these guys -- they talk about rape and vaginal probes and all kinds of stuff. don't just talk about that stuff. a lot of us say that we have evolved on marriage equality tea. i have, hhell, most of the country has. do you think we might just be talking kromagnum here? that's it for now. "politicsnation" starts right now. thanks, chris. and thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, the president's jjjut today. president obama named his next national security adviser, u.n. ambassador susan rice. just months ago, republicans dragged her name through the mud over benghazi. they smeared her reputation, attacked her integrity. the personal attacks triggered a sharp response from the president. >> if senator mccain and senator

graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me. but for them to go after the u.n. xdambassador, who had nothg to do with benghazi? and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence that she had received and to besmirch her reputation is outrageous. when they go after the u.n. ambassador, apparently because they think cease an easy target, then they've got a problem with me. >> they've got a problem with me. yes, they did. and today the president showed just how little their garbage talk mattered. >> susan was a trusted adviser and led diplomacy at the united nations in my first term. i'm absolutely thrilled that she'll be back at my side

leading my national security team in my second term. >> republicans, do you have any questions about who is really in charge? at the height of their phony outrage, john mccain went on six different tv shows in one weekend toga÷ make his point. and other right wingers followed his nonsense. >> we will do whatever is necessary to block the nomination that's within our power as far as susan rice is concerned. qn%u5eñ her. and the reason i don't trust her is because i think she knew better and if she didn't know better, she shouldn't be the voice of america. i don't think she deserves to be promoted. >> how could we, where we are right now, be able to place our trust in her? >> guess what? none of that cheap talk mattered. as national security adviser, rice will play an even bigger role than she would have as cd"'ll be in the president's ear, as his chief adviser on

national security. she'll help lead the president's daily briefing as she takes part in meetings of the national security counsel. >> whether background as a scholar, susan understands that there's no substitute for american leadership. she is at once passionate and pragmatic. i think everybody understands that susan is a fierce champion for human dignity but also that we have to be wise and deliberately. >> that's what they tried to do to eric holder and, by the way, he's not stepping down. it's what they tried to do to susan rice. how'd that work out? joining me now, congresswoman mart that fudge, democrat from ohio, and karen finney is also here with me as well. congresswoman, you've been a strong supporter of susan rice. you're out front when

republicans were attacking her months ago. what message does this send to the right today? >> well, the one thing it does is says when you have a professional, some money who has for their entire career worked in national security, i think that the president did today the right thing. not only to serve the president but to serve the united states. i think she is, in fact, uniquely qualified for this position and i congratulate her and i applaud him for making this decision today. >> now, you talked about her background. her resume is impressive by anybody's standards./h$: u.n. ambassador to the u.n., senior adviser for national security affairses, obama campaign, searier fellow, brookings institute to president

bill clinton. rhodes scholar at oxford university. yet, with that, john mccain tweeted his displeasure. obviously i disagree with potus, president of united states, appointment of susan rice as national security adviser, but i'll make every effort to work with her on important issues. >> that's right. the president's message is, get over it. she's going to be in this administration. and it's great to see that susan is going to be in this administration. she's also a mom, a working mom. she's a role model for women as well. she also has done incredible things during her time at the u.n. for on behalf of women and lgbt community. this is someone who brings not just a depth of knowledge but, as you mentioned, someone who really has the president's trust. i think that's going to be critical given the hot spots that we've got around the world and the national security

challenges that we're facing right now. he's got to have people that he knows that he can trust. he's going to have tough decisions. >> now, congresswoman, one of your colleagues, republican congressman, darrell issa, he had to say this today about susan rice. i want your reaction. let me play it for you. >> susan rice claims that she reads the classified dailies. obviously she couldn't have been so wrong on benghazi if she had. it's unfortunate that the president is rerd waiwarding so for talking points that is not true. >> congresswoman? >> i am disappointed at the continued bashing of susan rice. i think darrell issa does himself and his party a disservice by continuing to i can take the low road. i am certainly hopeful as john mccain has said that he's going

to work with her on big issues, i hope that those of goodwill and those wanting to see the country move forward will take the same advice and do what john mccain has said that they will do. get over it, let us do what is necessary to move this country in the right direction and i think susan rice is, in fact, the best positioned person for this particular role that we have in the country today. i'm very saddened by his tone and negativity that continues to come out not only him but other members of his party. >> he's also just wrong. as we now know, everything that we've seen in the e-mails that have been released and the evidence that we've looked at suggests that everything susan has said from the beginning was exactly what was known at that time. and in fact, she was protecting our national security interests because we know that general petraeus was very concerned at

