THE ED SHOW with ED SCHULTZ
September 28, 2012
Guests: Barbara Boxer, Allen Raymond, Bob Shrum, John Nichols; Ari Melber; Michelle Goldberg; John Garamendi
ED SCHULTZ, HOST: Good evening, Americans. And welcome to THE ED
SHOW, from New York.
Thirty-nine days until the 2011 election and five days until the first
presidential debate. Voter fraud is alive and healthy. Tonight, we rip
the cover of the growing RNC voter suppression scandal. It`s there.
This is THE ED SHOW -- let`s get to work.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: We`re going to win
Pennsylvania and we`re going to take the White House.
SCHULTZ (voice-over): Mitt Romney and the RNC have been funneling
money to an organization suspected of voter fraud.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I don`t know to what extent it
will occur, but I do know the Democrats are counting on it and want it to
happen. They want the option to cheat.
SCHULTZ: Tonight, Senator Barbara Boxer on the Republican effort to
cheat and steal the election.
Is Mitt Romney`s 47 percent remark the biggest game changer in the
history of presidential politics? "The Nation`s" John Nichols has the
answer.
REINCE PRIEBUS, RNC CHAIRMAN: We`re not going to play in Missouri
with Todd Akin, I will tell you that. It will be yet to be seen whether he
stays in or not.
SCHULTZ: Reince Priebus flip flops on supporting Todd "forcible rape"
Akin. Michelle Goldberg and Ari Melber on the Republican Akin pain in the
neck.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHULTZ: Good to have you with us tonight, folks. Thanks for
watching.
It`s the fourth quarter and Republicans are done playing by the rules,
they are going to cheat to try to win this election. Voters are already
casting ballots and polls don`t look good for Republicans. Now, we are
seeing the underhanded attempts to suppress voters and rig the game.
For instance, in Florida, election officials have uncovered suspected
voter fraud across the state. A voter registration firm working with
Republicans turned in forms with fake signatures and false information.
Republicans have cut ties with the firm, the RNC`s communication director
says there is nothing to see here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At this point, having an allegation that and that
mere allegation caused us to act -- act swiftly and boldly and severe our
ties with this firm because we have zero tolerance when it comes to this.
The other side clearly engaged for a long time in an inappropriate behavior
and we don`t believe that that`s appropriate and we wanted to make a swift
and bold action to illustrate that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Hold the phone. Republicans can`t wash their hands of this
one. A consulting firm was run by a long time GOP operative and was paid
nearly $3 million to register Republicans in five swing states. NBC`s
Michael Isikoff reported on the extent the Republican firm was willing to
go to.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL ISIKOFF, NBC NEWS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: There were reports
of irregularities growing throughout the state. As of last night, we had
six counties reporting irregularities in voter registration from this firm,
including, according to Paul Lux, a Republican supervisor in Okaloosa
County, registering dead people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Dead people?
Yes. If you remember registering dead people has been a Republican
talking point for a while. They claim it`s been done by Democrats.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALAN WILSON (R), SOUTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY GENERAL: There over 900
individuals who had died before the election at least 600 of those
individuals had died way outside the window that an absentee ballot could
have been sent. So we know there deceased people whose identities are
being used in the elections in South Caroline.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: They know for a fact.
The Republican attorney general said dead voters in South Carolina
were a fact.
But an investigation by the state election commission showed no
evidence of voter fraud. The commission said its review of zombie voters
did not include 696 allegedly dead voters. After the investigation, the
attorney general -- well, he changed his tune.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILSON: I hope there no deceased voters. What I do hope the general
assembly takes up the issue and updates the rules.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: So much for the previous fact he knew about.
Republicans have been using voter fraud as a rallying call to
implement strict voter ID laws all across this country. Voter ID laws
specifically target people who are most likely to vote for Democrats.
Since 2011, 34 states introduced laws requiring photo ID to vote.
Nine passed restrictive photo ID laws. These laws affect 3.8 million
voters and most of them vote Democratic.
But after all the accusations, it turns out that the only widespread
case comes from a Republican group.
There`s also stories of out right voter intimidation. The Koch
brothers funded True the Vote is engaging in a voter suppression effort in
the state of Ohio. According to "The L.A. Times", the names selected for
purging include hundreds of college students, trailer park residents,
homeless people and African-Americans in counties President Obama won in
2008.
Tonight, the FOX affiliate in Denver is reporting the state Republican
Party has terminated the relationship with the same voter registration firm
accused of fraud down in the state of Florida. It happened after this
videotape surfaced of a young woman only registering voters who support
Mitt Romney.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you vote for Romney or Obama?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wait, I thought you were registering voters a
minute ago?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who are you registering? All voters?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I`m actually trying to register people for
a particular party, because we are out here in support of Romney actually.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who is paying you for this?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are working for the county clerk`s office.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, you cannot --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Working for the county clerk`s office. That means taxpayer
dollars going to that teenage person to go out and register people who are
going to vote for Mitt Romney.
