PoliticsNation, Wednesday, July 31st, 2013

POLITICS NATION
July 31, 2013
Guests: Ed Rendell; Angela Rye, Michelle Cottle, Jonathan Capehart, Eric
Boehlert, Goldie Taylor


REVEREND AL SHARPTON, MSNBC ANCHOR: Tonight`s lead, the boss speaks.
It`s been a question for awhile now. Why do Republicans refuse to
compromise to get past their own interests for the good of the country.
Now in an interview, the boss of the party explains why. The Republican
boss isn`t speaker Boehner. It`s not senator Mitch McConnell either. The
person calling the shots for the GOP is Rush Limbaugh. And Rush makes it
clear that he is against anything the Democrats want to do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you suggesting Republicans shouldn`t
negotiate and have bipartisan approach with Democrats?

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Well, yes pretty much. I`m
about defeating them, not compromising with them. It`s not a debacle of
shut down the government. You are certainly not going to eradicate poverty
by creating dependency. Santa Claus is not a cure for poverty. It isn`t
going to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: This is why the Republicans hate the word compromise. This
is where they get their deeply unfair scheme to shut down the government.
This is the inspiration for the relentless war on the poor. Rush Limbaugh
runs today`s Republican party. And the Republicans in Congress know they
better tow the line.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIMBAUGH: The media has aligned with Obama to defeat Republicans.

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: The focus of this
administration as they attempt to annihilate the Republican Party.

LIMBAUGH: He never appears to be governing.

BOEHNER: The president is finished with governing.

LIMBAUGH: I`m about defeating them, not compromising with them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So you did compromise.

BOEHNER: We found common ground.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why won`t you say -- you`re afraid of the word.

BOEHNER: I reject the word.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Speaker Boehner must be attending Rush Limbaugh`s speech
writing workshops. One by one, the GOP mimic what Rush says. But what
might even be worse, they refuse to denounce his ugly talk that pollutes
our political conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIMBAUGH: We have a name for Michelle, Moochelle. Mooch, mooch,
Moochelle Obama. Obama says he is a Christian but where is the evidence?

He`s a street thug. As a community organizer that`s what you are.
You are a street thug.

There is a gay mafia that has inflicted the fear of death, political
death in the Republican party, for example.

Has the CDC ever published a story of the dangers of catching diseases
when you sleep with illegal aliens. 2016, waiting to happen. That is if
Obama decides to abdicate. Obama may not give up the crown just like queen
Elizabeth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: There you go, GOP. That is your leader. Good luck.
Staying on viable party.

Joining me now is Karen Finney and Joy Reid. Thank you both for
coming o the show tonight.

JOY-ANN REID, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: Good to be here.

KAREN FINNEY, MSNBC HOST, DISRUPT: Great to be here.

SHARPTON: I mean, Joy, what are the implications of Rush calling the
shots for the GOP? I mean, you just hear him, Moochelle, the president`s a
thug. I mean, what are the implications of that guy`s influence on the
Republican party?

REID: Well, the implications of it, because we have seen it. The
merger of the entertainment complex on the right with the Republican party
which started in `04 but really solidified with the 2008 campaign, the
results of it were they lost. And then, they doubled down on it in 2012,
this merger to the point where elected Republicans are afraid to even
oppose this guy. They are afraid to even denounce the most extreme things
he said.

He now is, as you said, their boss. And the merger of the two
together has resulted in defeat and it will keep resulting in defeat.

SHARPTON: And we are not talking about some long time ago stuff that
he said 15, 20 years ago and you regret. This is recent stuff.

REID: Like yesterday.

SHARPTON: This is like yesterday stuff, Karen.

FINNEY: Remember when he called Sandra Fluke, you know, horrible
words? No Republican leader was willing to stand up and say, you know what
Rush? That`s over the line. They never are. And when you talk to
Republicans privately in Washington, D.C. --

SHARPTON: He used the word --

FINNEY: A slut basically.

SHARPTON: But they can denounce rappers who I disagree with their
words. But I disagree with Rush and them saying inappropriate things.

FINNEY: Exactly. And he has said inappropriate things for years and
they have been afraid to take him on. They have been afraid to stand up to
him. And they will tell you privately that it`s because they know at the
core of the base of their party follows Rush. And they cannot afford to
anger that part of their base. They literally will tell you that , you
know of the record, sort of, you know, well, when you say to them, how come
you guys don`t take on Rush? They will say well, you know, why we can`t
take on Rush. Well, no. That`s wrong. I mean, if he is going to be out
there and you are going to let this man have this much power, then you have
got to own it because they try to have it both ways.

