The Ed Show for Thursday, October 16th, 2014

Show: THE ED SHOW
Date: October 16, 2014

Guest: Jean Ross, Chris Van Hollen, Mitch Ceasar, Lawrence Wilkerson, John
Garamendi, Tom Colicchio

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. THOMAS FRIEDEN, CDC DIRECTOR: We know how to control Ebola even in
this period.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A soon as somebody is
diagnosed with Ebola.

BRIANA AGUIRRE, RN, TEXAS HEALTH PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL: It was just a
little chaotic scene.

OBAMA: Do you want a rapid response, a SWAT team essentially from the CDC
to be on the ground as quickly as possibly hopefully within 24 hours.

AGUIRRE: We took probably around three hours to make our first contact
with the CDC.

FRIEDEN: There are no shortcuts in the control of Ebola.

AGUIRRE: No special gear -- we were unprepared.

FRIEDEN: CDC works 24/7 to protect the Americans.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s a global disease.

OBAMA: We do not lose sight the importance of the international response.

FRIEDEN: Stop the epidemic at the source.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can`t imagine that there is partisan issue related to
Ebola.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The President again has been two steps behind on the
asleep of the whale.

MICHAEL SAVAGE, RADIO HOST: I named him President Obola shows us how
incompetent the man really is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s not a Republican response or Democrat response.

OBAMA: I shook hands with hug and kissed, not the doctors but top of the
nurses.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a human response.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ED SCHULTZ, MSNBC HOST: Good to have you with us tonight, folks. Thanks
for watching, we start with breaking news.

President Obama has just signed in executive order on Ebola. The order
authorizes National Guard troop to travel to Liberia to setup 17 treatment
centers. 565 troops are already in that country, a total of 4,000 troops
are expected to travel to Africa to fight Ebola.

Just a few moments ago, the President -- and a few moments coming up, the
President will meet with Congressional leaders at the White House and they
are expected to discuss how quickly new Ebola SWAT teams can be dispatch to
deal with the cases.

The executive order comes as nurses here at home are calling for President
Obama to take action. Today, National Nurses United called on President
Obama to issue an executive order. They want the President to order all
U.S. hospitals to meet the highest uniform national standard and protocols
in order to safely protect patient`s health care workers and the public.

There request comes as an American nurses truly are at risks. Since the
first Ebola patient was diagnosed in America the Ed Show has voiced
concerns of nurses around the country. Nurses say, they don`t have
adequate training, protective gear, and procedures put in place. Their
fears have been confirmed as two nurses had Dallas Health Presbyterian have
been diagnosed with Ebola. Both nurses treated the first Ebola patient
Thomas Eric Duncan.

Now, earlier today, a nurse from Dallas Health Presbyterian broke her
silence. Her statements are shocking to say the least. Nurse Briana
Aguirre told to Today Show, Dallas Presbyterian never discussed Ebola with
employees before Duncan was admitted. She said the hospitals initial
handling of Duncan was deeply flawed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AGUIRRE: All I know for sure, without any speculation without any, you
know, without being misleading here at all is that he was put into an area
where there are up to seven other patients. We took probably around three
hours to make our first contact with the CDC to even let them know that
what we have is our suspicion.

You know, there was no special precautions other than what we know in the
medical and shouldn`t we, you know, basic contact precautions and droplet
precautions was -- no special gear. We were unprepared in the sense that
we just not know what to do, with the lab specimens; they were initially
mishandled and that`s what the lab technician told me. And it was total
chaotic scene seen are in Texas Disease -- department was contacted to ask
what is the protocol. And their answer was, "We don`t know, we`re going to
have to call you back."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: So, who`s on first and who`s on third? Clearly, there`s
disconnect between the CDC and people providing care. After Nurse Nina
Pham was diagnosed with Ebola Aguirre was part of her treatment team.
Aguirre said she was not given the protective proper gear.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AGUIRRE: I threw a fit, I just couldn`t I just can`t believe it, you know,
and the second week -- so an Ebola crisis at my hospital. The only gear
they`re offering us at that time and up until that time is gear that is
allowing our neck to be uncovered. And I just flat out asked several
infectious disease nurses I asked the CDC, "Why would I be wearing two
pairs of gloves, three pairs of booties, a plastic suit covering my entire
body and then leave my neck hanging out this much, so that -- something can
potentially go close to my mouth or nose?"

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Folks, let`s not be afraid to call this what it is. This is the
business of health care in America. We are expecting for profit hospitals
to provide the proper protective gear and the proper training. Think about
that, is that really call for an executive order to force these hospitals
to do it? I think so.

