THE ED SHOW
March 7, 2014
Guests: Michael Brune, Alan Robock, Leo Gerard, Holland Cooke, John
Fugelsang, Nina Turner
ED SCHULTZ, MSNBC HOST: Good evening Americans and welcome to the Ed Show
live from New York. Let`s get to work.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Changing climate is
already harming Western communities.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The last day for comments about this pipeline.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The pressure the administration faces to reject
Keystone continues to emanate.
REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R-OH) HOUSE SPEAKER: The job is creating Keystone
energy project.
RUSS GIRLING, CEO, TRANSCANADA: Make sure the jobs are temporary if that`s
the nature of construction.
SEN. RAND PAUL, (R) KENTUCKY: The Keystone Pipeline would instantly create
thousands of jobs.
LAUREN LYSTER, "THE DAILY TICKER" HOST: The separate jobs will move the
needle essentially even though the permanent jobs will only be about 50.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These people have not earned the right to use our land.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One spill would devastate that family`s future
forever.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He wouldn`t be able to drop (ph) it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The dirtiest oil in the planet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You won`t be able to water any crops with it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If there`s a crack, a leak.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was contaminated.
GIRLING: That has to be done and the marketplace continues to pushes to
build the pipeline.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Good to have you with us tonight folks. Thanks for watching.
When I first came to MSNBC five years ago, it was a healthcare debate.
Seems like every night we did a story on the public option. I wanted it.
I believed in it. I`m there on this. This is an everyday story.
I believe that we are now in the 11th hour and I believe that we are on the
verge of, potentially, stamp of approval to the worst decision this
president could make for generations to come, because if there is a
disaster over the aquifer, it is irreversible damage, what precedents could
have do that after President Obama? Just think we would be remembering
President Obama for a long time for all the wrong reasons.
He`s done so many good things so far. I plead with the president now,
again, tonight. Say no. We begin tonight with an angle of the story that
is very, very important because I was a 65 percent -- and we got new
numbers on the Keystone XL Pipeline.
A new Washington Post, ABC News poll says 65 percent of Americans think
that President Obama should give it the stamp of approval and move forward.
They approve of it. Only 22 percent opposed it. Well, I was the 65-
percenter. I make the case tonight to you that I believe that the majority
of these folks right here don`t have all the facts. Nobody else is
covering it on a day to day basis.
Now, I used to be part of that 65 percent until I did some research on all
of this. Now, if you look at the facts and talk to folks on the ground, I
think fair minded Americans would make the turn as I did and they would
change their mind. The pipeline is so important to America. So it`s
important that it`s not there.
Let me make the case again tonight against the pipeline. The poll shows
that 85 percent of Americans think the XL Pipeline will create a
significant number of jobs. Hold it right there. Almost nine out of 10
Americans think that this is a job creator? That`s the only thing the
Republicans ever talked about. "Where are the jobs? Where are the jobs?
They finally got a job creating project we can put in the middle of the
country."
Rand Paul in that opening sound bite we just played, he`s wrong. He`s 100
percent wrong. Some of the Righties, you know what they`re doing? They`re
feeding on this stuff. Here we go jumping in front of a parade one more
time. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. He had to get the action. He
wrote a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, just yesterday, urging him
to approve the pipeline. Wisconsin, behind the pipeline. Interesting.
It`s nowhere near Wisconsin.
Now, but Walker claims, oh yeah, he claims that the Keystone XL Pipeline
would create 9,000 jobs in his state alone over the next 20 years. What`s
that is he talking about? Who the hell could project what the economy is
going to be like 15 years from now? Walker, you expect us to believe that?
Give me a break.
There is no study out there that backs that number out. There`s no study
out there that backs that up at all. He`s pulling that out off there and
just throwing it out there thinking that people will believe it. Well,
he`s working on the 65 percent. "Oh, this was a big job creator is what it
is." No, it`s not.
Governor Walker, you`re lying. My team worked all day today trying to find
that study that you say is going to create 9,000 jobs in the Badger State
over the next 20 years. Show it to me. Embarrass me Walker. Tell me it`s
wrong. Show me it`s wrong. It`s not there.
The State Department says the pipeline will create roughly 1900 temporary
jobs. You know, when I was out on the ground, I talked to a lot of people
in Nebraska, and they said, "Yeah, there`s going to create some jobs but
then a lot of them aren`t going to be permanent." Once the project is
completed according to the State Department from study, there is going to
be 50 full-time jobs. This is the number that they`re hanging their hat on
the State Department. Under 2,000 jobs for two years, and in the long
term, we`re talking 50.
But, somehow, there is going to be 9,000 jobs on a part of the country that
doesn`t even have the pipeline and you`re suppose to believe that?
