The Ed Show for Friday, January 23rd, 2015

THE ED SHOW
January 23, 2015

Guest: John Fugelsang, Bob Shrum, Mark Kelly, Michael O`Hanlon, Terence
Moore


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. STEVE KING, (R) IOWA: There`s a big competition out here and I`m not
going to choose sides and encourage these candidates to come by...

FRM. SEN. RICK SANTORUM, (R) PENNSYLVANIA: I don`t want to make black
people`s lives better by giving them somebody else`s money.

FRM. GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE, (R) ARKANSAS: I`m beginning to think that there`s
more freedom in Korea sometimes than there is in the Untied States.

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) NEW JERSEY: It`s people who raise their voices
and yell and scream like you that are dividing this country...

Sit down and shut up.

DR. BEN CARSON, RETIRED NEUROSURGEON: Look at ISIS, they got the wrong
philosophy but they`re willing die on what they believe.

SEN. TED CRUZ, (R) TEXAS: These are dangerous extreme radical times.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do not like this Uncle Sam.

FRM. GOV. RICK PERRY, (R) TEXAS: Running for the president is not an I.Q.
test.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was interested to see how many of you got out of bed
extra early this morning because we couldn`t wait for opening day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ED SCHULTZ, MSNBC HOST: Cranking up the crazy from the middle of the
country. Good to have you with us tonight folks.

We start with the Iowa Freedom Summit hosted by none other than Congressman
Steve King. The fringe right-wing Congressman will be hosting a number of
2016 presidential hopefuls over the weekend, Chris Christie, Scott Walker,
Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz, Rick Santorum and certainly don`t leave out Ben
Carson. They`re all going to be there.

Congressman Steve King is no stranger to controversy, this comments a few
years back caused major headaches for the Republican Party.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: There are kids that were brought into this country by their parents
unknowing that they were breaking the law. And will say to me and others
who are defender of law, we have to do something about the 11 million, and
some of them were valedictorians. Well, my answer to that is, and by the
way their parents brought them in, it wasn`t their fault.

It`s true in some cases but they aren`t all valedictorians, they weren`t
all brought in by their parents. For every one who`s a valedictorian,
there`s another 100 out there that they weigh 130 pounds and they`ve got
calves the size of cantaloupes because they`re hauling 75 pounds of
marijuana across the desert.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: King still hasn`t learned his lesson he continues to use
disturbing rhetoric when it comes to immigration. Before the State of the
Union on Tuesday, King tweeted out, "Obama perverts prosecutorial
discretion by inviting a deportable to sit in place of honor at the State
of the Union with the first lady. I should sit with Alito." He tweeted.

Meanwhile Steve King`s disgusting guest -- distinguished guest excuse me,
have their own set of issues. First up, New Jersey Governor Chris
Christie, has he really got rid of the controversy? Controversy just seems
to follow this guy everywhere. Christie can barely make it through a
public event without loosing his temper.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTIE: And you know what? And you know what? Let me tell you this,
you know what? It`s people who raise their voices and yell and scream like
you that are dividing this country.

If what you want to do is put on a show and giggle every time I talk well
then I have no interest in answer your question.

Let me tell you something, I can go back and forth with you as much you
want.

And let me tell you something, after you graduate from law school, you
conduct yourself like that in a courtroom, your rear end is going to be
thrown in jail, idiot.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Christie kills jobs.

CHRISTIE: Really?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Christie kills jobs.

CHRISTIE: You know, something may go down tonight but it`s not going to be
jobs sweetheart.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Let`s not forget Bridgegate, the scandal surrounding Christie`s
administration. Closing George Washington Bridge lanes for political
reasons is just hard to shake off whether he was involved or not, it`s on
his watch. Christie`s approval rating in New Jersey has plummeted thanks
to Bridgegate. It`s dropped roughly 30 percent to its lowest level since
June of 2011. But personally I think it`s his temper probably has a lot to
do with the drop in that poll.

Then we have union-busting governor, Scott Walker.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I`ll tell you what Scott once you crush these
bastards, I`ll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time.

GOV. SCOTT WALKER, (R) WISCONSIN: All right that would be outstanding.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.

WALKER: Thanks for all the support in helping us to move the cause forward
and we appreciate it and we`re doing it -- the just and right thing for the
right reasons and it`s all about getting our freedom back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely and you know we have a little bit of vested
interest as well.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Walker has more to worry about than a prank phone call. The John
Doe investigation into Scott Walker`s administration is still ongoing. His
campaign is accused of illegally coordinating with outside political
groups.

Then we have the good doctor, Ben Carson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARSON: A bunch of rag-tag militiamen defeated the most powerful and
professional military force on the planet. Why? Because they believed in
what they were doing. They we`re willing to die for what they believe in.
The British we`re not.

