[ ♪ theme ♪ ] >> bill: good morning, good morning and welcome to the "full court press" here on this tuesday, tuesday may 7. great to see you today. thank you for joining us here in our studio on capitol hill in washington, d.c. where we've got our eye on what's happening here in the congress and they're back. and they're already at work. what's happening around the country, big primary day -- not primary. big election day.

special election down in south carolina today. what's happening around the world. the noose tightening in syria and the white house saying president obama meant it when he said it was a red line, the use of chemical weapons. we'll take your calls at 1-866-55-press. we will get your comments on twitter at bpshow and and on facebook at billpressshow. president obama hit the golf course with three senators... one democrat and three republicans. yesterday, jay carney told us the president was willing to try anything to get some more votes on those background checks. the republicans by the way won thanks to a hole in one on the 11th hole by senator saxby chambliss. in other news, harry reid said that he is now two votes closer to -- a couple of votes closer

to getting the votes he needs for background checks. we'll keepure eye on that and tell you all about it right here on current tv. compelling true stories. >> jack, how old are you? >> nine. >> this is what 27 tons of marijuana looks like. (vo) with award winning documentaries that take you inside the headlines, way inside. (vo) from the underworld, to the world of privilege. >> everyone in michael jackson's life was out to use him. (vo) no one brings you more documentaries that are real, gripping, current. when i first felt the diabetic nerve pain, of course, i had no idea what it was. i felt like my feet were going to sleep. it progressed from there to burning to like a thousand bees that were just stinging my feet. [ female announcer ] it's known that diabetes damages nerves. lyrica is fda approved to treat diabetic nerve pain. lyrica is not for everyone.

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alright, in 15 minutes we're going to do the young turks. i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they know that i'm not bs'ing them with some hidden agenda, actually supporting one party or the other. when the democrats are wrong, they know that i'm going to be the first one to call them out. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us. john fugelsang: if you believe in states rights but still support the drug war you must be high. cenk uygur: i think the number one thing viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. i think the audience gets that i actually mean it. michael shure: this show is about being up to date so a lot of my work happens by doing the things that i am given to doing anyway. joy behar: you can say anything here. jerry springer: i spent a couple

of hours with a hooker joy behar: your mistake was writing a check jerry springer: she never cashed it (vo) the day's events. four very unique points of view. tonight starting at 6 eastern. >> announcer: broadcasting across the nation on your radio and on current tv. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: president obama hits the golf course with three senators. and republicans win. what's going on? good morning everybody. what do you say? great to see you today. it is tuesday may 7th. this is the "full court press." we're coming to you live all the way across this beautiful beautiful country of ours from our studio on capitol hill.

and joining you on your local progressive talk radio station joining you on sirius x.m. this hour only and joining you on current tv all three hours as we bring you up to date on what's happening today. there is news out of washington, d.c., the senate passing the internet sales tax bill yesterday by a whopping 69-27. we'll talk about that here at the top of the hour. news out of south carolina. everybody geared up now. this is it. this is the day of the special election. will mark sanford make a comeback or will elizabeth colbert busch stop him in his tracks? news out of syria where john kerry actually is on his way to russia to talk to vladimir putin and see if he can't get putin to agree to stop sending syria weapons and the syria regime weapons. and join us in helping the rebels finally finally push

al-assad out of power. whatever is happens -- that and a lot more. we've got it covered. we'll bring you up to date and take your calls at 1-866-55-press. your comments at bpshow on twitter. and on facebook at facebook.com/billpressshow. the entire team here back together today. peter ogborn decided to come back. >> i'm here. despite the shot that cyprian has a shot of an empty chair up. >> bill: we've had the empty chair for the last two days. four-day weekend some of us enjoy around here. dan henning here. been carrying the load for the last couple of days. alichia cruz has the phones covered and cyprian bowlding has the video camera. >> there he is. >> bill: he gets the big wave this morning. the most unbelievable story is the story out of -- cincinnati,

right? cleveland, right? one of those ohio cities. cleveland where these three women have been, for a decade, ten years, they were kidnapped in three different incidences by this one guy. it is unbelievable. he could hold the three of them hostage in his house in cleveland. they were unable to get away and nobody spotted them. nobody knew about it. not even his neighbor. anyhow one of them broke free yesterday. she is amanda barry. she disappeared at the age of 16 back on april 21, 2003. >> that's insane. >> bill: she got free and she called 911. >> 911. >> help me. i'm amanda barry. >> you need police, fire or ambulance? >> police.

>> what's going on there? >> i've been kidnapped and i've been here for ten years. i'm free now. >> oh, my god. >> bill: three women amanda barry, gina dejesus and michelle knight. somehow they started making some noise, i guess. and a neighbor by the name of charles ramsey, hears a noise. he and another guy break down the door. and then he calls -- he calls 911. >> police, ambulance, or fire? >> hey bro i'm at 2207 seymour, west 25th. check this out. i just came from -- trying to break out the door. so there's a bunch of people on the street right now. what's wrong with you? what's the problem. she's like this -- kidnapped me and my daughter. we've been -- she said the neighbor is amanda barry.

>> bill: that is the most colorful call. >> that is america's great hero right there. >> bill: charles ramsey for president. comes back from mcdonald's. this woman is trying to break out of the house. he hears cries for help or something. he and his neighbor break down the door. he puts in that call. he says about -- he was living alongside of this guy. he used to just go out and have barbecue with him. >> for a year. i had barbecue with this dude. we eat rib the and listen to salsa music. >> bill: hey bro. ya know, regular guy. >> i couldn't love this guy anymore. >> bill: i'm hanging out with him. he just does average stuff. >> for a year. >> bill: heard that one. okay. all right. >> i love that guy. >> he just comes out to his backyard, plays with the dogs, tinker with his cars and motorcycles.

goes back in the house. you look and you look away because he's not doing anything but the average stuff. >> bill: didn't notice anything different about him. just the average stuff. now the three women are free. i just can't believe that in an urban setting of course, i was just thinking about that girl that was kidnapped in berkeley and held in berkeley in the backyard for over a decade, too. elizabeth smart. it is possible. but boy. >> crazy story. >> bill: somehow, he was out of the house and these women finally after ten years, found a way to get attention and get out. >> gotta play one more clip from the 911 call of where he's asked if he needs an ambulance. >> are the people that did this, are they in the house? >> i don't have a clue. >> can you ask her if she needs an ambulance? >> you need an ambulance or what? she needs everything. she's in a panic. she's been kidnapped so put

yourself in her shoes. >> we'll send the police out. thank you. >> put yourself in her shoes. >> bill: she's been kidnapped. put yourself in her shoes. >> i love that guy. >> hero of the day man. >> bill: he's an american hero. seriously. >> think about -- you know, she was clearly locked inside the house so she got free enough to make enough commotion. if he hadn't done anything or hadn't been home. you know, he acted. >> bill: same guy that came home from mcdonald's. i gotta tell you. that's the biggest story of the day. joe cirincione a foreign policy guru of our own will be here to talk about syria and benghazi. dennis van roekel head of the national education association here to help us salute teachers in this teacher appreciation week. igor volsky as always on tuesday morning will be here from think progress and yes senators, republicans and democrats yesterday voted for a new tax.

sales tax. but first... >> this is the "full court press." >> on this tuesday other headlines make news. after traveling and working over the weekend, president obama played golf yesterday but it was a working round. in a bipartisan foursome out at andrews air force base just outside washington. he invited democratic senator mark udall of utah and corcoran and chambliss while you on a tall is known as the best golfer in the senate, it was chambliss the georgia republican who had the shot of the day. a spokeswoman confirms he shot a hole in one on the par 3 11th hole. >> bill: the time to shoot a hole in one is when you're playing with the president of the united states. >> that's remarkable. one of my best friends was playing golf with president clinton in los angeles years ago. and got a hole in one playing with clinton. he's got the ball signed by bill

clinton and it is in a little shrine. special little thing built for it. little glass enclosure. and the ball right on top. damn right. >> what's better than hitting a hole in one? every time that i golf with you whenever you get a hole in one the rule is you buy the drinks in the clubhouse. so i assume -- >> bill: i assume chambliss did that so many times. >> big changes are coming to youtube. you'll soon have to pay for premium content. "usa today" is reporting that google will announce this week youtube will start charging for some of its channels to raise revenues over what it pulls in from advertising to keep up with the models that netflix and you had will you use. they're hoping to attract more premium content like produced actual shows to complement what the site is known for which is home-shot videos. >> bill: i wonder if that will

work for youtube. >> i think it will. they won't make the only thing into a play site. >> there are some things you have to pay for on youtube now. movies. people do it. >> they want their own version of house of cards. that kind of stuff. more of it. >> first lady michelle obama is team up with jason collins to fundraise. the hill reports mrs. obama and the nba's first openly gay player will raise money for the dnc in honor of the lgbt community in new york later this month. the president and his wife, of course, have been be openly supportive of collins' coming out last week. >> bill: good for him. but you know, he better focus on getting a job too. >> that's true. >> still unemployed. >> bill: here we go. a big vote yesterday in the united states senate. what was called -- it depends on which side of the issue you're on, okay? if you are for this bill, if you

are for online retailers having to charge a sales tax on all of their purchases then you call it the marketplace fairness act. if you are against it and if you're a grover norquist and you don't want to have to pay that sales tax, then you call it the internet sales tax bill. whatever you call it, joe donnelly, our new senator from indiana was presiding yesterday over the senate and he announced the tally. >> the yeas are 69. the nays are 27. the bill, as amended is agreed to. >> bill: boy was it ever. not without some controversy of course. now, so what this bill does is -- and this issue has been around a long time. i remember debating this issue years ago. even when i was back in california working for governor jerry brown. and pressure -- so the fact is, you know, you go to a storks whatever, you make your purchase. you have to pay your sales tax

whatever it happens to be. 6% 7%, 10%. if you buy online, you don't have to pay the sales tax. there is an inequity there that people tolerated but as internet sales grew and grew and grew and became a bigger chunk of our purchasing as consumers the pressure to do something about the lack of sales tax on the internet grew and grew and grew. and it got to the point now where you see it pass 69-27. what it says is that if you're -- if you are sales over a million dollars, so under a million dollars you don't have to worry about it. so i gotta tell you i buy a lot of cheese from calgor creamery. i'm sure they don't sell a million dollars online but if you're a walmart a cvs you've got stores everywhere, if you're an amazon and you're in the

billions of dollars you're going to have to charge the sales tax in every state where there is a sales tax. and where you have a store. and walmart has stores just about everywhere. so it means that for the most part, for every online purchase, you're going to have to pay sales tax from now on. i would love to know what you think about this. 1-866-55-press. i gotta tell you i used to be against it. i was totally against it because i buy a lot of stuff online. i buy a lot of books online. i buy clothes online. what else have i bought online? i don't know. stuff. >> you can buy anything. >> bill: cds whatever. i bought an umbrella online. i certainly bought sherrie's

berries. i spend a lot of money online. the more i think about it, the more i think it is unfair not to have the tax so i now really support it. i think it is a good idea for a couple of reasons. one is without that sales tax cities and counties are already hurting today. they're hurting because of the sequestration and they're hurting because of federal budget cuts and less money going to cities and counties. this is important revenue for them to keep teachers, cops and firefighters teachers on -- in their jobs. and second, it is unfair to your mom and pop businesses. to small businesses because what happens is -- you know what happens. you do it. people go in and they check things out. they shop things around and they figure out what they want. and then they go back home and buy it online so they don't have to pay the sales tax and that's not fair. so i think this does provide a level playing field and look, as much as we all hate to pay more in taxes i think this is only fair. passed 69-27.

