it's clear that in response to hurricane irene, we have learned a better way to prepare for short-term disasters. we can see it in the seriousness and the effectiveness of the federal, state and local government responses. but learning short-term lessons from katrina is not enough. six years later, the longer-term lessons about public policy, mutual investment, are what we as a people are still refusing to learn. and that does it for us tonight. i'm melissa harris perry in for rachel mad do you. we'll see you tomorrow tonight. and i'll see you next hour o he ed show" which starts right now. good afternoon, americans and welcome to "the ed show" tonight live from new orleans, louisiana. as people along the east coast are either recovering or still feeling the effects of hurricane irene, six years later, residents in this city of new orleans are still dealing with the blow from hurricane katrina.

over 1,000 patients lined up here at the convention center to see a doctor today and get free health care. and while this free clinic is almost over, we still need your help. and we'll tell you how. this is "the ed show." let's get to work. >> it's going to take time to recover from the storm of this magnitude. >> hurricane irene caused loss of life and billions in property damage this weekend. but eric cantor stands by his position that any money spent on disaster relief must be offset by other cuts. tonight, louisiana congressman cedrick richmond, a veteran of hurricane katrina, who lost his home in the hurricane, is ripping the republicans and taking them to task. >> yes, there is a federal role, yes, we're going to find the money, we just need to make sure that there are savings elsewhere. >> eric cantor isn't the only republican playing politics with disaster relief. michele bachmann says the recent disasters are god's way of

sending politicians a message about spending. now bachmann says she was joking. both times she said it. while people were literally dying in the storm. rebuilding new orleans. year six. and still, not even close to being done. melissa harris perry on how some volunteers are making a difference in saint bernard parish. great to have you with us tonight, folks. from are the earnest inn convention center here in new orleans. i can tell you tonight, there is no other place on the face of the earth that i would rather be than right here, because tonight, and throughout the day, i have seen the best of america, but i have also seen the worst. you see these health care clinics, this isn't where you're going to see any politicians, because they know they can come in here and make a difference. this is real america. these aren't egyptians, they're not libyans, they're not afghans, and believe me, these folks who are here, they know exactly where our priorities are, and they know exactly where the billions of dollars are

going. and i can tell you that there is an undercurrent of an attitude. everybody that walked in this door today, they're angry. they're angry at washington, they're angry at the bickering, and despite the fact that there was a health care bill that was passed that's going to help millions of americans, they realize it's only a start. but the only conversation that's going on right now in america is how we're going to repeal what has already been passed to some day help these folks who were out here. just a couple of hours ago, the doors closed. but that means they can't take anymore tonight. the fact of the matter is, these patients are going to be processed through the night, probably until about 2:00 in the morning. 1,000 patients were treated today. it's a great story. 1,000el volunteers from a city that was devastated six years ago, they showed up to help. they love their city. they know what this fight is all about. and what's interesting about this is that usually in all of these health care clinics, you can break down the percentages, 83% of the patients that come

through the door, they have a job. but today it was a different story. 63% of the patients who came here today, they don't have a job. they're unemployed. it's kind of tough to have health insurance and see a doctor if you can't pay for it. and another point is that half of the americans that came into this convention center today to see a doctor for the first time since our clinic was here in new orleans a year ago. so america, we ask the question. and i realize that health care isn't in the news every day. i realize that it's not the big story it was before the bill was passed via reconciliation in the senate. and i realize that this is in a sense been put on the back burner in many cases in the minds of americans, oh, yeah, health care, it's still not very good, but we passed something. and the only thing we're talking about in washington is how we're going to repeal the damn thing. let me tell you something. the story is still the same. in fact, it's worse in many cases. most of the people that came

through here are looking for a job. this was as much about a jobs fair today as it was anything else. because what you're seeing right now is a reset you'll of an economy that is in peril, because we can't get politicians to get together on a jobs package in washington. we can't loosen up the purse strings at the big banks to give the small innovators in this country a loan to get started, to give those entrepreneurs access to the cash. we've got everybody sitting on the sideline, because we're really nervous about what might happen down the road. there's nothing american about that. there's nothing american about not taking a chance. there's nothing american about not getting involved. and that's why i would rather be here tonight than anywhere else, because this is what america is. and we need a real dose of this at least once a week on this program and i want to get out and get across the country and tell the story of real americans who are unselfish, who know where the billions of dollars are going, and know how sick this country is when it comes to a for-profit health care system. and there's no politician in

