The Ed Show for Thursday, June 26th, 2014

THE ED SHOW
June 26, 2014

Guest: Sherrod Brown, Leo Gerard, Brad Woodhouse, Nina Turner, Eric Burns,
Jennifer Epps-Addison

ED SCHULTZ, MSNBC HOST: Good evening Americans and welcome to the Ed Show
live from New York. I`m ready to go. Let`s get to work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R-OH) HOUSE SPEAKER: The American people are still
asking the question.

The Americans are still asking the question, "Where are the jobs?"

"Where are the jobs?"

SCHULTZ: He is ready to sue to president of the United States.

BOEHNER: This administration makes the wrong decisions, its arrogance and
incompetence right down the line.

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN, (R) MINNESOTA: What we should do right now is
defund the executive branch when we have the option, and they have.

NEIL CAVUTO, FOX HOST: The room is burning and you`re violent.

BOEHNER: Where are the jobs?

CAVUTO: I think you know in your heart of hearts this is the waste of time
now.

BOEHNER: Where are the jobs?

CAVUTO: There are far more important things that you guys has to be
addressing.

BOEHNER: The American people continue to ask, asking the question, "Where
are the jobs?"

"Where are the jobs?"

BACHMANN: (Inaudible) Give me a second.

BOEHNER: Arrogance and incompetence right down the line.

CAVUTO: Just seems to me, there`s so much wrong here.

BOEHNER: Arrogance and incompetence.

BACHMANN: Hey, hey, hey, hey.

CAVUTO: Think about what you said, I think Democrats would be on their
right mind to left laugh you out now.

BOEHNER: Our people kept asking the same question, "Where are the jobs?"

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Good to have you with us tonight folks, thanks for watching.
He`s been asking that question for a long time, "Where are the jobs?" You
know, I did a Q&A, a survey on my radio show one time.

And I asked folks, what`s the most common denominator that you carry in
your wallet or your purse? And most people said it was a $20 bill. $20
bill, that`s used more than by anybody.

I mean, more people use this than anything else. I mean, it gets you a
bottle of water, cup of coffee, even get a hole in a donut if you`re a
Republican.

Here`s the bottom line where I`m going with all of these. This man doesn`t
have to spend a $20 bill and create any jobs whatsoever. He`s focus now is
to sue the President of the United States. And isn`t it ironic, that the
two most vocal people in Congress against this president come from States
where they don`t have to spent a dime to create jobs.

They don`t have to spend a dime to save jobs. You see in Minnesota and in
on Ohio, the steel industry is under immense pressure because they are
dumping cheap foreign steel on our market. Now, Mr. Boehner is always
concern about two things, jobs and taxes. He`s so worried that
corporations won`t have to pay their fair share or any.

So worried that parking this money offshore might actually get change
someday, and of course he wants to know where the jobs are. He hasn`t done
anything. He`s done nothing to create jobs.

Think about this guy`s record. Hasn`t done anything to create jobs, he`s
got the shutdown that he`s responsible for -- cost this country $24
billion. And now his best play, after all of this, is to sue the president
of the United States.

He is responsible for the least productive Congress in history. He has
held over 50 votes to get rid of Obamacare, you may the question, how many
Obamacare stories have you seen on Fox news as of late? How many Obamacare
stories have you seen anywhere?

Must be working, something is going wrong for them. This guy can`t even
raise the death limit without a missive showdown and talking about offsets.
In fact, Boehner is the poster child for obstruction in Washington. And
he`s taking his obstruction, I believe to a new level.

He`s planning to sue the president of the United States, makes no bones
about it, thinking the president has caused all the problems.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you planning to initiate a lawsuit against the
Obama Administration and the President Obama over his use of executive
actions?

BOEHNER: I am. The constitution makes it clear that president`s job is
faithfully execute the laws.

When there conflicts like this between the legislative branch and the
administrative branch, it`s -- in my view, our responsibility to stand up
for this institution in which we serve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: So, he wants to stand up for an institution which he serves, but
he doesn`t want to stand up for the workers in Ohio who are asking him to
do something about unfair trade. Which legally the county could do through
the Commerce Department but he won`t ask him to do that.

Boehner`s lawsuit is nothing but a big dog and pony show. Nothing is going
to come of it but a bunch of negative news on the president from the
conservative media. This is just wasting more tax payer dollars. He`s so
concerned about pointing all the bills, he`s so concerned about, wasting
the tax payer dollars.

But he`s willing to take you money and sue the president and waste a bunch
of time, money, and effort on that, in attempt to do what? Make the
president look bad.

Now, if you`re a tax payer, it ought to -- this throws you into an outrage.
But of course we`re getting used to that as of late. President Obama is
not abusing his executive orders. In fact, he`s simply just doing his job.

If you look at the record, executive orders are part of the job for the
President of the United States. In fact, President Obama has issued the
least amount of execute orders in recent history, really?

