parties can't get together to solve them, when will the problems be solved? i've just given you the reasons for my fears. anyway, that's "hardball" for now. not nice to think about, but true pb up next, "politics nation" with al sharpton starts now. welcome to "politicsnation," i'm al sharpton. tonight's lead, willard mitt romney, you can't handle the youth. young voters have always been the dee winning the white house. but it was president obama who showed us just how important this group was. he got a new generation excited about politics. and in return, young voters went for him by an overwhelming margin. they were key to his success. and he's aiming for repeat performance. president leads romney by 26 points with young voters. but enthusiasm is not what it was this 2008. back then, 63% of young voters add big interest in the

election. this time around, 45% have the same interest. president obama is looking to reenergize that base. so today he did what he does best. he spoke to students about the message of fairness, that has defined his presidency. >> i just want everybody here to understand that this is not -- i didn't just read about this. i didn't just get a policy briefing on this. michelle and i, we've been in your shoes. like i said, we didn't come from wealthy families. so when we graduated from college and law school, we had a mountain of debt. when we married, we got poor together. check this out, all right? i'm the president of the united states. [ applause ]

we only finished paying off our student loans about eight years ago. >> our president was paying off loans until eight years ago. he didn't learn about student debt in a policy briefing? but maybe this guy did. >> one thing i want it mention, i just -- by the way, there's one thing i wanted to mention, that i forgot to mention at the very beginning, i fully support the effort to extend the low interest rate on student loans. >> now here's the translation of that. i forgot mention that i need young voters. looks like i better support them now. even though i was saying, this just last month. >> it would be popular for me to stand up and say, i'm going to give you government money to make sure to pay for your college, but i'm not going to promise that. my best advice, fund the best institution of higher learning, go to one that has a lower price

with a good education. hopefully you will find that and don't take on too much debt. and don't expect the government forgive the debt that you take on. >> wow, way back six weeks ago, you said you couldn't promise any help. but now, suddenly, your campaign is spinning. you, as a man, of the youth. >> my guess is you'll see a dramatic difference in the youth vote to this time, part of it is have you a younger more dynamic republican candidate. >> that was 72-year-old former senator hank brown. selling romney as a dynamic candidate for young voters. dynamic. with the youth. >> but i see mistakes. i find a little humor. in this case, lucy at the chocolate factory. such a classic scene. those of us that have gotten a little behind can identify with poor lucy. >> i like silly stuff, too. i like the twilight series. i thought that was fun. >> you like vampires. >> i don't like vampires personally, i don't know any.

>> as george castanza would say, stop. >> i stopped taking pointers from jimmy fallon today. >> ladies and gentlemen, the 44th president of the united states of america, barack obama p.m. [ cheers and applause ] ♪ i'm so in love with you >> do you know mitt romney? >> i've met him. but we're not friends. >> joining me now is steve corps knacky, political writer for salon.com, msnbc contributor and erin pike. thank you both for coming on the show tonight. >> thank you. >> steve, let me start with you. how will young voters act

towards romney after the great pivot? >> it's an interesting question. romney's goal, let's be honest, is not to win the youth vote or even come that close to winning the youth vote but it is to keep the margin somewhat respectable. for romney's sake, if he can keep that, right now we are seeing in the high 20s in the polls. if romney can cut that in half, 20 or 25 point even, that could be enough, given the advantages he will have elsewhere, that could be enough. so you look at this message today and it is almost like, fine, look, he's not going to be able to go on jimmy fallon and do what obama did. but if young voters, if some young voters look at the economy and say they want to look the at guy in charge, throw the guy in charge out, romney's message is look, i won't pick a fight. anyone who want it go against obama, i'm not going to give them a reason to look at me and say no. that's what he is going for

