tv Hardball With Chris Matthews MSNBC July 10, 2013 2:00pm-3:01pm PDT
2:00 pm
thanks so much for watching. we will, of course, bring you the latest from the trial of george zimmerman, including closing statements when the jury resumes tomorrow at 10:00. "hardball" is next. the defense rests. let's play "hardball." good evening. in for chris matthews. day 22 of the george zimmerman trial, the defense has rested and george zimmerman has chosen not to testify although not before a tense exchange between judge debra nelson and defense attorney don west as the judge asks zimmerman whether he wanted to testify on his own behalf. it was a day in which both prosecution and defense attorneys used a mannequin to demonstrate what may have
2:01 pm
happened between trayvon martin and george zimmerman before the gun fired, killing martin. dennis root, public safety expert called by the defense, testified that the physical capabilities of george zimmerman were weaker than those of trayvon martin and martin was in better physical condition. msnbc's craig melvin has been monitoring all of today's proceedings. he joins us from the florida courthouse. we will not be hearing directly from george zimmerman? >> reporter: no, michael, that was the headline today. good evening to you. george zimmerman telling judge nelson this afternoon that, after consulting with his attorneys, he decided not to testify on his own behalf. 18 defense witnesses, 38 witnesses for the state, and now it appear this case will be going to the jury at some point tomorrow. judge nelson told the jurors before she released them, she said she's going to bring them back at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, but before she released them she said closing arguments will start tomorrow. that means that best-case
2:02 pm
scenario, he could get the case tomorrow, worst-case scenario, sometime on friday. dennis root, the witness that testified, a self-proclaimed use of force expert, retired law enforcement officer as well, basically testified that based on the evidence that was given to him, george zimmerman's story checked out. the information that was given to him, of course, was given to him by the defense. he was a defense expert witness, paid by the defense. but he was given a number of pictures and also interviewed george zimmerman. he also looked over some of the witness statements, as well. he was asked pointedly by mark o'mara, attorney of course for george zimmerman, ill will, spite, hatred, based on what you've heard, baseed on what you read, was there ill will, spite, hatred when he made the call -- >> i was shocked, as a lawyer watching that, that he was allowed to answer that question. that, to me, didn't seem like
2:03 pm
the sort of thing you ask a so-called expert. that would be left for the jury. >> reporter: and there have been a number of attorneys who said the same thing. not just that question, a number of other questions as well. that he was asked and allowed to offer an opinion on that would seem to, again, seem to, be outside the boundaries of his area of expertise. we slohould also note here he apparently contacted the defense as well. he became familiar with the trial, he raised his hand, called mark o'mara and said, i would be very much interested in being a witness for the defense. >> you and i talked last night at this time the fact very much they wanted to get an animation, the defense did, wanted to get in a computer animation to re-create what they allege took place. they're not allowed to 0 use that animation except in closing argument. i guess dennis root was introduced in lieu of the animation, trying to get in
2:04 pm
through him the computer animation that was disallowed. >> reporter: that would seem to be the case. judge nelson deciding the animation, again at this point, our understanding, was elaborate animation, has been reduced to stills, part of the stills are animated. it's not nearly what it was in the beginning. but that's going to be something that the jury can see in the closing. not going to be something, though, that the jury's going to be allowed to take back in the jury room with them since it accou cannot be used as evidence. interesting, michael, the defense decided to end their case the same way they started the case. they started their case with gladys zimmerman, george zimmerman's mother. and they ended with robert zimmerman sr., george zimmerman's father, both called to testify that it was their son's voice on that 911 call. by the way, we kept count. robert zimmerman sr. the tenth person for the defense to testify it was his son's voice and that's going to be one of
2:05 pm
the central points that they make to the jury when they address them tomorrow in closing arguments. >> great report as always. thank you so much. for more on today's testimony, joined by msnbc legal analyst lisa bloom, alex fer air, and attorney joseph hanes davis. look at that exchange earlier in which judge nelson questioned george zimmerman whether he wanted to testify and the back and forth between defense attorney don west and the judge. >> mr. zimmerman, have you made a decision as to whether or not you want to testify in this case? >> no, not at this time. >> okay. when is it that -- how long do you think you need before you make that decision? >> your honor, may we have an opportunity to speak? the case isn't concluded yet. >> i understand that. and i've asked mr. zimmerman if he needed more time to talk to his attorneys and if he does, i will afford it to him. mr. zimmerman, how much more time do you think you are going
2:06 pm
to need to discuss this with your attorneys? >> i assume it will depend on how long the recesses are, your honor. the end of the day. >> okay. well, if your attorneys have finished with two witnesses before the end of the day, do you think that you would then know whether or not you want to testify? >> your honor, on mr. zimmerman's behalf -- >> i'm asking your client questions. please, mr. west. >> i object to the court inquiring of mr. zimmerman as to his decision about whether or not to testify -- >> your objection is overruled. >> judge alex, you have been in that position of advising a defendant of their fifth amendment right. read those tea leaves. what was going on there? >> an undercurrent of friction between the two of them clearly. it's been present throughout the case. and it just bubbled to the surface today like it has on other occasion. the judge doesn't need to know right now. there are still two witnesses left. he can wait and make his decision at end of the two
2:07 pm
