Show: THE ED SHOW
Date: October 31, 2014
Guest: Tom Bonn, Anthony Roman, Mikey Kay, Lee Saunders, Zerlina Maxwell,
Lionel Reel
ED SCHULTZ, MSNBC HOST: The Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo crashed in the
Mojave Dessert earlier today shortly after 10:00 A.M. Pacific Time.
NBC News confirms one fatality and one injury from the experimental space
vehicle`s crash. We are waiting a press conference at any moment at the
Mojave Air and Space Port where we`ll hear the latest on this accident.
And the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo was on the test run when it lost
contact with ground controllers at the Mojave Space Port. The SpaceShipTwo
separated from the vehicle carrying it aloft and flew under rocket power as
planned. Movements later Virgin Galactic reported an in-flight problem and
"Lost of vehicle".
The FAA said two crew members were aboard the lost aircraft. A
photographer covering the test flight told NBC news he witnessed a mid-
flight explosion. According the captain of the Kern County Fire Department
debris field is spread out over approximately two miles. The NTSB and the
FAA will send teams to investigate the crash on site.
Richard Branson the billionaire founder of the Virgin Group Twitted his
plans to fly to Mojave immediately to be with the teams. Branson hoped to
ride the first commercial flight on Virgin Galactic`s plan space program.
The company`s founder wasn`t the only one looking for a ride into space.
More than 700 customers have paid as much as $250,000 for a ticket to sub-
orbital space.
Joining me tonight on the phone is Tom Bonn Retired Airline Captain also
with us this evening Anthony Roman who is the CEO and founder of A.C. Roman
and Associates. Gentlemen thanks for your time tonight. In experimental
aircraft community, unfortunately these things happen. This is part of the
business. Tom Bonn from what you`ve been able to gather from what has
unfolded today, what`s your first impression to this?
TOM BONN, RETIRED AIRLINE CAPTAIN: Well, my impression is that, this is a
pretty crazy thing to do. And I don`t know people expect, they sign up for
a ticket to something Branson puts together as if -- it`s like a buying a
ticket on one of these airlines. This is not the same thing at all.
You know, we use to, you know, I`m also therapist as you Ed. And we used
to consider narcissist as a personality disorder. But narcissism becomes
so rampant that it`s considered normal now. And, it seems to me that
people want a piece of Branson`s and therefore they want to sign on to this
absolutely insane thing. It`s -- this is dangerous to get on the rocket
powered vehicle.
SCHULTZ: A rocket power. I mean a lot of things could have happened here,
it could have been mechanical failure, it could have been fuel issues, it
could have been structural failures -- there`s a lot of things here that
could...
BUNN: Sure.
SCHULTZ: ... could have gone wrong. Anthony Roman your organization has
been involved in crash investigation, your take on this?
ANTHONY ROMAN, A.C. ROMAN AND ASSOCIATES: Yes. Well, you know, I`m
commercial pilot as well. And, you know, experimental aircraft -- the
entire industry is alive and well in the United States. There are
manufactures everyday manufacturing kit planes that are put together by
generally aviation pilot and reasonably safely flown all over the country
everyday. Space flight on the hand is an entirely different endeavor. It
is beyond experimentally, it is a high risk and failure is expected at
particular intervals that are considered a very high rate relative to
commercial flight
SCHULTZ: OK, Mr. Roman I`m have to interrupt you we`re waiting a press
conference and that press conference is now underway. Let`s go to it.
STUART WITT, CHIEF EXEC. MOJAVE AIR AND SPACE PORT: I heard that
approximately 10:10 A.M. At approximately 10:12 we became aware of an in-
flight anomaly and implemented our pre-plan response plan. My team was
dispatch to the north, the chief we`ll discuss that and the sheriff will
discuss his involvement. I had confirmation of a mishap just a few moments
later approximately 25 miles north of the airport and we were given
latitude and longitude of potential site.
At time like this, those of us in the Aerospace Valley recognize that we
engage in our craft freely. I`ve been it for 45 years, we recognize that
the contribution we make to a nation, the traveling public and the general
contribution to an amazing industry that has provides transportation to the
entire world. But when we have mishap from the test community we find that
test community is very small. And we`re human and it hurts, and our
hearts, thoughts, prayers absolutely with the families of the victims.
We do know that one of the crew members was met by emergency responders,
treated on the scene and transported to Antelope Valley Hospital. We also
know that we had one fatality.
I want also acknowledge the artisans, the craftsmen, the engineers, the
emergency responders, the technicians, the janitors, everybody in this
industry that gives it their all every single day. These park and lots
(ph) are filled seven days a week. No one is forcing these people to do
this. I can`t speculate at this on the cost. I know George is going to
address that.
