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tv   Politics Nation  MSNBC  February 14, 2014 3:00pm-4:01pm PST

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"politicsnation" with reverend al sharpton starts right now. good evening, rev. good evening, ed. and thanks to you for tuning. in tonight's lead, verdict watch. right now, right now 12 jurors are behind closed doors in jacksonville, florida, in a courthouse, deliberating the fate of 47-year-old michael dunn, charged with first-degree murder for the killing of 17 jordan davis. the jury resumed deliberations today at 9:00 a.m. they have now been deliberating for a total of 21 hours. and eight hours into today's deliberations, they had their first question of the day for the judge. first, could they take a 30-minute break, and this. >> is it possible to not reach a verdict on one count and reach a verdict on other counts? the answer to that is yes. >> the answer could be a huge
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turning point for the jury in their deliberations. and it looks like they're ready to work late into the night. the jury ordered dinner and is staying at the courthouse. if no verdict is reached tonight, they will continue deliberations tomorrow. back with us tonight, former prosecutor faith jenkins, florida criminal defense lawyer ken padowitz, and legal analyst lisa bloom. she also authored the book "suspicion nation: inside story of the trayvon martin injustice and why we continue to repeat it." thank you all three for being here. >> thank you. >> lisa, let me go to you first. what is your reaction to that question from the jury. what is going on you think in that jury room? >> well, it's very disturbing that after 21 hours they seem stuck on at least one count. my educated guess is that's probably the top count of
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murder. is it murder? is it manslaughter, or was it self-defense when michael dunn shot unarmed teenager jordan davis and killed him. because the others kind of go together. three charges of attempted murder when he shot into the car as the car was driving away, and also shooting into the vehicle. i think those are easier charges. the top charge is the toughest one for this jury, the way the evidence went into them. it shouldn't have been a tough charge. but i think that's the one they're probably struggling with. >> now, ken, if he, let's say for argument's sake, and we're only speculating. we have no way of knowing. there is no inside leaks or anything from a jury. and they're sequestered. but let's say lisa's guess is right, that they're struggling with the top and maybe they are agreed on the other three. what kind of penalty do you get in florida for that? >> well, if he is convicted of the lesser crimes of attempted first-degree murder, and again,
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we're speculating, because we don't know if it's attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, attempted manslaughter or not guilty. so there is varying degrees. we have a 10-20 life law which would apply here as well, using a firearm. for instance, if he is convicted of attempted second-degree murder, with second-degree murder is a first degree punishable by life felony. so he could potentially get life, and there would be a minimum mandatory 25 years that would go along with that for shooting a firearm. so there is all different possibilities and interchangeable ways that we could look at potential sentences here. suffice it to say that if found guilty of attempted murder of any of the other individuals, there is a very hefty price to play in florida state prison as a potential sentence from this sentencing judge. >> now, faith, it seems that with these deliberations going 21 hours, i believe, if i'm not
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mistaken, they are already deliberating longer than they did the zimmerman case. >> yes. >> and it seems like there is obviously deadlocked on something, or at least not coming to an agreement. and in fact, a reporter from the florida times union who was in the courtroom tweeted "jurors are rubbing eyes. some look on the verge of tears." so it seems like if that report is true, there seems to be some emotional discussion going on. >> i'm sure there is emotional discussion. but i can't understand why it would take so long in a case like this. to me, this is a common sense case when you look at the facts and the actions of michael dunn that night. for me, the analysis stops at the fact that after he did the shooting, he ran, fled, and didn't call the police. and as the prosecutor said in her rebuttal argument, he doesn't get extra credit for staying in the state of florida that night. he fled the scene, didn't call the police, consciousness of guilt. combine that with the testimony