washington right now talking about health care. but you know what? there were several thousand people in this facility today that have got a thousand stories to tell. now, that's the bad part about america, is the politicians don't want to work together. here's the great part about america. i was so encouraged, and i want you to listen to the words of the people i interviewed here today. i was so encouraged by the volunteers who came out to do something. why are you here? >> because i think it's important, and i think that the work done by free clinics is really important. and i also think that at some time or another, you might need to go to the free clinic, whether you're a substitute or a flight attendant. sometimes you switch jobs and your insurance kind of -- there's that cap and i think the work done at free clinics fills that void. >> my name is mary tina vrejas and i teach at thorn ridge high school, 20 minutes outside of chicago. >> reporter: why are you here? >> i'm trying to pilot a program

of voluntaryism in our school, because i'm trying to teach our students we do have a call to service. >> they're very nervous to come to the doctor. and for us, it's just not that sort of experience. so to see people who haven't been to the doctor in ten years -- i go on a monthly basis and it's nothing. but to them, ten years and they're so nervous to come see somebody and talk about their problems. >> reporter: why are you here today? >> i'm here to get some medical help hopefully and see a doctor, which is hard to do these days. >> reporter: how hard? >> hard like never and you need it today. it's always a difficult thing here in new orleans. >> reporter: what brings you here? >> i'm sick. can't afford to go to a regular doctor. and they advertised this on tv so i called in to get -- come and get my blood pressure medication done, anti-anxiety medication, i can get it refilled. >> reporter: how often do you go to a doctor? >> least as possible. >> reporter: you haven't been very often? >> no, can't afford to go to the emergency room. it costs too much. >> reporter: i guarantee you, folks, that there are people

watching this broadcast tonight across america who are seeing those folks that can relate to them far more than any politician that says, hey, we're going to repeal health care. some politicians standing up saying we're going to go backwards doesn't mean squat to those americans. you know what americans want, they want a job, they want a fair shake. and a lot of these folks here don't feel they've gotten a fair shake in this economy and this is just the domino effect. they can't get the health care they need in this country. because it's for profit. those folks, that mother and that daughter, she is a nursing -- she's a nursing student from calgary, alberta. they were so moved by what they have seen us talk about on this program that they made the trip all the way down here to new orleans, just to help out. because you see, to them, we're the -- you know, we're the only industrialized country in the world that doesn't have universal health care. to them, seeing a doctor, heck, that's like a walk in the park. they just call up, and they go

see the doctor. but here? there was a lady here that came here today that actually was in the emergency room. and they told her that it was going to be a seven-hour wait and that she should come over here to this free health care clinic at this facility. and she did. joining me now is the executive director of the national association of free clinics. and donny woodfield, director of the association of free clinics in new orleans, also known as the hip-hop doc. we're going to get to that in a moment. i love both of you for what you've done. i've seen you in action today. america loves you. we need more americans like you. nicole, what did you see today? >> i saw people who were waiting in line, and they were sad, and they were angry, and they told me they wanted a job. they didn't want to be uninsured. they didn't want to be unemployed. and they walked out of here feeling as if someone cared about them. they felt as if they had a purpose and they got their health care taken care of today. i saw this one, this is the

story that hits me the most. she brought her mammogram here, because no one read it for her. she had been without her diabetic strips for three years. she didn't know where else to go, she came here, got her free prescriptions and then she left because she was going to her part-time job. >> and there were americans who came in here today who found out they had cancer, correct? >> five diagnoses today. >> doctor, you saw one. what happened? >> very pleasant gentleman, looked to be in great shape. complained of a sore on his buttocks. he had a mass on his buttocks that definitely was going to be cancerous. sad. what i like about this clinic most is the heart felt feeling you get from the individuals that work it. my nurse that was working with me, gave him some support, got him set up, and he's going to be taken care. but it's very unfortunate, because he says the only reason he didn't get checked out, he didn't have access to a doctor and couldn't get that taken care. >> i'm not here to sell anything. i'm here to tell it like it is. and are people angry, doctor? did you sense that?

