The Ed Show for Tuesday, November 12th, 2013

THE ED SHOW
November 12, 2013
Guest: Elijah Cummings, John Nichols, Connie Schultz, Bob Shrum, Tom
Welch


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- rival Mitt Romney in that first month, in that
program slow roll out only roughly 100 people signed out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Virtually, every resident in the Commonwealth is
insured today.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Health care reform in
this state was a success. That doesn`t mean it was perfect right away.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officials warned that the numbers would be low.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That doesn`t include those who enrolled in state
exchanges.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The state exchanges which are essentially set up
for free by the federal government, the state has accepted them, are doing
very well.

GOV. STEVE BESHEAR, (D) KENTUCKY: That`s cracking out people that are
joining up everyday.

MITT ROMNEY: Over the last three years, internal obstacles and
bureaucratic molasses threaten the whole enterprise.

ED SCHULTZ, MSNBC HOST: When you go the poll center and find out
exactly how many residents in that state are being helped, you only shake
your head as to why we aren`t doing that in every state in the union.

OBAMA: All of this is in placed right now. It is working right now.

BESHEAR: If there`s a way that you can insure everyone of your people
are getting affordable health coverage, obviously that`s morally the right
thing to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Democrats, you just cannot give up. Great to have you with
us tonight. Thanks for watching.

Everybody loves their dog. I`m no different. I want to introduce to
you my best buddy. This is Buck (ph). He`s nine and a half years old. I
call him "the Buckster." And let me tell you something. There is no black
lab in America that can hunt like that dog.

He will hunt the same way every time. There could be one bird in the
field, there could be 50,000. But let me tell you something, that loyal
dog right there, that Buckster, he gets after. He knows how to get after.

And he`s so great with the grand kids, too. I don`t know if you like
black labs or not. I do. I just think they`re fantastic. But this guy`s
been something special to our family.

The only time it gets mad is when somebody`s trying to take something
from him. You know, if he`s got a bone, if he would walk there and he do,
and sometimes, we have this trainer, we got another black lab named Dockey
(ph). Well Dockey (ph) comes over and tries to grab the trainer for Buck
(ph) and that`s where he really gets mad. He -- Just like a pitbull. He
just will not let it go.

That`s how we have to be. We have to be loyal to the cause. We have
to hunt the same everyday no matter how many birds or how many negativity
is out there, we go after at the same way every single time. That`s how
you win.

Now, maybe we`re in the locker room tonight which is OK with me. But
I`ll tell you what, there has been an onslaught of negativity on health
care in this country which -- it just baffles my mind.

Why is it that people in the media have a fascination with failure?
They will take a number and they will make a negative story out of it.
Well, sometimes, there`s only one bird in the field, but if you harvested
it, you`re going to eat it tonight.

Why is it that we have people in the media in this country that, as I
said are fixed on failure, are fixated with something negative that they
just want to drive on a -- but do they understand that human element of
this, about how this is hurting people if ObamaCare doesn`t succeed?

Now, I will profoundly point out again, everybody who`s in front of
the cable cameras and everybody who`s in front of the network cameras,
they`re doing pretty well. They`re not on minimum wage. And they`ve all
got health care. Most of them have never had a health care struggle in
their life. But yet, they`re almost like promotional items on negative
numbers.

We`re America. We`re Americans. We have done a lot of great things
generation after generation. We`ve called on people to sacrifice and we
have survived as a great nation.

Why is it that all of a sudden, we have this huge conflict in this
pitbull mentality that we just won`t give it up?

The mainstream media, I believe, wants ObamaCare to fail. They look
for every negative number they can find. They`re afraid to do a positive
story because they`re afraid that somebody might not watch.

The media is just cherry-picking the bad facts that are out there,
repeating them over and over again and in many cases, they`re making stuff
up.

Well, here we go. The Wall Street Journal now says, "Wow, there`s
only fewer than 50,000 people who have signed up for ObamaCare through
HealthcCare.gov. Boy must be a failure."

Sure enough, here`s what cable news look like earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH HASSELBECK: Good morning. It`s Tuesday, November 12. I`m
Elizabeth Hasselbeck. Well, the numbers are out and they don`t look good
for the White House. New reports this morning revealing less than 50,000
people enrolled in ObamaCare.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: New report showing less than 50,000 people have
signed up so far through the federal exchanges.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This has a long way to go. Wall Street Journal
reports fewer than 50,000 Americans successfully signed up.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fewer than 50,000 people have enrolled through
the federal health care website.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fewer than 50,000 have actually bought
insurance.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Less than 50,000 people signed up for plans on
HealthCare.gov in almost six weeks since the ObamaCare marketplace opened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: It`s almost as if you can have one team produce for
everybody because they`re all saying the same thing. The 50,000 number is
only the federal exchange, it does not include the state exchanges. Here
is a fact that you wouldn`t find on the curby couch on Fox.

