he has won the home run derby for the apple. >> good morning. tuesday, july 16th. watching home run derby last night. always exciting. i think a member of the nats almost won that one, al. second place. >> with us on set msnbc political analyst and former chairman of the republican national committee michael steele, pulitzer-prize winning columnist and associate editor of the "washington post" and msnbc political analyst eugene robinson, columnist for "bloomberg view" al hunt and nbc capitol hill correspondent kelly o'donnell in new york, msnbc contributor mike barnicle, and

pulitzer-prize winning historian jon meacham. mike barnicle, something about the home run derbies hard to take your eyes away from. >> i like the home run derby better than i like the all-star game actually. you see the players interacting with their kids, their children on the field. it's a nice night. >> no doubt about it. and al hunt, bryce harper, second place. >> bryce harper second place and batted against his father which i thought was good. it was a nice touch. >> his father hit him with the snich and he didn't charge the mound. >> and gene robinson, how exciting to have this going on so you didn't have to watch the nonsense going on on other news channels where everybody was doing their best to try to divide sides, one side trying to inflame, the other side trying to grant absolute ab solution. >> it was a respite. i watched the home run derby last night.

i think, you know, i had been all day, you know, wrote a column and was deep into the trayvon martin case and it was good to watch baseball. >> it was good to watch baseball. michael steele, i'm watching these cable news channels and it's both sides, i'm just sitting there depressed. >> right. >> what is it, i asked this question in an op-ed, why is it that we republicans, certain elements of our party, seem to go out of their way to inflame minority voters? >> well -- >> first of all, is that a fair thing to say? why is it that i know i can count on conservative outlets to have a one-sided view and to talk about how a dead boy had it coming and he was in -- on marijuana, he was on pot and he was this, he was that and the other, a young young man. >> it's easier to fall into the stereotype and continue to project that than to actually step back and recognize the reality that racism is a still a

sin ster part of the culture and environment that african-americans and a lot of americans still have to live in. it's easier to project outward just because i'm not that way and therefore anyone who brings it up must somehow be trying to stoke these flames et cetera. it happens on the right and left. i watched as you did to my great frustration some on our home network as well as some on other networks stoke the flames in different directions. >> sure. >> raising up images of the past, which had no linkage at all to the present case. >> nothing to do with the present case. >> and others -- >> and why do conservatives, i'll ask you one more time, you're running for office -- >> i'm not running for office. >> i will ask you one more time, i only ask you this as we move forward, i would like in my lifetime for the republican party to get more than 6% of the african-american vote. why is it all of the conservative outlets that we go to every day to get news on what the president is doing wrong -- >> if i can answer your

question -- >> seem to the second like something this happens go on the side that -- >> i can answer your question. it wasn't always this way. republicans used to get huge chunks of of the african-american vote and they don't. >> can we put on the table that getting more than 6% is not going to happen in the next four years. you know, even if those same voices that you're alluding to, joe, had come out and were reasonable in their response, as opposed to extreme in their response in some cases, there's still a heck of at lot more that needs to be done than just saying something nice or politically correct about the trayvon martin case. >> i understand. >> i take your point -- >> it's harder today than it was a year ago. >> it's harder today. >> and even a thousand mile journey begins with the first step. let's take the first step and be neutral on these things. at least be neutral. >> again, it's buying into a stereotype that is culturally been grown, particularly over the last 40 years. >> stereotype of whom? >> of african-americans that, you know, somehow that they --

they're on the doll, part of this system that's been created. they're not going to vote for us anyway because they're bought and sold into this government mindset. all of those things feed into this notion. you layer on top of that the criminal justice system that indicts and convicts disproportionately african-americans and -- >> that doesn't necessarily have to do, gene robinson, with republicans or conservatives. i mean, again -- >> it's buying into a stereotype of african-americans, it's buying into a stereotype of republican voters as well, of the republican electorate which is whiter an whiter and whiter and the people who are stoking these flames this way think that plays with the voters. >> i have a suggestion, al hunt, just because al sharpton is doing something and you hate al sharpton, doesn't mean you help your party or your cause by

going in the complete opposite direction. maybe sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. maybe sometimes conservative outlets should sit back and not purposefully antagonize african-americans. >> well i agree with you on conservative outlets. who was it that once said people tend not to vote for you when they think you don't like them. that is a fundamental problem. jack kemp personified. jack kemp was not going to get 57% of the black vote but he was going to compete for it and he was going to convey a message that i think not only appeals to a lot of african-americans, but to a lot of whites and people of other color, because he was about an opportunity for all america. >> you're talking about the passing of a man you knew and respected very much in the nixon administration, richard nixon, got 18, 19, 20% of the african-american vote 'in '72.

did pretty well in '68. did pretty well in 1960. >> 1960 got 35%. >> 35% in 1960. jon meacham, not so long ago, republicans were able to get 30%. 25%. nixon, ironically, nixon the man that liberal media has said was the architect of the southern strategy, which, you know, supposed racist strategy that nixon concocted in his evil hands while walking in wing tips on the sands of san clemente, this is actually a guy that understood african-americans better than any other republican in 50 years, and he had the votes to prove it. >> yeah. are you suggesting there's something wrong with wearing wing tips on the beach? >> meacham -- >> barnicle is -- >> wing tips with your hunting shorts. >> that worries me. >> yeah. >> that worries me. it was 32, 33% in 1960. a competitive national electorate.

the iconic moment of this which we all know is lyndon johnson turns to bill miers after he signs the civil rights act in '64 which barry goldwater voted against, a big moment in the development of the modern right and said i handed the south to the republican party for a generation. lbj was wrong, it was for two generations. it's a more complicated political universe right now and i don't think much of the commentary has reflected that. the nature of this commentary, president obama carried virginia twice. he carried florida. >> carried florida twice. >> we have an african-american president. >> north carolina. >> it's just -- it's all more complicated than a lot of the chatter reflects. and that's the world we live in. >> it's a lot more complicated and even talking about lbj, i have to say, there was a time, and this is all about expanding the republican party. i know there are a lot of freaks out there already blogging and getting crazy, scarborough is

not -- i want to expand the party base. i want everybody to vote republicans every four years. i want the party to have all the money, win every single election, nominate every chief justice. a time not so long ago when lbj was attacking richard nixon for being too progressive on the civil rights act of 1957. it doesn't have to remain this way, where we are constantly in an yan tag nistic relationship with minority voters. something else crazy happened yesterday. talk about dogs and cats sleeping with each other, i expected the state puff marshmallow man to turn the corner on pennsylvania and head straight up to the capitol when i heard rand paul and ted cruz, now want to join forces with kirsten gillibrand. >> what a night. >> do we need bill murray here. dogs and cats living together? >> i was there until about 10:00. >> what happened? tell us about the story. >> senators who went into the old senate chamber which is so rare and to have senators of

both parties meeting together, really rare. the old senate chamber so old there were only 64 seats, there weren't 100. how close were you snuggled with others. what i was struck by in part coming out of that meeting, this had to do with the changing of the rules and an airing out of some strong feelings on both sides, i was encouraged by seeing members of both parties talking to each other coming out of that meeting which we often don't see. >> that meeting, of course, was for the changing of the rules and i guess it was out of this meeting perhaps, the news breaking overnight, that rand paul and ted cruz said they were going to join forces with kirsten gillibrand. >> on the military sexual assaults. >> yes. talking to some of her aides last night they were very encouraged by that because they believe that if you see republicans standing -- additional republicans because a number of them are already involved in that, that will help to bring along others. >> this provides big -- >> big cover. >> for any republican, any

conservative. >> and it was a big deal to the people working with her who have been at this nonstop. the military sexual assault story where she was so front and center has been a little bit below radar. she's continued to work to try to get those votes and so that's a big deal today. >> yep. but kelly, so what's going to happen today? who's going to back down? >> yes. well i was also struck by the fact that harry reid was quite interested in bryce harper's performance coming out of the meeting last night so it didn't give us a lot of sense there was real progress made. >> he's a big fan of the national mets. >> huge fan. >> a couple days ago, talking about the national mets. >> there you go. >> that's -- >> well, he talks about it a lot. >> he loves music. personal friend of bruce springste springsteen. >> talking about it may not be the same as feeling about it when it comes to harry reid. what we don't know is, can they resolve this. everybody said they felt better about talking about it.

that's something to be said in washington. it does look like they will work towards some kind of a less than nuclear option, but they aren't there yet. >> are we going to talk in one minute about new polls out, the eliot spitzer race and anthony weiner race. jon meacham and mike barnicle, this picture, it is of a man that you all both know, that you all have both visited in kennebunkport. george h.w. bush back at the white house to celebrate his public service. >> 89 years old. >> 89 years old. jon meacham, i will start with you -- >> great socks. >> the socks are the key. they are not prudent, but he's given up that particular battle. >> they're dr. seuss socks. >> they are dr. seuss socks. but mrs. bush and her way, a couple -- about two months ago right before the president's 89th birthday in june, the president was -- former president was wearing those

socks and was visited by the texan cheerleaders. he was actually the rose presenter as they were receiving their commissioning, i guess. >> i'm sure he was. >> and mrs. bush, as the cheerleaders were leaving, turned to the reporters and said, you can stop the prayers, he's better. so i think -- i think that's great. president obama's remarks, president obama has been incredibly solicitous of bush '41 in part because when he was having such difficulties in his first term he was explicitly thinking, i think it's safe to say, about the example of a president who had one term, but whom history has vindicated in the ensuing years. he gave him the medal of freedom a couple years ago and admired the kind of courage that president bush showed. i think this is part of that ongoing paying of respect. >> mike barnicle, let's show

what the president had to say about the 41st president of the united states yesterday. >> the fact that you're such a gentleman, such a good and kind person, i think helps to reinforce that spirit of service. so on behalf of all of us we are surely a lly a kinder and gentl nation because of you and we can't thank you enough. >> mike barnicle, in an age where there is so much political division, this is a man that holds together the president's club. we've heard it time and time again. bill clinton, who defeated him in 1992 and didn't think a whole lot of him back then, considers him like his father now. and even president obama, who is the least clubby of presidents since jimmy carter, likes the man a great deal. even jimmy carter has the greatest of respect for george

hr h.w. bush. >> carter is a guy that doesn't play the game either. he is, as jon meacham says, the last gentleman it seems. >> that's absolutely correct, joe. i don't think any of us will ever meet a more modest man who has done more incredible things with his life and during his life and while he is a republican and was elected president as a republican, his larger commitment clearly is to the country. it always has been. and anyone would be struck by the man's modesty. i think i've told you this before, but a couple of years ago, i was up in kennebunkport sitting on the seawall yowl side of the home where he has spent and asked him how many summers have you spent in this house, mr. president, he indicated he had spent every summer of his life he told me in that house,

