has a fat butt. i also don't like what queers do because it goes against god and his teachings. tchs the exact comment that pexton was talking about. pexton recommend that the post go away from the miami herald to make users sign they're real names. from virginia dog, "anonymity sempbs two vsh important functions. it allows people to express quality opinions and ideas where may might other wise be constrained. and from yellow jacket, "it's not the a no, ma'am inty. >> it's a good conversation about free speemp.

too bad they were followed from sogt. in a world increasingly built upon lies, the washington post is in the vanguard. i do not thank you for your as much as. in fact, you are, well, i will not go there. disrespectful, but still tame when come pashed to some other savagery on line. in 2006, an 18 yooerld girl died in a car accident and someone e-mailed them to her parents with a subject line that said hey, daddy, i'm still alive. patrick pexton is right. it's time to figure out a way to reign in those who denigrate the level of conversation. if you want to stand on a soap

box in the town square, we still get to see your face. that's "hardball" for now. "politics nation" with al sharpton starts right now. >> thanks, michael. and thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, the budget cuts are here. for real. but do the republicans even care? afterall, wall street is doing great. stocks are nearing record highs. just take a look at the front page of today's new york times. here's the headline about corporate america. rek recovery in u.s. is lifting profts but not adding jobs. wall street is buoyant. but a more troubling headline is buried inside the paper. as automatic budget cuts go into effect, the poor may be hit particularly hard. this aes the real story here. the rich are getting richer and

these republican budget cut that is will make the poor even poorer, as the president is doing his best to soften the blow. >> wer going to manage it as best we can to try to minimize the impacts on mern families. but it's not the right way for us to go about deficit reduction. we're going to do the best to make sure that our agencies have the support they need to make some very difficult decisions. understanding that there are going to be families and communities that are hurting. and that this will slow our growth. >> this will hurt our families and slow our growth. but republicans refuse to admit it. >> is this going to hurt the economy? >> i don't know if it's going to hurt the economy or not. i don't think anyone understands how the sequester is going to work. >> he doesn't know if it's going to hurt the economy. two weeks ago, boehner wrote a

column saying the cuts would threaten u.s. national security, thousands of jobs and more. so what happened in those two weeks? amnesia? folks, republicans are just not being honest about these budget cuts. >> even today, there's no plan from senate democrats or the white house to replace the sequester. >> it's just not true. they made it very clear, as the president just did, that he has a plan that has put fordward entitlement cuts and spending cuts. that you have a choice to leave tax in the polls in place and you'd rather live with those. >> well, david, it's just nonsense. if he had a program, why wouldn't senate democrats go and pass it? >> there was a plan. democrats did try to pass it. it was called the american

family economic protection act. the senate held a vote last thursday and republicans voted to filibuster it. they refused to allow a vote on it. these budget cuts are already kicking in. we're seeing it at our air ports, at our borders and our cities. we must hold the republicans accountable for them. congresswoman, let me start with you. are republicans not realizing how bad these cuts are? >> well, i'll tell you, al, i can't believe that they've done this. i don't know what they're hoping for. but the reality is that in every single community all across this country, people are going to feel the impact of these cuts. in my district alone, obviously, we have a lot in the metropolitan wa r washington area. a lot of federal workers. i know that they are on pins and

needles trying to figure out what's going on. in communities across the country that have military facilities, with contractors, with civilian department of defense employees, school children, head start, you name it, it's going to be felt. e.j., you know homeland security secretary said this morning about how the cuts are already affecting lines to enter the u.s. at our airports. listen to this. >> we will begin today sending out furlough notices. we are already seeing the effects at some of the ports of entry, the big airports, for example, some of them had very long lines this weekend. >> i would say 150 to 200% as long as we would normally expected. >> now, will a republican not care about these long lines at airports until it starts

affectiaffec affecting corporate jets? >> this is not like a government shutdown where everything shuts downright away and everybody notices. this is like first you create ramshackle government by sort of cutting back here and there. but eventually, these cuts are going to bite. and i think the republicans are going to start getting into a more difficult position. i think the whole congress will. when r when it takes a lot longer to get flights in because they cut back on the air traffic control system. and a loot t of money comes out the budgets of lots of school districts and has an indirect effect on kids whether they are middle class rich or poor. i think it's going to take time before people fully realize what these cuts mean. but once they start realizing it, i think there will be a reaction. >> well, it's going to take time

for everybody to understand what they mean. but some people are feeling it immediately. for example, women. 34,248 fewer law enforcement officials get domestic violence training. so i mean if you're in the beltway and have a nice house out in the suburbs, it may take a while for you to feel it. but if you're in a zern area and you're depending on some of what has now been taken away, it is a major impact to you right now, congresswoman: >> well, that's right. and i think about the 235,000 domestic violence hotline call that are going to go unanswered because the money is not there.