Yes, you wouldn`t know at listening to the media and listening to all the
conservatives out there. Bush 41, Bush 43, and Ronald Reagan, when they
love the (inaudible) too, issued more executive orders annually than
President Obama. So what`s the fuss?

Well we got to assume (ph), never before has bogus lawsuit than grownup to
stop the abuse of power. Give me a break. Then we have the thought leader
of the Congress, here we go.

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, she has been pushing for this
bogus lawsuit since February. She too, could do something for jobs in
Minnesota, just like Boehner could do for jobs in Ohio, but she`s more
interested in stuff like this.

She finally got a wish, unfortunately for Bachmann, the lawsuit is so
ridiculous even Fox news made a fool out of her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAVUTO: It just seems, like an enormous waste of effort.

BACHMANN: Well, the lawsuit is what you might call a long-term effort if
it even gets picked up by a court. A lot of courts might call this a
political question, this could drag on for months and we may not get
anywhere. Again, it reflects the frustration of the American people.

CAVUTO: You just said Congresswoman. We might not get anywhere. It`s so
much wrong here, this finger pointing, we`re going to drag your ass to
court, we`re going to do this. Just do something, you know, what I`m
saying?

BACHMANN: Let me go where you`re going. And I agree with you because .

CAVUTO: It`s a dark place ...

BACHMANN: . this is what we need to do.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, this is what Congress can do and I argue, must do.
Number one, why .

CAVUTO: Why didn`t you do it? Why didn`t you do it years ago when you
were first raising this?

BACHMANN: (Inaudible) give me a second and I will tell you.

CAVUTO: Why, explain that congressman, why now?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: I give him a little credit for that. Gosh, I didn`t think he had
it in him. This may come as shock but this interview, she of course, she
never answered the question.

And believe it or not the interview actually got better.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAVUTO: There are far more important things that you guys have to be
addressing, than filing lawsuits pass each other. Oh, by the way
(inaudible) is burning.

BACHMANN: Listen, I`m not the one talking about that. What I`m saying is
that what we -- what`s very important is this -- the president trying to
establish lawlessness in the United States. That`s big issue .

CAVUTO: Democrats said, George Bush did the same Congressman, I`m just
saying, each side claiming, it`s waste of time .

BACHMANN: So, what we need to do .

CAVUTO: . waste of time.

BACHMANN: So, what we need to do is defund the executive branch number 1.
And then defeat executive .

CAVUTO: Defund, think about what you`re saying, defund the execute branch,
if -- Congresswoman, if Democrats continue, we`re going to just defund
President Bush, we`re defund the executive, you wouldn`t laughing now, and
so you should have been.

And we -- I think Democrats would be in their right mind to laugh you out
now, defund them.

BACHMANN: Listen, the House has the power of the curse (ph), this isn`t a
small power. We can do this, but we can do something further. I hear your
frustration.

CAVUTO: I got it so much.

BACHMANN: What we can do further is impeach the elected official so that .

CAVUTO: Oh man, oh man, the room is burning and you`re violent. All
right.

BACHMANN: That`s not violating .

CAVUTO: Respectfully disagree, Congresswoman .

BACHMANN: That`s not filing that`s .

CAVUTO: All right.

BACHMANN: What else are we going to do?

CAVUTO: No, it`s not.

BACHMANN: That is not a constitutional law.

CAVUTO: It`s not, it`s not .

BACHMANN: Well, then what do you do? What do you, that`s .

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Mr. Cavuto, if you`re concerned about wasting time in doing
things that don`t count, are you in favor of the 50 votes that this guy
pulled up on Obamacare?

Now American jobs are at risk, there`s not question about that. And a lot
of Americans are tired of playing games about this. But they of course
want to play games with the lawsuit. Both Boehner and Bachmann come from
States where steel jobs are in real danger.

Cheap foreign steel is being dumped on the market and its killing American
jobs in Ohio and in Minnesota. You know, in March I visited the steel
workers in Boehner`s home State of Ohio. And I came back on this program
and made the point that, he hadn`t done anything for these folks.

They told me that their jobs were at risk because of cheap foreign steel
what was being dumped on the market. And I ask at that time, Mr. Boehner
have you done anything for these folks because its all connected to a trade
agreement with -- the legalities of it all. They can do something to stop
the dumping and they can impose a tariff.

Boehner hasn`t lead that charge, he didn`t care about these folks in Ohio.
On Monday, I visited Michele Bachmann`s home State and mine. The iron
range in Virginia, Minnesota, those jobs are in danger.

Cheap steel being dumped in the market is choking the American steel
industry. Boehner and Bachmann, their home States ground zero for job
loss, and he has the nerve to walk around and ask, "Where are the jobs?"
They`re right in your own backyard, dude.

They are doing nothing to address the problem. Boehner is actually calling
for more trade deals. Meanwhile, they are out trying to sue the President
of the United States and make the case to the American people that this is
a good use of time, effort, and American tax dollars.

That`s a hell of a sale I think. I don`t think they can get it done.

