to fight for working class americans. >> good to have you with us. that is "the ed show." "politicsnation" with reverend al sharpton starts right now. good to have you. >> thank you, ed. good to see you. thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, the kamikaze part. the tea party fueled gop is on a mission. threatening to push the nation head first off the economic cliff. they're vowing to shut the government down over the new health care law. even though it will help millions of americans. some house republicans are so reckless that today the conservative wall street journal warned the tea partiers to stop what they're planning. quote, kamikaze missions rarely turn out well, least of all for the pilots. this ruthless plot comes five years to the week that a

financial meltdown almost triggered a second great depression. now president obama has a stern message for lawmakers bent on manufacturing a new crisis. >> we cleared away the rubble from the financial crisis and we have begun to lay a new foundation for economic growth and prosperity. the idea of reversing that progress because of an unwillingness to compromise or because of some ideological agenda is the height of irresponsibility. after all we've been through the past five years, after all the work those americans have done to come back from the depths of a crisis, are some of these folks really so beholden to one extreme wing of their party that they're willing to tank the entire economy? just because they can't get their way on this issue? are they really willing to hurt people just to score political

points? >> the answer, mr. president, is yes. and that's the ugly reality of today's right wing republican party. they are willing to hurt people to score political points. no action on a jobs bill, massive cuts to food stamps, give aways to the rich, attacking the poor. all at a time of record inequality. >> even though our businesses are creating new jobs and have broken record profits, the top 1% of americans took home 20% of the nation's income last year. while the average worker isn't seeing a raise at all. in fact, that understates the problem. most of the gains have gone to the top 1/10 of 1%. >> now it's time to focus on the 99%. we've come too far to let these kamikaze threats send the economy crashing down again. >> let's stop the threats.

let's stop the political posturing. let's keep our government open. let's pay our bills on time. let's pass a budget. let's work together to do what the american people sent us here to do. create jobs, grow our economy, expand opportunity. that's what we need to do. >> that is what we need to do. no more threats. no more brinkmanship. just get something done for the people. joining me now are congressman jim mcdermott, democrat from washington state. and michelle cottle. thank you both for being here. >> good to be here. >> congressman, today even the conservative wall street journal is warning republicans against shutting down the government. i mean, what are you hearing? is speaker boehner listening to the journal? or to the tea party at this point? >> at this point i think speaker boehner has lost all touch with reality.

he is really cottoning over to the tea bag folks and they are just running over the cliff. and they cannot stop themselves and it's hard to find anybody on that side making any sense. they have promised us inflation, promised a collapse of the economy. all of these things have not happened despite their best efforts to destroy the president' plan for recovery. >> what is the reason for this congressman? i mean, is this good politics? what is the incentive for them doing this? something so dangerous in terms how it will impact the american population and american public. >> it's all politics, al. they don't want the president to succeed at anything. the worst succeeding would be if obama care worked. because they know that the american people want that, and they need it, and they are afraid the president's going to

get it to them. i expect them to roll out another attempt to undo obama care between now and the first of october. they can't help themselves. they are really out of control. >> michelle, the personal politics of some of them on the far right, does this hurt them when we hear the wall street journal say kamikaze, does that mean a kamikaze on their political career or kamikaze for their party and for the nation in general? >> well, it's kind of split. you have a certain segment of the house republican conference that was basically elected to stop obama care. and they're in safe districts. they were sent to washington to do whatever they need to do to tank this. and they'll probably be fine, but the party as a whole has a problem here. even talking to republican pollsters, they've been doing surveys on this sort of thing

and are very nervous. i talked to someone who was going to go to the hill and spread his findings this was going to be a disaster for them. he said it is one thing that could turn obama care from a win to the republican party to an absolute loser. >> the president has been very tough warning republicans on this shutdown. listen to this, congressman. >> you have some republicans in the house of representatives who are promising to shut down the government at the end of this month if they can't shut down the affordable care act. i cannot remember a time when one faction of one party promises economic chaos if it can't get 100% of what it wants. >> congressman, what happens if they do this? i mean, can they get away with this? >> al, these people who are talking about shutting the government down are so ignorant of what the government is all about and what it does for