The FOX affiliate confirmed the woman worked for the Republican firm.
This is what happens when Republicans get their backs against the wall.
They cheat.
But I don`t think they are going to get away with it. Democrats and
progressives are schooled up on the latest dirty tricks. Eight years ago,
the Republican voter fraud in Florida may have gone unnoticed. Today, we
know better. Republicans can use lies and intimidation to try to win, but
no one is going to roll over and take it this time.
2012 just a few days away is going to be very, very interesting. I do
believe that the American people are on to this. Back in 2000, back in
2004, you people are not talking about voter machines and voter fraud.
Now, it`s the real deal and the tape doesn`t lie.
Get your cell phones out. I want to know what you think.
Tonight`s question: Do you think the only way for Republicans to win
is to cheat? Text A for yes, text B for no to 622639. You can always go
to our blog at Ed.MSNBC.com. We`ll bring you the results later in the
show.
Now, I am joined tonight by Senator Barbara Boxer of California. She
has written a letter to the Justice Department to investigate these cases
of voter intimidation.
Senator, good to have you with us tonight.
I want to start --
SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D), CALIFORNIA: Thank you.
SCHULTZ: You bet.
I want to start with this group, True the Vote. What is this group
doing? What are you concerned about?
BOXER: I am very concerned. All you have to do is just read that
"L.A. Times" story and it will show you cases and point.
For example, a woman who is recovering for breast cancer gets a letter
from the county clerk saying your right to vote has been challenged because
of your residence. This woman has lived in this residence for seven years.
An African-American family of eight gets the same kind of letter.
Your right to vote has been challenged and -- because you live on an empty
lot. There is the woman sitting with her family in front of her home.
And this is going on. And those stories just touch me and we felt
even though I have been watching this. I know -- you are right. Everyone
is paying attention. I know the Obama campaign is ready to act on this,
but I realize that there two important federal laws that -- the Voting
Rights Act passed in the `60s, the Voter Registration Act passed in the
`90s, that have criminal and civil penalties where people who try to
intimidate a voter.
And I wanted to make sure that the Justice Department is moving on
these cases. So, I did hear from them today and although they can`t
confirm or deny any particular case because I wrote about Ohio, they did
say that they had opened up 42 investigations this year, which is good to
know.
SCHULTZ: OK. Are these new investigations, Senator, or will there be
more investigations?
BOXER: This year.
Well, here`s what they say. This is very important. Thank you for
pressing me on that. They said 42 investigations are open just this year
and they had many more in 2011. Meaning, they are pursuing and enforcing
these laws.
They said that I could say that anyone within the sound of my voice or
your voice, anyone in this country that feels they are being intimidated
can call the nearest FBI office because it is a federal offense to harass
someone, to intimidate someone.
Think about all the people that worked so hard and struggle and went
to prison and put their life on the line for their right to vote.
SCHULTZ: Senator --
BOXER: And, you know, we weren`t born yesterday. We know what`s
happening here.
SCHULTZ: No question about it.
I want you to respond to that videotape that we just played from
Denver FOX affiliate -- someone admitting on tape that they`re working for
the county office and they`re out registering Republicans. What do you
make of that?
BOXER: Well, that`s against the law. Any type of non-traffic voter
registration, you have to register everybody. I used to do that in my
younger years. I go out with my registration forms and say, would you like
to register? The person comes up, you don`t know if they`re going to
register Democratic, Republican, independent or any other party. You just
register them.
SCHULTZ: Yes.
BOXER: And you`re told it`s against the law.
We need some enforcement, visible enforcement. And I hope people
understand who are watching this perhaps --
SCHULTZ: All right.
BOXER: -- that if you are trying to intimidate a voter, that`s
against the law. That`s unpatriotic. You need to stop because -- you
know, you can`t do it.
I want to mention one more thing. In 24 states, Ed, on Election Day
at the polls, did you know that 24 states allow a voter to be challenged on
Election Day for no reason? They just walk off, let`s say you`re voting --
SCHULTZ: Just to disenfranchise people, yes.
BOXER: And just say I believe that person has no right to vote and
guess what? If the person doesn`t have two forms of idea or doesn`t know
the election officer, they are not going to be able to vote that day.
SCHULTZ: Senator --
BOXER: Maybe they can cast a provisional ballot. Yes.
SCHULTZ: I appreciate you being on this story and joining us tonight.
There`s nothing bigger on this country right now than this story.
Senator Barbara Boxer of California with us tonight.
Let`s turn now to Allen Raymond, author of "How to Rig an Election."
You`re a former Republican political consultant and you were involved
in a Republican election scandal. Do you believe the RNC`s line about the
voter fraud case in Florida? Thank you for joining us tonight, Mr.
