this is about the people of ukraine. and ukrainians making their choice about their future. >> right now, the u.s. has marines stationed in kiev, ukraine to protect the american embassy there and the country's ongoing turmoil. ukraine's interim leader is warning that the nation should stick together and build a coalition of national fatal. there's conflicting statements coming from russia. when president putin had the chance to discuss ukraine in an interview on russian tv he chose not to mention it. his foreign minister reconfirm's russia's quote, position of nonintervention in ukrainian affairs. the top parliamentary lead warned if lives and health of our compatriots are in danger, we won't stay aside. there are two fighting for influence here, russia and the european union. we're all familiar, of course, with russia's push to be a world

superpower. but what the e.u., a world of 20 nations but the e.u. does not have a unified military. so what real power does it have in the world stage and over the crisis in ukraine. we start with nbc news foreign correspondent eamon mohyeldin. what power does the e.u. have here? do you think they can outpower putin on this? >> the big ig incentive and the tool at its disposal is the european union itself. that carries a lot of economic benefits. it incorporates a lot of potential economic invest in ukraine. it also lends ukraine diplomatic clout as part of the european union as a trading bloc. it doesn't have to be in the realm of security as we heard in the introduction.

but no doubt, the european union certainly can offer the ukraine european integration. and that would have tremendous benefits for the ukraine in the long run. not in the short term. in the long run it can certainly benefit from being closer to the european union with trade benefits and other economic benefits. >> but, michael, as part of their regional strategy, russia has purply steered ukraine away from the e.u. but that may prove to be a failing strategy. we could see a renewed momentum for ukraine to join the e.u. and is this really the big picture divide here. so, do you think it's possible for ukraine to seek e.u. membership and also maintain good relations with russia? >> well i agree with ayman. the problem is what happens in ukraine doesn't stay in ukraine. already today in russia, 400 people in moscow have been detained in the square near the kremlin because they were engaged in a pro-democracy

protest. this is about money. russia tried to -- ukraine wanted a european union association agreement. russia tried to buy them off with $15 billion and then didn't deliver. the result is outrage. the question is who is going to bid the most for the ukraine today. >> michael, what's happening in the ukraine is sparking memories of moscow in 1956 and czechoslovakia in 1958. and forces skilled 2500 in hu hungary. it's been called one of the darkest moments of the cold war. eisenhower was in the white house dealing with the suez crisis and chose against direct intervention. in '68, lbj chose not to intervene when the soviet-led war saw pact invaded czechoslovakia. moscow wants to stop the other states in the eastern bloc from rebelling from the influence.

michael is there a fear what it was one circa brezhnev and kruschev with little intervention from the u.s., is that putin's ultimate fantasy? >> absolutely. that was the major theme of my book "dancing with the devil" we can't project our own sincerity into the adversaries. the europeans in the united states look at it as trying to come to a win-win agreement but vladimir putin sees international relations as a zero sum game. he wince for that to happen, everyone else has to lose. the question is what he's willing to do to ensure his victory and whether we're going stand up to him. >> michael, you mentioned your book. i want to put up one item from the book you that write. you say when presidents embasra dialogue and incentive as

solution to rogue behavior what is this part for ultimate policy? >> ultimately, i'm not against talk. the problem is, talk has to come at the end of the process, rather than at the beginning. when ronald reagan sat down with mikhail gorbachev it became as a year to set the circumstances. bill clinton said the same thing, you have for set the right circumstances. the question is whether we're doing that right now, it may too late to exert pressure on the ukraine. but the question are we going to reach out to poland, the baltic states, estonia and lithuania to azerbaijan and show putin if he pushes countries around, he's going to lose out elsewhere in this policy game. >> ayman, how do you think things will play out here because ukraine cannot remain indefinitely in limbo? >> well, it really depends on the type of government ukraine is able to create in the coming weeks and months, actually. not only in the interim period which is going to set an important tone. and i doubt that you can see a

complete reversal of the course towards europe in the short term which i mean during this transition period. don't expect any ukrainian government to try to undertake something as sensitive as a political or economic acressation agreement. as a parliament and prime ministers you can expect the ukraine ultimately make its decision in that course. also keep in mind that russia can't stand to lose a territory like ukraine. a lot of russian industries supported by industries in ukraine. it's an important farm and agricultural trading partner for russia. and there is the russian community in southeastern ukraine. in the grand scheme of things you can also expect russia to take punitive measure, perhaps economically or politically or diplomatically for the ukraine in the complete reversal in the last couple of days. so i expect it to be a situation

