The Ed Show for Thursday, September 1, 2011

Guests: Alan Grayson, James Peterson, Jim Moore, Lizz Winstead, Mike Papantonio

ED SCHULTZ, HOST: Good evening, Americans. And welcome to THE ED
SHOW tonight from New York.

Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio is attacking Rachel and I for
calling him out for his reckless comments at the Reagan Library. Now, he`s
using our content, our words to try to make a quick buck on the campaign
trail. I think he owes America an apology.

This is THE ED SHOW -- let`s get to work.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: As government crowded out the
institutions in our society that did these things traditionally, it
weakened our people.

SCHULTZ (voice-over): Republican darling Marco Rubio is trying to
punch his political ticket by attacking the big three. Last week, I called
him out on it. This week, he called me the extremist.

Tonight, I will unleash my response to Senator Rubio. And former
Congressman Alan Grayson -- well, he`ll let me know if I left anything out.

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO HOST: Boehner has got to say no, whether he
will, I have no clue.

SCHULTZ: Political reports that John Boehner freaked out when the
Drugster called him out, and that`s why he asked the president to move his
speech. Tonight, Dr. James Peterson on the Republican disrespect for the
president.

And the Trumpster is reviewing Dick Cheney`s new book.

DONALD TRUMP, BUSINESSMAN: I don`t like people that rat out
everybody like he`s doing in the book.

SCHULTZ: Mike Papantonio and "Daily Show" co-creator Lizz Winstead
are here to make sense of it all.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCHULTZ: Good to have you with us tonight, folks. Thanks for
watching THE ED SHOW.

The golden boy of every Republican candidate`s short list for vice
president is trying to raise money by attacking cable hosts here on MSNBC.
It all started last week when Senator Marco Rubio of Florida had his moment
in the sun giving a speech at the Reagan Library. The freshman Tea Party
favorite outrageously claimed that the big three -- the big three --
Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security -- have weakened America.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUBIO: These programs actually weakened us as a people. You see,
almost and forever, it was institutions and society that assumed the role
of taking care of one another. If someone was sick in your family, you
took care of them. If a neighbor met misfortune, you took care of them.
You saved for your retirement and your future because you had to.

But that all changed when the government assumed those
responsibilities. And as the government crowed out the institutions in our
society that did these things traditionally, it weakened our people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCHULTZ: Institutions? Weakening Americans?

That comment was A-1 flat out stupid, and I take offense to it,
because I know what my family has been through as American.

We put Rubio in "Psycho Talk" that night and call him a political
hack. Now, why in the world would we do that? Well, because he`s hacking
away at the big 3 despite some very serious facts.

We pointed out 20 million more Americans would live below the poverty
line if Social Security did not exist, 45 percent of senior citizens would
be poor, and a million Floridians use Social Security to stay above the
poverty line. Now, those are facts. He, of course, ignores them.

Rachel nailed Rubio for flip-flopping on Medicare. Now, Rubio`s
political action committee action committee is trying to raise money by
calling us liberal extremists. "The St. Petersburg Times" reports out of
Florida, Rubio`s using the attacks to raise money for his recently-created
Reclaim America PAC.

The PAC put out a fundraising email claiming "MSNBC`s Rachel Maddow
chopped up Marco`s words and distorted them, even weaving in mentions of
Marco`s parents to attack him. Ed Schultz attacked Marco`s speech as
`Psycho Talk` and called Marco a political hack. These are the typical
attacks that are routinely launched against those who are standing up for
our conservative principles. These extreme liberals have no interest in
finding common sense solutions to the challenges facing our country. They
just want to attack and tear down anyone who doesn`t share their extreme
ideology."

Hold it right here. I`m extreme. We`re extreme, because as
Americans, we have Social Security, we have Medicare and Medicaid. More on
that in a moment.

Now, this e-mail went on, of course, to beg for money. Your
contribution for $100, $50 or even $25 will help us to defend conservatives
like Marco all over the country. When we saw the story, ED SHOW producers,
well, we reached out to Rubio to invite him on this program tonight.

His office gave us a five-word response. "He`s not available.
Thanks."

Our producers told Rubio`s office the door will always be open any
time, anyplace on THJE ED SHOW, Senator.

You see, Rubio is a political coward. He doesn`t have the guts or
the character to debate his reckless statements on this show, he can hide
elsewhere. He wants to hide behind political action committee this time
and basically play the victim.

