live for us at the white house. what more do we know about this, kelly? >> reporter: this came about during the annual physical checkup the former president has at his doctor in dallas, texas. what we are told by aides is that during the exam there was a discovery of a blocked artery. what we don't know, were there any symptoms? anything leading up to that? that, we don't know. what we can say about the former president is he has maintained a very rigorous physical activity. he is known for cycling and doing a lot of cardio exercise so that makes this even more surprising in some ways at least from a layperson's point of view. he hasn't had any other complicated medical issues. mostly it's been scrapes from falling off bicycles where he's had treatment in the past and issues with his knees. so what we learned is that he went this morning into a procedure, not open heart surgery, nothing like that. a stent procedure which can be done through an artery where a stent is placed in, the blocked artery to open it up and that

resumes the blood flow. what we're told is that he is doing well. he's in high spirits. he will remain in the hospital today but is expected to be relieved tomorrow and aides say they think he can resume his schedule on thursday. i happened to see the former president about three week, ago in texas. he looked well then. said he had been doing well, feeling well. so this does come as a surprise. what we don't know, did he have any symptoms or was this something that simply was noticed on perhaps a stress test as a part of his physical exam that he takes every year? those details we don't have. but he did offer a suggestion to all of us to get our regular checkups. thomas? >> kelly o'donnell at the white house for us, thanks. we bring in dr. noah rosenthal in cleveland. good to have you here, doctor. let's talk about what we understand about what happened with the president and the fact there was a blockage and artery in his heart. for for a lot of people they willnd what a stent means but for those who don't know, explain what it

is. >> a stent is a slotted metal tube. the job is to muscle a blockage out of the way. i'll show you a video sort of. hand, balloon. open, move your blockage out of the way. >> how would a patient in this situation we know is only a blockage in one artery what would be the common symptoms, if at all, that a person might recognize where a blockage was happening? >> typically, symptoms begin with exertion. if he was exercising, riding a bicycle, noticing shortness of breath, maybe mild chest pains or sometimes each just worse fatigue than previously. >> in the operation itself, not very invasive. explain how that is done. >> we usually numb up either the wrist or the upper thigh and tiny catheter is placed that is narrower than the diameter of a pencil lead. it goes up to the heart. we inject dye into the arteries

and take pictures with x-ray. >> the recovery time for something like this? >> so if there is no stent put in, usually go home the same day. for precaution sake, we usually wait one day if we put a stint in and go home the next morning. >> for patients out there and like president bush, obviously, we all recognize he is in physically fit shape for a man of his age but is this indicative of any type of onslaught of on going problem so when this happens it means b and c will happen but this is of itself that the one stent will do the trick and never an issue again? >> it depends on what the rest of the vessels look like. from what i've seen this seems to be an isolated blockage. if most americans it sort of raises awareness and a better focus on eating, making sure lifestyle modification, exercise, not smoking. >> as kelly o'donnell had said the president is in good spirits and reminding everybody to get their checkups. doctor, thank you for joining

us. appreciate it. >> thanks so much. >> absolutely. topping our agenda today. the u.s. military is flying government workers out of yemen. new security barriers have been set up outside the u.s. embassy in sanaa as they evacuate 100 nonessential personnel from the country. americans living there were told to leave immediately. the state department is concerned about the threat stream indicating potential for terror attacks. nbc news has learned the u.s. intercepted a message from al qaeda chief ayman al zhu war her -- zawahiri. republican congressman peter king who is a member of the homeland security committee and intelligence committee was on "morning joe" today. while he wouldn't get into the specifics of the plot he said it was very real. >> this one was so precise to the nature of the attack. dates given in there.