with the exception of one when i was away, not fighting world war ii, not getting shot out of the sky over tokyo bay, when i was away. that's the man's intrinsic modesty he brought to his life, that he brought to his service, to the country as president. just a gracious, gracious gentleman. >> it seems like a perfect segway to move to polls that we have on eliot spitzer and -- >> yes. >> now the race in new york city where voters are hinting they may be willing to forget -- >> you're going to have to answer to bar about that. >> in the mayor's race anthony weiner has increased his lead pulling ahead of christine quinn 25% to 22%. the poll indicates the former congressman does especially well with african-american voters doubling the rest of the pack in that area and in the comptroller's race former governor eliot spitzer barely has been in the race for a week

and already leading manhattan borough president scott stringer 48% to 33%. spitzer is particularly strong among men who choose him by 20 points over stringer. among women, the gap is slimmer, 44% to 32%. if there ever was a question on whether voters would be able to stomach spitzer after his scandal his favoribility is high, 53%. also should be noticed voters say financial corruption is worse of an offense than sexual misconduct. gene robinson, look at those numbers and it's like the mark sanford race at the end of the day, at the end of the day, voters want competence and -- >> and -- >> and you get it with spitzer. we still haven't seen it with anthony weiner, running against quinn who seems competent, she was on the show, and eliot spitzer very competent even though he's running against a

strong opponent. >> i think eliot spitzer is going to win and i think that voters decided you know if you -- they're looking at wall street, they remember what he did in the past, and there's a sense that it's still a cesspool and you don't get a nice guy, you don't necessarily want a nice guy to clean that stuff up. yeah, he's kind of a jerk but, you know -- >> and in new york -- in the city, especially, michael steele, they're not looking for nice guys. >> no. >> rudy giuliani had a definite edge to him. >> yeah. >> mike bloomberg has a definite edge to him. and guess what? both of them have stood -- it's like margaret thatcher in britain in 1979. margaret thatcher wasn't a nice person but then again, i guess you were over there then, a nice person would not have been able to stand up to the -- >> she was followed by a nice person, john major, who got run over. >> how did that work? >> run over. >> and this may be the greatest

oat, quote, in modern british history. you were talking to margaret thatcher and what he did say about john major? >> if only he were a man. >> can you believe that? how awful is that? >> has thatcher ever been compared to spitzer ever before? this could be a new mark. >> could be. >> joe -- right, though. i think that what happens, what is happening, what we're seeing happen, is voters are beginning to separate that -- those sort of personal attributes where these guys may fail from time to time and looking at what they have accomplished and what they're able to get done. >> they like -- they want some serious -- >> i mean -- when i look at those numbers, i haven't been in new york too long, everything you all say about eliot spitzer, anthony weiner i think that's deceptive. >> right. >> if i'm christine quinn or bill thompson i'm dying to finish two. i want to go one on one with anthony weiner. among other things he doesn't

convey those qualities. >> he does not. >> if i'm christine quinn, i ask for ten debates. i want as many debates -- i'm serious -- against anthony weiner as possible. you listen to her, and again, you know, she -- >> maybe even on facebook or twitter. >> maybe he'll debate there. but it's a good point. eliot spitzer -- you know, mika and i talked about the fight we had and she didn't want spitzer on because i didn't want to get into all of the personal stuff. i just wanted him to talk about what happened in the financial meltdown. i said it's not relevant to what i want. i want information from this guy and he's got it and he came on and he was able to give that information. you sit there going wow. whereas, you know, anthony weiner, generalities. it's picking fights. christine quinn also came on, very impressive. so i think you're right. i mean, does everybody agree? >> i agree. >> just a second -- >> governor in a different way. those are offices that -- >> and a congressman. >> i live it every day.

i know how the public feels about congress. it's not -- it's interesting that it's been the year of redemption with sanford, weiner and spitzer, but they do have separate records that voters will look at. >> they do. that is, though, the takeaway here, the year of redemption. basically the year of voters frankly not giving a dam. >> right. >> yeah. >> true. >> about -- about. >> about past scandals, they don't care. i think that's pretty obvious. the question is who finishes second to weiner if he -- >> the other thing, candidates have learned how to apologize and they now come more with their heart on their sleeve as opposed to what we saw with gary hart, who was, you know, ready to be combative and push back, now these guys are like mea culpa, i'm so sorry. >> gary hart -- >> follow me. >> how would you like to be gary hart and see who followed you into the white house four years later. he's still thinking -- i -- i got -- >> i am a choir boy compared to

what the american people elected for years later. i take one boat trip -- >> timing is everything. >> suddenly i'm hugh hefner. no. coming up on "morning joe," talking to former white house press secretary robert gibbs. plus, oh, my goodness, mark leibovich, joins us to discuss his new book on the washington establishment. also congressman elijah cummings and writer from "curb bur enthusiasm" actor jeff garrlin. first here's bill karins he has a check on your forecast. >> that hot forecast, joe. good morning, everyone. the heat continues today and this morning. yesterday 90s widespread. that's the thing about this heat wave. it's pretty much from the east coast spreading now to the rockies. notice on this map almost everyone was in the 90s. thank all that urban jungle, the pavement from the big i-95 cities for that hottest temperature there of 96 in d.c. so you start your morning feeling like 85 in philadelphia.

that's the warmest heat index out there right now and later this afternoon, we do it all over again in this region of the country. 90s widespread, maybe as hot as 97 in d.c. when does it end? looks like on saturday with a cold front and thunderstorms. that's when we finally break this heat wave as we go across the country. otherwise, there's not a lot of other bad weather out there. you just got to stay in the ac and keep yourself cool. we leave you with a nice shot. the marina there. beautiful. no one is in the water yet but i'm sure that will change a little later this afternoon. you're with watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks. .

welcome back to "morning joe." let's take a live look at the white house on this hot july

day. and now it's time to take a look at the morning papers. from "usa today," the official boy scout gam worry which happens every four years is under way in west virginia. obese scouts are being left behind. members had to meet a body mass index of 40 or below to be admitted to the ten day program. the organization says it shared the requirements years in advance with hopes to motivate members to stay in shape. i disagree with that. i don't know. i guess because i sit next to mika every morning. if you have a doctor that says you can do this kids should be allowed to do it. anyway, "wall street journal" federal judge has heard initial arguments that could award billions of dollars to the developer of the world trade center. the new york developer is seeking damages from several airlines for the september 11th attacks on the twin towers. the developer is still paying on a 99-year lease on the site and has collected more than 4

billion in insurance. the judge said he would decide on the case tomorrow. and "the new york times," general david petraeus found himself in the headlines again after news broke about the salary at his new job. petraeus, who is going to be serving as a visiting professor at the city university of new york this fall, was set to make $200,000. the payday attracted negative attention for the former cia director and he decided to drop his salary to just $1. and the san antonio express, leaders of the zetas, one of the most notorious drug cartels in mexico the leader is in jail this morning. mexican special forces arrested miguel angel morales, a leader known for his brutality in drug wars that have left the country scarred with violence. he was captured near the texas border in a truck carrying eight guns and $2 million in cash. which is actually nothing, that's what jim vandehei carries

around washington, d.c., all the time, to get his tips. he's with us fou. thanks so much for being with us, jim. >> good to be here. >> what's heading up your politico playbook today? >> a couple things. you were talking about the sexual assault bill in the military gaining steam. there is a real conversation taking place now that you have ted cruz and rand paul on board for democratic bill and at least gives it hope. and this is huge stuff, there actually is a change of the system. the system that we currently use has been in place since the 1950s and because of all of these high-profile sexual assault cases in the military, there's real momentum on capitol hill to change that system. now, while they have some support, there's still only a 31, 32 votes. they have to get well beyond 50 to actually change the system. it will set up a fascinating clash between what is rand paul wing which has real suspicion about the military versus the john mccain wing of the party which tends to be very defensive of the military and more often

than not carries a day inside the republican party and on capitol hill. >> let's talk about wendy davis, state senator in texas, made big headlines for a filibuster. she led regarding an abortion bill that now actually has become law in the state of texas. she's pulling in some really big donations from across the country, isn't she? >> yeah. less than two weeks she raised $1 million. she became a national folk hero for a lot of democrats, a lot of donors and somebody who's going to be taken extremely seriously in texas politics. i was looking at mike's playbook which came out and apparently draper, the author has a new piece out taking a look at texas and taking a look at this whole apparatus of wendy davis, of the castros, of former obama folks trying to take texas and turn it into a state that democrats can compete in, given the influx of hispanic voters in that state. it's very conservative. remember the last senator it produced the guy name ted, last

time i checked was a conservative guy. more than $1 million is what some of these former obama folks have raised to turn that state into a democratic state i would watch it over the next eight. >> you say ted cruz is very, very, very conservative, i hear he's working with kirsten gillibrand. rino! geez, come on. aren't there any true believers out there anymore? where have all the good men gone? so we bring up wendy davis here. al hunt, there was a article this weekend in "the new york times," david lionheart talking about abortion, saying the plurality of americans support the house bill that would ban abortion after 20 weeks. it is interesting that americans are becoming far more progressive on gay marriage and

gay rights but on abortion, because of technology, because viability is -- comes earlier, because you can see the 3d imaging, i wonder if americans -- not because of what anybody in washington is doing, but because what's happening in doctors offices across america, americans are becoming a bit more conservative on abortion by the year. >> i think the key term there is a bit. i mean just a bit. because over 40 years, it is remarkable how little public attitudes have changed on the issue. on the one side, overreaches which the liberals have done in the past. there usually is a counter reaction. i suspect republicans are slightly overreaching in some state legislatures now. >> but on the 20-week ban most americans -- >> i think most americans -- >> are with them. >> i don't know if my figure is right. i think only about 1% of abortions occur after 20 weeks. it's a small percentage. so i think that's -- i think that's right. and i don't think -- i think there's some other issues and when you start going after

planned parenthood as we saw in the 2012 election, that causes -- when it becomes a war on women versus saving babies' lives, the whole dialog becomes -- >> what was also so fascinating is, 60% of americans believe that women should have the right to have abortion in the first trimest trimester. 70% of americans think abortion should be banned in the second trimester, which lionhard and "the new york times" illustrates shows that both parties bases are out of touch with where most americans are on this issue. >> i think there's an apprehension if people give any ground on setting a time, that it would perhaps lead to restrictions on access even early on. i think that'ses where there's apprehension. you're seeing many people do look at later term abortion in a different way, even throw it is much more rare. so it puts people in that awkward position of, this is

more complicated than issues often would like to be because people want to be able to say one thing or another and it does get murky when you begin to have these restrictions and things like should there be surgical privileges for a doctor who performs these, it does when you put restrictions of any kind, it makes some people nervous he even if those restrictions might be reasonable to some. >> i would think that, you know, as usual, people are kind of ahead of the politicians in that they are looking at the practicalities. there are not very many abortions after 20 weeks and so while it's a political matter you could say hold it if you restrict there, doesn't that open the door to earlier restrictions. i think as a practical matter, americans say well but that is really quite rare, so -- >> and also, though, if you followed wendy davis' efforts in the texas legislature, you would think that michael, that the

republicans that proposed a bill that banned abortion after 20 weeks, had crawled out from under rocks. >> yes. >> and were the most extreme out of touch, wild-eyed radicals, that's just not the case. plurality of americans are with them. i'm not talking about other parts of the bill. when somebody says ultrasound i flinch. but that part of it, i asked wendy davis this, nothing extreme about 20 weeks. >> no, nothing extreme about it. >> but as far as public opinion goes. >> i think it speaks to a couple things. one, how on the left, they can be extreme and exaggerating, you know, exactly the level of support that they have with these things and what happens, and what allows them to do that, is something that the gop has now given them in this latest alliteration of the debate and that is, conflating rape and other things that affect women more personally and directly or as personally and directly into this debate on abortion. >> yeah.