e.j. is right. it won't be felt right away. but there will be a ripple effect down the line. in just a couple weeks, students starting to get ready to figure out their financial aid packages, pell grants, stupt loans. and then people across the country are going to make their members of congress get their religion and get back here in washington to do their work. one, we haven't even worked that much this year. but when we have, we've been naming buildings and, you know, doing adjournment votes and voting on the day's proceedings where we actually haven't done anything for the day. it's time for republicans in the house. it isn't just the senate's job to do its work. it's time for the house to do its work, too. speak speaker boehner is the one who controls the gavel.

>> now, e.j., you know when you look at the fact of women, look at what's happening to poor people. 775,000 women and infants may lose nutrition and formula aid with the wic program. 125,000 individuals and families may lose housing assistant. 125,000 homeless people may lose emergency shelters. the first line of a column you wrote last week is this has to stop. it's only going to get worse and worse and worse while we protect who? people with loopholes on private jets and private yachts? this is absolutely obama scene. obscene. none of us realize exactly what government does out there. the wic program is a program

that everybody -- and by the way, particularly right to lifers on abortion want to support. this is helping the most vulnerable people in our society. these aren't give away programs. and i hope that this sequester, if it does nothing else, begins to create a public education process where we may criticize government in the abstrakt. but there are a lot of these concrete things that government does that are a real assistance to people and actually do something for the whole society. >> congressman, you're on the hill. what kind of insight can you give us. is there any movement at all? are people dug in? i mean, what can you tell us is going on with your colleagues? >> it does feel like my republican colleagues have dug in they're heels. you know, democrats have

actually put forward a plan to end the sequester and to take a balanced approach. when you go after wic programs and student loans and housing and employment programs, when you go after breast cancer and cervical cancer screenings, it sure does feel like a war and the republicans want to keep it there. >> well, congresswoman, you say that we haven't done much work this year. somebody is doing a job on us. congresswoman, thank you for your time tonight. >> good to be with you. >> ahead, inside president obama's tough new plan to shame the gop into a deal. he's daring them to defie his wishes.

plus, mr. 47% is back. but another republican is making real news today. this gop civil war is just getting started. and congressman john nuers here of the civil rights movement moved to tears by an apology. why a march from selma to montgomery was not a commemoration but a continuation. big show ahead. stay with us. vo: always one step ahead with an intuitive motion activated lid and seat,

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have you joined the "politics nation" conversation on facebook yet? we hope you will. on the 85th anniversary, people were sharing what they thought his greatest legacy is. joseph said his legacy is proving that big government can be good government, too. candiace mentioned two new deal programs. the wpa saved so many people then and social security saves people now. miro named a famous fdr quote. the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. we want to hear what you think, too. please head over to facebook and search "politics nation" and like us to join the conversation. it keeps going long after this show ends. blarng blank.

it was the sbesh view the whole world wasn't waiting for. mitt romney's first sit down interview since blowing an election emp republican thought they had in the bag. oh well, so good to see will ard again. and what an interview tchs. here's the part where he explained how he's still relevant to the country. and here's the part where romney offered his thoughts about the future of the republican party. >> yiekss. all right. last chance. here's the part where romney

finally gave us a meaningful apology for his 47% comments. i have to say it, those bars were more interesting than anything mitt romney had to say. forget mr. economy. romney is now mr. irrelevant. and, today, another repub lynn can stealing the spot light. former florida governor jeb bush refusing to rule out a run for the white house. >> are you going to run in 2016? >> that's way off into the future. i have a voice. i want to share my believes about how the conservative movement in the republican party can regain its footing. we've lost our way. >> but you will not definitively rule out a run for president in the year 2016. >> i won't. but i'm not going to declare toad, either. >> jeb bush is getting ready to roll forward. but the gop is still stuck in reverse.