the sources so credible that to me no doubt -- >> all of the attacks overseas, right? all of the threats overseas? no domestic threats? >> no. the threat could be anywhere in the world. >> richard engel is joining me now. what do we know about al zawahiri's role in all of this? it's a name we have heard a lot of before. >> reporter: multiple sources have told nbc news that ayman zawahiri took over from osama bin laden gave the order for a series of attacks and assigned his most effectivivee ivive ivin

to do this. the attack was intended to take place on the night of destiny which was on sunday. it is the holiest day of the holy month of ramadan and it is a day that is used -- been used in the past by al qaeda and other militant groups to try to inspire their followers that if they are going to do it during ramadan they may as well do it on the holiest day. the question is, obviously, that attack didn't happen. when do you dial back? do you wait through the end of ramadan which is going to come just in a couple of days? do you continue this level of alert through the holiday which is the feast which follows the months of fasting of ramadan? so i think right now, we are seeing precautionary measures because we don't know when to stop this thing and when does the threat expire? maybe it doesn't. >> richard, thanks so much. i want to bring in democratic congressman adam shift of california, a member of the intelligence committee. sir, good to have you here. we reported earlier that nbc news learned that the u.s.

intercepted a communication between these two top al qaeda leaders indicating they wanted to plan an attack to coincide with this past week's islamic holiday. what more can you tell us about that or if there are multiple threats and players at work here? >> i can't say any particular intercept or conversation but i can say this about the al qaeda affiliate in yemen. it is probably the most dangerous of the lkal qaeda affiliates we have seen. the core of al qaeda which zawahiri represents. when you look at the affiliates around the world, many of them have a very local focus. so for example syria occupied fighting bashar al sad. al qaeda affiliate in somalia trying to take back parts of the country there. but of all the affiliates, al

qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap has never lost sight of trying to mount continuous bombing attacks of our airliners. they have one of the most capable bombers in the world. why the threat emanates from yemen as it does here, we are so concerned and taking all of these precautions of evacuating personnel. it's not just the united states or allies are also evacuating their personnel and closing their embassies because the attack could be on the u.s., it could be on our allies. we are taking this action because this is the most lethal of all the affiliates and we have good reason to believe this is an actable plot. >> you said yesterday that people commenting on this threat they were being sloppy about those comments. are you worried too much information is now getting out there and trying to raise attention and understanding of what is going on? is that a big worry that the public doesn't have a specific or doesn't need to know the specifics? they just need to know that

something could have happened? >> i am very concerned about it. if the reports are correct about intercepted communications between zawahiri and al siree that could be damaging because they will try to figure out who is in the line of communication? what electronic sources they may have used. so that is very damaging if that is, in fact, true. similarly talk about this program might be useful or that program may have been used or this technology. none of that should be discussed while there is an ongoing threat to the country. it's one thing to look back five years later and say what plots did this particular program, was it utilized, discovered in terms of evaluating whether those programs are successful and useful or not. to talk about it when it's not necessary in terms of the public safety because we are taking the actions of closinininininininin

>> this is just really woken everybody up to recognizing as we talk about al qaeda being decimated they still have the muscle to get a reaction of the united states. in a post ben ghazi world this is what they want, isn't it? >> i think so. we touted the fact we did a good job eliminating degrading al qaeda but that is only the core of al qaeda. at the end of the day because we have degrade the defendant so badly it is fragmented which means if we want to destroy it we have to do it in piecemeal fashion and that is more difficult. >> why don't we get more focused on yemen? we have had nothing but problems with that country. let's go over some of the issues with the plot originating including the underwear bombing

plot of '0 9. we lost 17 americans in the "uss cole" bombing in 2000 and that happened when they went into a port there in yemen to refill. they have been a hot bed of terrorist activity for over a decade. why do we continue to kid ourselves it's not a bigger concerns? >> we are kidding ourselves. there is a political component to that and operational component to that. any time you attack an enemy in any country you need the assistance of the host country which is one of the reasons we are closing down the embassy in yemen. they are failed state and they can't guarantee the fate of the embassy so we are closing it down. if we attack al qaeda and arabian peninsula and we need the help of the yemeni government and we will not get it because they can't take care of its own business. >> the state department, talk

about exactly what is going on in yemen. issuing a warning. civil unrest there and warning all americans living in yemen about this and done that evacuation of nonessential personnel a hundred or more air-lifted out of there. saying this was not an evacuation of an emergency -- right you're rolling your eyes. not an evacuation of an emergency but they are just taking this -- taking the ride out of there and going to an air base to be safe. >> it only happens in a place like that. richard engel talked raised the issue how long is it going to be before we -- >> right, it could expire. >> it could. i think a lot of embassies in middle east will go back to business in relatively short ofed but order but a place like yemen we will see reduced operation or