here. >> erin, in some ways, if you look at his policy, he has picked a fight. because his record said he doesn't speak to the youth. he support cut in the department of education. he support slashing pel grants. cutting coverage it millions of people age 18 to 25. among other things. so in many ways, policy wise, he has picked a little fight with the young voters. >> well, you know, i think the obama campaign is aware of that and that's why you're seeing a big push by the president right now to talk about his programs for student loans. but this isn't a new thing for the white house. president obama has had lots of events on college campuses since he took office in 2009. he goes to a lots of college campuses around the country to announce new program. i think they will be reminding voters over the next few months that some of the policies that he has enacted. one thing we didn't hear much,

about the time when it was enacted in early 2010, was credit card reform. that is a very popular kind of policy for the youth vote. they didn't really push that in mid terms. but that's one of those things that we'll be hearing a lot more from the obama campaign going forward. >> now steve, when you look at the key demographics, president obama among young voters, beating romney 63-45. latino voters, 67-27. women voters, 53-40. i mean, he has challenges. he being willard mitt romney, in very key demographics if he is competitive in this race. >> right. what you are seeing there, in a numbers, especially like latino voters, that's about consistent with what we saw in 2008. in 2008, there was more of an overall buffer for barack obama when you looked at the election results. 53% nationally and most popular votes highs, sharing the popular

vote for any votes since lbj. when the tide turned against republicans and obama was in a lot of groups. obama lost ground in groups. the one that comes to mind most are white men without college education. blue collar -- >> and the economy. >> right. i think the economy is driving that. his numbers are way down with that group. that becomes that much more important for obama that the groups he performed with well in 2008, he performed just as well in 2012. if romney can make inroad without winning groups but cut the margin, that can go a long way given the other advantages. >> so strategically, if you're if the obama camp, you have to deal with the fact that economy is the problem. so you've also got o to deal with the fact that you need to push in congress some of the votes that republicans will oppose and give romney a problem. like student loan rate extension, violence against women. paycheck fairness. legislative push to undo the

arizona immigration law. because some of these issues, whether republicans in congress have one view, they politically could be very bad for candidate mitt romney with young voters. >> they actually could. but i would also point out that concern there for democrats is that now that mitt romney is on the verge of locking up the nomination and actually getting close to the 1,144 delegates that he needs. but right now we know he will be the nominee. he doesn't have to do as much to shore up the republican base any more. sew can separate himself from congressional republicans by saying, yes, i support some of these reforms that demjanj demos and president support. so they can say,er with the same so vote for me. i have x, y and z reports on the

economy. that's a stretch for democrats right now. >> he slammed republicans fox for dismissing student complaint about the debt loan. listen to this. >> she said student who rank up student loan debt are just sitting on their butts, having opportunity dumped in your lap. i'm reading it here. so i didn't make this up. >> those of you who have had to take out student loans, you didn't do it because you're lazy. you didn't do it lightly. you dent like debt. >> is this party affiliation people saying this kind of stuff in the republican party, does this hurt romney? even though he doesn't the one saying it? these are people in his party and he is naturally affiliated as the head of the party? >> no, i think absolutely. you talk about brand poisoning of the republican party. the republican party is a

popularity right now. basically as when as it's been since the clinton impeachment in the '90s and it was terrible. this can rub off here because it is easy for him to come out and say, i'm okay with the student loan interest rates staying where they are. but let's see, what do the house republicans do. are they going to pass that? if he becomes president and this comes up for extension again and they say, we don't want it, would he fight them on that? with the youth vote, when you look at how well obama does and how bad romney does, there is a cultural issue. that's one of those things that is so engrained with young voters, i don't know how romney get around that. >> erin, when you look at the fact that president won 18 to 19-year-old vote far more than any other president, i mean, 96 clinton won 53-34 against dole. 2000, gore, 48-46 to bush.

