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The Ed Show for Friday, April 4th, 2014

Read the transcript to the Friday show

THE ED SHOW
April 4, 2014

Guests: Mike Papantonio, David Cay Johnston, John Fugelsang, Ruth Conniff,
Heidi Harris, Steven Greenhouse

ED SCHULTZ, MSNBC HOST: Good evening Americans and welcome to the Ed Show
live from New York. Let`s get to work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to tell the American people what we`re for.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then you`re thinking like a new Republican.

SEN. RAND PAUL, (R) KENTUCKY: Become a new GOP, a new Republican party.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`ve got to stop being the stupid party. Sorry, oops.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s actually not right. The immigrants are more
fertile. This is a Conservative idea.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s still not right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you`re thinking like a new Republican.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then you understand me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To show the American people we got a better plan.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Better, stronger, faster.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you`re thinking like a new Republican, a new
republican.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Good to have you with us tonight folks. Thanks for watching.

Tonight, I want to sell you a new car. Welcome to Big Eddie`s car lot, you
know, we got the best inventory in the county. You`re going to want to
come see my salesman.

Ask yourself the question. "Do you go buy a brand new car, would you
expect these guys to be on the lot? Could you trust them?" Jeb Bush and
Bobby Jindal, meet my two best used car sales guys right here on the lot.
Every Saturday we give out free hotdogs too.

Say, what is the definition of new? If someone tells you, "I got a new
car" does that mean that nobody else has ever owned it? Does that mean
that nobody else has ever driven it? It doesn`t any miles on it at all?
In fact, these models never even been tried before?

New. What do you think about the newrepublican.org website that`s out
there? Now, I`m selling you a real bad used car. You know, every so
often, Republicans, they do acknowledge that they`re a little bit at
trouble, that their party is in actually a complete and total mess, and
they talk about rebranding. They talk about reaching out to minorities.
They talk about appealing the younger voters. And the bottom line is it
never works, it never has and I don`t think it ever will.

They`re called the grand old party for a reason. These guys are now out
talking about the New Republican Party. Clean slate, brand new, no mileage
on this baby at all. Jeb Bush and Bobby Jindal are trying to rebrand the
Republican Party by outlining a positive GOP agenda for the future of
course, because in the past that worked out very well.

Bush and Jindal show up in this commercial laying out the new plan for the
Republican Party.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FMR. GOV. JEB BUSH, (R) FLORIDA: If you believe that every parent are to
be able to choose their child`s school and if the economy should be driven
from the bottom up, not the top down from Washington, then you`re thinking
like a new Republican.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: newrepublican.org, join us.

GOV. BOBBY JINDAL, (R) LOUISIANA: If you don`t think the Republican Party
should be the party of big government, big business or big anything, you`re
thinking like a new Republican.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: I know what`s your thinking really. I wonder what would Big
Eddie`s used car a lot, and I got nothing but a damn lemon because that`s
all that is.

You see, the commercial will begin airing on Sunday. All the Sunday
talking heads, they might even be talking about this brand new vehicle
that`s going to be out there. Don`t be fooled, the ad is a complete and
total joke.

First off, I`m interested in the phraseology in the point that Jeb Bush
makes in this commercial. First off, choosing your own school. Folks,
this isn`t reality for most kids in America. Socioeconomic issues have a
lot to do with where kids go to school in this country. Kids in the inner
city of Chicago, you think they`re ever going to be able to get to choose
where they go to school? I doubt it.

Next, Bush and Jindal talk about the economy being driven from the bottom
up. Really? Give me a break. You see this chart right here, folks? This
is a real problem for the Republican Party if they`re selling new cars.
This chart right here is a product, is an absolute product of Republican
policies.

Now, when you look at this, all of the Republican policies have helped
these folks. And that the Republican policies have done nothing for the
wage earners. They`ve attacked labor, they`ve attacked voices in the
workplace, they have attacked your pension, they have attacked your wages,
they have outsourced and that`s the result of it right there, a flat line
society.

Now, this is not a -- there is not a single Republican policy that
acknowledges, that acknowledges anywhere that income inequality is very
real in America. This is not one -- there is not really one Republican
policy that remotely starts to address the issue of income inequality.

Republicans need this chart to stay in power. These guys at the top, here
are the folks that fund the Republican Party, the vultures up top. They
can`t get enough of it. They want to own the Supreme Court. The last
decision wasn`t very good, was it?

Now the Republican Party will always be the party of the rich and always be
the party of big business, it`s their DNA. So when I hear Jindal and Bush
come out and say that there`s something going to be new about the
Republican Party, I can`t wait. Because based on the results of the last
30, 40 years, there has to be an admission of guilt. And if you`re going
to make a course correction, you have to say, "You know what we had been
doing isn`t good enough, we`re not winning elections, this guy Obama came
along and now we`ve got this healthcare thing we got to deal with."