outright closure. >> what a good looking tie you have on. >> not my choice. >> we give the credit to your wife. >> i'm fighting for my life. i have to defend myself. if i don't defend myself, no one else will. >> a-rod suspended but promising to go down fighting. also said founder of amazon to buy "the washington post." what does that mean for the floundering legacy of the paper? the panel will weigh in on that. yes! one phillips' colon health probiotic cap each day helps defend against these digestive issues... with three strains of good bacteria. [ phillips' lady ] live the regular life. phillips'.

the beach on your tv is much closer than it appears. seize the summer with up to 50% off hotels at travelocity.

there's a new way to fight litter box odor. introducing tidy cats with glade tough odor solutions. two trusted names, one amazing product. my electrolux french door refrigerator gives me a lot more entertaining possibilities. with features like the perfect temp drawer that has a wide variety of temperature settings, i can store anything from desserts to deliciously fresh seafood at the ideal serving temperature. so everything is perfectly fresh. tonight i'm using the just the two of us setting. electrolux. be even more amazing. see the electrolux kitchen and laundry appliance collection at the home depot today.

yankees slugger alex rodriguez is not going down without a fight. his 211-game suspension officially begins on thursday but he will continue to play

while the appeals. for the first time since october he joined his teammates for a game at chicago's cellular field last night but no sympathy from the crowd who booed had gone his first at-bat. emotional a-rod addressed the media and had this to say. >> i want to express to you guys and the fans of baseball that the last seven months has been a nightmare, it has been, you know, probably the worst time of my life. i'm fighting for my life. i have to defend myself. if i don't defend myself, no one else will. there's a process. i'm happy the process in due time hopefully, you know, whatever happens, happens. >> joining us is dave briggs of nbc sports network. it's been amazing to watch. he says it's. the nightmare of his life but given the details that would be made public during the appeals

stage, should a-rod be fighting? because he will then need to directly answer the stesk questions of did you juice? did you cheat? >> right. well, questions that he did not answer yesterday but he clearly did not deny using performance-enhancing drugs. he simply said there will be a time and a forum to discuss that. but is he fighting for his life? that is a tad melodramatic for any of us and a game he hasn't played all year and i don't think he'll get the fans sympathy. should he appeal? absolutely. i think the only avenue he has. he not fighting for his life but he is playing for his career. if he allows that suspension to take place right now, he comes back in 2015 missed two years and he is 40 years old and his career is over. this is his time. 50 games not to just get the appeal in order but more importantly for him to prove he can still play the game so there is a chance of him coming back at age 40 and probably, in my

estimation, catching on with a different team unless, of course, he tears it up right now which would be a surprise. >> other than tearing it up right now, which would help maybe balance the card a bit, also with the appeals process help with that as well? i mean, we know the money that is at stake here but it's his reputation. fans were booing him openly halftime nig last night in chicago. when he gets back in new york it will probably be worse. >> i don't know if it will. i think friday when he comes home there will be boos but a portion of that stadium that is happy to have him back as ultimately they want this team to be in the playoffs and mediocre as he is right now he helps make that team better and gives them a better chance getting in the playoffs. >> that sonel if he plays well, right? if he doesn't play well that is part of balancing the cards. if he stinks. >> if he plays like we saw him last postseason striking out 12 out of the last 25 bats the

booing with will only get worse. wait until you see him on the road other than chicago. a lost nastier receptions. i think this appeal built in the fact he is probably going to miss next year. he knows what the evidence is. he said last night that he has seen it all and his team has seen it all. i think he knows this will probably be the most of next year. so this is him playing for that. not just 61 million remaining on the contract after next season, but him having any chance to continue his baseball career. >> so much attention goes to a-rod specifically because of the player that he is. the caliber of player he is. for baseball as a whole there are 12 other uncontested suspensions. is this a brighter day for what it means to play in the big leagues moving forward and the onus that is going to be on the players about what the league is saying? >> i think it is a positive step. it's a positive day by some respects. when you look at other baseball players on other teams are not