2004, keri, 54-45 to push. obama, 66-32. i mean, it's an enormous gap. if he holds anywhere near that, it is going to have a lot to stay about the outcome of this election. steve and erin, thank you both for coming on the show to nate. >> sure. >> thank you. coming up, breaking news in the secret service sex scandal. three more agent forced out as president obama comments on the quote knuckle heads in the agency who made it all happen. plus, john boehner is hedging his bets on november election. maybe he is finally realizing what happens to extreme people, with unpopular ideas. also, the job nobody wants. mitt romney's running mate. while some of the biggest names in the party do not want to hop on willard's bandwagon. you're watching "politicsnation" on msnbc.

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we're back with some breaking news in the secret service sex scandal. nbc news reports three more agent are forced out of the agency today. two are resigning and a third is losing his security clearance. which will force him out. two of the agents will be cleared of any serious misconduct. but will face add palestiniadmie action. president obama talked about secret service today in a taping with late night jimmy fallon. the president said quote, these guys are incredible. they protect me, they protect michelle, they protect the girls. they protect officials all around the world. a couple of knuckle heads shouldn't detract from what they do. what these guys were thinking, i don't know. that's why they're not there any more. . ♪

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welcome back to "politicsnation," the gop's extremism has had a clear effect on the party's image and popularity. and it may hurt them in november even house speaker john boehner seems a bit worried. >> there's a two and three chance that we win control of the house again. but there's a one in three clans we could lose. and i'm being, myself, frank. we have a big challenge and we've got work to do. >> one in three chance that his party could lose control of the house. far try krooi from cry from january when he toelt politico, quote, they will rule the house for the next decade.

>> i think it is entirely reasonable for the speaker to expect that they could lose the house because they very kelwell could. john boehner allowed the tea party to take over his conference. the republicans fully embraced extremism. >> she's right. republicans in the congress have taken extremism it a whole new level. just last week house republicans voted to gut $33 billion from food stamp programs. the new york times calls it a callous choice saying quote they will take tens of billions out of programs for the poorest americans. particularly food stamps. along with health care for the middle class. under the proposal, 2 million people would lose all benefits. 44 million people would see reduction in their benefits and 280,000 kids would lose their free lunch meals. no wonder president obama keeps pushing the fairness message.

>> in america, we admire success. we aspire to it. i want everybody to be rich. but america is not just about a few people doing well. america is about giving everybody a chance to do well. everybody. >> joining me now is congressman, democrat from pennsylvania. thanks for being here tonight, congressman. >> thank you for having me again. >> i don't know if you're a betting man, congressman, but what do you think about boehner's one in three odds of keeping the house? >> well, look, i look at it almost like a one-two punch. john huntman said on your network today that he compared the gop to a communist party empower in china. and that they were locking people out who had moderate or contemporary ideas. they've been trying to push the country back to another century, i think. they want it get rid of -- newt says,ets let's get rid of child

labor laws, and you point out that they think $35 for food stamps to get through a week is overly generous to those who have lost their job by no fault of their own. so you know, i think that the reason why the republican party, the brand, is polling as poorly as it does during the clinton impeachment era is because they don't seem to be relevant in the daily lives of american citizens. >> no. >> facing real challenges. >> it is really, when you look at father reece wrote a letter to representative paul ryan, slamming his budget, signed by 90 georgetown faculty. he writes, quote, he claims his budget is based on catholic social teaching. this is nonsense, his budget has a devastating impact on programs for the poor. and when you look at it deals w

poor, and hurts the poor, 3.3 trillion congressman in cuts to low income programs. medicaid, snap pel pel grants, training and they wonder why they have a 3w5d bad image. >> the leader of brit yant says he want to have light high speed rail as a way to create jobs. they tried cutting and went in the hole. our gdp is up and we have 35 months of private sector job growth. we are headed in the right direction. unemployment continues to drop and those people who are unemployed, they won't vote for the party who want to cut their benefits, cut access to food stamps. the idea that republicans are trying to help those who are unemployed is nonsense. and i think on this election day, those who have a job can credit the administration for stabilizing our economy and those who don't know that this administration is trying to put them to work. >> now, you coupled the