So where is the admission of guilt when it comes to income inequality? And
what is going to be the course correction? Now, here are, I think some
issues that Bush and Jindal could shed some light on to the American people
and they could give us an idea what this new Republican Party is all about.
Here`s what many Republicans, and here`s where they stand on Medicare.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. PAUL RYAN, (R) WISCONSIN: That proposes a lot of different changes
that`s taking two shows to go through it. It means testing our entitlement
programs, optional personal retirement account for social security,
converting Medicare into a defined contribution sort of voucher system with
an extra assistance for low income means testing higher income.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: There you go. Paul Ryan`s 2015 budget turns Medicare into a
voucher system. I wonder if the new Republican Party would stop this from
happening that is the $64 question.

Next up, minimum wage. Here`s where the Republican Party stands on a
livable wage for workers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R-OH) HOUSE SPEAKER: As a form small business owner
and someone who`s worked on this issue for a long time, you just have to
shake your head. I`ve long said is that raising the minimum wage destroys
jobs. And that was confirmed last week by the Congressional Budget Office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: So, Mr. Bush, tell me, are you for or against raising the minimum
wage? Simple, you either want to help workers who are in poverty or you
don`t. Where is the new Republican Party on that?

Some Republicans want to abolish the minimum wage altogether. I wonder if
Bush and Jindal, well if they`re bottom up economic plan provides a livable
wage for workers, probably not.

Then there`s healthcare. It`s pretty obvious what Republicans want to do
with Obamacare.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN, (R) MINNESOTTA: Let`s repeal this failure before it
literally kills women, kills children, kills senior citizens. Let`s not do
that, let`s love people. As people of faith, I`m a born again believer in
Jesus Christ and I believe that it`s part of my duty as a believer in
Christ, in what he has done for me that we should do for the least of those
who are in our midst, that`s my personal belief and my personal conviction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Is the new Republican Party going to get down on bended knee with
Jesus and talk about taking away healthcare from 7.1 million Americans?
Because that`s what the republican wants to do, they want to take away
healthcare from 7.1 million Americans.

Now, I doubt the new Republican Party will try to protect Obamacare unless
maybe you`ve got another plan on the table, because we haven`t seen it.
Then there`s unemployment insurance, Republicans have no plan for the long
term unemployed in this country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: When you allow people to be on unemployment insurance for 99 weeks,
you`re causing them to become part of this perpetual unemployed group in
our economy and it really -- well it seems good, it actually does into
service to the people who`re trying to help. You know, I don`t doubt the
president`s motives, but black unemployment in America is double wide
unemployment and it hasn`t budged under this president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Wow, that`s a hot one. Maybe the new Republican Party will
address minorities in this country when it comes to employment, because we
know the old one has it. Maybe Bush and Jindal could convince John Boehner
to help out the unemployed.

Now we have bad trade deals like the TPPs on the table, everyone knows
Republicans want these deals to be fast tracked.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOEHNER: We can even start by expanding market for American companies to
export their products and their services that would be good for American
jobs. And the Republicans and the president agree on this. Listen, trade
promotion authority is ready to go. So why isn`t it done? It isn`t done
because the president hasn`t lifted a finger and to get Democrats in
Congress to support it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: So the new Republican Party should acknowledge trade deals?
Because they out source jobs. Trade deals hurt the middle class. Do you
ever hear Republicans talk about the middle class? They never did before
2012, but maybe this new group will.

How about -- this is a tough one. How about gun control? Holy smokes,
what`s the new party going to do with that? You know, in 2012, it was only
90 percent of Americans who supported, you know, background checks after
Sandy Hook, but we couldn`t get that.

So here`s where the GOP stands on gun control.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hearing with the heroic stories of the principle,
lunging, trying to protect, Chris, I wish to God, she hadn`t had an M4 in
her office locked up. So when she heard gun fire she pulls it out and she
didn`t have to lunge heroically with nothing in her hands, but she takes
him out, takes his head off before he can kill those precious kids.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Jeb Bush signed the Stand-your-ground legislation in Florida. I
wonder how the new Republican Party will deal with gun control.

Finally, if Republicans really want to rebrand themselves, they`re going to
have to deal with this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONELL, (R-KY) MINORITY LEADER: Our top political priority
over the next two years should be to deny President Obama a second term.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Wow, maybe Bush and Jindal can just figure out a way to bring the
majority of Republicans to the table to negotiate on some things and stop
flood out hating the president of the United States. This is quite the
list for the new Republican party, I`d say the chances of them addressing
them are probably slim and none, And I should also point out to the new
Republican efforts that more people signed up for ObamaCare than our
members of the National Rifle Association.

Get your cellphones out. I want to know what you think. Tonight`s
question, "Would you vote for the New Republican part?" That commercial,
it`s a dandy, isn`t it? Text A for Yes, text B for No to 67622, you can
always go to our blog at ed.msnbc.com. We`ll bring the results later on in
the show.

Let me bring in, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, David Cay Johnston and
Ring Of Fire radio Host Attorney -- America`s attorney Mike Papantonio.
Gentlemen great to have you with us tonight.

Mike, you first, who`s going to fall for this, this rebranding? It`s been
tried before but now we`ve got a new face in Jeb Bush. What do you think?

MIKE PAPANTONIO, HOST, RING OF FIRE: It`s pretty tough, the very fact that
Bobby Jindal is included in that new ad, tells you that there`s absolutely
nothing new are improved.

