POLITICS NATION
November 25, 2013
Guest: Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, James Peterson, Krystal Ball, Angela
Rye
REV. AL SHARPTON, MSNBC ANCHOR: Good evening Ed and thanks to you for
tuning in.
Tonight`s Lead, President Obama builds a legacy of peace that`s
causing Right Wingers to choke. As Commander-in-Chief, the President has
made it clear that sending troops into harm`s way should always be a last
resort. And that smart, tough, diplomacy should always be our first
option.
This weekend has start nuclear deal with Iran is proof of that. For
the first time in nearly a decade, Iran will freeze all reverse progress at
all of its key nuclear sites. During the six-month period, Iran has agreed
to unprecedented monitoring and international inspectors will do the
monitoring. In return, the U.S. has agreed to provide Iran with modest
relief from sanctions.
It could be a crucial first step towards disarming Iran and advance
the President says was made through tough diplomacy, not tough talk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We cannot close the
door on diplomacy. And we cannot rule out peaceful solutions to the
world`s problems. We cannot commit ourselves to an endless conflict. And
tough talk and bluster may be the easy thing to do politically, but it`s
not the right thing for our security. It is not the right thing for our
security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: There`s no doubt this is a complicated issue. Some members
of both parties have voiced concern. But this deal with Iran gets to the
heart of what type leader we have in President Obama. He won the Nobel
Peace prize because of this push for a world without nuclear weapons. He
is a commander and chief who inherited two wars. He`s seen the cost of
those wars. And now he`s ending them.
This landmark deal with Iran is about peace in the Middle East and
peace around the world eventually. American bloodshed ending as well in
that area, hopefully. Yet Republicans seem to think it`s all about
Obamacare?
Senator John Cornyn tweeted, quote, "amazing what the White House will
do to distract attention from Obamacare and the right wing media agrees?"
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: These people will do anything to
distract us from how bad Obamacare is. Including let the Iranians get a
nuclear weapon down the road.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now sparking many to believe it is another
attempt to distract from the disastrous rollout.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Isn`t that curious timing? Look John Kerry pulls
a rabbit out of his hat and changes the subject. It`s handy for them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is handy for them. Let`s put it that way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Here`s a hint to folks. Here is a hint to the folks on the
right. If the president was in the market for a distraction, he could have
started a war with Iran. That would be a distraction. But as the greatest
country in the world, America shouldn`t be afraid to use diplomacy first.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I firmly believe in what President Kennedy once said. He said
let us never negotiate out of fear but let us never fear to negotiate. I
believe that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Joining me now are Joan Walsh and former congressman
Patrick Murphy.
Thank you both for coming on the show tonight.
JOAN WALSH, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, SALON.COM: Thanks, Rev.
PATRICK MURPHY, MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: Thanks, Reverend.
SHARPTON: Congressman, let me start with you. Isn`t it striking that
the president is forging a historic nuclear agreement while the right make
these ridiculous claims about Obamacare?
MURPHY: It`s crazy, Rev. You know, Mike Schmidt is the great and one
of the best to play for the Philadelphia Phillies. He once said playing
for Philadelphia you have to throw a victory and the agony of reading about
it next day in the newspaper. And that`s what this deal is.
This is a historic, great first step. And you have people like Josh
Bolton who called it an abject surrender. You have these guys, you know,
(INAUDIBLE) are saying this is like wag the dog the movie.
This isn`t Hollywood, Rev. This is real life. This is diplomacy.
This is leadership. This is about Barack Obama and John Kerry leading the
way so we don`t have to fight unnecessary wars.
SHARPTON: You know, Joan, but this is essential Obama. This is what
he ran on.
WALSH: Right.
SHARPTON: This is what he said he was going to do. This is what he
promised that he would try diplomacy first. But in addition to calling
this a distraction from Obamacare, I`m talking about those on the right,
they blasted the agreement with absurd comparisons.
The congressman said, one, abject surrender, but they said this is
worse than Munich, meaning it`s worse than appeasing the Nazis. One right
wing pundit even congratulated Iran on its acquisition of the bomb.
WALSH: And I`m supposed to be surprised here, Rev. No, I`m not
surprised.