The same Wall Street Journal article points out that roughly 700,000
people have completed applications in all 50 states for ObamaCare. These
people have not officially signed up. They`re just kind of shopping, you
know, looking for the best deal. They don`t have to do it right now.

Here`s another obscured number for you. Over 440,000 people have
signed up for Medicaid through ObamaCare. These numbers would be even
better if more states would have opted for the Medicaid expansion. As of
now, 25 states have decided not, N-O-T, not to expand. Why? Hell, I don`t
know. They hate the President. It`s socialism. It`s whatever they want
to make it. It`s nothing but a snob to the President as every economist
out there says that expanding Medicaid would save states a ton of money in
the long run.

For example, a study from the Urban Institute shows that state and
local governments pay roughly $10.5 billion in uncompensated care each
year. Now, what is uncompensated care? Gosh, yet, this is really a term.
I don`t follow the news very much. What`s uncompensated care? That means
people go to a hospital, they get care, and they ain`t got any money and
they get care anyway and then somebody else get stuck with the bill. If
more people have Medicaid, the burden on the state governments would
drastically drop.

Republican governors are refusing to help their own people. They are
all part of the mission to destroy ObamaCare and protect the corporations.

Now, next we have another fact that I think that we should all keep in
mind. If you look back at RomneyCare`s enrollment in Massachusetts, hey,
it was a pretty slow start. In the first month of open enrollment, only
123 people had signed up. That`s 0.03 of the total number today, grasp
that. A fraction of the people who have eventually signed up in
Massachusetts for RomneyCare, this was the first month number. But you
know nationally, can you do a comparison? You sure can.

50,000 ain`t bad. In fact, 50,000 is a comparable step to what we`ve
seen here. By the end of the first year, 36,000 people had enrolled at the
end of first year. This is the benchmark we got to have. Now, of course
sitting here a year for now before the midterms and there`s only 50,000
people that have signed up for ObamaCare, I`m solved. It sucks. But just
because ObamaCare is all to a slow start, does that mean that it`s going to
fail. But every anchor in cable, "Whoa, only 50,000 people have signed up.
It must be terrible down to a terrible run here."

People still have four and a half months to sign up for ObamaCare.
Nobody`s pressuring you. It`s an option and it`s a good option. It`s the
right thing to do.

Meanwhile, after voting to repeal ObamaCare 43 times, John Boehner is
now planning a different vote. The House Speaker is outraged that junk
insurance policies are getting canceled under ObamaCare. He is really
concerned about all of these people that are getting notices. So, Boehner
is planning a vote to protect junk health insurance policies next week.

He released a statement saying this, "What Americans want to hear is
that the President is going to keep his promise. That`s why the House will
vote next week to allow anyone with a health care plan they like to keep
it." Well, is it that just fantastic? If the corporations give you a
lousy policy, the Republicans are going to let you keep it. Aren`t they
great people? If they throw a piece of junk in front of you and you happen
to like it, you can keep it. It`s not good for you or your family or
anybody around or you especially, but you can keep it.

That`s how much the Republicans love the corporations. They`re even
going to hold another vote. They`re fixated on this comment that President
Obama made last week when he apologized to those who were getting
cancellation notices. Not a very artful way to put the term Mr. President.
You`ve been perfect on a lot of stuff. You could have used in different
verbiage. What President Obama should have said is that you may be getting
a cancellation but you can get a hell of lot better deal in the exchange.

Look, I`m not in charge of White House messaging or Democratic
messaging, I`m just a guy from the middle of the country who has opinions
and wants to say stuff that nobody else is saying. Oh, by the way, did you
know Kentucky has now got over 40,000 people enrolled in ObamaCare? Gosh,
how could ObamaCare have the state exchange in Kentucky have over 40,000
and nationally, we only got 50,000.

The state exchanges is what this was all about. The states that have
gone into the state exchanges and set up their own exchanges are widely
successful. But you see, the people that put this health care together,
this plan together called ObamaCare which the republicans hate, they were
actually statesmen, they were doing it for the good of the order, of the
good of the people, and they didn`t think that there was going to be this
pushback the way they`ve seen when it comes to obstruction.

Just keep in mind, Republican governors who have said no to the
Medicaid expansion are doing one thing. They`re hurting families and
they`re hurting the poor and it`s morally wrong.