witnesses. by the same token, mr. west didn't have to make a point of it. even if he said i don't think i want to testify right now, he can change his mind and later on, after the two witnesses, i changed my mind. it doesn't really matter. each was playing on a power play against the other and it bubbled up. >> i said to myself, if and when george zimmerman writes his book, the story i expect to hear is that he wanted to take the stand and his lawyers didn't want him to do so, and we just saw a representation of that. how did you read that moment? >> well, i read the moment, counselor, thank you for having me, as judge nelson saying, look, this is my courtroom, and pardon me for using vernacular, i'm not playing with you she's in charge of the courtroom. i have practiced in front of judge nelson periodically a couple of times. she's a very, very good judge. she's a very, very honorable judge. she's a very, very smart judge in terms knowing where she wants
2:08 pm
to go how she wants to conduct that courtroom. and i think in that instant, it was judge nelson saying, look, this is my courtroom, this is how i'm going to conduct it, i understand your client's fifth and sixth amendment rights, i'm not going to trample over those rights but i am going conduct those courtroom the way i'm going to do it and you just need to sit there and let me do it because i am going to do my job. >> lisa bloom, help me get into george zimmerman's head if you can. i find it very hard to believe with 90% of the defense case in he still doesn't know whether he wants to or is going take the stand? >> well, it's possible. look, he hasn't had a lot time to talk to his attorneys because they've been fighting this case yesterday until 10:00 p.m. and he's got a curfew, he has to go back home. his curfew had to be extended last night. if i can defend don west, also an outstanding attorney, he's an honorable person, he's not a potted plant, there to fight for his client and he's trying to
2:09 pm
say, it's too early, don't put my client on the spot like this. in front of the national media. he shouldn't have to answer this question until the final witness for the defense is called, so don't put him on the spot. that's what don west was trying to say. >> judge, dennis root who testified, the defepfence exper i've got to believe because they couldn't get the animation evidence in, they tried to get in through him what they wanted, it seemeding he went beyond the bounds of what i ex-folk hear from an expert. were there aspects of his testimony you found yourself saying that's not something you look to an expert to answer? >> absolutely. he was allowed to testify about all kinds of things. he got into the psychology. some of the things he got into, the prosecution frankly didn't object. they sat back and let the questions be asked, leading questions, questions quon his expertise, nonresponsive questions where he -- they would ask him one question and he would expand into entire areas. some of the questions allowed in, they fought and fought to
2:10 pm
keep out then animation and ended up doing a re-enactment with a dummy and allowed the defense to do the same, i'm not sure why they were lenient on this witness. >> how could he speak to the physicality of trayvon martin versus george zimmerman and who was in shape and who wasn't? saying who would have had the upper hand in a fight like this? >> i tend to agree with you. that, to me, is not very possible. i think this jury will be able to put that in perspective and weigh it when they go into their deliberations. i agree with wow that, you know, it was a bit a bit peculiar with the testimony of mr. root and his scope of his testimony and so forth. but i think that this jury will be able to see through that and see and tell that, listen, the deceased victim cannot testify himself and say who was the stronger individual. >> lisa bloom, you have been talking extensively about the
2:11 pm
gun position and so forth. and i couldn't wait to ask you about this, assistant state prosecutor john guy used a mannequin to re-enact the encounter between george zimmerman and trayvon martin. let's watch this. >> if this person, this mannequin, were carrying a firearm on their waist, where would the gun be right now in relation to me? >> it would be at your left inner thigh. >> right here, right? >> yes. if he was right-handed, it would be at your left inner thigh. >> underneath my leg? >> yes, inside your leg. >> okay. were you aware the defendant described to his best friend that when he slid down the defendant slid down, that trayvon martin was up around his armpits? were you aware of that? >> no, i have not heard that, no, sir. >> where would the gun be now? >> now the gun would be behind your left leg. >> okay. >> lisa bloom, you told me on monday night, on "hardball,"
2:12 pm
that you had gone back and reread aspects of the case and you thought something had been overlooked thus far by the prosecution. when i saw that today i said, this is what lisa was talking about. >> yeah. i know. i was hoping that john guy was going do it in the courtroom today but he didn't. on the re-enactment video when george zimmerman is asked where he holstered the gun, he demonstrates apparently reaching back behind his right hip to hit backside, okay? this witness had it wrong. and the prosecution was not able to correct that because they apparently are not aware, so far, unless they're saving this for a big moment in closing argument that george zimmerman had the gun holster not only inside his pants covered by his shirt and jacket but the backside of his hip. that's where he demonstrates on the video with his hand. the mannequin, i don't like the fact that the prosecution is conceding the defense version of the case. we have the prosecution on top of the mannequin, like the defense attorney did. they didn't use the plan na kin. i would had it standing up
2:13 pm
because that's one theory how the fight happened and when the shooting could have happened. i would have had george zimmerman on top as a number of witnesses had him and trayvon martin on the bottom. i would have had it moving around in a dynamic situation. to do it same way the defense did i think gives the jury the impression that everybody's now on the same page, that at the time the bullet was shot george zimmerman was on the bottom, trayvon martin was on the top. >> joseph haynes-davis, i have been surprised how much of george zimmerman's version has been able to come into evidence in this case. i recognize he gave police statements and re-enactment. but truly for what purpose would he have testified? his version of events is clearly put in the record as the example she just illustrated. >> i think -- i think miss bloom is correct in that it is a little bit interesting, to say the least that there was nothing being distinguished by the state's turn with the mannequin. counselor, you are absolutely correct.
