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tv   Morning Joe  MSNBC  May 3, 2013 3:00am-6:01am PDT

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the top of the show we asked you why are you awake? >> rick in seattle up to get an early start to celebrate willwi birthday. >> maybe he saw what happened on mika's birthday and maybe why he didn't show up. yeah, that on our poor louis. thanks, heilemann! louis was a go sport with that. good thing they are not doing cake today because i probably would be next because of the pecking order. "morning joe" starts right now.
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>> federal authorities have arrested three acom polices of alleged boston bomber dzhokhar tsarnaev. the acom polices are two kazakhstan's? jihad and katy perry and oz? hazmat tasmanian tie yak. damn you terrorists with your weapononized constanants! >> good morning. it is friday, may 3rd. that would be willie's birthday. happy birthday, wherever you are. we have with us on the set sam stein in new york.
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"morning joe" economic analyst steve rattner joins us. and donny deutsche is here. >> can i get a "morning joe" economic analyst? >> what would your title be, donny? cheeseball? >> executive cheeseball. >> thank you. executive cheeseball would be good. >> a blarney stone was pounding me down. >> i think he is 30. >> it's terrible. >> that is depressing. it's how you feel, not your chronological age. >> then it's over for me because i'm not feeling really good, rattner. first of all, coming up we will talk about the unemployment report is coming out in two and a half hours but later this block, rattner will have some charts to take a look at the
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numbers. on guns in a moment before our headlines. people are beginning to speak out on both sides of this and we have some great examples of politicians either getting heat or unexpected support on their vote on background checks. but we begin with the latest in the boston marathon bombing investigation. officials with knowledge of dzhokhar tsarnaev questioning before he was read his miranda rights revealed the two suspects planned to detonate their bombs on the fourth of july. after completing the bombs faster than expected they decided to move the attack up to patriots day on april 15th. officials also say the explosives used in the boston marathon attack were made in tamerlan tsarnaev's house. more from nbc justice correspondent pete williams. >> reporter: what is turning out to be an important piece of evidence was almost lost forever. federal agents found it in the new bedford city landfill a week after it was thrown away the
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backpack that investigators say was taken from tsarnaev dorm room by three of his friends. judging from the fbi photo of what was inside, the bombing suspect shopped at places besides phantom fireworks in seabrook, new hampshire, the store disclosed. the fireworks the fbi say were found in the backpack are not sold there although other dealers in the same area do sell those same items. after recovering the backpack the fbi was checking on fireworks sales in the area. the fbi says the backpack contained a jar of vaseline petroleum jelly like this. >> bombers use vaseline as a binder and thickening agent and mix it with explosive powder to make the mixture more reliable? such a technique is not mentioned in the al qaeda online. it is discussed otherwise on the internet. they say the three friends took the backpack from tsarnaev's
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dorm room and not thrown that away and since given it to the fbi. in kazakhstan administrators at a high school attended by one of the three friends arrested tazhayakov said he was a poor student and excelled for low grades one time and said his father talked to him after his friend dzhokhar was arrested and identified as a bombing suspect. he says his son said, daddy, we didn't know. he's not the kind of guy who would hurt anyone. he was very kind, very chatty. we were shocked. >> that was pete williams reporting. investigators are still working to determine what role if any tamerlan's wife played in her husband and brother-in-law's steak. according to "the new york times" authorities have determined the fingerprints and dna found on bomb fragments do not belong to katherine russell but she has stopped cooperating with investigators and they believe more to her story.
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the fbi are looking for clues how the brothers became radicalized. during his initial questioning dzhokhar said he and his brother watched online sermons of al locky who was killed by a drone strike in september of 2011. i think we will find more especially with the other people involved this is not some sort of just random homemade situation. >> how come no one got any red flags around this kid? >> around tamerlan? >> the younger brother. seemed to have a normal college life going on and was even partying after this event. no one picked up hi red flags. bizarre to me. >> 540,000 names on the list and easy for us to sit. >> you are talking about his friends who knew him. >> oh, according to the friends, great guy.
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judo exert, blah, blah, blah. no different. kept to himself. we didn't know. the beast that live within people is sometimes hard to see from the outside. >> we will be following -- this and get to guns. the issue of gun violence followed the president yesterday. president obama jumped in on a question that was directed to his mexican counterpart to reinforce his objective to get something done on capitol hill. >> the last time we had major gun legislation, it took six, seven, eight tries. things happen somewhat slowly in washington. but this is just the first round. >> about 2,000 miles away, senator kelly ayotte was questioned in a new hampshire town hall meeting again about her vote against expanded background checks. take a look. >> i really don't understand. it doesn't make sense to me. what is wrong with universal
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background checks? >> okay. thank you, john. i will tell you in terms of a universal background check as it's been framed, i have a lot of concerns about that leading to a registry that will create a privacy situation for lawful firearms owners. >> was. >> how do they stick to that story? what is the logic when it's a complete -- >> that i want to know. can anyone be devil's advocate here? >> what she said is completely untrue. a felon to -- >> up to jail time to create a registry. do you still -- >> how does she go to a town hall? i have to be careful here. but unprepared like that? >> she is prepared to twist the tuj. >> she just doesn't -- >> is that really what -- okay. >> if she told the truth, she couldn't defend her vote.
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>> alex, will you get more tape? i want to hear more. >> here is the good news, guys. >> i don't understand. >> not necessarily all democrats but few of the republicans who have voted are starting to turn and i think if there is a new bill, i think it's going to go the other way, i really do. >> i just think public, the public speaks and they are speaking louder and louder and louder and i believe this in the end, justice will prevail here, i really do. >> i'm just curious what got us here in the first place. >> politics. >> didn't pat toomey sort of give up the game the other day when he said to a local editorial board that members of his party would not vote for this bill because it looked like they were helping the president. >> this is like eighth graders. >> kelly ayotte was a key vote in a vote they thought and hoped and needed to get this over. she is from kind of a swing state and a northeastern state and clearly where the people
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wanted her to vote that way and she not only didn't vote that way but now more dug in and she is not moving and dug in. the idea they will bring something together' change this vote, i hope they do but it's not exactly -- >> one of two things. one they have to make a very superficial change to the bill. >> yes. >> and concerns have been ale alleviat alleviat alleviated. the second thing you have to wait -- primary is over with in which case the people feel it's fine to them to do something like that. >> that is next year. >> so we have wasted a year. i'd like to know why. we are trying to get longer tape. i just -- there has to be some argument that she is gnawing into and holding on to. >> her argument is she wants to get through the primary process. there is no -- >> i don't think that he is going to work. >> she is not up for re-election until -- >> what was his name?
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sweat the representative from new hampshire in eye'94 and vot for the -- >> everyone went back after voting for an assault weapons ban and got hammered in their districts. what is happening now is the inverts. people are going out and voted against background checks and getting hammered. the greatest story i saw was yesterday. john mccain in a town hall and a survivor of the tucson shooting came up and gave him 19 roses and said here are 19 roses with 13 people injured and six people killed in that shooting. >> we have seen the polls and what happened to jeff flake in that same state. >> those finding themselves in an awkward situation because of a vote on this, a reminder you are there in washington to serve the american people and not yourself. ayotte is losing ratings in her state. take a look at this.
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according to public policy polling, 52% of voters in north carolina say they are more likely to reelect senator kay hagan next year because she voted in favor of the measure. 44% said the same of senator mary landrieu is louisiana. in arizona for senator john mccain one of just four republicans to support background checks, he was reportedly met with a loud applause at a town hall after a voter thanked him for his vote. later, he was given 19 roses. one for each person wounded or killed in the tucson shooting that targeted then congresswoman gabby giffords. nra rally will draw more this weekend than last year's even. the nra will maim their new president, jim porter. the outgoing president praised
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the appointment of porter and telling "the washington times" this. as we are likely to win most of the legislative battles in congress we have to move to courts to restrictions placed on gun owners' rights in new york, connecticut, maryland, and colorado. he seems quite sure that the nra will be waning winning their upcoming legislative battles. that's nice. >> i want to go back to these senators. unfortunately, the next time a crazy or somebody who would have not gotten a gun from a background check kills somebody, i want to know what their response is going to be because they literally have blood on their hands. i want their response. that senator's response the next time whether it's tomorrow, next week, next month, a child, anybody who is killed by somebody that might have been prevented by a background check, i want to know their answers at that moment in time because they have blood on their hands. that simple. there's no gray, no abstract here. it is literally the dots are
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that connected. >> i agree. i agree completely. i'm sorry. there's no excuse for this. if you're seeing what is happening ner in terms of the polls and the way that politicians are being received at town halls, i would suggest that you call your congressman, call your senator, tweet, e-mail, do whatever it taps to make sure your opinion is heard on this because i think it's beginning to make a difference. but we have wasted valuable time. we have wasted valuable time where we should be right now in washington waiting for a fantastic mental health package on the next phase of ways we can address gun violence in america and, instead, we are sitting here asking for background checks, asking for an antiquated system to be updated so at least a tiny chance that perhaps guns won't get in the wrong hands? this country -- i mean, being led by a bunch of buffoons.
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i have to tell you. >> i think you have a viewer insight whether these voters who voted against this had any tied what was going to happen to their poll ratings and basically said i don't care, i'll take it because the nra or whomever is just more powerful and i have to follow their lead or what? are they simply didn't expect this reaction? >> from my understanding, just surveying it as well, one of the key motivators here was not the poll numbers but the prospect of being challenged by someone in your primary. there were some democrats, begich and baucus. for republicans the idea you cast this vote would open you up to someone saying let's get this guy out, he is not a pure defender of second amendment right rights. when it comes down to it you have, you know, very safe seats. the primary way that you end up losing an election is in a primary. >> of course, the polls show that republicans favor background checks. >> correct. i think there was a misreading.
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i think that. because it's ironic every public poll was 80% to 90% and they could not recognize that was a popular issue even after this poll is sort of silly. >> we will be watching. we are looking for the full tape of kelly ayotte's answer. i just want to hear it. i want to hear two or three minutes of her trying to explain this vote because she went to a town hall. she, obviously, has a staff that helped her get elected and i'm sure prepared her to answer these questions and i'm sure it's our fault. i'm sure we did not show enough of her answer and i'm sure there is a legitimate other side to this story and i'm sure that when we play two or three minutes of her talking, we're going to be like, thank you. >> we also saw her answer yesterday or the day before to the daughter of the woman who was killed. >> i got to tell you i have a feeling when we watch this, it's going to be painful.
