PoliticsNation, Wednesday, October 1st, 2014

POLITICS NATION
October 1, 2014


Guest: Jack Rice, Jonathan Capehart, Ed Rendell, Joe Madison, Angela Rye,
Dana Jacobson


REVEREND AL SHARPTON, MSNBC ANCHOR: We start with breaking news. Secret
service director Julia Pierson resigning after a series of dangerous
blunders by the agency including allowing an armed intruder to get inside
the executive mansion.

Today, Miss Pierson told an interviewer, quote, "Congress has lost
confidence in my ability to run the agency. The media has made it clear
that this is what they expected. I can be pretty stoic about it, but not
really. It`s painful to leave as the agency is reeling from a significant
security breach."

The interim director will be Joseph Clancy, who was previously in charge of
the presidential protective division of the Secret Service. Until today,
he was director of corporate security for Comcast, the parent company of
MSNBC.

Let`s go live to NBC senior White House correspondent Chris Jansing.

Chris, that is the president`s reaction to this resignation?

CHRIS JANSING, NBC NEWS SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the
official statement, Rev., is that the president accepted Julia Pierson`s
resignation because -- now, this is their wording. Recent and accumulating
reports about the performance of the agency required new leadership.

But, you know, once it was clear that in a series of cases, the president
and members of his family were in danger, the situation had really become
untenable. And the most recent example, press secretary Josh Earnest
acknowledging that the White House was informed of a breach on September
16th. That`s an armed man with a questionable criminal history on the
elevator with the president in Atlanta when he went to the CDC. Only
yesterday they found out about it just before published reports came out.

SHARPTON: Only yesterday is when the president --

JANSING: Only yesterday.

SHARPTON: Wow.

JANSING: Yes. And I pressed Josh Earnest on him. What is the standard
operating procedure if there is a security breach involve? And he said the
White House should be notified. And you`ll remember those who listened to
Julia Pierson`s testimony, that she said she briefs the president 100
percent of the time. She lets him know when there are problems.

So I think those things in addition to that appearance before the House
oversight committee, just a little more than 24 hours ago that both
Republicans and Democrats criticized so heavily, kind of put the writing on
the wall, Rev.

SHARPTON: Well, there are reports that the first family and the president
was furious about what had happened in terms of the intruder. And I would
imagine they couldn`t have felt so good about just finding out yesterday
that he was in the elevator with a guy with a loaded gun who had that kind
of back ground.

JANSING: And if you know what the protocol is, when they go out to check
these places, when the advance teams go out, they even check elevator
rides. Everyone is supposed to go through a security check. That everyone
should have gone through a magnetometer. Clearly, if he had a gun, that
didn`t happen which is what led to some of what we heard yesterday.
Outrageous, mind-boggling, disgraceful, some of the words used. And I
think you know that today,, sort of, everything was building against her.
We saw a number of members of Congress including Elijah Cummings indicate
she would have to go. Nancy Pelosi says, it is coming to us faith, she
would follow Chuck Schumer. So, it was really hard to see how she was
going to survive.

SHARPTON: NBC`s Chris Jansing, thank you for your reporting.

Meantime, the man behind this latest security scare at the White House was
back in court today. Omar Gonzalez pleaded not guilty to a three-count
federal indictment. But a big question is, why didn`t the Secret Service
stop Gonzalez before September 19th? The day he hopped the fence.

On July 19th, Gonzalez was stopped by the Virginia state police who said
they found a sawed off shotgun in his car and a map with a line on it,
pointing to the White House. Police referred the case to the Secret
Service who interviewed Gonzalez before letting him go without any further
action.

On August 25th, Gonzalez was stopped while walking near the south fence of
the White House, and carrying a hatchet in his belt. Once again, the
Secret Service interviewed him and once again, they let him go. All that
happened before Gonzalez sprinted his way inside the White House. And it
shows there are deeper problems in the Secret Service.

Here`s what ranking Democrat of the house oversight committee Elijah
Cummings told me, even before the resignation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D), MARYLAND: They have got to be drastic changes,
Reverend Sharpton. And they have to be made immediately. Our president
should not have to worry about watching his back when he is trying to deal
with all of the issues that he`s trying to deal with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: And we just got this video showing President Obama`s arrival
back at the White House just moments ago. You can clearly see numerous
Secret Service agents at work.

Joining me now is Jonathan Capehart of the "Washington Post" and Jack Rice,
a former CIA agent who spent time as a special agent in his security.
Thank you both for being here.