Again chief and Donny I just want to say thanks to the emergency
responders. You guys have been with us and you will be with us every step
of the way for years and to your team, personally we say thanks.
At this time I`ll turn it over to George, statement. Chief, pardon me,
sheriff. Sheriff Donny Youngblood, Kern Country Sheriff.
DONNY YOUNGBLOOD, SHERIFF KERN COUNTY: Thanks Stu. The involvement of the
Sheriff`s Office on this is, will be the lead. We -- I got a call this
morning that there had been an anomaly and mishap. And I flew out -- flew
round the crash site. It`s a large area. The aircraft is in several
different pieces. We found one person who had obviously was disease
immediately.
The other was transport at A.V. Hospital. I don`t have the condition, when
we left here it appeared to be major injuries. But, we don`t know if
that`s what really what means yet but we -- our thoughts and prayers are
with the family and we hope that the survivor will be just fine.
MIKE CODY, KERN CO. FIRE CHIEF: Hello, Mike Cody, C-O-D-Y. Deputy Fire
Chief, Kern County Fire Department. Our involvement it goes for about 10
years working with Mojave Air and Space Port. We`ve attended many briefing
to get ready for a potential mishap. It`s not why we want to stand here
today.
We`ve been here in assisting Mojave Air and Space Port emergency
responders. To put together plans, if there`s a plan to take an event on
the facility then we assist Mojave Air and Space Port off the facility,
then our role is rescue.
We had a helicopter on standby which responded. I believe the sheriff`s
department had a vehicle on the ground the civilian flight test center had
a helicopter on the ground prior to our arrival, administering care to the
survivor. We arrived on scene, took over patient care, packed the
individual and transferred the care to emergency air 14 air helicopter for
transport to Antelope Valley Hospital.
And so we continued to support Mojave Air and Spare Port any way anyway
possible. Thank you.
ROMAN: Next up Kevin Mickey. It`s like Mickey like Mickey Mouse. Kevin
is a President, Scaled Composites. Kevin.
KEVIN MICKEY, PRESIDENT, SCALED COMPOSITES: Good afternoon everybody.
Jack (ph) what Stu said, thanks to all the support we get from the Mojave
Air and Space Port for the local authorizes. I just like to say that our
job continues immediately after locating the crash site. We set out with
our partners to secure that the crash site. That will continue to be the
case overnight. We expected the NTSB will arrive approximately 7:30
tomorrow morning.
We will spend a couple of hours putting together a game plan from moving
forward as we continue the investigation which we expect would take several
days.
(OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible) what do you believe by the time -- I mean
we heard that I guess this particular.
ROMAN: Would you mind a hold, just let -- to get statements and then we`ll
take your some your question if you don`t mind. Yeah, with all due
respect. Ladies and gentlemen, George Whitesides the Chief Executive of
Virgin Galactic. George.
GEORGE WHITESIDES, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, VIRGIN GALACTIC: Hello, everybody.
Our primary thoughts at this moment are with the crew and family, and we`re
doing everything we can for them now. I`d like to recognize the work of
the first responders, who we work with in the Antelope Valley for their
efforts on behalf of the team. Were also thanking the team members that we
have at the companies that have been working on this program.
I can say that Richard Branson is on his way. He is flying now to Mojave
and we expect he`ll be here by tomorrow morning. Space is hard, and today
was a tough day.
SCHULTZ: You`re watching a conference Mojave Dessert Air and Space Port.
There`s very little information coming out of this. There`s very little
they can say because this mishap took place earlier today. The
investigation is going to be underway by the NTSB and the FAA in route to
the scene.
And joining me tonight here on the Ed Show is Mikey Kay formerly of the
Royal Air force and he`s also doing a documentary on commercial space
flight and has visited with Mr. Branson the owner of this entity, Mikey
good to have you with us tonight.
The most valuable piece of information out of this as I can see there`s
going to come from the surviving pilot. I mean as a pilot myself when
you`re taking off, you`re reading gauges. And I would imagine that when
your being separated from a craft that`s getting ready to let you go at a
higher speed in a higher altitude, your -- they`re probably looking at
everything.
Pressure, gauges, the torque, whatever is there in front of him. So, it
would seem to me that this pilot, and hopefully he survives and his
injuries aren`t too severe. He`s going to be really the most variable
piece of information isn`t he?
MIKEY KAY, FRM RAF HELICOPTER PILOT: Yeah, and you`re absolutely right,
there is so much going on when your going through this type of flight
profile. Now it`s very important to say at this moment that you`ve got a
number of companies at (inaudible), this is a huge set back for Richard
Branson`s Virgin Galactic.
SCHULTZ: Years?