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i think it's going to be painful and mostly for her because it doesn't ring true and the more she talks, the more she digs herself deeper and it's too bad. >> i want to ask a delicate question. >> are you a woman? >> is it even more surprising when a woman votes against this from a primal -- because there are differences between the -- >> absolutely. >> when you see a woman, maternal, blah, blah, blah, blah. it almost takes it to another level. >> i'll take it to the level that brings women and men when they come to work in washington and go to the negotiating table and come to do business at work women don't take as many risks as member and this doesn't make any sense to me so, yes, i am surprised for a completely different reason than you think but there are female sensibilities we bring to the table which are valuable when it comes to leading our country and
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we need more women certainly in pour and in washington. i am stumped by heidi heitkamp or kelly ayotte or any man who voted no on this because it's not panning out well for them. >> if i was running against any of those candidates, i would do a mother movement against the women. >> i agree. and i think there should be -- >> started after the death of that girl who went to the inauguration. they are powerful. i forget the fame. >> targeting the women or the mothers. >> i am surprised. there are things happening in washington nig thi think has le the situation we are in now which, by the way, not giving the american people what they want in terms of our safety and guns and wasting incredible amounts of valuable time to getting the mental health care
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to people who really need it because we are sitting here arguing over something ridiculously basic -- background checks. coming up on "morning joe," republican senator john barrasso say businesses have stopped hiring because of the president's health care law. david gregory and eugene robinson will be with us later. what happens when -- up next the top stories in the politico playbook. first, bill karins with a check on the forecast. >> yesterday morning, the top weather stories were fire in california and snow in the midwest. guess what the top stories are today? more fires and more snow, unbelievably. yesterday the summit fire in california. look at this. spring fire shutting down a highway and another home burned to the ground and a lot of evacuations and thankfully some
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of those were allowed back and a strawberry factory you see there. 95 today in los angeles. it's going to be windy and dry and that is dangerous weather. thankfully things will move in the region over the weekend. a foot of snow in rochester, minnesota, in may! des moines 2 inches of snow and still snowing to the east of town and temperatures are very cold this morning in the midwest. 34 in des moines is ridiculous for this time of year. it's still snowing as far south as arkansas. that doesn't happen. actually, we have never seen it happen in may before, snow in the state of arkansas. as far as the rest of the forecast goes, we are actually looking pretty good out there. it's going to be very rainy in florida but up the east coast from virginia northward very nice but this weekend you're soaked south of st. louis and north florida. both could pick up 2 to 4 inches of rain. weekend forecast the rainy weather in the midwest and also down in florida and stays that way. guys, right through the upcoming
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weekend. it looks pretty nice on the west coast and looks pretty in the northeast but apologies to everyone there around st. louis and the state of missouri. new york city? we had a struggling spring. i tell you what, we're getting rewarded with beautiful weather through the upcoming weekend. you're watching "morning joe," brewed by starbucks. ♪ just feed me i hate when i have to get to sleep ♪ ♪ you despise me i love you ♪ until i had the shingles. i have never encountered such a burning sensation... it was like a red rash. like somebody had set a bag of hot charcoal on my neck. i had no idea it came from chickenpox.
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24 past of the hour. time to take a look at the morning papers. "the washington post" the death toll on the bangladesh building collapse has reached 500 and number could climb at nearly as 150 are still missing. nine people arrested over the disaster including an engineer who was involved in the building's construction. 3.5 million people work in the country's garment industry making it the world's second biggest clothing exporter behind
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china. >> the providence journal. governor signed the ball into law yesterday for ga marriage. the first weddings will begin in august. "the new york times." the world trade center is draped in the american flag, 22-ton spire was hoisted by crane to the top of the 104-story building. just relieved time lapse video shows the long process of building one world trade center which began in 2004 when the spire is permanently fastened into place, it will feature a state-of-the-art lighting facility and beacon and will make the building a symbolic 1776 -- 1776 feet tall. that is pretty cool. >> on the cover of this week's
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"parade" magazine, carrie washington a scandal and also inside a review of -- wow. what? who is the author? mika's book "obsessed." a must read. can we get a picture of the book? >> let me look at the review. why don't we check the review first? >> i'm sure it's good. >> let's go to politico. with us now is chief white house correspondent for politico, mike allen who is here with the morning playbook. mike, already there are plans to bring back the senate gun bill, i'm hearing. >> happy friday! >> thank you, thank you, thank you! >> and happy birthday to mr. willie geist. >> yeah, wherever he is. >> blarney stone. >> there you go. >> our message today is help on the way. i've been listening to your conversation about what is going to happen next on gun control and vice president biden, yesterday, during a 90-minute meeting in his ceremonial office with law enforcement officials showed his hand about what the administration has planned after
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passed immigration. they do plan another push on gun control and vice president biden said he will be traveling to the home states of some of these stors senators you've been talking about including senator kelly ayotte to push the idea of background checks. he and an aide ticked through the polling data they had been seeing that "morning joe" is talking about day after day showing a precipitous drop since this vote and he made it clear there is going to be a whole other push this year. >> mike, you write this morning that the charm offensive may be over for the white house and it's showing when it comes to recent appointments? >> a couple of cabinet picks this week, top appointments this week by president obama shows sort of a second term approach. officials tell glenn thrush who wrote this piece in the first term the president was more likely to make a cabinet pick for political reasons or because people told him he should or
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because he had to. this cabinet is more of his cabinet. people he wants in there. we saw that yesterday with the nomination of penny pritsker who helped get obama his career started and part of the chicago group that first started with him and she has -- because of her family, holding, she has a complicated confirmation hearing but the president is willing to go through that. also with the federal housing credit agency which oversees fannie mae, freddie mac and picking mel watt a democrat from the chart area of north carolina. republicans thought they had hair own plan in the works to reform fannie and freddie and that is not going to happen. mel has good relations with the banking community there and the republicans didn't like the pick. this is the president standing up for himself and being able to confront republicans. >> steve?
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>> mike, you would also concede, i think, that penny is a supremely qualified person for this job. she is philanthropic and i think would be terrific. >> the president is making picks he wants to make and not worrying about what the potential blow-back or chatter from republicans will be. >> sam? >> ironically, i think more blow-back from the republicans on this pick. penny has poor relations with the unions. his ties to the banks raise red flags with progressives. these picks aren't necessarily sticking it to republicans. they are somewhat controversial on both sides. >> i think the watt pick is also
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important because of what you just said he is picking someone who is willing to go down more centrist road to fix the housing thing rather than the liberal dogma you should be doing about fannie and freddie. >> before we let mike go. i know mike is obsessed. wait. speaking of that. i don't know if you got your current "parade" magazine but i want to read a review. i know you go through this magazine. "obsessed," it may be hard to think that mika brzezinski had an overeating food problem. she had this problem all of her life. how we can live and eat healthier. the four-page fold that folds out. >> oh, no. >> that is a very good review. >> when you look at the science behind the addiction to certain
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ingredients i think more and more people are behind it. >> how about joe? >> he is doing more than you expect and we will reveal that next week. >> a dozen glazed doughnuts? >> the munchkins. >> the timing for "obsessed" is fantastic and a topic people are loving. if you're in the d.c. area, thursday, we are so excited that you and joe will sit down with us on stage in d.c. for a playbook cocktails. 6:30 on politico's website and look and see mika and joe in person and talk about the book "obsessed." tomorrow jim vandehei and i are running our first marathon. >> i did one. mile ten, you'll hurt. they are both going to do it. alex was asking if you were going to split it! mike allen, thank you. thank you, donny. >> touche. >> touche. coming up next, steve
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rattner will explain why some countries in europe are not in a recession but full-fledged depression. he has charts. we will be right back. [ male announcer ] this is bob, a regular guy with an irregular heartbeat. the usual, bob? not today. [ male announcer ] bob has afib:
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a live look at capitol hill as the sun comes up over washington on this friday morning. on thursday, the european central bank lowered interest rates the latest signal most of the economies in the euro zone are lagging badly and brings us to rattner's charts. i notice when you go to break, you tease something. you know it's a new day on morning television when you're teasing rattner's charts to keep people. >> i'm telling you. >> i guess nothing else is going on in the world. >> no, they like you. remember the guy in palm beach with the beard? >> is it rattner or his charts? >> i think it's rattner. i do. i think the charts is like -- >> i think it's chart love. chart love. >> donny, you can do charts one day. >> i can do a lot of things but charts is not one of them. >> you would know he is faking it, do you know what i mean? unemployment rates in spain, greece and germany. >> we have been worrying about
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gun roll and immigration. and those are important. remarkable depression in a number of countries and we will take a look at them. you look at unemployment which is something, obviously, we can all relate to and looking at spain and greece compared to germany but you could look at portugal and italy. spain and greece the unemployment rate has recently crossed 25%. >> wow. >> 25% was the peak level that we reached in the 1930s during our depression. so they are now above the level that we hit during the worst economic crisis in our history. if you look at where the forecasters are, they are not showing it coming down for several more years. it goes up for a little bit and then it stabilizes at a high level. germany is down at 6.6%. they are doing actually quite well. and the u.s. about 7.5. it is really quite a grim picture. if you look what is happening among young people you'll see something more remarkable which
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is you'll see that in spain and greece, unemployment among young people has reached over 50%. 55% and 59%. >> that is terrible. >> again, in the u.s. we think and we do have an unemployment problem among youth at 16.4%. >> like revolution numbers. >> donny, that is precisely the point. wednesday was may day in europe, may 1st is their kind of labor day. there were demonstrations all over europe. you have a lot of disaffection and in europe it's hard to get older workers to retire early or to lay them off and so they just don't hire young people. so you have this massive unemployment among young people. a whole lost of generation of people in europe who are never going to get jobs perhaps and nothing good happening. >> can you explain why germany is so immune to this? >> thank you, that is a lead-in to my third chart. >> very good! >> well said. gosh, steve's charts are amazing. >> why is germany done so well?
