history is as one of the worst presidential
candidates in a long time, number one. Because it`s absolutely true,
Cynthia was right, he was the guy with a bag of money who survived the
weakest field of candidates for the nomination in history. And number two,
he`ll be remembered as the guy who created the model for Obamacare. He
could have at least sat on that platform.

SHARPTON: Cynthia, will he be remembered at all? I mean, will we
even be talking about Mitt Romney a year from now?

TUCKER: We will only be talking about him as an example of how not to
run a campaign.

SHARPTON: Yes.

TUCKER: Certainly Republicans will not be bringing him up, they do
not want to think about Mitt Romney. That only did he was he terrible on
the campaign trail and terrible behind closed doors. When the public got
to hear what he really had to say about nearly half of America. But he
also was the candidate who -- many Republicans hope was the last one who
presided over a party that only appealed to older, rural whites. Many
Republicans realize that that is a loser for the future of the Democratic
Party.

SHARPTON: Yes.

TUCKER: And that is what Mitt Romney represents. So they do not want
to think about Mitt Romney and his strategy.

SHARPTON: But Maria, I agree with that assessment of the Republicans
in general. But then, how do you dump Romney. And how are you so clear on
Romney`s floors and then reelect Reince Priebus today as the chair of the
party who was the architect behind the operation. And even has the chair
of Clint Eastwood in his office like that something to put up as a plaque.

KUMAR: Probably it`s a reminder of what not to do next time,
Reverend. I actually think that the Democratic Party should continue
reminding everybody of Romney. All they have to say is 47 percent and
attach it to every single candidate that`s coming down the pipeline.
Because I think that what you`re mentioning is the fact that, yes, they did
re-elect the same RNC chairman.

SHARPTON: Right.

KUMAR: And with the same old policies with the same to do and it
recognize that they`re not interested not only in modernize, but they`re
not interested in expanding the basin anyway. So, the Democrats, the more
they can pin the 47 percent in the midterm elections, that`s basically be
the democratic dog whistle of that person is not on your side. They`re not
in your camp and they`re basically the sun-setting party.

SHARPTON: Bob Shrum, Maria-Teresa Kumar, and Cynthia Tucker, thanks
for your time this evening. The president is planning big policies. But
the right wing hate machine is still working hard against him. That`s
next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Second term derangement. This week, a new round of hateful
rhetoric, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: President Obama is charging ahead with his second term
agenda and the team that will help him get it done. Today, the President
named his deputy national security advisor to be his new chief of staff.
The President is focused. He`s moving forward. But, on the other side,
they`re just stuck in the past. The inauguration has sparked a new round
of extremists and deranged anti-Obama rhetoric.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: If Obama decides to abnegate,
you know, Obama may not give up the crown. Just like Queen Elizabeth.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: And I`m afraid that President Obama may have this
king complex sort of developing.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: He is an evil, dangerous man who hates America and
hates freedom.

BILL O`REILLY, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: You either want freedom or you don`t.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: And he hires, appoints and associates with
communists.

SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: He wants to transform America into his
socialist utopia.

STEPHEN COLBERT, COMEDIAN: Socialist overreach is coming, folks. By
February, we`ll all be chained up in solar-powered asparagus gulags, being
force-fed birth-control pills by illegal immigrants who gay-marry us to
endangered sea turtles.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Folks, the sad part is only one of those clips was a joke.
The right wing`s derangements over the President of the United States would
be funny if it wasn`t so outrageous. We`ll be right back with a day for
the history books. All the great moments from the inauguration. I`ll
never forget it. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: This week, we witnessed history. Our first African-
American president sworn into office for a second term. It was a day to
remember.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. BARACK OBAMA (D), UNITED STATES: I, Barack Hussein Obama do
solemnly swear.

JOHN ROBERTS, UNITED STATES CHIEF JUSTICE: .that I will faithfully
execute.

OBAMA: .that I will faithfully execute.

ROBERTS: .the office of President of the United States.

OBAMA: the office of President of the United States.

SASHA OBAMA, DAUGHTER OF BARACK OBAMA: Good job, dad.

OBAMA: I did it.

SASHA OBAMA: You didn`t mess up.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Welcome to Washington. It is chilly, but
frankly, bearable outside as the country prepares to celebrate the peaceful
maintenance of power to transfer some power from the first term
administration of President Barack Obama to his second term administration.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: This is a moment when millions stop and watch. A
moment most of us always will remember. It is a moment that is our most
conspicuous and enduring symbol of the American democracy.

ROBERTS: Preserve, protect and defend.

OBAMA: ...Preserve, protect and defend.

ROBERTS: .the constitution of the United States.

OBAMA: .the constitution of the United States.

ROBERTS: .So help you God?

OBAMA: .So help me God.

ROBERTS: Congratulations, Mr. President.

(APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: One hundred fifty years after the emancipation
proclamation and 50 years after the march on Washington, we celebrate the
spirit of our ancestors.

OBAMA: My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment and we will
seize it so long as we seize it together.

(BEYONCE PERFORMING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM)

For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a
shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We, the
people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of
security and dignity. We, the people, declare today that the most evidence
of truths. That all of us are created equal. Is the star that guides us
still just as it guided our forbearers through Seneca Falls, in Selma and
Stonewall.

(APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: There`s the Secretary of Treasury Tim Geithner in
some bitching shades.

(KELLY CLARKSON PERFORMING MY COUNTRY, "TIS OF THEE)

OBAMA: To my Vice President who has not only been an extraordinary
partner, but an extraordinary friend.

VICE PRES. JOE BIDEN (D), UNITED STATES: Folks, I raise my glass to a
man who never, never, never operates out of fear. Only operates out of
confidence and a gun toasting you Chuck.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Mr. Vice president! Mr. Vice president! Hey, how
are you doing? Come on. Come on! They won`t let you? That`s it. Yes.
All right. Yes. Yes.

I`m done.

BOEHNER: We gather in the old hall to better hear one another and to
renew the appeal to better angels.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: The effort was truly bipartisan. So if you don`t
like the food, you can`t blame it on one party or the other.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Why are you here today?

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I`m here to be with the people, be a part of
history and tried to get a glimpse of my president.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Mr. President, how is it going? Is the weather
good?

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: We`re really here for like a social experience
and like being excited --

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: A day where we can celebrate democracy and be
proud to be Americans.

OBAMA: I love Michelle Obama. And to address the most significant
event of this weekend, I love her bangs.

Some my dispute the quality of our president but nobody disputes the
quality of our first lady.

(CHEERS)

Ladies and gentlemen, my better half and my dance partner, Michelle
Obama.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: It was a great day, a day when we were all reminded just
how much the country has changed. I was personally moved by that moment
when the President falls before the bust. A Martin Luther King in the
Capitol Rotunda. And remember this. It was only 30 years ago Senator
Jesse Helms led the fight to block King`s birthday from becoming a national
holiday demanding their PR released -- that he claims which showed Dr. King
was a communist sympathizer.

And when asked, President Reagan refused to criticize.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FMR. PRES. RONALD REAGAN, UNITED STATES: We`ll know in about 35
years, when we -- I don`t fault Senator Helms sincerity with regards to
wanting the records opened up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: I was a young activist marching then behind Mrs. King and
others to get that national holiday. I was a season activist sitting on
the platform Monday and I watch them bring out Martin Luther King`s bible
to swear in the president of the United States.

Yes, we can make America exchange and the best is still yet to come.

Thanks for watching. I`m Al Sharpton, "HARDBALL" starts right now.

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

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