2:14 pm
listen, george zimmerman has testified, so to speak, by the statements that have been played over and over again with his interviews, with the shshawn ha interview and much, mou much mo. he has no reason to testify as to whether or not he really thought about when he didn't know what to say when the judge asked him, we will never know that because we won't know that. >> closing arguments tomorrow. thank you, lisa bloom, joseph haynes davis, alex ferrer. remember when mitt romney won support of 29% of latinos and republicans vowed to win them back? fast forward to today when much of the gop has decided that immigration reform will just create more democrats, reform could be dead. with it republican presidential hopeful in 2016. also, you may love walmart. you might hate walmart. few people are neutral.
2:15 pm
pick your sides, as the giant retailer battles local washington, d.c. government over whether it should be forced to pay its own higher minimum wage. walmart is threatening to pull out of the city. it may be nothing more than a cry for attention but sarah palin is talking about a senate run. is she aware a senate term is six years. let me finish with this. we are number two, the u.s. is, in one category that should not make us proud. this is "hardball," the place for politics. [ brent ] now steve's looking pretty good so far. [ herbie ] eh, hold on brent, what's this? mmmm, nice car. there's no doubt, that's definitely gonna throw him off. she's seen it too. oh this could be trouble. [ sentra lock noise ] oh man. gotta think fast, herbie. back pedal, back pedal. [ crowd cheering ] oh, he's down in flames and now the ice-cold shoulder. one last play... no, game over! gps take him to the dog house. [ male announcer ] make a powerful first impression. the all-new nissan sentra. ♪
2:16 pm
as expected the texas house has passed strict new restrictions on abortion. and now it's back over to the senate. thousands of protesters on both sides of the abortion rights debate have flooded austin, as lawmakers consider the bill which bans abortions after 20 weeks. as the house voted late last night, hundreds filled the capitol rotunda chanting "shame on you" the bill died last month in the senate after wendy davis
2:17 pm
filibustered it preventing it from meeting a midnight deadline. n way. with scottrade's smart text, i can quickly understand my charts, and spend more time trading. their quick trade bar lets my account follow me online so i can react in real-time. plus, my local scottrade office is there to help. because they know i don't trade like everybody. i trade like me. i'm with scottrade. (announcer) scottrade. voted "best investment services company." [ john ] nope. [ tires squeal ] twelve bucks a night! no. they have waterbeds. ew. no! are we near a gas station? [ phone beeps] [ phone ] no. is that from the mini bar? [ both ] no. is that a cop? no. [ cop ] do you know how fast you were going? no. eighty-seven [ groans ] he's right. is that oscar mayer? [ karen] yes! [ male announcer ] in a world filled with "no", it's nice to finally say "yes". oscar mayer selects deli meat, no artificial preservatives and gluten free. it's yes food.