Fast forward to today. What do we have? You`ve got ISIS. They`ve got the
wrong philosophy but they`re willing to die for what they believe while we
are busily giving away every belief and every value for the sake of
political correctness. We have to change that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Carson comparing ISIS to America`s founding fathers is just the
latest in a long line of disturbing remarks. Now, let`s not forget the
sweater vest campaign. Good old Rick Santorum will also be at the freedom
summit this weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANTORUM: They`re just pushing harder and harder to get more and more of
you dependent upon them so they can get your vote. That`s what the bottom
line is.

I don`t want to make black people`s lives better by giving them somebody
else`s money; I want to give them the opportunity to go out and earn the
money.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right.

SANTORUM: And provide for themselves and their families.

I`ve looked at that quote. In fact I looked at the video and I don`t --
and in fact I pretty confident I didn`t say black. When I think I started
to say a word and started -- sort of mumbled and changed my thought but I
don`t -- I don`t recall saying black. No one in that audience, no one
listening, no reporter there heard me say that.

I think it was -- and from everything I see and I`ve looked at it several
times. I was starting to say one word I sort of came up with a different
word and moved on. And it sounded like black.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Don`t you just feel like going to Iowa this weekend? Canadian
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, he`s going to be there too.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRUZ: Say, I like green eggs and ham, I do. I like them, Sam-I-am. And I
would eat them in a boat and I would eat them with a goat. And I will eat
them in the rain, and in the dark and on a train and in a car and in a
tree. They are so good, so good you see.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: And let`s not forget the reverend, Mike Huckabee on board.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUCKABEE: If the Democrats want to insult the women of America by making
them believe that they are helpless without Uncle Sugar coming in and
providing for them a prescription each month for birth control, because
they cannot control their libido or their reproductive system without the
help of the government, then so be it.

Let us take that discussion all across America because women are far more
than the Democrats have played them to be. And women across America need
to stand up and say, enough of that nonsense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Now, with that highlight reel and all of these folks going to
Iowa, you kind of understand why Mitt Romney is thinking about running
again. This collection makes Bush and Romney actually look pretty doggone
normal. The cast and (ph) characters and flying out to Iowa to see if they
compare to Joni Ernst.

A few years ago, Republicans we`re running away from Steve King as fast as
possible. Now they`re begging for his support and they`re all trying to
become the Tea Party darling, how is it all going to unfold? Well you have
to go cover these folks don`t you because they`ve limited the number of
debates that are going to be coming up before the 2016 election.

Get your cellphones out. I want to know what you think. Tonight`s
question, does anyone at the Freedom Summit have a chance of becoming
president? Text A for yes, text B for no to 67622, drop a comment at
ed.msnbc.com, we`ll bring you the results later on in the show.

Romney and Bush not going to be there. Maybe they think they can`t get the
Tea Party vote. Maybe they feel like they don`t have to go to Iowa. For
more let`s bring John Fugelsang, Sirius XM radio host and also with tonight
Bob Shrum, Democratic strategist and Warshaw Professor of Politics at USC.
Gentlemen, great to have you with us. I mean...

BOB SHRUM, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Glad to be here.

SCHULTZ: ... now this -- gentlemen, this entertainment in Iowa is free,
nobody is charging for anything. John, shouldn`t there be some kind of
ticket price of this kind of entertainment? John, why are these guys
begging for Steve King`s support it seems like?

JOHN FUGELSANG, SIRIUS XM RADIO HOST: Well, yes Iowa is the caucus and
this is, you know, Tea Party idol. You`re going to Iowa Doug and the
knights of the trickle down table know they got to show up and make a
really good showing in that very first caucus if they hope to get fund-
raising edge. And Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush don`t need to worry about that.

At the end of the day Iowa appears to be a two-horse race between Ted Cruz
and Mike Huckabee. I don`t think I`m too premature in saying that but it`s
going to terrific entertainment and as a comedian I look forward buying
both (ph) off of these guys.

SCHULTZ: Bob Shrum, why is Steve King a player in the middle of the
country. Is his endorsement of any of these guys mean anything to win the
Iowa caucus?

SHRUM: Sure, those Iowa caucuses are driven by people who are very far to
the right, people who have very strong views. I mean this Freedom Summit
is about anything but freedom, it`s about anti-immigrant bigotry which
could destroy the Republican Party in 2016, its presidential nominee.
These guys are caught -- the ones who are sensible are caught between what
they have to do to get nominated and what they have to do to get elected.

I will be intrigued though, following on what John says to see Chris
Christie at this event.

FUGELSANG: Ended.

SHRUM: I want to see whether Mr. Cander (ph) becomes Mr. Ponder. Whether
the bully gets bullied and they`re down the right-wing road. I suspect he
will. Now Bush isn`t there, Romney isn`t there but if they run for
President and if they decide they`re going to run in Iowa, they`re going to
have to run the right-wing gauntlet.

And Bush has already begun to move to satisfy these folks. He used to be
for immigration reform with a path to citizenship, he`s now for permanent
residency which won`t satisfy his base and which will alienate Latinos
because it`s a part time (ph) in America.

