now, keep in mind, it is true that for our national security, we've always got to look and make sure we're dealing with our deficits and our debt. our economy is strong. that means the military will be strong, if our economy is weak, that weakens our military. but our deficits right now are falling at the fastest rate in decades. we've cut them in half. and they keep on moving in the right direction, in that context, congress needs to agree on a responsible plan that reduces our deficits but also keeps our military strong. also invested in education, also invests in research. also invests in our infrastructure. that's what you deserve, that's what your families deserve, that's what i'm fighting for, and that's my commitment to you. keeping our military strong

requires something else. that's taking care of our extraordinary wounded warriors. here at pendleton, you're doing outstanding work. for those who can, we want to get our troops back to where they want to be, back with their units. for those who traumatic brain injury, we're going to keep making unprecedented investments in new care and new treatments. for those suffering from post traumatic stress, we're going to keep saying it as loud as we can. it is not a sign of weakness to ask for help. it's a sign of strength, and we're here to help you recover and stand tall again. we've got to make sure we're doing everything we can for our wounded warriors, and i'm pleased to see the hospital here is making progress. that's going to be an outstanding new facility. that will be helpful. keeping our military strong also means insuring the safety of everyone who puts on the uniform.

no military unit can succeed without discipline, without trust, and without cohesion. so i want you to hear it directly from me, the commander in chief. it undermines what this military stands for and it undermines what the marine corps stands for when sexual assault takes place within our units. and that's why we are going to work together, all of us, to stop these crimes of sexual assault and uphold the honor and the integrity that defines the finest military on earth. and that message is coming all the way from the top.

keeping our military strong means keeping our military family strong. michelle and vice president -- the joe biden's wife, dr. joe biden, they made this their mission. and because of their efforts, joining forces, more americans are stepping up to support your families. and that includes more companies hiring our talented military spouses. after everything you've done for america, every american ought to be doing something to support your families. as this time of war ends, some of you will be taking off the uniform and returning to civilian life. and just as we gave you the tools to succeed on the battlefield, i want to make sure

we're giving you the tools to succeed in the next stage of your lives as well. so we've improved transition assistance to help you find the job that's worthy of your skills. we're helping you and your families pursue your education under the post-9/11 g.i. bill and making sure instead of off, schools that give you the education you paid for are being held accountable. we're making sure more states and more industries are recognizing your military skills with licenses and credentials you need for a civilian job. when i first came into office, i was meeting medics who had been treating folks on the battlefield and when they went back to school because they wanted to be a nurse, they had to start all over again at nursing 101. and here they are, dealing with some of the worst injuries possible. and they're not getting any credit for it, which means costing them time, costing them money.

we're changing all that. if you have done the job on the battlefield with bullets coming at you, you can sure as heck do the job back here in the united states of america. then we issued a challenge to the private sector. and so far, america's businesses have hired or trained 290,000 veterans and military spouses. and they have committed to hiring hundreds of thousands more. so more vets are finding jobs. the unemployment rate for vets is coming down. and we're going to keep saying to every company in america, if you want somebody who knows how to get the job done, hire a veteran. hire a veteran. your generation's carried us through this time of war. well, you're going to help us write the next great chapter in

american history. right here, at home. today. matt is one of our marine special operators. he and his team were in afghanistan cleaning out a compound and then in a terrible incident, an ied took both of his legs. matt survived. and soon he had a new mission -- getting back to his unit, back to his team. once a marine, always a marine. so matt endured excruciating rehab, therapy that could last all day, month after month. rebuilding his strength. recovery was slow. taking his first shaky steps on

short prosthetics, then a new anywhere of knees, then full legs taking him back to normal height. stepping forward with two canes. then just one. then none. learning to walk again. learning to run. in his uniform, then his body armor. and then just 18 months after he was injured and lost both legs, matt, a double amputee, returned to his unit and redeployed to afghanistan. for a time, matt even served as team leader. and today, matt and his company are preparing for their next deployment, to the pacific. his wife camille also a marine,

is working to become a test pilot because matt says she likes to fly aggressively. and this inspiring marine couple is looking ahead to serving their country for many years to come. thank you so much. so much. like matt and camille's throughout our marine corps. in semper fidelis. that's the ethic of your lives. always faithful. always faithful to each other. the few and the proud.

