the rich guy image now now. you see him casting off any attempting to a regular guy. last week it was just lobster business being sides. barack obama goes to clooney's house, raises $67 million, $7 million. the idea that romney's the one who is out of touch with middle america is a bit of a double standard. >> i don't think eight double at the top of the hour, we standard. it's almost that he's just getting in with it. mistakenly asked why are you it's totally working for him. awake? >> the big change in this >> i'm surprised you still have fund-raising quarter comes from a voice after booing robbie donors who donated less than 250. cano. >> i did not boo him. that says two things. one it says energy. -- there's robbie right there. thanks, john. i appreciate it. the high powered donors, the i don't know for what. but "morning joe" starts right campaign has to find them. those small donor donations are now. people getting moved and hopping i would not ask anybody to on the web and nobody is asking

compromise their principles. them to do it. there's too much of that in it also tells you to you can get politics today to begin with. but i also have to get everyone back to them. to acknowledge you're not going to get everything you want. >> dan has a good piece in the once you get acknowledgement on both sides of that equation, you issue, too, but how he just can find and force compromise as an executive. doesn't like doing it. bill clinton, whenever he played i can walk and chew gum at the golf, he would either have always a donut with him or swun same time. okay. i can fight with democrats who would tell sim something publicly and privately over with the skmi. issues of principle where we can't find compromise and at the i understand but this poll shows same time hold conversations with them on issues where we can find common ground and force that. this illusion that you see in this town that somehow that can't happen, it's not possible, is just an excuse. that 59% of romney supporters it's an excuse of failed say they are more against leadership by both parties. president obama than they are for romney. by comparison, just 23% of obama the leadership is not just about supporters said they are more against romney than they are for the president. obstructionism. leadership is also not about caving every time you get >> mike said something yesterday off camera. am i allowed to talk about pushed. anything we talk about off

leadership is about nuance and camera? >> sure, whatever. about understanding and >> he said the democrats have a big problem, mitt romney is hard communicating to people here is to hate. >> he's going to be hard to what i stand for and on these portray as someone who deserves issues i will not be moved but then on other issues leaving room for discussion and contem accomplishing principled compromise where it can be. contempt. >> i think there's one weak >> that apparently is easier spot. >> what? >> the tax returns. said than done in washington and >> he's going to have to release we'll talk about that this mountains of tax returns. morning. good morning, everyone. >> and the whole disconnect welcome to "morning joe." issue. >> you keep wondering whether it is tuesday, july 10th. getting to the middle of the both sides, the president's reelection campaign and governor summer. i know. romney's election campaign, you you, by the way, mike barnicle, wonder if they really get what's are becoming not just bitter but going on in this country. blithering on "way too early." i would submit whether you go to montana or california or massachusetts, wherever you go, seriously it's time to stop. this country is so filled with anxiety that the response to the and you have terrible advice, questions that pollsters ask is it's time to change. >> why? really, geez, i don't know. >> for a pervert in the middle it's a geez, i don't know. of the night maybe. it was just awful. everybody is right on the edge >> are you really getting in terms of anxiety.

fashion advice? >> i made a terrible mistake. >> the two questions where i go it was a lapse in judgment. and i've gone all over the sort of like that guy in high school. >> is there video? >> anyhow, welcome to "morning country, one is i don't think my kids will have the life that joe." i've had. joining us, msnbc contributor they feel that's coming to annd. i've been trying to get that mike barnicle, former policy adviser to the bush recalibrated, we can only have a house that is so large or so administration dan seymour. >> you're back for more? many cars or travel so much. we've marksed oxed out on consu. >> stockholm syndrome. that's how we got into some of the other troubles and also >> you did well yesterday. economic justice and how we are >> it was a feisty discussion. better global citizens for example. >> i would say you have to keep these are the issues that ought your volume down. to be discussed. and then, too, for the first >> there were four people yelling at me. >> well, don't you yell back, time in the 21st century people are saying i'm not so sure we you being elegant. are the greatest country in the >> and we have "for tune" world anymore. and i haven't heard that in 50 years in journalism.

editor. so how does that play in the do you want to show us the headline? >> yes. campaign? the idea that obama can be reduced to this at this stage, i >> oh, that's a good one. >> and richard haas. >> hi. kind of liked the guy and i've >> first of all, what chris given him a shot. christie said, it is easier said than done. here's an incumbent who is would anyone at the table like to talk about why? do we really blame both sides? like on this tax issue, is there scrapping every day, ah, three a deal to be made or is it just going to be more fighting till election day to divide the years of an incumbent campaigns? who wants in? >> i thought it was incredibly refreshing what he had to say. >> it's refreshing but it's presidency. and romney -- >> they don't hate him. easy, his point of view, isn't >> yeah. >> backing off everything he it? >> since when did compromise ever believes in, you could become a dirty word? and i believe people holding portray that has fairly their positions and leaving that as a figure leaf to not able to contemptible. >> we need a national service. sit down on the other side. tom brokaw and tina brown stay you're suggesting because he's a with us. out next, the obama campaign is governor it's easy to come to washington -- >> he's done it in new jersey. hammering mitt romney for shipping jobs overseas but are >> a politician who said they can't compromise should be there cracks in the president's own record on the issue?

thrown out. wreer going to talk abo-- we'reo you shouldn't vote for someone like that. >> to take governor christie in what he said and the example of other governors and other state talk about it with chuck todd legislators, i would submit that and "the washington post's" it's far easier to reconcile eugene robinson. differences in state you're watching "morning joe," legislatures than it is in the united states congress because of the importance of money, brewed by starbucks. dark roast forest fresh full tank brain freeze cake donettes rolling hot dogs running for office in bag of ice washington. anti-freeze wash and dry diesel these guys and women in the self-serve fix a flat congress and senate, full-time jumper cables job is raising money to get 5% cashback signup for 5% cashback at re-elected. they don't know one another, gas stations through september. they don't live in washington. it pays to discover. it's a lot more difficult to attack someone when you know them or know their families or have gotten to know them. there are no relationships, very few relationships in washington anymore the way there used to be ten or 15 years ago. in state legislature, there are relationships. >> that's a good point. there are other things at work here. politics, if you will, is the reflection, not the cause. one is the weakening of party structures.

it used to be parties held together broad coalition, now they don't. each candidate is essentially on his or her own. media. in the old days there used to be centralized media. used to be a stronger sense of community and common experience. now with the internet, cable, satellite. >> finds his or her own media outlet that reinforces their views. the larger forces are weakening the center. it shouldn't be a surprise the politics of compromise are more difficult than they were years ago. >> the number of state governments are required under their state constitutions to actually balance budgets and that's not the case in washington. >> there's the landscape. let's parse it down to one issue dividing the two candidates.

president obama and mitt romney head west to pitch competing plans for job growth. romney will go to the city of grand junction where unemployment is at 10%. president obama will host a roundtable in cedar rapids iowa where unemployment is nearly half that rate. yesterday the president continued his calls for middle-class tax cuts. he derided mitt romney and his plans. >> i'm not proposing anything radical here. i believe anybody making over $250,000 a year should go back to the income tax rates we were paying under bill clinton, back when our economy created nearly 23 million new jobs, the biggest surplus in history and plenty of millionaires to boot. and this is not just my opinion. t

the american people are with me on all this. we all say we should extend the tax cuts for 98% of the american people. the republicans say they don't want to raise taxes on the middle class. i don't want to raise taxes on the middle class. so we should all agree to extend the tax cuts for the middle class. let's agree to do what we agree on, right? let's not hold the vast majority of americans and our entire 25 past the hour. a beautiful shot of the white house on this -- is it tuesday economy hostage while we debate the merits of another tax cut morning? >> tuesday morning. >> it's only tuesday. for the wealthy. really? okay. we're joined now by pulitzer prize columnist and associate >> okay. we also heard from mitt romney editor of "the washington post" and msnbc political analyst on the issue. obviously with republicans in control of the house, it's eugene robinson. unlikely congress will allow one >> she's complaining it's only cut kout anothwithout another. tuesday. weren't you away all last week? in a radio interview, romney >> i was. but i've been with you two days. and mike barnicle. you wouldn't believe what he almost had me wearing on the weighs in. >> we just saw a terrible jobs show. >> are you interfering with report last week and now to add wardrobe?

a higher tax on job creators and >> looked good to me. on small business is about the >> he was. worst thing can you do to create >> and host of "the daily jobs. >> some would disagree with that. this is where if we're looking to decide who is not rundown," chuck todd. compromising and not cutting a deal, we have to make sure >> they're all very mean, i will there's honesty in all this. tell you. i'm going to read from the "new i think my mother tweets. york times." you tell me if there's anything president obama has accused mitt wrong here. the argument is the tax on those romney of outsourcing jobs making $250,000 or more is during his time at bain capital. hitting job creators where it we have an ad, this one claims hurts and therefore hurting the economy. romney shipped jobs to china and here's what the "new york times" mexico but president obama is editorial says. "republicans argue that letting facing disappointment from his the high end tax cuts expire on party he hasn't done more to will hit small businesses and stem the flow of jobs around impede hire napg is nonsense and based on an overly broad around the country to overseas and it report says obama has yet definition of small business, to live up to his 2008 campaign which counts any taxpayer who reports business income as a business owner, including lawyers and accountants working promise. in partnerships, and s corporations, business

organizations that can employ thousands of workers. only 2.5% of small business owners would face higher taxes and u.s. jobs lost to china was of expiration of the bush tax 450,000 between 2008 and 2010 because of the growth. cuts. are republicans dance organize >> it brings up an issue tied to talk yesterday. there's some talking points we heard from the president when he was a candidate, rolling back t -- dancing or trying to make it the bush tax cuts, this issue look like they won't be hurt by about penalizing companies that ship jobs overseas, figuring out how to do that. it's been sort of democratic the tax increase. talking points for years and nothing's been done about it. >> it's not just rooef duesing they haven't rolled back any -- reducing to the bill clinton error. we're talking about 940,000 part of the bush tax cut or haven't dealt with this. taxpayer, that's that 2.5% this also give another weird aspect to the president. while he gets attacked on the category. right for being a socialist and that's not my number. that's according to the being anti-business, he's congressional joint committee on actually tiptoed on some of taxation. and a lot of those taxpayers these issues when it comes to business and trade and actually do run small businesses and make hiring decisions based international trade.

