good morning, everybody. it is tuesday, may 22nd. thank you for joining us here on the "full court press" on current tv. good to see you today. good to ha you with us as we tackle all of the big stories of the day. here from our nation's capital, around the dunn and around -- around the country and around the globe. we'll take your calls, too at 1-866-55-press. what about this? the catholic bishops are at it again. now, they're suing the obama

administration for wanting to grant all american women action session to bit control. they say it interferes with their religious freedom. religious freedom of the catholic church. but hey, nobody is forcing anybody to take the pill and besides, what's wrong with bit control? ask the pope, i guess. we'll talk about that and a whole lot more but we start out by getting our current news update today from jacki schechner out in los angeles. good morning jacki. >> good morning, bill. good morning everyone. let's start with some numbers this morning. we've got a new "washington post" abc news poll that hones in on the issue of the economy. voters say it is still their top concern and the one issue that will sway their vote assuming there is still anyone undecided. president obama and mitt romney come out even on the issue of who will better handle the economy. 47% each. but where president obama does come out ahead is people -- voters say that he understands their economic problems better

than mitt romney does. he's also got a double digit lead when it comes to people asking who has a better personal character to become president and also who is better at standing up for what he believes in. the president believes in his campaign's attack against mitt romney and his time at bain capital. the president says the subject's not only fair game but is is worthy of serious debate. in a news conference yesterday at the end of the nato summit, the president said mitt romney has made his business experiences "main calling card" for becoming president. >> if your main argument for how to grow the economy is i knew how to make a lot of money for investors then you're missing what this job is about. >> this is the second week that we've seen the obama campaign take a specific swing at bain capital. the newest video out yesterday highlights a company that bain capital purchased then that company went on to purchase an

office supply plant and let everyone go. a whole bunch of people lost their jobs. they're featured in the video. we're online at current.com/billpress. we'll be right back after the break. [ kristal ] we're just taking a sample of all our different items in our festival of shrimp. the crab-stuffed shrimp are awesome! tequila lime tacos. [ man ] delicious! [ male announcer ] it's festival of shrimp! for $12.99 try any two shrimp creations like new barbeque glazed shrimp. offer ends soon. we're servers at red lobster. and we sea food differently. i have the most common type of atrial fibrillation, or afib. it's not caused by a heart valve problem. i was taking warfarin, but my doctor put me on pradaxa instead to reduce my risk of stroke.

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while you're out catching a movie. [ growls ] lucky for me your friends showed up with this awesome bone. hey! you guys are great. and if you got your home insurance where you got your cut rate car insurance, it might not replace all this. [ electricity crackling ] [ gasping ] so get allstate. you could save money and be better protected from mayhem like me. [ dennis ] dollar for dollar, nobody protects you from mayhem like allstate. we have a big, big hour and the i.q. will go way up. how are you ever going to solve the problem if you don't look at all of the pieces? >>tv and radio talk show host stephanie miller rounds out current's morning news block. >>you're welcome current tv audience for the visual candy.

>>sharp tongue, quick whit and above all, politically direct. >>you just think there is no low they won't go to. oh, no. if al gore's watching today... >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." it is the catholic bishops declaring war on president obama. it is tuesday, may 22nd. so good to see you today here on the "full court press." welcome, welcome welcome. welcome to the program where we tackle all of the big stories of

the day. the big issues of the day let you know what's going on and give you a chance to talk about it. we'll do that for the next three hours right from our studio here on capitol hill in washington, d.c., our nation's capital. we got it covered. we've got the capitol covered the white house covered. sarah palin is doing ads for senate candidates. she's got a hard time figuring out which state, which candidate is running in. we'll tell you all about that. the nato summit, concluding yesterday with all of the partner nations saying they want to get combat troops and combat operations in afghanistan in 2013, one year ahead of time. they had to do that because otherwise everyone would be running for the door long before president obama had wanted -- a year before president obama wanted troops to pull out. lots to cover. lots you're going to want to talk about. get the number ready 1-866-55-press. our toll free number.

always check out our web site. our new web site particularly at current.com, very exciting to see videos from yesterday's show. what's up there, dan? >> i have not actually checked it this morning. >> it is up to current to put them up. >> current.com/billpress. >> bill: at billpressshow.com you can go to one or the other all the news about june 9th. out to chicago all of you great fans on current tv and all of you fans on wcpt chicago's dynamite progressive talk station coming ute for a book sinning of the "the obama hate machine" on june 9. in chicago. and -- wait a minute. let me be sure i know the name of that bookstore. >> how could you forget? >> frugal used books. >> bill: that's right. in darien, illinois which is

just outside of chicago. easy to get to. frugal used books at 2:00 on saturday afternoon. june 9th. come on down and see us. peter ogborn and dan henning -- >> there's nothing better than the frugal muse in june. >> bill: that's why i wanted to wait until june to go. cyprian bowlding our videographer extraordinaire, good morning. one thing we got solved today you know, how this whole question about same-sex marriage has been a thorny issue for a long time. thank god for charles wherley. he's a pastor, sounds like south carolina. >> it is north carolina. yes. >> bill: he's got the answer so you don't need congress to deal with it. you don't need the president to deal with it. just pastor charles wherley knows what to do about same-sex marriage, how to resolve this whole problem.