that time about information getting out about the cia installment. i say that is a patriot. how dare they call her a liar. they'll never do it but that's what she is owed from this men. >> she said what she was told and it appears that what she was told was what they knew at that time. >> and it was in the best interest of the united states of america at that moment. that's what should be guiding those decisions, not whether or not some silly republicans are going to attack her from the right. >> nobody likes a sore loser. >> that's right. let me also say this. the president made another bold appointment today. by appointing samantha power as his appointee to the nominee to be u.n. ambassador. now, when we look at her background, she's#r

journalist and academic. she's also author of "america from hell." she's a pulitzer prize recipient and has worked on the staff since 2009. to have someone who has written aboutñrñr genocide and the unit states response to it is a bold nomination. >> there's no question about it. it brings a very strong voice to the u.n. and to all of the people who will be working with her at the u.n. and i just can't imagine that anyone would question at this stage of the game either of those two nominations. because if they do, they not only have a problem with qualified people but with qualified women in particular. >> absolutely. >> this is the president's way of sending a message to the republicans that he's not going to bow and he's not going to bend and he's moving forward with his agenda? >> that's exactly right. both of these women, their expertise and talent represents

where he wants to go with this foreign policy agenda, thelp problemsñrñr that we're facing as you said, i'm in charge, i get to decide who goes in what role. not you. >> two strong women and i've had two strong women start the show tonight. congresswoman marcia fudge and karen finney, your new show be begins this weekend. congratulations. >> thanks, reverend. >> we're all be watching. the right wing scandal machine is about to be opened. big news on the president's approval and agenda today. and caught on camera, an explosive response to the story of police brutality that we brought you last night. tonight, a deeper look into the long history of racial violence in texas. >> i was scared. i thought they were going to kill me.

i mean, i thought i was going to lose my life. that was it. and@tq1r right wing's ugly attack on first lady michelle obama over heckling. it's an ugly pattop- nv and friend or foe, i want to know. e-mail me and i might just respond tonight. stay with us. hey kevin...still eating chalk for heartburn?

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have you joined the "politicsnation" conversation on facebook yet? today people loved this photo of president obama and this widow taking a moment to honor the civil rights icon. richard says, "we should honor her and her husband's sacrifice to make our country and the world a better place for all of

us." gloria said, "so proud of her courage and steadfastness in the face of such great sacrifice." coming up later, we'll hear the powerful tributes to meg, marking 50 years since his murder. we'll never forget him. but first, come share your thoughts. please head over to facebook and search "politicsnation" and like us to join the conversation that keeps going9 ends. [ agent smith ] i've found software that intrigues me. it appears it's an agent of good. ♪ [ agent smith ] ge software connects patients to nurses to the right machines while dramatically reducing waiting time. [ telephone ringing ] now a waiting room is just a room.

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>> all the hot air from the right on the scandals has me thinking, what do they actually do? they are taking time away from the scandal machine and the scandal mania to vote on defunding a.c.o.r.n. again. one small problem. it doesn't even exist anymore. so we've got a party that doesn't actually work on anything real and america is on to their game. in a brand-new nbc poll, the president's approval rating is at 48%. that's up 1% since gop scandal mania. why? because the president is focused on what really matters. today we learned job creation is at a?vcmñ. five-year high. and what about that job killing affordable care act? you know, the law they've spent

mill ye millions on to repeal 37 times. more news that it's working. california premiums will cost signilp+t expected. republicans in arizona caved under the pressure from governor jan brewer to'cñr schedule a vn expanding medicaid and democrats are now planning to run on obama care in 2014. so while the gop is making noise, the president is actually working to make america better. joining me now is congressman keith ellison, democrat from minnesota. he's co-chairman of the progressive caucus and abby shannafield, a 22-year-old student who was born with the rare congenital and chronic disease. thank you both for coming on the show tonight. >> thanks, rev. >> congressman, the president's approval is up and today we learned he will head to california on friday to tout