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of the fiancee, never told her a gun. and then his demeanor on the stand. you don't think these jurors noticed he cried and was so broken up over his puppy, his dog, and he had a complete lack of emotion whatsoever for having to take the life of a 17-year-old, even if he believed it was in self-defense? that's amazing. it can't be lost on these jurors. >> well, ken, what do you think about the emotions from the jurors. >> well, i agree with faith that this is a very strong murder case. i think it's a very strong second-degree murder. the evidence is very clear here. if the jurors are showing these kinds of reactions on their faces, they are obviously in the thick of it. they are debating each other. they're going through this evidence. there is probably a lot of arguing back and forth in that jury room, dissecting that evidence, applying the law the judge has given them the instructions to the facts in this case. and there is going to be some emotions. this is a very normal thing in a murder case where 12 people from different backgrounds have to be
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in a jury room and debating the evidence. >> but lisa, maybe, maybe, of course, we don't know, maybe what is complicating it is the stand your ground law. because as easy as we can draw a conclusion, what complicates it is you're in a state where you can shoot first and ask questions later. and let's not forget, lisa, michael dunn seemed to use a lot of the language of stand your ground while he was on the stand. watch this. >> he is showing me a gun, and he is threatening me. i thought i was going to be killed. it was self-defense. i had no choice but to defend myself. it was life or death. i had already been afraid for my life. but now the fear was imminent. i'm not going to forfeit my life to somebody. >> the reason why many of us question this law and see it as
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egregious is that part of the problem here is applying this law that gives them the right that if he thinks that he was threatened, they call it reasonable, and you've got to argue who determines what is reasonable, he has the right to use deadly force, which is why this law's really got to be dealt with, no matter what the verdict. but that could be part of the complications in this jury deliberation. >> absolutely. because we know that the jurors have asked for the jury instructions. one of them had some missing pages. they're obviously pouring over them. and they're instructed that he had the right to stand his ground. under the prior law, when he got in his car to get the gun, he would have been required to drive away in that car, to escape. under the current law, he can get in the car, get his gun, take it out of the glove compartment, take it out of the holster, point it at this unarmed kid and shoot. and that's what he did. you know, my criticism here, reverend al, is once again the prosecutor is really failing to go after this defendant tooth and nail, failing to talk about
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the obvious racial issues in this case. this man wrote racist letters behind bars. the more i get to know those people, referring to african americans, the more prejudiced i am. now there are witnesses coming forward, according to the victim's family member attorney that talks about him using the n-word in reference to other people. this is a man who they could have gone after. and they allowed the defense to put him up there in that sweat they're you see him in where he is all rehearsed and practiced and kind and gentle. they put on character witnesses to talk what a gentle and peaceful guy he was. and the prosecution didn't call anybody in rebuttal to talk about the other characteristics that people are alleging. i don't know if it's true or not, but those people should have been put on the stand and those letters should have been used against him on cross-examination. >> we asked a few key moments in this trial. you all agreed one big issue was whether dunn told his fiancee that jordan davis had a gun. watch this. >> did you tell her they had a
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weapon of any kind? >> yes, i did. >> you did? what did you tell her? tell the jury the term that you used to describe the weapon. >> i don't know what i said, but i told that they had a weapon. they threatened my life, and they were -- they -- he advanced upon me. >> how did you describe the weapon? did you say you had a sword? did you say they had a machete? >> gun. >> you used the word gun with rhonda rouer? >> yes, i did. >> when? when? >> multiple times. >> did the defendant ever tell you he saw a gun in that red suv? >> no. >> did the defendant ever tell you he saw a weapon of any kind in that suv? >> no. >> there is no mention of a stick? >> no. >> there is no mention of a shotgun? >> no. >> there is no mention of a barr barrel? >> no. >> there is no mention of a lead pipe? >> no. >> faith, they have seen all of this, the contradictory.