joining me now are ryan grim and patricia murphy. let me thank you both for being here tonight. ryan, mitt romney is irrelevant, but having his ideas, 47% make herbs and takers, have been absolved by this party? >> in a lot of ways, thech. and this is because they don't have a unifying philosophy anymore that they can -- that they can get behind that they feel confident they can take with the american people and win a majority. so that allows, you know, cranks from all different sectors of the conservative movement to kind of push their pet theories to the floor. and whether it's somebody saying, look, the only reason that people voted for obama is because he gave them gifts or, you know, or whatever voter fraud allegations somebody might want to throw out.

>> the romney doctrine dominating, patricia. isn't that right that they're sort of, as a party, still mar nating in romney's ideas and what he's projected as policy? >> you know, i actually kind of think the reverse. i think that romney was sort -- is sort of tofu politics. he was just such a blank slate that he just absorbed any idea that came his way. and that we saw in a lot of those republican primaries, he became more and more conservative. the more the republican right demanded that he become conservative. but to rooirn's point, there is no single government philosophy and there is no leader, including mitt romney. he really has never been relevant. he was a one-toerm governor of a blue state and never led the party. the party was leading him.

and i think until this pashty gets a break out leader, they're going to be minored in this revolution. >> it reminds me this morning, new york city had a front page story about there's such disarray in the party. and fiekts on various issues. like same-sex marriage and immigration that the only one issue that they seem to be able to stand bhien is on spebding cuts. it is no longer entirely clear what it means to be a republican. the party is more divided than ever and a debate is breaking out on how best to con figure the movement. >> that's right. the process of elimination is a very bad way to, you know, to come to some type of consensus. okay.

we can agree on these social issues. we can't agree on this. we can't even agree on taxes. well, spending, houb that? okay, that's the last thing we have. therefore, that's the hill that we're going to die on. but that's no way -- that's no analytical process that's going to lead you to the right policy or to the right politics. but, you know, that's the process that they took. so, here they are fighting on this hill over the sequester. you had mitch mcconnell and john boehner going on the sunday shows with different ypds on whether or not the sequester is going to be a good thing for them. it's not. it's going to hurt people and they're going to be the ones that are blamed for it. the economy should take off any day now.

jeb bush who has very publically refused to close the door. he was even questioned about what he thought about christie not being invited. let he show you what he said. >> i think there was some disappointment in how governor christie felt about the budget issues. i can understand that. look, i love christie. he's part of the republican party, for sure. whether he's going to cpac or not is not really changing that. >> so he can understand why cpac didn't invite him. but he loves christie. i mean, can bush be the one to get some balance and lead this party out of the wilderness, so

to speak? >> well, i think your question answers itself. can bush be the one. i think it's over for the bush family. they've spent more time talking about how bad the bush years were, almost how bad the obama years have been. the very grass roots have as much as a kwaurl with george w. bush as they do with barack obama. i can't believe that the republican party doesn't have somebody not named bush who can lead them out of this problem. i think we see him starting to position himself with the conservative movement, at least to keep the door open. he's the kind of break out leader who can lead them out of this wilderness that they're in. but he's not going to be able to get through the primary if he can't even get invited to cpac.

>> i'm going to have to hold it there. ryan grim, patricia murphy, thanks to both of you for being here tonight. >> thank you so much. >> ahead, republicans acted like bully who is wanted to fight. now they've forgotten. president obama's new plan. no more mr. nice guy. and the blurb lines between fox news and the republican party just got even closer. stay with us.

ss.

this weekend, vice president biden and civil rights leaders from across the country commemorated the 48th anniversary of the voting rights act. despite how far we've come, the fight for voting rights is still very much alive now. with the supreme court set to rule on section five of the act in selma, i spoke about how the fight continues. >> we have come too far in 48 years as the children of those that paid the price to come to selma and allow them at the same

time we are remembering to dismember what we're doing. we must make it clear that we are not going to see section five defeated. >> more on the march and the way forward coming up. [ male announcer ] here's a word you should keep in mind. unbiased.