But I want to go back to his comments, because I want the audience of
this show tonight to really consume, and I ask you to pay attention to
every word in this sound bite. Consume what this man says. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUBIO: These programs actually weakened us as a people. You see,
almost and forever, it was institutions and society that assumed the role
of taking care of one another. If someone was sick in your family, you
took care of them. If a neighbor met misfortune, you took care of them.
You save for your retirement and for your future because you had to. But
all that changed when the government began to assume those
responsibilities. And as the government crowded out the institutions in
our society that did these things traditionally, it weakened our people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Crowded out the institutions, weakened our people. In
fact, we don`t save for retirement anymore because of these big 3. I want
to ask you tonight to search your soul a little bit. Are you in your 40s?
Are you in your 50s? Is your mom and dad still alive?

This man is suggesting that there is a generation of Americans that
care less about their parents because of Social Security, Medicare and
Medicaid. This may be one of the most offensive things I have ever heard a
United States senator say about the people of this country. He is
attacking the character of Americans because of Social Security, Medicare
and Medicaid which has helped this country. It`s helped millions of
Americans.

So I will share with you my story tonight. I`m sure the senator has
one, and I`m sure you do sitting at home tonight. If you`re in your 40s
and 50s, you`re probably thinking, gosh, what`s going to happen to mo and
ad? Are we ready for all this? And it`s an emotional time because
everybody goes through it.

My mother was a high school English teacher. My father was an
aeronautical engineer who worked for the government. They paid for Social
Security.

They collected Social Security. My dad had his heart reworked and
Medicare paid for it. And he paid into that system for years. My mom and
dad raised five kids. My dad died with $900 in the bank.

My dad was a man of character. He was intelligent. He loved the
country. He obeyed the laws and he was not dependent on anyone else
because he worked s ass off throughout his entire country.

And I want to tell you, Mr. Rubio, that my parents went through the
depression, and my parents did the World War II thing. My parents lived in
the unselfish generation. And for you to say they were lesser Americans
because they were involved in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, you
owe my family at least an apology or at least be brave enough to give an
explanation on this program in front of the camera as to what the hell
you`re really talking about.

My mother used to teach accelerated English at Granby School in
Norfolk, Virginia. My mother was a great teacher. I remember her staying
up late wee hours in the morning grading papers, working weekends and
endless lesson plans.

I remember our Aunt Margaret who moved in with us when she was
failing.

Senator Rubio, you mean to tell me there are no families in America
today that do that, that that institution and loyalty and love of country
and family is gone because you damn Republicans just can`t get rid of the
big 3?

We had Social Security back then when my family did all that. My
mother died of Alzheimer`s, and to this day I think my sister is an
absolute walking sat on he way to heaven for the way she took care of her
mother. She was the closest one to my mother, and I think all of our kids
would have done the same thing, but Suzanne set the example.

Rubio is so stupid he doesn`t even know he`s offensive. The ironic
thing is that Rubio`s story really isn`t much different from mine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUBIO: For me, Medicare is not a political talking point. My
parents came to the United States in the late 1950s. They worked hard for
over 40 years to provide their children the chance to do all the things
they themselves couldn`t. But they never made much money.

As a result, they retired with precious little in savings. Medicare
was, and is, the only way they could access health care. When my father
got sick last year, Medicare paid for his numerous hospital stays. And as
he reached the end of his life, Medicare allowed him to die with dignity by
paying for his hospice care.

Like most 80-year-olds, my mother has many aging ailments. Without
the access to quality health care that Medicare pays for, I can`t imagine
what life would be like for her.

America needs Medicare. We needed to continue without any benefit
reductions for those like my mother who are currently on the system.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: So, will the real Marco Rubio please stand up? This is the
golden boy of the Republican Party. Everyone is talking about him as a
vice presidential candidate.

But, of course, when he goes to the Reagan Library and speaks and as
a speech put in front of him, and he can lean on a podium, it`s a little
different story, isn`t it?

I want you to look at this number, folks, 80 percent. He says that
Rachel and I are extreme because believe in the institutions that help make
this country great? Eighty percent of Americans. What Americans really
want? Protect Medicare and Medicaid, 80 percent. McClatchy-Marist Poll,
April 10th to the 24th. There it is, 80 percent.

Do you think that`s changed much? I think it`s gotten stronger since
the Ryan plan has come out, and they have actually voted in the House to
change Medicare and Medicaid.

I`m offended by Marco Rubio, and I think that we are seeing that he
is not a true American because he runs from debate.

Senator, come to me or I will go to you. You name the time and the
place. And let`s sit down and have a professional conversation about what
you really mean when you say that we as Americans have been weakened by
something that has clearly benefited our society and allowed people to live
in their later years in dignity.

But the tape that we just played of you is kind of contradictory of
the speech that you gave at the Reagan Library. No wonder you`re dodging
the interview. Hell, you can go across the street and they`ll throw you
softballs all day long.

