>> and there are going to be more holes. because people are really going to look at this guy's record. >> yeah. bob shrum, great to have you with us. that's "the ed show." "politicsnation" starts right now. good evening, rev. >> good evening, ed. and thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, smear factor. the health care law is helping millions of americans. so what does investigator in chief congressman darrell issa do? try to gin up a health care scandal. he's on an obama scare road trip. holding one-sided hearings trashing the law. his latest hearing in texas was an excuse for republicans to attack the so-called health care navigators who explain the law's provisions and help people sign up. >> the purpose of navigators is to explain obama care to people and facilitate enrollment into coverage.

>> who are these navigators and what is their role? >> i'm concerned that the navigators are not properly vetted or trained. >> unfortunately this area is also ground zero of some of the problems that are beginning to appear with the navigators. 12k3w >> we cannot have a repeat of the acorn-like activities that led to too many people believing there was something for nothing. >> acorn-like activities? congressman issa never misses a chance to bring up acorn. the group that folded after right wing attacks. here's what's going on. the same right wing group that smeared acorn released videos claiming to show health care navigators telling people to lie about their income when they apply for insurance. if that's true, it was wrong. but government officials say they took immediate action. the navigators on that video

were decertified and later suspended. the agency that employed them increased training. and the centers for medicare and medicaid services promised to make unannounced visits to the agency to check up on them. if there was a problem, it was handled. but congressman issa doesn't care about that. he doesn't care that navigators are helping people sign up for health care. and one texas group says issa didn't want to hear from them. >> several navigators actually requested to testify at today's hearing and were denied access. this hearing today really is a witch hunt. >> a witch hunt. this is the issa playbook of controlling hearings to make it one sided. need further proof that this was a -- that this hearing was a joke? when congressman issa didn't like an answer about health care

website security, listen to this. he told the witness, quote, you need to watch more fox, i'm afraid. watch more fox? that's his suggestion? in a congressional hearing? you'd probably see a whole lot of congressman issa talking up his phony scandal of the month. maybe benghazi or fast and furious or solyndra or the irs. and let's remember the guy holding these hearings. remember what he said about president obama three years ago. >> he has been one of the most corrupt presidents in modern times. >> issa later tried to walk that back, but he made his point. just don't expect us to take his hearings seriously. joining me now are congressman emanuel cleaver, democrat of

missouri, and msnbc.com executive editor richard wolffe. thank you both for being here. >> thanks, reverend. >> good to be here, reverend. >> congressman, that group called darrell issa's hearing a wichi witch hunt. what do you make of the hearings? >> you heard about all the hearings that have been held that really produced nothing. in spite of all of the charges, nobody's been indicted or been held in contempt of congress for perjury. and so here's the problem. you can go around the country. you can frighten people. most people are trying to live their lives particularly during this holiday season. and so they're not going to go out and read two or three sources to gather information. they're going to listen to the things being said by a member of

congress that is frightening. they have no idea that while we had a bumpy start, the affordable care act now is moving and moving rather smoothly. and maybe that's what the theory is. >> i think that is what the problem is here, richard. is that his target is health care. he's just not a guy just out there with an aimless witch hunt. they want to derail health care. >> sure they do. >> and now that these glitches and problems as the congressman says bumpy start, is starting to smooth out, here we go with the hearings. a texas non-profit says they weren't allowed to testify at the hearing yesterday. we also saw protesters when congressman issa held health care hearings in north carolina. listen to this. >> i'm here because i want to have an opportunity to put out the positive wonderful benefits that the affordable care act offers millions of people in this country. >> the house committee that's meeting is not telling both sides of the story.

>> i formally requested to testify at this committee on time in writing as they requested. i was still denied. >> so you're having congressional hearings to get information, but you only want to hear one side, richard? i mean, clearly, do they think these people and the total information and the positive and negative can be ignored? >> well, they've scared a lot of people for a long time about oba obamacare. and they're very worried that when people find what's in the legislation, they will find it's more and more popular. let's remember, this is an abuse of the congressional hearing concept. hearings can be information gathering. they can be investigative. that's what darrell issa is supposed to be doing. this is neither. this is congressional hearings as propaganda to drive local news. getting on the news is not something unusual.