JONATHAN CAPEHART, OPINION WRITER, THE WASHINGTON POST: Thanks, Rev.

SHARPTON: Jonathan, is not Pierson`s resignation just the start of fixing
the Secret Service?

CAPEHART: Yes. It is the start. And I think secretary Jeh Johnson of
homeland security, which oversees the Secret Service, his statement
announcing her resignation, I think, did a couple of things that Pierson
should have done during her testimony yesterday and could have probably
saved her job. And that was one, announcing there would be an independent
review board of panelists who will soon be named, but an independent
outside the Secret Service review board that will look at the September
19th incident, the fence jumping incident. And that board is supposed to
also give recommendations to the secretary about what is supposed to, what
they think should happen to help reform the Secret Service -- White House
operation. But also, that board will recommend to the secretary whether a
broader review of the Secret Service should be undertaken.

SHARPTON: Yes.

But let me ask you this, Jack. You and I have talked a lot in the last
several days about this. Do you really believe in view of what I outlined
just on what has happened with Gonzalez in the Secret Service alone, and
the Atlanta elevator with the president, do you believe just changing the
director of the Secret Service is enough to fix this and to really correct
what`s going on with the Secret Service?

JACK RICE, FORMER CIA SPECIAL AGENT: Well Rev., simply put, no. Just
changing the directors is not going to do it. This was a systemic failure.
And it is twofold. It is not just what happened at the White House. It is
what happened in Atlanta. It is the failures that go much deeper. And so,
the idea of having an independent expert panel come in and look at the
White House issue will expand that and look at the Secret Service in
general.

Remember, it is about looking at the procedures and protocols, applying
them as they exist, and expanding them if they must.

SHARPTON: Procedures and protocol. Expanding if they must.

Jonathan, the Secret Service has had a series of incidents over the past
five years. In November 2009, there was a security breach with a couple
actually crashed a state dinner.

In November 2011, shots were fired at the White House.

In April 2012, Secret Service officers were involved in a prostitution
scandal in Colombia.

In March 2014, three agents were single home from a presidential trip to
Amsterdam arrest a night of drinking.

And the latest incident, when a fence jumper made it deep within the White
House. I mean, why is the Secret Service so resistant to changes that are
so clearly need, Jonathan?

CAPEHART: You know, that, I`m not sure, Reverend Sharpton. And a lot of
those incidents that you listed and in the reporting done by (INAUDIBLE) of
"the Washington Post," we`ve learned a whole lot of other details that
showed that the culture of the Secret Service is such that one of the
agents who heard the shots being fired on, during that November 2011
incident, she felt uncomfortable correcting the assumption of her
supervisor that shots weren`t indeed fired at the White House. And so, you
have that cultural problem.

You have the other cultural problem which came out yesterday involving the
CDC person on the elevator, the armed person on the elevator with the
president in Atlanta.

SHARPTON: Let me address that to Jack. I`m glad you went there, Jonathan.
Because the other incident from Atlanta last month Jonathan is referring
to. When the Secret Service allowed an armed man with a criminal record in
an elevator with the president. Today, "the Washington Examiner" reports,
the Secret Service didn`t file paperwork on the Atlanta incident. Managers
told agents in Atlanta not to file a written report and there was no formal
review of the matter. And what Chris Jansing just reported, the first
family wasn`t even notified until yesterday.

A man with a gun, with a criminal record in the elevator with the
president. No report found. First family not told, Jack. The Secret
Service is pushing back on the report. But I mean, what do you make of
this incident overall and the lack of a report?

RICE: Well, it is astounding. It truly is. This issue of a culture is I
think really critical here. This is not just about the figure head at the
top of the heap this is about how they reach up. But it is also about how
they reached up. So in other words, the average Secret Service officer,
should have the ability, based upon their own experience, reaching up to
determine what needs to be done. That must be taken into account.
Apparently it hasn`t at this point. They need the take advantage of those
issues and make changes where they must. They must do this. They`ve had
far too many mistakes as you just listed there.

SHARPTON: Jonathan, let me go to you, quickly. I`m out of time, but I
must raise this because someone raised this to me on my radio show today.

Last year Secret Service officers and got the police open fire and killed a
woman who attempted to drive on the restricted White House grounds and then
led a mad chase around the capitol. They kill her. And yet an intruder in
the White House was not shot. Not even guns were drawn on him. Do Secret
Service agents have clear enough guidelines about how to handle these
threats?