SHARPTON: Or if you don`t want to own it, then own him and I`m going
to let people see who he is. If you don`t want to disown him, then fine.
I`m going to give you the ownership papers. I mean, even President Obama
has talked about the influence of Rush Limbaugh. Watch this.

It says -- I`m quoting the president. I`m putting it out. He says if
a Republican member of Congress is not punished on FOX News or by Rush
Limbaugh for working with a Democrat on a bill of common interest, then
you`ll see more of them doing it. This is the president assessing.

REID: Absolutely. He included FOX News because you have Roger Ails
who vote Republican strategist and media owner, right?

SHARPTON: But, you have a whole -- Rush is all of that by himself.

REID: And the different -- I think what`s happened is that the
Republican party used to have a part of its base that was sort of the
Archie bunker crowd. That was part of their base. But now, that is pretty
much their base. There isn`t a lot more. They haven`t been able to grow
the party by adding younger voters or by adding minorities or by adding,
you know, single women. So they`re down just to Archie bunker. And that`s
who Rush Limbaugh plays to. So, they can`t afford to alienate his base.
That`s all they`ve got.

SHARPTON: What does it mean, Karen, for the president`s agenda? I
mean, we are looking at Obama care as it`s called. We are looking at
immigration. We are looking at voting rights. What does this kind of
mentality in charge of the party mean toward that agenda?

FINNEY: I think it means exactly the clip you showed where John
Boehner is can`t say the word compromise which I`ve got to tell you,
remember everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten. Sharing,
being nice to other people. I feel like that is in the bible. I like that
those are the basic values that we learn.

So, when you have this house speaker unable to say the word compromise
when talking about working with the president, that`s the impact that it`s
having on the president`s agenda. And you are seeing it now every single
day in what the tea party folks are doing. When they talk about defeat, I
mean, you know, Rush Limbaugh said it. You basically hear it from Ted
Cruz, you hear it from Marco Rubio, you hear it from the Republican house
members. Defeating the president is their goal. Even at the expense of
the United States of America and our constitution and the good of our
people.

SHARPTON: And the good of our people. Let me go to that. Last
night, the same interview. And again, none of this is dated stuff. This
is last night. This is -- I want you to hear what Rush Limbaugh said about
the poor last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIMBAUGH: Look at poverty in this country. Everybody out of work is
eating. They have got big screen TV, probably have a car, probably have a
cell phone that they are using. And they got a place to live. Being out
of work is not poverty. It is true that the unemployed are eating for 99-
plus weeks and they are watching big screen TV or some kind of TV.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: I mean, Limbaugh seems to despise the poor. It`s such --
but he`s despised them seemingly as much as the house does because look at
their food stamp plan. It would result in over $20 billion in cuts. It
would mean that 5.1 million people would be eliminated from the program.
So you can dismiss Rush as just entertainment.

If you were looking at five million people taken off of food stamps
and $20 billion in cuts. But you can do that if you believe they are all
driving around in cars and sitting back looking at wide screen TVs. I
mean, this is absolutely absurd.

REID: Yes. Why do you work? We are not making you grub for food on
the ground. I mean, come on. No, I mean, and the thing is this, it would
just be entertainment if you didn`t have people like Koch brothers who are
just rushed of the radio, people who are running the agenda --

FINNEY: They support it basically.

REID: Exactly. And the corner stone of their agenda are getting rid
of the minimum wage, getting rid of child labor laws, putting us back into
sort of the (INAUDIBLE) 19th century America, the same thing was pretty
good because they were not born rich and they never missed a meal..

FINNEY: But this is an old play for the Republicans. This, us versus
them. We have seen them scapegoat Latinos under the immigration debate,
gay people, and you know, LGBT community. And now, it seems like it`s the
war on the poor. What have we been hearing for two years? Makers versus
takers. Who is deserving and who is not deserving?

You heard Paul Ryan talk a lot about deserving and not deserving.
Similarly, you know, a lot of Republican leadership. And you know, laced
within that is some of this very classic sort of war on the poor, a lot of
times it feels like they are talking trying to insinuate that it`s people
of color in a level of irresponsibility. Rather than -- and they are so
out of touch with how people are living their lives in this country. And
it is the fact that like food stamps actually kept some people out of
poverty in the last couple of years who, yes, they were working but they
needed a little bit of help. Isn`t that what our country is about?