Raymond.
ALLEN RAYMOND, "HOW TO RIG AN ELECTION": Thanks for having me.
Yes, it`s getting harder and harder to believe almost by every passing
hour the first response was that this was a rogue employee. Now we`ve got
something like nine counties. I think the RNC very quickly fired this
firm, as did the Florida Republican Party. And I think if they really were
in the dark and they oppose what`s going on, they might ask for their money
back. I think they should be doing that tonight.
SCHULTZ: What`s your response to the videotape we just played, that`s
actually happening on the ground?
RAYMOND: Well, you know, on the videotape, I see a young lady and I`m
somewhat empathetic. I`m not sure where she got her information or she`s
working for. You know, simply the word that she`s saying, as you`ve
stated, are illegal.
I doubt she`s working for the county clerk. Maybe she is. I don`t
know. It raises a lot of questions. And it`s troublesome.
SCHULTZ: You think this is going on in a lot of states?
RAYMOND: Well, apparently, the firm is involved in the Florida
registration issues is involved in pretty much all the seven swing states
or so.
SCHULTZ: Can this stuff actually affect an election in your opinion?
RAYMOND: Yes, absolutely. For instance, if you look at the Florida
situation, where you`re talking about voter fraud, false registrations in
Republican stronghold counties, that then raises the question of -- what
are they going to do with that information in order -- are they going to
use it to try and pump up turnout by using these false voter registrations
to increase Romney`s potential to win that state? It raises a lot of
questions.
SCHULTZ: Allen Raymond, appreciates your time tonight. Thanks for
coming on THE ED SHOW.
RAYMOND: Thank you.
SCHULTZ: Remember to answer tonight`s question there at the bottom of
the screen. Share your thoughts on Twitter @EdShow, and on Facebook. We
want to know what you think.
Republicans want to cheat because they have a candidate who`s losing.
Romney`s bad week just got worse. Bob Shrum with me, next.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Coming up, Chris Wallace of FOX News calls Republican
conspiracy theories about the polls craziness. Bob Shrum joins me for the
discussion.
Romney`s 47 percent remarks are still dragging him down. The polls
and today, there is more evidence. John Nichols will join me on that. The
candidacy of Todd Akin is a cancer on the GOP`s chances of taking over the
Senate.
The very latest in this big senate race and other races. Share your
thoughts with us on Facebook and on Twitter using the @EdShow.
We are coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: And we are back.
It was really a bad week for Mitt Romney. He wanted to take some time
and look for some bright spots in the Romney campaign. If that`s what we
want to do tonight, can we find them?
Maybe something can fire up Romney`s dejected supporters tonight here
on THE ED SHOW.
Well, let`s hear what the candidate himself had to say at a fundraiser
in Pennsylvania today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: You know, we would really shock people in early in the
evening of November 6th, it looked like Pennsylvania was going to come our
way and actually did come our way. And that can happen. That can happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Key word there was "shock," that can really happen. A real
confidence booster, isn`t it?
Romney is right to feel uneasy about Pennsylvania. A Republican
pollster in the state told reporters why Romney is in such a bad position
with Pennsylvania voters.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
POLLSTER: I think the Bain Capital ads that the president has run and
his super PACs have run have stopped some of Mitt Romney`s growth in the
western part of the state with working class voters.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Romney isn`t getting much support from those closest to him
either. Anonymous friends of the campaign associates savaged the candidate
in "Politico". He was called a lousy candidate. Not a great politician.
He doesn`t know the room. And he`s missing the guy gene.
Conservative denial of the current polls are so bad, Chris Wallace of
FOX News couldn`t take it anymore.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS: I think Romney, I don`t know that this is
any great headline, is in trouble. And he has got to win this debate. I
don`t think it can be well, it was a draw and he did well --
GALLAGHER: Wait a minute, wait a minute. What do you mean Romney is
in -- where did you get that from? What do you mean Romney`s in trouble?
Because of this poll manipulation crap?
WALLACE: Oh, let me just say something, this poll stuff is -- the
criticism of the polls is craziness. I did some research on this today,
which is more than you`ve done.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Some righties are losing their nerve. Former comedian and
current conservative talker Dennis Miller tweeted, "I`m ignoring the polls.
One, I think they`re rigged. And two, it`s too traumatizing for me to
think my country has gotten this helpless."
You have to wonder how much more of this mess Romney supporters can
actually ignore.
Let`s bring in Democratic strategist Bob Shrum.
Bob, good to have you with us.
BOB SHRUM, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Glad to be here, Ed.
SCHULTZ: Is there a bright spot for the Romney camp?
SHRUM: Well, let me think. Yes, the election isn`t being held
tomorrow. So, they can hope that something happens in these 40 days,
either in the debates or some another kind of event or some issue breaks
their way.
