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let me finish tonight with this. this movie "olympus has fallen" is proof of the extraordinary office we have in the american presidency. unlike prime ministers we put our presidents in a special house to live. to show them off to remind them who they are every minute, every day and night of their lives. this is what creates the magic. the presidency is not just an important job. his or her very life is connected to the life of the country. it's why we cheer when we see a president. those scenes in movies like this or "dave" or "air force one," cheering the president. the challenge facing this president, barack obama, he hasn't quite got it yet is using

the prestige of the presidency. he has yet to use the office's imagine esty to capture and exploit the public's determination for action on guns, immigration, jobs. we're entering a crucial stage of obama presidency. he has ample time to begin moving the country but it is less each day. soon it could be too close to the 2014 elections to get big things done. that's "hardball" for now. thanks for being with us. "politics nation" with al sharpton starts right now. >> thapgs, chris. thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, is he serious? paul ryan unveiled his latest war against the poor. i mean, his latest budget plan. it's a proposal that shreds the safety net while giving massive handouts to corporations and the rich. exactly what americans rejected in the last election. make no mistake. 2012 was a referendum on the key

issues of our time. and paul ryan knew it. hey, he himself made that point over and over again. >> we want this debate. we need this debate. >> this is a debate we want to have. >> we're giving the country a very clear choice. that's what we are asking you. november 6th is a time we choose. >> what we're offering is to give you, our fellow countrymen and women a clear choice. >> and the choice is yours on november 6th. >> boy, is it a clear choice. >> and, boy, did america make that choice. the choice was to reject wrong way ryan's way. but the congressman just can't seem to understand that. >> he won that election. house republicans lost seats in the house, got 1 million fewer votes than democrats. senate republicans lost seats in t senate. people outside this process might wonder if elections have consequences on the budgets

process. do you think? >> the question is, the election didn't go our way. believe me, i know what that feels like. that means we surrender our principles? that means we stop believing in what we believe in? >> it means you take a hint. but apparently mr. ryan's not so good with hints. his budget cuts spending by $4.6 trillion over the next ten years. now, who do you think he's making pay for all those cuts? anyone want to guess? the poor and the middle class, of course. 59% of the cuts come from vital programs like medicare, medicaid and affordable care act. that means 35 million people would lose the health care coverage coming to them. and while ryan takes the knife to their safety nets, he's actually spending money to increase the military spending. and to give massive tax breaks

to the rich. he'd actually lower rates for the richest people in the country from 39.6% to 25%. and corporations would get a big cut, too. gee. i wonder why he'd make these choices given that his idea lost in the election. >> this, to us, is something that we're not going to give up on because we're not going to give up on destroys the health care system for the american people. >> not going to give up on destroying the health care system for the american people. a slip of the tongue? sure. but it's what his plan does. joining me now is democratic from illinois, and crystal ball, co-host of "the cycle" here on msnbc. >> i meant congressman from philadelphia, pennsylvania.

>> i love illinois, too. the people of pennsylvania have been very good to me. >> you know how well i've been around philadelphia with you. >> absolutely. >> let me start with you, philadelphia congressman fatta. congressman ryan. did he learn anything from the election? >> well, you know, all i can tell you is that he acts as if with his presentation that there was no election. we already debated these issues. we're not going to create a voucher system in replacement of medicare or medicaid. we're not going to lower rates for the wealthiest people in our country from 39% to 25%. at a time when we say we're trying to balance our budget. he wants to -- he really -- really what he wants to do now is to -- i guess when the president reached out and had lunch with him, he felt that the correct response was to offer to repeal president obama's affordable care act. that that somehow was a gesture in response to the lunch. but the good thing is, is that