obama care. what are you doing to get the word out? >> well, one of the things that we're doing is using social media. just this morning i tweeted out a question to my constituents and asked them, hey, guys, tell me about your direct experience with obama care. no pontificating what is your experience with the affordable care act. and i got back really dozens and dozens of responses but i didn't have to go far because abby here has within a friend of mine for a while. i've known her for about a year now and she's a direct beneficiary of the affordable care act. so i could have just walked out of my office and asked her how it was going because she has an important story to tell. >> abby, what -- how's it going? >> well, it is going well. like you said, i'm a direct recipient of the affordable care act and i'm impacted by the fact

that i can stay on my parent's plan now until i'm 26 and given that i have several pre-existing conditions, i am no longer barred from getting access to care that i need as well as the lifetime and annual limits no longer impact me. so pretty much the law in many of its most critical aspects affect my life directly. i'm very lucky. >> and you have some long-term health concerns that you're dealing with. am i right, abby? >> yes. i was born with a rare congenital disease and it primarily impacts my vision as well as my -- several other impacts but i have a shouldn't and i have to have brain surgery rather regularly and without notice so i have a lot of hospitalizations that are very expensive. >> now,5a congressman, when yo hear abby, who you've known for a year, tell what this plan and what this means to her, some of

the responses that i've read that was tweeted back to you after you had tweeted the question you raised, deborah tweeted, i was able to get health care when i was recently employed for a year and i have a pre-existing condition. thanks, mr. obama. robert says, our 19-year-old college student son had a knee operation covered by our health insurance saving us $15,000. thank you, ahca. my mom's insurance had to continue covering me and saved me $5,000. you're hearing firsthand from abby, from tweeters, personal stories, how this really means to the average american person. this is not political spin. >> that's right. that's right, reverend. the reality is, before we pass the affordable care act, i heard

health care nightmares on a daily basis, just walking around the grocery store, people would stop and tell me literally heartbreaking stories that the affordable care act came to address. as a matter of fact, i believe that there are improvements that could be made on the affordable care act. this should be a public option. there are other things that we can look at to make the bill better but it is a giant step beyond what we had before and we've even seen medical inflation begin to trend in a more downward direction than before. and so costs, quality, coverage, it's working and we need to support it. >> now, while we're hearing from abby, while we're reading the tweets and hearing things from people firsthand and i agree it could be better but certainly it's a giant step, let me show you what the republicans are talking about, congressman. >> we need to repeal and replace obama care. >> i want to repeal the law of

the land. is that clear? >> the only answer to this is to repeal obama care. >> we can't count on the administration to be more forthcoming about the details of this scandal because so far they have been anything but. >> my question isn't who is going to resign. my question is, who is going to jail over this skcandal. >> somebody said, this is as bad as watergate. well, nobody died in watergate. >> let me ask you, abby, with you dealing as you have with your own health challenges and with this act what he it means to you, how do you feel when you ha hear these people in the congress talking about these other matters and marginalizing what you and others have to deal with? >> obviously i take it very personally. it's my life and millions of

people's of lives at stake. millions of americans are now covered, young adults facing having to cover their own insurance, myself facing my own mortality if i was not insured. it's very upsetting, especially since this -- this is a very personal issue. it's not political at all. it's an incredibly important issue for the health of our nation and the future of our nation. >> go ahead. >> i was just going to say, the famous republican pollster frank luntz wrote in a memorandum that if the democrats got health care passed, that it could marginalize republicans for a long time. i think that explains. for abby it's life or death. >> when you ignore life and

death or for those who may not have life and death situations but children who need to stay insured and other things and you ignore that and play partisan politics, i think you marginalize yourself, congressman. >> i think you're right, reverend. the fact is, this year we're going to roll people into these state-based exchanges and people who haven't had insurance get a chance to have insurance. the only option being the emergency room. and so now, you know, we're already going into full blast trying to help people understand what the exchanges are, how they can sign up, how it's going to benefit them, what it's going to cost them, the subsidy that they will be eligible for will be and people really have to know that. we have several districts setting up in minneapolis and including small business people who have a lot of questions. we've heard all of the spin, we heard limbaugh, now that it's

the law we've got to deal with it. congressman, what do we need to know? and i'm telling them, it's going to be good. >> let me say that i'm really glad that we spent this time with you, abby shanafield, it was a pleasure to have you on tonight. thank you both for your time tonight. >> thank you. ahead, rush and the gang have a new ridiculous attack on the first lady. you'll want to hear this one. plus, new developments in that awful police video out of texas. i'll tell you what happened to that5!7s0man after she appearedn this show last night. and of questions asked and answered. e-mail me at askrev@msnbc.com. stay with us. ♪