congressmen do it all the time. but usually in a real hearing, you're trying to get what the real story is on the ground. you would be open to both sides. this is about web video hits and fox news clips. >> people need to understand as you say this, richard. he's the head of the investigative committee. >> right. >> so he can just call these hearings. and you're saying that when i said that these were quoting the person saying it's a witch hunt when congressman cleaver said there's been no prosecution, no indictments. you're saying they're not after that. they're after the evening news. they're after putting video os then internet. >> sure they are. >> this is all about politics. >> it's about getting attention for this. there is legitimate role for an investigative committee. absolutely. democrats have done it to republican presidents. that's not what this is. he could have interviewed the people overseeing the navigators in d.c. they're trying to get out in the field in republican areas to get on the evening news.

that's not a hearing. that's just a piece of -- that's a press release. >> congressman, let me go back to you. you were talking about how he's done this over and over as head of the oversight committee. he promised to hold hundreds of hearings when he took over that committee. always looking for scandals. the most famous one may be fast and furious when he went after the attorney general. but he also tried to turn benghazi into a scandal. he attacked green energy loans to solyndra. said the irs was targeting the president's political enemies. none of these phony scandals have stuck. so will he try to make something out of the health care law, congressman cleaver? >> i think he's going to go the same route he's gone historically. he'll go and try to stir up things. remember this committee has the subpoena power that is extremely important as richard said for a congress. we need to investigate. and so i think he's going to talk about this as long as he

can. he did that with everything else. and then at some point he'll start investigating mickey mouse or, you know, tweety bird or somebody else. the point is these are not real hearings. and i don't mind him doing it. if he would say, look, we want to go out in the country and try to find people who can tell us things they don't like about the affordable care act. and then i want you to listen to me tell you some things that i don't like. because what is the point? i mean, what is he trying to do? is he trying to help the president or is he trying to do damage, trying to discourage people? and i think it's the latter. they want to discourage people, get people not to sign up so then they can jump on the bandwagon that people are not interested. >> you know, richard, the only democratic congressman at the texas hearing talked about the real scandal with the health care law. listen to this. >> i hope that we can talk about a much more significant problem

and that is why our governor rick perry is refusing to expand the state's medicaid program. [ applause ] and why he is doing that, i can only imagine that it's for purely political reasons. >> now, governor perry is refusing the medicaid expansion for purely political purposes. and it's hurting the real people on the ground. it's denying insurance to more than a million texans. and nationwide republicans are denying insurance to 4.8 million americans, richard. how can you take a health care hearing in texas seriously when they don't address that issue? >> remember, these are republicans who in theory worry about the cost of this kind of thing. uninsured americans put a greater cost burden on the rest of us because they don't go untreated. they put a burden on every single hospital. there are many big hospital companies in the texas area donating to republicans who

should be saying not only is this the right thing to do, it's also right economically for the texas health care system. >> let's hold it right there. congressman emanuel cleaver and richard wolffe, thank you both for your time tonight. >> thank you, reverend. >> good to be with you, rev. coming up, they obstruct, they block, and they threaten. but today some big progress. why now is the time to keep fighting for fairness. and too rich to jail? overwhelming response to a drunk teen using the affluenza defense to get away with killing four and paralyzing one. a victim's brother wants justice. he joins me live tonight. plus did chris christie shut down part of the george washington bridge for political payback? he was laughing about it two weeks ago. >> i worked the cones, actually.

unbeknownst to everybody i was actually the guy out there. >> that guy with the cone, he's laughing now. people are resigning and serious questions are emerging. and what is president obama getting for christmas? the first lady spilled the beans. stay with us. [ male announcer ] welcome back all the sweet things your family loves with 0-calorie monk fruit in the raw. it's made with the natural, vine-ripened sweetness of fruit, so you can serve up deliciously sweet treats without all the sugar. raw natural sweetness, raw natural success.

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♪ that music means one thing. the revvies are coming. what was the best political move of the year? the defining political moment of 2013? and who will bring home the distinguished blueberry pie lifetime achievement award? we want to hear from you.

we're opening up the nomination process to you. head to our facebook page and tell us which political stories and people made the biggest impact on 2013. we can't wait to hear what you have to say.

if you don't give in, you just might win. it's been years of republican obstruction, brinkmanship, blocking, threats. but today we're seeing real progress.