we're going to have some serious business taken care of here on the hill. the president's coming over this week. the senate is going to be positioning its budget. we're going to get down to a debate. i think republicans in the house haven't figured out the results in the last election yet. but they're going to get to understand that. they're not going to have their way. the american people have spoken. and we're not going to gut the middle class and working families. and poor people -- >> i think that's the point, crystal. when you look at "the wall street journal" this morning. ryan wrote an op-ed piece today that he's defending his plan. he writes, the most important question isn't how we balance the budget, it's why. what do you mean it's not important how we balance the budget? of course it's important how we balance the budget. it's very important how we balance the budget. >> i don't even think he answers the question of why, either. but you're exactly right. i mean, 70%, 7-0 percent of

these cuts from health care. that shows 35 million americans would be uninsured if you actually went forward with this plan. let me also say, not only is this plan in my view immoralal because of the suffers it would inflict on the poor and mildle class, it's also a fraud. it doesn't do what it purports to do which is to balance the budget. back in the election there were all these questions about mitt romney's tax plan. which loopholes are you going to close? basically when you looked at the math it did not work out. you could not close enough tax loopholes to make up his plan without raising taxes on the middle class. it's the same exact deal here. the math does not work out. he does not specify the loopholes. he assumes a balanced budget but doesn't even accomplish that goal. >> that's exactly right. congressman, krystal talks about what he does to health care. he's not just taking an ax to health care for 35 million americans. oh, no.

his budget also reduces the federal workforce by 10%. it would cut food stamps, and it would also gut pell grants for students. >> this is the debate that we had. and ryan's proposals lost on election day. the idea that we're going in this direction, this is not the america that we want. it's not the america that people voted for. he wants to spend $41 trillion over the next ten years. he just doesn't want to focus on the priorities we need to focus on. he thinks smart bombs are more important than smart children. we need both to protect our country and our national security. he wants to cut and gut programs that working families need. it's not going to work. i think when the president comes over, he's going to be able to talk to democrats and republicans about a way to go forward. the way that people voted for last november, which is a balanced approach in which everybody pays their fair share

in which we do what we need the do to set the right priorities for our country. >> chriskrystal, the chairman o rnc, reince priebus was on hannity last night. and he actually compared the president of the united states to a used car salesman. take a listen. >> we hold used car salesmen to higher standards, i think, than we hold this president. this is sort of our lemon law. he promised that the cost of health care would go down. it's false. we need a lemon law. >> we need a lemon law. >> unbelievable. the interesting thing is, republicans have continually said, you know, if the president would just be specific. if he would just say that he was willing to give on entitlements. when, in fact, the president has said he would be willing to give on entitlements. >> and has. >> and has been specific, and has. that's one of the things that's lost here, too. it's been pointed out that paul ryan's budget while it seeks to

repeal obama care keeps the medicare savings from obama care and the taxes from obama care to try to make this thing balance. essentially he keeps all the stuff that people don't really want and gets rid of the things that people do want. it's unbelievable that they forget that the president has actually reformed enhitments as you're saying, those medicare savings. that was a real reform that didn't cut people's benefits. he has put specifics on the table. the republicans just have no interest in reaching across. what i think is really sad here, because this budget will never become law, i think it sets us backwards in terms of being able to find common ground and actually work together. >> that's really the point. when you look at the fact, congressman, you know, krystal here referred to it. the hypocrisy in the budget, on the campaign trail ryan was relentless in slamming the $700 billion worth of savings that the president found in medicare. now he's including those savings to balance his budget proposal.

and then, meanwhile, despite all of this devastating cuts, it finds a way to increase military spending by $500 billion over the next ten years. >> it's a lot of contradictions in what he has proposed. you can't get away from the facts. 3.9 million job openings in our country today based on the labor department report. the greatest openings we've had in years. small business enthusiasm is up at a 2 1/2 year high. the president is moving our country forward. the only real issue is, is that if the gop would just -- rather than trying to tackle our quarterback, would actually be on the same team to move our country forward, how much more progress we could really make, reverend. >> congressman chaka fattah, we have to leave it there, my friend krystal ball, thanks for your time. catch krystal on "the cycle"

weekdays at 3:00 p.m. eastern right here on msnbc. coming up, five years later and still showing no respect. new details on how a big presidential invite and the insulting response. former florida governor charlie crist joins us on what happens when the gop goes on attack. plus, a gun story you have to hear. how the intimidating local officials want gun safety. we'll hear from a lawmaker getting threats. things get better when the right wingers just refuse to accept reality. we're going back inside the bubble tonight. it's a big show ahead. stay with us. [ male announcer ] what are happy kids made of?