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the right wing is shamelessly attacking first lady michelle obama again. they are outraged at the way she handled a confrontation with a he heckler at a fund-raiser. >> who do you think you are asking me that? don't you know who i am? i am mucho michelle obama.

and you're here to be listened by me and impressed by me, you're here to wish you were me and you dare to ask me -- you either shut up or i'm out of here. and that's who they are. >> classy, rush. it wreaks of fear and desperation. i have some more to say on this coming up. copd makes it hard to breathe...

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find out why nine out of ten large professional investors choose ishares for their etfs. ishares by blackrock. call 1-800-ishares for a prospectus, which includes investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. read and consider it carefully before investing. risk includes possible loss of principal. new details tonight about that disturbing police video that's reopened old wounds in a town with a horrific history of racial violence. last night we showed you this video of a jasper, texas, officer slamming shay's head in to the counter after she was brought in to settle a $100 ticket. the same officer pulls her by her ankles pulling her into a

jail cell. last night shay told me how terrified she was. >> i was scared. i thought they were going to kill me. i thought i was going to lose my life. that was it. >> we all remember shae, the horrific murder of james byrd in 1998. how are the situations there now? >> they are both the same. >> both officers shown on the tape have been fired. today, miss giggle's attorney filed for a federal injunction, ordering the jasper police to preserve any videos and documents connected with the incident. all of this happening in a town with a notorious past. in 1998, three white men chained james byrd jr. a black man, to the back of a pickup truck,

dragging him until he was decapitated. 15 years later, they still struggle with the deep divide. joining me now is shae giggle's attorney, jay bernstein, and joining me on the phone is a jasper city councilman. he voted to fire the two men on monday. thank you both for being here tonight. >> thank you very much, reverend. it's an honor to be on your show again. >> yes, it is. thank you. >> you filed for injunction today why? >> we filed for a federal inshungs i injunction to make sure that the jasper police department does not tamper, destroy, or alter any evidence. the video we have received does not have audio. we understand that there is audio available. we need that audio.

we are very much concerned that the evidence will not be preserved as it should and we want to ask a federal court to make sure that that evidence is preserved so we can get to the bottom of this. >> so there was audio? because we didn't hear it on the tape. why didn't we hear it on the tape? where is this audio? >> reverend, we don't know where the audio is. we've been informed by other law enforcement people that we know that audio should be on that tape. it absolutely makes sense why it would be on that tape. it makes sense for the police as well as anybody else. we need to get to the bottom of that and we hope that the court will make sure that they preserve all of that necessary evidence. >> now, your client was on the show last night and i understand you got some -- she got some harassing calls after appearing on this show? >> yes, reverend.

after the show and today, numerous people have called, they will breathe into the phone and then hang up on her and, quite frankly, she, her grandmother and mother and children are terrified. they live in a small town, live by themselves, and we are very much concerned for their safety. we have contacted the district attorney there. we have contacted the fbi and put them on notice and begged them to provide protection for these people if necessary and so that hopefully nothing happens that escalates this matter into something worse. >> what was the response from the fbi? have you gotten any without, of course, revealing something that would compromise their security but are you confident that there is some independent response to look out for them? >> i'm fairly confident. i believe -- i believe we have good people in our area. we've made note of it.

and they won't exactly tell us what they are doing but i'm very prayerful that we're making a record and a paper trail so if something does happen, people will know that we did our due diligence and we've done everything that we can pcan to our clients. >> what was your reaction and what was it when you saw this tape? >> well, when i saw this tape, i was very angry. very upset that this could happen in 2013, something was happening like this inside the police department. and it was almost covered up. and i must say, i've checked into the part of the audio and there is no audio on that system. it's such an old system, there's no audio on it. it's just a video surveillance. it doesn't have audio on it. >> now, let me ask you this, then. in light of that, should a larger investigation into the police department there in jasper be launched?