>> people were angry. i saw more men than i normally see, partly because they didn't have jobs of the last year, there was more women than men i saw. but these guys, i had nothing to do today, so i decided to come out, because i didn't have a job to go to. >> what else did you see today? >> a lot of diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol. people that had not seen doctors in some years. also saw patients that came back from the previous clinics because they were so pleased with the care they got, but had not seen doctors since the previous clinic, so they had gone a year, year-and-a-half. >> nicole, you had a great story here of a donation of $250,000 that there was a company that was so moved by what is happening with your organization, they committed to give every patient that came in here today 90 days, three months of prescription drugs. tell us about it. >> rx outreach has decided because they saw this on "the ed show", they wanted to be part of this event. they came to us and said you know what, we want to pilot a program with you. we want to be in new orleans. so is we're going to give $250,000 worth of medication to

every patient that walks in the door. and i tell you, we have patients who can't afford a $4 medication. to have that 90 days frees up so much. >> why do you do this? the national association of free clinics. why do you go to different cities? and i will say there is no picking on new orleans here, okay? they have been through a lot. but you know what, so have other cities in this country when it comes to health care. and i could take this show on the road. i've been with you a number of different clinics. it's the same story. it hasn't changed. okay? so why do you go on the road and do this? >> the 1,200 clinics across the country have seen a 40 to 50% increase in patients. and the last two years. we knew we had to do something. we had to go to the clinics and have these clinics across the country to show what the face of the uninsured looks like. because so many people think, oh, that's not me. it's not anybody i know. but i've got to tell you, ed, it's there but by the grace of god go i. each and every one of us could be in the situation at any point in time where we're uninsured. so we go to all cities to show there is a problem for the

working poor. >> and these free clinics aren't free. i mean, you need donations to make this work and do the next one. >> we do. >> where can people go to help? >> freeclinics.us and make a donation. we need $95,000. >> i want positive people to look to look at this website, freeclinics.us. and i want you to know that your money, if you donate is going to five people who found out today they had cancer. >> right. >> five people. okay. the other 995 people that came in here haven't been to the doctor sometimes in five years. ten years. doctor, it's really amazing. it must -- give you a real warm feeling inside to know that everybody you see, you're helping. and i sense that with all of the volunteers here as well. >> ed, if for those that don't believe that we need health care for all, if they would ever come and work one of these clinics like you mentioned, the

politicians who come here, if they come to these clinics and touch these people, it would change their lives and how we approach this in the country. >> i don't think politicians come here, because number one, none of these people here are going to line their pockets. there aren't going to be any donations here to a politician. and most politicians, they don't have an answer on which way to go next. and the only thing they're doing is getting pounded by the media, because you know, we have to repeal what was passed. i mean, it's garbage what's going on. in the meantime, we have americans who are suffering, and it's not the lead story every night on broadcasts across america. but it's happening. >> it's happening. you know, thanks to you, this new story doesn't fade. everywhere else, the headline is gone. i've got to tell you right now, if we think this fight for health care is over, we're sorely mistaken. it has just begun. >> i had people today say -- come up to me from indiana, wisconsin. >> all over. >> ohio, washington, d.c., chicago. indiana. tennessee. oklahoma.

colorado. i mean, people from all over the country have responded to this. and all of the volunteers here know that if everybody in this country were to have their attitude, we would turn this thing around. >> hands down. >> we would turn it around. it's a story near and dear to my heart. because this is the best of america when i see the volunteer effort. i want to thank both of you for doing what you're doing. >> thank you. >> it's really what this country is about and the people that are so moved tonight to give to your clinics. really we'll be doing great things for people. i appreciate it. >> thank you. >> thanks nicole and dr. ronnie witfield. these are americans that you can count on. congressman eric cantor says disaster relief must be offset by more spending cuts. there's a democratic congressman who did show up here today who i had a one-on-one interview with who says that what has happened in new orleans is getting turned around, but he says that mr. cantor's view of all of this is,

quote, sinful. that's next. you'll want to hear the interview. and later, michele bachmann says that god sent hurricane irene. rick perry said texas should pray for rain. but this weekend, both democrats and republicans used the tools of government to save lives and minimize damages. you're watching "the ed show" on msnbc. stay with us. a living, breathig intelligence that's helping drive the future of business. in here, inventory can be taught to learn. ♪ machines have a voice. ♪ medical history follows you. it's the at&t network -- a network of possibilities... committed to delivering the most advanced mobile broadband experience to help move business... forward. ♪