people, they don't understand the daily chaos that they're going to create for their own people, their own people are going to turn against them when they can't come to washington and go to the national parks or can't get in the aerospace museum or they can't get 1,001 pieces of paper out of the government. when you stop the government, you are stopping everybody's life. with the sequester, they have been killing medical research. they've been slowing it down, turning it off all over the country. they don't understand what the long-term effects of that are. and unfortunately they're just ignorant. that's the only word for them. >> now, michelle, what is very, very alarming to me is the language of all of this. lawmakers for both parties voted to bail out wall street, but many on the right attacked the idea of helping out regular americans. i mean, suddenly all of a sudden

it's a giveaway when the government helps regular americans. listen to this. >> self-reliance means if anyone will not work, neither should he eat. >> to the giveaways, the reckless spending -- >> get government out of the business of fostering dependency. >> free markets. not government dependency. >> expanding the dependency class in america. >> i mean, five years ago this week, the banks started getting money from the government. and so when banks and major companies who in many cases did things that caused their problems gets money from the government, it's a bailout. it's a handout when regular americans get money. this language of division and this class distinction is very troubling and to me un-american.

>> well, you do see a certain segment of the republican party that does really kind of believe in that makers versus takers division. and whatever you're doing to help the makers, you know, the big companies, the job producers, whatever, is okay because that's going to spur the economy in general. you know, there's a political wing of the party that really kind of gets behind that. but as a broad based message, it's more problematic. i mean, a lot of people just turned on mitt romney with that whole 47% thing and said, huh? what are you talking about? >> congressman, rush limbaugh responded after the president mentioned yesterday that the economy shrank by 8% after the financial crash. listen to rush. >> now, i don't know about the economy shrinking by an annual rate of more than 8%.

that -- that -- folks, we wouldn't be talking recession. if that were happening, if that had been happening, i mean, that -- there's no way. annual rate of more than 8%? that -- that -- my gosh. we would have had soup kitchens, soup lines. there's just no way. >> but that 8% figure, congressman, the president didn't just pull it out of thin air. it's from the bureau of economic analysis. it's a fact. the way -- i mean, they're in denial. the way they're trying to win the argument is by creating their own facts. and you can't make up your own facts, congressman. >> that's the thing that's most troublesome here. they can say anything on television and nobody corrects them, but the facts are that people see is the economy is gradually recovering in spite of

all their efforts to stop the president. the president had the bailout bill back in 2008. and we -- most of that money went to the top of the banks. it didn't go to the people. and the fact is that the economy is recovering in spite of the efforts of the right wing to take him down. they simply don't want him to come out of this in one piece. they are going to do everything. and it is not going to work. it's not going to work. they'll close it down maybe for a day or two, but they'll be right back up because they don't want to lose the bond rating. >> i'm going to have to leave it there. thank you both for your time. >> thanks, rev. >> thank you. coming up, more on the house gop's kamikaze mission. why would they do it? we'll talk to tea party congressman mick mulvaney and try to get some answers from him. and eric cantor and the gop

set to gut food stamps this thursday. and we're learning just how they'll do it. plus the right wing is now attacking water, yes, i'm not kidding, america. why rush limbaugh slamming michelle obama's drink water campaign. also what's on your mind? e-mail me. friend or foe, i want to know. reply al is ahead.

have you joined the "politicsnation" conversation on facebook yet? we hope you will. today our facebook fans had a hard time swallowing the conservatives' attack on first lady michelle obama's campaign to promote drinking water.

gossy says anything the obamas do good or bad, someone will always criticize them especially the far right. you're right. gary says no more water for republicans. i hear she loves oxygen even more. hold your breath, republicans. and mimi says their comments just show how bottom of the barrel their constant nitpicking has sunk. coming up, we'll show you where they're saying what they're saying is so absurd. it's down right funny. but first, come on over and share your thoughts. please head over to facebook and search "politicsnation" and like us to join the conversation that keeps going long after the show ends. wisest kid in the whole world? we need a new recipe. hmmm. let us consult the scroll of infinite deliciousness. ♪ oh! perfect. [ wisest kid ] campbell's has the recipes kids love.