Look, this is a man who has a crazy sheet as long as Sarah Palin`s. If you
look at his record in Louisiana, has the highest poverty rate in America.
The third highest school failure rate in America, homelessness under Bobby
Jindal increased by 111 percent, endless attacks on organized labor to the
point to where the writers of the Louisiana say that he has destroyed the
middle class.

Now look, there`s no difference here between Bush and Jindal. The only
difference is Jindal says that he performed exorcisms when he was growing
up and Bush has not admitted to that. Bush just looks better, Ed. Bush
just comes off looking like he has more real insight, like he`s a real
contender, but if you look at his record, it`s pretty scary.

The media has done a terrible job following Bush around to these Town Hall
meetings where he meets with millionaires in their country club, all white
groups. And he talks about the idea that minorities are destroying this
country by way of welfare.

SCHULTZ: He does that?

PAPANTONIO: This is a guy. Yes. That the problem is he`s been doing it
quietly since he left the Governor`s office. He had this country club
meetings, he talks about how horrible welfare is and have minorities are
really the responsible part of that. His message Ed, and again, I`m
fascinated that the media doesn`t cover it, but his message is, we have to
constrain and actually kill these government beast that gives away our
money to poor people, especially minorities. He`s just -- didn`t wanted to
dismantle the floor to Education State Department. He wanted to refuse to
accept federal money for education. And you know, Ed? This is where it
really gets crazy.

He actually got to the point, he said, "I want to take away the children of
parents who were too lazy" in his opinion.

SCHULTZ: OK.

PAPANTONIO: ."to work and find a job." This guy is no different than
Jindal. I can tell you.

SCHULTZ: No different, nothing new about this, it`s used car all over
again and bald tires on it.

David Cay Johnston, from economic perspective, are there any republican
policies out there that would address income inequality when they`re total
in denial with the concept?

DAVID CAY JOHNSTON, TAX SPECIALIST AND COLUMNIST: Oh, they`re all
addressing them and they`re making it worse. My column in Al Jazeera this
week is about how stock market gains for the -- everybody in the vast
majority, the 90 percent, have shrunk by half and for the one percent of
the one percent, 2.6 times what they used to be.

All of these policies are designed to take from the many and reinforce the
wealth of the few. And, you know, when Bobby Jindal says, "We`re not for
beg anything." Really I thought the Republicans were staying here for big
oil, I haven`t seen the federal break up the big banks. And they`re
certainly enjoying the big donors. And they`re, you know, enjoying a lot
more now with the Supreme Court ruling.

SCHULTZ: So we show this vulture chart all the time and I drive this home
with viewers because this is a snapshot of Republican policies. This is
concentrating the wealth leaving the wage earners and the middle class but
the vast majority of Americans behind, correct?

JOHNSTON: Yes, and in fact the most recent data on tax returns. The
bottom 90 percent of American`s income has now fallen to just bellow where
it was in 1966, when I was in high school. And at the very top it`s up --
boy I didn`t remember how much it`s up, it`s through the roof of this high
rise building that we`re in.

SCHULTZ: Over 300 percent I believe.

JOHNSTON: Well, I`m going to back to 66.

SCHULTZ: OK.

JOHNSTON: But the thing about that, 90 of American`s average income now
has fallen back to right where we were in 1966. Lyndon Johnson was
president then.

SCHULTZ: So in this commercial when Jeb Bush talks about building an
economy from the bottom up, Mike, what`s he talking about? What is -- this
is fraudulent.

PAPANTONIO: He`s idea of building economy from -- really bottom up is
simply, we`re going to give -- it`s no different, Ed, it is we give the
billionaires and the millionaires money, we hope the money falls down to
the bottom and then we can build up from there.

Listen, this guy, Jeb Bush a staunch member of the Republican Tea Party
Caucus that represents everything that the GOP autopsy a couple years ago
said was wrong with the Republican Party.

SCHULTZ: OK.

PAPANTONIO: He actually -- if you look at him closely, he is the body they
we`re talking about in that autopsy.

SCHULTZ: Can he win Florida? I mean that`s the alarm for Democrats. I
mean, he was a governor there. Can he win Florida? Again, whether it`s
Hillary or Joe Biden or whoever the Democrats put up?

PAPANTONIO: He can win Florida. They ignored this. They ignored
everything about that was ugly about Bush in the first election. They
ignored his involvement with the S&L crisis right down in Miami. They
ignored all that the same way they ignored everything about Rick Scott.
It`s OK. Criminal conduct is just fine. Ugly conduct is just fine to be
elected in this state.

So yes, the answer is he can be elected. And David Cay, the recent ruling
about the Supreme Court only makes that chart emboldened, doesn`t it?

JOHNSTON: The founders would be absolutely astonished at this sort of a
ruling, this idea that dollars equal free speech. And they claim, the
position that Chief Justice Roberts took that he kept the one rule, $2,600
per candidate. Well, it`s nonsense, because you give money to this
candidate, they trade money back and forth and they move it around. It`s
open season now.

SCHULTZ: So the reason why I bring that subject up is because I`m curious
of the new Republican Party is going to reject the Supreme Court ruling or
are they falling right in there saying that this is a freedom of speech.

David Cay Johnston, Mike Papantonio great to have you with us tonight.
Yeah, I got new cart for your folks.