SCHULTZ: Bob, do you think the Iowa caucus is as important as it used to
be? It just -- it seems like there`s so many pathways to the nomination
and to becoming the front runner if you just show up well in Iowa. Am I
overstating that?

SHRUM: Well, I think it`s critical in the Democratic Party and it has been
decisive in the Democratic Party a number of times. I think in the
Republican Party, it`s such narrow slice of people who dominate that caucus
that you can have a Rick Santorum win as he did last time narrowly. And
then the Republican establishment gathers, they fight hard, they fight for
the guy they think has a chance to actually get elected.

Although this year it`s going to be interesting, because every successive
quadrillion (ph) it`s been harder and harder for the establishment to
impose their choice. We`re going to see whether or not a Ted Cruz or Rand
Paul, one of these other people, this collection of clowns, this band of
bogs (ph)...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

FUGELSANG: Yeah.

SHRUM: ... whether one of them can emerge.

SCHULTZ: John Fugelsang, it`s going to be interesting to see how pointed
they get to one another. Whether they will begin to eat their own, destroy
each other, how much division it will actually be there? Or is this going
to be one this (inaudible) as who could out-Tea Party somebody else?

FUGELSANG: I think you`re right Ed, I do think under the Democratic side,
should Mrs. Clinton face any challengers like a Bernie Sanders or an
Elizabeth Warren, they`ll all work together, they`ll know that she`s going
to win no matter what. I do think you`ll see a lot more thunder, bare-
knuckle brawling especially because only two or three of these guys are
really going to be running for president.

Most of them are going to be running for higher public speaking fees. And
in the case of, you know, Ted Cruz I think he`s just biding time until he
gets his career doing commercials for reverse mortgages. But, Chris
Christie is the wild card, much like Reverend Sharpton of the Democratic
field in 2004. Chris Christie will keep a lot of us awake during these
debates.

And Chris Christie`s opponent isn`t Bridgegate or the media or Democrats.
Chris Christie`s problem is the Tea Party because he committed the cardinal
sin of working with a Democratic president to help the hurricane ravaged
citizens of his own state. He`s got to overcome the biases of his own side
to make his own side like him and that will be a lot of fun to watch.

SCHULTZ: Yeah. Well John let me ask you this since you brought up reverse
mortgage, Fred Thompson does those commercials, which one of these guys do
you think would be a good replacement for Fred Thompson?

FUGELSANG: I don`t see how it can`t be Ted Cruz, I mean, you know, listen,
Governor Perry is really going to run and Mike Huckabee is really going to
run and I think Mitt Romney is really going to run. The rest of them are
either running to salvage the family name, looking at you Jeb or to, you
know, much like Rand Paul and his dad has guarantee a future life of public
speaking.

SCHULTZ: You know -- Bob Shrum wouldn`t Mike Huckabee really be the guy to
beat in this field, I mean he, you know, with his exposure on Fox and on
radio, he`s run before. He didn`t have the money the last time, he`s very
polished in front of crowd, he`s a former Governor. I think this guy knows
who he is more than the rest of them, what`s your take?

SHRUM: Well, I think there are two primaries that are going to go on as we
enter the primaries. The first is to become the Tea Party right-wing
candidate. I think he`s well-positioned to do that. The big question
about his is whether he can raise the money. And -- by the way I have to
tell John, I don`t think Ted Cruz can sell reverse mortgages because you
have to -- you have to kind of be likable. You know, Henry Winkler is
likable, Fred Thompson is likable.

FUGELSANG: You know what, I would say, underestimating Ted Cruz`s
likability with primary voters at your peril, he`s...

SHRUM: On no, I agree he`s likable with primary voters but you know what?
Send him to the general public...

FUGELSANG: That`s true.

SHRUM: ... I think that would be a big mistake. The other thing I
think...

SCHULTZ: All right gentlemen.

SHRUM: That`s all right go ahead.

SCHULTZ: Go ahead Bob.

SHRUM: Well the other thing is...

SCHULTZ: Well, ABC...

SHRUM: ... this Romney, Bush thing is very important. One of them is
going to emerge as the establishment choice or they`re going to split the
vote then it`s going to make it easier for one of these clowns to come
through.

FUGELSANG: Don`t miss -- don`t underestimate Huckabee. Believe me he`s
very good at lying on camera and make me feel good about it.

SCHULTZ: All right, there`s another event that`s going on. ABC News White
House correspondent Jonathan Karl is going to moderate a forum between
Marco Rubio, Rand Paul and Ted Cruz this Sunday out in California. Now the
event is being hosted by a group with ties to the Koch brothers.

You know, I kind of view this as almost like the NFL scouting combine.
That they bring these players in -- they bring these players in to see how
they`re going to perform, not in front of the public and they can get more
of a scrutiny and a close up evaluation. Are there some ethical issues
here with Jonathan Karl or any journalist for that matter, Bob Shrum doing
something like this?