SHARPTON: And let me be clear. I have no problem people fighting for
what they believe. I`m passionate about what I believe. But the president
of the United States won the election. He got over 60 million votes and
you won`t compromise?

You are not just telling a man you won`t compromise. You are telling
the majority of voting Americans we don`t care what you say. We are not
going to work with you to make a better country and that they need to be
held accountable for.

Karen Finney and Joy Reid, thank you for your time this evening.

FINNEY: Thank you.

SHARPTON: And watch "Disrupt" with Karen Finney weekends at 4:00 p.m.
eastern right here on MSNBC.

Coming up, President Obama rallies the Democrats on the hill as
Republicans threaten to shut down the government.

Plus, Speaker Boehner has some -- has had some whoppers. But today,
he said something about the president that really made me laugh out loud.

And Bill O`Reilly and some of the right continue distorting and
mocking the conversation on race in America. Tonight I will show you why
their talk can really not be taken seriously.

What`s on your mind? You got a question or even a comment. E-mail
me. Friend or foe, I want to know. "Reply Al" is coming.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Today, a big reaction from our facebook family on Speaker Boehner
planning a 40th vote to repeal Obama care later this week.

Larry says repeal-icans know how to waste our tax dollars.

I like that. Repeal-icans Larry, well done.

David says the Republicans are terrified, terrified because they know
that President Obama`s health care law will work.

I agree, David.

Coming up, are Republicans so out of touch that they will try to shut
the government down to try to stop health care? We will talk about that
next.

But first, we want to hear what you think. 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: Wasting the country`s
time by taking something like 40 meaningless votes to repeal Obama care is
not a jobs plan. That`s not a jobs plan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: House Republicans will hold their vote to repeal on Friday.
It will be one of their last votes before they go on vacation for the rest
of the summer. Taking a big break of doing all that nothing they`ve been
doing.

"Politico" reports Speaker Boehner is planning more votes targeting
Obama care for the fall. It`s a waste of time and money attacking the law
even as it goes into effect. But Ted Cruz and some other Republicans in
Congress want to try to stop the law by shutting down the government taking
a cue from boss Limbaugh.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIMBAUGH: It is not the debacle to shutdown the government. Even if
you don`t have a chance to stop it, why not make a stand, tell people who
you are as Republicans, as conservatives you never had. They`ve never had
a greater chance to contrast who they are with liberal Democrats than
what`s happening now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIMBAUGH: By all means, Republicans, show the American people who you
are. Tell seniors they should pay more for prescription drugs. Tell
people with pre-existing conditions. Tell voters premiums should be
higher. Sounds like a great losing agenda for the 2014 election.

Joining me now is Angela Rye and Ed Rendell. Thank you both for
joining me.

ANGELA RYE, POLITICAL STRATEGIST: Thank you, Rev.

SHARPTON: Governor Rendell, at this rate will Republicans still be
trying to repeal Obama care 50 years from now?

ED RENDELL (D), FORMER GOVERNOR, PENNSYLVANIA: Perhaps. However,
when President Obama leaves office it will end. But its surrogate those
trend. And it`s not just on a (INAUDIBLE) basis. I think the American
people have a basic sense of fairness. And even if they disagree with the
president`s healthcare plan, they know that a, as you said, this is a waste
of money. And b, if they shut the government down because of this, I think
they risk an incredible wrath coming from the average American. Even
Americans who don`t necessarily like the president`s health care plan.
They don`t want politics like this. It`s everything that`s bad about
politics. And it is, in fact, showing people who the Republicans are.

SHARPTON: Showing who they really are.

RENDELL: They are mean spirited and they don`t care about doing
anything to help the people of this country.

SHARPTON: You know, Angela, the right wing brain trust is all in
agreement with shutting down the government over health care. Sarah Palin
says its common sense. Sean Hannity says it`s a no brainer. But "the
Washington Post" reports a government shutdown wouldn`t affect the
implementation of Obama care at all. That according to a new congressional
service report that says that. Now, the question is so the GOP`s big plan
is to take down Obama care is really a dud.