>> a great big large fence 150 or 100 mile long, put all of the lesbians in there. fly over and drop some food. do the same thing with the queers and the homosexuals. and have that fence electrified so they can't get out. >> bill: good lord. >> what? >> bill: what the freak -- >> he said he's going to drop them some food so let's not beat the guy too much. >> bill: oh, he's a compassionate conservative. >> wow. >> bill: the idea he calls himself a pastor, i'm telling you, i said it before if there were a god, he would strike that guy dead with lightning. just to have the dare to call himself a pastor. >> just to recap. gather up all of the gays and lesbians and put them behind an electrified fence. >> no, the lesbians -- >> you wouldn't want them

commingling. >> bill: and the queers. >> then drop food on them. >> bill: by the way remember fence is not one syllable. fa-ence. another movie character, he lives. >> it is stunning. if you made a movie character and the plot was a crazy pastor from the south who wants to put gays and lesbians -- >> bill: man i'm tellin' ya. senator ben cardin from maryland will be here in studio later. sam stein from huff po will be along as a friend of bill. we'll talk to zeke miller from buzz speed and cory booker is backtracking fast! but not fast enough. but first -- >> announcer: this is the "full court press." >> bill, the first private commercial space cargo rocket launched successfully in the predawn areas from the kennedy space center this morning in

conjunction with the folks at nasa. the unmanned space x rocket launched at 3:44. a.m. eastern. it is scheduled to arrive at the space station on thursday. they'll reload it with trash and completed experiments then extend back to earth in about a week and a half. >> bill: are there still guys on the space station? >> a full crew. the soyuz rocket went there last week and they have six people up there. >> bill: it is not totally rebottic yet. it is cool to see private industry be able to do this but you know, i miss nasa. >> nasa is still doing all of the legwork. private industry built the rocket but -- >> bill: i wouldn't call that the legwork. >> bill: the legwork is building the rocket. >> nasa is controlling it and the mission control center so very much involved in this entire thing. yes, it is a private $1.6 billion. >> nasa has been cut out of a

lot. >> you likely wouldn't know it but members of congress have been speaking in easier to understand sentences lately. on average, congress speaks at a 10th grade level compared to 2005 when members in their speeches were speaking at an 11th grade level. the bottom speakers are all freshman republicans who speak just below an 8th grade level. by comparison, president obama's state of the union address registered at an 8.4. >> bill: john boehner speaks at a third grade level on a good day. >> remember the arsenio hall show went off the air in '94? it could be coming back to tv soon. abc, nbc and cbs are all reportedly very interested in hiring arsenio hall to host his own program following his performance on the latest season of the celebrity apprentice which he won on sunday night.

won himself $250,000 for charity. >> bill: he's been off television for 20 years. >> bring back the chevy chase show next. >> bill: yeah, right. what's the most famous moment on the arsenio hall show? >> bill clinton playing sax. >> bill: yeah, absolutely. pulled that out of nowhere. hey, 14 minutes after the hour. yes, indeed, oh, boy. there's still a lot of noise about cory booker's interview and his statements on "meet the press" on sunday. when he said that just slammed president obama for making a campaign issue out of bain capital and criticizing mitt romney's performance at bain capital just in case you haven't caught up with it. we talked about it yesterday. but here again is cory booker talking about the president's comments on bain capital. cory booker, mayor of newark, new jersey. there as a democratic surrogate for the obama campaign if you

can believe it. here's what he said about president obama's comments on bain. >> this kind of stuff is nauseating to me on both sides. it is nauseating to the american public. enough is enough. stop attacking private equity. stop talking jeremiah wright. this stuff has to stop because what it does is it undermines to me what this country should be focused on. it is a distraction from the real issues. it will either be a small campaign about this crap or a big campaign in my opinion about the issues of the american public. >> bill: yeah, right, right. that's nauseating to me. i want to throw up every time i hear him say it. he is dead wrong. david axelrod went on nsnbc yesterday afternoon and said booker may have been there speaking for us but he is dead wrong. the president had a news conference yesterday. he asked about it. he was asked about it, i should say. and the president said oh, no no, no no, no. we're not going to back away from bain capital. here's why. >> this is not a distraction.

this is what this campaign's going to be about. >> right. >> bill: i couldn't say it any clear and the president said look, there is a big difference and the president pointed out went out of his way to say we're not against private equity. as cory booker complained. he said the president's attacking private equity. no, he's not. the president made that clear again yesterday. he's not attacking financial institutions or private equity. they've got their job but he said don't pretend that the job of a guy whose mission is to create wealth for investors and close down businesses, that that is the right preparation for being president of the united states. >> when you're president as opposed to the head of a private equity firm, your job is not simply to maximize profits. your job is to figure out how everybody in the country has a fair shot.

>> bill: exactly. last night now, here we go. part of the apology tour. cory booker is realizing uh-oh damn, i'm not going to get the cabinet post now in the second obama administration that i was planning on. oh damn. i'm not going to be named the next chair of the democratic party. oh, boy, i shot myself in the foot. now he's going out there saying oh, the weakest, lamest context of all is excuse of all is they're taking it out of context. here he is on rachel maddow last night. >> i talked to super pac money and the negative campaigning and my outrage and frustration was about the cynical negative campaigning, the manipulating of the truth. so here they are plucking sound bytes out of that interview to be -- to manipulate them in a cynical manner to use them for their own purposes.