KAY: It`s impossible to say at the moment. But we do know is that he
really was the forerunner when it come to investigating, putting people
like and me up into suborbit. And when I say suborbit I don`t mean space.
What this whole commercial race space, space races is about is actually
getting people like you and me up at 100 kilometers away from the earth
into a weightlessness environment for about four to six minutes and then
coming back down to earth.
It`s not about putting, at the moment, putting people like you and me to
places like the space station or on the moon. So, this is a hugely
competitive industry, and as you rightly say as pilot or astronaut, during
this profile where the spaceship two is launched from the mother ship at
about 50,000 feet, it then disconnect. Do you remember back in the late
1950s nearly 60s you have the X-15, Chuck Yeager breaking the sound
barrier.
That was actually launched of a B-52. Then the engines would then, you
know, getting to action and this thing will actually go up to 100,000 feet,
3,000 feet (ph)...
SCHULTZ: And there just, there`s nothing like that test pilot to be able
to come back and give the engineers the information and the actuality of
exactly how the aircraft performed, how all of the systems coordinated and
there`s a real good chance that this -- pilot, if he survives could tell
engineers this is what happen.
KAY: Yes, I mean you just to get it back the whole. I mean anyone who`s
at the right stuff will have a real good understanding of the importance
and the significance of having a pilot or an astronaut someone with that
hands, on the sticks, smelling what going on the cockpit, looking at the
gauges and feeling the airplane out. You can`t do that in a drone, you can
push the envelop in a drone and that`s why so clinical to have someone in
the seat.
SCHULTZ: Now, for those who are novice and don`t follow this an awful lot.
The mission here, the endgame here is to be able to travel the globe within
a matter of minutes. I mean right now this is so experimental. But at the
end of the day where we want be 20 years from now is be able to go have
launch in Moscow, I guess, I don`t know. What about that?
KAY: I`ve never been to Moscow...
SCHULTZ: I`ve never been there either. OK, I maybe speak the wrong city,
maybe we`ll go fishing in Alaska and just a few minutes...
KAY: I`m happy to join you for launch in Moscow. That was subtle (ph)
invite, I`m happy to take that.
Look, as I said, there are three main companies here that are involved in
this commercial space race. First one is Virgin Galactic. They have a
system where by they launch the spaceship to from a mother ship as we`ve
seen in all the footage so far. You then got a company like Sierra in
Nevada that actually go back to the more usual principles of putting a part
on top a rocket and that is then physically lunch into the atmosphere.
Then you got people like XCOR. XCOR have the system the RLV which is
effectively a reusable launch vehicle. That is as conventional as you can
get. So it`s an aircraft that takes off like an ordinary airline were like
Delta were, like Virgin Atlantic were, from a conventional runway. It then
goes suborbital four or six minutes and then lands like a conventional
aircraft as well.
That is where XCOR I fell have the advantage over Virgin Galactic when it
comes to what you said which is the ultimate objective, which is space
travel but with an object for business to get from one side of the globe to
the other. Go to China have a lunch meeting and then get back to New York
in the same day.
SCHULTZ: When you say this is a big set back. I think a big personality
is behind this in Mr. Branson. How determined is this man, you`ve spend
some time with him?
KAY: I actually haven`t met Richard Branson himself. I`ve spend a lot of
time around people that know him, he`s a huge advocate of the British
military and what they do. And he`s, you know, he`s invested a lot in the
British military. I was -- I`ve had conversation his very senior man at
Virgin Galactic and , you know, he -- just got look at his history. You
don`t become Richard Branson, you don`t become a Bill Gates, you don`t
become a Warren Buffett by succeeding the first time.
This guy has failed and failed and failed and then his come through. And
his pushed himself not just both in a business community, but he pushed
himself critically we`ve seen the, you know, seen the expedition that his
got into, we`ve seen, you know, him going around the globe in balloons.
We`ve seen some of the flight that his done.
You know, he is -- he`s ultimate adventurer. You know, again, going back
to the days of Chuck Yeager, anyone that`s read that book. These things
don`t come easy.
SCHULTZ: Yeah.
KAY: These things are hugely dangerous. But the reason why these pilots
are hired, the reason why, God bless his souls, this chap (ph) has perished
today. The reason why he was in that seat is because of experience. And
the bottom-line is that is Ed, is that there probably isn`t very many
people better on the planet assessing risk of assessing things that go
wrong in a split second than this guy and that`s why he was there. And, he
would have had a passion for it. He wanted to be that, he wanted to
explore that envelop.
SCHULTZ: Mikey Kay good to have you with us tonight. Thank you so much
for coming in, I appreciate it.
Coming up to politics, Mary Landrieu`s comments that ruffled the feathers
of our friends in the Kirby Couch, Rapid Respond Panel weights in on that.
