Guests: Jeanne Shaheen, Terry O`Neill, Caroline Heldman, Sandra Fluke,
Betty Sutton, Sam Stein
ED SCHULTZ, HOST: Good evening, Americans. And welcome to THE ED
SHOW tonight from New York.
Well, today is the first day of Women`s History Month. The
Republicans, they celebrated it and kicked off the month by voting in the
Senate to let your boss take charge of your health care.
And Rush Limbaugh doubled down on his ugly attack on a 24-year-old
college student. Sandra Fluke is here to respond for the first time
tonight.
This is THE ED SHOW -- let`s get to work.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), CALIFORNIA: Republicans are kicking off
Women`s History Month by bringing the Blunt Amendment to the floor in the
United States Senate.
SCHULTZ (voice-over): The war on women takes center stage in the
Senate, as 48 senators voted to roll back women`s rights.
SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D), CALIFORNIA: We have men on the other side of
the aisle here, for the most part, telling women what their rights should
be.
SCHULTZ: New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen will weigh in.
What will it take for Republicans to denounce their leading voice, as
he attacks college student Sandra Fluke?
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO HOST: It makes her a slut, right? It makes her
a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex.
SCHULTZ: Tonight, Sandra Fluke is here exclusively to respond to Rush
Limbaugh`s disturbing comments.
Plus, reaction with NOW`s Terry O`Neill and Professor Caroline
Heldman.
A federal judge in Montana is under fire for sending a despicable
racist anti-Obama e-mail.
Dr. Michael Eric Dyson is here to talk racism in the Republican Party.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHULTZ: Good to have you with us tonight, folks. Thanks for
watching.
The first battle may be over, but Republicans are vowing to continue
the war. Today, the Senate voted to table the Blunt Amendment, 51 to 48.
The measure would have given your boss a say in your health care. It would
give an employer or an insurance company the authority to deny any
essential or preventative care from contraception to cancer screenings for
any reason.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOXER: Now, Mr. Blunt is giving insurance companies a way to say,
"Oh, we really feel sorry that you have cancer. We`re really sad that you
have diabetes. We`re really torn apart that you might have a stroke. But,
you know what? We have a moral objection to the kind of therapies that are
out there today, so we`re sorry."
That`s what the Blunt Amendment does.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: It`s an effort to stop the Obama administration policy that
would require health insurance coverage to include birth control and
emergency contraception. The president offered a compromise to religious
institutions exempting them from the policy.
But that wasn`t good enough for the GOP.
Senator Bernie Sanders says it`s an attack on women.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: Let me add my strong belief that if
the United States Senate had 83 women and 17 men rather than 83 men and 17
women, my strong guess is that a bill like this would never even make it to
the floor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Yet four out of the five Republican women in the Senate
voted for the measure, including Susan Collins, who made this statement
before the vote.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: This issue has become a sad example of
election year politics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Senator Olympia Snowe, who will retire at the end of the
year, was the lone Republican voting against the bill.
Three Democrats, all men, voted with Republicans.
Conservatives have claimed all along that this is about religious
freedom. Who better to weigh in on the subject of contraception and
morality than Senator David Vitter of Louisiana?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. DAVID VITTER (R), LOUISIANA: Catholics, many other Christians,
many people of faith do not believe in certain activity and treatment that
is mandated now to be covered by this mandatory insurance. And that is
crossing a line that we have never before crossed in this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Vitter, of course, admitted to frequenting an escort service
a few years back, and according to the prostitute, Mr. Vitter reportedly
patronized, the gentleman from Louisiana used contraception.
Meanwhile, on the campaign trail, Mitt Romney attempted to clean up
the mess he created on the Blunt Amendment. Romney came out against the
measure just yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I`m not for the bill. But,
look, the idea of presidential candidates getting into questions about
contraception within a relationship between a man and a woman, a husband
and wife, I`m not -- I`m not going there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Immediately after that interview, Romney`s campaign said the
candidate supported the Blunt Amendment.
