tv Politics Nation MSNBC June 2, 2014 3:00pm-4:01pm PDT
3:00 pm
>> good evening, ed. and thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, coming home. the only american p.o.w. from the war in afghanistan is back in american hands after being a taliban prison anywhere for five years. today sergeant bowe bergdahl is in germany receiving treatment. in idaho, they're celebrating. sergeant bergdahl's parents are overjoyed. >> i'm so looking fwartd to s i seeing your face after these 5 1/2 long years. it's a seemingly endless long
3:01 pm
time, but you've made it. i imagine you're more patient and compassionate than ever you are free. freedom is yours. i will see you soon, my beloved son. i love you, bowe. >> but in washington, republicans have turned this celebration into a political fight. to secure sergeant bergdahl's freedom, the u.s. agreed to release five high-level taliban detainees from gauantanamguanta. today, new video shows the five taliban members arriving in the nation of qatar. and here at home, many on the right are expressing outrage. gop senator lindsay gram said in effect, we released the taliban dream team. and other republicans are piling on. >> certainly looks like a political stunt to me. >> this whole political exchange
3:02 pm
is shocking to me and i'm disappointed. >> it's disturbing thaez individuals would have the about to enter the fight. >> when ambassador rice said to you yes, u.s. policy has changed, now we make deals with terrorists. >> u.s. policy has changed? not a chance. did senator cruz forget how president reagan traded arms for hostages in 1980s? did he forget how president bush kec kept negotiating with iran after calling them part of the axis of evil. this isn't about making deals with accused terrorists, this is about bringing an american soldier home, and bringest america's longest war to an end. commander-in-chief made a tough decision, and any republican opposes that decision needs to look bergdahl's parents in the eyes and explain why their son should be left behind.
3:03 pm
joining me now is wes moore and is a la salon.com's joan welsh. the white house says prisoner trades are part of winding down a war. where do you stand on that? >> well, anyone who thinks that's not the case, as you alluded to, doesn't understand the history. you know, these are things that have gone on in wars in the past. and the other thing -- the other complaint i hear people make is somehow this is going to change taliban policy or this is going to change a policy of quote, unquote, negotiating with terrorists. taliban, when they're looking to take, you know, army personnel or any other organization, they're not thinking about whether or not they can get an exchange for it. when we take our oath and we take the army creed, the army creed says one thing in particular amongst others and it says we will not leave a fallen comrade. there might be a lot of details about what happened and why he
3:04 pm
was captured but at the same time, we have to understand this is a good day for him and his family. >> joan, where do you stand on this? >> i think it's pretty straightforward, rev. i think these men were both, on both sides, were prisoners of war. this notion, this rhetoric about terrorism is emotionally satisfying to the right, but these taliban leaders, fighters with captured inform the during the course of an actual war. they were captured, i believe, in afghanistan, and it is customary, when we wind down a war, to release prisoners. the other thing that's very interesting to me is that this deal has actually been discussed. it's not been a big secret deal. versions of this deal have been discussed going back to 2012. and, in fact, the president was threatened and told, you know, release these five plizners and we'll turn them into willie horton in an election year. now, the deal fell apart after reports that even john mccain
3:05 pm
signed on to it. the deal fell apart because the taliban walked away temperature. >> there's no doubt this has been on the table. but let me deal. >> there's no doubt this has been on the table. but let me deal more wi. >> there's no doubt this has been on the table. but let me deal more wi. >> there's no doubt this has been on the table. but let me deal more with the hypocrisy. if we look at the facts, we can all have differenten opinions kbu we can't have different facts. president bush released more detainees from gitmo than president obama. this is just a fact. 532 detainees were released fra guantanamo under president bush. 87% have been released under president obama. yet the right wing is acting like there's no precedent from this, captain. let's just deal with the facts and the numbers as they are.
