at tulane hospital, staff are exhausted but ecstatic. 21 of their critical care patients have been evacuated. not a single patient died. these were critically ill patients. a patient that was on a heart-lung machine that in 30 seconds would not have survived if something was disconnected. a patient who left the hospital with his chest open. a patient that was on a ventilator and was critically ill, several patients that were on ventilators and critically ill. every one of those patients not only survived but did well. after waiting ten months for a new heart in new orleans william finally received one a month after he arrived in houston. william is doing very well now. coincidentally, he went to another transplant center in houston, texas and was transplanted 31 days after he arrived. so his story was

successful in the end. he's doing great. he's growing up and growing older i suppose. drew schaaf successfully went through several more operations, and is now a healthy, vibrant little girl. drew is a pistol. she gets into absolutely anything and everything she possibly can. i honestly think she's making up for the, the four months she was in the hospital and couldn't do absolutely anything. she's a mess. but she's great. over the course of a week, more than 1200 people were evacuated from the roof of the parking garage next to tulane hospital one of the largest evacuations of an american hospital in recent memory. six months after drew schaaf and william wilson were flown to safety, the hospital re-opened.

>> michael: coming up tonight, common values and common sense come up against the republican party, who are exhibiting an uncommon ability for messing things up i'm michael shure. this is "the war room." [♪ theme music ♪] >> michael: starbucks ceo howard schultz spoke for the majority

when he called for a return to morality and common sense. he was answering a question from a shareholder who was concerned that schultz's support for gay marriage could effect the bottom line. >> we are making that decision through the lens of our people. we want to embrace diversity. [ cheers and applause ] >> michael: gay marriage opponents have pledged to boycott starbucks, but that's a tall order and might not make much of a dent. a large majority of americans now support marriage equality. 58% of americans support marriage equality. that's up 21 points from just a decade ago. and a massive 81% of americans

under 30 support it. this week the speak will weigh in on the issue perhaps relieving congress members of actually having to take a stand. and while schultz was speaking specifically about gay marriage but we could have been speaking about any issue that has the support of the majority of americans that are stuck in in congress. the majority of americans across the political spectrum favor a path to citizenship. 71% of americans -- of democrats support a path to citizenship, has do 64% of independents. and even the majority of republicans, 53% support it. and majorities of all religious groups favor immigration reform. i said all of them.

i think even cowboy's fans do. it's pretty incredible. this issue has support across party lines, across religious groups and a wide range of industries as well. today's facebook's mark zuckerberg announced he is forming a super pac to push immigration reform. he has already committed $20 million to the effort. marisa meyer and 99 other tech ceos joined zuckerberg in writing a letter to the president calling the system outdated and inefficient. the president seems receptive to their message. at a ceremony today at the white house he put pressure on congress to pass an immigration reform bill by april.

>> obama: i expect a bill to be put forward, i expect the debate to begin next month, i want to sign that bill into law as soon as possible. >> michael: there's also movement in the right direction at the state level. north carolina has abandoned its con fro ver shall a ban to put spin k stripes on the driver license's of immigrants. that in part due to the coverage we gave the issue right here on "the war room." common sense gun legislation has the support of the overwhelment whelmenting -- overwhelming number of americans. and michael bloomberg said politicians should pay the price if they are out of step with the public. >> 90% of the public want something and their representatives vote against that, common sense says they are

going to have a price to pay for that. the public is going to wake up and say i want to put somebody in office that does right for this country, and we're trying to tell them who is voting for what, and then they can make their own decisions. >> michael: he is helping people make those positions with a new $12 million ad blitz, and that list actually includes democrats. some of them aren't so pleased with bloomberg's ads. senator mark pryor of arkansas tweeted this. i have gotten a lot of questions about the new york city mayor gun ads. looks like one of the senator got his talking points straight

from the nra. here is what wayne lapierre said this week. >> he is going to find out this is a country of the people, by the people, and for the people, and he can't spend enough of his $27 billion to impose his will on the public. they don't want him telling them what to food to eat, and he can't buy america. >> michael: that's because it is already in the pocket of the nra, and yet the gun group just keeps pushing its luck. the nra is actually making robo calls and sending postcards to newtown families. >> your state senator will play a key role in determining whether the connecticut general assembly will pass legislation