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the key issue in europe's problems, in my opinion, austerity and all that. the real issue what we call competitiveness. the ability of countries or companies to produce goods at reasonable prices and what you see happening in europe is that germany has actually done quite well. you see this right down here. germany what we call unit labor costs. the costs of producing one unit of goods with one unit of labor and only risen 8% since 2000. the u.s. actually has risen 23%. so germany, in fact, has held down their costs better than we even have. but then you look at greece up here at 143% and you look at italy up here almost at the same level. and spain, which actually peaked at about 140% is actually brought theirs down a little bit. this is the problem. they are not competitive. i'll give you one fact and you will like this, which is the average polish autoworker
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produces three times as many cars as the average italian workers paid one-third of much. how do you compete if you're an auto italian company? >> you can't. we have read europe on the precipice. when does this affect us? i think the public is almost numb to it. it exists outside our sphere which it doesn't. when do the dominos start to fall here? >> >> it has affected you us. the president said he wanted a double export growth in the second term. we can't export as much to countries to europe and it has affected our economy. not hugely but it has affected our economy. what you should worry about is the point i think sam made this gets -- you did, donny -- this gets to the social and political stability of these countries at some point and that was we need
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to worry about. >> what is the political temperature around austerity at this juncture? clearly, it's tried two years now and more in some of these countries and the results have been, obviously, bad in england and other places. how do you take the temperature for the austerity movement in europe? >> the temperature has moved and needle shifted away from austerity. they could do more and will do more. you now have governments in france with francois and italy pledged to do less awe sistuste. you can spend all you want on the budget deficit and it won't change the fundamentals of the economy. europe needs an overhaul, not a bunch of band-aids and not what we are willing to come to grips with for political reasons. >> steve rattner and his charts, thank you so much. >> i'd like to announce next tuesday a special three-hour "morning joe." the charts, the man, the myth.
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three hours of charts. >> you know that commercial when people talk so and so listens? that's. our next guest is leaning in and listening. everyone starts leaning in and listening. i'm serious! >> the ratings spikes when the charts come up. >> you see how many times we have him on? coming up next, senator mark rubio is leading the charge on immigration reform but will it hurt him among the conservative base? is that the topic of this week's "national review" cover story. senior editor jay nordlinger joins us next. the boys used double miles from their capital one venture card
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i'm optimistic about us getting this done because it's the right thing to do. we have seen leaders from both parties indicate that now is the time to get comprehensive
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imgrags refoi immigration done. we do so much business between our two countries. frankly, you know, we put enormous resources into border security. there are areas where there is still more work to be done. some of it, by the way, is not simply securing the united states from illegal traffic. some of it is improving the infrastructure we talked about for commerce to be able to come in smoothly which creates jobs and helps our businesses both in the united states and in mexico. >> 46 past the hour. joining us now senior editor for the "national review" jay nordlinger. this month's issue the gang of eight. it says this.
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conservatives look to rubio as their representative on the gang of eight and someone who would make sure its plan didn't turn out to be a call de facto to open borders. he is the ambassador to the gang of eight. jay, welcome back to the show. are you surprised what is happening with marco rubio? >> "national review" is against this bill. he we want immigration reform but this is a great big bill with a lot of in it and too many loopholes, we think. 800 and some pages and we think this is bad policy for the country. the politics may be something else. who knows about the politics. we, at our magazine, are big, big fans of marco rubio. i think we helped him get elected down in florida but we think he is in error on this and i think he might be nervous about it as well.
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>> why do you say that? >> he said the bill would struggle to get through the senate and the bill as currently written not through the house. i imagine he knows. i imagine that is right. >> what is wrong with the bill? >> well, in a nutshell. >> specifically, you said there are specific issues with the bill. what are they? >> well, it seems like amnesty with the promise of law enforcement. and we have had this before. we have the experience of the 1986 bill simpson mazolli as we used to know it. like cliche with lucy and the football. we we have seen this before and don't want to get suckered again. a lot of us think do the other board nverenforcements first ant a handle on it and i'm for the enforcement first and amnesty second and i'm afraid this is the other way around. but there this is a very difficult issue for conservatives and i think
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everyone because all of these, i would say, competing american values. >> absolutely, yeah. >> on one hand there is j generosity and -- >> who we are. >> i remember allen simpson thinking back in the old days he would would say no fair quote in the statue of liberty. but yet there is a certain row ma on the other hand there is the issue of the rule of law. what are we going to do about a welfare state coupled with mass immigration. >> looking again at the bill, marco rubio himself admits the current bill can't pass the house and is willing to fix many. in a "wall street journal" op-ed this morning he writes, in part, quote, this. since my colleagues and i introduced immigration legislation intense public
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excrete kn scrutiny has helped identify shortcomings and unintended consequences that need to be addressed. this is a positive force that should always be welcomed in the political process for those who believe the road ahead for illegal immigrants is too generous or lenient congress will have a chance to make it tougher and still realistic but defeating it without offering an alternative cannot be the conservative position on immigration reform and leave the issue entirely in the hands of president obama and leave in place the disastrous status quo. does he have a point, jay? >> oh, yes, of course. there has to be something. i think parts of this gigantic bill can be taken and worked on. there are portions that a lot of people agree on. if e verify is a good thing, let's have it. if visa trackizing a good thing, why not? securing the mexican border, why
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not. this is things we could have had years and this is a comprehensive bill and includes amnesty first and we have been down this path before and we think we ought to learn from experience. >> sam? >> from the vantage point of a democrat, what you're saying is absurd. for starters, the border is probably more secure now -- i know the recession has helped with limiting border crossings. >> i'm -- >> but it's more secure now than maybe at any time in our history. there is countless resources pointing to it. and what you're saying is we should do more of that before we you call amnesty. we just had an election and this was litigated very much during the election. i think the results are obvious and clear, the voters including hispanics voters supported this and continue to support it in public opinion polls. what would you say to that? wasn't this just litigated? don't we have -- haven't we had
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a referendum to do this package? >> i don't think all of the pages were vote on. polls tell you different things and if politicians crossed electorate they will be punished at the polls. usually politicians, especially office holders, are pretty good at calculating their own interests so it depends on where you live. who the voters are, what your district is, what the state is. i think everybody wants some sort of immigration solution. there's a sense, there is an attitude -- and i have some of it myself -- let's just get this done. it's a longstanding and festering problem and let's just do something and get it off our plate and call immigration done. that is a very strong temptation but i think it should be resisted and i think very much the attitude and i feel a little bit of it myself. you remember what nancy pelosi said about the health care bill? we have to pass it to know what is in it. there is a lot in this bill and i think that the things should be done judiciously and people ought to know what is in it and
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what we journalists care about and i suppose most people care about is what is best for the country. not what is best electorately for a party. if the republicans are wrong according to popular opinion, they will pay for it. >> they have. >> well, there you go. >> so the cover story -- >> that remains to be seen. i'm not so sure that is so. there is always another one coming up. >> fair enough. >> the cover story of this week's "national review" rubio's folly. interesting. is that the picture, alex? okay. see? there's web sites saying the picture was edited to take out certain people that don't work into the narrative there grover n norquist. >> this is what magazines do. it was a crowded picture and other senators. i think senator flake and dear
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grover norquist is in the background. >> you think he peeked too early? >> a lot of issues in this country and rubio is quite a force and a dyanamo. an excuse to put him on the cover even when the cover is negative. a pretty photogenic photo. >> you're challenging him. coming up, as student loan increases more parents are asking is college worth the cost? former secretary of education bill bennett joins us with his new book on that very topic along with governor howard dean. that should be fatiscinating. more "morning joe" in a moment. ♪ your world is too fast nothing is real and nothing is fast
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seven, eight tries. things happen somewhat slowly in washington. but this is just the first round. >> all right. welcome to "morning joe." i think things are going to move quicker on this. steve rattner and done ny deutse is still with us. joining us from washington of "the washington post" eugene robinson and the moderator of "meet the press" david gregory and here on the set for blo bloomberg "business week" josh green. you'll have optimism on gun control coming up. first, the headlines on this. because the issue of gun legislation is following senator kelly ayotte back home and we showed this last hour but we felt we might not have been balanced in our reporting because i thought maybe there was more she said in the sound bite. it was cut too much. >> you say that --
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>> no, i'm helpful. her vote against expanded background checks and she was challenged by a voter yesterday once again during a town hall meeting so here is the complete exchange. let's listen careful because this is why she voted no. >> i really don't understand. it doesn't make sense to me. what is wrong with universal background checks? >> okay. thank you, john. i will tell you in terms of a universal background check as it's been framed, i have a lot of concerns about that leading to a registry that will create a privacy situation for lawful firearms owners. however, i do believe that our current system should be fixed and that's why i supported legislation. for example, we have as the law
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of the land right now that if you are adjudicated mentally ill or found dangerous by a court through due process, that you should be included in the system and those people aren't getting in the system. and that those who try to violate the system should be fully prosecuted, and so that is why i supported the legislation i did. i believe that the focus should be on focusing -- on fixing the broken system right now. i believe there are efforts we can take and i actually hope that i know people have strong feelings about this issue. i hope that we will be able to take some of the steps that we can agree on, rather than just, you know, obviously pulling legislation from the floor. so that is what i will continue to focus on and enhancing and fixing the broken system. more prosecution and, finally, mental health. ultimately mental health is an area that particularly in these mass violence situations, we should, i think, be able to come to some improvements on that we
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can move forward with. >> i'll zip it and go around the table. david gregory, was there an answer there to why she voted in? >> you talked about the idea of the gun registry created out of this legislation as being a complete misnomer and specifically addressed in the bill. the cold ide politics of this like senator ayotte who voted against it is the idea there are those in her state who are opposed to this kind of legislation, any kind of infringement on the second amendment viewed by voters who are organized and active enough on the gun issue that they will vote on this issue. and i think that there are those senators who oppose this who are not yet persuaded that those who support background checks, the 90%, are necessarily voting on this issue. i think what we are seeing here is that times are changing. what i think the white house is counting on, you mentioned vice president biden, is that they are changing significantly enough that those who are no
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votes here are already seeing the backlash such that if it comes up again they will not be able to vote the same way again. >> eugene robinson was there an answer in there as to why she voted no? >> not an honest answer frankly. i think the real answer, david just gave it. it was political. this issue of a registry is a complete red herring and it's not -- it's specifically excluded and that is the question really, do the people who feel strongly that there should be universal background checks vote on that basis and give money on that basis and if they do, she will change her mind. >> i have answer but was there an answer in there why she voted no? >> no. >> >> and not an incredible alternative she is talking about the mentally ill and people prosecuted, fine. >> the law explicitly forbid the reason she gave for not supporting it, no gun registry. >> the nra has been running
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radio ads in new hampshire thanking kell ayotte. >> kelly ayotte is not just a senator but a mom who cares about protecting our kids. she knows the only way to prevent tragedies like sandy hook is to fix our mental health broken system and why she voted for not voting on the gun law. >> i want to pick up david's and gene's point can't understand why a 90% referendum doesn't win. to me the passion of the people to protect their -- what they view as their second amendment right trumps those against it. it is because people who own their guns it's who they are. and i think that in any fight, a passionate minority will defeat a less passionate majority and i think that is the key in -- >> david gregory, is that ad the answer as to why she voted no? >> again, i think it's part of
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it because, you know, even if it's a minority in her state and i don't know that it's quite a minority, but it's going to be a very passionate group of people who are activists and voting on that issue. it goes back to the point how will the gun safety proponents reframe a second go at this? can they do more to emphasize mental health and dealing with that in the way that states like colorado have? or can they simply create enough political pressure, you talk about kelly ayottes and jeff flake's and will it take longer before the tide changes and you see this kind of legislation being more successful. >> we have recent polling showing senator ayotte is losing support in her state. a pair of democrats voted in favor of the bill are seeing their numbers go in the opposite
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direction. according to public policy polling, 52% of voters in north carolina say they are more likely to reelect senator kay hagan next year because she voted in favor of the measure. 44% said the same of senator mary landrieu is louisiana. in arizona for senator john mccain one of just four republicans to support background checks, he was reportedly met with a loud applause at a town hall after a voter thanked him for his vote. later, he was given 19 roses. one for each person wounded or killed in the tucson shooting that targeted then congresswoman gabby giffords. so we really are seeing it on a number of levels happening, at least grassroots, people speaking out. the question is does it do -- do these politicians know more than us? >> that is the interesting points because we get the idea that a very vocal passionate 10% can have influence even when 90% may have a different view but what you're seeing here, which i'm not sure any of us predicted is that the 90% actually cares about it more than maybe we thought they did because they are shifting their political
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support pretty significantly. >> one other point to make to what ayotte said the excuse about mental health. >> we need to do that. >> the biggest provider of mental health is medicaid and many saying we need to folk on medicaid is blocking the medicaid expansion. it is already the law and can't be filibustered. >> in regard rally will draw more than last year's event. the nra will name their new president, jim porter. the outgoing president praised the appointment of porter and telling "the washington times" this. as we are likely to win most of the legislative battles in congress we have to move to courts to restrictions placed on gun owners' rights in new york, connecticut, maryland, and colorado.