Get your cellphones out. I want to know what you think. Tonight`s
question, "Does John Boehner care more about jobs or suing the President?"

Text A for jobs, text B for suing the President to 67622. You could always
go to our blog at Ed.msnbc.com. We`re bringing the results later on, on
the show.

For more -- these two gentlemen have fought for workers as much as anyone
that we could ever put on this program. This senator, Sherrod Brown from
Ohio. Senator Good to have you with us tonight.

You`re reaction to why Boehner doesn`t move on employees on his own State
to help them out and the lawsuit against the president. What do you make
of it?

SEN. SHERROD BROWN, (D) OHIO: Well, it`s all to distract attention from
everything they`re not doing. I mean they -- they could pass a minimum
wage instead he wants to sue the President because he did an executive
order in the minimum wage. They do the same on immigration. They`re the
same on the transportation bill.

We know how we can create jobs. We always used to do -- my first speech on
the senate floor in 2007 for the minimum wage. President Bush signed the
bill bipartisan. We -- the same with the Transportation Bill that used to
bipartisan six year, transportation bills.

This crowd and the House -- in the end it`s this, Ed. John Boehner wakes up
every morning and he`s got to make a decision, because he`s the speaker of
the Tea Party and the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. And
more often than not, he decides he`s a speaker of the Tea Party.

That`s what`s this lawsuit is about, it`s to distract attention. He`s the
speaker of the Tea Party, at least this week. I`m hopeful that he decides
to do his job and bring up legislation, there`s bipartisan support for it
that will actually create jobs. Let alone, stand up of steel workers and
the entire supply chain for making steel in the United States .

SCHULTZ: Yes.

BROWN: . and talking to Republican congressman, doing all the things you
suggest.

SCHULTZ: Senator, this is a benchmark issue right now, is to where the
Republicans are going to go especially the speaker. There`s a different
between free trade and fair trade, they truly are bottom dollar, they truly
are the lowest possible cost, don`t worry about the quality.

In fact there was a lawsuit that was just settled in Birmingham, Alabama
that dealt with the quality of steel that run into the billions of dollars.
I make the case that this is a national security issue. Why doesn`t this
register with Boehner, when these jobs are in his own State?

BROWN: I don`t know, it`s a different part of the State for Boehner and he
does -- but he has steel, the steel company a major, good steel company it
is part of his state in Butler County, AK Steel that has been hurt. This
company that`s been hurt, a good company with good labor management
relations that have been hurt by China`s trade practices.

I mean this one is so clear, South Korea started this business called Oil
Country Tubular Steel, it`s the highest quality steel that`s used for the
high pressured drilling for gas and oil. They don`t even a local, they
don`t drill in Korea. So all the production they`re doing is being
exported, most of it to the United States.

Their steel workers make 90% of what our steel workers do, our companies
are modernized, a new steel mill in Youngstown, and renovated steel mill in
Cleveland, Lorain, and in Trumbo (ph) county. Yet, our steel pipe that we
make in Ohio will be transported about 50 miles to the oil and gas fields .

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

BROWN: . the steel pipe coming from Korea will transported thousand of
miles, yet they can undercut us on price. Clearly they`re playing fair,
clearly they`re cheating, and as Leo Gerard of the steel workers said Ed.
That if Korea gets away with this other countries are going to do the same,
this is blueprint to, again come into the most lucrative market in the
history of the world, the United States of America and sell products
whatever they`re going to be.

Whatever a country decides because we don`t stand up for our own workers,
because of people like John Boehner.

SCHULTZ: Well, then I`d like to know who negotiated the deal? I mean when
you do a deal and you do a contract, you just don`t give everything away.
Are our trade agreements so flimsy that we have to recourse within a quick
a period of time where we could correct the market if there`s clear
cheating going on?

And the answer to that is no. And that`s the sad part of the whole thing.
Senator Brown, I appreciate your time.

Keep up the fight, I appreciate it.

BROWN: Glad to do it.

SCHULTZ: Thanks so much. You`re one of the very few .

BROWN: Thanks Ed.

SCHULTZ: . on the senate that understands what the heck is going with
American workers. Let me bring in United Steelworkers International
President Leo Gerard.

Mr. Gerard, these trade agreements, they`re obsolete, they don`t fit
American workers and we`re not behind the 8-ball on this. If South Korean
steel dumping isn`t addressed, what does it mean for you industry?

LEO GERARD, UNITED STEELWORKERS INTERNATIONAL: Well, I think, let me
address the first part of your comment. The trade deals that have been
signed, yes they don`t work. In fact, since passage of what`s called PNTR
with China to give a session into the WTO, America has accumulated a $7
trillion, trillion with a T, accumulated trade debt with China.

Every billion dollar is equals 18,000 jobs, they tell us. So, multiply
that 7,000 billion jobs or dollars in trade debt. And what this means with
Korea? Korea is not demonstrated a blueprint to try and takeout a very
important part of the domestic steel industry both country tubular goods.