>> bill: oh shut up! shut up! just go away! stop talking man! when you're in a hole, stop digging. come on, look! i guess one question here is why are democrats such weenies right? why do democrats go on national television? do you think that mike murphy on with cory booker, did you think he was going to go around and slam republicans? they don't do that. they're team players. they stick to their guns. they may be dead wrong but at least they support their guy. freakin' democrats go on the show and feel they have to be fair. they have to prove to everybody that oh, there's too much bad talk on both sides. no there's not! they prove that they're like -- you know -- nonpartisan or bipartisan. the democrat by slamming obama. get outta here!

politics is hardball. you're not willing to play it then stay in newark, new jersey. don't make yourself -- try to make yourself some national star. there's one question. why are democrats such weenies? 1-866-55-press. real question is bain capital fair game? you know what? you bet it is! here's why. because mitt romney makes it the centerpiece of his campaign. and for anybody, i mean harold ford jr. same sellout. for cory booker, for steve ratner, any of these democrats saying it is not fair to criticize bain. the hell it's not. mitt romney is making it the centerpiece of his campaign. you're saying obama can't even respond to mitt romney's number one issue? here's what mitt romney says about bain capital. he said i was in job creation. that's quote-unquote job creation. no, he wasn't. he says he created over 100,000 jobs.

you look at it, most of the jobs as somebody pointed out on the show yesterday came after romney had left bain capital. and then mitt romney says this. he says i know how business works. i know why jobs come and why they go. and he says he learned that at bain capital. so, of course it is right to point out what did bain do? made a lot of money for the investors and it killed a lot of jobs, killed a lot of pensions, closed down a lot of businesses. that's what bain capital is all about. if mitt romney wants to run on bain capital fine. we'll run on bain capital. but don't tell us again. talk about it. is bain capital fair game? 1-866-55-press. give me some democrats with some backbone! we're going to back up this president cory booker shame on you. let's roll out the "a" team,

enough of this "d" team. >> announcer: this is the "full court press." the "bill press show." live on your radio and on current tv. by keeping my airways open a full 24 hours. >>we're just getting started. (vo) the state of the 2012 campaign. brought to you by spiriva.

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living these stories. >>the award winning series "vanguard" new episodes coming soon. only on current tv. >> announcer: heard around the country and seen on current tv this is the "bill press show." 45 minutes after the hour. all right. the latest is that the us air actually is -- us airways is starting to charge $25 extra if you want an aisle seat or a window seat. and you also have to pay more if you want to sit next to a family

member. so if you want to sit next to each other, it costs you more. >> that's insane. >> bill: isn't that insane? it gets worse and worse this cory booker stuff gets worse and worse. the obama campaign isn't going to let up on bain capital they released a new ad, an online ad, six minutes along about another group of workers shut down, shut out by bain capital. >> one day we had a job and the next day we didn't. >> we have been bought and sold in the past. we never had a problem. we were always a business that had value. >> when bain capital bought us and ampad come in, that was a whole different story. >> bill: these are real people. they lost -- these were real companies that were shut down. cory booker says it is not fair to talk about that. darren is calling from new york city. what do you say? >> caller: first off, love your show. >> bill: thank you, my friend.

>> caller: welcome sane relief from the morning office i used to watch. >> bill: i know what you mean. welcome to morning bill. >> caller: thank you. i did want to -- ironically offer a contextual correction to you. i did watch the entire rachel interview and the sound byte you cited was actually cory complaining about the context of g.o.p. when they threw him up on the banner page of their site saying i side with cory. the context he was correcting. >> bill: right. but it was -- >> caller: i do agree. he stepped in it. >> bill: it was the entire -- the way the g.o.p. used his comments -- actually in several forms. mitt romney put out an ad right with cory booker's actual words from "meet the press" and then the republicans put up that -- on their web site, the banner ad and everything. the point he was making, he was trying to say i didn't mean what i said. why did he say it?

all right. thanks for hanging with us. larry is in new britain connecticut. >> caller: good morning, bill. >> bill: what do you think? >> caller: it is -- cory booker he's a surrogate for bain capital while harold ford is for morgan stanley. >> bill: yeah, well, both of them, you know, that's right. that's where harold ford works. i like harold ford. i wish he was still senator from tennessee -- i wish he was senator from tennessee. he ran for it. he never made it. he's wrong on this. cory booker has done a good job as mayor of newark, new jersey. rescued this woman from a burning building. god bless him for that. but cory book err, don't screw up this presidential race, there's too much at stake. if mitt romney brags about his time at bain capital then just like teddy kennedy did, we can

take a look at bain capital and tell the people the truth! that's what president obama's doing. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." lieutenant governor of california, and former mayor of san francisco is on current tv. >>every night on cable news networks everyone's focusing on what's wrong. i want this show to move past that. i love creative people, and with all the vexing problems we have we need creative thinking. >>(narrator) with interviews with notables from silicon valley, hollywood, and beyond. >>at the end of the day this show's simple. it's about ideas. ideas are the best politics. ideas can bring us together. >>(narrator) the gavin newsom show. friday at 11 eastern/8 pacific. only on current tv. really? no. it comes with a hat. see, airline credit cards promise flights for 25,000 miles, but... [ man ] there's never any seats for 25,000 miles. frustrating, isn't it? but that won't happen with the capital one venture card. you can book any airline, anytime.