3:06 pm
>> and the other fact that i think people have to understand is when we're looking at what happened with bowe bergdahl and being captive for five years, when the united states says we're going to leave no comrade behind, when the united states says you're not forgotten, we mean what we see. and we sent a very strong message, and this is another fact, that the very strong message that was sent, not just to other opposing forces or enemy forces, but to every single person that puts on the uniform of our koun trif is that if something happens to you or you are captured, we will never forget you. we will find you and bring you home. that'sare captured, we will nev forget you. we will find you and bring you home. that'syou are captured, we will forget you. we will find you and bring you home. that's another fact. >> if we're winding down a war, what are we seeing to bergdahl and his family. all right, we're winding it down, everything is over and you're on your own. we're just going to leave you there. but it didn't take long for some of the right to start comparing
3:07 pm
this to benghazi. they always try to connect their dots on their conspiracies and their things to criticize. i mean, former republican governor john sununu weighed in. listen. >> look, they resorted to the youtube video for an excuse for what they did in benghazi and now they're resorting to the health issue as an excuse as having done a bad thing here. >> is. >> we will look into this. it's really kind of ironic, because this is playing out much like benghazi. >> benghazi, bergdahl, they both start with b. that's what it is. not to make light of this, but this is what they do. i'm sure they're going to have hearings, but i don't think they're going to find something
3:08 pm
that the american people are going to be upset about. this is customary, this is what we do. it's been under consideration for a very long time. the terms of the deal changed. the president thought it was a good idea, senator feinstein thought it was a good idea. diplomats and defense department people who worked under president george with bush have praised this deal and said it was the right thing to do. you're going to have the usual suspects screaming benghazi, but i really don't thit's going to matter to the american people. >> let me bring another subject up as it relates to this mr. moore, captain moore. in 2012, "rolling stone" released bergdahl's final e-mail to his parents, displaying his growing resentment towards the u.s. mission. he told his parents, quote, the system is wrong, i'm ashamed to be an american and the title of u.s. soldier is just the lie of
3:09 pm
fools. >> some on the right are saying that his freedom wasn't worth the price. listen to this. >> there's a lot of reporting that he seems to have deserted or gone awol. it's one thing to trade terrorists for a real p.o.w., someone taken on the battlefield, fighting honorably on our country, it's another thing to trade five high-ranking terrorists. >> it looks to me like a deserter or traitor and why the obamaed main strags would give away five terrorists to get him back is kind of beyond me. >> now, yes, there are sques about how sergeant bergdahl was captured, but how can he be judged like that. i mean, without a trial. and then abandoned? is that what the right wing is really suggested? they're always in the corner of soldiers, we support our military men and women. no matter what. what about this military man?
3:10 pm
he said some things that we don't know, the capture is not clear, so just leave him out there. we're going to fine him a traitor without a trial, without evidence, just leave him out there. >> frankly, rev, as a veteran, you know, are these e-mails and comments disturbing and potential troubling? absolutely they are .kbu we're going to hold an investigation. but what does this say about our count country? the fact that even if these things are true, and they will be dealt with accordingly if they are, but despite that, we still went after him. we never forgot him. we never forget thot that he wa soldier in our army and he deserves the respect that we will never forget where he he is and we will find him and bring him home. i think that's an amazing testament to the leadership that even despite all that, he's still one of ours and we're still going to bring him home. >> and joan, i think it's
3:11 pm
important that despite all of that, that he was still being held captive. i don't know what's right or wrong, true or not, but he was a captain i and when they came and got him, he cried and went home. so i mean, this is not a shut and dry kind of situation that the right thing is raising. and as the president said, he was ours, we had to go get him. >> absolutely. and wes is right, it's very moving when you think about what was done to bring him back. are we going to suddenly have a standard where journalists and bun d pundits and bill krystal decides our your character is such that we'll go get you. that michael hastings profile, the late michael hastings did the profile of bergdahl in "rolling stone" that you read from. it's very moving, very disturbing. people who care about this should really read it. but there reese nothing in it that would say -- and there's
3:12 pm
nothing that any military personcensonnel has said which mean we should leave him behind. bill krystal is not entitled to weigh in on this. >> coming up, how will sergeant bergdahl come back into society? and what is it like to be held captive for over 300 days. our next guest knows. a former contractor who was kidnapped and imprisoned in baghdad for 311 days. he shares his amazing story tonight. and house republicans moving forward with a bill aimed at gutting the first lady's healthy lunch program. celebrity chef tom colicciho has been outspoken on this. and he joins us live. please stay with us. i'm their mom at the playground and i'm his mom at the dog park.
3:13 pm
the kids get trail mix, and here's what you get after a full day of chasing that cute little poodle from down the street. mm hmm delicious milo's kitchen chicken meatballs. they look homemade, which he likes almost as much as making new friends yes, i'll call her. aww, ladies' man. milo's kitchen. made in the usa with chicken or beef as the number one ingredient. the best treats come from the kitchen.