Meanwhile, 47 percent of Americans, here`s the big one, 47 percent of
Americans think the Keystone Pipeline will pose a significant risk. Almost
half of America thinks that, "Yeah, this kind of risky to the environment
and make no mistake." These Americans are very concerned about the risks
involved.
They have good reason to oppose the pipeline. For example, not too long
ago, just last year, there was a devastating, devastating pipeline rapture
in the town of Mayflower, Arkansas. There it is right below the Keystone
XL. On March 29th 2013, ExxonMobil Pegasus pipeline ruptured sending the
small town into chaos.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Friday afternoon, well, over 10,000 barrels of oil
came spilling out of a ruptured Exxon (ph) pipeline covering the streets
and backyards of this Mayflower neighborhood.
Although nearly 12,000 barrels of oil and water have been vacuumed so far,
some backyards like this one are much more challenging project to take on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The surface is still wet with oil but the volume of oil
is off the street and that separates from the oil that`s in the yards of
the few of our farm residents.
JENNIFER WHITTINGTON: It was a big pop or a loud bang sound and I didn`t
think anything about it. Went on about five minutes later, I came out and
there is like rive of oil.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The river of oil, that`s how residents are describing
what it look like as thousands of barrels of petroleum came flowing out of
the Pegasus pipeline down Starlight Road.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: You`re ready to have that happen over the aquifer? This spill
right here was devastating to the local community. 7,000 barrels of heavy
crude were spilled in the suburban neighborhood. 40 homes were evacuated,
five homes were actually bought out by ExxonMobil to mop this thing up, two
homes were demolished, hundreds of animals were impacted, and there were
reports that the nearby Lake Conway had been contaminated as well.
Now, a year later, some residents of Mayflower, you know what they`re
doing? They`re not only mopped it up, they`re still fighting ExxonMobil in
court. It`s interesting because when I was on the ground in Nebraska, one
of the good old boys told me, "You know Ed, if we ever have a problem on
our land, you know, we don`t have this deep hypothesis (ph) this oil
company is to be able to fight in this people."
Gosh, they`re living that in Mayflower, Arkansas. The spill was bad. It
would be nothing compared to a Keystone XL spill. The Pegasus line carried
roughly 90,000 barrels a day. The Keystone XL Pipeline is expected to
carry 830,000 barrels a day. Bit difference in numbers.
Gosh, I wonder if the pressure of the oil going through the pipe is the
same. I think it`s going to be a hell of a lot more pressure on this
number right here and that good old China pipe, I`m sure it`s going to work
good, isn`t it?
Here`s a map of both pipelines. Thankfully, the Pegasus Pipeline doesn`t
run over the aquifer. There it is. If the Keystone ruptures over the
aquifer, it will be irreversible. You take the spill and you put it right
there and you have generational irreparable damage. The reasons to oppose
the Keystone XL Pipeline, they`re very clear.
Unfortunately, many Nebraska lawmakers, well, they`ve been bought out by
the oil company. They`re just not on the same page. Is that an
inflammatory statement? Prove me wrong.
Today, 29 Nebraska State senators sent a letter to Secretary of State John
Kerry. Have you noticed lately we`ve got a lot of letters floating around
ever since we`ve been covering this? Urging of course support of the
pipeline. These 29 Nebraska State senators are telling Secretary of State
Kerry, "Hey, let`s go. Let`s do it." It`s over half the State Senate.
Now, the report shows TransCanada might be buying a little bit of influence
right here. According to the website Nebraskawatchdog.org, TransCanada has
spent over $700,000 in the lobbying over the last couple of years.
$700,000 in a small media state, gosh, that buys a lot of time and a lot of
influence. There is no doubt TransCanada has a deep wallet and I believe
that they`re buying influence. That`s the sense I got on the ground in
Nebraska.
When I was in Nebraska, one former state senator told me, lobbying over the
pipeline was rapid.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: You were on the legislature.
FMR. STATE SEN. ANNIE CORNETT, (R) NEBRASKA: Yes.
SCHULTZ: 49 representatives and a.
CORNETT: Yes. Unicameral.
SCHULTZ: . unicameral. Was there heavy lobbying on this?
CORNETT: There was heavy lobbying on both sides.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Heavy lobbying on both sides. But, on that letter that was sent
to John Kerry from Nebraska, there`s only one Democrat. They are all
Republicans, only one Democrat.
The 1 percent who can`t be bought on this is President Obama because this
will follow him for a long time. If he really wants to make the
generational statement and make the turn, he has to say no to this. He`s
got to stand up to big oil and show the American people that big oil
doesn`t get everything it wants. He`s got to protect the aquifer.
President Obama needs to keep the town of Mayflower, Arkansas in mind when
he`s making this decision.
And there`s another thing to take under consideration in this part of the
country if we can look at the map. Where is the next pipeline going to go?