>> oh, most definitely. most definitely. >> you know, you're -- >> go ahead. >> at the council meeting on monday, we voted also to have the district attorney to investigate it for criminal charges and by the fbi. >> so you voted to have the district attorney and the fbi look into these officers for possible criminal prosecution? >> yes. now, your town has had its share of trouble over the years. i was there for the 1998 case. i was there for that. do you think things have gotten any better? >> the more things change, the more they remain the same. >> well, i think that says a lot. let me go back to you for a minute, mr. bernstein. would you like to see the whole investigation of this incident be handled by the texas rangers

or the fbi? i mean, how do you want to see this handled? >> let me just say, reverend, we absolutely want an outside independent group not related to the jasper pd to come in and investigate this. we believe that there was a coverup. there is a clear timeline that is emerging. this brutal beating occurred on may 5th, six days before the mayor's election. and i believe that this information was publicly withheld, purposefully withheld from the public and basically but for the courageous acts of basically a whistle blower releasing this video, those policemen would still be on the street and my client would be charged with a crime. and so absolutely we need the fbi or the rangers and if it is a texas ranger, we want a ranger not from east texas but from some other part of the state and come in and investigate because charges need to be brought

against these law enforcement officers and their superiors need to be reprimanded at the least. >> all right. we will stay on this story. thank you both for your time tonight. >> thank you very much. ahead, the right wing piles on the first lady again. they've got a brand-new attack and it's a doozy. what are you doing? oh, hey. using night-vision goggles to keep an eye on my spicy buffalo wheat thins to make sure nobody touches them.

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need to be reprimanded at the the right wing has used every reason under the sun to attack the first lady and today they are going after her again, this time for defending herself. it all stems from an incident last night when mrs. obama responded to a heckler doing a private fund-raiser. >> right now, today, we have an obligation to stand up for those kids. and i don't care what you believe in, we don't -- wait, wait, wait. one of the things i -- one of the things that i don't do well is this. do you understand? one of the things -- [ applause ] >> the heckler was an lgbt rights activist pushing for

executive order on gay rights.xr according to the pool report, the first lady then moved over to the protester saying, "listen to me or you can take the mic but i'm leaving. you all decide. you have one choice." the crowd cheered and the protester was escorted out. but it wasn't stopped there for the right. the editor matt drudge tweeted, audio of the first lady is concerning, tight and wound up like ready to explode even before interruption." and rush limbaugh had this to say. >> in typical totaltarian -- i said, look, i'm not very good at this. she's not good at having conversations with people and she's not good at listening to what other people say. who doab you think you are aski me that. don't you know who i am? i am mucho michelle obama and

you're hear to listen to me, be dazzled by me, impressed by me, and you're here to wish you were me. you either shut up or i'm out of here. >> totaltarian, ougauthoritaria? that's laughable, even for limbaugh. joining me is lauren ashburn and joe madison. thank you both for coming on the show tonight. >> thank you, reverend. >> so now it's totaltarian. don't they have any shame? >> the answer is no. rush doesn't know the difference between authoritarian and righteous indignation. what the heckler should have been warned about is if she put her!(f-y hands on her hip, thed have seen the south side of

chicago come out on her. the reality is that the first lady can't issue an executive order. secondly, the people paid $500 and not to hear a heckler but to hear the first lady. the right wing knows this. this goes back to even before she was for this. this goes back to the image on the cover of the magazine and she had a gun and she had an afro and they've gone from that to resentment that they have -- this entire family. this entire family. >> lauren, let me show you what the right has always found a reason to attack the first lady, from her playful fiz bump from the president to her healthy eating initiatives. listen to this. a terrorist jab.

? >> if we're supposed to go out and eat nothing, if we're supposed to eat berries and roots and tree bark, show us how. and dare i say this, it doesn't look like michelle obama follows her own nutritionary, dietary advice. >> the most marie antoinette of anything that i have seen with michelle obama. did you see the dress she was wearing while she went down and toured the oil spill? >> we don't like paying millions of dollars forr vacations. that's a little bit of a waste. they understand it's a little bit of an uppity-ism. >> this is offensive stuff. this is really, really some bad stuff, lauren. >> it makes my blood boil. you know, good for her for sticking up for herself. and i think that the way she did it was classy and it was very instructive. maybe the president could take a little bit from what she did

here. the last time there was a heckler with him, it went on and on and on. and it was uncomfortable. here she made it very clear what she was going to do. either you're going to speak or i'm going to speak at this private event where people have paid money. now, as a woman, i'm the only woman on this panel right here, i have to tell you that walking that line, that very fine line between beingk@ overbearing and standing up for yourself is very thin. you step off at a milliliter and you're ville fied for exactly what they said, who thinks i am the most important one here and i have to have the attention on me to being, why didn't she stand up for herself? >> i would say for you to -- you know, you keep walking the way you walk and do what you want to do. we come from a long line of strong, black women.