>> so all of a sudden it becomes an adjunct conversation about contraception and these other things -- >> republicans would be good not talking about rape and trawl sou -- ultrasounds. >> good idea. >> very good. hey, jim, thank you so much for being with us. we greatly appreciate it. >> good to be here. >> coming up, he's not even an all star, but yoenis cespedes upstaged a bunch of great major leaguers in last night's home run derby. ryan shactman will join us along with mika who has just jetted in from the south of france. we'll ask her to take off her sunglasses when we return. "i'm part of an american success story," "that starts with one of the world's most advanced distribution systems," "and one of the most efficient trucking networks,"

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oh, look. >> beautiful shot of citi field and that's where the all-star game is going to be played tonight. with us now, host of "way too early" brian shactman talking about the all-star home run derby last night. this is always the fun part. >> yeah. i mean it's amazing. they make it look easy, joe. any big league softball player

knows that stuff ain't easy in softball let alone baseball. reigning champ prince fielder adorable with his son by the way he had the longest bomb at 483 feet, but he did not advance to the finals. a face-off between the nationals bryce harper and the a's yoenis cespedes. harper wins the hair department. meacham you can do that. barnicle can't do that. meacham -- >> facial hair. >> cespedes took the title 17 home runs in the first runds round, nine in the finals includes this walk-off. and he wins it with a bomb! back, back, back, back. gone! yoenis cespedes has won the home run derby. >> i think chris berman said the word back 672 times last night. >> it's a famous call. >> i know, i know. >> back, back, back.

>> what do you win if you win the home run derby? >> you win a chevrolet truck and a big belt that you can't wear anywhere. >> i thought they had a boxing champ in yesterday. it was -- it's like a boxing title. all right. as for today's main event matt harvey will start for the nl, max scherzer will take the mound for the al. first pitch, 8:15 eastern time. those two guys are pretty awesome. all right. this one i thought we would never see again. might not see it in the majors. alex rodriguez hit a home run yesterday. not in the home run derby, but in a aa game in trenton. the yankees third baseman went 2 for 4 in a rehab outing, seven innings of work against the redding phillies. that's a good sign for a-rod. he struggled in single a. he says he's a week away from being ready to play with the big boys. >> trenton might be as close as he gets to yankee stadium this summer.

>> we shall see. all right. coming up next, we've got mika's must-read op-ed pages. you were -- >> i'm not -- >> you were on the beach in south of france. >> what's wrong with you. >> >> that's a tad -- >> how was san tropez? >> that's her favorite. that is her favorite. >> "morning joe" brewed by starbucks. my mantra?

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axiron. 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! live shot of the sun coming up over washington, d.c., and it is hot, to hit 96 degrees yesterday here, i stupidly went out running. welcome back to "morning joe." i did. i can't help it in washington, i

love running the monuments. how can you help it? >> it is beautiful. >> i did the steps. >> you need mobile air conditioning. >> by the time you got to the -- >> 96 degrees. >> i was -- >> you know, be you need an ambulance to trail you. >> i wasn't the only one out there. i loved it. time for the must-read opinion pages. in "the new york times" frank bruni for you kelly, because you're going to counter this i'm sure, with your love of capitol hill. >> someone has to. >> thank god. thank god there's someone. you give me hope. >> in other saner walks of life, friend means someone you yern to see. in the senate it can mean someone you yern to see under the wheels of your sport utility vehicles, wrighting in agony and wheezing in surrender. i assume that this was the usage that harry reid had in mind when he called mitch mcconnell my friend. right now the deliberative body as the senate has been called

looks more like the set of the jerry springer show except boring. is it any wonder so many prominent polls are taking a pass on membership in the club? on monday in a voice of surprising sadness, reid declared the senate broken. he looked weary, beaten down, a mirror of americans whose faith in washington has ebbed. when we look toward the potomac, pe see posturing in lieu of cooperation, tribalism in place of collaboration, and that's not what friends are home. give me hope. >> using the phrase "my friend" that is one of the last ways they tried to have a respect for each other. it could be fists thrown. it could be mud slung. >> it doesn't mean, my friend, does it? >> it means my colleague. used all the time. used all the time. >> i hear it i get nervous. >> it really is. it's also, it has become more of a i'm going to say this now and

then the really tart thing comes next. what is encouraging they spent more than three and a half hours last night, democrats and republicans, talking together which they so rarely do, really hearing each other out. no staffers in the room no media there. >> how unusual is that, kelly? >> extremely. never seen it done in the time i've been on the hill, several years. never seen it done. >> done during impeachment and after 9/11. >> those are the two occasions. >> so in occasions of extreme need for unity. >> and there's a sense there is an extreme need, that the rules haven't been working and people are not understand each other. so the encouraging part is there was a spirit last night of people feeling better about each other and i saw lots of pockets of democrats and republicans kind of whispering together after the meeting was over. so that's encouraging. you know, all of the things that were said are true but there's more to it. >> but the poison, the poison is still in the well. all of this my friend, collegial

conversation, doesn't translate into the implementation of actual legislation. >> yeah. >> or getting things done. republicans will still look at anything coming from the other 1600 pennsylvania avenue as an anath ma and don't want to touch it. harry reid is going to look across the aisle at mitch mcconnell and friends and scoff at their unwillingness to cooperate and work while putting, you know, things on the table that he knows republicans aren't going to go for. >> so -- >> so you still have the poison in the well there. >> where are the glimmers of hope in terms of legislation that bipartisan efforts that will move our country forward. >> none in this but -- >> none in the cycle. >> talk about the glimmers of hope, though -- >> wait a minute, al -- >> immigration. >> 14 republicans -- >> al, we couldn't get gun control done. >> that was awful. >> something everybody agreed on. >> i would -- >> pathetic. >> they can get some things done but that obscures a larger

point, the place is dysfunctional. i covered the old senate back when mika was in grade school and i think has a lot to do with the leaders too. >> i agree. >> i cannot imagine bob dole and howard baker -- >> they were real -- >> george mitchell would not let this happen. this is a sad commentary on mcconnell and reid. >> where do we go? i think there's a very good chance this all falls apart today, the nuclear option, and then the senate doesn't get anything done. they can't even agree to come and meet. >> so many of the senators are newer, having never been in the minority if they're democrats, so that's one of the issues where they're debating what it means to be in the minority party in the senate. >> right. >> up next, matt harvey may be the best pitcher in baseball, but to his hometown fans know who he is? he stits the streets to find out. news you can't use is ahead. oh, he's a fighter alright.

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all right. it's time for some news you can't use. brian shactman, are you going to bore us? >> i think you might use it. barnicle and i were talking about matt harvey is handsome. >> yes. >> and he's a little slice of awesome. >> yes. >> okay. >> more than a little slice. >> awkward. >> but it's not awkward.

the thing is, nobody in new york even knows who he is in his home city of new york. >> hey. i'm matt harvey, all-star pitcher for the new york mets and i'm here to find out what new yorkers think about matt harvey. >> matt harvey, i like him. also he's a good pitcher. kind of saw him naked on espn "the body issue" so it's kind of weird. he's all right. >> that's kind of weird. >> it is kind of weird. >> did he look all right? >> he looked okay, you know. i think there was one where he was sneaking out of the hotel room in new york city or something. >> is this the one you're talking about. >> that's him. holy [ bleep ]. that's you. >> that is me. >> why would you do this? >> long-time mets fan? >> yeah. since i was little, yep. mets fan all the way. >> who is your favorite player. >> dude, harvey, man. >> if he was standing here right now what kind of advice would you give him? >> i think i would say keep being awesome. i'm pretty sure that's it. >> we appreciate it.

>> thanks a lot. >> absolutely. >> wait. yeah. wait. you're matt harvey? >> yeah. >> that's pretty good. >> that's cute. i think. >> watch him tonight at 8:15. he's legit. >> is that all you got. >> listen, we got to go. >> all right. that was okay. up next the "the huffington post's" sam stein joins the table and former press secretary robert gibbs and read au gene's op-ed on the verdict in the george zimmerman case. "morning joe" straight ahead back in a moment. d's most advand distribution systems," "and one of the most efficient trucking networks," "with safe, experienced drivers." "we work directly with manufacturers," "eliminating costly markups," "and buy directly from local farmers in every region of the country." "when you see our low prices, remember the wheels turning behind the scenes, delivering for millions

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yeah. welcome back to "morning joe." look at that live look. >> you know who gave us that? >> who did? >> the french. >> you just came back from. >> stop it. eugene robinson and michael steele are still with us here in washington, d.c. it's very hot here. >> it is. >> walked out of the hotel at 6:00 and it's hot. >> you don't have the mediterranean breezes cooling you down. >> it's old. people don't believe it anymore. mike barnicle is with us in new york and joining the table senior political editor and white house correspondent for "the huffington post," sam stein. hello. >> hello. >> former white house press secretary and msnbc contributor robert gibbs with us. good to have you on board. let's get to the news. you have been doing quite a good job here. >> thank you. >> you did good. we begin with the fallout from the zimmerman verdict. in los angeles, police declared

an unlawful assembly and multiple arrests after a gathering of hundreds of people turned violent. the lapd says the protesters vandalized properties, set fire and threw chunks of concrete at police officers. one of the six jurors in the zimmerman case spoke to cnn last night about the verdict of not guilty. >> do you think he's guilty of something? >> i think he's guilty of not using good judgment. i think george got in a little bit too deep, which he shouldn't have been there, but trayvon decided that he wasn't going to let him scare him and get the one over, up on him or something, and i think trayvon got mad and attacked him. it's just hard. thinking that somebody lost their life and there's nothing else that could be done about it.