RYE: Well, there is no question about it. There is congressional
research service is the research arm of Capitol Hill that is not by any
means partisan, not by any means biased. So, for them to come out with
this report saying that this will no way impact how Obama care is rolled
out and the fact that the implementation will continue even with their
strategies to try to defund it. It`s insane to me that even at this point
you have folks on the right who are saying we will hold out and we will
defund the government just to shut down Obama care even more. Despite the
fact they have taken all these votes. So, they will think this is crazy
over here but it is not crazy for them to take, like you said, 50 years
later will we still be voting to repeal Obama care? Maybe not, but 50
votes later, it seems like that`s certainly their strategy.

SHARPTON: No doubt about it. But you know, a few Republicans,
governor, have even said they would refuse to help their constituencies for
signing up for Obama care. But Paul Ryan had a different take. Look at
this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: Are you going to be helping constituent
services much in the way with Social Security and Medicare?

REP. PAUL RYAN (R), HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: We always help
any constituent with any help with the federal government. Anybody who has
a problem with the federal government we`re going to help them because
that`s my job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Now, first of all, the weight of this, imagine some
Republican lawmakers saying they will not help their constituents in
getting and applying and doing what is necessary to get health care. At
least Paul Ryan who I don`t usually agree with, at least he wouldn`t go
this far, that far. But there are actually some legislators, some
lawmakers saying they won`t help their constituents get health care.

RENDELL: Well, that is not surprising to me because you have got some
Republican governors. Usually, the ones interested in being president or
vice president who are refusing to take the Medicaid money even though
that`s not going to save a dime. That money is just going to go to some
other state and their taxpayers are going to be paying for it. And in
Pennsylvania, for example, 600,000 people will not get Medicaid coverage if
the governor doesn`t accept the Medicaid money from the federal government.
And $1.2 billion a year will not come into the state. And our hospitals
will lose $100 million a year. Now, that`s an incredible price to pay for
an ideological stand.

SHARPTON: But the clock is against the Republicans. Let me show you
Angela what I`m talking about.

On new year`s day next year, Election Day 2014 could see that Obama
care will go into effect on new year`s day. On new year`s day we will have
lower premiums, more people covered, lower drug costs for seniors, coverage
for pre-existing conditions.

Now, how do the Republicans run against that on Election Day in
November when just around the corner all of these things will go into
effect? How do they run against that?

RYE: They really can`t, Rev. and that`s just the thing. They are so
anti-Obama care. They have gone from the no party to the hell no party and
it`s so extreme. They are forgetting the fact that American people vote by
their pockets. They vote on tax credits. They vote on whether or not they
have been able to save money. whether or not they`ve felt any type of
economic relief. And what`s more outrageous is I don`t know if these folks
forgot what happened in their Capitol Hill orientation or for some of the
newer members like Cruz if they missed it altogether. But the hill works
by you pass a bill, it gets signed into law, and then those bills have to
get reauthorized. So, instead of repealing them, why aren`t they focusing
on an amendment strategy when it is time to reauthorize this measure? It
is simply ridiculous. They are not focus. We got things like immigration
reform, gun control and all these other things that need to take place.

SHARPTON: I`m going to have to leave it there, but you`re right.

Thank you governor Rendell, Angela Rye. Thank you both for you time
tonight.

RYE: Thanks, Rev.

RENDELL: Have a good night, Rev.

SHARPTON: Still ahead, we`ll go inside President Obama`s new strategy
for beating the do nothing Republicans and moving the country forward. You
might be surprised by what he has up his sleeve.

Plus there`s new garbage talk on race from the right wing pundits. I
have a reality check on what`s actually important.

Stay us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: We have seen some half baked ideas from Republican leaders,
but North Carolina`s GOP governor really takes the bait good. On Monday,
Pat McCrory signed a law that would likely force the closings of most the
state`s abortion clinics. His move sparked protests at the capitol.
Yesterday for some reason, the governor brought a plate of cookies to
protesters outside his home. The protesters were not amused.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PROTESTERS: Hey Pat, that was rude. You wouldn`t give cookies to a
dude. Hey, Pat, that was rude. You wouldn`t give cookies to a dude.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: The protesters returned the treats with a note that read
quote, "Governor McCrory, we will take women`s health over cookies." To
make all this even worse, when he was running last year, McCrory promised
he would not sign this kind of bill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: If you`re elected governor, what
further restrictions on abortion would you agree to sign? Start with you
with Mister McCrory.

GOV. PAT MCCRORY (R), NORTH CAROLINA: None.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Governor, did you think we wouldn`t notice that you went
back on your promise not to attack women`s health? I`m not going to give
you any cookies. I think you deserve a blueberry pie instead.