CAPEHART: Well. you know, that`s a very good question. And that is one of
the things that is going to come up in the review. I`m almost certain
secretary Johnson at homeland security has called on this new independent
new review board to look at the White House operation that Secret Service
has here.

SHARPTON: Jonathan Capehart and Jack Rice, thank you both for your time
tonight.

CAPEHART: Thanks, Rev.

SHARPTON: Ahead, breaking news. A verdict for Michael Dunn in the loud
music murder trial. Did the family of Jordan Davis finally get justice?

Plus, Tracy Morgan versus Walmart. The star says the store is blaming him
for injuries he got when a Walmart truck hit his vehicle. Also this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today these are the categories. What women want. Boy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: I`ll take offensive for 200. A "Jeopardy" category about what
women want has gone viral today. And offended a lot of people. Stay with
us

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE). We the jury find the defendant guilty
(INAUDIBLE) of first-degree murder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Breaking news late today in the retrial of Michael Dunn. A
Florida jury has found Dunn guilty of first-degree murder. For the killing
of 17-year-old Jordan Davis in 2012. It was called the loud music case.
Dunn was convicted on three counts of attempted murder in February. But
that jury deadlocked on the murder charge. Not so today. This jury did
not accept the claim that Dunn was in fear for his life. Supported by the
fact no gun was ever found. He faces life in prison.

Hopefully, this verdict will bring some peace to the family of Jordan Davis
and perhaps it can help edge the distortion of self-defense laws to try to
justify indefensible shootings.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Developing news from Pennsylvania. Police say they are hot on
the trail of accused cop killer Eric Frein. In day 19 of that massive
mantle, police found two explosive devices. Pipe bombs that they think
Frein left behind in the woods. They have also had what they call credible
sightings of Frein within the last 48 hours. Police spoke directly to
Frein at a press conference on yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. COL. GEORGE BIVENS, PENNSYLVANIA POLICE DEPARTMENT: You are clearly
stressed. You`re significant mistakes. We continue to take your supplies
and your weapons stockpiles while you are no doubt weakening, our troopers`
resolve is very strong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Hunters have been banned from entering the woods. Police
promise they`ll bring the alleged shooter to justice.

NBS`c Ron Allen is live on the scene in Barrett. Ron, do police think they
are closing in on Frein?

RON ALLEN, NBC NEWS: They say they`re closing in on him. They`ve been
saying that for 19 days, however. There is a lot of places for him to
hide. You can see the woods behind me. It is dense. There are caves,
swamps, ravines, very dense terrain this time of year. And it is proving
difficult to track him down and keep him confined. Over the past few weeks
there have been any number of possible sightings. The police raced to that
area. They bring helicopters in. They surround the area the best they can
with hundreds of officers and try to flush him out. But he is a very
experienced person in the wilderness.

He is describe as a survivalist. He used to do military re-enactments
which involved really getting into the combat mode. Not just walking
around with like a civil war gun reenacted. The guy is very, very skilled
in the woods and the wilderness. And they`re having trouble pinning him
down and finding him. He also took years to plan this attack and the
escape. So now 19 days later, the police keep saying they`re closing in
but he is still on the run.

SHARPTON: So let me ask you, Ron, is it the belief of everyone that there
are credible sightings and they`re closing in? Are they saying that so
they can relieve some of the obvious fear in the area, and not cause people
to continue to panic? I mean, it is 19 days. and if they`ve had these
credible sightings, how come they haven`t been able to grab him?

ALLEN: Because the sightings, they say, Reverend, have been 75 to 100
yards in very thick, rugged terrain. Then he dashes off or disappears.
How credible are they? It is unclear. The bottom line is that they have
been responding in a massive way. There are a thousand or more police
officers, federal agents in this area. And in a five square mile area who
have been spending a lot of time, energy and resources to try to track this
guy down and capture or kill him.

So whatever they get, they`re going after. They`re also finding evidence
of a trail. They found those two pipe bombs, and probably more. They
found an ak-47, they fund other items that they say he has left behind.
We`ve seen any f the bus stop. But they consistently -- they are closing
in.

And yes, you are right. People here are very nervous. That`s why they ban
in this area. They`re going to literally hundreds of on these with bows
and arrows coming this Saturday.

People here who run businesses say that business is way off. This is a
tourist season. People look at the vibrant fall foliage and they`re not
coming because this time of the year because they`re concerned. Although
the search is confine to a relatively small area, five square miles.
People are staying away because there`s a guy with a gun out there, who has
a sniper and a marksman. And who want to say chances? There is a very,
very bizarre situation, People are on the edge and everyone is hoping it
is over soon.