If they have the pipeline approved and the Keystone comes over the aquifer,
we`re -- what other pipeline is going to be stopped in America? This would
set a precedent because everybody would say, on the oil side of things,
"Hey, we`ve already got a pipeline going over the aquifer." As a matter
fact, they do right now. And when I was in Nebraska, that`s the case they
were making. "Oh yeah, don`t worry about it. We already got the first
Keystone over the aquifer. We haven`t had any problems." Oh yes, they
have. They just have had a Mayflower problem again.
But, if they have one here, now, let`s put two of them over the aquifer.
See, there will be no boundaries. It will be limitless. They will say,
"We could a pipeline anywhere because we can put it over the aquifer."
What the heck, you might as well go ahead and drill on the Teddy Roosevelt
National Park in North Dakota. That`s what they want to do there too. Big
oil gets everything it wants. Maybe not this time.
Get your cellphones out. I want to know what you think tonight`s question.
Do you think public opinion can be turned on the Keystone Pipeline? Text A
for Yes, text B for No to 67622. You can always go to our blog at
ed.msnbc.com. We`ll bring you the results later on in this show.
For more, let me bring in Climate Scientist and Rutgers University
Professor Alan Robock and Michael Brune who is the Executive Director of
the Sierra Club. Gentlemen, great to have you with us tonight.
You first professor. You wrote an editorial today urging President Obama
to reject the pipeline. Why did you do this? What`s your argument?
ALAN ROBOCK, CLIMATE SCIENTIST: First of all, global warming is a real
problem. We can explain it in 10 words. It`s real. It`s us. Scientists
agree. It`s bad. But there`s hope. And so, we have to solve the problem.
Building more fossil fuel infrastructure will just delay when we finally
move toward solar and wind power. This would be a symbolic statement for
President Obama to make. To tell the world that the United States has done
continuing to expand our fossil fuel infrastructure. We`re ready to take a
turn towards fossil, forget it (ph).
SCHULTZ: But professor, there are some studies out there that say that the
carbon emissions would be reduced because of the method of transporting the
oil from truck, from barge, and from train. What do you make of that?
ROBOCK: The amount of energy to transport the oil might be a little bit
less but when you burn the oil, you get tremendous amounts of carbon
dioxide. There`s a whole lot of oil in the tar sands in Alberta. What we
need to do is leave it there and not burn it. That`s the decision it has
to be made.
SCHULTZ: All right. Michael, we just highlighted the issue in Mayflower,
Arkansas that`s spill. What if that had happen over the aquifer?
MICHAEL BRUNE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SIERRA CLUB: Well, the impact would be
enormous. But first, let me -- Ed, let me just take a quick seconds to
just applaud your change of heart on this. You know, I really think it
takes a lot of courage for someone to take a step back, to look at the
facts, to talk to real people about the impacts of this decision.
SCHULTZ: Well, I appreciate that.
BRUNE: . that changed your mind to think that.
SCHULTZ: You`re very kind. This is not about me. This is about the 65
percent of the people in this country.
BRUNE: Yeah.
SCHULTZ: . who want this.
BRUNE: Yeah.
SCHULTZ: . and I was in there. But -- and I do believe that the lack of
media coverage on all the networks and in all the newspapers don`t talk
about the issues that you were talking about or any of the other opponents
to this. And I find that interesting. The sell job has been on all the
way from jobs, from the environmental impact, to the land rights.
BRUNE: Yeah.
SCHULTZ: . into the constitutional issues that are involved here. There`s
a lot of stuff that has to be unpacked on this if you`re going to make a
concisive (ph) direct decision on this. And the absolute I have, it`s the
location of the pipeline is a potential disaster.
BRUNE: Yeah. There`s a lot of stuff, but it`s really not that difficult.
What this is -- this is a proposal to take some of the most toxic, most
corrosive oil from Canada, build a pipeline through a thousand miles of
farms and ranches all the way to the Gulf where much of it would be
exported. And you brought up the Mayflower spill. And what we`re most
concern about is that this is oil that`s worse than conventional oil. It
is heavier, it`s more toxic, and it`s more corrosive, and it would be
shipped as you highlighted under intense pressure.
To put this in perspective, the average car tire is under a pressure of
about 30 pounds per square inch. This pipeline would be over a thousand.
So, the best example that we have of a pipeline of this size is -- and what
happens if there`s a spill can be found in Michigan -- in Kalamazoo,
Michigan. There was a spill there about three and half years ago of tar
sands oil and it fouled (ph) more than 35 miles .
SCHULTZ: Yeah.
BRUNE: . of the river in Michigan. Now, three and half years later, more
than a billion dollars has been spent and it`s still not cleaned up because
it sinks -- it sunk to the bottom of the river and it`s almost impossible
to get this out of the river. So.
SCHULTZ: Well, and that`s what .
BRUNE: . it`s continuing to contaminate it.