Nice try, but we got you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Republicans won`t get out of the way so President Obama is
about to bulldoze right through them. He`s preparing a summertime blizzard
of executive actions. And he`s ramping up his public campaign of calling
out Republicans for blocking progress in Washington. Today, the President
went to Capitol Hill to rally Democrats for the fight ahead. He`s focused
and on message.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: What was your message, sir?

PRES. BARACK OBAMA (D), UNITED STATES: Jobs, middle class, growth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: The President is comfortable in his message. He`s been
hammering it away in speeches all across the country. Going right after
Republicans for standing in the way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: It`s an immigration bill that economists say is going to boost
our economy by more than trillion dollars. But so far at least there`s a
faction of House Republicans who won`t let the bill go to the floor for a
vote. We`ve seen Republicans in the House in particular who suggest they
wouldn`t vote to pay the very bill that Congress has racked up. I don`t
want to go through the same old arguments where I propose an idea and the
Republicans say no just because it`s my idea.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

SHARPTON: The President is fed up with the GOP`s obstruction. Today,
Politico reports says, he`s adopting a no-Congress strategy. He`s about to
go around Republicans with a surge of executive actions and orders on issue
after issue. And he`s not alone. Progressive groups are planning a month
of direct action making sure August gets even hotter for Republicans trying
to explain to voters back home why they`re not doing their jobs.

Joining me now are Michelle Cottle and Jonathan Capehart. Thanks for
coming on the show.

JONATHAN CAPEHART, THE WASHINGTON POST: Thanks, Rev.

MICHELLE COTTLE, THE DAILY BEAST: Thanks, Rev.

SHARPTON: Michelle, is there now an effort to exert maximum force on
Republicans in Congress.

COTTLE: Well, it is an effort to go around them definitely. And I
think ever since the election, the Obama team has made pretty clear that
they think their man does better when he plays the outside game. You know,
I`m sure everybody is familiar with these e-mails that are going out from
the Organizing for America Groups that are telling people for the August
action month they need to get out and pressure their congressman and tell
them what they want done and to oppose gridlock. And it`s this kind of
outside strategy, take it to the voters thing that the White House has
decided is their best bet. Because they feel like every time they`ve
reached out, they`ve gotten brushed back or it`s done an absolutely no
good. And so they`re just, they`re tired of playing.

SHARPTON: You know, Jonathan, John Boehner was questioned today about
the President`s new push on jobs and the economy, watch this question and
answer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Do you think the President now with his campaign,
going around the country, talking about the economy in trying to put you on
the defensive?

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I`m not going to
speak for what the President is doing or why he`s doing it. If I had poll
numbers as low as his, I`d probably be out doing the same thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Now, I actually broke out laughing out loud. Has Boehner
seen his poll numbers lately and the poll numbers for Congress? The
President is at 48 percent positive rating. Boehner`s at 18 percent. I
mean, I don`t know if he was joking or delirious, Jonathan.

(LAUGHTER)

CAPEHART: Me either. But it begs the question so why isn`t Speaker
Boehner out there touting a jobs plan? Touting an alternative to Obamacare
which he keeps allowing to go to the floor to be repealed for it to go
nowhere. I mean, Speaker Boehner -- poor, Speaker Boehner. He`s in a
tough position. We all know why. I think the President is right to try to
go around Congress. And in fact, let`s keep something in mind. The
President has tried to work with Republicans and work with Congress since
he walked into the White House especially since the Democrats lost the
House to the detriment of his base.

Remember the base, the Democratic Party base was yelling at the
President why was he trying to work with people that didn`t want to work
with him? Many times the President adopted republican ideas in a hope that
it would bring them to the table, lure them to the table to actually, you
know, do the act -- the art of governing. To not let it happen. So in the
second term I think as Michelle said, the administration of the President
have decided that they`re not going to play the game anymore. And
especially since the President has built up a lot of political capitol I
think in the minds of voters.

SHARPTON: But -- and I want people to understand, Michelle, that
we`re talking about some very substantive serious issues that he can deal
with with executive order. The actions will cover grounds like voting
rights, health care, job creation, the economy, climate change,
immigration. These executive actions can really touch on some very serious
and needed issues without the Congress blocking them.