But first Walker allies make a last ditch effort to smear its opponent Mary
Burke, details coming up. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show, a last minute October surprise. In
the State of Wisconsin has shaken up the governor`s race, and it reeks and
I mean it reeks of desperation. In a last ditch effort, Government
Walker`s allies are out smearing Democratic candidate Mary Burke, forcing
her to go on the defensive in an article by the Wisconsin Reporter. Now
former Trek employees, claim Burke was fired from her family from Trek
Bicycles, European Division in 1993 for financial loses and plummeting
morale.
Those are some pretty serious accusations. Burke hasn`t been shy about
touting about her ability to run businesses and also her business
experience all the way back in the early 1990s. So, in the name of
responsible journalism, let`s take a moment to consider the source. The
Wisconsin Reporter received $190,000 from the Bradley Foundation in 2012.
The Bradley Foundation is headed by George Grebe.
Grebe is chairman of Governor Walker`s campaign committee. In the article
in question, sites Gary Ellerman and three anonymous former employees in
its report. Who is Gary Ellerman? Well he`s the chairman of the Jefferson
County Republican Party. Ellerman is also a former Trek employee who was
fired for incompetence in 2004. Ellerman also run as a sham democratic
candidate in the 2012 senate recall primary. And then there`s this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is Scott Walker and this is Gary Ellerman. A
Walker campaign worker and donor who puts pictures like this on his
Facebook page.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: No conflict of interest or acts to grind there. Unfortunately in
the final days of the campaign this story is dominating the air waves in
Wisconsin. The two candidates went back and forth on local news where
Walker is claiming he didn`t have anything to do with it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARY BURKE, (D-WI) GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I`m certainly happy to answer
any questions around this but these are lies and look, the voters should
look at my track record of exactly what I have accomplished.
GOV. SCOTT WALKER, (R) WISCONSIN: We haven`t talked about it because
unless somebody could validate it that`s really none of my businesses to be
talking about.
BURKE: He is a career politician who will do anything to win an election,
including lies, smears, dragging a great Wisconsin company through the mud.
WALKER: I don`t have any knowledge about that so I have to leave that to
them, I really can`t comment on something I don`t know much about.
BURKE: This is a sort of nonsense six days before an election, baseless
allegations that are deterring from the issues frankly that are really
important.
(END VIDO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: But notice you didn`t hear Walker say, this is not my campaign.
You know, it was just arms distance there Governor Walker. Burke is right,
if Wisconsin voters are talking about this story, Scott Walker won`t be
forced to answer for things like this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: 250,000 new jobs, that`s my goal. 250,000 new jobs by the end of
our terms in office, our critic say it can`t be done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Well because the critics were right. It was just a couple of
months left in Walker`s term, private sector employment has increased by
about 111,000, less than the -- far less the 250,000 jobs promised which is
why Walker has been out spinning the same excuse like a broken record.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: As I travel the state four years ago, I decided then and there
that I was going to aim high and set a big goal of 250,000.
We set a big goal of creating 250,000 jobs because I know Wisconsin can do
great things.
I set high, I set a big goal, 250,000 jobs to make up for those jobs lost
and aim big for the future because I believe in the people of this state.
I believe in Wisconsin.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Did you catch that? Walker wants you to know that that was
really a big goal that he set. So he must think that adding 10 million
jobs nationally is just a heck of an accomplishment. So big and bold that
it was impossible to reach. Walker doesn`t have an excuse and he doesn`t
want to talk about issues because he knows this race is close, too close
for comfort and the new Marquette School Poll shows Walker with a 7 point
lead over Democratic challenger Mary Burke among likely voters.
Among registered voters, Mary Burke trails in this race by just one point.
Bottom line Burke needs every single registered Democrat to turn out on to
see if she is going to win this election which is why former President Bill
Clinton is out in the home stretch trying to rally the base.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: A governor who knows
business, who`s created good jobs and help build a great Wisconsin Company,
who`s helped hundreds of kids stay in school and get to college, who brings
people together across party lines, not dividing them, not playing
politics, sounds pretty good doesn`t it? Well that Mary Burke, if you`re
ready for a Governor who will get up everyday thinking about your family
and building the middle class, you`re ready for Mary Burke.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Joining me tonight, Lee Saunders, President of AFSCME. Mr.
Saunders good to have you with us tonight. You have been on record saying
that you think that Governor Walker is public enemy number one and I
believe that you have characterized this election as a get back for the
middle class. Is this what you really think? Or is this an effort to
motivate people to realize what`s at stake in this election or both?