much more of a free trader than on certainty, regulatory i think the perception that's out there. a little more lenient on this certainty and tax policy stuff, isn't sort of a big union certainty. if they're being told we're take guy. he gets associated with the unions but he never was a big caring of one swath of the tax union guy. he's not anti-union but he doesn't go out there and say pace, you have to wait, that what's the union agenda, oh, i'm impacts decision making. >> have those tax cuts in place going to grab it and run with it. that's why he didn't have much union support early on in 2008. spurred growth? not really. it was all with edwards and some >> because every year we're saturdaying are they going -- s of it with clinton. on that particular case it's a going to get extended again? double-edge sword. "the washington post" is >> they've been there for a long becoming the source for time. >> do you think marginal tax outsourcing stories, huh, rate impact the economic cycle? eugene? >> we're the outsourcing source. it seems to me the potential no. not on the margin. political gain for the president you answer. in this is limited by the fact >> every time there's a tax that, as you said, he's talked debate, people say if you just increase this tax by 2%, do you about punishing companies that really think it going to have an outsource or at least that impact on behavior? the answer is of course not, offshore rather or at least not it's a cumulative effect. helping them with tax breaks but in fact hasn't done anything. and so it's the difference

you're a business prn and say i'm about to get whacked, between the republicans pointing at him and saying, well, he hasn't done anything about it and him pointing at romney and dodd-frank, not sure how it saying but he's the outsourcer, going to affect my business, tax cuts that won't be extended, he's the offshorer. so there is a difference there. regulatory uncertainty. there is probably a net benefit. the cumulative effects of it say but i think a small one to the the numbers are there. president there because, as you said, he ain't done nothing. >> tom brokaw, there is some $2 trillion are holding income sign along the way that the bain on balance sheets. attacks have had some impact. >> it's much morp important you have a good business and good >> it's had some traction in the last six weeks or so obviously. hire being practices than a they'll continue to try to marginal tax rate. define him as the rich guy that >> if we throw around the 1%, if plays by a different set of rules from the rest of us. you look at irs data, the 1% is i don't know how much of a connection the average voter is people who made approximately going to make in terms of how they're going to make a decision $330,000 in a given year. in one year, $330,000 pops you come november. it seems to me a lot of work into the 1%. verse been living with the that means someone who owns five outsourcing issue for some time.

laundromat stores, sells their business for north of $300,000 i think most people understand that we live in a global and they're in the 1% and they get whacked by this uncertainty. economy. what strikes me about both if you're an owner of those five campaigns when it comes to employment is that they're not stores and you're making a getting at some of the really decision do i hire, sell my fundamental issues. you were talking earlier about company and take a capital gain? job skills, for example. >> i don't think they're hiring there are some very -- there are right now. a fair number of jobs out there richard haas? >> this is singling out one in high tech manufacturing in which the owners are saying we aspect of a whole mosaic. >> exactly. don't have the skill set and the >> so this is about politics, people who are coming through not about economic policy. the door, and there are jobs the president is focusing on this because it reinforces his that are coming back here. general electric, which used to theme about fairness, about how america is reacting to our be our parent company, brought economic situation and so forth. but there's a lot of other back jobs. missing pieces here. caterpillar has big plans to there's spending. expand in the southwest and the there's the whole question of southeast. entitlements and spending. but in every case they say we that is not being discussed. need workers who no longer just there's the question of corporate tax policy. have a strong pair of hands and what would it take to get the 2d good work boots and a strong trillion on books to be back. they've got to have real invested, what would it take to get american corporations to computer skills and be spend here at home rather than analytical and problem solvers. abroad? there's trade and immigration >> chuck, maybe you can lend

policy. we're talking one piece of a insight into this. much larger fabric thisis really given how sophisticated the much more about politics at the president's reelection campaign end of the day -- >> soy where is the deal? is with all the focus groups, we all know a tremendous positive being president of the united if this is politics, mike, it states, campaigning around the seems to me the deal that the country. president is putting on the could it also be a negative in the minds of voters that, as tom table, just don't extend them is just describing, he's the for the very rich, middle class president. he's the guy we put in charge of gets protected. driving the bus, running the >> i don't know the deal. nation, leading us, taking us to that's way above my pay grade. it seems this argument the two where we want to go. of you are having back and forth could it be that's his biggest is a babe ruth version, a fet negative? >> they know it. watch what the obama campaign is doing, right? why are they running this attack strategy on romney to try to do more call ver everything they can to -- -- metaphorical version of what because it's a two-step process happens in congress. as both of you went back and to replace -- if you're going to forth, neither of you measured the larger umbrella, the need to replace a president. number one, you have to make the decision you'll consider doing reform the entire tax code. it. that decision's been made. >> look at this "washington there's a majority of the country that's thinking about

post"/abc news poll. voters are split on who is best it, that's clear. to handle the taxes. but part two of that is you >> it's very hard to talk about consider the alternative. raising taxes in the middle of a recession. it's very tough. it's the middle of a campaign. >> but this came up two years it is a much more of a personal ago. >> but president obama said in vote. a vote for senate, for house. those can be referendums on the party in power. 2009 you don't raise taxes in a but at the end of the day, that last group of voters, the voters recession. it is a weak economic period that provide the 50% plus one, possibly heading into a recession. why doesn't that same theory hold? he said you don't raise taxes in the middle of a recession. they make a personal decision and that is why you're seeing this unloading, if you will, and >> nothing can stifle high are i think at some point the romney tax rates during a period of campaign has to do more than economic growth that were much say, hey, look, that guy is higher than right now in in desperate, that's why they're country historically. doing this. okay, that's true. that is true. that is why they're doing this. >> 1990s you had a surplus, internet boom. they're planting seeds of doubt >> we're sort of arguing what because they know the climate does it mean to be rich in makes it where you have swing america? is it $250,000 or is it $1 voters that are considering the alternative. million? romney has to answer these i think that's an interesting questions or he's going to come

thing to consider when you're bringing that to the electorate. up short. >> the first rule in politics, to me that sounds like a lot of whether you're running for money either way. >> what's interesting is the alderman or running for president of of the united states, do not let the response from some democrat opposition define who you are. being senators. >> exactly. >> chuck schumer. >> that's the game that's in play right now. >> bob menendes just said you >> the supreme court, for instance, in terms of the republicans, that is very energizing. in some way it was that obama has won but it's less could be a firefighter or a energizing. they now have a new energy coming from the romney side. teacher and not be able to -- >> eugene rob enson. >> back to what chris christie >> it seems it to me that the said, this deal the president puts on the table brings in $850 thing -- these are things people billion. there is something there. >> but it can't just be about can understand. you have an ira worth 20 to 100 revenue. it's got to be about spending. you come back to things like million. house of representatives does that happen hap?

simpson-bowles. he's going to have to release in 2013, republicans, democrats, more tax returns and going to have to talk about this stuff, congress, they're going to have to sit down. some aspect of a grand bargain is going to be had or my concern lest he be defined as not just is markets are going to react an outsourcer but this sort of very strongly against the united states. i think the world is giving up a kind of -- exotic rich guy who doesn't have >> if we go through a debt sealing-type exercise again -- anything in common with the >> disaster. people he expects to vote for him. >> i have to let dan respond. >> by early 2013, then i think >> i'd just say to both of you it's katie bar the door time. there is this new conventional it's united states has six months, a year to work out these difficulties. we can't go on forever with this kind of partisan divide. wisdom of the bain attacks is >> we look terrible from the having some resonance. outside. >> there would be i thi the amount of money obama is putting behind the ads is substantial agreement with what you said. amazing. the obama campaign has been but then you inject two word into the potential agreement. spending 3-1 against the romney grover norquist. attack ads. how much of it is a question of this huge disparity right now? what happens on the republicans >> yes. but that's my point. side of the aisle with grover norquist? >> no compromise. never a compromise. >> none. that is absolutely what's happened. in may and in june -- it was

the compromise will run six more june than may. people against you and beat you in may the obama campaign ran in a primary. more positives, a few negatives. >> i simply would say the number of the political leaders and june was i'd say about 75% of their constituencies that are their ads negative versus 25% positive. resistant to what president and, by the way, it's fine you obama has opposed i think would bring up on the disparity have a completely different between obama and romney because perspective if they said, oaks, that numbers are true. okay, so this tax rate is going up by the corporate tax rate is throw in the super packs and it's been 1-1. but it actually brings up an going down from 25% to 35%. issue that i think the republican apparatus. there's a whole range of while financially they're at par factors. obamacare will be revealed. there a whole range of factors that will be the contextual i ity, having three different people launching a television framework for desiding each message that isn't necessarily issue. it's not a rifle shot decision. on the same perfect message versus obama, which is it got to be comprehensive. controlling say 90% of the and i think grover norquist's democratic message that's in the position in the debate would be swing states, is proving to be more effective with his dollar. much different if the debate that's another thing that's out with were held with a there. comprehensive context. romney in a weird way -- yes, he's got all of his air cover >> it would be weaker. >> his position would be weaker. from the super pacs but it's not

effective money yet. it's very easy to campaign one >> eugen robinson, what's your way or the other against this individual change to the tax code. >> with richard and dan here, i column about today in the "washington post"? >> well, the column is about one want to get to two major foreign of my favorite issues, voter policy stories that could shape the election. u.n. envoy kofi annan is i.g., these voter i.d. laws are which are think are an abomination. expected to meet with top iranian officials to determine they're a solution still in what role if any tehran might search of a problem and you look play in his six-point plan for in pennsylvania, the numbers out peace in syria. last week, something like 9.2% and in syria, they apparently of pennsylvania registered agreed upon a "new approach" to voters don't have a state driver's license, are going to have trouble voting it's a end tensions there. scandal. >> look for the art call by a russian reporter said russia will stop sell nug arms to the eugene robinson in "the assad government until the conflict ends. richard, should i start with washington post." >> and coming up, waging war on what you were shaking your head about? >> the idea that you would ge g obesity. to tehran in the hope of putting we'll talk to james barnett and

together a diplomatic outcome is wherever preposterous ends, that begins. >> it's like a parity. david kirchoff. >> tease an alternative universe. keep it here on "morning joe." >> the interesting news is not [ buzz ] off to work! at the ran, it's not covey annan. it's mao could you. did you know honey nut cheerios is america's favorite cereal? you're beginning to see somin oh, you're good! signs that the russians hey, did you know that honey nut cheerios is... understand that ultimately oh you too! ooh, hey america's favorite cereal is... honey nut cheerios ok then off to iceland! i knew it'd be tough on our retirement savings, especially in this economy. but with three kids, being home more really helped. bashar al assad will go. man: so we went to fidelity. this thing is beginning to take we talked about where we were and what we could do. on momentum. we changed our plan and did something about our economy. one day we will hit the tipping now we know where to go for help ountd and when these regimes go, if things change again. they go quickly. gougts happen. call or come in today we can do things toin crease the to take control of your personal economy. pressure on them. i've been urging that we announce to the syrian get free one-on-one help from america's retirement leader.

