cenk off air alright in 15 minutes we're going to do the 1 thing than viewers like about the young turks is that were honest. they know that i'm not bsing them for some hidden agenda, actually supporting one party or the other. when the democrats are wrong, they know i'm going to be the first one to call them out. cenk on air>> what's unacceptable is how washington continues to screw the middle class over. cenk off air i don't want the middle class taking the brunt of the spending cuts and all the different programs that wind up hurting the middle class. cenk on air you got to go to the local level, the state level and we have to fight hard to make sure they can't buy our politics >> but when it comes to the law they were very well within their rights to fetch those phone records watt the associated press knowing knowing about it. >> michael: it seems a lot of country, even a lot of media more and more of the media are coming around to that position. maybe now the president can get out there and talk about

immigration and guns, the old city of chicago today for fundraisers as well. it looks like they're getting back to the business of being president. jim warren is with "the new york daily news." always great on "the war room"." thank you. >> a pleasure. >> michael: now we move to other political news. john mccain's one-man policy tour took in yemen today. mccain has pressed for military action against the assad regime and critical of the president's reluctance to intervene with that civil war. meanwhile, south carolina senator lindsey graham a close ally to mccain, tweeted this. best wishes to senator mccain

if he doesn't come back, speaking dibs on his office. i thought that was kind of funny. mccain is the highest ranking official to be in syria since earlier this month. it turns out the real life cartoon villain koch brothers do not have the monopoly on dark money. just puppy ransom. and its like putting on your best tuxedo for the tractor pull. the clown college that passes as our house of representatives. and who will play hillary, vying for the chance to play ms. rodham in her younger years.

they think this world isn't big enough for the both of them. but we assure you - it is. bites. little greatness.

>> 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. 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? [ ♪ theme music ♪ ] >> michael: the last few weeks have, indeed, been rough for the president. he has faced scandals on several fronts from the irs to benghazi to the associated press. but so far not much has been

stuck and his approval ratings remain high. let's starts in the house where john boehner confessed to politico that he had not spoken with the president since the beginning of the year. the second most powerful politician in washington is not talking to the first most powerful. that is not good. it's why politico described him as a relatively weak speaker. boehner responded saying that they missed his style. his style? nancy pelosi wrote you're missing my style. 0 jobs bills. 37 votes to repeal health reform. that's hashtag boehner style. he told politico, i'm busy trying to organize my own guys.

granted the g.o.p. is in complete disarray according to bob dole who said this on sunday. >> i think they ought to put a sign on the national committee doors closed for repairs. until new year's day next year, and spend that time going over ideas. >> michael: without ideas or agenda, the republicans don't have much to sale, greed former maine senator olympia snowe. she also thinks that the republicans need to regroup. >> but again i do green with the former majority leader bob dole. the party is going to undergo significant changes and they have to rethink their approach

as a political party and how they're going to reoh group and become the governorring majority part that appeals to the broader number of americans. >> michael: newer senators like marco rubio and ted cruz have clashed with members of the old guard like john mccain and lindsey graham, and now mccain seems more intent on the middle east crisis than bringing his party together. even more incredible thing is he has gotten the most criticism from within his own party. the tea party nation issued the following statement: : >> michael: it'sen credible that they could challenge john

mccain to anything on memorial day of all people to challenge that's where they have it the most wrong. that good ol' fashioned 501 c 4 social welfare talk, obviously mccain is not going to unite his own party what about mcconnell. he's neck and neck with democratic state secretary lunder gran-grimes. and it's not just the national republican party tearing each other to shred. the same is true in the states. jan would youer is fighting with the republican state house to expand medicaid as required under obama-care. when january jan brewer is the voice of reason for your party you know you have a huge problem.