i mean, it's what happened. it's sad. it's a tragedy this happened. but it happened. i think both were responsible for the situation they had gotten themselves into. i think both of them could have walked away. it just didn't happen. >> and this tragedy, of course, frames a much bigger issue that eugene robinson writes about in "the washington post," black boys denied the right to be young and eugene your write in part this, if anyone wonders why african-americans feel so passionately about this case, it's because we know that our 17-year-old sons are boys, not men. we know how frightened our sons would be walking home alone on a rainy night and realizing they were being followed. we know how torn they would be between a child's fear and child's immature idea of manly behavior and we know that a skinny boy armed with only candy, no matter how big and bad

he tries to seem does not pose a more tall threat to an adult man who outweighs him by 50 pounds and had martial arts training. we know the boy man have threatened the man's pride but not his life. the conversation we need to have is how black men, even black boys, are denied the right to be young, vulnerable, make mistakes. we need to talk about why black men are no more likely than white men to smoke marijuana but four times as likely to be arrested for it and condemned to a dead-end cycle of incarceration and unemployment. i call this race im. what do you call it? trayvon martin was fighting more than george zimmerman that night. he was up against prejudices as old as american history. and he never had a chance. gene? >> well, you know, i started the column by saying we really shouldn't be that surprised at the verdict because i think the

system failed trayvon martin, i think it failed him the night he was killed before his body was cold, frankly, because the assumptions that the police officers made at the time was that he was in the wrong. they didn't conduct a proper investigation. they didn't arrest zimmerman or test him for drug or alcohol use. they didn't really preserve the crime scene for that long. they didn't bother to look for witnesses very hard. and so all that evidence or potential evidence that could have or should have been gathered really wasn't until six weeks later. >> and by the way -- >> you're trying to put together a case you're not going to get what you could have got than night. >> a lot of people, gene, also to explain why a lot of this didn't happen, are saying after the verdict, stand your ground really had no part in this trial. >> it sure did at the beginning. >> it did. >> it go did at the beginning and prosecutors on both sides will stay whether they're liberals or conservatives, everybody looking at this case, that wasn't involved in this

case, would say stand your ground played a huge role in the beginning and the investigator's assumption that zimmerman was not guilty of anything and didn't commit a crime. >> yeah. exactly. the idea that the police officers would come across a scene here's a grown man who says i just shot this unarmed kid and it was stand your ground and they would say, okay, fine, good night. >> and the parents were contacted for a couple days. >> they couldn't get the parents. >> it was horrible. but there was kind of -- i think there was an assumption, just another black kid who had been, you know -- who knows what he was doing but probably doing something he shouldn't have been doing and if he wasn't, we understand why george zimmerman would think he was and it's a shame. it's a tragedy. >> i always say this about republicans versus democrats and these news stories, mika, you know, what would people be saying if it were george w. bush doing, you know, such a thing with the irs instead of barack

obama's administration, and this case, and by the way, the question answers itself. the question answers itself here too. what if this were a white boy walking through the neighborhood at 17, the question answers itself. and anybody out there, that would suggest that the same thing would have happened if it were a white boy walking through that neighborhood. >> absolutely. >> is either lying to themselves or is so ignorant -- >> on crack as michael said. >> living in a different country. >> trayvon martin the defendant in this case and can we look at ourselves and our justice system and say the outcome of this trial would have been the very same? and i think that's -- that is along with the life of, as eugene says, the 17-year-old is what's lost. >> there was an outcry from the get-go, because this seemed so wrong for exactly what all of russ talking about right now, and that's why the president felt emotionally compelled to

jump in. what do you make, gibbs, of the president's statement in the past few days, given the verdict? >> well, i think -- >> it's an awkward position. >> it is in a sense because look, he is the president of the united states and anything he says or does, could be seen as coloring the justice department's review of this case and there's no doubt that he wants to give that process some space and i think he also wants to, as he did in the statement, appeal for some measure of calm in all this. but there's no doubt that this is -- look, i think what eugene writes is remarkably passionate personal and eloquent about this and what we all have to examine. >> does the president -- you know the president well. does -- has he decided -- and i think he would be right to decide it probably -- that when he comments substantially or substantively on a racial issue,

that he, rather than advancing the conversation, he retards it? in other words -- >> i'm not sure he -- >> has he decided he has to be extra specially careful -- >> again, there's still -- you know, when everybody yesterday calls for the justice department to get involved, then he is the president, has to be careful about again, giving them some space -- >> i think we were -- those of us that thought the first african-american president could start a different now, different, dialog about race, he does that by being in the white house and by the images and doing his job, but by talking, i now think it doesn't work. >> he will tell you, you know, this is not just a conversation that he has to be involved in. this isn't going to be successful unless this is a genuine conversation we're all involved in. it isn't because we have a black president we need to have this conversation. it's because, you know, trayvon

martin couldn't be more removed -- >> you said retard the conversation. are you suggesting a white president would be more free to speak on these issues than an african-american president? >> you know, i'm -- you can kind of tell, i'm kind of trying to work through that very question. >> i think maybe. >> it may be the case. it may be the case. because people get their backs up when -- you remember, you know, when henry gates was arrested early in obama's term on his own front porch and gee, the president said, gee, that's kind of stupid and boom, you know. this gigantic reaction which turned into a huge thing it was. >> something getting lost in translation here, all of this emotion that's come to the core of the debate here on trayvon, really needs to -- we need to step back in the black community and begin to have a conversation internally because we have to think about how we also project out to the broader community, acceptance and tolerance of

behaviors of situations and conditions that we should not expect others to be up in arms about. so if we tolerate the level of incarceration, poverty, and drug addiction, other things that infest in the community, without those folks, where were the folks marching for the 500 some african-americans who were killed in chicago? where were the rallies? q. where were the protests? where was the leadership's voice framing the argument that this is unacceptable in our community? so why should we expect white america to go, we'll step in and fix that problem for you. >> but -- yes. but you and i know, that there are people working in african-american communities and hispanic communities around the country every single day. >> absolutely. >> on these issues. people who organize marches on these issues. they don't get the coverage. they don't get the notoriety. people are working on this -- >> i agree. >> you have done mentoring and i have done meant org. it's not as if people are

sitting back and saying this is fine. >> we need to -- we also need to raise that level of conversation in the consciousness within the community as well as the broader society to help us begin to deal with these issues. so it doesn't happen in isolation. >> gene -- >> i'm curious to get your thoughts, why do you think, to michael's point, we latched on to this case and not another one that happened? >> you know, that's a good question. i know why african-americans latched on to this case, i think, and it's because it just seems so personal. anybody who like me has raised two sons. >> exactly. >> who have on occasion worn hoodies, you know, and who are great kids and who have grown up into great young men and we think my goodness had one of my sons been walking down that street would -- >> walking through a neighborhood, had he's walking through a suburban neighborhood. he's carrying skittles. he -- this guy who's out of control carrying a gun, a

neighborhood -- basically a barn barn barney fife, is told to back off, he continues his pursuit, says -- mutters some things that people interpret different ways, and this kid is killed, again, in the neighborhood, killed by george zimmerman's gun, by george zimmerman's bullet, because this guy looks at him and profiles him and says, these punks always get away. >> part of what made us so intrigued by this case. one, was that george zimmerman is walking free. >> and he was not charged. >> which seemed insane to anyone. the second thing, there was a set of laws that essentially concurred george zimmerman to be a vigilante and that made it seem a little bit bigger than other stories. it made it seem like it was a little bit more political than other stories. >> all right. let's go, because it's something

robert brought up, civil rights charges. mike barnicle, that justice department may put forward. "the washington post" this morning, mike, saying that is unlikely. also, pete williams last night on "nightly" said it's unlikely. you look at the fact that in the courtroom we never even got to stand your ground laws. we were talking about self-defense in the courtroom. well, the bar is even higher here if the justice department is moving forward with hate crimes. they're not going to reach that threshold if they're ever in a court of law and i would be stunned if the justice department brings a case. so you'll have people still wondering how it could be that zimmerman got away with what a lot of -- a lot of americans, millions of americans, still think was murder. >> yeah. i would think, joe, the justice department in the end would be reluctant to bring any charges against zimmerman on that basis. if a jury was unable to convict him, with all the evidence the

jury heard of either murder or manslaughter, i don't know what the justice department does. an interesting dynamic here in listening to the discussion, it's been nearly 50 years since we had what was called the kurner commissioner report that rose out of the riots and assassinations in 1968 and it basically indicated that we live in two americas. there was nearly 50 years ago. if you're a young black male, you're still living in two americas. i would submit that one of the threads in this case that is there and has now been pulled to the forefront because of the notoriety of the case is this. if you're a young african-american male or parent as gene is and gene wrote about so eloquently today, you know instinctively that you don't have the same access to a decent future as my sons do or your son does joe or your boys do. you don't have that same access

because there are going to be road blocks because of your color, there are going to be economic road blocks, there are going to be educational road blocks, and that's the discussion that we have to have. there are still two americas that access to the future that so many people feel they have, young african-american males don't feel they have that same access and i would challenge anyone who doesn't believe this, to get out of the car in an african-american neighborhood and ask the first five young men they meet to define the future. what does the future mean to them. they might talk about something, friday night i'm going to the ball game or whatever. >> right. >> go to the suburbs, go to an affluent white suburb and ask five young white males to define their future. i'm going to harvard. or i'm getting a high-tech job. it's different. >> yeah. >> certainly in my neighborhood they didn't say they were going to harvard, but anyway. >> alabama.

>> so let's pull this apart, though, what mike barnicle said, because it -- as far as opportunities go in the future, it seems to me if we're comparing today to 50 years ago, there are two americas and there are two americas whether you're white, black, hispanic, based on -- i'm dividing this up. >> yeah. >> based on income. >> if you're in the right neighborhood, it doesn't matter what color you are, so much as far as getting into colleges and there are opportunities for you, but when you go to a poor neighborhood, tougher for african-americans, tougher for hispanics, tougher for other minorities, and i think this case illustrate especially when you talk about law enforcement, you are far more likely to be presumed guilty in america if you are a young -- not if you look like you, but if you look like your sons and younger than your sons. young black man in america -- >> you're -- >> you got a target.