Romney tried to clear up the confusion earlier.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ROMNEY: I didn`t understand his question. Of course, I support the
Blunt Amendment. I thought he was talking about some state law that
prevented people from getting contraception.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Rick Santorum isn`t buying it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We saw an insight into
what`s in the gut of Governor Romney yesterday, when he was asked a
question about the Blunt Amendment. Well, then after his consultants
talked to him and then he came back and said, oh, I didn`t understand the
question. Well, maybe he did, maybe he didn`t.
But I`ll tell you, if I was asked a question like that, my gut
reaction would be always -- my gut reaction would be, you stand for the
First Amendment. You stand for freedom of religion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Despite today`s outcome, Republicans say they aren`t letting
this issue go.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I think it`s
important for us to win this issue. The government, our government, for
220 years, has respected the religious views of the American people. And
for all of this time, there`s been an exception for those churches and
other groups to protect the religious beliefs that they believe in. And
that`s being violated here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: And I am joined tonight by Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New
Hampshire.
Senator, good to have you with us on THE ED SHOW tonight. Thanks for
your time.
SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D), NEW HAMPSHIRE: Great to be with you, Ed.
SCHULTZ: Senator, there are 48 members of the United States Senate
who voted for the Blunt Amendment. And this evening, Roy Blunt says the
fight is not over.
What does that mean and how much farther will the Republicans take
this?
SHAHEEN: Well, I don`t know. I hope that they will decide that it`s
time to get back to making sure that we can get a highway bill passed
that`s going to help create jobs and invest in infrastructure, build the
roads and bridges and provide the mass transit that this country needs, and
stop trying to come between women and their health care and their doctors.
SCHULTZ: Republicans denied a Georgetown law student, Sandra Fluke,
from testifying about contraception before Congress. She did give
testimony in front of a House Democratic committee. And now, she`s being
targeted by the GOP mouthpiece, Rush Limbaugh.
Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIMBAUGH: What does it say about the college coed Susan Fluke who
goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be
paid to have sex? What does that make her? It makes her a slut, right?
It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Senator, we all know Limbaugh`s position with the Republican
Party. Is there any Republican in the U.S. Senate that would defend that?
SHAHEEN: Listen, I think those remarks are distasteful and they don`t
deserve a response.
The fact is here in Congress, we should be respectful of everyone who
comes before us and this young woman from Georgetown had a very important
story to tell, about the real effect on women of making sure that
contraceptives, like other medications, are available.
And as she pointed out, for 14 percent of women, 1.5 million women,
they use contraceptives not for birth control, but for other medical
reasons.
SCHULTZ: Senator Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire -- thanks for your
time tonight. Appreciate it.
SHAHEEN: Thank you.
SCHULTZ: In just a few minutes, the target of Rush Limbaugh`s
attacks, Sandra Fluke, will join me exclusively.
First, I want to bring in Terry O`Neill, president of the National
Organization for Women, and Dr. Caroline Heldman, professor of politics at
Occidental College.
Rush Limbaugh doubled down on his attacks on this college student on
his radio show today. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIMBAUGH: I will buy all of the women at Georgetown University as
much aspirin to put between their knees as they want.
We are paying her for having sex. We are getting screwed. So, Miss
Fluke, and the rest of you Feminazis, if we are going to pay for your
contraceptives and thus pay for you to have sex, we want something for it.
And I`ll tell you what it is -- we want you to post the videos online so we
can all watch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Terry O`Neill, what`s your reaction to Limbaugh`s
broadcasting of this issue?
TERRY O`NEILL, PRESIDENT, N.O.W.: Honestly, I think he needs to be
fired. I think that he should not be on the air. I mean, the level of
offensiveness of his remarks, really, he has clearly crossed a line.
Not that when he does that, frankly, it makes a lot of money for my
organization. I mean, you know, people are completely outraged, but I
think that the offensiveness needs to be recognized and he just shouldn`t
be on the air anymore.
SCHULTZ: Should the GOP get involved in this, with his connections to
the Republican Party, and how often the Republican Party follows his lead?
O`NEILL: Yes, I don`t know how the GOP distances itself from him. He
has been their leading spokesperson for quite a while now. The GOP leaders
really kowtow to Rush Limbaugh. So, they are very much joined at the hip.
And, so, yes, they need -- they have a problem on their hands. And
that problem is only getting worse when our elected officials in the
Republican Party, when John Boehner goes and says, gosh, this is something
that we need to win, taking -- restricting birth control -- the way you win
the birth control issue is by making sure that women have unfettered access
to it. That is essential to women`s reproductive health care, and it`s
really a question of public health as well.