COTTLE: Exactly. And I think he`s deciding, you know, he`ll talk
about this. He and Joe Biden got out there on gun control and they`re
talking about doing more recess appointments. They basically come to the
realization that especially in the House, the Republicans have made it very
clear that they have no intention of passing anything. I mean, the speaker
has actually come out and said that their job is to repeal laws, not pass
laws.

SHARPTON: Right.

COTTLE: So Obama is on some level just doing the sensible thing when
he has kind of thrown up his hands and says, fine we`re going to find
another way to do this.

SHARPTON: You know, Jonathan, when Michelle brings that up, you know,
he actually, he being the President has been calling Republicans for
failing to put forward a real idea or set of ideas on the economy. They`ve
just been repeal, repeal. No real ideas on their economy. Watch this
comment by the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I say to these members of Congress, I`m laying out my ideas to
give the middle class a better shot. So, now it`s time for you to lay out
your ideas.

(APPLAUSE)

You can`t just be against something. You got to be for something.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Is this is a preview of the 2014 campaign slogan and
mottoes that they are just against something, they`re not for something,
they don`t have a plan. Is that 2014 we`re seeing there?

CAPEHART: I mean, if the Democrats are smart, they`ll make it part of
their mantra, plan of their plan for 2014. Look, when voters send members
to Congress, send them to the building behind me, they send them here to
actually do something. To make things better. To solve the problems --
the many problems that this country is facing. And they actually want
Washington to do something. And so, for those republican members of
Congress have to go back to their districts and basically have nothing to
run on.

I mean, can you -- does it really work? Maybe it does in hyper
gerrymandered districts that they can go back to their constituents and
say, what I did was nothing, I tried to repeal Obamacare for the 40th time.
Does that really go over well? Maybe in those districts, but in the
country as a whole and when folks in 2014 go to the voting booths and try
to decide, should Congress stay in the hands of Republicans or Democrats,
if Democrats` mantra is, you know, where the republican plans and
Republicans doesn`t have anything to show for it, it could work.

SHARPTON: It could. And I think that Americans can get very excited
about some of the things that can actually happen with this strategy of
using executive action. Michelle Cottle, Jonathan Capehart, thank you both
for your time tonight.

CAPEHART: Thanks a lot, Reverend.

COTTLE: Thanks, Rev.

SHARPTON: Coming up, some on the right continue polluting and
distorting an honest conversation on race. I`ll show you why their
lectures aren`t worth listening to.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: We`re starting to see real conversation on race and justice
in America. But some are distorting and mocking it. Anyone want to take a
wild guess who it might be? That`s next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: President Obama has called on the nation to have a serious
conversation on race. And we`re starting to see that happen. With
Democrats in Congress holding a hearing on race and justice in America.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. STENY HOYER (D-MD), MINORITY WHIP: Racism is present in every
one of our communities. We need to be conscious of that and confront it.
That`s why I think this conversation is so important.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: The conversation is important. And it`s time to look for
solutions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MARCIA FUDGE (D), OHIO: We must get serious about acknowledging
the impact of racial profiling, violence, and inequitable treatment under
the law is having on our communities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Congresswoman Fudge is right. The hearing also tackled
unfairness in education.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYA WILEY, CENTER FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION: If you are a black child in
a school, you are likely to have a teacher who has a lower expectation of
your academic performance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Getting the conversation started. The first step in making
change. But to have the O`Reilly, Hannity crowd, it was just an excuse to
distort.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL O`REILLY, FOX NEWS HOST: Nancy Pelosi going to the aid of the
grievance industry. That is the subject of this evening`s talking points
memo. Today, the House democratic steering in policy committee headed by
Mrs. Pelosi held hearings entitled, A Conversation on Race and Justice in
America." The problem of this kind of propaganda is that many people
believe it especially overseas where they don`t understand what the race
hustle is all about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: The same stuff we`ve heard the rights pew for weeks. They
can`t stand the idea of honestly addressing these issues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Obama is all about creating
chaos and upsetting the order of things.

GLENN BECK, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: The man who is supposed to unite
the United States of America is an expert on the most divisive form of
politics in existence today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: The problem is these talkers come at these issues from a
strange, odd view of the world. I mean, should we really take advice from
someone who said this about visiting a restaurant in Harlem?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

O`REILLY: There wasn`t one person in Sylvia`s who was screaming m-fer
I want more iced tea. You know, I mean, everybody was, it was like going
into an Italian restaurant in an all white suburb in the sense of people
were sitting there and they were ordering and having fun and it wasn`t any
kind of craziness at all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Or would you listen when this guy calls someone divisive?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: This President I think has exposed himself as a guy over and
over and over again who has a deep seated hatred for white people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: And advice from this guy?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIMBAUGH: In Obama`s America, the white kids now get beat up with the
black kids cheering, yay, right on, right on, right on, right on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Everyone allowed to have their own opinion. Clearly these
guys do. But they have some knowledge, I would hope, at least they should
be about at least what they`re talking about.