Get your cellphones out. I want to know what you think, tonight`s
question. Are Republicans only interested in protecting junk insurance?
Text A for Yes, text B for No to 67622. You can always go to our blog at
ed.msnbc.com. We`ll bring you the results later on in this show. I was
going to have a text question, do you think I should let Buck hunt with
Dick Cheney, but I thought we shouldn`t do that one tonight.

For more, let`s bring in Congressman Elijah Cummings of Maryland.
Congressman, good to have you with us tonight. I appreciate your time.

REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D) MARYLAND: It`s good to be with you Ed.

SCHULTZ: Were you expecting this low enrollment early on and are you
alarmed as all the TV anchors are that only 50,000 people have signed up
nationally for ObamaCare?

CUMMINGS: I expected a low enrollment because I had studied the
Massachusetts plan just like you did, Ed. And so, you know, I expected
that the other thing that I did not expect early on is that so many
governors would have refused to expand Medicaid because that would have
taken care of a lot of people. But, unfortunately, they did not.

But I, like you Ed, believe that as time goes on, a lot of people will
be signing up. The interest is phenomenal. And again, we`ve had some
problems with the website but that -- but Todd Park, the technology
superstar who is working on this has made it clear that by December 1st, we
should see vast improvements in the website. And so, I`m looking forward
to that.

SCHULTZ: Would you see these negative reports out there and there`s
no comparison to what has happened with Massachusetts, their first month of
rolling it out. Why do you think the public is slow? Why only 50,000? Is
it because of the negativity in the media, the constant pounding, the 43
votes to repeal it, the mindset that this is bad and all the negative --
actually it`s negative promotion, it`s not negative reporting. I mean,
they`re promoting something to fail as I see it. That`s the way I view it,
your thoughts?

CUMMINGS: Well, I think that there are number of factors here, Ed.
Number one is the constant drum beat of negativity. And then of course, we
have our Republican friends who has spend a phenomenal amount of time
voting against this over 40 times not always giving the whole truth and
nothing but the truth about it.

And so, I think people can get a little pessimistic. But, on the
other hand Ed, when I talked to folks in my district, they are patient,
they remember back in 2005 when we had the roll out of the Medicaid by part
B, the Prescription Program. I did remember all that difficulties that
came up with that. But my seniors are delighted with that program. Now,
they`re doing fine.

SCHULTZ: Sure.

CUMMINGS: And they barely remember it. So, you know, remember all
the problems. And so, I think we have to be patient. And one of the
things that concerns me Ed is that, you know, we`re supposed to be in a can
do nation. A nation that says we can accomplish things and get things
done. But suddenly, we have a number of people acting as if America is not
the great nation that it is. We will get this done. We -- Failure is not
an option at all, because like you said, Ed there`s so many people and I
want to thank you Ed for putting out those stories and letting people know
how important this is to so many Americans who don`t have insurance.

And it seems to me, Ed that there`s a delivered effort on part of some
of our Republican friends to deprive millions of people of the opportunity
to be -- to purchase insurance and have this -- that well-being, that
feeling of well-being that if they get sick, that they have at least some
remedies to get well.

SCHULTZ: Congressman Elijah Cummings great to have you with us
tonight. I really appreciate your time. Thanks so much for joining us on
the Ed Show. You bet.

CUMMINGS: My pleasure. Thank you.

SCHULTZ: Remember to answer tonight`s question there at the bottom of
the screen. Share your thoughts with us on Twitter and on Facebook, and of
course we always want to know what you think.

You know, I often thought that if someone who is economically
challenged in their life had some tough luck in the job market and didn`t
have insurance. If they were given the news, what would it sound like?
What would it sound like to all of us who would be viewing that particular
person given the news who may have a health issue and no insurance? What
would it sound like?

Sometimes, I think we have a hard time in this business grasping who
actually is watching and the people that we are affecting.

When you turn to someone and you tell them that you`re going to get
insurance and you don`t have to worry about going broke. All the positive
set are out there, and then you think about politicians in Washington who
had voted over 40 times to take that away from Americans. You have to
question the moral compass of the country.

Coming up, we`ll talk to a steel worker from Ohio, who lost his job,
he claims Governor John Kasich has done and not a whole lot for jobs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM WELCH, ORMET PLANT WORKER: He lied to us. He laughed at us. He
wouldn`t pay the dead deer along the side of the road more attention when
he paid us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Time now for the Trenders and the social media, this is
where you can find us, facebook.com/edshow, twitter.com/edshow, and
ed.msnbc.com. On the radio, Channel 127, SiriusXM Monday through Friday,
noon to 3:00 and the Ed Tour coming at 2014, announcement coming up later
this week could be in a town near you. You can sign up and be there.