2:19 pm
>> america can be a lawful society and a welcoming society at the same time. we must remember that the vast majority of immigrants are decent people who work hard and support their families and practice their faith and lead responsible lives. >> welcome back to "hardball." if you were a former president, lawmaker, anyone in politics for that matter, chances are you were talking about one thing today, immigration reform. a series of key meetings and events spanning the day in washington and beyond refocused the conversation on an issue that has united democrats and divided republicans. as you saw in that clip, at 9:00 a.m. former president george w. bush waded back into political relevance using the opening of the institute as a platform to press the case for reform. 11:00 a.m., obama held a lengthy strategy session with the congressional black hispanic
2:20 pm
caucus. across town at 3:00 p.m., all 234 house republicans were scheduled to meet in a veritable immigration therapy session. but if you think it all points towards some hope for progress on the issue, you probably didn't see the headline on politico today. immigration reform heads for slow death. what's going on, you ask? republicans walked away from their 2012 debacle hellbent on fixing their problems with hispanics and now hellbent on making them worse. republicans on capitol hill predict comprehensive immigration reform will die a slow months' long death in the house. let's get right to it. joining us msnbc contributor steve schmitt and jim vandehei. isn't the rub of this the fact that we have hyper partisanship and so few republicans in the house are representing hispanics in their districts, consequently
2:21 pm
no accountability when they go home? >> that's a huge part of. this house republican conference is very conservative, they come from mostly rural districts, they have mostly white constituencies. most of all when they go home, they're not hearing much of a call for comprehensive immigration reform with a path way to citizenship. they don't hear from their constituents that's a top concern. for the vast majority of house republicans they look at the bill that passed the senate and said there's no way we would touch anything that approximates that if it comes through the house. that's where john boehner finds himself. all of the republicans in one room talking about immigration reform. you have leadership saying, come on, weave got do something, guys. range and file is saying sure, we'll do something on border security. all of the other stuff they're not interested in doing it. and that's the reason that it's really hard to see how immigration reform gets done, despite the fact that george bush is for it despite the fact that marco rubio's for it
2:22 pm
despite the fact that steve schmitt will advocate for it now. >> there's a theory with growing momentum republicans don't need hispanic votes, they need more white votes. this is a conservative activist voicing that argument in a may radio interview. >> the people of the republican should reach out to are the white votes that the white voters are who didn't vote in the last election and there are millions of them. i think when you have an establishment-run nomination system they give us a series of losers which they've given us with dole and mccain and romney. >> now, karl rove disagrees, writing in a recent "wall street journal" op-ed a reagan-like percentage of white voters would yield a narrower win because the nonwhite share of the vote doubled to 28% in 2013 from 13% in 84. the reality is that the nonwhite share of the vote will keep growing if the gop leaves
2:23 pm
nonwhite voters to the democrats, then it's margins and safe congressional districts, and red states will dwindle. >> karl rove is right. it's a foolish argument. certainly when you look at the white vote, mitt romney underform performed with certain sections of the white vote. in 2004, george w. bush re-el t re-elected, got 44% of the hispanic vote. the electorate in the next presidential election will be 2% less white than it was in 2012, which was 2% less white from 2008. so if it were to be a national political party we can't perform in the 20s heading into the teen with hispanic voters. this is an enormous problem for the country. house republicans fancy themselves of people with solutions of big national problems, but when it comes to fixing these problems they seem to be awol from the field.
2:24 pm
>> steve, all politics are local. and they're not focused on 2016. they're focused on themselves in 2014. >> well, there's no question, the point that you made that jim made, is that house republicans, because of gerrymandering, redistricting, same true for the democrats, most house members are absolutely insole lated from national public opinion. and we see that playing out very clearly in this. >> here's an amazing illustration of how far the gop has come since the days of party legends like reagan. a clip from the 1980 debate between reagan and george herbert walker bush. watch this. >> do you think the children of illegal aliens should be allowed to attend texas public schools free. >> today if those people are here, i would reluctantly say i think they would -- they would get whatever it is that they're -- you know what the society is giving to their neighbors. >> these are good people. strong people. part of my family is mexican. >> rather than making them or
2:25 pm
talking about putting up a fence, why don't we work out some recognition of our mutual problems, make it possible for them to come here legally with a work per met and while working and earning here, they pay taxes here? >> what happens to a republican in a gop primary who stands up and says, either of those things? >> you know, it's not clear. i mean house republicans would say, listen, in their district, if they said those things they might get clobbered in a primary. it's not clear at national level. what steve said is important. it's in the a debate. it's not a political debate about the numbers. numbers you cannot dispute. if you go back to 1992 when bill clinton wins 87% of the electorate is white. look at last leak, you're down into the 70s. every year with total predictability, 3%, 4%. it doesn't change. there's no demographic analyst in the country who is going to say that changes. the population of hispanics
2:26 pm
keeps growing, population of asians keeps growing, populations of white keeps shrinking. some point the republicans have to reckon with this. if they become the mostly male, mostly white, mostly conservative, mostly christian party might be good in an individual district, it kills them at the national level and that's the tension playing out. you have the george w. bush camp on one side and you might have the tom cotton camp or the michele bachmann camp in the house. there are too radically different realities. >> the latter of the caucuses wins primaries, and therein lies the issue. steve, thank you. jim, good to see you. everything nowadayses a partisan, even president obama's alleged favorite food. stick around for the sideshow. if you want to follow me on twitter you need to know how to spell smerconish. this is "hardball," the place for politics. you can't say 'one size fits all'. it doesn't. that's crazy.