the barbara jordans, the maxine waters, these are the people that speak up and see the lowest tuckers. >> and there's no doubt about that, joe. it's hard dealing with hecklers and, you know, i remember in 2004 when i was running for president, i handled some hecklers for my?e was running against me in myself at a debate. let me show you this. >> if we have a democratic preside president who will go back to the fiscal responsibility -- come on. >> i think that, listen, if people -- if people have got something to do, they should do it now and let us have this debate. we don't appreciate it. i don't care who is not on this stage. you're going to respect us on this stage because we've got something to say. now, if you've got some problems, say it now.

>> i probably was a little more school of the diplomacy that the first lady was. but go ahead, joe. >> we have all handled this. i've spoken the same and some people have been drunk, some folk just want to get attention. and the sad thing about this heckler is, we're not really talking about what her issue is as much as people are saying don't mess with the first lady. >> as well as, lauren, she's not an elected official. she couldn't give the executive order athis president has issues that we're talking about here that has on the issue of gay rights. >> michelle obama or three years ago or two years ago coming out

and doing something like this right before an election. she's just now starting, i think, to say this is who i am, what i am going to be, these are the opinions that i have, take them, she couldn't necessarily do that before this election. now i think we're going to see her getting into a little more policy-oriented talk, as a result we may see her approval ratings take a hit for that. but what you get on the other side of it is someone who is going to stand up for those issues that her husband does support and be a good voice for him. >> well, i think, joe, also that it's time that people stand up to guys like rush. some of the reasons that i play -- what i play is that it's downright offensive, it's repulsive, calling people that are the president and first

lady, united states uppity. you may take some hits as far as your approval rating but what you are going to tolerate from these people that constantly disparage and'c,;÷bñ disrespect you've achieved for yourself and for this country. >> you are 100% right. and when you see the president speak out and address it, when you see the first lady do what she does, i guarantee, she's not going to take a hit. as far as her speaking out on policy and speaking her mind, i think folks ought to listen to your show and my show a little bit more. because when i interview the first lady, she's very direct about issues and she does the same thing when she's on your show. so i guess it's who you're listening to but i can tell you when she's on my show she does not go straightforward. >> very straightforward. >> lauren ashburn, joe madison, thanks for your time this evening. >> thank you. coming up, attorney general

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axiron. it's time to answer your e-mail questions. remember, friend or foe, i want to know. which of the following do you feel has a better chance of eventually defining the president's legacy? the killing of bin laden or his health care plan, assuming it's a success? well, i think it will be the health care plan. i think what mr. obama did as president is certainly something that is going to be remembered and written in history for a long time, securing the country, killing the man that it was clearly responsible for killing 3,000 americans but i think changing the health care system andgckvñ opening it up and da m

kra advertising americans is a long legacy of a positive nature. dale wants to know, "if republicans are so unpopular, why do a lot of tv political pundits give democrats a rather dim chance of winning control of the u.s. house of represents"? >> i think it's because of how they recut the lines. the republicans put these very safe districts together that they, because of how they set the districts, are going to make it difficult to take some out. which means if we had a huge turnout like last year, in the districts that are there, we can take it but we need a big turnout. it will not happen without real passionate voting. finally tonight, in an exclusive interview with nbc pete williams, attorney general eric holder says he is not stepping down. >> is it your intention to serve this term out? >> no, that's not my intention.

behind sme is a portrait of jant reno. i was her deputy attorney general for four of those years. there's some things i want to do, things that i've discussed with the president, once i've finished that, i'll sit down with him and we'll determine when it's time to make a transition to a new attorney general. >> but to be clear, you are not going to do so now? >> no, i am not going to do so now. >> i don't see why he would. thanks for watching. i'm al sharpton. "hardball" starts right now. in your face -- let's play "hardball"! good evening, i'm chris matthews in washington. let me start tonight with