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that was a moment all of you had chosen as a key moment. what does the fact that they are there, working into the night tonight, unlike last night where they went back to the hotel for dinner. they sent for dinner. what does this tell us that they're working late tonight? >> i mean, there is obviously a divide among the jurors on one of the crimes that he is charged with. and when you lock at that testimony, for me, that makes this issue so clear. when michael dunn did not tell his fiancee that there was any weapon of any kind, no gun, no stick, he didn't mistakenly think that he saw a weapon. that means that this man opened fire and released a barrage of bullets on teenagers, knowing, knowing that they had no weapon. that's cold-blooded first-degree murder. and that's what he should be convicted of. and to go back now and watch his testimony and the way he is obviously lying than gun and about that weapon is very disturbing. and the jurors should be focused on that testimony. >> ken, do you think if they
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were deadlocked just a couple of hours ago that does this mean we'll see a verdict tonight? >> well, i think that they're still an opportunity for them to continue deliberating and hash out this impasse and maybe get past a deadlock. but it's really too early to see. we have to see if the judge is going to give them a deadlock instruction. and basically, charge the jury to go back and try again and look at the evidence and see if they can get past that impasse. so it's really kind of premature for us to guess whether or not we're going to have a verdict tonight or not. >> you say dunn talking on the stand about what happened after the shooting was a key moment in this trial. watch this. trying to pull that. but you recall that he -- your statement was that him talking after the shooting was a key moment. why do you think that is key and
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remind the viewers of what he said. >> well, i think his behavior afterwards was key. i mean, he went to a home with his fiancee and his dog. he took the dog out. all the while he is supposedly afraid of these young men which is why they didn't call police. they order a pizza. they have a bought of wine, and they watch a movie. number one, it doesn't sound like they're afraid of anything. number two, it sounds like they're having a party after he just shot and killed a young man. he sheds tears on the stand for his little dog which is completely unharmed in this incident and not a single tear for jordan davis, a 17-year-old kid whose life he took. i hope the jurors are considering that as they continue to deliberate. >> faith jenkins, ken padowitz and lisa bloom, thank you for your time tonight. >> thank you. >> and we will be watching this throughout the night and staying on top of every move in that courtroom in jacksonville. coming up, should the rich get more votes than the poor?
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a billionaire actually said yes. and this obnoxious comment is exposing the 1% comment. >> what i really think is it should be like a corporation. if you pay a million dollars in taxes, you should get a million votes. how is that? also, a disturbing new report about the bullying inside an nfl locker room. accusations of racial and homophobic harassment. we'll talk to a former player and coach about what it all means. plus, the breakup. ted cruz is breaking some republican hearts, and the party has fallen all out of love this valentine's day. stay with us. can i help you? hey, is it true we can get four lines, unlimited talk and text and 10 gigs of data to share for 160 a month?
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republicans created the tea party, but now it's coming back to destroy them. this political romance is falling apart, just in time for valentine's day. that's next. s. the job jugglers. the up all-nighters. and the ones who turn ideas into action. we've made our passions our life's work. we strive for the moments where we can say, "i did it!" ♪ we are entrepreneurs who started it all... with a signature. legalzoom has helped start over 1 million businesses, turning dreamers into business owners. and we're here to help start yours. when i go in there, i want to be awesome too. so i've gone totally pro with crest pro-health. [ male announcer ] go pro with crest pro-health. [ tisola ] the first time i tried crest pro-health, it felt different, i mean it felt clean. [ male announcer ] crest pro-health protects all these areas dentists check most. she's going to do backflips when she sees this. [ male announcer ] 4 out of 5 dentists didn't spot the difference
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between a professional clean and a pro-health clean. i am extremely impressed. i guess that's what happens when you go pro. [ male announcer ] go pro with crest pro-health. excuse me, did you say you want to see my teeth? oh, i'm sorry. today is valentine's day, the day where people everywhere celebrate love. unless you are the republican party. in that case, today looks more like this. >> um, we need to talk. >> it's not you, it's me. >> you're giving me the it's not
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you it's me routine? i invented it's not you, it's me. >> what? >> well, i've been thinking about it, and i think it's the right thing to do. >> you're breaking up with me? >> i can't believe i even thought of getting back together with you. we are so over. >> fine by me. >> yep, the gop has lost that loving feeling. after years of flirting with the tea party, they've realized the relationship is totally toxic. on wednesday, the tea party darling ted cruz forced republicans to take a tough vote on the debt ceiling, a vote that could cause some to lose their seats to tea party challengers. other republicans weren't happy about it. the "wall street journal" said cruz was part of a kamikaze caucus.