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

Coming up, rightwing radio`s Obamacare meltdown. The Rapid Response Panel
weighs in on the enrollment deniers.

But first, ultra Conservative Wisconsin lawmaker Glenn Grothman makes a run
for the United States Congress, I can`t wait. But the Ed Show hasn`t
forgotten his record of misogyny.

Trenders is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: What`s hot what`s not? Time now for Trenders Social Media, join
the Ed team, will you? Facebook.com/edshow, Twitter.com/Edshow and
Ed.msnbc.com. We`re on the radio Sirius XM Channel 127, Monday through
Friday, noon to 3:00, Channel 127. You can get my pod cast at wegoted.com.

Ed Show Social Media Nation has decided. We`re reporting.

Here are today`s top Trenders voted on by you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m retired.

SCHULTZ: The number three Trender, signing off.

DAVID LETTERMAN, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN" HOST: I have spent half
my time behind this desk. In 34 years 5,914 shows. More importantly, that
means I spend half my life in make up.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, AMERICAN ACTOR: You`re a funny guy Sully.

SCHULTZ: David Letterman says next year is his last as a Late Night host.

LETTERMAN: How long does a guy want to do a TV show?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s 12 past my bed time.

LETTERMAN: 2,015 for the love of God, Paul and I will be wrapping things
up and taking a hike.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Quick, change the channel.

SCHULTZ: The number two Trender, heart of hearing.

SEN. DAN COATS, (R) INDIANA: I`m not here to give specific answer from
you, but to better understand what is happening.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have no idea what`s going on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just got a note saying I`m at the wrong period.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my god, where am I?

SCHULTZ: Senator Coats says the Russians caused his meeting mixup.

COATS: Well, this is the first time this has ever happen to me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re always welcome in our committee.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome back now.

COATS: It`s been ugly trying to find out where I`m supposed to be.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But which way did he go George? Which way did he go?

SCHULTZ: And today`s top Trender, badger battle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Glenn Grothman wants to take fellow Republican, Tom
Petri a seat.

MICHAEL BUFFER, BOXING RING ANNOUNCER: Let`s get ready to rumble.

SCHULTZ: The Wisconsin State Senator wants to bring his anti-woman record
to Washington.

SEN. GLENN GROTHMAN, (R) WISCONSIN: I know a lot of gals who are having
kids out of wedlock.

I was the author of the 24-hour waiting period for abortions.

You talk to an average girl, an average gal.

The vast majority of women who are having children, they are not accidents.
I think people are trained to say that this is a surprise to me because
there`s still enough of a stigma that they`re supposed to say this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The man who led the repeal of the equal pay act could
argue that money is more important for men.

GROTHMAN: A lot of women like to stay at home and have their husband be
the primary breadwinner.

But the leadership class in this country sends a clear message to all these
nice cute middle class girls.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: We got a dandy on the horizon, don`t we?

Joining me tonight Ruth Conniff, Editor-in-Chief for the Progressive
Magazine and of course I`m talking about Glenn Grothman possibly being in
the United State`s Congress. Ruth, great to have you with us tonight.

Glenn Grothman on women`s rights, what does that sound like to you?

RUTH CONNIFF, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE PROGRESSIVE MAGAZINE: Get ready, Ed.
Get ready America.

We`ve been watching Glenn here on Wisconsin for a while and if you thought
Scott Walker was extremist wait until you get load of Glenn Grothman.

You know, Glenn is a -- he`s a true believer. I mean I have to give him
that. He will talk to anybody and he will say things that his Republican
colleagues will not say because they alienate people. And he -- I mean
he`s the guy who`s really obsessed with other people`s families and with
women`s reproductive choices in a way that is pretty far out there.

And not to mention the fact that he recently sponsored a bill to repeal the
weekends, because he thinks that workers don`t do anything on their day
off. People are able to work seven days in a row, he does. S, yes, I
think people are going to be surprised.

SCHULTZ: He sponsored a bill to repeal -- excuse me, he sponsored a bill
to repeal the weekend?

CONNIFF: That`s right, Ed. Yes, Glenn feels that people need to work
seven days in a row.

SCHULTZ: I have to ask you, what was his logic behind that? What did he
say about that?

CONNIFF: Well, one of the things he said was that he doesn`t see people
performing public service in their day off, that he doesn`t thing they`re
using their time well.

You know, he couched it in terms of the freedom of workers who are
prevented unnecessarily from working seven consecutive days. But really of
course this is what, you know, most of the Republican agenda is about,
which is making sure that workers make as little as possible, work as much
as possible. And the people who own companies are able to take as much as
the profits then give as little as they can to workers.

So, you know, but the way that he comes right out there with this stuff is
pretty surprising. No MLK day for Glenn and no more of that famous
holiday, Saturday, if he gets his way.

SCHULTZ: OK, so he would really -- even though he`s from Wisconsin not
Minnesota, he would be the perfect replacement in the party for Michele
Bachmann. I mean that`s basically what I`m hearing.

CONNIFF: Yeah.

SCHULTZ: OK, now with his .

CONNIFF: Yeah, he`s willing to say really outrageous things and he`s
worried about things other people aren`t worried about, like whether
there`s sort of mass slaughter of little girls going on because of legal
abortion. You know, he has this peculiar theory about Planned Parenthood
as being an extremely nefarious organization that promotes the genocide of
little girls. We have strange stuff.