sung lee kemp, welcome inside the war room. >> thank you for having me. >> michael: your colleagues wrote about boehner's cenking power. is the tea party out of control at this point. >> i think there really no other way for the speak for approach this particular conference. they've been very vocally opposed to what leadership has opposed since the midterm elections of 2010 and especially when earlier this year you have several conservative house freshman who maybe never even said a date with boehner voting against him for speaker. for boehner you have to take the hand-off approach and let them

sort of go on their way let them air their agendas and you have to take the hands-off approach as boehner has done. >> michael: that's hugely unprecedented where a speaker is ceding control to his conference. can boehner and does he even want to take that control of the republicans in the house? >> it's hard to say. the thing with speaker boehner he was never going to be the type of speaker to rule with an iron fist. he's been very overtly, low key. it's his personality manifesting itself in how he's conducts his speakership. >> michael: he told politico he had not met with the president in five months, and who do you think is responsible for that,

and up to the president to reach out more, or the speaker have to call on the white house? >> it seems to me they both have phones they could reach out to each other. but what he said to my colleagues was indicative. he has to have husband focus on his conference right now. he's not really interested--he's not, first and foremost, interested in meeting with the president. he has his own guys to worry about. he has tried that before. it did not work, that's obviously where his focus is going to be. >> michael: but it seems like he's throwing in the white flag on that, too. he's not engaging his caucus. he's not engaging the white house. he's sitting back and letting them have at it. it's not leadership, and it points to the weak leadership that a lot of people are saying saying this speaker exhibits, not just his opponent on the other side, nancy pelosi. let's go into that conference. the republican of new york said he will boycott a stay dinner in

new york because senator ted cruz is a featured guest. he has been criticizing cruz for opposing aid to hurricane sandy. is that a good strategy for republicans to try to distance themselves from the most extreme members of their party? i would argue that's what boehner struggled to do himself. >> i think you might hear more from types like peter king who are more confident to speak out against their party. right before the congressional recess you saw the split within the republican party over a fight over the budget where ted cruz came out and said i do not trust republicans. to me that was a striking comment. and you have types like john mccain going up against this new breed of republicans, and i think something that we might see more of especially as the debate over the budget continues. we do have the debt ceiling later this summer, and you may

see that divide. >> michael: yes, you always forget there is always a debt ceiling conversation coming up. just when you think it's over the debt ceiling comes in effect. >> it rears it's ugly head. >> michael: let's talk about the in-fighting and how it might affect republicans' chances next year in 2014 and the congressional election, could this provide an opening for the democrats to take back the house? >> i think it's much less likely in the house. it might play a role in the senate but in the house with the house, the vast majority of the districts are very conservative or very liberal. that's not going to change. the few seats in the middle that are in play you might see the democrats successfully tying a few of them to the extremes of the party but at the same time the demeanors have an uphill battle. they have to win back the

majority, and that seems to be an uphill battle right now. you know they're in the six-can-year curse with with the president losing seats to the election. i don't see how this benefits democrats. >> michael: it seems like they have a little bit of wind to their back because they're going up against a wounded opponent. even if you're an underdog it sets it itself up really well even with the six-year curse. we'll check in with you a year and a half from now. politico's seung min kim. thank you for the visit. he's the enthusiast. andy kroll with mother jones joins us after this. documentaries that are real, gripping, current.

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very very excited about that and very proud of that. beltway politics from inside the loop. we tackle the big issues from inside our nation's capital, around the country and around the globe. >> bill press opens current's morning news block. >> we'll do our best to carry the flag from six to nine every morning. >> think conservatives have a stranglehold on the morning news? bill press invites you to think again as he tackles the hot issues on capital hill and beyond. >> just bringing you exactly what's happening in politics today by people who have a lot of experience, who know what's going on and who know what they're talking about. i'll tell you what energizes me to get up every morning is to

get the first crack at the news, the first crack at the newsmakers. i know this stuff, i know what i'm talking about and i love it and i try to bring that to the show. only on current tv. >> mitt romney made over $100 million by shutting down our plant and devastated our lives. turns out that when we built that stage, it was like building my own coffin. >> michael: you may remember that ad as one of the most effective ones in the 2012 campaign. the union worker described how he was ordered to build a stage at an indiana paper factory then executives from bain capital mitt romney's private equity firm walked across the stage and

announced they were firing everyone described as a ruthless businessbusinessman, and that ad was supported by jeffrey katzenberg ceo of dreamworks animation. he raised $3 million for the super pac and was one of the most influence players in the campaign overall. he despite helping to get obama in office, he never asked for anything in return. for more on jeff katzenberg's i'm joined by. what is it about jeff katzenberg that makes him such a brilliant operator and fundraiser. >> what you have with jeffrey katzenberg is not only someone with an incredible amount of wealth. he's worth an estimated