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eugene? >> wow. you know, what i would have hoped and i guess i can still hope is that the incoming nra president is more, frankly, in touch with the broad view of the nation about guns and tries to find a way to coexist with that, to be true to the nra's principles about the second amendment without this sort of total destruction/and burn kind of approach that current leadership has taken. i can't say i'm terribly optimistic but it would be nice. >> josh green, bloomberg business week four issues to be optimistic on gun control and go through with them and david growin gregory, i'd like you to talk
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about the reality here. >> when toomey/manchin was yanked just a mat of time the democrats will get. many. if you look at few of the reasons. >> gun control is no longer t e taboo. >> democrats evaded this issue and now there and fighting. the next reason look at the state level. nra statement mentioned maryland, new york, colorado, other states. really interesting thing is the same dynamic you have in the senate where small, rural states have as much power as big state like california doesn't exist in a presidential race in the electoral college. if you total up the senators of both states who were for toomey/manchin ameasure them th states against it you almost have an electoral majority. this could be for the 2016 to maintain this opposition you see in things like that. >> the fourth reason you say opposing gun control will make it harder for republicans to win
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the white house. it impacts the entire -- >> exactly. chris christie, possible republican white house hopeful saying i'm willing to expand background checks and outlaw certain kinds of high caliber weapons. >> david? >> i think it gets to a potential danger for the nra and a politically danger. the nra has always been a bipartisan organization starts to become seen purely as a republican lobbying organization, i think that ultimately hurts. it still is going to have a lot of sway within any republican party and chris christie bucking the nra is quite a reality. when they take on the restrictions in the states it's worth remembering that post-n post-newdown nor safety resource officers taken up by a lot of states well. they have people buying a lot of firearms and ammunition.
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in a lot of ways they were able to take this moment and actually argue their case rather than persuasively to their members. i think that the other point that for democrats it's not only taboo but i think it's going to become a big area of their political push as you move into primary fight which where were you on guns after newtown? it's very important. i think they will keep it alive. if they sense that the tide is turning in public opinion that they are going to keep riding that and find a way and maybe it is waiting to see what more states do, maybe it's that model like we have seen in marriage equality where they look to the states to begin building some momentum before they try to bring it back to see what congress can do. >> i think it's significant that here -- joe manchin, a democrat from one of the most pro gun states in the nation sort of leading this charge for background checks, i think that's a solid indication if
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you're going to be a major democrat a player in the democratic party and an official frankly, you're going to support background checks and you're going to be on what democrats consider the right side of this issue. i think democrats who are on the other side will pay a price. >> i want to shift gears here and talk about how the president is doing on the heels of all this and his commitment to work on gun legislation and not give up on it. but this morning, all three major u.s. papers, "the new york times," "wall street journal" and the "the washington post" are running less than flattering takes on the policies and politics associated with president obama's second term. some of them are conservative writers but here we go. peggy noony kicks things off asking if the president is already a duck saying, quote, the president is fading failing to leave to break through to show he is not at mercy of events but to some degree at least in command of them. and charles adds obama turned his addresses into a left wing
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dream factory and hail the obama juggerna juggernaut. from king of the world to dead in the water in six months. turning to syria, michael grossman saying having missed the moment obama is left to limit the damage. his earlier passivity pushes him to the policies he wanted most to avoid. it wasn't just conservative voices criticizing the president. ruth marcus also writes on syria, quote, saying this. having drawn a red line, he's now busy blurring it. mumbling about establishing a chain of custody. "the new york times" editorial board went after the obama administration for betraying, in their words, reproductive rights and science when it comes to the plan b morning after pill writing the administration's continued stubbornness may please some groups critical to the president but hurt girls and women and is bound to undermine mr. obama's credibility when he
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calls for principled evidence based policy making on other issues. eugene robinson, our own eugene, writes about the president's approach to congress saying, looking and sounding like the one reasonable man on a ship of fools is good for obama's political standings. i suppose. but he's no longer running for anything. somehow he has to govern until january 2017. what do you mean by that, eugene? >> he does. clearly he had a bad week, right? you know, we do a feature every sunday who had the worst week in washington. it might be the president this week. not his best week. he has a long time yet in office and there will be certainly be better weeks. my column was specifically about the faa bill, the airport congestion and how he said we wae
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weren't going piecemeal and now we are doing that in ways that please congress and don't provide an incentive to make a bigger budget deal of the kind that everybody knows we need to have. and so i'm wondering why even though it passed with a big majority, if, you know, the president could veto legislation and if he makes it clear he is going to veto legislation elbow probably stick with it. i'm suggesting that's a tool he might use occasionally. >> sure. i agree with that, gene, but i think in the real world, vetoing that bill would have been crazy, because everybody wanted that faa situation to dealt with and to say i'm vetoing that bill to make the public, the people who travel. >> are you sure it's not just the members of congress who want to go home? >> i think he was in a position he had no choice but to sign that particular bill. i agree with the other point gene made. it's early and see how it goes the rest of the week. i'm here to apologize for the president but we have to remember congress is
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dysfunctional. >> totally. what we have been talking about for two hours. >> 30% of the laws last year, they passed 30% of the laws they passed last year compared to any other congress in history. they aren't doing anything. >> david gregory, do you agree? >> well, no question. but the president is at a disadvantage when he tries to make a point about dysfunction when he is still leading the government and he is really the face of washington, the leader of washington. and i think to talk about his relevant weakness vis-a-vis congress doesn't behave doesn't get to his legacy moments. health care is a signature piece of legislation. he has to win that communications fight and the implementation fight. sequestration has to be replaced in they get a debt deal and doesn't seem to be a way forwards and that affects the overall economy. syria is nothing but bad choices and could end up taking a lot of time and energy.
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i mean, there's a reason why iraq was so difficult and the reason why those comparisons are so apt. a lot of these things -- can he get immigration? that seems to be something that is winnable and that would be very important but he has a limited window of time to act in a second term and i think that is what he is facing. >> we have republicans who, joshua do not want him to succeed. >> was this going to cause so much pain and national outcry and that would force republicans to retreat and to relent. at the first sign of that outcry from business travelers what does he do? fix that part of it. >> it's bad parenting. >> it is but think about the precedent it sets, right? you draw red line. do you it with syria. then you cross that red line. look at the next big debt ceiling showdown. when he says i'm not going to
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negotiate on the debt ceiling what republican would believe that? >> doubt he should have vetoed it? >> i do. >> not as a pure political battle. i think revo it and say if we want to fix the sequester we can but not for special interests that have a big bobbying. >> the final point where is his juice, he is not running for office any more. to me that is the ultimate liberty ritaor and to me why no excuse. the game is yet to be played out but such an advantage. he does not have to woo voters any more. >> david gregory, thank you. what is coming up on "meet the press"? >> we are going to talk about homeland security. is this more of the plot that emerges out of boston, could more have been done to prevent it? how to keep america safe and we will debate the president at a hundred days. >> great. josh green, thank you as well. eugene, stay with us, if you can. still ahead, the creator of
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the doonesbury comic strip team up to produce a pilot starring john goodman. they join us ahead. up next, senator john barrasso takes aim to the president's health care law saying it is keeping some companies from hiring. we will talk to him next on "morning joe." ♪
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♪ 26 past the hour. here with us now republican senator from wyoming, senator john barrasso who recently wrote in the investment business daily about obama care and he says it's blocking job creation and economic growth and here is why. he writes, in part, now even more working americans are seeing their hours cut because of the unreasonable burdens of the president's health law. the culprit is a requirement in the law that companies with more than 50 full-time workers provide expensive one-size fits
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all health insurance. some small businesses stopped hiring to stay below that number of employees and others are cutting full-time workers back to part-time status. the federal reserve reported in march the health care law is a major concern for businesses. the drop in hours and the reluctance to hire are having a ripple effect throughout our economy. wages stagnant and economic growth anemic. people who have lost their jobs and out of work two or three years and able to find jobs and working but working only five or six hours a day. you really think the health care legislation is behind these numbers? >> i do. the federal reserve says it as well. this is hurting jobs. it's hurting care and it's also hurting paychecks. even the city of long beach, california, came out and said that for their part-time workers 1,600 of them they will get all of them lower than 30 hours per week so they don't have -- the
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city doesn't have to provide expensive health insurance. even though they wanted to provide some level of health insurance what the law mandates is expensive health insurance much more any want, need or can afford. what we are seeing all across the country is full-time workers cut back to part-time workers and part-time cut to less than 30 hours. 20 million employunemployed loo for work or more work. >> we have eugene still with us, right? but just, first of all, overall, do you see benefits to the health care legislation that are really significant? >> i think it's important that kids under age 26 can stay on their parent health care plans but when the president says it's free, it's not free. there's a cost to that. there are lots of things we can do to help people and individualize and personalize their care that are a lot less expensive in this complete
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overhaul. >> we have seen some of the things you talk about out there in terms of the part-time work and people not hiring but so far it's very anecdotal. for example your point about wages being stagnant. wages have been stagnant three years long before the health care law went into effect. i don't think we really yet have tangible concrete proof that this is part of what is keeping our economy from recovering. >> well, as you wrote earlier this week, we should have expected a much more robust recovery by now. business leaders are saying they are not hiring, they are making decisions decisions some of it due to the uncertainty related to the law. the president had a press conference on tuesday and said 90% of the americans who have health insurance, you know, you have nothing to worry about. premiums are continuing to go up. they are talking 25%, 30% a year this year for health insurance premiums. that's a cost to families and to businesses. all of us is hurting in hiring.