SCHULTZ: The residence of Nebraska are very concerned about the liability
issues there as to who`s going to be responsible to clean it up.
BRUNE: Yeah. It should be.
SCHULTZ: Professor Robock, I want to ask you one final question here.
ROBOCK: Sure.
SCHULTZ: If the oil gets into the aquifer, is it irreversible damage?
ROBOCK: It will leak down into the aquifer along with the rain water and
contaminate this huge area, this (inaudible) over the (inaudible) of the
United States. It would not be a good scene.
SCHULTZ: Which would have a long term effect, right?
ROBOCK: Yes.
SCHULTZ: OK. Professor Alan Robock and also Michael Brune of the Sierra
Club, great to have you with us tonight. I appreciate your time.
Coming up.
BRUNE: Thanks Ed.
SCHULTZ: . the political circus is in full swing at CPAC. The Rapid
Response Panel breaks down the conservative clowning. But first, the fight
for worker`s rights to unionize continues in Chattanooga as the National
Labor Relations Board considers whether to allow a revote. Leo Gerard
weighs it on Bob Corker`s constant pounding on this issue.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: And time now for the Trenders, what`s hot, what`s not. Social
media action, here`s where you can find us, facebook.com/edshow,
twitter.com/edshow, and ed.msnbc.com. On the radio, Monday through Friday,
SiriusXM, radio Channel 127, noon to 3:00. And you can get my radio
podcast in my website at wegoted.com
The Ed Show Social media nation has decided. We`re reporting. Here are
today`s top Trenders voted on by you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Son, you`re on your own.
SCHULTZ: The number three trender, lasting impression.
STELLA INGER, KGUN, CHANNEL 9, CO-HOST: Arizona Senator John McCain has an
unfortunate news superlative.
STEWIE, "FAMILY GUY" CHARACTER: Oh, you are just the worse type of person.
INGER: He is the least popular senator in the country.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) ARIZONA: Thank you for not mentioning that I lost
running for president in the United States.
SCHULTZ: John McCain`s poll position is not how you want to end a career.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Public policy polling says that a dislike of McCain
is something Republicans, Democrats, and Independents can agree upon.
GOLLUM, "LORD OF THE RINGS" CHARACTER: You don`t have any friends.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Only 30 percent of Arizona has approved of the job
McCain is doing.
MCCAIN: We`re down to paid staff and blood relatives.
GOLLUM: Nobody likes you.
SCHULTZ: The number two trender, double talk.
REP. DARRELL ISSA, (R) CALIFORNIA: I did things according the rules, and
then Mr. Cummings decided to have quite a hissy fit.
REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS, (D) MARYLAND: Let me say what I have to say.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, shut up when you need to shut up (ph).
SCHULTZ: Darrel Issa apologizes but claims Congressman Cummings comments
were staged.
ISSA: Mr. Cummings in what appears to be in a pre-stage event, he lost his
temper, he screamed, and yelled.
CUMMINGS: You can`t have a hearing without hearing one syllable from the
other side.
ELMER FUDD, "LOONEY TUNES" CHARACTER: Shhh.
ISSA: You know, I broke no rules, and he broke the decorum of the House.
CUMMINGS: That is not American. It`s not the way we do it in America.
SCHULTZ: And today`s top trender, hitting the breaks.
SEN. BOB CORKER, (R) TENNESSEE: I probably am public enemy number one to
the UAW.
SCHULTZ: Senator Corker is now the face of the Anti-Union Propaganda in
this country.
Senator Corker says a reversal by the National Labor Relations Board in the
Chattanooga would be unprecedented.
CORKER: We expressed our concerns and they`re saying that we interfered
somehow.
SCHULTZ: Corker was misleading workers and making threats.
CORKER: It would be unprecedented if the National Labor Relations Board
actually overrules for that reason.
I stand by these comments. I was -- never made them if I didn`t have all
assurances that everything I said was 100 percent accurate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Either right to have a union or not should be left to
the workers without interference.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Joining me tonight, Leo Gerard, President of the United
Steelworkers International. We want to point out that the UAW has decided
not to talk about this, but the bottom line is Senator Corker continues to
talk about it. In fact, he wrote in the Wall Street Journal just recently
about his actions involved in this.
Mr. Gerard, how hard is it going to get a vote, a revote in this plan or in
any plan? What precedent has to be said, or what has been said that would
call and set the table for a revote?
LEO GERARD, UNITED STEELWORKERS: Well, look, at anytime, you`re trying to
get a revote. It`s never easy. But let me just say this. When you see
the response from Senator Corker and his sort of exaggeration that he
brought forward, when you see him being so defensive, that`s because he
knows he`s guilty. And what he`s guilty of is interfering in an
independent free election between the workers at Volkswagen. And what he
didn`t do is just say it`s the worker`s choice. What he did was try and
intimidate them by saying that he had heard from a high source that if they
voted for the union, they wouldn`t get the next model.