SCHULTZ: Today, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi railed on
Republicans for the Blunt Amendment vote. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PELOSI: The Republicans are kicking off Women`s History Month by
bringing the Blunt Amendment to the floor in the United States Senate.
Instead of talking about jobs, which is what the American people expect and
deserve us to be doing, what they sent us here to do, we`ve moved on to the
Blunt Amendment -- a blunt, sweeping overreach into women`s health, part of
the Republican agenda of disrespecting women`s health issues.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Caroline, this seems to be going far beyond women`s health
issues, and now becoming a cultural issue about the standing of women in
our society. How do you see it?
DR. CAROLINE HELDMAN, OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE: Well, I see it as a
coordinated campaign, because it`s happening at the federal level in
Congress, not just with this amendment, but other amendments, or proposals.
It`s happening at the state level. Every Republican-controlled state house
right now is considering restrictions to abortion or contraception.
And it`s happening in the media, with Rush Limbaugh and others of his
ilk, who are trying to silence women through is slut-shaming, which, yes,
he should be fired for. But, frankly, I think it will backfire. I think
that Rush Limbaugh should stay on the air and Republicans should continue
to try to restrict women`s access to their sexual freedom and ability to
make choices, because it can only help the Democrats come November.
This, I`d like to call it, the Republican boys` war on women, it turns
us back half a century and it exposes the hatred of women or the disdain
for women that is inherent in certain parts of the Republican Party.
And 26 percent of voters in the election in 2008 were single women.
So they decided the outcome of the election, and they may well do it again
if Republicans keep promoting this hateful dialogue.
SCHULTZ: Terry O`Neill, Dr. Caroline Heldman -- thanks for your time
tonight. We appreciate it.
We want to know what you think. Get your cell phones out. Tonight`s
question: does Rush Limbaugh have the character to apologize for his sexist
remarks? Text A for yes, text B for no to 622639. And you can always go
to our blog at Ed.MSNBC.com. We`ll bring you the results later on in our
show.
You may be wondering, how does Rush Limbaugh -- how is he allowed to
go on the air and say these kind of things with absolutely no discipline,
no repercussion? Let me tell you something, in the radio business,
apparently he is too big to fail.
But I have to say tonight, as a broadcaster who has said things that
he`s had to apologize for, I find it absolutely disgusting that Limbaugh
doubles down on it. Where is the right wing and where is the pressure
being put on Limbaugh as it was put on me?
This student that you`re going to see on THE ED SHOW coming up is not
a public figure, doesn`t have a chance to fight back, and Limbaugh just
picks on her.
John Hogan, you`re the CEO of Clear Channel. You ought to be ashamed
of yourself.
We`ll hear from the target of Rush Limbaugh`s disgusting rant,
Georgetown University law student, Sandra Fluke, joins me exclusively next.
The outrageous racist e-mail about the president of the United States
from a federal judge, Michael Eric Dyson, joins me on that.
Stay with us. We`re right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Coming up, Sandra Fluke, she joins me exclusively with her
reaction to Rush Limbaugh`s comments, and today`s vote on the Blunt
Amendment in the Senate.
Later, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio released his bogus birther
investigation results. I`ll talk with MSNBC political analyst Michael Eric
Dyson about the Republican`s continuing problem with race.
And we`re expecting President Obama to speak shortly at a fund-raiser
here in New York. We`ll bring you his remarks live.
Share your thoughts on Twitter with us using the #EdShow.
We`re right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: And in the war on women -- the number one right wing talk
show host in America has used his platform to attack a college student,
attack a private citizen. Members of Congress are reacting. More than 75
Democrats have signed a letter to House Speaker John Boehner urging him to
denounce Rush Limbaugh`s offensive comments about Georgetown law student,
Sandra Fluke.
Tonight in an exclusive interview, Georgetown University law student
Sandra Fluke joins me.
Sandra, thanks for your time tonight. We`re not going to play anymore
of that offensive sound. I just want to have a conversation with you
tonight.
And without a pointed question, I just want to ask you -- what are you
feeling right now and what`s your reaction to what you heard?