Looks to me like these hospitals are all for profit? Aguirre is no doubt
doing a right thing by blowing the whistle on a Dallas Health Presbyterian
Hospital. By her account, this hospital knowingly put employees at risk.
Aguirre said that she is worried about retaliation from her employer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AGUIRRE: I just want to say that I`m sorry for -- my coworkers I know that
a lot of you be proud of me right now and I`m sorry for those of you that
are not. But what I`m doing here is not wrong. And I don`t believe anyone
can argue that.

And I`m just -- I`m very concern about losing my job, it is some -- it`s
the best job I ever had. I travel a great distant to work there. I`m
close to the hospital, I`m the breadwinner of my family and I`m terrified,
I`m just like any other, you know, the majority of middle class, working
class people, I`m just a couple of paycheck away from not -- my mortgage,
and I`m terrified about that. And, I don`t know about my future there at
that hospital or at any hospital.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: So, this is a workplace issue. These is about competence and
accountability, but let`s not forget profit, we can`t let that get in a way
if we really want to make sure that we`re going to knock down Ebola in this
country.

Now, earlier today the Vice President of Dallas Presbyterian Hospital
testifies in front of Congress. Dr. Daniel Varga claimed all CDC
guidelines were followed and protective gear was given to the staff.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. DANIEL VARGA, VP, TX, HEALTH PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL: The hospital
followed all CDC in Texas Department of State Health Services`
recommendations in an effort to ensure the safety of patients, hospitals
staff, volunteers, nurses, physicians, and visitors. Protective equipment
included water, impermeable gowns, surgical marks, eye protection, and
gloves.

Since the patient was having diarrhea, shoe covers were added shortly
thereafter added. We notified the Dallas Accounting Health and Human
Services Department and their infectious disease specialist arrived on the
side shortly thereafter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Well, Varga`s testimony directly contradicts what the nurses have
been saying all along. Later in the hearing, Varga did a 180, he admitted
his hospital did not provide proper training for the staff.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DIANA DEGETTE, (D) COLORADO: Your hospital received the first CDC
health advisory about Ebola on July 28. And this advisory was given to the
directors of your emergency departments and signage was posted in your
emergency room, is that right?

VARGA: Yes ma`am.

DEGETTE: Now, was this information given to your emergency room personnel
and was there any actual person to person training at Texas Presbyterian
for the staff at that time? Yes or no?

VARGA: It was given to the emergency department.

DEGETTE: Was there actual training?

VARGA: No.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: There was not actual training. His testimony now supports what
the nurses have been saying all along around this country. 85 percent of
nurses say their hospital has not provided education on Ebola with the
ability they ask questions. 37 percent say their hospital has insufficient
protective gear. Well, you see that cost money.

Today`s hearing also highlighted some missteps in the CDC. Dr. Tom Frieden
admitted Nurse Amber Vinson called the CDC before she flew on Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TIM MURPHY, (R) PENNSYLVANIA: Dr. Frieden, a second nurse affected
with Ebola took a flight to Cleveland after she registered a fever. We
have reports say she contacted the CDC and was told she could fly, that in
fact called the CDC and asked for guidance and boarding a commercial flight
as far as you know.

FRIEDEN: My understanding is that she did contact CDC and we discussed
with her reported symptoms...

MURPHY: OK.

FRIEDEN: ... as well as other evaluation.

MURPHY: Were you part of that conversation?

FRIEDEN: No I was not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: So the CDC just did not error the side of safety. Dr. Frieden
claimed Nurse Vinson reported no symptoms, but multiple reports reveal
Vinson was given clearance to fly with a low-grade fever, does that sound
safe to you?

Earlier today, was announced Nurse Nina Pham would be moved to the National
Institute of Health in Maryland. It`s one of four specialized containment
facilities in this country built to handle Ebola. Once Pham moved to
Dallas, Dallas Presbyterian will have no Ebola patients. No surprise
considering the way they have handled this so far.

Meanwhile, the issue of a travel ban from West Africa was also a hot topic
today in Washington. As of now, there are no restrictions. Some members
of Congress are calling for a travel ban from Ebola-stricken countries.

Today, the FAA says that it`s considering a travel ban on a day to day
basis. President Obama canceled the second day of political events to deal
with this crisis. Stay with your home.

If there is any news from the White House in this hour we certainly will
bring to you live as we reported to you a moment ago the President will be
meeting with congressional leaders in just a moment at the White House.
But, wrap yourself around this for just a moment.

We have a for profit health care system in this country. I like profit,
but I also like to safety and I also like guarantees. We do not have a
guarantee right now as a public that this country has got everything inline
to take care of Ebola. There are too many lose ends, there`s not enough
restriction. There is not enough protocol being followed.

Well what happens here is that -- "Oh by the way, you`re the CEO of the
hospital, you`re in the fourth quarter of the year, it`s been a good year
in fact we`re getting towards bonus territory." And the President and the
CDC is saying that we got to have all those protective gear. "Well, how
much does that cost boss? Well, I think it`s going to be about two or
three, four million dollars if we`re really going to it right of all the
training." How many Ebola patients do we have come through the door?
Well, we haven`t had any. "Well, guess what? We`re not going to buy it
unless we`re told to."

