Show: POLITICS NATION
Date: February 24, 2015
Guest: Jim McDermott, Elizabeth Warren, Elijah Cummings, Jack Gillum, Greg
Meeks, Krystal Ball, John Fugelsang, Angela Rye
REV. AL SHARPTON, MSNBC HOST: President Obama vetoes the GOP bill to
approve the Keystone Pipeline. Flexing his political muscles with just the
third veto, he`s issued in his entire presidency. It marks a key item on
the GOP`s agenda stopped dead in its tracks by the president. And why?
Because the GOP claims that, the pipeline would create jobs and lower gas
prices just weren`t true.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think that there`s been
this tendency to really hype this thing as some magic formula and to what
ails the U.S. economy, and it`s hard to see on paper where exactly they`re
getting that information from.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: It wouldn`t be worth it. That`s why the present issued this
veto and he`s just getting started. So far this year, the White House has
issued at least ten veto threats against the GOP bills to repeat the health
care law, roll back abortion rights, and defund the president`s executive
action on immigration. These are the kinds of bills that Republicans are
pushing, ones they know the president won`t sign. They`re not interested
in governing, just in scoring political points. It`s the complete opposite
of what they promised back in November.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MAJORITY LEADER: Well to start with the view,
that maybe there`s some things we can agree on to make progress of the
country.
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAJORITY LEADER: The
American people made it clear Election Day they want to get things done.
MCCONNELL: We`re going to function. This gridlock and dysfunction can be
ended.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: It was a joke. They`re not serious about passing bills that
were actually become laws, but the president is serious about stopping the
harmful agenda.
Joining me now are Congressman Jim McDermott, Democrat of Washington, and
Jonathan Capehart of "The Washington Post." Thank you both for being here.
JONATHAN CAPEHART, MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: Thanks, Rev.
REP. JIM MCDERMOTT (D), WASHINGTON: Good to be here.
SHARPTON: Congressman, only the third veto we`ve seen from President
Obama, how significant is that?
MCDERMOTT: It`s a big one. They have staked so much on this faulty
project. And now the president has put them to the wall, and we`re going
to see if they`ve got the power to take and to make it happen. They don`t.
The president is going to win. They have not figured out that compromise
is what has to happen for government to work. Nobody can bully their way
through. And they keep trying to bully the president. This shutdown they
are working on right now is another bully tactic.
SHARPTON: You know, Jonathan, what message did the president sending to
Republicans given all this?
CAPEHART: Saying it`s a new day. He`s saying that into the Congressman
point, the Republicans have been trying to bully the president since he was
inaugurated. And now they are learning that the president is not going to
be bullied. The president has made is very clear, and especially since the
midterm elections of 2014 when Republicans thought, well now that we have
the House and now that we have the Senate, now we will exert our will on
the president.
They`re beginning to discover that the president has a whole lot of other
tricks up his sleeve to keep them from doing things that he doesn`t think
are good for the country, but also the nation is seeing that all these
promises of one-party rule on Capitol Hill does not necessarily mean or
equal governance.
SHARPTON: Congressman, you know, we heard a lot from Republicans about how
great the Keystone Pipeline would be for jobs. But a report by the state
department found the project would only create 35 permanent jobs after
construction. And lots of reports have found that the pipeline would have
a minimal effect if at all, on gas prices. I mean, aren`t there better
project for the GOP to push?
MCDERMOTT: You would think, Rev., that they would want a infrastructure
bill to deal with highways and transit and all the things the bridges and
water systems and what not that needs to be rebuild. They would have a
much better impact on the economy if they would put together a bill, figure
out a way to finance it, and compromise with the president. We could do
some really good things if they wouldn`t pick these things where he has
said, no, that`s not good for the environment and I`m not going to do it.
SHARPTON: Well -- and infrastructure is a necessary thing.
But you know, Jonathan, today was the owned the third veto the president
has issued, a lower number than all of his most recent predecessors. But
"New York Times" says the president is quote, "opening the veto era of his
presidency," which would be, quote, "an extension of his second-term
strategy to act alone in the face of Republican opposition and safeguard
his legislative record."
How important will the veto be for the president going forward, Jonathan?
CAPEHART: Well, when the Democrats had the Senate -- then Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid was the block.
SHARPTON: Right.
CAPEHART: That`s one of the reasons why the president has so few vetoes.