SANDRA FLUKE, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW STUDENT: Well, I guess my
reaction is what a -- the reaction that a lot of women have when they`ve
been called these names. Initially, you`re stunned, but then very quickly,
you`re outraged, because this is historically the kind of language that is
used to silence women, especially when women stand up and say that these
are their reproductive health care needs and this is what they need.
And what`s been amazing to me today is the outpouring of support.
Everyone from members of Congress to Georgetown faculty, to so many women
who have contacted me, and I think it`s clear from what they`ve said that
they`re not going to be silenced by this.
SCHULTZ: Were you prepared for this kind of a reaction when you first
agreed to testify? First, you were not allowed in front of Darrell Issa`s
committee. And then, of course, the Democrats held a hearing where you
testified at a Democratic hearing and you got quite a bit of media
coverage.
But now all of this -- were you prepared for this?
FLUKE: Well, I think when you enter the public spotlight, you do know
that this is possible. And as I`ve said, I`m not the first woman to be
treated this way by numerous conservative media outlets. Hopefully, I`ll
be the last.
SCHULTZ: He defamed you, in the biggest way, on 600 radio stations,
and it`s reported he has a weekly audience of 20 million listeners. This
now, many might think that this has cast you into a position of leadership.
Do you accept that role, if that is the case?
FLUKE: Well, I think what I`m going to be doing from here on out is
just continuing to do what I have been, sharing the stories of the women
who contact me and really trying to make sure that their voices are being
heard.
SCHULTZ: Based on what Limbaugh said, what doesn`t he know that he
needs to know?
FLUKE: I think what`s been said publicly today is all he needs to
know, is that this is really inappropriate, this is outside the bounds of
civil discourse.
SCHULTZ: Seventy-five Democrats have signed a letter to Speaker John
Boehner, urging him to denounce Limbaugh`s comments.
They write, "Using his radio show as a means for blatantly insulting a
hard-working American with obscene and indecent language, because he
disagrees with her personal choices is an abuse of the public airwaves. As
leaders of the House that initially denied Ms. Fluke the right to speak,
the Republicans have a special obligation to condemn the atrocious and
hurtful words spoken by Mr. Limbaugh."
Do you think that the Republicans should denounce Rush Limbaugh and
what he has said?
FLUKE: Well, I would just start off by saying thank you to all of the
members of Congress who have supported me in this. It really has meant a
lot to me. And I think to women across America.
But in answer to your question, I don`t really see why anyone would
not condemn this type of language.
SCHULTZ: If you`re asked to go back and testify again, will you do
it? Or have you had enough of this?
FLUKE: I would always be willing to speak out in favor of women`s
health and the type of accessible, affordable health care that they need.
SCHULTZ: Sandra Fluke, you`re very brave and it`s unfortunate that a
college student has to put up with this. And now, you have become a focal
point in all of this, just because you went to Congress to speak your piece
to the American people. It`s rather an amazing story.
I feel like I have to apologize for you tonight, and I want to say
that you`re very brave to stand in front of the media and do what you`re
doing. I appreciate it.
FLUKE: Well, thank you.
SCHULTZ: Sandra, thank you for your time.
FLUKE: Thank you for having me.
SCHULTZ: You bet.
Rick Santorum is fuming mad at the Romney campaign. His spokesman is
saying Romney rigged the Michigan primary. We`ll tell you what he`s all --
what he`s talking about.
And the president is attending a fund-raiser tonight in New York City.
We`ll bring you some of his comments coming up. Stay tuned.
You`re watching THE ED SHOW on MSNBC.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Well, it`s a big mess in Michigan and Rick Santorum is
fuming. Mitt Romney won Michigan`s popular vote, but the state GOP split
the delegates evenly between Santorum and Romney. Today, Michigan awarded
two at large delegates to Mitt Romney after lengthy behind-the-scenes
meetings. Obviously, not everyone was on the same page.
Earlier this month, the state GOP`s chairman said the two at-large
delegates get awarded proportionately. The Santorum campaign wants to know
why the two delegates were proportionately split yesterday, but belong to
Mitt Romney as of today.
Santorum`s spokesman e-mailed this statement to THE ED SHOW tonight.