now, the big question is what is the house of representatives going to do? it is hard to get the tea partiers to vote for this. one other reason i'm for it grover norquist is against it. i'm for it. how about you? 1-866-55-press. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." (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. (vo) she's joy behar. >>current will let me say

we have a big big hour and the iq will go way up. (vo) current tv gets the converstion started weekdays at 9am eastern. >> i'm a slutty bob hope. >> you are. >> the troops love me. (vo) 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. just be grateful current tv does not come in smellivision. the sweatshirt is nice and all but i could use a golden lasso. (vo) only on current tv. >> if you believe in state's rights but still support the drug war you must be high. >> "viewpoint" digs deep into the issues of the day. >> do you think that there is any chance we'll see this president even say the words "carbon tax"? >> with an open mind... >> has the time finally come for real immigration reform? >> ...and a distinctly satirical point of view. >> but you mentioned "great leadership" so i want to talk about donald rumsfeld. >> (laughter).

>> watch the show. >> only on current tv. >> announcer: radio meets television. the "bill press show." now on current tv. >> bill: we're talking about the internet sales tax passed yesterday. so under current law the big stores online stores, only have to charge a sales tax in states where they have a physical store. under this law everybody's going to have to pay sales tax. of course, except in states --

that's important to know, in states where you don't have a sales tax. delaware doesn't have a sales tax. so you're in delaware and you buy something online, you won't have to pay a sales tax but if your state has a sales tax the company has to collect it and they send it to the state. the state then sends it down to the cities or counties where you happen to live. so i think it is just a fair way to go. robert is calling from holbrook, illinois. what do you think about this? >> caller: i think we should do it. we need to raise more revenue to pay for all of the undocumented immigrants, their housing medical and schooling needs and if we're going to give amnesty to 11 to 18 million people, we need some sort of source of funding. >> bill: well, maybe you get to the right place with the wrong reasoning but i don't think you can call it amnesty.

if you want to call it amnesty whatever. the fact of it is, robert, most of the people we're talking about, the 11 or 12 million they're here and have jobs and are already paying taxes. craig calling from niceville florida. hi craig. >> caller: you present this as sort of a moral issue right and wrong and we're hurting teachers and everybody cops by not spending -- >> bill: i would not call this a moral issue. but i think i support the bill. >> caller: okay. what i'm saying is if you think% that it's hurting local teachers and your local cops by not paying the sales tax there by buying local purchases, in the cases where you buy a million dollars or less, isn't it demoral not to buy local? buying your cheese local instead of online? >> bill: a couple of questions there. if they went under a million

dollars, wouldn't have a problem with it. i'm sure that's how they could get the votes in the senate. but i think the most important thing, craig is that it is unfair to small businesses. my dad had a small business. the fact that you can avoid the sales tax by buying online means that more and more people are not going to go into your local stores. i think it is good for local commerce, local communities yes, and for city and county -- for their budgets. i think for a lot of reasons it just makes sense to have this, again, level playing field. there is a sales tax. you gotta pay it. whether you buy it physically in the store or online. why should you get a special bonus just for going online? and not going to the store? >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."

compelling true stories. >> jack, how old are you? >> nine. >> this is what 27 tons of marijuana looks like. (vo) with award winning documentaries that take you inside the headlines, way inside. (vo) from the underworld, to the world of privilege. >> everyone in michael jackson's life was out to use him. (vo) no one brings you more documentaries that are real, gripping, current.

>> announcer: heard around the country and seen on current tv, this is the "bill press show." >> bill: hey it sure is. it is 33 minutes after the hour, too, on this tuesday morning. tuesday morning. may 7. it is the "full court press" brought to you today by the international brotherhood of teamsters. we all do better thanks to the good work of the men and women of the teamsters union under president jim hoffa. check out their web site, find out more about their good work at teamster.org. you know, we can get through a monday pretty much on our own but by the time we get to tuesday, the issues are piling up. and this just -- too much information. too much to talk about. we can't do it ourselves. we need help.

we need help from the center for american progress and think progress and managing editor igor volsky. our lifeline. good morning igor. good to see you. >> good morning, good morning. >> bill: you guys have been hard at work as always. been following you which we do on think progress. urge you to do the same at thinkprogress.org. particularly, we talked about this yesterday in your absence the work you've been doing. you had somebody down there at the nra convention in houston. >> it was a big year for them. as you know, they have that new incoming president who believes in the war of northern aggression. found someone more conservative and radical than david keene surprised a lot of us. he's incoming but they're having their convention in houston this past weekend. whole host of speakers, sarah palin, ted cruz who got a huge standing ovation and big applause and really sparked the 2016 talk for him. but also they have, in their

large convention hall, all of these booths as you have in a lot of these events. groups coming, giving out literature selling different merchandise. and here we did a series of posts of interesting themes of the nra. they've been trying to make inroads into the women's market. they had a lot for women. a special strap you add to your bra to put your gun in. special pink guns. >> bill: that's where you want to keep your gun. >> it is an option. >> bill: in case hands start wandering where they shouldn't wander. >> exactly. they think ahead. anything for your safety. >> stacked and packed. >> bill: oh. it wasn't just the women. >> it wasn't just the women. they were also targeting children. and of course, the nra and a lot of the manufacturers have invested in the market for a long time. this idea of my first gun. these kid guns that they sell.

that actually, a couple of weeks ago killed a young girl -- a 5-year-old boy killed a 3-year-old girl. >> bill: sister. down in kentucky. >> that's not stopping the nra. they had a whole host of products as our reporters discovered from your 5-year-old, 10-year-old my first gun to baby bibs that you can buy for your child that say nra on the shirt. nra on the bibs. to magazines designed for kids. kids with guns. hunting, shooting. special toy guns and all different colors. pink for girls and maybe the camouflage color for boys. so you know, this is -- kind of all part of trying to get a foothold in the young market and of course, if you get a gun in the kid's hand when they're early, the chances that they'll continue with guns through their

life-span increases and they know that. >> bill: yeah, also, the chances they're going to use a gun to kill one of their siblings or one of their friends is highly likely. >> these stories are all too common. this is not -- since newtown they're far more prominent. >> bill: guns are called cricket. you can buy them blue or pink, right? >> no green? >> bill: there is another one chipmunk. chipmunk or cricket. blue pink. i did see one that was red too. for christmas, we gave our grandkids a subscription to ranger rick. >> no guns? >> bill: what was i thinking? why didn't i -- >> this holiday season, now that you know. >> bill: i gotta go back and get the nra magazine. >> almost to the buying season for christmas. >> get your order in now. >> bill: good lord. meanwhile, on another front republicans holding -- darrell

issa, big hearing this week on benghazi. they still are -- republicans trying to make the claim. mike huckabee said benghazi is going to drive barack obama out of the white house. that's how bad it is. but you've been reporting even fox news is now starting to back away from all of this conspiracy theory? >> it is just getting a little strange now. as you know, they had an independent commission with two generals review this entire incident. they made recommendations. hillary clinton, before she left testified on the hill. >> bill: wait, how many times did she testify on the hill? remember they wouldn't let her testify. she was in front of every committee that existed. >> it is not enough. they now have an entire new approach to this. this issue is still on-going. they're still investigating. and the new claim is that -- because you know, it all started

with romney saying that obama sympathized with the terrorists. so now we're in this stage where the story is not only obama but these generals who conducted the investigation. the entire c.i.a. leon panetta. the former defense secretary. hillary clinton. all engaged -- susan rice -- all engaged in a massive cover-up of benghazi. scrubbed susan rice's talking points. they're still talking about that. and altered the report. didn't interview the relevant people in order to re-elect obama. they're having a hearing in the oversight committee and a congressman who has been on tv every single day talking about this and other issues was on fox and friends the morning fox show. and we see a lot of skepticism surprisingly with all three friends as i like to call them, asking him that it is very

curious all of the senior officials, bipartisan folks who have, you know, have a high reputation on both sides of the aisle, would put their entire careers on the line to re-elect the president to protect him from political scrutiny and they have these three witnesses now that are going to testify on wednesday who claim that they weren't allowed to talk to the investigators, weren't allowed to talk to the press that they know that obama could have sent military forces to benghazi during the attack to stop it but chose not to for some reason. and that they've been muzzled. now, they're going to finally see the light of day with mr. darrell issa. >> bill: not even fox, you say is buying the story at this point. >> even fox -- their line of attack, all three of them said are you saying that all of these

generals are complicit the entire c.i.a. is complicit. that petraeus was complicit that panetta was complicit. all of these folks in a conspiracy to re-elect the president? worse than watergate. >> bill: they've been successful at whipping this thing up and keeping it alive. how long has it been? i don't know. six months? >> it has been awhile. it is the top story on fox still. there is at least one benghazi story. >> bill: darrell issa has his hearing tomorrow. again, mike huckabee. this is going to drive obama out of the white house. >> mike who? mike huckabee? >> he's a guitar player. >> oh yeah. even worse he's a bass guitar player. >> bill: as we were talking earlier, i keep coming back to the basic question, how many people were killed in benghazi and how many people were killed september 11th? maybe things a little out of

proportion here. on immigration the heritage -- i know from think progress, the heritage foundation says that this immigration reform is going to bankrupt us. >> $6.3 trillion. jim demint. former senator from south carolina. peter, your home state of course. >> sadly. >> bill: is now head of the american heritage foundation. he's turned the american heritage foundation which is a conservative think tank. he's turned it into the right wing propaganda machine. they should have known that when they hired him which is probably why they hired him. >> these are the guys who came up with individual healthcare mandate who built the healthcare exchanges who were a real institution with real ideas. >> bill: conservative think tank but with a lot of credibility, i must say. become a right wing partisan, you know, propaganda machine. >> they're in a new era with jim demint out with the study