I mean, look. These are the people also -- can we just say, these are
most of them, the people that brought the Iraq war, an unnecessary war that
they lied us into. They cost thousands of Americans lives. And they have
the audacity to sit here and criticize this man`s moves to talk.
We are talking about talking. Yes, sanctions will be relaxed. They
can quickly be re-imposed if Iran doesn`t continue to go along with
inspections. But you`ve got a crisis for the neo-cons right now. There
are two things they don`t believe in. They don`t believe in diplomacy and
they don`t believe that Barack Obama can succeed. And so, these two things
together are causing an existential disaster for this people. And they
won`t stop running their mouse about it.
SHARPTON: Now, Congressman, the president also made another thing
clear. He says we are not entering this agreement naively. We will trust
but verify. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: In these negotiations, nothing will be agreed to unless
everything is agreed to. The burden is on Iran to prove to the world that
its nuclear program will be exclusively for peaceful purposes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Now, when you contrast that position of go with diplomacy
but we will verify everything. We`re not going in blind. Contrast that
with what the famous video of GOP Senator John McCain from 2007. Listen to
this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When do we send them an airmail message to Tehran?
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: That old Beach Boys` song bomb Iran.
Bomb, bomb, bomb, anyway.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: I mean, quite a contrast.
MURPHY: You`re right, Rev. And that`s why this is so important. I
mean, America at its best is the reluctant warrior. Now, Barack Obama,
what he has to fight the wars, he comes through. He keeps our family safe.
When you want to talk about Gaddafi is dead, bin Laden is dead, the end of
the war in Iraq, the winding down the war in Afghanistan. And Rev., as you
know, in Syria, just a few months ago, Syria, people wanted us to go and
fight in Syria. We didn`t go and fight in Syria and they`re getting rid of
their chemical weapons. That`s a positive thing.
Now, we have Iran who is the biggest threat to our ally in Israel
reversing their enrichment of uranium and having U.N. inspectors on the
ground immediately. That is a huge win, a huge win.
SHARPTON: But Congressman, let me push you a little there,
Congressman, because you were in the military in Iraq. And you lived with
the danger and the threat of losing your life and saw some of your buddies
lose their lives.
As you have these right wingers push, push, push, do you think the
American people really understand what we`re talking about, what we`re
doing to our own soldiers, our own military personnel when we keep pushing
into these battles?
MURPHY: No. I think, actually, Rev., I`m confident the American
people get it. Who doesn`t get it are these neo-cons who never wore the
cloth of this country. And you`re right, Rev. You know, this week I lost
two men ten years ago this week. Right before Thanksgiving in Baghdad.
And I lost 19 men total.
These cats, they just don`t get it. They just want to look for fights
and these bloody engagements everywhere. I mean, let`s start nation voting
here at home. And with Iran, this is an incredibly historic first step.
No one -- John Kerry and Barack Obama, they are not spiking the football
saying this is all over. This is a six-month deal. And it paves the way,
it gives a space to make sure they continue to ratchet down their pursuit
and reverse pursuit of a nuclear weapon which we can`t allow happen. And
this is what the deal does.
SHARPTON: Joan, in addition the American people support the basic
structure of this agreement, 64 percent support lifting sanctions in
exchange for Iran restricting its nuclear program, 64 percent.
WALSH: Right. The president has the people on his side, and
Patrick`s right. I mean, these neo-cons, they never met a war they didn`t
like. But they never met one they were willing to fight in.
Dick Cheney famously got five deferments from the Vietnam War. And
the rest of them are like that too. So, you know, this president is doing
what he can to keep us out of war. I think, you know, you refer to some
Democrats that were wobbly. The Democrats are sounding better today They
are sounding like they are willing to let this accord takes it time and
give it the six months before imposing new sanctions. I hope that`s true.
We need to get people on the same page about this.
SHARPTON: Joan Walsh, Patrick Murphy, thanks for your time this
evening.
Coming up, Speaker Boehner celebrated all weekend after signing up for
Obamacare. Tonight, more signs from around the country it`s working. And
an exclusive interview with the speaker himself, well, sort of.
Plus, Rush Limbaugh does it again. He`s comparing filibuster reform
to this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIMBAUGH: Every now and then, some lunatic in the group proposes to
change the rule to allow women to be raped.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Rape? Where is the Republican leadership on this?