"There`s just no way this is happening. We never thought the Romney
campaign would try to rig the outcome of an election by changing the rules
after the vote. This kind of backroom dealing, political thuggery just
cannot and should not happen in America."
Meanwhile, the president of the United States is keeping pressure on
his Republican opponents. In New Hampshire today, the president called
them out on fear-mongering about gas prices.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If there`s one thing I
know about New Hampshire, it`s that your political bull detector is pretty
keen. Anybody who tells you that we can just drill our way out of this
problem does not know what they`re talking about or they`re not telling you
the truth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: I`m joined tonight by Congresswoman Betty Sutton of Ohio and
also Sam Stein, political reporter for "The Huffington Post." Great to
have both of you with us tonight.
SAM STEIN, HUFFINGTON POST: Thanks, Ed.
SCHULTZ: Congresswoman, are the Democrats happy the president is
taking on the Republicans as directly as he is on this issue?
REP. BETTY SUTTON (D), OHIO: I think that the Democrats and Ohioans
across the board are very happy about the president speaking to issues that
they really care about in a direct, straight-on way. Whether it`s standing
up for jobs, which is really what is on their mind, first and foremost,
and, obviously, pushing back on the things that the Republicans are trying
to perpetrate related to gas prices, fear-mongering.
You know, no one likes these high gas prices, and maybe we ought to
cut those subsidies we keep giving to big oil. That`s what Democrats would
like to do.
SCHULTZ: Sam, today the president was using visual aids to back up
his points. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: The bar on the left shows that six years ago, 60 percent of
oil that we used was imported. Since I took office, America`s dependence
on foreign oil has gone down every single year, every single year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Sam, it`s pretty clear that the president is jumping out in
front of this before this becomes a political problem. What do you think?
STEIN: Well, first of all, what a liberal elitist academic the
president is. It`s disgusting that he uses visual aids like that.
Secondly, yes, of course. I think the White House obviously
recognizes that the issue of gas prices is one of those things that could
actually trip up the president going through into the summer. They`ve
always had tricky summers. Gas prices have risen before, it`s a
complicating matter.
The congresswoman`s right. The politics of this are a lot more tricky
than the actual science of it. The president has little control over it.
So, he wants to preemptively push back. And I think he did that
effectively today.
SCHULTZ: Congresswoman Sutton, Mitt Romney supported the anti-
collective bargaining bill in Ohio that was defeated. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I fully support Governor
Kasich`s -- I think it`s called Question Two in Ohio. Fully support that.
Actually, on my website, I think back as early as April, I laid out that I
support Question Two and Governor Kasich`s effort to restrict collective
bargaining in Ohio.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: You know, both he and Santorum are making this big pitch to
wage earners. Is this going to hurt them in the primary, especially
Romney?
SUTTON: Absolutely. The fact that while we were out fighting for
workers, standing up for our firefighters, police officers, our teachers,
our nurses who were under attack by Governor Kasich, Romney was standing
next to him, trying to push that fundamentally unfair bill on our people.
And I think that that just shows how out of touch that he is with Ohioans,
because Ohioans overwhelmingly rejected Issue Two.
SCHULTZ: Sam, there`s been some vote issues now, counting problems in
Maine, Iowa, Nevada. Now there`s an issue with the delegates in Michigan.
What do you make of this? How big a fight is this going to be?
STEIN: It`s curious, because if the Romney campaign forces were
trying to pick up one delegate, they certainly caused a big stir trying to
do it. And I think they created more problems for themselves in the
process. Obviously, a lot of attention is being focused on what exactly
happened at that credentials meeting with the Michigan GOP last night.
We`re not entirely sure whether it was by the rules or whether it was
a violation of the rules, but it`s created the perception that the
establishment Republican party is pulling levers behind the scenes in favor
of Mitt Romney. And I think that plays to Santorum`s hands, going forward.
SCHULTZ: And finally, congresswoman, one out of every eight jobs in
Ohio is related to the automobile industry. How can the president not win
Ohio? How do you feel about it?
SUTTON: I have to tell you, it`s amazing to watch Mitt Romney and
Rick Santorum standing up and still opposing the efforts we took to revive
the auto industry, which is now going strong. And you`re right, it`s not
just about the cars. It`s about the people. It`s about the families who
depend on the auto industry.