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this thursday, day after tomorrow, all americans of good will needs to watch what happens in the house of representatives in washington. because on this thursday they will vote on a bill that would cut food stamps by $39 billion over the next decade. it would affect 3.8 million people. they would lose their food stamp benefits next year. about one in seven americans. included in that is 17 million children. that's the amount of children who rely on the s.n.a.p.

benefits to keep themselves fed. that will be voted on this thursday. and we all need to watch. and we all need to see who says yea and who says nay. joining me now is congresswoman marcia fudge, democrat from ohio. thank you for being here. >> thank you. it's my pleasure to be here. >> congresswoman, your colleagues across the aisle want to take food away from the most vulnerable among us. i mean, today you led a press conference on this issue. take a listen. >> the house republican leadership continues to make attacking food stamps and other nutrition efforts a top priority. >> it is dishonest for them to suggest that people are not in need. it is dishonest to say to them that people want a handout. >> the republicans are coming forward with a bill to punish poor people. it was just cooked up in the

majority leaders office as some sort of heritage foundation fever dream. >> i don't understand why we are even considering taking up a bill that so undermines who we are as a nation. >> so you were part of leading democrats to condemn this gop bill. what amazes me, congresswoman, is people don't eat republican or democrat. people eat because it is a necessity to human life. and the overwhelming majority of people on food stamps need this little help to put food on the table. including seniors and children. >> listen, reverend. people do not understand that about 46% of all of the people on food stamps are children under the age of 18. another 16% are senior citizens. so you have the bulk of the people who are getting food stamps are either children, the seniors, then you have to add in the disabled. so they're talking about a very small number of people in this

cantor bill who they want to attack. they not only want to cut $40 billion from food stamps. they want to say that every person who is an ex-felon can never receive food stamps. they want so say everyone who received food stamps should be drug tested. this bill is designed to kill the farm bill. this is the cantor bill. and they want to kill the farm bill. there is no rational reason for them attacking poor people and children the way they have. and the other thing they have not said, reverend, is when we had the recovery act. there was an additional billions of dollars put into food stamps. that is going to expire. so on november 1st, people are already going to take a cut. this cut would be on top of the cut that our republican colleagues want to pass. >> when you look at this, because i want to drill down on what you said. when we look at who actually gets food stamps, 76% of households that receive food stamps include children,

seniors, or disabled people. 76%. over 3/4. in households where an adult is able to work, 58% of them work while receiving food stamps. and 82% work the year before or the year after they receive food stamps. so these are not just irresponsible people laying around on the government. i think some of your colleagues did an experiment last year where they actually went on food stamp budget and could hardly do it. so we're not talking about people who are just lounging around having a lavish time. we're talking about people that can barely get by even on the food stamp allotment. and we're talking about taking that from them? >> listen, reverend. i was one of the people who took the food stamp challenge. it was the worst and most unhealthy eating week i've ever had in my life. additionally, i think people sometimes forget as well there's one group of people we never

talk about. veterans. we know how many unemployed veterans we have in this country. on any given day, 13% of all of our veterans are homeless which means they are hungry. these are not only people who want help, they deserve it. this country wants to step up and do what is right for the people. i think all this is designed to hurt all the people they believe are unworthy. >> i'm going to have to leave it there, but thank you for coming on. congresswoman marcia fudge, thank you for coming on. >> my pleasure. the right wing is all wet with their latest attacks on the first lady. that's coming up. (vo) you are a business pro. maestro of project management.