leadership, the top 25 people around him, we say you have another three weeks and if those three weeks you distance yourself from the crimes, fine. if not, war crimes indictments against you. this thing is moving toward a resolution but it not going to be kofi annan and it's not going to be anything they do. >> what about egypt? >> they held a brief but controversial session of parliament this morning. newly elected president mohamed morsi called on parliament to reconvene just ten days into his term putting him at odds with the authority of the first freely elected leader. >> we basically have a new ring of uncertainty from cairo to damascus throughout the middle east. >> cairo is worried about what's

going to happen to egypt, civil war in syria, uncertainty in jordan, hezbollah and lebanon. in egypt this is the showdown. it's happening quicker than people thought but this marriage of convenience is not going to last. the muslim brotherhood will somebody didn't book with travelocity, force the confrontation, bring with 24/7 customer support to help move them to the pool daddy promised! look at me, i'm swimming! people out into tahrir square somebody, get her a pony! and into the streets. [ female announcer ] the travelocity guarantee. the think the military will back down. from the price to the room to the trip i think we're moving towards the you'll never roam alone. era where the muslim brotherhood has much more control not just over a presidency but over the parliament and over the courts. so i think we're going to find out ultimately what's the nature of muslim brotherhood rule, sooner than we thought. >> if you look the israel's defens defenses. the centerpiece has been that the egyptians would be a partner

in securing that enormous border with israel. they just assume the egyptian army is their partner and for the first time in over 30 years, israeli decisions and power makers are waiting to learn who is going to be in power. who is this morsi? it's a game changer, if the israelis have to worry about their egyptian border the way they have to worry about syria, it is actually a transformational period in the region. >> a lot to get to. chuck todd and tina brown. and todd santos has a check on the forecast. >> thanks so much. . tina brown, before you go, it look like a beautiful one, the new issue of "newsweek" also

cool temperatures from hartford has a piece on syria. back to boston and albany. >> it's a fantastic piece. they're some of the coolest temperatures sense last late month. enjoy it while you can. she went to damascus and 76 in d.c. with a chance for reported on their assad side, some showers, maybe at least some isolated showers this the elite supporting him particularly. it's a fascinating portrait afternoon. light rain here and there across the mid sense of the 95 about how the rich and the elite are still going on as if nothing is happening. they're going to party, they're corridor. having champagne receptions. heading done to the they're going to the concerts, southeast,you could see they're going to see the thunderstorms, showers. raleigh, shore lot and southwest damascus opera. florida may be seeing some of the damascus opera continues to the showers also. give tease concerts. we'll keep a close eye on the it's almost like having in the forecast there the next couple of days. german siege of leningrad with more "morning joe" on your way next. i am you orchestra playing on. it's like they'll give it up to the islamists and they'll have a country completely dominated by

the islamic element. and you are me >> we'll be looking for that in if you want it, you just got to believe. "newsweek." up next, remembering marie weight watchers i believe strength colvin and richard engel on the [ jennifer ] confidence beautiful amazing [ emily ] this goes way beyond happiness war correspondent who lost her weight watchers i believe. because it works. life in syria. "morning joe" back in a moment. [ female announcer ] weight watchers -- brave knights! rated number one best plan for weight loss by u.s. news and world report, again. [ jennifer ] join for $1. weight watchers. believe. because it works.

as you can clearly see from this attractive graph that our sales have increased by... sorry, my liege. honestly. our sales have increased by 20%. what is this mystical device i see before me? it's an ultrabook. he signed the purchase order. with an ultrabook, everything else seems old fashioned. introducing the ultra sleek, ultra responsive ultrabook. a whole new class of computers powered by intel.

ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 let's talk about the cookie-cutter retirement advice ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 you get at some places. it's time to take a look at ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 they say you have to do this, have that, invest here the morning papers. i'll put my home movies away. ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 you know what? i know you all want to see my children. ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 you can't create a retirement plan based on ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 a predetermined script. ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 at charles schwab, we actually take the time to listen - "the dallas morning news," a ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 to understand you and your goals... federal trial is under way over ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 ...so together we can find real-life answers for your a controversial voter i.d. law. ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 real-life retirement. ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 talk to chuck ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 and let's write a script based on your life story. they claim it unfairly ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 discriminates against minorities. the state countered it's a way to prevent fraud noting felons, noncitizens and even the dead have voted in past election. >> how do the dead do that? >> well, they use names. the three-judge panel is expected to rule within a month. . i'm on a street, half the >> the globe. houses on this street have been hit, including the one i'm in. the syrians are not allowing democratic senate candidate civilians to leave. elizabeth warren earned $8.6 anyone who gets on the street, if they're not hit by a shell, they're sniped. there are snipers all around. i think the sickening thing is

million. >> this is going to be a tough the complete merciless nature. one. >> a poll showed brown leading warren by 2 percentage points, they are hitting civilian 39 to 37. >> and in the globe, a photo buildings mercilessly without that got buzz. caring and the scale of it is it shows a kayaker on cape cod shocking. >> that was marie colvin of "the london times" filing her last report out of syria. trying to outpaddle a 14 foot the following day she lost her shark. hundreds of beach goers held life during the syrian assault in the city of homs. their breath. >> set the world record in with us is marie brenner, who kayaking. put him on the olympic team. writes about marie colvin. in the article, her photographer >> i'd be really panicked if i recalls her final moments. were him. >> a small group in new york "it sounded like the battle of stalin grad. defended their right to drink supersize drinks yesterday. we were directly taerrgeted. mayor bloomberg wants to then another shell landed on the limit -- >> they are on to something. building, everyone started screaming we have to get the hell out. this is the movement. >> is this the soda pop party? the next blast blew through the door. it hit our translator and

>> bloomberg wants to ban them snapped his arm. i felt the hot steel in my leg. arguing the city spends billions a year in weight related health i shouted i'm hit. it went in one side and out problems and get rid of them. another. i could see the hole through my >> what is wrong with those people? >> i will tell you. leg. i knew hi to get out and as i did, i fell over. of course you are. i was next to her and could i >> it's a slippery slope. see her black jacket and her >> that's what he said about jeans in the rubble. seat belts. i listened to her chest. >> the old slippery slope. she was gone. marie, give us the sense of the drive and resolve of a real >> i was at the movies over the reporter because i would think weekend and was at the line at it would be from knowing some in my life that you have to be the concession stand. there to tell the story, you i will admit i like to get the have to actually be there. big jumbo bucket. >> $38. >> and i overheard some talk no matter what. >> that's so right. that the big jumbo popcorns at and that's so much what she the movie theaters may be next believed. she was the best, the sort of on the chopping block. last of the breed of i could live with the ban on the extraordinarily dedicated present reporters who would go big sodas but if it means they're going to take away my popcorn at the theaters, game over. anywhere and do anything to get >> i think he's kidding. the truth out of the story. i think. >> you go to westchester county. even if she knew he was going to be in absolute danger, she would >> schlepp to westchester and say to her friends and

colleagues "i must go in" and then come back to the movie? her phrase was "i must bear >> no, you stay out there. >> bloomberg, i didn't sign witness." >> and that is what she did up -- >> can i just make a point here? every day and until the last moment. also joining us, nbc news chief can we talk about the practical implications of holding two foreign correspondent richard engel, who know as little bit mediums is not the same as one about doing what marie colvin jumbo. >> and that's $59, not $38. did so well. >> so would you give your child >> i just got back from syria a gallon of soda to drink? and i was supposed to go to >> no. >> right. okay. >> but i have the personal responsibility to make the homs, the same place where marie decision about what my children drink and eat. was. we'd been hearing these reports >> how do we solve the problem homs was being badly shelled. there isn't personal responsibility being taken we were on our way in to the across this country and we are country with rebels and we're obese to where our military is fat and they can't even do sit about to go to the same media ups and run a mile. center where she'd been hold up you talk to me about that. and where she ultimately lost you tell me we don't have a her life. as we were about to cross the crisis that is epidemic border, the people with us said something happened, we can't go, proportions -- let's hold for a minute. >> you're talking to someone with a 14 inch waist. and the report came out the >> i'm telling you mayor place where they were in had

bloomberg didn't agree with the third term but he's ground been badly damaged, destroyed breaking on this. and she was dead. he's getting in there and being we held back, it was a chilling brave. >> obesity and health, home and people are just starting to figure out if they can make their way back into noncommunicable diseases are the syria. >> bear witness. biggest health care problems in the united states. >> and national security >> from your piece in "vanity implications. i mean, come on now. fair" writing about marie >> cat man's waiting. >> i think there's a cfr colvin, as they left for the second trip, they knew there symposium here on the jumbo would be no space for them to popcorn on whether or not it impacts our national security. carry flak jackets. >> don't laugh. it does. do you really want too have this they clocked 45 explosions ament. every bone in my body is telling me not do this. conversation? colvin listened to him i've got a picture of emma for patrick. joining us is -- carefully, her head cocked to one side "those are your concerns, i'm going in no matter >> i have bad news. i also can't run a mile. >> i remember that. remember we did a piece together wh what. i'm the reporter, you're the photographer." and you couldn't get up the steps in washington, d.c. you can't gotogle a war. because you literally could not lift your extra weight up the stairs. >> my extra weight. >> that's right. thanks very much. it's an entirely new arena for

i don't care about the big gulp the war tribal and village to village. it isn't like the way it was in sodas but you know those king other wars where there were size candy bars, that's the clear lines of demarcation, problem. >> but when you go into a movie clear fronts. you don't know where the enemies theater and say what's next, are coming from. it makes it more dangerous now for war reporters on the front. what do i have to hoard now? >> you have to be able to get do you feel that? the five pound butterfingers >> if you look at baba amr and bar. >> oh, god. what it looks like now it's hard it's not just the size of the portions that's a problem butch to imagine anyone could have it's what's in them and it's all survived the area. actually strangely in a way that is killing us addictive. it's totally destroyed. the buildings are collapsed. there are certain sugars and -- the cliche is an earthquake >> that's what people say about zone. the popcorn in the theater. this looks much worse. if you're in that and trying to tell the story of human suffering in there. >> i actually helped get her out of -- it was indonesia when she that's why c . >> what's topping the political play book? got in trouble before. >> i promise i'm not bringing her family got in touch with me this up to raise dan's blood and i got in touch with people pressure two days in a row. at the state department. i met her briefly in new york but the obama campaign is doubling down on this whole idea one time and she said thank you. of mitt romney not releasing enough tax returns for their this was systemic with her.