proposals and the policies with some of the most extreme comments we heard in recent political history. let me just show you a montage of statements by leading republicans just in the last few weeks. >> believe that there is about 78 to 81 members of the democratic party that are members of the communist party. >> the president already has every tool at his disposal to deal with speculators. this is just about waving a tar baby in the air. >> no prob pro gram in our government has surged out of control more dramatically than food stamps. >> he asked when what i think about obama's -- i don't know but i have a lot of doubts about all that. but i don't o know. i haven't seen it. >> congressman, doesn't this array of extreme statements by leading republicans really start

to margin yal eyes more and more, the party in the mind of american voters? >> look, i think when have you mitt romney say that ron paul and his budget proposals will be better than barack obama, that shows you that he is willing to say almost anything to try to win votes. when have you a party only trying to win power, no principles, it is just a conspiracy to grab power. the democratic party is the party trying to educate more americans. they bring in our young people home from iraq. we have every single one of our young people out of iraq. he has ended the were and is trying to put the country on right footing. we are the wealthiest country in the world. we have the lowest tax raets we've had in 60 years. there's no reason for us to be in debt. the problem is we have a republican party that doesn't want to be responsible and have an ability for people who have done well to be able to contribute so we can pay down this debt. >> congressman, thank you for your time tonight.

>> thank you, rev. and for those in pennsylvania stit voting, come out and vote. we have a great young guy, veteran, running for attorney general, patrick murphy. give him a run. >> thanks you, congressman. ahead, willard has no pressure this primary night. but jon stewart explains why there is no champagne popping inside the grand ole party. you have to see this. and scott walker's attack on workers, is it working? some new job numbers show why he may be unemployed after this upcoming recall. c'mon dad!

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welcome back. folks, scott walker is face the fight of his political fight this spring and he is not letting facts get in the way of his reelection pitch. but let's take the governor on a stroll down memory lane and remind him how he within office back in 2010. >> 250,000 new jobs. that's my goal. 250,000 new jobs by the end of our first term in office. >> 250,000 jobs in four years. and how did walker set out to create all those jobs? he turned public opinion against him by attacking public workers. gut collective bargaining rights and slashed funding for schools and universities. and those moves certainly aren't helping to create jobs. wisconsin lost 4500 jobs last month.

the states nearly lost 24,000 jobs in the last year. and wisconsin's record is the worst in the country. the u.s. labor department says wisconsin was the only state to show us statistically significant decreased unemployment in the last year. so i guess it's time for the governor walker to admit he was wrong. right? >> we've made it work this wisconsin. we lowered our overall tax burden. we ultimately saw a net increase in jobs this year. >> an increase in jobs this year? governor, gentlemen juwe just se numbers. you lost jobs in the state this year. here they are again. wisconsin lost 4500 jobs in the last month. and nearly 24,000 jobs since march of 2011. when you lose jobs, that's a decrease, not an increase, governor. how did that collective

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welcome back it "politicsnation." another big primary night and mitt romney is facing his toughest opponent yet, nobody. republicans in five states are voting in primaries today. but most, the most delegate that are up since super tuesday are at stake. while romney's all but crisp gop nomination, many still aren't sold on him. 41% say they still have reservation and only 33% say sim in a positive light compared to 48% who see obama positively. willard's potential running mates seem to be running way from him. >> if he asked you to be vice president -- >> i would say no. >> that's an absolute no. >> i would say thank you, but

no. >> that's fine. she's a city governor. what about pa lenty. >> the answer is, i'm not going to consider that and i've taken myself off the list. >> okay, all right. fine. you don't need to be on the list. they don't want you. they will go old school. >> how many ways can i say it? not me. >> mark why rubio says, rob portman's your guy. let's see what he has it say about it. >> romney/portman, does very a ring to it? >> i think rubio has a better ring. >> here comes the peer pressure. >> i think marco is probably the best candidate. >> rubio passes to portman. portman passes back to rubio. bush also passes back it rubio. rubio in the main. he's driving. he's standing next to the basket. and -- >> that's very nice, i hope he will say yes if future president asks him. i think he will be a fantastic vice president. >> passes back it bush. >> joining me now is democratic