They don`t have any iron ore, they don`t have any coal, they don`t have
limestone. They use the best technology. They get subsidized by their
government for cheap energy.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

GERARD: They don`t drill in their own market, they don`t have any market.
98 percent of what they produce is directly dumped into the American
market. If commerce doesn`t put a substantial duty on that like they did
when China was doing that. What South Korea will have shown the rest of
the world is how to takeout different segments of the steel industry and to
be very blunt Ed, and you say it very well.

You can`t make anything in this country if you don`t have steel, you can`t
make a computer, you can`t make cur (ph), you can`t make Kitchen furniture,
you can`t make fridges and stoves and dishwashers.

So, the steel industry is fundamental to have an economy.

SCHULTZ: So, you testified yesterday in front of the Senate Finance
Committee. There are people committee that are now asking serious question
about not only the steel industry but pharmaceutical and of course
agriculture plays a -- has big play in all of this as well. What do you
want the President to do tonight?

GERARD: Well, what I want is for the congress department and the case of
all country tubular goods, that`s one of many cases in front of the USTR,
the trade representative and in front of congress. What we want congress
to do is, do the right comparison, punish South Korea for cheating, punish
them for fudging their documents.

Punish them for having shadow companies in which they shift diversions
through it, it doesn`t come necessarily from South Korea, they`ll send it
somewhere else. And send it somewhere else then send it here. That`s
delivery designed to confuse the market to being able to answer the
questioners.

And then they need to be punished for that with strong tariffs like China
was done.

SCHULTZ: So, here`s the disconnect, we have a president and it`s on his
desk, the buck stops with the president, he can tell the congress
department to get with the program. He run along the country talking about
middle class jobs. Here they are at state, and the ripple effect that this
was have is, if this is not stopped could be devastating to our markets and
to our infrastructure and to our middle class and our job market.

What`s the hold up?

GERARD: Well, the hold up are that -- we`re a country of laws. And, they
need to interpret the law in the proper way. And right now we`ve had the
law misinterpreted, and that has to be done. But let me say one other
thing.

There`s 500 million tons of excess steel capacity floating around the world
of which almost 75 percent of that is from China.

SCHULTZ: And it`s not high quality either.

GERARD: It is not high quality. Look at what happened with the Bay Bridge
that we`ve talked about.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

GERARD: This billion of dollars over budget, years behind schedule. So,
what are the things that we got to do? The president said, there`s not
that many years ago, we can`t judge it by the quantity of the trade
agreements we`d have, but we got to judge by the quality and how many jobs
they create.

SCHULTZ: Well.

GERARD: And until now Ed, there not a trade agreement including NAFTA or
any of them that have created, net jobs gains for American workers, not
one.

SCHULTZ: And the Commerce Department has the legal right to impose these
tariffs. They should do it tonight and reverse this trend big time. Mr.
Gerard .

GERARD: Absolutely, Ed if I could make one more quick point.

SCHULTZ: Yes.

GERARD: The comparison that we believe they made when they determine no
remedy, is that they compared water-tight pipe for a contraction project to
our country tubular. That`s like comparing a used car to spaceship, it
doesn`t work. Thank you very much.

SCHULTZ: Appreciate your time. Remember to answer tonight`s question
there at the bottom of the screen. Share your thoughts with us on
Twitter@edshow and on Facebook, like us. We appreciate that.

We want to know what you think.

Coming up, the conservative media`s attack on Sergeant Bergdahl and his
family.

Well, where are the facts, it maybe backfiring.

Rapid Response Panel weights on the latest news from the military
officials. The experts on Mr. Bergdahl.

But first, it`s been one year since the Supreme Court struck down the heart
of Voting Rights Act. Ohio State Senator Nina Turner tells us what the
landscape is now.

We`ll be right back on the Ed Show, stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Time now for the Trenders. What`s hot, what`s not? Ed team join
us, we appreciate it. Twitter.com/edshow, ed.msnbc.com. Like us on
Facebook at facebook.com/edshow. You get my podcast at wegoted.com,
rawstory.com and ringoffireradio.com. It`s there everyday at noon eastern
time, 24/7 you can access it anytime in any of those three sites.

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: Do you have any request.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The number three Trender, Royal treatment (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On this day, 30 years ago, Prince and the revolution
release arguably one of the greatest rock albums of all time, Purple Rain.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Congressman celebrate the Purple Ones` biggest
hits.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Never that to cause you any problems.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Listen you all there`s some good stuff and some bad
stuff, all right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No I don`t think so.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The number Trender, dancing in the park.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dance like no one is watching.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s all about enjoying what you do.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A Tennessee park ranger shuffles out of a job.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tennessee park ranger says he was fired for dancing on
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But we don`t see the problem with dancing on the
clock.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And today`s top Trender, cast of.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The one year anniversary of the Supreme Court making
its destructive decision to weaken the voting like that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The U.S. Supreme Court has driven a stake through the
heart of the most important civil rights law ever enacted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am deeply disappointed, deeply disappointed with the
court`s decision.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Senators look for a legislated fix for the Voting
Right Act.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is no right, fundamental for existence as
American citizen than the right to vote.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The current Voting Rights Act is strongly enforced and
it`s protecting the rights of all Americans to vote.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The VRA provisions that remain in the effect today
are simply not enough.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every eligible American is entitled to vote. No voter
should have their vote denied (inaudible) or imprints.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Joining me tonight, Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner, candidate for
Ohio, Secretary of state. Senator, good to have you with us tonight. Well
it`s been one year.