2:27 pm
we're all totally different. ishares core. etf building blocks for your personalized portfolio. find out why 9 out of 10 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. thto fight chronic. osteoarthritis pain. to fight chronic low back pain. to take action. to take the next step. today, you will know you did something for your pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is a pain reliever fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one non-narcotic pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. anti-depressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not for children under 18. people taking maois, linezolid or thioridazine or with
2:28 pm
uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing skin or eyes. tell your doctor about all your medicines, including those for migraine and while on cymbalta, call right away if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles or serious allergic skin reactions like blisters, peeling rash, hives, or mouth sores to address possible life-threatening conditions. talk about your alcohol use, liver disease and before you reduce or stop cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. take the next step. talk to your doctor. cymbalta can help. details are really important during four course. i want to make sure that everything is perfect. that's why i do what i do. [ male announcer ] it's red lobster's just $14.99. start your feast with a choice of soup, then salad, plus biscuits! next, choose one of nine amazing entrees like new coconut and citrus grilled shrimp or linguini with shrimp and scallops. then finish with dessert. your four course seafood feast, just $14.99.
2:29 pm
[ mortazavi ] everything needs to be picture perfect. i'm reza, culinary manager. and i sea food differently. the house caught fire and we were out on the streets. [ whispering ] shhh. it's only a dream. and we have home insurance. but if we made a claim, our rate would go up... [ whispering ] shhh. you did it right. you have allstate claim rate guard so your rates won't go up just because of a claim. [ whispering ] are we still in a dream? no, you're in an allstate commercial. so get allstate home insurance with claim rate guard... [ whispering ] goodnight. there are so many people in our bedroom. [ dennis ] talk to an allstate agent... [ doorbell rings ] ...and let the good life in.
2:30 pm
president obama reignited an old washington debate yesterday afternoon, the hot button issue this time, broccoli. after speaking at a kids' state dinner for a group of 54 8-year-olds at white house the president was overheard claiming broccoli was his favorite food, yes, you heard that correctly. the remark met with disbelief that it sparked a twitter frenzy that trended all afternoon. earlier that day explaining his change of heart on vegetables. >> my family, when they cook vegetables, they would just like boil them. remember that? and they'd get all soft and mushy. nobody wanted to to eat a pea or brus se brussels sprout because it tasted like mush. >> broccoli. >> broccoli would be mushy.
2:31 pm
now i actually like vegetables because they're prepared right. >> even skeptics at "the washington post" got in on the action, facetiously complaining obama's assertion was like saying that your favorite computer game is microsoft el and calling for his impeachment. we've seen tempers flare over this subject. the broccoli debate of 1990. president bush 41 weighing in on the controversial vegetable. >> i do not like broccoli! and i haven't liked it since i was a little kid. and my mother made me eat it. and i'm president of the united states. and i'm not going to eat any more broccoli. >> in response this that comment the broccoli growers of california presented 10,000 pounds of the vegetable to the white house, half a ton of broccoli which first lady barbara bush received with h her -- >> we are leaving several boxes of the product here for your use at the white house. >> thank you. >> with some very good new
2:32 pm
recipes which you might use that you just might intrigue the president to take the plunge under the wouldn'ter wonderful world of fresh vegetable. >> i'm going to overlook the fact you think my cooking's not up to par. i'm going to tell you the honest truth. the president is never going to eat broccoli. but i am never going to eat pork rinds ever. thank you. thank you. >> we have -- >> that's why you stayed married 45 years. >> when you think of obama, bush, the politics of broccoli, healthy eating has had bipartisan support in the past. take a like at this 1951 print advertisement, do you recognize the spoked person? ronald reagan as spokes person for v-8 vegetable juice. the gipper was the spokesperson for the brand in the early '50s which may explain why he repland healthy enough to become our
2:33 pm
nation's oldest president. v-8 does not contain broccoli. walmart at war with washington, d.c. pick your sides. you're watching "hardball." the place for politics. wi drive a ford fusion. who is healthier, you or your car? i would say my car. probably the car. cause as you get older you start breaking down. i love my car. i want to take care of it. i have a bad wheel - i must say. my car is running quite well. keep your car healthy with the works. $29.95 or less after $10 mail-in rebate at your participating ford dealer. so you gotta take care of yourself? yes you do. you gotta take care of your baby? oh yeah! always go the extra mile. to treat my low testosterone, i did my research. my doctor and i went with axiron, the only underarm low t treatment. axiron can restore t levels to normal in about 2 weeks in most men. axiron is not for use in women or anyone younger than 18 or men with prostate or breast cancer. women, especially those who are or who may become pregnant
2:34 pm
and children should avoid contact where axiron is applied as unexpected signs of puberty in children or changes in body hair or increased acne in women may occur. report these symptoms to your doctor. tell your doctor about all medical conditions and medications. serious side effects could include increased risk of prostate cancer; worsening prostate symptoms; decreased sperm count; ankle, feet or body swelling; enlarged or painful breasts; problems breathing while sleeping; and blood clots in the legs. common side effects include skin redness or irritation where applied, increased red blood cell count, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, and increase in psa. ask your doctor about the only underarm low t treatment, axiron. the ones getting involved and staying engaged. they're not afraid to question the path they're on. because the one question they never want to ask is "how did i end up here?"