SHRUM: Yeah, when I heard about this, I thought about it. And I don`t see
how it`s terribly different from -- say one of these network correspondents
moderating a Republican debate. The real question is...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

SHRUM: ... is Karl going to ask some tough questions? Is he going to
subject these people to real scrutiny? If he does that then I think it`s
fine. And that`s what I think he will do. I don`t he`ll just throw
softballs.

FUGELSANG: Ended if they`re all auditioning...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

FUGELSANG: ... for Koch brothers` money, he`s going to ask them tough
questions to see who can handle it.

SCHULTZ: I mean that`s -- that`s really what this is, isn`t it, an
audition to see who the Koch brothers are going to support?

FUGELSANG: If you want to get rid income inequality get money out of
politics. This is ground zero of what`s wrong in our country right now.

SHRUM: If this...

SCHULTZ: John Fugelsang, Bob Shrum...

SHRUM: Great, thank you.

SCHULTZ: Go ahead Bob.

SHRUM: I was just going to say this -- this is a conclave of economic
royalist who are going to make it impossible for Republicans to address
income inequality. Republicans are messed up on the social issues and
messed up on the economic issues. I think they`re in tight spot.

FUGELSANG: Ended.

SCHULTZ: Well put gentlemen, great to have both of you with us tonight.
John Fugelsang and Bob Shrum.

SHRUM: Thanks.

SCHULTZ: Remember to answer tonight`s question there at the bottom of the
screen, share your thoughts with us on Twitter @edshow and on Facebook, we
always want to know what you think.

Coming up, twin astronauts team up for a groundbreaking research study.
Captain Mark Kelly joins me with the details.

And later, the Saudi leader`s death raises questions about American
security, Rapid Response Panel weights in. Stay with us, we`ll be right
back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Last month we launched a new
spacecraft as part of our reenergized space program that will send American
astronauts to Mars. And in two months, to prepare us for those missions,
Scott Kelly will begin a year-long stay in space, so good luck captain and
make sure to Instagram it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to The Ed Show. Astronaut Scott Kelly got a State
of the Union sendoff this week as scientists push the limits of space
exploration. Kelly will travel to the international space station this
March for a year-long stay. Here`s more on the historic mission.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To boldly go where no man has gone before.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Astronaut Scott Kelly is getting ready for a first of
its kind mission for NASA.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Captain Scott Kelly is preparing to spend one year in
space.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kelly has launched into space three times before.

SCOTT KELLY, AUSTRONAUT: I had a desire to fly in space again.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s twice the length of a typical day for an
American on the International Space Station.

S. KELLY: The fact that I flown a long duration of flight before, it gives
me a little bit of respect it on what it`s like.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our bodies are built for, you know, an earth
environment because we don`t really know what happens when you spend that
much time in zero G.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kelly joins two Russian cosmonauts on a one-year
mission.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we ever want to send someone to Mars, we must first
learn what it takes for someone to live in space for long periods of time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The goal of the one-year mission is to study the
physical and mental effect of space mission on astronauts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We know what the effect is for six more missions.

S. KELLY: Volume loss, muscle loss, effects on our immune system.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the eyes can lose their shape, affecting vision.

S. KELLY: But now we need to know what it is between six months and year
and what those negative effects are and how to mitigate them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Scott`s brother, Captain Mark Kelly is no stranger to
space either.

MARK KELLY, ASTRONAUT: I did four flights on a space shuttle, so I have 54
days in space.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But this time, Mark`s mission is back on earth.

S. KELLY: Yeah. I asked the question when I was assigned to this one year
flight, whether any study like this will be done.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This was a unique opportunity to do a class of studies
because we had twin flying and one twin on the ground.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They collected data on us since, you know, 1995.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The twin study will help NASA gain further insight
into the effects of space light on humans.

S. KELLY: Our genes were--when, you know, the eggs split, we`re exactly
the same.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can study two individuals that have the same
genetics that are in different locations.

S. KELLY: They want to look at what the space environment has done to my
RNA, DNA, protein...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With this study, we`re in a position to look at how
humans respond to these challenges and put us in a better position to
explore far beyond earth?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We understand our physiology better. A mars life, you
know, in the next decade or the decade after, that is something definitely
that we can accomplish.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: And joining me tonight here on The Ed Show is Captain Mark Kelly,
Retired NASA Astronaut and Shuttle Commander.

Captain, great to have you with us tonight. I`m fascinated by all of this
space exploration. My dad was an aviator, he was an aeronautical engineer,
and we used to have great conversations about where this all could end up
when I was a little kid, so I`m fascinated by this.

First of all, Captain, is your brother in a position where every astronaut
would like to be. I mean, this is some pretty dangerous stuff, too. I
mean, he`s up there for a year, going to be a guinea pig. What about that?

M. KELLY: Well, I can I guarantee you, I mean, I know for a fact that he
is not in a position where every astronaut would want to be. And it`s
because one year in space is a really long time. We`ve sent a lot of
people for these long duration space flights that have been anywhere from
four to six months in length, and they`re challenging. I mean, they`re
challenging not only in the person in space, but on the families. And to
spend a year in space is a huge commitment. Sure there are other people
that would love to do it, but it is a big commitment.