that remains in limbo for some time. also keep in mind, ukraine is is in dire economic need and is going to need serious western financial incentives either from the imf or the european and the u.s. >> michael it seems that the u.s. has no ability to influence the situation at all no matter what russia does militarily, we're not going to counter that protecting american citizens who might be there. and the president has extraordinary ability to negotiate with put ton call him to ask him things. so the situation is going to play out the way putin does. is there anybody who might be able to stop him from whatever he wants to do? >> well, i agree with you in your analysis. the key issue is as we go forward into interim elections and elections and so forth there's a tendency in the united states to want an even playing field become but putin is going to pull out everything at his disposal for his side so if we're playing neutral and he's supporting his side then what we

don't have is an even playing field, it is important for president obama to speak up on behalf of liberty, on behalf of freedom, on behalf the basic human rights it would be a shot in the arm, adrenaline for those ukrainians who want freedom. >> in this period of tremendous international stability, we have the iranian refusals, the arab spring. we have right now venezuela and ukraine. we have had protests across europe. is there a common thread binding these uprisings together or are they responses to isolated individual circumstances of those country? >> well, there's certainly, if you look at it from 10,000 feet there's a growing dissatisfaction among ordinary people who are living in regimes that are undemocratic. that are in the eyes of their own population, corrupt, authoritarian. i think there is a growing civil unrest. at least a populist move not

popular but a populist movement amongst some of these countries. they're all dealing with different issues but you'll find in many of these countries similar themes of corruption. lack of basic civil liberties. lack of economic development. and i think that's perhaps one of the common themes among all of those populations but as you mentioned, yeah, it's a very trying time 349 international community in so many is of these issues. particularly as far as the united states is concerned whether syria, the iran issue and now ukraine. one of the major factors is russia. that is something that the u.s. is going to have to deal with either in the international arena or bilaterally to try to resolve. indeed. ayman mohyeldin and michael reddman. thank you both. president obama is set to make an announcement on jobs and manufacturing at the white house. we'll go it there like as "the cycle" rolls on for tuesday, february 25th. tting out. purina dog chow light & healthy

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about to speak live at the east room of the white house. he's about to talk manufacturing and to launch a high-tech facility in detroit. as a reminder go to msnbc.com for a live stream of the president's speech. this tops off a busy few days. he met with house speaker and at the white house, touched a little bit of controversy. all things politics, hendricks hertzberg, welcome.

thank you for being here at the new house. i hope you like it. >> it's nice to be part of your housewarming. >> the committee chair of the ways and mean, doug camp, tomorrowing is releases a new plan to completely restructure the income tax code where the richest folks would may 29% down from 39%. of course, everybody knows is this going to go nowhere. this brings up two sort of things from the modern gop that once again they're remindings that you that they're pro-rich and anti-poor. and anti-government in that they're willing to talk about things that they know will never go in. it does not strike me as a good position to be in before midterm? >> well, of course, the president is in a similar situation, he's going to be talking about thing to the extent they require congressional approval but also really go nowhere. it's really a question of whose message you like better. if you're paying attention to it, you're going to like the president's message a little bit better, don't you think so? >> i certainly agree with there.

>> maybe over at fox they have a different view. >> that's possible. that is just possible. but i've been thinking about this a lot. there's this talk about republican rebranding and what can they do to win national elections again. and you had governor bobby jindal a while back saying he wanted them stop being a party of stoop and now to stop being a party of no. and what is the financial crisis was because of their economic theory. the inequality that people are so concerned about is because of their economic theory. even if you look at what's happening in west virginia with the chemical spill, screwing up the water for many, many west virginia ians there. that's also the result of too much deregulation. so i don't see how the republican party can rebrand until they deal with the fact that their economic philosophy is basically rotten.