And let me just say, a couple of days after that, one of the workers who`s
on the board of supervisors, a senior person on the board of supervisors
that Volkswagen in Germany actually came back and said, with Corker`s
attitude, they might have to revisit whether they put any plants in the
South.
SCHULTZ: Well it`s interesting .
GERARD: So, you know that Corker is guilty and he knows he`s guilty.
SCHULTZ: It`s almost as if he`s running a PR campaign to mop this thing
up, he keeps bringing it up. Now he says that the UAW wants to muzzle
public officials like himself. What`s you`re response in that?
GERARD: The UAW doesn`t want to muzzle any public official. But the UAW
is saying and rightfully so, is that Corker as a senator, the governor of
that state, a state senator, all ganged up and made irresponsible
interference into a free election between the workers and they used
threats, had that been done by the employer, that would be an obvious
unfair labor practice.
So what -- instead of having the employer who wanted to work with UAW, who
had agreement with UAW that they worked together on making sure that the
plant was successful, Corker, the governor, and the state senator committed
and they started intimidating the workers, and basically, in a form threat,
that they could end up losing their jobs over the long term if no new
models were put into Chattanooga. If that was done by the employer, that
would be an unfair labor practice. So, this is a new precedent in my time
in the union which is close to 40 years. I`ve never seen a government
official stick their nose in and threaten in a union organizing
(inaudible).
SCHULTZ: And now he`s trying to soft-pedal.
GERARD: It`s crooked (ph).
SCHULTZ: He`s now trying to soft-pedal it saying that, well, they think I
interfered somehow, if he -- go ahead.
GERARD: No, he`s on record. We got his voice. This has not make belief.
We`ve got his voice making that threat. We`ve got the governor`s voice
supporting that threat. We got the state senator`s voice supporting that
threat. So, this is not something that may be could have, should have, or
could not .
SCHULTZ: So.
GERARD: . this is direct statement and he made this on -- he`s on live, on
voice on that.
SCHULTZ: Why would it take the NLRB a long time to make a decision on
this?
GERARD: Well, I think, the NLRB by its very nature is very cautious no
matter who`s sitting at the board. They make sure they look at precedent.
They make sure they look at history. They make sure they look at.
SCHULTZ: OK.
GERARD: . the witnesses. And they go through it. And if you`ve got a
labor board that is half -- even half fair, they will come to the
realization that Corker misled the community, misled the workers, and he
did it deliberately to try and influence the outcome of that vote.
SCHULTZ: All right. Well, if he isn`t challenged, I don`t know where it`s
going to end and it certainly sends a precedent, precedent for actions of
other elect officials in the future.
GERARD: If I can for just one more moment.
SCHULTZ: Yeah.
GERARD: That the labor movement met not very long ago. And I can tell you
on behalf of the Steelworkers, we`re not going to be run out of the south
by his misrepresentation. In fact, our union and many other unions are
going to accelerate our organizing in the south.
SCHULTZ: Leo Gerard, Steelworkers International Union President. Great to
have you with us tonight sir. Thank you.
GERARD: Thank you.
SCHULTZ: Coming up, the Conservative Clown Car has unloaded in CPAC. Our
Rapid Response Panel weighs in. And later, State Senator Nina Turner has
been at the forefront of the fight for voting rights in Ohio. I sat down
with the senator to find out just who Nina Turner really is and why she
takes this fight so personal.
But next, I`m taking your questions on Ask Ed Live. Stay ahead, we`re
right back on the Ed Show on MSNBC.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show.
You can call it a political convention if you want but essentially it`s a
circus.
The Conservative Clown Car is unloading in CPAC. Ted Cruz took the role of
the ring master delivering the first speech. The Canadian Senator from
Texas gave kudos to the Republican establishment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TED CRUZ, (R) TEXAS: And then of course all of us remember President
Dole, and President McCain and President Romney. Now, look, those are men,
they`re decent men but when you don`t stand and draw a clear distinction,
when you don`t stand for principle Democrats celebrate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: And battled New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had a turn in the
microphone Thursday. He was snubbed at the event last year. This year, he
had something to prove after his recent public scrutiny over Bridgegate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) NEW JERSEY: I`ll remind just on simple truth in
this democracy, we don`t get to govern if we don`t win. And it`s not only
bad when we don`t get to govern because we don`t get to mold and change our
society. What`s worse is they do and they`re doing it to us right now.
So, please, let us come out here and resolve not only to stand for our
principles, but let`s come out of this conference to resolve to win
elections again. That`s what I intend to do for the next year and I hope
you`ll join me. Thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: There`s been a number of gaps made to the Conservative carnival.
One came from Republican P90X poster boy Congressman Paul Ryan.