STATE SEN. NINA TURNER, (D) OHIO: Thanks Ed.

SCHULTZ: .after the fact. The Supreme Court make a decision. What is the
state of voting rights in your state? It seems to me that a lot of these
states that are run by conservatives now have taken the license to just go
after, go after the voting rights across the board anyway they possibly
can. So it`s a year after the decision, is Ohio better because of it?

TURNER: No, actually Ed. Voters in Ohio have less access than they did
before. And although the entire state of Ohio, certainly Ohio was not
under that portion of the Voting Right Act. It`s very, very clear that the
Voting Right Act was one of the greatest pieces of legislative policy in
the 20th century in America. It really helped to stop folks from
restricting the right to vote.

And according to the Brennan Center they`re about 22 states since 2010 that
has exacted restrictive voting policies from street voter ID to cutting
back on early voting which is happening in the state of Ohio to
registration restrictions and it is absolutely un American, what is going
Ed, because peoples votes is their voice.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

TURNER: The vision that people have for their country, for this country,
for their various state is articulated through the vote. And if you start
to cut off access to that voice you upset the very underpinning of our
great democracy.

SCHULTZ: Well, it seems to me that the mission has been pretty much
accomplished by the conservatives. They got the Supreme Court ruling that
they wanted, as you said did not affect Ohio but there are 22 states
that`ve really gone to the firewall when it comes to restricting the vote.
So how can you, running for office if any trust that the congress has going
to work out of solution on this between now and the midterm, which is so
crucial in your state?

TURNER: Ed, they have too right now. And my point about the VRA, you
know, even though those states that were under that section of the VRA, we
know that the impact is greater than that. The Supreme Court has spoken
and the Supreme Court was wrong but the leaders in congress have the
opportunity to craft the formula for the 21st century and actually Ohio
needs to be in that formula as well as some other states that were not
necessarily under it during .

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

TURNER: . the first attempt but congress needs to stand up and act Ed, and
citizens of this great country need to demand that again. Voting in of
itself is important but the outcomes of people`s votes, you know, how --
what type of world we`re going to live in? What type of nation we live in?

SCHULTZ: Sure.

TURNER: Whether or not people will have their dreams in their needs taking
care of or reflect it through government, through the power of the vote.
So we have a lot at stake. And so congress has to act. They have too Ed.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

TURNER: .but ultimately the voters of this country will have the final
say. And no matter how the conservatives try to rig the game, we must make
sure that voters across this country are educated and informed and they get
out to vote, so that they can get different law makers in place who respect
the power of the vote.

SCHULTZ: And the final point I want to make, the Supreme Court is rolling
on campaign financing is also had obviously a major impact in election in
recent years. Now, what we`re saying here is impact in race in such as
your own. You`re challenge to Jon Husted is outrage, you`re six to one.
He`s got a six to one cash advantage according to the Columbus Dispatch.
What is that mean for your race?

TURNER: Well Ed, you know, ultimately again, the people have the final
say. You know, money can`t buy your love, it can get you few likes but it
certainly cannot buy you love and we need to have more people power. We
again, the Supreme Court ruled wrongly (ph) on that. And what is happening
is that people who have a modus income which is the vast majority of us
will not be able either to run office or be able to influence.

And democracy is not for sale. So again, congress must act to reduce these
extraordinary.

SCHULTZ: OK.

TURNER: .amounts of money they are being placed in races but until then,
people must lift their voices. And the people will have the final say. I
believe in people power and we will have the final say.

SCHULTZ: State Senator, Nina Turner, running for secretary state in Ohio.
Good to have you with us tonight. Thank you.

TURNER: Thanks to you.

SCHULTZ: .all the best. Still ahead, conservatives bash in American
soldier and efforts to tarnish the President`s image.

Rapid Response panel weighs in on the latest news from military officials.
Plus businesses are outpacing government and the fight to race of minimum
wage. Voters and was councilor going grassroots to urge action in their
state. I`m taking your questions Ask Ed Live next, coming up in the Ed
Show on MSNBC. We are right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Good to have you back with us. Love the questions. Appreciate
it so much in our Ask Ed Live segment. Only time for one tonight.

Rodak wants to know, "Do the Republicans honestly think that they can
impeach President Obama?"

Absolutely. And if they take the Senate and hold the House, you can count
on it. It`s not about right and wrong. It`s about tarnishing the
President, and oh, they`d love to impeach the second democratic president
in a row.