>> the one big no that they've succeeded in putting to the public is the stimulus to reveal that the stimulus is a failure. >> right. >> there's been a lot of discussion this week about that. and i think it was the biggest mistake obama made as president. first in his inaugural to not say how serious this problem was going to be. and then to not educate the public about what a stimulus is. and what keynesian economics which is accepted throughout, even the most conservatives economists understand there are times when you've got to increase the deficit short term. to get the economy moving again. but that -- but, again, that's just another negative, another no. another party of no. >> right. >> that the republicans are putting out. >> they've been successful messaging on it even though the reality is different. >> that one thing. they're not so successful on those other issues you mentioned but they don't seem to be able to climb out of it. because when they do announce something like, oh, yeah, we

have a tax program, too. it turns out to clobber the majority of the american public. >> right. it's easy to be against things. but they've got to find a more positive message about the future of this country. ed to, speaker boehner met with president obama, one-on-one. the last time these two met was december 20 we feel. i find this pretty embarrassing. i think this speaks to how polarizing the political environment is today. i would have loved 0 to have been a fly on that wall. why are they meeting do you think? >> maybe a safe place to share a cigarette. >> that's the best theory i've heard yet. >> certainly not going to carve out anything. >> no, i guess it's another sign of boehner's increasing kind of impatience and angry hopelessness when he came out whistling the tune that he was whistle -- >> yankey doodle dandy -- >> zip-a-dee-doo-dah.

>> that's what it was. i think he's getting into a kind of what the hell mood. >> good. >> i would love -- this is just a fantasy, wouldn't it be great if boehner decided, look, i'm not going to be speaker that much longer. to hell with all of this stuff, let's do something and try to get something done. wouldn't that be wonderful? >> i think most of the country would like that. that's rick hertzberg tea party fan club right there. i don't know if there's a blog -- >> the other piece of the meeting thing, abbey and i go back and forth on this. she's i think when you go to the high-level meetings, the high-level meetings are usually the result of some cooperative process not to start. you don't bring in the principles like potus or the speaker unless they've gotten somewhere. that, to me, seems to be the problem. there aren't a lot of meetings. you know what is embarrassing having press avail and cameras once a month meetings where you

have nothing to announce. the speaker ultimately could have gotten a lot out of this president and still can, to your point, if he ever puts legislative progress ahead of his speaker re-election. >> that's right. there are times when a president goes into a meeting without knowing what's going to happen. that's what jimmy carter does when he took begin to camp david. with this boehner/obama meeting -- >> to be a fly on the memo for the preparatory meeting. >> i mean, pat of the situation -- >> as long as boehner doesn't have a flyswatter. >> the republicans are on instructing not only what the president wants to do but also what they themselves want to do. it's not that the president is vetoing everything that they try to do. they can't get anything out of the house at all. >> yeah, because every time obama agrees, goes a quarter of the way or halfway, all of a sudden, oh, that's an obama

thing. we were for it yesterday, now we're against it. >> the cent has shifted so far to the right that he is doing things that are right word and even so, they don't want that. >> because they don't want him -- >> we have the president coming. let's go to the president now. >> thank you. thank you so much. everyone please have a seat. well, welcome to the white house, everybody. we got some pretty cool stuff up here. and we also have people here who could explain what it all is. but thank you so much for being here. we've got, first and foremost, some people who i'm proud to call friends and have been fighting on behalf of american workers every single day. we've got the governor of the great state of illinois, pat quinn is sheer, in the house.

we've got somebody who is responsible for trimming my trees and potholes in front of my house. and shoveling snow and i haven't been back for a while. i don't know how it's going, but i'm assuming he's handling his business. the mayor of the great city of chicago, rahm emanuel is here. we've got phil lajoy who is the supervisor of canton township, michigan who is here. there he is. good job, phil. and we've got some outstanding members of congress who are here. especially who just announced that this would be his last term in congress, but is somebody who so many of us have learned from, have admired. he is a man who has every single

day of his life in office made sure that he was fight on behalf of people who really needed help. and he is going to be very missed. john, you are not just the longest serving member of congress in american history. you're also one of the very best, michigan's own john dingell. we are better off because of john's service and we're going to miss him. now, today, i am joined by researchers who invent some of the most advanced metals on the planet. designers who are modeling prototypes in the digital cloud.

folks from the pentagon who help to support their work. basically, i'm here to announce that we're building ironman. [ laughter ] i'm going to blast off in a second. this has been a secret project we've been working on for a long time. [ laughter ] not really. maybe. it's classified. [ laughter ] but keeping america the cutting-edge of technology and innovation is what's going to ensure a steady stream of good jobs into the 21st century. and that's why we're here today. to take new action to put america at the forefront of 21st century manufacturing. now, this is a moment when our economy is growing. and it has been growing steadily for over four years now.