restricting your gun rights. this would impose a gun rash rashening scheme and imposing gun legislation. >> michael: so they can actually calling families of nowtown, talk about not having the common touch. joining me now john rosenthal. john welcome back into "the war room." >> thank you. >> michael: isn't it ironic that wayne lapierre says bloomberg can't buy the american public? >> it sure is. the ben factors and the uniquely dominating gun industry has intimidated the democratic party

and influenced the republican party. i go to a gun store. federally licensed gun dealers have to run a background check. but members of congress have agreed that criminals and terrorists who can't pass a background check should be able to legally buy guns in 33 states from private gun dealers. so they are supporting the rights of criminals, the mentally ill and even terrorists. it's time we stand up to the uniquely regulated gun industry and say no, you are not going to buy our government. >> michael: listening to you say that it's so damn frustrating,

john, the nra it appears and i think you would agree -- does int seem like they are still winning at this? and if they are, have they at least been weakened by newtown at all? >> i think so with regard to the general population. but we have lost our d.c.sy to special interests. and the nra's 10 or $20 million in every election cycle literally buys vehicles, because the american public doesn't president in our democracy. if the listeners out there did one thing and one thing only one take away right now, it's call the -- the congress the switchboard, 202-224-3121, ask to speak to your elected officials wherever you are from whatever state, whatever district, and tell them to stand up to the gun industry. stand up to the nra and their nonsense that is killing 87

americans every day, require a background check for gun sales, prohibit the sale of magazine ammunition magazines, you know, over ten rounds when police are carrying 13 and are out gunned by criminals, and then let's bring the assault weapon ban up for a vote. it's the common denominator used in all of the major mass shootings in public places, the american people want it, the majority of gun owners support it, and it's simply the nra and their blood money contributors and the gun industry that are keeping our kids from dying unnecessarily from gun violence. >> michael: i was so frustrated last week in harry reid for not bringing it to a vote just because it would be great to get some of the republicans and frankly democrats on the record. today a white house spokesman said the assault weapons ban

will eventually come to a vote. john, do you believe it? >> if it comes to a vote maybe that will be in the next congress in 2014 and that will be another 60,000 dead americans from now. the democrats aren't a lot better on this issue. harry reid withdrew the assault weapon bill from a vote because he didn't want his democrats to take, quote, a hard vote on guns, because his democrats in red states and more rural areas consider a background check for criminals to be a hard vote never mind military-style weapons. >> michael: and those democrats that bloomberg is argue getting -- targeting, do you think they can be brought over? >> i absolutely think there's hope of bringing them over if

the american people stand up for their rights. their rights to live safely in their homes and in their schools and in their communities, and call their members of congress and told them accountable, and what bloomberg and the white house are also counting on is if the democrats and republicans in the house and the senate don't take those, quote, hard votes, they are going to lose their seats in 2014 and i think we can change the congress over this issue. i mean, what is killing 87 americans a day? not the debt ceiling? it's gun violence, and it's unrestricted access to guns by criminals and the mentally ill, thanks to the capitol managements and the nras of the world who are arming criminals and -- and controlling our hard-fought democracy. we have got to take your democracy back. there are way more of us than there are of those lunatics in

the nra, and their benefactors in the gun industry. but we have to hold our congress people accountable. >> michael: it seems, john noot to sort of douse your flames on this, it seems like they are calling. thanks goodness there is bloomberg to counter these people for the first time. isn't the moment going away now? i know we said that about gabby giffords, and i thought that was going to be the moment and it clearly wasn't, now i thought this was a no-brainer. what has to happen? >> i'm afraid something far worse than newtown. as we get further and further away from newtown, we're seeing even the democrats in the senate shy away from assault weapons and ammunition clips, there were