And my commentary on the knockout game. Teens trying to knock random
people out for fun. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SHARPTON: This year millions of Americans may not have enough food
for thanksgiving dinner. But Republicans want to make their lives even
tougher. It`s a moral outrage. That`s next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SHARPTON: This week millions of Americans will deal with the massive
winter storm that could cause chaos with their thanksgiving travel plans.
The storm is expected to bring snow and ice to a huge part of the country.
And affect thanksgiving for a lot of people.
That`s Mother Nature. That`s something we can`t control. But right
now a man-made disaster is affecting people in every state, a human tragedy
that could have been prevented.
This thanksgiving is the first since devastating food stamp cuts went
into effect this month. Cuts that affect all 47 million Americans who get
those benefits. And now food banks across the country report a surge in
people looking for help. Help in putting food on the table.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because of the reduction in food stamps, Second
Harvest says more people than ever before are going to need food assistance
in the coming months.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Before the food bank I would have been one of
those people on the side of the road begging for food.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This year there`s just not enough food on the
shelves to fill the need.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She said the food shelves are the barest she`s
ever seen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are down so much more than we have been in
the past that we are anticipating maybe being short over the holidays.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The recent cut to SNAP or food stamp benefits on
November 1st caught a lot of people off guard right before the holiday
season.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Food stamps in reality last three weeks if you`re
really good. Now they`re looking at two-weeks-worth of food.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: That`s the reality for millions of Americans right now.
These food stamp cuts have hit right in time for the holidays. But
Republicans, they want to cut another $39 billion from the program. They
don`t seem to care who`s getting hurt and who`s going hungry.
Joining me now is E.J. Dionne from the "Washington Post."
Thanks for being here, E.J.
E.J. DIONNE, COLUMNIST, THE WASHINGTON POST: Good to be with you,
Reverend.
SHARPTON: E.J., Millions of Americans have already had a tough time
paying for thanksgiving dinner, and now Republicans want to cut food stamps
even more.
DIONNE: You know, this is an awful thing. It`s bad enough that we
had the smaller cuts at the beginning of the month. And as you said, there
are a lot of food pantries and feeding programs that are reporting real
spikes because of the first round of cuts in your Brooklyn, the (INAUDIBLE)
campaign against hunger which I believe is the biggest in the city says
they were quite sure up 35 percent.
If we let these further cuts go through, we`re going to see a lot more
stories like you shod in that piece. Now, I think the good news is the
Senate`s not going to accept cuts of the size that the house has passed.
But the Senate, you know, is already talking about some cuts. And are they
going to compromise by having bigger cuts than they were going to have in
the first place. So we`ve got to keep a real eye on what happens to food
stamps because this is the program where the one percent rate of fraud. I
mean, they`ve really cut back on food stamp fraud so people can`t complain
about that.
SHARPTON: But even, E.J., if they don`t cut $39 billion and cut less.
They`re cutting on top of cuts that`s already been made.
DIONNE: That`s exactly right. No, that`s right. And what I`m
worried about is if the Republicans set the bar at $39 billion, how big is
it going to have to be to get a farm bill through? And I`m afraid it`s
going to be bigger than the Senate -- the cuts that the Senate has already
contemplated.
SHARPTON: Now, when you look at their agenda, the Republican agenda,
it doesn`t exactly seem to be in the spirit of thanksgiving. They want to
cut food stamps, oppose minimum wage, oppose extending jobless benefits. I
mean, this is not in the spirit of let`s sit down and commune together and
love each other`s families.
DIONNE: It sure isn`t. I mean, if you -- this unemployment cut, if
they let that go through and I think the president is going to be fighting
to extend that and I hope he does, I mean, we are talking about a very high
rate of unemployment in the country.
There are 12 states plus the District of Columbia that have
unemployment rates of eight percent or above. Another ten states have
unemployment between seven and eight percent. This is not like there are
tons of jobs out there that people aren`t taking because they want to be on
unemployment benefits. These are people who are on unemployment benefits
because they can`t find jobs.
And so, until we get this economy back in shape, it makes no sense to
discontinue these benefits. And these benefits are an economic stimulus.