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senator john mccain called the article a must-read and then cruz hit back with this. >> in the 13 months i've been this the senate, it has become apparent to me the single thing that republican politicians hate and fear the most, and that is when they're forced to tell the truth. it makes their heads explode. >> i don't expect the gop to kiss and make up any time soon. joining me now is e.j. dionne. thanks for being here. >> i'll try to keep my head from exploding, reverend. >> try that, e.j. let me ask you. do you think some flowers and chocolate can smooth everything over in the gop? >> no. i think that there is very little that they can do for each other, even a nice dinner. heck, if they took ted cruz out to dinner right now, he would have to have a food taster
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there. the feeling about ted cruz in the republican party is about as bad as i can imagine. i think i might beat him in an election in the republican caucus at this point if the vote were secret. and that's not to be expected. the other side of this, though, what ted cruz did is he forced republicans to vote the way they actually wanted the vote to turn out. i mean one of their biggest problems here is that they need to say one thing to the tea party to prevent primaries when they know full well that the right thing to do was to pass the debt ceiling extension. and so ted cruz just forced them to vote the way they thought as opposed to the way they hope they'd could describe it to their constituents. >> now, speaker boehner is also facing attacks, e.j., from the right. he is being attacked for allowing clean votes -- the clean vote on raising the debt ceiling. listen to this.
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>> a textbook example of how the house republicans are rewarded by the democrats and the media for compromising, also known as caving. >> now nancy pelosi today is running the floor of the house. >> john boehner, eric cantor, mccarthy, the three mouseketeers, the three stooges, the republican leaders in the house, they are the bankers for barack obama. >> boehner's a stooge, a banker for president obama? i mean, this is getting pretty personal, e.j. >> this -- you know, boehner was driven to another disney movie when he sort of walked out of that news conference and started singing zip a dee doo da, zip a
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dee-a. >> he basically said i've gotten you guys out of a lot of trouble and no one is applauding me. but you had on this vote the smallest number of people in the majority vote for a successful bill ever since they've been keeping records on this. but i think there is a model here that these right wing talk show hosts are worried about, which is there is a majority on the house floor if the more reasonable republicans were allowed to vote with all or most of the democrats. the vote you saw on this is the same kind of vote you would have that would pass immigration reform. so it's not surprising that those right wingers are up in arms. but i think that this -- this vote really brought out the very raw feeling that now exists in the republican party. and i think boehner is either going to have to keep fighting back or he is going to have to retreat into a position where he is going to say, all right, i can't govern after all. >> yeah, because it's a real
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split in the party, e.j. when you look at the fact that mainstream gop members support raising the minimum wage while tea partiers are against it. extending unemployment benefits, republicans are for it. tea parties are against it. and most tea party republicans don't view ted cruz favorably. most nontea party republicans, while he is overwhelmingly popular with the tea party crowd. isn't it really just these tea party republicans who are so out of step with the rest of america? >> they are. they represent maybe a quarter of the country. but they represent a very big proportion of the republican primary vote. so the tea party has a position where as long as barack obama is president, they prefer to blow up the governing process. but what has driven the house republicans so far is a whole bunch of republicans in the middle right as opposed to the
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far right know this doesn't work. but they are so petrified of the tea party that they keep doing things that aren't consistent with what they actually think, the debt ceiling being a perfect example. and you just can't maintain that forever. so the republicans felt they were riding high because of the initial problems with obama care. i think this is really exposed to a lot of people on the fence that these guys just have a difficult time governing and it will probably be impossible to governor if they hold this majority. >> e.j. dionne, thank you for your time tonight, and happy valentine's day. >> and happy valentine's day to you. thank you. still ahead, the big new idea from the 1%. $1, one vote. that's right. a billionaire's ridiculous idea of giving more votes to the rich. plus, bullying in the nfl.