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the levees protecting new orleans from flooding are not ready to handle another deadly storm. billions of dollars were spent to rebuild, and four to five levees after hurricane katrina. but according to preliminary rankings ordered by congress in 2006, levees on the mississippi river and on the east and west banks were rated class 2. urgent. unsafe or potentially unsafe. that's one step away from complete failure on the five-point system. the rating could improve after further reinforcements are done by the army corps of engineers.

corps officials say the improvements will take louisiana's rising sea levels into account. house republican leader eric cantor is playing politics with hurricane irene, saying that relief money must be offset about spending cuts. that's next. and later, melissa harris perry joins me to talk about another group that is changing lives here in new orleans on the sixth anniversary. stay with us.

welcome back to "the ed show" and thanks for watching to be able to. the house majority leader, republican congressman eric cantor is still insisting disaster relief funds be offset

by spending cuts before any funding is approved. >> you believe that any federal money that comes out for hurricane irene needs to be met dollar for dollar with spending cuts? is that right? >> well, yeah, and the house has already acted and funded over $1 billion for additional disaster relief money. that money has been offset by savings elsewhere. again, just like any family would operate when it's struck with disaster. unfortunately, the government continues to borrow money, and to spend money it doesn't have. as you know, over the last seven months, we've been trying to address that situation, so we can turn the economy around. but in instances like this, yes, there's a federal role. yes, we're going to find the money. we're just going need to make sure that there are savings elsewhere to continue to do so. >> cantor referred to a disaster relief bill for $1 billion that was passed in june. it was offset by cutting a loan program for fuel-efficient vehicles. but that money was a response to

the disastrous tornado in joplin, missouri. cantor expects congress to find still more cuts to provide funding for this disaster. if he sees a moral imperative to provide disaster relief, you would never know it. earlier today, i spoke with democratic congressman cedrick richmond from the second district of louisiana right here in new orleans. congressman, in the midst of a disaster, have we become a different country? we're having these conversations in washington now about we're only going to help people in disaster. as if we can offset it with cuts. and you, of course, were very vocal about that. you said it was sinful for eric cantor, and i commend you for that. why did you say that? >> well, i think it's shameful. we as a country come to the aid of everyone in the world. in fact, we're the 911 for the

world. but if american citizens suffer a tornado or earthquake or a forest fire, we need to be there for them just like we would for anyone else. and as a beneficiary of the goodwill of this country, when katrina hit, and rocked our world down here, i just think it's wrong for me not to stand up and say, we -- you all helped us when we needed it and we should be there to help other americans. and if it takes republicans and democrats agreeing, you know and i know, that's not going to happen in a quick manner to help the people when they need it. >> and we're really seeing the country right now fight with finances. >> yes. >> and have we gotten to the point where we'll do anything to make the budget work? i mean, you've got a hurricane that's bearing down on the east coast the last few days, and we're talking about cuts to see if we're going to help our people. what's that say about the country? >> well, i think it's worse than that. i don't think the true motivation is about cuts or anything else. i think the true motivation is this war between republicans and

democrats. those who want to win the white house and those that are in the white house. and i think that that's -- when i call it sinful, it's because i think we've put politics ahead of people. so assuming that the debt and the deficit is the real issue, we still shouldn't put that above disaster aid for american citizens when we will spend unlimited ants amounts of money to help all around the country, whether it's an earthquake in haiti or anything. i just don't think you make american citizens second-class to everybody else in the world. >> had the federal government and this country, the taxpayers, had we not done what we did in the aftermath of katrina, we're six years after the fact now, what would have happened to this whole region? >> it would have been a disaster. in fact, i think that if the government wasn't here to help, even though the response was too slow for most of us, but if that response didn't come when it