$800 million. he has the capacity to give $1 million and $3 million except. he is an ally, a fundraiser. he is a guy who is not afraid to get his hands dirty. he'll call other studio heads in hollywood. he'll host fundraisers. for other candidates in town he continues to bug all of his tinseltown friends to pony up for the cause that he supports none other than will smith joked jeffrey katzenberg has no problem asking people for money. he's in a sweet spot when it comes to bankroller, king makeer in politics today. >> michael: that's what republicans don't have generally which is hollywood's support. how important was it for him to get those names, the clooneys, the will smiths, the pictures

that we just saw how important is that to a campaign, to the president's campaign, for example. >> well, it was hugely supportive hugely important for are president obama in 2012. not only did accountsenberg rally hollywood around obama's campaign helping to raise millions of dollars to reelect the president getting the hollywood folks on board and remember this is at a time when wall street, which supported president obama, then senator obama, to a large degree in 2008. wall street largely moved to mitt romney for the 2012 campaign. that source of money dried up for the president. hollywood stepped up and fill some of that shortfall and jeffrey katzenberg was absolutely at the center of that. you also had jeffrey katzenberg playing a pivotal role in creatinggetting a super pac started for president obama. katzenberg was so actived.

he's like soy sauce in chinese food. he's everywhere. >> michael: that's a great line, by the way. let's talk about a few of the things that you just mentioned. he raised millions of dollars for the democrats. but answeredy, that did not come close to the money that sheldon adelson, $150 million raised for the republicans. who was the more effective fundraiser clearly the president one but why did it work that way? >> the case study between katzenberg types and sheldon adelson, the las vegas tie cone is an interesting one. adelson gave $100 million that we know about to super pacs around the country. and katzenberg's amount paled to that. i supported newt gringrich and

then he moved to mitt romney. he supported senate candidates that made gaffes. he supported super pacs that supported those candidates who were making gaffes. he was putting money in all these different causes, and really just spreading it far and wide. what you saw with katzenberg who does not have the $26.5 million $26.5 billion that sheldon adelson has he put money behind a few select candidates and causes that he felt would have an impact. obama's super pac was one. the campaign was another. the senate super pac to help the democrats keep their majority in the senate was another. the two case studies and someone really specifically targeting where they want their money to go and another person who can just spread $100 million around to whatever looks appeal appealing. ism and that's where you see the

effectiveness of katzenberg. now as i said at the top katzenberg insisted he doesn't want anything in return from the white house. come on, andy, tell us what does he want in return from the white house? >> well, the title of my profile an of katzenberg was access hollywood, and it was pretty clear looking at his relationship with the president looking at katzenberg and his close group of visors advisers, they enjoy intimate access with the obama white house. katzenberg and his adviser visited the white house nearly 50 times during the first term--president obama's first term. katzenberg has enjoyed really good access, for instance, leadership with china. dreamworks is making big moves in china. it will surpass as the biggest film make center america and

katzenberg needs to be there. whether he wants to be there or not he has been in a great position to advocate for his industry, and to advocate for his own company by being so close with president obama in such a big support. >> michael: and asked and answered right there. maybe that's why and whether he can be doing it for the purist reasons in the world or to play defense from somebody like mitt romney becoming president but the point is when you give that much money, you raise that much money, even if you say you don't want anything in return, these are clearly the spoils that the rich want. some are already labeling next year's elections as the quote katzenberg primary. do you think he and his hollywood posses will support hillary clinton, i'm talking about 2016 not 2014. >> right in 2008 campaign, so i'm talking about 2007. katzenberg spielberg and these hollywood players known by the

acronyms s.k.g. they were for obama and that infuriateed the clinton people. but we know looking forward to 2016, we know katzenberg will be involved. he does not want to lose the white house after eight years of president obama like we saw after eight years of president clinton. he'll get behind the candidate who will most likely win for the democrats. if that's hillary clinton which at this early stage it certainly looks like he's going to get behind the person who has the best chance for a democratic party without a doubt. >> michael: he does seem smart about that. he was smart about it in '08, and i suspect he'll be spatterbesmart about it in 20/16. thank you. the house of representatives have been dismantleed but will they surprise me on immigration? we'll talk about that right

after the break.