>> i have known her for years. liking. we were always running into they're having a two-minute places. the last time was with in libya. video that they're putting out today with a ticking clock. qaddafi was falling and nobody they do think this is a winning had power or water. we found a little hotel we message. you saw robert gibbs talking managed to force open. we had plenty of food. about it yesterday, you see talk word got out that nbc had set up a great safehouse with food, water. about it on the sunday talk we were actually quite in a good shows. they've got a huge ad coming out position. then all these other reporters about it today and obviously the thing that they are kind of came with tin cups saying, hey, banking on, which they've had a can can we have a little bit? little bit of success on are she was one of them. >> shared. >> yes, we did. some republicans kind of agree with them. >> she was so optimistic. you saw haley barber saying i everyone says she would get into would probably release some of these tax returns, too. a place like where you were and she would be the one who would bobby jindal wasn't as supportive of romney as the bring the fun, the granola bars, romney campaign would have liked, they hedged on that. the scotch. she would have on the la perla underwear under her flak jacket. she had such aliveness in the >> haley barber did say that.

field. it was clear to everyone who why not just release them? knew her how much she adored the there's got so be something in work. >> she would move fast. there that's not good. i remember in lebanon during the >> the rusher is the argument that governor romney handed over war between israel and hezbollah 23 years of tax returns to john we were moving around and we mccain when he was being vetted showed up in this village. for vice president. i was sure i was the only person >> if he were to release all his who made it to this village. tax returns, do you think the it was a hospital that had been obama campaign would stop making cut off. and the people inside were this campaign about class and without food, without water. the patients were on the floor. would stop trying to distract from the 41 months of dreadful i'm in this hospital doing job numbers by making the whole interviews and i think i have a great exclusive. campaign about stuff that does i hear her voice. not impact the future reform she's been there two days. i said, what are you doing here? debate that we need? >> with this great catherine >> patrick, thanks. i sent you some pictures. when we come back, fortune hepburn delivery. >> you beat us here. >> this is an incredible piece. thank you for writing it. the real deal. the issue in vanity fair. magazine's obituary to cash. marie brenner who wrote it, is it really over? thank you very much. richard engel, thank you. the postal service is critical to our economy, you're watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks.

the medicare debate continues in washington... ...more talk on social security... ...but washington isn't talking to the american people. [ female announcer ] when it comes to the future of medicare and social security, you've earned the right to know. ♪ ...so what does it mean for you and your family? [ female announcer ] you've earned the facts. ♪ washington may not like straight talk, but i do. [ female announcer ] and you've earned a say. delivering mail, medicine and packages. get the facts yet the house is considering a bill and make your voice heard to close thousands of offices, on medicare and social security at earnedasay.org. slash service and layoff over 100,000 workers. the postal service is recording financial losses, but not for reasons you might think. [ male announcer ] ok, so you're no marathon man. the problem ? a burden no other agency or company bears. but thanks to the htc one x from at&t, a 2006 law that drains $5 billion a year with its built in beats audio, every note sounds amazingly clear. from post office revenue while the postal service is forced to overpay billions more into federal accounts. ...making it easy to get lost in the music... and, well... house bill 2309 is not the answer. rio vista?!! [ male announcer ] ...lost. introducing the musically enhanced htc one x from at&t.

rethink possible. use the points we earn with our citi thankyou card for a relaxing vacation. ♪ sometimes, we go for a ride in the park. introducing the musically enhanced htc one x from at&t. ♪ maybe do a little sightseeing. or, get some fresh air. atmix of energies.ve the world needs a broader but this summer, we used our thank youpoints that's why we're supplying natural gas to to just hang out with a few friends in london. generate cleaner electricity... [ male announcer ] the citi thankyou visa card. that has around 50% fewer co2 emissions than coal. redeem the points you've earned to travel with no restrictions. rewarding you, every step of the way. and it's also why, with our partner in brazil, shell is producing ethanol i knew it'd be tough on our retirement savings, - a biofuel made from renewable sugarcane. especially in this economy. >>a minute, mom! but with three kids, being home more really helped. let's broaden the world's energy mix. let's go.

man: so we went to fidelity. we talked about where we were and what we could do. we changed our plan and did something about our economy. ♪ now we know where to go for help if things change again. call or come in today ♪ to take control of your personal economy. get free one-on-one help from america's retirement leader. ♪ [ male announcer ] what's the point of an epa estimated 42 miles per gallon if the miles aren't interesting? the lexus ct hybrid. this is the pursuit of perfection.

>> you stayed up late last night to watch the home run derby, didn't you? >> no, no. >> all-star festivities kicked ♪ tonight major league baseball's annual mid-summer off last night. classic all-star game. usually controversy free. i don't know if he'll be there or not but there is a guy called last night marked by hostility, the kansas city crowd was booing lou brissy who symbolizes so

robbie cano. he's captain of the home run team and he did not pick kansas city's first baseman and much. >> he went into the war instead of baseball. designated hitter. his legs were shattered in they booed robbie from start to finish every time he came to the plate. he won last year's home run battle. every surgeon wanted to derby with 32 home runs. amputate. he said, no, i'm a baseball last night he failed to hit a player. single home run and royals fans he found a surgeon to do it. loved it. his legs were so frail he had to they loved it every time he failed. not everyone had it so rough. wear shin guards. prince fielder hit 28 home runs he was in the all-star game. had two great games for the a's. and outslugged jose bautista in big salute. an all-star for all time. the final round. fielder hit the longest bomb of >> tom brokaw, thank you. the competition, 476 feet right up next, chris christie's tough into the fountain. words for washington. we'll be right back. he does posited a number of ♪ shots into the fountain. stronger. believe. happier. healthier. he joins ken griffey, jr. i believe weight watchers made me more powerful. the all-star game is tonight. it's time to believe again. justin verlander on the hill stand up and take charge. against matt cain on the mound i believe if you want to change your life, you can. for the giants.

♪ believe in yourself >> robinson cano hits home runs [ female announcer ] weight watchers -- rated number one best plan for weight loss when they count. >> he actually might be the best by u.s. news and world report, again. [ jennifer ] join for $1. hitter in baseball. >> i think he is. >> the best pure hitter in weight watchers. believe. because it works. baseball. >> what about r.a. dickey? should he be starting? i knew it'd be tough on our retirement savings, especially in this economy. >> he should be. he's a great story, he's a great but with three kids, being home more really helped. guy. >> wait a minute. did you prep for that? man: so we went to fidelity. >> no. >> i think a little bird got her we talked about where we were and what we could do. we changed our plan and did something about our economy. in her ear with that one. >> i got to talk to alex. now we know where to go for help if things change again. >> coming up, the new issue of call or come in today fortune next. [ male announcer ] you sprayed them. to take control of your personal economy. get free one-on-one help from america's retirement leader.

according to ford, the works fuel saver package could literally pay for itself. jim twitchel is this true? yes it's true. how is this possible? proper tire inflation, by using proper grades of oil, your car runs more efficiently, saves gas. you could be doing this right now? yes i could, mike. i'm slowing you down? yes you are. my bad. the works fuel saver package.

just $29.95 or less after rebate. only at your ford dealer. so, to sum up, you take care of that, you take care of these, you save a bunch of this. that works. t there. - one serving of cheese is the size of four dice. one serving of cereal, a baseball. and one serving of fruit, thought they were dead. huh? a tennis ball. - you know, both parties agree. [ male announcer ] should've used roundup. our kids can be healthier... it kills weeds to the root, so they don't come back. the more you know.

roundup. no root. no weed. no problem. ...more talk on social security... ...but washington isn't talking to the american people. ♪ [ female announcer ] when it comes to the future of medicare and social security, you've earned the right to know. i would not ask anybody to ♪ ...so what does it mean for you and your family? compromise their principles. there's too much of that in [ female announcer ] you've earned the facts. ♪ politics today to begin with. i have to get everyone to washington may not like straight talk, but i do. acknowledge you won't get everything you want. [ female announcer ] and you've earned a say. once you get acknowledgment on get the facts both sides of that equation you and make your voice heard can find and force compromise as on medicare and social security at earnedasay.org. an executive. i can walk and chew gum at the same time. okay? i can fight with democrats, publically and privately over issues of principle where we can't find compromise. at the same time hold conversations with them on issues where we can find common ground and force that. this illusion you see in this it's a good time to take a town that somehow that can't happen, it's not possible is look at the new issue of "fortune" magazine, "the death just an excuse. of cash." it's an excuse of failed

so many different casualties or leadership by both parties. implications because of this. it reads in part -- "the >> good morning. 8:00 on the east coast. 5:00 a.m. on the west coast. mobile-payments revolution has it's time to wake up as you take arrived. cash will find itself on the a live look at new york city. welcome back to "morning joe." endangered species list. paying by phone will be as we have msnbc contributor mike br knackle. transformative as the advent of the credit card in the 1950s. it will reshape the relationship the managing editor of fortune between buyer and seller and i magazine and president of the think also between consumer and council on foreign relations, his or her own money because richard hotz. there won't be any. first of all, what chris it will just be in the air. christie said, it is easier said >> the problem actually is, we than done. would anyone at the table like were just talking about it, it's to talk about why? so easy to spend. do we blame both sides? we all know about credit cards. like on this tax issue, is there but when you start paying by a deal to be made or is it going phone, it gets easier and easier to be more fighting before and you have to watch it because it seems like you're not spending any money. election day to divide the >> what happened? what did do you? campaigns? >> you know what relationship it who wants in? >> it's refreshing what he had really changes? the relationship between parent to say. >> but easy. and child. kids think things are free. >> when did compromise become a