came, new orleans may not even be back like it is right now. i mean, we lost it all. and it felt very comforting to know the federal government came in and said you know what, we're going to put up $14 billion to redo these levees. we're going to do x, y and z to make sure that people are able to come home to a safe environment. and it made all the difference in the world. one, you know the country you pay taxes to every day has your back. that they're going to be there if you need them. and the disheartening part today was when they issued an advisory that they may have to cut funding to joplin to pay for irene damages. now, that's just not right. we should never have to pick between tornado victims and hurricane victims all within the united states. this fight is a artificial fight that is made up by republican leadership in the house, and to this day, john boehner nor any of the house leadership that run

the house has said eric cantor, you've overstepped your bounds, this is not what we're going to do. i just think the republican leadership is missing the pulse of the country on this one. >> do you think there is a hesitation amongst maybe some other colleagues in washington to say it like it is? are we -- do we have -- do our politicians today too worried about what might happen to them if they talk straight the way you just did? >> well, i think that there's -- some have hesitation. but some people are still optimistic that people will have an adult moment or their common sense will prevail. and i just don't think we have the luxury to wait for common sense to prevail. people need help tomorrow, they need help today. so at some point, you have to call it for what it is. and i think that it's the climax of foolishness for us to require offsets and democrats and republicans to agree to help people who are in need that pay taxes every day.

>> i just wish every politician would talk straight just like that. governor chris christie of new jersey says the evacuations ahead of a storm were a huge success. and he praises fema. in other words, government works. and vermont is experiencing hundred-year floods because of hurricane irene. stay with us. ♪

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welcome back to "the ed show." here's what republican governor chris christie had to say about the response of his state and the federal government to hurricane irene. >> we're coordinating well with the federal government, we have fema folks right here onsite in the operations and intelligence center you see here. working incredibly hard and providing things we need. our own team at the state level has put aside everything, except for saying, listen, how do we best serve, making sure the human life is saved and then try to minimize property damage? >> you know what, folks? i just want to make sure i got that comment right. we have fema folks right here on site, they're working incredibly hard, providing things that we need, our team. our own team at the state level has put -- i mean, it just goes on and on.

governor christie, i give you credit. because at a time of life or death, you put left, right, blue, green, center, republican, democrat, you put it aside. and you admitted to the country that government has a function. government has a positive function. and those are government employees that you have attacked. those are first responders who you have gone after their health care, you've gone after their pension, you've gone after their wages, you've gone after their collective bargaining. but all of a sudden, when our hurricane is bearing down on the jersey shores, dammit, you stood up and you said they were important. you said that they were working together. in fact, you said that they're on your team. this is how it's supposed to work. governor christie, instead of vilifying workers all of the time at the negotiating table, i want you to think about hurricane irene every time you think about those workers who need to respond. and think about how important

they are to saving the lives. and i give you credit, governor. you did save lives. you did show leadership. now you can show leadership by stepping up with those hard-working, middle-class families and stop trying to take everything from them every time there is a negotiation to be made. how about just asking the top 2% of the country clubbers to pay just a little bit more to help out the finances of new jersey? and i commend you for now disqualifying yourself as a possible republican candidate. because none of the republican candidates thinks the government does anything worth a damn. michele bachmann says hurricane irene and the recent earthquake were part of god's wrath over government spending? and six years ago today, the city of new orleans changed forever. how volunteers are helping the city get back on its feet. you're watching "the ed show" on msnbc. stay with us. [ male announcer ] this is coach parker...

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good to have you back with us here on "the ed show." thanks for watching tonight. when it comes to handling disaster relief, some conservative presidential candidates would rather turn to god than government. at campaign stops in florida this weekend, michele bachmann said hurricane irene was a message to get politicians to cut spending. >> i don't know how much god has to do to get the attention of the politicians. we've had an earthquake, we've had a hurricane. he said, are you going to start listening to me here? listen to the american people. because the american people are roaring right now. >> bachmann's campaign downplayed her comments today, saying her remarks were just in jest. well, joking about god, sending a hurricane isn't funny to the people who lost property or to loved ones in the storm. but bachmann herself couldn't seem to decide whether her so-called joke was actually serious or not. >> this isn't something that we take lightly. and my comments were not meant