President Obama, you need to sign an executive order forcing, forcing
that`s the word. Forcing ever single health care facility in this country
to get protective gear because what that nurse said on the Today Show is a
major wake up call, what the nurses united has been saying for over two
weeks is a wake up call. Get your cellphones out. I want to know what you
think.

Hot topics of discussion in Washington are travel ban, OK. Should there be
a travel band from African countries with Ebola outbreak? Text A for yes,
text B for no 67622, you can always go to our blog at ed.msnbc.com.

Now, if you`re thinking about profit. It would probably be a heck of a lot
easier to put a travel ban in place than it would be to tell those
hospitals across the country. "Well, just get protective gear if you get
an Ebola patient." I don`t like those odds either.

For more, let me bring in, Jean Ross of the National Nurses United. Ms.
Ross, thanks for your time tonight.

JEAN ROSS, RN, NATIONAL NURSES UNITED: Glad to be here.

SCHULTZ: Dr. Varga gave testimony with an admission of guilt when it comes
to training. What`s your reaction to that?

ROSS: It`s always nice to hear an apology, I`m afraid it`s a little late.
And if the very, very hard for us who have been sounding the warning signal
for so long, I guess my feeling is, "Thank God someone`s listening now."
But, if this is what it takes to get anyone to listen to us, we`re up a
creek so to speak. I would say that his acknowledgment that not enough was
done or what should have been done wasn`t done is something.

But, how do you look at those two nurses in other hospitals now fighting
for their life? How do you talk to your crew, your staff at your hospital
now and expect them to trust you?

SCHULTZ: Your reaction to today`s interview with Brianna Aguirre?

ROSS: I have to tell you that I almost broke down and cried when I could
see she was on the verge of tears. And it`s so, so utterly familiar to us
is, its Ebola now but it`s been other things in the past. When we warned -
- it`s as you said, it is the profit motive, that bottom line has to come
first.

We even heard a quote from some CEO and I can not tell you which facility.
That said, "Is this really what you`re expecting us to do? My gosh that
will bankrupt us." Well, that`s not the perspective of the nurses of this
country.

SCHULTZ: This is what...

ROSS: The nurses of the country...

SCHULTZ: Yes, go ahead.

ROSS: The nurses of this country have your back so to speak. This is our
job to care for the public. And for him to come and right out and say
that, sadly he is not alone.

SCHULTZ: I was stunned today that at this congressional hearing no one
asked the question, how much would it cost to prepare a hospital? You`re
in Minneapolis -- pick a hospital in Minneapolis, how much would it cost to
prepare a hospital to get ready for Ebola when we`re talking about
protective gear in training? Can you answer that?

ROSS: You know what? No, I can not. I do not know the figures, but I
know one thing, there is billions and billions of dollars in our health
care system. And if we have the money to send troops which I`m glad the
President is doing. If we have money for other things that we consider
priorities that money needs to come.

SCHULTZ: Jean Ross, I appreciate your time tonight. Thank you so much for
being on the Ed Show. Keep up the fight.

For more, let me bring in Congress Chris Van Hollen of Maryland,
Congressman good to have you on.

REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, (D) MARYLAND: Good to be here.

SCHULTZ: Your thoughts, wrap up what you saw today, what`s your conclusion
at this point?

HOLLEN: Well Ed, clearly there was a breakdown in the hospital, our
readiness system. The Dallas Hospital was clearly not prepared to
response, you had the testimony from the nurses and we have the infection
from two nurses.

So, first of all it`s absolutely essentially that we have a uniform
national standard for hospitals whether that sort of executive order or
some other directive. People need to be prepared, number one.

Number two, I was pleased to hear that the CDC is going to now be sending
SWAT teams wherever there is an indication of symptoms of Ebola. And if a
hospital is not yet prepared to deal with it, those patients should be
taken to the hospitals where it is. So, I represent the district that`s
home to the National Institute of Health.

I got a call this morning from Dr. Collins who`s the Director of NIH,
informing that they were going to be transferring the first nurse who got
sick in Dallas to NIH today. And they assured me that NIH was a facility
that had the capacity to deal with this Ebola virus.

So, to the extend hospitals are not yet prepared, we need to make sure
those patients are going to places that are so that we don`t put other
people at risk.

SCHULTZ: Congressman, from what you assessed do you think that this
country can be successful in fighting Ebola and containing this without all
hospitals or major facilities having protective gear and procedures put in
place?

HOLLEN: Well, no Ed. I do think all those hospitals have to be putting
the protective gear in place. People should be getting the training now.
It`s a separate question as whether or not, if a hospital is still not a
quit to handle Ebola whether they should then be transferred under care to
one of these centers like NIH or Emory University that`s more equipped.