But you know what, Senator? One thing my dad taught me -- maybe your
dad taught you this but it doesn`t seem like it -- don`t ever run from a
debate and don`t ever be afraid to speak your piece if in your heart, you
believe in what you`re saying is the truth.

Senator, I am offering you an opportunity to broadcast in front of a
liberal audience. I`ll give you the hour to talk about it. Convince
people. Get in the arena if you really believe this, Senator. Get in the
arena and tell the audience on MSNBC that we are a weaker nation and this
is why we are a weaker nation and explain to me what institutions you`re
talking about that have taken down our people.

You`re a Tea Partier and you don`t give a damn about any of the
Americans because, you see, it`s kind of in your makeup, Senator. Now,
unless your bio is wrong, I don`t think you got any private sector
experience in your background.

Hell, you`ve been a government guy. You`re one of these typical
government guys that says, well, everybody else has got to serve it up
because you`ve got your own.

My father taught me to debate and to get into the arena, and I think
your dad might be ashamed of the fact that you run from the cameras after
you get away from the podium because I don`t think you can explain
yourself. I don`t think you can explain to the American people just how
weak we are.

How about the boys in Afghanistan? Their parents are on Social
Security. They come from weak parents?

How about the men and women that have lost their lives fighting
terrorism in this country? Are they weak because they paid into Social
Security?

Hell, you`re nothing but a damn political phony, Senator. I don`t
know how the hell you got into office.

And if I could, I would work like hell to defeat you, because I think
you are the problem. You are problem. You attack without facts. You
attack without the human connection that your party has helped us lose in
this country.

Get your cell phones out. I want to know what you think.

Tonight`s question: Should Marco Rubio defend his remarks as a guest
on THE ED SHOW? Text A for yes, text B for no at 622639. And you can
always go to our blog at Ed.MSNBC.com. We`ll bring you the results later
on on the show.

And I just want to say one thing about THE ED SHOW and what my dad
taught me. Charge. If you believe it, don`t back down. If this is where
you stand, it`s about your integrity, it`s about your heart, your desire,
your soul -- that`s what being an American is all about. That`s why I
fight for those teachers, that`s why I fight for those firefighters, that`s
why I fight for those law enforcement officials, those librarians, those
workers out there who are under attack by the people like Marco Rubio.

Joining me now is former Congressman Alan Grayson of Florida. I
thought I would bring the distinguished former congressman in because he is
getting in the arena and running for office again. But I just wanted to
make sure I didn`t miss anything tonight, that maybe he can add something
about how the big 3 have made Americans weaker.

Congressman, good to have you with us tonight.

FORMER REP. ALAN GRAYSON (D), FLORIDA: Thanks, Ed.

SCHULTZ: Are we weaker people because of Social Security, Medicare,
Medicaid and these institutions that Senator Rubio is talking about?

GRAYSON: No, but it`s part of the psychopathology -- the perverse
psychopathology of the right wing that they want us to believe so. What
they want us to believe is that somehow or another, helping people is
hurting people. If you give them a chance to see a doctor when they`re
sick, somehow you`re hurting them. If you give them some money when
they`re old and they can`t work anymore, you`re somehow hurting them. And
it`s money that was taken out of their paychecks 20, 30 years earlier. If
you just give it back to them, you`re somehow hurting them.

Well, the reason why they feel that way is because the corollary to
that is that if you hurt people, somehow you`re helping them, and that`s
something they desperately need to believe -- because they`re trying to
rationalize their own selfishness and the selfishness of their backers.
Big business, the filthy rich, the people who want to take away everything
we`ve got and chain us in debt forever and ever. Those are the people who
Marco Rubio really represents. And deep in their hearts, they know they`re
wrong.

SCHULTZ: This is demographically the wave of new Republicans on the
scene. The Rubios of the world, the Paul Ryans of the world, what`s
happening in America in your opinion? Where are we going politically?

GRAYSON: They are trying to rationalize selfishness. And by the
way, in Rubio`s case, it` must to be very easy to do. You`re talking about
somebody who spent more than $10,000 of personal expenses, put them on as
Republican Party of Florida credit card, like almost all the leadership of
the Republican Party. He ran up a $400 bill at macaroni grill and put that
on his credit card. And, by the way, I`m not even sure how you run up $400
bill at macaroni grill. But that`s what he did. He went into a liquor
store and put $60 on his credit card from the Republican Party of Florida.
He has been on the government`s tit all his life and he wants to stay that
way.

SCHULTZ: Alan Grayson, great to have you with us tonight. I
appreciate your time. We will visit again. Thank you.