20 beautiful coffins 20 beautiful, 6 and 7 year olds massacred with a military-style weapon that now the democrats are saying shouldn't come to a vote and high capacity ammunition clips which is probably the next thing they are going to shy away from meanwhile since newtown about -- what? over $5,000 americans have died from guns. and congress doesn't think it's important to bring this to a vote and be a priority? it's going to take many more dead people unless the american people make this a priority. >> michael: and they keep having to do that and they have john rosenthal to help them. really appreciate your time here in "the war room." while common sense might be making a comeback it's not such a good day for congress members

who make a full-time job of pedalling utter nonsense. here is how michele bachmann marked the three-year anniversary of obamacare just last week. >> let's reveal this failure before it literally kills women, kills children kills senior citizens. >> michael: today white house spokesman josh earnest said he's not sure there is any evidence of that. he's not sure. earnest is new, so let me help you josh, there is no evidence of that. but there does seem to be evidence that bachmann herself may be involved in shady business. she could face a house ethics investigation because of possible campaign violations. just goes to show there's no place for common sense in republican politics.

coming up ted cruz lashing out to his gop senator. his message just wait until i have been here a whole year. plus rand paul sparks up the debate over legalizing marijuana. he makes a progressive argument better than progressives. later, come, rain snow, sleet, or sequester, the white house easter egg roll will go on. it's "the war room" on a monday and we will be right back. billy zane stars in barabbas. coming in march to reelz. to find reelz in your area, go to reelz.com

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you know who is coming on to me now? you know the kind of guys that do reverse mortgage commercials? those types are coming on to me all the time now. (vo) she gets the comedians laughing and the thinkers thinking. >>ok, so there's wiggle room in the ten commandments, that's what you're saying. you would rather deal with ahmadinejad than me. >>absolutely. >> and so would mitt romney. (vo) she's joy behar. >>and the best part is that current will let me say anything. what the hell were they thinking? ♪ >> michael: the republican party's big names are really beginning to resemble a circus as if michele bachmann's failed presidential campaign wasn't enough of a mess now "the daily beast" says the house ethics

committee is looking into possible campaign contribution violations for her campaign. and then there is mitt romney's right hand man, paul ryan. he appears to be finding peace fading out of the limelight. and how could we forget marco rubio? here to take us inside the topsy turvey world of the right-wing nut world, is bill press, the author machine: the lies, distortions and personal attacks on the president and who's behind them." he hosts current tv's "full court press" every morning at 6:00 am eastern time. good to have you back in "the war room." >> thanks, michael. clowns on parade welcome to the circus, right?

>> michael: that's right. it was your question that illicited that response from josh earnest. let's see how that went. >> not that i know of. >> bill: not true? >> not that i know of? >> i -- i'd like to see some evidence -- i'm not sure that there is any evidence of that. >> michael: bill why are they so reluctant to criticize one of their biggest critics? >> i don't know. i don't understand it, michael. because everything michele bachmann said it is a flat outright lie and she knows it. she has the distinction of getting more liar liar pants on

fire from politifact than any other person alive. she is a mom you mental embarrassment to her own party. i thought it was a good opportunity for the white house to really trash her ai was disappointed they didn't accept her invitation. >> michael: i suspect fit was jay carney he would have reacted a little more forcefully. >> yes. >> michael: is this going to tell us anything about bachmann the politician, the ethics committee hearing? >> the fcc is investigating improper payments to her chief

of staff, and then the head of the cia, he is a serious guy, and if they find out there was some hanky panky -- they are looking into intentional campaign contribution violations. so she's in a whole mess of trouble, and i think this is maybe the one thing that could bring her down. of course that's up to the people of minnesota. >> michael: that's true. but it would really be a shame to see her have to suffer through that. >> oh yeah. >> michael: ted cruz stat sat down with the dallas morning news to go over how his first months have been going, and he said the biggest surprise . . . bill, why does cruz relish in picking fights with his own party? >> i think the biggest surprise in washington is ted cruz's loud

mouth. he just cannot shut up, and he feels he has to be out there on any and every issue. this is tough, but he is the most obnoxious of the 535 people on capitol hill. he has been reprimanded not only just dianne feinstein, but also lindsey graham and others. like at hillary clinton, al franken, elizabeth warren the senate is different. you get to the senate and people hold their head down for like the first six years. they move they are a work horse not a show horse. ted cruz is not like that and i think it's only a matter of days before he steps on his you know what? >> michael: yeah, he went over to mary landrieu's desk here 4:00 am -- after he tied china and the un and abortion together