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have you joined the "politics nation" conversation on facebook yet? we hope you will. today gun laws was a hot topic. a senate committee approved a bill that would require nearly all gun buyers to pass a brak ground check. ramonda says, let's take more steps to walk this to the finish line. hagatha says, it's urgent that we act on this. i agree. laura says, this is just the beginning. we shouldn't settle for just background checks. that's right. we shouldn't and we won't

settle. more on the fight for gun safety laws and the intimidation we've seen against local officials across the country, coming up. first, we want you to join the "politics nation" conversation. please head over to facebook and search "politics nation" and like us to join the conversation that keeps going long after the show ends. omnipotent of opportunity. you know how to mix business... with business. and you...rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle. and go. you can even take a full-size or above. and still pay the mid-size price. i could get used to this. [ male announcer ] yes, you could business pro. yes, you could. go national. go like a pro. yes, you could. today is gonna be an important day for us. you ready? we wanna be our brother's keeper. what's number two we wanna do? bring it up to 90 decatherms. how bout ya, joe?

let's go ahead and bring it online. attention on site, attention on site. now starting unit nine. some of the world's cleanest gas turbines are now powering some of america's biggest cities. siemens. answers. seeing little kids is not a good thing, you know. >> this is another tragedy. because no child, and certainly not an infant, should be the victim of gang violence.

>> another unimaginable story from chicago today. a 6-month-old baby has become a victim of gun violence. jonilah watkins died early this morning after being shot five times while her father changed her diaper in the front seat of the family van. a baby. a baby killed by gun violence. a sad and sober reminder of the gun epidemic. also today, another reminder. james holmes, the man accused of killing 12 people inside an aurora, colorado, movie theater appeared in court to enter a not guilty plea. but the fight for change was alive today. a moving picture as cyclists who biked from newtown, connecticut, arrived in washington, d.c., to raise awareness for common sense gun legislation. their four day, 400-mile ride was in honor of 26 children and

adults killed at sandy hook. and right as they arrived in d.c., a key senate panel approved two bills on background checks and school safety. this is real progress. it's the first hurdle to becoming a law. and outside the beltway, we're seeing a movement, we're seeing activism. the colorado state senate just approved bills on magazine ammunition limits and expanded background checks. and mothers from over 30 states are expected to attend a common sense gun laws event tomorrow in d.c. but in oregon, a troubling trend is hurting the chances for real reform. progun advocates are intimidating lawmakers with threatening e-mails and video surveillance. it's forcing them to back off legislation. it's politics by intimidation. and nobody in this fight will be

intimidated. joining me now, oregon state senator jenny byrdich. she's pushing for gun safety and is the target of intimidation. thank you for being here tonight. >> thank you for having me, reverend. >> now, what kind of gun legislation were you trying to get passed in oregon? >> i'm trying to get passed some very common sense measures that have widespread support from oregonians and specifically from gun owners. the people who are causing all the problems in oregon are a very small fringe. most gun owners are perfectly fine with what i'm proposing which is universal background checks and also elimination of an exemption that currently allows people with concealed handgun licenses to bring loaded guns into schools. >> now, you've been a target of intimidation and attempted intimidation. tell us what happened. >> well, i -- i had a town hall

scheduled. and i got wind that the gun extremists were planning on crashing the town hall. and it was at a university, it was at portland state university. and i did not want to subject students to that kind of event. because when that happens, and it's happened to me before where town halls have been crashed, and not only are they able to legally bring in loaded guns, which is very intimidating, but their behavior is extremely intimidating. >> wait a minute. they bring in loaded guns? >> yes. >> when they say their behavior is extreme, what do you mean? what do they do while they have these loaded guns? >> they're very rude and disruptive. again, this is the fringe. this is not your regular gun owner. this is the fringe. but, unfortunately, they are dominating the discussion right now. and it's very unfortunate. >> now, let me show these