for months they refused to confirm jeh johnson to lead the department of homeland security. one republican called him a political hack. but last night senate democrats got it done. they've also now confirmed two of the president's nominees to the critical d.c. court of appeals circuit court of appeals. and the third confirmation is expected within days. over a dozen nominees have been confirmed since last week. it wasn't easy, but democrats like senator harry reid and president obama kept pushing. it's the same story on the budget deal which today took a step closer to passing. is it perfect? no. but it avoids a shutdown. and rolls back devastating sequester cuts. there are major fights ahead though. in just 11 days, over a million

people will lose unemployment benefits unless congress acts. now is the time to keep fighting. because, remember, if you don't give in, you just might win. joining me now is msnbc contributor goldie taylor and susan milligan. thank you both for being here tonight. >> thank you. >> susan, how significant is it that we're finally seeing nominees like jeh johnson get confirmed? >> i think it's very significant. because the filibuster had become so abused that it was no longer a protection for the minority. it ended up being minority rule. and with preventing the president from just administering his government and from enforcing laws that the republicans didn't like and they're unhappy. they're very unhappy with this whole, you know, row of nominees that are being pushed through. but i think that will slow down when they get through the

backlog and maybe some of the resentment will diminish a bit. but it's important. >> goldie, let's not forget they had to go nuclear to get this done. senate democrats literally had to change the rules on blocking presidential nominations. look what they did. under all u.s. history under all previous presidents, a total of 86 presidential nominees have been filibustered. in all of the preceding presidents. but during the past five years, republicans have blocked 82 of president obama's nominees. almost as much as all the other presidents combined. the only way to break that gridlock, they had to go nuclear. >> this was the best possible fallout that could have happened. we're seeing government work again. we're seeing people confirmed to positions where there's actually some accountability and they're being a lead of certain agencies. the d.c. circuit is arguably the most important appeals circuit in this country.

and so the idea that we could not confirm people to that bench was simply a farce. and so the very notion that we had to change the rules in order to keep a party from abusing the rules, you know, i think is very unfortunate. but it had to happen and we're seeing the results of that happen now. >> now, susan, when you look at the president's agenda next year, items include extending long-term jobless benefits, raising the federal minimum wage hike, preventing the massive republican food stamp cuts, and pushing through immigration reform. including a pathway to citizenship. on these key issues, americans are with the president. 57% say increase in equality is bad. 69% support an increase in minimum wage. next year is a midterm election. we're beginning to see some split in the republican party.

we're beginning to see maybe a civil war in the republicans between the moderates and these extremists. will this lead to more progress for the president's agenda, susan? >> it may. keep in mind that there was also overwhelming support for background checks for gun purchases and that didn't pass either. i do think the progressives on the hill are becoming a bit more emboldened. they did retreat awhile after the 2010 elections. and i think they were kind of not pushing some of these issues that they didn't think they'd have the chance of passing. you can make a conservative argument for raising the minimum wage because it basically ends up being a federal taxpayer subsidy to corporations that don't pay people well enough. and they end up being on medicaid. they end up being on benefits and so forth. you can make an argument for raising the minimum wage as well. i think there's more of a possibility for that now than

there has been. >> but goldie, in 11 days, just 11 days from now, unemployment benefits will run out for over a million americans. listen to their voices. >> the former reading tutor says if he doesn't find anything, he'll have to sell his belongings. >> i've got a huge book collection. and then i don't know what to think. >> are you ready to see me on the street begging for food? i'm not ready to. i can be a very contributing member of society. >> where are we at? understand they have to reconcile the budget in washington, but in the process of hurting people who through no fault of their own lost their jobs is ridiculous. >> these are not takers. these are american citizens that need to continued assistance to try and find gainful employment, goldie. >> absolutely.

and we're not talking about a lot of money per person. here in georgia the unemployment compensation for someone who has earned this benefit is somewhere between $100 and $300 a week. but the maximum is $330 a week for someone who's likely earned six figures in their prior life. and so losing a job, you know, and relying on unemployment benefits is not like eating off a calf. it means you've got to tighten your belt and look for a brand new job. people aren't leaning on this. this is stuff they need to survive, cope, and make it. the idea 11 days from now we'll see millions of people lose their unemployment benefits if we don't have a congressional fix is absolutely outrageous. i'm glad we've got this deal for processed reasons. i think it opens up the way for many more things to happen. but we can't count on the republican party to do things that are in line with public policy. as my league said, we certainly didn't pass any new gun control

legislation even though the vast majority of americans approved of background checks. approved of limiting high capacity magazines. we're seeing the same kind of public polls happen and republicans not responding. i'm not sure they're going to respond after the coming year either. >> susan, the last big item that may be on the president's agenda is immigration reform. your prediction, will he get that through? >> i really don't know. i'd say people are -- they're not confident, but they're a little more hopeful than they were. in part because patty murray and paul ryan did this deal on the budget that no one's happy with, but it kind of reminded people of what legislating is supposed tok like where you pass something that there's something in it for everybody to hate. the difference with the budget is there is also something in it for everybody to love. but now that's not the case. but what's going to push immigration reform is not even this sort of new comedy on the hill. it's the political pressure from an electorate that's increasingly latino. and the republicans if they go