But he does really believe it and he`ll be very candid. I mean reporters
enjoy talking to him because he`ll say things like the names of the
corporate sponsors of the lobbyist behind legislation that he`s promoting.
We`re just doing this for this company, you know, so he`s a lose canon.

SCHULTZ: OK. Lose canon but he`s really perfect for the right wing. This
guy is going to get a flood of money from Americans for Prosperity or am I
wrong on that?

CONNIFF: We`ll, he`s a Tea Party type Republican. He is running against
the moderate Republican who`s been there for 13 terms. So it`s a, you
know, it`s as reach, but I think it`s possible that he`ll get a lot of
support and win. And I guess it depends on whether, you know, the national
party wants to appeal to a really extreme part of the base or whether they
want to appear more moderate, because Glenn is not going to help with that.

SCHULTZ: Do you think he has a serious chance to win in Wisconsin?

CONNIFF: I think he might.

SCHULTZ: OK.

CONNIFF: I think he may be going to Washington.

SCHULTZ: Wow.

CONNIFF: I hate to say it, because I`m from the progressive tradition of
Wisconsin. It`s been old and fine tradition and the more I travel around
the country the more I have to try to explain that to people who see Scott
Walker and Paul Ryan. And now, God forbid, Glenn Grothman on the national
stage.

SCHULTZ: Are there woman that are going to vote for this guy in Wisconsin?
I mean he has such an archaic view of woman`s rights. It`s, you know,
we`re back to the kitchen and barefoot and pregnant aren`t we?

CONNIFF: Yeah, he says really outrageous stuff about woman. I mean he
wants to make it officially child abuse to be a single mother. You know,
and this is from a guy who`s not married and doesn`t have kids. I mean
they have passion with people`s families and the defense of the family, you
know, by preventing people from getting access to Reproductive Healthcare
and saying -- kind of saying things about woman. It`s not going to help
him. But there`s a very strong organized anti-abortion movement in
Wisconsin that will back him, because that`s really whose water he`s
carrying. And that`s not a .

SCHULTZ: OK.

CONNIFF: . small political force, I mean that`s the reason that Scott
Walker and Paul Ryan have gotten this first. They got their start as being
really in the tank for the very extreme pro lifers.

SCHULTZ: Ruth Conniff, great to have you with us tonight, thanks so much
from the progressive magazine in Wisconsin.

Coming up, right wing talkers throw a hissy fit over Obamacare enrollment
numbers. The Rapid Response Panel weights in on the talk radio meltdown
that has taken place this week.

And later, Pittsburgh`s largest labor demonstration in 20 years, why the
city`s biggest employer is in the midst of a labor shutdown. But next, I`m
taking your question at Ask Ed Live on a Friday, coming up next here on the
Ed Show on MSNBC.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. Love hearing from our viewers,
thanks so much.

In our Ask Ed Live segment, our first question comes from Joseph (ph). He
wants to know, "How does social media impact the Ed Show?"

Well, in a number of different ways, you know, I like reading Twitter,
because I think we get story ideas of it and we follow up on some of the
things that are on there. No doubt about it. It`s just a constant running
headline of America. And also, we try to tweet out exactly what we`re
going to put on the show to pick the interest to get people to watch. So,
I mean, there`s a number of different ways that we communicate with you
wonderful viewers out there. Obviously, Twitter is a big part of it and
Facebook in the social media. It`s a big part of what we`re doing no
question about it.

Our next question is from Mary, she wants to know, "What was your favorite
story to report on over the last five years on TV?"

Well, there`s been a lot of them, Wisconsin, Ohio, the recall of votes
there in Wisconsin, the reversing of the -- going after the collective
bargaining law in Ohio, Obamacare being there when that was signed and the
fight up to getting healthcare passed in America, I mean, a lot of stuff.
But certainly, I have really enjoyed going out on the road and talking to
the great Americans who are kind enough to watch this show.

And I appreciate it very much. It`s going to be another great five years
coming up, guaranteed, if the Lord wants me to be here. And so,
particularly, hangs in there, you know, how it is. Stick around, Rapid
Response Panel is next.

SHARON EPPERSON, CNBC CORRESPONDENT: I`m Sharon Epperson with your CNBC
Market Wrap.

A battle of day for stocks, the Dow hits an intraday record before sliding
159 points. The S and P also hit a new height before dropping 23. The
Nasdaq plummet to 110.

Today`s big story, the jobs report. The Economy added 192,000 jobs in
March, a touch of light. The unemployment rate held steady at 6.7 percent.
Job creation figures for January and February were revised higher.

And once quick note, shares of Grub Hub soar 30 percent in their first day
of trading.

That`s it from CNBC, first in business worldwide.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed show. The best news of the week came from
President Obama at the White House on Tuesday afternoon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: 7.1 million Americans
have now signed up for private insurance plans through these market places,
7.1.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: And the mission`s not accomplished yet, but did you hear it from
the president, 7.1 million, the second best news of the week is from a
Right Wing radio host totally freaking out about the number.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSH LIMBAUGH, HOST, THE RUSH LIMBAUGH SHOW: Why should anybody believe
it? Why can`t the government prove it? The real question is, when have
they not lied about Obamacare?