SCHULTZ: How do you mentally prepare for something like this?

M. KELLY: You know, you try to get all of your affairs and order on earth,
try to prepare your family, and your friends, and your loved ones for being
gone for a long period of time. He leaves, actually, in about a month to
go to Russia for this, you know, eventual launch in March, and he won`t be
back until March of 2016. He`s going to spend two birthdays, one off the
planet and one in Russia or Kazakhstan. So, I mean there`s a lot you have
to do.

I mean, you got to make sure your electric bills are going to get paid,
somebody`s going to take out the garbage, I mean these are things that --
you know, you normally don`t have to think of that he`s had to prepare for.

SCHULTZ: How much are we going to learn now -- you, of course, have been
54 days in space during four missions, and I believe the longest we`ve been
up there is like six months. But to go to that full year, how much more
are we going to learn and how critical is this going to be for us to be
able to go to Mars sometime?

M. KELLY: We hope we learn a lot, I mean, that`s the idea behind doing
this. I mean, we`re looking at, you know, how the radiation affects his
genes and DNA and the telemeters and, you know, what this does to our
immune system.

We have issues with the optic nerve with people spending a long time in
space and things like arteriosclerosis. If we`re going to Mars one day, we
have a pretty good sense right now of what it`s going to take from an
engineering standpoint.

You know, what kind of things do we need to build to do that kind of
mission but what we don`t know is how about long-term effect of being in
space and then eventually on the surface of Mars and then coming back.
What`s that going to be like on the human body?

So, this is, you know, an incremental step from six months to a year to try
to learn more about, you know, how this is going to affect the physiology
of an astronaut.

SCHULTZ: Is your brother excited about this?

M. KELLY: He is excited. You know at the same time it`s like, I said,
it`s a big commitment. It`s going to be challenging. You know, astronauts
usually -- and cosmonauts usually start to have, you know, some bigger
challenges about the four month point in space.

You know I know for him the last time when he flew six months, you know, I
could sense that he was getting ready to come home. You know, we don`t
know if that`s because it`s two-thirds into the flight or is there is
something about, you know, that four-month duration.

So, there`s a little anxiety but certainly there`s a lot of excitement. I
mean, there is nothing more fun than launching in a rocket and spending
time on the space station.

SCHULTZ: Captain Kelly, when are we going to be on Mars and does this
mission really determined that time table?

M. KELLY: You know I wanted to be the first person to walk on Mars. When
I was in high school I remember thinking about that, wouldn`t that be a
great thing to do, but it`s not going to be me. But you know, I`m pretty
sure, well I`m very hopeful that the first person to walk in the planet
Mars is alive today.

I can`t tell you when that`s going to be. It`s probably not going to be
within 10 years, could it be within 20 years? I think that`s very
possible.

SCHULTZ: Captain Mark Kelly, great to have you with us. All the best to
your brother and thanks for all you`ve done for the country and the mission
that you`re on day to day. Thanks so much sir, I appreciate your time.

Coming up. What a shift in Saudi leadership could mean for oil prices?
And America`s pastime could take less time. I`ll explain in the two-minute
drill.

I`m taking your questions next on Ask Ed Live.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. We love hearing from our viewers.
I appreciate the questions tonight in our Ask Ed Live segment.

Our first question comes from Larry. He wants to know, "How about a Joe
Biden run for president?" Hey, I`m all for it, the better the competition
the better the debate.

Joe Biden, great guy, a great Democratic values, years of experience, eight
years Vice President. He`s got as good credentials as anybody out there,
anybody.

Joe Biden has got as good credentials as anybody and he`s a good guy. I
hope he runs. I want the debate.

Our next question is from Xander. Xander wants to know, "Do you plan to
meet with President Obama and set him straight on TPP?"

Well, I want you to know that I don`t have the President on my schedule
right now. I love to visit with President again. I have before but
seriously I would -- if I had an opportunity to visit with President Obama,
I would ask him, why are you so enamored with this deal when there`s is so
many people who are against it, and the numbers that have been played out
since past trade deals, very similar to this one have not been good for
American jobs. I don`t get it.

I don`t know what he -- why he likes this and I don`t think that the White
House is explaining the Trans-Pacific Partnership to the American people.
And they`ve taken it away and hidden it from Congress pretty much and
there`s been no debate and I`m not a fast track fan. It`s too bigger of a
deal.

Stick around, Rapid Response Panel is next. We`ll be right back on the Ed
Show.

MORGAN BRENNAN, CNBC CORRESPONDENT: I`m Morgan Brennan with your CNBC
Market Wrap.

The Dow fall 141 point. The S&P sheds 11 and the NASDAQ eats out (ph) a
small gain rising 7 points.