standing up and defending these guys. they are not defending a-rod, they are not defending nelson cruz or any of the others. they are saying we need to clean up this game and get these guys out. one teammate of johnhonny peral max scherzer said we think the guys should be penalized even harder. those 12 guys are a-rod's biggest problem, in my opinion. not just the evidence. you've got 12 guys who just said i just suffered millions of dollars in losses, hurt my reputation and missed 50 games. they legitimatize tony bossch and all of the claims against a-rod. those 12 guys are the biggest problem for a-rod in arbitrat n arbitration. >> dave briggs, thanks. his show kicks off on august 1th at noon on nbc sports network. the trial of the ft. hood shooter begins today in texas. what will the defense of himself mean for the survivors of that shooting. exconturning honorary police

officer. one man's amazing life transformation. we talk to him coming up. if you've got it, you know how hard it can be to breathe and man, you know how that feels. copd includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. spiriva is a once-daily inhaled copd maintenance treatment that helps open my obstructed airways for a full 24 hours. you know, spiriva helps me breathe easier. spiriva handihaler tiotropium bromide inhalation powder does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms. tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, glaucoma, trouble urinating, or an enlarged prostate. these may worsen with spiriva. discuss all medicines you take, even eye drops. stop taking spiriva and seek immediate medical help if your breathing suddenly worsens, your throat or tongue swells, you get hives, vision changes or eye pain, or problems passing urine. other side effects include dry mouth and constipation. nothing can reverse copd. spiriva helps me breathe better.

does breathing with copd weigh you down? don't wait to ask your doctor about spiriva. i'to guard their manhood with trnew depend shields and guards. the discreet protection that's just for guys. now, it's your turn. get my training tips at guardyourmanhood.com to fly home for the big family reunion. you must be garth's father? hello. mother. mother! traveling is easy with the venture card because you can fly any airline anytime. two words. double miles! this guy can act. wanna play dodge rock? oh, you guys! and with double miles you can actually use, you never miss the fun. beard growing contest and go! ♪ i win! what's in your wallet? humans. even when we cross our "ts" and dot our "i's",

we still run into problems. that's why liberty mutual insurance offers accident forgiveness with our auto policies. if you qualify, your rates won't go up due to your first accident. because making mistakes is only human, and so are we. we also offer new car replacement, so if you total your new car, we'll give you the money for a new one. call liberty mutual insurance at... and ask us all about our auto features, like guaranteed repairs, where if you get into an accident and use one of our certified repair shops, the repairs are guaranteed for life. so call... to talk with an insurance expert about everything that comes standard with our base auto policy. and if you switch, you could save up to $423. liberty mutual insurance -- responsibility. what's your policy? still running in the morning? yeah. getting your vegetables every day? when i can. [ bop ]

[ male announcer ] could've had a v8. two full servings of vegetables for only 50 delicious calories. major hasan case starts today. he is representing himself. the trial is tough for survivors who will now be cross-examined by hasan. >> i will not show fear in the face of an enemy because the man who shot me, major hasan is the man who going to be cross-examining me and that is a huge challenge. >> charles hadlock is live for us in texas. i understand hasan has spoken out in the courtroom this morning. what did he have to say? >> reporter: they had the opening statements today from the prosecution when outlined

the case from hasan. methodically going through exactly the time frame of all the killings that happened. 13 soldiers were killed, one civilian and 23 others wounded. at the end of the opening statements the judge asked hasan if he had an opening statement. he said, i do. he spoke for about 20 seconds basically saying he was fighting for the wrong side and switched sides, and he and fellow soldiers made mistakes and he apologized for those mistakes. that is paraphrasing. they took a break and returning now to the courtroom. this case has been lingering in the military courts for three and a half years. it's cost the military about $5 million to prepare for this, including providing hasan a trailer here at ft. hood so he can prepare for his trial. he's being held in the bell county jail which is a few miles from here.

he is flown by helicopter each day, that is adding to the cost, of course. he is making a salary. he has been paid over $300,000 since the shooting began. >> nbc charles hadlock reporting for us outside of ft. hood in texas, thank you. still ahead "the washington post" sold. the agenda panel is going to weigh in what it means for the legacy and future of the historic newspaper. next we will talk about what it means to all of us and i want to get your response to today's big question. the end of an era of "the washington post" or the modernization of new media? we are all fas snatcinated so wt to hear from you. silence. are you in good hands?