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disturbing new details about racial and homophobic bullying inside a football locker room. stay with us. ...so you say men are superior drivers?
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back when the constitution was written, only white men who owned land were allowed to vote. it took decades of struggle and sacrifice to fix that injustice. 200 years later, a billionaire is talking about giving more votes to the rich than the poor. should a million dollars equal a million votes? we'll talk about that next. you turned into a weird "7". when she saw the roof-top pool... you went to: "11" ♪ you two should probably get a room... oh that's right! you already did. at planet earth's number one accomodation site...
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need. time and time again we're told that none of these are possible. yet corporate tax breaks, they're just fine. tax loopholes for the rich? well, they're needed. there is a reason this outlandish ideology has taken a root in our politics. we've seen some attitude shifts in this country. it's coming from people like tom perkins. he is worth $8 billion. he recently compared the treatment of the 1% to the holocaust. and now he is out with a new talking point. >> the tom perkins system is you don't get to vote unless you pay a lar of taxes. but what i really think is it should be like a corporation. if you pay a million dollars in taxes, you should get a million votes. how is that? >> wow. i mean, that's really out of touch. but that's surprising, right? i mean, mr. perkins has been so down to earth in the past with
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interviews. >> you have owned fancy yachts, fancy cars. >> yes. >> and underwater submersible. >> airplane. underwater airplane. >> i saw it. it's basically an airplane that flies under water. >> right. >> do you worry at all that you are divorced from reality? are you divorced from reality? >> i don't know if anybody can answer that. truthfully, i don't think so. >> wow. this is absurd talk. he is not alone. just last week, the ceo of aol cited two sick babies as the reason he needed to cut employees' 401(k)s. forget the fact that he makes $12 million a year. that didn't factor into his logic. maybe thinks he is worth more. if so, that's just in line with what this billionaire was thinking. >> the, quote, 1% are being
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pummelled because it's politically convenient to do so. the 1% work harder. >> the 1% work harder. that's why they're worth millions of dollars a year? but minimum wage workers, well, here is what another multimillionaire said about them. >> paint me a picture of a person whose work is worth $2 an hour. >> you know somebody who is maybe -- what is the politically correct word, you know, for mentally retarded. what's the -- >> okay. >> what i believe in the principles that the country was founded on. >> but? >> i'm not going to say that we're all created equal. you're worth what you're worth. >> this absurdity gets at the heart of what we're facing in this country. ceos get paid 200 times what their workers make. 200 times. and yet those same people are
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arguing that their vote should be worth more. and they work harder than anyone else. that's not the social contract this country was built on, and it's about time these folks realized that. joining me now are cynthia tucker and joan walsh. thank you both for coming on the show tonight. >> good to be here, reverend al. >> joan, what do you make of this latest comment that the rich should get more votes. >> you know, reverend al, i'm actually grateful for his comment. i'm grateful that there is a tom perkins to put all of this on the table and to show us that there is a backlash to economic populism. and there is a cadre right now of sore winners who have convinced themselves that they're the real victims in our society, and that they deserve, that they deserve everything they have. they ignore the fact that their money makes them worth more than the rest of us already. ever since citizens united essentially made speech -- turned money into protected speech, they have disproportionate power. but they see people organizing.
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they see people rising. and there is a conservative backlash. i'm glad to have it out there so we can discuss it. >> cynthia, you know, a "fortune" reporter talked to tom perkins after the event that he made the statement, and the reporter writes, quote, perkins later said offstage is what he meant with 50% of u.s. registered voters not paying taxes, we got ourselves into a mess. can you interpret that for me? >> of course. this is mitt romney all over again. this is the makers versus the takers, the 47%. you know, joan is absolutely right. i think i am so glad some of these gazillionaires believe they are superior to everybody else. they believe they deserve to run the country. they don't believe in a democracy, reverend al.