A tough session for share of UPS which slid nearly 10 percent today,
(inaudible) saying higher cost would dent fourth quarter in 2015 result.
UPS reports earning on February 3rd.

And existing home sales rose in December but the reports did little to
boost optimism about the sluggish real state market. The 2.4 percent gain
was below estimates.

That`s it from CNBC, first in business world wide.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: King Abdullah had a long history of
being a brave partner with us and with the world and his work not just in
counter-terrorism but in his work on interfaith understanding.

SHIMON PERES, FORMER ISRAEL PRESIDENT: ... is a real loss for the Middle
East and a real loss for the peace in the Middle East.

BAN KI-MOOM, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: King Abdullah left a tangible legacy
that can still point the way toward the peace in the Middle East.

CHRISTINE LAGARDE, IMF MANAGING DIRECTOR: He is going to leave a big
legacy but a big loss as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. This morning, world leaders paid
tribute to Saudi Arabia`s King Abdullah. The 90-year-old Abdullah died
Friday morning weeks after being admitted to the hospital in December.

The Saudi leader was said to be suffering from lung infection. Abdullah is
succeeded by his brother Crowned Prince Salman. Salman is 79-years-old and
said to be in poor health and suffering from dementia. Saudi officials
categorically deny he`s in bad health.

In conservative circles, Abdullah was seen as a reformer. He was a key
U.S. ally in the fight against extremist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS.
President Obama praised Abdullah for taking bold steps in advancing the
Arab peace initiative.

This transition of power comes in a critical moment for Saudi Arabia. The
area is still reeling from the effects of the Arab Spring unrest in Yemen
and Syria has resulted in a power vacuum in the region plagued by violent
Islamic extremist.

Saudi Arabia is also the world`s top oil exporter. Saudi Arabia produced
9.6 million barrels a day in January, enough to satisfy 11 percent of
global demand.

Crude prices have dropped almost 60 percent over the last six months. In
the wake of Abdullah`s death, oil prices surged this morning with Brent
crude rising nearly 2 percent.

I am joined tonight on a Rapid Response Panel, Steve Clemons, MSNBC
Contributor and editor-at-large for "The Atlantic", also with us tonight
Michael O`Hanlon Senior Foreign Policy fellow at the Brookings Institute.
Gentlemen, great to have both of you with us tonight.

Steve you first, reporting tonight from Paris, what are the geopolitical
implications here? There`s a lot of complements coming from world leaders
in the loss of this Saudi Arabian leader, what is it mean? Is it going to
have a big shift in any kind of policy at all for Saudi Arabia?

STEVE CLEMONS, MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: Well the bottom line Ed, is that it
could have a big shift. There`s no monarchy in the world that gets rid of
a king and gets a new king as quickly in place as Saudi Arabia. The
process has been smooth, stable and a whole raft that sort of rapid
response changes in personnel around the royal court happened all today.

It`s been breathtaking to see all of that happen. That said Saudi Arabia
has for time been inching to a belief that the United State just isn`t
today what it used to be, that it isn`t the guarantor. It isn`t the
stabilizer that it used to be in Saudi Arabia has been doing, taking
actions that it wouldn`t have done in the past.

It feels like it needs to fill avoid left by an absence of strategy by the
United States. It sees Iran and Iran`s influence rising in the region. It
sees Yemen in disarray. Just in its border it sees things like Syria and
the invasion of Iraq as essentially part of the mismanagement of U.S.
Foreign Policy.

So, all of those things are going to be defining challenges for the new
king and his leadership. And I think, you know, as they often say, with
the President who comes in sometimes they need a small country to bomb. To
some degree, the king is going to have to find a way to demonstrate that
his stature, wisdom and power to act on some of these threats that are
rising. And that`s the way I see it Ed.

SCHULTZ: Yeah. Michael, what does this mean for U.S. security? Will we
see the same support in the fight against groups like ISIS?

MICHAEL O`HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTE: I thought Steve did a nice job
laying out the basics Ed. I would a couple of points, while I would join
in saying that Abdullah had a positive legacy on a number of issues. There
are some areas where we need to improve and so, I`m hoping for better than
continuity, it maybe unrealistic with the 79-year-old, in poor health and
perhaps even early stages of dementia succeeding him.

But let me give you an example, Abdullah wasn`t that helpful in dealing
with Iraq. He was so angry that there was now a Shia majority government
in place after Saddam that he refused to work with that government, and
that reinforced the Sunni-Shia divide which I think contributed indirectly
at least to the rise of ISIS.

I`m not blaming Abdullah directly for that of course but I think that his
unwillingness to try to mend fences a little bit with the new Iraqi
government was a problem. Also, the Wahhabi teachings, the hard-line
fundamentalist teachings of the Sunnis largely from Saudi Arabia had
continued to be a major issue for us.

They create a fertile breeding ground for al-Qaeda extremist when they try
to recruit. And then on top of that, the Saudis of course had no tolerance
whatsoever for any element of the Muslim brotherhood even in places where
the Muslim brotherhood was trying to be relatively peaceful.