Even that I think would be difficult at this point for Romney to catch
up. I mean, he might do better. I think after the debate, by the way,
assuming that he sticks to his script, doesn`t do something spontaneous,
and calamitous, memorizes his answers. We may see the press give him a
ride and say, well, it`s kind of time to say this thing is not over and
Romney still has a chance.
But, you know, when you listen to him in that Pennsylvania excerpt you
showed today?
SCHULTZ: Yes.
SHRUM: You know, the only way he can carry Pennsylvania when you look
at the polls is if voter suppression works there. If the voter suppression
law that was passed is upheld by the courts, the state Supreme Court, send
it to a local court, saying take another look because it makes it hard for
legitimate people to vote, that is the only way they can win in
Pennsylvania and that`s to steal it.
SCHULTZ: What about the first debate? It`s next week. Is it a must
win?
And what kind of candidate are we going to see in Mitt Romney? He`s
touched other opponents. He`s challenged him to a $10,000 bet, he`s lost
his cool, he shouted them down.
I mean, is this what we are going to see on Wednesday?
SHRUM: Well, no, he is not going to do that, I don`t think.
I wrote a piece saying Romney can win the debate. The way he can win
the debate is if he prepares very rigorously and I think he is. I see
Portman lurking in the background, Senator Rob Portman, who`s playing the
president, almost wherever Romney goes. I think he`s got to get that
script, he`s got to memorize it, and he`s got to hold to it.
If he doesn`t do -- if he does that, I think there is a chance that
the press wants to say he`s done well. He conceivably could win the
debate. He also benefits from going in there with very low expectations.
SCHULTZ: Well, are the expectations too high on the president?
SHRUM: Sure, of course, the expectations are too high for the
president. Five of the last six incumbent presidents who faced challengers
in first debates have lost. So, the history sort of says that that can
easily happen -- only two of the challengers that went on to win the
election.
Secondly, the president has not debated in four years. I assume he is
preparing, but not as much as Romney because he has some other things he
has to do. So, yes, his expectations are way too high.
I mean, I do think it`s a little funny to hear the Romney people talk
about him. You hear the Romney people talk about the president, you would
think he was a combination of Churchill and Demosthenes.
SCHULTZ: Yes. Well, Romney is polling worse in favorability right
now than John McCain was four years ago at this point. What`s that mean if
anything?
SHRUM: You know, I have been thinking about this and talked to a
friend who`s in the other party, so I can`t say who it is.
SCHULTZ: They`ve got to be worried.
SHRUM: Well, he said, look, Romney`s problem isn`t that the people
don`t like him. Romney`s problem is that people think he doesn`t like
them. That`s what the 47 percent is all about. That`s what all of the --
that`s what the Medicare stuff is all about.
SCHULTZ: What about that comment -- that operative from Pennsylvania
said about the Bain ads? I mean, it seems to me that the Obama team really
coined this guy this guy early. President Obama said he looks like the guy
who fired you. And then they went on the Bain run and then there was this
war on women, which is taking an effect.
I mean, every step of the way Romney has been on the defensive. It`s
now down to the debates for him to save it. That might not do it.
SHRUM: Well, you and I have talked about this. He lost the summer.
He lost the conventions. He lost the month of September. And he can`t
afford to lose the debates.
The Obama people are very smart. They went out there right away with
those Bain ads. They actually defined Romney. He had defense. His only
defense was -- well, I believe in free enterprise and there`s somebody
sitting there saying he made 20 million bucks while we were fire and lost
our health insurance and our health coverage.
SCHULTZ: Yes.
SHRUM: So that I think he suddenly became the opposite of what Ronald
Reagan was to those Reagan Democrats. Rightly or wrongly, those Reagan
Democrats thought Reagan understood them, had come from a family a lot like
theirs, and cared about them.
It`s OK to be rich. It`s not OK to be the candidate of the rich, by
the rich and for the rich and out of touch.
SCHULTZ: Bob Shrum, great to have you with us on this Friday night.
Thanks so much.
There big moments in every campaign. Romney`s 47 percent remarks may
be one of the biggest for him and it`s still playing out. John Nichols
joins me.
Republicans other chances for regaining the Senate are diminishing day
by day and Todd Akin is at the center of all of it.
Michelle Goldberg and Ari Melber join me, coming up. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Thanks for watching THE ED SHOW tonight.
You know, every modern day presidential campaign has what I believe to
be a moment of impact. I mean, the candidate says or does something that
just leaves a lasting impression and you remember it for years. And
sometimes the moment of impact can really kill a campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Read my lips: No new taxes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Dukakis has opposed virtually every
defense system.
HOWARD DEAN (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In Oregon and
Washington and Michigan and then we go to Washington, D.C. to take back the
White House.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: I actually did vote for the $87
billion before I voted against it.
RONALD REAGAN, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: There you go again.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: You know the Beach Boys song bomb
Iran? Bomb, bomb, bomb.