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they believe in a plutochacy who lord it over everybody else. american exceptionalism. what really makes this country exceptional is in every generation we work hard to come closer to that democratic ideal that says each person is equal. one person, one vote. >> right. >> we finally -- black people got the vote. women got the vote. and there are plutocrats who still think something is wrong with that system. they don't believe in america. >> now, you know, joan, many on the right are even against raising the minimum wage. but look at this. currently, a worker earning the federal minimum wage makes just $15,000 a year. on average, america's ceos made $9.7 million last year.
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meanwhile, the former ceo of at&t says that executive pay in this country is, quote, a fraud, is born out of cronyism. interesting. >> very interesting. i mean, what is also important to realize, reverend al, is that these people have rigged the system for themselves. there used to be more of a social contract that said we all do better when we all do better. we made a decision to build the biggest middle class the world had ever known. and we did it by having ceos and having rich people take a little bit less, give you a little bit more in taxes, and giving people at the bottom and in the middle a little bit more. and building universities and building roads, and doing all the things that led to the great middle class, and also giving people labor rights, and keeping that minimum wage rising. so the people rose that was the american way. and in the last 30 years, we have rigged -- they have rigged the game on behalf of
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themselves. so the capital gains, the capital gains tax came way down. carried interest rule. people who make money with their money are protected. all these ways of making money are protected and shielded while the rest of us are paying high tax and the minimum wage is going no place. >> not only going no place, cynthia, some on the right are so against the minimum wage that they want to abolish it altogether. listen to this. >> are you for abolishing the minimum wage? >> i think we need to look at all of the factors that go into job creation. i think that's something congress would have to take a look at. >> i want people to make as much as they can. i don't think the minimum wage works. >> you would abolish the minimum wage? >> correct. >> they would abolish the minimum wage, cynthia. >> of course the minimum wage works, reverend al. there are decades of evidence that show the minimum wage works.
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but they -- they simply do not want hard-working americans, people who are working much harder than some of these gazillionaires are. they don't want them to have a chance to get ahead. but the simple fact of the matter is the minimum wage has run behind. it's much lower than the cost of living now than it should be. and it absolutely ought to be raised. >> now, you know, the policy as far as i'm concerned is despicable. but even the politics of this doesn't make sense, joan, because the refusal to raise things like minimum wage at odds with nearly every political group. 90% of democrats support an increase in the minimum wage. so do 71% of independents, as do 53% of republicans. in fact, the only group oppose ready the tea partiers. just 33% of them back an increase.
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so it's not even politically wise what they're doing here. >> except that this minority does have disproportionate political power. and they're the people who are disproportionately listened to. but the idea that somebody like tom perkins can say and the rest of these guys can say they're the hardest working people, if you have ever known a mom, a single mom who works at walmart part of the day and goes and she is a home health aide at night and puts her kids to bed, or maybe she doesn't get to put her kids to bed. the audacity to say that you, the top 1% are the hardest workers when we know the people who are getting on the early buses, as we used to say, and getting on the late bus too. the disconnect. >> and not just back in the day. it's now. right now. >> it's now. >> cynthia tucker and joan walsh, thank you for your time this evening. >> thanks, rev. >> good to be here, reverend. ahead, the explosive new report on that racially charged bullying scandal inside an nfl
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locker room. a former nfl player and coach join me live. and later, i'm giving out some valentine's day cards. you won't want to miss this. stay with us. [ male announcer ] if you're taking multiple medications, does your mouth often feel dry? a dry mouth can be a side effect of many medications but it can also lead to tooth decay and bad breath. that's why there's biotene. available as an oral rinse, toothpaste, spray or gel, biotene can provide soothing relief, and it helps keep your mouth healthy, too. remember, while your medication is doing you good, a dry mouth isn't. biotene -- for people who suffer from dry mouth. ♪ ♪ where you think you're gonna go ♪ ♪ when your time's all gone? [ male announcer ] live a full life. the new lexus ct hybrid with an epa estimated 42 mpg.