No -- very few bills came to his desk that required it, because Harry Reid
was the block. Now that Harry -- now that Mitch McConnell is the majority
leader and they`re going to be sending the president bills that he knows
he`s not going to sign, they know that he`s not going to sign, that number
-- that`s three right now is going to skyrocket over the next two years.
SHARPTON: Now, Congressman, in light to that, the other big issue in
Washington this week, the looming shutdown of the Department of Homeland
Security and Republicans are starting to sound very nervous. Listen to
this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I remember the last time we shut down the
whole government, this would obviously be homeland security. The last time
we shut down the whole government, we turn out away 600,000 visitors to our
national parts here in Arizona. I don`t want to see that movie again.
REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: Republicans are wrong in making this a
hostage to the immigration issue.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: For God sakes, don`t shut down
the premier homeland security defense line called the Department of
Homeland Security. If we do as Republicans, we`ll get blamed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: I mean, Senate Republicans have blamed on this, Congressman.
Will House Republicans back down?
MCDERMOTT: I think there`s no question there, ultimately their going to
back down. Boehner is going to figure out, he`s been out there saying,
well we`re going to shut her down. Well, he`s now going to have to turn
around the 180 degrees and go the other way and pass it, as a clean bill.
You can`t put 230,000 people out off the payroll and then expect the
country`s security to be secure. I mean, it`s just -- it makes no sense.
How can you -- how are you going to walk past somebody in the airport who
is working because they`re essential, but they`re not being paid and expect
their mind to be on where am I going to pay my mortgage this month?
SHARPTON: Jonathan?
CAPEHART: And this how ridiculous the situation is, everyone is looking to
Senator Mitch McConnell to come up with -- come up with a plan for a clean
DHS bill to come to the floor to be voted on. But under our constitution,
appropriations bills come from the House. So as the Congressman said,
Speaker Boehner is the one who`s going to have to figure out how he is
going to get a clean bill from his chamber to the Senate.
The Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is able to do it in his chamber.
Speaker Boehner is going to have to pass an identical bill so that it
originates there and then go back to the Senate. How they do that by
Friday, is beyond me.
SHARPTON: Well, Congressman, I don`t know that they can do it by Friday.
MCDERMOTT: I really think they have waited -- they played this game too
far down and they`re going to go over the cliff. Now they may rescue
themselves by extending it some way by two or three days or something or
week but they -- they`re really putting these people in a terrible place
and putting the security of our country in jeopardy.
It is absolutely unbelievable that they could say this is what the American
people wanted in the 2014 elections. They want a government that works.
SHARPTON: It is amazing this kind of stuff is still happening.
Congressman Jim McDermott and Jonathan Capehart, thank you both for your
time tonight.
CAPEHART: Thanks, Rev.
MCDERMOTT: Thanks, Rev.
SHARPTON: Coming up, breaking news from Hillary Clinton`s first public
speech in months, dropping hints about 2016 and saying there`s a, quote,
"special spot in hell for women who don`t help other women." Republican
candidates, are you listening?
Also the progressive warrior, Elizabeth Warren has a new plan for the
middle class. And she`ll join us live tonight.
Plus, the GOP plan to block Loretta Lynch`s nomination is gaining momentum
tonight. It must be stopped.
And a Department of Justice makes a big announcement on George Zimmerman.
And Rudy Giuliani gets the Jon Stewart treatment.
Big show ahead, please stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Yes. I hear all this, you know,
else is -- well, this is class warfare, this is whatever, no. There is
nobody in this country who got rich on his own, nobody. God bless, keep a
big hunk of it, but part of the underlying social contract is you take a
hunk of that and pay forward for the next kids who comes along.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: It was a progressive call to arms from then candidate Elizabeth
Warren. And it created a sensation on American politics. Since then
Senator Warren has put up a relentless fight and a white-hot spotlight on
the issue of income and equality and economic fairness.
Today she`s teaming up with another champion, Congressman Elijah Cummings,
launching the middle class prosperity project. They write quote, "for more
than 30 years America`s middle class has been hammered, powerful interest
groups, massive corporation and the super rich rigged the system to jack-up
their profit and grabbed the spoil for themselves. It`s time to change
that system." Yes, it is time. So how do you do that?
Joining me now is Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Elijah Cummings.
Thank you both for being here.
REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D), MARYLAND: Good evening.
WARREN: Good to be here.