[ male announcer ] you wait all year for summer. ♪ this summer was definitely worth the wait. ♪ summer's best event from cadillac. let summer try and pass you by. lease this cadillac srx for around $369 per month or purchase for 0% apr for 60 months. come in now for the best offers of the model year.

the ones getting involved and staying engaged. they're not afraid to question the path they're on. because the one question they never want to ask is "how did i end up here?" i started schwab for those people. people who want to take ownership of their investments, like they do in every other aspect of their lives. end of an era. is the massive deal to buy "the washington post" a sign of what is to come for journalism? grassroots rising.

organizers planning to take on congress in their home states over immigration and a lot more. steve bennett is here with us and carman also joins us along with vivian. gang, great to have you here. vivian, i want to play donald graham, the chief executive "the washington post" talking about the deal of selling the historic paper. let's take a listen. >> we knew we could keep the post alive. we knew it could survive. but our aspirations for the post had been higher than that so we went to see if we could find a buyer who would do a fair deal with "the washington post" company for that is fair for their shareholders but also have opened the possibility of a better future for "the post." >> a better future for "the post." at the helm is jeff bezos who is

able to reinvent retail. do you think an opportunity to reinvent modern journalism with this purchase? >> i do. i think we needed an informed citizen for this. the way journalism has been going, the economic pressures brought on by the advents of technology and competitive and fragmented landscape means that a paper like "the washington post" and others is competing. it's just one voice amongst so many others. what you do need is that vibrant journalism that is going to hold the people in power accountable. that is really what we are here to do. you also not to not only be aware of the new economic business model but how are going to do outreach and engage new audiences such as minority and youth? >> let's talk about the old business model. operating loss of $49 million

the first six months of 2013. that is staggering in and of itself. what more do we know about the newsroom, the thought of the newsroom of itself. was there reason for cautious optimism hearing about this? i think it caught a lot of people by surprise. >> i think it's an open question. i think what is clear the public ownership for new models is not working. "the washington post" had a revenue stream and now it is free from the pressures of the market. if you look at journalism as a public interest, if you think about it as being like museums which need support from the public, this could be good. i think there are legitimate concerns. >> make it sound like such a relic like a museum and need support from the relic. like visit the old bones of newspapers. >> yes, but here is somebody infusing fresh life into it. it's possible he'll come up with a new model. i think there are concerns. there are concerns, for example, about amazon's labor standards that are very legitimate. very good investigative reporting about it but maybe now he will fund more of that kind

of investigative reporting. >> is this the nonstory for the regular american public and something juicier for media types, is looking at the reasons behind why a jeff bezos wants to own "the washington post" in a company town? >> sure. "the washington post" is fundamentally one of the most important news organizations in the world. it's been that way for many decades now. it struggled of late and falling on hard times in terms of its finances. but if this investor can come in and right its ship and get it back on track, the impact it could have on journalism is hard to understate. this is an opportunity for "the washington post" to kind of regain its heavyweight status and if it were to fade that would be bad for everyone. >> i think it's exciting. we will wait, you know, reserve judgment on exactly what they are going to do. do you think the pay wall is going away? the "the washington post" pay wall? >> i would love that personally.