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in two weeks the last part of the health care act takes effect. but some republicans say they're willing to shut down the government to delay the law. the question is why. why would some republicans try to shut down the government in order to stop millions of people from getting health care. joining me now is congressman mick mulvaney, republican from south carolina. he's been pushing to defund obama care as part of any plan to avoid a government shutdown. congressman, thanks for being here. >> thanks for having me back. it's been a long time. >> now, let me ask you, congressman. today the wall street journal wrote an editorial calling a government shutdown a quote, kamikaze mission for the gop saying quote, kamikaze missions

rarely turn out well, least of all for the pilots. are you on a kamikaze mission, congressman? >> absolutely not. we're here to try and have a discussion about obama care. there's not anybody who -- very few people here are actually pursuing a government shutdown. we are trying to have a discussion about obama care. we don't think it's going to do all the wonderful things you said in the intro. in fact, we think it's going to kick people off of their insurance. we think it's going to raise prices. now is the time to have that discussion. i know a lot of folks want to cast us as wanting to shut the government down, but it couldn't be further from the truth. >> would you if that discussion as you say, october 1st, whereas we get into obama care, if that discussion has not stopped the funding, would you vote or would you support a shutdown? >> well, i think it's a fair question to ask of us.

it's also a fair question to ask of the senate and the president. would they shut the government down if we gave them enough funding for every part of the government butt obama care? if we passed a bill that had lels we graed to, the president agreed to, everything except the new health care law, would they shut down the government over that? if that's the case, why? everybody admits it's not ready. liberal newspapers said it's not ready. why would they be interested in shutting down the government just to keep the funding -- >> first of all, the obama care is the law. it passed the congress and it was upheld by the supreme court. so why would a group of you decide that you're going to take something out that has become law, say we're going to fund everything else and even though the supreme court has held us up, we're going to hold this out. the question is, are you willing to shut the government down on

the basis of funding or not funding obama care? >> reverend, did you ask the president that same question? >> the president is not my guest tonight. you are, congressman. i'll be glad to ask him. would you, would you vote to shut the government down if obama care was going to be funded? >> i would be looking forward to voting to keep every single part of the federal government open except obama care. >> so if you therefore failed to defund obama care, you would shut it down. let me show you something that the senator from your own state of south carolina lindsey graham said on the consequences of doing that. watch this. he says as much as i want to get rid of obama care, i'm not going to deny security payments to our seniors or funding to our military. so he, answering the same kind of question, said different from you. he's not willing to shut the

government down because he's caring about the social security of seniors and he cares about our military. >> and so do i. and i assume the president does as well. so if we pass something out of the house that funds everything except obama care, is president obama willing to not pay social security and not pay the troops so he can have funding for a program that he admits is not ready and has unilaterally changed even though you said it was the law of the land and upheld by the supreme court. it's time to have the discussion. the big difficulty here and i hope you agree is the president has not been willing to engage in any conversation about compromise. you've heard him say it many times before, he's not going to compromise on the debt ceiling. where is the compromise right now? >> congressman, let me bring you to one -- couple of things missing in this discussion. >> sure. >> one, there was an election. people voted. the president was elected. y'all ran against obama care,

you lost. second, there was a vote in congress. it won. third, there was a vote in the supreme court. it was upheld. you're saying in effect that it doesn't matter what elections say, it doesn't matter what the congress votes, it doesn't even matter what the supreme court upholds, if we don't like it we're going to take it out, let you do everything else, but we are going to stop the law? this is not the kind of government the american people want or fought for. >> reverend, if i had unilaterally delayed the implementation of obama care, you would be excoriating me for doing something illegal. it's what the president has done. i hear what you're saying about elections and the supreme court, and that's all true. but the president has already opened the door to delay or defund parts of this bill. he took the first step to do that. our point is that there's more parts of this bill not ready than just the parts dealing with

the employer mandate. there are a lot of groups or union friends saying this law is not ready. liberal newspapers are saying it's not ready. the gentleman who helped write it says it's going to be a train wreck. we have to think there's common ground to come together and say the bill is not ready. there's no reason to keep spending money on it right now when it's not ready. let's pay social security, let's pay the troops, let's keep the government open and focus on ways to fix this bill, repeal this bill. >> but you can't govern by taking out what you don't like that has already become law. >> the president did. >> we could say that about any number of things. once you start governs saying i don't agree with that even though it passes, you're going to lead to a breakdown in governing. let me bring this home. your district in south carolina,