2:35 pm
2:36 pm
i'm hampton pearson with your cnbc market wrap. the dow lost eight points, the s&p 500 added less than a point and nasdaq up by 16. politics for home mortgages fell 4% last week, this as interest rates on 30-year fixed rate mortgages hit their highest level in two years. share of apple edged down after a judge ruled the company conspired with five publishers to raise ebook prices. a trial only damaged is expected to follow. apple denies any wrong doing.
2:37 pm
that's it from cnbc, first in business worldwide. back to "hardball." welcome back to "hardball." it's a battle of wills in the nation's capitol and it doesn't have anything to do with congress. the retail giant walmart had planned on opening six new stored in washington, but it's now saying they may back out at least some of them and that's because late this afternoon, the city council passed a bill that would force walmart to pay its workers more money. the minimum wage in d.c. $8.25. legislation forces large retailers like walmart to pay i minimum of $12.50 an hour. legislation targets walmart unfairly. al alex bare bare barren wrote, we
2:38 pm
have said this legislation is ash treasure and discriminatory and it discourages investment in washington. walmart is the large effort employer in the country with more than 1.3 million workers and 4,005 stores. the company earned $17 billion in profits last year. and many walmart critics say that means they can and should pay workers more. but should a city be able to force the company to do so in steven moore senior economics writer of the "wall street journal" editorial board, david madeleine is the director of the american worker project at center for american progress. david, why can't the market sort this out? if you don't like walmart, don't shop at walmart. if you don't like the wages they pay, don't work there. >> well, we have things like a minimum wage to ensure that when workers work hard, they have enough so they're not living in poverty. also, by those kind of policies we help the economy because we ensure workers have basic purchasing power and that's the core problem with the economy today is that workers don't have
2:39 pm
enough purchasing power so businesses aren't able to invest. >> it's like a mind-set of a kleptomaniac at a big department store who says i'm going to take a couple of bed linens, they can afford it they wouldn't miss it. isn't that what washington's saying? >> they're saying large profitable companies need to pay their workers a living wage. now, also when companies don't do that, it imposes large costs on taxpayers. the studies show that the typical walmart store because the low wages it pays its workers, is a burden to government to taxpayers about $1 million in aid that they need to provide for poverty workers and things like food stamps, things like housing subsidies. really, this is about insuring that when companies come into town and provide jobs, which is a good thing, everyone benefits, not just a few people that workers get good wages but also taxpayers benefit as well. >> steve, i talked about this on the radio today and i heard from a number of callers who said, as
2:40 pm
merchants, it's compete as main street entrepreneur with walmart when they come to town because they've got an assortment of products and willing to undercut at any level. >> no question, walmart has, what do they say, everyday low prices. go into walmart today, you get dam near, you want by 99 cents. every government intervention program and social welfare program to abate program, there is no better program than walmart because walmart raised living standards of poor people making everything from tooft paste, diapers, cell phones more affordable to them. the problem with the argument, why shouldn't they pay higher wages 12.50 an hour? the reason that this is kind of an imbecilic policy, walmart has a choice. they have six stores they are looking at opening up in the
2:41 pm
washington, d.c., area, oftentimes by the way in very undeveloped areas, poor areas that need the jobs that need the economic development. here's the problem with saying pay the people $12.50 an hour. those -- walmart is now saying they may not open up those stores. so it's not whether these workers have $12.50 an hour. these workers are going to get nothing because the store may not be there. >> the district residents have to go to virginia or maryland for the good. 2011 study by the all of california study at berkeley, walmart increased minimum wage for all employees in the u.s. to $12. one argument that walmart uses, is that it would increase costs for customers. but according to the study, quote, even if walmart were to pass 100% of wage increase on to consumers average impact on a walmart shopper would be quite small. 46 cents per shopping trip or $12.49 per year for the average customer.