it would save me money. i think in all likelihood my fear is that will become the new norm at all of the dailies and sticking around. >> normally, august is the new slump month but a lot of news especially with that. vivian, let's turn to what is happening with the august recess. it is a new slump because everybody goes home and returns to their district and we remember the scenes from years past, the angry outbursts that happened at town halls and looks like grassroots groups are headed out to the lawmakers and their town hall meetings this month. when we talk about the grassroots efforts what is on the ghanagenda? >> some of my sources in washington tell me it's going to be really interesting really for a lot of the gop. they are going to be wishing they could go back to the days when just the activists showed up at their congressional offices with cantaloupes. the activists, dream coalition.org which is a dreamer, advocation plan to

attend meetings and began yesterday. a couple of things are going on here. they want to show a face and be any kind of a counterpoint to any immigration opponents. and my gop strategist friends here in washington tell me they really want to keep it focused town halls on obama care and any uncertainty that is coming with the october rollout. if any of this immigration opponents coming out like we have seen with representative steve king, the immigration advocates will this there and make their voices known. >> some tea party members will pay tongs to the town hall meetings and other conservatives compiling lists of different town halls taking place across the country. could we see things get heated while everybody is at home? i think in a lot of these cases we are talking about a small group and who can shout the loudest. we saw so many images of

residents shouting in the face of lawmakers. now i think we have seen protesters in north carolina, texas. we could potentially see more in august across the country. swing districts few left and may be representatives who will listen to voters when it comes to crucial votes on immigration reform. >> how do you think this time period for lawmakers to go home and regroup, come back fresher for the fall especially getting off passed only 22 things this year what do you think is the first foot step of business when they come back? >> there's so much to do on this to do list. obviously, immigration reform is a top issue that congress has to get to. two of the things i'm keeping a close on is the budget fight and possibility of a debt ceiling crisis and congressional republicans said raise the possibility they will start

hurting the country on purpose unless the white house meets their demands when it comes to social security cuts and medicare cuts. congress is not doing its job of late and here is hoping when they hear from their constituents they will come back and ready to work. >> thank you for joining me today. follow the link to my name and we will be right back. asional have constipation,

diarrhea, gas, bloating? yes! one phillips' colon health probiotic cap each day helps defend against these digestive issues... with three strains of good bacteria. [ phillips' lady ] live the regular life. phillips'.

breaking news. out of pennsylvania right now, take a look at these images. a planned landed on a highway -- a plane landed in washington county near pittsburgh and happened a short time ago on route 43. there are no injuries that have been reported. you can see first responders are on the scene and traffic on the left-hand side of your screen still moving. it's just a small maybe two-seater plane there but coming to a final resting place

on the highway itself. we don't know exactly what caused any type of technical issue with that plane to come down. no issues with that plane landing there, just wild images. jewel heist we picture cary grant and grace kelly but in the south of france it is a crime. today lloyd's of london announced $1.3 million reward leadinging to the arrest of a gunman who held up three security guards and manager and two jewelers to walk off with 136 million worth of jewels from the carlton hotel in cannes on july 28th. as authorities work to crack the case, the man who served more than a decade behind bars for a 15 million dollar robbery is about to become this nation's first ex-con sworn in as a

police officer. along with lake st. louis police chief mike forest. great to have you both here, gentlemen. larry, i want to start with you on this, because when you hear about that jewel heist, is there a little ting in you that gets excited to hear that someone was able to achieve that big of a get, $136 million? is there a small part in thaw responds to that? >> well, i think that i could have prevented it, thomas. i think that maybe they read the book and i hope they didn't, but there is more to that whole story. as i said on other networks, that was more than just one guy doing that robbery but i don't get excited. i really get excited by helping the police departments like i o now. >> how were able to make that switch from jewel thief to life coach. >> i had my bottom in prison. everybody has a different

bottom. then when you find people who work with you like police chief mike morris and the lake st. louis replied is where the turnaround really comes. >> when we talk about this turnaround, it's gotten the attention of lake st. louis and the police force there as you point out. we have the chief with us. sir, you're doing the honors next week swearing in larry as this honorary police officer. what redeeming qualities about you find in a crafty jewel thief bha that would allow you to give him this position? >> it's a great question, thomas. we hooked up with larry when we became aware of his program. i went down to florida and vetted that program. you know, we see far too many youth, young people who enter the system and just get caught in a revolving wheel and never get out of the system. larry's program offers an alternative to that and maybe a way for us to keep some young people out of jail.