Remember to answer tonight`s question there at the bottom of the
screen. I want to know what you think.

The speaker of the House disrespected the president yesterday by
refusing his initial request for a congressional speech. Today, it`s
becoming very clear who is pulling John Boehner`s strings, choking his
chain.

And as he`s gaining in the polls, could Rick Perry become president?
His donors certainly hope so. A guide to Perry`s Texas-sized political
perks with Jim Moore.

You`re watching THE ED SHOW on MSNBC. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: President Obama and Democrats are very aware they may head
into next year`s elections facing dangerously high unemployment numbers.
The administration`s office of management and budget released a revised
economic forecast today and it isn`t pretty.

The White House expects unemployment to average 9.1 percent this year
and 9 percent in the election year. Economic growth of 1.7 percent is
expected for 2011, down from an estimate of 2.7 percent back in a revised
economic forecast was released today and it isn`t pretty. The report does
not forecast a double dip recession. And the details of the president`s
jobs plan could help revise the numbers downward.

This is one reason the White House is trying to focus on the
importance of next week`s jobs speech. It`s the speech John Boehner was OK
with until the real leader of the Republican Party told him it was bad.
More on that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to THE ED SHOW. OK. I guess you could say
here is the story behind the story. When push comes to shove, the
Republican Party is still being run by a guy sitting in a Palm Beach
mansion in Florida.

Press Secretary Jay Carney said today the White House and the
American people have no interest in the fight over the timing of President
Obama`s job speech next week.

According to "Politico," House Speaker John Boehner wasn`t interested
in a fight over the speech, either. A White House source says Boehner
OK`ed a Wednesday evening speech yesterday morning. A GOP source confirmed
with CBS that Boehner raised no objection.

The speech was publicly announced on White House spokesman Dan
Pfeiffer`s Twitter account at 11:55 a.m. An administration source tells
"Politico" the speaker only changed his mind after, quote, "Rush Limbaugh
beat up Boehner."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

LIMBAUGH: Speaker Boehner must say no to this request. He can say
no to this. It`s up to the speaker of the House.

The president can`t just say, "I`m showing up. Put everybody in the
audience there, I`m coming over to make a speech."

Boehner can say no to this.

You do not let this happen! This is intended not only to disrupt the
Reagan Library debate but to make Obama look bigger than the Republicans,
bigger than politics, and they can`t -- the Republicans, if they have any
hope of winning the 2012 election, are got to put this guy in his place
using this as their opportunity to do it.

Boehner has got to say no. Whether he will, I have no clue.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

SCHULTZ: Let`s bring in Dr. James Peterson, director of Africana
studies and associate professor of English at Lehigh University. He also
blogs for "The Huffington Post."

Doctor, good to have you with us tonight.

JAMES PETERSON, LEHIGH UNIVERSITY: Thanks for having me, Ed.

SCHULTZ: Rush Limbaugh telling the speaker openly on American
airwaves, this is what you need to do and then he does it. What do you
make of it?

PETERSON: Well, I think there`s no question that the Republican
Party has been influenced by folk like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and sort
of minority enclave of the Tea Party for the last several years. So, this
is not so surprising to me. I mean, figures like Rush Limbaugh who are not
actual political figures but more like politically charged figures have had
this kind of influence on politics maybe for too long now, but certainly in
the near future and the recent past.

The Republican Party has been hamstringed by these kinds of
maneuvers.

SCHULTZ: Well, here`s what I take out of it. Boehner has shown no
leadership. He has done nothing on jobs. And now, he shows no leadership
and no backbone, and I think it speaks to his character that he tips over
when Limbaugh puts a little public heat on it.

What about his character? What about his leadership kills? What
about his toughness?

PETERSON: I don`t know Speaker Boehner personally. The Tea Party,
again, a very, very vocal minority, is dominating the Republican Party.
But for folk like Rush Limbaugh who have this kind of impact because of
these large audiences that they have and the ways in which -- you know,
remember, the Republican Party has also been shrinking too. So, it`s
gotten a bit smaller, it`s more homogeneous than it ever was before. So,
Speaker Boehner is kind of caught here and this is an interesting example
of it.

What I think is really interesting though is that the president
applied this kind of pressure on him. I think strategy from the White
House, you know, they don`t necessarily talk about it, is really, really
interesting, not just to step on the Republican presidential debate, but to
also sort of raise this issue of who is controlling Republican politics
right now? It`s not Speaker Boehner.

SCHULTZ: Isn`t this total disrespect for the office of the
president?

PETERSON: Well, listen, I think there is a record of disrespect
aimed at this president and really aimed at the president see through this
president. I think it`s really important for us to talk about.