saying if you put undocumented immigrants on the path to citizenship, that after 14 years, you will be spending $6.3 trillion because these immigrants will be eligible for 80 welfare programs. 80 entitlement programs. they'll all take advantage of. they'll take advantage of your schools. your parks social security, medicare welfare food stamps and you, the american taxpayer will pay for all of it. the problem -- >> bill: yes -- >> is that nobody believes it. even conservatives like the former cbo director, aei cade dough all say they only look at the cost and they don't look at the economic benefit the growth in gdp the extra spending that immigrants take. and so they look at one side of the ledger and ignore the other

entirely. >> bill: igor volsky here with the truth from think progress on all of the issues of the day. your comments always welcome at 1-866-55-press. just gotta say, i've been on this issue for a long time. back in california, there was study after study looking at the undocumented population and whether, in fact, it was costing us or benefitting us and every single study by every organization shows that undocumented workers were paying more in taxes than they were taking away in public services. jim demint is wrong. we'll continue with that and a whole lot of other topics here on the "full court press." stay with us at 1-866-55-press. >> announcer: like politics? then like the "bill press show" on facebook. this is the "bill press show." 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? we have a big big hour and the (vo) current tv gets the converstion started weekdays at 9am eastern. >> i'm a slutty bob hope. >> you are. >> the troops love me. (vo) 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. just be grateful current tv does not come in smellivision. the sweatshirt is nice and all but i could use a golden lasso. (vo) only on current tv.

>> "viewpoint" digs deep into the issues of the day. >> has the time finally come for real immigration reform? >> with a distinctly satirical point of view. if you believe in state's rights but still believe in the drug war you must be high. >> only on current tv.

>> announcer: this is the "full court press." the "bill press show." live on your radio and on current tv. >> bill: 12 minutes before the top of the hour. dennis van roekel, the president of the national education association joins us at the top of the next hour. it is teacher appreciation week. how about it. in studio with us right now igor volsky, managing editor of think progress. back to our little round-robin discussion of the issues of the day and your calls at 1-866-55-press. first, this story out of florida caught my attention. been telling you about identity theft. you can find everywhere.

here's poor guy. he works in the state attorney's office not even an employee of the state attorney's office is safe from identity theft. his identity has been stolen by 11 different people who have used it to get everything from mortgages to loan approvals. look, i know how bad it is. i was a victim of identity theft once. since then, i've been protected by lifelock ultimate. encourage you to do the same. it is most comprehensive i.d. theft protection ever. but, of course, lifelock can't protect you or your bank accounts if you're not a member. here's the deal. visit lifelock.com or mention press 10 for 10% off your membership. call 1-800-356-59 -6r7 for lifelock ultimate. 1-800-356-5967.

takeover alerts require membership. peter? >> chris christie is running for president. >> bill: no. >> he hasn't officially -- >> bill: how do you know that? >> he hasn't officially made it official but he did reveal to the "new york post" that he recently went through lap band surgery. he is trying to lose weight. his wife -- >> bill: pretty drastic way to do so. >> his wife and family, friends sat him down after he turned 50 last september and said you need to get serious about losing some weight. you are too big. he went to a clinic on february 16th. the operation -- this is from the "new york post." the operation includes placing a silicon tube around the top of one's stomach restricting the amount of food he can eat at any one time. it makes you feel fuller, faster. in fact, christie tells the "new york post," i'm not sure he gets the whole diet aspect of this. a week or two ago i went to a

steakhouse and ordered a steak. i ate about a third of it and i was full. so -- >> small steps. >> baby steps, i guess. it says -- he says he's lost nearly 40 pounds. since he had it done in february. >> from a public health perspective, mike huckabee did this publicly, lost a lot of weight. now christie. i think these are a good way to talk about these issues for lawmakers. to talk about obesity. particularly in this country when in maybe ten years we'll have 50% of the population obese and so these folks can be leaders in reducing that. i think that's -- as a proud new jerseyian, i'm proud to hear that. >> bill: i do think it is important he lose weight. i saw him a week ago at the white house correspondents' dinner. i didn't see any sign of his -- peter, you and i were at the table alongside of him. he looked pretty big. i worry about that. >> if you are -- especially over

the age of 50 and you're as big as he is, you gotta do something and if you can't beat it on your own, you know, through willpower, then surgery is certainly an option. >> bill: part of that story i found unbelievable, actually is that he went in and he checked into this clinic under a different name. is there anybody in new jersey who doesn't know what chris christie looks like? i mean come on. let's say hello to howard out in los angeles. early in the morning on the left coast there. >> caller: how you doing bill? >> bill: i'm good. what's your comment? >> my comment is do more than people realize. first of all they do pay taxes. social security member. also i want to say about the story i heard about in georgia where undocumented people living a -- these people spread money

around. their work and things. all of the other jobs and the towns. buy gas clothes food. in addition to the fact they manage to send money home to their family members as well. you go up. you know, bill. you've been out here. you know what's going on with that. >> bill: i know. i know indeed. hey, howard, i appreciate the call. the fact is most of these workers are -- they've got jobs. they're paying sales taxes. some of them are paying social security taxes because they're working under a phony social security number. >> that's an argument the heritage foundation made back in 2006 when they released a report, that argued immigrants contributed to the economy in this very way. they buy goods. they frequent businesses. they grow. they groat economy. that's why we need them. >> bill: and now, jim demint is make just the opposite argument, is that right? >> a whole different tone now. >> bill: whatever it is, you're on it. so is think progress, good folks

over there. thinkprogress.org. don't forget, make it your home page. igor will come back and see us next tuesday. thanks igor. >> announcer: connect with the "bill press show" on twitter. follow us at bpshow and tweet using the hashtag watching bp. this is the "bill press show." >> lots of terrible things happen to people growing marijuana. >> this crop to me is my livelihood. >> i'm being violated by the health care system. (christoff) we go and spend a considerable amount of time getting to know the people and the characters that are actually living these stories. (vo) from the underworld to the world of privilege. >> everyone in michael jackson's life was out to use him. (vo) no one brings you more documentaries that are real, gripping, current. >> occupy! >> we will have class warfare. (vo) true stories, current perspective. documentaries. on current tv.

i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us. >> announcer: taking your e-mails on any topic at any time, this is the "bill press show." live on your radio and current tv. >> bill: all right. on the sales tax internet sales tax, glenda says hey while i

think it is only fair we pay sales tax, it is so typical that congress passes this easy peasey. offshore banking, not so much. good point. on the bomber's body up in boston holly says we should bury the body at sea same as we did for bin laden and send the bill to the parents. doug says i'm tired of seeing wayne lapierrre on the news every day saying only a good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun. i prefer the good guy be a trained law enforcement officer. also he says, our law enforcement agencies did a great job up in boston. absolutely doug. could not agree more. dennis van roekel from the nea at the top of the next hour.

[ ♪ theme ♪ ] >> bill: hey, good morning everybody. happy tuesday may 7. so good to see you today. thank you for joining us here on the "full court press." we're coming to you live coast-to-coast from our studio on capitol hill in washington d.c. can you believe it? right here in the heart of the action down the street from the united states capitol building. we've got our eye on what's happening here in our nation's capital, the house and the senate are back. so there is some action here. got our eye on what's going on around the country and around the globe. yes, today special election in south carolina. we'll take a look at that a little bit later this hour. in syria, the news -- noose is

tightening on syria. israel sending a strong message. don't you dare try to arm the hezbollah rebels in lebanon. here in washington, d.c., well, yesterday president obama went golfing with -- it was a cold day, too. went golfing with three united states senators. it is only the fourth time that he has played golf with any member of congress. this time, it was one democrat, mark udall and two republicans bob corker and saxby chambliss. yes, jay carney said they talked about the issues. the president will try anything, he said, to get more vote on background checks. the republicans won by the way saxby chambliss scoring a hole in one on the 11th hole. hey that, wasn't fair. president obama welcoming the president of korea to the white house today. take a look at all of that and more right here on current tv. support the drug war you must be

high. cenk uygur: i think the number one thing viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. i think the audience gets that i actually mean it. michael shure: this show is about being up to date so a lot of my work happens by doing the things that i am given to doing anyway. joy behar: you can say anything here. jerry springer: i spent a couple of hours with a hooker joy behar: your mistake was writing a check jerry springer: she never cashed it (vo) the day's events. four very unique points of view. tonight starting at 6 eastern.

>> announcer: broadcasting across the nation on your radio and on current tv, this is the "bill press show." >> bill: president obama will try anything. he'll even go golfing on a cold, rainy day in washington, d.c. with three united states senators to get those background checks passed. what do you say? hello, everybody. great to see you today. thank you for joining us here on the "full court press." we're coming to you live on your local progressive talk radio station. we're coming to you live on current tv. we're coming to you live from our nation's capital. and our perch right here on capitol hill. just down the street from the united states capitol building. welcome, welcome welcome to our morning roundup of the news.

lots to talk about today. yes, indeed. this is special election day down in south carolina. will mark sanford make a comeback? will elizabeth colbert busch stop him in his tracks? we'll check in on that race a little bit later this hour. here in washington, d.c. the senate yesterday overwhelmingly passing the new internet sales tax the marketplace fairness act is what they call it in the senate. it passed 69-27. white house announced yesterday that president obama will be heading down to austin, texas on thursday to talk about jobs and talk about healthcare. wherever it's happening again we've got it covered. look forward to hearing from you on the phone at 1-866-55-press. on twitter at bpshow and on facebook at facebook.com/billpressshow.

here we go. say hello to the team. joining me in saying hello to the team this morning peter ogborn. dan henning. >> good morning. >> bill: alichia cruz is on the phones and cyprian bowlding on the video cam. we don't give them a microphone because god knows what could happen. could be out of control. >> total chaos. >> bill: well, wouldn't you know this would -- there has been a big problem with more and more reports of sexual assault in the military. and a lot of women coming forward and saying you know, what we hear is the tip of the iceberg because most women in the military maybe for obvious reasons are afraid to report they've been harassed or abused by their superior because they're not going to get the advancement or whatever that they otherwise would deserve. so the military, thanks to a lot of the prodding by members of congress, especially in the

house, jackie speier from california, a good friend of our program and in the senate, kirsten gillibrand, good friend, too, she's not been in studio yet. i keep reminding her of that. they're trying to get the military -- the pentagon to take this issue more seriously. and they've started to do so but boy, did they get a setback yesterday when it was revealed that the head general -- was he that high in rank? >> he was the guy in charge. >> bill: the guy in charge of cracking down on sexual assaults in the military, oops, was himself, accused of sexually assaulting a female member of the military. senator gillibrand yesterday said how can you deal with this? >> how can we possibly stop the amount of sexual assaults and rapes in the military if the person in charge of enforcing these policies commits the same crime?