always faithful to your corps, for 237 years. always faithful to your country, for whom you wear the eagle, globe, and anchor. after all you've given to our nation, you have to know your nation will always be faithful to you. as your commander in chief, that's my commitment to you. that's the commitment america must uphold to you and your family for all the years to sempher phi. g god bless the marine corps, and god bless the united states of america. >> we've been listening to the president speaking at california's camp pendleton. thanking troops and their families for their service. that their courage

illustrious history. to the marine corps is a final stop on a two-day west overhaul of the mortgage system. the president also said the united states is never going to retreat from the world, and he reserved some severe criticism for the sequester that has cut a sway through the military, even closing camp pendleton's commissary for one additional day per week. he spoke of the troops' faithfulness and said that this nation would always be faithful to them. we'll continue to watch the president as he bids those troops farewell, but let's get to our panel. in atlanta is contributor goldie taylor, and here with me in new york is msnbc political analyst michael eric dyson. >> goldie, you're a former marine. if i can, i would like to play you something the president said just minutes ago. take a listen. >> i want you to hear it

directly from me, the commander in chief. it undermines what this military stands for and it undermines what the marine corps stands for when sexual assault takes place within our units. and that's why we are going to work together, all of us, to stop these crimes of sexual assault and uphold the honor and the integrity that defines the finest military on earth. and that message is coming all the way from the top. >> there you had it, goldie. he said that message is coming to you from your commander in chief. no tolerance for sexual assault. >> sure. three words, ooh, freaking rah. marines are excited about that

notion. i mean, there were a number of my sisters and brother in the marine corps who endured those kinds of tragedies. it has a huge negative impact on troop readiness, on troop cohesiveness, on the kinds of tools we find necessary to fight on behalf of the greatest nation on the planet. so i think the president is our commander in chief. and it is his role, his role to show that kind of leadership, and i think he did it today. one thing i will note is you didn't hear silence from marines when he said that. you heard a round of applause longer than anything other thing he said today. so certainly things that we care about as marines and i think it's reflected in how the marines respond. >> and i noticed that myself. he said safety, discipline, trust amongst the military are essential. and he said i'm telling you, this is vitally important. he is absolutely serious about addressing this terrible issue, isn't he? >> he is indeed.

and i have not heard a single president speak to this issue before. and i'm just proud that this president decided to step up and step out and that we have leaders in the senate like kristen jill abrand and others who are standing strong on this issue even when others would like to see it go away. i'm glad the president put it back on the forefront and he had a lot to say about a lot of other things, about us being responsible and accountable to our troops who put their lives on the line day in and day out for our liberty. >> indeed, he did. professor dyson, the president's speech talked about the troops and diplomatic personnel facing threats overseas. it's a profound reminder of the many americans in our country who put their lives on the line for our nation, and we owe them, as the president said, our profound honor and our respect. >> absolutely. the debt of gratitude we all play to those who make sure we have the freedom to exercise our

expression, to exercise our faith, to exercise our liberties, are predicated upon the ability to do so without what the president referred to as this vicious form of terror. and he also spoke back by saying we will not be terrorized, that we will not give the satisfaction of evoking the emotional response that terror is meant to evoke. say, to make people feel out of sorts, that they have no control over their lives, that they will not go about their duties as they see fit. there was a defiant tone in his assertion, and also his commitment to the military, not mouthing alone, but also in terms of resources. he made a poignant and i think sharp critique of those who claim to love the military and our men and women who serve us, but when the rubber meets the road and when it's time for thin. said, we say we stand with our

military, but then when it comes with that. >> exactly right. i mean, he drew a sharp line in there. soldiers know, i'm on your side. i'm not just talking. i'm walking the walk. if not explicitly, challenging those on the other side of the aisle and those who would withhold those attach all kinds of riders to bills to stop playing games with the very people who provide the the measure of freedom we're able to enjoy. >> and goldie, a final question to you. manner, was referencing the embassies, 19 in fact, over recent days. and in making that point that the united states is never going group of people who are frightened, he was reminding the world that purely precautionary. cowardice

action of caution. marines are first to fight, not retreat. it was the right thing to do. people, push back on the president to cowardice, to call this political something like edward snowden, that this is part of the snowden effect i think is short-sighted and dangerous. making matter what we have to do about that. he puts the onus on marines and others to make sure we're on the ground when ready. >> professor michael eric dyson and goldie taylor, and goldie, marine. the president winner take all economy.