GLENN BECK, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: This is complete bogus. This is a
complete bogus fairy tale. This is completely made up. This is
nonsensical.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST, THE SEAN HANNITY SHOW: Just because team Obama cooked
the books on the promise that you could keep your doctor, keep your plan
and you`re going to pay less. You wouldn`t expect them to lie on this
would you? Of course you would.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Wasting no time. Let`s go to our Rapid Response Panel. So who`s
telling the truth? Joining me tonight, John Fugelsang, he is a liberal
commentator and comedian. And also with us tonight, Heidi Harris, host of
the radio talk show "The Heidi Harris Show." Heidi, good to have you back
with us.

HEIDI HARRIS, HOST, THE HEIDI HARRIS SHOW: Hey, congratulations on five
years of being wrong.

SCHULTZ: Oh really? OK. All right.

HARRIS: I`m teasing you.

SCHULTZ: Well, I`ll .

JOHN FUGELSANG, LIBERAL COMMENTATOR: I push vote her (ph).

SCHULTZ: Yeah. I`ll let you correct me tonight. What`s all the false
about the numbers, Heidi? I mean, where`s the proof that they`re wrong at
7.1 million?

HARRIS: Well, I think it`s interesting that just a few months ago they
couldn`t give us any numbers at all about anything and all of a sudden
they`re absolutely sure 7.1 million people to signup. I don`t know what
they`re basing that number on. People, who went online, people who
actually signed up, people who`ve actually paid. Let me give you an
example, because I can`t speak for the entire county.

In Nevada, we have 600,000 people who are uninsured. Now, they`re
recording 186,000 people accessed care, that`s what they`re saying in some
news reports. Only 25,000 have actually paid for coverage. That`s why all
of us on the right are suspicious about the numbers the White House is so
certain or actual.

SCHULTZ: OK. Now, this happened on Tuesday and now this is more than 48
hours. You got some slower reporters on you side, Heidi. Because I find
it interesting after the first month of sign up, you folks on the right
we`re jumping all over only a 106,000 people who signed up. Now you did
accept that number on November 3rd one month after the sign up, correct?

HARRIS: Well, we weren`t sure about it because we could never get actual
numbers out of anybody. How many times did Kathleen Sebelius says she
couldn`t give us numbers.

SCHULTZ: No, no, everybody on the right was saying that this was a
failure. The website was bad, the president was out there saying that .

HARRIS: True.

SCHULTZ: . we`re going to fix this. And it`s easy to verify through the
insurance companies who are getting paid. And Sebelius is on record saying
that 90 percent of the people have pay. So, John Fugelsang, who`s telling
the truth here? I`m having more fun with this and I can`t stand.

FUGELSANG: Well, I do want to thank you for airing those clips Ed, that
was like porn for moral people. And it`s a pleasure to meet you as well
Ms. Harris.

The interesting thing here about this is that this is a Republican designed
healthcare plan, by the Heritage Foundation, implemented by a Republican
Massachusetts Governor, upheld by a Republican Supreme Court and these guys
needed to fail before it can start helping save Republican lives.

If the GOP had been behind healthcare reform, if they cared enough, if they
valued saving lives over here as much as they value blowing up people over
there, we might not see this happen, we might see a real public option,
real reform instead of this moderate messy improvement that Obamacare is.
And I often wish that the GOP have been missed (ph) concerned about the
fact checking back in the WMD days.

SCHULTZ: But we do know how many people are hitting the website, OK. I
mean, everybody can find out how many people are hit on the website.

FUGELSANG: Millions of Americans are now insured. Tune in to Hannity to
find out why this is best.

SCHULTZ: OK. So, is this their last throws of trying to defeat Obamacare
by going after the numbers .

FUGELSANG: Of course not.

SCHULTZ: . making the sale job with their opponent?

FUGELSANG: No. This is all they`ve got to run on, Ed. What has the
Republican Party, no disrespect to Ms. Harris who was lovely, but what does
the GOP done for working Americans since Nixon gave us the Earned Income
Tax Credit? They named buildings after Reagan. All they`ve got. Their
entire 2014 narrative is that Obamacare is a failure. And guess what, the
Democrats are walking around in clown shoes. I`ll agree with you on that
Ms. Harris.

Running on Obamacare is a failure. All they have to do is get their 23
percent bubble out to vote. The Democrats have to chorale (ph) the other
77 percent. This could be enough. And I`m sorry in advance for all the
lives that are saved.

SCHULTZ: Heidi, your response?

HARRIS: You know, I think Obamacare is a bad thing to run on, because
Republicans want -- listen, I want everybody to have healthcare that`s
affordable, everyone in America. All conservatives do.

FUGELSANG: But the GOP consults the House and the Senate and the White
House for six years and nothing happened. They made no (inaudible) on
this.

HARRIS: Because a lot -- well, a lot of the problem would be with the Tort
Reform. And a lot of Tort Reform is not going to passed because you get
too many people who are lawyers on Capitol Hill, that`s the problem.
That`s one of the major factors when it comes to healthcare expenses.
There`s just no way that an insurance company can .