3:15 pm
the dig to release sergeant bowe bergdahl in exchange for five members of the taliban is dominating conversation on our social media sites today. we want to know what you think about it. t "politics nation" question of the day, was it right for the united states to release five taliban prisoners in order to reunite an american soldier with his family? yes or no? you can vote on our facebook page or on twitter. so vote now .and and be sure toe a comment. alright, that should just about do it. excuse me, what are you doing? uh, well we are fine tuning these small cells that improve coverage, capacity and quality of the network. it means you'll be able t post from the breakroom. great!
3:16 pm
did it hurt? when you fell from heaven (awkward laugh) ...a little.. (laughs) im sorry, i have to go. at&t is building you a better network. this is mike. his long race day starts with back pain... ...and a choice. take 4 advil in a day which is 2 aleve... ...for all day relief. "start your engines"
3:17 pm
>> we've been working very, very hard for you. take the time you need to recover. we pray for you as ewe go through this healing process an we praise god for your freedom. >> after sergeant bowe bergdahl was hand eed off by his captive he was rushed off by helicopter. he scribbled the letters s.l. on paper plate. he was asking if they were special forces. one shouted back yes. bergdahl broke down in tears. that was the beginning of his
3:18 pm
re-enter into society. after being held for nearly five years, it won't be easy, though. roy hallums knows that all too well. he was an american contractor kidnapped in iraq back in 2004 and held hostage for 311 days. until his dramatic rescue. this video shows how u.s. soldiers acting on a tip found roy in a small concrete pit in a baghdad farmhouse. for month, he had been held there by his kidnappers, bound and blindfolded. his homemade prison was sealed with concrete. the entrance to it covered with carpet and a refrigerator. a small pipe for air was his only link to the outside world. when they pulled him out they
3:19 pm
asked are you roy? he said yes. they said come on, we're getting you out of there. they did get him out of there, but that was far from the end of his journey, one that sergeant bergdahl is just beginning. the author of the book "buried alive" the true story of kidnaps, captivity and a dramatic rescue. roy, thanks for coming on the show tonight. >> glad to do it. you know better than anyone how difficult this adjustment will be for sergeant bergdahl. talk about how difficult that reentry into society was for you? both meantly and physically? >> well, physically, it took months and mentally it took months, because you're in a situation where you have no control over anything in your
3:20 pm
life. you can't go to the bathroom, can't get anything to drink or anything to eat unless someone else allows you to do it or gives it to you. and just readjusting to where you can get out, move around and be in the world is a big change. it doesn't sound like it would be difficult, but believe me, it is. i'm sure he's going to go through the same thing i did, trying to readjust to freedom. >> describe for us your time in captivity, what was your daily life like? >> when i was held, i was -- i had my hands and feet tied and had a mask over my eyes about 23 hours a day. the only time they would take it off was when they would bring food or when we would go to the bathroom. and i was locked under the floor of a farmhouse. they had dug out a little room. maybe four feet high, six feet wide, maybe eight feet long.
3:21 pm
and if you held your hand up in front of your face, you couldn't see anything because it was so dark. >> we're showing video of that right now. go ahead. this is the rescue. >> if you see the soldier come down in there, he's bent over, and i'm bent over. it's just suffocating in there. in the summer in iraq it's literally 118 degrees and there's no ventilation in there. >> wow. >> so i was in that condition for my entire captivity. >> and that was about ten months? >> yes. yes. 311 days i was held. and during the entire ten months, i was bound. they took me out from time to time, once at morning, once at night to go to the bathroom, that's it. >> how did you survive? what got you through all of that. 311 days under those conditions. how did you sustain yourself? >> well, you just take it day by
3:22 pm
day. when i was first kidnapped ux i thought if i lived a week that would be a miracle. i thought i would be dead. then they told me they wanted money and i thought i might be alive longer to get the money. if you thought at the beginning oh, i will be here 10 1/2 months, that would drive you over the edge. i just thought well, i have something to eat this morning hopefully i'll give something to eat tonight and i'll go on to the next day. and just try to live through each day. >> soldiers got a tip about where you were and it led to freeing you. walk us through the day you were finally freed. what wept through your mind. >> i woke up at about 8:00 in the morning. and about 11:30, i heard
3:23 pm
helicopters. and it wasn't unusual for me to hear helicopters. i could hear them fly over from time to time. but this time the helicopters were getting closer and closer. then it sounded like they were actually handing on the house, which they practically were, four of them. and then i heard a lot of yelling, a lot of running. but since i was under the concrete floor, i couldn't tell if it was english or arabic that was being spoken. and then in the little room i was in, the door, somebody started wounding on it with what sounded like a sledge hammer to me. and i didn't know if it was the gang trying to get in to kill me before i could be rescued or if somebody there to actually rescue me. then the door fell in where i was. and a soldier jumped in just like you said a while ago, he pointed at me and said are you roy? and i said yes. he said come on, we're getting out of here. i said sounds good to me. >> wow. and then you had to go through this whole recovery transitioning.