our businesses have created about 8.5 million new jobs over the past four years. the unemployment rate is the lowest it's been in over five years. our manufacturing sector is adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s. so, there's some good news to report. but the trends that have battered the middle class for decades have become in some ways even starker. while those at the top are doing better than ever, average wages have barely budged. too many americans are working harder than ever just to keep up. and it's our job to reverse those trends. we've got to build an economy that works for everyone. not just a fortunate few. we've got to restore opportunity for all people. that's the essence of america. no matter who you are, where you come from, what you look like. how you started out. if you are willinging to work hard and take responsibility, you can get ahead in america.

so, i've been talking now for months about an opportunity agenda. and let me break it down into four parts. number one, more good jobs that pay good wages. jobs in american manufacturing, rebuilding our infrastructure, innovation, energy. number two, training worker, with the skills they need to fill those jobs. number three, guaranteed access to world class education for every child in america. and number four, making sure that hard work pays off. with the wages that you can live on and savings you can retire on and health insurance you can count on when you need it. now, i'm looking forward to working with congress wherever they're willing to do something on any of these priorities. and i have to say that the members of congress who are here all care deeply about these issues. but let's face it, you know, sometimes, it's hard to get moving in congress. we got a divided congress at this point.

and so in this year of action, wherever i can act on my own to expand opportunity for more americans, i'm going to seize that opportunity. and that's why we're here today. already my administration has launched two hubs for high-tech manufacturing. one is in youngstown, ohio. and it's focused on 3d printing. an entirely new way by which the manufacturing process can accelerate and supply chains get stitched together. and you integrate design. all the way through production, in ways that are -- that can potentially be revolutionary. we've also focused on energy efficient electronics in north carolina. and what happens in each of these hubs is we're connecting leading businesses to research universities.

so they're able to ensure that america leads the world in the advanced technologies that are going to make sure that we're the forefront when it comes to manufacturing. now, my friend congressman tim ryan who's here today helped -- where's tim, i just saw him -- there he is -- helped us get the first of these hubs off the ground. there's growing bipartisan momentum now behind these efforts. we've got two republicans and two democrats, roy blunt and sherrod brown in the senate. and tom reed and john kennedy in the house that would work to ensure the true work of these hubs automatic across the country. so i'm really encouraging congress to pass the bills. >> that's the president in the white house east room talking about jobs and manufacturing and ironman. you can find more of that streaming live at msnbc.com.

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president obama as ordered the pentagon to pull all u.s. troops out of afghanistan by year's end with the carve vee yet that we will continue to provide support in president karzai agrees. that likely won't happen if fall until after this spring. jan brewer told nbc news these likely to veto a bill that would let businesses and individuals to deny services. the state's papers immigration

laws estimate that cost $140 million in tourism and business revenue. bill clinton is in kentucky today stumping for senate hopeful alison lundergan grimes who according to polls holds a slim lead to unseed mitch mcconnell. clinton spoke to a sold out crowd in automatic fund-raiser in louisville. there are no plans for president obama to make appearances. michelle obama will be in miami later this afternoon to mark the fourth anniversary of her let's move health and fitness initiative. before she headed to south florida, mrs. obama announced new rules for announcement of sugary drinks. now to the spin, jimmy fallon is coasting along in the second week of the host of "tonight show" but this week it's all about seth meyers who debuted in the coveted late-night spot. one of his guests broke pretty

big 2016 news. >> in 2016, considering what you're going do, where are you in the thought process -- >> so, amy poehler went on to announce her intention to run for president of the united states. >> what? >> so not joe biden. >> did he say he's not running? >> he demured. although on "the view" his morning, he said he would make his decision regardless of what hillary clinton decides to do. >> amy poehler did get us thinking about about who are -- you know, fantasy presidential candidates. >> she's real. >> she's real. in the fantasy world who else would we draft, ellen degeneres. >> she's the best. amazing. you send me this buzzfeed. 17 reasons why ellen degeneres