Stick around, Rapid Response Panel is next.

HARPTON PEARSON, CNBC CORRESPONDENT: I`m Harpton Pearson with your CNBC
Market Wrap.

Modest losses for stocks, the DOW falls 21 points, the S and P is up 2, the
NASDAQ ends down less than a point.

The latest treat (ph) on jobless claim shows filings dropping last week by
2,000 to 312,000. Economists expected a slightly bigger decline.

Meanwhile, consumer spending rose less than expected in May and Nike shares
are higher after hours. The foot ware giant`s earnings and revenue coming
in ahead of estimates.

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

(COMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show.

Right Wings attempt to spear President Obama`s reputation for rescuing a
U.S. soldier as back firing. On Wednesday, the United States army said it
has no reason. Their investigation have no reason to believe that Sergeant
Bowe Bergdahl collaborated with the Taliban captors during his five years
as a prisoner. And Republicans in the right-wing media have been trying
desperately to frame Bergdahl and his family as dangerous defectors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sergeant Bergdahl`s father who went in the rose garden
in the past weekend has made some anti-American tweets and statements. One
of which was "I`m working to free all the Gitmo prisoners. God will repay
the death of every Afghan child." Really? I mean, he says he was growing
his beard because his son was -- because his son was in captivity. Well,
you`re son is out now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, if you really don`t look -- no longer want to look
like a member of the Taliban, you don`t have to look like a member of the
Taliban. Are you out of razors?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: A two-star army general is investigating the exact circumstances
of Bergdahl`s 2009 disappearance from his post in Afghanistan. Bergdahl
return to the United States earlier this month and was moved to an
outpatient facility in San Antonio earlier this week. He has not been
questioned yet. The army says Bergdahl will be appointed an attorney prior
to any questioning unless he request one sooner or says something
potentially incriminating.

Bergdahl was released by his captors last month and what the Conservatives
believed to be a very controversial exchange. Five Taliban officials being
held at detention center Guantanamo Bay Cuba were released for Bergdahl`s
freedom. Congressional Republicans complain President Obama didn`t give 30
days notice before releasing those detainees. Republicans tried to use
that United States prisoner of war as a political tool to make President
Obama look bad.

They love prison (ph) soldiers and veterans until it can be used to benefit
them. This just underscores how far and how strong agenda driven the
Conservative movement is in this country to make a determination and give
commentary on a soldier in uniform, in captivity, label him a traitor and
even take shots in his family. You think they`re playing serious?

Joining me tonight in our Rapid Response panel, Eric Burns, founder of
Bullfight Strategies and democratic strategist. And also with us, Brad
Woodhouse, president of the Democratic super PAC, American Bridge and
former Democratic Party communications director.

Brad, you first, this is a backfire. They didn`t want to wait for the
military officials, the two-star general to come out and make the first
official comment, but as it is right now, they see nothing wrong with what
he did in captivity. What do you make of it?

BRAD WOODHOUSE, FMR. DEM. PARTY COMM. DIR.: Well, that`s right. And I
think this will backfire. I mean, look, we`ve seen this time and time
again, Ed. We`ve seen it with birth tourism. We saw it with death panels.
We saw it will all types of questions about this President that the right-
wing in their zeal to appeal to the far-right friends and in furtherance of
their hatred of the President, they`ve over shot the runway and they`ve
done it here.

I mean, the American people understand the principle of not leaving our
soldiers on the battle field, letting the chain of command deal with any
discipline issues related to the soldiers. This politicization of this is
really beyond the pale and I think they`ll regret it when it`s all said and
done.

SCHULTZ: Let me turn to Eric. Eric, your thoughts on this. I mean, if it
were a different President.

ERIC BURNS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Yeah.

SCHULTZ: . would it be different scenario?

BURNS: Well, if not he were a democratic President, I think if we had a
democratic president that it wasn`t Barack Obama, we would see the same
kind of treatment of, you know, of the American POW because if we`re
talking to -- this GOP is all about the politics of experience and they
will sacrifice integrity and morality and even their patriotic duty to, you
know, make sure that our military uphold its most sacred commitment to our
troops, if they can score some points on it.

SCHULTZ: They are constantly searching aren`t they?

BURNS: Yes.

SCHULTZ: This was one of these media-cycled topics that they thought might
have -- might stick. But it seems to me that -- why would they render
judgment without letting military officials determine and do the official
and factual work in the background to find that exactly if Bergdahl did
have some issues?

BURNS: I think that`s a very, very good question Ed and I think you`re
talking about from the perspective of someone who`s really rational and
cares about, you know, what`s going to happen to Sergeant Bergdahl and his
family. And that`s just ruining (ph) up part of the calculus for this GOP.