strategist ted divine, senior adviser for kerry and gore campaigns. and michael steel, former rnc chairman. thank you both for being here tonight. >> michael. >> good to see you. >> how can they convince party leaders to drop the reservations they seem to have about him. what does he do here michael. >> i think the reservations are still a legitimate part of the narrative here regardless of wherer with with the delical delegate count. i think there is still some fence mending and some grass roots building that has to go on and is going on quite frankly, reverend. i think we've got a little bit of time still, not much though, for that to conclude itself. you've already started the conversation. that's not going to go on for the next three months. i think that will die down in short order because romney will send appropriate yit signals that's not going to be a part of his public discussion. and so he can get back to the

party building and conversation he want to have about the president's leadership and administration and affairs of the country. but you're right, i think there is still some fence mending that has to be done here. you still have newt and ron paul swinging out there off in the rafters a bit. that's got to be brought to some level of closure over the next week or so. so there's a still a lot for the romney campaign to have to take only jit matly before we get into the conversation bets vice president and all of them. >> now ted, part of the problem is that, it seems that if polling is correct, many people that are supporting romney are voting -- i'm talking republicans now, are voting against the president rather than for romney. when you look at polling, 35% say i'm voting for romney. 63% say i'm voting against obama. now when you talk to the president supporters, 76% of

voting for the president, 33% are voting against romney. so you have like this lopsided where many people say, i'm not really in the romney republicans. i just don't want the president. the president seems to have solid pro obama support and not just depending on anti-romney flavor. big difference, ted. >> it is a big difference, reverend. i think it a big problem for governor romney. i don't think he can win this election by just being negative. he won before by running a viciously negative campaign. but that's not enough for him to win general election of the president of united states. he has to outline a vision for the future. he has to lay forth plans so people know where he wants it take the country. and he has it instill confidence in his own leadership. and the nominating process in terms of attacks he took in terms of his opponents and mistakes romney made time and time again, words that came out of his own mouth which hurt his candidacy, i think that set him

back. if he doesn't do something to repair his own image, i think he is in big trouble in the fall. >> when do we get details. he is out of primaries, out of negative ads. when do we hear details on his education programs, economic policies. i mean, when do we start hearing what romney is all about rather than the flip-flop back and forward on just like the slogan issues? >> well, i think reverend in all sincerity, i think that comes at end of this primary process more than than anything he will put on the table in the month of may, for example, and even beginning of june. i think after utah at the end of the month of june, you've got that 60-day window in preparation for the convention. you've already seen the romney team do prebut el in north carolina recently in anticipation of the president being there in september for his convention. i think you will begin to see that step up sometime in july after the holidays. or maybe over the course of the

4th of july holiday. you will hear the framing and defining of what will become the core message that romney will send. again, i don't know exactly what their actual timetable will be. but i think they want to get through the primary process first. secure the 1144 dell gits that they need to get the nomination on the first ballot. that will be a primary focus. then i think you will hear the themes roll out as you have requested. >> but ted, you can't ignore the republican leadership has been less than enthusiastic about romney. i mean, look at just two months ago, rudy giuliani was saying romney was a candidate but yesterday, he endorsed him. but he did it tepidly. look at this. >> he has changed his position on virtually everything. he was a traditional moderate republican. of strong on fiscal matters. conservative. strong on foreign policy. but basically socially moderate.