would make an amazing president. instead of war, she would have danceoffs. which is amazing. ever day after "the cycle" we walk down the hallway, they have the television on and we see ellen doing a dance. >> she makes me so happy. i don't know, she attracts all different types of people. >> wow, you're playing the finding nemo card, are you? >> do have you a problem with that? >> it's a great movie. >> my candidate of choice -- >> did you hear what i said, abbey? >> no, what did you say? >> i said i might be swimming updream. ba da dumb! sorry. >> my candidate of choice would be -- it wasn't well played but i'll give you that -- is stephen colbert hinted at running twice now. once as a democrat, once as a republican. let's take a look. >> they said you can't put

cheese inside a pizza crust, but nasa did it. they had to because the cheese kept floating off in space. >> this is not your first time looking at a president ial run. >> i'm doing it, tim, because i think our country is facing unprecedented challenges in the future. >> so i think he would be awesome. he's also talked a lot about campaign finance reform. i think he should run this time as an independent third party candidate. he's got the following. he can do it. >> you're right that a comedian could be the right answer. >> right. >> but i think there's a slightly different comedian you need to consider. somebody who is strong, who is smart, who is bold, who takes no mess. progressive on gun, progressive on abortion, progressive on marriage equality, show him who i'm talking about. >> we need to control the bullets. that's right, i think all bullets should cost $5,000. $5,000 for a bullet.

you know why if a bullet cost $5,000 there would be no more innocent bystanders. people say we can't have gay marriage because marriage say sacred institution. gay people have a right to be as miserable as everybody else. i love going to abortion rallies to pick up women because you know they're [ bleep ] you ain't going to find a bunch of virgins at the abortion rally. >> i'm sure, if chris rock were pressured, i'm sure he could get a lot of americans behind him. >> you can't be like that if you run for president. >> he could pull that out. ari, right now, you are the hardest working man on msnbc. you're doing three different shows today. >> i think we need a fact check on that. >> we went ahead and made a choice. it was a group selection. i thought of somebody who was cal. abby suggested somebody smart. kristal suggested somebody

masculine. it's all the same. you know, i appreciate as a group, you came up with me. and i appreciate the compliment. >> let me know when i can respond. >> no, we got to go to break. >> thank you for choosing my choice which was you. it's sort of a transition source. you mentioned cheney who of course, picked himself in -- picking himself to run. a lot of people said before that toure reminds them of dick cheney. it's classic that you guys would do that. the on one with chris rock, we saw a preview what that might look like when he did run for president in that movie. "head of state." it's a terrible movie. i say that was someone who appreciates chris rock's comedy. that was an atrocious movie. i'd love to see matthew

mcconaughey run in character as his "true detective" character and just run for president. go around gives speeches talk about how time is a linear circle. >> why did i thought think of that? >> our facebook friends have their own ideas of which nonpolitician should run for the white house. frankie agrees with me and abby on 2016 while laurie thinks tina fey and amy poehler would make a great duo. our "cycle" staff weighed in. president bartlett from "the west wing." and a colbert/stewart ticket. there's a new movement spreading across the south. republican state houses you are on notice. our friend ari berman joins us with his reporting next. [ sponge ] welcome back to "you make a choice."

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did you run into traffic? no, just had to stop by the house to grab a few things. you stopped by the house? uh-huh. yea. alright, whenever you get your stuff, run upstairs, get cleaned up for dinner. you leave the house in good shape? yea. yea, of course. ♪ [ sportscaster talking on tv ]

last-second field go-- yea, sure ya did. [ male announcer ] introducing at&t digital life. personalized home security and automation. get professionally monitored security for just $29.99 a month. with limited availability in select markets. ♪ any decisions at any level newt defend individual laws must be exceedingly rare. they must be reserved only for exceptional, truly exceptional circumstances. and we must endeavor in all of our efforts to uphold and advance the values that once led our forbearers to declare unequivocally that all are created equal and entitled to equal opportunity. >> that was eric holder speaking today to the states attorney generals to on state same-sex marriage bands.