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her unique mix of comedy and politics to current tv. >> it's like a reality show, they're just turning cameras on and we just do our thing. >>politically direct to me means no b.s., the real thing, cutting through the clutter. i'm energized to start my show everyday because it's fun, because i care about what's going on in this country, rather than some sort of tired banter it is actual water cooler talk it's the way people really talk about these issues. we've always considered ourselves a comedy show. let me just say i am not ready for my close up. i think it's important to laugh. i think it will be exciting, because you can't script three hours of radio. what is going on? i can't tell you how many times

right wingers call the show and say, "i don't agree with anything you say, but your show is funny as hell." the only thing that can save america now, current tv. can i say that? >> announcer: this is the "bill press show," live on your radio and current tv. >> bill: it is a big tuesday may 22nd here on the "full court press." good to have you with us today. we're coming to you live all the way across this great land of ours from our nation's capital. we're brought to you today by the communication workers of america. good men and women of the communication worker's union under president larry cohen. the union for the information

age. check out their good work at cwa-union.org. we'll get back to your calls about whether or not bain capital is fair game but one reporter who's been writing a lot about this in the last few days joining us now. political reporter for buzz feed, zeke miller. hey, zeke, early good morning to you. >> good morning. >> bill: hey, do you think booker said sunday basically that bain capital is not a fair or legitimate issue. he's kind of backtracked a little bit since. is it a fair issue in this campaign? >> i think it is only fair to examine what governor romney says his record is. that's true of every candidate. that's true of a senator. the legislation they may offer or not. i think the critique of booker of the neglectstive ads on both

sides of the aisle some of the adds have been very negative. that i think was more of mayor booker's point. certainly he clarified that. >> bill: but how do you think the obama campaign, they seem to be a little blind-sided by what booker said. how do you think they handled responding to booker? >> it was caught off-guard surprising to have the criticism of that bain ad is nothing new. we've been hearing the critique. they saw him last week with donors and steve ratner came out and said this would be unfair. they should have seen this coming. they didn't. bragging about having the talking points on air says i'm not okay with those. didn't handle it well. >> bill: but here's my point. i don't think it is unfair at

all. that's what politics is all about. you run on your record. mitt romney says i was into job creation at bain capital right? teddy kennedy didn't walk away from this, right? teddy kennedy said let's take a look and see what the truth is about bain capital. it is just about -- if they can attack obama's record and say his record is not as good as he pretends it is, why can't he go after his record of bain capital when mitt romney says -- what does he say? i know how businesses work. i know why jobs come and why jobs go. all right. let's take a look at it, right? >> i mean absolutely. that's the tradition. at the same time you know, what the romney campaign wants more than anything. they're happy to talk about bain. they don't like to talk about businesses that didn't do well. >> bill: tough luck, right? right? >> caller: the bigger challenge here is it is impossible to

calculate how many jobs mitt romney created or cost or lost. there is no bureau of labor or bain capital. there is no metric we can judge mitt romney by. very easy -- success and the failures in an innocent light. it is not just bain. it would be if any person were to run for president, there is no way to calculate this metric. you're trusting him and that was what the election ended up being about. do you trust his leadership of bain capital and that experience he got there. whatever the experience was in order for him to be a good president. that is sort of the question that the president -- the president said yesterday is what the election will be about. on the republican side. so that, you know how mitt romney frames his record at bain capital, very interesting is not very easy for him to do or either side because this is nebulous. >> bill: we're talk with zeke

miller, politics reporter for buzz feed. you can follow him at buzzfeed.com. it is a great site. up to date on all of the news of the day. not just the political news of the day. and everything that's happening across the board. so zeke, why do you think that mitt romney never talks about his time as governor of massachusetts? talk about a record right? >> caller: i think he does. >> bill: i've never heard him talk about it. but go ahead. go ahead. >> caller: he does -- some vague references to it. particularly a few months ago he was talking about working across the aisle conservative governor, the way he spins it conservative governor with the democratic legislature and he had to make compromising deals but by in large, that's what he tried to do was serve the governor in an overwhelmingly democratic state. he does talk about it in that state. >> bill: as a conservative

governor working across the aisle, what was his signature achievement? healthcare reform, right? >> caller: which he still stands by. he doesn't talk about it much. when pressed about it on the campaign trail he'll stand by it -- >> bill: stand by it? boy, i don't know where you get -- seriously, i don't know where you get that from. i've never heard him stand by -- he says it was right for -- for massachusetts, yeah. right for massachusetts at that time. but boy, he certainly repudiates obama care which is modeled on the massachusetts plan. >> caller: agreed. he makes the distinction between what was right for massachusetts at the time. even though he may have said some things about being the model for the nation. in terms of actually standing by, you know romney care and massachusetts healthcare reform law, he does say -- he seems fairly happy with it.