to be ones that were taken lightly. what i was saying in a humorous vein is that there are things that are happening that politicians need to pay attention to. it isn't every day that we have an earthquake in the united states. >> so she was being humorous, but at the same time, we shouldn't take her comments lightly. it's not hard to see why bachmann is so terribly confused. her republican opponent, rick perry, has a similar problem, being an anti government crusader, who asks god to solve his state's problems, because back in april, perry used his power as governor of texas to issue a 72-hour period of prayer for rain to combat wildfires taking place in texas. perry and bachmann might want to look at what happened in new jersey this weekend. chris christie is being praised today for his approach to the storm that relied on all the tools of state and federal government. let's bring in mike

papanantonio, host of ring of fire. and i'll tell you what, we've got a three-ring circus with the three candidates i talked about on that one. i've got to ask you, mike, is bachmann just trying to repeal to religious conservatives, or does this tell us about her governing philosophy? what do you think? >> well, both bachmann and perry right now, ed, are trying to out-pioous each other. perry called together 30,000 evangelicals down in texas, where basically his message was, if i'm elected, we're going to have government more intertwined with politics. bachmann is still trying to deliver that same message. but both of them understand this, ed. both of them understand the average american understands there is a difference that we should separate religion from government, and both of them are very careful not to go as far as their biggest supporter, pat robertson, who said the washington monument has a crack in it, because god was punishing america.

look, every couple of years, every time there is a disaster, we see the perries and the bachmanns trying to blame that disaster on the sinful liberal or the immigrant or the mormon or the big city sinner, who is causing god to punish america. i think americans are a little bit tired of that. that's why bachmann backed off on that position a little bit. she realized how ridiculous she sounds. and unfortunately, we're going to see this throughout the entire campaign. who can out-pie oust other. because you know what, they're after the tea party vote, and the tea party vote has now become that new moral majority. >> well, i think the american people want to know, if bachmann was president, if perry was president, what would they view the federal government doing, if anything, in the role of disaster relief? and it sounds to me like it's get down on your knees and hope for the best, and grab your place 'tis jesus, and i don't mean to be sack religious in any

way shape or form, but they have seem to have a philosophy right now that no matter how bad it is out there, the only thing you've got is a hope and a prayer. or am i reading that wrong? >> no, you're reading it right. where when it comes to natural disasters, they have to live down michael brownie brown is doing a heck of a job kind of problem. i guess the only way you can answer that is through mystical language about things like religion. ed, listen, i was down -- i'm down from that area around new orleans. i remember when brownie -- the michael brown came down and said i'm doing a heck of a job. that's while people were still living on the roofs of their house. they didn't have food, they didn't have water. and the thing they were hoping, the thing that scared them the most, is that republicans were the last people to have control of how they were going to get the heck out of there. and so as i listen to perry and as i listen to bachmann talk about disaster relief, they have a lot to overcome. >> they really do. now, ron paul, this weekend, he was telling reporters that if he

were around back in the day, fema didn't play a very good role, and in fact, didn't even exist, and they recovered back then. here it is. >> i live on the gulf coast. we put up with hurricanes all of the time. i have galveston in my district. and fema is only about 30 or 40 years old. i don't know exactly how old. but the worst disaster we've ever had was in my district in galveston in 1900, before fema. the local people rebuilt the city, built a sea wall, and they survived without fema. >> so mike, there's the republican philosophy right there. let's just roll all efforts back a little over 100 years. what do you think? >> well, i think -- you know, that is classic ron paul, because he lives in a world that's about 100 years old. but the truth is, i was here in one of the worst hurricanes that hit the gulf coast. and i understand that without fema, and without government, ron paul and all the other republicans could have come down

here in droves, and they could have rebuilt our houses, they couldn't have rebuilt business, couldn't have put us back at work again. so ron paul is being ron paul. >> all right. "ring of fire" radio host, appreciate your time tonight. coming up, george will says the media's coverage of hurricane irene was manufactured hysteria? i don't think it's hysteria. to be worried about a storm that ends up causing massive flooding and dozens of fatalities. i've got a new prize for mr. will. he's in the zone. stay with us. you know when something's bad -- but you do it anyway? that's me with the blow dryer and the flat iron until i see smoke. so pantene said, "breakage and split ends? no problem." they gave me this pantene called breakage to strength. [ female announcer ] the keratin protection pro-v system helps prevent then repair split ends. zero fear of breakage, 100% more strength. no regrets, just health. i'm not giving up the heat.