Ed social media nation has decided, we are reporting, here are today`s
top Trenders voted on by you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The number three Trender, Deck the halls

SEAN HANNITY: Isn`t it amazing the attack, the assaults, it`s just
unbridled and seemingly unprecedented against Christmas.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You sit on a thrown of lies.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sarah Palin, lights up the war on Christmas.

SARAH PALIN, POLITICAL COMMENTARY FOR FOX NEWS: There is an attack on
Christmas which is to get at the tip of the fear when it comes to an even
greater battle brewing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is war.

PALIN: There are double standards being applied to those who wish to
celebrate Christmas. Those who would -- I refer to them as scrooges.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And (inaudible) out to you.

PALIN: They are usually angry atheist.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You disgust me.

HANNITY: It sounds like you love Christmas.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The number two Trender, supreme irony.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Craig Paul Cobb has ended on DNA testing to
determine genetic ancestry.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Great.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Craig Cobb a white supremacist is trying to turn
a tiny North Dakota town into a white on enclave.

SCHULTZ: Cobb has been called one of the most extreme white
supremacist and Neo-Nazis in the country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A white supremacist from North Dakota discovers
his roots.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 86 percent of European and 14 percent Sub-
Saharan African.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How could this have happened? A black white
supremacist.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have a little black in you? Well, that`s
awkward. Hey bro.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And today`s top Trender, all the wage.

JOHN NICHOLS, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: The GOP, they really don`t
care what the country in general thinks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $7.25 cents is totally obscene.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is the price that you want from these working
men and women? When does the greed stop?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three quarters of Americans back a minimum wage
increase.

SCHULTZ: Minimum wage just doesn`t cut it for working families
anymore.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wages have to keep pace with inflation and the
only people who can make a difference are voters at home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We already have overwhelming majority of the
American people on outside.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Joining me now John Nichols, Washington`s correspondent in
The Nation magazine. John profoundly, a lot of polling that`s out there, I
can`t find one conservative issue that seems to be outdoing progressives
issues.

I mean this is a very progressive number. When you got 76 percent of
the American people think that those who are on the lower income scale
should be making more. Raise the minimum wage.

What do we take from this?

NICHOLS: Well, I think we take that this has really moved a lot. In
fact this is based up a new Gallup Poll that 76 percent number and then it
moved from 71 percent earlier this year.

Now, what`s really significant in this is 76 percent of Americans want
to go to a $9 minimum wage. And 69 percent want to tether or connect that
minimum wage increase to inflation so that future increases will come
automatically.

So, we`ve really moved on this issue.

SCHULTZ: What does this tell the Democrats, liberals in 2014 run on
economic issues, stand with workers. I mean, when you look at the largest
voting block which is that of independence how will the world can they get
a 76 percent of the American people want the minimum wage to be higher than
it is right now and not having to dependents.

I mean, this is a knock it out of the park issue for the Democrats.

NICHOLS: It absolutely is Ed. And here`s the interesting thing. You
win 91 percent of Democrats that`s important for Democrats, because it gets
their base out. You win roughly 75, 76 percent of independents that`s
important with them. But here is the wild thing you win 58 percent of
Republicans in favor of that $9 minimum wage.

SCHULTZ: So, Chris Christie, OK a lot made of his reelection last
week. The fact is he lost on this issue in New Jersey.

NICHOLS: That`s right.

SCHULTZ: People are willing to accept the candidate, but they`re also
willing to address economic issues and American families are struggling.
We just had to report last week come out from the Social Security
administration that the median income in this country is now down to
$27,000, people get it.

NICHOLS: So, they absolutely do Ed. And here is the important thing.
In New Jersey they up the minimum wage by $1 and the percentage of people
in favor of increasing the minimum wage and tying it to inflation.

So, it will automatically go up, was the same as the percentage that
voted for Christie. Unfortunately, a lot of our media gets all excited
about the personality of Chris Christie, but this is the issue of this
passionate support for increasing the minimum wage.

And we ought to remember that across this country a $9 minimum wage is
not -- that`s just the baseline increase. There are people fighting in
other places for substantially more in Seattle for as much as $15 an hour,
in Congress, Congressman Miller and Senator Harkin have proposed a $10 an
hour minimum wage

So, we`ve really got a debate going in this country and in fact of the
matter is that New Jersey increase up to, you know, a little over $8 bucks
an hour.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

NICHOLS: That`s really just the start of where this and could and
frankly should go.

SCHULTZ: Where -- Are conservatives polling well?