SHARPTON: Senator Warren, tell me about your new initiative.
WARREN: Well, so Congressman Cummings and I have teamed up, because we
look around, and we see that the economy is starting to recover, that rich
people are doing great, that Fortune 500 companies are doing great, that
the stock market is doing great, but that hard-working people are not doing
so great. And that`s because of choices that are made right here in this
place, right here in Washington.
Right now Washington works for those who can hire armies of lobbyists, for
those who can hire armies of lawyers, but it`s just not working for working
families. What we`ve done is we`re organizing a project to say we`re ready
to fight back, we`re ready to fight on behalf of middle class families,
working people all across this country.
SHARPTON: Congressman Cummings, we know you as a fighter. What do you
hope this project achieves?
CUMMINGS: Well first of all, I want to make sure that we inform the
American people and the Congress of exactly what`s happening. And making
sure they understand that while they are working harder and producing more,
that their paychecks aren`t showing that. In other words, we want them to
be clear that the corporate CEOs and shareholders have taking the biggest
share of the profits. And their wages are stagnating and we want them to
understand that a lot of that has to do with policies of the Federal
Government and that it can be changed.
So the number one thing we`re trying to do first of all is inform, and then
we want to move to reform to try to address some of those issues through
legislation
SHARPTON: Senator, you know, the American for decades -- American wages
grew with the economy.
WARREN: Yes.
SHARPTON: But that started changing around in 1970s, productivity is up
almost 75 percent since 1973, while wages have risen just over nine
percent.
WARREN: Yes.
SHARPTON: What is the core of the problem? What`s really driving this,
Senator Warren?
WARREN: So you know, we had today at our forum, we had in some top
economists, who came in and talked about exactly what`s happened. Here`s
how I put it. From about 1935 to 1980, 90 percent of America -- everybody
outside the top ten percent, they took in about 70 percent of all the wage
growth. They were -- in other words, as our economy was getting more
productive, the median income was going up for workers across the spectrum.
Then starting roughly in about 1980 until 2012, you look at that period,
the 90 percent, they got zero income growth. Zero, none. And the reason
for the difference -- that`s a big part of what we talked about today in
this forum. The reason for the difference are, in part, federal policies
made right here.
So, for example, just to pick one, back in the 19 -- from 1935 to 1980, we
had strong unions, and workers had a strong voice in America.
SHARPTON: Right.
WARREN: A strong voice in the economy. That really got ripped away from
them. It got ripped away from them with bad trade deals. It got ripped
away from them with a government that began to undermine unionization. And
when workers lost power in the economy, their wages flat lined. And what
happened is all of the money from their increased productivity just went to
the CEOs, the shareholders, it didn`t go to the workers. So that`s at
least the part of it.
CUMMINGS: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
SHARPTON: Well, Congressman, if right in that bill, then some of the
federal policy helped to lead to this, it would take federal policy to undo
what federal policy has done. How do you and Senator Warren plan to get
that done with a Republican Congress and Senate?
CUMMINGS: Well, you know, Rev., you have taught us that you`ve got to have
an outside game.
WARREN: Yes.
CUMMINGS: And that`s why I talk so much about informing the public. We
believe that if the public can back us up, one thing is like tax reform
that benefit the middle class and daycare, helping people address is the
daycare and costs of education, and they understand that it can be changed
and it must be changed, then they will force their representatives to do
the right thing.
We`re determined to make this happen. We don`t have any choices. That
said in the hiring today. We do not have the right to remain silent. And
by the way, the middle class, they`re basically they`re not asking for a
handout, Reverend. They`re asking for just a fair shake.
SHARPTON: And I think that that is what clearly, Senator Warren, you`ve
been saying the handouts have gone to the top one percent. The day are the
one that they`ve got, you know, the big lift here.
WARREN: No kidding.
And they`re the ones who have gotten the tax breaks. I mean, that`s
another part of it. 1935 to 1980, we had much more progressive taxation.
And we said to those at the top, good for you that made it. But you`ve got
to kick back into the kitty. So we can make those investments in
education, so we can build those roads and bridges and power structures.
CUMMINGS: Yes.
WARREN: So that we can invest in basic research, so we can built a future
for all of our kids. That`s gone away, and it`s gone away because the
policies made right here in this building.
SHARPTON: Well, Congressman, we`ve been see I`m out of time but we even
see some of the Republicans in 2016 not talking about income and equality.