SHARPTON: Ron, stand by a moment. Because I want to bring in MSNBC`s law
enforcement analyst and retired ATF agent Jim Cavanaugh.

Jim, the explosive devices Frein has left, what can you tell us about them?

JIM CAVANAUGH, MSNBC ANALYST: Well, those are very unique devices I think.
He is very clever. On the one has not, it is an improvised hand grenade.
You see the bowl`s -- the nuts that are a proxy (ph) to the outside of the
training there. Those are used for fragmentation just like an old World
War II hand grenade. The fuse, the orange fuse you see, he would light
that and he could toss that just like hand grenade. So it can use it that
way.

The other side you see wrapped in wire. That`s likely a trip wire. And
so, what you could do is set it out in front of a position he`s in. Either
like a claymore mine and he could detonate it 25, 50 feet ahead of him. Or
he could sit across the trail. If an agent or a trooper tripped the wire,
everything would detonate. So it is designed to hit personnel. It is an
anti-personnel I improvised grenade. And (INAUDIBLE) provide booby trap.

SHARPTON: Now, let me ask you, Jim, because you`ve had experience in a lot
of these investigations and these searches. Nineteen days seems to me like
a long time. And they keep saying they`re closing in on him.

Do police in investigations like that say that to calm people or they
wouldn`t represent things that aren`t credible. I know you`ve done these
searches and you`ve done some that even lasted longer. Like the Eric
Rudolf matter.

CAVANAUGH. Right Reverend,. It is a great point, a great question. And
you know, Ron has been up there really trying to watch everything they`re
doing and doing some great reporting. I think if you put this in context,
you know, like the Rudolph case that you mentioned. If we had Rudolph
squeezed down to a five square mile area, I mean, we would have been
totally elated.

We spent five years tracking him up in the mountains. And, you know, as a
result, to catch him, he had to come down dumpster diving at a McDonald`s
when a patrolman with the Murphy PD caught him.

But they`re squeezing this guy down. And one thing, Ron said is key. He
will try to wear him down. Not only physically, but mentally. Mentally
and physically, you wear him down, you are squeezing him down. So there is
going some type of confrontation.

Now, the danger, I think. is that he starts the confrontation and he gets a
shot, a long rifle shot. He is going to use that 308 or one of his booby
traps or Bungy fits or you know, we emphasized the claymore mines that
hurts trooper.

SHARPTON: All right, I`m going to have leave it there. NBC`s Ron Allen in
Barrett Township, Pennsylvania and Jim Cavanaugh. Thank you both for your
time tonight.

Coming up, it is the one-year anniversary of the affordable care act going
into effect today. And we`re celebrating with a little, or should I say a
lot of crow tonight.

Plus, comedian Tracy Morgan is slamming Walmart after the store blames him
for a deadly car accident. We`re debating this and more ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Today is a big day. Not only is it the one-year anniversary of
the affordable care act going into effect. One year ago, marked the
beginning of the end for bogus right wing talking points on the ACA.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: Of course there are death panels.

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), MINNESOTA: It will be very unpleasant if the
death panels go into effect.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The government takeover of health care.

REP. PAUL RYAN (R), HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Government takeover
of health care.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: Obamacare is the number one job killer in
America.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The exchanges don`t work. You wind up going into
what they call the insurance death spiral.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What you call it, death spiral insurance death
spiral.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What you call it, death spiral?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: One after another, we laid these talking points to rest and
others with them.

In the year since President Obama`s signature health care law went into
effect, has gained a lot of headlines. But many of the law`s provisions
making a big difference in people`s lives are often overlooked.

"Politico" magazine had a helpful round-up. The ACA expands Medicaid,
specifically for kids for ages 6-18. Funds home visits to at risk families
of young children. Requires more detailed nutritional information and menu
labeling at restaurant. And contains pilot programs to help find new ways
to treat elderly and sick people with at home care. Not to mention, the
uninsured rate has plummeted. Especially among blacks, Hispanics and low
income Americans. And 70 percent of people who signed up are happy with
their new plans.