[ female announcer ] the breakage to strength system from pantene. welcome back to "the ed show." we're here at the free clinic in new orleans, where over 1,000 patients have received care this day. one surprising thing to me about this clinic is that the trouble that we have had raising money to fund the selfish work of

these amazing volunteers. i know these times are tough, and in the past economies, you know, we have tried to do things in the past to help people out. and i want you to do a little bit more. every little bit helps. if you would like to contribute to this very worthy cause, donation information is there at the bottom of the screen. coming up, new orleans is still fighting its way back from the devastation caused by hurricane katrina. we'll have the latest on that, the city efforts to rebuild. of and next, psycho talk, conservative columnist george will downplays the effects of hurricane irene. stay with us. lligence that's helping drive the future of business. in here, inventory can be taught to learn. ♪ machines have a voice. ♪ medical history follows you. it's the at&t network -- a network of possibilities... committed to delivering the most advanced mobile broadband experience

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and in psycho talk tonight, hurricane irene affected almost the entire eastern seaboard, but conservative columnist george will doesn't think it was that big a deal. on sunday morning, he went on abc and slammed the media's coverage of the storm. >> florence nightingale said whatever else you can say about

hospitals, they shouldn't make their patients sicker. and whatever else you want to say about journalism shouldn't subtract from the nation's understanding and certainly shouldn't contribute to the manufacturered synthetic hysteria that is a part of modern life and i think we may have done so with regard to this now tropical storm as it now seems to be. >> so we're seeing 30-foot waves out of the ocean, headed towards our shores, and that's manufactured hysteria? what kind of surfboard does george will have, anyway? hang ten, buddy. and even though some places like new york city were spared the worst of the storm, irene did plenty of damage. areas to the northeast are experiencing hundred-year floods. the state of vermont has been declared a federal disaster area. and irene killed at least 37 people, making it the fourth deadliest u.s. hurricane in the last 30 years. but george will thinks the media overhyped it. well, six years ago, we saw how

bad it can get when we're underprepared for hurricanes. and this time, the preparations and evacuations ahead of irene likely saved lives. likely saved lives. there's nothing manufactured about that. so for george will to downplay this storm is disastrous psycho talk. it's been six years since katrina struck. some have yet to return home. what is next for one of america's most beloved cities with melissa harris perry? stay with us

finally, there's a choice for my patients with an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, or afib, that's not caused by a heart valve problem. today we have pradaxa to reduce the risk of a stroke caused by a clot. in a clinical trial, pradaxa 150 mg reduced stroke risk 35% more than warfarin. and with pradaxa, there's no need for those regular blood tests. pradaxa is progress. pradaxa can cause serious, sometimes fatal, bleeding. don't take pradaxa if you have abnormal bleeding, and seek immediate medical care for unexpected signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising. pradaxa may increase your bleeding risk if you're 75 or older, have kidney problems or a bleeding condition, like stomach ulcers. or if you take aspirin products, nsaids, or blood thinners. tell your doctor about all medicines you take, any planned medical or dental procedures, and don't stop taking pradaxa without your doctor's approval,

as stopping may increase your stroke risk. other side effects include indigestion, stomach pain, upset, or burning. if you have afib not caused by a heart valve problem, ask your doctor if pradaxa can reduce your risk of a stroke. welcome back to "the ed show." here at the free clinic in new orleans, hundreds and hundreds of folks have donated their time and expertise to help the people they don't even know. in my opinion, that's what america is all about. and just as a small token of thanks, "the ed show" has launched driving progress, a truck filled with all kinds of goodies for volunteers.

and i got a tour earlier today. i'm proud to say over the last two days, we have fed over 1,000 volunteers. "the ed show" thanks americans who are making a difference, and you are what makes america great. thanks so much. tomorrow, driving progress. we'll say thanks to the volunteers at st. bernard project, a nonprofit organization that has been rebuilding homes for folks displaced by katrina. the group changes lives, no doubt about it. and melissa harris perry spoke to a few people who can attest to that. she will join me next, stay with us. household is willing to lay claim to its origin. but now is not the time for blame. now is the time for action. ♪call 1-800-steemer. i thought i was invincible. i'm on an aspirin regimen now because i never want to feel that helplessness again. [ male announcer ] be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. talk to your doctor, and take care of what you have to take care of.