But it`s really here more interesting, two things more interesting
here to me. Number one is what the White House is sort of strategically
thinking in terms revealing this for us at this particular time. And then,
two, us also realizing that folk like Rush Limbaugh and sort of vocal
minority Tea Party control the Republican Party more than we`re willing to
really admit right now.

SCHULTZ: And this is I find strange. Boehner`s response is going to
be a week later, as if there`s no sense of urgency when it comes to jobs in
this country. It`s almost as if he`s got to run it up the flagpole and see
where everybody is, and then he`ll come with something. What`s your take
on it?

PETERSON: The people of America need to know that as far as I can
see right now, the Republicans are not too interested in creating jobs.
And, obviously, this delayed response is that this is also part of the
disrespect, but also, let`s understand what their agenda is. Their agenda
is about cutting, their agenda is about protecting the wealth of the rich,
their agenda is about letting corporations sort of run crazy over the
American economy. They do not seem as of right now to be too deeply
invested in creating jobs for working class folk.

SCHULTZ: Well, one thing is for sure -- the Drugster still pulls a
lot of weight with the Republicans, no doubt about that.

PETERSON: No questions about it. No question about it.

SCHULTZ: Dr. James Peterson, thanks for your time tonight.
Appreciate it.

A big announcement coming up: THE ED SHOW is going on the road again.
Details ahead. I told you about Ohio.

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann has driven so far to the right. She`s
left George W. Bush in the dust. She`s in the zone tonight.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Get ready, Ohio. THE ED SHOW is headed to your state, where
you are seeing that assault on middle class workers. Tonight, we`re
announcing that we will be doing town halls in the state of Ohio, two town
halls.

The first will be in Toledo on September 14th, at a location yet to be
determined. A second will be in Columbus, Ohio on the 15th. The following
night, we are honored to accept the invitation of the Columbus Firefighters
Union. And they will join us for that show.

How do you get a job with Perry administration? Well, you write him a
check. That`s next with Jim Moore.

The standoff between President Obama and John Boehner isn`t over until
Lizz Winstead and Mike Papantonio weigh in. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to THE ED SHOW. Thanks for watching tonight.
You know, everything is bigger in Texas, including the amount of cash a
politician can rake in. The Lone Star State does not limit the amount of
money individuals can give to a local politico. Great news if you`re Rick
Perry.

Three terms in office and he`s raked in over then 100 million dollars,
raising more cash than any Texas governor. And we reported on this program
that Perry has gotten a lot of help from a network of rich Texans who want
to see him win the White House.

Why? Because if he`s President Perry is anything like being Governor
Perry, those wealthy donors will likely get some Texas sized perks.
According to the "Washington Post," 34 of Perry`s top 50 donors received
some benefit from Perry`s administration or the state, including grants,
contracts and appointments.

Roughly one in three of the top Perry donors had business interests
that secured grants, tax subsidies or project approvals under his
administration. Pretty clear, isn`t it?

Here`s an example. Perry`s number two donor recently lobbied for his
company to build a radioactive waste facility in the state of Texas.
Scientists and staffers at a Texas Environmental Commission, well, they
objected to the facility.

They were overruled, my friends, by Perry`s political appointees. A
Perry spokesman says "it`s all in the public`s interest." And according to
the latest Fox News poll, the public, well, at least the right wing is very
interested in this guy.

The Texas governor is the top pick among Republican primary voters to
take on President Obama. He leads unemployed father of five Mitt Romney by
eight points. And if you needed further proof of Perry`s hurting
Bachmann`s chances at winning the nomination, just look at this. Yes, he
is. She`s at four percent. Ouch.

Joining me now is Jim Moore. He`s a "Huffington Post" contribute tore
and author of the forthcoming book "Adios Mofo, Why Rick Perry Will Make
America Miss George W. Bush."

Thanks for your time tonight, Mr. Moore. This -- the closer we look,
the dirtier it gets, it seems like. This guy is all about favors. Do you
think he would be that kind of president as well?

JIM MOORE, "THE HUFFINGTON POST": Oh, it`s going to be on a grand,
international, global scale when he becomes president. You mentioned the
nuclear waste dump out in West Texas. That was being built for a company -
- or is being built by a guy named Harold Simmons who is one of his largest
contributors.

It`s in a little town outside of Sundown. It`s in Andrews County in
West Texas. The community has been torn up about this because the energy
industry has gone away. But Simmons came along and he pushed it with the
legislature.

You also mentioned the Texas Committee on Environmental Quality -- the
commission, three of those people resigned when this was approved, because
there`s an aquifer out there, the Bozone (ph) Aquifer, which supplies water
to the city of El Paso and a number of farmers and ranchers and pecan
growers out there.