LEE SAUNDERS, PRESIDENT, AFSCME: Well it really is both Ed, I`m glad to be
on your show. We`ve got to motivate and educate and mobilize, organize our
base like never before. Not only within AFSCME, not only within the trade
union movement but our communities and we`ve got to, we`ve got to paint the
picture of the differences between these two candidates.
On one end, you have Governor Walker who took collective bargaining away
from public service workers, who doesn`t believe in increasing the minimum
wage, who claim that he would create 250,000 jobs in the state of
Wisconsin. Wisconsin ranks almost dead last in the Midwest as far as the
creation of jobs, a terrible economy continues in that stage for working
families.
He ignored the Medicaid expansion program, didn`t accept that money which
would have meant about $500 million to the state, it would have created
about 10,000 jobs. And then on the other side you have Mary Burke who
believes in labor rights. She believes in civil rights and human rights
and economic rights for everyone and that`s what we`re fighting for.
SCHULTZ: Mr. Saunders what has happened to your union on Wisconsin since
Walker`s been governor?
SAUNDERS: Well we have lost our collective bargaining rights, lost the
ability to represent our members but we have a core group of activist who
are fighting like never before who are knocking on doors, who are making
those phone calls, talking to their co-workers, talking to neighbors and
their friends. Talking about the importance of this race, talking about
the fact that we have got to vote on November 4th, we`ve got to do early
voting in order to change the face of this country.
Not only in the state of Wisconsin but across this country, because there`s
a Wisconsin moment that a number of candidates and number of governors want
to implement if they`re elected or reelected, you got to stop that move.
SCHULTZ: So, what about the smear campaign down the stretch? Walker`s
trying to distance himself from it but there`s so many connections with the
people that are doing it at his campaign, what do you make of it?
SAUNDERS: Well he`s connected but this is clearly a diversion Ed, and we
can`t fall for the diversion, let`s stick with the facts, let`s stick with
the record that he has created over the past four years. That record is
not good for working families in the state of Wisconsin. It`s not good for
folks who are trying to play by the rules every singe day, put food on the
table, to try to make ends meet, to try to achieve that American dream.
Let`s stick to the facts, if we stick to the facts and if we organize our
communities and show the differences that exist between these candidates
that I think that we can be victorious and Mary Burke can be the next
governor of the state of Wisconsin.
SCHULTZ: Do you think that Walker is going to loose? I mean how close is
thing going to be? And all of these folks that have been lost, you know,
membership from your union, are they still engaged to make a change?
SAUNDERS: Oh they`re engaged because I was there last week, I attended
different events in Madison and in Milwaukee. Our people are engaged our
community is engaged in the City of Milwaukee. Early voting is very, very
high. I think folks get it, they understand that there is an extreme
importance to vote in this election and that`s exactly what we`re going to
do.
We`re knocking on doors, we`re making those phone calls, we`re educating
our communities. This race is going to be extremely close, I don`t have a
crystal ball, I don`t know who`s going to win in Wisconsin or across this
country in these very, very important governor`s races. But I`m telling
you that working families are coming together and they understand the
importance of this election.
SCHULTZ: Lee Saunders president of AFSCME, good to have you with us
tonight here on the Ed Show, appreciate your time.
Coming up, Republicans have a field day over Mary Landrieu`s race comments,
rapid response panel weighs in on the impact of the race on the elections.
Plus, a Republican`s favorite tactic. When in doubt, personally attack a
Democrat. Louie Gohmert lands in pretenders tonight, stay with us we`ll be
right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Still to come on the Ed Show, conservatives jump on Mary
Landrieu`s comments about race, Rapid Response Panel joins me with reaction
next, stay tuned.
JOSH LIPTON, HOST, CNBC MARKET WRAP: I`m Josh Lipton with your CNBC Market
Wrap.
The Dow and S&P both finished at record highs, the Dow rose 195 points, the
S&P 23, the NASDAQ added 65.
Shares of LinkedIn jumped more than 12 percent it`s after the online
professional network reported better than expected third quarter sales.
And President Obama will meet with Federal Reserve Chair, Janet Yellen on
Monday to discuss the long-term outlook for the American Economy and global
recover. President Obama periodically met with prior Chair Ben Bernanke.
That`s it from CNBC first in business worldwide.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show, Republicans are having a field day
with a comment a Democratic Senator made about racism in the south.