WARREN: Yes.
CUMMINGS: That`s sad and it`s very unfortunate. The things, too,
Reverend, is that it`s very important that we address this issue, because
what happens is a if we can straighten this out, what that means is that
people will have more money to spend, more discretionary money so they can
help the economy grow. Keep in mind 70 percent of the GDP is consumer
spending.
So if they don`t have the money, then a lot of these businesses will not be
able to make the kind of money that they could. So we`ve got -- this is
something that we`re all in this together, and that`s the thing.
SHARPTON: Yes.
CUMMINGS: We`ve got to make sure the people understand, we`ve got to work
together and make and we can address this issue.
SHARPTON: Senator Warren, before we go, I`m not going to ask that same
question you keep getting asked about, are you running for president. You
already told me that. But you had a meeting with Hillary Clinton, and I`m
not even going to ask you about your private meeting, you didn`t invite me,
but a lot of progressives have question about whether she`ll be a
progressive warrior. What would you say to them?
WARREN: You know, I think they`re told what we`ve got to see. I want to
hear what she wants to run on and what she says she wants to do. That`s
what campaigns are supposed to be about.
SHARPTON: All right. I`ll accept that. I`ll take it at that.
Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Elijah Cummings, thank you both
for your time tonight.
CUMMINGS: Thank you, Revered.
WARREN: Thank you.
SHARPTON: Still ahead, breaking news from Hillary Clinton speaking out on
2016 and throwing down the gauntlet on women`s issues.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: There is a special spot in
hell for women who don`t help other women. So --
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Also, the right wing`s new push to derail the Loretta Lynch
nomination, just days before her key, a first key vote.
But first, a Republican lawmaker whose Instagram habit has landed him in
some hot water. That`s next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SHARPTON: Breaking news from California, where Hillary Clinton just
wrapped up her first public speech in months. She dropped some big hints
about 2016, and also weighed in on everything from the Oscars to being a
grandmother. That`s ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SHARPTON: Republican Congressman Aaron Schock made the one of the most
prolific Instagram users in Congress. He posted photos of himself smiling
with pop star Ariana Grande, parasailing in Argentina, climbing glaciers in
Patagonia, and surfing in Hawaii.
Here`s what he told "Morning Joe" about his Instagram account, just last
year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. AARON SCHOCK (R), ILLINOIS: That`s my Instagram and I control my
Instagram.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You Instagram?
(CROSSTALK)
SCHOCK: So I put up the photos and if there`s a reason it`s a private
account. But you know, in public office nothing is private. So I`ve just
learned that anything I post to my friends and family could end up on
"Morning Joe."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: But now Schock`s Instagram is turning out to be a big new source
of trouble. An Associated Press investigator reveals that Congressman
Schock has spend taxpayer and campaign money on private planes, concerts,
and even a massage parlor. The A.P. tracked Schock`s travels partly
through his Instagram posts.
Joining me now is the A.P. Jack Gillum, who broke this story. Thanks for
being here.
JACK GILLUM, ASSOCIATED PRESS: Good to be here.
SHARPTON: Jack, in your reporting, you discovered at least $40,000 for
flights on donors` planes, nearly $2,000 to take interns to a Katy Perry
concert, and $1400 to a massage parlor for a fund-raising event. Why are
these expenditures problematic for Congressman Schock?
GILLUM: Well, if you remember, Al, a few months ago or rather a few weeks
ago, "The Washington Post" had revealed the Congressman`s use of funds to
redecorate his office. And since then reporters have been looking in his
expenses. Those expenses being part of his quarterly reports that the
House of Representatives puts out your office expenses like, you know, the
toner for your printer, the postage you pay, pretty much the same things
you would do in your office as well as the campaign finance expenditures
too.
So we began looking through them and looking through the expense as really
under transportation, and came across a lot of different expenses that went
to aviation companies and donors who own private airplanes.
SHARPTON: Now, how did you use Schock`s Instagram account to figure all
this out.
GILLUM: Well, in addition to those records sets, which details where the
money went and when it was paid, is it we also traced the Congressman`s
donors planes through some of the different flight services available.