Ryan told a story he credited to his friend Eloise Anderson who is the
Secretary of Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. PAUL RYAN, (R) WISCONSIN: She once met a young boy from a very poor
family. And everyday at school he would get a free lunch from a government
program. He told Eloise he didn`t want a free lunch, he wanted his own
lunch, the one in a brown paper bag just like the other kids. He wanted
one -- he said because he knew a kid with a brown paper bag had someone who
cared for him
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Well, as it turns out Ryan`s anecdote is possibly a plagiarized
story.
Wonkette and New York Magazine both note Ryan`s story, there`s a striking
similarity to a story in the book "An Invisible Thread".
But so far, the biggest blunder goes to the Donald, Donald Trump. But
appears that Donald could use a history tutor to keep up on current events,
either way, he`s out of touch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION: We`re getting into Jimmy Carter
territory and I never thought I`d see anything like that again. I lived
through that time and it was not a good time and we`re pretty close. I
think maybe by next month, we will have surpassed the late great Jimmy
Carter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: The late great? Sorry Trump, Former President Jimmy Carter is
still alive, very much alive. In fact, Carter`s grandson James quickly
responded on Twitter saying cleverly, "I`m pretty sure I would have heard
about that. Trump seems to think Jimmy Carter has passed away."
CPAC will close tomorrow with a strap hole for the GOP presidential
nomination.
Joining me tonight in our Rapid Response Panel, John Fugelsang Liberal
Commentator and Comedian and Holland Cooke with us Media Consultant and
Talk Radio Consultant, great to have both of you with us.
Holland, you first, what is Ted Cruz`s mission here? You made a prediction
on this program months ago that it`s not about winning elections. What do
you think now?
HOLLAND COOKE, TALK RADIO CONSULTANT: I`m not much of a conspiracy
theorist and how long have you known me since -- before I was blonde, your
long suffering, long time Talk Radio Consultant can spot a talk radio
wannabe a mile away.
I don`t think he has his sight set on higher office because he`s not the
kind of guy that gets through it generally. He`s great in a primary and
he`s -- as sure as throwing him a red meat at CPAC but I think he wants to
be the next Rush Limbaugh. He sees Jim DeMint no longer having to be held
accountable for Senate votes .
SCHULTZ: Yeah.
COOKE: . Jim DeMint`s got a driver in an expense account, pretty cool deal
to do a radio show and play golf every afternoon, maybe make the big bucks
at Fox News. Admittedly, a conspiracy theory but he`s got that twinkle in
his eye.
SCHULTZ: Well, he had the platform at CPAC. That is for sure.
John, Chris Christie got snubbed last year. Was this a chance for him to
rebuild and reset the tone around him with all the controversy?
JOHN FUGELSANG, LIBERAL COMMENTATOR AND COMEDIAN: Well, of course. It`s
nice for Chris Christie to be in a room full of people who are never going
to be called to testify against him.
But I do want to correct you. I don`t really view this, Ed, as a clown
car. I view this more as like Comic-Con for America`s Vladimir Putin fans.
It`s sort of like the Star Wars Cantina except the Star Wars Cantina had a
lot more diversity to it.
And Chris Christie`s most shocking statement was when he came out and said
the Democrats are intolerant because they don`t invite anti-abortion
speakers at their convention. I`m not entirely sure but, you know, Chris
Christie wants to make abortion illegal. That`s not going to end abortion.
It`s going to criminalize it.
So he`s saying Democrats are intolerant because they don`t invite
convention speakers who think women who terminate pregnancies deserved to
be jailed.
SCHULTZ: Yeah.
FUGELSANG: That`s part of that winning the women back.
SCHULTZ: Holland, what do you think of Paul Ryan`s free lunch story?
COOKE: Ouch. And what about Donald Trump? He has got the Republicans
held hostage because if they don`t give them any exposure he`s going to go
rogue and start talking third party which they need like a hole in the head
because it would split the anti-Democrat vote.
So this is a real circus at CPAC. I swear, all the cool kids are at south
-- by southwest.
FUGELSANG: Can I just say in Donald Trump for one second here. Jimmy
Carter is a moral peacemaker who didn`t dodge military service is still
married to his first wife and builds houses for poor people instead of
luxury suites for the rich. I can see why Donald Trump would think that`s
death.
SCHULTZ: That family value thing, you know how it is John. They got a
luck on the market on that one, don`t they?
Holland, moving forward, why do you -- how do you think Jimmy Carter feels
after hearing Donald Trump talk like that? But obviously the response I
thought was apropos from his grandson.
But if you`re Hillary Clinton and if you`re watching this, what are you
doing? What are you thinking?
COOKE: You`re licking your chops because it`s a world turned upside down.