Sometimes the truth hurts, Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu told NBC`s Chuck
Todd, one of the reasons President Obama is politically unpopular in her
state of Louisiana is his race.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MARY LANDRIEU, (D) LOUISIANA: Let me be very, very honest with you,
in the south, it`s not always been the friendliest place for African-
Americans, it`s been a difficult time for the President to present himself
in a very positive light as a leader. It`s not always been a good place
for women to be able to present ourselves, it`s more of a conservative
place. So, we`ve had to work a little bit harder on that, but, you know,
but the people trust me I believe, really they do, to trust me to do the
right thing for the state.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: And the reality is the Senator from Louisiana is right. Race
still plays a huge role in politics in the South. Republicans are in
denial if they think racism is over. The kids on the Kirby Couch wasted no
time jumping on Landrieu`s comments this morning on FOX News.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She`s saying, hey you racist and bigots and sexist out
there, I need your vote on Tuesday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you know, Democrats are facing a dire predicament
right not Steve, you know, they`ve lost the young people, Latinos are
waffling, they are ambivalent, women are even asking questions so they got
to go to their strength, they`ve got to go to the African-American vote.
Louisiana, you know, at least a third of the electorate is black, I mean
that is Mary Landrieu`s only hope of sustaining and they are making a very
blatant plea for that vote.
But, you know, even though the President said, 41-42 percent among the
general population, he`s 87 percent approval among black voter. So it
makes sense from their point of view, demographically.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Young people are going to the GOP, where did you get that? Same
place you were looking for Al Capone? The Louisiana Secretary of State
released its final report of this years early voting. Black voters only
made up about 33 percent of the overall early voting, they make up about 31
percent of Louisiana`s registered voters. Mary Landrieu is facing a very
tough reelection battle against Republican Bill Cassidy. Cassidy also
chimed in and reacted to Landrieu`s interview on FOX News.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
REP. WILLIAM CASSIDY, (R) LOUISIANA: I wish she`s focus more on policy,
instead of insulting us. We`re going through the political process to make
or change our constitution and it describes how you do it and we`re called
racist, we`re not racist we just have common sense.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Joining me tonight on the Rapid Response Panel, Zerlina Maxwell,
political analyst and contributor to the grio.com and also with us tonight
James Peterson, MSNBC contributor and director of Africana Studies at
Lehigh University. Dr. Peterson sometimes the truth hurts, what`s wrong
with what Mary Landrieu said?
JAMES PETERSON, MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: Anything, this is an understatement,
let`s do a quick history lesson. Remember Transatlantic Slavery was really
housed in the south and developed in the South. Jim Crow`s Law born in the
South. Remember before the Democrats, well the Democrats they were the
Dixiecrats, you know, think about the history of lynching and now let`s
look at the policies today. Look at the criminal justice system in the
South today. Look at police brutality today, look at the eroding education
-- public education systems in black communities today.
Look at all the sort of efforts by Republican legislators to end early
voter and disenfranchised largely African-American, elderly, and Latino
voters. I mean, this is -- what she said is so understated when you look
at the data around race, particularly in the South and really across this
nation. That -- I think it`s absurd for anyone to be calling for her to
backtrack or apologize. She just spoke the truth very softly here.
SCHULTZ: Zerlina, Cassidy says they`re not racist, they`re just using
commonsense.
ZERLINA MAXWELL, POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I mean, the hogwash right? I
mean, I think what this conversation is -- and I think we can`t get
distracted by what they do every time and say, you`re playing the race
card. This is not necessarily a conversation about individual feelings on
behalf of people who follow within the Republican Party. This is about
structural and equality.
And like Dr. Peterson said about policy, right? This is about policy. He
says he`s not. It is absolutely about policy.
So, the Republican Party going back to the 1965 Voting Rights Act, where
they stood in opposition to an increase -- an access to the voting booths
for African-Americans. I mean, that`s near today with Dr. Peterson have
seen with voter suppression. But beyond that, all along being opposed to
affirmative action, being opposed to reporters (ph) demonizing on anyone
who stood on that side of that issue.
Whenever it comes to making the world just a little bit more equal for
women, for people of color, the GOP is on the wrong side of the issue.
SCHULTZ: What about Rand Paul, Dr. Peterson. I mean, there`s all this
outrage all of a sudden about what Mary Landrieu have stated factually -- I
mean, the fact is that life in the South for African-Americans has not been
easy as you stated.
But Rand Paul makes comments in that nature as well. There`s no backlash
as there is on this one. What do you make of it?
PETERSON: Well number one, unfortunately, women are much more vulnerable
to all kinds of political and public attacks when their lives are in the
public sphere. See Hillary Clinton for this.
And so, unfortunately, Senator Landrieu and even though she had mentioned
of the gender piece in this, she`s also a subject to that. You`ll notice
that her fiercest credits are all male politicians.
They`re all wrong here by the way. But somehow Rand Paul, despite what he
sort of -- he kind of waivers there, he tries to reach out to the black
community but he also says some of the most horrific things about like
private restaurants being able to discriminate against black folks. He
said that on this network by the way Ed but he gets a pass sometimes just
because he is a man.