>> bill: good question, right? i mean -- >> if there's one person you think you could trust in this situation. >> bill: yeah. >> it was that guy. >> bill: it is like the priests pedophile. the one person you think you could trust your kid with. the parish priest. the one person in the military you thought you could trust your girlfriend or your wife or your sister with. it would be the guy who's in charge of making sure no women are sexually assaulted. i'm sure senator gillibrand will have more choice words to say about that in the days ahead. coming up, we're going to start this hour with dennis van roekel, good president of the national education association. on national teacher appreciation day. joe cirincione from ploughshares fund will be here to talk about benghazi and syria. and john stanton from the washington bureau chief for "buzzfeed" is going to be here to tell us about a big interview he did last night with senator

rob portman from ohio. but first... >> announcer: this is the "full court press." >> quick check of other headlines making news on this tuesday. a stunning upset in the nba playoffs last night. the chicago bulls beat the miami heat 93-86 in game one of their eastern conference semifinal. lebron james was presented with the mvp trophy for the year before the game but he did not play like he deserved it. instead, star of the game was chicago's nate robinson who put up 25 points. elsewhere, the san antonio spurs had to fight for their win beating the golden state warriors in double overtime. 129-127. it is the 30th consecutive time that they've beat the warriors but just barely this time. >> the heat will come back. and they will win the rest of the games in this series. it will be a four-game run from here on out. the spurs will probably drop one more. please, no more double overtime

west coast games! san antonio! >> bill: keeping you up too late? >> god almighty. >> the apple app store is about to hit a major milestone. someone is going to download an app for the 50 billionth time. the company will reward that person with a $10,000 apple gift card and not only that, the next 50 downloads after that, each person will win a $500 apple gift card but you have to time it right and download a bunch of apps so you have a small minute chance. the download rate, you can watch the ticker at apple.com. >> bill: i would be downloading apps right now. >> obviously there think is worldwide. people are downloading hundreds of thousands of apps an hour. several thousand apps. it is like playing the lottery. >> i think i got the algorithm figured out. >> bill: since you're downloading this on the "bill press show," you have to share

the $10,000 with the rest of the show. >> finally peta is going after chris christie for killing a spider. the hill reports people for the ethical treatment of animals is not happy the new jersey governor killed a spider on his desk while giving a tour of his office to school children. >> bill: got one myself. >> christie did not think about the spider's worth to the world before killing it. christie said one of the perks of being governor is being able to kill bugs and not get in trouble. >> bill: i only have one question for peta. what is the spider's worth to the world? i know. spiders do some good but you know, spider is on your desk, it is not doing a lot of good. >> in my house we capture them in a cup and take them outside. >> bill: i do, too. crickets. we get crickets. every one, i capture in a plastic cup and take it outside.

we had a bat in the house once and i caught it and took it outside and released it. >> no trial by jury for this spider. >> i would like to see you catch a bat and take it outside. >> bill: i did. ask carol. she was a witness. it is an important day. i didn't know it until we heard from our good friends at the nea, the national education association who are proud sponsors of the "bill press show" i might add. this is national teacher appreciation day and who better to speak to on this day than the president of the national education association, our good friend, dennis van roekel. hi dennis. >> good to be here. >> bill: okay. how is it going? what is the significance of this day? >> well, you know, the week of may 6-10 is teacher appreciation week. it is all week. it kicks off today with teacher appreciation day. it is that special time when we would hope people would reach back and thank a teacher who made a difference in their life. give them a call. send them a note. send them an e-mail. it makes such a difference. this year, we want to do two

things, not only thank america's teaches for their commitment and all they do every day but we also want to use it as a way to encourage bright, talented, committed people in college to say teaching is the profession for you. we need more people in the years ahead. we hope we can use this as a way to kind of trigger interest in the profession. >> bill: i would hope so, too. i was going to ask you about that. what are -- are recruitment levels as good? are people still coming in to teaching as a profession? >> well, the problem is how many we need. secretary duncan talked about 1.340e6r8 the next ten years. that's 160,000 a year college graduates. we're going to have to do something to make the profession as attractive as possible. when i listen to countries like finland and singapore they look at compensation teacher pay as kind of the under girding of the whole system. they want to make sure that the compensation is comparable. not exactly the same but

comparable to other professions that require the same amount of education. we need to do that too. we want to have people to really consider teaching. we don't want them to be turned off because they believe the salaries are too low. >> bill: what's the reality today? how close are we? >> we're a long ways from recruiting a number of teachers we're going to have. the results are pretty devastating. we get this turnover. we have too many teachers who are teaching out of their area of certification. my way of thinking, we really don't recruit. we didn't have to in the past. 50 years ago, there were many folks, especially women who there were so many ceilings in professions that they were kicked out of. we had the corner on the market. now, we don't. we need to start recruiting and get people into the profession. honorable profession. >> bill: how close are we on the salary level today? using this comparable test? >> well, i think we're losing ground. if you look at the study that just came out in teacher salaries, we haven't even kept up with inflation over the last five years. that's devastating. we've got to turn that around.

we want to make this a profession that people not only want to do it because you get to work with kids but we wanted them to see it is not something that you have to take a financial poverty -- vow of poverty in orth to do it. we need to do both things. we want people in the profession. big need in the years ahead and it is an important work. >> bill: i have to tell you i believe that the teacher's job is the most important job of any job, period, right? and look, firefighters and cops and nurses, they're all important, too. nothing is more important i believe than a teacher. they should be compensated accordingly and not that people -- not that your paycheck is the only thing you consider going into a job but it is a pretty important consideration right? >> absolutely. you have to raise your own family. i really think it is about our kids. i think we ought to care enough and put our money where our mouth is and invest so that we can get the best for them.

as we talk about the changes in the 21st century to be career and college ready the kind of training all of these kids are going to have to have in order to succeed it is not like when i was in high school, there were a lot of great jobs out there. if you had a high school diploma. that's not true today. we're not even graduating all of our kids. we've got to invest in education and invest in our kids because they're our next generation. why would we shortchange them? >> bill: this is teacher appreciation day. what's the best way that -- the old thing about taking an apple for the teacher. what's the best way today to show appreciation for teachers in general or for one particular teacher that you know, influenced or impressed you or made a big difference? >> well, in general, you could go to nea.org/teacherday and get ideas of things going on. >> bill: cool. >> but you know, for the ones -- i can tell you the teacher of 23 years, when i get a call or a

note from a former student there is nothing that just makes your day more than that. one part about this profession is that sometimes you make a difference or you know, you inspire someone and you have no idea that it happened. and when they touch back with you years later and say you know, you really made a difference, that is a powerful message. so you can make somebody's day week and year just by a simple phone call or e-mail. >> bill: i'm a former high schoolteacher. that's happened to me. rarely. when it does, it's great. when you run into somebody who says hey remember you taught me whatever. >> it comes up at the funniest times. i was doing a talk show and one of the callers they gave a little information and said it was a former student. i said oh, my god i wonder what great they got. i hope they got an a. >> bill: one thing i notice -- if you want a good idea about what you can do to help teachers

or a particular teacher nea.org/teacherday, right, dennis? >> you got it, bill. >> bill: we had friends visiting over the weekend. we took them to the fdr monument, one of my favorites. spent time there with a statue of eleanor outstanding first lady of the united states. it was her idea to start this national teacher appreciation day, right? >> yeah, it was. you know, she did it in such a grand way. she was so eloquent in how she described why it was important to do that. so it has been around a long, long time. >> bill: how about that. one more thing we have to be grateful to eleanor roosevelt for. well, i think of katherine money who was my first grade teacher in delaware city, delaware. clara money her sister who was my fourth grade teacher. i could go down the list of high schoolteacher and grade schoolteachers that i remember really made a difference in my life. nothing more important. so great day, dennis. thank you for joining us for it.

we send our appreciation out and we'll make sure all of our listeners and viewers do the same. >> thanks, bill. have a great day. >> bill: dennis van roekel, president of the nea. it is important. i think it is a great idea. i'm going to try to say hey thanks again for putting up with me! >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." thinking. >>ok, so there's wiggle room in the ten commandments, that's what you're saying. (vo) she's joy behar. >>current will let me say anything. (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. (vo) she's joy behar. >>current will let me say anything.

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>> announcer: like us at facebook.com/billpressshow. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: 26 minutes after the hour here on the "full court press" this tuesday may 7. so yesterday morning you know, we always tell you the president's schedule at the end of this second hour together. the president had no public events scheduled. you always wonder what's going on right? either he's in -- we used to say either he's in ohio or iraq. well yesterday, i would never have guessed this because it was

cold yesterday in washington. it was misty, kind of spitting rain. >> yeah. >> bill: and damn if the president didn't go out and play 18 holes of golf. not only that, of course, he deserved it because he's in mexico city and costa rica. went out to ohio state on sunday and gave the commencement address. so nothing wrong with taking the day off. go play golf. and for the first time like ever, he played with all members of congress. now, he's played before with james clyburn twice. he played with john john boehner once. he invited three u.s. senators. mark udall democrat who has the lowest handicap of any senator. he's basically a scratch golfer. has a 2 handicap. the president has the highest handicap of any of them. we didn't learn how high that is. he invited saxby chambliss and bob corker and it was the

democrats versus the republicans. jay carney said -- was asked by mark knoller our friend mark knoller from cbs news, so why would the president do this? >> well, he's willing to try anything. [ laughter ] and you know, whether it is a conversation on the phone or a meeting in the oval office or dinner at a restaurant or dinner at the residence. you know, he's going to have the same kinds of conversations. >> bill: try anything to get those votes. good for him. i know some people are critical about this. i think that's what the president ought to be doing. in fact, i think if he had been playing more golf with more members of congress, usually never plays except with members of his staff. you get a lot of business done on the golf course. first of all you build a lot of friendships, you build relationships and you can actually get some business done.

i think if he had done more of this in his first term, he might be fath along on his agenda. saxby chambliss ruined it by getting a hole in one on the 11th hole. he cheated. i know he cheated. he's a republican. i know he cheated. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." compelling true stories. >> jack, how old are you? >> nine. >> this is what 27 tons of marijuana looks like. (vo) with award winning documentaries that take you inside the headlines, way inside. (vo) from the underworld, to the world of privilege. >> everyone in michael jackson's life was out to use him. (vo) no one brings you more gripping, current.