>> michael: while you may have spent your holiday weekend enjoying parades barbecues the nhl playoffs and--not the nhl playoffs--some republicans created a new tradition of their own, finding faults with the immigration reform bill and calling it amnesty. >> the main problem with illegal immigration is that we don't have enough legal immigration. this bill because it was negotiated with the unions actually lowers the numbers for work visas. that's the wrong direction to go. >> we have to solve immigration. we hate encouraging illegality, and we hate to have another wave of amnesty after this one. >> michael: these guys are just stuck in the past. it's unbelievable. will immigration reform get

killed in republican-led house? not all republicans are convinced that reform is good policy or good politics, shocking i know. tim holtknow. i don't know the guy. that is just the dumbest thing i can imagine anyone saying. give 11 new voters the right to be citizens, some of them might vote for you. we should put him down as a no. to get caught up where where immigration reform stands in the house we are joined with congress mark v e. what is the latest on immigration reform bill in the house? >> let me just say that i believe there is a bipartisan

group that believes we need to do something about 11 million undocumented citizens that are living in this country. the time for reform is now. it's long overdue and i believe the bipartisan house members that are working on this bill, want to do the right thing and i'm optimistic. >> michael: you are optimistic. i look around that house of representatives, the people you call your colleagues, and i don't see a lot of reasons to be optimistic when they speak the way that they do about this bill. where is--do you see this bill being watered down? how do you think the final bill is going to look? >> there are many members of the republican party that are extremely out of touch on this issue, but i believe there are enough members along with the democrats like myself who come from a border state who understand that there is a need

for border security, there is a need for 11 million people including many families that want to be reunited, who want to have a chance to make this country better, who want to do the right thing who want to make america the country that it's supposed to be on this issue, and i believe that there are enough republicans that are reasonable enough to work with the democratic contests to get this bill passed. and i'm going to remain optimistic. i know the sort of rhetoric with the more extreme members of the republican party that seems immigration reform is for for away, but this group being led by congressman luis gutierrez who i worked with in dallas and talk talked about comprehensive immigration reform, i think they'll get it done.

>> michael: you think you'll get some republicans to come along on this, but in ordered to that the bill will have to be watered down from where it stands. >> i don't think any bill will be perfect, but i believe that we can compromise and come up with language and a solution that will, a bring 11 million people out of the shadows. do something to bring families together. you should hear the stories when i go in different neighborhoods in dallas dallas/fort worth, when i go to other places around north texas and around the country about families that have been separated from their loved ones, separated from their children, there is a young man in dallas right now, a really good friend of mine who has been a big supporter, and his wife is in mexico. his little boy just wants to see his mom. and if you heard heartbreaking stories like that over and over again, you would understand that you have to remain optimistic.

you have to remain hopeful that something will get passed. i really do believe that the time is now that america will hear the cries of these families, these young people, all they want to do is to have their families brought together and to live a better life, and again make our country a great place. >> michael: when you break it down and go to the human side, that tells the story as much as it needs possible told. that tells the story from a humanistic standpoint. let's talk about that. senators have said that he wanted to put a protections for same-sex partners in the senate bill there. they didn't bring that to committee vote because they felt that that would be a deal breaker. how would that change things for the same sex partners in the house bill. >> any details in the house bill will be released later, of course but i don't believe that

the bill--that the senate has come up with this perfect but i do believe it's a starting point. let me just say this to all of my friends out there in the lgbt community any deal that does not include protections for the 200,000 lgbt families who have those same feelings, the same same emotions, who they just want to be reunited with their loved ones, any bill that does not include those citizens or individuals is not good, and we need to do everything we can to include them. that will be something that i will fight for. i'm already a cosponsor of the bill that would include gay and lesbian families and immigration folks, and we need to include them. it's the right thing to do. i would hate to look back in history if immigration reform bill passes, which i believe one will, i want to remain optimistic, but if we pass one and we look back and did he not