2:42 pm
respond to that logic. >> well, here's the problem with this. look, most of the workers who start at walmart, they are unskilled workers, not very well-trained. what walmart -- in fact, mostly starter jobs. you don't want to get rid of starter job. when i talk to the wall street executives about the issue, one of the things they told me, 3/of their executives who make between $50,000 and $125,0003/4 started in minimum wage jobs. don't take away the minimum wage job or you're not going to have medium sized and higher paying jobs later. >> david, can i show you a "the washington post" editorial, if we can put that up? "the post" took a position. from the post about what the city council had been proposing and has passed. the hubris of the large retailer accountability act is matched by hypocrisy. claiming to be looking out for d.c. workers struggling to keep
2:43 pm
pace with the cost of living in the district apparently think aren't worried about people who work in fast-food restaurants, unionized grocery stores exempted or countless other businesses or for that matter about some of their own government employees who make less than $12.50 an hour. if conditions are so dire, why the four-year lag in compliance for existing retailers, that is, nonwalmart, covered by the measure? isn't that really the hypocrisy of this, if there was an exemption carved out, it's singling out walmart for punitive measure? >> look, it's not singling out walmart. there's a number of large retailers who would will be affected, costco, home depot, they're already in the district and some pay higher wages than we require under the bill. you can quibble with the details and everyone you know could be paying a higher wage. that would wb you ultimately want to go. the big picture here, and
2:44 pm
steven's concern, is about any minimum wage, any effort to raise the wage that workers get paid, he would be opposed to. i think that's really what's important to understand is that worker working full time which most in many of the people like a walmart store would be should not be living in poverty. earn enough to have a decent life and decent paycheck. >> i have to leave it there, steven. i wish i had more time. >> $8 is better than no job at all. >> $12 3507bpint is best of all >> it may be another tease, but sarah palin is considering running for the senate. that's ahead. this is "hardball," the place for politics. [ female announcer ] we love when summer gets hot... but the instant frizz? not so much. so i'm taking pantene's 72-hour dare. [ female announcer ] beat humidity for a smooth 72 hours. get pantene smooth with moroccan argan oil in a pro-v system. help lock out humidity. keep frizz from forming.
2:45 pm
go 72-hour smooth. [ eva ] ditch the frizz... i dare you. [ female announcer ] get smooth from pantene, the world's no. 1 haircare brand. hair so healthy it shines. the world's no. 1 haircare brand. help the gulf recover, andnt to learn from what happenedg goals: so we could be a better, safer energy company. i've been with bp for 24 years. i was part of the team that helped deliver on our commitments to the gulf - and i can tell you, safety is at the heart of everything we do. we've added cutting-edge safety equipment and technology, like a new deepwater well cap and a state-of-the-art monitoring center, where experts watch over all our drilling activity, twenty-four-seven. and we're sharing what we've learned, so we can all produce energy more safely. safety is a vital part of bp's commitment to america - and to the nearly 250,000 people who work with us here. we invest more in the u.s. than anywhere else in the world. over fifty-five billion dollars here in the last five years -
2:46 pm
making bp america's largest energy investor. our commitment has never been stronger. sarah palin for senate? she's thinking about it. "hardball" back after this. let's play: [ all ] who's new in the fridge! i help support bones... [ ding! ] ...the immune system... [ ding! ] ...heart health... [ ding! ] ...and muscles. [ ding! ] that can only be ensure complete! [ female announcer ] the four-in-one nutrition of ensure complete. a simple choice to help you eat right. [ major nutrition ] nutrition in charge.
2:48 pm
because all these whole grains aren't healthy unless you actually eat them ♪ multigrain cheerios. also available in delicious peanut butter. healthy never tasted so sweet. ted cruz needs reinforcements there in washington. tea party rise up again. let's get more of them in there. >> welcome back nap was former alaska governor 2008 republican
2:49 pm
vice presidential nominee sarah palin talking to sean hannity about need for reinforcements for tea partiers like ted cruz in the senate. she's considering her own run for the senate against mark begich. >> i've considered it because people have requested me considering it. but i'm still waiting to see, you know, what the lineup will be and hoping that, there again, there will be some new blood, some new energy, not just kind of picking from the same old politicians and the state. >> when asked by "hardball" if the former governor would be the ideal candidate to challenge senator begich, the committee demured on palin but said, quote, the ideal candidate to defeat mark begich will be chosen by alaskans not anyone in washington, d.c. in the a ringing endorsement. is palin a serious senate candidate in 2014 or merely trying to create buzz in an effort to remain relevant in politics sort of like her cap
2:50 pm
page for president in 2012 that never happened? joining me to discuss this, "the washington post" dana milbank and the hill's a.b. stoddard. anytime i hear a candidate say, you know people are asking me to do this. donald me to do this. donald trump dusts that line off every four years. >> and he has actually plans to visit iowa and he's going to drum up another vanity candidacy, i'm sure, in 2016 because it's fun for him. if you want money and have power, you want money and power. sarah palin is a good businesswoman. she wants to keep the role that she has going. it's made a good living for her. she's just re-signed with fox news. the speeches, the reality tv shows, the books, et cetera would be over. so i think she's teasing again. >> isn't it the tell when she refers to quote, new blood and energy. by what with standard? >> i think the tell is all over
2:51 pm
this one. and a.b. is right. she wants to get her name out there. she wants to be mentioned on "hardball." she wants to be relevant. could you imagine they used to call the senate the most ability body. with palin in it would be most debilitated body. maybe why journalists should be invited there to create more of -- >> don't spoil all of our fun yet. a.b., if i am ted cruz and i'm in the senate and i'm a rising star, do i want her as a colleague? because she sucks a lot of oxygen out of that room. >> that's a very good point. and, of course, she -- he's already competing with rand paul for some of the oxygen right now. she endorsed ted cruz and he was thankful for that. but she also endorsed miller in alaska. she thought he was a terrific candidate. now he spent four years getting his ducks in a row to run.