>> my last book "disintegration" was about the fact that the black community is not monolithic. you can't generalize and say everybody's poorer, everybody's less educated. look at prince gorges county outside of washington. the richest majority black jurisdiction in the country. light years different from right across the boarder inside d.c. in pockets of southeast where there's poverty and dysfunction and the whole sort of pathology that we -- that we have talked about for years and years. one of the things about the trayvon martin case that i think was so universal for african-americans, is that he wasn't a poor kid. he was a middle-class kid with two bright, engaged parents who were doing their best. he was in a middle-class neighborhood walking. so it really could be any of our

sons. it could be anybody. >> anybody's kid. >> and what my book was about really, was my intense concern forb the folks who have been left behind. there is a lot more access to education, to employment. it's not perfect. it's not where we should be. for my kids and for michael's kids there's lots of opportunities there weren't 50 years ago and we're much further along the road. those folks left in those increasingly concentrated pockets of poverty and dysfunction, and pathology who are in the cycle of incarceration. >> no hope. >> of unemployment, whatever -- >> what do we have to offer for them? nothing. >> but -- >> the rungs of the ladder that generations past have used to climb into the middle class, the rung of that ladder are gone. there are no jobs. >> even beyond that, i agree

with that a thousand percent, but beyond that, whether they are the young men who are an abject poverty living on the corners wearing their hoodie or a middle-class kid walking through a middle-class neighborhood at night wearing a hoodie, the one thing they have in common is they're still black. >> yeah. >> and it speaks to systemic issue within the country that as a nation we refuse to face. that is how uncomfortable we are to look each other in the eye and have a honest, down to earth discussion about how we feel about race, what we want to do about the feelings and how we move beyond those chains that still hold us to a past that we talk about we have removed ourselves from, but it's still very much a part of the either that we take in every day as we go out as our sons go out -- i tell my boys, my boys are 24 and 21. i tell them, i say, remember, when you walk out that door, you are a black man in america and you need to understand what that

means when people see you, how they look at you, how they approach you, what they think about you, and how they will deal with you because it's not the same for your white friends. it's not the same for your other friends. because -- >> we all have had that talk. >> history walks with you out that door. >> gene, you've had that talk with your sons. >> we've all had that talk. every black parent had a talk with their children, particularly their sons, for example, what to do if you're stopped bay policeman and how to act and how -- how to be -- not to be perceived -- >> roll down every window in the car, turn the dome light on. >> and frankly, it's a matter of life and death. >> think about that -- >> as a matter of life and death. >> yeah. >> it is. it is. it literally is. >> white kids go around at 12:00 at night, 1:00 at night going back to their college dorm rooms they get stopped it's one thing. your kids, you get stopped at

12:00 or 1:00 in the morning, immediately turn on the dome lights roll down all the windows because as you said gene -- >> don't make sudden moments. >> it's a matter of life and death. >> and it's like telling your kids the world we live in, in america is not fair and you have to have a disclaimer before you leave. >> that's right. >> that's the ultimate problem. that's the bigger issue around all of this. sam and robert stay with us. still ahead jeff garrlin from "curb" joins us. sure the senate is dysfunctional but at least it was able to pass recent legislation including immigration reform. is there any hope for the snous two leading men, straight ahead on "morning joe." mine was earned in djibouti, africa. 2004.

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with us now, republican representative from oklahoma congressman tom cole and representative from maryland, congressman elijah cummings. >> here to give us hope. >> oh, wow. >> right? >> that's a tall order. >> so, really quick, let's talk really briefly and then get into a lot of other topics, talking about the zimmerman verdict. really quickly, what's your take on it? >> i was very saddened by it and just telling eugene i thought he wrote the best article i have read on this issue. i got to tell you, when i talk to african-american parents the biggest fear, joe, is that their children are going to be profiled and their children are going to be harmed. black boys in particular. >> right. >> and i thought it was a travesty. while i understand as a lawyer the reasonable doubt standard is a very high standard. >> yeah. exactly. >> as eugene said, trayvon was not given the benefit of any

doubt whatsoever from the very beginning. >> yeah. >> so -- yeah. >> he was definitely profiled. anybody who says he wasn't they're lying. >> by the time it got to the court, we said this at the beginning of the case, the prosecution had an extraordinarily difficult case to make. you didn't know who was screaming. reasonable doubt is a high standard especially in those charges. so, tom, i've been talking about conservatives, at lo of the conservative sites, talkers immediately rushed to zimmerman's defense, reflectively rushed to zimmerman's defense and said we want to move beyond 6% in national elections with african-americans, we might want to just work on trying to understand what it's like having a 17-year-old son and what it's like every time that 17-year-old son goes into a different neighborhoods. >> well, i think you to -- from the very beginning recognize,

this guy didn't have any business following that kid. he should not have done it. no reason to do it. he called the police. they told him not to do it. he goes out, has a gun. what we don't know what happened in the encounter. that's where you run into the reasonable doubt standard. one thing about what happened in the incident but an incident zimmerman is not blameless. he should have never been there. and, you know, nobody should have to deal with what the families are going through and hopefully out of this really awful incident we'll look inside and reflect as a society. we have big lessons to learn here. >> big lessons to learn. let's talk about the house. you are going to give us hope? >> yes. >> going to have to change what we were saying outside. >> we were talking about -- we were talking about the farm bill and how -- i mean, you've got 60 or so tea partiers who get very

upset and they want you to, you know, reduce the food stamps more and more and on the other hand you've got the democrats who are trying to create a reasonable bill with ag and nutrition and now -- and so what do we end up with? a bill with ag giving money to subsidies to farmers but at the same time, no nutrition. that's 80% of the bill. >> well, you know -- >> that's not hopeful. >> that's not hopeful. we can do better. >> first of all, we can do better. it's not as if these programs aren't going to go on. they're entitlement programs. i would argue what we missed as republicans was the chance for real reform. we could have got somebody reductions. a program that has doubled under president obama and doubled again under president obama. there's things you can do differently and help people that need it. when we don't have a title, we're now stuck with the senate bill, not as good as what was defeated in the house, and existing law. it's going to be one or the other. >> yeah. >> if we do nothing again, the

current program goes on. so that wasn't very smart politics in my view. >> an interesting piece in "new york" magazine by jennifer senior. the speaker is mute but not unintelligible. it -- but now unintelligible. he's a conservative certainly but also an institutionalist, old-school politician that likes to do deals. he has an interest at 63 and leaving a legacy of bipartisan accomplishments behind him. his speakership of late, has become a case study in minefield walking. forcing him to balance one survival instinct against another. if he doesn't make an attempt at a serious immigration bill, he'll have almost nothing to show for his leadership but if he tries to forge a deal with the democrats and let the bill come to the floor he'll face a result from his own rather large backbench, boehner is one of the most beleaguered powerful people in washington. of course there's another powerful leader in washington who's inconveniently intraverted and allergic to conflict his

name is barack obama. >> what a formula for success. >> let's talk about the immigration bill for a second are we going to see a bill pass the house? >> well, it depends on what time frame, depends on what happens first. i've never thought this bill was going to move quickly through the house. we've got the farm bill, student loan bill, we've got end of fiscal year and debt ceiling before we get to immigration. if it happens it's going to be shaped by those four things. did we resolve those successfully in a bipartisan way. if we do you have a shot at the immigration bill before the end of the year. >> citizenship or -- >> it's got to change, obviously. i mean the senate bill, you have to remember two out of every three republicans in the senate voted no. yeah, a decent product got a little better in the process. that's why it picked up support. but, you know, legal status i think is at the heart of any bill at the end. you have to have done these other things given how low the

popular trust in the government. >> robert, it's an uphill battle as far as getting something through the house. >> no doubt about it. the the congressman said, for all of the momentum that immigration reform had out of the senate, 30% of the republicans voted for it. in order to label something bipartisan, we've lowered the bar to embrace bipartisanship. the question i have for both of you two is, i'm an old-schooler. you are too. there seems to be -- i wonder what the strategy is to even getting conference committee. these days it seems like in the old days the senate would pass some the house would pass something, a committee reconcile the differences. seems to me there's a reluctance of many in the house to be in the same room to work out those differences and i wonder how you think we bridge that. >> that's a very difficult one. and i -- sometimes i get the impression, and cole can give

his opinion on this, sometimes i get the opinion that there are some folks who on the house republican side who don't want anything to happen. who have basically placed us all in a stalling mode trying to get through this election situation and then maybe they'll do something and have a new president or whatever, new congress. i -- i'm telling you, i get so frustrated to see not going to conference say, for example, on the budget. that's crazy. i mean, not being able to pass a farm bill. i mean, the american people have got to be saying wait a minute, what's wrong with you guys? i don't know what's is, but the article you just read, is quite accurate. i think boehner is a decent man. i really do. i think -- and i think he really wants to do the right thing. but as i was telling cole, you know, when he's talking to the president, the president is saying let's work a deal and the next thing you know -- the president is always worried when he goes back to the conference,

there's 60 tea partiers saying no no no. >> let's talk about the president. do you agree with this article, jennifer senior, that the president also can be a very, very frustrating man for democrats? >> i think the president -- >> every democrat off the record said yes, he drives us crazy! you can tell us that on the record. >> they do it on television. >> they so do it on television -- they did not do it on television. your objection is overruled, counselors. answer the question. >> no, i -- first of all, i think the president tries very hard to accomplish things, but sitting on the committee i sit on as ranking member oversight, i believe that he is -- there are efforts to block him at every single -- >> i agree with that. >> and so he reaches out and they say -- reaches out and -- and every time. so i think he keeps coming and we just the congressional black caucus had a meeting with him

last week and you can tell he was really frustrated. he says, you know, for example, i have -- i have appointments recess appointments and 250 years, they were constitutional. suddenly when i became president they're no longer constitutional. >> don't even start me on the -- >> and that -- you know, i don't think the democrats are upset with the president because they know he's trying and they see it every day, the blocking that is done. >> let me offer an alternate reality. this is a president on the recess appointments who lost the case in court. he overreached. a president who routinely suspended bills. which laws he wants to enforce or not. we saw it a couple weeks ago on obama care itself. that doesn't breed a lot of trust on our side. i think -- we've had a chance at bigger deals and people recognized, debt ceiling deal, that's $2.2 trillion. the deficits is half of what it was three years ago when this republican congress came and we have something we should be very proud of there.

now, half our members have been there three years or less so they're still learning how this game is played. but they put a lot of runs on the board. i think the next six months, farm bill, student loans, again, end of fiscal year debt ceiling, immigration will decide whether or not this has been a successful congress or not. >> okay. i won't ask you if those members that have been there three years or less are frustrating to you. >> actually, it's usually guys like me that have been longer that are frustrating. you don't have any excuse. why are you behaving this way. >> congressman elijah cummings and tom coles, thank you so much. >> thank you. >> up next, there is troubling new data on childhood obesity and it's being linked to foods you might not expect. dr. nancy snyderman has the details. >> vegetables. stay away from them. >> when "morning joe" comes right back. [ dad ] so i walked into that dealer's office