into the 2016 election looking like the anti-immigrant party, they're not going to win. >> well, it's a hot one. we'll sure be all over it covering it. goldie taylor, susan milligan, thank you both for being here tonight. >> thank you. >> thank you, reverend sharpton. coming up, it's the tragedy in texas that has the whole nation talking. a rich teen gets off after killing four and paralyzing one. drunk driving. a victim's brother joins me live. and a growing political scandal for chris christie. did he shut down part of the george washington bridge out of spite? and first dog sunny has been a little naughty this year. but she's getting a christmas gift. and it's not coal. stay with us. this is for you.

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what started out as a local traffic jam has turned into a political scandal for new jersey republican governor chris christie. new jersey democrats are accusing the governor's cronies of closing part of the busiest bridge in the world. as political payback against the mayor of one end of the bridge. this summer the democratic mayor

refused to endorse christie for re-election. and closed two to three lanes leading into the mayor's town supposedly as part of a traffic study. the closures created a huge traffic jam that paralyzed the town for days. democrats are furious. they've been holding hearings on whether christie or his allies were abusing their authority to punish his political enemies. christie has denied that allegation. and two weeks ago he laughed off the story. >> i worked the cones, actually, on that. unbeknownst to everybody, i was actually the guy out there. i was in overalls and a hat. but i actually was the guy working the cones out there. you really are not serious with that question. what happened -- no, i haven't. >> well, he's not laughing anymore. christie had placed two key

allies at the agency controlling the bridge. both with six figure salaries. now both have resigned. on friday, christie said he's bothered by the whole thing, but he wasn't angry. >> it's okay when i make the mistakes that i'm responsible. when others make the mistakes, you know, it bothers me. i'm not angry, but i'm bothered when people make mistakes that wind up reflecting poorly on their performance. because their performance is the performance of this administration. it's unfortunate for them a mistake got made near the end of their tenure, but it's just the way life works sometimes. i wouldn't call myself angry. bothered, yeah. >> a mistake got made? really? well, now democrats have subpoenaed documents to find out what, if anything, christie knew about it. there are calls for congress to investigate.

and the national press is starting to take notice. joining me now is new jersey state assemblyman gordon johnson. his district includes fort lee, the town affected by the bridge closures. and dana milbank from "the washington post." thank you both for joining me. >> thanks for having me, reverend sharpton. >> let me go to you first. this traffic jam was a serious problem. police and first responders couldn't make it to calls. are more investigations needed to get to the bottom of this? >> absolutely more investigations are needed. assemblyman, the chair of the committee has subpoenaed people and documents so the committee can look further into exactly what happened and what was the -- what initiated these closures of these lanes. why was it done? now, we know that chris christie's political appointees

was behind it. we also know that mr. wienstein told the managers of the bridge and tunnels not to tell anyone. tell no one. >> who's mr. wienstein? >> that's one of the appointees by christie, one of his appointees. told the managers who run the bridge who said this was wrong to do, this was a bad idea, this will not come out well, the exact words. and when pressed -- when the assemb assemblyman asked mim why did you follow these orders if you knew it was wrong to do? was your job -- did you fear for your job if you had not done this act? and he hesitated for a long time and said, yes, he feared for his job. he was concerned that if he did not follow these orders he would be dismissed. 30-year veteran. >> a 30-year veteran. >> of the port authority. >> following the orders from the

political allies of governor christie who is now resigned. >> correct. and what came out of this -- what's coming out of this previous statements made is that there's an environment there of intimidation and fear. brought on by political appointees of chris christie. >> now, dana, christie denied that the latest resignation is related to the bridge scandal. listen to this. >> i'd made the judgment as a management position that four years of the day-to-day management of the port authority was enough and that someone else deserved a chance to have an opportunity to have that experience and do that job. i really do think that circulating new management through there is good for the organization. but it doesn't reflect in any way on senator baroni. >> was it merely a coincidence that this official resigned just

as this scandal was heating up? >> if you believe those things are unrelated i have another bridge in brooklyn that i'd like to offer for sale to you. no, that doesn't make much sense at all. and here's the problem for governor christie here. people don't actually suspect he was the guy out there with the cones. maybe he didn't know about the whole thing. but the problem for him and his national ambitions is this fits in with sort of the reputation he has. yeah, being a straight talking tough guy, but also operating out of anger and being vindictive. so this sort of fits in with that narrative of christie. it's coming at the moment when the entire country is paying attention to him after his re-election. and they're getting that kind of an image of him. this is not helpful to his career. he's not going to be undone by the g.w. bridge, but it's going to be part of the christie narrative now. >> now assemblyman johnson, jay rockefeller who heads a transportation committee wants a federal investigation.