>> announcer: chatting with you live at current.com/billpress this is the "bill press show." live on your radio and current tv. >> bill: here we are. 33 minutes after the hour. it is the "full court press." we're coming to you live from our nation's capital. our studio on capitol hill.

and brought to you today by the national education association. we just talked to dennis van roekel, president of the nea at the top of the hour. and no better way to -- for us to express -- to celebrate teacher appreciation day than to recognize the good work of the teachers and the members of the nra. you can find out more about their good work at nea.org. yes, today in south carolina, all eyes of the nation on the special election down there. for the senate -- the house seat rather vacated by tim scott when he was named to the united states senate, it is former governor mark sanford versus democratic canada date elizabeth colbert busch on the ground in charleston south carolina. for yahoo! news reporter chris moody. good morning. >> good morning bill. thanks for having me. >> bill: you've been down there doing a lot of good

reporting. thanks for joining us. so what's the mood down there? you expect a big turnout? a lot of attention to this race? >> well, there is a lot of national attention but there's not going to be a big turnout. remember, this is a special election. a lot of people don't even know it is election day. so that's been the great challenge. >> bill: in that district even, they don't? how could they miss it? >> they know. but it is not necessarily something that's on the forefront of their minds when they wake up. it is not permeating everything -- when there is a presidential election, it is all anyone talks about. with a special one, you have to make an extra effort to get people out to the polls. that is going to be the great challenge here. >> bill: have you -- i know you've been in touch with both campaigns. have you seen a ground operation in both campaigns? has anyone, do you think have the edge there? >> well, elizabeth colbert busch has a massive national operation. lots of people have come in from out of town with the democratic congressional campaign committee. the dnc.

outside super pacs. there is a big presence from outside south carolina. they want this seat so bad. it is a huge -- remember, a democrat has not -- represented this district for more than 30 years. so you can imagine what a win it would be. this is their prime opportunity. they're working very hard to take it. for governor sanford. the south carolina g.o.p. has been working very hard to keep the seat elected. their tactic, what they're trying to do is push away attention from sanford and try to make the race about national implications. saying there's no difference -- it doesn't matter who's the republican or the democrat. you want the republican even if it's a guy like sanford. >> bill: now you've written about sanford with quite unusual style of campaigning to say the least, right? retail campaigning. including hitching a ride in your car? >> this is super retail

campaigning. i've never seen anything like this. a lot of times candidates will have official events that they go to where they meet people in a cafe but they're all organized. no no, no. sanford just drives around the district, kind of by himself or with one aide or two and looks for people inside restaurants or in stores or in ice cream parlors and if there's people in there, he jumps out of the car and walks up to them. if he sees people in a parking lot, he gives them a card and asks for their vote. in one case, he hitched a ride with me yesterday. we had a nice chat. interestingly enough about foodism and -- buddhism and his daily meditation practice. >> bill: i might say inefficient as well. does he know you do not live in south carolina? [ laughter ] >> well, you know, he needed to get from one place to another. >> chris moody taxi service. i like that. >> he had ten stops planned but

i swear he did about 25 yesterday. he just stopped anywhere. if there was more time yesterday, he had time between stops and he said well, let's go to whole foods. we said why whole foods? there are going to be people there, of course. he goes to whole foods and he goes to the vegetable aisle and says hello to a young lady and another person in the cereal aisle and then he ran into someone who was actually a democrat who was buying food for the colbert busch volunteers at the whole foods and they had a little fun back and forth. this is a campaign i will never forget. >> i was going to say finding a republican in a whole foods in south carolina, good luck, friend. >> bill: so what kind of response is he getting from these total strangers? you were hanging out with him. do they say get out of here. are you kidding? or are they glad to see him? is it friendly? tell us about it. >> people here are generally very polite. even if they don't like him,

they'll smile and nod. i have been walking with him the street and they will say go back to argentina or the appalachian trail. so there is a shame factor. i'm sure he's talked to a lot of democrats. i think their answer is oh, yeah i'll be voting on tuesday and that's it. they don't necessarily want to make a confrontation. but sanford is very good at the retail politics. he can talk to anyone. he's got a charm and a disarming way about him. one of his things he says when he walks up to someone is he says can i be rude and say hello? and it totally disarms them and gives him an opportunity to talk to them. it is really something to see in person. >> bill: have there been any recent polls in that race? >> there have. public policy polling has been doing surveys for the last few weeks. interestingly enough, it showed colbert busch up ten a few days ago and then they did a poll i

believe yesterday that showed it at a dead heat which is not a good sign for the democrats. it is really going to be about get out the vote. how many people can you get out here. both sides have, you know, the national campaign efforts to get people to those polls and they're going to be working hard all throughout the day. another thing about this race is it is one of the early races in south carolina where everyone must show a government identification. i.d. vote. who knows what kind of impact that could have on the outcome. >> bill: this is the first time for that, then? >> i believe they've done it for smaller races. this is the most high profile absolutely. >> bill: chris moody is our guest, live from charleston, south carolina. we're very envious of chris being in charleston. we are not. >> chris i'm a native charlestonian. my biggest question is are you getting enough to eat? my parents live there. if you need something, they can help you out. >> i'm perfectly taken care of

in that department. the charlestonians know how to cook and they're taking very good care of us. >> good. >> bill: have you been to slightly north of broad yet? >> i tried to go last night but it was full so we went across the street to high cotton and had the greatest dinner. >> bill: i was going to mention high cotton is my second best favorite and then there's mccready's. >> we know people down there if you need help. >> bill: snob is the place to go. go to lunch today and have the shrimp with grits. that's my recommendation. but so on this race, it seems to me chris you're on the ground there. i haven't been -- i haven't been down since the republican primary last year. but to me, this race is coming across as more as a referendum on mark sanford than on any particular issues. is that -- am i right? >> well, this is the great test. will he find his redemption in

politics? it was just a couple of years ago. so no, this is the end in politics for him. we've asked him what he'll do if he loses. he says he'll go back into real estate and go back and work on his farm and hang out and meditate, i guess. but it is also -- i think going to be a turning point like i said earlier a big debt for democrats if they can pull this off. and it will make 2014 all the more interesting because you're really going to see republicans fight and scramble to get this back. i think that they're assuming if elizabeth colbert busch wins today, she will only have it until 2014 because they're determined to take it back. >> bill: i'm sure they disagree on the issues but this is not a test of whether -- on gun control or immigration reform or climate change, really. isn't the issue are -- people in south carolina willing to give mark sanford another shot? a second chance, right? >> right. what the republicans are trying

to do is deflect the attention from sanford and say -- another ally for policy but it is a matter whether people will buy that. it is a test of whether people are willing to forgive mark sanford and not just forgive but also put him back in power. those are two very different things. >> bill: yeah. i gotta tell you no better place to be on election day as we know. we've been down there for a couple of -- in the primary at least. and south carolina, particularly in charleston, south carolina, chris. which envy your being there. we're glad you took time out this morning for us. we'll talk to you again when the votes are count and find out how it goes. thank you, chris. >> great to be here. >> bill: chris moody. it is yahoo!.com and you can follow all of chris' good reporting. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." live on your radio and current tv.

commercials? those types are coming on to me all the time now. (vo) she gets the comedians laughing and the thinkers >>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? we have a big big hour and the iq will go way up. (vo) current tv gets the converstion started weekdays at 9am eastern. >> i'm a slutty bob hope. >> you are. >> the troops love me. (vo) 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. just be grateful current tv does not come in smellivision.

the sweatshirt is nice and all but i could use a golden lasso. (vo) only on current tv. when i first felt the diabetic nerve pain, of course, i had no idea what it was. i felt like my feet were going to sleep. it progressed from there to burning to like a thousand bees that were just stinging my feet. [ female announcer ] it's known that diabetes damages nerves. lyrica is fda approved to treat diabetic nerve pain. lyrica is not for everyone. it may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions.

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>> announcer: heard around the country and seen on current tv this is the "bill press show." >> bill: all right. we got 13 minutes now before the top of the hour. in the next hour, two very good friends and two very strong guests joe cirincione from the ploughshares fund to talk about what's going on in syria. what's the latest. and what about this big hearing tomorrow on benghazi. they're keeping the benghazi issue alive. john stanton washington bureau chief for the "buzzfeed" about a big event they had last night with senator rob portman.

but i gotta tell you the most sensational story and the biggest story in the news today has nothing to do with politics. it is a story out of cleveland ohio, you've probably heard a little bit about it. it is just unbelievable. three women are free today after being held captive for the last ten years by a guy who kidnapped them a decade ago a little over a decade ago in cleveland held -- three different -- not all at the same time. kidnapped three different women on three different occasions and held them all in the basement of his house all this time, right in the middle of cleveland. nobody knew about it. nobody knew where they were. they were unable to contact anybody. it seems one of them may have had a daughter, we're not sure about that. but at any rate, this story broke last night when next door neighbor comes home. hears some noise from the house next door.

realizes woman screaming. he and another guy break down the door. and this woman gets out. her name is amanda barry. she places the 911 call to police. >> help me. i'm amanda barry. >> do you need police, fire or ambulance? >> i need police. >> okay. what's going on there? >> i've been kidnapped. i've been missing for ten years. i'm here. i'm free now. >> bill: she's free now. but it was the good work of her -- of the neighbor -- his name is charles ramsey. who tells just so much good stuff here. where do we start dan? okay. he places his own call to 911. he uses some language here we can't repeat on the air so we've beeped it where we can. >> police, ambulance or fire? >> yeah, hey bro. i'm at 2207 seymour west 25th. check this out. i just came from mcdonald's

right. this [ bleep ] trying to break out of the house. there's a bunch of people on the street right now. [ bleep ] what's wrong with you? what's the problem. she's like this [ bleep ] kidnapped me and my daughter and we've been -- her name was amanda barry or some [ bleep ] i don't know. >> bill: hey bro i need some help over here. >> i was just eating my mcdonald's. >> bill: here, sir. breaks down the door. they're free because of his efforts, right? gosh, then he said you know, i used to just hang out with this guy. we used to have barbecue. >> i've been here a year. barbecue with this dude. we eat ribs and what not and listen to salsa music. see where i'm coming from, bro? >> i love this guy. >> bill: it is incredible. >> he is america's greatest hero. >> bill: he really is. he says you know, now when you

see -- there was nothing about this guy that would raise attention. >> how he is he just comes out to his backyard. plays with the dogs, tinker with his cars and motorcycles. goes back in the house. you look and you look away because he's not doing nothing but the average stuff. >> bill: doing the average stuff. tinkering with the cars. all of this time, he's got three three women in the basement of the house for ten years. what do you have them? chained up or something? >> it did say they were tied up in parts of the house. and somehow one of them got free. they were locked inside the house. prisoners in there. >> bill: how big a house was it? just so many stories about this. hard to believe you could pull this off in this day and age. again, not in some rural area. then finally this is charles ramsey as well, right? with -- >> second half of the 911 call. >> bill: i'm sorry.