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this year's national scout jamboree begins today in west virginia but don't expect to see obese boy scouts at the celebration. get this. the organization required members to go through a fitness exam including an obesity

screening. it's the first year of the new requirement and the scouts website says it will require more stamina and fitness than in years past. a scout spokesman says the group doesn't have data on how many were impacted by the new fitness standards. and there's a new study out that finds the number of kids with high blood pressure is on the rise. here's nbc's chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman reporting on this alarming trend. >> you've done amazing. >> reporter: 15-year-old eaten is on a mission to get healthy. like a lot of kids he's struggling with his weight and surprisingly high blood pressure. >> my favorite salty snacks are those little 100 calorie things of popcorn, fritos, that is my weakness. >> reporter: the study examined over 11,000 children ages 8 to 17 for more than a decade and found an alarming rise of high blood pressure, an increase of 39%.

researchers blame obesity for the increase in the number of kids with high blood pressure and they say too much salt is another reason blood pressure levels are so high. >> there's a lot of sodium contained in places you wouldn't expect. it's in yogurt, processed food, soup, even in breads. >> reporter: as for salt, how much is too much? it varies. ages 1 to 3, no more than 1,000 milligrams a day. 4 to 8 years old, 1200 milligrams. ages 9 to 50, 1500 milligrams. these are all markedly less than adding one teaspoon of salt a day. >> small changes can make a big difference. >> reporter: joanna is the medical director at camp shane. >> you want to hear music. >> reporter: where ethan is getting in shape this summer. >> i've been seeing lots of young kids with high blood pressure readings. i haven't seen that so frequently in the past. in fact, i actually sent my machine in to be checked. >> reporter: stabilizing blood pressure can prevent long-term

problems like premature heart attack, stroke and kidney disease. just the type of conditions ethan wants to avoid. he's lost 50 pounds and his blood pressure is now under control. >> the more he continues to lose weight, the more we're going to try to avoid this high blood pressure from coming back. >> all right. >> that was chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman. >> what do you think about the boy scouts saying you weigh too much. >> you can't be in the jamboree. >> so we're going to keep you from the great outdoors where you hike and lose weight. why don't you just stay in your house -- >> and play video games. >> and play video games. >> yeah. i'm just not sure if that's the right way. i do -- i agree that childhood obesity is -- i mean it's awful. i mean, you see it. >> from keeping them outdoors. >> sets the kids up for massive health problems later on and see it all around you. you can't go to the jamboree?

really? >> but to what the boy scouts said, they gave due notice. this was four-year notice. they told them for the next one you got to be in shape. we want a body mass of x. you had time to go outdoors. >> they're jumping into the conversation. i appreciate that. i hear what you're saying. up next actor and director jeff garlin standing by in the green room talk about his new film "dealing with idiots." oh, my god, sort of like my reality. >> standing by in the green room. >> he's not talking about the folks on "curb your enthusiasm" and i don't think he's talking about the set of "morning joe." kids are like sponges. they soak up everything. especially when it comes to what you say and do. so lead by example and respect others. you won't let prejudice into your home. the more you know.

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how is it going? are you enjoying baseball? >> not really. >> i'm just not good at it. >> not good. i think you're good. >> pitcher, i know where your family lives. stop brushing my boy back. >> when you were coaching, what were the parents like? were they like these idiots. >> i didn't know most of them. >> that's what's wrong with you

people. you're so involved. >> some of you know, i'm going to spend some research, spend time with you for possibly my next movie project. >> this isn't one of those you get in a room, you're so pretty, you're so pretty, i'm going to film you, take your top off, is it? >> that was the trailer for jeff garland's new film dealing with idiots. here the co-star, writer, director. jeff, i'll start off. i don't know what it is to deal with idiots. tell me about it. >> i spent my time watching my children play sports, not only baseball but soccer. the behavior of the parents, i kept on saying to my wife, why do people behave this way? this is crazy. one day i said to her, i'm go to make a movie about it. boom, there you go. >> i like it. >> were you surprised at the level of intensity and insanity

among little league parents? >> of course i was surprised. when i was a kid, maybe two, three parents showed up for a game. now, two, three parents don't show up for a game. everyone else is there. everyone else is basing whatever hole is in their life on that game. some parents are mean to other people's kids. >> you have to. >> we're talking about nine years old, eight years old, ten years old. so i can understand a kid 16, maybe there's a little more competition. >> we were talking off the air. coached all his kids, saw all of it. i grew up in the '80s, where it was true, he didn't make every game. he would commute an hour and a half from work and then come for the concession stand and some woman would scream at him for

not being on time to sell bazooka gum. >> the crazy woman with the snack bar, bazooka gum. what kind of world did you live in? >> this is literally baseball in massachusetts. >> what about the idea of parents, the 5'2" accountant from h&r block, who thinks he was once with the cardinals, can't play, never played, trying to impart his wisdom on the kids? >> well, everyone in my movie works for h&r block and they are 5'2". i don't know where you come up with this. bazooka joe, 5'2" h&r block. >> fred willard is in the film. >> fred is unbelievably funny everything he was in. every time i was with fred willard in my head, i would think to myself, oh, my god, this is fred willard. everybody else is my peer.

fred willard is one of my idols. >> joe, how would you be coaching a team, do you think? >> you've been a coach of a team. did they love you? >> i have so many stories. >> how did you treat the children? >> i treated them just like bobby knight treated his players. >> one story comes to my mind. >> let me ask a question. is eugene robinson still with you? >> yes. >> i love the way he talks. i'm going to tell you, when i coached little league, my whole team was white. there was another white coach that had a whole black team, they were profiled. all those kids were profiled. it didn't work out. >> that's actually -- >> that's pretty good. >> not very good. >> i was sitting in the greenroom, and i just couldn't

control myself. >> i'm gene robinson and i need coffee for my puppet shows. >> he's turned into the cookie monster. >> mike barnicle, coaches whose sons were made the pitchers, the quarterbacks. >> that's always the thing where the coach's son is the pitcher and nobody else will ever get a chance to pitch. it's almost like people become coaches to make sure their kid pitches, no matter what their skill level. >> you don't have to talk like eugene anymore. >> i've got something in my throat. >> so i actually -- you're talking about a story, i actually was so tough on joe --

>> your son. >> i went -- >> i overcompensated. >> i'm not sure you should tell this story. >> one day three of the players came up. and they said, mr. scarborough, could you take it a little easier on your son. >> then he went crazy on those three. >> i would always tell joe, we'd get in the car after every practice, you understand why i'm doing this? yeah, i understand why you're doing this but you didn't really have to tell me to get down on the ground and eat dirt. point taken. mike barnicle, we all grew up with that, the fathers who were coaches so their sons could be pitchers and quarterbacks and things they never would have been if their dads weren't coaches. >> that's very true, joe. one of the things i'm proudest of as a parent of seven children, three boys, i never had to teach collin barnicle how

to throw at a guy and hit them. he instinctively knew about that. >> let me tell you what's amazing about this. >> now i'm cringing. >> listen when i tell you something, the fact you had seven sons, you're a busy man and your last name is barnicle. >> tell us about your movie. >> wednesday night ic center in new york, friday night in los angeles at sundance cinemas. on demand you can watch it right now. wait until "morning joe" is over and then pop it on. >> i'm friends with susie and did an interview with her in bed. it's kind of a long story. >> it's a long story. >> she says behind your back that you're adorable. >> she would be correct. >> you're adorable. that's who is adorable. you're a big bowl of adorable. this day calls you.

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[ male announcer ] it's the car you won't stop talking about. ever. hurry in to the volkswagen best. thing. ever. event. and get 0% apr for 60 months, now until july 31st. that's the power of german engineering. good morning, 8:00 a.m. on the east coast, 5:00 a.m. on the west coast as you look at washington, d.c. it's going to be hot as hell today. eugene robinson, "mike barnicle,

jon meacham. how hot in new york? so hot in new york mike's reflector shades he uses in central park will fog up. >> they fog up usually but they are going to fog up for different reasons today. >> i know you will. i'm watching cable news channels, both sides, getting depressed. the op-ed, why is it republicans, certain elements of our party seem to go out of our way to in flame minority voters? first of all, is that a fair thing to say? why is it? i know i can count on conservative outlets to have one view, talk about how a dead boy had it coming. he was on marijuana, pot,

whatever. >> it's easier to fall into the stereotype and project that than set back and recognize that racism is part of the sinister environment african-americans and quite frankly a lot of americans have to live in. it's easier to project outward that doesn't exist. i'm not that way. therefore anyone who brings this up must be trying to stoke these flames, et cetera. i think it happens on both the right and left. i watched, as you did, to my great frustration some on our network as well as other networks stoke the flames in different directions, images of the past with no linkage at all to the case. >> why do conservatives, i'll ask you one more time, i know you're running for office, i'll ask you one more time. i only ask you this, as we move forward, i would like in my lifetime for the republican

party to get more than 6% of the republican vote. why is it all the conservative outlets we go to every day to get news on what the president is doing wrong seem to reflexively, the second something like this happens, go on the side -- >> to answer your question, it wasn't always this way. republicans used to get a huge chunk of african-american vote. now they don't. >> can we put on the table getting more than 6% is not going to happen in the next four years. even if those same voices you're alluding to, joe, had come out and were reasonable in their response as opposed to extreme in their response in some cases, there's still a heck of a lot more that needs to be done than to say something nice or politically correct in the trayvon martin case. >> i understand. it's harder today than it was a year ago. every 1,000 mile journey begins with the first step.

at least be neutral. >> it's buying to a stereotype that has culturaly been grown, particularly over the last 40 years. >> of whom? >> african-americans. they are on the dole, part of the system created. they are not going to vote for us anyway because they are bought and sold into this government mind-set. all of those things feed into this notion. then you layer on top of that the criminal justice system that indicts and dwikts disproportionately african-americans. >> that doesn't have to do, gene robinson, republicans are conservatives. >> it's buying into the stereotype of african-americans. it's buying into a stereotype of republican voters as well, of the republican electorate, which is whiter and whiter and whiter. the people stoking these flames this way think it plays.