>> also is it because, as a career police officer, so, you know, people would say you're conditioned to think like a cop. larry had the ability in a former life and kind of thinks like a criminal. is that an asset to you? >> well, i think so. larry has an amount of credibility that he brings to his program and young people that we as police officers just don't have. when he says this is the way it is, people kind of have to listen to that. >> they do. they got to take it as the word of gospel. larry, what kind of feedback are you getting from these kids? i know your dvds are in police cruisers. do they question whether you should be hanging out with them? >> i have that question. as i say to young people, if you have a problem, do you call 911 or 411? they all say 911. with that said, they need the police.

what we areoing here lake st. louis breaking down the us against them mental it's when you have chief in a police department that is all for helping people, i'm really hoping more law enforcement agencies jump on board that, to use something that i'm trying to give to these agencies and it's experience. nothing beats experience, thomas. >> one thing i want to point out is the reality check program is used by the federal government in its weed and seed program. next month, both of you will be recognized for your collaboration on the floor in washington. chief, could you imagine the program would be this successful? >> well, as you say, thomas, i've been in law enforcement a long time and i'm frustrated, as many law enforcement officials are, with our lack of ability to respond to young people who start to get into trouble. they come into the system and

kind of get in that resolvivolv wheel as i said. they learn to become criminals and we have no alternatives for getting them into that system. if we can intervene in that early on, i think we can make a real difference in our life. when i see a program that has a success rate of 90% of young people do not go to jail as a result of going through the program, i count that a very good success and a very good success for our community and hopefully many communities. >> larry, for you, again, being recognized for this collaboration on the floor, congress as well getting the honorary officer title, that has got to be tremendous and mean a lot to you. >> you know, it's very humbling and very -- i'm so honored to be working with these guys. and it took a lot. you know, like you said beforehand, people come up to me and say do you really want to work with the police when you hear the negative? i'm trying to bring out the positive. a lot of positive in law enforcement. if the community sees an excon

and police can work together i think this can really green lets show congress we can work together and how big it can get and i really believe that. >> congratulations for all of your success. larry, the next time we see you, we have to call you officer lawton, right? >> thanks for having us on, thomas. appreciate it. really do. >> absolutely. take care, gentlemen. today's producer's pick was a team decision. munford and son spoofing themselves with the help of a few famous faces. take a peek. ♪ left a cloud in mind and heavy heart ♪ ♪ but i was sure we could see a new start ♪

taking on spoof there. check rest of it by heading to my facebook page. ♪ my insurance rates are probably gonna double. but, dad, you've got... [ voice of dennis ] allstate. with accident forgiveness, they guarantee your rates won't go up just because of an accident. smart kid. [ voice of dennis ] indeed. are you in good hands? i'to guard their manhood with trnew depend shields and guards. the discreet protection that's just for guys. now, it's your turn. get my training tips at guardyourmanhood.com

bjorn earns unlimited rewards for his small business. take these bags to room 12 please. [ garth ] bjorn's small business earns double miles on every purchase every day. produce delivery. [ bjorn ] just put it on my spark card. [ garth ] why settle for less? ahh, oh! [ garth ] great businesses deserve unlimited rewards. here's your wake up call. [ male announcer ] get the spark business card from capital one and earn unlimited rewards. choose double miles or 2% cash back on every purchase every day. what's in your wallet? [ crows ] now where's the snooze button?

so we asked and you answered today's big question being, "washington post" sale -- the end of an era or the modernization of new media. michelle said hogwash on end of an era. it is dea from court -- newspapers are a dying breed. ruben -- too early to tell. i hope bezos follows the leads of those newspapers. the fast food workers in major cities across the country have been walking off the job demanding better play from employers like mcdonald's, burger king or wendy's. while these multi-billion dollar companies aren't giving in to their demands for a living wage

of $15 per hour, a newburgher joint just outside of detroit, michigan is rising to the challenge. they are paying their workers a minimum wage of $12 per hour. that's almost $4 more than the minimum wage in michigan. joining me, allen fisher, managing partner of moo cluck moo. i just love that name. you have about a dozen employees so far and the average wage, $14 per hour. if we look at the cost on the menu there, hamburgers start at $3, soda, $2 with free refills. your projected annual sales are between $700,000 and $800,000 so how are you able to afford the higher wage? >> we believe that the people are where it is at for us. we believe in paying our people right because that's what -- it's just the right thing to do. we manage our costs effectively. we use the best product that we can afford and we pass that