so the 911 operator wants to know whether they need an ambulance. this is the rest of the 911 call. >> are the people that did this, are they still in the house? i don't have [ bleep ] clue. i just came from mcdonald's. >> can you ask her if she needs an ambulance? >> do you need an ambulance? >> she need everything. she's in a panic. she's been kidnapped. put yourself in her shoes. >> we'll send the police out. thank you. >> bill: i love it. what did you do, man? mcdonald's. just got back from mcdonald's. do you think they need an ambulance? >> hey, you need an ambulance over there? >> the entire phone call is unedited on our facebook page. facebook.com/billpressshow. >> go listen to it! >> unbelievable. >> the whole thing. and the interview with it afterwards is -- at one point he goes i knew something was

wrong when the little pretty white girl ran into a black man's arms. [ laughter ] he said that to a local tv station that was there. that's how he knew something was wrong. he's the best. he is america. >> bill: he is my new hero. charles ramsey from -- if you're watching this morning charles. we love you. we need more people like charles ramsey. more good neighbors like charles ramsey. you know what? see something, say something. >> he did! >> boy, did he ever! >> he said something! >> bill: happy ending to that story. still can't believe this guy was able to do that for ten years! man! throw the book at him. put him in the cell with the boston bomber. all right. we'll be right back. tell you what the president is up to today. >> announcer: like politics? then like the "bill press show" on facebook. this is the "bill press show."

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i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us.

>> announcer: on your radio and on current tv, this is the "bill press show." >> bill: okay. president obama, no golf today. uh-huh. no he's got -- well, i wouldn't say more important things to do but he has other duties today. mainly diplomatic duties today as the president welcomes to the white house the president of korea. the republic of korea. this is the 60th anniversary of the united states republic of korea alliance so the president

of korea, her name is part gun hi. events today include a bilateral meeting including the vice president in the oval office at 11:15 this morning. at 12:15 the two presidents will be having lunch. also the vice president will be there. and then at 1:30, president obama and president park gun hi will hold a news conference in the east room of the white house. i'll be there. there will be usually two reporters were korea and two reporters from the united states. each of whom will get a question to each president. that's the way it normally works. late this afternoon the president then will meet with his senior advisers and he and the vice president will meet with secretary of defense chuck hagel. at 4:30 in the oval office. at 5:30, the president attends a

dnc fund-raiser just a couple of blocks down the street at the st. regis hotel. 16th and k. busy day for the president. we'll be back with joe cirincione from the ploughshares fund and john stanton in the last hour from "buzzfeed" on the "full court press."

[ ♪ theme ♪ ] >> bill: good morning everybody. and welcome to the "full court press." here on current tv. our third hour together here this morning. on this tuesday may 7. great to see you. thank you for joining us.

we'll tell you what's going on. not only that, we'll give you a chance to comment. that's the most important part. we want to hear from you what the issues mean to you and to your family. you can do so by giving us a call at 1-866-55-press. talk to us on twitter. join us on twitter at bpshow. and on facebook, become our friend facebook.com/billpressshow. lots going on today. president obama hit the golf course yesterday with three senators. one democrat and two republicans. it is only the fourth time that he has played golf with any members of congress. jay carney said hey the president is willing to try anything to get some extra votes here for the universal background checks. republicans won, by the way yesterday. saxby chambliss and bob corker beat president obama and mark udall largely because saxby chambliss spoiled everything by

getting a hole in one on the 11th hole. in other news, harry reid now says he could be two votes closer to getting all of the votes he needs to get background -- universal background bill passed in the senate. and last night, the senate passed the internet sales tax bill 69-27. we'll bring you up to date on all of that and a lot more here on current tv. in states rights but still support the drug war you must be high. cenk uygur: i think the number one thing viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. i think the audience gets that i actually mean it. michael shure: this show is about being up to date so a lot of my work happens by doing the things that i am given to doing anyway. joy behar: you can say anything here. jerry springer: i spent a couple of hours with a hooker joy behar: your mistake was writing a check jerry springer: she never cashed it (vo) the day's events. four very unique points of view. tonight starting at 6 eastern.

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?

we have a big big hour and the iq will go way up. (vo) current tv gets the converstion started weekdays at 9am eastern. >> i'm a slutty bob hope. >> you are. >> the troops love me. (vo) 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. just be grateful current tv does not come in smellivision. the sweatshirt is nice and all but i could use a golden lasso. (vo) only on current tv. >> announcer: broadcasting across the nation on your radio and on current tv, this is the "bill press show." >> bill: president obama hitting the golf course yesterday with three senators and wouldn't you know it, one of the republican senators hit a hole in one. oh, my gosh.

that's the time to do it! good morning everybody. what do you say? it is the "full court press" on this tuesday may 7. great to see you today. thank you for joining us as we tackle the big stories of the day. wherever it is happening here in our nation's capital around the country or around the globe. we're there. and with you and give you a chance to talk about it, too. you can give us a call at 1-866-55-press. we ask for you to send us your comments on twitter at bpshow. and we ask you to -- beg you implore you to become our friend on facebook. facebook.com/billpressshow. you can be not only our friend but the friend of joe cirincione from the ploughshares fund who is one of the best friends we've got. joe, nice to see you again. >> thank you very much. feel the same way. >> bill: important issues to talk about this morning. good to have you on board. with the team here, peter ogborn and dan henning. >> yes sir. >> good morning. >> hello peter. >> bill: alichia cruz has the

phones covered and you wouldn't be able to see us on television without cyprian bowlding. we're not nice to him, he covers up the camera. and we're gone. he cuts off -- just pulls the plug. >> put an empty chair up sometimes. >> bill: sometimes he does that. here he goes. empty chair. [ laughter ] >> we love you man! put us back on camera. >> bill: coming to you on your local progressive talk radio station and on current tv. we keep coming back to this because it is the -- it is a miracle and it is the biggest story of the day and we just have to salute our new friend and our new favorite american of all-time, his name is charles ramsey. he is a man out in cleveland ohio, the neighbor to this thug who was kidnapped. unbelievable story. in three different incidences, kidnapped three separate women ten years ago. and has held them hostage or

whatever for the last ten years. and one of them managed to break free and get to the door. was trying to get out of the house and this next door neighbor charles ramsey, hears this and he runs over -- he calls 911. this is our cleaned up version of his 911 call. >> police, ambulance or fire? >> yeah, hey bro i'm at 2207 seymour, west 25th. check this out. i just came from mcdonald's, right. i'm on my porch eating my food, right. this broad is trying to -- break out the [ bleep ] house next door to me. so bunch of people on the street right now. what's wrong with you? what's the problem? she's like this [ bleep ] kidnapped me and my daughter and we've been here -- her name was amanda barry or some [ bleep ] >> isn't that amazing? >> bill: it is just amazing. [ laughter ] >> that is amazing. >> bill: so then a local

reporter -- so he and this guy break down the door. she comes out with this little girl. >> he breaks down the door. >> she's stuck in the house. she's trying to get out. he breaks her free. >> bill: with this -- guy across the street. she comes out with a little girl. two other women inside. he makes this call. free the two other women. and then so he's talking to reporters, right. they say how did you know something was wrong? here's charles ramsey. >> i knew something was wrong when a little pretty white girl ran into a black man's arms. something is wrong here. dead give away. >> bill: dead give away, yeah. he's a hero. he's an absolute hero. >> i want that guy to be my neighbor. that's america's neighbor right there. he's like i'm sitting on my porch eating my mcdonald's. just sitting on his porch eating dinner.

from a fast food restaurant. and then he hears the yells. >> bill: i said, see something, say something right? >> he did. man, he did. he said a whole mouthful. >> i did not know this story. i just saw the headlines. >> bill: that's why you have to watch the "full court press" and listen to the "full court press." we got lots to talk about. joe cirincione and john stanton from "buzzfeed" will be joining us as well on syria and benghazi. but first... >> this is the "full court press." >> quick check of other headlines making news on this tuesday. bill clinton can do a lot of things except get the band back together. cbs news reports the former president tried to get led zeppelin which has not played note -- together in five years to reunite. clinton and harvey weinstein asked members of the british band in person to get back together for that one night but they flat out said no. >> bill: got other plans.

>> here's the thing there. will never be a real led zeppelin reunion because john bonham is no longer with us. he's one of the greatest drummers. >> bill: grateful dead is still playing. >> no, they're not. the grateful dead is not the grateful dead without jerry. >> bill: that's true but they're still having concerts. >> but it is not the grateful dead. >> one of the nfl's most outspoken players on gay marriage and one of the earliest to support marriage equality is looking for a new job. punter chris kluwe was released by the minnesota vikings yesterday after eight seasons and last year was one of his best averaging a career high of 39.7 yards per punt. kluwe thanked minnesota for supporting him over the last eight years and also thanks for all of the fish referring to the minnesota lakes. >> what's that whitefish up there? pike? >> bill: no, i know what you mean. >> walleye. >> walleye!