>> my daughter was ordering dirty word. i agree what he said about takeout food on this thank people holding their convictions and using it as a fig leaf for called the seamless web on her not sitting down with the other iphone, boom, boom, boom, boom side. you suggest because he's a governor it's easy to say -- and food comes to our web. >> he's done it in new jersey. >> what is it? >> he has. >> it's an app where you can we have a politician who says he order food by hitting three can't compromise should be thrown out. buttons. it's paid for, the tip is you shouldn't vote for that. >> who would we throw out in automatic, you preprogram all of washington? it. it comes from any restaurant in >> to take chris christie and other governors i would submit the city and it's all taken care it's far easier to reconcile of. and it's free according to my differences in state daughter. >> 85% of all transactions 20 legislatures than it is in the united states congress because years ago were cash and that of the importance of money running for office from includes credit cards but $8 washington. these guys and women in the trillion of transactions, congress and the senate, their already $1 trillion is mobile full-time job is raising money payments and it is growing very, to get re-elected. very fast. they don't know one another. it's going to be a brave new they don't live in washington. world. it has all these implications we it's a lot more difficult to don't fully understand. >> we just need an app that gives you your balance any time attack someone when you know

do you anything. i want to get to the global 500 them or know their families or and get to richard's piece in have gotten to know them. there are very few relationships in washington anymore, the way "usa today." give us the list. there used to be 10 or 15 years >> it's the 500 biggest companies in the world, that ago. in state legislatures there are relationships. includes u.s. and overseas. >> that's true. >> good point. so counting down from ten to there are other things at work here, too. politics is the e reflection, one, the number ten company is not the cause. toyota. a lot of auto companies but huge one is the weakening of party energy presence. structures. used to be parties held together toyota is the biggest auto broad coalitions. company in the world. now each candidate is that's by dollar sales, number 12 by the way is vw by units. essentially on his or her own. media, in the old days there was conoco phillips, chevron, state centralized media bringing people together. there was a stronger sense of grid is the biggest power community, common experience. now with the internet, cable, satellite, everyone finds his or her own media outlet to california in china and those reinforce their views. chinese companies are called it works against the sense of community. the larger forces in american soes, stayed-owned enterprises. society are centrifugal. competing against soes is a they are weakening the center, allowing people not just to difficult proposition. survive but to thrive at this or >> the playing fields are not that extreme. level. they're shielded from the it shouldn't be a surprise the market. >> and the other oil companies politics of compromise are more

difficult than it was a at the top. generation ago. >> why are we cutting tax breaks >> really quick. >> in a number of state to these companies? what is the deal here? >> what is the deal? governments are required under their state constitution to seriously they make so much balance budgets every year. money! it's not the case in washington. >> it's in context of a broader >> there's the landscape. compromise that deals with the now let's parse it down to one soda ban and popcorn. issue dividing the two >> it's reprehensible. candidates. president obama and mitt romney >> it's interesting how those both head west today to pitch big oil companies dominate the competing plans for spurring job list. banks were way up but big banks growth. romney will be in colorado are very problematic. including in grand junction where unemployment is at 10%. apparently the global economy president obama, meanwhile, will host a roundtable in cedar big oil companies are okay, rapids, iowa, where unemployment right? every once in a while they spill is nearly half that rate. oil all over the ocean. >> what would we do without the president continued calls for a middle class tax cuts. he derided mitt romney and the that? >> it's the era of giant oil congressional republicans plans companies right now. to renew cuts to the wealthiest >> and they get a lot of breaks because they're in bed with most americans. >> i'm not proposing anything republicans. >> you know who would give this radical here. i believe anybody making over country a break? if we reform immigration to let some of the high scale -- $250,000 a year should go back >> okay. to the income tax rates we were

because you are alone here -- paying under bill clinton, back >> a lot of people are going to when our economy created nearly school to stay here. >> so that was the segue to 23 million new jobs, the biggest richard's piece in "usa today." budget surplus in history and plenty of millionaires to boot. this is not just my opinion. the american people are with me on this. we all say we agree that we should extend the tax cuts for 98% of the american people. everybody says that. >> or a deflection. the republicans say they don't want to raise taxes on the >> and in "usa today," even middle class. i don't want to raise taxes on the middle class. so we should all agree to amidst today's high unemployment ex-tepid tax cuts for the middle levels some 300,000 jobs are class. let's agree to do what we agree on. [ applause ] going unfilled often because employers are unable to find men and women with the advanced let's not hold the vast majority math, science and technology of americans and the economy skills they need. hostage while we debate the merits of another tax cut for >> this is a piece i did with the wealthy. the chairman and ceo of alcoa. >> okay. we're talking about corporations we also heard from mitt romney on the issue. have increasingly taken matters obviously with republicans in

into their own hand, teaming control of the house it's unlikely congress will allow one with community colleges to work cut without another. with young people. in a radio interview mitt romney so they graduate with the skill framed the choice in stark terms sets the companies need to fill for the economy. these jobs. it's crazy that we've got take a listen. hundreds of thousands of jobs >> we just saw a terrible jobs going unfilled in america given our employment. we've got a mismatch between report just last week. what is needed and the skill set and now to add a higher tax on that americans are coming into job creators and on small the workforce with. we need to do such things as business is about the worst having science be a much more thing i could imagine to do if part of the common core. you want to create jobs. you have national standards. for example, if you're a welder >> all right. some would disagree with that. in pennsylvania and someone wants to hire you in california, this is where if we are looking they ought to know what to decide who's not standards you have. compromising, who's not cutting labor mobility is one of the real strengths of the united a deal. states stay compared to europe we also have to make sure there but in order for labor to be is honesty in this. i will read from the new york mobile we shall have to know that the skills that are needed times. you tell me if there is anything reach a certain level. wrong here. the argument is the tax on those we need to have databases so making $250,000 or more is players can look on and say, hey, there's joe in florida, hitting job creators where it he's got that skill set, i need hurts and therefore hurting the him in oklahoma and joe should economy. here's what the new york times be able to go on the database editorial says. the need to agree. and find out where the jobs are. republicans argue that letting the high end tax cuts expire what's so interesting about this, government is not will hit small businesses and necessarily the answer. impede hiring.

it's the private sector working with the educational sector. that is nonsense. based on an overly broad this is where increasingly definition of small business companies like caterpillar, which counts any taxpayer who alcoa and the rest are doing it reports business income as a business owner including lawyers themselves. this is very excite persian gulf. and accountants working in >> you hear anecdotally from partnerships, corporate various people in various businesses that there is a real executives who sit on other firm need to attract, you know, high boards and shareholders in talented individuals. s-corporations. business organizations that can and one of the problems they have is that many of them have employ thousands of workers. only 2.5% of small business immigrated here to go to college owners would face higher taxes from the expiration of the bush and then they have to leave tax cuts. here. my question is is the congress of those who would be affected of the united states so limited most are unlikely to reduce at that they can't see that this hiring or investment because of would mean real progress for our ample deductions for business economy, to reform immigration expenses. are republicans trying to make laws? >> the short answer is yes. it look like the tax cuts would this was part of the road kill, hurt people who would not if you will, a casualty of 9/11. actually be hurt? >> president obama is in the clip you showed said he wants to we reduced the level of people reduce the tax rates to what they were under bill clinton. with these high educational, that's not accurate. other taxes have increased since technical skills. they all went home to india and then. obamacare, investment tax china afterwards. of course we couldn't agree on increases.

comprehensive immigration form it's not just increasing to the and couldn't agree on targeted immigration reform. bill clinton amount. we've got to find a way to make it possible for people to come you're talking about 940,000 here, get higher education and then stay and have careers here. taxpayers. that's not my number or a this is the great source of conservative think tank's innovation in america. number. that's according to the immigration is part of the congressional joint committee on earlier conversation. this is part of of theans to taxati growth. one of the things we've got to taxation. a lot of those taxpayers do run do is make it possible for the small businesses and make hiring most talented people in the decisions based on certainty, world to come and stay here, regulatory certainty and tax trade, immigration policy, policy certainty. if they are being told, we are economic policy, growth at the end of the day won't simply come taking care of one swath of from taxes and entitlements and the rest. taxpayers, we'll give them an extension. you, we're not sure and about uh we've got to create a context and immigration reform is one of you have to wait. it affects decision making. the most important tools we could do four ourselves to >> have the tax cuts spurred growth? not really. restore economic growth. >> i've heard president obama >> every year we're waiting pointing fingers at republicans, saying are they going to extend same thing back and forth, they can't make progress. again? >> well, they have been there if you talk about that, identifying internal candidate, for a long time. >> the economic cycle is a lot domestic candidates across the country. more important than marginal tax linked in is doing some very interesting things as far as rates. >> sure. identifying and helping it's cumulative. >> do you think the marginal tax employers find people all around rates impact the economic cycle? the country. just wanted to point that out.

>> they don't. >> i would just add this is not on the margin. >> you answer. especially important in the context of the global it's cumulative. opportunities that talent from around the world has today. every time there is a tax debate it used to be when i was graduating business school people say, if you just increase everyone in my class just wand this by 2% do you think it will to go to new york city or impact behavior? silicon valley. the answer is, of course not. suddenly a third of the students it's the cumulative effect. are saying i'm going to go to you're a business person saying, i'm about to get whacked with singapore, to hong kong, to the obamacare mandate. dodd frank is being implemented. thousands of now regulators and dubai. the world is so different that regulations. i'm not sure how it will affect my business. i have tax cuts at the end of people have more opportunities everywhere in the world. the year that won't be extended. >> it's crazy that we train i have tremendous regulatory people and send them arm. uncertainty. the cumulative effect means -- doesn't make sense. >> thank you for learning here look, the numbers are there. and taking it home. the fed reported almost $2 trillion of cash on the balance still ahead, the ledgery life of sheets of companies. they are not deploying cash. >> you have a yogurt stand, a hardware company, it's more important the economic cycle is good, you have a good business, good hiring practices than a marie colvin. marginal tax rate. >> we throw around the term 1%.

if you look at recent irs data the 1% is actually people who made approximately $330,000 in a given year. in one year that pops you into the 1%. someone who owns five laundromat stores. sells and they get whacked by this uncertainty. if you were the owner of the five stores making a decision to hire, sell the company and take a capital gain, this affects your decision. >> i don't think they are hiring now. richard? >> this is singling out one aspect of a whole mosaic. >> exactly. >> this is about politics, not economic policy. the president is obviously focusing on this reinforcing fairness, about how america is reacting to our economic situation and so forth. there are a lot of missing pieces here. there's spending. you can't just talk taxes.