You know who voted for it? You might never know. That one. You know
who voted against it? Me.
SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: Most of them with a great
appreciation for the press and the media.
KATIE COURIC, TV ANCHOR: Which specifically?
PALIN: All of them. Any of them that have been in front of me over
all these years.
COURIC: Can you name a few?
PALIN: I have a vast variety of sources.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
SCHULTZ: Well, there is new evidence tonight Mitt Romney is suffering
after his own moment of impact. These words could follow him the rest of
his life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: There 47 percent of the people who vote for the president no
matter what. My job is not to worry about those people. I`ll never
convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for
their lives. What I have to do is convince the 5 percent to 10 percent in
the center that are independents.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Romney`s 47 percent comments just won`t go away. In fact,
"The New York Times" crunched the poll data to find out if the 47 percent
comment is actually hurting the candidate. The poll numbers are pretty
steady until Romney`s 47 percent comments hits the news. The president is
holding on to all of his post-convention gains and keeps gaining. Romney
is barely holding on or he`s losing likely voters as a result of the hidden
camera comments.
Romney`s got another problem. Lots of candidates have been caught
making embarrassing mistakes, but Romney was caught saying something that
he really believes.
Joining me now is Washington correspondent for "the Nation" magazine,
John Nichols.
John, great to you have with us tonight. You think Romney`s comment
is a gaffe like the ones we have seen from other candidates in the past
that just have made the infamous highlight reel forever?
JOHN NICHOLS, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, THE NATION MAGAZINE: I think
we may have seen a game changer. And you can`t say that on the night it
happens or the night it comes out. You got to watch over time. But what`s
significant is that the advantage that Obama got as that began to lock in
has continued. In fact, his advantage has continued to grow. Just in the
last couple days, analysts have moved almost all of the battleground states
to leans Democratic or like Democratic states like Pennsylvania and
Michigan, now likely Democratic states.
(CROSSTALK)
NICHOLS: Absolutely. We saw Larry Sabato, the very good kind of
predictor on racists, just moved four U.S. Senate races from leans
Republican to toss-up. These are states like North Dakota. So, I think
there is an impact. I think it`s at the presidential level and on ballot.
And I think there is a reason for it.
SCHULTZ: Why is this comment sticking out more than any other? I
mean, I think it`s sticking out because, you know, the Obama team has made
a real effort to make sure what kind of economy Romney believes in, what he
did -- how he made his money, what his model was, how he`s hurt a bunch of
workers, how has never done anything for the middle class. And then, all
of the sudden, this comes up.
So, I mean, the timing of it matched up with the way the Obama
campaign has put him out in front of the country. I think is, you couldn`t
write a better script for the Obama team.
NICHOLS: You`d be hard pressed. And I think there`s a reason for it.
When a candidate fits his stereotype, his negative stereotype, when it
locks in, then all of the efforts he makes to undo it just don`t work. And
then I think there is a second component and that is that he selected as
his running mate Paul Ryan. Paul Ryan, a likable guy, but somebody who is
passionate about deconstructing programs of the 47 percent.
SCHULTZ: What do you think the Romney`s campaign, the way they
responded to all of this. Have they done a good job responding to the
criticism?
NICHOLS: It is one of the most miserable responses I have ever seen
in years of covering politics. He first comes out and says yes, I stand by
it basically. Number one, that`s bad. But then as he`s tried to move away
from it, he`s ended up stumbling all over the place. The other day he was
talking about showing empathy by doing health care reform in Massachusetts,
which simply reinforced that if that`s empathy, then Barack Obama showed it
for the whole country.
SCHULTZ: And quickly John, do you think the president uses the phrase
47 percent to try to box Romney in, in the first debate?
NICHOLS: I think maybe a little bit. But he has got to be careful.
I mean, Obama doesn`t want 47 percent, he wants 51, 52, 53. So, I think he
will use a lot of efforts to referencing 47 percent, but more of an
emphasis on what he is going to do to that broader majority.
SCHULTZ: John Nichols, great to have you with us. Thanks so much.
There`s a lot more coming up in the next half hour of `the Ed Show."
Stay with us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first day or two it was like the Waco with
the David Koresh situation where they`re trying to smoke him out.
SCHULTZ: Todd Akin`s own campaign is comparing him to a cult leader.
The Missouri senate race, just keeps getting crazier.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is somebody who makes Michele Bachmann look
like a hippie.
SCHULTZ: Ari Melber and Michelle join me next.
And even though, Mitt Romney sweat shop problem is not stopping him
from attacking the president on China.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It doesn`t have to be this way if Obama would
stand up to China.
SCHULTZ: Tonight, the president is answering that with action.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to "the Ed Show."