>> big eddie and his walleye. >> when the dolphins leave the earth? they say thanks for all the fish. >> yep. dolphins leave. before the earth is to be destroyed. >> that's it. >> a stunning upset in the nba playoffs last night. chicago bulls beating the miami heat 93-8 2k3w45eu6r78 one -- in game one of the finals. lebron james did not live up to the mvp trophy. robinson put up 25 points. the san antonio spurs had to fight for their win. did beat the golden state warriors but it took two overtimes. 129-127. >> getting too old for the double overtimes. no more! >> i can't even -- and when the

series goes out west even farther, i'm going to be so screwed. forget it. >> bill: you don't have to watch. you can always tune in the next morning to find out what happened. >> i know. >> bill: i learned that a long time ago. >> you would think i would know better. >> bill: on the international front, so joe the white house has been very cautious about syria and getting involved in syria and kind of giving more and more support to the syrian rebels. the president had said -- but there is a red line here and the chemical weapons but even when we had evidence of chemical weapons, the white house still being cautious and then over the weekend, israel, two bombing attacks on defense facility outside of damascus. so what's going on and is israel striking where we don't dare to or are they two separate things? >> let's pick it apart. >> bill: that's why you're

here. >> i think obama's right to be cautious. the events of the last week that will have dated his cautious approach. we still don't know how much chemical weapons were used, who used them. there is a report out yesterday that a u.n. official on a commission investigating syrian human rights abuses said that the rebels had used these chemical weapons. the white house disagrees with that. and in fact, other u.n. officials disagree with that. there is still considerable uncertainty. the evidence isn't clear. accidental use. authorized. what was the chain of custody. we do know a couple of dozen people are dead. and show signs of chemical poison and sarin poisoning but it is still uncertain nothing that would actually justify the massive invasion some senators are calling for. >> bill: when the president says it is a game changer or it is a -- the use of chemical weapons, isn't it kind of awkward to have to go back once we find chemical evidence and

try to redefine what the red line means? >> the intention here. the red line was never meant to be a tripwire. it was never meant to be an excuse to go to war. it was designed to deter assad from conducting the kind of massive chemical attack that saddam hussein used in 1988 in the town of if a la gentleman killing 4,000 people. really trying to prevent mass destruction. that's actually worked. what we're look at is the possible use of 10, 20 people may be dead by sarin. that's not the intent of the u.s. position. and it is not an automatic position. just because something is used, doesn't mean therefore that's the justification for going to war. i like the way the administration is handling it so far. i don't think he loses credibility. on this. but by being cautious and waiting for the evidence to come in. >> bill: there is a contrast to weapons of mass destruction where we didn't take the time to get the evidence. >> i'm haunted. i think we all should be, by

dick cheney. ten years ago. that there is no doubt that saddam has weapons of mass destruction. we waged a completely unnecessary war that's still costing the u.s. economically and strategically. let's find out the facts before we take -- before something as drastic as war. what israel did is that war? striking twice over the weekend? definitely attacks on suspected shipments of syrian advanced surface to surface missiles that they thought syria was going to send to hezbollah. traditionally, one country attacking another country that's an act of war. however, there is the doctrine of preemption. if you believe that another country is preparing to attack you, you do have the right to attack those facilities. israel has some grounds here for saying those were weapons that would be used in the attack. we preemptively knocked them out. what does this tell us about our ability to attack israel?

you see john mccain just yesterday saying see? it's not so hard. we can do it. >> every time we have you on and we talk about syria specifically, i always have the thought i'm really, really really glad that obama beat mccain and that we didn't have a mccain presidency because of how -- i mean just the beating of the war drums from mccain on syria for this, it hasn't even been stop and let's look at the issue. it is let's go in. and iran. >> there is an agenda behind this. mccain never wanted to leave iraq. doesn't want to leave afghanistan. he wants a permanent military presence in the middle east. he wants to use the military as our chief instrument of regime change. but let's look at the israeli attacks for a second. does this show that we could go do this with impunity, no. these were standoff attacks one offs, shoot and scoot attacks

by -- conducted by israeli jets probably in lebanese airspace using guided munitions or possibly a weapon we sold them called the popeye. an air to surface missile so you can shoot it from miles away. hit the targets twice. with the u.s. would do in the war, if you were to impose a no-fly zone would be massive sustained attacks. probably require at least two aircraft battle groups. you would have to go in and suppress the formidable air defenses, radar systems something the israelis didn't have to contend with. two very different kinds of military operations. >> bill: if -- did they -- i think the israeli government, right, seized this and their operation as entirely separate from whatever is going on in the civil war. >> their attack is not to overthrow the assad government but to destroy the missiles so that hezbollah doesn't get them. >> bill: and has syria given them missiles like this before?

>> not this particular kind but they have -- syria's main supply route. the main transit route from usually iranian supplied weapons going through syria to hezbollah. rockets, longer range missiles. these are scud-like missiles that could hit israeli cities but with better guidance systems so impose a greater danger. >> bill: do you believe that israel tipped off the united states ahead of time that they were going to do this and we sort of gave them a wink and a nod? >> probably not. >> bill: really? >> probably not. they don't usually do this. i wouldn't be surprised if there was a call while the raid was underway. but they don't want to be told not to go. they don't want to be put in position of conducting a raid over u.s. opposition. just don't tell us. >> bill: i imagine the united states doesn't want to know. right? >> it doesn't hurt. that we're not in a position to tell them to stop. >> bill: so we could plead ignorance. >> it is pretty clear that's

what they did when they struck the suspected nuclear reactor being built by syria. they did it and told us later. >> bill: joe cirincione from the ploughshares fund, ploughshares.org. another hearing on benghazi. the issue that will not go away. we count on you to sort that one out for us too when we come back here on the "full court press." join the conversation. if you have a question for joe at 1-866-55-press. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." the issues of the day. >> has the time finally come for real immigration reform? >> with a distinctly satirical point of view. if you believe in state's rights but still believe in the drug war you must be high. >> only on current tv.

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alright, in 15 minutes we're going to do the young turks. i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they know that i'm not bs'ing them with some hidden agenda, actually supporting one party or the other. when the democrats are wrong, they know that i'm going to be the first one to call them out. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us.

>> announcer: like politics? then like the "bill press show" on facebook. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: 25 minutes after the hour. looking at the foreign policy, the world view here with joe cirincione from the ploughshare funds. the great work they do on the issue of nuclear proliferation. joe, some day, we'll get rid of all nuclear weapons. >> we're working on it. >> bill: joe cirincione, ploughshares.org. darrell issa, his oversight in the house tomorrow, holding another hearing, yet another hearing. i've lost track of how many hearings on benghazi. now they have somebody who was a number two guy at the embassy in tripoli. he said call in the jets, send in the jets and the department defense refused to do so. if he said if we had done so, we would have saved those lives. how can they keep this thing alive? what's the real issue?

>> this dog doesn't want to let go of the bone. they want to use it to show there is a conspiracy going on that obama doesn't know what he's doing on national security. that he's hiding critical information. that he's losing the war on terrorism. that's the whole point. they keep driving it. as long as the base supports them, they're going to keep poking this. diplomat in tripoli who said they wanted to call for a strike. they did request an air strike and the military told them they couldn't scramble jets there in time. there is no reason to doubt that military assessment but the diplomat does so and says if we could have, we could have prevented the attack. >> bill: i was going to say what is the evidence if they had scrambled the jets. first of all, we know the area. from where? from italy? where? >> most likely -- we don't have an air base in libya. in italy. >> bill: what's the evidence if they were able to scramble jets from italy they could get to libya fly over and how would

that have prevented what the terrorists were doing on the ground? >> drop some kind of ordinance on -- but again -- >> bill: by the time they got there, it would have been all over. >> accurate bombing depends on accurate ground intelligence. many more complications. always difficult when civilians start to call military operations. >> bill: but also, just trying to figure out if they were to bomb, then there would have been more americans killed, right? if they were going to bomb our consulate, they wouldn't just be able to bomb the terrorists. >> one of the difficulty of closed air support this kind of bombing is the risk that you're going to hit the people you're trying to -- >> bill: how could you not? >> it is difficult. >> bill: do you think this is all political operation? >> absolutely. no question about it. independent commissions looked into this that said mistakes were made. we should have done better. how do we correct them in the future? these guys want to hang this

around president obama's neck. that's the point of the investigation, not to protect u.s. diplomats. >> bill: one more reason for democrats to get control of the house and so we don't have the distractions. at any rate, we'll see another one tomorrow with darrell issa. joe, we're out of time. you'll have to come back again soon. >> always a pleasure. glad to do it. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." criticizing, and holding policy to the fire. are you encouraged by what you heard the president say the other night? is this personal or is it political? a lot of my work happens by doing the things that i am given to doing anyway. staying in tough with everything that is going on politically and putting my own nuance on it. not only does senator rubio just care about rich people but somehow he thinks raising the minimum wage is a bad idea for the middle class. but we do care about them, right? vo: the war room tonight at 6 eastern

>> announcer: this is the "bill press show." live on your radio and current tv. >> bill: you know it's 33 minutes after the hour now here on this tuesday may 7th. maybe you didn't know it but this is teacher appreciation day and we are proud to have the

sponsorship today of the american federation of teachers. the good men and women of the aft under president randi weingarten do a good job every day, making a difference every day in the classrooms of america. we salute them every day but particularly today teacher appreciation day. last night, a big event here in washington, d.c. "buzzfeed" brews is what it was. and john stanton, the washington bureau chief of "buzzfeed" interviewing senator rob portman from ohio. i was there. john joins us in studio this morning to bring -- did you bring some brews with you? >> it is a little early yet. >> hey, you would be surprised how early we crack them open here man. last one was green head gin here at 8:30. >> i've always operated under the notion if the banks aren't

open, it is too early. >> bill: we've even had anchor steve beer in here. >> we have d.c. brau coming in. good event last night. >> bill: congratulations. we have one little clip from your interview maybe the most important question of all that you asked senator portman at all >> like a dirty hippy with the long hair. did you ever smoke weed? [ laughter ] >> this is all off the record, right? >> right. just you and me. >> yes. >> you did. >> yes. i think i've been asked that now in 20 years three times. >> bill: the man is an honest man, huh? >> you look like a dirty hippy. >> you look like a prep school hippy. long hair. playing hackie sack or

something. >> bill: you saw the long hair and you knew. pot smoker. totally. once it gets below the collar, you know. >> bill: i ran for office in california and i got a call from a reporter from the "san francisco chronicle" doing a survey of the candidates and we want to ask you a question. and it is whether or not you ever smoked marijuana and you can -- you know, just get back to us any time in the next three days. figure out your answer and get back to us. i said yes. no need to wait. he said like what? i said yes. what's the next question? >> did you mean today? or ever? >> right now? >> bill: he couldn't believe i was willing to say -- yeah, i did. >> it is funny. it is something that's changed over the last -- since bill clinton pretended he didn't smoke weed. you know, i think people appreciate the fact that politicians are hon best that now.