NICHOLS: Well, that`s a good question, Ed. You know, the fact to the
matter is that they seem to be looking for the pick (inaudible) issues, the
places where they can attack something like ObamaCare, something that they
see a problem with.

But if you look on an issue where they`re out there aggressively
promoting an idea, they don`t seem to be doing very well.

SCHULTZ: At all.

NICHOLS: And if there`s a core issue, it`s these economic justice
issues. And one these, what again, we`re seeing majorities of Republicans
saying, "It`s time to get working on raising those wages for working
Americans."

SCHULTZ: All right, John Nichols, Washington Correspondent of the
Nation. Always, John, good to have you with us tonight. Thank you.

Coming up, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is being counted as a
big 2016 contender but that`s not what a new AB -- NBC news poll shows.

Plus, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker thinks a prank call was actually
a message from God, but I`m taking your questions next, Ask Ed Live, coming
up. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL)

SCHULTZ: Always love hearing from you here on the Ed Show. Love your
questions. Love this segment. Ask Ed Live.

Our first question tonight, coming from Stella Rowley, "Do you really
think Democrats," in parenthesis there, I see, "have a chance of taking
back the House next year?"

Yes, I do. Keep in mind, 14 Republicans have already told John
Boehner, they`re quitting. Democrats right now, if the election were held
today, feel very confident they could pick up 26 seats. They feel like
they have to defend about 24 seats vigorously.

So, do the math, they win all of those there`s going to be a change in
this country.

Our next question is coming from Betty Gower, "Why is lying Lara Logan
still employed at CBS?"

Well, first of all, I don`t know if she`s lying, but I know one thing,
her story was terribly wrong. And just saying that they made a mistake I
think is really a little bit light after what Dan Rather went through. But
somebody ought to be paying the price for this with their job because I
think it should be pointed out that 60 Minutes over the decades has been
someone of the gold standard in journalism. And for them to pass off a
mistake is big as they made on Benghazi which has been the focal point of
what the conservatives have tried to bring this President down with. I
think it`s pretty big stuff.

The fact that Lindsey Graham would even call out CBS for a lousy
reporting I think speaks volumes. Keep in mind, on the Benghazi story
there were House Republicans who were saying that they should impeach the
President. That`s how damaging the story was in many regards.

Stick around Rapid Response Panel is next.

SEEMA MODY, CNBC MARKET WRAP CORRESPONDENT: I`m Seema Mody with your
CNBC Market Wrap. The Dow lost 32 points, S and P 500 down four, and the
NASDAQ up just under one point.

US airways and American Airlines are set to merge this after reaching
a settlement with the Justice Department to give us landing and takeoffs
slots at the airport.

Small business sentiment down in October as owners concerned about the
government shutdown pulled back on hiring plans. And gold at a one-month
low on fear that the said may curve a stimulus program, gold down nearly
$10. That`s it from CNBC, first in business world wide

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Thanks for watching tonight. The 2016 presidential election
is more than 1,000 days away but of course it`s never too early for polls,
is it - especially when you have names like this. The mark key names from
both parties are right there front and center. Since winning his
reelection by a landslide, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is the new
media darling. He`s been hailed by many in the media as a GOP`s new hope.

That`s largely because Christie managed to do something most
Republicans are desperate to accomplish. He`s captured both the Hispanic
votes and the women`s vote in his state. But those numbers would need mean
nothing if Christ Christie was up against Hillary Clinton today.

According to the latest NBC News poll, Clinton has a 10-point lead of
Christie in a hypothetical match up, 44 percent to 34 percent. Clinton
also leads Christie among African-Americans by 80 points. Clinton leads
Christie among 18 to 29-year-olds to this country by 14 points. Clinton
leads Christie among Latinos by 11 points.

Keep in mind, those are the same voting blocks credited with getting
Barack Obama elected twice.

So where is Chris Christie`s advantage? He leads by 4 points among
whites, 3 points among seniors. And the big shocker here, 12 points among
respondents who make $75,000 a year or more. Not exactly solving the dire
demographic challenges that the Republicans have right now, but certainly
the most encouraging numbers any Republican has put up. But up against
Hillary, it would be a big lift.

Joining me now our Rapid Response Panel, Bob Shrum, Democratic
strategist, Professor at NYU, Pulitzer Prize winning national columnist,
Connie Schultz. Great to have both of you with us.

Connie, I look at these numbers for Hillary. It`s amazing. She`s
polling fantastic even in the South. She beats Chris Christie everywhere.
Is there too early judgment being made here? Could we be susceptible to
Hillary burn out? What do you think?