>> i have a suggestion, just because al sharpton is doing something and you hate al sharpton, doesn't mean you help your party or your cause by going in the complete opposite direction. maybe sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. maybe sometimes conservative outlets should sit back and not purposefully antagonize conservative outlets. >> people tend not to vote for you when they think you don't like them. that's a problem. not all republicans. jack kemp personified -- jack kemp was not going to get 50% of the black vote. he was going to compete for it, convey a message that i think not only appeals to a lot of african-americans but a lot of whites and people of other color because he was about opportunity for all americans. >> you're talking about passing

of a man you knew and respected very much in the nixon administration. richard nixon got 18, 19% of the african-american vote in '62, did pretty well in '68, pretty well in 1960. 35% in 1960. jon meacham, not so long ago republicans were able to get 30%, 25%. nixon, ironically nixon was the man liberal media said was the architect of southern strategy. racist strategy nixon concocted in evil sands walking in wing tips of san clemente. this is a man that understood african-americans better than than any other republican in 50 years. >> are you suggesting something wrong with wearing wing tips on the beach? barnicle. >> wing tips with your hunting shorts. >> that worries me.

no. yeah, it was 32, 33% in 1960. it was a competitive national electorate. the iconic moment of this, as we know, lyndon johnson turns to bill moyers after he signs the civil rights act in '64, which barry goldwater voted against, a big moment in the development of the modern right and said i just handed the south to the republican party for a generation. lbj was wrong. it was for two generations. it's a more complicated political universe right now. i don't think much of the commentary as reflected that. because the nature of this kind of commentary, president obama carried virginia twice. he carried florida. we have an african-american president. north carolina. it's all more complicated than a lot of the chatter reflects. that's the world we live in. >> we're going to talk in a

minute about new polls, anthony weiner and eliot spitzer race. first i want to show this picture. it's a man you all both know, you all have both visited in kennebunkport. george h.w. bush back at the white house to celebrate his public service. >> 89 years old. >> 89 years old. >> jon meacham, i will start with you. >> the socks are the key. they are not prudent but he's given up that particular battle. >> they are dr. seuss socks. >> they are dr. seuss socks. mrs. bush in her in imtible way

he was visiting cheerleaders, rose as -- >> i'm sure he was. >> mrs. bush as the cheerleaders were leaving turned to reporters and said, you can stop the prayers. he's better. president obama's remarks -- he's been incredibly solicitous of bush 41. i think in part when he was having difficulties in hires first term, he was explicitly thinking about the example of a president who had one term but who history has vindicated in the ensuing years. he gave him the medal of freedom a few years ago and admired the kind -- the president showed. >> lets see what he had to say about the president of the united states yesterday. >> the fact you're such a gentleman and such a good and

kind person, i think, helps to reinforce that spirit of service. so on behalf of all of us, let me just say that we are surely a kinder and gentler nation because of you and we can't thank you enough. >> mike barnicle, in an age where there is so much political division, this is a man that holds together the president's club. we've heard it time and time again. bill clinton who defeated him in 1992 and didn't think a lot about him back then considers him his father now. even president obama, who is the least cluby of presidents since jimmy carter likes the man a great deal. even jimmy carter has the greatest respect for george h.w. bush. carter is a guy who doesn't play the game either. he is, as jon meacham says, the

last gentleman. >> that's absolutely correct, joe. i don't think any of us will ever meet a more modest man that has done more incredible things with his life and during his life. while he is a republican and was elected president as a republican, his larger commitment clearly is to the country. it always has been. anyone would be struck by the man's modesty. i think i told you this before, but a couple of years ago i was up in kennebunkport and sitting on the seawall outside of the home where he had spent. i asked him how many summers have you spent in this house, mr. president, and he indicated he had spent every summer of his life, he told me, in that house in kennebunkport, he said, with the exception of one when i was away. not fighting world war ii, not getting shot out of the sky over tokyo boy, when i was away.

that's the man's intrinsic modesty that he brought to his life, his service to the country as president. just a gracious, gracious gentleman. >> it seems like a perfect segue to now move to polls we have on eliot spitzer. congratulations new york city -- >> joe, you're going to answer to bar about that. >> i think knows tongue planted firmly in cheek. steadily increased his lead pulling ahead of christine quinn, 25 to 22%. does especially well with african-american voters, doubling the rest of the pack in that area. and in the comptroller's race former governor eliot spitzer barely has been in the race for a week and already leading manhattan borough president scott stringer 48 to 33%. particularly strong much men who

choose him by 20 points over stringer. among women the gap is slimmer, 44 to 42. if there's a question whether voters could stomach spitzer after his scandal, his favorability is high. financial corruption is worse of an offense than sexual misconduct. gene robinson you look at those numbers. it's like the mark sanford race, at the end of the day voters want confidence. >> us it with spitzer. >> still haven't seen it with anthony weiner. running against spinner who seems confident, spitzer who is confident, running against a good opponent. >> i think voters decided, you know, they are looking at wall street. they remember what he did in the

past. there's a sense that it's still a cesspool. you don't get a nice guy -- you don't necessarily want a nice guy to go in and clean that up. yeah, he's kind of a jerk but, you know - >> in new york in the city, especially michael steele, they are not looking for nice guys. rudy giuliani had a definite edge to him. mike bloomberg had a definite edge to him. like margaret thatcher in britain in 1979. margaret thatcher wasn't a nice person. again, i guess you were over there then, a nice person would not have been able to stand up -- >> she was followed by a nice person john major who got run over. >> this may be the greatest quote in modern british history. you were talking to margaret thatcher and what did she say about john major? >> if only he were a man.

>> can you believe that? how awful is that? >> has thatcher ever been compared to spitzer ever before? >> i think you're right. what happens, what we're seeing happen as voters, we're beginning to separate personal attributes where guys may fail from time to time and looking what they have accomplished and what they are able to get done. >> they like some serious -- >> when i look at those numbers, and i haven't been to new york, but everything you all say about eliot spitzer, anthony weiner, i think it's deceptive. multi-candidate field if i'm christine quinn and thompson i'm dying to finish two. >> coming up on "morning joe," not just the online stores keeping tabs on shoppers, neighborhood businesses are tracking customers' wi-fi connections and using video cameras to analyze what they are

looking for. implications of retail surveillance ahead. coming up next mark leibovich is with us. his new book peels back the curtains on washington and calls the carnival that connects media celebrity and power in the nation's capital, well, he basically calls it a joke. first here is bill karins with the forecast. what are we looking at today? >> the heat wave continues. washington, d.c. is the leader. not that you want to be. but the heat index value in d.c. is already at this hour 90 degrees it feels like at 8:00 a.m. can you imagine what it's going to be later this afternoon. it's very warm in all the locations on this map. d.c. and richmond are right now the highest temperatures. later this afternoon we have an outside shot that someone could hit 100 today on the eastern seaboard. for the most part we're talking mid-90s in the big cities, low 90s, ohio valley and great lakes. so this heat dome pretty much goes across much of the northern half of the country. the heat wave breaks in chicago on saturday.

you'll get thunderstorms friday. as far as washington, d.c. goes, you're in the 90s, mid-90s, until saturday. looks like sunday will be the first day you'll be back in the 80s with a little cooler weather. in other words, this heat wave is here to stay for the middle of july. you're watching "morning joe." we're brewed by starbucks. ng to be an even better company - and to keep our commitments. and we've made a big commitment to america. bp supports nearly 250,000 jobs here. through all of our energy operations, we invest more in the u.s. than any other place in the world. in fact, we've invested over $55 billion here in the last five years - making bp america's largest energy investor. our commitment has never been stronger.

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welcome back to "morning joe." michael steele, sam stein, robert gibbs. here in washington, d.c. we came to washington, d.c. to meet our next guest. he, though, has had to leave town. >> undisclosed location. >> much like mr. zimmerman, he's in an undisclosed location that

looks an awful lot like 30 rock studio. a man who will never eat lunch in this town, out with the book "this town." in it mark writes in part, this -- >> washington is one of the two or three most popular destinations in the country along with new york and possibly los angeles. for those seeking self-creation, reinvention and public purpose on a grand and national scale. people work obscenely hard, and they do it despite/because of the baggage they bring. they do it in many cases with a desperation that to me is the most compelling part of the washington story. whether now or before, it is a spinning stew of human need." >> a spinning stew of human need. >> like the media industry. >> say that five times. lets begin at the beginning.

that's a very good place to start. you start with a scene mika and i knew very well. that was the garish carnival of preening, posing and predatory at tim russell's funeral. >> that was the moment of writing this book. sitting at the memorial service for this beloved newsman. arguably the mayor of official washington. struck down in the prime of life. all of a sudden i start looking around and business cards are flying and people are trying to get booked on shows. just watching an event like this generate into a cocktail party without the cocktails was pretty striking. so i figured washington maybe had reached a tipping point of self-celebration and sort of followed the phenomenon over a four- or five-year period. here we are five years later. >> you brought the beginning robert gibbs being hounded there. robert, you remember.

you stated correctly, mika and i actually had trouble getting to our seats. mika saying, quote, a new low even for washington tackyness. mark, that's where you talk. >> washington tackyness. sorry. >> he's a writer, okay? >> i like having my face on the screen when the words washington tackyness to express for people to savor it. look, this was a moment. i went back and i interviewed a lot of people who were there just to sort of get a fuller sense of the spectacle. the larger point was it was a jumping off point into what washington has become, which is a city that supposedly was built on public service but largely given over to self-service and preening. i thought it was a seminal moment for washington but also the themes i'm writing about.

>> so you've been there 16 years yourself. >> yes. >> and you're part of this cesspool, which you state in the book, to be fair. i mean, who isn't at this point somehow attached by exactly the problem you put in this book when you, yourself, i venture to say you probably thought about how can you write about this being in it. >> a little bit. i knew this was going to be an uncomfortable book to write. it's always uncomfortable to give away the secret handshake and write about people you're going to see again. my job as journalism should be uncomfortable. it should be a lot more uncomfortable than it is, the people written about, the people doing the writing. to me this is an exercise not hispanic going on within the belt -- the book was of great interest inside the beltway but i want people outside the beltway to read it.

it does shine a light on a culture that's gotten really sort of very much -- really gotten too far away from its original moorings and has given over to self-service. >> i can see how this is interesting to people outside of washington, d.c. i've got to say being around here a long time, it's kind of like looking at your own rash. you know it's there. >> i thought you were going to say something else. >> like going to the bathroom. no, i know what my rash looks like. there's no need for me to look at it. it's right here. >> he said this yesterday except it wasn't a rash. >> it's too obvious for insiders. i would think people outside of washington, d.c., robert gibbs, would be absolutely fascinated by this town. >> from the excerpts that have been in the newspapers and "new york times" magazine, i think people will be fascinated a bit to read this. i wonder, too, mark, you say you want people outside the beltway

to really read this. what do you hope they take away and what do you hope changes about this town? >> well, look, i mean i think one thing to take away, everyone fundamentally is disappointed with washington. if you look at poll numbers about congress, the media. it's a fairly universally disliked city. i think what i tried to do was give a fuller cinema graphic sense of what the carnival has come. changes in d.c. that weren't in place 20 years ago. one, the incredible amounts of money in politics flooding bo washington. this the wealthiest metropolitan area in the country. it's home to seven of the top ten counties in the country in terms of wealth, which is a great disconnect with the rest of the country. but also the way to which celebrity and new media has transformed the dynamics of politics in a way i think people don't fully appreciate when they do this shorthand reflexive we hate washington.