3:24 pm
walk us through your biggest challenges. what is sergeant bergdahl, what is he going to have to go through right now in the foreseeable future? what is the hardest challenges that he faces in your opinion based on your own challenges? >> well, for me, the physical part, i had to go through physical therapy. but thank goodness it was nothing permanent. it took months to get through the physical therapy. but the mental part of it. when he's rereesed in his case, rescued in my case, there's a military psychiatrist in charge of you. he's the one making the recommendations. in my case, they were asking me to go to germany just like sergeant bergdahl. but i didn't want to go. i wanted to home back to memphis
3:25 pm
to be with my family. since i was a civilian, i could make that kind of a decision. >> yeah. >> he's in the military . he can't make that decision. he has to go. it's probably good for him that he did go. so then you come back and all of a sudden you're thrown out into the world and you're still going to need a lot of therapy for months. to deal with adjusting to life. when i first got back, i went to the grocery store with my two taughters. that was so unusual for me because kids were running around, people were walking around the store, just doing every day, normal thing, but to me, that was so much different than my little world i had been tied up in. >> i read you spent a lot of time with your grandchildren and
3:26 pm
returned to normalcy. do you think that's true for sergeant bergdahl? >> well, i hope so. he's a young man. hopefully he can adjust. i was told by the psychiatrist dealing with me, it's all different. it depends on the individual. some people take longer to recover than other people. me, for instance, i don't have nightmares or dreams or anything about captain tifty. i think about it once in a while in cases like this. hopefully he can get to that stage where he realizes what happened to him, but it doesn't keep him upset all the time. >> all right, roy, thank you so much for your time this evening. >> thank you. coming up, rand paul, come on down. you're the next kentucky politician to get tied into a pretzel on affordable care act.
3:27 pm
3:28 pm
with lobster! don't miss our first ever lobster toppers event! 4 delicious entrees topped with sweet, succulent maine lobster starting at just $15.99! like savory new wood-grilled shrimp topped with maine lobster in a citrus hollandaise... or the new ultimate: lobster-topped lobster -- 3 split maine lobster tails topped with maine lobster in a creamy white wine sauce! four choices, for a limited time, starting at just $15.99! everything's better with lobster! come in now, and sea food differently.
3:29 pm
humans. we are beautifully imperfect creatures living in an imperfect world. that's why liberty mutual insurance has your back, offering exclusive products like optional better car replacement, where if your car is totaled, we give you the money to buy one a model year newer. call... and ask an insurance expert about all our benefits today, like our 24/7 support and service, because at liberty mutual insurance, we believe our customers do their best out there in the world, so we do everything we can to be there for them when they need us.
3:30 pm
plus, you could save hundreds when you switch, up to $423. call... today. liberty mutual insurance -- responsibility. what's your policy? >> who doesn't love the game twister. you know it, the one played on a large plastic mat with colored circles. you often find yourself in unlikely or precarious positions. now we have a new version. republican twister. it's been a lot of fun watching these players. rand paul, mitch mcconnell, scott brown and others, twisting all over the place when asked about the affordable care act. hey. i'm ted and this is rudy.