CONNIE SCHULTZ, NATIONAL SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Is it too early?
Let`s just look at what happened last week in the Virginia governor`s race.
Do you remember that? You and I talked about it last week and the poll
numbers looked really great for -- now Governor elect Terry McAuliffe and
he barely won. So yes, I think this is a little early. I think most
Americans have no idea who Chris Christie is and I think his big blow hard
image in New Jersey`s not going to play well, particularly here in the
Midwest.

ED SCHULTZ: Only 32 percent of Republican respondents said that they
would vote for Christie in a GOP presidential primary while a large number,
31 percent said that they`d rather have another candidate.

Bob Shrum, what`s his heavy lift?

BOB SHRUM, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, he`s got a really heavy lift
inside the Republican Party because if you look within those numbers, he
does pretty well and in fact, quite well in the Northeast and in the mid-
Atlantic states. He does badly in the west, in the south, in states like
Iowa. And that`s -- those are the states that are going to control the
Republican nomination.

He is -- He`s just not the right cup of tea for these folks. Look, we
have Senator Jim Inhofe from Oklahoma complaining that he gave Obama the
election because he did his job on Sandy instead of playing politics at the
time.

This is a guy who is conservative as he is, favor some little bit of
gun control and he`s also somebody who refused to appeal the marriage
equality ruling. He was going to lose that appeal flat out so he didn`t do
it.

So I think you`re going to see huge resistance. He`s the
establishment favorite, but on the other side you have the Tea Party
fanatics and I think they may control 2016 and the Republican Party.

ED SCHULTZ: Connie, give us a poll. Who plays better in Ohio right
now, which of course is always going to be a linchpin to the election? In
Ohio, Hillary Clinton or Chris Christie because you look at the women`s
vote that took place unmarried women, single moms in Virginia, heavily, it
wins to Terry McAuliffe.

Now in Ohio, I think the states is somewhat are pretty much the same
on some issues. Your thoughts on that, who would take Ohio right now?

CONNIE SCHULTZ: Well, the women`s issues looms so -- I hate to call
them women`s issues because .

ED SCHULTZ: Yeah.

CONNIE SCHULTZ: . many love women should also care about these
issues.

ED SCHULTZ: Sure.

CONNIE SCHULTZ: And they`re looming so large here in Ohio. She knows
what`s been going on with our state legislatures. So that issue is key for
Hillary Clinton.

I am one of those, though as much as I love the thought of the Hillary
Clinton candidacy, I don`t want us acting like it`s a given, that she`s
going to be the nominee because that -- I think I really heard her in 2008
and keep in mind, she did very well here at Ohio in 2008.

ED SCHULTZ: Yes, she did. She did very well. Where is that
competition going to come from Bob Shrum?

SHRUM: I don`t think there`s going to be a kind of huge competition
tour for the nomination. I think the situation is different than it was in
2008. First of all, I think Democrats who really wanted change in 2008 and
she run as a candidate of experience are going to look at 2016 and say we
really want to win this election. The Supreme Court is at stake for a
generation. The kind of numbers you`re talking about today are going to be
very powerful.

Secondly, I think the desire for a woman is very high. Thirdly, by
the time she was winning Ohio in 2008, she was a very effective candidate.
She wasn`t in the early part of the process. I think she`ll start where
she left off in 2008.

And if she doesn`t run, you know, then, I think, you`re going to see a
kind of wide-open field. But the idea that for example, Elizabeth Warren,
who signed the letter to Hillary asking her to run is going to run against
her. It is hot air and her journalism.

ED SCHULTZ: Connie, doesn`t -- if I could frame this question and
what I`m getting in too much trouble. Doesn`t Hillary is almost have a
calling, a duty to do this.

She is on of the most accomplished women in this country. I mean,
former first lady, former senator, Secretary of State. Her name
recognition through the roof. She -- in this poll, NBC News, she`s pulling
very well in the South of all places, which of course plays to the women`s
issues that I know you don`t like to call them that but what am I supposed
to call them.

So .

CONNIE SCHULTZ: No, no, I wasn`t objective here (inaudible) .

ED SCHULTZ: Yes, I know.

CONNIE SCHULTZ: You know, because you care about them too.

ED SCHULTZ: Doesn`t she have almost a calling to do this.

CONNIE SCHULTZ: I would like to avoid all messianic references that I
hate when, you know, you hear politicians all the time say, "Well, I had to
run because so many people were asking me to run," which means that his
mother called and said, "Honey, you really should do this."

ED SCHULTZ: Yes.