Everybody is afraid about -- of this. But the issue is, does Rick
Perry make money off this deal? Does he get political support and money
for his campaign? And do his supporters make money? The answer is yes, so
much for that little town.

SCHULTZ: What about his background? He seems to be clearing the air
on a number of issues. Perry told a group of Evangelicals, quote, "I can
assure you that there is nothing in my life that will embarrass you if you
decide to support me for president."

Why was it necessary for him to make a statement like that to
Evangelicals?

MOORE: Ed, that was a two-pronged question. One was are there policy
issues that we should be worried about that are going to be contradictory
to what you`re saying now? The truth is, yes, he`s been making a big
right-hand turn for ever and ever since he got here. He started turning
right.

The other piece of this question, though, is about his personal life.
Rumors have been afloat in this city for so long and got so bad back in
2004 that the governor approached a local newspaper and asked them to write
a story about it. And these rumors have to do with his personal life.

The rumor that was -- everybody in the city had heard was that he was
on the verge of getting a divorce, that his wife was going to file divorce
papers. The details are sketchy, but it reached a point where he was so
concerned about it that he went to the newspaper and asked them to write a
story about it, which is an unusual precedent.

And that was the other piece of that question that they asked. And
the truth is, this town right now, Ed, is crawling with reporters from all
over the country trying to get proof that he has had questionable behavior
in the past in his personal life.

SCHULTZ: Well, he`s trying to clear the beach. I mean, he`s very
clear. "I can assure you that there is nothing in my life that will
embarrass you." I mean, it`s a very definitive, very defined statement.
It`s unequivocal. And saying it to Evangelicals, they would take him at
his word right there. But if there were something, they would leave him
like a hot rock, I would imagine.

MOORE: I think what happens is if somebody comes out and makes an
allegation, that they are going to be shouted down. You got to remember
the money that is now moving away, Ed, from Michele Bachmann, that was with
her early and is moving toward Rick. And you got to remember all the
people now that are investing themselves in this guy.

It`s too late for them to turn that train around. So if somebody
comes out and makes this kind of allegation, their lives are going to be
fundamentally destroyed. They`re going to have to really, really be a
strong individual to make this kind of claim.

SCHULTZ: And finally, I want to ask you, could his bubble burst if he
does not play well, so to speak, in the first debate that he`s going to
partake in, which is going to be on MSNBC on September 7th? This will be
the first time that he`s going to be on the grand stage with the other
competitors. How is he going to do?

MOORE: Well, I`ve seen him in a number of debates down here with a
number of people on stage. And he`s done very well. I mean, you can, in
fact, be a bit of a dilettante in debates, especially when there is a
number of people on the dais and a number of people sitting there. There
is going to be so many people that it is going to be easy to do the 30-
second sound bite and move on.

Rick is pretty disciplined when it comes to giving his message. I
think he`s going to do OK. He could stumble, but the venue and the way
there`s so many people are going to make it to his advantage.

SCHULTZ: So you don`t think there will be any political self-
inflicted wound. He protects himself pretty well in a debate, that`s what
I`m hearing.

MOORE: He has historically done that quite well. He has a great deal
of confidence. Remember, this guy has been in public life, Ed, for 26
years. He`s never lost an election. He`s done very well. He could stub
his toe. But I think the bigger issue here for him in this debate on MSNBC
is going to be the fact that everybody there is attacking him.

How he handles that will be the big question.

SCHULTZ: "Huffington Post" contributor Jim Moore, always a pleasure.
Great to have you with us. Great insight.

Michele Bachmann is taking drill, baby, drill to new extremes. She
opens -- she`s open to drilling for oil in the Florida Everglades and says
anyone who is trying to stop her is radical? Bachmann, this is why you`re
at four percent. And that`s why you`re in the Zone.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Well, as children across America head back to school, I want
to show you the Republican idea of public education. In Wisconsin,
Governor Scott Walker`s union busting bill is driving teachers from the
classroom. Here are the numbers. Almost 5,000 public school employees
have retired so far this year, twice as many as usual.

Teachers are choosing to retire early instead of taking what amounts
to a pay cut because of Walker`s legislation. And it`s hurting the kids.

For example, in the city of Beloit, Wisconsin, that city lost 60
educators this year, 10 percent of its teaching force. The district has
only replaced 40 of those educators, which means bigger class sizes and
less experienced teachers.

Meanwhile, down in Texas, Rick Perry`s 2011 budget goes into effect
today. It slashes four billion dollars from school funding and cuts 1.4
billion in education grants. The Texas State Teachers Association says
49,000 school employees may lose their jobs within a year.