Saying, you know, when a plane took off, where it landed, what time and
date. And those Instagram photos, which he has seen uploaded pictures at
saying, you know, a campaign rally in Iowa, or a meeting in Illinois, or
meeting in Ohio, is that hidden behind those uploads shows a latitude and
longitude, basically a pinpoint on the map of the world with the date and
time in which it was uploaded, which we were able to sort of correlate with
when those donors` planes had landed down to the minute, as well as when
those flights were paid for maybe even just a couple weeks later.
SHARPTON: Jack Gillum, great reporting and thanks to you for your time
tonight.
GILLUM: Good to be here.
SHARPTON: Still ahead. Ted Cruz says Republicans must oppose Loretta
Lynch and there`s actually momentum behind it.
And a major ruling from the Department of Justice today on George
Zimmerman.
Please stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SHARPTON: Just two days before Loretta Lynch`s finally gets a vote,
there`s a new republican push to keep her from becoming our next attorney
general. The right wing of the party, led by Senator Ted Cruz, wants to
block her nomination. He just wrote an op-ed for Politico, demanding that
Republicans stop Lynch as a way to attack President Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: She`s sitting in the hearing saying, yes, I will
facilitate and implement President Obama`s lawlessness, his refusal to obey
federal law or the constitutional.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Of course, that`s not what she said at all, but for these right
wingers, the facts don`t matter. Over in the House more than 50
republicans signed this letter, saying quote, "A vote for this nominee so
fairly be considered a vote in favor of the President`s lawlessness." Both
parties have praised Lynch, and key republican senators say they`ll vote to
confirm her. So what`s this all about?
Joining me now is New York Congressman Greg Meeks, who supported Lynch as
nominations after seeing her work as a federal prosecutor in Brooklyn.
Thank you for being here, Congressman.
REP. GREG MEEKS (D), NEW YORK: Good being with you, Rev.
SHARPTON: Isn`t this attack on Lynch really just another way to attack the
President?
MEEKS: That`s exactly what it is. These individuals with their own
political will and political gains, no one is more qualified to be the
United States attorney than Loretta Lynch on her own merits. No one can
talk about how she has not been successful as a U.S. attorney and
throughout her legal career. I daresay that there`s no one more qualified
than these individuals who are the same ones that shut down the government
before.
SHARPTON: Yes.
MEEKS: The same ones who don`t want to fund Social Security, the same ones
like that guy who`s questioned the President`s loyalty or love for America,
they have that same right-wing agenda, trying to distort and prevent one of
the best person to be the attorney general from being nominated. So, I
hope we don`t play those tricks.
SHARPTON: Well, Congressman, we`re keeping track on how long this takes.
The President nominated Lynch 108 days ago, it`s the longest confirmation
period for a recent attorney general by a landslide, and it`s not even
over. I mean, why is this still taking so long?
MEEKS: Well, you know, it is the Senator Cruz`s of the world who, you
know, the people elected Barack Obama, and he`s going to choose his
attorney general. We did not object. I did not like Ashcroft, did not
think he represented what I represent, but democrats went along with
republicans and made him the attorney general under George Bush. Loretta
Lynch is eminently qualified. The only reason that she has not been
confirmed yet is the games that Senator Cruz and those like him are playing
and trying to halt the progress of America.
SHARPTON: Well, Senator Cruz told Newsmax he was upset that Lynch being
too similar to current Attorney General Eric Holder. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUZ: When I asked her in what way she would differ from Eric Holder, she
said in no ways whatsoever.
SHARPTON: Now, we went back and looked at the tape from the hearing. Here
is what she actually said, Congressman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUZ: And so I want to ask you at the outset, the simple question of, if
confirmed, how would your tenure as Attorney General differ from that of
Eric Holder`s.
LORETTA LYNCH, ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE: You asked how I would be
different from Eric Holder, I would be Loretta Lynch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: I mean, Cruz is not telling the truth about her testimony. Do
the facts matter at all for critics on the right?
MEEKS: Not at all. They just have their own political agenda that was
from the very beginning to try to stop anything and everything that
President Obama has done and will do. Look, it is clear in my estimation
Eric Holder has been a great attorney general. Make no mistake about it.
I think his work will stand the test of time, but Loretta Lynch is her own
person. Loretta Lynch is not Eric Holder. She is a strong woman who has
proven her competency and that she can run an office. No one, no law
enforcement agency, no attorneys, no one has been critical of the work that
Loretta Lynch has done as U.S. attorney in the Eastern District. On her
own merits she stands.