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the president engaged in an online interview today to answer questions about the future of the economy, but it was the very last question, one submitted by a school teacher, that may best sum up the fears of those striving to become and remain within the middle class. take a listen. >> jennifer writes in, she says, i'm a high school teacher in north carolina. i get paid so little that i can't afford my own apartment. the rent here goes up every year, but i haven't had a raise in years. a fixed mortgage would be more consistent than rising rents, but i don't have the job stability. what advice would you give to

someone like jennifer and how can the government help? >> the first thing i would say is teachers need to get paid more. >> it's that problem of growing income inequality in america that has been a theme of the president's recent speeches over the last two days and the facts bear out the message. koog to one 2010 report in 20 of the richest nations in the world, the united states is the only country apart from japan to report a fall in median disposable income in the first decade of this century. worst, this same report found be it in income, literally, and poverty, the united states ranked in the top five of the most unequal nations. as if summing up that report, one economist has written this. the united states is privately rich but socially poor. it caters to the pursuit of wealth but paid scant attention to those left behind. and though american culture

emphasizes individualism and the pursuit of individual wealth perhaps more than any other society, that focus does not lead to greater happiness. and we're delighted to welcome the author of those words, professor jeffrey sachs. professor, the president has said in several speeches that income inequality must be one of washington's highest priorities. my question to you is, which policy approach? is it taxation? is it investment in infrastructure and education? where do we start to just start addressing this issue of inequality? >> the system is completely rigged. the income is going to the top, people in the middle are falling. people at the bottom are barely hanging on. >> all the statistics prove it. >> the system is rigged for the powerful interest groups. it's rigged for wall street, which not only takes home unbelievable amounts of wealth and causes massive destruction,

but then gets bailed out trillions of dollars when it does so. it's rigged for the health care industry, which is by far the most expensive in the world. jennifer, the school teacher, pays health care bills that are completely out of sight compared to any other country, and of course, there are people who are on the beneficiary end of that, these companies that make a fortune, that are completely out of sight. it's rigged for big oil, and the fossil fuel energy industry, and it's rigged for the military industrial complex. i was a little sorry to see some of the verbiage of president obama now about how the budget cuts can't go to the military and so forth. you know, that's very nice when you're speaking in front of the marin marines, but the fact of the matter is we have spent trillions of dollars on these tragic, wasted wars. the president should have said that. well, he said this is glory.

unfortunately, these were horrific, mistaken wars and we spent trillions of dollars and that burdens all of us because we end paying the price for that. >> i want if i can for you to focus on u.s.-russian relations. the president has canceled his private meeting with mr. putin because of what happened in regard to edward snowden. it got to the point where jay leno is asking about the relationship. do you think this is a temporary impasse because we know that the president, when he was inaugurated, decided to reset relations with the russians. initially, there was some agreement around nuclear arms and reduction treaties, but where is that relationship now given that he's cancelled this personal meeting? >> i was sorry to see this cancellation. i think it's a little bit exaggerated to think that you spy on the rest of the world, and then you expect the rest of the world to cooperate very nicely with you. after all, what the nsa defense to the american people is, is

we're not really spying on you. we're spying on everybody else, and then we say to the rest of the world, well, you've got to be with us. it doesn't work. and this is what's happening. so i'm of the view that snowden pointed out something that, you know, was important for the american people to know. but the rest of the world says, what is going on here? this massive surveillance. >> but we know that outside of edward snowden, there are other big issues that this nation seeks and needs the support of russia. we think of syria as a massive problem, a humanitarian disaster. as i said earlier, nuclear power. do you think the president was right to cancel this private meeting? >> no, no, i think the president should sit down and they should meet because they need to talk about these things. and the russians have some intelligent things to say about many of these issues. our position on syria, in my view, doesn't make sense, because we say, well, bashar has

to go, just has to go, but there's no means to do that, so we're dragging on this terrible violence which is leading to the deaths now of 100,000 plus syrians without a strategy. so working with the russians, maybe we could get a better strategy. there was supposed to be a peace conference, in fact. my view is sit down and talk and listen for a change, and don't just make demands on one side. >> professor jeffrey sachs, thank you so much. i should have mentioned your new book, which is entitled "to move the world, jfk's quest for peace." a marvelous book i have read and encourage our viewers to read. when we come back, the fear and loathing of reince priebus. we offer a warm glass of milk, a soft blanket, and a friendly proposal to the chairman of the rnc, in a moment. [ male announcer ] if you've run out of tissues and considered other things...