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>> senator, one fortune 500 ceo come out and said it's going change their hiring practices? >> what you've seen is a movie chain moving everyone to part-time less than 30 hours and restaurants are doing the same. >> any fortune 500 company ceo said this is changing the way i'm hiring because i would be shocked if they would. >> the small businesses of the economy that drive the economy and get people working again and when businesses are penalized by froi going from 49 to 50 employees. once you hit 50 you have to employ insurance not to your employees but expensive insurance so businesses around the country and i can point tho those sized businesses businesses saying we are not going to grow, we are not going to hire. >> i want to follow up on steve rattner's question. the impression you're leaving, senator, what you're saying is that the economic recovery is
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sluggish because of obama care, because of obama care dread or something like that. i'm really unaware of any solid information that links those two, that establishes causality there. do you know of something that i don't? >> i know the white house is watching this. i would hope they knew the president knew about these components in the health care law. the 50 employee issue of having to provide expensive coverage when they go up to 50 implies because that is hurting small businesses. i hope they make your sure the president understands at 30 hours the employees are counted as full-time. not just businesses but talking about government entities. the city of long beach saying we're cutting the hours of government employees of the city to less than 30 hours because -- that is going to hurt the paychecks of those individuals but also because the city says we can't afford the expensive mandates of the health care law.
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>> just you and me here. no panel. i want to end this and ask you about guns. i aappreciate you met with the families of the newtown tragedy. we have been talking about senator kelly ayotte and we actually played a sound bite early on in the show that didn't fully give her answer on owner no vote. then later in the show, we played a minute and 42 which is really long for television but we wanted to play the entire answer. we still didn't get it. obviously, we come from a viewpoint here that is very different to yours. can you please explain your no vote? >> yes. i'll tell you. we will disagree on this. >> you're right. >> i'm first republican senator to meet with the families, you're right. the parents of one of the teachers who was killed and the parents of a number of of the children who were killed. i said what we need to do is we need to start on the base of mental health. we need to focus on mental health and bring that bill to the senate and build on that.
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and not the issues of all the other components of the president wanting to go get the guns but do something that actually would have helped prevent what happened at newtown, what happened in colorado at the movie theater. those were both failures of our mental health system. background checks as you raise, we have one law on the books right now. under both president bush and president obama, they have completely failed. 44,000 in 2010, 44,000 felons and fugitives were caught trying to buy guns through a background check and only 40 of them were prosecuted. less than 1%. it's a failure of both the bush administration and the obama administration. >> let me ask you this. i completely agree about mental health legislation. i don't think anyone would disagree with that if they take a close look at the problem and it being an equal component. but guns are clearly, right now,
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flying loose in our society. why wouldn't you want -- i mean, putting mental health aside, we should do it together but we can't apparently in washington. why wouldn't you want a better background check system, a more complete one, or one at least that is better than the one we have? why wouldn't you vote for that? >> the one that we have now they are not implementing and not enforcing. what makes you think they will enforce one that does more checks on more people? i mean, that's my question. and in terms of actually the bipartisan mental health proponent, lamar alexander, conservative. tom harkin, liberal democrat, they came up with a proposal, 95 senators voted in favor of. that should be the base bill. >> there's a better background check bill that you would support? >> i support the background check law that we have now but it's not being enforced. >> okay. >> neither the administrations, the current one or the one before has enforced that. >> thank you so much for coming on the show. appreciate it.
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good to see you again. senator john barrasso, thank you so much. >> thank you for having me. >> eugene, thank you as well and look for your column on "the washington post" and online. coming up it's called the greatest two minutes in sports. brian shactman joins us live from churchill downs, the site of the kentucky derby. we will be right back. ♪ your way meet the 5-passenger ford c-mc-max one. c-max two. that's a super fuel- efficient hybrid for me. and a long range plug-in hybrid for you. now, let's review. introducing the ford c-max hybrid and the ford c-max energi plug-in hybrid. say hi to the c-max hybrids.
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♪ i don't know. i think it is. what do you think, donny? >> brian, it's donny. during the break, mika said i think brian is wearing a cheesy suit. those were her words, not mine. that's what she said. >> sorry. >> it's a nice suit. it's my summer wedding suit, mika. i'm offended. >> that just made it worse. joining from us churchill downs. >> selling mint julips. >> my eyes hurt! >> he is drinking mint julips. >> the site of the 2013 kentucky derby. brian shactman. they call the derby the greatest two minutes in spotterts and ta a look and what makes it a huge
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success? take it away. >> listen. there is going to be over a hundred thousand people here today. last year on the sat derby day 165,000 and expect at least 160,000. that's just a lot of people in one place. you can bet for as little as $2 getting in, ticket wise an incredible range and really reflects the type of people that come here in terms of the range of prices for tickets. $50 on the low end and the high end, $12,500! >> yikes! >> just an unbelievable range of experience here. you can get a mint julip for as little as $8. you can get one with a glass for $11 and then there the thousand dollar mint julip which has proceeds going to charity which has a gold leaf on it and they are going to have 120,000 early times mint julips served on derby day. >> my goodness. churchill downs has also undergone a bit of a facelift and has a new vip section.
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you're not in that, are you? >> no, no. but they did let me look at it. i'm probably going to work it tomorrow. i'll be at the roast beef station cutting for people. listen. they spent $9 million and invitation only. a local business man who is on the board for churchill downs bought reportedly half of them. they are not allowed to tell us the a-listers who are here but we are told ceos from iconic athletes be up there to get privacy from the derby crowds and the names are interesting and it's on nbc, by the way. >> we will be watching. the favorite picks here. leading the pack is orb. >> is that your pick? >> mine is actually -- what is wrong with the kitty cat? which one? charming kitten. i think that's a great name. that's mine.
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>> like a long shot. >> sam is orb and donny is giant finish. >> my nickname, bay the way. >> oh, god! that is awfully! he totally put the show in the toilet! i don't like you right now! oh! >> what was yours, steve? >> verrazano like the bridge. >> what? what is wrong with you? >> listen. i'm surprised, mika, though. listen to tighten things up a little bit, donny. rosy is a 25-year-old woman and has a good chance to be the first female and is on my loop which should be your pick, mika. i picked revolutionary 10-1. i think orb. >> i'm sorry for donny. >> who makes the suit, brian? >> a giant finish!
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>> who makes the suit? yeah. >> the suit you're wearing. >> oh, it's aiea. isaia. an italian designer. >> you get a free can of soup for that? >> good-bye, donny. >> thank you, brian. he's so sweet. really. honestly. >> look how dapper he is! >> amazon launches a new website which tv shows gets produced and canceled. we will talk to one of those coming up. we will be right back. sorry. sore knee.
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tyler had another stroke last night. he withdrew from the race! >> what? that -- that's good! not for him, obviously. but [ bleep ] that is an outstanding development! >> uh-huh, honey bear, guess who announced he is running now? >> who? >> jigger. you're in a real race now, darling. you can't just sit in your little man cave any more wait be to be re-elected. >> [ bleep ] damn! son of a [ bleep ]. >> that is good. a new pliolitical comedy on am zone. if you think that doesn't happen, throwing of phones. here with us is creator of doonesbury, garry trudeau and friend of the show and columnist for bloomberg view, jonathan
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alter is here with us as well and author of the upcoming book the center holds obama and his enemies. oh, wow. congratulations. that looks good. >> so, first, it's so great to have you on. tell us about alpha house and where the concept came from and what it embodies. >> i first cooked it up back in 2008, but there had been a writers strike and we got out of the blocks too slowly so nothing happened with it. then about four years late, john and i were up at the new hampshire primary and i mentioned the project to him and he kind of took it from there. >> no! >> brought it to amazon. and amazon was kind of new content provider. they had a pop-up studio that didn't exist until a year ago. they were eager to get into that game and so they green-lit the project and we started shooting
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this winter. >> the whole -- first of all, we will talk more about the alpha house itself but the concept of amazon sort of meets video on demand and a whole other aspect of it in terms of people being able to make choices. >> right. i think people are familiar with house of cards and they had a slightly different online tv model where they relieved a bunch of episodes at once. and the amazon model is different so they, last week, released eight pilots. ours is the only political one. and people are voting. so we are kind of asking for people's vote. it's being crowd sourced and it's very exciting because it feels a little bit like those folks in the early 'fist at the beginning of era of television or in the early '80s at the beginning of cable tv. online tv is coming and coming really fast and it's going to be great for viewers because a lot to see. >> you guys on the front lines
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have revolutionized it. when is this type of content development going -- broadcast, it's happened already. the fact that talent, the level of you guys and the john goodman's of the world that is now the a-level talent. the a-l. the writers, directors and act aers not only shushing but embracing this content model. it's over. game over. >> i had to be talked into it. >> that generation is brought up in, that's the secondary thing. >> once the project was under way, as executive producer, i really was surprised at how readily other people stepped forward to do this. a year ago, they said it's webisodes. forget it. content can be made anywhere. the provider has to have deep enough pockpockets, but tv showe
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seen as the new novel. anyone can make it, as long as it's a certain quality. people will find it and play it against any platform. >> west coast audience watches us later in the day, but different concept. this is incredible. i can't wait to watch this because i'm just reading a few lines that will tease it beautifully. what would happen if four republican senators all lived together? alpha house is about to show you the new show you stream it on amazon. mark consweulos. >> there is more creative freedom. not only the way young people watch, but for any creative soul, that's why bill murray can do anything in the world he wants. but the chance to do something when there's no studio involved or network executive involved.