>> bill: senator portman supported same-sex marriage. he voted against universal background checks. >> he did yes. >> bill: did you get any sense last night that he has changed his mind on this? having come back from this extended break? >> no, uh-huh. we didn't get to that in the questions. in talking to him, i don't think so. he's a conservative guy. i think this is one of them. i think i would be shocked if you see anybody change their votes on that honestly. i saw nothing in him in his demeanor or what he said afterwards that he would change his mind on that. >> bill: i want to remind you that you were in studio with us, maybe the last time, you and peter, you might remember, there was someone else. victoria jones. the two of you at the same time. and both of you said there would not even be enough votes for

cloture on the gun -- and you were wrong. we got the votes on cloture. then it lost on the floor. >> right. >> bill: now you're saying if they bring it back, it's not going to pass? >> it's definitely not going to pass. >> bill: harry reid said he thinks they've got a couple more votes. >> harry reid says a lot of things. you know, the vote -- one of the votes they have to get is max baucus. there is this notion among people who don't know max baucus which apparently is everyone in the white house, even people who worked for max baucus that he's going to change his vote. >> bill: because he's not running for re-election. >> by saying that, they're ensuring max baucus will not change his vote. max is, if nothing stubborn, i think. at this point, he does not have -- there's no pressure on him to change his vote. he believes what the people in montana what. he made his voice known on this thing. short of like major change to the bill.

drastically rewrote the bill or included some of the republican proposals in it. maybe they could get people to do it. but then at that point do you lose democratic votes? do the progressive people say we're not going to vote for this because it is too weak. it is already from a progressive standpoint a fairly weak bill to begin with. and from the conservative standpoint, it is too strong. this is one of those classic examples where there aren't the votes for it. i think that said, i have no doubt that reid and durbin will bring this back up next spring, particularly if they know what's happening with mr. pryor in arkansas. if it they sort of feel like they can bring this up and let him vote against it which helps protect him and then put republicans that have a lot of urban and -- districts or areas in their states, they could put them in the hot seat and try to turn voters against them after their primaries, i think that's something you could say. >> bill: certainly, i have to

agree with you that i do not understand the logic that senator baucus is more likely to vote for this now that he's not running for re-election i think it is just the opposite because there's no way you can put political pressure on him at all. >> he's never been much of a pressure guy. ask tom daschle. >> bill: you start from there. >> harry reid's brilliance with dealing with him when he took over the conference in 2005 was that he really let max sort of be in charge of some stuff and he deferred to him on a lot of things and let him work his way. and that was something that tom daschle hadn't done and that caused a lot of problems and that's how i think he saw the medicare agreement he made with the white house. the bush tax cuts. and you didn't see max doing those things once reid was in charge. i think it was this interpersonal relationship. >> bill: no matter what you think of it, there probably will not be an obamacare bill.

>> absolutely not. >> bill: the president yesterday, john, did something quite unusual. he invited three senators to go play golf with him right? as we were pointing out today he played golf with john boehner. that's really the only time that he has reached out on the golf course. i would discount the two rounds that he had with james clyburn. great guy and a great friend but he's a friend of the president. that was like inviting a buddy who happened to be a member of congress but john boehner was reaching out to really -- because there is a lot of pressure. hadn't talked to boehner. yesterday, clearly, he decided that the charm offensive may be late in coming but it is important and as jay carney told us yesterday willing to try anything. >> well, you know, it was interesting. i think, you know, the two guys who took it to corker and saxby chambliss and they're going to be important to this whole debt ceiling fight that's coming up in tax reform. and you know, i think chambliss that could work.

i think he's not running for re-election. so getting him on board could be important. corker has always -- >> bill: particularly on the budget issues. >> on guns and immigration everybody is where they are. on the budget stuff is where this is going to potentially come into play. >> bill: do you think we'll see more of this in on the part of the president? he's taken them to lobster dinner. now he's out on the golf course on a rainy day. >> take them to the shoop band. at a minimum the white house has suddenly realized this is good p.r. if they lose or get into a protracted fight with republicans, by being able to say look, we've had six dinners 25 rounds of golf, we went to the bar we went to camelot you guys still won't come along it does help them with that fight. >> bill: i gave them a ride on

air force i. we didn't go anywhere. we just circled around washington. took them for a plane ride. as dick durbin said, again we're talking with john stanton from "buzzfeed." buzzfeed.com, senator durbin said you're about to see something unusual in washington d.c. you are to see the senate pass a bill. and they did. they passed a bill. which supporters call the marketplace fairness act. 69-27 yesterday. pretty rare. this is the internet sales tax bill to. get that kind of strong bipartisan support on anything. grover norquist lost. >> grover and max baucus lost. which is, again another example why i don't think he will change his votes on guns. this one is an interesting deal. i think they -- i don't know that it is going to get to the house. i think there is much more

opposition in the house. the senate debated it for ten days or two weeks. you know, a hopeful sign for the senate. especially something like this where it is not like a top tier issue but it is a difficult issue because you know, it's got taxes in it. even though they're not federal taxes and it is not going to raise revenues. the argument that this is a tax raising piece of legislation. legitimate one. the fact that they were able to do it is important. potentially. >> bill: even some democrats ended up opposing it because they come from nonsales tax states. certainly has a head of steam coming out of the senate. but you're right. that does not guarantee that will even get a vote in the house and you know the grover norquist will be working the tea party hard in the house. join us on the internet sales tax. 1-866-55-press. or on the president's round of golf yesterday. should he be doing more of this

or is it a waste of time? join us here on the "full court press" with john stanton. we'll be right back and continue our conversation on the news of the day. >> announcer: connect with the "bill press show" on twitter. follow us at bpshow and tweet using the hashtag watching bp. this is the "bill press show." >> do you think that there is any chance we'll see this president even say the words "carbon tax"? >> with an open mind... >> has the time finally come for real immigration reform? >> ...and a distinctly satirical point of view. >> but you mentioned "great leadership" so i want to talk about donald rumsfeld. >> (laughter). >> watch the show. >> only on current tv. (vo) this afternoon, current tv is the place for compelling true stories.

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i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're

honest. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us. >> bill: it is tuesday, may 7. john stanton here with us from "buzzfeed."

a lot of buzz about "buzzfeed" and the great work they're doing on many fronts. peter, what's going on? >> today in south carolina, special election. mark sanford and elizabeth colbert busch. we talked to chris moody last hour. i know "buzzfeed" has people down there. dave weigel is down there. he tweeted earlier today that sanford has ten events on his schedule today. stopping at restaurants businesses. >> bill: not allowed to campaign on election day. >> he's out and about. as moody told us, he's stopping wherever there's people. colbert busch however she's going to vote and no other events. >> bill: pretty confident. or pretty cocky. i don't know. if you're allowed to get out and about, i would be out there man. >> right. i would. odd. >> it is very odd. he's hustling though. >> bill: what's odd is chris moody told us yesterday. he's following sanford around and at one point sanford is there by himself and has to get

to the next event. skees chris for a ride. chris gave him a ride. >> kate did as well. he said to her i'm driving and took her keys and drove to the next event. >> no way! >> she wrote a great story about it. >> that's amazing. getting choaferred by mark sanford is crazy. getting chauffeured by mark sanford is crazy. >> bill: did he realize she's not a south carolina voter? [ laughter ] >> bill: man that is -- i don't know how that one is going to go. >> the fact he has been able to close it -- the poll that came out this weekend to one point. if brings up one point. that's amazing that he's been able to. a testament to his real tail politics abilities. the fact he can do that. >> if you believe in the whole last-minute momentum, he's got the momentum going into this for sure. >> bill: john john stanton

tomorrow, darrell issa has another hearing on benghazi. i've lost track of the number of hearings on benghazi. is this -- is this an indication this is becoming a more serious issue for the administration or just an indication that like a dog with a bone, isa won't let go and john mccain? >> i think it is a little bit of both. whistle-blowers, the administration may or may not have been putting pressure on, to not testify. they're now going to be coming forward. you know, i think during the election, when the benghazi stuff happened, a lot of the real serious problems with it got consumed by this political question of what did susan rice know and when did she know it and why did she tell the american people this stuff? it is interesting i guess. the real question is how did this happen and why you know, why did it -- why did we respond the way we did. there are some very clear problems with how it was handled

by the administration. >> bill: which were addressed by a special commission at least once, i guess you either reject the work of the commission or accept it. >> yeah. >> bill: there will never be enough answers for some people. >> no, there won't be. you know, there's clearly some politics here. i think you know, there is -- this is sort of like a legitimate function of congress to be looking into this stuff. this is sort of -- it is not like -- solyndra where, you know, there was something there but it wasn't necessarily as big as republicans hoped it was. you know, people died here and the public certainly cares about it. you know, the administration has never really done a great job of answering for it and sort of owning it. hillary clinton did. you know detail end of her tenure and fell on her sword finally. but you know, it is going to linger, i think. >> bill: i don't know how long it stays alive. all of the things about hillary was she won't testify. she faked an illness to avoid testifying then she comes back

and testified in the house and in the senate and then in the house and the senate. now she's gone. now we have yet another hearing on benghazi. it seems endless to me. i have to ask you an in-house question okay? i thought one of the finest moments of "buzzfeed" was when you went after cnn on the boston bombing and the erroneous reporting up there. does cnn get its reputation back or has it gotten its reputation back? they got slammed at the white house correspondents' dinner. >> they did. you know, i don't know. i think -- i feel for those guys because you know, they were very much trying to sort of be ahead of things and i understand that pressure. we made, i think a calculated decision at "buzzfeed" to not try to play in that minute by minute game of what was happening on the ground. a, we don't have the kind of sourcing in boston and legal circles in boston that we could legitimately pull that off. things were very obviously

moving very quickly. you know, there's push on twitter where people were reporting everything they were hearing on police scanners. they're a great source of information but if you ask any cop reporter out there the problem is that there are all of these cops that are on there that are saying things. you don't know who those people are. you don't know what they're saying to -- seeing to say these things. it is part of the law enforcement process. a lot of times, it is erroneous. it is not they're purposely being erroneous. they see something and report it out. the line on that is very dangerous. >> bill: i think cnn learned a lesson. they learned a lesson the hard way. it seems like we're just getting started with things we want to talk about. the ole clock takes over. we've run out. buzzfeed.com. great job to you and all of your colleagues. thanks for coming in. >> thank you. >> bill: i'll be back with a parting shot. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."

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>> announcer: the parting shot with bill press. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: hey just a quick 30 seconds here for a final word about the president's golf game yesterday. it was a rainy day. a cold day. last day you would think about getting to the golf course unless you got a call from the president of the united states. three senators had a round of golf with the president. some people are being critical of the president for doing so. i disagree. i think it is a good idea for the president to spend some relaxing time with the senators. nothing wrong with it. in fact, i think if the

president had done more of that kind of outreach during his first term we might have had a deal a lot earlier on the budget, gun control and immigration and other important issues. mr. president, i would say more golf with more senators and members of the house in the second term. see you tomorrow.

[♪ theme music ♪] >> stephanie: hello current tv land. all right. technical -- no jacki. all right. wow, jim, don't you hate it when you have been kept in someone's

basement for ten years. wow! three brothers have been arrested in oakland. we have the 911 audio. i have been kidnapped and missing for ten years one of the women told the