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republicans are playing politics with the american people. the budget cuts are hurting poor americans and republicans don't care. but the president has a plan to deal with it. today, the new york city reports that with few avenues left for winning a comprehensive budget deal, president obama has begun reaching out to gop sfat tors in a bid to isolate republican leaders in congress and force a compromise.

it's no more mr. nice guy. he's practically darie ining republicans to defie his wishes. good luck. >> i will not negotiate. they will not collect a ransom in exchange for not crashing the american economy. ordinary folks, they do their jobs. the notion that our elected leadership can't do the same thing is mind boggling to them. it needs to stop. it's not fair. it's not right. the american people don't think it's fair. >> this is not a complicated concept. >> it's not a complicated concept. the american people are behind him and his working. today, we learned the senate has reached a bipartisan agreement on gun tracking. suddenly, republican senators are upbeat about immigration reform and to the growing list

of gop governors embracing the president and the health care law. he's landing political punch after political punch. and the bullies can't seem to get up. >> how is this in-your-face approach working, angela? >> well, rev, i think that you can really see -- you can see the fruit of his labor. right now, the president has held a very hard line to what he wanted to accomplish with the state of the union address. he was very clear about immigration. about gun control about what we need to do to rectify the state of the american economy. and therefore, he's telling the republicans, look, i have the american people on my side.

i'm going to work very hard to ensure that these goals that i share with the american people are reached. i'm sure we have a strong chance of winning the 17 seats required to gain the house back in 2014. >> now, margie, angela used the term fruits of his labor. >> we have seen the tax bill actually get through. is this strategy beginning to work where he's been able to get some republicans by some assertive way to go with him and push things through. i think in addition to the election and the polls have really forced some republicans to recognize that the american people are on the side of moving forward on a variety of issues. that partisan gridlock is not furthering the goal of the american people.

it doesn't improve the economy. it just makes people feel like washington is not can't be true anymore. he's always been in favor of working toward the american people. you always got the sense that he was fighting for the american people while you get the sense with republicans, that they're really more concerned about the politics. that they wanted to have a political fight because they thought that would help them electorally. maybe some are concerned about primary views, but in the broad view, it's really hurt them. >> angela, the people have gotten behind the president, especially on big issues. 92% support universal background

checks. i mean, ever since inauguration, the president has been taking his fight to the american people. these numbers show it's working. and he's been out there working his plan and policies to the american people. listen to this. >> what i can't do is force congress to do the right thing. the american people may have the capacity do do that. >> i need you to keep up the fight. if you do, congress will listen. >> so is -- angela, is it this combination of rallying the american people that the poll numbers are showing has suddenly

helped? is this kind of strategy put together the thing you're talking about baring fruit? >> yes, reverend. when you consider the fact that the president is taking an all-hands on deck approach, and he's saying if i can be the get the majority of the house on board, i can certainly get members of their district on board. when you look at what the house is voting on, all they can reach is the naming and post offices. that's not high priority for the american people. the president is saying we've got large issues to address. i certainly need everyone's help.

>> now, margie, the president is always talking about the next election. it says obama, fresh off of his november re-election, begin almost at once executing plans to win back the house in 2014, which he and his advisors believe will be crucial to the outcome of his second term. and his legacy as president. you just heard a few moments ago, angela saying it's impossible to win these 17 seats. is the president moving forward in a way that he also has an eye on if he can recapture 17 seats and take the house, this could cement some of the things he wants for his legacy. >> it absolutely should be a goal. it's absolutely something that everybody is focused on. i think it's also important because it shows that there will be consequences.

that number you showed about background checks, that's been true for a long time. and which party doesn't even want to have that conversation. it's important to highlight which candidate is looking to come to the table and fieg for the american people and which party is looking to say no to avoid a primary challenge. >> well, i'm going to leave it there. thank you, angie and margie. thanks to both of you for your time tonight. >> thank you, rev. >> ahead, we know the right wing media is in the tank for the republican party. but proof on live tv?