extre extreme group as they came into the state capitol with guns. h is actually in the state capitol in oregon, this extreme group who do not represent the majority of the gun owners in oregon, but they are an extreme group. now, you canceled the town hall meeting. then what did they do? >> i did. and when i canceled the town hall meeting, i didn't want to say anything inflammatory. so i just said the standard scheduling conflict. well, they showed up at my house, and they stayed in front of my house for 2 1/2 hours, taping everything i did, doing my recycling, getting my mail. >> we're showing the video of what they did at your house. go ahead. >> and then they put it on the web. their point was that i didn't, in fact, have a scheduling conflict. so they thought that -- that they would get a lot of mileage from that. but they ran my address and they ran very, you know, threatening comments about it.

>> so let me get this straight. you canceled a town hall meeting because you knew that -- what it was like for them, these type of extremists, to crash a town hall meeting on gun safety. you decided to cancel it in the interest of the students at the university. and they went in front of your house, videotaped your house for 2 1/2 hours and put it on the internet? i mean, you can take all kind of inferences for putting a public official's house on the internet. we got -- this is a copy that we're showing of your house being put out there for any nut to see. and this is you, actually, going to the garbage on the video and moving your garbage pail. this is what they put out. >> that's it. it's not very exciting. but it's a little intimidating. >> now, you said a little intimidating. were you worried? did you feel a little afraid? >> no. i was not aware they were doing

it. nobody told me they were taping it. this is all done in secret. >> how did you feel once you knew and found out or even viewed what they had done? it had to shake you a little. >> i thought it was very, very creepy. it creeped me out. i'll be honest. >> i would absolutely understand that. and then you have -- you look at the two men roaming the neighborhood carrying guns in mid-january, two men in portland began carrying semiautomatic rich rifles on their backs, walking around the neighborhood. this was less than a month after the newtown shooting. it even prompted a learning center to go on lockdown. the men said they were just educating the public on their second amendment right to bear arms. and this is not about the second amendment. we all support the second amendment, i'm sure, you and most of your constituents do. but this extremist, this kind of intimidation, this kind of

demanding that they can do anything they want in the name of second amendment, this is the thing that is very, very frightening. and, to me, it is what is polarizing about this issue. >> well, what's really frightening about it, reverend, is that it seems to work. that is the truly frightening thing. is that politicians back down just because they don't want to take the harassment. and that is what results in no change. and i just refuse to be intimidated, because i can't in good conscience, after newtown, back down. i simply cannot do it morally. >> well, good for you. and no public official should, even though i understand what you're saying. i wish everyone had your courage. let me bring in from the "washington post" nia malika henderson. nia malika, are lawmakers in washington feeling the pressure

from these extreme pro-gun groups? >> i think they are in the sense that the nra remains a pretty powerful lobbying group for the gun lobby. and they are obviously looking at the 2014 elections. you saw these recent bills come out of the judiciary committee very much along partisan lines. the vote was 10-8. the democrats who didn't support the stricter gun control laws are from states that already have pretty strict gun control laws as it is. the eight republicans mostly from southern states, places like texas, iowa, south carolina. so i think a lot of what we knew coming into this, those factors about region, about senators who are from states that are more sort of progun, more southern, those factors are still going to be in play as the president wants to see these bills work their way through the senate. i think he still has to worry about whether or not he's going to be able to keep the democratic coalition together. there are 55 democratic senators

in the senate. they would need five republicans to get anything passed. but i think the question on whether or not any of these senators, these democratic senators will be in tough fights in 2014, are they actually going to back any of these bills. >> nia-malika, the public is there. 91% support universal background checks. 57% want an assault weapons ban. the public is there. i don't know what the politics is in the senate. the public seems overwhelmingly there. >> that's right. even if you look -- if you drill down among gun owners. if you drill down among folks who are in the nra, many of those folks also support tighter restrictions around -- around background checks. but so far that hasn't made a difference. at least on the senate side out of this particular committee.