Things got a little more complicated and frankly, a little more
strange in the Missouri Senate race. Congressman Todd Akin has further
divided the GOP and put Mitt Romney in a pretty tough position. Remember,
this is the guy who coined the phrase "legitimate rape." Romney asked him
to drop out of the Race. He refused.
Today, Akin, well, he made a lot of news. He admitted to going to
jail during a pro-life rally a couple decades ago. He spoke out against
fair pay for women. And a key staffer is comparing him to David Koresh
during the siege at Waco. She meant it as a compliment. I will tell you
more about that in a moment.
First, the Republican problem. Texas Senator John Cornyn announced
the Republican Senate committee will not put any money into Akin`s race.
Cornyn says, I just think that it`s not a winnable race. So it`s pretty
much a business decision.
But former speaker Newt Gingrich threw his support behind Akin earlier
this week. Akin also get Mike Huckabee`s report, senator Roy Blunt and
former senator Kit Bond are following suit. Last month, the chair of the
Republican national committee said he would not support Akin no matter
what.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: Are you going to support him?
REINCE PRIEBUS, CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: No, no. It
can be tight. We`re not going to send him a penny.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: But Reince Priebus may be changing his behind on Akin, too.
Today, he told CBS News "as chairman of the party, I have an obligation to
make sure that we win as many seats in the Senate as possible. The
Republicans need the Missouri senate race, no question about it. They need
to win it. We will see how far they`re going to go to actually win it.
In the meantime, Akin has found a new way to insult women in Missouri.
Democrat Claire McCaskill, the sitting senator, her campaign is circulating
new video of Akin explaining why he doesn`t support the fair pay act.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. TODD AKIN (R), MISSOURI: I believe in free enterprise. I don`t
think the government should be telling people what you pay and what you
don`t pay. I think it`s about freedom. If somebody wants to hire somebody
and they agree on a salary, that`s fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: But the Akin campaign may have topped itself today. Akin`s
top pollster compared him to David Koresh. She says the days after Akin`s
legitimate rape comments were like the standoff at Waco in 1983. Remember,
Koresh was a cult leader and accused child rapist who died with 54 adults
and 28 children on the standoff?
Even so, Akin`s pollster meant the comparison as a compliment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first day or two where it was like the Waco
with David Koresh situation where they`re trying to smoke him out with the
SWAT teams and the helicopters and the bad Nancy Sinatra records. And
then, you know, here comes day two and you realize the guy`s not coming out
of the bunker.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: After that comparison, Claire McCaskill`s comment seems like
high praise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CLAIRE MCCASKILL (D), MISSOURI: This is somebody who kind of
make Michele Bachmann look like a hippie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: And finally, check out this headline on the talking points
memo Web site tonight "Team Akin: it`s all going according to plan."
Let`s bring in senior contributing writer for "Newsweek," and the
"Daily Beast" Michelle Goldberg and Ari Melber, correspondent of "the
Nation." Great to have both of you with us tonight.
Michelle, can you tell us what according plan is in this Todd Akin
race?
MICHELLE GOLDBERG, SENIOR CONTRIBUTING WRITER, NEWSWEEK & DAILY BEAST:
Well, it`s fascinating. I mean, I think that this is another case of not
so much that she`s a wild cat comment which is something that he said about
McCaskill. But, about this fair pay act, it`s another case of
conservatives actually or accidentally saying what they really believe.
You know, usually conservatives will say they oppose fair pay laws
because it opens businesses up to frivolous lawsuits, because we already
have civil rights legislation to take care of those, to take care of anti-
discrimination law. They don`t usually come out and say it`s about
freedom, it`s a business`s right to pay women less for equal work. And so,
I think that they have raised this issue again on the campaign trail.
You know, Romney may not support Todd Akin, but we should ask him how
he feels about this legislation that Todd Akin, if he`s elected, will be
voting on.
SCHULTZ: This is one race the Republicans early on are expected to
win. Now, John Cornyn saying he doesn`t think it`s winnable. Can he win
it, you think? Can Akin win this race?
ARI MELBER, CORRESPONDENT, THE NATION: I think it`s possible. I
mean, remember, Missouri is one of the only swing states that McCain still
polled out last time when he lost Ohio and other places. So, the other
component here is there`s been a lot of movement in the polls after this
massage and remarks and stupid remarks. But neither candidate has ever
moved very far past 50 percent. So that tells you that even with
everything jamming up the system, this is a close race.
SCHULTZ: But he apologized once for his remark about women,
legitimate rape. And now he has come back and made the entrance saying
employers shouldn`t have to pay women the same money in the workplace. I
mean, how could any woman in Missouri vote for this guy?
MELBER: That is right. I mean, what you see and I really echo what
Michelle said here. So often the defense is -- we have different values
but it is not about being anti-woman. But when you see all of this
together, the real ignorant and de-legitimatization of women who are on the
terrible situation of rape, pregnancy related to rape, then, calling the
opponent all of these, you know, coded attacks on women, all those things,
when you see as someone who is trying to turn off half the electorate.