These people spend the money. They need to spend the money because they
have to live on it. And that is good for other parts the economy. So,
it`s a bad idea for human reasons. It is also a bad idea for economic
reasons.
SHARPTON: You know, E.J., Republicans could ruin holidays for people
looking for work. 1.3 million people could lose unemployment benefits in
the week between Christmas and new year`s if the House Republicans refuse
to act.
Last week house Democrats called out Boehner and the Republicans for
their heartlessness. Let me show you this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. LINDA SANCHEZ (D), CALIFORNIA: With just a few weeks left to
act, Speaker Boehner is setting him up to be the speaker who stole
Christmas.
REP. JIM MCDERMOTT (D), WASHINGTON: For this country, the richest in
the world to say to people at Christmastime when you look in your Christmas
sock, you`re going to find a lump of coal from the Congress. That`s wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: I mean, this is a terrible, terrible thing to hold over
your head as we go into the holidays. And others are singing Christmas
carols and they don`t know if they`re going to have the unemployment. They
don`t know if their food stamps are going to be cut. This is heartless,
E.J.
DIONNE: Well, I think maybe we should have every member of Congress
have to watch "it`s a wonderful life" and have to read the Dickens story
and sort of try to find a heart on this.
SHARPTON: Yes.
DIONNE: You know, it`s really taken and takes you by surprise that
unemployment insurance is not some wacky new program. Unemployment
insurance has been around for a long time. It`s worked for us. It doesn`t
give people a lot of money, but it helps them over a hard time. And these
folks have been through hard times for months and months and months.
SHARPTON: I`m going to have to leave it there.
E.J. Dionne, thank you so much for your time tonight.
DIONNE: Good to be with you, Reverend.
SHARPTON: Coming up, a "Politics Nation" exclusive with Speaker
Boehner. He`s happily enrolled into Obamacare and will tell us how it`s
working.
And listen to this very carefully, Senator Rand Paul is opening an
African-American engagement office. Yes, that Rand Paul. We`ve got him.
Next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SHARPTON: Rand Paul is getting all kinds of love from the Republican
Party. In fact, Republicans love him so much, they have invited him to
launch a brand new GOP office in Michigan. Quote, "join Senator Rand Paul
as we open our African-American engagement office in Detroit."
Rand Paul on African-American outreach? Did they think we forgot that
he told Rachel Maddow that he wanted to modify antidiscrimination laws?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. RAND PAUL (R), KENTUCKY: There`s ten different titles, you know,
to the civil rights act. And nine out of ten deal with public institutions
and I`m absolutely in favor of one deals with private institutions and had
I been around, I would have tried to modify that.
RACHEL MADDOW, MSNBC HOST, THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW: So should have
been allowed to stay segregated? Sir, just yes or no.
PAUL: What I think would happen -- what I`m saying is that I don`t
believe in any discrimination.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Yes. That was Rand Paul`s first chance to do the right
thing and he blew it. Strike one.
Next Rand Paul defended GOP voter I.D. laws that suppressed minority
voters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: We have an African-American president. African-Americans are
voting at a higher percentage in the last election than whites. There
doesn`t seem to be any systemic problem like there was in the south with
precluding blacks from voting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: That`s strike two. And then Rand Paul went to a
historically black university and lectured them on black history.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: If I would have said who do you think the founders of the NAACP
are, do you think they were Republicans or Democrats, would everybody in
here know they were all Republicans?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
PAUL: All right. You know more than I know. OK, and that`s -- and I
don`t mean that to be insulting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: And there`s strike three. The GOP has a real problem on
its hands with minority outreach. But Senator Paul, you`re not the man to
fix it. Did you think we wouldn`t notice you`ve got three strikes against
you? Nice try, but you`re out. And we got you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SHARPTON: Republicans love to call Obamacare a train wreck. But the
reality is it is getting on track and gaining steam. Don`t believe me?
Just ask this guy, yes, speaker John Boehner. We told you Friday he
enrolled in Obamacare. He is coming and he is not alone.
Today, we`re learning about more success stories. In Kentucky over
56,000 enrolled. In California almost 80,000 enrolled.