of course, he says there were some things he would have done differently. >> bill: have you ever heard him talk about job creation in massachusetts? >> caller: not much. the numbers aren't very favorable to him. >> bill: you're right. 47 out of 50 states as i recall. thanks for keeping up with us, zeke and joining us this morning. appreciate it very much. zeke miller is a politics reporter for buzz feed. writing about bain capital and romney. i was going to tell you, man. democrats are making a big mistake. sure, you know what? you know why republicans are screaming about this? and whining about this? because it is effective. that's why. because this is mitt romney's signature achievement. bain capital. that's what he wants to be known by. when you take a look at it, it was bad for workers, it was bad for the economy. it was bad for business. it was good for his wealthy investors. and if that's what you want fine. government romney. if you're 99% of americans

that's not what you want as president. sam is calling from rochester new york. hi, sam, what do you say? >> caller: of course we should go after bain capital not only does brain destroy american jobs and lives, it tries to buy politicians. in 2002, bain capital gave $565,000 to cory booker. in 2010, for cory booker's re-election, mayoral campaign, he made $7.5 million, a quarter of that came from wall street. this year, cory pac is receiving again a quarter of its donations from wall street. this is cory booker waving a flag saying i'm not for sale -- i'm up for sale, please give me money because i'm the corporate democratic sellout that will do anything and i won't do a damn thing about the corruption on wall street. >> bill: you know, sam, i don't know where you're getting your numbers from but i'll check them out. and listen, i wouldn't be surprised if cory booker is getting a lot of money from wall street. follow the money as always.

kirkland in atlanta, georgia. hi kirkland. >> caller: how you doing bill? >> bill: yes sir. what do you think? >> caller: i think this thing with cory booker was a political plug from the beginning. when he did the commercial with chris christie, there is no depth to what they wouldn't sink to for mitt romney to get this white house. i think that all of this is a ploy to make it seem as though cory booker is siding with mitt romney and the g.o.p. i think he was actually duped from the beginning, just unaware because of his own political ambitions. >> bill: that's a good point. i don't think he's a double agent at all. you didn't say that. i'm not suggesting you did. but i do think he is gullible and naive, right and let himself be used by the romney people. let himself be used by chris christie. the first time -- when i first heard about cory booker, i thought oh, man, this is our

hope. this is a rising star. this is the next obama. when i saw him buddy-buddy with chris christie over these cuts to teachers and cuts to public employees, i thought wait a minute, what is this guy up to? i think maybe he wants to be loved, right? and he wants to be a national player and he's letting himself be used. but boy, he -- he made -- he really stepped in it. he really stepped in it sunday i believ

jennifer granholm at 9, the gavin newsom show fridays at 11. and there's only one place you'll find us: weeknights on current tv.

judd legum. frill (vo) the state of the 2012 campaign.

>> announcer: listen and watch the "bill press show." on your favorite radio station and now on current tv. this is the bill press show. welcome to the spin room. >> bill: oh, yeah! 13 minutes before the top of the hour. mayor cory booker stepping in a big time when he said ah, it is nauseating. i don't think president obama should be talking about bain capital.

no, no. that's right, cory booker. yeah, just roll over. bend over, right? let the republicans ram it in, right? that's exactly what it is all about. no, no no. come on! you gotta fight back! cory booker harold ford, all of these weenie democrats. they ought to be standing up, fighting for obama rather than making excuses for mitt romney. your calls, do you think bain capital's fairenttv

vanguard: the documentary series that redefined tv journalism. >>we're going to places where few others are going. >>it doesn't get anymore real than this. >>occupy! >>we will have class warfare. >>i'm being violated by the health-care system. >>we're patrolling the area looking for guns, drugs, bodies. >>we go in and spend a considerable amount of time getting to know the people and the characters that are actually living these stories. >>the award winning series "vanguard" new episodes coming soon. only on current tv.

>> announcer: this is the "full court press." the "bill press show." live on your radio and on current tv. >> bill: 25 minutes after the hour. senator ben cardin joining us in the next segment. we're here with sam stein from "huffington post." sam, by the way somebody reminded me yesterday mitt romney still doesn't have enough delegates to get the nomination. >> is that true? he'll get them. >> bill: but we're all assuming he's the nominee. last weekend, ron paul got 12 out of 13 delegates in missouri. go figure. >> ron paul is not campaigning but he's still managing to get endorsements and delegates which is a little bit bizarre. >> bill: it is a little strange isn't it. we were talking about cory booker and new jersey, randall from buffalo new york, has a comment. hi, randall, thanks for joining us. >> caller: how you doing. i love your show bill.

if cory booker was worth his salt, worth anything as a democrat, he would be hounding chris christie all these years for canceling that tunnel project and for jobs, where are the jobs, where are the jobs, laying off all of those employees of the state. >> bill: teachers. >> caller: he would be hounding him for that. instead, you know, he talks about nauseating this and that comparing the bain capital argument with reverend wright? they're not even in the same ballpark. >> bill: got it, randall. thanks for your call. sam, didn't he in fact do an ad with chris christie. >> they did a very funny youtube thing, like a three-minute ad. they were joking about their upstaging of one another for the public spotlight. >> bill: randall is right, did he stand with christy on the layoffs. >> he obviously has progressive tendencies but at the same time he's positioned himself as this