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sure it's lean times for the republican party. everybody knows that. but at least they have their pals at fox news to cover their every move or copy it. just listen to how they embraced the gop's talking points on wasteful spending. >> hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars for a musical. >> we're spending $325,000 for robotic squirrels? >> musicals, liquor and

squirrels, oh my. but the pictures used in that fox story were very familiar. >> they're almost the same from the press release. on the left is the fox graphic about a climate change musical. on the right is the one from the nrcc. and that robotic squirrel is on double duty. we've heard of kissing cousins, but this is ridiculous. joining me now is joe madison. joe, thanks for being here tonight. i know they say imitation is the serious form of flattery. but do these talking points

cross the line? >> what's new? not only does it cross the line, but reverend sharpton, they are just stomping on the line. number one, those of us that are honest, we get talking points from all sorts of sources. but don't we always tell people who the sources are so if anything, they can get themselves, too. they can be critical thinkers so that they can consider the source and know exactly where it's come from. this is not new. it reminds me of a kid in the classroom who cheats and thinks they're getting away with it and the teacher catches them because it's almost identical and fox

doesn't have the decency to tell everyone, look, this is where we got it from. >> that's the poimpblt. we all may have a preference and we may say who we like or support, but to actually deceive the public, i mean, in this segment, where fox recreated the gop press release, the guest was congressman grave waldon. he chairs the national republican congressional committee which came up with those talking points. now, take a listen. >> now, joe, this woul be funny if it wasn't so brazen. fox news basically takes the republican talking points and then asked the republicans about them as if he never saw them before.

i mean, is this serious? >> and gives the impression like i'm so studious and i'm so intelligent. i just happened to think this up and it really shows how lazy they really are. i mean, they're not everyone smart enough and decent enough to be created. so who do they think they're fooling? well, i guess they're fooling people who are stupid enough to accept it. >> now, when you look at the history here, i mean, first of all, look at the whole history of how it's been clearly been in the tank with this party from before. the parent company donated a million dollars to the republican association. they supported the tea party movement. so, clearly, they've made it clear where they are. even former governor john

huntsman notice d a fox connection at the republican debates. he said i looked down the debate stage and half of them were probably on fox contracts at one point in their career. >> they end up on the contract after their political career. this is the sad aspect of when the fairness doctrine ended. when i first started off in talk radio, we had a fairness doctrine. if you had one side on, you had to have the other side on. now, you can own all the media out lets in a single town and

drown out the other voices. >> i have nothing against people having opinions. i certainly express mine. but to be reading other people's talking points, using their graphics and then asking them questions like they don't know what you're going to ask what the answers are, now, that is not an opinion. that's trying to play the public as being stupid. joe ma dayson, thank you for your time tonight. >> always good to see you. like, in selma, really enjoyed it. why we must continue to fight next. first kid

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all your important legal matters in just minutes. protect your family... and launch your dreams. at legalzoom.com we put the law on your side. this weekend, i was in selma, alabama congressman john lewis for failing to protect

lewis and other civil rights activists in the '60s and gave the congressman the badge from his uniform. >> he did the right thing. to me, freedom and the right to live in peace is a corner stone of our soet. and that was something that martin luther king and rosa parks and congressman lunas were trying to achieve. and i feel like what i did today should have been done a long time ago. it needed to be done. it needed to be spoken. we have to live with the truth. >> we have have to make the first move to build that trust back in our communality that was once lost because we did it -- we enforced unjust laws. those unjust laws are immoral and wrong. >> unjust, immoral and wrong. strong words. appropriate and, of course, long overdue.

it was the first apology he's ever received from any police chief in his 50 years of activism. and he was deeply moved. >> i teared up. i tried to keep from crying and i accepted their apology. and i accepted the badge. i said i am not worthy of it, but i'll hold onto it and keep it. the movement continued. that's what it's all about. to heal. to become one. >> the healing does continue and so will the hard work. that's why we were marching in selma today. he made that clear when he spoke at the bridge. >> although our nation has,

indeed, changed, although the south is far different now and progress has been made, we are not yet where the most vital part of the voting rights act, section five, can be deemed unnecessary. the struggle for voting rights for all americans does and must continue and it will. it will and joe biden was the first sitting vice president ever to attend the event. great that he was there. >> my mother, god love her, used to say the most important virtue of all, joe, is courage because all other virtues flow from it. and, my god, did you show courage. as i sit here and think about it, john, you and jesse and dr. king and others could