Hold on. I`m being told we have a POLITICS NATION exclusive. Speaker
Boehner is here. He`s agreed to talk to me about being covered. Speaker
Boehner, first let me say it`s a pleasure having you with us. Welcome to
POLITICS NATION. So let`s get to the obvious questions. Do you like your
new plan?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), OHIO: This really is a pretty remarkable
change here in Washington, D.C.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: A remarkable change, appreciate you being so candid
tonight. Do you feel a little silly now for calling the law a train wreck?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOEHNER: I`ve never indicated that that was the case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: That`s OK. I know you`re embarrassed. But what do you say
to Republicans who want to repeal ObamaCare and take away coverage?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOEHNER: Oh, no you can`t!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: I agree, speaker. Glad we`re on the same page. Now I
understand you have a little tee time. So thanks for joining us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOEHNER: Good to be with you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: So there it is. A fake interview that makes the real
point. ObamaCare is already working for a lot of Americans. Even its
biggest critics know that.
Joining me now are Victoria DeFrancesco Soto and James Peterson.
Thank you both for being here.
JAMES PETERSON, LEHIGH UNIVERSITY: Thanks, Rev.
VICTORIA DEFRANCESCO SOTO, MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: Thanks, Rev.
SHARPTON: James, Speaker Boehner gets covered and then spends the
weekend trying to trash the law. Why won`t they Justin embrace this?
PETERSON: I don`t know, Rev. I mean, obviously the deal with Speaker
Boehner, is that, you know, he`s means tested. And so, he tried to
politicize something that ended up being just inaccurate in terms of his
coverage premiums going up. But the irony of this whole thing for me is
when you look at where it`s working best in California and Kentucky as you
mentioned, it works best in the states where the states have taken control
over the exchanges and made it sort of adaptable to their own states and to
their own constituents.
SHARPTON: Right.
PETERSON: And it`s the Republican Party that is always sort of
touting states rights. They`re always pushing the autonomy of the states.
And so it`s a huge irony here that if they had worked through the processes
that are consistent with their own ideology in terms of the Affordable Care
Act, they would have been much more successful in this process and there is
right now. So, I hope that more states sort of accept Medicaid, but also
more states create their own exchanges to offset some of the challenges
that we`ve seen with healthcare.gov.
SHARPTON: You know, Victoria, after Speaker Boehner signed up Friday,
his office started putting out numbers claiming his premiums were
increasing under ObamaCare. But the L.A. Times ran the numbers. And
concluded there were dirty secrets behind Boehner`s -- those supposedly
spiking premiums. Quote, "Boehner`s claim leaves out so much it`s at best
a half truth." And the contention that Boehner`s experience is at all
representative jumps it from half truth to outright lie. L.A. Times.
SOTO: The problem here is that Speaker Boehner`s office is spending
so much time being cute and putting out these press releases, instead of
getting to the job, setting, let`s get to that very long to do this that
Congress has which is the budget, immigration, the farm bill. But instead
they keep on trying to attack ObamaCare. It`s the law. Let`s try to make
it work. If you spent as much time being cute and trying to implement it,
we`d be having a much smoother time. And I also want to emphasize a point
that James made. I couldn`t agree more with that puzzling nature. Why is
that the GOP, that party of state`s rights is so -- to embrace taking on
ObamaCare?
SHARPTON: Yes.
SOTO: And making it available to the states and the other point I
wanted to add to that was the fiscal aspect to it. Because in terms of not
bringing it to your own state, you are incurring a tremendous loss in terms
of state budget. So I`m just puzzled why the states that mostly, such as
Texas and Louisiana keep out of it.
SHARPTON: Well, you know, I mentioned that over 56,000 people in
Kentucky have signed up under ObamaCare.
SOTO: Exactly.
SHARPTON: The Washington Post went behind the numbers to a clinic in
rural part of the state where the paper says the long uninsured are lining
up. Quote, "One woman cried when she was told she qualified for Medicaid,"
James. Another man said, listen to this, "Well thank God. I believe I`m
going to be a democrat." That what they`re afraid of, James?
PETERSON: Well, yes. I mean, that`s what -- you know, that`s how
they see entitlements honestly Rev, that`s how they see immigration reform
as well. That it`s a democratic increase the sort of democratic voting
populous. But let`s just look at it from a compassionate perspective.