I really do think that Ohioans know what the president did and what we
did was the right thing to do. And come the election in November, I think
they`re going to remember that.
SCHULTZ: Congresswoman Betty Sutton, Sam Stein of "the Huffington
Post," great to have both of you with us tonight. Thanks for your time.
You bet.
STEIN: Thanks, Ed.
SUTTON: Thank you, Ed.
SCHULTZ: A federal judge in Montana is in hot water after sending a
racist e-mail about President Obama. Tonight, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson is
here to talk the Republican party`s race problem.
And Sheriff Joe Arpaio`s witch hunt is over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE ARPAIO, ARIZONA SHERIFF: I cannot in good faith report to you
that these documents are authentic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Arpaio has released the results of his absurd investigation
into the president`s birth certificate.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to THE ED SHOW. The latest ugly case of racism
from Republicans who don`t like the president of the United States. The
chief U.S. District Judge, Richard Cebull, of Montana, sent this e-mail to
six of his buddies: "normally I don`t send or forward a lot of these. I
want all my friends to feel what I felt when I read this. Hope it touches
your heart like it did mine. `A little boy said to his mother, mommy, how
come I`m black and you`re white? His mother replied, don`t even go there,
Barack! From what I can remember about that party, you`re lucky you don`t
bark."
Judge Cebull was appointed by President George W. Bush. When this e-
mail became public, the judge said this, "it was not intended by me in any
way to become public. I apologize to anybody who was offended by it. And
I can obviously understand why people would be offended. I`m not a fan of
our president, but this goes beyond not being a fan. I didn`t send it as
racist, although that`s what it is. I sent it out because it`s anti-
Obama."
Judge Cebull says he is sending a formal apology. At his own request,
the Ninth Circuit will perform a misconduct review.
There`s more anti-Obama craziness happening out there today in
Arizona. Sheriff Joe Arpaio held a news conference on the president`s
birth certificate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARPAIO: We believe probable cause exists indicating that forgery and
fraud may have been committed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Well, this hour-long presentation by the sheriff included
Jerry Coursy (ph) of right wing "World Net Daily." How`s that for
objectivity? Sheriff Arpaio is currently the subject of a federal grand
jury investigation into criminal abuse allegations. The United States
Department of Justice has accused him of racial profiling.
It is sad that we are at this point in this country. These stories
keep coming up. But a federal judge, a judge does this? A U.S. district
judge having fun with racism? Would you like to go in front of him if
you`re a person of color?
Would you like to be in a situation where a judgment has to be
rendered by this man on the bench? This man shouldn`t be investigated. He
should be removed! And the Justice Department should do everything they
possibly can to get rid of this Judge Cebull in Montana, and send a lesson
to everybody on the bench that you`re there as a responsible citizen to
judge others by the law. And when you do things like this, it is extremely
hard for the public to have confidence in our judicial system.
This is way out of bounds. It parallels that of what Limbaugh has
done in his profession, which I`ll have more commentary on later on in this
broadcast. We are back with Michael Eric Dyson on this subject right after
this. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to THE ED SHOW. Racism in the Republican party
and also racism in our judicial system. The story, the chief U.S. District
Judge Richard Cebull out of Montana sending a racist e-mail about the
president of the United States.
Let`s turn to MSNBC political analyst Michael Eric Dyson, also a
professor at Georgetown University, and the author of the book "Can You
Hear Me Now?"
Professor, your reaction to the judge`s e-mail? And I guess I have to
get right to it. Can this judge, in any way, shape, or form, be objective
and be trusted in cases of people of color standing in front of his bench?
MICHAEL ERIC DYSON, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST: I don`t think he can at
all, Ed. Here`s a guy who obviously is colored by his own beliefs, tinged
with bias. His anti-Obama sentiments are one thing, but to connect them to
racialized sentiments like he`s done here is ridiculous.
How do you think you could have an objective person who would consider
your case, adjudicate, which is what judges are supposed to do, decide
between what`s right and wrong, between competing claims, if he`s already
been informed by a certain kind of bigotry and prejudice towards African-
American people, and this kind of vicious, vitriolic sentiment against the
president?