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that's what they're dreaming of. >> the other thing that is great for the stars, if the pilot is picked up and people have to watch the download, which i should stress is free. when we shoot another 12 episodes, if we do, if it's picked up. then it will be on ama zzon pri. right now it's free. the stars when they look, if it's picked up. i'm not locked in for 22 weeks. it's flexible. his schedule with online television is much more flexible. >> which is only good for your show. >> it's great for us. and we also, we have the ability to let people into the process, which i find kind of exciting. rather than suits in hollywood on the basis of focus groups deciding what everybody is going to see on television. amazon calls this, you call the shot. >> horrifying initially. >> who wants to be troll bait. you know, i thought just to hang
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the show out there and let people at it. the more i thought about it. really, i have been troll bait for my whole career. there have been comic strip polls that i barely survived through the years. just the way the marketplace works. >> that's right. >> this pilot picking model is transparent and democratic and because it's amazon, it's big data on steroids. they know exactly whether people are interested. >> sometimes executives miss the mark. >> welcome to the future. >> thank you. i can't wait to watch. >> good. >> spoke at my college graduation. i had to get that in there. >> that's amazing. >> really great to have you on. happy friday, everybody. logon tomazon.com. watch a free download. monday "morning joe" we'll talk
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to vanessa williams who is making her return to broadway. we'll ask her about the new play "the trip to bountiful." >> i'm coming back. >> you know, enough with you and little finishes. back in a moment. in the world. it's delicious. so now we've turned her toffee into a business. my goal was to take an idea and make it happen. i'm janet long and i formed my toffee company through legalzoom. i never really thought i would make money doing what i love. [ robert ] we created legalzoom to help people start their business and launch their dreams. go to legalzoom.com today and make your business dream a reality. at legalzoom.com we put the law on your side. investors could lose tens of thousands of dollars on their 401(k) to hidden fees. is that what you're looking for, like a hidden fee in your giant mom bag? maybe i have them... oh that's right i don't because i rolled my account over to e-trade where... woah. okay... they don't have hidden fees... hey fern.
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up next, congress may be in recess, but the big issues are following lawmakers back to their home districts. we'll show you how the vote on
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background checks for gun sales is playing out on main street america. keep it right here on "morning joe."
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meet the 5-passenger ford c-mc-max one. c-max two. that's a super fuel- efficient hybrid for me. and a long range plug-in hybrid for you. now, let's review. introducing the ford c-max hybrid and the ford c-max energi plug-in hybrid. say hi to the c-max hybrids. if you have high cholesterol, here's some information that may be worth looking into. in a clinical trial versus lipitor, crestor got more high-risk patients' bad cholesterol to a goal of under 100. getting to goal is important, especially if you have high cholesterol plus any of these risk factors because you could be at increased risk for plaque buildup
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good morning. it's 8:00 on the east coast. 5:00 a.m. on the west coast. as you take a live look at new york city and it is just, you have to face it. it's friday, at least. but you do have to wake up now. back with us on set, we have donny deutsch, steve ratner.
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officials with knowledge of dzhokhar tsarnaev's questioning has revealed the two suspects planned to detonate their bombs on the fourth of july. however, after completing the bombs faster than expected, the tsarnaevs decided to move the bombs up to patriots day on april 15th. the explosives used in the boston marathon attacks were made in tamerlan tsarnaev's house. more from justice correspondent pete williams. >> reporter: what is turning out to be an important piece of evidence is lost forever. they found it the backpack that was taken from dzhokhar tsarnaev's dorm room. the bomb suspect shopped at places beside phantom fireworks, the store that disclosed a purchase in february. the fireworks the fbi says were
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found in the backpack were not sold there, although other dealers do sell other items. after finding the backpack they were checking on firework sales in the area. it also contained a jar of vaseline petroleum jelly like this. >> they use it as a binder and thickening agent and mix if with explosive powder making the mixture more reliable. >> reporter: such a technique is not mentioned in the al qaeda online magazine that investigators believe is a guide for the bombing suspects but discussed widely else where on the internet. the three friends also took tsarnaev's laptop computer but have not thrown that away and since given it to the fbi. he was a poor student who was once expelled for low grades and his father said last week that he talked to him after his friend dzhokhar tsarnaev was
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identified as a bombing suspect. he said his son said, "daddy, we didn't know. he's not the kind of guy that would hurt anyone. he was very kind, very chatty. we were shocked." >> that was pete williams reporting. investigators are still working to determine what role, if any, tamerlan's wife played in her husband and brother-in-law's attack. authority have determined the fingerprint and dna do not belong to katherine russell, but she stopped cooperating with investigators. fueling speculation there is more to her story. the fbi continues to look for clues into how the brothers became radicalized. during his initial questioning dzhokhar told the fbi that he and his brothers watched radicalized american cleric who moved to yemen.
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he was killed in a drone strike in 2011. i think we will find out that this is not just sort of homemade situation. >> how did no one get any red flags around this kid? that is what is curious to me. he was partying even after this event. no one picked up any red flags. it is bizarre to me. >> 540,000 names on a list. very easy for us to sit and talk about his friends, people who knew him best. >> according to the friends, great guy, judo expert. look, it's no different every time a serial killer was arrested. he kept to himself, we didn't know. it's sometimes hard to see from the outside. >> we'll be following this. let's get to guns. the issue of gun violence followed the president across international lines during a news conference yesterday president obama jumped in on a question that was directed to
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his mexican counterpart to reinforce his objective to get something done on capitol hill. >> the last time we had major gun legislation, it took six, seven, eight tries. things happen somewhat slowly in washington. but this is just the first round. >> about 2,000 miles away, senator kelly was being questioned in a new hampshire town hall meeting, again, about her vote against expand aed background checks. take a look. >> i really don't understand, it doesn't make sense to me. what is wrong with universal background checks? >> thank you, john. >> i will tell you in terms of a universal background check as it's been framed, i have a lot of concerns about that leading to a registry that will create a privacy situation for lawful firearm owners.
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>> i don't understand. >> not necessarily all the democrats but a few of the republicans who have voted are starting to turn and i think if there is a new bill, i think it will go the other way. i really do. i just think public, the public speaks. and they're speaking louder and louder and louder and i believe that in the end, justice will prevail here. i really do. >> just curious what got us here in the first place -- >> didn't pat toomey give up the game when he said that members of his party would not vote for this bill because it looked like they would be helping the president. that was the simplest explanation. >> that would be like eighth graders. >> this is congress. >> what you don't see, kelly ayotte was a key vote and a vote that they hoped and thought and needed to get this over. she's from kind of a swing state and northeastern state and clearly where the people wanted her to vote that way. not only didn't vote that way.
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she's not moving, as a far as i can tell. she's dug in. so, this idea that they'll bring something together and change this vote, i mean, i hope they do. >> but it will take one of two things. one, they would have to make a very superficial change to the bill and concerns have been alleviated. or the second thing is, you have to wait until the primary process. the following process for a primary is over with, in which case these people feel politically it's fine. >> that's next year. >> well, yes. >> so, we've wasted a year. i would like to know why. really, we're trying it get a longer tape. i just don't -- there has to be some argument that she's holding on to. >> her argument is she wants to get through the primary process. i mean, there's nothing -- >> that's not going to work. >> she's not up for re-election until -- >> remember that. what was his name? the representative from new hampshire in '94. he voted for the assault weapon ban and that was the end of his
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career in new hampshire politics. >> a grim mythology about that vote in '94 that everyone went back and just got hammered in their districts. what's happening is people were going out and voting against background checks and the greatest yesterday, john mccain in a town hall was talking about guns and a survivor of the tucson shooting came up and gave him 19 roses thanking for the gun control vote. there is a care thing going on. >> we've seen the polls and seen what happened to jeff slate in the same state. >> a reminder that you are there in washington to serve the american people and not yourself. recent polling showing senator ayotte losing support in her state. a pair of democrats that voted in favor of the bill are seeing their numbers go in the opposite direction. take a look at this. according to public policy polling. 52% of voters in north carolina
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say they're more likely to re-elect senator kay hagan next year because she voted in favor of the measure. 44% said the same of senator mary landrieu in louisiana. take a look at what's happening in louisiana. for senator john mccain, one of just four republicans to support background checks. he was reportedly met with a loud applause at a town hall after a voter thanked him for his vote. later, he was given 19 roses, one for each person wounded or killed in the tucson shooting that targeted then congresswoman gabby giffords. meanwhile, the nra is hosting the annual dinner in houston this weekend. it is expected to draw as many as 80,000 people. that's more than last year's event. this monday the nra will name their new president jim porter. an alabama attorney going on to tell "washington times," this
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"as we are likely to win most of the legislative battles in congress, we will have to move to courts to undue the restrictions placed on gun owners' rights in new york, connecticut, maryland and colorado." >> you know, i would -- >> he seemed quite sure that the nra will win -- >> good reason for confidence. >> that's nice. >> go back to the senators and, unfortunately, the next time a crazy or somebody who would have not gotten a background check kills somebody, i want to know what their response is. they literally have blood on their hands. i want their response. that senator's response the next time whether it's tomorrow next week, next month. a child, anybody is killed by somebody who might have been prevented by a background check. they have blood on their hands. there is no abstract. it is literally the dots are that connected. >> i agree, i agree completely.
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i'm sorry. there's no excuse for this and if you're seeing what's happening here in terms of the polls and in the way that politicians are being received at town halls, i would suggest that you call your congressman. call your senator, tweet, e-m l e-mail, do whatever it takes to make sure your opinion is heard on this because i think it's beginning to make a difference. but we have wasted valuable time. we have wasted valuable time where we should be right now in washington waiting for a fantastic mental health package on the next phase of ways we can address gun violence in america. and, instead, we're sitting here asking for background checks. asking for an antiquated system to be updated so at least there's a chance, a tiny chance that guns won't get in the wrong hands? this country is, i mean, being led by a bunch of buffoons. >> maybe you have a viewer
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insight whether these senators who voted against this had any idea what was going to happen to their poll ratings. >> obviously, not. >> because the nra or whomever is just more powerful and i have to follow their lead or, what? they didn't expect this reaction? >> from my reaction, one of the key motivaters here was not necessarily the poll numbers, but the prospect of being challenged by somebody in your primary. this is primarily for republicans and some democrats, max baucus, his vote was a little confusing, obviously. but for republicans the idea that you would cast this vote seems like it would open you up to someone saying, let's get this guy out. i think that was a huge motivater because when it comes down to it, you have, you know, very safe seats. the primary way that you end up losing an a election is in a primary. >> but, of course, but of course the polls show that even republicans favor background checks. >> i think there was a misreading.