SCHULTZ: Yeah.
PETERSON: I`m sorry but the gender piece here is vague as well.
PETERSON: So, Bobby Jindal who`s the Governor of Louisiana called
Landrieu`s comments, "a major insult to the people of Louisiana." What
about this Zerlina?
MAXWELL: Well -- I mean, I think it`s interesting that ...
SCHULTZ: So she`s insulting people because of stating a historical fact.
MAXWELL: Well, number one it`s in the historical facts but it`s also true
that the southern strategy was a thing. They actually did try to ponder to
white pensions (ph) and white races in the South in order to gain votes.
And that`s something that is a verifiable truth. That`s not an opinion
that you state that you can say, well that`s not true. We can look at the
documentation that shows that that was an explicit strategy on their
behalf.
And I think, you know, the fact to the matter is that racism is a lot more
divisive than accusations of races.
SCHULTZ: What about the strategy James?
PETERSON: Listen, denying Medicaid expense to the citizens of Louisiana
and the State of Louisiana is an insult to them. Katrina and the
government`s response to Katrina was an insult to them, right?
There are many ways in which politicos and political figures have insulted
the citizens of this great State of Louisiana. These particularly comment
is not one of them. It`s just the truth.
And listen, why can`t we have an open conversation about this? Why is
everyone so defensive about it? Their defensiveness I think speaks to the
truth of what Senator Landrieu is talking about that we can even talk about
race without people are going into all this history (inaudible).
SCHULTZ: So Dr. Peterson, does this comment help or hurt the Senator?
PETERSON: Sadly, because of the racial climate in this nation and the ways
in which people use races of political football instead of dealing with
racial issues, I think it will stand the chance of hurting her in the
elections coming up on Tuesday.
MAXWELL: I mean, it could hurt her but it also could remind African-
American voters in Louisiana that they have somebody that`s on their side
willing to speak the truth. So...
SCHULTZ: So that`s the political accusation that making this comments to
motivate her base?
MAXWELL: Well, I think that anybody in the African-American community that
was going to vote Republican until they heard Mary Landrieu -- I mean, how
many people is that? Three people?
So I really do -- I think it`s going to be a wash in the end it`s a tough
race, it always was and I think that -- I applaud her for at least, you
know, telling us like it is.
SCHULTZ: Zerlina Maxwell and James Peterson, good to have you on the Ed
Show tonight. Thank you so much.
Coming up, Tea Partier Joni Ernst`s radical ideas are enough to make
Democrats in Iowa squeal.
Keep it here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: And the Pretenders tonight, dazed and confused. My old buddy
Louie Gohmert, the Congressman from Texas called Newsmax T.V. to jab Wendy
Davis for having a lot of grief.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think that she has found enough of a will and
enough prayers to get her elected?
REP. LOUIE GOHMERT, (R) TEXAS: I think that she`s showing the same will
she had when she let her husband pay for her to get through the law school
and then divorced him the day that law school was finished and paid for, so
she`s got a lot of will and that makes her interesting.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Personal cheap shot. Gohmert can`t bother to answer the
question. The confused Congressman launched an untrue personal attack
instead. This isn`t the first time Gohmert`s comprehension problems gotten
away of a coherent statement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOHMERT: The definition of sexual orientation is wide open if you`re
oriented toward animals, bestiality, then, you know, that`s not something
that could be used held against you. We`re still borrowing money from the
Chinese.
There is no assurance that if we did that, those -- we would end up with
moo goo dog pan or moo goo cat pan.
The Attorney General failed to answer my question about what was asked and
in turn cast aspersions on my asparagus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: If Louie Gohmert thinks disorientation passes for dialogue, he
can keep on pretending.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. This election cycle we`ve seen some
of the most radical Tea Party candidates ever. It`s like they`re getting
worse.
Case in point, Iowa, Republican Senate Candidate Joni Ernst. Ernst is
letting her true color shine in a race against Congressman Bruce Braley.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONI ERNST, (R-IA) SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: We`ve already talked about
closing the door to the IRS. I think that would be a wonderful start.
And those are entry level, jobs. I think $7.25 is a great starter wage for
many high school students.
Closing the doors to the Department of Education at the federal level...
Obamacare is a job killer. It is a job killer.
Obamacare is a job killer.
Let`s shutdown the federal EPA.
So I do believe in the right to carry and I believe in the right to defend
myself and my family whether it`s from an intruder or whether it`s from the
government should they decide that my rights are no longer important.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Yeah and real America, you got to go to the guns and talk about
that. Shockingly, this race is close.
The latest poll of Iowa has Joni Ernst leaving by 2 percentage points.
With just days away from the election, those numbers could get a shock.