and reprimanded him, and then she walked away and supposedly he was just sort of chuckling as she walked away. >> the senate for better or worse, i guess we still have to call at it gentle person's club if you will. unlike the house they really treat themselves with respect and that counts for a lot. that's why cruz's attitude flagrantly just violating all of the rules of decor um and respect for other members has turned people off on both sides of the aisle -- the worst of the tea party. the worst of the tea party. >> michael: it's incredible and maybe the state he comes from as he turns people off will turn blue. bill i want to ask you "politico" ran a story of paul ryan's latest move since being on the losingen of the romney

ticket. he seems to be enjoying working behind the scenes. how do republicans see ryan's role right now? >> i think it's wrong to say that paul ryan is below the radar. inside of washington he is very, very much on the scene. it's the ryan budget which they passed, he is a major player inside the republican caucus but i think what he is doing is very smart, he is keeping -- he is trying to keep a low pro file in terms of 2016, unlike marco rubio and rand pall and i think that's for a couple of reasons, because his ideas are still poison for the party, and two, he wasn't such a hot shot in the 2012 campaign. he had neither steak nor sizzle didn't really set the world on fire, so i think he is playing it actually smart, but boy, he is still a power here.

don't believe he has gone away. >> michael: the only thing that would have been worse is if he would have been vice president. >> absolutely. >> michael: bill press thanks so much for joining us in "the war room." really appreciate it. coming up next right here a crucial week for gay marriage. we'll talk about that with christine pelosi, she is next. you'll only find her in "the war room." that take you inside the headlines. real, gripping, current. documentaries... on current tv.

>> michael: earlier in the show we mentioned that this is a big week for the supreme court. justices will be hearing two pivotal cases regarding same-sex marriage. tomorrow they'll hear oral arguments over proposition 8 which bans same-sex marriage in

california, and then it will make on doma defining marriage as the marriage between a man and a women. a sign of the intense public interest over both cases with be seen outside of the court where lines started forming with people braving the cold as early as last thursday, the supreme court showdown comes as the political ground is shifting. an abc poll shows a record high 58% of americans now support same-sex marriage. today we saw mark warner come out in support of same-sex marriage and joins senator claire mcaskill who announced her support over the weekend. jay rockfeller spent "the war room" a statement saying quote . . .

bravo senator. karl rove said that he could imagine a 2016 gop candidate in favor of gay marriage. wow. but will the supreme court's decision bring ground breaking change. joining me to discuss this is our political friend christine pelosi, chair of the california democratic party women's caucus, and she shares the party platform when they adopted marriage equality. what is at steak? >> most immediately at steak are the 18,000 same-sex couples which got married. so what the court could do is rule narrowly on behalf of those california couples and say

look, you got married because the supreme court recognized the constitutional right to marry in california, we find those marriages to be valid, we are throwing out prop 8. so the most narrow victory would be a victory for the 18,000 same-sex couples. more broodly of course the court could recognize the constitutional right to marry in the 14th amendment, and it's prohibition against denying liberty rights and demanding equal protection. >> michael: is the narrow victory a victory? just the 18,000 cases? >> equality is inevitable. i would like to get that in june, but every step forward is a positive one. there are those who say and -- and justice ginsberg raised a little bit of stir

about this when talking about roe v. wade, and the justice said, look if roe v. wade hadn't been accepted as broodly as it was, there might not have been the backlash that we saw. some people say let the majority of states get to supporting same-sex marriage and then go back to the supreme court. but i prefer total victory. >> it does seem as you just said it seems that is the direction we're going in why do we need to wait any longer. if this court doesn't see it they know which the tide is turning. so i never understand why they can't just come in and give total victory on a case like this. it's a civil rights case, it seems like that would be the legacy that they want. but more curious things have happened in this court. let's go to doma for a second.