But everybody needs to be on higher alert. They need to be national and
uniform standards for dealing with this because clearly, at least in the
first instance the system did not work...

SCHULTZ: It can be done. I mean the National Nurses United they want and
executive order, would you support that, would you advice the President to
do that?

HOLLEN: I would support an executive order or other form that directive
should take. I`ve just written today to the Maryland Hospitals Association
with a series of questions asking them to make sure that Maryland Hospitals
are prepared and asking them to go off a checklist that was actually
provided by Nurses United as to whether those standards of care were in
place in Maryland.

So, we should be having that take place throughout the country.

SCHULTZ: Every single concern over the last several weeks that the nurses
have brought up has turned out to be a problem. I don`t know if everybody
is paying attention, but I`m listened to what the workers are saying in
these facilities. And everything that they had brought up has turned out
to be an issue of concern down the road.

And they`re asking for an executive order, I think it`s time for that.

HOLLEN: Yeah.

SCHULTZ: What do you want Congress to do? Congressmen, what do you --
Congressman Chris Van Hollen, what do you want Congress to do?

HOLLEN: Well, two things. First, I think we should be calling upon the
executive branch calling the President to make sure that there is this
uniform standard in place. Again, whether it`s an executive order or some
other measure -- I don`t -- it doesn`t matter what form it takes as long as
it gets the job done, number one.

Number two, going forward, I hope we will learn the lessons about how it`s
important the fund places like the NIH and the CDC. Dr. Collins who`s the
head of the NIH has pointed out that because of the budget cuts over the
last couple of years. The NIH was not as prepared, as capable as they
might be to develop an act of vaccine or therapeutics. That is
shortsighted and simply dumb. We need to address those issues as well.

SCHULTZ: Congressman Chris Van Hollen, good to have you with us tonight
sir. Thank you so much.

HOLLEN: Good to be with you. Thanks.

SCHULTZ: Coming up, the first -- or should I say the fight against ISIS
continues. Americans the poll says, America wants boots on the ground.
But first, Rick Scoot shows up late to his own debate more on the Governor
losing his cool next.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: What`s hot, what`s not? Trenders, join the Ed team on the social
media, facebook.com/edshow, twitter.com/edshow, and ed.msnbc.com. We do a
podcast everyday. You`re going to find at @wegoted.com, rawstory.com,
ringoffireradio.com and free on iTunes.

The Ed Show Social Media Nation has decided, we`re reporting. Here are
today`s hot topics voted on by you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge.

SCHULTZ: The number three trender, dodger.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: An already is tight race for governor becomes even
closer. Both Walker and Burke received 47 percent support.

GOV. SCOTT WALKER, (R) WISCONSIN: You guys are asking a lot of interesting
questions that quite honestly, I (inaudible) if anyone is.

SCHULTZ: Struggling Scott Walker tries to sidestep abortion issues.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you believe a fetus is a citizen?

WALKER: Well, an unborn child is an important -- yes I mean.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That doesn`t make sense.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don`t see any form of a birth control as an
important...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Again it all depends on what you define as birth
control.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible) all the time.

BILL GLAUBER, JOURNAL SENTINEL: Do you believe abortion should be banned
after 20 weeks?

WALKER: Is it all we have to look at in a future session out there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here`s a good idea, have a point.

SCHULTZ: The number two trender, sour note.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you please never release an album on iTunes that
automatically downloads to people`s play list ever again, it`s really rude.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How rude.

BONO, U2 FRONTMAN: Oops

SCHULTZ: Bono says sorry for U2`s Rotten Apple album release.

BONO: I`m sorry about that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You shouldn`t be sorry.

BONO: A drop of megalomania, a touch of generosity, dash of self
promotion.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If it is free, it`s me.

BONO: It`s a lot of noise out there. We got a little noisy our selves to
get through it.

SCHULTZ: And today`s` top trender, getting heated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we have an extremely peculiar situation right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The fan Charlie Crist`s deep delayed Wednesday night`s
gubernatorial debate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For that reason, Governor Scott will not join us for
this debate.

SCHULTZ: Rick Scott losses his cool before his debate against Charlie
Crist.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor Scott why the delay coming out over a fan.

GOV. RICK SCOTT, (R) FLORIDA: Well, look who decided to show up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I waited until we figured out he`s going to show up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was distracting you can truly hear it in a
microphone.

FRM. GOV. CHARLIE CRIST, (D) FLORIDA: Are we really going to debate about
a fan or are we going to talk about education and the environment and the
future of our state?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Well, you know, the old saying folks don`t ever let them see you
sweet.

Joining me tonight is Mitch Ceasar of the Broward County Democratic Party.

Mitch, that`s pretty. You`ve been around this racket for 40 some what
years -- that`s one for the archives didn`t it? What happened?