3:31 pm
say "hi" rudy. [ barks ] [ chuckles ] i'd do anything to keep this guy happy and healthy. that's why i'm so excited about these new milk-bone brushing chews. whoa, i'm not the only one. it's a brilliant new way to take care of his teeth. clinically proven as effective as brushing. ok, here you go. have you ever seen a dog brush his own teeth? the twist and nub design cleans all the way down to the gum line, even reaching the back teeth. they taste like a treat, but they clean like a toothbrush. nothing says you care like a milk-bone brushing chew. [ barks ] still running in the morning? yeah. getting your vegetables every day? when i can. [ bop ] [ male announcer ] could've had a v8. two full servings of vegetables
3:32 pm
for only 50 delicious calories. twomarge: you know, there'sbles a more enjoyable way to get your fiber. try phillips fiber good gummies. they're delicious, and an excellent source of fiber to help support regularity. wife: mmmm husband: these are good! marge: the tasty side of fiber. from phillips. thank you. thank you. i got this. oh, no, i'll get it! let me get it. uh-uh-uh. i don't want you to pay for this. it's not happening, honey. let her get it. she got her safe driving bonus check
3:33 pm
from allstate last week. and it's her treat. what about a tip? oh, here's one... get an allstate agent. nice! [ female announcer ] switch today and get two safe driving bonus checks a year for driving safely. only from allstate. call 866-905-6500 now. here we go! hold on man. is that a leak up there? that's a drip. whoo. okay. aah. now that's a leak. that is a leak! and if you don't have allstate renters insurance... game over. [ female announcer ] protect your valuables from things like water damage for as low as $4 a month when you add renters insurance to your allstate auto policy. call 866-905-6500 now. plus, drivers who switched saved an average of $498 a year. just a few more ways allstate is changing car insurance for good. [ female announcer ] call an allstate agent and get a quote now. maybe it's something in the water, but things are off with
3:34 pm
kentucky republican senators. they just can't get their stories straight on health care. for years all mitch mcconnell and ranld paul wantwanted was l repeal, repeal, repeal. now they're getting fuzzy on the details. check this out from senator paul. >> with all the unknowns, do you think the state exchange should be dismantled? >> i'm not sure -- there's going to be -- how do we unravel or change things? there's a lot of questions, big questions that are beyond the exchange and the kynect and all that. it's how we're going to fund these things. >> that's funny, he didn't answer the question. just like mitch mcconnell. do you remember what he said when asked if he wanted to get rid of kentucky's version of the affordable care act? >> i think that's unconnected to my comments about the overall
3:35 pm
question. >> he's trying to have it both ways. more than 413,000 kentucky residents have used the state exchange to gain coverage and that's why senators mcconnell and paul are twisting on this. and it's not just in kentucky that republicans are tying themselves into knots over the law. in indiana, governor mike pence still supports a repeal, but he wants money from the law to expand medicaid. in michigan, arkansas, new hampshire and north carolina, republican senate candidates won't say if they're against the medicaid expansion. and all over the country, the u.s. chamber of commerce is running ads saying their candidates will fix the aca, not a word about repeal. the law is working. millions of people have gotten covered and republicans don't want to be the bad guys who take that away. joining me now is congressman john yarmouth, democrat of
3:36 pm
kentucky, and a washington post dana millbank. thank you both for being here. >> hi, reverend. >> good to be with you, reverend. >> congressman, let me go to you first. you spoke out against senator mcconnell's hypocrisy. i want to play part of your comments. >> health reform has been so successful in kentucky that mitch mcconnell now says we should keep kynect, but his claim that we can keep kynect and get rid of the affordable care act is disingenuous and our constituents deserve to know that. >> will your constituents see through mcconnell's double talk? >> i think they already have. we have 415,000 or so people who have received insurance because of the affordable care act through kynect and expanded medicaid. that's 10% of the state's population. in six months, we were able to ensure half of the previously
3:37 pm
inuninsured population. now he's -- he's saying we can keep kynect, our exchange, while we repeal the affordable care act, people understand that's absolutely not true. that's like tearing down a house, leaving the door so you can still go through the door, but there's nothing there when you go through it. if you repeal the affordable care act, you could have insurance policies that could still discriminate against pre-existing conditions, still charge women more, still annual caps and lifetime limits that would subject people to bankruptcy for a serious illness or accident. you can not preel the affordable care act and keep the wonderful kynect system we have in kentucky. what's hysterical about mitch's answer was when he was asked that question, he tried to hand the microphone to rand paul. rand just stared at him. neither one wanted to touch the question.