i do think you're going to see increased movement in the state. so far there are about 1,000 gun control laws that are pending around the difference states in this country. some of those bills would seek to nullify whatever comes out of the federal -- the federal side of this. so there is some movement on the state side. >> senator burdick, she says there are laws around the country and in different states. you say you are not going to be intimidated. do you think you'll be able to get anything through the legislature in oregon on gun control? >> well, if the legislature pays attention to the public. because it's absolutely correct. the public is with us on reasonable gun laws. including the gun owning public. so if we can get the public to speak up, if we can get people's voices heard, then we'll be able to do it. but if people remain silent, then i'm not very optimistic. >> all right. you're a very courageous person. thank you state senator jenny burdick and nia-malika henderson

for your time tonight. both of you. >> thank you, reverend. ahead, we're learning more about president obama reaching out to republicans months ago. and the disrespect that followed. plus, what former republican governor is warning chris christie to look out, buddy. and the story today that has our entire staff laughing. it involves mitch mcconnell and lunch. you'll want to hear this. when did you know that grandma was the one?

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screening of "lincoln," the most talked about film of the year. where is it? at the white house. this does sound like a great invite. and who will be there? all the stars including lincoln himself, daniel day-lewis, and director steven spielberg. and who is hosting? that would be president barack obama. wow, what a party! the president, the star. this event actually happened. it happened last november 15th. who would say no to that? senator mitch mcconnell got an invite. the president trying to reach out for a movie night. but he declined. what's the matter, mitch? at a bluegrass concert that night? how about house speaker john boehner, he wouldn't miss a good party, right? actually, this one he would. he passed. come on, mr. speaker, there's no nighttime golf.

and three other top republicans also just happened to have scheduling conflicts. scheduling conflicts instead of going to the white house. this is a pattern long before his latest job offensive. the president's reached out. he's extended an olive branch. and they continue to snub him. from state dinners to rides on air force one to super bowl parties. they talk about respecting the office of the presidency. now it's time to show it. joining me now is former republican governor of florida, charlie crist. governor, it's a pleasure to have you with us tonight. >> great to be with you, reverend. thank you so much. >> now, i want to show our viewers a picture. it's from 2009. it's the hug seen all over florida and the country. you were thanking the president for the stimulus plan. and then your party went on the

attack. you eventually left the party, and now you're a democrat. >> yes, sir. >> how toxic is it to embrace the president? have you seen the party react? how have you seen it? >> oh, i've seen it. i've seen it up close around personal. and in 2009 when i went to ft. myers, florida, and embraced the president and the recovery act that he was trying to get through to help police, firefighters, public schoolteachers here in the sunshine state and throughout the country, you'd thought i had done something terrible. it really shocked me to see that reaction by so many republicans. and the republican it surprised me as much as it did, i think it's because how my mother and father raised my three sisters and me, reverend. and they raised us to be decent to others, to be kind to other people and respectful. particularly if that -- that person happens to be the president of the united states of america. and so i was really taken aback by the reaction of it. but that's why i think you see

some of the examples you said about coming over to see the movie "lincoln" at the white house. that, you know, some of these republicans who may be up for, you know, re-election next year are concerned about a primary. they have primary fear. it's a real thing that is happening. but they have to have more courage than that. >> this is the president. this is the white house. i mean, there was no one more opposed to president george bush than i was. but when he invited me to occasions, i would go. you do not disrespect the office and the white house. this is unthinkable. in your case, you were embracing him for stimulus that was helping people in your state. regardless of party. >> absolutely true. and i was a republican at the time, he a democrat. he came down and he helped my state in that way, and i think that's what people expect. that public servants will work together for the greater good and for the good of the people they're supposed to be working