he changed all this. all those changes give me pause. >> i think mitt won fair and square. he has proven set most effective republican. this remind me of going to a surgeon, right? if i have a terrible cancer or something to be operated on, if i have to be operated on prostate cancer, i didn't go to the nicest president, i went to the best danoctor. >> he went from february to yesterday saying, well, you want the guy if you are about to have a real surgery on prostate cancer that will do it right. that doesn't exactly have you storming the barricades saying vote for willard. >> no, it doesn't, reverend. i tell you, the guy sticking the knife in yesterday was rudy giulia giuliani. those endorsements don't help. they hurt. and it is not just giuliani. there are a lot of others in the republican party saying on, they

resigned to fact that romney won the nomination. they are willing to support him in public but i think you will see the pup party holding back and not coming forward. and enthusiastically supporting him. if they can't muster that in the weeks and months ahead, it is very difficult for romney to have enough votes to defeat the president? >> we are hearing bitterness in the romney camp about santorum who still hasn't endorsed today's the pennsylvania primary. reheard tonight they will meet in a week but there is still no immediate endorsement expected. as late as last week, one week before santorum dropped out of the week, mail came from santorum's camp that says it truly frightens know think what will happen if romney is the nominee. so he is still seeming to have problems even pulling his opponent together even after they drop out of race. >> i think there's truth to that reverend. i that i mail piece is probably win of those planned pieces that

is kind of in the hopper that kind of goes out automatically and someone forgot to pull it, you know, pull it. but i think the reality is there is no love lost between campaigns. >> does he need santorum? >> i think without a doubt he does. have be rick santorum come to the table in partnership with his effort to become the next president will be very important. because because santorum represents a -- again to your first point the way you opened the segment, in getting conservatives still on the fence, that lackluster desire for his campaign. he's got to begin to mitigate that in some way and the way you begin to do that is to have someone like a rick santorum come to your table. just can't expect the romney team because rick santorum walked off the field. you have to go to him and give him a reason to do so in a forthright way.

which you see these lightweight endorsements. >> we are out of time. but you saw rubio said no, you saw bush said no. michael steel you would you be the running mate of willard mitt romney. >> well, reverend, that's a fen call i don't expect to have on my phone. no. >> wow, willard can't even get michael steel. thanks for your time tonight. high drama in north carolina courtroom. day two of the john edwards trial. his former aid on the stand with some explosive claims. that's next. ♪

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already exposed his sins, if not any actual crimes. four years ago young tried to save his boss by falsely claiming paternity for the child edwards had secretly fathered with rielle hunter. today young testify ied that edwards game money to hunter after she threatened to expose the affair. this contradicts edward lawyers who said he didn't know about the donations. eventually melon became the funding source, sending hundreds of thousands through young. he and his wife worried they were breaking the law but edward reassured him all would be fine. he said quote, we felt extremely uneasy about it. we felt the smell was wrong. but in the end we decided he knew more about the law than we did. joining me from outside the courthouse in greensboro wsh north carolina, he's been thompson reporter for nbc's,

wcnc, affiliate in charlotte. also with me is walter shapiro, special correspondent for the new republic and columnist for yahoo! news who covered edwards and myself. >> definitely. >> during the 2004 presidential campaign. thanks both of you for joining me tonight. ben, you were in the courtroom again today. let me start with you. an draw young had some pretty tough testimony. what was the reaction in the courtroom? >> well, interesting you say that. most of the reaction actually came today. he showed a face of disbelief at times. winced a few times would rub his head. at one point he turned to one of his attorneys and said to her, this is the craziest thing i've ever heard. i'm paraphrasing there, but that's the jifrt of gist of it. he was vice ly uneasy about

things he heard. >> i'm asking you about things you con know for certain but was it things he played from the jury or does it look like he may have been possibly stunned by some of the things he heard coming out of the young's mouth? >> from my vantage point, maybe ten feet behind him, it seemed genuine, that even he was trying to contain some of it. when things were coming out about the affair and details some of the phone calls and voice mails. and e-mails going back and forth. he seemed genuinely frustrated by things he was hearing and was trying to guard and stop himself. >> walter, this is not about sin. this is not about infidelity, this is about whether he broke the law. so when have you andrew young testifying a lot about bunny melon, one of the sources of the -- the major source here, he said quote i owe told melon that we had a noncampaign expense that would benefit mr. edwards and we needed her help.