98,142 people, 15% of the district that you represent are constituents without health insurance. what's your specific plan to help your constituents get health care if they can't use obama care? >> it's one of the things i think republicans have not done a very good job of talking about for the last two years. i'm not sure why. i think i know why we didn't do it during the presidential election because we nominated somebody who wasn't able to talk about these things, but republicans have offered a plan that allows how to deal with pre-existing conditions, how to transfer -- not lose your health insurance when you lose your jobs, take it across state lines. we haven't done a good job of that. the ideas are here. congressman tom price, a doctor from georgia has taken lead on it more. there are other ways to fix this. i tell you this. i employ 15 people in my offices in washington and back in south carolina. many of them will not have health care after obama care

goes into play. there will be winners and there will be losers in this bill. that's the kind of conversation we're trying to have now as part of this. >> so you're trying to have a conversation while there's a law that many of your own constituents will be able to get health care, but you say hold on, just don't go anywhere, suffer a little while because we were bad at having this conversation while the president went and did something about it. >> a lot of those people that you mentioned might get health insurance through their employer if the mandate went into effect on january 21st, but the president delayed that. how is what we're trying to do different than that? the president identified a part of the law -- >> because you're threatening to close the government down if you don't get your way. let me ask you this, then, congressman. >> yes, sir. >> do you have health insurance coverage as a congressman? >> i absolutely do, yes, sir. >> so you don't have a problem with big government insuring you? >> actually, i'm one of the people who may well lose my insurance after the beginning of

the year. it may be so expensive for me and since i don't qualify for subsidies, it might be in my family's best interest to go without health insurance. >> but that would be your choice based on your family's interests. but you're not opposed to government taking care of you and members of congress, why are you opposed to government helping the millions of people that have health care needs like pre-existing conditions like those that are up to 26 years old on their parents' insurance. i mean, why not give them the same option on what's better for their families that you have for you and your family? >> reverend, there are a lot of 25-year-old young people in this country that chose not to have insurance. they choose not to now. but this law is making them do that. making them have that coverage. taking away that particular choice. there's two sides to every coin on this. we are simply trying to have

this discussion on how this is really going to impact people. >> that's why we're having this discussion. i give you credit for coming. i'm going to have to leave it there. and i agree with you finally, there are two sides to every coin. there's the insured and there's the uninsured. congressman mulvaney, always good to have you here. thank you for your time. >> thanks again. now, let me bring in dana milbank from "the washington post." dana, does any of what he's saying sound logical to you? >> well, it's logical if you consider where mick mulvaney is coming from. 15% of people in his constituents who don't have health insurance. he's not necessarily concerned about those. those aren't the people returning him to office. he's got a safe republican seat. people are demanding he stick it to obama, that he repeal obama care. the only danger to mick mulvaney is he doesn't go far enough

taking on obama care and he gets a challenge. he's doing what is logical for him in a selfish way. >> what about what's logical for the constituents that need health care? i mean, we're talking about seniors, talking about kids, talking about people that really need this beyond the politics of the matter. >> well, of course. and what's better for the country as a whole. there's the relatively small band of house republicans. to say we're not going to go along with this. unless we are allowed to take obama care funding out of this. his problem is really with speaker boehner more than with president obama. because look, mick mulvaney is not going to suffer politically. the republican party is going to suffer mightily. i think we can take off the table the whole notion they will succeed in removing obama care. nobody's going to lose health care coverage because the republicans have succeeded in getting rid of obama care. it's not going to happen. the only question is do they