there's the question of entitlements and spending. there is the question of corporate tax policy. what would it take to get $2 trillion on books to bin vested? what would it take to get american corporations to spend ♪ here. there is trade policy, immigration policy. we are having a conversation about a piece of a much larger fabric. that's why this is much more about politics at the end of the don't our dogs deserve to eat fresher less processed foods day than economics. introducing freshpet >> where is the deal, mike. it seems to me the deal might be healthy recipes of fresh meat and fresh veggies or the deal the democrats or president is putting on the so fresh table is saying just don't the only preservative we use is the fridge extend them for the very rich freshpet fresh food for fido and middle class get protected. let's cut a deal. >> i don't know where the deal is. that's way above my pay grade trying to figure that out. what we see here with this argument that the two of uh you are having back and forth is sort of a babe ruth league, metaphorical version of what happens in the united states

congress. we have two distinctly different views on tax policy. both of you went back and forth. neither of you mentioned the larger umbrella, the need to reform the entire tax code to bring fairness and equity in. >> look at the washington post, answer news poll. voters are split on who's best to handle the taxes. amazing. >> it will be hard to talk about raising taxes in a recession. it's very tough. it's the middle of the campaign, the middle of a recession. >> president obama himself said in 2009 you don't raise taxes in the middle of a recession. so we have technically not a recession. 1.9% growth in the first quarter. second quarter, somewhere in that neighborhood. it is a weak economic period possibly heading into a recession. why doesn't the same theory hold? nothing could -- >> higher tax rates during

periods of economic growth that were much higher than now as well in this country historically. >> this is true. >> there are a number of factors. >> that's right. >> in the '90s you had a surplus, internet boom. >> also, what does it mean to be reach in america? $250,000 or a million? that's an interesting thing to consider when you are bringing it to the electorate. to me it sounds like a lot of money either way. >> what's interesting is the -- >> chuck schumer. >> bob menendez said for $250,000 you could be a fireman and a teacher. . the new cover of "fortune" >> schumer changed his position. magazine. >> after enormous pressure. you wanted to make one final >> i can't imagine how that point. happened. >> ten years ago 197 of the >> menendez said it should go to biggest 500 companies were in a million. >> middle class is a million the world today, 116 them based dollars a year? >> would republicans take that? >> i don't speak for the caucus. in china today. 73. >> coming up, tom brokaw and >> back to what chris christie

said, the deal the president tina brown joins next. keep it right here on "morning brings to the table brings in joe." ♪ 850 billion. there is something there. >> it has to be broader. it can't be about revenue. it has to be about spending. you come back to simpson bowles. [ male announcer ] ok, so you're no marathon man. at the end of the day, it's not but thanks to the htc one x from at&t, going to happen before the with its built in beats audio, election. i think it will happen in 2013. every note sounds amazingly clear. that's when republicans, democrats, congress, the white ...making it easy to get lost in the music... house, no matter what the configuration is, they have to and, well... sit down. some aspect of a grand bargain rio vista?!! will be hatched. [ male announcer ] ...lost. or my concern is markets will introducing the musically enhanced htc one x from at&t. react very strongly against the united states. i think the world is giving us a rethink possible. respite to get the house in order. if we go through a debt ceiling exercise. >> disaster. >> we'll be downgraded by 2013. then it's bar the door time. we can't go on forever with this kind of partisan divide. >> we look terrible from the outside. >> there would be substantial agreement on both sides of the aisle with what you said.

there has to be some sort of agreement that is arrived at. then you inject two words into the potential agreement -- grover norquist. what happens on the republican side of the aisle with grover norquist? >> no compromise. never. >> sign it. >> we'll run six people against you and beat you in a primary. >> the number of political leaders and their constituencies resistent to what president obama proposed, to richard's point would have a different perspective if they said, oh, okay. this tax rate is going up but the corporate tax rate is going from 35 to 25%. or this tax rate is going up. these loopholes are being modified so i'm not at a competitive disadvantage. ovider is differentsically enhanced htc one x from at&t. there is a range of factors. obamacare would be repealed. but centurylink is committed the range of factors that would to being a different kind of communications company be the framework for deciding

by continuing to help you do more each one of these issues. out's not a rifle shot decision. and focus on the things that matter to you. no one will get around it based on rifle shot proposals. it's got to be comprehensive. grover nor quist's position in ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 let's talk about the cookie-cutter retirement advice the debate would be different if ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 you get at some places. the debate were held with a ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 they say you have to do this, have that, invest here ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 comprehensive context. ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 you know what? >> it would be weaker. ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 you can't create a retirement plan based on ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 a predetermined script. the context would be ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 at charles schwab, we actually take the time to listen - dramatically different. >> up next, obesity as a ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 to understand you and your goals... national security issue? ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 ...so together we can find real-life answers for your yes. our next guest says too many ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 real-life retirement. americans are unfit to fight ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 talk to chuck ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 and let's write a script based on your life story. posing new challenges for military recruiting. ttd#: 1-800-345-2550 the ceo of weight watchers david kirchhoff and retired admiral james barnett joins us. first a check on the forecast. todd? >> a beautiful day for traveling across the country. smooth sailing across the skies, at least across the lower 48. we have showers here and there. a lot of activity has shifted off the coastline. boston to new york city. quiet conditions.

cool temperatures this morning. albany has warmed to 63 from the mid 50s earlier this morning. 72 in boston. there is a look at what to expect by later this afternoon. buffalo up to the lower 80s through western new york. we'll see a chance for an isolated thunderstorm around d.c. but better chances down to raleigh, charlotte and columbia, south carolina. there is a look at the last 12 hours. you can see the left over activity from yesterday afternoon. will it be daytime heating that can kick off a few thunderstorms? that's on the way to dallas around 75 degrees. we could see thunderstorms around dfw later this afternoon as well. something to keep in mind. as you head out the door, a they say they agree we number of areas into tomorrow looking good out there in shouldn't let middle-class taxes denver. 90 degrees, sunshine. go up. 89 in kansas city. why don't we take action on the still across the southeast a front in place could trigger 98% now. more showers and thunderstorms if mr. romney wins they can go even towards atlanta as well as orlando. want to leave you with a ahead and provide more tax cuts beautiful shot of the washington

monument. some work still has to be done to the wealthy. if i win, i won't. on that from the earthquake. we'll find out more in the coming days. >> welcome back to "morning for now, out to a quick break. "morning joe" coming your way after this. joe." joining the table, nbc news's tom brokaw and editor in chief, tina brown. >> that's me. >> is your naval plugged into the internet? >> it's our brains. we're being chopped into pieces and we've don't make sense anymore. it's an incredible cover. >> it's an amazing study. around the time of the facebook ipo, something critical has happened, which is we have gone from controlling our devices to being completely controlled by them. and it's really, really beginning to afflict the lives of kids actually. they are so hooked up, so utterly consumed so many hours a day, it's actually affecting brain. there's a new --

>> horrifying. >> there's a new chinese study which shows that the actual brain is changed and that the brains are now looking like the brains of junkies and alcoholics. and it's been really seen to be a real problem in japan, in south korea and china. they're starting to legislate about late-night turnoff times where kids can't get on leen. >> y -- online. >> we're going to end up with a generation of children becoming young adults who have no idea what eye contact means. >> that's correct. >> because they're looking at this instead of looking at you, a no-eye contact generation. >> how many times at this table according to ford, have people woken up in the the works fuel saver package could middle of the night and checked literally pay for itself. their blackberries? jim twitchel is this true? >> i've never done that. yes it's true. how is this possible? proper tire inflation, >> i don't believe that. by using proper grades of oil,

>> you don't believe that? your car runs more efficiently, saves gas. >> i don't believe dan when he you could be doing this right now? says he's never checked. yes i could, mike. >> that's his version of i'm slowing you down? yes you are. my bad. sarcasm. i think it's frightening what's the works fuel saver package. just $29.95 or less after rebate. happening, especially with children on the social level only at your ford dealer. because the eye contact thing is so, to sum up, you take care of that, important and they don't have you take care of these, you save a bunch of this. it. they don't think before they speak. in our lifetime children have that works. learned to talk through these devices and they don't understand how to look through the pages of something, to research, to search for information. >> looking up something in the dictionary. >> wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. they no longer have to look through the pages. that's the point. and they know that. they'll say what are you talking about? why should i look through the pages? i saw a real run of "all president's men" and redford and dustin hoffman were going through phone books to try to get the number of the guy in minneapolis and i thought that doesn't seem so long ago. now they just would type in. what is important i think is to have a dialogue about all of

this and we need to hear from the bottom up as well as from the top down about why it works for them and how it expands on their life and then to ask questions of one another. i do think we've all become too confined to it. you see couples at dinner grown, middle aged, elderly and they're texting and not talking to each other. >> if do you stop to think about it and if you do stop to have this discussion, as we're having a mini discussion of it now based on this cover of "newsweek," it becomes so frightening because -- take one issue that's been in the news, school bullying. you want to reduce school bullying? take these things away from kids. >> they shouldn't be allowed in schools actually. 22 past the hour. >> they bully during school. look at that beautiful shot of >> this piece also talks about washington, d.c. how there's been a tremendous it's tuesday. rise in adhd and ocd, which is >> i'm being personally attacked here. >> you are. do you know what this is about? beginning to be thought to have >> i do. i'm under personal assault. linkages to excesses internet >> you should be. >> dave's assaulting me for addiction.

and you can be bullied by being eating the roof of a muffin. in constant contact, not even aggressive contact. i know kids who say they just >> they're the best. >> the u.s. faces many threats want to get away from their abu there is one that doesn't kids' friends asking them what involve weapons. they're doing. >> nervous children because they according to mission readiness can't turn their brains off. made up of retired military when you text, you expect leaders 27% of all young adults something back. and then you text again. are too fat to serve in the your brain never turns off of military. here to discuss how the obesity e-mails and text and information. >> the balance we have to strike rate is threatening the future is some of what this very same strength of the military the ceo technology is doing in the of weight watchers international classroom is amazing, transformative. david kirchhoff and retired so the notion that the classroom historically everyone has to learn is he tame pace no, matter admiral jamie barnett who will what their levels are, no matter be in my book which i'm writing what their analytical about obesity and food and this capabilities are and suddenly you hear more educators talking issue is part of it. too fat to fight. about ipads in the classroom we have a real issue here. this is really happening. that can track each student's people laugh at me when i say -- progress and advance the exercises based on their own i think i was laughed off the individual performance. set this morning when i talked you may have 20 kids in the about our national security classroom operating on 20 different levels and each one of being at risk. it is? >> it's a national security those students is able to be problem. mission readiness is 300 retired

challenged and advantaged at generals and admirals, a their own pace because of national security organization. technology. >> if they have a brain left. really just want kids in america to get a good education, grow up >> it's the quick dopamine fix healthy and be contributing of that instant gratification citizens. 75% of young americans from age thing that i think is very 17 to 24 are ineligible to serve disorientating. in the u.s. military. >> it gets back to the point part of it is because they don't that tom raised looking at the have a high school diploma. part of it is criminal problems, clip from "all the president's but physical fitness is another m major problem. men" when they're looking one in four young americans is through phone books. we have to have a discuss -- i overweight. so overweight they can't join don't know what the answer is -- the military. >> unbelievable. does the ease of work made in the military is there an effort to try to make our men easier by all of these instruments, does it mean you just don't know how to work? and women stronger? are they coming in a little you don't know how to knock on the door and talk to someone heavy? >> they're showing up at the because you can google the recruiting stations heavy. actually, our military is in tremendous shape. person and you feel no need to we do draw from the general talk to someone? population. and there are people who lived a >> and you also never travel life up to age 18 or when they because you travel in a virtual come in not as healthy. world. so they don't do as well in boot >> we've learned the children