2:52 pm
and i imagine that she'd have a tough time running against him. i don't know that her approval in alaska from the numbers looks strong enough to take him on. not only as dana points out it would be bad for the senate to have more people coming in and saying no, but ted cruz is doing well on his own and he wants to be a star. named respective 2016 candidate even if he doesn't intend to go through with it. >> and dana, from a branding standpoint at the rnc, is this good news? is this the image you want to convey? if her name was on the ballot in alaska in 2013, that would be nationally the persona of the party. >> it's not a question whether she can win in alaska. it's a conservative state. begich got in there as a fluke because of the ted stevens thing going on. the real question for republicans is do they want sarah palin to be the face of the party in 2014? so that people can run against her in every other state.
2:53 pm
once she's in the senate, it's already a circus. what's the problem of having one more ring bearer. so that's not the damage for the republicans. but that it becomes the palin ticket in 2014. >> i joked at the outset about it being a six year term, but she would have to explain herself for leaving the gubernatorial race. we'll be back after this. peoi go to angie's listt for all kinds of reasons. to gauge whether or not the projects will be done in a timely fashion and within budget. angie's list members can tell you
2:54 pm
which provider is the best in town. you'll find reviews on everything from home repair to healthcare. now that we're expecting, i like the fact i can go onto angie's list and look for pediatricians. the service providers that i've found on angie's list actually have blown me away. find out why more than two million members count on angie's list. angie's list -- reviews you can trust. she's always been able it's just her way.day. but your erectile dysfunction - that could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help
2:55 pm
for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or if you have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial. [ herbie ] eh, hold on brent, what's this? mmmm, nice car. there's no doubt, that's definitely gonna throw him off. she's seen it too. oh this could be trouble. [ sentra lock noise ] oh man. gotta think fast, herbie. back pedal, back pedal. [ crowd cheering ] oh, he's down in flames and now the ice-cold shoulder. one last play... no, game over! gps take him to the dog house. [ male announcer ] make a powerful first impression. the all-new nissan sentra. ♪
2:57 pm
let me finish with this. word came this week the u.s. is no longer the most obese nation. it now belongs now to mexico. here are the top ten obese nations. about 70% of mexican adults are considered overweight. 32.8% are obese. but the u.s. isn't far behind with an obesity rate of 31.8%. having spent last week in italy, i noted that that european nation was not on the list despite a terrific culinary culture. with all that good food, why aren't the italians more obese, i've wondered. it's a discussion i said to a resident. driving between penza. my driver told me the short answer about the wine was sul fits but it was part of a larger issue. a friend of mine said i might be fat but my doctor says i'm
2:58 pm
healthy. no high blood pressure and no diabetes. his weight was attributable to eating a lot of good, fresh food. that means lots of meat, fish, pasta, beans and vegetables. my friend had traveled to the united states where he noted you people eat junk. no one loves cafe more than italians. but you'd never see us walking out of starbucks with one of those huge drinks. i hadn't seen a starbucks or any fast food. the one mcdonald's that was built in florence was built for americans. the grocery store i visited a couple of times in a small village was the size of a neighborhood 7-eleven only you wouldn't find somebody to make a sub or hoagie. you'd find a full-time butcher, another person selling cheese and bread. he said quote, we call your processed food jewelry. it's imported and it's expensive and we won't be fooled by appearance if it doesn't taste good.
2:59 pm
if it's not fresh, we're not buying it. the hours off in the afternoon might no longer facilitate an enormous meal and nap. the point is it's a food and lifestyle issue. the food reflects the lifestyle. their priorities are different than ours. when i got home i checked on the italian life expectancy and rate of obesity. in italy it was 82.09 years in 2011 according to the world health organization compared to 78.64 in america. and our rate of obesity is double italy's of 17.2%. the explanation from my italian friend was confirmed by dr. kenneth thorpe, the chair in the department of health policy and management at rawlins school of public health. he told me, yes, we eat more processed food heavier on fat, sugar, and corn. and the europeans generally eat fresher food and smaller portions. it's the difference between fresh food versus processed
3:00 pm
food. here's the obvious point. it's not only how much we're eating, it's what we're eating as well. that's "hardball" for now. thanks for being with us. "politicsnation" with al sharpton starts right now. thanks, michael. and thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, the defense rests without hearing from george zimmerman. this entire case boils down to a confrontation between two people. only those two people know exactly what happened that rainy february night. one of those people is dead. the other has decided not to take the stand. >> did you now have sufficient time to discuss with your attorneys whether or not you wanted to testify in your case? >> yes, your honor. >> after those discussions, have you made a decision? >> yes, your honor. >> what is your decision, sir? >> after consulting with counsel, not to
172 Views
IN COLLECTIONS
MSNBC West Television Archive Television Archive News Search Service The Chin Grimes TV News ArchiveUploaded by TV Archive on