post-partisan descendant of the 2008 obama. he has this financial benefactors he has to please and he's worked with. but he's also -- you know, he does, as a mayor, have to deal with the governor and you know we -- it is nice in concept to say stand up to christy every turn and bark at his face. on the flip side, he has to deal with the state budget and try to get ring money out of it. it is a little more complicated than that. this issue with the bridge to new york is a valid one. >> the tunnel. >> christy canceled. cost projections showed he had greatly exaggerated what the reasoning was behind it. i think you know so little scrutiny paid to that after he got -- >> bill: future generations will deplore that decision because it will really hurt. the only thing i can say about cory booker is if my house were on fire, i want him as my neighbor. >> if i needed a little

shoveling, i like him. >> bill: otherwise stay out of the democratic politics, at least the obama campaign. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." >>(narrator) current tv presents the campaign ads that changed history, brought to you by spiriva handihaler. today's campaign ads accuse candidates of flip-flops, but back in 1952, the adlai stevenson campaign called it double-talk. >>yes...uh, i mean no. >>no, uh i mean yes. >>you're confused. >>you're confused >>(campaign ad narrator) don't you be confused! >>in a lot of campaigns since then we've seen this theme. the candidate said one thing and then did something else. >>(current narrator)flip-flop ads can pack a real punch when the candidate already has a reputation for changing his mind too often, like this 1972 nixon ad targeting george mcgovern. >>and that was effective because mcgovern changed his mind on his vice presidential candidate, and that fed into this idea that he was prone to changing his mind.

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we have a big, big hour and the i.q. will go way up. how are you ever going to solve the problem if you don't look at all of the pieces? >>tv and radio talk show host stephanie miller rounds out current's morning news block. >>you're welcome current tv audience for the visual candy.

>>sharp tongue, quick whit and above all, politically direct. >>you just think there is no low they won't go to. oh, no. if al gore's watching today... >> announcer: heard around the country and seen on current tv this is the "bill press show." >> bill: 33 minutes after the hour now on this tuesday may 22nd. good to have you with us today. the "full court press" coming to you live from our nation's capital. we're just down the street from the united states capitol building and you never know, sometimes people just on their way to work stop in to say hello. here we are today. senator ben cardin from the great state of maryland nearby. senator, welcome. it is an honor to have you in the studio. >> bill, it is a pleasure to be

in the studio. we've talked many times. it is nice to be in the studio. >> bill: you've been a guest by phone many times as has sam stein. sam stein from "huffington post" this morning. as an fob, "friend of bill" for the entire hour. senator tom harken was here last night sitting where you are. we talked a little bit about the filibuster, even now leader reid has said now is the time to take a look at the filibuster and change it, if not get rid of it so we can get things done in the senate. do you think it will ever happen? >> we have to do it. we missed an opportunity two years ago where we could have changed the senate rules. i must tell you i talk about it all over the state of maryland. people are getting it. they understand that our rules need to be updated. it is not just the filibuster role where 60 votes, it is not what a majority should be. it is also the individual rights of the senator and how that's been abused and holding up a whole host of bills from being

considered and confirmations from being considered on time. it is time the senate updates its rules. >> bill: would you -- without getting too complicated, would you get rid of the filibuster or make -- is there some way to fix it so that -- rused on every issue? >> the first thing we should do if we're going to have a filibuster, the senator should be speaking on the floor. shouldn't be -- we need to do that. and secondly, i think we need to make it more difficult for a filibuster. it was never -- it was all right to be able to delay something for the purposes of consideration. the senate supposed to be able to deliver to the body but the to delay indefinitely i think needs to come to an end. >> bill: i hope we can see that happen. one of the issues for example student loans, right? now, you couldn't even get it to the floor to vote up or down. i don't think there's any doubt. maybe you agree that if it got to the floor, it would be almost impossible for senators to vote

to keep student -- or to let the interest rate go up to 6.8% but they don't even get the vote. >> you're absolutely right. here's a situation where we clearly have the majority of the senate that favors a bill, take the dream act. we had the majority of the senate to favor the dream act. we couldn't get that out for a vote. ultimately, the majority has to rule. there's one thing about saying look, i need a little bit of time to study something. there's another thing about holding up the confirmations and all of these bills. it is just not right. it is not how democracy should operate. >> i thought one of the obvious changes you could do to the filibuster instead of making it the 60 votes are needed to pass a bill, you could flip it and say 40 votes are needed to block the bill. that would put the onus, the pressure on the minority party to actually show up and like you say, stand for what they believe in. and you're right. a lot of good legislation has been held up primarily because rules have allowed it. it is remarkable that so much got done in the last congress

prior to 2010 with the rampant use of the filibuster as is. >> bill: i remember it used to be a battle cry for the conservatives. at least let's have an up-or-down vote. >> sam's point is a good one. burden should be on the people who are filibuster, not on the people who bring the bill to the floor. it is our responsibility to get 60 people to croat of vote for a cloture. the fill -- to delay should be the responsibility of those who want that time. >> bill: now, we hate to drag knew politics, senator god forbid, are you running for re-election now. >> yes. [ laughter ] >> bill: residents of maryland, noted well. he's done a good job for the first six years and give him another six. >> thank you. >> bill: but i want to ask you about -- because sam and i have been talking about mayor cory booker and his comments on "meet the press" on sunday saying he didn't think that bain capital was fair game. do you think it is?