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i think it's just about time our party stands up and protects the party and our candidates from networks that are not in the business of promoting our party. they're not in the business of promoting our candidates. >> believe it or not, that was the chairman of the republican party's national committee. a man you would think charged with spreading his party's ideas to as many people as he can reach. but now, in his unmistakable tone of pertinacious wihining, e has decided if two different networks decide to make two films about hillary clinton, mr. priebus will refuse to allow nbc news and cnn to participate in any forthcoming presidential debates. before we address mr. priebus' core argument and aside from the petulance we wouldn't tolerate from our 3-year-old children,

it's also worth noting the absence of self awareness and utter hypocrisy on the part of the rnc chair because mr. priebus delivered his censorship plans not from a non-partisan platform but from the video booth of his party's favorite network. the one that plays a role in selecting candidates. the one that helped shape the political narrative that they want to sell. the one place where even a hapless and hopeless candidate like mitt romney was assured of an easy ride on a weekly basis. that's where mr. priebus chose to announce his plan to sensor other networks. but aside from this, mr. priebus is also exposing the level of his unmitigated ignorance because he seems to think that dramas and documentaries are always complementary. now, if you'll forgive me for being self rev ngsal for a

minute, i myself have made a few landmark documentaries and the record speaks for itself, and they were not entirely complimentary. of course, what mr. priebus knows about film making could be written on the back of a postage stamp along with the apostles creed, yes he still has the audacity to cast aspergzs on filmmakers who going about their duties with diligence and integrity. but the real problem for mr. priebus is neither a drama or a documentary, but the abject caliber of the candidates witnessed in the debate last year. we saw individuals like rick perry, who was so well prepared for government, he couldn't even remember which departments he wanted to close. we witnessed the spectacle of a republican nominee, apparently bowing at the feet of racist bigotry because somehow mitt romney thought having a birther like donald trump on site would help his campaign. and who could forget herman

cain? the candidate who could so easily target a woman for apparent sexual harassment, but had so much difficulty when it came to locating libya. you see, the real problem for the chairman of the rnc is not that his candidates were given too few opportunities to express themselves. but that they were given too many. and that's why mr. priebus wants to sensor certain networks. but i have a personal proposal i would like to put to him. if he's so bothered about a democratic candidate being given too much preferential coverage, then here's a possible solution. mr. priebus should agree that every republican debate will be aired on this network and chaired by this network's anchor, chris matthews, and every democratic debate should be featured on fox news with fox news anchors at the helm. then there would be no censorship, no abridging of the first amendment.

though i suspect that if republicans put up the same standard of candidates as they did last year, then the result will be exactly the same. and mr. priebus might well be relieved of his duties. stay with us. the day's top lines are next, featuring plenty of summer nostalgia as the president sits with jay leno, and moderate mitt, yes, makes his triumphant return. [ whispering ] uh! i had a nightmare!

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healthy skepticism, here are today's top lines. they were nihilists, dude. >> when you realize your stupidity is getting in the way of conservatives winning national elections. you're not a republican. you're a nihilist. >> you're a nihilist, man.

>> huh? >> they kept saying they believe in nothing. >> are you guys dysfunctional? >> nihilists. >> i had one guy who was particularly out of line. >> just about time our party stands up. >> we duct taped his head. we didn't hear from him until it was his time to talk. gave him three warnings and then wrapped him up. >> for your information, the supreme court has roundly rejected -- >> late tv to talk about national security and other tough issues. >> we should have a healthy skepticism about what government is doing. we don't have a domestic spy program. >> it was a softball interview. >> the odds of people dying in a terrorist attack, obviously, are still a lot lower than in a car accident, unfortunately. >> not going to get the hardball questions he might get from sitting down with bill o'reilly. >> are you optimistic about america? >> yes, i am. >> right now? >> oh, right now? >> he would have about 15

follow-ups to that vague answer. >> i'm always optimistic about america. >> what is next for the mountain biking president. >> do you want to keep losing? >> what i wanted to explain is why this was a particularly sensitive topic for african-american families. >> all presidents in recent time have done these shows, starting with bill clinton playing the saxophone on arsenio hall. >> i see a bromance between you and john mccain. you had that quarrel for a while, and now you're best friends. >> that's how a classic romantic comedy goes, right? >> let's get right to our panel now. joining us is krystal ball, and abbey huntsman, also my cohost on "the cycle." welcome to you both. cri krystal, it was described as a softball interview. was it that softball? >> it was definitely not such a softball interview. actually, it was kwiequite nuzz.