So to all those right wing Chicken Littles who claim the sky would fall
down if the ACA went into effect, look up. It has been a year and the sky
hasn`t fallen. So really nice try. But here`s my diagnosis. We "Got
You."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Polls show most Americans agree with the President`s strategy on
ISIS but conservatives don`t care. They`re busy trying to gin up a phony
scandal. A conservative group put out a report claiming President Obama
has attended just 875 presidential daily intelligence briefs. Meaning he`s
only gone to 42 percent of them of the time. And the right is freaking
out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: There was the analysis that Obama spent more
time playing golf than in these intelligence briefings and only went to 42
percent of the meetings in his term as president.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He never misses a golf, you know, outing. But these
are things he should be paying attention to. Especially during this
heightened state of terror.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is that good enough for America? Is that good enough
for the globe that your national security interests are in the low 40s?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we want the president to make sure that he gets 100
percent of his presidential daily briefings, maybe they should give it to
him on a golf cart.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: The only problem, these attacks are a bunch of baloney. The
"Washington Post" debunked that bogus claim and they did it more than two
years ago. The Post says each president has had his own style of dealing
with intelligence briefing. Some had CIA officials brief them on its
contents. But President Obama reads it ahead of his morning meeting and
comes to the meeting with questions. So he doesn`t ignore what`s in the
memo. He reads it himself. But by the right silly standards, guess who
the "Washington Post" says also skimmed 99 percent of his presidential
intelligence briefings? President Reagan. Did all these hot heads think
Reagan was asleep at the switch, too? I doubt it. But don`t hold your
breath waiting for an apology now.

Joining me now, a former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and Joe Madison.
Thank you both for being here.

JOE MADISON, SIRIUS XM RADIO HOST: Thank you for having us.

FMR. GOV. ED RENDELL (D), PENNSYLVANIA: Good evening.

SHARPTON: Governor, you can disagree with the President`s policies, but
accusing him of ignoring U.S. intelligence to play golf. I mean, isn`t
that over the line?

RENDELL: Of course it is. And this is just again symptomatic of this
parallel hatred of the President and they`re faced with the fact that
Americans overwhelmingly, and republicans overwhelmingly agree with what
he`s doing with ISIS. He did a brilliant stroke to get the Arab coalition
together. Arabs bombing Arabs. He did it brilliantly and they can`t deal
with it so they come up with something that as you say, it`s ludicrous.
Not only did Ronald Reagan miss 99 percent of the briefings because he read
them all. The President reads all of them, he writes down questions, in
the margins, he sends his questions back to be answered.

And, you know, will do follow-up meetings in the afternoon if in fact it is
important. So he is on top of it. He has always been on top of it. This
golf thing is absolutely ludicrous. And it just makes them looks small.
In fact, Rev, the one president who attended almost all of the oral
briefings was President George W. Bush. And when you look at weapons of
mass destruction, how did that work out?

SHARPTON: Yes. Let me go to you, Joe. It is not just the right wing
pundits though that`s attacking President Obama. Congressman Paul Ryan
said he disagreed with the decision not to put U.S. troops on the ground to
fight ISIS. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. PAUL RYAN (R), WISCONSIN: Number one, you should not telegraph to
your enemies what you will not do. Number two, define the mission, give it
to the military and let them do their jobs. And don`t armchair generals
these guys, that`s my fear with the President.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: He is afraid of the commander in chief being an arm chair
general? I mean, what`s your reaction, Joe?

MADISON: Well, my reaction is that he is not in step as you pointed out
with the majority of the American people. And by the way, based on all the
polling that he has done, he`s not even in step with the majority of
republicans. Who honestly think that he is done a good job. All of this
just emboldens your enemy. This is the one thing that I just simply cannot
understand and refuse to accept. For all practical purposes, we all want
the president, we want the country, we want this coalition to succeed. I
have never seen a team of people talk against their own teammates.

And you know, when you think about the fact that, as the governor said.
George Bush, the reason he went to, I mean, the majority of the meetings is
because he didn`t want to read. I mean, that`s what he said. I don`t want
to read them. You know, he wanted it verbally. But here you have a
president that reads them, writes questions, demands answers, and finally,
Reverend Sharpton, you have to ask yourself. What is this organization? I
mean, how do they know what is or is not said in a presidential briefing?
I mean, what are they, a fly on the wall? This is what so absurd about
this whole report.

SHARPTON: Yes. And what are sources that going back?

MADISON: Thank you.

SHARPTON: But let`s go back to that poll that he referred to. The polling
of American governor. A new "Washington Post" poll shows most American
approve of the President`s strategy on ISIS. But check out the GOP
perspective which Joe referred to. Eighty percent of republicans support
U.S.-led air strikes. And 60 percent support U.S. forces training Iraqi
troops and coordinating air strikes. So basically, they support what the
President is doing. But just 30 percent of republicans say they support
the President`s strategy. Doesn`t that reveal that much opposition is just
purely political opposing President Obama because of who he is, not his
policies?