MITCH CEASAR, BROWARD CO., DEMOCRATIC PARTY: Well -- and I`ve been to
Presidential debates, U.S. Senate debates, Governor`s debates and it was
like an out-of-body political experience for me.

Everybody first thought it was joke because neither wanted to come out and
thought perhaps they`re running late. Charlie Crist came out pretty
quickly and stood at the podium and stood at the podium and stood at the
podium until the moderator made that announcement and Crist`s comment was
probably the most appropriate. He just looked at the audience and went,
"Really?"

So, it was very bizarre and I`ve certainly never experienced anything like
it and frankly Governor Scott came as a petulant child.

SCHULTZ: Well, is that going to hurt him? I mean, is that given insight
to his personality and his stability. What do you think?

CEASAR: Well, I think it does. You know, his negative rating on people
like personally -- if you didn`t like him before the debate you sure would
not want to have a bear with him since the debate ever.

I think what he did was -- I think it`s going to prove to be -- I think
maybe the critical difference. You know, they`re dead tie in the polls or
up by one. It`s less than three weeks left. Had this happen a couple of
months ago, I think it would have drifted away.

I think these moments will remain in the psyche of the Florida elector. I
think it will hurt because you still have 7 percent undecideders and if you
can`t if you count leaners you`re probably 15 percent.

And anyone who watched that or watched today which maybe more people will
say, hey, if I`m a Democrat and I was sitting home, I think I`ve going to
vote with Charlie Crist. He actually spoke to the issues and had the
answers and "That Rick Scott in a couple of lies", at least.

SCHULTZ: Well...

CEASAR: While as Republicans, if they sit home, made you say, this guy is
kind of scary and it`s not even Halloween yet maybe I shouldn`t vote.

SCHULTZ: We should point this out, that when I was down in Florida this
spring, I did a sit down interview with Charlie Crist and he wanted a fan,
so he got a fan. I mean, everybody knows if (inaudible) Charlie there`s
going to be a fan there. He doesn`t like to sweat during an interview.

And I`m surprised that Scott wasn`t smart enough to come out and, you know,
do what you`re supposed to do and then call Charlie Crist. "Charlie, why
do you got that fan over there for?" You know, he couldn`t disarmed
Charlie Crist or had the upper hand on it and say, you know, that`s not
supposed to be here. Is that how you`re going to be if you`re Governor,
breaking a rules?

I mean, he just didn`t have the instinct to make the play which I think is
a real insight of what kind of decisions he`d makes a Governor. Now, think
about this. The guy spent $51 million. He`s an incoming Governor and he`s
concerned about a fan on the stage of a debate. That`s not having control
of the issues as I see it. That`s a guy who`s intimidated.

Do you want your Governor intimidated by -- and distracted by such small
things?

So moving forward, what...

CEASAR: Well, you know...

SCHULTZ: ... what about that?

CEASAR: Well, I agree with you. You know, it was -- an incredible
miscalculation. That was even a force error by Charlie Crist. That was a
self composed there.

And I think it`s because Rick Scott is so overly programmed. He is so
tight which is one of the reasons why he kept ponting. And if he had a
difficult question to answer, you know, he tried a reference, you know, his
poor mom would pass away multiple, multiple times.

This is a guy who we told people, if you didn`t like him now -- if he gets
reelected and doesn`t have to run again, you`re really going to dislike
him.

SCHULTZ: So in other words, in a corporate world that`s what we called a
real suit, right? Yes, I got it.

CEASAR: Well, and speaking of corporate very quickly I will tell you
Charlie Crist pointed out that there was $266 million in public dollars
given out to these corporations for job incentives. Is this the great job
Governor Rick Scott...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

CEASAR: ... only 4 percent of the goals have been met.

SCHULTZ: Mitch Ceasar, good to have you with us tonight. Thank you so
much.

Coming up, in America`s fight against ISIS, there seems to be a shift
that`s taking place in public opinion in America.

Rapid Response Panel joins us to discuss. Plus, more hateful remarks from
the guy who said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAT ROBERTSON, AMERICAN MEDIA MOGUL: You`ve got a couple of same-sex guys
kissing, you like that? That makes me want to throw up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Well Preacher Pat is definitely not wearing purple today. His
newest homophobic rant lands him in pretender tonight.

Questions coming up next, Ask Ed Live. We`ll be right back on the Ed Show.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. I appreciate the questions tonight
in our Ask Ed Live Segment.

Our first question comes from Anthony (ph). "Do you think that CDC budget
cuts of $800 million are affecting our ability to fight Ebola?" Well,
commonsense tells you that if you loss $800 million out of anybody`s
budget, you`re not going to have the same product. So the answer to that
is yes.