it covers trayvon martin and the economy to nsa, edward snowden. it was important because the president actually hasn't said a lot in public on some of those issues. and he obviously wants to use this format to talk to a lot of people who maybe aren't loyal msnbc or even fox news viewers who like this format and it's an easy way to connect with a broad section of america. >> right, abbey, the president's old pal, mitt romney, was also making an appearance last night. this was before the new hampshire republican committee, a much smaller room, perhaps. he did mention a, quote, growing gap between the wealthy and those who are not, as something he's now concerned about. is that the same mitt romney who dismissed half the country as being feckless free loaders less than six months ago? >> i don't think so. it's a different mitt romney. we have seen a number of mitt romneys, but i think the mitt romney who spoke last night is more of the real "morning rush." he also spoke out -- spoke to a

number of members, republicans in the house. >> he was being more real when he was being listened to and knew he was being listened to, rather than when he didn't think he was being recorded? >> i think the problem is running an election. you see john mccain when he was running for election, you see a different version than the mccain today. you see a different version than the mitt romney from today. the one we're seeing today is one that would have played better in the general election. i think he believes what he is saying last night. i think he made a number of other points to the republican party, in terms of, guys, let's not be insane. let's not do things that are not ultimately going to be good for the country, ultimately good for the party. >> eason to say now that he's not running for anything. >> why didn't he say that last time around? >> and didn't require a whole lot of critique. he's also been a mirror. whatever audience he's in front, he tries to pair what their thinking is. this is a wealthy group from new hampshire who probably agreed with what he said.

>> here is something i want to put to both of you because one of the reasons mr. romney was talking to activists in new hampshire rather than leno is voters were turned off on the so-called war on women, and fox contributor erick erickson tweeted this about texas state senator wendy davis. it is a bit embarrassing that abortion barbie doesn't even have her facts straight on kermit gosnell considering abortion is her issue. what do you think of that as a reaction? >> i'm going to take one from joe scarborough. it's stupidity. this is the last thing the republicans -- >> when you use the word stupidity. that suggests irrationality, this is an educated, highly articulate man describing wiend davis as an abortion barbie. >> he knows how offensive that is. he's going for that. he wants the people to get excited about that and rally behind him.

what he clearly doesn't care about is the future of the republican party who doesn't have a future with women, and that language isn't going to invite women into the party. it's offensive to see a tweet like that sent out, and i hope it doesn't continue. it's frustrating. >> we should remember that erick erickson is the same person who tweeted a link to wholesale coat hanger retailer after the restrictive abortion law passed in texas. so i think abbey is right. he wants to be inflammatory, and the other aspect of this is, as soon as wendy davis burst onto the scene, there was a lot of commentary about how beautiful she is, and that was taken as a negative, like this woman can't be serious and powerful and this beautiful, and there was an attempt to say she had plastic surgery, and his abortion barbie comment goes to that, that you can't be attractive and powerful and smart. >> thank god we have both of you to disprove that. thank you, we'll have you back soon. >> coming up, an overseas terror

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as american embassies and consulates throughout the middle east and africa remain closed, yemeni officials claim they have thwarted an elb rat al qaeda terror plot. for more, i'm joined by richard engle who i believe is in -- where are you, richard? >> caller: i am in cairo. you don't know my name, where i am? i think i'm just going to unplaug right now. >> please do. i apologize. based on what we now know, was this terror plot that the united states concerned about, was this potentially one of many planned attacks or a single plot? what do you think? >> reporter: well, what we have been told by numerous sources is what the yemenis are claiming may very well be legitimate. they said they foiled a plot by

al qaeda to take over and destroy an oil and gas refinery on the arabian sea and take the workers inside hostage. a brutal kind of attack, similar to the one that happened earlier this year in algeria, if you remember that. now, that may have been in the works. the yemeni government said about the same facility that a plot was under way in june, so this facility does seem to be in al qaeda's sights. but what we have been told is this is not the reason that the united states went to such elaborate lengths, closing embassies and consulates around the world. they are still closed. that it was something that had a more international scope that caused that warning. but i think it gives you an indication of the way things are in yemen these days when you have a major plot reportedly unfoiled, reportedly stopped, and you have officials saying, yes, that's true, but there are so many other plots. that wasn't really the one we were worried about.