I`m no friend to the Muslim brotherhood per se but if you try squelch and
stamp down each and every person affiliated with it, as has been happening
in Egypt, I think you have some problems. So, you know, I think we have to
hope for a little better in certain areas from the next Saudi leader. That
maybe unrealistic in a short-term but I would underscore that, not just
celebrate Abdullah`s successes even though there were a few.

One last point...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

O`HANLON: ... yes he -- he will be expecting us to help him -- the
successor will be expecting us to help deal with the Iranian`s threat but
they have no place else to go on that one. And I think therefore there
will still be U.S.-Saudi collaboration.

SCHULTZ: That`s my next question. I want to hear both of you comment on
this. Steve you first, how do these ongoing talks between the United
States and Iran over -- to Iran`s nuclear program come into play here?
This transition, are they a big wheel on this, Steve?

CLEMONS: I think it`s a remarkably important moment Ed. I think that the
-- I`m in France, I was at the Ministry of Defense in -- here in Paris
today and there`s a lot of eyes, eyeballing, what the Iranians are doing
and whether a deal is viable or not. But they have the impression that
this White House, the Obama White House wants a deal very, very badly and
that this is a way that Obama can show that America can change the way
global gravity works.

That said, Saudi Arabia and the large Sunni Population in the broad Middle
East believe that -- this basically turns over the region and creates a new
hegemony of Shia interest in the region which is antithetical to their
interest and they don`t understand why the United States is doing it.

So it`s a very big mess and that`s why I was surprised to see that it looks
like President Obama is not going over to the funeral of King Abdullah but
Joe Biden is which is fine. Joe Biden is important and I agree with you he
should for President, it would be great to have another voice.

But when you have a nation as important as Saudi Arabia doubting America`s
support of it, at a time you`re about to perhaps strike a big deal, a
historic deal of enormous proportion, then you need the kind of level both
sides.

SCHULTZ: What do you think Michael on the Iranian equation on a nuclear
program, the Saudis in this transition?

O`HANLON: Well, you know, the Saudis have to recognize that the United
States is still going to be military engaged in the region, and therefore
they still have some pretty good health. And they may wish for a perfect
world in which Iran has no nuclear weapons, they can`t produce that world.
We can produce that world.

I think we`re going to have to remind them that they need to be a little
flexible on what kind of a deal may come out of these talks.

SCHULTZ: And Michael do you think the United States -- let me ask you, do
you think the President is doing the right thing? I mean, it seems like
President Obama is holding off Congresses even some Democrats who wants
some sanctions put on, to move these things along. For the last 18 months
there hasn`t been enough progress. But the President seems very determined
to play this out as far as he possibly can. Is that the right move as you
see it?

O`HANLON: I think President Obama is right to think we should wait now.
But I also think we ought to celebrate that collectively we actually
created a pretty good, good cop bad cop dynamic. Of course, in American
politics today in either side likes to give the other any credit and this
one is not strictly partisan...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

O`HANLON: ... as you point out. It`s Congressional, Presidential. But I
think actually we`ve done a pretty good job maximizing the chances of a
deal. Having said that, a deal is still a long shot no matter what your
stance is on sanctions.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

Steve Clemons, Michael O`Hanlon great to have both of you with us tonight.
I appreciate your time.

Still to come, "Deflate-gate" gets pumped up, NFL stars of the past and
present are reacting.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Tonight in the two-minute drill, pitch please. Some people
think, some people think that baseball is kind of boring, and the game
moves a little too slow for some folks. But baseball is taking notice on
these criticisms and there may some changes n the way.

Check this out. Major League Baseball is introducing a pitch clock to the
minor league games. When the time runs out the pitcher is going to be
penalized.

Now, experiments with a 20-second pitch clock worked in the Arizona Fall
League season. Now, it`s moving up to the big time.

Baseball Commissioner Bug Selig said the clock won`t hit the majors yet but
a discussion is in the works. Major League Baseball already has a rule
against sluggish game play. Rule 8.0-4 (ph) says, when the bases are
occupied the pitcher shall deliver the ball to the batter within 12 seconds
after he receives the ball.

Now the rule is designed to eliminate slow play but umpires they never
enforce it. Not everyone`s a fan of picking up the pace. Here is what
former Baseball Player and Manager Pete Rose had to say.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

PETE ROSE, MLB PLAYER AND MANAGER: What`s the big deal? Who`s in a hurry?
A baseball games is going to take from two and a half hours to three hours.
A football game is going to take the same. And so, I don`t know why
everybody`s in a hurry.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: I will admit that the intricacies of the game could be lost with
some real purist fans but, I do kind of disagree. I`d like to see the
clock and let`s play ball and see what happens.

There`s a lot more coming up on the Ed Show. Stay tuned. We`ll be right
back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD SHERMAN, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS COUNTERBACK: Yeah, I think people
somehow get a skewed view of Tom Brady that he`s just a clean cut, does
everything right and never says a bad word to anyone and we know him to be
otherwise.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: The fallout out of "Deflate-gate" continuous. Late this
afternoon, the NFL released a statement on their investigation.