>> absolutely. it is all about creating jobs. bain capital, he was creating wealth. he wasn't creating jobs. that's fair game in our presidential elections. we want to person who will lead this country into job growth, who will create jobs, expand the middle class. i think what mitt romney did at bain capital shows he's really tone-deaf to that type of need in this country. >> bill: nothing wrong with what he did. his investors were happy right? >> making money is fine in america. we want people to make money. what we want from the president of the united states is to create jobs and expand the middle class. >> bill: senator, you ought to be out there as a surrogate for barack obama instead of cory booker. >> why couldn't cory booker have said that? you know what i think what you're getting at, bain was a very successful private equity company. they have a success rate that was one of the better ones in the industry. the question and the difficulty

is figuring out how to say that's fine in that small corner or big corner of the universe but is it applicable to governance? can you govern as a private equity man. what are your thoughts? is it reasonable to expect a successful businessman to be able to apply the skills to government or are they two widely different things? >> you look at mitt romney's record, what he's done throughout his career, you see -- i think just an insensitivity to the broad issues of our country. we need a president who is sensitive to the concerns of working families. that understands what we're going through. what they went through during this recession and how we need to create more good jobs in this country and that yes everybody needs to be part of the solution. you can't just concentrate on wealth development as he's done throughout his career. so i do think it is a fair issue as to whether he understands what we need to do in this country, how we have to improve

education, how we have to provide affordable healthcare. how we have to provide for security of affordable college education. so when you get to the interest rates on student loans the president's there, president obama's there fighting to keep the interest rates affordable. there's not a real sense of confidence that a president romney would have that type of concern about an extra 3 percentage points on a college loan knowing it could be the make-or-break point for a family to afford college education. >> bill: mitt romney says get a loan from your parents. >> that's also the issue -- >> bill: as if -- >> he would say look, this is a personal problem. you all take care of it. you get a college education, you'll do better. it is your problem. whereas i think barack obama and the democrats are saying look, an educated work force allows our nation to grow. we all benefit from it. we need people who are able to compete in the global economy. so we have a responsibility to make college affordable. >> bill: you have a gentlemen

for senator cardin or a comment, join us. it is kind of crowded here but we'll find a seat for you at the table at 1-866-55-press. senator, do you -- sam and i were just talking a little bit about super pacs. we didn't really have a chance to get into it. now that the president -- i just read an article, now that the presidential contest is kind of quieted down, at least in the primaries, the super pacs now they're focusing on house races and senate races. any evidence of that in maryland or what do you think generally about the role of the super pacs? >> the super pacs to me are stealth funds coming into a state. you don't know when they're going to come in. we're all concerned about it. we know corporate america is financing most of this. this is the special interest. it would be people representing some of the most narrow special interests in this country. the supreme court and citizen united opened this up. it is wrong. it shouldn't happen. you should regulated funds.

we already have too much money going into the campaigns now with the supreme court decision on citizens united. we have more money and this money is special interest money. it is money that is dominated by the republicans. there is no question about it. they have more coming in than the democrats. and it is -- but it is not so much to a party. it is to an interest. these are special interests that have found a home in the republican party. and they benefit from this -- they think they do financially. >> they definitely do. what's remarkable is not just -- special interest money is one thing. for instance, the chamber of commerce is going to have the same amount of money for their special interests. what's difference from super pacs is it can be one billionaire saying you know what? >> bill: this is my issue. i'm going to put a billion dollars into it or a million. >> i don't like senator cardin's position on crabbing and i have a crab industry. i want to give it to him. that is insane. one of the things that's

remarkable for me is lawmakers from both sides of the ledger are worried about this. let's be honest. republicans have expressed doubts about it as well. and there is -- i know the disclose act is being reintroduced but the lack of legislative angst or lack of legislative movement is remarkable. usually when you're confronted with these politically existential issues there's some reaction. but there's been nothing in congress. >> it was interesting. senator whitehouse was joined by senator mccain in a brief before the supreme court to take the case to try to rein in citizens united. they have an opportunity with a case that's -- that could be accepted by the supreme court where they could narrow the application or reverse the application of citizens united. i must tell you, i think the outpouring nationally from that case is clear that the american people don't believe the framers of our constitution envisioned that we would have unrestricted

corporate moneys in our elections. i think it is time -- i hope the supreme court will take it. >> i think it is incredibly conconventional election because the template is put into place where all you need now is four or five incredibly wealthy backers. newt gingrich will go down in history as the first victim in a presidential campaign of the super pac culture. i think it sets a standard for the future. >> bill: but what's interesting too there is newt had his own super pac right. so -- but it lived by the sword and died by the sword. sheldon adelson wasn't able to keep up with the romney super pac. >> he was flooded in florida. i think going forward if this stuff doesn't change, that will be how you win primaries. >> bill: senator ben cardin our guest in studio with me and with stam stein from huffing -- with sam stein from "huffington post." all of you at 1-866-55-press on this tuesday edition of the "full court press." we'll be right back. >> announcer: radio meets

television. the "bill press show" now on current tv. coming soon. only on current tv. that redefined tv journalism. >>we're going to places where few others are going. >>it doesn't get anymore real than this. >>occupy! >>we will have class warfare. >>i'm being violated by the health-care system. >>we're patrolling the area looking for guns, drugs, bodies. >>we go in and spend a considerable amount of time getting to know the people and the characters that are actually living these stories. >>the award winning series "vanguard" new episodes coming soon. only on current tv.