for. the people of the state or the people of the country. the president did it again. he came down when we had the bp oil spill. he and his administration, vice president biden also. others in the administration. valerie jarrett. we were on phone calls day after day. they've reached out. believe he, they have. >> now, another republican governor, chris christie, arguably the most popular republican governor in the country today, he walked with the president, commended the president, the same style as charlie crist. and he's gotten nothing but v n venom for it. listen to how one far right-winged conservative radio host went after him just for signing on to the medicaid expansion under obama care. listen to this. >> this is why when you have republican governors like krispy kreme signing on to this, it's going to be financially ruinous for your states.

absolutely financially ruinous. but they'll be gone, see. i'm a conservative, why don't i get to speak at cpac? have a doughnut and shut up, will you? >> this kind of personal venom, name calling, the man worked with the president because his state was absolutely in ruins in parts due to a hurricane. >> yeah. yes, sir. it's shocking. it's really shocking to see that kind of behavior and that kind of ridicule of, you know, two public servants working together. governor christie was courageous to do it. but it was also simply the right thing to do. the president has been doing it all along. he started back in 2009 with us here in florida. he continued to do it through the oil spill. he did it with governor christie just last year up in new jersey and the northeastern states. this is what's consistent about president barack obama. he reaches out. he cares about people.

he's willing to work with republicans, independents and democrats. he's going to go up and see the republicans tomorrow on the hill. he's got that kind of heart and that kind of grace and he does the right thing, and he ought to be credited for it in my opinion. >> now, you and i have been around a while. and we know the difference with partisan bickering. but there seems to be much of a hostility, there seems to be much more of a hatred in this. why do you think this is with this president more than we have seen in terms of partisan bickering before? >> well, i really don't know the answer to that. it breaks my heart to see it, though. i can tell you that, reverend. you know, when you live in a society where, you know, you have people of the cloth like yourself that serve our god and try to teach us to be good to each other, and you see the kind of venom that comes out when, you know, it shouldn't, it makes you wonder why that might be the case. and i feel badly for the president that that occurs. but i got to tell you, the grace

and the way he comports himself in the face of that kind of difficulty is inspiring to me, and i think an awful lot of our fellow americans. he rises above it. and that's not easy to do. but it's a great role model for all of us in this country to have a president like barack obama. >> well, i -- i think you're right. and he handles it well. i think it's bad for the country. it's bad for the children of the country. and whoever's the next president. you and i support this president. i hope we will respect the office even if it's not a person we select. and i hope you see you back in politics. >> i appreciate that. >> as you're now a democrat. charlie crist, thank you for your time tonight. and you have a good evening. >> you, too, reverend. thank you so much. god bless you. ahead, it happened again. the right-wing media confronted with their enemy.

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as i always like to say, you're entitled to your own opinion. not your own facts. but the right wing doesn't see it that way. when it comes to president obama and his accomplishments, they can't accept the truth. >> unemployment has dropped to 7.7%. we see growth in service sector and manufacturing, the housing crisis has turned around -- >> caroline, 9 million fewer americans in the workforce. >> no one's saying that is not the case. remember, when president obama took office in january of 2009, we were hemorrhaging 800,000 jobs a month. >> five years ago. i'm bored. i'm sick of hearing it. >> yes. in the president's first full month, 800,000 jobs were lost. but does he remember what happened? a little something called the stock market crash? and now we have 36 straight

months of private sector job growth under president obama. there's work to be done. but there's no denying things are getting better. unless, of course, you are in that right-wing bubble. >> 18 million more americans, 1 in 6 americans are in poverty. you hear nancy pelosi, others, talking about the stock market. do any of those people on food stamps, are they investing in the stock market, caroline? anybody there? >> sean, i'm really impressed -- i'm impressed that you're now concerned about the poor. thank you for that. but the fact of the matter is -- >> you know what? i don't. only democrats care about poor people. only democrats want clean air and water. only democrats care about not killing old people, you're right. >> unfortunately, i would agree with you on most of those points. it's like the coast guard going out to rescue a boat and blaming the coast guard for not rescuing it quickly enough. >> that boat's going down right