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jonathan martin to leave the miami dolphins last season. martin claimed another player, richie incognito pushed him over the edge with racial insults and threats. today investigators issued their findings. they concluded there was a, quote, pattern of harassment. the report says incognito, along with two other players harassed jonathan martin and others. it says they targeted an assistant trainer with racial slurs and other racially derogatory language, and subjected unnamed player to homophobic name-calling, as well as improper physical touching. richie incognito has denied bullying jonathan martin. today his lawyer said the report is, quote, replete with errors. joining me now former new york giants head coach jim fossil,
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and randal hill, a former miami dolphin. thank you both for being here. >> good to be here. >> thanks for having me. >> let me start with you, coach fossil. you were in charge of an nfl team for seven years. are you surprised by the findings in this report? >> well, i am. because i can't imagine that's going to go on in a locker room. this is so distasteful. i don't think we're done with this story. i mean, supposedly, jonathan martin sent nasty ones back to incognito. but the problem i have, you know what? people had to know. they talk about the offensive line had to know. your trainers, your equipment people, other players. you know, the head coach can't be everywhere to everybody. but he's got to have ears to the ground because the number one job is to build a family unit. i got your back. you got my back. and you've got to be able to eliminate any of that stuff that starts, or you're not going to have a very good football team. >> randall, what do you think about that?
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>> you know, i agree. and i agree with it when he says the head coach can't be everywhere, because mainly the head coach, and he knows, is not usually in the locker room during practice. usually that's kind of like the guys' clubhouse, the guys horse around and play around. the coach may walk through, but he walks straight out through going out to the practice field. but you know what? the problem that i have is the other two guys who are on that team who actually did, you know, involve themselves with this who actually looked like jonathan martin and had the same complexion of him, they didn't step up to the bat and say hey, listen, step up to the plate and say hey, listen, enough is enough. >> you know, the problem, coach, is that there is -- is it common language in nfl locker rooms to carry on like this? this is the problem. is this something that is tolerated? >> no, i don't think so.
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and i appreciate the comments right there before. as a head coach, every morning i was in the locker room at 6:00. and i'd be walking around there, saying hello to guys, good morning, this and that. and i had ears down there. i had my leaders, i had trainers. anything that started to go that way, i knew it. i knew it. and i worked on putting a stop to it. and if i heard any language, and al, i was on your show before. the n-word is no place anywhere in society as far as i'm concerned, and especially in a locker room. when i'm trying to build those guys, it doesn't matter what race you come from or what religion you pray to. when we walk in here, buddy, we're all brothers. and i can't imagine that went on and on and on without somebody stepping up and saying stop it. >> but the report shows that the n-word was there and was used. and randal, the report concluded that miami's head coach wasn't aware of the harassment, but that an assistant coach was
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aware. quote, dolphins' offensive line coach jim turner was aware of the running joke that player a was gay and on at least one occasion, he participated in the taunting. this is an assistant coach. i mean, how much of this entire story is a question of leadership? >> well, you know, again, i have to question, you know, coaches are not always in the locker room. now, they may have people around or other players around who may come back and tell them exactly what is going on. but coaches are kind of like a president and/or a ceo. you can't be everywhere. >> but they cite by name an assistant coach here. >> right. exactly. the assistant coach may be one of those people who may become the confidence of some of the players. but the head coach definitely can't be there. but, you know, with that being said, again, the language is one thing. using the n-word, i just don't agree with it. regardless because of how i was raised.