SHARPTON: Well, it`s kind of ironic, you know, conservative republicans
have clashed repeatedly with Attorney General Holder. And last week he
said it was kind of funny they weren`t taking a fast approach of confirming
Loretta Lynch. Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC HOLDER, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: I guess it`s ultimately up to Congress
as to when I actually leave office. You would think in some ways that
Loretta`s process would be spend up, given their desire to see me out of
office.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: I guess they`re not thinking this one through, Congressman.
MEEKS: Well, maybe they won`t. And I don`t mind. I mean, because as I
said, I believe Eric Holder has been a great attorney general.
SHARPTON: Oh, yes. I agree.
MEEKS: But I believe in her own right. Loretta Lynch will set her own
footprints different than Eric Holder`s, and she stands on her own. I
agree to what she`s accomplish.
SHARPTON: I agree on both points. Congressman Greg Meeks, thank you for
your time tonight.
MEEKS: Good being with you Rev, as always.
SHARPTON: Coming up, breaking news from Hillary Clinton`s first public
speech in months. Talking about the Oscars, dropping hints about 2016 and
who gets a, quote, "special spot in hell."
Also, Jon Stewart went after Rudy Giuliani in a big way last night.
And a single mom`s rags to riches story. "Conversation Nation" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SHARPTON: Time for "Conversation Nation." Joining me tonight, MSNBC`s
Krystal Ball. Political comedian and Sirius XM radio host John Fugelsang,
and political strategist Angela Rye. Thank you all for being here.
KRYSTAL BALL, MSNBC CO-HOST, "THE CYCLE": Thanks for having us.
ANGELA RYE, POLITICAL STRATEGIST: Thank you, Rev.
SHARPTON: We start with Hillary Clinton breaking her silence. Moments ago
Clinton gave a keynote speech at a Silicon Valley conference in front of
the women tech executives. It`s the first public speech in the U.S. this
year. And she used the opportunity to hint at what everybody is dying to
know.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY: There is a special spot in hell
for women who don`t help other women. So --
(APPLAUSE)
What you do does not have to be big and dramatic. You don`t have to run
for office. Although if you do, more power to you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Krystal, is this speech a calculated move on Clinton`s part?
Could we hear a 2016 announcement soon?
BALL: I don`t know how soon the announcement will come, but if you can bet
if it`s Hillary Clinton, it`s a very calculated move. You know, it`s
interesting the way she`s positioning herself this time around versus 2008,
she clearly is running with more emphasis on the historic nature of her
candidacy, on the fact of being a woman and highlighting and empowering
women. I`m actually going on to D.C. next week, Hillary Clinton will be
keynoting the Emily`s List conference, it`s their 30 year gala, that`s a
really powerful progressive women`s organization. So, this is clearly a
focus of hers early on.
SHARPTON: Now, she was also quizzed about whether she would announce her
intention soon. John, what do you think? Listen to this, first of all.
JOHN FUGELSANG, SIRIUS XM RADIO HOST: Well, it seems her intentions are
very, very clear. And, you know, the important thing to remember is there
are a lot of women who would like to avoid that special spot in hell by
supporting a different woman for the White House, namingly Senator Warren,
who you had on earlier tonight. And for all the progressive discontent
about Mrs. Clinton, it`s great seeing her get out there early when she
announced she was going to be postponing an announcement until April. I
thought this was kind of bad news, because I don`t think this whole
coronation by the media is very good for her. But I would say to all the
progressives out there who are, you know, not in favor of a Clinton
presidency, who think that maybe she`s the best republican we got. Another
great woman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 147 years old, and liberals out there
who don`t want Rand Paul or Ted Cruz or Jeb Bush picking the next three
Supreme Court judges should be very excited but how joyful Mrs. Clinton
seem to today`s ceremony.
SHARPTON: We`re going to show that little -- that you had with Elizabeth
Warren in a minute. At least a part of it, but Angela, let me show what I
had referred to when I told John about how she was quizzed Hillary Clinton
about announcing her intentions. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: President of the United States running president of
the United States or host of the Oscars next year? Both jobs are open, it
seems.
CLINTON: Yes, well -- and both jobs are really painful, from my own
personal experience and observation.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: What about the president thing?
CLINTON: You know -- there have been --
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: You can --
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
CLINTON: Listen, there have been a lot more Oscar presentation than there
have been presidents.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Right.