Right? Because what`s happening in Kentucky is that poor people, working
class people, people who work and do not have health care now have access
to health care. Those are real lives, real stories. And it`s unfortunate
that we play politics around these things in Washington when you just need
to look at a state like Kentucky which again is that Rev state. And you
can see people lining up, people with real jobs but can`t afford health
care. This is what the Affordable Care Act was supposed to be about. And
again, Kentucky was one of those states exchanges, and so it just seems to
me strange that we play politics with people`s lives and with their health.
SHARPTON: But, Victoria, the fact is that it is beginning to show
signs of success. It is beginning to show that it`s on track. People are
signing up and people are being helped. Is that what the Republicans were
worried about and that`s why they want to derail it before it started
moving down the track here?
SOTO: Because it`s the human face of it. Once you see these people
who are coming out and saying, I had these pre-existing conditions. I
could not get health care before. And now I can and now my family can. It
gets to an emotional aspect of politics. Because we can throw numbers
around, in our ideological rational but once we see those people and we`re
hearing about the folks in Kentucky who are getting health care, it pulls
at your heart strings. And that is much deeper and the GOP knows that.
PETERSON: That`s right.
SHARPTON: But James, you know, the thing that bothers me so, we`re
talking about people`s health. We`re talking about people that are going
to need it, people that could suffer ailments. People that can get sick.
Young and old. At what point do we say this is going across the line
playing politics. We`re talking about American citizens` health here,
James.
PETERSON: Exactly.
SHARPTON: And this helps to solve it.
PETERSON: It does. And for me, Rev, we crossed the line when we
eliminated the public option from the discussion. You know, this is a
Republican plan, and you know what`s Republican Rev, by the state`s rights
control over the exchanges part of it. Here`s the dirty little secret.
The Affordable Care Act also controls cost. It`s already controlling
inflation and health care costs in the long-term by becoming more
preventative by treating people who have these ailments both later on in
life and balancing out the insurance risks by getting younger people into
the system a little bit early on, we`re going to control costs for health
care which is one of the greatest sort of challenges that we have in our
economy. So, at the end of the day, it makes political sense and it makes
compassionate personal sense.
SHARPTON: Yes. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto and James Peterson, I`m
going to have you leave it there. Thank you for your time tonight.
SOTO: Thanks.
PETERSON: Thanks, Rev.
SHARPTON: It`s called the knockout game and it`s raising concerns.
My commentary is coming up.
And another day, another offensive rape mention from Rush Limbaugh.
That`s next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SHARPTON: We didn`t know it was possible, but Rush Limbaugh may have
sunk to a new low. He was mad that the Senate changed its rules to end the
obstruction of the president`s nominees, so he made this bizarre comparison
saying the Senate was like a group of ten people.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: The group has a rule that the
men cannot rape the women. The group also has a rule that says any rule
that will be changed must require six votes of the ten to change the rule.
Every now and then some lunatic in the group proposes to changed the rule
to allow women to be raped. But they were never able to get six votes for
it. They were always the four women voting against it and found two guys.
Well, the guy that kept proposing that women be raped finally got tired of
it, it was in the majority. He said, you know what we`re going to change
the rule? Now we need is five.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Mr. Limbaugh doesn`t have to like the Senate rules, but why
would we compare them to allowing rape? Why would he compare anything to
rape? And he isn`t backing down. His spokesperson said, quote, "Rush
Limbaugh has spent 25 years illustrating absurdity by using extrapolated
analogies. Anyone who calls that anything different than that is simply
lying." Oh! Rush was illustrating absurdity. His same excuse for this
attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIMBAUGH: What does it say that a college coed Susan Fluke goes
before a committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have x.
What does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? Makes her a
prostitute.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: That`s Rush Limbaugh, the head of the Republican Party.
When college Republicans ask young people to name the leaders of the party,
Rush Limbaugh was at the top of the list. When the whole country condemned
his attack on Sandra Fluke, remember what we heard from the GOP`s
presidential candidate?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I`m not going to
weigh in on that particular controversy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: They are scared of Rush. And what about rising GOP star
Ted Cruz? Guess who he ran to as soon as he wrapped up his phony
filibuster.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIMBAUGH: Senator Cruz, we welcome you to the EIB microphone and the
program. Great to have you here, sir.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: Rush, it`s fantastic to be with you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Fantastic to be with Rush. Is the GOP still wondering why
it has a problem with women? I think we found the answer.