>> the importance of doma says the federal government cannot deny federal benefits to people just because they are involved in a same-sex marriage. every single issue we are concerned about, whether it's lbgt worker's women boment baum care, all of those issues will be played out in the context of the immigration bill. in my point there is no point of bringing people out of the shadows only to make them second class citizens. it's all of us liberty and justice for all that has to happen. >> michael: yeah "politico" has an article out saying that there are these republican -- big doers in the republican party, that are going to give a lot

more money if republicans start taking a stand that says -- that legalizes gay marriage in america. how big of factor is this, and do you believe it? >> i absolutely think there are gay republicans, some of them are my friends, that say it's tough for me. they agree with the republican party on the economic front but not on social issues so i think that would tremendously help the republican party and when ted olson made an argument for same-sex marriage and marriage equality, that did free a lot of americans. but again we'll take victory when we can get it. >> michael: and we know what victory looks like and how we want it, political, victory, though, state little bit of be careful what you wish for? >> democrats are for equality

and -- and we want republicans to believe in equality too. we don't think that that lowers our chances. in 2006 and 2008 prop 8 passed but others said we're not going to defend prop 8 in the courts, and jerry brown won for governor and carmaleeta harris won her race. >> michael: how important do you think the rules will be this week on the 2016 election? >> i think for democrats who are running in 2016 will be for marriage equality. it will be interesting to see what republicans running for president in 2016 will do when they decide wlont they are going to buck their base and perhaps

attract more independent voters and more republican voters who fled the party because they are so mean and cruel to gay people and immigrants and others. >> michael: i can't see how -- that it would seem like you were out of the main stream if you are opposed to this. and christine pelosi actually you are right a lot of the time. >> i'm left. >> michael: that's right. november's election was supposed to be the start of a marijuana legalization wave that would seep across the country in sea to shining sea, but said wave is having a little bit of trouble getting off of the couch. that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us. the chill of peppermint.

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>> michael: oops, he did it again. i told them i would sing it dade. last week, rand paul endorsed a pathway to citizenship and yesterday he advocated to the decriminalization of marijuana. >> the last two presidents could conceivably have been put in jail for their drug uses and really think look what would have happened, it would have ruined their lives. they got lucky, but a lot of kids particularly in the inner cities don't get lucky, and they go to jail for these things and i think it's a mistake. >> michael: but so far eric holder has shown little leniency. over the entire 8 years of the bush administration there were 200 raids on dispen series. the obama administration has

raided two as much in half the time. colorado and washington residents voted to fully legalize marijuana in their state. eric holder has yet to decide how he'll deal with state laws which contradict federal bans on marijuana. joining me now is jon walker, a senior policy analyst with "fire dog lake," a progressive news site. john has been covering the ongoing fight when the feds and the state when it comes to marijuana policy. jon, according to the latest quinnipiac polls, legalizing pot is showing similar numbers to support of gay marriage. is pot the new gay marriage? >> yeah, well the polling for pot and gay marriage is remarkably similar, and it has been that way for years.

both have seen a 20% increase in support in the past decade, and both are subject to the same demographic divide. as the old people die out and get replaced there has been a sea change in how people support the issue. >> michael: we talked with christine pelosi about how quickly the evolution of gar marriage has happened has it been the same with marijuana? how do you compare the two? and do you see the same timing in the evolution? >> well, you know, ji understand you saying that they are different issues but the way they are perceived by the public is almost identical when you are talking about who supports them. it is very much in the same way, prop 8 failed in california a

few years back and same thing with prop 18, and this last year was the first time that both issues succeeded at the ballot. so the shift in the public opinion has been dramatic and driven by the same force, which is this new generation of young people who see these issues as clearly being on one side. >> michael: let's go to the politics of it a little bit, jon. rand paul, is he ahead of the curve now when it comes to pot? and do democrats have something to worry about if they don't start coming around on this issue? >> this is the one thing that really differentiates the two issues. in congress there's only i believe 14 co-sponsors to a marijuana legalization bill. 52% of americans support legalizing marriage, about 3% of