have no value of money, no camp. it's a problem. about 1200 first term enlistees eye contact, no ability to connect concepts. let's see how washington is had to be discharged because doing on all this. they can't keep up with the weight standards. president obama and mitt romney that costs between $50 million head west to pitch competing and $100 million a year. plans for spurring job growth. >> unbelievable. i must say for the record, romney heads to grand junction david, i'm not a person that necessarily agrees with the concept of diet plans. in colorado and president obama having said that, i know more will host a roundtable in cedar men in my life who have used weight watchers online and have rapids, iowa. yesterday the president lost a lot of weight. continued calls for middle-class here's the key -- kept it off. tax cuts. >> the first thing i would say is it's really not a diet plan. >> i'm not proposing anything it's helping people establish radical here. new habits, behaviors, routines i just believe that anybody that allows them to navigate -- making over $250,000 a year >> the food that's out there. >> it's crazy. should go back to the income tax there are 500 more calories rates we were paying under bill available per capita per day mostly in the form of junk food clinton, back when our economy today. created nearly 23 million new people need to navigate that jobs, the biggest budget surplus environment. that's our focus as an in history and plenty of organization. getting back to the issue, it's millionaires to boot. and this is not just my opinion. interesting the issue of

the american people are with me childhood obesity and the on this. military. there was a study out recently we all say we agree that we should extend the tax cuts for estimating 25% of teenagers are either diabetic or prediabetic. 98% of the american people. >> right. everybody says that. >> crazy. the republicans say they don't >> 25%? want to raise taxes on the >> yeah. >> it's a real epidemic and it's middle class, i don't want to raise taxes on the middle class. growing. >> it is amazing we debated so we should all agree to extend health care for two years. the tax cuts for the middle class. i'm telling you if we approached let's agree to do what we agree on. right? it from this vantage point we let's not hold the vast majority wouldn't have as much of a debate. this is the core of our problems to an extent. of americans and our entire economy hostage while we debate how can you, when you look at the merits of another tax cut for the wealthy. the military say we will be ready 20, 30 years from now if >> president obama is urging the we continue down the path we are extense of middle-class tax cuts in terms of obesity. now and delaying the decision on >> what's happening in our cuts for the wealthy until later elementary and middle schools but with republicans in control of the house, it's unlikely now will affect our national congress will allow one cut security 15, 20 years from now. without the other. it's a longitudinal problem. in a radio interview, mitt there are things we can do. romney framed the choice in stark terms for the economy. the major thing is we've got to

>> we just saw a terrible jobs get the junk food out of our report just last week. and now to add a higher tax on job creators and on small schools and stem the tide. business is about the worst thing i could imagine to do if you want to create jobs. >> the white house says the president will veto any up to 50% of calories children legislation that includes a take in is at school. continuation of the tax cut for the wealthy. the department of agriculture is tom brokaw, the tax cut's been coming out with new standards about junk foods and what they in place for those so-called job call competitive foods. creators. how's it done for them? foods sold during school hours. >> well, i mean, it goes beyond taxes frankly. it's not just vending machines. there's a really systemic problem with the economy and it's a la cart items on the both sides know that. cafeteria line. this is what i call the olympic i visited a ship one time when i was still active duty. the senior chief who was the trial period of the presidential campaign. they're trying out various ideas chief culinary chef showed me as they head into august, see how the constituencies respond the baked fish, broccoli and to that. taxes are going to be front and salad. there was a lot of it. center in this campaign. then there was the line with hot we'll know a lot more by august dogs, hamburgers and french about how they're going to be sharpened. fried onion rings and that was the fact is, dan, i do talk to a almost gone.

it is a problem. lot of people at the upper level parents don't even know. they might be doing the right who say, look, i could take -- i thing at home. once they go to school they may don't need the tax cuts that i'm realize there are vending getting right now. machines and other foods they there a lot of very senior are getting maybe hundreds more people in the upper reaches of calories than they thought they were getting. the financial community who are >> the other side is that if saying we got to get the thing kids are getting anywhere from back in balance. i don't think it's going to 30% to 50% of calories at school happen between now and november they get the rest at home. because taxes have become so radio active in both parties. this is one of the things on >> i think that it is true the number of the folks you're childhood obesity people don't talking to feel that way at the want to talk about. the biggest influencing factor level they're at but i think what we're focused on are the on childhood obesity is parents. people between $250,000 and a parents have to be role models. million or north of a million, parents have to take ahold of this issue. some of these small business owners that -- tens of thousands it is an issue of personal of them running small responsibility. businesses, make deeg people want to shy away because signatureses about whether to it's a sensitive subject. hire, to sell their company or whether to expand and that group we can't keep doing that. >> and how to talk to our would be left out of president obama's proposed tax extensions. children. >> it raises the issue of health >> i think the $250,000 level is care costs. health care costs in this not the right level. country, a huge percentage of >> under a million. rising health care cost has to >> i think it should be a do with issues caused by eating million. like fat pigs all day every day. if they put that out there, i

>> there's $25 million diabetics think it has in terms archfiscal in the u.s. today. impact and motional impact. $200 billion a year. we're talking about millionaires here. >> schumer says the same thing. chuck schumer says the same millions of prediabetics. thing. >> i really don't know why. because if you go into almost imagine a day in which one out any urban area in america, not of every three walking americans just in new york city but in is diabetic. chicago, in dallas, in miami and >> once young people are in the so on, you talk to family where military, doesn't the military both people are working and they regimen, the training, the have a joint income of $250,000 dietary restrictions, the physical training -- doesn't and the housing costs and the that, you know, break whatever cost of sending kids to school, bad habits you guys are it eats that you $250,000 pretty describing and identifying pretty quickly? >> it does. quickly. >> but isn't the president putting that off? i don't want anybody to worry. doesn't that leave number as to the current military is fit, whether the bar is openly. very capable of doing what we need it to do. we have to discharge about 1200 first-term recruits before they finish enlistment at a cost it made sense to me when he said let's agree on what we agree on. between $50 million and $100 can we even do that? million to replace them and retrain folks. >> because of weight issues? >> this is not all about the election and throwing the down >> had that been happening 10, #

20 years ago? the cards. >> it was not. it's a terrific employ to box >> absolutely not. the republicans into position >> the military spends about where they're campaigning for tax cuts. it really is very, very good $1.1 billion on obesity related politics. diseases including dependence, the sad thing is is that the conversation has to be so much too. the fact of the matter -- bigger because all of this dependents, too. tinkering around does nothing the baby boom is giving way to whatever, fixes nothing the baby fat boom. actually. it's simply a employ. diabetes will get worse. the amount of money the military the bigger conversation in th i has to spend will increase. not like congress gives you extra money to do this. it comes out of the defense budget. so it starts eating into the defense programs and weapons programs. >> how do we combat the culture around us. if you take nearly every military base in the country, the one mile leading to the entrance to the base, on both eskines bowles -- sides of the road you find every >> he chose not to do certain things. he choose not to do erskines fast food imaginable. >> it's worse than that.

the bases abroad where they bowles. if this was so important, why didn't he do it? one of the reasons he didn't do recreate an american base. it is because back then he said >> yes. >> taco bell, baskin-robbins. to raise taxes during a recession or during an economic downturn is the wrong thing to >> little food courts. do. the same holds true today as it that's the way americans eat. did then. that's what we eat. >> the culture of eating. >> it's unbelievable. >> of course this $250,000 is >> it represents home. >> out's killing us. the first 250,000 you learn. >> part of the issue is it's like the story of the ex-athlete. he's slightly misrepresented his while you're in the military own tax measure. you're working out, exercising. at least you have that going for >> tom sp. you. what's a little disturbing is if >> objectively some things have changed between the first year you look at obesity rates and and now. europe, for example. and it turns out that the housing economy in this country diabetes incidence with retired was in much worse shape than personnel it's extremely high. anyone anticipated. i was at a meeting of very if you are being trained to be senior corporate leaders in late around fast food and then you get exposed to an environment '09. they thought that the stimulus where you no longer have to do program would right the economy the physical exertion you are by late '10. there are a lot of people who having to do lo and behold you bought into that. i've described this economy as blow up which is why guys get bait and switch. of first quarter for the last heavy in their 30s. through years it looks very >> we'll find out more about

promising. by the second quarter the this and it will become probably numbers are going south again. a huge legal issues like one of the reasons these small cigarett cigarettes. you can say i'm crazy, but it's businesses aren't expanding is going to happen. because they don't have any confidence what they're seeing, >> what's an addictive? not even their own government >> sugar. but what they're seeing in china it's a toxin. >> it creates dopamine. and especially in europe. it's a problem. >> i agree with pup the one i don't want to focus on bases. thing in the president and congress's control is to really, the answer to the actually promote certainty on problem comes way before that. the tax and regulatory side. >> we have to go to the they can't control what's department of agriculture, happening in you're, they can't control a range of external events that could occur around sorry. go the world. they one thing they can control food lobby. >> last year congress retrenched is telling business owners, job things the department of creators, they going to stand agriculture did and all of the sudden pizza is a vegetable? for the foreseeable future? we can't do that. there has to be a trade space for getting -- >> 12 month isn't long. >> you just broke barnacle's heart. >> i love pizza, too. >> it's a flach in the pan. but we can't call it a vegetable. >> literally, it's ingrained in >> new polls show president the system. excuse the pun. obama and mitt romney in a dead it's going to be a massive heat. in the wake of disappointing job

overhaul. the biggest reset this country numbers, mitt romney has a face ifs we get our arms around slight edge. when it comes to who could best it. >> there is a lot of burden onle handle the economy. schools. we have to get physical when it comes to who would best education back in school. handle taxes, the candidates 80% of high school seniors don't have physical education. were even at 46 percent. >> can you imagine? they don't move. they do not move. >> and the recommendation is an despite having radically different visions. what do you make of that? hour a day. >> i make that we're now in >> let's keep talking about it. july, the election is not until thank you very much. november. retired rear admiral jamie that might as well be a barnett and david kirchhoff. millennium between now and then, we appreciate it. all all this plays out at the we'll see you soon and see you in the book. >> thank you. >> coming up, kitty pilgrim is conventions, for example. here with the latest the debates this time hud should international thriller. later, brian sullivan and my be rock 'n' roll. crazy niece. we'll be right back with more. [ man ] ever year, sophia and i what we have as we've all known for tom time is a very close race under very difficult circumstances, a lot of money being we're going to have the use the points we earn with our citi thankyou card political equivalent of a major for a relaxing vacation. ♪ war when the fall comes because sometimes, we go for a ride in the park.