Joining me now are Krystal Ball and Angela Rye. Thank you both for
being here.
KRYSTAL BALL, MSNBC CO-HOST, "THE CYCLE": Thanks for having us, Rev.
ANGELA RYE, PRINCIPAL, IMPACT STRATEGIES: Thanks, Rev.
SHARPTON: Krystal, comparing a Senate-ruled changed to allowing rape.
I mean, what`s your reaction?
BALL: It`s unbelievable. And unfortunately, I mean, his spokesman
said that he has been doing this sort of absurd analysis for 25 years.
Unfortunately that`s true. Rush Limbaugh uses rape in a variety of
circumstances to describe things across the board from workers organizing
to changing the rules in the Senate.
SHARPTON: Yes.
BALL: I mean, this guy has a pattern of misogynistic, offensive,
racist language that he has no intention of backing down from. And the one
thing that we should be encouraged by is the fact that a lot of advertisers
have realized they don`t want to be anywhere near associated with this guy.
And they pulled their ads from his program. That`s the one encouraging
thing.
SHARPTON: And I mean, people say things, years of going go and learn
when people keep saying they`re offended. I`ve said things that I had to
say wait a minute, that`s offensive. But they brag about, they stay right
there and they dig in and go worse.
BALL: That`s right.
SHARPTON: Angela, a lot of people raise the question to me -- I get
e-mails and tweets all the time. Why do you even mention Rush Limbaugh?
President Obama talked about the influence on the right. That`s why I
mention him. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I made this argument to my
Republican friends privately and by the way, sometimes they say to me
privately I agree with you. But I`m worried about a primary from, you
know, somebody in the Tea Party back in my district. Or I`m worried about
what Rush Limbaugh`s going to say about me on the radio.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: So he affects the very politics that affects our lives.
That`s why we can`t ignore him. Is this why no one on the right challenges
Rush Limbaugh, Angela?
RYE: Yes. He has tremendous influence with the party. You mentioned
before, you know, we really delve into the conversation, that even
Republican college students say that he`s one of the leaders of the party.
I see Rush Limbaugh particularly as it relates to rape and this four little
wordy continues to use as Debo from Friday. Just because you continue to
yell something and you`re growling does not make it right. It`s a terrible
analogy and he should try another four-letter word which is hush. He
should not say anything else about rape.
BALL: Rush should hush.
RYE: He can hush across the board --
SHARPTON: Rush can hush. Now, Krystal, you know, we know Republicans
kept saying inappropriate things during the 2012 election. You know,
especially in terms of women.
BALL: Uh-huh.
SHARPTON: But it`s continued through 2013. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: If it`s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways
to try to shut that whole thing down.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Even when live begins in that horrible situation of
rape, that it is something that God intended to happen.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: The incidents of rape resulting in pregnancy are
very low.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: How did America get so mediocre?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I think parents became -- both parents started
working and the mom is in the work place.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I say we need to be the great opportunity party.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: -- To ensure that women are treated fairly in the
workplace?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I think that more important than that is making
certain that women are recognized by those companies. They don`t want the
decisions made in Washington.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: I mean, a Republican pollster actually had to tell Congress
members this year to stop talking about rape. I mean, have they spent so
much time listening to Rush Limbaugh that it`s starting to rub off on them,
Krystal?
BALL: They`ve got some problem. Maybe that`s it. And if you look at
the election result in Virginia, for example, Terry McAuliffe beat Ken
Cuccinelli, the Republican there overwhelmingly among single women in
particular. I mean, the Republicans have no message that appeals to them.
Single women are terrified of their extremism. And even just the rhetoric,
the fact that you have to tell them don`t talk about rape is unbelievable.
They need way more than sensitivity training. They need to go home maybe
and talk to their wives and their mothers about what is appropriate in the
way that you talk about women and the way that you talk to women.
SHARPTON: You know, Angela, the latest comment from Rush certainly
wasn`t the first time he said something offensive about women. Here are
some of the low lights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIMBAUGH: Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women
easier access to the mainstream of society.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I love the women`s movements especially when
walking behind it.