shut down the government in the process? and mick mulvaney might not suffer politically from that, but the republicans will get clobbered from that. >> that's why the wall street journal says it is a kamikaze mission. to say well, let us just take obama care out and fund everything else, that can't happen. >> well, it's a back door way of saying we don't have the votes to repeal obama care. we can't do it the proper way, so we're going to sneak in here, it's like a hostage situation saying we're going to bring the whole thing down unless you take out the piece we don't like. that is fundamentally undemocratic. and that's why the house republicans would certainly be blamed in that catastrophic situation were they to actually shut down the government. and be politically more than that party can withstand. >> that was the point i made to him. you can't govern like that. you cannot pass laws, have laws upheld and you decide after that

i'm going to put this aside or shut down the whole government. that's anarchy. >> you're right, you can do it. but if that's the way we're going to govern, it's not going to happen at all. i think john boehner realizes that. i think eric cantor realizes that. the question is can they get 30 or so republicans who are like mick mulvaney to get in line? >> we're going to keep on this issue. dana milbank, thanks for your time. >> thanks. coming up, if you've ever wondered if they attack the first family for everything, we've got your proof tonight. they're going after water. but first, former new york city mayor david dinkins is speaking out on rudy giuliani. wait until you hear what he has to say. next.

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new york city voters will choose their first new mayor in 12 years this fall. but it's been 24 years since new yorkers elected their last democratic mayor. david dinkins. dinkins was also the city's first and only african-american mayor. and work tirelessly to turn around a city in crisis. joining me now is former new

york city mayor david dinkins. his new book "a mayor's life: governing new york gorgeous mosaic." thank you for being on tonight, mayor. >> good to see you. >> let me ask you, you endorsed bill thompson for mayor this year. >> i did, indeed. i endorsed him this year and i endorsed him against mike bloomberg last time. >> you did. he's conceded. are you going to support bill de blasio? >> absolutely. i talked to bill de blasio awhile ago today, and as you probably know, he and his wife both worked in our administration. >> yes. >> his wife was one of my speech writers. made me sound intelligent. >> a a lot of people around the country see new york as a great liberal city. we have not had a democrat elected since you were elected

in 1989. why do you think that is? >> i don't know. i think that we should have prevailed in '93. >> right. you lost to rudy giuliani. quoting you here that he was the kind of man who went for the jugular. and the campaign became exceedingly vicious. his underlying message was clear for all to see. the city is in terrible financial straits. do you really want a black man presiding over it at this time of trouble? and i remember it, as you know i was in that campaign. that was his blatant message. >> that's true. and rudy was a tough customer. he frankly is not a nice guy. >> while you were mayor, rudy giuliani led a protest of police in front of city hall. you talk about it in the book where you stood by at a protest

when drunk policemen were using the "n" word and turned over cars. no one talks about that. >> you're right. i'm pleased you observed that. because so many people seem not to notice. as a matter of fact, even today as bill de blasio gears up to run, suggests we got to be careful lest we return to the days of dinkins. truth is we had an awful lot of crime during ed koch's period. and we saw crime go down huge numbers while i was mayor. >> the decline of crime with community policing under your tenure as mayor, the slide they're taking credit for started under dave dinkins and community policing that you instituted. you hired more police, didn't you? >> i did. and i was very pleased that we were successful. >> nelson mandela, i have to ask

you this. >> oh. >> how -- what did it mean to you with the host of nelson mandela coming to the country? >> i have bill lynch to thank for that. bill was insistent we could get nelson mandela to come to new york. >> this was after he got out of jail. >> after he got out of jail. and he might well have gone to washington, d.c., the nation's capital. could have gone to atlanta. a lot of places. but he did come to new york because bill worked hard at that. and he stayed with us in gracie mansion. >> for decades we waited for this day. we never doubted it would come. your leadership transcended the walls and the separation of the island. no prison could keep you. >> the immense support which we in our struggle against racial oppression have received from here is indeed a source of strength and great hope on our