They are -- as Brad indicated, they are very, very focus as they have then
from day one of Obama`s presidency in discrediting his ability to be a
patriot, a good American, and effective commander-in-chief. And I`m blown
away that they`re using terms like un-American to describe, you know, a
U.S. president going out and getting back American soldiers who`s going to
be POW. Because I think what these guys are engaged in is fundamental here
on America.

SCHULTZ: Doesn`t this put the Conservatives in someone of a back spread.
I mean, there`s a big difference when a guy get disgruntled in leaving his
post than turning on the country. And if the preliminary investigation and
all the interviews that they`ve had with Bergdahl so far -- that the two-
star comes up and says, "Well, there`s really no evidence right now that
would leave us to believe that he did something wrong in captivity."

In captivity is where the pressure is. It`s not standing the post, isn`t
it?

WOODHOUSE: Well, that`s exactly right. I mean, it`s totally undermines
their narrative here. But look, I`m not one that subscribes to this notion
that no matter what this American soldier did before or after he was
captured, then he shouldn`t be brought back to the United States, that he
shouldn`t be punished if necessary by our military.

And then my god, what are they suggesting that we just let people who we
have some suspicion of just stay in the -- stay in as a POW with the
Taliban or maybe Al-Qaeda. I mean, it`s beyond the pale what they`re
suggesting here.

I mean, as you suggested earlier, under a different President, can you
imagine under Republican President?

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

WOODHOUSE: They would have a ticker tape parade for this POW. They cannot
let President Obama have any success because their supporters can`t stand
for it.

SCHULTZ: Well, this is one of the stories that is hot for two or three
days and it goes away for a little while and then the army makes its first
official comment on the guy and then everybody is quiet about it in the
Conservative media. I mean Eric, that`s really how this normally plays
out.

BURNS: Oh, absolutely. I mean, these guys are going to all turn (ph) the
universe and what happened last week is, you know, does no relevance on
what`s happening tomorrow or today. And then -- so they feel like they can
kind of reinvent history and reinvent their narrative as often as they need
to.

I`m thinking back to, you know, the Reagan administration where he was
treating arms for hostages to fund an illegal war and we had a very --
everyone in the Republican Party standing up saying he was a hero and the
greatest President that we have for a (ph) century. We`re just talking
about treating, you know, getting an American soldier back which we should
do under any circumstances.

WOODHOUSE: That`s right.

BURNS: .I don`t care what he`s done.

SCHULTZ: All right. I want to ask both of you. On our Ask Ed segment
tonight, I got a question, "Do you think that the Republicans will impeach
President Obama?" My answer to that was, if they get the Senate and they
hold the House, I think they`ll do it.

I want you two gentlemen to answer that. Brad, you first.

WOODHOUSE: Well, I do think they want to. I think there`s definitely a
segment of the party that wants too. And I`m not convinced that this
lawsuit being filed by Boehner against the President isn`t a precursor to
doing just that.

SCHULTZ: What do you think Eric?

BURNS: I think Brad is being kind to Speaker Boehner. I think the House
will go after an impeachment and the question is could they actually get
very far with it and what happens in the Senate, we don`t know, but all
past measures indicate that they will.

SCHULTZ: Gentlemen, good to have you with us. Eric Burns and Brad
Woodhouse tonight here on the Ed Show, I appreciate it.

WOODHOUSE: Thank you.

SCHULTZ: Coming up. Bryan Fischer`s Sharia Law fan fair. Pretenders is
next. Stay with us. We`re coming right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: And in Pretenders tonight, lawless Bryan Fischer. Let met tell
you, this guy`s have a piece of work.

The Conservative says America is doing the devil`s work. See, a lister
called into a show, the Bryan Fischer`s radio show, it`s not many people
listen to, and said have praise for Sharia Law.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sharia Law is probably preferable to what we have right
now, the blatant sexuality, the killing of babies, they don`t allow that in
Sharia Law. So, as far as that concern, there are probably a little bit
more just than we are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Fischer thinks this guy is making sense?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRYAN FISCHER, FOCAL POINT HOST: When Muslims around the world complain
about the United States, they always talk about the decadence. And one of
the main things they have mentioned is the amount of pornography. When
they go out there and say the United States is the great Satan because of
all the pornography it produces, we -- how do you argue against that?
Because they are right that that is a work of Satan. We`re creating
problems for ourselves as well as for the rest of the world.

All right, that`s an excellent call.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Bryan Fischer`s standard for excellence, attacks freedom of
speech? No one`s defending pornography here folks, but does he think that
freedom of speech contributes to the United States being the great Satan?
The First Amendment of the constitution is our strength. We as consumers
can decide what is right and what is wrong. If Bryan Fischer thinks his
word should be law, 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. IKEA, you know, the furniture giant. IKEA is
stepping up in the ongoing effort to raise a minimum wage.

Today, the Swedish furniture giant announced plans to raise the average
minimum wage for U.S. employees by 17 percent. The $10.76 an hour
beginning next year. Now, it`s not just businesses like IKEA taking the
lead.