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but, you know, as far as like this foul language, it happens because it's a very heated and rivaled type of sport. so the coaches use it on the field. the players use it on the field. but you leave it on the field. but the n-word, there is no room for that. >> but coach -- >> the other thing, al, if i might say. >> yeah. >> there was supposedly texts and e-mails back and forth with very disparaging comments about -- i don't know this, because i wasn't an investigator, towards the other player's mother. >> right. >> and sister. and, you know, the other thing is, it's a missing link to me in this, if you really want to get to the bottom of this and what happened, because the culture in the locker room, randal will know, i'm not going to rat on anybody. the problem right now is my understanding is nobody was under oath. if you're not under oath, you don't want to talk. >> yeah, but the problem also is, randal, that some look at it as just a locker room. it is a working place. it is a place of work and there
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are rules in this society that people at the workplace don't have to be subjected to. and i think sometimes people that they're outside of what is in our society. >> you're absolutely right. >> it's a workplace. it's not a private locker room that has nothing to do with labor laws and conditions. >> you're absolutely right. but, you know, but then again, the football field and that whole arena, you're talking about basically modern day gladiators for lack of a better word. and looking at it from the inside out, it's not necessarily workplace because i don't know any other profession where you actually get paid to hit someone. it's part -- it's the nature of the beast. and it comes with the territory. most guys look at it as a challenge. but, again, some of the occurrences that happened with the miami dolphins, i don't agree with. but it's a little different in this particular environment. >> but you are working under the laws of the country. you cannot decide that i'm a
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gladiator, coach fassel, and we're outside of what everybody else has to follow in terms of the labor law. everybody thinks it's unique. and we have to deal with this is a work site. >> if i may, you're right, but you know what? this is the only sport that i know of where you don't get charged with battery or assault for hitting someone else. so it's a little bit different. >> but you have rules and regulations and you can't violate those rules and regulations just because you say this is what we do. we're gladiators, coach. >> you know, the thing is i agree with randal to a degree, okay. it is. you're dealing with 20-year-olds, 30-year-olds that are risk takers. these guys, they're risk takers. and they'll go after whatever you put in front of them, and the hitting and everything else. i can't tie to it the workplace, but i can tell you this. people would be shocked at the environment that goes on in a locker room. >> right.
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>> exactly. >> but as a coach, i understand that. but there is a ceiling to it, boys, and it better not cross the line of that. you better not be using the "n" word, you better not be sending texts. >> and to enforce that, people that can discipline their bodies can certainly learn how to discipline their mouths. >> that's rite. >> i've got to leave it there. thank you for your insight tonight. we'll be right back.
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new developments in the michael dunn trial. jurors have asked to go home for
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the night. there will be no verdict tonight. [ fishing rod casting line, marching band playing ] [ male announcer ] the rhythm of life. [ whistle blowing ] where do you hear that beat? campbell's healthy request soup lets you hear it in your heart. [ basketball bouncing ] heart healthy. [ m'm... ] great taste. [ tapping ] sounds good. campbell's healthy request. m'm! m'm! good.®
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happy valentine's day to everyone out in "politicsnation." or should i say revalentine's day. that's right. it's time to hand out some of our own version of valentine's cards. let's get right to it. my first card goes to speaker boehner, because it's so hard to find love in your own party these days. but we know he is a lover, not a fighter. >> valentine's day. [ laughter ] >> and my next card goes to senator ted cruz. forget green eggs and ham. we've got all the chocolates you can handle to get you through a big night of filibustering. enjoy it, senator. we've also got a big valentine
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for mitch "one-term president" mcconnell. we know he is still getting over the heartache of president obama's election. and we can't forget about toronto mayor rob ford. it hasn't been all roses for him recently. but we know he can do the love shuffle better than anybody else. ♪ >> enjoy your night, mr. mayor. and my final revalentine goes to you and all of our loyal viewers. we've been together two and a half years through good weather, bad weather, through ups and downs. they said we couldn't last, but we're still together. so happy valentine's day, viewers. i'm going to remain loyal to you, and i know you're going to remain loyal to me because whether we agree on every issue, we agree that we need to every night come together and discuss politics in the nation. thanks for watching.
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i'm al sharpton. "hardball" starts right now. ♪ cruise missile. let's play "hardball." good evening. i'm chris matthews in washington. and happy valentine's day. but let me start tonight with this. did richard nixon know when he took the republican party into dixie a half century ago that this would be the way it would end up? did he realize that his southern strategy would lead the grand old party into an ambush by its right wing confederates? did he know that the abraham lincoln party once anchored in the midwest and with both coasts

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