so look, i'm not in the change and solution game. but i hope at the very least as a journalist i can hold a mirror to the culture he. >> so chart your own personal observations over the course of the 16 years you've been in washington from waltham, massachusetts, not newtown. >> the address is newtown. >> chart your own in terms of narcissism, self-absorption, just self-interest, the the growth of it. >> i think it's always been there but i think it's been exacerbated, one, by the proliferation of media. anyone can get a facebook page or twitter account or blog, what have you. there was a notion new media democratize everyone. everyone says washington is a tough town. yes, the egos are fragile.

i know firsthand the media, especially, is one of the most thin skinned areas of american life. >> mark, how has that reaction been? >> the reviews have been great. people seem to really like the book. that's great. there have been angry e-mails and phone calls. frankly, most of the criticism has been of the how dare you variety, meaning we're not supposed to speak about each other in this way. again, i welcome the discomfort. i'm pretty disappointed with washington. i think a lot of people are. that's what i tried to do. >> sam? >> mark, you talked about making people uncomfortable, so let me make everyone uncomfortable here. one of the big themes of the book is how the team obama people came to washington with the idea they would change it and they themselves got changed by it. i'm wondering if you can talk about how that influenced your reporting, why you thought that was a predominant theme and maybe just address it to robert. >> mark, just so you know, that

was aol's sam stein. >> i never sat on aol. >> corporate america if half of its web page -- >> it's interesting. that question does make a larger point, which is the notion washington is hopelessly divided is somewhat of a myth. people are hopelessly interconnected in many ways of the obama experience was fascinating. it really did begin in 2008 when my chronology begins. this massive change brigade, with big ideas about changing washington. the president explicitly said they failed. a very smart person is quoted in the book saying rhetorically did we change washington or did washington change us. that very smart person is on this panel right now. look, the obama administration has been sort of at the pinnacle of celebrity operatives.

they have gotten a lot of attention. obviously it's gotten a lot done. the obama agenda has been realized in many ways. not fully, obviously. i do think the notion of a changed washington was a complete myth. it was a very effective marketing strategy in 2008. i assume it was genuine then. i also think it's gotten a lot of people very, very wealthy. i think the whole circle of the revolving door this team was supposed to top has only been intensified. >> so mark, before we go, of course, don't mention any names, because i'm friends with everybody in this book. >> i used to be. >> i very, very, very interested in protecting them and protecting everybody in the club. that's just who i am. >> sure. >> you all are invited over to my house for hot dogs in georgetown. >> exactly. >> without naming a name, who -- describe the most hysterical

reaction to your book and tell us -- without naming who it is -- somebody that everybody knows who has had the most hysterical reaction. >> i'm waiting for the next book to tell that. >> don't name the name but what did they do? >> would it be a lawyer? >> no, no, no. >> i wouldn't -- i can't even begin to go there. i would say this. it actually involves, i can name a name. lenny davis, who is a lawyer, wrote me an e-mail pretending to be relieved that he's not in the book at all and then complaining he wasn't in the book at all. then in so doing that, he made himself the centerpiece of a story written about this in "the daily beast" last week. now i just said his name again on "morning joe," which is probably the highlight of his year. i think in a way in the unending

circularity of this -- >> so messed up. you just -- >> the man doesn't want to be left alone. come on. >> lenny, love you. you should have been in this book, but you sure are in this town. look at "this town, two parties, plenty of valley parking, america's guilded capital." you can read excerpt mojo.msnbc.com. mark leibovich, thank you so much for coming. still ahead, how big retailers are tracking cell phone service to keep tabs on customers. really? really? oh, my god. that's next on "morning joe." [ dad ] so i walked into that dealer's office

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38 past the hour. another hot one here in washington. it's not just the nsa gathering your private cell phone information. apparently your local department store is also getting in on the action. "the new york times" reports retail stores like nordstrom are

beginning to track its customers' movement by following the wi-fi signals. companies are hoping the new technology will give them further insight into the shopping tendencies of their customers. joining us now professor of marketing, marlene, good to have you. i get freaked out about how much of our shopping is tracked online, let alone you get e-mails back, type it in. i know all of our e-mails are being read but i'm still not comfortable with it. i know we sign onto it. this is now tracking us in the stores. they did it on video, right? track our sales with credit cards. >> they track everything we buy. >> tell us about this, wi-fi movements, what are they tracking? >> it's interesting to see how

retail -- brick and mortar are trying to mimic online traffic. they track how obvious we come in the store, where in the store we go, how long we stop in each department. >> you can track what customers are drawn to visually, where they actually feel like walking. what, those end up becoming the areas of desire for retailers to put their best products. >> exactly. affect their merchandising decisions, what they buy, how they merchandise it. you can make purchasing decisions that way and instore decisions. >> i want to bring brian shactman into the conversation. brian, what issues, what questions does this raise, do you think? >> i think it's the whole issue of freedom of wi-fi. the only way to protect yourself

if you don't want to be exposed in this, free wy guy, i one have to suck up my 3g. any other ways than that consumers can protect themselves. another follow-up. i know you won't remember both questions. where does it go in the pecking order we should be exposed by our habits. >> most people aren't even aware it's happening. you set your cell phone settings and forget to turn it on or off in your experience. you can turn off your phone or take out the battery. it is a little disconcerting that you have to go to such measures to avoid having your information be collected and tracked. you're right, i did forget the second part. >> in terms of the google certainly stuff when you buy something and you see the actual products and lasses you visited show up on the ad, that stuff is

alarming when you see how much they do know. in terms of the hierarchy what consumers would be concerned of, is this not that big a deal. >> it has a creepyness factor. not just when you go online. you feel anonymity online. it's disconcerting when you've been searching something and you see ads pop up in your feeder or google page. i don't know that it's concerning necessarily in terms of privacy and safety. it feels more invasive. >> i think it's creepy. does it work from a marketing perspective? >> in it does give retailers valuable information, things we talked about in terms of where they are and how long they stay. i don't think it gets to the deeper behavioral issues retailers might want to know. like why did you stay in this

section 15 minutes. what was it about this display that attracted you, what about the window display drew people in at a higher rate. it gives some information but not the depth of behavioral information that an online tracking system might get. >> marlene morris towns. thank you for being on the show. we were in your bedroom a few hours ago. agents weird. >> a little weird. >> not the person who said that to us which really sounds funny. business headlines with brian sullivan are next on "morning joe." stacey: my daughter zoe had her first open heart surgery... when she was only fifteen hours old. handing her over for surgery is the hardest thing i've...

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>> no. >> it's sad. nothing does compare to you, mika. the reason i bring that up, that song was number one the last time the nasdaq 100 rose 14 days in a row. we're talking april of 1990. that's where we are right now. the top 100 companies have seen gains 14 sessions in a row. you've got to go back 23 years to find a time when we have done that. right now futures indicating we might slide a little bit but hard to make a call right now, which is very sprising giving gas and oil prices. most viewers, hoarding oil, they want to know where gas prices will go. higher. next couple of weeks should see a market spike in gas prices around the country. a note on goldman sachs earnings, the company printing money. goldman sachs had a revenue of $8.6 billion, $193 billion net in come. that is up a billion dollars from the same period last year.

>> why is that? i saw that flash across "wall street journal," had a flash on that. why is business so good for goldman sachs. >> investment, banking and trading. goldman sachs, say what you want about them, right, they are still the go to bank for a lot of security deals on wall street. their net in come jumped a billion bucks. >> why is this year better than last? what's the driver? >> there's a couple of drivers driving this bus. number one, the fed. pumping liquidity, quantitative easing, whatever you want to call it. liquidity is the term we use for excess money is going to the banks. they can disperse it as they want. stock markets doing well. europe has made a comeback, japan made a comeback. securitized deals making a comeback. thank you, fed. i'll leave you this number, $268,000, that's the revenue per employee at goldman sachs. >> wow.

>> wow. >> okay. numbers. nothing compares to you, brian sullivan. >> it really does. up next, the home run derby held last night. brian shactman there for a firsthand look. that's next when "morning joe" comes back. mine was earned in djibouti, africa. 2004. vietnam in 1972. [ all ] fort benning, georgia in 1999. [ male announcer ] usaa auto insurance is often handed down

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barnicle and i were at the home run derby. hot. >> hot but great. in a way better than the all-star game. >> in a lot of ways, i'm amazed how hot it was, didn't have air conditioning for the media, everybody wants a piece of these guys. but despite all that, they still managed to have a little bit of f fun. at citi field in the middle of the summer and in the middle of a brutal heat wave, this is the hard part. but after talking, sweating, and waiting -- >> i think the only time we're actually able to breathe during this ordeal is once we take the field. >> this is the best part. >> i'm from the same hometown.

>> to be here, man, it's unbelievable. >> you get a moment on your own to reflect. came from your hometown, being in the derby, being in the game, can you put it all together. >> it's very surreal. it will sink in a few days from now. just trying to enjoy it, soak it in second by second. >> welcome to the clubhouse. it's kind of like a family reunion. you're around some of the best players in the game. >> everybody wants a piece of you. it's super hot. how do you enjoy it the way you seem to enjoy it. >> you've got to enjoy it. before you know it, it's over. >> enjoy it while you can. my mom always told me, somebody

is going to ask for your autograph, so you might as well enjoy it. >> being with my boys, that's what it's all about. that's what makes it fun for me. >> make a decent catch out there santino caught his first flyball. coming up next, what, if anything, did we learn today. [ jen garner ] imagine a makeup so healthy your skin can grow more beautiful every time you wear it. neutrogena® healthy skin liquid makeup. 98% of women saw improvement in their skin. neutrogena® cosmetics. 98% of women saw improvement in their skin. every day we're working to and to keep our commitments.

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welcome back to "morning joe." you're not allowed to stand. bring it down. bring it down. >> if it's too early, it's "morning joe." >> it is. >> it's way too early. lets stick around first. we've got to talk to mike barnicle. mike, what did you learn today? >> i learned jeff garland is a very, very funny man. in addition to doing impressions of gene robinson, he does all of us, and it's spot on. >> brian, what did you learn? >> takes guts to write about the town you live in. mark leibovich. interesting to see how the book goes brf the man will never have lunch with davis. >> jeff garland's impression of

gene robinson was not spot on, like the cooke monster. >> what did you learn? >> trayvon martin case opened up wounds you need to heal. >> listening to you and gene talk, so many of us live in a completely different world and have no idea what it's like to be african-american parent with teenager boys sending them out into the night, and the day, to go to school or somewhere. it's unbelievable the conversation you had. what did you learn? >> i learned there's something wonderfully not right about jeff garland. he's not all right. >> it's way too early, it's "morning joe." stick around now because going to "the daily rundown" with luke. >> luke. okay. >> after the verdict, reaction continues to unfold as attorney general eric holder makes his first public comments on the decision ahead of the draft in