congress does. so that shows you the big divide between the politicians and the public on it. and if democrats don't come out and support it and it's something that they care about, they do risk losing momentum on this issue. >> michael: but to who? where does the marijuana voter go? do they go to rand paul in the middle -- i wouldn't put him in the middle but between the republicans and democrats, if he's an independent candidate, or are civil rights going to be protected more by a democratic candidate? >> it all depends on do the republicans come around on the issue. the case on marijuana legalization can be made from a very conservative view. it's a waste of money. the government should not be involved in your personal business. there's a very strong

traditional and libertarian case against it and maybe some republicans will start following the lead of rand paul looking at the polls and seeing this is where the country was moving. you used to think republicans were really terrible on immigration, they saw a change in the polling and started making a real shift. and they could do the same on this issue. >> michael: if a liberal candidate or a democrat finds out -- or a voter finds out who is going to make all of the money for marijuana, what a business it will turn into, there are a lot of liberals who will be upset about what it looks like in the end. so is that also being sold in persuading democrats to vote against this? >> the people who currently

control marijuana are drug cartels. they are not good people. as much as people don't like certain businesses and their practices, they like it a lot better than how a criminal organization running something. >> michael: okay. as a candidate in 2008 when the president vowed to let states decide their own policies he proceeded to crack down on the dispenries. this is what he told barbara walters last year. >> obama: the federal government has a lot to do when it comes to criminal prosecutions. it does not make sense from a prioritization point of view for us to focus on recreational drug uses in state that has already said that understate law that is legal. >> michael: are advocating for legalizing marijuana now concerned he'll change his

position again? >> yes, we're very concerned about this because, he turned out to be one of the worst presidents on the issue. the only thing that is sort of reassuring this time around it has been several months since the passage of legal issues and the administration has been very silent on it. they don't want to talk about it at all. the only answer they get from eric holder are some vague promises soon. and the market that marijuana got more votes in colorado than obama did has changed the politics and dynamics a bit. >> michael: yeah that's an interesting fact that i always find kind of funny. jon walker of fire dog lake, thanks for coming into "the war room." up next, one of the most successful comedians of all time draws the wrap of someone who is

not. >> hey, jim carey has a creepy look. this too close to you? don't go away. but still believe in the drug war you must be high.

♪ moousz >> michael: let's see what "the young turks" have on tap tonight. cenk uygur joins us. >> i have a face-to-face interview with jimmy carter. and we're going to talk about guinea worm and how they have almost wiped it off of the face of the earth. and thing we'll get into the news of the day.

bloomberg the nra. bloomberg is going after some conservative democrats, which i love. and then of course doma and prop 8, and the possibilities for the supreme court there. will one of the justices shock us and vote in favor of human rights? >> michael: it would be a shock, thanks, cenk so much. now we move to a crucial story that i want to let you know about. nine year old, robbie novack will be president baum's special guest at the white house next monday. you might know robby by his other alias kid president. he has produced youtube videos. here is how kid president reacted to the president's presentation. >> obama obama, obama.

i got asked by the -- by the white house people -- i can't believe this is happening. >> michael: now that is how you make an online video. so comedian jim carey, we move to now he keeps trying to make politically relevant videos himself but he is not having as much success. >> jim carey has released a new pro-gun video called pro dead hands. ♪ charlton heston movies are no longer in demand ♪ ♪ the angles didn't take him up to heaven like they planned ♪ ♪ a because they couldn't pry that gun from his cold dead hands ♪ >> my reaction is i get what you

are going for, but what are you doing? carey is using charton heston which has been ten he ha and this come my clip which has been dead for 35 years. he was the first celebrity to talk about unsung su chi. but then he followed it up with this really creepy video about emma stone. >> if i were a lot younger, i would marry you, and the sex . . . >> i don't see how that was hilarious, but charlton heston? hee ha? what is the deal? are you trying to distract from the fact that burt wonder stone

made millions magically disappear. i'm done talking now. >> what is happening? ♪ >> michael: thanks for joining us here in "the war room." have a great night and a happy passover. we'll see you back here tomorrow night. "the young turks" are next. ♪ whatever your moves. payday. fill up and go!