SCHULTZ: Well, the Democrats are thinking, he is really toxic.
Current senator, Claire McCaskill says the Republicans did the decision to
stay with Akin could affect other candidates.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCASKILL: Watch the national Republicans. You know, they all said
it was unacceptable what he did. And I think Scott Brown and Linda McMahon
and a lot of candidates out there are really going to be in trouble if the
national Republicans now go back on their word and come in here and try to
fund Todd Akin.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: What about that, Michelle?
GOLDBERG: Well, a lot of Republicans are going back in there and try
to fund Todd Akin.
SCHULTZ: Reince Priebus pretty much drew the line. How is he going
to come back?
GOLDBERG: Right. I mean, you know, Jim DeMint is backing him.
Obviously, Rick Santorum is backing him. And so, there`s actually a
substantial section of the party that firmly supports Akin.
You know, when I was at the Republican national convention, I saw more
than a few Todd Akin buttons. And so, they are being torn in two different
directions. On the one hand, it looks awful for the party to support him.
But on the other hand, there`s a lot of voices within the party that really
want to see them kind of standing up their own.
SCHULTZ: Is he hurting Romney?
GOLDBERG: Maybe, he is number ten on the list of things that`s
hurting Romney.
MELBER: But it does go back to what you say at the start, which you
have to tie this back to Mitt Romney, back to Republican Party that waves
the war on women. And this freedom talk, this is back in the day when
people wanted to ban child labor. And that the response from conservatives
was freedom to contract for children for force them in the labor. It is
not freedom to be paid less. And I don`t think there`s a woman in America
who has looked at the facts and says yes, I want to be free to get less
money for the same day`s work.
SCHULTZ: Would President Obama`s team in a position of strength with
all of this happening go down and try to grab Missouri. I mean, it`s not a
state that he`s expected to win. It was a bellwether state in the last
election, no question about it. But this senate race, and of course, Mitt
Romney`s unwillingness to get behind Todd Akin, doesn`t it change a dynamic
of the national race a little bit?
MELBER: I think it does, Ed. And I think if can give reverse
coattails where if this solidifies and McCaskill is doing well and certain
conservatives are turned off at this guy and they are not turning out, that
changes the dynamic and you get a different turnout universe.
SCHULTZ: What do you think, Michelle?
GOLDBERG: You know, I think it would be smart for them to contest it
again just to kind of throw the Romney campaign a little back on their
heels. I don`t know that they will necessarily win the state. And
McCaskill, who distance herself from Obama a little bit. And so, I don`t
know that she would necessarily consider it really helpful. But it
certainly - you know, the more state stay on play, the more states Romney
is playing defense on it.
SCHULTZ: No doubt.
Michelle Goldberg and Ari Melber, great to have you with us tonight.
Thank you.
Mitt Romney is doing his best to make trade with China an issue in
this election. But the facts just keep on catching up with him.
Congressman John Garamendi, joins me. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Up next to the big finish, Congressman John Garamendi of
California joins me on Mitt Romney`s accusation that President Obama has
not been tough on China when it comes to trade.
Don`t forget you can listen may radio show on Sirius XM radio channel
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Ed Show."
We`re right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: Tonight in our survey I asked, do you think the only way for
Republicans to win is to cheat? Ninety-nine percent of you said yes. Dog
gone it, I thought we would have thought we would have 100 percent on that
tonight. One percent of you said no.
Coming up, Mitt Romney is flooding the airwaves, calling President
Obama weak on China. The president is simply fighting back with the facts
and it seems to be working.
Congressman John Garamendi will weigh in next. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCHULTZ: And in "the big finish" tonight, Mitt Romney is flooding the
airwaves promising to get tough on China and President Obama is getting
tough on Mitt. In the past 30 days, 60 percent of Mitt Romney`s TV
advertising has addressed trade with China. He has run 19,000 bogus
commercials just like this one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: China is stealing American ideas and technology.
Everything from computers to fighter jets. Seven times Obama could have
taken action. Seven times he said no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: President Obama has fought back with his own barrage of ads
on China.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Day one, President Romney stands up to China.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But would he? "The Washington Post" has just
revealed that Romney`s companies were pioneers in shipping U.S. jobs
overseas. Romney`s never stood up to China. All he`s ever done is send
them our jobs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: The president is also fighting back with facts on the
campaign trail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When you see these ads
he`s running promising to get tough on China, it feels a lot like that FOX
saying you know, we need more secure chicken coops. I mean, it`s just not
credible. Ohio, I`ll tell what you I`ve done. We have brought more trade
cases against China in one term than the previous administration did in
two. And, by the way, we have been winning those cases.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: President Obama spot on. His record on China is very clear.
The Obama administration as filed, count them, eight cases against China
over unfair trade practices, including one last week accusing China of
providing illegal subsidies to its parts industry.