Every four years, the Republicans take turns. It`s was Bob Dole`s turn, it
was John McCain`s turn, it was Mitt Romney`s turn. There is no clear air
apparent in the wings and Hillary Clinton is running tantamount to an
incumbent. It`s an odd role reversal this time.
SCHULTZ: Yeah. And, John, would you take a look at how crazy this has
gotten over the years. Is there a chance to pontificate in front of the
wacky right? What`s the headline going to be this year? I mean, is there
actually going to be a lead candidate coming out at this CPAC in that?
FUGELSANG: Well, I think that depends on how well they keep the
libertarian college kids out so Rand Paul can`t win the poll. But I do
think that, you know, this thing`s a lot like Vietnam because Bush, Cheney,
Limbaugh and Romney aren`t there. But we mock this at our peril, OK?
These guys are all running for higher public speaking fees in 2016. That`s
all that is. We can acknowledge that.
But we can mock these guys all day, but the Democrats don`t have an
equivalent event to this. Netroots Nation doesn`t have the Koch brother
funding or the .
SCHULTZ: Yeah.
FUGELSANG: . or the coverage of this. So they`re getting organized for
2014 right now. This is not about 2016, this is about this November and
the Democratic Party needs to wake up and start catching up on the
organization.
SCHULTZ: All right. John Fugelsang, Holland Cooke great to have you with
us tonight. Thank you so much.
Coming up, States Senator Nina Turner of Ohio is one of the most passionate
advocates for voting rights in this country. I`ve sat down with the
Senator to find out where she comes from and what motivates her to fight
against the political injustice.
Stick around, we`ll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: And in Pretenders tonight, the Green Party guru Ralph Nader.
Just after Senator Bernie Sanders announced a potential presidential run,
Ralph the mouth sounded off like an advice columnist that nobody pays any
attention to, nobody write to.
He sent a letter to Sanders slamming the way the Senator handles his
progressive activities. Ralph Nader, I think, is in no position to offer
political consultation. Nader`s biggest move in politics amounted to only
one thing, this guy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No credible connection between 9/11 and Iraq.
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The perception, sir, more than anyone of those points
is the administration is not been straight with you.
BUSH: Well, I strongly disagree with that of course.
And you`re working hard to put food on your family.
Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning.
I call upon all nations to do everything they can to stop these terrorist
killers. Thank you. Now, watch this drive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: The good old days. Ralph Nader doesn`t know how to run for
office. He knows how to ruin it.
If Ralph Nader thinks politicians will listen to his advice, he can keep on
pretending.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show.
This is the story for the folks who take a shower after work.
The American dream may have change over the decades but the formula to
succeed remains the same.
I recently had the chance to sit down with Ohio State Senator Nina Turner.
Now, you have seen her on this program and other programs many times. But
tonight, we want to introduce you to a side of Nina Turner that maybe
you`ve never seen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Nina Turner has been an Ohio State Senator since 2008. She was
the first black woman to represent Ward One on the Cleveland City Council.
Now, Nina Turner has set her sights on higher office.
STATE SEN. NINA TURNER, (D) OHIO: It is time that we have a secretary of
state in an office who understands that part of the goal is to stand up
against unjust laws.
SCHULTZ: No matter the outcome of the election, Turner has already proven
she has what it takes to succeed.
We`ve done a lot of interviews but we`ve never really asked you where did
Nina Turner come from? Give us your background. What brought you to where
you are today?
TURNER: I was born and raised in Cleveland. Teenage parents, they got
married really young, divorced really early and so I grew up the majority
of my life in a single mother household and my grandmother pretty much was
the staple for our family. I am the oldest of seven children, so a lot of
pressure having a mom -- my mom died at the age of 42 years old, aneurysm,
burst in her brain.
I was 22, my baby sister was 12 and so it was a hard way to going, Ed. I`m
a first generation college graduate. I`m very, very proud of that and
just, you know, her death really in a weird kind of way motivated me to
just press for her memory and so I`m really proud. I`ve been up the rough
side of the mountain let me just say that.
SCHULTZ: It`s her own experience with hardship which makes Nina Turner`s
political fight a personal one.
As you say, you`ve had to climb up the tough side of the mountain .
TURNER: Yeah.
SCHULTZ: You really had to blaze a trail.
TURNER: Yeah.
SCHULTZ: And you were an example early in life for the rest of the kids.
TURNER: I tried. I mean, I was 22, my baby sister was 12, Ed, and when I
see people try to marginalize poor people it hits me in my heart because
not only did my mother die at the age of 42, she died on a system of
warfare. I`m a safety net child, you know.
But for a safety net, I don`t know where I or my siblings would be and so
when you have heartless and callous politicians on any level of government
but especially in Congress as they`ve debated the SNAP program or on a
higher general assembly when they seek to introduce a legislation that
would drug test warfare recipients. That gets me in my heart because I
think about my mother who was not perfect but she certainly tried.