he made headlines you that heard him mention they may not have to defend laws that they feel are discriminatory. holder's remarks come on multiple fronts from racial justice, to gay rights to protections. it's been called the moral monday movement. 80,000 people attended protests a few weeks ago. it's spreading to states like florida, arizona, alabama and different days of the week as well. here to explain this rising tide of civil disobediencdisobedienc berman, the author. thank you. >> thank you. >> you write in this article about not what moral mondays are doing in north carolina but asee country. you compare it to the models but in the '60s there was an appeal to help and rat that fi civil

rights. what we're seeing here particularly in the shelby voting rights, as well as other cases that the appeal to the courts essentially not there. right? not that backstop in the third branch? >> well, the moral monday morning, particularly in north carolina, they're trying to get out on the street and sway public opinion. remember, north carolina they had votinging rights, strong women's rights, strong workers' rights, protections. and those are being taken away by the republican government that came in 2010 and the takeover in 2012 when republicans took the governor's mansion and the legislature. the moral monday movement is not really that they're fighting for a new era as much as trying to get back some of things they actually had. and the movement that is more diverse and encompasses more from the 1960s from which it draws inspiration. >> 80,000 protesters just recently, so it has caught fire.

it's been effective. there's tons of energy around it. what do you see as sort of the magic ingredients that have made this particular protest movement take off? >> well they've been really relentless. in 2013 when they first went down to the legislature, in april there were i think 17 people that got arrested. then they came back again and there was something like 30 people. and then it kept growing and growing and growing. the legislature kept passing these crazy laws. they would kick 170,000 people off unemployment benefits. they would pass abortion to a sharia law bill. they had such a broad coalition. they were able to pivot from issue to issue. everyone felt they had a seat at the table. and the fact that everyone was fighting for everyone else's issue in the coalition gave some real depth. it couldn't be just a fade.

after 2013 after the protests when they left raleigh, they went all across the state. in 2014, they kick it off with this massive moral march. the point of the march is to say we can mobilize all of these people. we're not going anywhere. we're going to grow in north carolina and take it just like the civil rights movement did across the south. >> i think the key magic ingredient has been reverend william barbour. the president of the naacp. show a little bit of the reverend barbour. >> we call on all people of goodwill, blacks, white, asian-americans, rich, poor, young and old to resist attacks on the poor and working families of north carolina. we are calling on all people to get on board. get on board. there's a train coming. and it's headed towards justice. >> and suspicious of the great man theory, but he is the big reason why this has happened. and without someone like him or

without him being able to be in multiple places at once, it's going to be hard to spread this movement. >> absolutely, you need a reverend barber. what he's done, he's empowered a whole new generation of leaders. training activists and young people down there as well. it's doesn't necessarily have to be a reverend barber on day one. but there has about commitment to training the next leadership. that's what he's doing not just in north carolina but across the south. >> all right, ari berman, thank you so much. we turn to a documentary with the power to change lives. >> in her 30s and 80s and crack and cocaine. >> and there are people who are worried that you don't want those kids in your waiting room. they don't look different. walk different. talk different. they're just like the others who are our children. it's just that the nature of their disease is difficult and more challenging. >> if you've ever had a drug

addiction or know someone who has, you know the toll it takes not only on the addict but on the family and friends as well. it doesn't matter where you are from addiction can hit anyone. the hungry heart looks at the problem through the eyes of a 72-year-old pediatrician and his patients in an unlikely place, vermont. it's increasing by a staggering 770%. the problem is so bad that the governor pete shumlin has recently devoted the entire state to the epidemic there. and applauding filmmaker bett r o'brien. joining us is bess o'brien, director of "the hungry heart." and the subject of the film sober for three years after a struggle with pills and heroin. thank you both for being here. your situation spiraled quickly.

i want to play that from the documentary. >> i was 30 years old before i became an opiate addict. it was like a gift from god. i couldn't handle any more stress. i closed my business. and my marriage fell apart. >> so when did you know that you had a problem? and how bad did it actually get before you sought help? >> well, i think i knew i had a problem before i was even really ready to admit to-t it to mysel. but i used painkillers for a few years before i finally came out of the closet, so to speak. and i told my mother that i had a problem with painkillers. i'd become addicted to painkillers. and that was the first time that i sought treatment.