CLINTON: So the pressure is probably somewhat less. It`s a one-night gig.
And for many, it`s just one night. And the other one, it`s like, you know,
a many-year commitment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Read the tea leaves, Angela. Is there any doubt about her
intentions?
RYE: There`s no doubt, Rev. And I honestly have to say to you that
tonight`s Hillary Clinton is one that I find to be extremely refreshing.
Like she was so comfortable in her own skin. She seemed casual in that
space. She`s walking across the stage. The presentation was awesome. So,
this Hillary Clinton I can totally get down with.
SHARPTON: Was that the Hillary you saw and can get excited about as well,
Krystal?
BALL: Look, I think that, you know, I`m one who has been somewhat critical
of Hillary Clinton, and really want to make sure that she`s going to be the
economic champion for the working class and the middle class that we need.
FUGELSANG: Amen.
BALL: But in terms of the branding for her campaign, her biggest struggle
in 2008 was connecting with people, was giving people a sense that she
wasn`t just this perfectly constructed political candidate, that she was
also a real human being. I think that`s something that she has grown, and
I think in an interview like this, you see her more whimsical, funny,
relaxed side. And that`s definitely an asset on the trail because people
want to feel like they understand who you really are as a person.
SHARPTON: But John, also the history, relating back to being a woman, and
would be the first woman president if she is successful, she even talked
about one of the big headlines from the Oscars, a call for fair pay.
Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: Up and down the latter, many women are paid less for the same
work, which is why I think we all cheered at Patricia Arquette`s speech at
the Oscars, because she`s right. It`s time to have wage equality once and
for all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Is this a big issue in 2016, John?
FUGELSANG: Well, it should be. I mean, we passed Lily Ledbetter and it`s
still a problem in this society. So, yes, you know, I think that the right
is going to do all they can to try to paint Mrs. Clinton as a humorless
person, they`ll smear for her age, because, you know, she`s the same age as
Mitt Romney. And they`ll going to try to lie about Benghazi all over
again, but I think Krystal really nailed it. The joy she showed on stage
seemed both practiced and real. She has to be joyful, because she knows
they`ll going to try and smear her as a humorless politician.
SHARPTON: Yes.
FUGELSANG: But having fun is the smartest thing she can do, and it`s
really, really hard put to find anyone who would disagree with wage
equality in America.
SHARPTON: But Angela, the progressives, I asked Elizabeth Warren about it.
Let me show you her answer. How does Hillary Clinton get the progressive
vote?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: A lot of progressives have questions about whether she`ll be a
progressive warrior. What would you say to them?
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: You know, I think that`s what
we`ve got to see. I want to hear what she wants to run on and what she
says she wants to do. That`s what campaigns are supposed to be about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Not a resounding endorsement, Angela.
RYE: No, it`s not. And it`s brilliant on Senator Warren`s part. The more
that she continues to be seen as the progressive champion of all
progressive issues, including wage fairness, and I certainly hope that
Elizabeth Warren starts to not only include women in that, but also people
of color, Rev. Because we know those wages are not fair either, she will
be positioning herself to have a key role on Senator Clinton`s --
SHARPTON: And we know that according to "New York Times," that the senator
didn`t deny tonight her and Hillary Clinton have had a meeting. I don`t
know whether these issues came up or what. But I was -- Krystal, I was
kind of waiting to see what her reaction would be, and I think she
positioned herself as sort of somewhere between noncommittal and we`ll see.
BALL: Well, I think that Senator Warren is already -- even without -- and
she said, she`s not getting in the race, but even without jumping in, she`s
already had a huge impact on the debate on the democratic side of the
equation heading into 2016. Because she does have such an incredibly
powerful voice, and such a true voice that speaks to the progressive base
and speaks to the direction that the country needs to go in. So I think in
a certain sense, Hillary Clinton does feel pressure from Elizabeth Warren,
she doesn`t want her to be a critic, she wants to have her on her side.
Elizabeth Warren is a very key ally for Hillary Clinton.
SHARPTON: Everyone stay with me. Coming up, a single mom of four hits the
Powerball jackpot. And it will put a smile on your face.
And look out, Rudy. Here comes Jon Stewart. We`re coming right back.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SHARPTON: We`re back with our panel, Krystal, John and Angela. We start
with Rudy Giuliani and the fallout from saying President Obama doesn`t love
America. Last night, he got the Jon Stewart treatment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: You know, President Obama
didn`t live through September 11th, I did. President Obama didn`t almost,
you know, have a building fall on him, myself, my police commissioner, and
my fire commissioner did.