he said, quote, i'm concerned about the larger federal implications of what appears to be political appointees abusing their power to hamper interstate commerce and safety. it demands a comprehensive investigation. your reaction. >> i concur with that. the george washington bridge is the busiest bridge the the world. also has one of the highest tolls, by the way, in the united states. but it's the busiest bridge in the world. it's a lot of commerce that traverses that span. a lot of working people, people trying to get to work. middle class people who couldn't get to their jobs during this shutdown because these individuals, these agents of the governor used -- abused their authority and shut down these lanes, these access points to the bridge. a lot of middle class people suffered because of that. a lot of karma suffered because of that. and a lot of people in the

borough of fort lee who had traffic chaos for those days when first responders could got get to calls. delayed calls. i shouldn't say could not get there. their response times were delayed because of this. an investigation is proper, yes. >> you know the governor. you work in trenton, the state capital. what's your gut? would these appointees operate without talking to christie? are these guys guys that would do things that christie didn't know and they feel he would want? i mean, where's your gut? >> i can't call that right now. and that's why i'm glad the assemblyman called for more information for the subpoena and more information. once we hear that, then we'll definitely have more information and have a direction to go. now, do i believe chris christie called these individuals and

told them to do that? i don't think so, but i don't know. and also we have to recognize that the gao had released a report prior to this. had to release a report prior to this stating that there's a lack of transparency and the port authority of new york and new jersey. >> you know, dana. in presidential gop 2016 presidential polls, christie is at 24%. rand paul 13%. paul ryan 11%. cruz 10%. christie, if he continues being the front runner, he will continue to be under intense scrutiny. can he handle it? this is only one of many if he maintains a presumed front runner status. >> that's right. and think about it. we're talking about closing a couple lanes of traffic and it becomes a national story. you can only imagine when it gets into issues that are effecting the entire country. so part of this is something

that governor christie did not solicit in terms of the publicity. but he's fueling it by going on all these tv shows and granting all these interviews. so he is asking for more publicity. it's worked to his advantage on popularity and how he's in the polls, but this is going to come with it. there's a period of building up a candidate before that candidate gets knocked down. it's possible chris christie has turned that corner. >> i'm going to have to leave it there. gordon johnson and dana milbank. dana, i come from brooklyn, so i'll pass on the bridge offer. >> wise decision. >> thank you both for your time tonight. coming up, unwrap. first lady michelle obama unveils her presideent for president obama. but first how could affluenza set this teen free after driving drunk, killi inin

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it's the texas tragedy that

has the whole nation talking. the case of a teenager who some said was too rich to jail. >> did the crime but don't do any time. outrage builds for this teenager who killed four people while drinking and driving. >> is ethan couch a rich kid who got a slap on the wrist? >> police say they have no way to seek a tougher sentence against ethan couch. even though this young man of means was able to escape with probation for killing four. while countless others who aren't rich have been forced to do some heavy jail time for far less. the tragedy unfolded on june 15th on a road near fort worth, texas. couch was driving with a blood alcohol content three times the legal limit when his car careened out of control and cut four lives short in an instant.

like that of 24-year-old brianna mitchell. her only crime that night, the fact that her car had broken down. brian jennings, a father of three, stopped to help her. and so did two other good samaritans. holly boyles and her daughter u shelby. all four were killed instantly leaving families shattered. >> we had over 180 years of life taken. future life. not 180 years lived, but 180 years of future life taken. and two of those were my wife and daughter. >> there's also anguish from the family of sergio molina. he was a rising soccer star, but his life was changed that night too. >> sir, how many people are injured, do you know? >> one, two, three, multiple.