>> bess, talk to us about stories that are very similar to hers. did you find a similarity, a commonality in all of them? >> well, i think prescription drug addiction is everywhere. it's not just a vermont i think that other governor stood up and said we have a problem has sort of opened the door for the rest of the country to stand up and admit that in our society we have a lot of prescription drug addictions. so in the film, i really explore this issue with all kinds of different people, different anchs, different socioeconomic levels, and so i think that it hits everybody, and it's a human story. one of the best things the governor said in the state of the state is that he felt that we needed to move this issue off of this is a criminal problem to this is a health issue. and i think that that is a very important distinction to make. >> rena, i want to talk about addiction, it becomes this sort

of voice in your head that fights to stay alive. it doesn't really function any different inside the addict, whether it's prescription drugs or illegal drugs. just talk about how that functioned inside of you and how you were finally able to break free? >> sure. i just want to clarify the first time i sought treatment, i was a prescription pill addict, but by the time i finally managed to get sober this last time, i was an iv heroin user and crack addict. that's where my addiction led me. you know, certainly never in a million years would i have ever pictured myself going down that road, but addiction is incredibly powerful. sometimes i describe it as having a split personality, because, you know, it is this sort of other part of me that would take over and make choices i really didn't want to be making. addiction is so incredibly powerful, it's far beyond

anything i can control when i'm in it. >> riana, i think it takes a lot of courage to talk about this addiction. and in the film you highlight dr. fred holmes. what was it about dr. holmes that touched you? >> well, fred actually called me, because he had been working with young people in his practice around prescription drug addiction and recovery. i think he got to a place where he felt like a lot of people were judging these young people and feeling like they were "those kids." and so he was essentially talking to a mutual friend of ours and said you were speak to beth, who makes the films that tell the intimate stories around very difficult subjects. so fred called me and said i'm this pediatrician, i live in st.

alban's. would you be interested in making a movie? so i went up and met fred. he's a wonderful human big, so generous of spirit. i met a lot of his patients, and then really focused on his -- his way of working, but then i also wanted to include people who were a little older, because as we know, addiction hits anyone at any age. >> riana, you were so incredibly brave. the documentary is so moving. thank you both very much for being with us. >> thank you so much. we will be right back with some 2016 clarity. [ female announcer ] aveeno® with soy helps reduce the look of brown spots in 4 weeks. for healthy radiant skin. aveeno®. naturally beautiful results. humans. even when we cross our t's and dot our i's, we still run into problems.

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i made the case that maybe we should look at elizabeth warren making a run for you want. i based this on the soaring inequality that's stifling growth, destroying the middle class and eroding the very democracy of our -- to me the senior from massachusetts is the -- and restoring the middle class. she is remarkably independent from the corporate and wall street interests and created the economic system we are suffering under. according to some on the right, my very suggestion there's anything wrong with our current model of capitalism and perhaps we should consider restoring some of the rights that have been stripped from workers making me a far left lunatic. bill o'reilly actually made a pretty spectacular leap from my comments to -- wait for it -- communism in cuba. while o'reilly takes my argument

to an extreme place, a fair amount of the feedback i received from democrats about elizabeth warren as a candidate was also the "she's too liberal" variety. however you want to label warren and her policies, they are one thing. that's, quite popular. she's a strong backer of lifting the minimum wage. and warren supposedly's radical idea we should expand social security by making cost of living adjustments more accurate. the national academy of social insurance for you that 7 in 10 americans preferred expanding social security, paying for it by lifting the income cap to our current system. warren hag really made her name fear his on banks and trying to rein in their practices, and here again she's got the public's backing.

timely on the issue of inequality, voters overwhelmably believe inequality is growing and that the government should do something about it. so if warren's a radical leftist, i guess much of the country is as well. the real problem is not that she's too left. it's that we've allowed our politics and what is considered the center in our politics to be pulled way too far right. that's no accident. a lot of money has gotten into convincing us that the moderate centrist responsible thing to do is lower corporate taxes, cut social security and basically let banks do whatever the hell they want. so, yeah, elizabeth warren might be too liberal for the donor class. bill o'reilly might want you to think she's too liberal for america, but america overwhelmingly disagrees. o., by the way, don't worry about how warren would do in the fund-raising department. she raised more against scott brown than any other congressional candidate in the country.

it turns out there are a lot of folks who would be willing to make a small investment in some actual peeple-powered democrat sell. that does it for "the cycle". conservatives cannot stop the tide of progress, but it's thursday, february 25th. this is "now." >> it's a big decision in arizona. >> over a bill that's been criticized as antigale. >> that would allow business owners to review, based on their religious belief. amplts five candidates have all come out against this bill. >> republicans have also been quick to call for the governor to scrap this law. >> it's not an action that our business leaders don't want. >> there will be