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finally tonight, a great story. you know, katrina was a failure of government to its people, the government failed to keep people safe, failed in its response effort no, question about it. fortunately, groups like st. bernard project fill in the gaps that government sometimes creates. it's a nonprofit organization that helps people displaced by the storm. melissa harris perry spoke with some of the folks in st. bernard project has helped. >> this is home. this is home. when we had to leave for the storm, all i thought about, all our good food down here. this is home, so i had to get back here. >> that was mary jones. she and her family have moved ten times since katrina. and for the first time in six years, they getting to home. cindy dellaveja's house was

destroyed when the levees broke. six years later, she has been living in mississippi, hoping that one day she could return to new orleans. last christmas, she got a phone call from st. bernard project. >> i called my daughter up and said guess what we're going next christmas and she is like what? and i said we're going to be having christmas dinner at my house. and she was so excited. >> our differences are less important in the face of disaster. a storm like katrina, like irene, does not discriminate. but people come together in this city, despite that gulf of difference. here, the spirit of volunteerism is alive and well. >> they are working in here. taking pride in what they're doing. and i was just amazed that these young kids could care so much about, you know, someone they don't even know. it's amazing. >> got to think if something

happened to me and i lost everything, to have people from wherever coming in and not only spending their time and rebuilding my home for me, but putting their love into it. >> joining me now is msnbc contributor columnist and professor at tulane university, melissa harris perry. great to have you with us tonight. >> hi, ed. thanks for being here. >> you've done great work for these folks and seeing it happen, seeing it unfold. and i saw it here today, the volunteerism has been just absolutely outstanding. howl how long of a road has been it been? is . >> it's been a long road. i'm pretty emotional today. everyone here, because august 29th, 2005 changed all of our lives. i was not living in new orleans at the time it was happening. my husband was living here, the home we now live in and share was destroyed in the storm. and we made a decision to stay in this city, in part because the spirit of new orleans is such an extraordinary spirit,

one you don't find everywhere. i was talking to some of your volunteers from the health clinic here. >> aren't they amazing? >> they are really amazing people. so there's always that sadness and that hope that are happening at the same time. >> and new orleans hasn't been in the news. you know, the recovery has been really -- in the back page, so to speak. >> sure. >> yet the effort has gone on. and what we just talked about there, just underscores just how you're affecting lives. >> yeah, i mean, st. bernard project, many projects here in the city working every day, for no headlines. not for the headlines, just to do the work. you say this is a call for public officials to be public servants. what do you mean? >> indeed. look, one of the things that struck me so much in the coverage post katrina, during the storm, while people were waiting for rescue, there were so many new orleansans who had american flags and waving for rescue. where do you think those flags came from? where could a flag in an american home come from?

they came from the caskets of veterans. these were american citizens, and they were calling for their government for basic rescue. and no one came. and the people who filled that gap were the church ladies, and they were republican women and men and they were conservatives and they were democrats and they were black and white. and they were across all those differences, but they showed up because they saw that humanity. so what we need public servants today, they can't just see the big picture, just the aerial shot. we need them on the ground in the health clinics, rebuilding houses and experiencing those one-on-one stories, so they understand, policy is house by house, family by family, life by life. and i feel like the katrina stories really give us that in a way that the failure to make that policy has been very clear in the past six years. >> and how do you think that people are responding when they hear politicians say that any disaster relief has to be offset by cuts? and i had an interview earlier tonight with congressman richmond. and i brought up the point.

america is really changing its soul if we have to put every dollar bill, which the project you're talking about, it saint about the money, it's about the people. and what you can do for people. are we seeing america change? >> i mean, yes and no. because what i know is that the -- actual american people are not changing. they are here and doing it. again, for no cameras, for no special privileges, for no profit of their own. that's what makes them these nonprofit civil society organizations. but are we seeing our government change? it's notion of what its responsibility is? absolutely. and this sense that basic care for american citizens, those who have paid taxes, those who have voted, those who have owned homes, died and contributed and military service? there is no offset. it's already been offset. it's offset by their sacrifices. now you go and put your hand you said your people. >> well, i think if there is one thing to learn about