part. >> it was one of the proudest moments of my life just being in his company. and every year i send him a note on his birthday. his birthday is in july, as is mine. i say happy birthday, when you'll be 109, i'll be 100 and we'll have a drink. >> age of obama. are you hopeful? >> i am. i am. although i can't help but notice this great man who's done so many wonderful things and it seems sometimes that they pick at him every chance they get. and that saddens me a little. but he's a young man. >> all right. the book is "a mayor's life: governing new york's mosaic." the guy that told me dave

dinkins used to buy from a richer guy. thank you, mayor dinkins. >> thank you. coming up, water world. rush attacks the first lady's drink of campaign. but he's the one who's all wet. next.

i saw the news michelle obama has a new program -- you

know, she tried to get the kids to eat better and the republicans were against that. they were. no, they came out against that. and now she wants people to hydrate more. she says drink -- i'm not kidding. drink more water. i think this is a test to see if the republicans will come out -- [ laughter ] -- against water. that's not water. that's socialism juice. >> socialism juice. good one, bill. that's funny. but would you believe it's becoming a reality. as bill maher mentioned, michelle obama is making a splash with her new drink up campaign. encouraging americans to drink more water. for healthier lifestyle. >> water is the best and easiest choice we can make to feel energized, focused, healthy, and refreshed. you are what you drink. and when you drink water, you're at your best.

>> so who could possibly be against this? you guessed it. this guy. >> now let me find this michelle obama story, because i've had this sound bite sitting here. michelle obama demanding everybody drink water. >> oh, yeah. she's demanding that you, rush limbaugh, must drink water. she's simply saying drinking water is a healthy option. but to the head of the republican party, it's another scary power grab. forcing all americans to drink that h2o. >> all this is is more command and control. and there is politics to this. because you've got big soda pushing this. >> oh, yes. she commands and controls you to get healthy. it's the same conspiracy theories we've been hearing from

the right about the first lady's nutrition initiatives for years. >> nutritionist at large, michelle obama, is urging, demanding advocating, requiring what everybody can and can't eat. she's demanding everybody eat card board and tofu. >> michelle obama is suggesting what you should feed your children. >> what she's telling us is she cannot trust parents to make decisions for their own children, for their own families in what we should eat. >> they mock, but the first lady's let's move campaign is working. the cdc recently reported for the first time in decades childhood obesity rates are falling in many states. and specifically points to let's move as a contributing factor. but we did find one prominent conservative who's refusing

drink the anti-rush limbaugh kool-aid. this guy. marco rubio loves his water. in fact, i think the first lady found a new spokesperson. but rush, did you think we'd ignore your ice cold hypocrisy? nice try, but drink this one on me because we got you. . you sat out most of our game yesterday! asthma doesn't affect my job... you were out sick last week. my asthma doesn't bother my family... you coughed all through our date night! i hardly use my rescue inhaler at all. what did you say? how about - every day? coping with asthma isn't controlling it. test your level of control at asthma.com, then talk to your doctor. there may be more you could do for your asthma. i turn ed 65 last week. the math of retirement is different today. money has to last longer. i don't want to pour over pie charts all day.

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it's time for reply al. remember, friend or foe i want to know. joseph writes why won't someone in the gop party call out ted cruz on his helms statement? jesse helms was a senator from south carolina whose whole career was about his support of segregation, around voting

against civil rights act, on and on. we're not talking about one or two statements that he might have made 30 years ago. and asked for forgiveness. his whole career was that. so why would cruz say we need a hundred more and more importantly joseph is right why won't responsible republicans repudiate it like they did when we saw strom thurmon being praised? that would be the right thing to do on the right. thanks for watching, i'm al sharpton. "hardball" starts right now. why? let's play "hardball." ♪ good evening. i'm chris matthews in washington. let me start with this tonight, the mass killing in washington where we're still looking for a motive and explanation of how the shooter got