not a good sign about yemen. >> indeed, and briefly if you can, richard, switching gears to egypt. how is the visit by senators john mccain and lindsey graham being received? >> reporter: like a lead balloon. it was not well received by the government. on the front page of many newspapers today, it said the united states should effectively butt out. that this is an intervention into egyptian affairs. the government took it as a threat, almost, that john mccain and lindsey graham came here and started talking about a coup. this is the government, i say the government, the one that is backed by the military, that threw out the government of the muslim brotherhood candidate, the muslim brotherhood president, mohamed morsi. the president also didn't appreciate the visit. they said a similar line, that this was intervention into egyptian politics and the brotherhood is frustrated as is the egyptian government because they're getting mixed messages

from the united states. first we had secretary of state john kerry saying it wasn't a coup. the military intervened to carry out the will of the people. then you have another envoy, john kerry, saying it is a coup. so people don't know what the united states wants, don't know what kind of games it's playing with egypt, and they're very frustrated. >> richard engle live for us in cairo. >> now you got it right. >> thank you so much. coming up, today's edition of while you were resetting. featuring a congressman who came home to a bankrupt city. t, dad,. [ 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?

welcome back to another installment of a segment we call while you were recessing. as members of congress left d.c. last week, they hoped to leave behind the frustration and chaos, but for some members, it's at home where the real frustration begins. michigan democratic congressman garry peters returned home to his district of detroit, a city dealing with bankruptcy,

crumbling infrastructure and an unclear future. not exactly a formula for rest and relaxation. i'm delighted to say the good congressman has joined us now. good afternoon, sir. >> good to be with you. >> you lev washington and returned to detroit where there's a highly contested mayoral contest going on. how are things in detroit right now and what next for that great city? >> i'm glad you say great city because it really is a great city. we certainly have some challenges now, and the one story people are talking about is the bankruptcy, but i think it's very important for folks to know there are a lot of stories about detroit and the greater detroit region. we have an incredible talent in this city, hard-working people, entrepreneurs and if you just think of the intellectual talent in this area, we have more engineers per capita than any other region of the country. we have folks who are creating new jobs here. we've got a downtown that's bounding back. we have people investing in it. >> you have? >> we're focused on the future.

>> allow me to let you listen to senator rand paul, who spoke about the potential for the government bailout of detroit. take a listen to this. >> there is a way in an economically depressed zone to have some tax forbearance, reduce taxes, encourage businesses, encourage people to come in and take abandoned property. there are ways we could do it in a republican fashion, but i will not be for borrowing any money from china to try to bail out detroit, particularly if they continue the same policies. >> he went on to say that detroit simply needs to elect some republican leaders. is that the solution? >> it's not the solution at all. i want to be clear that no one is asking for a bailout in the city of detroit. we're focused on the future and looking at resources that any other major city can get. we want to compete for that money and invest it, and there's ways in which we're starting to transform the city now. we have a light rail project that's going to start this fall that will, i believe, transform

the downtown area out to midtown. many positive things happening. we've just got to be focused on the future. >> you're confident about the future for that great city? >> well, i am confident because there's so many wonderful people in this city that are willing to roll up their sleeves, work hard, who believe in the future of detroit, and are going to make it successful. we're going to be doing it in public/private partnerships that are already starting to show success. that's the story that we need to tell about detroit. >> representative garry peters, we extend our good wishes for your efforts as well. good luck with that, sir. >> thank you so much. appreciate it. >> thank you. we'll be right back. [ male announcer ] research suggests cell health plays a key role throughout our lives.

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thanks so much for watching this wednesday afternoon. and indeed, every afternoon. "hardball with chris matthews" is next. shutdown warning. let's play "hardball." >> good evening. i'm chris matthews. washington, let me start tonight with this. the wild right is readying its attack. the ted cruz wing is about to make its run for an historic takeover in the party in which it has made its home. each day, the far right is building his strength