That`s a football stadium, folks, if you can visualize it. They`re
accusing Perry of "starving public education in our state." The group also
says, "when it comes to public education, Rick Perry is all hair and no
cattle."

Don`t be fooled by the Republican talk about saving money. What they
are doing is dismantling public education in this country, state-by-state.

Up next, Michele Bachmann has gone so far off the deep end, Tea
Partier Alan West is saying that he`s going to have to straighten her out.
Psycho Talk is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: And in Psycho Talk tonight, Michele Bachmann. Well, she has
no limits when it comes to drill, baby, drill. On a campaign swing through
Florida this week, Bachmann implied that she was open to drilling for oil
in the Florida Everglades.

She said, "the United States needs to be less dependent on foreign
sources of energy and more dependent upon American resourcefulness.
Whether that is in the Everglades or whether this is in the eastern Gulf
region or whether that`s in North Dakota, we need to go where the energy
is."

I didn`t do that for the whole quote because I didn`t think you could
take it. I know I couldn`t. Bachmann doubled down on those remarks and
blamed environmentalists for getting in the way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The radical
environmentalists put up one roadblock after another to percent accessing
American energy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: One road block after another. It turns out Tea Partying
Florida Congressman Alan West is one of Bachmann`s radical
environmentalists. He think his buddy Michele just took it too far.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ALAN WEST (R), FLORIDA: I think Michele Bachmann said something
that was an incredible faux pas yesterday when she mentioned the possibly
looking for energy resources in the Everglades. So when I see her next
week, I`ll straighten her out about that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: All right. Well, let me show you a couple of other radical
environmentalists, like former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. He is also
against drilling in the Everglades. So is Jeb`s brother, George W.
Remember him?

And by Bush administration estimates, the amount of oil in the
Everglades would only last the United States for two days? But I don`t
think Michele Bachmann is is thinking about the bigger picture.

Listen to this. A company called Collier Resources has been drilling
out on a chunk of unprotected land in the Everglades since the 1940s.
They`re still going strong and looking to expand. And guess what? The
Collier family, dog gone it, they`ve donated 10,000 dollars to Bachmann`s
presidential campaign.

That is either an amazing coincidence or some psycho financing, right?
And for Michele Bachmann to call people who oppose drilling in the
Everglades radical environmentalists is radical Psycho Talk.

Republican leaders really went out of their way to look bad this week,
didn`t they? Boehner, Cantor, Dick Cheney, Shooter, still trying to stay
relevant. Lizz Winstead, Mike Papantonio, they`re going to have their say.
You won`t want to miss it. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: And finally tonight, the leaders of the Republican party
have been really in overdrive this week, haven`t they? Like House Majority
Leader Eric Cantor is still trying to wiggle out of his demand that
disaster relief must be offset by more spending cuts. In a statement this
afternoon, spokesman said, "people and families affected by these disasters
will clearly get what they need from their federal government. The goal
should be to find ways to pay for what is needed or to find offsets
whenever possible. That is the responsible thing to do."

Really? Then there`s the Republican who would like to stay relevant,
Dick Cheney. And for once, I agree with something Donald Trump had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, "THE APPRENTICE": I didn`t like Cheney when he was a
vice president, I don`t like him now. And I don`t like people that rat out
everybody like he`s doing in the book.

Here`s a guy that did a rotten job as vice president. Nobody liked
him, tremendous divisiveness. And he`s going to make a lot of money on the
book. I won`t be reading it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: But nothing this week matches Speaker of the House John
Boehner, his disrespect for the president of the United States. It`s
obvious and it`s ugly. Let`s bring in co-creator of "The Daily Show" Lizz
Winstead with us tonight, and host of "The Ring of Fire" radio show, Mike
Papantonio.

Great to have both of you with us tonight. We have to start with
Cheney. I am agreeing with something Donald Trump said. Mike, do you
believe maybe for once in his life, Trumpster is sincere when he says that?

MIKE PAPANTONIO, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Trump goes wherever the wind
blows, and you can usually tell where the wind blows depending on the
direction of his hair.

But I`ll put it like this, Trump has the same problem that Dick Cheney
has, Rupert Murdoch has and David Koch has, and Bernie Madoff even. These
are guys that are always looking for redemption in the last part of their
lives. They always want redemption, almost a forgiveness for the life that
they`ve lived.

My advice to them, go see a priest. Go see a priest and give your
confessions rather than writing a damn book that`s going to bore all of us
and basically lead us down this primrose path about who these people really
are.

SCHULTZ: Lizz?