JON STEWART, STAND-UP COMEDIAN: Shut up! You know you`re not the mayor of
9/11, right? You don`t own 9/11. You don`t own anything but the unique
willingness to crassly exploit it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: Angela, your reaction to Stewart`s slamming Rudy.
RYE: I think that`s exactly right. How dare he used an opportunity like
one of the greatest terrorist attacks on this country to trivialize the
President`s love and/or patriotic nature of the President on this country.
It`s absolutely insane, and it`s really getting very, very tired.
SHARPTON: John, I mean, that really is probably one of the criticisms that
could hurt the impact of whatever the far right thing Rudy has left, which
I don`t know what they do, but that would be across the board, most people
would be a little upset with him exploiting 9/11 the way Jon Stewart has
raised.
FUGELSANG: Well, most people should, and again, you know, trying to get
the favor of this people, is all he can do. Rudy is just auditioning for a
higher public speaking fees or any public speaking fees, and I`m glad we`re
finally using the word exploitation about 9/11 around Rudy, because this is
the problem around several of our republican friends. They exploited 3,000
dead on 9/11 to attack Iraq, and they exploited four dead in Benghazi to
attack Barack. It`s an ugly habit.
SHARPTON: You know, are you finally ready to smile? A 26-years-old single
mother of four came forward to claim her share of a $564 million Powerball
jackpot.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIE HOLMES, POWERBALL WINNER: This is going to make a huge difference in
our life. They can be able to go school, not have to worry about paying
for it. They`ll going to be able to live a comfortable life and not worry
about struggling. Anything my kids ask for, I can actually get it for them
and I don`t have to tell them no.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Are you going to tell them no, though?
HOLMES: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: She also plans to donate money to her church and to cerebral
palsy charities, a disorder that her seven-year-old son has. Krystal, with
so much bad news out there. Isn`t this great to see?
BALL: It is really great to see. I mean, this is a woman who struggled to
be able to balance the budget for her family. She`s worked at Walmart,
she`s worked at McDonald`s, four kids, one of them with special needs, and
you know, what? I think people want to see more of this kind of news.
There`s actually a study that shows, the more positive the news story is,
the more that people want to share it.
SHARPTON: Yes.
BALL: So, I think it`s so important to get these good, positive stories
out there, too.
SHARPTON: Krystal, John and Angela, thank you for joining the
conversation.
BALL: Thanks, Rev.
SHARPTON: And be sure to watch Krystal on "THE CYCLE" weekdays at 4:00
p.m. right here on MSNBC. We`ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: State of Florida versus George Zimmerman. Verdict, we
the jury find George Zimmerman not guilty, so say we all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: George Zimmerman found not guilty for the fatal shooting of
Trayvon Martin three years ago. Today, the Justice Department announced
they have found insufficient evidence to pursue criminal civil rights
charges against Zimmerman. Let me say I respect the decision, but I also
want to make it clear I do not agree with it. This Thursday marks three
years since the unarmed 17-year-old was shot and killed on his way home
from a convenience store. In a statement, Attorney General Eric Holder
wrote in part -- "This young man`s premature death necessitates that we
continue the dialogue and be unafraid of confronting the issues and
tensions his passing brought to the surface." He sparked a national
conversation in this country at a time it desperately needed it a
conversation that got all the way to the president of the United States.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA (D), UNITED STATES: If I had a son, he would look like
Trayvon, and you know, I think they are right to expect that all of us as
Americans are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves and that
we`re going to get to the bottom of exactly what happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: That conversation must continue, and I look at his mother and
his father, who have bared this pain with the utmost dignity and with
respect for the law even today, as they build their foundation and continue
to raise his name. But Trayvon all the way to Ferguson and Staten Island
and others must not just end in a conversation. It must end with a re-
evaluation and legislation, and change in policies where equality becomes
the order of the day. I`m as firm today as I was three years ago, we`ve
got to fight and we`ve got to fight for the better of the country.
Thanks for watching. I`m Al Sharpton. "HARDBALL" starts right now.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY
BE UPDATED.
END
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PoliticsNation, Tuesday, February 24th, 2015
Read the transcript from the Tuesday show