3:38 pm
>> i'm not going there. isn't it indicative of the fact that this is not the game changer that the republicans thought it would be? that we're starting to see a lot of a equivocating, a lot of, what i would call, moon walking, using entertainment lingo, by republicans who thought this would be the gotcha issue for the midterm elections. >> right. and i think now you can begin to understand why it was so important to try to kill obama care in the cradle. why they went to the government shutdown and those other things because once it actually gets going, well, then the danger is people decide they actually like it. and forget it, you can't unravel it again. people like it in kentucky, in large part because the governor is implementing it well there, but also because it's not called obama care. and that shows the fundamental ill logic at the criticism of the president's health care plan
3:39 pm
because they've done so well at dem demonizing obama care, if you actually look at what's in it, they say oh, i like that. it's like the people who say get the government out of my medicare. >> you know, congressman, you're on the ground, you're there where people are in kentucky on the ground, are a part of the state program. how are people responding now that they have the ability to sign in on a state program because of the affordable care act or obamacare. tell us the reaction of the people on the ground in your state. >> well, from a human standpoint, it's been one of the most gratifying experiences i've ever had, certainly in my public life. when people come up to me on a daily basis and say thank goodness for this program, i was never able to get insurance. i had a serious heart ailment or i have diabetes, now i can finally get the treatment i never could before. it's truly a life-changing event for literally hundreds of
3:40 pm
thousands of kentuckyians. i hear from them every day. and mitch is beginning to hear from them as well. and mitch may have performed a great service for those who support the law by finally highlights the fact that kynect and obamacare are one in the same. he probably almost put a nail in his own coffin in that respect. >> thank you both for your time tonight. >> thanks, reverend. >> thanks, rev. still ahead, the fight over the first lady's healthy food program. eel talk about celebrity chef tom colicchio and show you the food republicans are fighting for. will she or won't she? senator elizabeth warren is talking about america's future and it may raise some eyebrows about her own future. stay with us. ♪ [ male announcer ] momentum has a way
3:41 pm
of quietly exploding onto the scene. ♪ the new ram 1500 ecodiesel. with 28 highway miles per gallon, 420 pound-feet of torque. ♪ guts. glory. ram. ♪ you wouldn't have it she any other way.our toes. but your erectile dysfunction - it could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache.
3:42 pm
to avoid long-term injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or any allergic reactions like rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about experiencing cialis for daily use and a free 30-tablet trial. the numbers are impressive. over 400,000 new private sector jobs... making new york state number two in the nation in new private sector job creation... with 10 regional development strategies to fit your business needs. and now it's even better because they've introduced startup new york... with the state creating dozens of tax-free zones where businesses pay no taxes for ten years. become the next business to discover the new new york. [ male announcer ] see if your business qualifies.
3:43 pm
become the next business to discover the new new york. the was a truly amazing day. without angie's list, i don't know if we could have found all the services we needed for our riley. for over 18 years we've helped people take care of the things that matter most. join today at angieslist.com peace of mind is important when so we provide it services you bucan rely on. with centurylink as your trusted it partner, you'll experience reliable uptime for the network and services you depend on. multi-layered security solutions keep your information safe, and secure. and responsive dedicated support meets your needs, and eases your mind. centurylink. your link to what's next.
3:44 pm
>> you know, this is unacceptable. not as first lady, but as a mother. the last thing we can afford to do right now is play politics with our kids' health. now is not the time to roll back everything that we have worked for. >> first lady michelle obama calling out republicans for playing politics with our children's health last week. the house committee is moving forward with a bill that would gut the first lady's healthy school lunch initiative.