>> multiple? >> i don't even know how many. >> ma'am, i'm telling you it's dark. there's four or five kids laying in ditches. >> sergio was thrown from ethan couch's suv. these days he can't talk, he can't even move. these victims are why this story resonates. they're why this story has caused such outrage around this country. and they're why justice is so desperately needed. joining me now is the brother of sergio molina who was paralyzed the night of the accident. his name is alex laimos. thank you for coming to share your story. >> thank you for, you know, following up with me. >> you know, first of all, how is your family and how are they handling this tragedy? >> to tell you the truth, i

mean, on a daily basis we're just living on a day basis. you know, looking for a better tomorrow. i mean, we're just getting by, to be honest. >> you know, when you heard the verdict that ethan couch would be serving no jail time, what went through your mind, alex? >> i mean, where the justice in that? you can say that that's justice, but to me that's -- no. no, sir. >> you were in the court, i understand, during the trial. and what did you make of this affluenza defense when you heard it? >> i mean, i ain't never heard that before. so i'm thinking you're so rich that you made up a word just to get you out of whatever it is you got yourself into. >> now, what a lot of people don't know is that people inside

ethan couch's car, i'm told, actually asked him to slow down that night. didn't they? >> yes, sir, they did. everybody. >> and he wouldn't listen? >> no. he didn't care. >> and ethan's lawyer has praised the decision. let me show you what he said. listen to this, alex. >> we applaud judge boyd for having the courage to issue this sentence that's going to give ethan couch a chance to develop into a productive citizen and try to make amends for his actions. >> now, it gives him a chance to try and rehabilitate himself, but in the six months since the accident, what has the medical bills been like for your brother and your family? >> man, they outrageous. it's over a million dollars, man. >> over a million dollars?

>> yes, sir, it is. >> what kind of guy is your brother? give us a sense of what kind of guy your brother is like and has been like. >> my brother was a god given child, man. i mean, he was the one that was i guess chosen by god himself to bring joy to anybody that came in his presence. whether you had a bad day, a good day, he was just -- he just wanted to see somebody smile. no matter what. >> and as people around the country hear, alex, about this story and about your brother, what do you want people around the country to think about and know about this case and your brother? >> man, i want to be addressed that everything is being put on towards ethan couch, but look at

the lost ones. look at my brother. you know, my brother has a life sentence of conviction for something that he didn't obviously plan for. you know? and this child, i mean, he doesn't even have one day in any kind of jail or anything. >> alex, thank you so much for sharing your story with us tonight. our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. and we're going to stay on this. believe me. we'll be right back.

yet another strike against the gop's favorite myth. that there's rampant voter fraud in america. iowa's republican secretary of state matt shultz pledged to stamp out voter fraud in the hawkeye state. he literally pledged $150,000 to the effort. and what did he find? almost nothing. an 18-month investigation found a fraud rate of .00075%. 16 whole cases of fraud. and five were already dismissed. five others have pled guilty. it's getting harder and harder for republicans to hide behind the fraud -- the voter fraud myth. and the evidence continues to build that restrictive voter laws are disproportionately

impacting minority voters. a new report examines the impact of these harsh voting laws and found that, quote, the more that minorities and low income individuals in a state voted, the more likely such restrictions will be proposed. and that restrictive laws are more likely to pass when republicans control the governor's house and legislature. so, yes, there is voter fraud. but it's coming from republicans. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] everyone deserves the gift of all day pain relief. this season, discover aleve. all day pain relief with just two pills.

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[ male announcer ] fedex one rate. (voseeker of the sublime.ro. you can separate runway ridiculousness... from fashion that flies off the shelves. and you...rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle... and go. you can even take a full-size or above, and still pay the mid-size price. (natalie) ooooh, i like your style. (vo) so do we, business pro. so do we. go national. go like a pro. forget about phony war on christmas. at the white house they're in the midst of a very festive holiday season. president obama's in the christmas spirit. he even showed off his dance moves lighting the national christmas tree. and first dog sunny was a little naughty this year, but she's getting a gift.

>> okay. close your ears. close your ears. they're getting chew toys. yeah. lots of the hard ones. because they chew their toys up. >> but what's the president getting for christmas? first lady michelle obama has now spilled the beans. >> i might get him some workout clothes. what? that's what he wanted, though. he said that's what he wanted. don't think -- i'm not forcing my husband to work out. don't think -- there's going to be some let's move joke about how i'm strapping him to the treadmill. no. he likes to work out. >> so it's workout clothes for the president. a great gift. but i wonder why she would think people would criticize let's move.

so far -- so far, no grinchlike response from the right wing. maybe it's a christmas miracle. thanks for watching. i'm al sharpton. "hardball" starts right now. road block. let's play "hardball." ♪ good evening. i'm chris matthews in washington. let me start tonight with this. getting to know chris christie who had been until now best hope of a non-tea party republican running in 2016. has become a troubling matter. once the great moderate, questions now abound. did he shut down traffic leading to the george washington bridge? did he tell them to exact punishment to a mayor on