I don`t see how you could expect him to be fair.
SCHULTZ: Is a misconduct review, at his request, just damage control
for him? Or do you think it could be a thorough process, which could end
up possibly removing him from the bench?
DYSON: We certainly hope that a serious examination is in order here.
How can we do anything except call for impeachment of this man and removal
from the bench? Because he has really sullied the reputation of the bench.
We are not confident as a public that he`s able to render fair judgments.
And if he were a man of worth and integrity, he would step aside
voluntarily, knowing that he has gone beyond the boundary here of fairness
and objectivity and now his -- the very legal reasoning that he uses to
make judgments is in question.
SCHULTZ: And to the story in Arizona, where Sheriff Joe Arpaio put on
his dog and pony show press conference today, after investigating whether
the president of the United States has an authentic birth certificate.
What do you make of it?
DYSON: It`s just more of the same kind of, you know, refusal to
acknowledge Obama as a legitimate American. And this attack on him is
really an attack on millions more of us, who are seen suspiciously through
the prism of a narrow, right-wing conservative outlook.
And to go through this dog and pony show to try to prove that Obama is
or is not a citizen is a distraction. The deeper issues in Arizona are
about immigration and about borders and about to what degree America will
be fully what it claims to be in its Declaration of Independence, not this
kind of shenanigan, where he tries to prove Obama is again an outsider, and
as a person who deserves to be treated like a common thug on the street.
SCHULTZ: Here`s what the sheriff said earlier this week about GOP
candidates seeking his endorsement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARPAIO: Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain. And of course Perry, I
campaigned for him in Iowa, which I see a lot of Iowa people walking by.
And Romney called me briefly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: If this story about the president`s birth certificate is so
wacky, why are so many Republicans, according to the sheriff, out to get
his endorsement? What do you make of it?
DYSON: Because they`re wacky too. I mean, the wackiness just doesn`t
seem to end in the Republican run up to trying to decide who will carry the
water for them. I think it`s a sign of the desperation and the
disorganization, and ultimately the disintegration of the Republican party
that they`re seeking loony tune folks like this on the lunatic friend, who
have nothing to do with central operation of American democracy.
We can be fair. We can say, look, we disagree. We`re on the left,
you`re on the right; we can have an argument that`s civil. But these kinds
of debates really show America at its worst. And it is nothing more than
race baiting and hatred that has to be ended.
SCHULTZ: Michael Eric Dyson, thanks so much.
When we come back, we`ll join the president of the United States
speaking at a fund-raiser here in New York City. We`re right back. Stay
with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to THE ED SHOW. President Obama is speaking
here in Manhattan tonight at a fund-raiser. Let`s listen in.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is because of your
commitments to each other. It`s not a vision of America where everybody is
left to fend for themselves. It`s a vision of America where everybody
works together and everybody who works hard has a chance to get ahead, not
just those at the very top.
That`s the vision we share. That`s the change we believed in, that no
matter who you are, no matter where you come from, no matter what you look
like, no matter what your name is, that in this country, you can make it if
you try.
That was the change we believed in. And we knew it wasn`t going to
come easy. We knew it wouldn`t come quickly. But I want you to think
about what we have done in just three years, because of what you did in
2008.
Think about it. Think about what change looks like. Change is the
first bill I signed into law, pretty simple law. It says women deserve an
equal day`s pay for an equal day`s work. Because we want -- because I want
my daughters to have the same opportunities as someone`s sons.
That happened because of you. Change is the decision we made to
rescue the American auto industry from collapse, even when there were some
politicians who were saying, let`s let Detroit go bankrupt. And with one
million jobs on the line, we weren`t going to let that happen. And today
GM is back on top as the world`s number one automaker, just reported the
highest profits in 100 years.
With 200,000 new jobs created in the last 2.5 years, the American auto
industry is back. That happened because of you.
Change is the decision we made to stop just waiting for Congress to do
something about our addiction to oil and finally raise our fuel efficiency
standards. And by the next decade, we will be driving American-made cars
that get almost 55 miles to the gallon. And that will save the typical
family 8,000 dollars at the pump, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil
and start actually giving us some independence from these gas prices that
have been going up.
That`s what change is. That`s what you did.