Joining me now is Eric Boehlert, senior fellow at Media Matters and
MSNBC contributor Goldie Taylor. Thank you both for being here tonight.

GOLDIE TAYLOR, MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: Thank you, Reverend Sharpton.

SHARPTON: Goldie, they mock the conversation but have no credibility
on race issues. What`s your reaction?

TAYLOR: You know, it harkens back here in Georgia where we had less
dramatics, you know, who Bill O`Reilly actually reminds me of with some of
his speech. You know, less dramatic called Dr. King a race hustler. Said
that he was divisive, said that he was bad for America. And so we`re
hearing the same kind of rhetoric play itself out today. I think that it`s
unfortunate, really, that we`re at a time in this country where we`ve
advanced so far in terms of human and civil rights in this country and yes
we do have quite a ways to go. It`s quite unfortunate to find these kinds
of voices really sort of holding that conversation back, keeping it off the
table and keeping us more and more divided.

SHARPTON: You know, Eric, you track these guys. What is the strategy
here?

ERIC BOEHLERT, SENIOR FELLOW, MEDIA MATTERS: The strategy that we`ve
seen the last couple weeks, this sort of flowed out in the George Zimmerman
trial and the verdict.

SHARPTON: Right.

BOEHLERT: And so they wanted to expand that into a discussion about
race in theory. What it was was yet another attempt of another opportunity
to just do a lot of divisive race baiting. I mean, they have done it since
Obama was inaugurated. That is the theme. That is the thread that runs
through all of this. There are two targets. FOX News has announced our
completely open season on. Muslims and blacks. And that`s the thread,
right? Obama might be Muslim. Obama`s the first black president. They
have used that for --

SHARPTON: And this is consistent.

BOEHLERT: Oh, for five years. And it`s open season on all of them.
And it is an attempt to free content with just race baiting. And you know,
talking about a conversation, what was the announcement after the George
Zimmerman verdict.

SHARPTON: Yes.

BOEHLERT: Racism doesn`t exist. Why do we have to have a
conversation that doesn`t exist? And if you talk about it, you`re a race
hustler, something like that.

SHARPTON: And you`re a race hustler and you won`t deal with issues
like black crime or like things in the family. When, you know, Goldie when
a young 15-year-old black girl was killed earlier this year in Chicago
Hadiya Pendleton, on this show months before Bill O`Reilly then discovered
violence in Chicago. Two days after she was killed we had her mother on
the show to talk about it. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLEOPATRA COWLEY-PENDLETON, MOTHER OF HADIYA PENDLETON: She was
amazing. She had a heart -- she just had a major heart. She had a huge
heart. She didn`t want to be anything more than what she was. And that
was 15. Just what I mean by that is --

SHARPTON: Go ahead, please.

PENDLETON: You know, she had aspirations of being an adult, but you
know, she was just 15 and enjoying it. I used to talk to her about these
years being some of the best years of your life. Get it in, just enjoy
them, you know? You`re going to make a difference. She`s Hadiya, she was
special.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: I mean, we dealt with that issue right there with Hadiya.
The first lady went to Hadiya`s funeral. They were guests. Fine woman you
just saw. They were guests at the President`s State of the Union. We
dealt with this issue. We dealt last year when people talked about
Newtown, we said, let`s talk about Newtown and Chicago. They discovered it
only just so they seemingly didn`t have to deal with the real issues around
the Zimmerman trial that had nothing to do with what we all are talking
about in terms of crime in places like Chicago. So there`s a strategy here
to distract.

TAYLOR: Well, you know, I think Reverend Al, we can`t legislate how
someone feels in their heart. We can`t legislate away bigotry or racism.
And we can`t legislate away those prejudices. What we can do, though, is
to keep those things from playing themselves out in public policy. And so
we can keep them from -- resources for education.

SHARPTON: Right.