SCHULTZ: Tort reform?

FUGELSANG: Tort reform is .

SCHULTZ: Double digit increases that people are getting in premiums every
year during the Bush administration and that`s Tort Reforms?

HARRIS: No, but that`s one of the things that would`ve help to keep the
cost down when you keep talking about how much it cost. And another thing
is .

FUGELSANG: Well, it would have cost down for a working family that is
living paycheck to paycheck. I mean, don`t you -- it doesn`t -- I mean,
don`t we deserve the same quality healthcare as is real, the same quality
healthcare as the U.K., as all of our capitalists allies out .

HARRIS: Yeah, right, the U.K., don`t get me started on the U.K. Here`s
the thing .

FUGELSANG: No one goes bankrupt over an inability to pay cost in the U.K.,
Ms. Harris.

HARRIS: Yeah. They just don`t get care when they die if they can`t get
the care depending on where they live in the U.K., really (inaudible) to
that .

SCHULTZ: I keep hearing that on my AM radio.

HARRIS: Right, well, because it`s true, that`s why. You know, another
factor .

FUGELSANG: And why don`t they -- why is no country ever try to give up a
socialized healthcare system with the kind of system we have now? You all
talked about getting a government here between you and your doctor, but you
all have no problem with the bureaucrat between you and your doctor. What
kind of society is it where a non-doctor can get reach out someone else`s
sickness? (Inaudible) crazy .

HARRIS: Because once you give people something, they don`t want to give it
up like unemployment or welfare or anything else. Of course, countries
don`t want to give up socialize (inaudible), the people would be rioting.

FUGELSANG: Unemployment insurance sucks. The people would love to give it
up if the jobs came back, this goes back to nothing.

HARRIS: You can`t .

SCHULTZ: Heidi, what is the number one complaint that you hear from your
listeners about the Affordable Care Act?

HARRIS: The number one complaint I hear, two of them, one of them is
having their hours cut because of Obamacare restrictions, because their
companies can`t afford to give them insurance. And another one is that
when they finally are able to access it, it cost far more than they thought
it was going to cost or they can`t get the doctors they thought they could
get.

SCHULTZ: OK. And you have a response to 49 months of private sector job
growth when Obamacare was supposed to be a job killer.

HARRIS: You know what? All I can tell is, I hang out with the real people
and not the people on Capitol Hill, and everybody I know is nowhere near
where they were even three years ago, financially. That`s just my world.

SCHULTZ: Well, we do know that Nevada has an unusually high unemployment
rate because of the tourism industry .

HARRIS: Yeah. Thanks Harry Reid.

SCHULTZ: . it is the backbone of Las Vegas, correct?

HARRIS: Yeah, oh yeah. Harry Reid, baby, he`s done great for us.

SCHULTZ: Or isn`t that the truth?

HARRIS: What now tourism, sure, the people spent money on slot machines
before they`ll get (inaudible) work. That`s always going to be a factor.

FUGELSANG: Absolutely.

SCHULTZ: OK.

HARRIS: I know.

SCHULTZ: All right. Good discussion .

FUGELSANG: I did kind of patriotism, you know.

SCHULTZ: John Fugelsang and Heidi Harris, good to have you with us
tonight.

HARRIS: Thanks guys.

SCHULTZ: We`re still looking for the verification of those phony numbers
still Heidi. You work on that one. We`ll have you back.

HARRIS: Yeah, right. Sure.

SCHULTZ: Good to have you with us, thank you.

Still ahead, in an Ed Show fifth anniversary special, we`ll take you look
at the best text whole questions over the past five years. Stay with us,
it is a Friday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Hey, get your cellphones out. Here in the Ed Show, we`re
celebrating five years, and I think pretty damn good television. That
means five years of so many good text questions, don`t you think? Here`s
the best of the best.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Get your phones out, I mean, here we go.

I want to know what you think, tonight`s text survey question is, do you
think John Boehner cares more about playing golf or helping Americans?

Would you let Senator Ron Johnson teach your kids about science?

Do you think Newt Gingrich actually believes the things he says?

Tonight`s question, very penetrating I might Ed, is Chris Christie totally
impressed with himself or just partially?

Do you think Christine O`Donnell is just like you?

Is Senator Rand Paul a hypocrite or libertarian?

Tonight`s text survey is, do you want Sarah Palin to run for president in
2012? I`m texting A for Yes, and you can text B for no if you want.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: And I`m sure would like to vote on that on a few more times.

Stick around, lots more coming up on the Ed Show. We`re right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Pittsburgh, Steel City, no stranger that clashes over workers` rights.
Great tradition there. The biggest employer in the city of Pittsburgh is
on the midst of a labor showdown. Now, the Service Employees International
Union is trying to unionize service workers in the University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center.

The SEIU is calling for higher wages for blue collar workers in the system.
UPMC official say that companies service employees like cafeteria workers
and janitors are paid $12.81 an hour on average but workers say that`s not
enough to live in the city of Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, the University of
Pittsburgh Medical Center, oh, they`re reckoning big box. In fact, the
Chief Executive Officer, they`re made over $6 million in compensation last
year.