along to our employees. in working at moo cluck moo, it is not an easy job to do. we demand a lot out of our people but we pay them for that. thomas, we also have a training program that is exclusive to moo cluck moo where each person can qualify for a better job and, along with that better job comes a higher pay rate. we also provide uniforms, meals, and we're looking at rolling out our medical benefits program here pretty quickly. >> it seems like you've got people that are invested in the business model itself. with that kind of work philosophy. we look at what the associated press has interviewed a worker in new york, living costs are higher. starks supplements his income as a second job as a security guard earning about $8 an hour.

he needs food stamps to survive. he goes on to say it is horrible to know when i pick up my mcdonald's check it is going to be less than $200. specifically for you, are there any industry lobbyists who are angered at the seeing what you are doing in your business model, then that is used as an example to go up against these bigger boys like mcdonald and wendy's and burger king? >> you know, thomas, not that i'm aware of. we're kind of isolated here in dear born heights and doing our small little thing outside of detroit. i understand that the cost of living is much higher in new york. we just figured it is the right thing to do. let's be honest. the top 20 fast food restaurants in -- grosd, brought in $117 billion last year. there's got to be room for a few dollars here and there for the employees. i just don't see that that's impossible. >> you would think. they need someone like you.

thank you, sir. congratulations on the success that you are seeing there. wish you nothing but the best. that's going to wrap things up for me. i'll see you back here tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. eastern. "now" with alex wagner is next. >> thomas, i just want to hear you say moo cluck moo. >> moo cluck moo. >> again. there you go. >> i just tweeted this at you. but as if i need another reason to like a place named moo cluck moo. >> pretty awesome. >> good story. we are following the latest developments on the health of former president george w. bush. president obama heads to the backyard of scorpion eater and finger wagger arizona governor jan brewer. we will discuss the intersecting agendas of the president and red state governors with panelists jonathan capehart, howard fineman, and nbc's ayman muhyeldin gives us the latest on the drone strikes in yemen. what do "the boston globe"

and news have in common -- uncertain futures. we'll discuss this week's big media shakeup when "now" starts right after this. [ sneezing ] she may be muddling through allergies. try zyrtec®. powerful allergy relief for adults and kids six years and older. zyrtec®. love the air. lookin' good, flo! feelin' good! feelin' real good! [ engine revs ] boat protection people love. now, that's progressive. call or click today. that's a good thing, but it doesn't cover everything. only about 80% of your part b medical expenses.

the rest is up to you. so consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement plans, they pick up some of what medicare doesn't pay. and save you up to thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs. call today to request a free decision guide to help you better understand what medicare is all about. and which aarp medicare supplement plan works best for you. with these types of plans, you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients... plus, there are no networks, and you'll never need a referral to see a specialist. there's a range of plans to choose from, too. and they all travel with you. anywhere in the country. join the millions who have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement insurance plans endorsed by aarp, an organization serving the needs of people 50 and over

for generations... and provided by unitedhealthcare insurance company, which has over 30 years of experience behind it. call today. remember, medicare supplement insurance helps cover some of what medicare doesn't pay -- expenses that could really add up. these kinds of plans could save you up to thousands in out-of-pocket costs... you'll be able choose any doctor who accepts medicare patients. and you never need referrals. so don't wait. with all the good years ahead, look for the experience and commitment to go the distance with you. call now to request your free decision guide. this easy-to-understand guide will answer some of your questions, and help you find the aarp medicare supplement plan that's right for you.

they meet again on a tarmac in arizona. it's tuesday, august 6th, and this is "now." president obama is en route to arizona right now but we first want to update you on some developing news. former president george w. bush is recovering at a dallas hospital from a heart procedure he underwent this morning after doctors discovered a blocked artery during his annual physical. the operation successfully placed a stent in the artery to open the blockage. the former president says he is in high spirits and will return to his normal schedule on thursday. we'll continue to monitor the story as it develops. turning now to presint