RENDELL: It is political and it`s personal. It`s almost as ludicrous is.
When you poll Americans, you support the Affordable Care Act. The higher
percent say yes, they support ObamaCare.

SHARPTON: Yes.

RENDELL: I mean, it is ludicrous. I want to say if I could Rev, something
about Congressman Ryan. Congressman Ryan, I am shocked that he would say
that. The President is never, I don`t care if its President Obama or
President Bush, President Reagan, the president is never an armchair
general. The president is the commander-in-chief. That`s the way the
framers of our constitution made it. The President makes the final
decision on war and on what type of war we`ll going to fight. Not the
generals, not the chiefs of staff, but the president. And if that wasn`t
the case when JFK was president, we would have had a nuclear holocaust.
But the generals wanted to go and bomb the Russians and JFK stopped them
because he was a civilian and he knew the consequences. And so Congressman
Ryan doesn`t understand the basic tenet of the American constitution. It
is a civilian led military. That`s what makes us different than most
countries in the world.

SHARPTON: Joe, are they trying to politicize this right before the mid-
term elections?

MADISON: No ifs, ands or buts about it. I mean, it`s almost everything is
being politicized before the election. But the sad thing is they don`t
even have the courage to take a stand. You know, so they run off, they
leave Washington, and then they say, oh, why don`t you call us back? As if
they need permission from the President to call them back. And they know
that they don`t. They don`t want to take a stand. They want to kick this
can down the road. Just in case something goes wrong. That`s what`s
really going on here. And once again, I`ll remind people every
opportunity, that`s why this election, 2014, is probably a watershed
moment. This is one of the most important elections we`ve had in this
entire cycle of the Obama administration.

SHARPTON: Governor Ed Rendell and Joe Madison, thank you both for your
time tonight.

MADISON: Thank you.

RENDELL: Thank you, Rev.

SHARPTON: Still ahead, Tracy Morgan is hitting back at Walmart for
suggesting he is to blame for getting injured in a store truck -- by a
store truck in his car.

Also, outrage over a coach`s decision after a devastating hit to a college
quarterback.

And why are some people calling a jeopardy category sexist? It`s the talk
of the nation tonight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: We`re back now with the talk of the nation. The story and
debate everyone is talking about today.

Joining me now is MSNBC`s Krystal Ball, political strategist Angela Rye,
and CBS sports radio host Dana Jacobson. Thank you all for being here
tonight.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thanks for having us, Rev.

SHARPTON: And we want to hear what you have to say at home. Tweet us your
opinion. You can see the banner at the bottom of the screen. We`ll have
the questions up. Tweet us your response using the #talknation. And we
may feature it during the segment.

We start with Tracy Morgan firing back at Walmart. The comedian saying
today, he can`t believe Walmart is blaming him for an accident they caused,
saying he was doing nothing wrong. Morgan filed a lawsuit after an
accident back in June when the limousine that he was in was struck from
behind by a Walmart delivery truck. Morgan claimed Walmart was responsible
because the driver was awake for more than 24 hours. But this week,
Walmart blamed Morgan for a, quote, "Failure to properly wear an
appropriate available seatbelt restraint device."

Krystal, Tracy Morgan can`t believe it. Does he have a point?

KRYSTAL BALL, MSNBC HOST, "THE CYCLE": Absolutely. I mean, it`s not Tracy
Morgan`s fault of not wearing a seatbelt that this Walmart truck rammed the
vehicle he was traveling in from behind. And I think the bigger issue here
right, is Walmart`s labor practices in general. Truckers in California,
Walmart truckers in California were just granted class action status in a
lawsuit about not paying the minimum wage in California. We all know the
way that Walmart treats their workers. I think this is just one more
example of that.

DANA JACOBSON, SPORTS RADIO HOST: It is even a pr disaster for them.
Because no matter what the law is, they now look like the bad guy in doing
this.

SHARPTON: Just by having this back and forth.

JACOBSON: Yes. Just by having the back and forth.

BALL: Blaming the victim.

SHARPTON: Let me go to you quickly Angela.

ANGELA RYE, POLITICAL STRATEGIST: The one thing that we have to remember
is this guy also had a 700 mile commute from Georgia to Delaware. That is
also very treacherous. It is bad worker conditions and unfortunately the
guy you don`t want to go up against is one with the audience. Tracy Morgan
is not the guy to go up against.