I think about everybody doesn`t run the race at the same pace. And we
should be proud to be a safety net country. And nobody wants to be poor,
you know. I know you`ve interviewed many people and I`m sure no one told
you I want to be poor when I grow up. I want to be on public assistance.
I want to have public house and Medicaid. That`s the life for me. But
things happen.
SCHULTZ: So, this is all very personal to you.
TURNER: Yeah.
SCHULTZ: These -- when you fight for the middle class, when you fight for
-- against poverty in this country.
TURNER: Yeah.
SCHULTZ: You see, "Hey. That was me."
TURNER: That`s right, Ed. A righteous indignation, you know. My hair is
on fire at all times and so people wonder why am I always on fire. That is
the reason. I don`t think that I was elected to sit back and be idle.
And whether you`re rich or poor, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Indian we
are better together.
I was elected to fight for the people, for poor people, for working class
people, for middle class people, Ed. And there`s a distinction. There are
a lot of people in this country trying to make it to the middle class.
There a lot of middle class people who are trying to hold on to the middle
class. And if public officials don`t use public policy to advance the
causes of equality and justice and why are we there?
So, yes, I do take it very personally and I don`t pretend. When things are
going wrong, I make sure that I express that.
SCHULTZ: Nina Turner isn`t afraid to call out injustice where she sees it
and she`s ready to fight for what`s right.
TURNER: When I asked my grandmother, "What does it take to be successful
in this thing called life?" she said, "My dear, granddaughter, all you need
are the three bones; the wishbone, the jawbone and the backbone."
SCHULTZ: When Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted launched his latest
discall (ph) on voting rights, Nina Turner had the backbone to stand up.
TURNER: What happened in Ohio in 2012 and you were on the ground in Ohio,
you and all across this country, the ballot box is the only equalizer that
we have or the greatest equalizer. I won`t say the only because it is the
only place that regardless of our socioeconomic status, our ethnicity, our
gender where we are totally equal. And when you have people attacking the
democracy to that level, it cries out for somebody to stand up and say, "I
will go."
And so I stood up in the state of Ohio and said that I will go. If I were
Secretary of State, I would have stood up to the general assembly to tell
them that what the bills that they are passing right now are anti-voter,
that it puts up hurdles and roadblock. This -- voting shouldn`t be a
contest about how long you could stand in line or how many forms you can
fill out. Voting is about determining, discerning the will of the people
and Ohioans deserve better than what they`re getting, Ed.
SCHULTZ: The money. Where are you going to be?
TURNER: Ed, we`re working very, very hard. But you know what? Money
doesn`t always buy you love. We need people power, we do need campaign
finance reform in this country period, because we`re going to come to a
place that only people who are alter wealthy or alter position with a lot
of wealthy friends are going to be able to run for office and we need to
ask ourselves, "Is that the kind of America that we want to live in? Where
certain people are priced out of being able to compete and compete fairly.
It`s going to be a hard battle. But, you know, I`ve been a trail blazer,
I`m going to try my best to overcome that. I`m working very hard to do
that.
SCHULTZ: Aside from the issue of money, Nina Turner faces an uphill
battle. Ohioans have never elected a black Democrat to state line office.
This would be a historic victory for you to win the Secretary of State seat
in Ohio.
TURNER: Yes, sir. But I`m standing on shoulders of people have gone
before me and blaze a trail for me. I believe because Ohio has elected
President Barack Obama twice that our state is ready, that we will do it
and that people will believe they will see me a fighter. I want them to
see a fighter, not disregard, I am an African-American women because it
really gets to me where people say, "Well, you happen to be . " no, I don`t
happen to be African-American, I am.
But I am standing up for all voters in the state of Ohio no matter what
they`re ethnicity is, gender, no matter, you know, who they want to vote
for. I just want people to have unfettered access. Ed, I say I`m not
running for a seat, I`m running for a cause and that is unfettered access
to the ballot box. I hope people see me as a champion of the people. I`ve
tried to be that. I have been that in the State Senate and I want to be
that as the chief elections officer in the great state of Ohio.
SCHULTZ: In today`s political climate, Nina Turner could have just been
another statistic. But against all odds, she`s turned her story into an
example of the American dream. Nina Turner is not done fighting to make
sure future generations of Americans have the same opportunity she did.
TURNER: We need more people who are willing to put a little extra on their
ordinary because when we put extra on our ordinary, extraordinary things
start to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: And we are off to Lorain, Ohio tonight and tomorrow working on a
story for middle class America, the steel industry, we`re working on a
documentary on steel in America.
That`s the Ed Show, I`m Ed Schultz.
Politics Nation with Reverend Al Sharpton starts right now. Good evening,
Rev.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY
BE UPDATED.
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The Ed Show for Friday, March 7th, 2014
Read the transcript to the Friday show