CONNIE SCHULTZ: I think that we should really avoid all talk that
way. It is a huge decision to make. You know the toll it takes to run --
well, none of us knows as intimately as somebody who`s run for president.
It is a big undertaking and I want her to be all in because she`s all in.
Not because she felt dragged in I think that makes a huge difference in
what kind of candidate we get.

ED SCHULTZ: And it is going to be the middle class vote again that
income block in America that is -- there`s the biggest voting block.

Bob Shrum, how do the Republicans win that?

SHRUM: Well, I don`t see how they do it in their present posture.
Right now, they`re out there fighting against the middle class as you
pointed out earlier in the show, fighting against raising the minimum wage.
I agree entirely with Connie. These women`s issues or issues that matter
to a lot of man. After all, we`re married or we have daughters and we care
about their future and their rights.

So, I -- You`d look across the broad swath of middle class issues and
you say, "The Republicans don`t have much." Even Chris Christie is more
style than substance when you get to these bedrock economic issues in the
middle class.

ED SCHULTZ: What about Rick Perry saying that being a conservative in
New Jersey may not be a conservative for the rest of the country? Connie,
what about at that?

CONNIE SCHULTZ: Well, I know, I hang on Rick Perry`s every word.

SHRUM: You have to, Connie, otherwise, you know, you might miss some.

CONNIE SCHULTZ: I`m not going to take it with an authority and much
have been anything in this country. I don`t think he even knows what`s
going on in Texas after that.

ED SCHULTZ: That`s very true but, of course, you have to give me
credit. They`ve got a weak bench, I`m tying to do something.

CONNIE SCHULTZ: I know, you are.

Why can I -- I want to say this too. I`m very excited to ever hear
now the name Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton in the same sentence
because that means we`re talking about women, plural, possibly running for
president. And I`m 56 years old, I`ve waited a long time for this
conservation.

ED SCHULTZ: Well, that`s kind of aligned to the question that I was
bringing forward. I mean, I think that there are a lot of people in this
country such as yourself that would like to see Hillary do this but what
about Elizabeth Warren. And she is more liberal than Hillary, is that
debate needed.

CONNIE SCHULTZ: Well, she is certainly resonating. I think what
she`s doing, she`s been so consistent in her fight on behalf of working
Americans and she`s really got taking on Wall Street, which also resonates.
But I don`t think she`s going to run. I believe her when she says that
she`s not going to run.

ED SCHULTZ: OK.

Bob SHRUM, Connie Schultz, great to have you with us. Thank you so
much.

SHRUM: Thank you.

ED SCHULTZ: Coming up, Ohio governor, John Kasich promise job
creation but failed to stop an aluminum plant from closing. He could have
done more. I`ll speak to one of the workers who wants answers. That`s
next. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: And in Pretenders tonight, man on the missions, Scotty
Walker, Wisconsin`s governor has a new union busted manifesto out, I
suggest the title be something like this, "Are you there God? It`s me
Scotty."

In the book, Walker`s says, one phone call revealed God had a plan for
him. The governor references a recorded conversation that showed just how
corrupt he truly is

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

KOCH, IMPERSONATOR: What we were thinking about the crowds was
planting some trouble makers.

REP. SCOTT WALKER, (R) WISCONSIN: You know, the only problem with --
because we thought about that -- my only fear would be is if there was a
ruckus caused, it is that, that would scare the public into thinking maybe
the Governor`s got to settle to avoid all these problems,

(END AUDIO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Walker considered putting nonviolent protesters in harms way
for his political game. He did not follow through but he did not deny
having the disgusting idea in a press conference the next day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: We`ve had all sorts of options brought to us by staff, by the
lawmakers, by people from all across the state but as you heard on the
tape, we dismissed that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: We`re wondering what divine plan Walker has God had for him
because all he did next was lie in the very same book Walker says, "He
never considered putting trouble makers in the crowd." The Governor has
never made the truth the priority, but if the things out rival lying is
God`s plan too. He can keep on pretending.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

More than a thousand workers in Southeast Ohio are out of the job in
frustrated after the Ormet Corporation, aluminum smelter plant was forced
to shutdown. Ormet filed for bankruptcy protection in February and closed
its plant last month after state utility regulators rejected portions of
its proposed deal for reducing electricity costs.

Governor John Kasich run on a jobs first platform but has done the
exact opposite, he framed himself as a moderate guy who change the face of
the Republican Party, but he done nothing to help Ormet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m a very angry at John Kasich.