>>we're just getting started. (vo) the state of the 2012 campaign.

>> announcer: this is the "bill press show." >> bill: 12 minutes before the top of the hour here the "full court press." our guest in studio, senator ben cardin from the state of maryland. with sam stein from "huffington post." senator, on a local maryland issue, governor martin o'malley and the legislature putting maryland on the side of same-sex

marriage. that's being challenged now with an initiative up in november. >> on the november 6th ballot. marriage equality. >> bill: yeah, what is the measure of the people there as you move around the state? >> we think the issue is pretty competitive. it is close. i think president obama's statements have helped the initiative. at the end of the day i believe marylanders will do what's right and will approve the law reject the initiative that would overturn the law. but it is an issue that is clearly going to receive a lot of attention nationally as to what maryland does. >> maryland would be the first state in the nation to approve something like this via the ballot initiative if that were the case right? >> this is not a ballot initiative. the legislature passed a law. this is an initiative that would undo -- >> statewide initiative i should have said. >> bill: so you think that there's a chance that maryland could go the way of

north carolina? >> the north carolina situation was different than maryland. i think the maryland statute which i think is well crafted, it makes it very clear that each church can make its own decisions. >> bill: churches aren't forced to conduct -- >> it respects everyone's view but removes the discriminatory provisions in our law. i think it is a fair law. i think it will be approved by the voters but it is -- it clearly has people on both sides that are working very hard. >> how do you think this affects the presidential race with obama, coming out and supporting? >> it cuts both ways. it does energize his base but particularly in the african-american community will have a negative impact as far as some of the energy. at the end of the day, i think he'll do fine. president obama will which can maryland. -- win maryland. >> bill: the naacp came out in support of that. if we can take a call. from ed out in portland, oregon.

hello, ed. good morning. >> caller: good morning. when obama spoke yesterday and responded to the bain thing, i just applauded because i thought this was the clearest sign that he was focusing on the we society versus the me society. he always is but i loved that clarion call we versus me. i was just wondering what your guests think of that. >> bill: you heard the president yesterday. bain is not a distraction. this is what the campaign is all about. jobs. >> i agree completely with the caller. it is exactly right. it is the we versus me. this is what's troublesome about

a mitt romney candidacy as to whether he will be representing all of us. whether he believes in a way to deal with our balanced deficit. we should have a balanced approach that those who have done the best need to help contribute to dealing with the deficit. i think what the president said yesterday is right on track. >> bill: we the people versus me the people. senator, this is -- i saw this morning, small business week. something you and i have talked about before. any breaks in the works for small business? anything to help them out? >> well, i hope so. business -- small business is the growth engine of america. two out of three new jobs will be created from small business. the amount of innovation that comes out of small businesses per employee is much higher than larger companies. we have done some good things to help small businesses. we've given some tax breaks. we're making it easier for them to buy health insurance for their employees. made credit more available for small businesses. we need to do more. the president has an additional tax suggestion to help small businesses. i hope will consider in the congress. i'm introducing legislation to make it easier for small businesses to get government

procurement. government part of the contract work. to really make sure that the numbers are met for smaller companies. today, a lot of agencies bundle through large contracts, denying small companies the opportunity to have prime contracts with the government. we want to see that practice end and we want to see small businesses get their fair share. >> bill: it really is an important part engine of this american economy. >> no question that's where the growth will be. states like maryland. in maryland, the small businesses is where the jobs are being created. they grow and then they sort of merge with larger companies and that's the normal process. we need to have a climate that's viable toward small businesses. >> bill: my dad had a gas station. my mom and dad ran that gas station. i worked for them until i graduated from high school. that's what a lot of small businesses are. they are literally mom and pop operations. senator, so good to see you. thank you so much. >> good to be on your show. >> bill: good luck in your

re-election efforts in maryland. >> appreciate it. >> bill: a lot of people behind you. sam stein, good to see you my buddy. thanks for coming in. i'll be back with a quick parting shot. >> announcer: on your radio, on tv, the "bill press show." new on current it. new on current tv.

>>we have such a big show today it may, uh, actually explode. >>(narrator) tv and radio talk show host stephanie miller rounds out current's morning news block. >>we're hogging all the sexy on our side. hello! >> announcer: the parting shot with bill press. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: on this tuesday, may 22, my parting shot for today, you heard about the war on women. well, fasten your seat belts and get ready for the war on religion or so they claim. yesterday over 40 catholic organizations led by new york's

cardinal timothy dolan filed suit against the obama administration. their claim that the obama administration's rule allowing all american women access to birth control violates their religious freedom. the religious freedom of the catholic church. and they are dead wrong. in fact, they are insane! how does allowing women access to bit control interfere with their religious liberty of the catholic church? it doesn't. nobody is forcing catholics to take birth control or forcing them to hand out birth control pills at the communion rail. the catholic church has failed to make catholics believe that using birth control is a sin. so now they want the government to do their job for them. well, that's not their job. the government's job is to protect women's health. not to enforce some stupid, mid eastel backward thinking on the part of the popes and the catholic bishops about birth control. that's my parting shot for today, folks. all right! here we go.

all approaching the middle of the week. we'll be back here again tomorrow.