President Obama has also taking immediate action against China. In
2009, he imposed a tax on Chinese tires putting 1,000 workers, Americans,
back to work. It`s a move Mitt Romney opposed at the time.
And today President Obama blocked a Chinese company from building wind
farms near an Oregon naval base. The White House cited national security
risks and ordered all equipment removed within two weeks.
For more on this, let`s turn to California congressman John Garamendi.
John, great to have you with us tonight.
REP. JOHN GARAMENDI (D), CALIFORNIA: Always good.
SCHULTZ: You bet. Everyone knows affiliates of Bain outsourced jobs
to China when Romney was there. What do you make of Romney attacking the
president for being weak, allegedly weak on China? I mean, is this his
defense mechanism knowing he`s got a terrible record of shipping jobs over
there?
GARAMENDI: No doubt about it. This is right out of Karl Rove`s play
book. If you are weak, you attack the opponent for that same weakness and
that`s what he`s doing. However, this opponent, President Obama, is not at
all weak on this issue. He`s very, very strong on this issue. And also
the Republicans in the House of Representatives are atrocious on dealing
with China. And there are example after example.
Boehner and the Republicans refused to take up the currency issue. We
passed when the Democrats controlled the house, we passed a Chinese
currency bill that would penalize China. Boehner refuses to take it up,
even though it`s passed the Senate and is sitting in the house now. And
there are numerous other examples, tax policy.
But the big one happens to be what you so well pointed out in your ads
and that has to do with making it in America, rebuilding the American
manufacturing base which we can do with good, wise public policy.
SCHULTZ: Has President Obama been doing good job going after China on
unfair trade practices? I mean, is it having an effect? I mean, were
there a thousand job actually saved? I mean, that of course, is what is
being reported. Do you believe that?
GARAMENDI: Well, that and more. The president went after China on
the dumping of solar panels below cost literally or virtually or almost
destroying the solar panel manufacturing sector in the United States. But
he went after them and that`s shifting and now the solar panel
manufacturers are founding stable ground on which they can now expand and
build American jobs.
SCHULTZ: And what do you make of the Romney campaign running the
majority of their China ads in Ohio? Is that maybe to counter the success
of the automobile loan?
GARAMENDI: Absolutely. There`s no doubt about it. But there`s so
much more that we could do, Ed. For example, we ought to be using our tax
money to buy American made equipment. China`s doing that and actually
using our money in China to build Chinese products. We need to do that
back home. That`s my legislation. Make it in America, use our tax money
to buy American made equipment.
SCHULTZ: And the Republicans aren`t on board with that?
GARAMENDI: No. My opponent actually opposes that, thinks that some
sort of regulatory thing. I`m going wait a minute, it`s good public
policy. It works. Right here in Sacramento, Siemens, a German company is
manufacturing locomotives, 70 of them, 100 percent American made because
the stimulus bill said Amtrak was to buy locomotives 100 percent American
made. They`re made here in Sacramento.
SCHULTZ: Congressman, I wanted to ask you about the latest FOX News
poll up by seven percent in Ohio. Could Romney`s bogus China ads actually
be hurting him there because people know exactly what the president did on
tires and, of course, tires are being manufactured in Ohio?
GARAMENDI: Well, I think so. The facts are difficult to deal with.
And Romney has got to find once again that his thought is not supported by
facts. And once again, people are going to go, this guy is just not
straight, he just not honest. And those ads obviously, incorrect, are
going to be proven incorrect and Romney is going to be hurt by that one
more time on a long list of being incorrect and also flip-flopping on
issues.
SCHULTZ: And you`re causing issues with the Republican. The super
PAC has launched about a half a million dollar ad bite against you. How
are you going to fight it?
GARAMENDI: Well, we are going to fight it with the truth. We are
going to fight with the facts that for many, many years, I have fought
thing about boys. I took on the insurance industry when I was insurance
commissioner. And we won. We protected people in California from the
insurance industry. And now they want Medicare. They want to control the
Medicare dollars. No way, no how, we`re not going to let them do that.
SCHULTZ: Congressman John Garamendi in California. John, good to
have you with us tonight. Thanks so much.
GARAMENDI: Always, Ed.
SCHULTZ: You bet. That`s "the Ed Show." I`m Ed Schultz. The
"Rachel Maddow Show starts right now.
Good evening, Rachel.
RACHEL MADDOW, MSNBC HOST, THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW: Good evening, Ed.
Have a great weekend my friend. We have a lot to do next week.
SCHULTZ: I`m good at that. I will be in Colorado on Monday and
Tuesday and of course back with on the desk here on the big debate on
Wednesday night.
MADDOW: I`m so looking forward to it. Thanks man.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY
BE UPDATED.
END
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The Ed Show for Friday, September 28th, 2012
Read the transcript to the Friday show