3:45 pm
the program sets new standards to reduce sodium and increase fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. the republican bill would allow schools to opt out of those nutritional guidelines, meani i schools wouldn't be required to serve fruits and vegetables at every meal. it means they could opt out of serving low sodium and low fat foods. the house will most likely take it up in the next few weeks. why would the party be opposed to healthier kids? joining me now is celebrity chef and food activist tom colicchio. tom is the head judge on bravo's hit cooking show "top chef" and he's been very outspoken on the republican opposition to healthy eating plan. tom, it's a pleasure to have you with us tonight. >> thanks, al. >> how did you feel the need to speak out against the republican plan? >> well, actually, i've been
3:46 pm
involved in this fight for a while. i testified in front of congress back in 2009. i was in washington at a public school when the president signed this bill back in 2010. so this isn't something i just joined on to. you know, when you see what the republicans are trying to do with this plan, they're trying to roll it back. it's similar to what they're trying to do with the affordable care act. once it gets implemented, it's hard to cut. now they're getting ready for the fight because this bill, the healthy hunger kids free act gets reauthorized in 2015. this is ground zero for that new fight now. >> you know, let's go here to the table for a minute. i want to show something. the table in front of us, we have an example of these school lunches and what they used to look like and how the program is trying to improve them. let's look at plate one. this is what a typical lunch menu used to look like. a slice of pizza, tom canned
3:47 pm
pine a pineapples, french fries, ketchup and a cup of chocolate milk. this ads up to 750 calories, 26 grams of fat, over 1,200 milligrams of sodium. that's a lot of salt. and 42 grams of sugar. what parent would want their kids eating this junk, tom? >> not me. i have three children and i don't feed them this junk at all. you have a much mel thealthier here. >> this is what we would get with. this is after the implementation. slice of whole wheat pizza, sweet potato fries, grape tomatoes with low fat renanch d, milk. this is under 500 calories. they're still pizza and fries but it's significantly healthier than what the kids were eating previously. what do you say to republicans
3:48 pm
that are going against this? >> well, you know what, it's really -- what republicans are doing is nothing about what's on this plate at all. this is about $10 billion that is being spent in the school lunch program and giving that money away to their corporate partners. this is about big food. this isn't about what's on this plate at all. this is about giving money back to the people that supported the republicans, you know, aderhalt when he was asked cently in committee if he wanted to gut this entire program, his response was not in this bill. so it's very telling. >> the another bill -- >> right, right. but if you look at this plate. they don't look very dissimilar. over here, you have kech-up. that was declared a vegetable. here you have a tomato, the actual vegetable. you have whole milk instead of chocolate milk. you have whole grains and sweet potato, a lot more fiber.
3:49 pm
>> so your kid in school, with the school lunch is not giving up having an appealing and tasteful meal. >> no and i think what everybody has to understand is nutrition and learning go hand in hand. i9's as important, what we're feeding our children, getting brains ready to learn is as important as desks, pencils and teachers and look. you lost a lot of weight. when you eat better, you feel better. you have more energy, you can focus better, get a lot more done. we seernding our kids to school -- >> let me go to one thing before we run out of time on beverages. soda. a lot of vend mag sheens in these schools. a lot of sodas. here's a glass of soda, and drinking just this glass of soda is like just pouring down all of this sugar. they might as well just drink -- it's the same equivalent. >> most parents and in schools, they would give this to a kid. but would you give that to a kid? it's the same thing. it's the same thing. this shouldn't happen. in fact, with the bill, this got
3:50 pm
rid of the vepding machines in school. the republicans want to get the machines back in because the big food, the people who support their campaigns, these are the people they want to get back in there to get their hands back on this $10 billion. >> you know, so a lot of this is w business and money driven. >> it's all politics. what's really unfortunate is that politics are deciding to play politics with that you are children's health. >> also politics on the other side of the debate, you've also been very active in the fight against hunger. what prompted you to get involved, tom. >> i've been very active raising money in various organizations fighting hunger. around five years ago, my wife and i started making a film called "place the table." we found that most importantly, that hunger can be solved. back in the '70s we pretty much got rid of hunger in this country and it came back.
3:51 pm
school lunch, w.i.c. and s.n.a.k. >> they did. $8.9 billion. they tried to cut 40. then they tried to go for more than that. they settled on 8.9. as i go around food banks and stuff, they're really, really struggling. some states have managed to put that money back in. new york, pennsylvania, vermont and oregon. we're waiting for chris christie to hopefully sign a bill to reinstate those cuts. it can be done. but we're looking at people who are struggling. 47 million people rely on food stamps. 16 million children. and so again when you look at kids who are really struggling. and then you look at school lunch, 20 million children who are in that school lunch program are getting free or reduced breakfast or lunch. we know they're living at or below poverty levels. and this is important.
3:52 pm
in most cases, this is the only meal they're getting all day. they should be healthy. this is about accountability. if we're spending that much money, why shouldn't we be accountable? >> i'm very, very imprezzed someone of your stat schur and celebrity would really commit themselves. we're going to follow this and keep talking about it. tom colicchio, thanks for your time. coming up, you might have missed it. but today, president obama made a bold move that could have major consequences for our future and our children's future. stay with us. in the nation, it's not always pretty. but add brand new belongings from nationwide insurance...