SHARPTON: You don`t fight guys with a microphones, Dana.

JACOBSON: No, you don`t. And also, I`ve been in a party bus, I remember
saying, don`t go in front of the line. It was never a worry about the
seatbelt being on. What about the federal jurisdiction and even the state
when we talk about these drivers. Is it Walmart`s responsibility to see if
they`ve been there for 24 hours or, you know those weigh stations that you
pass on the road?

SHARPTON: Yes.

JACOBSON: Why not do checks there and see how they`re -- like a sobriety
test.

SHARPTON: Well, it`s going to be interesting to see how it goes out to
trial. I`ve not been on party buses. March buses.

(LAUGHTER)

JACOBSON: Nothing bad happened I promise.

SHARPTON: Just buses but no party buses.

Not in a controversy at the University of Michigan where students are
calling for the school to fire the university`s athletic director and head
football coach. The protest come four days after Michigan`s quarterback
Shane Morris suffered a concussion after a brutal helmet to helmet blow, in
the game against Minnesota.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And he can barely stand up now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boy, they`ve just got to get him out of the ball game.
And I have to tell you right now that number seven is still in this game is
appalling.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: After that, Morris was sent back into the game despite looking
dazed and obviously injured. The head Coach Brady Hoke held a press
conference defending the decision to send Morris back in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRADY HOKE, MICHIGAN HEAD COACH: I don`t make decisions when injuries and
that shouldn`t be a coach`s decision. That`s why we have some of the best
trainers, some of the best doctors in the country. We want to win football
games, we want to mentor kids so that they learn great life lessons, and we
want to do it representing Michigan with high integrity and high character.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: Dana, you were at the game. Your reaction?

JACOBSON: Well, I know Brady Hoke and I know this much. Brady Hoke did
not send Shane Morrison knowing what his status was. Brady Hoke should
lose his job because he`s not winning games right now and he hasn`t
developed this program. But what we learned is there was a complete
breakdown in protocol. There are doctors and trainers on the sidelines.
The head coach, the offensive coordinator, they`re not necessarily going to
see the hits that we see. We saw it. We were like, you got to pull them
under the game.

BALL: The commentators saw it, the fans saw it. Everyone saw it.

JACOBSON: As soon as that play is over, you`re either working with the
defense, you`re looking down at your chart in order to call a place.
That`s why the doctors and the trainers are there. And that that was the
breakdown. When he went to the bench to get checked out, that helmet
should have been taken away the same as in the NFL so he never had a chance
to go back in. Now, that`s under Brady`s regime but it`s also all of the
NCAA. The reason you`re not hearing from colleges right now saying fire
Brady Hoke, Brady Hoke should be out because they`re all looking at their
protocol now too.

RYE: I think one thing we have to remember --

SHARPTON: Should the protocol be changed?

RYE: Yes, absolutely. And that`s one thing we could even learn from the
NFL. We`ve seen this time and time again. Folks that end up with
concussions that ruin their lives, not just their careers.

BALL: Right.

RYE: These are folks that are not being paid. And we can get into college
sports and whether or not athletes should be paid but that`s I think
another part of the issue.

BALL: Even before that brutal hit to the head, the commentators were
saying you have to pull this guy out. Because the reason he was so
susceptible about hit was because his ankle was injured and he was in
danger even before that happened. They saw it coming.

JACOBSON: This is football though. And there are injuries that players
are going to want to play through. Whether we like it or not as people --

BALL: But is it the player`s responsibility? Because there`s so much
pressure on them to say --

(CROSSTALK)

SHARPTON: Isn`t that the debate about football? Forcing people to go to
end injuries. And we`re talking here about college football. We`re not
even talking about pros. They`re not even getting paid.

JACOBSON: Right. But when you`re talking about an ankle injury. Which is
there is a difference they say between being injured and hurt. And one
that can actually cause you career time and the difference between what
your pain threshold. I watched him. He wanted to stay in the game and his
limping got better as he went back. He should have been pulled. Because
he was ineffective also and you should have had the third string
quarterback ready to go.

SHARPTON: Let me go to the next one. I`ll take outrage for a thousand,
Alex. Is jeopardy in jeopardy? The game show is talking a lot of things,
but is taking a lot of heat after featuring this category.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today, these are the categories. What women want? Oh,
boy.