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recognize that that was going to be a popular issue, even after this polling is sort of silly. >> all right, we'll be watching. we're actually going to -- we're looking for the full tape of kelly ayotte's answer. just want to hear it. i want to hear two, three minutes of her trying to explain this vote because she went to a town hall. she, obviously, has a staff that helped get her elected and i'm sure prepared her to answer this question and i'm sure it's our fault. i'm sure we did not show enough of her answer. and i'm sure there is a legitimate other side to this story. and i am sure that when we play two or three minutes of her talking, we're going to be like, thank you. >> we also saw her answer yesterday, the day before to the daughter of the woman who was killed. >> i have to tell you, i have a feeling when we watch this, it is going to be painful. i think it is going to be painful and most painful for her because it just doesn't ring
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true. and the more she talks, the more she digs herself deeper and i'm very sorry to see this happen. but it's too bad. >> i want to try and phrase this delicately. i want to ask you -- >> no, you're probably helping me because i have to tell you -- >> is it even more surprising to you when a woman votes against this just from a very primal -- because there are differences between the sexes. >> absolutely. >> when you see a woman, maternal, blah, blah, blah. takes it to a different level. >> i'll bring it to a level that when women and men come to work in washington and they go to the negotiate aing table women doesn't take risks like men. so this doesn't make sense to me. i am surprised for a different reason than you think. female sensibilities that are very valuable when it comes to leading our country and we need more women certainly in power and in washington. i'm absolutely stumped by kelly
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ayotte and any man who voted no on this because it is, it's not panning out well for them. >> if i was running against any of the candidates, i would do a mother movement. >> it was a mother movement and started after the death of that girl who went to the inauguration in chicago. >> right. >> and they featured the mother of that girl. mothers against gun rights, i forget the exact name. >> targeting, actually, the women or the mothers. i don't know if any of you -- >> i understand your question and i really appreciate it. coming up on "morning joe," will the u.s. economy rebound after last month's weak earnings? a live report when april job's numbers cross just moments from now. up next a question for all parents with teenagers. is college worth it? bill bennett joins us next to break down the pros and cons of mounting student loan debt. governor howard dean is with us, as well. first, bill karins with a check on the forecast.
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>> all eyes on the kentucky derby forecast. other weather concerns in southern california. the fire season started early a this year. we're on our second day and looking at live pictures here and we still have active flames and the sun is not even up and the winds aren't howling yet and the temperatures haven't soared up to the 90s like they will this afternoon. one more difficult day for firefighters in the west. the midwest it's still snowing and the west coast is still the opposite. a bunch of extremes across our early may weather map. let me show you what the situation is. high pressure builds for one more day and then finally kicked out to the central plains. that means the midwest will warm up over the weekend. 95 today, 79 on saturday. that will help the firefighters get control of those blazes. i mentioned the snow. it's just about over with in arkansas. yes, it snowed in arkansas for the first time in our recorded history. still snowing pretty good in missouri. some spots have picked up four inches of snow in missouri in
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the first three days of may. also pouring rain, too, in jacksonville, florida. some flooding concerns. let me take you through your weekend forecast. still very cool on saturday from kansas city to st. louis. a rainy forecast, too. then as we go to the east coast, you're holding on to your beautiful weather from virginia northward up into boston on saturday. west coast, you look just fine and then by sunday, finally, we warm up in the midwest. we'll melt all of that snow and a thing of the past. i mentioned the derby, the rain will be nearby. definitely showers in the forecast for the derby on saturday, but it will not be a muddy track. doesn't look to be a complete rainout. last night the royals' game was snowed out. can you believe it? even though the sun for this time of year. you're watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks. when we made our commitment to the gulf, bp had two big goals:
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>> it is not a surprise to me that we have problems in guantanamo. when i was elected in 2008, i said we need to close guantanamo. it is expensive, it is inefficient. it's a recruitment tool for extremists. it needs to be closed. >> bold statement. almost as bold as the statement he made back in january when he closed the office of closing guantanamo. now, he'll have to open the office of opening the office of closing guantanamo. all right. that's funny. 22 past the hour.
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here with us now, former governor of vermont and chairman of the national committee howard dean and former secretary of education and host of "bill bennett morning in america" co-author of the new book "is college worth it?" a former secretary of education and liberal arts graduate exposed higher education and given the conversation, we just had in the break, i would answer the question with yes. it is worth it. get them out. no. that's a different thing. you raise a really good question. what is the answer? >> well, it depends. i know, for some, sure. it depends on where you go, what you study. how much you're going to pay and how much you're going to owe. we, we looked at this because it's been in the headlines and been in the newspapers and magazines. you get into stanford and maybe williams -- >> if you're lucky. >> you should go. the economics are clear. if you get into a college where you don't know what you want to
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major in. borrow a lot of money and not directed in the right directions towards the things that will give you some kind of positive return, you could end up with no job and a lot of debt. that's where we are now and part of what is driving the conversation. >> yeah. >> the federal government has raised the price of higher education. >> i have a niece in this situation going to a college that is not so well known and going it be in debt up to her ears when she graduates. and i don't really get the point. i think she should probably go to a state school. >> the point is we do this automatically. what the point of the book is to think about this before you do it. also, a mismatch of the jobs. the government knows about this. you got by the year 2018, 14 million jobs that will require more than a high school diploma but less than a college degree. >> i teach at both hofstra and
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yale and i spend a lot of time with kids this age. first of all, the debt thing is absolutely right. i tell them, don't go to a graduate school unless you know exactly why you want to go. i actually believe we ought to have a two-year program like the israelis do where you go and do some kind of national service. they mostly go to the army. but you would have a huge opportunity to do that and we ought to do it so that when you go to college you know why you're going because you're spending money. the other thing i want to make a prediction on. last time i made a prediction it came true. it won't come true a week later, which was baucus leaving. >> good point. >> but i think the next big on the internet is going to be some time in the next couple of years where you're going to get somebody going on change.org and organizing a movement to refuse to pay the student loans. those kids that are taking on
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that debt cannot be paid. it's never going to be paid and we're going to have to deal with that as a crisis, major crisis. >> no question that is a real problem. what we've all seen coming for a while is that the high-priced schools have been raising their tuitions and their fees by much more than inflation. by much more than family income and people still keep going because they feel a value proposition. but two points i would make about this. bill, one, if you look at where incomes are. clearly the indisparity that is going on and it is growing for people with higher education of some sort. they may get the wrong kind and going to the wrong schools, but it's clear that education is the way to have a better income than being an unskilled worker. >> i don't think it is, but go ahead. >> we can debate that one. the second point, maybe we'll agree, interesting studies that for many people, mika's point, you shouldn't go to some very expensive private college when you could go to a state school for a much lower price and probably do every bit, and the
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studies show do every bit as a well in your later life. >> except the problem is now some of those -- for out of staters -- >> places like the university of michigan or virginia, they don't let you in. 85%, i think by the legislative fee, ed, has to be in state. that's crazy, i think. >> penn state. >> penn state is not so cheap any more. that's the point i'm trying to make. >> a lot cheaper than -- >> it's not $50,000. >> that's correct. >> that differential is narrowing dramatically. that college degree versus high school diploma. >> you're talking about incomes. >> lifetime income. how much of that is concentrated in the earnings of the top 100, 150 college graduates? that's one question. a lot of the studies suggest an awful lot of it is. second, again, the job market.
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we don't know how this changes. but right now if you graduate from the jefferson college of health and medical science in virginia, two-year program, mostly nurses. you will make more than if you graduate from university of virginia in charlottesville. things can change, but that's where the job demands are. biden and arubio introduced a bill. know before you go. colleges have to reveal what their loan rates are, what kids owe when they get out, what the job prospects are and the job prospects by major. this is discouraging to me. i went to your alma mater. ph.d. in philosophy. hardly anything useful in terms of the job market. tell young people what the odds are. your odds of getting a good job, probably not. go and major in petroleum engineering. south dakota school of mines, you'll make more than the average harvard graduate. >> your philosophy degree has
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led to your ability to be extremely successful in all your ventures. so, i'm not sure, come on -- >> might have been a drag, i don't know. you have to stop asking those questions. >> tell me, though, how bad the loan rates are in some cases. what are we talking about? >> the first chapter we talk about cases out of the "new york times" $200,000, $300,000. but the average, the average is $25,000. i owed 25 when i got out in '71, which is $140,000 in today's dollars. but, you know, i had good advice. people said it was worth it to get the ph.d. >> here's how stunning it is. medical school. you think doctors can make money. the average kid who gets out of medical school cannot go into primary care because they will be an indentured for the rest of their life. they won't pay the debt off' and send their kids to college is
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impossible to do. that's why you don't get primary care doctors. >> you can do college in three years. >> not online. >> well, online is a big deal now and white house what's happened with these companies, these are off aering online courses. they are, in california now, you take a lot of your remedial courses you take at san jose state online for $150 a course. that's one-tenth of what you normally pay. >> that's interesting. >> what is interesting. you're a market guy. what is interesting in a market economy, people believe they're getting value for money. applications to the most expensive schools have been going up. a few ups and a few downs, but mostly up. people think there is value in the $50,000 education. >> they do. that's why the book tests the conventional wisdom. >> we're going to keep talking because i want to get more online and i may interrupt you rudely when the jobs number cross and we can all respond to those, as well. is this something we should take seriously as a productive,
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perhaps, offshoot or other option to the problems we're talking about here when we're talking about major institutions or smaller colleges that are extremely expensive and leaving these kids graduating with a massive burden of debt? >> i ink it is a big deal. howard was talking about medical school. they put off getting married and having children and put off buying a house. interesting to think how the technology might be able to change this. >> the rude interceptiruptionin. 250,000 nonfarm jobs added. let's go to the breaking news. michelle ichell michelle. >> most important data point of the month. how many jobs did the economy create last month? you said it, 165,000. that is better than expected. economists were looking for only 148,000. the unemployment rate has dropped slightly. 7.5% last month.