Former President Bill Clinton will return to Iowa Saturday for a barbecue
fund raiser for Braley. This will be his third trip to Iowa.
For more, let me bring in Lionel, New York City Television, Legal
Commentator News Decoder. Holy smokes, the...
LIONEL REEL, LEGAL COMMENTATOR NEWS DECODER: That`s easy for you to say.
SCHULTZ: Yeah the cast of a Tea Partiers is getting wilder by the moment.
She`s got our Washington bullet points. How out of mainstream is she?
REEL: Well, apparently, what scares me and you as well, is the fact that
they seem to be neck and neck. But here`s what I don`t understand big Ed.
Tea Partiers believe in the constitution, the rudiments, the absolute, the
essentials of this country, yet, whenever they don`t like something that is
federally mandated, they say let`s rebel against it.
Others has passed key thing (ph) called the Supremacy Clause under Article
VI which says the federal government constitution is supreme to the state.
Isn`t it funny how they have their cake and eat it to...
SCHULTZ: That`s right.
REEL: ... willy-nilly I don`t like this only -- I mean, they`re going to
defy it and nullify it or if I like the legislation I`ll go along with it.
SCHULTZ: So, does it surprise you that this even close as far out of the
mainstream this candidate is?
REEL: Yes because you and I may laugh at this. This is -- you`ve talked
about castrating hogs and using that as a solecism (ph) or something to
legislation but Ed apparently, we`re out of mainstream.
If there was a loop-sided differential I would say, well then maybe, people
might be a bit taken aback by this rhetoric but I don`t they are.
SCHULTZ: Do hog farmers really see the world that differently?
I don`t think they`ve...
LIONEL: From that point of view they do perhaps.
SCHULTZ: Bill Clinton is going to Iowa, what its mean?
LIONEL: Rock star. Rock star. Without him, without his imprimatur (ph),
without his endorsement, not good.
SCHULTZ: He`s had an impact in Kentucky as well. He`s been there a few
times.
In fact, the Governor of Kentucky told me that was a game changer, and
really motivated the Democratic Party in the state that tightened that race
quite a bit.
Clinton won to Iowa twice, OK. So he`s got friends in the state whether
it`s going to have cocktail (ph) or motivate people to come out to vote
remains to be seen and what do you think about turnout, considering the
issues we`re looking at this year?
REEL: I`m hoping it`s going to be high but then again, this is the
problem. High for whom? Do we necessarily get well-thought, well-versed,
well-educated, well-researched? Is that what high turnout means? Or do we
secretly want low turn out? I don`t know, but when it comes to Bill
Clinton my friend he is -- without Bill there ain`t race.
SCHULTZ: Now, there`s another guy out there that`s a little goofy too and
that`s Congressman Steve King.
REEL: Goofy?
SCHULTZ: Yeah.
REEL: Don`t hold back.
SCHULTZ: Yes he`s known for...
REEL: Don`t sugarcoat.
SCHULTZ: ... a lot of famous sayings. He`s got Donald Trump out there.
Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, BUSINESS MAGNATE: You know, I`m here to just support Steve
King, a specially guy, a smart person with really good ideas on almost
everything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Wow, now this -- that Donald Trump turned to the far right.
REEL: Now, I don`t want to reign on Mr. King`s parade but if you watch
that and it`s entirety, Trump does an exactly -- he says, yeah, you go
ahead, yeah, smart guy but a lot of good idea and he kind of inches his way
away from him. Watch the whole of video. He doesn`t really necessarily
endorse wholeheartedly. He just says, smart guy.
Kind of what you say when you`re receiving line in a weeding.
SCHULTZ: So this is -- Mr. King saying good things about Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. STEVE KING, (R) IOWA: Donald Trump has made his mark wherever his
gone. Time after time when they handed Donald Trump and play and touched
something, it turned into something good for Americans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Leaning away there.
REEL: Kind of like looking at him and like -- what is this?
SCHULTZ: Is Trump running for President?
REEL: I hope so. But absolutely not, why? Well first of all, financial
disclosure -- I mean, financial disclosure coming clean as far as, you
know, financial -- he probably won`t but just dream.
I think he is one of the most exiting people because whenever he speaks --
I didn`t say good now Ed.
SCHULTZ: Yeah.
REEL: He`s given me this looks like, you know, but I`m saying in terms of
actually adding the capacity and excitement to a race. He is it.
But just notice the body language there. He is going to...
SCHULTZ: He had to lean, there`s no doubt about that.
REEL: He certainly did.
SCHULTZ: Lionel, good to have you with us tonight. Thank you so much.
And that is the Ed Show. I`m Ed Schultz.
PoliticsNation with Reverend Al Sharpton starts right now.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY
BE UPDATED.
END
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