It reads, "The goals of the investigation will be to determine the
explanation for why footballs used in the game were not in compliance with
the playing rules and specifically whether any noncompliance was the result
of deliberate action. We have not made any judgments on these points and
will not do so until we have concluded our investigation and considered all
of the relevant evidence."

It sounds like the NFL is working on it. Well, former players and big
names from the league say that they`re having a hard time believing New
England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady`s denial.

Troy Aikman, Pro-Football Hall of Famer and former Cowboy quarterback and
Fox analyst gave a candid reaction to "Deflate-gate" on Dallas Sports
Radio.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

TROY AIKMAN, FORMER NFL PLAYER: It`s obvious that Tom Brady had something
to do with this. I know going back when I played, they`ve loosened up the
rules in terms of what each team is able to do with the footballs coming in
to the games. It used to the home team provided all of the balls.

And now, each team brings their footballs the way that they like them, you
can break them in. Used to you couldn`t break them in. And, so for the
balls to have been deflated, that doesn`t happen unless the quarterback
wants that to happen. I can assure you of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Other big names questioning Brady include former Steelers running
back Jerome Bettis, former pro-football quarterback Mark Brunell and also
John Madden.

Terence Moore, National Sports Columnist and visiting journalist professor
at Miami University of Ohio joins us tonight.

Well, we talked earlier this week Terence, what do you make of it now?
Aikman says it`s obvious that Tom Brady had something to do with this.
What`s your call?

TERENCE MOORE, NATIONAL SPORTS COLUMNIST: Ed, you gave a lot of big names.
I`m going to give you another big name, Dan Reeves. I literally got up the
phone with Dan Reeves not too long ago and Dan Reeves has been associated
with National Football League for 50 years, literally, as a player, as a
coach.

He participated in more super bowls than anybody as a player or a coach,
nine super bowls and he flat out said, all of these people talking about --
well this has always been done in the National Football League.

He pointed out that Bill Belichick has been involved in more controversies
than any head coach you could ever think of. And everybody is talking
about this situation of "Spygate" that they forget about his, you know, his
substitution patterns that right on the borderline of being illegal. He is
also a monkeyed around with the injury report. And the thing that Dan
Reeves said (inaudible) and he don`t (ph) have to do it. He`s out of
control. He is addicted to doing this crazy stuff.

SCHULTZ: That`s interesting. Aikman not only talked about it being
Brady`s fault but he brought out "Bountygate" and the case against Ray Rice
who challenge to NFL using ignorance as an excuse. Do you think the NFL is
using ignorance as an excuse thinking that this is just going to go away
and maybe just to really -- give liberty to the quarterbacks who want a
softer football to play?

MOORE: Well, you know Ed, I will say this. NFL had a very good day to day
but again they had no choice but to because of the fiasco that took place
with the Ray Rice video. But I want to tell you something Ed. When this
is all done -- said done, the person who should be nailed the most is Bill
Belichick.

I mean this -- right now the NFL should be doing that old Howard Baker
thing of Watergate, whether the president know and when did they know it,
because Bill Belichick is a biggest control freak in the history of NFL.

Dan Reeves specially said so. We`re talking about a guy Bill Belichick who
has so into detail. That a few years ago three or four of his player
showed up late to a practice in the middle of a blizzard, and they even
called to say they`re going to be late, he sent them home because he was so
upset. So you`ve got figure -- this guy has got know how many ounces are
in on every football that`s out there.

And even if you take him by his word, he says Monday, well I didn`t know
anything about this. He`s the ultimate dictator. He`s been it for 15
years. You don`t think, as soon as he find out there was a problem on the
football that Monday morning that he didn`t pick up the phone call -- the
phone. And within 47 seconds, found out what exactly did happen. So
either way he is a guy that should be nailed badly.

SCHULTZ: Yeah. What`s the proper punishment here? He threw off on the
quarterback. The quarterback came out and said, hey I don`t know anything
about it. So quickly, what`s a proper punishment here, if any?

MOORE: This is more serious than "Bountygate". You suspend it that
coach`s payment for the entire year. He should get at least that and
should get out at the super -- he should not be there next week when I get
there in Arizona. I shouldn`t be seeing Bill Belichick.

SCHULTZ: All right, Terence Moore, good to have you with us tonight. I
appreciate your time.

Big weekend for the Ed Show, I`m going to be down in Nebraska tomorrow.
The story continues about the pipeline, the Senate doing all kinds of votes
this week, but it`s up to those hundred landowners who have filed lawsuit
on eminent domain. We`ll bring you the story on Monday. That`s the Ed
Show, I`m Ed Schultz. "Politics Nation" is coming from overseas tonight.
There`s two absolutes. There`s Big Ben and then there`s Reverend Al.
Reverend Al in London. Good evening, Rev.

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

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