3:53 pm
...and we'll replace destroyed or stolen items with brand-new versions. we take care of the heat, so you don't get burned. just another way we put members first, because we don't have shareholders. join the nation. ♪ nationwide is on your side ♪ that corporate trial by fire when every slacker gets his due. and yet, there's someone around the office who hasn't had a
3:54 pm
performance review in a while. someone whose poor performance is slowing down the entire organization. i'm looking at you phone company dsl. check your speed. see how fast your internet can be. switch now and add voice and tv for $34.90. comcast business built for business. >> there is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. nobody. if you built a factory out there? good for you. but i want to be clear, you moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. you hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. you built a factory and it turned into something terrific or a great idea, god bless. keep a big hunk of it. but part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay for the
3:55 pm
next kid who comes along. >> that was the speech that got everyone talking about elizabeth warren and her fight for fairness in this country. now as a senator and a tireless fight efor fairness, the questions are being asked about her political future. in an interview with our friend ryan grimm, senator warren was asked about the promise in her book that she was, quote, fiercely determined to do everything i can to help us once again be the america that creates opportunities for anyone who works hard and plays by the rules. it led to the obvious question. and here was part of the senator's answer. >> this is a moment in time for our country, and i believe for our world, a moment in time when we decide who we are as a people and what kind of a future we are going to build.
3:56 pm
here in america, we the people get to decide what the rules are. so i get how hard this is. this is about concentrated money and power on money on one side, but it's about our values, our voices and our votes on our side. i believe we can fight back. i believe we can win. >> not exactly a firm no. no doubt, to be continued. [ girl ] my mom, she makes underwater fans that are powered by the moon. ♪ she can print amazing things, right from her computer. [ whirring ] [ train whistle blows ] she makes trains that are friends with trees. ♪ my mom works at ge. ♪ ugh. heartburn. did someone say burn?
3:57 pm
try alka seltzer reliefchews. they work just as fast and taste better than tums smoothies assorted fruit. mmm. amazing. yeah, i get that a lot. alka seltzer heartburn reliefchews. enjoy the relief. stick with innovation. stick with power. stick with technology. get the flexcare platinum from philips sonicare and save now. philips sonicare i'm j-e-f-f and i have copd. i'm l-i-s-a and i have copd, but i don't want my breathing problems to get in the way of hosting my book club. that's why i asked my doctor about b-r-e-o. once-daily breo ellipta helps increase airflow from the lungs for a full 24 hours. and breo helps reduce symptom flare-ups that last several days and require oral steroids, antibiotics, or hospital stay. breo is not for asthma. breo contains a type of medicine
3:58 pm
that increases risk of death in people with asthma. it is not known if this risk is increased in copd. breo won't replace rescue inhalers for sudden copd symptoms and should not be used more than once a day. breo may increase your risk of pneumonia, thrush, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking breo. ask your doctor about b-r-e-o for copd. first prescription free at mybreo.com >> you might have missed president obama's big announcement, something that could make the world a better place for your children and your children's children. today, the obama administration announced new rules to reduce carbon pollution 30% by 2030. the president talked about it in his weekly youtube address. >> as president, and as a parent, i refuse to condemn our children to a planet that's beyond fixable.
3:59 pm
america will build the future. a future that's cleaner, more prosperous and full of good jobs. a future where we can look our children in the eye and tell them we did our part to leave them a safer more stable world. >> a new poll shows that 70% of americans support government steps to limit greenhouse gases. climate change is a real problem, and the american people want it addressed. and now for our question of the day, was it right for the united states to release five taliban prisoners in order to reunite an american soldier with his family? the big majority said yes. 85%. 15% said no. d.c. scott says a yes. he was a prisoner of war. the one we traded are also.
4:00 pm
since the war is ending, it's the right thing to do. thanks for all those who voted. head to our facebook page to post your comment. thanks for watching. i'm al sharpton, "hardball" starts right now. goodbye, gitmo. let's play "hardball." >> good evening pip'm chris matthews in washington. let's look at the terms of trade. the taliban who took a soldier prisoner got five of the most dangerous terrorists we had in our hands. we don't know where this soldier we got back stands on the war in afghanistan, we can bet on the loyalties of the five
92 Views
IN COLLECTIONS
MSNBC West Television Archive The Chin Grimes TV News Archive Television Archive News Search ServiceUploaded by TV Archive on