LIZZ WINSTEAD, COMEDIAN: Especially when you live in a bizarro world
of no regrets. It`s like the fact that Dick Cheney -- here`s one regret
Dick Cheney should have, his comb-over from the Ford administration. Did
you look at that picture? That is the one regret he could have, for sure.

But like you said, Mike, what`s weird is most normal people, at the
end of their life, they spend more time with their grand kids. They are
philanthropic. They might give their extra money to charity. No, not
these narcissists. They`re just crazy, crazy, crazy, out there thumping
around; "I have nothing to regret."

I mean, a friend of mine Tweeted today, you know, it`s torture unless
both people enjoy doing it.

SCHULTZ: And Condi Rice said she didn`t like her integrity being
attacked by Cheney. Mike, what do you make of that? They`re choosing up
sides now. .

PAPANTONIO: Yes, Cheney attacked just about everybody, and he really
had to. Because honestly, if you noticed, he never really told any story.
He never really told the stories we wanted to know, like how much did
Haliburton make after they engaged us in a war that cost 5,000 American
lives and hundreds of thousands of people over in Afghanistan?

Or what did you talk about back in that duck blind with the Supreme
Court Antonin Scalia, Supreme Court judge? What did you say to that judge
when you had that judge rule for you on something that was clearly no
precedent at all, where he covered up what happened between closed doors
when he met with the energy industry?

There are a lot of questions we`d like answered they never even
touched in that book. Honestly, this was a book looking for forgiveness
and redemption. And again, the guy needs to see a priest, not a book
publisher.

WINSTEAD: You know what we did really learn this week? That a lot of
creepy men are obsessed with Condi.

SCHULTZ: Well, Moammar Gadhafi -- maybe Cheney is jealous or
something. I don`t know, but that`s a strange pair.

WINSTEAD: Yes, exactly.

SCHULTZ: All right, we`ve got Speaker Boehner listening to Rush
Limbaugh, saying you can`t let the president come over and address a joint
session of the Congress. Mike, this is a first. What does it say about
Boehner?

PAPANTONIO: What it says is nobody is in charge. Back in my day at
the University of Florida, the best parties we had on campus was at a
fraternity house where nobody was in charge. There was no leadership
structure. There was no supervision by adults. The parties were fun, but
you always knew there was this Bluto, kind of John Belushi character, who
was going to burn the damn house down.

That`s what`s going on right now with the GOP. Right now, there is no
adult supervision, so you have people like Cantor, this oddball man child.
You have people like Boehner that are always delivering a message that the
Republicans haven`t really agreed to. It`s just sues ponte (ph). It`s
what can I say today, no matter how absurd it is.

And then the next day, they`re having to play catch-up and
apologizing. That happens when you don`t have adult supervision. This is
a party that is in a cold, cold chill right now. And they`ve got a long
way to pull themselves out of it without leadership.

WINSTEAD: It also, I think, terrifies Boehner, because what would
have been really awesome is if the president spoke, and then they went
right to that debate and Brian Williams -- the first question out of the
shoot was, the president just spoke, what do you think about his jobs plan?
And that big moron-a-thon, you know, with Jesus Camp leading the way, Rick
Perry, would have to answer.

And you know what? They can`t think on their feet because they don`t
have a plan. That would have been beautiful TV.

SCHULTZ: Lizz Winstead, Mike Papantonio, thanks for your time
tonight. We obviously will do it again.

Tonight in our survey, I asked you should Marco Rubio defend his
comments as a guest on THE ED SHOW? Ninety five percent of you said yes;
five of you said no.

One final note tonight, updating the results of the free clinic we
attended Monday in New Orleans, Louisiana. We already know 1,000
volunteers at the National Association of Free Clinics saw over 1,000
patients.

We`re learning more about the people they helped. According to the
National Association of Free clinics, five patients were diagnosed with
cancer. They didn`t know they had it. Twenty seven women had lumps in
their breasts that needed further diagnosis.

One person found out that they had HIV. One person had a heart attack
and was sent to the emergency room. And over 900 scripts for medicine were
given out for free.

These people will continue to get the help they need because of you
and your generosity. On behalf of this show, my self and staff, and the
National Association of Free Clinics, I want to thank you so much for all
of your support. And hopefully we can do it again and change some lives.
And ask yourself the question tonight, folks, if you had cancer, would you
want to know?

Lives were changed on Monday in New Orleans because of your donations.

That`s THE ED SHOW. I`m Ed Schultz. "THE LAST WORD" with Lawrence
O`Donnell starts right now. Have a great Labor Day weekend. We`ll see you
back here on Tuesday.

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

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