If the CDC could get that in $800 million dollars back right now, I`m sure
that they would take it and put it to good use. But I do think that
somebody who ever answer that phone call from Nurse Vinson should have had
the wherewithal (ph) to pass it on to somebody to get a real good decision
because she should have been told not to travel with a low-grade favor.

Stick around, Rapid Response Panel is next.

HAMPTON PEARSON, CNBC CORRESPONDENT: I`m Hampton Pearson with your CNBC
Market Wrap. Another volatile day for stocks.

The Dow rebounded from 206 points decline to end off by 24 points, the S&P
finishing flat, the NASDAQ adding two points.

Investors largely ignored the better than expected read on weekly jobless
claim fillings, they fell by 23,000 to 264,000, a 14-year low.

Goldman Sachs shares fell more than 2 percent despite of reporting earnings
and revenue that easily beat estimates.

And Apple falling today after unveiling two new iPads that will ship next
week.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Our objective is clear. We will degrade, and ultimately destroy,
ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy.

We will send an additional 475 service members to Iraq. As I I`ve said
before, these American forces will not have a combat mission -- we will not
get dragged into another ground war in Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. Just over a mount since President
Obama outlined his administration`s plan to degrade and ultimately destroy
ISIS.

A lot has changed since then including the mood of the American public.
Back in September in NBC News, Wall Street Journal poll found that majority
of Americans wanted U.S. action against to be limited to air strikes only.

According to a pull conducted this month, 41 percent of Americans now
believe both airstrikes and combat troops on the ground are necessary for
the missions against ISIS. No surprise here, the reversal is fueled mostly
by groups that make up the GOP base. There`s been virtually no change
among Democrats.

According to Huffington Post, paratroopers are currently training in Fort
Polk, Louisiana to fight ISIS despite the no boots on the ground mantra.

Even the name of this operation seems to leave the door open for ground
troops, Operation Inherent Resolve.

Central Command Official said the name was intended to signify the use of
all available dimensions of national power necessary.

Joining me tonight in our Rapid Response Panel Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson,
Former Chief of Staff Secretary of State Colin Powell and Adjunct Professor
of the College of William &Mary. Also with us tonight, Congressman John
Garamendi of California who sits on the House Armed Services Committee.

Gentlemen, thanks for your time tonight. Colonel you first.

Are we setting the table for a reversal in policy here? What do you make
of this? And of the polls, the current feeling of the American people
apparently starting to shift.

COL. LAWRENCE WILKERSON, U.S. ARMY (RET): I hope not Ed. I think what
we`re doing is just sound contingency planning and in this case some
training to back it up, should we have to do it.

I would call your viewer`s attention to an article by Lieutenant Colonel
Daniel Davis who criticized our apologies in Afghanistan quite eloquently,
in the national interest the couple days ago. And it suggests a set of
tactics that just might work.

What we`ve got right now is we`ve got bombing that now is hitting targets
that don`t matter much because ISIS has gone into urban areas and into
hiding. They`re smart, they know what to do when we bomb.

Let`s keep them in those areas. Let`s cord them off and let`s dare them to
come out. And when they do come out, let`s bomb the heck out of them.

Let`s don`t put troops on the ground and let`s don`t do in indiscriminate
bombing. I think Daniel Davis is on to a good set of tactics.

SCHULTZ: Congressman. What has change if anything? What are the chances
of us putting boots on the ground at this point?

REP JOHN GARAMENDI (D) CALIFORNIA: Well we`re in a slippery slope Ed, I
said this a month ago watch out the slope is now been greased. And you
listen to the media, the media -- the drum beats of war. That was -- that
drum beat is out there. We got it -- we`re really should not -- we should
not put those boots on the ground. There`s a place for Special Forces
we`ve already seen that in Syria and probably some places in Iraq.

The bombing campaign is stabilizing the situation. The President laid out
four specific things to be done. None of them included boots on the
ground. We spent a decade. We`ll spend well over a $3 trillion. We lost
more than 3,000 lives and who knows how many Iraqis and thousand upon
thousands of Americans soldiers came back badly, badly wounded in many
different ways.

We do not want to go back for another decade of war in that area. We have
to have boots on the ground. Those boots have to come from the
neighborhood not from America.

SCHULTZ: Well, Colonel Wilkerson, you know, the sell job by the right to
get boots on the ground isn`t going to stop anytime soon. Taking that
under consideration has the -- does the President need to change his
position at all at this point. And do you think what were doing is having
an effect?

WILKERSON: Let me say first Ed that I agree with everything a Congressman
Garamendi just said. I couldn`t agree move with him.

To answer your question directly I think the President needs to be a little
more articulate about what it is that we`re doing within the confines of
the four points he outlined.

We do not need boots on the ground other than indigenous forces. And those
need some training because we didn`t do a very good job for 10 years
before. And I`m not sure that even with the training there going to be
adequate to the task. So I -- I would say again we need to set a tactics
that takes advantages of what ISIS is doing just as they take advantages of
what were doing. And we need to stay ahead of their decision cycle.