WELCH: Governor could have made one phone call and we all still be
working.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can`t start over. Why should I have to start
over.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It does not have to be this far. Just a little
help, we can get this place go on again, everybody can go on with their
lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: We`ve requested a sit down interview with the Governor but
have not accomplish that as of yet. Kasich`s spokesman says that the plant
received nearly $350 million in power discounts from American electric
power customers but it wasn`t enough to quote "overcome industry
conditions."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KASICH: This economy stalled and people don`t know what the future is
going to bring in when people were uncertain about the future they sit on
their wallets and that`s why we`re not seeing the kind of economic growth
that we need to see. It`s so vital to create jobs here in the States of
Ohio.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Kasich run on a promise of growth but Ohio is 44th in the
nation for job creation and income growth is nonexistent. As a
congressman, we need to point out that John Kasich voted to outsource jobs.
As governor, Kasich is responsible in the eyes of some for Ormet`s closure
and has done nothing to bring the jobs back to the state.

This is another example of the GOP using gridded politics to hurt of
working Americans. Today hundreds of members in the United Steelworkers
Union, former employees of Ormet and their families launched the campaign
asking elected officials, community leaders, and members of the public to
sign a petition calling for Governor Kasich to save these jobs.

For more on this let`s turn to Tom Welch, one of the workers impacted
by the plant closure. He joins us tonight. Mr. Welch good to have you on
the program.

I want to ask you what could John Kasich do? What do workers want
Governor Kasich to do?

WELCH: All the Governor had to do is make one phone call to PUCO and
tell them o ask AEP to give us another break.

We weren`t asking for a break forever. We have the intention ability
in our power plant, but we needed a break until that happened. He didn`t
make the phone call. He didn`t care enough.

SCHULTZ: What kind of break? What did you want the Governor to do?
Make some guarantees that these jobs weren`t going to go away at all cost?

WELCH: We needed a payment program with the AEP that we could survive
on. The aluminum has been down for quite some time but it`s starting to
show some signs of a recovery and we were hoping to get a power break so we
could survive long enough for the aluminum industry to recover.

He think it`s going that way.

SCHULTZ: You think it`s going that way. Now, it would seem to me
that conservatives would be saying that this is just market forces taking
place, is that what you`re hearing?

WELCH: Yeah, it`s -- we keep hearing that there`s a lot of reasons why the
aluminum industry hasn`t recovered any faster but there is some plants that
are restarting and we kind of hope we would stay running, so we were
already pre-started when the price did get better.

SCHULTZ: Has Governor Kasich .

WELCH: It didn`t work out that way.

SCHULTZ: OK. Has Governor Kasich made any effort to inject his
executive authority to make something happen for the workers as he done
anything?

WELCH: Oh, yeah. He shut us down. He hasn`t done anything positive,
and the comment about the dead deer that kind of been a thousand dead steel
workers laying alongside of the road and he wouldn`t look at them either.
He didn`t care.

He simply didn`t care. He took care of his friends. He listened to
AEP. PUCO did what he told him to do. That was it. We were up against
it. We were done.

SCHULTZ: So, you think that Governor Kasich chose sides, instead of
thinking about jobs and economic development? And you think he made a
political decision as much as anything else.

WELCH: Absolutely. A thousand families in Monroe County on the far
eastern banks of Ohio overlooking West Virginia, he couldn`t care less
about.

These hill counties he never cared about. Ohio doesn`t start until
the ground gets flat.

SCHULTZ: Ohio .

WELCH: He still count .

SCHULTZ: Go ahead

WELCH: It`s just that everybody around here always said that Ohio
doesn`t start until the ground gets flat. He`d give these counties to West
Virginia if West Virginia would take him.

SCHULTZ: He gave away portion of this state and West Virginia would
take him.

WELCH: Yeah.

SCHULTZ: Ohio public utilities commission refuses to help negotiate a
resolution to enable the plant, to resume full operation.

So, it seems to me that Kasich has got some allies on this as well,
correct?

WELCH: Yes, sir. I believe that`s true.

SCHULTZ: OK. What are -- quickly, what are these families going to
do?

WELCH: Move, retire, lose everything they worked for, try to retrain,
but it`s hard to retrain a 60-year-old man.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

WELCH: Most of us are in bad health. I know personally I`m wore out.
Everything on me hurt. The only parts on me that don`t hurt is the ones
they`ve cut off.

SCHULTZ: All right. Tom Welch .

WELCH: I don`t know what we`re going to do.

SCHULTZ: We will follow the story. Ohio is a place the Ed Show has
to go.

That`s the Ed Show, I`m Ed Schultz, Politics Nation with Reverend Al
Sharpton starts right now. Good evening Rev.

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

Copyright 2013 Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by
United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed,
transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written
permission of Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark,
copyright or other notice from copies of the content.>