LIMBAUGH: Look at what they`re doing to women with their policies, I
mean, they`re demeaning them, they`re turning them another thing but
abortion machines. Unmarried women are looking at government for
everything. McAuliffe said, look, if you want to be a receptacle for male
semen and not pay a price, I`m your guy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: I mean, isn`t this is a real dangerous political problem
for them to keep to running on his show, if they want to start winning
national -- or in some cases statewide elections, Angela.
RYE: Of course it is. I think that the one thing that we can also,
you know, glean from this comment he made with the rape analogy, is that
even his math is bad. Rev, he`s talking about five votes. I mean, that`s
breaking even, clown. That`s not a majority. You would need six votes
there. With these, you know, these other examples that you just showed,
it`s crazy. So it`s not just that the GOP needs to stop listening to him,
we`ve been talking about this autopsy report ad nauseam. They need to have
women in the party. We saw in the house earlier this year and at the
beginning of the Congress that they had to scramble to find a woman to put
in leadership, because they don`t hardly have any representation. So, they
keep saying crazy things about women because they`re not talking any of
them and none are running with that party. It`s crazy.
SHARPTON: Krystal Ball, Angela Rye, thank you both for your time.
BALL: Thanks, Rev.
RYE: Thanks, Rev.
SHARPTON: And catch Krystal on "THE CYCLE" weekdays at 3:00 p.m.
Eastern right here on MSNBC.
It`s called the knock out game. And wherever it`s happening, it is
wrong. My commentary is ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Look at the polls right now. Because the American people
support immigration reform. By a clear majority. Everybody win if we get
this done. So there`s no reason we shouldn`t get immigration reform done
right now. None. If there is a good reason, I haven`t heard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: We haven`t heard a good reason either. Why won`t House
Republicans move on immigration reform? Sixty three percent of Americans
support immigration reform. And some are taking action. For 13 days,
immigration activists like Eliseo Vasquez Medina had been on the national
mall protesting by fasting. They vow to continue the fight and continue
fasting, having nothing but water until Congress acts. Last week they
walked to Speaker Boehner`s office praying he finds compassionate
leadership. And last Friday, they got a visit from Vice President Biden
who said, quote, "We will win this." With these activist fasters dedicated
to this fight, immigration reform must happen.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SHARPTON: Now to a dangerous street game raising concern for law
enforcement. It`s known as the knockout game. Young people randomly
target and punch someone just for some kind of sick thrill. The goal to
knock them unconscious with a single punch. A video posted online shows an
unsuspected woman getting punched in the face. Here you see a 53-year-old
teacher walking down the street not knowing about what he was about to get
sucker punched in the face. This 17-year-old was caught attacking someone
and is now in jail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARVEL WEAVER: Somebody just throws out there, OK, do this. And
people go along with it and one thing leads to another. And it just goes
all downhill.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Is it a gang initiation? Right? Is it a dare? Some on
the right are saying this is a trend nobody really knows how widespread it
is or even what it`s really all about. But here`s what I do know. It`s
deplorable, it`s foolish, and it`s unacceptable. And I`ll be working with
others to fix this senseless violence. I also urge entertainers and people
with influence on young people to speak out and discourage it. We cannot
tolerate this from young people in any community. We`ll continue following
this story. I`m also glad to know that young activists like Tony Herbert
(ph) and others in New York saying that it was guided toward one group in
the Jewish community have said we must fight no matter who the victim is.
That is what we must do. Fight for everyone`s rights.
Finally tonight, an important story from Florida. A new Miami Herald
report reveals a disturbing pattern of alleged police harassment and
misconduct caught on tape. A convenience store owner installed a
surveillance camera to record what he says a racial profiling against his
customers and employees. One video shows a customer getting stopped
outside the store and then thrown to the ground and handcuffed. Another
video shows an officer walking into the store and arresting an employee
while he`s working. That particular employee has been stopped and
questioned 258 times over the last four years. He`s also been arrested for
trespassing while working inside the store. The store owner is preparing a
civil rights lawsuit against the police. We`ll watch this case very
closely also.
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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PoliticsNation, Monday, November 25, 2013
Read the transcript from the Monday show