also he said he did not tell her the money was to cover up an affair. on legal terms does that help or harm edward? >> i think it hurts him. but again, i'm an lawyer. i don't even play one on tv. >> right, okay. >> but what is important, up to now everyone thought that both bunny melon and the other funding, funder, the late dallas lawyer fred barron. >> who was friendly. >> one of edwards best friend, the whole explanation is they are giving this money to cover up an fair and it was a personal contribution to keep it from his wife, elizabeth, and had nothing to do with politics. we will learn more as the trial goes on that bunny melon had no idea that john edwards was having an affair. she thought this money was for campaign purposes. maybe a little round robin, little off the books but for campaign purposes.

>> now you wrote yesterday and i'm reading to you to you, the trial will raise the strong possibility that the then 97-year-old socialite was ignorant of the existence of rielle hunter. she thought she was donating in some round robin fashion to the edwards campaign, not covering up an affair. which is what you said here. if this is true, it may look like she was going around campaign laws herself. it destroys the premise of edwards defense. >> right. that this is all about sex. all about covering up an affair. suddenly, you have what seems to me one of two possibility. either edwards was soliciting an illegal contribution through hunter, through young, or andrew young acting on his own going rogue, even before sarah palin went rogue, was getting the money on his own and saying he was acting for john edwards. but that's a lot different than the way it was portrayed before the trial started.

>> now, we also heard had to do, ben, that hunter had a laughic lifestyle out of this. money helped her rent a house, buy a new bmw, and there was some nasty references that i don't want it use the term on television, about how mr. edward referred to her when he was told she was pregnant. but it's all coming to a very ugly picture. what happens next? >> well at this point we know that mr. young will take the stand again tomorrow and we are expecting he will be cross-examined by the defense tomorrow afternoon. and to your point, you're right, rielle hunter did not come across looking good today. she came across looking high maintenance and demanding, that she always wanted upgrades to hotels, expected to go shopping at neiman marcus all the time. she didn't look any better than

edwards or young herself. >> thank you both for your time tonight. ahead, the gop war on teachers got a big wakeup call today.

we're back on "politicsnation" with a cause i'm very passionate about, education. today president obama honored the 2012 national teacher of the year. a 7th grade teacher from burbank, saying she is quote, the definition of above and beyond. and you he talked about how important all teachers are. >> a lot of important people visit the white house. but to young people in classrooms around the country, nobody's more important than the men and women that we honor here today. these are the kind of teachers who change lives forever. i wouldn't be here today if it were not for teachers like these

who challenged me and pushed me and put up with me. teachers matter. >> teachers matter. he's so right. they don't get the credit. but they are the real heros, the future of our country depends on them, and depend on all of us making an effort improving our education system. it is something both sides should agree on. that's why it upsets me when i see chris christie slashing teachers' pay and mitt romney wanting to gut the department off offof education and rick santorum wanting to abolishedcation. there is a lot of pain out there and we need result. newt gingrich and i don't agree on anything. but three years ago we came together on this issue. president obama asked us to bring light to this problem. and our education system. we toured the country. talking the importance after strong education.

we may not agree on certain specific issues but there must be a commit many in this country pour equal education for all-american young people. >> speaking of which, hey, newt. rumors say you may be getting out of the race soon. my phone is always on. as they say in show business, we can always get the band back together and do something for education. i remember my teachers. they made a difference for me. they matter. and teachers matter for kids today. and we should remember whether they were teacher of the year or not. they are always the teachers every year i live, that i remember. i'm al sharpton. thanks for watching. "hardball" starts right now.