We need to do things before they do them and when they do them we need to
counter. And that`s not impossible at all and it doesn`t require boots on
the ground from the United States or any country form the west.

SCHULTZ: Congressman with the Congress on break except for some hearing
here and there. Much of the debate of this issue is taking place on the
Sunday shows or out on the campaign trail, a Republican fear-mongering for
the midterm votes?

GARAMENDI: Well, there obviously -- it`s a great deal of fears across this
country the Ebola, war, ISIL. I mean there is a lot of fear and much of it
legitimate. But we`ve got to be thoughtful, we`ve got to be patient in our
own time, we`ve got to think through what the reality is. This is really a
sectarian war. It`s also a war about wealth and power. We need them
really get it right this time. Actually this war started during the Reagan
administration with the bombing of the marine barracks.

It`s been going on along time maybe more than a thousand years. And so we
got to think through exactly how to structure this in such a way that we
don`t get bogged down in another Middle East war to the detriment of this
nation`s wealth, to the detriment of our standing across the world and
quite probably to make the problem worse.

SCHUTLZ: Congressman may I asked both of you, you first John. The trust
issue, do you feel confident that were getting the kind of help that we
need to get -- the Kurds are saying now that the airstrikes aren`t working.
What about that?

GARAMENDI: Well, of course they`re going to say they need more. There`s
never been a general that didn`t need more of something more men, more
material, more time. Of course they need more and we should be giving them
the equipment that they need. But this is very, very much their fight,
their boots...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

GARAMENDI: ... have to be on the ground and similarly Turkey is sitting on
the sideline as it is. That`s a very complex game that Turkey is playing.
Who knows what Saudi Arabia -- it appears as though Saudi Arabia is playing
the Sunni-Shia card.

SCHUTLZ: Yeah.

GARAMENDI: This is a complex situation but we should not get bogged down
in another ground war.

SCHUTLZ: Colonel your thoughts on that.

WILKERSON: Well I agree with the Congressman and I would add that, you
know, you always going to have the Kurds, the Iraqis, and certainly the
Syrian free army and others like them trying to get us to bail their rocks
out the fire. We can`t do that, they`ve got to take the bulk of the weight
here and they`ve got to do the bulk of the fighting. We can give them the
air support but they`ve got to do the bulk of the fight.

SCHULTZ: Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson and Congressman John Garamendi good to
have both of you gentleman with us tonight here on the Ed show thanks so
much.

Coming up the congressional food policy report card is out. Some of the
grades are just playing embarrassing. Top Chef and help activist Tom
Colicchio joins us live here on the Ed show. Stay with us we`ll be back.

(COMMECIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: And in Pretenders tonight Hollywood confidential. The Preacher
Pat Robertson, the minister turned televangelist has just turn media
critic. A viewer wrote into the 700 club to express her concerns about the
media, Robertson went on a rant about the ceaseless homosexuality found in
Hollywood.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Joy writes, "It is difficult to find books, TV shows
and movies that do not have street language, sex or blasphemy. Is it a sin
to watch or read the modern-day media?"

ROBERTSON: About 200 screen writer on Hollywood who has the dominance in
the media and they`re doing everything they possibly can to put dirty
language and sexual situations and now homosexuality into scripts over and
over and over again. We live on a corrupt world and until the lord comes
back it`s going to be difficult to live in it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Robertson says we won`t see end of homosexuality in movies until
the end times. Pat Robertson has never had a problem with creating
theatrical fiction about the gay community.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have known many people with aids and have never
felt fearful. I mean.

ROBERTSON: You know, what they`re doing do in San Francisco and some the
guy community that they want to get people so they gut the stuff they`ll
have a ring, you shake hands and the, ring got a little thing where you cut
finger.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Really?

ROBERTSON: Yeah, really.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Really? Robertson should keep the story telling to screen
writer. If Pat Robertson thinks bigotry should be the next block buster he
can keep on pretending.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed show. This is the story for the folks who
take a shower after work. Food security is at the center of one of
tightest senate races in the country. Incumbent Senator from Arkansas Mark
Pryor is in a tough race against Tea Party Congressman Tom Cotton.

Senator Pryor has made ending poverty a priority. He`s trying to keep food
on the table of every vulnerable person in Arkansas while Tom Cotton is
painting them as addicts.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

REP. TOM COTTON, (R) ARKANSAS: I don`t think we should be using farmers as
a way to pack more welfare spending into Barack Obama`s government. Nor
should we have a food stamp program that isn`t reformed. That doesn`t have
job training, and work requirements. That doesn`t have drug testing
requirements.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Well, 48 million people in this country on food assistance and
Tom Cotton advocates drug testing all of them. The unconstitutional
measure would infringe on privacy and unfairly penalize the poor in this
country. Tom Cotton released a commercial defending his vote to put
Arkansas at risk.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COTTON: Farmers can`t spend more than they take in and I listened. When
President Obama hijacked the farm bill turned it into a food stamp bill
with billions more spending, I voted no.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: His words are misleading and dangerous. Food assistance has been
big part of the farm bill since 1973 and traditionally bipartisan. They
Arkansas story is not unique. A new website provided by Food Policy Action
rank all your politicians by their commitment to food security. Check the
score board for your member of congress. For instance House Speaker John
Boehner scores with a big fat zero when it comes to working for sensible
food policy.