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7.6%. we have to dig in and see, though, if that is because more people got jobs or more people stopped looking for jobs? i still don't have that number yet. we'll see how the market is higher on this news. it looks like it will give us a positive open and the dow will open higher by roughly 0.5% at this point. >> steve? >> the other news they revised up last month's -- only 88,000 jobs reand now 138,000. >> would you agree, though, steve, at this point that is still meager job growth for this stage of the recovery? certainly, by now, you would hope for more than 200,000, 300,000 jobs a month. >> certainly, michelle, that is correct. this is consistent what we had over the past year. we averaged around 150,000 jobs a month. same, slow recovery. but as you said in your comment, it's actually good news compared to what i think might have happened and what some of us feared might happen. >> michelle, is this private
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sector or public sector? >> this is -- hold on. nonfarm, 332,000 revised up from february. oh, sorry, i'm looking through numbers here as they scroll. i don't have the break down between private and public at this point. >> private payrolls were up 176,000 and government down 11,000. >> so, that's going to be consistent with what we've seen over the last several months. >> the interesting part of the sequester. you think the sequester would hurt private sector jobs. >> the 11,000 drop in government jobs is in effect of the sequester. >> i would imagine it would be. >> that is a trend that is going on and even those in the democratic party that think it's not a terrible thing. now, unfortunately, these are probably teachers, that's not so good. >> bill bennett, would you like to chime in? >> no, not particularly. i'm for jobs for college graduates. >> good fwhunews. >> somewhat good news. as we break into the numbers.
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michelle, thank you very much. >> you're welcome, guys. see you later. >> good to see you, again, governor dean. >> take care. >> bill bennett, thank you, as well. the book is "is college worth it?" the broken promise of higher education. i'm getting that. thank you very much. howard dean, stick around, if you can. wildfires burn homes and cools throughout southern california as firefighters struggle to contain the blaze. a live report from the region, next. we'll be right back. ♪
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all right. we're looking at live pictures coming into us in california right now. massive wildfires aren't burning in some remote wilderness, threatening heavily populated campuses. as mike reports the early outbreak spells trouble for the long fire season ahead. >> reporter: drivers on the 101 freeway could see the flames driven over the dry timber by the santa ana winds. an rv storage yard was overrun. shifting 40 and 50 mile wind gusts sent first responders to one fireline after another and streets and neighborhoods. the message, get ready to leave or get out right now.
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dave and cheryl novak with their dog said they would hold out to the last minute before abandoning their long-time home. across the street from the flames and just barely out of the line of fire. >> we lived in fire arareas and seen lots of fires, but this one was the scariest. >> reporter: at one point with the flames only 10 or 20 yards away from some of these homes we saw two homeowners fighting over the hose that belonged to one of them. putre patrice powell lost the fight. >> if these eucalyptus trees go up, we're in trouble. give me back my hose, i could put it out, again. >> reporter: just over 100 miles east of l.a., lost the battle to save his home. >> i left here no sooner than i backed out of my driveway and got on to what is sunset just on the opposite side of my neighbor and i was engulfed in smoke. i pulled this off of one of the shelves in the living room. a couple pictures off the living
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room. it's gone. i can't cry over it. it's replaceable. lives aren't. >> reporter: these fires are especially treacherous when the tree cover is extremely dry. humidity this week hovered around 4%. when the santa ana wind pour out of the east at shifting high speeds. >> this is a hot, dry, santa ana winds. winds that blow northeast to southwest. very dry, very warm and very strong. >> reporter: the result, demonstrated over a furious two days in which hundreds of first responders battled for control of two wildfires, which is unsettling hint of a wildfire season that could be as deadly as any in memory. >> a wake-up call for anybody in california to be prepared. normal weather pattern and fire behavior that we would see late in the fall after a full summer of drying. >> all right, back looking at live pictures, again. bill karins, give us a sense of how the weather conditions will play into this. >> today is a very dangerous
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day. fires will spread rapidly. give you an a example near one of the fires yesterday, the temperatures in the 60s with light winds and one hour the temperature went up into the 90s and the winds gusted up to 30 to 40 miles per hour. imagine being on the fire lines when that comes on. there are two fires. the one to the north of los angeles, that is the spring fire. the one we had two days ago that is 50% contained is the one between los angeles and just south there of palm springs. that is the summit fire. so, again, the spring fire. only about 10% contained and a very rugged terrain and the winds right now aren't too bad but they'll kick up this afternoon and get hot, once again. yesterday in the 90s and santa ana winds today and as we go throughout the weekend, this is when it will improve. high temperatures in the 70s and expect to get more clouds in the forecast. today, mika, another day. more pictures and possibly even new fires. >> bill, thank you. here now is ahman who joins us.
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>> good morning, mika. you could probably see behind me right up into those hills those flames are really starting to pick up, once again. when we first arrived here, this whole entire mountainside was that bright red color, but kind of gone down or quieted down a little bit. only in the last few minutes it has picked up. gives you a sense of the challenge that firefighters here are facing all throughout the night because as the winds blow, the fire muoves in different directions and that's the challenge they're contending with. now, it's starting to get a little brighter here and in the coming hours we expect officials to dispatch some of those air assets that help with these fires. right now, they've been fighting the flames mostly with firefighters on the ground, more than 1,000 or so have been committed to this springs fire location. but at the same time, officials are warning, though, that this by no means is a situation under control. 2,000 homes are now affected by
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these growing flames. there have been two evacuation centers that have been set up or shelters that have been set up by the american red cross. it is a situation that remains very, very dangerous in ventura county. mika? >> ayman, thank you very much. we'll be back in just a moment with more on today's jobs numbers. ♪ [ agent smith ] i've found software that intrigues me.
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[ewh!] [baby crying] the great thing about a subaru is you don't have to put up with that new car smell for long. introducing the versatile, all-new subaru forester. love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru. all right. let's take these few minutes to look deeper into job numbers. sam, you're putting together something for us, right? >> it's funny. we obsess over these numbers every time they come out and then we get a sense, they're revised. every single month we look back and they're revised. the february numbers revised up to 132,000 jobs. march had great revisions. seems likely this one will be revised upward, too.
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we're still in a real crisis mode economically. the fact is, population growth and job creation are about at the same pace. so, we're not really helping the situation, although, employment is growing nonpercentage wise. more clearly needs to be done and government jobs keep getting slashed. you are fine with some government jobs, but our employment situation would be incredibly better if we haven't slashed as many government jobs as we have. >> the jobs that got slashed were police, fire and teachers. the ones you don't want to get rid of it. >> it's not just government jobs but government spending and taxes. most economists would estimate that between the sequester, the payroll tax and the income tax on high earners would cost 1.5 percentage points of gdp this year, which is roughly 1.5 million jobs over the course of
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the year. another 125,000 jobs. a couple things interesting in this job. growth in jobs came from the service sector. manufacturing which people have held out hope for seems to be really flattening out. >> health care -- >> yes, a lot of spending strong. then, secondly, as we were talking in the last segment, really no sign of the sequester per se in these numbers. there is a sign of the government general overhang, but the sequester itself doesn't seem to have. >> it's funny that you mention that. i have been looking at local clips about sequsestration. fill open positions than to fire people currently on payroll. what you end up having, you end up hurting yourself in the long run because you could potentially have a job. >> what about defense contractors? a big to do we will lose jobs in the defense sector and we haven't seen much of that at all. >> these cuts are just beginning
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and still an effort to prolong that. 85 billion. >> they were claiming in advance -- >> there has been preparation for that and you're going to start seeing a lot of the contractors scale back, i would imagine. for instance w the furloughing and moving around of salaries. the rubber hits the road and you have to cut $85 billion across the board by the end of september. >> sam, i think you did a good job of that. >> i'm not an economist, i try my best. >> you're playing one on tv. back in just a moment. for seeing your business in a whole new way. for seeing what cash is coming in and going out... so you can understand every angle of your cash flow- last week, this month, and even next year. for seeing your business's cash flow like never before, introducing cash flow insight powered by pnc cfo. a suite of online tools that lets you turn insight into action.
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that's a nice drawing. >> so, i'm doing the tease here, this is my show. okay. not yet. >> go for it. >> should i do this? >> do it. >> listen, next week, mika you're going to be kicking off a book tour next week. your new book is called "obsessed." >> it is and i'm obsessed. >> you're obsessed with, what? food? >> well, it's a book about certain addictions to certain ingredients in the food that we eat. sugar, salt, fat. we're talking about the science of this a lot lately. they are delicious, but a little bit of a secret i've been holding for about 35 years.
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>> okay, fair enough. on tuesday, signing books at the philadelphia free library at 7:30 p.m. stop on by if you're in the city of brotherly love. on thursday, the great politics and pros book store in washington, d.c. one of the best book stores in the city. that's at 4:00 p.m. you can find the full schedule for her book tour at tv.msnbc.com/obsessed. >> what did we learn today? acne cleansers may be tough on breakouts, but how good are they for the rest of your face? [ female announcer ] new neutrogena® naturals acne cream cleanser with acne-fighting medicine from the wintergreen leaf. this effective cleanser cleans into pores.
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>> federal authorities have arrested three accomplices of alleged boston bomber dzhokhar tsarnaev. the accomplices are two -- hazmat tasmanian -- why can't you have regular names like rick, or alan. >> here's what i learned today. i think i'm an amazed mother. am i an amazed mother --
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>> you are an amazing mother. >> you're nice. my 14-year-old drew that lion. is that good? i think that's good. i think that might be really good. or you're just appeasing me. >> we should get her on the show. >> okay, thank you. steve ratner. >> i learned that sam stein is a secret closet economist. >> only on tv. >> you did a good job. >> the economy is better than we think because we keep getting good job numbers and then revised upwards. >> revising up. >> big finish. >> well, okay. all right. thanks a lot, guys. just awkward. i'll stand over here. if it's way too early, what time is it? time for "morning joe" but now time for "daily rundown."
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breaking jobs news at this hour. better than expected unemployment report. the jobless rate is now at a four-year low of 7.5%. revised numbers showing the last two months weren't as disappointing as we first thought. we'll get reaction from the white house. new details today from the surviving suspect in the boston bombings. what he told investigators about the target and the timeline for the terror plot. and we are off to the 2016 races, nope, not your kentucky derby, folks. potential presidential candidates marking their calendars headlining events in south carolina, new hampshire. we have the round up for you. good morning to you from washington. it is friday, may 3rd. i'm peter alexand aer, my friend chuck todd on assignment in arizona. he's out there for education nation. we begin with developing new surprising numbers in the