now. >> five years. get over it. >> the boat's going down. >> the boat's going down? .25 million jobs created and the boat's going down? come back to planet reality. joining me now is caroline heldman, the professor who dared to tell the truth inside the bubble last night. david kaurin, washington bureau chief of mother jones. thanks to both of you for being here tonight. >> good evening. >> great to be here, reverend. >> professor, quite a battle that you survived. why do they have so much trouble with the truth? >> you know, i have never met a group of people who is so upset that the economy is rebounding than the folks over at fox. i mean, the signs are really clear. not only the unemployment rate dropping, but housing starts, new housing starts, housing prices. the fact that the stock market has doubled since 2009. that private wealth has been fully restored. of course, now it's in the hands of wealthier individuals.

it's important to keep in mind that blacks have an unemployment rate about 14% and latinos and latinas around 10%. but it is getting better. and we can't be in denial about this because that actually affects consumer confidence. >> blacks and latinos suffer because of the disproportionate about of their jobs are in the public sector that they are cutting these programs and cutting the public sector. david, the denial is not only around at fox. the reality is that some lawmakers are in denial, too. listen to this. >> noticeably absent from this equation has been growth. and the biggest economic problem of the last four years has been the dismal economic growth. under barack obama -- >> we are still 3.1 million jobs below the high point of november 2007. 3.1 million jobs. the fact is the average, the average growth after 13 quarters post world war ii recession or recovery is over 18%. under ronald reagan, 19%.

under obama, about 7%. >> he has no effective plan to create better jobs, more hiring or rising wages. that's what's missing. >> david, the fact is that unemployment is at a four-year low. 7.7%. 236,000 new jobs created just last month alone. even "the wall street journal," certainly no liberal paper, calculated that unemployment rate, if it -- if we take out the cuts to the public sector, the jobless rate without the government cuts would be at 7.1%. and we'd have 950,000 more jobs in the u.s. economy. david, it's because the republican policies that the cuts were made. so how can they say the president isn't making progress? >> well, first, let me con garagelation the professor. though i think she was not in the right weight class.

nevertheless, good job. the republicans are caught in this incredibly contradictory, hypocriteal position in which they say we favor growth, we favor growth. things aren't growing fast enough. and, yet, they favor austerity. which is the opposite of growth. their large economic theory is that the wall street somehow crashed because of government spending. which is completely false. that's not why we have the crash in 2008 that led from wall street to main street sort of collapsing. now they come and say, okay. if we squeeze more. we throw people off food stamps and headstart and squeeze medicaid and voucherize medicare, we will have growth. there is really no evidence of that. it's sort of -- it contradicts mainstream economics. yet they argue both propositions

at the same time. so they really have nothing other than sort of a fairytale, magical thinking view on the economy. they don't have the diagnosis right about what happened. they don't have the prescription right. yet they just keep sounding off on this. >> professor, do you think what we need is more people that will get out there like you are and stop and confront the false claims and really put the facts out there no matter where you have to go to do it? >> well, i do think that it's important to engage the other side. i think sean hannity is a perfectly likable person. i happen to know that he tips 100% in his private life. i just wish his public stances and the stances of republicans didn't go after the poor, the elderly kids with pell grant cuts, medicaid cuts, job training cuts. you really do have to put your money where your mouth is. i think david is absolutely right that we have this recent history amnesia where we get to blame the president for the deregulation of wall street that has led to the largest transfer of wealth from the public sect

tore the private sector in the history of our nation. >> and i agree with you, professor. i don't have a problem with any of them personally. they just seem to have a problem with facts. caroline heldman and david corn, thank you for your time tonight. >> sure thing, reverend. >> thank you. ahead, my favorite story of the day. president obama, mitch mcconnell, and a lunch menu you can't even make up. next. etting rid of dark spots

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