Change is the fight we want to stop handing 60 billion dollars in
taxpayer subsidies to banks to process student loans and give that money
directly to students and families who need it, so that millions of young
people around the country are able to afford college just a little bit
better.
Change is health care reform that we passed after a century of trying,
a reform that insures that in the United States of America, nobody will go
bankrupt just because they get sick. And already 2.5 million young people
have health insurance today because this law lets them stay on their
parents` plan. And every American can no longer be denied or dropped by
their insurance company when they need care the most.
That happened because of you, because of what you were willing to
fight for back in 2008.
Change is the fact that for the first time in history, you don`t have
to hide who you love to serve the country you love, because we got rid of
Don`t Ask, Don`t Tell.
And change is keeping another promise I made in 2008; for the first
time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq. We put that
war to an end.
And we refocused our efforts on the terrorists who actually attacked
us on 9/11. And thanks to the incredible men and women in uniform, al
Qaeda is weaker than it has ever been and Osama bin Laden will never again
walk the face of this Earth.
We`ve restored respect for America around the world, made clear that
America will abide by those core values that made us the great country. We
ended torture. We promoted human rights. We made it clear that America`s
a Pacific power. We demonstrated that if countries like Burma travel down
the road of democratic reform, they will find a new relationship with the
United States.
And we are leading again by the power of our moral example. That`s
what change is.
None of this change -- none of -- nobody`s announced a war, young
lady. So -- but we appreciate your sentiment. You`re jumping the gun a
little bit there.
None of this change has been easy. And we`ve got a lot more work to
do. There`s still too many Americans out there looking for work. There
are too many families out there who are having a tough time paying their
bills or making their mortgage, or their house is under water. They`re
still recovering from the worst economic storm in our lifetimes, in
generations.
But over the last two years, businesses have added about 3.7 million
new jobs. Our manufacturing sector is creating jobs again for the very
first time since the 1990s. Our economy is getting stronger. The recovery
is accelerating.
America is coming back. And the last thing we can afford to do right
now is to go back to the very same policies that got us into this mess in
the first place.
But, you know, that is exactly what the other folks for this office --
who are running for this office want to do. I don`t know if you`ve been
paying attention.
But they make no secret about their agenda. They want to go back to
the days when Wall Street played by its own rule. They want to go back to
the days when insurance companies could deny coverage or jack up your
premiums without a reason. They want to spend one trillion dollars more on
tax breaks for the wealthiest individuals, even if it means adding to our
deficit or gutting education, or gutting our investment in clean energy, or
making it tougher for seniors who are on Medicare.
And their philosophy is simple: we are better off when everybody`s
left to fend for themselves; the most powerful can play by their own rules.
We`re at a crossroads here. We`ve got as stark a choice as we`ve seen
in a very long time.
SCHULTZ: President Obama speaking to campaign donors here in New York
City tonight, live on MSNBC. When we return, big news on marriage equality
in Maryland. I`ll bring you the details, next. This is THE ED SHOW on
MSNBC. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: And in the Big Finish tonight, Maryland is now the eighth
state in the nation to pass a marriage equality law. Opponents of the
marriage equality are already working to overturn it. Democratic Governor
Martin O`Malley signed the bill into law at a ceremony today. He said "at
the end of the day, we want human dignity for all people."
The law will go into effect in January of 2013. Maryland businesses
are already telling the local media that they are looking forward to the
economic boost that they will see when all people in the state are allowed
to get married.
Maryland joins Washington, Iowa, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the District of Columbia as the only places
in the United States where all citizens have the same rights when it comes
to marriage.
Conservative groups are already circulating petitions to overturn
Maryland`s new marriage equality law.
Tonight in our survey, I asked, does Rush Limbaugh have the character
to apologize for his sexist remarks? One percent of you say yes; 99
percent of you say no.
That`s THE ED SHOW, I`m Ed Schultz. You can listen to me on the
radio, Sirius XM, channel 127, Monday through Friday, noon to 3:00 PM.
Follow me on Twitter @EdShow and like THE ED SHOW on Facebook.
"THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW" starts right now. Good evening, Rachel.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY
BE UPDATED.
END
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The Ed Show for Thursday, March 1, 2012
Read the transcript to the Thursday show