TAYLOR: We can keep them over-policing our neighborhoods and over-
criminalizing our children and creating a school to prison pipeline. And
so we can keep them from passing onerous or draconian voter suppression
laws. And so while I cannot legislate what happens in the heart of
mankind, I can legislate how that plays out and how that keeps people from
reaching their full potential in these United States. And I think that`s
our real job here. For their part, you know, this is about economics.

SHARPTON: Yes.

TAYLOR: This is about driving fear and getting more viewers to tune
in every night. And so, I`m not sure --

SHARPTON: While they accuse others of an industry, Eric.

TAYLOR: While they accuse others of --

(CROSSTALK)

SHARPTON: When the President was addressing the country on race,
Hannity even managed to smear Trayvon Martin, a dead young man, while he
was dealing with the President`s address. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: Now the President is saying Trayvon
could have been me 35 years ago. Oh, that`s -- this is a particularly
helpful comment. Is that the President`s admitting that I guess because
what? He was part of the Choom gang and he smoked pot and he did a little
blow?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: I mean, so you`re talking about the President part of a
gang and all of this and saying in effect Trayvon Martin was some kind of
drug user upon his death. I mean, yet they want to call other people names
and when you can be that insensitive to a young man who clearly did nothing
wrong and was killed.

BOEHLERT: Right. I mean, President Obama waited a few days after the
Zimmerman verdict, offered up his personal reflections on what the trial
and the verdict meant to the African-American community. He literally was
not done speaking when people like Hannity and right wing fear mongers were
denouncing him as race baiter in chief. You know, they claim they want to
have a conversation. They absolutely don`t want to have a conversation.

It goes back to this sort of radical notion that they put forward that
racism doesn`t exist so there doesn`t have to be a conversation. But
again, Hannity wanting to tie Obama to Trayvon, to drugs, to gangs. It`s
all this Obama derangement syndrome. They are incapable of dealing with
race particularly when there`s a black democratic president.

SHARPTON: What is it? You know them. This has gotten very personal
and venomous.

BOEHLERT: It has. It has. This has gone off the charts in the last
few weeks. I think it`s in need of a summer story. They need something to
scare people about. You know, look. It`s a fact.

SHARPTON: That`s really, really cynical of them.

BOEHLERT: Their audience is white and elderly. That is a fact. "New
York Times" wrote about it recently. They need things to scare those
people.

SHARPTON: You know, Goldie, John Lewis is the only surviving member
of the main big six sponsors of the march on Washington 50 years ago. He`s
the only left that`s spoke there. He`ll be speaking at our march in August
of this year. Let me show you what he said today about what we face 50
years later.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN LEWIS (D), GEORGIA: Violence, poverty, hunger, long-term
unemployment, homelessness, voting rights, and the need to protect human
dignity. We have come a great distance, but we are not finished yet. For
a struggle is not a struggle that lasts one day, one week, one month, or
one year. It is a struggle of a lifetime to build our beloved community,
but redeem the soul of America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: So, John Lewis who was beaten on Edmund Pettus Bridge 48
years ago to lead to the voting rights act, who was the speaker with Dr.
King and others 50 years ago and will be standing with us now. I would
rather take his word for the fact that we still have things to do than to
take the word of someone who was surprised in restaurant in Harlem that
people weren`t yelling yo m-fer I need some iced tea. I`m quoting him.
And I think his own words define his cultural view and his exposure to all
Americans.

Eric Boehlert and Goldie Taylor, thank you for your time.

BOEHLERT: Thank you.

TAYLOR: Thank you Reverend Sharpton.

SHARPTON: Up next, friend or foe I want to know. Reply Al is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: It`s time for Reply Al. Remember, friend or foe I want to
know.

John writes, "How do people like me in a blue state influence the
people that are in a red state and a red state of mind?"

Well, you know, many years ago before my time, people from the north
used to go to the south to help the civil rights movement. You live in a
time where you can get on sites, you can go on the web, you can use
technology to straighten out lies to post the truth to post answers,
participate huge technology. Come to rallies, come to marches, be a part
of exposing the truth. Because many people with a red state of mind just
never hear the truth from others that look at things and say I`m going to
talk about what is, not what I fantasize.

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

Transcription Copyright 2013 ASC LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No license is
granted to the user of this material other than for research. User may not
reproduce or redistribute the material except for user`s personal or
internal use and, in such case, only one copy may be printed, nor shall
user use any material for commercial purposes or in any fashion that may
infringe upon MSNBC and ASC LLC`s copyright or other proprietary rights or
interests in the material. This is not a legal transcript for purposes of
litigation.>