UPMC is making its anti-union message very clear. Workers say anti-union
messages are being displayed on hospital computer screen savers. Steven
Greenhouse is the labor and workplace correspondent of the New York Times.
He`s been on the story. He joins us tonight. Mr. Greenhouse, good to have
you with us.

STEVEN GREENHOUSE, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Nice to be here, Ed.

SCHULTZ: The SEIU and workers recently had a protest which the mayor
called the largest labor demonstration in Pittsburgh in 20 years going back
to the issues with the steel industry. Did this get a lot of attention?
Will it have an impact on the Medical Center?

GREENHOUSE: Ed, I think it had -- got a lot of attention in Pittsburgh.
It did not get a lot of attention nationwide. And what the SEIU is doing
in Pittsburgh is kind of marvelous, kind of innovative. They`re really
trying to, you know, mount a huge amount of pressure on this huge hospital
system of 62,000 employees in 22 hospitals to try to pressure them to raise
their wage floor to $15 an hour from the $11 an hour.

And so, the SEIU nationwide is trying to make this whole idea of a $15 an
hour minimum acceptable. It`s doing that by pushing the fast food
campaign, workers at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. The SEIU is
pushing for a $15 floor. And now, for the 62,000 workers at the University
of Pittsburgh Medical Center, it says that the workers really need $15 an
hour. It points the study showing that a living wage for one parent and
one child is like $17 an hour. And it says, you know, $12.81 an hour just
doesn`t cut it.

SCHULTZ: So, we`re talking about 62,000 workers here?

GREENHOUSE: Yes, I mean, you know, some of them are doctors and nurses and
they`re making .

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

GREENHOUSE: . a will above $15 an hour.

SCHULTZ: Sure.

GREENHOUSE: But there are -- the SEIU says it`s trying to unionize 24,000.
The hospital system says no, no, it`s really not that much, it`s only
around 6,000. My sense is, you know, SEIU is really trying to organize at
least 10,000 cafeteria worker, nurses aids, janitors, you know,
secretaries, and in many ways, I think the SEIU`s effort is really only now
gathering esteem.

They`re facing very intense rescission -- resistance from the hospital. I
think a lot of workers are very scared to stick the next out (ph) and voice
support for the union, the National Labor Relations Board has brought some
charges against the hospital system for illegally firing some workers.
People at, you know, managers at UPMC say that the SEIU really isn`t
getting much attraction that they`ve been, you know, pushing to unionize
for three years and they don`t have much to show for.

The SEIU has done a very good job though in getting a lot of attention and
getting under UPMC scan and putting this whole issue of a $15 wage on the
agenda.

SCHULTZ: Sure.

GREENHOUSE: Many religious leaders are embracing it. And my interview
with the Mayor of Pittsburgh William Peduto the other day, he seemed very
sympathetic to the idea of seriously raising wages.

SCHULTZ: OK. So, this has been going on for a couple of years as at the
pinnacle of interest right now. And the bottom line here is that people
are being fired, that`s your reporting, and is there intimidation at the
workplace? What are you hearing?

GREENHOUSE: So, the NLRB has filed several dozen charges against UPMC. In
October, filed serious of charges, charging UPMC with illegally firing four
workers and intimidating illegally -- intimidating and interrogating others
including supposedly retaliating against some workers for speaking to the
labor board itself. UPMC says that the SEIU kind of pushes people to
misbehave so that they`ll be punished. And then the SEIU can supposedly
run to NLRB and say "Look, these people are punished not for
underperforming, for performing bad at work, but for their pro union
activities."

SCHULTZ: Yeah. So what is the next move here? Is there going to be a
vote? Has there been a vote and just how ruthless are these methods on the
workers?

GREENHOUSE: I think what`s happening Ed is the SEIU is trying very hard to
pressure UPMC to agree to neutrality to stop fighting the unionization
effort to kind of step back. I think if and when the SEIU succeeds in
getting UMPC to do that, then the SEIU thinks it can get a lot more workers
to sign authorization cards. And then the next step would be to hold the
unionization vote.

SCHULTZ: Sure. Well .

GREENHOUSE: I think that that`s at least a few months away and maybe
longer.

SCHULTZ: The Employee Free Choice Act would play really big here if that
were ever in Congress. There`s no question about that if that were ever
enacted. This is, as I see it, a classic example of that, you agree?

GREENHOUSE: I think, you know, it certainly be easy to unionize with cards
.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

GREENHOUSE: . than within election.

SCHULTZ: OK. Steven Greenhouse, New York Times. Thanks for joining us
tonight, appreciate it so much.

Here at the Ed Show, we celebrate the milestone here at MSNBC, our fifth
anniversary.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For 5 years, Ed Schultz has been the voice for the
middle class.

SCHULTZ: At the front lines, workers, fighting for their rights and their
livelihood.

Equal right, civil rights, health care, income inequality, women`s rights.

Every kid gets a chance.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We all need to come together.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you for speaking out for workers all across
America.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you for being such a champion.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ed, it`s great to be here again. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congratulations to Ed on his five-year anniversary.

SCHULTZ: This is only a start.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Ed Show. Weeknights at 5:00 on MSNBC.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: And I just want to say it`s an honor to be here. We got a great
team. We`re going to keep on going.

That`s the Ed Show tonight. 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

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