include members of the lgbt community, i think it would be a sad day for our country and i think it will be something that people will regret. >> michael: to hear someone talk about that openly, and from texas as well because the perception is that that is not the kind of bill sponsored by a texan, i think that's so important and i hope you win the day with that. >> thank you. >> michael: house republicans are acting in self interest, clearly, are you going to make this an issue in 2014? because that seems to be their plan as well. >> i think they have learned their lesson from 2012. i mean, that's where i believe we'll get a bill passed. they have heard the same news reports that you and i have heard that they did poorly when it came to reaching out to people who care about comprehensive immigration row form and understand that comprehensive immigration reform needs to be a top priority in this country. i believe they learned that

learn in 2012 and they do not want to lesson repeated in 2014 and they'll come together and work in bipartisan fashion and get a comprehensive immigration reform bill passed today. >> michael: let's be hopeful and representative mark veasey, thank you for being us. here, brett erlich joins me live and you that you you couldn't stand the pre-package tape investigators version of him stick around for what i have after this. >> "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.

(vo) later tonight current tv is the place for 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.

>> michael: the 47th best part about doing "the war room" from los angeles is i get to hang out with brett erlich. after the awkward dance in which he asked me for money and i refused is now over and done with, we have time for a few laughs. brett, as always good to see. >> you i want people to know for the record that you did not give me money. people should know how tight you are for your wallet. >> people should know that you did ask for it. >> i did ask. >> that's all we want. brett, a couple of things to get to today. here in culver city, california, from where we broadcast there is a billboard that sparked furor. it's from jc penny and he's advertising a tea kettle. it resembles a certain--how do you say a certain hitler and it's adolf. >> yes, i think we have a photo of it. it is just a tea kettle.

when you look at it, there is definitely a resemblance. the commenters on red "it" reiched them over the called over it. one bad joke the hitler looks like a kettle. nelson biggs quick stalin and by one now. and then someone else wrote these are confusing, which is are the fascist. >> michael: i should add this tea kettle has sold out. >> the best $40 you have spent. >> michael: you cannot get one of them. >> i wonder if the designer was let me look at this again. and then thought, oh my gosh, what does this mean? this same designer, i think we have a photo of this, designed a toaster that looks a little like-- >> michael: i don't see that. >> i don't see it looking like mau. >> michael: to me it looks like a toaster. >> it has a theme song, do you want to hear that? >> michael: sure, i would love to hear the theme son.

>> i'm a tea pot i'm short and stout. here is my handle. >> michael: i wish we didn't have two more minutes of show to do because i would tell you to leave the set. let's move on to theal to the al gore cat. this cat says al gore. [ al gore ] >> michael: where was that cat in 2000 when we needed it. >> i don't know. people have been interested. my dog, it's kind of similar. it barks like a normal dog. it doesn't say al gore. it just sounds like al gore. we have a video of it. >> bark, bark, woof, woof

environment. >> michael: that's it. that's an really unusual pet. >> isn't that weird. >> michael: you're lucky to have a dog like that. here we have it. hillary rodham clinton they're thinking about making a movie about her early years. everyone actress wants this. >> this script was on the blacklist, a list of hot script that have not been made yet last year. it focuses on a 26-year-old hillary clinton as she's deciding to pursue her career. the people in the running are reese weatherer spoon scarlet johansson. >> no philip seymour hoffman. >> and bill clinton wants to play himself. >> michael: thank you for being with us here in the war room. "the young turks" is next. have a great night folks.

>> i think it's brilliant. (vo) first, news and analysis with a washington perspective from an emmy winning insider. >> i know this stuff, and i love it. (vo) followed by humor and politics with a west coast edge. bill press and stephanie miller. >> what a way to start the day.

♪ theme ♪ cenk: welcome to "the young turks." we've got a funky news day for you guys. john mccain in syria. surprise. why was he there? we're going to discuss it later in the program and turns out there will be no drones in texas, it's a new law except the new law allowing for a tremendous amount of drones in texas. >> remember the story of the young girl having the lesbian relationship, she was a senior wi