SHARPTON: Oh boy is right. Let`s hear the answers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A pair of jeans that fit well like the 525s from this
brand. Katherine.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are Levis?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s right. Before bed, a cup of this herbal tea
from celestial seasonings. That`s logo seen here. Katherine.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is sleepy time?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: A pair of jeans? Sleepy time tea? What else do women want?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What women want?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some help around the house. Would it kill to you get
out the bissell bagless canister one of these every once in a while?
Allen?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is a vacuum cleaner?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: A vacuum cleaner? That answer lit up social media. One woman
tweeted, question, this TV program still thinks the year is 1955. Answer.
What is jeopardy?

Another woman said, what women want, what is equal pay. What is the right
to make my own health decisions? What is treated like a human? And
actress Sophia Bush tweeted, "For a smart show you just got seriously
stupid."

Angela, was it offensive or are people just looking to criticize?

RYE: No. This was more than offensive. And I think highly problematic.
We`ve been talking about equal pay all year, if not forever, right? I`ll
take 77 cents on the dollar. That should have been the next category. It
was so ignorant. I can`t believe that someone who has been as pc as Alex
Trebek over the years would make such a huge comeback.

BALL: I want to know if they had any women working on writing those
questions. If there is anyone in the room --

JACOBSON: Because the answer was Levi jeans. When was the last time you
wore Levi jeans?

(LAUGHTER)

RYE: At least if you`re going to be sexist --

(CROSSTALK)

JACOBSON: Right. I want somebody to clean my house not the vacuum
cleaner. Thank you.

SHARPTON: So, the fact that there were women answering, they didn`t seem
offended.

RYE: They were trying to win the money. They have to make that 77 cents.

SHARPTON: They`re trying to make up for that --

BALL: And Trebek had had an issue in the past where he`s been shocked that
women were winning. But when a man wins, it`s normal.

JACOBSON: You know, I actually got the opportunity to launch an all-
women`s sports show yesterday. The first ever that`s been done nationally.
And we talk about how --

SHARPTON: No men? All women?

JACOBSON: All women. I`m looking to protest that.

(LAUGHTER)

Thank you to this great panel. Krystal Ball, Angela Rye, and Dana
Jacobson. Thank you all. We`ll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Courage, bravery, leadership and inspiration. Breast cancer
awareness month kicked off today and we saw America at its best. That`s
next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SHARPTON: Finally tonight, a story of heroism and courage. Today kicked
off National Breast Awareness Month. The annual campaign to bring
attention to the horrible disease and remember loved ones we`ve lost.
Because everyone has a story. Everyone knows the pain of breast cancer.
You might know a family member, a friend, or a co-worker suffering. This
year more than 230,000 women and 2,000 men will be diagnosed with breast
cancer in America.

But more Americans are surviving more than ever before. And part of the
reason is because of the fight and spirit in America. This morning, the
"Today" show launched a pink power series. For awareness. The plaza was
packed with survivors, including one famous fighter. Joan Lunden. In
June, the former face of "Good Morning America" was diagnosed with breast
cancer. Her "People" magazine cover appearing bald. So inspired so many
to lose their wigs. This morning she talked about her decision.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOAN LUNDEN, TELEVISION HOST: At first, I kept going back and forth. And
I mean, I have children who are nine and 11 and were they going to be
embarrassed? Were they going to have someone say, gee, is your mommy
dying? And I kind of talked myself out of it. I need to be the lioness.
The mommy first. And then the closer it got, I said, wait a second, this
is going to be out of character for Joan Lunden not to do this. Like maybe
I just need to talk to my children. When they came about in the bed, and I
said I have a decision to make. And it is a national magazine which means
everyone is going to see it. And you guys haven`t even seen me with no
hair. They haven`t seen me bald.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How come?

LUNDEN: I don`t run around the house that way. Because I guess it says
I`m afraid it will shock them or make them feel -- I don`t want them to
worry that I`m going on die. Because I`m beating this. We`re doing this.
We`re losing our hair in order to live and survive and be there for our
families and our husbands and our kids. That`s a whole different ball of
wax.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: This is courage. And this is inspiring to everyone fighting
this fight together. You know what`s also inspiring? The 2.8 million
survivor stories out there.

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

Content and programming copyright 2014 MSNBC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Transcription Copyright 2014 ASC LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No license is
granted to the user of this material other than for research. User may not
reproduce or redistribute the material except for user`s personal or
internal use and, in such case, only one copy may be printed, nor shall
user use any material for commercial purposes or in any fashion that may
infringe upon MSNBC and ASC LLC`s copyright or other proprietary rights or
interests in the material. This is not a legal transcript for purposes of
litigation.