it's not just for the tax policy maybe do a little sightseeing. in this country or righting the or, get some fresh air. economy. it's kind of for the political soul of the country at this but this summer, we used our thank youpoints point. >> it's interesting how romney to just hang out seems to be going whole hog with with a few friends in london. [ male announcer ] the citi thankyou visa card. redeem the points you've earned to travel with no restrictions. rewarding you, every step of the way. [ wife ] your dad's really giving him the business... the designated hitter's the best thing to happen to baseball! but it's not the same game! [ wife ] wow, he's really gonna get us a good deal. it's better! no it's not! the pitcher comes up and he's out! [ dealer ] he can bunt! whatever. but we're good with 0% apr for 60 months? oh, yeah, totally. thank you so much. that must've been brutal. [ male announcer ] the volkswagen autobahn for all event. at 0% apr for 60 months, no one needs to know how easy it was to get your new volkswagen. that's the power of german engineering.

to get your new volkswagen. an accident doesn't have to slow you down. with better car replacement, if your car is totaled, we give you the money for a car one model year newer. liberty mutual auto insurance. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

37 past the hour. welcome back to "morning joe." the book looks good, doesn't it? >> it does. i was just reading -- >> bring it home. you and campbell can read it. >> we will. >> separately. i'm sure she's still mad at you. >> wow. >> kitty pilgrim writes international thrillers. she's out with her latest novel

"the stolen chalice" which we'll get to in a moment. nice to meet you. >> nice to watch you in person. i watch you all the time. >> i watch you all the time. >> it's weird when people got to know each other through the television screen and meet in person. >> it's strange. 24 years. you make a huge career change. first of all, what was it like to get out? >> well, i started the book while i was at cnn. i started "the explorers code" while i was at cnn. i gave it to an agent and it sold. then came the opportunity after 24 years to completely switch careers. i thought, i think i would like to do this. i would like to become a thriller writer. it seems like a dream come true, so i did it. >> how did the transition go? >> it was great. >> a reinvention really. >> a bit. i basically put myself on assignment to do the books. i go to the places in the books

still, the way i always reported. so the stolen chalice has edinborough, scotland and venice. it's a nicer way to do assignments. >> you got to enjoy yourself. >> eat the food. it's great. then i do all the traveling and write it in the book which is great. >> that's fantastic. tell us about the book. >> it's a romantic thriller. as a reporter, you run through an airport and grab a paperback off the rack. so you grab either a thriller or a romance. many years of being a news reporter i either had to pick oh a thriller or a romance and i thought, i want to blend the genres. it's a romantic thriller. it has a lot of female details in it. the food, locations, luxury, clothes. then it has the thriller aspect. >> a romantic thriller with a lot of female details. sounds like it's up mike's alley. >> it is for men, too.

>> look at him. >> is it the same, do you think, in your mind as when you would go there working as a journalist without the deadline pressure? >> it's much nicer. i was on a daily deadline for 24 years. now i have lunch, take a couple of notes on what we ate and then i go tour and pick up the atmosphere. in a weird way when you're on assignment, as you know as journalists you have down time where details are coming into the place where you are, but you never have a chance to put it in the product, in the news report. now i do. >> when you were doing daily stories it's like the story telling but there is never enough time. you're banging something out every day. you never truly breathe and tell the story. >> you know, of course news is evolving. even news stories have to have a

narrative, as you know. in a weird way it wasn't hard to put a narrative into a novel. almost every news story now has to have a narrative. the industry has changed over 24 years. it used to be straight tell. now there is a narrative in a lot of news stories. >> in a nutshell, the narrative of the book, to tease it for your potential readers. >> ancient egyptian art stolen, a terrorist plot, an around the world chase that goes to venice, scotland, london. starts in new york at the metropolitan museum. ends up in egypt where i went just recently. >> is there any sex in it? >> it is romantic, sir. it is highly romantic. let me put it that way. >> i'm sorry for him. >> that's all right. >> wow. >> it's a guy question. >> i thought he would be satisfied at the lunch in

venice. >> it's highly romantic. >> it's always barnacle. >> little embarrassing. >> yeah. you should have seen this morning what he said to me. >> oh, i did. fashion advice? >> oh, no. that and then something really perverted. all right. the book is "the stolen chalice." kitty pilgrim, thank you. >> thank you. >> coming up, how should scranton spend its last $5,000. seriously. >> joe biden's hometown. >> business with mike sullivan and my crazy niece. this is the first car that i've been totally in love with

in every way, shape, and form. it's my dream vehicle. on a day to day basis, i am not using gas. my round trip is approximately 40 miles to work. head on home, stop at the grocery store, whatever else that i need to do -- still don't have to use gas. i'm never at the gas station unless i want some coffee. it's the best thing ever. as a matter of fact, i'm taking my savings so that i can go to hawaii. ♪

not in this economy. we also have zero free time, and my dad moving in. so we went to fidelity. we looked at our family's goals and some ways to help us get there. they helped me fix my economy, the one in my house. now they're managing my investments for me. and with fidelity, getting back on track was easier than i thought. call or come in today to take control of your personal economy. get one-on-one help from america's retirement leader. this is a great video. a man named roy mitchell.

he went into a convenience store in mississippi to get a bag of dorito's. he paid for them but when the clerk turned around he pulled out a gun, demanded the money in the cash register. he's got the gun. this is his mom who comes in, yells at him, takes the gun out of his hand and forces him to leave with her which he did. before he went, he made sure to grab those doritos. you know, you get hungry robbing a store. [ applause ] >> greatest video ever. >> that was crazy. that's amazing. brian sullivan. is he here? >> brian's right there. oh, is it funeral time? black tie? brian, come on. >> hi, brian. >> it's navy blue, like my eyes. deep, deep blue. >> can't see them relative to your ears.

>> the ears. i have been stretching them my whole life. this is a lifetime of hanging upside down by my ears like a bat. >> you need to tape them. >> i played rugby for ten years. i had to tape them because guys would try to bring me down by the ears. >> sounds like he was scarred. >> i'm making it worse. >> mouse keteers. >> believe me. i have gone a long way to further the dreams of large-eared people like myself. >> can you say mouseketeer? >> oh, yeah. >> sing the song. >> there was a flying elephant. >> dumbo. >> you learn to fight good. >> i'll take a market preview. >> i can't match that jimmy kimmel video.

the futures are up slightly. there is accelerated bank bailout talk in spain. it oo it's wonky. it's down for the sixth straight monday. don't invest on monday. and bob diamond, the american forced out of barclays will forego most of his deferred compensation but he'll bring home $3.1 million in pension and one year's salary. so, not a bad deal. >> from that to scranton. >> yeah. maybe barclays can help scranton. it's a serious story. down to the last $5,000. the mayor cut all public sector workers pay to minimum wage including his own. the unions say he's breaking contracts. he's saying, i don't have any money. the town has $# 5,000 left. harrisburg tried to file

bankruptcy last year but was denied because it's hard for towns in pennsylvania to file bankruptcy. scranton, home to the fictional country dunder-mifflin could use help. the mayor is a democrat. he's fighting with a democratic city council. it's not politics. he just said, i don't have the ability to go print money in the basement. >> last week or the week before was it stockton, california, that filed for bankruptcy? >> it's the biggest municipal bankruptcy of all time. orange county, pennsylvania, had been in 1994. it's likely more municipalities will file. >> this is the beginning of something. >> this is the beginning. >> not the end of the story. >> they raked in money during the housing boom. my uncle lives outside of stockton. then they spent it all. it's a good lesson. >> a few people will say, hey, lend me an ear and he has plenty

of left. ♪ m-i-c -- ♪ see you real soon >> that's a different network. >> brian, sullivan. see you soon. the morning papers are next. i am you and you are me if you want it, you just got to believe. weight watchers i believe strength [ jennifer ] confidence beautiful amazing [ emily ] this goes way beyond happiness weight watchers i believe. because it works. [ female announcer ] weight watchers -- rated number one best plan for weight loss by u.s. news and world report, again. [ jennifer ] join for $1. weight watchers. believe. because it works. you'll inevitably find yourself on a desolate highway in your jeep grand cherokee. and when you do, you'll be grateful for the adaptive cruise control that automatically adjusts your speed

when approaching slower traffic. and for the blind spot monitoring that helps remind you that the highway might not be as desolate... ...as you thought. ♪

somebody didn't book with travelocity, with 24/7 customer support to help move them to the pool daddy promised! look at me, i'm swimming! somebody, get her a pony! [ female announcer ] the travelocity guarantee. from the price to the room to the trip you'll never roam alone. from the price to the room to the trip this is new york state. we built the first railway, the first trade route to the west, the greatest empires. then, some said, we lost our edge. well today, there's a new new york state. one that's working to attract businesses and create jobs. a place where innovation meets determination... and businesses lead the world. the new new york works for business. find out how it can work for yours at thenewny.com.

here's a look at some of the morning papers.

a new study says americans who spend less than three hours a day sitting can increase life expectancy by two years. there is research that highlights the dangers of leading a sedentary lifestyle, mike. >> i'm going to stand up to read this. >> yes. >> the daily sentinel says mitt romney is taking his trip to grand junction today for a town hall. romney avoided denver in each of the last three visits to the state. some colorado republicans say he needs to spend more time there while others say he's smart to venture into towns where there are more conservative voters. >> the new york times reports some of disney's stars made an un approapproved appearance in korea. there was footage of mickey, minny and other characters singing and dancing in front of kim jong eun. disney said the use of the characters wasn't authorized. >> what, if anything, did we learn today is next. the medicare debate continues in washington...

...more talk on social security... ...but washington isn't talking to the american people. [ female announcer ] when it comes to the future of medicare and social security, you've earned the right to know. ♪ ...so what does it mean for you and your family? [ female announcer ] you've earned the facts. ♪ washington may not like straight talk, but i do. [ female announcer ] and you've earned a say. get the facts and make your voice heard on medicare and social security at earnedasay.org.

on medicare and social security ♪ don't our dogs deserve to eat fresher less processed foods introducing freshpet vital recipes so fresh the only preservative we use is the fridge freshpet fresh food for fido

thought they were dead. huh? [ male announcer ] should've used roundup. it kills weeds to the root, so they don't come back. roundup. no root. no weed. no problem. it's time to talk about what we learned today. mike, what did you learn? >> well, i learned if you're going to rob a variety store make sure your mom isn't within

walking distance to come in and take the gun away. >> that's for sure. dan? >> this totalitarian regime sending us down a slippery slope. first soda. then the popcorn. >> yeah. >> maybe the milk duds are next. i don't want to start. >> yeah. >> it's scary. >> here's what i learned. republicans in congress with equal pay and the disclose act and even taxes now have something in common with my niece aurora. they do. here she is. there she is. [ laughing ] >> that's her. that's all she does. all day long. >> why do republicans have something in common with her? >> that's them right now. seriously, equal pay? the disclose