With Republicans refusing to give America a raise, the fight is going
grassroots across the country especially in the State of Wisconsin. 76
percent of those of the Badger State, well, those voters support a minimum
wage increase.

Governor Scott Walker, where do you think he is? Well, he`s against it.

Calling it a political stunt and a job killing agenda is Democratic
challenger gubernatorial candidate for the Democrats Mary Burke has backed
a three-step increase plan. Wisconsin voters have a clear choice from
November.

In the meantime, grassroots organizations like Wisconsin and Wisconsin Jobs
Now are taking manners into their own hands. They are gathering signatures
petitioning for a minimum wage referendum on the November ballot. I love
that kind of stuff because that gets people out to vote.

Today, the Milwaukee County Board voted to include the referendum. The
Dane County Board has set to vote tonight. The cities in Neenah and also
Menasha are considering the resolutions as well. More counties are
expected to follow.

Joining us tonight in our final segment is Jennifer Addison, Executive
Director of Wisconsin Jobs Now, great to have you with us.

JENNIFER EPPS-ADDISON, EXEC. DIR., WISCONSIN JOBS NOW: Thank you so much
for having me.

SCHULTZ: What kind of response are you getting to the ballot initiative?
Is this going to go because it`s kind of rather rare in Wisconsin, isn`t
it?

EPPS-ADDISON: It is. But you know the thing is, is that people are
stepping up. You read off the statistics, 76 percent of the folks in our
state believed that the minimum wage should be raised. And, you know,
while I`m here in New York today, my heart is definitely in Wisconsin, and
where as we speak, Dane County is voting to put that question on the ballot
to let voters tell Governor Scott Walker that it is time to raise Wisconsin
by raising our minimum wage.

SCHULTZ: What`s the latest? What happened today? What does that mean?

EPPS-ADDISON: What happened today really is a political analysis. So you
have two candidates ties -- statistically tied at 46-46. And yet, neither
one of them is above 50 percent and you have this issue raising the minimum
wage which is a core issue to people`s pocketbook. 76 percent of the
people in our state believe it`s the right thing to do.

We think that the 800,000 or so drop-out voters who weren`t planning not to
go out and vote in this election will come out to support raising our
state`s minimum wage and expanding economic security and that`s why we`re
putting in on about so that we can have our say.

SCHULTZ: OK. So, let`s look at the numbers. Wisconsin`s minimum wage
right now is at $7.25 an hour. With a 40-hour work week, that`s $290 per
week or just over $15,000 a year. How can Republicans like Scott Walker
justify the numbers?

It`s proven not to be a job killer in other places around the country. Why
would Wisconsin be different?

EPPS-ADDISON: Well, it`s like an exact opposite. It`s an economy boosting
policy. What we have at 70 percent of Americans GDP is consumer spending.
And if consumers don`t have enough money to go out and buy the things they
need for their households, our economy is stagnant.

So we want to raise up Wisconsin`s economy by making about 600,000 people
who would be impacted by increasing the minimum wage, by giving them a fair
wage. A wage that allows them to support their family without having to
rely in public assistance.

SCHULTZ: Well, by this number, Governor Walker is out of step with his own
folks. I mean, here is Walker`s -- discussing the best way to raise the
minimum wage. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. SCOTT WALKER, (R) WISCONSIN: Maybe the best way to raise the minimum
wage is to help employers to make more jobs that pay more because they`re
at better to serve the public.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: What`s your response to that?

EPPS-ADDISON: Governor Walker is completely out of touch with what`s
happening in everyday Wisconsin. Let me tell you, on Tuesday, I was in
Neenah and also Menasha. These are small town Wisconsin communities and we
collected enough signatures on those communities to put minimum wage on the
ballot not because people identifies Democrat or Republican, but because
they know that they deserve enough money to support their family to make
sure their kids can go to the doctor to be able to keep their life fun
(ph).

He`s out of touch and actually what he says is good for us. We want him to
keep saying things like that because we know that it`s going to lead to a
Governor Mary Burke.

SCHULTZ: So how many signatures did you have to have on the petition to
get it on the state ballot?

EPPS-ADDISON: Well, the thing is we have to do it community by community.
We can`t do it by the state in general. And so, communities across our
state are breaking up.

SCHULTZ: OK. OK. So, you think you`ll have enough there where it will
make a real difference?

EPPS-ADDISON: If we get in to the 15 communities, we want that 1.6 million
voters who will have their say come no (inaudible).

SCHULTZ: OK. Jennifer, you`re a public defender by profession. Give us
your take on where is Scott Walker is right now.

EPPS-ADDISON: Well, I think that it said best that he was involved in a
criminal conspiracy. This guy was out here collaborating with these right-
wing groups to suppress votes to raise funds to make sure that he can keep
his power, but the people power of our state is incredible. So, we`re
excited and we think that this is all has taken for coming home the
(inaudible).

SCHULTZ: OK. Jennifer Epps-Addison, I appreciate your time. Thanks for
joining us tonight here on the Ed Show.

That is 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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