Senator Mark Pryor scores a 57 his challenge for Tom Cotton (inaudible).
Food security isn`t upon for political agendas, it`s a real necessity for
family across this country and the numbers don`t lie.

Joining me tonight a Food Policy Action board member, food advocate and
Chef Tom Colicchio. Tom, good to have you with us tonight congratulation
again on Top Chef which is back for another session in Boston.

TOM COLICCHIO, CHEF: Thanks Ed.

SCHULTZ: Tell us about this new website. How does the food policy score
board calculate things?

COLICCHIO: Well, we look at votes as they come up, votes as they come up
and we decide what is good food policy, what is bad food policy. And then
we have a board of directors actually vote on these -- or decide which we
actually going to score, which items we`re going to score. And so this is
our third score card, our third year of doing this.

And, you know, we`re making a difference. And, you know, these are issues,
you know, as you point out. These are food issues that every single person
who eats, if you`re lucky enough to eat three times a day should care
about.

You know, if you care about GMO labeling, if you care about the over use
for antibiotics in the food system, if you care about feeding hungry
people, if you care about nutritious lunches in school. These are things
that you care about. And most people when they go shopping or if they`re
cooking for the family, they`re not really thinking of these action being
political action.

And yet we send our numbers -- we elect members of Congress to go and vote
on these various issues. And so finally we have a way of knowing and a way
of holding our elected official accountable. You know, I also I want to
point out that Tom Cotton did score a zero. But since 1995 until present
date, every year except for one year Tom Cotton family`s farm or his
father`s family farm has taken subsidies.

So, it`s OK for those farm subsidies handouts but it`s not OK to take care
of hungry people.

SCHUTLZ: Interesting you find a lot of that in Congress I understand.

COLICCHIO: Sure.

SCHUTLZ: What are doing right, what are we doing wrong. Now, a cheap food
policy is something that this country formulated along time ago.

COLICCHIO: Right.

SCHUTLZ: We want to make sure that farmers are on the land. We want food
independence just like we want energy independence. We don`t have -- want
to have rely on other countries. Fundamentally are doing things right?

COLICCHIO: No, no with tax payer dollars were supporting big ag. Were not
supporting small family farmers, in fact a $25 billion that goes into
subsidies in the form of crop insurance now, 85 percent of that goes to
support big ag. large monoculture farmers, 1percent of that goes into what
they calls specialty crops but we know its fruits and vegetables.

And so no, we`re not supporting a clean agriculture system at all. We`re
not support small family farms. And so what people hear, the farm bill
they assumed that this going -- people`s idea of farm is very different
than...

SCHUTLZ: Yeah.

COLICCHIO: ... what are actually tax dollars are supporting. And so, this
is again some of the work that we`re trying to do, it`s educate public on
what is contained in these various bills that really effect what they`re
able to purchase.

SCHUTLZ: An income and equality places right into this doesn`t it?

COLICCHIO: Sure, you know, it`s very easy to demonize someone who`s on
food stamps and say well, you know, look what their spending their money
on, these food stamp dollars. Their spending on fat, you know, on cheap
food. Highly processed food, they`re giving their kids sodas and chips and
stuff like that.

But you have to look at, why their doing it. And they`re doing it because
that is the cheapest food available and cheap again because of subsidies.
They would love to go -- love to out and purchase a great fruits and
vegetables for their family. It`s too expensive.

SCHUTLZ: Yeah.

COLICCHIO: There`s really absolute no reasons except for subsidies, a
peach cost more money than a fast food hamburger but yet it does. And we
yet we demonize people who`re struggling instead of reaching out and
realizing that we need to care of people and then also looking at snap our
food stamp as investment, as investment in young children. When children
show up the school hungry...

SCHUTLZ: Yeah.

COLICCHIO: ... they can`t learn. And so we need to sort change our
thinking around this. And again these are some of the things that were
doing with food policy action really focusing on these kitchen table issues
that can affect everyone.

SCHULTZ: Tom Colicchio, always doing great work. Great to have you with
us tonight thanks so much.

COLICCHIO: Thanks Ed.

SCHUTLZ: That`s the Ed Show. I`m Ed Schultz.

Politics Nation with Reverend Al Sharpton starts right now.

Good evening, Rev.

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